Monsieur Harrisse
Monsieur A[lfred]. Harrisse was a French amateur artist who drew the first portrait of Master Morya in black and white crayons at The "Lamasery" in New York, on February 11, 1878.
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was introduced to Alfred Harrisse by her old friend Lydia Pashkova early in 1878.
In the course of [Pashkova’s] short stay here, [she] turned the heads of half a dozen artists and homme d’affaires,” Curtis writes. “She met Mr. Harrisse, of the Haitian diplomatic service, and by him was introduced to small social circle of friends, among whom was an old friend, Madame Blavatsky.[1]
HPB later wrote:
You could not have been presented by a more welcome friend than our lighthearted sneering little French “BulBul,” my beloved “petite vielle” [Fr. little old woman] A. Harrissee[.] His introduction was not required though, to make me know a name which the zephyrs of social fame had long since wafted to the four quarters of the world.[2]
Journalist David Curtis reported in 1888 that "Harrisse was still pursuing the placid life of Haitian diplomatist the last time I saw him, which was two or three years ago."[3]
Notes
- ↑ David A. Curtis "A Modern Sibyl," The Los Angeles Evening Express (Los Angeles, California) April 21, 1888.
- ↑ H. P. Blavatsky to unknown correspondent. January 31, 1882. She was writing from Bombay. This letter was transcribed from a photocopy in Vault MSS 2, box 6 folder 45; Fred A. Rosenstock autograph collection; L. Tom Perry Special Collections; 19th Century Western & Mormon Manuscripts; 1130 Harold B. Lee Library; Brigham Young University; Provo, Utah 84602. Discovered there by Daniel Caldwell. The original was sold by the library and its current whereabouts are unknown.
- ↑ David Curtis, “A Queer Crowd,” The Philadelphia Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) April 21, 1888.
