Ralph Shirley

OCCULTISTS & MYSTICS
of all ages

BY RALPH SHIRLEY
with a New Foreword by LESLIE SHEPARD
What sort of men and women were the
great mystics and occult personalities of
the past? In this fascinating, scholarly
volume, Ralph Shirley examines seven of
the remarkable individuals who appeared
to bridge the mysterious gap between man
and the enigmatic infinity from which he
comes.

-Apollonius, once regarded as a
-Plotinus, a mystic who gave the world
-Michael Scot, a noted mathematician,
serious rival of Jesus Christ
a profound philosophy of origins
alchemist, and astrologer
-Paracelsus, one of the greatest doctors
and surgeons of his time, whose
experiments with "magnetic healing'
anticipated Mesmer and hypnotism
-Swedenborg, a versatile scientific and
technological genius, who developed
mediumistic faculties and a mystical
system
wonder-worker, and diplomat
an early champion of women's rights
-Cagliostro, an occultist, Freemason,
-Anna Kingsford, a modern mystic and

Occultists and Mystics of All Ages was
first published in 1920. A clear and
thoughtful study, its seven self-contained
biographies are connected by the
philosophical background of the author's
viewpoint.

The lives of these seven great mystics
offer rare challenges and insights to every
student of history, science, philosophy,
and the occult arts. As this book so vividly
demonstrates, their miracles are subject
to endless speculation, but serious
thinkers can scarcely question their impact
on the course of human history.… (mehr)