Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.10)

T

Appendix

by Boris de Zirkoff

H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writtings, vol. 10, page(s) 408-430

Publications:

Also at:

In other languages:

<<   ☰   >>  | page

408

NOTE ON THE TRANSLITERATION OF SANSKRIT

The system of diacritical marks used in the Bibliographies and the Index (with square brackets), as well as in the English translations of original French and Russian texts, does not strictly follow any one specific scholar, to the exclusion of all others. While adhering to a very large extent to Sir Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary, as for instance in the case of the Anusvâra, the transliteration adopted includes forms introduced by other Sanskrit scholars as well, being therefore of a selective nature.

It should also be noted that the diacritical mark for a long “a” was in the early days a circumflex, and therefore all of H.P.B.’s writings embody this sound in the form of “â.” No change has been made from this earlier notation to its more modern form of the “macron,” or line over the “a.” Such a change would have necessitated too many alterations, and almost certainly would have produced confusion; therefore the older usage has been adhered to throughout.

409

GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY (With Selected Biographical Notes)

The material contained in the following pages is of necessity a selective one, and is intended to serve three purposes: (a) to give condensed information, not otherwise readily available, about the life and writings of some individuals mentioned by H. P. B. in the text, and who are practically unknown to the present-day student; (b) to give similar data about a few well-known scholars who are discussed at length by H. P. B., and whose writings she constantly quotes; and (c) to give full information regarding all works and periodicals quoted or referred to in the main text and in the Compiler’s Notes, with or without biographical data of their authors. All such works are marked with an asterisk (*).

In the case of Oriental Works, of which only a very few are quoted in the present volume, no attempt has been made to include all the known editions. Those mentioned represent, therefore, only some of the most noteworthy publications. Translations are in the English language, unless otherwise stated. As a rule, the works referred to may be consulted for a short time by means of Inter-Library Loans. To facilitate this, Institutions and Libraries where such works may be obtained are indicated within square brackets. The Key to the Abbreviations used is as follows:

B—Boston Public Library, Boston, Mass.

BM—Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Mass.

G—Columbia University Library, New York City, N.Y.

Ch—University of Chicago Library, Chicago, Ill.

Cl—Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland, Ohio.

Cong—Library of Congress, Washington, D.G.

H—Harvard University Library, Cambridge, Mass.

JHU—Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.

NYP—New York Public Library, New York City, N.Y.

P—Princeton University Library, Princeton, N.J.

Pea—Peabody Institute, Baltimore, Md.

UP—University of Pennsylvania Library, Philadelphia, Pa.

Y—Yale University Library, New Haven, Conn.

Ed. stands for Editions of the original text in Devanagari characters; Roman—indicates the text to be in Roman characters.

–––––––

410 Adalbert of Magdeburg. Allegedly a Bishop-impostor, whose activities took place in the eighth century. The so-called pagan doctrines still exercized a considerable influence at the time over the Christian population of the Empire of the Francs. It was St. Boniface who denounced Adalbert, together with some other ecclesiastics, and lodged a complaint against them with Pope Zachary. The latter declared Adalbert to be unworthy of his clerical status, as he confused the people and turned them away from God. It does not seem to be clear as to just exactly what Adalbert was doing at the time, but it has been said that he was erecting crosses and little chapels in the fields, and was looked upon as a saint by the people. He was said to possess special knowledge concerning the names of the Angels, and this was the main reason why he had been compared by the Pope to Simon the Magician (Jaffé, Monum. Moguntina, p. xlviii). Adalbert was condemned for the first time at the Synod of Soissons, 744; and again at a Council of the Francs, 745. As no results ensued, the affair was brought up before a Roman Synod, in 745, presided by Pope Zachary himself. An alleged biography of Adalbert was displayed at the deliberations of the Synod; Adalbert was supposed to be a native of Gaul, who had had angelic visions in his early youth and had decided to lead a religious life; he had somehow or other obtained the rank of a Bishop in a non-canonical manner; a legend was current to the effect that he had been specially sanctified and dedicated even before his birth (Jaffe, op. cit., p. 142); that a letter from Christ himself had fallen down from heaven at Jerusalem and was being spread around by Adalbert; and that he had composed a special prayer which was introducing his cult of Angels, and invented new names for them (Jaffe, op. cit., p. 144 et seq.). A considerable battle ensued between Boniface and Adalbert, which eventually led to a severe pronouncement on the part of the Pope who anathematized Adalbert, and removed him from the exercise of all his functions. At a later date, Adalbert became active once more and the controversy flared up again. We have no definite information concerning this period, but it is known that Adalbert was finally detained at Fulda, and eventually killed by some shepherds (Jaffe, op. cit., Ixiii; Pertz, Monum. Germ. Hist. Script., Vol. II, p. 355).

