THE LONDON DAILY NEWS

London, England

28 September 1904

(page 3)

THE EDITOR'S POST-BAG.

Poet and Reviewer.

Sir,—I am glad to deduce from a recent issue of your paper that your reviewers are too busy reading books to spend their time upon newspapers, for surely no one who had heard of Mr. Adolf Beck would have so rashly asserted an identity between the Society for the Propagation of Religious Truth and Aleister Crowley; the Society, on his own showing, but an infant less than a year old, if born at all; and the poet, grown grey in the service of every kind of vice!

Can it be that Mr. Chesterton [G.K. Chesterton] has reconverted London to the “broad and comforting doctrine of original sin” (unless I misquote) in suchwise as to stamp the newest-born infant as the Worst Woman in London?

Not my imagination, inured to horror in every degree, could never have invented anything so pure and pastoral as the Society (with the excellent purpose); it is a concrete fact, and I doubt not will long live and prosper.

Your reviewer is surprised that my “Argo” does not appear to propagate religious truth. But there are those who believe that the best ways of achieving this laudable object is to preserve a profound silence on the subject.

It is unlucky that so brilliant a retort should lay itself open to the criticism that the “Sword of Song,” of which you will receive a copy in a few days, contains nothing but a disquisition on religion in all conceivable shapes, and it is by the same Society (the Benares branch) which is responsible for the publication.

I cannot conclude without a word of sincere thanks for the praise you have bestowed upon my art.—Yours, etc.,

ALEISTER CROWLEY.

Savoy Hotel, W.C.