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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Montgomery Evans
'Hohenleuben Reuss Germany. Please keep this address strictly secret from all.
An XXI
die
[21 July 1925]
My best belovéd Gom!
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Thine epistle tout fait juste!
"Have you any word from Germany?"
None yet, my good brother! Germany has had a Word from me?
The "Mediterranean Manifesto" [To Man]—I enclose a copy, in case you haven't seen it—fell on fertile soil. It has been accepted by some of the most important people in occult circles, and they will all have to come in very soon. There is no other serious claimant to hegemony, so I shall be able after all to accomplish the Great Work for which the Chiefs chose me so long ago.
You see me then—in your mind's eye, Montgomery!—Stowed in the Sanctuary of the one genuine ancient Brotherhood.
You see me writing in a library of some 20,000 volumes of which I am Overlord. [There is also a library of Medieval Science (Jurisprudence, Theology, and all that went under those titles in those times) of 150,000 to 250,000 volumes—the most complete collection of its kind in the world, except the British Museum and possibly a dozen other such places. You can have them for about $25,000 00/100: I need some hefty cash to start one or two special things I have in mind.)
"I am not mad, most noble Evans, but speak from the words of truth and soberness"
Now, to deal with the points in your letter, seriation.
1. Thank you very much for waking up those idiots about the Drug-Fiend [The Diary of a Drug Fiend].
Will you be good enough to ask them to send me the 6 Author's Copies they owe me? (at least, I suppose they do; but if not, perhaps you could get them for me at remainder prices.)
However, that's a small point. What I want is to buy the copyright back.
What with the splash of the Med. Manifesto, and Reeck's translation of the D-F [The Diary of a Drug Fiend] and Aumont's [Gerard Aumont] French ditto, and the very good prospects of Reinhardt putting on Mortaldello, and the good hope of getting "The Three Wishes" (a play of which I think I told you) and Ania Zina (another play) accepted, I should soon be in a position to dictate terms all round. The Confessions [The Confessions of Aleister Crowley] will consummate the whole campaign.
So, when the right moment comes, I want to reissue the D-F, with a big preface telling of all the fuss it created, the misery which overwhelmed so many of us etc etc. Such a volume ought to produce another row, even bigger than the original! So let us get the copyright. It might be the best plan for you to do this, out of sympathy for me or something philanthropic, so that Dutton don't suspect it is a commercial speculation, and hold us up.
2. Thanks for the article on me. I expect Alostrael [Leah Hirsig] here in a few days: she has all my publicity material. She has to let Reeck have some on her way through Frankfurt. I presume he can have clichés made at once, and forward adequate points to you. (Remember, please, that the D-F is not my Sturm-truppe. It's the Magus, and the Poet.)
3. Simon Iff and the Tough Guy. Please deliver the enclosed, which will make everything clear to you.
P.S. oh well! I broke off to jot down a note to S.H. and my politeness ran away with me. But the Postscripts are important, bar the cost—but one.
Now to get on with the Job!
The Confessions. This is in the hands of Wm Aspenwall Bradley 24 [illegible] Paris. I will write him by this mail to write you about it.
If your people can subscribe for say 100 sets and send me the cash in advance, I can get it printed right away. This will chime in well with the occult splurge. Will send you complete synopsis in a few days.
Gregory Smith. He is unknown to me. Anyhow, don't talk to me about Astrological libraries!
777. No, dear boy; the library here bought me for $15 3 years ago; there's no chance of you picking me up at less, and little enough of you getting me at any price.
But look here! I never liked 777. So I'm now busy getting out a revised edition, complete and accurate (The old was neither: also, I've learnt much in these 17 years since I jotted it down). Most of the columns will be replaced by diagrams, uniform, so that the attributions can be seen at a glance. Also, we separate the mere traditional attributions from those which form the focus of the Magical Alphabet which I have constructed. All less important matter will be relegated to notes.
But, above all, each attribution will be (have been already, in fact) explained. That is, it will be made clear exactly why we attribute Beetles to Pisces, Transmutation to Sagittarius, Ambergris to Kether etc etc.
Mudd (Norman) [Norman Mudd] joins me to-day or to-morrow for the purpose of putting all my raw material into organic shape. He has one of the best analytical minds in Europe, and is accustomed to classify material, and to teach by diagrams.
You may therefore rely absolutely on a new 777 as near perfection as possible and (what is more important to H.F.M.) a book which no serious occultists can possibly do without.
(The scarcity of the old 777 is due to just that fact. People are bound to give up talking in long words with vague definitions—e.g. soul, spirit, mind—which mean, as commonly used, totally different things; and all three of them have been used indiscriminately to mean all sorts of ideas.
They are bound to accept a system which is based on fine mathematical conceptions, and which shows rationally the necessity of attributing any given idea to any given 'letter' of this 'Alphabet')
With some 200 full-page diagrams, a dozen or so of them in colours, the book will be very expensive to produce. I think $25 will be a fair price. It will be jumped at, as so many people are vainly offering $15 to $25 for the old rotten edition. Of course, again, the Med. Man. will help. Once again, Pansophia—I am arranging for an American edition of this in a few days—will boom it. (our German circulation, on the 3rd issue, is over 1000: not bad, for a technical publication.)
Now, how would you like to put this (777) among your 'rare editions' I propose to limit the 1st edition in English to 500 copies on hand-made paper. (Format, about 10 x 8—not quite sure yet, depends on diagrams. Lettering must be big enough to be quite clear: i.e. when the big drawings have been reduced.
Suppose you purchase 400 of this edition for $5000. $2000 in advance to enable me to put the printing in hand and the balance as you make sales or set subscriptions. I would agree not to re-issue for 3 years.
This offer is tentative: it is to get your ideas in return. I can't be really sure that we can get the book out the way I want it not for so low a figure. I'll enquire next time I'm in Leipzig.
T.R. Smith. Please tell me more of this scion of that noble stock. What is he? Where is he? etc.
My matrimonial meditations.
Now, Montgomery, don't you really think when you came to take everything into consideration that this matter might be left in its decent obscurity? I will say merely this: that what I set out to do, I have accomplished, and that with no mean skill and vigour. I have got everybody just exactly where I want them.
I have no information at present for the Gentlemen of the Press: we are not quite sure what is the best line to take about it all in a certain little scrap that's about to occur. But as soon as we have all the dollars we want, there will be an A.1. romantic story with Sayids (not of Savera[?]!) and camels roasted whole and Grand Masters of the Temple and underground rivers etc. Yes, good Evans! I did it—whatever it was that I did—really well for once!
The Library of the Fraternity
Now for a rather interesting proposition! Enclosed are descriptions of a few books from this library (no time to type them all, if I am to catch this mail.) What do you say to getting out a limited edition of these in photographic reproduction—the state is in practically all cases surprisingly good—with or without translation and edition. The illustrations are very curious and fine.
I think a series of these in editions of 100 ought to do well.
Enough of this endless screed!
Love is the law, love under will.
Yours ever
Aleister Crowley
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in 28°
in 6°
