Mahatma Letter of Sinnett to/from KH - 1882 or 1883: Difference between revisions

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..........This letter has not been published previously. [[A. P. Sinnett]] wrote to [[Mahatma]] [[Koot Hoomi]], who added notes and gave the original to [[H. P. Blavatsky]], with instructions to keep the letter. The next known letter from K. H. to Sinnett, dated October 8, 1883, was '''[[Mahatma Letter No. 114]]''' (in chronological numbering system, or No. 83 in the Barker system).
>>>>>>>>>>>.This letter has not been published previously. [[A. P. Sinnett]] wrote to [[Mahatma]] [[Koot Hoomi]], who added notes and gave the original to [[H. P. Blavatsky]], who kept the letter.


== Notes from K.H. ==
== Notes from K.H. ==

Revision as of 16:14, 13 April 2022

UNDER CONSTRUCTION
UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Quick Facts
People involved
Written by: Koot Hoomi, A. P. Sinnett
Received by: A. P. Sinnett, Koot Hoomi
Sent via: unknown 
Dates
Written on: 1882, or 1883 before March
Received on: unknown
Other dates: unknown
Places
Sent from: unknown - probably Simla
Received at: unknown
Via: unknown

>>>>>>>>>>>.This letter has not been published previously. A. P. Sinnett wrote to Mahatma Koot Hoomi, who added notes and gave the original to H. P. Blavatsky, who kept the letter.

Notes from K.H.

KH added several notations to this letter in a green or blue-green pencil. The notes were meant for the eyes of Madame Blavatsky rather than Sinnett.

In the middle of page 4, KH added a notation:

and Mr Sinnett less that Hume yet

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NOTES:


Page 1 of Sinnett letter transcription, image, and notes

My dear Serene Highness,

This is a private note as regards my side of the border. I write, – as there has been a pause in the Eclectic Society’s proceedings, thinking you may like to hear precisely what I think of the situation. If you may be too busy to write to me specially, you may not be too busy to read. Hume’s first burst of enthusiasm has been curiously checked, but I hope soon to see him moving on again though at a more deliberate pace than at first. His late apathetic attitude has been due to the fact that his interest in this work is quite

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NOTES:

Page 2

unselfish. He looks on the whole work as yours, ‐ in which he has undertaken to help, on a prima facie belief that it is a good and practical work, tending to supply persons who have lost faith in their spiritual nature with new grounds for trusting in their (at least potential) immortality. He wants nothing for himself having, rightly or wrongly – a sufficient trust in his own convictions regarding the future life. If the whole fabric of the Society should collapse tomorrow, he would not feel personally a loser. But he argues, if I am to do any good in teaching others to build their faith on the rock of Occult

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NOTES:

Page 3

[2 - written at the top of the page] Knowledge, it is first necessary that I should know more about it than can be gathered though Madam Blavatsky. It is for you to decide, – not merely because the strength of the position is yours, but because he has no interests at stake in the matter,- whether you care to employ him on those conditions.

He argues:- “I do not know even that the Brothers exist. I believe it, because the intellectual difficulty of believing the contrary in face of all that has occurred is greater than that of believing the fact to be so. But this is not a position strong enough to justify me before my conscience in taking the responsibility of a great propaganda.” I do not mean that he thinks the idea to be

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NOTES:

Page 4

propagated is faith in the existence of the Brothers, but that their philosophy which we have to learn and propagate must be capable of ultimate substantiation by reference to the fact that there are people who know it to be true, by reason of their superior vision. Otherwise it is merely one more system of metaphysical speculation added to the hundred and one already offered to the world.

The revival of ancient Ayran [sic] learning and philosophy and the development of intellectual self respect among the nations of India is a good work, but not one to which he feels called on to devote this life [inserted – in green pencil: and Mr Sinnett less that Hume yet] He may be glad that indirectly his avowed respect for and interest in Occult philosophy may promote that work, but chacun a son metier [French – “each to his profession”]

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NOTES:

Page 5

that is not his specialty. [green pencil: Oh no!]

What is to happen next? Hume would say “that is really no business of mine. On the constructive proofs we have already had that the Brothers are – what they are described to be – we found our Society; in a spirit of enquiry. The prima facie case is such that we cannot be wrong is doing that. Are we to become enthusiastic hard working disciples? That depends upon how far our prima facie beliefs may be enabled to develop as we advance into certitude.”

