The Year 1881

The Year 1881

Bombay Gazette, March 30, 1881

To the Editor of the Bombay Gazette.

Sir,—I believe very few of the millions who began three months since to date their letters “1881” ever gave a thought to the strangeness of this new grouping of figures. Yet, another such combination will not happen in the Christian Chronology before the year 11811 just 9930 years hence. Besides the well-known prophecy of Mother Shipton—which may have a more occult meaning than is generally supposed—our year 1881 offers that strange fact hitherto unnoticed that from whichever of four sides you look at its figures—from right or left if written horizontally, or from top or bottom, if arranged vertically—you will always have before you the same mysterious and kabalistic number of 1881. And truly kabalistic it is, being the correct number of the three figures which have most perplexed mystics and Christians for no less than sixteen or seventeen centuries. Among the rest the great Newton, who worked over the problem a considerable number of years. The year 1881, in short, is the number of the Great Beast, of the Revelation, the number 666 of St. John’s Apocalypsis—that Kabalistic Book, par excellence.

See for yourself 1+8+8+1 makes 18: 18 divided thrice gives three time six, or, placed in a row, 666, “the number of a man: and his number is six hundred three score and six.”

And now “Here is wisdom. . . . Let him who hath understanding” then find out the relation that “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother . . .”—of all sorts of ugly things—has with A.D. 1881. Those who carry Revelation in their pockets know as little as the “heathen” since they could never tell us what the puzzle meant? And yet the Hebrew Kabalists understood the “Patmos Yogi.” They knew well what he meant by his 666. Rabbi Gorodek who, so far back as 1791, asserted the Apocalypse to be far older than Christianity, and endeavoured to prove John to be no other than Oannes—the Chaldean Dagon or Man-Fish—promised us the solution for this year.

H. P. Blavatsky.
Bombay, March 29.

The Year 1881

Bombay Gazette, April 7, 1881

To the Editor of the Bombay Gazette.

Sir,—The Methodist organs are very fond of me. So foolishly fond, I am afraid, that rarely a month passes away but my Scytho-Sarmatian heathen name appears on their columns like a fly in a communion cup. This time again my letter in your Gazette upon the year 1881, has called forth in the Bombay Guardian of April 2, a Biblo-arithmetical and critical review. I am called in it, “another candidate for the honour of interpreting the number of the name of the Beast spoken of in Revelation, xiii.” Unfortunately, for the Guardian, it shot at a pigeon, and killed but a stray crow, I feel really ashamed at such an easy victory. I blush, yet must beg you to permit me to proclaim my triumph over the veteran Methodist organ. Misunderstanding entirely my meaning, and saying that “there are many other things said about the Beast in the Revelation,” it demands that “Madame Blavatsky should see that these all have their fulfillment in the number 1881.” Having never bargained for the office of interpreter of dreams, I must decline the offer. What I said was:—“our year 1881 offers that strange fact that from whichever of four sides you look at its figures—from right or left if written horizontally, or from top or bottom if arranged vertically, you will always have before you the same mysterious number of 1881.” To this the Guardian rejoins: “Well, take 2772: has it not identical proportion here ascribed to 1881?”

I am afraid not. The year 2772 will legibly present the same number but from three instead of four sides. And while our year 1881 will remain the same (fancy type excluded) even were one to look at it from the back by holding the paper up to the light, the figures 2772, when the paper is turned upside down will appear to the eyes thus 2772!

The Guardian has, no doubt, come very near catching more than one heathen during its long existence. This time though it “caught a Tartar.”

It has not squared the circle, and I repeat that such another combination of figures will not happen in the Christian Chronology before the year 11811.

H. P. Blavatsky.
BOMBAY, April 3.