D. D. H OME.
WITHl-Tt A' TATROD UCTION BY JUDGE EDMO.N.DS,
y' I FTI  3IZDITI OiI ON
NEW YORK:
A. J. DAVIS & CO., 274 CANAL STREET.
186 4.




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S6.q,
BY  GE O.   W.   CAR I  ETON,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Comurt mIr the 8outneroi District of New
Y,rk.




C ONTENTS.
PAGC
Introduction...................... vii
CHAPTER 1.
Early Life: I become a Meodium....................    17
CHAFTER II.
Before the World...............................e.......... 32
CHAPTER III,
Further lManifestations in America.............................  70
CHAPTER IV.
In England...............*......................o............  95
CHAPTER V.
At Florence, Naple, Rome and  Paris......................  126
CI-IAPTER VI.
In America.  The Pressgang.......  149




CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VII.
PAGC
1857-8-France, Italy, and Russia-Marriage.... O............   164
CIHAPTER  VIII.
Russia, Paris and England....................  188
CHAPTER TX.
The " Cornhill" and other XN rratives........,.......          2t3
CHAPTER X.
Miraculous Preservation.  France and England................. e.0
CHAPTER XI.
A Diary and Letter................... 261
CHAPTER XII.
In me1m7o;iam..                       +.8 a b* o5 @ o s*  Oo*e e   o t  *es.5. 2s




TNTROD UCTION
TO  T H E  A M E R I C A N  E D I T I ON M
IT iS now about fifteen years since there occurred at Ro.
chester, in the State of New York, some incidents of so
unusual a character as to excite a very lively attention~
These incidents were, the locomotion of ponderable objects
without any perceptible mortal agency, and the creation of
sounds without any discoverable human origin; and through
their instrumehtality, such an intelligence displayed as enabled conversation to be cParried on with the unseen power
that was acting thus strangely in their midst.
Through the conversation thus opened, it was professed
that these things were done by the spirits of those who had
once lived on the earth, and that the object was to open a
communication between the living and the dead.
Such a claiin was received by an almost universal disbelief-by vehement condemnation of the impiety, or unsparing ridicule of the credulity which could receive or avow it.
Still the thing went on, and impelled by curiosity or the
love of the marvelous, people began to investigate-and as
investigation progressed, the belief in the spiritual origin of
the phenomena spread, until in a short time, people of all
classes and positions in society, and of all conditions of in.




Viii    TNTRODUO'T'ION TO THE- A'MERIiCAN EDITIOiN.
telligence and education, inquired-and most of those who
iniquired, believed.
Confined originally to one locality, it soon spread to other
parts of that State and to adjoining States. Limited, at first,
to three young girls as the "m lediums " through whom
these things were done, the power was soon manifested
through others, of different sexes and ages.
Tl'he ordinary newspaper press of the day was alive with
the details and discussion of the incidents and their origin
Periodical papers were established, devoted to the topic
and numerous volumes were published with the same pur
pose.  The whole matter was subjected, both as to the facts
and their sources, to the severest scrutiny which ingenuity
and acuteness could devise.  Solutions of the mystery, professing to be satisfactory, put forth even under the auspices
of such men as Sir David Brewster, and Professors Faraday
and Agassiz, were of frequent occurrence, and the press and
the pulpit seemed to unite in one voice of denunciation of
the monstrous fraud and delusion.
Still the thing moved steadily on, until before the expira.
tion of the first decade after its advent, the instru)ments
through whom the things were done were conuted by thousands in this country, and the believers by millions, and kindred manifestations were breaking out throughout the worldcl
and appearing on different countinents, among' people of diverse nationalities and language, simultaneously, without
any missionary effort on our part, and apparently without
preconcert with us or between themselves.
Thus at length —through this instrumentality and by the
testinmony of these hosts of witnesses-was established in
this country the marvelous fact of inzanimate mizatter mnoving
wit/zhot mnortal conztact, and display/ing intelligence, ancl
that intelligeence so gr'eat as to " spoeadc in mzany tongztes,"
and to read th&e inmost unuttered thoughts o'f zan.
Among the early instruments used to bring about such a
result in this country, was D. D. Home, whose experience
is given in the ensuing pages.  He was of a mild and gentle disposition, sincere and simple-minded, yet of a passive
rather than an affirmative character, with a strong devotional
tendency.
Hle was never known much in this country as a medium. —




IN'RODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION.         iX
His powers were not more remarkable than those of many
others who were in daily use at the time, and during a good
part of the time that elapsed between the development of
his powers and his departure for Europe, his mediuniship
was confined to a very small circle, consisting of gentlemen
of education aYnd of means, who were, through him, thorough
ly investigtinog the subject.
Such an investigation, by men of science, of learning, of
intelligence, and of standing, was earnestly sought and re.
peatedly urged by the educated ones of those who, on witnessing the phenomena, found in it, a profound mystery. It
was often said to that class of men, whom we were wont to
regard as our teachers and leaders in knowledge, " Here is
something that we cannot fathorm.  Come you to our aid!
Here are incidents for which we can find no origin in the laws
of nature known to us, which we are told are not supernatu.
ral, but in conformity with nature.  Conle ye and discover
this unknown and extraordinary power which thus tends to
lead us into the domnain of the rmagical and the miraculous!
Here is an intelligence displayed by inanimate matter which
professes to be that of the dead.  Coime ye to our rescue,
and unfold to us, if it is possible, some other theory than
the spiritual, as explanatory of these uncommon events.For if that cannot be done, and this thing is what it pro-'esses to be-a communion with the spirits of the departed
-the importance of this new phase of human life cannot be
exaggerated "
To such appeals the response was often favorable, and
such investigations were had in different parts of the country; which resulted not so much in the discovery of the
nature of this new  power, as in establishing to all who
would expend a thought on the subject, the reality of its
existence, and in some degree, what it was capable of
achieving.
As soon as this end was attained in this country, demon.
strations of that character almost wholly ceased among us,
and spirit commun-ion assumed a new and most interesting
phaee.
MlNeanwhile Europe lagged behind the celerity of our
movement, and as we were beginning to read in this New




It      INTPIODUCTION TO THE AMElITAN EDITION.
Testament friom God to man, we could occasionally hear that
lar- people were just entering on their A, B, C.
So that when  1oiome arrived in England, in the possession
of a power then quite common in this country, but almost
mknoewn there, he at once attracted great atten.tion-anld it
will be seen in the following pages, how  wide. sp-eLad  and
uarnest was that a tt-ntion among the hiogher classes, as well
on the Continen- as in England.  The same lively interest
in these, the primary steps of the Communion, was displayed
there that had'beei  -en  here, some ten years before. That
interest still continues there.   I will mentioin as a-n instance
of this, that sonie time ago I received a leftter from Home,
requesting leave to send me the advanced  sheets of his
forthcoming work, in order to their publication here; and
when I received those sheets, they came to  me, not from
him, but from a friend, because lie had been sent for by the
Emperor of the French and had departed for Piaris.
The office which his book will perform in Europe will be
somewhat different from what it will perform with us. Thlere,
it will be maihnly to establish  the fact of spiritual intelr
course.  xWith uis, we hive an abundance of testimony on.hat point, not only in the oft recorded  experience of the
past, but in the great number of private Circles, now  scattered all over our land, vdwhere every one may see and judge
for himself.
To some in this country too that will be the office  of his
book, but to very many it will be different, and the boolk
will find its chief interest in the plain, simple delail of fact,
and the grea[t accunmulation of testimony in  support of that
detail, and in the fact that it is a clear delineation  of the
first step of umany which have been  taken  within  the last
fifteen years.
That first srep hlas been pretty thoroughll y investigoated in
America, until a great revolutrion has been wrought in the
pubic mind as to its actunality.
The next thing  and we are prepared for that now in this
country-is to obtain for the subsequent steps the same thlo
ro lugh Tand searching scrutiny.
And it is the object of this introduction  to  bespeak for
those subsequent steps the closest investigation that science,
education and acuteness can give.  It is impos-sib le for any




INTRODIUCTION TO TIHE ALMIlITCAN EDITION.       Xi
one mind or any small number of minds to do that wisely
and well.  It requires very umany minds and numerous ob~
servations and a gathering together of the results of very
mlany inquil'ies, before a satisfactory conclusion can be arrived at, and every possible objection be foreclosed.   Just
as in astronomy, the discoveries of the last hundred years
have exceeded those of any prior equal period, because of
the largely increased number of observers and improved
means of observation.  It may be the same in spiritual intercounrse.   lany things now  obscure may be rendered
clear; many things deemed impossible may be shown to be
possible; and many things'which to the uninstructed mind
may be terrifying, may be rendered at once attractive  and
salutary.  All that is wanted is patient, persistent investigation.
This appeal of mine would however be incomplete, if I
should omit to define more particularly what are the topics
for which I supplicate a scrutiny, and so I piroceed to mention them.
First.  If it be true that the spirits of the dead can communne with us, then it must be, that they can reveal to us
what is the state of existence into which they were ushered
on dying, and what is the mode of life they are leading
there.:  This they profess to do, and this seems to me to be
the primary and main object of this whole movement.  I
have myself received a great deal of information on this
subject.  Sonle I have already given to the world, but
there is a great deal more that I have not.  I am  ready to
give it as soon as I find the world ready to receive it-not
amlid the fhiror )f superabundant wealth, with all the selfish*
ness, luxu.ay and extravagance which follow in its train, nor
amid the evil passions which civil war engenders-but bye
and bye, when the afflictions which God is bringing upon us
shall have performed their destined office of softening our
hearts, and opening them to tile entrance of the gentle voice
which is now coming to us in ever-increasing tones fromn
beyond the grave.
As the life on earth is never exactly alike in any two
persons, so life in tihe spirit world is never alike to any
two immortals.  Behold then    How  many spirits must
commune with us, and how many mortals must engage in




Xii    INTRODUCTION TC THE A.MERICAN EDITIONo
that commun-ion before enough can be obtained for us to be
able to say and to feel that we know what is the life beyond
the grave.  As in astronomy it took the observations of
many, many persons for several thousand years, to enable
us to arrive at the truth in regard to our planetary system,
so this far more momentous truth must conme to us in the
same way, as the result of many observations by many persons.  What can one man, or even a score do in this respect?  The question is easily answered.  How  few have
ever read or believed what I have published in regard to
the spirit world i Yet let the inquirer be convinced of what
this book of Homne's teaches, namely, that there is such a
thing as direct communication with departed spirits, and he
can himself make his own inquiries, and receive direct answers to himself, and thus fiom personal observation may
come to believe that which he finds it so hard to receive
through mle.j Others and others again doing the same thing,
the result would be such an accumulation of testimony that
there would be as little doubt upon this subject as there is
now of the actual existence of spiritual intercourse.
And when that timle shall come, when a rational knowledge of what the great change-the mortal putting on imImortality-actually is, shall be substituted for the dreadful
fear of death which now so often frightens man from  his
propriety, and enslaves his mind with a worse than Egyptian bondage, what imagination can picture the vast increase
that will flow to the happiness, the wisdom, and the purity
of man!
Seconzd. Another topic, on which much evidence has al;eady been received, but much more is necessary to a full
u!nc erstanding, is involved in the question in what manner,
andcto what extent are we, in the mortal life, surrounded
andcaffected by the spirits of the departed?
There is abundant evidence to show thatjwe are ever sur.
rounded by them, and mnuch to induce us to believe that
every mood of mind has its kindred spirit; whence it
would seen to follow that we are ever liable to be influenced for good or evil by our unseen companions.  But many
important questions arising out of these facts are yet unsolved. For instance: To what extent and under wh':at
circumstances can the attendant spirits influence us? And




INTRODUCTION TO TITE, AMERICAN EDLI'ION.    Xiii
what is our protection against the evil of this influence?Can we ourselves control it by controling our mood of
mind?  And if we need help, can we obtain it, and how 9
HIere perhaps will be found the solution of the oft disputed
proposition of the efficacy of prayer.  Here, perchance, we
may learn that as God always works through  his instrumnents, so the mood of mind which prompts us to pray, may
drive evil fir from ns, and draw closely around us the min.
is-tering spirits who may be charged with the function of
answering our petitions, and who might not otherwise be
able to approach and do for us that which they see, as well
as we do, is needful for us.
And here too, perchance, may be found the solution of
many im-ental conditions which ignorant doctors are apt to
treat as incurable insanity.  I have seen a good many
cases, and myself cured several, where the physicians had
been appealed to in vain.
It is not long since that I was invited by one of our
Medical Societies to attend the reading of a paper on Insanity by a German Doctor.  In some remrarks I made on that
paper, I took occasion to call the attention of the faculty to
this subject, and detailed to them  several of the cases in
which I had cured, and I did so in the hope that they would
investigate for themselves, and see whether there was not
something in that.  Unhappily, in their publication of my
remarks, they omitted this part, and with it an inquiry,
which I cannot but think highly pertinent-" Whether the
nmedical profession might not find in these fand cognate cases
something worthy of their most careful investigation?"
And now  in this connexion I may repeat the question
already asked-If the inquirer believe in the communion
announced in these pages of Home, and he can, by availing
himself of that commuinion, learn the cause and the cure of
any number of cases of Insanity, be they many or few, why
not investigate?  Does mere investigation hurt?  It never
hurts any thing but error, and sometimes perchance the
first propounder of the truth-but the truth itself it never
hurts.
Third.c  Another deeply interesting topic, on which some
revelation has been had and more may be, is What is the
soul?  And how is it connected with the bod~   What form




X1V     INTRODIOTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION.
or covering does it assume, when corruption puts on incor,
ruption?  And what are its relative powers before or after
death?
In t1fis topic are embraced the phenomena of sleep  and
dreams —of clairvoyance (long a subject of dispute, but now
received as a fact, thoulghl involved in priofound mystery)of the spirit photographs-of a spiritual elegrapl, aond the
philosophy and explanation of spirit communion.
On all tlh-ese sulbjects many facts and principles have al.
ready been learned, and many more Inmay be.  Enough has
been learned to show us that we need not remain in ignor.
ance any longer.
For instance    One winter, four or five years  ago, I
tried some very interesting experiments.  Two seances were
held at the same timne,'(allowing ten minutes for the difference of longitude) in New York and Boston.   Careful records of what occurred at both places were preserved-and
Ppon  comparing  theim. it was fonnd  that tho. two parties,
though two hundred  and -fiR-ty miles asunder, conversed with
each other as if present face to face.  The,,zodhts o1peicnZ.di
was shown to me, and many explanatio-ls givern.   The experiments were cont;;inued for several weeks, but, it was
found that they werie attended  with ldanger, and they  we-re
atbacndoned.   The cause oft th-t dian eri s  iscoveerec, and
it was found -that in dule timela it could be obviated.
Since thlese experimets,   I have made no  continued  effoits in thlat direction, but I have experienced   many incidents calculated  to show the plactlcability of such a colmmunion arnonoe us even in this earth life
Another instance will be found to be in the spirit photographs, which profess to be likenesses of the departed as
they now live in the spirit life.   S everal years ago I received from  tlie  la r  West -llinois I t. ink-sonie crude
specimens of this phenomiienon, banud was inforled of lwhat
was intended and what it was hoped would be attained. Ydow
a more matured folrm  of it, has appeared  in  Boston, and
-nay pictures hlave been taken, wihich there is every reason
to belihve are likenesses of the departed as thley exist now.
Time and rep)eated observations will show how this is. Andi
if it should become a well established fact, surely every one




INTRODtUC'rTION'10 TnI-I 1~ AMi iIICAN EDITION.  XV
will see at a glance how powerfil is the evidence thus given
of an existence beyond the grave.
Connected with this subject is the power of seeing and
delineating scenes and objects in the spirit land.~ I have
received mulch evidence in this regard, and  have in  luy
collection some interesting specimens, all of which tend to
show feasibility and the need of further investigation to de
velope tile power.
Fouri/h.  I will refer to one other topic and close, and
that is the power of foretelling future eventso4
I have in my library a book published in London in 1707
in which is detailed a prophecy, given throuh- just  such a
spiritual intercourse as we are now experiencinig, that the
Bourbon family would be expelled  firom  the thrione of
France, and the reason was given, viz. its general p.ofligacy
and its persecution of the freedo   of religious opinon.
Thle  iest time i lectured to the Spiritualists in Newie
York, which was in 5May,!1861, I read two papers, one
given about eleven years and the other about -ive y ears ago
in1 which our present civil war was foretold-in one of tlhe
papers somewhat blindly, until the events made it clearbut in the other most explicit and distinct.
Tlhese all related to public events, where the prophecies
were published to the world before the events happened,
but I have 1h1ad a great many inlstances withmin -,-y own observatioln where private events were'truly foretold.
Five years iago, I. punbished a tract on1'clis siubject,  -'Ul'a view to calling attention to it.  T have seen notlhirg   ince
to change my views, but much, very much to confinrm tdheo,m
and to show me that here is a power capable of being undeistood and i-mproved by us, and of beiog made available
to us.
These four topics are all that I deem it advisable to irert
to now,  But they are by no mea-ns all that are connected
with Spiritual Intercourse that are o:L deep and abiding it.
terest, on which some knowledge has already been obtaineand. inore inay be by proper inquiries.
i;t is, as I unlldersta;nd it, only thrioub1  the instrumentality
of Spiritual Intercourse  that that. knowledge can be obtained.  No man certainly will use thc atl instrumentality who
does not believe in its -realitP,, or who  regara4s it, fs r ai




XVi    INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION.
or a delusion.  And in this, it seems to me, lies the chief
value of Home's book, and the lesson which it teaches.
If the Book does no more than merely work conviction
in some minds, of the reality of communion with the Departed, it will be of some value, for it will carry consolation to
many a heart now  suffering under a load of doubt or affliction.  But if it goes farther, and leads intelligent and instructed minds into an investigation of the higher truths
connected with the subject, it will be a great good indeed.
For my part, I do not believe that we have yet " attained
the end of knowledge of either the works or the word of
cGod "
J, W. EDM3ONDS.
NE:w Yoe T, 3'tarch 29, 1_863.




INCIDENTS IN MY LIFE.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY LIFE: I BECOME A MEDIUM.
I WAS born near Edinburgll, in NMarch. 1833. Wlen
I was about a year old, I was adopted b4y an aunt, and
I accompanied her and her husband to America when
I was about nine years old. I was very delicate as a
child, and of a highly nervous temperament; so much
so thlat it was not thought that I could be reared. I
cannot remember when I first became subject to the
curious phenomena which lhave now for so long attended iine, but my aullnt and others have told me that
when I was a baby my cradle was friequently rocked,
as if some kind guardian spirit was tending me in amy
slumbers. My aunt has also told me that when I was
about four years old, I had a vision of the circum-stances attending the passing fiorn earth of a little cousin,
I being at Portoblello, near Edinburgh, and she at Linlithgow, all which proved to be entirely correct, though
I had mentioned persons as being present about her,
who it is thought could not have been there, and lad
noticed the absence of her father on the water, at a




18                  EARLY LIFE.
time when it was thought that he must be with her at
home.
When about thirteen yeatrs of age, the first vision
which I distinctly remember occurred. I was, fromn my
delicate health, unable to join the sports of other boys
of my own age. I had, a few months before the vision which I am about to relate, made the acquaintance of a boy two or three years my senior, and somewllat similar to myself both in character and organization.  We were in the habit of reading the Bible together, and upon one occasion, in the month of April,
as we had been reading it in the woods, and we were
both of us silently contemplating the beauties of the
springing vegetation, he turned to me and said, 6 Oh,
I lhave been reading such a strange story 9!" and he
told me a ghost story connected witl the family of
Lord --       and which I have since found to be well
authenticated.  A portrait of the lady to whomn it occurred still exists in the faimily, and is known as the
lady with the black ribbon.  The present Lord
who is of the same family, has told Ine that hle was
born in tlhe chamber where the spirit appeared.  My
fiiend Edwin asked me if I thowught the story could be
true, and I said I did not know, but that I had heard
strange things of that kind.  We then agreed that
whichever one of us should first be called firom  earth,
would, if God permitted it, appear to the other the
third dav afterwards.  We read another chapter of the
Bible tog'ether, and we prayed that so it might be to us.
About a month fi-om this time, I went with my famnily
to reside at Troy in the State of New York, a distance
from Norwichll where Edwin lived, (of nearly tllree




LEARLY LIFE.!9
hundred miles.  I had been to spend the evening at
the latter end of June with some friends, and nothing
ilad occurred during the evening to excite my imagination, or to agitate Imy mind; on the contrary, I was
in a calm state. The farmily had retired to rest, and I
at once went to my room, which was so completely
filled with the moonlight as to render a candle unnecessary.  After saying my prayers, I was seated on the
bed, and about to draw thle sheet over me, when a sudden darkness seemed to pervade the room. This surprised mne, inasmuch as I had not seen a cloud in the
sky; and on looking up I saw the moon still shining,
but it was on the other side of the darkness, which
still grew more dense, until through the darkness
there seemed to be a gleamn of light, which I cannot
describe, but it was similar to those which I and many
others have since seen when the room  has been illuminated by spiritual presence.  Tiis light increased,
and my attention was drawn to the foot of my bed,
where stood my friend Edwin.  Tle appeared as in a
cloud of brightness, illuminating his face with a distinctness more than mortal. HIs features were unchanged except in brightness, and the only difference
I saw was that his hair was long, and that it fell in
wavy ringlets upon his shoulders. He looked on me
with a smile of ineffable sweetness, then slowly raising
the right arm, he pointed upward, and making with it
three circles in the air, the hand began slowly to dis-,appear, and then the arm, and finally the whole body
mnelted away. Thle natural light of tile room  was then
again apparent. I was speechless and could not move,
tlhonlgh I retained all my reasoning faculties. As soon




20                  EARLY LIFE.
as the power of movenent was restored, I rang the
bell, and thle faimily, thinking I was ill, came to my
room, when my first words were, " I have seen Edwin
-he died three days ago at this very hour."  This
was found to be perfectly correct by a letter which
came a few  days afterwards, announcing that after
only a few hours' illness, he had died of malignant
dysentery.
My lnother was a seer throughout her life.  She
passed from earth in the year 1850, at the age of forty-two.  She had what is known in Scotland as the second sight, and in many instances she saw things
which were afterwards found to have occurred lat a
distance, just as she had described them.  She also
foresaw many events which occurred in the family,
and ioreto,ld the passing away of relatives, andi lastly,
she foretold lher own four months previously.
I was then seventeen, and was residing at Norwich,
Connecticut, and my mother was living at Waterford,
near New London, twelve miles distant.  One day I
suddenly felt a strong' impulse that she wished to see
me, and I walked all the way in consequence of this
impression.  When I got home, I felt an impression
that she had something particular to communicate to
me that evening.'When we were alone I'turned to
her and said, " aWhat have you to say to me, mother?"
She looked at me with intense surprise, and then a
smile came over her face, and she said, "' Well, dear,
it w'as only to tell you that four months from this time
I shall leave you.>"  I asked incredulously  how she
knew, and she said, 6" Your little sister, MIary, came
to ine in a vision, holding four lilies in her hand, and




]EARLY LIFE.                  21
allowing them. to slip tllhrough0  her fingers one after
the othler, till the last one had Ifllen, slie said,' And
then you will come to me.'  I asked her whether the
four lilies signified years. months, weeks,  or days,
and she told me' months."'  I had been qluite impressed by this narration, when my mnother addedG anld I shall be quite alone when I die, and there will
not be a relative near to close my eyes."   This appeared to me to be so improbable, not to say impossible, inasmncelh as the family was a large one, and we
had many relatives, that I said to hoer,   Oh, mother,
T am so delighted you have told me thlis, because it
shows that it must be a false vision."  She showok her
head.  Mary was a little sister who had  been  taken
froml earth under most trying circumsfances about four
years previously.  Midy mothler was out for a walk,
leaving the child at home, and on returning, having
to cross a runnino stream, andcl whilst she was on the
bridge over it, she saw  what appeare(d to be some
loose clothes floating on the water, anld hasteniing to
the side to see what it was, she drew out the body of
her child.
The apparently  impossible prophecy was literally
fulfilled, for by a strange complication of circumstances, my mother was taken ill allongst strangerls, and a
telegram which tley sent on tile last day of thle fourth
month, announcing her serious illness, only reached us
about lhmilf-past eleven in the morning.  Being myself
confined to bed by illnress at the house of my aunt, and
she being ullable to leave me, the tele,;lramn  was sent
on to my father. Trlhat samle evening, about twiligllt,
being alone in my ivrooml  I hieard a Nvoice at the head




iE EARLY LIFE.
of my bed which I did not recognize, saying to me so.
lemnly, " Dan, tZwelve o'clock."   I turned my head,
and between the window and my bed I saw what appeared to be the bust of my mother.  I saw her lips
mollove, and again I heard the same words,  j Dcan,
twelve o'clock."  A third time she repeated  this, and
disappeared from my sight. I was extrernely agitated,
and rang the bell hIastily to sumnnmon  lmy aunt; and
when she camle I saidcl  AumityS   motler diecZ to day ca
twelve o'clocc: because I have seen her, and she told.neo."  She said, "Nonsense, child, you are ill, and
th11is is the effect of a fevered brain." It was, however,
to( true, as my father found on going to see her, that,
she lhad died aLt twelve o'clock, and without  the presence of a relative to close ller eves.
Miv ynot;er has also told ine that her great uncle,
Colin Urqln a't, and her uncle, Mr. M lackei zie, were
also seers, an-d gifted with the second sight.
A  few  mollths after mny motherl hlad passed firom
earth, one night on going to bed, I hleard t;lhree loud
blows on the hlead of my bed, as if struck- by a harmmei.  M-y first imipression was that some one miust be
concealed in my room  to frighten nme   They were
agaiil repeated, and as they were sounding in my ears,
the impression first caine oi me that tlhey were soinething not of earth.  After a few moumellnts' silence they
were again heard, and althoulgh  I spent a sleepless
night, I no longer felt or heard any repetition of thetnm.
Myv aunt was a melmber of the E-illrk o-f Scotland and I
hal:d sonte two years pleviously, to lher great disapprobatioln, become a member of the Wesleyarn bodybut her opposition was so violent that I left tlem  to




EARLY LIFE.                    23
join thle Congregationalists. On going down to breakfast in the mnorninc she noticed my wan appearane,
and taunted me with ehaving been agitated by some
of lly prayel' meetings. I was about to seat myself at
thle breakfast table, wrlhen our ears were assailed by a
perfect shower of raps all over the table.  I stopped
almost terror-stricken to hlear again such sounds coaming with no visible case; but I was soon bi"onght
back to the realities of life by my aunt's exclamnation
of horroro, 6 So you've brought tile devil to imy holuse
hlave yon "  I onght here to state that lthere had then
been some -talk of the so-called  lRochester knockinags
through lthe Fox family, but apr't fromt casually hearin  of them-11, I had paid no attention to them; I didC
not know eoven what they nmeant.  My aunt,  on the
contrary, hlad'heard of them 1 from some of the neiohbors, and considered them as some of the works of the
Evil One.  In her uncontrollable anger, she seized a
chair and threw it at me.  Knowing how entirely innocent I]  was of the cause of her unfortunate ange-, my:feelings were deeply injured by 1}er violence, a<nd at
the sam e time I wt.s strengthened in a determination
to find out whast might be the cause of these disturbo
ances of our mlorning meal.  There were in the village
three ministers, one a Congregationalist, one a Baptlist,
and the other a Wesleyan~.  In thlie afternoon, my
aunt, her anger at mie hlaving fu'r the monment caused
her to lose sight of her prejudices against these rival
persiuasions, sent for thler  to consult with her, 81ad to
pray for me, that I mlight be freed  firom  such visilations.  The Baptist minister, Aifr. aiussey, came first,
and after havins questioned Ime as tLo how  I had




24                  EARLY LIFE.
brought these things about me, and finding that I
could give himl  no explanation, he desired that we
migllt pray together for a cessation of themn.  Whilst
we were thus engaged in prayer, at every mention of
the Holy names of God and Jesus, there came gentle
taps on his chair, and in different parts of the room;
whilst at every expression of a wish for God's loving
merey to be shown to us and our fello7:-creatures,
there were loud rappings, as if joinin  in our heartfelt
prayers.  I was so struck, and so impressed by this,
that there and thlen, upon my knees, I resolved to
place myself entirely at God's disposal, and to follow
the leadings of -that which I then felt nmust be only
goo(l and true, else why should it have signified its joy
at those special portions of the prayer? This was, in
fact, thle turning point of my life, aind I have never
had cause to regret for one illstant mrry determination,
though I have been called on for many years to suffer
deeply in carrying' it out.  My honor has been called
in question, my pride wounded. my early prospects
blighted, and I was turned out of house anid home at
the age of eighlteel, tllough still a child inl body fromt
the delicacy of my lealth, without a friend,  and with
tlhree younger children dependent on me for support.
Of the otlher two clergymen, t!he Congregationalist
would not enter into the subject, saying that he saw no
reason why a 1pureleniinded boy should be persecuted
for what he was not responsibie to prevent or cause,
anmd the Methodist was so unlkind, attributing it to the
devil, that I derived no comfort from him.
Notwithstanldinl the visits of these Inilisters, and
thle continued horror of nmy anlt, wlicI Ollly ilnceas-.




EARLY LTFE.                   25
ed as each manifestation was developed, the rappitigs
continued, and tile furnIiture now began to be moved
about without any visible agency.  Thle first time this
occurred I was in my room, and was brushing  my hair
beftore the, looking-glass. In the glass I saw a chair
that stood between me and tle door, moving slowly
towards ne.  l~y first feeling was one of intense fear,
and I looked round to see if there were no escape; but
tllere was the chair between Ine and the door, and
still it nmoved towards ine as I continued looking at it.
Wlhenl within about a foot of me it stopped, wIlereupon I j tmped past it, rushed down stairs, seized my hat
in the Ial, and went; out to wonder on this wonderful
phenomenone
After tllhis9 wvhen sitting quietly in the roomn  with
mny aiunt and unclre  the table, and somnetimes the
chir s   zltd otller fIurniture, were mnoved about by
tleelsives ir_  asing u lar  way, to the great lisgust and
srlprise of imy relations~  Ulpon one occasion, as the
table was b)eing thus moved about of itself, my aunt
blougllt the fmnily Bible, and placing it; on the table,
said,'" Thlere, tlhat will soon drive the devils away;a
but to her aastonishmenlt the table only moved in a
nmore lively manner, as if pleased to bear such a burdenl. Seeincg tlis, She was greatly incensed, and determEin'ng to stop it, she angrily  placed her whole
weight oi the table, and was actually lifted up with
it bodily friomn the floor.   My only consolation at this.timne was fromn another annt, a widow, who lived near,
wh1ose heartfelt sympathy did much to cheer and console rme.  At her house, when I visited her, the same
phenomena occurred]  and we there first, began to ask




26                  EARLY LIFE.
questions, to which we received intelligent replies. —
The spirit of my mother at her house in this Way commun)icated the following: " Daniel, fear not, my child.
God is with you, and whlo shall be against you? Seek
to do good: be truthful and truth-loving, anld you will
prosper, my child.  Yours is a glorious mission —you
will convince the infidel, cure the sick, and console
the weeping."  This was thlle first communication I
ever received, and it came within the first week of
these visitations. I remember it well.  I have never
forgotten it, and can never forget it while reason and
life shall last. I have reason to remember it too, because this was the last week I passed in the house of
the aunt wlho had adopted -me, for slie was unable to
bear the continuance of the phenoml ena, which so distressed her religious convictions, and she felt it a duty
that I should lea-ve lher house, and which I dic.
One of the singular manifestations whvich occurred
during this first week, was in connexion with AI'rs.
Force, a neighbor.  I should mehition that by this time
the lneigghbors had heard of what was occurring in my
presence, and were beseiging tlle llouse in a way that
did not tend to sooth thle religious susceptibilities of
my" ault.  Being one evenin  at the house of Mrs.
Force, the raps were heard.l and( tile alphabet was used
in, the way thllat has now  become familiar to many.
The name of her mother was in this way given, an,
otlncing her presence, and words were spelt out, reproaching her withl having' so long forgotten her halfsister, who had been married somie thirty years previously to a farmer, who removed to the far west, and
had not since been heard of:  Her mother went on by




EARLY LIFE.                 27
means of the alphabet and the raps, to state the name
of the town where this daughllter by a former husband
lived, the number of their clhildren, and each of their
Iames. Mils. Force wrote to thle address thus given,
and received a lettel in reply confirming every particular; and the family was in this way again brought together, and ritual sympathies were interchanged. On
visiting Mrs. Force the following year, I found that
she had had one of her newly found nephews to visit
her the previous autumn.
I go into these particulars not to revive or to cause
painful recollections to any one, but merely to show
the history of my mediumship, and the mysterious
working of Providence in thus throwing me before
the public. I-lad it Ilot been for this chain of circunstances, these truths might have remained unknown
so widely as they now are.
Although the manifestations had only lasted a week,
they had become knownl not only to the town, but
through the newspapers they were becoming public
all over the New England States; and when 1 left my
aunt's house, I went to a neighboring town, Willimantic, and was received at the house of a friend there.
Whilst I was with him, these phenomena were repeated, and those present investigated thern in the most
determined manner. I find the following account of
wlhat occurred stated in a newspaper of March, 1851:'At request, the table was moved repeatedly, and in
any direction that we asked to have it. All the circle,
the Medium included, had their hlands flat upon the
table, and we looked several times under the table
while' it was in the most rapid motion, and saw thlat




28                  EARLY LIFE.
no legs or feet had any agency in the movement. The
table was a large and heavy one, without castors, and
could not be moved by Mr. IHayden in the same manner by all his exertion with his hands laid open npon
the table.  At one time, too, the table was moved
without the.Mecdiarm's alands orfeet touching it at c.
At our request, the table was turnsed over into ounr lap.
The table was moved, too, while 2ir. fIclyden was tr.ying to hold it stigl!  Mr. Hayden took hold of the top
at first, and failing thliat way, he grasped the leg, and
held it with all his st'iength.  The table did not move
so fieely as before. jIt would move a little way firom
MlPr. Iayden, and then thle invisible power would sud(lenly relax its effort, when it would spring back with
thlle exertion of Mr. IIayden,."
I was then eighteen years old, and on seeing this
article which made me so public, I shrank from  so
prominent a position with all the earnestness of a sensitive mind; but I now found myself finally embarked
withlout any volition of my own, and, indeed, greatly
against mly will, upon the tempestuous sea of a public
life. From  this time I never had a moment to call
my own. In sickness or in health, by day or night,
nmy privacy -was intruded on by all comers, somne from
curiosity, and some from  higher motives.  Men and
women of all classes, and all countries; physicians
and men of science, ministers of all persuasions, and
men of literature -,and of art, all have eagerly sought
for the proofs of this great and absorbing question of
the possibility of spiritual causes acting on this world
of nature. For myself, I have no apology to offer for
the occurrence of these unwonted  analifestations in




E:ARLY LIFE.                29
my own case. As will have been seen, they came to
me quite unsought, and with all the unpleasant and
painful accompaniments which I have described.  I
lhave not, and never had the slightest power over
tllerl, either to bring them on, or to send them away,
or to increase, or to lessen them. What may be the
peculiar laws under which they have become developed in my l)erson, I know no more than others.
Whilst they occur I am not conscious of the mode
by wlhich  thley are produced, nor of the sort of
manifestatiton that is about to occur. Any peculiar
sensations that I may experience during certain of the
manifestations, I will describe as far as I can, while
mentioning the visions or external phenomena. Beyond
being of a highly nervous organization, there is nothing
peculiar about nme that I anm aware of; but I continue
to have delicate health, and I firmly believe that had
it not been for these phenomena. I could not have
lived till now. In this belief many pliysicians of high
standing have given tlieir testimony to bear me out.
Frequently during the mlost severe visitations of illness, my pains have been suddenly soothed in a mysterious way, and many times when it would have been
imnpossible to have moved me in bed, for fear of in
creased l]mmorrhage from the lungs, my head Ihas beel
slowly lifted, and my pillow has been turned by u1,seen hands. This hlas been repeatedly witnessed by
many persons. Especially, I would say, that I do not,
on this account or on any other, consider myself morally superior to others, nor should any one believe thllat
these phenomena come to me, or to others, on account
of moral or immoral qualities.  On the contrary, with




'FiEARLY LIFE.
the great blessings which have been showered on me,
and the ineffable proofs which I have received of God's
providence and goodness to me, I feel myself only
worse than otllers that I should have made so little
progress in the path of good. I have to thank God for
many kind friends, not less than for many bitter enemies, since they keep my mind in an equilibrium, and
do not suffer -me to feel any pride, at what is no doubt
but an accident, so to speak, of my organization.
These extraordinary occurrences lhave, with some
exceptions, continued with nme ever since the tillme I
stated as their commencemient, and they hlave extended their ranlge, to my astonislhment not less than to
that of others, in the mIost striking manrner.  They
have proved to me and to thousands of careful and
able' investigators, the existence of spiritual forces
which are calculated to revolutionize the current ignorance both of philosophy and of theology, as men have
made them. The exceptions to which 1 refer have
been of periods during which the power has left me
entirely; for instance, from tlhe 10thll of February, 1856,
to the 10th of February, 1857, during which time I had
no external token of spirit power, thouglh I on several
— occasions had visiors, one of which was my seeing the
manner in wlhicl a brother passe(:l firom  earth.  He
was frozen in thie Polar Seas whilst out bear-shooting
with the captain and officers of his ship.  Falling into
a fissure of the ice, he was not found till the following
morning.  I saw all this in a vision at the very time
of its occurrence, and informed my family of it five
months before the confirmnation of the intelligence arrived.  On several other occasions, ttle power has




EARLY LIFE.                  31
ceased for shorter periods, and generally I have been
told beforehand, both of the times of its cessation and
return.  I could never detect anly physical cause foi
suchl cessation, nor any difference in my general feel
Jngs of hlealth, although the reason given for the withdrawal has commlonly been on the ground of health.
UTpon several occasions, however, the reason given was
that it was withdrawn fronm  me as a reproof for having
done that which I knew to be wrong.




CHAPTER XIo
BEFOHRE THE WaORLDo
I REMAINED in Wlllilantic but a short time, and thien
I went to Lebanon, a few miles off.  There  I was received in the family of an old resident.  After I had
been with them a few clays, I saw a spirit who called
hinself  Uncle Tilden.  I asked a lady, a member of
the family, if she recognized thle namie, but before she
had time to make answer, the spirit made signs to ime
that lhe did not wish the lady to tell the name, and that
he would come on another occasion to me, when he
could have more perfect control.  In the course of a
few days lie camle whilst I was entranced, and signified
that certain papers which Ihis family had been seeking
for years, and for which they had given up the search
as hopeless, would be fband in a house which lie described as situate near Cleveland, Ollio.  They were
the title-deeds of some land which had become valuable for building purposes, and out of which a lady wras
entitled to her thairds, but wllich by reason of the loss
of the deeds, were withheld friol  her, and she was in
consequence living in very straitened circumstances.
He described to them minulltely througlh me the part




[BEFORE THE WORLD.                33
of tile garret, and th!e forn) of the box in which they
would be found.  -Her son was written to with tlhese
particulars; thle search was made, and the deeds were
found as described.
The second week of my stay at Lebanon, I had beeh
to pass a day or two with an English family residing
about three miles off.  One afternoon I suddenlv became unconscious or entranced, and on awakingr the
lady of the house told mne that I had been speaking
with some spirit, wlio directed me to proceed at once
to the house of a Mr. B —.  I had seen two brothers
of th1is name orie evening a week previously, and no
inltercllange of visits had been made or proposed, and
I felt that it would be most awkIsward for lnfe to call on
then, saying only that I had been senlt by my unseen
fiiends.  The distance was also six imiles fiom. where I
tlhen was, and three miles of the journey I would have
to walk.  I knew that when I returned to my friends
at Lebanon, I could have their conveyance; but still I
lhtd Iot any inclination to pay the visit.  As soon as
this was fully decided in my llind, I was again made
ullconscious, alnd on recovering, I was told that I had
received strict injunctions to leave at onlce, though no
reason was assignled why I should go.  I then felt,
hlowever, that the order oughlt to be obeyed, and I
iweiit to ~iy room for the purpose of dressing f'or the
ourney.  While there, my reasoning faculties again
ssnmlled the ascendancy, and I tlhought that if I were
tlus sent, I ouglit at least to know  fobr what purpose.
HIowever, I soon again felt myself impelled by a force
far sliperior to mine, and which to haNve even attemIl)ted
to resist would l)ave been folly.  On leaviig tilhe li-olsc,
2*




34              BEFORE THE WORLD.
-all this left n e, and I walked the three miles to Lebanon, wondering what could be the cause of this singular errand.  On arriving, I stated to imy friends
tlhere all that had occurred, and they also thought it
would have been quite as well to have ascertained why
I had been sent.  Finding that they agreed with me
in this, I now again fully determined to proceed no
fartiler, but I was quickly made insensible, and on
awaking I fou.nd that orders had been given by the
famtily to have a hlorse saddled, and that I was adnmonished in a gentle but firm  manner, for my want of
Faitll and overweening curiosity, whereas I ougllt, I
was told, to have followed as a child would its teacher,
or an indulgent parent.
Before I left the house to colmplete the journey,.the
suln hlad set, and now rain laden clouds were fast overshadowing the sky. The road was lonely, and for the
mnonth of April the weather was uncomrmonly chill. I
had agreed in my mind that my guardians hada been
teaching me a useful lesson, and I resolved that thenceforward I would not seek to know their purposes.  In
this framne of mind I reached what I knew f'rom description mllust be the louse of IMr. B —, and as I was
about to dismount, the first rain drop fell on m-y un
gloved hand, and with the contact catme the most vivid
impression that Mr. B ——'s mother was dangerously
ii. I rang the bell, and Mr. B13 — having seen me,
came himself to open the door. As he did so, I s-aid,
" Youlr mother is ill, and I have been sent to say what
will relieve her."  His look of intense surprise baffles
descripLion, as he said, " How on earth could you have
known of hler illness, as it is only an hour since she fell




BEFORE THE WORLD.                 36
ill, and we hlave sent in another direction for a medical -man, but I fear lie will not arrive in time to save
llmy poorl' motlier, as she seems sinlkinlg so rapidly.' On
entering thle house, I stood waiting to see whlat inpression I mnight receive.  Whilst I was standiing, I
was thrown suddenly into a trance, and I was told by
Mr1. B —-that in that state I led the way to his
mother's bed room, and that after making a few passes
over her with my hands, the acute pains left hier, and
that in a few minutes' time she was in a quiet sleep.
Whilst in tle trance, I also mentioned simple remedies of herbs fbr immediate use, and others for continued use.  I was then led by the unseen power into the
sitting-room, and there returned to my normal state,
greatly surprised when these things were related to me.
The doctor arrived in about an hour, to find his patient quite out of danger, and on examining her, he
said that fiomn the nature and violence of the attack, it
would in all probability have been fatal, had steps not
been taken at once to alleviate the symptoms.  A letter written a few weeks after to a friend by Mr. B —,
says that his " mothler has not had such health for eighteen years past, as she now enjoys; she follows implicitly all the instructions given though Daniel, and the
effect is mnagical."
I remained in Lebanon till the month of June, havinrg sances nearly every day, my mnediulnship priincipally consisting of visions, movements of the:table and
furniture without nmy touching them, and of the rai:)pling
sounds through which intelligent inessages were received.  Whilst there, in the beginning of June, all
tlhese external manifestations ceased entirely, and I




36               BEFORE THE WORLD.
left Lebanon about the  icddle of June on a visit to
Mr. G   --   at Bloontonll    New Jersey.  I had still visions fr'equently of tlie spirit friiellds of persons who were
pertfct sttrangers to inme, describing their appearance;
and the spirits gave me their names, and dates of their
departure firom earth, with answers to other questions
of a test nature which their relatives asked.  These
carne to nme whilst I was in an abnormal or trance
state, and in which I was unconscious of natural str,
roundings, but with a faeility of speech far superior, as
I was told, to that of my ordinary condition, and
througll which I transmitted with readiness the replies
of the spirits to the questions asked of tliem.  I Nwas so
exceedingly seolsitive at this time, that the playing   of
sacred el music would fr'eneqntly thlrow me into a trance
state, in wv.hiclh I am  always in companionship  with
spirit friends, and that in as perfect and palpable.manlTlrl, as in my ordinary external state I ail with!
my firiends of this world.  Through these means humn
dreds of persons became colvilnced of the truth of spiritual communion, and found their sceptical tenets no
longer available.  I then found, as I still fild, that all
honest, deep-rooted  scepticism  rathler call calls out
than prevents thle proofs of which it stands so mnuch in
need; and athceists, deists, allld infidels were thus often
broughllt to a belief in Providence and direct spirit guid
ance.
About the middle of Jnly 1851., I went to Brooklyn,
New York, on a visit to Mr. C.  Whilst lhere I
had the pleasure of first Ineeting the learned and good
George Bush, an emineint tbeologian and Professor of
HIebrew and Oriental languages at New York. Profes




lBEFORIP THE WORLD.               37
sor Bush was quite preplared to acknlowedge the possibility of siclh phenolnena firom his acquaintance with
tile writilngs of Sw;edenborg, and with the subject of
IMesllnerislni and the spiritual experiences of' Jungl Stilliinir and others.  lie wvas also a plofounldly learned
Inma:1,  with a more open and childl-like mind than often
falls to the lot of those with so nmuch worldly knowledge.  HIe had minade, morever, the greatest sacrifices,
by giving up his worldly prospects in the Churchl, in
avowinlg lhis belief in Swedenborg's worlks.  Pro fessor
Bush took a deep interest in observing the menltal phe.
nomena which occIrred through ine, though there were
no external manifestations.  The communications lihe
received were of such a nature as to leave no manner
of' doubt on Iiis mind, as to the real presence with us of
those who blad gone befoire.  Amnongst othler names, lihe
told me that I had given hllim that of an old school-felw, whom he had forgotten for many years, and that
this school-fellow referred to a ldream  which the Professor had had on the very night on which the boy hlad
passed fromn earth, although lie was not tllen aware
even of the boy's illness.  The spirit of tile boy now
told through me the whole of the Professor's dream,
which was that whilst they were playing together, h!e
suddenly saw his school fellow  taken from him, and
hleard his voice saying, "I leave you, George, but not
for ever."'   A  dream  of forty years p}reviously, was
thuis broughtl to his remnenbratnce. The Prof'essor wLas
so strongly inlpressed with this, that lie called onl Ine
tlhe next day, and wished to have Ine iresidle with him
for tlme purpose of studying for the Swedenborgian rninistry.  I went to thle ]house Nwithl the intention of so do.




