“Edited and annotated by Symonds & Grant, this book contains the 1914-1918 record of Crowley’s O.T.O. sex magic
experiments, the 1919-1920 Magical Record, and the non-annotated text of the Book of the Law. Primarily valuable
for the extemporaneous philosophical reflections found in the Magical Record. The Grantnotes are the better for
being ignored.”
9J. The Magical Diaries of Aleister Crowley by Stephen Skinner (Ed.). NY: Samuel Weiser, 1979. (TOS-4)
MA: “This diary covers the year 1923 and is capably edited by Skinner. A very helpful Crowley chronology is
included. ‘I may be a Black Magician, but I’m a bloody great one. The world may have to pass through a period of
error through me, but even the error will tend to the truth.’ - A.C. 6/10/23.”
9K. Magick by Aleister Crowley. NY: Samuel Weiser, 1994. Available by mail from 93 Publishing Ltd.; P.O.
Box 2593; Asheville, NC 28802; USA (US$49.95 + postage). [Deutschland: Magick. Kersken-Canbaz, 2 volumes,
ISBNs: 3-89423-007-X & 3-89423-008-8.]] (TOS-4) MA: “This volume is divided into three parts: a discussion of
Yoga and a description of the various artifacts required for ceremonial magic (parts I & II = Book Four) and a series
of essays on magic itself (part III = the famous Magick in Theory and Practice). This Weiser edition is
recommended instead of the older ‘pirated’ Castle Books edition of Magick in Theory and Practice because of its
extensive annotation and because parts I-III are best considered together. While Magick in Theory and Practice
appears at first glance to be an introductory text, it contains many comments and references which are
understandable only after exposure to many of Crowley’s other works. For maximum value it should be read after
the other works in this category. This most recent revised edition contains over 100 photos & illustrations, as well as
color plates.” R. Winkhart IV°: “Die beiden hier angeführten Bände beinhalten im wesentlichen den Inhalt der
englischen Originalausgabe (Anm.).”
9L. The Book of Thoth by Aleister Crowley. NY: Samuel Weiser, 1969. [Deutschland: Das Buch Thoth, Urania
Verlag, Waakirchen, 1981] (TOS-4) (SHU-4) MA: “Crowley’s guide to the Tarot, this is vastly superior to any other
published book on the same subject. [The O.T.O. Tarot deck manufactured by U.S. Games Systems, Inc., 38 East
32nd Street, New York, NY 10016 should be used in conjunction with this book. Ask for their ‘Best of Cards’
catalogue, which at last report costs $2 and contains almost every Tarot deck in existence.]”
9M. 777 and Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley by Israel Regardie (Ed.). NY: Samuel Weiser,
1973. [Deutschland: 777 und andere kabbalistische Schriften, Verlag Sigrid Kersken-Canbaz, Berlin, 1982] (TOS-4)
MA: “A volume bringing together all of Crowley’s principal writings on Cabalistic correspondences. Since this
edition corrects and expands upon earlier editions of 777 and The Qabalah of Aleister Crowley, it is recommended
in place of them. As a point of clarification, Crowley used the term ‘Qabalah’ to describe any system of magical
correspondences a magician might find personally meaningful or useful. He was not a slave to the Hebrew Cabala,
though he was fluent with its terminology and was perfectly capable of bending same to his purposes as he might be
so inclined.”
9N. The Equinox of the Gods by Aleister Crowley. O.T.O., 1936 [publisher unidentified]. (TOS-4) MA: “A
reprint of the Book of the Law together with a number of autobiographical and analytical extracts from Crowley’s
diaries and #9G bearing upon it. Useful in understanding Crowley’s own attitude towards Liber AL - a supplement
to #9E.”
9O. Liber Aleph: The Book of Wisdom or Folly by Aleister Crowley. Chico, California: L.A. Brock [undated].
[Deutschland: Liber Aleph: Das Buch von Weisheit oder Torheit, Verlag Johanna Bohmeier & Co., Clenze, 1986]
(TOS-4) MA: “In Crowley’s own words: ‘ Liber Aleph was intended to express the heart of my doctrine in the most
deep and delicate dimensions. It is the most tense and intense book that I have ever composed.’ #9O consists of 208
paragraphs, each encapsulating some aspect of Crowley’s philosophy. He is correct in saying that these summaries
are the most ‘intense’ he ever penned; at the same time they are so poetic, so couched in metaphor as to be
confusing and mystifying to the reader who is not familiar with Crowley’s magical jargon. Recommended, like #9K,
only after the more elementary books in this category.”
