Mantichore No. 2

MANTICHORE 1, No 2 (Mar 2006) A Contribution by Leigh Blackmore for SSFWT

Leigh Blackmore, 78 Rowland Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2500. Australia. Email: [email protected] IN THIS ISSUE “Soul Food” (script)………………….…2 “The Message of Thuba-Mleen: Lord Dunsany’s Influence on Aleister Crowley” …………………………………..3 “Clark Ashton Smith & Polyamory”…..7 Mantichorus: Mailing Comments……...9 “Succubus” poem ...….………………..10 News: The time seems to fly, and since December last year I have been very preoccupied in enrolling and commencing university studies at the University of Wollongong. Currently I am doing a Bachelor in Creative Arts (majoring in Creative Writing) but this may become a double degree (Creative Arts/Communications) next year. My university studies have been engrossing so far, and later this session I will be presenting a tutorial on the work The Devil’s Elixir by German Romanticist ETA Hoffman; perhaps this will appear in Mantichore in future. I have for many years been involved with the magical arts as well, and this year have set up with my partners a ritual magical group in the Illawarra (that southcoast region of NSW where Wollongong is located), called MoonSkin. MoonSkin may well evolve into a working coven next year. To keep fit (for I have been getting rather overweight the last few years) I have been doing Raja yoga once a week with my partner, the poet Margi Curtis. I published an article on Clark Ashton Smith in Phillip A. Ellis’s online Calenture. I’m also writing an essay on Thomas Harris for a book being edited by

Ben S, our esteemed facilitator, and finishing a story for the fourth Agog anthology, and giving esoteric workshops at Lotus Bookstore here in Wollongong (my last one was ‘Alchemy: The Art of Transformation’). I had several fantasy poems published during 2005 which were declared eligible for the annual Ditmar awards, but to the best of my research at present it appears none of these made the nomination shortlist. So all this has left me somewhat short of time and I find myself assembling this issue somewhat hastily once again, a fact for which I apologise. Ben has graciously given me the option of including fictional material here to save time. I cannot, therefore, resist the temptation to present a graphic novel script which has never been published. ‘Soul Food” was written for my colleague Chris Sequeira’s comic Pulse of Darkness, and features the occult detecting duo of Doc Marten and Sydney Deadlocke. Some of the other tales of this duo found their way into the comic, but this one was never illustrated or used. I hope you enjoy its lightheartedness. There’s also a poem which I stuck in as space-filler at the end of the issue. I also present this issue an article on “Aleister Crowley and Lord Dunsany”. Please forgive its somewhat unfinished state; this article needs further research and I am currently attempting to obtain from the library of the Texas University at Austin an unpublished essay by Crowley which may throw further light on his dealings with Dunsany. As I’m a Thelemic magician, Crowley is my major influence, and I am intrigued by the possible connections (literary and biographical) between him and the fantasist Dunsany, slight though they may have been. Also here is an article on “Clark Ashton Smith and Polyamory”. Since I am myself in a polyamorous relationship (my partners are Margi and Graham) I was intrigued when reading Smith’s “Hill of Dionysus” sequence to pick up some hints that I had been blind to previously – that Smith was actually involved in a three-way relationship, well before his later marriage. By contacting Boyd Pearson of eldritchdark.com I got into contact with Smith expert Donald-Sidney-Fryer, and Fryer has confirmed this three-way relationship of Smith’s to me in some

detail. At this stage I’m unsure if Fryer has given me permission to quote his letter, so his comments aren’t included in the article herewith, but I hope to expand the article later to include Fryer’s very authoritative assessment of the unique relationship of Smith, Eric Barker and Madeline Green.

Quinn: "Your reputation precedes you, gentlemen. Before we get started, here's the monetary part of the customary fee'. (He hands Doc a $50 bill).

Lastly I have tried to make a few comments on other members’ contributions from the Dec mailing.

Quinn: "Follow me please".

Accompanying this mailing should also be copies of my booklet on Australian writer Terry Dowling (Terry Dowling: Virtuoso of the Fantastic) which doesn’t purport to be a critical study but was prepared as a sort of career overview for the Conflux convention last year. I still intend writing my full-length critical study of Dowling (in collaboration with Univ of WA’s Dr Van Ikin) but this project has been on hold for a while and needs to be reactivated. I hope the booklet will spark some interest in Dowling’s work for those who have not encountered it before.

