Opera, Quaecumque Hactenus vel in lucem prodierunt, vel inueniri potuerunt omnia de Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim - 1578: . . . (Including De occulta philosophia; De occulta philosophia liber quartus; Arbatel de magia veterum; Pietro dAbano: Heptameron, seu elementa magica).

Text chiefly in Latin (with some words in Greek and Hebrew). Illustrated with woodcut medallion portrait of Agrippa on verso of both title pages and numerous woodcuts and diagrams in text. Thick 8vo. Bound in ½-blind-stamped pigskin (late 16th- or early 17th-century) over boards; the boards of Vol. I are covered with a vellum leaf from a 12th-century rubricated liturgical manuscript in upright romanesque hand, containing text from a Homily De nativitate Domini by Saint Maximus of Turin (4th century); the boards of Vol. II are covered with later (probably 18th-century) brown mottled paper. All edges rouged. Lyon: Beringos fratres (Godefroy et Marcellin Beringen) N.D. (Basel: Thomas Guarin, 1578).First Edition. 2 volumes.

This First Edition is superior to (and more complete than) several other undated 2-volume editions and can be easily distinguished from them. As Ebert notes, this genuine edition is printed in Italic characters, and has on the reverse of the title-pages of both volumes the portrait of the author cut in wood. Vol. I, 15 leaves of preliminary matter and 779 pages. Vol. II, 24 leaves of preliminary matter and 1139 pages, and 44 leaves of table of contents (which sometimes is wanting). This edition contains 6 tracts more, which are wanting in all the other editions.

The most important works of the collection are the Three Books of Occult Philosophy, Agrippas vastly influential handbook of Renaissance occult sciences. (Yates). This massive compendium of esoteric wisdom is highly esteemed for its "systematic exposition of Ficinian spiritual magic and Trithemian demonic magic" (I. P. Couliano), and presents the first clear and useful survey of the field of Renaissance magic, with its peculiar blend of Hermeticism, Neo-Platonism, cabalism, natural philosophy, and Christianity. (Norman). The works had a major influence on such later magical thinkers as Giordano Bruno and John Dee.

De occulta philosophia was denounced as heretical by the Inquisition. All of Agrippas major works were controversial and brought him into conflict with both church and state. Some were placed on the Index of Prohibited Books. Also included is the mysterious Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy spuriously attributed to Agrippa; plus the Arbatel De Magia veterum, an important 16th-century anonymous Latin grimoire, and one of the most influential works of Renaissance ceremonial magic; a treatise on Geomancy by Gerard of Cremona, and a curious treatise on magic by German physician Georg Pictorius of Villingen, entitled De speciebus magiae ceremonialis, quam Goetiam vocant, along with his demonological work De material demonum. The second volumes contains numerous writings by Agrippa, including: De incertitudine et vanitate scientiarum et artium (On the Uncertainty and Vanity of the Sciences and Arts); De nobilitate et praecellentia foeminei sexus (On the Preeminence and Nobility of the Female Sex); commentary on the Ars brevis by the medieval Catalan mystic, Ramon Lull; etc. The volume also contains Agrippas voluminous correspondence, including letters to and from his teacher, Johannes Trithemius, one of the greatest minds of German Renaissance; Erasmus; Jacques Lefèvre dÉtaples, and hundreds of others, giving insight not only into Agrippas personal life, but also into the intellectual, religious and political controversies of early 16th-century Europe.

Bindings slightly rubbed with light edge-wear; bottom of spine of Vol. I with some abrasion and remnants of a paper sticker. Vol. II without front free endpaper. Occasional light water-staining, mostly marginal. Both volumes with interesting early manuscript marginalia and some underlinings. Authors portrait in Vol. II with a pen doodle drawing. Generally a clean, unrestored set. Fine.