Adyar Pamphlets

Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)

No. 111

Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)

by G.R.S. Mead
Reprinted rom The Theosophical Review, !olume """#! Pu$lished in 1%&' Theosophical Pu$lishing House( Adyar( Chennai )*adras+ #ndia The Theosophist , ice( Adyar( *adras. #ndia I (Wisdom) love them that love me Pro-. -iii( 1.. Where there is mystery it is genera!!y supposed that there must a!so be e"i!. - Byron /0T us or a e1 minutes turn our thoughts together to the 1oman 1ithout 1hom( in e-ery pro$a$ility( there 1ould ha-e $een no Theosophical mo-ement today as 1e understand it. /et us consider $rie ly the crude and $lundering 2uestion3 45o you $elie-e in Bla-ats6y78 To me this 2uestion sounds strange( sounds e-en( i # may say so( -ulgar. 4Bla-ats6y78 No one 1ho 6ne1 her( 6ne1 her thus tout court. 9or her enemies e-en( 1hile she li-ed( she 1as *adame Bla-ats6y or at least H.P. Bla-ats6y: 1hile or her riends and lo-ers she 1as Helena Petro-na( or H.P.B.( or the 4,ld /ady8 ; 1hich once ga-e occasion to a pretty 1itticism o a riend( 1ho slyly remar6ed that it 1ould ha-e $een a161ard had Madame $een Monsieur. <hen then such an uncompromising 2uestion as this is put to us( ho1 are 1e to ans1er it in utter honesty( i ( as is the case 1ith most o us 1ho ha-e studied the su$=ect( 1e re use to adopt either the ignorant position o $lind pre=udice( 1hich thin6s it ans1ers in alli$ly $y screaming the parrot;cry o 4tric6ster(8 or the( to me still more ignorant -ie1 o $lind credulity( that once on a time tried to parade our Theosophic streets proclaiming the Bandar;log mantra 4H.P.B. says(8 as the uni-ersal panacea or e-ery ill( and sol-ent o e-ery pro$lem ; a species o a$erration 1hich( # re=oice to say( has long ceased rom trou$ling us7 To this 2uestion( the only ans1er that the -ast ma=ority o our present;day ello1ship can gi-e( is perhaps some1hat on these lines3 <e ne-er 6ne1 *adame Bla-ats6y personally( and no1( at this late date( in ace o the a$solutely contradictory assertions made concerning her $y her riends and her oes( it is not to $e e>pected that 1e can pronounce magisterially on a pro$lem 1hich has $a led e-en her most intimate riends( or sol-e an enigma 1hich is as mysterious as the riddle o the ancient Sphin>. <hat 1e 6no1 is( that in spite o all that people ha-e said against the e>tra-agantly a$used 1oman or up1ards o a 2uarter o a century( the undamentals o Theosophy stand irm( and this or the -ery simple reason that they are entirely independent o *adame Bla-ats6y. #t is Theosophy in 1hich 1e are interested( and this 1ould remain an immo-a$le roc6 o strength and com ort( an ine>hausti$le source o study( the most Page 1

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Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)

