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Huxley (Aldous, 1894-1963 & Osmond, Humphry, 1917-2004). A good group of 8 letters from Huxley and Osmond to Anthony Rossiter concerning hallucinogenic drugs and related matters, 1962-67, comprising 3 Autograph Letters Signed, 'Aldous Huxley', California & London, 6 March, 7 June & 13 September 1962, all to Anthony Rossiter the longest first letter thanking him for his letter and the opening pages of the pendulum book, 'I hope you will soon complete this account of your experience; for I am sure it will contain much that the rest of us will find enlightening. My own experiments with mescaline LSD and psilocybin have helped me to understand many things in the fields of art, religion and philosophy which, before, had seemed incomprehensible or had passed unnoticed. (Some of these insights were set down in the sequel to The Doors of Perception – "Heaven & Hell". Others I have tried to set forth in the final chapter of my forthcoming utopian phantasy "Island".) But there is so much more to be recorded and reflected upon, and you, I would think, are one of the few people adequately equipped, by talent and pendulum-temperament, to do it...', suggesting it would be a good idea for Rossiter to contact his friend Dr Humphry Osmond 'who first gave me mescaline...' and giving his address, written in black ink on both sides of a folding air mail letter with postally-used address panel; the second letter written in a large hand in black ink on plain paper with filing holes, offering to meet up should Rossiter ever come to Los Angeles, and the final letter to Rossiter now in New York saying that he is now in London and expects to be back in California in early October, wishing him luck with his book and painting, both 1 page; together with: 3 Autograph and 2 Typed Letters Signed, 'Humphry Osmond', 1962/1967, all to Anthony Rossiter following their introduction by Aldous Huxley, all concerning Rossiter's ideas as set forth in his autobiography The Pendulum and Osmond's own thoughts and observations about mental illness and drugs, a total of 8 pages, the earliest autograph letter damaged by biopredation (near-contemporary complete typed carbon copy supplied by Rossiter), one other typed letter with old marginal sellotape remains, various sizes, plus Rossiter's paperback copy of Huxley's book The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell (Penguin, 1960 reprint), heavily underscored and marked by Rossiter throughout with scattered comments, mostly in pencil, ink ownership signature and note to half-title, original printed orange wrappers, 8vo (Quantity: 10) Provenance: From the family, by direct descent. For further information please see https://www.anthonyrossiter.co.uk Humphry Fortescue Osmond (1917-2004) was an English psychiatrist who moved to Canada and later the United States. He is known for inventing the word psychedelic and for his research into interesting and useful applications for psychedelic drugs. Osmond also explored aspects of the psychology of social environments, in particular how they influenced welfare or recovery in mental institutions. In 1953, Aldous Huxley was a renowned poet and playwright who, in his twenties, had gone on to achieve success and acclaim as a novelist and widely published essayist. He had lived in the USA for well over a decade and gained some experience screenwriting for Hollywood films. Huxley had initiated a correspondence with Osmond. Huxley lamented that contemporary education seemed typically to have the unintended consequence of constricting the minds of the educated, closing students' minds to inspiration and many things other than material success and consumerism. Huxley asked Osmond whether he would be kind enough to supply a dose of mescaline. In May of that year, Osmond travelled to the USA for a conference and, while there, gave Huxley the requested mescaline and supervised the ensuing experience in Huxley's neighbourhood. As a result of his experience, Huxley produced the book The Doors of