{"collection":"Spiritualism & Psychical Research","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/archive_org_eusapiapalladin00carrgoog/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/archive_org_eusapiapalladin00carrgoog","id":"archive_org_eusapiapalladin00carrgoog","license":null,"rights_basis":"archive_org_open:pre_1929_us_pd_heuristic:year=1909","source":"archive_org","source_url":"https://archive.org/details/eusapiapalladin00carrgoog","summary":"This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project \nto make the world's books discoverable online. It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject \nto copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired.","tags":["Palladino, Eusapia, 1854-","Spiritualism"],"text":"This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project \nto make the world's books discoverable online. \n\nIt has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject \nto copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. 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You can search through the full text of this book on the web \n\n\n\nat |http : //books . google . com/ \n\n\n\nlUiNfWA^ MMRARV \n\n\n\nHC 2A1I H \n\n\n\no \n\n\n\n^ \n\n\n\nAu^ \n\n\n\n\nt:- ^;l^1 \n\n\n\n\nVxJ.^<S^ \n\n\n\nEUSAPIA PALLADINO \n\nAND HER PHENOMENA \nBt HEREWARD CARRINGTON \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\nAND HER PHENOMENA \n\n\n\nBY \n\nHEREWARD CARRINGTON \n\nAUTHOB OF \n\n\"THX PHT81C4L PHXNOMXHA OF BPIBITUALnM,'^ \n\n\"VITAUTY. FASTUra AKD NUTRITION/' \n\n\"THB OOMIKQ 8CTSKCK/' ** HINDU \n\nMAaiO,\" STO. \n\n\n\n^ \n\n\n\nNEW YORK \n\nB. W. DODGE & COMPANY \n\n1909 \n\n\n\nCopTright, 1909, by \nB. W. DODGE & COMPANY \n\nMiiUrmi in StcOiontnl* Batt, London \nMl BigM$ Beterved \n\nPrinted In the United Statet oC Amflrioft \n\n\n\nTHIS BOOK \n\nIS LOVINQLT DEDICATED \n\nTO THE MEMOBT OF MT FATHER \n\nB. C. CABBINGTON. F.B.G.S., F.B.A.S., F.B.S.L. \n\nA8 A TOKEN OF MT EE8PE0T AKD ESTEEM \n\nFOB HIS UNBSOOQNIZED \n\nOEHIUB \n\n\n\nPREFACE \n\nWhilb much has been written in France and Italy con- \ncerning the remarkable woman who forms the subject of \nthis book, but little has appeared either in Eng;land or \nAmerica \u2014 with the exception of M. Flammarion's work, \nMysterious Psychic Forces, and a series of articles th^t have \nappeared from time to time in the English edition of the \nAntuds of Psychical Science. Yet the case is one of the most \nremarkable that has come to the attention of die scientific \nworld for many years \u2014 since we are concerned, apparently, \nwith movements of physical objects without contact, and \neven far more startling phenomena \u2014 contrary to the known \nlaws of physics and physiology. \n\nIn the following book I propose to lay before the reader \na summary of all the historic evidence available, together \nwith a detailed record of our own experiments with this \nmedium, conducted in Naples, in November and December, \n1908; a complete resume of every theory that has been ad- \nvanced to date \u2014 ^with a provisional hypothesis of my own; \nand then to discuss at some length the biological and psy- \nchological peculiarities of the case \u2014 ^from die point of view \nof one who assumes, on the strength of the existing testi- \nmony, that the facts are established. \n\nOne forms a very different opinion of Eusapia's seances \nbefore and after he has obtained personal sittings. Before, \nalthough I was vasdy impressed with the cumulative evi- \n\n\n\nviii Preface \n\ndence, I was far from being irrevocably convinced \u2014 ^an atti- \ntude which I occupy to-day. I had given a rapid survey of \nthe Palladino case in one of my previous books\u00bb The Physi- \ncal Phenomena of Spiritualism, saying in part: \n\n\"And thus the matter stands: One half the world is con- \nvinced that Eusapia is a fraud, and the other half is con- \nvinced that the phenomena witnessed in her presence are \ngenuine! What the ultimate verdict will be it is hard to \nforesee; but it is certain that the case, as it stands, is not \nconvincing to the scientific world, and fresh evidence must \nbe forthoMning if the case is ever to be decided in her favor. \nIf Eusapia possesses genuine mediumistic gifts, it ought only \nto be a matter of time and sufficiently careful experimenting \nin order to establish that fact\" \n\nProfessor Morselli took occasion to make this the text \nof a lengthy reply to my book (appearing in the Annals of \nPsychical Science, August-September, 1908), based on his \nseances with Eusapia, in which he said: \n\n\"I hope and believe that my voluminous work on Pallar \ndino*s spiritism will give a satisfactory answer to the dis- \ntinguished American psychist, who is so severe on physical \nmediumship, and only accepts as valid, in general, the bygone \ncategories of the historical phenomena of spiritism. He is \nguided by the preconceived idea that in the earlier times, \nfrom the Fox Sisters to Home, the physical phenomena were \nmore authentic, because then the mediums did not copy one \nanother and mediumship was confined to the spontaneous \nrevelation of new biopsychical forces, without the interven- \ntion of mimicry. . \u2022 . \n\n\"Now it is hazardous to express judgments on a powerful \nbut variable medium like Eusapia on such slight documentary \nevidence; but Mr. Carrington, like all the English and \nAmerican psychists, is still under the impression received \nfrom the check at Cambridge, caused by an excess of rigidity \n\n\n\nPreface ix \n\nr \n\nin the interpretation of the movements of the medium's hands \nand feet. We have the obsession of trickery by the substi- \ntution of one hand for the other, according to the formal \naccusation made by E. Torelli-VioUier against Palladino in \n1892, at the time of the celebrated experiments in Milan, \nat the house of M. E. Finzi. And in reality, in America \nalso, where the conjuring ability of mediums has reached \nthe highest degree, the trick of the freeing of one hand from \nthe chain of controllers is practised every day by charlatan \nmediums, who are very numerous there. I append two very \nsignificant illustrations which Mr. Carrington has inserted \nin his book, \u2022 . \u2022 which show very plainly the method of \ndeception used by mediums for evading the surveillance of \nthe controllers to right and left ; with the freed hand they \nare able to produce touchings, raps, noises, slight move- \nments of objects, apports, etc \u2022 . . \n\n\"Mr. Carrington, whom I still quote for precaution, for \nlie is not only a firm believer in immortality, but also a \npsychist of authority, assumes an attitude of extreme distrust \nwhen he says: \n\n\" 'It is not only probable, but certain, that the vast ma- \njority of modem occult phenomena are fraudulent. I am \ndisposed to believe that fully ninety-eight per cent, of the \nphenomena, both mental and physical, are fraudulently pro- \nduced. \u2022 \u2022 .' \n\n\"No critic or skeptic, were it Dr. Hodgson returned to \nearth, could ever convince me that, in a long series of seances \nwith Eusapia, and especially in the last ones of 1906-7, I \nhad only seen, in all, two genuine phenomena in every hun- \ndred! Thi$ is my opinion, and I live in this confidence \ntoward myself and my fellow-investigators, notwithstanding \nall that Carrington writes about Eusapia Palladino. . . .\" \n\nThis will, I trust, serve to show the reader that I did not \ngo to Eusapia's seances any too ready to be convinced; and \nthe fact that I was so convinced (this being the first case \nof genuine physical mediumship I had ever seen during tea \n\n\n\nX Preface \n\nyears continuous investigation) proves, it seems to me, that \nthe severest skeptics are likely to become converted if they \nwould but deign to stop criticising the reports and sitting? \nof others, and go and have sittings themselves. Only in \nthat manner can one's mental attitude be changed, and the \ngenuine nature of the facts be forced upon one \u2014 as they were \nforced upon me. \n\nIn spite of my conviction, however, I wish to say that I \nam just as skeptical as ever of all other professional mediums; \nand still think that as large a percentage of fraud exists as \nwhen I wrote the above passage. Eusapia is genuine; but \nshe is, so far as I know, almost unique; and I shall believe in \nthe genuineness of none other, until they have submitted \ntheir mediiunship and their phenomena to tests similar to \nthose imposed upcMi Eusapia. It is very true that, granting \nthat her seances are genuine, it is highly probable that many \nothers are genuine also--only the evidence does not prove \nit. However, until phenomena are produced under condi- \ntions which preclude the possibility of fraud, it is useless \nto speculate as to whether they are genuine or not. Of \ncourse it is possible that phenomena only occur under condi- \ntions vAiidti render fraud possible; but if that be the case, \nit is useless to continue the investigation, since nothing will \nev^r be proved. We should alwa3rs have to assume that \nfraud was the real explanation of the facts so long as it \nwas possibly operative. \n\nIn our own seances, we (my fellow-investigators and my- \nself) felt that we had obtained phenomena under conditions \nthat absolutely precluded fraud ; we were forced to the con- \nclusion, in consequence, that genuine phenomena occurred; \nand, that being the case, they should be studied by scientists \n^\u2014 iiot with the object of detecting trickery, but in the hope \n\n\n\nPreface xi \n\nof disccnrering the hidden causes and laws of certain unknown \nand as yet unrecognized biological phenomena. Of course \neach investigator must, unfortunately, be convinced in turn \nbefore he can approach the case from that point of view. \nThe consequence is that years of valuable time have been \nconsumed in attempts to establish the facts; and, by the \ntime they are accepted by the skeptical world, it is probable \nthat Eusapia will have died, and that we shall have to await \nthe advent of another equally gifted medium before we can \nstudy the significance of the phenomena in the spirit in which \nthey should be approached! \n\nI think I ought to say in conclusion that, although this \nbook represents my own opinions concerning these phenom- \nenar\u2014 for which I alone am responsible \u2014 ^the task of estab- \nlishing the facts was equally shared by my colleagues, the \nHon. Everard Feilding, and Mr. W. W. Baggally, to whom \nI wish to express my sincerest thanks and appreciation for \ntheir cooperation and support, and to whom credit is equally \ndue, for whatever certitude has been reached regarding the \nexistence of these pretemormal events. Only by their ex- \nhaustive and painstaking investigations and by their sympa- \nthetic Cooperation has the issuance of diis book been rendered \npossible. \n\nI wish to acknowledge my thanks, also, to the English \nSociety for Psychical Research* for their permission to quote \nextended passages from our official Report upon Eusapia \u2014 \nwhich originally appeared in the S. P. EL Proceedings: also \nto the editor of The Annals of Psychical Science, for permis- \nsion to quote from the valuable collection of material upon \nEusapia's mediimiship that has appeared in that journal. \n\nI also wish to acknowledge, in this place, my indebtedness \nto all those investigators of Eusapia whose records have been \n\n\n\nxii Preface \n\nutilized in the compilation of this book; and particularly \nto those eminent men of science whose courageous champion- \ning of an unpopular cause has paved the way for this investi- \ngation. \n\nH. C. \n\n\n\nCONTENTS \n\nPAOB \n\nPreface vii \n\nCHAPTER \n\nI. The Place of Eusapia Palladino in the History \n\nOF Modern Spiritualism i \n\nII. Biographical Sketch '. 19 \n\nIII. Historical Resume of the Palladino Case 28 \n\n\u00a7 I. Professor Lombroso's Conversion \u2014 1891. \n\u00a7 2. The Report of the Mflan G>mmission \u2014 1892. \n\u00a7 3. Experiments at Naples and at St. Peters- \nburg\u2014 1893. \n\u00a7 4. Experiments at Rome \u2014 1893-94. \n\u00a7 5. Experiments at Warsaw \u2014 1893-94. \n\u00a7 6. Experiments at the ile Roubaud \u2014 1894. \n\u00a7 7. Experiments at Cambridge \u2014 1895. \n\u00a7 8. Experiments at L'Agnelas \u2014 1895. \n\u00a7 9. Experiments at Naples \u2014 1895. \n\u00a7 10. Experiments at Tremezzo, Auteuil, and at \n\nChoisy-Yvrac \u2014 1896. \n\u00a7 II. Experiments at Naples \u2014 1897. \n\u00a7 12, Experiments at Montfort-l'Amauiy \u2014 1897. \n\u00a7 13. Experiments at Paris \u2014 1898. \n\u00a7 14. Experiments at Genoa \u2014 1901. \n\u2022 \u00a7 15. Experiments at Palermo \u2014 1902; at Rome \nand at Paris \u2014 1905. \n\u00a7 16. Experiments at Genoa \u2014 1906-07. \n\u00a7 17. Experiments at Turin (Lombroso) \u2014 1907. \nziii \n\n\n\nXIV \n\n\n\nContents \n\n\n\nCBAPTBR PAOB \n\n\u00a7 i8. Experiments at Turin (Foa, etc.)\u2014 1907, \n\u00a7 19. Experiments at Naples \u2014 1907. \n\u00a7 20. Report of a Seance held in Naples \u2014 1908. \n\u00a7 21. Report of the Psychological Insdtute (Paris) \n\n\u2014 1908. \n\u00a7 22. Miscellaneous Cases Illustratiye of the \n\nPhenomena. \nIV. PntsoNAL Experiments with Eusapia\u2014 -Naples, \n\n1908 152 \n\nSeance i\u00bb November 21. \nStance 2\u00bb November 23. \nSeance 3\u00bb November 26. \nSeance 4, November 29. \nS&mce 5\u00bb December 2. \nStance 6, December 4. \nSeance 7\u00bb December 7* \nSeance 8\u00bb December lo* \nSeance 9, December 13. \nSeance lo, December 15. \nSeance ii> December 19. \nV. Riisuiii OF Theories Advanced to Explain these \n\nPhenomena 240 \n\nVI. My Own Hypothesis to Account for the Facts. 283 \nVIL Biological and Psychological Considerations. 302 \n\nAppendix 339 \n\nIndex 349 \n\n\n\nEUSAPIA PALLADINO \n\n\n\nCHAPTER I \n\nrun PLACE OF EUSAPIA PALLADINO IN THE HISTORY O^ \nMODERN SPIRITUALISM \n\nEusapia Palladino,^ the Italian medium who forms the \nsubject of this hock, occupies a unique place in the histoiy \nof Spiritualism. No other medium, producing \"physical phe* \nnomena,\" has been studied with so mudi care, for so long a \nperiod, and by so many scientific men, as she. The case \nmost nearly resembling it is that of Mrs. Piper \u2014 ^and she \nis not a medium for the production of physical phenomena, \nbut is a trance mediiun, solely, and nothing has ever oc\u00ab \ncurred in her presence resembling the phenomena asserted \nto have taken place in the presence of Eusapia Palladino. \nMrs. Piper has been studied continuously, by men of scien-* \ntific repute, for some twenty-five years (since 1885) \u2014 in- \ncluding some of the leading scientists of England, France \nand America; but the investigation was left for the most \npart in the hands of Dr. Hodgson, and the men and women \nwho investigated her scientifically might be counted on the \ntwo hands. Further, as I have said before, there Is no re- \nsemblance whatever between the types of phenomena wit- \n\n* Mme. PaUadino told me personally that she speDs her name with two, *\\\\** \ncontrary to the all but universal custom.\u2014H. C \n\nS \n\n\n\n2 Eusapia Falladino \n\nnessed through the mediumship of the two mediums. Mrs. \nPiper merely sits at a table, and, while conversing, passes \ninto a trance, in which state she remains for some two hours. \nDuring that period, her hand writes out certain message \nautomatically\u2014 which are read at the time by the sitter. It \nis all done openly, and in the light. In her case, there is \nno mystery; no dark seances; no physical phenomena; every- \nthing is perfectly dear and open, so far as the actual produc- \ntion of the phenomena is concerned. The whole point of \ninterest, in her case, is the content of the written message. \nDoes it or does it not contain any facts unknown to the \nmedium, that are apparently gained supemormally? That \nis the problem, in her case. It is a mental problem; not \na physical one. The phenomena are mental or psychologi* \ncal, and not physical. The problems to be solved are, it will \nbe seen, of a very different order from any that occur in \nthe physical world. \n\nIn the case of Eusapia Falladino, on the other hand, every- \nthing is as difiEerent as possible. Here, the phenomena are \nalmost entirely physical in their character, and very rarely \nare mental or psychological phenomena obtained. \n\nIn order that the reader may understand the case which we \nare to discuss, it will be necessary, first of all, to give a brief \noutline of what happens at these seances, so that the phe- \nnomena which take place at these dttings may be familiar \nto him. \n\nEusapia Falladino is a \"phjrsical medium'' \u2014 that is to \nsay, phjTsical phenomena occur in her presence, and mental \nor intellectual manifestations \u2014 such as are usually seen in \nthe presence of trance mediums \u2014 ^are missing. Tables and \nchairs mpve about the room of their own ^uxord, untouched \nby visible hands; the table around which the sitters are seated^ \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 3 \n\nrocks yiolently, and finally goes completely into the air, con- \ntrary to the law of gravitation. Lights are seen in various \nparts of the room ; musical instruments are played, no hand \ntouching them; hands and faces appear \u2014 not belonging to \nany member of the circle, or to the medium; and various \nother phenomena of a kindred nature occur, quite inexpli- \nad>le by any of the known laws of physical science. The \nabove list will at least serve to show the g^eral character \nof the phenomena observed in the presence of this medium. \n\nOf course the most obvious explanation of the facts is that \nthe mediimi succeeds in some manner in producing the phe- \nnomena by fraudulent means; that she succeeds, e.g., in \nfreeing one hand, and producing the touching^ playing upon \nthe various musical instruments, lifting the table, etc, unseen \nby the sitters. That is the most natural explanation, and \nits possibility we should certainly have to eliminate before \nwe could accept the facts as genuine. So much fraud has \nexisted in the past, in connection with the physical phe- \nnomena of ^iritualism, that we should have to take the \ngreate s t precautions that the mediums could not by any \nartifice produce the results seen by any normal means, or \nby any process of trickery. That is the obvious problem \nwhich all investigators of this medium's powers have been \ncalled upon to face, and which they have endeavored to over- \ncome by imposing test after test, and obtaining phenomena \nunder more and more stringent conditions, which precluded \nall possibility of fraud. \n\nIt must not be thought that the investigators of Eusapia \nhave been blind to the possibility of fraud in her case. On \nthe contrary, they have been on the incessant watch for it; \nand have frequently detected it in operation. If fraud had \nnever been detected;\u00bb the problem would be a comparatively \n\n\n\n4 Eusapia Palladino \n\nsimple one; but, unfortunately, it is well known that this \nmedium wilt resort to trickery whenever she can \u2014 sometimes \nin a normal state, sometimes in a state of semi-trance. \n\nI have said before that Eusapia Palladino holds almost \na unique place in the history of spiritualism, and for several \nreasons. The chief reason is this: That in her may now be \nsaid to culminate and focus the whole evidential case for the \nphysical phenomena of spiritualism. If it could be shown \nthat \u2014 in spite of all these years of work, in spite of the \nelaborate precautions taken, in spite of the testimony of the \nnumerous scientific men who have carefully investigated her, \nand brought in favorable reports \u2014 her performances were \nfraudulent throughout, and that nothing but fraud entered \ninto the production of these phenomena \u2014 then the whole case \nfor the physical phenomena would be ruined \u2014 ^utterly, irre- \ntrievably ruined.* If, on the other hand, it becomes evi- \ndent that fraud will not cover all the facts, and that genuine \nphenomena do occur in her presence \u2014 phenomena as yet in- \nexplicable by science \u2014 then it will be proportionately more \nprobable that many of the historic cases were genuine also; \nthat the same phenomena occurred in other cases, but not \nso frequently, or under such good test conditions as those \nreported to occur in this case. The theoretical possibility \nof the facts having once been established, it does not neces- \n\n' This statement may be questioned, but it is, I think, valid for this reason: \nThe phenomena occurring in the presence of this medium have been studied bjr \nmore scientific men, for a greater period of time, in a more careful manner, and \nwith greater precautions against fraud, than any other medium in the history \nof the subject. If, then, in spite of all this, it were proved that fraud covered \nand explained all the facts, such doubt would be thrown upon the value of human \ntestimony \u2014 so impossible would it obviously be to guard against fraud \u2014 that \nno amount of testimony for any other phenomena of the sort would be tolerated \nor considered for a moment. This may be both wrong and arrogant, but the \ncase would be hopelessly lost, I am assured. So far as the scientific world it \nconcerned, it could never again be reconverted after such a crushing blow. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino ^ \n\nsitate much credulity to imagine that the same phenomena \ntook place many times in the past, in the presence of lesser \nand \"weaker\" mediums. Thus, Eusapia Palladino forms a \n\"wedge,\" as it were, that might be driven home, perhaps \u2014 \nopening the way for the acceptance of the theoretical possi- \nbility of the older facts, and for the actual occurrence of \nmany historic phenomena. She is, in fact, the crux, the pivot \nupon which the whole case for the physical phenomena turns. \nUpon her, upon the proof or disproof of her claims, rests \none of the most stupendous crises in the history of science. \n\nThus, in this medium may be said to rest the case for phy* \nsical phenomena \u2014 as the case for the mental phenomena rests \nwith Mrs. Piper. These two mediiuns are both representa- \ntives, in a way, of their particular class of phenomena \u2014 the \nphysical and the mental; and a very similar problem con- \nfronts us in the two cases. In the Piper case, if it could be \nshown, now or in after years, that subliminal faculty and \ntelepathy, or other supernormal powers are sufficieot to ex- \nplain the facts (or even some more normal and as yet un- \nsu^)ected cause), then the case for spiritism would go \nto the wall; for no other case is so strong as this. In the \nsame way, no medium of our day has succeeded in producing \nsuch remarkable phenomena, under such good conditions, as \nEusapia; and the case for the physical phenomena, as before \nsaid, may be said to rest with her. \n\nThere was one medium in the past who occupied very \nmuch the same position, in the interested and the scientific \nworld, as does Eusapia to-day \u2014 D. D. Home. The phe- \nnomena occurring in the presence of this medium were very \nmuch on the same order as those occurring in the presence of \nEusapia. In many respects, the phenomena were identical ; \nbut, whereas Eusapia, or the forces operating through her. \n\n\n\n6 Eusapia Palladino \n\nproduce certain phenomena that were never reported to have \noccurred in the presence of Home (impressions of hands in \nwet putty, e^g*)^ Home, on the other hand, obtained cer- \ntain phenomena that Eusapia never duplicated or equaled \u2014 \nthe handling of red-hot coals, etc But the phenomena are \nvery similar in many respects; and there is this further simi- \nlarity \u2014 ^that both these mediums have been studied by scien- \ntific men, who published reports upon them and their phe- \nnomena. But while Sir William Crookes was almost the \nonly man of great eminence who defended Home, numbers \nhave come forward and published positive testimony in favor \nof Eusapia; and in that respect her case is far stronger than \nthat of Home, simply by reason of this cumulative testimony \n\u2014 though it can hardly be said that many of the incidents \nare stronger or better evidenced than some of those occurring \nin the presence of Home and witnessed by Sir William \nCrookes. In many of those incidents, no loophole for fraud \nor other natural explanation has ever been found ; and critics \nhave had to fall back upon the ground that more evidence \nof the same character must be forthcoming in order to com- \npel belief. This was perfectly rational and justifiable, but \nHome's death prevented this additional evidence from be- \ning accumulated. In the case of Eusapia Palladino, it seems \nto have been accumulated, as we shall presently see. \n\nThe relative value and significance of the Palladino phe^ \nnomena can best be estimated, perhaps, by a brief glance at \nthe historic phenomena \u2014 similar cases of the same general \ncharacter occurring in the past. If we review these cases, \nwe diall find many points of interest; and it will be profit- \nable to devote at least a brief space to this side of the con- \ntroversy, before enumerating the actual facts themselves. In \nthis way we can get a better look at her phenomena in per- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 7 \n\nspecdve, as it were, and judge them as they will ultimately \nbe judged \u2014 from the standpoint of history. \n\nModem Spiritualism is, Mr. Podmore contends, \"the di- \nrect outgrowth of Animal Magnetism.*' This gave rise, \nfirst of all, to the idea of ''questioning spirits\" through the \nmouths of entranced persons, and the mental phenomena are \nthe product of this idea. These phenomena and these be- \nliefs Podmore traced back, through Andrew Jackson Davis \nand others in America; through the English Clairvoyants \nand the early English Mesmerists; through the German \nSomnambules; through the old French Mesmerists, to the \nPossession and Witchcraft cases of the Middle Ages. The \nphysical phenomena, on the other hand, were traced back \nthrough the early physical mediums and poltergeist cases to \nthe physical phenomena associated with the same mediaeval \nWitchcraft It is a natural outgrowth, and doubtless the \ncorrect one, in the main. Modern spiritualistic phenomena \n\u2014originating the present movement in 1848 \u2014 really date \nback a very long way \u2014 through all history, in fact, and ac- \ncounts of those phenomena occur in the traditions of every \nnation. So far as we have any history at all, we find these \nphenomena occurring \u2014 ^just such phenomena, apparently^ as \nwe observe to-day, and construed in very much the same way \nthen as they are construed now! Phenomena, supposedly \nremarkable, took place in all times \u2014 in all countries; it has \nalways been merely a question of their interpretation. \n\nNow, when we come to consider this question of evidence \nand interpretation, we find this interesting feet. One class \nof individuals invariably explained the phenomena in one \nway \u2014 spirits; the other class endeavored to explain the facts \nin a \"naturalistic'' manner, and attempted to show that fraud, \nand disease, and other natural states and conditions were suf- \n\n\n\n8 Eusapla Palladino \n\nficient to explain the facts. The same warfare is existing to- \nday I No certain solution of these problems has even yet been \narrived at \u2014 in spite of the centuries of squabbling, and the \ndivision is as great and the dispute as keen now as ever. Fur- \nther, the stronger the arguments that are advanced on one \nside, the stronger the arguments on the other \u2014 they seem to \nbalance each other exactly, so that the matter now stands just \nwhere it did at first! Why is this? \n\nI think that an explanation of this fact may perhaps be \nfound \u2014 ^in a number of cases at lestet. In the first place, \none side was contending for the reality of the facts (only), \nwhile the other side was fighting the facts-and-the-popular- \nconstniction-of-the-facts as well. They could not seem to \nget it into their heads (and they don't now) that the \nopinions and explanations of a man need not be accepted, \nmerely because his facts are. This cannot be too strongly \ninsisted upon, as it is a large cause of the trouble \u2014 ^past and \npresent. In the next place, the two sides were not always \narguing about the same facts at all ! Thus, one man may be \nattacking \"spiritualism\" \u2014 meaning by that, slate writing, \nmaterialization, and similar phenomena; while another man \nmay be defending \"spiritualism\" \u2014 ^while he means by the \nterm mental and psychological phenomena merely! It is ex- \nceedingly important that the terms used should be very \nclearly understood by both sides, in any dispute of this char- \nacter; and further, they should be sure that they are arguing \nabout the same phenomena, viewed from the same standpoint. \nIf this were done, half the trouble would doubtless disappear \nat once. \n\nI have digressed to make these remarks primarily for this \nreason. If the history of \"the supernatural\" be studied care- \nfully, it will be found to duplicate, on a large scale, the his- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 9 \n\ntory of modem spiritualism. The latter movement con- \ndenses and epitomizes, as it were, the whole past phenomena \nin just this way. Throughout the course of its history, \nfraudulent phenomena have been observed (of that there \ncan be no doubt whatever), and apparently genuine phe- \nnomena have been taking place at the same time also. Some \ninvestigators came in contact with the fraudulent phenomena, \nand others with the apparently genuine; and they have \nboth been arguing from their own \"experiences.