Evelyn Underhill was a brilliant scholar who spent many years researching the history and literature of the mystic way. Her book 'Mysticism' was the result of all this endeavour, and has remained the classic in its field, constantly in print since its first publication in 1911. The book is divided into two parts, the first exploring the relationship of mysticism to such diverse subjects as magic, metaphysics, theology and psychology, while Part Two provides a detailed examination of individual mystical consciousness, covering the soul's steps to Illumination. This pioneering study comes with a comprehensive annotated bibliography, allowing present-day students to find the primary texts described with such clarity in Underhill's seminal work.

A poet, novelist, and well known writer on mysticism, Evelyn Underhill was born in 1875. She was educated privately and at King's College for Women, London, of which she later became first an Honorary Fellow and then a Fellow. She was also an Honorary Doctor of Divinity of the University of Aberdeen. In 1921 she was Upton Lecturer on the Philosophy of Religion at Manchester College, Oxford. Among Miss Underhill's most notable books are 'The Spiritual Life', 'Practical Mysticism', 'The Mystic Way', and 'Meditations Based on Our Lord's Prayer'.