theos-talk.com

[MASTER INDEX] [DATE INDEX] [THREAD INDEX] [SUBJECT INDEX] [AUTHOR INDEX]

[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]

on alleged HPB spy letter

Jan 09, 2009 01:28 AM
by Konstantin Zaitzev


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Frank Reitemeyer" wrote:

> I would like to see the alleged spy letter of Blavatsky. As yet no
> faksimile appeared for examination. Is no researcher able to get it
> from the Moscow archives?

Several years ago T.S. tried but couldn't find where it is. Later I
was informed where it should be but I have no any official status to
demand it.

Yet there are others agruments in favour of that the letter is forged.
My arguments are mainly language-related.

The letter reads:
"I can speak French, English, Italian, as well as Russian, I easily
understand German and Hungarian and a little bit of Turkish."

1. Arabic
We know from Leadbeater's memoirs "How theosophy came to me" (TPH
Adyar 2001, p.83) that H.P. Blavatsky knew Arabic. The author of the
letter boasts knowedge of foreign language as useful in the spy work.
If Blavatsky was an author, why didn't she mention the language most
useful for spying in Egypt ? Arabic? Probably the author didn't know
that she knew Arabic. It is unlikely that she could learn Arabic
between 1872 and 1884, for she didn't visit Arabic counries then,
except the short stay on the way from Europe to India in 1879.

2. English
Her knowledge of English was far from perfect, she admitted it
herself. Probably only in the USA she improved it to an extent
suitable for writing the books, but even then she always asked native
speakers to edit her. Suppose, she was not honest and exagerreated her
abilities, trying to look better. Then why did she not mention arabic?

3. French
In the original of the letter the French expresion is written with an
error: "ange de lumi¨re". The error is typical for Russians, but the
nobility of that time as a rule spoke French perfectly.

4. Hungarian
It is a very complicated language. Very few people know it, and those
who know are somehow connected with Hungary or/and comitted their life
to Hungarian studies. Perfect knowledge of Hungarian is extremely
rare, at least here in Russia. I know only one woman who speaks it.
Blavatsky probably never lived in Hungary, at least for a long time.
Though it would be better to verify it in Hungarian section.

"I endeavored to make the acquaintance of all outstanding
personalities among the politicians of the different powers, both on
the Government side, as well as on the extreme Left."

I doubt that the division to the left and right politicians existed in
1872. It seems that it began from the actual distribution of the
political forces in some parlament hall, but I don't remember when and
where it happened.

Also it seems to me that the general style of the Russian original
somewhat differs from that of her other letters in Russian, though it
is a very subjective estimation.




[Back to Top]


Theosophy World: Dedicated to the Theosophical Philosophy and its Practical Application