Russian Magic Books in the British Library: Books, Manuscripts, Scholars and Travellers

by W.F. Ryan

The work of W.R.S. Ralston, a Keeper of the British Museum Library in the mid- 19th century and authority on Russian magic and folklore is discussed in this latest addition to the Panizzi Lectures which also looks at travel literature and memoirs and examines both the merits and the problems of using this kind of material as a historical source for the study of popular belief.

97 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 1900

About the author

Professor Will F. Ryan is an Emeritus Professor and Honorary Fellow of the Warburg Institute, University of London.

MA DPhil FBA, FSA, Dr hon. causa, Russian Academy of Sciences

He has written and researched extensively on the history of the Russian language, the history of Russian science and magic to 1800, and the history of navigation and scientific instruments.

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting overview of sources for Russian magic, including a useful summary of significant English sources from the 16th century onwards.