Old Diary Leaves 1875–8

This volume (1895) traces the founding and early history of the Theosophical Society in America in the 1870s.

This volume (1895) tells of the first encounter between Olcott and Madame Blavatsky, the Russian esotericist and medium. In 1875 they co-founded the Theosophical Society and here the author relates the early history of and challenges faced by the Society.Henry Steel Olcott (1832–1907), co-founder of the Theosophical Society, was a versatile man. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of American agricultural education and also served in the U.S. War Department. Later Olcott was admitted to the New York Bar and became interested in psychology and spiritualism, travelling to India and Sri Lanka with Madame Blavatsky to explore eastern spiritual traditions, especially Buddhism. This volume (1895) describes the first meeting between Olcott and Madame Blavatsky and the founding of the Theosophical Society in 1875. Olcott continued to practise as a lawyer (and supported the Society financially) while in the evenings he and Madame Blavatsky would entertain visitors or collaborate on the book Isis Unveiled. The author portrays his friend as a spiritual medium and describes how Madame Blavatsky's body was from time to time possessed by other 'entities'.