of its own, giving, in something less than a column, 
“the full history and record of this sinister 
author”.  Throughout the course of these attacks, 
and afterwards, Mr. Crowley worked steadily, 
writing 600,000 words, in circumstances of extreme 
difficulty and hardship, and completed the first 
draft of his autobiography in September 1923.  
It is Mr. Crowley’s magnum opus, and one of 
the most human and illuminating records ever 
written.  It is that independent statement of positive 
truth which Newman rightly declared to be the 
only possible and proper defence against a vast 
mass of irresponsible and anonymous defamation.  
It is Mr. Crowley’s real vindication—his vindi-
cation for all time—against any serious attack 
on his personal honour, whether as artist, patriot 
or man. 
The iniquity of the situation created by your 
editor’s abominable lies is glaringly shown by 
the fact that Mr. Crowley’s publishers, despite 
their complete sympathy and good will, feel 
unable, for the time being, to proceed with the 
publication of the work.  They state that the 
book trade and the big libraries, in England and 
abroad, will boycott the book, from the start, 
unless the specific lies, here denounced, are 
first destroyed, once for all. 
The whole event illustrates the absolute neces-
sity for that right of reply which the law of 
France provides.  In no other way can a private 
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