Presented to the LIBRARY of the
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
by
ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY
^•ove
JOURNAL
ONTARIO
OF THE
SOCIETY FOR PSYCHICAL RESEARCH.
VOLUME IV.
1889-90.
FOH PRIVATE CIRCULATION AMONG MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATES ONLY.
THE SOCIETY'S ROOMS : 19, BUCKINGHAM STREET, ADELPHI, W.C.
JOURNAL OF THE
SOCIETY FOR PSYCHICAL RESEARCH.
INDEX TO VOLUME IV.
1889-90.
A.
AKSAKOF, ALEXANDER N., Case contributed by 86
Alexander, Prof., On certain apparently abnormal Physical Phenomena... 238 Allen, Septimus, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... 181
American Society for Psychical Research —
., Affiliation of to English Society 170,203,207,23(3
,, Evidence collected by ... 207, 304, 305, 323, 342, 345, 346
,, ,, Members, List of (See Members.}
Anderson, Mrs. , Case contributed by 221
Anonymously contributed Cases ... 24, 26, 27, 74, 120, 129, 132, 213, 215,
221, 224, 241, 293 Annual Business Meetings ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 17, 202
Apparitions, Discussions as to Subjective or Objective Nature of 52, 94,
95, 150, 243, 244, 294, 297
Automatic Messages (Writing, &c.) 86,174,208,318,319
,, Heading, Experiments in 25
B.
B., MADAME, Experiments with 186
Balf our, Miss A . B. , Note on Prof . Richet's Experiments 7
Banister, Rev. E. D. , Case contributed by 241
Barber, Mrs., Case contributed by 341
Barkworth, T., Analogy between Hypnotic Phenomena and Normal
Consciousness ... ... ... .. - ... ... 20
,, Legal Aspects of Hypnotism 279
Multiplex Personality 58,78,163
,, Recent Experiments in Automatic Writing 318
,, Subjectivity or Objectivity of Apparitions 294
Barrett, Prof., and Myers, F. W. H., Inquiry into the Evidence for the
Mediumship of D. I). Home 101,116,249
Barter. General, Case contributed by 52
ii Index to Vol. IV.
Bass, W. , Case contributed by 271
Bastow, Rev. J. A., Case contributed by 197
Beauchamp, Mrs. , Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... 289
Beddoe, Dr., F.R.S., Case contributed by 256
Bickford-Smith, R. A. H., Experiments with Madame B 186
Bickford-Smith, Mrs., Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... 142
Bidder, Misses, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... 344
Bishop, Mrs. , Case contributed by 334
Boldero, General and Mrs., Evidence as to the Mediumship of D. D. Home 124
Bolland, Mrs., Case contributed by 312
Brain well, Dr. J. Milne, Hypnotic Experiments of 259
C.
CARDOSO CASE, The 86
Catalogue of Unprinted Cases 273,275,315,330.348
Clairvoyance, Prof. Richet's Experiments in Independent and Telepathic 3
,, Independent, Facts pointing towards 5-7,37,160,188
,, ,, An Apparent Case of 188
Claypole, Prof., on Pseudo-Memory 327, 328
Committees, Appointments of, for 1889 ... 18
1890 203
Correspondence, Various .. 24, 25, 58, 60, 76, 77, 78, 94, 95, 99, 100,
143, 144, 146, 148, 149, 150, 163, 165, 199, 230, 243, 244, 262, 263, 276,
277, 278, 279, 294, 346
Coues, Prof. Elliott, Case contributed by 88
Council, Elections to 18, 50, 170, 202, ^03, 234, 266, 302
Meetings of 3, 18, 49, 65, 81, 98, 137, 154, 169, 185, 202, 234,
266, 282, 302, 317, 333 Crowe, W. Leadham, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... 22(5
Crystal Vision, Experiments in 82,88,149,155,156
Curtis, Spencer, Case contributed by 195
D.
D., MRS., Case contributed by 342
D., W., Case contributed by 257
Dalison, Miss, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... 191
Dobbie, A. W., Cases contributed by 37,157
Douglas, Rev. H., Evidence as to the Mediumship of D. D. Home ... 133
Doveton, F. B., Ou the Subjectivity or Objectivity of Apparitions 243, 262 Downshire, The Dowager Marchioness of, Cases contributed by ... 290, 309 Duplex and Multiplex Personality. (Sec Multiplex Personality.)
E.
E., MRS., Case contributed by 288
Ell wood, W. M., Case contributed by ... 286
Evans, W. N., Case contributed by 327
F.
