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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Karl Germer
c/o Vernon Symonds, Esq., The Ridge, Hastings, Sussex
January 24th, 1945
Dear Carl [sic],
This is in answer to yours of January 4th. I will write to Jack [Jack Parsons] in the course of the next week. I suppose that you know that he has bought 1003 [1003 S. Orange Grove Avenue]. It has struck me after several years this is a very significant number in connection with Don Juan!
I am very sorry indeed about Sascha's [Sascha Germer] health. I sincerely hope your California plans will come to fruition.
I have given your letter to my secretary asking her to attend to this matter of Consular invoice forms.
The Perique [tobacco] that you sent me on November 17th, I think you said, has not arrived, nor is their any news of the quotation marked Material.
I must say that I don't think much of Frederick's [Frederic Mellinger] judgment. To begin with, you cannot tell what a book is going to be like from a few scraps. Secondly, from a typescript you cannot tell how the book will read when printed.
Of course there is nothing new in the Letters [Magick Without Tears]. The whole idea of them is to make clear what I have already written. There are a few exceptions to this where I touch on subjects previously unworked. Anyhow, the main point is that everybody in England so far has given unqualified praise—people have sent again and again for copies and additional information.
I quite agree with you about the definition of Magick but that has to be put in. I explained elsewhere that it is necessary to have a definite system of philosophy and true technical alphabet.
Your last paragraph frightened me. I hope you understand that if anything were to go wrong with the transfer it would mean not only an immediate smash of all plans, which are now going astonishingly well, but would come very close to finishing me personally altogether. You will have heard in a previous letter about Grant [Kenneth Grant]. I think it might put years on to my life if I had someone devoted to me who would look after me in every way as well as attending to all the odds and ends of the work.
I am now snowbound, packed to the last eyelash curler with my waste pipe blocked, hot and cold not running, and the light and heat failing at irregular intervals. I think I shall be quite a different man after I have moved to Hastings and got settled down. But I told you that I have just recovered from a fortnight's pleurisy. That and the move have been rather a strain on the exchequer.
Give my best love to Sascha and my fresh hope that her health will take up rapidly, and completely.
Love is the law, love under will.
Yours,
Aleister.
Feb 4: I managed to get to Hastings—cost 15. This is a lovely place and they are very kind and understanding.
A.C.
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