MAITLAND, Edward, English mystic and writer: b. Ipswich, 27 Oct. 1824; d. Tunbridge. 2 Oct. 1897. He was educated at Caius College. Cambridge, and was destined for the ministry. but declined to take holy orders because of his incompatible religious beliefs. He was one of the "Forty-niners* in California and later went to Australia where he became a commissioner of Crown lands. He was married and widowed in Australia and in 1857 returned to England where he engaged in literary work of an humanitarian order. He made the acquaintance of Mrs. Anna Kingsford in 1874 and with her crusaded against materialism, vivisection and the use of animal food. In 1876 he announced that he had acquired a new sense which enabled him to see the condition of peoples' souls, as well as those of trees and animals, and likewise revived his memory of his own previous carnations. He joined the Theosophical Sore'Y in 1883, but shortly afterward withdrew from it and with Mrs. Kingsford founded the Hermetic Society which was of mystic rather than occult character. After the death of Mrs.
Kingsford in he maintained that they re mained in communication. In 1891 he founded the Esoteric Christian Union. He wrote for the Spectator and the Examiner; reviewed books for the Atheneum; and collaborated with Mrs. Kingsford in writing 'The Key of the Creeds' (1875), and 'The Perfect Way; or the Finding of Christ' (1882). Author of 'The Pilgrim and the Shrine' (1867) ; 'The Higher Law' (1869) ; 'By and By: an Historical Romance of the Future' (1873) ; 'Clothed with the Sun: Being the Book of the Illuminations of Anna (Bonus) Kingsford' (1889) ; 'The New Gospel of Interpretation' (1892) ; 'Anna Kingsford, Her Life, Letters, Diary and Work. By her Collaborator, with a Supplement of Post-Mortem Communications' (2 vols., 18%). After the completion of the 'Life' of Mrs. Kingsford, which, like most of his writings, was largely autobiographical, his mental powers failed rapidly.