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Correspondence from George MacNie Cowie to Aleister Crowley
14 Glenisla Gardens, Edinburgh.
15 Feb 1917.
Care Frater.
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
That business of the unholy mortgage on the Holy House [Boleskine] still drags. The lenders won't agree however to less than 5 1/2%. I purposely told M.D. [Mary Davies] and S.L. [William Steff-Langston] frankly about the matter, in the forlorn hope that they speak of it to D[ora] V[ogt]. I've no opportunity with the latter, L[angston] having so taken possession of her. The good Mary by a lucky chance found some one else with enough to lend it if she gets 5 p[er] c[ent]. I've used all my blarney to get her to be content with the present 4%, but so far no reply and it's hanging fire.
The mysterious B.P. [Buddhist Person] is still hovering about 93 [Regent Street] desperately anxious to be affiliated, but unable to produce satisfactory proof. I've advised them to say she could write to me or come and see me—as a means of gaining time. It would be more satisfactory if we could wait and see if you can throw any light on the matter. She gives her Mother L[odge] as Graecia L[odge] of Persia, says she is 30 degree and so on and offers a password unknown to us. It's really none of my funeral, and I can only give advice and recommend caution. We can't refuse her initiation however if she prefers to come in by that method. I go much more by what (Mary) says than by S.L. who doesn't really tell me everything.
The Lodge is steadily growing, we'll soon have as many members in 6 months as in B[ritish] C[olumbia]. Parz[ival] [Charles Stansfeld Jones] sent me a full financial report and list of members last week. I was a bit taken aback and wondered if I'd gone beyond my province in asking for this report, as it was from, he said, his Grand Treasurer General. I wasn't in the least aware there was a G.T.G. for that Province, and said so. Is this right? I always understood that G[rand] S[ecretary] G[eneral] and G[rand] T[reasurer] G[eneral] were titles reserved for the G[rand] Officers of the whole Order, M.M.M. section. If there's one for every province it's rather confusing isn't it? Not that I mind if there's a million G.T.G.'s.
I'm suffering from a cold at the minute, otherwise I'm much better. But I've stopped the insidious cigarette altogether this year, I was overdoing it. Also I've made time for meditation and am recovering the control of my mind. But, at the best, it's difficult to see things except under a blue tinge, hard times seem ahead. I am not so subject to visions of the G.T.G. reduced to selling halfpenny papers in the gutter, and I take worries as they come and dismiss them. But I wish I knew you were more comfortable, I can't help and that's another worry.
Mary and her husband are coming here next week and there's no two people I'd sooner see having the distinction of being the first people in this country to be guests in a House of the Order. Mary has been a brick, all along, you know, and we could not have grown at this rate without her. Old Olney is back, by the way. Poor Brother D[avies] has quite broken down and Mary is obliged to pay some one to do what he used to do for her. They believe that it all arose out of that New Year visit. Your various remarks about the duties and privileges of L[odge] M[aster]s—which I am glad to be enlightened about—I am keeping to communicate to her when here.
I am not good for much in the evening, usually very lazy, let us call it, but I am keeping the Geomancy book in mind.
I am informed the R. got all he wanted, so that's off my mind.
Your letters whist not indicating any funerals are always cheering, by their sheer hopefulness. But I'm not so imperturbable a person myself. This war does drag on so long, nature seems to be taking a hand too. H.G. Wells is the only writer I've known to remark how queer a business it all is. Well, we Britons haven't much to feel small about.
Love is the law, love under will.
Ever fraternally.
Geo M. Cowie.
P.S. Just as I had folded this a letter came from S.L. He says that the Mysterious Lady has explained that she was In[itiated] in Arabic—"it is evidently a lot different from ours in particular but with us in general principles—have given her your address, so she will be writing you to explain herself as she lays claim to 30 Degree and I told her you would understand more about that (Shall I?). She is very friendly with Mary d'Este S. [Mary d'Este-Sturges] and wants me to meet her as she is greatly interested in the resumption of the Order, and in spite of the misunderstanding with A.C. still has unlimited faith in him and wishes us well. Although she wrote Book 4 (did she really?) she has not seen a printed copy yet".
G.M. Cowie.
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