MORTADELLO on THE ANGEL OF VENICE A COMEDY ALEISTER CROWLEY LONDON. WIELAND AND COMPANY 3, GREAT JAMES STREET, BEDFORD ROW MCMXILPREFACE HIS comedy is perhaps my first serious attempt at a work of art; previous lucubrations of mine having been works either of necessity or of piety: that is, of I fek obliged to tell the truth about something, cot I was definitely inspired. But the Angel of Venice (I protest)isa very cunning concoction. I had been revolving certain exposition by M. Henri Davray of Verlaine’s skill in treating the Alexandrine; and I couldn't let it stay there! Hence th form. I had also been meditating on Maeter- 1 cK’s method of obtaining atmosphere; but this went ail awry. ‘With regard to the matter of my proposed master piece, my mind was perfectly clear. Te must look like a Monticelli; it must smell like Muse ambsé; it aust fel lke July and August of 1911 in Paris; and above all it must taste like the Truffes au Champagne of the Café Riche. How it sounded dida’t mater so much. Well, there were difficulties. One cannot taste Troffes“ PREFACE au Champagne by themselves; they must be led up to subtly and emphatically. The jewel needs a setting My preliminary studies for this play have consequently cost me a great deal of money, incredible toil and thought, and nota little indigestion. | may as well confess it at once; I tried to dodge the artistic Boyg by drinking Mandarinette; and I fear that this stameful capitulation has left manifest traces throughout inuch of the play. But I cannot blame myself too severely: | made unweatied efforts, At first I tried to attain the proper degree of perfection on the basis of monotone—I ordereé a dinner harmonized from gold