Masonic, Occult and Esoteric Online Library
The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett - 1925
By A. T. Barker
Letter No. 36
Paris, Rue Notre Dames des Champs,
April 25.
Mr dear Mr. Sinnett,
You speak like John "the Golden Mouth" — whoever the creature be — but you speak at the same time, very selfishly. You, of the quarrelling London Lodge are not precisely the Alpha and the Omega of Theosophy, nor are you the only and best beloved of the Masters. You had Mohini for over three weeks and you will have him still till the 8th or the 9th of May — fortnight more.
Now there are persons here speaking well English, devoted Theosophists, and as devoted philosophers and metaphysicians going the wrong way for lack of one to put them straight. They too want Mohini, and his Master who is personified justice and has promised to them also a chela to explain to them many of the Mysteries is not likely to be untrue to his word. Here too he has done and has to do some more "valuable work" and stimulating their zeal. Most assuredly "he did not come from India to copy letters" for me; but one of the reasons he has come for is to help me on the Sanskrit portion of the Secret Doctrine. Therefore Mohini cannot stop in London when Colonel returns to Paris; nor can their "lordships" see the propriety of doing everything for one Society — even though it be "the London Lodge" — and nothing for another Society.
Besides you will not succeed to draw from Mohini anything new. He has strict orders to hold within the limits of what was already given to you and not to overstep that. It is surely no one's fault that you were occupied with the Debates. And I tell you truly, honestly and openly that he will not be permitted to give you anything that will enable to set you to work on some fresh literary work for the public. All that you can get from him is explanations, rectifications and a last polish to what you have attempted to give in Esoteric Buddhism — the theory about the moon, "dust-bin," of course severely excluded. You are, to conclude this portion of the debatable questions contained in your letter — mistaken if you think that Mohini has come from India solely for "being instrumental" in the work going on in your Lodge — however important — and "the establishment of the London Theos. Soc. on a firm basis." Nothing like it. I have my orders and I will abide by them. I do not know what the Mahatma K. H. may have told you, but I know what Mahatma M. tells and orders me and I know what I was ordered to do through Djual Khool and it is this: Mohini must come with us, (1) to represent the Mahatma and his opinion in the important crisis of the London Theos. Soc. (2) explain and rectify the errors the mind of some "fellows" is filled with owing to their misunderstanding the doctrine hinted at in Esot. Buddhism — especially the misrepresentations made by Mrs. K. and M.; (3) not to permit any sort of injustice to be done, any favour shown, if unmerited etc.; (4) to disabuse the minds of all the members in Europe (not of the L.L. alone) as to the nature of the Mahatmas; to show them in their true light and nature, as superior mortals not as inferior flapdoodle Gods. In short, to do work, both in London, Paris and even Germany if I go there, for there Mohini would according to his instructions, have to follow me. Buss. Show this to Mohini and ask him whether it is so or not. Now question (2).
I thank you for the intention you had of writing the Preface for Secret Doctrine — I did not ask you to do it but the Mahatmas and Mohini here, and Subba Row there, are quite sufficient for the task of helping me. If you do not think that "the scheme is feasible as announced" I am sorry for you and your intuition. Since the Guru thinks it otherwise I will take my chance of following rather his order and advice than yours. This, in sincere friendship, but in as great a determination. To say that I "would do wisely to direct the repayment of subscriptions and withdraw the announcement" is to talk sheer flapdoodle. I did not undertake to rewrite and bother myself with that infernal book for my own sweet pleasure. Could I annihilate it by hurling the accursed work into the 8th sphere I would. But my own predilictions or wishes have naught to do with my duty. MASTER orders and wills it be rewritten and rewrite it I will; so much the better for those who will help me on the tedious task, and so much the worse for those who do not and will not. Who knows but with God's blessing and help the thing may turn out "a splendid piece of work" anyhow. Nor will I ever, with your permission and begging your pardon, of course, agree with you that "it is madness to try and write such a book for monthly parts" once that the Guru so ordains it. For, notwithstanding the remarkable respect I feel for your western wisdom and business like talents, I would never say of anything my Master (in particular) and the Masters (in general) tell me to do — that it is sheer madness to do their bidding. One chapter at any rate, "on the Gods and Pitris, the Devas and the Daimonia, Elementaries and Elementals, and other like spooks" is finished. I have found and followed a very easy method given me, and chapter after chapter and part after part will be rewritten very easily. Your suggestion that it must not "look like a mere reprint of Isis" is nowhere in the face of the announcement (which please see in the Theosophist last page). Since it promises only "to bring the matter contained in Isis" within the reach of all; and to explain and show that the "later revelations" i.e. Esot. Buddhism for one, and other things in the Theosophist are not contradictory to the outlines of the doctrine given — however hazy the latter is in that Isis; and to give in the Secret Doctrine all that is important in "Isis" grouping together the materials relating to any given subject instead of leaving them scattered throughout the 2 vol. as they are now — then it follows that I bound to give whole pages from "Isis" only amplifying and giving additional information. And unless I do give numerous reprints from Isis, it will become Osiris or Horus — never what it was originally promised in the "Publisher's Notice" which — please read.
And now having opened one of the safety valves in my steam engine — I beg to subscribe myself ever your friend and well wisher
Widow Blavatsky.
Take care what you do by keeping your wife in the dampness and fogs of London. You ought to have sent her away with Mad. Gebhard. Remember, she needs sunlight and complete rest if you would have her on her legs this day six months. Take this as a very serious warning.