FOWLER, ALDERMAN, Case contributed by 240
Fox, W., Case contributed by 212
Index to Vol. IV. iii
Fraser, Lieut. -Colonel A. T., On the Ether and Psychical Phenomena ... 63 Frederiksen, D. M., Case contributed by ... 304
G.
GARSTIN, M. A., Case contributed by
Green, Henry, Case contributed by ... ••• 56
Gurney, Edmund, On Apparitions occurring soon after Death 52
„ Memorial Library, The, Foundation of, and List of
Works ... 1, 47, 64, 152, 231, 232, 264, 300, 331
H.
H., MR. AND MRS., Case contributed by 220
Hallucinations, New Census of 50,138,155,283
Hansen, Carl, Case related by 156
,, ,, Hypnotic Demonstrations of 85,99
Harris, D. Fraser, Case contributed by 292
Harris, Mrs. S., Case contributed by 340
Haunting, A Theory of 165
Hawksley, Dr. Thomas, Evidence as to the Mediumship of D. D. Home 122
Hill, Leonard, Case contributed by 42
Home, D. D., Inquiry into the Evidence for the Mediumship of 101, 116, 249
Home, Madame, the " Gift of D. D. Home " (review of) 249
,, ,, ,, " Life of D. D. Home " (review of) 101
Honywood, Mrs., Evidence as to the Mediumship of D. D Home ... 135
Howard, A. D. , M. D. , Case contributed by 305
Hunt, Miss, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 142
Hurly, Miss, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... 239
Hypnotic Library. (See " Edmund Gurney Memorial Library.")
Hypnotism as an Anaesthetic, Dr. Bram well's Experiments 259
Legal and Moral Aspects of 279,280,282
„ „ ,, CircularlV., issued by the Society 282
(Miscellaneous) 20,21,22,23,37,58,60,
74, 76, 77, 78, 84, 85, 86, 99, 146, 151, 157, 184, 186, 258, 259, 268 ,, Treatment of Insanity by .. 151
I.
ILLUSIONS HYPNAGOGIQUES, Cases of .. 263,276,277,278
Insanity, Hypnotic Treatment of 151
International Congress of Physiological Psychology 96, 97, 151, 154
J.
J., Miss, Case contributed by 308
Jamblin, Rev. R. , Case contributed by • 242
Jameson, Mrs., Case contributed by ... ... ... :.. ... ... 10
Janet, M. Pierre, L' Automatisms Psychologique, Remarks on ... ... 163
Jencken, Mrs., Implied Denial of Acknowledgment of Trickery ... ... 15
Joyce, S., A Theory of Haunting 165
K. KENDALL, REV. H., Cases contributed by 197, 213, 240
iv Index to Vol. TV.
Kingston, Dr. H. , Case contributed by 307
Klein, Rev. Dr. Baynard, on the Subjectivity or Objectivity of
Apparitions 94, 95
L.
LACH-SZYRM A, Rev. W. S., Cases contributed by 230,278
Lancia, Madame, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... 291
Lewis, Pr-»f. Angelo, on the Alleged Mediumship of Dr. Monck 120, 143, 144
,, ,, Evidence as to the Mediumship of D. D. Home ... 119
Liebeault, Dr., Case recorded by ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 184
Lindley, Captain J. E., Case contributed by 312
Literary Committee, Evidence collected by—
,, ,, Classification of Cases 273
Catalogue of Unprinted Cases ... 275,315,330,348
Hallucinations, New Census of 50,138,155,283
Illusion, Case of 67
,, ,, Impression, a Collective 68
,, ,, Impressions, Unconscious, Revived in Dreams ... 142
«B. P." Cases 257
"G." „ 8, 27, 39, 139, 140, 166, 167, 215, 288,
308, 309, 310, 312, 338
"L." „ 13, 26, 52,55, 56,70, 71,72,88,92,
100, 179, 181, 191, 195, 197, 213, 215, 220, 221, 229, 239, 240, 253, 268, 270, 271, 286, 287, 289, 290, 291, 304, 305, 307, 321, 323, 326, 334, 336, 337, 339,
341, 342, 344
"L.C1." „ 271
"M." „ 74,184
"M.Aut.",, 319
"M. Cl." „ 91,93,157,158,159,160,209,210,212
"M. Cl. Aut." Cases 209
"P." Cases 10, 12, 213, 224, 225, 226,228,229,
241, 242, 256, 292, 293, 327
"P. Cl." „ 212,223,254
„ „ "|-338," addition to 57
Lodge, H. B., "Exposure "of Dr. Monck by 144
Lodge, Prof. Oliver, Report on Experiments with Mrs. Piper 267
Lombroso, Prof., Experiments in Thought-Transference ... ... ... 303
M.