38               BEFORE THE WORLD.
ing, but within forty-eight hours  I saw in my waking
state the spirit of imy ltller, who said to mnr, "' MV
son, yott must not accept tlis kind offer, as your mission is a more extended one than pulpit preacling'."
On seein g the good Pro(fessor, r told himl of this spirit
message.  He expressed regret, but no surprise, and
so I returnlled to  y frielnd, Mr. C ---—, and remained
with himl till the end of August.  I frequently afterwards saw Professor Bush, witli whom the most kindly
intercourse was interchanged.  Here again in New
York imany were convinced.
I returned to Lebanon, but I was not able to see
ally strangers on account of my very delicate health,
and in the month of September my young friend, the
son of Mrs. E ——, fell ill, and I saw the spirit of hlis
father, whom I had not known on earth, thoulgh I had
fi'equently seen him, and received communications
from him both in the trance and waking state, on my
former visit to Lebanon.  Hle camie to me whilst I was
alone in my room, and standing near me, said, "Ezra
will h)e with me within three weeks-go to him."  I
was then staying with a Mr. F, about three miles
from the boy. I obeyed the spirit message, and went
Iat once, anld -fnd Ezra ill.  I-e wishecl me to stay
with him, but the fLamily thought it was a passing
illnless, and that I mnight prolong my visit for a few
(lays to Mf'. F. I did not tell tllem what I had seen,
and in about four days afterwards they sent for me to
come to them, as Ezra was worse. I went, and with
his sister I took care of him, till ]his departure, which
occurred on the nineteenth day of his illness.  He was
about eilghteen, and had t)ecome conversant with the




BEFOIRE TIlE WORLD.              39
facts of spirit intercourse through me a tre  montlhs
before, and had hiimself become a partial medium,
receiving occasional c~ntrinunications, pmlilCnipally from
]his father, by means of the rapI)ing and the alphabet.
Soon after my first visiting him in his illness, on his
sister leaving the room for a moment, he took the opportunity of telling ile with perfect composure, that
he knew lie should not recover, as he had been told by
raps on his pillow, by his father, that this was his last
illness. This extraordinary composure remained with
hnim  throghout, anrid I had told the family ten days
before of my vision, which prepared themn foi the corning change.  About two days before his leaving us,
the doctor asked me to break it to him, when I informed him that Ezra had been long aware of it.  [Ie
doubted this from seeing him so composed, and I desired him to stand at the door.and hear what I would
say to Ezra. I then went to his bed, and told him
that the doctor hlad left some news for him.  I-e
laughingly said, "I suppose it is to tell ine that I am
going. Little does he imnagirne that I have already
decided who my bearers are to be'"  The doctor now
came into the room, and taking his lhand, said,'" My
dear boy, if I had not heard this, I could not have believed it. You have everything to make life happy,
and yet you are so willing to leave it."  A few hours
after this, a deacon of the cllurch visited hirn, whlo
was much opposed to these things, to tile extent even
of telling untruths and rlisrepresentatio ns. Hfe argued with the dying boy, trying to take away his happy
belief, but fortunately without the slightest success.
The boy told him that he willingly placed all hlis hope




40              BEFORE THE WORLD.
in the hands of an allwise God, and that he felt that
the change wowild be most happy for him. The last
evening of his stay on earth, several persons came to
tlhe house, and I w as told by one of them  that it was
for the purpose of watclling to see if he did not recant
or turn coward at the last.  I told this to Ezra, and he
requested that they should be bronght into his room,
where I left thera for a few hours' rest. At half-past
one in the morning, Ezra sent for me, and I found
them  still there, he having been speaking with them
great part of the time. In sl)eaking to his mother, he
said, "'Only think, dear mnotheri, I shan't be lame
there."  He had been lame since he was six months old.
He asked mre to look out of the window, and to tell
him what kind of Irorning it was.  I told him it was
bright moonlight, and he recalled to me a conversation
we had some months previously) in which he said he
shiould like to pass away in the moonlight, whilst I had
said I should wish to go at sunset.  He expressed a
wish that no one should wear Inourninlg for him. HIe
asked me to take his hand, and whilst I held it, his
face suddenly assumed a beatified expression, and lihe
pronounced my name, as if calling mne to witness soine
happy vision passing before his eyes, and the breathing ceased.
This is one of the many happy death-beds whiclh I
have witnessed, and such consolation given at a time
like this is sufficient pr-oof of thle lovilng wisdom of
our Heavenly Father in allowing suchi tlhiings to take
place. Some may 1)e surlprised to filcld an apparent
protlhecy il this case given bo:,tlh to the l)oy and to ilme,
but perhlaps a lairger view  of' slpiritual insight l'm1ay




BEFORE THE WORLDo               41
teach us that sunch is only apparent to us in this natural sphere, and that to those who have spiritual insight
and perceptions, there probably was some bodily
change in his organism which made clear to those in
the spiritual state the mortal character cf his disease.
Since his departure, lie has been frequently present
with me, impressing me to write messages to his mother and sister. Sometimnes my hand hlas been taken
possession of apparently by him, and used in writing
his own autograph.  In a letter received from llis siste' dated the 9th of February, 1852, she says, " Ezra \was
with you to a certainty when you were writing, for
that is his autograph and cllirograplly; the kindness
of the advice allnost overwhelms me, wihen I think how
spirits watch over and comfort us."
The following is an account taken'from a newspaper
of other manifestations at this time.
"' After several communications had been spelled
out, a request was made that the table niight be moved, in order to convince some present who were sceptical. Accordingly very soon. slight movements were
perceptible, which soon became very rapid.  A light
was placed upon the floor under the table, and one remained on the table.  Our hands were raised so that
the ends of our fingers only touclhed.  One end was
then moved up so that it was poised on the two opposite legs upon an elevation in. the floor, and in tlhis position it remained for awhile, keeping time with mnusic, by rocking; and in the same way questions were
answered, three movements being considered an affirmative, and one a negative; and after numerous questions were givem and as many satisfactory answers re



42               BEFORE THE WORLD.
ceived, three gentle raps were heard at the door by.
part of the company, and the questionr  was asked if
anly one was rapping at the door? and immediately
tllhee decided mnovements of the table were made, aild
accompanying them were three more decided raps al
the door.
An epllatic call for the alpllabet followedl, ad
spelled out,' Spirits —Door;' the question was asked
if there were spirits at the door who wished to come
inl? Thiree raps.
"It was suggested that they were to help in moving
tlhe table, and an affirmative reply immediately followed.  Then comimenced larger atnld more decided
movements-the table being slid fieely about the floor.
and raised alternately one side e!nd tlhen the other several inches; and at one time it was raised nearly to
ani angle of forty-five degrees, poised oii two side legs,
and then by oscillating movements the time was cor1'rectly kept %to several tunes sung by the company.
1" Several unsuccessful attempts were Imade to brino
thle table to tle floor, which were relinqnished for the
fear of breaking the leaves. IBy request it was carefntlly let down on to one side, and in. a moment raised
again to its proper position.  One of thle company then
seated hlilmself upon thle table, and it was moved about
and raiised np so as to render it necessary for him  to
hold on, and this, too, with as much ease apparlently as
before.  Again, by request, it was slid while one was
pushing against it in an opposite directionl to the uttermnost. of his strengthl."
I1 remained in Lebanon up to the end of January,
1852; tile physical manifestatiotls hlaing spontanlleoiilIy v




BEFORE THE WORLD.                43
returned in October previously, and with increased
power, and with the new phase of unseen hands touchi;lg me and others with whom I was sitting.  WVe fieqnently were touched by the mi, and on some occasions
a spirit hand was placed within our hands as palpally
as if it were a real living hand, thouglh invisible to us.
It would remain quietly in our hands until we tried to
close themn upon it, and even then it was not withdrawn,
but as it were melted away in our grasp.
I went to Springfield, Massachusetts, an entire stranger, but having heard of Mr. Henry Gordon, a meditm
tllere, I asked for and was directed to his house.  I-Ie
received me most kindly, and said that he was about
to have a seance that evening, requesting ume to join
them. I (did so, but the contending infiuences prevented the occurrence of manifestations.  Those who
were there assembled had to leave at an early hour,
and MNr. Gordon accompanied them, leaving inme with
five or six of his friends who had come in in the meantime.  Among tlhese were Mr. and Mrs. Elmer, the
former  being a believer, but Mrs. Elmer having.. violently opposed it.  I was thrown into a trance, made
to sit near her, telling hert the names of her mother,
fathel, brothers, and sisters; then of her children, all
of whom  were in the spirit world; and I repeated to
her the last words of two of her children.  Turning to
an older lady in thle rooml, I did the same and so on
through all those who were present.  Mr. aInd Mrs.
Eliner have since been my friends, and at their house
some most remarkable manifestations occurred.  I
stayed witll them for some time, and great interest was
excited by the accounts given by thle very ntlmerous




44             1BEFORE THE WORLD.
witnesses who canme to see the manifestations. Whilst
here the power was very strong, and frequently I had
seances six or seven times a day, at eachl of which as
many were present as could be accommodated. Their
house was besieged by visitors, and often outside in the
street there was a concourse of anxious inquirelrs
People came fromn a distance, even from the extreme
west and south of Anmerica, having seen the accounts
given (ot me in the newspapers of the previous yeap.
It was here tllat one of the Professors of the University of Harvard came and joined some friends in a rigid
investigation of the phenomena, and after several sittings they published the following statement of the result of their investigations.
THE MODERN WONDER —A MtANIFESTO.
The undersigned, ftom a sense of justice to the parties
referred to, very cordially bear testimnony to the ocourrence of the following facts, which we severally witnessed at the house of Rufus Elmer, in Springfield, on
the evening of the 5th inst:i. The table was movec in every possible direction,
and with great force, when we could not perceive any
cause of mnotion.
2. It (the table) was forced against each one of ns
so powerfully as to move us firom our positions - together with the chairs we occupied — in all, several
feet.
3. Mr. Wells and Mr. Edwards took hold of the table in such a manner as to exert their strength to the
lest advantage, but found the invisible power, exer



BEFORE THE' W0ORLD                45
cised in an opposite direction, to be quite eqil.1 to their
utmost efforts.
4. In two instances, at least, while the hands of all
the members of thle circle were I:laced on the top
of the table-and  wlile no visible power was employed to raise the table, or othierwise to move it
fi'ron its position —it was seen to rise clear oqf the foor,
and to float in the a(tosp/el'e for seve'racl seconds, as if
sustzaineld by soe denser mnediunL t czan air.
5. vMr. Wells seated himself onl the table, which was
rocked for some time with great violence, and at
lengtlh, it poised itself on the two legs, and remained
in tlhis position for soine thirty seconds, when no other
person was in contact with it.
6. Three persons —Messrs. Wells, Bliss, and Edwards
-assuLmed positions on the table at tthe sanme time, and
while thulls seated, the table was moved in various directions.
7. Occasionally we were made conscious of the occurence of a powerfil shock, which produced a vibratory motion of the floor of the apartment in which we
were seated —it seemled like the motion occasioned by
distant thunder or the firing of ordnance far awaycausing thle table, chlairs, and other inanimate objects,
and all of us to tremble in such a manner that the effects were both seen and felt.
8. In the whole exhibition, which was far more
diversified than the foregoing specification wonld indicate, we were constrained to admit that there was an
almnost constant manifestation of some intelligence
which seemed, at least, to be independent of the
circle,




16               BEFORE TIE WOIILD.
9. In conclusion, we Inay observe, that Mr. D. D.
HIoome frequently urged us to hold his hands and feet.
During these occurrences the room was-well lighted,
the lamp was friequently placed on and under the
table, and every possible opportunity was afforded us
ior the closest inspection, and we admit thlis one enmphatic declarationl: We know tlcat we were eoot irnposed
qpon nor deceived.
WAI. BRYANT,
B. K. BLIss,
WMiv. EDWARDS,
DAVID A. WELLS.
The following account also is giveil in the " Sheki
nall" of 1852, of manifestations occurring at this time,
which will show the poweer whlich thley had thein acqu ired.' On the 28th day of February, 1852, while the undersigned were assembled at tlhe residence of lMr. Rufus
Elmer, Springfield, Mass., for the purpose of making
critical experiments in the so-called spiritual Jnanifestations, the following, anmong other reinarkable demonstrations of power, occurred in a room  thoroughly
illuminated.  The table, around which we were seated,
was moved by an invisible and unknown agency, with
sutch irresistible force that no one in the circle could
blold it.  Two men-standing on opposite sides and
grasping it at the sanme time, and in such a malner as
to have the greatest possible advantage-could not,
by thle utmlost exercise of their powers, restrain its motion. InX spite of their exertions, the table was moved
from  one to three feet.  Mr. Elmer inqluired it the




BEFORE THE WORLD.               4z
Spirits could disengage or relax the hold of Mr. -lenry
Foulds; when suddenly, and in a manner wlholly unaccoul)table by us, M[r. Foulds was seated on the floor,
at a distance of several feet from  the table, having
been moved so gently, and yet so instantaneously, as
scarcely to be conscious of the fact.  It was proposed
to fuirther test this invisible power, and accordingly
five men, whose united weight was ei/ght hundred and
fifty-ilve ypounds, stood on a table (without castors),
and the table, while the men were so situated, was repeatedly moved a distance of from four to eight inches.
The undersigned further say that tlhey were not conscious of exerting any power of will at the time, o0r
ditring any part of the exhibition; on the contrary,
they are quite sure that the exercise of the will is a
serious inmpedinment to such manifestatiohs.
"  At the close of these experiments it vwas perceived,
on liftinlg one end of the table, that its weight would
increase or diminish, in accordance with our request.
Apprelhending that the supposed difference might be
justly attributable to fancy, or to some unconscious
variation in the nmanner of applying the motive power,
it was proposed to settle the qcuestion by weigllhng the
end of the table.  At the first experiment it "'equired
a force equal to nineteen pounds to raise the end of
the table.  This was fairly tested to the entire satisfaction of all present.  The spirits were then requested
to apply the inlvisible power. The balance was now
applied in precisely the same manner as before, when
the weight was found to have been suddenly increased
from six to twelve pounds, varying as the mysterious
force was increased and diminished, so that it now re.




48              BEFORE THE WORED.
quired a force of from twenty-five to thirty-one pounds
to separate the legs of the table from the floor.  Mr.
Daniel D. Home was the medium  on this occasion,
and it is worthy of remark that during the perifbrnance of the last experiment, he was out of the roorm,
and in the second story ot the house, while the experiment was conducted in tle back parlor below.
"' The undersigned are ready and willing, if required,
to make oath to tile entire correctness of the foregoing
statemlent."
The original paper was signed by John D. Lord,
Runfus Elminer and nine others, living at Springfield,
Mass.
The account proceeds: "'Liglits are produced in
dark rooms.  Somnetimes there appears a gradual illumination, sufficient to disclose very minute objects,
and at others, a tremulous phosphorescent light gleams
over thle walls, and odic emanations proceed from human bodies, or shoot meteor-like tlhrough the apart.
mnect. These phenomena are of frequent occurrence,
and are not accounted for by any man.terial hyl)otllesis,
unless, indeed, they could be comprehended runder the
popular generalization which  ascribes the whole to
humlan fraud and delusion.  I hlave seen thlese lights
in all tlheir variety.  On one occasion, when a number
of fiiends were assembled at my house, there occurred
a gradual illumination of the apartment.  It appeared
like the twilight half an hour after thle dawn. The
light continued to increase for about fifteen minutes,
and then it; gradually diminished.
" On the 30th of AMarch, I chanced to be one of a
company convened at the house of Mr. Elmer, in




BEFORE T'HE WORLD.               9
Springfield, Mass., Mr. IHome being present, when the
room was darkened, to see if the mysterious illunination would occur. Immediately the gross darkness
began to be dissipated, and in a few minutes the forms
of all the persons in the room were distinctly visible
Withlout disclosing her purpose to any one, Mrs. Elmer
mentally requested that the spirits would restore the
darkness, and, almost instantly, the change was perceived by the whole company, and soon every form
was lost in the deepening gloom."
This was the first appearance of these spirit lights
that I had seen when others were present, though I had
several times seen them when by myself, since their
appearance on my first vision of Edwin as before described. Although the physical manifestations had
increased, and were so continuous, yet the internal
power of vision hlad not left me, as will be seen fiom
the following, which was published and signed by Mro
S. B. Brittan of New York, to whom occurred the fact
which lhe describes.
"'Last winter, while spending a few days at the
house of Air. Rufus Elmer, Springfield, I became acquainted with Mr. Home. One evening, Mr. Home,:Mr. anld VMrs. Elmer, and I were engaged in general
conversation, when suddenly, and most unexpectedly
to us all, M~r. Home was deeply entranced. A monentary  silence  ensued, when  the medium  said
IIannah Brittan is here!' I was surprised at the
announcement, for I had not even thought of the personl indicated for mrany days, or perhaps months, and
we parted for alltime when I was but a little child.
I remained silent, but mentally inquired how I might
8




50              BEFORE TIHE WORLD.
be assured of lher actual presence. Immediately Mr.
HIome began to exhibit signs of the deepest anguish.
Rising fiom his seat lie walked to and fro in thle apartment, wringing his hands, and exhibiting a wild and
frantic mnanner and expression.  He grotneed in spirit,
and audibly, and often smote his forehead and uttered
incoherent words of prayer. He addressed ine in terms
of tenderness, and sighed and uttered bitter lanmenta
tions. Ever and anon, he gave utterance to expres
sions like the following:
"'h01, how dark! What dismal clouds!  What a
frightful clasln! Deep —-down —far down!-I see the
fiery flood! Hold! Stay! —Save them from the pit!
I'm in a terrible labyrinth! I see no way out! There's
no lighlt! HIow wild!-gloomy! The clouds roll in
upon me! The darkness deepens! My head is whirling! Where am I?'
4" During tlhis exciting scene, which lasted perhaps
half an hour, I relnained a silent spectator, the medium
was unconscious, and the whole was inexplicable to MrI.
and Mrs. Elmer.  The circumstances occurred somie
twelve years before the birth of Mr. Home.  No person in all that region knew aught of the history of
HIannah Brittan, or that such a person ever existed
But to me the scene was one of peculiar and painful
significance.  She was highly gifted by nature, and
endowed with the tenderest sensibilities. She became
in~sane from believing in the doctrine of endless punishment; and when I last saw her, the terrible real:ty,
so graphically depicted in the scene I have attempted
to describe, was present, in all its mournful details,
before me!




BEFORE THE WORLD.               51
I" Thirty years have scarcely dimmed the recollec.
tion of the scene which was thus re-enacted to assure
me of the actual presence of the spirit. That spirit
has since informed me that her present life is calm,
peacefull and beautiful, and that the burning gulf,
with all its horrible imagery, existed only ilt the traditions of men, and in the fitful wanderings of her distracted brain."
At Springfield, also, there were many instances of
the sick being healed. I was so sensitive to any one
who came near Ime in a diseased state, that I not only
myself felt but accurately described their symptoms,
and the seat and causes of the disease. One case which
I remember was that of a person who had been ill for
many years with no apparent cause. I brought to his
mind au accident which had occurred to him  some
years previously, and which I was impressed to tell
him was the cause of his suffering. When he applied
to a surgeon and related the circumstance, the surgeon
told him that I had been no doubt correct in attributing his illness to that accident. My own suffering
in sympathy with other people's illness was often so
great, and was indeed was so frequent, that I was often
warned by my spirit friends against coming in contact
with sick persons.
In May, 1852, I went to New York, and was at once
received by investigators of the phenomena, mediums
hlaving increased largely in number, both in public
and private circles. MIy days and nights were fully
occupied by investigators of all classes and conditions.
The following account of what he witnessed is given
in the words of Dr. iHallock, a physician of New Yor'k




52             BEFORE THE WORLD.
"Two communications, spoken through Mr. Home
as a medilum, were read by the Secretary. They were
given on the 10th inst., at the hlouse of Mr. Partridge.
The first was preceded by physical manifestations, intended to identifty the spirit about fo communicate.
The second embraces several topics.'" Mr. HIome said, a male and female were present
who wished to commune with Mr. P.
"' Directly, sounds and motions were made as of a
violent storm —the roaring and whistling of the wind,
the rushing of water, and the breaking of waves —
sounds as if a vessel was straining at her anchor and
laboring in a heavy sea, amid which she was held by
her chain cables-her joints creaking, and she rolling
from side to side. The picture of a shipwreck was so
true, that it made the cold chills run over me. The
medium spoke of a boat with machinery in it, and
went through the motions of dying'mid the raging
waters and a dark storm. The Spirit making these
demonstrations to identify her presence, is one whose
life was lost by the wreck of the steamer Atlantic, in
Novemnber, 1849. She gave the following communrication:
"' I But, oh! it was not death!  Bright spirits were
hovering around, and bore me to their happy home;
but it would be no home to us, if we were not permitted to return and watch over our dear friends we have
left behind.
6 To me, the storm has passed and gone, and with
it went all the storms of life-  From  that breaking
barque, I passed to one the winds could not beat. It
was anchored home in the heavens, and my spirit was




BEFORE THE WORLD.               53
neaier God —more easily developed, and was amid
influences more pure and holy, just what they ought
to be for man's advancement.
"i Kindness never goes unrewarded;' and for yours,
she wishes to express her deep obligation, not thanks
merely, but a deep and abiding sense of it.' Be upright and kind, and it will prepare you for
brighter spheres.
"' 6Be patient, as God is. Think of His forbearance,
for ages past, with the blindness, the hardness, the perversity of nman.  If mnan had possessed His power, he
would, in his impatience, long since have annihilated
earth and all that inhabit it.
" I Think not of the grave. To us, it is past and forgotten. To you, it is but an entrance into a new and
more glorious existence.
6' I Oft in the silent night, when the busy toils of life
are hushed and the mind is at rest from its cares, we
hover around and watch over you, happy, indeed, at
being able then to impress our presence upon you.'
"' The question is often asked, Why have not these
manifestations occurred before?  Why has not God
illumined ages past with these wonderful manifestations of His providence?  The reason is obvious.
When a little light has been from time to time thrown
down, like the feeble rays of a far-off star across the
gloom of night, men halve shut it up in darkness! They
have been e~nveloped in self and shrouded in scepticism!  They think the age of miracles has ceased!
Another cause why these things have not occurred in
past ages was, the persecution of mediums-it was
perceived that men would torturlle them.  It alarmed




54              BEFORE THE WORLD.
the superstitious fears of the community. The medi.
rims were charged with being witches, and in league
with the Devil! I see theln on trial, then taken to the
scaffold and the stake, and I hear spirit foot-sounds
accompanying them.  The younger, more vigorous
and more positive state of their accusers, under zeal
for God and the good of his church, has made them
admit themselves to be what they were not.  Their
defenceless, negative condition, makes them  an easy
prey to the will-power of their judges and accusers.
Nown, I perceive the sorrow of those spirits who were
not sufficiently developed to foresee the catastrophe as
the higher spirits did.  They are comforting them in
their last earthly agony; and, seeing the sad results
of their attempt to communicate through physical
manifestations, they have suspended the effort till a
more favorable epoch.
" When men are told that spirits watch over tllenm,
it is not uncommon for them to say,' Spirits should be
in better business.' The truth is, that many inen are
so bad that they do not want their minds inspected;
they do not wish to have it known how gross they are.'"A spirit wishes to express his idea of a hell. I see
a mother with her children. She is training themt in
the path she herself has trodden. As she was ignorant
and foolish, so are they. As her path has been beset
with the briars and thorns which ignorance and folly
engender, so is theirs. Now, I see her leave them and
pass into the Spirit-world; but, impelled by the eternal and universal law of affinity, she still watches over
them. Oh, the pangs of her spirit, for the wrong she
has done, for the misery she has caused! Yet she fol




BEFOREh THE' WORLD.             65
lows them through all their devious windings through
darkness and through crime, and is it not hell enoughll 
Oh, is it not hell enough!
"Again the scene chlanges, and I see what caused
the sin of the mother: A drunken man presents himself-his children, comparatively pure and unsullied,
seek associates; for all must have such; they would
gladly choose thle pure and the good, but they are the
drunkard's clhildreln, and are spurned from the doors
of the intelligent and cultivated. So they are driven
back to darkness and ignorance, to glean from  the
great law of association the happiness for wvhich every
Luman being pants.  They could not seek it where
they would, they mulst get it where they can. Thus,
with mninds soured by the repulse they have met with,
and thleir darker passions stimulated by the desire of
revenge for injuries received, they plod along Lheir
devious and uncert in way —the prison their asylumthe halter their inheritance-tlhe constable and sheriff
their administering angels.  They asked society foi
meat; it gave them a scorpion-for bread; they got
a stone. Oil, that men could see the cause of crimne!they would love and pity.
"If one tree is blighted so that it cannot beat
wholesome fruit, should th,- other trees call it evil 
Tlhat which is evil cannot becomne good, but thle undeveloped may progress to development. The tree whose
root is rotten cannot grow; but if it has been merely
scathed, it may. So with the spirit —thoiugh a long
timle maly elapse. The bud, placed in the sunlight,
does not blossom in a day-if placed in darkness, not
for weeks. A spirit, after it has left tle body, will




56              BEFORE THE WORLD.
have to throw off all the perversion that remains. Af.
ter that is done, progression goes on without hinderance.
6 Be not wise in your own conceit. Let him tllat
standcleth in the light of truth, take heed lest he fail
through the darkness of his own wisdom."99
" Dr. Hallock related some remarkable personal descriptions of spirits throuRgll Mr. Iome, occurring on
the same evening.  One spirit was described as Ilaving been known here by the name of I Elizabeth.'
H-ler person was described, and her prominent traits of
character a}s well as the disease of which she died,
with such accuracy, that a gentleman present knew
hler at once fron the description. The only inaccuracy
that he could point out, being the color of her hair,
which had been described  as brown, when in fact it
was rather a light auburn. In explanation of which
Mir. Home said,'When I look at the forehead, which
is very white, (which was the fact,) the hair looks
)rowvn to me.'
6 The gentleman (a clergyman) declared that he was
not thinking of her at all, and she was brought to his
recollection solely by the accuracy of the description
given.
"' Mr. Home then said, 6I see an old woman, and
her name is Abigail; they called her 6 Aunt Abby.'
To the question how did she look? he commenced by
compressing the lips and cheeks in such a way as to
indicate a person who had lost her teeth. This at
once brought to his mind an old lady of that nalne,
called by the whole family,' Aunt Abby,' who died
in the spring of 1817, when he was some eleven years




BEFORE THE WAVCRLD.             57
of age. Thle appearance assumed by the medium was
that of tile last imnpression left upon his mind. She
was an old woman; had prominent features, had lost
her teeth for many years, was much emaciated by her
last illness, and as her body lay in its grave-clothes,
the thought of his young mind, as lie stoodgazing
upon it, was that very peculiarity first indicated by
the mediuml. Her nose and chill nearly met, so acute
was the angle formed by her attenuated gums and
shrunken lips.
"'Many other facts were given, going to show the
identity of the two individuals in question. But one
great object seemed to be to teach us, by taking per
sons not thought of at the time, (in the last case not
thought of for many years), that it was no psychological impression from our own minds, as some have sulpposed; for there was no known impression of the kind
existing at the time, and the memory was only awakened by the accuracy of the pictures which the medium had presented.'" Anothler equally interesting and accurate description of a spirit, who said his name was William, was
given. Previous to the announcement of his presence
and name by Mr. Home, and while ihe was engaged in
the other delineation, a lady of high clairvoyant powers, through whose mediumship some of the most sublime lessons of trlutih and wisdom have been from time
to tilne communicated, had written and shown to a
gentleman sitting by her, the following sentence:' I
am imnpressed that my father is here and standing by
my side; I feel his presence distinctly.' When Mr.
HoIme had said,' there is a spirit present and his namel




58              BEFORE THE WORLD.
is William,' lie asked, as if to gratify his own curiosity,' Who is William?' and thlen immediately said, 5 O,
lie sayss'Eliza knows me.' The lady's name was Eliza,
and the spirit was her father.  His appearance and
prominent traits of character were delineated with
great accuracy."  Ielre at New York I made the acquaintance of Dr. Gray, one of the most eminent physicians there, and for whoin I have ever had the deepest affection and esteem.  lie and his kind wife have
given me counsel, and befriended me at all times, and
under all circumstances.  From  his character and at
tainments, he was eminently suitable as an investigator of phenomena, requiring a calm  dispassionate
judgmlent, and the testimony of such a man is, in itself, a sufficient answer to all the doubts of unthinking persons. I had also the pleasure of meeting Judge
Edmonds, so well known as one of the judges of the
Supreme Court.  Ile investigated this subject in the
most painstaking manner for three years, and was fully convinced, not only throulghl the mediumship of
others, but through his own and that of his daughter,
a lady well known for her purity of mind and truthful
nature. He was a frequent visitor to me, and saw all
the phenomena which occurred in my presence.  I
was also acquainted with the late Professor Hare, tlhe
eminent chemist and electrician, and with Professor
Mapes, so well known in agricultural chemistry. and
for his acquaintance with this subject.  A conference
was formed at New York, which has Imet weekly for
many years for the investigation of spiritual phenomneina, and fiom its recorded transactions, I make the following extract:




BEFORE THE WORLD.                59
"Friday Evening, June 18, 1852.
6 Dr. Hallock related a case of physical manifestations which took place on the Friday evening previous
at the house of tMr. Partridge, after the conference had
adjourned.  iMr. D. D. Home was the mediuln, and
the circle coesisted of Mr. Partridge, and his wife and
dalugllter, Mr. W. Taylor and wife, FMr. S. B. I3rittan,
and himself.  On the table around which we were
seated, were loose papers, a lead pencil, two candles,
and a glass of water. The table was used by the spirits in responding to our questions, and the first peculiarity we observed was, that however violently the
table was moved, everything on it retained its position.  Wlhen we had duly observed this, the table,
which was mahogany and perfectly smooth, was elevated to an angle of thirty degrees, and held there,
with every thing remaining on it as before.  It was
interesting to see a lead pencil retaining a position
of perfect rest, on a polished surftace inclined at such
an angle. It remained as if glued to the table, and so
of every thing else on it. The table was repeatedly,nade to resume its ordinary position, and then again
its inclination as before, as if to fasten upon us the
conviction that what we saw was no deception of the
senses, but a veritable manifestation of spirit presence,
and of spirit power. They were then requested to elevate the table to the same angle as before, and to detach the pencil, retaining every thing else in their
stationary positions. This was complied with. The
table was elevated, the pencil rolled off, and every
thing else remlained.  They were then asked to repeat
the experiment, retaining the pencil and every thing




60               BEFORE THE WORLD.
else upon the table stationary, except the glass tumb.
ler, and to let that slide off.  This also was assented to
with thle like result.  All the articles retailled t!leir
positions but the tumbler, which slid off and was
caught in the hands of one ef the party, ais it fell from
the lower edge of the table.  Then  the table, after
being restored to the natural position, was mnoved
strongly to and from  ~fr. Horne, and to and from different individuals in the circle, as they requested.
" After this had been repeated several times, and
while a corner of the table was inclined into his lap,
M3/r. Taylor asked if the spirits would lift it clear of thle
floor while it was in that inclined position.  Assent
was signified, and the table, after much  apparent effort, was lifted clear of the floor as requested.  Dr.
Hallock said he was led to the conclusion that the
efort was only apparent., because, while we were
watcllinc it closely, with a liglht upon th!e floor so as
to see, the slightest motion, the table in the meantime
resting upon one castor onl the floor and one corner of
the leaf in. Tfr. Taylor's lap, was raised perhaps about
one inch, after having been literally tumbled about
the circle, sometimes upon one castor and sometimes
upon two, tle leaf resting first in one person's lap, and
then in another.  But when the foot of the table was
finally raised, as described, he, to make sure that th-ey
were not minstaken in the fact, got down upon the floor
to observe more closely.  While looking, the foot of
the table, instead of being raised a doubtful inch or
so, was thrown up, clear of the floor, six or eighlt
inches, as if all former attempts had been mere playful efforts.  We then asked if they could move the ta



BEFORE THE WORLD.                 61
ble with a man on it.  They replied,' Yes, with  twc
men on it.' Mr. Partridge and myself then seated oturselves back to back upon the table.   Our combined
weight is a little over 350 pounds; but notwithstanding, the table was moved as easily as wlhel nothing
but the candlesticks and the other things were upon it,
We were rocked backward and forward, to and from
Mr. HIome; tlle table was tipped from thle medium and
held stationary in that position, with us upon it-and
finally we said playfully,  whenl you get tired of rocking us, tllhrow  s off.'  It was done-the table was
tipled strongly and rapidly from Mr. Home, and we
Nwere thrown on the floor."
At the end of June I received tle following letter
from Dr. HI-ull  -
"N EWBURG-, Orange Co.
6" On the Hudson.
6 My dear Sir,
I am desirous that you should make me a visit
for nyself anld sorue intiimate firiends, at your first lei
sure, or fieedoin from present engagements.
"I will rleet all your expenses friom your place d.iring your stay hlere, and for your return; an-d five dollars a day for ten clays, i.e. fifty dollars.
6 I do sincerely trust you will answer ne proimptly
as to the time you can make ume the desired visit; and
if mny proposition as to terms be not satisfactory, state
what your terms are.  All shall be made satisfactory
to yourself.' By addressing a letter to my direction-Newburgh, N. Y., it will soon reaclh me.




62              BEFORE THE WORLD
" I regretted I did not see more of you in New
York, but I hope to have the pleasure fully made up
hIere.
"Mr. Edward Fowler has promised to come up
when you visitqme.
Very truly yours, &c.,
A. GERALD HULL.
"D. D. HOME, Esq."
In reply to tlhis, I informed him that I was not a
paid medium, but that I should be happy to visit him,
as requested.  I did so, and whilst w\ith him inanifestationls of a very interesting character appeared to a
family who had been deeply afflicted in the loss of
their children. They and Dr. HIull took a great interest in nmy welfare-and feeling the importance of
my completing my education, which from  ill health
had been much neglected, and of preserving ime from
the wearing excitement of the life I was then leading,
they kindly proposed a home for me in their midst. I
could not thene avail myself' of thleir offer, having promised to visit many friends during the autumnl,l but in
the following year, as will be seen, I placed myself
under their guidance.
In Angust, I went on a visit to Mr. Cheney, at
South Manchiester, Connecticut, and it was at his
house that I was first lifted in the air, a manifestation
which has since frequently occurred to nme both in Eugland and Frallce.
The following is the description of tile evening, in
the words of a geultleman whio was present.
"On the 8th instant, in cotnpany with three gen




BEFORE THE WORLD.               63
tleJnen from this city, the writer paid a visit to Ward
Cheney, residing ill Manchester, at whose house Mr.
Daniel D. Home was temporarily stopping.  A circle
was formed, and the well-known vibrations on the table were soon loud and distinct.  One of my friends
had never seen any thing of the kind, and he according y looked under the table to make sure that no
one touched it. Answers of a personal character, such
as tests of identity, were given very freely. Mr. Home
was then thrown into a: spiritually mnagnetic state, discovering great rigidity of inuscle, and the ordinary
phenornena of the psycho. magnetic condition, including a magnetic locking of the jaws, in which an ironlike hardness of the muscles was apparent.  He then
spelt out (with his eyes closely bandaged) some remarkable and interesting messages to one or two of
the company, the personal nature of which precludes
their publication, but whicll were declared by those
interested to be perfect tests. He did this by pointing
with almost incrledible rapidity to the different letters
of' tan alpllabet arranged on a seven by nine card-and
thlns spelling out the necessary words. A rapid writer had difficulty in keeping up with lhim, and when a
word or a sentence was partially finished, a suggestion
from any of the company as to what was intended to
be spelt, would, if correct, be answered  by eagei
and vehement rappings in various parts of tlhe table.
Among others, (all remarkable,) came a message fro'm
two sailors lost at sea, relatives of one of the company
— a stranger to most of the company.  These spirits
announced thlemselves, somewhat unexpectedly, by
canting over the solid and ponderous table, and roll




64             IBEFORE THE WORLD.
ing it in the manner of a vessel in a violent temalpest.
Accompanying this demionstration  came  a violent
creakinfy as of the cables of a ship in a storln at seaand the creaking of the timbers and masts as the
vessel surged to one side or the othelr, was distinctly
heard by all. Nlext came the regular, sullen shocks
of the waves as they struck the bows of the doomed.
vessel. All this time the table kept up the rocking
motion.  And now the large table was ca psized on
the floor!  All this was done with no one touching
the table, as a close and constant scrutiny was kept
up by two, at leasr, of our party.  These two sailors,
whose names and ages were given, it seems lost their
lives by the capsizing of a vessel as represented, althougl this fact, I have tihe best of reasons for knowing, could not previously be known to Mr. IHome, or
to any of the company excepting nmyself~' Demonstrations now increased in tforce and number.  Several tunes were rocked out by the table
whlen no one touched it, the circle being seated a couple of feet, at least, fiomn it. The swing or motion of
the table was full three feet from  the floor at each
elevation, and the tune was kept with singular accuracy.  A  simutltaneous expression fiom all the members of the circle attested their recognition of the
several tunes as they were thus performed for our satisfaction.
"The table was actually lifted up fromn the floor,
without the application of a humman hand or foot!A  table  weighing, I should  judge, one hundred
pounds, was lifted up a foot from  the floor, the legs
touching nothing.  I jumped upon it, and it came up




BEFORE THE WORLD.                6fi5
again T  It then commenced rockinc,  without, however, allowing me to slide off, altlhogh it canted at
least to an angle of forty-five degrees!  Finally, an
almost perpendicular inclination slid mne off, and another of the company tried it with the same results.These things all happetled in a room which was light
enough to allow of our seeing under and over, and all
around the table, which was touched by no one except the two persons who respectively got upon it to
keep it down!
"b We went into a. darkened room to see the spiritual
flashes of light said to lhave been vouchsafed to some
investigators.  Instend of this we were greeted with
tremendous rappings all around us. Some of the blows
on the walls, floor, and table, within three inches of
myself, were astounding.  I could hardly produce
snch violent demonstrations with my fist, though I
struck with all my might.  The very walls shook. —
Answers to questions were given by concussions of
varying force and intonation, according to the character of the spirits communicating.  A  favorite little
daughter of one of the gentlemen present, a stranger
from a remote State, who had left the earth almost in
infancy, announced her presence by a thick-pattering
rfc   of eager and joyful little raps; and in alswer to
an inward request of her father, she laid her baby
hand upon his forehead! This was a man who was?not a believer in these things-he had never before
seen them. but he could not mistake the thrilling feeling of that spirit touch.  I also had a similar manifestation, in tle character of which I am not deceived.
"S uddenly, and without any expectation on the




66              BEFORE THE WORLD.
part of the company, Mr. Home was taken up in the
air! I had hold of his hand at the time, and I and
others felt hlis feet —they were lifted a foot from  the
floor! He palpitated from  head to foot apparently
with the contending emotions of joy and, fear which
choked his utterance.  Again and again he was taken
from the floor, and the tllird tinle lie was carried to
the lofty ceiling of the apartment, with which his
hand and head came in gentle contact.
"' I omitted to state that these latter demonstrations
were made in response to a request of mine that the
slpirits would give us something that would satisfy every one in the room of their presence. The medium
iwas much astonished, and nlore alarmed than any of
thile rest, who, I may add, took the matter calmly,
though they were inter sely interested."
During tlhese elevations, or' levitations, I usually experience in my body no particular sensations than
what I can only describe as an electrical fullness about
the feet.  I feel no hands supporting me, and since
tlhe first time, above described, I have never felt fear,
though should I have fallen fromn the ceiliag of somet
rooms in which I have bleen raised, I could not have
escaped serious injury.  I am generally lifted up perpendictlarly; my arms frequently become rigid and
drawn above iny head, as if I were grasping the unseen power which slowly raises nme firom the floor. At
times when I reach the ceiling, mny feet are brought on
a level with my face, and I amn as it were in a reclining' position. I have fiequently been elpt so suspended four or five minutes, an instance of whicll will be




BEFORE THE WORLD.              6a 
3een in an account which is given of occurrences in
the year 1857, at a chateau near Bordeaux. I have
been lifted in the liglht of day upon only one occasion,
and that was in America. I have been lifted in a room
in Sloane Street, London, with four gas-lights brightly
burning, with five gentlemen present, who are willing
to testify to what they saw, if ineed be, beyond the
rmany testimonies which i shall hereafter adduce. On
some occasions the rigidity of my arms relaxes, and I
have with a pencil made letters and signs on the ceiling, some of which now exist in London.
During this autumn and winter, I visited private
families with whom  I had become acquainted,-and
never a day passed witlhout some manifestations occurring. These are for the greater part of a private
nature, appealing to thbe sympathies of relatives and
fiieids, and could not properly be given to the worldo
They are to me, however, as to them, a dear reminiscence of the loving guidance of departed friends,
who find their highest happiness in ministering to and
consoling those who remain to fiulfil their pilgrimage
here. They ever say that God in his loving-kindness
allows this, and that as lie is an everywhere present
God, and can bear with our shortcomings, they laving
been mortals like ourselves, can the more readily uncesstand the weaknesses of our human nature. During the time I have already spoken of as my public
life, I have met with thousands, many of whom  disbelieved even the existence of the soul after death, and
some who denied the existence of a God. Amongst
these were even clergymen, who told me thht though
they alld preached the Gospel, they themselves had




68               BEFORE THE WORLD.
never been fully convinced of existence in an after
life. From the letters of a friend, an Episcopal bishop,
I make the following extract.  "' You have the pleasant assurance of lhaving been tlhe instrument of conveying incalculable joy and colmfort to the hearts of
many people; in the case of sorrow you have changed
the whole aspect of their existence, and you have made
dwelling places light, that were dark befbre."
I went from Hartford to Springfield, to spend a few
days with Mr. Elmer, and although at this time I did
not hold seances, still the power was constantly with
me in some form or other, as will be seen from the
tfllowing.
"6While Mr. Alderson was at my house, Mr. Home
called to see us, having been absent a long time.Soon after lie arrivedl, he was taken with severe sickness, froim which A. attempted relief by bathing his
lead. During the process, Mr. Home was thrown into th'e spiritual condition, and described Mr. A.'s father and sister; spoke their names and that of his mother; and the spirit of the father, while addressing his
son, called him correctly by his christian name, which
]Mr. IHome had no means of knowing —neither did lie
know the names of Mr. A.'s parents, which, he assured
us, were known only to himself, as he had not — nentioned them this side of Baltimore!"
On going to Boston my power returned, and with
it the nmore impressive manifestations of music, withvut any earthly instrument. At night, when I was




BEFORE THE WORLD.             69
asleep, my room would be filled as it were, with
sounds of harmony, and these gradually grew louder,
till persons in other parts of the house could hear
them distinctly. If by chance I awakened, the music
would instantaneously cease.




CHAPTER III.
FURTHIER MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
THE year 1853 was spent under the guidance of
three friends, and during the summer months I resided
at Newbnrgli, on the Hudson river, where my time
was passed in the completion of mny studies. I was at
the Theological Institute, but only as a boarder, and
in no way included in the theological classes. While
here, I had an extraordinary vision, which is still so
vivid that I rememnber it in all its details.
The institute was built on an eminence, commanding a view of peculiar beauty.  Below lay the city; 
on the right, the river was lost in its windings among
the rocky hills surrounding West Point; on the left, it
lay in expanse, ard could be traced for a distance of
many miles; behind, spread out the country, with its
pretty little farm-houses dotted here and there. I hlave
sat for hours of an evening, watching the feeble flickering lights, and endeavoring to picture in my imagination the life-emotions which must fiom time to time
have crossed those thresholds. Now, fancy pictured to
me a young girl, on whose form  time and care had
passed but as an evening breeze; and a little further
off it was, perchance, a mother whose little one was




MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.          71
suffering, and every beat of whose feeble pulse she had
counted, with that hlope which only a mother may
know, as she prays God to spare the pure, gentle, and
loving little one, whom He has given her. Anon, it
was one bowed down with age and sorrow; all that lihe
had loved had gone to tlheir rest, and he was alone in
the world. Bright pictures of his youth flitted before
him, but these only augmented his loneliness, for the
light-of the past had brought out in deeper contrast
the shadows of the present.
These and similar trains of thought often occupied
imy idle hours; and, at times, these fancied scenes became as it were real, and fuirnished ample resource to
a mind naturally inclined to dwell on subjects beyond
the little narrow circle of every-day life.
One evening, I had been pondering deeply on that
change which the world calls death, and on tlhe eternity that lies beyond, until, wearied, I found relief in
prayer, and then in sleep.  My last waking consciousness had been that of perfect trust in God, and a sense
of gratitude to Him for the enjoyment Ireceived from
contemplating the beauties of the material creation.
It might have been that my mind was led to this by
the fact of my having watched a beautiful star as it
shone and twinkled in tlle profound stillness of the
night. Be this as it may, it appeared to me that, as I
closed my eyes to earthly things, an inner perception
was quickened within me, till at last reason was as active as when I was awake. 1, with vivid distinctness,
remember asking myself the question, whether I was
asleep or no? when, to mny amnazeient, I lleard a voice
which seemed so natural, that my heart bounded with




a2         b~MAmNIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
joy as I recognized it as the voice of one who, while
on earth, was far too pure for such a world as ours, and
who, ill passing to that brighter home, had promised
to watch over and protect me. And, although I well
knew she would do so, it was the first time I had heard
her voice, with that nearness and natural tone. She
said, ";Fear not, Daniel, I am  near you; the vision
you are about to lhave is that of death, yet you will not
die. Your spirit must again return to the body in a
few hours. Trust in God and his good angels: all will
be well." HIere the voice became lost, and I felt as
one who at noonday is struck blind; as lie would cling
even to the last memories of the sunlight, so I would
fain have clung to material existence —not that I felt
any dread of passing away, nor that I doubted for an
instant the words of my guardian angel, but I feared I
had been over-presullmptuous in desiring knowledge,
the very memory of which might disturb my future
life. This was but momentary, for almost instantaneously came rushing with a fearful rapidity memories of the past; my thoughts bore the semblance of
realities, and every action appeared as an eternity of
existence. During the whole time, I was aware of a
benlumbing and chilling sensation which stole over my
body, but the more inactive my nervous system becamie, the more active was my mind, till at length I
felt as if I had fallen from  the brink of some fearful
precipice, and as I fell, all became obsenre, and my
whole body became one dizzy mass, only kept alive
by a feeling of terror, until sensation and thought
simultaneously ceased, and I knew  no more. 1How
long I had lain thus I know not, but soon I felt that I




MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICAo           73
was about to awaken in a most dense obscurity; terror
had now given place to a pleasurable feeling, accompanied by a certitude of some one dearly loved being
near me, yet inrvisible  it then occurred to me that the
light of the spheres nmust necessarily be more effulgent
thlan our own, and I pondered whether or not the sudden change fiom  darkness to light might not prove
painful, for instinctively I realized that beyond the
surrounding obscurity lay an ocean of silver-toned
light. I was at this instant brought to a consciousness
of light, by seeing the whole of my nervous system,
as it were, composed of thousands of electrical scintillations, which here and there, as in the created nerve;
took the form of currents, darting their rayons over
the whole body in a manner imost marvellous; still.
this was but a cold electrical light, and besides, it was
external.  Gradually, however, I saw that the extreimities were less luminous, and the finer membranes
surronnding the brain became as it were glowing,
and I felt that thl.ought and action were no longer
connected with the earthly tenement, but that they
were in a spirit-body in every respect similar to the
body which I knew to have been mine, and which
1 now saw lying motionless before me on the bed.
The only link which held the two forms together
seemed to be a silvery-like light, which proceeded from
thbe bra.in; and, as if it were a response to my earlier
waking thoughts, the same voice, only that it was now
maore musical than before, said, "6 Death is but a second
birth, corresponding in every respect to the natural
birth, and should the uniting link now be severed, you
could never again enter the liody. As I told you, how
4




74          MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
ever, this will not be. You did wrong to doubt, even
for an instant, for this was the cause of your lhaving
suffered, and this very want of faith is the solurce of'
every evil on your earth.  God is love; and still His
children ever doubt Him.  Has He not said,'Knock,
and it shall be opened ulnto you: seek, and ye shall
find?' His words must be taken as they were spoken.
It is not for men to give any interpretation they may
believe, or desire to believe, to what God has said. Se
very calm, for in a few moments you will see us all,
but do not touch us; be guided by the one who is
appointed to go with you, for I must remain near your
body."
It now appeared to me that I was waking friom a
dream of darkness to a seiise of light; but such a glorious light! Never did earthly sun shed such rays,
strong in beauty, soft in love, warm in life-gi-vino glow,
and as Iny last idea of earthly lighlt lIad be(e.n thte reflex
of my ownI body, so now tlhis heavenly light canme
fronm those I saw standing about ime. Yet tlhe lighlt
was not of their creating, but was slhed on them firom
a higher and purer source, which only seemed thle
more adorably beautiful in the invisibility of its holy
love and mercy,-thus to shower every blessing on the
creatures of its creation; and now I was bathed in light,
and about me were those for whom I htad sorrowed,
for although I well knew that they existed, and loved
and cared for me, nevertlheless their earthly; presence
was not visible. One that I had nlever known on earth
tlheil drew near and said,'You will come with me,
Daniel.' I could only reply, tllat it was impossible to
move inasmuch as I could not feel that my nature had




MANIFESTATIO.TS IN AMERICA.          75
a power over Lmy new spirit-,body.  To tllis he replied,'Desire and you will accomplish your desires which
are not sinful, desires- being as prayers to the Divinity,
and I-le answereth the every prayer of His children.'
For the first time I now looked to see what sustained imy body, and I found that it was but a purple tinted
cloud, and that as I desired to go onward with Iny
guide, the cloud appeared as if disturbed by a gentle
breeze, and in its movements I found I was wafted upward until I saw the eartlh, as a vision, far, fTr below
us. Soon I found that we had diawn nearer, and were
jnust hovering over a cottage that I had never seen;
and I also saw the inmates, but had never met them
in life. The walls of the cottage were not the least
obstruction to my sight, they were only as if constructed of a dense body of air, yet perfectly transparent,
and the same might be said of' every arlicle of furnitiire.  I pereeived that the innmates were asleep, and I
saw the various spirits who were watchilng over the
sleepers. One of these was endeavoring to impress
his son where to find a lost relic of himn which the son
much prized, and the loss of which had greatly grieved
him. And I saw that the son awoke and thought it but
an idle dream, and three times this imnpression was repeated by the spirit; and I knew that when mornting
calne, the young man would go, out of curiosity where
he had been impressed to go, and that he would there
find what lhe souglht foi.  I1 an adjoining room I saw
one who was tormented by dreams, but they were but
the production of a diseased body.
I was niost deeply interested in all this, when my
guide said, "'We muist now return."  When I found




76          MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
nmyself near my body, I turned to the one who had re.
mained near my bed, and said,' Why must I return
so soon, for it can be but a few nmoments I have been
with you, and I would fain see more, and remain near
you longer?"  She replied, "It is now many hours
since you came to us; but here we take no cognizance
of time, and as you are here in spirit, you too have lost
this knowledge; we would have you with us, but this
must not be at present. Return to earth, love your
fellow-creatures, love truth, and in so doing, you will
serve the G(od of infinite love, who careth for and loveth
all. Mlay the Father of mercies bless you, Daniel!"
I heard no more, but seemed to sink as in a swoon,
until consciousness-was merged into a feeling that earth
with its trials lay before me-and that I, as well as
every human being, must bear my cross. And when
I opened my eyes to material things, I found that the
little star had given way to the sun, which had been
above thie horizon about four hours; making in all
about eleven hours that this vision had lasted.  My
limbs were so dead, that at least half an hour elapsed
before I could reach the bell rope, to bring any one to
my assistance, and it was only by continued -friction
that, at the end of an hour, I had sufficient force to
enable me to stand upright.
I merely give these facts as they occurred; let others comment on them as they may.  I have only to
add, that nothing could ever convince me that this
was an illusion or a delusion; and the remembrance
of those hours is as fresh in my mind now, as at the
moment they took place.
-in the autumn I returned to New York, with the in.




MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.         77
tention of beginning a course of medical studies, but a
chlain of untoward circumnstances seemed strangely to
link themselves together, and to prevent my carrying
out my intention. At tliat time I coulld not well comprehend why this should be; but since then I have
often had occasion to thank God that it was so or.
dered. The kind friends who were doing what they
thought to be best, in preventing others from  seeing
the manifestations, did not take into consideration that
the phenomena which had been a source of information and consolation to them, were God-given, and
that we had no right to conceal the light from any.
As what was intended for me could only be brought
about by my own decision, I acted as I felt would be
for tile best, and so it afterwards proved to be.
Previous, however, to my taking the step, I had another vision of great distinctness.  I had been with
some friends to dine at the hlouse of a mutual acquaintance, and on returning, it was necessary to cross from
Brooklyn to New York in the ferry-boat. The gatekeeper allowed our carriage to enter, and we were going downi the inclined plane which led to the boat,
when one of the men caught the horses by the bit, telling the coachman as he did so, that there was no room
for us on the ferry-boat. Not only was this so, but the
chains were already down, and the boat was in the act
of leaving. There we were on a steep inclined plane,
with restive Iorses, anll the deep waters within a fobot
of them, the oily barrier bleing a chain not over strong.
MIrs. C — begged to alight, and I jumped froml the
carriasge and gave her my hand to assist her. As her
hand touched mine, with the instantaneous sensation




7s         1]MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
of contact, I saw with most perfect distinctness, that a
little sister of mine had passed firomn eartlh.  I was not
aware that the child had been ill, and her illness being
apparently but slight, my relatives had not thought it
necessary to write to me about her. It was a strange
transition; there I stood in the cold night air, and I
heard the impatient pawing of the horses on the worn
deal boards; I heard the waters as they broke against
the side piles of the ferry; I felt a life-warm  hand in
mine, yet there, shielding her from  the cold, beyond
all fear, and where harm  could not come, I saw my
mothere, with one of the three children she had left
me to care for on earth. The child was close pressed
to her heart, and her long silky hlair lay scattered in
profusion over my mother's shoulder.  I saw also my
spirit-sister Mary, who seemed anxious to soothe the
child-like wonderment of her newly arrived sister. It
was but for a moment, yet I saw it all, and I knew
that God had given me another guardian angel. The
next day letters came to announce what I thus alleady
knew.
January of 1854 was the beginning of severer trials,
for I had been so left to myself in solitude and study
the whole winter, tlhat mind a).d body were alike disturbed, and I wrote to my f'riends saying that I could
not think of continuing the life I then led; and after
many letters hlad passed between us, I was again left
to myself to decide as to my future course.  I had
friends in Boston, who as soon as they knew what my
intentions were, generously offered to do all that my
other friends had been doing, and to allow me perfect
liberty to see whom I might please.  My health ]lad




MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.           79
sufflred froml the nervous anxiety of my solitary life
and studies, and now the medical men whom  I consuited, pronounced my left lung to be diseased.  AMy
spirit friends said that they were correct in their diagnosis, but that I would not yet pass fiom earth, as my
mission was incomplete, and there was much yet for
ine to do.
I went from New York to Hartford, but 11 saw no
stranllgers for a few weeks.  Froll here I again went
to Springfield, and Dr. Gardner of Boston, in a letter,
dated Marcll 1st, 1854, describes what le saw at this
tine, and though in soine respects similar to what has
been aldready described, will help to show the character
of thle maniifestations at different periods of my life.
Dr. Gairdner says, " I am induced to offer you the
followingT facts, which I in company with several other
persons witnessed at the house of Mr. RIufus Elmer in
this city, on the evening of the 2Sth of Febru-ary, 1854.
_Nine persons besides Mr. HIome, were seated round a
commnon cherry table, when the following phenomena
occurred: The table commenced a trembling, vibratory motion, sounds were heard on the floor and table,
some of which \were very loud, then the table was
rocked witlh great force, then raised nearly if not quite
two feet from thle floor, and it was held supported in
mid air witll a waving motion, as if floatinog on the agitated waters of the sea, for considerable timte.  This
was repeated for several times. Then we were lirected
to place the dinner-bell (weighingoiie lb. one oz.) under
the table on tlle floor, where it was rullg withl great
violence many times; questions were answered by the
raps upon it, and withl it every individual in the circle




80           MNNIFESTATIONS IN AMERIOA.
was touched in such a manner that there could coulld
be no mistake about it.'We then requesteld the spirits
to pass the bell from  the floorl and to place it into our
hands, which was  done to each individual sepa-rately ~
alnd, again at otr request, it was taken from. our hands,
uInd carefully deposited on the floor.  Again, while we
sung tlle hymn,' bWhilst shepherds watch,' the bell
was raised from the floor, and rung in perfect time
with the measure of the tune sung, after whichl another
tune was drummed out by the bell against the uuderside of tile table, the sound resembling the roll of
drutm-sticks in the hlands of a skilful performer upon a
tenor druln.  This was continued for several minutes.
~ All thle above I know was performed without human agency; the hanlls of eaclh person p,'esent dur'ingo
the whllole perfortlmane above &iseribed being oil the
top of' tlhe table, with the room well lighted, and in full
view of every person present; and this was also the
-case duclring tile whole performance. During the whole
of the various performances with the bell, as well as
before and after it, our clothes were pulled almost constantl y, two hanikerl chiefs were firmly knotted together
while lying in tile laps of the owners, we were many
tilmes touched more or less forcibly, producincg a peculiar and indescribable sensation, some of us had our
limbs grasped with considerable force, and distinctly
felt the form of the spirit hand, a soft, delicate, elastic,
yet powerful touich, which cannlot be described, bult
must be felt to be appreciated.   The reader will bear
in milcld that the hands of every person present were
in plain view on the top of the table.
G Darinl the evening, responses to questions asked,




MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.           81
were mnade by the invisible intelligence with the belllandle, so heavy as to leave indentations on the table,
which may be seen by any person who doubts. Many
other manifestations were made, but the above are suffiesent to convey some idea of the wonderful invisible
power there manifestod; and the many beautiful and
sublime moral teachings there given by our heavenly
visitants, through the medium while entranced, I trust
will long ba remembered and made a rule of life by
those who heard them."
I next went to Boston, and while here the power
seemed to increase in a manner, which surprised me
not less than other witnesses of it.  On several occasions spirits were seen distinctly by all present in the
rool, and more than once they kissed persons present
so as to be both felt an4 heard.  During the summer
months my health gradually improved, and I once
mrore thought that I would now be enabled to pursue
a conrlse of studies which would enable me to take my
diploma as a medical man. But no! again a series of
unforeseen circumstances combined to prevent me. In
September, I returned to Springfield, and the letter I
here insert is taken firom " The Republicct " and describes some phenomena witnessed  by  Mir. F. C.
Andrue.
"' On Monday last, September 25, 1854, I called af-,eL tea at the house of my friend, Mr. Elmer, for the
purpose of returning a book which I had borrowed.
Unexpectedly, I met there Mr. D. D. Home, who had
just arrived from Boston. After conversinlg an hour
or two, Mr. Elmner having to leave on the inorroN ou
business, proposed a'circle' that eveningl.  We ac.
4*




82          MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
cordingly sat down-Mr. Elner's family,  Mr. Home
and I being the only persons present. The occurien
ces, though very extraordinary, were similar to' those
already published. We were all touched by unseen
hlands, the room being well lighted with gas, a large
bell was passed into our hands, &c. These things
were not new to me, and are not to the public. I will
therefore pass them by.
"' Knowing that still more extraordinary,' manifestations' at times occurred to Mr. Home during the night,
I mentioned that I would like to witness some of them.
They urged me to stay and spend the night, and I did
so.;" After leisurely undressing, putting out the light
and retiring to bed, we soon began to hear faint raps,
which rapidly increased in power and number, till the
walls, floor, an2 bedstead fairly shook with strokes.
They came like a shower. Soon camie other noises,
and then tho bed began to move across the fidor.
This seemed rather dangerous locomotion. It was the
only thing that gave me any uneasiness.  Having before witnessed so many wonders, I was not frightened,
thoughli Mr. Home seemed to be so, holding on to me
with bothl hands, and begging with all his miglit that
the bedstead should be stopped. They complied with
his request, but only to come in a ilore tangible form.
Soon I began to feel some one stepping on my feet
and ancles, over the bed-clothes, but with a pressure
different firom that produced by any hard substance.
Directly after there came a hand on my head and forehead, as much like flesh and blood as any I ever felt,
only somewohat cold. I began to ask questions, thle




MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.          83
fingers patting me on iny forehead in answer. Several hands, touciling mne at the same time, claimed to be
those of relatives of mine.
"A strong hand came, stated to be that of my
grandfather. I asked, ]low am I to know that this is
Iny grandfather?  The hand moved from my forehead
to my temple, over mly eyebrow and eye, and then
passed down over my face-the fingers patting me in
the most gentle manner possible. At another time, at
Iny request, hlands patted my forehead with such force
that the souend could be heard, I am confident, in any
part of the room.
" I wish, before I close, to add a few words. To religious mninds (which are strangely the most sceptical
in this matter) I have this to say: By what process of
reasoning can you bring yourselves to disbelieve, my
testimony of what I know and have seen, and to believe the testimony of what John, Peter or Paul saw?
I speak with all reverence-I doubt not their testimnony; on the contrary I believe it now more than
ever. But I know  of no reason, (my veracity being
unimnpeached) why my testimony of what I know and
see is not as good as that of any other man, living or
dead.  And there are thousands who know  these
things to be so, as well as I.'l'To oulr wise men, whose hobby is scientific investigation, I would say: Of what use is it to those whlo have
gone tlllhrough what I have, to read Dr. Dodd's book,
Dr. Rogers' theory, or to marvel over Professor Faraday's discoveries? who only proved that when he ptshed, he pushled."
Early in November, I returned to New York, and




S4           MANIFEST'ATIONS IN AMERICAo
reslfumed my mledieal studies. I leld seances two or
tlroee  timres a weeok, at my own rooim0s, and waV in the
Ilhbit of going amongst the poorer classes for thle purp'-).;e of speaking to them of thiis most cheering' trult.
I have always found thern to i)e the most candid and
thlrough in their investigations; and when they were
in reality convinced, they were the most thankful to
God in allowing such proofs of spiritual beings and
forces to exist.  I have seen many a poor heart- broken
inotlher consoled with the tlought tllhat tile fair young
chlild, given her by God as a hope-star to cheer her as
slhe toiled for her daily bread, but who had pined and
gone for ever from her sight, was still living and loving her and her God-sent ministering angel.  I well
remember a poor man being present one evening, and
tlhe spirit of a little girl coming with the following
message.'6 FJatherl dear, your little Mary was present last Wednesday, and God gave her power to prevent you from doing what you wished.  If you were
ever to do that, you could not come where your own
M ary and her mother are. Promise me you will never thinkl  of such an awful thing again."  Wgve all
looked astonished, but could not understand to what
she alluded.  Stillit was evident tile poor fathler knew
too well, for h111owing himself on ]his knees, he said,
as the tears rolled down his cheeks, "' Indeed, it is but
too tlrue, that on Wednesday last I decided to cut my
throat; but as I took the razor to do it, I felt that had
my child been alive, she would llave shrunk foroml nme
wi-h horror, aind this very thought was the saving ol
ly frequent sttended by persons we.
My  fi'equenit seances were attended by persons wlho




MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICAo            85
were introduced to me by friends, and I mnet at this
titmie nmany hundreds.  One of these seances is spoken
of in the "' New York Conference," of Decei-pber 20;,
1854, and nmay serve to give an idea of my mediumsllip
at this time.
" A geontletilan present related the facts of a circle
whlich met on Wednesday evening last.  Mr. HIome
was the mediunl. When seated, the first thing noticed
was an undulating motion on the table, which was followed by its being lifted entirely clear off the floor.
This was repeated several times.  Once or twice it was
raised las high as the chins of the party  sittinlg at it,
the hands of every person in the room  being upon the
table.  A gulitar in its case standing in one corner of
the room was heard to move, and on examination, the
end resting upon the floor was found to have moved
several inclles.  Loud raps were hieard in its vicinity
while tlis was being done, and a closet door openinlg
upon thle room in which they were seated, was shlut
with considerable torce.  The circle during these occurrences remnained seated at the table, and some six
or eight feet froll where they took platce. The guitar
case was then unlocled, and the instrument placed under the table.  In this position it was played upon re.
peatedly, not, to be sure, in the highest grade of the
art, but with very fair average skill.  The hands of
the party during this performance were all upon thle
tacble in plain sight of every one. There was no chance,
for trick, the room beinig sufficiently light for all to see
the exact position of every person and thing in tlle
room.  The guitar was then placed in the lap of each
mnember of the circle in rotation.  Each one took hoid




86     ~    MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
of the end presented, and held on until the instrument
was removed by the invisible agency. The table, the
cliair, in which they were seated, aind the floor of the
room itself, were mnade each in turn to exhibit a tremnulous mIotion sensible to all. The large rocking-chlair
in which 5Mr. IHome was seated, was next rocked forcibly.'lThen, by direction tllrough thle alphabet, the
whole party of ten persons, in rotation, took the same
chair, and were rocked in the same way. The application of the power was as though a person had hold of
the upper part of the back of the clhair with one hand,
and the other on its arm   The application of the force
at these points could be felt distinctly at every vibration; and the force necessary to produce thern may
be appreciated by stating that the feet of thle sitter
were held out straight, and were frequently made to
strike the under side of the top of the table.  Every
one was touched in turn as by human hands, some
large and some small.  A lady present who hlad been
touched i-ith what purported to be the hands of her
little danghtel, asked if she could take, the handckerchtief out of her lap?  Very soon it was seeni to move
slowly from hler lap, and disappear beneath the table.
In a few Ininutes, raps indicatiiig the alphabet were
heard, and this sentence was received:'" Mother, now
look and see what we have done,"  On looking, thle
hlandkerchief was found knotted and twisted into the
form of a doll-baby, not very symmetrical, but sifficiently like to show tile evident design, as well as ingenuity and power to execute.  Several other interestaug facts occurred during the eveniiig.
"Dr. Hallock said he was present when the facts




MANIFESTATIo:NS IN AMERICA.          87
just narrated occurred.  The point which lie particularly wished to illustrate was the open character, so to
speak, of these manifestations.  When an important
fact is stated, accompanied witlh the explanation that
it occurred inl a dark room, it naturally raises the questionI of deception in the mind of the hearer, which the
most elaborate statement or particulars cannot eradicate.  From  beginning to end these inanifestationis
were fiee fiom that objection.  Every person in the
circle, VMr. IHomne inclauded, was in fill view.  When
the guitar was played, all our hands were seen to be
on the table. A man could not have touched the strings
of tlat insturument with the toe of his boot even, much
less with his hand, without detection.  So of all the
other facts of the evening. In one instance, after severa[ unsuccessful attempts to retain a sheet of paper
upon the smooth surface of' the taUle whien elevated
to a considerable angle, the table with the sheet of
paper on it was turned so as to rest on ils edge, the top
being vertical, and the paper still retaining its position,
until it was suffered to fall at the request of one of the
gentlemen present. The exhibition of power and intelligence manifested on that evening, were done for'us, and not by us-if ten pairs of eyes, with the remaining complement of senses, are to be taken as eviden ce."
In January, 1851, the weather was more than usually
cold and severe, and my cough had so increased, with
other symptomns of a mnore alarming nature, that all
idea of completing mny medical studies had to be abandoned entirely.  Thie mnedical men whom I consulted,
all coincided in saying that my only hope of having




88         MA NIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
my life prolonged, was to visit Europe.  This was lo)
nme a hl:rd struggle, in being thus separated from those
who would hlave tended me with every affection, and
to be thrown as it were a stranger in what was now to
Ine a strange land. AMy famlily had by this time all
been residents of Amlerica for sornme time, and I knew
no firiend in all England. I would not have heeded the
advice of my medical men, and I should have remained whllee I was to pass fioln earth; but my spirit
friends told me that I mnust go, and their counsels could
not be unheeded. I accordingly went to pay a series
of farewell visits to those ftriends who had been so
kind to me; they as well as I feeling that in all probab,ility it was the last timle we should meet "in the
flesh."  While at Hartford in March, on one of these
visits the se6ance hei'e alluded to took place.
"6 The following occurrences transpired in this city
on the evening of the 14th ultimo: A small party were
seated with Mr. D. D. Home, who is probably the miiost
remarkable of modern mediums for spirit-mnanifestations of a physical or tangible order. It was intimated
that if we would procure a table-cloth and place it
upon the table, the unseen presences would manifest
themselves by lifting up the cloth. The cover was
accordingly procured, when we placed it upon the
table, put the lamp upon it, and drew back far enough
to prevent the possibility of any one of thle )arty touching it, unless by stretcling forward; and the slightest
movement of the kind by anly one present would lhave
been instantly detected. In a mlolnent more the tablecloth was plainly lifted?zp, on the side opposite to tile
medium, and in the full light of the lamp. It present




MANMIFESTATIONS IN.aMERICA.          89
ed the appearance of something under it, for it nmoed
abot undert the cloth, going first to one side of the
table and thenl to the other.  Presenltly it reached, out,
lifting the sides of tle clothll, towards each one present,
in succession.  In this manner the force, or substance
(for it was a substantial thing, resembling a hand),
reached out and shoole hands with the conipany.  It
felt, through the cloth1, like a hand; but on retaining
it for a closer inspection, it seemed to evcaporate or cissolve, and was rapidly lost. In its nature and composition it resembled, apparently, the hand and arm seen
on a previous occasion by a party of six, and described
in a formner article.' Soon after ti this the thing (whatever it was), again
lifted ull the table-cloth, moving apparently all about
the table, and raising the cloth as it moved.  In a moment imore it reached forward and touched onle of tlhe
party; thlen drew back and againl reached out and
touched anotherl.  Different parts of the person were
thius touchle; and presently thle hand, if it was a hand,
left its protection of the table-clotlh, and commenced
touchinLa the party in succession, some in one place,
and others in another.  But ilothinlg could be seen/
If requested to touch, for instance, the right shoulder,
the hand would unexpectedly respond by touching the
left; or if asked to touch the leg, perhaps the breast
or hand of the one asking would be toucelld-seemaifgly with a view to indicate in the clearest manner
that the power and the intelligence was separate friom
dlie mnind of the party.  The invisible agency thus
operating touched the writer at first on the knee, and,
gradually advanllcig  ulpwards, finally took him by the




90          MVANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
hand; but, althoughl this was in a pretty good light
(a little below the edge of the table), no traces of thle
hand that was palpably touching mine could be seen.
"A guitar, of a size and weight somewhat unusual,
had been placed beneath the table, in the hope of' getting some  rAntsio from  the spirlits.  I placed also a
quire of letter paper and a pencil upon the instrument,
that they might, if able and so disposed, give us a sample of writiyng without mortal hands.  (Both of these
performances have been witnessed at circles in New
York, and elsewhere.)  As sooll as we were again
seated and quiet, t-he guitar was sounded, and then
played upon, evidently by real, substantial filgers, for
tlle touches on the strings were strong and distinct.
Presenttly tile quire of paper was thrown froml the instruiment upon the floor, a distance of soi-me three or
fonr feet, and the imusic was again produiced, louder
than before.  Next, the guitar, large alld heavy as it
was, was dclraygd out friom its place, and earvmied away
to a door, a distance of five feet friom  the tatble, and
tllele tle mnusic recommuenced, stronger and clearer
than ever.  This hlad all been done while the party sat
quietly at the tablle.  At this juncture, in order to see
the performance going on at that distance, the writer
leaned forward towards it, and inl so doing, accidentally extintguished the lamp on tlhe table; but as a good
light was reflected upon all of us tfirom a grate of glowing coals directly in front of thle party, it was (decided
Inot to break the circle  to relight the lamp, atid tle
nmanifestations went on.
64 While we sat tllus, th/e guitcar,, at the ldistan(ce of
Jice or sixc feet from the party, was played w1~io  ex2'ui




MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.            91
sitely, and for several minutes, by some power othler
than that of any one bodily present.  Thte instrument
was partially in shadow, antd the hand tlhat swept its
strings could not be seen; but the   usiec was surpassingly beautiful.  It was of a character entirely new to
those who listened, and was sweeter, softer, and more
harmonious than anything I have ever heard.  Portions of it were filled with a certain soft and wild meel
ody that seenled to be the echo of other music far
away, and for the exquisite sweetness of which there
are no words.  It was of that...' Music that softer falls
Than petals from blown roses on the grass,
Or night dews on still waters between walls
Of shadowy granite in a gleaming pass.'
Anon it changed, and rose to a'full orb' of strong,
tempestuous melody, filling the house with its sounds.
It was heard by a lady residing in another part of the
house, who inquired about it the next day; thus proving the strength and the q'eality of this immortal
music.' It was asked by one of the circle,' Can you strike
on all the chords at once 2' Ans. (by responses on the
strinigs)-' Yes,' and this was actually done.
"The guitar was then removed to a coirner of the
oomn, still farther off; and as soon as all were seated,
it was again played upon, at that distance, for sonime
time; tlhen it was brougllt back by invisible means
and placed near the table.  Mr. Home remarked, that
all this transcend-ed anything of the kind in his previous experience, and he proposed to'see what they




92          MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.
could do,' taking the guitar to the most distant corner
of the room. It was suggested to him by us that this
would be useless, as they could do nothing at that distance from himself; but upon his taking his seat again
the spirits began playing the instrument in that farthest corner!-at a distance (as ascertained by subsequent measurement) of nearly eleven feet firom circle or
the medium I Thten the guitar was moved from its place
by the spirits and brought towards the circle; but, encountering a heavy mahogany chair on the way, the
instr'ument was laid down and /tie cltair dracged several feet out of the way; after which the guitar was
taken up and carried all a'outc the circle by the invisibles, and at length deposited in the opyosite corner!
In a few inoiments more the writer saw itpoised in the
air, top upwards, and nearly over his head! Tlle remark was made, "6 Well, if I did not see this myself, I
wouldn't believe it on other' testimony"-whereupon
the instrument reaceed forward and playf tllly tacped
the speaker three timnes upon t/he shoulder. Then it
was passed across the table (over his head) towards
Mr. Iome, whom it lightly touched several times upon
the head! Being close to it during this performance,
I watched it narrowly by the aid of the fire-ligllt.
The bottom end of the instrument was very near my
face, while the opposite end was thus being used; it
was not, il fact, six inches above my head, and just in
front of me.  The indistinct outlline of a human han].
coulcd be seen grasping the instrainment just below its
centre.
6Reachling up, I grasped the instrument firmly in
both hands,and held it above my head, requesting at




MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA.              93
the same time that the one who had been performing would now play it if possible. Innecdiactely the
strings were tomtched as if by human fingers, tllough
now invisible, and the guitar was play)ed as well while
thius held in the air as it had been while on the floor!
"The quire of pcaper before spoken of was taken
from the floor, slowly lifted up, and placed upon, the
table, as I can affirm, without the aid of a human
hand.  Sitting at that end of the table where this was
done, I was enabled to see the whole of this proceeding.  The quire of paper was placed upon the edge of
the table, and so near my hand as to touch it.  This
was done slowly  and deliberately, and this time at
least I was permitted to see plainly and clearly the
hand that had hold of it.  It was evidently a lady's
hAcnd-very thin, very pale, and relnarkably attenuated.  The conformation  of this hand  was peculiar.
The fingers were of an almost preternatural length,
and seemed to be set wide apart. The extreme pallor
of the entire hand was also remarkable. But perhaps
the most noticeable thing about it was the shape of the
fingers, which, in addition to their length and thinnless,
were unusually pointed at the ends; they tapered rapidly and evenly toward the tips.*  The hand also
narrowed fiom the lower knuckles to the wrist, where
it ended.  All this could be seen by such light as was
in the room, while the hand was for a few moments
holding the paper upon the edge of the table.  It sud* The writer has since been shown a daguerreotype taken from a picture of
the lady whose name was written as above described, and whose disease was
consumption. The portrait was taken just before her death, and the hands
and fingers in the daguerreotype, although rather indistinct, bear a most close
anl renmlraJrlb lcsemblaaue to the band deseribedl.rbove




8294        MANIFESTA'i I)N'S IN AMERFICA.
denly disappeared, and in a moment thle penil was
thrown fiom  some quarter, and fell upon the table,
where the hand again appeared, took it, and began tlo
write. This was in plain sight, being only shaded by
one of the circle who was sitting between the paper on
lie table and the fire. The hands of each one present
were upon the table, in full view, so that it could not
lhave been one of the party who was thus writing.
Being the nearest one to the hand, I bent down close
to it as it wrote, to see the whole of it. It extended
no farlther than the wrist. With a feeling of curiosity
natural under the circumstances, I brought my face
close to it ill the endeavor to see exactly what it was,
and, in so doing, probably destroyed the electric or
magonetic influence by which it was working; for thle
pencil dropped and the hland vanished. The writing
was aftelwards examined, and proved to be the naime,
in he/ owaw poel'  an2.dwriti?,y, qf a rc/elative and iltimate lady friend of one in the circle, who passed.away
some years since.  Other narlks were also made, and
the word  Dear' had been written just as the pencil
dropped. Tliis writing has been preserved, and remains as an evidence of tile reality of the fact. That
it was produced by no hand of any one bodily in that
room I know and affirm.'6The hand afterwards came and shook hands with
each one present. I felt it minutely. It was tolerably
well and symmetrically made, though not perfect; and
it was soft and slightly warm.  IT ENDED AT THEU
WRIST."




COAPTER IV.
IN  E N G L AN D.
ON the 31st of March, 1855, I sailed from Boston for
England in the' Africa,' the late Captalin Halrrison being the captain of the ship.  011 the ninth day of our
voyage we neared England, and the signal cannon was
fired. I never carl forget mny feelings as I looked
around me, and saw only joy beaming onll the faces of
my fellow-passengers; some there were w\io1  were
about to reach tlleir home, and thle thought of kind
friends waiting to welcome them brought the smile of
joy on their countenances. Others were travellers who
saw the Old World with all her art treasures spread
betre them, and the monotony of a sea voyage so near
its termination.  I stood tllere alolle, with not one
friiend to welcome me, broken down in health, and my
hopes and fairest dreams of youth, all, as I thought,
for ever fled. Tile only prospect I had was that of a
few montlis' sufferillg, and then to pass fr'om earth.  I
hlzd this strallge power also, which made a few look
with pity on me as a pool' deluded being, only devilsent, to lure souls to destruction, while others were not
chary in treating me as a base impostor. I stood there
otl the ship's deck amongst the crowd of passengers,




96                  IN ENGLANDo
and a sense of utter loneliness crept over me, antil my
very heart seemed too heavy for me to bear up against
it.  I sought my cabin, and prayed to God to vouchsafe one ray of hope to cheer me.  In a few imoments
I felt a sense of joy come over me and when I rose,
was as happy as the happiest of thle thlrong.
I reached Cox's Ilotel in Jermyn Street on the evening of the 9t]h of April; and as soon as Mr. Cox knlew
who I was, he welcomled ine imore as a father would
welcome a son, than as a stranger whom he had never
seen, and from that time to this lie has been to me the
most sincere and generous friend.
It soon became kno\wn tlhat I was in England, and
in less than a mont!l I had more eng'agements than I
could well fulfil.  While at Cox's Hotel, Lord Broughanm expressed a desire to see me for the purpose of in~estigatinlg the phelomnena, and as his lordship's evenings were fully occupied, I appointed an early afternoon.  Accordingly 1his Lordship camhe accompanied
by Sir David Brewster, with \vhom and Mr. Cox I had
a seance, which shoitly afterwards, ill consequence of
the misrepresentations and evasions of Sir David Brewster, became of considerable public interest, inasmuch
as it was made the means of a general discussion in the
newspapers on the subject of the spiritual phenomena.
There are few matters in which Sir David Brewster
thas come before the public which have brought mlore
slhame upon hitin, than his conduct and assertions on
this occasion, in which lie manifested not only at disregard for truth, but also a disloyalty to scientific observation, and to the use of his owII eyesight and natural
faculties.  In order that L,,rd Broughain might not be




IN ENGLAND.                  97
compelled to deny Sir David's statements, he found it
necessary that he should be silent, and I have some
reason to comlplain that his Lordship preferred sacrificing me to his desire not to immolate his friend, since
his silence was by many misconstrued to my disadvantage. The correspondence which ensued was so interesting and characteristic, and is moreover so useful as
being the first great occasion on which one of the pretended magnates of science has come forward on the
subject of' these phenomena, that I have thought it well
to give the substance of it, with some pertinent remarks oil Sir David Brewster's conduct in an Appendix.  It will be a means whereby his character may be
the better known, not only for his untruthful dealing
with this subject, but also in his own domain of science
in which the same unfaithfulness to truth will be seen
to be the characteristic of his mind.
The immediate effect, however, of this ventilation
of thle subject was, as I have invariably found it, to excite only the greater interest in the phenomena, and it
was thereby the means of convincing numbers of all
classes who visited Ine.  My time was fully occupied,
notwithstanding my delicate health, in giving s6ances
to anxious enquirers of all ranks and classes, from  the
peer to the artizan, and inclnding men of all the professions high in art, science, and literature, who were
both more competent and truthful than I found Sir
David Brewster to be to form a correct conclusion.
After some time in Jernmyn Street, I went to stay
with a friend at Ealing, who was deeply interested in
the subject, and his house was, during the greater part of
mly stay, almost besieged by persons wishing to witness




98                   IN ENGLAND.
the phenomena.  Hfndreds had their wishes gratified,
and saw what has proved enough to be the turlning
point of their lives, and what rendered no longer possible those materialistic and sceptical notions, which
are still unllappily so rife amongst the most highly educated classes at this dclay.  Many interesting incidents
occurred during my stay at Ealing, and the hands and
once or twice the head of the spirit form  were repeatedly seen by many, who publicly testified to the fact.
But althouglh I was apparently Nwearing out my life by
the fatigue and excitement whlich these constant seances catused to me, I was not allowed to become proud
of my position, for the good clergyman of Ealing foiind
it his duty to publicly  preach acgainst mne, and to attribute tihe manifestations to the devil.  Thle position
which is taken ip by many of the clergy, is to me, in
itself, an extraordinlary manifestation, for certainly
these phenomena, whether froll God or from the devil,
have in ten years caused mnore converts to the great
truths of immortality and anFgel communionN withll all
that flows from these great facts, than all the sects in
Christendonm have made during the samle period.  In
deed, whilst tlte churclhes are losing their adherents.
the belief in spiritual laws caused by these external
manifestations, is becoming widely spread through the
sceptical masses.  It is not at all improbable that in
purSuing their new studies, these last milny be the meanls
in their turn of converting the clergy to a belief in
spiritual laws.
Whilst I was at Ealing, a distinguished novelist, accompanied  by his son attended a s6ance, at which
some very remarkable manifestations occurred, and




IN ENGLAND.                  99
which were chiefly directed to hlimn. The rappings on
the table suddenly became unusually firm and loud.
He asked " what spirit is present? " the alphabet
wras called over, and the response was, "I am  the
spilit who influenced you to write Z~!"  "Indeed,'
said he, " I wish you would give me some tangible
proof of your presence."  "G What proof? will you take
my hand "  "' Yes," and putting his hand beneath the
surface of the table, it was immediately seized by a
powerful grasp, which made him start to his feet in evident trepidation, exhibiting a momnentary suspicion
that a trick had been played upon him; seeing, u however, that all thle pers!ns around him were sitting with
their hands quietly reposing on the table, he recovered(
hiis colposure, and offering an apology for the uncontrollable excitement caused by suchi an unexpected demolnstration, lie resumed his seat.
The following words were then spelt out, ~" We wish
you to believe in the — " and then stopped.  It was
asked of the spirit: "' In what am I to believe? in the
mediuml2"  "No.'  " In the manifestations?" " No."
At that moment lie was gently tapped on the knee, and
putting' his hand down, a cross was placed there by the
spirit, which significaintly finished the sentence.
The cross was made of card-board, and had been lying on a small table-with other ornamental articles in
a distant part of the large rooml in which the party
were seated. The investigator. apparently much ilmpressed with the incident, turned to Mrs. Ry'ner, and
asked permission to retain the cross as a souvenir, to
which she assented, saying that its only value to her
was that it had been made by her boy, then recentlj




100                IN ENGLAND.
deceased, but she could have no objections to him keeping it, if he would remember the injunction.  He
bowed his assent, and placing the souvenir in his
breast pocket, carried the cross away with him.
On another occalsion the children had been playing
in the garden with some fresh-gathered flowers, out of
which they had former a wreath.  A seance was proposed. It was a calm summer's evening, with the full
moon just rising.  A large circular-shaped table was
selected in the drawing room, which room was on a
level with the garden lawn, the French windows extending to the ground, and the moonlight-twilight
shone through them sufficiently to make everything in
the room visible.
The party seated themselves around the half circle
of the table, leaving the other half nearest to the garden window vacant  After several minor incidents
had occcnred, the table rose slowly from the ground,
and ascended to the ceiling of the room. out of the
reach of all but Mr. Coleman, who was tall enough to
just touch its ilm.  It then descended steadily and
settled on the floor with no more sound than if it had
been a feather's weight.
Having taken their seats again, a beautifully-formed
feminine hand became distinctly visible to all the
party present. It came up from the vacant side of the
table, and made an unavailing effort, at first, to reach
a hand-bell which had been placed there.  In a short
title, the fleshy and delicately-formed arm  became
visible up to the elbow, and was enveloped in whlat
appeared to be a gauze sleeve, through which it was
transparently seen. The fingers then took up the bell,




IN ENGLAND.                101
held it suspended for a moment, rung it, and slowly
carried it, ringing, beneath the table.  Mr. Coleman
finding the bell jingling against his knee, put down
his ]land, received it, and placed it on the table.  He
then asked if he might feel the hand, which was neither warm nor cold, but of velvety softness, and it was
placed withl a gentle pressure in his.
When the hand first appeared, all in the circle had
hold of each other's hand, I having, at Mir. Coleman's
request, placed both my hands in Mr. Coleman's grasp.
Whilst seated in this position, the wreath of flowers, which had been made by the children, was seen
by all to be lifted from my head, where it had been
playfully placed a short time previously.  No bland
was visible. The wreath then descended to within an
inch of the surface of the table.  It then slowly traversed round the circle and back again to Mr. Coleman,
who took it, and retained it at home until the flowers
withered.
At another sitting, each person in the circle who
wore a ring had it gently removed by a spirit hand,
the hand being seen afterwards with all the rings on
its fingers, and after displaying itself by turning about,
showing the back and palm two or three times, inverted itself, and cast the rings upon the table.
One evening at Ealing, Sir David Brewster, Mrs.
Trollope the authoress, and her son Mr. Thomas Trollope, and several others were present. The table at
which the party sat was a long telescopic dining table,
having two legs at each end and none ill the centre.One end of it was occupied Iby Mr. Trollope, Sir David
Brewster, and a lady. I sat about the centre of one




102                 IN ENGLAND.
side, having Mrs. Trollope on my left; the otllers present occupying the remainder of the table.  There was
no cloth or drapery of any kind.  Sir David was invited to look under the table and make every investigation, and he did most properly avail hirnself of the,,pportunity afforded himl by carefully looking under the
tal)le, both before sounds were heard and during the
time they were being made.  On this occasion Sir'
David tried to lift the table-sometimues he could not,
at other times he could-or, as Sir David said,' the
table was made light and heavy at command."
An accordeon was called for —hymns and tunes
were play)7ed, ad. without any visible agency. After
the party broke up, Sir David, in the course of conversation, said, " I should have liked if we had been
all standing when the table lifted."9  Sir David, Mr.
Trollope, and Mr. MDymer then sat down to see if it
were possible to move the table or to raise it by their
feet, but it could not be raised by the united efforts of
tlhe feet of all tllree.  Sir David was invited to come
the next evening for the purpose of complying with
his request of standing at the table, but he could not
come, having a p)re-engagement.
This table, which was twelve feet long, has been
sometimes co:iipletely turned over, replaced, and again
turned over, all our hands being on the surface. Occasionally it has been moved while we were all standing
-without any one touching it, even with their hands.
Mr. Trollope came on the following evening-xwe sat
round the same table as on the previous eveningthe alphabet was called for, and three of us were
told to go into another room', to get a smaller table,




IN ENGLAND.                 103
-nd stand.  We were not to sit, but to standl   We
did so-and a heavy card table, ou pillar and claws,
and which was brought from  another room, and at
which we had never sat before, was repeatedly lifted
off thle gronnd, at least twenty inches.
One evening a gentleman was present when it was
intimated to him through the alphabet by knocks on
the table that his aunt DtDor.othy was [present; lhe was
surprised, and assured us that could not be so, for he
never hCad an aunt; lhe afterwards wrote to his sister,
who was residing in the north of England, and this
was her reply:" I never heard of our father having a sister-there
were four sons, and their father died when they were
all very young'; but I expect to see my elder sister,
who knows imore of our family, and I will ask her.
" P.S. —She has just come, and I find our father had
a si(ter —our ~raiandfather was twice married; by his
first wife lie had one daughter, whose name was Dorothly, and who died an infant-and who, of course, was
our aunt."
One evening as Mr. Rymer was passing through the
rooli he stood for a few lmoments at the end of the
table.  His attention was arrested by the sounds, and
it was stated to be his little boy, who liad passed away
some yeais before.  He asked if he recollected hlow
pleased lie Nwas when on earth to place hirii a chair on
his return home-the cliair was immediately mnoved
round tle corlner or the table, by no visible agency.It was placed behind him, and lhe sat down upon it.
This was in tie presence of five persons, one of




t04                 IN ENGLAND.
whom was the editor of a well-known work on the
5" Occult Sciences."  All at the table saw  the chair
moved to where the father was standing.  The hands
of all were on the table-nlo one knew that he intended to ask for a chair, and  until that instant, he
said, that lie did not know it himself.
Another evening we were told through the alphabet that the same litttle boy was present in spirit. It
-was asked if lie collld write as on earth, and he answered that he would try. A sheet of note paper, clean,
and witllout any writing of any description was taken,
and placed on the cloth. The brass fastenings of the
table were thell displaced one by one and fell to the
grolld; the table was opened or pulled lout by no
human ageiicy-every one in thle roomz  was seated at
the table and had their hands on its surface.  It was
tlhen asked if the paper and pencil should be placed
on the table near the opening of the cloth; three
sounds, " Yes."  Immediately the form  of a small
hand was seen under the cloth. It was felt by some
who placed their hands upon it. Tlle paper and pencil were then removed, the form of the hand disappearing at the same time. In a few minutes the same
form of hand was again seen replacing the paper and
the pencil, the alphabet was called forl: "D 6ear pv)ap,
I hacve really clone my best."  The father removed the
paper and pencil, and on that paper was written —
" Dear papa, dear marnnlll," and  signed  "IWai."
Watty was tle name of the child.  No one was previously aware that it was intended to ask for this to be
done.
At Sandgate in Kent, where I stayed for some tine,




IN ENGLAND.                  105
at a seance, we numbered thirteen,  Thle table was
elevated at least two feet, and tle accordeon was
played. The tunle was not known to any of us. We
asked tile name, and were told that it was the "'Song
of the Sea."   A hand and arm in white drapery appeared-it was seen by all at the table on several oc.
casions during the evening, and they had every opportunity of carefully examining it.
A few evenings afterwvards thle table was near tle
window. It was twilight.  Songs were heard on the
accordeon. The tune was new  to us, and we were
told that it was the " Sollg of the Angels to the
AIourners."  It was followed by a hymln which had
been frequently played bef(ire. It was spelt out by
sounds on the table, some will show y7ou their~ hancls
to-night. The table was gently raised and lifted up
several timles, a hand appeared above the table, and
took from the dress of o6e of the party a miniature
brooch, and handed it to several at the table.  Hands
and  arms were then distinctly seen by all at the table
of different forms and sizes-sometimes crossed as in
prayer, and at others pointing upwards.  On another
occasion sounds were heard,  communications were
made, and hands and arms in white drapery were
again seen.  A spirit hand took up a Bible which
was on the table, and opened it.  This was seen by
all, and a leaf was folded down, tlle land took a pencil and marked the two verses sixteenr and seventeen
of the thirteenth chcapter of St. 1Matthew-" But bless
ed are your eyes, for they see: and y(our ears, for
they hear. For I say unto you tihat many prophets
and righteous men have desired to see tlmings whiich
5*




106                  IN ENGLAND.
ye see, and htave not seen themn; and to hear these
things which yOe hear, and have not hleard them."
At this time hanllds and armns were freqently seet
and they were repeatedly felt by all at the table as
distinctly as though they were the hands and arms of
living  mortals, and frequently tlhey shook hands with
tllem as really and substantially as one man shakes
]ands with another.
Of all the accounts which lhave been given of the
-phenomena there has been none so good as that of Dr.
J. J. G. Wilkinson, who towards the close of the:Brewster controversy, wrote a letter to the'" Morning
Advertiser,:' under the signature of Verax.  Hle had
been fiequently present at seances, and was eminently qualified not only for the investigation, but for a
philosophical expression of their results and consequences —and I need offer no apology for giving at
length  his eloquent narratioh, which was entitled
Gb Evenlings with IMr. Homne and the Spirits."' lThe' Great Wizard of the North' has roused attention to the subject of spiritual manifestations in such
a manner that everybody is talking about thernm; and,
moreover, the country papers are the battle-ground of
letters pro and con, which debate the subject with some
warmth; and, wherever a name can be got at, with a
little personality.  But, hitherto, I have seen no statement of the experience of any of the writers inl regard
to these manifestations.  This is to be regretted, perhlaps, because by bringing forward experiences and
explanations, the subject inight have beern divested of
soile of that lheat wlich is so bad a scientific medium.
I will now ende;lvor, with yourl permission, to tell whit




IN ENGLAND.                  107
I saw and felt on three separate evenings, stating them
in their o;rder.' It was late in the spring of this year that I was
invited by a fiiend, well known in the literary world,
to pay a visit to the lodgings of IFMr. Daniel Dunglas
Honme, then recently arrived fiom Ahlerica, for the purpose of witnessing certain remarkable phenomena alleged to be froml supernatural causes. Many feelings
prompted nme to accept the invitation; as, also, did the
knowledge that Mr. Home was familiarly known, as a
plainl, honest man, to Dr. Gray, the first hormeeopathic
physician in New York, and for whose character I have
the highest esteem.
"I went to his house in Jermyn-street, and introduced myself on the appointed evening to Mr. Home,
who, I found, was a modest, intelligent youth of about
twenty, in ill-health; and, indeed, as lie himself informed mle, and as, on inspection, I found to be the case,
with thle marks of consumption legible upon his fiame.
AMly wife accompanied me, and I met in M[r. II.'s rooms
tlhree friends, all of them men of talent and integrity.
Bent upon narrative, and not upon defense or hostility,
I will omit nothing; and so I here observe that we
were, all of us, believers, beforehand, in the possibility
of spiritual manifestations.
"Before sitting down in'the circle,' I asked Mr.
Home for some account of his antecedents. To the best
of miy recollection lie gave the followingl particulars.
I-Ie was born in Scotland, and was taken to Amelicca
when a child.  Very early in life he used to surprise
those with \\hom he was, by spontaneously narrating,
as scenes passimng before his eyes, distant, events, such




108                 IN ENGLAND.
as the death of fiiends and elatives; and these illstances of second sight were found to be true telegraphy.
It was not his fault —he could not help seeing them.
Later on in his career, various,noises were 1heard in the
room beside hin.  This was about the time when the
spiritual 6rapping' became known ill AmLerica.
"lie lived with an aunt, who was greatly scandalized at these circumstances.  A member of the Presbyterian ChuLch, these knockings even accompallied
him to Divine worshlip; and, coming to the knowledge
of his ecclesiastical overmen, lie was adjudged to be
the victim  of satanic in:fluences, and either excommunicated, or otlherwise banished from the cl)ngregation.
After'wards lie became a medical student; but ill-health
forced him to abandon the idea of pursuing medicine
as a calling.  Such were the heads of wlhat he told us,
in answer to ounr enquiries, about himself.
"' We were in a large ul)per room, rather bare of furniture; a sofa, a large round table, and a little buffet,
together withl a few chairs, were the fittings-up.  One
of the party lhad broughlt with him  a hand-bell and anl
accordeon.  We sat around the table, with the hands
resting upon it. In a few lilinutes the table vibrated, or
shuddered, as though actulated firom  withinl; it then
became still, and illstantly every one of us shook in his
chair, not violently, but intimately, and like a jelly, so
tllat olbjects'dothered' bere us. This effect ceased; and
now the heavy table, with all our hands upon it, raised itself ligh up on its side, and irocked up and down; the raisi gb proceeding froml all different quarters, Mr. Home and
all the rest of us (excepting our hands and arms, whlich
were lecessarily moved) sitting (leatllh still.  The lamp on




IN ENGLAND.                  109
the table seemed as if it must tunable off; but lie assured
us there was no danger of tAct —that it was held safely
in its place. The hand-bell had been placed upon the
wooden rim round the pedestal of the table, and it no\
began~ to ring, alJparlently under different parts of the
circle.  Mar. Home said that the spirits were carrying
it to one of the party, and suggested myself.  I was
sitting nearly opposite to him, at about threo feet distance.  I put my hand down under the margin of thle
table, and, in pelhaps a millute's time, I felt the lip of
the bell poked lup gently bagainst the tips of my fingerls,
as if to say,' I anm here, take me.' This palpitation of
thie bell continued until I moved my fintgers up its silde
to grasp it.  When I came to the handle, I slid mny
fingers oil rapidly, and now, every hand but my own
being on the table, I distinctly felt thle fingers, up to
the palm, of a hand holding the bell.  It was a soft,
warm, fleshy, substantial hand, such as I should be
glad to feel at, the extremity of the firiendship of mly
best friends.  But I had no sooner girasped it momenturily, thanl it nmelted away, leaving my hand void, Aithl
the bell only in it. I now ]held the bell lightly, witlh
the clapper downwards, and while it remained perfectly still, I could plainly feel fingers ringing it by
the clapper.  As a point of' observation I will reinmark,
that I should feel no more difficulty in swearing that
the member I felt was a hurnan hand of extraordinary
life, and not Mr. Iollne's foot, than that the nose of
tlhe Apollo Belvidere is not a horse's ear.  I dwell
chiefly, because I can speak surely, on what happened
to myself, though every one round the table 11ad somewhat similar expe,'i(tnces.  The bell was carried undne




L.0               IN ENGLAND.
tile table to each, and rung in the hand of each. The
accordeon was now  placed beneath the table, and
presently we heard it moving along. Mr. iHome put
down his }hand to the mnargin, and the instrunlllent was
given to him. With one hand upon the table, and
with the otller grasping the white wood at tlvi bottom
of the accordeon, he held it bottom upwa'lds, the keys
Ilanging down over, and the instrument resting for support on his right knee.  It played' Home, sweet hlome,'
and   God save thle Queen,' with a delicacy of tone
twhich struck every one present: I never heard silence
threaded with such silver lines. Afterwards, in the
same way, we were favored with' The Last Rose of
Sumrnmer.' The accordeon was then taken to each
members of the party in succession; we couldl hear it
rustling oni its way between our knees and tile pedestal
of the table; and in the hand of each person, a few
n1otes, but no whole tunes were played.  When in my
own hand, I particularly noticed the great amount of
force whclli  was exerted by the player. It was diificult to hold tile instrument frola the strong downward
pull, and 1had I not been somewhat prepared for this,
the accordeon would have fallen upon the floor. In
tile course of tile evening we all felt either a finger,
fingers, or a whole hand, placed upon our knees,
always with a pleasant impression at the timne. A
white cambric handkerchief was drawn slowly under
tile table, and in tlle course of a few minutes handed to
another person, tied in two knots, and put as a boquet
into the bell.  And this experimnent also was repeated
for nearly all present.  While these things were going
OII, rapjpings weire hleard in all parts of tile rooIn, in the




IN ENGLAND.                  III
table, in the floor, and t}ie ceiling; and sometimes
they were so loud that the medium requested the spirits
to remember that he was only a lodger, and that these
noises might disturb the people in the rooms above and
below. rThey were very unlike the' Great YWizard's'
ralps, and occurred indifferently, as I said before, in all
places and corners of the chamber.  Towards the end
of the seance, five distinct raps were heard under tile
table, which number, hMr. Homen said, was a call for
thle alphabet. Accordingly, an alphabet was made;
and on iM. Hoine asking if any spirit was present who
wished to speak to one of the party, the following sentence was given by the alphabetic teiegraphl: —   My
dear E-, Inortality is a great truth.  Oh! how I
wish my dear wife could have been present.-D.C."
It purported to be a near relation of one of those present, wtho died last year.  The spelling'iimortality'
surprised me at first; but I recollected that the deceased, whom  I knew well, was constanitly versed in
black letter writing, which makes elisions in that way.
This ended, the medium fell into an apparently rmesmneric trance, firomn which he addressed some good
words of exhortation to each of us; and told one of the
party in particular, several details about deceased
members of the family, which were not known in the
circle at the time, but verified to the letter afterwards.
These I forbear to Imentiol, because they were of a
strictly private nature.  In his address,  Mrl.  ome
spoke, not as from himself, but as from the spirit assembly whichl was present; and he ended with a courteous' Good night,' fiom them.
C' Considering tlat it requites a large aplpalatus of




112                IN ENGLAND.
preparation for the greatest of wizlards to effect the
smallest part of what we saw on this evening, namely,
a few raps, one might have suspected that MIr. Home
wolld lhave had rather bulging pockets, to do what I
have related, but I can assure your readers, that he
was as meagre and une.ecumbered as the scantiest
dresser need be: he had noassistants, and no screens.
When, during the evening, I' asked if the jugglers did
their tricks by means similar to the agencies there
present, the raps said' No:' but in a pronounced manner they said'Yes,' when the same qilestion was put
with regard to the'Indian Jugglers.' We also asked
Mr. Home why the effects generally took place utnder
the table, and not upon it. He said that in habituated
circles the results were easily obtained above board,
visibly to all, but that at a first sitting it was not so.
That scepticism was almost universal in men's intellects, and marred the forces at work; that the spirits
accomplish what they do through our life-sphere, or
atmosphere, which was permeated by our wills; and if
the will was contrary, the sphere was unfit for being,
operated upon.
" It was perhaps a fortnight after tlhis that M1r. Home
came by invitation, to my own house, to sit in the circle of my family.  HIe was brought to the door in a
carriage by some friends, with wllom he was staying,
without any paraphernalia which would characterize a
wizard's art. I watched him walk up the garden, and
can aver that lie had no magic wand up his trouser
leg, nor any hiinch in lhis dress thlat could betoken mnachinery or apparatus of any kind wlhatever.  Arrived
ini thle drawing-room, the' raps' immnediately colm



lI ENGLANDo                 113
menced in all parts of it, and were also heard in thi
back drawing-room, which opens into the front by folding doors. The party assembled to constitute the 6 circle' consisted of M'r. iHome., my wife, lly four children, and myself, and two domestics.  We sat round
a large and heavy loo table, ahich occupied the centre
of the room.  In a mninute or two the same inward
thrill went through the table as I have described in the
first seance; and the chairs also, as before, thrilled tnder us so vividly, that my youngest daughter jumped
up from hers, exclaiming,'Oh! Papa, there's a heart
in my chair,' which we all felt to be a correct expression of the sensation conveyed.  From  time to time
the table manifested considerable movements, and after
cracking, and apparently undulating in its place, with
all our hands upon it, it suddenly rose from  its place
bodily sotne eight inches into the air, and floated waving in the atmosphere, mnailtaining its position above
thle ground for half a minute, or while we slowly
counted twenty-nine.  Its oscillatiorTs during this time
were very beautifui, reminding us all of a flat disc of
deal on an agitated surface of water.  It then descended as rapidly as it rose, and so nicely was the descent managed, that it met the floor with no noise, and
as thlough it would scarcely have broken an egg in its
contact.  Three times did it leave the floor of the room,
and poise itself in mid air, always in the same manner.
During these intervals the medium was in a state of
the completest muscular repose; nor, indeed, had he
tlie toe of Hercules for a lever could he have managed
this effect, for he and all of us stood up each time,
to follow  the mounting table, and lie stood with as




114                 IN EN GLAND.
complete absence of strain as the rest of us.  It requires two strong men to lift the table to thlat height;
one person might throw it over, but could by no neans
raise it from the floor.
"The travelling of the hand-bell under the table
was also repeated for every one present, and this
tiime they:;ll felt the hand, or hands, either upon tlheir
knees, or other portions of their limbs.  I put my
hand down as previously, and was regularly stroked
on the back of it by a soft palpable hand as before.
Nay, I distinctly felt thle whole against milne, and once
grasped the hand, but it Imelted as on the first occasion; and immediately a call was mnade for the alphabet, there being somnethi ng to corn 1nunicate. The'spirits' now spelt out through MIr. Hlome, who had
known nothing of what I lhad done under the table,'Do not grasp our hands.' I asked why, and M1[r.
hIome said that they hacd great difficulty in presenting,
<and tlthus rapidly incarnating these handls out of the
vital atmosphere of those present, and that their work
was spoilt, andc had to be recommienced, when they
were interfered with, perhaps as a thouoght is sometimes broken in twain, and cannot easily be resumed
on the irruption of a stranger.  During the seance I
had the border of a white cambric handkerchief just
appearing out of the side pocket of my paletot, whiceh
was open; and thllogh I could see no agency, I felt
so3mething twitching at the haTndckerchief, and  very
gradually dranwing it froilm my pocket. Simultaneously
with this, my eldest daughter, whro sat opposite to me,
exclaimed,' Oh l I see phosphoric fingers at papa's
pocket!' alnd, now visibly to all, the hlalldkerchief was




IN ENGLAND.                 115
slowly pulled out, and drawn under the table; whilst,
at the same time, I felt al arm that was doing it, but
which was invisible to me.  At this time I was at least
tlhree feet firom Mr. Home, with a person between us,
and lie was absolutely passive. Thle feeling I had was
of nudges, as distinct as ever I felt friom a mortal limb,
and that on my breast and arm, which were above the
table; and yet, though the operation of abstracting
my handkerchief was going on visibly to all, the rest
of thle circle, as well as myself, (all except my eldest
daughter), could see nothing. I can swear that there
was no machinery, unless the skin, bone, muscle, and
tendons of an unseen hand, forearm and elbow deserve
the name.
W' hile this was going on, and for about ten minutes, more or less, my wife felt the sleeve of her dress
pulled firequently, and as she was sitting with her
finger ends clasped and hands open, with palms semiprone upon the table, she suddenly laughed involuntarily, and said,'Oh! see, there is a little hand lying
between mine; and, now, a larger hand has come beside it. The little hand is smaller than any baby's,
and exquisitly perfect.' Our domestics, and two of
the children, as well as my wife, all saw these hands,
and watched them for between one and two minutes,
when they disappeared. I now held my watcli at the
table side, the key in my hand, the chain and watch
dangling from it. and I felt the weight of the watch
gradually taken off, the chain being raised horizontally to my hand, and then the key, which I retained,
was pulled laterally, and I let it go. It was taken under the table to my youngest dauglhter, and put on her




116               IN ENGLAND.
knee. Whenever objects were thus removed from the
hand, they were taken with a degree of physical powel sufficient to suggest that the agent was capable of
holding the object without letting it fall. An hour
and three-quarters were occupied in these and similar
manifestations, of which I have mentioned only the
most striking, or those personal to myself; and now
Mr. HIome passed into the trance state, spoke of the
spirit life, and the coming knowledge of it on earth,
and said a few words apposite to each person present;
dwelling also upon the spiritual attendants who were
standing beside each. When he caine to my wife he
lifted up his hands in an ecstacy, and described a spirit with her, most tiny, but beautifull. He said it was
a little sister who had gone away a long time.' But,'
she said,' I never had such a sister.' 6 Yes, you had,
though she had no name on earth.' On inquiry in the
family, an event, such as he alluded to, had happened.
This is the chief part of what struck me in Seance
No. 2.
" At 10 p.m., - Mr. Home went away on his own legs,
so limber that I never so much as thought of any explanation of pasteboard arms or electric batteries concealed about his person.
"The next seance which I shall describe took place
about the third week in July, at the house of a valued
friend in Ealing, who had become convinced of the
genuineness of the phenomena which accompanied Mr.
Home, and with whom that gentlemnan was now staying. The party sat down to the table with Mr. Homle,
in the dusk of a fine evening, and were nine or ten
in number. Here again I am forced to chronicle




IN ENGLAND.                11 
chiefly what befel myself, in order that I may be
no second-hand witness. The first thing I remarked
was a gentle tremnulous flash of light tthrough the room,
but what was the cause of it I am unable to determine.
When we had sat a few minutes I felt a decided but
gentle grasp of a large man's hand upon my right
knee, and I said to Mr. H.,'There is a man's hand
upon my knee.' 6 Who is it2' he said.' flow should
I know?' was my reply.'Ask,' said he.'But how
shall I ask i'  Think of somebody,' was his answer.
I thought involuntarily of an intimate friend, once a
Member of Parliment, and as much before the public
as any man in his generation, and who died on the 30th
of June last. And I said aloud,'Is it -—' Hearty
affirmative slaps on the knee from the same hand which
had remained fixed till then, were the reply to mny
question'I am glad to be again in the same room
with you,' said I. Again the same hearty greeting was
repeated.' Are you better?' I inquired.  A still more
joyous succession of slaps, or rather, if I may coin a
word, of aCCussions; for the hand was cupped to fit my
bent knee, and gently struck me in that form.' Have
you any message to your wife, whom I shall probably
see in a few days?' Again, affirmative touches, five in
number, therefore calling for the alphabet. Mr. IHome
now called over the alphabet. A B C D, and when he
called T, mny knee was struck; again when he said H
and E, and so on, until this was spelled out:'THE IMIMORITAL LOVEs.' I remember at the time thinking that
this was rather a thin message; but the next timne I
saw Mtrs. -- I told her the circumstances, and gave
her the words.  Her son was sitting with her, and




118                  IN INOGLA ND.
said,'That is very characteristic of my fatller, for it was
a favorite subject with him, whether or not the afections survive the body; of the immortality of the soul
itself -le never doubted; but the words, the immortal
loves, show that he has settled the problem of his life.'
Suoh was the illport which the family of the deceased
quite unexpectedly to me conferred upon thle phrase.
To return to Ealing, and that evening, after the last
stroke of the hand indicated the end of the sentence, I
said,' If it is really you, will you sllhake hands wit!h
nme?' and I put my hand undcler the table, anld now the
same soft and capacious hand was placed in mnine, and
gave it a cordial shaking.  I could not help exclaiming,'This hand is a portrait.  I know  it froml five
years' constant intercoulse, and d firomn the daily grasp
and tholding of the last several months!'  After this
it left my knee; and when I asked if there was anyt}iing more, there was no) response, and the agent ap.
peared to be g:ne.  But in two or three minutes more
another 1hand, evidently also a man's, but small, thin,
firm, and lively, was placed in the same [position which
the formner liad occupied; and afterl some preliminary
questiulning with Mr. Home, I said,'Is it Mr. --'
naming another valued friend, who, afterl twenty years
of suffering, had departed this life almost on the same
day as Mr. -—. With liveliest finger tips, the affirm.
ing hand danced up and hlown my leg, and upon my
knee.  I said,' I am glad to find you so much better.'
The playful band beat  yes' again.  And this, in reply to renewed questions, for two or three minutes.
Then I said,   IlHave you any coniinnication for your
wife when I see her?' Tihere was no response, and that




