It's quite useless to say anything more about Olcott's eccentricity and the inferiority of America to England; all that is real in your point we recognise and knew long ago; but you do not know how much that is mere superficial prejudice glares in your eyes like the reflection of a thin taper on deep water. Take care lest we should some day take you at your thought and put you in Olcott's place, after taking him to our own, as he has longed to have us do these several years. Martyrdom is pleasant to look at and criticise, but harder to suffer. There never was a woman more unjustly abused than H.B. See the infamous insulting letters she was sent from England for publication against herself and us and the Society. You may find them undignified perhaps. But the "Answers to Correspondents" in Supplement are written by myself. So do not blame her. I'm curious to know your frank opinion on them. Perchance you might think she might have done better herself.
M.
Letter No. 49 (ML-48) Rec. March 3, 1882
In Letter No. 38 (ML-90), a letter from Stainton Moses, the Mahatma K.H. said in his comments appended at the end of Moses' s letter: "My letter is private. You may use the arguments but not my authority or name." The Mahatma was referring to a letter which he was writing, or had written, but which Sinnett had not yet received. This is that letter. The fact that it is dated as received on March 3 strengthens the suggestion that the Mahatma' s comments on Moses' s letter were written late in February or very early in March. As a matter of fact, its length indicates that it may have taken several days to write.
The Mahatma mentions some articles which are going to appear in the "forthcoming number" of The Theosophist: "The Elixir or Life" by Mirza Moorad Ali Beg (real name Godolphin Mitford) and "Philosophy of the Spirit" by William Oxley. The author of "The Elixir of Life" was a member of a prominent English family which had produced several noted writers. He was born in India. The article by Oxley was actually a reply by him to a review of his book, Philosophy of the Spirit; the review had been published in a previous issue of The Theosophist. The review was written by Djual Khul and was, in some respects, rather scathing. In his reply, Oxley took exception to it.
As a brief background, Oxley had written a long letter to K.H. during the previous summer. This letter, dated June 24, 1881, is included with the Mahatma Letters in the British Museum. The Mahatma sent it to Sinnett with some marginal notes in a rather light vein. In the letter, Oxley described some of his spiritualistic experiences. K.H. did not reply to the letter. Here he says, speaking of Oxley, "Having received no reply to his summons to K.H., he criticizes — mildly so far — the utterances of that 'Internal Power' — for which new title I feel rather obliged to him." (This probably refers to a statement in Oxley' s reply to the review: "Koot Hoomi Lal Singh, whether mortal man or an Internal Power, matters not for my present purposes.")
At one time, Oxley had wanted to join the Simla Eclectic Theosophical Society, and the Mahatma K.H. refused. However, in a letter further on, it seems that the Mahatma must have reconsidered, as he says in a letter to Sinnett: ". . .if he joins the Society I may help him and even correspond with him through you."
Received Allahabad, March 3rd, 1882.
Good friend, I "know" — of course. And knowing, without your telling me I would, were I but authorized to influence you in any one direction — answer most gladly: "that knowledge thou shalt share with me some day." When, or how — "is not for me to say, nor for myself to know," as you, aye, you alone, have to weave your destiny. Perhaps soon and perchance — never: but why feel "despairing," or even doubting? Believe me: we may yet walk along the arduous path together. We may yet meet: But if at all, it has to be along and on — those "adamantine rocks with which our occult rules surround us" — never outside them, however bitterly we may complain. No, never can we pursue our further journey — if hand in hand — along that high-way, crowded thoroughfare, which encircles them, and on which Spiritualists and mystics, prophets and seers elbow each other now-a-day. Yea, verily, the motley crowd of candidates may shout for an eternity to come, for the Sesame to open. It never will, so long as they keep outside those rules. Vainly do your modern seers and their prophetesses, creep into every cleft and crevice without outlet or continuity they chance to see; and still more vainly, when once within do they lift up their voices and loudly cry: "Eureka! We have gotten a Revelation from the Lord!" — for verily have they nothing of the kind. They have disturbed but bats, less blind than their intruders; who, feeling them flying about, mistake them as often for angels — as they too have wings! Doubt not, my friend: it is but from the very top of those "adamantine rocks" of ours, not at their foot, that one is ever enabled to perceive the whole Truth, by embracing the whole limitless horizon. And though they may seem to you to be standing in your way, it is simply because you have hitherto failed to discover or even so much as suspect the reason and the operation of those laws; hence they appear so cold and merciless and selfish in your sight; although yourself have intuitionally recognised in them the outcome of ages of wisdom. Nevertheless, were one but to obediently follow them out, they could be made to gradually yield to one's desire and give to him all he asks of them. But no one could ever violently break them, without becoming the first victim to his guilt; yea, to the extent of risking to lose his own, his hard won share of immortality, here and there. Remember: too anxious expectation is not only tedious, but dangerous too. Each warmer and quicker throb of the heart wears so much of life away. The passions, the affections are not to be indulged in by him who seeks TO KNOW; for they "wear out the earthly body with their own secret power; and he, who would gain his aim — must be cold." He must not even desire too earnestly or too passionately the object he would reach: else, the very wish will prevent the possibility of its fulfillment, at best — retard and throw it back. . . .