M., A., Case contributed by 25
M., E., Case contributed by 179
M., Rev. J. , Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... . 225
Maddison, George, Case contributed by 72
Matthews, F. H., on Mr. Hansen's Hypnotic Experiments 99
Maughan, Miss E., Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... 321
Meetings of the Society, Annual Business Meeting 17,202
Index to Vol. IV. v
Meetings of the Society, General and Occasional 19, 52, 82, 138, 154,
171, 237, 267, 283, 318 Members, Associates, and Honorary Members, Elections 1, 17,49,65, 81,
137, 153, 169, 185, 201, 233, 235, 265, 281, 301, 317, 333
American Branch 201, 234, 265, 281, 301, 317, 333
Memory, Hereditary, Rev. W. S. Lach-Szyrma on 230
„ Pseudo, Prof. Clay pole on 328
Minot, Prof. C. S., Experiments in Chance, &c. , as an Explanation of
Psychical Phenomena 66, 237
Money, C. L., on Psychical Nomenclature 285,346
Multiplex Personality, Discussions on ... 58, 60, 76, 77, 78, 146, 148, 163, 25S Myers, F. VV. H. (and Barrett, Prof.), Inquiry into the Evidence for the
Mediumship of D. D. Home 101,249
on Multiplex Personality 60,77,148
,, Provisional Report on Physical Phenomena 284
,, on Recognised Apparitions a Year after Death 138, 204,345,346 ,, ,, ,, Subjectivity or Objectivity of Apparitions ... 116,244
N. NORMAN, COMMANDER F. M., R.N., J.P., Case contributed by 254
O.
OFFICERS AND COUNCIL, Elections ... 18, 50, 170, 202, 203, 234, 266, 3p2
O'Gorman, Mrs., Reference to, Case contributed by 57
Ormsby, Dr. O. B., Case contributed by... ... ... ... ... ... 8
PALLISER, A., on the Subjectivity or Objectivity of Apparitions 9
Parker, Captain, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... 223
Parsons, Miss, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... ... ... 228
Phantasms of the Dead, F. W. H. Myers and Frank Podmore on, 138,
171, 199, 204 Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism —
„ ,, Inquiry into the Mediumship of
D. D. Home 101, 249
„ „ Sidgwick, Prof., on 19
Piper, Mrs., Experiments with ... ... ... ... ... ... 267, 319
,, Provisional Reports concerning ... ... ... ... 267,319
Podmore, Frank, on Phantasms of the Dead ... ... ... I7i? i99? 204
Pratt, Thomas, Case contributed by ... ... ... ... 12
Proust, Dr., Resume of his report on a case of double personality of the
ambulatory type ... ... ... ... ... ... 258
R.
RAWLINS, F. H., Case contributed by 92,100
Recognised Apparitions occurring more than a Year after Death, Additions
to two cases occurring in MT. Myers' paper on ... 345} 345
Renneck, J. S. Christie, Case contributed by ' 226
Reviews, Miscellaneous 66,101,231,249,258
vi Index to Vol. IV.
Richet, M. , Case contributed by 91
,, Experiments of ... ... ... ... ... .. ...3,91
Ridley, J. H. Wilkie, Case contributed by 71
Romanes, G. J., Case contributed by 212
S.
8. , J. H. , Case contributed by 13
Schiller, C, on Multiplex Personality 146
Self-Suggestion, Experiments in 24
Sidgwick, Mrs. H., on an Apparent Case of Clairvoyance ... ... ... 188
,, ,, ,, the Subjectivity or Objectivity of Apparitions ... 95
Sidgwick, Mrs. E. , Case contributed by 310
Sidgwick, Prof, on the International Congress of Physiological
Psychology ... ... ... ... ... 154
,, ,, ,, Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism ... 19
Simpson, Hawkins, Evidence as to the Mediumship of D. D. Home ... 123
Smith, H. Arthur, Report on the Lyon v. Home Case 117
Smith, R. Pearsall, Case recorded by 53
Solovoy, Michael, Case contributed by 277
Sommeil a Distance, Dr. Liebeault's Experiments in 184
Spiritualism, Phenomena of (Miscellaneous) ... 19, 101, 116, 238, 249, 284
Symes, Dr. E. West, Case contributed by 326
T.
TANCRED, CLEMENT W., Case contributed by 93
Taylor, Lieut. -Colonel G. L. Le M., Experimental Comparison between
Chance and Thought-Transference 237
on Phantasms of the Dead 173,199
Telepathy, Miss X.'s Experiments 155,249
„ Wesermann, H. M., Experiments recorded by ... 217, 218, 219
Thelemann, Miss, Case contributed by 268
Thought-Transference Experiments 33,303
U.
