865 A. The next case is taken from Proceedings S.P.R., vol. ix. p. 107, being there quoted from an article in the Arena for August 1891, entitled "Psychic Experiences," by Sara A. Underwood;2 with Introductory Remarks by B. F. Underwood (known to me), who writes thus:

1 I believe that the name, and not merely the initial, was written. The initial only is given in the printed account, because at that time Professor Rossi was not at liberty to publish the name. - H. B. S.

2 See also Automatic or Spirit Writing, with other Psychic Experiences, by Sara A. Underwood (Chicago, 1896).

The statements in this paper as to what was written in my presence pur-porting to be communications from "spirits," and as to the circumstances under which it was written, are scrupulously correct. The "communications," it is certain, are from an intelligent source. Mrs. Underwood is the person by whose hand they are put in form. That she is not labouring under a mistake in thinking that she is unconscious of the thought expressed until she has read the writing, - if, indeed, such a mistake in a sane mind is possible, - I am cer-tain. Sometimes, owing to the illegibility of the writing, she has to study out sentences. The writing varies in style, not only on different evenings, but on the same evening; it is apparently the writing of not fewer than twenty per-sons, and generally bearing no resemblance whatever, so far as I can judge, to Mrs. Underwood's handwriting, which is remarkably uniform. The are unlike in the degrees of intelligence, in the quality of thought, and in the disposition which they show. Detailed statements of facts unknown to either of us, but which, weeks afterwards, were learned to be correct, have been written, and repeated again and again, when disbelieved and contradicted by us.

All the writing has been done in my presence, but most of it while I have been busily occupied with work which demanded my undivided attention. The views expressed are often different from my own, and quite as frequently, perhaps, opposed to Mrs. Underwood's views.

Mrs. Underwood writes as follows:-

The modus operandi is the simplest possible. As I remembered that Mr. Underwood was rather averse to the planchette experiments of former years, thinking them unwholesome and deteriorating in their tendency, I at first said nothing to him of my new psychical experiments, though these were made oftenest in his presence in the evening when we both sat at one writing table, near each other, busied with our individual literary work. As I experimented in his absence as well as in his presence, I soon found that I got the most coherent writings when he was present. Indeed I could get nothing coherent, and very frequently nothing at all, when he was away, but when he was present the communications began to grow strangely interesting, and as he was called upon repeatedly, I felt obliged to invite his attention, when the most surprising answers were given, which roused his curiosity and interest. It has been ex-plained that his presence is necessary for me to obtain writing, as "blended power is best." Two or three times, at the suggestion of this intelligence, we have asked two of our intimate literary friends - non-Spiritualists - to be pre-sent, but each time with comparative failure; afterwards we were informed that the cause of failure was the introduction of persons unused to the condi-tions, who broke up the harmonious relations necessary to communication; in time they could be of help.

It would take a volume to present all the interesting statements as to an advanced stage of existence, only hidden from us because of the inadequacy of our sense perceptions, and by the conditions imposed upon us at this stage of our progress, which have been given from this source. Explanations have been made why communication through the agency of certain persons, though not through all, is possible. The conditions, it is alleged, are not entirely de-pendent upon the superior intelligence or morality of the persons with whom the intelligences can become en rapport. These invisibles declare that they are as seriously and anxiously experimenting on their side to discover modes of untrammelled communication with us, as we on our side ought to be, if what they write be true, and if such a thing is possible. "Spirits" they persistently insist upon being called. In this paper I can give only a statement of some things which do not seem explicable on the hypothesis of mind-reading, thought-transference, hypnotism, or subconsciousness. In all these experiments I have been in a perfectly normal state. The only physical indication of any outside influence is an occasional slight thrill as of an electric current from my shoulder to the hand which holds the waiting pen.

Step by step I have been taught a series of signals to aid me in correctly reading the communications. I have no power to summon at will any individual I wish. I have repeatedly, but in vain, tried to get messages from some near and dear friends. It has been explained that on their side, as on ours, certain "conditions" must exist in order to get in "control." When "eh?" is written I know that the operator at the other end of the line is ready to communicate. When in the middle of a sentence or a word "gone" or "change" is written, I understand that the connection is broken, and I must not expect the completion of that message. When a line like this is drawn, it is a sign that that sentence is completed or the communication ended. So with other things. Rhymes are often unexpectedly written, especially if the "control" profcsses to be a poet, and they are dashed off so rapidly that I do not understand their import until the close, when I can read them over. Impromptu rhyming is a feat utterly impossible to either Mr. Underwood or myself. Names persistently recur which are unknown to us. Many different handwritings appear, some of them far superior to my own.