Charles Johnston (17 February 1867 – 16 October 1931) was an Irish writer, journalist, theosophist, naturalist, and Sanskrit scholar. Johnston joined the Indian Civil Service in 1888 but left India after two years due to malaria and settled in the United States of America in 1896. He wrote numerous books on Indian philosophy, translating works from Sanskrit as well as on Theosophy. He was married to the niece of Madame Blavatsky and was involved in the development of the Theosophical Society in the United States.
He was born on 17 February 1867 in the small village of Ballykilbeg (in Downpatrick), County Down, Northern Ireland. His father, William Johnston (1829–1902), was an Irish politician, a member of parliament from South Belfast, and a member of the Orange Order. His maternal grandfather was Sir John Hay, 5th baronet of Haystoun.
Charles Johnston studied at Derby, England and Dublin University becoming interested in Oriental Studies, and learned Sanskrit, Russian and German. Among his classmates were William Butler Yeats[1] and George William Russell, with whom he shared an interest in the occult.[2]
Standing left to right: Vera Vladimirovna Johnston, Charles Johnston, Colonel H.S. Olcott. Seated: H.P. Blavatsky and her sister Vera Petrovna de Jelihovsky
Later, Johnston worked as a journalist. In 1884, he read Alfred Percy Sinnett's work The Occult World and founded, together with Yeats and Russell on 16 June 1885, the Hermetic Society in Dublin.[3] After 1885 he also joined the Theosophical Society, and co-founded in April/June 1886 the Theosophical Lodge in Dublin.[4] He was responsible for introducing Yeats to Madame Blavatsky[3] in spring 1887.[4] On 14 October 1888 he married Vera Vladimirovna de Zhelihovsky (1864–1923),[5] the niece of Helena Blavatsky.[3] He also entered the Indian Civil Service the same year,[3] and served for two years in the British Bengal Service before contracting malaria. He resigned and was treated in Austria. Johnston translated several works from Sanskrit and Russian. As an author, he devoted himself primarily to philosophical and theosophical topics. When the Theosophical Society split in 1895, he followed the direction of William Quan Judge and was a member of the Theosophical Society in America (TGinA). After Judge's death the following year, Katherine Tingley came to head the organization. Then in 1898, Johnston, who had initially supported Tingley, seceded from Tingley's organization along with some 200 other members led by Ernest Temple Hargrove to form the Theosophical Society in America (Hargrove) Branch.
Johnston was president of the Irish Literary Society.[6]
Johnston was also a member of the Linnean Society of New York and was a keen observer of birds especially in the New York region.[7] He influenced several young ornithologists including Ludlow Griscom (whose father was involved in the Theosophical movement) and Joseph Hickey.
Bibliography
Collected writings
Johnston, Charles, The Mukhya Upanishads: Books of Hidden Wisdom
Johnston, Charles, The Tao Teh King: Lao Tse's Book of the Way and of Righteousness
Johnston, Charles, The Vedanta Philosophy of Sankaracharya
Johnston, Charles, The Bhagavad Gita: The Songs of the Master
Johnston, Charles, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: The Book of the Spiritual Man
Johnston, Charles, Hidden Wisdom: The Collected Writings of Charles Johnston, Vol. I]
Johnston, Charles, Hidden Wisdom: The Collected Writings of Charles Johnston, Vol. II
Johnston, Charles, Hidden Wisdom: The Collected Writings of Charles Johnston, Vol. III
Johnston, Charles, Hidden Wisdom: The Collected Writings of Charles Johnston, Vol. IV
Karma: Works and Wisdom. New York : Metaphysical Pub. Co., 1900. Available at hathtrust.
The Song of Life. Flushing, NY: Charles Johnston, 1901. A translation of the "dialogue of Janaka and the sage", preceded by "a modern paraphrase of the Teachings".
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. New York: Quarterly Book Department, 1912.
Eastern and Western Psychology: a Theosophical Need. New York: Theosophical Society, 1917.
The Great Upanishads, Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Upanishads Volume 1. New York: Quarterly Book Department, 1927.
