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Line 26: + − Back in Paris, he in 1854 published the first volume of ''Dogme et rituel de la haute magie''. His intensive occupation with the Kabbala he documented in a number of essays, all of which he published in the ''Revue philosophique et religieuse'', a periodical he founded in 1855 together with the Belgian writer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Lemonnier Camille Lemonnier] and the French philosopher [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fauvety Charles Fauvety], and which they co-productively managed over the three years of its existence. For his diversion he wrote a couple of chansons. In one of these he compared Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, meanwhile emperor Napoléon III, with Caligula. That - we know him by now - earned him another term in prison. (Anyway, some of the chansons he managed to place in ''Le Mousquetaire'', a magazine [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Dumas Alexandre Dumas] published at that time.)+ − Then in 1859, at long last (he was 49 years old now), the economical breakthrough: the publication of his ''History of Magic'' brings a return of 1,000 Francs, at today's purchasing power an equivalent of more than 30,000 Euros. But ''l'Histoire de la magie'' isn't just the economical success, it also gets him recognition in wide sections of the "esoteric" France, among them the physician [[Fernand Rozier]] who would become a student of Lévi's.<ref>Rozier had studied not only medecine, but pharmacy, chemistry, and physics as well. That couldn't prevent him from financially salubrious performances as clairvoyant.</ref> Eventually in March 1861 he was accepted in the Masonic Lodge ''La Rose du parfait silence'' who soon after grant him the degree of a Master. In the same year ''La Clef des grands mystères'' appears, last part of the trilogy that starts with ''Histoire de la magie'' and of which ''Dogme et rituel de la haute magie'' was conceived the second part. [[file:levi_seal_solomon.jpg|Titel page of ''Le Grand Arcane'', edition of 1910|left|thumb]]+ − Lévi works a lot now, mainly as teacher for the high aristocracy, and that he even teaches the new bishop of Évreux<ref>Supposed the date is correct that was [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Sébastien_Devoucoux Jean-Sébastien Devoucoux] who had headed the Évreux diocese since 1858. For a complete list of bishops see here: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_évêques_d'Évreux</ref> on the kabbalah does speak for his professional reputation. He is doing well financially, every surplus he invests in his growing library. During a further visit to London Eugène Vintras is introduced to him, a workingman who is convinced of being a reincarnation of the prophet Elijah. Lévi on the contrary, all expert now, considers him more a gifted psychic, an interesting object of study anyway. This same year marks the start of a correspondence with the Italian baronet Spedalieri, about whom nothing seems to have been passed on to us except that he became Lévi's most important patron and in reverse received in over 1,000 letters a course on the kabbalah. This exchange of letters lasted for almost thirteen years.+ − + + − His private life, however, is running less pleasantly meanwhile. Sure, he makes up his mind to care more for his son, and gets the mother's approval for it, but after six years an ultimate discord drives the parents apart, and neither his son nor the mother he shall ever see again. Adding to this, headaches arise, tormenting him more and more frequently. Then in 1870 the siege of Paris cuts off all contributions from his students, and when he serves in the National Guard a heart disease manifests. In May 1861, with the episode of the Commune finally being over, Lévi once again finds himself at the end of all material resources. [[image:Eliphas_Levi_sul_letto_di_morte.jpg|Éliphas Lévi on his deathbed, 1875|thumb]]+ − Although he still continues working (in December 1871 already he completes the ''Grimoire franco-latomorum'' on rites of the French freemasons), but his physical status deteriorates increasingly. His heart disease repeatedly causes him to faint - he were not the one he is, of course, would he not report of ecstatic visions during his blackouts. But the path of life he had found only so late he cannot leave: in 1873 ''L'Évangile de la science'' comes into existence, followed by the ''Catéchisme de la paix'' in January 1875, the last of his works. He wrested it from his life (or was it already death?), fighting against chronic bronchitis, permanent fever, water retention in the legs, and recurrent shortages of breath. On May 31, 1875 Éliphas Lévi dies at the age of 65.+ − + − + − − − The effects his mother's suicide and the reproach connected to it had on Constant may merely be surmised. One cannot reject though the notion that both didn't help stabilize his connections with other people. The only friend he would ever have throughout his life, Flora Tristan, died too early. Both his marriage, and the relationship with the mother to his son ended in discord. He is a lonely chap, one can't help thinking. Lots of people cross his paths, but not from one of these encounters a stable, level relationship manages to emerge. It appears he deliberately kept himself distant, in the superior position of the teacher, the other-worldliness of a medium, the posture of knowingness about the unreachable, the occult. This may have been calculated as belonging to the chosen role. But it seems that only one of his relationships turned out stable and long lasting: the one with Baronet Spedalieri, with its twofold distance of geography and that between teacher and student. − These two aspects fall into place to form a picture: