Space would not suffice me to mention the names of all the highly educated and refined minds, in the medical, literary, philosophic, and scientific walks of life, who have studied these phenomena, and who, like Dr. Georget, have no more doubts of their reality than they have of their own physical existence, status, or reputation. Among medical men—some of whom I have known and corresponded with—might be mentioned Sir James Simpson, Drs. Elliotson, Ashburner, Esdaile, Buss, Garth Wilkinson, Hands, Wyld, Hitchman, Eadon, and Davey. Among others on the roll of fame, might be noticed Archbishop Whately; Earls Ducie, Stanhope, Macclesfield, Charleville; the present Duke of Argyle; Lord R. Cavendish, Lord Lindsay; Burton, the traveller; and the late Sergeant Cox. Among literary men, Mr. Gladstone, Britain’s foremost statesman and scholar; Mr. Balfour, his able and talented opponent; Bulwer Lytton, Marryat, Neal, Robert Chambers, Dickens, and Stevenson, of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” fame. Mr. George Combe, the distinguished Scottish metaphysician, philosopher, author, phrenologist, etc., was profoundly interested in the phenomena. Among well-known men of science might be mentioned Camille Flammarion, the French astronomer; Fichte, the German philosopher; Professors Tornebom and Edland, Swedish physicists; Professor Oliver Lodge, D.Sc., F.R.S.; Alfred Russell Wallace, D.C.L., LL.D.; William Crookes, F.R.S.; Cromwell F. Varley, F.R.S. Notwithstanding this somewhat formidable array of investigators of clairvoyance, many good people will not hesitate to deny the value of such evidence, and yet will believe anything in its favour which may be found in the Bible, as to its existence in the past. It is a strange perversion of judgment—not at all surprising—when the majority take (second-hand) for their religious(?) views whatever is recognised as “sound” in each particular district and Church. It is not a question of belief, it is “a question of evidence,” as Mr. Gladstone avers.
The Rev. Mr. MʽKinnon, late pastor of Chalmers’ Free Church, Glasgow, told me a short time ago, “Clairvoyance was nothing more than a high nervous concentrated form of mental vision,” to which I replied, “Admitting the hypothesis—which, however, explained nothing—it matters little what clairvoyance is esteemed to be or called, if the facts connected with it are acknowledged.” Even this friend admitted he knew a man in Mull, who lived on the half croft, next to his father’s croft. This man had great repute in that district as “having the Second Sight.” Whatever this man foretold always came to pass. One instance will suffice. He (Mr. MʽKinnon) remembered that one day, while this crofter (who was a tailor by trade) was working, he suddenly stopped, and looked out into vacancy—as he always did when the “Second Sight was on him”—and described a funeral coming over the hill, the mourners, who they were, and numbers, the way the procession took, and the name of the “man whose face was covered,” and finally, when the procession would appear. Mr. MʽKinnon’s parents noted the time, and being simple Highland folk, accustomed to the accuracy of this man’s visions, they believed what he said, and kept his saying in their hearts till the time of fulfilment came about. Mr. MʽKinnon assured me “the funeral took place to the day and hour, twelve months subsequently to the vision, as predicted.” All I can say is, if “a high nervous concentrated form of mental vision” is capable of pointing out all this, it is worthy of investigation. It is evident this tailor at least had a power of vision—prevoyance—not of the ordinary, everyday kind of vision. Second sight, as exhibited in this case, is what may be termed spontaneous clairvoyance.
Epes Sargent, in his work, “The Scientific Basis of Spiritualism,” referring to clairvoyance, says: “As far as I have admitted it as part of a scientific basis (demonstrating man’s spiritual nature), it is the exercise of the supersensual faculty of penetrating opaque and dense matter as if by the faculty of sight. But it does more. It detects our unuttered, undeveloped thoughts; it goes back along the past, and describes what is hidden; nay, the proofs are overwhelming that it may pierce the future, and predict coming events from the shadows they cast before.
“What is it that sees without the physical eyes, and without the assistance of light? What is normal sight? It is not the vibrating ether—it is not the external eye—that sees. It is the soul using the eye as an instrument, and light as a condition. Prove once that sight can exist without the use of light, sensation, or any physical organ of vision, and you prove an abnormal, supersensual, spiritual faculty—a proof which puts an end to the theory of materialism, and which, through its affinity with analogous or corresponding facts, justifies its introduction as part of a scientific basis for the spiritual theory.”
J. F. Deleuze was profoundly convinced of the existence of this faculty. He claimed that the power of seeing at a distance, prevision, and the transference of thought without the aid of external signs, were in themselves sufficient proofs of the existence of spirituality of soul.
Except in a very few instances, little or no pains are taken to cultivate the spiritual nature of man. Civilised man of to-day is but rising out of the age of brute force of yesterday, and he is still circumscribed by love of earthly power and position. He is an acquisitive rather than a spiritual being. Being dominated by the senses, he will naturally seek and appreciate that which gratifies his senses most. He has little time or patience for anything which does not contribute pleasure to his sensuous nature. He would give time to the investigation of the soul side of life if it brought gold, the means of enjoyment, and gratified his acquisitiveness and love of power. Probably the majority give the subject no attention at all. If the spiritual side of our natures were as fully cultivated as those elements which bring us bread and butter and praise of men in the market-place, there is no doubt, no manner of doubt whatever, but the most of us would occupy a nobler and more spiritually elevated plane in life; and were adequate means taken, I doubt not but this faculty of clairvoyance would become more generally known and cultivated. Even to the selfish, worldly and non-spiritual man, clairvoyance is not without its practical side and utility, such, for instance, as supplying Chicago with water. To the spiritually minded, clairvoyance and all psychic gifts are appreciated, less for what they will bring, than for the testimony they present of man’s spiritual origin, transcendental powers and probable continuity of life beyond this mortal vale.
CHAPTER III.
Clairvoyance Illustrated.
Clairvoyance may be briefly classified as far and near, direct and indirect, objective and subjective. I propose to give a few well-authenticated cases to illustrate these phases in this chapter.
FAR AND DIRECT CLAIRVOYANCE
is possibly the highest and purest combination. The sensitive is able to state facts not within the range of the knowledge of those present. Thus when Swedenborg described to the Queen and her friends, when at a distance of several hundred miles from the conflagration, the burning of her palace at Christiania, no one present could possibly know of the fire or the incidents connected therewith. Hence no thought-reading, brain-picking, much less guess-work or coincidence, could account for the exactness of details given by the seer. Clairvoyance in this case was not only far and direct, but objective. That is, the matter recorded was connected with the physical or objective plane.