MAGIC SYMBOLS -MAGIC INSTRUMENTS - SEVEN SEALS Eliphas Levi (the pseudonym of Louis Constant) was a journalistic occultist who misunderstood many esoteric teachings and traditions, and published his highly personal versions of these in a number of occult-seeming texts, where he succeeded mainly in issuing misleading information. In spite of his general inaccuracy about occult things, his writings have had a powerful influence on popular occult thought, since the late 19th century - especially so on Tarot design. His collections of 'esoteric symbols' [which are highly personal, and eclectic] are of value mainly because of their influence, rather than because of their intrinsic qualities. The symbols used here are from the 1896 English version of Levi's Transcendental Magic. Its Doctrine and Ritual. [Left] The magical instruments - the Lamp, Rod, Sword and Dagger used in magical work and conjuration. Levi gives very precise instructions for the manufacture of these instruments - information mainly derived from the old grimoires, but augmented by his own imagination. He regarded the magical rod as the most important of all these instruments, and insists that in its entire length there should be inserted a long needle of magnetized iron: one end should be polyhedral prism, the other end a polyhedral black resin. [Right] Levi's personal version of the Seven Seal of the Biblical Apocalypse of St. John - the crudely drawn images are largely derived from mediaeval art. The poorly scripted Greek (Levi did not have a profound knowledge of this language] is probably designed more to mystify than to elucidate.