#SIMONE ZANONI

[schwimmtagebuch]

Um halb acht Uhr morgens hat das Telefon geläutet, du hast wieder aufgelegt, bevor ich etwas sagen konnte, warst du doch in Schönbrunn, als es geregnet hat, vielleicht gibt es Wunder. Es regnet natürlich schon wieder. Gestern war Alexander wieder am Institut, zurück aus Griechenland, er hat im Sommer bei seinen Eltern gearbeitet, ich habe mich so gefreut, als ich ihn gesehen habe, aber er war ziemlich kühl. Wir haben uns lange unterhalten in der Pause, sind aber verlegen geworden. Ist er verliebt, er hat lange mit jemandem telefoniert. Ich wollte sofort nach Hause gehen, um zu schreiben, statt mich mit Ben und Anna zu unterhalten, das war ein so starker Drang, dass ich wusste, dass es mir das Wichtigste ist. Bei Zanoni gelesen, die Briefe von Simone de Beauvoir an Sartre und Affogato getrunken, habe voller Sehnsucht an Adam gedacht und wie dumm ich war, nichts mit ihm auszumachen, vor einem Jahr habe ich im selben Café, am selben Tag, eine Delphinpostkarte an Klaus geschrieben, voller Sehnsucht, wie alles ineinander übergeht. Klaus behauptet jetzt, dass er Wetten mit Adam macht. Ob wir uns nächsten Sommer wieder alle dort treffen werden? Alexander sagt, das wird sich zeigen. Ich habe es gerochen, gespürt, man soll ruhig das Zeichen machen, es ist nie zu Ende. Ingeborg Bachmann. Die Gloriette ist unsichtbar im Nebel, wie der Kleine im Regen geschwommen ist mit seiner roten Badehaube, vielleicht geht er ja schon seit Tagen ins Stadthallenbad um elf Uhr morgens? Irgendwie bin ich mir sicher, dass er mich angerufen hat in der Früh, dass er mich sucht. Alexander ist raus gekommen, habe zu Manfred gesagt: Schaut er nicht traurig aus? Einen Sonnenbrand hat er! Alexander sagt zu mir Du machst wirklich sehr lange Pausen, warum mag ich ihn plötzlich wieder so? Hat er jetzt eine Freundin, er telefoniert ständig, ich freue mich immer, wenn ich ihn sehe, ein Lichtblick unter all diesen Idioten. Das Wetter hat sich um keinen Grad gebessert, obwohl sie im Radio immer sagen, dass sich die Sonne eine Bahn durch die Wolken brechen wird….

[guy60660]

Simone Zanoni | Porsche

[cento40battute]

Turismo sostenibile in Francia

Turismo sostenibile in Francia

La Francia verde e blu, tutta da esplorare È dedicata all’acqua, elemento benefico e prezioso scrigno di biodiversità, ma anche nuova frontiera del turismo rispettoso dell’ambiente, la nuova edizione del prestigioso magazine Explore France. Itinerari e attrazioni nella Nouvelle Aquitaine   La palude Poitevin copre tre dipartimenti, Vandea, Deux-Sèvres e Charente-Maritime, in…

[lejournaldupeintre]

Simone Zanoni, bomba atomica

Simone Zanoni, bomba atomica

Simone Zanoni, chef at Le George, Michelin-starred restaurant at the George V hotel in Paris

Le journal du peintre

Les tableaux du peintre

Painting news project

Twitter

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[williammarksommer]

Subjectively Objective - Observations in the Ordinary

Observations in the Ordinary is a survey of contemporary photography exploring the world around us. Showcasing images from 134 artists, this 140 page hardcover books measures 9.5 x 9.25″ and features a foil stamped cover. Curated by Noah Waldeck. 

