Metapsychical Phenomena: Methods and ObservationsMaxwell, J. (Joseph)
Philosophy
Metapsychical Phenomena: Methods and Observations
Maxwell, J. (Joseph)
Parapsychology -- Investigation
“To sum up, the case of H. B. has an appearance which is, frankly
speaking, spiritistic; but it is not possible to consider as certain,
or even as probable, the pretensions manifested by this interesting
personification.”
_SERIES B_
A. RAPS
I propose gathering together, for the first part of this series, a few
interesting things scattered here and there among the notes before me.
On one occasion Chappe dictated by means of raps without contact—in
broad daylight—that 760 copies of a work of Dr. Maxwell’s had been
sold. Four days later, in the same manner, he said that 958 copies of
the said work had been sold; incorrect information as the following
proves: the day after the seance in which Chappe had announced the sale
of 958 copies, Dr. Maxwell received a letter from the publisher of the
work in question telling him that 800 copies had left him, including
the press service.
* * * * *
“We had some good phenomena on Tuesday afternoon,” writes Dr. Maxwell.
“I was talking to M. Meurice about my bibliographical researches,
and of the best plan to adopt for the analytical indexes. A small
mahogany table was near us, one leg of the table was touching a rug on
which M. Meurice was sitting. Raps resounded on the table; Chappe’s
signal was given, followed by some advice concerning the subject of
our conversation. Telekinetic phenomena were also forthcoming—the
table gliding towards us and then away from us according to request,
travelling a distance of from three to five inches.
“Then I tried an experiment, one I have been wishing to try for some
time: I bade M. Meurice sit in an armchair and lie perfectly still.
I placed his arm at about one foot from the table, and told him to
_fancy_ he lifted his arm and struck the table, without, of course,
making the slightest movement.
“We obtained some excellent raps in this way. This is a fine
experiment, for it shows clearly the production of raps by the will—the
direct, conscious and personal will.
“We tried three series of experiments; six raps in each series were
willed; we received four raps in each, that is to say, 66 per cent. of
success. The raps were loud, one was double. The medium nearly fainted
after this experiment, but came round quickly, though he has not been
well since.
“His sensations were: (1) absence of sensation in the arm with which
we were experimenting; (2) a kind of breeze issuing from his shoulder.
After willing the raps he was never sure of success, he did not feel
the wood had been touched. Sensibility appeared to be exteriorised.”
* * * * *
In another of Dr. Maxwell’s letters we note the following:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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