\" Of course \nthe result was, that no lasting agreement was arrived at. In \norder to arrive at an agreement, it would be necessary, first \nof all, to discuss the same phenomena; then agree as to the \nmeans that must be adopted in order to solve the problem ; \nfinally, agree to attempt to solve it in that manner. Only \nin that way can any lasting peace be found. \n\nNow, throughout all the mysticism of the Middle Ages, and \nall earlier periods, and throughout modern spiritualism, there \nhas been an admixture of the fraudulent and the genuine. \nThe preponderance has been on one side, according to some \nminds, and on the other, according to others; but very few \nhave questioned the central fact that the two have alwajrs \nexisted side by side. Especially is this the case with the physi- \ncal phenomena \u2014 ^where much fraud has always been known to \nexist. Indeed, so much fraud existed in the past, and so many \nand so ingenious are the means of deceiving the investigator, \nthat some critics are disposed to think that no genuine phjrsi- \ncal phenomena at all have ever occurred I Mr. Podmore \nand other critics are inclined to take this view \u2014 and this, \nafter a careful search through both the historical evidence \nand the newer cases. For them, the physical phenomena have \nbeen \"analyzed away\"; they have been resolved into very \nnatural phenomena! Whether this position can be main- \n\n\n\n;io Eusapia Palladino \n\ntained indefinitely or not will have to be decided by the later \nand more conclusive evidence. \n\nSo we come, as the result of this long preamble, to this \npoint: Taking the past history of modem spiritualism, we \nfind ihany cases of apparently supernormal phenomena \nrecorded, but most of them so badly recorded that they do \nnot of themselves carry conviction. They are to be doubted, \ntherefore. On the contrary, there are a few notable excep- \ntions to this rule \u2014 e.g., D. D. Home, and William Stainton \nMoses \u2014 in whose presence many remarkable phenomena are \nreported to have occurred, and these cases are strong enough \nto withstand criticism, i^id have at all events never been \nsatisfactorily explained. We thus have two or three cases \nstanding out against all past history and human experience. \nAre they strong enough or numerous enough to warrant \nour belief in their reality? Most men and women of a \nscientific turn of mind would probably think that they were \nnot, and would demand further proof and more facts. That \nis only fair. This is one way of looking at the facts. \n\nThe other view of the historic evidence is this. Here are \none or two cases that have never been explained, and are \n\u2022trong enough to found a belief upon. The facts being ac- \ncepted upon the strength of these few cases, may we not \njustly assert that the other, more numerous, but weaker \ncases, evidentially, are genuine also\u2014 -and may we not con- \nceive that the same laws and forces that certainly governed \nthe phenomena in the best-attested cases, governed and pro- \nduced the phenomena in the less well-attested cases also?. It \nwas simply not proved to be the case, in those instances. \nCertainly this would be a rational assumption \u2014 if the origi- \nnal cases were strong enough, or well enough attested. The \nwhole past history of the phenomena may be read in the light \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino ir \n\nof the evidence of the newer facti. If no new facts bo \nforthcoming, then the older facts will be cast into greater \nand greater doubt; if, on the other hand, newer facts are \nbrought forward, tending to estabh'sh the reality of the phe- \nnomeoa, then it is certainly probable that many of the older \nand less well-attested phenomena were genuine also\u2014 only \nthe evidence did not prove it\u00ab \n\nNow we can see the tremendous importance of the Pallar \ndino phenomena. Their disproof would, on the one hand* \ncast all the historic phenomena into the gravest doubt; while \ntheir proof would, on the contrary, tend to credit many of \nthe older phenomena; and would tend to render it probable \nthat they were, in reality, genuine alsa \n\nNow, in this case^-the crux of spiritualism, as before said \n\u2014 the medium is, fortunately, still Uving, and can still \nbe experimented upon, by the skepticaL Experiments are \nnow being conducted which, it is hoped, will settle this \nquestion once and forever; while much of the evidence that \nhas been presented in the past is of such a character that it \nhas already done so, to many minds. That, however, is a \nquestion that cannot be discussed here; as it would be to \nanticipate. This will at all events show the great signifi\u00ab \ncance of the facts, historically, and how much depends upon \ntheir solution and establishment\u2014 one way or the other. \n\nWe have come, therefore, to the point where we must in- \nvestigate the facts, and see whither they lead us: What \ntheir nature; how strong their evidential character, and what \nconclusions we must draw from them, if genuine. And diis \nbrings us to another important aspect of the case that must \nnot be ignored, and which I might perhaps allude to in dits \nplace. \n\nWe have seen the relative importance and signifiamoe of \n\n\n\n12 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthe facts historically; now let us briefly consider them from \nthe orthodox scientific' standpoint. In what way would they \naffect science and scientific thought, as at present held, if \ntrue? Would they, if proved to be genuine, enforce any \nrecasting and remolding of science or scientific ideas? \nWould they run counter to the law of the indestructibility \nof matter? of the conservation of energy? of the possibility \nof actio ad distansf or other well-grounded scientific dogmas? \nThese are questions that must be settled, or at least dis^ \ncussed. \n\nFirst, I would point out that it would really make no \ndifference at all, to the really scientific investigator, if they \nran counter to these beliefs or not. He would not care a \nfig whether they did or did not run counter to scientific \nbeliefs in this respect. He would endeavor to ascertain the \nfacts, and, these once established, he would then endeavor, \nas best he could, to fit them into his scheme of the universe. \nSome scientists, it is to be regretted, take the opposite view, \nand insist that the possibility of a fact must be proved be- \nfore it can be investigated I But we need hardly point out \nthat this is the reverse of sdentific. It is the rankest dog^ \nmatism. Facts should always come before theories, and no \nmatter what our views of the Universe may be, any new \nand strange facts should be investigated, no matter how \nthey may seem to run counter to accepted science, or alter \nthe world-scheme, as at present held. The facts must be \ninvestigated, the interpretation of the facts may come later. \nOnce established, it will be time enough to quarrel over \nthem and their interpretation. We must insist, therefore, \nthat, no matter in what way they may upset science, as at \npresent held, these facts should be investigated and the re- \nsults of the investigation impartially recorded* \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 13 \n\nIf these phenomena \u2014 such as are recorded in this book- \narc ever accepted by orthodox science \u2014 as they surely must \nbe, if the evidence continues to increase in bulk and con- \nclusiveness \u2014 ^then it will certainly become necessary to con- \nsider the question of interpretation or explanation. Until \nfraud is shown incapable of explaining all the facts; until \nall purely \"natural\" explanations are diown to be inadequate \n*\u2014 we must not, of course, seek any other interpretation. \nBut having once shown that genuine supernormal phenomena \nof the kind do exist, it becomes the duty of the scientific man \nto try and explain them. It may be contended that we need \nnot as yet have any explanation at all ; that not enough and \nconclusive enou^ phenomena have been collected to warrant \nany hypothesis; and it would be well to refrain from theoriz- \ning or speculating until this additional evidence be forthcom- \ning. I sympathize with this point of view, and was inclined \nto defend this attitude myself.* But there comes a time, \nnevertheless, when speculation is legitimate, if tentative. \nThere is a difference between saying that such and such a \nthing is done in a certaiii way; and saying that such and such \na thing, if true and genuine, might perhaps have been per- \nformed in that manner! In view of the newer evidence, it \nwould seem that there must come a time when these phe- \nnomena will be recognized by science; and then theorizing \nwill be legitimate enough. At all events, those of us who are \nconvinced of the reality of the phenomena are entitled to form \nconclusions and advance theories; and it is in this light, and \nfor this reason, that the theories advanced at the end of the \nbook are published. \n\nWe have not yet discussed the changes in scientific views \nthat must follow these newer researches, if accepted, or the \n\n' See Journal of <tbe American S. P. R.^ Aujpift^ 1908, pp. 471-91* \n\n\n\n14 Eusapia Palladino \n\nmanner in wUch the phenomena would contravene orthodox \nscience, if established. It may be well to allude to this now, \nbriefly, in order that the theories advanced in Chapter V \nmay assume their proper proportions and aspect. Assuredly \nwe must know what is to be changed before we can under- \ntake to changie it! \n\nMaterialism starts with the assumption that there are \nonly two things in the universe that are eternal \u2014 matter and \nforce \u2014 all the rest is ephemeral and phenomenaL I have \nendeavored to show elsewhere * that at least one of these \nlaws can no longer be said to hold good ; and that both of \nthem, in the light of the newest discoveries in phjrsics, are \ncertainly questionable. However, letting that pass for the \nmoment, materialism has made no distinct place in the uni- \nverse for that ''third thing\" of Huxley's^-consdousness. \nMaterialism must take the stand that consciousness is merely \nan epiphenomenon ; that it is a mere by-product of the brain \nfunctioning, and of course ceases at the moment of death\u2014* \njust as all the other vital activities cease. Vitality is for \northodox science a simple resultant of chemical combustion^ \nlimited strictly to the periphery of the body. Spirit and \nsoul do not exist, in that scheme; the universe is in fact a \nvery simple thing, and easily understood \u2014 ^according to ma\u00ab \nteriaUsm, and to those who hold to it as a philosophy. \n\nBut there aie, unfortunately for it, certain facts that can- \nnot be explained by any of its laws, or in accordance with its \nteachings. If that doctrine were true, all our knowledge \nmust come to us through the five avenues of sense, and it \nwould be impossible for us to obtain knowledge in any \nother manner* That is what the ordinary psychologist would \nsay is the case. For him, telepathy, clairvoyance, etc., do \n\n^ Th C$mhi Sci$ne$f pp. 90-113. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 15 \n\nnot exist\u2014 except in the credulous minds of the masses. And \nit is certain that, if consciousness is nothing more than a \nproduct of brain functioning, any extension of it beyond the \nbrain is impossible. And yet telepathy is a fact! At all \nevents, then, materialism must be stretched and extended to \ntake in and cover this remarkable phenomenon ; and the same \nis true of other supernormal phenomena. \n\nNow, when we come to the material world, we find the \nsame hard and fast rules set for us as existed in the psycho- \nlogical. In fact, modem science is even more certain of what \nis possible and what is impossible when it comes to the ma- \nterial world than it is in the psychological! There are cer- \ntain \"laws of nature,\" we are told, and these it is impossible \nto transgress. They never have been transgressed, and they \nwill never be! Possibly, if we knew all the laws of nature, \nthis would hold true; but it so happens that we do not know \none tenth (doubtless) of the \"laws of nature,\" and so are \nimable to say, really, what is possible and what is not. We \ncan say what is usual or uniform, but beyond that we can- \nnot go. Certainly, if any man asserts that he has seen a \nremarkable fact, apparently disproving laws hitherto held \nto be inviolable, he must prove his claim by producing the \nfact; that is but right and logical. But if the fact is pro- \nduced, and thoroughly established, it must be accepted ; and \nscience and even the \"laws of nature\" must be recast in order \nto take in and include this newer fact. True science is always \nready and willing to do this. So that, if the Palladino phe- \nnomena are deemed to be established, science will have to \nbe remolded sufficiently to include and explain those facts. \n\nNow, when we come to consider these phenomena in de- \ntail, wc find them broadly divided into two classes: (i) \nthose ph3rsical movements of objects, raps, etc., which seem \n\n\n\ni6 Eusapia Palladino \n\nto indicate tfic presence of some force, but no intelligpnce ; \nand (2) those phenomena that seem to indicate that an out- \nside inteUigence is present \u2014 and not only that, but a distinct- \nly human intelligence, having the shape of a human form^ \nwith face, hands, etc., and in fact all the characteristics that \ngo to make what is, in popular tradition, a \"spirit\" It is \nneedless to say that the first of these two types presents far \nless difficulty, and will doubtless be accepted by science long \nbefore the second set of phenomena. They should not be, \ndoubtless, if the testimony were equally strong in both cases, \nbut there is a certain legitimate prejudice in the minds of \nscientific men that must be taken into account and allowed \nfor. In view of the past, it is quite intelligible ; and spirit- \nualists, if they are wise, will not insist too strongly upon \nthese phenomena at first, but would let time take its own \ncourse, and know that Truth, whatever that is, will ulti- \nmately triumph. If true, the phenomena will one day be \nrecognized and accepted; and nothing is to be gained, and \nperhaps much is to be lost, by unduly hurrying the scientific \nworld into an acceptance of the facts. \n\nTaking the first group of phenomena, we find that there \nshould be really very little difficulty in accepting them \u2014 if \nonly an extension of present-day science were granted. The \nfacts would not run counter to anything that has been \ntaught, in the majority of cases; they would merely mean \nan extension of present theories and knowledge. Perhaps I \ncan illustrate this. Take, for example, the movement of \nan object without contact. We know that this object can \nalways be made to move by the application of a certain \namount of pressure or force \u2014 ^when no material object is \ntouching it. A gust of wind will blow over a table or a \nchair^ for example; light energy will keep clouds suspended \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 17 \n\nin the atmosphere, etc. Here, although there is a medium \npostulated through which these effects are produced, there \nis no direct contact between one material object and the \nother. The cause and the effect are separated by a gaseous \nor an etheric medium, through which these energies act. \n\nThis being so, why may it not be conceived that there is \nsome vital energy or some other force unknown to us which \nis capable, under certain conditions, of extending beyond the \nperiphery of the body, causing vibrations in the ether, and \nproducing these various movements? It seems to me that \nthere is, or should be, but little difficulty experienced here. \nVery much the same is true of the rap and other nonintelli- \ngent phenomena. It might easily be conceived, as Dr. Max- \nwell indeed did conceive, that \"an explosive discharge of \nneuric force\" would account for these raps \u2014 they being close- \nly akin to the noise of a spark, in an electrical discharge. \nOf course the mentality connected with these raps is a dif- \nferent matter ; that requires separate treatment. \n\nSpeculations such as these are perhaps out of place in the \nfirst chapter of a book which is to be devoted principally to \nthe collection and presentation of facts; but it may be as well \nto insist at the outset upon the point of view from which \nthese facts must be regarded. The clearing away of pre- \nvious prejudices and preconceptions is the primary object \nof this chapter; to insure, so far as possible, an open and un- \nbiased mind in reading and weighing the facts and the \nevidence to be presented. I have reserved for the last chap- \nters all considerations of a purely theoretical and speculative \ncharacter; ahd shall first of all devote myself to a statement \nof the facts, with critical comment. If the reality of the \nfacts be accepted \u2014 if the facts be admitted as such, by the \nscientific and thoughtful world \u2014 ^then theories and explana- \n\n\n\n1 8 Eusapia Palladino \n\ntory hypotheses are very valuable and necessary; but until \nthe facts themselves are established, all such speculations are \npremature. I accordingly propose that we address ourselves \nto the facts, throughout the remainder of this book, until \nthe last chapters be reached; when explanatory hypotheses \nwill be discussed. With the facts before him, the reader \nwill be in a better position to judge of the relative prob- \nability of the various theories advanced \u2014 or even of their \nnecessity at alL \n\n\n\nCHAPTER II \n\nEUSAPIA PALLADINO'S BIOGRAPHY \n\nAccounts of the early life of Eusapia Palladino, and of \nhow she first came into her mediumship, vary g;reatly. Her \nown statements are sometimes contradictory, thus: Eusapia \ntold me, when I was in Naples, that she had been an out- \ncast since quite a little child, had been taken up by a family \nof friends, and cared for by them \u2014 ^accidentally discovering \nher mediumistic powers when about fourteen years of ag? \nby sitting at a table. The table tilted, and finally rose com- \npletely into the air. She asserted that, for a number of years, \nshe gave seances only infrequently, and to friends ; and that \nthe seances, during the early years of her mediumship, seemed \nto relieve her and remove her feeling of depression ; but that, \nduring her later years, they sapped her energy, and made her \nextremely weak and depressed. This would seem to be the \ntruth, judging from her condition after a seance \u2014 but I \nhave remarked upon this elsewhere. \n\nWhen we asked Eusapia whether the report was true that \nshe had married a conjurer, she replied indignantly that it \nwas not. She stated that her first husband had been ''con- \nnected with theatricals,\" and knew the details of stage \nmechanism, and its various trick devices. He also knew a \nfew tricks, and took a delight in exhibiting them to his fel- \nlow-workers ; but that he was not by any means a professional \nconjurer. \n\n^9 \n\n\n\n20 Eusapia Palladino \n\nThis account seems to agree somewhat with other state- \nments made by her \u2014 ^though differing in some particulars. \nM. Flammarion, e.g., in his Mysterious Psychic For\u20aces, \n\n\n\n'^Eusapia Palladino was introduced to me. She is a \nwoman of very ordinary appearance, a brunette, her figure a \nlittle under the medium height. She was forty-three years \nold, not at all neurotic, rather stout. She was born on Janu- \nary 21, 1854, 1^ a village of La Pouille; her mother died \nwhile giving birth to the child; her father was assassinated \neight years afterwards, in 1862, by brigands in Southern Italy. \nEusapia Palladino is her maiden name. She was married \nat Naples to a merchant of modest means named Raphael \nDelgaiz, a citizen of Naples. She manages the petty busi- \nness of the shop, is illiterate, does not know how to cither \nread or write, understands only a little French. I con- \nversed with her, and soon perceived that she has no theories \nand does not burden herself by trying to explain the phe- \nnomena produced by her.\" (p. 67.) \n\nProbably the completest account of her youth, and the \nmanner in which she first became interested in the subject, is \nthat given by Mme. Paola Carrara, the daughter of Professor \nLombroso, who says of her: \n\n\"We are not concerned now with the Eusapia of dark me- \ndiumistic cabinets, amidst the sobbing and whispering, the \nmystery of hand^, of dancing tables, of resounding raps; but \nthe Eusapia of daylight, who, free from the paternal shade of \nJohn, returns to her normal personality as an ordinary and \naltogether uneducated woman of the very lowest Neapolitan \npopulace. \n\n\"During the two months passed by Eusapia at Turin I \noften saw her,\" writes Mme. Carrara, \"and I always thought \nthat her real personality is as interesting as her personality \nas a medium, and that it is the result of the strangest product \nwhich the human race can supply. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 21 \n\n''Eusapia is a mixture of many contrasts. She is a mix- \nture of silliness and maliciousness, of intelligence and igno- \nrance, of strange conditions of existence. TTiink of a sales- \nwoman of Naples transplanted without any preparation into \nthe most elegant drawing-rooms of the aristocracy of Europe. \nShe has gained a smattering of cosmopolitan intellectuality \nbut she has also ingeniously remained a woman of the lower \n\n\n\n\"She has been carried on the wing of universal renown \nand yet she has never cast off the swaddling clothes of illiter- \nacy. No doubt this illiteracy saves her from vanity, for she \nknows nothing of all the rivers of ink which have been spent \nupon her* \u2022 . \u2022 \n\n\"Here are a few details sufficiently piquant to awaken \npubb'c interest. \n\n\"Her appearance and words seem to be quite genuine and \nsincere. She has not the manner of one who either poses or \ntricks or deceives others. She has had the perversity, a rare \noccurrence, to remain as nature made her: outspoken, sin- \ncere, instinctive, to such a degree that however wonderful \nmay be the tales she tells, they are true. \n\n\"Her physiognomy is not ugly, although M. Barzini has \ndiscreetly insinuated that it is so. Her face is large, marked \nby some suffering, and bears traces rather of the spiritistic \nseances, of the effort and the fatigue which they involve, \nthan of the fifty-three years that she has lived. \n\n\"She cherishes her appearance, or, at least, she shows some \ncoquetry abou^ it. She has magnificent black eyes, mobile \nand even diabolical in expression. She displays coquettishly \nher famous white lock among her dark hairs. \n\n\" 'Formerly,' she says, *I was ashamed of it, but now that \neveryone compliments me on it I do not hide it any more.* \n\n\"Her hands are pretty, her feet small. She always keeps \nthem visible outside her dress to show that they are closely \nshod in polished shoes.\" \n\nThe first time that she saw her at her father's house, Mme. \nPaola Carrara could not draw from her any confidences con- \n\n\n\n22 Eusapia Palladino \n\nceming her life as a medium. Instead^ she told her of the \nfeelings she had when frequenting high-class society. Her \nimpudence and arrogance as a Neapolitan of the lower class \nsometimes almost takes the form of personal dignity. \n\nOn one occasion, she related that she was staying with \nthe Grand Dukes in St. Petersburg: the Grand Duchess \noften sent for her to come and talk to her or keep her com- \npany in the drawing-room, but when visitors came she made \nan imperious sign, showing her the door. Twice Eusapia \nrather reluctantly obeyed, but at last she rebelled and plant- \ning herself in front of the princess, she said: \"Madame la \nGrande Duchesse, you doubtless mistake me for a basket \nwhich is carried to market when it is required, and left in a \ncomer when it is done with. Either I shall remain in the \ndrawing-room with all the visitors, or I shall leave the \ncastle.\" \n\nAnd the princess by blood, not to discontent the princess \nof spiritism, consented that she should remain in the drawing- \nroom. \n\nAt Turin the Duke of the Abruzzi asked and obtained a \nseance with her and afterwards paid her lavishly, but Eusapia \nwas dissatisfied. \n\n\"What is a five-hundred-franc note to me? I am capable \nof tearing your five-hundred-franc note into four pieces (she \nmade a gesture of tearing it, but did not really do so), but \nI do what I choose, and I choose to be treated politely.\" \n\nShe had been very annoyed because the prince had not \nsent her his card. \n\nBut one day Eusapia, who ordinarily replies apathetically \nto those who interrogate her on this question, consented to \nrelate how she became a medium. \n\n\"My history is long and incredible,\" she said, \"but I wish \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 23 \n\nto tdl It to you because everybody pretends to know it (I \nmean journalists), and they know nothing, and have only \nacciunulated a heap of lies about me.\" \n\nShe told us that she was bom at Minervo-Murge, a moun- \ntain village near Ban (Apulia). Her mother died shortly \nafter her birth, and her father, who was a peasant, caused \nher to be brought up on a neighboring farm. \n\nBut the villagers took little care of the orphan. Once \nwhen she was only a year old, she was allowed to fall, so \nthat a hole was made in her head. That is the famous \ncranial opening from which, in moments of trance, a cold \nbreeze is felt to issue. On this scar has grown a tress of \nhair that has always been white since infancy, and which is \neasily distinguishable in her photographs. \n\n\"As if I had not had trouble enough,\" she said, \"when I \nwas twelve years old my father died. I was thus completely \nalone, for I had no near relations. A native of my village, \nwho lived in Naples, having learned my sad history, took \ncharge of me. At Naples he put me in the care of some \nforeigners who wished to adopt a little girl. But I was not \nat all the sort they wanted, for I was like a wild animal, \na forest bird, ignorant, and having always lived as a poor \ncreature, and these ladies wanted to make of me an educated \nand learned girl. They wanted me to take a bath every day, \nand comb my hair every day, and to use a fork at table, to \nstudy French and the piano, and to learn to read and write. \nIn fact, I was to fill up all my time with occupation, and I \ncould not amuse myself. Then began scoldings and reyolt. \nThey told mc I was lazy, and, in short, in less than a year I \nwas turned out of their house. I was in despair; I went \nagain in search of that family in my own country, who gave \nme shelter for a few days, whilst arrangements were being \nmade to put me in a convent. I had been in the house for a \nfew days when, one evening, some friends came who spoke of \ntables that dance and give raps, things which were much \n\n\n\n24 Eusapia Palladino \n\ntalked about at that time. And, as a joke, they proposed to \ntry and make a table turn. \n\n\"They fetched one, sat around it and called me to come \nand make a chain with them. We had not sat down for ten \nminutes before the table began to rise, the chairs began to \ndance, the curtains to swell, the glasses and bottles to walk \nabout, and the bells to ring in such fashion that all were \nfrightened, as if in fun they had called up the devil and \nexpected him to appear every minute. We were tested one \nby one to see who produced these phenomena, and they finally \nconcluded that it was I. They then proclaimed me to be \na medium and talked to everybody about it, inviting their \nfriends and acquaintances to little spiritistic seances. They \nmade me sit whole evenings at the table, but that was tedious \nto me, and I only did it because it was a way of recompensing \nmy hosts, whose desire to keep me with them prevented their \nplacing me in the convent. I took up laundress work, think- \ning I might render myself independent and live as I liked \nwithout troubling about spiritistic seances.\" \n\n\"But,\" she was asked, \"how did John King appear on the \nscene ?\"i \n\n\"That is the strangest part of my story, which many per- \nsons will not believe. At the time when I began to hold \nspiritistic seances in Naples, an English lady came there who \nhad married a Neapolitan, a certain Damiani, a brother of \nthe deputy, who still lives. This lady was devoted to spirit- \nism. One day when she was at the table, a message came to \nher informing her that there was in Naples a person who \nhad lately arrived, who lived at such a number, in such a \nstreet, and was called Eusapia, that she was a powerful me- \ndium, and that the spirit who sent this message, John King, \nwas disposed to incarnate himself in her and to manifest by \nmarvelous phenomena. The spirit did not speak in vain, \nfor the lady at once sought to verify the message. She went \ndirectly to the street and the number indicated, mounted to the \nthird floor, knocked at the door and inquired if a certain \n\n^ John ELing is the so-called spirit ''guide** or ''control** of Eusapia, who \nis supposed to regulate her stances and produce most of the phenomena. \nFor this, however, see later on in the book. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 25 \n\nEusapia did not live there. She found me, though I had \nnever imagined that any such John had lived either in this \nworld or another. But almost as soon as I sat at the table \nJohn Ejng manifested and has never left me since. Yes! I \nswear\" (and she said this emphatically) \"that all that I am \ntelb'ng you is the simple truth, although many persons seem \nto think I have arranged the facts.