Theos-Talk Archives (July 2003 Message tt00195)

>From all my heart, I wish to thank Tony for this most vital information.



To be honest, I was not absolutely sure that HPB never used the word
"communist", but, despite the fact that I could not be so, I relied on the
Index of the CW.



I had not the faintest idea that not only the Index (both the separate index
volume, and the appended index to each volume) is utterly unreliable but the
entire CW series itself. Because if it is true that Boris Zirkoff dared to
"edit"-a much better word for what he did would be DISTORT-HPB in any way,
let alone to such an extent that "it happens a lot in...THE COLLECTED
WRITINGS of HPB (all 14 volumes)", then, I must say, the CW is basically
unquotable because it cannot be seen as a critical edition that guarantees
text fidelity from a scientific standpoint.



I felt always highly uncomfortable with Boris de Zirkoff's footnotes in the
CW. His arrogant tone in which he put himself above HPB, pointing out on
every possible occasion that HPB "was half inventing" a text version of some
obscure antique original source, or that she was "quoting in an imprecise
manner", or insinuating that it was "doubtful that what HPB alleged as a
source ever existed in that form" was ever a source of great sorrow to me,
and I could never understand it. I kept asking myself, why would anyone
think he or she knew better than HPB, and why would especially Zirkoff do
that, the last living relative of HPB? But that he would have the audacity
to go ahead and positively change what she wrote, would have been
inconceivable to me. I am flabbergasted; and I wonder how much Adyar as an
entity knew about the real contents of what they published.



I always felt the most comfortable when reading the old original edition of
the Theosophist or Lucifer. Just to hold those old volumes in hand, with
their yellowish paper half falling apart, gives you quite a different force.
When will we republish those originals, I mean as a photographic reprint?
Half of what HPB wrote are anyway missing from the CW, because it was either
unsigned, or signed by a pen-name which Zirkoff was not willing to recognize
as HPB. But why those magazines of ours should be reprinted verbatim, has
also a third reason, and that is perhaps the most important one: every one
writing for The Theosophist (and Lucifer, and Le Lotus) wrote UNDER HPB's
INFLUENCE. I do not mean that each of us were robots around her, what I mean
is that she inspired articles, and sometimes positively wrote them through
somebody else's pen. What I have in mind, in part, is what Olcott mentions
in reference to the writing of that wonderful piece on THE ELIXIR OF LIFE,
the opening article in Five Years of Theosophy, which was written by
Godolphin Mitford, and yet, as Olcott indicates, wholly under the influence
of HPB. So, to read HPB in her entirety, all of her magazines should be
read, the full content of her magazines, not only selected articles bearing
her signature.



There has been this initiative to republish The Theosophist, I think the
first two volumes came out as photographic reprint . Why wasn't it
continued, up to May 1891? The same could be done with Lucifer.



This discovery by Tony shows, and proves again the principle HPB left us:
that Theosophists, coming together in a spirit of brotherhood, and studying
with open hearts and minds in a group, can truly make more advance in one
single day than alone, and isolated, in one whole incarnation. Let us never
forget that each and every one of us, no matter where located and regardless
of group affiliation, are part of one family,-and I mean this literally-
literally, the family of Theosophists. And if we always keep this fact and
ideal of our family in our hearts, we bring to birth and maturity this
nucleus of Universal Brotherhood within our hearts, and fill with joy the
heart of our Mother who may be nearer than we think.



Kindest regards and much love to all, and again, great thanks to Tony,



Pendragon





----- Original Message ----- 
From: Tony
To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: 16 July 2003 05:45
Subject: RE: Theos-World Re: What Is Happening In America?


Bart wrote:

Frank Reitemeyer wrote:
> 2. A Theosophist becoming a rioter, encouraging revolution and
> MURDER, a friend of Communists is no fit member of our Society. HE
> HAS TO GO." H.P.B.'s Scrapbook Vol. VII, p. 258, B:CW I:404, emphasis
> H.P.B.; Cranston has "Communards" for Communists (p. 169).

<<<THAT's the one I was looking for. Thanks; you saved me a trip to the
library.>>>

And what would have been a wasted and misleading trip, as HPB didn't use the
word COMMUNISTS. That was Boris de Zirkoff's editing. It happens a lot
in "THE COLLECTED WRITINGS of HPB (all 14 volumes), his edition of THE
SECRET DOCTRINE, and so on.

Thanks are to Frank for giving the reference to Cranston. She references to
Michael Gomes' "The Dawning of the Theosophical Movement (page 156):

"A Theosophist becoming a rioter, encouraging revolution & MURDER, a friend
of Communards is no fit member of our Society. HE HAS TO GO." In note 102.,
page 227 he writes: "In the transcription of H.P.B.'s comments printed in
B:CW I: 404, 'communists' is substituted for 'communards'."

In the Shorter OED Communard is defined as "an adherent of the Commune of
Paris of 1871."

In the Eleventh edition of the "Encyclopaedia Britannica" vol. VI, p. 784:
"'The Commune' is the name given to the period of the history of Paris from
March 18 to May 28, 1871, during which the commune of Paris attempted to set
up its authority against the National Assembly at Versailles. It was a
political movement, intended to replace the centralized national
organization by one based on federation of communes. Hence the "communists"
were also called "federalists". IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SOCIAL
THEORIES OF COMMUNISM." (The last sentence my caps.)

It is therefore INCORRECT to quote HPB as saying: ". . . a friend of
Communists [rather than Communards] is no fit member of our Society," as she
never wrote it.

Tony









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