UNDERWOOD, CANON, Case contributed by ... 287
V.
VENMAN, H., on Secondary Consciousness 76
„ the Subjectivity or Objectivity of Apparitions 150
W.
W., A. M., Case contributed by 276
W., Miss, Cases contributed by 67,68,70
W., Mrs., Case contributed by 39
Wallace, Alfred R., on the Alleged Mediumship of Dr. Monck ... 143, 144
Index to Vol. IV.
VII
Warner, Mr., Case contributed by Watts, J. Hunter, Case contributed by ... Wedgwood, Hensleigh, Cases of Planchette- Writing ...
Wesermann, H. M., Experiments of
White, E. , Case contributed by
Wickham, Mrs., Cases contributed by
323
210
174, 208, 319
217
253
336, 337, 338
Wilkinson, W. M., Evidence as to the Mediumship of D. D. Home ... 122
,, ,, Note on the Lyon v. Home Case ... ... ... ... 119
Willard, Dr. S., Case recorded by ... ... ... ... ... ... 257
Willett, Mrs., Case contributed by 140
Wood, Mrs. , Cases contributed by 138,150
X.
X., Miss, Experiments in Crystal Vision ... 82, 88, 155
,, ,, Telepathic Experiments ... ... 155,249
X. , Sister, Case contributed by 55
Vol. IV. ends with the number for December, 1890.
No. LVI.-VOL. IV. JANUARY, 1889.
JOURNAL
OF THE
SOCIETY FOR PSYCHICAL RESEARCH.
CONTENTS. PAGE
New Members and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Proposed Memorial to Mr. Edmund Gurney 1
Meeting of the Council 3
Further Remarks on Experiments in Clairvoyant Perception of Drawings 3
Cases received by the Literary Committee 7
The Fox Sisters 15
NEW MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATES.
MEMBERS.
DOWSON, MRS., L.K.Q.C.P.L, 20, Westgate-terrace, Redclifl'e-square,
London, S.W.
ELSWORTHY, ARTHUR K., Foxdown, Wellington, Somerset. GIBSON, REV. MARSDEN, M.A., The Master's Lodge, Magdalene
Hospital, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
ASSOCIATES.
EVANS, MRS., The Great House, Llanmaes, near Cowbridge, Glamorgan. GREIG, REV. DAVID, M.A., Cotteriham Rectory, Cambridge. GRIER, CAPTAIN GEORGE R., Neyland, R.S.O., Pembrokeshire. MAYNE, ARTHUR J., 51, Ashbourne-grove, East Dulwich, London, S.E. SLOMAN, REV. ARTHUR, M.A., The School House, Birkenhead.
PROPOSED MEMORIAL TO MR. EDMUND GURNEY.
(REVISED NOTICE.)
It has been suggested by a member of the Society for Psychical Research that it would be fitting to commemorate Mr. Gurney's work in Psychical Research by dedicating to his name some branch of the Society's Library, and raising a fund to make the department more complete. The Council (with the approval of Mr. Gurney's family) gladly accept this suggestion, and invite contributions to a fund which it is hoped may be permanently invested — the interest being expended in building up by yearly purchases a Library of works bearing on Hypnotism and kindred subjects, to be known as the " Edmund Gurney Library," and bound and stamped accordingly.
2 Journal of Society for Psychical Research. [Jan., 1889.
The subject of Hypnotism has been selected, partly because it was in this direction that much of Mr. Gurney's most valuable and original work was done ; and partly because it is a branch of research now widely recognised as of high scientific importance, and on which every year produces new publications of value. The Society's collection of books on Hypnotism will naturally form the nucleus of the proposed Library, but it is incomplete, and many fresh works will need to be added both at once and, in all probability, for many years to come. It is for this reason that the Council would be glad, if possible, to expend in each year only the interest of the fund to be collected. It is proposed that all books thus purchased shall continue to form part of the " Edmund Gurney Library," and that the employment of the funds raised shall be entrusted to the Library Committee of the Society for Psychical Research for the time being. Donations are invited both from members of the Society for Psychical Research and from other friends of Mr. Gurney's, who may be glad of this opportunity of doing honour to his memory. The Rev. A. T. Fryer, 4, Upper Vernon-street,* London, W.C., has kindly consented to act as treasurer, and will receive any sum entrusted to him for the " Edmund Gurney Library Fund."
FREDERIC W. H. MYERS, \ FRANK PODMORE, /
Hon. Sees. Society for Psychical Research.
19, BUCKINGHAM STREET,
ADELPHI, LONDON, W.C. December, 1888.
