Theos-Talk Archives (April 1998 Message tt00116)

April 7th 1998

Dear "alpha":

RE: SD editions

Theosophy Company, Los Angeles, publishes a photographic reprint
of the original SD of 1888 edited as HPB issued it originally --
without alterations of any kind.

Theosophical University Press in Pasadena publishes an almost
exact version of the original SD of 1888, but on comparison
certain changes (editings) made by Boris de Zircov were found to
be introduced into the text on the thesis that these were errors
made inadvertently in the original.

In 1889 while HPB was still alive a 2nd printing of the SD was
done using the original plates.

1n 1893 under the editorship of Annie Besant and G.R.S.Mead a
"third and Revised edition of the SD was issued with over 40,000
alterations made by them which HPB never saw or authorized. The
type was at that time entirely reset.

It is quite probable, as you say, that the esoteric codes said to
be embedded in the "original" have been mutilated,if not
distorted.

In 1897 the "3rd Edition" was again reprinted and also at that
time a spurious

 "Third volume of the SD" was issued, edited by Annie Besant
which included unedited, "unarranged" manuscripts of HPB and
other material.

In 1925 the ULT ( Theosophy Company, Los Angeles) issued the
photographic reprint of the SD so that students would have it for
continued reference. It was again reprinted in 1947 and more
recently again issued -- all from from photographs of the
original (1888) edition's pages.

In 1938 the T.P.H. Adyar, etc. issued a 6 volume edition in reset
type copying the 1893 "Third and Revised edition."

An excellent INDEX to the SD has been issued by theosophy company
in 1939. Early this year another excellent INDEX has been issued
by Theosophical University Press, Pasadena
which embodies all the references so far printed, and includes
many fresh ones due to the efforts of a number of students.

That is as far as my records on its publishing go.

 Best wishes,
Dallas

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