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
However, a stuffed arm-chair near by was several times shifted out of
its place without contact, advancing of itself toward Eusapia. Since
the chandelier was lighted, and there was no possibility of any string
being used, and since I had my foot upon that one of Eusapia's which
was nearest the arm-chair, the movement must evidently have been due
to a force emanating from the medium.
I pushed the easy chair back three times. Three times it returned. The
same phenomenon was reproduced several days afterward.
It is observable that if she had been able to detach her foot from
mine, she would have been able to reach the chair (by some little
twisting,) and the production of the phenomenon must have been within
the range of her circle of activity (and of possible trickery). But,
as the case was, deception was impossible.
Since we could not obtain any levitation of the table, and since the
psychical force of the four of us (Eusapia, myself, my wife, and
Eusapia's companion, who had joined us for a moment, but, who at other
times, always remained apart) was clearly insufficient, I went and
secured a lighter round table. Then, with her hands placed _upon_ it
in contact with mine, three of its feet were raised to a height of ten
or twelve inches from the floor. We repeated the experiment three
times, with gratifying success. Eusapia squeezed my hands violently in
one of hers (the right hand) which rested on the table.
The whole seance is thus seen to have been a web of intermingled truth
and falsehood.
These notes remind us once more that there is almost always a mingling of
veritable fact and of fraudulent performance.
It is easy to admit that the medium, wishing to produce an effect, and
having at her disposal for this purpose two means,--the one easy and
demanding only skill and cunning, the other distressing, costly, and
painful,--is tempted to choose, consciously or _even unconsciously_, that
which costs her the least.
The following is her method of procedure for obtaining the substitution of
hands. The figures shown in Plate XI represent four successive positions
of the medium's hands and those of the sitters. They show how, owing to
the darkness and to a skilful combined series of movements, she can induce
the sitter on the right to believe that he still feels the right hand of
the medium on his own, while he really feels her left hand, which is
firmly held by the sitter on the left. This right hand of hers, being then
free, is able to produce such effects as are within its reach.
The substitution may be obtained in different ways. But, whichever method
is used, it is evident that the freed hand can only operate in a space
within its reach.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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