Frank Podmore

“ In accordance with the view already suggested, that telepathy operates more readily on the subconsciousness, or, if we prefer so to phrase it, on the lower cerebral centres, we may suppose that so far as the agent is concerned the process of transmission is alike in all cases; and that it is the percipient's organism which is responsible for translating the transmitted impulse now into an idea, now into an action. The most striking illustrations of this kind of thought transference are to be found in automatic writing. ”

“ It occasionally happens that the influence of a distant friend appears to be reflected, not in the percipient's consciousness, but in his actions. The cases are too numerous to allow us to dismiss them as merely chance correspondence. But we are not bound to conclude that the telepathic impulse has power directly to affect the muscular system. ”

“ Impressions of this character are as a rule less evidentially conclusive than those affecting the sense of sight: they contain less detail; it is difficult to eliminate the possibility of an external cause; and even when it is certain that the impression was subjective, the words frequently consist only of the percipient's own name. In the following case, however, the correspondence appears to be sufficiently detailed to exclude the operation of chance: and the coincidence, it will be seen, is attested by a post-card written before the correspondence was known. ”

“ Even if we accept the facts, there is of course no need to adopt so fantastic an explanation. From our ignorance, however, of the attendant circumstances, and especially of the opportunities which may have offered for fraud, it is difficult to place much reliance on these older records. A few similar cases have, however, been recorded by competent observers in recent years: one or two examples are quoted in chapter xiv.
But outside of the hypnotic trance the most favourable conditions for clairvoyance of this kind appear to be found in crystal vision. ”

“ On Friday, December 10, 1897, at about 10.35 p.m., being alone and at work in my library, I began to think, without any reason, that there had been a fire at the Opera. My wife and daughter had gone off to the Opera at 8; I had not been able to accompany them. The impression was so strong that I wrote F (Feu!) on the cover of a book which lay near me. A few instants later, wishing to emphasise this presentiment, I wrote "Att" (for attention) "Fire!" I enclose what I wrote. I did not, however, feel anxious, but said to myself, "There has been no great fire at the Opera, only an alarm of fire." ”

“ The feeling of pain, especially, is so frequently excited by causes within the organism that in many cases it must remain a matter of doubt whether to seek for the origin of the discomfort within or without. ”

“ The quietness and freedom from external distraction no doubt contribute to the result. But it seems probable that the mere act of fixing the gaze and the attention on a bright object is liable to induce slight dissociation of consciousness. Further it is likely that in some cases the crystal furnishes a point de repère —a nucleus of actual sensation—round which the imaginary scene is built up.
Mr. Andrew Lang has within the last few years collected amongst his acquaintances many instances of scrying or crystal vision, from which I select the following:
No. ”

“ I told her what had happened, and she said that, as far as she remembered, at 10.25 the night before she had been either writing a letter or reading, but probably writing, under an incandescent gas-light with a glass globe, and that she had been wearing a high-necked white blouse.
I had only known Miss Angus for a very short time, so she did not know what friends I had in ———— I do not think that Miss Angus knows Miss ——— There were three other people in the room all the time, one of whom was playing the piano. This is exactly what happened, as far as I can remember. ”

“ Further, the experimenters have some experience in recording their observations: the time of the experiment is of their own choosing, so that they are not taken unawares: the records are practically contemporaneous with the events; each is made before any knowledge of the other's experience is forthcoming. Lastly, both parties are necessarily concerned to be as accurate as possible in describing their own side of the experience, since any fanciful embellishment may impair the accuracy of the correspondence. ”

“ Taken as a whole the reader will probably agree that the narratives here quoted bear on their face the marks of their authenticity: the witnesses in most cases have obviously been restrained in narrating their experiences by a strong sense of responsibility and of reality. And a comparison of the first-hand narratives here quoted with each other, and with the second-hand ghost stories bandied from mouth to mouth in ordinary social intercourse, will suggest that the narrators in the former case are describing with fair accuracy facts of their own experience ”

“ It was not until the germs, whose existence had been so long suspected, were actually isolated in the laboratory, and on being introduced into other animal bodies had reproduced the disease, that the association of certain maladies with the presence of specific micro-organisms in the body became an accepted conclusion of science. ”

“ In this instance the transferred idea, though in itself of a sufficiently alarming character, was apparently almost without emotional accompaniment. In many cases, however, the profound emotional disturbance caused is the most characteristic feature of the impression. In the case which follows, whatever the nature of the emotion excited,—and it does not appear to have been consciously defined as fear or anxiety,—it was sufficiently strong to impel the percipient to a very unusual course of action.
No. 12. From Mr. T. B. Garrison
Ozark, Mo., July 29. ”

“ W. Conybeare Bruce.
Mrs. Bruce writes:
The first thought that flashed across me as the accident happened was, "What will W. say?" My ruling idea then was to get home before my husband, so as to save him alarm.
In this case, it will be noticed, the pictorial advertisement appears to have played an analogous part to the crystal in a crystal vision.
We have a few other examples in which the impulse has led directly to action—prayer, the taking of a journey, etc. M. Flammarion in his book, L' Inconnu et les problémes psychiques, quotes a curious case. ”

“ This incident is fully discussed in the Journal for May, 1903, and from the more detailed account there given it seems clear that the coincidence was not due to ordinary association of ideas or to any external suggestion.
We have a few examples of sensations of smell, touch, or pain which appear to have originated by thought transference.
One example of the last category may be quoted. The percipient's experience, it may be thought, was, as described, sufficiently vivid and lifelike to be reckoned as an actual sensation ”

“ It was cold. She had been dead about three hours the neighbours thought from the condition of her body. She had gone to bed about ten o'clock at night, feeling better than usual. She and my sister had talked awhile after going to bed. They were aiming to come to Ozark the next morning, and intended to get up early.
The above facts cover my experience as fully as I can tell the story. I have no explanation for the matter. It is as much a mystery to me now as ever. I could not believe such a strange affair if told by any one else, and yet I could swear to every fact stated. . . . ”

“ Feb. 15. As I rose from supper, a message came, as if by spirit influence, to say, "Robert has passed away." Miss Bennett present. I said, "There, I have just had an intimation Robert is dead." Time, 9.40 p.m. Noted full particulars on my return: was called away. Had to see a customer on business.
Miss E. Bennett, who was present at the moment and Miss Lottie Young, a niece to whom Mr. Young related his experience on the following morning, have both confirmed the account. Mrs. Ponting has searched unsuccessfully for Mr. Young's original letter to her announcing his presentiment. ”