I am also aware of the fact that there are effects produced by
magicians which they declare are accomplished by natural agencies,
which other magicians are entirely unable to account for or
satisfactorily explain. A notable case was a card performance by
Dr. Samuel C. Hooker which included the levitation of a life-sized
head of an animal, possessed of life-like movement while in a state
of suspension and still there were no visible means of support. A
number of these seances were given to groups of magicians only. On one
occasion a dozen or more of the most expert professional magicians
were in attendance, but no one could offer a satisfactory solution.
Many magical mysteries as practised for entertainment are just as
incomprehensible as so-called Spiritualistic Phenomena and it is not
to be wondered at that even minds trained to analytical thinking are
deceived and misguided. Were I at a seance and not able to explain
what transpired it would not necessarily be an acknowledgment that I
believed it to be genuine Spiritualism. The fact that I have mystified
many does not signify that what I have done, though unexplainable to
them, was done by the help of the Spirits. Mr. Kellar frequently,
particularly during the last two years of his appearance on the stage,
said to the audience:
“Do not be ashamed if I mystify you; I have seen Houdini and his work
and I do not know how he does it.”
The simple fact that a thing looks mysterious to one does not signify
anything beyond the necessity of analytic investigation for a fuller
understanding. But to return to possibilities; I believe that the
great majority of so-called manifestations can be duplicated but I am
not prepared to include all, because, as before explained, some are
spontaneous, and cannot be reproduced by the mediums themselves unless
the identical opportunity should present itself, which is as uncertain
as lightning striking twice in the same place--possible but improbable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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