IN ENGLAND.                  119
agent then ceased to manifest himself.  After anothel
shtort pause, a totally different hand, a lady's, came to
me, rested in my halld under the table, rubbed my
hand, and allowed me at leisure to examine the deli
cate, beautiful, and warmth-raying fingers.  It was
signified that it was MIrs. —, whom I had known  in
life, and who wished to greet me.  Between anlld during what happened to myself, many of the rest of the
circle were touched; and descritbed  their impressions
much as I have described mine.  Some had merely a
single finger put upon their knees.  IMr. IHom-e said
that the presenting spirits could often llake onle iing'er
wlhere they could not make two: arld two, where they
could not form an enti.re haid jll;jst as they could form l
a hand where they could not realize a whole hlnman
figure; and he also said tlhat this was onle reasoil why
they did not show  themselves aboveboard, because
they did not, like imperfect memlbers to he seen.
" These phenomena occupied less than an hour; and
now the circle was broken up, and reconstituted, nine
persons, to the best of my recollection, being arranged
at the table.  The table was placed  opposite a winidow, and the bright moonbeams streamed clown upon
ts side. There was no candle in the apartment.  The
space of table which fronted the window was not occupied by sitters; but the company sat round about
thlree-fourths of it, leaving the rest vacant. The riglht
wing of tile party was terminated by Mr. I-Iolne; the
left by the son of the host. In a few minutes' time,
close beside the latter gentleman, tllere emerged iiito
sight above the rim of the table, in the vacant space, a
delicately beautifiul femnlde Iland anld part of the fore



I20                IN ENGLAND.
arm, apparently of ghostly tenuity.  As I was sitting
exactly opposite the vacant space, I had a fair opportunity of watching this hand as it projected against the
moonlight; it was a filmy-looking woman's hand, with
tile fingers drooping forwards from left to right as I
sat. The hand curved up over the table margin, deliberately grasped a hand-bell placed near, and carrying it partly down, let it drop upon the floor. It then
rose to sight again, and took away a cambric handkerchief also placed near, which was tied in two knots
under the table, and presented to one of the company,
who had been strongly moved from the time that this
hand was first seen. I forbear to give the further details of this hand, because they seemed to be of a private nature; suffice it to say, that it caused no little
emotion to a gentleman who seemed concerned. On
its disappearance, another hand, large, strong, and
with the fingers extended, and pushed bolt np in the
moonlight, rose above the table near to Mr. Home.
Ile cried out,' Oh! keep me from that hand! it is so
cold! Do not let it touch me!  Shortly it also vanished, anc a third hand was seen at the other side of
the vacant table edge: this hand was in a glove.
Tlhen, presently, a fourth hand ascended on the extreme
left-a lady's hand, of beautifill proportions -and
traversed the entire vacant space from left to right,
risitlg, and displaying the forearm; and then, as it
neared Mir. Home, the entire arm. When it reached
him, the hand was level with his forehead, upon which
it laid its palm, and with its fingers put his hair back,
and played upon his brow for perhaps half a minute.
I was sitting next but one to him, and leant forward




IN ENGLAN D.               12
past my intermediate neighbor, at the same time requesting that if the hand belonged to my friend Mrs.
--—, it might also be laid on my forehead. This was
deliberately done; and I felt its thrilling impression as
the palm was laid flat upon my brow, where it re.
mained for several seconds. It was warm and human,
and made of no material but softest flesh. During the
interval in which I felt it, I had abundant opportunity
of examining most closely the arm and forearm, The
forearm sleeve appeared to be of white cambric, plain
and neat, and it shone like biscuit porcelain in the
mnoonlight. The sleeve of the dress up the arm was
darker, but I do not remember the color. And bending over, as I did, to the vacant rim of the table, I saw
how the arm terminated-apparently in a graceful cascade of drapery; mluch as though an arm were put
out through the peak of a slowy tent, the apex of
which thus fell around the shoulder on every side. On
leaving my forehead, the arm at once disappeared, and
I watched it go. It was drawn into the same drapery; 
but so naturally, that I can only liken it to a fountain
falling down again, and ceasing into the bosom of the
water from which it rose.  And I also saw the drapery
itself vanish, apparently by the same dissipative process. And now the spirits spelt out' Good night.'
"These events occurred in the house of one of my
oldest firiends, whose superior in integrity I have never
known, and of whose talent and sagacity I never heard
a doubt entertained until he endorsed these unpopular
mn anifestations.'Such is my experience.  One hope I have in putting it forward is, that others who have seen MIr. Home
6




122                  IN ENGLA-ND.
may do the like, and thus make.their contribution to
tile facts of the case.
" In conclusion, I will observe, that Sir David Brewster, and others allnost as eminent, appear to me to
rimake a scientific error in one respect-viz., in their
estimate of the value of a man's character. They seem
to think that charging,a man of good antecedents, ald
with every appearance of a blameless life, with lyinlg
and imposture of the most systematic kind, is positively the easiest account that can be given of any
rare phenomenon out of the pale of their own previous
philosophy.  I submit that this is not, for their own
credit, the very first hlypothesis of the case tthat ought
to rush into their Illinds.  Neither, parallel with this,
is the other }hypothesis that mnen of ability in all other
things, and till then known to be shrewd andl searctling, are infatuated  dupes, to be commended as a
proper valuation of what is rare and valuable in the
human species.  The rule of law, that' a mnan must
be supposed innocent till proved guilty,' is also the
rule in such scientific explorations. This.rule loves
facts, and hates slander.  I differ, therefore, with Sir
David Brewster in hlis mode of exploration, and also
in his valuation of presumnptive honesty and ilnman
testimony, which always hitherto has been the mllost
substantial word in the world, and a pillar which
Divine Providence has not disdained to use in supporting the canopy of his ltevelations.
"This rule I would especially press upon the great
Sir David B13ewster, a man of position, wealth, worldly
repute, great talents, a natne no onle dare assail, and
withal, responsibility to Heaven and his generation,




IN ENGLAND.                  123
when he is dealing with tle orphan, Home, a man ap
parently as blameless as himself, but with neither
riches, nor healtl, nor station, nor any possession if
not honesty, and a ruinous peculiarity of gift. It is
not, I say, the easiest way out of a difficulty to call
this youth a cheat. There are cheats or our own household, cheats in our own heads, sometimes called prejudices, which mright be suspected irst, without violating any rule of scientific inquest, or humane valuation.
" The experience of others in these matters has, perhaps, differed very widely fiomn  my own, and I desire
to see this experience also brouglit fobrward. At other
sealces I have seen only a part of the phenomena which
I have described as taking place on the three evenings
which I have selected as being the fullest and best.
And once or twice, when persons were sent whom it
was most desirable to convince, almnost nothing occurred.  This, I submit, is one of the strongest arguments
in Mr. Home's favor.  Were the phenomena a trick,
they might always be produced to order without variation.  Tl'he Great Wizard: never fails. But as lie himself says, the spiritualists always fail in his company.
Let this suggest that there is a total difference between
himl and thellm.  It does not surprise ile that spirits
and their gifts should retire to a great gulf' distance
friom where thle' Great Wizard' is.
" It seems probable from experience as well as reason that, granting the phenomena to be spiritual, the
presence ot' determined scoffers at, and disbelievers in
thlere, sliould, in case the said persons be preponderant
in tlleir iiifluence in the circle, render the  llnanifesta.
tions imperfect or perhaps null. The known laws of




124                 IN:ENGLAND.
hluman sympathy, and the operations of our own spirits when antipathetic persons are near us, may also be
cited in proof of this. I conclude, then, that to the
scoffer and the strongly prejudiced, who want no evidence, and to whom evidence has no appeal, evidence
is, for the most part, not forthcoming. This simplifies
the position; but what still remains is the peculiar
Clhristian politesse of this century, viz., tlhe necessity
of good mnanners and the agreeing to differ. On the
part of those who believe, this may be best secured by
letting the other party be. Providence can convince
thAem, too, as easily as ourselves, when the time and
their function coines, but by snatching at them )prematurely before they are ripe, we may ervoke, on a great
scale, two of the most formidable spirits of this world
-W-RATH ANI) FEAR.
" As a final remark, let me caution the public against
being led by Sir David 1Blewster, Mr. Faraday, and
other men or great names in their own departments,
in this mattc.r which is obviously not within their field.
We hear nmuch of not choosing Crimean generals on
old Peninslar qualifications. But to select a Faraday
or a Bro3ester for opinion on this case, is a far worse
error; for all generals, past, present, and to come, are
in the military line; but these great menI are not, and
never were, in the line upon which they have professed
to decide. They are so alien to the subject, that they
do not know the first condition of prosecuting it,
namely, a gift of sympathy, and openness to conviction. Their very specialty of excellence in physical
explorations, is against themn in this new walk, which
is com!nir ed spiritual and physical. The common ob




IN ENGLAND.                 125
server with little in his mind, with no repute to suiy
port, and no case to uphold, may perchance be equipped by nature for these revolutionary sciences where
the savans are stupid upon them. Twelve fishermen,
and not the High Priests, are the everlasting resource
of Providence. I therefore invite the unattached laity
of all descriptions, the willing fishermen, to remember
that they have no overmen in this department; that
it is an untrodden field; and that by the grace of God,
there is at least a freedom for us all from the pressure
of big names; because I the race is not toothe swift, nor
the battle to the strong.' "7
The admirable narrative and reasoning of this letter
leave nothing further to be said as to the mlanifestations during the remainder of my stay in England
during tile year, as I found it desirable to change the
climate for that of Italy in the autumn. But I did not
leave England without the satisfaction of having gi-ven
opportunities to many hundreds of persons to investigate the phenomena for themselves, and through them
the subject began to assume a fobrm  and importance
Which have made it the fear and thle bugbear of those
who had completed their circle of knowledge, and have
no room in tlleir philosophy for further facts. They
are unfortunately many, whose minds have been in
early life stereotyped in too hard and unyielding a
material, to adnit of either corrections or additions.




CHAPTER V.
AT FLORENCE, NAPLES) ROME, AiND PARIS.
EARLY in the autnmn of' 1855 I went to Florence
accompanied by the son of the gentlemaDn wiith whom
I: llad been residing at Ealing. I remained ill Florence
till the month of February, 1856, and although solne
persons thiere did all they could to injure mne by false
statements, I was only the more cherished by those
who best knew me. I met there many distinguished
men and women, and a Prince of one of thle Royal
Houses became deeply interested in what lie witnessed. The manifestations while I was at Florence were
very strong. I remember on one occasion whlile the
Countess ~0  was seated at one of Erard's grand
action pianos, it rose and balanced itself in the air
during the whole time slhe was playing. -She also,
whilst we were seated at a talle in the room, took tip
an album which chianced to be lying there, and said,
"6Now if this is in reality the spirit of imy dearl father,
I know you would wish to convince me, you can do
so if you will, write your name on this page."  She
opened the book and placed it on her knees, and held
a lead pencil in her hand. In a motmernt the pencil




AT FLORENCE) NAPTLES ROMET AND PARtIS.   127
was taken out of her hand, and the name of her father,
the Count O ——, was written.  On examination she
said, "'There is a slight resemblance to your writing,
but I would wisli it to be more distinct."  She placed
the open book again on her knees, and again the
writing came in the same way, and also the words,
"' My dear claughter -."   This last writing she cut
from  my album, leaving in it the words first written,
where they still are; anid on going home she showed
it to an old fiiend of her father's, saying, " Do you
know whose writing tllat is'  " Of course," he said,
"; it is your fatller's."  When the Countess told him it
had been written that very eveniing, he thought that
to a certainty she chad lost her senses, and on appealing to her lhusband,  a-nd filding that lie corroborated
her statement, he was equally alarmed for them both.
At thle house of an English residelt at Florence, I
had many selances at which the power was very great,
and she wrote a private account of some of the phenomenla, which will sllow the reader the nature and extent of thle manlifestations at that time. I am very glad
that.I am able thus to give the results of the observations of others rather than my own unsupported statements. The lady says:'" The house in which I at present reside, and which,
for some years past, has been my home, is a large,
rambling, old-fashioned villa in the neiglhborhood of
Florence, whose internal architecture gives evidence
of its having been built at different periods —those periods probably distanL from each other.
"'The oldest parts of the house, judging from  the
ornaments of a chapel which formns part of it, nmust, I




1 28            AT FLORENCE, NAPLE8S
should say, have been constructed in thle early part of
the sixteenth century.  The rooms which I occupy are
almost immediately above the chapel, and coimmunicate on one side with the lower part of the house by a
narrow stone staircase.  On first coming to reside here
we learned that the villa had, in common with many
others of the same description, the reputation of being
haunted.  Strange lights it was said had been issuing
from the chapel windows, and unearthly noises heard
in that part of the house to which I have alluded.
Some friends passed the winter with us some five or
six years since, and their servant occupied a smiall
roomr on an eantresol between the chapel and my Irooms,
bht his rest became so broken, and he described the
noises he heard as so peculiar, that he requested to be
allowed to sleep elsewhere.  I was formerly mulch in
the habit of dismissing my maid early, and sitting iup
either reading or writing until a late hour.  At such
times I have been suddenly seized with a strange fearfulness, a kind of nervous dread, more easily imagined
than described.  In fact, it would be impossible to describe my sensations at those moments, furthelr than by
saying that I felt I was no longer alone.  This feeling
usually lasted from five to ten minutes, and invariably
left a painful impression on my spirits.  I also often
heard a peculiar rustling solnd in my room, and around
imy bed, as though some one were agitating the bed
curtainls, and this sound was invariably accompanied
by a chilliness, as if a door had been suddenly opened,
and a strong current of cold wind had rushed with vio.
lence into the room.
"These sounds and  the other painful sensa-ions




ROME, AND PARIS.               129
which I have described, and which I was totally unable to explain, continued at intervals with greater or
lesser degrees of intensity until the month of October,
1855, when mnuch sensation was created in Florence by
the arrival of Mr. HIome, whose reputation as a spirit
medium had rendered himin celebrated.  A short timne
after his arrival in Florence, tlie sounds in my roolr
became more distinct and more fiequent, and tle very
peculiar nervous feelings of which I have spoken,
were not confined so exclusively to Inyself, but were
frequently shared by my sister, if she remrained any
tinle in muy room.  My rest at length became so brokell, and in consequence my health so impaired, that I
had my bed moved into a room  adjoining the one in
which I had been in the'habit of sleepiing, thoping that
the change would bring me quiet.
" The first night was undisturbed, but the next and
succeeding nights were so painful that I frequently lay
awake until umorning.  In the meantime, we made Mr.
I-ome's acquaintance, and liavi{g been a witness of
effects so wonderful as only to be ascribed to a suLperiiatural cause, I deterlnined to discover, if possible,
tlhe real secret of my haunted rooms.
"Mr. I-Iome having been invited to make a stay of
a few days in our house, was on the filst day of his arrival lnade acquainted with the mystery of my roomls,
nd he proposed that a seance should be held in them
for the purpose of endeavoring to ascertain whether or
not the strange sounds which disturbed me were to be
attributed to supernatural ageimcy. Accordingly al-out
eleven o'clock on that same evening, my sister, Mr.
Home and myself repaired to my room, and placed
6*




130             AT FWIRO.[ENCE, NAPLES,
ourselves at a small round table in front of, and very
llear the fire-place.  We were warmly covered, and
the fire was blazing brightly; yet the cold that pervalded tlhe room was intense, penetrating to the very
bonles.  I should mention that for inany previous days,
I had suffered from what appeared to be a cold air,
which was quite independent of the atmospheric ternperature, blowing over my body, especially the lower
limrbs. This feeling never left me, and all artificial
means failed in destroying the sensation of chilliness.
Thiis same cold air was now felt by bothi my sister anld
1Mr. Holne to such a degree as to be painful to them
also.  I have since found that it is a fiequent accompanimnent of the manifestations.' Previously to placing himself at the table, Mro
Home had descended to the chapel, where, thowever,
all was quiet.  On reascending the stairs, hle heard a
sound as of a muffled bell tolling in the chapel.  We
hlad scarcely sat a moment at the table, when it begatn
slowly to move about in different directions, generally
inclining towards tile side on which I sat. Presently
the movelments became more violent, and assumed, if
I may be allowed the expression, an angry appearance.  We asked if a spirit were present, acid the table
replied by making the three usual affirmative movements.
" We then further inquired whether the spirit present was a good one, and were answered in the negativeo  We spoke in harsh terms, whichl seemed to ilritate the spirlit, for the demonstrations Became very
angry.  A  lligll backed old fashioned  chair, whict:
stood at *a little distance from the table was suddenly




ROME, AND PARIS.              131
and without human contact, drawn close to it, as
though some one, in sitting down,  had so drawn it.
Nothing was, tlowever, visible(.  r1. Home proposed
that we slhould move into the next room, my bed-room,
and try whether any further manifestations would be
made thIere. We did so: but all remained quiet. We
then returned to the room we had just qunited, and sat
at another table covered with a cloth.  We had previously heard a rustling sound about, and under the
tables, such a sound as would be made by a person
mioving about in a heavy garment.  This noise was
accomipanied by a scratching on the wood of thie table,
as though some one wee scrapin)g it with his nails.
We thenr distinctly saw the cloth on the side of the table next to me move up, as though a hand raised it
from beneath. The hand appeared to be in a menacing attitude.  MIr. Homne was also often touched on
the knee, and he described the touch as peculiarly
strong and disagreeable.
"; We then entreated the spirit to leave us, requiring
it should return on the following evening, and declare
its purpose in thus tormenting us.  This it promised,
and onil being further adjured in the namie of the Holy
Trillity to leave us, the demonstrations ceased.
"'The night was very unquiet.  The sensation of
cold, of wlhich I have before spoken, accompanied me
every whllere, and I lleard a frequent scratchinlg under
mny pillow, and on my bedl. On tile next evening we
mnet again in my room, and were joined by two other
persons, one a member of our family, the other, a gentel'man knwn to Mir,. Home, andt who was then inves
tigating this phlenomenon, both men of strongl nerve




132            AT FLORENCEi  NAPLES,
and dispassionate judgment.  The usual cold was felt,
and the table becbame  much agitated.  A snall stiletto,
which I use as a paper-knife, was taken from the table
as by an invisible hand, and drawn fr'om  the sheath.
The table was then lifted fiom  the ground, and was
violently pushed across the room.  It stopped opposite
a door leading to the staircase, and we resumed our
places.'" A small hand-bell was taken from  off the table,
and violently rung in different directions.  The dag'ger
was thrown about under the table, and rubbed against
Mr. I-orne's knees.  My elbow was violently grasped
by a hand, the fingers of which I distinctly saw-they
were long, yellow and shining. Other persons present,
who felt its grasp, described its touch as clammy and
horrible.  I spoke gently to the spirit, who, itn answer
to my questions, said lie was unhappy, and that perhaps I might be of some use to him. He promised to
return and speak farther on the following evening, and
after lifting the table several times high above our
heads, he left us.
66 The whole of the next day I was more or less tormented by the cold air, which blew over my face and
limbs, especially in the evening, a short time before
the hour appointed for the seance,  This wind then
became very strong, and again a hand raisdd the cloth
of the table on which I was leaning, and touched my
arm as if to remind me of my engageinent.  W e re.
paired to my room, one member only of mny family
being present, my sister having suffered too much fronm
al arm on the previous evening to join. us.
"The demonstrations of the table immediately be.




ROMIE, AND PARIS.                138
gan, but in a quieter manner than on former occasions.
I immedicately spoke (I should say that Italian was the
only language used*), in a soothing manner. In reply
to many questions the spirit told me he was unhappy,
and had wandered about the house for many many
years, that his name was Giannana, that he had been
a monk, and had died in the rooin which I then occupied.  I desired to know whether I should have masses said for the peace of his soul.  lie answered in thle
negative, but requested that I should pray that it
might find some repose.  I further begged him to tell.
me why on thie previous evening he lad lmade so much
use of the little dagger, and he answered that in life
he had but too well known thow to employ it.  He
then promised ine never again to return to my rooms 
and since that evening those painful sensations and
strange noises, of rwhich I have spoken so much, have
left me, and never have returned.  Frequent seiances,
whlere good and loving spirits have given us coinforting communications, have been since held by their
own special request in my room. Tlhe dagger has by
thenm been drawn fromz  its s-heathl  and the bell rung,
as though the touch of holy hlanlds were needful in order to destroy any painful recollections in my mind
connected. with these articles, or any reluctance I
might feel to again make use of theml.  In fact my
roomns seem to have undergolle a complete _ptdification,
and I feel that whatever painftul influence did once ex* Here the writer omits a rather curious circumstance. The Italian, she observed, was incorrectly spelled; but, on afterwards comparing it with the state
of the language in the sixteenth century, it was found to be correct.




134             AT FLORENCOE NAPLES9
ist. there, it has disappeared wholly, and I trust foP
ever."'
The above -was written shortly after the strange
event it records. On the 3d of April, 1860, being then
in London, I received a letter friom  the same lady,
dated Florence, 27th March, of which the following is
an extract:
"' I believe I told you that the noises at the Villa are
worse than ever, and the new preprietor is dreadfully
disturbed by them. The house has been exorcised,
but without effect.  My own rooms are the most di.stu rbed."
On the 5th of December, 1855, whilst I was returning to my rooms late at night in Floretnce, the streets
being deserted, I observed a man stepping fiom the
doorway of tlie adjoining house. I was on thIe step
leading to my own door, and was looking up at the
window to see if the servant was still up, when I received a violent blow  on my left side, thle force of
which and the emotion caused by it, threw me forward
breathless in the corner of thle doolwayv.  The blow
was again repeated on iry stomach, and then another
blow on the same place, and thle attempted assassin
cried out, " I;io mi, Dio nmio," and turning with his
arm outstretched, lie ran. I distinctly saw thle gleam
of hiis poignard, and as lie turned,, the light of the
latnp also fell full on his face, but I did not recognize
his features.  I was perfectly powerless, a id could not
cry out or make any alarml, and I stoodl. thus for at
least two minutes, after which I groped mny way along
thle wall to the door of a nlei-hbor, wlhere I was admit~
ted.  I tlhought I must have rieceived some seriouls in




R0OME, AND PARIS.             135
jury, but on examining myself I founld that the first
blow had struck the door key, whicli I hlappened to
have in my breast pocket, immediately over the region
of my heart.  I wore a fur coat, and'this had chanced
to be twice doubled in front.  The second blow had
gone through the four folds of it, through a corner of
my dress coat, my waistcoat, and the band of m5
trousers, without inflicting any wound.  The third
blow had penetrated the four folds of my coat, and al
so my trousers and linen, and made a slight incision,
which bled, but not freely.
I had that morning received from  a dear friend,
who hlad in his house a clairvoyant of remarkable
powers, a letter begging nie not to go out that evening, as she had received a warning of impending danger —but to this I paid no attention.  I'never discov
ered the perpetrator, nor the cause of my life being
attacked.   Many  reasons were  assigned-all ongst
them robbery, mistaken identity, and religious intoleran ce.
In the month of January, Signor Landneci, then
Mkinister of the Interior to the Grand Duke of Tuscainy, sent to me to request that I woulld not walk about
the house at night between tile lights and the window,
or go out in tlie streets in the daytime, giving as a
reason that somhe of my enemies hlad been playing  upon the superstitions of the peasantry, and telliong them
tllhat it was my practice to administer the seven sacraments of the Catholic churclh to toads, in order by
spells and incantations to raise the dead.  This had sC
enraoged and excited thern that they were fully11 benlt on




1.36           AT FI9RENCE, NAPLES)
taking my life, and for that pnrpose were concealed
about the neighborhood with fire arms.
I met at this time a Polishl nobleman, who with his
family was about to visit Naples andlc Rome, and who
mCost kindly pressed mle to accompany them.  I was
left in Florence without money, and my friends in England having their credulity imposed upon by some
scandalmongers, and thinking me to be leading a most
dissolute life, refused to send me even money of my
own which had been entrusted to their care.  I told
the Count P. -     that I would travel with him, aiid
the very day I gave this assent, the spirits told me
that my power would leave me for a year.  This was
on the evening of the 10th of February, 1856.  Feeling that the Count and his family Inust have felt an interest in me, arising only from  the singular phenomena which they had witnessed in mny presence, and
that this cause being removed, their interest in Ine
would have diminisheld, I wrirote the following morning to infolrm them of whtat I was told, and say that I
could no longer entertain the idea of joining them.
Thley at once told ine that it was for myself, even more
thlan for the strange gift I possessed, that they had be —
come interested in mne. I went to thlen, and in a day
or two we, left Florence for Naples. Whlile here, althlough my powers had left me, still my presence seemed to develope tthe power in others; f, I met, at hiis,own residence, the lHon. Robert Dale Owen, who was
time American  minister to the Court of Naples, and it
was in the presence of one of the Royal Princes of that
family, himself a medium, that lie wa  first convinced.
Mr. Owen has since written a most able and carefully




ROME  AND PARIS.              137
arranged book of authentic facts, entitled, "' Footfalls
on the -Bonndaries of another World," in which he has
brought together both the facts and the philosophy of
this great subject. We remained in Naples nearly six
weeks, and then proceeded to Rome.  Hlere in the
absence of the power, my mind sought in the natural
world for that consolation which it had hitherto found
in thle spiritual, and now this being withdrawn, life
seemed to me a blank.  I read with intense eagerness
all the books I could find relating to the doctrines of
the Romish church, and finding them expressive of so
mnany facts which I had found coincident in my own
experience, I thouglht that all contending and contradictory beliefs would be for ever set at rest, could I
but be received as a member of that body. My experiences of life and its falsity had already left so indelible a mark on my soul, fiom my recent experiences of
it at Florence, that I wished to shun everything whllic
pertained to this world, and I determilned to enter a
monastery.
After two or three weeks of serious deliberations on
the part of the authorities, it was decided that I should
be received as a member of the church, and I was confirimed. The Princess O-   was my godmother, and
the Count B    - mly godfather on the occasion. I was
most kindly received by the Pope, who questioned me,
much regarding my past life. HI-e pointed to a crucifix which stood near to us, and said,' My child, it is
upon what is on that table that we place our faith."
Ile also gave me a large silver medal, which it has
since been my nisfortune to lose.
It lhas since been frequently said of me that at this




138            AT FLORENCE, NAPLES,
interview with the Pope, I had promised him  that I
would not have any more manifestations; but it is
hardly necessary, after whlat I have nalrrated, to say
that I could not have made any such promise, nor did
he ask any sucl promise to be made.
In June, 1856, I went to Paris, and, as I had been
advised to do by the Pope, I sought the counsel of the
Pare de Ravignan, one of the most learned and excellent men of the day. The purpose of my remaiuing in
F~rance was to acquire a facility in the language.
During the winter I again fell ill, and Dr. Louis, one
>f thle Imost celebrated physicians in France for consumptive cases, decided on auscultation that my left
lu]ng was diseased, and advised a mnore genial climate.
This could not, however, be accomplished, and for some
tiIme I was confined to m1yv bed. The time was fast
drawing nighi wheln the year would expire, during
which mny power was to be suspended. The Pare de
TRavignan always assured me that as I was no(w a member of tlhe Catholic Church it would not return to me.
For m nys6lf I had no opinion on the subject, as I was
quite without data except his assurance on the point.
On the nigllt of the 10th of February, 1857, as the
clock struck twelve, I was in bed, to which I had been
confined, when there came loud rappings in Iny room,
a hand was placed gently upon my brow, mand a voice
said,;6 Be of good cheer, Daliel, you will sooul be
well."9  But a tbw mninutes hlad elapsed before I sank
into a quiet sleep, and I awakened in the Illorning feel
inrg more refieshed than I had done for a long time.
I lwrote to the Pare de Riaviglan, telling him what had
occulrred, and the same afteruoon lie c(ame to see ie




ROME, AND PARIS.               139
During the conversation loud rappings were heard
on the ceilinog and on the floor, and as he was about
to give me his benediction before leaving, loud raps
came on the bedstead.  He left ie without expressing
any opinion whatever on the subject of th]e pheno~.
lmena.
The following day I had sufficiently recovered to take
a drive, and on Friday the 13th, 1 was presented to their
Majesties at the Tuileries, where manifestations of an
extraordinary nature occurred. The following morning, I called on the PBere de Iavignan to inform him
of this. He expressed great dissatistaction at my being
the subject of such visitatiolns, and said that he would
not give me absolution unless I should at once return
to my room, shut Inyself up there, and inot listen to
any rappings, or pay the slightest attention to whatever phenomena might occur in my presence.  I wished to reason with him, and to explain that I could not
prevent myself from hearing and seeinlg, for that God
hg1ving' blessed me with the two faculties, it was not in
my power to ignore them.  As for shutting myself up,
I did not think, froln laving before tried the experiment, that it was consistent with my nervous temperaiment, and that the strain on my system would be too
great if I were thus isolated..lie would not listen to
11me, and told me I had no right to reason, 6 Do as I bid
you, otherwise bear the consequences."  I left Iimn in
great distress of mind. I wished not to be disobedient,
and yet I felt that God is greater than man, and that
He having bestowed thle power of reason on me, I could
not see why 1 should be thus deprived'of it. On reaching my room, I filnd there a very dear and valued




140            AT FLORENCE, NAPLES,
friend, the Coilnt de K —-.  He observed my agita
tion, and questioned me as to the cause. I told him
all, and he said, " There is but one thing to do, come
home with me, and we will send for the Abbe de
Co, and consult him."  The Abb6 came. and aftei
hearing my story, he said, "T That they might as wel
put me in my grave alive, as to carry out what had
been ordered,"' adding, "' I would like very much to
witness some of these wonderful things."  Most fortunately niy emotion had not destroyed the power, as is
usually the case when I am agitated, for while we were
together several interesting phenomena occurred. His
words were, " Let this power be what it will, it is in
no way of your making.'   I- He recommended me to
seek another spiritual adviser, and added, " I myself
would gladly be your adviser, but as it would be
known, I should only be persecuted."'  He gave me.the name of one of the most eloquent preachers of the
day, and I introduced myself to himl, and remained
under his guidance during the few weeks of my stay
in Paris previous to my going to America to bring back
my sister. During mly absence, the curiosity had become very great to find out who was my confessor,
and the Countess L, having heard that he was a
distinguished man, called upon several of the most
noted in Paris, and after a short conversation, she abruptly said to each, 6" So you are Mr. Home's confessori." Most naturally on one such occasion, she chanced
to find the right one, and his look of surprise betrayed
him. Ilis surprise was that I should have revealed
his name, and this he expressed to tile Countess, who
told him that I had not betrayed him, but that she had




ROME, AND PARIS.             It
used that artifice to ascertain the fact. This was the
cause, of my not continuing with him longer as my
confessor.
The extract I here give is one from the recently published life of the great confessor, the Pere de Ravignan, who had been recommended to me by the Pope,
and I can only regret he is no. longer here to contradict, with his own pen, the false statements concerning me, made by his biographer, the Jesuit, Father A.
de Poulevoy. At che termination of Chapter XXIV,
this person says, "We could not close this chapter
without making mention of that famous American medium, who had the sad talent of turning other things
than the tables, and invoking the dead to amuse the
living. A great deal has been said, even in the papers, of his acquaintance, religiously and intimately,
with Father de Ravignan, and they have seemed to
wish, under the passport of a creditable name, to introduce and establish in France these fine discoveries of
the New World. Here is the fact in all its simplicity.
It is very true, that the young foreigner, after his conversion in Italy, was recommended from Rome to the
Father de Ravignan, but at that period, in abjuring
Protestantism, he also repudiated magic, and he was
received witlh that interest that a priest owes to every
soul ransomed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and more,
perhaps, to a soul which has been converted, and
brought to the bosom of the church. On his arriva.
in Paris, all his old practices were again absolutely
forbidden. The Father de Ravignac, according to all
the principles of the faith, which forbids superstition,
forbade, Under the most severe penalties he could in



142             AT FLORENCE, NAPLES,
flict, that he should be an actor in, or even witness of,
these dangerous scenes, which are sometimes criminal.
One day the unhappy medium, tempted by I know not
what, man or demon, violated his promise; he was re
taken with a rigor which overwhelmed him.  Coming
in then by chance, I saw hiIn rolling on the ground,
and drawing himself like a worm to the feet of the
priest, whio was in saintly ahger.  The Father, however, touched by his convulsive repentance, lifted him
nlp, forgave him, and sent him  away, after having exacted, by writing this time, a proInise under oath.
But soon there was backsliding which matie much
noise (reehzte 9elatante), and the servant of God, breaking off with this slave of thle spirits, had hllim told never
again to appear in his presence."
If the rest of' the book be no more truthful than' this
statement, it is certainly not wo: tlh reading. The good
Father de Ravignan well knew tllat I WaS not an American, and that this power had began with Ine before
I ever saw America, for I had told him all my history.
I-e also knew that I never invoked tlhe spirits.  No
good name is, or ever will be, required to introduce
or accredit a God-given truth, and I knew far too well
the power of facts to think that they required the passport of even Father Ravignan's name.  His biographer must have had a limited education too, both reli-ious and historical, to write of thlese things being the
- fine discoveries" of the New World, for they are to
h)e readily traced in every age and country  of the
world of which we have any record or history pre
served to us. It is perfectly untrue that I ever abjured
any magical or other processes, for I never kniew any



ROME9 AND PAInIS.              143
thing of sutch and therefire I could niot abjure them,
The Father de Ravignan used to say to mne, when I
told him that the spirits had said thley would return
to me on the 10th of Eebruarv, 1857, " There is no fear'
of that, my child, so long as you go on as you are now
doing, observing carefully all the sacraments of our
holy church; they will not be allowed to return.~"  I
fol' owed out his inj unctions most conscientiously; but
on the very day promised, they came as I Ihave described, and told me they were glad to find me in so
pure a state of mind, as it greatly facilitated their approach.  I never yet violated any promise, to nmy
knowledge~ and as to the biographer conling in and
finding tne rolling on the ground, and cmrawling like a
worm, it is an. entire falsehood.  But had it even been
true, it,would not have been the place of a priest to
make  sulch a thing public.  If I took an oath, and
wrote it down as alleged, that writing will have been
kept.  Let it be frthcoming, to saLve thle character of
this Father A. de Ponlevoy, that he inay prove the
trutlh of the statement he makes.  In the meantime, I
say that it is without even any follln dation of truth.
The last time I saw the good Father de Ravignani, I
would only reason with him, for as I then said to hil-,
no maI  had a right to forbid that which God gave. I
left himn witlhout contessinu, even —so I lhad not been
on my knees -at all, nuch less crawling like a wormn.
As I have said, when the Abbe C~  caume to see
me, the conversation I had with himn only tended to
strengthen me in Irty opinion of wthat was right, for
whlen priests are not agmeecl as touching suhel a matter,
whom or what are we to rely on, if not on the reason




144            AT FLORENCE, NAPLES,
God has given us. The Father de Ravignan never
had me informed that he would not see me again. On
the contrary, it was I who said I would not go to him till
he would reason with me. I have letters of his to me
in my possession, which will show the kind feeling he
ever had for me previous to this period, and I am well
assured in my own mind, that he never said aught
against me, even when I no longer saw him.~ He was
so good, so pure, and so high minded, that I would
that he had had a more truthful and honest chronicler
to write his life.
The Countess L     was herself a firm believer in
the manifestations which she had frequently witnessed
in my presence, and she was also present when I had
a vision which is described in one of the Paris papers
in the followilng words;
"The recent failure of Mr. Thurneyssen recalls to us
a strange fact that signalized the sojourn of Mr. Home
in Paris during the last winter. The Countess -    had
a dozen years ago a strange hallucination.  One evening being busy with some embroidery, alone with her
brother, he was reading to her one of the most irreligious books of the eighteenth century. As slie listened mechanically to his reading, she raised her head,
and looking at her brother she was struck with terror
at the sight of the strange expression of his face. He
was ordinarily a most gentle, benevolent, and sympathetic young man, with calm, quiet features, but at
that moment they were frightfully contracted, the eye.
brows singularly convulsed, the eyes wide open, the
corners of the mouth distorted by a bitter and despairing smile, and altogether he had the peculiar expres



ROMEI AND PARIS.              145
sion which painters would give to a fallen angel. The
frightened Countess had immediately, as it were a
thought revealed to her, (for shie never previously
dreamed of the possibility of such a thing), she was
convinced that her brother was possessed by a demon.
Frequently afterwards she saw the same infernal expressioni on the face of her brother, even when he was
most calm and happy; but the idea was so horrible to
her that she never mentioned the circumstance. Last
winter Mr. Home was introduced to  Ci c Oountess.
Being at her house one evening, and in his usual quiet
frame of mind, his attention was drawn to a beautiful
marble bust. Hle was not aware of its being that of
the brother of the Countess, but immediately  his
whole visage changed, and he became in a state of
most violent agitation  The Countess much alarmed,
inquired why he was so affected, when Mr. Home replied,'Madame, the man whose bust this is, is possessed with a demon.' One may judge of the astonishment of the Couuntess on hearing Mr. Home say what
she had thought twelve years before.  She pressed
him with questions, and he, recovering from his emotion, rose and went to examine the bust more closely,
then turning to the Countess he said, 6 In a short time
your brother will have a great misfortune, and this
misfortune will deliver him fiorl his enemies.'
"A' nd so it has occurred, the Count de P —-- has
lost in the bankruptcy of MA. Thurneyssern a considerable part of his fortune. The prophecy came four
muonths previous to the failure.  Could it have been
that the spirits saw the dishonesty of Thurneyssen; if
so this might account why certain persons are so ready




146            AT FLORENCE, NAPLES9
to oppose all communication with the other world,
prieferring thle darkness to the ligllt."'
Tlhe day previous to my leaving Paris, a wonderful
case of healing occurred through me in the manner
which I will now relate.
On the 19tlh of MWarch, 1857, when I was residiiig at
13, Rue des Champs Elysees, I received a letter fron
a stranger to me, Madame A. MIAavoisin de Cardonne,
of 233, Rue St. Dominique, St. Gerinain, stating that
she had hlad a dreamn, in which she had seen her own
mother and mrine, and that the latter lhad told her to
seek Ine at once, in order that her son, wlho had been
deaf for four years firom the effects of typhoid fever.
might be cured.  This was so strongly impressed tlpor.n
her mind, that she wrote to ine to say that she would
call upon me with her son, the following morning at
ten.
Accordingly the next morning she presented herself
with her son at my rooms, there being present the
Princess de 13 — and Miss E —, who were with
me, previous to my leaving Palris that very day, to
prbceed on my voyage to America.  I had been so
overwhelmed by persons wishing to see nme that 1 hlad
uniformlly refused such visits; but on this occasionl I
had been so much pre-occupied by my engagements
in preparing for my voyage, that I had not been able
to acknowledge her letter, or to write to her either in
the,affirmative or negative.  I therefore received her
with considerable embarrassment, which was fully reciprocated on her part.  It w1as indeed an embarrassing meeting for both of us, the mother yearning, for




ROMIE AND PARIS.              147
her son's recovery, and I, not knowing how I was expected to be instrumental in hiealing this long total
(lealfness; the more so that operations had been performed on the boy, as I afterwards found, by erninent
surgeons of Paris, who had said that it was impossible
he should ever be restored to hearing.
She sat down on a chair near a sofa, I taking a seat
on the sofa, and beckoning the son to be seated on my
left. The son was in his fifteenth year. tall for his
age, of a delicate complexion, with large dreamly blue
eves that looked as if they would supply the place of
hearing, with their deep, thoughtful, enquiring gaze.
The mother began her description of the boy's illness,
commencing with the attack of the fever, and ending
with the entire loss of hearing.  During   the recital,
told with all the warmth anid tenderness of a mother's
heart, and describing the various surgical operations to
wlhich he had been subjected, my sympathies were
deeply moved, and I had unwittingly throwil my left
arm about the boy and drlawn him towards me, so that
the boy's head rested on my shoulder.  Whilst in this
position, and Madame de Cardonne was telling some
of the most painful particulars, I passed my hand caressingly over the boy's head, upon which lie, partly
lifting his head, suddenly exclaimed in a voice treinblinlg with emotion, ".Mccnan, je t'entenlds " (Manamma,
I lhear you!)  The mother fixed on him a look of astonishllent, and said "Emile," the boy's name, and he
at once replied, " Qtoi?7"  (What?) She then, seeing
that the child had heard her question, fainted with
emotion, and on her recovery the scene was a most




148    AT FLORENCE, NAPLES, ROM1E, AND PARIS.
thrilling  one —the poor mother asking  continually
questions for the mere pleasure of hearing  her
child reply. The boy was able to resume his studies,
and has continued to hear perfectly up to tilhe preso
ent time.




CHAPTER VI.
IN AMERICA. THE PRESSGANG.
ON reaching America, I found the American press,ad been publishing some ridiculous paragraphs about
me, one of which was of a practical joke said to have
been perpetrated by General Baraguay d'Illiers and
others in the presence of the Emperor, and that I myself had become greatly alarmed, and finally very angry on discovering the trick. The whole was a fabrication, as will be seen, for at that time I had never
even seen either of the three gentlemen who were said
to be actors in it. The following paragraph was, also,
of the same character, as I had not then met M. Dumas.
" Homer the table-turner and magnetiser, who has
of late caused such attention in Paris, has predicted to
M. Alexandre Dumnas that lie would live to the age of
113 years, and be killed in a duel."
The following is another specimen ef a similar kind.
"Mr. Home, the medium who has made such a sensation in Paris, is on his way to this country, to visit
his sister. lie has been offered marriage by a lady of
immense wealth, but has refilsed hler."




150                IN AMERICA.
The " New York Herald," a paper better known for
its untruthfulness than otherwise, published letters
from its special correspondents at Paris, stating s" from
the most reliable sources," that I had stolen ~30,000,
and was now for ever banished from France  1 il had at
that very moment my return ticket in my pocket, and
knew that an Imperial Prince, then on a visit to the
Emperor, was awaiting my return. Indeed, if the pub.
lic judged of my life fi'om what the newspapers said
of me, they must have been greatly puzzled by the
statements and contradictions which successively appeared. I was quite content to leave both without notice, and I have never been at the pains to set them
right. The following notice is of the same class as the
preceding.
"'The IIndependance Belge' states that ZNapoleon
sent away Mr. Home, the American spirit-rapper, because the Empress was so much affected that the Emperor dreaded the continuance of the diabolical scenes.
The ladies of honor were equally excited and could
talk of nothing else. It is said that Homle was quartered in the royal household, and was paid at the rate
of ~40,000 per year."
The "  Hartford Courant" states:
"' The' Times' says that Daniel Dunglas 1Home, the
famous medium, whose performances are so peculiar as
to utterly baffle the most acute and sagacious minds,
and who is a gentleman of education and character quite
out of the range of the common mediums, was in this city
last Saturday. We regard him as the most renmarkablc:man living; and no man who has not witnessed what
is done in Mr. IHome's presence, can claim a right to




THE PEiESSOANG.               151
give an opinion on Spiritualism.  Mr. Home says the
j okes of the newspaper correspondents about him  are
entirely untrue.  He liad soimie sitings at the Tuileries,
but declined conversation on that subject.'"
Anothler paper,' The Springfield Republican," noticed my presence in America as fillows:
" Home, thle distinguished  spiritual mediunm, who
has recently been raising spirits in thie presence,f the
Emperor Napoleon, is in Springfield on a brief visit.
He will return to France shortly, where his services
are in great request ainolng the savans."
A New York paper gave the following account, correcting some of tlle misstatements about mee
" ~WtLat- terrible gossipers some of our letter writers
are.  The NTew York Editor of the 6 London Letter,' in
the last 6 Sunday Times,'9 las the following paragraph.'It is whispered, in Paris, that Home, tthe American
spilit-rapper, was producing so muchl  mischief in the
Court that he was ordered off by the alarmed Eamperor; and the fellow who, tlhough playing the part of
a personage with ~40,000 a year, was really penniless,
has left for the couentry of the rappers.'
6'Possibly it may interest some of o''r readers to
know something of Mr1. Home, who has lately afforded
a prolific subject to paragraph makers. We ehave noth1ing to say as to his I spiritual' belongings here, bnur
simply speak of the lad —for he is scatrcely more, beilg
but twenty-two years old now-in reference to sucll reports as the above.   Home, the (American,' is of an
old Scottish flmily of stanlding, and was born in Scotland, but brought very young to tlhis county.  Quiet
and unobtrusive in his manners, lie never has;thrust




152                 I AMERICA.
himself forward, nor specially sought nor avoided the
notoriety which attends him; never has etxhibited himserf acs alyubiec medium, as many suppose, but has
simply suffered events to take their course with him.
s6 As to the above story of his quitting Paris, which
has gone the rounds, in various shapes, we have only
to say, that some two Sundays since, while reading
fromn the English papers an account of his doings in
Paris, and supposing him  snugly ensconced in the
Tuileries, the door opened, and to our astonishment, in
walked Mr. Home, to take dinner' at home'-it being
under our own roof that, some time since, at the age
of sixteen, he found his first shelter in New  York
(Brooklyn,) a temporary refuge from  horror-stricken
relatives, who had turned the' rapper' adrift as being'possessed of a devil;, thus starting him as a young
martyr at least, whether deservedly so or not.
"H Ile told ns of his arriving a day or two before, at
Philadelplhia, and stated twhat lie had come for, and
when he was going back.  HEe has accomplished his
errand-part of which was to obtain his sister, with
whom he had sailed from Boston, a few days since, on
his return to Paris.;" So much for' the' mischief' and the I alarmed Emperor 9 who " ordered him off,' a story made of the same
bit of cloth as the Socrates joke by Baraguay d'Hilliers and others."
Wbilst on the subject of these newspaper inventions,
I may as well allude to a curious series of them which
occurred in 1858. I had then left Paris for Rome, on
accouint of nmy health, and on the 13th of March, the
following telegraphic dispatch reached me there from




THLE PRESSGANG.              153
a friend in Paris, "' Tell me immediately if you are
still at Rome. I have a request to make."   I replied
that I was still at Rome, and in course of post I received a letter of the 14th M}arch, as follows:
"1 Dear Friend.-I sent you yesterday a telegraphic
dispatch that you might write to me at once if you
were at Rome. I made pretext of having a commission to ask you to do; but it was in reality only to
have a letter from you as soon as possible.  Scandal
says you have been arrested, and the Hague papers
say that you are in prison at -Mazas,  Monsieur B —,
whose son is a medium, has sent to know the truth,
and I have authorized him to publish that I have a
letter from you, bearing date of Rome the 7th of March.
I l}ave also sent to inform' La Patrie,' that a stop may
be put to there base calumnies.  I trust you will approve of what I have done."
The Parisian papers took up the report, and it was
confirmed by them that I was truly in prison at Mazas.
Pel-sons even in official positions told my friends that
they had seen and spokee, to me in that _prisons, and
one, an officer, went so far as to state that he had accompanied me there in the car-riage.
Being at Rome, and altogether unaware of all this
scandal which was passing about me, I had felt for-cibly
impressed, I knew not why, to write to M[. Heniai Delage, the well known mystic writer of Paris.  I did so,
and it will be observed by the following paragraph introducing my letter, how very opportunely my imnpies7*




1 54                IN AMERICA.
sion had been given, and how well I had acted in folr
owing it out.
Paris correspondent of "'Le Nord.'"' PARIs, 17th M1arch.
"Allow me to begin by a good action; it is to free
an honorable man from calumnies, arising from  what
source I know not, but which for the past few days
have been rapidly spreading.  I speak of Mr. Home,
who is, for tile tmloment, in italy, whereas it is whispered both secretly and openly that he is in the prison
at MTazas, for we know not what crimes.  The letter
here given, dated Rome, 7th of March, was received
yesterday by M. Henri Delage, an intimate friend of
Mr. Home. The letter is there before ine with the
postal mark, and I will give you his literal words:
"5 ROME, AMarch 7th1, 1858.
"' Dear MI. Delage,-You were without doubt much
surprised to llear of my departure for Italy; but the
trutll is I was very ill.  I had an impoverishment of
the b)lood, so wliat could I do. ifMy power had quite
left me. The dear spirits thought me too ill to see
strangers.  Here in Rome I go but little into society,
a complete rest being necessary. Write to me soon,
and will you kindly remember me to M. HI;
you know I like him very nmuch.
Yours faithfully,
"' D. D. HoME.'' I beg of you to give thle publicity of' your wellknown journllal to tllis letter of ]tMr. 1Hoine.  It being




THE PRESSGANG.                155
the best reply which can be given to those base calumnies which atttack his honor."
I well know the origin and cause of this intrigue,
and I have in imy possession a friendly letter, bearing
tlate thle 18th July, 1858, fr'om the Bureau du Ministre
de l'Interieur, which is a sufficient refutation of the
wicked calumny. His Highness the Prince Mlurat also
n;mdcle it tle occasion of proving to me not only the
Clhristian principles which actuated him, but also the
true nobleness of his lheart, in doing for a comparative
stranger, that which a father alone could be expected
to do for a son.  He, at his own expense, sent per.
sons to Germany, to Italy, and to England, to ascertain the foundation of suclh a libel, and generously
gave me his public and private testimony to its entire
u ntruth.
I hlave now to present the following letter, and the
enclosed programme, which I also received while at
Rolme, and whlich disclose a case ot pelsonation, which
is by no means either the first or the last of that kind
which I could give. It is, however, an amusing speci.
men of them.
"PARIS, April 7th.'" Dear friend,-I send you a programlle taken froin
ole of the Lyons papers, that was sent to MR. Allen
fKacrdee.  What a shalne to( think such an imposition
slhould be allowed in your name.  I would advise you
to write at once to the Prefect of Lyons, or to the police, that the villain should be unmnasked as sooIn as
possible, not only Ior the wrong he does to your nanme,
but also to the cause of spiritualism.  Do not allow V




TN AMERIC A.
moment to pas.s, and we on our side will do all we can.
Only think of thle audacity in daring to saly that he
head been receive(l by the Emnperor.
s I am, &e., &C.' PoS.-I have tblis moment heard that thle imposture
was at once discovered, and lie llas fled from Lyons."
I give the original programme, with an English
translation.
" Salle du G/rand Tle'atre.  Jeudi, Avri 1, 1858,
ad huiw heures. Soirede A4evricaine on &ance de ASpir'itCualisvz de jX.  Ionome.
6" Je ne me guide jamais d'apres la science, iais
d'apres ma conscience; je crois done fortement aux
faits magnetiques, je crois que la force magnetique
augmente  prodigieusement la force  de  vision  de
l'hommnle; je crois que ces faits sont constates par un
certain nombre d'honmmes tres-sinceres et tres chr&e
tions.' —L'ABBE LACORDAIRE.
" Programme: Experience de vision par M. Home
et l'Ange miraciuleux.-Obeissance a lPordre dn public.
-Seance de spiritualisme par la sensitive Ilme. de Cabanyes.
" Production  des visions demand4es par les spectateurs: Fr6missement, Joie, Colere, Idiotisme, Piete,
Multiplication des sens, Augmentation  et diminution
des forces.
R" Reproduction de plusienurs de ces plhenonmenes sm
des jeunes gens que le public est prie de presenter.
" M.l Home, qui a en l'honneur de faire ses expeviences devant Sa Mlajeste l'empereiur, invite MAiM. les




THE PRESSGANG.                  157
m6decins, docteurs,  chirurgiens, etc., etc., a monter
pres de lui sur la sc'ne, afin de contr6ler, la v'racit6
des pheloomuenes curieux qu'il a l'honneur d'offrir au
Public.  Des sieges seront disposes a cet effet.
"'Prix des places: Premieres loges, fanuteuils et
stalles, 6 fr. (sans agmenutation  pour la location a
l'avance);-premieres galeries, 5 fr. — secondes, 3 fi.;
-parterre, 2 fr. 50 c.;-troisieines, I fr. 50 c.;-quatriemes, I fr."
"6At the Great Thealtre, Thursday, 1st of April, 1858,
commzencing at 8 o'clock, American Soiree or S&ance
qf 5jpigvitualismn, by Mr. Home.
C"' I never allow myself to be guided by science, but
by my conscience.  I therefore believe firmly in thle
facts of magnetism.  I believe that the magnetic force
augments prodigiously the power of man's vision.  I
believe that these facts are certified by a certain nunimber of men very sincere and very christian.'-THE ABBE
LACODA I Eo
6 Programme: The vision experience of Mr. I-Tome,
and the miraculous angel.-Obedience to the order of
the public.-Spiritual seance by the sensitive Mine. de
Cabanyes.
"' Production of visions asked for by the spectators:
T'rembllings, Joy, Anger, Idiotcy, Religion, Piety,
3Multiplication of the senses, Augimentation and dclimi
nution of strength.
6"Reproduction of several of those phenomena oni
young persons, whom  the public are requested to introduce.




15 8               IN AMERICA.
Mr. Horne, who has had the honor to go through
hiis experiences before his M[ajesty the Emperor, invites
the Doctors of Philosophy and others, also Surgeons,
&c.7 &c., to sit near him on the stage to satisfy themselves as to tle truth of the curious phenomena which
he has the honor to present to the public.  Chlairs will
be arranged for that purpose.
"' Price of places: First boxes, fauteuils and stalls, 6
frs. (no extra charge for booking); first gallery, 5 fis.;
second, 3 firs.; pit, 2 frs. 50 c.; third places, 1 fr. 59
c.; fourth, 1 fri."
This was contradicted by the Paris papers, whichl
gave only as a reason that I was in Turin, whilst at
the time it happened that I was really at Naples.
But it would be wrong to confine these falsehoods
to the press of America or France, when the English
press vied with them  in fabricating and dispensing
equally false statements about me. The Socrates story
was front the forge of the 6" Court Joulrnal," and -was
disseminated through a great part of the English press.
No wonder that with such teaching there should be
misconception about me, and about the phllenomena.
I can only say that the whole of the following statemen ts, names, dates, circumstances and persons are
alse ifrom beginning te end.
Extrao idinarly Spi)rit Afai.. i  c PJaris. Simnaular aznd
Saccessf U Iloa;x on the Sopirit ualists.
" Mr. Home, the all-hearing, all-seeing spirit-rapper,
is gone sucddenly, without warning.  MIanv stories are
afloat respecting the cause of this abrupt departure.




