Mystic Test Book - Hardcover

Richmond, Olney H.

3.64

11 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 087877064X ISBN 13: 9780878770649

Publisher: Newcastle Publishing, 1983

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A completely re-typeset and fully annotated edition of this original source book for the Cards System. This work contains all the original text and illustrations plus footnotes, 132 endnotes, 8 appendices and an index to assist the student in understanding this rather complex material. Many of the diagrams and all the original full-page charts have been enlarged to clarify the information. 8 1/2" x 11", comb-bound.

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From the Inside Flap:

Publisher's Preface - This Centennial Edition of Olney Hawkins Richmond's "The Mystic Test Book or the Magic of the Cards," is a completely re-typeset version taken from the final and complete 3rd Edition of 1919. The 1st Edition was originally published in 1893, three years after Richmond and his family had moved to Chicago and re-established the Modern Temple of the Magi at 1910 Washington Blvd. (See my "Temple Lectures, Parts 1 & 2," and also my "Articles on the Order of the Magi and its History" for the full details.) In 1896, Richmond published the 1st Supplement, which was later combined with the original, to become the 2nd Edition, published in 1911. This 2nd Edition was the source of the Health Research re-publication in 1966, and was the only version available for many years, it was out-of-print for a while, but it is once again available. In 1919, Richmond added a 2nd Supplement and published the whole as the 3rd Edition. Also, in this 3rd Edition, he changed Page 291. Both versions have been included in this work, but other than that, this version became the final definitive edition of his work on the Cards System.

In 1946, Arlene L. Richmond (his adopted "daughter") republished this version, as the 4th Edition. The copyright page states that it was a "revised and enlarged" edition, but I can find no changes whatsoever, other than that the typeface is slightly larger and bolder. It was this 4th Edition that was the source of the facsimile re-publication by Newcastle Publishing in 1983; it was this reasonably priced paperback edition that introduced many people to this very original and unique study. It, also, is now out-of-print. However, the most prevailing comment by readers, that I hear, seems to be one of total confusion. The book is written in typical "Victorian" style, containing many obscure passages with minimal explanation, allusions to further material which remain unfinished and a rather confusing format that jumps from place to place throughout the book, plus illustrative diagrams that are out of place within the text.

This newly re-typeset version contains all the original text, illuminated capitals, end of chapter graphics, spreads, charts, diagrams and illustration, placed in their appropriate places, to maintain the full integrity of the original. However, I have had to slightly rearrange some of the original material to help with the flow of this material and thoughts.

To assist the student, I have added explanatory footnotes and comments, various appendices to help clarify the information and, also, some minor spelling and punctuation errors have been corrected and/or noted where necessary. As we have used a double column format to condense this material to a reasonable size, the original page numbers are shown, within the new text, thus - [9], at the point where his new page starts so that those with one of the earlier editions can easily cross-reference between the two versions. Also certain plates and illustrations had to be moved, either to place them into the correct portion of the text or to compact them into a coherent whole. These, too, have been identified with their original page numbers in the same aforementioned manner, to help with cross-referring between the two versions.

From the Back Cover:

To commemorate the 100 years from the founding of the Modern Temple of the Order of the Magi, we offer this Special Re- Typeset, Annotated and Indexed 6th Edition of Olney H. Richmond's "Mystic Test Book," taken from the complete 3rd Edition of 1919. This includes all the text of the original 1st Edition of 1893 and both Supplements, the first of 1896 and the second of 1919, plus both versions of a page that was altered between the 2nd and 3rd Editions. We have included all the illustrations plus various Plates have been added from other relevant sources. This important work has been rather overlooked due to its complexity and a rather confusing format. The inclusion of an index, original page references, the footnotes and appendices, will, hopefully, make this material more available to the general reader and also will assist the serious student of this material.

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