The Magic of the Middle Ages

The Magic of the Middle Ages by Viktor Rydberg was first published in 1865. Chapters include: The Cosmic Philosophy of the Middle Ages, and its Historical Development; The Magic of the Church; The Magic of the Learned; and, The Magic of the People and the Struggle of the Church against it. 'A belief in magic is found among all nations. With those of unitarian views it was destined to be forced more and more into the background by the growth of speculation and natural science. With them there was also but one form of magic, although those in possession of its secret were considered able to exercise it for a useful or an injurious purpose alike. Only among nations holding dualistic views do we meet with magic in two forms: with the priests a white and a black,—the former as the good gift of Ormuzd, the latter as the evil gift of Ahriman; with the Christians of the Middle Ages a celestial magic and a diabolical,— the former a privilege of the Church and conferred by God as a weapon to aid in the conquest of Satan; the latter an infernal art to further unbelief and wickedness.'