QJornell Uniueraitg ffitbrarg 
 
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 FROM THE 
 
 BENNO LOEWY LIBRARY 
 
 COLLECTED BY 
 
 BENNO LOEWY 
 
 18S4-1919 
 
 BEQUEATHED TO CORNELL UNIVERSITY 
 
o,in,an? ^^24 031 207 503 
 
The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
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FtnsT SEBTM8. 
 
 INCIDENTS IN MY LIFE 
 
 D. D. HOME. 
 
 WITH AN INTEODUCTION BY JUDGE EDMONDS. 
 
 SIXTH EDITION. 
 
 NEW YOBK . 
 
 A. K. BUTTS & CO., 36 Dey Stbeet. 
 1874. 
 
Kntered accordiug to Act ot CongresB, in the year 1863, 
 
 By GEORGE W. CAHLKTON, 
 
 In the Clerk's OfBee of the District Conrt for the Sonthem District of New York. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Fasb 
 Introduotion .-,i ' vii 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 Barly Life; i Become a Medium ,. 17 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Before the World 03 
 
 CHAPTER ni. 
 Further Manifestations in America 70 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 In England 95 
 
 CHAPTER y. ' 
 
 At Florence Naple , Eome and Paris. 126 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 In America. The Pressgang 149 
 
ri CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Faob 
 1857-8— France, Italy, and Russia — Marriage 164 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Russia, Paris and England 183 
 
 CHAPTER TX. 
 The " Coruhill" and otter Narratives 213 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 Miraculous Preservation. France and England 230 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 A Diary and Letter 281 
 
 CHAPTER Xn. 
 In Memoriam 28E 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 TO THE AMEEICAN EDITION, 
 
 It is now about fifteen years since there occurred at Eo> 
 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 instrumentality, such an intelligence displayed as ena- 
 bled conversation to be carried on with the unseen powei 
 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 claim was received by an almost universal disbe- 
 lief — by vehemcTit condemnation of the impiety, or iinspar- 
 ing 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 iNTEontjcTTON to tue American edition. 
 
 telHgehce and education, inquired — and most of those who 
 inquired, 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 " mediums " through whom 
 these things were done, the power was soon manifested 
 through others, of different sexes and ages. 
 
 The 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 wa^ subjected, both as to the facta 
 and their sources, to the severest scrutiny which ingenuity 
 and acuteness could devise. Solutions of the mystery, pro- 
 fessing 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 instruments 
 through whom the things were done were counted by thous- 
 ands in this country, and the believers by millions, and kin- 
 dred manifestations were breaking out throughout the world, 
 and appearing on different continents, among people of di- 
 verse nationalities and language, simultaneously, without 
 any missionary efi'ort on our part, and apparently without 
 preconcert with us or between themselves. 
 
 Thus at length — through this instrumentality and by the 
 testimony of these hosts of witnesses — was established in 
 this country the marvelous fact of inanimate matter moving 
 ■withuut mortal contact, and displaying intelligence, and 
 that intelligence so great as to " speak in many tongues," 
 and to read the inmost unuttered thoughts of man. 
 
 Among the early instruments used to bring about such a 
 result in this country, was D. D. Home, whose experience 
 is givpn in the ensuing pages. He was of a mild and gen- 
 tle disposition, sincere and simple-minded, yet of a passive 
 rather than an affirmative character, with a strong devotional 
 tendency. 
 
 He was never known much in this country as a medium. — 
 
IN'I BODUOTION TO THE AMEUICAN EDmON. 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 mediumship 
 was confined to a very small circle, consisting of gentlemen 
 of education and of means, who were, through him, thorough 
 ly investigating 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 wit- 
 nessing 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 fathom. 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. Come ye and discover 
 this unknown and extraordinary power which thus tends to 
 lead us into the domain of the magical and the miraculous ! 
 Here is an intelligence displayed by inanimate matter which 
 professes to be that of the dead. Come 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- 
 cesses 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 diiferent parts of the coun- 
 try ; 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 communion assumed a new and most interesting 
 phaee. 
 
 Meanwhile Europe lagged behind the celerity of our 
 movement, and as we were beginning to read in this New 
 
\ INlROnCCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITIOJf. 
 
 Testament from God to man, we could occasionally hear that 
 her people were just entering on their A, B, C. 
 
 So that when Home arrived in England, in the possession 
 of a power then quite common in this country, but almost 
 unknown there, he at once attracted great attention — and it 
 will be seen in the following pages, how wide-spread and 
 earnest was that att^intion among the higher classes, as well 
 on. the Continent as in England. The same lively interest 
 in these, the primary ?teps of the Communion, was displayed 
 there that had been seen here, some ten years before. That 
 interest still continues there. I will mention as an instance 
 of this, that some time ago I received a letter 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 he had been sent for by the 
 Emperor of the French and had departed for Paris. 
 
 The office which his book will perform in Europe will be 
 somewhat different from what it will perform with us. There, 
 it will be mainly to establish the fact of spiritual inter- 
 course. With us, we have an abundance of testimony on 
 that point, not only in the oft recorded experience of the 
 past, but in the great number of private Circles, now scat- 
 tered all over our land, where every one may see and judge 
 for himself. 
 
 To some in this country too that will be the oflSce of his 
 book, but to very many it will be different, and the book 
 will find its chief interest in the plain, simple detail of fact, 
 and the great accumulation of testimony in support of that 
 detail, and in the fact that it is a clear delineation of the 
 first step of many which have been taken within the last 
 fifteen years. 
 
 That first step has been pretty thoroughly investigated in 
 America, until a great revolution has been wrought in the 
 public mind as to its actuality. 
 
 The next thing — and we are prepared for that now in this 
 country — is to obtain for the subsequent steps the same tho- 
 rough and searching scrutiny. 
 
 And it is the object of this introduction to bespeak for 
 those subsequent steps the closest investigation that science, 
 educatiuu aud acuteness can give. It is impossible for any 
 
INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. X. 
 
 one mind or any small number of minds to do that wisely 
 and well. It requires very many minds and numerous ob- 
 servations and a gathering together of the results of very 
 many inquiries, before a satisfactory conclusion can bo ar- 
 rived 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 in- 
 tercourse. Many things now obscure may be rendered 
 clear ; many things deemed impossible may be shown to be 
 possible ; and many things wflich to the uninstructed mind 
 may be terrifying, may be rendered at once attractive and 
 salutary. All that is wanted is patient, persistent investi- 
 gation. 
 
 This appeal of mine wouM however be incomplete, if I 
 should omit to define more particularly what are the topics 
 for which I supplicate a scrutiny, and so I proceed to men- 
 tion them. 
 
 First. If it be true that the spirits of the dead can com- 
 mune 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. Some 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 
 amid the furor if superabundant wealth, with all the selfish- 
 ness, luxuay 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 of&ce of softening our 
 hearts, and opening them to the entrance of the gentle voice 
 which is now coming to us in ever-increasing tones from 
 beyond the grave. 
 
 As the life on earth is never exactly alike in any two 
 persons, so life in the 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 
 
XU INTEODnCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. 
 
 that communion 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 come to us in the 
 same way, as the result of many observations by many per- 
 sons. What can one man, or even a score do in this res- 
 pact ? 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 Home'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 an- 
 swers to himself, and thus from personal observation may 
 come to believe that which he finds it so hard to receive 
 through me. 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 time shall come, when a rational know- 
 ledge of what the great change — the mortal putting on im- 
 mortality — 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 Egypt- 
 ian bondage, what imagination can picture the vast increase 
 that will flow to the happiness, the wisdom, and the purity 
 of man ! 
 
 Seco?id. Another topic, on which much evidence has al 
 ready been received, but much more is necessary to a full 
 understanding, is involved in the question in what manner, 
 and to what extent are we, in the mortal life, surrounded 
 and affected by the spirits of the departed ? 
 
 There is abundant evidence to show that we are ever sur- 
 rounded by them, and much to induce us to believe that 
 every mood of mind has its kindred spirit; whence it 
 would seem to follow that we are ever liable to be influenc- 
 ed for good or evil by our unseen companions. But many 
 important questions arising out of these facts are yet un- 
 solved. For instance : To what extent and under what 
 circumstances can the attendant spirits influence us ? And 
 
INTKODUCTION TO THR AMEKICAN Emi'ION. xiil 
 
 what is our protection against the evil of this influence 1 — 
 Can we ourselves control it by oontroling our mood of 
 mind ? And if we need help, can we obtain it, and how ? 
 Here perhaps will be found the solution of the oft disputed 
 proposition of the efficacy of prayer. Here, perchance, we 
 may learn that as Grod always works through his instru- 
 ments, so the mood of mind which prompts us to pray, may 
 drive evil far from us, and draw closely around us the min- 
 istering 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 mental 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 Insan- 
 ity by a German Doctor. In some remarks 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 
 medical profession might not find in these ,ind cognate cases 
 something worthy of their most careful investigation ?" 
 
 And now in this connexion I may repeat the question 
 already askej — If the inquirer believe in the communion 
 announced in these pages of Home, and he can, by availing 
 himself of that communion, learn the cause and the cure of 
 any number of cases of Insanity, be they many or few, why 
 Udt 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. 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 body ? What form 
 
XIV INTEODtCTION TO TOE AMERICAN EDITION. 
 
 or covering does it assume, when corruption puts on inf?or. 
 ruption ? And what are its relative powers before or after 
 death ? 
 
 In this topic are embraced the phenomena of sleep and 
 dreams — of clairvoyance (long a subject of dispute, but now 
 received as a fact, though involved in profound mysterj) — 
 of the spirit photographs — of a spiritual telegraph, and the 
 philosophy and explanation of spirit communion. 
 
 On all these subjects many facts and principles have al- 
 ready been learned, and many more may 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 thfrsame time, (allowing ten minutes for the differ- 
 ence of longitude) in New York and Boston. Careful rec- 
 ords of what occurred at both places were preserved — and 
 upon comparing them it was found that the two parties, 
 though two hundred and fifty miles asunder, conversed with 
 each other as if present face to face. The modus operandi 
 was shown to me, and many explanations given. The ex- 
 periments were continued for several weeks, but it was 
 found that they were attended with danger, and they were 
 abandoned. The cause of thnt danger was discovered, and 
 it was found that in due time it could be obviated. 
 
 Since these experiments, I have made no continued ef- 
 forts in that direction, but I have experienced many inci- 
 dents calculated to show the practicability of such a com- 
 munion among us even in this earth life. 
 
 Another instance will be found to be in the spirit photo- 
 graphs, which profess to be likenesses of the departed as 
 they now live in the spirit life. Several years ago I re- 
 ceived from the far West — Illinois I think — some crude 
 specimens of this phenomenon, and was informed of what 
 was intended and what it was hoped would be attained. Now 
 a more matured form of it has appeared in Boston, and 
 many pictures have been taken, which there is every reason 
 to believe are likenesses of the departed as they exist now. 
 Time and rejieated observations will show how this is. And 
 if it should become a well established fact, surely every oiia 
 
1NTR0DUi.:TI< 'N TO THIi AMICRIOAN EDITION. XV 
 
 will see at a glance how powerful is the evidence thus given 
 of an existence beyond the grave. 
 
 Connected with this subject ia the power of seeing and 
 delineating scenes and objects in the spirit land. I have 
 received much evidence in this regard, and have in my 
 collection some interesting specimens, all of which tend to 
 show feasibility and the need of further investigation to de 
 yelope the power. 
 
 Fourth. I will refer to one other topic and close, and 
 that is the power of foretelling future events. 
 
 I have in my library a book published in London in 1707 
 in which is detailed a prophecy, given through just such a 
 spiritual intereourse as we are now experiencing, that the 
 Bourbon family would be expelled from the throne of 
 France, and the reason was given, viz. its general profligacy 
 and its persecution of the freedom of religious opinion. 
 
 The last time I lectured to the Spiritualists in New 
 York, which was in May, 1861, I read two papers, one 
 given about eleven years and the other about five years ago, 
 in which our present civil war was foretold — in one of the 
 papers somewhat blindly, until the events made it clear — 
 but in the other most explicit and distinct. 
 
 These all related to public events, where the prophecies 
 were published to the world before the events happened, 
 but I have had a great many instances within my own ob- 
 servation where private events were truly foretold. 
 
 Five years ago, 1 published a tract on this subject, with 
 a view to calling attention to it. I have seen nothing since 
 to change my views, but much, very much to confirm them, 
 and to show me that here is a power capable of being under, 
 stood and improved by us, and of being made available 
 to us. 
 
 These four topics are all that I deem it advisable to refer 
 to now. But they are by no means all that are connected 
 with Spiritual Intercourse that are of deep and abiding in- 
 terest, on which some knowledge has already been obtained 
 and more may be Dy proper inquiries. 
 
 It is, as I understand it, only through the instrumentality 
 of Spiritual Intercourse that that knowledge can be ob- 
 tained. No man certainly will use that instrumentality who 
 docs not believe in 't,s reality, or who regards :t ag a fraud 
 
X^•| INTEODDCTION 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. 
 
 Tf the Book does no more than merely work conviction 
 in some minds, of the reality of communion with the Depart- 
 ed, it will be of some value, for it will carry consolation to 
 many a heart now suffering under a load of doubt or afflic- 
 tion. But if it goes farther, and leads intelligent and in- 
 structed minds into an investigation of the higher truths 
 connected with the subject, it will be a great good indeed. 
 For my jjart, I do not believe that we have yet " attained 
 the end of knowledge of either the works or the irord of 
 God." 
 
 J. W. EDMONDS. 
 
 New York, March 29, 1863. 
 
INCIDENTS IN MY LIFE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 EAKLT LIFE : I BECOME A MEDIUM. 
 
 I WAS born near Edinburgli, in March, 1833. When 
 I was about a year old, I was adopted ty 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 that it was not thought that I could be reared. I 
 cannot remember when I iirst became subject to tlie 
 curious phenomena which have now for so long atten- 
 ded me, but my aunt and others have told me that 
 when I was a baby my cradle was frequently rocked, 
 as if some kind guardian spirit was tending me in my 
 slumbers. My aunt has also told me that when I was 
 about four years old, I had a vision of the circumstan- 
 ces attending the passing from earth of a little cousin, 
 I being at Portobello, near Edinburgh, and she at Lin- 
 lithgow, 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 had 
 .noticed the absence of her father on the water, at a 
 
18 EAELT LIFE. 
 
 time when it was thought that he must be with her at 
 home. 
 
 When about thirteen years of age, the first vision 
 which I distinctly remember occurred. I was, from my 
 delicate health, unable to join the sports of other boys 
 of my own age. I had, a few months before the vis- 
 ion which I am about to relate, made the acquaint- 
 ance of a boy two or three years my senior, and some- 
 what similar to myself both in character and organiza- 
 tion. We were in the habit of reading the Bible to- 
 gether, 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, " Oh, 
 I have been reading such a strange story 1" and he 
 told me a ghost story connected witli the family of 
 
 Lord , and which I have since found to be well 
 
 authenticated. A portrait of the lady to whom it oc- 
 curred still exists in the family, and is known as the 
 
 lady with the black ribbon. The present Lord -, 
 
 who is of the same family, has told me that he was 
 born in the chamber where the spirit appeared. My 
 friend Edwin asked me if I thought the story could be 
 true, and I said 1 did not know, but that I had heard 
 strange things of that kind. We tlien agreed that 
 whichever one of us should fii*st be called from earth, 
 would, if God permitted it, appear to the other the 
 third day afterwards. We read another chapter of the 
 Bible together, and we prayed that so it might be to us. 
 About a month from this time, I went with my family 
 to reside at Troy in the State of New York, a distance 
 from Norwich, where Edwin liveil, of nearly three 
 
EAELT LIFE. 19 
 
 hundred miles. I liad been to spend the evening at 
 the latter end of June with some friends, and nothing 
 had occurred during the evening to excite my imagin- 
 ation, or to agitate my mind ; on the contrary, I was 
 in a calm state. The family 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 unnec- 
 essary. After saying my prayers, I was seated on the 
 bed, and about to draw the sheet over me, when a sud- 
 den darkness seemed to pervade the room. This sur- 
 prised me, inasmuch as I had not seen a cloud in the 
 sky ; and on looking up I saw the moon still shining, 
 hut it was on the other side of the darkness, which 
 still grew more dense, until through the darkness 
 there seemed to be a gleam 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 illu- 
 minated by spiritual presence. This light increased, 
 and my attention was drawn to the foot of my bed, 
 where stood my friend Edwin. He appeared as in a 
 cloud of brightness, illuminating his face with a dis- 
 tinctness more than mortal. His features were un- 
 changed 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 
 melted away. The natural light of the room was then 
 again apparent. I was speechless and could not move, 
 though I retained all my reasoning faculties. As soon 
 
20 EAELT LIFE. 
 
 as the power of movement was restored, I rang the 
 bell, and the family, 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 mother was a seer throughout her life . She 
 passed from earth in the year 1850, at the age of for- 
 ty-two. She had what is known in Scotland as the se- 
 cond sight, and in many instances she saw things 
 which were afterwards found to have occurred at a 
 distance, just as she liad described them. She also 
 foresaw many events which occurred in the family, 
 and foretold the passing away of relatives, ana lastly, 
 she foretold her own four months previously, 
 
 I was then seventeen, and was residing ijt Norwich, 
 Connecticut, and my mother was living at Waterford, 
 near New London, twelve miles distant. One day I 
 suddenly felt a sti-ong impulse that she wished to see 
 me, and I walked all the way in consequence of this 
 impression. When I got home, 1 felt an impression 
 that she had something particular to communicate to 
 me that evenings When we were alone I turned to 
 her and said, " What have you to say to me, mother?" 
 She looked at me with intense surprise, and then a 
 smile came over her face, and eh-e said, " Well, dear, 
 it was onlj' to tell you that four months from this time 
 I shall leave you." I asked incredulously how she 
 knew, and she said, " Your little sister, Maiy, came 
 to me in a vision, holding four lilies in her hand, and 
 
EAELY LIFE. 21 
 
 allowing them to slip tlirongh her fingers one after 
 the other, till the last one had fallen, she 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 quite im- 
 pressed by this narration, when my mother added — 
 " and I shall be quite alone when I die, and there will 
 not be a relative near to close my eyes." This ap- 
 peared to me to be so improbable, not to say impossi- 
 ble, inasmuch as the family was a large one, and we 
 had many relatives, that I said to her, " Oh, mother, 
 T am BO delighred you have told me this, because it 
 shows that it must be a false vision." She shook her 
 head. Mary was a little sister who had been taken 
 from earth under most trying circumstances about four 
 years previously. My mother was out for a walk, 
 leaving the child at home, and on returning, having 
 to cross a running stream, and whilst she was on the 
 bridge over it, she saw what appeared to be some 
 loose clothes floating on the wafer, and hastening 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 circumstan- 
 ces, my mother was taken ill amongst strangers, aud a 
 telegram which they sent on the last day of the fourth 
 month, announcing her serious illness, only reached us 
 about hiilf-past eleven in the morning. Being myself 
 confined to bed by illness at the house of my aunt, and 
 she being unable to leave me, the telejiram was sent 
 on to my father. That same evening, about twilight, 
 being alone in my room, I heard a voice at the head 
 
22 EAELY LIFE. 
 
 of my bed whicli I did not recognize, saying to me so- 
 lemnly, " Dan, twelve d'cloch." I turned my head, 
 and between the window and my bed I saw what ap- 
 peared to be the bust of my mother. I saw her lijis 
 move, and again I heard the same words, " Dan, 
 twelve o'clockP A third time she repeated this, and 
 disappeared from my sight. I was extremely agitated, 
 and rang the bell hastily to summon my aunt; and 
 when she came I said, " Aunty, mother died to day at 
 twelve o'clock, because I have seen her, and she told 
 • me." She said, " Nonsense, child, you are ill, and 
 this is the eifect of a fevered brain." It was, however, 
 too true, as my father found on going to see her, that 
 she had died at twelve o'clock, and without the pres- 
 ence of a relative to close her eyes. 
 
 My mother has also told me that her great uncle, 
 Colin TJrquhart, and her uncle, Mr. Mackenzie, were 
 also seers, and gifted witli the second sight. 
 
 A few months after my mother had passed from 
 earth, one night on going to bed, I heard three loud 
 blows on the head of my bed, as if struck by a ham- 
 mer. My first impression was that some one must be 
 concealed in my room to frighten me. They were 
 again repeated, and as they were sounding in my ears, 
 the impression first came on me that thej were some- 
 tjiing not of eartli. After a few moments' silence they 
 were again heard, and although I spent a sleepless 
 night, I no longer felt or heard any repetition of them. 
 My aunt was a member of the Kiik of Scotland, and I 
 had some two years pievionsly, to her great disap- 
 probation, become a member of the Wesleyan bodv — 
 bnt her opposition was so violent that I left them to 
 
EAELT LIFE. 23 
 
 join tlie Congregationalists. On going down to break- 
 fast in the morning, she noticed my wan appearance, 
 and taunted me with having been agitated by some 
 of my prayer meetings. I was about to seat myself at 
 the breakfast table, when o\ir ears were assailed by a 
 perfect shower of raps all over the table. I stopped 
 almost terror-stricken to hear again such sounds com- 
 ing with no visible cause ; but I was soon brought 
 back to the realities of life by my aunt's exclamation 
 of horror, " So you've brought tlie devil to my house, 
 liave you ?" I ought here to state that there had then 
 been some talk of the so-called Rochester knockings 
 tlirough the Fox family, but apart from casually hear- 
 ing of them, i had paid no attention to them ; I did 
 not know even what they meant. My aunt, on the 
 contrary, had heard of the in from some of the neigh- 
 bors, and considered them as some of the works of tlie 
 Evil One. la her uncontrollable anger, she seized a 
 chair and threw it at me. Knowing how entirely in- 
 nocent I was of the cause of her unfortunate angei, my 
 feelings were deeply injured by her violence, and at 
 the same time I was strengthened in a determination 
 to find out what might be th.e cause of these disturb- 
 ances of our morning meal. There were in the village 
 three ministers, one a Congregalionalist, one a Baptist, 
 and the other a Wesleyan. In the afternoon, my 
 aunt, her anger at me having fur the moment caused 
 her to lose sight of her prejudices against these rival 
 persuasions, sent for them to consult with her, and to 
 pray for me, that I might be freed from such visita- 
 tions. The Baptist minister, Mr. Mussey, came tirst, 
 and after having questioned me as to how I had 
 
24 EAELT LIFE. 
 
 brought these things about me, and finding that 1 
 could give him no explanation, he desired that we 
 might pray together for a cessation of them. Whilst 
 we were thus engaged in prayer, at eYerj 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 
 mercy to be shown to us and our fellow-creatures, 
 there were loud rappings, as if joining in our heartfelt 
 prayers. I was so struck, and so impressed by this, 
 that there and then, upon ray knees, I resolved to 
 place mvself entirely at God's disposal, and to follow 
 the leadings of that which I then felt must be only 
 good and true, else why should it have signified its joy 
 at those special portions of the prayer ? This was, in 
 fact, the turning point of my life, and I have never 
 had cause to regret for one instant my 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 and home at 
 the age of eighteen, though still a child in body from 
 the delicacy of my Iiealth, without a friend, and with 
 three younger children dependent on me for support. 
 Of the other two clergymen, the Congregationalist 
 would not enter into the subject, saying that lie saw no 
 reason -why a pu reminded boy should be persecuted 
 for what he was not responsible to prevent or cause, 
 and the Methodist was so unkind, attributing it to the 
 devil, that I derived no comfort from him. 
 
 Notwithstanding the visits of these ministers, and 
 the continued horror of my annt, wliich only increas- 
 
EARLY LIFE. 25 
 
 ed as each manifestation was developed, the rappkigs 
 continued, and the furniture now began to be moved 
 about without any visible agency. The first time this 
 occurred I was in my room, and was brushing my hair 
 before the looking-glass. In the glass I saw a chair 
 that stood between me and the door, moving slowly 
 towards me. My first feeling was one of intense fear, 
 and I looked round to see if there were no escape ; but 
 there M'as the chair between me and tlie door, and 
 still it moved towards me as I continued looking at it. 
 When within about a foot of me it stopped, whereup- 
 on I jumped past it, rushed down stairs, seized my hat 
 in the hall, and went out to wonder on this wonderfsl 
 phenomenon. 
 
 After this, when sitting quietly in the room with 
 my aunt and uncle, the table, and sometimes the 
 chairs, and other furniture, were moved about by 
 themselves in a singular way, to the great disgust and 
 surprise of my relations. Upon one occasion, as the 
 table was being thus moved about of itself, my aunt 
 brought the family Bible, and placing it on the table, 
 said, " There, that will soon drive the devils away ;" 
 but to her astonishment the table only moved in a 
 more lively manner, as if pleased to bear such a bur- 
 den. Seeing this, she was greatly incensed, and de- 
 termining to stop it, she angrily placed her whole 
 weight on the table, and was actually lifted up with 
 it bodily from the floor. My only consolation at tliis 
 time was from another aunt, a widow, who lived near, 
 whose heartfelt sympathy did much to cheer and con- 
 sole me. At her house, when I visited her, the same 
 phenomena occuri-ed ; and we there first began to ask 
 
2G EAKLT LIFE. 
 
 questions, to which we received intelligent replies.—- 
 I'lie spirit of my mother at her house in this way com- 
 itiunicated the following : " Daniel, fear not, my child. 
 God is with you, and who shall be against you ? Seek 
 to do good : be truthful aud truth-loviug, and you will 
 jirosper, my child. Yours is a glorious mission — you 
 will convince the infidel, cure the sick, and console 
 the weeping." This was the 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, be- 
 cause this was the last week I passed in the house of 
 the aunt who had adopted me, for she was unable to 
 bear the continuance of the phenomena, which so dis- 
 tressed her religious convictions, and she felt it a duty 
 that I should leave her house, and which I did. 
 
 One of the singular manifestations which occurred 
 during this first week, was in connexion with Mrs. 
 Force, a neighbor. I should mention that by this time 
 the neighbors had heard of what was occurring in my 
 presence, and were beseiging the house in a way that 
 did not tend to sooth the religious susceptibilities of 
 my aunt. Being one evening at the house of Mi-s. 
 Force, the raps were heard, and the alphabet was used 
 in the way that has now become familiar to many. 
 The name of her mother was in this way given, an, 
 nouncing her presence, and words were spelt out, re- 
 proaching her with having so long forgotten her half- 
 sister, who had been married some tiiirty years previ- 
 ously to a farmer, who removed to the far west, and 
 had not since been heard of. Her mother went on by 
 
EAULT LIFE. 27 
 
 means of Uie alphabet and the raps, to state t1ie name 
 of the town where this daughter by a former husband 
 lived, the number of their children, and eacli of their 
 names. Mrs. Force wrote to the address thus given, 
 and received a letter in reply confirming every partic- 
 nlar; and the family was in tliis way again brought to- 
 gether, and mutual 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. Had it not been for this chain of circum- 
 stances, these truths might have remained unknown 
 so widely as tliey now are. 
 
 Althongh the manifestations had only lasted a week, 
 they had become known 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, Williman- 
 tic, and was received at the house of a friend there. 
 "Whilst I was with him, these phenomena were repeat- 
 ed, and those present investigated them in the most 
 determined manner. I find the following account of 
 what occurred stated in a newspaper of March, 1851 : 
 "At request, the table was movec repeatedly, and in 
 any direction that we asked to have it. All the circle, 
 the Medium included, had their hands flat upon the 
 table, and we looked several times under the table 
 while it was in the most rapid motion, and saw that 
 
28 EAEI-Y 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 moN^ed by Mr. Hayden in the same man- 
 ner by all his exertion with his hands laid open upon 
 the table. At one time, too, the table was moved 
 without the Medium^s hands or feet touching it at al . 
 At our request, the table was turned over into our lap. 
 The table was moved, too, while Mr. Hayden was try- 
 ing to hold it still ! Mr. Hayden took hold of the top 
 at first, and failing that way, he grasped the leg, and 
 held it with all his strength. The table did not move 
 so freely as before. It would move a little way from 
 Mr. Hayden, and then the invisible power would sud- 
 denly relax its effort, when it would spring back with 
 the exertion of Mi-, Hayden." 
 
 I was then eighteen years old, and on seeing this 
 article which made me so public, I shrank from bo 
 prominent a position with all the earnestness of a sen- 
 sitive mind ; but I now found myself finally embarked 
 without any volition of my own, and, indeed, greatly 
 against my 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, 
 my privacy was intruded on by all comers, some from 
 cuirosity, and some from higher motives. Men and 
 women of all classes, and all countries ; physicians 
 and men of science, ministers of all pei-suasions, 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 manifestations in 
 
KAELY 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 
 have not, and never had the slightest power over 
 them, 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 devel- 
 oped in my person, I know no more than others. 
 Whilst ' they occur I am not conscious of the mode 
 by which they are produced, nor of the sort of 
 manifestation 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 me that I am 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 physicians of high 
 standing have given their testimony to bear me out. 
 Frequently during the most severe visitations of ill- 
 ness, my pains have been suddenly soothed in a mys- 
 terious way, and many times when it would have been 
 impossible to have moved me in bed, for fear of in- 
 creased haemorrhage from the lungs, my head has been 
 slowly lifted, and my pillow has been turned by un- 
 seen hands. This has been repeatedly witnessed by 
 many persons. Especially, I would say, that I do not 
 on thif, account or on any other, consider myself mor- 
 ally superior to others, nor should any one believe that 
 these phenomena come to me, or to others, on account 
 of moral or immoral qualities. On the contrary, with 
 
30 EAELT LIFE. 
 
 the great blessings which have been showered on me, 
 and tlie ineffable proofs which I have received of God's 
 providence and goodness to me, I feel myself only 
 worse than others 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 ene- 
 mies, 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 have, with some 
 exceptions, continued with me ever since the time I 
 stated as their commencement, and they have extend- 
 ed their range, to my astonishment not less than to 
 that of others, in the most striking mariner. 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 igno- 
 rance 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 the 10th of February, 1856, 
 to the 10th of February, 1857, during which time I had 
 no external token of spirit power, though I on several 
 occasions had visions, one of which vras my seeing the 
 manner in which a brother passed fi-om earth. He 
 was frozen in the 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 confirmation of the intelligence ar- 
 rived. On several other occasions, the power has 
 
EAELT 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 any physical cause for 
 such cessation, nor any difference in my general feel 
 ings of health, although the reason given for the with- 
 drawal has commonly been on the ground of health. 
 Upon several occasions, however, the reason given waa 
 that it was withdrawn from me as a reproof for having 
 done that which I knew to be wrong. 
 
CHAPTER n. 
 
 BKFOEB THE WOELD. 
 
 I REMAINED in "Willimantic but a short time, and then 
 I went to Lebanon, a few miles off. There I was re- 
 ceived in the family of an old resident. After I liad 
 been with them a few days, I saw a spirit who called 
 himself Uncle Tilden. I asked a lady, a member of 
 the family, if she recognized the name, but before she 
 had time to make answer, the spirit made signs to me 
 that he did not wish the lady to tell the name, and that 
 he would come ou another occasion to me, when he 
 could have more perfect control. In the course of a 
 few days he came whilst I was entranced, and signified 
 that certain papers which his family had been seeking 
 lor years, and for which they had given up the search 
 as hopeless, would be found in a house which he de- 
 scribed as situate near Cleveland, Ohio. They were 
 the title-deeds of some land which had become valua- 
 ble for building purposes, and out of which a lady was 
 entitled to her thirds, but which by reason of the loss 
 of the deeds, were withheld from her, and she was in 
 consequence living in very straitened circumstances. 
 He described to them minutely through me the part 
 
BEFORE THE WOELT). 33 
 
 of tlie garret, and the form of the box in which they 
 would be found. Her son was written to with these 
 particulars ; the search was made, and the deeds were 
 found as described. 
 
 The second week of my stay at Lebanon, I had beea 
 to pass a day or two with an Englisli family residing 
 about three miles off. One afternoon I suddenly be- 
 came unconscious or entranced, and on awaking, the 
 lady of the house told me that I had been speaking 
 with some spirit, who directed me to proceed at once 
 
 to the house of a Mr. B . I had seen two brothers 
 
 of this name one evening a week previously, and no 
 .interchange of visits had been made or proposed, and 
 I felt that it would be most awkward for me to call on 
 them, saying only that I had been sent by my unseen 
 friends. The distance was also six miles from where I 
 then was, and three miles of the journey I would have 
 to walk. I knew that when I i-eturned to my friends 
 at Lebanon, I could have their conveyance ; but still I 
 had not any inclination to pay the visit. As soon as 
 this was fully decided in my mind, I was again made 
 unconscious, and on recovering, I was told that I had 
 received strict injunctions to leave at once, though no 
 reason was assigned why I should go. I then felt, 
 however, that the order ouglit to be obeyed, and 1 
 went to my room for the purpose of dressing for the 
 iourney. While there, my reasoning faculties again 
 assumed the ascendancy, and I thought that if I were 
 tlins sent, I ought at least to know for what purpose. 
 However, I soon again felt myself impelled by a force 
 far superior to mine, and which to have even attempted 
 to resist would have been folly. On leaving the house, 
 
 2* 
 
34 BT5F0EE THE WOELD. 
 
 all-this left me, and I walked the three miles to Le- 
 banon, wondering what could be the cause of this sin. 
 gular errand. On arriving, I stated to my friends 
 there 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 tliis, I now again fully determined to proceed no 
 farther, but I was quickly made insensible, and on 
 awaking 1 found that orders had been given by the 
 family to have a horse saddled, and that I was admon- 
 ished in a gentle but firm manner, for my want of 
 Faith and overweening curiosity, whereas I ought, I 
 was told, to have followed as a child would its teacher, 
 or an indulgent parent. 
 
 Before I left the house to complete the journey, the 
 sun liad set, and now rain laden clouds were fast over- 
 shadowing tJie sky. The road was lonely, and for the 
 month of April tiie weather was uncommonly chill. I 
 had agreed in my mind that my guardians liad been 
 teaching me a useful lesson, and I resolved that thence- 
 forward I would not seek to know their purposes. In 
 this frame of mind I reached what I knew from descrip- 
 tion must be the house of Mr. B , and as I was 
 
 about to dismount, the first rain drop fell on my un 
 gloved hand, and with the contact came the most vivid 
 
 impression that Mr. B 's mother was dangerously 
 
 ill. I rang tlie bell, and Mr. B having seen me, 
 
 came himself to open the door. As he did so, I said, 
 " Your mother is ill, and I have been sent to say what 
 will relieve her." Ilis look of intense siirpriss bafiles 
 descripiion, as he said, " How on earth could you have 
 known of her illness, as it is only an hour since she fell 
 
BEFOEE THE WOELD. 35 
 
 ill, and we hare sent in another direction for a medi- 
 cal man, but 1 fear he will not arrive in time to save 
 my poor motlier, as she seems sinking so rapidly." On 
 entering the house, I stood waiting to see what im- 
 pression I might receive. Whilst I was standing, I 
 was thrown suddenly into a trance, and I was told by 
 
 Mr. 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 her, and 
 that in a few minutes' time she was in a quiet sleep. 
 Whilst in the trance. I also mentioned simple reme- 
 dies of herbs for immediate use, and others for contin- 
 ued use. I was then led by the unseen power into the 
 Mtting-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 pa- 
 tient quite out of danger, and on examining her, he 
 said that from 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 let- 
 ter written a few weeks after to a friend by Mr. B— — , 
 says that his " mother has not had such health for eigli- 
 teen years past, as she now- enjoys ; she follows impli- 
 citly all the instructions given though Daniel, and the 
 effect is magical." 
 
 I remained in Lebanon till the month of June, hav- 
 ing seances nearly every day, my mediumship princi- 
 pally consisting of visions, movements of the table and 
 furniture without my touching them, and of the rapping 
 sounds through which intelligent, messages were re- 
 ceived. Whilst there, in the beginning of June, all 
 these external manifestations ceased entirely, and I 
 
36 BEFORE THE WORLD. 
 
 left Lebanon about the middle of June on a visit to 
 Mr. G at Boonton, New Jersey. I had still vis- 
 ions frequently of the spirit friends of persons who were 
 perft-ct Rtrangers to me, describing their appearance; 
 and the spirits gave me their names, and dates of their 
 departure from earth, with answers to other questions 
 of a test nature which their relatives asked. These 
 caine to me whilst I was in an abnormal or trance 
 state, and in which I was unconscious of natural sur- 
 roundings, but with a facility of speech far superior, as 
 I was told, to that of my ordinary condition, and 
 tlirougii which I transmitted with readiness the replies 
 of the spirits to the questions asked of them. I was so 
 exceedingly sensitive at this time, that the playing of 
 sacred music would frequently throw me into a trance 
 state, in which I am always in companionship with 
 spirit friends, and that in as perfect and palpable a 
 manner, as in my ordinary external state I am with 
 my friends of this world. Tiirough these means hun- 
 dreds of persons became convinced of the truth of spir- 
 itual communion, and found their sceptical tenets no 
 longer available. I then found, as I still find, that all 
 honest, deep-rooted scepticism rather call calls out 
 than prevents the proofs of which it stands so much in 
 need ; and atheists, deists, and infidels were thus often 
 brought to a belief in Providence and direct spirit guiij- 
 ance. 
 
 About the middle of July 1851, I went to Brooklyn, 
 
 New York, on a visit to Mr. C . Whilst here I 
 
 had tlie pleasure of first meeting the learned and good 
 George Bush, an eminent theologian and Professor of 
 Hebrew and Oriental languages at iNew York. Profes 
 
PKFOEE THE WORLD. 37 
 
 sor Bush was quite prepared to acknowedge the pos- 
 sibility of such phenomena from his acquaintance witli 
 the writings of Swedenborg, and with the subject of 
 Mesmerism, and the spiritual experiences of Jung Stil- 
 ling and others. He was also a profoundly learned 
 man, with a more open and child-like mind than often 
 falls to the lot of those with so much worldly knowl- 
 edge. He had made, morever, the greatest sacrifices, 
 hy giving up his worldly prospects in the Church, in 
 avowing his belief in Swedenborg's works. Professor 
 Bush took a deep interest in observing the mental phe. 
 nomena which occurred through me, though there were 
 no external manifestations. The communications he 
 received were of such a nature as to leave no manner 
 of doubt on his mind, as to the real presence with ns of 
 those who had gone before. Amongst otlier names, he 
 told me that I had given him that of an old school-fel- 
 ^3w, whom he had forgotten for many years, and that 
 this school-fellow referred to a dream which the Pro- 
 fessor had had on the very night on which the boy had 
 passed from earth, although he was nqt then jiware 
 even of the boy's illness. The spirit of the boy now 
 told through me the whole of the Professor's dream, 
 which was that whilst they were playing together, lie 
 suddenly saw his schoolfellow taken from him, and 
 heard his voice saying, "I leave you, George, but not 
 for ever." A dream of forty years previously, was 
 thus brought to his- remembrance. The Professor was 
 so strongly impressed with this, that he called on me 
 the next day, and wished to have me reside with him 
 for tlie purpose of studying for the Swedenborgian min- 
 istry. I went to the house with the intention of so do- 
 
33 BEFOEE THE WORLD. 
 
 ing, but witliinforty-eight hours I saw in my waking 
 state the spirit of nij mother, wlio said to mo, " My 
 son, you must not accept this kind offer, as your mis- 
 sion is a more extended one than pulpit preacliing." 
 On seeing the good Professor, I told him of this spirit 
 message. He expressed regret, but no surprise, and 
 
 so I returned to my friend, Mr. C , and remnined 
 
 with him till the end of August. I frequently after- 
 wards saw Professor Bush, with whom the most kindly 
 intercourse was interclianged. Here again in J^evr 
 York many were convinced. 
 
 I returned to Lebanon, but I was not able to see 
 any 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 paw the spirit of iiis 
 
 father, whom I had not known on earth, though I had 
 frequently seen him, and received communications 
 from him botli in the trance and waking state, on my 
 former visit to Lebanon. He came to me whilst I was 
 alone in my room, and standing near me, said, "Ezra 
 vifill he with me within three weeks — go to him." 1 
 
 was then staying with a Mr. F- , about three miles 
 
 from the boy. I obeyed the spirit message, and went 
 at once, and fonnd Ezra ill. He wished me to stay 
 with him, but the family thought it was a passing 
 illness, and that I might prolong my visit for a few 
 days to Mr. F. I did not tell them 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 tuok care of him, till his departure, which 
 occurred on the nineteenth day of his illness. He was 
 about eighteen, and had become conversant with the 
 
BHLi'OKE THE WOELD. 39 
 
 facts of spirit intercourse through me a tew months 
 before, and had himself become a partial medium, 
 receiving occasional communications, principally from 
 liis father, by means of the rapping and the alphabet. 
 Soon after my first visiting him in his illness, on his 
 sister leaving the room for a moment, he took the op- 
 portunity of telling me with perfect composure, that 
 he knew he should not recover, as he had been told by 
 raps on his pillow, by his father, that this was his last 
 illness. This exti'aordinary composure remained with 
 him throughout, and I had told the family ten days 
 before of my vision, which prepared them for the com- 
 ing change. About two days before his leaving us, 
 the doctor asked me to break it to him, when I in- 
 formed him that Ezra had been long aware of it. fie 
 doubted this from seeing him so composed, and I de- 
 sired 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 had left some news for him. He 
 laughingly said, '• I suppose it is to tell me that 1 am 
 going. Little does he imagine that I have already 
 decided who my bearers are to be." The doctor now 
 came into the room, and taking his hand, said, " My 
 dear boy, if I had not heard this, I could not have be- 
 lieved it. Tou have everything to make life happy, 
 and yet you are so willing to leave it." A few hours 
 after this, a deacon of the church visited him, who 
 was much opposed to these things, to the extent even 
 of telling untruths and misrepresentations. He argu- 
 ed with the dying boy, trying to take away iiis happy 
 belief, but fortunately without the slightest success. 
 The boy told him that he willingly placed all his hope 
 
40 BEFORE THE WORLD. 
 
 in the hands of an allwise Gfod, and that Le felt tliat 
 the change would be most happy for him. The last 
 evening of his stay on earth, several persons came to 
 the house, and I w^s told by one of them that it was 
 for the purpose of watching 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 brought into his room, 
 where I left them 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 speaking to his mother, he 
 said, " Only think, dear mother, I shan't be lame 
 there." He had been lame since he was six months old. 
 He asked me to look out of the window, and to tell 
 him what kind of morning 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 
 should like to pass away in the moonlight, whilst 1 had 
 said I sliould wish to go at sunset. He expressed a 
 wish that no one should wear mourning for him. He 
 asked me to take his hand, and whilst I held it, his 
 face suddenly assumed a beatified expression, and he 
 pronounced my name, as if calling me to witness some 
 happy vision passing before his eyes, and the breath- 
 ing ceased. 
 
 This is one of the many happy death-beds which I 
 have witnessed, and such consolation given at a time 
 like this is sufficient proof of the loving wisdom of 
 our Heavenly Father in allowing such things to take 
 place. Some may be surprised to find an apparent 
 pro])hecy in this case given both to the boy and to me, 
 but perhaps a larger view of spiritual insight may 
 
BEFORE THE WORLD. 41 
 
 teach us that such is only apparent to us in this natur- 
 al 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 of his disease. 
 Since his departure, he has been frequently present 
 with me, impressing me to write messages to his mo- 
 ther and sister. Sometimes my hand has been taken 
 possession of apparently by him, and used in writing 
 his own autograph. In a letter received from his sis- 
 ter 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 cliirograpliy ; the kindness 
 of the advice almost overwhelms me, when 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 might be mov- 
 ed, in order to convince some present who were scep- 
 tical. Accordingly very soon slight movements were 
 perceptible, which soon became very rapid. A light 
 was placed upon the floor under the table, and one re- 
 mained on the table. Our hands were raised so that 
 the ends of our Angers only touched. One end was 
 then moved np so that it was poised on the two oppo- 
 site legs upon an elevation in the floor, and in this po- 
 sition it remained for awhile, keeping time with mu- 
 sic, by rocking ; and in the same way questions were 
 answered, three movements being considered an atiir- 
 mative, and one a negative ; and .after numerous ques- 
 tions were given and as many satisfactory answers re« 
 
4:2 BKFORK THE WORLD. 
 
 ceived, three gentle raps were heard at the door by i, 
 part of the company, and the question was asked if 
 any one was rapping at the door ? and immediately 
 three decided movements of the table were made, and 
 accompanying them were three more decided raps a( 
 the door. 
 
 " An emphatic call for the alphabet followed, and 
 spelled out, ' Spirits — Door ;' the question was asked 
 if there were spirits at the door who wished to come 
 in? Three raps. 
 
 " It was suggested that they were to help in moving 
 the table, and an affirmative reply immediately fol- 
 lowed. Tlien commenced larger and more decided 
 movements — the table being slid freely about the floor, 
 and raised alternately one side and then the other se- 
 veral inciies ; and at one time it was raised nearly to 
 an angle of forty-five degrees, poised on two side legs, 
 and then by oscillating movements the time was cor- 
 rectly kept to several tunes sung by the company. 
 
 "Several unsuccessful attempts were made to bring 
 the table to the floor, wliich were relinquished for the 
 fear of breaking the leaves. By request it was care- 
 fully let down on to one side, and in a moment raised 
 again to its proper position. One of the company then 
 seated himself upon the table, and it was moved about 
 and raised up so as to render it necessaiy for him to 
 hold on, and this, too, with as much ease apparently as 
 before. Again, by request, it was slid while one was 
 pushing against it in an opposite direction to the utter- 
 most of his strength." 
 
