IN ASTROLOGOS CONIECTORES LIBRI QUINQUE

222 x 160 mm. (8 3/4 x 6 1/2"). 12 p.l., 304 pp., [12] leaves. Very pleasing 17th century calf, covers with a floral roll border surrounding a semis of fleurs-de-lys, raised bands, spine gilt in compartments with a double rule enclosing five fleurs-de-lys, lettered in gilt, marbled paper pastedowns, all edges gilt (old expert repairs at the top of joints). Attractive woodcut head- and tailpieces throughout, historiated initials, and two woodcut astrological charts in the text. Front pastedown with morocco book label of Stanislas de Guaita; rear flyleaf with his inked inscription: "Collationné. Complet - à Nancy. ce 27 Xbre 1895. - Guaita." Stanislas de Guaita et sa bibliothèque occulte, 15 (this copy); Caillet I, 291; Graesse I, 127; USTC 4022052. See also Thorndike VI, pp. 202-04. A bit of rubbing at corners, other light wear to the binding, inconsequential foxing here and there, isolated quires slightly darkened, but an excellent copy--crisp and clean internally, in a solid decorative binding still shining with gilt. In a lovely early binding, this is a notorious 19th century occultist's copy of a scarce 17th century refutation of astrology. Our author, Jesuit scholar Alessandro de Angelis (1559-1620), taught logic, natural history, metaphysics, and theology at the Collegio Romano, eventually serving as prefect of studies from 1611-17. De Angelis' only known publication, the "Astologos" systematically picks apart common astrological beliefs on both metaphysical and theological grounds. First printed in Lyon, the work appears here in a second edition issued the same year; both seem to be rare, as we were able to trace only six copies at auction since 1966. Making our copy of an already absorbing book even more intriguing is its former owner, the French poet and occultist Stanislas de Guaita (1861-97), whose short but colorful life was full of curious incident. He founded a chapter of the Rosicrucians, published several works on magic and Kabbalah, and had a defrocked priest declare a "magical war" against him, which culminated in a (decidedly unmagical, though fortunately not fatal) pistol duel. He is also responsible for the iconic symbol of a goat's head in an inverted pentagram, now used to represent Satanism, which he had originally used as an illustration for his 1897 work "La Clef de la Magie Noire" ("The Key to Black Magic"). In addition to these activities, Guaita assembled an extensive library of books on various occult and related topics. His collection was sold by the Paris bookseller Dorbon, whose 1899 catalog of the library includes 2,227 volumes. Ours is #15, priced at the significant sum of 65 francs (perhaps $1,200 in today's buying power).…