2,000 Greater & Lesser Mysteries

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áááááááFILE FH-ND2.TXT ááááááá[Aleister Crowley] áááááááMemorandum re "Stipend" ááááááá1« Originall∙ thσ ideß wa≤ t∩ dasΦ ofµ ß pacδ oµ card≤ froφ (a⌐ thσ ì áááááááelaboratσ "Equinoxó description≤ (b⌐ mediaeva∞ packs¼ a≤ Thσ Equino° ì ááááááádiΣ no⌠ describσ thσ 2▓ Trumps« Wσ though⌠ tha⌠ ß da∙ apiecσ woulΣ ì ááááááábσ enougΦ fo≥ thσ 4░ smal∞ cards╗ tw∩ day≤ apiecσ fo≥ thσ 1╢ cour⌠ ì ááááááácard≤ anΣ 1▒ week≤ fo≥ thσ 2▓ Trumps« Thi≤ wa≤ though⌠ t∩ bσ aε ì áááááááoutsidσ estimate--sa∙ ╢ month≤ iε all¼ allowinτ fo≥ holiday≤ ª ì áááááááinterruptions. ááááááá2« Thσ "Stipendó [L]▓ weekl∙ haΣ nothinτ t∩ d∩ witΦ m∙ worδ oε thσ ì áááááááTarot¼ whicΦ wa≤ practicall∙ ß full-timσ job« I⌠ wa≤ t∩ cove≥ m∙ ì ááááááádoinτ shoppinτ anΣ odΣ commission≤ fo≥ her--iε man∙ case≤ ╔ paiΣ thσ ì ááááááácos⌠ ou⌠ oµ m∙ owε pocket« Bu⌠ principall∙ i⌠ wa≤ t∩ usσ mσ a≤ ß ì ááááááátame "Brains Trust". ááááááá ╔ instructeΣ he≥ iε astronom∙ anΣ astrology¼ mysticism¼ Yoga¼ ì ááááááágeometry, algebra, history, literture, chemistry and what not. ááááááá ╔ eveε criticised--ver∙ fruitfully--he≥ owε effort≤ a⌠ ì ááááááápainting. ááááááá _______ ááááááá Thi≤ work¼ carrieΣ ou⌠ sometime≤ b∙ correspondence--ver∙ ì ááááááávoluminous--sometime≤ b∙ direc⌠ verba∞ instruction¼ haΣ nothinτ t∩ ì ááááááád∩ witΦ m∙ Taro⌠ work¼ whicΦ wa≤ entirel∙ covereΣ b∙ m∙ 2/│ interes⌠ ì áááááááin the property. ááááááá ________ ááááááá Notσ tha⌠ thσ stipenΣ anΣ instructioε havσ continueΣ sincσ thσ ì ááááááácompletion of the work on the Tarot. .PAè ááááááá[a related sheet of conditions] áááááááEssential Condition of Peace. ááááááá The cards are not to be sold without the book. ááááááá Iµ thσ booδ caε bσ printeΣ withou⌠ illustration≤ i⌠ neeΣ no⌠ ì ááááááácost more than [L]300. ááááááá Iµ Lad∙ Harri≤ likes¼ shσ caε givσ i⌠ awa∙ witΦ thσ cards¼ ╔ d∩ ì áááááááno⌠ wan⌠ an∙ mone∙ ou⌠ oµ it║ anΣ shσ caε sa∙ shσ wrotσ it¼ ╔ don'⌠ ì ááááááácare. ááááááá Bu⌠ ╔ wil∞ no⌠ allo≈ thσ card≤ t∩ bσ issueΣ s∩ tha⌠ the∙ caε bσ ì áááááááused only for gambling or fortune-telling. ááááááá Thσ ne≈ catalogue¼ ful∞ oµ grotesquσ blunder≤ whicΦ discredi⌠ ì áááááááthe scholarship of the Work, must be withdrawn. .PAè ááááááá[Actuall∙ writteε b∙ Crowley¼ t∩ himself╗ thσ "Societyó i≤ ì áááááááfictitious as such.] áááááááAn open letter to Alestair Crowley ááááááá SOCIETY OF HIDDEN MASTERS áááááááDear Sir ááááááá Fo≥ man∙ year≤ wσ havσ watcheΣ you≥ caree≥ witΦ benevolen⌠ ì áááááááinterest╗ wilσ wσ havσ beeε unablσ t∩ approvσ man∙ oµ you≥ ì áááááááactivitie≤ iε particula≥ you≥ polic∙ oµ revealinτ secre⌠ knowledgσ ì áááááááwhicΦ wσ conside≥ dangerou≤ iµ iε thσ possessioε oµ untraineΣ anΣ ì áááááááuninitiateΣ people« Wσ havσ alway≤ respecteΣ you≥ passionatσ ì áááááááintegrity¼ you≥ fanatica∞ (anΣ iε ou≥ opinion¼ indiscreet⌐ lovσ oµ ì áááááááTruth. ááááááá ╔ ou≥ view¼ thi≤ mistakeε polic∙ ha≤ beeε responsiblσ fo≥ man∙ ì áááááááoµ you≥ owε persona∞ mishaps« Fo≥ thi≤ reasoε wσ rσ surpriseΣ tha⌠ ì áááááááyo⌡ shoulΣ acquiesce¼ eveε b∙ silence¼ iε s∩ blatan⌠ anΣ impuden⌠ ß ì áááááááhoa° a≤ thσ exhibitioε oµ Taro⌠ Card≤ a⌠ thσ Roya∞ Societ∙ oµ ì áááááááPainter≤ iε Wate≥ Colours¼ 26/╖ Condui⌠ Street¼ W.1« beginninτ 4tΦ ì áááááááAugust 1942. ááááááá Wσ hereb∙ challengσ yo⌡ t∩ den∙ an∙ oµ thσ statement≤ herσ ì áááááááfollowing:-- ááááááá1« Durinτ thσ winte≥ oµ 1898/╣ yo⌡ werσ entrusteΣ b∙ thσ Orde≥ oµ ì áááááááA..A.« witΦ thσ Secre⌠ Lecturσ oε thσ Tarot¼ givinτ thσ initiateΣ ì áááááááattributions. ááááááá2« Yo⌡ publisheΣ thesσ attribution≤ a⌠ thσ commanΣ oµ thσ Secre⌠ ì áááááááChiefs of the order in a Book of Reference numbered 777 in 1909. ááááááá3« Yo⌡ issueΣ thσ Officia∞ Lecturσ oµ thσ Orde≥ oε thσ Tarot¼ iε thσ ì áááááááEquinox Vol. I Nos VII and VIII, March and September 1912. ááááááá4« Yo⌡ havσ madσ thσ Taro⌠ you≥ continua∞ stud∙ anΣ useΣ i⌠ daily¼ ì ááááááásince the Winter of 1898/9. ááááááá5« Yo⌡ havσ madσ thσ Taro⌠ thσ skeletoε o≥ schemß oµ al∞ you≥ ì áááááááwriting≤ oε mystica∞ anΣ magica∞ subjects« Wσ woulΣ instancσ ì áááááááparticularl∙ "Ambrosia"¼ "MagΘ Hortu≤ Rosarumó (Thσ Wake-World)¼ ì ááááááá"The Vision and the Voice", "Theory and Practice of Magick". ááááááá6« Yo⌡ havσ beeε recognizeΣ everywherσ iε Europσ anΣ Americß (even¼ ì ááááááát∩ ß les≤ extent¼ iε India⌐ a≤ thσ supremσ Authorit∙ oε thσ Tarot╗ ì áááááááthat is, by serious students of the subject. ááááááá7« Yo⌡ havσ contemplateΣ thσ constructioε anΣ publicatioε oµ ß ìèáááááááproperl∙ designeΣ anΣ executeΣ pack¼ baseΣ oε thσ Equino° ì áááááááinformatioε eve≥ sincσ thσ issuσ oµ thσ grotesquσ anΣ falsifieΣ ì áááááááparody which appeared under the auspices of the later A.E. Waite. ááááááá6« Iε ß serie≤ oµ conversation≤ iε 193╖ beginninτ a⌠ Mr« ClifforΣ ì áááááááBaxº chamber≤ iε Alban∙ St.¼ W.1.¼ yo⌡ suggesteΣ t∩ Lad∙ Harri≤ tha⌠ ì áááááááshσ migh⌠ bσ ablσ t∩ carr∙ ou⌠ thi≤ work« AlthougΦ shσ ver∙ rightl∙ ì áááááááprotesteΣ tha⌠ he≥ knowledgσ oµ thσ subjec⌠ hardl∙ extendeΣ beyonΣ ì áááááááthσ name¼ you¼ witΦ thσ imbecilσ optimisφ characteristiπ oµ you¼ ì ááááááápersuadeΣ he≥ tha⌠ thσ description≤ oµ thσ card≤ giveε iε thσ ì áááááááEquino° woulΣ bσ sufficien⌠ guide¼ anΣ persuadeΣ he≥ t∩ makσ thσ ì áááááááattempt. ááááááá9« I⌠ becamσ obviou≤ almos⌠ a⌠ oncσ tha⌠ thσ Equino° design≤ werσ ì áááááááartisticall∙ impracticable« Lad∙ Harri≤ ver∙ properl∙ askeΣ yo⌡ t∩ ì ááááááátakσ thσ wholσ subjec⌠ iε hanΣ aΓ ov∩ esquσ aΣ umbilicum« Yo⌡ ì áááááááthereupoε agreeΣ t∩ devotσ you≥ wholσ knowledgσ t∩ thσ worδ oµ ì ááááááádesigninτ aε entirel∙ origina∞ pacδ oµ cards¼ incorporatinτ thσ ì áááááááresult≤ oµ you≥ 3╣ year≤ oµ constan⌠ stud∙ oµ thσ subjec⌠ witΦ you≥ ì áááááááprofound--iµ a⌠ time≤ unacceptabl∙ unorthodox--knowledgσ oµ ì ááááááácomparativσ religion¼ mathematica∞ physics¼ philosoph∙ anΣ Magick« ì áááááááAls∩ ntha⌠ yo⌡ shoulΣ composσ ß Treatisσ explaininτ thσ subjec⌠ iε ì áááááááfull« I⌠ appear≤ froφ ß noticσ iε thσ Exhibitioε tha⌠ therσ i≤ ß ì áááááááproposa∞ t∩ publisΦ thσ card≤ a≤ ß pacδ withou⌠ thi≤ book« T∩ d∩ s∩ ì áááááááwoulΣ limi⌠ thei≥ usσ t∩ fortune-telling¼ ß forφ oµ frauΣ agains⌠ ì áááááááwhicΦ yo⌡ havσ constantl∙ se⌠ you≥ facσ you≥ wholσ lifσ long« Wσ ì ááááááárefusσ t∩ believσ tha⌠ yo⌡ havσ no≈ consenteΣ t∩ prostitutσ thσ ì áááááááSacreΣ Wisdoφ oµ ThotΦ t∩ thi≤ basσ anΣ dishones⌠ purposσ anΣ wσ ì áááááááinsist upon this point being made clear. ááááááá10« Oε Ma∙ 11¼ 1938¼ Lad∙ Harri≤ becamσ officiall∙ you≥ disciple¼ ì áááááááanΣ wa≤ permitteΣ t∩ affiliatσ t∩ thσ othe≥ Orde≥ oµ whicΦ yo⌡ arσ ì áááááááHead, the O.T.O. ááááááá11« Yo⌡ madσ aε agreemen⌠ witΦ Lad∙ Harri≤ b∙ whicΦ yo⌡ werσ t∩ havσ ì áááááááa 66 2/3% interest in the work. ááááááá12« Fo≥ thσ nex⌠ fou≥ year≤ approximately¼ Lad∙ Harri≤ prepareΣ ì áááááááwater-colour≤ oµ thσ cards« Shσ diΣ thi≤ froφ you≥ rougΦ sketche≤ ì áááááááanΣ description≤ unde≥ you≥ continua∞ direction¼ subjec⌠ t∩ you≥ ì áááááááconstan⌠ anΣ repeateΣ corrections« Iε somσ case≤ yo⌡ madσ he≥ redra≈ ì áááááááanΣ re-pain⌠ ß carΣ whicΦ yo⌡ founΣ unsatisfactor∙ a≤ man∙ a≤ fivσ ì áááááááo≥ si° times« Shσ has¼ wheε lef⌠ t∩ herself¼ n∩ sensσ oµ dignif∙ o≥ ì ááááááácongruity╗ onσ oµ u≤ ha≤ seeε somσ attempt≤ whicΦ yo⌡ rejected¼ fo≥ ì áááááááinstance¼ he≥ idea∞ figurσ fo≥ "Thσ Fool"¼ thσ Hol∙ Ghost¼ wa≤ Harp∩ ì áááááááMarx« DiΣ yo⌡ reall∙ pas≤ thi≤ anΣ Trum≡ I┐ Shσ gavσ thσ Sphin° iε ì áááááááTrum≡ ╪ ß FrencΦ cabah∙ sabreí AnΣ he≥ firs⌠ conceptioε oµ "Thσ LorΣ ì áááááááoµ thσ Wind≤ anΣ thσ Breezes╗ thσ Kinτ oµ thσ Spirit≤ oµ thσ Air"¼ ì áááááááwa≤ ß clowε iε platσ armour¼ wavinτ rapie≥ anΣ dagger¼ sprawlinτ ì áááááááover a demented nag, diving through a paper screen in a circus! ááááááá13« Yo⌡ lef⌠ Lad∙ Harri≤ ß comparativel∙ freσ hanΣ iε respec⌠ oµ ì áááááááinsignifican⌠ details╗ bu⌠ a⌠ n∩ timσ diΣ shσ contributσ ß singlσ ì áááááááideß oµ an∙ kinΣ t∩ an∙ card¼ anΣ shσ i≤ iε fac⌠ almos⌠ a≤ ignoran⌠ ì áááááááoµ thσ Taro⌠ anΣ it≤ truσ meaninτ anΣ usσ a≤ wheε shσ began« Wσ ìèááááááácannow however, blame you for this. ááááááá14« Yo⌡ havσ followeΣ witΦ a≤ mucΦ fidelit∙ a≤ wa≤ possiblσ thσ ì ááááááátraditiona∞ design≤ oµ thσ mediaeva∞ packs╗ bu⌠ yo⌡ havσ notabl∙ ì áááááááenricheΣ anΣ revivifieΣ somσ oµ them¼ especiall∙ thσ Trumps¼ witΦ ì áááááááyour scholarship, as observed above in paragraph 9. ááááááá15« Iε ever∙ trum≡ yo⌡ havσ no⌠ onl∙ incorporateΣ symbol≤ ì áááááááillustratinτ thσ doctrine≤ oµ Paynσ Knight¼ Hargravσ Jennings¼ ì áááááááArthu≥ Eddington¼ J.G« Frazer¼ BertranΣ Russell¼ J.W.N« Sullivan¼ ì áááááááEliphaz LevΘ anΣ ho≈ man∙ othersí --bu⌠ introduceΣ ver∙ man∙ idea≤ ì ááááááápurel∙ persona∞ t∩ yourselµ anΣ baseΣ oε you≥ owε persona∞ magica∞ ì áááááááexperience--see "The Vision and the Voice", "The Paris Working" etc. ááááááá16« Iε certaiε cases¼ iε orde≥ t∩ makσ surσ tha⌠ you≥ doctrine oµ ì áááááááthσ Ne≈ Aeoε i≤ clearl∙ manifes⌠ a≤ thσ spiritual-magica∞ basi≤ oµ ì áááááááthσ wholσ work¼ yo⌡ havσ giveε ne≈ name≤ t∩ thσ cards« Notabl∙ ì áááááááTrump≤ XI¼ XIV¼ anΣ numerou≤ "smalló cards« Yo⌡ havσ madσ thσ fina∞ ì ááááááácorrectioε t∩ thσ attributions--Trump≤ I╓ anΣ XVII¼ accordinτ t∩ thσ ì áááááááBooδ f∩ thσ La≈ giveε t∩ yo⌡ iε Cair∩ Apri∞ 8¼ 9¼ anΣ 1░ 1904« Yo⌡ ì áááááááhavσ useΣ "Thσ Stelσ oµ Revealingó (seσ "Thσ Booδ oµ thσ Lawó Chap« ì ááááááá╔ 49¼ II╔ 19⌐ t∩ replacσ "Thσ Las⌠ Judgmentó (Trum≡ XX⌐ t∩ affirφ ì áááááááthσ supersessioε oµ thσ Aeoε oµ Osiri≤ thσ Dyinτ GoΣ b∙ tha⌠ oµ ì áááááááHoru≤ thσ CrowneΣ anΣ Conquerinτ Child« Thσ entirσ compositioε i≤ ì ááááááásoakeΣ iε anΣ reek≤ oµ you≥ owε privatσ anΣ persona∞ poin⌠ oµ vie≈ ì áááááááwith regard to Magick. ááááááá17. You undertook this Work with two main motives:-- ááááááá 1« Tha⌠ i⌠ shoulΣ servσ a≤ ß Magica∞ Atla≤ oµ anΣ Guidσ t∩ thσ ì ááááááá Universe¼ fo≥ thi≤ "Ne≈ Aeoε oµ Horus"¼ tha⌠ is¼ fo≥ thσ nex⌠ ì ááááááá 2,000 years. ááááááá 2« Tha⌠ it≤ undeniablσ beaut∙ anΣ majest∙ shoulΣ bσ aε ì ááááááá intelligiblσ vindicatioε oµ thσ wholσ oµ you≥ life'≤ work« ì ááááááá Yo⌡ rightl∙ foresa≈ tha⌠ soone≥ o≥ late≥ i⌠ woulΣ bσ clea≥ ì ááááááá tha⌠ yo⌡ arσ thσ solσ responsiblσ autho≥ oµ thσ Worδ anΣ Lad∙ ì ááááááá Harri≤ onl∙ you≥ morσ o≥ les≤ docilσ anΣ intelligen⌠ ì ááááááá áááááinstrument. ááááááá18« Yo⌡ anΣ Lad∙ Harri≤ werσ a⌠ firs⌠ agreeΣ tha⌠ thσ Worδ shoulΣ bσ ì ááááááápu⌠ fortΦ anonymously« Shσ wrotσ t∩ ß frienΣ "╔ intenΣ t∩ remaiε ì áááááááanonymou≤ wheε thσ card≤ arσ shown"« Yo⌡ had¼ oµ course¼ pointeΣ ou⌠ ì ááááááátha⌠ an∙ studen⌠ oµ thσ subjec⌠ woulΣ recognisσ you≥ authorshi≡ a⌠ ß ì áááááááglance. ááááááá19« To∩ wel∞ awarσ tha⌠ iε thσ pas⌠ you≥ worδ ha≤ beeε stoleε anΣ ì áááááááexploiteΣ b∙ unscrupulou≤ rascal≤ anΣ als∩ tha⌠ doctrina∞ argumen⌠ ì áááááááoµ ß lightl∙ technica∞ kinΣ ma∙ al∞ to∩ frequentl∙ provσ rathe≥ harΣ ì áááááááfo≥ ß jury¼ yo⌡ tooδ thσ precautioε oµ introducinτ certaiε symbol≤ ì áááááááint∩ thσ design≤ oµ suscΦ ß characte≥ tha⌠ thσ mos⌠ stupiΣ woulΣ bσ ì ááááááácompelled to acknowledge your authorship of the Work. ááááááá You≥ conduc⌠ i≤ abominablσ anΣ inexcusablσ t∩ allo≈ Lad∙ Harri≤ ì ááááááát∩ issuσ ß cataloguσ crammeΣ witΦ thσ grosses⌠ error≤ oµ fact¼ ì áááááááblunder≤ oµ scholarsip¼ irrelevancie≤ anΣ absurdities╗ t∩ allo≈ he≥ ìèááááááát∩ makσ herselµ thσ laughing-stocδ oµ Londoε b∙ laryinτ claiφ t∩ thσ ì áááááááauthorshi≡ oµ picture≤ oµ whicΦ al∞ artist≤ kno≈ he≥ t∩ bσ utterl∙ ì áááááááincapable¼ he≥ worδ havinτ beeε tha⌠ oµ ß wealth∙ amateu≥ persisten⌠ ì áááááááenougΦ t∩ acquirσ ß gooΣ techniquσ bu⌠ witΦ n∩ personality¼ n∩ ì ááááááá"messageó gropinτ iε Bloomsbur∙ forg≤ fo≥ thσ parasitiπ adulatioε oµ ì áááááááa gaggle of sycophants. ááááááá Wσ caε understanΣ you≥ passionatσ wisΦ t∩ ge⌠ thesσ card≤ ì áááááááexhibited¼ eveε b∙ ß subterfuge¼ bu⌠ yo⌡ haΣ n∩ righ⌠ t∩ sacrificσ ì áááááááLad∙ Harri≤ anΣ yo⌡ havσ n∩ righ⌠ t∩ lenΣ yourself¼ eveε b∙ silencσ ì ááááááát∩ thσ perpetratioε oµ ß hoa° transparen⌠ anΣ nausien⌠ a≤ i⌠ mus⌠ ì ááááááánaturall∙ be¼ whicΦ affect≤ thσ honou≥ oµ thσ Fraternit∙ oµ Ar⌠ anΣ ì áááááááLetters. ááááááá Wσ repea⌠ tha⌠ wσ arσ surprised╗ fo≥ whateve≥ you≥ faults¼ yo⌡ ì áááááááhavσ alway≤ beeε honourablσ anΣ truthfu∞ witΦ morσ thaε ancien⌠ ì áááááááRoman rigour. You must speak now. ááááááá for the Society of Hidden Masters. ááááááá Justus M. ááááááá Sic vos non vobis. ááááááá Sunur evique. .PAáááá è ááááááá[1s⌠ pagσ oµ lette≥ missing--thi≤ i≤ Crowley'≤ "replyó t∩ thσ lette≥ ì áááááááfroφ thσ Societ∙ oµ Hiddeε Masters.] ááááááá Thei≥ estimatσ iε paragrapΦ ╢ i≤ exaggerated║ i⌠ depend≤ oε thσ ì ááááááádefinition of "serious students." ááááááá No≥ woulΣ i⌠ bσ usefu∞ t∩ den∙ them¼ a≤ iε ever∙ casσ thei≥ ì ááááááátrutΦ i≤ guaranteeΣ b∙ evidencσ independen⌠ oµ m∙ asseveration¼ ì áááááááinternal evidence of documents easily accessible. ááááááá _________ ááááááá ╔ d∩ howeve≥ mos⌠ strenuousl∙ den∙ participatioε iε thσ hoax« ì áááááááThi≤ wa≤ perpetrateΣ b∙ Lad∙ Harri≤ withou⌠ m∙ knowledgσ o≥ consent╗ ì ááááááá╔ onl∙ learn⌠ oµ thσ exhibitions¼ iε thσ firs⌠ casσ severa∞ day≤ ì áááááááafter the opening, from information supplied by loyal friends. ááááááá Thi≤ lette≥ i≤ t∩ authorizσ anΣ t∩ reques⌠ yo⌡ t∩ publicizσ it≤ ì ááááááásubstance¼ eithe≥ b∙ ß lette≥ addresseΣ t∩ thσ Time≤ anΣ othe≥ ì ááááááánewspapers, or as you in your best judgment may see fit. Believe me, ááááááá Gentlemen, ááááááá Yours faithfully, ááááááá ááááááá Aleister Crowley .PAè