An exceptionally scarce volume purporting to be something of a new "Apocalypse" or prophetic word for the modern era. The present work, up until recently, had usually been classed as science fiction on bibliographic catalogues. It clearly is not that though; the author intended it to be read as a bona fide revelation of God to the modern era, detailing specifically the mutually parasitic dangers of ignorance and superstition.
The author goes so far as to say that these were the effects of the curse and it was to this superstition that the serpent in the Garden of Eden was attempting to work into human experience.
No other copies on the market at any price. A rather unusual mix of theological, esoteric, Christian, political, philosophical, and world religious thought . . . with perhaps a dash of spiritualism or the occult. It's a strange one. A gem for the collector of the bizarre and macabre.
The Upas: A Vision of the Past, Present, and Future. London. Charles Watts. 1877. 438pp.
Very attractive pebbled cloth with The Serpent / Satan in the Garden of Eden on the spine and on the front cover. Some rubbing through at base of spine, some minor rubbing. Generally solid and clean save the neat pencil notes from the period identifying some of the figures in the "prophecies." These notes, perhaps by the author, correspond some of the apocalyptic imagery to 19th century real people and objects, for instance one image is notated as being indicative of John Stuart Mill, another of the London Times, etc.