The following donations have been already received or promised :—
£ |
s. |
d. |
£ |
s. |
d. |
||
Mrs. Russell Gurney ... |
25 |
0 |
0 |
Prof. S. H. Butcher ... |
3 |
3 |
0 |
F. W. H. Myers... ... |
10 |
0 |
0 |
R. H. Button |
2 |
2 |
0 |
Mrs. F. W. H. Myers |
10 |
0 |
0 |
Lord Monteagle |
2 |
2 |
0 |
Dr. A. T. Myers |
10 |
0 |
0 |
F. Podmore |
2 |
2 |
0 |
Lord and Lady Rayleigh |
10 |
0 |
0 |
J. H. Stack |
2 |
2 |
0 |
Professor Sidgwick |
10 |
0 |
0 |
Miss Balfour |
2 |
0 |
0 |
Mrs. H. Sidgwick |
10 |
0 |
0 |
Prof. Groom Robertson |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Rt. Hon. A. J. Balfour |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Rev. A. T. Fryer |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Mrs. F. Myers |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Ernest Myers |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Miss Bertha Porter ... |
5 |
0 |
0 F. C. S. Schiller |
1 |
1 |
0 |
* N.B. — Mr. Fryers address as given in the JOUKNAL for December was wrong; the above address is correct.
Jan., 1889.] Journal of Society for Psychical Research. MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.
At a Meeting of the Council held at the Society's Rooms on December 1 7th, the following Members were present : — The President (in the chair), Dr. A. T. Myers, and Messrs. F. W. H. Myers, Frank Podmore, and J. Herbert Stack.
Three new Members and five new Associates, whose names and addresses are given above, were elected.
The resignation of several Members and Associates who, for various reasons, desired to retire from the Society at the close of the year, were accepted. It was agreed that the names of some others, whose subscriptions had remained for some time unpaid, should be struck off the list.
Various matters of routine business were attended to.
As previously arranged, the Annual Business Meeting of the Members of the Society will be held on Friday, January 25th, 1889. The Assistant Secretary was directed to send out the notices in the usual form, according to the rules.
A General Meeting will be held, as previously stated, on the evening of the same day.
It has also been agreed to hold a General Meeting on Monday, March 18th, 1889.
The next Meeting of the Council will be held at the close of the Annual Business Meeting on January 25th.
FURTHER REMARKS ON EXPERIMENTS IN CLAIRVOYANT PERCEPTION OF DRAWINGS.
BY PROFESSOR CHARLES RICHET.
[Translated.]
It is with keen interest that I have read Miss Balfour's comments upon my article on Lucidity. May I be allowed to make on this subject two short observations, after which I shall relate some experi- ments which I made yesterday, a few hours after reading the number of the Journal which contains Miss Balfour's remarks.
It is certain that the subjects of lucidity (if lucidity exist) do not perceive the objects in detail, but only the objects in mass — in their principal outlines ; also it appears, at first, preferable to give for their divination simple lines, and not complicated drawings such as were usually furnished to me in the envelopes, of the contents of which I was ignorant. But, on the other hand, with geometrical figures, or extremely simple designs, chance might play a more important part
B 2
4 Journal of Society for Psychical Research. [Jan., 1889.
than in the case of more complicated drawings. If one of these com- plicated drawings should be described in all its details, it would be extremely strong evidence ; if on the other hand the subject could indicate only the principal outlines, one would look upon the drawing as upon a geometric design, abstract the details, and take note only of the principal outlines described by the subject.
I am, nevertheless, quite in agreement with Miss Balfour as to the advantage of employing very simple drawings only; but one knows that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to arrive immediately at a pro- cedure of experiment, I will not say sound, but even passable. It is only after much groping and hesitation that one avoids faulty attempts and errors in starting. I have had no predecessors to guide me, which may be a ground for indulgence for the defects of this research, which after all is but a first rough sketch. I have even ended by being per- suaded that the results obtained by these drawings (even if they were of irreproachable exactitude, which is, unfortunately, never the case) could not in themselves carry conviction. They do not even lend themselves to the calculation of probabilities. The best way, in my opinion, would be to experiment always with cards, but the cards seem to succeed even less than the drawings, for various reasons, upon which I have not now time to insist.
As to the second point dealt with by Miss Balfour, I am quite in agreement with her. But how is one to avoid this rock ? How to provide, in presenting a drawing, against having in one's mind such or such a design ? Assuredly one must not speak of it to the subject, for whatever one says tends only to put the subject on a wrong tack. As a rule, I never say a word, though sometimes it is really difficult to allow the subject to hesitate and grope for a quarter of an hour and more, without supplying the word. But even when one says nothing, one thinks, and it is impossible not to do so.
