TO MY WIFE
“It is no proof of wisdom to refuse to examine certain phenomena because we think it certain that they are impossible, as if our knowledge of the universe were already completed.”—Prof. Lodge.
“The most ardent Spiritist should welcome a searching inquiry into the potential faculties of spirits still in the flesh. Until we know more of these, those other phenomena to which he appeals must remain unintelligible because isolated, and are likely to be obstinately disbelieved because they are impossible to understand.”—F. W. H. Myers: “Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research,” Part XVIII, April, 1891.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
| Author’s Preface | [11] | ||
| INTRODUCTORY ARGUMENT | [13] | ||
| PART FIRST: Spiritualism | [18] | ||
| I. | Divisions of the Subject | [18] | |
| II. | Subjective Phenomena | [23] | |
| 1. | Telepathy | [23] | |
| 2. | Table Tilting. Muscle Reading | [40] | |
| III. | Physical Phenomena | [46] | |
| 1. | Psychography or Slate-writing | [46] | |
| 2. | The Master of the Mediums: D. D. Home | [93] | |
| 3. | Rope Tying and Holding Mediums; Materializations | [135] | |
| The Davenport Brothers | [135] | ||
| Annie Eva Fay | [149] | ||
| Charles Slade | [154] | ||
| Pierre L. O. A. Keeler | [160] | ||
| Eusapia Paladino | [175] | ||
| F. W. Tabor | [182] | ||
| 4. | Spirit Photography | [188] | |
| 5. | Thought Photography | [197] | |
| 6. | Apparitions of the Dead | [201] | |
| IV. | Conclusions | [207] | |
| PART SECOND: Madame Blavatsky and the Theosophists | [213] | ||
| I. | The Priestess | [213] | |
| II. | What is Theosophy? | [237] | |
| III. | Madame Blavatsky’s Confession | [250] | |
| IV. | The Writings of Madame Blavatsky | [265] | |
| V. | The Life and Death of a Famous Theosophist | [268] | |
| VI. | The Mantle of Madame Blavatsky | [272] | |
| VII. | The Theosophical Temple | [287] | |
| VIII. | Conclusion | [290] | |
| List of Authorities | [298] | ||
ILLUSTRATIONS.
| PAGE. | |
| Fig. 1. Spirit Photograph, by the author | [Frontispiece] |
| Fig. 2. Portrait of Dr. Henry Slade | [47] |
| Fig. 3. The Holding of the Slate | [51] |
| Fig. 4. Slate No. 1 | [65] |
| Fig. 5. Slate No. 2 | [71] |
| Fig. 6. Slate No. 3 | [77] |
| Fig. 7. Home at the Tuileries | [97] |
| Fig. 8. Crookes’ Apparatus No. 1 | [116] |
| Fig. 9. Crookes’ Apparatus No. 1 | [119] |
| Fig. 10. Crookes’ Apparatus No. 1 | [120] |
| Fig. 11. Crookes’ Apparatus No. 1 | [121] |
| Fig. 12, 13, 14, 15. Crookes’ Diagrams | [124-125] |
| Fig. 16. Crookes’ Apparatus No. 2 | [126] |
| Fig. 17. Crookes’ Apparatus No. 2 | [127] |
| Fig. 18, 19, 20. Crookes’ Diagrams | [128-130] |
| Fig. 21. Hammond’s Apparatus | [133] |
| Fig. 22. The Davenport’s in their Cabinet | [139] |
| Fig. 23. Trick Tie and in Cabinet Work | [143] |
| Fig. 24. Charles Slade’s Poster | [158-159] |
| Fig. 25. Pierre Keeler’s Cabinet Seance | [162] |
| Fig. 26. Pierre Keeler’s Cabinet Curtain | [163] |
| Fig. 27. Portrait of Eusapia Paladino | [176] |
| Fig. 28. Eusapia before the Scientists | [177] |
| Fig. 29. Spirit Photograph, by the author | [191] |
| Fig. 30. Spirit Photograph, by pretended medium | [195] |
| Fig. 31. Sigel’s Original Picture of Fig. 30 | [199] |
| Fig. 32. Portrait of Madame Blavatsky | [215] |
| Fig. 33. Mahatma Letter | [221] |
| Fig. 34. Mahatma Envelope | [225] |
| Fig. 35. Portrait of Col. H. S. Olcott | [233] |
| Fig. 36. Oath of Secrecy of the Charter Members of the Theosophical Society | [235] |
| Fig. 37. Portrait of W. Q. Judge | [241] |
| Fig. 38. Portrait of Mrs. Annie Besant | [273] |
| Fig. 39. Portrait of Mrs. Tingley | [285] |
| Fig. 40. Autograph of Madame Blavatsky | [293] |