 1 remained in Lebanon up to the end of January, 
 1852 ; the physical manifestations having spontaneously 
 
BKFOEE THE WOELD. 43 
 
 returaed in October preVioiisly, and with increased 
 power, and with the new phase of unseen hands touch- 
 ing me and others with whom I was sitting. We fre- 
 quently were touched by them, and on some occasions 
 a spirit hand was placed within our hands as palpaMy 
 as if it were a real living hand, though invisible to us. 
 It woiild remain quietly in our hands until we tried to 
 close them 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 stran- 
 ger, but having heard of Mr. Henry Gordon, a medium 
 there, I asked for and was directed to his house. He 
 received me most kindly, and said that he was about 
 to have a seance that evening, requesting me to join 
 them. I did so, but the contending influences pre- 
 vented the occurrence of manifestations. Tliose who 
 were there assembled had to leave at an early hour, 
 and Mr. Gordon accompanied them, leaving me with 
 five or six of his friends who had come in in the mean- 
 time. Among tiiese were Mr. and Mrs. Elmer, the 
 former being a believer, but Mrs. Elmer having vio- 
 lently opposed it. I was thrown into a trance, made 
 to sit near her, telling lier the names of her mother, 
 father, 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 lier children. Turning to 
 an older lady in the room, I did the same and so on 
 through all those who were present. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Elmer have since been my friends, and at their house 
 some most remarkable manifestations occurred. I 
 stayed with them for some time, and great interest was 
 excited by the accounts given by the very numerous 
 
44: BEFORE THE WOELD. 
 
 witnesses who came to see the manifestations. Whilst 
 here the power was very strong, and frequently I had 
 stances six or seven times a day, at eacli 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 inquirers 
 People came from a distance, even from the extreme 
 west and south of America, having seen the" accounts 
 given of me in the newspapers of the previous year. 
 It was here that one of the Professors of tlie Univer- 
 sity of Harvard came and joined some friends in a rigid 
 investigation of the phenomena, and after several sit- 
 tings they published the following statement of the re- 
 sult of their investigation e. 
 
 THE MODERN WONDER A MANIFESTO. 
 
 The undersigned, from a sense of justice to the parties 
 referred to, very cordially bear testimony to the occur- 
 rence of the following facts, which we severally wit- 
 nessed at the house of Rufus Elmer, in Springfield, on 
 the evening of the 5th inst : — 
 
 1. The table was movea in every possible direction, 
 and with great force, when we could not perceive any 
 cause of motion. 
 
 2. It (the table) was forced against each one of us 
 so powerfully as to move us from our positions — to- 
 getlier with the chairs we occupied — in all, several 
 feet. 
 
 3. Mr. "Wells and Mr. Edwards took hold of the ta- 
 ble in such a manner as to exert their strength to the 
 lest advantage, but found the invisible power, exer* 
 
BEFORE THE WORLD. 45 
 
 clsed in an opposite direction, to be qnite eqnal to their 
 utmost efforts. 
 
 4. In two instances, at least, while the hands of all 
 the members of the circle were placed on the top 
 of the table — and while no visible power was em- 
 ployed to raise the table, or otherwise to move it 
 from its position — it was seen to rise clear of the floor ^ 
 and to flsat in the atmosphere for several seconds, as 'if 
 sustained by some denser medium than air. 
 
 6. Mr. Wells seated himself on the table, which was 
 rocked for some time with great violence, and at 
 length, it poised itself on tjie two legs, and remained 
 in this position for some thirty seconds, when no other 
 person was in contact with it. ' ' • 
 
 6. Three persons — Messrs. Wells, Bliss, and Edwards 
 — assumed positions on the table at the same time, and 
 while thus seated, the table was moved in various di- 
 rections. 
 
 7. Occasionally we were made conscious of the oc- 
 currence of a powerful shock, which produced a vibra- 
 tory motion of the floor of the apartment in which we 
 were seated — it seemed like the motion occasioned by 
 distant thunder or the firing of ordnance far away — 
 causing the table, chairs, and other inanimate objects, 
 and all of us to tremble in such a manner that the ef- 
 fects were both seen and felt. 
 
 8. In the whole exhibition, which was far more 
 diversified than the foregoing specification would indi- 
 cate, we were constrained to admit that there was an' 
 almost constant manifestation of some intelligence 
 which seemed, at least, to be independent of the 
 circle. 
 
46 BEFOEE THE WOELD. 
 
 9. In conclusion, we may observe, tliat Mr. D. D. 
 Home frequently ui-ged us to hold his Lands and feet. 
 During these occurrences the room was well lighted, 
 the lamp was frequently placed on and under the 
 table, and every possible opportunity was aiforded us 
 for the closest inspection, and we admit this one em- 
 phatic declaration : We know thai we were not impo&ed 
 upon nor decerned. 
 
 Wm. Bktant, 
 
 B. K. Bliss, 
 
 Wm. Edwards, 
 David A. Wells. 
 
 'The following account also is given in the " Sheki- 
 nail" of 1852, of manifestations occurring at this time, 
 which will show the power which they had then ac- 
 quired. 
 
 " On the 28th day of February, 1852, while the un- 
 dersigned were assembled at the residence of Mr. Eufus 
 Elmer, Springfield, Mass., for the purpose of making 
 critical experiments in the so-called spiritual manifes- 
 tations, the following, among other remarkable demon- 
 strations of power, occurred in a room thoroughly 
 illuminated. The table, around which we were seated, 
 ■was moved by an invisible and unknown agency, with 
 such irresistible force that no one in the circle could 
 liold it. Two men — standing on opposite sides and 
 grasping it at the same time, and in sucli a manner as 
 to have tlie greatest possible advantage — could not, 
 by the utmost exercise of their powers, restrain its mo- 
 :tion. In spite of their exertions, the table was moved 
 from one to three feet. Mr. Elmer inquired if the 
 
BEFORE THE WOELD. 47 
 
 Spirits conld disengage or relax the hold of Mr. Henry 
 Foulds ; when suddenly, and m a manner wholly un- 
 acconntalDle by us, Mr. 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 further test this invisible power, and accordingly 
 five men, whose united weight was eight hundred and 
 fifty-five pounds, stood on a table (without castors), 
 and the table, while the men were so situated, was re- 
 peatedly moved a distance of from four to eight inches. 
 The undersigned further say that they were not con- 
 scious of exerting any power of will at the time, or 
 during any part of the exhibition ; on the contrary, 
 they are quite sure that the exercise of the will is a 
 serious impediment to such manifestations. 
 
 " At the close of these experiments it was perceived, 
 on lifting one end of the table, that its weight would 
 increase or diminish, in accordance with our request. 
 Apprehending that the supposed difference might be 
 iustly attributable to fancy, or to some unconscious 
 variation in the manner of applying the motive power, 
 it was proposed to settle the question by weighing the 
 end of the table. At the first experiment it required 
 a force equal to nineteen pounds to raise the end of 
 the table. This was fairly tested to the entire satis- 
 faction of all present. The spirits were then requested 
 to apply the invisible power. The balance was now 
 applied in precisely the same mainner 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 BEFOEE THE WORLD. 
 
 quired a force of from twenty-five to tliirty-one ponnda 
 to separate the legs of the tahle from the floor. Mr. 
 Daniel D. Home was the medium on this occasion, 
 and it is worthy of remark that during the perform- 
 ance of the last experiment, lie was out of the room, 
 and in the second story ot the house, while the experi- 
 ment was conducted in the back parlor below. 
 
 " The undersigned are ready and willing, if required, 
 to make oath to the entire, correctness of the foregoing 
 statement." 
 
 The oiiginal paper was signed by John D. Lord, 
 Rufus Elmer, and nine others, living at Springfield, 
 Mass. 
 
 The account proceeds : " Lights are produced in 
 dark rooms. Sometimes there appears a gradual illu- 
 mination, sufficient to disclose very minute objects, 
 and at others, a tremulous phosphorescent light gleams 
 over the walls, and odic emanations proceed from hu- 
 man bodies, or slioot meteor-like through the apart- 
 ment. These phenomena are of frequent occurrence, 
 and are not accounted for by any material hypotliesis, 
 unless, indeed, they could be comprehended under the 
 popular generalization which ascribes the whole to 
 human fraud and delusion. I liave seen these ligiits 
 in all their variety. On one occasion, when a number 
 of friends were assembled at my house, there occurred 
 a gradual illumination of tlie apartment. It appeared 
 like the twilight half an hour after the dawn. The 
 light continued to increase for about fifteen minutes, 
 and then it gradually diminished. 
 
 " On the 30tli of March, I chanced to be one of a 
 company convened at tlie house of Mr. Elmer, in 
 
BEFORE THE WOELB. 49 
 
 Springfield, Mass., Mr. Home being present, when tlie 
 room was darkened, to see if the mysterious illumina- 
 tion 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 
 Without disclosing her purpose to any one, Mrs. Elmer 
 mentally requested that the spirits would restore the 
 darkness, and, almost instantly, the change was per- 
 ceived 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 de- 
 scribed. Although the physical manifestations had 
 increased, and were so continuous, yet tlie internal 
 power of vision had not left me, as will be seen from 
 the following, which was published and signed by Mr. 
 S. B. Brittan of Kew York, to whom occurred the fact 
 which he describes. 
 
 "Last winter, while spending a few days at the 
 house of Mr. Kufus Elmer, Springfield, I became ac- 
 quainted with Mr. Home. One evening, Mr. Home, 
 Mr. and Mrs. Elmer, and I were engaged in general 
 conversation, when suddenly, and most unexpectedly 
 to us all, Mr. Home was deeply entranced. A mo- 
 mentary silence ensued, when tiie medium said 
 'Hannah Brittan is here!' I was surprised at the 
 announcement, for I had not even thouglit of tlie per- 
 son indicated for many days, or perhaps months, and 
 we pai'tfid for alltime when I was but a little cliild. 
 I remained silent, but mentally inquired how I miglit 
 
50 BEFOEE THE WORLD. 
 
 lie assured of her actual prcEence. Immediately Mr. 
 Home began to exhibit signs of the deepest anguisli. 
 Rising from his seat he walked to and fio in the apart- 
 ment, wringing his hands, and exhibiting a wild and 
 frantic manner and expression. He groaned in spirit, 
 and audibly, and often smote his forehead and uttered 
 incoherent words of prayer. He addressed me in terms 
 of tenderness, and sighed and uttered bitter lamenta 
 tions. Ever and anon, he gave utterance to expres 
 sions like the following! 
 
 " ' Oh, how dark ! What dismal clouds ! "What a 
 frightful cliasm ! 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 light! How wild ! — gloomy! The clouds roll in 
 upon me ! The darkness deepens ! My head is whirl- 
 ing ! Where am I ? — ' 
 
 " During this exciting scene, which lasted perhaps 
 half an hour, I remained a silent spectator, the medium 
 was unconscious, and the whole was inexplicable to Mr. 
 and Mi's. Elmer. The circumstances occurred some 
 twelve years before the bii'th of Mr. Home. No per- 
 son in all that region knew aught of the history of 
 Hannah Bi-ittan, or that such a pei-son ever existed 
 But to me the scene was one of peculiar and painful 
 significance. She was highly gifted by nature, and 
 endowed with tlie tenderest sensibilities. She became 
 insane from believing in the doctrine of endless pun- 
 ishment; and when 1 last saw her, the terrible real'ty, 
 so graphically depicted in the scene I have attempted 
 to describe, was present, in all its moiiruful details, 
 before me I 
 
BEFORE THE WOELD. i> . 
 
 "Thirty years have scarcely dimmed tlie 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, 
 peaceful and beautiful, and that the biirning gulf, 
 with all its horrible imagery, existed only in the tradi- 
 tions of men, and in the fitful wanderings of her dis- 
 tracted brain." 
 
 At Springfield, also, there were many instances of 
 the sick being healed. I was so sensitive to any one 
 who came near nie 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 an 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 sui-geon 
 told him that I had been no doubt correct in attrib- 
 uting 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 
 having increased largely in aumhor, both in public 
 and private circles. My daj's 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. Hallock, a physician of New York 
 
62 BETOEE THE WOELD. 
 
 "Two communications, spoken tlirough Mr. Home 
 as a medium, were read by the Secretary. Tliey were 
 given on the 10th inst., at the house of Mr. Partridge. 
 The first was preceded by physical manifestations, in- 
 tended to identify the spirit about to communicate. 
 The second embraces several topics. 
 
 " Mr. Home said, a male and female were present, 
 who wished to commune with Mr. P. 
 
 " Directly, sounds and motions were made as of a 
 violent etorm — the roaring and whistling of the wind, 
 the rushing of water, and the breaking of waves — 
 souuds 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 
 November, 1849. She gave the following communi- 
 cation : 
 
 " ' But, oh \ it was not death I Bnght spirits were 
 hovering around, and bore me to their happy home ; 
 but it would be no home to ns, if we were not permit- 
 ted to return and watch over our dear triends we have 
 loft behind. 
 
 " ' To me, the storm has passed and gone, and with 
 it went all the storms of life- From that breakinjr 
 barque, 1 passed to one the winds could not beat. It 
 was anchored home in the heavens, and my spirit w;i3 
 
BEFORE THE WORLD. 63f 
 
 neaier God^-more easily developed, and was amid 
 influences more pure and holy, just what they ought 
 to be for man's advancement. 
 
 '■ ' 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. 
 
 " ' Be patient, as God is. Think of His forbearance, 
 for ages past, with the blindness, the hardness, the per- 
 versity of man. If man had possessed His power, he 
 would, in his impatience, long since have annihilated 
 earth and all that inhabit it. 
 
 " ' Think not of the grave. To us, it is past and for- 
 gotten. To you, it is but an entrance into a new and 
 more glorious existence. 
 
 " ' 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, "Wiiy have not these 
 manifestations occurred before ? Why has not God 
 illumined ages past with these wonderful manifesta- 
 tions 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 have shut it up in darkness ! They 
 have been enveloped in self and shrouded in scepti- 
 cism ! They think the age of miracles has ceased I 
 Another cause why these things have not occurred in 
 past ages was, the persecution of mediums — it was 
 perceived that men would torture them. It alarmed 
 
64 BEFOKE THE WOELD. 
 
 tlie superstitious fears of the community. The medi- 
 ums were charged with being witches, and in league 
 with the Devil ! I see them on trial, then taken to the 
 scaffold and the stake, and I hear spirit foot-sonnda 
 accompanying them. The younger, more vigorous 
 and more positive state of their accusers, under zea' 
 for God and the good of his cimrch, 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, 
 Now, 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 them, 
 it is not uncommon for them to say, ' Spirits should be 
 in better business.' The truth is, that many men 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 them 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 fol.y 
 engender, so is theirs. Now, I see her leave them and 
 pass into the Spirit-world ; but, impelled by the eter- 
 nal and universal law of affinity, she still watches over 
 them. Oh, the pangs of her spirit, for the wi-ong she 
 has done, for the niiserj' she has caused I Yet she fol 
 
BKF0I4B THE WOELD. ; 55 
 
 lows them throiigli all their devious windings through 
 darkness and through crime, and is it not hell enough ? 
 Oh, is it not hell enough 1 
 
 " Again the scene changes, and I see what caused 
 the sin of the mother : A drunken man presents him- 
 self — his children, comparatively pure and unsullied, 
 seek associates ; for all must have such ; they would 
 gladly choose the pure and the good, but they are the 
 drunkard's children, 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 which every 
 human being pants. They could not seek it where 
 they would, they must get it where they can. Thus, 
 with minds soured by the repulse they have met with, 
 and their darker passions stimulated by the desire of 
 revenge for injuries received, they plod along cheir 
 devious and uncertun way — the prison their asylum — 
 the halter their inheritance — the constable and sheriS" 
 their administering angels. They asked society for 
 meat ; it gave them a soorpion — for bread ; they got 
 a stone. Oh, that men could see the cause of crime ! — 
 they would love and pity. 
 
 " If one tree is blighted so that it cannot bear 
 wholesome fruit, should the other trees call it evil's 
 That which is evil cannot become good, but the unde- 
 veloped 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— though a long 
 time may 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 the body, will 
 
66 BEFOEE THE WOELD. 
 
 have to throw off all the perversion that remains. Af- 
 ter that is done, progression goes on without hinder- 
 ance. 
 
 " Be not wise in your own conceit. Let him tliat 
 standeth in the light of truth, take heed lest he fall 
 through the darkness of his own wisdom." 
 
 " Dr. Hallock related some remarkable personal de- 
 scriptions of spirits througii Mr. Home, occurring on 
 the same evening. One spirit was described as hav- 
 ing been known here bj the name of ' Elizabeth.' 
 Her person was described, and her prominent traits of 
 character as well as the disease of which she died, 
 with such accuracy, that a gentleman present knew 
 her at once from 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 
 Mr. Home said, ' When I look at the forehead, which 
 is very white, (which was the fact,) the hair looks 
 brown to me.' 
 
 " The gentleman (a clergyman) declared that he was 
 not thinking of her at all, and she was brought to his 
 recollection solely by the accm-acy of the description 
 given. 
 
 " Mr. Home then said, ' I see an old woman, and 
 her name is Abigail ; they called her ' 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 name, 
 called by the whole family, ' Aunt Abby,' who died 
 in the spring of 1817, when he was some eleven years 
 
BEFORE THE W^ELn. 57 
 
 of age. The appearance assumed by the medium was 
 that of the last hnpression left upon his mind. She 
 was an old woman ; had prominent features, had lost 
 her teeth for many years, was much ertiaciated by her 
 last illness, and as her body lay in its grave-clothes, 
 the thought of his young mind, as he stood gazing 
 upon it, was that very peculiarity first indicated by 
 the medium. Her nose and chin 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 psycholog- 
 ical impression from our own minds, as some have sup- 
 pose 1 ; for there was no known impression of the kind 
 existing at the time, and the memory was only awak- 
 ened by the accuracy of the pictures which the me- 
 dium had presented. 
 
 " Another equally interesting and accurate descrip- 
 tion 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 he was engaged in 
 the other delineation, a lady of high clairvoyant pow- 
 ers, through whose mediumship some of the most snb- 
 iime lessons of truth and wisdom have been from time 
 to time communicated, had written and shown to a 
 gentleman sitting by her, the following sentence : ' I 
 am impressed that my father is here and standing by 
 my side ; I feel his presence distinctly.' When Mr. 
 Home had said, ' there is a spirit present and ins name 
 
5S BEFOEE THK WORLD. 
 
 is William,' he asked,>s if to gratify his own curiosity, 
 ' Who is William V and then immediately said, ' O, 
 he says, 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." Here at New York I made the ac- 
 quaintance of Dr. Gray, one of the most eminent phy- 
 sicians there, and for whom I have ever had the deep- 
 est affection and esteem. He and his kind wife have 
 given me counsel, and befriended me at all times, and 
 under all circumstances. From his character and al 
 tainments, he was eminently suitable as an investiga- 
 tor of phenomena, requiring a calm dispassionate 
 judgment, and the testimony of sucli a man is, in it- 
 self, a sufficient answer to all the doubts of unthink- 
 ing persons. I liad also the pleasure of meeting Judge 
 Edmonds, so well known as one of the judges of the 
 Supreme (yonrt. He investigated this subject in the 
 most painstaking manner for three years, and was ful- 
 ly convinced, not only through the mediumship of 
 otiiers, but through his own and that of liis 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, the 
 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 met weekly for 
 many years for the investigation of spiritual phenome- 
 na, and from its recorded transactions, I make the fol- 
 lowing extract: 
 
BBFOKE THE ■WORLD. £9 
 
 " Friday Evening, June 18, 1852. 
 " Dr. Hallock related a case of physical manifesta- 
 tions which took place on the Friday evening previous 
 at the house of Mr. Partridge, after the conference had 
 adjourned. Mr. D. D. Home was the medium, and 
 the circle consisted of Mr. Partridge, and his wife and 
 daugliter, Mr. W. Taylor and wife, Mr. S. B. Brittan, 
 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 spi- 
 rits in responding to our questions, and the first pecu- 
 liarity we observed was, that however violently the 
 table waa moved, everything on it retained its posi- 
 tion. When we had duly observed this, the table, 
 which was mahogany and perfectly smooth, was ele- 
 vated to an angle of thirty degrees, and held there, 
 with every thing I'emaining on it as before. It was 
 interesting to see a lead pencil retaining a position 
 of perfect rest, on a polished surface 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 
 made 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 ele- 
 vate the table to the same angle as before, and to de- 
 tach the pencil, retaining every thing else in their 
 stationary positions. This was complied with. Tho 
 table was elevated, the pencil rolled off, and every 
 thing else remained. Tliey were tlien asked to repeat 
 the experiment, retaining the pencil and every thing 
 
CO BEFORE THE WOELD. 
 
 else npon the table stationary, except the glass tumb- 
 ler, and to let that slide off. Tiiis also was assented to 
 with the like result. All the articles retained their 
 jiositions but the tumbler, which slid off and was 
 caught in the hands of one of the party, as it fell from 
 the lower edge of the table. Then the table, after 
 being restored to the natural position, was moved 
 strongly to and from Mr. Home, and to and from dif- 
 ferent 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, 
 Mr. Taylor asked if the spirits would lift it clear of the 
 llocir while it was in that inclined position. Assent 
 was signified, and the table, after much apparent ef- 
 fort, was lifted clear of the floor as requested. Dr. 
 Ilallock said he was led to the conclusion that the 
 effort was only apparent, because, while we were 
 watcliing it closely, with a liglit upon the floor so as 
 to see the slightest motion, the table in the meantime 
 resting upon one castor on the floor and one corner of 
 the leaf in Mr. Taylor's lap, was raised perhaps about 
 one inch, after having been literally tumbled about 
 the circle, sometimes upon one caetor and sometimes 
 upon two, the leaf resting fii-st in one person's lap, and 
 tlien in another. But when tlie foot of the table was 
 finally raised, as described, he, to make sure that they 
 were not mistaken in tlie fact, got down upon the floor 
 to observe more closely. Wliile looking, the foot of 
 the table, irtstead of being raised a doubtful inch or 
 so, was thrown up, clear of the floor, six or eight 
 inches, as if all former attempts bad been mere play- 
 ful 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 our- 
 selves back to back npon the table. Our combined 
 weight is a little over 350 pounds ; but notwithstand- 
 ing, the table was moved as easily as when nothing 
 but the candlesticks and the other things were upon it. 
 We Wei-e rocked backward and forward, to and from 
 Mr. Home ; the table was tipped from the medium and 
 held stationary in that position, with us upon it — and 
 finally we said playfully, ' when you get tired of rock- 
 ing us, throw us off.' It was done — the table was 
 tipped strongly and rapidly from Mr. Home, and we 
 were thrown on the floor." 
 
 At the end of June I received the following letter 
 from Dr. Hull :— 
 
 " Newburgh, Orange Co. 
 " On the Hudson. 
 " My dear Sir, 
 
 " I am desirous that you should make me a visit 
 for myself and some intimate friends, at your first lei 
 sure, or freedom from present engagements. 
 
 "I will meet all your expenses frOm your place du- 
 ring your stay here, and for your return ; and five dol- 
 lars a day for ten days, i.e. fifty dollars. 
 
 " I do sincerely trust yon will answer me promptly 
 as to tlie time you can make me the desired visit ; and 
 if my 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 — N"ew- 
 burgh, N. T., it will soon reach me. 
 
62 BEFOEE THE WORLD 
 
 " I regretted I did not see more of you in New 
 York, but I hope to have the pleasure fully made up 
 here. 
 
 " Mr. Edward Fowler has promised to come up 
 when you visit me. 
 
 " Yery truly yours, &c., ^ 
 
 "A. Gkeald Hull. 
 "D.D. Home, Esq." 
 
 In reply to this, 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 with him manit'es- 
 fations of a very interesting character appeared to a 
 ■family who had been deeply afflicted in the loss of 
 their children. They and Dr. Hull took a great in- 
 terest in my welfare — and feeling the importance of 
 my completing my education, wliich from ill health 
 had been much neglected, and of preserving me from 
 the wearing excitement of the life I was then leading, 
 they kindly proposed a home for me in their midst. I 
 could not then avail myself of their offer, having pro- 
 mised to visit many friends during the autumn, but in 
 the following year, as will be seen, I placed myself 
 under their guidance. 
 
 In August, I went on a visit to Mr. Cheney, at 
 South Manchester, Connecticut, and it was at his 
 house that I was tirst lifted in the air, .a manifestatimi 
 which has since frequently occurred to me botli in En- 
 gland and France. 
 
 The following is the description of the evening, in 
 the words of a gentleman who was present. 
 
 " On the 8th instant, in company with three gen- 
 
BEFORE THE WOELD. 63 
 
 tlemen from this city, the writer paid a visit to "Ward 
 Cheney, residing in Manchester, at whose house Mr. 
 Daniel D. Home was temporarily stojiping. A circle 
 was formed, and the well-known vibrations on the ta- 
 ble were soon lond and distinct. One of my iriends 
 had never seen any thing of the kind, and he accord- 
 ing 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 magnefic state, dis- 
 covering great I'igidity of muscle, and the ordinary 
 phenomena of the. psycho- magnetic condition, includ- 
 ing a magnetic locking of the jaws, in which an iron- 
 like hardness of the muscles was apparenf. He then 
 spelt out (with his eyes closely bandaged) some re- 
 markable and interesting messages to one or two of 
 the company, the personal nature of which precludes 
 their publication, but which were declared by those 
 interested to be perfect tests. He did this by pointing 
 with almost incredible rapidity to the different letters 
 of an alphabet arranged on a seven by nine card — and 
 thus spelling out the necessary words. A rapid wri- 
 ter had difficulty in keeping up with him, and when a 
 word or a sentence was partiallj' 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 the table. 
 Among others, (all remarkable,) came a message from 
 two sailors lost at sea, relatives of one of Jhe company 
 — a stranger to most of the company. These spirits 
 announced themselves, somewhat unexpectedly, by 
 canting over the solid and ponderous table, and roll 
 
64 BEFOEE THE WOELD. 
 
 ing it in the manner of a vessel in a violent tempest. 
 Accompanying this demonstration came a violent 
 creahing as of the cables of a ship in a storm at sea — 
 and the creaking of the timbers and masts as the 
 vessel surged to one side or the other, vras distinctly 
 heard by all. Kext 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 capsized on 
 the floor ! All this was done with no one touching 
 the table, as a close and constant scrutiny was kept 
 np by two, at leasf, of our party. These two sailoiB, 
 whose names and ages were given, it seems lost their 
 lives by the capsizing of a. vessel as represented, al- 
 thougli this fact, I have the best of reasons for know- 
 ing, could not previously be known to Mr. Home, or 
 to any of the company excepting myself, 
 
 " Demonstrations now increased in force and num- 
 ber. Several tunes were rocked out by the table 
 when no one touched it, the circle being seated a cou- 
 ple of feet, at least, from 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 accu- 
 racy. A simultaneous expression from all the mem- 
 bers of the circle attested their recognition of the 
 several'tunes as they were thus performed for our sat- 
 isfaction. 
 
 "The table was actually lifted up from the floor, 
 without the application of a human 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 
 
BKFOEE THE WOEU), 66 
 
 ajjaiii ! It then commenced rocking, without, how- 
 ever, allowing me to slide off, although it canted at 
 least to an angle of forty-five degrees ! Finally, an 
 almost perpendicular inclination slid nie off, and ano- 
 ther of the company tried it with tlie same results. — 
 These things all happened 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 ex- 
 cept the two persons who respectively got upon it to 
 keep it down ! 
 
 " We went into a darkened room to see the spiritual 
 flashes of light said to have been vouchsafed to some 
 Investigators. Instead of this we were greeted with 
 tremendous rappings all ai-ound 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 charac- 
 ter 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, atmounced her presence by a thick-pattering 
 rain of eager and joyful little raps ; and in answer 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 liad never before 
 seen them, but he could not mistake the thrilling feel- 
 ing of that spirit touch. I also had a similar manifes- 
 tation, in the character of which I ain not deceived. 
 
 "Suddenly, and without any expectation on the 
 
66 BEFORE TriB WORLD. 
 
 part of the company, Mr. Home was taken up in the 
 air! I had hold of his hand at the time, and I ana 
 others felt his 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 third time he was carried to 
 the lofty ceiling of the apartment, with wliich his 
 hand and head came in gentle contact. 
 
 " I omitted to state that those latter demonstrations 
 were made in response to a request of mine that the 
 spirits would give us something that would satisfy ev- 
 ery one in the room of their presence. The medium 
 was mnch astonished, and more alarmed than any of 
 the rest, who, I may add, took tlie matter calmly, 
 though they were intersely interested." 
 
 During these elevations, or levitations, I usually ex- 
 perience 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 
 the first time, above desciibed, I have never felt fear, 
 though should I have fallen from the ceiling of some 
 rooms in which I have been raised, I could not have 
 escaped serious injury. I am generally lifted up per- 
 pendicularly ; my arms frequently become rigid and 
 drawn above my head, as if I were grasping tlie un- 
 seen power which slowly raises me from the floor. At 
 times when I reach the ceiling, my feet are brono-hton 
 a level with my face, and 1 am as it were in a reclin- 
 ing position. I have frequently been kept so suspend- 
 ed four or five minutes, an instance of whicii will be 
 
BEFORE THE WOELD. 6( 
 
 seen iii an account which is given of occurrences in 
 the year 1857, at a chateau near Bordeaux, I have 
 been lifted in the light 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 need be, beyond the 
 many testimonies which 1 shall hereafter adduce. On 
 some occasions the rigidity of my arms relaxes, and I 
 have with a pencil made letters and signs on the ceil- 
 ing, 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 without some manifestations oc- 
 curring. These are for the greater part of a private 
 nature, appealing to the sympathies of relatives and 
 friends, and could not properly be given to the world. 
 They are to me, however, as to them, a dear remin- 
 iscence of the loving guidance of departed friends, 
 who find their highest happiness in ministering to and 
 consoling those who remain to fulfil their pilgrimage 
 here. They ever say that God in his loving-kindness 
 allows this, and that as he is an everywhere present 
 God, and can bear witli our shortcomings, they liaving 
 been mortals like ourselves, can the more readily un- 
 desstand the weaknesses of our human nature. Dur- 
 ing the time I have already spoken of as my public 
 life, I have met with thousands, many of whom dis- 
 believed 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 .that though 
 they had preached the Gospel, they themselves had 
 
08 BEFOEE 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. " Yon have the pleas- 
 ant assurance of having been the instrument of con- 
 veying incalculable joy and comfort 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 before." 
 
 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 
 following. 
 
 "While Mr. Alderson was at my house, Mr. Home 
 called to see us, having been absent a long time. — 
 Soon after he arrived, he was taken with severe sick- 
 ness, from which A. attempted relief by bathing his 
 liead. During the process, Mr. Home was thrown in- 
 to the spiritual condition, and described Mr. A.'s fa- 
 ther and sister ; spoke their names and that of his mo- 
 ther ; and the spirit of the father, while addressing his 
 son, called him correctly by his christian name, which 
 Mr. Home had no means of knowmg — neither did he 
 know the names of Mr. A.'s parents, which, he assured 
 us, were known only to himself, as he had not Tien- 
 tioned them this side of Baltimore !" 
 
 On going to Boston my power returned, and with 
 it the more impressive manifestations of music, with- 
 out any earthly instrument. At night, when I was 
 
BEFOKE THE WOELD. 69 
 
 asleep, my room would be filled as it were, with 
 soniids of harmony, and these gradually grew londer, 
 till persons in other parts of the house could hear 
 them distinctly. If by chance I awakened, the music 
 would instantaneously cease. 
 
CHAPTER m. 
 
 FUETHEE MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA. 
 
 The year 1853 was spent under the guidance of 
 three friends, and during the summer months I resided 
 at Newbnrgh, on the Hudson river, where my time 
 was passed in the completion of my 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 remember it in all its details. 
 
 The institute was built on an eminence, command- 
 ing a view of peculiar beauty. .Below lay the city ; 
 on the right, the river was lost in its windings among 
 the rocky hills surrouuding West Point; on the left, it 
 lay in expanse, and 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 have 
 sat for houi-s of an evening, watching the feeble flick- 
 ering lights, and endeavoring to picture in my imagin- 
 ation the life emotions which must from 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 wlioae little one was 
 
MANIFiCSTATIONS IN AMEKTCA. 71 
 
 suffering, and every beat of whose feeble pulse she had 
 counted, with that liope which only a mother may 
 know, as she prays God to spare tlie pure, gentle, and 
 loving little one, wl)om He has given her. Anon, it 
 M-as one bowed down with age and sorrow ; all that he 
 had loved had gone to their rest, and he was alone in 
 the world. Bright pictures of his youth flitted before 
 him, but these only augmented his loneliness, for tlie 
 lightof the past had brought oiit in deeper contrast 
 the shadows of the present. 
 
 These and similar trains of thought often occupied 
 my idle hours; and, at times, these fancied scenes be- 
 came as it were real, and furnished 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 the eter- 
 nity that lies beyond, until, wearied, I found relief in 
 prayer, and then in sleep. My last waking conscions- 
 ness had been that of perfect trust in God, and a sen?e 
 of gratitude to Him for the enjoyment I received from 
 contemplating the beauties of the material creation. 
 It might have be.en that my mind was led to this by 
 the fact of my having watched a beautiful star as it 
 shone and twinkled in the 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 atlast reason was as act- 
 ive as when I was awake. I, with vivid distinctness, 
 remember asking myself the question, whether I was 
 asleep or no? when, to my amazement, I heard a voice 
 which seemed so natural, that my heart bounded with 
 
72 MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEBICA. 
 
 joy as I recognized it as the voice of one wlio, wliile 
 on earth, was far too pure for such a world as ours, and 
 who, iu 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 have 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." Here the voice became lost, and I felt as 
 one who at noonday is struck blind ; as he would cling 
 even to the last memories of the sunlight, so I wonld 
 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-presumptuous in desiring knowledge, 
 the very memory of which might disturb my future 
 life. This was but momentary, for almost instanta- 
 neously came rushing with a fearful rapidity memo- 
 ries 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 
 benumbing and chilling sensation which stole over ray 
 body, but the more inactive ray nervous system be- 
 came, 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 obscure, 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. How 
 long I had lain thus I know not, but soon 1 felt that 1 
 
MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEEIOA. 73 
 
 was about to awaken in a most dense obscnrity; terror 
 had now given place to a pleasurable feeling, accom- 
 panied by a certitude of some one dearly loved being 
 near me, yet invisible : it then occurred to me that the 
 light of the spheres must necessarily be more effulgent 
 than our own, and I pondered whether or not the sud- 
 den change from darkness to light might not prove 
 painful, for instinctively I realized that beyond the 
 surrounding obscurity lay an ocean of silver toned 
 light. 1 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 scintil- 
 lations, which here and there, as in the created nerve, 
 took the form of currents, darting their rayons over 
 the whole body in a manner most marvellous ; still, 
 this was but a cold electrical light, and besides, it was 
 external. Gradually, however, I saw that the extreiri- 
 ities were less luminous, and the finer membranes 
 surrounding the brain became as it were glowing, 
 and I felt that thought 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 
 the brain ; and, as if it were a response to my earlier 
 waking thoughts, the same voice, only that it was now 
 More musical than before, said, " Death is but a second 
 birth, corresponding in eveiy respect to the natural 
 birth, and should the uniting link now be severed, you 
 oould never again enter the body. As I told yon, how 
 
74 MANIFEST A.TI0N8 IN AMERICA. 
 
 L-vei-, this will not be. Tou did wrong to doubt, even 
 for an instant, for this was the cause of your having 
 suffered, and this very want of faith is the source 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 unto yon : seek, and ye shall 
 Mnd?' 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. Be 
 very calm, for in a few moments yon will see us all, 
 but do not touch us ; be guided by the one who is 
 appointed to go with vou, for I must remain near your 
 body." 
 
 It now appeared to me that I was waking from a 
 dream of darkness to a sense of light ; but such a glo- 
 rious light! Never did eai-thly sun shed such rays, 
 strong in beauty, soft in love, warm in life-giving glow, 
 and as my last idea of earthly light had been the reflex 
 of my own body, so now this heavenly light came 
 from those I saw standing about me. Yet tlie light 
 M'as not of their creating, but was shed on them from 
 a higher and purer source, which only seemed the 
 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 had sorrowed, 
 for although I well knew that they existed, and loved 
 and cared for me, nevertheless their earthly presence 
 was not visible. One that I had never known on earth 
 then drew near and said, 'You will come with me, 
 Daniel' I could only reply, that it was impossible to 
 move inasmuch as I could not feel that my nature had 
 
MANIFESTATION'S IN AMERICA. 75 
 
 a power over my new spirit-body. To this he replied, 
 'Desire and you will accomplish your desires which 
 are not sinful, desires being as prayers to the Divinity, 
 and He answereth the every prayer of His children.' 
 
 For the first time I now looked to see what sustain- 
 ed my body, and I found that it was but a purple tinted 
 cloud, and that as I desired to go onward with my 
 guide, the cloud appeared as if distuibed by a gentle 
 breeze, and in its movements I found I was wafted up- 
 ward until I saw the earth, as a vision, far, far below 
 us. Soon I found that we had drawn nearer, and were 
 just 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 construct- 
 ed of a dense body of air, yet perfectly transparent, 
 and the same might be said of every article of furni- 
 ture. I perceived that the inmates were asleep, and I 
 saw the various spirits who were watching ovei- the 
 sleepers. One of these was endeavoring to impress 
 his son where to find a lost relic of him which the son 
 much prized, and the loss of which had greatly grieved 
 him. And 1 saw that the son awoke and thought it but 
 an idle dream, and three times this impression was re- 
 peated by the spirit; and I knew that when morning 
 came, the young man would go, out of curiosity where 
 he had been impressed to go, and that he would there 
 find what he souglit for. In an adjoining room I saw 
 one who was tormented by dreams, but they were but 
 the production of a diseased body. 
 
 I was most deeply interested in all this, when ray 
 guide said, "We must now return." When I found 
 
76 MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEBICA. 
 
 myself 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 moments 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 God of infinite love, who careth for and loveth 
 all. May 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 the horizon about four hours ; making in all 
 about eleven hours that this visi'^n 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 oth- 
 ers 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 AMBEIOA. 77 
 
 tention of beginning a course of medical studies, but a 
 chain of untoward circumstances seemed strangely to 
 link themselves together, and to prevent my carrying 
 out my intention. At that time I could not well com- 
 prehend 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 informal 
 tion 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 the best, and so it afterwards proved to be. 
 
 Previous, however, to my taking the step, I had an- 
 other vision of great distinctness. I had been with 
 some friends to dine at the house of a mutual acquaint- 
 ance, and on returning, it was necessary to cross from 
 Brooklyn to New York in the ferry-boat. The gate- 
 keeper allowed our carriage to enter, and we were go- 
 ing down the inclined plane which led to the boat, 
 wlien one of the men caught the horses by the bit, tell- 
 ing 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 horses, and the deep waters within a foot 
 of them, the only barrier being a chain not over strong. 
 
 Mrs. C- begged to alight, and I jumped from the 
 
 carriage and gave her my hand to assist her. As her 
 hand touched mine, with the instantaneous sensatioc 
 
78 MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEEICA. 
 
 of contact, I saw with most perfect distinctness, that a 
 little sister of mine had passed from earth. 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 
 mother, 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 hair 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. Tlie 
 next day letters came to announce what I thus already 
 knew. 
 
 January of 1854 was the beginning of severer trials, 
 for I had been so leff to myself in solitude and study 
 the whole winter, that mind ai.d body were alike dis- 
 turbed, and I wrote to my friends saying that I could 
 not think of continuing the life I then led ; and after 
 many letters bad 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 had 
 
MANIFESTATIONS IN AMKEIOA. 79 
 
 BufiFiired from the nervous anxiety of my solitary life 
 and studies, and now the medical men whom I con- 
 sulted, pronounced my left lung to be diseased. My 
 spirit friends said that they were correct in their diag- 
 nosis, but that I would not yet pass from earth, as my 
 mission was incomplete, and there was much yet for 
 me to do. 
 
 I went from New York to Hartford, but I saw no 
 strangers for a few weeks. From here I again went 
 to Springfield, and Dr. Gardner of Boston, in a letter, 
 dated March 1st, 1854, describes what he saw at this 
 time, and though in some respects similar to what has 
 been already described, will help to show the character 
 of the manifestations at different periods of my life. 
 
 Dr. Gardner says, " I am induced to offer you the 
 following facts, which I in company with several other 
 persons witnessed at the house of Mr. Itufus Elmer in 
 this city, on the evening of the 28th of February, 185i. 
 Nine persons besides Mr. Home, were seated round a 
 common cherry table, when the following phenomena 
 occurred : The table commenced a trembling, vibra- 
 tory motion, sounds were heard on the floor and table, 
 some of which were very loud, then the table was 
 rocked with great force, then raised nearly if not quite 
 two feet from the floor, and it was held supported in 
 mid air with a waving- motion, as if floating on the agi- 
 tated waters of the sea, for considerable time. Tliis 
 was repeated for several times. Then we were directed 
 to place the dinner-bell (weighing one lb. one oz.) under 
 the table on the floor, where it was rung with great 
 violence many times ; questions were answered by the 
 raps upon it, and with it every individual in the circle 
 
80 MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEEIOA. 
 
 was touched it-such a manner that there could could 
 be no mistake about it. We then requested the spirits 
 to pass the bell from the floor, and to place it into our 
 hands, whieh was done to each individual separately ; 
 and, again at our request, it was taken from our hands, 
 and carefully deposited on the floor. Again, while we 
 snng tlie hymn, ' Whilst shepherds watch,' the bell 
 was raised from the floor, and rung in perfect time 
 with the measure of the tune sung, after which another 
 tune was drummed out by the bell against the under- 
 side of the table, the sound resembling the roll of 
 drum-sticks in the hands of a skilful performer upon a 
 tenor driim. This was continued for several minutes. 
 
 " All the above I know was performed without hu- 
 man agency ; the hands of each pereon present during 
 the whole performance above described being on the 
 top of the table, with the room well lighted, and in full 
 view of every person present ; and this was also the 
 case during the whole performance. During the whole 
 of the various performances with the bell, as well as 
 before and after it, our clothes were pulled almost con- 
 stantly, two handkerchiefs were firmly knotted together 
 while lying in the laps of the owners, we were many 
 times touched more or less forcibly, producing a pe- 
 culiar and indescribable sensatiou, 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 touch, which cannot be described, but 
 must bo felt to be appreciated. The reader will bear 
 in mind that the hands of every person present were 
 in plain view on the top of the table. 
 
 " During the evening, responses to questions asked, 
 
MANIB'ESTATIONS IN AMERICA. 81 
 
 were made by the invisible intelligence with the bell- 
 handle, 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 suf- 
 ficsent 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 be 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 occas- 
 ions spirits were seen distinctly by all present in the 
 room, and more than once they kissed persons present 
 so as to be both felt and heard. During the summer 
 mouths my health gradually improved, and I once 
 more thought that I would now be enabled to pursue 
 a course 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 from "The E.epubliccii " and des- 
 cribes some phenomena witnessed by Mr. F. 0. 
 A.ndrue. * 
 
 '^ On Monday last, September 25, 1854, I called af- 
 ter 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 conversing an hour 
 or two, Mr. Elmer having to leave on the morrow on 
 business, proposed a ' circle' tliat evening. We ac- 
 
 4* 
 
82 MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEEICA. 
 
 cordingly sat down — Mr. Elmer's family, Mr. Home 
 and I being the only persons present. The occurren 
 ces, though very extraordinary, were similar to those 
 already published. "We were all touched by unseen 
 hands, 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 ' manifesta- 
 tions' 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 
 
 BO. 
 
 " 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, ami bedstead fairly shook with strokes. 
 They came like a shower. Soon came other noises, 
 and then the bed began to move across the floor. 
 This seemed rather dangerous locomotion. It was the 
 only thing that gave me any uneasiness. Having be- 
 fore witnessed so many wonders, I was not frightened, 
 though Mr. Home seemed to be so, holding ou to me 
 with both hands, and begging with all his might that 
 fhe bedstead should be stopped. They complied with 
 his request, but only to come in a more tangible form. 
 
 Soon I began to feel some one stepping on my feet 
 and ancles, over tlie bed-clothes, but with a pressure 
 different from that produced by any hard substance. 
 Directly after there came a hand on my head and fore- 
 head, as much, like flesh and Hood as any 1 ever felt, 
 only somewhat cold. I began to ask questions, the 
 
MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEEICA. 83 
 
 fingers patting me on my forehead in answer. Sever- 
 al hands, tonching me 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, how am I to know that this is 
 my grandfather? The hand moved from my forehead 
 to my temple, over my eyebrow and eye, and then 
 passed down over my face — the fingers patting me in 
 the most gentle manner possible. At another time, at 
 my request, hands patted my forehead with such force 
 that the sound could be heard, I am confident, in any 
 part of the room. 
 
 " I wish, before I close, to add a few words. To re- 
 ligious minds (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 be- 
 lieve the testimony of wiiat John, Peter or Paul saw ? 
 I speak with all reverence — I doubt not their testi- 
 mony; on the contrary I believe it now more than 
 ever. But I know of no reason, (my veracity being 
 unimpeached) why my testimony of what I Icnow 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. 
 
