E
Ea
(See Babylonia.) Earth laid upon a Corpse: It is related in Pennant's Tour that it was the custom in the Highlands of Scotland to lay on…
Eber Don
Chief of the Milesian invaders of Ireland. Many of their ships were lost in a storm which the Danaans (q.v.) raised by magic. Eblis, or…
Eel
The eel is credited with the possession of many marvellous virtues. If he is left to die out of the water, his body steeped in strong…
Ech-Uisque
A Gaelic word meaning water-horse. The Ech-uisque was a goblin of Highland folk-lore, understood Egbo, The: or Esik, is a secret society of…
Ectenic Force
A supposed physical force emanating from the person of the medium, and directed by his will, by means of which objects may be moved without…
Egypt (To the peoples of antiquity)
To the peoples of antiquity as well as to those of the modern world, Egypt appeared as the very mother of magic. The reason for this…
Egypt (MAGICAL PICTURES AND OBJECTS)
MAGICAL PICTURES AND OBJECTS [ face p. 136 oath, whose breach was invariably punished with death." "The Egyptian priests preserved the…
Elbegast
A dwarf mentioned in the medieval semi-traditional Electric Girls saga-cycle Dietrich of Bern. He is friendly towards Dietrich and helps…
Elder
As an Amulet. Blockwick recommends as a charm against erysipelas an "elder on which the sun never shined." "If the piece betwixt the two…
Elder Tree
The elder had wonderful influence as a protection against evil. Wherever it grew, witches were powerless. In this country, gardens were…
Eleazar
A Jewish magician who had much success as an exorcist. His method was to fasten to the nose of the possessed a ring in which was set a root…
Eleazar of Garniza
A Hebrew author who has left many works, of which several have been printed. Among his books was a Treatise on the Soul, and a Kabalistic…
Electric Girls
Girls in whose presence certain phenomena occurred, similar in nature to the time-honoured phenomena of the poltergeist (q.v.), but…
Electrobiology
A mode of producing hypnotism by looking steadily at metallic discs. The process was discovered about the middle of last century, and its…
Electrum
Amber is the subject of some curious legends under this name, but there is also a metallic electrum, known to the French in modern times as…
Elementary Spirits
The unseen intelligences who inhabit the four elements, of the finest essence of which they are composed. The creatures of the air are…
Elf-Fire
The Ignis fatuus, or "foolish fire." This is the name given to fire obtained by rubbing two pieces of wood together, and which is used in…
Elixir of Life
No doubt exists that the mediæval alchemists and mystics believed that they were perfectly justified in their search for the Elixir of…
Ellide
The dragon-shaped ship of Frithjof, the hero of an Icelandic legend. It was said to be golden-headed, with open jaws, its under part scaled…
Elliotism
(See Hypnotism.) Eloge de l'Enfer : A critical, historical, and moral work, an edition of which was published at The Hague in 1759. It is…
Elongation
The phenomenon of elongation is a fairly common one at spiritualistic séances. It may be described as a stretching out of the medium's…
Emanations
Variously defined as subtle fluid, astral influence, psychic force, physical effluence, magnetism, radiations and vibrations. They are said…
Emerald
A good preservative against decay, promotes childbirth, arrests dysentery, and heals the bites of venomous animals. It is the most grateful…
Enchantments
(See Spells.) Enchiridion of Pope Leo, The: Is a collection of charms, cast in the form of prayers, which have nothing in common with those…
Enchiridion Physicae Restitutae
(See D'Espagnet.) Endless Cord, Tying Knots in: About the years 1877-88 Professor Zöllner of Leipsic investigated the phenomena of the…
England
(For the pre-Saxon inhabitants of England, See Celts.) The Anglo-Saxon system of magic was of course Teutonic. Their pretenders to…
Enguerraud de Marigny
(See France.) Ennemoser, Joseph (1787-1854): A doctor and philosopher of Germany, who devoted himself largely to the study of magnetism. He…
Enoch
Seventh master of the world after Adam, and author of the Kabala and Book of the Tarot. He is identical with the Thoth of the Egyptians…
Equilibrium
Magical harmony depends upon equilibrium. In occult operations if the will of the operator be always at the same tension and directed along…
Eric of the Windy Hat
According Hector of Boêce, the king of Sweden, Eric or Henry, surnamed the Windy Hat, could change the wind merely by turning his hat or…
Eromanty
One of six kinds of divination practised among the Persians by means of air. They enveloped their heads in a napkin and exposed to the air…
Eskimos
The religion of the Eskimos is still to a great extent in the magical stage. Their shamans or medicine-men, whom they call Angekok partake…
Esoteric Languages
Artificial languages invented by certain Esquiros, Alphonse: (See France.) castes for the better preservation of secrets, or for the…
Esplanadian
A mediæval Spanish legend. It tells how Amadis of Gaul and his wife Oriana of the Firm Island had the wicked enchanter Archelous in their…
Etain
The second wife of Midir the Proud, of Irish fame. Fuamnach, Midir's first wife, became jealous of her beauty and turned her into a…
Ethlinn
Daughter of Balor, King of the Fomorians of Irish magical legend. She was Balor's only child, and as he had been informed by a druid that…
Etteilla
An eighteenth century student of the Tarot. By profession he was a barber, his true name being Alliette; but on entering upon his occult…
Evergreens
The custom of decorating houses at Christmastide with evergreen plants-holly, ivy, box, laurel, mistletoe -is sometimes said to have…
Evocations
(See Necromancy). Evolution of Life, acording to theosophists, began when the Logos, in his second aspect, sent forth the second life wave…
Exorcism
To exorcise, according to the received definitions, says Smedley, is to bind upon oath, to charge upon oath, and thus, by the use of…
Eye-biters
In the time of Queen Elizabeth there came among the cattle of Ireland a disease whereby they grew blind. The witches to whose malevolence…