"Magic and Religion" by Andrew Lang is a collection of essays that explore the relationship between magic and religion in different cultures throughout history. The book examines the ways in which magic and religion have intersected and influenced each other, as well as the similarities and differences between these two forms of belief. Lang argues that both magic and religion are attempts by humans to understand and interact with the supernatural, but that they differ in their approach and their goals. Magic is often associated with individualistic and practical goals, such as achieving success in love or business, while religion is more concerned with communal and spiritual goals, such as salvation or enlightenment. The book also discusses the role of ritual in both magic and religion, and how rituals can be used to create a sense of community and connection to the divine. Lang draws on examples from a wide range of cultures and historical periods, including ancient Greece, medieval Europe, and indigenous cultures from around the world, to illustrate his arguments. Overall, "Magic and Religion" is a thought-provoking exploration of the complex and often overlapping relationship between two fundamental aspects of human belief and experience.
Andrew Lang was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to anthropology who lived from 31 March 1844 to 20 July 1912. He is primarily known for being a folklore and fairy story collector. At the University of St. Andrews, he is honored through the Andrew Lang lectures. In the Scottish Borders town of Selkirk, Lang was born in 1844. He was the oldest of the eight children born to John Lang, the town clerk of Selkirk, and Jane Plenderleath Sellar, who was a relative of the first Duke of Sutherland. Jane Plenderleath Sellar was the daughter of Patrick Sellar. He wed Leonora Blanche Alleyne, the youngest child of C. T. Alleyne of Clifton and Barbados, on April 17, 1875. She was alternately acknowledged as the author, co-author, or translator of Lang's Color/Rainbow Fairy Books, which he edited (or should have been). He attended the Edinburgh Academy, Loretto School, Selkirk Grammar School, and University of St. Andrews as well as Balliol College in Oxford, where he earned a first-class degree in the final classical schools in 1868. From there, he went on to become a fellow and later an honorary fellow of Merton College. As a journalist, poet, critic, and historian, he quickly established himself as one of the best and most diverse writers of his day.