Quinn: "Here we are, gentlemen. This is Mrs O'Connor - and her late husband".

Doc: 'Ta'. (Aside to Deadlocke): 'Handy, eh?'

Panel 3:

He has ushered the two into a large room with sombre furnishings and wood panelling. Mrs O'Connor, the grief-stricken widow, is an old grey-haired lady. She sits in a chair with her hands clasped anxiously. Behind her is a bier upon which reposes the open coffin containing her husband's corpse. He is also grey-haired and over seventy. On the chest of the corpse sits a loaf of bread. Doc: (to Deadlocke in a whisper): "Wonder what he died of? Hope it was nothing infectious". Panel 4:

SOUL FOOD A Deadlocke and Doc Martin script for Pulse of Darkness By Leigh Blackmore © 1990 - May 12 & 20, 1990. Panel 1: At Quinn Funeral Parlour. Quinn, a tall cadaverous gentleman dressed in black, is standing in the doorway having opened it to Deadlocke and Martin. Quinn has a supercilious expression - one eyebrow raised. Quinn: 'May I help you?' Deadlocke: (holding aloft an issue of Casket and Sunnyside magazine - an undertakers' trade journal): 'We're responding to your ad, Mr Quinn. You say you want volunteers for a session of 'sin-eating'. Sydney Deadlocke...'

Quinn: "Mrs O'Connor comes of an old Hertfordshire family. She believes unless someone devours her husband's sins symbolically of course - his corpse will walk again. We try to offer our clients an appropriate service no matter how unusual their beliefs". Mrs O'Connor: "You gentlemen are so kind. It's not easy to find sin-eaters nowadays". Panel 5: Doc: (whispers to Deadlock again): "You sure this is such a good idea?" Deadlocke: "Trust me. All we do is eat that bread & drink some beer. A marvellous opportunity to participate in a centuries-old death ritual". Doc: "Beer? Why didn't ya say so?" (He looks much happier).

Doc: 'Doc Martin. We're the blokes for the job. Lead the way'.

Panel 6:

Panel 2:

Quinn: "If you're ready, gentlemen. Stand on the other side of the coffin please".

Panel 7:

wringing her hands anxiously. Behind her is a tall, looming figure, very dark, with swollen features. It is recognisably her husband. He looks threatening and monstrous but says nothing.

Quinn: "First I hand you the loaf of bread. You should make sure it's devoured completely"

Mrs O'Connor: "Oh dear, sorry to disturb you gentlemen, but my husband's corpse seems to have - well - been reanimated".

He breaks the bread into two portions above the corpse's chest and hands one each to Deadlocke and Doc.

Panel 13:

They take up their positions on the opposite side of the coffin from Quinn.

Deadlocke: "You did eat all that bread, didn't you, Doc?"

Panel 8: We see Deadlocke chewing on his bread but Doc has slipped his into his coat pocket. Quinn has turned to pick up a bowl and doesn't notice.

Doc: (shamefacedly pulling slice of bread from pocket): "Well, er - I thought I'd save some for a late supper". Deadlocke: "We'll have to go back and perform the ceremony again!"

Quinn: "And now, the mazar-bowl". Panel 14: Deadlocke: "Ah yes, the traditional bowl which contains the brew". Panel 9: Quinn hands the bowl to Doc.

Corpse: "You...you...CRUMB!" Doc: (looking at bread closely): "Hey, I can see what the problem is. How were we to know that instead of normal bread, Quinn used RAISIN toast!"

Doc: "Cheers, mate". (He sculls the beer) . Quinn: "You have symbolically taken on the dead man's sins. The body is at peace". Panel 10: Mrs O'Connor: "Oh, thank you, both of you. You've put my mind at rest". Doc: "Any time, oops, I mean glad to be of help in your hour of need". Deadlocke: "Thank you, Quinn. Good day, Mrs O'Connor". Panel 11: Back at the Deadlocke house. Both our heroes are occupied - Deadlocke reading, Doc watching telly. The doorbell rings. Doorbell: 'Ring!"

"THE MESSAGE OF THUBA-MLEEN”: LORD DUNSANY’S INFLUENCE ON ALEISTER CROWLEY by Leigh Blackmore © 1996/2006 The earliest connection between Dunsany and Crowley I have discovered is Crowley’s inclusion of Dunsany’s poem ‘”The Sphinx at Gizeh” in his journal The Equinox I, No. 2 (1909).