With work from: Mitch Fresta, Martin Buday, Peter Nicholson, Leah Frances, Kyler Zeleny, Chris Round, Fred Guillaud, Dino Kužnik, Rob Stephenson, Romain Saccoccio, Arthur Van Erps, Catherine Davis, Mitchell Hurst, Nanó Wallenius & Elias Asselbergh, Xavier Aragonès, William Mark Sommer, Jamie Tilley, Marinos Tsagkarakis, Ray Markham️, Paul Turner, Andrew Turner, Daniel Lebedev, Alexander Dumarey, Dirk Häerle, Ryan Parker, Ron Waite, Emily Najera, Simon Martin, Casey Bennett, Brendon Kahn, Kelvin Bugler, Jan Nijs, Nick Dantzer, Michael Martin, Ivaylo Andreev, Jeroen Bruggenwirth, Emmanual Monzon, Michelle Martins, FeiFan Zhang, Mark Adams, Karl Walsh, Julien Legrand, Lucy Seaton, Lars Ekberg, Benjamin Ramsey, Ben McCann, Jack Garland, Mathieu Houde, Nicholas Gaffney, Nick Zukauskas, Maxwell LaBelle, Simon Byrne️, Arnaud Teicher, Mériol Lehmann, Giona Bridler, Jeannette Kuhn, Kyle McDougall, Nathanial Schmidt, Akos Major, Markham Tuck, Matt Peers, Maciej Leszczynski, Sam Heaney, Ian Baguskas, Mark Griffiths, Maëlle Collin, Vincenzo Pagliuca, Aaron Missling, Mike Bodall, Nicolas Bowen, Joshua Oldfield, Julian Reid, Julien Hairault, Kimberly Maruska️, Brant Slomovic, Yorgos Efthymiadis, Julie Meresse, Ezra Fike, Hong-An Tran, Alnis Stakle, Zisis Kardianos, Travis Shaffer, Franck Doussot, Paul Sisson, JW Lawson, Fred Mitchell, Mathieu Lion, Peter Ydeen, Daniel King, Alana Celii, Alessandro Zanoni, Andy Feltham, Lucy Krebsbach, Maurice Lye, Sam Stockman, Guillaume Tomasi, Marco Kneise, Marcela Gómez, Samuel James Pierce, Marcos Zegers, Matthias Jung, Sean Wysong, Ivan Echevarria, Gleb Simonov, Cody Schlabaugh, Samantha Shroyer, Taylor Rhoads, Jeff Downer, Brad Ziegler, Cam Bartkus, Sem Langendijk, Steve Koss, Kristen Bartley, Ioanna Sakellaraki, Lisa Gidley, Glendon McGowan, Joseph Ritchie, Levi Mandel, Kristin Kirkley, Stanley Bloom, Lewis Ableidinger, Lawrence Braun, Leonardo Magrelli, Olivier Pirard, Richard Lakos, Matthew Portch, Sebastian Rogowski, Ben Davies, John Sanderson, Noah Waldeck, Joel Jimenez, Dave Jordano, Will Cox & Daniel George

It is awesome to be included in this book. Thank you Subjectively Objective. 

Grab a coppy for $50 at the link below

https://subjectivelyobjective.com/product/observations-in-the-ordinary/

[michel-tanguy]

New Post has been published on Michel Tanguy

New Post has been published on http://micheltanguy.com/une-porsche-en-chocolat-pour-taste-of-paris/

UNE PORSCHE EN CHOCOLAT POUR TASTE OF PARIS

Porsche, la célèbre marque automobile, est cette année encore, partenaire du festival Taste of Paris, dont la 5ème édition se tient jusqu’au 12 mai sous la nef du Grand Palais. À cette occasion, le chef Simone Zanoni a créé une porsche 911 en chocolat.

Passionné par la cuisine et amoureux des belles cylindrées, le chef Simone Zanoni est à nouveau l’ambassadeur de la marque Porsche. Pour les cinq ans de Taste of Paris, il a créé une miniature en chocolat de la 8ème génération du modèle 911. Une voiture à croquer sur l’espace Porsche durant toute la durée du festival.

CRÉATIVITÉ ET GOURMANDISE

Le chef du restaurant italien de l’hôtel Four Seasons George V à Paris, a dupliqué la fameuse Porsche 911 en voiturette en chocolat. Composée d’une coque en chocolat noir, réalisée aux formes de l’iconique 911, elle est disponible en deux versions : chocolat citron vert ou chocolat fruits de la passion. Une gourmandise chocolatée en vente au prix de 13 € pièce. Mais attention, seuls 911 modèles sont disponibles. Il risque par conséquent de ne pas y en avoir pour tout le monde.

TASTE OF PARIS, du 08 au 12 mai

GRAND PALAIS

3 avenue du Général Eisenhower

75008 PARIS  

[luxebeat]

The Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris: putting a stop to food waste

The Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris: putting a stop to food waste

A luxury hotel with a conscience

After making headlines as the first luxury hotel to win five Michelin stars in its three restaurants Le Cinq (3 stars), Le George (1 star) and L’Orangerie (1 star), the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris has committed to the cause of tomorrow’s fine cuisine.

