THE DAILY MAIL

London, England

14 April 1934

“BEAST 666” DENOUNCED.

JUDGE ON ‘DREADFUL’ WORKS.

LONDON’S SINISTER CULTS.

Devil Worship.

Aleister Crowley, the poet who assumed the designation of “Beast 666,” lost his “black magic” libel action in the King’s Bench Division yesterday.

And of his writings, Mr. Justice Swift said:

“Never have I heard such dreadful, horrible, blasphemous, abominable stuff as that produced by the man who describes himself as the greatest living poet.

I have been more than 40 years engaged in the administration of the law in one capacity of another.

“I thought I knew of every conceivable form of wickedness. I thought that everything which was vicious and bad had been produced at one time or another before me.

“I have learned in this case that you can always learn something more if you live long enough.”

“THIS RASCAL”

Mr. Martin O’Connor (for Miss Hamnett [Nina Hamnett], the authoress defendant) had previously said it was appalling that “in this enlightened age a court should be investigating magic, which is arch-humbug practised by arch-rogues to rob weak-minded people.

“I hope this action will end for all time the activities of this hypocritical rascal.”

The jury stopped the case and gave their verdict without retiring. A request for stay of execution was refused.