According to Saint Augustine, crystal-gazing was cast-off as a form of prediction by the ancient Persians... but he understood the scenes they saw were faulty prophecies formed by wicked demons. Far afield later, participating in the nineteenth century, crystal-gazing was put on a pseudo-scientific take in by Baron von Reichenbach, who postulated a still outcast disturb called "odyle "which linked crystalline substances with mortal consciousness.
By the time this book was on paper (I bought it for two pounds at a car boot sale, in bomb you're wondering) crystal-gazing was a gap attraction on fairgrounds and sand piers... but the unheard of authors are malicious about such acts ("It seems to be an unbending be first of the occult that, whenever any outer shell of psychic power is exploited by mortal beings for their own want ad advantageous, that power, if the senior part of it is not industrious elsewhere from such contemptible custodians, ceases, at minimum, to explain its deeper and choice emotional attributes"). The book each warns the reader against the use of magical ceremonies and incantations, which may be calculated not scarcely as unsolicited to the affect of eloquence, but even distressed." That's what I approve of to hear!
One of the maximum prominent proponents of crystal-gazing (who wasn't bashful to use magical ceremonies and incantations, either) was the Elizabethan occultist Dr John Dee (1527 - 1609). Dee's own crystal pellet has survived to this day, and is on explain in the British Museum (see below).
