bMS 34
Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna. Letters, 1885-1890
Summary Information:
- Call Number: bMS 34
- Title: Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna. Letters, 1885-1890.
- Repository: Andover-Harvard Theological Library, Harvard Divinity School, 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-1911
- Quantity: 1 box
Administrative Information:
- Acquisition Information: Gift of the Genevieve L. Griscom Charitable Trust, 1968.
- Access: There are no restrictions on access to this collection.
Biographical Information:
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891) was born in Russia and was one of the most influential writers in the occult world. In 1875, along with Henry Olcott and William Judge, she founded the Theosophical Society to promote universal brotherhood, investigate laws of nature and latent human powers, and study comparative religion, philosophy, and science. Madame Blavatsky, as she is known, studied the occult for nearly 25 years and claimed to be able to perform mental and physical feats such as levitation, clairvoyance, and telepathy. The primary text of the Theosophical Society, Isis Unveiled, was written by Blavatsky in 1877.
Scope and Content:
Collection includes correspondence between Madame Blavatsky and William Quan Judge, who was general secretary of the American Section of the Theosophical Society. Background information about these letters appeared in the October-January, 1992-1993, double issue of Theosophical History, and the letters themselves were transcribed and published in volumes 5-6, 1994-1996, of this publication. The collection was microfilmed and the microfilm is included in this collection.
For related collection, see bMS 516, James Ralston Skinner.
Container List:
- Microfilm of the collection.
- bMS 34/1 (1) Information about Blavatsky letters.
- bMS 34/1 (2) Letter dated May 1, 1885, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (18 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (3) Short note dated 4/29/85 to Mr. Judge. (1 page)
- bMS 34/1 (4) Letter dated Nov. 3, 1886, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (4 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (5) Letter dated March 19, 1887, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (6 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (6) Letter dated Aug. 12, 1887, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (4 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (7) Letter dated Sept. 15, 1887, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (2 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (8) Certificate dated Sept. 27, 1887, signed by Mme. Blavatsky appointing Dr. Elliot Coues president and W.Q. Judge general secretary of the American Society. (1 page, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (9) Letter, first page missing, but envelope indicates dated Sept. 15, 1887, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (4 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (10) Letter, undated but envelope stamped June 14, 1888, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (2 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (11) Letter postmarked Aug. 14, 1888, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (5 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (12) Letter dated July 7, 1889, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (4 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (13) Letter dated Aug. 5, 1889, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (4 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (14) Letter dated Sept. 14, 1889, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Bridge and undated memorandum by Mme. Blavatsky. (6 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (15) Letter dated Feb. 9, 1890, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (8 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (16) Letter dated August 1890, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (3 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (17) Letter dated Nov. 19, 1890, from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (6 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (18) Undated letter from Mme. Blavatsky to Mr. Judge. (2 pages, plus annotated envelope)
- bMS 34/1 (19) Undated letter from Bertram Keightley to Mr. Judge with postscript by Mme. Blavatsky. (6 pages, plus annotated envelope)