There is, rooted deeply into him during his childhood, the desire for social advancement, for recognition and importance, and there is that ultimate gesture of boundless condemnation for his betrayal of this goal, his mother's suicide. Her accusation derails him for a long time, he will suffer visibly, all his activities during the following years becoming a trifle too noisy, too conspicuous, too much begging for effect - as if of someone being plagued by a bad consciousness that nobody ever must notice. Only the next mighty blow to come, the death of his daughter in 1854, puts a limit to this compulsion - albeit for a high price: Under the impression of this latest loss he accepts his mother's old reproach. Loneliness becomes the chosen punishment for his guilt, and in the drive to overcome both guilt and punishment arises the momentum for the rest of his life. From now on he will write in order to free himself. He will not realize that relief lies exclusively in himself, because it was he who accepted that guilt in the first place. And the more he is going to write, the deeper this one and only realistic chance of exoneration will sink back into the occult, and the deeper he will dig into the arcane - without ever hitting what he is actually looking for.+ + + − == Reception ==+ − In the Paris of the Second Empire Éliphas Lévi was a well known person. In the beginning a rather casual interest, his pursuit of esoteric matters later earned him a singular knowledge, almost tailor-made for a society that could no longer believe in the solacements from the church, yet neither in those the ersatz religion science would offer<ref>What sounds polemical in fact is not. It took us over 100 years (until after Chernobyl) until eventually we managed to free science from the nimbus the 19th century had bestowed upon it.</ref>. Although the political revolutions which had been turning the French society literally upside down for six decades finally found a temporary slowdown under Napoléon III, neither his imperialistic foreign policy nor the pomp of his self-stagings could resolve the deeply rooted feeling of uncertainty. People sensed something had been lost, and albeit only a small minority actually wanted to turn back the clock there was a widespread, diffuse longing - for a modern past, for a "like back then, but today". Esotericism appeared to offer a solution of this dilemma. By applying methods and forms of representation of the natural sciences on conceptions of the supernatural a connection between these two seemingly emerged, and the ''occult sciences'' took shape.+ − + − One reason for Éliphas Lévi's success may of course be seen in the fact that he was the first who consequently followed this path. He was the first after [[Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim|Agrippa von Nettesheim]] who occupied himself with occultism more intensely than just en passant. That way he could draw from an extensive well - without being hampered by the lesser developed ability in him to working systematically. Almost every notable mystic of the following times would be influenced by his scriptures, for the wide range of subjects they cover as well as for their relative originality. His taste for excentric appearances, calculated for effect and regardless of possibly negative outcome, helped boost his popularity even further. Seven years after his death the Parisian newspaper ''Le Figaro'' would publish a leading article about him.<ref>[http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k278346v Un maitre sorcier. Le Figaro v. 6. Oktober 1882] (describes in detail the incidents around Lévi's near execution in 1848)</ref> [[image:Talisman_universel_selon_levi.png|According Papus the universal charm Lévi discovered, by which all evil spirits can be banned, provided you drew it with golden ink on a pristine parchment, and carry it in a bag of golden silk.|thumb]] Apart from the above-mentioned Fernand Rozier the mystics particularly influenced by him were:+ − + − + − + − In the English language area he reached amongst others: − − − − − After having chosen Éliphas Lévi for his pseudonym he no longer published under his original name. With regards to contents a similarly clear distinction can be observed: works of theosophical/ occult contents are written exclusively "by" Éliphas Lévi; for the political pamphlets and the ''Dictionnaire de la littérature chrétienne'' Alphonse-Louis Constant signs as their author.+ − + Line 123:
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In spring 1854, Lévi went to London where he made the acquaintance of then famous author [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bulwer-Lytton,_1st_Baron_Lytton Edward Bulwer-Lytton]. Their common interest in the occult soon made them friends.<ref>Having turned from social critic to occultist, Bulwer-Lytton's fictional work met the disposition for the magical and super-natural prevailant in his day, as well as the interest in archaeological discoveries. This he knew to wrap up in thrilling stories which made him an estimated author in the salons of the bourgeoisie, especially with a female audience. His late work ''The Coming Race'' still today inspires adherents of the theory of Nazi UFOs.</ref> Through Bulwer-Lytton's influence, he once more came into contact with Rosicrucian circles in which he succeeded in several alleged evocations, the most outstanding of which that of [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonios_von_Tyana Apollonios of Tyana]. During his times in London, Constant was also able to settle his private affairs in a favourable way: the young woman he had left in Choisy-le-Roi forgave him, and he accepted the illegitimate child as his. At the same time, the final separation from Marie-Noémi was realised with the help of a friend.
