“Experience must be our guide. To shut the door on actual observation and experiment in this particular region, because of preconceived ideas and obstinate prejudice, is an attitude common enough, even among scientific men; but it is an attitude markedly unscientific. Certain people have decided that inquiry into the activities of discarnate mind is futile; some few consider it impious; many, perhaps wisely distrusting their own powers, shrink from entering on such an inquiry. But if there are any facts to be ascertained, it must be the duty of some volunteers to ascertain them: and for people having any acquaintance with scientific history to shut their eyes to facts when definitely announced, and to forbid investigation or report concerning them on pain of ostracism,--is to imitate a byegone theological attitude in a spirit of unintended flattery--a flattery which from every point of view is eccentric; and likewise to display an extraordinary lack of humour.” It must, however, be added that, a little further on in the same book, Sir Oliver speaks somewhat less positively. He says-- “Matter is an indirect medium of communication between mind and mind. That direct telepathic intercourse should be able to occur between mind and mind, without all this intermediate physical mechanism, is therefore not really surprising. _It has to be proved, no doubt_, but the fact is intrinsically less puzzling than many of those other facts to which we have grown hardened by usage.” This account of telepathy is vague, and a similar vagueness also characterises the utterances of other authorities on the same subject. But no good reason exists why the matter should not be dealt with in a manner very much more clear and precise. We should consider, in the first place, that the word “mind” really means “soul,” and is used merely for the sake of convenience as concentrating attention upon the soul’s faculty of intelligence apart from its sentient, emotional, volitional and ethical attributes. Accordingly, when a telepathist speaks of mind communicating directly with mind, it is the same thing as saying that soul communicates directly with soul; and this, in its turn, implies the corollary that, whether spirits be incarnate or discarnate, the idea of telepathic intercourse is admissible.