Excerpt from A Dictionary of Some Theosophical TermsIn compiling a work of this nature perhaps the most difficult; and certainly the most invidious; part of the task is the selection of the terms: - which shall be included? - which excluded? - and anyone who may do me the honour to look into this endeavour of mine; and appraise it as a whole; will doubtless find very much that exception may be taken to on this head. I shall be asked; "How is it that we find a heading for the Advaita Philosophy; but Judaism or Islamism is not so much as mentioned? How is it that the Gods Varuna; Shiva; and Vishnu are to be found in the Dictionary; whereas we search in vain for Mars; Venus; or Neptune?" I shall be told that there has been no governing principle in the selection of the terms treated; that the book is haphazard in construction; and lacking in system and logic.And to this indictment I confess at once I have no direct answer. I escape; if I am to escape at all; by the method of disappearance from the plane where my logical critic lives and moves about so formidably. For; in truth; the principle by which I have been mainly guided in this matter of selection is not that of logic; but simply what I conceive to be the needs of those who are likely to consult a work of this kind. Nearly all the terms herein contained are such as are used by the writers of our modern theosophical literature. Had I made any attempt to complete the different categories to which these terms belong; my modest production must have swelled prodigiously; becoming a Dictionary of Mythology; Philosophy; Comparative Religions; Occultism; and I know not what; save that it would have been far beyond my capacity to bring forth. Consistency; then; in the selection of the words to be treated of; has been by no means so much my aim as conformity to the good old utilitarian maxim; "The greatest good of the greatest number."
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