\" \n\nMme. Paola Carrara then relates the following anecdote, \ntold by Eusapia Palladino: \n\nThis happened ten years ago. Eusapia says she possessed \ndiamond earrings and bracelets set with emeralds, massive \nchains and rings with precious stones. Her rich acquaint- \nances \u2014 Sardou, Aksakoff, Richet, Ochorowicz, Semiraski, \nFlammarion \u2014 knowing her Neapolitan taste for gold orna- \nments, had loaded her with many gifts. For better security \nshe put these treasures into a sort of strong box in her shop. \n\n\"One night,\" she said, \"I had a horrible dream: I saw \na man, of whom I saw not only the face, but all the details \nof his clothes, with an old hat, a handkerchief round his neck, \ncheck trousers; he came into the shop and forced open the \nbox, whilst two companions watched at the door.\" \n\nThe impression was so strong that she awoke her husband \nand told him that the shop was being robbed. He paid no \nattention; but she got up about two o'clock, went into the \nshop and assured herself that there were no thieves there. \nBut to set her mind at rest she took her precious jewels and \ncarried them to her room, where she shut them up in a \npiece of furniture after counting them one by one. What \nwas her alarm next day when she encountered, near the door \nof the house, an individual identical in appearance with the \nperson she had dreamed of! Worried by this thought, she \nwent to consult a police functionary whom she knew, but he \nexcused himself, saying: \"I cannot, dear Madam, undertake \n\n\n\n26 Eusapia Palladino \n\nto act as policeman of dreams, but if you wish to make youf \nmind easy take your jewels to the bank, where they will be \nbetter looked after than by my officers.\" \n\nFollowing this sound and simple advice, she took her \nprecious box to the bank, but she arrived too late, the doors \nwere closed; being still uneasy, she returned to the officer \nand asked him to station two of his men at her door for one \nnight. This was done. The two guards remained there all \nnight. And on that night the dream of the theft was re- \npeated, so that on awaking her first thought was to assure \nherself whether her small treasure was still in the place \nwhere she had put it. \n\nAt aboyt ten o'clock she went out to the shop, a \nfew yards away from her house. When she reached it she \nbethought herself suddenly that she had been unwise to leave \nher jewels in the house. She returned quickly to fetch them. \nThe entrance door was closed ; but she had scarcely reached \nthe cupboard before she perceived that the precious box had \ndisappeared. She rushed out, crying, like one possessed: \n\"Holy Virgin, holy Virgin! my jewels arc stolen. Catch \nthe thief! catch the thief!\" for she had not been out of the \nhouse ten minutes, and the thief could not be far away. \n\nThe police commissary recognized the individual, whom \nEusapia described, as one of the best-known thieves of a gang \nin Naples. Afterwards, Eusapia found out how he, in league \nwith one of her servants, had succeeded in getting a false \nkey made to fit the lock of the jewel box. \"You see,\" Eusapia \nbitterly remarked, \"you see what little use there is in this \nfine mediumistic faculty! It did not serve to save my jewels, \nthose jewels which were dear to me as the apple of my eye. \n.What is to happen, happens in spite of everything!\" \n\nOn being asked whether the spirits, or at least the medium- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 27 \n\nistic faculty, had intervened previously, in other circum- \nstances of her life, she replied: \n\n\"No, I never perceive the presence of a spirit, but some- \ntimes without my being aware of it or wishing it, a spirit \nmust have helped me. Two years ago I was ill in Paris, \nand I had a lazy and negligent nurse who, instead of giving \nme medicine, lay down on her bed and slept profoundly. I \nmight call and ring, nobody answered. And what hap- \npened then? The lazy woman was aroused by blows and \npinches which I had no intention of making, so that the nurse \nbecame alarmed by this strange phenomenon and would have \nnothing more to do with me and my sorceries.\" \n\nEveryone who has observed and studied Eusapia, has \nnoticed that her hands and her fingers produce a repercus- \n^on on objects and persons at a distance. The movements \nwhich her hands made in her imagination were probably \nmovements of irritation against the nurse and resulted prob- \nably in those pinches which the nurse actually felt. \n\nMme. Paola Carrara thus terminates her interesting study: \n\n\"There are singular things in this nature which seems \nso simple and open \u2014 certain attempts at cheating have been \nremarked. An observer who held more than thirty seances \nwith her, and who saw produced by day and in full light \nreally marvelous phenomena, asserts that two or three times \nin the course of the seance she had recourse to trickery, to \nfraud and deceit, but so clumsily that she was easily discov- \nered. It is not because at these moments the medium- \nistic faculty fails, for when controlled, she immediately after- \nwards produced indisputable phenomena.\" \n\n\n\nCHAPTER III \n\nHISTORICAL RESUME OF THE PALLADINO CASE \n\n\u00a7 I. Professor Lombroso's Conversion \u2014 1891 \n\nEusapia Palladino owes her introduction to the scientific \nworld to Professor Chiaia, of Naples, who published, on \nAugust 9, 1888, in a journal issued in Rome, a letter \nto Professor Lombroso, in which he stated that he had in- \nvestigated this medium for some time, and had become con- \nvinced of her genuine supernormal powers. He called upon \nProfessor Lombroso to investigate likewise; and put the \nmatter of her mediumship to the test Professor Lombroso \ndid not accede to this challenge for a considerable time; but \nsome years later he consented to sit with Eusapia \u2014 ^the re- \nsult of the sittings being to convince him that at least some \nof the observed phenomena were genuine, beyond dispute. \nIn a letter dated June 25, 1 891, he said: \n\n\"I am filled with confusion and regret that I combated \nwith so much persistence the possibility of the facts called \nSpiritualistic. I say facts, because I am still opposed to the \ntheory. . . .\" \n\nIt was in February, 1891, that Professor Lombroso, Pro- \nfessor Tamburini, MM. Gigli, Vizioli, Ascensi, and CiolR \n(who drew up the report) secured two seances with Eusapia \nin Naples. The usual phenomena were observed, and one \nincident of remarkable interest that should be recorded here. \nThis phenomenon was the following: \n\n28 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 29 \n\n\"The light was extinguished, and the experiments began \nagain. While, in response to the unanimous wish, the little \nbell was beginning again its tinklings, and its mysterious \naerial circuits, M. Ascensi, taking his cue unknown to us, \nfrom M. Tamburini, went (unperceived, owing to the dark- \nness) and stood at the right of the medium, and at once, with \na single scratch, lighted a match, so successfully, as he de- \nclared that he could see the little bell while it was vibrating \nin the air, and suddenly fall upon a bed about six feet and a \nhalf behind Mme. Palladino.\"^ \n\nLater in the seance, a small table, in spite of M. Ascensi's \nefforts to hdd it, extricated itself from his grasp, and went \nrolling over the floor. \n\nAt the second seance, Eusapia was bound with ropes. In \nspite of this, however, the usual phenomena occurred \u2014 raps, \ntouches, etc. \u2014 and the small table, which had been placed in \nthe cabinet, advanced toward Mme. Palladino. Suddenly, \nwhile the table was still in movement, a salver that had \nbeen placed upon it, turned upside down, without a particle \nof the flour which it contained being spilled. It was asserted \nthat such an occurrence is, under usual circumstances, im- \npossible. \n\n\u00a7 2. The Report of the Milan Commissioxi \u2014 1892 \n\nAs the result of Professor Lombroso*s conversion, several \nsavants \u2014 Professors Schiaparelli, director of the observatory \nof Milan; Gerosa, professor of physics; Ermacora, doctor \nof natural philosophy; Aksakof, councilor of state to the \nEmperor of Russia; Charles du Prel, doctor of philosophy \nin Munich ; Professor Charles Richet, of the Sorbonne, Paris ; \n\n' A number of photographs of objects floating in the air without visible sup\u00ab \nport \u2014 yiolins, horns, etc. \u2014 are to be found in The Annals of Psychical Science, \nApril- June, 1909. The medium in this case is CarancinL \n\n\n\n30 Eusapia Palladino \n\nand Professor Buffern \u2014 ^mct in October, 1892, in the apart- \nment of M. Finzi, at Milan, and conducted a long scries \nof experiments. Seventeen sittings, in all, were obtained \u2014 \nextracts of which are quoted below. \n\nThe most striking phenomena took place in full light. \nThese were (i) the levitations of the table, and (2) the \nalteration of the medium's weight in the balance. Photo- \ngraphs of some of these levitations were taken, and published \nin the Report. Arguments were adduced, showing that Eu- \nsapia could not have lifted the table by her hands, knees, or \nfeet. The committee attempted to duplicate these levitations \nof the table under conditions imposed upon Eusapia, but \nfailed to do so. The experiments in which her weight ap- \npeared to be altered arc of great interest. The account of \nthese reads as follows: \n\n\"Eusapia, seated on a chair, was placed on the platform \nof a weighing machine, and her feet were strongly bound \ntogether by a handkerchief. One of us, M. Finzi, was told \noff to read the weight. M. Schiaparelli and I employed our- \nselves in watching closely the balance and its surroundings \nso as to be sure that Eusapia did not touch with hand or \nfoot the ground, or any object in the neighborhood. \n\n\"Her weight with the chair being 58 kilogrammes (nearly \n128 pounds, or over 9 stone), we placed on the scale 5CX) \ngrammes at a point where it would be equivalent to 50 tilo- \ngrammes, and then the rider was placed at the figure eight. \nEusapia's weight was thus exactly balanced. Then, thou^ \nEusapia did not move her chair, we had, in order to main- \ntain equilibrium, to shift the rider, first to six, then to four, \nand then to two, and finally to zero, and further to obtain \nexact equilibrium, it would have been necessary to take away \na little of the weight of 5CX) grammes which represented 50 \nkilogrammes. It will be seen, therefore, that EusajMa di- \nminished her weight in this experiment by at least 8 kilo- \n\n\n\n\u2022^ P a> k. \n73_^ \n\n\n\n\n^j*- '5? 3 \n\n\u25a0^ z: o \u00ab \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 31 \n\ngrammes (i7j4 pounds). We are certain that she threw \nnothing away (if she had thrown anything away she would \nhave had to recover it in order to restore her original weight), \nand equally certain that she derived no support from any \nneighboring object. And, finally, the movements were suf- \nficiently slow \u2014 ^it occupied from ten to twenty seconds \u2014 \nto make it impossible to attribute it to any jump, or quick \nmovement of any kind. Nevertheless, the observation did \nnot appear to us conclusive. In brief, in the ordinary weigh- \ning machine, constructed on the principle of the steelyard, \nthe weight varies (although it is true within very narrow \nlimits) with the position of the center of gravity. By chang- \ning his position on the platform, especially when, as was the \ncase here, the machine is not a very good one, the person \nwho is being weighed can appreciably vary his weight. \n\n\"We devised, accordingly, a weighing machine of a differ- \nent kind, in which the platform was suspended by the four \ncomers. In this machine, the weight would show no varia- \ntion, no matter what was the position of the sitter on the plat- \nform. An automatic arrangement, devised by M. Finzi, \nregistered the movements of the lever. In the fifth sitting \nwe obtained a result which was certainly remarkable \u2014 seeing \nthat it occurred under exceptionally good conditions. M. \nSchiaparelli and I were watching the machine, both above \nand below, so as to be sure that Eusapia did not touch either \nthe ground or the support from which the platform was \nhung. \n\n\"Under these conditions, there was certainly a slight up- \nward movement of the platform, but it was very trifling; \nand although the automatic register indicated a marked \ndiminution in the weight, lasting for about 15 seconds, I \ncannot say for certain that the movement of the register did \nnot occur at the moment when Eusapia, in order to gain \nmore strength, asked one of the investigators to give her his \nhand, which she held for a short time before relinquishing.'' \n\nThe committee point out, however, that the evidence for \na new physical force is incomplete, because this experiment \n\n\n\n32 Eusapia Palladino \n\nsucceeded only when a part of Eusapia's dress touched the \nfloor, and when precautions were taken to prevent this con- \ntact, no appreciable efiFect was produced on the balance. \nUpon one occasion, when the balance was placed some ten \ninches behind Eusapia, in response to an urgent movement \nof her hand, the rider oscillated violently, and the hands, \nfeet, and knees of the medium were being securely held. \nThis efiEect, as of some heavy weight being thrown into the \nscale, was, however, never repeated. \n\nIn a further set of experiments, results were obtained \nwhich seemed clearly beyond the medium's unaided powers. \nA portion of the room was curtained ofiE from the rest, and \nthe medium placed in the aperture of the curtains, which \nwere joined above her head. The space curtained ofiE was \nleft in absolute darkness, the rest of the room was dimly \nlighted by a lantern with red glass sides. On one occasion \nProfessor Richet took up his station in the darkened part \nof the room, behind the curtains, his chair placed back to \nback with that upon which Eusapia sat. The medium's \nhands were held on either side by M. Schiaparelli, and M. \nFinzi. Her feet were also held. Under such circumstances, \nhowever, the curtain was blown out, and Professor Richet \nwas touched on the right shoulder by a distinct hand and \npulled with some force. At the same moment, M. Finzi \nwas touched on the ear, on the forehead, and on the temple \nby fingers from behind the curtain \u2014 ^while the hand which \ntouched Professor Richet was free from the curtain. The \ncommittee state in their report: \n\n\"It is impossible to count the number of times that a hand \nappeared and was touched by one of us. Suffice it to say \nthat doubt was no longer possible. It was indeed a living, \nhuman hand which we saw and touched, while at the same \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 33 \n\ntune the bust and arms of the medium remained visible, and \nher hands were held by those on either side of her.\" \n\nThe committee express their conviction that the results \nobtained in the h'ght, and many of those obtained in dark- \nness, could not have been produced by trickery of any kind. \nProfessor Richet, who did not sign the committee's report, \nstates his own conclusions as follows: \n\n^'Absurd and unsatisfactory though they were, it seems \nto me very difficult to attribute the phenomena produced to \ndeception\u2014 conscious or unconscious \u2014 or to a series of de- \nceptions. Nevertheless, conclusive and indisputable proof \nthat there was no fraud upon Eusapia's part, or illusion on \nour part, is wanting \u2014 ^we must therefore renew our efforts \nto obtain such proof.\" \n\n\n\n\u00a7 3. Experiments at Naples and at St Petersburg \u2014 1893 \n\nAs a residt of the publication of this joint report, a long \nseries of experiments was conducted by scientific men in \nvarious centers. In 1893 a series was held in Naples under \nthe direction of Professor Wagner, Professor of Zoology in \nthe University of St. Petersburg; in Rome, in 1893 and 1894, \nunder the direction of M. de Siemiradski, Correspondent of \nthe Institute; in 1893-4, at Warsaw, at the house of Pro- \nfessor Ochorowicz; in 1894, at Carqueiranne, at the house \nof Professor Richet, and on the ile Roubaud, under the \ndirection of Professor Richet, Sir Oliver Lodge, Mr. F. W. \nH. Myers, and Dr. Ochorowicz; in 1895, at Naples, under \nDr. Paolo Visani-Scozzi, Specialist of Nervous Diseases, at \nFlorence; and at Cambridge, at the house of Mr. F. W. H. \nMyers \u2014 these sittings being shared by Professor and Mrs. \nSidgwick, Miss Alice Johnson, Dr. Richard Hodgson, and \n\n\n\n34 Eusapia Palladino \n\nothers; in 1895, at TAgnelas, at the house of Colonel de \nRochas; in 1896, at Tremezzo, at Auteuil, and at Choisy- \nYvrac; in 1897, ^^ Naples, Rome, Paris, Montfort, and \nBordeaux; in 1901-2, at the Minerva Club at Geneva; in \n1905, at Rome and at Paris \u2014 ^and other newer investiga- \ntions, all of whidi I shall summarize more or less completely \nin the pages that follow. \n\nProfessor Wagner obtained, apparently, but one or two \nseances \u2014 ^which completely convinced him of the genuine \nnature of the phenomena; but there is reason to think that \nProfessor Wagner was shortsighted, and in other ways a \npoor observer, so that his testimony, such as it is, cannot be \ngiven great weight. As the result of these seances, how- \never, Professor Wagner induced Eusapia to go to St. Peters- \nburg, where she was studied by him, and by Professor K \n\n(whose name is not given) of the University of St. Peters- \nburg \u2014 ^who was not convinced that he had seen any genuine \nsupernormal phenomena. It is probable, from the account, \nhowever, that Professor K was more or less hyper- \ncritical. Thus, he would not believe in the levitations of the \ntable, because one leg touched Eusapia's skirt ; but, as I have \nSaid before, Professor Wagner's testimony cannot be given \ngreat weight, in any case, and need not be given more fully \nin this place. \n\nS 4. Bzperiments in Rome \u2014 1893-4 \n\nThe next series of seances, held in Rome in 1893-4 under \nthe direction of M. Siemiradski, and Dr. Ochorowicz, is \nfar more interesting and convincing. The following phe- \nnomena were vouched for: \n\n(i) Movements of objects without contact \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 35 \n\n(2) Touches by invisible hands. \n\n(3) Luminous apparitions. \n\n(4) Auditory phenomena. \n\nThe light during the first set of manifestations is de- \nscribed as being very good, and consisted of two candles and \nan oil lamp. When the medium was in trance, the same phe- \nnomena were produced in full light. \n\nThe sitters were unanimous in saying that the touches by \ninvisible hands were certainly not hallucinatory. They were, \nthey assert, objective in character, beyond all doubt. \n\nThe investigators are also certain that the apparitions seen \nby them were not hallucinatory, since the forms were seen \nat the same moment and described in similar terms by all \nthe sitters. The same remarks apply to auditory phenomena \n\u2014 raps, etc \n\nThe seances in Rome in 1894 were attended by Professor \nRichet, Baron von Schrenck-Notzing, of Munich, Professor \nLrombroso, Professor Danilewski, of the University of St. \nPetersburg, and Dr. Dobrzycki, director of the Medical \nGazette, at Warsaw. Various movements of objects with- \nout contact occurred, and on at least one occasion it would \nseem that an \"apport\" took place, which is described as \nfollows: \n\n\"Hoping to obtain the movement of an object without \ncontact, we placed a little piece of paper folded in the form \nof a letter A under a glass, and upon a disk of light paste- \nboard. . . . Not being successful in this, we did not wish \nto fatigue the medium, and we left the apparatus upon the \nlarge table; then we took our places around the little table, \nafter having carefully shut all the doors, the kejrs of which \nI begged my guests to put in their pockets, in order that we \nmight not be accused of not having taken all necessary pre- \ncautions. \n\n\n\n36 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"The light was extinguished. Soon we heard the glass \nresound on our table, and, having procured a light, we found \nit in the midst of us, in the same position, upside down, \nand covering the little piece of paper ; only the cardboard disk \nwas wanting. We sought for it in vain. The seance ended ; \nI conducted my guests once more into the antechamber. M. \nRichet was the first to open the door \u2014 well bolted on the \ninside. What was not his surprise when he perceived near \nto the threshold of the door, on the other side of it, upon the \nstaircase, the disk that we had sought for so long. He \npicked it up; and it was identified by all as the card \nplaced under the glass.\" \n\n\n\ni 5. Experiments at Warsaw \u2014 1893-4 \n\nDr. Ochorowicz, having became greatly interested in the \nphenomena he had observed, induced Eusapia to come to \nWarsaw, in order to be studied at length by himself and his \nfriends. In all, forty seances were held, as many as twenty \npersons being present at some of the seances, which included \na number of men and women eminent in science, philosophy, \nand letters. Whatever we may think of the phenomena, \ntherefore, we can, under such circumstances, hardly con- \nclude that the observed phenomena were hallucinatory in \ncharacter ! \n\nPartial and complete levitations of the table; movements \nof objects without contact (witnessed by more than a hun- \ndred persons) ; touches, and visible hands (seen by fifteen \npersons) ; levitations of the medium on to the table (witnessed \nby five persons) ; luminous phenomena (witnessed by thirteen \npersons) ; abnormal marks, etc., upon paper (witnessed by \ntwenty persons) ; exteriorization of sensibility, and instances \nof clairvoyance, were all observed at this series of seances. \n\nDr. Ochorowicz observed that all the seances began and \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 37 \n\nnearly all closed with levitations of the table \u2014 even though \nthese might not be wanted! He cites cases in which levi- \ntations were obtained while both the medium's feet were \nvisible in the light, and other cases in which the feet were \ntied and held under the table by a sitter, kneeling under it. \n\nOne case of great interest is given, in which Eusapia ap- \nproached her finger tips to within a few centimeters of a \nsmall bell, that had been suspended by means of a thread \nfrom a metal arch, and, moving her fingers to and fro, the \nbell followed their movements, \"as though moved by an in- \nvisible thread.\" It is not definitely stated, however, that a \nthread was not employed \u2014 though the hands were examined \nimmediately after the manifestation, and nothing abnormal \nwas found upon them. The phenomenon must be set down \nas inconclusive, though it should be recorded, as it has been \nproduced a number of times lately under test conditions. \n\nOn January 7, 1894, ^ seance was held without a table, \nin order that the force of the medium might not be \ndispersed in mechanical phenomena. Eusapia soon went into \ntrance. Speaking in the name of \"John,\" the medium said : \n\n\"You have taken away the table in order that you may \nsee the legs of the medium! Allezl I am going to show you \nthat I do ever3rthing by the aid of the medium's legs!\" \n\n\"Saying this, Eusapia extended her legs, and laid her feet \non the knees of Professor Prus-Glowacki. The medium then \nsaid: 'Look, I knock the table with my left leg.* At the \nsame time she struck the knee of M. Prus-Glowacki with \nher left foot ; and simultaneously strong blows resounded be- \nhind the curtain, very like those which would be given by \nthe leg striking against the table, which was in the cabinet, \nagainst the wall, two meters from her.\" \n\nInstances are then given of levitations of the medium, \nwhich Dr. Ochorowicz considers undoubted, luminous phe- \n\n\n\n38 Eusapia Palladino \n\nnomena, touchings (during some of which both of Eusapia's \nhands were held by one sitter), materializations of hands, \nvarious abnormal marks, cold wind, etc. Several impro- \nvised or \"unofficial\" seances were also held, which, Dr. \nOchorowicz informs us, \"strangply enough, restore the \nforces\" \u2014 while the official seances, held under strict, scien- \ntific conditions, only irritated the medium and exhausted \nthem. \n\nDr. Ochorowicz concluded that the objective character \nof the facts was proved beyond all reasonable doubt ; and that \ngenuine supernormal phenomena were observed. As to their \ninterpretation, that is another matter ! He is inclined to the \nbelief that John is not a real person, but is a \"subliminal \ncreation of the medium\" \u2014 a sort of reflex of her unconscious \nthinking, which has the capacity of externalizing itself in \nspace, and producing real, objective effects in the physical \nworld. However, we shall come to this in the chapter de- \nvoted to theories. \n\n\u00a7 6. Experiments at tie Roubaud \u2014 2894 \n\nIn July, 1894, a series of four seances was held in Pro- \nfessor Richet's house, on the ile Roubaud. These sittings \nwere held by Professor Charles Richet, Sir Oliver Lodgc\u00bb \nMr. F. W. H. Myers, and Dr. Ochorowicz. The island was \nowned by Professor Richet, and inasmuch as the sittings oc- \ncurred in his own house with doors and windows locked, when \nall the servants had retired, it seemed conclusive to the inves- \ntigators that confederates of any sort were excluded. \n\nIt is unnecessary in this place to give a r&ume of Pro- \nfessor Lodge's report, which deals with general subjects al- \nready familiar to students of Eusapia's sittings, and which \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 39 \n\nhave been covered more or less thoroughly in this volume \nalready. Explanations were offered of the various instru- \nments and paraphernalia employed, a summary of the phe- \nnomena given, and lengthy discussions on the various possi- \nble explanations \u2014 fraud, illusion, hallucination, etc. \n\nDealing with the question of fraud. Dr. Lodge offered \nthe following remarks, which I think further investigations \nhave fully warranted and justified. \n\n*'! happen to have had only good sittings with Eusapia, \nand my own experience of what was likely to happen in the \nothers was based upon what happened when she was not en- \ntranced at all. Judging from that experience, I thought it \nnot unlikely that she may sometimes somnambulicly attempt \nto achieve effects which she thinks desired, in what may \nreadily appear a fraudulent manner. Later experience with \nsittings of a less uniformly successful character, though it \nhas not so far verified that conjecture, leads me to supple- \nment it with the further opinions, ( i ) that it must be pos- \nsible, by suflScient precaution, to check such attempts, even if \nmade; and (2) that if undue latitude were given, it would \nbe reasonable to expect some such attempt sooner or later. \n\u2022 . . All danger of unfair accusation will be avoided if sit- \nters will only have the common sense to treat her not as a \nscientific person engaged in a demonstration, but as a deli- \ncate piece of apparatus, wherewith they themselves are mak- \ning an investigation. She is an instrument, whose ways and \nidiosyncrasies must be learned, and to a certain extent \nhumored, just as one studies and humors the ways of some \nmuch less delicate piece of physical apparatus turned out by \na skilled instrument maker.\" \n\nVarious points of interest were discussed, showing the ef- \nfect of light on the phenomena, the nature of the objects \nmoved, the source of the energy, the seat of the reaction, \nand the study of the sympathetic movements of the medium. \n\n\n\n40 Eusapia Palladino \n\nParts of these passages I have quoted elsewhere. In a sum- \nmary and conclusion, Dr. Lodge stated his position as fol- \nlows: \n\n\"However the facts are to be explained, the possibility of \nthe facts I am constrained to admit. There is no further \nroom in my mind for doubt. Any person vrithout invincible \nprejudice who had had the same experience, would have \ncome to the same broad conclusion, viz.: That things hither- \nto held impossible do actually occur. If one such fact is \nclearly established, the conceivability of others may be more \nreadily granted, and I concentrated my attention mainly on \nwhat seemed to me the most simple and definite thing, viz.: \nthe movement of an untouched object, in sufficient light \nfor no doubt of its motion to exist. This I have now wit- \nnessed several times ; the fact of movement being vouched for \nby both sight and hearing, sometimes also by touch, and the \nobjectivity of the phenomena being demonstrated by the \nsounds heard by an outside observer, and by permanent alter- \nation and position of object. . . . Instead of action at a dis- \ntance in the physical sense, what I have observed may be said \nto be more like vitality at a distance \u2014 the action of a living \norganism exerted in unusual directions and over a range \ngreater than the ordinary. . . . The effect on an observer is \nusually more as if the connecting link, if any, were invisible \nand intangible, or as if a portion of vital or directing energy \nhad been detached, and were producing distant movements \nwithout apparent connection with the medium. . . . The re- \nsult of my experience is to convince me that certain phe- \nnomena usually considered abnormal do belong to the order \nof nature, and, as a corollary to this, that these phenomena \nought to be investigated and recorded by persons and societies \ninterested in natural knowledge.