Deadlocke: "Wonder who that is?" Panel 12: Deadlocke opens door. We are looking from behind him (Doc's p.o.v.) through the doorway to see two figures standing on the doorstep. Mrs O'Connor is

Another item that highlights Crowley’s interest in Dunsany’s work is little known, since the book in which it appears was never published in Crowley’s lifetime. In

THE GIANT’S THUMB (1915) by Crowley appears a poem “The Message of Thuba Mleen” which is patently influenced by Dunsany, since it mentions some of Dunsany’s quasiBiblical names such as Bethmoora, ManaYood-Sushai etc. MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI is integral to most of the tales in Dunsany’s first collection THE GODS OF PEGANA (1905) [the entire collection is reprinted as part of the omnibus BEYONDS THE FIELDS WE KNOW with introductory material by Lin Carter, by Pan/Ballantine Books, 1972]. “Bethmoora” was the name of a tale in A DREAMER’S TALES (1910; reprinted 1979 by Owlswick Press of Philadelphia). The gods and all they create are nothing but the dreams of Mana-Yood-Sushai. The Hills of Hap are part of the world described in the tale “Idle Days on the Yann” from the same collection (see map pp 59-60 in Owlswick Press ed). THE GIANT’S THUMB was to have been published by the firm of Mitchell Kennerley in New York in 1915, and actually reached proof stage, but was never published until First Impressions issued their facsimile edition in 1992. Crowley knew poet W.B. Yeats through the Golden Dawn, and Yeats was friendly with Dunsany but it appears that Crowley never actually met Dunsany in the flesh. Yeats’ hostility to Crowley, whom he blamed for wrecking the Golden Dawn, is a strong reason for Yeats never introducing Dunsany and Crowley. Perhaps if Yeats and Crowley had had friendlier relations, Dunsany and Crowley may have met in person, but it was not to be. Crowley’s autobiography THE CONFESSIONS OF ALEISTER CROWLEY mentions Dunsany only once on p. 188: “my consolation is in the words of Lord Dunsany”. Presumably this is in reference to Dunsany’s lamentations in collections like FIFTY-ONE TALES of

modern mechanization etc. Clearly Crowley had read Dunsany’s work, though there is no indication here either that they ever met. The date

of

THE GIANT’S

THUMB

indicates that Crowley at the time of its preparation could only have read Dunsany’s earlier work - most likely THE GODS OF PEGANA (1905), THE SWORD OF WELLERAN & OTHER STORIES (1908) , A DREAMER’S TALES (1910) , THE BOOK OF WONDER (1912) , FIVE PLAYS (1914), FIFTY-ONE TALES (1915). An interesting sidelight is that Dunsany was related (through his mother, Erne Elizabeth Louisa Maria Grosvenor) to Sir Richard Francis Burton, translator of the most famous and scholarly version of THE ARABIAN NIGHTS, one of Crowley’s favourites (Burton is honoured as Gnostic saint in Crowley’s Liber XV, The Gnostic Mass). The poem “The Message of Thuba Mleen” is as follows: I Far beyond Utnar Vehi, far beyond The Hills of Hap, Sits the great Emperor crowned with diamond, Twitching the rosary in his lap -The rosary whose every head well-conned With sleek unblinking bliss Was once the eyeball of an unborn child of his. II He drank the smell of living blood, that hissed On flame-white steel. He tittered while his mother’s limbs were kissed By the fish-hooks on the Wheel

That shredded soul and shape, more fine than mist Is torn by the bleak wind That blows from Kragua and the unknown lands behind. III As the last flesh was flicked, he wearied; slaves From bright Bethmoora Sprang forward with carved bowls whose crimson craves Green wine of hashish, black wine of datura, Like the Yann’s earlier and its latter waves! These wines soothed well the spleen Of the Desert’s bastard brother Thuba Mleen. IV He drank, and eyed the slaves. “Mwass, Dragicho, Xu-Xulgulara, Saddle your mules!” he whispered, “ride full slow Unto Bethmoora And bid the people of the city know That that most ancient snake, The Crone of Utnar Vehi, is awake.” V Thus twisted he his dagger in the hearts Of those two slaves That bore him wine; for they knew well the arts Of Utnar Vehi – what the grey crone craves – Knew how their kindred in the vines and marts Of bright Bethmoora, thus accurst, Would rush to the mercy of the Desert’s thirst. VI I would that Mana-Yood-Sushai would lean And listen, and hear The tittering, thin-bearded, epicene Dwarf, fringed with fear, Of the Desert’s bastard brother Thuba Mleen! For he would wake, and scream Aloud the Word to annihilate the dream. In later writings, Crowley makes further passing references to Dunsany. In "An Essay Upon Number" (1910) (published in Equinox I, No. 5) AC discussing the number 741 says "this dogma is most

