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likely to be resented, to provoke failure, and may even lead to some very dangerous misconceptions.
V.It must be frankly admitted that Mr. Sinnett himself has not thoroughly understood much of the information given to him by the Mahatmas on several subjects, (as for instance the part played by the 8th sphere in the scheme of evolution, and the opprobrium thrown upon the visible moon,)—he, having no time to obtain the required additional explanations, during his short stay at the Head-quarters, on his way to England. For these reasons, Mr. Sinnett was obliged to refrain from introducing into his work anything like a systematic discussion of more than one subject from the stand-point of the Esoteric Philosophy of the Himalayan Mahatmas. The plan, however, that he has adopted is in perfect accordance with the intentions ot the Masters, and is well adopted to the programme laid down for the guidance of the Theosophical Society. "Esoteric Buddhism," in short, is not intended to be a complete and systematic exposition of the religious philosophy of the Initiated Fraternity, or an authoritative declaration to Theosophists in general of our Teachers' views which they are called upon to accept "as necessarily final and beyond appeal." It is merely intended to be an important contribution to the mass of information, which, it is the object of the Theosophical Society to accumulate, for the purpose of leading ultimately to the evolution of a complete system of philosophy. If any member of the London Lodge was led to anticipate, from the publication of Mr. Sinnett's book, "a formal communication to the world, in a crisis of the gravest description, and for the first time in the world's history, of (all) the most sacred mysteries of existence"—he was entirely mistaken; and if any member expected that the publication in question would supply the requirements of "a prefect system of thought and rule of life" and is now disappointed, no one is responsible for his disappointment. It is altogether unfair to condemn Mr. Sinnett's book as wholly misleading or allegorical, and undervalue the important services rendered by him to the Theosophical Association, on the ground that his work