9P. The Equinox #III-10 by Hymenæus Beta (William Breeze) (Ed.). NY: Thelema Publications, 1986. (TOS-3)
MA: “Shortly after the McMurtry O.T.O. won its court fight against Marcelo Motta in 1985, it set about to organize
the O.T.O. literature into some kind of coherent whole. This book, released in early 1986, was intended to be a ‘basic
- 204 -
collection’ of administrative documents, rituals, and exhortations. To this extent it is successful, since it makes
available easily and inexpensively (ca. $15/paperback) many Crowley writings on the O.T.O. that are otherwise
accessible only in rare and expensive volumes. Unfortunately, since this collection contains only O.T.O.-related
works, the novice Crowley student will not be exposed to the crucial A.'.A.'. background to Crowley’s philosophy -
nor, for that matter, to a hard-hitting biographical profile of Crowley himself. Also some of the most interesting
magical aspects of the O.T.O. system - the symbolism and structure of its various degrees - are omitted from this
compendium, presumably to keep them mysterious. [See #9F.] Finally, the history of the O.T.O. as presented here is
rather more serene than that of the actual O.T.O.(s) since Crowley’s demise. Although this volume endeavors to
capitalize on the well-known name of the Equinox, its claim to that title is questionable, since the Equinox was
actually the periodical of the original A.'.A.'., while the Oriflamme was that of the O.T.O. I would consider the ‘blue’
Equinox #III-1 the last of the true Equinoxes [see #9G]. #9P is reviewed more extensively in Scroll #XII-5/October
1986.”
9Q. The Magick of Thelema by Don Milo Duquette. York Beach: Weiser, 1993. (TOS-1) DW: “This book has
copies of the major rituals of the system and a useful commentary on them. Duquette has been a practicing
Thelemite for 20 years, and he discusses Crowley’s system from its initiatory use, as well as providing factual and
practical tips on the work. This book clears up a great deal about the A.'.A.'., Crowley’s death, averse pentagrams,
and other matters of interest. Because of its straightforward language and initiatory applications, I would
recommend it highly. The secret of this book is the interrelationships between the rituals and real-life practice of
initiation.”
9R. The Key to it All by David Allen Hulse. St. Paul: Llewellyn, 1993 (two volumes). (TOS-4) DW: “These two
books are an expansion of Liber 777 with a good deal of scholarship, but firmly in the Crowley camp as opposed to
objective scholarship. Book #1 deals with Cuneiform, Hebrew, Arabic, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese. Book #2 deals
with Greek, Coptic, Runes, Latin, Enochian, Tarot, and English.”
9S. Overthrowing the Old Gods: Aleister Crowley and the Book of the Law by Don Webb. Rochester, VT:
Inner Traditions, 2013 (ISBN 978-162055189-9). (TS-3) MA: “An extensive historical and philosophical
examination of the Book of the Law by Don Webb VI°, including both his detailed
commentary of the text and
several separate essays concerning the principles contained therein. My own commentary (Appendix #5 of this The
Temple of Set) is also included.”
* * *
F9A. Night of the Demon. Sabre Film Productions Ltd, 1956. Dana Andrews. (LVT-3) MA: “Later released in
the USA in a cut-down edition as Curse of the Demon. A runes-oriented film with the sinister sorcerer modeled on
Aleister Crowley. The full-length original British version is now available in DVD (which also includes the Curse
version” J. Lewis VI°: “All right, so it’s in black and white and the dialogue leaves something to be desired. ND is
also a story with a Black Magician conversant in the theory and practice of LBM, which the film portrays very well.
The scriptwriters fell flat when attempting to show GBM in actual practice. The magician Karswell, portrayed by
Niall McGinnis, is based in part on Aleister Crowley.”