No. 111

no$le o all 2uests( and the most desira$le o paths on 1hich to set our eet( e-en i it 1ere possi$le( 1hich it is not( conclusi-ely to pro-e that H.P.Bla-ats6y 1as the cle-erest tric6ster and most consummate charlatan o the ages. 9or surely e-en the most prodigal o sons may recall dim ; nay( e-en $right ;memories o the glories o the mansions o his ather?s house: his report need not $e necessarily alse $ecause he is in e>ile( eeding 1ith the 4s1ine(8 and gro1n li6e unto them. He may $y chance ha-e eaten o the 4moly8: his memory o home may $e coming $ac6. Nay( in this case( it has come $ac6( though seemingly in a chaotic rush( or in act and truth ; and this is 1hat really counts in the 1hole matter ; it has a1a6ened the same memory in many a one o us( his ello1 e>iles( 1ho $less him or the story ; a true 4myth8 ; 1hich he has told. All this and more( e-en the most cautious o us can ans1er( and so set H.P.B?s testimony concerning hersel ( the 4memories8 concealed 1ithin her $oo6s( 1hich memories none $ut the 6no1ing can 6no1( against( on the one hand( the aults o their scholarship ; or she 1as no scholar and ne-er claimed to $e one( a act that ma6es her 1or6 the more e>traordinary rather than helps to clari y the pro$lem ; and( on the other hand( against the t1enty years old inimical Report o a mem$er o a society 1hich is no1 distinguished $ut 1as then in its in ancy. #ndeed the enigma o H.P.B. is ridiculously ar rom $eing so simple as the er-ent $elie-ers in the in alli$ility o that -ery one sided account 1ould ha-e it to $e. The enigma o H.P.B. is( e-en or those 1ho 6ne1 her most intimately( insolu$le( as anyone may see or himsel $y reading the straight or1ard o$=ecti-e account o her( gi-en $y her li elong colleague in the 1or6( H.S. ,lcott( in his Old Diary Leaves. No one has in any 1ay gi-en so true a portrait o H.P.B. in her ordinary daily li e as has our President;9ounder: it is an account o utter honesty( hiding nothing( palliating nothing( $ut painting in $old stro6es the picture o that to me most humanely lo-ea$le $undle o ine>plica$le contradictions: that pu@@ling mi>ture o 1isdom and olly: that sphin> clad in motley: that success ul pioneer o a truly spiritual mo-ement (1ho 1as yet( to all appearances( the least itted to inaugurate such an e ort $ecause o her almost mischie-ous delight not only in outraging the ta$oos o con-entional thought( $ut also in setting at nought the canons o deportment 1hich tradition has decreed as the outer and -isi$le signs o a spiritual teacher): that re2uent cause o despair e-en to her $est riends( and yet( in spite o her utter incomprehensi$ility( the most 1insome o creatures. As or mysel ( 1hen # am con ronted 1ith the notorious S.P.R. (Society or Psychical Research) Report ; though # must con ess that # rarely hear anything a$out it no1adays ; # ha-e a -ery simple ans1er to ma6e: and it runs some1hat on these lines. Aou 1ho $elie-e in the S.P.R. in-estigator?s account say that *me. Bla-ats6y 1as a tric6ster( Aou did not 6no1 her personally: nor( as a matter o act( did the Committee 1ho adopted the in-estigator?s account. 0-en the in-estigator himsel had to get the data on 1hich he $ased his theory rom others( 1hen he arri-ed in *adras. #t is thus all at second;hand at the $est: e-en the in-estigator sa1 nothing at irsthand. /i6e the in-estigator( and li6e you 1ho $elie-e in his theory( # too 1as not there: #( there ore( ha-e no means o =udging at irsthand. # can only put the -ery ample 1ritten testimony and the still ampler un1ritten e-idence o her riends 1ho 1ere present( in a-our o H.P.B. against the accusations o t1o dismissed employees( adopted $y the missionaries( and a ter1ards endorsed $y the S.P.R. in-estigator( 1ho at that time seems to ha-e had no irsthand. ac2uaintance 1ith the simplest psychic phenomena( and to ha-e elt himsel compelled to e>haust e-ery possi$le hypothesis o raud( e-en the most a$surd( $e ore gi-ing *me. Bla-ats6y the $ene it e-en o the slightest dou$t. Page 2

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Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)

