Theos-Talk Archives (December 2001 Message tt00207)

In April 1998 I posted two articles on the above topic to Theos-
Talk. I post them again since they are relevant to what Steve Stubbs 
has been writing about in the last several days. The first article 
(Part I) is below. The next article will be posted separately.

Daniel

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Part I

Concerning Dallas TenBroeck's post and K. Paul Johnson's reply about
whether HPB smoked hashish or not, one must ask: Are these reports 
true or are they false? And how do we determine their reliability?

Mr. Johnson mentions the testimonies of Albert Rawson and Hannah Wolff
in which they claim that Madame Blavatsky smoked hashish. Does Mr.
Johnson believe these testimonies? I assume Mr. Tenbroeck would not.

And if K. Paul Johnson and others believe the hashish stories, do 
they ALSO believe the stories that H.P. Blavatsky drank
intoxicating liquors?

>From my Blavatsky files, I have an article by William Emmette Coleman
titled: "The Alleged Use of Intoxicating Liquors by Madame Blavatsky"
published in THE RELIGIO-PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL (Chicago, Illinois),
April 7, 1888, p. 7.

Mr. Coleman writes:

"I am not in the habit of making allegations, such as this concerning
Mme. Blavatsky's use of stimulating beverages, unless I have
substantial, trustworthy evidence of their truth. In this instance, 
my evidence concerning this lady's drinking habits in the particulars
stated was derived from the following sources:

(1) My late wife was a resident of the same house with Mme.
Blavatsky in Philadelphia in 1874 or 1875, on Girard street.
. . . . My wife was one of the most scrupulously truthful persons
I ever met, and I am confident that her statements concerning
Madame Blavatsky's [drinking, etc.] habits can be implicitly relied
upon.

(2) Several years before his death, Mr. D.D. Home, the
celebrated medium corresponded with me concerning Madame
Blavatsky. He informed me of a number of episodes in her
life that were known to him, all of a very damaging
character. . . . I had no cause to doubt the truth of
Mr. Home's statements concerning the Madame's personal
habits, and I was and am convinced that all that he
said was true, including her use of intoxicants.

(3 and 4) I have been told many details of Mme. B's
life, both while she was in Paris and in New York, by
two ladies formerly intimately associated with her. One
of these ladies . . . gave me a detailed history of the numerous
impostures practiced by the Madame alike upon Olcott and others
in New York. . . . I was and am convinced of the truth
of the statements made to me by these two ladies, including
those anent her personal habits. . . ."

So we have Daniel D. Home, Mrs. Coleman, and two other
ladies telling W.E. Coleman of Madame Blavatsky's
use of intoxicating liquors. Are their testimonies true?
Reliable? If Johnson and others believe the hashish stories,
what about the "liquor" stories?

Again, does Johnson and others believe the testimonies of
Emma Coulomb in her 1884 book and Vsevolod S. Solovyov in his
1895 book concerning Madame Blavatsky's gross impostures?

Madame Coulomb's and Mr. Solovyov's testimonies are QUITE
DETAILED AND LENGTHY in comparison to the testimonies concerning
Blavatsky's alleged uses of hashish AND liquor.

But the question to answer about all these claims is:

Are they true or false? And how can one determine
their reliability/unreliability?

Many Blavatsky students will indignantly dismiss these charges
against H.P.B. but will probably show little if any interest
in actually trying to determine whether the charges
are true or not. I contend that thoughtful students and those
inclined to the study of history might attempt to investigate
the subject without apriori acceptance or rejection of the
charges.

Some food for thought. . . .

Daniel H. Caldwell
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