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Correspondence from George MacNie Cowie to Aleister Crowley
14 Glenisla Gardens, Edinburgh.
12 March [1916]
Sunday is a day I have to sacrifice to some of my neglected private correspondence and so forth. Today I'm 'sacrificing' the whole of it, getting parcels made up and the pastoral letters addressed ready for the Equinox, as that can't be done in an odd half hour. I hope for a better result from this letter as it is what is wanted, and to those who have not replied to my first letter, I am enclosing a duplicate of the Message [Message of the Master Therion] with a clear note added on making clear what their duty is in the matter. I have only the imperfect list of addresses I had at the outset and have been unable to get any fresh light from Mrs Davies [Mary Davies]. I am putting a note on the envelopes of where to return them if undelivered. In that way I'll be more certain that they have really reached their destination, tho' of the last lot only one came back 'not found'.
I have just written to the OHO [Outer Head of the Order] in the exact terms you give, save an additional note that I'm sending him 100 copies at your request, as also the letter.
Windram [James Windram] I will write to in time for the S[outh] African mail, as I haven't the stereo mats at hand to enclose in his parcel.
Jones [Charles Stansfeld Jones] it will be a simple matter for you to post the set of mats I sent over, assuming they are correct. My dwindling resources won't allow me to print for the other Lodges, even if they pay and my time has limits, packing and so forth.
I am very anxious to hear from you if the printed Message is O.K. before I send Windram his instructions or any large quantities out. The parcel for the O.H.O. [Outer Head of the Order—Theodor Reuss] and one of 100 for yourself are ready to post but I think it wise to wait your next letter which may come on Tuesday. However I'll send yours, and if not approved you can 'scrap' em. I'll need to order another 1000, but will wait definite approval. I've got through a fair quantity personally and enclose one whenever I write to anyone. The trouble is I never cared to mix in Theosophic or Masonic circles, so except such as De Thoren or Wilson, here, who had distributed some for me amongst people with an interest in 'occultism', I haven't many friends I can expect a response from. However the point is just to scatter it. I've tried to get Wilson to come in, as he could help me, but he's a stickler for what he calls the 'liberty'—However He'll see yet where liberty lies.
It seems only a few days ago that I shelled out £13 for storage charges. Already an account has come in for another quarter, £9 odds -25/ is the charge for sending two cases over to you last year, so you'll see. as I said, that even small parcels represent a serious item of expense for me. If you made anything out of the books sent, however, it's all right. I find I'm paying enough in storage charges to pay the rent of a good sized house in Edinburgh—If I'd understood what was really coming, I'd have taken a house, certainly, in the name of the O.T.O. and I'm rather inclined for the Regent Street idea, if only the London people will help. It would feel ever much safer too. I do not regard the present arrangement as safe, and that's why I wouldn't risk serious trouble for the sake of keeping 30 bob in my pocket.
We are evidently at cross purposes, what I've almost stripped myself to avert, seems the very thing, for some inscrutable reason, you are 'asking for'. I was at first very much hurt at the tone of your remarks about the telephone business—for all the world as if I'd embezzled 30 bob to pay a useless ac. It's me might be furious! at the carelessness that allowed the useless expense to run on and it isn't safe at present having friction with Government expense collecting departments. It's damn bad form not to be ready to pay up, and I decline to apologise for this item. I'm a patriot.
However I'm taking it in good part, but it's been a mistake opening letters, as these dunning letters move me as much as if they were for myself and get on my nerves. I think I'll send them unopened, it's cheaper in the end to pay the extra postal weight. Here's a dreadful confession. One poor creature of a lady typist who hadn't been paid since June 1914, I got rid of her pitiful account which I was sick of, by 'embezzling' 25 bob, poor devil. Like wise with another small claim. I expect to hear you wanted a strait waistcoat on hearing that I had rescued your poems from B and H at the expense of the remnant of my capital. But you asked me, remember. I want them to keep the stock till I go up to London. I think I'll do so end of April.
I wish you'd let me know if money sent over in £5 B[ank] of E[ngland] notes is all right and negotiable? It saves the time it takes getting Bank Drafts. I may enclose another with this, as the rent will be coming along end of this month.
If I run in so much about expenses, it's to make it perfectly clear that all these extras don't come out of the Boleskine money. If they did, there would be dam little left to send across. M.O.H. [Mother of Heaven—Leila Waddell] did not realise this. I'll send you if possible all next quarters, only I can't be sure of being able to meet the mortgage interest, and it's no good [. . . ? . . .] me not to pay that, as it exposes us to foreclosure, unless the lender is an easy going chap, which I'm not aware of. I must keep back £16 till May, and if I find I can manage it out of income, I'll pay for it myself, and let you have the balance as perhaps things are harder for you than I thought.
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