I shall allow myself, a propos to this, to relate the following facts, which have occurred quite recently, and confirm in a surprising manner the remarks of Miss Balfour.
On Sunday (December 9th), at 8 a.m., I received the number of the Journal containing Miss Balfour's paper, which I read naturally with great attention. What struck me most were the remarks as to Figure 60, Exp. XVI., and still more, as to Figure 88, Exp. XXXVIII., and I said to myself that Alice, on the one hand, and Claire, on the other, had given proof of some lucidity but that I had clumsily put them out by my words and my interpretations. [The cases referred to are those in which, the original drawings representing a tree and a swallow, the percipient's descriptions suggested to M. Richet a wreath and
Jan., 1889.] Journal of Society for Psychical Research. 5
a parrot's head respectively. See pp. 96 and 112 of Proceedings, Part XII.]
I was going, that very day, December 9th, to see both Alice and Claire. At 4.30 p.m., having put Alice to sleep, I made with her five experiments, which succeeded fairly well, though not perfectly in any case, and I ask to be permitted to relate them in detail.
I. I ask : " What object have I in my pocket ? " She says : " It is not of much use ; it is not long ; it is to place upon paper ; there is a circle, a stamp (timbre), a seal (cachet) ; it is not like a paper-weight." Then I ask (and I was wrong to speak) : " What is it made of ? " and she says, "Iron."
These answers are rather remarkable, in so far that they apply admirably, not to the object which I had in my pocket on December 9th — a die (estompe) — but to another object which I had carried about for some days previously (without showing it to any one) with the vague intention of giving it as an object to be guessed at, either by Alice or some other subject. It was a piece of wood, resembling a paper- weight, with a round in the middle — a fragment of wood-work which had become detached from a piece of furniture. The description which Alice had given of it was quite exact, except for saying, "It is to place upon paper," which applied to the die. The worst mistake, that of saying "It is iron," was, no doubt, provoked by my ill-timed question.
It seems, therefore, as if there were in this case a mixture of two images — of two objects — (1) the object which I had carried about for two days, with the intention of submitting it to Alice ; (2) the object which I actually carried on the day in question.
II. In the next room, which was quite dark, I took a card out of a pack of 32 cards, and put it on the table ; afterwards I replaced the pack in my pocket, without showing it. Naturally, I did not know the card, which I thus took from the pack, and in the next room there was no light, and no one was present. Alice said, "Knave of Spades." In reality it was the King of Spades, which is very much like the knave.
III. I said to Alice : "I am going to take a coin out of my pocket and place it on the table in the next room," which I did. She said, very rapidly : f£ It is a franc piece, with the effigy of Napoleon III., 1866." It was in fact a franc, with the effigy of Napoleon, 1863.
IY. She has an album containing 31 photographs, with which I have sometimes made experiments, making use of each of the photo graphs as if it were a card in a pack. In the dark room, I took at random one of these photographs, without knowing which I had taken. She told me it was a lady, photographed at Rennes, which was
6 Journal of Society for Psychical Research. [Jan., 1889.
actually the case ; but there were in her album six photographs of ladies taken at Rennes, and she was mistaken in the precise designa- tion of the person whose photograph I had put in my pocket.
V. It is to the experiment with a drawing that I attach most im- portance. I put into her hands a thoroughly opaque envelope, and I had hardly placed it in her hands when she said, "It is a parrot. I see it quite well — it is so plain that it cannot be true (?). It is upon some- thing high." She said not another word, and I opened the envelope. I said : " It is wrong. It is a man hanged on a big gallows." Then, instead of saying that it was wrong, she is delighted, contrary to custom, and says to me, laughing, "But I saw it; the high perch is the gallows ! " And, in fact, one knows that in the public gardens, there are sometimes parrots out of doors on bars, but over them is a large ring, to which they can suspend themselves.
Here, I think, is confirmation of Miss Balfour's hypothesis as to the juxtaposition of two images. It is probable that when I reached Alice's house I was strongly preoccupied with Exp. XXXVIII. and Miss Balfour's criticisms upon it. How that became mixed up with the gallows so as to suggest the parrot I cannot say, but there seems to be more in it than mere coincidence.
I would remark also as to these five experiments, — the only ones which I made with Alice that day, — that they all succeeded, but only partially. Why was their success always spoilt by mistakes ? Sup- pose Alice had said " a die — a king of spades — a gallows," &c., one might almost have affirmed that there was here a demonstration of lucidity in startling degree.
I pass now to the experiment made with Claire on the same day.
For various reasons, Claire has been hypnotised but seldom, but has nevertheless given some rather remarkable proofs of lucidity. As a rule I can put her to sleep only when she is ill, for magnetism has a soothing effect upon her, to a perfectly surprising extent. She is readily open to suggestion, and very sensitive to the magnet, and with her magnetism has more effect in relieving and curing than any other method of treatment.
