The most important discovery ever made by man was the use of fire. It was, in fact, a giant stride on the road to civilization.“Tylor E.B. gives interesting details about the discovery of fire, and the various modes of obtaining it in every age. The primitive method of all would seem, according to him, to have consisted in rubbing together two pieces of dry wood, but this process was perfected in the course of time. Thus, friction is produced by means of a stick which is made to sli...

This short book is a translation of some of the myths of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. It is a history of the creation of the world, the gods, and humanity, and the early days of the sacred city of Ífè, the traditional center of Yoruba culture. The text was recited to the author/translator by the high priests of Ífè, and the book is still cited in some books on traditional Yoruba religion and thought today. It has undeservedly become quite rare, as it can be considered a minor classic in t...

The Customs And Traditions Of The Aboriginal Natives Of North Western Australiaby John G. WithnellA short amateur ethnography of the Northwestern Aborigines, primarily of historical interest.The object of this work is to preserve, before civilization has made them obsolete, the traditions and customs of the aboriginal natives of the North-West of Western Australia-particularly those of the Pilbarra district-as accurately as possible, based upon upwards of twenty year...

"Zodiac Unleashed" presents you the ultimate textbook for your sign. So, your sign is Gemini? Did you ever think about which secrets stand behind your sign? What your sign means? How it "happens" in the sky and the mystery of the symbols? Are there "amplifiers" to boost your luck and your health? Well, there are! And this small and easy-to-understand-book will tell you all about these secrets in these chapters: Period-The Twins, Castor and Pollux-The Argonauts-King Solomon's Pillars-Maia-O...

Originally published in 1911, this early work by Charles M. Skinner is both expensive and hard to find in its first edition. It delves deep into the mythology of the natural world and uncovers legends of times long forgotton. This is a fascinating work and highly recommended for all folklore enthusiasts. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern ed...

The Treasure of Treasures for Alchemistsby ParacelsusThis is a collection of five alchemical tracts written by one of the most famous alchemists who was said to have discovered the Philosopher's Stone. In these writings Paracelsus attempts to educate the reader about the nature of the Philosopher's Stone and the scientific principles from which we can be assured of its existence and understand how it works. Like all alchemical tracts, the language is very cryptic and allegor...

Martinus Rulandus was a German physician and alchemist of the early 17th century. Arthur Edward Waite took over the task of translating this huge dictionary of alchemical definitions. This book contains thousands of entries and explains in detail every secret of alchemy.

'A countryman cleaves earth with his crooked plough. Such is the labour of his life. So he sustains his native land ...' Virgil's affectionate poem of the land does not admit brief excerpts, any more than the labour of the farmer can easily be shortened. His verse, descriptive and narrative, brings us the disappointments as well as the rewards of the countryman's year-round devotion to his crops, his vines and olives, livestock great and small, and the complex society of b...

"I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright." - Henry David Thoreau, Walking“Walking" is the text from a lecture by Henry David Thoreau that he first delivered at the Concord Lyceum in April 23, 1851 and which was originally published in The Atlantic after his death in 1862.It is seen as a transcendental essay that discusses the importance of nature to humani...

The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion is a wide-ranging, comparative study of mythology and religion, written by Scottish anthropologist Sir James George Frazer. It was first published in 1890. The work was aimed at a wide literate audience raised on tales as told in such publications as Thomas Bulfinch's The Age of Fable, or Stories of Gods and Heroes (1855). It offered a modernist approach to discussing religion, treating it dispassionately as a cultural phenomenon rather than...

This is a brief essay and early military pyrotechnics, Greek Fire, and the transition to gunpowder.

A Mosest Proposal is a short classic written by Jonathan Swift and first published in 1719. A Modest Proposal and Other Satires" includes the following works: A Tale of a Tub, The Battle of the Books, An Argument Against the Abolishment of Christianity, A Modest Proposal, A True and Faithful Narrative, A Meditation Upon a Broomstick, Predictions for the Year 1708, and The Accomplishment of the First Year of Mr. Bickerstaff's Predictions.