[Letter from John Smith
to H.P. Blavatsky][Reprinted from The Theosophist,
(Adyar, Madras, India), March 1929, pp. 639-641.]
Nice, 31 January, 1883.
Dear Madame Blavatsky,
Your letter of July 23rd from Bombay, after its journey to Melbourne and then to London, came into my hands at Cannes, on the 18th of this month. I was very sorry to learn the reason why my letter had lain so long unread; and I trust your eyes have sustained no permanent injury from the severe inflammation. I trust also that you have recovered from the effects of the depressing summer heat of Bombay. I found the winter heat bad enough. You mention that you intend moving Headquarters to Madras, but state no time, so that I shall have to address this to Bombay, with the hope that if you should have gone, the P.O. will forward it to Madras. When I got Mr. Terry’s note telling me that he had a letter from you to me, and asking what he was to do with it, I immediately wrote to you (18 October) to let you know why I had not got yours - and that letter I sent to Breach Candy.
You think that my note to Morya was a failure - but let me now tell you the facts. You may remember that you concluded your letter with a P. S. requesting me not to be angry with the Brother. This was followed by a few words in red ink in Morya’s hand, to the effect that your advice was very kind and considerate (evidently sarcastic). But more than that. Inside your letter was a small envelope, curiously folded and gummed, and addressed to me in red. On cutting this open, I found my own little note to Morya, absolutely intact. My wife, who sewed it up, and other ladies to whom I showed it, are satisfied that the stitching has never been disturbed. At first I was inclined to think that it had come back just as it went, but on cutting it open what was the astonishment of all of us when I drew out a piece of China-paper with a curious picture on it, and some writing in red ink round the margin, with Morya’s signature or rather cryptograph. The sentence began: "Your ladies I see are unbelievers, and they are better needle-women than our Hindu or Tibetan lasses." etc. To me and my wife the last is as satisfactory as it is gratifying and astonishing. How did that China-paper get inside my note? Not by any means known to ordinary mortals. I scarcely dared to hope for anything so good when I enclosed the note to Morya, and I am very grateful to him for it.
I am encouraged to enclose another note for him in the hope of getting a reply, but I do not make it any test. I wish only for information. But if he should see fit voluntarily to give me some additional proof of his miraculous powers (for with our notions of matter this affair of the note may be so designated) I shall be intensely pleased. I am more than ever sorry that I did not stay with you a week longer, that I might have had a chance of seeing Morya and perhaps becoming personally acquainted with him.
When you mention the disappearance of my note to Morya, you add - "To all questions, I receive one reply - ‘Mind your business,’" etc. In what way were the question and answer made? By mental impressions simply? Or in actual conversation with Morya’s double or projection? And do you know why Morya took away my letter to you as well as the note to himself? (That is supposing he did take it.) For by so doing, your answer to me and his own communication to me were greatly delayed. If it was he that carried it off, I should like to know if he has taken any further notice of it.
You mention that K. H. now answers Mr. Hume’s letters directly. Does he also take away directly from Mr. Hume’s house the letters written by Mr. H. to him? The whole thing seems to me so astonishing and perplexing that I wish to understand exactly what happens.
My wife desires me send you her very kind regards. She hopes to see you sometime. You say you trust she will then believe a little more than she does now; but I think I told you that she believed the facts included under the term Spiritualism, and now she is quite satisfied with this last sent by Morya, feeling sure that by no known means could that piece of China-paper have been inserted into the note sewn up by her.
With kind remembrances to Col. Olcott and Damodar, and all manner of good wishes for yourself, including stronger health and freedom from cares, and a more invigorating residence, I am,
Yours very sincerely,
(Sd.) J. Smith
P.S.: We intend to start for Australia in a Messageries steamer from Marseilles on 12 April - via Mauritius. Till, say 8th April, my address will be care of Bank of N. S. Wales, Old Broad Street, London. After that it will be as formerly: University of Sydney, New South Wales.