Simone Zanoni explains: “When we open up the path to excellence, we are bound to imagine tomorrow‘s fine…

[ge-rh-expert]

Commentaire Tripadvisor, le chef Simone ZANONI répond directement sur Instagram

Commentaire Tripadvisor, le chef Simone ZANONI répond directement sur Instagram

Commentaire Tripadvisor, le chef Simone ZANONI répond directement sur Instagram

  Simone Zanoni est un des chefs étoilé da la galaxie Four Seasons Georges V à Paris. Il semblait très énervé après avoir lu une mauvaise critique sur TripAdvisor par rapport à son restaurant, d’autant que tout le monde passe sur le grill, le chef, l’hôtesse d’accueil et même le sommelier, commentaire presque…

[ruaultluxe]

Un véritable Resto Italien a Versailles !!! Après une longue fermeture suite à un incendie, avec les conseils du Chef Étoilé Italien Simone Zanoni, la Pizzeria Chez Cesar de Versailles vient tout juste de rouvrir et c'est du très très bon !!! À un prix très très raisonnable... Tous les ingrédients viennent d'Italie et toute une partie de l'équipe est italienne... Attention, ça va vite devenir le nouveau lieu à la mode à Versailles et une véritable référence Italienne de l'Ouest Parisien (à Chez Cesar)

[madforfashiondude]

Following the announcement of the 2017 Michelin Guide, the restaurants Le Cinq, Le George and L’Orangerie at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris have collectively been crowned with a total of five Michelin stars, making the acclaimed Hotel the first luxury Hotel in Europe to be home to three Michelin-starred restaurants.

(Left to Right) Chefs Simone Zanoni, David Bizet, and Christian Le Squer with José Silva (in blue suit), Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris.

Le George and L’Orangerie have both been awarded their first Michelin star in the latest edition of the Michelin Guide and join the Hotel’s French haute cuisine restaurant, Le Cinq, which retains the highest accolade of three Michelin stars for the second consecutive year.

Christian Le Squer, janvier 2016.

David Bizet, avril 2016.

Simone Zanoni, août 2016.

José Silva, Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel George V said “We believe that a memorable stay would be incomplete without an extraordinary dining experience. As a gastronome myself, I have always had the highest culinary aspirations for our team who have worked to continuously innovate and exceed our guests’ expectations. I believe the five Michelin stars awarded today are a testament to this commitment to excellence brought to life by our Chefs, Christian Le Squer, Simone Zanoni, David Bizet and their teams. We are honored to be the first Hotel in Europe to hold this designation and look forward to many more years of culinary excellence.”

José Silva, September 2016.

Showcasing the cuisine of three Chefs, each with their own individual identities, diverse talents and distinctive styles, the Four Seasons Hotel George V offers guests an unprecedented culinary experience under the same roof and is now indisputably the leading gourmet address of the capital.

Le Cinq by Christian Le Squer at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris – 3 Michelin stars

With three Michelin stars awarded in 2016 and 2017, 5 toques at the 2016 Gault et Millau and the rating of 19/20 in the 2016 Gault & Millau Guide, Le Cinq is the only restaurant in Paris to achieve these three standout distinctions.

Christian Le Squer, Le Cinq (center)

Known for his exemplary consistency, which has earned him three Michelin stars over 12 consecutive years, Chef Christian Le Squer was appointed Executive Chef of Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris in October 2014 and reclaimed the third Michelin star for Le Cinq restaurant in 2016. This prestigious award, along with the “Chef of the Year 2016” nomination, further exemplifies Le Squer’s unique approach to combining traditional French cuisine with modernity. Le Squer defines himself as a creator of flavors and composer of tastes.

Gratinée d’Oignons à la Parisienne (Gratinée of onions to the Parisian), Le Cinq

Christian Le Squer comments: ‘The third Michelin star for Le Cinq for the second consecutive year rewards the very essence of today’s cuisine and we strive to continuously evolve our style and techniques to instill an emotional connection with our guests’.

Chef Christian Le Squer & Brigade, Le Cinq

Eric Beaumard, Director of Le Cinq restaurant, works closely with Chef Le Squer and has won numerous awards during his 20-year career, including Best Sommelier in France, Best Sommelier in Europe and World Vice-Champion. Beaumard has redeveloped the wine cellar at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, to offer guests the most diverse selection of exclusive and rare vintages, growing the collection to over 50,000 bottles. Beaumard was subsequently appointed of Director of Le Cinq, working alongside Chef Le Squer and the team to achieve the three Michelin star designation in 2016.

Le George by Simone Zanoni at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris – 1 Michelin star

Opened in October 2015, Le George offers a light and modern Mediterranean-style cuisine, taking guests on a journey between the French Riviera and northern Italy. Designed for sharing, dishes are balanced and healthy, bursting with flavor and freshness. The cuisine is tailor-made to be enjoyed in the timelessly chic and relaxed space designed by the famed designer, Pierre-Yves Rochon. Its modern influences and distinctly Parisian vibe make it a trendy and convivial Michelin-starred restaurant.

Simone Zanoni, Le George

Meal at Le George

Simone Zanoni became Chef of Le George in September 2016, after spending eight years as Chef at three Michelin star restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London, and two Michelin star restaurant Gordon Ramsay au Trianon in Versailles. Zanoni has infused the highly popular menu at Le George with his own personal influences and inspirations, identifying distinctive Mediterranean flavors and instilling a sense of place with each dish. In Zanoni’s view, a dish is made memorable “when you have put your heart into it and created a journey of flavors”.

Tortelli de braisé de veau, purée de chataigne et truffe noire de Norcia (Tortelli of braised veal, puree of chataigne and black truffle of Norcia), Le George

Tarte tatin d’oignon, glace parmesan (Tarte Tatin of onion, parmesan ice), Le George

Simone Zanoni adds: ‘After a long career in different Michelin starred restaurants, I think I have finally found my place at the George where the light and convivial cuisine meets a buzzing and trendy ambiance. I believe this Michelin star follows the evolution of our guests’ desire for a friendlier and more informal dining experience with exceptional flavors’.

L’Orangerie by David Bizet at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris – 1 Michelin star

With 17 years’ experience in the kitchens of Le Cinq, David Bizet rose to a new challenge when he was appointed Chef of the latest signature gastronomic restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, L’Orangerie. Opening in May 2016, the Restaurant achieved one Michelin star in just eight months.

David Bizet & Maxime Fr��déric, l’Orangerie

Drawing inspiration from nature and bringing the best out of seasonal and local garden produce, Chef David Bizet’s menu complements the changing seasons, offering what he likes to describe as “a traditional French contemporary cuisine of elegance, refinement, and femininity”. Bizet’s culinary creations are often described as an artistic composition and are further brought to life with Pierre-Yves Rochon’s intricate interior design, overlooking the famous Marble Courtyard.

Ormeau du Finistère, laitue de mer, ail noir et jus herbacé, (Abalone of Finistère, sea lettuce, garlic black and herbaceous juice), l’Orangerie

Bar de Ligne, marinière de coquillages et chou-fleur (Bar of the line, marinière shells and cauliflower), David Bizet, l’Orangerie

David Bizet concludes: ‘During my 17 years in Le Cinq’s kitchens, I have forged a passion for excellence and it is with the same quest for perfection that I have worked on L’Orangerie’s menu. The Michelin star received today, just eight months following our opening is a reward that honors the tireless work of our teams to create dishes that pay homage to nature and the changing seasons.’

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris becomes the First Hotel in Europe to house Three Restaurants Recognized by the Coveted Michelin Award for a total of Five Michelin Stars. Following the announcement of the 2017 Michelin Guide, the restaurants Le Cinq, Le George and L’Orangerie at the…

[pursuitist]

Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris First European Hotel To Three Michelin-Starred Restaurants

The iconic Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris has become the first hotel in Europe to score Michelin stars for all three of their restaurants. Le George and L’Orangerie each unlocked their first Michelin star in the latest edition of the red guide for France, joining Le Cinq, which also retained its triple-starred status for the second year. The feat is all the more impressive given the short…

[chefelkhaldy]

