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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Louis Umfreville Wilkinson
7 April 1945
The Ridge. Hastings.
My adored Umfreville
Do What Thou Wilt is the Whole of the Law.
Yours of the 2nd of April was very welcome. I thought ‘atrobilious’ combined with ‘bitch’ was the mot juste to the nth power. I don’t know where you get the idea that ‘atrobilious’ is in any sense a “good” adjective. Yes! it does seem to me that the combination with ‘bitch’ is a perfect description. It was amusing to hear from three different sources that when the news came through, my ‘Slim Gilt Soul’ was read over the telephone to the younger generation.
I shall look forward to seeing you as soon as possible after April the 24th, but for God’s sake make up your mind as to the exact date and fix it by telephone with Mr. Richardson [Ralph Richardson], who attends to such matters. Otherwise you may find it extremely difficult to get room at all. I think the war is breaking into little bits. I don’t see a definite date of finishing; I have an idea that we have made a gentlemen’s agreement with Russia to enter Berlin on the same day. The main point of interest seems to be what the principal criminals will do with themselves. Their only course, in my rather vague opinion, is that they will imitate Dillinger in real life, or ‘Slim’ in fiction. The romantic alternative would be a Sardanapadis Act. But with people so mentally distorted as they, are, one can never tell whether they may not fool themselves into thinking that they can somehow dodge their doom. There was an interesting article about Hess, in I think, the Despatch, to-day. I don’t know how far it was made up.
Thanks for the remarks about Waite's [Arthur Edward Waite] name in the enclosed article; but for once, let me be magnanimous, Waite certainly did start a revival of interest in Alchemy, Magic, Mysticism, and all the rest. That his scholarship was so contemptible, his style so over-loaded, and his egomania so outrageous does not kill to the point of extinction, the worth of his contribution. If it had not been for Waite, I doubt if, humanly speaking, I should ever have got in touch with the Great Order. You may of course, if you like, go one step further back to Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland, but their work, superior as it is to his, lacked one great asset. They gave us no idea of the bulk of mediaeval literature. To go back further still, H.P.B. [Helena Petrovna Blavatsky], genius as she was, was far too 'oriental,' to produce the necessary effect. Waite occupies a position not unlike that of Samuel Johnson. There is an omnivalence about him, which did just what was necessary at the time. My flood of generosity is now staunched, and I will proceed to other matters/
I do not have any intention of returning to London, unless I am forced to do so. I think things will be much worse then instead of better. The stimulus of being at war withdrawn, what is left but reaction? I think we shall have the sort of mood that comes when you cut out loose suddenly after years of excess. That's all for now. Don't forget the main point, which is to book a room here at the earliest possible date.
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