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Correspondence from William Wynn Westcott to Percy Bullock[1]
[Undated: circa April 1900]
Dear Sir and Brother L.[evavi] O.[culos],
A loan of the Cipher MSS. which I possess has been requested of me by you for the use of a Committee of experts Hermetic Students interested in the teachings of the G.D. [Golden Dawn].
Ever since I gave up my high official duties I have not attended the Meetings of any Temple, Lodge or Order; I have not sent any message or letter to either, and I have not in any way influenced the opinions of the Members of the G.D., nor have I in the slightest manner sought to supersede the present Chief; on the other hand I have repeatedly declined to correspond with and converse with many of the G.D. Members.
I wish still to remain in retirement, and to take no part in influencing your relations to your Chief; I shall never attack him nor contest with him unless in self-defense, for I was his friend, and fellow student. But if he continues to attack me and does so openly I may have to defend myself, and therefore I need to possess and keep evidence of the vindictive way I have been attacked.
You have a right to form your opinion on these papers, unbiased by me, and I will at once lend them, on receipt of your written promise to return them, on demand to me, say within a month; to use them with discretion, and not to further embroil me with the present Chief. My condition on thus granting the request are, that you will obtain a statement as to whether the [Cipher] MSS. are deemed to be of an earlier, (or a later) date than 1882, when I first met Mr. M. [MacGregor Mathers]; and that you will procure for me and supply to me legally attested copies of such letters of Mr. M. as defame my character, and such as show his extraordinary claims to eminence and to a right to supersede the general rights and duties of ordinary men; for the possession of such evidence may enable me to parry any further attack. I must either have such letters, or attested copies, or a legal undertaking to produce the originals of the copies sent. I will undertake not to use them, except in self-defense.
Subject to these conditions, and without prejudice to my position, and rights, I will at once procure and lend the papers to you, as a friend and fellow student.
Believe me,
Yours faithfully,
W.W. Westcott
1—Percy Bullock was a member of the Golden Dawn.
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