Éliphas Lévi 
The Paradoxes of the Highest Science 

‘The Paradoxes of the Highest Science’ was the first of Lévi’s books to be translated into English. The original French version was published in 1856. This translation (by an unknown hand) was first published in 1883 by the Theosophical Society, and re-issued in 1922, with additional extensive footnotes by ‘an Eminent Occultist’ (herein, E.O.). The identity of E.O. is unknown, but it is believed from the style and views expressed that it was none other than Helena P. Blavatsky.



By the time of his death in 1875, Éliphas Lévi was recognised in both Europe and America as the greatest occultist of the 19th century.



‘The Paradoxes of the Highest Science’ first appeared in Calcutta as a pamphlet in the Theosophical Miscellanies series. In it, Lévi makes an appeal for a balance between science and religion by addressing seven paradoxical statements including ‘Religion is magic sanctioned by authority, ‘ ‘liberty is obedience to the Law, ‘ and ‘reason is God.’