THE-l  PRESSGANG.             159
amid such striking success, when Paris was just filled
with his renown, and even from the pulpit had threats
and warnings been launched forth against those who
dared to frequent his company, or believe in his incantations. Some newspapers have declared that he is
gone to America in search of his sister, whom he pronounces a more powerful medium than himself; others
that, in consequence of some of his tricks having
assumed thle character of touzrs de cpasse-passe, he hsad
been forbidden to practice his deceptive arts upon the
high  personages whom lhe had chosen, on pain of
Pi'oces-verball; and that the metamorphlosis of the
Princess Mlathilde's pocket-hlandkercllief into a living
scarabeus-after wlhich exploit the practitioner had
fallen into catalepsy, and remained senseless for five
hours —had awakened certain scruples and suspicions
in the minds of those who had witnessed the feat,
whslich  ad caused hlis exclusion fromn that circle of
society.  Nothing of all this is the case, and your
readers may be assured of the truth of what we are
abont to relate, arld of the adventnre being the whole
and sole cause of the abrupt departure of tHie discomfited wizard.
"A fev nights ago a grand seance had been prepared
for him  at the house of one of the principal officials
about the Court, who had witnessed the divers experimnents made at the Tuileries, and whlicl, althouglh failing to convince hlim  entirely, had yet not, left him
wholly incredulous.  The company was limited, alid
of the first water. The names had all been submitted
to the practitioner —those of Eugi3ne Guinot, the fzuil
letoniste: General Baraguay d'H-lilliers; anld Nadaud




160                IN AMERICA.
the composer; all of therm atrocious unbelievers, wretchl
ed infidels, and scoffers, wholly devoid of all sensibility
r imagination. Numerous were the experiments tried,
ancl all, as usual, eminently successful. The accordeon
glided, as usual, from knee to knee, all round the cir
cle, and played the tunes most loved by the inquilrers;
the bell wandered round the ceiling, and rang its merry
peal or tolled its doleful note, according to the will of
any member of the company who chose to command
it. But the wizard had promised that night to evoke
the spirits and render them  visible to the sight, and
every preliminary experiment was attended to with
impatience, so great was thle hurry to witness the
crowniiig masterpiece of the performance.  At length
the liglhts were all extinguished but one, a solitary wax
taper on the mantel-piece, behind the figure of the
practitioner, which cast its long, gigantic shadow on
the walls and ceiling of the room. The silence was
complete; sorme of the ladies crouchled behind their
neighbors, and resisted the temptation to faint only by
reason of their curiosity; others stared around, hoping,
yet dreading, to see something awfrl and terrific, that
they would be driven to hysterics. The voice of the
wizard was heard, amrid the silence, demanding whose
spirit should be suminoned to appear.  A faint whisper, from a distant corner, thrilled through the room
-" Let it be Soclrates, the greatest of philosophers 1"
A pause ensued —no  objection or opposition being
manifested, thle wizard raised his armr  and waving it
towards the door, solemnly bade the spirit of Socrates
appear and stand before him. Again the silence was
resumed, aInd the wizard remained, with extended arm




THE PRESSGANG.                161
and muttering lips, gazing towards the door. It slowly
opened; and, amid the utmost terror, the company
b)eheld the entrance of a figure, enveloped in a kind
of floating drapery, something like a winding-sheet,
which advanced with noiseless tread over the carpet,
and stood before the conjuror. The white and flowing
beard, the bald head and crushed nose were unmistakable-Socrates stood, as in life, in the very midst of
that gay and frivolous circle, evoked from his slumber
of centuries to furnish sport for a Parisian salon! The
awe and terror of the company was at its highest, and
the figure glided back in silence while yet the effect
produced was at its culminating point. When it had
disappeared, comiipliments, of course, pounred in upon
the operator, who, shaken to the very fingers' ends,
could not help expressing his surprise at the unusual
promptitude with which the summons had been answered, end, full of the excitement of unlooked for success, yielded to the entreaties of the same voice which
had spoken before, and which now implored the evocation of Frederick the Great. The wizard again stretclhed forth his hand towards the door, although doubtful
if his electric current would be strong enough to accomnplish two evocations so rapidly one after the other.
He was observed, however, even in the dimn light of'
the apartment to turn deadly pale as the door again
opened at his summons, when he called aloud for Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, to appear before him.
The moment's pause was truly awful. By degrees,
amid the shadows of the room could be seen gliding
through the door-wa-y, a short figure, wrapped, like the
one which ehad preceded it, in a kind of winrding-sheet




132                IN AIMERICA.
clinging to its limbs, and held around the waist by the
grasp of the hands.  The face, however, was undeniably tlhat of the great hero, and the head surmounted by the little traditional cocked hat which makes
every Prussian heart beat with gratitude and loyalty
even to this day. The figure advanced as that of Socrates had done before, close up to thle miagician, and
thlere stood still and motionless within a few paces of
the chimnney. Presently, the excitement of the mnagi
cian became intense, the perspiration rolled in huge
drops from  his forehead, and the teeth chattered.
6 Enough, enough-begone, depart!" said lie, ill a
hoarse whisper, as tile eyes of the figure glared npon
him with a fierce and menacing expression. " Begone,
I say!'9 repeated lie, in a hollow tone, as the figu re still
stood motionless in spite of the command. In another
monment, however, the spell was broken. PRousing himself by an effort wlhich, considering the circumstances
in which he was placed, may be regarded as sublime,
lhe suddenly exclaimed, " I have been made the dupe
of some mystification,"' and stepped close to the figure,
which had still retained its menacing attitude until that:nomrent, when a loud and uncontrollable laugh burst
friom  its lips, and it exclaimed: ";What! don't you
know me?  I aml 5Nadaud, and here is Imy friend Socrates, otherwise Marslal Baraguay d'Hilliers, ready
to appear again whenever you choose, and close at hrand
is my coimrade, Eug ue Guinot in life, and Alcibiadeq
in death, waiting to be summoned after me, as lihe
would most assuredly have been, had I been able te
follow up the joke."  You can just imagine the effect
i)roduced by thle discovery of thle mystification. Mtl.




THIE PRESSGC ANG.             163
Home was struck powerless and dulnb; when he re
covered, he begged it to be remembered that lhe had
been the first to find out the deception, and asserted
that the spirit summoned would have appeared, for
that he does possess the facility of raising them.  In a
few moments, however, he disappeared, and the next
day we heard, without astonishment, of his sudden departure from Paris.  It seems that the three qncautvais,)laisans who had been excluded firom the conmpany
had been determined to revenge themselves; and, with
the assistance of a cofrZgiere, aided likewise by thle false
white beard of Socrates and the cocked hat of Frederick the Great, had almost succeeded in duping tle
operator, had it not been for the uncontrollable laughter of Nadaud which betrayed the whole conspiracy.
"' This is the story told of the sudden desertion of
the camp by Mr. Horne. Time will show us if it be
truth, for he has promised to return; and should we
not behold him according to his promise in the space
of three months, we shall know what to believe and
what to doubt of his mysterious power.9'
I could tell much more of a similar kind, but what
I have already given is sufficient to sthow the reckless
invention of those who assume to enlighten the public
through the press.  I found it the easiest to let themr
have their own way, f'oi if I had begun to contradict
all the falsehoods told about me, my time would have
been fully occupied in vain attempts to stop a torrent,
which seemls as if it would never cease to flow.




CHAPTEIR VII.
1857 —8.-FRANCE, ITALY9 AND RnISSIA.-MARRIAGM
I RETURNED from  America to Paris in May, 1857,
and I remained there till July, having seances every
day. The power was very great at that time, and the
phenomena were witnessed and investigated by many
hundreds of all classes. The spirit hands were frequently visible, and were seen by many to take pen or
pellncil and write in the autograph of the person whose
spirit was represented to be present.
One morning the concierge came to me saying,
"Please, Sir, there is an old gentleman here, and I
think you must see him, he seems so anxious and careworn.' I must mention that I had been so overrun
by visitors, that I had been obliged to refuse to see
any strangers, as all my time was taken up by engagements with my friends. I acceded to his request, and
he announced the Count de X. At the first momenl; of looking at him, I saw none of the signs of
anxiety and care which had struck the conci erge, nor
did lie seem to me so very old. HIe advanced to where
I stood, and taking ine kindly by the hand, he said to
me,'6 I have been sent to you, and you will yet know




FRANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA.       165
the reason why, though you do not even know who I
am. I live at No. 4, Rue --—, and you will be obliged to come to me."  I shook my head at this incredunlously, and told him that my time was so taken up,
that I had scarcely time even to call on my friends.
He smiled, and said: " You will see, you will see."
The conversation then changed, and he left me after
having written his address. I was to dine that evening with the Baroness de M —-, and previous to leaving the house to go to her, I heard a spirit voice saying
distinctly to me, 6" You will go to see my father, won't
you?" The voice did not seem as if it required an
answer, for it was said so affirmatively, and I made no
reply. On reaching the Hotel de M  —, and entering
the drawing-room I sawv a young man standing there.
I was surprised at this, expecting to have met no
stranger. With his eyes fixed upon me, he said, " I
am glad you have come, for we will go together to see
my father," and he then suddenly disappeared. I had
thought till then that he was a guest, so real was the
vision. The Baroness was in the room, and saw that I
was agitated, and asked me what had occurred, but I did
not enter into any explanation. When about to take
my seat at the dinner table, again I heard the same
voice, saying, "6 You will go to my father, won't you?"
This so unnerved me that I told the Baroness the circunstance, and she kindly advised my going. The
evening passed on, and after two hours I had nearly
firgotten the occurrence, and had returned to tlhe
drawing-room, when suddenly I saw by my side the
same young man. IHis face now wore a pained expression, and I was horrified to see blood on his breast,




166        ~FRANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA.
Hle said to me,;" My father is waiting for you; he has
had much sorrow; it is your mission to console-go to
him'."  I told him I would on the following clay, but
lie replied that I must go then, that very night.  He
disappeared, and I told the Baroness of what he said,
and she allowed me to leave.  On reaching No. 4,
Ruie -, I was directed to the rooms of the Count,
and htis Nvalet told me that his master was preparing to
retire, and in all probability could not see mre. Again
the voice told me to announce myself, and at that very
moment a door was opened, and the Count came towards me, and said, "I have been waiting for you, I
knew you would come."  I described to him the young
man I had seen, and all that had happened, and he at
once recognized hini as his son who had been murdered. lie showed me a portrait of him, which exactly
corresponded with Iny visions of him, and I have siince
seen him often.  Ile has told me, that on his appearance that first day, he showed the blood upon his
breast, merely to impress me the more deeply with thle
necessity of going to his father.  His father told me
that he had been himself for a long time a partial medinrmn, and that he had been told to seek me for the
purpose of having his mediumslhip increased, in order
that his son might be able the more easily to impress
him with his presence.  It has since been a great comfort and relief to h]is mind to hiave the certainty of his
son being with him to console him in his affliction.
About this time my guardian spirits told me that it
seemed necessary that I should go to Turkey, as a way
was opening by which I might be the means of bringing light there. I accordingly mIade all preparations




FRANCE ITALY, AND RUSSIA.           167
for my journey, and my power left me.  I had received letters of introduction to persons holding higlh
positions at Constantinople.  Miy trunks were packed,
my passport sent for visa.  I was making a farewell
call on the Duchess de A —, and while ill conversation with her, the drawing-room seemed filled with
rappings, the alphabet was called for, anTd I was told
that my journey must be postponed, as some political
troubles were just about to occur.  Instead, therefore,
of going to Turkey, I went to B3aden-Baden.  My
power while there was not great, as my thealth was
again failing, but I met the King of aVurtemburg, and
the then Prince, now King of Prussia, both of whom
investigated thle phenomlena.
My guardian spirits continually told me at this time
that there was trouble in store for me, but that from
the dlaliness light would come, and that vwhatever
might seem  to be a loss, would in the end prove to be
a gain, and in all this they were correct.
I left Baden-Baden sooner than I thad expected, and
went to Biarritz.  Here I was told that the first darkeninig of the cloud would come, and that those who
might have understood  nce better, would be led to
think ill of me by those about them, wr-lho  to serve a
purpose, would farbicate a statement, the very absurdity of w:hich ouglht to have been its refutation. Tlhe
pre-knoiwledge of what was to occur to mne, collbined
with nervous debility, made me more than usually
agitat-ed, and wlilst at a seance, where almost the only
manifestation was the taking of a bracelet fromm tile
lady sitting on my left, ald the carrying of it to a lady
opposite me, the gentleman on my right hand declared




168         FRANCE, ITALY) AND RUSSIA.
it to have been transported by my feet.  If my legs
were eight feet long it would have still been a miracle, but in such wonderful occurrences as these we
must not be surprised at any absurdity that may be invented, however painful it may be to be charged with
dishonesty and imposture.
Some instances of the manner in which it is said
the phenomena are produced are sufficiently amusing
to be repeated.  A very popular idea in Paris was
that I carried in my pocket a tame monkey trained to
assist me.  Another is that mly legs are so formed as
to be capable of elongation, and that my feet are like
those of a baboon. Many people suppose that when I
go to a strange house, my tables have to be sent first,
and that, like Sir David Brewster's "conjectural' table, they are always copiously draped, and that I take
with me wax hands and arms to show at the proper
moment. Some suppose that I magnetize or biologize
my audience, and that they only imagine they see
what they see. Some that 1 carry with me lazy tongs
and a magic lantern, and others have stated that when
I am said to rise in the air, it is only a balloon filled
with gas in the shape of a man.  Others againl will
have it that it is done by a magic lantern, whilst some
doctors declare that I administer "'a thimblefull. of
chloroform to each of the sitters."  Sir David Brewster must have had his thimblefull when he could only
say that the table "4 appeared to rise," and that " spirits
were the last things he would give into."  Some have
enough spiritual belief to say that I have the devil at
command. Others that I raise spirits by forns and incantations.  Then we have involuntary muscualar mo



FRANCE, ITALY9 AND RUSSIA.        169
tion to account for the phenomena by the learned Professor Farraday. Dr. Carpenter speaks of their being
produced by unconscious cerebation, and Mr. Morell,
the philosopher, tells us that they are caused by " the
reflex action -f the mind."  A common explanation is
ventriloquism. Electricity is another, and it is said
that I have an electric battery concealed about my person. Then there are the od force and fluid action, and
the nervous principle, and collusion, illusion and delusion. Mechanical contrivances attached to the lower
extremities are also suggested by Sir David Brewster,
but without specifying their nature.  But the imost
scientific and learned explanation, leaving no room for
conjectures, was given by an old woman in America,
who when asked if she could account for what she had
seen, replied, " Lor, Sirs, itt's easy enough, lie only rubs
himlself all over with a gold pencil."  The rappings
are produced in many ways, each philosopher having
his own theory, beginning low down with the snapping
of the toe-joints, others getting up to the ancle, whilst
some ma.intain it to be in the knees, or thighl bones.
PProfessor Huxley has his own " spirit-rapping toe"
with which he amuses his friends.  It has even been
attributed to a strong beating of my pulse. Sonime say
I rub my boots together, others my thumb nails, and
that springs are concealed in the table and about the
room. It has been said that I have an electrical qualty which I can throw off at the command of my will.
A general belief is that I bribe the servanlts at whatever hlouse I visit, that they may aid me in concealing
my machinery. The intelligence displayed in obtaining names, dates, and other circumstances, is previously
tq




.I70         FRANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA.
commulicated to me either by my own inquiry, from
servants or by visiting the tombstones of the relatives,
or even by a body of secret police who are in my pay.
Otllers know that I am clairvoyant, and that I read the
thoughts of those present.  I am an accomplished juggler according to others, and have always refused to
be seen by any others of the craft, although the facit is
quite the contrary, and the greatest juggler of France
has stated that he could not at all account for what lie
witnessed by any of the principles of his art.
However flattering this might be to my vanity, in
conferring upon me, such astounding qualities and scientific accluireinents whichl I do not possess, it lhas
been to inme a source chiefly of amusement and wondcer,
to see how  learned persons could so widely anid absurdly disagree among themselves, and strain at g nats,
though swallowing camels with such surprising gr'eediness.  i have wandered from my narr;ttive to give my
readers these attempted explanations of mediu nship,
hopitng, however, that they will never try any of the
experiments suggested by thle learned in thle presence
of persons of average understanding.  Tiie excellent
establishment at Earls wood, at thle head of which is the
good Dr. Corlolly, would be more likely to furnish the
sort of audience suited to these explanations of the
men of science.
My good friends, the Count and Countess de B,
left Biarritz with me on a visit to thle chateau of a mnutual firiend, near Bordeaux; and here there were several instances of direct spirit-writingo on paper placed
before us on the table in full view.  Whilst we were
sitting one evening, hands appeared distinctly above




FRANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA.         171
the table, and we saw them successively take up a pencil and write.  One of these hands was a small one,
apparently of a child, another appeared to be that of
a full grown man. The hand of the child wrote a little message to her mother who was present, and signed
it with her christian name.  Tilere was a striking peculiarity in this, as the child had always left out the
last letter of her name, which then, instead of being a
female name, became a nmale one.  Her name wa~
Denise, but shle wrote it'~ Denis."   Her mother had
often spoken to her of this, and yet the child llad nt
corrected herself of the habit during her life, and now
to prove her identity, the final letter was again left
out.  This was of course unknown to me, and to all
except her father and mother-, both of wlolnm were there.
The lairger hand wrote several comnlunications in our
presence, some for his wife, who was at thle table, and
otlhers to persons who were nlot there present.  This
hlandwriting swlas in his peculiar autograph.
The lady of the house talrled to me and said abruptly, "Why you are sitting in the air;" and on looking we
found that the chair relnainled in its place, but that I
was elevated two or three inches above it, and my feet
not touching the floor.  This may show how utterly
unconscious I am at times to the sensation of levitation. As is usual when I have not got above tle level
of the heads of those about me, and when they change
tiheir positions much, which they frequently do in
loolking wistfully at such a phenomenon, I caine down
again, but nlot till I had remained so raised about half
a minute fromn the time of its being first seen.  I was
now inmpressed to leave the table and was soon cairried




172          FRANCEC, ITALY, AND RUSSIA.
to the lofty ceiling. The Count de 13        left his
place at the table, and coming nuder where I was, said,'Now, young Home, come and let me touch your
feet.'"  I told him I llad no volition in the matter, but
perhaps the spirits would kindly allow me to come
down to him.  They did so, by floating me down to
him, and my feet were soon in his outstretchled hands.
He seized my boots, and now I was again elevated, lihe
holding tightly, and pulling at my feet till the boots I
wore, which had elastic sides, came off, and remained
in his hands. The Count has all his life been well
known, holding an important public position, and as
truthful as his heart is good. To him  and his dear
wife, who has recently passed from earth, I owe a deep
debt of gratitude, they having been my firm and fast
friends ever since I made their acquaintance, six years
ago. This was, I believe, the first time of my being
raised in the air in France, and it has been of very
seldom  occurrence there, though it happened so frequently afterwards in England, as will be seen in future pages. Since I wrote the narrative of this seance,
I have applied to the Count for his verification of it,
and 1 hlave his letter stating its correctness.
Another incident occurred in the presence of the
Count de B          The Countess X     -- was present for the first time at a seance, when a spirit manifested himself, purporting to be that of her son. The
accordeon was being played, and she asked if hie could
remember a piece of music whichi had particularly
struck themin both whilst they were travelling together
for his health in Germany. It had escaped her mind,
she said, but it could be easily recalled to her if he




FRANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA.        178
would play it. UTpon this the accordeon played some
intricate passages from the opera of Norma, which she
at once recognized.
I now returned to Paris, and went to reside with my
friend the Count de K, and whilst there I had
sittings almost every day. I also went on a visit to
the Chateau de R, to the family of the Marquis
de. The second evening of my stay, as we
were about to take tea, a table standing at the farther
end of the large saloon where we were, came up to us
with extreme violence. We were all rather startled,
as we were not expecting any manifestations, and for
the next two hours they were unceasing. The elder
sdn of the faimily, the Count L, came to my
room when I had wished the family good night, and
these proofs of a spirit presence were again made
most evident  Amongst others there were the sound
of heavy footsteps which shook the room. I also saw
the distinct form of a boy, and described his appearance to L, adding that I could recognize him
if I could see his portrait. On meeting the family at
breakfast the following morning the Marquis said —
"What time did L-        leave you last night, and
what were you both doing jumping about the room?r"
We told hirnm that we had both of us our slippers on,
and that he must have heard the noises made by the
spirits. The chateau, being one of the very oldest in
France, has the walls in some places nearly twenty
feet thick —indeed dressing-rooms have been made in
them, and they are quite spacious. There is a solidity
to every floor. In order, therefore, to have been heard
in the room beneath, the manifestations must have




174          FRANCE) ITALY) AND RUSSIA.
been of very great force.  After breakfast the Marchioness asked me if I would not like to go over the
chateau, and on my assenting, slie said we will begin
with my boudoir.  We went there, and on reachinog
the centre of the room I looked round, and there I
saw the very face I had seen the night previous. For
a moment I could not bring myself to believe it to be
other than the spirit himself; but it was only a portrait.  My emotion was such that I caught hold of
L      1, who stood near me, and said, "There, that
is the boy I saw last night."  I was so overcome that
I had to leave the room, and they then told me that
L    o  having related what had occurred to Ilis motiher, they had arranged to put me to the test, and not
having even told me of the existence of the portrait,
they wished to see if I could recognize it.
In an hotel situate on the Boulevard des Italiens in
Paris, I was introduced to a family, consisting of Mr.
H   -, his wife, and their two sons, both of whom
were at that time in the English army, and had just
returned from the Crimean campaign.  The father, a
cool-headed, truthful minded man, was a countryman
of mine, and our conversation soon turned upon the
wonders of second sight and ghost-seeing. Presently,
whilst we were talking together, we were startled at
hearing loud sounds comning from a distant part of the
room, and slowly approaching us. I at once suggested
to them that some spirit desired to communicate with
us. The unseen one assented to this by making the
sounds for the alphabet, and the name of " Gregoire"
was spelt out, with the additional information that lie
had passed from earth, giving the time of his depart



FRANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA.         175
nre. This the two young officers at once and strongly
contradicted, for they recognized in the name a very
intimlate friend, an officer il tile French a:my in the
Crimnea, whom they llad only just left thcre suffering
under a slight wound, but so sliglht that it gave no apprehensions of an unfavorable kind. He, however, now
gave them other proofs of his identity, and during the
whole of the relnaining hours of thle afternoon and
evening he continued to make his presence manifest.
Several times thlings were brought from  parts of the
rooim distant from us, and there were frequent raps,
and his friends felt touches.  Sounds resembling the
fiinr' of zmusketry were heard, and indeed so indisputable were some of the signs given, that no one could
fail to lhave been convinced of spirit power and presen:lce, though lhaving seen him  so lately, and having
since heard nothing to make tllem  think his death
probable, they could hardly realize the likelihood of it.
I left the family late in the evening, bidding them
good-bye, as they were to leave for England the followinrg day.  From a member of the family who resides in Paris, I ascertained shortly afterwards that
they had written to ascertain the truth as to what had
beeln communicated to them by the  by the spirit calling hinmself Gregoire, and that in every detail, tlley were informed, the spirit had been correct.  I ought here to
state, however, thati. the eldest son, previous to this
corroborative testimony reaching his family, had been
sent with his regiment to Canada, and lie was sitting
in his tent wheni a letter reached him firom his father,
relatinig the results of thleir inquiries fi'omI the Crimea.
While ]re was reading his father's letter, informing




176          FRANCE5 ITALY, AND RUSSIA,
him the details of his friend Gregoire's departure from
earth, he was startled by hearing   a rustling sound
amongst some loose papers and pens, which were carelessly strewn on his table.  Fearing lest his imagination might be taking'advantage of his reason, he called
for his servant to come irn and look at the table —and,
to their mutual astonishment, they saw a pen move itself into an erect position, and deliberately write the
name of Greg'oire oni soiime blank paper.  This fact was
told me by the father of the youtng man, and I see no
reason to disbelieve it.  What oblject could temrnt the
young man to tell so deliberate and wilful an nntruth,
if it were one, on such a. subject? Other strange occurrenlces continued withl other members of this ftimily
after their return to England, for many months, and
then left them in as sudden and unexpected a manner
as they had made their appearance.
In January, 1858, I went to Hollandcl, accompanied
by lMr. T —-, and was presented to the Queen.  The
manifestations at the Hague were in some instances
very strong, and again sometimes I had seances at
which nothiulg would occur, and this although in the
presence of!persons who were most desirous of witnessilg thein.
I went to Amsterdamn for the purpose of meeting tlie
prop)rietors and writers for a magazine of infidel tendencies.  I well remember it.  We were staying at
a large old-fashioned hotel; the cheerless cold of thle
rooms with their bleak walls and their beam-bare ceilings, as I sat before lthe fire, which was but the ghost
of siuch as we are accustomed to in England, when
these eight or ten gentlemen were announced.  None




FRANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA.         177
of them were known to me or to my friend, and I desired them at once to sit down, and see if any manifestations would occnr. They appeared clever, shrewd
persons, deeply read and thinking men. Cold reason
had wrapped her chill mantle about their mninds, and
all that was not tangible could have no truth in it for
them,  The first tremulous sensation in the table and
floor, which often precedes other manifestations, was
felt. They delegated two of their number to sit under
the table to watch me and my movements.  Faint
rappings were heard, and the table legs were examined to see that I had no springs concealed there.These manifestations increased in force, and they, after the most close and strict scrutiny, were obliged to
acknowledge that they had witnessed that which they
could in no wise account for. The alphabet was called
for, and intelligcent communiications were received.This was a step in advance of their philosophy, and to
them most singular, and soon the manifestations ceased
-blut not until they had each expressed their conviction that there was no imposture.  I have since been
informed, by letters fi'omn Amsterdam, that one of
thlem. becamne a medium, and that their general disbelief in spiritual causation was greatly mnodified. I -emember as mny friend and I sat together after the party had left, we expressed a wish that they had seen
more, and we spoke of ourselves as being sorry prophlets for such a mission.   This idea pursued me after
I had gone to bed, and the spirit of my mother came
and comforted me by saying that sufficient had been
given, and that "the wind must be tempered to the
shorn lamb,"
8*




178         FRANCE, ITALY7 AND RUSSIAo
We returned to the Hague, and a deputation of
young gentlemen from the University of Leyden called to ask me to visit Leyden. AMy engagements, however, were such as to necessitate my departure, and we
left tile following day for Brussels. There the power
left rme, and I was told by the spirits that it would be
some time betfore it would return, and that many things
of the utimost importance to me would occur in the
meantime. I had taken a severe cold while inl Holland, but had intended to have remained some time in
Brussels to have s6ances with my young fiiends there,
and when I found that my power had gone, I considered it better to return to Paris to consult my medical
adviser there. I accordingly went there, and lie pronounced my disease to be impoverishment of the blood
and great nervous depression, and advised my going
to Italy. I strongly objected to this, inasmuch as every time I leave Paris s-,me silly stories are put in circulation, such as my being ordered away by the Emperolr, or that I go to fly from  the law.  I remained,
therefore, growing daily worse for two or three weeks,
when I left, intending to stay at Turin with my fiiends
there.  On reaching Turin in February, I found the
snow covering the ground to a considerable depth, and
the cold more intense than it had been in Paris, and
so I left the same evening for Pisa, to join some friends
there. I found Pisa very cold, and was advised to
proceed to Rome.
I reached Rome in March, and refused nearly all
invitations out, wishing to be quiet to regain my
health. A fiiend mentioned one afternoon. whilst we
were walking together to the Pynclhon, the namle of a




FRANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA,         f 9
Russian family of distinction then in Rome, and added
that they were anxious to make my acquaintance. I
excused myself on tile ground of my health. At this
momen-t a carriage was passing us and stopped-and
mny friend, before I was aware of what he was doing,
introduced me to the Countess de Koucheleff, \vho
asked me to come and sup with them  that evening,
adding that they kept very late hours.
I went about tell in the evening, and found a large
party assembled. At twelve as we entered the supperroom she introduced to me a young lady, whlom I then
observed for the first time, as her sister. A strange
impression came over me at once, and I knew she was to
be my wife. When we were seated at table the young
lady turned to me and laughingly said, " Mr. Home,
you will be married before the year is ended."  I asked why she said so, and she replied, that there was
such a superstition in Russia when a person was at
table between two sisters. 1 made no reply. It was
true. In twelve days we were partially engaged, and
waiting only the consent of her mother. The evening
of the day of our engagement a small party had as.
sembled, and were dancing. I was seated on a sofa by
myfance'e, when she turned to me and abruptly said,
"D Do tell me all about spirit-rapping, for you know I
don't believe in it."  I said to her, " Mademoiselle, I
trust you will ever bear in mind that I have a mission
entrusted to me. It is a great and a holy one. I cannot speak with you about a thing which you have not
seen, and therefore cannot understand. I can only say
that it is a, great truth."  The tears came welling into
her eyes, and laying her hand in mine she said, " If




(80          FRANCE, ITAI Y9 AND RUSSIA.
yodeur mnissi0o1 can bring comfort to those less happy than
ourselves, or be in tlly way a consolation to mankind,
you will ever find mIe ready and willing to do all I can
to aid you in it."  She was true to this noble sentimenet to the last mnoment of her short life, and she is
still my great comfort and sustainer since we have separated in this earthly sphere. She was my own true,
loving wife for, ohl! too short a period for my hlappiness here, but for hers I was content to lose her for a
time, till it shiall pllease God that I too pass away to
join her 
Shortly after clir enlgagement the family went to
Naples, and I wvitht them, and we remained there six
weeks. Then the family left for Florence, and mly
aictncee was entrusted to the care of a Russian family
about to return by Paris to, Russia, that she might join
her mother, and get ready the necessary papers, that
the marriage might take place as soon as the family
returne:l to St. Petersburgh.  I accompanied them to
Paris, and after they had left I went to Scotland for
my certificate of birth, the parish clerk having sent
me one with my name writtell Hume instead of Hlome.
KInowing this to be incorrect I was obliged to make a
journey to have it rectified, and then I returned to Paris, and joined the family who had arrived there from
Italy.
We left for St. Petersburgh in June, accompanied
by M. Alexandre Dumas, who was to officiate as godfather at mny marriage.  An amusing account of oulr
journey mnay be read in Dumas' book entitled "' De
Paris a Astrachan.":  On reaching St. Petersburgh I
was honored by a most kind invitation to be received




FRANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA.         181
by the Emperor, but which I was obliged to decline
not being in power at the time, and his Majesty most
graciously sent to me to say that under any circumstances he would be pleased to see me. I excused myself on the ground of having so much to attend to previons to my mnarriage.  A  month after this, certain
difficulties ihaving arisen, and the papers which were
necessary not being forthcoming, the marriage seemed
on the point of being postponed.  I had no manifestations for several months, but on this evening I was
told by the spirit of my mother to inform the Emperor
the next day thaft my power had returned. I did so,
and was received by his Majesty at the Palace of Peterhoff, rllere I spent a week, and all the obstacles in
the way of my marriage were removed by his most
gracious Majesty, who upon this, as upon every occasion, has sh:own to me the greatest kindness.  I have
lthe highest veneration for Ilim, not only as a monarch,
but as a man of thle niost kind and generous feeliings.
We were married on Sunday the 1st of A_-,gtust,
1858, or according to the old style, on the 20th of
July, first in the private cliapel at the country }house
of my brother-in-law, according to the rites of the
Greek Church, and afterwards at the Church of St.
Catherine, according to the rites of the Romish chlurch.
A short timrle after our marriage, my wife being in a
sound quiet sleep, I saw the spirit of my mother' comne
into the room, followed by one, who though I had never known him on earth, I knew to be my wife's father. AMy impression was one of relief that my wife
was asleep, and thus that she would not see what I
feared would frighten her. My surprise was therefore




182          FRANCES ITALY, AND RUSSIA.
very great on hearing her say, "Daniel, there is some
one in the room with us. It is your mother, and near
her stands my father.  She is very beautiful, and I am
not afiaid."  Her actions, however, betrayed a certain
shrinking, for she turned to the side of the bed where
I lay, trembling violently. The spirits now disappeared, but loud rappings were heard in and about the
room, and our questions were answered.  This was my
wife's first introduction to anything of the kind.




CHAPTER VIII.
RUSSIA, PARIS AND ENGLAND.
IN two weeks after our marriage we left to visit
some of my brother-in-law's estates, some of which
were situate on the Crillean coast, and others in the
interior of Russia. The journey lasted about six weeks,
and we then returned to a country house of his in the
neighborhood of Moscow. At the end of Noveinber,
1858, we were at St. Petersburgh, in the house of my
brother-in-law, the Count Gregoire Koucheleff Besborodko, from whom and the Countess I have ever met
with the readiest sympathy and brotherly welcome,
and to whom I owe, and ever shall owe, a debt of the
deepest gratitude. Here from time to time my power
returned, but generally only faintly. Still a great deal
of good was done.  As an instance, I may mention
that a young officer, who having been convinced of
the tyuths of immortality by what he saw in my presence, gave a supper to his friends, at which he publicly
announced that in place of laughing at religion as he
had done, he had seen in these phenomena what convinced him of the reality of a future life, and that
thenceforward he should lead a different life.




184         RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.
T!n tlhe middle of January, 1859, 1 fell ill with severe
internal inflammation. This lasted some time, and was
increasing to an alarming extent, and beyond the power
of thle physician who attended me, and tlle dangerous
symptoms were greatly increased by my usual nervous
debility. Friction was recommended, but the extreme
pain which it caused precluded its use. I was in this
state when one evening my wife and a friend, the
EBaron de M —-, were present, and my hands were
suddenly seized by spirit influence, and I was made to
beat them with extreme violence upon the part which
was so extremely sensitive and tender. My wife was
frightenedl, and would have endeavored to hold my
hands, but my friend who had had sufficient kmiowledge of spirit manifestations prevented her. I felt no
pain, thlongh the violence of the blows which I continued giving to myself made the bed and the whiole
roomi shake. In five minutes' time the swelling had
visibly decreased, and the movements of the hand began to be more gentle.  In anl hour I was in a quiet
slee), and on aw-Iaking the next  morning I found the
disease had left me, and only a weakness remained.
The expression of the doctor's face baffles my description when he visited me early that morning, expecting to have found me worse, and felt my pulse and
saw that a great change must have occurred beyond
his skill to account for.
On the 26th April, old style, or 8th }May, according
to, our style, at seven in the evening, and as the snow
was fast falling, our little boy was born at the town
house, situate on the Gagarines Quay, in St. Petersburgh, where we were still staying.  A few hours af



RUSSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.        185
ter his birth, his mother, the nurse and I heard for
several hours the warbling of a bird as if singing over
him.  Also that night, and for two or three nights afterwards, a bright star like light, which was clearly visible from the partial darkness of the room, in which
there was only a night lamp burning, appeared several
times directly over its head, where it remained for
some moments, and then slowly moved in the direction
of the door, where it disappeared.  Tnis was also seen
by each of us at the same time.  The light was more
condensed than those which have been so often seen in
my presence upon previous and subsecquent occasions,
It was brighter and more distinctly globular.  I do not
believe that it caine through my mediumship, but
rather through that of the child, who has manifested
on several occasions the presence of the gift.  I do not
like to allude to such a matter, but as there are more
strange things in Heaven and earth than are dreamt
of; even in my philosophy, I do not feel myself at liberty to omit stating, that during the latter part of my
wife's pregnancy, we thought it better that she should
not join in seances, because it was found that whenever the rappings occurred in the room, a simultaneous
movement of the chlild was distinctly felt, perfectly in
unison  with the sounds.  When there were three
solunds, three movements were felt, and so on, and
when five sounds were heald, which is generally the
call for the alphabet, she felt the five inteirnal movements, and she would fiequently, when we were mistaken in the letter, correct us from what the child in
dicated.
Our child was christened a fortnight after his birth,




186         RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.
his godfather being the Marquis de Chateaureynard,
at present Mfinister of France at Hesse Cassel, and his
godmother his aunt, the Countess Luba.  Hlis second
godfather was his uncle, the Count Gregoire, and his
second godmother was his relative Sophie.
A week after the christening, we went to the residence of the Count in the immediate environs of St.
Petersbhlugh.  Whilst here, there were many striking
manifestations which were witnessed by many, who investigated as others had done before, and with the
same results.  One evening I remember, one of my
friends was converted from  his previous unbelief by
seeing a female hand, which was visible to all of us in
the room, slowly forming in the air a few inches above
the table, until it assumed all the apparent materiality
of a real hand. The hand took up a pencil which was
on the table, and wrote with it a colllmnnication which
deeply affected my friend, who recognised it as being
from  his motler.  The general belief is, that the spir'it
hands always appear from beneath the table, and already formed, but this is incorrect, for on many occasions in the presence of several persons at a time, they
are seen to be formed in full sight of all, in the manner I have just described, and to melt away, as it were,
in the same way.  Often, too, they have been seen to
form  themselves high above our heads, and firom
thence to descend upon the table, and then disappear.
The anniversary of our wedclding-day found us on the
steamer'Baltic,' bound for Dunkerque, from wllence
we went to Ostend on a visit to Imy mother-in-law, whio
was there for her health.  On seeing her, cat the moment of our embracing orne anothler, I had anotiler of




RUSSIA., PARIS, AND ENGLAND.      187
those singular impressions which so often come to me
at thle moment of external contact. It hlas seelned to
me as if they were caused by the disturbing element
of a physical substance which causes some secret chord
of the soul to vibrate and awaken what I may call a
memory of the Future, or that a flower of the springtime has been shadowed forth among the chill blasts
of autumn, as a token of the never ceasing care of
God, our loving father. fbr tis children whether in the
Past, Present, or Futlure, all being alike known to
Him. My sensations are so peculiar at the time when
such foreshadowings are granted me, that words can
but feebly express them. I distinctly saw at the first
moment of touching my mother-in-law, that after I
should leave Ostend, we should meet no more on
earth. This impressional prediction did, as has ever
been the case with those which have come to me in
this way, prove correct.
We arrived in Paris in August 1859, and whilst
there, I paid a short visit to a friend then in Switzerland, and there we had one or two sittings. On returning to Paris, a friend had kindly offered us the Chateau
de C-, where we remained about two months, at the
expiration of which time we came to England.  This
was in October.  My power had left me for some
weeks. One evening in November while I was absent,
my wife being in the room  with the child and his
nulse, loud raps were heard upon the ceiling.  They
both supposed that the sound proceeded friom some one
walking overhlead, when they changed their position,
and were heard upon the wall of the room, and in
a few imoments they came on the table. My wife asked




188        RUSSIA, PARIS, A.ND ENGLAND.
who was the medium upon the occasion, and the reply
was given that it was the sleeping child.  It was fur
ther said, that they had power to manifest through
himn, but that they would not, "6as the atmosphere
NN hich they made use of was necessary for his physical
development in the natural world."  From  this time
we have but once had any external evidence of any
spirit presence through him, though he has given us
nany indications of his being a seer.
In the latter part of November we were in England,
and the power returned, and I began to hold seances
as usual, and continued to do so until the 24th of July
in the following year. During this time, the manifestations were seen and investigated by persons of all
ranks and classes, from statesmen down to those in
hlumble life, and to them  again I would rather refer
for the accounts of what they witnessed, than to give
my own descriptions.  I select, therefore, portions
of their writings, a few of which have already been
published in " The Spiritual Magazine' and other
Journals, and the others now appear for the first time.
These will give the reader an idea of the nature and
extent of my mediumship during this period.
The subjoined is a portion of a letter from M[r. Pears,
who was accompanied by my friends M3r. and Mrs.
Cox.  He now saw the manifestations folr the first
time. 1" Almost immediately the table tilted towards
Mr. Home, who, raising his hands from  the table,
which still retained its inclined position, invited me to
look under it. to see that no material means were used
to produce this result.  I did look, and saw none. On
resuming my seat, the table returned to its position,




RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.          189
and then it passed into an utldulatory movement, as
if it were in motion on waves; it seemed, indeed, almost as if the top of the table were flexible: tlien
friom this movement it passed into a directly horizontal
state, so that a vessel filled to the brim, would not, I
think, have spilled a drop, and it rose from eighteen to
twenty-four inches clear friom the floor, all hands at
the salne time continuing on the top of the table; and
finally with perfect evenness it gradually descending
to its place.
G" Rlaps were then heard on the table, in the vicinity
of Mrs. Cox, which, by reference to the alphabet, purported to he produced by a deceased child of hers.
Then faint deliberate raps came near to Mlrs. P., purporting-by the same mode-to come fiom  Phlebe,
our deceased little daughter to whom I referred before.
"Raps were then heard under my owni hands, and
at the same time the depending cloth coverillg thle
table seemed to be moved nl) by something under it,
and was made thus to strike against my wrist.  I called my wife's attention to this, and she confirmed the
fact that it really did seem as if some one's hand was
under the cloth trying to touch my wrist. I said, half
laughing, which you might expect from my scepticism,
that I should not wonder if there were not some one
for me also. Immediately there were raps under the
same hand, strong enough to shake the table.
" Perhaps I looked dubiously at a phenomenon so
unexpected, for Mr. Homle said,' I sllhould like Mr.
Pears to be convinced that we do iot mIake these
sounds; perhaps he would get under thle table and




i90         RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.
Dbserve.'  I did so; and while I saw that they were
not produced by any visible agency beneath, they were
sounding a1s vigorously as ever; Mrs. P. beinlg witness
to their not being produced by the hands, or any other
visible ineans above ioard.' When I found that the raps under my hand purported to come fi'o m my grandfather's' spirits,' I asked
if he could take the large bell from nme if I held it. It had
aliready been taken out of lMr. Home's hand and lrung
under the table.  The response to  ny question -as
given by strong knocks.  I held it under the table,
being careful to lhold it in the direction of my 1 wife,
wvlose hands were on the table, and I felt it tugged
with strength out of my hland; it was rung, and thein
deposited on the floor.
M"MIany little things which struck me at the tine,
occurred during our seance, whlich lasted between two
aind three hlours. But there was one part of the seance
whlliclh  rcibly struck me, and which I Inust relate.
Mr'. Homle, soon after I lad assumed the presence  of
imy grandfather's spirit, tiassed into a singular state —
half uncoInscious as it were —and said,  Here's a tall,
old, upright, Quaker like man, yet Ilnot a Quaker;' then
he seemed to take on the mlanner and gesture, as closely as a young 11an can, of those Gf an old one —held
out his hand to me, and grasped it in a way that further renminded me of my grandfather, and addressed
iie in words somewhat characteristic of him, and went
on to speak of one whom lie ]lad held very dear, but
from whomn he had been long separated to his great
grief; but that they had happily Imet ill tlhe other world
and  \were reconciled. All upon this point was said in a




RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.        191
broken way, but with gestures and allusions which were
intelligible solely to myself, as the person and events
so alluded to touched closely upon my grandfather's
history in conjunction with nm-y own. MIy astonishment
was increased when, fiom MIr. FI.'s lips, fell the name
of her to whoin the allusion had been made-my grandfather's daughter! both dead when Mr. Illomel must
have been a boy in America! Long as I have knlown
you, friend Dixon, I think I never told you that lny
grandfather was of a Quaker fGanily, which was the
case.
" I was by this incident astonished beyond expres.
sion, and acknowledged to 1Mr. Cox that the history
which lad b)een sketched, and the reflections upon it,
were just what I should have expected mnight have
been madce by my grandfather.
"' I have not yet found a place in my system for these
phenomena, but that they are genuine phenomena is
settled in my mind."
Another account is given by Mr. J. GC. Crawford, a
gentleman who had for years resisted all belief in such
plhenomena as being impossible and absurd. It happened that a frienid of his from Liverpool was coming
to meet me at the house of Mr. Coleman, in Bayswater, and he induced him to accompany him. He shlail
tell the story in his own frank -and truthful worlds:
"' MIr. Home laid his left hand on the table and witlh
his right lifted tan accordeon, which lie held under the
table. My fiiend and I were asked to look below, whlen




192        I{USSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.
we distinctly saw it move up and down, apparently
held and touched by one hand only.
6" We continued to sit round the table. The roomn
was miade so dark that we could not see each other.
The table gave a violent staImp upon the floor; still we
kept our hands upon it. Then it rose in a mass twelve
or fifteen inches quite off the floor, so far as I could
judge.
"Mir. Home now said that he held the accordeon
under the table by one hand onily, when it played oui
beautiful English tune,  H1ome, sweet Homne!' in a most
finished style.
"Shortly after this occurred, a very curious affair
took place, in explanation of whlich I cannot hazard a
conjecture.  Mr'. hIome remarked,'1 feel as if I am
Doing to rise.'  The room was quite dark. He said,' I am getting up,' and as I was only a few feet from
him, I put out my hand to him; I indubitably'elt the
soles of both his boots, some thlree feet above the level
of the floor.  On my doing so, he said, 6 DDnt touch
me, or I shall come down;' of course I instanitly desisted, but down lie came. In less than five minutes
after this, he remarked, 6I am again ascending,' and
firom the sound of his voice, we could not but infter that
he was actually rising towards the ceiling of the anterool00l.
"l ie then appeared to float under the archway, then
to rise to the cornice of the room we were sitting in,
and we heard hIim quite distinctly rmake three cross
tiarks on the ceiling, besides doing some other writing.
Then lie came suf'tly down, and lay stretched out witl
his back upon the table, in which position we found




RUSJSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLANDo        193
him when tl-e gas was lighted, and when we distinctly
saw the marks on the ceiling, which we had heard hiln
make
a I aln well aware there is a ready answer by many
well-disposed persons to what I have written-that it
is all done by collusion and trick. In many countries
at the present time, and in our own not a century back,
all phenomena of a then extra-ordinary kind, were
quickly put down to the account of the devil. He
prompted Galileo to the adopted system of astronomy;
Harvey to the circulation of the blood; he was the
cause of witchcraft in Scotland, and had much to d.
with the wonders of chemistry, before it attained its
I)resent scientific certainty and value to the arts and
agriculture.  But the testimony of thousands of excellent witnesses cannot be set aside by any suclh plea.
Not many years ago it was fashionable to deny the
facts and uses of chloroform, homeopathy, hydrop'athy,
magnetism, mesmerism, &c.; now the curative powers
of these agents are commonly received amongst us as
I housetlold words.' Tlhere appears to be a law of progressive development in the universe. Should the supposed facts of Spiritualism be found to be real, after
oft-repeated experiments, we cannot doubt but they
also will have a permanent place with recent discoveries. No one, now-a-days, who thinks at all, can be
so bold and unwise as to deny that 6there are more
things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of "in out
philosophy.'
6 In the simple statement I have given of what my
friend and I were satisfied occurred on the evening of
our visit to --  Villas, I have avoided coloring the
9




194         RUSSIA, PARIS) AND ENGLAiND.
events, and for the sake of greater dlefiniteness, have
given figures of sizes, which, however  must be taken
merely as a near approximation to thle actual measureimnents.
6"J. G.o CRAWFOIM"
Mr. Crawford mentions the circumstance of my ilnmediately coming to the ground again on his touching
my feet. I have observed that this is invariably the
case whenl I am touched, or even anxiously gazed at,
until I have risen above the heads of those who are in
the room; but after I have attained that height, thieir
looking at me, or touching me, has no effect upon me.
What the cause may be I cannot explain, but it may
perhaps be some break in the inagnetismn  which is
caused in the former case, aud which does not occur
in the'latter.
On the 3d of April, 1860, I had been with some
friends to a lecture given in St. Jolln's W ood, by 1iI.
Louis Blanc, "On the IVysterious Persons and Agencies in France towards the end of the eighteenth century."  His lecture was a good deal occupied with
Cagliostro, and during the time he was speaking, I had
the strongest impression of the presence of Cagliostro,
and the lady who was sitting next me, was also aware
of some strong spirit presence by having her dress
pulled, and by other manifestations.
On returning home, I found that my wife had retired earlier than usual in consequlence of a severe headache. In the course of conversation together, she having asked bhow I had liked the lecture,  I said, " I have
been haunted all the evening by Cagliostro,9 on which




RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.        195
she exclaimned, "Pray do not use that word haunted)
it sounds so weird-like, and quite frightens me."  I
had by this time extinguished the light, and was now
in bed, when to my amazement the room became as
light as if the sun had for an instant shone fuilly in at
the window. Thinking that this effect might have
been only on my spiritual perception, I said, "' Sacha,
did you see anything?" IHer reply was, " No, nor
could I, for mny face was quite buried in my pillow,
the pain is so intense."  I asked her to observe, and I
then mentally asked that if the light had been external, it might be reproduced.  Almost simultaneously
with the thonghts came the light again, so distilcet, and
with such brilliancy, that no noon day was ever bright.
er. My wife asked if this was the spirit of Cagliostro,
and the affirmative reply was instantly given by three
flashes of light, so vivid as almost to be blinding and
painful to the sight. Answers were given to various
questions in the same wonderful manner, and then in
answer to a question asked, came a musical tinkle, as
if a silver bell had been touched directly over our
heads. In this way our farther answers were now
given, and we then heard a footstep on the floor, failling so gently as if it feared to disturb us by its approach. MlVy wife asked that it should come nearer,
and it approached us till we felt a form leaning over
the bed. In doing this, it pressed upon the bed-clothes
just as an actual material presence would have done.
We asked him  if' he had been a medium when on
earth, and a distinct voice, audible to both of us, said
in answer, 1" My power was that of a mesmerist. but
all-nisunderstood by those about me, my biographers




196        RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.
have done me injustice, but I care not for the untruths
of the earth."  Both my wife and myself were by this
time so impressed by such startling and almost terribly
real evidence of the presence of one who was in no
way related to us, that for a few moments all power of
utterance seemed to have left us. We were, however,
soon recalled to ourselves by a hand being placed on
our heads, and she, seizing my hands in hers, held them
up, saying, " Dear spirit, will you be one of my guardian angels-watch over me with my father, teach me
what you would have me do, and make me thankful
to God for all his mercies?"  Our hands were clasped
by a hand, and her left hand was gently separated from
mine, and a ring, which was the signet-ring of my father-in-law, Wvas placed on her third finger. This ring
was previously in the room, but at a distance of at
least twelve feet from where the bed stood. "( Good
night, dear ones, and God bless you," was then audibly spoken, and simultaneously with the sound came
three wafts of perfume, so delicious that we both exclaimed, " -Iow truly wonderful 1!9
Her headache was perfectly cured, and althongh our
nerves had been greatly agitated, we slept soundly.
The following day, and indeed for several days afterwards, my wife had occasional proofs of the presence
of this spirit, and he remained with her up to the time
of her passing from earth, and during the last months
of our stay in England she frequently saw him.
About the middle of May, 1860, my mother-in-law
wrote to us from St. Petersburgh, as follows:i
"Dear children,-You may not be aware that to



RUSSIA% PARIS, AND ENGLAND,       197
morrow I am to undergo a surgical operation. I have
seen my confessor; I have taken the sacrament, and
I now feel quite happy. Do not be alarmed, but do as
I do —trust in God.."
On the morning of Monday, the 29th May, my wife
being then engaged at a bazaar held at tile Crystal
Palace, Sydenham, I proposed to visit with a friiend
the establishment of Messrs. Barclay and Perkins.
We drove there, and had gone over nearly all the establisliment, when in the barrelling-room one of the
workmen proposed our tasting the porter. My friend
was tasting it, and the attendant brought ine a pot.
I put out my hand to talke it, and as mly fingers came
in contact with the metal, a deep shudder convulsed
my frame, and I suddenly knew that my dear motherin-law, who had been for many years a patient sufferer, had been released from her earthly troubles. I refused the porter, and requested my friend to acconmpany me home. In an. hour's time I was calm, and ]I
reasoned with myself how I could best conceal the
painful intelligence from my wife  That evening at a
seance she asked how her mother was. The reply
given was,' It is well with her now."  All present
but herself understood well to what this alluded, and
a friend on my left did all she could to conceal her
tears.
On the Thursday afterwards I heard my wife running up to my room. As she opened the door, and
before she had time to speak, and indeed before I had
seen her, I said, " Why, Sacha, I knew it last Monday."  She came to my bedside, and gave me a letter




198         RUSSIA, PARIS5 AND ENGLAND.
addresset to me from  my sister-in-law, containing a
telegraphic dispatch, announcing that my motlher-inlaw had passed from  earth on the Monday, and this
letter my wife had opened. Two nights after this, at
a seance where the Count T —  and an atheist fiiend
of his were present, her dear spirit came, and hier hands
were made visible, resting on her daughter's head, and
afterwards on mine. She wrote in -her own peculiar
handwriting, "6 You will love her always, won't you lF"
and she signed it " Nathalie."  He who came an atheist, was one no longer.
I take the following account of some new manifestations from the 6' Spiritual AIagazinle." It is called
"6 Two Evenings with Mr. Home," and is introduced by
the editor who says:
" We have received from  two correspondents, well
known to us, the following account of manifestations
on the evening of the 1st and 9th of May last, each
evening in the presence of nine persons whose names
have been furnished to us, and which we are perlnitted to supply privately to any inquirer who feels that
the knowledge of the names is necessary for his belief.
In the meantime Nx e can vouch publicly for the perfect
confidence which the narrative inspires us with, having heard the whole account friom the lips of the narrators, previous to receiving the MS. from them.
"MAY lst, 1800.
"The party was composed of Mr. and Mirs. Home
and seven other ladies and gentlemen. We sat at the
round table in the large drawing-room. Mlr. Home's




RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.         199
hand was moved to write-' The spirit of John is one
who was kind to your father during the voyage to
America.':No one understood this; but Mr. --  entering the rooml a ninute afterwards, expressed his
conviction that it was intended for him, as his father
had been to America.  Three loud raps gave assent to
what he said. The table then moved away from  ns,
and we inquired if they wished us to draw it to the
window. It was answered'Yes.'  We accordlingly
did so, leaving a vacant space against the window, unclosing the shutters, and by their directions extinguishing the candles. The fire burned brightly.  It was
spelled out,' There is a little too much light.' Mr.
--  and --  screened the fire as much as possible,
and the moon and gaslight from the street then alone
lighted up the tablu,; but did so completely, as the
moon was very bright. The spirit of Albert theu took
the accordeon, and played a beautiful air of unearthly
harmony.  Mr. Home and l held the accordeon together under the table, for thle power was very strong,
and the music loud-and the instrument at times was
nearily carried away fromn us.'" After a short time there rose slowly in the space
made by the window a most lovely hand of a female —
we saw also part of the beautiful arm as it held it ul
aloft for some timle-we were all greatly amazed.This hand was so tranisparent and luminous, and so une,,arthly and angelic, that our hearts were filled with
gratitude towards the Creator for permitting so wondertful a manifestation. The hand was visible to us
mnore from the internal light which seemed to stream
as it were out of it, than friom the external light of the




200         RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENhmAND.
moonr  As soon as it slowly vanished, Mdle. ----
who sat next to the open space, saw anotler hanrd forming itself close to her; and a man's hand was raised
and placed on the table, far more earthly and life-like
in appearance, and one that I thought I recognized —(we were subsequently told that I was rigllt in conjecture.)  Then came a dear baby hand; then the baby
(lrs. L —'s adopted child) showed its head; and
linally, spirit-hands held up the little child, so that all
nine of us saw her shoulders and waist.  After this, a
hard and arm  rose luminous and beautiful, covered
with a white transparent drapery; and this hand remained visible to us all for at least five minutes, and
made -us courteous and graceful gestures.
" Then spirit-hands held up to us an  exquisite
wreath of white flowers. I never saw any wreath made
by human hands so perfect in form  and design; and
calling for the alphabet said, IThe spirit emblem of
William's inother.' Then we were told they would
show us I The emblem  of superstition;' and a black,
shrivelled hand arose.  On some of us, remarking that
we could not see it well, the curtains were at once
moved aside, and thle blind drawn away fiom the top
of the window. It was beyond the reach of any of us,
and they then showed us the hand again, so that we
all could -see it.  The'emblem  of truth' was then
shown. This was more beautiful than all the rest-a
fairy-like fountain of apparently clear sparkling water,
which threw up shower-s of silvery rays, vanishilg
from our sight like mist, and dwelling on the memomy as perfection.  After this it was rapped out, 6 We
can do no more.'




RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.        201
" Mr. home was put into a trance, and as lie fell
back in his chair a gleam  of the most vivid light fell
upon me.  This light fell over my sho-alders, and
gleamed on my right hand, and came from a direction
whence no earthly light could have come. It came
from a part of the room where the spirit of one who
was a friend of mine when on earth has often stood
before, and from whence he has communicated to us.
This light was seen by no one but myself; but as I
turned round in hope of seeing the spirit, LMr. Home
said to me,' Yes, he is there;' and added a cormmunication from him.  lie then told us that the first hand
that we saw had been that of his own mother; the second was my father's, as I had silently expected; and
the hand and arm in drapery that remained so long,
camne for Prudence, and was the same that she had
seen one night when alone, several years ago, at Paris,
before she had ever heard of spirit manifestations. Iie
also gave us the full name of the Ispirit John,' who
had gone to America with Mr. A —-'s father; and
added some private information which Mr. A — corn
firrmed as true.
6" The events of this evening having been so wonderfull I have begged my friends present on the occasion
to read. over this account, and to sign it as witnesses
to the truth of what I have stated."'
" MAY 9th, 1860.
M ingling with those interested in witnessing evidences of spirit power, I gladly accepted an invitation
to meet a few friends on Monday the 9th of May, 1860,
at a house at the West end.  At a quarter after eight
9*




202        RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.
o'clock, we went into the adjoining back drawingroam, and sat down to a loo table.  There were nine
of us, Mr. Home being one of the number. Immirediately the table colnmmenced vibrating and gently lifting
itself off'the floor.  I say lifting itscgf, because no human beings in human clay were the actors.  Nothing
9ccurred for a few minutes, during which conversation
was kept up, and then the table gradually rose up off
the floor about four feet, or rather more than a foot
beyond our outstretched arms, the hands of which had
rested gently on the table before its ascent.  It then
descended. Mr. Home took the accordeon in his right
hand, by the rim  at the bottom  of the instrument,
leaving his left hand on the table, and then were
played some beautiful voluntaries, exquisitely attenuated, yet clear and melodious. They then came out
gradually fuller, and yet more full, till the room seemed filled with the volume of sound like a pealing organ, and still no false note. A fi'iend, sitting next to
me, forgetting  himself, exclaimed,'1My God, how
wonderful!' and after a breath, asked  if they would
give us some air we knew?' and having asked for'God save the Queen,' it was played at once.
"A  lady present, whose little boy had recently
died, had indications of her son being in the room;
and the accordeon suddenly commenced playing a
well lknowl' air, which on earth the little boy was very
fond of, as tallying with his mamma's natne. Reader,
was not there a truth of life and of love in the incident?
The mother thought so, and her tears betrayed her
thoughts.
" The detonations on the table, and sometimes under




RUSSIA, PARIS A ND ENGLAND.        203
my hands, were as sharp, and as clear, and as loud, as
if struck vigorously with the edge of a penny-piece.
"It was then rapped out by the sounds-' Go to the
window.' We rose, and moved the loo table to about
eighteen inches from  the window.  We sat down
again, but more closely, so as to allow a vacant space
ait the side of the table, opposite the window. The
sounds then gave out,' Put out the lights,' which was
done. We found that though the room was dark, yet
thle lilght from  the window was sufficient for us to
faintly see each other. The -window-blind then commenced moving up and down-no one near it-evidently to tone the light;:and while we were remarking
the singularity of the phenomenon, and how high it
went, all looking at it-suddenly it sprung up to the
top, and then came gently down to its original position.
Mr. Home felt something on his head, and found it
was a leaf. Su'ddenly the leaf of a geranium  was
taken and dropped into the lap of a lady sitting at the
table. We heard the snap as if breaking off the stem
of a flower, and immediately came down past the ear
of my fi'iend, and on his knee, a sprig of geranium;
while he held it up for us to see, I expressed a wish to
have one, when a sprig came past my right ear on to
my knee. I picked it up, and while showing it, another came past any face as if from the ceiling. The
geranium plant was in the room several feet from any
of us, and tie sprigs came down both on the right and
left of me.
"' After a pause, Mr. Home said he felt as if he were
about to be lifted up; lie moved from the table, and
shortly he said,' I' am rising' —but we could not see




204        RUSSIA, PARIS) AND IFNGLAND.
him —' they lave put me on my back.' I asked, will
you kindly bring him, as much as possible, towards the.wxindow, so that we may see him; and at once lie was
floated with his feet horizontally into the light of the
window, so that we all saw lis feet and a part of his
legs resting or floating on the air like a feather, about
six feet from the ground, and three feet above the
height of the table. He was then floated into the
dark; and he exclaimed:' They have turned me
round, and I am coming towards youn.  I saw his head
and face, the same height as before, and as if floating
on air instead of water. He then floated back, and
came down and walked np to, and sat on the edge of
the table we were at, when the table began to rise
with him on it. Mir. Home was then taken behind to
the settee next to me, and while there, we bieard sounds
several times as of some one giving utterance to a
monosyllable in the middle of the room. Feeling a
pressuLre against my chair, I looked, and saw that the
ottoman had been brought along the floor about six
feet, no one toluching it, and close to Mr. Home. He
said,'I suppose it is for me to rest on,'-he lay down,,
and the ottoman went back to its original positionOh! I am getting excited, let some one conme and sit
with me.' I went, and sat beside him; he tookl my
hand; and in about a minute, and without any muscular action, he gently floated away from  moe, and was
lost in the darkness.  He kept talking to let us know
wvlere he was. We heard his voice in various parts
of the further end of the room, as if near the ceiling.
He then cried olit,  Oh! they have brought me a
cushion to sit upon-I am sitting on it-they are tak



RUSSIA) PARISJ AND ENGLAND.         205
ing it away.' Just then the tassel of the cushion of
another ottoman in the room  struck me on my hair
and forehead as if coming fiomn the ceiling, and the
cushion was deposited at my feet on the floor, falling
as if a snow flake. I next saw the shadow of his body
on the mirror as he floated along near the ceiling. He
said, I I wish I had a pencil to make a mark oil the
ceiling. I have made a cross with my nail.' He came
down near the door, and after a pause, he was again
takeln up; but I did not see himn, but heard his voice as
if ulea' the ceiling. Again he camre down, and shortly
returned to the table we were at; and the sounds on
the table bid us  Good night.'"
This is an account of 1"Another evening with Mro
Home."'  It it given us in the words of the lady at
whose house the manifestations occurred.  I have not,
fborgood reasons, the liberty to give her name, but X
can answer ior her position and characterl and fob the
truthfulness of the narrative.  I have, in addition, the
names of the nine persons who were present.
6  cMay the 3r'd, 1860.-The table was moved away
from the remaining' seven of us, and we followed it;
suddenly it rose in the air, and without any help friom
us was placed on a large. sofa that stood before tile window. The spirits told us to move this sofa away which
ive immediately did, and the table then inoved of its
own accord up to the window where the hands had appeared to us on former occasions.  The shutters were
opened and the candles extinguished by their desire.
MI r. -Lomue sat next to the window, and I sat next to




206         RUSSIA, PAMI.S, AND ENGLAND.
him with Mrs. H. on my other side.  After sitting a
few minutes quietly I felt a forml glide behind me:
it touched my chair, placed two hands on my shoulders, and then drew the heavy silk curtain from a window behind me (we sat in a bow formed by three windows) and folded the drapery round me like a cloak.
The hands and arms which enfolded me felt as palpable as humnn arms would feel. On one of the party
guessing the name of the spirit, it was answered by
three startling raps, wlich shook the table, and felt as
if produced by a bar of iron-no human hand could
have knocked with such force.  As I was intently listeiiing to catch any sound, and straining my eyes to
see any form that could make itself visible, my comb
was taken out of my hair by a spirit hand, and laid on
a table at a distance from me. By tiny gentle raps my
darling spirit child told me that he had taken it.
Then a hand rose under the window, and pulled downl
the blind.'We distinctly saw the fingers clutch the
strin'g - this is a green transparent blind, through
which thle light can fall softly.  The hand then made
graceful gestures and pointed upwards, and when it
disappeared, it was followed by another, and thenl by
a child's hand. Suddenly I was touched on the sloulder, as if by some one standing behind me and wishing to draw my attention. I thoulght it was mny daughter, and turned to speak to her, blit I found no one,
I had hardly turned roud, w]len my left shoulder was
more strongly touched, and on turning my head a
spirit hland held out to me a box taken from a table at
the other end of the room. I received it with emotion,
and as a precious gift; and the sweet hand that gave it




RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.       207
was placed on my shoulder with a loving pressure.
The spirit of A- G- then showed his hand, touched
his sister with it, and played on the accordeon, which
by degrees was moved up in Mr. IHome's hand over
his head, the knocks at the same time beating measure, like a drum, very loudly on the table.  The accordeon was finally taken entirely away by the spirits,
who played on it at a distance from us, the drumming
continuing all the time on the table, whilst another
drum accompanied it freom the other side of the room.
As soon as this ceased the table rose up in the air, and
floated away from us high above our heads, passing
over sofas and chairs in its way. We were naturally
greatly interested at this wonderful manifestation, and
followed it into the darker part of the room, and here
arose a scene of indescribable confusion, but still producilg feelings in no way unpleasant, though we knew
not when we touched each other, who were spirits, and
who were fleshy human beings. The four cushions of
the ottoman were virtually hurled in the air at once,
and flew to the other side of the room.  In answer to
a remark made, a hand came down on my head, as
from a spirit floating above me, and pressed my forehead and stroked my hair. As we gathered round the
table nine or ten chairs flew up like lightning, one
behind each of us; the chair next to me was empty (to
the sight,) but when I tried to move it I could not do
so, it appeared as if nailed to the ground, and by raps
we were told that L- sat there. The united strength
of several could not move this chair.  The heavy sofa
on which G- sat was moved suddenly to the other
end of the room, and the spirit of her brother placed




208         RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLANDo
his bland in her's, and held it for several minutes.  Be.
fore leaving her he gave a most touching manifestation
He blessed her by making the sign of the cross on her
forehead.  During these inanifestations allnost every
article of furniture in the rooml was mloved out of its
place."
My dearly valued friend, Mr. Wason, who, after
twenty-nine years of outer scepticism, takes pride in
dating his new birth to the belief of a spiritual life and
a spiritual philosophy, from  his observations of the
phenomena which hie witnessed in my presence, wrote
at this time the interesting letter which I now give.
"In July, 1860, I was at a seance at the mansion of
a person of distinction, in Hy-Ide ParkTerrace, London.
"' Two baronets-one an M.P., and the other the heir
and representative of a deceased I.P. of eminent ability; the wife of a distinguished living MoLP.; and
others, including Mr. Holne, making eight in number
present. The hour was a little after nine, Pou.. Neither of the three first-named parties had ever seen any
spirit manifestations, and were evidently sceptics: the
rest of the party were mediums of greater or lesser
power, and seemed as much interested in watching the
effects of the spirit manifestations on the three new
coimers, as in the manifestations themselves.  We all
made a circle round a heavy loo table, capable of seat
ing nine persons comfortably (crinoline included). It
was covered with an ordinary danmask cloth, (a powerful non-conductor of electricity, completely negativing.
the theory that spirit manifestations were brought
about by electricity); and we were desired by Mr




RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLANDo          20)
hfome to chat ald talk as naturally and cheerfully as
we could, and not to be too eager or expectant of spirit
manifestation, which he stated had a strong tendency
to defeat the object. There were six lights burning in
the room. The floor (a first floor) shook and trembled
in a manner that all thought resembled the vibrations
and movement on a small steamer's deck when the paddles are in full work: some said it nearly resembled
the tremulous motion on a se8'ew steamer's deck, in
which I concurred.  This tremulous motion ceased at
intervals and was renewed, and this seemed to strike
the new comers very forcibly; it was amusing to notice
their startled looks, though they said little beyond concurring in the observations as to the tremulous movemnents. The walls also shook at times with a tvremulous motion. The table, which was a very large and
heavy one, was frequently lifted a few inches from the
ground, and at last it rose from  the ground at least
three feet, and remained thus suspenlded'twixt heaven
and earth, like L[ahomet's coffin, for a miniute or thereabouts, probably more than less.  The gentlemen
were invited by lVr. Home to ascertain if any mnachincry was underneath, and the two gentlemen who were
new comers swept with their legs under the suspended
table, to catch any prop or other machinery that might
be applied to raise the table, and they confessed that
no such machinery or prop was present.
" This seance, wonderful asit will appear-' stranger
than fiction'-was not considered to be an entirely
successful one; and the lady of the house, with cllaracteristic kindness, after speaking of the meagreness
of the manifestations, invited me to another seance on




A10        RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND.
the following evening, an invitation I most gladly accepted, although it kept me in London an extra day,
and overthrew my previously arranged movements.
At this second se6lnce we met rather earlier, a little after
eight o'clock p.m., in the same first-floor room.  Tile
seance consisted of a barrister of eminence and standing at the bar, and well known to the public, a literary man-an author of established reputation, and others to the number of eight —all on this occasion being
believers, except the author.
" The same tremulous motion of the floor and walls
as on the preceding evening, took place; and the table
was tilted and turned with even greater power than
before, and rose perpendicnlarly from the floor, from
three to four feet, and remained in this position suspended (Mlahomet's coffin fashion) for about a minute,
and then descended to its original place as softly and
gently as the fall of a snow-flake.  An accordeon was
played by an unseen hand, whilst it was held by one
of the party present, and afterwards by myself. I held
it over the back of the chair on which I was sitting,
using the back of the chair as a rest to my arm, the
accordeon hanging over the back of' the chair.  I sat
on the opposite side of the table to 1Mr. Home and the
lady of the houseo. The accordeon. was also played
whilst lying on the floor, and also on the table, and was
lifted without visible mneans from the floor on to the
table. The music was of a solemn and impressive
character.
6;A small spirit-hand, wsarm  and soft like that of a
eilild, touched my hand, and placed in it a small handbell, and, at my request, took the bell from my handl




RUSSIA, PARIS) AND ENGLAND.        211
underneath the table to its mother, who was the lady
of the house. She seemed perfectly satisfied that it was
the spirit-hanid of her little boy, who died three or four
years since, aged abdut eight years, and she received
repeated responses, spelt out through the alphabet,
sucli as might be expected from the spirit of a deceased
child to its mother.
" The bell was carried to several of the parties present
and placed in their hands; and lastly, was elevated
above our heads, and rung in mid-air, revolving round
and touching our heads (my own inciluded). I could
see the bell when it passed round my head opposite
the window. I could see the bell occasionally as it
passed between me and the window, the blinds of which
had been drawn down by invisible agency. Pieces of
mignionette and geranium flowers were placed in my
hands by spirit hands, and inside my waistcoat. I saw
one of the hands distinctly, which, as it came between
me and the window, was distinctly visible, as the blinds
did not altogether exclude the light of a summer evening and of the gas lights in the street.
"Thle curtains at last were drlawn by invisible means,
and then Mr. Hlomne stated he was being lifted up in
the air, and he crossed the table over the heads of the
parties sitting around it. I asked him to make a mark
with his pencil on the ceiling. He said he had no pen
cil. I rose up and said I would lend him,nine, and bh
standing and stretching upwards I was enabled to reach
his hand, about seven feet distant fiom the fioor, and
I placed therein a pencil, and laying hold and keeping
hold of his hand, I moved along with him five or six
paces as lhe floated above ine in the air, and I only let




212         RUSSIA) PARIS AND ENGLAND.
go his hand when I stumbled against a stool.  Mr.
Homer as he floated along, kept ringing the small handbell to indicate his locality in the room, which was
probably forty by thirty feet, and I saw his body
eclipse two lines of light issuing from between the top
of a door and its architrave-such door leading into an
adcjoining room that was brilliantly lighted. Mr. Honm
was replaced, as lie stated, with the greatest care and
gentleness in the chair from  which he rose, but this I
could not see.
"Previously to Mr. tHome's being raised up, the
spirit-hands of two of the barrister's deceased children
touched him. IIe did not doubt that the hands were
the spirit-hands of his children.
"'Questions were asked, and rational answers given
by means of the alphabet, in one of the ordinary ways
of communicating with spirits. It is right that I shlould
say, that this seance (as in the preceding evening) was
commenced with prayer, which I understood was the
usual course.
"6I make no comments on the above, and advance
no theory or hypothesis. I have confined myself simply to facts, whicli I can substantiate by legal evidence
in a court of justice; and I add my name, address, and
profession, and have only one desire, and that is-that
truth may prevail.
6 I am, sir, your obedient servant,
"JAMEs WAso, Solicitor.
"Wason Buildings, Liverpool."




CHAPTER IX.
THE 66 CORNHILL" AND OTHER NARRATIVES.
IT was at this tinle that the manifestations occurrea
which are described with such accuracy and intelligence by the eminent literary firiend who wrote his
account of what he saw in the'" Cornhill Magazine,"
nunder the title of " Stranger than Fiction." This paper
travels over nearly the whole ground of the physical
mnanifestations, and is written with such masterly observation, and ability of description, that I feel it will
be a boon to the reader to have soime few extracts from
it. He commences by quoting:
" The reply of Dr. Treviranus to inquiries put to him
by Coleridge as to the reality of certain magnetic phenoinena which that distinguished savant was reported
to have witnessed.'I have seen what I would not
have believed on your testimony, and what I cannot,
therefore, expect you to believe upon mine."'
For the information of Professor Faraday and other
such persons who believe in his foolish theory of involuntary muscular motion as being the cause of the
phenomena. he says: "6 While we were seated at the




214        THE i CORNHILL  NARRAiTIVE.
table, we barely touched it with the tips of our fingers.
I was anxious to satisfy myself with respect to the involuntary pressure which has been attributed to the
imposition of hands. In this case there was none. VMy
friends kindly gratified my request to avoid resting thle
slightest weight on the table; and we held our hands
pointing downwards, with merely the nails touching
the wood. Not only was this light contact inadequate
to produce the violent evolutions that took place, but
the evolutions were so irregular and perplexing, that
we could not have produced them by premeditation.
Presently, however, we had conclusive proofs that the
vivacity of the table did not require any help from us.
"Turning suddenly over on one side, it sunk to thot
floor. In this horizontal position it glided slowly to
wards a table which stood close to a large ottoman ii.
the centre of the room.  We had much trouble in following it, the apartment being crowded with furniture,
and our difficulty was considerably increased by beitng
obliged to keep up with it in a stooping attitude. Part
of the journey it performed alone, and we were never
able to reach it at any time together. Using the leg
of the large table as a fulcrum, it directed its claws
towards the ottoman, which it attempted to ascend, by
inserting one claw in the side, then turning half way
round to make good another step, and so on. It slipped down at the first attempt, but again quietly resumed its task. It was exactly like a child trying to
climb up a heights All this time we hardly touched
it, being afraid of interfering with its movements,
and, above all things, determined not to assist them.
At last, by careful and persevering efforts, it accom




THE 4 CORNHITLL ) NARRATIVE.        215
plislled the top of the ottoman, and stood on the sumlnmit of the column in the centre, fromi whence in a few
minutes it descended to the floor by a similar process."
The writer makes the following pertinent reflection
on what he has just described.' It is not to be expected that any person who is a stranger to these phenomena, should read such a story as this with complacency. Yet here is a fact which undoubtedly took
place, and which cannot be referred to any known physical or mechanical forces. It is not a satisfactory answer to those who have seen such things, to say that
they are impossible: since, in such cases, it is evident
that the  impossibility of a thing does not prevent it
h/a.vpeening.
Upon many subsequent occasions the writer says
that he has witnessed phenomena of a similar natulle,
and others of a much more startling character.  Hle
tells us, for instance, " When I saw a table, at which
two ladies were seated, moving towards me without
any adequate impulse being imparted to it by visible
means, I thought the fact sufficiently extraordinary;
but my wonder abated when, on subsequent occasions,
I saw tables move apparently of their own volition,
therie being no persons near them; large sofas advance
firom the walls against which they stood; and cholirs,
sometimes occupied, and sometimes empty, shift their
places for the distance of a foot or a yard, in some
cases easily, and in others with a slow, laborious movement."
As to the peculiar trembling of the table and room,
he says, i" On the first occasion when I experienced the
effect I am about to describe, there were five persons




216         THE 6 CORNHILL 9 NARRATIVEo
in the room.  In other places, where it occurred subsequently) there were seven or more. The architecture
of the houses in each case was wholly dissimilar, both
as to the area and height of the apartments, and the
age, size, and strength of the buildings. We were
seated at a table at which some singular phenomena,
accompanied by loud knocks on the walls and floor,
had just occurred, when we became conscious of a
strange vibration that palpitated through the room.
We listened and watched attentively. The vibration
grew stronger and stronger. It was palpably under
our feet. Our chairs shook, and the floor trembled
violently. The effect was exactly like the throbbing
and heaving which might be supposed to take place in
a house in the tropics during the moment immediately
preceding an earthquake. This violent motion continued for two or three minutes, then gradually subsided and ceased. Every persoin present was equally affected by it on each occasion when it occurredo To
produce such a result by machinery might be possible
if the introduction of the machinery itself were possible. But the supposition involves a difflctlty somewhat similar to that of Mr. Knickerbocker's theory of
the earth standing on the back of a tortoise, which
might be an excellent theory if we could only ascertain what the tortoise stood upon."
He now speaks of the raising of the table altogether
from the floor, which he repeatedly witnessed. " Presently the table rises with a slight jerk, and steadily
mounts till it attains such a lheight as to render it necessary for the company to stand up, in order still to
be able to keep their hands with ease in contact with




THE 46 CORNHILL v NARRATIVE.        217
the surface, although that is not absolutely necessary.
As there are some present who have not witnessed this
movement before, a desire is expressed to examine the
floor, and a gentleman goes under the table for the purpose. The whole space, open to the view of the entire
party, is clear. From the carpet to the foot of the table there is a blank interval of perhaps two feet, perhaps three,-for nobody has thought of providing a
means of measuring it, and we must take it by guess.
The carpet is examined, and the legs and under surface
of the table are explored, but without result.  There is
no trace of any connection between the floor and the
table; nor can it be conceived how there could be any,
as the table had shifted to this spot from  the place
where it originally stood a few minutes before.  The
inspection is hurried and brief, but comprehensive
enough to satisfy us that the table has not been raised
by mechanical means froim  below; and such means
could not be applied from above without the ineans of
immediate detection.  In its ascent, the table has
swung out of its orbit, but it readj usts itself before it begins to descend, and, resuming its vertical position, it
comes down on the spot from  whence it rose.  The
downward motion is slow, and, if I may use the expression, gracefull; and the table reaches the ground with
a dreamy softness that renders its touch almost imperceptible.
" Of a somewhat similar character is another movement, in some respects more curious, and certainly
opening a stranger field for speculation.  The table
rears itself up on one side, until the surface forms an
inclined plane, at an angle of about 45O. In this atti10




218         THE  CO RNHILL 9 NARRATIVE.
tude it stops.  According to ordinary experience ev
erything on t'he table must slide off, or topple over;
but nothing stirs. Tlle vase of flowers, the books, thle
little ornaments are as motionless as if they were fixed
in their places. We agree to take away our hands, to;tlrow up the ends of the cover, so as to leave the entire round pillar and claws exposed, and to remove our
chairs to a little distance, that we may have a more
complete command of a phenomenon, which, in its marvellous development at least, is, I believe, new to us
all.  Our withdrawal makes no difference whatever;
and now we see distinctly on all sides the precise pose
of the table, which looks, like the Tower of Pisa, as if
it must inevitably tumble over.  With a view  to
urge the investigation as far as it can be carried, a
wish is whispered for a still more conclusive display
of the power by which this extraordinary result has
been accomplislhed.  The desire is at one complied
with. The table leans more and nmore out of the perpendicular; two of the three claws are hligh above the
ground; and finally, the whole strncture stands on the
extreme tip of a single claw, fearfully overbalanced,
)but maintaining itself as steadily as if it were all one
solid mass, instead of being fieighted with a numbei
of loose articles, and as if the position had been
planned in strict accordance with the laws of equilibrium and attraction, instead of involving an inexplicable violation of both."
Of the nmusic from an accordeon playing by itself on
the floor, lie says:-" Apart from the wonderful co.n-i
sideration of its being played without lhands-no less
wonderful was the fact of its being played in a narrow




THE  CORINHILL"  NARRATIVE.        219
space which would not admit of its being drawn out
with the requisite freedom to its fiull extent.  We listened with suspended breath.  The air was wild, and
fuill of strange transitions; with a wail of the most pathetic sweetness running through it.  The execution
was no less remarkable for its delicacy than its power.
When the notes swelled in some of the bold passages,
the sound rolled through the room with an astounding
reverberation; then, gently subsiding, sank into a strain
of divine tenderness. But it was the close that touched
the hearts, and drew the tears of the listeners.:Milton dreamt of this wondrous terrmination when he
wrote of' linkbed sweetness long drawn out.' By what
art the accordeon was made to yield that dying note,
let practical musicians determine.  Our ears, that
heard it, had never before been visited by a' sound so
fine.' It continued diminishing and diminishing, and
stretching far away into distance and darkness, until
the attenuated thread of sound becamne so exquisite
that it was impossible at last to fix the moment whlen
it ceased."
The writer disposes of all questions of fraud or mechanical contrivance, by telling us: —  We need not
speculate on what might be done by skilful contrivances, since the question is removed out of the region of
conjecture by the fact that, upon holding up the instrument myself in one hand,. in the open room, with the
full lighlt upon it, similar strains were emitted, the regular action of the accordeon going on without any
visible agency. And I should add that, during the
loud and vehement passages, it became so difficult to
hold, in consequence of the extraordinary power with




220         THE " CORNHILL 7 NARRATIVE.
which it was played from below, that I was obliged to
grasp the top with both hands. This experience was
not a solitary one. I witnessed the samle result on different occasions, when the instrument was held by
)thers."
He also several times was present when I was raised
from the ground; and he gives the following description of what he observed:-   M:r. Home was seated
next to the window. Through the semi-darkness his
head was dimlly visible against the curtains, and his
hands might be seen in a faint white heap before him.
Presently, he said, in a quiet voice,' My chair is moving-I am  off the ground-don't notice me —talk of
something else,' or words to that effect. It was very
difficult to restrain the curiosity, not unmixed with a
more serious feeling, which these few words awakened; but we talked, incoherently enough, upon some
indifferent topic. I was sitting nearly opposite to Mr.
Home, and I saw his hands disappear from the table,
and his head vanish into the deep shadow beyond. In
a imoment or two more he spoke again. This time his
voice was in the air above our heads. He had risen
fiom his chair to a height of four or five feet from the
ground. As he ascended higher he described his position, as at first perpendicular, and afterwards horizontal. He said he felt as if he had been turned in
the gentlest manner, as a child is turned in the arms
of a nurse. In a moment or two more, he told us that
he was going to pass across the window, against the
gray, silvery light of which he would be visible. We
watched in profound stillness, and saw his figure pass
from one side of the window to the other, feet fore.




TIE C COR0NHILL " NARRATIVE.       221
most, lying horizontally in the air. He spoke to us as
he passed, and told us that he would turn the reverse
way, and recross the window; which he did.. His own
tranquil confidence in the safety of what seemed from
below a situation of the most novel peril, gave confidence to everybody else; but, with the strongest
nerves, it was impossible not to be conscious of a certain sensation of fear or awe. He hovered round the
circle for several minutes, and passed, this time, perpendicularly, over our heads.  I heard his voice behind me in the air, and felt something lightly brush
my chair. It was his foot, which he gave me leave
to touch. Turning to the spot where it was on the top
of the chair, I placed my hand gently upon it, when
he uttered a cry of pain, and the foot was withdrawn
quickly, with a palpable shudder. It was evidently
not resting on the cleair, but floating; and it sprang
from the touch as a bird would. He now passed over
to the farthest extremity of the room, and we could
judge by his voice of the altitude and distance he had
attained. He had reached the ceiling, upon which he
made a slight mark, and soon afterwards descended
and resumed his place at the table. An incident which
occurred during this aerial passage, and imparted a
strange solemnnity to it, was that the accordeon, which
we supposed to be on the ground Lunder the window
close to us, played a strain of wild pathos in the air
from the most distant corner in the room."
A most able, quiet, and philosophical description of
these and others of the phenomena which he witnessed, is closed by some remarks which it is too much to
hope that many will profit friom. There is so much




222         THE 4 CCORNHILL ) NARRATIVE.
unreasoning opposition to the facts, that an appeal
to reason in favor of them is almost out of place.
He says: —"  To say that certain phenomena are incredible, is merely to say that they are inconsistent
with the present state of our knowledge; but knowing how imperfect our knowledge is, we are not,
therefore, justified in asserting that that they are inmpossible.  The   failures' which have occurred  at
seances are urged as proofs that the whole thing is a
cheat. If such an argument be worth noticing, it is
sufficient to say that ten thousand failures do not disprove a single fact. But it must be evident that as we
do not know the conditions of'success,' we cannot
draw any argument from' failures.'  We often hear
people say that they might believe such a thing, if
such another thing were to happen; making assent to
a particular fact, by an odd sort of logic, depend upon
the occurrence of something elseo' I will believe,' for
example, says a philosopher, of this stamp, I tlhat a table hlas risen from tlie grounds when I see thle lampposts dancing quadrilles.  Then, tablesa?   Why do
these things happen to tables.'  Why, that is one of
the very matters which is desirable to investigate, but
which we shall never know anything about so long as
we ignore inquiry. And, above all, of what use are
these wonderful manifestations? What do they prove a
What benefit hlave they conferred on the world?  Sir
John Herschel has answered these questions with a
weight of authority which is final.'The q uestion, Cai
bono? to what practical end and advantages do your
researches tend 2 —is one which the speculative philosopher, who loves knowledge for its own sake, and en



THE   C00ORNIILLL 5 NARRATIVE.       223
joyss as a rational being should enjoy, the mere contemplation of harmonious and mutually  dependent
truths, can seldom hear without a sense of humiliation.
I-e feels that there is a lofty and disinterested pleasure
in his speculations, which ought to exempt them  from
such questioning.' But,' adds Sir John,'if he can
bring himself to descend from this high but fair ground,
and justify himself, his pursuits, and his pleasures in
the eyes of those around him, he has only to point to
the history of all science, where speculations, apparently the most unprofitable, have almost invariably
been those from which the greatest practical applications have emanated.' >
"' The first thing to be done is to collect and verify
facts.  But this can never be done if we insist upon refusing to receive any facts, except such as shall appear
to us likely to be true, according to the measure of our
intelligence and kllowledge."
This article was received by the public in the only
way which was likely, fiom the novelty to so many of
the subject of tile phenomena; and those who were
acquairited  personally  with  the marvellous occurrences so well described in the Magazine, well knew
their truth, yet the writer arid the Editorl of the " Cornhill " weire severely blained by many for allowing the
appearance of whlat they designated as absurdity. As
the article was anonymous, the facts stated in it were
deliberately denied by thle press, and to stetm thle torrent of abuse and unbelief, a gentleman, who has since
becomle my very esteemed friend, wrote, giving his'Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy, p. 10.




224             DR. GULLY S LETTER.
name, the following letter, which is introduced by some
prefatory remarks, in the "' Spiritual Magazine."'  The
letter of Dr. Gully, of Malvern, first appeared in the
6"Morning Star,"l which of all the London papers has
been the most fair and candid in dealing with the facts
of Spiritualism:e
"; Sir,-In Mr. Coleman's letter of the 11th inst., he
gives his opinion that the gentlemen who were present
at the meetings recorded in the' Cornhill Magazine,'
tunder the head of 6 Stranger than Fiction,' should confirm or confute the statements made in that article.  I
was one of the persons present at the evening meeting.
The other gentlemen were a solicitor in extensive prac.
tice, and two well-known writers of solid instructive
works —-not writel's of fiction-who, by-the-by, appear
to be so used to inventing that they cannot believe that
any one else can possibly be employed in stating facts.
It will be seen that the joke about'fools of fashion'
does not apply to the gentlemnemn lluded to, but that we
were all workers in callings in which matters of fact, and
not of fancy, especially come under observation. Further, it may be useful to some persons to know that we
were neither asleep, nor intoxicated, nor even excited.
We were complete masters of our senses; and I submit
that their evidence is worth a thousand conjectures and
explanations made by those who were not present.
Scores of times I have been nmuch more agitated and
excited in investigating a patient's case, than I was in
observing what occurred at the evening meeting in
question.
With this state of senses at the time, and revolving
the occurrences in my mind again and again, since




DR. GULLYES LETTER.           a2 5
that time, I can state with the greatest positiveness
that the record made in'the article,'Stranger than
Fiction,' is, in every particular, correct; that the phenomena therein related actually took place in the evening meeting; and, moreover, that no trick, machinery,
sleight-of-hand, or other artistic contrivance produced
what we heard and beheld.  I am quite as convinced
of this last as I am of the facts themselves.
" Only consider that here is a man, between ten and
eleven stone in weight, floating about the room  for
many minutes —in the tomb-like silence which prevailed, broken only by his voice coming from different quarters of the room, according to his then position-is it probable, is it possible, that any machinery
could be devised-not to speak of its being set up and
previously made ready in a room, which was fixed upon as the place of meeting only five minutes before we
entered it-capable of carrying suchl a weight about
without the slightest sound of any description?  Or
suppose, as has been suggested, that he bestrode an inflated balloon, could a balloon lhave been introduced
inflated large enough to hold in mid-air such a weight?
Or could it have been inflated with hydrogen gas without being detected by ears, eyes, or nose?'It seems to me a much stronger sign of credulity
to believe either of these suggestions, with our present
knowledge, than to adopt the wildest statements or
dreams of what is called Spiritnalismn.  Let it be remembered, moreover, that the room  was, for a good
part of the evening, in a blaze of lighlt, in which no
balloon or other machine sufficient for the supposed
paurpose could be introduced; or, it already introduced,
10*




226-            DR. GULLY'S LETTER.
coul'.d remain unobserved; and that, even when the
room  was comparatively darkened, light streamed
tlhroughl the window from a distant gas-lamp outside,
between which gas-lanmp and orl' eyes MIr. Home's
form passed, so that we distinctly perceived its trunk
and limbs; and most assuredly there was no balloon
near hlim, nor any machinery attached to him.  I-is
foot once touched my head when he was floating
ahbove.
"Then the accordeon music.  I distinctly saw the
instrument mnoving, and heard it playing when held
only at one end, again and again. I held it myself for
a short time, and had good reason to know that it was
vehemently pulled at the other end, and not by Mr.
tIome's toes, as has been wisely surmised, unless that
gentleman has legs three yards long, with toes at the
end of them quite as marvellous as any legion of spirits. For, be it stated, that such namsic as we heard
was no ordinary strain; it was grand at times, at others
pathetic, at others distallt and long-drawn, to a degree
which no one can imagine who has not heard it.  I
have heard Blagrove repeatedly, but it is no libel on
that master of the instrument to say that he never did
produce such exquisite distant and echo notes as those
which delighted our ears. The instrument played, too,
at distant parts of the room, many yards away from
Mr. Home; and fiom all of us. 1 believe I am stating
a fact when I say that not one person in that room
could play the accordeon at allo,  Mir. Home cannot
play a note upon it.'" To one wlhose extermnal senses have witnessed these
things, it is haird to increase the insufficiency of tlhose




DR. GULLY' S LETTER.            227
attempted explanations which assert the use of tricks
and machinery.  As I said before, it requires much
more credulity to believe such explanations than to
swallow all the ghost stories that ever were related. I
may add that the writer in the' Cornhili Magazine'
omits to mention several curious phenomena vwhich
were witnessed that evening.  Here is one of them.
A distinguished liUte'iraltemi, who was present, asked the
supposed spirit of his father, whether he would play
his favorite ballad for us, and, addressing us, he added,' The accordeon was not invented at the time of my father's death: so I cannot conceive how it will be effected;
but if his favorite air is not played, I pledge myself to
tell you so.' Almost inmmediately the flute notes of
the accordeon (whlich was upon the floor) played through
Ye banks and braes of Bonnie Doon,' which the gentleman alluded to assured us was his father's favorite
air, whilst the flute was his father's favorite instrument.  He then asked for another favorite air of his
father's, 6which was not Scotch,' and'The Last Rose
of Summer'  was played in the same note.  This, tile
gentleman told us, was the air to which he lad alluded.
6, I have thus borne testimony to the truthfulness of
the facts related by the writer in the' Cornhill Magazine,' whom 1 recognise as having been my neighbor
during the meeting.  And I have endeavored to show
that, as regards thle principal and most wolnderful phenomena, there could have been no contrivance by trick
or machinery adlequate to produce or account for their
existence.  How, then, were they produced? I know
not; and I believe that we are very —-very far fromn having accumulated facts enough upon which to frame




228             DR. GULLY'S LETTER.
any laws or build any theory regarding the agent at
work in their production.  Intelligent phenomena,
such as the music played at request, point to intelligent agents; and spiritual bodies that have quitted
fleshly bodies may be at work. I, for one, wish that
it were proved to be so; for a more solemn discovery
than that of a means of communication between embodied and disembodied sentient beings cannot be imagined. It giddies the brain to think of the possible
result of such a discovery. But, whilst I obstinately
stand up for the integrity of my senses during my observation of the wonders above related, my inner senses
cannot but observe many gaps that must be filled up
before the bridge between the spiritual body's life here
in the flesh, and its life elsewhere out of the flesh, can
be finished.  Meantime the facts must be patiently
and honestly accumulated, and enthusiasm  must be
banished fiom the minds of the enquirers.  And as regards the denials, and abuses, and jests of the non-enquirers, let it be remembered that scurillity and laughter never discovered or disprove anything in the
world's history.
"6 Respecting the purely physical phenomena, such
as the raising of weights whether of human bodies or
tables, it mcy be that we are on the verge of discovering some physical force hitherto undreamed of; who
shall say that we know all the powers of nature? Here,
too, dispassionate inquiry must go on, regardless of
the noise outside; regardless, too, of the ignorant and
malicious prejudice whsich would blast the reputation
of those who enquire in a direction opposite to that
prejudice.




DR. GUILLY'S LETTER.              229'Enquirers, unlike routine people, must be prepared to rough it among their fellow-creatures.'And
I suppose that I, for having asserted that I have five
senses as yet unimpaired, and for having testified to
what the majority disbelieve, shall come in for my
share or abuse.  Let it be so, if it helps on a truthful
search.
" I am, Sir,
66 Yours faithfully,
6 J. Mo GULLY, M.D.
"Malvern, Oct. 14o"




CHIAPTER X.
MIRACULOUS PRESERVATION. FRANCE AND ENGLAND,
WE left London the 24th of July, 1860, for the
Chateau de C ——, near Paris. One of the most reinarkable interpositions of Providence which have ever
happened to me occurred at this place.  Many, doubt
the possibility of such interpositions, but I have not
been allowed to doubt them, and I have to thank onr
Hleavenly Father that I have so often been made
aware of IHis ministering care and kind Providence.
I do not suppose for a moment because of this, that
H-lis Providence is.nore over me than over all His children, and I believe that in looking back over our past
lives, there are none of us who can fail to recognise the
finger of God directing and protecting them, often. in
somne irelmarkable and even  alnost physical way,
though generally, perhaps, through means apparently:olre remnote than) those which saved my life on the
i6th September, 1860.
I lad just returned fiom n   aples, whither I had been
to visit a friend —but who had passed firom earth before
I had arrived-and I found my health affected by fa
tigrue of travelling and mental depressionl. Being recommended to take much out-door exercise, during my




MIRACULOUS PRESERVATION.         231
stay at the Chateau de C —, I used to take with me
my gun-more that it might be said I was out shooting than for any great attraction the sport has for me.
The ChAteau de C —, distant half-an-hour by railway
from Paris, stands in a beautiful old park.  Some of
the trees are of very great height; one of the largest, a
northern poplar, stands a quarter of a mile from the
chateau at an angle of the park, where it is separated
firom the outer grounds by a hedge. To this spot, when
there is much shooting going on in the neighborhood,
the game used to come for shelter; and I, who am but
an indifferent marksman, could get easy shots by planting myself by the hedge.
On the day mentioned, I had been walking with my
friend, Midons. T —--  and orn his leaving me, I bent my
steps to this favorite corner, wishing to take home a
partridge. As I neared the hedge, I stooped and advanced cautiously. When close up to it, I was raising
my head to look for my game, when on my right I
heard some one call out, "'Here, here'9  My only
feeling was surprise at being thus suddenly addressed
in English. The desire to have a good look out for my
game, overruled my curiosity as to whom the exclamation had come from, and I was continuing to raise my;
head to the level of the hedge, when suddenly I was
seized by the collar of my coat and vest, and lifted off
the ground. At the same instant I heard a crashing
ing sound, and then all was quiet. I felt neither fear
nor wonder. My first thought was that by some accident my gun had exploded, and I was in the spiritland; but, looking about, I saw that I was still in the
material world, and there was the gun still in my




232         AMIIRACULOUS PRESERVATION.
hands.  My attention was then drawn to what ap.
peared to be a tree immediately before me, where no
tree had been. On examination, this proved to be the
fallen limb of the high tree under which I was standing. I then saw that I had been drawn aside from the
fallen limb a distance of six or seven feet.  I ran, in
my, excitement, as fast as I could to the chateau. My
friends, seeing me running, hastened to the window to
learn the cause of my disturbance.   As soon as I recovered my power of speech, I told them h]ow God, by
his good angels, had saved my life, and they returned
with me to the scene of what I must call my miraculous escape.
I will not attempt to portray the feelings of those
present, but if ever heartfelt prayer of. thankfulness
ascended to God's holy throne, it was then and there,
from us all, even to the servants, who broke off twigs
to keep as mementos of the mercy shown me.
The limb which had thus fallen measured sixteen
yards and a half in length, and where it had broken
from the trullk, it was one yard in circumference.  It
fell from a height of forty-five feet.  The part of the
limb, which struck the very spot where I had been
standing, meas ured twenty-four inches in circurmference, and penetrated the earth at least a foot.  The
next day a firiend made a sketch of the tree and branch.
We now speculated as to how it could have happened.
The tree is not a dead one, nor was the branch at all
decayed, and there was scarcely wind enough to stir
the leaves. The branch was so cleanly reft from  the
trunk that one might at first think it had been sawn
off, and the bark was not in the least torn about it.  I




MIRACOULOnUs PRESERVATION.        233
have been informed since that such accidents are not
uncommon with trees of this slYecies of poplar, and
that there are trees of a similar quality in Australia,
under which settlers will not remain for fear of such
sudden breakages.
A day or two after, Dr. Hoefer, one of the most
learned men in France, and for whom I have the highest esteem and regard, as a sincere truth-seeker, and a
friend deserving every confidence, canme at about noon
and requested a seance.  We had one, and a very
good one it was. Answers were given to questions
of the utmost importance.  All at once it was spelled
out, ~ Go, see the branch."  Dr. Hoefer, impressed as
it were, withdrew from  the table, saying, b"Perhaps
they are going there."  I went to the drawing-room,
and asked the ladies if they would join us-but the
day being damp and the wallking bad, they declinedo
I ought to have said, that the thick end of the
branch  rested, at a height of eight feet fiomr  the
ground, firmly against the trunk of a tree, so much so
that the possibility of its coming down had never for
an instant occurred to us, but rather that the strength
of several horses should he required to move it.  Our
surprise, then, may be imagined when we now found
that it had been moved three or four inches laterally
from its original point of support.  Dr. Hoefer said" I firmly believe that the branch will be pushed down
before us." I replied,'" That seems almost an imnpossibility."  At the same time I took in my hand one of
the smaller twigs and mentally said,'" Dear spirits,
will you push this branch down?"   I then distinctly
felt as if solve one gently touched the twig which I




234          MIRACULOUS PRESERVATION.
held; tnis was repeated, and at the third touch, as it
felt to mle, the branchl fell to the ground.
Four persons witnessed this, and are ready to tes.
tify to what 1 here relate.
I had afterwards a piece of the thickest part of the
fallen tree sawn off, and sent to me in London, where
[i still is-and with it on nmany occasions, so-me of
which will be afterwards mentioned, some very marvellous manifestations took place.
One evening, at the chateau, as we were seated
at the table, the spirits having requested that the candies should be extinguished, the table drawn to the
window, and the curtains opened to admit the moonlight, there had been some striking manifestations,
and the time had been passing almost imnperceptibly to
us all, when a gentleman who was present, said that
lie felt very much exhausted, and he asked for a glass
of brandy and water. It was brought, and he took it
in his hand, and was about raising it to his mouthwhel a spilit hand suddenly appeared, took hold of
the lower part of the glass, and disappeared with it
under the table. We laughingly said that our unseen
friends surely did not believe in the use of stimulants.
To this they assented by emphatic raps, and at the
same moment the glass slowly rose again before hLim
empty.  The windows being closed, we supposed tile
water had been thrown upon the floor, and we arose
to see where it was. We could discover no trace of
it.  About two minutes hac elapsed, when the same
glass which was standing einpty before him, was seen
without any visible cause, gradually to approach the
edge of the table, and to disappear beneath it. I do




MIRACULOUS PRESERVATION.           235
lnot believe that above two seconds could have elapsed
before it again appeared with the brandy an(d water in
it, apparently not less in quantity than when first
brought in, though the quality had certainly undergone some chemical change, as it had now lost much
of its brown color. By the raps, a warning was given
to all of us against such indulgence.
In September we left the chateau to spend a month
in Parlis, and we paid a short visit to our relatives at
Biarritz, returning to England at the end of November, 1861. My wife's health being delicate, the medical men hlaving discovered an internal disease, which9
though of a serious nature, might yet last for many
years, we did not during this winter see so many
friends. but I had seances as often as I could.
From  an esteemed friend, who had been rescued
from scepticism by the manifestations of spirit power
which he had so often witnessed, I find a letter desl'ribing what he saw in London at this time.
"' Seven of us were present in a large drawing-room,
lighted by a good fire and three gas-burners.  The
accordeon was taken by one of our friends who had
never been present at any manifestations, and in his
hands it was forcibly pulled and several chords played
-in nmy hand also the same was done, but the weight
of the instrument made the holding of it painful to
me.  We then began to be touched-and I felt a soft
body passing across my knees.  A  gentleman and I
wishing our hands to be grasped by a spirit, placed
our handkerchiefs over our hands, in a single fold.Shortly, the handkerchief was taken off by what seemed to me like air fingers-so gentle, so soft. It was




236          MIRACULOUS PRESERVATIONo
carried to the gentleman opposite, and by him received
and handed to le; the other was restored to the owner, tied into a curious knot. All other hands were on
the table during the whole of the time. Two of the
three gas-lights were now put out-and the fire burning brightly, gave a subdued light in the room. Mr.
Home then became cataleptic in his hands and arms:
he was raised from his seat till he stood upright, and
then he rose vertically till he was a foot above the
floor-his head level with the chandelier —this was
repeated twice, but he did not, rise hligher. On sitting
down again, the table-cloth was several times raised
up in different parts of the table, and I, with others,
placed my hand on the substance which so raised it —
and to my sense of feeling, it was as if a plastic hand
and fingers touched miile, yielding to my pressure.
During our conversations, approval or disapproval of
some things said were given by energetic concussions.
The loudest affirm-iatives were when it was said these
manifestations were by God's permission, to prove to
us the continued existence of our relatives, and of our
immortality; also that we could not be alone, as there
were ever about us unseen active intelligences, who
saw our actions, heard our words, and discerned our
thoughts.
6' The lady who was with me had laughed and wondered at my foolishness for these several years past for
believing in spirit-power mlanifestations; but now wonder, joyousness, and belief took possession of her, and
the candid avowal of her conviction, and the consequences to certain materialistic members of her family




MIRACULOUS PRESERVATION.         237
seemed to be producing a powerful effect upon her
mind.
"1 What is the use of spirits descending to the level
of our educational obtuseness, and producing tlle class
of phenomena detailed in this rough sketcha The
question is answered by my giving a portion of a let.
ter received on the 6th of this month fiom one of our
literary celebrities, whose name has not yet been prominently before the public in connection with spirit
manifestations.  Having sent to the editors of the
daily and weekly newspapers and magazines a printed
letter on spirit manifestations, I had a reply fromn one
of tile editors, who says"' II know all you have stated, and more-I have
seen and felt all you have stated, and niore. I believe
I am no'fool — I am sure I am no'rogue.' To ine
the belief has been an unspeakable comfort, thoroughly taking me away from that materialism into which I
had crept-and I believe that to be the main purpose
of spiritual teaching, and the reason why the great
principle is developed in our time.'
"I have had the same testimony given to me by
many otherso
" JOHN JoNES.
Basinighall  Street, 14th January, 1861."'
The important testimony of my friend Mr. James
Hutchinson, for many years the chairman of the Stock
Exchange, is one to which I would draw attention, as
it appears from his well-known character and sagacity,
to be just such as ought to be received as conclusive
evidence of what he relates. Mr. Hutchinson says:



238               MR. IIITrCHINSON.
" I hlave for some time past felt an interest in the
subject of Spiritual Manifestations.  Like most persons I had great difficulty in realizing the statements
made to me of the wonders which were daily witnessed by others, but the evidence of friends satisfied me
that there must be something worthy of investigation,
and I therefore determined to take every opportunity
of looking into it for myself. I have now done so, and
I feel it a duty to openly bear my testimony to the
-cts, leaving others to theorise on the causes and tendency of these remarkable phenomena.
" Recently introduced by a friend to Mr. D. D.
1Iome, a seance was arranged for the 23rd instant, and
together with Mr. and Mrs. Coleman, Mr. G. S. Clarke,
Mr. To. Clarke, Mr. Gilbert Davidson, and another lady
and gentleman unknown to me, we formed a party of
nine. Shlortly after sitting down we all felt a tremulous motion in our clhairs, and in the table, which was
a very heavy circular drawing-room table. This movement of the table increased in power, and at the suggestion of Mr. Coleman, it imitated the exact action
and sound of a stroke of a powerful marine engine
acting on and vibrating the timbers of a weak-framed
vessel.
" The rapping sounds on the table and floor were
constant; the heavy table was raised up repeatedlyand these manifestations were continued whilst my
friend, r/Ir. Clarke, and another were seated, at the request of Mir. Iomen, undeer the table.
"Two hand-bells, one weighing at least a pound and
a half, were passed from one to another of the party
by the unseen agencies.  All of us in turn felt the




MR. HUTCHINSON.              239
touch and pressure of a soft and fleshy like-hand.  I
saw the full formed hand as it rested on my knee.
The accordeon, whilst held by 3Mr. Home in one hand,
discoursed most eloquent music, and then to our great
astonishment it was taken from hlim, and whilst both
his hands and those of all of the party were visibly
imposed on the surface of the table —the accordeon,
suspended from  the centre of the table, gave out an
exquisite air, no human hand touching it!
" These and many other incidents of a seriously inpressive but private character, of which I do not hesitate to speak among my friends, occupied about four
hours of what I must admit to be one of the most interesting I have ever spent. I place the facts as we
witnessed them  at your disposal for publicity, if you
please, merely adding, that contrary to the assertions
so constantly made that the manifestations are always
in the dark, the whole of the phenomena of which I
have spoken were manifested in a room lighted with
gas, and a bright fire burning.
"Yours, &c.,
"6 JAMES IUTOCHINSON.
January 26th, 1861."
The following editorial remarks, introducing the letter of "A  Plain Man," appeared in the'Sunday
Times,' of the 17th February. The "Plain Man"' is
well known to me, and I can personally vouch for his
highl character and intelligence, but he is in a position,
whiclh makes it a matter of prudence that it should not-,
be known publicly that lie has seen what he lhas seen.
If science and religion are satisfied with this unelbhari.