No. 111

Since those days( ho1e-er( such a change has come o-er the general opinion o the S.P.R. 1ith regard to psychic matters( and 5r Hodgson himsel has so undamentally altered his o1n position( o1ing to his no1 mature irsthand. e>perience( that one need not $e held to $e departing entirely rom an impartial =udgment in thin6ing it more pro$a$le that 5r Hodgson?s ine>perienced hypotheses 1ith regard to *me. Bla-ats6y are not to $e pre erred to the many years o testimony in her a-our $rought or1ard $y her riends in all countries. ,h( $ut ; some one 1ill say under the in luence o this notorious Report ; they 1ere all deluded( hypnoti@ed. She 1as( on the sho1ing o the e-idence( helped $y many s6il ul con ederates all o-er the 1orld: it 1as all a cle-er system o deception. This is indeed the main $urden o the hypotheses put or1ard $y this Report: on all occasions con ederates( trapdoors( etc.( hypnotism. Anything( e-erything( $ut the admission that H.P.B. 1as( e-en at times( so common a thing as an ordinary spiritualistic mediumB No: she must $e pro-ed lo1er e-en than that ; an unmitigated raud in e-ery direction. 0-en an impartial outsider must eel inclined to e>claim: Surtout pas trop de zle, Messieurs les n!uisiteurs B <e ha-e throughout presented to us the picture o nothing $ut a cunning prestidi"itatrice( 1ith the ela$orate preparations and care ully planned surprises( carried out $y astute con ederates. #t is true that this host o con ederates has ne-er $een $rought into court: they ha-e disappeared into the in-isi$le. #ndeed they ha-e( and that too not metaphorically: or rather( perhaps( they ha-e ne-er $een any1here else than in the in-isi$le( or did not H.P.B. call them elementals7 Be that as it may $e( #( or my part( 1hen in-estigating a su$=ect( pre er irsthand e-idence. # ha-e( there ore( as opposed to the endorsers o and the $elie-ers in this Report( so to spea6( ne-er le t her side: # 1or6ed 1ith her in the greatest intimacy( 1as her pri-ate secretary. The picture 1hich the Report paints o H.P.B. latly contradicts all my personal e>perience o her( and there ore # cannot $ut decline to accept it. # 1ent to her a ter the pu$lication o the Report( three years a ter( 1hen the outcry 1as still loud and suspicion in the air: or the general pu$lic o that day( $elie-ing in the impossi$ility o all psychic phenomena( naturally condemned H.P.B. 1ithout any en2uiry. # 1ent 1ith an accurate 6no1ledge o the Report and o all its ela$orate hypotheses in my head: it could not ha-e $een other1ise. But a -ery e1 months? irsthand. ac2uaintance 1ith H.P.B. con-inced me that the -ery aults o her character 1ere such that she could not ha-e possi$ly carried on a care ully planned raud( e-en had she 1anted to do so( least o all an ela$orate scheme o deception depending on the manipulation o mechanical de-ices and the help o cra ty con ederates. She 1as re2uently most un1ise in her utterances( and i angry 1ould $lurt out anything that might come into her head( no matter 1ho 1as present. She did not seem to care 1hat anyone might thin6( and 1ould sometimes accuse hersel o all 6inds o things ; aults and ailings ; $ut ne-er( under any circumstances( e-en in her 1ildest moods( did she e-er utter a sylla$le that in any 1ay 1ould con irm the speculations and accusations o 5r Hodgson. # am mysel con-inced that had she $een guilty o the things charged against her in this respect( she could not ha-e ailed( in one or other o her re2uent out$ursts or Page 3

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Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)

No. 111

con idences( to ha-e let some 1ord or hint escape her o an incriminating nature. T1o things in all the chaos o her cosmos stood irm in e-ery mood ; that her Teachers e>isted and that she had not cheated. But the irreconcila$les 1ill say3 ,h( she 1as too cunning or you: $esides( she glamoured you. The irreconcila$les are o course pri-ileged to say anything their ancy may dictate: it is ar easier to $e seemingly 1ise at a long distance and to imagine things as one 1ould desire them to ha-e $een( than to ha-e( li6e mysel ( to try to sol-e the actual pro$lem that 1as daily $e ore my o1n eyes( or three years and more( and the urther and still more comple> pro$lem contained in a most -oluminous literary output( e-ery page o 1hich one has read( and many o 1hich one has had in one 1ay or other to edit. <hat( ho1e-er( has al1ays $een a personal proo to mysel o H.P.B?s #ona $ides( is a purely o$=ecti-e thing( incapa$le o $eing e>plained a1ay $y impatiently casting it into the 1astepaper $as6et o psychological theoretics. To all intents and purposes( as ar as any o$=ecti-e 6no1ledge 1as concerned( # 1ent to 1or6 1ith H.P.B. as an entirely untried actor. # might( or all she 6ne1 to the contrary( ha-e $een a secret emissary o the enemy( or she 1as to my 6no1ledge spied on $y many. #n any case( supposing she had $een a cheat( she must ha-e 6no1n that it 1as a -ery dangerous e>periment to admit an untried person to her most intimate en-ironment. Not only( ho1e-er( did she do this( $ut she o-er1helmed me 1ith the 1holeheartedness o her con idence. She handed o-er to me the charge o all her 6eys( o her *SS( her 1riting des6 and the nests o dra1ers in 1hich she 6ept her most pri-ate papers: not only this( $ut she urther( on the plea o $eing le t in peace or her 1riting( a$solutely re used to $e $othered 1ith her letters( and made me ta6e o-er her -oluminous correspondence( and that too 1ithout opening it irst hersel . She not only metaphorically( $ut sometimes actually( lung the o ending missi-es at my headB # accordingly had re2uently to open all her letters and not only to read them $ut to ans1er them as $est # could: or this strange old lady cried out 1ith loud outcry to $e relie-ed o the $urden o letter;1riting( that she might 1rite her articles and $oo6s( and 1ould 1a> most 1rath ul and dri-e me out( 1hene-er # pestered her to ans1er the most pressing correspondence or e-en to gi-e me some idea o 1hat to reply in her name. No1 # am not saying it 1as right o a 1oman 1ho day $y day recei-ed a large $atch o letters( some o them ; many o them ; containing the most pri-ate thoughts o men and 1omen all o-er the 1orld( admitting the reader to the intimacy o their inner li e( )<hen some o her $itterest oes 1ere attac6ing her ; men and 1omen 1ho pre-iously had poured orth their con idences into her un1illing ears ; she e>claimed to me3 4CodB ho1 they must respect meB8 They 6ne1 she 1ould not ma6e use o their con essions against them.+ thus to entrust them to a young man comparati-ely ignorant o li e and almost entirely una$le to deal 1ith them( other1ise than each morning( so to spea6( to $eard the lion in his den ; or the ,ld /ady 1as leonine ; and persist in parading the most important o this correspondence $e ore the eyes o H.P.B.( to her e-en increasing annoyance and a regular periodical out$urst( 1hen $oth correspondence and secretary 1ere irst committed to an in ernal 1.p.$.( and inally some sort o a compromise 1as arri-ed at. # grum$led then( $ut no1 # re=oice( or so # learned in a short time 1hat might other1ise ha-e ta6en me many long years to ac2uire: $ut it seemed to me( and still so seems( to ha-e $een some1hat rough on her correspondents( unless indeed in many cases the ool had to $e ans1ered according to his olly ; and # 1as a use ul ool or that ans1ering side o the $usiness. Page 4

