From some direction, in fact, of which the hypothetical fourth rectangular axis of space is a component.
Is it possible that the matter which is drawn from the body of the medium, and which forms the structure, is composed of molecules whose atoms are arranged not in space of three dimensions but in space of four dimensions?
I do not say that this is necessarily so; but I must confess that to me it looks rather like it. Still less am I prepared to say that the atoms are arranged four dimensionally. We do not know enough for that yet. But it is, I think, a possibility, although for all I know to the contrary there may be many other ways in which forces operating in four space might act on three-dimensional atoms and molecules.
Consider a two-dimensional analogy again.
Imagine a number of flat-headed drawing pins lying points upward on a flat surface. Taken collectively as a system they will have no rigidity. Now imagine a board pressed down on those points so that they penetrate into the board. The points and the board alike will be invisible to the two space beings inhabiting the surface and yet the drawing-pins, taken collectively as a system would have acquired rigidity. Deforming stresses would be resisted by cohesive forces operating outside the two space surface altogether.
This analogy is, naturally, imperfect; but I think that it enables us to form some idea of the way in which the rigidity of the levitating structure might result from its being held together by binding forces operating outside our space.
The only alternative is to suppose that the particles of which the structure is composed are rendered rigid by virtue of some peculiar motion of the ether of a nature entirely unknown to us and different from any type of ethereal motion with which we are at present acquainted. This is palpably unsatisfactory and has the grave defect, in an explanation, of failing even to begin to explain.
In an article published in "Light," for July 14, 1917, I discussed this point in somewhat greater detail.
This is all that I have to say with respect to the phenomena which are essentially "Psychical." In the next chapter I shall deal with two other applications of the theory to more general questions.