The Revival of Magick and Other Essays. Oriflamme 2.
Tempe, AZ: New Falcon Publications / O.T.O., 1998. First Edition - First Printing. Softcover. Octavo. 240pp. Frontis. Editorial notes, list of works cited, index. The first printing of the first edition of this important collection of largely-neglected essays by Crowley including "Humanity First," "The Revival of Magick", "The Camel," "The Soul of the Desert," "A Hindu at the Polo Grounds," "Three "Great Hoaxes of the War," "Mystics and their Little Ways," "On Thelema," "Gilles de Rais," "A Lecture on the Philosophy of Magick," etc. etc. From the library of Oliver Marlow Wilkinson (1915-1999) dramatist, author educator and raconteur, the son of Louis Umfreville Wilkinson (1881-1966) an English man-of-letters who wrote a number of satirical autobiographical and fictional works, mostly under the pseudonym "Louis Marlow." Louis Umfreville Wilkinson was a good friend of Aleister Crowley's, the two had an extensive correspondence, and Crowley respected Louis's literary skills to the extent that he engaged him to edit and prepare a popular edition of his commentaries on "Liber AL." Crowley also made Louis one of his executors, and it was Louis Wilkinson who caused some uproar amongst the more excitable members of the press by reading from Crowley's "Hymn to Pan" and other of his works at the Beast's funeral. Louis's son, Oliver, also knew Crowley well; indeed he was the one that found Crowley the rooms at Netherwood that became his final home and Crowley, along with John Cowper Powys, is said to have jointly shared the honour of being Oliver's godfather. Following his father's death in 1966 Oliver Wilkinson inherited many of the Crowley books and papers that had belonged to Louis, including a large number of letters, signed, and inscribed items, In the 1980s, following an approach by publisher Tony Naylor, Oliver refreshed his interest in Crowley, meeting with a number of contemporary Crowley afficiandos, and writing an Introduction to a new edition of his father's book "Seven Friends" which included a chapter-long reminiscense of Crowley. In 2021 Weiser Antiquarian books acquired the remains of Oliver's Crowley collection, which comprised some of the books and pieces of ephemera that had belonged to his father, as well as books, such as this, that he himself had bought or was given in the 1980s and 1990s. A small posthumous book-label, tipped in at the rear, identifies it as having come from his collection. Covers a bit rubbed and worn overall, a bit of light creasing, page edges darkened and thumbed, pages toned but clean and unmarked. Merest hint of shelf-wear, else a tight, unmarked near Fine copy of this now somewhat hard to find title. Item #69715
ISBN: 1561841331
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