No. 4 is your story about Thekla — rewritten — I only hope it is quite true — and that when it gets round to Russia as it is sure to do, that people will confirm and not contradict.
There is a preface in big type which anyone who likes may suppose to be written by the Brothers — or by you or the President, saying that these letters though by no means entirely free from errors and misconceptions are yet published as throwing some light upon difficulties which have been felt by many interested in Theosophy. The proofs will come to you in due course — strengthen the defence if you or they can — don't attempt to weaken the attack — the strongest position is always gained, by putting out yourself all that can possibly be said against you.
By the way how many copies should be printed of the Bengali translation of the Ladies Rules etc. Sinnett only printed 100 of the English and there appear to be none left now! It is no use printing more of the Bengali rules than are likely to be of use — but I think 100 too few. Please tell me how many — I am paying for the printing of this, and S.K. Chatterjee who is going down to Calcutta — and who has taken great pains with the translation, will see it through the press, and I have to write to him there to say how many copies, so please, don't forget to answer sharp, how many copies.
Chatterjee is a very clever fellow but though he does not disbelieve in spiritualism, or spiritual science, I can't get him to swallow the Brothers nohow! I have just sent him on Olcott's letter and Ramaswamier's certificate with Morier's postscript — to the effect that you are all dzing dzing. Most people are dzing dzing in the opinion of the illustrious.
If they don't exist what a novel writer you would make! (9A) You certainly make your characters very consistent. When is our dear old Christ — I mean K.H., again to appear on the scene — he is quite our favourite actor (9B) — well I suppose they know their own business best, but humanly speaking they make a mistake in crippling my energies by leaving me without any certainty of their existence, and thus harassing me with doubts whether I may not be preaching doctrines which however pure in themselves may be founded on a fraud — and which if so founded can never do any good — by doubts whether I am not wickedly wasting my time and brains over a chimera, time and energies that I might devote to some humbler but possibly truer and more good producing cause (9C). However I engaged for one year — and during that shall do all I can, honestly and fairly — but if within that period I can acquire no certainty I shall retire from the Society feeling that true or false, it is no truth for me. I shall not give up the life (10) for that imperfectly perhaps as I may as yet have succeeded in living it, commends itself wholly to me — but l shall withdraw from the Society; if founded on truth I shall at least have done it some good by all I have written and done — if not so, I cannot have done much harm and I have not so far as I know gone beyond what I do believe.
You will say that this is nicely complimentary [to] you — but between you and I there must be no euphemisms if put into a witness box to-morrow. I could swear, that as at present advised — I believe you to be a perfectly true woman — but I could not swear that the whole story about the Brothers was not a fiction though I could swear that on the whole I believed it to be more likely to be true than false.
Sinnett however — lucky fellow, has no shade of doubt — and with his conviction — position and abilities he will be a tower of strength to you — and to Theosophy — so that I shall have less compunction in washing my hands of the business than I should have had were you left without a champion in the hands of the Philistines.
I shall take up Terry's letter next and see what I can make of it. I have not had time to consider it yet properly.
I wish you would put me in communication with your Triplicane Pundit, and induce him to favour me with a few more letters like that last. If I had only had that before I wrote that Fragments!
Love to Olcott.
Ever yours affectionately,
A.O. HUME.
(1) Who refuse to send their portrait-photos to illustrate the forthcoming revised and corrected edition of Hume's "Essays on Miracles."
(2) So there is. But great intellectuality does not always go hand in hand with great discernment of right and wrong.
(3) Quite so. There are natures also so much psychologised with their own eloquence, so completely subjugated by their own great oratorial powers that they are the first to fall under the charm. Mr. Hume will as easily bamboozle himself into as out of any belief, provided he is allowed to take all the points himself.
(4) Yes — but at what a price!
(5) Hypocrisy is not always "the necessary burden of villainy —" but often the outcome of vain coquetry with one's own nature. The inner Hume assuming attitudes before the mirror of the outer Hume.
(6) He is mistaken — he does not.
(7) Never for those who know her well.
(8) Nor shall we fail to do so when the time comes.
(9A) Yes; and what a sculptor and painter she must be as she justly remarked.
(9B) The man blasphemes! K.H. will never be an actor for the gratification of anyone. Let him doubt it, he will not doubt much longer but soon find out his mistake.
(9C) If he has the slightest doubt and yet does so he is no honest man.
(10) Let me draw your attention to a sentence in my letter to Scott in which I allude to certain implied threats. The date of Mr. Hume's letter is Jan. 4th. I projected myself before Scott on the 5th and wrote to tell him that I was glad I could do so without appearing to yield to implied threats. Whoever else will see us it will never be Mr. Hume. He can retire but Mr. Sinnett need not break with him.
Finally we do not approve in its present form of Mr. Hume's pamphlet. Comparatively few of the members of the Society occupy themselves with Occult study or believe in our existence. His pamphlet commits the whole body to both. Therein he errs as plainly as Wyld of London in giving out his private views and his preface suggesting us as its authors must but compromise the Society the more.
Your proposal to compile a manual for the instruction of young members is approved by K.H. Consult with Moorad Ali and Olcott. K.H. desires me to say that he has no objection to your bringing out 2nd edition provided you include [in] an appendix and the different proofs that have since accumulated. He desires you to stay here as long as you possibly can. He will write through the Disinherited.