|
Correspondence from Dr. Charles Jarvis to Aleister Crowley
May 26/24
Dear Sir A.,
I have been endeavouring to recall accurately my telephonic conversation—which took place months ago—with a gentleman purporting to be a friend of yours, anxious to know about your condition. Perhaps this gentleman was a Mr. B[ernard] H[arrison] whom I saw occasionally at the Paris Headquarters of the British Red Cross in the early days of the War and who cannot by any stretch of imagination be described as an "old friend of mine".
Be it as it may, I remember perfectly telling this gentleman that your condition required care and that I much regretted the fact that you lived so far away from me as it made it difficult for me to give you all the necessary attention. I added that it seemed to me that it would be a good thing for you to enter a Nursing Home where you could receive the required medical assistance at any moment. You understand that all this conversation referred to the repeated and severe attacks of Asthma that were troubling you so at that time. Remember also that I thought I was speaking to an intimate friend of yours.
As for the H[eroin] question I did not discuss it, nor is it conceivable that I should discuss such a grave and confidential subject over the telephone or otherwise, without your knowledge and consent. More especially do I absolutely deny having ever referred to you as "a moral wreck from the abuse of H". This is a very grave statement to make, even if justified. But in your case there could have been no justification for it, nor was it the expression of my opinion.
I resent very much this extraordinary misrepresentation of the true facts, and I am very sorry that it should have caused you all this annoyance.
Yours very truly
Charles G. Jarvis
|