 "To our wise men, whose hobby is scientific investi- 
 gation, I would say : Of what use is it to those who have 
 gone through what I have, to read Dr. Dodd's book, 
 Dr. E/jgers' theory, or to marvel over Professor Fara- 
 day's discoveries ? who only proved that when he push- 
 ed, he pushed." 
 
 Early in November, I returned to New York, and 
 
S4 MANIFESTATIONS IN AMKEICA. 
 
 resumed my medical studies. I held stances two of 
 three times a week, at my own rooms, and was in the 
 habit of going amongst the poorer classes for the pur- 
 pose of speaking to them of this most cheering truth. 
 I have always found them to be the most candid and 
 thorough 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 
 mother consoled with the thought that the fair young 
 child, given her by God as a hope-star to cheer her as 
 she toiled for her daily bread, but who had pined and 
 gone for ever from her sight, was still living and lov- 
 ing her and her God-sent ministering angel. I well 
 remember a poor man-being present one evening, and 
 the spirit of a little girl coming with the following 
 message. " Father, dear, your little Mary was pre- 
 sent last Wednesday, and God gave her pow«r to pre- 
 vent you from doing what yon wished. If you were 
 ever to do that, you could not come where your own 
 Mary and her mother are. Promise me you will ne- 
 ver think of such an awful thing again." We all 
 looked astonished, but could not understand to what 
 she alhided. Still it was evident the poor father knew 
 too well, for throwing himself on his knees, he said, 
 as the tears rolled down his cheeks, "Indeed, it is but 
 too true, 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 have shrunk from me 
 wi''h horror, aud this very thought was the saving oi 
 me." 
 
 My frequent seances were attended by persons who 
 
MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEEIOA. 85 
 
 were introduced to me by friends, and I met at this 
 time many hundreds. One of these seances is spoken 
 of in the " New York Conference," of December 26, 
 1854, and may serve to give an idea of my mediumsliip 
 at this time. 
 
 " A gentleman present related the facts of a circle 
 which met on Wednesday evening last. Mr. Home 
 •was the medium. "When seated, the first thing noticed 
 ■was an undulating motion on the table, which was fol- 
 lowed by its being lifted entirely clear off the floor. 
 This was repeated several times. Once or twice it was 
 raised as high as the chins of the party sitting at it, 
 the hands of every person in the room being upon the 
 table. A guitar 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 inches. Loud raps were heard in its vicinity 
 while this was being done, and a closet door opening 
 upon the room in which they were seated, was shut 
 with considerable force. The circle during these oc- 
 currences remained seated at the table, and some six 
 or eight feet from where they took place. The guitar 
 case vvas then unlocked, and the instrument placed un- 
 der the table. In this position it was played upon re- 
 peatedly, not, to be sure, in the iiighest grade of the 
 art, but with very fair average skill. The hands of 
 the party during this performance were all upon the 
 table in plain sight of every one. There was no chance 
 for trick, the room being sufficiently light for all to see 
 the exact position of every person and thing in the 
 room. The guitar was then placed in the lap of each 
 member of the circle in rotation. Each one took hold 
 
86 MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA. 
 
 of the end presented, and held on until the instrument 
 was removed by the invisible agenej. The table, the 
 cliaii-, in which they were seated, and the floor of the 
 room itself, were made each in turn to exhibit a trem- 
 ulous motion sensible to all. The large rocking-chair 
 in -which Mr. Home was seated, was next rocked for- 
 cibly. Then, by direction tlirongh tlie alphabet, the 
 whole party of ten persons, in rotation, took the same 
 chair, and were rocked in the same way. The applica- 
 tion of the power was as though a person liad hold of 
 the upper part of the back of the chair with one hand, 
 and the other on its arm The application of the force 
 at these points could be felt distinctly, at every vibra- 
 tion ; and the force necessary to produce them may 
 be appreciated by stating that the feet of the 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 had been 
 touched with what purported to be the hands of her 
 little daughter, asked if she could take the handker- 
 chief out of her lap ? Very soon it was seen to move 
 slowly from her lap, and disappear beneath the table. 
 In a few minutes, raps indicating the alphabet were 
 heard, and this sentence was received : " Mother, now 
 look and see what we have done." On looking, the 
 handkerchief was found knotted and twisted into the 
 form of a doll-haby, not very symmetrical, but suffi- 
 ciently like to show the evident design, as well as in- 
 genuity and power to execute. Several other interest- 
 mg facts occurred during the evening. 
 
 "Dr. Hallock said he was present when the fact^ 
 
MANIFESTATIONS IN AMKKIOA. 87 
 
 just narrated occurred., The point which he particu- 
 larly wished to illustrate was the open character, so to 
 Epeak, of these manifestations. Wlien an important 
 fact is stated, accompanied with the explanation that 
 it occurred in a dark room, it naturally raises the ques- 
 tion of deception in the mind of the hearer, which the 
 most elaborate statement of particulars cannot eradi- 
 cate. From beginning to end these manifestations 
 were free from that objection. Every person in the 
 circle, Mr. Home included, was in full 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 that instrument 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 sev- 
 eral unsuccessful attempts to retain a sheet of paper 
 upou the smooth surface of the table when elevated 
 to a considerable angle, the table with the sheet of 
 paper on it was turned so as to rest on its edge, the top 
 being vertical, and the paper still retaining its position, 
 \intil it was suffered to fall at the request of one of the 
 gentlemen present. The exhibition of power and in- 
 telligence manifested on that evening, were done /"or 
 us, and not ly us — if ten pairs of eyes, with the re- 
 maining complement of senses, are to be taken as evi- 
 dence." 
 
 In January, 1851, the weather was more than usually 
 cold and severe, and my cough had so increased, with 
 otlier symptoms of a more alarming nature, that all 
 idea of completing njy medical studies had to be aban- 
 doned entirely. The medical men whom I consulted, 
 all coincided in saying that my only hope of having 
 
SS MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA, 
 
 niy life prolonged, was to visit Europe. This was lo 
 lue a hard struggle, in being thus separated from those 
 who would have tended me with every affection, and 
 to be thrown as it were a stranger in what was now to 
 uie a strange land. My family had by this time all 
 been residents of America for some time, and I knew 
 no friend in all England. I would not have heeded the 
 advice of my medical men, and I should have remain- 
 ed where I was to pass from earth ; but my spirit 
 friends told me that I must go, and their counsels could 
 not' be unheeded. I accordingly went to pay a series 
 of farewell visits to those friends who had been so 
 kind to me ; they as well as I feeling that in all proba- 
 bility it was the last time we should meet " in the 
 flesh." While at Hartford in March, on one of these 
 visits the seance here alluded to took place. 
 
 " 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 most 
 remarkable of modern mediums for spirit-manifesta- 
 tions 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 
 fo prevent the possibility of any one of the party touch- 
 ing it, unless by stretching forward ; and the slightest 
 movement of the kind by any one present would have 
 been instantly detected. In a moment more the table- 
 cloth was plainly lifted uj), on the side opposite to tiie 
 medium, and in the full light of the lamp. It present 
 
MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA. 89 
 
 ed tlie appearance of something under it, for it moved 
 about under the cloth, going first to one side of the 
 table and then to the other. Presently it reached out, 
 lifting the sides of the cloth, 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 shook hands with the company. It 
 felt, through the cloth, like a hand ; but on retaining 
 it for a closer inspection, it seemed to evaporate or dis- 
 solve, and was rapidly lost. In its nature and compo- 
 sition it resembled, apparently, the hand and arm seen 
 on a previous occasion by a party of six, and described 
 in a former article. 
 
 " Soon after this, the thing (whatever it was), again 
 lifted up the table-cloth, moving apparently all about 
 the table, and raising the cloth as it moved. In a mo- 
 ment more it reached forward and touched one of the 
 party ; then drew back and again reached out and 
 touched another. Different parts of the person were 
 thus touched ; and presently the hand, if it was a hand, 
 left its protection of the table-cloth, and commenced 
 touching the party in succession, some in one place, 
 and others in another. But nothing could be seen I 
 If requested to touch, for instance", the right shoulder, 
 the hand would unexpectedly respond by touching the 
 left I or if asked to touch the leg, perhaps the breast 
 or hand of tlie one asking would be touched — seem- 
 ingly with a view to indicate in the clearest manner 
 that the power and the intelligence was separate from 
 the mind of the party. The invisible agency thus 
 operating touched the writer at first on the knee, and, 
 gradually advancing upwards, finally took him by the 
 
00 MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEEICA. 
 
 Iiand ; but, although this was in a pretty good light 
 (a little below the edge of the table), -no traces of the 
 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 get- 
 ting some music from the spirits. I placed also a 
 qnire of letter paper and a pencil upon the instrument, 
 that they might, if able and so disposed, give ns a sam- 
 ple of writing without mortal hands. (Both of these 
 performances have been witnessed at circles in New 
 York, and elsewhere.) As soon as we were again 
 seated and quiet, the guitar was sounded, and then 
 flayed upon, evidently by real, substantial fingers, for 
 the touches on the strings were strong and distinct. 
 Presently the quire of paper was thrown from the in- 
 strument upon the floor, a distance of some three or 
 four feet, and the music was again prodi.ced, louder 
 than before. Next, the guitar, large and heavy as it 
 was, was dragged out from its place, and carried away 
 to a door, a distance of five feet from the table, and 
 tliei'e the music recommenced, stronger and clearer 
 tlian ever. This had all been done while the party sat 
 quietly at the table. At this juncture, in order to see 
 the performance going on at that distance, the writer 
 leaned forward towards it, and in so doing, accident- 
 ally extinguished the lamp on the table; but as a good 
 light was reflected upon all of us from a grate of glow 
 ing coals directly in front of the party, it was decided 
 not to break the circle to relight the lamp, and the 
 manifestations went on. 
 
 " While we sat tiius, the guitar, at the distance of 
 fioe or six feet from the party, was played upon exqui 
 
MANIFESTATIONS IN AMERICA. 91 
 
 sitely, and for several minutes, by some power other 
 than that of any one bodily present. Tlie instrument 
 was partially in shadow, and the hand that swept its 
 strings could not be seen ; but the music was surpass- 
 ingly 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. Por- 
 tions of it were filled with a certain soft and wild mel- 
 ody that seemed 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 prov- 
 ing the strength and the reality of this immortal 
 music. 
 
 " It was asked by one of tlie circle, ' Can you strike 
 on all the chords at once V Ans. (by responses on the 
 strings) — ' Yes,' and this was actually done. 
 
 " The guitar was then removed to a corner of the 
 room, still farther otf ; and as soon as all were seated, 
 •it was again played updn, at that distance, for some 
 time ; then it was brouglit baclj by invisible means 
 and placed near the table. Mr. Home remarked, that 
 all this transcended anything of the kind in his pre- 
 vious experience, and he proposed to ' see what they 
 
»a 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 dis- 
 tance from himself; but upon his taking his seat again 
 the spirits began playing the instrument in that far- 
 thest corner ! — -at a distance (as ascertained by subse- 
 quent measurement) of nearly devenfeet from circle or 
 the medium I Then the guitar was moved from its place 
 by the spirits and brought towards the circle ; but, en- 
 countering a heavy mahogany chair on the way, the 
 instrume?it v>as laid down and the chair dragged sev- 
 eral feet out of the way ; after which the guitar was 
 taken up and carried all around the circle by the in- 
 visibles, and.at length deposited in the opposite corner! 
 In a few moments more the writer saw it poised in the 
 air, top upwards, and nearly over his head ! The re- 
 mark was made, " "Well, if I did not see this myself, I 
 wouldn't believe it on other testimony" — whereupon 
 the instrument reached forward and playfully tapped 
 the speaker three times upon the shoulder. Then it 
 was passed across the table (over his head) towards 
 Mr. Home, 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-light. 
 The bottom end of the instrument was very near my 
 face, while the opposite end was thus being used ; it 
 was not, in fact, six inches above my head, and just in 
 front of me. The indistinct outline of a human hand 
 could be seen grasping the instrument Just below its 
 centre. 
 
 " Reaching up, I grasped the instrument firmly in 
 both hands tuid held it above my head, requesting at 
 
MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEEICA. 93 
 
 the same time that the one who had been perform- 
 ing would now flay it if possible. Immediately the 
 strings were touched as if by human fingers, though 
 now invisible, and the guitar was played as well while 
 thus held in the air as it had been while on the floor ! 
 " The quire of paper 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 proceed-r 
 ing. 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 
 hand — very thin, very pale, and remarkably attenuat- 
 ed. The eonformation of this hand was peculiar. 
 The fingers were of an almost preternatural length, 
 and seemed to be set ^vide apart. The extrevae pallor 
 of the entire hani was also remarkable. But perhaps 
 the most noticeable thing about it was the shape of the 
 fingers, which, in addition to their length and thinness, 
 were nnusvLallj pointed at the ends; they tapered ra- 
 pidly and evenly toward the tips.* The hand also 
 narrowed from 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 wad 
 consumption. The portrait was taken just before her death, and the hands 
 and fingers in the daguerreotype, although rather indistinct, bear a most close 
 and remarkable resemblance to the hand described above. 
 
94 MANIFESTATIONS IN AMEEICA. 
 
 denly disappeared, and in a moment the pencil was 
 thrown from some quarter, and fell upon the table, 
 where the hand again appeared, took it, and began to 
 write. This was in plain sight, being only shaded by 
 one of the circle who was sitting between the paper on 
 he table and the fire. The hands of each one present 
 were upon the table, in full view, so that it could not 
 have been one of the party wtio 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 farther than the wrist. With a feeling of curiosity 
 natural under the circumstances, I brought my face 
 close to it iu the endeavor to see exactly what it was, 
 and, in so doing, probably destroyed the electric or 
 magnetic influence by which it was working ; for the 
 pencil dropped and the hand vanished. The writing 
 was afterwards examined, and proved to be the name, 
 in her own proper handwriting, of a relative and inti- 
 mate lady friend of one in the circle, who passed away 
 some years since. Other marks were also made, and 
 the word 'Dear' had been written just as the pencil 
 dropped. Tliis writing has been preserved, and re- 
 mains as an evidence of the reality of the fact. That 
 it was produced by no hand of any one bodily in that 
 room I know and affirm. 
 
 " The 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 thb 
 
 WEIST." 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 IN ENGLAND. 
 
 On the Slst of March, 1855, I sailed from Eoston for 
 England in the ' Africa,' the late Captain Harrison be- 
 ing the captain of the ship. On the ninth day of our 
 voyage we neared England; and the signal cannon was 
 fired. I never can forget my feelings as I looked 
 around me, and saw only joy beaming on the faces of 
 my fellow-passengers ; some there were who were 
 about to reach their home, and the 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 
 before them, and the monotony of a sea voyage so near 
 its termination. I stood thei-e alone, with not one 
 friend to welcome me, broken down in health, and my 
 hofies and fairest dreams of youth, all, as I thought, 
 f(U- ever fled. The only prospect I had was that of a 
 few months' sufl'ering, and then to pass from earth. I 
 liiid this strange power also, which made a few look 
 with pity on me as a poor deluded being, only devil- 
 sent, to lure souls to destruction, while others were not 
 (jhary in treating me as a base impostor.- I stood there 
 on the ship's deck amongst the crowd of passengers, 
 
P6 IN ENGLAND. 
 
 and a sense of utter loneliness crept over me, until my 
 very heart seemed too heavy for me to bear up against 
 it. I sought my cabin, and prayed to God to vouch- 
 safe one ray of hope to cheer me. In a few moments 
 I felt a sense of joy come over me and when I rose, 
 was as happy as the happiest of the throng. 
 
 I reached Cox's Hotel in Jermyn Street on the even- 
 ing of the 9th of April ; and as soon as Mr. Cox knew 
 who I was, he welcomed me "more as a father would 
 welcome a son, than as a stranger whom he had never 
 seen, and from that time to this he has been to me the 
 most sincere and generous friend. 
 
 It soon became known that I was in England, and 
 in less than a month I had more engageiuents than I 
 could well fulfil. While at Cox's Hotel, Lord Broug- 
 ham expressed a desire to see me for the purpose of in- 
 vestigating the phenomena, and as his lordship's even- 
 ings were fully occupied, I appointed an early after- 
 noon. Accordingly his Lordship came accompanied 
 by Sir David Brewster, with whom and Mr. Cox I had 
 a seance, which shortly afterwards, in consequence of 
 the misrepresentations and evasions of Sir David Brew- 
 ster, 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 
 has come before the public which have brought more 
 shame upon him, than his conduct and assertions on 
 this occasion, in which he manifested not only a disre- 
 gard for truth, but also a disloyalty to scientific obser- 
 vation, and to the use of his own eyesight and natural 
 faculties. In order that Lird Brougham 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 complain that his Lordship preferred sacri- 
 ficing me to his desire not to immolate his friend, since 
 his silence was by many misconstrued to my disadvan- 
 tage. The correspondence which ensued was so inter- 
 esting and characteristic, and is moreover so useful as 
 being the first great occasion on which one of tlie pre- 
 tended 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 re- 
 marks on Sir David Brewster's conduct in an Appen- 
 dix. It will be a means whereby his character may be 
 the better known, not only for his untruthful dealing 
 with this snbject, but also in his own domain of science 
 in which the same unfaithfulness to trutli will be seen 
 to be the cliaracteristic of his mind. 
 
 The immediate efi'ect, however, of this ventilation 
 of the subject was, as I have invariably found it, to ex- 
 cite only the greater interest in the phenomena, and it 
 was thereby the means of convincing numbers of all 
 classes who visited me. My time was fully occupied, 
 notwithstanding my delicate health, in giving, seances 
 to anxious enquirers of all ranks and classes, from the 
 peer to the artizan, and including men of all the profes- 
 sions 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 Jermyn Street, 1 went to stay 
 with a friend at Ealing, who was deeply interested in 
 the subject, and his house was, duringtliegreaterpartof 
 my stay, alm"St besieged by persons wishing to witness 
 
 ft 
 
OS IN E>fGI,ANn. 
 
 the phenomena. Hundreds had their wislies gratified, 
 and saw what has proved enough to be the turning 
 point of their lives, and what rendered no longer pos- 
 sible those materialistic and sceptical notions, which 
 are still unhappily so rife amongst the most highly ed- 
 ucated classes at this day. Many interesting incidents 
 occurred during my stay at Ealing, and the hands and 
 once or twice the head of the spirit form were repeat- 
 edly seen by many, who publicly testified to the fact. 
 But although I was apparently wearing out my life by 
 the fatigue and excitement which these constant sean- 
 ces caused to me, I was not allowed to become proud 
 of my position, for the good clergyman of Ealing found 
 it his duty to publicly preach against me, and to at- 
 tribute the manifestations to the devil. The position 
 which is taken up by many of the clergy, is to me, in 
 itself, an extraordinary manifestation, for certainly 
 these phenomena, whether from God or from the devil, 
 have in ten years caused more converts to the great 
 truths of immortality and angel communion, with all 
 that flows from these great facts, than all the sects in 
 Christendom have made during the same period. In 
 deed, whilst the churches 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 may be the means 
 in tlieir turn of converting the clergy to a belief in 
 spiritual laws. 
 
 Wliilst I was at Ealing, a distinguished novelist, ac- 
 companied by his son attended a seance, at which 
 some very remarkable manifestations occurred, and 
 
IN ENGLAND. 99 
 
 which were chiefly directed to idm. The rappings on 
 the table suddenly became nnusnally firm and loud. 
 He asked " what spirit is present ?" the alphabet 
 was called over, and the response was, " I am the 
 
 8i)irit who influenced you to write Z !" " Indeed," 
 
 said he, " I wish you would give me some tangible 
 proof of your presence." " What proof? will you take 
 my hand ?" " Ves," 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 ev- 
 ident trepidation, exhibiting a momentary suspicion 
 that a trick had been played upon him ; seeing, how- 
 ever, that all tlie persons around him were sitting with 
 their hands quietly reposing on the table, he recovered 
 his composure, and offering an apology for the uncon- 
 trollable excitement caused by such an unexpected de- 
 monstration, he 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 
 medium?" "No." " In the manifestations ?"" N"o." 
 At that moment he was gently tapped on the knee, and 
 putting his hand down, a cross was placed there by the 
 spirit, which significantly finished the sentence. 
 
 The cross was made of card-board, and had been ly- 
 inff oh a small table with other ornamental articles in 
 a distant part of the large room in wiiich the party 
 were seated. The investigator, apparently much im- 
 pressed with the incident, turned to Mrs. Hymer, and 
 asked parmissiou 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, bat she could have no objecMons to hitn keep- 
 ing it, if he would remember the injunction. He 
 bowed his assent, and placing the sou^fenir in his 
 breast pocket, carried the cross away with him. 
 
 On another occasion the children had been playing 
 in the garden with some fresh-gathered flowers, out of 
 which they had former a wreath. A seance was pro- 
 posed. It was a calm summer's evening, with the full 
 moon just rising. A large circular-sliaped table was 
 selected in the drawing room, which room was on a 
 level with the garden lawn, the French windows ex- 
 tending to the ground, and the moonlight-twilight 
 shone through them sufficiently to make everything iu 
 the room visible. 
 
 The party seated themselves around the half circle 
 of the table, leaving the other half nearest to the gar- 
 den window vacant After several minor incidents 
 liad 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 rim. 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 
 time, the fleshy and delicately-formed arm became 
 visible up to the elbow, and was enveloped in what 
 appeared to be a gauze sleeve, through which it was 
 transparently seen. The fingers then took up the bell, 
 
IN EN^GLAND. 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 hand, received it, and placed it on the table. He 
 then asked if he might feel the hand, which was nei- 
 ther warm nor cold, but of velvety softness, and it was 
 placed with a gentle pressure in his. 
 
 When the hand first appeared, all in the circle had 
 hold of each other's hand, I having, at Mr. Coleman's 
 request, placed both my hands in Mr. Coleman's grasp. 
 
 Whilst seated in this position, the wreath of flow- 
 ers, which h id 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 hand 
 was visible. The wreath then descended to within an 
 inch of the surface of the table. It then slowly trav- 
 ersed round the circle and back again to Mr. Coleman, 
 who took it, and retained it at home until the flowei's 
 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, in- 
 verted itself, and cast the rings upon the table. 
 
 One evening at Ealing, Sir David Brewster, Mrs. 
 Trollope the authoress, and her son Mr. Thomas Trol- 
 lope, and several others were present. The table at 
 which the party sat was a long telescopic dining table, 
 havinar two less at each end and none in the centre. — ■ 
 One end of it was occupied by 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 ; tlie otliers pres- 
 ent occupying the remainder of the table. There was 
 no cloth or drapery of any kind. Sir David was invit- 
 ed to look under the table and make every investiga- 
 tion, and he did most properly avail himself of the "p- 
 portnnity afforded him by carefully looking under the 
 table, both before sounds were heard and during the 
 time they were being made. On this occasion Sir 
 David tried to lift tlie table — sometimes 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 played, and without any visible agency. After 
 the party broke up, Sir David, in the course of con- 
 versation, said, " I should have liked if we had been 
 all standing when the table lifted." Sir David, Mr. 
 Trollope, and Mr. Eymer 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 
 the feet of all tliree. 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 pre-engagement. 
 
 This table, which was twelve feet long, has been 
 sometimes co:npletely turned over, replaced, and again 
 turned over, all our hands being on the surface. Occa- 
 sionally it has been moved while we were all standing 
 — without any one touching it, even with their hand.-;. 
 
 Mr. Trollope came on the following evening — we sat 
 round the same table as on the previous evening — 
 the alphabet was called for, and three of us were 
 told lo go into another room, to get a smaller table, 
 
m ENGLAND. 103 
 
 and stand. "We were not to sit, but to stand. 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 the ground,. 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 Dorothy was present ; he was 
 surprised, and assured us that could not be so, for he 
 never had an aunt ; he 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 more of our family, and I will ask her. 
 
 " P.S. — She has just come, and I find our father had 
 a sister — our grandfather was twice married ; by his 
 first wife he had one daughter, whose name was Doro- 
 thy, and who died an infant — and who, of cour.-;e, was 
 our aunt." 
 
 One evening as Mr. Eymer was passing through tiie 
 room he stood for a few moments at the end of the 
 table. His attention was arrested by the sounds, and 
 it was stated to be his little boy, who had passed away 
 some years before. He asked if he recollected liow • 
 pleased he was when on earth to place him a chair on 
 his return home — the chair was immediately moved 
 round tlie corner of the table, by no visible agency. — • 
 It was placed behind him, and he sat down upon it. 
 
 Tliis was in tlie presence of five persons, one of 
 
104 IN ENGLAND. 
 
 whom was the editor of a well-known work on the 
 " Occult Sciences." All at the table saw the chair 
 moved to where the father was standing. The hands 
 of all were on the table — no one knew that he intend- 
 ed to ask for a cliair, and nntil that instant, he 
 said, that he did not know it himself. 
 
 Another evening we were told through the alpha- 
 bet that the same litttle boy was present in spirit. It 
 was asked if he cOnld write as on earth, and he answer- 
 ed that he would try. A sheet of note paper, clean, 
 and without any writing of any description was taken, 
 and placed on the cloth. The brass fastenings of the 
 table were then displaced one by one and fell to the 
 ground ; tlie table was opeued or pulled out by no 
 human agency — every one in the room was seated at 
 the table and had their hands on its surface. It was 
 then 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. The paper and pen- 
 cil were then removed, the form of the hand disap- 
 pearing 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 for : " Daar papa, 
 I have really done my best." The father removed tlie 
 paper and pencil, and on that paper was written — 
 '•Dear papa, dear mamma," and signed "Wat." 
 Watty was the name of the child. No one was pre- 
 viously aware that it was intended to ask for this to be 
 done. 
 
 At Sandgate in Kent, where I stayed for some time, 
 
IJT ENGLAND. - 105 
 
 at a Beance, we numbered thirteen. The table was 
 elevated at least two feet, and the accordeon was 
 played. The tune was not known to any of us. We 
 asked the name, and were told that it was the " Song 
 of the Sea." A hand and arm in white drapery ap- 
 peared — it was seen by all at the table on several oc- 
 casions during the evening, and they had every op- 
 portunity of carefully examining it. 
 
 A few evenings afterwards the table was near tlie 
 window. It was twilight. Songs were heard on the 
 accordeon. The tune was new to us, and we were 
 told that it was the " Song of the Angels to the 
 Monrners." It was followed by a hymn which had 
 been frequently played before. It was spelt out by 
 sounds on the table, soTHie will show you their hands 
 to-night. The table was gently raised and lifted up 
 several times, a hand appeared above the table, and 
 took from the dress of one 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, the hand took a pen- 
 cil and marked tiie two verses sixteen and seventeen 
 of the thirteenth chapter of St. Matthew — " But bless 
 ed are your eyes, for they see : and your ears, fur 
 they hear. For I say unto you that many prophets 
 
 and righteous men have desired to see things which 
 
 5* 
 
106 IN ENGLAND. 
 
 ye see, and liave not seen tliem ; and to hear these 
 things which ye bear, and have not heard them." 
 
 At this time liands and arms were frequently seen 
 and they were repeatedly felt by all at the table us. 
 distinctly as though Hiey were the hands and arms of 
 living mortals, and frequently they shook hands with 
 them as really and substantially as one man shakes 
 hands with another. 
 
 Of all the accounts which have been given of the 
 plienomena there has been none so good as tliatof T)r. 
 J. J. G. Wilkinson, who towards the close of the 
 Brewster controversy, wrote a letter to the " Morning 
 Advertiser," under tlie signature of Verax. He had 
 been frequently present at seances, and was eminent- 
 ly qualified not only for the investigation, but for a 
 philosophical expression of their results and conse- 
 quences — and I need oSev no apology for giving at 
 length his eloquent narration, which was entitled 
 " Evenings with Mr. Home and the Spirits." 
 
 '* The 'Great Wizard of the North ' has roused atten- 
 tion to the subject of spiritual manifestations in such 
 a manner tliat everybody is talking about them ; and, 
 moreover, the Country papers are the battle-ground of 
 lettei's^TO 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 state- 
 ment of the experience of any of the writers in regard 
 to these manifestations. This is to be regretted, per- 
 haps, because by bringing forward experiences and 
 cxphinations, the subject might have been divested of 
 some of that heat which is so bad a scientific medium. 
 I will now endeavor, with your permission, to tell whit 
 
IN ENGLAND. 107 
 
 I saw and felt on three separate evenings, stating them 
 in their order. 
 
 " It was late in the spring of this year that I was 
 invited by a friend, well known in the literary world, 
 to pay a visit to the lodgings of Mr. Daniel Dunglas 
 Home, then recently arrived from America, for the pur- 
 pose of witnessing certain remarkable phenomena al- 
 leged to be from supernatural causes. Many feelings 
 prompted me to accept the invitation ; as, also, did the 
 knowledge that Mr. Home was familiarly known, as a 
 plain, honest man, to Dr. Gray, the first homoeopathic 
 physician in New York, and for whose character I have 
 ■the highest esteem. 
 
 " I went to his house in Jermyn-street, and intro- 
 duced 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 he himself inform- 
 ed me, and as, on inspection, I found to be the case, 
 with the marks of consumption legible upon his frame. 
 My wife accompanied me, and I met in Mr. H.'s rooms 
 three 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 my recollection he gave the following particulars. 
 He was born in Scotland, and was taken to America 
 when a child. Very early in life he used to surprise 
 those with whom he was, by spontaneously narrating, 
 as scenes passing before his eyes, distant events, sucli 
 
108 IN KN6LAND. 
 
 as the death of friends and elatives ; and these instan- 
 ces 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 heard in the 
 room beside him. This was about the time when the 
 spiritual 'rapping' became known in America. 
 
 " He lived with an aunt, who was greatly scandal- 
 ized at these circumstances. A member of the Pres- 
 byterian Church, these knockings even accompanied 
 him to Divine worship ; and, coming to the knowledge 
 of liis ecclesiastical overmen, he was adjudged to be 
 the victim of satauic influences, and either excommu- 
 nicated, or otherwise banished from the congregation. 
 Aftei wards he became a medical student; but ill-health 
 forced him to abandon the idea of pursuing medicine 
 as a calling. Such were the heads of wiiat he told ns, 
 iu answer to our enquiries, about liimself. 
 
 " We were in a large upper room, rather bare of fur- 
 niture ; a sofa, a large round table, and a little buffet, 
 together with a few chairs, were the fittings-up. One 
 of the party had brought with him a hand-bell and an 
 accordeon. We sat around the table, with the hands 
 resting upon it. In a few minutes the table vibrated, or 
 shuddered, as though actuated from within ; it then 
 became still, and insta'.itly everyone of us shook in his 
 cluiir, nut violently, but intimately, and like a jelly, so 
 thai objects ' dothered' before us. This effect ceased ; and 
 now the heavy table, with all our hands upon it, raised it- 
 self high up on its side, and rocked up and down ; the rais- 
 ingproceedingtrom all different quarters, Mr. Home and 
 all the rest of us (excepting our hands and arms, which 
 were necessarily moved) sitting leath still. The lamp ou 
 
m ENGLAND. 109 
 
 the tal)le seemed as if it must tumble oif; bnt he assured 
 us there was no danger of t/iat — that it was held safely 
 in its place. The liand-bell had been placed upon the 
 wooden rim round the pedestal of the table, and it now 
 began to ring, apparently under different parts of the 
 circle. Mr. 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 three feet dis- 
 tance. I put my hand down under the margin of the 
 table, and, in perhaps a minute's time, I felt the lip of 
 the bell poked up gently against the tips of my fingers, 
 as if to say, ' I am here, take me.' This palpitation of 
 tiie bell continued until I moved my fingers up its side 
 to grasp it. When I came to the handle, I slid my 
 fingers on rapidly, and now, every hand but my own 
 being on the table, I distinctly felt the 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 friendship of my 
 -best friends. But I had no sooner grasped it moment- 
 arily, than it melted away, leaving my hand void, with 
 tlie bell only in it. I now held the bell lightly, with 
 the clapper downwards, and while it remained per- 
 fectly still, I could plainly feel fingers ringing it by 
 the clapper. As a poinE of observation I will remark, 
 that I should feel no more difficulty in swearing that 
 tiie member I felt was a human hand of extraordinai-y 
 life, and not Mr. Home's foot, than that the nose of 
 the Apollo Belvidere is not a horse's ear. I dwell 
 chiefly, because I can speak surely, on what happened 
 to mvself, though every one round the table had some- 
 what similar experiences. The bell was carried undei 
 
110 IN ENGLAND. 
 
 the 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. Home put 
 down his hand to the margin, and the instrument was 
 given to him. With one hand upon the table, and 
 with the other grasping the white wood at the bottom 
 of the accordeon, he held it bottom upwards, the keys 
 hanging down over, and the instrument resting for sup- 
 port on his right knee. It played ' Home, sweet home,' 
 and • God save the Queen,' with a delicacy of tone 
 which struck every one present : I never heard silence 
 threaded with such silver lines. Afterwards, in the 
 same way, we were fivored with ' The Last Rose of 
 Summer,' The accordeon was then taken to each 
 member of the party in succession ; we could hear it 
 rustling on its way between our knees and the pedestal 
 of tiie table ; and in tlie hand of each person, a few 
 notes, but no whole tunes were played. Wiien in my 
 own hand, I particularly noticed the great amount of 
 force which was exerted by the player. It was diffi- 
 cult to hold the instrument from the strong downward 
 pull, and had I not been somewhat prepared for this, 
 the accordeon would have fallen upon the floor, la 
 the course of the evening we all felt either a finger, 
 fingers, or a whole hand, placed upon our knees, 
 always with a pleasant impression at the time. A 
 white cambric handkerchief was drawn slowly under 
 tlie table, and in the coui-se of a few minutes handed to 
 another person, tied in two knots, and put as a boquet 
 into tlie bell. And this experiment also was repeated 
 for nearly all present. Wliile these things were going 
 on, rappings were heard in all parts of the room, in the 
 
IN ENGLAND. Ill 
 
 table, in the floor, and tlie ceiling ; and sometimes 
 they were so loud tliat the medium requested the spirits 
 to remember that he was only a lodger, and that these 
 noises miglit disturb the people in the rooms above and 
 below. They were very unlike the ' Great Wizard's' 
 raps, and occurred indifferently, as I said, before, iu all 
 places and corners of the chamber. Towards the end 
 of the seance, five distinct raps were heard under the 
 table, which number, Mr. Home said, was a call for 
 the alphabet. Accordingly, an alphabet was made; 
 and on Mr. Home asking if any spirit was present who 
 wished to speak to one of the party, the following sen- 
 tence was given by the alphabetic telegrapli : — ' My 
 dear E — , Imortality 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 pres- 
 ent, who died last year. The spelling ' imortality' 
 surprised me at first; but I recollected that the de- 
 ceased, whom I knew well, was constantly versed in 
 black letter writing, which makes elisions in that way. 
 This ended, the medium fell into an apparently mes- 
 meric trance, from which he addi'essed 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 mention, because they were of a 
 strictly private nature. In his address, Mr. Home 
 spoke, not as from himself, but as from the spirit as- 
 sembly which was present; and he ended with a cour- 
 teous ' Good night,' from them. 
 
 " Considering that it requites a large apparatus of 
 
112 
 
 IN ENGLAND. 
 
 l)rcparation for the greatest of wizards to effect the 
 smallest part of what we saw on this evening, namely, 
 a few raps, one might have suspected that Mr. Home 
 would have had rather bulging pockets, to do what I 
 have related, but I can assure your readers, that he 
 was as meagre and unencumbered as the scantiest 
 dresser need be : he had no assistants, 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 man- 
 ner they said ' Yes,' when the same qaestion was put 
 with regard to the ' Indian Jugglers.' We also asked 
 Mr. Home why the effects generally took place under 
 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 intel- 
 lects, 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 this that Mr. Home 
 came by invitation, to my own house, to sit in the cir- 
 cle of my family. He was brought to the door in a 
 carriage by some friends, with whom he was staying, 
 ■■ ithout any paraphernalia which would characterize a 
 wizard's art. I watched him walk up the garden, and 
 can aver that he had no magic wand up his trouser 
 leg, nor any hunch in his dress that could betoken ma- 
 chinery or apparatus of any kind whatever. Arrived 
 in tiie drawing-room, the ' raps ' immediately com- 
 
ni ENGLAND. 113 
 
 menced in all parts of it, and were also heard in tli« 
 buck drawing-room, which opens into the front by fold- 
 ing doors. The party assembled to constitute the ' cir- 
 cle' consioted of Mr. Home, my wife, my four chil- 
 dren, and myself, and two domestics. We sat round 
 a large and heavy loo table, which occupied the centre 
 of the room. In a minute or two the same inward 
 thrill went throTigh the table as I have described in the 
 first stance ; and tlie chairs also, as before, thrilled un- 
 der us so vividly, that my youngest daughter jumped 
 up from hers, exclaiming, ' Oh ! Papa, there's a heart 
 iu my chair,' which we all felt to be a correct expres- 
 sion 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 some eight inches into the air, and floated wav- 
 ing in the atmosphere, maintaining its position above 
 the ground for half a minute, or while we slowly 
 counted twenty-nine. Its oscillations during this time 
 were very beautiful, reminding us all of a flat disc of 
 deal on an agitated surface of water. It then de- 
 scended as rapidly as it rose, and so nicely was the de- 
 scent managed, that it met the floor with no noise, and 
 as tliough 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 lie 
 tlie toe of Hercules for a lever could he have managed 
 this eff'ect, for he and all of us stood up each time, 
 to follow the mounting table, and he stood with as 
 
114 m ENGLAND. 
 
 complete absence of strain as the rest of us. It re- 
 quires two strong men to lift tlie table to tiiat height ; 
 one person might throw it over, but could by no meanp 
 raise it from the floor. 
 
 " The travelling of tiie hand-bell under the table 
 was also repeated for every one present, and this 
 time they all felt the hand, or hands, either upon tlieir 
 knees, or other portions of tlieir limbs. I put ray 
 hand down as previously, and was regularly stroked 
 on the back of it by a soft palpable hand as before. 
 Nay, I distinctly felt t!ie whole against mine, and once 
 giasped the hand, but it melted as on the first oc- 
 casion ; and immediately a call was made for the al- 
 phabet, there being something to communicate. The 
 'spirits' now spelt out through Mr. Home, who had 
 known nothing of what I had done under the table, 
 ' Do not grasp our hands.' I asked why, and Mr. 
 Home said that they had great difficulty in presenting, 
 and thus rapidly incarnating these hands out of the 
 vital atmosphere of those present, and that their work 
 was spoilt, and had to be recommenced, when they 
 were interfered with, perhaps as a thought is some- 
 times broken in twain, and caimbt 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 paleto'', which 
 was open ; and though I could see no agency, I felt 
 something twitching at the handkerchief, and very 
 gradually drawing it from my pocket. Simultaneously 
 with this, my eldest daughter, who sat opposite to me, 
 exclaimed, ' Oh ! I see phosphoric fingers at papa's 
 pocket !' and, now visibly to all, the handkerchief was 
 
IN ENGLAND, 115 
 
 slowly pulled out, and drawn under the table; whilst, 
 at the same time, I felt an arm that was doing it, but 
 which was invisible to me. At this time I was at least 
 three feet from Mr. Home, with a person between us, 
 and he was absolutely passive. The feeling I had was 
 of nudges, as distinct as ever I felt from 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 the 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. 
 
 " "While this was. going on, and for about ten mi- 
 nutes, more or less, my wife felt the sleeve of her dress 
 pulled frequently, and as she was sitting with her 
 finger ends clasped and hands open, with palms semi- 
 prone upon the table, she suddenly laughed involun- 
 tarily, and said, 'Oh ! see, there is a little hand lying 
 between mine ; and, now, a larger hand has come be- 
 side it. The little hand is smaller than any baby's, 
 and exquisitly perfect.' Onr 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 disappeai-ed. I now held my watch 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 horizontal- 
 ly to my hand, and then the key, which I retained, 
 was pulled laterally, and I let it go. It was taken un- 
 der the table to my youngest daughter, and put on her 
 
116 IN ENGLAND. 
 
 knee. Whenever objects were thus removed from the 
 hand, they were taken witli a degree of physical pow- 
 er 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. Home 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 
 standicg beside each. When he came to my wife he 
 lifted up his hands in an ecstacy, and described a spi- 
 rit with her, most tiny, but beautiful. He said it was 
 a little sister who had gone away a long time. ' But,' 
 she said, ' I never had such a sister.' ' 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 nmcli as thought of any expla- 
 nation of pasteboard arms or electric batteries conceal- 
 ed about liio 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 gentleman was now stay- 
 iug. The party sat down to the table with Mr. Home, 
 in the dusk of a fine evening, and were nine or ten 
 in number. Here again I am forced to chronicle 
 
IN ENGLAND. 117 
 
 chiefly what befel myself, in order that I may bo 
 no second-hand witness. The first thing I remarked 
 was a gentle tremulons flash of light through 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.' ' Who is it?' he said. ' How should 
 I know V was my reply. ' Ask,' said he. ' But how 
 shall I ask V ' 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 V Hearty 
 
 affirmative slaps on the knee from the same hand which 
 had remained fixed till then, were the reply to my 
 question 'lam glad to be again in the same room 
 with you,' said I. Again the same hearty greeting was 
 repeated. ' Are you better V I inquired. A still more 
 joyous succession of sfeps, 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. Home 
 now called over the alphabet. A B CD, and when he 
 called T, my knee was struck ; again when he said H 
 and E, and so on, until this was spelled out : ' the im- 
 mortal LOVES.' I remember at the time thinking that 
 this was rather a thin message ; but the next time I 
 
 saw Mrs. I told her the circumstances, and gave 
 
 her the words. Her son was sitting with her, and 
 
118 IN ENGLAND. 
 
 said, 'Tliat is veiy characteristic of my father, for it was 
 a favorite subject with liim, whether or not the affec- 
 tions survive the body ; of the iinraortality of the soul 
 itself he never doubted ; but the words, the immortal 
 loves, show tliat he has settled the problem of his life.' 
 Suoh was the import which the family of the deceased 
 quite unexpectedly to me conferred upon the 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 shake hands with 
 me ?' and I put my hand under the table, and now the 
 same soft and capacious hand was placed in mine, and 
 gave it a cordial shaking. I could not help exclaim- 
 ing, ' This hand is a portrait. I know it from five 
 years' constant intercourse, and from the daily grasp 
 and holding of the last several months!' After this 
 it left my knee ; and when I asked if there was any- 
 tliing more, there was no response, and the agent ap- 
 peared to be gone. But in two or tliree minutes more 
 another hand, evidently also a man's, but small, thin, 
 firm, and lively, was placed in the same position which 
 the former bad occupied ; and after some preliminary 
 
 questioning with Mr. Home, I said, 'Is it Mr. V 
 
 naming another valued friend, who, after twenty years 
 of sufl'ering, had departed this life almost on the same 
 day as Mr. . With liveliest finger tips, the affirm- 
 ing hand danced up and down my leg, and upon my 
 knee. I said, ' I am glad to find you so much better.' 
 The playful hand beat ' yes ' again. And this, in re- 
 ply to renewed questions, for two or three minutes. 
 Then I said, ' Have you any communication for your 
 wife wben I see her V There was no response, and that 
 
IN ENGLAND. 119 
 
 agent then ceased to manifest himself. After another 
 sliort pause, a totally different hand, a lady's, came to 
 me, rested in my hand under the table, rubbed my 
 haaid, and allowed me at leisure to examine the deli 
 cate, beautiful, and warmth-raying fingers. It was 
 
 signified that it was Mrs. , whom I had known in 
 
 life, and who wished to greet me. Between and dur- 
 ing what happened to myself, many of the rest of the 
 circle were touched ; and described their impressions 
 m^uch as I have described mine. Some had merely a 
 single finger put upon their knees. Mr. Home said 
 tliat the presenting spirits could often make one finger 
 wliere they could not make two : and two, where tliey 
 could not form an entire hand ; j ust as they could form 
 a hand where they could not realize a whole human 
 figure ; and he also said that this was one reason why 
 they did not show themselves aboveboard, because 
 they did not like imperfect members to be 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 win- 
 dow, and the bright moonbeams streamed down upon 
 ts side. There was no candle in the apartment. The 
 space of table which fronted the window was not occu- 
 pied by sitters; but the company sat round about 
 three-fourths of it, leaving the rest vacant. The rigiit 
 wing of the party was terminated by Mr. Home ; the 
 left by the son of the host. In a few minutes' time, 
 close beside the latter gentleman, there emerged into 
 sight above the rim of the table, in the vacant space, a 
 delicately beautifiil female hand and part of the fore- 
 
129 
 
 nr ENGLAND. 
 
 arm, apparently of ghostly tenuity. As I was sitting 
 exactly opposite the vacant space, I had a fair oppor- 
 tunity of watching this hand as it projected against the 
 moonlight ; it was a filmy-looking woman's hand, with 
 the fingers drooping forwards from left to right as I 
 sat. The hand curved up over the table margin, de- 
 liberately grasped a hand-bell placed near, and carry- 
 ing it partly down, let it drop upon the floor. It then 
 rose to sight again, and took away a cambric handker- 
 chief 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 tliis 
 hand was first seen. I forbear to give the further de- 
 tails of this hand, because they seemed to be of a pri- 
 vate 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 fingei-s extended, and pushed bolt up in the 
 moonlight, rose above the table near to Mr. Home. 
 He cried out, ' Oh ! keep me from that hand ! it is so 
 cold I Do not let it touch me !' Shortly it also van- 
 ished, ana a third hand was seen at the other side of 
 the vacant table edge : this hand was in a glove. 
 Tlien, presently, a fourth hand ascended on the extreme 
 left — a lady's hand, of beautiful proportions — and 
 traversed the entire vacant space from left to right, 
 rising, and displaying tlie forearm ; and tlien, as it 
 neared Mr. Home, the entire arm. "When it reached 
 liim, 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 ENGLAND. 12 1 
 
 past my intermediate neighbor, at the same time re- 
 questing 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 
 moonlight. The sleeve of the dress up the arm was 
 darker, but I do not remember the color. And bend- 
 ing over, as I did, to the vacant rim of the table, I saw 
 bow the arm terminated — appai-ently in a graceful cas- 
 cade of drapery; much as though an arm were put 
 out through the peak of a snowy 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 dissipativo pro- 
 cess. And now the spirits spelt out ' Good night.' 
 
