Theos-Talk Archives (April 1995 Message tl00222)

In the May issue of the Smithsonian magazine, there is an article
entitled "When Colonel Olcott met Madame Blavatsky" by Edward
Hower.  The great pictures, including one of Master Morya, are
worth the price of the magazine alone ($3).  But I thought it
strange that they included a color photograph of Shirley MacLaine
and sort of referred to her as a modern version of HPB.

The Masters Revealed by K.  Paul Johnson is mentioned and the
article seems to be a historical view of Olcott as a man who was
transformed by Theosophy and did much good all over the world.
HPB is portrayed as a flamboyant gypsy who got her comedown when
Emma Coulomb supposedly exposed her and the Society for Psychical
Reserach judged her an impostor.  The writer seems to lay down
these facts without making any judgement of HPB, citing that
Theosophists "passionately deny it" and going on to praise her
for her books.

Those of you on theos-l who have better education in Theosophical
history might have some other comments or criticisms of this
article.

- ann