The Crest-Jewel of Wisdom by Śankarâchârya. San Diego: Theosophical University Press, 1946. Translated by Charles Johnston. Available at Theosophical University Press Online.
Popular books
Kela Bai: An Anglo-Indian Idyll. New York: Doubleday & McClure, 1900. Novel.
Ireland's Story. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1905, 1923. Written with Carita Spencer. Illustrated history of Ireland.
Why the World Laughs. New York: Harper & Bros, 1912. A book of humorous stories from many countries.
References
^A William Butler Yeats Chronology (1865–1939)(PDF)
^TERENCE BROWN (1999), The Life of W. B. Yeats: A Critical Biography, Blackwell Publishers, ISBN0-631-18298-5
^ abcdWilliam Butler Yeats (2 March 2000), The Collected Works of W.B. Yeats Vol X: Later Articles and Reviews: Uncollected Articles, Reviews, and Radio Broadcasts Written After 1900, Simon and Schuster, p. 410, ISBN978-0-684-80727-0
^ abJorn Barger, , archived from the original on 9 April 2013
^HP Blavatsky – A Pictorial Biography, retrieved 11 February 2014 (Slide 20)
^Peter Sekirin (6 July 2006), Americans in Conversation with Tolstoy: Selected Accounts, 1887–1923, McFarland, p. 55, ISBN978-0-7864-8165-1
^Abstract of the proceedings of the Linnaean Society of New York City, for the official year 1918
Works by Charles Johnston at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
Charles Johnston – Biographical Sketch by Universal Theosophy
The Writings of Charles Johnston compiled by Universal Theosophy
January 07, 2023
charles, johnston, theosophist, charles, johnston, february, 1867, october, 1931, irish, writer, journalist, theosophist, naturalist, sanskrit, scholar, johnston, joined, indian, civil, service, 1888, left, india, after, years, malaria, settled, united, states. Charles Johnston 17 February 1867 16 October 1931 was an Irish writer journalist theosophist naturalist and Sanskrit scholar Johnston joined the Indian Civil Service in 1888 but left India after two years due to malaria and settled in the United States of America in 1896 He wrote numerous books on Indian philosophy translating works from Sanskrit as well as on Theosophy He was married to the niece of Madame Blavatsky and was involved in the development of the Theosophical Society in the United States Charles Johnston Contents 1 Biography 2 Bibliography 2 1 Collected writings 2 2 Theosophical books 2 3 Popular books 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditHe was born on 17 February 1867 in the small village of Ballykilbeg in Downpatrick County Down Northern Ireland His father William Johnston 1829 1902 was an Irish politician a member of parliament from South Belfast and a member of the Orange Order His maternal grandfather was Sir John Hay 5th baronet of Haystoun Charles Johnston studied at Derby England and Dublin University becoming interested in Oriental Studies and learned Sanskrit Russian and German Among his classmates were William Butler Yeats 1 and George William Russell with whom he shared an interest in the occult 2 Standing left to right Vera Vladimirovna Johnston Charles Johnston Colonel H S Olcott Seated H P Blavatsky and her sister Vera Petrovna de Jelihovsky Later Johnston worked as a journalist In 1884 he read Alfred Percy Sinnett s work The Occult World and founded together with Yeats and Russell on 16 June 1885 the Hermetic Society in Dublin 3 After 1885 he also joined the Theosophical Society and co founded in April June 1886 the Theosophical Lodge in Dublin 4 He was responsible for introducing Yeats to Madame Blavatsky 3 in spring 1887 4 On 14 October 1888 he married Vera Vladimirovna de Zhelihovsky 1864 1923 5 the niece of Helena Blavatsky 3 He also entered the Indian Civil Service the same year 3 and served for two years in the British Bengal Service before contracting malaria He resigned and was treated in Austria Johnston translated several works from Sanskrit and Russian As an author he devoted himself primarily to philosophical and theosophical topics When the Theosophical Society split in 1895 he followed the direction of William Quan Judge and was a member of the Theosophical Society in America TGinA After Judge s death the following year Katherine Tingley came to head the organization