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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Osborne
[Undated: circa March 1935]
Dear Osborne.
I am indeed sorry to hear of your relapse; and I, am in a very good position to be sorry, as I am suffering myself from very much the same trouble. I would not bother you with this letter, but the situation is so serious and urgent, and at the same time in one sense so favourable, that I feel I had better conquer my better feelings for once, and tell you all about it.
Winter told me that you were justly indignant about the attitude of Hawkins and Miss Price. But that is only a joke. What follows is a matter of the whole code of public life in England. Towards the end of February the Sunday Referee, through Hayter Preston asked me for the story of my magical researches. We saw Mark Goulden who offered me spontaneously the maximum rate ever paid by the paper. I prepared a synopsis—eight articles—they approved this and paid me for the first installment in advance. I was to live at Brighton for health and quiet and deliver the articles on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. The first article [My Wanderings in Search of the Absolute, 10 March 1935] duly appeared on the 10th, and I was in town with the second on the 12th. Hayter Preston said it was very good indeed, better than the first; and would I call in the morning for my cheque? I did and—something had happened. Various manoeuvres followed—they now appear dishonest. Late on Friday afternoon I was told that the series had been stopped.
I was thus cut off at a stroke from food, shelter, clothes, medicine, everything. Hayter Preston simply threatened and blustered to try to get me to accept some trifle in final settlement, well knowing my immediate straits. But this is immaterial. The point is that it is merely the last incident of dozens. There is someone with immense power—enough to be able to bully Isidore Ostrer—who is determined to down me, and intervenes every time that I get a chance to put forward the truth. It seems to me that, this being the first time that we have clear, concrete and recent facts, something may be done to combat this irresponsible abuse of power. The condition is that I find a man of independence and good resolution who will see it through. That is why I have written.
With every best wish for your speedy and complete recovery.
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