Judge (1851-96) was an Anglo-Irish mystic, esotericist, occultist, and one of the founders of the original Theosophical Society in 1875. Born in Dublin, his family emigrated to the USA when he was 14 and at 21 he became a naturalised citizen of that country. This work, first published in 1893, is aimed at the general reader and is based on the author's own knowledge and understanding of the subject, as distinct from being a publication of the Theosophical Society itself. It is reprinted from a later edition of 1915, some years after the author's death, with the recommendation that it serves as an invaluable aid to all students of theosophy.