Magic, White and Black: The Science of Finite and Infinite Life: A Modern Rendering of the Early 20th Century Edition Hardcover – February 28, 2026

First published at the height of the Theosophical revival, Magic, White and Black stands as one of the most articulate syntheses of nineteenth-century esoteric philosophy.Physician, philosopher, and prominent Theosophist Franz Hartmann presents magic not as superstition or theatrical ritual, but as a science of consciousness — a study of the laws governing inner transformation, moral development, and the relationship between finite personality and infinite life.Written in an era when spiritualism, comparative religion, and emerging scientific inquiry converged, this work attempts a bold reconciliation:mysticism and reason, symbolism and law, spirit and matter.Within these pages, Hartmann explores:• the distinction between so-called white and black magic• the psychology of spiritual development• the nature of will, consciousness, and selfhood• occult law as ethical and metaphysical principle• the structure of the visible and invisible worldsRather than advocating ritual sensationalism, Hartmann advances a disciplined philosophy of inner mastery. Magic, in his formulation, is not spectacle — it is the lawful operation of consciousness aligned with universal order.This Penemue Archive Edition reproduces the 1904 American printing in faithful facsimile form. Pagination, typography, and period conventions have been preserved. Minor digital restoration has been applied solely to improve legibility while maintaining historical integrity.For readers of Theosophy, Western esotericism, comparative mysticism, and the intellectual history of occult philosophy, this volume offers direct access to a formative voice in modern metaphysical thought. Read more