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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Norman Mudd
Nefta
Nov. 10/23 e.v.
Care Frater,
93
I don't think you need to worry about finances this end before the end of the year or, thereabouts. Credit to [illegible] of course so I see no reason why we should have to write further cheques. My idea is to leave here on the 18th or 19th for El Oued Wagla etc., on foot leaving practically everything here and not paying the outstanding affairs, our arrangement being that we pay a reduced rate for a 3 month's stay; at periods when we are in the Desert of course not counting. We can pay for our Desert trip out of cash in hand and should prolong it so as not to get back here till we got word from you that it would not embarrass you for us to return.
In view of Murray's [Adam Murray] letter you might find it more useful to have him with you or at Cefalù. I want to leave it to your judgment to make the best available use of him—not even what his regular work is, whether he speaks French etc., nor his age. He would be quite useless unless able to do his share of a hard day's work in the Desert, take all responsibility off Lea [Leah Hirsig] etc. I have of course been hoping that it might be possible for you to join us for a while, perhaps come on the Desert trip with us. I am really anxious to work systematically with you on the new Magical Arrangement in which you use your mind as an intellectual interpretation of my Will. I am certain from the evidence of our consultation game of Chess that the combination would produce incredibly fine results and what we most need is practise in working together.
I shall make a point of not leaving here before doing what I can with Chap. II of the Comment on Nov. 17, 4.08 A.M. I shall expect either to see or hear from you before that date, so as to be free to start on Sunday if we decide to do so. (Incidentally, I need that sweater badly—the nights are very cold already, not far above zero at a guess.) Of course our journey would be of the simplest kind—The boy Mohammed, possibly another ragamuffin, one camel and a man to tend it. We should take a few canned provisions but live for the most part on such fresh food as we could buy.
Nefta to El Oued as the crow flies—70 miles. They call it 4 days easy going.
El Oued to Wagla—150 miles.
Wagla to Touggourt—100 miles.
At Touggourt there is a railway and I am told auto-chineilles to Nefta so that we could get back in a hurry either here or direct to Tunis if required. We should wire you from Touggourt for instructions. The total distance is 320 miles. I doubt if we could do it in less than 6 weeks allowing for rests. We might ∴ be expected to arrive at Touggourt on about the last day of the year.
I should regard this trip as primarily for perfect magical conditions and the complete building up of both our physical energies. You must however remember that altho' such trips do achieve wonders mainly, I believe by purifying the body of all toxins—they produce a temporary exhaustion (that's the wrong word—reaction against physical hardship is better) which must be treated by a period of lazy luxury.
I hope that by this plan you will be able to cross us off your financial list till the end of this year. This ought to give you ample time to collect funds. It might be desirable for Alostrael and my self to spend January in a more regular place than this. If so, it would mean paying a small supplement here to compensate for the shorter stay.
I imagine that we can borrow a tent of sorts, blankets, cooking utensils etc. from Greck who is accustomed to organizing Desert Trips as also canned foods and the arrangements being to pay him on our return. Ditto for cost of camel and man's wages. We should thus have approximately 500 francs for current expenses which should be ample, though doubtless we might need more immediately on arrival at Tunis.
Rest assured anyhow that in one way or another I will manage to avoid drawing on you further till the end of the year. The only wish I admit to is that I had another box of cigars before starting though this wouldn't matter so much if my Dunhill supply arrived in time.
I could doubtless arrange for letters and parcels to follow us to El Oued, that is, up to the 21st. inst. or thereabouts.
The advantage of El Oued is that the 4 days journey will serve to try out Alostrael's capability for the more serious stage to Wagla. Should she show the slightest tendency to exhaustion or other inability I should of course bring her back here at once, if necessary by mule or auto-chineilles. In that case, of course, the financial situation would again [illegible] consideration.
I was very glad to get Bill's [William Seabrook] letter and [illegible] through yours in a day or two.
Lo Staffile is excellent. I suggest that it should be made the basis for an appeal to Mussolini to rescind the [expulsion] Order: This ought to be done as part of the vindication.
The beginning of our come-back. It's all very well to take the lofty magical standpoint but surely it is part of our magical programme to begin the rule "the many and the known" by fooling them if you like to call it so. I suggest that you should ask Zamit or other Italian scholars to co operate on this. It is a very strong point that no reason was given for the expulsion and that on Sarell's statement itself the affair was due to irresponsible police interference, their fear of the unknown, whom they could accuse definitely. I hope you called on the new Consul as I instructed you to do. I think he is sure to remember Tankerville [George Montagu Bennet], and my connection with him might well induce him to expouse my cause warmly and put through the petition for the rescinding of the order officially, as on behalf of a British subject wronged unjustly.