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But( $e this as it may $e( con-inced me 1holly and surely that 1hate-er else H.P.B. may ha-e $een( she 1as not a cheat or tric6ster ; she had nothing to hide: or a 1oman 1ho( according to the main hypothesis o the S.P.R. Report( had con ederates all o-er the 1orld and li-ed the li e o a scheming ad-enturess( 1ould ha-e $een not only incredi$ly oolhardy( $ut positi-ely mad to ha-e let all her pri-ate correspondence pass into the hands o a third party( and that( too( 1ithout e-en pre-iously opening it hersel . All this and much else pro-ed to me that H.P.B. 1as assuredly not a cheat and tric6ster( certainly not 1hile # 6ne1 her: and in e-ery pro$a$ility 1as not in the past 1hen # did not 6no1 her. , one thing( ho1e-er( # am certain( that # 6no1 ar more a$out H.P.B. her li e and 1or6( than those mem$ers o the S.P.R. 1ho ha-e persistently done their $est to disgrace her $e ore the 1orld( and that their hypotheses are ludicrously insu icient to unriddle that sphin> o the nineteenth century( H.P.Bla-ats6y 1ho 1as( at the lo1est computation( not only as interesting as a do@en *rs So and So?s( on 1hom the S.P.R. ha-e e>pended so much energy( $ut 1ho( urther( 1as the chie means o opening many 1indo1s into the greatness o things( not one o 1hich 1ill $e shut again( or the li e1or6 o the greatest o her detractors in the S.P.R. does $ut e-er more and more support her o1n contentions. 5o you $elie-e in H.P.B7 Aes: # $elie-e in H.P.B. As or H.P. Bla-ats6y( # ha-e no more high opinion o her than had H.P.B. hersel ( or she straitly distinguished $et1een the t1o: $ut # re=ect 1ith scorn the ludicrous attempt to e>plain e-en H.P.Bla-ats6y $y calling her a tric6ster and a common charlatan. # $elie-e irmly in H.P.B?s #ona $ides: $ut a$o-e all things # $elie-e 1ith all my soul in the great things she ought or( in the deep *ysteries o 1hich she ga-e tidings. # should( ho1e-er( li6e al1ays to $e allo1ed( i # can( to state them in my o1n 1ay( and( i # am a$le( to support them in my o1n 1ay( or # re2uently dissent rom H.P.B?s methods and rom her manner. She 1as illed 1ith imper ections( e-en as 1e all are( $ut she ; 1hen she touched a height( it 1as a great height. There 1as something colossal( titanic( e-en cosmic( a$out H.P.B. at times: indeed # ha-e sometimes had the apparently 1himsical notion that she did not $elong to this planet( did not it into this e-olution. But( indeed( 1ho shall unriddle the enigma o H.P.B.7 <hat did she not touch at times7 *ultiple> personality in contact 1ith multiple> personalities ; as comple> perchance as man?s 1hole nature( in miniature at leastB # ma6e the sur ace critic an unconditional present o the aulty apparatus o her contro-ersial 1ritings ; though that is perhaps some1hat too generous a gi t on all occasions. She 1as no scholar( had no training at school( or college( or uni-ersity: 1as no scientist( had presuma$ly ne-er 1itnessed a la$oratory e>periment in her li e: she 1as no mathematician( D)#ndeed her a-ourite ha$it 1as to count on her ingers. ,n one occasion 1hen she 1as engaged on a chapter o The Secret Doctrine( she called her niece into her room and addressed her some1hat as ollo1s3 4Here( my dear( you are a mathematical pundit: 1here does the comma go7 # am certain o the igures $ut can?t see 1here the con ounded comma comes in.8 This 1as the -alue o the circular measure o t1o right angles( and anyone 1ho has read the learned dis2uisition o the matter in The Secret Doctrine 1ill $e some1hat pu@@led to account or the act that the 1riter 6ne1 so little o mathematics as to con use the decimal point 1ith a commaB+ no ormal philosopher o the schools( could not( most pro$a$ly( ha-e told you the di erence $et1een the positions o Eant and Schopenhauer had you as6ed her ; and yet she 1rote on all these things( and Page 5