\" (p. 360 Journal S. P. R., \nNov., 1894.) \n\nAt the conclusion of the meeting at which Dr. Lodge's \npaper was read, Mr. Myers, and Professor and Mrs. Sidgwick, \nofiEered corroborative testimony of Dr. Lodge's position, and \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 41 \n\nSir William Crookes rose to point out the similarities be- \ntween Eusapia's phenomena and many of those he had wit- \nnessed in the presence of D. D. Home. Some of his remarks \nare worthy of quoting in this connection \u2014 ^affording, as they \ndo, strong confirmatory evidence of the reality of these phe- \nnomena. He said: \n\n\"When he (Home) was not in a state of trance, we fre- \nquently had movements of objects from different parts of the \nroom, with visible hands carrying flowers about, and play- \ning the accordion. On one occasion I was asked by Home \nto look at the accordion as it was playing in the semidark- \nness beneath the table. I saw a delicate-looking female hand \nholding it by the handle, and the keys at the lower end rising \nand falling, as if fingers were playing on them, although I \ncould not see them. So lifelike was the hand that at first I \nsaid it was my sister-in-law's, but was assured by all present \nthat both her hands were on the table, a fact which I then \nverified for myself. \n\n\"The best cases of Home's levitation I witnessed were in \nmy own house. On one occasion he went to a clear part of the \nroom, and, after standing quietly for a minute, told us he \nwas rising. I saw him rise up with a continuous gliding \nmovement and remained about six inches off the ground for \nseveral seconds, when he slowly descended. On this occa- \nsion no one moved from their places. On another occa- \nsion, I was invited to come to him when he rose eighteen \ninches off the ground, and I passed my hands under his feet, \nround him, and over his head when he was in the air. \n\n\"On several occasions Home and the chair on which he \nwas sitting at the table rose off the ground. This was gen- \nerally done very deliberately, and Home sometimes then \ntucked up his feet on the seat of the chair, and held up his \nhands in view of all of us. On such an occasion I have got \ndown, and seen and felt that all four legs were off the ground \nat the same time. Home's feet being on the chair. Less fre- \nquently the levitating power extended to those sitting next \n\n\n\n42 Eusapia Palladino \n\nto him. Once my wife was thus raised off the ground in \nher chair. . . . \n\n\"One of the most common occurrences at the seances con- \nsisted in movements of flowers and light objects; sometimes \nthose present could see fingers or a complete hand carrying \nthings about, but frequently no visible support was to be \ndetected. The hands felt warm and lifelike, and if retained, \nwould appear to melt away in one's grasp. They were never \ndragged away. \n\n\"One of the most striking things I ever saw in the way of \nmovement of light objects was when a glass water bottle and \ntumbler rose from the table. There was plenty of light in \nthe room from two large salted alcohol flames, and Home's \nhands were not near. The bottle and glass floated about \nover the middle of the table. I asked if they would answer \nquestions by knocking one against the other. Immediately \nthree taps together signified *Yes.' They then kept floating \nabout six or eight inches up, going from the front of one \nsitter to another, round the table, tapping together, and \nanswering questions in this manner. Quite five minutes was \noccupied by this phenomenon, during which time we had \nample opportunity of seeing that Home was a passive agent, \nand that no wires or strings, etc, were in use. ... I \nnever noticed any sympathetic movements of Home's hands \nor body when objects at a distance were being moved. I \nam certain that in most cases when Home was not in a \ntrance he knew no more of what was going to happen than \ndid anyone else present. He was an excellent raconteur, and \nby no means kept silent. Frequently he was looking another \nway, engaged in animated conversation with someone at his \nside when the first movements took place, and his attention \nhad to be called to them, like the rest of us. He took a \nchildlike pleasure in what was going on, and he always de- \nclared that he had no power whatever over the progress of \nthe phenomena. \n\n\"General conversation was going on all the time, and on \nmany occasions something on the table had moved sometime \nbefore Home was aware of it. We had to draw his atten- \ntion to such things far oftener than he drew our attention \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 43 \n\nto them. Indeed, he sometimes used to annoy me by his in- \ndi\u00a3Ference to what was going on. When things were going \non well, ample opportunity was generally given us to ex- \namine the occurrences at leisure, and frequently things would \nrepeat themselves at request, or small objects, flowers, etc., \nwould move about for many minutes, passing from one to \nthe other of those present. For my part I was always al- \nlowed to move about and examine what was taking place \nas carefully as T liked. All that we were asked was that \nwe should not move suddenly. This was liable to stop the \nphenomena for a short time. \n\n\"The drawback to accurate observation of Eusapia's phe- \nnomena appears to have been the very dim light in which \nmost of the things occurred, rendering it necessary to take \nspecial precautions against possible deception. Had the light \nbeen better, the elaborate holding of hands, feet, and head \nwould have been unnecessary, and the unavoidable suspi- \ncions that the person on the other side had liberated a hand \nwould have been impossible. Home always refused to sit in \nthe dark. He said that with firmness and perseverance the \nphenomena could be got just as well in the light, and even \nif some of the things were not so strong, the evidence of one's \n\nright was worth making some sacrifice for. In almost \nthe seances I had with Home, there was plenty of light \nto see all that occurred, and not only enabled me to write \ndown notes of what was taking place, but to read my notes \nwithout difliculty. . . . \n\n\"During the whole of my knowledge of D. D. Home, ex- \ntending over several years, I never once saw the slightest oc- \ncurrence that would make me suspicious that he was attempt- \ning to play tricks. He was scrupulously sensitive on this \npoint, and never felt hurt at anyone taking precautions \nagainst deception. He sometimes in the early days of our \nacquaintance used to say to me before a seance: 'Now, Will- \niam, I want you to act as if I were a recognized conjurer, \nand was going to cheat you and play all the tricks I coUld. \nTake every precaution you can devise against me, and move \nabout, and look under the table, or where else you like. \nDon't consider my feelings ; I shall not be offended. I know \n\n\n\n44 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthat the more carefully I am tested, the more convinced will \neveryone be that these abnormal occurrences are not my own \ndoings.' \n\n\"I think It a cruel thing that a man like D. D. Home, \ngifted with such extraordinary powers, and always willing, \nnay, anxious, to place himself at the disposal of men of science \nfor investigation, should have lived so many years in London, \nand with one or two exceptions, no one of weight in the \nscientific world should have thought it worth while to look \ninto the truth or falsity of things, which were being talked \nabout in society on all sides. To those who knew him. \nHome was one of the most lovable of men, and his perfect \ngenuineness and uprightness were beyond suspicion; but by \nthose who did not know him, he was called a charlatan, and \nthose who believed in him were considered little better than \nlunatics!\" \n\nTo return, however, to Professor Lodge's report upon \nEusapia Palladino, which the above extended quotation is \nmerely to support, I now extract from the detailed records \nof sittings, printed as Appendix I, to his paper: \n\nThe first seance, which took place on July 2ist, com- \nmenced at 9.36 P.M. Tilts, levitations, and protuber- \nances of Eusapia's dress were noted, followed by raps \u2014 ^all \nthese in good light. These were followed by a series of \ntouches on the back and sides of the controllers. The fol- \nlowing extracts from the records cannot fail to be of in- \nterest : \n\n\"10.24. Light lowered more. M.* held both hands in \nthe air; L. held her head, and each held one foot. M. \nwas again distinctly touched in the back. \n\n\"11.34. L., holding both hands of E., was distinctly \ntouched as by a hand on the shoulder and back of head. The \nhairy mass again felt by him. \n\n'In an tdaocet of this series, M\u2014 Myers, L\u2014 Lodge, R\u2014 Richet, and O* \nOchorowicz. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 45 \n\n''11.36. M.'s chair was again drawn from under him, \nand put on the middle of the table, and M. remained stand- \ning. The large table drew nearer. Hands and feet of E. \nwell held.\" \n\nAfter lights had been seen, and further touches had been \nexperienced, the record proceeds: \n\n\"12.04. M. and L., each holding one of E.'s hands firmly \nin the air, R.'s hand was strongly grasped, and held, as by \na hand, while thirty-one was counted. At request of L., the \nlarge table then turned itself over on its back behind ~M., \nand was left with its feet in the air. \n\n\"A light was now struck, and the under surface of table \n(now turned upward) was examined for marks. Nothing \nwas found except joiner's lines, which had been there be- \nfore. The table was now half raised so that its legs were \nnow horizontal, and its upper surface showed at once a \nlarge blue scrawl. . . . There was now full light, and the \nseance was understood to have stopped, but E. asked for a \nblue pencil, and when one was found and given her she pro- \nceeded to cover the tip of her forefinger with blue chalk. \nShe then gave this finger to R. to hold, and with it extended, \nshe walked up to the vertically standing top surface of the \nlarge table, and made near, but not touching it, a couple of \nquick cross marks in the air. The blue had then disappeared \nfrom her finger, and two large blue crosses, sharply drawn, \nnot as with finger tip, were found on the back, or far side \nof the table, namely, on one of the side boards of the under \nside, which had been just previously examined for such \nmarks. There was no fresh mark on the surface in front of \nwhich she had made the gestures.\" \n\nAt 12.35 the seance was resiuned, and while R. was holding \none hand of E., and while M. held both feet and her other \nhand, R. felt a hand move over his head and rest on his \nxnouth for some seconds, during which be spoke to the other \n\n\n\n46 Eusapia Palladino \n\ninvestigators with his voice muffled. A series of remarkable \nphenomena occurred at 12.49, which were recorded thus: \n\n\"A small cigar box fell onto our table, and a sound was \nheard in the air as of something rapping. R. was holding \nhead and right hand ; M. holding left hand, raised it in the \nair, holding it lightly by the tips of his fingers, but with part \nof his own hand free. A saucer containing small shot, from \nanother part of the room, was then put into this hand of M. \nin the air. A covered wire of the electric battery came onto \nthe table and wrapped itself round R.'s and E.'s hands and \nwas pulled till E. called out. Henceforth, R. held her head \nand body ; M. kept one hand and both feet, while L. held the \nother hand, and in this position E. made several spasmodic \nmovements, each of which was accompanied or followed by \nviolent movements of the neighboring round table. \n\n\"12.57. The accordion, which was on the round table, \ngot onto the floor, somehow, and began to play single notes. \nBellier (the stenographer) counted twenty-six of them, and \nthen ceased counting. While the accordion played, E.*s \nfingers made movements in the hands of both M. and L., in \naccord with the notes, as if she were playing them at the \ndistance with difficulty. The lightly touched quick notes \nwere also thus felt by L. with singular precision, sometimes \nthe touch failed to elict a response, and this failure was \nusually succeeded by an interval of silence and rest\" \n\nAfter these phenomena, the small chalet or music box, \nwhich was on the roimd table, began to play, approached \nvisibly, being seen coming through the air by M. and L., and \nrested on the seance table. It got onto the floor; finally \nProfessor Richet said: \"Enough of that music!\" It then \nstopped, \"probably,\" the report says, \"because rim down.\" \n\nVarious touches, under good conditions of control, ended \nthe seance; afterwards, however. Professor Richet, when un- \ndressing, found upon his shirt front, which had been covered \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 47 \n\nby a flannel jacket, and a high white waistcoat, a blue \nscrawl, clearly defined. Just before the seance had termi- \nnated, Eusapia had taken one of Mr. Myers* fingers and \nwith it executed a scrawl outside Richet's flannel jacket, \nwhich was buttoned up to the neck. It will be observed that \nseveral times during this seance phenomena were obtained \nwhen both of Eusapia's hands were held by the same con- \ntroller. \n\nThe second sitting occurred two days later under virtu- \nally the same conditions. After various minor phenomena, \nthe chalet wound itself up and, playing, descended to the \nfloor. It ran down, and stopped playing, but while still on \nthe floor, it wound itself up again, and rose onto the table \nonce more, pla)ring as it came. Eusapia's hands and head \nwere well held, and her feet had been placed in a wooden \napparatus, so constructed that, if she lifted either of them, \nan electric bell would ring immediately, showing that they \nhad been removed. The report continues: \n\n\"L. was then permitted to hold both arms and both feet \n(the foot apparatus being removed), and he was then touched \ntwice on the back, and grasped distinctly on the left arm. \nE. then held up one of L.'s hands, and with it made two \nsmall movements, and at each movement a chair not far \ndistant grated along the floor, as if pushed or pulled.'' \n\nVarious touches and levitations ended the seance. \n\nThe third sitting took place two evenings later under the \nsame conditions. After various minor phenomena, including \nthe production of scent, had been observed, the large table \nwas violently dragged about, and raps heard upon it. \nTouches and grasps by hands were then experienced by the \nsitters. The following phenomenon, which must be regarded \nas remarkable, then took place: ^ \n\n\n\n48 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"While L. held both the medium's hands on the table, \nand also her head, leaning over onto him, away from the \nchalet, and while Richet held both her feet, the suspended \nchalet was heard to be wound partially up three times, with \nthree pauses, taking four seconds in all, as heard and recorded \nby Bellier. (The chalet had been suspended from the ceiling \nquite beyond Eusapia's reach.) It did not now begin to \nplay, but began to flap, as if its doors were trying to open. \nSoon it began to play, and raps were heard on it. While \nit played, Eusapia's hands waved L.'s hands in the air, in time \nwith the music It was immediately rewound, and went \non playing scxnetime. While this was going on the chalet \nbegan to swing, and the string was heard to break, but in- \nstead of dropping onto the floor, the chalet was gently placed \non M.'s head, and thence onto the table. This phenomenon \noccurred under quite satisfactory conditions.\" \n\nProfessor Lodge was told to hold one hand loosely against \nthe skirt of Eusapia, still holding her two hands with the \nother, and he then felt his hands gripped quickly several \ntimes, as by a hand through her dress. He had also several \ndistinct hand grasps, as by a bare hand, c(\u00bbning from E.'s \nshoulder, both her real hands being at the time completely \nin his control. He did not succeed in grasping one of these \npseudo-hands, though other observers did on other occasions. \n\"Attempt was now made to prolong one of these pressures. \nA hand was felt on M.'s back, and he began counting seconds, \nwhen it slapped audibly, and disappeared. Observation made \nin light as to the correct holding of Eusapia's real hands.\" \n\nAfter the seance had been concluded, the following inter- \nesting phenomenon occurred: \n\n\"The clean finger nail of Professor Richet, held by Eusapia, \nwas made to act as a blue crayon, and to leave a thick, blue \npencil mark, when drawn thus along white paper, in full \ncandle light. This was done several times, and the forma- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 49 \n\ntion of the last two of these marks was closely watched by \nall in the light close to a candle. It appeared to L. as if the \nblue did not appear directly under the nail, but slightly to \none side, as if some invisible protrusion from the fingers of \nEusapia (which themselves were about half an inch off the \npaper) were really producing it, but he does not vouch for \nthis detail, and only records it as a memorandum for future \nobservation. [The paper was certainly clean beforehand, \nand the marks could be seen being formed.]\" \n\nThe fourth seance was held under virtually the same con- \nditions, on the evening of the next day. Loud raps were \nheard on the square table adjoining the seance table, and \nlights were seen several times by L. and M. An arm chair \nwas made to move several inches in various directions, the \nlight being good, and the chair at least four feet from Eusa- \npia, there being a space visible to all between the chair and \nher body. The window curtain, five feet away, then swelled \nout, and a large face, visible twenty or thirty seconds, was \nobserved close to the window. Professor Richet was grasped \nby a large hand, he at the time holding both ' hands of \nEusapia. Mr. Myers' wallet of books and papers, weighing \ntwelve pounds, was lifted from the floor onto the table. The \nfollowing important phenomenon then occurred: \n\n\"Noise, as of key being fumbled in the door, and Ochoro- \nwicz, from outside, asked who was unlocking the door. Eusa- \npia*s hands were well held, and no one was near the door. \nThe clear space of several feet, near the door, was plainly \nenough visible. Blows occurred on the door. The key then \narrived on the table, and was felt there by L. It disappeared \nagain, and was heard to be replacing itself in the door, with \na sound as of the door being locked (or unlocked) ; then the \nkey came again onto the table, into Richet's hand, and stayed \nthere. [At the beginning of the seance, the door had been \nlocked, and at the end it was still locked. Judging by sound. \n\n\n\n50 Eusapia Palladino \n\nIt had probably been unlocked and locked again during this \nepisode. The door certainly remained shut all the tiq[ie.] \n\n\"Richet saw an indistinct, black, square-looking object, \nwhich seemed to prolong the key when it was brought toward \nhis hand. There was light enough to see the position of \neverybody's normal hands all the time on this occasion, and \nwe were sitting some four or five feet distant from the door. \n[It was a perfectly distinct phenomenon.] \n\n\"Richet next saw something detached, like a bird in the \nair, going to M.'s head. At the instant he saw it touch, M. \ncalled out that he was touched on the head. \n\n\"L., R., and M. then all saw the curious imitation hand, or \nieather fingprs, stretched horizontally over the vertical gap \nbetween the half-open shutters; a thing which L. had sev- \neral times seen before. \n\n\"M. was seized from behind while standing, and vigor- \nously pulled and shaken about, while all four were standing, \nholding hands around the table. L. saw him moving, and \nfelt a transmitted pull. A loaf, and other objects, from the \nbuffet, hard by, arrived on the table, and a pile of five plates. \nOur small table was in front of the buffet. Everybody was \nnow standing up, and observers were getting tired, so we \nasked to stop ; but agency insisted on continuing. Statement \nmade that the medium needed refreshment, but the agency \nsaid it could see to that. A gurgling noise was heard, as \nif the medium was drinking from a bottle, and directly after- \nwards a decanter with water, which had been on the top shelf \nof the buffet, arrived on the table. Then it rose again to \nthe medium's mouth, where it was felt horizontally by Richet, \nand again she drank. It then came again onto the table, and \nstayed there.\" \n\nAfter the seance had been concluded, the medium was \nconducted to a writing desk in a comer of the room. She \nmade three movements with her hand, and the desk was \ntilted backward, after an interval of a second or two. She \nmoved farther away and repeated the action, and the same \nmovement of the desk occurred, but with more delay. When \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 51 \n\nstanding two meters from the desk, she did the same thing, \nand the desk again tilted, but not imtil two seconds after the \nmotion made by her hand. \n\nAppendix II to Professor Lodge's paper consists in a list \nof appliances that would be needed for a psychical laboratory. \nTheir uses are also pointed out. Thus, a registering balance \nwould be necessary, to test losses and gains in the weight of \nmedium, before, during, and after seances. A clock, ther- \nmometer, and barometer would be essential, and instruments \nfor recording the medium's temperature, muscular exertion, \npulse, breathing, etc; and these should all be registered au- \ntomatically by apparatus outside the room. Means for ob- \ntaining graphic records should, therefore, be supplied. Special \nchairs and tables should be provided; and the method of \ngraphic record should be applied to registering levitations of \nthe table. Elaborate arrangements for variations of the \namount of light should be made, and, if possible, means should \nbe invented for obtaining a number of photographs secretly \nfrom without the room. A number of cameras should be \noperated simultaneously through various openings, and the \nroom might be flooded with invisible, ultraviolet light \u2014 suf- \nficient to obtain photographs, but which would be unknown \nto the medium. Other devices, such as smoked surfaces, wet \nclay, etc., for obtaining an imprint of the hands, should also \nbe provided, together with such additional instruments and \nappliances as future experiments and experience might sug- \ngest. \n\n\u00a7 7. Experiments at Cambridge \u2014 1895 \n\nWhen this Report was issued. Dr. Richard Hodgson, then \nSecretary of the S. P. R. for America, challenged the conclu- \nsive nature of the sittings, and pointed out what, in his esti- \n\n\n\n52 Eusapia Palladino \n\nmation, were numerous defects in the record \u2014 showing that \nit might have been possible, on some occasions, for the me- \ndium to have resorted to trickery. He suggested various wa3rs \nby which Eusapia might have released one hand or one foot. \nHe contended that the holding was not sufficiently described, \nand suggested substitution of dummy hands and feet instead \nof those held by the sitters. The actual detail of the hand \nand foot holding was, he contended, the essential feature, and \nthis was insufficiently described. As to the levitations of the \ntable. Dr. Hodgson suggested that they might have been ac- \ncomplished by means of a hook inserted under its edge, and \nattached to a strap passing over Eusapia's shoulders. Other \ncritical remarks of a general nature were also made. \n\nThis criticism by Dr. Hodgson elicited four replies \u2014 one \nfrom each of the four investigators. They were unanimous \nin declaring that, while Dr. Hodgson's paper was remark- \nable, and his criticisms excellent, and while they admitted \nthat further precautions of the kind suggested by him should \nbe taken in future, they contended that Dr. Hodgson's \nexplanations did not explain all the phenomena witnessed by \nthem; nor, indeed, any largpr portion of them. Reviewing \nthe seances in detail^ it was found that some of Dr. Hodg- \nson's criticisms were unjustified, and that, for example, where \nhe had said that both of Eusapia's hands were not accounted \nfor on any particular occasion, they were in fact amply ac- \ncounted for on a number of occasions, while in two or three \ninstances, both her hands were held in the hands of one in- \nvestigator. Dr. Lodg^ in his reply insisted upon this point, \nand he had the support of Professor Ridiet and Dr. Ochora- \nwicz, as well as Mr. Myers, whose reply was the most de- \ntailed. \n\nIn spite of these replies, however, Dr. Hodgson apparently \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 53 \n\nremained skeptical, and the result of the disagreement was \nthat both Eusapia and Dr. Hodgson were invited to Eng- \nland, and a series of experiments, since famous, and styled \nthe \"Cambridge Experiments,\" were held in the house of \nMr. Myers, in August and September, 1895. The results of \nthese sittings will be found described in detail in the Octo- \nber and November, 1895, issues of the Journal S. P. R. \n(English). \n\nThe results of these seances were entirely negative. Not \nonly were the phenomena, comparatively speaking, sparse and \nuninteresting, but fraud was detepted in actual operation \nagain and again \u2014 fraud of a kind which necessitated the \nsupposition that the medium had practiced it long and care- \nfully. Details of these seances are unnecessary. It need only \nbe said that Dr. Hodgson, and, in a lesser degree, Mr. Nevil \nMaskelyne, of London, detected substitution of hands over \nand over again, and caught her in the act of producing fraud- \nulent phenomena. The conclusion was, that S5rstematic \nfraud had been used from first to last, and that there was \nno adequate reason to suppose any supernormal agency what- \never. Mr. and Mrs. Myers, Miss Johnson, Mrs. Sidgwick, \nProfessor Sidgwick, and Dr. Hodgson unanimously \"adopfed \nthe conclusion that nothing but trickery had been at work \nin the Cambridge series of experiments.\" As a result of \nthese sittings, Professor Sidgwick stated that \"inasmuch as \ntrickery had been systematically practised, apparently, by \nEusapia Palladino for years, he proposed to ignore her per- \nformances in the future as those of other persons engaged \nin the same mischievous trade were to be ignored.\" {Journal \nS. P. R., April, 1896.) \n\nWhen the results of this exposure were made known, it \ncreated little less than a furore in the world of psychic re- \n\n\n\n54 Eusapia Palladino \n\nsearch. For many days columns of material, and letters pro \nand con, appeared in The Daily Chronicle, The Westminster \nGazette, The Liverpool Daily Post, The British Medical \nJournal, Light, and other magazines; and it need hardly be \nsaid that the general effect of the exposure, on the public \nmind/ was to impress them even more deeply than ever with \nskepticism, and to confirm their wavering doubt that Eusapia \nwas fraudulent from beginning to end. \n\nYet there is a reason for the fraud that Eusapia resorted \nto at Cambridge, and those investigators who have had much \nexperience vntYi her had no difficulty in pointing out exactly \nwhat the cause of this was. It has always been well known \nthat if Eusapia were allowed to trick her sitters she would do \nso, and the policy of the English investigators had been, not \nto endeavor to prevent phenomena by rigorous control, but to \nallow great laxity, to permit her to substitute her hands when \nshe desired, and merely note the results. Eusapia, finding \nthat she could effect substitution of hands with ease, and \napparently without detection, naturally resorted to this de- \nvice at every seance, and the result of this was that fraud \nwas almost invariably detected during her English sittings. \nYet there is doubt if all the phenomena witnessed in Eng- \nland could be accounted for by fraud. Certainly the phe- \nnomena differed considerably from the more striking mani- \nfestations witnessed at her genuine seances. Mr. Myers, in \na letter written to The Daily Chronicle, and published \nNovember 4, 1895, said: \n\n\"As to the phenomena on the ile Roubaud, in relation to \nthose at Cambridge : The best of those observed on the island \nwere so different from those at Cambridge that I cannot \nwonder that Professor Lodge should still hold firmly to their \ngenuine character.\" \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 55 \n\nThis has been our own experience also. We noted in \nour seances that when Eusapia resorted to fraud, as she did \noccasionally (see p. 182) the character of the resulting phe- \nnomenon was entirely different from the genuine and far more \nstriking manifestations which occurred at other times. Fur- \nther, had the opposite policy been adopted ; had she been pre- \nvented from resorting to fraud instead of allowed to \ndo so, very different results would doubtless have been ob- \ntained. It must be remembered, in this connection, that these \nmethods of trickery (substitution of hands, etc.) had always \nbeen known to the Continental investigators; and in their \nprevious reports they had several times called attention to \nthis aspect of the problem, and stated that Eusapia would in- \nvariably resort to trickery unless she were prevented from do- \ning so. Dr. J. Maxwell, indeed, in his Metapsychical Phe- \nnomena, criticised the results of these Cambridge experiments, \nand said : \n\n\"As far as his* (Dr. Hodgson's) experiments with Eusapia \nPalladino are concerned, I will reply to him that in a great \nmeasure he and his friends were responsible for her frauds, \nand almost wholly responsible for the failure of the experi- \nments. They appear to have neglected the psychological side \nof a medium's role, and forgot that a medium is not a me- \nchanical instrument. Eusapia was not at her ease, and, if \nmy memory serves me right, she found the Cambridge center \nrather disdainful and haughty, save Mr. and Mrs. Myers. \nShe was dull and lonely. . . . The seances were too numer- \nous (there were twenty seances held in less than seven weeks \n\u2014 a seance every other day) \u2014 if you take into consideration \nher not being very well and consequently unfit for an)rthing \nfor a few days. This was making sure of bad results, es- \npedally as the seances sometimes lasted two and a half to \nthree hours. It was impossible for the medium to recruit \nher strength, physically or morally \u2014 especially in a country \n\n\n\n56 Eusapia Palladino \n\nwhere the manners, life, language, and even the cooking were \nso different from those of Naples. . . . \n\n\"It appears, however, that the first seances were pretty \ngood. There were some suspicious things, as is often the case \nwith Eusapia. Hodgson's arrival changed everything. It \nwas then that fraud was discovered, but a long time after \nRichet and Torelli had pointed it out.