Note that the things which would hurt me in England in a libel action cut no ice at all in Italy.
I enclose a few notes for an article and suggest you writing it up from these. I think it is time we got back at Bickers [Horace Sheridan-Bickers], Maitland [Cecil Maitland], and such scum. Challenge them to make affidavits about the accusations so that we can prosecute for perjury if they dare do so. The Consul would be able to advise you how best to corner the swine.
I enclose card of thanks for the Editor which please forward.
Explain to R. Greene the literary merit of Tyrol poem comparing Swinburne's and Shelley's political squibbs. Explain that there is more than 1 form of poet. Simplicity, directness, epigrammatical force are needed in such wok. Ode to Psyche would be out of tone.
Bretanos—Try Scribners, Putnams or Mac Millan Co.
Achad [Charles Stansfeld Jones]—I should deal with him as little as possible until he accepts his proper position with regard to me, as you have done. He is not exactly suspended; simply avoid occasions of possible clash until he understands that my authority is to be regarded as absolute.
Manley—Enclosed a summons. Covering letter from you. This chap appears to know little and his information comes presumably from Eq[uino]x III—I nothing more recent. You should ∴ give him fairly full information explaining in particular how events have moved and decided us to put its force the dichotomy of Heru-Ra-Ha. We now put it up to every enquirer to prove his kingliness by an Act of Truth. He must show himself big enough to throw his past into the discard to take every and any risk, confident in his sovereignty.
(You once told me that I suggested ordeals impossibly severe—This is quite absurd, in view of the Great War when every Tom, Dick and Harry had to chuck everything and head straight for Hell without even the idea of reward such as we now offer.) Emphasize these tests for Holy Kings. I will not trust people with power until I know that they are capable of showing themselves superior to the herd. My climbing, walks across China etc. proved my courage, endurance and other manly virtues. We can't give every one such lengthy expensive ordeals. I have ∴ devised various short and sharp substitutes. I feel quite sure that people who are not able to understand the necessity of such tests and to embrace the adventure with knightly dauntlessness will certainly break down however I might coddle them.
Better get it over. The one reasonable objection to obedience would be "Why should I trust 666 in so vital a matter, in the dark?" Answer—AL—II—30, 31. The True King will trust himself to win through, however crazy the ordeal, and my daring to demand such proof of quality should in itself suffice to assure him of my right to command. (My whole experience persuades me that this policy is right. My spoon-feeding Aspirant[s] has invariably failed.)
I enclose a few blank summons for you to fill in and use in case of other new aspirants. The wording of Manley's Summons is to be followed as a general rule—alterations only as deemed necessary. Covering letters at your discretion. But I advise a thorough explanation of the position. Avoid anything like persuasion, make clear the nature of the Ordeal but also show that the Ordeal is essential in the actual conditions of the crisis of civilization. Further, make clear that failure to comply with the summons means final rejection. No excuse is to be accepted, the Gods must be trusted to make obedience possible. E.g. If a woman can only get to Europe by taking the job of stewardess on a liner or tramp for a matter of that, the argument is that the Gods know she needs that particular additional labour of Hercules.
Suggestions (Use your judgment—but do not let the matter drop—)
For vindication via Lo Staffile. Economize space and avoid complications. Charges and mis-statements too numerous to tackle serialism—Pick out a few serious ones such as
Imprisonment in America as White Slave Trafficker. Murder and Cannibalissm. Prostituting women in Naples and Palermo. Visiting London last Spring etc. important and easily disproved ones.
Challenge those making statements to swear to them. Challenge them to give dates for imprisonment etc. Paint it that I have never been on expedition involving native carriers unaccompanied by whites.
Count up total number of statements in English papers—including such as Studio being windowless and tiled when it has 2 windows and is flagged. ([illegible] vindication sent to Holway, H[illegible] etc. ought to give data, statistics, etc.)
Demand names of accusers—mention those we know (1) Horace Sykes Bickers calls himself Sheridan and writes under name Yorick. Say on my authority that he is a sexual maniac and that I hold proof to that effect. Reference is character to Mme. Lydia Yoraska and the Los Angeles Movie crowd generally describe Maitland from data given in Hag [The Confessions of Aleister Crowley]—refuse to [illegible] attack a woman. (Mary Butts, Bickers and Betty Loveday [Betty May]) but say Betty Bickers [Betty Sheridan-Bickers] and B[etty] L[oveday] both wrote spontaneously expressing regret for having been lured into lying about me. The Dutch courier or whatever he is—who claims to know me personally but whose name I had never heard and who was really so ignorant that he did not even know me by sight and so describes my visit to London when I was ill in bed over 1000 miles away.
