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Correspondence from André Pigné to Aleister Crowley
27 Feb 36
Dear Sir,
Your letter of the 25th has come to hand and I thank you. It was intentionally that my previous communication was so short and contained no details. I wanted first to locate you. Having done so, I have no hesitation in stating my case, and you will find all the necessary information regarding myself herein.
But let me tell you that it is not as easy as you think to belong to Freemasonry here. I have not succeeded. It is well nigh impossible to obtain Masonic magazines. L'Acacia or La Chaine d'Union being given to Freemasons only. As to the Grand Orient, it is Rue Cadet, but there are two policemen at the door. As to the local Lodge, it would be impossible to get the address in a Café. For the last few years, Freemasonry in this country has been attacked by the croix-de-gue and other idiotic associations of this sort, as well as in the so-called 'right wing' newspapers, and this may be the reason why it seems surrounded with more secrecy than in England. In any case, by reading all the occult bulletins I could, I have obtained the name of a sort of federation of occult societies, and I am now in correspondence with the Secretary to whom I have mentioned my desire to become a Freemason. But then I am also interested in what is written in your book. Is Freemasonry incompatible with 'magick'? I do not think so. Hence my above request.
I was born on 30 April 1911 in Paris, before noon, at about 9 a.m. (I do not know the minute) My mother died 9 years ago. My father is still alive. I am the only child of French nationality. I was educated in my younger days in France and French is my mother tongue. However, I came to England many times, and I know English well besides being used to English habits and ways of thinking. Till puberty I was an ordinary child, but then something happened within me. I suppose it was due to the internal glands, but my health has given me trouble since that time, nearly 10 years ago. Of course I saw many doctors in England and in France, but without any result. It is a strange illness (sort of rheumatism) and the causes of it may well be occult ones. Of course, this is only a supposition.
In 1930 I came to England and was a pupil at Pitman's College for nearly a year. Now, until the summer of 1934 I was not interested in mysticism or Occultism. On leaving Pitman's College in 1931, I came back to France, and was engaged by an American company (The Standard Oil) as Secretary. I worked for these people in France for almost a year (construction of a refinery near Port-Jerome, Seine-inferieure) Naturally, there were English and American engineers, all Freemasons. They were talking often about Freemasonry. Perhaps you may even know my chief who was then Mr. Sharp who has an important library at Bordeaux. I was doing some of his masonic correspondence. If I had mentioned my desire to join, I have no doubt I would be a Freemason today. But I was not interested. . . .
Then I lived in London again for about 6 months (1932-1933) On coming back to France I was operated in the sexual organs. One of the two 'canals' was stopped up or closed, so to speak. It was a minor operation. In the winter 1933-34 I was again in London working for the French Commercial Attaché. I came back to France during the first two months of 1934 and now we come to the strange part of my life.
About 2 or 3 months after I had been operated, I felt something going along my spinal column. It was very subtle. It seemed to affect my eyesight also, which was good and bad for a few days, alternatively. Having never studied occultism, I did not know what it was. It was, in June 1934, when it reached my head, something amazing took place within me. I changed entirely, not so much physically, for my health is not now what it should be, but my ideas, character, habits, began to vary. In other words, I could hardly recognize myself. In 2 or 3 months I had become a different man. I became then very interested in occultism. I was reading al the books about Freemasonry I could lay my hands on. In August 1934, I came to London to spend my holiday and I was reading every day books on yoga, occultism etc, and one day I bought your book Magick [Magick in Theory and Practice] at Foyles [Book Store] it interested me very much. I must also tell you that until that time I had never had any sexual intercourse with women. Of course, all the reading I did gave me some enlightenment, and I realized that my Kundalini (an ordinary doctor would say; sexual hormones) had gone up, and that when it reached my pineal gland my eyes had been opened to a world unknown to me before. At least, this is the explanation according to what I have read in various books. Is it the Truth? I do not know. I came back to France in September 1934 with a great desire to become a Freemason and to join a Secret Society where the mysteries surrounding Sex would be fully explained, also any unusual power that may exist in the human body.
Meanwhile not knowing how to become a Mason and how to get in touch with you, I became a student of one of the numerous mystical societies which advertise. I found out after some time that I was not in the right quarter. They do not teach anything about sex, they are puritans etc. I sent in my resignation and I do not belong to it any more. This explains my present letter, for I succeeded in locating you through an advertisement of the Crime Club (Your name appears on their Spring List as your having been a guest at the Crime Club Luncheon last June).
I am 100 per cent Anglophile and my political opinions can be put into one word: Democracy. This is not surprising, of course, as I lived in England for many years.
My sexual organs are functioning, although what changes the operation I went under brought about, I do not know. Last spring I had a mistress for two months only, unfortunately. It was the first time in my life. It did me good and rejuvenated me.
As you are a good occultist, please advise me what to do.
I am secretary, although I do not work, my health not being very good. This is what I am afraid of: my health, for the physical condition may be a hindrance in following up the practices hinted at in your book. I think I shall be ailing all my life, though I may live many years.
My financial conditions are neither good nor bad. My father earned well his living. I can afford to do nothing, but I would prefer to have a better health and to work. When one is dependent on somebody else's income, specially at 25 years of age, one does not feel that freedom which is so enjoyable, for one has to submit to the other person's opinions, ideas, prejudices etc.
Well, I have tried to give you all the details I can think of with regard to myself. Please do not hesitate to ask me questions, if necessary, and I shall be delighted to answer you. I await anxiously your answer.
I am, yours sincerely
André Pigné
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