Francis Barrett

Francis Barrett was an English esotericist and author, born around 1770 to 1780, likely in London, to humble parents. He gained fame with his 1801 book The Magus, a detailed compendium of esoteric knowledge and practice that revived interest in magic and alchemy during the Enlightenment. An eccentric character, Barrett translated obscure texts. He also taught magic privately and sought students for his mystical circle through in the pages of The Magus. Though little is known of his later life, his work significantly influenced the 19th-century resurgence of Western Esotericism.