Offer £100 for proof confirming any one of the statements to my discredit (Exclude mere matters of opinion such as statements that the D.F. [Diary of a Drug Fiend] is immoral etc.)
Explain my attitude about libel actions, no money to start one ascertained by [illegible].
Give brief explan[ation] of my attitude in the War. Refer to Gaunt [Guy Gaunt] R.M.—Brit. naval Intel. in N.Y., during War. Walter Smart, Vice Consul N.Y. during War. Dept. of J[ustice] N.Y. for proof of my patriotism. Refer to C.S. Jones [Charles Stansfeld Jones] for proof that I used authority in OTO to encourage recruiting. (Note this is the one charge w[hich] can be superficially maintained. My conduct certainly required explanations. I mention that I had first tried all means of serving Eng[land] in the regular way.)
I rely on you to make this article as succinct and convincing as possible, to ask Lo Staffile and Aumont [Gerard Aumont] as well as A.I. [Eddie Saayman] to try to get reprinted in France and Eng.
Consider question of doing what is threatened in your statement of campaign forcing a public investigation. I was contemplating something such means as arranging for a breach of the peace such that the question of the truth of the accusations would have to be brought out in the course of the trial. I personally have no hesitation in horse-whipping Lord Beaverbrook if I could get at him. As a last resort this should certainly be tried. It would be your business to [illegible] critical act so as to insure.
(a) that out provocation was sufficient to justify apparent loss of temper.
(b) That the justification should turn upon the truth [illegible].
Notes on 666's letter by Alostrael
I think a lot of this is too crazy for words, some of it is too good to be true.—As the Specialist on Sanity I leave it to you to extract some, possible, reasonable, profitable points and act accordingly.
Personally, I think you ought to get to London as soon as possible, having as many helpers as are available. It would perhaps be well that you saw Frank Bennett safely established in Cefalù—if he is coming—or some one else to take his place, if he is not.
Re moneys—All the plans stated in the letter are dependent upon "if we can get Greck to see it in out light." I want to get out of a hotel—and live in a tent. All this near comfort, near civilization is too painful to discuss. Also, I want to get away from letters and communication with the outside world. Until this can be dome, I remain in a state of semi-activity, which is neither activity nor recreation—and which is anything but conducive to gaining real health and strength. I'm OK on the whole but I get occasional silent internal convulsions about everything and I don't like it.
666 means well but he must stop for a while, asking for this, that, and what not—things that seem the most necessary in the world when thought about and which only mean more luggage and are unimportant when they arrive. Please help me in this—I know your difficulties—it is hard to know when any suggestion or wish is an order or merely a whim. Beast agrees with me and promises to be good. He says the first consideration is my health.
However, I feel that we ought to get right out into the desert and only then shall we know how to proceed.
I have suggested to 666 that unless Murray has already left London , you might prefer to have him work there with or for you. In spite of the fact that I suggest that all aspirants should have the pleasure of the Ordeal of personal contact w[ith] 666, I do not think that that Ordeal need come while some important work that might be done first, is in progress. So use your judgment.
I do not know how far we can go or for how long on what cash we have in hand—One cannot reckon a fixed sum as there are always extras. We have 580 francs in cash at present. We are about paid up to Nov. 11 at the hotel—the boy Mohammed need not be paid till Dec. 1. Please take the reins in hand and guide us at present. I shall go over the lists I have sent you and cross off all unnecessary ones. More later.
Please write to Achad as per notes made in letter. He seems to be a bit huffy.
I do hope you are OK—and that Cefalù is also. To-day is Hansi's birthday. The 18th is to be celebrated—666's Initiation anniversary—and the 26th is Astarte Lulu's 3rd anniversary—A great month.
93 93/93
Alostrael
Ask Editor of Lo Staffile to find out whose intrigues brought about the expulsion. Tell him Sarell's idea about the police and recount Tunis incident. Mention that the Cefalidians we knew were apparently friendly. Ask Zamit to translate Poet's Sepulchre as sample of my poetry. Also possibly an extract of instruction, Essay or [illegible] to show my loftiness of thought and conduct.
Letter from Achad arrived yesterday—also one from Leah's Sister Fanny [Fanny Hirsig]. Sending answer to this later next mail.
93 93/93
Ever
666.
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