A Pictorial Look at H.P. Blavatsky

INTRODUCTION

First of all, here is the significance of H.P.B.'s name:

She was named Helena after her mother's first name - although pronounced Yelena in Russian. Her second name, Petrovna, signifies that she was the daughter of Peter Alexeyevich von Hahn. In Russia it is customary for a lady to use the first name of her father - altered so as to have it as a feminine ending, and to use it as her second name. Thus her mother's name was Helena Andreyevna von Hahn.

Helena Petrovna married Nikifor Vassilyevich Blavatsky, a 40-year old State Office at Dzhelalogli on July 7,1849. She was then 18 years old for she was born on August 11th at 11: 22 p.m., 1831 (Greenwich time): or July 31st (Russian Old Style Calendar).

No pictures are available of H.P.B.'s father, or of vice-governor Blavatsky.

So here is a brief account of H.P.B. 's father - Peter Alexeyevich von Hahn (1798-1873) who was a Captain of Artillery, and was promoted to a Colonel. He was the son of Lieutenant-General Alexis Gustavovich von Hahn and Countess Elizabeth Maksimovna von Probsen. H.P.B.'s sister, Vera, related that Helena inherited her curly hair and vivaciousness from her paternal grandmother, Countess Elizabeth.

The von Hahns descended from an old Mecklenburg family, named the Counts Hahn von Rottenstern-Hahn, one branch of which had emigrated to Russia during the 1700's. H.P.B.'s grandfather was a general in the army of Field Marshal Suvorov (of Russia) who won a decisive battle in the st. Gothard Alps. He was named commander of the city of Zurich in Switzerland - during the period of occupation.
 

H.P. BLAVATSKY'S LINEAGE

1. Presiding Senator - Yevgeniy Fyodorovich von Hahn: first cousin of  H.P.B.'s father, Peter Alexeyevich von Hahn.  As presiding Senator of the Senate of Russia, hewas a leading figure in the administration of State-owned properties. His daughter, Yevgeniya, was court maid-of-honor.

2. General Alexander Fyodorovich von Hahn -- brother of Yevgeniy: (unmarried) first cousin of H.P.B.'s father, Peter Alexeyevich von Hahn.

 

3. General Dmitriy Karlovich von Hahn: also a first cousin of H.P.B.'s father. Dmitriy was General of Infantry: Founder and Commander of the Russian Frontier-Guard Corps, a man of sterling qualities and a trusted adviser under three Emperors. His daughter, Lydia Dmitriyevich von Hahn, was Boris de Zirkoff's mother.

 

Turning now to H.P.B.'s maternal grandparents:

4. Andrey Mihalovich de Fadeyev (1789-1867) a Privy Councillor at one time he was Civil Governor of the Province of Saratov; then later for many years he was Director of the Department of State Lands in the Caucasus, and member of the Council of the Viceroy of the Caucasus. When he was governor of the Province, residing at Saratov, H.P.B. and her sister, Vera, moved to his home upon the death of their mother in 1842, although they had already spent the winter of 1839 at Saratov.

5. Her maternal grandmother was a princess in her own right. Helena Pavlovna Dolgorukov (1789 - 1860), and she it was who had such a marked influence on her granddaughter's education and upbringing. Princess Dolgorukov descended from the elder line of the Dolgorukov princes, was the daughter of Prince Paul Vassilyevich Dolgorukov (1755 - 1837) and Henrietta Adolfovna de Bandre-du-Plessis (d. 1812) of French descent. H.P.B.'s maternal grandmother was a very unusual woman: she was proficient in history, natural science, archaeology and numismatics (i.e.coins and medals) and had some valuable books and collections on these subjects. She was an excellent artist and spoke five languages fluently.

Princess Dolgorukov was married to Andrey Mihalovich de Fadeyev (1789 - 1867) who was a Privy Councillor, and at one time Civil Governor of the Province of Saratov and later for many years Director of the Department of State Lands in the Caucasus, and member of the Council of the Viceroy of the Caucasus.

The first daughter of Princess Dolgorukov was H.P.B.'s mother, named Helena who married Peter von Hahn in 1830 (at the age of 16). Her second daughter, Katherine, married Yuliy de Witte, and their third son was Serguey de Witte, who later became Prime minister of Russia.

