"Madame Blavatsky's Income"

Will you give place for a small act of justice? In your issue of June 15, Rev. David Swing has an article entitled "A New Gypsy Queen," in which he says that Madame Blavatsky receives gold from the chelas as they sweep by. This is no doubt a fine piece of sarcasm, but as it is utterly false it does a great injustice to Madame Blavatsky, whose friend and lawyer I have been for fifteen years past. As such, permit me to say that her property is as follows, and no more:

An interest in The Theosophist, which does not pay; an interest in the magazine Lucifer, which is in debt; a copyright of the book Isis Unveiled, which in eleven years has paid her about $300; a copyright of the Secret Doctrine, which has not yet paid.

As General Secretary of the society above named, referred to in Mr. Swing's article, allow me to say that Madame Blavatsky receives no part of any of the fees of such society, and that such fees are the large sum of $1.00 a year from each member.

William Q. Judge
General Secretary
New York, June 21

From Evening Journal, Chicago, June 24, 1889


Contents