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Correspondence from Jane Wolfe to Aleister Crowley
[EXTRACT]
[6 September 1942]
Not infrequently, than man Smith [Wilfred Talbot Smith] sours on Jack's [Jack Parsons] stomach. Now he is retching—with some fearful grunts. He told the Wolfes in Hollywood if there was nothing doing within a given time he would not hesitate to walk out. . . . Away from here he "could so easily send Crowley $100 a month"; anyhow some of us could go together (meaning Jane principally), etc. etc.
After our talk, he shut his jaw and said he would stick for his two years' lease, and, by God, if anybody got out it wouldn't be Parsons, it would be Smith! Equally, by God, he would address himself to getting hold of the inwardness of the Matter, and he wouldn't have to live with any Smith!
Smith is serious, inflexible, stands on the letter, drives.
Jack is daring, flexible, has knife-like trust and laughter.
They complement each other, but I think it is Smith's past life: deep within is a sense of insecurity, and he can't let Jack flow where his flowing might or would be advantageous. Or so it seems to me. And Jack's attitude to this? "I will have, in some way, to make him feel secure, then perhaps this barrier between us will fall away.
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