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Correspondence from William Wynn Westcott about Interview with W.B. Yeats
March 20, 1900.
W.B. Yeats called and said that the Isis [Urania] Temple [of the] G.D. [Golden Dawn] was in a very disturbed state and a committee had been appointed and was considering whether to secede from Mr. Mathers [MacGregor Mathers] or to throw him off. W. [William Wynn Westcott] said he had retired years ago from the Order, promising M.[athers] a free hand and that W. could not interfere with him, and now just because M. did mad things—W. could not cut in again. M. cannot prove his charges, but on the other hand W. cannot prove the truth of the history—and his lawyer considers W. should abstain from any statement until compelled to enter into controversy W. therefore declined to make any statement as to M.'s new attitude because if he denied it that would involve his calling M. a liar on the other hand—if he confessed to M.'s new tale that would be to say Dr. Woodman [William Robert Woodman] was a liar, and Mrs. Woodman would have a grievance—Yeats said he represented the Committee but declined to give their names W. said he could not interfere and must allow—if necessary—opinion to go ag[ain]st him—because his witnesses being dead he could not disprove anything.
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