Nor did He mean what He said.

[38]

COMMENTARY ({Iota-Delta})

The title, "Onion-Peelings", refers to the well-known incident in "Peer Gynt".

The chapter resembles strongly Dupin's account of how he was able to win at the game of guessing odd or even. (See Poe's tale of "The Purloined Letter".) But this is a more serious piece of psychology. In one's advance towards a comprehension of the universe, one changes radically one's point of view; nearly always it amounts to a reversal.

this is the cause of most religious controversies. Paragraph 1, however, is Frater Perdurabo's formula-tion of his perception of the Universal Joke, also described in Chapter 34. All individual existence is tragic. Perception of this fact is the essence of comedy.

"Household Gods" is an attempt to write pure comedy.

"The Bacchae" of Euripides is another. At the end of the chapter it is, however, seen that to the Master of the Temple the opposite perception occurs simultaneously, and that he himself is beyond both of these.

And in the last paragraph it is shown that he realises the truth as beyond any statement of it.

[39]

15

{Kappa-Epsilon-Phi-Alpha-Lambda-Eta Iota-Epsilon}

THE GUN-BARREL

Mighty and erect is this Will of mine, this Pyramid of fire whose summit is lost in Heaven. Upon it have I burned the corpse of my desires.

Mighty and erect is this {Phi-alpha-lambda-lambda-omicron-sigma}

of my Will. The seed thereof is That which I have borne within me from Eternity; and it is lost within the Body of Our Lady of the Stars.

I am not I; I am but an hollow tube to bring down Fire from Heaven.

Mighty and marvellous is this Weakness, this Heaven which draweth me into Her Womb, this Dome which hideth, which absorbeth, Me.

This is The Night wherein I am lost, the Love through which I am no longer I.

[40]

COMMENTARY ({Iota-Epsilon})

The card 15 in the Tarot is "The Devil", the mediaeval blind for Pan.

The title of the chapter refers to the Phallus, which is here identified with the will. The Greek word

{Pi-upsilon-rho-alpha-mu-iota-sigma}

has the same number as {Phi-alpha-lambda-lambda-omicron-sigma}. This chapter is quite clear, but one my remark in the last paragraph a reference to the nature of Samadhi. As man loses his personality in physical love, so does the magician annihilate his divine personality in that which is beyond.

The formula of Samadhi is the same, from the lowest to the highest. The Rosy-Cross is the Universal Key. But, as one proceeds, the Cross becomes greater, until it is the Ace, the Rose, until it is the Word.

[41]

16

{Kappa-Epsilon-Alpha-Lambda-Eta Iota-Sigma}

THE STAG-BEETLE

Death implies change and individuality if thou be THAT which hath no person, which is beyond the changing, even beyond changelessness, what hast thou to do with death?

The bird of individuality is ecstasy; so also is its death.

In love the individuality is slain; who loves not love?

Love death therefore, and long eagerly for it.