The Devil's Advocate, a Plea for Superstition by James Frazer

FRAZER, James George. The Devil’s Advocate: A Plea for Superstition. London, Macmillan & Co., 1927.

First edition under the title The Devil’s Advocate of Frazer’s exploration of the role of superstition in the development of human societies.

Originally published in 1909 under the title Psyche’s Task, this is a revised and expanded second version of Frazer’s comparative exploration into worldwide myth, magic, and religion, with a focus on Greek culture and their embeddedness into social anthropology. Frazer justified the new title, stating: ‘the ambiguous title of Psyche’s Task has been changed for one which, it is hoped, will convey the general scope of the work more clearly to English readers unfamiliar with the beautiful creations of Greek mythology’.

Octavo, pp. xi, 186; lightly foxed, otherwise a very good copy in green-coloured publisher’s cloth, lettered in gilt to spine, with brown-paper dust jacket printed in black (slightly worn); including ‘With the author’s compliments’ slip; bookplate of Tony Whittington and The Atlantis Bookshop label on the front pastedown.