HPB-SB-10-432

H. P. Blavatsky Scrapbooks

from Adyar archives of the International Theosophical Society

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vol. 10, p. 432	volume 10, page 432 vol. title: vol. period: 1879-1880 pages in vol.: 577
Legend HPB note HPB highlighted HPB underlined HPB crossed out <Editors note> <Archivist note> Lost or unclear SBT, DT Restored

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eng • рус

< Speculations About the Perpetuation of the Material Body (continued from page 10-431) >

intellects as immeasurably superior to our own as is the universe to this globe, let us try to solve, to treat with respect, and until we can prove the contrary, say, “It may be possible.”

I trust you will give room for my expressions on this matter.

John Rea.

66, Aldred Road, Kennington, Sept. 4th, 1880.

"Spirit" Pranks into Caucasus*

by v.p. de jelihofsky.

Of facts there is such an abundance, that I am at a loss with which to begin. Hence, according to our Russian impolite custom, I will begin by speaking of myself. Table-turning flourishes among us, at present, in a most unaccountable way. Of late it has become more distinguished for the manifestations of its physical brutal rather than intellectual force. The answers given by the tables and their arguments are weak and often mendacious, but fancy—they have now taken to flying about the rooms. Yes, to literally flying. Upsetting itself upside down on the floor, our table, hardly touched, begins to jump of itself on the sofas, flying on top of other tables, on the sideboard, beds and other furniture; and in its flight back turns summersaults in the air in returning to its original position. This seems so wildly fantastic that, were it not for the absurdity of the notion, I might be half willing to believe that it is ourselves who were cheating, and turned and threw them about the room. Two days ago, at the house of Madame Babaef, a very heavy family dining table, at which we had just had our tea, began to dance and fly about, jumping on every bit of furniture in the dining-room, until, owing to the supplications of Wladimir, Popof’s youngest brother, who saw something terrific in these proceedings, we were forced to desist.

I must tell you that this Popof family is a very extraordinary one; extraordinary, inasmuch as the most weird and unaccountable phenomena, visions and manifestations have for years taken place among its members. They have an uncle, alive to this day, and who resides at Odessa, a marine officer, named Tvorogof. Many years ago, he fell into a lethargy and was pronounced by the doctors dead. The priests had come, and were already chanting the funeral service over his dead body which lay in a coffin, and the undertaker was ready to place it on the hearse. The poor man who, though unable to manifest a sign of life, heard and realised everything that was taking place around him, feeling that he was lost, then made a supreme effort, and in a last desperate, though to others inaudible, cry called to his God for help. At the same instant his right hand was lifted up by some supernatural power and made to strike a heavy blow against the coffin lid. . . The thump was heard by all, and the coffin immediately opened. But the man inside it seemed as dead as ever; and, were it not for the resolute protest of his old aunt, would have been buried nevertheless. As it was, he was left to stand with the coffin opened for several days longer, when finally, at the end of the fifth day he revived. He lived after that for twenty-five years more. Mr. Popof, the father of the family, who are our friends, saw his dead father several times, and described him accurately. His own sister lived unto the last day of her life in the world of wonders and visions. One instance:—At the death of Madame Nelidof, her life-long friend, old Mrs. Popof used to visit the chapel in the Nelidof palace at Kaarsk (where they lived) for the sole purpose of having there interviews with her deceased friend. More than that; it is the firm belief of the whole town, that even after her death, Mrs. Nelidof, who was renowned for her holiness and piety, used to regularly and daily appear in the old chapel, where she had worshipped during her life, and there, approaching the image of the Saviour, pray as if she were alive. The old gentleman, Mr. A. Popof, assured me most solemnly, that many persons of his own family, as well as the children of the deceased, had seen her phantom as if in prayer; among others, Mrs. Nelidof’s daughter, who was married to the Count Kleinmichel.† And now, to my own experience with this strange family.

Their son, Volodya, a school-boy of fifteen, is just recovering from an illness of the most dangerous character. An abscess had formed in his lungs which, when burst, discharged an enormous quantity of purulent matter; even now—that is, after more than two months,— the discharge continues night and day into a vessel, through a tube set in the wound made by the operation. This boy it was who supplicated us to give up our communications through the table, assuring us most solemnly that the agency at work was very, very bad; that it was dangerous for all of us. I willingly believe what the boy says, and will tell you why. The fact is that the poor lad had been during a whole fortnight given up by the <... continues on page 10-433 >

* The Authoress of this paper, Madame Jelihofsky, is the sister of Madame Blavatsky. We extract the article from the August number of The Theosophist (Bombay).—Ed. of S.

† All these are historical and well-known names among the Russian aristocracy.

Editor's notes

Sources

• 

  London Spiritualist, No. 420, September 10, 1880, pp. 128-31