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[[File:Emma Hardinge Britten.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Emma Hardinge Britten]]
'''Emma Hardinge Britten''' was an American [[Spiritualism|Spiritualist]], [[medium]], lecturer, and author who was present at the  [[Founders|founding]] of the [[Theosophical Society]] in September, 1875.

According to [[Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|''Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'']]:<br>
<blockquote>
Britten, Emma Hardinge, a well-known spiritualist in America, elected one of the [[Council of the Theosophical Society|Councillors]] of the [[Theosophical Society|TS]] at the [[Founding of the Theosophical Society|organizing meeting]] in New York on September 7, 1875 ([[A Short History of the Theosophical Society (book)|SH]], p. 82). Some of the early meetings of the TS were held in her home ([[A Short History of the Theosophical Society (book)|SH]], p. 100). Author of the book, ''Art Magic'', which she announced was written by "an adept" of her acquaintance, Louis Constant (apparently not the one who used the pseudonym of [[Éliphas Lévi Zahed|Éliphas Lévi]]) for whom she was "acting as translator and secretary." She left the TS fairly soon, however, became hostile, and joined with [[Elliot F. Coues|Prof. Coues]] and others in spreading calumny about [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|HPB]]. See biography, [[H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings (book)| HPB]] I: 466-7; [[The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|ML]], p. 50; [[A Short History of the Theosophical Society (book)|SH]], pp. 111, 275.<ref>George E. Linton and Virginia Hanson, eds., ''Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'' (Adyar, Chennai, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), 221.</ref>
</blockquote>

According to historian [[Josephine Ransom]]:
<blockquote>
Mrs. EMMA HARDINGE BRITTEN had been before the public for forty years as a Spiritualistic medium, inspirational lecturer, and authoress. Some of the early meetings of The Theosophical Society were held in her house. Her presence was considered necessary at the "formation" of The society. She published in her book, ''Nineteeenth Century Miracles'', 1884, almost the only extant account of the meeting of [[September 7|7 September]]. Just about the time [[Isis Unveiled (book)|''Isis Unveiled'']] was appearing, she was advertising a book called ''Art Magic''. When sending the unpublished advertisement to [[Henry Steel Olcott|Col. Olcott]], she pointed out that the book anticipated, without any concerted action, whatever of Cabalistic lore the said Theosophical society might evolve. The book, she announced, was written by an adept of her acquaintance - the Chevalier Louis Constant - a life-long honoured friend, whom she had met in Europe and for whom she was acting as translator and secretary. Some persons hinted that the book was really being brought out by The Theosophical Society, and this provoked her wrath. She wrote to the newspapers that she looked upon such a statement as a libel, and instructed her legal adviser to take action against anyone who asserted either publicly or privately that the work in question had anything to do "with Col. Olcott, Madame Blavatsky, the New York Theosophical Society, or anything or person belonging to either those persons or that Society." Col. Olcott pointed out that thought there was some grave errors in the book, yet it marked a "literary epoch in American literature and thought."
<br>
<br>
Though Mrs. Britten left the Society fairly soon, she had a certain amount on contact with its leaders until 1890, when she joined with [[Elliott F. Coues|Prof. Coues]] and others in spreading the calumny that ''Isis Unveiled'' was written by [[Baron de Palm]].<ref>Josephine Ransom, ''A Short History of The Theosophical Society'' (Adyar, Madras, India: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1938), 110-111.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Writings ==

Mrs. Hardinge-Britten was a prolific writer. The [[Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals]] lists '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=Emma+Hardinge+Britten&s=author 8 articles that she wrote]''' for ''The Theosophist'' and ''Psypioneer'', and also '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=Emma+Hardinge+Britten&s=title 22 articles about her]'''. 

She is best known for histories of the Spiritualist movement in America and as founder of the magazine ''The Two Worlds'' at Manchester, England.

* '''''Modern American Spiritualism'''''. New York, 1870.
* '''''Ghost land; or Researches into the Mysteries of Occultism'''''. Boston, 1876.
* '''''Art Magic; or, Mundane, Sub-Mundane and Super-Mundane Spiritism'''''. New York, 1876.
* '''''Faith, Facts and Frauds of Religious History'''''. 
* '''''Nineteenth Century Miracles'''''. Manchester, 1883. Available at [http://www.ehbritten.org/texts/primary/ehb_nineteenth_century_miracles_1883.pdf ehbritten.org] or a better copy at [https://ia800209.us.archive.org/13/items/nineteenthcentur01brit/nineteenthcentur01brit.pdf Hathitrust].
* Preface to '''''A Biography of James M. Peebles''''' by J. O. Barrett. Boston: Wm. White & Co, 1872. 303 pages. Several editions. Available at [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100336629v Hathitrust],.

== Additional resources ==

* The [[Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals]] lists '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=britten&s=author 10 23 articles by Emma Hardinge Britten]''' and '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=britten&s=title 34 articles about her]'''.
* [http://ehbritten.blogspot.com/2015/09/?view=classic Chasing Down Emma] blog by Marc Demarest. Subtitled "Resolving the contradictions of, and filling in the gaps in, the life, work and world of Emma Hardinge Britten. Notes from the field, notes and queries, love notes, notes from underground, notes of desparation..."
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/hardinge-britten-emma Hardinge-Britten, Emma] in Theosophy World.

== Notes ==
<references/>

== Additional Resources ==
* '''"Chasing Down Emma"''' at [http://ehbritten.blogspot.com# Blogspot.com].
* '''Emma Hardinge Britten Archive''' at [http://www.ehbritten.org/ ehbritten.org].

[[Category:Founders|Britten, Emma Hardinge]]
[[Category:Associates of HPB|Britten, Emma Hardinge]]
[[Category:Spiritualists|Britten, Emma Hardinge]]
[[Category:Writers|Britten, Emma Hardinge]]
[[Category:Lecturers|Britten, Emma Hardinge]]
[[Category:Nationality American|Britten, Emma Hardinge]]
[[Category:People|Britten, Emma Hardinge]]