From the Caves and Jungles of Hindustan
FROM THE CAVES AND JUNGLES OF HINDOSTAN. TRANSLATED FROM··THE RUSSIAN OF HELENA PETROVNA BLAVATSKY. THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING SOCIETY, 161, NEW BOND STREET, LONDON, W. [REPRINTED 1908.] Th.1a One 1111 II BUru- ,,..-, TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. "You must remember," said Mme. Blavatsky, ccthat I never meant this for a scientific work. My letters to the Russian Alessmgcr, under the general title: 'From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan,' were written in leisure moments, more for amusement than with any serious design. .. Broadly speaking, the facts and incidents are true; but I have freely availed myself of an author's privi lege to group, colour, and dramatize them, whenever this seemed necessary to the full artistic effect; though, as I say, much of the book is exactly true, I would rather claim kindly judgment for it, as a romance of travel, than incur the critical risks that llaunt an avowedly serious \Vork." To this caution of the author's, the translator must add another; these letters, as Mme. Blavatsky saYs, were written in leisure moments, during 1879 and 188o, for the pages of the Russkt" Vyestnik, then edited by l\1. Katkoff. Mme. Blavatsky's manuscript was often incorrect; often obscure. The Russian com positors, though they did their best to render faith fully the Indian names and places, often producecj, through their ignorance of Oriental tongues, fornis which are st:range. and sometimes unrecognizable. iv TRANSI.ATO:R'S PMPACB. The proof-sheets were never corrected by the author, who was then in India; and, in consequence, it has been impossible to restore all the local and personal names to their proper form.
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