Lilly, William; and Zadkiel ‘An Introduction to Astrology; by William Lilly: With Numerous Emendations, Adapted to the Improved State of the Science in the Present Day’ H. G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden, London, 1852^[1].

Original decoratively blind-stamped cloth with gilt-stamped spine. (Separation down front and rear inner paper hinges, but webbing beneath firm.) [1 page of advertisements (= front paste-down)]^[2] + [2] + [pp. iii-xiv] + 292 + [3-panel folding plates 293 and 294] + [pp. 295-346]

[1] The first combined edition thus. It would be reprinted many times. See for example the two printings below.

[2] Only the advertisements on the front and rear paste-downs have been retained in this copy but there is evidence that further pages of advertisements have been torn out, suggesting that a complete copy might be expected to collate the same as the 1860 reprint

About this Book Scan

Carefully reproduced in full colour from our original printing of the 1852 edition.

Select extracts from William Lilly’s Christian Astrology were edited by Zadkiel and republished as An Introduction to Astrology in 1835. This edition was then combined with his own Grammar of Astrology and Tables by Bohn’s Library in 1852, and subsequently reprinted many times.

Although today’s traditional Renaissance astrologers typically frown upon Zadkiel’s decision to edit and abridge Lilly’s work, it was seemingly the most the market could stand in the 19th century, and introduced Lilly’s ideas to several new generations of astrologers over the following 150 years.

The text of An Introduction to Astrology from the 1852 edition is faithfully reproduced here, without the Grammar (two earlier editions of which are separately available as downloads).