Researches in the Phenomena of Spiritualism |
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accordion action apparatus appear cabinet cage Carpenter chair Coleman Sellers committee conclusion Cook's copper vessel Council Crookes's curtain evidence examine exerted experimental explained facts Faraday favour feet friends fulcrum give glass vessel Home Home's hands Huggins impossible imposture inches inquiry instrument intelligence investigation Journal of Science Kate Fox Katie King Katie's letter light luminous mahogany board manner mechanical medium mediumship ments Miss Cook move movements muscular nature object observations occasions occurred opinion opportunity paper person Phenomena called Spiritual physical planchette present pressure produced Professor Stokes Psychic Force published Quarterly Journal Quarterly Review reason reference Royal Society scientific séances seen Serjeant Cox's Sir Charles Wheatstone sitting speak advisedly Spiller spiritualist tells spring balance statement table-turning test conditions test experiments Thallium theory tion trick trickery truth unconscious weight whilst WILLIAM CROOKES witnessed writing x force
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Page 4 - dare not deny it. Faraday says, " Before we proceed to consider any question involving physical principles, we should set out with clear ideas of the naturally possible and impossible." But this appears like reasoning in a circle: we are to investigate nothing till we know it to be possible, whilst we cannot say what is impossible,
Page 89 - break a sprig off, and carry the sprig to a lady ; and on some occasions I have seen a similar luminous cloud visibly condense to the form of a hand and carry small objects about. These, however, more properly belong to the next class of phenomena. CLASS IX. The Appearance of Hands, either
Page 85 - a stretched membrane—a tambourine—on the roof of a cab—and on the floor of a theatre. Moreover, actual contact is not always necessary ; I have had these sounds proceeding from the floor, walls, &c., when the medium's hands and feet were held—when she was standing on a chair— when she was suspended in a swing from the
Page 33 - If there is one thing clear about the progress of modern science, it is the tendency to reduce all scientific problems, except those that are purely mathematical, to problems in molecular physics—that is to say, to attractions, repulsions, motions, and co-ordination of the ultimate particles of matter!
Page 3 - adopt any explanation which has yet been suggested. . . . The physical explanations which I have seen are easy, but miserably insufficient The spiritual hypothesis is sufficient, but ponderously difficult." Regarding the sufficiency of the explanation, I am not able to speak. That certain physical phenomena, such as the movement of material substances, and the production of sounds resembling electric discharges, occur under
Page 80 - The phenomena I am prepared to attest are so extraordinary and so directly oppose the most firmly rooted articles of scientific belief—amongst others, the ubiquity and invariable action of the force of gravitation—that, even now, on recalling the details of what I witnessed, there is an antagonism in my mind between reason, which
Page 8 - fact deduces principle, Adds solid treasure to the public wealth. The theorist, who dreams a rainbow dream, And calls hypothesis philosophy, At best is but a paper financier, Who palms his specious promises for gold. Facts are the basis of philosophy ; Philosophy the harmony of facts Seen in their right relation.
Page 51 - Ibs., or 2 Ibs. when I jerked up and down. Mr. Home had been sitting in a low easy-chair, and could not, therefore, had he tried his utmost, have exerted any material influence on these results. I need scarcely add that his feet as well as his hands were closely guarded by all in the room.
Page 32 - In short, the testimony has been so abundant and consentaneous, that either the facts must be admitted to be such as are reported, or the possibility of certifying facts by human testimony must be given up.
Page 89 - to any person in the room. In the light I have seen a luminous cloud hover over a heliotrope on a side table, break a sprig off, and carry the sprig to a lady ; and on some occasions I have seen a similar luminous cloud visibly condense to the form of a hand and carry small objects about. These,