في مدينة الأنوار والموضة والذوق الرفيع وضمن مهرجان « taste of Paris » الدولي الذي يشارك فيه ٤٠ من أمهر الطهاة في العالم. أنا سأكون حاضراً عن سوريا كأول سوري وعربي يشارك في هذا المهرجان . موعدنا يوم ٩/ماي/الى /١٢ماي في قصر grand palace في باريس Pour célébrer la 5ème édition du festival Taste of Paris, nous nous offrons 40 chefs sous la nef du Grand Palais ! Cette année, nous renforçons notre volonté de mettre en avant de nouvelles tables, des plus étoilées aux plus iconoclastes, marquant l’actualité gastronomique et formant la richesse de la scène parisienne : Gilles et Nicolas Vérot (Maison Verot) qui ont redonné ses lettres de noblesse à la charcuterie, Andréas Mavrommatis (Mavrommatis le restaurant) qui a su auréoler sa cuisine grecque d’une étoile Michelin, Jean-Edern Hurstel (EDERN Paris) qui a récemment ouvert les portes de son restaurant, Sébastien Monceaux et François Daubinet (FAUCHON) qui incarnent le renouveau d’une institution parisienne. Côté tables de palace, le Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris présentera les 4 chefs aux commandes de ses restaurants : Christian Le Squer (Restaurant Le Cinq), Simone Zanoni (Le George), Alan Taudon (Restaurant L'orangerie - Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris) et le chef pâtissier Maxime Frederic. Enfin, nous sommes ravis d'accueillir Refugee Food Festival et son initiative visant à faire évoluer les regards sur les personnes réfugiées à travers la cuisine, avec le chef syrien Mohammad Elkhaldy et ses saveurs méditerranéennes. Vous avez hâte de les rencontrer ? Prenez vos billets ! 👉 https://paris.tastefestivals.com/infos-billetterie/ #paris #france #tasteofparis #taste_of_paris #chef_elkhaldy #chefelkhaldy #damas #damascus #syria #food #festival #foodfestival #refugeefoodfestival #chef #syrianchefs #dubai #cairo #egypt #gastronomy #foodporn #الشيف_الخالدي #الخالدي #style #fashionfood (at Paris, France) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtskaeNH3Se/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vbxwu6n97e89

[karlsigwald]

Le bouillon dans la cuisine

Depuis que je m’intéresse à la cuisine, je vois de plus en plus de recettes où il est question d’utiliser un bouillon comme ingrédient. Par ailleurs, j’adore la cuisine italienne et je suis notamment le chef Simone Zanoni sur Instagram. A force de regarder ses vidéos, j’en suis venu à conclure que cette cuisine italienne que j’aime tant est d’abord une affaire de bouillon et que cet ingrédient est une clef culinaire universelle.

Toujours en regardant le Chef Zanoni, je vois que ce bouillon peut être réalisé à partir de tout ce qu’on n’utilise pas directement dans les plats : les épluchures de légumes, les carcasses, les os, etc. Et puis un jour, je suis tombé sur un extrait d’entretiens du Chef Bocuse qui expliquait qu’à l’époque de son apprentissage, il travaillait dans une maison spécialisée dans la volaille en demi-deuil. Les volailles étaient cuites par douzaines mais toujours dans le même jus ; ce qui donnait selon ses propres termes “des fonds merveilleux”.

Moi qui déteste jeter, j’ai vécu cela comme une révélation. 

J’ai mis au point une routine qui donne d’excellents résultats : plutôt que préparer un bouillon chaque fois que j’en ai besoin ; j’en alimente un en permanence. Ainsi au fur et à mesure de la semaine, je rajoute dans ma marmite les épluchures de légumes et les carcasses, je rajoute de l’eau à hauteur et je cuis à petite ébullition le tout pendant une demi-heure.

J’utilise le bouillon au fur et mesure de la semaine mais il m’en reste toujours un fond. Ainsi en fin de semaine, je filtre ma marmite, je jette les débris organiques qui ont tout donné mais je garde le bouillon restant comme base du prochain. Tout est à chaque fois porté à ébullition donc pas de risque sanitaire.

Au bout de deux ou trois semaines, vous obtenez un bouillon véritablement merveilleux qui développe un festival de saveurs et que vous pouvez utiliser dans de multiples recettes : cuisson de volailles, cuisson de légumes, risotti, création de sauces, etc. Le bouillon est une base qui peut être réduit, dégraissé, épaissi. Les possibilités sont multiples.

Rien ne se perd : si il me reste du jus de cuisson d’un plat, je le rajoute à ma marmite. Le goût évolue et s’enrichit au fur et à mesure des plats préparés.

J’ai l’impression de faire revivre un pan un peu oublié de la cuisine familiale : simple et merveilleux.

