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Moon lore
Book by Harley, Timothy
296 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1885
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 24, 2024
Interesting from a cultural studies perspective but sometimes overly convoluted. But that was to be expected so I can't really fault it for that. Wouldn't recommend reading all of it if you just want to read some fun old timey stories about the moon though.
October 2, 2021
Pleasant rambling about moon myths interspersed with objectionable ridiculing of other cultures, religions and beliefs, but it was written in 1885. By a priest.
September 3, 2023
I've learnt about this book from the publisher called 'Black Letter Press', and my edition is this beautiful one:
https://www.blackletter-press.com/pro...
without ISBN.
I did not find a lot of info about this book: there were only a couple of reviews for it here on GR, and the publisher advertised it as 'Victorian collection of moon lore: myths, folklore, superstitions and just plain whimsy from all lands'. 'Black Letter Press' also publishes old grimoires, so I imagined a collection of magical customs that would be interesting to a modern pagan.
In fact, I do not think I know any modern pagans except myself who would finish this book (and there must be something very seriously wrong with a book for me to abandon it, I just wasn't taught this useful skill).
'This book is a contribution to light literature, and to the literature of light.'
So a Christian priest rambles on about how unenlightened heavens have silly beliefs about the moon, but his contemporaries shouldn't be too smug about it because some of what they think about the moon is also incorrect. The author seems to be a nice, well-meaning person, - although he probably wouldn't have found equally kind words for somebody like me, who worships the Moon in such a scientific age.
The main problem with this book, for me, is that although it's probably as well-researched as could be possible at that day and age, it's kind of pre-Hutton, if you know what I mean; it can't really be considered scientific. 'The Samoides are the "salmon eaters" of Asia.' I live with a Samoyed dog (he thinks he owns me) who loves salmon, so we were keen to research if there's any truth behind this statement, but couldn't find any proof of that; that's just one funny (and rather sweet) example.
At the same time, I cannot really call this book entertaining, because huge parts of it are repetitions of the same customs all over the world with little variation; this is done intentionally to prove the point that these (presumably laughable) customs exist everywhere, but then remember I said I couldn't really treat this book as scientific research.
Still, I enjoyed this example of the author's quiet sense of humour:
'Accroding to Milton, ambition created unpleasantness in the Hebrew heaven.'
For the modern pagan, this might be interesting:
'So may I renew my life as thou art renewed.' (A petition to the New Moon).
Another thought I found interesting:
'Superstition may be defined as an extravagance of faith and fear, [...] religious reverence in excess.'
In the end, he quotes many of his contemporaries on the subject of the possible existence of atmosphere on the Moon. I've Googled this and, apparently, the current scientific opinion is that there is a kind of atmosphere on the Moon. So he was right to suppose that even though this was not proven at his time, it might still be the case. It hasn't led the scientists to conclude that there's also life on the Moon, though - at least, not yet :)
So, all in all, maybe a nice book to read before bed, especially if you're kindly disposed to Christian priests (as I am, I guess, because of Father Brown); but I was trying to read this early in the mornings as part of my occult studies, - this did not work that well.
https://www.blackletter-press.com/pro...
without ISBN.
I did not find a lot of info about this book: there were only a couple of reviews for it here on GR, and the publisher advertised it as 'Victorian collection of moon lore: myths, folklore, superstitions and just plain whimsy from all lands'. 'Black Letter Press' also publishes old grimoires, so I imagined a collection of magical customs that would be interesting to a modern pagan.
In fact, I do not think I know any modern pagans except myself who would finish this book (and there must be something very seriously wrong with a book for me to abandon it, I just wasn't taught this useful skill).
'This book is a contribution to light literature, and to the literature of light.'
So a Christian priest rambles on about how unenlightened heavens have silly beliefs about the moon, but his contemporaries shouldn't be too smug about it because some of what they think about the moon is also incorrect. The author seems to be a nice, well-meaning person, - although he probably wouldn't have found equally kind words for somebody like me, who worships the Moon in such a scientific age.
The main problem with this book, for me, is that although it's probably as well-researched as could be possible at that day and age, it's kind of pre-Hutton, if you know what I mean; it can't really be considered scientific. 'The Samoides are the "salmon eaters" of Asia.' I live with a Samoyed dog (he thinks he owns me) who loves salmon, so we were keen to research if there's any truth behind this statement, but couldn't find any proof of that; that's just one funny (and rather sweet) example.
At the same time, I cannot really call this book entertaining, because huge parts of it are repetitions of the same customs all over the world with little variation; this is done intentionally to prove the point that these (presumably laughable) customs exist everywhere, but then remember I said I couldn't really treat this book as scientific research.
Still, I enjoyed this example of the author's quiet sense of humour:
'Accroding to Milton, ambition created unpleasantness in the Hebrew heaven.'
For the modern pagan, this might be interesting:
'So may I renew my life as thou art renewed.' (A petition to the New Moon).
Another thought I found interesting:
'Superstition may be defined as an extravagance of faith and fear, [...] religious reverence in excess.'
In the end, he quotes many of his contemporaries on the subject of the possible existence of atmosphere on the Moon. I've Googled this and, apparently, the current scientific opinion is that there is a kind of atmosphere on the Moon. So he was right to suppose that even though this was not proven at his time, it might still be the case. It hasn't led the scientists to conclude that there's also life on the Moon, though - at least, not yet :)
So, all in all, maybe a nice book to read before bed, especially if you're kindly disposed to Christian priests (as I am, I guess, because of Father Brown); but I was trying to read this early in the mornings as part of my occult studies, - this did not work that well.
April 12, 2021
DNF at 15%
There is NO organization within chapters, just incomprehensible prattling from one point to the next with so little planning that it seems like a stream of consciousness.
I officially gave up when he said "Now to move on from the man in the moon" and then proceeded to whimsically ramble about said man for another two pages.
There is NO organization within chapters, just incomprehensible prattling from one point to the next with so little planning that it seems like a stream of consciousness.
I officially gave up when he said "Now to move on from the man in the moon" and then proceeded to whimsically ramble about said man for another two pages.
April 2, 2020
He did his research well, very deserving of its title. The only minor, for me, is the pages and pages of calling people ignorant and unfortunate for not being enlightened by his christian god. Besides that i really enjoyed this one!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews