(08/22/1944) Aleister Crowley to Grady McMurtry

NOTE: Here are a few letters sent by Crowley to Grady Louis McMurtry, a miscellany to share their relationship with our readers. Sometimes A.C. would call Grady by his middle name, Louis. According to Grady, this was out of a fondness for the history of the French kings. The “is” error in the opening to the first letter may be a typo by a secretary, in that this is the only typed letter among those below. 

The Bell Inn,
Aston Clinton,
22nd August, 1944.

Dear Louis,

Do what thou wilt is {sic} the whole of the Law. 

I have been anxious at not hearing from you. I hope all is well, and that you have received your copy of the Book of Thoth, unless it was impounded to drop on a couple of retreating German Divisions; if so, I have several more that I could send you for this purpose.

I have heard nothing from Jack, and Karl’s Cable has not come through to me as the Bank Staff is on holiday and nobody knows what to do with the money, so I do not know whether your July and August remittances are included.

This delay more or less has upset my Budget very seriously, and I hope that by September 1, some means will have been found by which you can transmit directly.

If, however, you can use the money to put over La Gauloise, that is a first priority.

Things here are moving very quickly and favourably. Several groups in various parts of the country have been approaching me; and if I had a second in command with some organizing ability I should within the next month or two be at the head of quite a considerable number of people. There are groups in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Warwickshire and the West Country who could all be roped in; but, not knowing how to do it, I am as helpless as a cowboy who does not know the use of a lasso or a broncho.

I hope that if you get leave you will make a point of dashing here, and if the surrender comes make a point of visiting England for an indefinite period.

I was going to write you an official letter about your position in the Order; but it would have to be drafted carefully, so I will try to give you the gist of it in a few simple but well chosen words.
You are the only man from the U.S.A. of the younger generation who has been properly blooded, and you know me personally with a remarkable degree of intimacy considering the shortness of our association.

You are also quite the most serious and intelligent of the younger lot. This singles you out as the proper man to take charge of affairs when the time is ripe. It is supremely important that you should understand fully the 9th degree, if only because you are at an age, and have the ability, to make full use of the powers which if confers.

It is therefore most important to regularize your position. You must be able to say that you have fulfilled punctually all the obligations which are undertaken in the course of your passage to the Sovereign Sanctuary. The details of this pertain to the official letter which I think I shall be able to send you in the course of the week.

I think that is all for the moment; so I will close with sincere affection and every good wish.

Love is the law, love under will.

Yours fraternally,

{signed:} A.C. Aleister Crowley

Note: Originally published in Thelema Lodge Calendar, March 1994.

(08/22/1944) Aleister Crowley to Grady McMurtry #1 (08/22/1944) Aleister Crowley to Grady McMurtry #2 (08/22/1944) Aleister Crowley to Grady McMurtry #3

Note: Thank you to William Heidrick for making these images available.