I stumbled upon the attached picture when I was searching around recently, It shows Mathers taken in 1911 by the Daily Mirror. It is an interesting picture as it shows that Mathers' hair had gone white and he appeared to be dying it to keep himself looking as if he had succeeded making the philosopher's stone.
In 1911 he gave an interview to the Daily Mirror and apparently forgot to touch up his roots. As a result he has ended up looking remarkably like the Bride of Frankenstien. We wonder if his Secret Chiefs approved.
Given the fact that Mathers was supposed to be dapper he looks a bit dishevelled, like someone who has spent the night drinking a little too much potion of eternal youth.
Mina would later complain that he was “drinking a little too much” – a problem that got worse after he returned from the UK. It might explain why he was unable to bring in much new information for the AO, although Mina later told Yeats that despite him being sick for three months during the First World War he was fit right up to the day he died.
If he was quaffing the Elixir of Youth, I don't think it did him much good.
ReplyDeleteApparently there's a good alchemical potion for turning fair hair to dark hair, however. It's a secret Third Order teaching though.
I wonder if we'll see many GDers follow suit after this latest revelation ;)
LVX,
Dean.
Doesn't a head of white hair speak of wisdom and enlightenment? (Hope so, mine went white overnight). But revealing his true hair color. I think that some may find that unforgivable ;P
ReplyDeleteBut the secret chiefs say that grey hair is unforgivable... although I would have thought it was better that they advise maintaining the hair dye at all times. I have grey hair (the bit that is left, maybe that is why the Invisible chiefs dont meet me on the street).
ReplyDeleteAh! The ol' Divine White Brilliance Formula!
ReplyDeleteYawn.
ReplyDeleteYou'd think he'd at least smile for the camera. He looks miserable! I suspect that Mathers, like Crowley, started off with a lot of genuine energy, enthusiasm and spirit, but when the initial excitement of the magical lifestyle wore off, they started to rely on alchohol (alchohol and drugs in Crowley's case) to get back that feeling of excitement and inspiration, they had really made the mistake that would finish them as magicians of any respectability. When you reach those spiritual plateaus, staying sober and stepping up the self-introspective type of meditation or some form counselling are really the only legitimate ways through it. The more the problem is drugged out the longer it remains hidden.
ReplyDeleteAh, you can dress a journalist up, but you can't take them anywhere!
ReplyDeleteI admit you had me going there for a sec with this one.
Not to encourage you or anything, we know you are incorrigible.