Hi Bob,
The work that Laycock was involved in before his death sounds highly 
interesting (I hope you can track it down) as indeed does your proposed 
research on Dee. Dee's accounts of the angelic workings are a goldmine 
of richly polyphonic, extended rhetorical devices. Ripe for all sorts of 
analysis.

Further to the whole 'language within the texts' theme, if you think the 
Stark book is up your street then you might be interested in tracking 
down a little exchange that occurred within the pages of Rhetoric 
Society Quarterly between myself, Joshua Gunn, William Covino, Morgan 
Reitmeyer and David Blakesley. It starts with my article, 'Occult 
Retraction: Cornelius Agrippa and the Paradox of Magical Language', 
(2008), Rhetoric Society Quarterly, 38:4, 433-456 which then gets 
replied to by Gunn et al. in 'Get Agrippa: A comment on Chris Miles's 
"Occult Retraction"', (2009), Rhetoric Society Quarterly, 39:4, 38-387. 
My reply to their comments is then in the same edition. The debate 
covers a number of areas regarding rhetorical strategies in occult texts 
(mostly focusing on Agrippa but taking in some general issues of 
Renaissance vs. Enlightenment magical language). You might find it worth 
a look.
Regards,

Chris Miles

Bob P. wrote:
> Excellent suggestion Chris.   Just saw a few things about it on-line and that is exactly the sort of thing I'm interested in.   It's good to see someone focus on the language within the texts.   I myself am looking closely at the language and rhetoric of Dee's Enochian Calls as indicative not so much of the literal meaning of the Enochian but of the epistemological, Christian (in particular The Revelation of St. John)( mystical as well as Anglican Theology), and etymological factors as they bore on Dee's and Kelley's perception of the Angelic communications they received.   I would contend there is a complex interplay at work in Dee's and Kelley's reading of the calls and the percieved English translations thereof.   Somewhere within the play of difference between the Enochian and the English there are mechanisms at work, my assumed task to identify those mechanisms to arrive at a greater understanding of the mantric potential of the Enochian calls.   Which brings to mind D
onald Laycock's Enochian Dictionary.  
>  Right around the time I was completing my masters in English at the University of Colorado some years ago I attempted to contact Donald Laycock at the Australian National University.   And apparently he had passed away right after I wrote to him, 27 December, 1988.   Laycock was working on a sequel of sorts to the Dictionary and Lois Carrington there said no one in the Linguistics department had much of any clue as to what he was up to in that respect.   I wonder if anyone in the group as ever looked at Donald Laycock's papers or archives.  I should drop them a line again there and see where his papers and or archives wound up as they may not even be housed at The Australian National University at Canberra. 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Chris Miles
> Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 4:06 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Angelic Investigation
> 
> 
> Hi Bob (and Merry Yule to all),
> 
> Although not specifically focused on angelic magic I would urge you to check out "Rhetoric, Science, and Magic in Seventeenth-Century England" -- a book-length study by Ryan J. Stark (Washington D.C., The Catholic University of America, 2009). It's a great read, full of excellent insights into the language and rhetoric present in grimoires and other occult writing of the time. I am sure you will find it of interest. 
> Regards,
> Chris Miles   
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic on behalf of Bob P.
> Sent: Fri 12/25/2009 7:49 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Angelic Investigation
>  
> Merry Yule (hailing Discordia),
>       In my current work on angelic magic, post John Dee and Sir Edward
> Kelley, I am endeavoring to research the history, practice, grimoires, etc.,
> from 1700-1900 in the west.  Their appears to be plenty that covers the 19th
> century but far less concerning 18th century practitioners of angelic magic
> and their craft.  Any suggested articles or monographs covering this period
> or remotely touching upon it would be greatly appreciated.   Thanks.
> 
> 
> Best Wishes,
> Bob Podgurski
> 
> 
> 
> E.M.U
> Eastern Mediterranean University
> 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
> Version: 8.5.430 / Virus Database: 270.14.119/2586 - Release Date: 12/25/09 09:33:00
> 



E.M.U

Eastern Mediterranean University


E.M.U

Eastern Mediterranean University