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Aleister Crowley Diary Entry Saturday, 21 July 1923
Die Saturn
12.12 a.m. Hail to Kheph-Ra!
I am now going to test CCXX, II, 22—its limits—by using [Heroin] to concentrate on getting the IX° or XI° going. I.e., I ask for (a) the impulse; (b) the means. I do this under the Title of OPUSCULUM I, at 12.21 a.m. I concentrated for about 3 minutes, going over certain imaginations, & killing out various inhibitions. I got below consciousness at last, so as to destroy ‘purpose’ & ‘lust of result’. My hope (then) is that my Will, directed by the Idea of the Opusculum, was released & flowed spontaneously. I must make a point of giving the Gods an opportunity to accomplish the Work in a ‘natural’ way.
2.30 p.m. E.S. [Eddie Saayman] to come out here Sunday to tiffin: I to replace him in Tunis after dinner. O.P.V. [Norman Mudd] to find me in Tunis Monday at 2.30 p.m. to go to police: he will tell me when I can return to Marsa.
3.6 p.m. I have been curiously disturbed all day: I think the resistance to Opusculum I is concerned. E.g., I am at beach, having definitely intended to analyse LXV, V—& I have forgotten to bring the book!
3.21 p.m. I note that I am perfectly content to watch the Italian Comedy of Pan, with Mussolini as the ‘goat’. His hubris, his insane boastfulness, his arbitrary tyrannies, his secret slavishness—the whole play is brilliantly staged, & I wouldn’t hurry it or interfere (unless called upon) for the world. It is delightful to watch the daily developments. On Monday next he is billed to tell the world how he means to run the affairs of England & France—he can lift Kithairon with his little finger!
G.S. [General Statement] for my proposed retirement from this Retirement: general idea, methods, aims, probable results. Question of seeing Bertrand at Hamman Lif: IX° or XI°, &c.
[Water/Fire]
“Following.”
(Projection of the Will 666.) Thwan: Persevere. [Line] 1. Go ‘beyond gate’ (Marsa) change ‘object of pursuit’ (Exact description of idea of whole plan!) [Line] 2. Be irresponsible. ‘Cleave to little boy!!!’ [Line] 3. Remember object of journey (?) [Line] 4. Q[uer]y interest English at Hamman—Lif in G.W. [Great Work](?) [Line] 5. [Line] 6. Perform Opus I.
5.45 p.m. The technique of the Parson-Baxter joke seems to be simply the introduction of a nonsequitur with the air of a close causal connection. The essence of all jokes is in some incongruity: I suppose because the subconscious mind feels itself under stress of rationality: so that it rejoices like a school-boy unexpectedly given a half-holiday when relieved of the necessity of thinking consecutively. Hence it throws its cap into the air & cheers, as it does not at the idea of the regular recess, which is part of the system of strain.
6.10 p.m. I loathe the idea of writing the Comment so bitterly that I feel my ‘troll’ capable of deliberately wrecking the Work of Preparation—in such a way of course that the fault would appear to lie at the door of O.P.V. or of circumstances. I am of course on my guard against any such insane action: & note the facts for the benefit of future Magicians in similar conditions.
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