Page:The Naturalisation of the Supernatural.pdf/322

302 though correctly formed is not found in any extant Greek writing. The whole sentence appears to mean, "The all-seeing of the sphere fosters a mystic joint-reception. Why did you not give it? The flying iron ["iron" used for "weapon"] will hit." Volatile ferrum (literally "the flying iron") is used by Virgil for a spear, and Mrs. Verrall recorded in her note-book that the word was probably meant to be translated "spear."

In Boston, U. S. A., on the 28th January, three days before this incident, Dr. Hodgson held a sitting with Mrs. Piper, the well-known trance medium, at which an allusion was made by the "control" to Mrs. Verrall's daughter. Hodgson asked if the "control" could make Miss Helen Verrall see him (i.e., the "control") holding a spear in his hand. The control asked, through the automatic writing, "Why a sphere?" and Hodgson repeated "spear." At the next sitting, on February 4th, the control claimed that he had made himself visible to Miss Verrall with a "sphear" (so spelt in the trance writing).

It is certainly difficult to avoid the conclusion that Mrs. Verrall's script of the 31st January,—a date intermediate between these two Seances,—with its curious enigmatical allusions to "sphere" and "spear," had reference to this transatlantic experiment.

In another case the message given purported definitely to come from the dead. Mrs. Verrall,