An Hermetic Explosion

editorial by Frater L.

This issue of the Journal of the Western Mystery Tradiiton features some personalities that every student "thinks" they know about, and can place in the "succession" of networks and relationships that lead up to the "Hermetic Explosion" of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Frederick Hockley is often mentioned in connection with research on the origins of the Golden Dawn system of magic, notably on manuscripts that he may or not have possessed, bearing on the origins of the Cypher Documents ; Pascal Beverly Randolph is hardly mentioned in "polite society", most casual observers associating him above all with faintly-scandalous "magical sexuality". The JWMT editorial team hope that readers will discover much more about these important practitioners from the excellent papers presented here, and profit from the balanced viewpoints and hitherto little-known facts presented therein.

The theme for JWMT Autumnal Equinox 2008 will be Magical Languages. Or perhaps that should be the Language of Magic? We wish everyone pleasurable and profitable reading !