 "These events occurred in the house of one of my 
 oldest friends, whose superior in integrity I have never 
 known, and of whose talent and sagacity I never heard 
 a doubt entertained until he endopsed these unpopular 
 manifestations. 
 
 'Such is my experience. One hope I have in put- 
 ting it forward is, that others who have seen Mr. Homo 
 
1 22 IS ENGLAND. 
 
 may do the like, and thus make. their contribution to 
 the facts of the case. 
 
 " In conclusion, I will observe, that Sir David Brew- 
 ster, and others almost as eminent, appear to me to 
 make 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, and 
 ■with every appearance of a blameless life, with lying 
 and imposture of the most systematic kind, is posi- 
 tively 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 hypothesis of the case that ought 
 to rush into their minds. Neither, parallel with this, 
 is the other hypothesis that men of ability in all other 
 things, and till then known to be shrewd and search- 
 ing, 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 man must 
 be supposed innocent till proved guilty,' is also the 
 rule in such scientific explorations. This -rule loves 
 facts, and hates slander. I diflFer, therefore, with Sir 
 David Brewster in his mode of exploration, and also 
 in his valuation of presumptive honesty and human 
 testimony, which always hitherto has been the mi«t 
 substantial word in the world, and a pillar which 
 Divine Providence has not disdained to use in sup- 
 porting the canopy of his Revelations. 
 
 " This rnle I would especially press upon the great 
 Sir David Brewster, a man of position, wealth, worldly 
 repute, great talents, a name no one dare assail, and 
 withal, responsibility to Heaven and his generation. 
 
IN INGLAND. 123 
 
 wlien he is dealing with the orphan, Home, a man ap 
 parently as blameless as himself, but with neither 
 riches, nor health, nor station, nor aily 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 of our own house- 
 hold, cheats in our own heads, sometimes called preju- 
 dices, which might be suspected firsi^ without violat- 
 ing any rule of scientific inquest, or humane valuation. 
 
 "The experience of others in these matters has, per- 
 haps, differed very widely from my own, and I desiro 
 to see this experience also brought forward. At other 
 seances 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, almost nothing occui-- 
 red. 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 varia- 
 tion. 'The Great Wizard' never fails. But as he him- 
 self says, the spiritualists always fail in his company. 
 Let this suggest that there is a total difference between 
 him' and them. It does not surprise me that spirits 
 and their gifts should retire to a great gulf distance 
 from where the 'Great Wizard' is. 
 
 " It seems probable from experience as well as rea- 
 son that, granting the phenomena to be spiritual, the 
 presence of determined scoffers at, and disbelievers in 
 them, should, in case the said persons be preponderant 
 in their influence in the circle, render the manifesta- 
 tions imperfect or perhaps null. The known laws of 
 
124 IN ENGLAKD. 
 
 lininau sympathy, and the operations of our own spir- 
 its 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 evi- 
 dence, 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 
 Christian politesse of this century, viz., the necessity 
 of good manners and the agreeing to dilfer. On the 
 part of those who believe, this may be best secured by 
 letting the other party be. Providence can convince 
 them, too, as easily as ourselves, when the time and 
 their function comes, but by snatching at them prema- 
 turely before they are ripe, we may evoke, on a great 
 scale, two of the most formidable spiritg of this world 
 — Weath and Fear. 
 
 "As a final remark, let me caution the public'against 
 being led by Sir David Brewster, Mr. Faraday, and 
 other men of great names in their own departments, 
 in this matt(T which is obviously not within their field. 
 We hear much of not choosing Crimean generals on 
 old PeninBular qualifications. But to select a Faraday 
 or a Br-BTster 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 men 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 convic- 
 tion. Their very specialty of excellence in physical 
 explorations, is against them in this new walk, whi'jh 
 is coml'i^ed spiritual and physical. The common ob 
 
IN ENGLAND. 125 
 
 server with little in his mind, with no repute to euj - 
 port, and no case to uphold, may perchance be equip- 
 ped 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 ' the race is not to the swift, nor 
 the battle to the strong.' " 
 
 The admirable narrative and reasoning of this letter 
 leave nothing further to be said as to the manifesta- 
 tions during the remainder of my stay in England 
 dui-ing the 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 given 
 opportunities to many hundreds of persons to investi- 
 gate the phenomena for themselves, and through them 
 the subject began to assume a form and importance 
 which have made i: the fear and the bugbear of those 
 who had completed their circle of knowledge, and have 
 no room in their philosophy for further facts. They 
 are unfortunately many, whose minds have been in 
 early life stereotyped in too hard and unyielding a 
 material, to admit of either corrections or additions. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 AT FLOEENCE, NAPLES, ROME, AND PAKIS. 
 
 Eaelt in the autnmn of 1855 I went to Florence 
 accompanied by the eon of the gentleman wjth whom 
 I had been residing at Ealing. 1 remained in Florence 
 till the month of February, 1856, and although some 
 persons there did all they could to injure me 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 the Royal 
 Houses became deeply interested in what he witness- 
 ed. The manifestations while I was at Florence were 
 very strong. I remember on one occasion wliile the 
 
 Countess O was seated at one of Erard's grand 
 
 action pianos, it rose and balanced itself in the air 
 during tlie whole time she was playing. She also, 
 ■whilst we were seated at a table in tlie room, took up 
 an album which chanced to be lying there, and said, 
 " Now if this is in reality the spirit of my dear 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 lield 
 a lead pencil in her hand. In a moment the pencil 
 
EOME, AND PARIS. 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 wish 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 daughter ." This last writing she cu t 
 
 from my album, leaving in it the words first written, 
 where they still are ; and on going home she showed 
 it to an old friend of her father's, saying, " Do you 
 know whose writing that is ?" " Of course," he said, 
 "it is your fatlier's." When the Countess told him it 
 had been written that very evening, lie thought that 
 to a certainty she had lost her senses, and on appeal- 
 ing to her husband, and finding that he corroborated 
 her statement, he was equally alarmed for them both. ' 
 
 At the house of an English resident at Florence, I 
 had many seances at which the power was very great, 
 and she wrote a private account of some of the phe- 
 nomena, which will show the reader the nature and ex- 
 tent of the manifestations at that time. I am very glad 
 that I am able thus to give the results of the observa- 
 tions of others rather than my own unsupported state- 
 ments. The lady says : 
 
 " The house in which I at present reside, and whicli, 
 for some years past, has been my home, is a large, 
 rambling, old-fashioned villa in the neighborhood of ^ 
 Florence, whose internal architecture gives evidence 
 of its having been built at difi"erent periods — those pe 
 riods probably distant from each other. 
 
 " The oldest parts of the house, judging from the 
 ornaments of a chapel which forms part of it, must, I 
 
128 AT FLORENCE, NAPLES, 
 
 Bhould say, have been constructed in the early part of 
 the sixteenth century. The rooms which I occupy are 
 almost immediately above the chapel, and communi- 
 cate 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, wdth 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 small 
 room on an entresol between the chapel and my rooms, 
 but 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 much in 
 the habit of dismissing my maid early, and sitting up 
 either reading or writing until a late hour. At such 
 times I have been suddenly seized vrith a strange fear- 
 fulness, a kind of nervous dread, more easily imagined 
 than described. In fact, it would be impossible to de- 
 scribe my sensations at those moments, further thau by 
 saying that I felt I was no longer alone. This feeling 
 usually lasted from five to ten minntes, and invariably 
 left a painful impression on my spirits. I also often 
 Iieard a peculiar rustling sound in my room, and around 
 my bed, as though some one were agitating the bed 
 curtains, 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 
 
EOME, AND PAEIS. 129 
 
 wliieh I have described, and which I was totally una- 
 ble to explain, continued at intervals with greater or 
 lesser degrees of intensity until the month of October, 
 1855, when much sensation was created in Florence by 
 the arrival of Mr. Home, whose reputation as a spirit 
 medium had rendered him celebrated. A short time 
 after his arrival in Florence, the sounds in my room 
 became more distinct and more frequent, and the very 
 peculiar nervous feelings of which I have spoken, 
 were not confined so exclusively to myself, but were 
 frequently shared by my sister, if she remained any 
 time in my room. My rest at length became so bro- 
 ken, and in consequence my healtli so impaired, tliat I 
 had my bed moved into a room adjoining the one in 
 which I had been in the liabit of sleeping, hoping that 
 the change would bring me quiet. 
 
 " The first night was undisturbed, but the next and 
 succeeding nights were so painful that 1 frequently lay 
 awake until morning. In the meantime, we made Mr. 
 Home's acqsiaintance, and having been a witness of 
 effects so wonderful as only to be ascribed to a super- 
 natural cause, I determined to discover, if possible, 
 the real secret of my haunted rooms. 
 
 " Mr. Home having been invited to make a stay of 
 a few days in our house, was on the first day of his ar- 
 -ival made acquainted with the mystery of my rooms, 
 nd he proposed that a stance 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 agency. Accordingly aliout 
 eleven o'clock on that same evening, my sister, Mr. 
 Home and myself repaired to my room, and placed 
 
 6* 
 
130 AT iXOKENCE, NAPLES, 
 
 ourselves at a &mall round table in front of, and ver^ 
 near the fire-place. We were warmly covered, and 
 tlie fire was blazing brightly ; yet the told that per- 
 vaded the room was intense, penetrating to the very 
 bones. I should mention that for many previous days, 
 I had sufiered from what appeared to be a cold air, 
 which was quite independent of the atmospheric tem- 
 perature, blowing over my body, especially the lower 
 limbs. This feeling never left me, and all artificial 
 means failed in destroying the sensation of chilliness. 
 Tliis same cold air was now felt by both my sister and 
 Mr. Home to such a degree as to be painful to them 
 also. I have since found that it is a frequent accom- 
 panitnent of the manifestations. 
 
 " Previously to placing himself at the table, Mr. 
 Ilome had descended to the chapel, where, however, 
 all was quiet. On reascending the stairs, he heard a 
 sound as of a mntfled bell tolling in the chapel. We 
 had scarcely sat a moment at the table, when it began 
 slowly to move about in different directions, generally 
 inclining towards the side on which I sat. Presently 
 the movements became more violent, and assumed, if 
 I may be allowed the expression, an angry appear 
 ance. We asked if a spirit were present, and the table 
 replied by making the three usual aflirmative move- 
 ments. 
 
 " We then further inquired whether the spirit pres- 
 ent was a good one, and were answered in the nega- 
 tive. We spoke in harsh terms, which seemed to ir- 
 ritate the spirit, for the demonstrations became very 
 angry. A high backed old fashioned chair, whicl: 
 stood at a little distance from the table was suddenly 
 
131 
 
 and without human contact, drawn close to it, as 
 though some one, in sitting down, had so drawn it. 
 Nothing was, however, visible. Mr. Home proposed 
 that we should move into the next room, my bed-room, 
 and try whether any further manifestations would be 
 made there. We did so : but all remained quiet. We 
 then returned to the room we had just quitted, and sat 
 at another table covered with a cloth. We had pre- 
 viously heard a rustling sound about, and under the 
 tables, such a sound as would be made by a person 
 moving about in a heavy garment. This noise was 
 accompanied by a scratching on the wood of the table, 
 as though some one were scraping it with his nails. 
 We then distinctly saw the cloth on the side of the ta- 
 ble next to me move up, as though a hand raised it 
 from beneath. The hand appeared to be in a mena- 
 cing attitude. Mr. Home was also joften 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 on being further adjured in the name of the Holy 
 Trinity to leave us, the demonstrations ceased. 
 
 " The night was very unquiet. The sensation of 
 cold, of which I have before spoken, accompanied mo 
 every where, and I heard a frequent scratching under 
 iny pillow, and on my bed. On the next evening we 
 met again in mj' room, and were joined by two other 
 persons, one a member of our family, the other, a gen- 
 tleman known to Mr. Home, and who was then inves 
 tigating this phenomenon, both men of strong nerve 
 
132 AT FLUEKNCE, NAPLK8, 
 
 and dispassionate judgment. The usual cold was felt, 
 and the table became much agitated. A small stiletto, 
 which I use as a paper-knife, was taken from the table 
 as by an invisible hand, and drawn from the sheath. 
 The table was then lifted from 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 dagger 
 was thrown atiout under the table, and rubbed against 
 Mr. Home'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, in answer 
 to my questions, said he was unhappy, and that per- 
 haps I might be of Pome use to him. He promised to 
 return and speak farther on tlie following evening, and 
 after lifting the table several times high above our 
 heads, he left us. 
 
 " The whole of the next day I was more or less tor- 
 mented 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 raised the cloth 
 of the table on which I was leaning, and touched my 
 arm as if to I'emind me of my engagement. Wq re- 
 paired to my room, one member only of my family 
 being present, my sister having suffered too much from 
 alarm on the previous evening to join us. 
 
 " The demonstrations of the table immediately be- 
 
EOME, AND PARIS. 13i3 
 
 gan, but in a quieter manner than on former occasions. 
 I immediately 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 room which I then occu- 
 pied. I desired to know whether I should have mass- 
 es said for the peace of his soul. He answered in the 
 negative, but requested that I should pray that it 
 might find some repose. I further begged him to tell 
 me why on the previous evening he had made so much 
 use of the little dagger, and he answered that in life 
 he had but too well known how to employ it. He 
 then promised me never again to return to my rooms ; 
 and since that evening those painful sensations and 
 strange noises, of which I have spoken so much, have 
 left me, and never have returned. Frequent stances, 
 where good and loving spirits have given us comfort- 
 ing communications, have been since held by their 
 own special request in my room. The dagger has by 
 them been drawn from its sheath, and the bell rung, 
 as though the touch of holy hands were needful in or- 
 der to destroy any jjainful recollections in my mind 
 connected with these articles, or any reluctance I 
 might feel to again make nse of them. In fact my 
 r joms seem to have undergone a complete purification, 
 and I feel that whatever painful influence did once ex- 
 
 • Here the writer omita a rather curious circumstance. The Italian, she ob- 
 ierved, was incorrectly spelled ; but, on afterwards comparing it with the stat4 
 of the language in the sixteenth century, it was found to be correct. 
 
134 AT FLOEENCE, NAPLES, 
 
 ist there, it has disappeared wholly, and I trust for 
 ever." 
 
 The above was wiitten shortly after the strange 
 event it records. On the 3d of April, 1860, being then 
 in London, I received a letter from 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 prcprietor is dreadfully 
 disturbed by them. The house lias been exorcised, 
 but without effect. My own rooms are the most dis- 
 turbed." 
 
 On the 5th of December, 1855, whilst I was return- 
 ing to uiy rooms late at night in Florence, the streets 
 being deserted, I observed a man stepping from the 
 doorway of the adjoining house. I was on tlie step 
 leading to my own door, and was looking up at the 
 window to see if the servant was still up, when I re- 
 ceived a violent blow on my left side, the force of 
 which and the emotion caused by it, threw me forward 
 breathless in the corner of the doorway. The blow 
 was again repeated on my stomach, and then another 
 blow on the same place, and the attempted assassin 
 ciied out, " L)io mio, Dio mio," and turning with his 
 arm outstretched, he ran. 1 distinctly saw the gleam 
 of his poignard, and as he turned, the light of the 
 lamp 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 alarm, and I stood thus for at 
 least two minutes, after which I groped my way along 
 the wall to the door of a neighbor, where I was admit- 
 ted. I thought I must have received some serious in 
 
HOME, AND PAEIS. 135 
 
 jury, but on examining myself I found that the first 
 blow had struck the door key, which I happened 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 
 jny dress coat, my waistcoat, and the band of mj 
 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 had in his house a clairvoyant of remarkable 
 powers, a letter begging me not to go out that even- 
 ing, ae she had received a warning of impending dan- 
 ger — 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 — amongst 
 them robbery, mistaken identity, and religious intol- 
 erance. 
 
 In the month of January, Signor Landncci, then 
 Minister of the Interior to tlie Grand Duke of Tusca- 
 ny, sent to me to request that I would not walk about 
 tJie house at night between the lights and the window, 
 (ir go out in the streets in the daytime, giving as a 
 reason that some of my enemies bad been playing up- 
 on the superstitions of tlie peasantry, and telling tliein 
 that it was my practice to administer the seven sacra- 
 ments of the Catholic church to toads, in order by 
 spells and incantations to raise the dead. This had so 
 enraged and excited them that they were fully bent on 
 
136 AT FLOEENCE, 
 
 taking ray life, and for that purpose were concealed 
 about the neighborhood with fire arms. 
 
 I met at this time a Polish nobleman, who with his 
 family was about to visit Naples and Rome, and who 
 most kindly pressed me to accompany them. I was 
 left in Florence without money, and my friends in En- 
 gland 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 B that I would travel with him, and 
 
 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. Feel- 
 ing that the Count and his family must have felt an in- 
 terest in me, arising only from the singular phenom- 
 ena which they had witnessed in my presence, and 
 that this cause being removed, their interest in me 
 would have diminished, I wrote the following morn- 
 ing to inform them of what I was told, and say that I 
 could no longer entertain the idea of joining them. 
 They at once told me tliat it was for myself, even more 
 than for the strange gift I possessed, that they had be- 
 come interested in me. I went to them, and in a day 
 or two we left Florence for Naples. Wiiile here, al- 
 J;liough my powers had left me, still my presence seem- 
 f d to develope the power in others; fir I met, at his 
 own residence, the Hon. Robert Dale Owen, who was 
 the 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 he was first convinced. 
 Mr. Owen has since written a most able and carefully 
 
EOME, AND PARIS. 137 
 
 arranged book of authentic facts, entitled, " FootfHlls 
 on the Boundaries 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 Home. Here in the 
 absence of the power, my mind sought in the natural 
 world for that consolation which it had hitherto found 
 in the 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 
 many facts which I had found coincident in my own 
 experience, I thought that all contending and contra- 
 dictory beliefs would be for ever set at rest, could I 
 but be received as a member of that body. My expe- 
 riences of life and its falsity had already left so indeli- 
 ble a mark on my soul, from my recent experiences of 
 it at Florence, that I wished to shuu everything which 
 pertained to this world, and I determined to enter a 
 monastery. 
 
 After two or three weeks of serious deliberations on 
 the part of the authorities, it was decided that I shoiiid 
 be received as a member of the church, and I was con- 
 firmed. The Princess was my godmother, and 
 
 the Count B my gor'ifather on the occasion'. I was 
 
 most kindly received by the Pope, who questioned me 
 much regarding my past life. He pointed to a cruci- 
 fix which stood near to us, and said, "My child, it is 
 upon what is on that table that we place our faith." 
 He also gave me a large silver medal, which it has 
 since been my misfortune to lose. 
 
 It has 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 ia 
 hardly necessary, after what I have narrated, to say 
 that I could not have made any such promise, nor did 
 he ask any sucli promise to be made. 
 
 In June, 1856, I went to Paris, and, as I had bt en 
 advised to do by the Pope, I sought the counsel of the 
 Pere de Eavignan, one of the most learned and excel- 
 lent men of the day. The purpose of my remaining in 
 France was to acquire a facility in the language. 
 During the winter I again fell ill, and Dr. Louis, one 
 )f the most celebrated physicians in Prance for con- 
 sumptive cases, decided on auscultation that my left 
 hiLg was diseased, and advised a more genial climate. 
 This could not, however, be accomplished, and for some 
 time I was confined to njy bed. The time was fast 
 drawing nigh when the year would expire, during 
 which my power was to be suspended. The Pere de 
 Eavignan always assured me that as 1 was now a mem- 
 ber of the Catholic Church it would not return to me. 
 For myself I had no opinion on the subject, as I was 
 quite without data except his assui-ance on the point. 
 
 On the night of the 10th oi February, 1S57, as the 
 clock struck twelve,! was in bed, to which I had been 
 confined, when there came /c<ud rappings in my room, 
 a hand was placed gently upon my brow, and a voice 
 said, " Be of good cheer, Daniel, you will soon be 
 well." But a few minutes had elapsed befure I sank 
 into a quiet sleep, and I awakened in ihe morning feel 
 ing more refreshed than I had done for a long time. 
 I wrote to the Pere de Ravignan, telling him what iiad 
 occurred, and the same afternoon he came to see me 
 
EOME, AND PARIS. 139 
 
 Daring the conversation loud rappiugs were heard 
 oa the ceiling and on the floor, and as he was about 
 to giye me his benediction before leaving, loud raps 
 came on the bedstead. He left me without expressing 
 any opinioa whatever on the subject of the pheno- 
 mena. 
 
 The following da,y I had .sufficiently reooyered to take 
 a drive, and on Friday the JSth, 1 was presented to their 
 Majesties at the Tuileries, vgliere manifestations of an 
 extraordinary nature occurred, The following morn- 
 ing, I called on the Pere de I?.avignan to inform him 
 of this. He expressed great dissatisfaction at my being 
 the subjept of such visitations, and said that he would 
 not give me absolution unless 1 should at once return 
 to my room, shut myself up there, and not listen to 
 any rappings, or pay tlie slightest attention to what- 
 ever phenomena might occur in rny presence. I wish- 
 ed to reason with liim, and to explain that I could not 
 prevent myself from hearing and seeing, for that God 
 having blessed me with the two faculties, it was not in 
 my power to ignore them. As for shutting myself up, 
 I did not think, from having before tried the experi- 
 ment, that it was consistent with my nervous tempera- 
 ment, and that the strain on my system would be too 
 great if I were thus isolated. He would not listen to 
 nie, and told me I had no right to reason, "Do as I bid 
 you, otherwise bear the consequences." I left him 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 the pow-er of reason on me, I could 
 not see why 1 should be thus deprived of it. On reach- 
 ing my room, I found there a very dear and valued 
 
140 AT FLOEENCE, NAPLKB, 
 
 friend, the Count 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 
 
 C , and consult him." The Abbe- came, and aftei 
 
 hearing my story, he said , " 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 fortu- 
 nately my 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." 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 preachere of the 
 day, and I introduced myself to him, 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 my absence, the curiosity had be- 
 come 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 ab- 
 ruptly said to each, " So you are Mr. Home's confess- 
 or." Most naturally on one such occasion, she chanced 
 to find the right one, and his look of surprise betrayed 
 him. His surprise was that I should have revealed 
 his name, and this he expressed to tiie Countess, who 
 told him that I had not betrayed him, but that she had 
 
ROME, AND PAEIS. Ill 
 
 used that artifice to ascertain the fact. This was tlie 
 cause of my not continuing with him longer as my 
 confessor. 
 
 The extract I here give is one from the recently pub- 
 lished life of the great confessor, the Pere de Ravig- 
 nan, who had been recommended to me by the Pope, 
 and I can only regret he is no longer here to contra- 
 dict, with his own pen, the false statements concern- 
 ing me, made by his biographer, the Jesuit, Fatliur A. 
 de Ponlevoy. At the termination of Chapter XXIY, 
 this person says, " We could not close this chapter 
 without making mention of that famous American me- 
 dium, 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 pa- 
 pers, of his acquaintance, religiously and intimately, 
 with Father de Eavignan, and they have seemed to 
 wish, under the passport of a creditable name, to intro- 
 duce 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 con- 
 version 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 with that interest that a priest owes to every 
 soul ransomed by the blood of Jesus Christ! and moi'e, 
 perhaps, to a soul which has been converted, and 
 brought to the bosom of the church. On his arriva 
 m 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 iu- 
 
142 AT FLOBENCE, NAPLES, 
 
 flict, that he should be an actor in, or even witness of, 
 these dangerous scenes, wliich 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 him rolling on the ground, 
 and drawing himself like a worm to the feet of th6 
 priest, who was iu saintly anger. The Father, how- 
 ever, touched by his convulsive repentance, lifted him 
 up, forgave him, and sent him away, after having ex- 
 acted, by writing this time, a promise under oath. 
 But soon there was backsliding which made much 
 noise {rechute ^datante), and the servant of God, break- 
 ing off with tliis slave of the spirits, had him 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 worth reading. The good 
 Father de Kavignan well knew that I was not an Am- 
 erican, and that this power had began with me before 
 I ever saw America, for 1 had told him all my history. 
 He also knew that L never invoked the 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 pass- 
 port of even Father Ravignan's name. His biogra- 
 pher must have had a limited education too, both reli- 
 gious and historical, to write of tliese things being the 
 " fine discoveries" of the New AVorld, for they are to 
 be 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 tiiat I ever abjured 
 any magical or other processes, for I never knew any- 
 
ROME, AND PARIS. 143 
 
 tiling of such, and therefore I could not abjure them. 
 The Father de Ravignan used to say to me, when I 
 told him that the spirits had said thej would return 
 to me on the 10th of Eebruary, 1857, " There is no tear 
 of that, my child, so long as you go on as you are now 
 doing, observing carefully all the sacraments of our 
 holy chui'ch ; they will not be allowed to return." I 
 fol owed out his injunctions most Conscientiously ; but 
 on the very day promised, they came as I have de- 
 scribed, and told me they were glad to find me in so 
 pure a state of mind, as it greatly facilitated their ap- 
 proach. I never yet violated any promise, to my 
 knowledge : and as to the biographer coming in and 
 finding me rolling on the ground, and crawling 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 such a thing public. If I took an oath, and 
 wrote it down as alleged, that writing will have been 
 kept. Let it be forthcoming, to save the character of 
 this Father A. de Ponlevoy, that he may prove the 
 truth of the statement he makes. In the meantime, I 
 say that it is without even any foundation of truth. 
 The last time I saw the good Father de Ravignan, I 
 would only reascm with him, for as I then said to him, 
 no man had a right to forbid that which God gave. I 
 left him without confessing, even — so I had not been 
 on my knees at all, much less crawling like a worm. 
 
 As I have said, when the Abb6 came to see 
 
 me, the conversation I had with hira only tended to 
 strengthen me in my opinion of what was right, for 
 when priests are not agreed as touching such 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 Kavignan nevei 
 had me informed that he would not see me again. On 
 tlie 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 
 BO 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 following words : 
 
 " The recent failure of Mr. Thnrneyssen 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 even- 
 ing being busy with some embroidery, alone with her 
 brother, he was reading to her one of the most irre- 
 ligious books of the eighteenth century. As slie list- 
 ened 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 sympa- 
 thetic young man, with calm, quiet features, but at 
 that moment they were friglitfully contracted, the eye- 
 brows singularly convulsed, the eyes wide open, the 
 corners of the mouth distorted by a bitter and despair- 
 ing smile, and altogether he had the peculiar exjires- 
 
KOME, AND I'ARIS. 145 
 
 Bi'on which painters would give to a fallen angel. The 
 frightened Countess had immediately, as it were a 
 thought revealed to her, (for siie 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 tlie same infernal ex- 
 pression 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 tlie Countess. 
 Being at her house one evening, and in his usual quiet 
 frame of mind, hi^ attention was drawn to a beautiful 
 marble bust. He was not aware of its being that of 
 the brother of the Countess, but immediately his 
 whole visage clianged, and he became in a state of 
 most violent agitation. The Countess much alarmed, 
 inquired why he was so affected, when Mr. Home re- 
 plied, 'Madame, the man whose bust this is, is possess- 
 ed with a demon.' One ma}' judge of the astonish- 
 ment of the Couuntess on hearing Mr. Home say wliat 
 she had thought twelve years before. She pressed 
 him with questions, and he, recovering from his emo- 
 tion, rose and went to examine the bust more closely, 
 then turning to the Countess he said, ' In a short time 
 your brother will have a great misfortune, and this 
 misfortune will deliver him from his enemies.' 
 
 " And so it has occurred, the Count de P has 
 
 lost in the bankruptcy of M. Tlmrneyssea a consid- 
 erable part of his fortune. The prophecy came four 
 months previous to the failure. Could it have been 
 that the spirits saw the dishonesty of Thurneyssen ; if 
 BO this miglit account why certain persons are so ready 
 
Ii6 AT FLORENCE, NAPLES, 
 
 to oppose all communication with the other world, 
 preferring the darkness to the light." 
 
 The day previous to my leaving Paris, a wonderful 
 case of healing occurred through me in the manner 
 which I will now relate. 
 
 On the 19th of March, 1857, when I was residing at 
 13, Rue des Champs Elysees, I received a letter from 
 a stranger to me, Madame A. Mavoisin de Cardonne, 
 of 233, Rue St. Dominique, St. Germain, stating that 
 she had had a dream, in which she had seen her own 
 mother and mine, and that the latter had told her to 
 seek me at once, in order that her son, who had been 
 deaf for four years from the effects of typhoid fever, 
 might be cured. This was so strongly impressed upon, 
 her mind, that she wrote to me 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 B and Miss E , who were with 
 
 me, previous to my leaving Paris that very day, to 
 proceed on my voyage to America. I had been so 
 overwhelmed by persons wishing to see me that 1 had 
 uniformly refused such visits ; but on this occasion 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 re- 
 ciprocated on her part. It was indeed an embarrass- 
 ing meeting for both of us, the mother yearning for 
 
ROME, AND PARIS. 147 
 
 her son's recovery, and I, not knowing how I was ex- 
 pected to be instrumental in he.aling tliis long total 
 deafness ; the more so that operations hud been per- 
 formed on the boy, as I afterwards found, by eminent 
 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, witli large dreamy blue 
 eyes that looked as if tliey would supply the piace of 
 hearing, with their. deep, thoughtful, enquiring gaze. 
 The mother began her description of the boy's illness, 
 commencing witli the attack of the fever, and ending 
 with the entire loss of hearing. During the recital, 
 told with all the warmth and tenderness of a mother's 
 heart, and describing the various surgical operations to 
 wliich he had been subjected, my sympathies were 
 deeply moved, and I had unwittingly thrown my left 
 arm about the boy and drawn 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 ca- 
 ressingly over the boy's head, upon which he, partly 
 lifting his head, suddenly exclaimed in a voice trem- 
 bling with emotion, ^'■Maman,je t^entends .'" (Mamma, 
 I hear you !) The mother fixed on him a look of as- 
 tonishment, and said " Emile," the boy's name, and he 
 at once replied, " Quoi f (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, EOMK, AND PARIS. 
 
 tlirilliug one — the poor . mother asking continually 
 questions for the niere pleasure of hearing her 
 child reply. The boy was able to resume his studies, 
 «nd has continued to bear perfectly up to the pres- 
 ent time. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 IN AMERICA. THE PEESSQANG, 
 
 On reaching America, I found the Ameriican press 
 ,ad heen pixblishing some ridiculous paragraphs about 
 me, one of which was of a- practical joke saidi^to have, 
 been perpetrated by General Baraguay d'Hilliers andr 
 others in the presence of thei Emperor, and that I my- 
 self had become greatly alai-med, and finally very an- 
 gry on discovering the trick. The' whole' was a fabri- 
 cation, 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 pai'agraph was, also,, 
 of the same character, as I had not then met M. Du- 
 mas. 
 
 " Home, the table-turner and magnetiser,. who baa 
 of late caused such attention in, Paris, has predicted to 
 M. Alexandre Dumas that he would live to the age of 
 il3 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 sen- 
 sation in Parisj is on his way to this country,, to visit) 
 his sister.. He has been offered marriage by a, lady of 
 immense wealth, but has refused her." 
 
150 IN AMEKICA. 
 
 Tlie " New York Herald," a paper better known for 
 its untruthfulness than otherwise, published letters 
 from its special correspondents at Paris, stating-" from 
 the most reliable sources," that I had stolen £30,000, 
 and was now for ever b.anished from France. 1 had at 
 that very moment my return ticket in my pocket, and 
 knew that an Imperial Prince, then on a visit to tlie 
 Emperor, was awaiting my return. Indeed, if the pub- 
 lic judged of my life from what the newspapers said 
 of me, they must have been greatly puzzled by the 
 statements and contradictions which successively ap- 
 peared. I was quite content to leave both without no- 
 tice, and I have never been at the pains to set them 
 right. The following notice is of the same class as the 
 preceding. 
 
 " The ' Independance Beige' states that Napoleon 
 sent away Mr. Home, the American spirit-rapper, be- 
 cause the Empress was so much affected that the Em- 
 peror dreaded the continuance of the diabolical scenes. 
 The ladies of honor were equally excited and could 
 talk of nothing else. It is said that Home was quar- 
 tered in the royal Iiousehold, and was paid at the rate 
 of £iO,000 per year." 
 
 The " Hartford Courant " states : 
 
 " The ' Times ' says that Daniel Dunglas Home, tlie 
 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.citj 
 last Saturday. We regard him as tlie most reiiiarkablt 
 man living ; and no man who has not witnessed what 
 is done in Mr. Home's presence, can claim a right to 
 
THE PKESSGANG. 151 
 
 give an opinion on Spiritualism. Mr. Home Bays tlie 
 jokes of the newspaper correspondents about him are 
 entirely untrue. He liad some sittings at the Tuileries, 
 but declined conversation on tliat subject." 
 
 Another paper, " The Springfield Republican," no- 
 ticed my presence in America as follows : 
 
 " Home, the distinguished spiritual medium, who 
 has recently been raising spirits in the presence of the 
 Emperor Napoleon, is in Springfield on a brief visit. 
 He will return to France shortly, where his services 
 are in great request among the savans." 
 
 A New York paper gave the following account, cor- 
 recting some of the misstatements about me : 
 
 " What terrible gossipers some of our letter writers 
 are. The New York Editor of the ' London Letter,' in 
 the last ' Sunday Times,' has the following paragraph : 
 'It is whispered, in Paris, tliat Home, the American 
 spirit-rapper, was producing so much mischief in the 
 Court that he was ordered off by the alarmed Em- 
 peror; and the fellow who, though playing the part of 
 a personage with £40,000 a year, was really penniless, 
 has left for the country of the rappers.' 
 
 " Possibly it may interest some of oxr readers to 
 know something of Mr. Home, who has lately afforded 
 a prolific subject to paragraph makers. We have noth- 
 ing to say as to his ' spiritual ' belongings here, but 
 simply speak of the lad — fur he is scarcely more, being 
 but twenty-two years old now — in reference to such re- 
 ports as the above. Home, the 'American,' is of an 
 old Scottish family of standing, and was born in Scot- 
 land, but brought very young to this county. Quiet 
 and unobtrusive in his manners, he never has thrust 
 
152 IN AMERICA. 
 
 himself forward, nor spfeeially sought nor avoided the- 
 notoriety -vrhicti attends him ; never has exhibited him- 
 self as apvhlic medium, as many suppose, but has 
 simply suffered events to take their course with liim. 
 
 " A.S to tlie above story of his quitting- Piaris, which 
 has gone tlie rounds, in various sliapes, we have only 
 to say, that some two Sundays since, while reading 
 from the English papers an account of his doings in 
 Paris, and supposing him snugly ensconced in the 
 Tiiileries, the door opened, and to our astonishment, in 
 walked Mr. Home, to take dinner ' at home ' — it beiflg 
 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. 
 
 " He told US of his ari-iving a day or two before, at 
 Philadelphia, and stated what he had come for, and 
 when he was going back. He 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 ' alarmed Em- 
 peror ' who ' ordered him off,' a story made of the same 
 bit of cloth as the Socrates joke by Paraguay d'Hil- 
 Jiers and others." 
 
 Whilst 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 
 account of my hetilth, and on the 13th of March, the 
 following telegraphic dispatch reached me there from 
 
THE PEE8SGANO. 153 
 
 a friend in Paris, " Tell me immediately if you are 
 still at Home. I have a request to make." I replied 
 that I was still at Home, and in course of post I re- 
 ceived a letter of the 14th Marcli, as follows : 
 
 "Dear Friend. — I sent you yesterday a telegraphic 
 dispatcli that you might write to me at once if you 
 were at Rome; I made pretext of having a. commis- 
 sion to ask you to do ;: but it was in reality only to 
 have a letter ti-om 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 have also sent to inform. ' La Patrie,' that a stop may 
 be put to there base calumnies. I trust you will ap- 
 prove of what I have done." 
 
 The Parisian papers took up the report, and it was 
 confirmed by them that I was truly iu prison at Mazas. 
 Persons eveu ia official positions told my friends that 
 they had seen and spoken to me in that prison, and 
 one, an officer, went so far as to state that he had ac- 
 companied me there in the carriage. 
 
 Being at Rome, and altogether unaware of all this 
 scandal which was passing about me, I had felt forcibly 
 impressed, I knew not why, to Wi-ite to M. Henri De- 
 lage, the well known mystic writer of Paris. I did so, 
 and it will be observed by the following paragraph in- 
 troducing ray letter, how very opportunely my impies- 
 
 1* 
 
151 IN AMEEICA. 
 
 sion had been given, and how well I had acted in fol- 
 owing it out. 
 Paris correspondent of " Le Nord." 
 
 " Paeis, 17th March. 
 " Allow me to begin by a good action ; it is to free 
 an honorable man from calumnies, arising frum what 
 source I know not, but which for the past few days 
 have been rapidly spreading. I speak of Mr. Home, 
 who is, for the moment, in Italy, whereas it is whis- 
 pered both secretly and openly that lie is in the prison 
 at Mazas, for we know not what crimes. The letter 
 here given, dated E.ome, 7th of March, was received 
 yesterday by M. Henri Delage, an intimate friend of 
 Mr. Home. The letter is there before me with the 
 postal mark, and 1 will give you his literal words : 
 
 " Rome, March 7th, 1858. 
 " ' Dear M. Dela'ge, — You were without doubt much 
 surprised to iiear of my departure for Italy ; but the 
 truth is I was very ill. I had an impoverishment of 
 the blood, so what could I do. My power had quite 
 left me. The dear sj^irits 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. H ; 
 
 you know I like him veiy much. 
 
 " Yours faithfully, 
 
 " ' D. D. Home.' 
 
 " I beg of you to give the publicity of your well- 
 known journal to this letter of Mr. Home. It being 
 
THE PEESSGANG. 155 
 
 the best reply wMch can be given to those base calum- 
 nies wMch attack his honor." 
 
 1 well know the origin and cause of this intrigue, 
 and I have in my possession a friendly letter, bearing 
 date the 18th July, 1858, from the Bureau du Minietro 
 de l'Int6rieur, which is a sufficient refutation of the 
 wicked calumny. His Highness the Prince Murat also 
 made it the occasion of proving to me not only the 
 Christian principles which actuated him, but also the 
 true nobleness of his heart, 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 ascer- 
 tain the foundation of such a libel, and generously 
 gave me his public and private testimony to its entire 
 untruth. 
 
 I have now to present the following letter, and the 
 enclosed programme, which I also received while at 
 Rome, and which disclose a case of personation, 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. 
 
 " Paeis, April 7th. 
 
 " Dear friend, — I send you a programme taken from 
 one of the Lyons papers, that was sent to M. Allen 
 Kardee. What a shame to think such an imposition 
 should be allowed in your name. I would advise you 
 to write at once to the Prefect of Lyons, or to the po- 
 lice, that the villain should be unmasked as soon as 
 possible, not only for the wrong he does to your name, 
 but also to the cause of spiritualism. Do not allow ;i 
 
156 IN AMERICA. 
 
 tnomenti to pass, and we on our side will do all we can. 
 Only think of the audacity in dapiug to say that he 
 had been received by the Emperor. 
 
 " I am, &c., &c. 
 " P.S. — I have tliis moment lieard that the imposture 
 was at once discovered, and he has fled from Lyons." 
 
 I give the original programme, with an English 
 
 translation. 
 
 , " Salle du Grand Theatre. Jeudi, Avril 1, 1858, 
 a, huit heures. Soiree Amerioaine ou Seance de Spir- 
 itualism de M. Some. 
 
 " Je ne me guide jamais d'apres la science, mais 
 d'apres ma conscience; je crois done fortement aux 
 faits magn^tiques, je crois qjie la force magn^tique 
 ar.gmente prodigieiisement la force de vision de 
 I'homme ; je crois que ces faits sont constates par un 
 certain nombre d'hommes tres-sinceres et tres Chre- 
 tiens.' — l'abbe lacokdaike. 
 
 " Programme : Experience de vision par M. Home 
 et I'Ange miraculeux. — Obeissance a I'ordre dn public. 
 — Stance de spiritiialisme par la sensitive Mme. de Ca- 
 banyes. 
 
 " Production des visions demandees par lee specta- 
 teurs ; Fremissement, Joie, Colere, Idiotisme, Pi6te, 
 Multiplication des sens. Augmentation et diminution 
 des forces. 
 
 " Keproduction de plusienrs de ces phenonienes sui 
 des jeunes gens que le public est pri^ de presenter. 
 
 " M. Home, qui a eu I'honneur de faire ses expe- 
 riences devant Sa Majesty I'empereur, invite MM. Iph 
 
THE PEESS6ANG. 157 
 
 m^deciiis, doctenrs, chirnrgiens, etc., etc., S, raonter 
 pres de lui sur la scene, afin de controler, la veracity 
 des phenomenes curieux qii'il a I'honneur d'oflfrir au 
 Public. Bes sieges seront disposes a cet effet. 
 
 " Prix des places : Premieres loges, fauteuils efe 
 stalles, 6 fr. (sans augmeutation pour la loeadon a 
 I'avance) ; — premieres galeries, 5 fr. ;■. — secondes, 3 fr. ; 
 — parterre, 2^ fr. 50 c. ; — troisieines, 1 fr. 50 c. ;, — qua- 
 tri^mes, 1 fr." 
 
 "At the Great Theatre, Thursday, 1st of April, 1858, 
 commencing at 8 o'clock, Am.erican Soiree or Seance 
 of Spiritualism, hy Mr. Home. 
 " 'I never allow mj-self to be guided- by science, but 
 by my conscience. I therefore believe firmly in the 
 facts of m'agnetism'. I believe that the magnetic force 
 augments prodigiously the power of man's vision. I 
 believe that these facts are certified by a certain num- 
 ber of men very sincere and very christian.' — ^the abbe 
 
 LAGGED AIEB. 
 
 " Programme : The vision experietce of Mr. Home, 
 and the miraculous angel. — Obediene© to the order of 
 the public. — Spiritual seance by the sensitive Mme, de 
 Cabanyes. 
 
 "Production of visions asked for by the spectators: 
 Tremblings, Joy, Anger, Idiotcy, Eeligion, Piety, 
 Multiplication of the senses, Augmentation and dimi- 
 nution of strength. 
 
 " Eeproduction of several of those phenomena on 
 young persons, whom the public are requested to in- 
 troduce. 
 
158 IN AMERICA. 
 
 " Mr. Home, who has had the honor to go through 
 his experiences before his Majesty the Emperor, invites 
 the Doctors of Philosophy and others, also Surgeons, 
 &c., &c., to sit near him on the stage to satisfy them- 
 selves as to the truth of the curious phenomena which 
 he has the honor to present to the public. Chairs will 
 be arranged for that purpose, 
 
 " Price of places : First boxes, fauteuils and stalls, 6 
 frs. (no extra charge for booking) ; first gallery, 5 frs. ; 
 second, 3 frs. ; pit, 2 fis. 50 c. ; third places, 1 fr. 59 
 c. ; fourth, 1 fr." 
 
 This was contradicted by the Paris papers, which 
 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 from the forge of the " Court Journal," 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 phenomena. 
 I can only say that the whole of the following state- 
 ments, names, dates, circumstances and persons are 
 false from beginning te end. 
 
 Extraordinary Spirit Affaif in Paris. Singular and 
 
 Successful Hoax on the Sj>iritualists. 
 
 " Mr. Home, the all-hearing, all-seeing spirit-rapper, 
 
 is gone suddenly, without warning. Many stories are 
 
 afloat respecting tlie cause of this abrupt departure, 
 
TUB PKE88GANG. 159 
 
 amid such striking success, when Paris was just filled 
 with his renown, and even from the pulpit had threa;t8 
 and warnings been launched forth against those who 
 dared to frequent his company, or believe in his incan- 
 tations. Some newspapers have declared that he i& 
 gone to America in search of his sister, whom he pro- 
 nounces a more powerful medium than himself; others 
 that, in consequence of some of his tricks leaving 
 assumed the character of tours de passe-jiasse, he bad 
 been forbidden to practice his deceptive arts upon the 
 high personages whom he had chosen, on pain of 
 proces-verbal ; and that the metamorphosis of the 
 Princess Mathilde's pocket-handkerchief into a living 
 scarabeus — after which exploit the practitioner had 
 fallen into catalepsy, and remained senseless for five 
 liouis — had awakened certain scruples and suspicions 
 in the minds of those who had witnessed the feat, 
 wliich had caused his exclusion from that circle of 
 society. Nothing of all this is the case, and your 
 readers may be assured of the truth of what we are 
 about to relate, and of the adventure being the whole 
 and sole cause of the abrupt departure of the discom- 
 fited wizard. 
 
