CROWLEY, Aleister.. The Winged Beetle.. London: Privately printed, 1910, 1910.

Price: US$14115.92 + shipping

Description: First edition, number 113 of 350 copies of this notably uncommon collection of Crowley's poems. This is a presentation copy, inscribed by Crowley with three original limericks, signed and dated "Aleister Crowley Sunday Aug 19 '22 e.v.". Each of the five-line limericks were composed for the three children of the journalist Austin Harrison: Monica, Rene, and Josephine. Harrison (1873-1928) was editor at the English Review and, in 1922, "took on Crowley as a regular - and prolific- contributor through the summer. Harrison paid Crowley little but allowed him considerable creative freedom" (Sutin, p. 298). Crowley contributed essays under a variety of pseudonyms and on topics ranging from newly established drug laws to the centenary of Percy Bysshe Shelley's death. Harrison's respect for Crowley's prose was matched by Crowley's uncommon appreciation of his own work; in Crowley's Confessions he describes Harrison's writing as "always amazing and sometimes first-rate" (Symonds & Grant, p. 892). The limericks pick out traits of each of the children and suggest an intimacy between Crowley and the Harrison family: for Monica "a sneezing young lady" Crowley recommends a tonic; Rene is described as "a bright Spirit. born so tremendously brainy", and Josephine is gently mocked for her fast talking - "'Now really, that's awfully mean!'". The Winged Beetle collects poems that are largely more esoteric in nature, and includes those dedicated to fellow occultists, such as J. F. C. Fuller, Victor Neuburg, and Austin Osman Spare. Crowleys's satirical poem "The Convert" on page 102 provides his indication of the pronunciation of his surname, there rhyming "holy" with "Crowley". Yorke 33. Lawrence Sutin, Do What Thou Wilt: A Life of Aleister Crowley, 2014; John Symonds & Kenneth Grant, eds, The Confessions of Aleister Crowley, 1971 Octavo. Original brown boards, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, scarab design in gilt on front cover, top edge gilt, others uncut. With the "Glossary of Obscure Terms" as called for. Spine faded, a couple of nicks to board edges, offsetting to endpapers, scattered faint foxing; a near-fine copy.

Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom