The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-04

The Notorious Fakir and Champion of
Blavatsky Lectures In New York.

New York Sun.
The pursuit OF the occult science of theoso
ply seems to engender portliness. That Ia the
conclusion reached by many unsympathetic
persons-without the power of astral projection
who saw a bronzed, gray bearded man in a
light tweed suit coming down the gang-plank
OF the steamship City of New York last evening.
For his tonnage the gray bearded man was very
nimble. He fell into the arms OF group of
theosophists who were waiting for him, and
was whisked down TO the Astor house in cab.
The portly man went into parlor, followed
by dozen reporters, to whom he was introduced
as Colonel II. 3. Olcott, president OF the Theo-
sophical Society and successor to Blavatsky. He
took off his coat and waistcoat mopped his per-
spring brow, threw back his mane-like locks,
and looked portlier than ever as he launched
forth in discourse about Nine. Blavatsky and
himself. He told how he had met her in 1874,
and how she had given him his first impulse
toward Hindoo philosophy He found her a
woman OF enormous erudition- She told him OF
the mahatmas, and even brought him into con-
tact with an astral body. She began then to
write "Isis Unveiled" He worked with her for
two years, correcting her English and her spell
ing, reading her proofs and writing bit him.
self He proposed founding the Theosophical
Society, and 1t was founded, and he delivered
the inaugural address at Mott Memorial hall in
1876.
Its object was to get at the stores of ancient
wisdom locked up in the East in the minds OF
the pundits and priests in India. The colonel
left for India with Blavatsky in 1875 and this is
the first time since that he has been in the gross
atmosphere OF the Western continent, where he
was born. He said, with many highfalutin
phrases, that he had been in contact with subtle
intellects in every corner of India almost all the
time since he had been away. He raised money
enough from the Theosophists to buy fine
piece of property in Madras and build temple,
WI f0h 10 hoa ta~fa Nf
was prophesied by the Hindoos that the death
OF Nine. Blavatsky would cripple the move
ment Instead, 1t had doomed 1t immensely.
There were 5000 branches of the society, fifty
eight of which were In the United States.
In regard to Nine. Blavatsky's differences with
him, Colonel Oleott said that they were not of a
theosophical nature. "Our temperaments were
as different as may be well conceived and that
was all there was to 1t. We were both striving
for the same grand object There was dispute,
but no enlargement The colonel was dis
posed to gloat over Annie Besant's conversion to
theosophy. He said it came about accidentally.
Editor Stead gave to her Blavatskys book, "The
Secret Doctrine" to review. She was impressed
with its sincerity and joined the society. She
was, the colonel thought, the most important
acquisition to the society for many years. she
brought in some eminent ex-materialists with
her, including Herbert Burroughs. The colonel
said he believed thoroughly in the power of the
manatmas 10 project their double. mahatma
had once delivered letter to him while he was
dressing in his stateroom on steamship. The
letter simply appeared" at his feet
Annie Besant could never, the colonel de-
clared, be II. 2. Blavatsky's successor. She was
the great and only. No one could ever hope to
acquire her knowledge of mystical things with
long names. Annie Besant might be more
charming than Blavatsky, but she could not fill
her place.
The colonel said he had made an investigation
OF hypnotism in Paris. He was well qualified,
being something OF hypnotist himself. II was
great fact, enormously valuable as an aid to
the study OF theosophy. But the scientists, the
students of psychology in Paris were not in it as
compared with the learned men of the East
In response to the irreverent inquiry whether
or not it was necessary TO become thin and
cadaverous to be a theosophist, the colonel
patted himself complacently and said it WASH t.
1t was suggested that a wholesome diet and the
great muscular exertion of meditation would