 "A few nights ago a grand seance had been prepared 
 for him at the house of one of the principal ofiicials 
 about the Court, who had witnessed the divers experi- 
 ments made at the Tuileries, and which, although fail- 
 ing to convince him entirely, had yet not left him 
 wholly incredulous. The company was limited, and 
 of the first water. The names had all been submitted 
 to the practitioner-— those of Eugene Guinot, the feuil 
 letoniste: General Paraguay d'ililliers ; and Nadaud, 
 
ICO IK AMERICA. 
 
 the composer ; allof tliem atrocious unbelieyers, wretch- 
 ed infidels, and scoffers, wholly devoid of all sensibility 
 r imagination, Numerou6 were the experiments tried, 
 and all, as usual, eminently successful. The aceordeon 
 glided, as usual, from knee to knee, all round the cir 
 cle, and played the tunes most loved by the inquirers ; 
 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 the hurry to witness the 
 crowning masterpiece of the performance. At length 
 the lights were all extinguished but one, a solitary wax 
 taper on the mantel-piece, hehind the figure of the 
 practitioner, which cast its long, gigantic shadow on 
 the walls and ceiling of the room. The silence was 
 complete ; some of the ladies crouclied behind their 
 neighbors, and resisted the temptation to fain t only by 
 reason of their curiosity; others stared around, hoping, 
 yet dreading, to see something awful and terrific, that 
 they would be driven to hysterics. The voice of the 
 wizard was heard, amid the silence^ demanding whose 
 spirit should be summoned to appear. A faint whis- 
 per, from a distant corner, thiilled through the room 
 — " Let it he Socrates, the greatest of philosophers !" 
 A pause ensued — no objection or opposition being 
 manifested, tlie wizard raised his arm, and waving it 
 towards the door, solemnly bade the spirit of Socrates 
 appear and stand before him. Again the silence was 
 resumed, and the wizard remained, with extended arm 
 
THE PEESSGANG. 161 
 
 and muttering lips; gazing towards tlie door. It slowly 
 opened ; and, amid the utmost terror, the^ company 
 beheld 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 unmis- 
 takable — 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 saloni! The 
 awe and terror of the company was at its highest, and 
 the figure glided back in silence while yet the efl'ect 
 produced was at its culminating point. When it had 
 disappeared, compliments, of course, poured 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 an- 
 swered, and, full of the excitement of unlooked for suc- 
 cess, yielded to the entreaties of the same voice which 
 had spoken before, and which now implored the evo- 
 catii in of Frederick the Great. The wizard again stretch- 
 ed forth his hand towards the door, although doubtful 
 if his electric current would be strong enough to ac- 
 complish two evocations so rapidly one after the other. 
 He was observed, however, even in the dim light of 
 the apartment, to turn deadly pale as the door again 
 opened at his summons, when he called aloud for Fred- 
 erick 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-way, a short figure, wrapped, like the 
 one which had preceded it, in a kind of winding-sheet 
 
102 
 
 IN AMKEICA. 
 
 clinging to its limbs, and held around the waist by the 
 grasp of the hands. The face, however, was unde- 
 niably that of the great hero, and the head surmount- 
 ed by the little traditional cocked hat which makes 
 every Prussian heart beat wiih gratitude and loyalty 
 even to this day. The figure advanced as that of So- 
 crates had done before, close up to the magician, and 
 there stood still and motionless within a few paces of 
 the chimney. Presently, the excitement of the magi- • 
 cian became intense, the perspiration rolled in huge 
 drops from his forehead, and the teelh chattered. 
 " Enough, enough-^begoiie, depart !" said ho, in a 
 hoarse whisper, as the eyes of the figure glared upon 
 him with a fierce and menacing expression. "Begone, 
 I say !" repeated he, in a hollow tone, as the figure still 
 stood motionless in spite of the command. In another 
 moment, however, the spell was Lroten. Housing him- 
 self by an effort which, considering the circumstances 
 in which he was placed, mnj be regarded as sublime, 
 he suddenly exclaimed, " 1 have been made the dupe 
 of some mystification," and stepped close to the figure, 
 vvliich had still retained its menrtcing attitude until that 
 .iioinent, when a loud and uncontrollable laugh burst 
 from its lips, and it exclaimed: "What! don't you 
 know me? I am Nadaud, and here is my friend So- 
 crates, otherwise Marshal Paraguay d'Hillieis, ready 
 to appear again whenever you choose, and close at hand 
 is my comrade, Eugene Guinot in life, and Alcibiades 
 in death, waiting to be summoned after me, as lie 
 would most assuredly have been, had I been able tc 
 follow up the joke." You can just imagine the effect 
 jiroduced by the discovery of the mystification. Mr. 
 
THE PEESSGANG. 163 
 
 Home was struck powerless and dumb ; when he re 
 covered, he begged it to be remembered that he 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 de- 
 parture from Paris. It seems that the three mauvais 
 ylaisans who had been excluded from the company 
 had been determined to revenge themselves; and, with 
 the assistance of a confrere, aided likewise by the false 
 white beard of Socrates and the cocked hat of Frede- 
 rick the Great, had almost succeeded in duping tlie 
 operator, had it not been for the unconti'ollable laugh- 
 ter of Nadaud which betrayed the wliole conspiracy. 
 
 "-This is the story told of the sudden desertion of 
 the camp by Mr. Home. 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." 
 
 I could tfeU much more of a similar kind, but what 
 I have already giveii is sufScient to show the reckless 
 invention of those who assume to enlighten the public 
 through the press. I found it the easiest to let them 
 have their own way, for it'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 seems as if it would never cease to flow. 
 
CHAPTER TH. 
 
 1857-8^ — FRANCE, ITALY, AJSK ETTSSIA. MAEEIAGE. 
 
 I EETURNED from America to Paris in May, 1857, 
 and I remained tliere 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 fre- 
 quently visible, and were seen by many to take pen or 
 pencil 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 care- 
 worn." 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 engage- 
 ments with my triends. I acceded to his request, and 
 he announced the Count de X . At the first mo- 
 ment of looking at him, I saw none of the signs of 
 anxiety and care which had struck the concierge^ nor 
 did he seem to me so very old. He advanced to where 
 I stood, and taking me kindly by the hand, he said to 
 me, "I have been sent to yon, and you will yet know 
 
FRANCE, ITALY, AJSD EtJSSIA. 163 
 
 the reason why, though j'ou do not even know wh.o I 
 •am. "I live at No. 4, Kue , and you will be oblig- 
 ed to come to me." I shook my head at this incredu- 
 lously, 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 
 haTing written his address. I was to dine that even- 
 ing with the Baroness de M , and previous to leav- 
 ing the house to go to her, I beard a spirit voice saying 
 distinctly to me, ^' Tou 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 saw a young man standing tliere. 
 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, ihr we will go togetli«r to see 
 my father," and he then suddenly disappeared. I had 
 thought till then that. he was a guest, so real was tlie 
 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, "You will go to my father, won't you?" 
 This so unnerved me that I told the Baroness the cir- 
 cumstance, and she kindly advised icy going. The 
 evening passed on, and after two hours I bad nearly 
 forgotten the occurrence, and had returned to the 
 drawing-room, when suddenly I saw by my side the 
 same young man. His face now wore a pained ex- 
 pression, and I was horrified to see blood on his breast. 
 
166 FRANCE, ITALY, AND EUSSIA. 
 
 He said to me, " My fatlier is waiting for yoa ; he has 
 had mucli sorrow ; it is your mission to console — go to 
 him." I told him I would on the following day, but 
 he 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, 
 
 fine , I was directed to the rooms of the Count, 
 
 and iiis valet told me that his master was preparing to 
 retire, and in all probability could not see me. Again 
 the voice told me to announce myself, and at that very 
 moment a door was opened, and the Count came to- 
 wards me, and said, " I have been waiting for yon, 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 him as his son who had been murder- 
 ed. He showed me a portrait of him, which exactly 
 corresponded with my visions of him, and I have since 
 seen him often. He has told me, that on his appear- 
 ance that first day, he showed the blood upon his 
 breast, merely to impress ma the more deeply with the 
 necessity of going to his father. His father told me 
 that he had been himself for a long time a partial me- 
 dium, and that he had been told to seek me for the 
 purpose of having his mediumship increased, in order 
 that his son might be able the more easily to impress 
 him with his presence. It has since been a great com- 
 fort and relief to his mind to have 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 bring 
 ing light there. I accordingly made all preparati(m9 
 
FRANCE ITALY, AND RUSSIA. 167 
 
 for my jonrney, and my 'power left me. I had re- 
 ceived letters of introduction to persons holding high 
 positions at Constantinople. My trunks were packed, 
 my passport sent for vise. I was making a farewell 
 call on the Duchess de A ,,and while in conversa- 
 tion with her, the drawing-room seemed filled with 
 rappings, the alphabet was called for, and 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 Baden-Baden. My 
 power while there was not great, as my liealth was 
 again failing, but I met the King of Wurtemburg, and 
 the then Prince, now King of Prussia, both of whom 
 investigated the phenomena. 
 
 My guardian spirits continually told me at this time 
 that there was trouble in store for me, but that from 
 the darkness light' would come, and that whatever 
 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 had expected, and 
 went to Biarritz. Here I was told that the first dark- 
 ening of the cloud would come, and that those who 
 might have understood me better, would be led to 
 think ill of me by those about them, who, to serve a 
 purpose, would farbicate a statement, the very ab- 
 burdity of which ouglit to have been its refutation. The 
 pre-knowledge of what was to occur to me, combined 
 with nervous debility, made me more than usually 
 agitated, and whilst at a seance, where almost the only 
 manifestation was ^he taking of a bracelet from the 
 lady sitting on my left, and the carrying of it to a lady 
 opposite me, the gentleman on my right hand declared 
 
168 FRANCE, IT ALT, AND RUSSIA. 
 
 it to have been transported by my feet. If my legs 
 were eight feet long it would have still been a mira- 
 cle, but in such wonderful occurrences as these wo 
 must not be surprised at any absurdity that may be in- 
 vented, 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 sufSciently 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 my legs are so formed as 
 to be capable (if 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 " ta- 
 ble, 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 tliey 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 again will 
 have it that it, is done by a magic lantern, whilst some 
 doctors declare that I administer "a thiinblefull of 
 chloroform to each of the sitters." Sir David Brews- 
 ter must have had his thimblefull when he could only 
 say that the table "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. Otliers that I raise spirits bj^ forms and in- 
 cantations. Then we have in\'oluntary muscular ma 
 
FEANCE, ITALY, AND EUSSIA. 1C9 
 
 tion to account for the phenomena by the learned Pro- 
 fessor 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 of the mind." A common explanation is 
 ventriloquism. Electricity is another, and it is said 
 that I have an electric battery concealed about my per- 
 son. Then there are the od force and fluid action, and 
 the nervous principle, and collusion, illusion and delu- 
 eion. Mechanical contrivances attached to the lower 
 extremities are also suggested by Sir David Brewster, 
 but without specifying their nature. But the most 
 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, it's easy enough, he only rubs 
 himself 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 maintain it to be in the knees, or thigh bones. 
 Professor 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. Some 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 qual- 
 ity which I can throw off at the command of my will. 
 A general belief is that I bribe the servants at what- 
 ever house I visit, that they may aid me in concealing 
 my machinery. The intelligence displayed in obtain- 
 ing names, dates, and other circumstances, is previouslv 
 
170 FRANCE, ITALY, AND KUSSTA. 
 
 communicated to me either by ray 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. 
 Others know that I am clairvoyant, and that I read the 
 thoughts of those present. I am an accomplished jug- 
 gler according to others, and have always refused to 
 be seen by any others of the craft, although the fact is 
 . quite the contrary, and the greatest juggler of France 
 lias stated that he could not at all account for what he 
 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 sci- 
 entific acquirements which I do not possess, it has 
 been to me a source chiefly of amusement and wonder, 
 to see how learned persons could so widely and ab- 
 surdly disagree among themselves, and strain at gnats, 
 though swallowing camels with such surprising greed- 
 iness. T have wandered from my narrative to give my 
 readers these attempted explanations of mediumship, 
 hoping, however, that they will never try any of the 
 experiments suggested by the learned in the presence 
 of persons of average understanding. The excellent 
 establishment at Earlswood, at the head of which is the 
 good Dr. Coholly, 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 the chateau of a mu- 
 tual friend, near Bordeaux ; and here there were sev- 
 eral instances of direct spirit-writing on paper placed 
 before us on the table in full view. Whilst we were 
 sitving one evening, hands appeared distinctly above 
 
FEANCE, ITALY, AND EUSSIA. 171 
 
 the table, and we saw them successively take up a pen- 
 cil 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 lit- 
 tle message to her mother who was present, and signed 
 it with her christian name. There was a striking pe- 
 culiarity 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 male one. Her name wa» 
 Denise, but she wrote it " Denis." Her mother had 
 often spoken to her of this, and yet the child had not 
 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 whom wfc;re there. 
 The larger hand wrote several communications in our 
 presence, some for his wife, who was at the table, and 
 others to persons who were not there present. This 
 handwriting was in his peculiar autograph. 
 
 Tlie lady of the house turned to me and said abrupt- 
 ly, "Why you are sitting in the air ;" and on looking we 
 found that the chair remained 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 levita- 
 tion. As is usual when I have not got above the level 
 of the heads of those about me, and when they change 
 tiieir positions mnch, whicli they frequently do in 
 looking wistfully at such a phenomenon, I came down 
 again, but not till I had remained so raised about half 
 a minute from the time of its being first seen. I was 
 now impressed to leave the table and was soon carried 
 
172 FEANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA. 
 
 to the lofty ceiling. The Connt de B left his 
 
 place at the table, and coming imder where I was, said, 
 " Now, young Home, come and let me touch yonr 
 feet." I told him I had 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 outstretched hands. 
 He seized my boots, and now I was again elevated, he 
 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 
 tnown, 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 fre- 
 quently afterwards in England, as will be seen in fu- 
 ture pages. Since I wrote the narrative of this stance, 
 I have applied to the Count for his verification of it, 
 and 1 liave his letter stating its correctness. 
 
 Another incident occurred in the presence of the 
 Count de B . The Countess X was pres- 
 ent for the first time at a seance, when a spirit mani- 
 fested himself, purporting to be that of her son. The 
 accordeon was being played, and she asked if he could 
 remember a piece of music wliicli had particularly 
 struck them 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 ha 
 
FEANCE, ITALY, AND EUSSIA. 173 
 
 would play it Upon this the accordeon played some 
 intricate passages from the opera of ITorma, wliich 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 further 
 end of the large saloon where we were, came up to us 
 with extreme violence. We were all ratker startled, 
 as we were not expecting any manifestations, and for 
 the next two hours they were unceasing. The elder 
 
 son of the family, 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 appear- 
 ance 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 ?" 
 We told nim 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 Mar- 
 cliiones^s 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 reaching 
 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 por- 
 trait. My emotion was such that I caught hold of 
 
 L , 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 having related what had occun-ed to liis mo- 
 ther, they had arranged to put me to the test, and not 
 having even told me of the existence of the portiait, 
 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 
 
 wei-e 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. Presentlj-, 
 whilst we were talking together, we were startled at 
 hearing loud sounds coming from a distant part of the 
 room, and slowly approaching us. I at once suggested 
 to them that some spirit desired to communicate -witli 
 us. The unseen one assented to this by makintr the 
 sounds for the alphabet, and the name of " Grenoire" 
 was spelt out, witli the additional information that he 
 had passed from earth, giving the time of his depai t- 
 
FEANCE, ITALY, AND EUS8IA. 175 
 
 lire. This the two j'oung officers at once and strongly 
 contradicted, for they recognized in the name a very 
 intimate friend, an officer in the French anny in the 
 Crimea, whom they liad only just left thtre suffering 
 under a slight wound, but so slight that it gave no ap- 
 prehensions of an unfavorable kind. He, however, now 
 gave them other proofs of his identity, and during the 
 whole of the remaining hours of the afternoon and 
 evening he continued to make his presence manifest. 
 Several times things were brought from parts of the 
 room distant from us, and there were frequent raps, 
 and his friends felt touches. Sounds resembling the 
 firing of musketry were heard, and indeed so indispu- 
 table were some of the signs given, that no one could 
 fail to have been convinced of spirit power and pres- 
 ence, though having seen him so lately, and having 
 since heard nothing to make them 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 fol- 
 lowing day. From a member of the family who re- 
 sides in Paris, I ascertained shortly afterwards that 
 they had written to ascertain the truth as to what liad 
 been communicated to them by the spirit calling him- 
 self Gregoire, and that in every detail, they were in- 
 formed, the spirit had been correct. I ought here to 
 state, however, that the eldest son, previous to this 
 corroborative testimony reaching his family, had been 
 sent with his regiment to Canada, and he was sitting 
 in his tent when a letter reached him from his father, 
 relating the results of their inquiries from the Crimea. 
 While he was reading his father's letter, informing 
 
176 FRANCE, ITALY, AND EUSSIA. 
 
 him the details of his friend Gregoire's departure from 
 eartl), he was startled by hearing a rustling sonnd 
 amongst some loose papers and pens, which were care- 
 lessly strewn on his table. Fearing lest his imagina- 
 tion might be taking advantage of his reason, he called 
 for his servant to come in and look at the table — and, 
 to their mutual astonishment, they saw a pen move it- 
 self into an erect position, and deliberately write the 
 name of Gregoire on some blank paper. This fact was 
 told me by the father of the young man, and I see no 
 reason to disbelieve it. "What ol ject could tempt the 
 young man to tell so deliberate and wilful an untruth, 
 if it were one, on such a subject ? Other strange oc- 
 currences continued with other members of this family 
 after their return to England, for many months, and 
 then left them in as sudden and utiexpected a manner 
 as they had made their appearance. 
 
 In January, 1858, I went to Holland, accompanied 
 
 by Mr. T , and was presented to the Queen. The 
 
 manifestations at the Hague were in some instances 
 very string, and again sometimes I had seances at 
 which nothing would occur, and this although in the 
 presence of persons who were most desirous of wit- 
 nessing them. 
 
 I went to Amsterdam for the purpose of meeting the 
 proprietors and writers for a magazine of infidel ten- 
 dencies. I well remember it. We were staying at 
 a large old-fashioned hotel ; the cheerless cold of the 
 rooms with their bleak walls and their beam-bare ceil- 
 ings, as I sat before the fire, which was but the ghost 
 of such as we are accustomed to in England, when 
 these eight or ten gentlemen were announced. None 
 
FEANCE, ITALT, AND EUSSIA. 177 
 
 of tlieiTi were known to me or to my friend, and I de- 
 sired tliem at once to sit down, and see if any manifes- 
 tations wonld occur. They appeared clever, shrewd 
 persons, deeply read and thinking men. Cold reason 
 had wrapped her chill mantle about their njinds, and 
 all that was not tangible could have no truth in ii 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 examin- 
 ed to see that I had no springs concealed there. — 
 These manifestations increased in force, and they, aft- 
 er 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 intelligent communications were received. — 
 This was a step in advance of their philosophy, and to 
 them most singular, and soon the manifestations ceased 
 — but not until they had each expressed their convic- 
 tion that there was no imposture. I have since 'been 
 informed, by letj;ers from Amsteidam, that one of 
 them became a medium, and that their general disbe- 
 lief in spiritual causation was greatly modified. I re- 
 member as my friend and I sat together after the par- 
 ty had left, we expressed a wish that they had seen 
 more, and we spoke of ourselves as being sorry pro- 
 pliets for such a mission. This idea pursued me alter 
 1 had gone to bed, and the spirit of my mother came 
 and comforted me hy saying that sufficient had been 
 given, and that " the wind must be tempered to the 
 ehorn lamb." 
 
 8» 
 
ITS KKANCE, ITALY, AND RUSSIA. 
 
 We returned to tlie Hague, and a deputation of 
 J Cling gentlemen from the University of Leyden call- 
 ed to ask me to visit Leyden. My engagements, how- 
 ever, were such as to necessitate my departure, and we 
 left the following day for Brussels. There the power 
 left me, and I was told hy the spiiits that it would be 
 some time before it would return, and that many things 
 of the utmost importance to me would occur in the 
 meantime. I had taken a severe cold while in Hol- 
 land, but had intended to have remained some time in 
 Brussels to have seances with my young friends there, 
 and when I found that my power had gone, I consid- 
 ered it better to return to Paris to consult my medical 
 adviser there. I accordingly went there, and he pro- 
 nounced 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 eve- 
 ry time I leave Paris some silly stories are put in cir- 
 culation, such as my being ordered away by the Em- 
 peror, or that I go to fly from the law. I remained, 
 therfefore, growing daily worse for two or three weeks, 
 when I left, intending to stay at Turin with my fi-icnds 
 there. On reaching Turin in February, 1 found the 
 snow covering the ground to a considerable depth, and 
 the cold more intense than it had been in Paris, and 
 60 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 friend mentioned one afternoon, whilst we 
 were walking together to the Pynchon, the name of a 
 
FEANOB, ITALY, AND EUSSIA. 179 
 
 Russian family of distinction then in Rome, and added 
 that they were anxious to make my acquaintance. I 
 excused myself on the ground of my health. At this 
 moment a carriage was passing us and stopped — and. 
 my friend, before I was aware of what he was doing, 
 introduced me to the Countess de Kouchekff, who 
 'asked me to come and sup with them that evening, 
 adding that they kept very late hours. 
 
 I went about ten in the evening, and found a large 
 party assembled. At twelve as we entered the supper- 
 room she introduced to me a young lady, whom I then 
 observed for the first time, as her sistei'. 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 ask- 
 ed wliy 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 
 mj fiancee, when she turned to me and abruptly said, 
 " 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 can- 
 not 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 
 
ISO FEANCE, ITA'Y, AND EUS8IA. 
 
 ;yonr mission can bring comfort to those less happy than 
 ourselves, or be in any way a cojisolation to mankind, 
 you will ever find me ready and willing to do all I can 
 to aid you in it." She was true to this noble senti- 
 ment to the last moment of her short life, and she is 
 still my great comfort and sustainer since we have se- 
 parated in this earthly sphere. She was my own true, 
 loving wife for, ohl too short a period for my happi- 
 ness here, but for hers I was content to lose her for a 
 time, till it shall please God that I too pass away to 
 join her! 
 
 Shortly after our engagement the family went to 
 Naples, and I with them, and we remained there six 
 weeks. Then the family left for Florence, and my 
 fiancee 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 
 leturned to St. Petersbnrgh. 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 written Hume instead of Home. 
 Knowing this to be incorrect I was obliged to make a 
 journey to have it rectified, and then I returned to Pa- 
 ris, and joined the family who had arrived there from 
 Italy. 
 
 We left for St. Petersburgh in June, accompanied 
 by M. Alexandre Dnmas, who was to officiate as god- 
 father at my marriage. An amusing account of our 
 journey may be read in Dnmas' book entitled " De 
 Paris a Astrachan." On reaching St. Petersburgh I 
 was honored by a most kind invitation to be received 
 
FRANCE, ITALT, AND EITSSIA. ISl 
 
 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 circum- 
 stances he would be pleased to see me. I excused my- 
 self on the ground of having so much to attend to pre- 
 vious to my marriage. A month after this, certain 
 difficulties having arisen, and the papers which were 
 necessary not being forthcoming, the marriage seem6d 
 on the point of being postponed. I had no manifesta- 
 tions for several months, but on this evening I was 
 told by the spirit of my mother to inform the Emperor 
 the next day that my power had returned. I did so, 
 and was received by his Majesty at the Palace of Pe- 
 terlioff, wliere I spent a week, and all the obstacles in 
 the way of ray marriage were removed by his most 
 gracious Majesty, who upon this, as upon every occa- 
 sion, has shown to me the greatest kindness. I have 
 the highest veneration for iiim, not only as a monarch, 
 but as a man of tlie most kind and generous feelings. 
 We were married on Sunday the 1st of August, 
 1858, or according to the old style, on the 20th of 
 July, first in the private chapel 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 church. 
 A short time after our marriage, my wife being in a 
 soimd quiet sleep, I saw the spirit of my mother come 
 into the room, followed by one, who though I had ne- 
 ver known him on earth, I knew to be my wife's fa- 
 ther. My 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 FEANCE, ITALY, AND KUSSIA. 
 
 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 afraid." Her actions, however, betrayed a certain 
 shrinking, for she turned to the side of the bed where 
 I lay, trembling violently. The spirits now disappear- 
 ed, but loud rappings were heard in and about the 
 roorai, and our questions were answered. This was my 
 wife's first introduction to anything of the kind. 
 
CHAPTER YIII. 
 
 PAEIS 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 Crimean coast, and others in the 
 interior of Russia. The journey lasted about six weelis, 
 and we then returned to a country house of his in the 
 neighborhood of Moscow. At the end of ifoveinber, 
 1858, we were at St. Petersburgh, in the house of my 
 brother-in-law, the Count Gregoire Koucheleff Besbo- 
 rodko, from whom and the Countess I have ever met 
 witli the readiest sympathy and brotherly welcome, 
 and to whom I owe, and ever shall owe, a debt of the 
 deepest gratitiide. 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 
 tliat a young oifficer, who having been convinced of 
 the truths of immortality by what he saw in my pres- 
 ence, 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 con- 
 vinced him of the reality of a future life, and that 
 thenceforward he should lead a different life. 
 
IS-l EU88IA, PAEI8, AND ENGLAND. 
 
 Ill the 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 the physician who attended me, and the 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 
 
 Baron 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 
 frightened, and would have endeavored to hold my 
 hands, but my friend who had had sufficient kmowl- 
 edge of spirit manifestations prevented her. I felt no 
 pain, though the violence of the blows which I con- 
 tinued giving to myself made the bed and the whole 
 rooiii shake. In five minutes' time the swelling had 
 visibly decreased, and the movements of the hand be- 
 gan to be more gentle. In an hour I was in a quiet 
 slee)), and on awaking the next morning I found the 
 disease had left, me, and only a weakness remained. 
 The expression of the doctor's face baffles my descrip- 
 tion when he visited me early that morning, expect- 
 ing to have found me worse, and felt my pulse and 
 saw that a great change must have occurred beyond 
 Iiis skill to account for. 
 
 On the 26th April, old style, or 8th May, accor^Jing 
 to our style, at seven in the evening, and as the snow 
 was fast fa'ling, our little boy was born at the town 
 house, situate on the Gagarines Quay, in St. Peters- 
 burgh, where we were still staying. A few hours af- 
 
RUSSIA, PAEIS, AND ENGLAND. 185 
 
 ter his birth, his mother, tlie nurse and 1 heard for 
 several hours the waibling of a bird as if singing over 
 him. Also that night, and for two or three nights aftar- 
 wards, a bright star like light, which was clearly visi- 
 ble fiom 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 subsequent occasions. 
 It was brighter and more distinctly globular. I do not 
 believe that it came 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 ai'e more 
 strange things in Heaven and earth than are dreamt 
 of, even in my philosophy, I do not feel myself at lib- 
 erty 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 when- 
 ever the rappings occurred in the room, a simultaneous 
 movement of the child was distinctly felt, perfectly in 
 unison with the sounds. When there were three 
 sounds, three movements were felt, and so on, and 
 when five sounds were heard, "which is generally the 
 call for the alphabet, she felt the five internal move- 
 ments, and she would frequently, when we were mis- 
 taken in the letter, correct us from what the child in 
 dicated. 
 
 Our child was christened a fortnight after his birth, 
 
186 T?USSIA, PARIS, AXD ENGLAND. 
 
 his godfather being the Marquis de Chateaiireynard, 
 at present Minister of France at Hes?e Cassel, and his 
 godmother his aunt, the Countess Luba. His 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 resi- 
 dence of the Count in the immediate environs of St. 
 Petersbnrgh. Whilst here, there were many striking 
 manifestations which were witnessed by many, who in- 
 vestigated 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 inchesabove 
 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 communication which 
 deeply affected my friend, who recognised it as being 
 from his mother. The general belief is, that tlie spirit 
 hands always appear from beneath the table, and al- 
 ready formed, but this is incorrect, for on many occa- 
 sions in the presence of several persons at a time, they 
 are seen to be formed in full sight of all, in the man- 
 ner I have just described, and to melt away, asitwei-e, 
 in the same way. Often, too, they have been seen to 
 form themselves high above our heads, and from 
 thence to descend upon the table, and tlien disappear. 
 
 The anniversary of our wedding-day found us on the 
 steamer 'Baltic,' bound for Dunkerque, from whence 
 Ave went to Ostend on a visit to my mother-in-law, who 
 was there for her health. On seeing her, at the mo- 
 ment of our embracing one another, I had another of 
 
EtJSSlA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND. 187 
 
 those singular impressions wiiicli so often come to me 
 at the moment of external contact. It lias seemed 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 spring- 
 time has been shadowed forth among the chill blasts 
 of autumn, as a token of the never ceasing care of 
 God, our loving father, for His children whether in the 
 Past, Present, or Future, all being alike known to 
 Hlin. 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 Switzer- 
 land, and there we had one or two sittings. On return- 
 ing 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 
 nuise, loud raps were heard upon the ceiling. They 
 both supposed that the sound proceeded from some one 
 walking overliead, when they changed their position, 
 and were heard upon the wall of the room, and in 
 a few moments they came on the table. My wife asked 
 
188 EUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND. 
 
 who was the mediam 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 
 him, but that they would not, "as the atmosphere 
 w hich they made use of was necessary for his physical 
 development in the natural world." From this time 
 we have bat once had any external evidence of any 
 spirit presence through him, though he has given us 
 many 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 manifes- 
 tations were seen and investigated by persons of all 
 ranks and classes, from statesmen down to those in 
 humble life, and to them again I would rather refer 
 for tlfe 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 Mr. Pears, 
 who was accompanied by my friends Mr. and Mrs. 
 Cox. lie now saw the manifestations for the firet 
 time. "Almost immediately the table tilted towards 
 Mr. Home, who, raising his hands from the table, 
 wliich 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, 
 
KT8SIA, PAEIS, AND ENGLAND. 180 
 
 and then it passed into an undulatory movement, a-s 
 if it were in motion on waves ; it seemeJ, indeed, al- 
 most as if the top of the table were flexible : then 
 from this movement it passed into a directlj 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 from the floor, all hands at 
 the same time continuing on the top of the table ; and 
 finally with perfect evenness it gradually descending 
 to its place. 
 
 " Raps were then heard on the table, in the vicinity 
 of Mrs. Oox, which, by reference to the alphabet, pur- 
 ported to be produced by a deceased child of hers. 
 Then faint deliberate raps came near to Mrs. P., pur- 
 porting — by the same mode — to come from Phoebe, 
 our deceased little daughter to whom I referred before. 
 
 "Raps were then heard under my own hands, and 
 at the same time the depending cloth covering tlie 
 table seemed to be moved up by something under it, 
 and was made thus to strike against my wrist. I call- 
 ed 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. Home said, ' I should like Mr. 
 Pears to be convinced that we do not make these 
 sounds ; perhaps he would get under the table and 
 
190 KUSSIA, PAEIS, AND ENGLAND. 
 
 observe.' I did bo ; and while I saw that they were 
 not produced by any visible agency beneath, they were 
 sounding as vigoronsly as ever; Mrs. P. being witness 
 to their not being produced by the hands, or any other 
 visible means above board. 
 
 "When I found that the raps under my hand pur- 
 ported to come from my grandfather's ' spirits,' I asked 
 if he could take the large bell from me if I held it. It had 
 already been taken out of Mr. Home's hand and rung 
 under the table. The response to my question was 
 given by strong knocks. I held it under the table, 
 being careful to hold it in the direction of my wife, 
 whose hands were on the table, and I felt it tugged 
 with strength out of ray hand; it was rung, and then 
 deposited on the floor. 
 
 " Many little things which struck me at the time, 
 occun-ed during our seance, which lasted between two 
 and three hours. But there was one part of the seance 
 which forcibly struck me, and which I must relate. 
 Mr. Home, soon after I had assumed the presence of 
 my grandfather's spirit, passed into a singular state — 
 half unconscious as it were — and said, 'Here's a tall, 
 old, upright, Quaker like man, yet not a Quaker ;' then 
 he seemed to take on the manner and gesture, as close- 
 ly as a young man can, of those of an old one — held 
 out his hand to me, and grasped it in a way that fur- 
 ther reminded me of my grandfather, and addressed 
 me in words somewhat characteristic of him, and went 
 on to speak of one whom he had held very dear, but 
 from whom he had been long separated to his great 
 grief, but that they had happily met in the other world 
 and were reconciled. All upon this point was said in a 
 
EUB8IA, PAEIS, AND ENGLAND. ISl 
 
 broken way, but with gestures and allusions wliicli were 
 intelligible solely to myself, as the person and events 
 80 alluded to touclied closely upon my grandfather's 
 history in conjunction with my own. My astonishment 
 was increased when, from Mr. H.'s lips, fell the name 
 of her to whom the allusion had been made — my grand- 
 father's daughter ! both dead when Mr. Home must 
 have been a boy in America !" Long as I have known 
 you, friend Dixon, I think I never told you that my 
 grandfather was of a Quaker family, which was the 
 case. 
 
 " I was by this incident astonished beyond expres- 
 sion, and acknowledged to Mr. Cox that the history 
 which had been sketched, and the reflections upon it, 
 were just what I should have expected might have 
 been made 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. Gr. Crawford, a 
 gentleman who had for years resisted all belief in such 
 phenomena as being impossible and absurd. It hap- 
 pened that a friend of his from Liverpool was coming 
 to meet me at the house of Mr. Coleman, in Bayswa- 
 ter, and he induced him to accompany him. He shall 
 tell the story in his own frank and truthful words : 
 
 " Mr. Home laid his left hand on the table and with 
 his right lifted an accordeon, which he held under the 
 table. My friend and I were asked to look below, when 
 
192 EUS8IA, PAEIS, AND ENGLAND. 
 
 we distinctly saw it move up and down, apparently 
 held and touched bj one hand only. 
 
 " We continued to sit round the table. The room 
 was made so dark that we could not see each other. 
 The table gave a violent stamp 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. 
 
 "Mr. Home now said that he held the accordeon 
 under the table by one hand only, when it played oui 
 beautiful English tune, ' Home, sweet Home !' in a most 
 finished style. 
 
 "Shortly after this occurred, a very curious afiair 
 took place, in explanation of wliich I cannot hazard a 
 conjecture. Mr. Home remarked, ' 1 feel as if I am 
 going to rise.' The room was q^uite 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 felt the 
 soles of both his boots, some three feet above the level 
 of the floor. On my doing so, he said, ' Don't toucii 
 me, or I shall come down ;' of course I instantly de- 
 sisted, but down he came. In less than five minutes 
 after this, he remarked, ' I am again ascending,' and 
 from the sound of his voice, we could not but infer that 
 he was actually rising towards the ceiling of the ante- 
 room. 
 
 " He then appeared to float under the ai-chway, tlien 
 to rise to the cornice of the room we were sitting in, 
 and we heard him quite distinctly make three cross 
 marks on the ceiling, besides doing some other writing. 
 Then he came softly down, and lay stretched out with 
 his back upon the table, in which position we found 
 
EUPSIA, PAEIS, AND ENGLAND. 193 
 
 him wlien tbe gas was lighted, and when we distinctly 
 saw the marks on the ceiling, which we had heard hitii 
 make 
 
 " I am 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-ordinarj 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 dc 
 with the wonders of chemistry, before it attained its 
 present scientific certainty and value to the arts and 
 agriculture. But the testimony of thousands of excel- 
 lent witnesses cannot be set aside by any such plea. 
 Not many years ago it was fashionable to deny the 
 facts and uses of chloroform, homoeopathy, hydropathy, 
 magnetism, mesmerism, &c. ; now the curative powers 
 of these agents are commonly received amongst us as 
 * household words.' Tliere appears to be a law of pro- 
 gressive development in the universe. Should the sup- 
 posed 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 discov- 
 eries. 'So one, now-a-days, who thinks at all, can bo 
 60 bold and unwise as to deny that 'there are moia 
 things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in out 
 philosophy.' 
 
 "In the simple statement I have given of what my 
 friend and I were satisfied occurred on the evenina-of 
 
 o 
 
 our visit to Villas, I have avoided coloring the 
 
 9 
 
194 EUSSIA, PARIS, AXD ENGLAND. 
 
 events, and for the sake of greater detiniteness, liave 
 given fignres of sizes, which, however, must be taken 
 iiierely as a near approximation to the actual measure- 
 ments. 
 
 "J. G. Crawfokd." 
 
 Mr. Crawford mentions the circumstance of my im- 
 mediately coming to the ground again on his touching 
 my feet. I have observed that this is invariably the 
 case when 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 heiglit, tiieir 
 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 magnetism which is 
 caused in the former ca-se, and 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. John's Wood, by M. 
 Louis Blanc, "On the Mysterious Persons and Agen- 
 cies in France towards the end of the eighteenth cen- 
 tury." 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 retir- 
 ed earlier than usual in consequence of a severe head- 
 ache. In the course of conversation together, she hav- 
 ing asked how I had liked the lecture, I said, " I have 
 been haunted all the evening by Cagliostro," on which 
 
RUSSIA, PAEI8, AND ENGLAND. 195 
 
 she exclaimed, "Pray do not use that word hanated, 
 it sounds so weird-like, and quite fiightens me." I 
 had by this time extinguished the light, and was no'sr 
 in bed, when to my amazement the room became as 
 light as if the sun had for an instant shone filly in at 
 the window. Thinking that this effect might have 
 been only on my spiritual perception, I said, " Sacha, 
 did you see anything?" Her reply was, "No, nor 
 could I, for my 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 exter- 
 nal, it might be reproduced. Almost simultaneously 
 with the thought, came the light again, so distinct, 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, fall- 
 ing BO gently as if it feared to disturb us by its ap- 
 proach. My 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 thebed-clotlies 
 just as an actual material presence would have done. 
 We asked liim if he had been a medium when on 
 earth, and a distinct voice, audible to both of us, said 
 in answer, " My power was that of a mesmerist, but 
 all-misunderstood by those about me, my biographers 
 
l06 RUSSIA, PAEIS, AND ENGLAND. 
 
 liave done me injustice, but I care not for tlie untrutlia 
 of the earth." Botli 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 
 np, saying, " Dear spirit, will you be one of my guar- 
 dian 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 fa- • 
 ther-in-law, was 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 audi- 
 bly spoken, and simultaneously with the sound came 
 three wafts of perfume, so delicious that we both ex- 
 claimed, "IIow truly wonderful !" 
 
 Her headache was perfectly cured, and although our 
 nerves had been greatly agitated, we slept soundly. 
 The following day, and indeed for several days after- 
 wards, 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 ot May, 1860, my mother-in-law 
 wrote to us from St. Petersburgh, as follows : — 
 
 " Dear children, — Yon may not be aware that to- 
 
EDSSIA, PAEIS, AND ENGLAND. 197 
 
 morrow I am to, undergo a surgical operation. I have 
 seen ray 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 the Crystal 
 Palace, Sydenham, I proposed to visit with a friend 
 the establishment of Messrs. Barclay and Perkins. 
 "We drove there, and had gone over nearly all the es- 
 tablishment, when in the barrelling-room one of the 
 workmen proposed our tasting the porter. My friend 
 "was tasting it, and the attendant brought me a pot. 
 I put out my hand to take it, and as my fingers came 
 in contact with the metal, a deep shudder convulsed 
 my frame, and I suddenly knew that my dear mother- 
 in-law, who had been for many years a patient suffer- 
 er, had been released from her earthly troubles. I re- 
 fused the porter, and requested my friend to accom- 
 pany 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 tbe Thursday afterwards I heard my wife run- 
 ning 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, 1 knew it kst Mon- 
 day." She came to my bedside, and gave me a letter 
 
198 RUSSIA, PAEIS, AJSD ENGLAND. 
 
 adJressel to me from my sister-in-law, containing a 
 telegraphic dispatch, announcing that my mottier-in- 
 law liad 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 friend 
 
 of his were present, her dear spirit came, and lier hands 
 were made visible, resting on her daughter's head, and 
 afterwards on mine. She wrote in her own peculiar 
 handwriting, " You will love her always, won't yon ?" 
 and she signed it " ITathalie." He who came an athe- 
 ist, was one no longer. 
 
 I take the following account of some new manifest- 
 ations from the " Spiritual Magazine." It is called 
 " Two Evenings with Mr. Home," and is introduced by 
 the editor who says : 
 
 " We have received from two correspondents, well 
 known to us, tlie 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 permit- 
 ted to supply privately to any inquirer who feels that 
 the knowledge of the names is necessary for his belief. 
 In the meantime we can vouch publicly for the perfect 
 confidence which the narrative inspires us with, Jiav- 
 ing heard the whole account from the lips of the nar- 
 rators, previous to receiving the MS. from them. 
 
 "Mat ]st, 18C0. 
 " The party was composed of Mr. and Mrs . Home 
 and seven other ladies and gentlemen. "We sat at the 
 round table in the large drawing-room. Mr. Houie'a 
 
EtTSSIA, PABIS, AND ENGLAND. 199 
 
 hand was moved to write — 'The spirit of John is one 
 who was kind to jour father during the' voyage to 
 America.' No one understood this ; but Mr. en- 
 tering the room a minute 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 accordingly 
 did so, leaving a vacant space against the window, un- 
 closing the shutters, and by their directions extinguish- 
 ing 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 table ; but did so completely, as tlie 
 moon was very bright. The Spirit of Albert then took 
 tlie accordeon, and played a beautiful air of unearthly 
 harmony. Mr. Home and I held the accordeon toge- 
 ther under the table, for the power was very strong, 
 and tlie music loud — and the instrument at times was 
 nearly carried away from 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 uj 
 aloft for some time — we were all greatly amazed. — 
 This hand was so transparent and luminous, and so un- 
 eivrthly and angelic, that our hearts were filled with 
 gratitude towards the Creator for permitting so won- 
 derful a manifestation. The hand was visible to us 
 vnore from the internal light which seemed to stream 
 as it were out of it, than from the external light of the 
 
200 EUSSIA, PAEIS, AND ENui-AND. 
 
 moon. As soon as it slowly vanished, Mdlle. ^ 
 
 who sat next to the open space, saw another hand form- 
 ing 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 right in conjec- 
 ture.) Then came a dear baby hand ; then the baby 
 
 (Mrs. L 's adopted child) showed its head ; and 
 
 finally, spiiit-hands held up the little child, so that all 
 nine of us saw her shoulders and waist. After this, a 
 hapd and arm rose luminous and beautiful, covered 
 with a white transparent drapery ; and this hand re- 
 mained visible to us all for at least live 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, ' The spirit emblem of 
 William's mother.' Then we were told they would 
 show us ' 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 the blind drawn away from the top 
 of the window. It was beyond tlie reach of any of us, 
 and the3' then showed iis 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 
 tUiry-like fountain of apparently clear sparkling water, 
 which threw up showers of silvery rays, vanishing 
 from our sight like mist, and dwelling on the memo- 
 ly as perfection. After this it was rapped oat, ' "We 
 can do no more.' 
 
EUS6IA, PAEI8, AND ENGLAND. 201 
 
 " Mr. Home was put into a trance, and as he fell 
 back in Ins chair a gleam of the most vivid light fell 
 upon me. This light fell over my shoulders, 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 
 befiire, and from whence he has communicated to us. 
 Tliis light was seen by no one but myself; but as I 
 turned round in hope of seeing the spirit, Mr. Home 
 said to me, ' Yes, he is there ;' and added a communi- 
 cation from liira. He then told us that the first hand 
 that we saw had been that of his own mother ; the se- 
 cond was my father's, as I had silently expected ; and 
 the hand and arm in drapery that remained so long, 
 came 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. He 
 also gave us the full name of the 'spirit John,' who 
 
 had gone to America witli Mr. A 's father ; and 
 
 added some private information which Mr. A con- 
 firmed as true. 
 
 " The events of this evening having been so wonder- 
 ful, 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." 
 
