D E D IC AT IO  M IN IM A 
 
My dear Christ, 
 
A person, purporting to be a friend and disciple of yours, 
and calling himself John, reports you to have wept.  His tes-
timony is now considered by the best authorities to be of a 
very doubtful order.  But if you did weep, this (vide infra) 
is why.  Of if not, surely it would have made you weep, 
had it met your eye.  Excuse the rhyme ! 
You ask me (on dit) to believe you.  I shall be willing to 
do so—merely as a gentleman—till you betray the trust ; 
but at present nobody worthy of serious consideration can 
give me any clear notion of what you actually assert.  
I labour under no such disadvantages.  So have no diffidence 
in asking you to believe me. 
Yours affectionately, 
 
ALEISTER CROWLEY.