Consult also: C.J. von Hefele, Conciliengeschichte, Freiburg i. B., 1855-74; Seiters, Bonifacius, der Apostel der Deutschen, Mainz, 1845.

Addison, Joseph. English essayist, poet and politician, b. in his father’s rectory of Milston in Wiltshire, May 1, 1672; d. June 17, 1719. After attending several schools, entered Queen’s College, Oxford, at the age of fifteen. Most skilful in writing Latin poems for which he received various distinctions. Travelled on the Continent, 1699-1703. The next ten years of his life were spent in government service and in writing various essays in 411defence of the Whigs. He is best known for his daily paper called the Spectator, which ran for about two years and in which he wrote a large number of essays in faultless English. On the accession of George I, Addison was appointed secretary to the lords justices entrusted provisionally with the conduct of the government; he then became chief secretary for Ireland. He was later one of the commissioners for trade and the colonies.

A complete edition of Addison’s works is included in Bohn’s British Classics. It is not definitely known what particular essay or article of Addison’s H. P. B. quotes from.

Albizzi, Francesco (1593-1684). Italian Cardinal, of a noble family from Cesana. At first a married man and celebrated as an attorney; had several children. After becoming widower, settled in Rome and took orders. Worked in Naples and Spain, as assessor of the Sacred Office, 1635. Accompanied Cardinal Ginetti, 1636, on a mediation embassy to the Congress of Cologne, which was supposed to end the thirty-years war. Seeing no results, asked to be recalled, October, 1637. Became secretary of the Irish Congregation. Strongly opposed Jansenism and took part in the conflict between them and the Jesuits. Became Cardinal, 1654. Lacking diplomacy in action, he was of a petulant character and most suited for legal affairs. Wrote several legal works.

Allen, Charles Grant Blairfindie. Canadian novelist, philosopher and scientific writer, b. at Alwington, Kingston, Canada, Feb. 24, 1848; d. at Hindhead, Oct. 25, 1899. Educated in Merton College, Oxford; grad. B.A., 1871. As a boy he had been interested in birds and flowers, and had carried his scientific interests so far as to have formed, during his stay in Jamaica, an evolutionary system of philosophy of his own. Especially renowned for his clear exposition of the Darwinian theories. Wrote a large number of articles for various periodicals. Among his works should be mentioned: The Evolutionist At Large, 1881; Vignettes from Nature, 1881; Colours of Flowers, 1882; Charles Darwin, 1885; (in English Worthies, ed. by Lang).

It is not certain what particular work of his H. P. B. quotes from.