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Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)

No. 111

re2uently 1ith the greatest acumen. , all this # ma6e a present to the critic: # class all this as mostly ephemeral( as 1hat 1ill to a large e>tent pass a1ay( as 1hat has in some measure already passed a1ay( or science has gro1n much in later years and is no1 denying many things that she denied( and a irming many that she a irmed t1enty years ago. But the giant?s grip o the 1hole scheme o things( the titanic s1eep o 1orld;processes en-isaged( the cyclopean piling o hypotheses on hypotheses till her hypothetical ,ssas and Pelions reached to hea-en( and to the hea-en o hea-ens ; the resh atmosphere o li e and reality 1ith 1hich she surrounded her great e>positions ; all this # claim or her enduring reputation. She 1as a titan among mortals: she pointed the 1ay to me and to many others( and that is 1hy 1e lo-e her. Setting orth on the 1ay she sho1ed( 1e 6no1 she lied not as to the direction. ,ur titan 1as elemental( as indeed are all titans: $ut in laying oundations it is necessary to ha-e giants( and giants 1hen they mo-e cannot $ut 6noc6 o-er the idols in the shrines o the d1ar s. /et me then spea6 o a su$=ect o 1hich # presuma$ly 6no1 as much as e-en the most industrious ad-erse critic o H.P.B?s 1or6 ; her literary remains. # ha-e care ully read all she has 1ritten: much o it # ha-e edited( some o it # ha-e read many( many times. # thin6 # may say 1ithout any undue $oasting that no one 6no1s $etter than # do the $oo6s rom 1hich she 2uotes and the use she ma6es o 2uotations. She 1as( indeed( more or less mediF-al( or e-en( at times( 0arly;Christian( in her 2uotation 1or6: let us grant this ully in e-ery 1ay ;though perhaps 1e are a little inclined to go too ar in this no1adays. But 1hat # ha-e $een most interested in( in her 1riting( is precisely that 1hich she does not 2uote rom 6no1n sources( and this it is 1hich orms or me the main actor in the enigma o H.P.B. # perpetually as6 mysel the 2uestions3 <hence did she get her in ormation ; apparent translations o te>ts and commentaries( the originals o 1hich are un6no1n to the <estern 1orld7 Some ten years ago or more( the late Pro essor *a> *Gller( to 1hom all lo-ers o the Sacred Boo6s o the 0ast o1e so deep a de$t o gratitude( pu$lished his most instructi-e set o Ci ord /ectures( entitled Theosophy or %sycholo"ical Reli"ion. These # re-ie1ed in much detail( in a series o three articles in this R0!#0<. The aged Pro essor 1rote to me a 6indly note on the su$=ect( ta6ing e>ception to one or t1o points( and 1e e>changed se-eral letters. He then e>pressed himsel as surprised that # should 1aste( as he thought( 1hat he 1as good enough to call my a$ilities on 4Theosophy(8 1hen the 1hole ield o ,riental studies lay $e ore me( in 1hich he 1as 6ind enough to thin6 # could do use ul 1or6. A$o-e all( he 1as pu@@led to understand 1hy # treated seriously that charlatan( *me Bla-ats6y( 1ho had done so much harm to the cause o genuine ,riental studies $y her parodies o Buddhism and !edanta( 1hich she had mi>ed up 1ith <estern ideas. Her 1hole Theosophy 1as du r&chau$$& o misunderstood translations o Sans6rit and PHli te>ts. To this # replied that as # had no o$=ect to ser-e $ut the cause o Truth( i he could con-ince me that *me. Bla-ats6y?s Theosophy 1as merely a cle-er or ignorant manipulation o Sans6rit and PHli te>ts( # 1ould do e-erything in my po1er to ma6e the acts 6no1n to the Theosophic 1orld: or # naturally did not 1ish to 1aste my li e on a 4s1indle8 ; the epithet he once used o 'soteric (uddhism at an ,riental Congress. # there ore as6ed him to $e so good as to point out 1hat in his opinion 1ere the original te>ts in Sans6rit or PHli( or any other language( on 1hich 1ere $ased either the 4Stan@as o 5@yan8 and their commentaries in The Secret Doctrine( or any o the three treatises ound in The )oice o$ the Silence. # Page 6

