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Correspondence from Cecil Williamson to Gerald Yorke
August 7th 1952
Dear Gerald Yorke,
Many thanks for your prompt reply. I quite understand your point of view. You ask "what do I plan to do"? Briefly I set myself two tasks one active the other passive. The latter merely amounts to collecting all and every sort of item connected with Magic-Superstition and Witchcraft. The former a much more serious affair the building up of a small group for the examination and practice of a certain form of work. But not Cabbalistic Magic in any shape or form wether [sic] spelt with a K or not.
When I came to you I was on my chase for general information. I have been to many sources. Both here and abroad. Like you I hurry slowly. Also I endeavour to keep a clear head and both feet firmly on the ground. No drugs for me!! I'm fine my methods all along are slow—sure and deliberate. The formation of this "Shop Window" was deliberately planned to act as a Magnet to draw those interested. The place was chosen because it suited my overall plan. So it is that now a year has passed. I look back and see the results of my efforts. These one time and somewhat extensive Ruins are now well on the way to reestablishment. The Restaurant is well established. The Museum or Exhibition call it what you will is launched and as such is successful. In short then the entire project is underway and in being, so far so good. Now I [illegible] my face to the near future, and fix my Course for the next twelve months. Obviously a great part of the time ahead will be taken up with consolidating what one now has. That must be so. But also time must now be given to forming the group and conducting its work. This calls for much care and will or should not bother any one outside. But here is the quaint point. In one way I couldn't care less about A.C. But in another he or his shade or his coincidences has been haunting my path. The brightest bless him has an odd way of butting in all the time. At first I just put it down to one of those things. He was a big dog in his day in this line of country and so it was natural that he should have left some of his influence. As I say for my part he was dead and gone and his name in able and for all I knew loving hands! At least they knew him—and his affairs backwards. Myself 100% ignorant of most of his ups and downs. The details are too many of the odd little ingredients to attempt to give you them. Let me only say this. In a gathering (details of which I will not burden you with) this message came through—quite uncalled for as one was engaged with other work. So it came—as little more than an interruption.
Here let me say this has nothing to do whatsoever with spiritualism—I run a mile from all that phony mumbo jumbo. No we were just about our own work when as I say this intrusion came upon us. Briefly it amounted to: "Consider Me. Seven hold the Key or seed in the shape of my work—seek amongst it and you will find the seed Which planted in your ground will bring forth great results". Well at the moment I fail to see how as there is no common ground so far as I can see between A.C. and my line. Then again I know nothing of his work so maybe I am just the Blind one.
So there it is. You ask what do I plan. My dear fellow I know no more than you do as to what is wanted. I have no wish to be a second A.C. or anything like that. [illegible] do I consider a thing when it is thrust so plainly under ones nose. As to the other seven or should I say Six These were given in riddles. I took you to be the one styled under the sign of the Rose. Maybe I am wrong. I repeat the whole thing seems a bother and one unasked for. But I am game to pay heed so that one can at least lay this thing. Now what must I do. As instructed search. That means ploughing through his work. You so kindly say that you will help if you understand and can. Since then a Search is forced upon me. Then from what reason? My only guess is; that we are now working on formulating our groups rituals (a bad word that) rather shall we say methods of working to produce results. There is a Mass of Materials it needs so much pruning and settling into order. Now is it that in this work we are treading a path trod by A.C. and maybe abandoned. A.C. was a great writer by all accounts. So I don't want to waste time with a;; his twists and changes. I feel some how that he was at his best (or was it worse?) when Sicily. So can you loan me any of his writings giving the form and wording and methods of operation as used in the so called Abbey of Thelema. Also could you loan me the copy of Abra-Melin. I need hardly say that these will be treated with infinite care and returned to you with least delay. Seems to be a real case of the Blind leading the Blind but I can only do my best and I have had enough prods in the back to make even a prize A clot see that something was wanted.
Many thanks—maybe you can throw some light upon the whole thing. Do you think he wants Recognition as a Mile stone? or what!
Yours very sincerely
Cecil H. Williamson
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