Then in 1898 Johnston who had initially supported Tingley seceded from Tingley s organization along with some 200 other members led by Ernest Temple Hargrove to form the Theosophical Society in America Hargrove Branch Johnston was president of the Irish Literary Society 6 Johnston was also a member of the Linnean Society of New York and was a keen observer of birds especially in the New York region 7 He influenced several young ornithologists including Ludlow Griscom whose father was involved in the Theosophical movement and Joseph Hickey Bibliography EditCollected writings Edit Johnston Charles The Mukhya Upanishads Books of Hidden Wisdom Johnston Charles The Tao Teh King Lao Tse s Book of the Way and of Righteousness Johnston Charles The Vedanta Philosophy of Sankaracharya Johnston Charles The Bhagavad Gita The Songs of the Master Johnston Charles The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali The Book of the Spiritual Man Johnston Charles Hidden Wisdom The Collected Writings of Charles Johnston Vol I Johnston Charles Hidden Wisdom The Collected Writings of Charles Johnston Vol II Johnston Charles Hidden Wisdom The Collected Writings of Charles Johnston Vol III Johnston Charles Hidden Wisdom The Collected Writings of Charles Johnston Vol IVTheosophical books Edit Useful Sanskrit Nouns and Verb in English Letters London Luzac 1892 The Awakening to the Self Translation of Sankaracharya New York Johnston 1897 From the Upanishads Portland ME Thomas Mosher 1899 The Memory of Past Births New York Theosophical Society Publishing Co 1899 Karma Works and Wisdom New York Metaphysical Pub Co 1900 Available at hathtrust The Song of Life Flushing NY Charles Johnston 1901 A translation of the dialogue of Janaka and the sage preceded by a modern paraphrase of the Teachings The Bhagavad gita The Songs of the Master Flushing N Y C Johnston 1908 Parables of the Kingdom Flushing NY Charles Johnston 1909 The system of the Vedanta according to Badarayaṇa s Brahma sutras and Cankara s commentary thereon set forth as a compendium of the dogmatics of brahmanism from the standpoint of Cankara Chicago The Open Court Publishing Company 1912 Yoga Sutras of Patanjali New York Quarterly Book Department 1912 Eastern and Western Psychology a Theosophical Need New York Theosophical Society 1917 The Great Upanishads Isha Kena Katha Prashna Upanishads Volume 1 New York Quarterly Book Department 1927 The Crest Jewel of Wisdom by Sankaracharya San Diego Theosophical University Press 1946 Translated by Charles Johnston Available at Theosophical University Press Online Popular books Edit Kela Bai An Anglo Indian Idyll New York Doubleday amp McClure 1900 Novel Ireland Historic and Picturesque Philadelphia Henry T Coates amp Co 1902 Illustrated travelogue Ireland s Story Boston Houghton Mifflin 1905 1923 Written with Carita Spencer Illustrated history of Ireland Why the World Laughs New York Harper amp Bros 1912 A book of humorous stories from many countries References Edit A William Butler Yeats Chronology 1865 1939 PDF TERENCE BROWN 1999 The Life of W B Yeats A Critical Biography Blackwell Publishers ISBN 0 631 18298 5 a b c d William Butler Yeats 2 March 2000 The Collected Works of W B Yeats Vol X Later Articles and Reviews Uncollected Articles Reviews and Radio Broadcasts Written After 1900 Simon and Schuster p 410 ISBN 978 0 684 80727 0 a b Jorn Barger Theosophy and mysticism for Joyceans archived from the original on 9 April 2013 HP Blavatsky A Pictorial Biography retrieved 11 February 2014 Slide 20 Peter Sekirin 6 July 2006 Americans in Conversation with Tolstoy Selected Accounts 1887 1923 McFarland p 55 ISBN 978 0 7864 8165 1 Abstract of the proceedings of the Linnaean Society of New York City for the official year 1918External links EditWorks by Charles Johnston at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Charles Johnston at Internet Archive Works by Charles Johnston at LibriVox public domain audiobooks Charles Johnston Biographical Sketch by Universal Theosophy The Writings of Charles Johnston compiled by Universal Theosophy Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Johnston Theosophist amp oldid 1130197525, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