Amadeus of Portugal. Actually Joao Mendes de Silva, son of a Portugal nobleman, Rodrigo de Silva, b. about 1420; d. at Milan, Aug. 10, 1482. After a brief period of married life, entered his religious life in the Hieronymite monastery of Notre-Dame de Guadalupe (Spain), remaining there ten years. Desirous of joining the Franciscans, he went to Italy, where, after some delay, he was received into the Order, 1455. Living in various places, chiefly in Milan, attracted attention by his virtue and alleged miracles. Under the protection of the Archbishop of Milan, established convent of Notre-Dame de la Paix, 1469, which became 412the centre of a Franciscan reform, intended to carry out the rules of St. Francis in all severity. The head of the Order, Francesco della Rovere, later Pope Sixtus IV, extended his protection to Amadeus. Other foundations were made in various parts of Italy, one in Rome, where the Pope established him at S. Pietro in Montorio, and made Amadeus his confessor. Supernatural favours supposedly obtained through his intercession aided in the spread of his reform movement, and the Bolland ists testify to the authenticity of the title “Blessed” bestowed upon him. Amadeus composed an as yet unpublished treatise, De revelationibus et prophetiis. After his death, the convents he founded continued for a while to form a distinct branch of the Franciscans; the friars were called the Amadeans or Amadists, with 28 houses throughout Italy. The Popes Julius II and Pius V suppressed them, uniting them, 1568, with other branches of the Order into one family of Friars Minor Observants.

Ambrosius, Saint (340?-397). *De fide ad Gratianum Augustum libri quinque. See H. von Hurter, Sanctorum Patrum opuscula selecta, etc., Vol. 30, 1874, etc.

*Anugîtâ. The Bhagavadgîtâ with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ. Translated by Kâshinâth Trimbak Telang . . . x, 442. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1882. SBE 8. [Y. C. NYP. JHU. Pea. UP. Cong. P. Cl. Ch. H. BM. B.].— Vier philosophische Texte des Mahabharata (includes the Anugîtâ). German transi, by Dr. Paul Deussen and Dr. Otto Strauss. Leipzig: F.A. Brockhaus, 1906. [Y. C. NYP. JHU. UP. Cong. P. Cl. Ch. H.].

Arnold, Sir Edwin (1832-1904). *The Light of Asia, or the Great Renunciation (Mahâbhinishkramana). London: Triibner & Co., 1879. Many later editions.

Babinet, Jacques. French physicist, b. at Lusignan, March 5, 1794; d. Oct. 21, 1872. Studied at Lycée Napoléon, where Binet was responsible for turning his mind away from law and into the field of science; entered then the École Polytechnique. Joined the artillery for a short time. Resigned at the Restoration, and became prof, of physics at the Lycée Saint-Louis. Taught meteorology at the Athénée, 1825-28, then held a chair at the Collège de France, 1838. Elected to the Academy of Sciences, 1840. Perfected the pneumatic machine, the atmometer and the hygrometer. Engaged in journalism also, and was known for his popular presentation of science. Chief work: Résumé complet de la physique, Paris, 1825.

H. P. B. refers to his article in Revue des Deux Mondes, May, 1855.

Besant, Walter (1836-1901). *Herr Paulus: his rise, his greatness, and his fall. A Novel. London: Chatto & Windus, 1888. 3 vols. 8vo.

413 *Bhagavad-Gîtâ. See Oriental Bibliography in Volume V of the present Series for comprehensive data concerning various editions of this work.

*Bhagavata-purana. For data on various editions of this work, vide Bio-Bibliographical Index in Volume IX of the present Series.

Bianchini, Francesco Giuseppe. Italian historian, astronomer and antiquary, b. at Verona, Dec. 13, 1662; d. at Rome, March 2, 1729. Studied mathematics, physics and astronomy, and in later years theology. Advanced to deaconship, 1669. Became, 1684, custodian of the library of his protector, Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, later Pope Alexander VIII. Received many honours and commissions of trust from succeeding Popes. Elected head of a society for the study of historical antiquities, 1703, and served on the Committee for reform of the calendar. The Univ, of Oxford furnished his expenses during sojourn in England. Benedict XIII appointed him historiographer of the Synod held at the Lateran, 1725. Works: A Solution of the Paschal Problem, Rome, 1703.— Istoria Universale, Rome, 1697, only one vol. of which appeared.— De Calendario et Cyclo Caesaris, Rome, 1703.—Hesperi et Phosphori nova Phaenomena, Rome, 1729, in which he stated that Venus rotated in 24-and-a-third days.