In spring 1854, Lévi went to London where he made the acquaintance of then famous author [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bulwer-Lytton,_1st_Baron_Lytton Edward Bulwer-Lytton]. Their common interest in the occult soon made them friends.<ref>Having turned from social critic to occultist, Bulwer-Lytton's fictional work met the disposition for the magical and super-natural prevailant in his day, as well as the interest in archaeological discoveries. This he knew to wrap up in thrilling stories which made him an estimated author in the salons of the bourgeoisie, especially with a female audience. His late work ''The Coming Race'' still today inspires adherents of the theory of Nazi UFOs.</ref> Through Bulwer-Lytton's influence, he once more came into contact with Rosicrucian circles in which he succeeded in several alleged evocations, the most outstanding of which that of [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonios_von_Tyana Apollonios of Tyana]. During his times in London, Constant was also able to settle his private affairs in a favourable way: the young woman he had left in Choisy-le-Roi forgave him, and he accepted the illegitimate child as his. At the same time, the final separation from Marie-Noémi was realised with the help of a friend.
Back in Paris, Constant published the first volume of ''Dogme et rituel de la haute magie'' in 1854. In a number of essays, he documented his intensive studies of the Kabbala in a number of essays, all of which he published in the ''Revue philosophique et religieuse''. The periodical was founded in 1855 by Constant, Belgian writer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Lemonnier Camille Lemonnier] and French philosopher [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fauvety Charles Fauvety], who managed the periodical during the three years of its existence. Constant additionally wrote several chansons, comparing Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, meanwhile emperor Napoléon III, to Caligula in one of them. This earned him another term in prison.
In 1859, at the age of 49 years, Constant saw an economical breakthrough: the publication of his ''History of Magic'' yielded some 1,000 Francs, the equivalent of more than 30,000 Euros in today's terms. ''L'Histoire de la magie'' was not only an economical success, but also gained him a wide recognition in the "esoteric" France, among them the physician [[Fernand Rozier]] who was to become a student of Lévi's. Eventually In March 1861, he was accepted into the Masonic Lodge ''La Rose du parfait silence'' and soon bestowed with the degree of a Master. A further book, ''La Clef des grands mystères'', appeared in the same year,the last part of the trilogy that starts with ''Histoire de la magie'' and of which ''Dogme et rituel de la haute magie'' was conceived the second part. [[file:levi_seal_solomon.jpg|Titel page of ''Le Grand Arcane'', edition of 1910|left|thumb]]
Lévi now did much work, mainly as teacher for the high aristocracy, and his teaching the Kabbalah to the new bishop of Évreux<ref>Supposed the date is correct that was [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Sébastien_Devoucoux Jean-Sébastien Devoucoux] who had headed the Évreux diocese since 1858. For a complete list of bishops see here: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_évêques_d'Évreux</ref> speaks for his professional reputation. Financially he was well off and invested any surplus in his growing library. Lévi also started a correspondence with the Italian baronet Spedalieri, about whom nothing seems to have been passed on to us except that he became Lévi's most important patron and in reverse received a course on the Kabbalah in more than 1,000 letters. This exchange of letters lasted for almost thirteen years.
The years from 1861 were the most fruitful for his authorship. ''Le Sorcier de Meudon'' (1861) was followed by ''Fables et symboles'' a year later, containing extensive analyses of the symbolisms of Pythagoras, of the gospels, the talmud, and other sources. In 1865 he published ''Science des esprits'', and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Larousse Pierre Larousse] asked him to contribute an essay on the Kabbalah for his ''Grand Dictionnaire''. At the same time he started working on a monograph on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohar Zohar] which only got published after his death.<ref>http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k56839792/f107.image - This source claims that he also acted as the "head" of a society of "Grand Magicians" at this point in time. As a matter of fact the document is a belated apology of the Marian apparition at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_La_Salette La Salette] in 1846. Hence its objectiveness is rather dubious.</ref>
The years beginning with 1861 are the most fruitful for his authorship. ''Le Sorcier de Meudon'' (1861) is followed one year later by ''Fables et symboles'', containing extensive analyses of the symbolisms of Pythagoras, of the gospels, the talmud, and other sources. In 1865 he publishes ''Science des esprits'', and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Larousse Pierre Larousse] asks him to contribute an essay on the kabbalah for his ''Grand Dictionnaire''. At the same time he starts working on a monograph about the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohar Zohar], however this work won't be published until after his death.<ref>http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k56839792/f107.image - This source claims that at the time in question he acted also as "head" of a society of "Grand Magicians". As a matter of fact that document is a belated apology of the Marian apparition at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_La_Salette La Salette], 1846. Hence its objectiveness is rather dubious.</ref>
Then in 1870 The siege of Paris in 1870 happened to cut off Lévi from allowances from his students, and during his service
with the National Guard a heart disease manifested. In May 1861, with the episode of the Commune having ended, Lévi found himself at the end of all material resources once again. [[image:Eliphas_Levi_sul_letto_di_morte.jpg|Éliphas Lévi on his deathbed, 1875|thumb]]
Although still continuing with his work (in December 1871 he completed the ''Grimoire franco-latomorum'' on rites of the French freemasons), his physical condition deteriorated increasingly. In 1873, ''L'Évangile de la science'' was written, followed by his last work ''Catéchisme de la paix'' in January 1875. On May 31, 1875 Éliphas Lévi died at the age of 65.
