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Correspondence from Charles Stansfeld Jones to Aleister Crowley
307 Howard Street, Apartment 10, Detroit.
September 12, 1920
My Beloved Father,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I have been intending to write you in answer to your letter which contained the first installment of the "Elixir of Life," and now that I have another letter from you, together with certain poems, I really must get busy and send you a few lines. As a matter of fact I am almost rushed to death, one way and another and find it very difficult to keep up any correspondence, however important.
Your doubtless well meaning way of replying to my cry for books, has landed me in a rather uncomfortable hole for the time being. You knew perfectly well the U.B.S. [Universal Book Stores] weren't to be relied on to look after any more business, but you must also have known that I wasn't in a position to handle nearly six tons of junk the freight and cartage alone on which amounted to $586. Much of this, too, is quite useless, viz.: unbound sheets, old manifestoes, etc., which are no use to anyone and cost a great deal for cartage and storage. However, since the stuff arrived I didn't like to see it sold for storage or returned unclaimed, so had to pledge my personal credit and finally succeeded in borrowing the money for the release of the goods. I am now, with the help of Bro. Smith [Wilfred Talbot Smith], doing what I can to sell enough to cover the expenses incurred, which, as in the case of the U.B.S. arrangement, will be charged to your share, and after that is accomplished (if it ever is) I'll go on selling all I can on a fifty-fifty basis which I think is only fair, and may in the end be profitable for both of us. There may be money for the handling of other deals etc., if once we create a market, but for God's sake don't play another trick on me for the time being, and send any more stuff along, or I'll throw the whole thing up. This deal has tied me up badly as it is, in more ways than one, and I'm having to work in the evenings to keep up payments etc.
I don't know what to say about Cowie [George MacNie Cowie], I don't really think he would take a thing that doesn't belong to him. In any case how can I help?
By the way, Ryerson [Albert W. Ryerson] doesn't know this bunch of books has come to town, don't do anything that may bring it to his ears sooner than can be helped, or he'll resent it very much.
I have hesitated to get mixed up with the Equinox Number 2 deal, as I really am not in a position to think of handling such a proposition at this time. I have only the incomplete set of proofs you gave me, and I suppose, if I am unable to get anything else, I'll have to send you those. No one here seems to have seen your set.
I'll write again when I can, believe me I'm doing all I can in your interest, don't worry if you don't hear from me very often, I don't forget you.
Love is the law, love under will.
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