The History and Practice of English Magic

The History and Practice of English Magic is a book by Jonathan Strange, published in 1816 by John Murray.

Unluckily very little is known about it as almost all copies fell victim to a campaign by Gilbert Norrell to suppress it by magical means[50]. Mr. Norrell's interference with this publication - not only ungentlemanly but perhaps illegal - was of course driven by his usual terrors about releasing knowledge of magic to the public at large. It can be assumed however that, as its title suggests, it is a grand attempt to describe English magic in its entirety from inception to current practice, and that any reflections on the subject it contains would naturally promote the author's "Strangite" views. In place of an attempt to stifle these a countering response by Mr Norrell would have provided useful balance. It was perhaps an opportunity missed.

Be that as it may, all we know of the book now is contained in the various quotaations which appear in the footnotes of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and its Prologue, a piece of which is published as Chapter 45 of Miss Clarke's history.