\" \n\nThen follows a discussion of the method employed by the \nEnglish experimenters, which Dr. Maxwell considered funda- \nmentally wrong. Extracts from the sittings were quoted to \nsustain his position. Dr. Maxwell stated that he, in com- \nmon with other Continental investigators, had proceeded by \nanother route, and had obtained very different results. He \nhad set about gaining Eusapia's confidence and sympathy, \nand the results of some of his seances appeared to him quite \nconclusive. One or two extracts from seances held by him \nare quoted by way of sustaining his position. I cite one of \nthese here, as being of special interest. \n\n\"P. is vigorously touched. Eusapia gives him the control \nof her hands and feet. P. receives slaps on the back every \ntime Eusapia presses her foot. The noise is distinctly heard. \nP.'s chair is shaken and drawn from under him. Eusapia \nrubs her feet on the floor, *to give fluid,' she says. Finally, \nP.'s chair is slowly carried on to the seance table. The per- \nsons (Dr. Denuce, Mme. A., and I) for whom P. is be- \ntween the table and the window, see the chair very clearly \noutlined on the window. After having been placed on the \ntable, the chair is taken back to the floor, and the second time \ncarried on to the table. The movements were slowly produced. \n\\Vhile they were being produced, the hands, feet, and head \nof the medium were under control. If any part of the me- \ndium's body had touched the chair, the contact would have \nbeen seen on the silhouette of the chair, the latter standing \nout well against the lighted-up window. While the chair \nis in movement, P. is crouching down on his heels. He is \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 57 \n\ntouched on the back. His garments are pulled, he is tickled. \nAt the same time the table is levitated. These three manifes- \ntations were produced simultaneously/' \n\nDr. Maxwell concludes with these words: \n\n\"My judgment will convince no one. In such matters we \nmust see for ourselves in order to be convinced. Dr. Hodg- \nson himself knows this to-day. My testimony contradicts \nformally and explicity the conclusions of the Cambridge in- \nvestigators. Eusapia does not always defraud. With us she \nrarely defrauded.\" \n\n\u00a78. Experiments at PAgnelas \u2014 1895 \n\nInunediately following the exposure at Cambridge, a com- \nmittee was formed at the house of Colonel De Rochas, in \nSeptember, 1895, consisting of Dr. Dariex, Count De Gram- \nmont, Dr. Maxwell, Professor Sabatier, Baron De Watte- \nville, and Colonel De Rochas. The report of these seances \nIS given in full in M. De Rochas* book. The Exteriorization \nof Motivity \u2014 ^to which I would refer the reader for a de- \ntailed account. It was believed by these experimenters that \nthe Cambridge exposure had been incomplete and more or \nless superficial ; and it was determined to test again Eusapia's \npowers, and to see whether or not genuine phenomena could \nbe obtained when Eusapia was prevented from resorting to \ntrickery. The investigators seem to have been exceedingly \ncareful in their method of procedure, the hands and feet were \nwell controlled, and are accurately described by Colonel De \nRochas. Here, e.g., is the method of control during the third \nseance \u2014 ^which was the first ofiicial seance held \u2014 ^all members \nof the Committee being present. \n\n\"At a quarter to nine, Dr. Dariex, upon the request of the \nmedium, returned to her right side. He seated himself on the \n\n\n\n58 Eusapia Palladino \n\nlittle tabouret, in the angle formed by the medium and M. \nSabatier. Eusapia then places her two legs between those \nof Dr. Dariex, and rests her two feet upon the tabouret. \nThe right arm and the right hand of Dr. Dariex supports \nher knees and her thighs. In that position, the feet, the legs, \nthe knees, and the thighs of the medium are continually con- \ntrolled ; the contact is constant, so that the least movement \nof the lower members of the medium can be accounted for. \nThis position of the legs was retained to the end of the \nseance; at the same time Eusapia rests her head against that \nof Dr. Dariex, and the latter also shares in the control of the \nright arm and the right hand, twining his left arm around \nthe arm of Eusapia, in such a manner that the bend of the \nelbow encircles the lower part of the arm, so that the forearm \nof Dr. Dariex comes in contact with the forearm of the me- \ndium, and his hand rests on the back of her wrist ; moreover, \nby the tips of his fingers. Dr. Dariex touches the hand of M. \nSabatier, which holds the right hand of Eusapia. \n\n''To sum up, he holds the medium in such a manner that \nhe is sure of her lower limbs, her right hand and her right \nwrist, which do not leave the table, and of her head, which \ndoes not leave his head. Dr. Maxwell always holds the left \nhand ; M. Sabatier the right hand very securely.\" \n\nIt must not be assumed that the control throughout the \nwhole series of seances was as complete as on this particular \noccasion, but it seems to have been accurately governed and ac- \ncurately recorded throughout, and it would appear to me that \nany impartial critic must be forced into the belief that on very \nrare occasions could Eusapia have freed one hand or one foot, \nand with it produced spurious phenomena. Without going \ninto detail regarding the control throughout these seances, \ntherefore, I shall give a brief resume of the phenomena ob- \nserved \u2014 since the control will be stated in great detail during \nour own series of seances, to be recorded later on. \n\nVarious movements of the table and curtain phenomena \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 59 \n\nusually commenced the seance. Loud raps occurred, the toy \npiano was brought from the cabinet onto the seance table, \nand the large arm chair partly rose into the air, its feet \nkeeping time with the music. Invisible hands touched the \nsitters, pulling their hair and pinching them. Chairs and \nother articles of furniture were piled onto the table without \napparent cause \u2014 both hands of Eusapia being well held, it \nis asserted, at the time. Indeed, Eusapia invariably announced \nin advance the character of the phenomenon which was about \nto take place, and asked that the control should be thoroughly \nverified. \n\nIt would be useless to supply similar details of all the \nseances held at TAgnelas, which were of very similar char- \nacter \u2014 progressing in excellence as the seances proceeded, and \nwhich finally convinced the sitters that genuine phenomena \nhad been obtained under excellent conditions of control, and \nthat, in spite of the Cambridge exposure, Eusapia's medium- \nship was undoubted. \n\n\u00a7 9. Bzperiments at Naples \u2014 1895 \n\nMeanwhile, in 1895, a new series of experiments had been \nheld in Naples, under the direction of Dr. Paolo Visani- \nScozzi, Professor of Nervous Diseases at Florence. \n\nFour seances were held, which were also attended by Dr. \nVisani, Countess Helena Mainardi, Professor Chiaia, and \nothers. Precautions were taken against fraud \u2014 ^which, how- \never, are not detailed in the report \u2014 and the following phe- \nnomena were observed and vouched for by the experimenters: \n\nI. In plain light: Movements of objects without contact; \nlevitations of the table, raps \u2014 ^which frequently kept time to \nmusic \u2014 and answered questions. \n\n\n\n6o Eusapia Palladino \n\n2. In semidarkness (the light being sufficient to dis- \ntinguish all the sitters, however) there occurred: Touches \nby invisible hands; very loud raps on the table; movements \nof chairs, and kisses were heard distinctly in the room. A \nshadow formed near to the medium, as though issuing from \nher, and assumed colossal proportions. During the produc- \ntion of this phenomenon the medium was in deep trance, and \ncompletely immobile. \n\n3. In complete darkness: Movements of the table, chairs, \nand other objects (which were sometimes, when the lights \nwere relighted, found to be turned upside down). The \nformation of hands, which touched the sitters, the forma- \ntion of invisible heads, which gave kisses and rubbed the \nfaces of the sitters with their silky beards; the formation \nof a misty ball, which emitted a whitish light; and the for- \nmation of a phantom, which assumed the form of a very \nlarge man. \n\nA trumpet, a tambourine, and a bell played at the same \ntime, all being raised in the air simultaneously. All the fur- \nniture in the room was then moved about. In tune to a \nmarch played by the above-mentioned instruments, the table \npromenaded toward the door, keeping time to the music with \nIts feet \u2014 ^while the medium, half asleep, was dragged with her \nchair along with the table. \n\nThe most important phenomenon was an imprint of a \nhand and of a face, obtained in clay, whidi in no way re- \nsembled those of the medium. \n\nAlthough these seances were striking, in character, we can- \nnot, unfortunately, attribute to them much evidential value, \nsince the conditions of the experiments, and particularly the \nmanner of controlling the medium, were very insufficiently \nrecorded throughout. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 6i \n\n\u00a7 zo. Bzpeiiments at Xremezzo, at Auteuili and at \nChoisy-Yvrac\u2014 i8g6 \n\nIn 1896 an interesting seance was held at Tremezzo, which \nwas accurately recorded by Mme. Z. Blech. Various inter- \nesting phenomena were observed, when both hands of Eusapia \nwere distinctly seen, resting upon the table. Four days later \na new series of seances was held at Auteuil, under the direc- \ntion of Dr, Dariex, M. Desdeaux, M. Guerronnan, M. Mar- \ncel Mangin, and M. SuUy-Prudhomme. The result of the \nseven seances was, again, to convince the sitters of Eusapia's \nundoubted supernormal powers. \n\nFollowing these experiments, a new series of seances was \nheld at Choisy-Yvrac, which were attended by M. Maxwell, \nCount de Grammont, Count de Watteville, Colonel de \nRochas, and other well-known investigators. The usual phe- \nnomena were observed, and, in addition, various experiments \nwere tried, such as the effects of electricity upon the medium \nand the phenomena; magnetizing and hypnotizing the me- \ndium \u2014 an interesting account of which will be found in \nColonel de Rochas' book, before referred to. It was ascer- \ntained, apparently, that electridty in some manner increased \nher \"forces,\" and assisted in the levitation of a small stool, \nwhich she had been unable to raise. As, however, such levi- \ntations have been obtained at various times without any elec- \ntrical apparatus, its value seems doubtful. \n\n\u00a7 II. Experiments at Naples \u2014 1897 \n\nIn April, 1897, sittings were held at Naples by MM. \nErnest Mayer, and Leon Boulloche. These were followed \nby a seance held in June, in Rome, by M. de Siemiradski \u2014 \nfollowed again by seances held in Paris in July, and later in \n\n\n\n62 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthe same month at Montfort TAmaury. These latter seances, \nwhich are by far the most noteworthy, were attended by M. \nde Fontenay, who published a lengthy report, and has since \nwritten a book, Apropos d'Eusapia Palladino, based largely \nupon these sittings. Since then, M. de Fontenay has obtained \na number of seances, and has especially devoted himself to \nthe task of photographing the phenomena, and particularly \nthe heads, faces, and hands that are supposed to materialize \nat Eusapia's seances. In an article entitled Fraud, and the \nHypothesis of Hallucination, in the Study of the Phenomena \nProduced by Eusapia Palladino (Annals of Psychical Science, \nApril, 1908), M. de Fontenay succeeded in photographing \nvarious hands appearing over Mme. Palladino's head \u2014 one \nof whidi, particularly, is of interest, inasmuch as both the \nmedium's hands are seen (in the photograph) to be securely \nheld by her investigators outside the cabinet. The \"hand\" \nin this case, however, does not appear to be a fully formed \nhand, but rather a claw, or an exceedingly malformed or \nhalf-formed hand. M. de Fontenay was forced to the con- \nclusion that he had on this occasion photographed ''matter \nin the course of condensation\" \u2014 i.e., a materialization. It \nis true that other photographs taken by M. de Fontenay arc \nfar less convincing, but, as he himself says, ''in any case one \npoint is settled \u2014 the appearance of hands in the vicinity of \nEusapia are not generally hallucinatory, nor are the forma- \ntions of lights, which are observed to occur with this me- \ndium. If my photographs prove no more than this, their im- \nportance would not be negligible.\" \n\n\u00a7 Z2. Experiments at Montfort PAmaury \u2014 1897 \n\nIn 1897 * short series of three seances was held at the \nhome of M. Blech, at Montfort TAmaury. M. Blech, Mme. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 63 \n\nBlcch, Mme. Z. Blech, and Mile. A, Blcch, together with \nM. G. de Fontenay, formed the circle at first, and they were \nafterwards joined by M. Flammarion. These seances seem \nto have been very successful in character, a great variety of \nphenomena being obtained under what appear to be good \nconditions of control. A full account of these seances will \nbe foimd in M. de Fontenay's book, Apropos dlEusapia Palla- \ndino, to which I would refer the reader for an exhaustive \ndiscussion of these sittings, and accompanying theoretical \ndata. The book is a remarkable one, and is well worthy \nof careful perusal. M. Flammarion, who was present at \none of these seances, gives us a vivid picture of the course of \nevents, which I quote from his own book. Mysterious Psychic \nForces, pp. 70-75 : \n\n\"Five raps in the table indicate, according to a convention \narranged by the medium, that the unknown cause seeks for \nless light. This is always annoying; I have already said \nwhat I think of this. The candles are blown out, the lamp \nturned down, but the light is strong enough for us to see \nvery distinctly everything that takes places in the salon. The \nround table, which I had lifted and set aside, approaches the \ntable and tries several times to climb up on it. I lean upon it, \nin order to keep it down, but I experience an elastic resist- \nance and am unable to do so. The free edge of the round \ntable places itself on the edge of the rectangular table, but, \nhindered by its triangular foot, it does not succeed in clear- \ning itself sufficiently to dimb upon it. Since I am holding \nthe medium I ascertain that she makes no effort of the kind \nthat would be needed for this style of performance. \n\n\"The curtain swells out and approaches my face. It is \nat this moment that the medium falls into a trance. She ut- \nters sighs and lamentations and only speaks now in the third \nperson, saying that she is John King, a psychic personality \nwho claims to have been her father in another existence, and \nwho calls her 'My daughter.' \n\n\n\n64 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"Five new taps ask for still less light, and the lamp is al- \nmost completely turned down, but not extinguished. The \neyes, growing accustomed to the clare-obscure, still distin- \nguish pretty well what is taking place. \n\n\"The curtain swells out again, and I feel that I am \ntouched on the shoulder, through the stuff of the curtain, as \nif by a closed fist The chair in the cabinet, upon which are \nplaced the music box and the bell, is violently shaken, and \nthe objects fall to the floor. The medium again asks for less \nlight, and a red photographic lantern is placed upon the piano, \nthe light of the lamp being extinguished. The control is \nrigorously kept up, the medium agreeing to it with the great- \nest docility. \n\n\"For about a minute the music box plays intermittent airs \nbehind the curtain, as if it was turned by some hand. \n\n\"The curtain moves forward again toward me, and a \nrather strong hand seizes my arm. I immediately reach for- \nward to seize the hand, but I grasp only the empty air. I \nthen press the two legs of the medium between mine, and I \ntake her left hand in my right. On the other side, the right \nhand is firmly held in the left hand of M. de Fontenay. \nThen Eusapia brings the hand of the last named toward my \ncheek, and imitates upon the cheek, with the finger of M. de \nFontenay, the movement of a little revolving crank or handle. \nThe music box, which has one of these handles, plays at the \nsame time behind the curtain in perfect synchronism. The \ninstant that Eusapia's hand stops, the music stops; all the \nmovements correspond, just as in the Morse telegraph \nsystem. . \u2022 \u2022 \n\n\"I feel several touches on the back and on the side. \nM. de Fontenay receives a sharp slap on the back that every- \nbody hears. A hand passes through my hair. The chair of \nM. de Fontenay is violently pulled, and a few moments after- \nwards he cries, *I see the silhouette of a man passing between \nM. Flammarion and me, above the table, shutting out the red \nlight!' \n\n\"This thing is repeated several times. I do not myself \nsucceed in seeing this silhouette. I then propose to M. de \nfontenay that I take his place, for, in that case, I ^uld be \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 65 \n\nlikely to sec it also. I soon distinctly perceive a dim sil- \nhouette passing before the red lantern, but I do not recognize \nany precise form. It is only an opaque shadow (the profile \nof a man) which advances as far as the light and retires. \n\n\"In a moment, Eusapia says there is some one behind the \ncurtain. After a slight pause she adds: \n\n\" 'There is a man by your side, on the right ; he has a \ngreat soft forked beard.' I ask if I may touch this beard. \nIn fact, while lifting my hand, I feel rather a soft beard \nbrushing against it. \n\n''A block of paper is put on the table with a lead pencil, \nwith the hope of getting writing. The pencil is flipped clear \nacross the room. I then take the block of paper and hold it \nin the air: it is snatched violently from me, in spite of all \nmy eflEorts to retain it. At this moment, M. de Fontenay, \nwith his back turned to the light, sees a hand (a white hand \nand not a shadow), the arm showing as far as the elbow, \nholding the block of paper; but all the others declare that \nthey only see the paper shaking in the air. \n\n\"I did not see the hand snatch the packet of paper from \nme ; but only a hand could have been able to seize it with such \nviolence, and this did not appear to be the hand of the me- \ndium, for I held her right hand in my left, and the paper with \narm extended in my right hand, and M. de Fontenay de- \nclared that he did not let go her left hand. \n\n\"I was struck several times in the side, touched on the \nhead, and my ear was smartly pinched. I declare that after \nseveral repetitions I had enough of this ear-pinching; but \nduring the whole seance, in spite of my protestations, some- \nbody kept hitting me. \n\n\"The little round table, placed outside of the cabinet, at \nthe left of the medium, approaches the table, climbs clear up \non it and lies across it. The guitar in the cabinet is heard \nmoving about and giving out sounds. The curtain is puffed \nout, and the guitar is brought upon the table, resting upon \nthe shoulder of M. de Fontenay. It is then laid upon the \ntable, the large end toward the medium. Then it rises and \nmoves over the heads of the company without touching them. \nIt gives forth several sounds. The phenomenon lasts about \n\n\n\n66 Eusapia Palladino \n\nfifteen seconds. It can readily be seen that the guitar is \nfloating in the air, and the reflection of the red lamp glides \nover its shining surface. A rather bright gleam, pear-shaped, \nis seen on the ceiling of the other comer of the room. \n\n\"The medium, who is tired, asks for rest. The candles \narc lighted. Mme. Blech returns the objects to their places, \nascertains that the cakes of putty are intact, places the small- \nest upon a little round table and the large one upon the chair \nin the cabinet, behind the medium. The sitting is resumed \nby the feeble glimmer of the red lantern. \n\n\"The medium, whose hands and feet are carefully con- \ntrolled by M. de Fontenay and myself, breathes heavily. \nAbove her head the snapping of fingers is heard. She still \npants, groans, and sinks her fingers into my hand. Three \nraps are heard. She cries, *It is done!* M. de Fontenay \nbrings the little dish beneath the light of the red lantern and \ndiscovers the impression of four fingers in the putty, in the \nposition which they had taken when she had gripped my \nhand.^ \n\n\"Seats are taken, the mediimi asks for rest, and a little \nlight is turned on. \n\n\"The sitting is soon resumed as before, by the extremely \nfeeble light of the red lantern. John is spoken of as if he \n\n^ Professor Chiaia, of Naples, writes, a propos of these impressions in day: \n**I have imprints in boxes of day weighing anywhere between sixty-five and \nsixty-eight pounds. I mention the weight in order to let you see the impos- \nsibility of lifting and transporting with one hand alone so heavy a tray \u2014 even \nupon the supposition that Eusapia might, unknown to us, free one of her hanids. \nIn almost every case, in fact, this tray, placed upon a chair, three feet behind the \nmedium, was brought forward and placed very gently upon the table about \nwhich we were seated. The transfer was made with such nicety that the per- \nsons who formed the chain and held firmly the hands of Eusapia did not hear \nthe least noise, did not perceive the least rustling. We were forewarned of the \narrival of the tray upon the table by several taps, which, according to our con- \nventional arrangement, *John* struck in the wall to inform us that we could \nturn on the light. I did so at once by turning the cock of the gas fixture, which \nwas suspended above the table. [We had never completdy extinguished it.] \nWe then found the tray upon the table, and, upon the day, the imprint which \nwe supposed must have been made before its transfer, and while it was behind \nEusapia, in the cabinet where *John* usually materializes and manifests him- \nsdf.'* \n\n\n\n\n8=5 . \nt: \u00ab c ^ \n\nIT- \n\n.\u00a3 o \u00ab *^ \nw. c *> \n\n^If s \n\n0) ^ a> O \n\nV) Q c ^^ \n\n*- \u00ab =-2 \nv> J= O \u00a3 \n\n\u00ab *- \"^ 1> \n\n\u00ab o ^ i: \n\nCt3 2 W \n\niZ -*>.- \nr\" v> E 0* \n\nC a\u00bb -^ \n\n8515 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 67 \n\nexisted, as if it was he whose head we perceived in silhouette ; \nhe is asked to continue his manifestations, and to show the \nimpression of his head in the putty, as he has already several \ntimes done. Eusapia replies that it is a difficult thing and \nasks us not to think of it for a moment, but to go on speaking. \nThese suggestions of hers are always disquieting, and we re- \ndouble our attention, though without speaking much. The \nmedium pants, groans, writhes. The chair in the cabinet \ncomes forward and places itself by the side of the medium, \nthen it is lifted and placed upon the head of Mme. Z. Blech, \nwhile the tray is lightly plaeed in the hands of M. Blech, at \nthe other end of the table. Eusapia cries that she sees before \nher a head and a bust, and says E fatto* (It is done). We \ndo not believe her, because M. Blech has not felt any pressure \non the dish. Three violent blows as of a mallet are struck \nupon the table. The light is turned on, and a human profile \nis found imprinted in the putty. Mme. Z. Blech kisses Eu- \nsapia upon both cheeks, for the purpose of finding out whether \nher face has not some odor (glazier's putty having a very \nstrong odor of linseed oil, which remains for sometime upon \nthe fingers). She discovers nothing abnormal. . \u2022 \u2022\" \n\n\n\n\u00a7 23. Experiments in Paris \u2014 1898 \n\nIn November, 1898, Eusapia went to Paris on the invita- \ntion of a scientific committee, composed of MM. Flamma- \nrion, Charles Richet, A. de Rochas, Victorien Sardou, Jules \nClaretie, Adolphe Brisson, Rene Baschet, Arthur Levy, Gus- \ntave Le Bon, Jules Bois, Gaston Mery, G. Delanne, G. dc \nFontenay, G. Armelin, Andre Bloch, etc These seances \nwere held in M. Flammarion's salon under good conditions \nof control. Before each seance, Eusapia was undressed and \ndressed in the presence of two ladies. The following inci- \ndents are taken from the reports of various members of \nthis committee, which follow one another, and which I shall \nbriefly summarize here. The full account of these seances \n\n\n\n68 Eusapia Palladino \n\nIS to be found in M. Flammarion's book, Mysterious Psychic \nForces. \n\nM. Arthur Levy records one case, typical of a number \nof others, of the depression of a spring-balance letter-weight \nof the ordinary kind : \n\n\"While we are talking some one puts a letter weight on \nthe table. Putting her hands down on each side of the letter \nweigher, and at a distance of four inches, she causes the \nneedle to move to No. 35, engraved on the dial place of the \nscales. Eusapia herself asked us to convince ourselves, by \ninspection, that she did not have a hair leading from one \nhand to the other, and with which she could fraudulently \npress upon the tray of the letter weigher. This little by- \nplay took place when all the lamps of the salon were fully \nlighted. . \u2022 .\" \n\nAt this seance, a series of remarkable events transpired \nin rapid succession. After describing a number of minor phe- \nnomena, and finally a struggle between himself and two in- \nvisible hands over the possession of a tambourine, in which \nhe was worsted, M. Levy continues: \n\n\"Eusapia utters repeated cries \u2014 a kind of rattling in the \nthroat. She writhes nervously, and, as if she were calling \nfor help, cries : *The chain, the chain !* We thereupon form \nthe chain by taking hold of hands. Then, just as if she were \ndefying some monster, she turns, with inflamed looks, to- \nward an enormous divan, which thereupon marches up to us. \nShe looks at it with a satanic smile. Finally, she blows upon \nthe divan, which goes immediately back to its place. . . . \n\n\"Eusapia was evidently very tired; her burning hands \nseemed to contract or shrivel ; she gasped aloud with heaving \nbreast, her foot quitting mine every moment, scraping the \nfloor and tediously rubbing along it back and forth. She \nuttered hoarse, panting cries, shrugging up her shoulders \nand sneering. The sofa came forward when she looked at \nit, then recoiled before her breath; all the instruments were \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 69 \n\nthrown pellmell upon the table ; the tambourine rose almost \nto the height of the ceiling; the cushions took part in the \nsport, overturning everything on the table; M, M. was \nthrown from his chair. This chair \u2014 z heavy dining-room \nchair of black walnut, with stuffed seat \u2014 rose into die air, \ncame up on the table with a great clatter, then was pushed \no\u00a3E. \u2022 \u2022 .\" \n\nAt a seance held September 26, 1896, the following in- \ncident occurred: \n\n\"A dark bust moves forward upon the table, coming from \nwhere Eusapia sits; then another, and still another. *They \nlook like Chinese ghosts,* says M. Mangin, Vith this dif- \nference, that I, who am better placed, owing to the light \nfrom the window, am able to perceive the dimensions of \nthese singular images, and, above all, their thickness.' All \nthese black busts are busts of women, of life size; but, al- \nthough vague, they do not look like Eusapia. The last of \nthem, of fine shape, is that of a woman who seems young and \npretty. These half lengths, which seem to emanate from the \nmedium, glide along between us ; and when they have gone as \nfar as the middle of the table, or two thirds of its length, \nthey sink down altogether (all of a piece, as it were) and \nvanish. This rigidity makes me think of the reproductions, \nor facsimiles, of a bust escaped from a sculptor's atelier, \nand I murmur, 'One would think he was looking at busts \nmolded in papier mache/ Eusapia hears me. *No, not \npapier mache/ she says indignantly. She does not give any \nother explanation, but says (this time in Italian) : *In order \nto prove to you that it is not the body of the medium, I \nam going to show you a man with a beard. Attention !' I \ndo not see anything, but Dr. Dariex feels his face rubbed \nagainst for quite a time by a beard.\" \n\nDr. Le Bon, speaking of the one seance he attended, says : \n\n''Eusapia is undoubtedly a marvellous subject. It struck \nmc as something wonderful that, while I was holding her \n\n\n\n70 Eusapia Palladino \n\nhand, she was playing on an imaginary tambourine, to which \nthe sounds of the tambourine that was behind the curtain \naccurately corresponded. I do not see how any trick is pos- \nsible in such a case, any more than in the case of the table. \n\n\"My cigarette holder was grasped by a very strong hand, \nwhich wrenched the object from me with a good deal of \nenergy. I was on my guard and asked to see the experiment \nagain. The phenomenon was so singular, and so beyond \nall that we can comprehend, that we must first try natural \nexplanations: \n\n\"i. It is impossible that it could have been Eusapia. I \nwas holding one of her hands, and was looking at the other \narm, and I placed my cigarette holder in such a position that, \neven with two arms free, she would not have been able to \naccomplish such a marvellous thing. \n\n\"2. It is not probable that it could have been an ac- \ncomplice; but is it not possible that the unconscious mind \nof Eusapia suggested to the unconscious mind of the per- \nson near the curtain to pass a hand behind it and operate \nthere? Everybody would be acting in good faith, and would \nhave been deceived by the unconscious element. This im- \nportant point ought to be verified, for no experiment would \nbe so valuable if it were once demonstrated.