THE DAILY MAIL

London, England

22 March 1910

SPECIAL LAW REPORTS.

ORDER OF ROSICRUCIANS.

A MYSTIC SOCIETY AND ITS SECRETS.

COURT OF APPEAL.—Lords Justices Vaughan Williams, Fletcher Moulton, and Farwell.

The veil was lifted upon some of the affairs of a mystic and hitherto unknown society calling itself the Rosicrucian Order, in connection with a new magazine, the "Equinox," which has reached its second number and is about to publish a third part.

The Comte Liddell Macgregor [MacGregor Mathers], living at the Avenue, Beckenham, described himself as founder of the order, in conjunction with the late Dr. W. R. Woodman and Dr. W. Wynn Westcott, and also as its chief. He was present in court—a man with long whitening hair well brushed back. He was the plaintiff in the present litigation.

The editor of the "Equinox" is Mr. Aleister Crowley, who had been a member of the order. He was the defendant.

The matter came before their lordships on Mr. Crowley's appeal from an order of Mr. Justice Bucknill in chambers granting at the instance of the plaintiff an injunction restraining Mr. Crowley from publishing in the third number of the "Equinox" on March 21 (to-day) any matter relating to the secret forces, rituals, or transactions of the order until the trial of the action or further order.

Mr. Whately (with him Mr. A. Neilson in support of Mr. Crowley's appeal) said the writ and the plaintiff's affidavit disclosed no cause of action, and, moreover, the plaintiff, who knew all about the subject matter of the complaint last November, did not issue his writ until March 11, just before the magazine was about to be published. Mr. Crowley was editor, proprietor, printer, and publisher of the magazine. The defendant said in his affidavit that the order was instituted in 1858 for the study of "mystic philosophy and the mysteries of antiquity": that the exclusive copyright of the rituals, ceremonies, and manuscripts of the order was vested in him, and the defendant proposed to publish them.

Aleister Crowley, the affidavit also said, became a duly qualified member, after signing the preliminary pledge form of secrecy, and made "a solemn obligation in open temple." the affidavit continued. Mr. Crowley had violated the oath of secrecy by making disclosures of ritual in an article entitled "The Temple of Solomon the King," and there was a chapter headed "The Neophyte."

Lord Justice Fletcher Moulton asked for a copy of the September number. This was handed to his lordship, who perused with obvious enjoyment an article headed "The Pillar of Cloud," and passed it on to the other lords justice.

Lord Justice Farwell asked what harm would be done by the intended publication against which the interim injunction had been obtained.

Sir F. Lowe, K.C. (with him Mr. P. Rowe-Innest, for the plaintiff: it would do irreparable harm, for the cat would then be out of the bag. (Laughter.)

Lord Justice Farwell: It seems to me it is a dead cat. (Laughter.)

Sir F. Lowe: Perhaps there is a second cat in the bag, my lord. (Renewed laughter.) The defendant is publishing the article as an act of revenge for having been expelled.

Their lordships allowed the appeal and dissolved the injunction, holding that the application, made on the eve of the publication of the book, was made too late.

Solicitors: Steadman, Van Praagh, and Gaylor for the defendant; G.R. Cran for the plaintiff.