admirably portrayed by Lord Dunsany in a tale called "The Wanderings of Shaun". [This tale is not referenced in Joshi/Schweitzer]. The dogma Crowley is here discussing is the Qabalistic dogma that the Highest is but the Four Elements; that there is nothing beyond these, beyond Tetragrammaton. Dunsany undoubtedly knew nothing of Qabala, but Crowley was fond of finding literary examples such as this, which to him demonstrate intrinsic spiritual knowledge, and he imputes such to Dunsany by this reference. Crowley also mentions Dunsany in BOOK 4: MAGICK. He comments: "See Lord Dunsany, THE BLESSING OF PAN - a noble and most notable prophecy of Life's fair fortune." In 1917 as part of a series of magical operations with his mistress Roddie Minor (whom he called ‘the Camel’), a series known as the Amalantrah Workings, Minor, on Crowley’s instructions, asked the spirit how to spell “Baphomet”. She then says, “a man like The Gods of the Mountain answered my questions about this”. The Gods of the Mountain is the title of one of Dunsany’s plays. Presumably Crowley had shared his love of Dunsany’s writings with ‘the Camel’. Around 1917/1918 there appeared in The International a series of symbolic stories by Crowley. This was later supposed to be issued by the Mandrake Press of London, which issued Crowley’s novel MOONCHILD, a booklet of three stories THE STRATAGEM and two volumes of the CONFESSIONS. Mandrake went bankrupt before GOLDEN TWIGS (which had reached page proof stage) could be issued; and a slightly later plan (1932) by PR Stephenson to issue an Australian edition also came to nothing; GOLDEN TWIGS finally saw print in 1988. (See Bibliography). Symonds (p. 444) sees these stories as “in the manner of Lord Dunsany”; however JG Fraser’s GOLDEN BOUGH, that monumental study of the origins of Magic and Religion, directly inspires them. In Crowley’s 1918 essay "Good Hunting!” 6 he appends a list of plays which demonstrate his theorem that "dramatic art, which represents drama - action consequently concerns itself with hunting, and with nothing else", including A NIGHT

AT AN INN. This is a play by Dunsany first published in 1916.

which is a footnote to “Of the Bloody Sacrifice and

Also, I think, Crowley recommends Dunsany in a list of recommended authors for his magical order the AA (Silver Star).

Cognate Matters” where Crowley comments: “See

Clearly, Dunsany’s aristocratic outlook appealed to Crowley. Crowley saw in Dunsany’s themes of cosmic irony on the one hand, and noble drama on the other, exemplars of his own philosophy.

Lord Dunsany, THE BLESSING OF PAN a noble and most notable prophecy of Life’s fair fortune.”

Kenneth Grant, prolific writer on Crowleyean magick, also incorporates Dunsany into his magical world. In Mark Amory’s BIOGRAPHY OF LORD DUNSANY, Amory recounts (p.72) how Dunsany’s story “The Hashish Man” (check date) “drew a fan-letter from Aleister Crowley, the Great Beast and black magician, who praised it fulsomely but with one reservation”. In his letter Crowley wrote, “I see you only know it (hashish) by hearsay not by experience. You have not confused time and space as the true eater does.” There are other brief comments regarding “erotic magazines” which the author claims the Beast sent with his letter in hopes “to lead the young author into a maze of nameless vice and unwholesome delights”. IF the above story is true, Dunsany must have thought little of Crowley, for there is no mention of him in any of the four separate volumes of Dunsany’s autobiography that were published between 1938 and 1949. Crowley however continued to make sporadic references to Dunsany in his own writings. In “An Essay Upon Number” (see 777 and Other Qabalistic Writings, York Beach, ME: Weiser, 6th pr 1991, p. 36), Crowley discussing 741 says “this dogma is most admirably portrayed by Lord Dunsany in a tale called “The Wanderings of Shaun”. [This tale is not referenced in Joshi/Schweitzer]. Crowley also mentions Dunsany in reference to THE BLESSING OF PAN [1927] - see BOOK 4 new edition p. 210

