Lewis Spence

a.k.a. James Lewis Thomas Chalmers Spence

Author Code: ELWS

Educated at Edinburgh University, Spence initially pursued a career in journalism. From1899 through 1906 he was an editor of The Scotsman and from 1904 to 1905 also worked as an editor of The Edinburgh Magazine. From 1906 to 1909 he was a sub-editor of The British Weekly. From 1908, Spence's interest in the occult and folklore came to the forefront and that year he published his study of the Mayan culture, The Popul Vuh. He followed in 1910 with A Dictionary of Mythology. Spence investigated and wrote numerous works concerning mythology from around the world. Among these were Civilization of Ancient Mexico (1912), The Myths of Mexico and Peru (1913), The Myths of the North American Indians (1914), Ancient Egyptian Myths and Legends (1925) and Gods of Mexico (1923). In 1920, he published his Encyclopedia of Occultism, which was the first comprehensive work of its kind. His interest in Atlantis would also lead him to become one of the foremost authorities on the subject. His works on Atlantis included The Problem of Atlantis (1924), Atlantis in America (1925), The History of Atlantis (1926), Will Europe Follow Atlantis? (1942) and The Occult Sciences of Atlantis (1943). Spence was a fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1951, he was awarded a Royal pension for his services to literature. His many other works included Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine (1915), Myths and Legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916), Legends and Romances of Britanny (1917), Legends and Romances of Spain (1920), Problem of Lemuria (1932), Legendary London (1937), Boadicea; Warrior Queen of the Britons (1937) and The Fairy Tradition in Britain (1951).