 " Mat 9th, 1860. 
 " Mingling with those interested in witnessing evi- 
 dences of spirit power, I gladly accepted an invitation 
 to meet a few fi-iends on Monday the 9th of May, 1860, 
 at a house at the West end. At a quarter after eighf 
 
 9* 
 
202 RCSSIA, PAEI9, AND ENaLAND. 
 
 o'clock, we went into tlio adjoining back drawing- 
 ro.ra, and sat down to a loo table. There were nine 
 of ns, Mr. Home being one of the number. Immedi- 
 atelj' the table commenced vibrating and gently lifting 
 itself off the floor. I say lifting itself, because no hu- 
 man beings in human clay were the actors. Nothing 
 occurred 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 Lis left hand on tlie table, and then were 
 played some beautiful voluntaries, exquisitely attenu- 
 ated, yet clear and melodious. (Tliey then came out 
 gradually fuller^ and yet more full, till the room seem- 
 ed filled with the volume of sound like a pealing or- 
 gan, and still no false note. A friend, sitting next to 
 me, forgetting himself, exclaimed, ' My God, how 
 wonderful !' and after a breath, asked ' if they would 
 give us some air we knew?' and having asked for 
 ' Grod 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 known air, which on earth the little boy was very 
 fond of, as tallying with his mamma's name. Header, 
 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 
 
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 
 at the side of the table, opposite the window. The 
 sounds then gave out, ' Put out the lights,' which was 
 done. "W"e found that though the room was dark, yet 
 tne light from the window was sufiScient for us to 
 faintly see each other. The window-blind then com 
 menced moving np and down — no one near it — evi- 
 dently 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. Suddenly 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 ray friend, 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, an- 
 other came past my face as if from the ceiling. The 
 geranium plant was in the room several feet from any 
 of us, and tlie 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 ; he moved from the table, and 
 shortly he said, ' I am rising' — but we could not see 
 
204 KPSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND. 
 
 liim — ' they have put me on my back.' I asked, will 
 3'oii kindly bring him, as much as possible, towards the 
 window, so that we may see him ; and at once he was 
 floated with his feet horizontally into the light of the" 
 window, 60 that we all saw his feet and a part of his 
 leo-8 resting or floating on the air like a feather, about 
 siv feet from the gronnd, 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 you.' 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 up to, and sat on the edge of 
 the table we were at, when the table began to rise 
 with him on it. Mr. Home was then taken behind to 
 the settee next to me, and while there, we heard sounds 
 several times as of some one giving utterance to a 
 monosyllable in the middle of the room. Feeling a 
 pressure against my chair, I looked, and saw that the 
 ottoman had been brought along the floor about six 
 feet, no one touching 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 position — 
 ' Oh ! I am getting excited, let some one come and sit 
 with me.' I went, and sat beside him ; he took my 
 hand ; and in about a minute, and without any muscu- 
 lar action, he gently floated away from me, and was 
 lost in the darkness. He kept talking to let us know 
 where he was. We heard his voice in various parts 
 of the further end of the room, as if near the ceiling. 
 He then cried out, ' Oh ! they have brought me a 
 cushion to sit upon — I am sitting on it — they are tak- 
 
RUSSIA, PABIS, AND ENGLAND. 205 
 
 ing it away.' Jast then the tassel of the cushion of 
 another ottoman in the room struck me on my hair 
 and forehead as if coming from 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 wish I had a pencil to make a mark on the 
 ceiling. I have made a cross with my nail.' He came 
 down near the door, and after a pause, he was again 
 taken up ; but I did not see him, but heard his voice as 
 if near the ceiling. Again he came 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 " Another evening with Mr, 
 Home." It it given us in the words of the lady at 
 whose house the manifestations occurred. I have not, 
 for good reasons, the liberty to give her name, but I 
 ca;n answer for her position and character, and for the 
 truthfulness of the narrative. I have, in addition, the 
 names of the nine persons who were present. 
 
 " May the 3rd, I860.— 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 from 
 us was placed on a large sofa that stood before the win- 
 dow. The spirits told us to move this sofa away which 
 we immediately did, and the table then moved of its 
 own accord up to the window where the hands had ap- 
 peared to us on former occasions. The shutters were 
 opened and the caudles extinguished by their desire. 
 Mr. Home sat next to the window, and I sat next to 
 
206 EirSSIA, PAEB, AND ENGLAND. 
 
 him with Mrs. H. on my other side. After sitting a 
 few minutes qnietly I felt a form glide behind me : 
 it touched my chair, placed two hands on ray should- 
 ers, and then drew the heavy silk curtain from a win- 
 dow behind me (we sat in a bow formed by three win- 
 dows) and folded the drapeiy round me lilfe a cloak. . 
 The hands and arms which enfolded me felt as pal- 
 pable as human arms would feel. On one of the party 
 guessing the name of the spirit, it was answered by 
 three startling raps, whicli shook tlie table, and felt as 
 if produced by a bar of iron — no human hand could 
 have knocked with such force. As I was intently lis- 
 tening 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 down 
 the blind. We distinctly saw the fingers clutch the 
 string — this is a green transparent blind, through 
 which tlie light can fall softly. The hand then made 
 graceful gestures and pointed upwards, and when it 
 disappeared, it was followed by another, and then by 
 a child's hand. Suddenly I was touched on the shoul- 
 der, as if by some one standing behind me and wish- 
 ing to draw my attention. I thought it was my daugh- 
 ter, and turned to speak to' her, but I found no one. 
 1 had hardly turned round, when my left shoulder was 
 more strongly touclied, and on turning my head a 
 spirit hand 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 
 
KUSSIA, I'AKIS, 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. Home's hand over 
 his head, the knocks at the same time beating meas- 
 ure, like a drum, very loudly on the table. The ac- 
 cord«on 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 from 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 
 greaitly 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 pro- 
 ducing 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 Tny head, as 
 from a spirit floating above me, and pressed my fore- 
 head 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 
 
 liis !iand in lier's, and held it for several minutes. Be- 
 fore leaving her he gave a most touching manifestatiou 
 He blessed her by making the sign of the cross on ber 
 forehead. During these manifestations almost every 
 article of furniture in the room was moved 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 lie witnessed in my presence, wrote 
 at this time the interesting letter which I now give. 
 
 " In July, 1860, 1 was at a stance at the mansion of 
 a person of distinction, in Hyde Park Terrace, London. 
 
 " Two baronets — one an M.P., and the other the heir 
 and representative of a deceased M.P. of eminent abil- 
 ity ; the wife of a distinguished living M.P. ; and 
 others, including Mr. Home, making eight in number 
 present. The hour was a little after nine, p.m. Nei- 
 ther 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 tlie 
 effects of the spirit manifestations on the three new 
 comers, 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 damask cloth, (a power- 
 ful non-conductor of electricity, completely negativing 
 tiie theory that spirit manifestations were brought 
 about by electricity) ; and we were desired by Mr, 
 
AND ENGLAND. 209 
 
 Home to chat and talk as naturally and cheerfully aa 
 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 bnrnipg 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 pad- 
 dles are in full work ; some said it nearly resembled 
 the tremulous motion on a screw 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 con- 
 curring in the observations as to the tremulous move- 
 ments. The walls also shook at times with a tremu- 
 lous 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 suspended 'twixt heaven 
 and earth, like Mahomet's coflin, for a minute or there- 
 abouts, probably more than less. The gentlemen 
 were invited by Mr, Home to ascertain if any machin- 
 ery was underneath, and the two gentlemen who were 
 new comers swept with their legs under the suspended 
 table, to catch any prop or other machiuery that might 
 be applied to raise the table, and they confessed that 
 no such machinery or prop was present. 
 
 "This seance, wonderful asitwill appear — 'stranger 
 than fiction ' — was not considered to be an entirely 
 Buecessfal one ; and the lady of the house, with char- 
 acteristic kindness, after speaking of the meagreness 
 of the manifestations, invited me to another seance on 
 
2J0 RUSSIA, PAKB, AND ENGLAITD. 
 
 tlie following evening, an invitation I most gladly ac- 
 cepted, althongli it kept me in London an extra day, 
 and overthrew my previously arranged movements. 
 At this second se nee we met rather earlier, a little after 
 eight o'clock p.m., in the same first-floor room. The 
 stance consisted of a barrister of eminence and stand- 
 ing- at the bar, and well known to the public, a liter- 
 ary man — an author of established reputation, and oth- 
 ers 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 perpendicularly from the floor, from 
 three to four feet, and remained in this position sus- 
 pended (Mahomet's coflBn fashion) for about a minute, 
 and then descended to its original place as softly and 
 gently as the fall of a snow-flake. An accordeou 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 
 accordeou hanging over the back of the chair. I sat 
 on the opposite side of the table to Mr. Home and the 
 lady of the house. The accordeou was also played 
 whilst lying on the floor, and also on the table, and was 
 lifted without visible means from the floor on to the 
 table. The music was of a solemn and impressive* 
 character. 
 
 "A small spirit-hand, warm and soft like that of a 
 child, touched my hand, and placed in it a small liand- 
 bell, and, at my request, took the bell from mv hand 
 
RUSSIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND. 211 
 
 nnderneath the table to its mothet, who was the lady 
 of the house. She seemed perfectly satisfied that it was 
 the spirit-hand of her little boy, who died three or four 
 years since, aged about eight years, and she received 
 repeated responses, spelt out through the alphabet, 
 such as might be expected from the spii-it 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 included). I could 
 see the bell when it passed round my heaefc 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, wliich, as it came between 
 me and the window, was distinctly visible, as the blinds 
 did not altogether exclude the light of a summer even- 
 ing and of the gas lights in the street. 
 
 "The curtains at last were drawn by invisible means, 
 and then Mr. Home 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 mine, and hy 
 standing and stretching upwards I was enabled to reach 
 his hand, about seven feet distant from the floor, 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 he floated above me in the air, and I only let 
 
212 EU8SIA, PARIS, AND ENGLAND. 
 
 go Ilia hand when I stumbled against a stool. Mr. 
 Home, as he floated along, kept ringing the small hand- 
 bell 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 
 adjoining room that was brilliantly lighted. Mr. Home 
 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. Home's being raised up, the 
 spirit hands of two of the barrister's deceased children 
 touched him. He did not doubt that the hands were 
 the spirit-hands of his children. 
 
 " Questions were asked, and rational answers giveti 
 by means of the alphabet, in one of the ordinary ways 
 of communicating with spirits. It is right that I should 
 say, that this seance (as in the preceding evening) was 
 commenced with prayer, which I understood was the 
 usual course. 
 
 " I make no comments on the above, and advance 
 no theory or hypothesis. I have confined myself sim- 
 ply to facts, whicli I can substantiate by legal evidence 
 in a court of justice ; and I add my name, addi*ess, and 
 profession, and have only one desire, and that is — that 
 truth may prevail. 
 
 " I am, sir, your obedient servant, 
 
 "James Wason, Solicitor. 
 
 "Wason Buildings, Liverpool." 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE "cOENHILl" AND OTHEK NAEBATIVES. 
 
 It was at this time that the manifestations occurred 
 which are described with such accuracy and intelli- 
 gence by the eminent literary friend who wrote his 
 account of what he saw in the " Cornhill Magazine," 
 nnder the title of " Stranger than Fiction." This paper 
 travels over nearly the whole ground of the physical 
 manifestations, and is written with such masterly ob- 
 servation, and ability of description, tliat I feel it will 
 be a boon to the reader to have some 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 plie- 
 nomena 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 yon to believe upon raine^' " 
 
 For the information of Professor Faraday and other 
 such persons who believe in his foolisli theory of in- 
 voluntary muscular motion as being the cause of the 
 phenomena, he says : " While we were seated at the 
 
214 THE "coenhill" nareatite. 
 
 table, we barely touched it with the tips of our fingers. 
 I was anxious to satisfy nayself with respect to the in- 
 voluntary pressure which lias been attributed to the 
 imposition of hands. In this case there was none. My 
 fi'iends kindly gratified my request to avoid resting the 
 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 thp 
 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 fol- 
 lowing it, the apartment being crowded with furniture, 
 and our difficulty was considerably increased by being 
 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 ftilcrum, 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 slip- 
 ped down at the first attempt, but again quietly re- 
 sumed its task. It was exactly like a child trying to 
 climb up a height. 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 "coenhill" nakkative. 215 
 
 plisLed the top of the ottoman, and stood on the sum- 
 mit of the column in the centre, from 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 ex- 
 pected that any person who is a stranger to these phe- 
 nomena, should read svich a story as this with compla- 
 cency. Yet here is a fact which undoubtedly took- 
 place, and which cannot be referred to any known phy- 
 sical or mechanical forces. It is not a satisfactory an- 
 swer to those who hare seen such things, to say that 
 Ihey are impossible : since, in such cases, it is evident 
 that the impossibility of a thing does not prevent it 
 htippening. 
 
 Upon many subsequent occasions the writer s&ya 
 that he has witnessed phenomena of a similar nature, 
 and others of a much more startling cliaracter. He 
 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 sufiiciently extraordinary ; 
 but my wonder abated when, on subsequent-occasions, 
 I saw tables move apparently of their own volition, 
 there being no persons near them ; large sofas advance 
 from the walls against which they stood ; arid chairs, 
 sometimes oecupied, and sometimes emjjty, shift their 
 places for the distance of a foot or a yard, in some 
 cases easily, and in others with a slow, laborious move- 
 ment." 
 
 As to the peculiar trembling of the table and room, 
 he says, " On the first occasion when I experienced the 
 eff'ect I am about to describe, there were five persons 
 
216 THE "oornhiil" naeeattve. 
 
 in the room. In other places, where it occurred sub- 
 Bequently, there were seven or more. The architecture 
 of the houses in each case was wholly dissimilar, both 
 as to the area and lieight 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. Oui' chairs shook, and the floor trembled 
 violently. The efi^ect was exactly liice 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 con- 
 tinued for two or three minutes, then gradually subsid- 
 ed and ceased. Every person present was equally af- 
 fected by it on each occasion when it occurred. To 
 produce such a result by machinery might be possible 
 if the introduction of the machinery itself were pos- 
 sible. But the supposition involves a difficulty some- 
 what similar to that of Mr. Knickerbocker's theory of 
 rhe earth standing on the back of a tortoise, which 
 might be an excellent theory if we could only ascer- 
 tain what the tortoise stood upon." 
 
 He now speaks of the raising of the table altogether 
 from the floor, which he repeatedly witnessed. " Pi-e- 
 sently the table rises with a slight jerk, and steadilv 
 mounts till it attains such a height as to render it ne- 
 cessary for the company to stand up, in order still to 
 be able to keep their hands with ease in contact with 
 
THE " COENHILL " 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 gentlenian goes under the table for the pur- 
 pose. The whole space, open to the view of the entire 
 ]iarty, is clear. From the carpet to the foot of the ta- 
 ble there is a blank interval of perhaps two feet, per- 
 haps three, — for nobody has thought of providing a 
 means of measuring it, and we must take it by guess. 
 Tlie 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 from below ; and such means 
 could not be applied from above without the means of 
 immediate detection. In its ascent, the table has 
 swung out of its orbit, but it readjustsitself before it be- 
 gins 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 expres- 
 eion, gracefiil ; and the table reaches the ground with 
 a dreamy softness that renders its touch almost imper- 
 ceptible. 
 
 " Of a somewhat similar character is another move- 
 ment, 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 45°. In this atti- 
 
 10 
 
218 THE "CORNTIILI." NARRATIVE. 
 
 tude it stops. According to ordinary experience er- 
 erything on tlie table mnst slide off, or topple over ; 
 hut nothing stirs. The vase of flowers, the books, tlie 
 little ornaments are as motionless as if they were fixed 
 in their places. We agree to take away our hands, to 
 •lirow up the ends of the cover, so as to leave the en- 
 tire 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 mar- 
 vellous development at least, is, I believe, new to ns 
 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 accomplislied. The desire is at one complied 
 with. The table leans more and more out of tlie per- 
 pendicular ; two of the three claws are high above the 
 ground ; and finally, the whole structure 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 freighted with a numbei 
 .of loose articles, and as if the position had been 
 planned in strict accordance with the laws of equili- 
 brium and attraction, instead of iTivolving an inexpli- 
 cable violation of both." 
 
 Of the music fi-om an accordeon playing by itself on 
 the floor, he says : — " Apart from the wonderful con- 
 sideration of its being played without hands — no less 
 wonderful was the fact of its being played in a narrow 
 
219 
 
 space wliich would not admit of its being drawn out 
 with the requisite freedom to its full extent. We list- 
 ened with suspended breath. The air was wild, and 
 full of strange transitions ; with a wail of the most pa- 
 thetic 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, 
 tlie 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 teare of the listeners. Mil- 
 ton dreamt of this wondrous termination when he 
 wrote of ' linked 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 iiever before been visited by a ' sound so 
 fine.' It continued diminishing and diminishing, and 
 stretching far away into distance and darkness, until 
 tlie attenuated thread of sound became so exquisite 
 that it was impossible at last to fix the moment wlien 
 it ceased." 
 
 The writer disposes of all questions of fraud or me- 
 chanical contrivance, by telling us : — " We need not 
 speculate on what might be done by skilful contrivan- 
 ces, since the question is removed out of the region of 
 conjecture by the fact that, upon holding up the instru- 
 ment myself in one hand, in the open room, with the 
 full light upon it, similar strains were emitted, tlie re- 
 gular action of the accordeon going on without any 
 visible agency. And 1 should add that, during the 
 loud and vehement passages, it became so difficult to 
 hold, in consequence of the extraordinary power with 
 
220 THE 
 
 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 same result on dif- 
 ferent occasions, when the instrument was held by 
 others." 
 
 He also several times was present when I was raised 
 from the ground ; and he gives the following descrip- 
 tion of what he observed : — " Mr. Home was seated 
 next to the window. Through the semi-darkness his 
 head was dimly 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 mov- 
 ing — 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 awaken- 
 ed ; 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 moment 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 po- 
 sition, as at first perpendicular, and afterwards hori- 
 zontal. He said he felt as if he had been turned in 
 the gentlest manner, as a child is turned in the arms 
 of a nui'se. 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- 
 
THE " COENHILL " NAKKATIVE. 221 
 
 most, lying horizontally in the air. He spoke to us as 
 he passed, and told us that he would turn the reveise 
 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 confi- 
 dence to everybody else; but, with the strongest 
 nerves, it was impossible not to be conscious of a cer- 
 tain sensation of fear or awe. He hovered round the 
 circle for several minutes, and passed, this time, per- 
 pendicularly, over our heads. I heard his voice be- 
 hind 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 chair, 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 solemnity to it, was that the accordeon, which 
 we supposed to be'on the ground under 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 witness- 
 ed, is closed by some remarks which it is too much to 
 hope that many will profit from. There is so much 
 
222 THE " COENHILL " NARKATIVE. 
 
 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 in- 
 credible, is merely to say that they are inconsistent 
 with the present state of onr knowledge ; but know- 
 ing how imperfect our knowledge is, we are not, 
 tlierefore, justified in asserting that that they are im- 
 possible. Tlie ' 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 dis- 
 prove 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 else. ' I will believe,' for 
 example, says a philosopher, of this stamp, ' that a ta- 
 ble lias risen from the ground, wlien I see the lamp- 
 posts dancing quadrilles. Then, tables ? 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 thej' prove ? 
 What benefit have they eon'erred on the world ? Sir 
 John Herschel has answered these questions with a 
 weight of authority which is final. 'The question, Gui 
 lono? to what practical end and advantages do your 
 researches tend ? — is one which the speculative philos- 
 opher, who loves knowledge for its own sake, and en- 
 
NAEEATIVE. 223 
 
 joys, as a rational being should enjoy, the mere cun- 
 templation of harmonious and mutually dependent 
 truths, can seldom hear without a sense of humiliation. 
 He 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, ap- 
 parently the most unprofitable, have almost invariably 
 been those from which the greatest practical applica- 
 tions liave emanated.'* 
 
 " The first thing to be done is to collect and verify 
 facts. But this can never be done if we insist upon re- 
 fusing to receive any facts, except such as shall appear 
 to us likely to be true, according to the measure of our 
 intelligence and knowledge." 
 
 This article was received by the public in the only- 
 way which was likely, from the novelty to so many of 
 the subject of the phenomena ; and those who were 
 acquainted personally with the marvellous occur- 
 rences so well described in the Magazine, well knew 
 their truth, yet the writer and the Editor of the " Corn- 
 hill " were severely blamed by many for allowing the 
 appearance of what they designated as absurdity. As 
 the article was anonymous, the facts stated in it were 
 deliberately denied by the press, and to stem the tor- 
 rent of abuse and unbelief, a gentleman, who has since 
 become my very esteemed friend, wrote, giving his 
 
 « Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy, p. 10 
 
224 DE. gully's lettek. 
 
 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 
 " Morning Star," wliich of all the Londuu papers has 
 been the most fair and candid in dealing with the facts 
 of Spiritualism : — 
 
 " 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,' 
 under the head of ' Stranger than Fiction,' should con- 
 firm 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 writers 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 gentlemen nlluded to, but that we 
 were all workers in callings in which rnatters of fact, and 
 not of fancy, especially come under observation. Fur- 
 ther, 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 much more agitated and 
 excited in investigating a patient's case, than I was in 
 observing what occurred at the evening meeting in 
 q^uestion. 
 
 With this state of senses at the time, and revolving 
 the occurrences in my mind again and again, since 
 
DE. gully's letter. 225 
 
 tliat 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 phe- 
 nomena therein related actually took place in the even- 
 ing meeting ; and, moreover, that no trick, machinery, 
 sleight of-liand, or other artistic contrivance produced 
 what we heard and beheld. I am quite as convinced 
 ti' 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 pre- 
 vailed, broken only by his voice coming from differ- 
 ent quarters of the room, according to his then posi- 
 tion — 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 up- 
 on as the place of meeting only five minutes before we 
 entered it — capable of carrying such a weight about 
 without the slightest sound of any description ? Or 
 suppose, as has been suggested, that he bestrode an in- 
 flated balloon, could a balloon have been introduced 
 inflated large enough to hold in mid-air such a weight ? 
 Or couM it have been inflated with hydrogen gas with- 
 out 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 Spiritualism. Let it be re- 
 membered, moreover, that the room was, for a good 
 part of the evening, in a blaze of light, in which no 
 balloon or other machine sufiicient for the supposed 
 Vurpose could be introduced ; or, if already introduced, 
 
 10* 
 
220 DE. gully's lettee. 
 
 CO u.cl remain unobserved; and that, even when tho 
 room was comparatively darkened, light streamed 
 through the window from a distant gas-lamp outside, 
 between which gas-lamp and our eyes Mr. Home's 
 form passed, so that we distinctly perceived its trunk 
 and limbs ; and most assuredly there was no balloo!i 
 near him, nor any machinery attached to him. His 
 foot once touched my head when he was floating 
 above. 
 
 " Then the accordeon music. I distinctly saw the 
 instiument moving, 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. 
 Home'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 spir- 
 its. For, be it stated, that such music as we heard 
 was no ordinary strain ; it was grand at times, at others 
 pathetic, at othei-s distant 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 from 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 all. Mr. Home cannot 
 play a note upon it. 
 
 " To one whose external senses have witnessed these 
 things, it is hard to increase the insufficiency of those 
 
DR. gully's lettee. 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 ' Coruhili Magazine ' 
 omits to mention several curious phenomena wldch 
 were witnessed that evening. Here is one of them. 
 A distinguished litterateur, 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 fath- 
 er'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 immediately the flute notes of 
 the accordeon (which was upon the floor) played through 
 ' Te banks and braes of Bonnie Doon,' which the gen- 
 tleman alluded to assured us was his father's favorite 
 air, whilst the flute was his father's favorite instru- 
 ment. He then asked for another favorite air of his 
 father's, * which was not Scotch,' and ' The Last Rose 
 of Summer' was played in the same note. This, the 
 gentleman told us, was the air to which he had alluded. 
 " I have thus borne testimony to the truthfulness of 
 the facts related by the writer in the ' Cornhill Maga- 
 zine,' whom 1 recognise as having been my neighbor 
 during the meeting. And I have endeavored to show 
 that, as regards the principal and most wonderful phe- 
 nomena, there could have been no contrivance by trick 
 or machinery adequate to produce or account for their 
 existence. How, then, were they produced? I know 
 not ; and I believe that we are very — very far from hav- 
 ing accumulated facts enough upon which to frame 
 
1328 DE. gully's LKfTEE. 
 
 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 intelli- 
 gent 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 em- 
 bodied and disembodied sentient beings cannot be im- 
 agined. 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 ob- 
 servation of the wonders above related, my inner senses 
 c innot but observe many gaps that must be filled np 
 before the bridge between the spiritual body's life here 
 in tlie 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 from the minds of the enquirers. And as re- 
 gai-ds the denials, and abuses, and jests of the non-en- 
 "juirers, let it be remembered that scurillity and laugh- 
 ter never discovered or disprove anything in the 
 woi-ld's history. 
 
 " Respecting the purely physical phenomena, such 
 as the raising of weights whether of human bodies or 
 tables, it Tnay he that we are on the verge of discover- 
 ing 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 which would blast the reputation 
 of those who enquire in a direction opposite to that 
 prejudice. 
 
DR. gully's lettee. 229 
 
 " Enquirers, unlike routine people, must be pre- 
 pared 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, 
 
 " Yours faithfully, 
 
 "J. M. Gully, M.D. 
 "Malrem, Oct 14." 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 MIKA0CLOTJ8 PEESEEVATION. FEANCE AND ENGLAND. 
 
 "We left London the 24th of Jnly, 1860, for the 
 Chateau de C , near Paris. One of the most re- 
 markable 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 our 
 Heavenly Father that I have so often been made 
 aware of His ministering care and kind Providence. 
 I do not suppose for a moment because of this, that 
 His Providence is more over me than over all His chil- 
 dren, 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 iu 
 some remarkable and even almost physical way, 
 though generally, perhaps, through means apparently 
 more remote than those which saved my life on the 
 16th September, 1860. 
 
 I had just returned from Naples, whither I had been 
 to visit a friend — but who had passed from earth before 
 I had arrived — and I found my health affected by fa 
 tigue of travelling and mental depression. Being re- 
 commended to take much out-door exercise, during my 
 
MIRACULOUS PEESERVATION. 231 
 
 stay "at the Cbdteau de , I used to take with, me 
 
 my gnn — more that it might be said I was out shoot- 
 ing than for any great attraction the sport Jias 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 
 from 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 plant- 
 ing myself by the hedge. 
 
 On the day mentioned, I had been walking with my 
 
 friend, Mons. T , and on 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 ad- 
 vanced 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 !" 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 wliom the exclam- 
 ation 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 acci- 
 dent my gun had exploded, and I was in tlie spirit- 
 land ; but, looking about, I saw that I was still in the 
 material world, and there was the gun still in my 
 
232 MIRACULOUS PEESEEVATION. 
 
 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 stand- 
 ing. 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 chdteau. My 
 friends, seeing me running, hastened to the window to 
 learn the cause of my disturbance. As soon as I re- 
 covered my power of speech, I told them how God, by 
 his good angels, had saved my life, and they returned 
 with me to the scene of what I must call my miracu- 
 lous escape. 
 
 I will not attempt to portray the feelings of those 
 present, but if ever heartfelt prayer of tliankfulness 
 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 trunk, 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, measured twenty-four inches in circumfer- 
 ence, and penetrated the earth at least a foot. The 
 next day a friend 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 
 irnnk that one might at first think it had been sawn 
 off, and the bark was not in the least t©rn about it. I 
 
MIKACULOUS PKESEEVATION. 233 
 
 luive been iiiformed since that Buch accidents are not 
 uncommon with trees of tliis species of poplar, and 
 that there are trees of a similar quality in Austialia, 
 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 high- 
 est esteem and regard, as a sincere truth- seeker, and a 
 fijend deserving every confidence, came 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, " Perhiips 
 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 walking bad, they declined. 
 
 I ought to have said, that the thick end of the 
 branch rested, at a height of eight feet from 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 be 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 ns." I replied, " That seems almost an impos- 
 sibility." At the same time I took in my hand one of 
 the smaller twi:^s and mentally said, " Dear spirits, 
 will you push this branch down ?" I then distinctly 
 fell ts if some one gently touched the twig which I 
 
i>M MIKACTJLOTJS PEESKEVATION. 
 
 lield ; tnis was repeated, and at the third touch, as it 
 felt to me, the branch fell to the ground. 
 
 Four persons witnessed this, and are ready to tes- 
 tify to whut 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 
 It still is — and with it on many occasions, some of 
 which will be afterwards mentioned, some very mar- 
 vellous manifestations took place. 
 
 One evening, at the chateau, as we were seated 
 at the table, the spirits having requested that the can- 
 dles should be extinguished, the table drawn to the 
 window, and the curtains opened to admit the moon- 
 light, .there had been some striking manifestations, 
 and the time had been passing almost imperceptibly to 
 us all, when a gentleman who was present, said tliat 
 he 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 mouth — 
 when a spirit 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 tiie 
 same moment the glass slowly rose again before him 
 empty. The windows being closed, we supposed the* 
 water had been thrown upon the floor, and we arose 
 to see where it was. We conld discover no trace of 
 it. About two minutes hac elapsed, when tiie same 
 glass which was standing empty before him, was seen 
 without any visible ca\ise, gradually to approach the 
 edge of the table, and to disappear beneath it. I do 
 
MIRACULOUS PEEBERVATION. 235 
 
 not believe that above two seconds could have elapsed 
 before it again appeared with the brandy and water in 
 it, apparently not less in quantity than when first 
 brought in, though the quality had certainly under- 
 gone 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 Paris, and we paid a short visit to our relatives at 
 Biarritz, returning to England at the end of Novem- 
 ber, 1861. My wife's health being delicate, the med- 
 ical men having discovered an internal disease, which, 
 though of a serious nature, might yet last for many 
 years, we did not during this winter see so many 
 friends, but I had stances 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 des- 
 cribing 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-bnrners. 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 my hand also the same was done, but the weiglit 
 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 wh ,t siem- 
 ed to me like air fingers — so gentle, so soft. It was 
 
236 MIKACUL0U8 PEESEEVATION. 
 
 carried l,o the gentleman opposite, and by him received 
 and lianded to me ; the other was restored to the own- 
 er, 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 burn- 
 ing brightly, gave a subdued light in the room. Mr. 
 Home then became cataleptic in bis 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 higher. 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 mine, yielding to my pressure. 
 During our conversations, approval or disapproval of 
 some things said were given by energetic concussions. 
 The loudest affirmatives 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 unseep active intelligences, who 
 saw our actions, heard our words, and discerned our 
 thoughts. 
 
 " The lady who was with me had laughed and won- 
 dered at my foolishness for these several yeara past for 
 believing in spirit- power manifestations ; but now won- 
 der, joyousness, and belief took possession of her, and 
 the candid avowal of her conviction, and the conse- 
 quences to certain materialistic members of her family 
 
MIRACrLOUS PRESERVATION. 237 
 
 seemed to be producing a powerful effect upon her 
 mind. 
 
 " Wliat is the use of spirits descending to the level 
 of our educational obtiiseness, and producing the class 
 of phenomena detailed in this rough sketch ? The 
 question is answered by my giving a portion of a let- 
 ter received on the 6th of this month from one of our 
 literary celebrities, whose name has not yet been pro- 
 minently 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 from one 
 of the editors, who says — 
 
 " ' I hnow all you have stated, and more — I have 
 seen and felt all you have stated, and more. I believe 
 I am no ' fool' — I am snre I am no ' rogue.' To ine 
 the belief has been an unspeakable comfort, thorough- 
 ly 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 others. 
 
 "John Jonks. 
 
 " Basinghall 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 conchisive 
 evidence of what he i-elates. Mr. Hutchinson says:— 
 
238 ME. HUTCHIKSON. 
 
 " T liave for some time past felt an interest in the 
 subject of Spiritual Manifestations. Like most per- 
 sons I had great diflSculty in realizing th« statements 
 made to me of the wonders which were daily witness- 
 ed by others, but the evidence of friends satisfied me 
 hat there must be something wortliy 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 
 facts, leaving others to theorise on the causes and ten- 
 dency of these remarkable phenomena. 
 
 " Kecently introduced by a friend to Mr. D. D.- 
 Home, a seance was arranged for the 23rd instant, and 
 together with Mr. and Mrs. Coleman, Mr. G. S. Clarke, 
 Mr. T. Clarke, Mr. Gilbert Davidson, and another lady 
 and gentleman unknown to me, we formed a party of 
 nine. Shortly after sitting down we all felt a tremu- 
 lous motion in our cliairs, and in the table, whicli was 
 a very heavy circular drawing-room table. This move- 
 ment of the table increased in power, and at the sug- 
 gestion of Mr. Coleman, it imitated the exact action 
 and sound of a stroke of a powerful marine engine 
 acting on and vibi'ating the timbers of a weak-framed 
 vessel. 
 
 " The rapping sounds on the table and floor were 
 constant ; the heavy table was raised up repeatedly — 
 and these manifestations were continued wliilst my 
 friend, Mr. Clarke, and another were seated, at the re- 
 quest of Mr. Home, under 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 
 
ME. HrTCHINSON. 239 
 
 touch and pressure of a soft and fleshy like-hand. I 
 saw the full formed hand as it rested on mj' knee. 
 The accordeon, whilst held by Mr. Home in one hand, 
 discoursed most eloquent music, and then to our great 
 astonishment it was taken from him, and whilst both 
 liis 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 im- 
 pressive but private character, of which I do not hesi- 
 tate to speak among my friends, occupied about four 
 hours of what I must admit to be one of the most in- 
 teresting I have- ever spent. I place the facts as Ave 
 witnessed them at your disposal for publicity, if yon 
 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. 
 
 "Tours, &c., 
 
 " James Hutchinson. 
 
 " January 26th, 1861." 
 
 The following editorial remarks, iutrodncing the let- 
 ter 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 
 high cliaracter and intelligence, but he is in a position, 
 whicli makes it a naatter of prudence that it should not 
 be known publicly that he has seen what he has seen. 
 If science and religion are satisfied with this unchari' 
 
240 A PLAIN MAN. 
 
 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 unin- 
 formed 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 iiotice 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 gentle- 
 man holds, and the widely-admitted truthfulness of Uis 
 assertions, we cannot do otherwise than believe that he 
 personally saw all that he relates, and thus we are 
 Hgai'n thrown back on the sea of doubt — anxious to ar- 
 rive at the truth, yet nnable 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 hoj)- 
 ing 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 im- 
 aginary, the delusion may soon be dissipated. Too 
 much credulity on the one hand is contemptible. A 
 blind obstinacy has often nearly marred the best reve- 
 lations which Providence has vouchsafed to science. 
 
 " To the Editor of the ' Sunday Times: 
 
 " Sir, — For some time I have been waiting for a fa- 
 vorable opportunity to address you, and to state cer* 
 tain facts connected with Spiritualism, which clearly 
 demonstrate the existence of what many persons seem 
 
A PLAIN MAN. 241 
 
 determined to deny. Sucli sceptics, hj their argu- 
 ments, so far from doing any injury to the cause, have 
 been the means of inducing many to enquire into tlie 
 phenomena, who otherwise, in all probability, would 
 i:3ver 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, 1 
 never have found advanced one single article against 
 the possihility 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 bona fide stance, 
 more easily to distinguish between reality and deceit. 
 Clearly, such persons deserve the thanks of us all. The 
 columns of a newspaper could not admit, nor have 1 the 
 time to write, the many reasons to be adduced in fa- 
 vor of the probability of spiritual manifestations; all I 
 ask of you is to insert a plain statement, from 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 
 man's lifetime upset, but the very laws of nature and 
 gravitation as hitherto understood, appear to be scat- 
 tered to the winds. 
 
 " A few nights since, a party of seven, including Mr. 
 Home 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 
 
 love, undulating with an easy, graceful movement, 
 
 11 
 
242 A PLAIN MAN. 
 
 and raising itself at times about a foot off the ground 
 At the same time there were knocks in quick succes- 
 sion under the table, on the floor, ceiling, and round 
 the room, a gentleman being under the table at tbe 
 time, at Mr. Home's request, to guard against the pos- 
 sibility of collusion. After some trivial communica- 
 tions, a small hand-bell was held by me under the ta- 
 ')le, and in a few minutes I perceived, on looking 
 down, a small white hand (every other hand belonging 
 to the party assembled, being on the table), wliicli 
 commenced caressing and playing with mine. After 
 linging the bell once or twice (in my hand), I asked 
 that it should be conveyed to a gentleman opposite, 
 and no sooner was iny wish expressed than I felt it 
 pulled from my hand, and deposited in that of the gen- 
 tleman I had indicated. This was done several times. 
 The hand was smooth 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 Mr. Home, when the most lovely, plaintive, and 
 melodious music was played, and no sooner had I ex- 
 pressed a wish to hear the 'Last Rose of Summer,' 
 than that tune was played, at which moment the ac- 
 cordeon was resting on my feet, witliout a hand of 
 earthly description near it, it having been taken out of 
 Mr. Home's hand and deposited there. Several hands 
 now appeared in quick succession moving different ar- 
 ticles of furniture ; and one, a particularly powerful 
 one, having touched Mr. Home, he exclaimed tha' 
 enormous strength hud been given him. It certainly 
 had, and he proceeded at once to exercise it. A block 
 of wood, from the large arm of the tree of great weight, 
 
A PL.VIN MAN. 213 
 
 from the falling of which he was so wonderfnlly pre- 
 served, was taken up by Mr. Home as if it were a straw, 
 carried round the room under his arm, and finally de- 
 ])osited near the table. It seemed of no weight to him, 
 and yet, when two gentlemen, each of them apparently 
 much more powerful than Mr. Home, essayed, they 
 could hardly move it. A singular circunistance con- 
 nected with Mr. Home's receiving such extraordinary 
 strength it is necessary to mention. One of the gen- 
 tlemen present had lost a very dear friend 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 
 askt'd for it to get it copied, bat they had not returned 
 it. On several occasions the spirit has manifested him- 
 self, and has constantly reproached this gentleman for 
 having parted with it. On this evening a similar message 
 was received, when he mentally asked for such a man- 
 ifestation as would fully identify him with the departed 
 friend. When in the world, he was a most powerful 
 muscular man ; and to convince this gentleman it was 
 he, who enabled Mr. Home, through himself, to lift 
 this mass of timber, which at another time he could 
 not have moved. Die last words spelt out were, ' Get 
 back a copy at least' 
 
 " Another hand now appeared : and on Mr. Home 
 being touclfed by it, he exclaimed, ' They are raising 
 me ; 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 same 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 
 
Mi A PLAIN MAN. 
 
 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 wilf be 
 Boon.' The 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, leaving 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 al- 
 most at the same time he perceived between Mr. Home 
 and himself the form of an infant in white. Being 
 naturally 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 tlie spirit of her 
 little child now passed away, a timid answer in the af- 
 firmative 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 move, and at the same momentthe 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 oif the ground and carried towards the window, 
 and when there, he was raised to within about eighteen 
 
A PLAIN MAN. 245 
 
 inches of tlie ceiling. After remaining floating for 
 about two minutes he descended ; but on coining near 
 his chair, he was again elevated,, and placed in a stand- 
 ing position in the centre of thetable, together with the 
 small one. His weight not resting on it, it had no ef- 
 fect, nor was there even a creak heard. In about a 
 minute both Mr. Home and the small table were ele- 
 vated for a fourth thne in the air, about a foot off the 
 surface of the large table, and, after remaining in that 
 position for about aminute,.he descended aud resumed 
 his seat. 
 
 " Such is a short account of this most remarkablcj 
 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 mani- 
 festations above described. 
 
 " I remain, Sir, 
 
 " Your obedient servant, 
 '•• A Plain Man." 
 
 By this time the health of my 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 upon Sacha's brow, the hand being invisible 
 but still perfectly tangible, my wife said to me, " Oh, 
 mama is blessing me, and I feel such a strange thrill 
 of joy." I now felt the hand laid upon my brow, and 
 again the present was obliterated from my mind, and 
 I saw the being so dear to me as passing from earth. 
 It was so terrible a reality that I would have given 
 wor/ds to have felt that there could be even the slight- 
 
246 A PLAIN MAN. 
 
 est possibility of ray having been deceived. Her mo- 
 tlier told me that the disease which would cause her to 
 pass from earth was not the one we had so dreaded, 
 but would be, in fact, consumption. Erom that mo- 
 ment, every time our kind-hearted and experienced 
 doctor came, 1 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 bethought it 
 might be avoided. As soon as the dear one could un- 
 dertake the journey, we went to Bournemouth, where 
 
 our friend, Mrs. P , joined us, and we there found 
 
 the symptoms of lung-disease to have increased. Ac- 
 cordingly, a medical man was called in, who, with one 
 of his colleagues, pronounced the left lung to be un- 
 sound. 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 been. We had, when 
 first married, promised to each other that if ever one 
 knew the other to be seriously ill, we would not at- 
 tempt 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 exist- 
 ence 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 think I can 
 remaifi on earth ten days ?" I told her that not only 
 ten days, but that in reality she might live ten yeare, 
 but that still all was uncertain. She took my hand in 
 hci"s, and said, " Do you remember, Daniel, when my 
 mother blessed me a month ago, and I told vou wluit 
 
ME. cox's LEITEK. 2-t7 
 
 a till-ill of joy I felt ? "Well, I feel that slie is liere 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 Gricha and .you." She asked me for her 
 writing desk, and 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 
 knee, he caressingly stroked her cheek, saying, " Ma- 
 ma is too good to be ill." This so affected her that she 
 burstinto tears, and these were the only tears she ever 
 §hed at the thought 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 heard for more than an hour over her bed. 
 
 We remained at Bournemouth about three weeks, and 
 finding the climate very unsuitable, went to the country- 
 house of our kind friend, Mr. Cox, in Hampshire, 
 where we remained a month. My 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 Ciirth 
 when only a few hours old. Here occurred some cu- 
 rious phenomena which are described in the letter of 
 my friend, Mr. Cox, of Jermyn Street : 
 
 "The late Robert Owen, a short time previous to ^ 
 his passing from 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 uf his as remembrances, 1 felt it more just after 
 his departure, that some member of his family should 
 
248 MK. cox's LE-rrER. 
 
 possess the dest, which had belonged to their mother ; 
 and I therefore gave it to his son, Mr. Eobert Dale 
 Owen, in order that he might take it with him to 
 America. I felt, however, at the time an almost irre- 
 sistible impulse to retain the dc-sk, but the feeling of 
 right overcame it. The fact had almost escaped my 
 memory, when at nearly the first seance I had with 
 Mr. Home after his return from Russia, the spirit of 
 my old and valued friend, Mr. Owen, came and said, 
 ' You must tell Robert to return yoa 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 re- 
 turned to me. We were then at my house in the 
 country, and Mr. and Mrs. Home came to spend a short 
 time with us. My little boy was then, and had been for 
 some time previously, indisposed, and medical advice 
 had been called in, but to little purpose. The spirits 
 had previously prescribed tor him, and now they said 
 they would magnetize some pure spring water, which 
 would benefit him. 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 the decanter became agitated after a few 
 uiomeiits without any visible cause, and a powerful 
 ^aroina caine 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 
 knew not : it was not like anything we had tasted be- 
 fore. Mr. Home was then thrown into the trance state, 
 and taking the decanter in his right hand, he walked a 
 
ME. cox's LETTEB. 249 
 
 few feet from the table, holding it in full view all tlie 
 tim3, when, to my astonishment, I saw another decali- 
 ter, apparently precisely similar to the other, in his 
 left liand. Tliiis, in each of his hands I saw a decan- 
 ter ; 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. Home's coat- 
 sleeve, 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 tlie room was darkened 
 to see if we could distinguish spirit lights, which were 
 tiieu seen by three of us. Presently we heard the 
 writing desk opened, and a hand was placed in mine, 
 auotlier in my wife's, and a third in Mr. Home's, each 
 hand differing in size from the others. The alphabet 
 was called for, and ' I fear I may have Spoilt your 
 Claude,' was sjjelt out. We could not understand 
 this ; but when the lamp was relighted, we found that 
 some paint had been taken from the box from inside 
 the desk, and had been freely used on one of my paint- 
 ings which iiung several feet from where we were sit- 
 ting. 
 
 "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 cliest, my dear wife looked up at him 
 laughingly, and said, •' You see how very different it 
 
250 ME. Wilkinson's account. 
 
 is now to what it used to be. I myself can distinguish 
 the difference in tiie sound." He eorrowfuUy shook 
 his head, and said, " It is but too true, and with your 
 belief I would not attempt to conceal it from you." 
 Many times did he reiterate these words during her 
 illness, adding, " With 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 iu London I had a seance almost 
 every night, 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 friends. That 
 of Mr. W. M. Wilkinson is as follows : — 
 
 My First Seance with Mr. Home. 
 
