By Charles Godfrey Leland
Gospel of the Witches
If Gerald Brosseau Gardner is the father of the religion that calls itself Wicca, then Charles Godfrey Leland is the grandfather of Witchcraft as a religion in the English–speaking world, and his small book, Aradia, is that religion’s birth-announcement.
Until now Aradia has been a work more often cited than read. Its first edition (1899) garnered only one review, and sank from sight like a stone cast into murky waters; it sold poorly and is now a rare book. By chance a copy fell into the hands of Theda Kenyon, who devoted a few pages to it in her sensational Witches Still Live (1929), thereby calling it to the attention of many readers. By the 1950s Doreen Valiente had read Aradia, and she incorporated some of its most beautiful passages into the Wiccan rituals that she wrote. In the ’60s and ’70s it was reprinted four times, but always from a defective copy of the first edition that had lost its last page. Only in the ’90s did another reprint finally restore the missing page.
Aradia has always been a controversial work, among Witches and scholars alike. Scholars have questioned whether it may be a fiction or a forgery by Leland or by his principal informant, Maddalena (Margherita Taludi). Witches have objected to it on theological and ethical grounds, since some of the myths that it tells are about Lucifer and Cain as well as Diana and Aradia, some of its spells work by threatening or coercing the Deities and spirits, and in its revolutionary fervor it does not shrink even from teaching that the poor and downtrodden should use poisons to destroy their feudal overlords. Despite all that, it remains a beautiful and compelling work.
This edition has brought the format and typography up to date, while keeping the text unchanged. A modern reader will undoubtedly find this new edition of Aradia much easier to read than the original or any of its facsimile reprints.
English | Trade Paperback | 172 pages | Illustrated Line Drawings Throughout | 6 x 7 x 1 IN
| Availability: | Inventory is updated regularly. Items out of stock are indicated above with estimated time of arrival (ETA) when known. Not all manufacturers provide inventory data and even in stock items can be sold out without notice. We will notify you of any out of stock items as soon as possible or you can contact us in advance to verify availability. Out of stock items will automatically ship when available unless canceled by you. |
| *Average Delivery: | This is the estimated time for delivery within the USA and is subject to availability, seasonal sales volume, and other unforeseen delays. If you must have an item by a specific date, let us know in cart comments during checkout.
|
| Express Delivery: | Not all items are available for express delivery. Items which are Made to Order or that require freight truck delivery are not, for example. If you require express delivery, you can contact us to verify it is available for that item. Overnight delivery is available in some cases but require a special shipping quote. Contact Us for details.
|
| International Delivery | We ship from the US - add 10-15+ days to average delivery for most countries. Transit time will vary depending on customs & exact destination and we cannot guarantee delivery date. Import taxes are NOT charged by our cart. Your country may charge import duties, taxes, or fees before delivery - contact your local customs office for information. For faster shipping and pre-set charges, you may want to set up a US address with a freight forwarding company which also gives you free shipping from us if your order is $75 or more. We do not normally offer express shipping for international orders. Contact us for a quote if required - delivery dates are NOT guaranteed. |
| Returns | Most items can be returned or exchanged within 30 days of delivery. Some exceptions apply. See our full return policy for details. |
Tags: aradia, witchcraft, wicca, religion, Charles Godfrey Leland
By Charles Godfrey Leland
Gospel of the Witches
If Gerald Brosseau Gardner is the father of the religion that calls itself Wicca, then Charles Godfrey Leland is the grandfather of Witchcraft as a religion in the English–speaking world, and his small book, Aradia, is that religion’s birth-announcement.
Until now Aradia has been a work more often cited than read. Its first edition (1899) garnered only one review, and sank from sight like a stone cast into murky waters; it sold poorly and is now a rare book. By chance a copy fell into the hands of Theda Kenyon, who devoted a few pages to it in her sensational Witches Still Live (1929), thereby calling it to the attention of many readers. By the 1950s Doreen Valiente had read Aradia, and she incorporated some of its most beautiful passages into the Wiccan rituals that she wrote. In the ’60s and ’70s it was reprinted four times, but always from a defective copy of the first edition that had lost its last page. Only in the ’90s did another reprint finally restore the missing page.
Aradia has always been a controversial work, among Witches and scholars alike. Scholars have questioned whether it may be a fiction or a forgery by Leland or by his principal informant, Maddalena (Margherita Taludi). Witches have objected to it on theological and ethical grounds, since some of the myths that it tells are about Lucifer and Cain as well as Diana and Aradia, some of its spells work by threatening or coercing the Deities and spirits, and in its revolutionary fervor it does not shrink even from teaching that the poor and downtrodden should use poisons to destroy their feudal overlords. Despite all that, it remains a beautiful and compelling work.
This edition has brought the format and typography up to date, while keeping the text unchanged. A modern reader will undoubtedly find this new edition of Aradia much easier to read than the original or any of its facsimile reprints.
English | Trade Paperback | 172 pages | Illustrated Line Drawings Throughout | 6 x 7 x 1 IN
Product Code: RW-9780982432358 | Approximate Size (Inches): 1.00 wide x 6.00 deep x 7.00 high | Approximate Shipping Weight: 0.50 lbs.| Availability: | Inventory is updated regularly. Items out of stock are indicated above with estimated time of arrival (ETA) when known. Not all manufacturers provide inventory data and even in stock items can be sold out without notice. We will notify you of any out of stock items as soon as possible or you can contact us in advance to verify availability. Out of stock items will automatically ship when available unless canceled by you. |
| *Average Delivery: | This is the estimated time for delivery within the USA and is subject to availability, seasonal sales volume, and other unforeseen delays. If you must have an item by a specific date, let us know in cart comments during checkout.
|
| Express Delivery: | Not all items are available for express delivery. Items which are Made to Order or that require freight truck delivery are not, for example. If you require express delivery, you can contact us to verify it is available for that item. Overnight delivery is available in some cases but require a special shipping quote. Contact Us for details.
|
| International Delivery | We ship from the US - add 10-15+ days to average delivery for most countries. Transit time will vary depending on customs & exact destination and we cannot guarantee delivery date. Import taxes are NOT charged by our cart. Your country may charge import duties, taxes, or fees before delivery - contact your local customs office for information. For faster shipping and pre-set charges, you may want to set up a US address with a freight forwarding company which also gives you free shipping from us if your order is $75 or more. We do not normally offer express shipping for international orders. Contact us for a quote if required - delivery dates are NOT guaranteed. |
| Returns | Most items can be returned or exchanged within 30 days of delivery. Some exceptions apply. See our full return policy for details. |
We are sorry this item is currently out of stock. Add your name and email below to get a notification when it is available again.