F9B. The Devil Rides Out - see #F6C. MA: “The character of Mocata is modeled on Crowley. The dress and
ceremonial behavior of Mocata’s disciples are probably about as close a portrayal [less human sacrifice] of A.'.A.'.
rites as modern audiences will see on the screen.”
F9C. Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome. 1954. MA: “One of the films in Kenneth Anger’s Magic Lantern
series, being an interpretation of Crowley-themes. Anais Nin stars as the goddess Astarte.”
F9D. Lucifer Rising. 1970-1980. MA: “Another cassette in the Magic Lantern series, this one contains the
most sophisticated Anger film, LR, with Marianne Faithfull as Lilith and music by Bobby Bueausoliel (of the
Manson Family). On the same tape is the earlier Invocation of my Demon Brother, with Anger as a Crowleyesque
sorcerer, a cameo appearance by Anton LaVey, and a weird sountrack consisting of a 2-second clip of music from
Mick Jagger’s Sympathy for the Devil played over and over. Art, sort of.”
F9E. The Magician. MA: “This silent film version of Maugham’s novel-treatment of Crowley is almost
unavailable, and is on this list simply to alert you to the fact that it does exist and would make interesting viewing if
it eventually surfaces as a cassette [as many silents do].”
- 205 -
Category 10: The Golden Dawn
Der Golden Dawn
as of February 26, 2003
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a turn of the century British Rosicrucian/
ceremonial magic society. Drawing from the legacy of Eliphas Levi, the Theosophical Society of Helena
Blavatsky, and the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (S.R.I.A.), the Golden Dawn nevertheless succeeded
in achieving a sophistication and an artistic elegance all its own. While it may be going too far to say
that it became the prototype for all initiatory orders of this century, it certainly was the forerunner of
Aleister Crowley’s A.'.A.'., and its initiatory grade-structure would influence those of the Church of
Satan and the Temple of Set.
10A. Modern Ritual Magic: The Rise of Western Occultism by Francis King. NY/UK/Australia: Macmillan,
1989 [Updated edition of The Rites of Modern Occult Magic (British title: Ritual Magic in England) 1970]. (TOS-3)
(COS-3) AL: “A comprehensive survey of the Golden Dawn and other magical orders. Contains more actual, no-
nonsense information than can be gleaned from the ponderous writings of the orders covered.” MA: “A compact
history of late 19th-century Rosicrucianism in England, the rise & fall of the Golden Dawn, the impact & influence of
Crowley’s A.'.A.'. & O.T.O. organizations, and comments on various pre-1966 offshoots, primarily in England.
Readable, informative, and objective. A good introduction to the social context of the G.'.D.'. [If #13C is
representative of King’s research methods, however, his selection and emphasis of facts may not be as rigorous as
could be desired.”
10B. The Golden Dawn by F. Israel Regardie. River Falls: Hazel Hills, 1970 (2 volumes, reprinted as 1 volume
in 1974 by Llewellyn). (TOS-4) MA: “This is the third edition of the famous and still definitive study of the G.'.D.'. It
is perhaps the only published work in which the artistry and atmosphere intended for the G.'.D.'. are clearly evident,
untarnished by bitter accounts of petty personality conflicts. Looking through this work, one can see the authenticity
and sophistication that the G.'.D.'. projected, which accounted for its attractiveness to the intelligentsia of a cynical
and restless Victorian England. In spite of this, the G.'.D.'. was crippled by a lack of scientific and historical
precision in its doctrines; this too will be apparent to the reader. Compare, for example, the Enochian Keys with the
original Dee manuscript [included in “The Book of Coming Forth by Night: Analysis & Commentary”]. Nevertheless
The Golden Dawn remains a classic - and Regardie’s magnum opus. [Not recommended is Regardie’s 1984 work
The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic, which is a confusingly-organized product of a variety of authors,
some apparently original/ authentic and others modern/pretenders - most identified by initials/mottos only, so that
the reader cannot easily distinguish between them.]”
10C. Sword of Wisdom: MacGregor Mathers and “The Golden Dawn” by Ithell Colquhoun. NY: G.P.