6. General Rostislav Andreyevich de Fadeyev, (1824-1884 unmarried) son and third child of Andrey de Fadeyev, consequently H.P.B.'s uncle. Major-General in Artillery, Joint Secretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior, and a noted writer on subjects of military strategy. This was the General who was referred to by Mahatma M. in Letter No. 39 - to Mr. Sinnett, who had written, to Rostislav inquiring about H.P.B.

7. Nadyezhda Andreyevna de Fadeyev (1829-1919): daughter and fourth child of Andrey de Fadeyev. H.P.B.'s aunt - and only two years her senior. She became a member of the Council of the Theosophical Society for some years (and remained unmarried.)

Of particular interest and importance is the fact that Nadyejda de Fadeyev was the recipient of the very first Mahatma Letter for it was received in 1870 - five years before the founding of the T.S. Also, she was visited three times by Mahatma M. The fact of this visit was made known to Mr. Sinnett, as may be seen from a paragraph in Letter No. 39 of "The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett", pp. 253-254:

The Odessa Old Lady - the Nadyejda - is quite anxious for your autograph - that of 'a great and celebrated writer'; she says she was very undisposed to part with your letter to the General but had to send you a proof of her own identity. Tell her I - the 'Khosyayin' (her niece's Khosyayin she called me as I went to see her thrice) gossiped the thing to you, advising you to write to her furnishing her thus with your autograph - also send back through H.P.B. her portraits as soon as shown to your lady, for she at Odessa is very anxious to have them back especially the young face. . . .That's her, as I knew her first 'the lovely maiden'.

The General referred to is General Rostislav - H.P.B.'s uncle. Khosyayin is Russian for a master of the house.

8. Helena Andreyevna von Hahn (1814 - 1842) married to Peter von Hahn. H.P.B.'s mother. She was born on January 11/23 1814, near the village of Rzhishchevo, in the Province of Kiev, where the estate of the Dolgorukovs was located. Nurtured in an atmosphere of culture and scholarship - provided by her mother, Princess Dolgorukov, - Helena became a noted novelist. Her first work was named "The Ideal" and was published when she was 23 years old. Here are the names of her other books: Utballa; Jelalu'd-din; Theophania Abbiadjio; Medallion; Lubonka; A Box at the Odessa Opera; The World's Judgment; and a Fruitless Gift. She wrote under the pseudonym of Zeneida R--va, and was hailed by the greatest Russian literary critic Byelinsky as a "Russian George Sand."

In her novels, she pictured the wretched position of women in Russia of her days, their lack of opportunity and education, and voiced the question of their ultimate emancipation. She was the first woman in Russia to do so in literature.

She died of tuberculosis when only 28 years of age, in 1842. (H.P.B. was 11).

9. Vera Petrovna de Zhelihovsky; H.P.B.'s younger sister (April 17/, 29, 1835 - May 5/ 18, 1896).

In defence of her sister (H.P.B.) Vera wrote a series of articles which were published in the Russian journal called "Rebus" under the title: "The Truth about H.P. Blavatsky." H.P.B. translated this into English (from the Russian) and it is preserved in the Archives of the Theosophical Society at Adyar.

Other writings relating to Vera's early years in Russia provide glimpses into the family background and customs of the day: one is named "When I Was Small"; another "My Adolescence." Yet another work, in defence of her sister was written in reply to Solovyov's hostile book and published in Rebus and a Russian Gazette. The series was entitled: 'H.P. Blavatsky and a Modern Priestess of Truth'.

10. Here is the picture of Vera Petrovna de Zhelihovsky, (H.P.B.'s sister) in later life: it greatly resembles the picture of her grandmother'. This picture is followed by two of her daughters: the first one:

11. Nadyezhda Vladimirovna de Zhelihovsky (1862 - 1938) who married General A.A. de Brussilov (1853 - 1926).

 

12. Vera Vladimirovna de Zhelihovsky (1864 - 1923), also H.P.B.'s niece, who married the Theosophist, Charles Johnston - author of many works. Her contribution to Theosophical literature was a translation of he aunt's work "From the Caves and Jungles of Hindosthan."