I show her a closed envelope, of which I do not know the contents. It was then 6 o'clock in the evening, and I had just left Alice's house. Claire said to me, "I see nothing; the envelope is quite dark." (When she sees, or tries to see, it is by putting the envelope quite near to her closed eyes, and she says that she then distinguishes the outlines.)
" It is not the drawing in the envelope which I see. I see a tree. I have before my eyes the image of a tree."
In fact in the envelope was a drawing, very confused and ill-
Jan., 1889.] Journal of Society for Psychical Research. 7
chosen, of a tombstone — a column surmounted by a bushy Cyprus ; it was, therefore, also of a tree.
What part had chance in this experiment ? It seems impossible to say. I was no doubt thinking of Figure 60 of my paper [a tree], and there was, on the other hand, a tree in the drawing.
I conclude that these experiments, which appear at first so simple, are really very difficult to carry out well. But as Miss Balfour says, with truth, imperfect as they are, they are not discouraging. We must redouble our efforts.
CH. RICHET.
Paris, December IQth, 1888.
We showed the above communication from Professor Rlchet to Miss Balfour, who sends us the following remarks : —
1 think from what M. Richet says that I cannot have expressed myself quite clearly in my notes on his paper when I said that " the drawings should be very simple, so that they may be fully taken in at a glance. " I do not mean by this that the lines of the drawing should be quite simple, but that they should convey the idea of the object represented at the first glance, there being nothing to complicate or interfere with that idea. Thus, suppose a drawing representing a dog. A well-drawn dog cannot be simple in its lines ; but it should leave no room for doubt as to its being a dog and nothing else. If a percipient, on being given such a drawing, said it was a dog, I hardly think that M. Richet would consider it a less convincing experiment than if she " described it in all its details."
No doubt experiments with playing cards lend themselves better than drawings to the exact calculation of probabilities. But supposing " lucidity " to be a fact, it ought to be as easy for a percipient to name the objects re- presented in a good drawing as to name a card, and the chances against the name being correct can obviously be made very much greater with such drawings than with cards, as a much greater number of objects can be represented than there are cards. Care should be taken that a sufficient number of drawings should be made and shuffled together beforehand to ensure this result.
CASES RECEIVED BY THE LITERARY COMMITTEE.
Assuming that the mediums in the following' cases had no knowledge of the facts by ordinary means, it may be a question whether they are to be regarded as telepathic, clairvoyant, or as evidence of communication with the dead. They should be compared with the cases given in the Journal for November. It will be observed that the knowledge shown by the mediums might all have been in the minds of the inquirers, but that the ideas were not consciously in
8 Journal of Society for Psychical Research. [Jan., 1889 .
their minds at the moment, and in the case of Dr. Ormsby, the form of the clothes and buttons was not consciously in his memory.
G. 644.
A strange test of spiritual identity happened to the writer soon after arrival in Colorado Springs, ten years ago. The mistress of the boarding- house in which she took her meals, being a Spiritualist, invited her one evening to attend a private seance at a friend's house.
The writer was totally unknown to all those present, and indeed an entire stranger in the town.
After some little time a person present was strongly controlled but unable to speak. By signs she made it evident that it was the stranger with whom she wished to communicate. After many guesses as to the possible unseen presence, the medium went through the action of lace-making on a pillow. The writer mentioned the name of an old Singhalese woman whom she had known many years before, and immediately the medium slid down from her chair, and seizing the writer's hand, kissed it many times, saying in the broken English she was accustomed to employ, how great was her joy and thankfulness at being able to express her gratitude. It must be remembered that this was an American woman, whose position at the feet of an English stranger was little consonant to national feeling, and certainly most unex- pected by the writer, who for some 20 years had scarcely thought of poor Loko-rainy.
On retiring for the night a piece of lace made by the Singhalese lace- woman was found to have been worn by the writer. Could this have served as a link ?
M. A. GARSTIN. Box 764, Colorado Springs, U.S.A.
G. 647, abstract of.
From another informant, whose name we may not give, we learn that at a visit to a medium, Miss Lottie Fowler, under an assumed name, a Chinese woman — Wang-Choa-foo — known to the narrator some 25 years before, professed to communicate. The name was very carefully pronounced by the medium. Some Chinese colloquial expressions were used and an attempt made to write in Chinese characters, — the results, however, being not very intelligible to a Chinese who saw them. According to the evidence it appears to be in a high degree improbable that Miss Fowler should have heard the Chinese name in connection with the narrator, who tells us, moreover, that it is not a common one. It is not known whether Wang-Choa-foo is alive or dead. The incident occurred at our informant's third visit to the medium.
