Shih Yi, A Critical and Mnemonic Paraphrase of the Yî King by Ko Yuen.
Oceanside, CA: H. Parsons Smith / Monthelema, 1971. First Edition. Hardcover. Small oblong octavo. (5 3/8 x 6 5/8 inch) xiv + 66pp. + iipp. advertisement for an "educational program" on the Yi King and a one page "Hexagram Selector." Binding is textured maroon faux leather, title gilt stamped on spine and "salamander" design gilt stamped on upper board. Unusual blue and white patterned end papers. Crowley's succinct interpretations of the hexagrams of the Yi King (I Ching) written in a way that was intended to help students memorize them. Introduction by Soror Grimaud, that is Helen Parsons Smith (1910 - 2003), ex-wife of Jack Parsons and widow of W. T. Smith, and long time member of Agape Lodge of the O.T.O. This is the first separate publication of the work, and was also the first publication to be issued by Thelema Publications (at that time called "Monthelema"), the company run by Helen Parsons Smith. It is without doubt one of the scarcest of the posthumous first editions of Crowley's works. The small number of copies had a number of different endpaper designs: precedence is not known. This copy includes the loosely inserted card printed to accompany the work: "First Edition of important and heretofore strangely overlooked work of Aleister Crowley, one of the finest poets of the 20th Century, ..." which includes a misspelling of the word "religious" (all examples seen include this typographical error). From the collection of Clive Harper with his discrete 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. a bright near Fine copy. (Issued without dust jacket). Item #67711
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