\" \n\nM. Armelin, in his report of the seance of November 21st, \nwrites: \n\n\"At 10.03 the table is lifted clean off its four feet at \nonce, at first on the side opposite to the medium, rising about \neight inches, then it falls abruptly back. While it is in the \nair Eusapia calls to her two neighbors to make sure that \nthey are closely holding her hands and her feet, and that she \nis not in contact with the table. . . . Suddenly, M. Anto- \nniadi exclaims that he is enveloped by the curtain, which \nrests upon his shoulders. Eusapia cries: *What is this that \nis passing over me?* The round table comes forth beneath \nthe curtain. Mme.^ Flammarion, who is standing opposite \nthe window, and has kept looking behind the curtain, says \nthat she sees some very white object. At the same moment \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 71 \n\nM. Flammarion, Mme. Fourton, and M. Jules Bois exclaim \nthat they have just seen a white hand between the curtains, \nabove Eusapia's head, and at the same moment M. Mathieu \nsays that his hair is being pulled. The hand we saw seemed \nsmall, like that of a woman or of a child/* \n\nM. Le Bocain asserts that at one of these seances he ad- \ndressed a materialized spirit in Arabic in the following terms: \n\n\"'If it is really thou, Rosalie, who art in the midst of \nus, pull the hair on the back of my head three times in suc- \ncession.' About ten minutes later, when he had almost com- \npletely forgotten his request, he felt his hair pulled three \ntimes in response to this wish. It is hardly necessary to say \nthat Eusapia knows no Arabic.'' \n\nAs is well known, the famous medium Home succeeded in \ncausing an accordion to play by itself, and untouched, in \nthe presence of Sir William Crookes. M. Flammarion \nwished to see if this same phenomenon could be duplicated \nin Eusapia's presence. He accordingly tried the following \nexperiment, which seems to have been completely successful : \n\n\"I therefore take a little new accordion bought that even- \ning in a bazaar, and, approaching the table, and remaining \nin a standing position, I hold the accordion by one side, rest- \ning two fingers upon two keys, in such a way to permit die air \nto pass, in case the instrument should begin to play. So \nheld, it is vertically suspended by the stretching out of my \nright hand to the height of my head and above the head \nof the medium. We make sure that her hands are all the \ntime tightly held, and that the chain is unbroken. After \na short wait of five or six seconds I feel the accordion drawn \nby its free end, and the bellows is immediately pushed in, \nseveral times successively, and at the same time the music is \nheard. There is not the least doubt that a hand, a pair \nof pincers, or what not, has hold of the lower end of the \ninstrument. ... I perceive very well the existence of this \n\n\n\n72 Eusapia Palladino \n\nprehensile organ. All possibility of fraud is eliminated \nfor the instrument is well above Eusapia's head, her hands \nare firmly held, and I distinctly see the distention of the cur- \ntain as far as the instrument. The accordion continues to \nmake itself heard, and is pulled on so strongly that I say \nto the invisible power, 'Well, since you have such a good \nhold on to it, keep it.' I withdrew my hand, and the instru- \nment remains as if glued to the curtain. It is no longer \nheard. What has become of it? I propose to light a candle \nand hunt for it, but the general opinion is that since things \nare going so well it is better to make no changes in the en- \nvironment. While we are talking, the accordion begins to \nplay \u2014 a slight and rather insignificant air. In order to do \nthat it must be held by two hands. At the end of fifteen \nor twenty seconds it is brought to the middle of the table, \nplaying all the while. The certainty that hands are playing \nis so complete that I say to the unknown, since you have \ngot the accordion so well, you can doubtless take my hand \nitself. I reach out my arm at the height of my head, rather \na little higher. The curtain inflates, and through the cur- \ntain I feel a hand (a pretty strong left hand) \u2014 that is to \nsay, three fingers and a thumb \u2014 ^and these grasp the end of \nmy right hand.\" \n\n\u00a7 14. Experiments at Genoa \u2014 zqoz \n\nIn 1901 Eusapia went to Genoa, where, at the Minerva \nClub, she gave a series of remarkable seances, which were \nattended by Professors Porro, Morselli, Bozzano, Vcnzano, \nLombroso, Vassalo, and others. \n\nI shall cite extracts from these reports later on in this \nvolume. It is of interest to quote in this connection the \nconclusions arrived at by Professor Porro, as a result of \nthis series of experiments. Speaking of the sittings, he says: \n\n\"... A formidable blow, like the stroke of the fist of an \nathlete, is struck in the middle of the table. The person \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 73 \n\nseated at the right of the medium feels that he Is grasped \nin the side. . . . The blows are redoubled, and are so terri- \nfic that it seems as if they would split the table. We begin \nto perceive hands lifting and inflating the curtains, and ad- \nvancing as far as to touch, first one, then another, of the \ncon.pany, caressing them, pressing their hands, daintily pull- \ning their ears, or clapping hands merrily in the air above \ntheir heads. . . . \n\n\"A bouquet of flowers, placed in a carafe on the larger \ntable, comes over on to ours, preceded by an agreeable perfume. \nStems of flowers are placed in the mouth of No. 5 ; and No. \n8 is hit by a rubber ball, which rebounds upon the table. \nThe carafe comes over to join the flowers on our table ; it \nis then immediately lifted and put to the mouth of the me- \ndium, and she is made to drink from it twice; between \ntimes it sinks down to the table and stands there for a \nmoment right side up. We distinctly hear the swallowing \nof the water, after which Mme. Palladino asks some one to \nwipe her mouth with a handkerchief. Finally, the carafe \nreturns to the large table. . . . \n\n\"The guitar took its flight around the room, coming to \na standstill in the middle of the table, where, finally, it came \nto a rest. In a final, supreme effort, Eusapia turns toward \nthe left, where, upon a table, is a typewriting machine weigh- \ning fifteen pounds. During the effort, the medium falls \nexhausted and nervous upon the floor; but the machine rises \nfrom its place and betakes itself to the middle of our table, \nnear the guitar. \n\n\"In full light, Eusapia calls M. Morselli, and controlled \nby the two persons next her, brings him with her toward the \ntable, upon which is placed a mass of molding plaster. She \ntakes his open hand and pushes it three times toward the plas- \nter, as if to sink the hand into it and leave upon it an impres- \nsion. M. Morselli's hand remains at a distance of more than \nfour inches from the mass; nevertheless, at the end of the \nseance, the experimenters ascertain that the lump of plaster \ncontains the impression of three fingers \u2014 deeper prints than it \nis possible to obtain directly by means of voluntary pressure^ \n\n\n\n74 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"The medium lifts her two hands, all the time clasped in \nmine and those of No. 5 (Morsclli) and, uttering groans, \ncries, exhortations, she rises with her chair, so far as to place \nits two feet and the ends of its two front cross bars upon \nthe top of the table. It was a moment of great anxiety. \nThe levitation was accomplished rapidly, but without any \njarring or jolting or jerking. \u2022 . . \n\n\"There is more to follow. Eusapia was lifted up still \nfarther with her chair, from the upper part of the table, in \nsuch a way that No. 11, on one side, and I, on the other, \nwere able to pass our hands under her feet and under those \nof the chair. . . .\" \n\nThese are the conclusions of Professor Porro: \n\n\"The phenomena are real. They cannot be explained \ncither by fraud or by hallucination. . . . While admitting \nit as the most probable hypothesis that the intelligent beings \nto whom we owe these psychical phenomena are preexisting, \nindependent entities, and that they only derive from us the \nconditions necessary for their manifestation in a physical \nplane accessible to our senses, ought we to admit also that \nthey are really the spirits of the dead? \n\n\"To this question I will reply that I do not feel that I am \nas yet capable of giving a decisive answer. \n. \"Still, I should be inclined to admit it, if I did not see \nthe possibility that these phenomena might form part of a \nscheme of things still more vast. In fact, nothing hinders \nus from believing in the existence of forms of life wholly \ndifiEerent from those which we know, and of which the life \nof human beings before birth and after death forms only a \nspecial case \u2014 ^just as the organic life of man is a special \ncase of animal life in gieneral. \u2022 \u2022 /' \n\n\u00a7 15. Experiments at Palermo \u2014 1902; at Rome and at \nParis \u2014 1905 \n\nIn July and August, 1902, a series of experiments was \nheld at Palermo, under Dr. Carmelo Samona, whidi are \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 75 \n\nreported in the Annals of Psychical Science, 1 903, pp. 72- \n82. (French edition.) Again, in 1905, at Rome and at \nParis, Eusapia gave a series of seances, in the former city \nto Dr. H. Carreras \u2014 ^which were reviewed in the Revue \nScientific et morale du spiritisime (i 904-5, pp. 585-91); \nand in Paris, to Q)unt de Grammont \u2014 a full report of \nwhich, so far as I know, has not been published. These \nexperiments, while they are doubtless of interest, can be said \nto add little to the evidence for the supernormal in the case \nof Mme. Palladino \u2014 inasmuch as the reports do not state \nthe amount of control exercised, and in other ways are im- \nperfect \u2014 being extremely abbreviated. \n\n\u00a7 z6. Experiments at Genoa \u2014 1906-7 \n\nIn 1906-7 Professor Morselli renewed his investigations \nof Eusapia, and the seances conducted by him are among \nthe most remarkable and convincing that have ever been held. \nThey at all events completely converted Professor Morselli, \nand so impressed him that he decided to publish his volu- \nminous book, which he had held in reserve, even after the \nproofs had been sent in, because of laudable scientific scruples! \nI give a resume of these seances herewith, as they were \nreported at the time. \n\nProfessor Morselli has noted no less than thirty^nine dis- \ntinct types of phenomena, which he lists as follows : \n\n1. Oscillations and movements of the table without sig- \nnificance. \n\n2. Movements and beatings of the table having a sig- \nnificance. \n\n3. Complete Icvitatlon of the table. \n\n4\u00ab Movements of various objects, as soon as touched by \nthe hands or body of the medium. \n\n\n\n*jt Eusapia Palladino \n\n5. Movements, undulations, and swellings of the curtains \nof the cabinet. \n\n6. Movements and swelling out of the medium's clothes. \n\n7. Oscillations of the table without contact \n\n8. Independent liftings of the table. \n\n9. Movements occasioned in material objects by the hands \nbeing voluntarily turned toward them, but at a distance, and \ngestures made from or toward the object. \n\n10. Spontaneous movements and displacements of dif- \nferent objects at various distances from the medium. \n\n!!\u2022 Bringing of distant objects on to the table. \n\n12. Displacements of the seats of the experimenters. \n\n13. Movements of operation of mechanical instruments \nplaced at a distance. \n\n14. Spontaneous changes of weight in a scale. \n\n15. Change of weight in the body of the medium. \n\n16. Raising of the medium's body in the air. \n\n17. Wind from the cabinet. \n\n18. Intense cold. \n\n19. Radiations from the head and body of the medium. \n\n20. Blows, raps, and other sounds in the table. \n\n21. Blows and raps at a distance froip the medium. \n\n22. Sounds of musical instruments. \n\n23. Sounds of hands, feet, etc., being moved. \n\n24. Sounds of human voices. \n\n25. Mysterious signs left at a distance. \n\n26. Direct writing. \n\n27. Impressions in plastic substances. \n\n28. Apports, \n\n29. Touching, feeling, grasping, by invisible hands. \n\n30. Organization of solid forms having the character \nof members of the human body. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 77 \n\n31. Organization of hands, naked, and distinguishable \nto the touch. \n\n32. Comph'cated actions of materialized forms, tangible, \nbut invisible. \n\n33. Appearance of luminous points. \n\n34. Appearance of whitish clouds or mists. \n\n35. Formation of dark prolongations of the body of the \nmedium. \n\n36. Forms having the appearance of arms and hands \ncoming out of the cabinet. \n\n37. Appearance of hands. \n\n38. Appearance of obscure forms, of indeterminate char* \nacter, and not very distinct. \n\n39. Appearance of forms having determinate and per- \nsonal characters. \n\nAt the seances attended by Professor Morselli, several re- \nmarkable phenomena occurred. His arm was seized by a \nbig hand, of which he felt the fingers distinctly \u2014 ^while he \nwas holding the hand of Eusapia next himself. The lamp \nwas switched on and off several times \u2014 the switch being \nat a distance of several feet from the medium and beyond \nher reach. Professor Morselli was then drawn backward \nin his chair several inches. A chair from within the cabi- \nnet came out, and imder the conditions of the strictest con- \ntrol dimbed on the seance table. A metronome was started \nand stopped several times, and finally conveyed on to the \nseance table by invisible hands, where it again began to beat \ntime. At the conclusion of the seance, several large objects \nat some distance from Eusapia changed their positions \u2014 ^mov- \ning several inches along the floor. \n\nThe second seance was far more remarkable, and the re- \nport deserves to be quoted at some length. It reads in part: \n\n\n\nyS Eusapla Palladino \n\n^'Second Seance. Eusapia was again carefully examined \nby Professor Morselli. The same persons took the same \nplaces round the table. The room was lighted by a tiny \nnight lamp which, after a minute or two, made it possible \nfor the sitters to see sufficiently clearly. . . . Eusapia pressed \nmy (M. Barzini's) hand forcibly from time to time; each \ntime she did so we heard on the table a thud which seemed \nto be given by a clenched fist \n\n\"A white hand came out of the cabinet and touched Pro- \nfessor Morselli on the shoulder, while he showed us the left \nhand of the medium under his control and I did the same \nwith the right. \n\n\"These mysterious hands which, for very brief moments, \noften appeared, generally issued from the opening between \nthe curtains, but sometimes even from their surface; they \nseemed to come through the stuff.\" \n\nTo the chair of Eusapia two vertical rods had been tied, \nto whidi a frame of wood (13 cm. by 18 cm.) had been at- \ntached containing two photographic plates, intended, if pos- \nsible, to register radiations from the head of the medium. \nAll the knots had been fastened by Professor Morselli, who \nhad used blue and white threads easily recognizable. \n\n\"We heard,\" continues the Editor of the Corriere, \"a \ndelicate and restrained sound behind the medium; I looked \nand saw the frames slowly moving. We assured ourselves \nthat the controls were as they should be. Moreover, Eusa- \npia's hands were visibly resting on the table with ours. We \nwaited with curiosity. There was no doubt that the knots \nwere being patiently undone, under our very eyes. In truth, \nafter a few minutes, the frame raised itself and disappeared \ninto the cabinet. It did not fall, for we should have heard \nthe noise. Dr. Morselli remarked : It seems to be in some \none's hands!' \n\n\"He had scarcely finished speaking when the frame re- \nappeared, with an oscillating movement, and placed itself \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 79 \n\non the head of the medium ; on it was a rod which cheerily \ntapped out the rhythm of a tambourine. We recognized it \nas one of the two rods which were attached to the back of \nthe chair. After a little while the frame and the rod fell \nnoisily on the ground. 'I had, however, fastened them well V \nobserved Professor MorscUi, regretting somewhat that his \nphotographic experiment should have failed. \u2022 . \u2022 \n\n\"All this time, everyone could see the medium motionless \nin her place, under our control, outside of, and almost in- \ndifferent to, the phenomena which were produced behind her, \nand which lasted long enough to exclude the possibility of \nsuch tricks as are favored by rapidity. \n\n*'At one moment we saw the dynamometer, which was \nalmost touching the bottom of the curtain, upon the table, \nmove about and disappear behind the curtain. We discussed \nwhat could have happened to it. At once a hand came out \nof the cabinet on to the head of the medium; it held the \ndynamometer and seemed to show it to us. Then it re- \ntired; after some seconds the dynamometer reappeared on \nthe table. Dr. Morselli seized it, and examined the gradua- \ntion to find out whether the instrument had been under any \npressure. The needle showed a pressure of no kilogram- \nmeters \u2014 ^which is, as we know, equivalent to the effort neces- \nsary to raise 100 kilogs. i meter from the ground during the \nspace of half a second. \n\n\"At another moment Eusapia said to Dr. Morselli, 'At- \ntention!' and a curious phenomenon followed. I must first \nsay that, being put on the qui-vive by this announcement, we \nassured ourselves that the control was secure. Between \nscience and public opinion, Eusapia looked as though she were \nguarded by two policemen, we had contact with her hands, \nher knees, and her feet. She strongly contracted her fore- \narms, and Dr. Morselli felt himself touched in several places \nby the moving curtain. He thought he observed behind the \ncurtain the presence of a complete human form whose body \nleaned against his, the arms pressing against him; we all \nsaw the arms wrapped round by the curtain. \n\n\"I got up suddenly, drawing the medium against me, and \n\n\n\nSo Eusapia Palladina \n\nI put my head between the opening of the curtains to look \ninto the cabinet. The light which penetrated through the \nopenings made by the movement of the curtain was suf- \nficient to light up the interior of the cabinet. It was empty, \nProf^sor Morselli felt behind the curtain at the spot where \nIt was bulged out, and was assured that it was empty. What, \nfrom the outside, appeared to be a moving human body cov- \nered by the curtain, was, on the inside, a cavity in the stuflE, \nan empty mold. \n\n\"It reminded one of Wells* Invisible Man. I then wished \nto touch the bulging part of the curtain, on the outside, with \nmy right hand, which was free, and I encountered the ef- \nfectual resistance of a living head. I distinguished the fore- \nhead, I moved the palm of my hand downward on to the \ncheeks and on the nose, and when I touched the lips the mouth \nopened and seized me under the thumb; I distinctly felt \nthe strain of a clean bite. At the same moment a hand \npressed against my chest and pushed me back, the curtains \nswelled out and fell back inert. All this time the medium \nremained in view. She was separated by at least half a yard \nfrom the Invisible Man.\" \n\n[We must point out that the medium's cabinet was formed \nby curtains stretched diagonally in front of an angle of the \nroom, where there were neither doors nor windows. In- \nside there was nothing but a chair and a few small objects: \na mandolin, fairy bells, a trumpet, a block of clay for ob- \ntaining casts of human hands. This phenomenon of semi- \nmaterialization behind a curtain is said to be obtained fre- \nquently in seances with this medium.] \n\n\"The fairy bells arrived on the table, as if they fell from \nthe skies, and there, completely isolated, while we watched \nthe toy curiously, it played for some seconds. It is in the form \nof a little coffee mill; both hands are required for playing \nthis instrument, one to hold it firmly, the other to turn a \nsmall handle. Immediately afterwards we heard the mando- \nlin sliding along the floor, M. Bozzano saw it come out of \nthe cabinet and stop behind Professor Morselli, where it \nmade two or three sounds. Afterwards it came on to the \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 8i \n\ntable, went all round and finished by laying itself in my arms \nlike a baby. In this position it began jingling again in my \nhonor, while I observed its complete isolation. From my \narms it returned to the table and continued to make con- \nfused sounds. When we placed our hands on the cords wc \nfelt them vibrating; and in this way we had the proof of \ntouch as to the reality of this phenomenon.\" \n\nIn the course of the third seance a very typical case of \nfraud was observed, which may throw some light on the \ntrickery and, apparently unconscious, fraud which this me- \ndium resorts to so frequently. While the experimenters \nwere forming a chain around the table, at which the medium \nwas also seated, with her back turned to the cabinet. Pro- \nfessor Morselli called out the three letters: \"E. T. V.!\" \nThis signified, according to a preconcerted arrangement \namong the investigators : \"Eugene Torelli-VioUier,\" or more \nprecisely, \"the medium has had recourse to the trick observed \nby M. E. Torelli-VioUier, i.e,, has withdrawn one of her \nhands or feet from the control of her two neighbors.\" Eusa- \npia had in fact liberated her left hand from that of Professor \nMorselli, and stretched out the freed hand toward a trumpet \nwhich was on the table, in order to seize it. But she had \nnot time to do this, for the Professor, as he pronounced the \nthree warning letters, possessed himself again of the fugitive \nhand, and the experimenters increased their vigilance. Eusa- \npia understood, and said, in a saddened tone: \"Don't say \nthat!\" \n\n\"At this moment,\" sa)rs the reporter, \"while the control \nwas cfcrtainly more rigorous than ever, the trumpet was raised \nfrom the table and disappeared into the cabinet, passing be- \ntween the medium and Dr. Morselli. Evidently the medium \nhad attempted td do with her hand what she subsequently \n\n\n\n82 Eusapia Palladino \n\ndid mediumistically: such a futile and foolish attempt at \nfraud is inexplicable. There is no doubt about the matter: \nthis time the medium did not toudi, and could not touch, the \ntrumpet; and even if she could have touched it she could \nnot have conveyed it into the cabinet, which was behind her \nback. \n\n\"I was placed behind Professor Morselli, quite close to \nthe curtain, and I was already watching the medium from \nthe side, when, suddenly, the tnmipet came out again from \nthe cabinet, passing through the opening at the side of the \ncurtain, and came toward the Professor and me. I was the \nonly one who saw it, but the others heard it, because the ob- \nject gave two stout blows on Dr. Morselli's shoulders, with \nsome degree of violence, perhaps to punish him for his '\u00a3. \nT. V.,' and then it retired. \n\n\"I at once put my hand inside the cabinet and asked: \n'Where has it gone?* \n\n\"The trumpet immediately came into my hand. I took \nit and showed it to those present ; then I held it again inside \nthe cabinet, saying: 'Take it I' It was taken from me; then \nit returned to the table, passing through the central opening \nin the curtains \u2014 and so it went on. All this time the me- \ndium's hands remained motionless, separated from each other, \nbetween those of her two guardians.\" \n\nThe room was lighted feebly by the dim light of a night \nlamp. \n\nThe reporter then speaks of certain curious apparitions \nwhich, from time to time, came out from the curtains. They \ngenerally took the form of a human head, or rather of two \nclasped hands enveloped in a black veil. Behind this head, \nor these hands, stretched a sort of long neck or arm. Some- \ntimes these formless and indistinct members touched one of \nthe experimenters. At this seance, as at all others, the bulg- \ning of the curtain was often observed, assuming, more or less \ncompletely, the outlines of a human form ; this form offered \n\n\n\n\"^ \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 83 \n\na certain amount of resistance to the touch. At one time \nthe medium invited M. Barzini to kneel on the table, and \nthis gentleman resigned himself to this uncomfortable and \nsomewhat ridiculous position. Stretching his hand up toward \nthe crAinet M. Barzini was able almost to touch the top of \nthe curtain ; that is to say, he reached to a distance of nearly \nfour feet from the medium's head, and about seven feet six \ninches from the floor. At this height his hand was touched \nfrom behind the curtain, but very slightly, as if by a vapor- \nous body. As he lowered his hand the touch became firmer; \nwhen he held his arm out horizontally he was able to recog- \nnize that the object which touched him was a hand, which \nfeebly grasped his own, through the material of the curtain. \nWhen he lowered his arm still more, toward the head of \nthe medium, the pressure became firm and resolute \u2014 ^the mys- \nterious hand acquired force and energy. He raised his arm, \nand the pressure lost consistency, until, when he reached the \ntop of the curtain, the experimenter again only felt the uncer- \ntain and vaporous touch which he had felt at first. Details and \nobservations of this nature throw more light on the manner \nin which the psychic force exteriorizes itself than many trea- \ntises on mediumship. \n\nWhile M. Barzini was communicating his observations \nto those present, the medium said to him : \"Don't be fright- \nened: pay attention!\" And the table rose twice, with M. \nBarzini upon it; while at the same time the two persons \nguarding Eusapia felt themselves simultaneously touched by \nhands, the one on the shoulder and the other at the back of \nthe head. \"Thus a weight of about 160 pounds was being \nmoved, while one hand was manifesting well above the me- \ndium's head, and two other hands were touching the experi- \nmenters on either side of the medium.\" \n\n\n\n84 Eusapia Palladino \n\nThe Fourth Seance. M. Barzini observes that on several \ndifferent occasions he was able to grasp the mysterious fugi- \ntive hands which touched him. \"The feeling to which this \ngave rise was very curious,\" he says; \"they did not escape \nfrom my grasp, they dissolved, so to speak. They slipped \nout of my hands as if they had collapsed \u2014 they seemed like \nhands that had very rapidly melted and dissolved, after mani- \nfesting a high degree of energy, and an absolutely lifelike ap- \npearance while performing actions. It should be stated that \nthese observations have always been so rapid and so rare that \nthey did not leave any very dear impressions on my mind. \nIt is necessary to be careful with regard to rapid subjective \nimpressions and only accept the genuineness of facts repeated- \nly proved. Proved, that is to say, as far as it is possible to \nprove them.\" \n\nThe writer in the Corriere della Sera also speaks of the \nway in which he and Dr. Morselli simultaneously gave chase \nto the mysterious hands which were scratching and rapping \non the table, while the medium's hands and those of the in- \nvestigators were all visible on its surface. The failure of \nthese attempts seemed to amuse the table and it laughed \u2014 \nif one may be allowed to speak of it as a person \u2014 by little \nsharp movements which are familiar ; subsequently it showed \nits satisfaction by two huge levitations of quite a new kind. \n\"I might almost call them chronometric levitations,\" adds \nthe reporter. \"The table rose in the air to the height of our \nshoulders, completely isolated, and while Dr. Venzano \ncounted the seconds aloud, so as to time the duration of the \nphenomenon, the table marked each second as it was counted \nby raising and lowering one of its ends ; and, strange to say, \nit was the end farthest frcMn the medium which thus oscil- \nlated. As we followed the count of seconds we were amazed \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 85 \n\nat its length. But the table evidently felt some pride in its \nperformance, as it continued pluckily ; when sixty seconds had \nbeen counted, the table fell back to the ground ; it had reached \nthe record of a minute, not hitherto attained by any aero- \nplane.^ But it was not yet satisfied ; a moment later it rose \nup again to the same height, and the count began again; \nthis time it managed to reach 78 seconds before it fell to the \nground.