 

PICTURES OF H.P. BLAVATSKY

13. Boris de Zirkoff. Here is the explanation of his relationship to H.P.B. Dmitriy Karlovich von Hahn, who was the first cousin of Peter Alexeyevich von Hahn (H.P.B.'s father), married Olga Vassilyevna de Dmitriyev. One of their daughters, Lydiq Dmitryevna von Hahn married Mihail Vassileyevich de Zirkoff. Their son is Boris de Zirkoff - who collected the volumes known as 'H.P. Blavatsky's Collected Writings.' With 'From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan' it makes 15 books in the series of Collected Writings plus Index.

14. A series of photographic reproductions of H.P.B. herself are now presented. First shown is the one known as 'The Lovely Maiden': the reproduction was made by means of a special process from a printed copy which was first published in Sinnett's book "Incidents in the Life of Mme. Blavatsky: ". The print was from a medallion painting, which had been sent to Nadyejda de Fadeyev (as related when her photograph was shown).

15. Possibly 1860, most likely the picture about which General Rostislav wrote: "taken 20 years ago in my presence." September 18,1881.

 

16. A photograph taken about 1868.

17. A photograph taken in the 1870's: reproduced in Sinnett's "Incidents in the Life of Mme. Blavatsky"

 

18. A photograph taken in the 1870's.

19. A photograph maybe taken in 1870.

 

20. A photograph said to be taken by a spiritualist photographer in 1874.

 

21. A photograph taken by Beardsley in September 1875. In an updated letter, written to Professor H. Corson, H.P.B. wrote about the photographs Beardsley had taken: The important factor here is that H.P.B. actually ordered two dozen portraits made of this special photograph. "When will Beardsley send me the rest of my portraits? Please order from him two dozen more of those with the cigarette in the hand, only bigger, if he can do them. I will enclose you a post office order for eighty-five dollars in my next; if you answer me, that he is at work on them. I suppose by the thirteen dollars he, too, charged me for the three dozen, that every extra dozen will be four twenty-five. Will you inquire please?" (Corson Letters, p. 171)

22. A photograph taken when H.P.B. was visiting the Corson's in Ithaca, New York in September 1875.

 

23. A photograph by Sarony, New York, taken between 1875-76.

24. Another photograph by Sarony, New York, between 1877-78: this was used as a frontispiece in early editions of "Isis Unveiled". (not the first edition)

25. A photograph taken between 1876-78: photo by Edsall Photographic Studio, New York.

 

26. A photograph taken about 1878.

 

27. A photograph taken about 1878-79.

 

28. A photograph taken during H.P.B.'s visit to London in 1884. She left India on February 20, 1884, and stayed in London - making visits to Paris - until October 31, 1884, when she returned to India.

29. A photograph taken in 1887, while residing in Maycot, Crownhill, Upper Norwood, London, at Mabel Collins' home. She left Ostend for London, May 1, 1887.

 

30. H.P.B. at her desk, 17 Lansdowne Road, London. This picture was taken one morning in the fall of 1887, just as she was about to beher day's work. The sheet of paper in front of her is part of the MSS of "The Secret Doctrine", as are also other sheets lying about. The pen she holds is an American gold pen given to her by a New York Theosophist and made by John Foley. The picture was originally published in The Path, New York, Vol. VII, May, 1892, p.39.

31. A photograph taken in 1888-89. It was reproduced from the work of Franz Hartmann, named "Unter den Adepten und Rosenkreuzern," facing p. 48.

 

32. The next five photos represent photographs taken by Enrico Resta on January 8, 1889. Thesewere reproduced from the original glass plates kept in the archives of the T.S. in England.

 

33. January 8, 1889 (Resta) originally printed in "The Path" N.Y. IV, February 1890.

 

34. January 8, 1889 (Resta)

 

35. January 8, 1889 (Resta) Reproduced from the original.

 

36. January 8, 1889 (Resta) glass plate in the archives of the T.S. in England.

 

37. H.P.B. seated in a bath-chair: a photograph taken in London in 1890.

 

38. Most likely the last photo taken of H.P.B. in London, 1890-91, with her white shawl and holding a copy of "The Path."