 " Though I have been oa terms of intimacy with 
 Mr. Home for some years, and have heard and read of 
 all the wonderful things which occur in his presence, 
 yet this 19th June, 1861, is the first time I have come 
 to see them for myself. It has not been because I dis- 
 believed them, or tliought them of no importance ; for 
 I quite believed them, and thought them of very great 
 importance. 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 much 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 ni}^ own experience. I remember about 
 twenty-five years ago, when I first heard of mesiner- 
 
ME. Wilkinson's account. 251 
 
 ism, and of its psychological wonders, I committed tlie 
 folly of saying that I did not believe a word of it — and 
 since I had on that occasion to surrender at discretion, 
 on seeing for myself, I liave made much 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 than I once thought pos- 
 ■iible. I have found tliis, at all events, convenient, — 
 for I have not had so often to find myself at vaiiance 
 with facts, which is always a painful position to be in ; 
 and, besideSj_ it has opened up to me a new woi'ld of 
 spiritual forces, which, though generally ignored, I 
 have found to account for many of the strangest, and, 
 otherwise incomprehensible chapters of human history. 
 " I had on two or three occasions, through Mr. Squiie 
 and other mediums, seen phenomena as wonderful iis 
 those which I now witnessed in the presence of Mr. 
 Home. I had seen nearly all the wonderful things S'> 
 admirably described in the ' Cornhill Magazine,' and 
 in the letter of Dr. Gully ; I had also been present 
 when others of even a more powerful kind were done, 
 and which were ably described by Dr. Blank, at page 
 161 of the first volume of the 'Spiritual Magazine.' I 
 had several times seen, both in London and Paris, -di- 
 rect writing by invisible power, on paper placed be- 
 yond 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 my chest, as well as 
 having on other occasions had hold of his hand, whilst 
 he was floating about the room. I did not, therefore, 
 on this evening care to distjirb myself and others by 
 taking those precautions which would have been ne- 
 
252 MK. Wilkinson's account. 
 
 cessarj if I were the President of the Eoyal Society, and 
 were about to make a conclusive report to that illns- 
 trious body of inquirers into physics. I did not doubt, 
 but I sat, and saw, and heard, and felt, and made notes. 
 There were eight of us, all well known to me, and 
 Bouie of them known wherever the English language 
 is spoken. We were in the drawing-room of a house 
 ill Cornwall Terrace, flegent'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 Monday to a seance, and spec- 
 ulating as to his guardian spirit not allerwing him to be 
 easily couvinced, there were at onee very loud knocks 
 on the table in affirmation of that proposition-. I was 
 sitting next to my wife on her right hand, and im- 
 mediately afterwards I felt my leg gently touclied, in 
 a position where it was impossible for Mr. Home to 
 liave reached it. Then there began a gentle but deep 
 vibration of the table, chairs, and floor, till all the room 
 was shaking violently, during wiiich the table rose 
 about ten inches, the trembling continuing all the time. 
 The table began to rise on the opposite side to where 
 Mr. Home was sitting, and it was clearly out of his 
 pawer to have raised it. Mr Home's chair was quietly 
 moved back, away from the table, about three feet, and 
 whilst 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 
 force expended in the act resisting my hand. At this 
 time Mr. Home was tuUy six feet ofl", and both from 
 distance, and from his being in full view, I could see 
 
MK. Wilkinson's account. 253 
 
 that it was done hj no force of his. Hr. Home now 
 held the aceordeon in his right hand beside his cliair, 
 and it at once began to play. He held it by the bot- 
 tom, the keys being on the top, and they were therefore 
 out of his reach. It was impossible that he could toucii 
 them. I carefully examined the instrument, opening 
 the slide beneath the keys, and I found it to be a com- 
 mon instrument, with only the usual mechanism of the 
 keys. There was nothing inside of it. I looked stead- 
 ily at it, and at the hand and fingers with which he 
 held it. Tliere it was, being pulled up and down, and 
 discoursing sweet sounds, whilst his hand was station- 
 ary, and his fingers motionless. I could see above and 
 beneath tlie 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 Im- 
 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, she said she felt one of her fingers 
 being touched. Immediately afterwards the table was 
 raised about a foot steadily from the fioor. As there 
 was no sound from the aceordeon in her hands, she re- 
 turned it to -Mr. Home, but it was taken from his hand 
 immediately, and given back to her, and whilst in her 
 rii^ht hand it began to play. She felt it distinctly lifted 
 up and drawn forcibly down, and she did not and could 
 not toucli the keys, which, however, must necessarily 
 have been touched and opened to make the sounds. 
 Ill Mr. Home's hands a beautiful tune was now played, 
 during which we heard what has been so often des 
 
254 
 
 eribed, the full notes gradually decreasing until tliey 
 died away into the thinnest streaks of sound. By three 
 quickly repeated notes it was promised that the instra- 
 luent should play the tune of the other evening, repre- 
 senting 'The Two Lives,' the one in tliis world, the 
 other in that which follows. The first, or this world's 
 life, was represented by discords grating painfully on 
 the ear, and which I thought did but scant justice to a 
 world which, though capable of improvemeiit, still has 
 some rich harmonies within its depths. In mercy to 
 our ears, tlie first life did not last long, and was then 
 succeeded by the second, which was made up of beau- 
 tiful soft angel music, such as I had never heard. It 
 played for several minutes, swelling into rich sounds 
 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 sei- 
 ond life could be given in musical sounds than this of 
 its being home ; and what a sweet sermon on the rela- 
 tive values of the two lives ! I believe it was received 
 more solemnly,, and yet more thankfully by all who 
 were present, from knowing the sickness ' even unto 
 death' of one of the party, the youngest and the happi- 
 est in her bright longings for tiiis second life. It would 
 be almost blasphemy to ask in her presence what is 
 ttie good of Spiritualism. Such a question would not 
 occur to a good man, and could not be asked bv a 
 wise one. The mere man of science who measures hu- 
 man souls by mathematics, would be out of place in 
 Buch a scene, and had I not been too happily eno-aned 
 with my own thoughts, I should have felt glad tliat we 
 
M,K. u ii,kins(jn's account. 255 
 
 were 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 Mr. Home's 
 right hand, his other hand being upon the table, as 
 were the hands of all the other persons present, and I 
 am not aware of any natural means by which an accor" 
 deon can be played under such conditions. I do not 
 doubt for another reason, liowever, having once had an 
 accordeon play in my own hands, when I know that I 
 do it. I also know that Lord Lyndhurst, and many 
 other public men whom I could name, have had a sim- 
 ilar experience. 
 
 " But now the table rises again a clear foot from the 
 •floor, and there stands, not quietly, but strongly undu- 
 lating, still BO 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 undulat- 
 ing.' It then gently descended to the floor again. We 
 now changed places according to directions, and a gen- 
 tleman became my right hand neighbor, who, in a min- 
 ute after, said that he saw a hand which he believed 
 to be his sou's. I did not see it, nor did 1 see three 
 Augers which my wife shortly after saw ; but in answer 
 to a question, I had three taps on my knee -as from a 
 hand, still with no such distinctness as to make me 
 sure what it was. At this time, several at once said 
 they saw a light cloudy appearance dart across the 
 i'oom, but, being behind me, I saw nothing of it. 
 
 " In one corner of the room, near where we were sit- 
 ting, was a shrine with several Indian idols of bronze. 
 Suddenly, there was a commotion amongst them, and 
 
256 ME. Wilkinson's accuunt. 
 
 a crash, and a large one was thrown down, and bronght 
 with some violence and 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 ornamental canopy, which had been un- 
 screwed from 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 against the floor. A re- 
 mark was made as to the want of respect tlius indi- 
 cated, and at once a number of jubilant raps were pro- 
 duced by again knocking the two parts of the idol to- 
 gether. Two or three times the idol appeared, push- 
 ing up inside of the table cloth, and twice it made its 
 appearance naked above the table, and gently reached 
 the ground again. Some flowers were brought from 
 the shrine, and placed in the hand of each person pres- 
 ent. 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 wliich it was impos- 
 sible 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 ta- 
 ble, but was not able to accomplish the whole journey, 
 aud fell gently back to the floor. The table was now 
 again raised clear from the ground, both my feet being 
 on its pediment, and pressing heavily downwards the 
 whole time. The resistance and upward steadv move- 
 
MR. Wilkinson's account. 25? 
 
 meiit of the table were strangely curious, as was its 
 careful qniet descent, my feet still pressing on it, and 
 yet it reached the ground without noise. Tiiere was 
 now a general rattle among the idols, and several very 
 loud knocks, and then came an end of a very interest- 
 ing evening, during wliich I have seen and heard what 
 was sufficient to convince me that those are wrong who 
 deny the possibility of the phenomena. How 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 doubt, but of cer- 
 tiiiuty. Tliere are some well-meaning persons wlio say 
 tliat they are done by the devil ; but I saw no signs on 
 this evening of any wickedness, either in the work, or 
 in the persons who looked on. For myself, I took up 
 mucli the same attitude as 1 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. 
 
 " 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 1 have seen, and if I have done so clearlj', that 
 is my only wish. Facts will always take care of them- 
 selves, and those are the most wise to whom they ad- 
 minister no reproof. There is another reason why I 
 hope to have enlarged the circle of observers, by my 
 description of this evening's phenomena. It is impos- 
 sible for many that they should see what I have seen, 
 and so far as they can believe my testimony, the neceS' 
 
'5S MR. 
 
 sity t'of their personal seeing is avoided. Many things 
 
 must be taken on the evidence of others. ' Non cuivis 
 
 contingit adire Corinthutn.' It does not happen to 
 
 every one to go to Corintli, and so they who can't go 
 
 themselves, must take the account of those who have 
 
 been there. A certain few of a peculiar turn of mind, 
 
 common 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 
 
 pecuftar weakness. It is not yet fashionable to believe 
 
 in these impossible things, and as some one must be 
 
 gin and put up with the necessary lidiciile, I willingly 
 
 submit my name for as much as can be made to stick 
 
 to it. 
 
 " VY. M. "Wilkinson. 
 " Hampstead." 
 
 Mr. William Howitt, who has made such deep re- 
 searches into this subject, and has in his great work 
 now ready for the press, brought together the testi- 
 monies, ancient and modern, to the supernalural 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 JSTew- 
 eastle, he gives an account of some part of what he 
 witnessed. 
 
 " I wish some of your negatives could have seen 
 /vhat I and Mrs. Howitt, and several others saw at the 
 aonse of a lady in Eegent's Park, about three months 
 ago, and the like of whicii some of our most distin- 
 guished nobility have seen there repeatedly of late. 
 There were, beside us, Mr. and Mrs. Home, and a Rus- 
 
MK. howitt's letter. 259 
 
 sian Count Steinbock, and several others. We liad 
 beautiful music played on the aceordeon when held in 
 one hand by Mr. Home, who cannot play a note, and 
 the same when held by a lady. "We had the clearest 
 and most prompt eomiiiunications on different subjects 
 through the alphabet, and flowers were taken from a 
 bouquet on a cliefi'dnier at a distance, and brought and 
 handed to each of us. Mrs. Howitt had a sprig of gera- 
 nium handed to her by an invisible hand, which we have 
 planted, and it is growing ; so that !t is no delusion, no 
 fairy money turned into dross or leaves. I saw a spi- 
 rit hand as distinctly as I ever saw my own. I toucli- 
 ed one several times, once when it was 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 wliisked against my hand at the opposite 
 side of the table ; I thought, with tlie intention of my 
 taking it, but the spirit would not allow that, but with- 
 drew it a little, then wliisked my hand with it anew, 
 and then flung it into the middle of the room. The 
 dress and the handkerchief were perfectly visible dur- 
 ing these operations, but the motive power was invi- 
 sible. 
 
 " 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 pitch- 
 ed them down on tlie floor, and with such violence 
 that the clash might have been heard all over the 
 house. The larger of these idols— perhaps all — of 
 
280 ME. HOWITT's LEITEK. 
 
 that I am not certain — unscrew, and the screws woi'k 
 exactly the opposite way to our screws ; but the spi- 
 rits unscrewed them, and pummelled their heads lustily 
 on the floor, saying, through tiie alphabet, '^ You must 
 all do your best to destroy idolatry, both in India and 
 in England, where it prevails in numerous ways. Idol 
 atry of rank, idolatry of wealth, idolatry of self, idol 
 atiy of mere intellect and learning, '^ &c^ &e. The 
 different parts were thrown under the table, that you 
 might tread them under foot, and two pai'ts of the idol 
 Mahadeo, 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. 
 
 '• Mr. Home was lifted about a foot from tlie ground, 
 but did not float as he frequently does, in the strong- 
 est 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 tliese things, and to whom they are as familiar as the 
 eiglit of a bird flying, and far more familiar than the 
 present comet, this was not necessary. 
 
 " A few evenings afterwards a lady desiring that the 
 ' Last Rose of Summer' might be played by a spirit 
 on tiie 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 af- 
 ter, evidently by another spirit, the accordeon was car- 
 ried and suspended over the lady's head, and there, 
 without any visible snpport or action on the instru- 
 ment, the air was played through most admirably, in 
 the view and heaiing of all." 
 
CHAPTEE XI. 
 
 A DIAET AND LETTER. 
 
 Neaklt the whole range of the phenomena occnr- 
 
 Ted during our residence with our friend Mrs. P 
 
 in the Regent's Park, and she lias heen a frequent vi- 
 sitor at other seances, and has kept a diary of every 
 evening, which she has kindly placed at my disposal. 
 I propose therefore to make extracts from it of some of 
 the more striking ohenomena both of this and of sub- 
 sequent dates. 
 
 Short Extracts from a Diary, 1860-61-62. 
 
 Demmh&r 15, 1860. — My mental questions were 
 answered by raps upon my dress. I put my right hand 
 Buddetly upon my lap, and tried to take hold of what- 
 ever it was that was touching my dress, but could seize 
 notiiing. Mr. Home desired me to put a handkerchief 
 over my hand. I did so, , and immediately on putting 
 it down, a hand grasped mine, and I suddenly witli- 
 drew it. Determined to conquer the neivous feelings 
 tliat overcame me, again I put my hand dnwn, and it 
 was taken by another hand, and kisses were imprinted 
 on it from the tip? of the fingers all over the palm. 
 
262 A DIAET AND LETTER. 
 
 All accordeon, held in Mr. Home's right hand, played 
 tne most exquisite music, swelling forth in full hnnno- 
 nions tones, and dying away in notes of tenderness, 
 and of exquisite and uneartlily music. His left hand 
 was all the time on the table. 
 
 A number of manifestations took place, and to jnen- 
 tal questions I received intelligent answer?, and I re- 
 turned home from this my first seance with Mr. Home 
 convinced of the truth of our being permitted to hold 
 intercourse with those who have passed to the spirit- 
 land. 
 
 DcOtmber 24:th,. — The accordeon played in Mr. 
 Home's hand, then five raps asked for the alphabet — 
 and " Christmas 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 represent- 
 ed by the most harmonious strains intermingled with 
 discords at times, as if it were thorny and painful, and 
 the passing away died on the air with exquisite ten- 
 derness. 
 
 January 29ith. — A seance of eight persons. "We 
 had amused ourselves during the time with the article 
 ."Spirit-rapping made easj'," in the magazine 'Once a 
 Week,' which we left on the chiffonier. I saw some- 
 thing pass from the side of the room with great veloci- 
 ty, which vanished under the table. A curious noise 
 was heard like the crumpling of paper, a spirit hand 
 arose, appeared, and placed in the medium's hand a 
 sheet of ' Once a W,eek,' crumpled up and torn. The 
 
A DIAEY AND LEITEK. 263- 
 
 spirits were at work destroying tlie magazine — they 
 rubbed it strongly over Mr. Home's shoe, and tlien 
 placed his foot upon it. The spirits gave each person 
 a bit of the mangled magazine, and the remainder wa 
 raised up by a large spirit hand, and placed on a va- 
 cant 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 north- 
 ern 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 height 
 of the bough was three feet eight inches, and the cir- 
 cumference three feet. Luminous hands were now 
 and then visible, the table rose gently, and tipped ma- 
 ny times against the bough ; the spirits threw bits of 
 the torn magazine about it, and placed one piece un- 
 der it. I asked in Hindostanee, " Are you making 
 Mr. Novra Ao pooja to the branch V 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 placed upon them a bit of the 
 bark torn from the poplar, the noise recommenced, 
 and to every one of the circle a bit was given. Invisi- 
 ble power opened the shutters, the trunk of the tree 
 rocked and waved backwards and forwards, and after 
 M time it was lifted up by invisible power and laid up- 
 on the table. At this time " Oft in the stilly night" 
 was played by the accordeon which lay on the floor, 
 untouched by mortal hands. Mr. Home's arnrs were 
 raised, and he walked to the end of the room, whoi-e 
 
264 A DIARY AND LETTEE. 
 
 he was lifted off the ground, and raised nntil his feel 
 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 return- 
 ed to its foi'mer place, where it remained some time — 
 at length it floated forward in the air, passed behind 
 the gas chandelier whicli was suspended in the centre 
 of the apartment, and he descended gently upon the 
 fli)or, 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 liis 
 arms were paralyzed, bat in a short time they returned 
 to their natui-al state. 
 
 March 13th. — 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 befwe. Tiie tree 
 shook again, and the accordeon which was on the 
 ground, played untouched by moi-tal hand. Mr. 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 up- 
 on 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 tlie arm up to the shoulder, and tlie little fin- 
 gers 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. 
 Mr. Home was pushed back in liis chair a foot or so, 
 and a luminous head came up from his right side, 
 
A DIAEY AKD LETTER. 265 
 
 stopped ill front of his knees, and then coming toward 
 me, as I sat on his left hand, it disappeared. 
 
 March nth. — JSn seance five persons at Mr. 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 
 dregs 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, "Beloved spirit, will you kiss 
 my hand ?" and immediately my fingers were kissed 
 four times. The spirit lold me that the bullet now 
 possessed talismanic power, not in cases of sickness, 
 but in those of accidents. ]Va';ural flowers were taken 
 ofi" the table, and given to each person present. Mr. 
 Home 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 on his forehead, and one on each hand ; 
 we saw the three very bright, and many others glanc- 
 ing about. He was fixed against the wall. The lumi- 
 nous appearance was so distinct as to render the pa- 
 pering on the wall perfectly distinct ; and tlien he 
 floated along the room and was placed on his knees on 
 the sofa — again he was carried up, and the star on his 
 forehead showed where lie wa? — as he floated along 
 the room, it floated above his head, and when he de- 
 scended the star was quenched. Whilst he was at the 
 
 12 
 
2f)6 A DIARY AND Ll'.lTEE. 
 
 table, a spirit hand raised the accordeon from the floor 
 above the table, and when he was borne into tbe air, 
 tlie accoideon floated above Lis head, plaj'ing beauti- 
 lully all the time, and crossed from one end of the 
 room to the other. 
 
 March 2Sth. — £^n seance nine persons at Mr. 
 Home's house. I had a gilt whistle in my hand, Mr. 
 Home took it in his left hand, and put it under the ta- 
 ble cloth ; in his right hand was the accordeon. " O !" 
 he exclaimed, " it is so strange — what are they gc 
 ing to do vnth the whistle? the spirit has turned it 
 round in my hand, and I feel a mouth against my fin- 
 gei'S." The whistle was immediately sounded several 
 times. This was quite a new manifestation. The spi- 
 ]it then took the whistle from him, the accordeon be- 
 g;m to play, and the air was accompanied by the whis- 
 tle, which 1 then heard drop upon the floor. 
 
 March 2>\st. — En seance seven persnns. I put 
 down my hand, and held it motionless — it was kissed 
 by two, spirits, and when the table cloth was lifted off 
 the bracelet, I felt fingers trying to pull it off my arm, 
 but it would not pass over my hand — then the fingerp 
 turned the bracelet round until they got hold of the 
 clasp, which it appeared they found diflicult to unfas- 
 ten. At length having succeeded in so doing, they 
 carried the bracelet away. Shortly afterwards a hand 
 arose near a gentleman opposite, and threw the brace- 
 let gently on the centre of the table. 
 
 June 2«/.- — A stance of five persons. As twilight 
 came on, a pleasant dimness fell over the room, and 
 a lady said, " Is the light the spirits love, like the 
 odylic ?" to which raps answered " More refined." 
 
A niAEY AKD lp:ttek. 207 
 
 Tlie spirits moved the table witli violence up to the 
 window, near the Hindoo shrine, and the accordeon, 
 (no human liand touching it) plaj'ed in the most char- 
 ming manner, exquisitely and with great power — 
 There was much noise at the Hindoo shrine, the image 
 of Yishnn and the Holy Bull were brought and put 
 on the top of the table, then a large hand, which aji- 
 peared dark, being between us and the light, put up 
 the accordeon entirely above the top of the table — a 
 second hand on the other side took it down again, an- 
 other hand took a bell off the table and rang it. Mr. 
 Home was raised from 'his chair erect into tlie air, and 
 descended on a footstool. Then he was drawn to the 
 other end of the room, and raised in the air until liis 
 hand was on the top of the door ; thence he floated 
 horizontally forward, and descended. I saw a bright 
 star constantly flashing forth, the raps died away in 
 the distance, and the seance ended. 
 
 June Zrd. — A seance of nine persons. I placed a 
 large bouquet of natural flowers on the shoulder of the 
 great marble idol Ganesh. Tlie accordeon in Mr. 
 HomeV right hand playing most beautifully, harmon- 
 ized the circle, and the spirit hands touched almost 
 every one present. A rustling sound was heard about 
 the idol, and something passed under the table. The 
 spiiits 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. Home, untj'- 
 ing the bouquet, returned the flowers to Mrs. Home, 
 who asked the spirit to give tliem a talismanic power, 
 and take one to each of us. The first flower, a rosebud, 
 was carried to a lady, and the spirits rapped, " From 
 
268 A DIAKT AND LETTEE. 
 
 one who is a mortal, but will ere long be \dtli ns — ■ 
 emblem of Saclia." This announcement drew tears 
 from us all ; we were deeply affected, and Mr. Home 
 sank back overcome with emotion. A narcissus was 
 given to me, and a flower to every one present — also 
 Bome for those wlio were absent, but who were loved 
 by Mrs. Home. She spoke for a length of time conso- 
 lations for those whom she was about to quit ; her 
 voice was very weak, and I lost the greater part of 
 ■what she said. She shook hands with us all, a fare- 
 well we wept, but not a word was uttered. 
 
 June hth. — A seance of four persons. Mr. Home 
 immediatelv went into the trance, and after many 
 communications said, "If you could only see the mass 
 of spirits near Sacha ! A veiled female is near her — 
 when Sacha goes to the spirit land, there she will be, 
 lier 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 loving hands and placed 
 before God's holy throne— they bear His blessings 
 clown 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 — the Hope star 
 bigh in the heavens to lead them from earth, and to 
 rust only in God." 
 
 June 11th. — ^n 5(5a7ic« seven persons. The spirits 
 plaj'ed beautiful music, and brought to lis 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 DIAKY AND LETrEE. 269 
 
 the table. Mr. Home saw a spirit at the shrine ; then 
 tliey rapped, "Faith' in God, and the change of woi'ld 
 
 ■will be most glorious, all other " (the idols which 
 
 they had placed under the table were rattled violently) 
 " 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 Mahndeo, and put it on the table. It 
 is the large brass idol overshadowed by the expanded 
 hood of the cobra di capella. Then tliey rapped " be 
 brought." They took the idol off the table and pitched 
 it down violently with a clang and noise, then rapped 
 " down low before him." In this manner they eluci- 
 dated 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 Him." 
 
 June VMh. — A verbena plant in a flower pot stond 
 by the shrine. A hand touched Mrs. Home, and the 
 verbena plant, with the little sticks that supported it, 
 Saving 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." They shook Mrs. Home's dress 
 violently, earth was thrown on Mr. Home's shoulder, 
 and over it on the table. He saw a spirit hand which 
 was full of earth, 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 DIAEY AND LKFrEE. 
 
 ground hy the window, emblematic of drawing tlie 
 80 111 from its earthly tenement. 
 
 Jujie IZth. — Mr. Home went into the trance, and 
 8ai(l, "There are more spirits aroand Sacha, and the 
 veiled spirit is coming nearer and nearer." Mysterious 
 eouuds 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, " 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 suflPering, and then all is agreeable." 
 
 June 22<^. — En seance seven persons. A spii-it 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 dis- 
 tiuctly 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 sliutters, used as an alarum, 
 was rung above our heads, and we saw the hand 
 M'hich held it. Mr. Home went into the trance, and 
 said, " Where tlie eye ought to be are placed two 
 crosses ; the Christian faith will put the eye out. I 
 di) not understand what they mean — the spiiit is doing 
 it ! Hark ! liark ! don't write !" I ceased writing — 
 we listened, and heard a noise like scratching on tlie 
 shrine. Mr. Home woke from the trance, and tlie 
 seance ended. On going to tlie shrine, we saw on the 
 forehead of the great white marble image of Ganesh, 
 two crosses m;ide in pencil by the spirits, just over ihe 
 
A DIAET AND LETTER. 2TI 
 
 sentre triple eye of the idol, which, denotes its having 
 all-seeing power. This was the noise alluded to by 
 Mr. Home in the trance. 
 
 June ^^th. — Seven persons e^i seanoe. A scientific 
 gentleman wlio had written to disprove spiritual man- 
 ifestations, was to have joined the party; however, ho 
 requested to have a programme ! which he said is due 
 to him as a scientific man, and to his position ! It be- 
 ing impossible to give a programme, he declined join- 
 ing the seance. 
 
 Ju7ie25th. — JEn seance eight persons. The accor- 
 deoii 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 sounds were made, as if to impress us 
 with solemnity. 
 
 June 27. — A seance of eight persons. Numerous 
 manifestations took place. Flowers were given, the 
 accordeon played, and an American cane chair which 
 was at the other side of the room, was moved by un- 
 seen power up to the table. A hand touched our 
 foreheads, and an arm waved in the air over the table 
 several times. Mr. Home was drawn back in his 
 chair, and an arm, the hand holding the alarum bell, 
 waved over the table ; it rang in the air, and by my 
 shoulder, which it touched and then fell to the ground, 
 The accordeon, now in the air, untouched by mortal 
 hand, played beautifully as it floated round the table, 
 and touched each person present. 
 
 June 28. — A seance of eight persons. Mr. Home 
 was raised fiom his chair, and carried up a little in an 
 
272 A DIAEY AND LETTBB. 
 
 erect posture, and then put down again. Music waa 
 heard in tlie air, and then strange sounds— we mar- 
 velled what it might be. "Is it a spirit ?" " Yes." 
 Tl)en the spirit spoke many times, Wt the words 
 were unintelligible. Mrs. Home was afraid, and beg- 
 ged them not to speak ; and Mr. Home said, " It is 
 their diflBculty to make the material sounds of speech." 
 It reminded me of Bournemouth, where in Mr. Home's 
 room I had heard music, the chirping of a bird, and 
 spirit voices very distinctly. 
 
 June 30. — A seance of three persons. The table 
 trembled and tipped so much, we were surprised the 
 decanters did not fall off. Then it was shaken so vio- 
 lently that froth was produced, and the wine in the 
 decanters splashed up their long necks, whilst the wa- 
 ter was scarcely affected. The spirits rapped out tlieir 
 dislike to wine. The table was made excessively hea- 
 vy — four of us 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 tlie spirits a foot 
 or more from 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 3rd. — Mi seance seven persons. The table 
 was shaken, and rose and undulated in the air, whilst 
 I counted sixty-two aloud. Mr. Home 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 fi^et. He leaned over until he, touched Mrs. Home, 
 and then he was carried up, his body being bent for- 
 ward in a circular form, until his head was above thw 
 
A EI ART ANK LETTER. 273 
 
 centre pane in the large window ; lie ascended some 
 feet, and came down again. It was quite light in tlie 
 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 
 wliich denoted where he was. He descended, returned 
 'to the table quite stiffened, awoke soon aftei'wards, and 
 came out of the trance. 
 
 July 1th. — We, fi)ur persons, were sitting at the cen- 
 tre window in the front drawing-room, talking togeth- 
 er, when the spirits begari to rap on the floor. Mr. 
 Home brought up a small table, and we had many 
 manifustations, in tlie midst of which a sofa-table at the 
 end of the room, on which was a large lamp and two 
 iiowerTpots containing fine lemon-scented verbenas. 
 One of them rolled up, untouched by any one, and 
 placed itself between Mr. and Mrs. Home. It was a 
 tine summer evening, and the room was perfectly light. 
 Mr. Home fell back in his chair, and went into the 
 deep sleep for some time ; 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. He made passes 
 jver the verbena plant, but did not touch it. Imme- 
 diately the air was filled with tlie scent which he 
 wafted to each of us, and it remained most powerfully 
 (>u his hands. Making more passes, still in the trance, 
 he said, ''Thus we extract the essence from the flower; 
 in the same manner the soul is taken from the body ; 
 to-morrow you will see the lower leaves are withered, 
 and the plant will die in a few days." Which fact 
 occurred as he had said, yet no apparent cause could 
 
 13* 
 
274 A DIAEY AND LETl'EK. 
 
 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. Homo 
 sleeping on the sofa, and I sitting by the table reading 
 by lamp-light. Suddenly loud raps were heard on tlie 
 large heavy dinner-table ; it trembled, rose, and bal- 
 anced 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 on the table, voices were were heard in the 
 air, and Mr. Home said,- "The spirits are trying to 
 talk." '"Yes," tlien a voice said, "we are trying^ to 
 come." I heard two voices of very different tone, and 
 asked, " Who are you, dea* spirit?" The name was 
 given and repeated several times. Mr. Home was led 
 about the room, showing stars on his forehead and fin- 
 gers as he held his hands up. A cross of stars was 
 seen by him and Mrs. Home. -I only saw the cross- 
 bar of stars, not the uprights. He was led up to the 
 shutters, and he opened the lower part ; immediately 
 spirit power closed the lower and opened the upper 
 part. Mr. Home 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, 
 marking the shape of the head and shoulders. He fol- 
 lowed close upon it ; I saw them both in the mirror, 
 his features, face and hair, perfectly distinct, but the 
 features of the form that led him were not visible be- 
 neath the dark blue tinted robe that covered them 
 Tiiey passed from before the glass, and then we all saw 
 
A DIARY AND LETTEE. 275 
 
 a female i5gure with a white veil thrown over lier 
 head, which fell to the ground ; at the same time, but 
 rather higher, was the form of a man in oriental cos- 
 tume. The startling vision faded away, and the great 
 mirror remained with only the light from the window, 
 which streamed in upon it. 
 
 July 12tk. — Ml seance six persons. Stars appeared 
 above Mrs. Home's head, and a light was seen, with 
 fingers passing over it as it floated above our heads 
 It was the VEILED SPIRIT. I saw the hand which 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. 
 Mrs. Home's mother made the sign of the cross on her 
 brow, and then on Mr. Home'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 into it. Other 
 pieces of paper were torn off, and then a puncil was 
 thr.iwn to the other end of the room. A bell wasruny: 
 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 
 night," was now rapped. On looking at the paper that 
 liad been put into my hand, I found the initials of a 
 beloved spirit, beautifully written in pencil, afac-sim- 
 ile of his writing when on earth. A paper had been 
 given to Mrs. Home by her father, and on it was a 
 cross surmounted by a crown, to show as that we muit 
 bear the cross to wear the crown. 
 
 February 18, 1862. — A stance of six persons. After 
 
276 A DIAEY AND LETrEE. 
 
 ^various manifestations, Mr. Home went into the tranco, 
 and addressing a person present said, " You ask what 
 good are such trivial manifestations, snch as rapping, 
 table-moving, &c. ? God is a better judge tlian we are 
 what is fitted for humanity, immense results may 
 spring from trivial things. The steam from a kettle is 
 a small thing, but look at the locomotive ! The elec- 
 ti'ic spark Irom the back of a cat is a small thing, but 
 see the wonders of electricity ! The raps are small 
 tilings, but tlieir results will lead you to the Spirit 
 "World and to eternity ! "Why should great results 
 spring from such causes ? Christ was born in a man- 
 ger, he was not born a King. "When you tell me why 
 he was born in a manger, I will tell you why these 
 manifestations, so trivial, so undignified 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 
 tliose persons who were present, and perhaps by a 
 larger circle. I gi ve no names, but merely the facts as 
 they occurred, because it is irwpossible 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 manifes- 
 tations, and amongst them that of the presence of the 
 veiled spirit, who tlienceforth was frequently seen by 
 my wife and by me, as will be read in the beautiful 
 memoir of my wife, written by that most inestimable 
 type of womanhood, Mrs. Mary Howitt. The veil of 
 
A DIARY AND LETTER. 277 
 
 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 hap- 
 pened to me only on the occasion described in tho 
 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 marked 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 liuman will, over the lower 
 foi-ms of life. 
 
 I am sorry that in so many instances I am obliged to 
 conceal the names of my friends who have witnessed 
 wonderful things ; but if the reader is disposed to com- 
 plain 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 giv- 
 en in obedience to the call for testimony, than it be- 
 comes 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 DIAKY AND LETTEK. 
 
 still less for ladies, to come forward, and stand in fnmt 
 of all this obloquy. If an example be needed of the 
 truth of this, if it be not an obvions 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 truth-^ 
 fully v;riting in this little book a few of the incidents 
 of my 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 tlie most gross and fool- 
 ish statements have been made to my prejudice, and 
 when a word from me would have corrected them, is 
 sufficient proof of my indifference to such attacks. 
 
 *I am sorry, however, for the want of kindness and the 
 folly which so many exhibit, for their Own sakes, more 
 than for my own. I do not expect that they will be- 
 have differently now in regard to what they see iu my 
 book, fur ill ilie present state of their minds, the truth 
 cannot be received. The facts become to them impos- 
 sible, while to me, and many of my friends who have 
 been in the habit of seeing them, and watching tliem, 
 Studying them and their consequences for so many 
 years, their strangeness even has well nigh disappeared. 
 We ought certainly to make some allowance for those 
 ignorant persons who sit quietly at home, saying thaf. 
 such things are impossible, without having ever take i 
 the trouble to try to witnesss them, or to get together 
 even the first elements for forming a judgment upon 
 them. These are not so unjust and dishonest as tliat 
 class, of which Sir David Brewster is the type, who, in 
 
A niARY AND LE'rrEK.' 279 
 
 the interests of what they consider their position in 
 the scientific world, have no scruple in telling false- 
 hoods, and in denj'ing what they have seen, and in de- 
 ceiving still further the former class of merely ignorant 
 persons. 
 
 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 nar- 
 rative, and the public would have an opportunity of 
 being greatly surprised at finding out who are the per- 
 sons 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 coiudemn this narrative in their 
 journals, hardly one does not reckon amongst his inti- 
 mate 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 persfins 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 names which 
 would amplj' 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 sori-y that 
 
280 A DIAUY AND LETTEB. 
 
 I can only give her initial, and call her Mrs. S , 
 
 She had become a widow not long before I had the 
 pleasure of making her acquaintance. 
 
 " I first attended a sean.ce at Mr. Home's in the sum- 
 mer 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 from a dear old friend who in- 
 troduced 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 convinc- 
 ing. After many raps, movements of the table, &c., 
 my handkerchief was drawn from my hand, the knocks 
 given for the alphabet, and the words ' Shed no more 
 tears ' were spelt out, and my handkerchief came up 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, Mr. Home fell into a trance, and described 
 my dear husband most accurately, said how noble he 
 was in mind and body, and how he should have loved 
 him had he known him in life, and then said, ' Bat who 
 is that Mary standing by his side 3 Wiiat a noble wo- 
 man, and how she loves him, and how happy they are 
 together, and how they both love you ; you were his 
 star in life. But what was that misery about his watch ? 
 jou 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 tlie night 
 I lost my husband, and resolved never to let it go down 
 again ; but more than a month afterwards, when I re- 
 luined to our old home I forgot to wind it one night, 
 
A DIARY AND LErriE. 281 
 
 and my agony was great when I discovered it in the 
 morning, but I never mentioned it even to my hus- 
 band's sister, who was in the house with me. A great 
 deal more toolc place at the stance interesting both to 
 myself and others. 
 
 " A month later I attended a second seance. Somt 
 remarkable tilings were told by Mr. Home, who was in 
 a state of trance, to a lady 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 
 wonderful, he has been dead these thirty years,' when 
 Mr. Home, whom I tliought much too distant to hear, 
 called out, in a loud thrilling voice, '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 
 Mary spoken of before) were behind my chair, and that 
 both longed to comfort me. He gave me the following 
 message : — ' My own Adelaide, all your prayers are 
 heard, your pure thoughts seen, your patience and lov- 
 ing hope. We are not, nor shall we be separated, we 
 are one in Chkist.' " ' 
 
 " He then went on to say that I had had a conversa- 
 tion with my husband eight months before, and that he 
 blessed me for that convei-sation now ; that we were 
 sitting in our drawing-room at home, he in his arm- 
 chair and I in mine, with the little round table between 
 us, that 1 had just been reading a chapter in the New 
 Testament, and that on that night the angel of the Lord 
 laid his hand upon my husband's brow, and he had 
 faded from that time. I remember perfectly the con 
 
282 A DIAEY AND LF/rrEE, 
 
 versation alluded to, and it was a very remarkable one. 
 I had bden reading prayers to the servants, and we were 
 sitiiiig in the manner prescribed, and talked for more 
 than half an hour before going to bed. These are fact.s 
 for which I can vouch, and though my name is not given 
 here, Mr. Home will give it to any one wishing to be 
 convinced. To me the comfort lias been unspeakable ; 
 bat did I bjlieve Spiritualism to be sinful or forbidden 
 by our Lord, nothing would induce me to have any- 
 thing to say to it, but I believe the reverse iu this case. 
 I have felt more at peace, more perfect trust — nttei 
 childlike trust — in my God and Saviour, than I have 
 ever done be;bre. Mr. Home told me that my dear 
 husband was always with me whenlprayed, 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 con- 
 tinued to see spirits diiily. We went to Brighton, where 
 we remained till the month of December. Late in the 
 evening of one day in November, my wife being in 
 bed, 1 was in the drawing-room with a friend, when a 
 strange chill air seemed to suriound us, and creaking 
 noises were heard. In fact, a feeling of great discom- 
 fort came upon us both, when we heard my wifeknifck- 
 ing on the floor, this being her signal of requiring my 
 presence. I ran up stairs, and she said, '* Daniel, dn 
 not leave me ; there is a spirit-presence in my rooiu 
 which is strange and unpleasant to me. I feel as if 
 something had occuri-ed, or was about to happen." I 
 remained with her, but we no longer felt or heard any- 
 thing of the kind. Li the morning on the breakfast 
 
k DIARY AND LETTER. 283' 
 
 table was a letter from a much loved friend, announce 
 iiig the departure of a son under most painful circum- 
 stances. 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 Janu- 
 ary, 1862, the power returned, in me but far from 
 strongly. On one occasion whilst we were seated, tli& 
 strange trembling so often noticed was felt in the ta- 
 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 from 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, papai 
 I don't like to have my bed rocking." I thought that 
 he might have a headache, or some slight indisposi- 
 tion, which might have caused a giddiness, but he said 
 he was very well. I remained a short time with him, 
 and then joined my friends in the drawing-room. In 
 about half an hour the trembling was repeated, and 
 again the nursery-bell rang. 1 had to go him, and I 
 found that the rocking had been more violent than be- 
 fore, and he begged me to lay down with him till he 
 got to sleep. I did so. and in about ten miniites he 
 was fasr, asleep. The spirits then told us that they had 
 " accidentally caused his bed to shake." 
 
 Another instance of this trembling being feft outside 
 the room 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, 
 
284 A DIAKY AND LKITKK. 
 
 " How you must have beea (Jaacing, 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 manifest^ion that evening was the 
 etrong 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. 
 
CHAPTEE XIL 
 
 IN MEMOEIAM. 
 
 On the 20th of February, 1S62. we left England for 
 the Chateau Laroche, near Periguenx, 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 briglit morn- 
 ing 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 lov- 
 ing mercy we shall meet again, and find our lasting 
 liabitation in the eternal inner world. 
 
 Let me have the pleasure ot adding the sweet trib- 
 ute to her memory 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 communion during the long stages of disease, 
 and the placid contemplation of the passing onward, 
 
23 6 IN MEMOEIAM. 
 
 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 Memoriam. 
 
 " Madame Alexandrina Home, the wife of Mr. Dan- 
 iel Dunglas Home, passed from earth on the 3d July 
 last, at the Chateau Laroche, Dordogne, France, the 
 residence of her sister, the Countess Luboff Koucheleff 
 Besborodka, in the twenty-second year of her age. 
 
 " Mrs. Home was the youngest daughter of the Gen- 
 eral Count de Kroll, of Russia, and she was the god- 
 daughter of the late Emperor Nicholas. She was edu- 
 cated at the Institute of St. Catherine at the same time 
 as tlie present Countess de Morny, of Paris. Mr. 
 Home, who had been at several of the Courts of En- 
 rope, 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 
 Petersburgli, and was celebrated in the presence of M. 
 Alexandre Dumas, who went from Paris on purpose to 
 be present, and to officiate as god-father to Mr. Home, 
 according to the custom of the Romish Church. The 
 Emperor Alexander also was represented there by two 
 of his aides de-camp, whom he sent as groomsmen, and 
 tlie Emperor presented to Mr. Home on the happy oc- 
 casion a magnificent diamond ring of great value. On 
 the birth of the only child of the marriage, a son, the 
 
IN MEMOEIAM. 2S7 
 
 Emperor evinced liis continued interest in Mr. and 
 Mrs. Home by presenting to them as a memento of liis 
 friendship a ring of emeralds and diamonds. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Home 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 sou, there was no more to hope for, but to bring 
 him up worthily to be a partaker in their happiness. 
 
 " 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 oc- 
 casion of some trifling illness, as it was supposed, de- 
 tected, to the surprise and grief of all who loved her, 
 such undoubted signs of consnraption in her constitu- 
 tion that in all human probability her life could not be 
 of long duration. Such tidings to a young and happy 
 woman, surrounded by everything that can make out- 
 ward existence attractive, would, in ordinary circum- 
 stances, have come as the direst calamity ; but it was 
 not so in the case of Mrs. Home. Though attliat time 
 only in her twenty-first year, she received the an- 
 nouncement with entire calmness. God's will be done, 
 was the cheerful law of her life, and He who had hith- 
 erto made that life so rich would not fail, she knew, to 
 continue His love and mercy to her in that higher life 
 
288 IN MEMOEIAM. 
 
 to which He was calling hor. Kothing bnt. the deep- 
 est religions conviction of the Supreme Wisdom and 
 Love can bring tlie human soul into a state of submis- 
 sive 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 knowledge, tlie 
 firm possession of which makes obedience and submis- 
 sion easy, and keeps the soul calm and even joyful un- 
 der the most startling and adverse circumstances. We 
 shall then in part, if not fully understand whence came 
 tlie strange, and apparently most unnatural, willing- 
 ness to depart from the earthly life amidst its most at- 
 tractive circumstances. She was a deeply-hdieving 
 Spiritualist. God's love bad made known to her the 
 reality of the spiritual world ; she had been permitted 
 to solve the great, mysterious, and perjilexing riddle of 
 the Hereafter, and so loyal was she to the knowledge 
 which had thus been given her, that slie was ready to 
 attest" it in life or in death. Like all experienced Spi- 
 ritualists she knew that the outward life, be its term 
 longer or shorter, is but a school in wliich God wills to 
 train the immortal being to a higlier knowledge — is 
 but a pilgrimage, or passage by which he is willing to 
 conduct it to another and a still happier home. Siie 
 knew that in that other state of existence, though un- 
 clothed by the body, and apparently separated from the 
 beloved on earth, she might yet be permitted to watch 
 over and love them as tlieir guardian angel, and to be 
 in the close companionship of those who had gone be- 
 fore — of tliose living and glorified spirits who should 
 lead lier to the throne of grace and love ineffable. If 
 
IN MEMORIAM. 289 
 
 it be tlie liighest lieroisiu to meet death witli unflincli- 
 ing courage, this amiable, gentle young woman, this 
 child of affluence and fortune, displayed an almost un- 
 equalled degree of tliis noble quality of mind, and so 
 doing, proved liow strong and all-snstaining in life's 
 extremity is the faith of the Christian Spiritualist. 
 
 "Tlie first startling intelligence that her disease was 
 mortal came to a mind so prepared with wholly abated 
 force. The sting was already taken from death ; nor 
 through the whole after trials and sufferings of herphy- 
 sical frame did she lose her equanimity or firm confi- 
 dence in the future. This calmness, indeed, became 
 the most striking feature of her long and painful ill- 
 ness. It was so profound and marked as to be alniost 
 phenomenal, and was noticed as such by the eminent 
 physicians who attended her in London, and subse- 
 quently in France, as well as by the Bishop of Peri- 
 giieux, who frequently visited her during the latter 
 part of her earthly life. The last sacraments were ad- 
 ministered 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 exhibited through 
 Mr. Home, and the many attractive qualities of his 
 young and lovely wife had naturally gathered around 
 them a large circle of friends to whom the singular ex- 
 hibition 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 
 
2f)0 IN MEMOEIAM. 
 
 the time, cast into the shade the wonderful gifts and 
 powers of lier husband. If Addison called to his death- 
 bed his infidel son-in-law that, witnessing his coinpo- 
 s'nre, he might learn with how much calmness a Chris- 
 tian conld die, so here disbelievers in Spiritualism look- 
 ing on this gifted young woman, saw with wonder not 
 onlj how calmly, but how joyously the Christian Spi- 
 ritualist could face death. 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 dj'- 
 ing but suffering saint ; no mention made of tlie atone- 
 ment ; of the works of grace on her soul, of the suffer- 
 ings of a crucified Savior for her sake. Xevertheless, 
 with the simplicity of a little child who accepted the 
 Divine love as his natural gift, she loved the Savior 
 and rejoiced in Him, responding to His unspeakable 
 goodness with the whole allegiance of her soul, but 
 Getbsemane and the bloody hill of the crucifixion were 
 not present to her mind ; the agony and woe had no 
 place in her experience. She wae, it must be remem 
 bered, the embodiment of her own Greek church ; of 
 that church in which she was educated, the most an- 
 cient faith of which has ever recognized the Savior les? 
 as the Crucified than the Arisen, the triumphant over 
 suffering, sin, and death, as the Victor not the Victim, 
 an the Lord who said to his chosen ones, ' Rejoice that 
 vonr names are written in heaven !' Such, it appears 
 to me, who frequently saw her during this portion of 
 lier short stay on earth, was the tact which made her 
 relationship to the Savior so joyous, whilst her own 
 single-heartedness left her free from all established 
 
IN MEMOEIAM. 901 
 
 plii'aseology or any wish to produce effect, and tlieee 
 happily combined with her actual knowledge of spirit- 
 uhI existence, strengthened that remarkable state of 
 calmness and clieerf'ulness with which she waited the 
 close of her ontward life. Her Savior had indeed 
 risen for her, and with the unquestioning, unreasoning 
 faith of a loving, obedient child-like nature, she was 
 not only willing to go when He called her, but cheer- 
 fully 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 be- 
 come a blessing to the beloved ones whom she left be- 
 hind. 
 
 " During that short but interesting time of her de- 
 clining health in London, her remarkable unselfishness 
 became another endearing characteristic to all her 
 friends. She made, even amidst her increasing suffer- 
 ings, constant exertions to see them, and seances were 
 belli frequently at the house where she and her hus- 
 band were then residing, in which she took a glad part. 
 On these occasions many wonderful and touchingly 
 heantifal incidents occurred, and few, if any, who thus 
 met her, but retain with tender and affectionate regard 
 some tender flower or fragrant spray — am emblem of 
 herself, which was presented to her by spirit-hands, as 
 a little memento for each. 
 
