Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 15.djvu/602

584 observer's view. Mr. Slade, indeed, as the advices state, sometimes seats himself so that his legs are to be seen; but when this shall happen lies at the pleasure of Mr. Slade, not of the observer. So, in general it is the medium who determines when a phenomenon shall appear and whether it shall appear. The observers propose experiments, the medium performs them. When a new proposal comes, the spirits answer, "We will try it," and sometimes the attempt succeeds and sometimes not. Occasionally, however, the phenomena desired by the observers are crossed by others entirely unexpected. By this alone the attention is thrown hither and thither in a way most disturbing for exact observations. This, too, occurs equally by reason of purely subjective visions, which the medium appears to have; now there are lights on the ceiling, to which he directs the attention of those present and of which they see nothing; now he falls into sudden convulsions, which must necessarily distract the attention. After all this, I find the expression, also used by yourself, that experiments are made with or upon Mr. Slade not correct. Rather, Mr. Slade made the experiments; and, if they were made upon any person, then they were made upon those who were present at his manifestations.

If now, respected sir, after a consideration of all the circumstances which are to be gathered from the reports of the séances with Mr. Slade, I place myself in that position of an unconcerned distant spectator, which until recently you were so fortunate as to occupy, it would not be to me a matter of question that I should not have written the article which you inserted in the last number of your valuable journal. But, as you had the goodness to remark, I do not find myself in quite that position, and must therefore finally advise you concerning what I saw myself. The state of the case is as follows.

There were present at the séance, as you have stated, besides myself, two of my colleagues, Herren Ludwig and Thiersch. We sat with Mr. Slade around a square card-table, one person on each side, our hands laid over each other upon the table. Several writings were produced, in the manner often described, upon a slate, which Mr. Slade held wholly or partially under the table; once a longer writing was obtained between two folded tablets joined by hinges. This double tablet was gradually drawn forward under the edge of the table by Slade during the experiment, so that for a short time it was entirely visible; Mr. Slade's hand, however, upon which the tablet rested, was not visible in this. (This, according to my recollection, is the experiment not quite correctly described in one of your notes.) Most of the writings were in English, one in German, but in an incorrect German, such as would be expected from an American or Englishman, who murders the language. Once the experiment with the pocket-knife was performed, quite in the manner you described. Throughout almost the entire séance, the door of the room was in violent commotion, such as gusts of wind might create; this explanation,