Modern Magic: The Ancient Arts in a New Age

Tracing the survival of ancient magical practices into the nineteenth century

Modern Magic reveals how arcane traditions and old enchantments endure in the contemporary world. Magic, in all its mystery, did not vanish with the rise of science, it adapted. First published in 1873, Maximilian Schele de Vere explores the enduring fascination with astrology, alchemy, charms, divination, sorcery, and supernatural belief in an era otherwise defined by reason and progress.

Drawing from classical sources, Modern Magic shows how the magical arts were not discarded but repurposed, cloaked in new language but driven by the same human impulses. Surviving in unexpected places, from rural customs to the drawing rooms of spiritualists and seekers, this catalogue of forgotten practices is an essential text for those interested in the intersection of history, belief, and magic.