169. Having my apparatus thus prepared, a medium sat at my table, the screen intercepting her view of the disk. No manifestation took place through the disk, though other indications of the presence of spirits were given. Hence, inducing the medium to sit at an ordinary table, I inquired if any change could be made which would enable them to communicate through my apparatus? The reply through the alphabetic card was, “Let the medium see the letters.” At first it struck me that this would make the experiment abortive, as it would remove the condition by which alone independency of interference by the medium was secured. However, it soon occurred that by means of a metallic plate, made quite true, and some brass balls, like billiard balls, with which I was provided, I could neutralize the power of the medium to move the table, so that she could not influence the selection of the letters, though permitted to see them.
170. Accordingly, as soon almost as the medium placed her hands on the plate resting on the ball, and without any other communication with the table, the disk began to revolve in such a way as to bring the letters under the index in due alphabetic order. Afterward various names were spelled, and communications were made. At subsequent sittings, the grandfather and brother of the medium manifested their presence successively by spelling their names on the disk. My father, by means of this apparatus, gave me the name of an uncle who was killed by the Arabs nearly seventy years ago. In order that, without any possibility of contact with the legs, the medium might sit at the table, the length was subsequently extended to six feet, being so made as to separate into three parts, for convenience in carrying from one place to another. It is under this modification that it is represented in [Plate 2] accompanied by a description, with the medium sitting as when employed in obtaining some of the manifestations herein mentioned. On the left may be seen the wheels and axle. The front wheel may be distinguished, with its groove securing the band which embraces it, together with the pulley on the disk.
171. The disk represented in this figure differs from the one represented above, (employed in my first investigations,) in having the alphabet in the usual order. But they are so made as that one can be made to replace the other, when requisite.
172. On one side of the long table, [Plate 2], a board or tray on castors is represented. This was used sometimes as a support for the hands of the medium, by its being interposed between them and the table. On one occasion, where the hands of the medium were supported by the plate and ball upon this tray, it was moved briskly to and fro upon the table, the hands of the medium and the ball and plate accompanying the motion.
173. On various subsequent occasions I have had this experiment of putting the hands of the medium on a plate and balls repeated, and with the same result. The interposition of the plate and balls makes it much more difficult for spirits to move a table than when the hands are directly applied. In the latter case, the spirits actuate the hands primarily, and the table or apparatus secondarily; but when the hands are incapacitated from influencing the motion, the spirit has to assail the inanimate matter directly, assisted only by an emanation from the medium. In this attack upon ponderable matter, the spirits of the second sphere are the most capable; but even with their assistance, the condition of the medium must be very favourable to render success possible.
174. I next resorted to an apparatus like the plaything called a see-saw, excepting that the fulcrum, instead of being under the middle of the board, was situated at one-fourth of the whole length from one end. There was one foot on one side of the fulcrum, and three feet on the other. The disk and its axle was transferred from the table, [Plate I], near to the longer end of this seesaw-like apparatus. The cord attached to two weights was employed as above described, so that as the disk was made to rise or fall with the vibration of the board by the action of the cord, a revolution took place, bringing the letters successively under the index, as already explained to have resulted from the movements of the table.
175. The disk being situated edgewise to the medium, the letters could not be seen. Under these circumstances, the hands of the medium were placed upon the surface of the smaller portion of the board outside of the fulcrum. The disk revolved to and fro, so as to bring the letters under the index in due alphabetic order. Moreover, while this process was under way, to render the result more unquestionable, I interposed a screen between the disk, and the eyes of the medium, without causing any arrestation of the process.[8]
176. Afterward upon the table supported on wheels or castors, and moving the disk by a band, I used a tray on castors to support the hand of the medium.
177. When the hands of the medium, or those of any other operator, were placed upon this tray, it was impossible to move the table by means of it, because much less force would make it move on its castors than would move the table. Sometimes the tray would be moved backward and forward with rapidity, the table remaining quite still. Yet, on urging that the table should be moved, this desideratum would be conceded, and the tray would become stationary, relatively, to the table. On one occasion, when an intelligent spirit was manifesting, I interposed a brass ball ([Plate I].) and plate between the tray and the hands of the medium, and then requested that the tray might be moved. My request was obeyed; the tray moved repeatedly about a foot to and fro, accompanied by the hand of the medium, the ball remaining at rest, relatively, to the tray.