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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Frederick Leigh Gardner
Foyers Inverness
Tuesday [Undated: circa 21 November 1899]
Dear Sir
Kindly return my authority from Mr Mathers [MacGregor Mathers] to act for him. Your cowardly insult to Mr Mathers precludes all further necessity of treating you as a gentleman; your impertinence to me is of course beneath contempt. Let me, however warn you very seriously, as far as may be, to do nothing rashly. I am advised that you have no case whatever—that is nothing: but there are more serious considerations, of which your own memory will inform you. The long suffering of God is great, and I am still willing to come to London and try to arrange the matter peaceably. I have received your last letter to Mr Mathers from Paris, and am anxious to know what is meant by your threat to publish certain other M.S.S. "in your keeping". I am acting for Mr. Mathers in this matter and all communications should be made to me.
I am sure you are acting under the belief that Mr Mathers has no money to contest your action. This is an error, as the bill is hardly likely to exceed £100,000. On receipt of a wire from you I will come South at once and discuss things. I am sure you do not wish to behave badly in the matter, and I have known the most ugly looking letters to explain themselves away under the influence of a good dinner (to which I shall be delighted to invite you) and a little quiet conversation. I say this only on behalf of a certain society [the Golden Dawn] in which I am interested which I fear might suffer by your proposed action, and not from any fear of the consequences.
Please be patient and wise: you have nothing to gain (Mathers is not worth sixpence from a damages point of view) and everything to lose.
Yours very faithfully.
Svareff
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