Blavatsky Letter to a Group - MHM No. 42

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Written by:	H. P. Blavatsky
Received by:	The Theosophists
Sent via:	unknown
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Written on:	unknown
Received on:	after 7 November 1885
Other dates:	unknown
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Received at:	unknown
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This letter is Letter No. 42 in Mrs. Holloway and the Mahatmas. Mahatma H. P. Blavatsky writes a letter planned for publication in The Theosophist about Man: Fragments of Forgotten History, the book written by Laura C. Holloway and Mohini Mohun Chatterji.

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Page 1 transcription, image, and notes

Gentlemen and Brothers,

Having received and still receiving a number of letters from Theosophists asking me for the meaning of the great discrepancy between the doctrine of Rings and Rounds in Esoteric Buddhism and Man, — and enquiring which of the doctrines I approve of and accept, I take this opportunity to declare the following.

There is a mystery connected with the writing and publication of MAN which I am not at liberty to make public in all its details. But since my name is in it and that the book is inscribed to me — I become indirectly responsible for its contents. Therefore shall I try to explain as much as I am permitted to.

MAN is the production of two “Chelas” of whom one the “Eastern Chela” was a pucka disciple, the other the “Western Chela” — a candidate who failed. I could certainly never recommend the book as a standard work on Theosophy as it now stands, but ask the Theosophists to have patience and bear with it until it comes out in its second corrected edition. The “Western Chela” left it in a chaotic half-finished condition and went away from London, leaving the “Eastern Chela” in a very perplexed state. Those who had ordered the book to be written to try the psychical developments of Chela and Candidate — would have nothing more to say about it. Finding himself alone and left to his own resources, unwilling to meddle more than he could help with the MS. of his ex-colleague, the “Eastern Chela” did the best he could. It was found impossible to publish it as it stood: he finished those portions he had undertaken, rewrote many of the passages from the pen of the other amanuensis and left it to stand or fall upon its own merits. In justice, we must say that, with the exceptions of those portions that relate to the Rounds, Root-races and Sub-races in which there is a most terrible confusion, there is nothing incorrect in the book. On the contrary, there is much of very important information in it, but on account of the confusion above described, it cannot be recommended as a book of reference. In the Secret Doctrine, all the errors and misconceptions shall be explained away and corrected, I hope.

Fraternally yours,

H. P. Blavatsky

November 7, 1885.

IMAGE NOT
AVAILABLE

NOTES:

Physical description of letter

The introduction to this letter in the Blavatsky Collected Writings Volume 6, pages 412-413, gives this description of the letter:

The following statement by H. P. B. exists in manuscript form in the Adyar Archives. The main body of the text is in a handwriting that has not been definitely identified, but may be that of Bawajee. The title, the words “Gentlemen and Brothers,” and a notation above the title containing the two words, “in Correspondence,” are in H. P. B.’s own handwriting. At the conclusion of the statement, “fraternally yours,” H. P. B.’s signature and the date are also in her own handwriting.

Publication history

This letter was was never published before its inclusion in the Blavatsky Collected Writings, Volume 6, pages 412-413.