From Newsgroup: comp.lang.lisp

Tim Bradshaw wrote:

I bought my copy of CLtL second hand during a trip to the east coast
of the US in the late 80s. I found it in a curious little bookshop
whose owner was, perhaps, a little more strange and unpleasant than
the owners of second-hand bookshops usually are. I was only learning
Lisp at that time, and perhaps did not realise the significance of
what I'd found.

The copy was battered and heavily annotated in various hands. The
most important thing I did not discover until my return to the UK - to Cambridge, coincidentally. Between two pages were a couple of folded
sheets of fan-fold paper, with part of a listing. It was DEC
assembler, although some of the mnemonics had rather odd names, and
was, perhaps, part of the listing of a version of TECO.

There was writing on the reverse, which seemed to be some kind of
entry in a journal. I'll give it here as best I remember it. I feel
it may bear on the GETF issue.

----

Cambridge, 5/21/77. I saw them again last night, in the lab. Three of
them, perhaps four. The same as before? They are not [several words
heavily scored through]. One - the leader? - larger than the others, ten[elided] indescribable. Same smell. Hard to make out what they were saying, voices somehow *thick*. Talking about something called "the
chetef device"? CH like loch. What is it they are planning?
Something about sowing confusion in the minds of the weakest to open a
door - what kind of door?

5/22/77. They were there again. More clear this time. Number still
seems to vary somehow: don't understand, perhaps [elided]? The leader
was instructing the others. They seem to plan a new language (new
dialect?), which will somehow contain or enable this "chetef device".
And this device will open something. But what? Discussion of
"vessels" - ships? Mention of LISP: is it a new dialect of LISP they
are planning?

5/23/77. Much clearer. Perhaps too clear. They ARE USING US TO
CREATE A DOOR THROUGH WHICH [elided]. The language contains subtle inconsistencies which will destroy the minds of those they call "pure
ones" or "weak ones" and they will occupy the husk remaining, before [elided]. Terrible fate for [elided]. S[unreadable]eme, surely this
can not be part of their plan?

[The rest of the document is mostly unreadable: some fragments I could decipher.]

THEY KNOW MY NAME! [illegible] one of the vessels. How can I escape?

[illegible] not "chetef", "getf" [elided] can this mean?

[Several lines crossed out.]

They are coming. I can see them. Even with my eyes closed I can see
them. I must prevent this, I will not be [illegible]. No. NO. They
will not [illegible]. Resist. My name. My name is [illegible] My
name ... oh, what does it matter who I was?

[Some partly-formed letters followed, and a curious, greenish stain.]

----

Unfortunately I no longer have the book: I remember it had several
pages torn out, and some of the annotations were, frankly,
disturbing. I kept the paper for longer, but the nightmares, even
during the day, became too much, and I burnt it.

H. P. Lovecraft
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