39. A photo of H.P.B. and H.S. Olcott, taken in October 1888 in London. In the photographic reproduction in Collected Writings, X, 176; shows the following handwritten message by H.P.B.: "To the Aryan Theosophical Society of New York, with H.P.B.'s and the H.S.O.'s good wishes", London, October, 1888.

40. A photograph of Annie Besant, H.S. Olcottt, and W.Q. Judge: taken in the garden outside of the residence of 19 Avenue Road, St. John's Wood, London (N.W.) England. Reproduced from a print published in "Old Diary Leaves", Vol. IV, p. 412.

 

RESIDENCES

Now will be shown photos of some of the residences which are mentioned in connection with H.P.B.

41. A photo of 11 Rue de l'Universite, Paris. H.P.B. went to Paris in the Spring of 1873 - staying with her cousin, Nikolay Gustavovich von Hahn. But she soon left Paris "on orders" towards the end of June, leaving for New York, and travelled steerage.

 

42. Another view of a photo of 11 Rue de l'Universite Paris. Spring 1873.

 

 

43. October 1874: The Eddy Home at Chittenden, Vermont. In October H.P.B. received intimation to go the Eddy home, and there met Col. Olcott on October 14, 1874.

44. March 22, 1875 H.P.B. at 3420 Samsom St., West Philadelphia. Colonel Olcott mentions that H.P.B. was in Philadelphia on January 6, 1875; and Colonel Olcott visited her there on March 24 and again on April 4, 1875. In July she went to Boston and from there to New York. In August she was at 46 Irving Place.

"Colonel Olcott had a most interesting experience in connection with his visit with Mme. Blavatsky, while she was at 3420 Sansom Street, Philadelphia. Here is his account, as related in "Old Diary Leaves" (pp. 35-6):

"H.P.B. was at Philadelphia, so I accepted her urgent invitation to come and take a few days' holiday after my long term of work. Expecting to be absent from New York only two or three days, I left no instructions at my office or club about forwarding my letters, but, finding upon arrival that she was not likely to let me go so soon, I went on the second day to the General Post Office, gave the address of my lodgings, and asked that any letters coming for me might be delivered there by carrier. I expected none, but fancied that the people in my office, not hearing from me, might address me at the Philadelphia Post Office on the chance of my getting their letter. Then happened something that astonished me - knowing so little as I did of the psychical resources of H.P.B. and her masters - and which even now despite so long of an experience of phenomena, remains aworld wonder. To understand what follows, let the reader examine any letter he has received by post, and he will find two office stamps upon it; the one on the face, that of the office at which it was posted, the one on the back, that of the office to which it was addressed; if it has been sent on after him from the latter office, it will at least bear those two stamps, and, in addition, those of any series of post offices to which it was re-addressed until it finally reached his hand. Now, on the evening of the very day on which I had left my address at the Philadelphia General Post Office, the local postman brought me the letters coming from widely distant places - one, I think, from South America, or at any rate, some foreign country - addressed to me at New York, bearing the stamps of the respective offices of posting, but not that of the New York Post Office. Despite all post office rules and customs, they had come straight to me to Philadelphia without passing through the New York Post Office at all. And nobody in New York knew my Philadelphia address, for I did not myself know what it would be when I left home. I took these letters myself from the postman's hand, being just on the point of going out for a walk when he arrived. So the letters were not tampered with by H.P.B.

45. A photo of Richardson Cottage, the home of the Corsons, at Ithaca, New York. H.P.B. was there on a visit on September 17, 1875, staying until October 12. While at the Corsons, H.P.B. did some writing of "Isis Unveiled" there.

46. A photo of the residence at 302 West 47th Street, New York, which became known as 'The Lamasery.' H.P.B. moved there during the first two weeks of August, 1876. She and Colonel Olcott stayed there until December, 1878, when they left for India.

47. A reproduction of a drawing of "The Lamasery" made by W.Q. Judge, and first published in "The Path" Vol. VIII, November 1893. Describing it, Mr. Judge said: "The illustration shows the narrow front porch of the house facing Eighth Avenue The entrance to the apartments is down on 47th Street under the rear suites of rooms. H.P.B. had the flat which begins in the middle of the building, running to the front of Eighth Avenue and being immediately over the shop Her sitting-room was in front, taking in the corner window and the next two over the shop. . . ."

