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Mary Butts Diary Entry Wednesday, 17 August 1921
Two days ago I evoked the daimon with regard to this place, by a ritual I perceived. To-day C.M. [Cecil Maitland] and I saw what could be done—I think the only thing that could be done to make it a success 'on this plane'.
I, if I ever do shall put our conclusions to the Beast as follows:
To make the Abbey [Abbey of Thelema] work—i.e. get people to come here and live and work here, and for the place to pay its way.
I. The house must be enlarged, or a new one built, which must contain at least, in addition to the present, a bathroom and a decent lavatory.
II. The sexual life of the members of the Abbey must be as little obstructed as it is anywhere among civilised people.
This does not mean that the sexual analysis of complexes—which can be looked on as part of a medical treatment—need be discontinued—it does mean—
(i) dirty pictures, chiefly odd panels in the Temple Room must go. The Chambre des Cauchemars, with modifications of [illegible] could stay.
(ii) Excremental and sexual [illegible] as a 'stunt' in conversation and in [illegible] at Thelema, must be omitted.
III. The provision of proper lavatories must be understood to make it unnecessary to make the vicinity of the house unpleasant with excrement and pieces of paper.
IV. The rule against taking money for occult teaching should be disregarded, and the Abbey considered as a miniature University with fees. These fees should secure an adequate standard of comfort. i.e. sanitation, washing facilities, no housework—there should be some arrangement for servants—or very poor members of the order could volunteer as lay brothers, Carriages on return from bathing in hot weather, ice.
V. The Abbey should supply a regular course of lectures, elementary and advanced. (It would only be necessary for the Beast to take the latter.) These lectures should be given without fail, and be compulsory.
VI. With regard to the children. I have no citation to offer except that—(i) on no account should a little child be allowed to witness casual sexual acts without the parents consent. (ii) It should never be suggested that, with or without its parent's consent, it should be expected to participate in one.
VII. Sufficient advertising should be done in the right papers and among the right people.
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