An Open Letter to Lord Beaverbook

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 — 7 —