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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Gerald Yorke
Agencia Cook Lisbon
[Undated: circa September 1930]
Care Frater Volo Intelligere
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I have your letters dated 9/9 and 12/9 and answer the business part separately.
But I feel impelled to write to you about your real Magical situation, and I feel some of myself as S∴ Anu [Hanni Jaeger] has brought me quite back to good form [May the High Gods bless her and keep her safe to play a really great part in the Great Work!]
The essential points are these
1. You recognized in the A∴A∴ the only mode through which you could realize your aspiration.
2. You naturally wanted to succeed me in my position in that Order. [This included the death-wish, so clearly shewn and nearly successful, in the Knockholt Working.]
3. You tried to attain your object by a worldly-wise management of your resources. You tried to compromise, and even, like [illegible], to get away with "part of the price." You tried to avoid conflict with your family, as if you had never read Abramelin!
4. The result is now apparent, utter disaster to your own worldly interests, and as much damage to the Order as lay in your power. I have never seen a better hand of cards worse played!
5. The only possible course for you to pursue is to break absolutely with your family—writing them if necessary—and throwing the whole of your resources into the fight without keeping back the least imaginable thing.
6. You know perfectly well that this is the case, and that you have no right to make a G[reat] M[agical] R[etirement] when the Order is in peril. (See my record Easter 1900) You would of course be [illegible] on every plane, and I seriously doubt whether you can even make any advance in this incarnation unless you comply, and that forthwith, with 5. The terms of your real Magical Oath, if not strictly formulated in so many words, imply this; you could not succeed me without fulfilling my own Formula.
Love is the law, love under will.
Yours fraternally
To Mega Therion 666 9º=2o A∴A\
Memorandum. My personal debts are not many. I think £300 would cover all; and doubtless £100 distributed wisely with the proper excuses and promises would keep everybody quiet.
I am writing Marie [Maria de Miramar]. She must look after herself for cash. She lost her chance by sheer stupidity and bad conduct; and as tried to seduce most of the men who used to come round to 89, I don't feel very bad about it all.
I didn't say "see Kerman" [Isidore Kerman] I said see Turner, unofficially, and get him to see sense.
I didn't expect anything from Mandrake [Mandrake Press], but from a N.Y. paper through Gorman. (This about going round world).
£200 would keep us here in quite adequate comfort till Dec 31. (Pension 12/6 each, good wine at 1/4, [illegible] 3/- per 100. No entertaining or other Exes outside, bar [illegible] and laundry.) This, of course, bar threatenings of catastrophe, which always costs money to beat off.
Mandrake. If what you say is true, [illegible] ought to go to jail. But then what of Thynne's [Major Robert Thynne] guarantee of him, introducing him as a friend of 20 years standing, a S[outh] Amer[ican] millionaire etc? It all sounds like a con game.
The only sensible plan is to take all the cash you can raise out of the Mandrake or otherwise, take over all the A.C. stuff, get a cheap G.H.Q. [Grand Headquarters] outside central districts, concentrate all assets, have Regardie [Israel Regardie] do the spade work, gather Germer's [Karl Germer] £2000 and make a clean start with "A.C. Ltd." (or at least our own Press) by Xmas.
I am writing Field Roscoe to look after my interests. I have recourse against Goldston [Edward Goldston], I suppose.
I write Germer about all this.
Please keep me with news up to date. Did the "Nature Cure" bill Serpent [Israel Regardie]? He hasn't answered one of my letters—and some asked for important things. e.g. addresses of [illegible] and Xul Solar.
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