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Return of the Magi
This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
- GenresOccultNonfictionHistory
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 4, 1975
About the author
Maurice Magre
88 books10 followers Maurice Magre (March 2nd 1877 with Toulouse - December 11th 1941 in Nice) was a French poet, writer and playwright. He was a fervent defender of Occitanie, and largely contributed to make known the martyrdom of the Cathars of the thirteenth century. With regard to his historical novels on Catharism, Maurice Magre fits especially in the line of the historian Napoleon Peyrat, in the direction where the author often prefers the legends and the romantic peppered with historical truth.
He composed his first poems at the age of 14 years. His first collections of poems were published in 1895. From 1898, he published four successive collections of poems in Paris.
During the first part of his life, he lived a bohemian life of vice and even became an opium addict. In spite of a sulfurous reputation, he became however a famous and appreciated author. At the time of the publication of one of his books in 1924, Barber wrote: “Magre is an anarchist, an individualist, a sadist, an opium addict. He has all the defects, he is a very great writer. His work should be read. ”
In the second part of his life, he was interested in esotericism and carried out a spiritual search, but did not cease publishing many works.
In 1919, he discovered the Secret Doctrines , the major work of Mrs. Blavatsky, the Co-founder of the Theosophic Society.
In 1935, although he was sick, he undertook a voyage towards the Indies in order to meet Sri Aurobindo in his Ashram de Pondichéry.
He founded on July 26th, 1937, with Francis Rolt-Wheeler, the “Company of the Friends of Montségur and the Holy Grail”.
He composed his first poems at the age of 14 years. His first collections of poems were published in 1895. From 1898, he published four successive collections of poems in Paris.
During the first part of his life, he lived a bohemian life of vice and even became an opium addict. In spite of a sulfurous reputation, he became however a famous and appreciated author. At the time of the publication of one of his books in 1924, Barber wrote: “Magre is an anarchist, an individualist, a sadist, an opium addict. He has all the defects, he is a very great writer. His work should be read. ”
In the second part of his life, he was interested in esotericism and carried out a spiritual search, but did not cease publishing many works.
In 1919, he discovered the Secret Doctrines , the major work of Mrs. Blavatsky, the Co-founder of the Theosophic Society.
In 1935, although he was sick, he undertook a voyage towards the Indies in order to meet Sri Aurobindo in his Ashram de Pondichéry.
He founded on July 26th, 1937, with Francis Rolt-Wheeler, the “Company of the Friends of Montségur and the Holy Grail”.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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January 30, 2024The occult classic, allegedly, in which the highly pro-Cathar French theosophist Maurice Magre, writing in the 1930s, gives a whistle stop tour of the occult highlight reel, focusing on Christian Rosenkreutz, Nicholas Flamel and the book of Abraham, the Cathars, the Templars, et al et seq. There are sages in remote Himalayan mountains and beautiful women in white dresses. Mild but persistent misogyny throughout and he doesn't half bang on about rape.
Obviously this stuff is all made up anyway, but this book is significantly more made up than that, including but not limited to completely fictional people, conversations, events, motivations, assertions, and religious movements. "We don't know how the Buddhist faith could have spread to Languedoc in the eleventh century" he says, which in one sense is entirely correct in that we do not know how this thing that didn't happen did not happen, but in another and significantly more accurate sense is gibbering bullshit. The author's favourite phrase is "no doubt", as deployed in sentences like "We don't know what happened to Nicholas Flamel's nephew but no doubt he discovered the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone and became a sage" or "No doubt the last Cathars' bodies are forever preserved in a hidden cave still clutching their book of secrets" or "No doubt he went to a Himalayan monastery and discovered the wisdom of the ancients." I mean, yes, those are all the likeliest outcomes.
I was not expecting this to be a reliable or factual history, obv. It's published in Dennis Wheatley's Occult Library. But honestly, this is an utterly amazing illustration of what people will swallow, especially on the Cathars. Reminds me vaguely of GK Chesterton's aphorism about how "the nineteenth century decided to have no religious authority. The twentieth century seems disposed to have any religious authority."