240               A PLAIN MAaN.
table state of things, I confess that I am. not, and that
I sigh for the days when every man and woman will
be able to tell the truth without being robbed of their
bread by the calumnies of those who are simply uninformed as to the facts which are observed. The editor
of the' Sunday Times,' says:"In accordance with the pledge we made at the
time when we inserted a notice of Mr. Novra's lecture,
we hasten to give publicity to a letter which we have
received, accompanied by the name and address of
the writer. From the high position which that gentleman holds, and the widely-admitted truthfulness of his
assertions, we cannot do otherwise than believe that he
personally saw all that he relates, and thus we are
again thrown back on the sea of doubt-anxious to arrive at the truth, yet unable to do so. Fortunately, it
is not our duty to decide, or even to give our opinion
on such matters; we, therefore, publish the letter hoping that if a certain enlightening spirit is granted,
which may clear up the truth, that it may be shed
upon us, or that if the whole thing is fictitious and imaginary, the delusion may soon be dissipated.  Too
nuch credulity on the one hand is contemptible.  A
blind obstinacy has often nearly marred the best revelations which Providence has vouchsafed to science.
T6 o the Editor of the I'Sunday Times8.' Sir, —For some time I have been waiting for a favorable opportulity to address you, and to state certain facts connected with Spiritualism, which clearly
demonstrate the existence of what many persons seem




A PLAIN MAN.                241
determined to deny.  Such sceptics, by their arguments, so far from doing any injury to the cause, have
been the means of inducing nmany to enquire into thile
phenomena, who otherwise, in all probability, would
iLaver have thought of doing so, and as a consequence,
have converted them into thorough believers.  ]Nine
such cases have occurred at my own house.  Again,
throughout all the books and articles I have read, I
never have found advanced one single article against
the possibility of a communication with the spiritual
world,- but merely expositions of the tricks practised by
some interested persons, thus confirming those who
were only half convinced, and enabling all who are
fortunate enough to be present at a Oonac fide seance,
more easily to distinguish between reality anld deceit.
Clearly, such persons deserve the thanks of us all. The
columns of a newspaper could not admit, nor have I the
time to write, the many reasons to be adduced in favor of the probability of spiritual manifestations; all I
ask of you is to insert a plain statement, friom a plain
man, of' certain facts so striking, extraordinary, and
convincing, that those who have seen them cannot fail
to believe, and by which not only are the ideas of a
nman's lifetime upset, but the very laws of nature and
gravitation as hitherto understood, appear to be scattered to the winds.
"; A few nights since, a party of seven including Mr.
I-ome and two ladies, assembled, en seance round a
heavy large circular table. For a short time nothing
extraordinary took place, but at length a convulsive
throbbing was felt in the table, which shortly began to
nuove, undulating with an easy, graceful movement,
11




242                 A PLAIN MAN.
and rasEing tself at times aoout a foot oW the gro-.a.
At the same time there were knocks in quick succession under the table, on the floor, ceiling, and round
the room, a gentleman being under the table at thle
time, at IMr. Hom1e's request, to guard against the possibility of collusion.  After some trivial communications, a small hand-bell was held by me under thle table, and in a few  minutes I perceived, on looking
down, a small white hand (every other hand belonoginr,
to the pairty a(ssembled, being on the table), which
commenced caressing and playing with mine. After
ringing the bell once or twice (in my hand), I asketd
that it sllonld be conveyed to a gentleman opposite,
and no sooner was nmy wisIh expressed than I felt it
pulled from my hand, and deposited in that of the gentleman I had indicated. This was done several times.
The hand was stmooth and white as a child's, and was
quite visible, there being two gas jets burning in the
room. An accordeon was held at the side of the table
by 1Mr. HIomne, whlen the most lovely, plaintive, and
melodious music was played, and no sooner had I expressed a wish to hear the I'Last Rose of Sunmmer,'
than1; 1 at tune was played, at which moment the accordeoal was resting on my feet, without a hand of
earthly description near it, it having been taken out of
IiMr. Home's hand and deposited there.  Several hands
now appeared in quick succession moving different articles of furniture; and one, a particularly powerful
one, having touched Mr. Home, lie exclaimed that
enormous strength hatd been given hihm.  It certainly
had, and lie proceeded at once to exercise it.  A block
of wood, from the large arm of the tree of great weight,




A PLAIN MAN.                 243
from the falling of which he was so wonderfully preserved, was taken up by Mr. HIome as if it were a straw,
carried round the room under his arm, and finally deposited near the table. It seemed of no weight to him,
and yet, when two gentlemen, each of them apparently
amuch more powerfiul than Mr. Home, essayed, they
could hardly move it. A  singular circumstance connected with Mr. IHome's receiving such extraordinary
strength it is necessary to mention.  One of the gentlemnen present had lost a very dear fi'iend in the late
war in the Crimea, and who, prior to leaving this
country, gave him his photograph. It was the only
one he ever sat for, and after the decease the family
asked for it to get it copied, but they had not returned
it.  On several occasions the spirit has manifested himself', and has constantly reproached this gentleman for
having parted with it. On this evening a similar message
was received, when hae mentally asked for sucll a manifestation as would fullly identify him with the departed
friend. When in the world, he was a most powerful
muscular ialn; and to convince this gentleman it was
he, who enabled Mr. Home, through himself, to lift
this Inass of timber, which at another time he could
not have moved.  [le last words spelt out were,' Get
back a copy at least.'
"Another hand now appeared: and on Mr. Home
being, touched by it, he exclaimed, I They are raising
yme; do not look at me till I am above the level of the
table, as it might have the effect of bringing me down.'
Almost at the samie moment Mr. Home was raised up
and floated in the air at the height of about five feet,
touching one gentleman on the head slightly as he




244                A PLAIN M:AN.
passed, but on approaching the window he came again
gently to the ground. He remarked,'Their strength is
hardly great enough yet, but I feel that it will be
soon.' Tile table which for some time had remained
passive, now began to heave and throb most violently,
and finished by moving towards a sofa at the end of
the room, obliging all sitting round to follow it. We
had scarcely resumed our seats, when our attention was
attracted by seeing a small table move across the room;
and finally, after much difficulty, raise itself, and stand
in the centre of the large table round which we were
sitting.'Less earthly light' was now spelt out, and
the two gas-lights were turned down, leaviing merely a
bright blazing fire, which clearly illuminated the whole
room. This was scarcely done, when a small baby's
hand was seen creeping up a gentleman's arm, and almost at the same time he perceived between Mr. Home
and himself the form  of an infant in white. Beiing
natur!ally very fond of children, he thought nothing of
it, merely imagining that his inclinations were known;
but on his wife's asking if it was not the spirit of her
little child now passed away, a timid answer in the affirmlative was given —-a bright light appearing close to
the sofa at the same moment, which, by degrees, faded,
and at last disappeared. The small table which, it
must be remembered was still upon the large one, now
began to mllove, and at the same moment the same hand
that before imparted such supernatural strength to Mr.
Home was again seen grasping him. His arms were
raised above his head, he was again lifted about- two
feet off the ground and carried towards the window,
and when there, he was raised to within about eighteen




A PLAIN MAN.                245
inches of the ceiling. After remaining floating for
about two minutes he descended; but on coming near
his chair, he was again elevated, and placed ill a standing position in the centre of the table, together with the
small one. His weight not resting on it, it had no effect, nor was there even a creak heard. In about a
minute both Mr. HIome and the small table were elec
vated for a fourth time in the air, about a foot off the
surface of the large table, and, after remaining in that
positionl for about a minute, he descended and resumed
his seat.;" Such is a short account of this mnost rernarkablc
and satisfactory seance. I need scarcely add that of
necessity I have been compelled to omit many small
details which, although interesting in themselves, sink
into insignificance by the side of the wonderful manifestations above described.
"I'  remain, Sir,
" Your obedient servant,
" A PLAIN MAN.
By this time the health of mny wife was failing, and
she was sometimes confined to bed.  One night the
spirit of her mother came to us, and after making three
crosses npoil Sacha's brow, the hand being invisible
but still perfectly tangible, my wife said to me, "' Oll,
mama is blessing me, and I feel suchI a strange thrill
of joy."  I now felt the hand laid upon my brow, and
again the present was obliterated fromn my imind, and
I saw the being so dear to me as passing from earth.
It was so terrible a reality that I would have given
worlds to have felt that there could be even the slight.




246                A PLAIN MAN.
est possibility of my having been deceived. Her mo.
ther told me that the disease which would cause her to
pass from earth was not the oel we had so dreaded,
but would be, in fact, consml.nption. From that moment, every time our kind-hearted and experienced
doctor came, I urged him to see whether or no he could
detect the slightest change, as indicating disease of the
lungs; but he said, though great weakness existed,
still active disease was not going on, and he thought it
might be avoided.  As soon as the dear one could undertake the journey, we went to Bournenmouth, where
our friend, AI[rs. Pa, joined us, and we there found
the symptoms of lurg-disease to have increased. Accordingly, a Inedical man was called ill, who, with one
of his colleagues, pronounced the left lung' to be unsound. I was alone when they told me this; and when
I entered my wife's room, she wished to know what
the result of their diagnosis had beenl. We had, when
first married, promised to each other that if ever one
knew the other to be seriously ill, we would not attempt to conceal it. Still I had never had the courage
to tell her what her mother had revealed to me; for to
one so young, and whose life had everything to make
it desirable, it seemed hard to think that a new existence so soon awaited her. I felt, however, that I must
be true to my promise, and I told her what the doctors
had said, She smiled, and said, " Do you thlink I can
remaif on earth ten days?"  I told her that not only
ten days, but that in reality she might live ten years,
but that still all was uncertain.  She took my hand in
hers, and said, " Do you remember, Daniel, when my
mother blessed me a month ago, and I told you what




MR. COX5S LETTER.                247
a thrill of joy I felt?  Well, I feel that she is here now,
and I feel a continuation of the self-same thrill. I am
going to her, but God will not separate us. I will ever
watch over G-richa and yot.'"  She asked me for her
writing desk, alid then wrote letters, which she sealed
and addressed, adding the words, "To be opened after
I am gone."  Just as she was about to finish the last
letter, our child ran into the room, and sitting on her
0knee, he caressingly stroked her cheek, saying, " TMama is too good to be ill."  This so affected her that slhe
buirst into tears, and t!lese were the only tears she ever
slhed at the tllought of leaving the body.  Distinct
musical sounds were now heard every night in our
room, and on more than one occasion the singing of a
bird was lleard for mnore than an hotL' over her bed.
aTe remained at Bournemouth about three weeks, and
finding the climate very unsuitable, went to the countryhouse of our kind friend, Mr. Cox, it FHampshire,
where we remained a month.  M[y wife now frequently
saw both her father and mother, and also a little boy
whom she did not recognize, and her mother told her
that he was her' brother who had passed from  earth
when only a fitw thours old.  Here occurred some curious phenomena which are described in the letter of
nmy friend, Mir. Cox, of Jerlmyn Street:
";Thie late Robert Owen, a short time previous to
his passinig froml earth, had given me a writing desk
which had belonged to his wife, and which contained
amongst other things a box of paints.  As I had other
things of his as remembrances, 1 felt it more just after
his departure, that some member of his family should




248                RMR. COX9 S LETTER.
possess the desk, which h]ad belonged to their mother;
and I therefore gave it to his son, Mr. Robert Dale
Owen, in order that he might take it with him  to
America. I felt, however, at the time an almost irresistible impulse to retain the desk, but the feeling of
right overcame it. The fact had almost escaped my
mnemory, when at nearly the first seance I had with
Mr. Home aftel his return from Russia, the spirit of
my old and valued friend, Mr. Owen, came and said,
I You must tell Robert to return you that writing desk;
and why did you give it to) him, for I did all I could to
impress you not to part with it.' I wrote this to Mr.
Robert Dale Owen, and in due time the desk was returned to me.  We were then at my house in the
country, and Air. and M~rs. Home canme to spend a short
time with us.  ilMy little iboy was then, and had been for
some time previously, indisposed, Cand medical advice
had been called in, but to little purpose.  The spirits
had previously prescribed for him, and now they said
they would magnetize some pure spring water, which
would benefit hlimo  For this purpose a decanter was
procured, and placed on the middle of the table at
which we were sitting.  I placed it there myself, and
had taken every precaution that no one should touch it.
The water in thedecanter became agitated after a few
nmomnents without any visible cause, anld a powerful
aroma camne from the bottle,  We tasted the water,
and found it was strongly impregnated with something
which gave it a decided flavor, but what it was we
klnew not: it was not like anrything we had tasted before. Mr. Home was then thrown into the trance state,
and taking the decanter in his right hand, he walked a




MR. COX 5 LETTER.             249
few feet from the table, holding it in full view all the
time, when, to my astonishment, I saw another decanter, apparently precisely similar to the other, in his
left lhand. Thus, in each of his hands I saw a decanter; and so real was the second that I could not have
told which of them was the material one. Even if a
trick had been intended, here was no opportunity for
it, and as the decanter was a large one, another one
could not have been' concealed up Mr. Itome's coatsleeve, or about his person.  A little later, Mr. Owen's
spirit came and desired his wife's writing desk to be
placed on the table; and now the room was darkened
to see if' we could distinguish spirit lights, which were
then seen by three of us.  Presently we heard the
writing desk opened, and a hand was placed in mine,
another in imy wife's, and a third in Mr. Home's, each
hand differing in size from the others.  The alphabet
was called for, and 6 I fear I may have spoilt your
Claude,' was spelt out.  We could not understand
this; but when the lamp was relighted, we found that
some paint had been taken from the box fiom inside
the desk, and had been freely used on one of my paintings which hung several feet from where we were sitting.
";WM. Cox."
We now returned to London; and the first day of
our arrival our valued friend, Dr. H —, called on us,
still hoping that the medical men had made a mistake
in pronouncing the lung to be diseased; and as he was
sounding the chest, my dear wife looked up at him
la.ughingly, and said, "You see how very different it




250           MR. WILKINSON S ACCOUNT.
is now to.what it used to be. I myself cal distinguish
the difference in the sound."  HIe sorrow7fully shook
his head, and said, "'It is but too true, and with your
belief I would not attempt to conceal it fronm  you."
Many times did he reiterate these words during her
illness, adding, "Witli my other patients I have to
give them hopes that they are going to stay, and you
are ever asking me for hopes that you are to go."
During our stay iin London I had a sancee almost
every Ilight, my wife feeling that they did her good
both physically and spiritually.  The character of the
manifestations occurring at this time will be seen in
the accounts which are given by my two firiends. That
of Mr. W. M. Wilkitlson is as follows:MJy First &Sance with -Mr. Home.
"61Though I llave been on terms of intimacy with
Mr. I-Iome for some years, and have hleard and read of
all the wonderfuil things which occur in his presence,
yet this 19th Junle, 1861, is the first time I have come
to see tlhem for myself. It has not been because I disbelie ved thenl, (or tllotught them of no importance; for
I quite believed them, and thought them of very great
importajce.  Having  been, however, in the habit of
hearing from friends of all that was occurring, I was
fully satisfied with their accounts, and did not think
that they were so rmuch beneath me in observation,
that it was necessary for my own eyes to convince me.
I take no credit to myself for this, for it is mainly a
consequence of my own experience. I reineumber about
twenlty-five yearss ago, when I first } heua'd of moesmer




MR. -WILKINSON S ACcoUNT'r          251
ismn, and of' its psycllhological wonders, I commnitted the
folly ofi saying that I did not believe a word. of it-and
since I hlad on that occasion to surrender at discretion,
on seeing for myself, I hlave made tnucll fewer similar
mistakes.  Since that time, I have pursued  this and
kindred subjects, and I may fairly say that I can now
readily believe in much more thanl  I once thoughit possible.  I have found tlis, at all events, convenient,
for I have not lhad so often to find myself at variance
witl facts, which is always a painful position to be in;
and, besides, it has opened unp to me a new world of
spiritual forces, which, thoughI generally ignored, I
have found to accomnt for many of the strangest, and
otherwise incomprehensible chapters of human l istory.' I had on two or three occasions, through NMr. Squire
and other mediunms, seen plhenoniena as wonderfiul as
those which I now witnessed in the presence of Mr.
Home.  I )had seen nearly all thle wonderful things so
adlnirably described in the'Cornhill Magazine,' and
in the letter of Dr. Gully; I had  also been present
when others of even a mnore powerful kind were done,
and which were ably described by Dr. Blank, at page
161 of the first volumne of the'Spiritual Magazinle.' I
had several times seen, both in London and Paris, direct writing by invisible power, on paper placed beyond mortal contact, and I was well convinced also of
the alleged power of mediums to float in the air, by
having had one come down on nmy chest, as well as
having on other occasions had hold of his hand, whlilst
lie was floatingL, about the room.  I did not, therefore,
on this evening care to disturb myself and others by
taking those precautions which  would have been ne



9252         MRV. WILKlNsON S ACCOUNT.
cessary- if I were the President of the Royal Society, and
were about to make a conclusive report to that illustrious body of inquirers into physics. I did not doubt,
but I sat, anld saw, and hecard, and felt, and made notes.
There were eight of us, all well known to me, and
some of them known wherever' the English language
is spoken.  We were in the drawing-roorm of a house
in Cornwall Terrace, Regent's Park, and we sat round
a large loo table, and commenced talking.  Curiously
enough, one having said that Professor Faraday was
coming on the following IMonday to a seance, and speculating as to his guardian spirit not allowing him to be
easily convinced, tlhere were at once very loud knocks
on the table in affirmation of that proposition.  I was
sitting next to my wife on her right hand, and imnediately  afterwards I felt my leg gently touched, in
a position wliere it was impossible for Mr. Home to
have reached it. Then there began a gentle but deep
vibration of the table, chairs, and floor, till all the room
was shaking violently, during wlhich the table rose
about ten inchlies, the trembling continuing all the time.
The table began to rise on the opposite side to where
Air. Home was sitting, and it was clearly out of his
power to have raised it.  Mr iHome's chair was quietly
moved back, away ifionl the table, about three feet, and
wvhilst there the dresses of my wife and of the lady
next to her were both pulled, and so strongly that I
could see them dragging down.  I also felt my wife's
dress whilst being so pulled, and there was a powerful
fothree expended in the act resisting my hand.  At this
time M[lr. Hilomne wias fully six feet off, and both from1
di.stance, and from his being in full view, I could see




MR. WILKINSON S ACCOUNTJ          253
that it was done 1by no force of his.  IHr. Home now
held the accordeon in his right hand beside his chlair,
and it at once began to play.  He held it by the bottom, the keys being on the top, and they were therefore
out of his reach. It was impossible that lie could touch
them. I carefully examined the instrument, opening
the slide beneath the keys, and I found it to be a coinmon instrument, witth only the usual' mechanism of the
keys. There was nothing inside of it. I looked steadily at it, and at the hand and fingers with whlliCh he
held it. Tlhere it was, being pulled up and down, and
discoursing sweet sounds, whilst his hand was stationary, and his fingers motionless. I could see above and
beneath the instrument, but there was no visible cause
for its motion, nor for the opening and shutting of the
keys which caused the music. When it ceased, my wife
asked if it could not be played in her hand, and iun
mediately the instrument emitted three sounds, which
we took to mean that it would have much pleasure in
trying. It was accordingly given to her, and whilst
she was holding it, slle said she felt one of her fingers
being touched.  Ininediately afterwards the table was
raised about a foot steadily fiom the floor.  As the re
was no sound from the accordeon in her hands, she returned it to iMr. I4otme, but it was taken from his hand
immediately, and given back to her, and whilst in her
right hand it began to play. She felt it distinctly lifted
up and drawn forcibly down, and she did not anld could
not touch the keys, which, however, must necessarily
have been touched and opened to make the sounds.
In Mr. Home's hands a beautiful tune was now played,
during which we heard what has been so often des




254 5MR. WILKINSON'S ACCOUNT.
cribedc the full notes gradually decreasing until they
died away into the thinnest streaks of sound. By threo
quickly repeated notes it was promrised that the instrument should play the tune of the other evening, representing'The Two Lives,' the one in this world, the
other in that which follows.  The first, or thlis worlid's
life, was represented by discords grating painfully on
the ear, and whichl I thought did but scant justice to a
world which, though capable of improvement, still has
some rich harmonies within its depths.  In mercy to
our ears, the first life did not last long, and was then
succeeded by the second, which was mnade up of beautilul soft angel music, such as I had never heard.  It
played for several mlinutes, swelling into rich sounlds
of which the sweetness was enchanting to the ear, and
gradually changed into the dear old tune of' Home
sweet Home.'
What more appropriate and happy view of the second life could be given in musical sounds than this of
its being home; and what a sweet sermon on the relative values of thle two lives! I believe it was received
more solemnly, and yet more thankfully by all who
were present, fronm knowing the sickness I even unto
death' of one of the party, the youngest and thle happiest in her bright longings for tthis second life. It wotld
h)e almost blasphemy to ask in her presence what is
tie good of Spiritualism.  Such a question would not
cecur to a good man, and could not be asked by a
wise one. The, mere man of science who measures human souls by mnathelmatics, would be out of place in
such a scene, and lhad I not been too happily engaged
with my own tloughts, I should hlave felt glad that we




MRI. WILKINSON'S ACCOUNTo          2a 5,wTere troubled with none such.  I did not during this
last performance scrutinize the instrument further than
to see that it was held, bottom upwards, in AMr. HtIome's
right hand, his other hladl being upon the table, as
were the hands of all the other persons present, and I
am not aware of any natural means bly which an accordeon can be played under such conditions.  I do not
doubt for another reason, hlowever, having once had aal
accordeon play in my own hands, when I know that I
do it. I also know that Lord Lyndhurst, and iany
other public imen whom I could nlamne, have had a sinm
ilar experience.
"' But now the table rises aoain a clear foot friom thle
floor, and there stanids, not quietly, but strongly undun
lating, still so that I was able to make the following
note on my paper resting on the table, whilst it was
at its full height above the ground:-' Table rose a
foot.  Count 10. I wrote this whilst up and undulating.' It then gently descended to the floor again. We
now changed places according to directions, and a gentlemnan became imy right hand neighbol,' who, in a millute after, said that he saw a hand which he believed
to be his sol's. I did not see it, nor did I see three
fingers which my wife shortly after saw; but in answer
to a question, I had three taps on imy knee as fromll a
hand, still with no such distinctness as to make inme
sure what it was. At this time, several at once said
they sLaw a light cloudy appearance dart across the
-;oom, but, being behind me, I saw nothing of it.
"' In onre corner of the room, near where we were sitting, was a shrine with several Indian idols of bronze.
Suddenly, there was a commotion amnongst them, and




Mi 6R. WILKINSON'S ACCOUNT.
a crash, and a large one was thrown down, and brought
with some violence anld noise under the table. There
it appeared as if it was in the hands of some vigorous
power, and presently we found a jingling of some me
tallic substance against it, which afterwards proved to
be a metal ornamrental canopy, which had been unscrewed froma the back of the idol, and with which
questions were now answered by knocking them together.
In like manner, loud knocks were made in answer to
questions, by rattling the idol agailst the floor. A relark was made as to the want of respect tllus indicated, and at once a nulnber of jubilant raps were produced by again knocking the two parts of the idol together. Two or three times the idol appealed, pushing up inside of the table cloth, and twice it made its
appearalce naked above the table, and gently reached
the glronnd again. Some flowers were brought fiom
the shrine, and placed in the hand of each person present. Our present consisted of a rose and several pinks.
I felt the rose placed in my hand under the table, all
other hands being visible and on the table.
"Several times during the evening we all perceived
a cool air pervading the table, and wlhich it was impossible not to notice. The accordeon was now placed on
the floor, and all hands on the table, when it was
heard to sound clearly several times, but no tune was
played. It then tried to get from the floor to the table, but was not able to accomplish the whole journey,
and fell gently back to the floor. The table was now
again raised clear from the ground, both Irly feet being
on its pediment, and pressing lheavily downwards the
whole time. The resistance and upward steady move



MR. WILKEiSOiN9 ACCOUNT.           257
ment of the table were strangely curious, as was its
careful quiet descent, my feet still pressing on it, and
yet it reached the ground without noise. There was
now a general rattle amlong the idols, and several very
loud knocks, and then came an end of a very interesting evening, during which I have seen and heard what
was sufficient to convince me that those ale wrong who
deny the possibility of the phenomena. HIow they are
to be accounted for is another matter,  which may be
discussed with many honest differences of opinion; but
that they exist is not a matter of doubts but of certainty.  There are sonme well-meaning persons who say
that they are done by the devil; but I saw no signs on
this evening of any wickedness, eitlher in the work, or
in the persons who looked on. For imyself, I took up
much the same attitude as I should do at a scientific
lecture, illustrated with experiments and diagrams, and
I perceived no special influence but that of a strong
desire to observe the facts.
"G As to the facts being impossible, because they do
not square with the ideas of spirit and of matter which
are current in the Royal Society, that is not my affair,
for I did not make either the facts, or the opinions
which make them so inconvenient.  I do but state that
which I have seen, and if I have done so clearly, that
is my only wish. Facts will always take care of themselves, and those are the most wise to whom  they administer no reproofo  There is another reason why I
hope to have enlarged the circle of observers, by my
description of this evening's phenomena.  It is impossible for many that they should see what I have seen,
and so far as they can believe my testimony, the neces




5I8!MiJR. HOWITT' S LETTER.
sity for their personal seeing is avoided. Many things
niust be taken on the evidence of others.  Non cuivis
contingit adire Corinthum.'  It does not happen to
every one to go to Corinth, and so they who can't go
themnselves, monst take the account of those who have
been there. A certain few of a peculiar turn of mind,
colmmon to all ages, cannot accept the testimony of
others, and they are best left alone, till an opportunity
offers of convincing them by a mode suitable to their
peculiar weakness.  It is not yet fashionable to believe
in these impossible things, and as some one must begin and put Lp with the necessary ridictile, I willingly
submit my name for as much as can be made to stick
to it.
"Wc. M. WILKINSON.
"Hampstead."
Mr. Williamn Howitt, who has made such deep researches into this subject, and has in his great work
now  ready for the press, brought together the testimonies, ancient and modern, to the supernatural in all
ages, was present on several occasions to observe and
investigate the phenomena, and in an eloquent and
forcible letter which he wrote to Mr. Barkas of Newcastle, he gives an account of sonie part of what he
witnessed.
"1 I wish sonime of your negatives could have seen
vhat I and Mrs.  lIowitt, and several others saw at thle
ilonse of a lady in Regent's Park, about three months
ago, and the like of which some of our most distingutisled nobility hlave seen there repeatedly of late.
There were, beside us, Mr. and Airs. Hoine, and a Rus



MiR. HOWITT S LET'"ER.         2,59
sian Count Steinbock, aud several others. We had
beautiful music played on the accordceon when held in.
one hand by Mr. Home, who cannot play a note, and
the same when held by a lady. We hlad the clearest
and most prompt comnmunications on different subjects
through the alphabet, and flowers were taken fiom a
bouquet on a cheffonier at a distance, and brought and
handed to each of us. Mrs. Howitt lbad asprig of geraniunm lhanded to her by an invisible hand, which we have
planted, and it is growing; so that it is no delusion, no
fairy mIoney turned into dross or leaves. I saw a spirit hand as distinctly as I ever saw my own. I touched one several timles, once when it w's handing me the
flower.  My wife's silk dress was pulled so strongly
that she thought it would tear out the gathers, and was
rustled so loudly, that it was not, only heard by all of
us, but might have been heard in another room.  My
wife's handkerchief was taken from  her knee, and
brought and whisked against my hand at the opposite
side of the table; I thought, with the intention of nmy
taking it, but the spirit would not allow that, but withdrew it a little, then whisked my hand with it anew,
and then flung it into the middle of the room. The
dress and the handkerchief were perfectly visible during these operations, but the motive. power was invisible.
"Then the spirits went to a shrine of bronze idols,
belonging to the lady of the house, who bought them
in India. Some of these are very heavy. They pitched them dowvn on the floor, and with such violence
that the clash might have been heard all over the
house. The larger of these idols-perhaps all-of




260             MR. IHOWITT S LETTER.
that I am not certain-unscrew, and the screws work
exactly the opposite way to our screws; but the spirits unscrewed them, and pummelled their heads lustily
on the floor, saying, through the alphabet,' You mnust
all do your best to destroy idolatry, both in India and
in England, where it prevails in numerous ways. Idolatry of rank, idolatry of wealth, idolatry of self; idol
atry of mere intellect and learning,' &c., &c. The
different parts were thrown under the table, that you
might tread them under foot, and two parts of the idol
MAahadeo, of heavy bronze, were placed on the table
by a visible hand. The head of the idol felt to me
to weigh four or five pounds.
"' iAr. Home was lifted about a foot from the ground,
but did not float as he frequently does, in the strongest light.  The table, a very heavy loo table, was also
several times lifted a foot or more from  the ground,
and we were invited to look under it and see that there
was no visible cause. To us, who have seen so much
of these things, and to whom they are as familiar as the
sight of a bird flying, and far more familiar than the
present comlet, this was not necessary.
6' A few evenings afterwards a lady desiring that the'Last Rose of Summer' might be iplayed by a spirit
on the accordeon, the wish was complied with, but in
so wretched a style that the company begged that it
might be discontinued.  This was done; but soon after, evidently by another spirit, the accordeon was carried and suspended over the lady's head, and there,
without any visible support or action on the instrumnent, the air was played through most admirably, in
the view and healing of all."




CHAPTER XIL
A  DI ARY  A ND  LE TTER.
NEARLY the whole range of the phenomena occurred during our residence with our friend Mrs. P —.-.
in the Regent's Park, and she has been a fiequent visitor at other seances, and has kept a diary of every
evenling, which she has kindly placed at my disposal.
I propose therefore to make extracts from it of some of
the more striking uhenomena both of this and of subsequent dantes.
Short Extreacts from a -Diary, 1860-61-62.
D)ecember 15, 1860.-Mfy mental questions were
answered by raps upon my dress. I put my right hand
suddernly upon my lap, and tried to take hold of whatever it was that was touching my dress, but could seize
nothing. lJMr. Home desired me to put a handkerchief
over Imy hand. I did so, and immediately on putting
it down, a hand grasped mine, and I suddenly withdrew it. Determined to conquer the nervous feelings
that overcame me, again I put my hand duwn, and it
was taken by another hand, and kisses were imprinted
on it fiom tthe tips of the fingers all over the paln.




262            A DIARY AND LETTER.
An accordeon, held in Mr. Home's right hand, played
tne most exquisite music, swelling forth in full harnlonious tones, and dying away in notes of tenderness,
and of exquisite and unearthly music. His left hand
was all the time on the table.
A number of manifestations took place, and to mental questions I received intelligent answers, and I returned home from this my first seance with Mr. Home
convinced of the trnth of our being permitted to hold
intercourse with those who have passed to the spiritland.
-December? 24th.-The  accordeon  played  in  Mr.
Home's hand, then five raps asked for the alphabetand " Christlmlas Hymn" was spelled out; again five
raps, and " less earthly light:" we lowered the flame
of the four gas jets that were burning over the table,
and "' The Manger, the Life, and the passing away,"
was spelled out. The accordeon played a sweet air
appropriate to childhood.  " The Life" was represented by the most harmonious strains intermingled with
discords at times, as if it were thorny and pain-ful, and
the passing acwcay died onl the air with exquisite tenderness.
Januarcy 29th.-A  seance of eight persons.  We
had amused ourselves during the time with the article
" Spirit-rappilg made easy," in the magazine' Once a
Week,' which we left on the chiffonier. I saw something pass from the side of the room with great velocity, which vanished under the table.  A  curious noise
was heard like the crumpling of paper, a spirit hand
arose, appeared, and placed ill the medium's hand a
sheet of'Once a Week,' crumpled up and torn. The




A DIAIY AND LETTERI.            263
spirits were at work destroying the rnagazine —they
rubbed it strongly over Mr. Home's shoe, and then
placed his foot upon it. The spirits gave each person
a bit of the mangled magazine, and tile remainder wa
raised up by a large spirit hand, and placed on a vacant chair, which by invisible power had a short time
before been moved from a distance to the table. The
table was violently moved up to the centre window,
before which stood a piece of the bough of the northern poplar which had been sent from  the Chateau de
C, and which was a part of that, from the fall of
which Mr. Home so miraculously escaped. The heigiht
of the bough was three feet eight inches, and the circumference three feet.  Luminous handxcs were now
and then visible, tle table rose gently, and tipped many times against the bough; the spirits threw bits of
the torn magazine about it, and placed one piece under it.  I asked in I-indostanee, " Are you making
Mr. Novra do pooja to the branch 2"  To which they
loudly rapped " Yes."  The gas lights from the street
were streaming in, the spirits closed the shutters, and
we heard a curious tearing noise, a spirit hand came
across my hands, and plaeed upon them  a bit of the
bark torn from the poplar, the noise recomrmenced,
and to eNvery one of the circle a bit was giveln.  Illvisible power opened the shutters, the trluk of the tree
rocked and Nwaved backwards and forwards, and after
a time it was lifted up by invisible power and laid upon the table.  At this time " Oft in the stilly night"
was played by the accordeon which lay on the iloor,
untouched by mortal hands.  Mr. Home's arrws were
raised, and he walked to the end of the room, whelre




264:           A DIARY AND LETTER.
he was lifted off the ground, and raised until his feet
were on a level with the top of a chiffonier, between
four and five feet from the ground.  I distinctly saw
his body carried along erect in the air, it then returned to its former place, where it remained some timeat length it floated forward in the air, passed behind
the gas chandelier which was, suspended in the centre
of the apartment, and he descended gently upon the
floor, close to the chair in which a lady was sitting.She said that when she saw him, he was about- four
feet from the ground.  When he had descended his
arms were paralyzed, but in a short time they returned
to their natural state.
iaraAch 13#t1.-The trunk of the tree that stood in
the window was shaken, the roll of drums was heard
on the table, and it was lifted as before. Tlhe tree
shook again, and the accordeon whichl  was onl the
ground, played untouched by mortal hand. iMr. Home
took it afterwards in his right hand, and held it upside
down-it was played upon in the most masterly style,
the harmony was beautiful.  A small chess table from
a distance, came up of its own accord, and pushing up
to the edge of the loo table, rose and stood upright upon it. Luminous hands often appeared.  A beautiful
little hand arose between the trunk and the curtain,
the fingers distinctly plain: it rose higher, until it
showed the arm. up to the shoulder, and the little fingers bending over the top of the tree, played with the
broken points of the wood, the upright splinters, and
then after we had seen it for some time it vanished.
Iir. Home was pushed back in his chair a foot or so,
and a luminous head came up from his right side,




A DIARY AND LETTER.             265
stopped in front of his knees, and then conlig toward
me, as I sat on his left hand, it disappeared.
Larch 17th. -En se'ance five persons at tlJr. Home's.
He fell immediately into the trance, and after a time
he awoke.  I had in my pocket a musket ball, which
in battle had broken the leg of a beloved relative. My
dress was pulled, and a spirit hand rapped several
times on my knee-it was his spirit.  I took the bullet
in my right hand, and put my handkerchief over it;
spirit fingers turned the handkerchief over the bullet,
and took it away. Soon after, my dress was again
pulled, and the hand put the bullet which had been
tied up in a handkerchief into my hand. Keeping
perfectly quiet, I said, 6 Beloved spirit, will you kiss
my hand?" and inmmediately my fingers were kissed
four times. The spirit told me that the bullet now
possessed talismanic power, not in cases of sickness,
but in those of accidents. iNa;ural flowers were taken
off the table, and given to each person present.  Mr.
Homle was now led to the end of the room, which was
very dark; he was raised from the ground, a beautiful
star was visible, and also one like a small comet.  He
said a star was onl his forehead, and one on each hand 
we saw the three very bright, and many others glancing about. He was fixed against the wall. The luminous appearance was so distinct as to render the papering on the wall perfectly distinct; and then he
floated along the room and was placed on his knees on
the sofa-aguain he was carried up, and the star on his
forehead showed where lie was-as he floated along
the room, it floated above his head, and when he descended the star was quenched. Whilst he was at the
12




266            A DIARY AND LETTER.,
table, a spirit hand raised the accordeon fiom the floor
above the table, and when he was borne into the air,
the accordeon floated above his head, playing beautifully all the time, and crossed from  one end of the
room to the other.
ifarch 2t814. -En  secance nine  persons at M:JIr.
Home's house. I had a gilt whistle in my hand, Mr.
Home took it in his left hland, and put it under the table cloth; in his right halnd was the faccordeon. "' 0!"
he exclaimed,' it is so strange-what are they going to do with the whistle? thle spirit has turned it
round in my hand, and I feel a mouth against my fingers."'  The whistle was immediately sounded several
times. T}his was quite a new manifestation.  The spirit then took the whistle from him, the accordeon began to play, and the air was accompanied by the whistle, which I then heard drop upl-on the floor.
licreh, 31st.-En s8eance seven  pers-,ns.  I put
down mny hand, and held it motionless-it was klissed
by two spirits, and when the table cloth was lifted off
the bracelet, I felt fingers trying to pull it off my arill
but it would not pass over my hand-then the fingers
turned the bracelet round until they got hold of the
clasp, which it appeared they obund difficult to unfasten. At length having succeeded in so doing, they
carried the bracelet away.  Shortly afterwards a hand
arose near a gentleman opposite, and threw the bracelet gently on the centre of thle table.
Ju,.e 2ld.-A seance of five persons.  As twilight
cane on, a j)leasant dimness fell over the room, and
a lady said, "Is the light the spirits love, like the
odylic?" to which raps answered  " More refined.'9




A DIARY AND LEITTER.            267
The spirits moved the table with violence up to the
window, near the IIindoo shrine, and the accordeon,
(no human hand touching it) played in the most charming manner, exquisitely and with great power —--
There was much noise at the Hindoo shrine, the image
of Vishnu and the Holy Bull were brought and put
on the top of the table, then a large hand, which atppeared dark, being between us and the light, put up
the accordeon entirely above the top of tlhe table-a
second hand on the other side took it down again, another hand took a bell off the table and rang it. Mr..Home was raised from his chair erect into the air, and
descended on a footstool.  Then lie was drawn to the
other end of the room, and raised in the air until his
hand was on the top of the door; thence he.floated
horizontally forward, and descended. I saw a bright
star constantly flashling forth, the raps died away in
the distance, and the seanlce ended.
June 3rd. —A seance of nine persons.  I placed a
large bouquet of natural flowers on the shoulder of the
great imlllble idol Ganesh.  The accordeon in Mfr
Home's right hand playing most beautifully, harlmollized the circle, and the spirit hands touched almost
every one l)resent. A rustling sound was heard about
the idol, and something passed under the table.  The
spirits rapped, "They are not so beautiful as those
you will find with us," and immediately the bouquet
was placed in Mrs. Home's hands.  Mr. IIome, untyingl thle bouquet, returned the flowers to Mrs. Home,
who asked the spirit to give them a talismanic power,
and take one to each of us. The first flower, a rosebud,
was carried to a lady, and the spirits rapped, 6 From




268            A DIARY AND LETTER.
one who is a mortal, but will ere long be vith usemlblem of Sacha."  This announcement drlew  tears
friom us all; we were deeply affected, and M1r. Home
sank back overcome with emotion.  A narcissus was
given to mne, and a flower to every one present-also
some for those whio were absent, but who were loved
by Mrs. Home. She spoke for a length of time consolations for those whom  she was about to quit; her
voice was very weak, and I lost tile greater part of
what she said. She shook haltds with us all, a farewell we wept, but not a word was uttered.
June 51hA.-A  seance of four persons. Mr. Home
immediately went into the trance, and after many
conmmunications said, " If you could only see the mass
of spirits near Saclla! A veiled fenlale is near herwhen Sacha goes to the spirit land, there she will be,
her veil off, she will place it on Sacha's brow, heavy
with its own stars, shimmering, shimmering down. —
Beautiful features, long flowing hair, her hands
crossed thus-looks upward-upward-no sorrow, no
pain! prayer is carried up by'lov.ing hands and placed
Pbefore God's holy thlrone-they bear His blessings
lown to earth. A staff is placed in their hands, a
cloud to shade the heart from the sunbeams-by the
side is suspended the bread of life —tlhe Hope star
high in the heavens to lead them  from  earth, and to
rust olnly in God.."
Jimze 11 th.-En seance seven persons.  The spirits
played beautiful music, and brought to us sprigs
which they tore off a sweet-scented verbena which was
in the room. They brought the Deir, a brass idol
holding a mirror from the shrine, and put it under




A DIARY AND LETTER.            269
the table. Mr. Home saw a spirit at the shrine; then
they rapped, 66 Faith ill God, and the change of world
will be most glorious, all other —-— " (tile idols which
they had placed under the table were rattled violently)
6" gods" were rapped out; again they rapped the idols
violently, and beat them  against one another with
great noise and force, and spelled " must;' they raised
the great idol ]cJ(aadeo, and put it on the table. It
is the large brass idol overshadowed by the expanded
hood of the cobrc cli capella. Then they rapped "' be
brought." They took the idol off the table and pitched
it down violently with a clanig adi noise, then rapped
" down low before him."  In this manner they elucidated the words they rapped out, " Faith in God and
the change of world will be most glorious; all other
gods must be brought down low before Hin.."
June  thi2. —A verbena plant in a flower pot stood
by the shrine.  A hand touched MIrs. Home, and the
verbena plant, with the little sticks that supported it,
having been broken off at the roots, was thrown by
the spirits upon the table. Then they rapped, "We
regret, but in taking the flower, we have also taken
the earth with it."o  They shook Mrs. Home's dress
violently, earth was thrown on Mr. Home's shoulderland over it on the table.  He saw a spirit hand which
was full of earthl and then the remainder which had
come out of the flower pot in a mass, was placed in his
hand; not a bit of the living flower remained in it.The spirits rapped —' Life-giving-and the casket that
remains'only fit to be broken."  Immediately they
broke the empty flower pot to pieces, as it lay on the




270           A DIARY AND LETTER.
ground by the window, emblematic of drawing the
soul from its earthly tenement.
June 13th.-M-r. Home went into the trance, and
said, "There are more spirits around Sacha, and the
veiled spirit is coming nearer and nearer." Mysterious
sounds which we had before heard in the chamber
above were repeated.  When asked,  "How do you
feel when you go into a trance?" he said, "6 At first a
heaviness in my feet comes on, I feel as if fainting
away on the brink of a precipice —there is a moment
of suffering, and then all is agreeable."
June 22d.-En s8eiance seven persons. A spirit hand
arose and came to Mrs. Home-it moved about —she
was anxious to touch it; a long finger pointed to and
motioned her to be quiet. A hand and arm were distinctly seen, and a spirit hand closed the shutters.Flowers were given to some, and were placed on the
heads of other persons.  My head was twice touched,
and twice an arm waved over the table; three times
an open hand was strongly pressed on my forehead.
A spring-bell from the shutters, used as an alarum,
was rung above our heads, and we saw  the hand
which held it.  1r. Home went into the trance, and
said, "6 Where the eye ought to be are placed two
crosses; the Christian faith will put the eye out. I
do not understand what they mean-the spirit is doing
it! Harkll  hark! don't wrlite!"  I ceased writingwe listened, and heard a noise like scratching on the
shrine. Mir. Home woke from  the trance, and the
s6ance ended. On) going to the shrine, we saw on the
forehead of the great white marble image of Ganesh,
two crosses made in pencil by the spirits, just over the




A DIAARY AND LETTER.           271
centre triple eye of the idol, which denotes its having
all-seeing power. This was the noise alluded to by
Mr. Htome in the trance.
June 24th.-Seven persons en se'nce.  A scientific
gentleman who had written to disprove spiritual manif-estations, was to have joined the party; however, he
requested to have a programme!  which he said is due
to him as a scientific mann, and to his position! It being impossible to give a programme, he declined.joining the seance.
Jine 25th. —   se'ance eight persons.  The accordeon playing of itself, was raised above the table —
then it was shown a second time.  The spirits rapped
to a lady whose child had passed away —'" She only
went to God, she did not die."  At the word God the
most peculiar sounads were made, as if to impress us
with solemnity.
Juane 27.-A seance  of eight persotns. Numerous
manifestations took place.  Flowers were given, the
accordeon played, and an Amlerican cane chair which
was at the other side of the room, was moved by unseen power lp to the table. A  hand touched our
foreheads, and an arm waved in the air over the table
several times..  Mr. Honme was drawn back in Ihis
chair, and an arm, the hiand holding the alarum bell,
waved over the table; it ranig in the air, and by my
shoulder, which it touched and then  fell to the ground.
The accordeon, now in the air, untouched by inortal
hand, played beautifully as it floated round thle table,
and touched each person present.
June 28.-A seance of eight persons. 3Mlr. Honme
was raised from his chair, and carried up a little in an




2 2'           A DIARY AND LETTER.
erect postureg  and then put down again.  XMusic was
heard in the air, and then strange sounds-we marvelled what it might be.'"Is it a spirit?9"  " Yes."
Then the spirit spoke many times, but the words
were unintelligible.  Mrs. Home was afraid, and begged tllem not to speak; and Mr. Home said, 6' It is
their difficulty to make the material sounds of speech."
It reminded me of Bournemouth, where in Mr. Home's
room I hlad heard music5 the chirping of a bird, and
spirit voices very distinctly.
Janlze 30.-A seance of three persons.  The table
trenlmled and tipped so much, we were surprised the
decanters did not fall off. Then it was shaken so violently that froth was produced, and the wine in the
decanters splashed ul) their long necks, whilst the water was scarcely affected.  The spirits rapped out their
dislike to wine. The table was made excessively heavy-four of ns stood up and tried to lift it with all our
power; it would not stir, neither could we turn it
round. Soon after, it was lifted by the spirits a foot
or more firom the ground, with all the things upon it,
and then it gently descended.  One person could now
lift it, and it was rendered heavy several times,
July 3rcl,-.n se6ance seven persons.  The table
was shaken, and rose and undulated in the air, whilst
I counted sixty-two aloud.  iMlr. - ome was lifted up
a little in his chair, and went into the trance.  His
arms were then raised, and he ascended about a foot
from the ground, descended, and rose again a couple
of feet. He leaned over until le touched Mrs. Home,
and then he was carried ulp, his body being bent forward in a circular form, until his head was above the




A EIARY ANK LETTER.             273
centre pane in the large window; lhe ascended some
feet, and came dowll again. It was quite light in the
window, and we were close to it. He then went to
the end of the room into the darkness, and we could
not see him ascend, but three bright stars were shown
which denoted where he was.  lIe descended, returned
to the table quite stiffened, awoke soon afterwards, and
came out of the trance.
July 7tA.-We, four persons, were sitting at the centre window in the firont drawing-room, talking together, when the spirits began to rap on the floor.  Mr.
Home brought up a small table, and we had many
mlanifestations, in the  icidst of which a sofa-table at the
end of the room, on which was a large lamp and two
flower-pots containing fine lemon-scented verbenas.
One of them  rolled up, untouched by any one, and
placed itself between Mr. and Mrs. Rome. It was a
fine summer evening, and the room was perfectly light.
Mr. Home fell back in his chair, and went into the
deep sleep for some timle; then he walked about the
room, led apparently by a spirit, a very large bright
star shone on his forehead, several clustered on his
hair, and on the tips of his fingers.  TIe made passes
)ver the verbena plant, but did not touch it. Immediately the air was filled with the scent which he
wafted to each of us, and it remained most powerfully
on his hands.  Making more passes, still in the trance,
he said, " Thus we extract the essence firom the flower;
in the same mlanner the soul is taken from  the body;
to-morrow you will see the lower leaves are witthered,
and the plant will die in a few days."   Which fact
occurred as he had said, yet no apparent cause could
12*




274             A DIARY AND LETTER.
be assigned why it should have died.  We then went
into the dining-room  below; and after refreshments
our guests quitted, leaving only Mr. Home, who was
seated in an easy chair by the fire-side, Mrs. I-Iome
sleeping on the. sofa, and I sitting by the table reading
by lamp-light.  Suddenly loud raps were heard on the
large heavy dinner-table; it trembled, rose, and balanced in the air.  Mr. Home was led about the room,
the shutters were closed, I put out the gas-lights, and
we were in darkness. A spirit touched my fingers as
they lay oi. the table, voices were were heard in the
air, and Mr. Home said, "The spirits are trying to
talk."  6Yes," tlien a voice said, " we are trying to
come.'"  I heard two voices of very different tone, and
asked, 6" Who are you, dear spirit?"  The name was
given and repeated several times.  Mr. HIome was led
about thle rooin, showing stars on his forehead and fingers as he held hlis hands up. A  cross of stars was
seen by him and  [rs. I-Inome. I only saw  the crossbar of stars, not the uprigh}ts.  He was led up to the
shutters, and lie opened the lower part; immediately
spirit power closed the lower and opened the upper
part. IMr. HIome was now led to the further end of the
room, and passed in front of a very large mirror-a sea
of glass. I saw a form leading him, over the head of
which was thrown a tinted robe flowing to the ground,
mlarkinc thle shape of the head and shoulders.  lie fillowed close upon it; I saw tlietn both in the mirror,
his features, face and hair, perfectly distinct, but the
features of the form. that led him were not visible beneath the dark blue tinted robe that covered them.
They passed fi'om before the glass, and thlen Nwe all saw




A DIARY AND LETTER.              2T7
a female figure with a white veil thrown over her
head, which fell to the ground; at tile same time: but
rathler higher, was the form of a man in oriental costuene. The startling visioll faded away, and the great
nilrror remained with only the light from the window,
which streamed in upon it.
July 12th.-En se'ance six persons.  Stars appeared
above M1is. Home's llead, and a light was seen, with
fngers passing over it as it floated above our healds.
It was the VEILED SPIRIT. I saw the hand whichl held
the veil, which was spangled with stars, and the fingers
moved distinctly as it floated just in front of us.  A
star was seen on Mr. Home, and flowers were given.
M[rs. Home's mother made the sign of the cross on her
brow, and then on Mr. Homne's. Two fingers touched
my forehead, and one all wet made the sign of the
cross. The tearing of paper was now heard, and soon
after a spirit hand took hold of my left hand as it lay
on the table, and put a piece of paper inrto it.  Other
pieces of paper were torn off, and then a pencil was
thrown to the other end of the room.  A bell was rung
in the air, the accordeon floating above our heads
played the most joyful and martial music, and Mrs.
Home saw her spirit-father.  "' God bless you all, good
niglt," was now rapped.  On looking at the paper that
Ihad beer, put into my hand, I found the initials of a
beloved spirit, beautifully written in p)encil, a facc-silzile of his writing when on earth.  N paper had been
given to 3/1'rs. Home by her father, and on it was a
cross surmounted by a crown, to slhow us that we must
bear tlhe cross to wear the crown.
_ebrxaryy 18, 186&2.-A s6ance of six persons. After




