Mysterious Psychic Forces: An Account of the Author's Investigations in Psychical Research, Together with Those of Other European SavantsFlammarion, Camille
Philosophy
Mysterious Psychic Forces: An Account of the Author's Investigations in Psychical Research, Together with Those of Other European Savants
Flammarion, Camille
Parapsychology -- Investigation; Spiritualism
The boldest partisans of this hypothesis go so far as to accept the
temporary creation of pseudo-human limbs,--arms, legs, heads,--in the
formation of which the energies of other persons present probably
co-operate with those of the medium. The theory is that as soon as the
energizing power of the medium is withdrawn these phantom dynamic
limbs at once dissolve and disappear.
For all that, we do not yet go so far as to admit the existence of
free and independent beings who would be able to exercise their powers
only through the human organism; and still less do we admit the
existence of spirits who once animated the forms of human beings....
M. Porro openly declares that, for his part, he is neither a materialist
nor a Spiritualist: He says that he is not ready to accept, _a priori_,
either the negations of psycho-physiology or the faith of Spiritualists.
He adds that the nine persons who were present with him at the seances
represented the greatest variety of opinions on the subject, from the most
firmly persuaded Spiritualists to the most incorrigible sceptics.
Moreover, his task was not that of writing an official report, approved by
all the experimenters, but solely that of faithfully relating his own
impressions.
The following are the _most important_ of these, selected from his reports
on the different seances:
I saw, and plainly saw, the rough deal table (a table a yard long and
nearly two feet wide and resting on four feet) rise up several times
from the floor and, without any contact with visible objects, remain
suspended in the air, several inches above the floor, during the space
of two, three, and even four seconds.
This experiment was renewed _in full light_ without the hands of the
medium and of the five persons who formed the chain about the table
touching the latter in any way. Eusapia's hands were looked after by
her neighbors, who controlled also her legs and her feet in such a way
that no part of her body was able to exercise the least pressure for
the lifting or maintaining in the air of the rather heavy article of
furniture used in the experiments.
It was under such absolutely trustworthy conditions as these that I
was able to see inflated _a very thick piece of black cloth_ and the
red curtains which were behind the medium, and which served to close
the embrasure of the window. The casement was carefully closed, there
was no current of air in the room, and it is absurd to suppose that
persons were hidden in the embrasure of the window. I believe, then,
that I can affirm with the utmost confidence that _a force_, analogous
to that which had produced the levitation of the table, was manifested
in the curtains, _inflated them, shook them, and pushed them_ out in
such a way that they touched now one and now another of the company.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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