NEW ARRIVALS
[WAITE, Arthur Edward] The Doctrine and Literature of the Kabalah (1902)
[WAITE, Arthur Edward] The Doctrine and Literature of the Kabalah (1902)
London: The Theosophical Publishing Society, 1902. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. xx + 508pp. Dark blue cloth with gilt title to front and spine. Frontispiece. 'Theosophical Publishing House' is printed at the bottom of the spine and according to R.A. Gilbert, this would be binding variant "b". Some light corner wear and some light wear to spine ends. Former owner's name in pencil to front pastedown. A solid, very good copy of this increasingly scarce work.
One of the most important early studies of the Kabalah. It was originally scheduled to be published by Redway but a fire destroyed most of the materials for the book except a set of proofs. Redway eventually went out of business and the book was then published by the Theosophical Publishing Society. Waite's bibliographer R.A. Gilbert says of this work: "No other work in English approaches Waite's study in sanity, accuracy or competence, despite the errors due to his reliance on unsatisfactory translations. His insight into Kabbalism is praised by Gershom Scholem, the greatest living authority on the subject ... "