It is not perhaps fair to blame psychic science for disastrous tragedies such as these, but it must be openly admitted that occultism is not for the multitude. There is nothing known to-day that was not known in the past, but Spiritualists and other investigators have discovered a few of the minor marvels that were known to, but wisely hidden by, the ancients. Sometimes they are like children playing with a box of drugs, some of which are active poisons. One message of consolation, one instance of subconscious telepathy with a medium, and they are convinced of the truth of Spiritualism and will not be warned that whatever truth it may hold it also holds Untruth and Danger as well as Hope. The threshold between the innocent “control” and the malevolent “demons of possession” is a very, very narrow one. Sometimes, indeed often, there is no dividing line at all. The charges that Spiritualism is the high road to lunacy have these unfortunate occurrences as their basis. FOOTNOTES: [40] Pierre Janet: _L’automatisme Psychologique_. [41] _Abnormal Psychology._ Isador H. Coriat. Rider, 1911. [42] See _Tableau de L’Inconstance des Démons_. Pierre de Lancre. [43] Jude VI, 7. [44] Stainton Moses, _Spirit Identity_, Appendix II. CHAPTER X SOME NEW FACTS AND THEORIES There are a number of peculiar phenomena that come under no specific head or grouping at present; that is to say, they are infrequent or isolated instances which cannot yet be relegated to a specific class and labelled. I have frequently come across hearsay evidence and been unable to find the original observer. In other cases the character or mentality of the observer has been such as to render the account entirely valueless from any point of view except that of sensationalism. The result is that we are faced with an unusual case which remains mysterious, usually because opportunity for a thorough examination of the phenomena is lacking. This is perhaps best illustrated by those cases of material phenomena which we class as Poltergeists. The most recently recorded case was the Cheriton dugout,[45] but there are many others recorded and a good many more details of which have been suppressed for personal or economic reasons. Ronald Grey has some interesting notes under this heading to which I will now turn. The distinguishing characteristics of a poltergeist haunting are aimless violence and mischief accompanied by the displacement and turning about of material objects and unaccompanied by any visible materialization of the manifesting entity. In many cases these mischievous phenomena are associated directly or indirectly with children or young persons. Sceptics usually attribute the phenomena to pure mischief and a desire to mystify or be revenged on somebody by the child, but I do not hold that this is the true interpretation.