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in his hates, passionate in his loves.  He may not be as morbid as 
Baudelaire, but he is bolder than, Swinburne.  And he has equal 
mastery of verse.  But he is still a young man, and so only known 
to a select circle.  It is certain that one of these days Crowley will 
be considered to rank with Coleridge, Shelley, Keats, and Swin-
burne.  In many of his poems he strikes the highest note. 
 
Crowley is not only a poet, he is also a philosopher.  He studies 
mankind from outside.  He earnestly desires to help humanity.  He 
believes that he has a mission in the world.  He is so much in 
earnest that he has already a large following amongst those who, 
whilst essentially religious, have no creed.  Captain Fuller has 
written a book upon Crowley and his aims.  In this book he not 
only calls attention to the poems of the writer, but he devotes some 
hundred odd pages to the new philosophy which is to lead man-
kind to happiness and a nobler life.  What is this philosophy ?  It 
is devoted to a search after Ecstasy, and is called Scientific Illumin-
ism.  “ Religion and Science for many years seemingly ran antagon-
istic to each other ; but in reality their antagonism has been of a 
superficial nature, and fundamentally they at heart are one,” thus 
writes Captain Fuller, whom we may accept as an authority.  Crowley 
is the mouthpiece of a society the object of which would seem to 
be the attaining of religious ecstasy by means of Ceremonial Magic. 
 
Dr. Maudsley defines Ecstasy or Samadhi as a quasi-spasmodic 
standing-out of a special tract of the brain.  W. R. Inge defines 
Ecstasy as a vision that proceeds from ourselves when conscious 
thought ceases.  But however you may feel about Ecstasy there is 
no doubt that it is an essential part of true religious feeling. 
Crowley says “ True Ceremonial Magic is entirely directed to attain 
this end, and forms a magnificent gymnasium for those who are not 
already finished mental athletes.”  By act, word, and thought, both 
in quantity and quality, the one object of the ceremony is being 
constantly indicated. 
 
In order to induce this religious ecstasy in its highest form 
Crowley proposes to hold a series of religious services ; seven in 
number.  These services are to be held at Caxton Hall, Westmins-
ter, and will be conducted by Aleister Crowley himself, assisted by 
other Neophytes of the A∴ A∴, the mystical society, one of whose 
Mahatmas is responsible for the foundation of THE EQUINOX. 
 
The seven services will be typical of Shakespeare’s Seven Ages 
of Man, and each one will be dedicated to the Planet that rules its