The sciences known as "occult" may with every reason be regarded as the culture-grounds of the science of today. As everyone knows, alchemy was the forerunner of chemistry, astrology of astronomy, and magnetism of hypnotism. But these subjects and their kindred arts have another claim upon our attention and interest, for in their evolution we can trace many of the beginnings of philosophic and ethical processes, the recovery of which renders their examination and study as important to the whole understanding of the history of man as that of theology or the new mythology.
-- The Encyclopaedia of Occultism, by Lewis Spense