[debelvoir]

The best Cacio e Pepe recipe by Michelin starred chef Simone Zanoni | Vogue Kitchen | Vogue Paris https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E8AD5gJUgc

[bresciaesports]

. 🏆⚽ Ciao Thomas! Ciao Leoni! Oggi facciamo un grosso in bocca al lupo (anzi, al leone! 🦁) al nostro Thomas Saiani "asap_tom96" che si va ad accasare alla #Sampdoriaesports. ➡ Certi sogni non finiscono mai e ti auguriamo di arrivare sempre più in alto! ➡ Campione vero dentro e fuori dal campo! Brescia eSports ha creduto in lui ed è orgogliosa di vedere i progressi ed i risultati che ha saputo ottenere meritatamente sul campo! 🔥 Ma Brescia eSports non si ferma, anzi! Continuerà a sfornare talenti! Avete la stoffa? 💪🏻 Già possiamo vantare di avere in casa grandi giocatori! ➡ Simone Pietroboni - Alessandro Lizzio - Simone Cherubini - Rocco Zanoni - Chiarenza...sono solo alcuni dei nomi pronti a dimostrare le loro capacità! 🔝 Nessun #player è però escluso, anzi! Dovete solo mettervi in gioco e dimostrare di essere dei veri Leoni! 🔥 La strada per la gloria è pronta! 🔗 Tesseramenti 2020: www.bresciaesports.it/tesseramenti Go Brescia! 🦁 #HearOurRoar #goBrescia #SiWeGO #radiobruno #macron #qompleto 📦 @siwegosrl 📻 @radiobrunobrescia 👕 @macronstorebrescia_official 🥗 @qompleto_official (presso U.C. Sampdoria) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-hYUFXIesy/?igshid=c061phodv302

[skepticaloccultist]

The Vagaries of Occult Book Buyers

There are benefits to having made a pact with a spirit who procures books as its very nature. The sideways of having something appear that you never were looking for, but indeed wanted, is particularly helpful.

As it was I have been thinking about the role of the occult bookseller down through the ages. How, from Roman times until now one could purchase a manuscript, and later printed books, of occult lore from a professional seller. In times of suppression there were still those who dealt books of forbidden knowledge, keeping a copy under the counter for those who inquire directly. Booksellers in London have carried the works of Dee and Agrippa for centuries, no less in the 16th century than today.

What a wonderful book it would make, a history of those actual historic persons who sold occult books. A well written story of the occult publishers and bookshops that have existed from the middle ages until the late 19th century would be fantastic. Something very accurately written, well footnoted, and with an extensive bibliography.

So I mused for several days on this day dreamed book until, after having ordered a volume of the first edition of "Folk-Lore volume 5" 1887, I received something altogether different. Instead of a book of folklore, I received a copy of "Book-Lore, vol 5 1887". In it I found plenty of stories of booksellers, occult and otherwise, but even more so stumbled onto this absolutely fantastic portrayal of occult book collectors. Its such a perfect and spot on assessment of those who would be occultists, yet find the collecting part much more enjoyable than the actual practicalities of magic. As true today as it was 130 years ago when it was written.

I reproduce the full short piece below. I am still waiting for a concise history of occult booksellers to appear, but in the meantime this laugh will do.

  +++

  "The Vagaries of (Occult) Book Buyers - III " from Book-Lore, a Magazine Devoted to Old Time Literature - 1887

Lord Lytton, in that curious and mysterious novel, Zanoni, mentions an old bookseller who, after years of toil, had succeeded in forming an almost perfect library of works on occult philosophy. Poor in everything but a genuine love for the mute companions of his old age, he was compelled to keep open his shop, and trade, as it were, in his own flesh. Let a customer enter and his countenance fell; let him depart empty-handed and he would smile gaily, oblivious for a time of bare cupboard and inward cravings. A purchaser was indeed a deadly enemy to the old man, for every proffered coin was scorching hot, a miserable and inadequate exchange for one drop of purple blood.

It is astonishing what a deep interest some people take in weird and obscurely written books. They will gloat over the mysteries of Hermes, and nervously finger the pages of Agrippa, - that foul magician whose judgment of himself and all his labours is so eloquently portrayed in his Vanitie of Arts and Sciences. No matter, says the devotee, Agrippa was mistaken; he was afraid of the Inquisition, and recanted. He could not have invented the sigils, triangles, and magic circles, without which congregated with horrid eyes the spirits of the Moon and Paymon, the King of the West Wind. Agrippa was afraid of the spectres he had raised; afraid of his own black dog, and of the hell to which it pointed.

