THE BOOKSELLER

London, England

13 April 1939

(page 569)

Five Thousand Twopences

The London Gazette announces a dividend for the creditors of Edward Alexander Crowley, better known as Aleister Crowley, author of Gargoyles, The God-Eater, Moonchild, The Diary of a Drug Fiend and other poetic, dramatic and occult works. It is a first and final dividend of twopence in the pound.

It was in May, 1935, that Mr. Crowley was made bankrupt, with liabilities of approximately £5,000. He contended that he was not insolvent, as he was taking action against someone in Shanghai for a book debt of £15,000.

Mr. Crowley’s “Confessions,” which were published by the Mandrake Press in 1929, were curiously entitled: The Spirit of Solitude. An Auto-hagiography. Subsequently re-Antichristened The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.