Kenneth Grant - Against The Light.pdf - Kenneth Grant - roszczin

A GAINST THE L IGHT

A Nightside Narrative

Kenneth Grant

STARFIRE PUBLISHING LTD

LONDON MCMXCVII E.V. An. 93

A Starfire Book

First published in England at the Summer Solstice 1997

by Starfire Publishing Ltd.

in two editions: a standard edition with dustjacket,

ISBN 0 9527824 1 3

and a deluxe edition, bound in quarter morocco and hand-finished

paper, numbered and signed by Kenneth and Steffi Grant,

also with dustjacket, limited to 50 copies,

ISBN 0 9527824 2 1

Cover design by Steffi Grant,

utilising The Yellow Mage by Aleister Crowley,

To the Memory

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval

system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the

prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise

circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it

is published and without a similar condition including this condition

being imposed upon the subsequent purchaser.

Set in lOpt New Century Schoolbook by Robert Taylor

Designed and produced by Starfire Publishing Ltd.

Printed in England by Antony Rowe,

Bumpers Farm, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 6LH

PHINEAS MARSH BLACK

Starfire Publishing Ltd.

BCM Starfire

London WC IN 3XX

U.K.

Prologue

Part I The Grimoire

Part II Mirroriel

Part III Destiny of the Unslept

Epilogue

120

Prologue

Phineas Black, one's later years are often haunted by

pleasant memories of the earlier. But with Dr. Black, things

were different.

One of his more controversial accomplishments had been a

series of papers contributed in his younger days to a scientific

journal. Originally published in 1881, they appeared later in

book form under the title Clinical Studies in Senescence and

Diseases of Memory (Edinburgh, 1886), a French edition

being published in Perpignan four years later.

Phineas Black, M.D., was interested more in diseases of

the mind than of the body, and he relinquished a nourishing

general practice at a comparatively early age. He died, aged

one hundred and three years, in 1957.

The 'Studies' caused something of a stir in professional

circles in the eighteen-eighties, and I think this caused my

uncle to terminate his practice. He had become the focus of

unwanted attention, and a colleague, envious perhaps of his

notoriety, had pried into his personal affairs and had found,

again perhaps, something rather unsavoury. A scandal

ensued. Fortunately for the family the affair never broke into

print, but I recall the silence which rose like a wall whenever

Uncle Phin's name cropped up.

But this was all a long time ago and it is a matter of con-

jecture whether the later events which I have to relate were

in any way connected with it.

There is some one myth for every man, which if

we but knew it, would make us understand all

that he did and thought.

W. B. Yeats

My story covers a protracted period of time. It is also of

some complexity, and the facts are highly unusual. I want to

begin by saying a few words about myself and a great-cousin

of mine, Gregor Grant, who plays a significant part in the

narration. Besides being Uncle Phin's cousin, Gregor was related

W hen one becomes old, very old, like my great uncle

Kenneth Grant - Against The Light.pdf

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