DE BRUIGNAC, Alb. Duroy "Satan et La Magie de Nos Jours" [Ch. Bleriot, 1864]

DE BRUIGNAC, Alb. Duroy. Satan et La Magie de Nos Jours; Reflexions Pratiques sur le Magnetisme, le Spiritisime et la Magie.

Paris: Librairie de Ch. Bleriot, 1864. 9" x 5.75", xi + 218pp. Softcover with cloth spine and printed wraps. Rear cover missing a corner and with a narrow, diagonal stain (as pictured). Persistent dampstain internally along upper right corner but remains in margin and doesn't affect text. Foxing noted throughout. Good+.

A moral and theological critique of mid-19th-century occultism, “Satan et la magie de nos jours” warns that mesmerism, spiritism, and modern “scientific” magic are veiled forms of demonic influence. Duroy de Bruignac surveys the history of magic and the supernatural, arguing that contemporary fascination with unseen forces imperils both faith and reason. Written at the height of Europe’s spiritualist movement, the work reflects Catholic anxiety over the rise of modern occult science and psychology.