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Correspondence from David Curwen to Aleister Crowley
37 Sherwood Road Hendon, NW4 Hendon 6867
Jan 6th 1944 [actually 1945] 12 P.M. Midnight
Aleister Crowley, Esq.,
Dear Mr. Crowley:
At last I am in the mood and take the pleasure of replying to your interesting letter dated Nov. 3rd 1944 for which many thanks.
It will be no flattery on my part if I say at once that you are a wonderful and extraordinary man. I am merely going by all your works and energies of the past. But I must confess I am beaten, and flummoxed by your amazing claims of what you are. With all my study and often all my gullibility, I do not know what to make of you being "Ambassador of the Law to this Planet." I do not know how to take it, literally or otherwise, and must confess, that for the moment I cannot accept such a claim as it seems to entail a terrific importance and I am in no position, nor do I possess the knowledge to judge. You have made other such claims in The Equinox of the Gods and I perforce still await the time when I know more before I can accept them.
When you bring out any new books [I] wish you would acquaint me with them as [I am] most keen to read all you have written. There are already a number of books that I cannot obtain.
Everything you have said about the O.H.M. I am inclined to agree with. Exactly those insights that you have expressed have occurred to me also. They appear to write many words which summed up mean very little, but I have given a chance to expose themselves for what they really are and I am still watching Juste [Michael Juste] and Dr. Michau[d] (I think that is how they spell their names of the Atlantis Bookshop of Museum Street). I have a feeling they are behind the O.H.M. They told me they knew you well. How well I would like to know. What do you think about this? Is this possible?
Your explanations on how to tackle Astrology is certainly very interesting. I am curious to hear how you have read my horoscope, and will be glad to hear your version. One day I will tackle the subject again. Meanwhile you now and then say the most curious things. What do you mean by "my birthdate being mixed up with the time in Russia"? Is this another joke of yours? I was born in London 1893, April 10th at about 8 P.M. The discrepancy arises through my kind parents wishing to put off the compulsory vaccination of those days by a week or two and so my birth certificate says April 25th, but I judge it was the 10th by certain other data that I heard my parents speak of. What's "Russia" to do with the subject?
Tell me! Why do you have such an animosity against the Theosophists that you can hardly write their name? I must try and meet you one day and get you to tell me at what point you disagree with them. I am deeply interested to hear if you believe in their version of the principals of the human make-up.
Curiously enough, I do not remember seeing anything in your books about your idea of the build-up of the human personality. I know you accept the Holy Guardian Angel, the Atma, the Light, the Spark of God, in each, but after that, what else is there according to you? When a man dies what is your theory of what happens? You have much occult experience, what have you discovered? Have you written about it anytime? Most of the stuff you have written is Magic. That is why I was so taken aback and stunned when you calmly aver that you have discovered by Liber Legis that there is after all such a thing as an individual personality outside human existence. Why by for thirty years, I have always accepted that there are millions of such disembodie[d] or individual personalities, a hierarchy up to the highest angels? Perhaps I have misunderstood you. I know your idea that what we do not perceive does not exist—to that is only one angel of the subject. Another that the whole universe is a dream in the mind of God—that is just another viewpoint and is true up to a point.
That is what is all so amazing to me when I hear from you ideas that have become second nature to me, that are so elementary to the study of the occult, are often just washed out in one simple sentence. "That man can make things happen in conformity with the will" I accept although I have no definite proof. It may after all be coincidence. I have never seen or taken part in magical ritual, but I also accept the misty appearances of spirits although it is difficult to believe. But what in heaven's name is a human being after all if not a spirit in a human body and which could after all have given your Liber Legis, although I do not say it was so. According to you, it was too damned clever a bit of work to come from an ordinary personality. Alright but there have been great initiates who would be quite equal to it. You yourself disembodied if you were allowed to keep your intelligence could do it. And how could you be the re-incarnation of E.L. [Eliphas Levi] if there is no continuity or individuality after death[?]
Put me down as a B.F. [Bloody Fool]. I don't understand you.
I would now like your kind opinion of another foolish thing in my mind. I have long wanted to start as a bookseller in London for essentially Occult books and all kindred subjects. Do you think it could be made financially sound? Are there enough readers or buyers for such books? I know of Foyles, Marks, Watkins and Atlantis Bookshop but they have after-all very few and few know of them. But if I started in this trade, could I make a success of it by advertising occult books of every kind—what can you tell me of the subject? There is no man in the country who knows better than you about it.
Could you help me in any way with advice if with nothing else? I had an idea of a library also. What do you think? You know all the people in the business.
I feel I am taking advantage of your kindness, but I must start up in some business very soon and this was my idea.
Kindest Regards,
Yours Sincerely,
David Curwen
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