Obviously this stuff is all made up anyway, but this book is significantly more made up than that, including but not limited to completely fictional people, conversations, events, motivations, assertions, and religious movements. "We don't know how the Buddhist faith could have spread to Languedoc in the eleventh century" he says, which in one sense is entirely correct in that we do not know how this thing that didn't happen did not happen, but in another and significantly more accurate sense is gibbering bullshit. The author's favourite phrase is "no doubt", as deployed in sentences like "We don't know what happened to Nicholas Flamel's nephew but no doubt he discovered the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone and became a sage" or "No doubt the last Cathars' bodies are forever preserved in a hidden cave still clutching their book of secrets" or "No doubt he went to a Himalayan monastery and discovered the wisdom of the ancients." I mean, yes, those are all the likeliest outcomes.
I was not expecting this to be a reliable or factual history, obv. It's published in Dennis Wheatley's Occult Library. But honestly, this is an utterly amazing illustration of what people will swallow, especially on the Cathars. Reminds me vaguely of GK Chesterton's aphorism about how "the nineteenth century decided to have no religious authority. The twentieth century seems disposed to have any religious authority."
August 21, 2020
This is a wonderful overview of mysterious movements and individuals throughout the ages. Magre the Magi starts things off shortly after Christ's time, in a chapter about Appolonius of Tyana; but the rest of the book takes place within the past millenium, covering the movements of the Cathars, the Templars, the Rosicrucians; and the figures of Nicolas Flamel, the Count of St. Germain and Helena Blavatsky. Magre makes up a lot of stuff, but he admits when he's doing it and is very good at it. At times the writing is fluffy, and the different sections don't always feel connected, but the writing is unusually poetic for a theosophical book. It reignited my fascination with St. Germain, and sparked an interest in several of the other topics.
I have to admit, though, I've been trying with Appolonius for a while, and I just find him boring. Too perfect, maybe. So, consider skipping the first chapter. I actually started near the end, with St. Germain.
The 2nd chapter on the Cathars (or Albigenses) is phenomenal. Definitely the best in the book. No surprise, as the author was born and raised in the heart of Cathar country.
I have to admit, though, I've been trying with Appolonius for a while, and I just find him boring. Too perfect, maybe. So, consider skipping the first chapter. I actually started near the end, with St. Germain.
The 2nd chapter on the Cathars (or Albigenses) is phenomenal. Definitely the best in the book. No surprise, as the author was born and raised in the heart of Cathar country.
July 13, 2017
Interesting glimpse into the lives of esoteric leaders who haven't received much recognition in the 21st century. Saint-Germain and Madame Blavatsky were particularly interesting personalities to me. The book really drives home how society (in whatever age you live) will reject and punish any new and foreign line of thinking. Nice read!
September 5, 2020
A lot of necessary name drops for anyone looking into occult/mysticism/esoteric philosophy. Super dry so I was only able to tolerate reading the sections where I was somewhat familiar with the themes or names. I would suggest it to someone interested in the subject matter but not to anyone unfamiliar or uninterested in the mysteries.
February 18, 2024
Interesting, but not in a “oh this is legit” type way but in a “what sort of non factual cow dung is he gonna spew this chapter?!”
Pro tip if it’s written by an early/mid 20th century white male and it pertains to religion? Or theology in any context? It’s going to be non factual bullshit to put it indelicately.
Pro tip if it’s written by an early/mid 20th century white male and it pertains to religion? Or theology in any context? It’s going to be non factual bullshit to put it indelicately.
October 30, 2018
As someone with little to no knowledge of the subject, I thought this book was a pretty good introduction. The author is far from objective, but this keeps the book from getting stuffy. He does contradict himself a lot though, especially in the chapter on the Knights Templar.
September 21, 2017
A great blend of history and teachings of magi throughout the ages. Heart-felt and genuine. A beautiful book.
September 11, 2021
The book asks one to believe the Cathars were medieval Buddhists, and that’s just daft.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews