The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-05-21

uOWUNUfs INV any U8ANu pbtty ukuTou IN thv
transaction. and he denies tho necessity OF as
suming that any third party knew OF the loan.
It 10 sufficient 10 know that the CAPTAIN was
aboard the shin. and that every one on the
vessel was necessarily en- rapport with him. II
any one In the circle was in telepnthic rapport
with the Captain It would DO an all-suflcien
explanation OF the phenomenon. for II Is we'll
known that specific information not known to
any one In the circle can be obtained from
some one having the knowledge who happens to
DO en- rapport with any one In the circle. Thus It
will be seen that thcre are at least four ways OF
accounting for the phenomenon on we'll estab-
ltshed principles. without need OF resorting to
the assumption Of supernatural agency.
III.
1t 10 again by telepathy rather thnn by indie
pendent clairvoyance that our author would
explain the experiments In psychometry.
which may be defined as the supposed power
OF the human mind to discern the history OF
inanimate objects. The late Prof. Denton
made n long series Of experiments with his
sister. his wife. and some others who were
supposed to possess this power in n remark
able degree. We should premise that the Pro-
lessor was n very learned man. not only in his
speciality. which was geology. but in all
branches OF human knowledge. His wife and
sister were also cultivated women. and were
especially Interested In those branches OF
learning In which the Professor excelled. 1t
was the Professors habit to select some geo.
logical specimen or q fragment OF some his
torical structure. and submit IL to his percip.
lent for her version OF its history. She would
place the relic on her head and readily enter a
partially subjective condition. whereupon
sne would give a very plausible and
oltentimes wonderfully accurate history
OF the scene which had been en-
acted within Its former environment.
mus. II the object happened to be q geologic
cal specimen. she would launch out into q
glowing description Of its surroundings when
found. and. going back into its history before
the earth's crust was formed. trace It down
through the different geological changes until
ehe landed itin the Professors cabinet. Again.
a piece OF mortar from the dwelling Of Cicero
would De handed to her, and she would give a
Vlvid description OF the domestic life Of those
who had occupied the mansion, and describe
historic events which might have been seen
from the ancient habitat Of the piece Of NOR
tar. 1t Is easy to see how all this might be ac-
complished and all the known facts stated
with accuracy when the percipient's own geo.
logical and historical learning Is taken Into
consideration. But the Professor was not
unmindful OF SO obvious an explanation OF her
power. To eliminate that element was his first
care. To that end. he would wrap the speci.
men In a piece OF paper. and carefully conceal
It's character from her objective knowledge.
Inc result was always the same. She would
read the history OF the specimen with the
same apparent accuracy as before. The Pro-
lessor. however. did not forget the possibility
mat telepathy was an element necessary to be
eliminated the possibility that she might read
what was in his own mind must therefore be
provided against. To that end. he wrapped A
large number Of specimens in packages az
nearly alike as possible. and mixed them to-
Rether SO that 1t was impossible for him to
Know them apart. One specimen after another
would then be handed hcr. and each one would
De described with the same accuracy as be.
lore. This was considered the supreme test.
and the doctrine that things in common with
men have souls was thought to be demon
strated. The Orientalist would say that Prof.
Denton had proved that the history Of all
things is recorded in tho " astral light" what
everthat may be. The ~spiritist would say that
the spirits OF dead men had given her the in
formation. Our author considers the expla-
nation obvious to those familiar with the facts
Of telepathy. The Professor was an eminent
geologist and a classical scholar. In his SUBJ
mind the history Of every geological or
archaeological specimen In his possession was
clearly and vividly pictured. The successful
reading Of tho history Of the specimens submit
ted to the percipients was therefore ensily nc.
counted for where the Professor lad conscious
knowledge OF the contents OF the packages. 1t
only to account for tho success Of tho
experiment when he sought to eliminate that
element by submitting a large number Of
similar packages. not consciouslylknowing one
from the other. This also is easy to under
4 a md yrhaN M
subjective mind is considered. 1t Is IL common
hypnotic experiment to draw a blank card from
Q package. hand 1t to O subject, and sug-
gest that 1t contains n picture OF some person.
card Is then marked on the back and
shufhed with fifty or more others. A good
subject will. in nine cases out OF ten. indicate
the marked card as the one containing the
suggested picture. and that without the pos.
OF seeing tho mark on tho other side.
tis obviously a much easier feat to remember
the differences in packages than in blank
cards. or the former. no two could possibly
be alike. or the latter. no two would ordina-
rlly be sufficiently unlike to enable one to de-
termine the difference by the unaided senses.
But to the subjective mind. the feat OF remem-
bering each package and Its contents would
be very easy compared with thousands OF re-
corded instances to be found In the literature
~ - . "a tio ga Y
scribed. the subjective mind Of the Professor
could distinguish the packages and commu-
nirate its information to the subjective mind
OF the pcrcipient. or course. it would bs u
simpler solution OF the problem to assume that
the " OF Independent clairvoyan"e exists.
and that the perciplent simply saw the con-
tents Of the packages. But. inasmuch as the
known facts OF telepatlIy afford a perfect ex-
the author does not deem himself
justified in entering a domain which is in the
slightest degree overshndowsd by doubt.
Many people have read the story pub
lished by the first Lord Lytton in Biark'rooGs
Magazine entitled Tho Haunted and the
or. the House and tho Brain" The
supposed susceptibility OF houses to be
haunted ia ono Of the alleged phenomena con-
nected with telepathy which are noticed in
this book. There Is. we nil know. n popular
belief that certain houses are reryaded by a
atmosphere. 50 to speak. which ccr-
responds to the mental condition o. those
have inhabited II. There are many
sensitive persons who upon moving into