Sinnett, Alfred Percy

Comprehensive Theosophical Dictionary

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Alfred Percy Sinnett

1840-1921

Alfred Percy Sinnett

(English: Alfred Percy Sinnett)

(18 January 1840 − 26 June 1921)

English journalist, author and prominent early Theosophist. Editor of the Hong Kong Daily Press (1865–1868) and of the Anglo-Indian newspaper The Pioneer in Allahabad (1872–1883). He and his wife Patience met H. P. Blavatsky and H. S. Olcott at Allahabad in December 1879 and joined the Theosophical Society that same month. From 1880 he carried on an extensive correspondence with the Mahatmas Koot Hoomi and Morya, later published as The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (1923). His own books The Occult World (1881) and Esoteric Buddhism (1883) did much to popularize Theosophy in the West. He served for many years as president of the London Lodge of the Theosophical Society.

The bibliography lists The Occult World (London, 1881; first American edition, 1885) and The “Occult World Phenomena” and the Society for Psychical Research (London: George Redway, 1886, 60 pages). (BCW).

The bibliography lists The Occult World (1881) and the third revised edition of The Mahatma Letters (Adyar, 1962) under Sinnett's name. (BCW).

Author of The Occult World (1881) and Esoteric Buddhism (1883). Zirkoff also lists the Mahatma letters and H. P. Blavatsky’s letters addressed to him, edited by A. T. Barker and published in 1923 and 1924 respectively. (BCW).

De Zirkoff lists The Occult World, Esoteric Buddhism, Incidents in the Life of Madame Blavatsky, and The Early Days of Theosophy in Europe, alongside the collections of letters addressed to Sinnett, compiled by A. T. Barker. (BCW).

His works include The Occult World (1881), Esoteric Buddhism (1883) and Incidents in the Life of Madame Blavatsky (1886). The bibliography also lists collections of letters addressed to him by the Mahatmas and Blavatsky, edited by A. T. Barker. (BCW).

Bibliographical references include: Esoteric Buddhism. London: Trübner & Co. 1883; many subs. editions. Karma. A Novel. London: Chapman and Hall, 1885. 2 vols.; 2nd ed. Chicago: Rand, McNally Co. 1886 (BCW).

Bibliographical references include: Esoteric Buddhism. London: Trübner & Co. 1883; many subs. editions (BCW).

Bibliographical references include: Esoteric Buddhism. London: Trubner & Co. 1883; many subsequent editions. Incidents in the Life of Madame Blavatsky (BCW).

Author of The Occult World and Esoteric Buddhism, and recipient of the letters compiled by A. T. Barker as The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (BCW).

His correspondence with the Founders began with a letter to H. S. Olcott dated 25 February 1879. He hosted H. P. Blavatsky and Olcott at Simla in September-October 1880. (B. de Zirkoff, BCW 2:xxvi,xxix-xxx,xxxiii-xxxiv)

Some links:

• Quotes: Zirkoff, Boris
• CTD article in Russian: Синнетт, Альфред Перси
• Theosophy Wiki: Alfred Percy Sinnett
• Wikipedia: Alfred Percy Sinnett
• Other resources: Theosophy World Encyclopedia

Mentions

Mentioned in: Chronological Survey & Key to Abbreviations (BCW 2:xxvi,xxix-xxx,xxxiii-xxxiv)

DATA

To show: Alfred Percy Sinnett; sortable: Sinnett, Alfred Percy
Person's short name: A. P. Sinnett; sortable: Sinnett, A. P.; for categories: Sinnett A.P.
Lifetime: 1840-1921
Shortly: English journalist and Theosophist, correspondent of the Mahatmas and author of The Occult World and Esoteric Buddhism; long-time president of the London Lodge T.S.