THE STORY
OF
ANNA KINGSFORD AND
EDWARD MAITLAND
AND OF
THE NEW GOSPEL OF
INTERPRETATION
BY
EDWARD MAITLAND.
EDITED BY SAMUEL HOPGOOD HART.
"The days of the Covenant of Manifestation are passing away;
The Gospel of Interpretation cometh."
"There shall nothing new be told; but that which is ancient
shall be interpreted."
"Now is the Gospel of Interpretation come, and the kingdom
of the Mother of God."—C.W.S., Part I. No. ii. (part 2) 10. 11.
and Part II. No. xiii. 31.
THIRD AND ENLARGED EDITION.
PRICE THREE SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE.
BIRMINGHAM:
THE RUSKIN PRESS, STAFFORD STREET.
1905.
1st Edition ... Christmas, 1893.
2nd Edition ... Christmas, 1894.
3rd Edition ... Christmas, 1905.
This book is designed (1) in satisfaction of thewidely-expressed desire for a more particularaccount than has yet been rendered concerningthe genesis of the writings claiming to constitutea "New Gospel of Interpretation"; and (2) infulfilment of the duty incumbent on me as thesurvivor of the two recipients of such Gospel tospare no means which may minister to its recognitionand acceptance by the world, for whosebenefit it has been vouchsafed.
Although largely biographical in character, thisbook is not a history of individuals, but of a Work,and involves only such personal references as arenecessary to such history. It is not, however, afull or a final account that is contained in it.Such an account can be given only in the form ofthe regular biography which is in course of preparation.This book is an instalment only of thatbiography, being put forth in advance of it, partly,as said above, to meet a present need, and partly,to prevent a total loss of the record in the event ofmy failure to complete it—a contingency of which,in view of the magnitude of the task and myadvanced age, I am bound to take account.
E. M.
Since the publication in 1893 of this book which,as stated in Chapter VII., was "intended but asan epitome and instalment" of a far larger bookthen in course of preparation, the full and finalaccount of the "New Gospel of Interpretation"has been given to the world. In 1896 Edward Maitlandpublished his magnum opus, "The Life ofAnna Kingsford," in two large volumes of 420pages, "illustrated with portraits, views, and facsimiles."This is, and will always be, thebiography par excellence of Anna Kingsford andEdward Maitland, and it is absolutely indispensablefor those who would know all that there isto be known of them and their work and of the"New Gospel of Interpretation." As that book,however, on account of its great length, mustalways be a costly book, and therefore beyond themeans of many who would like to have somereliable information concerning Anna Kingsfordand Edward Maitland and their work, and as thereare many who, on account of their time for readingbeing limited or their inclination to read beinglittle, require information within the compass ofa small book or go without it altogether, there will,notwithstanding the publication of the "Life ofAnna K