|
Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to David Curwen
The Ridge Hastings
31st May 1946
Thrice Illuminated, Thrice Illustrious And Very Dear Brother,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Thanks very much for your letter of May 17th. I have not been too well with the curious weather we had down here lately, and a dreadfully tedious visit from Frater P.T.A.A. [Per Terram Ad Astra—Louis Wilkinson] about the book that he is supposed to be doing.
It is really very kind of you to give me all this good advice about the elixir. I can do this, I think, without too much trouble; it is a practicable arrangement for a bust man.
The B.D. itself in full really demands one's whole time day and night, and that for an indefinite period.
I live in hopeful expectation of seeing you down here soon. Of course the place is a complete babel at Whitsun, but any other time would be perfect. Frater P.T.A.A. is off to Sweden shortly for the British Council, and will not return before the middle of July so there is no danger of your clashing.
I am afraid I still do not remember Bertha Sternburg[1] [sic]. I think the time stated is making it difficult for me. You say she is a widow; I suppose I knew her under her maiden name. Anyhow I can remember nothing at all about 1906. If she would say where I was living at that time I could ravel out the coil quite simply. I came back to England from my second journey round the world in May 1906.
You very kindly sent me the book which I presented to her: is this simply a control experiment, or is it a present? If the former I recognize it quite clearly; if the latter, I am extremely flattered and grateful.
By the way the copy of Forth, Beast! Which I sent to you was intended as a present. But perhaps you do not like it enough to keep it. Please let me know and I will act accordingly.
With regard to The Occult Review, it is April 1945 that has the article on me. Everyone thinks very highly of it, especially myself. He has most ingeniously woven a pattern out of the tangled threads of my career. In particular I think him quite astoundingly clever to have worked Hail Mary into the design.
The whole thing is the more remarkable that Amphlett Micklewright is a complete stranger to me. I wrote and asked him to come down here for lunch, but at present he is travelling in the North of England and Wales so that we shall have to wait some little time before it is convenient for us to meet.
Now then, about Astral Vision: here I am completely on my home ground and you can draw as deeply as you choose from the well of my experience.
It is not only possible for two persons to travel together, it is customary—especially when teaching the newcomers. The visions of the two men would not be identical, but sufficiently similar to make it certain that both were travelling to the same place.
Let me illustrate this by a parallel: suppose you and I were to go by train from here to Fort William, and write down separately accounts of the journey. I should of course remember all those intimately familiar and lovely things such as lakes and mountains, and I should probably fail altogether to mention passing through a town like Stafford or Rugby.
You, on the other hand, would remember quite a different set of objects seen. We should, however, agree about the general dispositions of the landscape, whether it was level or mountainous, wooded or desert, built-over or purely agricultural, and we should remember things like change of climate and possibly the character of the architecture. Perhaps even we should agree on the names of several of the stations, perhaps you for one reason and I for another.
But it would be quite clear to anyone reading the two accounts that we had both been making approximately the same journey. Thank you very much for your suggestion about the esoteric society, but of course I have never liked society, especially since I attained the grade of hermit referred to in The Book of the Law. I do not approve of societies; it seems to me that they are extremely boring for one thing, and for another tend to degenerate rapidly into pink tea-parties, ending in gossip and eventually scandal.
There is nothing I should like better than to have a Society of the sort you mention, like the Browning Society, and I have no doubt there will be one in a few years time. I should applaud the energy and magnanimity of anyone who started such a Society, but he must not expect me to do anything about it, except that of course I would be willing, and gladly so, to come down at intervals and read a paper on any subject required.
I have a strong feeling that such a Society would be a great success from the external point of view. I hardly ever hear of an evening party, or anything of that kind, where my name does not come up and arouse interest and very likely controversy.
Why don't you start something of the sort? I think that you could be quite sure of getting Michael Houghton to help you with it—to supply you with circulars and the publicity generally, that is provided you stick to the esoteric and poetical side of me. He is terribly envious of my Magical attainments and achievements.
I must break off now.
Love is the law, love under will.
Your fraternally,
David Curwen, Esq. 7a Melcombe Street Baker Street, NW1
1—Bertha Steinburg (b. 1892), a short-hand typist that probably worked for The Equinox or Wieland and Co.
|