This flat became known as The Lamasery~ it is here that much of Isis Unveiled was written and where it was finished.

Colonel Olcott's description of The Lamasery:

 The dead wall of the dining room which separated it from H.P.B's bedroom was entirely covered with a picture of dried forest leaves representing a tropical kingdom scene. An elephant stood, ruminating beside a pool of water, a tiger was springing at him from the background, and a huge serpent was coiled around the trunk of a palm tree The entrance door was in an angle made by cutting off a corner. One day I found at a curiosity shop a splendidly mounted lioness-head~ the eyes glaring, the jaws wide open, the tongue retracted and the teeth white and menacing. On getting it home and looking for a place to put it, this square of wall struck my eye, and there I hung my trophy. By an arrangement of long dried grasses, I made it seem as though an angry lioness was creeping through the jungle and ready to spring upon the visitors who chanced to look up at her In two corners of the room, I stood palm-fronds that touched the ceiling and bent over their tips in graceful curves; little stuffed monkeys peered out over the curtain cornices; a fine stuffed snake lay on top of the mantel mirror, hanging its head over one corner; a large stuffed baboon, decked with a collar, white cravat and pair of my spectacles, carrying under one arm the manuscript of a lecture on "Descent of Species" and dubbed 'Professor Fiske,' stood upright in a corner; a fine large grey owl sat perched on a book case; a toy lizard or two crawled up the wall~ a Swiss cuckoo clock hung to the left of the chimney breast; small Japanese cabinets, carved wooden images of Lord Buddha and Siamese talapoin, curios of sorts and kinds, occupied the top of the cottage piano, wall brackets, corner etageres and other convenient spaces; and a long writing table took up the center of the room.

 

 

48. A photo of two views inside "The Lamasery".

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOW WE MOVE TO INDIA

49. A photo of the entrance to the residence given the name of "Crow's Nest", situated at Breach Candy, Bombay, India, to which residence the Headquarters of the T.S. were moved on November 15, 1880, during the absence of the Founders of Bombay. H.P.B. and Olcott arrived in Bombay, India, on February 16, 1879 - in their journey from London. On March 7, 1879, they took up their residence at 108 Girgaum Back Road, Bombay, India.

NOW A VISIT TO FRANCE

50. A photo of the residence provided by Lady Caithness for the founders situated at 46 Rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Paris. H.P.B. arrived there on March 28, 1884. She and Olcott had left India on February 20, 1884.

51. Another photo of the residence at 46 Rue Notre-Dames-des-Champs, Paris. Plans for work on S.D. outlined. WQJ assisting.

52. A photo of the residence named Chateau Ecossai, the home of Count and Countess d'Adhemar at Enghien, near Paris. During the second week of May, 1884, H.P.B. was invited there for a three-week stay.

53. Another photo of Chateau Ecossai, Enghien. During H.P.B's stay at Enghien, she was visited by William Q. Judge and the Countess Wachtmeister - therefore her photographs are now presented.

54. A photo of W.Q. Judge. In connection with the statement that Mr. Judge visited H.P.B. at Enghien: He not only visited there, he was acting as H.P.B.'s secretary and worked for and with her in connection with the writing of "The Secret Doctrine" both in Paris and Enghien. He left Paris for India at the end of June, arriving in Bombay on July 15, 1884. He left Adyar for London in November 1884 and left Liverpool on November 15, arriving in New York on November 26, 1884.

55. A photo of Countess Constance Wachtmeister of Sweden. She narrates in her book "Reminiscences of H.P. Blavatsky" and "The Secret Doctrine" that she joined the T.S. in 1881. In May, 1884, when in Paris, she received a letter from H.P.B. inviting the Countess to visit her. The Countess accepted the invitation and took the train from Paris to Enghien, where she met W.Q. Judge and H.P. Blavatsky. On May 10, H.P.B. invited the Countess to travel to Paris with her, and they made the trip together. In the autumn of 1885, the Countess offered to stay with H.P.B. in Wurzburg, Germany - during the period that H.P.B. was writing "The Secret Doctrine". In her book, the Countess narrates how she assisted H.P.B.
 

