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Aleister Crowley Diary Entry Friday, 16 May 1924
May 16 Sol in 26 deg. Taurus Luna in 28 deg. Libra.
I was born, i.e. thrown out of the womb of 50 rue Vavin on May Morn. I had had a marvellous night at the Witches Sabbath. The Hotel itself went smash the same day by being transferred to an imbecile. (Compare H. H. Evers Mandragore.) My adventures since then are written in the diary of Alostrael [Leah Hirsig].
For some months I have been sending out an appeal for kingly men, whom I, as the Prophet of the New Aeon could train for their Work. (See Nefta Retirement OTO record.) On Wednesday, May 14 Sol in 23 1/2 Taurus, Luna in 23 1/2 Virgo I met Alexander Xul Zolar (note XUL - LUX) who had been seeking me as a Master for some time. I took him as my chela the next day (May 15.) On the night of the 15th I was playing chess with him. He comes from the Argentine Republic and tells me that his True Will is to unify South America on Spiritual lines. Most unexpectedly my old disciple (T.A. TKTA) representing Holland and Germany reappeared most unexpectedly after 4 months mysterious disappearance and silence. Almost at the same time there reappeared J.W.N. Sullivan (representing Ireland) after lurking in another Paris—that of the tourist.) These 2 men seated themselves on either side of me making the following diagram.
I thus bisected the base of an equilateral triangle with its apex to the West facing the moon. Later we were joined by another possibly kingly man, George Jones, representing the 'United States'. He was rather drunk. I do not know whether to regard him as part of the magical situation, but he subsequently took A.X.S.'s [Xul Solar] place opposite me. The question arises "Are not these Three Holy Kings who have seen my Star in the West and come to worship me after my birth on May 1. Each brought an offering. A.X.S. 120 francs, T.A. 156 francs, drinks, cigar etc, and J.W.N.S. Supper. Jones offered nothing but instruction in the King's Gambit. I beat him easily three times running. He had previously offered dinner but refused to worship me (in those actual words) when I quoted a passage from the World's Tragedy which he was compelled to recognize as better than the lines from Keat's Ode to a Nightingale which he had tried to remember.
[The following is found as an appendix to this notebook:]
[The following poem is scored through:]
I have drunk deep—to death—of the cold spring That threads the slopes of the snow-crested hill About whose shoulders hang the whispering Waifs of the maiden mist. So sure and still The summit takes the sunlight! But below My heart bleeds forth its purple pulse of woe.
That water—taste but once, the ripest grape Of all earth's vineyards loses all its savour That summit—one lost glimpse and every shape Of loftiness and beauty falls from favour. Life is a tedious mask to him who glows With love of Light beneath its stateliest shows.
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