\" \n\nOn a little camp bed, which had been fitted up in the \ncabinet, a lump of prepared modelers' day, weighing a little \nless than six pounds, had been placed on a board, with its \nsurface carefully smoothed. M. Barzini wished to reach \nthis, but it was at the back of the bed, so far that he could \nnot do so. He raised the curtain at the extreme left of the \ncabinet, and was just extending his hands when the lump \nof clay rose up from the bed and came to meet him, as though \nto save him the trouble. It stopped at the level of the jour- \nnalist's chest, after having brushed against Professor Mor- \nselli's shoulder. It looked as if a plate were being held with \nboth hands by a well-trained servant; this object remained \nisolated in the air, in contact with nothing except the comer \nof the curtain, which was slightly folded at this point. The \nobject waited politely until M. Barzini took it, which he \ndid carefully, without feeling any resistance; just as he took \nit, however, he felt a sudden increase in its weight, as though \nsomeone had let go of it and left it in his hands. The marks \nof three fingers were found on the lump of day. \n\nUnknown to the others Dr. Morselli had brought with \nhim a piece of string, about sixteen inches long ; this he laid \non the table. The string disappeared, then came back, shak- \ning like the tail of an animal. The Professor examined it \n\n* Written in 1907. \n\n\n\n86 Eusapia Palladino \n\nand then said, in a tone of disappointment: ''But it is as it \nwas before! I wanted to see it knotted.\" It evidently had not \nunderstood what was expected of it. It was not lacking in \ngood will, however, as it at once proved by disappearing \nagain, and returning shortly afterwards neatly knotted in \nthree different places. The knots were all alike, well made \nand S3munetrical, placed at equal distances from each other. \nThe medium entered the cabinet and was fastened carefully \nto the bed, her hands and feet tied ; the investigators remained \nat a distance of about two yards from the curtain; in the \nspace thus left vacant stood the table with no one at it; \nnevertheless, it moved, rose and fell, slid over the floor, and \nat last leaned over toward the cabinet, lifting its two legs in \nthe air. A sound was heard like that of a pencil writing \nrapidly. As M. Barzini had left several sheets of paper on \nthe table it was thought that direct writing would be ob- \ntained. When the sound had ceased the journalist went to \npick up the sheets; they each in turn lifted one of their \ncorners as though to make it easier for him to lay hold of \nthem. \"They are lifting themselves,\" said M. Barzini, \"as \nif equal, steady breaths of wind, coming from my direction, \nwere acting on each of them in an orderly and discreet way. \nThe sheets are all blank.\" \n\nThe Fifth Seance. In the course of this seance the in- \nvestigators decided that the medium should go into the cabi- \nnet with a view to obtain materializations if possible, but \nthey then remembered that they had forgptten the cords. In \nspite of this they placed the medium on the little bed. But \nshe kept on complaining and asking to be tied : she is aware \nthat the phenomena are not considered of much value unless \nshe is tied. Under these conditions, and after waiting some \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 87 \n\ntime, a round form, looking like a pale face surrounded by \nwhite drapery, appeared twice in the opening of the curtains. \nNo sound was heard, although it had been noticed that the \nleast movement of anyone on the bed caused loud crackings \nto resound in it; but this is the only indication there was of \nthe genuineness of the phenomena. \n\nEusapia came out of the cabinet, took off all her white \nclothing, threw down even her handkerchief, keeping on \nonly her skirt and bodice, and returned to her position on the \ncamp bed. Twenty minutes later the curtains opened again \nand the face of a woman appeared surroimded with bandages. \nThe medium had been completely undressed and searched \nbefore the seance. \n\nThe Sixth and Last Seance. This time Eusapia was tied \nto the bed in an original manner.. The investigators pro- \nvided themselves with a special kind of strong cord used in \nasylums to fasten violent maniacs \u2014 a thick, broad, greenish \nband, which can be tied very tightly, without risk of cutting \nthe flesh (as would be the case with cord) and can be \nknotted in the most complicated manner. The operation was \nintrusted to Professor Morselli, who, as an alienist, was \nspecially qualified for this task. He secured the wrists and \nankles of the medium in such a way that the hands and feet \ncould not slip through the knots, and made them fast to \niron rings, through which the lateral bars of the bed passed. \n\nA red electric lamp of ten-candle power was lighted. The \ntable, which was standing isolated in the free space, moved \nfrom time to time. The curt^'ns opened, allowing the in- \nterior of the cabinet to be seen, as well as the head and feet \nof the medium. These phenomena were inexplicable con- \nsidering that the position of the medium rendered movement \n\n\n\n88 Eusapia Palladino \n\non her part impossible \u2014 but these were the only results pro- \nduced except that many small lights were seen about twenty \ninches above the medium's head ; and at one moment a hand \nwas also perceived at the upper part of the curtain, and again \na little lower down ; this was seen several times. \n\nLet us turn to the part of the seance during which the me- \ndium remained outside the cabinet. The room was then dim- \nly lighted by the night lamp. A mandolin, which had been \nplaced on the bed, after having sounded several times at a \ndistance, came on to the table, where, absolutely isolated, it \nbegan to play. It was plainly visible before the very eyes \nof the sitters. They felt all round to verify its complete \nisolation. Eusapia was held by her hands, one of which was \non the edge of the table, the other on her knees. The mando- \nlin went on playing; nothing very melodious, of course, but \nthe strings vibrated forcibly and clearly. The investigators \nplaced their hands a few inches above the strings, and these \nwere felt to vibrate more strongly than ever. Professor \nMorselli seized the handle of the mandolin with his left \nhand, and the instrument still continued sounding, at in- \ntervals, beginning again every time the investigator ex- \npressed a wish that it should do so. Each sound, however, \ncorresponded exactly to movements of the fingers of the me- \ndium, who, at a distance, performed the action of playing, and \nwho finally pinched out the last notes on Professor Morselli*s \nforehead. It is needless to say that the mandolin does not \nbelong to Euss^ia, that it was bought by the investigators, \nand that, as M. Barzini says, \"it is a modest instrument in- \ncapable of fraud.\" \n\nM. Barzini took a tiny musical box which had also been \npurchased by the investigators, placed it on the table and said \nto the medium: \"Please make it play without touching it.\" \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 89 \n\nShe held out her hands above the instrument, moving her \nfingers. After many useless efforts, two feeble sounds were \nat last heard from the interior of the instrument. \n\n\"Did you hear?\" asked Eusapia. \n\n\"No,\" said the experimenter, \"try again.\" \n\nShe made another attempt. Scarcely half a minute had \npassed when the box again resounded, giving forth five or \nsix notes without any motion of the handle. \"It was as if \nan invisible hand had entered the box and had touched the \nlittle metallic tongues with its nail. It was evident that some \nunknown force was working in the interior of the musical \nbox, for it was even slightly displaced on the table. Eusapia \ncontinued her attempts and the phenomenon was repeated \nwith greater intensity and obviousness; finally, the musical \nbox tilted up and began rolling on its edge, and in this posi- \ntion it made the entire circuit of the table.\" \n\n\u00a7 17. Experiments at Turin \u2014 1907 (Lombroso) \n\nIn 1907 Professor Lombroso, aided by his two assistants. \nDr. Imoda and Dr. Audenino, held a series of seances in \nTurin. These seances were held in the clinical chamber of \npsychiatry in the University, and were attended by a num- \nber of eminent men. The unanimous opinion was that \n\"even the cleverest trickery could not begin to explain the \nmajority of the phenomena observed.\" The account of the \nseances first appeared in La Stampa, a well-known Italian \npaper, and was reprinted, in part, in The Annals of Psychi- \ncal Science. The account proceeds: \n\n\"Two doctors took control, one on either side of the me- \ndium. An electric lamp, of ten-candle power, hung from the \nceiling, and clearly lit up the room. \n\n\n\n90 Eusapia Palladino \n\nThe medium asked one of the persons who formed the \nchain to rap on the table with the palm of the hand in some \nsort of rhythm. The experimenter rapped three times and \nleaned his hand lightly on the table at the spot where he had \nrapped. At the same spot, an instant later, exactly the same \nrhythm was heard repeated, like an echo. The red light was \nnow turned on and the white light turned off. \n\nA footstool of common wood, which was inside the me- \ndium's cabinet, shook and fell; the curtain also shook; be- \nhind it a hand grasped repeatedly the extended hands of those \npresent; shook them, and caressed them. Suddenly, to the \nsurprise of all, a little closed hand, the arm covered with \na dark sleeve, showed itself in the full light, quite visibly; \nit was pink, plump, and fresh. \"Surprise did not prevent \nour at once giving attention to the control of the medium ; \nher hands were firmly inclosed in those of the two watch- \nful doctors.\" A few minutes later a cold wind came from \nbehind the curtain, which suddenly opened as if it had been \nopened by two hands, a human head came out, with a pale, \nhaggard face, of sinister evil aspect. It lingered a moment \nand then disappeared. \n\nThe wooden stool rose up in the air and seemed to want \nto leave the cabinet, pushing aside the curtains. It was \nliberated from the curtains, then it continued to ascend in \nan inclined position toward the circle. Several hands \nstretched out following the curious phenomenon and lightly \ntouched the object. \n\nThe woman's small hand then reappeared near the cur- \ntain, seized one of the feet of the footstool, and pushed it. \nSignor Mucchi broke the chain and, by a rapid action, seized \nthe warm hand, which at once seemed to dissolve and dis- \nappeared. Immediately observations were made to ascer- \ntain if the medium's two hands were well controlled ; such \nwas found to be the case. The footstool kept on rising, and \npassed over the heads of the sitters, but at this moment the \nmedium seemed in distress, and cried out: \"It will kill us I \nCatch it!\" The hands that were following the movements \npf the small piece of furniture then seized hold of it to with- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 91 \n\ndraw It from this perilous position, but an invisible force \nwithdrew it to the center of the table, where it finally re- \nmained at repose. \n\nAt the close of the seance, the reporter placed his hand on \nthe deep scar which the medium has on the left side of her \nhead and felt a cold, strong, continuous breeze issuing from \nit, like a human breath. He subsequently felt the same cold \nbreeze issuing, though less strongly, from the tips of her \nfingers. \n\nSecond Seance. In order to eliminate all doubt as to \nwhether some of the sitters might have produced, or helped \nto produce, the phenomena, it was decided to connect every- \none by forming a double chain : the first six being round the \ntable, the other eight, behind, joining hands in a second row \nconnected at each end with the inner chain. Every move- \nment was thus under the observation of the next sitter. Two \nsmall tables were placed in the cabinet, on which were placed \na toy piano, an otoscope for scientific experiments, a tam- \nbourine, a hand bell, a trumpet, and a few other small ob- \njects. \n\n\"The trance began this time with the familiar explosive \nsound; in sight of everyone, the medium's hands and feet \nbeing securely held by the two controllers, we saw the center \nof the table vibrating under a heavy blow comparable to \nthat which might be produced by the toe of a heavy boot, \non the top of the table. This phenomenon was repeated \nseveral times during the seance; in order to make it more \nevidential the medium asked one of the sitters to lay hold \nof one of her feet under the table and to observe its move- \nments; she then raised the foot slightly and the blow was \nproduced on the top of the table. The other foot was also \ncontrolled; moreover, Eusapia only wears woolen slippers \nduring the seance. \n\nThere was another instance of synchronous raps: the mc- \n\n\n\n92 Eusapia Palladino \n\ndium raised her hand with that of the controller on the left, \nand made the action of striking the air ; at once, with abso- \nlute synchronism, blows resounded on the tables inside the \nmedium's cabinet. The medium moved her fingers on the \nhand of her controller as if pla)ang the tambourine, and \nthe experimenters heard corresponding sounds on the tam- \nbourine in the cabinet. \n\nSome one having expressed a desire to hear the sound of \nthe toy piano, an inexplicable preparatory work was heard \ngoing on in the cabinet; furniture was heard being moved \nabout, the clink of glasses and other objects, and finally it \nwas observed that die table bearing the little piano was \nmoving toward the medium, as if issuing from the cabinet; \nthe object of this movement was probably to draw the piano, \nwhich was quite at the back of the cabinet, within the radius \nof the mediumistic activity. \n\nAt a certain moment the curtain shook forcibly, one of \nits extremities being pushed as far as the center of the table \nand a white box, locked and sealed, containing a sheet of \nsmoked paper, came out. This object paused for some seconds \non the arm of the controller on the right, then, as if it had \nbeen seized by a real but invisible hand, it was lifted toward \nthe center of the table, shaking as if to draw attention to it, \nand thrown down on the table, eliciting from everyone an \nexclamation of surprise and admiration. \"The phenome- \nnon,\" says the reporter, \"was indeed complete, clearly visible \nin all its phases, distinct, incontestible, and convincing.\" \n\nAttention was called to the control of the medium by \nfive raps, and the little piano which had been repeatedly \nheard in movement was at last played upon as if with a finger \nfeeling for the notes, not striking them at hazard but with \na vague musical intention. The rh)rthm was not very pre- \ncise, but neither was it the mere noise that a child might \nmake on a piano; there was in fact a clearly expressed musi- \ncal intention. \n\nA little later a toy sheep, made to bleat when squeezed, \nwhich was in the cabinet, first appeared on the medium's \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 93 \n\nhead, where it rested for sometime, and was then thrown \namong the sitters, by some invisible hand. \n\nA desire being expressed to hear the piano again, a few \nnotes sounded. One of the experimenters expressed a doubt \nwhether these came from the otoscope; this instrument was \nthen in its turn thrown on the table, and it was evident \nthat the sounds came from the piano. \n\nThe medium begged M. Bocca to kneel on the table, and, \nhaving done so, he felt, behind the curtain, a hand, which \ngrasped his own at a height to which the medium could not \nreach; a phenomenon which, as we have already reported, \noccurred at Genoa with M. Barzini. \n\nThen lights appeared; they started from the medium's \nhead, and were projected like a minute Roman candle. \n\nThird Seance. On this occasion some important addi- \ntions were introduced into the medium's cabinet : a red elec- \ntric lamp, with a reflector, was hung on the interior wall \nat the back of the cabinet at the height of about six feet \nfrom the floor, and this lighted up the interior very well: \nthe object of this was to make it possible to follow the de- \nvelopment of the phenomena at the spot where they are the \nmost frequently forthcoming. \n\nA \"tambourine Marey,\" with its curious structure of \ncylinders and needles, was spread out on a table placed near \nthe cabinet; an india-rubber tube connected it with a Marey \ncardiograph in the interior of the cabinet; another tube led \nto a Morse apparatus placed on the experimental table. The \ndesire was to register simultaneously, on the smoked paper \nof the tambourine, the pressure of the medium's finger on \nthe Morse apparatus outside, and that exerted by the \"entity\" \non the button of the cardiograph inside the cabinet, and to \nverify the synchronism of the two phenomena. A round \ntable on four legs, weighing twenty-four pounds, occupied \nthe left angle of the cabinet and supported a lump of mold- \ning clay weighing sixty pounds and covered by a damp cloth. \n\nWhen the medium had fallen into a trance, the move- \nment of the heavy table bearing the clay was heard inside \n\n\n\n94 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthe cabinet The curiosity of the sitters was at once con- \ncentrated on this spot. Would they be able to see the im- \npression of a face or hand forming? The reply to this ques- \ntion came immediately, and it was of a rather unexpected \nand disrespectful character. A lump of wet clay was thrown \nout of the cabinet and lodged on the thumb of the individ- \nual who had put the question. The medium began making \nlittle movements and contractions, and simultaneously the \ntable moved noisily a few inches toward the curtain. This \nlasted about a quarter of an hour, after which the clay was \nfound behind the medium's back on her right, at a distance \nof about thirty inches. The table rapped five times to \nask for less light; the interior lamp, which was not neces- \nsary for verification, was then put out, but the possibility of \nseeing the phenomena in process of formation was thus re- \nlinquished. Great raps were heard on the table; and the \ntable on which the clay was placed rapped out with its feet: \n**The impression is made.\" \n\n\"I was asked,\" writes Dr. Mucchi, \"to take the mold: \nI was about to enter the cabinet, but was repelled by two \nhands 'made of nothing.* I felt them ; they were agile and \nprompt, they seized me and pushed me back \u2014 the struggle \nlasted for sometime; the hands seemed to take pleasure in \nresisting me; they pushed me back if I tried to enter and \npulled me forward if I retired. I ended by seizing the lump \nof clay which these satanic hands persisted in claiming for \nthemselves; when I withdrew they thrust me out with a \nviolent shove which nearly upset everything. There were ob- \nservable on the clay two or three impressions such as mi^t be \nmade by a closed fist.\" \n\nOne of the sitters was asked to take a mandolin, which \nwas in the room, and to place it on the table from which the \nclay had been taken* This gentleman also found himself \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 95 \n\nresisted by the m)rsterious hands, who alternately would, and \nwould not, let him enter; when he had once got hold of it \nhe was afraid lest it should escape him and placed it quickly \non the table inside, with the strings turned downward. The \nmandolin was soon raised from there in some inexplicable \nway and carried on to the experimental table, where, in \nview of everyone, it played all by itself, first one string at \na time, giving forth a clear sound as if it were being played \nwith a finger nail; then with all the strings, as if a finger \nwere being passed across them. One of us was asked to play \non the medium's fingers as if they were a mandolin ; a string \nsoimded in correspondence with each touch, and if the touch \nwas vague the sound was incomplete or strident. Afterwards, \na hand, which suddenly materialized, seized the instrument \nby the handle and placed it on the shoulder of the player, \nand there, under his very nose, the strings shook and twanged, \nwhile the hand dissolved and disappeared. \n\nThe mandolin returned to the table, and the medium made \nit advance and retire as if she had a thread in her hands; \nthe strings creaked as if rubbed by this invisible contact. \n\n\"All this time,\" says the reporter, \"the control was very \nrigorous. At my right, one of the circle, who was standing \nup, was very attentive to all that was happening, when sud- \ndenly his hand was seized by the index finger and drawn up- \nward ; he did not resist, but had no cause to rejoice, for he \nfelt his middle finger seized by the teeth of a mouth from \nbehind the curtain. \n\n\"He wished to know who the invisible entity was, and the \nunknown hand drew his up to the level of a face to make \nhim touch it. I asked this investigator if he could recognize \nwhether it was a man or a woman, and his hand was drawn \nto trace the lines of a profile which was moving behind the \ncurtain. The same hand struck him several times on the \n\n\n\ng6 Eusapia Palladino \n\nshoulder, and wc heard the sharp, characteristic sound of the \nblow. . . . \n\n\"The medium then asked that a venerable old man whom \nshe had known for years, and who had already experimented \nwith her for sometime, might sit beside her. He leaned \ntoward the curtain and we heard the sound of kisses. The \nlight at this moment came from a red electric lamp placed \noutside, a little behind and to the left of the medium's cabi- \nnet ; thus the wall on the left of the room was well lit up \nand aiforded a light background against which the profiles \nof the medium and the old man were clearly visible. \n\n\"The medium rested her head against the shoulder of \nthe controller on the right ; her hands were held in his ; sud- \ndenly the curtain shook violently, a cold wind passed out, \nthen a human form covered by the thin material of the cur- \ntain was visible against this light background. The head \nof a woman, unstable and staggering, approached the face \nof the old man ; she moved tremblingly like an old woman ; \nshe seemed to lean forward and touch the old gentleman, \nperhaps she kissed him; the old man encouraged her; she \nwithdrew, returned, seemed as if she were afraid to venture, \nthen advanced resolutely. It was a moment of uncontrollable \nemotion. Skeptic though I am, adverse to all mysticism, I \nwas conscious of the intense feeling of this silent scene. . . .\" \n\nFourth and last Seance, The room and the cabinet were \nemptied as much as possible of all little objects \u2014 the mando- \nlin, the trumpet, etc., which might distract the attention of \nthe mysterious beings. It was earnestly desired to concen- \ntrate the force upon the narrow circle of the scientific ap- \nparatus which had been prepared. \n\nFirst a photograph was taken by magnesium light of the \ncomplete levitation of the table. The photograph was a \ncomplete success, the table being very high up. The con- \ntrol conditions were perfect, but the controllers observed \nthat a contraction of the muscles of the thighs and rigidity \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 97 \n\nof the whole muscular system corresponded with each levi- \ntation. \n\n\"A hand issued from the curtain near my head,\" writes \nM. Mucchi ; \"it first showed with closed fist, then the hand \nopened and the fingers stretched out. This phenomenon was \nrepeated several times; everyone could take note of it, be- \ncause the hand stood out against the illuminated wall. The \nsame hand subsequently laid hold of the wood of the cabinet \nand shook it violently; I tried in my turn and I found that \nto do this required considerable effort. While I was doing \nso the invisible hand seized mine, pressed it and let go, giving \nme a friendly pat on the shoulder. \n\n\"I left my place as controller, being replaced by Engineer \nPomba. While a few ordinary phenomena were occurring \nI observed the dynamometer, and I placed the needle at zero. \nMy maneuver was, however, perceived by the medium's sub- \nliminal consciousness, and she asked that that object might \nbe laid on the table. \n\n\" *What object?' asked the controller on the right. \n\n\"I was even uncertain whether she meant me, because I \nwas at a spot where she absolutely could not see me. But \nthe medium insisted, and finally indicated me by a move- \nment of her head. I hastened to satisfy her. It really \nseems that the medium has the faculty of using her senses \nat a distance. \n\n\"Then the medium desired me to keep the instrument in \nmy hands, high enough for everyone to see it. I did so. The \ncurtain swelled out and advanced to my hand; the invisible \nbehind the curtain seized my fingers, which held the dyna- \nmometer, and I felt a rapid and not very strong pressure. \nHolding it to the light I perceived that the pressure was only \nthat of 2 kilog. (4 lbs.) ; we were far from the no kilog. \nregistered in the Genoa seances ! I showed my surprise and \ndisappointment, and the medium, whose amour propre was \nstung, wished to try again. The phenomenon was repeated \nin the same manner. The hand seized mine, holding the \nfour fingers on the side of the oval piece of steel on which \n\n\n\n98 Eusapia Palladino \n\nmy thumb was resting, and the thumb on the side on which \nmy four fingers were pressing. The pressure of the mys- \nterious hand was thus exerted partly on my fingers and partly \non the instrument. The constraint was felt longer and \nstronger, but not with much more effect than the first time. \n\n\"On the other hand, a sudden and curious variation oc- \ncurred : I was following attentively a little operation of the \ninvisible, who was trying to displace the needle of the dy- \nnamometer in order to raise the coefficient of the pressure. \nThe first finger of the mysterious hand liberated itself, felt \nfor the needle, and instead of pushing the indicator, touched \nthe needle connected with the levers and fixed to the steel \nspring in such a manner that when it was let go it caused \nthe clear sound of metallic vibrations; theil it glided to the \nother needle, displacing it perhaps a few degrees, so that the \ndynamometer registered 20 kilog. (44 lbs.)- Evidently 'John \nKing* was attempting a trick. \n\n\"I now understand how it came about that the pressure \nwas raised in the Genoa experiment, to no kilog. (242 lbs.), \na result so much in excess of that which would be obtained \nwith a strong man, and I also understand the variability \nof the pressure already observed in many other instances. It \nis not only 'John's' force, but also his trickery which moves \nthe needles of the dynamometer to such an incredible extent. \n\n\"Dr. Norlenghi requested that a tiny round table which \nhe had brought with him might be placed on the table. I \ntook it by one of its feet, and I was in the act of holding it \nout toward the curtains ; I had not reached to the middle of \nthe circle of investigators when it was torn out of my hands \nand raised, turned over and upside down, and shaken about \nfor nearly a quarter of a minute. Dr. Norlenghi insisted on \nverifying the control, and as he was advancing his head to- \nward the medium's hands to satisfy himself de visu that they \nwere securely held, he inquired whether the control was \ncomplete. This seemed to annoy the unknown entity, whose \nhands rapidly lowered the little table on to the surface of \nthe large table with a bang. The little piece of furniture \nthen rose up again, was violently seized, knocked about, and \n\n\n\n\n\n\nsa \n\n\n\n\nT3 Q. \n\n\n\n\nD.4> C \n\n\n\n\n\u00ab \u00a3-2 \n\n\n\n\nngt \nextr \nifest; \n\n\n\n\n\u2022n \u00ab c \n\n\n\n\n3x: w \n\n\n\n\n\u2022O \u2014 \u00a3 \n\n\n\n\n\u2022^ c .^ \n\n\n\n\n\u00ab 0.2 \n\n\n\n\nndfe \nheld \nteth \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00ab .. \u00ab \n\n\n\n\na> fc- \n\n\n\n\n\u00ab/) \u00bb- '^ \n\n\n\n\nn3 a jq \n\n\n\n\nC v> 3 \n\n\n\n\nw-Tsn: \n\n\n\n\n\u25a0c c ^ \n\n\nd \n\n\n^ \u00a72 \n\n\ng \n\n\nE~ S \n\n\n< \n\n\n3 4) *> \n\n\no \no \n\n\nf the me \nseen that \npecially t \n\n\n\n\nG \n\n\nO ft, \u00abA \n\n\n? \n\n\nc-^-S \n\n\nI \n\n\n.2= 8- \n\n\nU) \n\n\n\u2022^ 5 & \n\n\nphoto \n\n\n^ \n\n\n\n\n< \n\n\n^o^ \n\n\n\" \n\n\n\u00ab \u00a3 E \n\n\n\n\n\u00a3e 2 \n\n\n\n\n\n\nv\u00bb OLt^ \n\n\n\n\n^ V \n\n\n\n\no^ \n\n\n\n\n-^^6 \n\n\n\n\n(U \u00bb\u2014 \n\n\n\n\nhotograph \nremarkabl \nof the tab \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nc^.l2 \u00a3 \n\n\n\n\n\u00ab\u00ab In i> \n\n\n\n\nThi \noft \ncorn \n\n\n\n\nc ^ \n\n\n\n\nO -22 \n\n\n\n\n\u2022^\u202255 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 99 \n\nsmashed In pieces. Two feet were thrown down among \nthe investigators, the third hit Dn Norlenghi in the face, \nwithout hurting him, however. \n\n\"Then the unknown entity seized one of the feet of the \nlittle table and rapped with it repeatedly now on one, then \non another of the hands of the sitters, while the big table \nshook, and laughed in its own fashion. \n\n\"Meanwhile the curtain blew out ; the table rapped three \ntimes to signify 'Attention!