Aleister Crowley, like Dunsany, was a world-class chess player. Dunsany invented in 1942 a variation of chess called “Dunsany’s Game’. One wonders whether Crowley ever learned to play this particular variation. No Dunsany biographies, autobiographies or bibliography mention Aleister Crowley, the magician and prophet of the New Aeon of Thelema. The connection between them is little known and slight, but the connection does exist. Ironically, Dunsany may not have been aware of Crowley’s admiration for him (as he was largely unaware of Lovecraft’s more fervent admiration). I have recently discovered (2003) that an unpublished essay by Crowley about Dunsany exists. It is “The Art of Lord Dunsany” (date unknown) and exists in a galley proof with other Crowley papers in the Crowley Collection of the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin. A further expansion of this article will take into account this Crowley paper. References Amory, Mark. BIOGRAPHY OF LORD DUNSANY London: Collins, 1972. Crowley, Aleister. BOOK 4: LIBER ABA. York Beach, ME: Weiser, 1994. Crowley, Aleister. THE CONFESSIONS OF ALEISTER CROWLEY. UK: Routledge Kegan Paul, 1979.

Crowley, Aleister. AN ESSAY UPON NUMBER. Edmonds, WA: Sure Fire Press, 1988. Crowley, Aleister. “”Good Hunting! An Essay on the Nature of Comedy and Tragedy”. The International 12, No 3 (Mar 1918); reprint in Laylah 3, No 1 (Mar 1996) Crowley, Aleister. THE GIANT’S THUMB. [US]: First Impressions, 1992. Crowley, Aleister. GOLDEN TWIGS. Chicago, IL: Teitan Press, 1988. (Edited with an intro by Martin P. Starr). Crowley, Aleister. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST BERNARD SHAW. Crowley, Aleister. 777 & OTHER QABALISTIC WRITINGS. York Beach, ME: Weiser, 6th pr 1991

then again in THE HILLOF DIONYSUS: A SELECTION (1962) also by Squires, (“The Hill of Dionysus is a ‘cycle’ of some 30+ poems including this one). appears to be about a somewhat unconventional sexual relationship which Smith may have shared with both a man and a woman. This type of relationship would now be referred to as polyamorous, a term coined by Morning Glory Ravenheart, co-founder with Oberon Zell Ravenheart of the USA’s Church of All Worlds. In his time, it would have been considered extremely unconventional; however such relationships have existed throughout history (reference THREE IN LOVE). The scene opens with Smith declaiming that “this is enchanted ground… a place fulfilled and circled round with fabled years and presences of Eld”.

Grant, Kenneth. HECATE’S FOUNTAIN. UK: Skoob Books,. 1992. Joshi, S.T. “Pegana and Its Analogues” in his LORD DUNSANY: MASTER OF THE ANGLO-IRISH IMAGINATION. Westport. CT: Greenwood Press, 1995. Joshi, S.T. and Darrell Schweitzer. LORD DUNSANY: A BIBLIOGRAPHY. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1993. Bibliography Symonds, John. THE KING OF THE SHADOW REALM: ALEISTER CROWLEY: HIS LIFE AND MAGIC. London: Gerald Duckworth, 1989. [This is essentially the third revised edition of Symonds’ book THE GREAT BEAST, first published 1951 and in an augmented ed in 1971].

The phrase “circled round” suggests magical practices, old rituals where the circle represents the sacred place of a magical working, and a circle drawn to separate off the grosser outside world from the sacred space within. Smith’s lines bear a faint resonance of Coleridge’s, from “Kubla Khan”, with its “weave a circle round him thrice, and close your eyes with holy dread”. There is a picture of the place that inspired the poem in Sidney-Fryer’s bibliography of Smith (see p. 262). It is called The Knoll, at San Raphael. It is noted that Smith, Eric Barker and Madelynne Green often came here on outings. In fact the photo is by Fryer (1967) In the first stanza Smith mentions both nymphs and satyrs, the women and men classical Grecian myth who frolicked in the woods and made love under the stars. As with many Smith poems of love which lasts through the ages, here we learn that

CLARK ASHTON SMITH & POLYAMORY © 2006 Leigh Blackmore The Hill of Dionysus (written 5 Nov 1942) (not published until after his death in a 12-copy edition by Roy Squires 1961 and

“these things have been before, And these are things forevermore to be; And he and I and she, Inseparate as of yore, Are celebrants of some old mystery”. Of course the relationship which exists between the three may be merely platonic, but given Smith is suggesting it is a deep triadic love which has lasted through the

ages, it is more suggestive of an erotic/ committed relationship than merely a Platonic one. We have some particularly delicate lines in: “Under the warm blue skies The flickering butterflies. Dancing with their frail shadows, poise and pass” Although even here Smith retains his usual penchant for reminding us that “all things must pass”, with the words “frail”, and “pass”. With the lines: “Now, with the earth for board, The bread is eaten and the wine is poured”, we have a clearly sacramental symbol, an embodiment of that Dionysian spirit for which Smith always stood – the sexual, wine-imbibing attitude as opposed to the Apollonian (intellectual) spirit. The threesome theme is confirmed again by “While she, the twice-adored” (that is, adored by two men) “Between us lies on the pale autumn grass” Again he emphasises the timeless nature of their love “Thus has she lain before, And thus we two have watched her reverently; More beautiful, and more Mysterious for her body’s nudity.” This is reinforced some lines later with a reinvention of the second stanza: “These things have happened even thus of yore, These things are part of all futurity; And she and I and he, Returning as before, Participate in some unfinished mystery”. The line with the pronouns puts them in a different order – the first time it was “he and I and she”. Smith seems to be playing with the combination, in both lines the poet being the central player or pivot, with the other two either side of him; the “he” and

“she” reverse their places in the second line. Some plangent lines of description of the woman follow: “Her hair, between my shoulder and the sun, Is turned to iridescent fire and gold : A witch’s, whereon Wild memories are spun” The poem concludes with classical references to Anteros. In Greek myth, Anteros ("return- or opposite-love") is sometimes the brother of Eros, the god of love. The latter languished of loneliness until Aphrodite gave Anteros to him as a playmate: love must be answered if it is to prosper. Anteros is also the god who punishes those who scorn love or do not return love of others. Smith says that in this worlds “Anteros is lord” but the poem looks to a place where “magical delight and sleep unfold” beyond that world. The final stanza is one of “respite and release from all that hampers us”, a plain statement of Smith’s ease with this pagan, Dionysian state of affairs that he is enjoying with his friends of two genders. Another classical reference rounds it out: “Where grape and laurel twine, Once more we drink the Dionysian wine, Ringed with the last horizon that is Greece”. Smith’s relations with women were complex. Early in his career, he was something of a ‘rake’, having affairs with several married women in Auburn. In 1916, when Smith was 23, he was in love with a woman called Iris (Behrends p. 19) who suffered from consumption (tuberculosis) and died of it before she was thirty. Smith’s later wife referred to this woman as “His first, hopelessly ill beloved” (CAS SL p. 12, quoting CAS to GS (26 July 1917; ms, NYPL). Smith seems to have been heartbroken by her death. For her (it seems certain) he wrote the immeasurably poignant lines of the poem “Winter Song” (Auburn Journal Nov 1923) which ends: “here on the darkening wold, In the bleak wind blown from space, I recall thy fugitive grace, And sigh for thy hair’s lost gold.”

Yet he was not in favour of marriage, at least at this time – he wrote “Marriage is an error I was never tempted to commit: I have not been in love with an unmarried woman since I was fifteen! Anyway, I object to marriage on moral grounds”. (To George Sterling, ALS, NYPL; CAS SL p. 59)

with Barker and Green, Smith expert Scott Connors has confirmed a polyamorous reading of the poem, based on information provided to him by Donald Sidney-Fryer. Connors states: “In a nutshell, you are correct in your deductions that their friendship was more than platonic. Eric was apparently very open-minded.” (email to LDB, Jan 10, 2006)

Yet later, aged 61, on 10 Nov 1954 he married Carol Jones Dorman, a widow with three children. This relationship seems to have been conventionally monogamous.

