''The Stratagem and other Stories'' is a small book of short stories written by

Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley (; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...

(1875–1947), occult magician, poet and self-proclaimed prophet of a new Æon.

The book was originally published in 1929 and one of a series of Crowley's works to be published by

Mandrake Press The Mandrake Press was a British small press founded by Edward Goldston and P. R. Stephensen in 1929. In 1930 the company had financial problems and a consortium led by Aleister Crowley formed Mandrake Press Ltd to take it over. The consortium w ...

after a period in which Crowley found it difficult to publish due both to his lack of funds, and his notoriety. Mandrake Press also published ''

The Confessions of Aleister Crowley ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley: An Autohagiography'' is a partial autobiography by the poet and occultist Aleister Crowley. It covers the early years of his life up until the mid-late 1920s but does not include the latter part of Crowle ...

'' volumes I and II, and '' Moonchild''. Crowley published few collections of short stories, but the title story received such a good review from British novelist Joseph Conrad when he published it in ''

The English Review ''The English Review'' was an English-language literary magazine published in London from 1908 to 1937. At its peak, the journal published some of the leading writers of its day. History The magazine was started by 1908 by Ford Madox Hueffer (la ...

'' that he thought it was a possible calling to conventional fame. The second story, "The Testament of Magdalen Blair," is the longest of the three and was originally published in ''The Equinox'' volume I, no.9 in 1913. It tells the haunting story of a psychic woman who delves into the dying, subconscious psyche of her husband and bears resemblance to

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...

's "Mesmeric Revelation" and "

The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" is a short story by the American author Edgar Allan Poe about a mesmerist who puts a man in a suspended hypnotic state at the moment of death. An example of a tale of suspense and horror, it is also to a c ...

". The third short story, "His Secret Sin", was first published in ''The Equinox'' volume I, no.8 in 1912 and has a pervert absconding with a photograph of the

Venus de Milo The ''Venus de Milo'' (; el, Αφροδίτη της Μήλου, Afrodíti tis Mílou) is an ancient Greek sculpture that was created during the Hellenistic period, sometime between 150 and 125 BC. It is one of the most famous works of ancient ...

. The inscription at the front of the book read:

"To the Memories of Three Dead Friends: Joseph Conrad, who applauded the first story;
Allan Bennett Charles Henry Allan Bennett (8 December 1872 – 9 March 1923) was an English Buddhist and former member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. He was an early friend and influential teacher of occultist Aleister Crowley. Bennett received ...
, Bhikku Ananda Metteya, who suggested the second, and Eugene John Weiland, who bowled me out over the third."

Editions

, UK, 1929 * Temple Press, UK, 1990,

Contents

Editions

References

See also