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[H.P. Blavatsky to Emilie de Morsier about herself]
Nothing can make me falter on the path, once I have started on a journey. Do you want to know why? Because some twenty years ago I had lost faith in humanity as individuals, and love it collectively, and work universally instead of working for it individually. To do so I have my own way. I do not believe any longer in perfection; I do not believe any longer in infallibility, nor in immaculate characters.
Each of us is a piece of charcoal, more or less black and, excuse me, stinking. But there is hardly any piece so vile and dirty that it has not atoms wherein lie the germ of a future diamond. And I keep my eyes fixed on these atoms, and do not see the rest, and do not want to see. As I work for others and not for myself, I permit myself to use these atoms for the common cause. Thus I do not see, nor did I see, in Mr. Fortin anything but his talents and his practical ability for the demonstration of truth.
... I do not see why, were he a thousand times worse than he is, I could not use him for the common cause, the good of humanity in general
... Everything has its good and its bad side. Let us take the good and use only that which is useful, and let us leave what is bad to break its own neck.

Cranston, p. 242,243
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