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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Grady McMurtry
S.W.1
Feb 2 [1944]
Care Frater H.A. [Hymeneous Alpha]
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Stonehenge.
Did they tell you that this is only one of 7 temples? They run up North from Stonehenge. One at least is in remarkable preservation: it has a double vallum, which encloses the whole village, and a Grand Avenue leading up from the South; many of the pillars are almost complete.
A dangerous place, though, like the Pyramids: for the same reason. People go crazy over it. In case this happens to you, I can still be useful: I can introduce you to the Arch-Druid, who is a very old and very boring disciple of mine.
These people are very keen to rewrite the Ancient Ceremonies in all their purity and splendour: so they have to pretend that there was never any Rite of Human Sacrifice. In other words, what a grand drink is Old Brandy if you carefully remove all the alcohol.
That telephonic conversation was a bit like that: simply splendid, only neither of us could hear what the other was saying. We ought to have made them change the line.
As things are, I think I'll wait till morning before I send this off. I expected a telegraphic MC in the course of the day (Now 8 P.M. Wednesday)
My trouble was two fold.
1. Mme Delysia, our No 1 choice to take up my "L'etincelle" is in town, and opens a "French week" next Monday. We want her to sing it then, or if too late, her next time in public.
I am sure you realize that success here would turn the tables completely on the enemies of the Order.
Running around after a 'Star' means that one must be ready to spend £10 or 20 on lunch, or what not, at any moment. To be caught short of 'petty cash' smashes the whole campaign in one whack.
This paragraph applies equally to 2.
2. A lady of title, one of the 50 richest women in the country, has gone cuckoo about poor little me.
She must be cultivated intensively, until she buys us a publisher's, and a printer's, business.
That will enable us to get all the unpublished stuff out. Also to get all those publicity pamphlets mentioned in the "Grand Dessein" written and issued in mass.
Evidently, when one is fishing for such big fellows, one must be able to wade comfortably in their stream. Nothing is so shattering as to be suddenly embarrassed; and one had to frequent their favourite pools, so as to meet her "by accident," as may be needed in the course of the proceedings.
So I was not surprised when you rang up.
It doesn't follow that one will have to spend a lot of money; it is merely that one has to be in a position not to mind if the dice happens to fall that way.
Yours of Jan 31. I suppose the £20 will arrive to-day. Your calculation is correct: send £20 on March 1 (i.e. £30 – £10 interest on old debt) That will make the 2nd £50.
I never meant you to take the Nuttall: I use it daily. I meant that you were unlikely to find a better list of Latin phrases. Doesn't matter.
Have you got "The Vision and the Voice"? I want that as soon as you can spare it.
Have you got the bound up proofs of Eq[uino]x III. 2. It's so marked on the back. The last half of the book is a supplement: 'Jesus'. There are 3 illustrations—photos.
Don't play chess with weaker players, unless at odds. Best plan is: give them KB. Pawn and 2 moves. If you then win, give a Knight. If again, a Rook (Q's Rook, and start with his P at Q R 3.) If again, Blackbourne's odds. Take off K K and K B. Castle to King and move. If you can win that, the Queen. Any time he wins a game, go back a step to lower odds.
Long screed from Jack [Jack Parsons], pretty satisfactory. Show you (with answer) when you appear.
Love is the law, love under will.
Fraternally
666
Lieut. Grady L. McMurtry 1475th Ord MM Co (Avn) (Q) 83rd Service Group A.P.O. 638 AAF 455 U.S. Army
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