From the caves and jungles of Hindostan (1892) - Page 6

[A small circular emblem featuring a winged sphinx with a human head and a lion's body, surrounded by a crescent moon and stars.]

THE H. P. B. PRESS,

42, Henry Street, Regent's Park,

LONDON, N.W.

(Printers to the Theosophical Society.)

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

"You must remember," said Madam Blavatsky, "that I never intended this to be a scientific work. My letters to the Russian Messenger original: "Russki Vyestnik", under the general title 'From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan,' were written in my spare time, more for entertainment than with any serious purpose.

"Broadly speaking, the facts and incidents are true; however, I have freely used an author's privilege to group, color, and dramatize them whenever it seemed necessary for the full artistic effect. Although, as I say, much of the book is exactly true, I would rather ask for a kind judgment of it as a travel romance than face the critical risks that follow a declaredly serious work."

To this warning from the author, the translator must add another: these letters, as Madam Blavatsky says, were written in her leisure moments during 1879 and 1880 for the pages of the Russian Messenger, which was then edited by M. Katkoff. Madam Blavatsky’s manuscript was often incorrect and frequently obscure. The Russian typesetters, though they did their best to faithfully represent the Indian names and places, often produced forms that are strange or even unrecognizable due to their ignorance of Oriental languages.