the physical form which imprisons it and binds it to earth, and in its native realm of truth, unimpeded by the laborious processes of finite reasoning, it will imbibe all truth from its Eternal Source. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 10: Suggestive Therapeutics, p. 37.] [Footnote 11: It must be here remarked that although the laws pertaining to the harmony of colors may be comprehended by intuition, yet an objective education is necessary to enable the artist to combine the necessary pigments to produce the colors on canvas, and to perform the other mechanical labor necessary to place the paints upon the canvas in such relations as to produce a picture. When this is acquired, intuition will do the rest.] [Illustration] CHAPTER VII. EFFECTS OF ADVERSE SUGGESTION. The Subjective Mind Incapable of Controversial Argument.--A Sceptical Audience demoralizes it.--The Presence of an Avowed Sceptic prevents Successful Exhibition of Subjective Phenomena.--Labouchere and Bishop.--The Royal Academy of Medicine.--Its Offer to Clairvoyants.--Failure to earn Reward.--Harmonious Conditions required by Spiritists.--The Seybert Commission.--Trance-Speaking Mediums.--How demoralized.--Adverse Suggestion the Cause of Failure in All Cases.--Possible Lack of Telepathic Conditions in Bishop's Case.--General Conclusions.--Failure Consistent with Honesty of Mediums. Another important peculiarity of the subjective mind is that it is incapable of controversial argument. This subject has been briefly alluded to in a former chapter; but it is of so much importance that a more extended consideration of it is demanded, inasmuch as it affords a clear explanation of various phenomena which have never yet been satisfactorily accounted for. It is well known among hypnotists that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to make satisfactory experiments with a subject in the presence of a sceptical audience. Especially is this true if the scepticism is open, avowed, and aggressive. It is also well known that, when a subject is in a state of lucid somnambulism, no satisfactory results can be obtained if any one disputes him, or attempts an argument, or accuses him of shamming, or of a want of good faith. Such a course always results in great distress of mind on the part of the subject, and generally in restoring him to normal consciousness. In the higher phases of hypnotic phenomena this peculiarity is still more marked. In exhibiting the phenomena of clairvoyance and thought-transference, or mind-reading, it is next to impossible to obtain good results in the presence of an avowed sceptic. The controversy between Washington Irving Bishop and Mr. Labouchere is fresh in the minds of most readers. Mr. Bishop was giving successful exhibitions of his wonderful powers in public assemblies and in private circles in London. He had demonstrated again and again his power to read the thoughts of others and to decipher the contents of sealed