John then took his drawing from his pocket, and we found that the two differed only in size, and in the inclination of the lines.

The next was less successful: as before, it was by John's hand alone, hidden immediately.

After four attempts had been made by Edward's hand and mine, I asked whether it was done.

Ans. 'NO.'

'Which is the nearest of the four figures?'

This figure (No 2) was pointed out; we found it the

most like of the four. The double line appeared like an intention to form the inner angle.

The next had the pattern figure by John's hand.

@

Pattern figure.

This time the control over Edward's hand and mine

seemed to be almost

lost. Eight figures were drawn, all cir

cles, with some other lines. Then we were told that the spirit could not do it, but that this was the nearest.

A day or two after trying this experiment, we learned more through writing, by John's hand, of the difficulty found by spirits* in transmitting what they wish to say through mediums. We were told that unless the directing power had complete control, the thought uppermost in the medium's mind would be given, and this made it extremely difficult, when anything was written by one medium, to repeat it by another; 'for,' it was said, 'the medium always begins to guess and think whether it is right. When marks or figures are drawn there is less difficulty, because the medium is not so likely to imagine a figure.' This, if it be true, shows that the positive action of the brain is exactly opposed to the passive state required by the unseen power for impression. It is also one cause, among many others, of the great difficulty of obtaining tests when tests are sought for. Perhaps, also, it may serve to throw light over the admitted fact that so large a proportion of powerful mediums are at present among the uninformed and uncultivated classes. If spiritualism, as such, is ever generally received and thoroughly understood, this will cease to be the case.

We had sometimes asked questions and received for answers, I cannot tell you this by E's hand, let D hold the pencil. The explanation sought for

* I need hardly say that I am compelled to use these expressions in narrating incidents or mentioning communications.

has then been given by D—, who nevertheless might be unable to write many things which were given with great clearness by the hand of E. Some mediums appeared more completely under the control of some spirits than others, and I soon thought that in the characters of those who wrote, even under the supposed influence of spirits whom they had never known, a resemblance might be seen between the mind or disposition of the spirit and that of the medium. The following little incidents well illustrate this, and help to indicate the conditions necessary for full communication.

A young lady (whose mediumship has not been referred to before, and whom I call Charlotte) was trying experiments in a room the windows of which opened on a garden, in which her sister, also a writing medium, was walking. The name of my relation who is represented as having first communicated with me at Mrs. Hayden's was given. I write the initials as M- I then asked, Could you, M, write by the hand of Amelia?' (the young lady in the garden). The reply was, I cannot write by her hand, but my (relation specified) can.'

We then called from the window begging Amelia to come in, for that a spirit who had never written by her before, had promised to write by her hand. She took the pencil and, after some preliminary practice of scrawls and flourishes as described, wrote the promised

name at length, with a characteristic sentiment referring to the progress of spiritual enlightenment. This spirit was the second who had communicated with me at Mrs. Hayden's. We then asked Why could not M write by Amelia's hand?' The answer was, Dispositions do not harmonise.'

A gentleman whose literary works had always been characterised, after the manner of Fuseli's paintings, by a tendency to the sanguinary and terrific, once asked me to place my hand on his wrist, in order to set his hand going.' The two hands soon moved, and the usual scrawling practice was made, but my arm felt stiff and painful even to the shoulder and neck. After one or two efforts the names of Catherine de Medicis and Maria Manning were written. We left off immediately. Had I not felt uneasiness in the arm before the two names appeared, the sensation might have been fairly ascribed to fancy. Certainly the pain lasted for more than an hour after the pencil was dropped.

In the next chapter I will give the explanations we received of the agency by which, as is asserted, spirits act through mediums.

42

CHAPTER IV.

MESMERISM.

EFORE entering on an explanation of the manner

BEFORE

in which, as asserted by themselves, the unseen powers' influence the mediums, it is necessary to say a few words on that which preceded 'Spiritualism' in the world, namely, Mesmerism.' Those who are acquainted with the processes and phenomena of mesmerism will at once understand the description of this mode of operating; but to many persons mesmerism is only another word for some mysterious and fearful, perhaps dangerous operation, which puts people into strange unnatural states, or throws them into an endless sleep. For readers in this vague and imaginative state of mind, some further explanation is wanted, especially as my object will be to show the connection between spiritualism and mesmerism—whatever may be the physical agencies at work in and the ultimate cause of both.

Long before the rappings, &c., were heard of, I had made many experiments in mesmerism, all of which