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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to John Symonds
"Netherwood", The Ridge, Hastings,
23. 7. 46
Dear John Symonds
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I have been expecting for quite a long time to hear from you in answer to my long letter. All I have had so far was one of those typically English letters: they are all the same though the language differs in detail—"What a splendid idea, let's do nothing about it"—Nothing is easier than to run up a string of difficulties; nothing is more difficult than to get people to take the simplest measures about the thing which they protest is their heart's dearest desire.
What I expected from you was a letter saying "Well, that is what we want in the first place; what can we do to realise it?"
To begin with, with regard to money; the question immediately arises how much do we need? How much have we got? How much can we get? What is the best way of starting to get it? I have quite enough people together in one place at a given time. I suggest a date when people have come back from their alleged holidays.
To begin with we must draft that letter, and having agreed on the terms, arrange for its distribution. Here, fortunately, we have got Barbara Kindred, who had I believe written to you offering her services, which will take a lot of routine work off out shoulders.
In mid-August my theatrical-control-Berlin-man [Frederic Mellinger], comes over to stay with me from Germany, and I suggest that you should arrange to spend 2 or 3 days here so as to coincide with his visit.
I should of course like to have a day before that, in fact as early as possible, so that we may arrange a preliminary programme. Can you arrange to run down here for a day in the immediate future?
With regard to Olla, Augustus John did a very striking drawing of me yesterday week. You do not make it quite clear whether Simpkin & Marshall had turned down the book flat, or merely refused to risk their money on it. If they are willing, as they were in the old days, to undertake the distribution, the sending out to reviewers, and all the donkey work with a royalty of 10% as their fee for the service, I should like to know at once.
The printer clamours for title page copy and I don't know what to put on. That is another point about which I want to see you at the first possible moment, because as you told me the book ought to be in the hands of the reviewers by August 21st, and I must know what to put on the title page and dust cover. please let me know at the earliest moment.
Love is the law, love under will.
Yours sincerely.
Aleister Crowley.
P.S. I do not know whether you are familiar with the story of the Mercure de France.
A number of literary and artistic blokes were lunching at their usual café when somebody got the idea of running a high class literary magazine: then every one thought what a fine idea it was, and the trouble began.
The oldest and wisest of the crowd said "But where do we find the capital?" "Oh," said Marcel Schwob "capital is it you want: here you are!", pulled out a ten franc note, and put it on the table. "Now let us get on to the business of the meeting". They put their heads together constructively instead of destructively, and the paper dominated all serious French literary thought for the next 20 years or so.
A.C.
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