The History of Magic with the subtitle Including a clear and precise exposition of its procedure, its rites and its mysteries by Éliphas Lévi (Alphonso Louis Constant) was published in 1922. Over 618 pages it outlines the practice of magic from ancient times to the modern schools. The book separates its content into traditions such as Hermetic Magic, Magic in India, The Holy Kabalah, The Alexandrian School, Women in Magic etc. From the introduction:
MAGIC has been confounded too long with the jugglery of mountebanks, the hallucinations of disordered minds and the crimes of certain unusual malefactors. There are otherwise many who would promptly explain Magic as the art of producing effects in the absence of causes; and on the strength of such a definition it will be said by ordinary people-with the good sense which characterises the ordinary, in the midst of much injustice that Magic is an absurdity. But it can have no analogy in fact with the descriptions of those who know nothing of the subject; furthermore, it is not to be represented as this or that by any person whomsoever: it is that which it is, drawing from itself only, even as mathematics do, for it is the exact and absolute science of Nature and her laws.
Magic is the science of the ancient magi; and the Christian religion, which silenced the counterfeit oracles and put a stop to the illusions of false gods, does, this notwithstanding, revere those mystic kings who came from the East, led by a star, to adore the Saviour of the world in His cradle.
Download the free PDF e-book here (618 pages/75MB):
I own a copy of this work. I strongly recommend who has an interest in the subject to read it. It doesn’t disclose the secrets as it were (as the title may imply) but is a very wonderful overview/exploration (depending on your viewpoint) of the subject at hand.
I want this book so baddd!!