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had mysel or years $een searching or any trace o the originals or o ragments resem$ling them( and had so ar ound nothing. # 1e could get the originals( 1e as6ed nothing $etter: it 1as the material 1e 1anted. To this Pro essor *a> *Gller replied in short note( pointing to t1o -erses in The )oice o$ the Silence( 1hich he said 1ere 2uite <estern in thought and there ore $etrayed their ungenuineness. # ans1ered that # 1as e>tremely sorry he had not pointed out the te>ts on 1hich any sentence o the 4Precepts8 or any stan@a o the 4Boo6 o 5@yan8 1as $ased: ne-ertheless( # should li6e to pu$lish his criticism( reser-ing to mysel the right o commenting on it. To this Pro essor *a> *Gller hastily re=oined that he $egged # 1ould not do so( $ut that # 1ould return his letter at once( as he 1ished to 1rite something more 1orthy o the R0!#0<. #( o course( returned his letter( $ut # ha-e $een 1aiting rom that day to this or the promised proo that H.P.B 1as( in these mar-ellous literary creations( nothing $ut a sorry centonist 1ho out o tags o misunderstood translations patched together a antastic motley or ools to 1ear. And # may add the o er is still open or any and e-ery ,rientalist 1ho desires to ma6e good the( to me( ludicrous contention o the late Nestor o ,rientalism. # ad-isedly call these passages( enshrined in her 1or6s( mar-ellous literary creations( not rom the point o -ie1 o an enthusiast 1ho 6no1s nothing o ,riental literature( or the great cosmogonical systems o the past( or the Theosophy o the <orld 9aiths( $ut as the mature =udgement o one 1ho has $een or some t1enty years studying =ust such su$=ects. Nor can it $e maintained 1ith any sho1 o con idence that the Stan@as and their Commentaries( and the 9ragments rom 1hat is called the Boo6 o the Colden Precepts( are ade2uately paralleled $y the 1ritings o spiritualistic mediumship: they are di erent rom all these( $elong to a di erent class o transmission. The Stan@as set orth a cosmogenesis and anthropogenesis 1hich( in their s1eep and detail( lea-e ar $ehind any e>isting record o such things rom the past: they cannot $e e>plained as the cle-er piecing together o the disconnected archaic ragments still preser-ed in sacred $oo6s and classical authors: they ha-e an indi-iduality o their o1n( and yet they $ear the hallmar6 o an anti2uity and the 1arrant o an economy 1hich the <estern 1orld thin6s to ha-e long passed a1ay. 9urther( they are set in an atmosphere o commentary apparently translated or paraphrased rom 9ar 0astern tongues( producing a general impression o genuineness that is di icult or a scholar 1ho has su iciently o-ercome his initial pre=udices to study them( to 1ithstand. As or the 9ragments 1hich purport to $e treatises o a mystic Buddhist school( they too $ear on their aces e-ery mar6 o genuineness( e-en in their heretical nature and in the sel ;con ession o their sectarian character. #t is ar more di icult to $elie-e they are orgeries( $egotten o a <estern $rain( than to $elie-e they are( i not literal translations( at least ree -ersions rom genuine documents( perhaps o the *ryasan"a school sermons or pupils on the Path. Almost 1ithout e>ception # ind that people 1ho loudly condemn H.P.B. 1hen as6ed 4Ha-e you read these things78 ans1er3 I,h( # really canJt $e $othered to read anything that 1oman 1rote: she 1as an Page 7

