'About the author
John Ferguson was educated at Bishop's Stortford College and St. John's College, Cambridge, where he took a first class in both parts of the Classical tripos with a double distinction in part II. Het also took a first-class honours BD externally at London University. Subsequently retaught Classics at King's College, New Castle, and Queen Mary College, London, before going to Ibadan in Nigeria als Professor of Classics. He works there for ten years, becoming Dean of Arts and Master of Kuti Hall; he then went as Professor of Classics to the Uni-
versity of Minnesota. In 1969 he became Dean and Director of Studies in Arts at the Open University.
Other books by Professor Ferguson and published by Thames and Hudson include "The Religions of the Roman Empire", "The Heritage of Hellenism", and "Utopias o the Classical World".

Something from the contents of this study.
'Disillusionment with institutionalized Christianity and the consequent decline in churchgoing in recent times have meant that more interest than ever is being taken by the nations of the West in Eastern thinking, medita-tion, the occult and ESP. Ranging from Christian mystical theology to Sufism, from the ancient philosophers to the Cambridge Platonisch, from visionaries such as William Blake and the author of "The Cloud of Unknowing" to the role played by drugs, yoga, music and the dance, this Encyclopedia has its aim to provide essential infor-mation on the manifold aspects of mysticism.
Wherever possible Professor Ferguson has allowed the mystics to speak for themselves by way of citations from their writings; in addition he has drawn widely on the work of other interpreters. The entries take the form of both self-contained definitions and longer interlocking summaries. While assembling his material he consul-ted a number of eminent scholars specializing in one or the other of the main areas of mystical knowledge, whose constructive criticism and advice is freely acknowledged. If no single work could embrace every detail of such a vast subject, this Encyclopaedia can claim a fuller coverage of the field than is provided by any previous
book of its kind. It will serve as a comprehensive and valuable work of reference for many years to come'.