THE GLASGOW HERALD

Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland

4 January 1900

(page 9)

“Appeal to the American Republic.” By Aleister Crowley. (London: Kegan Paul & Co.)

The meaning of Mr. Crowley's high-sounding appeal to the Western Republic seems to be, “For godsake, let us—Britain and America—join hands as allies, and we shall make the world, or the unfriendly part of it, tremble!” Hear how he beats the big drum:—

“The fire of love no waters shall devour;

The faith of friendship stands the shocks of time;

Seal with your voice the triumph of this hour,

Your glory is our glory and our power,

Alliance of one tongue, one faith, one clime!

Seal and clasp hands: and let the sea proclaim

Friendship of righteous fame,

And lordship of two worlds that time can never tame.”

Thus he goes on for thirty-five stanzas, printed on quarto pages. He requests America to forget her “fools,” as we have forgotten their “words,” and to join our “worlds” in “one amazing net of empire and dominion” till one particular country stands aghast and clokes its traitor head. Then he says—

“The traitors and the people and the kings

That love not righteous things,

They shall behold our wrath, and finds our anger stings.'

And again—

“What matter that some strive to waken hate,

Traitors to either State,

Hang them in chains! Our way to freedom cannot wait!”

That is fine language for a man who, on the whole, is in favour of peace. This is how he concludes, in addressing the Republic :—

“O child of freedom, thou are very fair!

Thou hast white roses in thy eager breast,

The scent of all the South is in thy hair,

Thy lips are fragrant with the blossoms rare

Blown under sea waves when the white wings rest!

Come to our warrior breast, when victory

Sits passionate and free—

Ring out the wild salute! Our sister over sea!”

The first lines in that stanza are in the style of Solomon's Song; the rest have the tone of a rhymer who used to be described as “Big Bow-Wow.”