In the years 1960, Julius Evola exchanged some letters with Titus
Burckhardt, an author known especially for his works on Islamic art
and architecture. This correspondance was centred on a question
tackled by René Guénon in works such as 'Le Règne de la quantité et
les signes des temps', 'Aperçus sur l'initiation' and 'Le Roi du
monde', that of initiation and initiatory centres. On this point as
on many others, Burckhardt agreed with the French metaphysician. This
position, however, is theoretical. While sharing it to a large
extent, Julius Evola, faithful to his habit of considering all
spiritual questions from a practical point of view, put it to the
test of reality and history. He asked all the questions which it
should raise in the mind of any reader heedful of the link between
theory and practice.
'Centri iniziatici e la storia" was published in the magazine 'Vie
della tradizione' in 1971 and was included by Evola in the second
edition of "L'arco e la clava" (Vanni Scheiwiller - all'insegna del
Pesce d'Oro, Milan, 1971), his last work, constituted of texts of his
lectures and of essays, already published, for some, in papers and,
for others, completely new. A new French translation of this essay
can be found at http://thompkins_cariou.tripod.com/id63.html
Incidentally, let's point out that this question is closely linked to
that of the élite, whose formation both Guénon and Evola called for.
Thompkins&Cariou