The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-28
- 4 PROPERLY equipped and or
~ lowed laboratory for tho
study of psychic phenomena

that If some Of the discoveries We
actually mature, they will ov~crshadow.
in scientific Importance, any of those
achieved within the past hundred
ycars-yes, they would be more far
reaching in their influence than am
discoveries ever made In the history O.
the world. But we are Handicapped
and prevented from making then
simply because of the lack OF cnou~h
money to open and operate a lahore
tory of this nature. In an enlightcn.l
and progressive country such as our-
it is absurd that this should he tn"
case, when every other branch of
scientific investigation is so richly EN-
lowed"
These are some Of the statements
made by Hereward Darlington, author.
investigator and psychic student. For
more than fifteen years Mr.. Caring
ton has made psychic phenomena the
chief object Of his study and his most
important life work; ne has a library
OF more than three thousand books
dealing with the subject; a number Of
remarkable instruments and other
curious objects which attest his in
terest in these problems. Seated at
his desk. amid these various imple-
ments, he discoursed earnestly upon
the subject nearest to his heart,
psychic research" and especially of
the possibility of founding a labora.
tory devoted exclusively to the inves-
tigation OF these questions.
Mr.. Darlington is a clear eyed,
vigorous, young man in the early
,hirties. He gives one the impression
OF being alert. active and thoroughly
familiar with his subject from all
possible aspects. 1t was when he
began speaking Of a psychic laboratory
that Mr.. Darlington made the above
statement.
why" he was asked. should the
establishment of a psychical research
laboratory be so important? What
could be as important as the dis
covery OF evolution, radium and the
X-rays?"
Our present sciences replied Mr..
Darlington. tell us only OF mans
present or his past: they reveal 10 us
practically nothing at all of his future.
Yet surely that is as important. more
important. to us than the past, since
We have our future yet 10 live. while
the past is dead.
mo science has tried to penetrate
the veil Of the future-man's destiny
ave psychlcal research. That alone
endeavors to tell us what man will
become; what hidden powers within
his own nature may yet be revealed;
how best he may develop these
powers: it alone tries to answer in an
Ineligible manner the riddle OF the
Sphinx: II a man die, shall he live
again?
Il can see no reason why thess
questions annot be made the subject
Of scientific study and investigation
Just as much as are any other ques-
ions in science. There Is nothing
more superstitious connected with our
future than with our past; both alike
are subject to exact laws, doubtless
and both alike are subject TO investiga-
ton along scientific lines. Only b.
experimenting can we discover them.
Why should one subject be taboo NOR
than any other, will you tell me?"
'Still.' objected the interviewer, III
am at a loss to see how you could go
about settling this question as you say
how you could penetrate the future,
or even the hidden secrets of the
present. in the manner you state.
Surely the biological and psychological
laboratories we now possess are wei,
enough equipped and sufficient to in
vestigate all these phenomena in tn
right manner n spirit? And further,
cannot see how the results, even IL
obtained. could be as important as you
say"
Mr.. Darlington smiled. II will re-
ply to your objections seriatim," he
said. I'm every field Of research we
need special methods and special in
struments. 1t Is the same in psychic
investigation. The foot rule and the
chemists balance will probably never
be superseded In their special direc-
tiOns or departments, but when we
came to measure the energy output
nf radium or the electric disturbances
going on within the body, accompany
ing emotion, we had TO devise new in
struments.
1T is the same here. In order TO
detect the very delicate and subtle
forces liberated by psychics or
mediums we have to attack the prob
lem from a different angle altogether
and use various other Instruments
that have been dev!sed-the so-callol
fluid motors of Count de Tromelin, the
sthenometer Of DIR, Paul Joire, the
spiritoscope OF DIR. Hare, the polari-
scope and the sensitometer of various
French investigators, &c. These spe-
clal devices are employed to detect
unknown forces and energies.
Now let me tell you why this work
IS so important-why these phe-
nomcna are worth all the time and
money that can be spent upon them,
If true they open up a most spectacu-
lar and far reaching field for scientific
Observation-Disclosures which. as |
have said. all else really pales into
ins%!gnihcanCe, | will show you why.
In the first place all that we
really know about the world we live
in is due not so much to the fact
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