In 1879 the countess began investigating Spiritism[7] and in 1881 joined the London Lodge of the Theosophical Society.

Some time after Blavatsky had come in 1885 at Würzburg she was joined by the Wachtmeister, who "loyally and lovingly helped in the great work.

[22] Wachtmeister, who became Blavatsky's "guardian angel, domestically speaking, during the years of the composition of The Secret Doctrine in Germany and Belgium, has printed her account of a number of extraordinary occurrences of the period.

"[23] In her Reminiscences Wachtmeister writes in detail of the many facts coming under her observation which pointed to extrinsic help in the Blavatsky's work.

I have had the privilege of watching its progress, of reading the manuscripts, and witnessing the occult way in which she derived her information.

"[24] Wachtmeister wrote, "When a printed copy [of The Secret Doctrine] was put into my hands, I was thankful to feel that all these hours of pain, toil and suffering had not been in vain, and that H.P.B.

had been able to accomplish her task and give to the world this grand book, which, she told me, would have to wait quietly until the next century to be fully appreciated, and would only be studied by the few now.