Quotes:Brown, William Tournay

Zirkoff, Boris

Brown, William Tournay. Born in Glasgow, May 16, 1857, of elderly parents; had two older brothers; father was clerk at 200 pounds a year in Forth & Clyde Canal Co.; mother was daughter of wealthy Glasgow weaver. Began his education at dame school at age of 4; at 7 sent to Glasgow Academy; at 14 left school to serve law articles with solicitor firm of Bannatynes Kirkwood & Mcjannett, Glasgow, attending meanwhile classes at Glasgow University. When father died, Jan., 1877, took up serious studies for degree in law. Death of mother two years later turned his mind to religion; rebelled against narrow Presbyterianism he was raised in. Lived with a family friend, Dr. M., whom he considered for a time as the “ideal Christian.” Broke with him, after trip to America, 1882, and considered himself psychologized and mesmerized by the doctor; went through a period of great depression. About this time, came into contact with a young man from London, Samuel Baildon, student of magnetism and a vegetarian, and also 429 with James Coates, a Spiritualist and Prof, of Phrenology. Was advised by them to leave Glasgow. Went to London and stayed with Dr. and Mrs. Nichols, where he was soon restored to health. It is from this time that dates his serious interest in the occult. (Vide pp. 31-32 of the present volume for data on Mr. Brown’s sojourn in India.) On Jan. 4, 1885, left India on his way to the U.S.A., via China and Japan. In America, he went through various changes of mind regarding his future, and decided once again to devote himself to self-development, and to return to India. Reached London, July 6, 1885; after seeing A. P. Sinnett, went to Elberfeld, to see Mrs. Gebhard. Began to waver again in his decision and started touring Europe instead. At Naples, underwent one of the most sudden changes of mind in his whole experience; determined to leave for India, he decided in the shipping company’s office not to board the steamer that was about to sail. After travelling for some time in Italy and Switzerland, he settled down at Freiburg, August, 1885, to write an account of his life. Early in 1886, came once more to the United States and associated himself with Mrs. Josephine W. Cables who had established in 1882 the Rochester Branch of the T.S. and was publishing, since April, 1884, The Occult Word. Mr. Brown eventually went back to England, and later to India, where he married an Eurasian lady. As far as is known, he returned to the fold of orthodox Christianity. No further information regarding his later career seems to be available. His writings include the following: *Some Experiences in India. London: Printed under the authority of the London Lodge of the Theosophical Society, 1884, 19 pp. Very scarce. Copy of original in the Adyar Library. Text reprinted in The Canadian Theosophist, Vol. XXVIII, June, 1947.—The Theosophical Society: An Explanatory Treatise. Madras: National Press, 1884(?), 14 pp. Scarce. Orig. in Adyar Library.—*My Life. Printed by D. Lauber, Freiburg, Baden, Germany, Fall of 1885, 64 pp. Very scarce. Orig. in Adyar Library.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 6, pp. 428-429