Mrs. Annie Besant

There is perhaps no name ainong the intellectual women of the world so well inowu as that of Annie Besaut. For nuuiy years she was the intímate frieinl of that great hero, Cliarles Bradlaugh, v)io did so mach for the liberation of thought and speech in England, especially in the prees. His life-long battle against bigotry and injustice, his final victory as a respected member of parliament, are well kuown, but Mrs. Besant's work in this conuection, is not so well known as it deserves to be. She had to bare the bruut of the battle and a tremendous autagouism, which would have crushed a weaker womau. Mrs. Besant first gained lier laurels in the cause of free thought, aud in the cause of socialism. She not ouly won the love but also the admiration of all those whose suffering she was ever ready to relieve. Her conversión to theosophy is one of the most iuteresting chapters of psychology ; it shows the developinent of an intensely religious nature coinbined with a powerful intellect that does not pause at any difiiculties. Mrs. Besant has written a number of standard works on Theosophy, which are singularly clear in outline and context, and the mostabtruse problems are presented in an attractive forni. Mrs. Besant has lately paid special attention to some phases of scientific thought; especially coneerning the nature and essence of thought, which is now declared to be material in its origin, consisting of vibrations of the ether. Her studies are in the saine line as those of some French savants, such as Baraduc and Pochay D'Aighen, and it is remarkable to note how gradually theosophic theories are being verified by scientific in vestigation. In her lecture in Ann Arbor Mrs. Besant will give a short outline of some of the most recent discoveries in science.