Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)
By George R.S. Mead (1863-1933).
Pages | Photo copy | Reprinted from The Theosophical Review, Vol. XXXIV , 1904/1919 | Kessinger Publishing Company, Montana U.S.A. | ISBN: 1564592529.
" I (Wisdom) love them that love me - Prov. viii, 17. Where there is mystery, it is generally supposed that there must also be evil. " - Lord George Gordon Byron (1788 - 1824).
Let us for a few minutes turn our thoughts together to the woman without whom, in every probability, there would have been no Theosophical movement to-day as we understand it. Let us consider briefly the crude and blundering question: 'Do you believe in Blavatsky?'
To me this question sounds strange, sounds even if I may say so, vulgar. 'Blavatsky' No one who knew her, knew her thus tout court. For her enemies even, while she lived, she was Madame Blavatsky (1831 - 1891), or at least H.P. Blavatsky; while for her friends and lovers she was Helena Petrovna, or H.P.B., or the 'Old Lady' - which last once gave occasion to a pretty witticism of a friend, who slyly remarked that it would have been awkward had Madame been Monsieur.

Concerning H.P.B. (Stray Thoughts on Theosophy)
By George R.S. Mead (1863-1933).
Pages | Photo copy | Reprinted from The Theosophical Review, Vol. XXXIV , 1904/1919 | Kessinger Publishing Company, Montana U.S.A. | ISBN: 1564592529.
“ I (Wisdom) love them that love me – Prov. viii, 17. Where there is mystery, it is generally supposed that there must also be evil. ” – Lord George Gordon Byron (1788 – 1824).
Let us for a few minutes turn our thoughts together to the woman without whom, in every probability, there would have been no Theosophical movement to-day as we understand it. Let us consider briefly the crude and blundering question: ‘Do you believe in Blavatsky?‘
To me this question sounds strange, sounds even if I may say so, vulgar. ‘Blavatsky’ No one who knew her, knew her thus tout court. For her enemies even, while she lived, she was Madame Blavatsky (1831 – 1891), or at least H.P. Blavatsky; while for her friends and lovers she was Helena Petrovna, or H.P.B., or the ‘Old Lady’ – which last once gave occasion to a pretty witticism of a friend, who slyly remarked that it would have been awkward had Madame been Monsieur.