 "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 
 
ijy2 IN ?,IT:iIOEIAK. 
 
 frequent visitants were her mother and her father, and 
 the mother of lier husband. From them she received 
 the most loving messages of endearment, and the most 
 cheering words of welcome to her spirit home. She 
 was also constantly attended by a veiled female spirit, 
 whom she did not know, but whose very presence 
 gave her great comfort, though she never spoke, nor 
 raised her veil. Mr. Home was told that this kind 
 guardian spirit would continue veiled until the last, 
 when the veil would be thrown over her own newborn 
 spirit, to keep her from the sight of the tears and 
 mourning around the bed where lier body would be 
 lying. Through the six months jirevions to her pass- 
 ing away, the veil was slowly and gradually gathered 
 from the feet of the guardian spirit towards the bead, 
 until two days before her release, when for the last 
 time she saw the spirit with the veil gathered in the 
 foi'm of a crown about her head, but with one part, 
 as a festoon, still concealing her face. 
 
 "On one occasion several persons, who were in the 
 room with Mrs. Home, saw the hand and arm of the 
 spirit to the shoulder, the appearance being that of a 
 himinous body, most beautifully perfect in form, and 
 jovered as if with a veil of light. 
 
 "The eminent composer. M. Magnus, of Paris, 
 ■ .-.ame to the Chateau Laroche to visit Mrs. Home dur- 
 ing the last three weeks of her earthly stay, and al- 
 most daily she asked him to play for her, and whilst 
 lying placidly listening to his music, her face assumed 
 an almost beautiful expression whilst she kept time to 
 the music with her hands. On one occasion she said, 
 
IN MEMOEIAM. 293 
 
 when he had finished playing, 'Those strains are very 
 beautifal, but I shall soon hear more beautiful still.' 
 
 " Frequently also, during the first three months and 
 the last two months of her illness, not only she, but all 
 those about her, heard delicious strains of spirit mu- 
 sic, sounding like a perfect harmony of vocal sounds. 
 During the last month, also, the words were most dis- 
 tinctly heard, and were recognized as the chants for 
 the dying used in the Eussian Church. 
 
 " She departed on Thursday, the 3rd of Julj', and oa 
 the Saturday 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. She is 
 with God, and she told me that my uncle Gregoire, 
 and my aunt Luba are my godfather and my godmo- 
 ther, and that they would be very good to me, and f 
 must love them.' 
 
 " At her funeral, the service at which was perform- 
 ed by the vicar-general of the diocese, four of the 
 men servants of her sister asked each to lead a horse 
 of the hearse to the burial ground, saying that they 
 could not 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 custom- 
 ary, throwing earth upon the cofi&n,> fii-st 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 consciousness, clearness 
 and trust in God, than did this young and attractive 
 
294 IN MEMORIAM. 
 
 woman, by thf)8e very incans and teadjiiigs whicli tl\e 
 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. 
 
 " Maey Ho WITT." 
 
 To another esteemed friend, Mrs. S. C. Hall, also 
 well known for her trne 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 in which she embraces a most interesting acconnt 
 of her observations of the phenomena : 
 
 '' It pleased God to remove from this life only a few 
 months since, a much beloved lady, who daring her 
 brief residence among us. entwined herself closely 
 round the hearts of her and her hnsband's many friends 
 — I speak of one, dear to us as 'Sacha,' the wife of 
 Mr. Daniel Home. 
 
 " Educated as befitted a Hnssian lady of rank, she 
 was still more riclily endowed by grace, feeling, a 
 peculiar beauty, which I may term loveliness, aaid a 
 sweet simplicity of nature, that rendered her transpa- 
 rent and pure as crystal ; slie was also gifted with a 
 rare appreciation of the beauliful. Her interest in, 
 and admiration of wliatever was excellent in art, was 
 the result of innate perception, not often met with 
 where observation has not been nmtured by age ; witli 
 a refinement on the natural quickness of her sex — she 
 felt while othere reasoned — indeed, all her perceptions 
 were vivid, and she was entirely feminine. 
 
IN MEMOEIAM. 295 
 
 " When first I knew lier, she was radiant with life 
 and J03' — a playful girl numbeiing just twenty years, 
 and yet in the full tid3 of her sweet joy — loving her 
 husband, her child, lier friends, and feeling keenly 
 how much she was beloved. If something touched 
 her quick sympathies, her eyes in a moment grew 
 deej) and dark, her sweet lips quivered, and the gii'l 
 became at once the depp-hearted, tender, earnest wo- 
 man. Wise too she was, and in her wildest moods 
 something would come of wisdom, a sentence, or even 
 a single word, so full and suggestive. 
 
 '' Soon, however, it became certain to us that this 
 S"weet happy life was not to remain here, ar.d to none 
 was this SO evident as to herself; not for a moment 
 did slie doubt that she had received her warning for 
 the ' better land.' She would talk with her husband, 
 and with all of ns, her friends, of her passing away, 
 believing^nay, knowing — that she would beperuiit- 
 ted still to watch over her child, to companion lier 
 luisband, to communicate with her friends ; and this 
 in calm, imconstrained cheerfulness, surrounded by 
 the happy realities of a loving life, and loving, as he 
 deserved, her devoted husband. It was almost impos- 
 sible to hear the full sweet tones of her voice, to feel 
 tlie aifectionate pressure of her little hands, observe 
 the life-full expression of her face, and realise her ap- 
 proaching change, when the mortal shall have put on' 
 immortality. 
 
 " How bitterly hard it is to feel^ however we may 
 repeat the words, ' Thy will be done!' As the spring 
 advanced eacli time I saw her, I perceived some 
 change, and yet the ' change' could not bo defined — it 
 
396 IN MEMOEIAM. 
 
 was more in lier spirit than her person. Suffering, 
 wearied the young fragile fonn, and she longed to be 
 away — she desired freedom from the body's pain, from 
 the perpetual endni-ance of restlessness— she craved to 
 he out of the body that she might be in the spirit. — 
 She talked about this change as invalids talk of change 
 of air, and with hope in her beaming face. I confess 
 that I do not comprehend this phase of mind — I look 
 forward with joy to meet those I have loved and lost 
 from earth, find I look to the time when those I leave 
 behind wijl, trusting in the same Mediator, bend be- 
 fore the dear Redeemer, and join in His presence, tlie 
 ' spirits of j ust men made perfect,' so that we all shall 
 be one in Christ — but this young creature's certainty 
 that she should return and watch over her husband, 
 child, and all she held in her expanding heart, was to 
 nie incomprehensible ; it was as if she thought that 
 after death heaven would descend with her to eartli. 
 Her faith in her future happiness was fine ; but 
 death, like life, was to her a poem, and all her 
 thoughts and actions were poetic — with all her suffer- 
 ing, hers was the poetry of daily life. She enjoyed be- 
 yond description a seance with those slie loved. One 
 of I ler pleasures was tying up little bouquets of flowei-s 
 with one of her long dark hairs, flinging a bouquet un- 
 der or on the table, or into the room, and expressing a 
 wish that a spirit would give it to one or other of hci" 
 friends. This was invariably dune, and I preserve 
 these flowers as tokens of her sweet love, and shall 
 do so while Hive. These little tender acts of kindness 
 were mingled with promises of coming to us when she 
 should have no mortal body — suffer no pain. Shenev- 
 
IN MKMOKIAM. 297 
 
 ei' doubted that this would be permitted, and she loved 
 to dwell upon the delight it would be to her to be with 
 us. Tliere was in her no taint or tone of sadness. I 
 never saw a more joyful, a more perpetual belief ia 
 the soul's immortality. We could not avoid observing 
 at times an occasional abstraction, her eyes — illuiuina- 
 ted by a bright light, wandering round the room, her 
 whole face smiling as if recognising some spirit friend. 
 Daily — daily was the end, as regarded her earthly ten- 
 ement advancing, and still neai'er came the angels ! 
 
 '• At times, her patience under the accuijiulated suf- 
 ferings she was doomed to endure was marvellous ; 
 and when at last she longed to anticipate our sum- 
 mer, so tardy that year in arriving, and when I bade 
 her adieu, she pressed her tiny hand into mine, ' feel 
 it^ — feel it well,' she said in her pretty English, no Ion- 
 ger broken but accented — ' feel it, for when I come 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 had several times the full conviction (as I have 
 at this moment) that she was with me, but I have no 
 medium power, and beyond the cool breeze that passes 
 across my hand or brow, ' the air of the angel's wing,' 
 I receive no sign of such presence — nor do I need it. 
 
 " Mr. Home returned to England, and after our first 
 meeting (those who loved her could not call it sad, for 
 he Wiis assured of her happiness) we arranged an eve- 
 ning seance in the drawing-room, which was lit as usual 
 — only five persons present, five who had known and 
 loved Sacha ! 
 
 "Before what the world calls death, she had asked 
 
29S IN MEMOEIAM, 
 
 her husband to give me a little lace cap, the embrdid- 
 ery by her own hanils, and I had asked him for a 
 braid of her hair ; he brought both, tied in one of her 
 wiiite handkerchiefs, and placed them on the table. — 
 More than the n*ual manifestations came that night ; 
 not only the table but our chairs, and the" very room 
 shook, and the ' raps ' were everywhere aronnd us. A 
 lady, wliose consolation through spiritualism has been 
 indeed blessed, received several messages in answer to 
 her thoughts; and a very eminent sculptor, whose en- 
 gagfiments on publi-e woiks are unceasing, had been 
 rising before day to finish a bust of Sacha, which he 
 desired to present to her husband — this fact was not 
 even hnown in his own household — he received a mes- 
 sage tlius: 'Tluinks for your early morning labor — I 
 have been often near you.' While the message was 
 I'apped out, he felt her little hand repeatedly on liis, 
 in loving confirmation of her thanks. Tiiis was the 
 first time he had ever felt the touch of the ' spiiit- 
 hand,' and it affected him deeply. Mr. Home then 
 placed the embroidery and the hair under the table. 
 ' Sacha,' he said, 'wishes to give them to you her- 
 self.' 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, iy her hand, I could not be 
 mistaken, I knew tliat hand so well ! My dress was 
 again pulled, and I laid my hand in my lap, then I 
 felt lier hand more distinctly ; it was placed entirely 
 in mine, and after a pressure, left me the lock of iiair! 
 "Again the alphabet was demanded, and the pas- 
 sage spelt out, ' Give me the handkerchief, I want to 
 give it to Mrs. 8 . Oh, I thank her for her beau- 
 
IN MEMOEIAM. 291) 
 
 tiful flowers,' (flowers slie was in the habit of sending 
 lier during her illness.) Mr. Home threw the hand- 
 kerchief that had contained the hair and embroidery 
 down. It -was rolled up and knotted, and gi ven into 
 
 ing, the revealings were all continued evidence of spi- 
 ritual power, and spirit presence, such as come to iis 
 with healing messages on theif wings, making us 
 thankful that to us Spiritualism has been the handmaid 
 of Christianity. 
 
 " But dear Sacha is far from being the only one of 
 my beloved friends, departed, or rather removed, fiom 
 whom I have received sweet, and consoling, and com- 
 forting messages. One whom I love and reverence 
 beyond all who are gone before, has given ine by un- 
 fnistakeable 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 possi- 
 ble, brightened the hope of the glory that shall be re- 
 v^aled hereafter. Is not this comforthig ? I do not 
 prolong this brief record of happy memories, but I 
 could do so. Spieitualism has been to me a blessing, 
 for which I cannot be enough thankful, less for my 
 OAvn sake, than for the sake of others who are very 
 dear to me ; for though it brought me more sunshine, 
 it has given me no new light. I testify here of spirit- 
 ualism, as it is known and believed by me and mine ; 
 I say KNOWN, for nearly tive years we have had abun- 
 dant proofs of its reality. I will briefly say how 
 this is. I thank God that I never had a doubt as to 
 the divine truths of Christianity, neither did I re- 
 
■J 00 ~ IN J-EMORIAM. 
 
 ceive tlieni as cold facts. My dear mother was of 
 pure Hugneuot descent, and would, at any period of 
 her life, have gone calmly to the stake sooner tliaii 
 have even seemed to abate one jot of her belief in tlie 
 Existence, Mission, and Miracles of Christ-God. I 
 drank at the fountain of this faith from my earliest 
 years, and every night the accustomed ' chapter ' was 
 read, prayed over and discussed ; thus religious faith 
 grew to be my enjoyment, as well as my hope and 
 trust. Moreover, she held the belief that the spirits 
 of those we knew, loved, and reverenced, were per- 
 mitted to watch over us, and it might be to communi- 
 cate 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 thoughts 
 and actions were suggested to us, under Divine per- 
 mission, by ministering angels ; and that perseverance 
 in prayer would protect us from the evil influences 
 that were' ever on the watch to whisper, or even to 
 inculcate, what was contrary to God's holy law. 
 
 " This was, and is pure Spiritualism — pure Christian 
 Spiritualism ! — yet having believed this all my lifelong, 
 believing also that the supernatural was often permit- 
 ted as one of the missionaries of Christianity, I laughed 
 at what was called ' Table-turning.' I had never seen 
 spiritual manifestations, but that did not hinder my 
 laughing at the idea of a spirit giving a message by 
 raps on a table; all my belief in the ' Cloud of Wit- 
 nesses ' did not prevent my catching at what seemed 
 the absurdity of such a means of communication, and 
 mstead of investigating, I laughed. I did worse, I be- 
 came angry. I said I had all my life believed in su- 
 
IN MEMOEIAM. 301 
 
 perna ural presences, I believed tliaf, if necessary. 
 Christ -God would give one of His ' Cloud of Witnesses' 
 permission to communicate withrae, but what had that 
 to do with raps? I never called to mind that at this 
 moment the world is filled with ' Thomases,' who will 
 not (if they can avoid it) believe except on the testi- 
 mony of their senses. Because I believe in Gospel 
 truths, I thought tliat others 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 
 thera, that was enough for me. I did not think those 
 'stiff-necked and stubborn,' who require, as Thomas 
 did, a ' sign ;' and we must remember (which I did not) 
 that the Mastek did not refuse him that sign — no, He 
 called hvra to examine those marks of His suffering. 
 He not only permitted the unbeliever to examine for 
 himself, but He-caUed upon him to do so. 
 
 " At length we were prevailed on to meet a young 
 ladyrmedium, one in all respects above suspicion ; we 
 were a mixed party of twelve or fourteen at that din- 
 ner-table : and while questioning myself how it was 
 possible that educated and intelligent men could receive 
 as testimony of spiritual presence the ' raps ' and ' tilts,' 
 which though I could not account for, I did not believe 
 in, my attention was awakened by the young lady's 
 saying that a spirit was present, who desired to com- 
 municate with me. She described a presence which I 
 recognized, and then gave me 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 pos- 
 itive and conclusive to 7ne, that believing as I always 
 ■iid that such a power existed, I was forced to believe 
 
303 IN MEMORIAM. 
 
 that there was truth in mediumship, and that liere sv^aa 
 the means used for communicating from the spirits of 
 those gone before to those who still lingered in the 
 flesh. 
 
 "This was tlie confirmation of a blessed reality to 
 me, but to others, particularly to one other at the table, 
 it was thrice blessed j liis past had been cloaded with 
 doubts as to the existence of spirit-life, he had refused 
 to believe what he could not understand ; his lamp of 
 reason, trimmed with ever so much care, only made 
 the darkness, so as to say, more vi-ible. Faith was to 
 him a dead letter. His heart ached to believe, but, 
 like Thomas, he wanted a ' sign.' The first ' sign ' was 
 given him that night, and since then directed invari- 
 ab'j' to THE BOOK which leads to life eternal he goes on 
 his w;iy rejoicing. 
 
 " Only those who have stumbled amid the doubts 
 and uncertainties of a sadly unsatisfying materialism, 
 can comprehend the inspiration wliich the assurance of 
 future existence, amended, enlightened, purified, gives. 
 I am frequently asked, what is the use of Spiritualism ? 
 My answer invariably is, that I believe it is permitted 
 to check the growth of materialism. ITo one. however 
 sceptical, can receive messages from tlie spirit world, 
 knowing their truth,, and disbelieve in spirit-life, in a 
 immortalitj' ! Tliis is the key-stone to a belief in tlie 
 Holy Scriptures. Scores, hundreds, thousands, at this 
 day say as I did, ' Why don't people believe? They 
 have Moses and the prophets.' / believed on Bii)le 
 testimony. Yes, but those thousands do not be- 
 lieve in Bible testimony ; they ask for a sign. Will 
 they not seek ' tlie sign,' and investigate its truth ? 
 
I.V MliMORIAM. 303 
 
 Would not they give all they possess for a ' sign ' prov- 
 ing immortality? Do they not desire intercourse which, 
 sancti-fied by prayer, will, (I have often seen it done) 
 direct them to particular passages in Holy Writ, which 
 for the first time they comprehended, and which became 
 ganctified to them ? And again, there are many who re- 
 ceive Spiritualism as a fact; well-minded, timid per* 
 sons, who fear that Spiritualism is dangerous. I have 
 seen quite enough to convince me that carnal-minded 
 people bring their evil angels with them into many a 
 circle ; aiud 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 thsy are on the watch 
 aronnd the circle assembled for manifestations, and 
 can only be ' sent behind ' by faithful prayer ; but ev- 
 ery Christian knows that he is perpetually beset by 
 such like. 
 
 " Spiritualism, as we know it, commences each seance 
 with prayer ; and usually (though 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 lifted out of the slough of materialism by, 
 in tiie first instance, seeing the marvelous manifejta- 
 tions that arise from Mr. Home's mediumship, and the 
 mediumship of the young lady I have already men-- 
 tioned. Kidicule on the one side, and asseverations 
 on the other, cannot aMerfaais. There must be a coi?t 
 to create a eounterfeit, and, doubtless, charlatanism has 
 found its way into ' circles,' whence it has been driven 
 as soon as discovered. 
 
30i IN MEMOEIAM. 
 
 " MEDnrMSHip is a mystery we cannot fathom, nor un- 
 derstand why the power should be delegated to one 
 more to another. We have the highest authority for 
 the belief that there are ' diversities of gifts ' all from 
 'the same spirit ;' and amongst them is specified, 'To 
 some the discerning of spirits.' Whyi should one have 
 'the 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 ' mediumship' is not 
 the only thing I do not understand. 
 
 " But I must cease here. I do not attempt to give 
 any further description of the ' manifestations ' I have 
 witnessed, tlie wonders I have seen, and examined, and 
 questioned, and after my examinations and questionings, 
 could not doubt their being permitted for the one pur- 
 pose, which I again repeat, is tlie missiom of high a.;d 
 holy Spiritualism. 
 
 " 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 controverey ; 
 there are others who have, and are willing, as well as 
 able, to be its defenders. I believe it to be sanctioned 
 iy God, and that therefore it must be for a good pur- 
 pose; and I content myself, as I must contei;t those 
 who may read what I have written, with expressing 
 my conviction that Spiritualism is Teuth." 
 
CHAPTER Xin. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 I CAME to England from Perigiieiix, and have been 
 since engaged, as much- as my time and health would 
 permit, in having seances, at which most of the mani- 
 festiitious 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 the persons in the room. 
 Many persons have seen and been convinced of the 
 occnrrence of what they previously deemed impossible, 
 and have had their faith in immortality renewed and 
 strengthened when all other means had failed in mak- 
 ing tliem believe. On the 20th January, 1863, I went 
 
 to Paris on a short visit to my friend, Count de K , 
 
 and there also the same phenomena liave occurred in 
 the presence of great numbers of persons. I have also 
 been frequently received by their Majesties at the 
 Tuileri.es, and by the imperial Princess and the nobil- 
 ity of France, who have shown a great interest in in- 
 vestigating the manifestations ; but enough has been 
 given of the facts to enable the reader to form an opi- 
 nion of them, and there is no need to go into further 
 
30") CONCLUSION. 
 
 details. I have already told the main incidents, and 
 must 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 fiicts 
 which occur in connexion with my physical organiza- 
 tion, 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 distuibing 
 certain prepossessions, on the contrary, some likeliliood 
 of good ; and as they are indeiiendent ot all moral action 
 my feet ; I trust that with the candid and enlightened 
 I shall be held, as I am, innocent. 
 
 It will have been observed that they began with me 
 when I was an infant in my cradle, and they have since 
 with a few exceptions, formed a part of my daify life. 
 Their range includes nearly all the phenomena which 
 are known under the incorrect name of Modern Spirit- 
 ualism. I say the name is incorrect, because there is 
 not one of them which is new, and which may not be 
 traced in every age of which we have any record pre- 
 served to us. The great difference, however, is, that 
 during tlie last two centuries a great change 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 iwo centuries ago, it was not con- 
 sidered a point of wisdom to disbelieve in such man- 
 ifestations and actings from the inner world, but on the 
 contrary, such disbelief was reprehended as unscrip- 
 tLiral and wrong. 
 
 I am, however, fortunately relieved from the neces- 
 fcity of showing at great length the prevelance of spir- 
 
CONCLUSION 307 
 
 itual action and phenomena in the past ages of tlie 
 woi'ld, by the publication of tlie elaborate and almost 
 exhaustive work of Mr. W. Howitt,* to which I refer 
 my readers, in fuii confidence that in his pages they 
 will find not only the facts but the arguments neces- 
 sary to sliow that the spiritual has been ever present,, 
 and that nothing had occurred to me but what lias beeu 
 frequently observed before. I trust that this work 
 will be extensively read, in order that much of the 
 present ignorance on the subject may be dispelled, and 
 tliat the minds of men may be led to inquire more 
 deeply into this great subject. As a brief su'nmary 
 of tlie same subject, I may likewise point to an article 
 in the Appendix which has been framed by a friend 
 from a series of historical notes, gathered by a literary 
 geutloman who has, with great kindness, placed them 
 at my friend's disposal. 
 
 It will be readily admitted that such facts as those 
 I have described, are calculated to throw great light 
 upon the hitherto neglected science of pneumatology 
 — and that it is in the direction pointed out by such 
 facts that further search is to be made into the hidden 
 questions of the soul, and its relations with the body 
 and external things. For such a study, no facts, how- 
 ever small or apparently trivial, can be dispensed 
 with. 
 
 Of those which are of a physical kind, such as the 
 moving of furniture, 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. 
 
508 CONCLUSION. 
 
 air, or levitation, and similar classes of phenomena, 
 tliey are to be investigated, and their uses ascertained 
 by the man of science and the philosopher. At pres- 
 ent such persons have fixed d priori that such things 
 have never occurred, and are impossible and absurd ; 
 and for this very reason, if for no other, it will be ad- 
 mitted that they are of the highest use in order to cor- 
 rect 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 
 philosophy deems impossible. For their philosophy 
 must be radically defective when that which they say 
 is impossible, is nevertheless of daily occurrence. The 
 physical side, therefore, of these phenomena is to be 
 studied by students of experimental science, in order 
 to enlarge their views of material forces, and if this 
 can be effected, as it has been in so many iustanct-s, 
 by the movement of tables, and by the rapping 
 sounds, and by the raising of bodies into the air with- 
 out touch or contact, they will no longer complain of 
 the triviality of such phenomena. Indeed, already so 
 little are they trivial or unimportant, that the noted 
 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 these things by 
 these men, and by the mass of the public, shows that 
 they are not trivial to them, but that they are reiilly 
 of the utmost importance. For why are tliey denied 
 by the men of science, but that they contradict all 
 
CONCLUSION. 309 
 
 their previous knowledge of the laws of nature, npset- 
 tiug " the philosophy of a lifetime," and are therefore 
 impossible to them, until thej enlarge tlie present 
 boniidaries of their knowledge, and find out those high- 
 er laws under which these become not only facts, 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 mag- 
 netism, but that has not latterly been a reason why 
 such laws should be repudiated. At the institution of 
 the present Royal Society, there was a great outcry on 
 tlie part of the religious persons of that day, against the 
 formation of such a society, on tlie ground that it was 
 blasphemous and wicked to attempt to inquire into 
 what were called God's mysteries ; and it was sa;id that 
 men already had their Bibles, and knew enough, and 
 ought not to seek to know more. Such is not tlie gen- 
 eral opinion now-a-days, and tlie time is not far dis- 
 tant, I hope, when the manner in which this subject 
 has been received, will in the same way be brought 
 forward to prove the same great truth, that all know- 
 ledge' is to be pursued, and that we need not fear that 
 we siiall ever have too much of it. God is able to 
 preserve His own mysteries, and whatever is possible 
 for us, it is our right and duty to search into and fath- 
 om, and to bring forward as a part of the general 
 stock of human intelligence. I anticipate, therefore, 
 that wheA the real men of science find these facts not 
 to be impossible, they will by their aid, be led into a 
 knowledge of higher laws, *hich at present they crm- 
 ceal from themselves ; and that at greater discovery 
 
310 CONCLUSION. 
 
 awaits their research than that which has adorned the 
 name of Newton, who did not find it a ti'ivial fact 
 when an apple fell bet'org his eyes. 
 
 As to the other great division of these phenomena, 
 into such as are of a mental kind, and betoken intelli- 
 gence, a rnnch larger qnes'ion is raised. 
 
 The former class of manifestations we could only 
 commend 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, 
 who is endowed with the kind and amount of intelli- 
 gence which is disclosed in many of the manifestations 
 and we are at once brought to the inevitable conclu- 
 sion that siicli intelligence is exhibited by human be- 
 ings, either in body, or out of the body. Neither the 
 od force, nor electricity, nor magnetism, nor any of the 
 imponderable forces, has ever yet been detected in be- 
 traying intelligence, or in carrying on a conversation 
 between themselves, or in taking part in one with oth- 
 ers, and though they are largely engaged in their prop- 
 er offices throughout nature, and in that epitome of it 
 which is contained in a man, yet there is nothing liu- • 
 man nor intelligent about them in the true sense of the 
 words. 
 
 We feel instinctively, therefore, when we meet with 
 this intelligence, that we are dealing with a man either 
 embodied or disembodied. The wonders of clairvoy- 
 ance and internal perception (if- we are to consider 
 these faculties inherent in the living, independent of 
 spiritual aid,) may account for some of the phenom- 
 ena; but there are others which my reader will no; 
 
coNCLnsioN. 311 
 
 liavc failed to note, wliicli infallibly jjoint to the iiitel- 
 ligence beiiiff tliat of disembodied human beingrs. 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. Oan this be ourselves, who un- 
 knwingly counterfeit 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 recog- 
 nized or known to exist in the od force, nor in elec- 
 tricity, nor in mngnetism, as the ability to tell either 
 truth or falsehood. Whence is it then ? Is the ques- 
 tion 80 entirely a new one as to the existence of spirits 
 and their power to communicate with man, as that we 
 can ignore it or deny its possibility ? Are we inevita- 
 bly 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 cliurches, in support of my belief. Let us 
 then say at once that there are spirits and a spirit 
 world, and see what difficulties are thrown in their 
 way by the men of science, who deny them all power 
 of communicating with this world. 
 It would indeed be a very difficult matter to con- 
 
312 CONCLTISIOTf. 
 
 ceive by what possible means a spirit could satisfy 
 some minds of its actual presence. " Suppose," says 
 the Rev. Charles Beecher, " a departed spirit, the wife 
 of Oberlin, for example, were permitted to attempt to 
 converse with her husband ; not to establish a new rev- 
 elation, not to display divines power, but merely to ex 
 ercise such potentiality as might pertain to a disem- 
 bodied spirit, for her own and her husband's edifica- 
 tion and satisfaction. How could she do it in the face 
 of the apneumatic theories. She speaks to him, moves 
 his furniture, touches his dress, his person; all auto- 
 matic action of some brain en rapport with that local- 
 ity. She sings, plays the guitar or piano, takes a pen- 
 cil and writes, and he sees the pencil in free space tra- 
 cing his wife's autograph — automatic still. She shows 
 liim 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 sub- 
 jective vision. She communicates facts past, present, 
 and future, beyond the scope of his knowledge ; — that 
 might be clairvoyance or cerebral sensing. 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, verj' difficult to influence some minds 
 by any proof that could be brought forward, for want 
 of their having any point which snch proof can pene- 
 trate ; but assuredly such proofs as I have given in m}' 
 book, of the existence of spirits, and of their ability to 
 coniinunicate with us, are of the kind most likely to bo 
 useful to them. 
 
CONCLUSION. 313 
 
 It is to Le observed also, that such persons, to be 
 consistent, must, and too many 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-im- 
 portant point the Rev. W. Beeclier says truly, " What- 
 ever 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 phe- 
 nomena of soul and body as mutually related, acting 
 and re-acting. A large portion of the bible, its pro- 
 phecies, ecstacies, visions, trances, theophanies, angel- 
 ophanies, are more or less tinged with odic character- 
 istics. 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 princi- 
 ples of human experience in such matters in all ages. 
 If a theory be adopted everywhere else but in the bi- 
 ble, excluding spiritual intervention in toto, and ac- 
 counting for everything physically, then will the cov- 
 ers 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 
 the element 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 religions tendency, and bearing on the subject 
 of religion of the most important kind. I do not claim 
 
 14 
 
314 CONCLUSION. 
 
 for them the character of a new revelation, but that 
 they are a recurrence in our day of some of the phe- 
 nomena of a very old one; and that it is not a small 
 matter to be able to convince many who stand in need 
 of such knowledge and conviction, of the immortality 
 of the soul, of its immediate and continued existence 
 iu the spiritual world, and of its power of communion 
 and communication with us who are left behind. 
 These are not new doctrines, but old facts, and what- 
 ever 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 from 
 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 me that there are 
 no spiritual laws, and no spiritual world, and no spi- 
 ritual beings, and that the many phenomena I have 
 experienced throughout my life did not occur to me, 
 and that such never occurred to othei-s, 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 know- 
 ledge 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 and 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. 3 1 5 
 
 Tlie fact, therefore, of anj intelligence wlietlier true 
 or false, coming from the inner world, is one from 
 which conclusions must be deduced, the value of wliich 
 it is impossible to over estimate. The real and inti- 
 mate communion of saints may be difficult to realize, 
 on account of our own state being too low for such 
 lioly communion, but we need not abandon to scepti- 
 cism tlie whole spiritual world, and deny the possibil- 
 ity of one of the most glorious tenets of Christendom. 
 
 THE END. 
 
THE SAFEST CREED, 
 
 AMD 
 
 Twelve other Recent Discourses of Reason. 
 
 By O. B. FROTniNGHAM. 
 Cloth, beveled, tinted paper, 12mo, .... $1.50. 
 
 "These disconrees manifESt deep tboagbt, thoronKh conTicUon, and 
 greatability."— PtiiUdeli^b a treat. 
 
 "Mr, FrotbiMei'am is a irenMeman of national repatat! >n. He i' not 
 an ortbodux Ouri'iiuii clergyman; on the couiraiy, he is an tavanced 
 tliinKer or rxtioualiMt ; yet be wields th--' gift of eloqu iice wi h a lartce 
 fone. . . . The disco irses embrace, hei>ides the one which gives the lille 
 to the b 'Olv. a Wid' riniie of topi s, such as. The liadical Belief; The Joy 
 of a Free Faith ; Tne Gospel of To day; The SctentiUi: Aspect of Pray r ; 
 Immort^les of Man ; The Infernul and tne Celestiul Lore; and the Victory 
 Over D.a h." — The Fi tsbur^h Chronicle, 
 
 *' The antbor of these discourses ii the bleh priest of New England 
 tran-cendmtal 'radical tm,' ana ia the rtcoj^niz d exponent' f this latest 
 and most genteel phuse of modern infldelitv. None of liis coLteuipoiari a 
 can approach him iu fl< gnnce of dction. He writes gracefu ly, . . . In the 
 rictiest gara of flcjwery rhetoric."— Albany Eveuing jTiarnal. 
 
 " I( presents aa able an expo^^ition of the Tiews of the ' Radicals ' in re- 
 ligion as has been ofiered. Mr Frot ingnam hus courage, as well aa >la- 
 crrity, and presents his ideas with entire franlcncss, and with a cl< ames a( 
 style and an tnrellectual strength wnich are likely to command for ihcm 
 general atteniion. The boolt is printed on tinted paper, and is hanaaomdy 
 uuund."— B <Btun Saturday Erenin^ Gatette, 
 
 " A vigorous thinlier, .... as eloquent as Theodore Parkpr, .... to 
 smoothly written that even those who cannot accept his deductions will 
 yt>l be scarcely able to lay the book down till it ia fluiabed."— New Bed- 
 ford Standard. 
 
 "The ideal of Frotblng^am, his Ood, ia as ncble a conception as erer 
 emanated from the bruin of a humun bniiig, and tt,e author po-sentes tlie 
 highest ability to pa nt Him in ti e fineKt and most charming colors, Uis 
 use of the bruc'h is that of ihr. must accomplished artist, and tliinuing men 
 of every shade of opinion will Hud delight in the picture presented," — The 
 Jewish Times. 
 
 "Tfaepublii-herhasdoDea good thing to bring thrm together in this 
 more permanent form. All Ihe work ia entirely new and very handso'i e. 
 The whole appfarunce of the book deserves the warme t approbati m, ' To 
 cherish no ilnsiou' might be the text of every one of tiiim. Iher'^ is 
 everywhere a resolute attempt to adjust thought and lie to what i« r> ally 
 known, to accept the facts and then gee what austeuance can be extracted 
 from them. A book 1 ke this is certain to be widely read and to produce a 
 deep impression." — Liberal Christian. 
 
 " A very neat-looking volume, . . . and farther, Mr. Frotbingham is 
 well known the country throutih as one of the prominent leaders of that 
 inteliieent, radical, and promit'ing anti-tbeoloi;ical par y who c.ll tiicm- 
 tblves Fret Seligionittt. He is a gentleman of fine scholaily attainmentA, a 
 superior write r and eloquent tpealier, and judged by his intellept libe ality, 
 
 gro)!ress, and independence, is yioii biy the best p-eaeher in the United 
 I ates at the present day. . . . On what is human, nAiural, practical, use- 
 ful, and liDeral, be is very conclusive, instructive, and Kr»tifyl"g, and gems 
 of this kind are tpiLtUing on aTti; page of * Tbe Saftat Creed.* "— Boatun 
 Inveitigator. 
 
The Martyrdom of Man. 
 
 BY WINWOOD EEADE. 
 
 12mo, Cloth, 543 pp. Price $3.00, post-paid. 
 
 Over Five Hundred Topics are treated in the most 
 
 thrilling manner. 
 
 OONTBKTS: 
 
 Under tlie hPKd of "War," we have: Egypt The Water Ilarvest, The 
 Boufies nf the Ni'e, Philosophy of Leisure, Aericultaral Monogamy, Ine- 
 
 2uality of Men, Famine the Mother of Astronomy, Cmelty the Nnrse o( 
 rivtllzation. Tri*l of the D ad, The Painted Tomb, Children of the Desert, 
 The Horse of War, The Terrible Sahara. Pharaoh Triumphant, E-jvptian 
 Country Honne, The Lnxnry Question, Theology Stops the Wav, Empire 
 ofEihi'>pia, The India Trade, The Persian Shi-phtrds, The Kire's Harfm, 
 Origin of Greek Gnias, Their Religion, The City of the Vi let Crown, 
 The Univerpity o( Esrypt Seraglio Intrigue, Retri-at of the Ten Thonsand, 
 Tvranny of Athens, Alxanderat Baby on. Two Faces nnderone Hit, A 
 Grefk Voltaire The Purple Trade, Discovery of the Atlantic, Introdntion 
 of the "A, B, C," The Coloni-s of Carthage. The Gardens of the He-per- 
 Idi'B, Home Rule of Rome, The Hou-^e of Baal, Silver Spain, The Poor 
 Hated old Man Rnman Baden-Baden. Cato's Little Farm, A DisBOlute Prig, 
 Airica's place <n History, Civilizing War. 
 
 Under the head of " Religion" : Ghost Worship, Divine Hybrid*, Idol- 
 atry and Dollatry, Who Made God? Nature in the Nude, The Shtili Abra- 
 ham, Most-sin Exile, Ttie Delphi of th)^ Hebrews, PopeSamael, A God- 
 intoxicated Man, A Finus Brigand, By the Wuters of Bab\lon, Chnrnc- 
 ter of Jehovah, Cbarxcter Improves, Origin of the Devil, A. monopolized 
 Deitv, Brght Side of the Character of Jesus, Dark Side, The Miracle Doc- 
 t'>r. The Ghetto. Rome Sleeping, Heavenly II nsions, Episcopal Saliva, 
 The Wonderful Well, The Truce of God, Achievements of Mahomet, 
 Negro States, The A'rican Hut, Dance Ordeal, S -hool. Philosophy of 
 Salt, Bagdad of the West, Negroes in Mecca, The Black Prophet, Turks 
 in Afiica, 
 
 Under the consideration of "L'bertv," he shows us: The Ancient Ger- 
 mans, The C stle an Academy, The Serfs, The Monks, Crusades, Veiiiee, 
 Anb Spain, The Hill of Tears, Ortbodix Geography, India, Prster John, 
 L sbon Rejo ces. Majestic Crime, S avery in London, The Methodists, 
 Giants and P'gmies, Thomas Paine, C-.tt'n, Neck and Neck, W. L Garri- 
 son, R beilion of the North, The Lost Cause, Future of Africa, Future of 
 the Earth, Oiibiin of Man, Tt.iied Mmds. 
 
 In the consideration of "Intellect," he introduces: The Children of the 
 Sun, Origin of Life, History of the Cell. Diwu of Rfpaon, Origin of Love, 
 Toe GnostRe igion. Origin of Piies's, Invention of Hell, Mn-ical Conver- 
 sation, The VViy, Tie Utility of the Afif ct'ous. Breeding Laws, Death ol 
 Sin, Oiigin of Coastitv. Rome and China, The Bu dhi-ts, The Age of the 
 Rosary, Wnr in the F iture. The Expedient of Religion, Fallacies of the 
 C iinmine, Amer c>in Prosper ty. Inventions of the Future, Theory of the 
 Soul, Duties of a Creator. The Theory Bxtjl'ded, Should the Truth be told? 
 G'lrisliiinity Exposed, The Catastrophes of Progress, Moral Value of Hell 
 Fire, True Sources of Morality, Spurious Virtues of Tneology, The True 
 Rijiigon, The Last Saeriflce." 
 
 ''Theourrent theology is repudiated. . . . To expound these views is 
 reatly the aim of the book, although it ostensibly purport^ to be akind 
 of umveri-al hl-tory of human pro^rees, w itten to show the influence 
 of AMca upon civilization. The style is .vigorous, and entices the 
 reader luto more than ■ cniuory perusaL" — Fopolar Scitsnce Monthly. 
 
The Martyrdom of Man 
 
 By WiNwooD Ebade. 12m9, cloth, pp. 543, $3.00 
 
 "It is a splendid book, you may depend upon it! It is the best thing 
 Trnhner (the great London house) over published."— CAar/es Bradlaugh. 
 
 " The author has traveled extensively In Africa and the East, and, musing 
 amOQ^ unknown tribes and the crumbling ruins of past ereatness, has de- 
 veloped a historic spirit not unlil^e that which Gibbon tells ns he himself 
 was inspired with amid the relics of ancient Rome, In this tipirlt he has 
 
 fiven us, under the four beads of War, Religion, Liberty, and Intellect, • 
 istory of the growtli of these forces, and their action and reaction on tha 
 race. We can conceive of do more attractive form for presenting a snm- 
 m^iry of world history to the student, and must confess to a most atirefable 
 surprise and pleasure in the peraeal of the few chapters we have examined. 
 His history has a continuity, a rush, a carrying power — If we may use the 
 term— which remind ns strikingly of Gibbon, and will be sure to make the 
 reader lay it aside with reluctance."— jVew Haven Daily Palladium. 
 
 "There will be plenty of readers who will find in the work food for which 
 they are hungry and eager." — Boston Journal. 
 
 "Mr. Rende is now one of the most experienced of living travelers in 
 Central Africa, . . Is an able and agreeable writer, and has here amassed a 
 multltade of facts and comments into a pleasant volume."— iV. Y. Times. 
 
 " Those who wish to learn the tendencies of modem thought, and to look 
 at past history from the standpoint of one who aceepte the doctrine of evo- 
 lution in its entirety, would do well to read this remarkable book. All the 
 radicalism of the times in philosophy and religion are restated here with 
 remarkable vigor and force." — The Daily Graphic. 
 
 " We consider the book dangerous in the highest degree, the more so as its 
 brllll>int rhetoric and very audacity give it a mtal charm."— ZTort^brd Post. 
 
 " The work closes with a general summary of the whole, the author add- 
 ing to it the materials of another work following in the footsteps of Mr. 
 Darwin, whose conclusions he found confirmed by the phenomena of Savage 
 Lfe. . . The book is prioted on clear white paper from large type, and is ■ 
 handBome volume."— JVeto Bedford Standard, 
 
 "The work is one done by an honest and conecientious man; a large 
 amount of curious and recondite Ir arcing is brought together, and to the 
 readers who are attracted to the Darwininn literature, this book, wi h its 
 quaint declaration that 'Life is bottled sunshine,' may also be recom- 
 mended."— rAe Pittsburgh Evening Chronicle. 
 
 "A nummary of universal history, combined with a diligent traveler's 
 investigation- of the phenomena of savage life. The mart>rdom of the 
 race appears in the influence which war, slavery, religion and other such 
 evils have exerted upon it," — Morning Star. 
 
 "This book Is likely to jjrovoke considerable comment, for it displays 
 ability, while many of its opialons run counter to those cherished by mill- 
 ions of mankind. Theaulfaor bas traveled extensively, and read widely, 
 and his book bears evidence of having teen prepared with thoroughness 
 and care. It i« packed with information of a very interesting character. . . 
 A great deal is compressed here concerning the civilizalinn of the word 
 which cannot be as convenienilv found in any other book of its size within 
 our knowledge."— AbraiJcA Bullrtin. 
 
 " Personal observation and very extensive reading— jiistoiioal, philosoph- 
 ical, scientific, and geographical — have supplied the abundant mformntim 
 of which the author has availed himself. As to religinns poiuts, he may 
 count on being considered very heterodox."— PAiiadcipAia Press. 
 
 "It is really a remarkable book, in which nuiversal history is ' boiled 
 down 'with surprising skill. . . The boldest, and, so far os historical argu- 
 ment goes, one of the ablest, asHults ever maae upon Christianity. — TKs 
 Liltrarg World. 
 
"The highest g'orjr of an Age or Land to In Its advanced rainda* 
 THOCJttHT, and in the radiation and expresBion thereof, dauntlesfly aetking 
 the True in Sciince, TheoloKy, Polities, and in the works of free-fouled 
 Poets well-grounded in these, and exnreasing them through the sense of 
 Be*uty." 
 
 HANDSOME NEW EDITIONS. 
 
 Wak Whitman's Books. 
 
 LEAVES OF GRASS. Complete. 604 pp. $3.00 
 AS A STEONG BIRD ON PINIONS FREE. .75 
 DEMOCRATIC VISTAS. Political Essay. Prose. .75 
 J. Bdeeoughs' notes ON WALT WHITMAN. 1.00 
 
 This writer does not appeal to the superficial tastes in art, or in the 
 beautiful ; but always to the deepest, bealt'aest, the most vrowipg, and 
 enduring; and has attracted suUd admiration anj adiocacy fivm suuli 
 quarters as the following : 
 
 KALPH WALDO EMERSON, 
 
 FERDINAND FREILEGRATH, 
 WM. M. ROSSETTI, 
 
 ROBERT BUCHANAN, 
 
 BJORNSON BJORNSENB, 
 
 WESTMINSTER REVIEW, 
 
 REVUE DES DEUX MONDES, 
 
 IDE OF VIRKELIGHER (DenmarkX 
 DARK BLUE (London). 
 
 Of these the Wtttmintur says, In a very elaborate review, that " WHiTMas 
 Is undoubtedly the flist real bard of Demoorar-T." The French Revue, iu a 
 lonj! article with translations, pronnunces DRUM TAPS " tbemost original, 
 lyrical, emotional and deepW stirrine war poetry estunt." Emerson, at its 
 first edition, decided LEAVES OF GRASS to be," the greatest piece of wit 
 ind wisdum America has jet comributed." And the English critic, 
 RoBsetti. after a study ol Whituan for ten yeara, deUberately c^ls him " by 
 far tiiB grandest Poet of his vonntry, and one of the grandest of any coon- 
 try." Another aathority sa^s that, of all koown specimens of poetry, these 
 alone are " based on modern science, and the philosophic spirit" 
 
 The Daily Oraphic says : " The circulation of Mb. Wbithak'b works 
 has been cunstanily growing with his growing reputation, and " Leaves of 
 Glass," which was originally a thin painpble>, baa become a thick octavo. 
 The world has changed its opinion of Walt Whitman as a poet since 
 the time, more than fifteen years ago, wiien Mr. Greeley, in a lecture on 
 poetry, ventured to allude to " Walt Whitman's rare poetic genius," 
 and was soundly rdiculed for so doing. " Leaves of Grass " can hardly be 
 said to be popular even now, but the author has won a brilliant reputation, 
 both here and in England, and no one can afiord to plead i|>noiance as to 
 his work. Whatever else porterity may do, it will not suffer Walt Wbi>- 
 UAN to be forgotten, and his poetry, however much future critics may 
 abuse it, will always be read by every student of EngUab littaraturflL