56. A photo of Maycot, Mabel Collins' home, situated at 77 Elgin Crescent, Crownhill, Upper Norwood, London. H.P.B. arrived in London on May 1, 1887, travelling from Ostende, Belgium. She had left Wurzburg in May 1886, first staying at Elberfeld, Germany, until July 8, 1886, on which date she moved to Ostend - staying at Villa Nova, 10 Boulevard Van Isgham.
  

57. Another view of 77 Elgin Crescent, Maycot, Crownhill, Upper Norwood.

58. A photo of the residence at 17 Lansdowne Road, Holland Park, Notting Hill, London. In September 1887, (early in the month), H.P.B. moved to Lansdowne Road from Maycot, travelling by carriage. Countess Wachtmeister (who was then in London) supervised the moved.

59. A photo of one of the interior rooms of the residence at 17 Lansdowne Road. The photo was taken in 1959.

60. A photo of the residence situated at 19 Avenue Road, St. John's Wood - a rear view featuring the ivy. It was between August and December of 1889 that H.P.B. moved to 19 Avenue Road. During August of 1889, Mrs. Besant had deeds drawn up vesting in the hands of the trustees her property - of 19 Avenue Road - as a headquarters for the British Section - in the service of the Theosophical Cause under the direction of H.P.B. (The building is no longer standing.)
 

The writing of "The Secret Doctrine" was begun while at Wurzburg, in August 1885, and completed in London, in 1887. The date of this publication was October 1888. "The Key to Theosophy" and "The Voice of the Silence" were published in 1889.
 

H.P. Blavatsky passed away on May 8, 1891, at 19 Avenue Road, London, England.
 

Regarding the founding of the Theosophical Society, Mahatma M. wrote to Mr. Sinnett under date of February 1882:

On the 17th of November next the Septenary term of trial given the Society at its foundation in which to discreetly 'preach us' will expire. One or two of us hoped that the world had so far advanced intellectually, if not intuitionally, that the Occult doctrine might gain intellectual acceptance and the impulse given for a new cycle of occult research. Others - wise as it would now seem - held differently, but consent was given for the trial. It was stipulated, however, that the experiment should be made independently of our personal management; that there should be no abnormal interference by ourselves. So casting about we found in America the man to stand as leader - a man of great moral courage, unselfish, and having other good qualities. He was far from being the best, but (as Mr. Hume speaks in H.P.B.'s case) - he was the best one available. With him we associated a woman of most exceptional and wonderful endowments. Combined with them, she had strong personal defects, but just as she was, there was no second to her living fit for this work. We sent her to America, brought them together - and the trial began. (page 263)
 
 
  The next four slides represent five members of H.P.B.'s inner group at 19 Avenue Road.
 

61. A photo of two physicians: Dr. Archibald Keightley (standing) and Dr. Herbert Coryn (seated). Dr. Keightley prescribed medicines for H.P.B.
 

62. A photo of Bertram Keightley. He and Archibald Keightley assisted H.P.B. in the publication of "The Secret Doctrine". They made the suggestion that the manuscript (which was handed to them by H.P.B. to read and comment upon) should be divided into two volumes: Volume I on Cosmogenesis and Volume II on Anthropogenesis. They thus prepared the manuscript for the printers and assisted in the proof-reading. The first copy of Volume I was obtained from the printers by Richard Harte on October 20, 1888. The second volume came out towards the end of the year 1888.
 

Bertram Keightley, in his Reminiscences told how he assisted H.P.B. during the time tha she was living at Maycot and working on "The Secret Doctrine":

Archibald Keightley and I were in and out of her work-room all day as need arose, consulting her, sorting papers, and generally doing what we could to help on her work. But the evenings were devoted to social intercourse, discussion, general talk and the seeing of visitors, more and more of whom used to look in for the evening as time went on. H.P.B. always sat at the end of the long table, in her large armchair, with her back to the folding doors leading into her work-room. . . .
 

