FOLLOW A WORD THROUGH THE COLLECTION
Search the corpus.
Phrase search ignores case and repeated whitespace. All-words search finds whole words anywhere on the same page. OCR errors can affect results.
7 matching pages
Page 1 of 11924 · PDF PAGE 2
tional articles in which it claimed, from a motive of public duty, to reveal the truth about the life and work of Aleister Crowley, explorer, drama- tist, poet, philosopher and artist. These articles were a mass of lies. Not only were they wholly false in spirit the essential truth, in every matter of importance, being simply suppressedbut, except for such statements as were harmless in themselves or trivial, they were wholly false in the letter also. Two of these lies are so indefensible in point of fact, and so repugnant to every principle …
1924 · PDF PAGE 12
be so criminally or suicidally unscrupulous as to publish such a damaging defamation without being able to prove its truth immediately, by specifying the time and place of the alleged conviction and appealing to the official records of the courts. Every reader assumes, therefore, without hesitation, that such an allegation, deliber- ately published, by a well-known paper, as an indictment, must be true. 9. Now you, my Lord, as proprietor of the Sunday Express, can satisfy yourself, by a few minutes inquiry, that your editor is unable to specif…
1924 · PDF PAGE 4
…dent. A lie so base and hurtful must be withdrawn at once, frankly and fully, with all possible publicity. To deny the absolute right of truth and justice to be instantly vindicated in the matter must be repugnant to your sense of honour. Not only has Mr. Crowley not served a prison sentence in America as a white slaver, but he has never been even accused of any crime before any court in any country in the world. The statement made in the Sunday Express is thus an absolute lie ; your editor knows that it is a lie ; and you, my Lord, are in a po…
1924 · PDF PAGE 5
…-protected against sensational newspaper calumny. Every editor and publisher must reckon, nowadays almost exclusively, not with the real truth about an author, nor with the balanced judgment of the educated reader or man of the world, but with the prejudices and passions of the masses. Unless therefore a man of letters is wealthy enough to call his traducer to instant account in court of law, the absolute falsity of a newspaper calumny will not prevent it from working, right from the start, almost as much mischief as if it were proven truth. It…
1924 · PDF PAGE 11
…ter. Your editor asserts that Mr. Crowley has served a prison sentence in America for pro- curing young girls for infamous purposes. The truth is that Mr. Crowley has never been so much as accused of any crime before any court in any country in the world. Now no honest person can pretend for a mo- ment that any legal process is needed in order to expose the absoluteness of this particular lie. A criminal conviction is a matter of public record, and such an allegation as your editor has made is capable of rigorous proof or disproof, like any oth…
1924 · PDF PAGE 10
…nt you privately a full statement, supported by documents, not only refuting your editors calumnies, but containing sufficient positive truth concerning Mr. Crowleys life and work to prove that the case put forward by the Sunday Express was as false in the spirit as in the letter. I did everything I could to ensure that these representations should come to your personal 10
1924 · PDF PAGE 7
…Mr. Crowleys 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. Crowleys real vindicationhis vindi- cation for all timeagainst any serious attack on his personal honour, whether as artist, patriot or man. The iniquity of the situation created by your editors abominable lies is glaringly shown by the fact that Mr. Crowle…