The amateur occult philosopher is, however, not afraid - as yet - and every spare moment is occupied in ferreting out the names of ghostly men, who either suffered on the rack or at the stake, for leaguing themselves with the powers of the air, or else tumbled headlong into the talons of besieging hosts of devils, all screaming, as Paracelsus says they sometimes do, " Thy pentacles and thy circle are wrong, thy words are false; come thou with us."

The old bookseller was a type, and, as we think, a type only, of Lytton's own creation; perhaps a reflection of the soul of Lytton himself, ever groping through mists of tale and fable, and ever unsatisfied.

The purchaser of works on occult philosophy is usually exceedingly enthusiastic, so much so that he persists in his so-called studies, notwithstanding the fact that nine-tenths of his books are in Latin, a language of which he knows little or nothing. In a few words, he would become a disciple of Jannes and Jambres, and to this end sets about accumulating materials in the form of huge folios, conscientiously intending, no doubt, to read them when time and opportunity offer.

His course of reading so far has been confined to the Strange Story, which first riveted his attention on fiends and spectres, and to Barrett's Magus, which, being in English, and adorned with a number of weird plates, has proved an excellent stimulant to further exertions. The Bible is ransacked, and the "Witch of Endor and Simon Magus duly weighed in the balance, while such phrases as " Now the magicians of Egypt they also did in like manner with their enchantments," roll off the tongue with unctuous volubility. Presently the aspirant to " horrors fell and grim " stumbles across the treatises of Raphael and Sibly, and sighs to think that his ignorance effectually cuts him off from the delightful contemplations of those obscure authors upon whose diatribes their works are founded.

At this point the average student comes to a full stop, and turns probably to astrology as being a more tangible study, and apparently much easier. His little library swells with the treatises of Lilly, Raphael, Placidus de Titus, and the great Ptolemy, while he rejoices to think that Flamsted believed in the reality of the science, and that old Burton, the "Democritus Junior," hanged himself rather than admit that his own horoscope was out of gear.

The next step is the purchase of a planisphere, which conveniently dispenses with abstruse calculations in spherical trigonometry; and finally the student erects a horoscope all out of his own head, showing plainly enough that he was born when Mercury was retrograde, and at the square of the moon - a never-failing sign of idiocy, proved up to the hilt, be it said, when he is at last actually persuaded to go a-horse-racing with his slender capital, merely because the "quesited" - the famous "Flying Scud" - is in a trine aspect with Jupiter, Lord of the Seventh, and therefore cannot lose. The horse, however, breaks down, and is scratched four-and-twenty hours after the money is staked, and henceforth astrology is a Will-o'-the-wisp that will never again lure our bibliophile to his ruin.

Out of every twenty persons who take up the study of occult philosophy, nineteen are supremely ignorant of the most ordinary branches of knowledge, but the twentieth is a man of very different composition. He, too, began, perhaps, in the same way as his less gifted brethren, and has followed the same paths, and pored over the same books, and would like also to rival the deeds of Albertus Magnus, who had power over the elements; or of Peter of Abono, who raised terrible forms as easily as a market gardener raises cabbages.

He speedily discovers that Barrett's Magus is, in part, at least, a mere translation, and a very bad one, of Agrippa's fourth book, and that Raphael has mutilated the words of every author he quotes. There is no reliable work in English which can possibly be procured, and so he turns to the Latin, beginning with Iamblichus, and his famous book De Mysteriis, printed by Aldus in 1497. This rare and interesting specimen of typography loses, however, all its beauty in the absorbing nature of its contents; and the same observation is applicable to the author's Vita Pythagorae, published at Rome in 1556. These treatises are, it is true, mere introductions which every tyro who hopes hereafter to lift the veil of Isis must read if he wishes to fit himself to meet the petrifying gaze of the "Dweller on the Threshold" but they are also two most useful books, as from them can be gleaned a mass of information which, rightly understood, is declared by the initiated to point to the portals of the world beyond the grave.

With appetite whetted to a swallowing-point perfectly gluttonous in its magnitude, the student next turns to the treatise of the learned Jesuit, Martin Delrio, who, in his Disquisitionum Magicarum, examines the many different systems of magic practised by the professors of his day; to Bodin's De la Demonomanie des Sorciers; and in their turn to Boissardus, Jerome Cardan, Glanvil, Grillandus, Van Helmont, Wierus, and the Malleus Maleficanim of Sprenger and Institor.

