Hours with the Ghosts or, Nineteenth Century Witchcraft: Illustrated Investigations into the Phenomena of Spiritualism and TheosophyEvans, Henry Ridgely
Religion
Hours with the Ghosts or, Nineteenth Century Witchcraft: Illustrated Investigations into the Phenomena of Spiritualism and Theosophy
Evans, Henry Ridgely
Blavatsky, H. P. (Helena Petrovna), 1831-1891; Spiritualism; Theosophy
"Mr. Home now, of his own accord, took a small hand-bell and a little card
match-box, which happened to be near, and placed one under each hand, to
satisfy us, as he said, that he was not producing the downward pressure.
The very slow oscillation of the spring balance became more marked, and
Dr. A. B., watching the index, said that he saw it descend to 6-1/2 lbs.
The normal weight of the board as so suspended being 3 lbs., the
additional downward pull was therefore 3-1/2 lbs. On looking immediately
afterwards at the automatic register, we saw that the index had at one
time descended as low as 9 lbs., showing a maximum pull of 6 lbs. upon a
board whose normal weight was 3 lbs.
"In order to see whether it was possible to produce much effect on the
spring balance by pressure at the place where Mr. Home's fingers had been,
I stepped upon the table and stood on one foot at the end of the board.
Dr. A. B., who was observing the index of the balance, said that the whole
weight of my body (140 lbs.) so applied only sunk the index 1-1/2 lbs., or
2 lbs. when I jerked up and down. Mr. Home had been sitting in a low
easy-chair, and could not, therefore, had he tried his utmost, have
exerted any material influence on these results. I need scarcely add that
his feet as well as his hands were closely guarded by all in the room."
The next series of experiments is thus described:
"On trying these experiments for the first time, I thought that actual
contact between Mr. Home's hands and the suspended body whose weight was
to be altered was essential to the exhibition of the force; but I found
afterwards that this was not a necessary condition, and I therefore
arranged my apparatus in the following manner:--
"The accompanying cuts (Figs. 9, 10 and 11) explain the arrangement. Fig.
9 is a general view, and Figs. 10 and 11 show the essential parts more in
detail. The reference letters are the same in each illustration. A B is a
mahogany board, 36 inches long by 9-1/2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. It
is suspended at the end, B, by a spring balance, C, furnished with an
automatic register, D. The balance is suspended from a very firm tripod
support, E.
[Illustration: FIG. 9. CROOKES' APPARATUS.]
[Illustration: FIG. 10. CROOKES' APPARATUS.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account