THEOTOCOPULI
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THEOTOCOPULI
sorrows, and a completion of its noble and pure
wishes.
Theosophy is not only a basis of religion; it is also a philosophy of life. As such, its main teachings are reincarnation and the law of Karma. Karma is the outcome of the collective life, a law of ethical causa- tion. In the past incarnation the ego had acquired certain faculties, set in motion certain causes. The effect of these causes and of causes set in motion in previous incarnations and not yet exhausted are its Karma and determine the conditions into which the ego is reborn. Thus inequahties of natural gifts, e. g. genius, of temperament and of character are ex- plained. The law of progress is the law of involution and evolution, the returning of the Divine Spark into a unity with Spirit through various reincarnations, which are viewed as a process of purification. Sin, poverty, and misery are the fruits of ignorance, and are graduall.v removed as the spirit in us becomes freed from earthlj' dross. There is no heaven nor hell. Death is the passage from this state of life to another. There is an evolution behind and before, with absolute cer- tainty of final attainment for every human soul, i. e. to be one with the Absolute. As man advances in this process his spirit becomes stronger, and can develop latent powers, not shown in ordinary mortals.
Criticism. — In spite of a Christian ethical phrase- ology, theosophy in reality is a form of pantheism, and denies a personal God and personal immortality. Its appeal to the spiritual in man, and its striving after union with the Divine are based upon a contra- dictory metaphysic, an imaginary psychology, a system of ethics which recognizes no free-will, but only the absolute necessity of Karma. No evidence or proof is given for its teaching except the simple statements of its leaders. The denial of a personal God nullifies its claim to be a spiritualistic philosophy. Judging it as presented by its own exponents, it appears to be a strange mixture of mysticism, charla- tanism, and thaumaturgic pretension combined with an eager effort to express its teaching in words which reflect the atmosphere of Christian ethics and modern scientific truths.
Wright. Modern Theosophy (Boston and New York, 1894) ; Besant, Theosophical Manuals (Ijondon, New York and ^ladraa, 1892) : Lectures on the History of Religions: Catholic Truth Society: V, Theosophy (London and New York, 1911); Hcll. Theosophy and Christianity (Catholic Truth Society); de Gr.indmaison, Le Lotus Bleu in seriea Science el Religion (Paris); Busnelli. Manuale di Teosofia (Rome, 1910); Oltr.\mere, Uhistoire des idees thiosophiques dans I'lnde (Paris) ; Clarke in The Month (Jan., Feb., March, 1897).
John T. Driscoll.
Theotocopuli, Domenico (El Greco), one of the most remarkable Spanish artists, b. in Crete, between 154.5 and 1.550; d. at Toledo, 7 April, 1614. On 15 Nov., 1570, the miniature-painter Giulio Clovio wrote to Cardinal N. Farnese, recommending El Greco to his patron, describing him as a Cretan, who was then in Rome and had been a pupil of Titian. El Greco, however, derived very little influence from his master, for his works, beyond a certain influence of Bassano, Baroccio, Veronese, or Tintoretto, are individual and distinct. El Greco came to Spain in 1,577. He signed his name in Greek characters, using the Latin form of his Christian name, and repeatedly declaring himself as a native of Crete. He apjicared before the tribunal of the Inquisition at Toledo in 1.5S2, as interpreter fur one of his compatriots who was accused of being a Moor; he then delinilely announced that he had settled in Toledo. Nothing is known of his parentage or early history, nor wliy he went to Spain; but in time he became typically S))anish, and his paintings exhibit all the characteristics of the people amongst whom he resided. From very early days he struck out a definite line for him.self, glorying in cold tones with blue, in the use of grey and many varied tones of white, and in impressionistic work which foreshad-
owed ideas in art that were introduced one hundred
and fifty years later. His first authenticated portrait
is that of his patron and fellow-countryman Clovio,
now at Naples; his last, that of a cardinal, in the
National Gallery. His first important commission
in Spain was to paint the reredos of the Church of
Santo Domingo el Diego at Toledo. He may have
been drawn to Spain in connexion with the work in
the Escorial, but he made Toledo his home. The
house where he lived is now a nmseum of his works,
saved to Spain by one of her nobles.
His earliest important work is "El EspoUo", which adorns the high altar in Toledo, but by far
his greatest painting is the famous "Burial of the
Count of Orgaz" in the Church of Santo Tom6.
The line of portraits in the rear of the burial scene
represents with infinite skill almost every phase of
the Spanish character, while one or two of the faces
in the inmiediate background have seldom, if ever,
been equalled in beauty. It is one of the master-
pieces of the world. The influence of El Greco in the
world of art was for a long time lost sight of. but it
was very real, and very far-reaching. Velasquez
owed much to him, and, in modern days, Sargent
attributes his skill as an artist to a profound study of
El Greco's works. El (ireco's separate portraits
are marvels of discernment ; few men have exhibited
the complexities of mental emotion with equal
success. The largest collection of his works outside
of Spain belongs to the King of Rumania, some of
the paintings being at Sinaia, others in Bukarest.
In the National Gallery of Ixindon, in the collections
of Sir John StiI■ling-^iax\v('lI, the Countess of Yar-
borough, and Sir Frederick Cook, in the galleries of
Dresden, I'arma, and Najiles. and in the possession
of several eminent French collectors are fine examples
of his work. But to study El Greco's work to per-
fection one must visit Toledo, Illescas, Madrid, the
Escorial. and many of the private collections of Spain,
and his extraordinary work will be found worthy of
the closest study. He was a man of eccentric habits
and ideas, of tremendous determination, extraordi-
