Quotes:Sidgwick, Henry

Zirkoff, Boris

Sidgwick, Henry. English philosopher and writer, b. at Skipton, Yorks, May 31, 1838; d. at Terling, Essex, October 28, 1900. Educated at Blackheath and Rugby; admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge at the age of 17, where he taught for some years. Knightbridge professor of Moral Philosophy, 1883-1900. Unable to consider himself a member of the Church of England, owing to his advanced views along religious and mystical lines, he resigned his Trinity Fellowship which was held upon that condition. Other resignations followed, and this attracted the attention of Parliament, and exercised considerable influence in procuring the abolition of University Tests. Sidgwick was one of the leaders in securing the admission of women to the University. He was one of the organizers of the Society for Psychical Research in 1882, and President thereof during the first three years, 1882-85, and in the later period of 1888-93. He was the Founder of Newnham College, 1876, of which his wife, Eleanor Mildred Balfour was Principal from 1892. Sidgwick devoted some eighteen years to research and writing connected with the beginnings of psychic investigations. He was a man of great patience, high moral fibre, and cautious scientific sense, and exercised much influence over other researchers, such as F. W. H. Myers and others. It must be said, however, that he, together with others of his fellow-workers, failed to pay due attention to the occult teachings brought forth by H. P. Blavatsky and thus hampered their own research.

Sidgwick wrote The Methods of Ethics and Principles of Political Economy. For an appreciation of his character, see “In Memory of Henry Sidgwick,” by F. W. H. Myers, in the S.P.R. Proceedings, Vol. XV.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 4, p. 665