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minism, the learned author informs his readers that it would be better not to notice what in his opinion might be urged to prove that my criticisms are from a mistaken stand-point. Certainly, the author has acted very prudently in making this declaration; any attempt on his part to answer the main arguments urged by me would have ended in a disastrous failure.
It is always difficult for a foreigner to understand our religious philosophy and the mysteries of our Puranas, even when he devotes a considerable portion of his time and energy to the study of Sanskrit literature and the real secrets of Eastern occult science can only be revealed by an Initiate. So long as Europeans treat the opinions of Hindus with contempt and interpret our religious books according to their own fancies, the sublime truths contained therein will not be disclosed to Western nations. Mr. Oxley evidently thinks that there is no initiate in India, who can interpret our religious books properly, and that the real key to esotoric Hinduism is in his possession. It is such unreasonable confidence that has hitherto prevented so many European enquirers from ascertaining the real truth about our ancient religious books.
Mr. Oxley means to assume a certain amount of importance by putting forth the following astounding assertion. He says in his article:—"What, if I State to my reviewer that perchance—following the hint and guidance of Swedenbourg—I and some others may have penetrated into that sacred region (Central Asia) and discovered the 'Lost Word'"!
If I had not seen the author's book and his articles in the Theosophist, I would have refrained from saying anything against such a statement on the assumption that no man's statement should be presumed to be false, unless it is proved to be so. But from the following considerations, I cannot help coming to the conclusion that the author knows nothing about the "Lost Word".
(1.) Those who are in possession of it are not ignorant of the "art of dominating over the so-called forces of Nature".