Sometimes H.P.B. talked at large, telling stories of her travels and experiences; sometimes she was silent, and some discussion upon scientific, philosophical or Theosophical topics would go on between others: till - as mostly happened - H.P.B. intervened and upset totally all our fine theories and ideas with some more or less startling, but always amusing and illuminating, statements of fact or critical remark. (Reminiscences, pp. 17-18)
 

63. A photo of G.R.S. Mead. He assisted H.P.B. in a secretarial capacity during the period that H.P.B. was in 19 Avenue Road. Mr. Mead was a member of the Inner Group.

 
 
  H.P. BLAVATSKY'S SKETCHES AND CARTOONS
 

In order to show another aspect of H.P.B.'s many talents, as well as her wit and humor: this may be demonstrated by means of two of her cartoons followed by sketches made in her sketch-book.

65. The first cartoon. Colonel Olcott was fully aware of her ability along this line, and even suggested that she should utilize it advantageously. Here is what he wrote in his book which he called "Old Diary Leaves":

One way H.P.B. had of beguiling tedious hours after "Isis Unveiled" was off our hands, was to draw caricatures on playing-cards, bringing the pips (i.e. the suits) into the pictures.

Several of these clever productions were very laughable. One, made out of the Ten of Clubs, was a minstrel performance; the grotesque contortions of the 'end men,' the solemn caddishness of the 'Interrogator,' and the amiable vacuity of the intermediates being admirably delineated. Another was a Spiritualistic seance, with banjo, accordions, and tambourines flying through the air, a bucket inverted over one 'investigator's' head, and impish little elemental grinning from a lady's lap as she holds his forked tail in her hand under the impression that it is part of the body of some departed friend. A third card - made out of Seven of Hearts, I think - shows two fat monks at a table laden with turkey, ham, and other delicacies, with bottles of wine stand ready at hand, and others are cooling in an ice vase on the floor. One of the reverend fathers, who has a most animal cast of features, is putting his hand behind him to receive a billet-doux from a prim servant-maid in cap and apron. Still another represents a policeman catching a runaway thief by the foot. . . .
 
 

 

 

[66.] Another of H.P.B.'s cartoons a patriarchal negro, running with his grandchild in his arms I told her I thought it a pity that she should not make up an entire pack in this fashion, as it would surely yield her a goodly sum as copyright. She said she should, but the mood did not last long enough to bring the desired result. (O.D.L. Vol. I, pp. 471-2)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

H.P.B.'S SKETCHES

 

67. This sketch is from H.P.B.s "Sketchbook" - on page 9. It shows two heads, one in profile, the other en face. But no explanation is provided on the page.
 
 
 
 
 
  

68. This sketch is reproduced from page 24 of her Sketchbook. Two opera singers are portrayed. This depicts not only their roles in the opera in which they performed - that of Gounod's Faust - but also graphically tells who they are, namely Teresina Signora Mitrovich and her husband Agardi Mitrovich, and where they were performing, in Tiflis on April 7, 1862. Signora Mitrovich is portrayed as Marguerite, absorbed in prayer before a crucifix, while there is no doubt as to the personification of the individual who is glancing with evil eyes over Marguerite's shoulder - Mephistopheles.
 

In the top right-hand corner are two Italian words: Viva - Chi. Viva means "a shout of applause; an acclamation or salute" - Chi signifies "with whom?"

69. This is a facsimile of page 1 of H.P.B.'s sketchbook. There is writing in Russian on the left and right sides. (The translation was not provided.) The most important feature is the writing in French below the sketch - a pen drawing of a seaside view, most likely Ramsgate, England. A translation of the handwritten French is as follows:

Memorable night! On a certain night by the light of the moon that was setting at Ramsgate on August 12, 1851, when I met (here was placed the symbol used by Mahatma M.) the Master of my dreams!!
 

H.P.B. added a footnote: "August 12 is July 31 in Russian style, the day of my birth - Twenty years!"
 

Countess Wachtmeister relates an incident that occurred while H.P.B. was at Wurzburg, Germany. Madame Fadeyev, H.P.B.'s aunt, sent her from Russia a box containing various mementoes. Among these was a booklet which the Countess calls a "scrapbook". H.P.B. on seeing the seaside sketch gave an exclamation of delight and said: "Come and look at this which I wrote in the year 1851, the day I saw my blessed Master."
 