276            A DIARY AND LETTmER
various manifestations, Mbr. Home went into the trance,
and addressing a person present said, " You ask what
good are such trivial manifestations, such as rapping,
table-lloving, &c.? God is a better judge than we are
what is fitted for humnanity, immense results may
spring from trivial things. The steam from a kettle- is
a small thing, but look at the locomotive!  The electric spark from the back of a cat is a small thing, but
see the wonders of electricity! The raps are small
things, but their results will lead you to the Spirit
World and to eternity  Why should great results
spring from such causes. Christ was born in a mangemr, lie wmls not born a King.  When you tell mne why
he was born in a mlanger, I will tell you why these
manifestations, so trivial, so undignifiecd as they appear
to you, have been appointed to convince the world of
the truth of spiritualism. "
The foregoing extracts will be read with interest by
those persons who were present, and perhaps by a
larger circle. I give no names, but merely the facts as
they occurred, because it is impossible for any one to
give credit to such marvels, until by investigation they
are forced to believe the truth.
F. C. P.
In this diary there are several remarkable manifestations, and amongst, them that of the presence of the
veiled spirit, who thienceforth was frequently seen by
my wife and by me, as will be read in the beautifimi
memoir of my wife, written by that most inestimable
type of womanhood, Mrs. Mary Howitt.  The veil of




A DIARY AND LETTEER.            2
that spirit kept gradually being raised through the
successive stages of my dear wife's painful illness, and
became almost an index of the insidious advances of
her disease.
There is one phenomenon, however, which has haps
pened to me only on the occasion described in the
diary.  I allude to the wonderful case of the verbena
plant, and the drawing of its scent, and of its very
life out of it, by a few passes of my hand, wafting its
whole perfume in the faces of the sitters, and leaving
the tree to die for want of the vital principle which had
been thus extricated from it.  I have heard before of
experiments tried in mesmerism upon plants with some
apparent results, but never of any so mnarked as this,
of the verbena. It is not wise to judge of isolated
cases, but probably there may occur, or may be found,
other instances of a similar kind, which may throw
light upon the power of the human will, over the lower
forms of life.
I am sorry that in so many instances I Am obliged to
conceal the names of my friends who have witnessed
wonlderfuil things; but if the reader is disposed to complain of this, let him remember the reason, and take
the greater part of the blame on himself.  No sooner
is the name of some honest and courageous person given in obedience to the call for testimony, than it becomes a target for all the ridicule, jests, and abuse of
the unscrupulous, the sceptical, the orthodox, and the
scientific; in fact, of all who are not wise enough to
think, and observe, and weigh, and judge, before they
decide.  There is small encouragement for men, and




278            A DIARY AND LETTER.
still less for ladies, to come forward, and stand in front
of all this obloquy. If an example be needed of the
truth of this, if it be irot an obvious fact already in this
uncharitable day, let my adventurous friends watcli
the extent to which I shall be abused, and called bad
names, and given to the devil, for simply and truthfully writing in this little book a few of the incidents
of m' life, with the production of which I have had
nothing to do. It has been my good fortune never to
have cared much for bad opinions of me, which have
been formed in utter and acknowledged ignorance;
and my silence hitherto when the most gross and ifoolish statements have been made to my prejudice, and
when a word from me would have corrected thtemt, is
snificient proof of my indifference to such attacks.
I am sorry, however, for the want of kindness and thle
tolly which so many exhibit, for their own sakes, more
than for my own. I do not expect that they will behave differently now in regard to what they see in my
book, for in the present state of their minds, the truth
cannot be received. The facts become to them impossible, while to me, and many of my fiiends who have
been in the habit of seeing theim, and watching them,
studyinig them  and their consequences for so many
years, their strangeness even hias well nigh disappeared.
We ought certainly to make su5re allowance for those
ignorant persons who sit quietly at houme, saying that
such things are impossible, without havincg ever taket
the trouble to try to witnesss them, or to get together
even the first elements for formning a judglment upon
them.  These are not so unjust and dishonest ias that
class, of which Sir David Brewster is the type, who, in




A MIA.RY AND LETTER.           279
the interests of what they consider their position in
the scientific world, have no scruple in telling false-.
hoods, and in denying what they have seen, and in ded
ceiving still further the former class of merely ignorant
Iersols.
I hope, therefore, that both I and my friends may be
in some measure excused for giving their narratives
without their names. If I were at liberty to make them
public, they would add greatly to the value of the narrative, and the public would have an opportunity of
being greatly surprised at finding out who are the persons who have investigated the subject and vouch for
these remarkable facts. In society they are well known
to many; and, perhaps, nothing is more strange than
the entire belief with which these facts are spoken of
and received in large mixed companies, when compared
with the expression of entire disbelief with which they
are accompanied in nearly all notices of the press. Of
those who will openly comndemn this narrative in their
journals, hardly one does not reckon amongst his intimate and valued friends, or relatives, or co-contributors,
several who are with good reason entire believers.  It
would be curious to contrast the language he holds to
such persons with that he uses in describing my book
to the ignorant masses, who, he meanly knows expect
such abuse at his hands he will be pleased to hear it.
If it were necessary, I could give some nanmes which
would amply justify what I have said of these poor
leaders of the blind.
The testimony which I now give is that of a lady,
whose word and powers of observation are entitled to
the most unreserved acceptance, and I am sorry that




280           A DIARY AND LETTERo
I can only give her initial, and call her Mrs. S  a
She had become a widow not long before I had the
pleasure of making her acquaintance.
6" I first attended a seance at Mr. Home's in the summer of 1861, when I was put in very deep affliction. I
had never seen anything of Spiritualism before, but had
heard a good deal of it friom a dear old friend who introduced me to Mr. Home.  My own experiences that
night were far more wonderful than anything I had
ever heard or read of, and were to me most convincing. After many raps, movements of the table, &c.,
my handkerclhief was drewn fiom my hand, the knocks
given for the alphabet, and the words' Shed no more
tears' were spelt out, and my handkerchief came Wtp of
itself at the oposite side of the table, moved gently
across, and settled itself on the table in front of me;
this I saw without a possibility of mistake or doubt~
After this, Ir. HIome fell into a trance, and described
any dear husband most accurately, said how noble lihe
was in mind and body, and how he should have loved
him had he known him in life, and then said,' But who
is that Mary standing by his side? What a noble woman, and how she loves him, and how happy they are
together, and how they both love you; you were hzs
star in life. But what was that misery about his watch?
you forgot to wind his watch, and how  miserable it
made you.':Now this was a fact known to no human
being but myself.  I had wound the watch the night
I lost my husband, and resolved never to let it go down
again; but more than a month afterwards, when I retu;:ned to our old home I forgot to-wind it one night,




A DIARY AND LETTER.           281
and my agony was great when I discovered it in the
morning, but I never mentioned it even to my husband's sister, who was in the house with me. A great
deal more took place at the s6ance interesting both to
myself and others.
" A month later I attended a second seance.  Some
remarkable things were told by Mr. Home, who was in
a state of trance, to a iady present of her departed
friend. He then went to the opposite end of the room,
and she remarked to me in a low voice' How  very
wonderfill, he has been dead these thirty years,' when
Mr. Home, whom I thought much too distant to hear,
called out, in a loud thrilling voice, 6 Do not say dead;
he is not dead, but gone before; nothing kills but sin,
sin kills through the devil; but those who live in Christ
will never die.'  Mr. Home came soon afterwards to
me, and said that my dear husband and his mother (the
lMary spoken of before) xwere behind my chair, and that
both longed to comfort me. He gave me the following
message:-' Aly own Adelaide, all your prayers are
heard, your pure thoughts seen, your patience and loving hope. We are not, nor shall we be separated, we
are one in CHRIST.'
" He then went on to say that I had had a conversation with my husband eight months before, and that he
blessed me.for that conversation now; that we were
sitting in our drawing-room at home, he in his armchair and I in mine, with the little round table between,
Ut, that I had just been reading a chapter in the New
Testament, and that on that night thle angel of the Lord
laid his hand upon my husband's brow, and he had
faded fromn that time. I remember perfectly the con




282           A DIARY AND LETTER.
versation alluded to, and it was a very remarkable one.
I lhad been reading prayers to the servants, and we were
sitting in the manner prescribed, aild t-alked for more
than half an ]lour before going to bed. These are facts
for which I cani vouch, and though my name is not given
here, Mr. Homne will give it to any one wishinig to be
convinced. To me the comfort has been unspeakable;
but did I believe Spiritualismn to be sinful or forbidden
by our Lord, NOTIING would induce me to have anything to say to it, but I believe the reverse in this case.
I have felt more at peace, more perfect trust - uttei
childlike trnst-in my God and Saviour, than I have
ever done befobre.  MAr. Hotre told me that my dear
husband was always with me when I prayed, and I feel
that he is, through Christ."
We spent July, August, and September, 1861, at
Folkestone.  My power had left me, but my wife continued to see spirits daily. We went to Brighton, where
wTe relnained till the month of December. Late in the
evening of one day in November, my wife being in
bed, I was in the drawing-rooml  with a friend, when a
strange chill air seemed to surround us, and creaking
niises were heard. In fact, a feeling of great discomfort came npon us both, when we heard my wife knocking on the floor, this being her signal of requiring my
presence. I ran up stairs, and she said, "Daniel, do
not leave me; there is a spirit-presence in my room
which is strange and unpleasant to me.  I feel as if
something had occurred, or was about to happen."  I
remained with her, but we no longer felt or heard anything of the kind.  In the morning on the breakfiast




A DIARY AND LETTER.            283
table was a letter from a much loved friend, announcing the departure of a son under most painful circumstances. It was evident that it was his spirit who had
been with us the previous evening.
We came back to town in December; and in January, 1862, the power returned, in me but far fromr
strongly. On one occasion whilst we were seated, the
strange trembling so often noticed was felt in the tax
ble, and almost simultaneously with it I heard the
nursery-bell ring. I heard the servant go up stairs,
the nursery being on the third floor, and soon she came
with a message firom the nurse requesting my presence
I went, and found the child sitting in his bed, and a
look of alarm on his face. He said to me, "' Oh, papas
I don't like to have my bed rocking."  I thought that
he might have a headache, or some slight indisposition, which might have caused a giddiness, but he said
lie was very well. I remained a short time with hinm,
and then joined mny fiiends in the drawing-room. In
about half an hour the trembling was repeated, and
again the nursery-bell rang. I had to go him, and I
found that the rocking had been more violent than before, and he begged me to lay down with him  till he
got to sleep. I did so. and in about ten minutes he
was fast asleep. The spirits then told us that they had
"accidentally caused his bed to shake."
Another instance of this trembling being felt outside
the roomn has occurred within ten days previous to my
writing this.  A  deaf and dumb maid living in a
house where I was, and knowing nothing either of my
presence, or of spiritual manifestations, said to the
young lady, her mistress, on her going upstairs to her,




384           A DIARY ANI) LETTER.
c EHow you must have been dancing, all of you, for the
whole house has been shaking so that I have been
made quite dizzy."  We were upon the ground floor,
and the principal manifestation that evening was the
strong vibration of the room. She was upon the third
floor, and the house is a large well-built one in one of
the best parts of Kensington.




CHAPTER XSI.
IN MEMORIAM.
ON the 20th of February, 1862, we left England for
the Chateau Laroche, near Perigueux, the residence in
the south of France of my brother-in-law. I need not
to go through again the scenes of those last days on
earth of the dear one whom it has pleased God to take
away, in the spring time of her life, to the bright morning land. It is well with her there, and she is only
more than ever my hope, and my beaming guiding
star.  My good guardian angel, watching over her
dear child, and me, her husband-separated, but not
lost-in spirit more than ever present. In God's loving mlercy we shall meet again, and find our lasting
habitation in the eternal inner world.
Let me have the pleasure of adding the sweet tribute to her imemory of Mrs. Howitt, which gives such
few facts as may be made public of one who amongst
her friends required no written words to be embalmed
in their hearts' best memories. To those who knew
her not, these words will serve to show the effect of
spiritual colnmunion during the long stages of disease,
and the placid contemplation of the I)assing onward,




286                IN MEMORIAM.
by one to whom the bright spirit-world has become a
calm reality, from her frequent intercourse with the
good angels who had gone before.
In  femoriamrn
"M adanme Alexandrina Home, the wife of Mr. Daniel Dunglas Home, passed from earth on the 3d July
last, at the Chateau Laroche, Dordogne, France, the
residence of her sister, the Countess Luboff IKoncheleff
Besborodka, in the twenty-second year of her age.
" tiMrs. Home was the youngest daughter of the General Count de IKroll, of Russia, and she was the goddaughter of the late Emperor Nicholas.  She was educated at the Institute of St. Catherine at the same time
as the present Countess de Morny, of Paris.  Mjr.
Home, who had been at several of the Courts of Europe, where he was received with much distinction,
and where the marvellous phenomena which occur in
his presence excite deep attention, was at Rome in the
spring of 1858 for the benefit of his health, and there
first saw the lady who became his wife on the 1st of
August of that year. The marriage took place at St.
Petersburgh,  and was celebrated in the presence of' M
Alexandre Dumras, who went froma Paris on purpose to
be present, and to officiate as god-father to Mr. Home,
according to the custom of the Romish Church. The
Elnperor Alexander also was represented there by two
of his aides de-canmp, whomn he sent as groomnsmen, and
tihe Emperor presented to Mr. Home on the happy occasion a magnificent diamond ring of great value. On
the birth of the only child of the marriage, a son, the




IN MEMORIAM.                287
Emperor evinced his continued interest in M1. and
Mrs. Home by presenting to them as a memento of his
friendship a ring of emeralds and diamonds. IMr. and
Mirs. HIome thus commenced their married life with all
the outward accessories of station and wealth, together
with hosts of friends, as a matter of course, whilst the
measure of their happiness was completed by that calm
domestic bliss, which is the purest source of earthly
enjoyment, and to which her kindly and tender nature
contributed its full share.  They could not but be
happy, for their affection was pure as it was sincere,
and when their union was blessed by the birth of their
little son, there was no more to hope for, but to bring
him uip worthily to be a partaker in their happiness.
6 In the midst, however, of these bright human hopes
and anticipations, the decree went forth that her days
were numbered. About eighteen months before her
departure, the physician who was called in on the occasion of some trifling illness, as it was supposed,,detected, to the surprise and grief of all who loved her,
such undoubted signs of consumption in her constitution that in all hunnan probability her life could not be
of long duration. Such tidings to a young and happy
woman, surrounded by everything that can make outward existence attractive, would, in ordinary circumstances, have come as the direst calamity; but it was
not so in the case of Mrs. HIome. Though at that time
only in her twenty-first year, she received the announcement with entire calmness.  God's will be done,
was the cheerful law of her life, and I-e who had hitherto made that life so rich would not fail, she knew, to
continue His love and inercy to her in that higher life




288               IN MEMORIA.
to which He was calling her. Nothing but the deepest religious conviction of the Supreme Wisdom  and
Love can bring the human soul into a state of submissive obedience to His otherwise apparently severe and
mysterious decrees. Let us now see how the Divine
Father had led and schooled His young disciple into
that highest, that profouudest of all knowle`lge, the
firm possession of which makes obedience and submission easy, and keeps the soul calm and even joyful under the most startling and adverse circumstances. We
shall then in part, if not fully understand whence came
the strange, and apparently most unnatural, willingness to depart from thee earthly life amidst its most attractive circumstances.  She was a deeply-believing
g'piritualist. God's love lhad made known to her the
reality of the spiritual world; she had been permitted
to solve the great, mysterious, and perplexing riddle of
the Hereaf'ter, and so loyal was she to the knowledge
whicch had thus been given her, that she was ready to
attest it in life or in death. Like all experienced Spiritualists she knew that the outward life, be its term
longer or shorter, is but a school in which God wills to
train the immortal being to a higher knowledge-is
but a pilgrimage, or passage by which lie is willing to
conduct it to another and a still happier home.  She
knew that in that other state of existence, though unclothed by the body, and apparently separated from the
beloved on earth, she might yet be permitted to watch
over and love them as their guardian angel, and to be
in the close companionship of those who had gone before-of those living and glorified spirits who should
lead her to the throne of grace and love ineffable, If




IN MEORTAM.                 289
it be the highest heroismn to meet death with  nnflinching courage, this amiable, gentle young woman, this
child of affluence and fortune, displayed an almost unequalled degree of tisi noble quality of mind, and so
doing, proved how strong and all-sustaining in life's
extremity is the faith of the Christian Spiritualist.
"6 The first startling intelligence that her disease was
mortal camne to a mind so prepared with wholly abated
force. The sting was already taken froin death; nor
thlrough the whole after trials and sufferings of herphysical framne did she lose her equanimity or flirm  confidence in the future. This calmness, indeed, became
the most striking feature of her long and painful illness. It was so profound and marked as to be almost
phenomenal, and was noticed as such by the emilent
physicians who attended her in London, and subsequently in France, as well as by the Bishop of Perigueux, who frequently visited her during the latter
part of her earthly life.  The last sacraments were administered to her by the Bishop, who wept like a child,
and who remarked that' though he had been present
at many a death-bed for Heaven, he had never seen
one equal to hers.'' Whilst residing in London the most remarkable
spiritual gifts and manifestations exhlibited through
Mr. Homen and the many attractive qualities of his
young and lovely wife had naturally gathered around.
them a I trge circle of friends to whom the singular exhibition of her calmness, her meekness, her playful,
winning ways, even in the midst of suffering, and the
joyfulness with which she anticipated her removal,
were, if possible, a greater anomaly, and almost for
13




290                IN MEMORIAM.
the time, cast into the shade the wnonderfiul gifts and
powe rs of her husband. If Addison called to his deathbed his infidel son-in-law that, witnessing his composulre, he might learn with how much calmness a Christian could die, so here disbelievers in Spiritulalism looking on this gifted young woman, saw with wonder not
only how calmly, but how joyously the Christian Spiritualist could face deatll,  Another equally anomalous
feature to the Protestant Christian was not to find in
her the self-depreciation of the guilt-awakened sinner;
not to hear on her lips the usual phraseology of the dy —
ing but suffering saint; no mention made of the atonenert; of the works of grace on her soul, of the sufferings of a crucified Savior for lier sake. N'evertheless,
with thle simplicity of a little child who accepted the
Divine love as his natural gift, she loved the Savior
and rejoiced in Hiim, responding to H-Iis unspeakable
goodness with the whole allegiance of her soul, but
Getliseinane and the bloody hill of thle crucifixion were
not present to her mind; tl)e ago ny and woe had no
place in her experience.  She was, it must be remena
bered, the embodiment of her own Greek church; of
tlhat church in which she was educated, the most ancient tlhith of which has ever recognized the Savior less
as the Crucified than the.Arisen, the triumphant over
suffering, sin, and death, as the Victor not the Victim,
as the Lo-rd who said to his chosen ones,' Rejoice that
your names are written in heavemi!'  Such, it appears
to mne, who frequently saw her duriing this portion of
her short stay on earth, was the fact which made hey
relationship to the Savior so joyous, whilst her own
single-heartedness left her firee from  all established




TN MEMORIAM.                 2919
plhraseology or any wish to produce effect, and these
lhappily combined with her actual knowledge of spiritn11l existence, strengthened that remarkable state of
calmness and cheerfulness with which she waited the
close of her outward life.  H-Ter Savior had indeed
risen fir her, a.nd with the unquestioning, unrelasoning
faith of a loving, obedient child-like nature, she was
not only willing to go when He called her, but cheerfully to give up all at His bidding, knowing that a
more enlarged, a more glorious sphere of usefulness
and angel ministration would be unfolded to her through
His love, and that thus she should be enabled more
tenderly and more effectually to watch over and become a blessing to the beloved ones whom she left behiund.
1' During that short but interesting time of her declining hlealtht in London, her relnarkable unselfishness
became another endearing characteristic to all her
friends.  She made, even amidst her increasing sufferings, constant exertions to see them, and seances were
helt frequently at the house where she and lier liusband were then residing, in which she took a glad part.
On these occasions many wonderful and touchingly
beautiful incidents occurred, and few, if any, who thus
net her, but retain with tender and affectionate regard
some tender flower or fragrant sprays-am  emblem  of
herself, which was presented to her by spirit-hands, as
a little mnerento for each.
6 In the earlier stages of her disease her spiritual
perception began to open, and she commenced, and
throughout her illness continued to see and converse
with the denizens of the spiritual world. Her most




292               iN MEMORIAM.
frequent visitants were her mother and her father, and
the muother of her hnsband.  From tllem  she received
the most loving messages- of endearment, and the rnost
cheering words of welcome to her spirit home. She
was also constantly attended by a veiled femnale spirit,
whom she did not know, but whose very presence
gave her great comfort, thonugh she never spoke, nor
raised her veil. Mr. Home was told that thlis kind
gnardian spirit would continue veiled until the last,
when the veil would be thrown over her own new-born
spirit, to keep her from  the sight of the tears and
rnourning around the bed where lier body would be
lying. Through the six months!,revious to lher passing away, the veil was slowly and gradually gathered
from the feet of the guardian spirit towards the head,
until two days before her release. when for the last
time she saw thle spirit with the veil gathered in the
form of a crown about her head, but with one part,
as a festoon, still concealing her face.
"' On onle occasion several persons, who were in the
room with Mrs. Horne, saw the hand and arm  of the
spirit to tle shoulder, the appearance being that of a
ILmninous body, most beautifully perfect in form, and
-overed as if with a veil of light.
"The  eminent composer. M. Magnus, of Paris,.;a.mne to the Chateau Laroche to visit 5Mrs. Home durmng the last three weeks of her eartlly stay, and almost daily she asked him to play for her, and whilst
lying placidly listening to his music, her face assumed
an almost beautiful expression whilst slhe kept tilne to
the music with her hands.  On one occasion she said,




IN MEMORIAM.                  293
when he had finished playing,' Those strains are very
beautiful, but I shall soonll lear mrore beautiful still.''C Frequently also, durinlg the first three months andl
the last two monrths of her illness, not only she, but all
those about her, heard delicious strains of spirit music, sounding like a perfect harmony of vocal sounds.
During the last month, also, the words were most distilctly heard, and were recognized as tle chants for
the dying used in the ilnssian Church.
6 She departed on Thursclay, the 3rd of July, and on0
the Satuflday morning following, her little boy, of
three years old, said to his nurse on awakening,' I
have seen mamma, and she is quite well now.  Shle is
with  God, and she told miie thatt mny uncle Gregoire,
anld my aunt Luba are my godfather and my godmo.
ther, and that they would be very good to Ime, and 1
must love them.'
6" At her funeral, the service at which was perforinm
ed by the vicar-generall of the diocese, four of' the
men servants of her sister asked eachl to lead a horse
of* the hearse to the burial grounid, saying that they
could Inot allow hired persons to be near the dear body
of her who had ever had a kind word and a loving
look for all. The peasantry, instead of, as is customary, throwing earth upon the coffin, first covered it
with flowers —fittest for her last garment, and fittest
for the expression of their love.' Such is a brief memorial of a short but lovely life
on earth.  But short as it was, rarely has the oldest
and most experienced orthodox Christian attained to
a higher degree of religious conlsciousness, clearzless
and trust in God, than did this youIlg and attractive




294                IN MEMORIAM.
woman, by those very lneans and teacllilgs which the
religious world as yet so much ignores and questions.
"' Blessed, however, be God the Saviour for every
fresh revelation and manifestation of his Divine life,
and for every renewed teaching of his Holy Spirit.
" MARY tHOWITTo"
To another esteemed friend, Mrs. S. C. Hall, also
well known for her true woman's heart, and for her
power of expressing the best feelings of the soul, I am
indebted for her written impressions of my dear wife,
and ill which she embraces a most interesting account
of her observations of the phenomena:'" It pleased God to remove from this life only a few
montihs since, a much beloved lady, who during  her
brief residence among us, entwined herself closely
round the hlearts of her and her husband's many friends
-1 speak of one, dear to us,is'Saclla,' the wife of
Mr. Danliel Hoiee.
" Educated as befitted a Russian lady of rank, she
was still mnore richly endowed by grace, feeling, a
peculiar beauty, which I may termi  loveliness, and a
sweet simtplicity of nature, that rendered her transparent and pure as crystal; she was also gifted with a
rare appreciation of the beautiful.  Her interest in,
and admiration of whlatever was excellent in art, was
the result of innate perception, not often mnet with
where observation has not been  latured by age; with
a refinemeit on tlhe natural quickness of her sex-she
felt while others reasoned —indeed, all her perceptions
were vivid, and she was entirely feminine.




IN MEMOItIAM.                 295
"   When first I knew her, she was radiant with life
and joy —a playful girl numbering just twenty years,
and yet in the fall tid3 of her sweet joy —loving her
husband, }ier child, iler friends, and feeling keenly
how much she was beloved.  If somnething touched
hler quick synlpathies,'her eyes in a moment glew
deepi and dark, her sweet lips quivered, and thle girl
became at once the deep-hearted, tender, earnest womuan.  Wise too) she was, atnd in her wildest moods'
somettiin o would cone of wisdom, a sentence, or even
a single word, so full and suggestive.
Soon, however, it becanme certain to us that this
sweet happy life was not to remain here, and to none
was this so evident as to herself; not for a inoment
did sh}e doubt that she ihad received her warning for
the' better land.' She would talk with her husband,
and with all of us, her fiiends, of' her passing away,
believing -nay,  nllowing —tlat she would be perlnitted still to watch over her child, to companion her
husband, to communnicate with her friends; and this
in calm,  unconstrained ciheerfulness, surrou inded by
the happy realities of a loving life, and loving, as he
deserved, her devoted hnsh)and.  It was almost impossible to hear the full sweet tones of her voice, to feel
tihe affectionate pressure of lier little hands, observe
tlhe life-ftll expression of her face, and realise her approachiing change, when the mortal shall have pult on
iinmortality.
"6 How  bitterly hard it is to feel, however we may
repeat hle words,'Thy will be done!'  As the sprilg
advanced each time  I saw  her, I perceived soxme
change, and yet the'change' could not be deiined —-it




296                  IN MEMORIAMo
was more in her spirit than her person.  Suffering,
wearied the young' fragile form, and she longed to be
away-she desired freedom from the body's pain, firon
the perpetual endurance of restlessness- she craved to
Oe out of the body that she might be in the spirit. —
Shlle talked about this change as invalids talk of change
of air, and with hope in her bealniing face.  I colnfess
that I do not comprehend this phase of mind —I look
borward with joy to meet those I have loved and lost
from earth, and I look to the time when those I leave
behind wsill, trusting in the samne ledialtor, bend before the dear ledeemer, and join in His presenlce, tile
spirits of just men made perfect,' so that we all shall
be one inl Christ —but this young creature's certainty
that she sl-ould return n:ud watch over her husband,
cllild and all she held in her expanding hbeart, was to
ine incomprehensible; it was as if she thoulght that
after death heaven would descend with her to earth.
-Ier Jaithl iin her future  happiness  was fine;  but
death, like life, was to  her a poem, and  all hter
thoughts and actions were poetic —with all her suffering, hers was thle poetry of daily life.  She enjoyed beyond description a seance with those she loved.  One
of lier pleasures was tying up little bouquets of flowers
with one of her long dark hairs, flinging a bounquet under or on tlie table, or into the room, aild expressing a
wish that a sipirit would give it to one or otller of herl
friends.  This was invarihlbly done, and I preserve
these flowers as tokens of her sweet love, and  shall
do so while I live- Tllese little tender acts of kindness
were mingled Nwith promises of coming to us when. sllhe
should have no mortal bodyv-suffer no pain. She nev



IN MEMIORIIAM.                29
er doubted that this would be permitted, ald sheloved
to dwell upon the delight it would be to her to be with
us. Tlhere was in hler no taint or tonle of sadness.  I
nlever saw a more joyfiul, a imore perpetual belief in
the soul's immlortality.  We could not avoid observing
at times an occasional abstraction, her eyes-illunjinated by a bright light, wandering round the room,  her
whole face smiling as if recognising some spirit friend.
Daily-daily was the eind, as regarded her earthly teiinement advancing, and still nearer came the angels!
6' At times, her patience under the accumulated sufferings she was doomed to endure was marvellous;
and when at last she longed to anticipate our summer, so tardy that year in arrivirig, and when I bade
her adieu, she pressed her tiny hand into mine,' feel
it —feel it well,9 she said iln hlel pretty Englishl, no lon.
gel broken but accented —' feel it, for whllen I coime to
you, you must remember it.' Some months passed,
and then at last came the news, early in last July, she
was called home.' I lhad several times the full conviction (as I have
at this moment) that she was with mne but I have no
mnedium power, and beyond the cool breeze that passes
across my hand ori brow,'the air of the a'ngel's willgs
I receive no sign of such presence-nor do I lleed it.
"6 Mr. Home returned to Enlgland, and after oulr first
meeting (those wlho loved her could not call it sad, for
lie w}.s assured of her  happiness) we arranged an evenilg se6atce in the drawing-rooell, which was lit as usual
-only live persons present, five who had known and
loved Sacha I
"Before what the world calls death, she had ask-ed
11*




298                IN MEMORIAM.
her Ilusband to give me a little lace cap, the embro(id.
ery by her own hands, and I had aslked himt for a
braid of her hair; he brought both, tied in one of her
white handkerchiefs, and placed tllem on the table. —[More than tile usual manifestations came that nigllht 
not onlyls the table but our chairs, and the very room
shook, and the'raps' were everywhere around us. A
lady, whose consolation through spiritualism has been
indeed blessed, received several messages in answer to
lier tlhoughts; and a very etninent sculptor, whose eng}agements oin public works are unceasing, had been
rising before day to finish a bust of Saclha, which he
desired to present to her husband —thi-s fact was nzot
even known in his own /hoaselholdc-he received a message. tltus:'Thanks for your early morning labor-I
have been often near you.'  While t]he message was
rapped out, he felt her little hand repeatedly on hiis,
iul loving confirnation of her thanks.  This was the
first time he had ever felt the touch of thle'spirithand,' and it affected himn deeply.  Mr. Home then
placed tlhe embroidery and the hair under the table.
Sacha,' lie said,'wishes to give them  to you herself.' Presently my dress was pulled.  I put down
my hand, and the cap was not only placed in it, but
my fingers closed over it, by /he, hannd, I could not be
mlistaken, I knew that band so well I  My dress was
again pulled, and I laid my hand. in my lap, then I
felt her hland more distinctly; it was placed entirely
in mine, and after a pressure, left me the lock of hair!
"Again thle alphabet was demanded, and the passage spelt, out' Give me thle banldkerchief, I want to
give it to M1rs. S -.  Oh, I thank hler foir ler beaun




IN MEMORIAM.                  299
tifi:ll flowers,' (flowers slhe was in the habit of sending
]her -luring her illness.)  Mr. Home threw  the handkerchief that had contained the hltilr and embroidery
down.  It was rolled up and knotted, anid given into
]lrs. S   -'s hand.  There was much more that evening, the revealings were all continued evidence of spiritiual power, and spirit presence, such as conme to us
with healing mressages on their wings, making us
tlhankful that to us Spiritualism has been the handmaid
of Christianity.' But dear SACTIA is far fronl being the only one of
my beloved firiends, departed, or rather removed, friom
whom I have received sweet, and consoliing, and confobrting messages.  One whom  I love and reverence
beyond all who are gone before, has given me by unmistakeable proof, the blessed certainty of the interest
she is permitted to take in our spiritual welfare, and
has, by her precepts, and apt quotations of holy writ,
strengthened our armor of faith, and if it be possible, brightened the hope of the glory that shall be re-vealed hereafter.  IT not this comforting?  I do not
prolong this brief record  of happy memories, but I
could do so.  SPInITUALISM has been to me a blessing,
for which I cannot be enough tlhankful. less for my
own sake, than for the sake of others who are very
dear to me; for though it brought me more sullshile,
it has given me no new liglht.  I testify here of spirittialism, a: s it is known and believed by me and mine 
I say KNorwN, for nearly five years we have h1ad abundant proofs of its reality.  I will briefly say how
this is.  I thlank God that I Iever had a. doub)t as to
the divine truths of Christianity, neither did I re.




`300                IN.iiEMORIAMe
ceive thle m:,s cold facts,.  M[y dealr mlother was of
pure ilugcuellot descent, and would, at any period of
her lift,, have gone calmly to the stake sooner than
have even se med to Iabate one jot of her belief in the
Existence, Missionl  and Aliracles of CHRIST-GOD.  I
dranc at lthAe ounntain o'Y this faith firom  my ea-ietA
years, and every night the accustomed'chapter  was
read, pra-yed over and discussed; thus religious fi-ith
grew  to be my enjoyment, as well as my hope and
trust. lMoreover, she held the belief that the spirits
of those we knew, loved, and reverenced, were permitted to watch over us, and it might be to communicate with us-but how such  communication was to
take place. was a mystery as much to the parent as
the  child.  She believed that our holiest thougrhts
and actions were suggested to us,9 under Divine permission, by ministering   angels and thlat perseverance,
in prayer would protect us from  the evil influences
that were ever on the watch to whisper, or evenl to
inculcate, whlat was contrary to God's holy law.
6 "This was, and is pure Spiritualismn-pure Christian
Spiritualismn -yet having  believed this all my li-fe loot,
believing also thlat tlhe supernatural was often permitted as one of the miissionaries  ofo Christianity, I laughed
at what was called' I Table-tlurlaing.'  I hlad never seeen
spiritual malifestations, but that did not hinder my
laughing at the idea of a spirit giving a message by
raps on a table; all illy belief in the' Cloud of Witnesses' did not prevent my catching at what seemed
the absurdity of such a means of comn mulnicatiioai  and
instead of investigating, I laughed.  I did worse, I became angry.  I said I had all my life believed in su



IN MEMORIAnL                  301
peim)na mwal  presences, I believed that, if necesscery;
CHiRISa-GOD would give one of His' Cloud of WVitnesses'
permission to communicate wit'h me, but what had tha.t
to do) with raps?  I never called to mind tlhat at this
imoment the world is filled with' Thomases,' who will
not (if they can avoid it) believe except on the testimony of their senses.  Because I believe in Gospel
truths, I thlouglht that othlers ought to believe as I did,
from the testimony which had sufficed me and mine. 1
did not want to see the Saviour's wounds, I believed in
themn,?that was enough for me.  I did not think those'stiff-necked and stubliorn,' who require, as Thomas
did, a sign;' and we must remember (which I did not)
that the MiASTEr   (id, t   not re/fse him thact sigy'-no, 1e
called,/ hiq.m to ecxanzie those rdrc.ks of' Its suffering.
HI  not only permitted the unbeliever to examine for
himself, but He called. upon him to do so.' At length we were prevailed on to meet a young
lady-nmedium, one in all respects above suspicion; we
were a mixed party of twelve or fourteen at tlhat dinner-table:  and while questioning myself hlow it was
possible that educated and intelligent men could receive
as testimony of spiritual preselnce the' raps' and -' tilts,'
which though I could not; account for, I did not believe
in, my attention was awakened by the younog lady's
saying that a spirit was present, who desired to cornmnnunicate with me.  Shle described a presence which I
recognized, and then gave nce a message, a portion of
which could only be intelligible to us two —the spirit
who gave it, and I who received it.  This was so positive and conclusive to mne, that believing as I always
lid that such a power existed, I was forced to believe




302                IN MEMORIAM.
that there was truth in mediumship, and that here was
the means used for communicating fiomn the spirits of
those gone before to those who still lingered in the
flesh.
"'This was thle confirmation of a blessed reality to
me, but to others, particularly to one other at the table,
it was thrice blessed; lis past had been clouded with
doubts as to the existence of spirit-life, he had refused
to believe what he could not understand;  his lanmp of
reason, trimmed with ever so much care, only made
the darkness, so as to say, more visible.  Faithl was to
him. a delect letter.  His heart ached to believe, but,
like Tllomuas, he wanted a' sign.' The first' sign' was
given hiin that night, and since then directed invariably to THE BOOI. which leads to life eternal he goes on;his way rej oicing.' Only those who have stumbled amid the doubts
and uncertainties of a sadly nnsatisfying materialism,
can comprehend the inspiration whlich the assurance of
future existence, amended, enlightened, purified, gives.
I am fiequently asked, what is the use of Spiritualism?
My answer invariably is, that I believe it is permitted
to check the growth of materialism.  No one, however
sceptical, can receive messages fiom  the spirit world,
lknowing their trtte, and disbelieve in spirit-life, in a
immortality!  This is the key-stone to Ca belief in the
Holy Scriptures.  Scores, hundreds, tklousands, at this
day say as I did,' Why don't people believe?  They
have Mioses and the prophets.' I believed on Bible
testimony.   Yes, but those  thousands do not believe in Bible testimony; they ask for a sign.   Will
they not seek'the sign,' and investigate its truth 




IN MlEMORIAM.                303
Would not they give all they possess for a' sign' proving imllmortality? Do they not desire intercourse which,
sanctified by prayer, will, (I have often seen it done)
direct theln to particular passages in H-oly Writ, which
for the first time they comprehended, and which became
sanctified to themr   And again, thele are many who receive Spiritualislm as a fact; well-minded, timid persons, who fear that Spiritualism is dangerous.  I have
seen quite enough to convince mne that carnal-minded
people bring their evil angels with them into many a
circle; and they suggest what is evil more palpably
than in those silent whispers that lead as surely astray.
By their fruits ye shall know them.'  We know that'lying spirits' endeavor to distil their poison into the
purest hearts; and be sure they are on the watch
around the circle assembled foi  manifestations, and
can only be'sent behind' by faithful prayer; but every Christian knows that he is perpetually beset by
such like.
6' Spiritualism, as we know it, commences each seance
with prayer; acd usually (thougll not invariably) has
reason to finish with praise.  I would not join a circle
where this was neglected.  I could name many who
have been lift.ed out of the slough of materialisln by,
in the first instance, seeing the marvelous manifestations that arise from Mr. IHome's mediumnship, and the
mediumship of the young lady I have already mentioned.  IRidicule on the one side, and asseverations
on the other, cannot alterfacts.  There lust be a coin
to create a couZnterfeit, and, doubtless, charlatanism has
ounld its way into' circles,' whence it has been driven
as soon as discovered.




30z4               IN MEMORIAM.
"MEDIUMSHIP is a mystery we cannot fatlhom, nor understand why the power should be (lelegated to one
Inore to another.  We have the highest authority for
the belief that there are' diversities of gifts' all from
6the same spirit;' and amongst themn is specified,   To
some the discerning of spirits.' Why should one lhave'tlle gift of healing,' and not that of'divers kind of
tongues,' or' the seeing of spirits.'  That is one of
those marvels we shall comprehend when we no longer
see through a glass darkly.  I can only add, with no
large amount of humility, that 6 medium ship' is not
the only tlhing I do not understand.
"But I Inust cease here.  I do not attempt to give
any further description of the' manifestations' I have
witnessed, thle wonders I have seen, and exam-ined, and
questionted and after my examinations and qluestionings,
could not doubt their being permitted for the ONrS purpose, which I again repeat, is the missiom of high a'id
holy Spiritualism.
"6 I do not feel called upon to write in defence of
Spiritualism, nor to quote from the volume of facts by
which that defence is to be sustained, and its truth
proved. I have no talent for argument of' controversy 
there are others who have, and are willing, as well as
able, to be its defenders.  I believe it to be sanctioned
by GOD, and that therefore it must be for a good purpose; amid I content myself, as I mnust content those
who may read what I have written, with expressing
mny conviction that Spiritualismi is TnUTH,"




CHAPTER XIII.
CONCOLUSIONo
I cAME to England from Perigileux, and have been
since enrgaged, as much as my time and health would
permit, in having seances, at which most of the manhi
festations recorded in the previous pages of my work
have been repeated.  I have been several times lifted
a short distance from the ground, but not so high as to
float above the heads of tile persons in the room.
Mfany persons have seen and been convinced of the
occurrence of what they previously deemed impossible,
and have had their faith in immortality renewed and
strengthened when all other means had failed in making them believe.  On the 20th January, 1863, I went
to Paris on a short visit to my friend, Count de K~i
and there also the same phenomena have occurred in
the presence of great numbers of persons. I have also
been frequently received by their Majesties at the
Tuileries, and by the imperial Princess and the nobility of France, who }lave shown a great interest in investig'ating the manifestations; but enough has hleen,
given of the facts to enable the reader to form an opinion of them, and there is no need to go inito further




306                 CONCLUSION.
details.  I have already told the main incidents, and
mnst now leave them to be judged and analyzed by
the various classes of persons who may devote their
thoughts to the subject.
It would be hard if I were held answerable for facts
which occur in connexion with my physical organization, and towards which I am, in mind and intent,
wholly passive, even if there were any harm  in them.
As there is no harm in them  beyond their disturbing
certain prepossessions, on. the contrary, somne likelillood
of good; and as they are independent of all moral action
my feet; I trust tlhat with the candid and enlightened
I shall be held, as I am, innocent.
It will have beenl observed that they began with me
when I was an inlfant in my cradle, and they have since
with a few exceptions, formed a part of my daify lite.
Their range includes nearly all the phenomena which
n.re known under the ilcorrect name of Modern Spiritualismn. I say the name is incorrect, because there is
not one of tlhem which is new, and which mnay not be
traced in every age of which we lhave any record preserved to us. The great differenlce, however, is, that
during the last two centuries a great clhange has come
over the world, and by a kind of re-action, men have
reversed the belief which previously existed as to the
supernatural.  Up to two centuries ago, it was not considered a point of wisdom to disbelieve in such man -
ifestations and actings from tile inner world, but oil the
contrary, such disbelief was reprehedcled as ullscrip-t;ral and wrong.
I am, however, fortunately relieved from  the necessity of shlowing at great lenllth the prevelance of spir



CONCLUSION.                  307
itual action and phenomena in the past ages of the
world, by the publication of the elaborate and almost
exhaustive wor'k of Mr. W. FHowitt,* to which I refer
ly readers, in fiui confidence that in his pages they
will find not only the fa'cts but the arguments necessary to show that the spiritual has been ever present,
and that nothing had occurred to me but what has beea
freqnently observed  before.  I trust that this work
will be extensively read, in older that much of the
present ignorance on tihe subject may be dispelled, and
that the minds of men may be led to inquire more
deeply into this great subject.  As a brief suiimary
of thle same subject, I may likewise point to an article
in the Appendix which has been framed by a fi'ietd
fromn a series of historical notes, gathered by a literary
gentleman who has, with great kindness, placed them
at imxy friend's disposal.
It will be readily admitted that such facts as those
I have described, are calculated to throw  great light
upon thle hitherto neglected science of pneumatology
-anrd tlhat it is in the direction pointed  out by such
facts that further search is to be made into thle hidden
qnestions of tihe soul, anld its relations with the body
and external things.  For such a study, no facts, however small or apparently trivial, can be dispensed
with.
Of those which are of a physical kind, such as thle
mroving of fullriture, the raps, the raising into the
* "The History of the Supernatural in all Ages and Nations, in all
Churches, Christian and Pagan, demonstrating a Universal Faith." By
William Howitt, Author of " Colonization and Christianity." London,
Longman and Co.




$08                  CONCLUSION.
air, or levitation, tand similar classes of phenomena,
they are to be investigated, and their uses ascertained
by the man of science and the philosopher.  At present such persons have fixed ad priori tthat such things
have never occurred, and are impossible and absurd 
and for this very reason, if for no other, it will be admnitted that they are of thle highest use in orderto correct such notions of the relations between spiritual
forces and natural things.  There is no study which
could be of such value to  philosophers as that of
facts now known to thousands, but which their present
phiilosophy deems impossible.  For their philosophly
must be radically defective when that which thley slay
is impossible, is neverltleless of daily occurrence. The
physical side, therefore, of' these phenomena is to be
studied by students of experimnental science, in order
to enlarge thleir views of material forces, and if this
can be effected, as it has been in so many instance-s,
by  the  rmovement of tables, and by the rapping
sounds, and by the raising of bodies into the air without touch or contact, they will no longer complain of
the triviality of such phenomena.  Indeed, already so
little are they trivial or unimportant, that thie ioted
men of science, such as the Faradays and Brewsters,
have gone out of their way to inveigh against their
possibility, and to bestow the name of credulous dupes
upon those who have publicly stated what they have
seen and heard. The very denial of tlhese things by
these tneln, and by the ma-ss of the public, shows that
they are not trivial to them, but that they are reually
of the utmost importance.  For why are they denied
by the men of science, but that they contradict all




CONCLUSION.                 309
their previous knowledge of the laws of nature, upsettilg " the philosophy of a lifetime," and are therefore
impossible to them, until they enlarge the present
boundaries of their knowledge, and find out those higher laws under which these become not only fiacts, but
possible facts.
There is of course no religious revelation, properly
so called, in such phenomena, any more than there is
in the phenomena of gravitation, electricity, or n1agnetism, but that has not latterly been a reason why
such laws should be repudiated.  At tHle institution of
the present Royal Society, there was a great outcry on
tlhe part of the religious persons of that day, against the
formation of such a society, on thle gro:mnd that it was
blasphemous and wicled to attempt to inquire into
what were called God's mysteries; and it was said thlat
men already had their Bibles, and knew enougth, and
ought not to seek to klnow more.  Such is not the general opinion now-a-days, and the timne is not far distant, I hope, when thle manner in which this subject
lhas been received, will inl the same way be brought
ibrward to prove the samne great truth, that all knowledge is to be pursued, and that we need not fear that
we shall ever have too much of it.  God is able to
preserve FHis own mysteries, and whatever is possible
for us, it is our right and duty to search into and fathlom, and to bring forward as a part of the general
stock of human intelligence.  I anticipate, therefore,
that when the real mnen of science find thlese facts not
to be impossible, they will by their aid, be led into a
knowledge of higher laws, which at preserlt they conceal from themselves; and that at greater discovery




310                  CONCLUSION.
awaits their research than that which has adorned the
nane of Newton, who did not find it a trivial fact
when an apple fell before his eyes.
As to thile other great division of these phenomena,
into such as are of a mlental kind, and betoken intelligence, a much larger quesrion is raised.
Tlhe former class of mnanifestations we could only
conlnmmend to the scientific investigator; but so soon as
we are assured of the fact of manifestations directed
by intelligence, we are put upon an inquiry of another
kind.  We are not aware of any other being but man,
wlho is endowed with the kind and amonnt of intelligence whicht is disclosed in many of the manifestations
and we are at once broughlt to the inevitable conclusion that such intelligence is exhibited by hiuman beings, either in body, or out of thle body.  Neither the
od force, nor electricity, nor magnetism, nor any of the
imponderable forces, has ever yet been detected in betraying intelligence, or in carrying on a conversation
between themselves, or in taking part in one with others, and though they are largely eng'aged in their prop.
er offices throughout nature, and in that epitome of it
which is containled in a man, yet there is nothing human nor intelligent about them in the true sense of the
words.
We feel instinctively, thlerefore, when we meet with
this intelligence, that we are dealing with a man either
embodied or disembodied.  The wonders of clairvoyalce and internal perception (if we are to consider
tliese faculties inherent in the living, independent of
spiritual aid,) may account for some of the phenomena; but there are others whicht my reader will not




CONCLUSION.                 311
hlave failed to note, which infallibly point to the intelligence being that of disembodied human beings. The
intelligence declares itself to be a human being, and
gives information known to it alone. It says that it is
a spirit, and in the spiritual world. It is seen as a
spirit, and recognised as that of one loved on earth. It
says that its office is to be our guardian, and helper,
and comforter. It tells us of things that have passed,
of things that are happening in distant parts, of things
that are to come.  Can this be onrselves, who unknwingly connterfeit such a presentment, and tell this
false intelligence to ourselves?  No such quality or
power has hitherto been recognised or known to exist
in the mind of man.  No such quality has been recognized or known to exist in the od force, nor in electricity, nor in magnetisnl, as tile ability to tell either
truth or falsehood.  Whence is it then? Is the question so entirely a new one as to the existence of spirits
and their power to communicate with lman, as that we
can ignore it or deny its possibility?  Are we inevitably thrown upon finding some natural hypothesis to
account for such facts.? and are we as Christians, to
say like Sir David Brewster, that "' Spirit is the last
thing I'll give in to."  I thank God that I ]have been
taught otherwise, and I refer to the bible, and to the
spiritual books, and authorities, and beliefs of all ages
and of all chlurches, in support of my belief.  Let us
then say at once that there are spirits and a spir'it
world, and see what difficulties are thlrown in their
way by the men of science, who deny them  all power
of comnmunlicating with this world.
It would indeed be a very difficult matter to con



312                  CONCLUSION.
ceive by what possible means a spirit could satisfy
some minds of its actual presence.'Suplpose," says
the Rev. Charles Beecher, "a departed spirit, the wife
of Oberlin, for example, were permitted to attempt t,,
converse with her husband; not to establish a new revelation, not to display divine power, but merely to ex
ercise such potentiality as imight pertain to a disembodied spirit, for her own and her husband's edification and satisfaction.  How could she do it in the face
of the apneumatic theories.  She speaks to hlim, moves
his furniture, touches his dress, his person; all automatic action of some brain en rappoit with that locality.  She sings, plays the guitar or piano, takes a pencil and writes, and lie sees the pencil in free space tracing his wife's autograph-automatic still.  She shows
him a cloudy hand, nay, a luminous form, and smiles
and speaks as when in life —that is an optical illusion,
or hallucination, or a particle exhaled from  her body
has impinged on his sensitive brain, and created a subjective vision. She communicates facts past, present,
and fulture, beyond the scope of his knowledge;-that
might be clairvoyance or cerebral sensingy.  Alas, then,
what could she do more? She must retire baffled, and
complaining that he had become so scientific that all
communication with him was impossible."
It is, therefore, very difficult to influence some minds
by any proof that could be brought forward, for want
of their having any point which such proof can penetrate; but assuredly sulch proofs as I have given in my
book, of the existence of spirits, and of their ability to
communicate with us, are of the kind most likely to be
useful to them.




CONCLUSION.                313
It is to be observed also, that such persons, to be
consistent, must, and too Inany of them do, apply the
same argument to all analogous facts in the past, as
well as to those occurring at this day. On this all-important point the Rev. W. Beecher says truly, "' Whatever physiological law accounts for these phenomena
in all ages, will in the end inevitably carry itself
through the whole bible, where it deals with the phenomena of soul and body as mutually related, acting
and re-acting.  A large portion of the bible, its prophecies, ecstacies, visions, trances, tlheophanies, angelophanies, are more or less tinged with odic characteristics. The physiology, the anthropology of the bible
is highly odic, and must be studied as such. As such
it will be found to harmonize with the general principies of human experience in such matters in all ages.
If a theory be adopted everywhere else but in the bible, exclunding spiritual intervention in toto, and ae.counting for everything physically, then will the covers of the bible prove but pasteboard barriers.  Such a
theory will sweep its way through the bible and its
authority, and its inspiration will be annihilated.  On
the other hand, if the theory of spiritual intervention
be accepted in the bible, it cannot be shut up there,
but must sweep its way through the wide domain of'popular superstitions,' as they are called, separating
tile elneent of truth on which those superstitions are
based, and asserting its own authoritative supremacy."
It is on such grounds as these amongst many others,
that I have found as a fact that these manifestations
have a religious tendency, and bearing on the subject
of religion of the most important kind.  I do not claim
14




314                 COCLUSIONo
for them the character of a new revelation, but that
they are a recurrence in our day of some of the plienomena of a very old one; and that it is not a small
matter to be able to convince many Nwho stand in need
of such knowledge and conviction, of the immortality
of the soul, of its immediate and continued existence
in the spiritual world, and of its power of commnunion
and communlication with us who are left behind.
These are not new doctrines, but old facts, and wllatever spirits may tell us, we ]must judge of, as we judge
the other affairs of life, by its own intrinsic evidence,
and not rely on the infallibility of what comes fiom
the other side merely because of its spiritual origin.
For instance, suppose that if any one of the sceptics of
the day should go to swell the numbers of the spiritual
world, and should come to me in vision, or through
any of the numerous modes which I have narrated in
the previous pages, and should tell nme that there are
no spiritual laws, and no spiritual world, and no spiritual beings, and that the many phenomena I have
experienced throughout my life did not occur to ne,
and that such never occurred to others, and were in
fact impossible, I should not believe what he said,
merely because of its spiritual origin, for the reason
that it would be opposed to the experience and knowledge of myself, and of many others in the present and
former ages of the world. I should, as I do, on the
contrary, recognise in the very fact of his being able
to come anrd give me this false information, matter of
the utmost importance to religious truth, directed to a
point which of all others in this materialistic age, the
most requires assurance and comfirmation.




CONCLUSION.                31M
The fact, therefore, of any intelligence whether true
or false, coming from  the inner world, is one from
which conclusions must be deduced, the value of which
it is impossible to over estimate.  The real and intimate communion of saints may be difficult to realize,
on account of our own state being too low  for snch
holy communion, but we need not abandon to scepticism the whole spiritual world, and deny the possibility of one of the most glorious tenets of Christendom.
T IH  E X Do








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