== Reception ==
[[image:Eliphas_Levi_1872_Photo_Originale.jpg|Portrait from 1872|left|thumb]]
=== Review ===
In Second Empire Paris, Éliphas Lévi was a well known figure. His pursuit of esoteric matters, initially a rather casual interest, later provided him with a unique knowledge. By applying methods and forms of presentation of natural sciences to concepts of the supernatural, a connection between these two seemingly emerged, and the ''occult sciences'' took shape.
[[image:Eliphas_Levi_1872_Photo_Originale.jpg|Portrait from 1872|left|thumb]] How crooked, bumby, and tangled the way of Lévi's life may appear, yet it always followed one goal: social advancement, and the recognition in society that would hopefully come with it. Young Alphonse was a promising boy, that his way in school proved clearly right. In France during the age of restauration the direction towards a clerical vocation promised with certainty a future where he would be able to leave the petit-bourgeois milieu of his ancestors, and to live a life secured financially as well socially. For how large his parents' hopes had been his mother's suicide is an eloquent mark. That at least they were not unjustified one may read from the Parisian archbishop's commitment on Alphonse's behalf.
One reason for Éliphas Lévi's success may be seen in the fact that he was the first to follow this path consequently. He was the first after Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim to study occultism more intensely than just fleetingly and thus was able to draw from substantial sources. Due to the wide range of subjects covered as well as because of their comparative originality, his works influenced all notable mystics in the afermath. His inclination for eccentric appearances, calculated for effect and regardless of possible negative outcome, contributed to further boosting his popularity. Seven years after his death,Paris newspaper ''Le Figaro'' published an editorial on him.<ref>[http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k278346v Un maitre sorcier. Le Figaro v. 6. Oktober 1882] (provides a detailed description of incidents connected to Lévi's near execution in 1848)</ref>
[[image:Talisman_universel_selon_levi.png|According to Papus, the universal charm discovered by Lévi banning all evil spirits, provided it was drawn on pristine parchment in golden ink and carried in a golden silk bag.|thumb]]
Apart from Fernand Rozier mentioned above, further mystics particularly influenced by Lévi were:
* Gérard Encausse (1865-1916), publishing as Papus,
* Stanislas de Guaita (1861-1897),
* Joséphin Péladan (1858-1918), calling himself Sâr Mérodack Joséphin Péladan.
Among the English-language mystics he reached were:
* [[Gérard Encausse]] (1865 - 1916), who published under the pseudonym Papus,
* [[Helena Blavatsky]] (1831-1891),
* [[Stanislas de Guaita]] (1861 - 1897),
* H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937),
* [[Joséphin Péladan]] (1858 - 1918), who called himself Sâr Mérodack Joséphin Péladan.
* [[Aleister Crowley]] (1875-1947), considering himself a reincarnation of Lévi.
* [[Helena Blavatsky]] (1831 - 1891),
* [[H.P. Lovecraft]] (1890 - 1937),
* [[Aleister Crowley]] (1875 - 1947), who considered himself a reincarnation of Lévi.
== Works ==
== Works ==
Having chosen Éliphas Lévi for his pseudonym, he no longer published under his common name. A similarly clear distinction may be observed regarding with regards to content: works of theosophical/occult contents are authored exclusively by Éliphas Lévi, while the political pamphlets and the ''Dictionnaire de la littérature chrétienne'' was authored by Alphonse-Louis Constant.
=== Alphonse-Louis Constant ===
=== Alphonse-Louis Constant ===
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{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout:fixed; padding:0px; background:rgb(255,255,255); margin:0px; margin-left:15px; margin-right:15px; width:100%; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; empty-cells:show;"
|-
|-
|style="width:10%; vertical-align:top;"|1839
|style="width:10%; vertical-align:top;"|1839
=== Éliphas Lévi ===
=== Éliphas Lévi ===
{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout:fixed; padding:0px; background:rgb(255,255,255); margin:0px; margin-left:15px; margin-right:15px; width:100%; text-align:left; float:left; vertical-align:top; empty-cells:show;"
{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout:fixed; padding:0px; background:rgb(255,255,255); margin:0px; margin-left:15px; margin-right:15px; width:100%; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; empty-cells:show;"
|-
|-
|style="width:10%; vertical-align:top;"|1854
|style="width:10%; vertical-align:top;"|1854
|''L'Annexe de Salomon''
|''L'Annexe de Salomon''
|}
|}
== References ==
== References ==