All these works, comprehending as they do an assortment of wonders the like of which the world never saw, and perhaps never will see, support one another in a manner that would put a coterie of Old Bailey witnesses to the blush, so precise and seemingly accurate are the expressions used, so consequential the inferences. There is no mincing matters, no equivocation nor contradiction; everything is so orderly and precise that what is usually regarded, in this country at least, as a structure composed entirely of falsehood and fraud, becomes quite natural in appearance, so that, at last, the student finds himself accepting a statement, no matter how foolish, simply because Sprenger affirms it to be true, or Robert Fludd hints that it possibly may be.

All this time money is going out as fast as credulity, for works on occult philosophy are very expensive. The dealers are aware of their patron's feverish anxiety to obtain them when once bitten by the mania, and, as a matter of course, charge accordingly. Thus £3 is, as a rule, demanded for the Opera Omnia of Paracelsus, 1658, 2 vols., folio; seven or eight guineas for the collected works of Cardan, Lugd., 1663; and as much and more for those of Robert Fludd, Oppenheim, 1617-38. Respecting this last author, Isaac D'Israeh, in his Curiosities of Literature, states that in his time as much as £40 had to be given for a single volume, so great in those days appears to have been the anxiety to obtain copies of works of this and a similar class. We can imagine, therefore, how large must have been the value of the unique collection formed by the bookseller to whom Lytton so fondly refers, and we - or at least some of us - may almost participate in his disinclination to have such a splendid assortment broken in upon by the amateur peripatetic philosopher who in all probability cannot read one hundredth part of the treasures he longs to possess.

The modern world has now been revolving for nearly 1,900 years, and during the whole of that time repeated attempts have been made to lift the curtain that shuts out the invisible world. Some few persons - as, for example, Rozencrantz, who founded the Society of the Rosy Cross, and Paracelsus, who is "now living in his tomb, whither he retired disgusted with the vices and follies of mankind " - are credited with having peeped for a few brief moments behind it; but with these and some other exceptions the progress that has been made is admitted by the most ardent devotee to have been nil. Rumour, as chorus, has taken the place of fact, and dreams that of reality, but still the modern occultist cannot be brought to see that he labours in vain. And so he goes on purchasing ponderous volumes, ugly to look at and absolutely useless for every purpose, theoretical as well as practical, until either he is forced by repeated failures to admit that his favourite authors are impostors, or that he himself has, in spite of all his application, failed to reach the road that leads from this world to that which is to come. He and others like him - and there are many even in this century - would outstrip themselves in a desperate race through the darkness of Erebus; they spend a lifetime in learning to walk, only to be afflicted with total paralysis at the last; and when they awake to find their labour has been in vain, they are amazed to think of the fallacy which engulphed years of toil in the futile attempt to discover what they will learn in five minutes after they are dead.

However, be this as it may, the sale of books on occult philosophy goes on apace, and purchasers are very eager to part with their cash, a phenomenon which is observed in very few instances save the one under discussion. Some of these days enterprise may detect money in new editions and translations of Artemidorus on dreams, and Raymond Lully and Artephius on the philosopher's stone; but at present the trade is confined exclusively to old and battered copies which have served generations of investigators, which are now being read, and which will be read, in all probability, until they are thumbed out of recognition.

It is said of the Emperor Nero, that among other studies he ardently followed that of magic. He employed immense sums, wrung from the sweat of Rome, in this pursuit; searched far and wide for professors, - penetrating the remote regions of India and Africa, - and even prowled among the ruined towers of Chaldsea. Rewards were offered, and threats of cruel torture not only lavished but carried into effect, and with what result? Absolutely none, for all the power of Rome could not raise up another Witch of Endor, nor prolong the Emperor's life for a single second. And yet there are in England at this moment thousands of busybodies who think they can, with their limited resources, accomplish what Nero, with all Rome at his back, failed to perform; and so they go on, blinking like owls over distressing paragraphs that no one either in heaven above, nor in the earth beneath, nor in the waters under the earth, can possibly construe into intelligible English. The only consolation is that these good people are out of harm's way, and may perhaps be laying up a store of patience which may serve their end when the fit is over. They are very good customers of the booksellers also, and rejoice exceedingly over one very small piece of silver which they persuade themselves they are on the eve of finding.

- M. A. G.

  Find the rest of this fantastic 19th century magazine of book collecting here:

"The Vagaries of (Occult) Book Buyers - III " from Book-Lore, a Magazine Devoted to Old Time Literature - 1887