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Correspondence from Montgomery Evans to Aleister Crowley
900 DeKalb Street, Norristown, Pennsylvania,
March 6, 1924.
Aleister Crowley, Esq., 50, Rue Vavin, Paris.
Dear Sir:
When I returned from a round of visits to friends in Virginia I found waiting for me your letter, one from Professor Mudd, and one from Mr. Bayley, accompanying three volumes which you kindly requested him to send.
They interested me and added to my desire to meet you this summer, as there is much that I should like to discuss with you. I should particularly like to see, if it is in England, the work on astrology outlined in the bibliography. Though the only work prepared with any care that I have seen on the subject is that of Bouche-Lacercq. I am convinced that, at least in recent years, no man has ever devoted to it sufficient time and knowledge to offer conclusive arguments wither supporting or refuting the theory that celestial hieroglyphics influence the ant-like creatures who dominate this planet.
I should warn you, however, that I possess no claims to illumination on that or any other "occult" matters. My attempts at investigation have never been more than blunderings in a sea of conflicting misinformation, where even the truth was so concealed as to defy recognition if one lacked a key. Had I, first the qualifications, and second, the funds and time, to visit Thelema, perhaps I might learn some of the things I want to know.
I will not trouble you with a necessarily tedious explanation of the situation here which cramps me. It is enough to say that I have found it advisable to husband my resources since returning from Europe so that I may live there for four of five months, most of it to be devoted to work. I may go to the Carpathians, if I can find there the hamlet I have in mind, or I may settle for a while at New Quay in Pembrokeshire, or even on the French coast.
But I shall sail sometime before July, and before settling down I expect to visit Warsaw and Prague, and will certainly stop for a few days in London and Paris. I hope to keep in touch with you so that, if you are on the continent, I may meet you soon after I land.
I can relieve your concern as to John Quinn. The sale of his library was due, not to his death, but to a change of residence which made it impossible for him to retain his books.
I regret exceedingly that the eventual settling of my own affairs cannot be hastened, as I should be glad to lend you what assistance I could in publishing your work. But unpleasant squabbling has temporarily tied my own affairs in quite intricate knots.
But till then I shall be glad to be of service to you in any way that is in my power.
Sincerely yours,
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