Theosophical Society,
THE
LIFE OF
H P Blavatsky
Helen
Petrovna Blavatsky
By
Her Sister
Madame
De Jelihowsky
This is a translation of an article which appeared in the “Russian
Review” of
In the summer of 1886 I again
visited my sister in
At the beginning of our stay
there Helena Petrovna was not able to work, but as soon as she was better all
our time was spent in very interesting lively conversations on the terrace of
in the garden, and sometimes in reading the materials for The Secret Doctrine she
was also writing. During these readings two characteristic points struck me
especially, viz,. the wonderful picturesqueness of language and detailed descriptions when
Helena Petrovna spoke, giving explanations on all kinds of questions asked her
by specialists, and at the same time her perfect inability to keep to a purely
scientific presentation of the evidences and formulae.
Her talk was always
entrancing, but as soon as she came to mathematical data, it constantly
occurred that she was not able to read the algebraical
and geometrical conclusions written down by her personality. Very often when
left alone with her, I expressed my astonishment to her:-
“How can it be, that you,
having calculated and written all this down yourself, can’t read it ?”
To this question my sister
always replied with hearty laughter,
“Do you expect me to know the
problems of the higher mathematics ? Your daughters
are bas bleus and have learnt all
these erudite matters, but, as to you and myself, have not we learned side by
side, and did we not have the greatest trouble to master the first four rules
of arithmetic ?”
“Then how is it that you have
written all this without knowing
anything about it ?”
“Come now don’t be so naïve ! As if you
don’t know there are many things in my writings of which I never dreamed
before. I do not write them, I only copy out what is ready made before my eyes.
I know that you always disbelieved me,
but in this you se one more proof that I am only the tool
and not the master ?”
“This does not prevent your
descriptions from being masterly. It sounds as if you saw all this personally,
and have visited all the places you speak about.”
“I am not so sure about
visiting, but as to seeing – of course I saw them, and I see constantly everything
I describe.”
Such were her usual and
constant answers.
Theosophical Society,