Theos-Talk Archives (May 2006 Message tt00158)

Ken, 

You wrote:

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SOLOVYOFF -This past January I noticed Slovyoff's 'Modern Priestess 
of Isis' on the bookshelf and realizing that I had never read it or 
even looked it over opened it.......and quite honestly I could not 
put it down.  Why ? because it is so incredibly interesting - as a 
critique of HPB ? No, because so frequently the experiences that 
Solovyoff presents overide his own criticisms , so much so that in 
many ways not available anywhere else it actually could be 
considered a kind of vindication. Certainly it needs much work and 
critical analysis AND I would say with that it is a gold mine. By 
the time I finished reading it I only wished that Leaf had 
translated the whole thing into English. Do you (Daniel)have the 
Russian original ? and also what a story of one man's (Solovyoff's)
excessive rationalistic rejection of extraordinary experiences 
presented to him. And appendix A, Vera's response is very important 
historically. Again, Daniel, is this complete and does anhyone know 
where Vera's original Russian is?
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Ken, This is mostly off the top of my head so I may be in error on 
some of this.

Russian original of Solovyoff's book:

I believe I have a photocopy of the Russian edition of Solovyoff's 
book.  I will see if I have it.  Or maybe it is in Walter 
Carrithers' material.

But I also believe that Wheaton TS has a copy of it probably in the 
Boris de Zirkoff collection.

Also I'm sure that there is a copy or photocopy of the Russian 
original among the Sylvia Cranston's papers.  Contact Caren Elin.
Does Caren still have Cranston's papers and books or have they been 
given to some archives such as maybe Jerry's archives/library??

I believe Cranston had Cathy Young translate most if not all of the 
Solovyoff book.  This translation should be among Cranston's papers.

Also concerning Vera's reply to Solovyoff.  Probably copies of 
Russian original in any of the above locations.

I believe the British Library has a copy of Vera's original Russian 
under this title:

ZHELIKHOVSKAYA, Vera Petrovna.  
Е. П. Блаватская и современный жрецъ истаны. Отвѣтъ ... г-ну В. 
Соловьеву [i.e. to some articles contributed by him to the "Русскій 
Вѣстникъ" under the title of "Современная жрица Изиды"].  
pp. 177. С. Петербургъ, 1893.  
 
But Cranston also had Cathy Young translate this reply.  See 
Cranston's HPB biography (PATH PUBLISHING HOUSE ED., pp. 303 & 637) 
where it is stated that Cathy Young translated into English the 
whole of Vera's booklet.  The translation runs to 110 typewritten 
pages.

Ask Caren about this translation.  Maybe arrangements could be made 
to publish this translation.  And I will be more than happy to 
publish a web version of it, if permitted.  I will even publish it 
as a book if given permission to do so.  Or maybe Point Loma 
Publications could publish it.

THIS REPLY BY VERA SHOULD BE PUBLISHED!!

And the unabridged English translation of Solovyoff's book should 
also be published.  I know Carlos won't like that!  :)

Hope this helps.

Daniel
http://hpb.cc