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Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)

No. 111

impostorI or 4No( # ha-e not read these things: and any1ay # am not an ,riental scholar( $ut Pro essor *a> *Gller in The +ineteenth ,entury(8 etc.( etc. All o 1hich is rather in a-our o H.P.B. than against her( or there must $e something almost superhuman on the side o one 1ho can arouse such $lind pre=udice in other1ise air;minded ol6. The enigma o H.P.B. 1hich no Report or a thousand such Reports can sol-e( among many other riddles( presents us in limine 1ith the 2uestion3 <hence did H.P.B. $ecome possessed o these things7 <hat is the most simple hypothesis to account or it all7 # you say she 1as a spiritualistic medium ; then you must e>tend this term enormously $eyond its ordinary connotation( and translate it into a designation o great dignity( and carry it up into the heights o e>alted genius: or nothing short o this( # am con-inced( 1ill satis y the unpre=udiced en2uirer. # ha-e tried e-ery hypothesis and e-ery permutation and com$ination o hypotheses o 1hich # ha-e heard or 1hich # ha-e de-ised( to account or these truly great things in H.P.B?s literary acti-ity( and # am $old to say that the only e>planation that in any 1ay has the slightest pretension to $ear the strain o the e-idence is that these things 1ere dictated to( or impressed upon( her psychically $y li-ing teachers and riends( most o 1hom she had 6no1n physically. #t is true that( as she hersel stated( and as 1as stated through her( she at times got things tangled up $adly( $ut she stro-e her $est to do her $est in most di icult circumstances. #ndeed( one o the most interesting acts in the 1hole pro$lem is that she 1as hersel as much delighted 1ith the $eauty o these teachings and ama@ed at the -astness o the conceptions as anyone else. # she hersel had in-ented them( she o ten 1ould say( then she 1as a 1orld;genius( a *aster( instead o $eing( as she 6ne1 she 1as( the -ery imper ect ser-ant 1ho simply declared there 1ere true *asters to ser-e. She might repudiate e-erything else( $ut this she ne-er gainsaid. 5ou$tless she has distorted many things( has not heard correctly( has transmitted them imper ectly( or she 1as e-er -ery ill and harassed( the o$=ect o ne-er;ceasing attac6( treachery( and ingratitude( in addition to $eing naturally o a -ery iery and tempestuous nature. All o 1hich things ma6e it all the more surprising that so much 1as achie-ed and not that more 1as not accomplished. The po1ers that 1ere used must thus ha-e $een -ery great( perhaps an earnest and oreshado1ing o 1hat may $e accomplished in the <est i ound necessary( and an a$solute departure rom the con-entional conditions o the contemplati-e li e as a means o illuminations. H.P.B. 1as a 1arrior not a priestess( a prophetess rather than seeress: she 1as( moreo-er( most things you 1ould not e>pect( as an instrument or $ringing $ac6 the memory o much that 1as most holy and 1ise in anti2uity. She 1as indeed as it 1ere the li-ing sym$ol o the seeming oolishness in this 1orld( 1here$y the 1isdom 1as orthshado1ed. #n this $irth( # am persuaded( # shall ne-er loo6 upon her li6e again: she alone has gi-en me the eeling o $eing in contact 1ith someone colossal( titanic( at times almost cosmic. # ha-e sometimes 1ondered 1hether this strange $eing $elonged to our humanity at all ; and yet she 1as most human( most lo-a$le. Had she run a1ay rom some other planet( so to spea67 5id she normally $elong to their e-olution7 -uien sa#e7 To all o such 2uestions none o us 1ho 6ne1 her and lo-ed her can gi-e any sure ans1er: she remains Page 8

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Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)

