Radix, The.
The Book of Life / A Monthly Scroll.
1897--1901? Monthly
Salem, then Boston, MA. Publisher: Radix Publishing Co.. Editor: Mrs. A.E. (Edith) Lloyde.
1/1, June 1897-1901(?) 32 pp., $1.00 a year.

The journal seems to have lasted until 1900-1901, since it is noted in "List of Advance Thought Publications," The New Cycle, March 1900, 159, and in Metaphysical Magazine, July 1901, 64. "Astrological Serial Publications in the United States" in S.C. Gould's Notes and Queries and Historic Magazine 18, no. 2 (February 1900): 58-59, says the journal was "A Presentation of Astrologic Truths as They Relate to the World about Us, and to Our Individual Selves as Members of the Great House of Sol. Mystery of the Seven Stars. Angels of the Seven Churches. Scientific and Philosophic Tenets. Prof. Henry (nee C.H. Webber), astrologer." On Charles Henry Webber, see the note under Astrologia-Sana. The journal described itself as "mostly random notes" taken from the manuscripts of Prof. Henry, who, it said, had little time to revise or correct them. It also advertised his Monthly Charts with all "the fortunate and unfortunate days," for "$1.00 and upwards."

This was an eccentric production, full of solecisms, that contained, other than generalities, little that is today associated with astrology. It carried short articles on happiness, affinities, true reformation, and other topics and gloried in the underlying philosophy of Astrology as the lost heritage and glorious future of humankind:

"The Philosophy of Astrology, (aside from the Science) is one of the most fascinating, penetrating and beneficial philosophies that the world has ever known. The world en masse has never known it and probably never will until all are elevated to that hight of enlightenment or illumination as to be above superstition and animal desires. It is a philosophy seldom sought after except by those of a reclusive nature. These recluses actually abhor the glittering generalities of the world which, to them, is boy's play, or a semblance of wolves snarling or fighting over a carcass. It's return to the minds of men will prove to be the second coming of the Christ principle, and, as stated, it is coming in a 'cloud.'"

The tone of the journal is decidedly libertarian and anti-establishment: "Every American is, like the mule, a born kicker. It is right to kick by inheritance, because like the patriots of 1776 there is inborn that heart swelling declaration: -- ‘Give me liberty or give me death.' No American is a true American unless he can kick when he feels his personal rights ignored, or his individual needs restrained in the midst of plenty, and with fences surrounding nature's bounteous gifts."

The journal's philosophical bent is reflected in the peripheral journals that exchanged issues with it: Pearle Battie Doty's Self Knowledge, Alcander Longley's The Altruist, T.J. Sheldon's The Christian, Purdy's Monthly, S.C. Gould's Notes and Queries, P. Braun's New Man, Charles H. Close's The Free Man, etc.

Harvard University; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

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