CROWLEY, Aleister; Introduced and edited by Keith Richmond.

The Forbidden Lecture: Gilles de Rais [ The Banned Lecture ].

Thame, England: Mandrake Press, Ltd., 1990. First Edition Thus, limited. Hardcover. Octavo. 62pp. Original black cloth with gilt title, etc. to spine, portrait of Crowley on title page. Edition limited to 1000 numbered copies. This copy SIGNED by Keith Richmond on the title-page. In February 1930 Crowley was invited to give a lecture to the Oxford University Poetry Society on the notorious medieval French occultist and mass-murderer Gilles de Rais. However the lecture was cancelled at the last moment after pressure was brought to bear by the University's Catholic Chaplain, Father Ronald Knox. Crowley retaliated by having his friend and publisher P. R. Stephensen quickly print copies of the lecture in booklet form, which were then sold on the streets of Oxford, thereby reaching a far greater audience than his original lecture would ever have attracted. 'The Forbidden Lecture' contains the complete text of 'The Banned Lecture' (including previously unpublished revision from an annotated copy formerly in the possession of P. R. Stephensen), as well as a previously unpublished essay by Crowley 'How I came to be banned at Oxford' and an historical introduction by Keith Richmond. From the collection of Clive Harper with his discreet book-label neatly tipped in at the rear. Harper is well- known as the bibliographer of Austin Osman Spare, for updating the Aleister Crowley bibliography in the 2011 Teitan Press collection of Gerald Yorke's writings, and as someone who has lent his expertise to numerous other publications. Upper corner bumped - else a tight and clean, near Fine copy in near Fine dust jacket (Dust jacket very faintly rubbed at edges. Now protected by a removable mylar cover.). Item #66172
ISBN: 1872736009

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