No. 111

our sphin>( our mystery( our dearly lo-ed ,ld /ady. She 1as not a teacher in any ordinary sense( or she had no idea o teaching in any orderly or systematic ashion: indeed she detested the -ery idea o $eing considered a spiritual or ethical teacher( cried out loudly against it( protested she 1as the least itted o all to $e called to such an o ice. No( she 1as $etter than that( $etter than any ormal instructor( or she 1as as it 1ere a natural ire at 1hich to light up enthusiasm or the greater li e o the 1orld( a mar-ellous incenti-e to ma6e one grip on to the pro$lems o sel ;6no1ing( a 1onder ul inspirer o longings or return( a true singer o the songs o home: all this she 1as at times( 1hile at times she 1as intensi ied con usion. #t is some thirteen years since H.P.B. departed rom her pain;rac6ed $ody( and yet someho1 or other 1ith each year my a ectionate remem$rance o her does $ut increase( and # e-er loo6 $ac6 to her and her 1or6 or inspiration to re-i-e the eeling o greatness and large;heartedness( and that resh atmosphere o reeing rom con-entionality 1hich meant springtime( and gro1th( and a $ursting o $onds( and a lo1ing o sap( and the remo-ing o mountains as the young shoots $urst rom their tiny mustard seeds and shoo6 the earth heaps rom their shoulders. #t 1as the -irile li e in her( the $readth o -ie1( the 2uic6 adapta$ility( the a$sence o prudery and pietism( the camaraderie( the camp;li e as it 1ere o those earlier days( that made the $lood circulate in the -eins( and the muscles tense or strenuous hardship and ad-ance into regions e-er more and more un6no1n. But 1hy do #( 1ho am no hero;1orshiper( allo1 mysel thus enthusiastically to 1rite o my 4occult mother; in;la1(8 as she humorously called hersel 7 # 6no1 not( e>cept that these are Stray Thoughts on Theosophy( and my thoughts not in re2uently stray to her 1ho set my eet on the 1ay( and that in 1riting a$out her # ha-e re-i-ed some deeper eelings than # had intended to arouse( or my main o$=ect 1as to lead up to a suggestion concerning <hite /otus 5ay( a suggestion 1hich has already $een adopted $y the President;9ounder at the last Ceneral *eeting o the Society. This paper ho1e-er( 1as 1ritten $e ore # recei-ed the Report o that meeting( and 1hen # had already 1ritten as ollo1s3 As the years roll round( on *ay the Kth( the day o her departure rom her $ody( many gatherings o Theosophists cele$rate H.P.B?s memory( and 1e call it <hite /otus 5ay( though 1hy precisely # 6no1 not. Perhaps it might ha-e $een $etter to ha-e ollo1ed the Platonists and ha-e chosen her $irthday or this 6eeping o her memory green( $ut $e that as it may $e( it 1as ne-er intended $y her riends to $e a day o lamentation ; and( indeed( # do not thin6 that any so regard it( and sure it is that H.P.B. hersel 1ould ha-e screamed out against any such a$surdity. 02ually 1ould she( # thin6( ha-e cried out( against any attempt at ma6ing such a gathering an occasion or pietism or hero;1orship. #ndeed( # 6no1 no one 1ho detested( more than she did( any attempt to hero;1orship hersel ; she positi-ely physically shuddered at any e>pression o re-erence to hersel ; as a spiritual teacher: # ha-e heard her cry out in genuine alarm at an attempt to 6neel to her $y an enthusiastic admirer. But 1ould H.P.B. desire to 6eep this day or hersel ( and thus to inaugurate the idea o starting a sort o calendar o Theosophical 4saints(8 and o adding to *ay Kth many other dates o departures o distinguished colleagues7 # thin6 not: # ha-e someho1 ne-er $een a$le to persuade mysel that H.P.B.( could appro-e o <hite /otus 5ay as it is. But since it does e>ist( # 1ould suggest that its utility might $e -astly increased $y 6eeping it as the day on 1hich 1e specially call to mind the memory o all our 1ell;6no1n colleagues 1ho ha-e le t the $ody ; not only o H.P.B.( though o her irst and oremost( $ut o T. Su$$a Ro1( o <. L. Mudge( though he did grie-ous 1rong( o Piet *euleman o Holland( o many others. /et us ma6e it a time o 6eeping clean the memory o the lin6s o the chain( a day o the history;ma6ing o those 1ho are as yet comparati-ely the e1( $ut 1ho 1ill ere long $e the great ma=ority o our Theosophical 9ello1ship. <hite /otus 5ay i you 1ill( $ut Commemoration 5ay as 1ell. Page 9

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Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)

No. 111

At the same time our President;9ounder 1as settling it all at Adyar on these lines( and the suggestion is no1 a act accomplished. But enough or the moment o these Stray Thoughts concerning H.P.B.

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