The following was communicated by Dr. Ormsby, of Murphysboro, Illinois, U.S.A., to the Religio-Philosophical Journal for July 7th, 1883. Dr. Ormsby informs us that the medium was a Mr. Drake, of Clinton, Illinois.
G. 645. ** Soon after the close of the war our eldest child, a boy of a little more
Jan., 1889.] Journal of Society for Psychical Research. 9
than four years old, died, and we buried his body with all the poignant grief of those who lay their loved ones down in the dust and have no assurance that they shall ever see them again ; so keen a grief that I thank God 1 can never more suffer it. About 14 years afterwards I formed the acquaintance of a gentleman who claimed the ability to see and describe spirits at nearly any time. He was not acquainted with my history, and did not know that I had ever lost a child. Sitting one day in my office, I asked him to describe to me any spirits he might see there. He described two old ladies, who, he said, claimed to be my mother and grandmother, but there were no very salient points by which they could be identified. Then he said, ' There is a little boy about four years old sitting on your foot. He looks up into your face and says, " This is my papa." He is dressed in black or dark blue pants that button on to a waist of the same colour, and has a white ruffle down the front of the waist. The buttons on the clothing are bell-shaped ; there is a plain rim around the outside and the rest of the button is bell-shaped.' During this description I asked no questions, made no comment, nor hinted that I had lost a child. I said absolutely nothing on the subject at that time. I did not from the description recognise the clothing as any particular suit that our child had ever worn, but when I went home I asked my wife concerning such a suit (not telling her anything about the seance) and she at once said, ' Yes ; I made that suit from the coats you had worn in the army, and the buttons were the little staff buttons that came off the sleeves at the wrist.' A few days afterward sitting again in my office, Tasked the same party whether he could see the child he had described to me ; and if so, whether he still wore the same suit ? To both of these interrogatories he answered * Yes.' I then asked him to describe again the buttons he had seen. He did so in about these words : * They are bell-shaped buttons with a plain rim around the outside, but the bell-shaped part is ornamented. The ornamental work is not cut ; it is raised. The button is metal ; what we call a brass button.' Then stretching out his hand he said, ' Why ; I see those buttons as plainly as though I had them in my hand. I could pick one of them out from among a thousand different kinds.' Just then the city clock struck 12, and rising! asked him to walk home and take dinner with me. He accepted, and when we got home 1 set before him a box containing many buttons of many kinds, and requested him to select the button he had described to me. Giving the box a shake one of the larger size of the staff buttons came to the surface, and he instantly picked it up saying, 'There is the button.'
"I then told him of our loss, and that his description was accurate, and very naturally the circumstance made a very strong impression on my mind, the more so as not being very enthusiastic I had made no suggestions and asked no leading questions.
"O. B. ORMSBY.
" Murphysboro, 111."
In the following two cases exceptional opportunities were enjoyed of observing the nature of the hallucinations. The first is so unusually prolonged and dream-like — so unlike the general type of hallucinations —that we should certainly have supposed it to be a dream had we not
10 Journal of Society for Psychical Research. [Jan., 1889.
such clear evidence that the percipient was awake and in full possession of her normal faculties at the time. The second, on the other hand, would certainly be regarded as a waking hallucination were it not for the evidence that the percipient was momentarily asleep, and it suggests that other apparently waking hallucinations may sometimes be of the same character. We know so little about hallucinations, and they play so important a part in our investigations, that all observations throwing light on their nature are of great value.
P. 635.
74, Durham-road, Manor Park, Little Ilford, Essex.
April llth, 1888.
My brother's wife died on March 4th, 1885. From that time he was in failing health. Early in February, 1887, he grew rapidly worse, and was ordered to Bournemouth. About midnight one Saturday night (I think it was the 23rd of February) [February 23rd, 1887, was a Wednesday ; and, therefore, Mrs. Jameson says in a later letter, her vision must have occurred on the 26th], while he was at Bournemouth, I was lying awake in bed, the gas being full on, when I fancied that I saw a grave with a small white stone lying, and one in an upright position. These stones suddenly changed to a leaden hue, and upon the flat stone I saw a basket of exquisite flowers, all white, and such, as I have not beheld before nor since. On the top of all the flowers was a very large tiger lily. Immediately following this I felt a presence near me, but could see nothing, and it flashed into my mind that my brother had died at Bournemouth. Shortly after I saw him in my bed- room with a lady, whose arm was linked in his. Her face I did not see, as they were a little in advance of me. I saw his, and recognised his form. He was on the side nearest to me. The lady was draped as a well-