You know the old rhyme: –

Lord Chatham with his sword drawn
Was waiting for Sir Richard Strahan:
Sir Richard, longing to be at 'em,
Was waiting for the Earl of Chatham.

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NOTES:

  • The old rhyme refers to a famous and disastrous quarrel. During the Walcheren Campaign of 1809, Admiral Sir Richard John Strachan disagreed with General John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Strachan, on military tactics, and the delay contributed to the deaths of 8,000 British troops to malaria. It is difficult to see why Sinnett found this anecdote to be appropriate in describing Hume's relationship to KH.

Page 6

That seems to me to be the present situation as regards Hume and your dear Serene Highness.

Shall I be able to clear the block on the line? I don’t know but of course I shall try. I have felt that some of the patience you have often told me to employ in other matters would be appropriate here so I have let things slide for a few days. But I will keep up a gentle pressure onwards and in a few days more I hope we shall get our rules published.

Meanwhile if the question should ever be asked by the higher authorities “What do they want?” The answer is that “they,” – the Eclectic Society want nothing, but conceive that if they are wanted to do anything more than found themselves they must be armed in some way with certitude that

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NOTES:

Page 7

[4 - written at top of page] the philosophy of Occultism which it is their aspiration to be enabled to teach for the consolation of a multitude of people destitute of faith,- rests on the knowledge possessed by philosophers of a grander caste than those who merely speculate. Now as regards the Eclectic Society Hume and I are one. It would be cowardly on my part to disguise my feeling that his views as I have endeavoured to set them forth here are entirely reasonable from his point of view, [green underscore] [green writing inserted above underlined words: his not ours] for the “constructive proofs” were of which I have spoken are mostly second hand for him.

But as regards your humble friend A.P.S. individually you will understand that I do not take up such an unselfish attitude

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NOTES:

Page 8

as that I have described as Hume’s. I want for myself to improve my acquaintance with the Occult World and yourself as far as that may be possible. But I realize the necessity of biding your time, and of endeavouring to earn privileges. I have written this explanation in the hope that I may do good to the society: I hope it may not do harm to me. In your own estimation I am sure it will not but with the possibility that in the present crisis my writing may attract attention from minds whose workings I cannot attempt to fathom, I feel almost afraid to put pen to paper.

My main drift is that even if you find Hume’s attitude impracticable it is not open to any censure [green underline]. [green ink inserted between lines: of course not To hurt his vanity would be the worse of crimes] If that be acknowledged there may be some way out of our difficulties.

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NOTES:

Page 9

[5 - at top of page] If you have time to send me a few lines in reply to one question I lately asked I should greatly value them en attendant mieux [French: waiting for better]. I want to understand the magnitude of my obligation to you in the matter of my wife’s recovery. I can’t bear to underrate it in my own mind. Would she probably have died if your great chief had not protected her? [green writing: Why talk of it? We have done our best and that is a fact among many untruths]

Ever your faithful A.P.S

PS. Disliking secrecy that can [paper torn] ... decided on show ...

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NOTES:

Page 10

[continued from P.S.] on `approval.

Having read him this; he read me a letter he has written to Chaterjee. I have asked him to let me forward it to you for your perusal. It seems to me to show that his late inactivity is in no way due to fickleness of sentiment but to the inherent difficulties of the situation as I have described them

[green writing:] Now is your [Blavatsky's] turn to come out and show the world how we can write K.H.

Be careful not to hurt Hume’s feelings [bottom of page torn]

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NOTES:

Context and background

..................The next known letter from K. H. to Sinnett was Mahatma Letter No. 114 (in chronological numbering system, or No. 83 in the Barker system). It was dated October 8, 1883.

The year of this letter is not stated, but can be derived from what Sinnett wrote about his September 1883 visit to Wiesbaden with members of the Gebhard family in the book Autobiography of Alfred Percy Sinnett.[1]

Physical description of letter

.............Two sheets of paper were folded and written on both sides. Notations by K.H. are in blue ink. This letter is in a private collection.

Publication history

This letter has never been published before.

Commentary about this letter

.............The chief significance of this letter is that it is a rare example of Sinnett's side of his correspondence with the Mahatmas, and that Madame Blavatsky was instructed to preserve it.

Additional resources

Notes

  1. Alfred Percy Sinnett, Autobiography of Alfred Percy Sinnett (London: Theosophical History Centre, 1986), 24.