Theos-Talk Archives (April 2006 Message tt00732)

It sure was nice that Besant had a chance to first meet HPB, get a sense
of the woman and then read a  report that  tried to argue that HPB was a
charlatan.  What if she, knowing little of theosophy and HPB came across
a book with a few damaging innuendos sprinkled among an otherwise
sympathetic account.  Perhaps she would have left with the sense that
the supporters of HPB understand her to have some very ugly character
traits which there is no sense in denying, and yet follow her anyway. 
We might then never have had an Annie Besant in the Theosophical
Society.  I guess some would argue that would be a good thing.

Bruce

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "danielhcaldwell"
<danielhcaldwell@...> wrote:
>
> "Have you read the [Hodgson] report about me....?"
> asked H.P.B.
>
> The following is excerpted from Annie Besant's AUTOBIOGRAPHY (1893):
>
> ===========================================================
> And so it came to pass that I went again to Lansdowne Road to ask
> about the Theosophical Society. H.P. Blavatsky looked at me
> piercingly for a moment.
>
> "Have you read the report about me of the  Society for Psychical
> Research?"
>
> "No; I never heard of it, so far as I know."
>
> "Go and read it, and if, after reading it, you come back —
> well."
>
> And nothing more would she say on the subject, but branched
> off to her experiences in many lands.
>
> I borrowed a copy of the Report, read and re-read it. Quickly I saw
> how slender was the foundation on which the imposing structure was
> built. The continual assumptions on which conclusions were based;
> the incredible character of the allegations; and — most damning
fact
> of all — the foul source from which the evidence was derived.
>
> Everything turned on the veracity of the Coulombs, and they were
> self-stamped as partners in the alleged frauds. Could I put such
> against the frank, fearless nature that I had caught a glimpse of,
> against the proud fiery truthfulness that shone at me from the
> clear, blue eyes, honest and fearless as those of a noble child? Was
> the writer of "The Secret Doctrine" this miserable impostor, this
> accomplice of tricksters, this foul and loathsome deceiver, this
> conjuror with trap-doors and sliding panels?
>
> I laughed aloud at the absurdity and flung the Report aside with the
> righteous scorn of an honest nature that knew its own kin when it
> met them, and shrank from the foulness and baseness of a lie.
>
> The next day saw me at the Theosophical Publishing Company's office
> at 7, Duke Street, Adelphi, where Countess Wachtmeister — one of
the
> lealest of H.P.B.'s friends — was at work, and I signed an
> application to be admitted as fellow of the Theosophical Society.
>
> On receiving my diploma I betook myself to Lansdowne Road, where I
> found H.P.B. alone. I went over to her, bent down and kissed her,
> but said no word.
>
> "You have joined the Society?" "Yes."
>
> "You have read the report?" "Yes." "Well?"
>
> I knelt down before her and clasped her hands in mine, looking
> straight into her eyes.
>
> "My answer is, will you accept me as your pupil, and give me the
> honour of proclaiming you my teacher in the face of the world?"
>
> Her stern, set face softened, the unwonted gleam of tears sprang to
> her eyes; then, with a dignity more than regal, she placed her hand
> upon my head. "You are a noble woman. May Master bless you."
> ============================================================
>
> Daniel
> http://hpb.cc
>