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THE SOUTH WALES EVENING POST Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales 11 April 1934 (page 1)
MAGIC THAT MADE HIM INVISIBLE
AUTHOR’S AMAZING EVIDENCE IN ALLEGED LIBEL SUIT
“HUMAN SACRIFICE” QUESTION
A statement that, because of his magic, he had once walked in the street in Mexico in a scarlet robe and jeweled crown, without anyone seeing him, was made by Aleister Crowley, the author, when the hearing was resumed before Mr. Justice Swift and a special jury in the King’s Bench Division to-day of his libel action against Miss Nina Hamnett, authoress of a book entitled “Laughing Torso,” which he alleged imputed he practised “black magic.”
Other defendants were Constable and Co., Ltd., publishers, and Charles Whittingham and Briggs, printers, the defence being a plea of justification.
At the material time Mr. Crowley had a villa on the mountain side at Cefalu, Sicily, which was known as the “Abbey of Thelma [sic].” He denied that he practised “Black Magic” there.
“BEAST 666.”
In his cross-examination yesterday Mr. Crowley agreed that he assumed the designation of “Beast 666,” and “The Master Therium” (the Great Wild Beast).
“666 is the number of the sun, and you can call me “Little Sunshine,” he added.
Mr. Malcolm Hilbery, K.C., for the printers and publishers, in cross-examination to-day, read a poem from the book “Clouds Without Water,” and asked Mr. Crowley, “Is that not filth?”
Mr. Crowley: You read it as if it were magnificent poetry. I congratulate you.
“GREATEST LIVING POET.”
Later Mr. Crowley remarked “I should like to be universally hailed as the greatest living poet. The truth will out, you know.”
Mr. Hilbery read an extract from an article which Mr. Crowley said he contributed to a Chicago magazine before America came into the War. “Did you write that against your own country?”
Mr. Crowley: I did, and I am proud of it.
Mr. Hilbery: Was it part of the German propaganda in America?—Yes.
Mr. Crowley explained that what he wanted to do was to over-balance the sanity of German propaganda by turning it into absolute nonsense.
In a London flat, which he once had, was “A hall of mirrors, the function of which was to concentrate the invoked forces.”
“WHITE MAGIC.”
On one occasion he invoked the forces with the result that some people were attacked by unseen assailants.
Mr. Hilbery: Was that your black magic or your white magic?—It is white magic, in which you protect yourself from such things.
Mr. Crowley said that because of his magic he had once walked in the street of Mexico in a scarlet robe and with a jewelled crown without anyone seeing him.
Mr. Hilbert: As a part of your magic, you do believe in a practice of bloody sacrifice, do you?—I believe in its efficacy, but I do not approve it at all.
DAGGER AND SWORD.
Mr. Crowley said that at the villa at Cefalu there was “a sort of square box,” used as an altar. On it were a book purporting to contain the laws, and candles for ceremonial purposes.
Incense, a dagger and a sword were used, and he wore an appropriate robe.
Mr. Hilbery: In some of the ceremonies were you endeavouring to get concentrated spiritual ecstasy?—Yes.
Did you keep hasheesh and other drugs at Cefalu?—There was no hasheesh, but there was opium and strychnine.
Are you skilled to administer hasheesh?—I can get the desired results in ten minutes. |