It

ject of which either party is consciously thinking. frequently has no connection whatever with the conscious thoughts of either of the participants in the production of the phenomena. A message of the utmost importance may, therefore, never rise above the threshold of the "percipient's "1 consciousness or even be consciously sent by the "agent." It requires some degree of psychic development to enable one to become conscious of the reception of a telepathic message. Hence it is that comparatively few are able to perceive the details of a communication; although there are few who have not felt an unaccountable impression which is afterwards discovered to have a telepathic origin, or is classed as a "coincidence" by the sceptical. It requires an extraordinary, even an abnormal development of psychic power to enable one consciously to read the thoughts of another in detail. That power is possessed by few outside the circle of so-called spirit mediums, and of those who have developed it by hypnotic processes for purposes of public exhibition.

It is thought that enough has been said to correlate the phenomena of spiritism with those of hypnotism, at least so far as the conditions necessary for the production of the two classes of phenomena are concerned. In the next chapter the principles herein set forth will be applied to the elucidation of the phenomena alleged to be produced by disembodied spirits. I will also take occasion to answer some objections urged by scientific students of spiritism who hold that there is still a "small residuum" of phenomena which is not explicable by reference to known laws of Nature.

1 The "percipient," in the vocabulary of psychic science, is the one to whom a message is sent, or who witnesses a phenomenon. The "agent" is the one who sends the message, or produces the phenomenon.

CHAPTER IV.

SPIRITISTIC PHENOMENA.

The Typical Séance. -"Test" Cases. - The Way Proselytes are made. The Telepathic Explanation. What Telepathy is. Views of Rev. Minot J. Savage and of Mr. F. W. H. Myers.— Their Test Cases Explained.—The Small Residuum of Phenomena which they cannot account for. — The Shipwreck. — An Alleged Spirit Communication from a Victim.— A Telepathic Explanation. — Telepathy vs. Clairvoyance. A Typical Case. - "Stretching" the Theory of Telepathy. — Views of Mr. Podmore.

THE

'HE following propositions have now been provisionally established:

1. The condition of the spiritistic psychic or "medium" and that of the hypnotic subject are identical at the time when their respective phenomena are produced.

2. That condition in both is what is known to science as hypnosis, or partial hypnosis, as the case may be.

These propositions are demonstrated by the following facts:

1. The psychics in each case are in a more or less profound state of objective insensibility.

2. That state or condition in each case is induced by suggestion.

3. In each case the psychic is constantly amenable to control by suggestion.

4. In each case the power to read the minds of others is developed by persistence in the practice of entering the hypnotic or subjective condition.

It has also been established, as a corollary of the foregoing propositions, that in the mind of each psychic a subjective hallucination can be induced by a suggestion; and that it is a matter of indifference whether it be an autosuggestion, a telepathic suggestion, or an oral suggestion.

It is unnecessary to consume much time in the application of these facts to the ordinary manifestations of that intelligence which is alleged to proceed from disembodied spirits. It may not be amiss, however, to present an imaginary case exactly corresponding to those of every-day experience. The dramatis persona are a well-developed psychic and a client who is seeking for tangible evidence of a future life, and will be satisfied with nothing short of a "test case" of spirit identity. He is full of hope that he may be put in possession of indubitable evidence of the reality of spirit intercourse with the living, for he longs to establish communication with the loved and lost, - longs "for the touch of a vanished hand, and the sound of a voice that is still." But he does not mean to allow his emotions to warp his judgment, or to entertain a belief whose parentage can be traced to his desires alone. Perhaps he has heard of mind-reading, and feels prepared to detect any evidence of the exercise of that power, or of any species of mental legerdemain. He takes care in the selection of a psychic, and seeks one who is utterly ignorant of his name, local habitation and antecedents. Having found one possessing all the necessary qualifications, he seats himself and awaits results.

The psychic enters the subjective state, and presently begins his revelation. He begins by making an exhaustive inventory of his client's mental qualifications, whom he asserts to be a man of exalted character and gigantic intellect. He tells him that all he needs is opportunity to make his mark in the world; that he is not as well off in this world's goods as he would like to be, but that fame and

fortune are near at hand; that he is a fearless investigator, but is not easily fooled, etc., etc. All this, however, in the estimation of the client, proves nothing but the good judgment of the psychic and the clearness of his perception of human character. Anybody might know all this at a glance, for that matter. It is not even good evidence of mind-reading.

Presently the psychic tells the client's name. He is somewhat startled, but reflects that it may have been obtained from the hotel register, or that it may be mind-reading. The psychic then describes a spirit of which he sees a vision, relates all the circumstances of the death and burial of the person, and, perhaps, states the name of the deceased, the relationship borne to the client, and many little details which may or may not be true. In its important features, however, the statement is exact. It is the very person the client most desires to communicate with; but he is not satisfied. All this is plainly within the domain of mindreading, and he is not to be deceived. But he is interested and hopeful, and asks for a communication, which is given. It is couched in endearing, but general terms; plenty of good advice is given, and it ends in a rhapsodical expression of assurance of a life beyond the grave and of a happy reunion when life's fitful fever is over. The client is much affected, but reflects that all this is plainly within the capacity of the psychic. What he is after is a "test," and he so informs the psychic. Presently the "spirit" relates some little episode which the client knows was within the exclusive knowledge of himself and the deceased. His doubts begin to vanish; but he reflects that the knowledge of the circumstance was in his mind, although he does not remember of having thought of it that day. The test is not conclusive, and he awaits further developments.

Up to this point the spiritist of average intelligence will agree that no valid evidence of spirit identity has been

forthcoming. It is obviously all within the domain and possibilities of telepathy.

Presently another "spirit" appears upon the scene. The psychic describes it with great minuteness, and finally gives its name. The client is confounded. "This cannot be mind-reading," he soliloquizes, "for I have not thought of that man for twenty years." He has crossed the Rubicon. The limit of his knowledge of telepathy has been reached, and to him it is no longer a tenable hypothesis. As if to make assurance doubly sure, the "spirit" recalls a business transaction between himself and the client which took place forty years agone. The client racks his memory in vain for a trace of recollection of the transaction. He does not even remember of ever having had any business with the deceased. He knows, however, that he has the means of verifying the statement if it is true, and he closes the séance and hurries home to institute a search of his old records. He finds, to his surprise and delight, that his spirit friend is right in every particular.

A proselyte is gained for spiritism. Henceforth he haunts spirit mediums, and spirit mediums haunt him. Perchance his mind is not so warped that he ceases to recognize telepathy as a possible factor in alleged spirit intercourse. He may even admit that the great bulk of spiritistic phenomena can be accounted for by reference to telepathy; but he holds that there is a "small residuum" of phenomena that cannot be thus explained.

Until within a very few years it would have been impossible, by invoking the aid of telepathy, to account for the phenomena which converted our friend. But it has now been ascertained that even if one does not happen to be consciously thinking of a particular spirit when that spirit is announced and correctly described, such a mental condition does not militate against the telepathic theory. On the contrary, it is clear that what one is consciously thinking of