Smith’s great poetry collection delivered to Arkham House in Dec 1949, was dedicated to Eric Barker and Madelynne Green. (It did not see print until over twenty years later, in 1971)

His middle period seems to have been rather more experimental. We know that from the age of 45 to 48, Smith did “more living than writing” and became very close to poet Eric Barker (1905-73) and his wife, dancer Madelynne Greene.(?-?) Born 1893, so 45 in 1938 and 48 in 1941. These dates tie in to writing “Hill” in 1942. Unfortunately the whereabouts of correspondence of Smith’s with Eric Barker and Madelynne Green is unknown (CAS SL p. xxii) although a revealing letter of Greene’s to Fryer is printed in Fryer’s bibliography of Smith (see p. 154). In it she refers to “the love that bound us together during those years when we first knew each other, Ashton created his last cycle of love poems, The Hill of Dionysus, which he dedicated to me”. This letter is worth reading for Greene’s own impression of the intimate friendship that she, Barker and Smith shared. According to Fryer p. 20, the three remained very close until 1955, which is the year after he married Carol Dorman. He does mention them in several of the letters in SELECTED LETTERS, singling out for praise Madelyne’s artistic spirit and ability to transform poetry (including his) into dance. (See CAS SL, Letters 226, to Albert M. Bender, Nov 4, 1939, p. 327; Letter 235, to August Derleth (TLS, SHSW), Oct 29, 1941, p. 336; Letter 238, to August Derleth {TLS, SHSW], May 9, 1942, p. 339). It seems significant that Madelynne Greene was sent a copy of his will, which he had also sent to August Derleth; this suggests the closeness of their relationship despite Greene being married to Barker. While the references in Smith’s published letters do not make explicit his relationship

THE MANTICHORUS: COMMENTS ON LAST MAILING These comments are necessarily brief due to my shortage of time, but I would like to stress I greatly enjoyed reading all members’ contributions and look forward to the next round! Martin Andersson – Hyperborean Exhalations: Martin, you seem to acquire (and perhaps to read) an extraordinary number of books. A man after my own heart! The Miskatonicon report was fun. Oh that Australia had a contingent of Lovecraft fans big enough to warrant such a convention. My yahoo discussion group ‘The Australian HP Lovecraft Society’ seems to attract little interest; perhaps one day there will be more activity around HPL in this country. Ben Szumskyj - Quill is Mightier Than the Sword: I extend my condolences again on the death of your grandfather. Congratulations, though, on your distinctions in your university work! Ben, it would be great if you could send us a picture of yourself or include a picture on your zine. How about pictures of all members on the front page of the official mailing zine. I always wonder what the other members look like (this was the case when I was in EOD, as well).

Very good article on Denis Siluk’s fiction. I haven’t read any of Denis’s work and hope to get the opportunity one day when I am not poor and can buy books again! Also enjoyed the article/essay on Greek heroes. John Howard – When the ChangeWinds Blow: Greatly enjoyed your article on Carl Jacobi! It’s a pity Jacobin never wrote a novel or he may be a little better known than he is. You may be interested to know I have what appears to be a small original photo of Jacobi. I have a complete Arkham House collection and on going through some of the Jacobi books recently, I found this photo of the author tucked inside. I was quite excited and thought it a find that may interest the Browne Library for Popular Culture Studies at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, which houses (amongst other collections of interest to genre fans) the Carl Jacobi collection. I emailed the library offering them the photo or a copy of it for the collection, but they didn’t reply. Maybe they have enough photos of Jacobi. Anyway, if someone reminds me I will try and scan the photo and reproduce it in a future Mantichore. Scott Shaffer – The Dalriadic Chronicles: I enjoyed the story “Welcome to Paradise”, another take on Lovecraft, though I must confess I have almost given up reading Cthulhu Mythos stories after all these years because there are just so many of them. As for the mailing comments, I’m not really in the loop about controversies in the Robert E Howard world today, so I enjoyed your views but don’t have too much to add.

SUCCUBUS ©1984 Leigh Blackmore Dead moons slumber in your eyes; Pale and leprous is your face; Parchment-like your withered thighs That grip me in their dry embrace. Harsh your fingers as they move; Dry your breasts beneath my hands; My doom is this convulsive love You scrape my skin, as desert sands. I kiss your lips of chilly cold, I clasp your crumbling, death-like form. My mouth tastes full of bone and mould… My mind surrenders to the Worm. Written Thornleigh caravan, 17 June 1984. The lingering influence of Clark Ashton Smith on my poetry is evident here. This poem has the distinction of having been being rejected for publication in my own magazine, Terror Australis. The other two editors didn’t like it, and as our policy was that two out of three votes either way won, it didn’t go in!