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significance of Christian symbology. The latter are no more entitled to interpret Mr. Sinnett's book in their own way, and claim the sanction of the head-quarters, or of the Mahatmas, for so doing, than the former is, to put his own construction on the "Perfect Way" and appeal to an authority from the same source to be regarded as the apostle alike of Eastern and of Western Theosophy. Nevertheless, Mrs. Kingsford and Mr. Maitland hold that the doctrines contained in Mr. Sinnett'a book are atheistic, illogical, unscientific, incongruous and non-Buddhistic,—if accepted as literally true; and they are under the impression that those doctrines are presented in an allegorical or figurative garb, with the intention of testing the powers of discernment of the Western Theosophists, between truth and falsehood. They feel indignant, moreover, that Mr. Sinnett has been pertinaciously insisting on the correctness of his own interpretation, when that interpretation is such as to bring discredit upon the Himalayan Brotherhood, and their philosophy. This is the gist of their complaint and "the head and front" of Mr. Sinnett's offending. The gifted President of the London Lodge may, no doubt, imagine that she has discovered "the true solution of the Sphynx's riddle". The Sphynx in question, however, not being a Christian but a Hindu-Buddhistic Sphynx, may not be altogether prepared to commit suicide, in the manner indicated by the talented "writers of the 'Perfect Way.'" Rejecting four out of the five distinct hypotheses, proposed by Mr. Maitland, we may admit, with certain limitations, hypothesis the 3rd (page 25); namely, "that the system, as presented, is but a portion (or rather several portions picked out at random) of a system which, as a whole, is perfect; and that, when received, it will prove complete and harmonious."
The Egyptian Sphynx propounded riddles, and Œdipus solved them; while now the Buddhist Sphynx speaks the sober language of fact and the Œdipus of the 19th century is grievously misled: perhaps, because "truth is stranger than fiction." Mr. Sinnett's book has, indeed, served the purposes of "a test," but in a direction quite unexpected.