The Countess then asked H.P.B. why she had written "Ramsgate" instead of London, and "H.P.B. told me that it was a blind, so that anyone casually taking up her book would not know where she had met her Master, and that her first interview with him had been in London as she had previously told me." (Reminiscences pp. 57-58)
 

The coat of arms at the bottom of the drawing is a pen and ink sketch of a coat of arms, showing one or another branch of the von Hahn family, as it shows a cock as one of its symbols. The German word "hahn" signifies a cock.
 

The next four slides represent H.P.B.'s handwriting.

 

70. Page 1 of H.P.B.'s "Important Note", in her handwriting. It is from pages 20 and 21 of H.P.B.'s "Scrapbook Volume I". It is undated, but the last paragraph of the note places it as being prior to the formation of The Theosophical Society.

 
   
 

 

71. Page 2 of the "Important Note". (Text printed on Page 73 Vol. I. "Collected Writings")
 

The last paragraph reads: "M brings orders to form a Society - a secret Society like the "Rosicrucian Lodge. He promises to help." H.P.B.
 

 

72. Facsimiles of a portion of H.P.B's handwritten letter to A.P. Sinnett, printed as No. 134 in "The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett," page 461-4. This portion is on page 461 of the book.
 
 
 
 

74. A facsimile reproduction of a precipitation made by H.P.B. in March 1874. The handwriting on the right hand side of the drawing was added by someone, and reads as follows: This unfinished pencil sketch was drawn by a lady of distinction, but utterly ignorant concerning the art hereon expressed, at Union Square, New York, in the presence of several persons and within a period of not exceeding 30 minutes. This was done on March 1874, more than a year prior to this note of it and has meanwhile been treated as valueless paste-board. Below the precipitation H.P.B. wrote the following message: "Result of half an hour's "Trying" in the dark room. Presented to her kind friends Epes Sergeant by H.P. Blavatsky."
 

About Epes Sergeant, H.P.B. wrote: "Perhaps, among the whole body of spiritualist writers of our day, not one is held in higher esteem for character, education, sincerity and ability than Epes Sergeant of Boston, Massachusetts. His monograph entitled "The Proof Palpable of Immortality deservedly occupies a high rank among works upon the subject." (Isis Unveiled I, 220)
 

It may be pointed out that H.P.B. 's own "Trying" placed in quotation marks, signified her effort to produce this precipitation, for no "pencil sketch" could be produced in a dark room.
 

Some items in the precipitation may be instanced: At the top, next to the palms is Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn, corresponding to the Greek Eos. She was the daughter of the Titan Hyperion and Theia, and sister of Helios and Selene (the Sun and the Moon). By the Titan Astraeus, she was the mother of the winds Zephyrus, Notus and Boreas, of Hesperus and the stars. Homer represents her as rising every morning from the couch of Tithonus and drawn out of the east in a chariot by the horses Lampus and Phaethon to carry light to gods and men. From the roseate shafts of light which herald the dawn, she bears in Homer the epithet "rosy-fingered".
 

In the right-hand top corner, Charon is depicted. Charon was the son of Erebus and Nyx (Night). It was his duty to ferry over the Styx and Acheron those souls of the deceased who had duly received the rites of burial, in payment for which service he received an obol, which was placed in the mouth of the corpose. He is represented as a morose and grisly old man. He came to be regarded as the image of death and the world below.
 

In the center, foreground, a beautiful tree is shown, on whose branches are perched large birds. Do they represent the phoenix? Then below the tree a temple: the temple of wisdom, perhaps? Guarded by a lion at the top of the stairs - with some birds of gorgeous plumage: Swans are shown below the stairs and an empty boat.
 

This facsimile is also reproduced in Manly Hall's book entitled "Phoenix".
 

75. This is a facsimile reproduction of what H.P.B. wrote in her copy of "The Voice of the Silence,":

H.P.B. to H.P. Blavatsky with NO kind regards.
 

This significant apocalyptic message may be interpreted in this way: When Mme. Blavatsky was functioning as a Tulku she designated herself as H.P.B. Then when the aspect of Tulku was non-functioning, she referred to herself as H.P. Blavatsky.