Putnam’s Sons, 1975. [Deutschland: Schwert der Weisheit, Verlag Johanna Bohmeier & Co., Clenze, 1985] (TOS-3)
MA: “An account of the G.'.D.'. and its principal figure, Mathers, by a devoted Mathers admirer. This bias, together
with scant documentation of arguments in the text, makes it necessary to take this book with a grain of salt. Its
primary value is as an update and supplement to #10A. The Enochian section is best ignored as unsubstantiated. An
interesting feature of the book is the inclusion of G.'.D.'. membership and ‘spinoff’ lists, which offer clues to the
legacy of the G.'.D.'. in some later initiatory contexts.”
10D. The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra=Melin, the Mage by S.L. MacGregor Mathers (Trans.). NY: Dover
Books #23211-5, 1977 (reprinted from the 1932 de Lawrence hardcover edition). [Deutschland: Das Buch der
Praktik in der göttlichen Magie, Diederichs Verlag, München] (TOS-4) MA: “In the pristine Golden Dawn this
grimoire was thought to be particularly ‘dangerous’, but by Setian standards it is merely quaint. Yet it was the text
that inspired Aleister Crowley to begin serious Workings as a magician. Now of historical/collector value only, it is a
translation of a 15th-century manuscript in the Bibliotheque de l’Arsenal in Paris. Included is an extensive
introduction by Mathers.” DW: “This book shows two things very well: (1) The laws of consciousness cannot be
codified. What works for the Sufi master, the Zen archer, or the magician of the late Middle Ages will not work
straight off the shelf for you. (2) If you’re about to begin a large, lifetime project - such as starting law school - a
period of intense outer workings beforehand can strengthen the mind/will or, as non-magicians would say, make
you lucky.”
10E. Eliphas Levi: Master of Occultism by Thomas A. Williams. University of Alabama Press, 1975. (TOS-3)
MA: “Amidst all the confusion surrounding Levi, this little 174-page biography stands as an island of scholarship.
Williams discusses the facts of his life, philosophy, and writings succinctly, suggesting prior influences and
subsequent legacies. Today most of Levi’s doctrines are thoroughly outdated, but in many ways he was the
Columbus of modern occult science. Extensivel
y footnoted, with a good bibliography and a list of Levi’s own works.”
- 206 -
10F. The Magicians of the Golden Dawn by Ellic Howe. NY: Samuel Weiser, 1978. (TOS-3) (LVT-4) MA: “A
documentary history of the rise and fall of the G.'.D.'. by a historian, not an occultist with an axe to grind. Hence it is
objective while stopping short of cynicism. This history is based upon various personal and group interactions
among the membership, not upon the evolution or development of magical theory. The book is valuable as an
illustration of the stresses and strains upon an occult order and of how various individuals - some well-intentioned,
some not - attempted to influence the situation. The ultimate lesson is that an occult society which becomes
obsessed with interpersonal intrigue to the neglect of magic and philosophy is on the path to self-extermination.
Howe is also the author of #14W.” J. Lewis VI°: “It gives one pause to think that one day, decades hence, someone
will write a book on the Magicians of the Temple of Set. I think we will be a far more colorful group of personalities,
but this is not to say the Golden Dawn members were lacking in activity! #10F gives readers a deeper insight into
the Æons and Ages.”
10G. Yeats’ Golden Dawn by George Mills Harper. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1974. (TOS-3) MA: “The best account
of W.B. Yeats’ encounter with occultism - first via Blavatsky’s Theosophical Society and then with the G.'.D.'. after
1891. A picture of the conflict between Yeats the poet and Yeats the magician. There is an extensive documentary
section, including Yeats’ key pamphlet ‘Is the RR&AC to Remain a Magical Order?’ and the ‘Bye-Laws’ of the 1st and
2nd Orders of the G.'.D.'. as of 1900 and 1902 [after the Mathers & Crowley schisms]. Also included is the Hermetic
Library Catalogue of Wynn Westcott, now obsolete but charming for its historical quaintness.”
10H. Yeats and Magic: The Earlier Works by M.C. Flannery. NY: Harper & Row (Barnes & Noble Import
Division), 1978. (TOS-4) MA: “This is neither as lengthy nor as G.'.D.'.-focused as #10G, but it is interesting because
of its explanation of the influences of #19S and Blake [see #6F] in Yeats’ magical philosophy. It is also more probing
The Temple of Set II Page 49