* and Engineer Pomba was \nhonored by a visit from the unknown as in the preceding \nseance, the head surrounded by the curtain approached him \nand kissed him while two hands, which we could not see, \nheld his head with an affectionate gesture. This was repeated \nmore than once. We all got on to the right side of the table \nto be able to see the materialization, which was clearly out- \nlined against the light background of the wall, so as to ob- \nserve all its movements. \n\n\"I observed that the dimensions of this human form va- \nried, that its volume increased and diminished visibly, so \nthat sometimes it appeared to be that of an adult, sometimes \nthat of a child. It was evidently subject to the variations \nof the emission of the mediumistic force. When the effort \nwas more intense, the materialization was more complete; \nthe medium seemed more fatigued when the head was more \nlargely developed. \n\n\"It is difficult to state precisely the nature of this head ; \nit seemed to me \u2014 ^and long practice in the use of my eyes \njustifies my believing that I was not deceived \u2014 like those of \nthe last seance. The most striking characteristics were the \nsame ; the jests, the way of coming out and approaching M. \nPomba were the same, the only difference, in my opinion, \nconsisted in this, that in the course of the last seance the head \nrepresented the aged mother of one of the sitters, and this \nevening it represented the father of another. \n\n\"Dr. Audenino thought sadly of his Marey apparatus, \nwhich for three evenings had not been used, and looked to \nsee if the smoked paper had not been touched, when sud- \ndenly a slight soimd indicated that the needle of the appa- \n\n\n\nicx) Eusapia Palladino \n\nratus was moving. Dr. Audenino at once put the tam- \nbourine in action, and our ears perceived for a few seconds \nthe scratching of a pen, which made long jumps on the \nsmoked surface of the tambourine in such a manner as to \ncorrespond to the pressure exerted inside on the cardiograph, \ntracing a curious and variable diagram. The cabinet was \nquite empty and the medium's hands were, as always, in the \nhands of the controllers. Moreover, the distance between the \ncardiograph and the medium's chair was such that, even \nhad she wished to, she could not have succeeded in pressing \nit with her hands. \n\n\"This phenomenon finally eliminates all suspicion. We \nhave no longer merely the testimony of our senses, but that \nof a metal instrument which has registered, as we have, an \nunknown force; a well-known scientific apparatus has been \nmoved by an invisible force, and has had imprinted upon it \nthe tangible and mathematical proof of the reality of these \nphenomena. \n\n\"The medium got up, the table going with her and with \nthe investigators into the middle of the room, where it rose \nto a considerable height and fell on the ground upside down. \nThe medium, standing up, moved it first on one side, then \non the other, but she seemed already very tired, and was al- \nmost supported by the two controllers. She then turned to \nan armchair and let herself sink into it exhausted. The \ntable was raised by the sitters, but the medium wished it to \ngo down again, and with a gesture of her head she sent it \nrolling again on the ground. Then she threw herself back \nin the armchair, hid her head in her arms, and seemed to \nfall asleep. Our series of sittings was thus concluded.\" \n\n\n\n\u00a7 i8. Experiments at Turin \u2014 1907 (Fo^, etc) \n\nSoon after the experiments performed by Professor Mor- \nselli and Professor Lombroso, another series of seances was \nheld in Turin by Drs. Herlitzka, Charles Foa, and Aggaz- \nzotti \u2014 assistants of Professor Mosso. At the second and more \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino loi \n\nremarkable seance Professor Pio Foa, of the same Univer- \nsity, Professor of Pathological Anatomy, Director of the \nAnatomical Museum, and General Secretary of the Academy \nof Sciences, was also present. \n\nSpeaking of the seances, these gentlemen state: \n\n\"We all, who had never before been present at medium- \nistic phenomena, found that even the most incredible phe- \nnomena produce no emotion, and the most extraordinary \nthings socm appear as quite common and natural manifesta- \ntions. In the days that followed the first seance, however, \nall seemed to us an impossibility, and but for our reciprocal \ntestimony, and without the objective, irrefutable documents \nwhich remained, we should almost have doubted our senses \nand our intelligence,\" \n\nThe seances took place in the house of Count Verdun. The \ndoors and windows of the seance room were securely fastened, \nand the room examined. The two controllers were, at first. \nDr. C. Foa and Dr. Herlitzka. Throughout the seance, \nwe are told, incessant and reciprocal control was exercised \nby all those present. \n\nEusapia commenced the seance by having a fit of h3rsterics. \nUpon recovering, she no longer spoke in the first person, \nbut in the third, speaking as if she were John King. Dr. C. \nFoa immediately afterwards saw a dark, ill-defined profile, \nwhich disappeared almost instantaneously, but reappeared \nagain at his request. Attempts by Dr. Foa to seize this head \nfailed. The table in the cabinet was heard to move about, \nand immediately afterwards came right out into the seance \nroom, no one touching it. Many objects then began to \narrive one by one, and were deposited on the seance table. \nA mandolin, a sheet of paper, a little woolen sheep, were \nthus carried. Then the curtain came out, and a hand, ob- \n\n\n\nI02 Eusapia Palladino \n\nviously not the medium's, pulled the hair of Dr. Foa. At \nthe same moment the strings of the mandolin were picked. \nThe toy piano issued from under the table, the keys were \ndepressed in turn, and various notes sounded. Soon after \nthis, the lights were turned up and an examination made, \nbut no cause for these manifestations was discovered. In full \nlight, strong movements of the table were heard \u2014 synchroniz- \ning with movements of the medium's hand. The investiga- \ntors endeavored to obtain graphic records \u2014 the keys and \nother parts of the instruments capable of being manipulated \nbeing covered with a cardboard box, and fastened down with \nsealed ribbons. These attempts, however, resulted in com- \nplete failure \u2014 since, although the ke5rs of the instruments \nwere manipulated, it was found that the cardboard box, \ncontaining the key, had been unfastened, that a glass tube had \nbeen broken, and that one of the ribbons which fastened the \nbox was missing. \n\nNumerous other phenomena of interest occurred, how- \never, during this seance, notably touches by invisible hands. \nEusapia was asked if the key of the apparatus might be \npressed down. She replied: \"The key is uncovered, and as \nI do this I can also press the key down.\" When she said \nthe word this. Dr. Herlitzka felt a finger press strongly on \nhis shoulder. Eusapia's hands were at this moment firmly \nheld by her two neighbors. The seance ended with several \nlevitations. The small table upon which the toys had b^en \nplaced was pushed c(Mnpletely outside the cabinet. \n\nThe second seance, which took place in the same room, \nand virtually under the same conditions as the first, was \nfar more remarkable. Two complete levitations in full light \nopened the proceedings, which were immediately followed \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 103 \n\nby the small table in the cabinet advancing into the room, \npushing the curtain in front of it. Eusapia moved her hands \nin the air over the small table, which moved about upon \nthe floor, corresponding in its movements to those made by \nher hands. It ended by rising completely into the air. Dr. \nAggazzotti repeatedly pushed the table back but every time \nit returned to its place. The curtain then swelled out, in \nresponse to movements of the medium's hands, and remained \nout during the rest of the sitting. This enabled Dr. Herlitz- \nka to see into the cabinet during the rest of the seance, and \nobserve carefully everything that went on in it \n\nIn this seance, also, the fabrics and other materials that \nhad been used to cover the apparatus in the cabinet were torn \naway by invisible fingers and, both \u00a3usapia*s hands being \nvisible, the experimenters could hear the cloth being torn, \ninside the cabinet. The experiments in registration, there- \nfore, were not conducted under test conditions, but numer- \nous other phenomena occurred at this sitting which were \neven more interesting than these. Thus we read : \n\n\"In consequence of a desire expressed by the medium, Dr. \nHerlitzka took control instead of Dr. Arullani, who took \nhis seat on the left, near the cabinet, where he immediately \nfelt a blow as with a fist, while his feet were trodden upon, \nand a finger nail was stuck into his hand. \n\nSome of the sitters observed a sort of white mist round \nthe medium's head. A few seconds later, inside the cabinet, \nwas heard the sound, several times repeated, which told us \nthat the membrane of our apparatus was being rapped upon. \nAt each of these raps there was corresponding pressure of \nthe right hand of the medium on that of the \"controller\" \non that side. The apparatus was on the right of the medium \nat a distance of a foot or two from the controller and per- \nfectly visible. No one was at that time in the cabinet, as \nit was easy to certify. \n\n\n\nI04 Eusapia Palladino \n\nA little drum which was on table No. i floated in the \nair above the medium's head, and subsequently returned to \nits place. Immediately afterwards a mandolin made some \nsounds on table No. i, rose up above it and fell on the \nground. Also from the toy piano, which was on the floor, \nsome notes were heard to sound and the medium stated \nthat the effort to produce these latter sounds was made \nthrough her feet. And, in fact, the controllers, who had \nEusapia's feet on theirs, observed that each sound corre- \nsponded with a contraction of the muscles of her leg. The \nmedium rested a leg horizontally on the knee of Dr. Ag- \ngazzotti, who held the foot of the medium in his hand and \nasked her to repeat the experiment without moving her foot ; \na slighter but synchronous movement of the foot corre- \nsponded with each sound. \n\nSoon after this, the piano, of its own accord, came on to \nthe seance table, passing over the head of Professor Foa \nin so doing. Dr. Aggazzotti's eyeglasses were taken and \nflung violently on to the floor. He stated his anxiety lest \nthe lenses should be broken. This the medium emphatically \ndenied. The eyeglasses were later discovered on the floor \nuninjured.\" \n\nJohn King seemed ta possess a certain antipathy to Dr, \nAniUani. Thus we read : \n\n\"Dr. Arullani wished to approach the curtain on the me- \ndium's left; but the table, advancing toward him, pushed \nhim back, as if with anger. The medium then asked the \ndoctor to put his fingers over her eyes; he did so, but two \nhands were placed on his chest and violently repulsed him, \nthe hands of the medium being at the same time held below \nby the two controllers. Arullani tried to approach again, \nbut the medium cried out, \"Do not approach,\" and the doc- \ntor felt himself hit on the head. \n\nWe relate all these details because they show that the \nmedium is perfectly conscious of the phenomena which are \nforthcoming, although when the sonmambulistic state is over \nshe docs not remember what has happened. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 105 \n\nA luminous interlude ensued: above Eusapia's head, at \na height of about eighteen inches, all the sitters saw a bright \nh'ght appear, similar to that of a small electric pocket lamp. \nOne of us (Dr. Foa) went out of the circle and held a pho- \ntographic plate above the medium's head to find out whether \nit was possible to register the radiations. A few moments \nlater, the bright light, well localized, reappeared; imme- \ndiately afterwards the toy piano, which was on the table all \nthe time with the keyboard turned away from the medium, \nmade a few sounds; the sitters observed the spontaneous \ndepression of the keys which accompanied the sounds. \n\nStill with the object of obtaining a record of possible \nradiations, one of us (Dr. Foa) held the photographic plate, \nwrapped in paper, over Eusapia's head, and he felt the plate \nseized by a hand covered with the curtain; he passed one \nhand behind the curtain, but found nothing there. \n\nThe hand (for reasons that will appear later we apply \nthis term to the force that acted on the plate, although no \nform of a hand was visible) made an effort to seize the plate, \nby snatching it unexpectedly, and renewed this attempt re- \npeatedly but without success. Dr. Foa seized the hand, \nwhich was covered with the curtain, and had the impression \nof pressing real fingers, the fingers escaped him, however, \nand gave him a blow; the plate was changed, and the in- \nvisible hand began another struggle, during which it had \ntight hold of the plate for several seconds. At last a sud- \nden blow given to the plate caused it to fall on the seance \ntable without breaking. Dr. Aggazzotti, who held another \nplate over the medium's head, had, in his turn, to struggle \nin order to prevent its escaping him \u2014 a struggle in the course \nof which his hand was even bitten. \n\nAt this juncture the medium told Professor Pio Foa not \nto be alarmed whatever might happen, and advised all pres- \nent not to touch the objects which would be suspended in \nthe air, otherwise she would be unable to restrain the move- \nments and might hurt somebody. \n\nTable No. i rose in the air many inches high and passed \nonce over the head of Professor Foa; returning to the \n\n\n\nio6 Eusapia Palladino \n\nground, and keeping, all the time, outside the cabinet, it \nturned over and then stood up again. \n\nNeedless to say that the controllers were alwa3rs vigilant \nand saw that the hands and feet of the medium were held in \nour hands and under our feet. Often during the occurrence \nof the most important phenomena, Eusapia's legs were placed \nhorizontally on our knees. \n\nAfter table Na i had stood upright. Dr. AruUani ap- \nproached it, but the piece of furniture, moving violently \ntoward him, repulsed him; Dr. AruUani seized the table, \nwhich was heard to crack in the struggle: it was a strong \ntable of white wood about 2 feet 9 inches high and 3 feet \nlong by 22 inches broad, weighing 17 pounds. \n\nDr. Anillani asked that the hand behind the curtain \nshould grasp his; the medium replied in her own voice: \n\"First I am going to break the table, then I will give you a \ngrasp of the hand.\" This declaration was followed by three \nfresh complete levitations of the table, which fell back each \ntime heavily on to the floor. All those who were on the left \nof the medium could observe, by a very good red light, the \nvarious movements of the table. The latter bent down and \npassed behind the curtain followed by one of us (Dr. C. \nFoa), who saw it turn over and rest on one of its two short \nsides, while one of the legs of the table came off violently, \nas if under the action of some force pressing upon it. At \nthis moment the table came violently out of the cabinet and \ncontinued to break up under the eyes of everyone present; \nat first its different parts were torn off, then the boards them- \nselves went to pieces. Two legs which still remained united \nby a thin slip of wood floated above us and placed them- \nselves on the seance table. \n\nThe medium said: \"Unhappy owners of the house!\" As \nthe medium had thus kept her promise to break the table, \nDr. Arullani asked for the hand shake, and was invited by \nthe medium to approach the curtain. He had hardly reached \nit when he found himself hit by pieces of wood and hands, \nand we all heard the noise of the blows. \n\nOne of us, who was in control, felt himself tickled under \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 107 \n\nthe arm, but could not see any hand, although the subjec- \ntive impression was that of four fingers which moved rapidly \nunder the armpit. \n\nDuring the whole seance the condition of the medium and \nher power were being discussed. Dr. AruUani maintained \nthat this force was only manifested at a few inches' distance. \nThe mediiun then told him to stand on the seance table. Dr. \nArullani confined himself to kneeling on it, and was struck \non the head by a piece of wood ; then two feet of the table \nwere raised three times; the third time more violently, and \nthe doctor was sent rolling over on to the ground. \n\nThe seance approached its close ; the medium seemed very \ntired; she leaned her head on the shoulder of one of the \ncontrollers. A very interesting experience was yet in store \nfor us. The medium, as well as all the sitters, who formed \na chain, rose up. The table moved toward the center of the \nroom and afterwards rose completely in the air. After a \nbrief pause, during which one of us mentioned the fact that \na photographic plate was fixed under the seance table, and \nwhile everyone was standing up at some distance from the \ntable, which was free and quite visible on all sides, the me- \ndium asked for Dr. Aggazzotti's hand, and immediately \nafterwards the photographic plate was seen to fall with vio- \nlence on to the seance table. Dr. C. Foa and Dr. Aggaz- \nzotti saw it distinctly come out from under the table, move \nround the edge and pass on to the upper surface. \n\nIt was I A.M.^ and the medium was asked whether the \nseance should be closed, but she did not reply ; she was seen \nto be very fatigued, and we broke off the seance without fur- \nther demur; the medium was placed in an armchair \nand carried into a small adjoining sitting room.\" \n\nAt the conclusion of the seance, the \"field of battle\" was \nvisited, and the various objects were found out of place, the \ntable broken, etc. \u2014 showing that real forces had been at \nwork, and that the investigators had not been the subjects \nof any hallucination. One inddent of extreme interest is \n\n\n\nio8 Eusapia Palladino \n\nto be noted in this connection: When the photographic \nplates were examined, two gave uncertain results, but \nthe third, which had been seized for some seconds by the \ninvisible hand, showed distinctly the dark, negative image \nof four big fingers, the position and form of which corre- \nsponded with the index, the middle finger, the third, and \nthe little finger. The impression of the thumb seems to be \nindicated also but not so clearly. \n\nSumming up the results of their experiments, the in- \nvestigators concluded that, whatever might be thought of \nthe seances as a whole, or of the various minor phenomena, \nat least four of these were to be retained as proof positive \nthat fraud could not account for the results obtained. These \nfour were : ( i ) The marks on the apparatus ( the revolving \ncylinder) ; (2) the table broken to pieces before their eyes; \n(3) the photographic plate nailed under the table, passed \non to it by invisible hands; (4) the impression of the hand \non the photographic plate enveloped in black paper. As to \nthis latter phenomenon, the committee could only suggest \nthat some sort of radio-activity issued from the medium's \nfingers when in trance \u2014 penetrating the opaque paper, and \nimpressing the sensitive plate. \n\nThe investigators favored the hypothesis that the phe- \nnomena were produced by some force issuing from the body \nof the medium, and pointed out that, in our present state of \nknowledge, the denial of such force is absurd. The phe- \nnomena of heredity, they say, are equally unknown to us, \nand that \"it is very probable that when the determinism of \nmediumistic phenomena have been completely established, \nthat of the phenomena of heredity will still remain enveloped \nin the veil of mysteiy.'* \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 109 \n\n\u00a7 19. Experiments at Naples \u2014 1907 \n\nIn the September and October, 1907, issues of The Annals \nof Psychical Science, Professor Bottazzi records a number of \nseances which he, together with Professor Galeotti, Dr. \nDeAmicis, Dr. Oscar Scarpa, Dr. Luigi Lombardi, and Dr. \nSergio Pansini conducted in their own laboratories in the \nUniversity of Naples. The cabinet consisted of two cur- \ntains hung across a doorway. This door led into another \nlaboratory in the University, and both rooms were invariably \nlocked securely before the commencement of any seance. A \nseries of electric lamps of various intensities, red and white, \nwere affixed to the movable supports, and above the door \u2014 \nallowing various degrees of illumination of the seance room. \nThey were controlled by a switch within reach of the sitters. \n\nThe object of the experimenters was to obtain graphic \nrecords of the phenomena \u2014 ^that is to say, records obtained \nby means of mechanical instruments. The reality of the \nphenomena, therefore, did not depend upon the observation \nof the sitters. The medium was prevented from tampering \nwith these instnmients during the seance in the following \nmanner. The seance cabinet was constructed in front of a \ndoor leading into another laboratory. In this other labora- \ntory, and behind the closed door, were placed the recording \ninstruments on various tables, and they were connected with \nthe keys, etc., inside the cabinet, by means of electric wires. \nThus, if a key had to be pressed in order to affect one of the \ninstruments on the other side of the partition door, this \ncould only be done by pressing the proper key, and the in- \nstrument itself could not be tampered with. The medium, \nwe are assured, never placed her hand inside the cabinet, and \nshe was, throughout the whole course of the sittings, care- \n\n\n\nno Eusapia Palladino \n\nfully watched and controlled by two members of the investi- \ngating committee, one on either side of her. \n\nAt the first seance, comparatively few startling results \nwere obtained. The heavy table in the cabinet was violently \nand repeatedly shaken and all the objects on it were thrown \non to the floor. The metronome was set in motion, but it \nis probable that this and other phenomena resulted from \noscillations of the table. \n\nDuring the second seance, the small table in the cabinet \ncame out of its own accord, in a jerky manner, these jerks \ncorresponding with convulsive movements of Eusapia's hands \nor legs. Soon after this, touches by invisible hands were \nfelt. Nearly all the sitters were touched in turn, Eusapia's \nhands being well controlled at the time. Twice an appari- \ntion of something black was perceived, resembling a head \nwith a fairly distinct profile, that came out slowly, remained \ntwo or three seconds, then retired rapidly. Eusapia was \nasked to obtain movements of the electric keys and other \ninstruments placed in the cabinet She protested for a long \ntime, saying that she did not know their meaning, that she \ncould not find them, that she did not know how to do it, \nthat they were too far off, etc But in the ensuing seances, \nin spite of these protests, the various recording instruments \nwere moved \u2014 buttons were pressed, the rod of the metro- \nnome was set swinging, etc Dr. Bottazzi came to the con- \nclusion that the reason these phenomena had not been ob- \ntained in the first two seances was that the hands operative \nmust become \"familiar'' with the instruments \u2014 ^just as human \nhands would have to become familiar with them. \n\nAt the third seance, several complete levitations were ob- \ntained \u2014 most of them lasting but a few seconds. One of \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino iii \n\nthem, however, was extremely lengthy, and Professor Gal- \neotti was enabled to count fifty with perfect regularity while \nthe table remained in the air! A large number of visible \nand semivisible hands were observed at this seance \u2014 ^hands \ndescribed as having the shining appearance of pearl, which \nwere seen on Eusapia's head, or issued from between the cur- \ntains, and caressed the sitters. Mme. Bottazzi, while con- \ntrolling the left hand of the medium, saw, almost touching \nher left cheek, a black hand, with a part of the forearm, and \nwas so vividly impressed by it that she changed her position \nand took one farther off. \n\nVarious objects from the cabinet were conveyed by some \nmysterious means on to the seance table. The little drum \nmade repeated attempts to climb on to the table, while Pro- \nfessors Galeotti and Bottazzi were closely observing it. A \nbouquet of flowers, placed at a distance of more than three \nfeet from the medium skimmed across the seance table and \nlanded in Mme. Bottazzi's lap. \n\nAt the fourth seance, lights were obtained for the first \ntime. Hands and closed fists appeared over Eusapia's head, \nsometimes of ordinary size, sometimes, we are told, ''at least \nthree times larger than Mme. Palladino's hands and fists.\" \nProfessor Bottazzi tried, on two or three occasions, to grasp \nthese hands, but the apparition invariably dissolved and he \ngrasped only empty space. Twice a black form was seen. A \nstethoscope was taken to pieces and put together again, which \nis certainly a very difficult feat with one hand. The follow- \ning incident then occurred, which has great interest: \n\n\"While the numerous touches and kissings were going on, \nwhich I felt and announced each time (although everybody \nheard them), on one occasion when my foreh^ had been \n\n\n\n112 . Eusapia Palladino \n\nstrongly rubbed, my pince-nez fell off my nose upon my \nknees. I wear them without a cord and I thought they had \nfallen on to the ground. I inquired at once of 'John/ and I \ndistinctly felt soon afterwards a very delicate touch on my \nknee, as if a hand were trying to find something, and the \npince-nez were immediately replaced on my nose, with a very \nprecise action. Needless to say I was keeping strict control \nof the medium all the time.\" \n\nThe tambourine was then pla3red, various letters on a \ntypewriter were struck, and the sound was heard as of \nfingers running over the typewriter. An electric spring key, \nused by telegraphers, was pressed, and finally the key was \ntorn to one side, and depressed so strongly that the metal \nwas bent and the key practically destroyed. The metronome \nwas set going, and, upon request, stopped. \n\nThe fifth seance was notable for a number of quite re- \nmarkable phenomena. After several levitations, the mando- \nlin was touched and the strings of it twanged. The move- \nment of the mandolin was observed by M. Scarpa, who saw \nthe mandolin rise, and fall back again, then turn over with- \nout any hand touching it and in good light Every move- \nment of Mme. Palladino's arm was clearly perceivable at \nthe time. An impression of three fingers was left on a cake \nof clay placed in the cabinet, and invisible hands began to \nfinger the wires and other instruments inside the cabinet. \nThe following phenomena then occurred : \n\n\"Suddenly, without any warning, a sharp rap was heard \nupon the table. I looked, I felt. It was one of the glasses \nthat had arrived, after pouring out on those nearest to it \nthe solution of sulphate of copper which it contained. Pass- \ning my left hand over my clothes I found them to be quite \nwet, and I complained to Eusapia, begging her not to play \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 113 \n\npractical Jokes of this sort, because, as I told Ker, the liquid \ncontained in the glasses was not innocuous, but might injure \nus, and leave stains on our clothes. I had hardly said this \nwhen we heard on the floor the sound of a liquid being vio- \nlently poured from out of the small vessel, and immediately \nafterwards the other glass, almost empty, was placed on the \ntable beside the first, also making a shaxp rap/' \n\nAt the conclusion of the seance, various graphic records \nwere obtained by means of raps on the electric key, etc. \n\nAt the sixth seance an interesting phenomenon took place, \ndemonstrating the synchronous character of some of the phe- \nnomena with movements of Eusapia's body. Thus, two \nelectric keys were arranged, one within the reach of Eusapia, \nthe other beyond it. Eusapia touched one key with her left \nhand, and depressed it a number of times. Exactly corre- \nsponding with these depressions, the other key, beyond her \nreach, was also depressed, showing that the keys were pressed \nwith perfect synchronism. The sixth seance was largely de- \nvoted to attempts to obtain graphic records of some of the \nphenomena, /but no definite results were obtained. \n\nThe seventh seance, however, was far more productive of \nresults. Various touches were experienced by Professor Bot- \ntazzi, and, soon after the seance began, his chair was sud- \ndenly seized from behind, fingers of the hands moving it \nbeing distinctly felt, and he was pulled backward toward \nthe cabinet. Professor Bottazzi states that he and the chair \ntogether weighed two hundred and four pounds, and the \nfollowing day he ascertained if one of his assistants, who was \nyoung and robust, was capable of moving him when seated \nupon this same chair. The assistant was obliged to use both \nhis arms in order to drag Professor Bottazzi a few inches, \nand admitted that he had put forth all his strength ! A vase \n\n\n\n114 Eusapia Palladino \n\ncontaining a bunch of flowers was next presented between \nthe curtains and placed upon Mme. Palladino's head. It \nwas taken by Professor Bottazzi and placed upon the seance \ntable. The curtain on the left then advanced toward the \ntable, and a hand, which was clearly delineated behind it, \nseized the bunch, and threw it against the extended face of \nDr. Poso (to whom \"John\" had taken a violent dislike) as \nif in scorn, and carried the glass of water away. A remark- \nable incident then followed, which is recorded as follows: \n\n\"I have said that the drum advanced behind the left cur- \ntain; Galeotti tried to take it, but *John* (I will speak thus \nfor brevity) pulled it out of his hands, carrying it inside \nthe cabinet, and reappeared. Galeotti took it back, but the \nother did not let go; then followed an amusing struggle \nwhich lasted several seconds, during which we distinctly \nsaw the drum contested by Galeotti, who held it outside, and \n'John,* who held it inside, with a hand covered by the cur- \ntain. The struggle was so lively that a little piece of the \ncase of the drum was torn off. Finally it remained in \nGaleotti's hands. Galeotti then had a good idea. He got \nup, raised the drum with one hand against the curtain and \nsaid : 'Hit it, John !* The curtain shook, it was pushed out \ntoward the drum as if by a hand, and we heard muflled, \nyet distinct, beats on the drum ; we were amazed. M. Gal- \neotti was staiiding, be it observed, with his arm raised, and ' \nMme. Palladino was seated. Even if we suppose that she \ncould have liberated one hand (certainly not the one under \nmy control ; and Mme. B. declares she did not liberate the \nother, but one cannot be absolutely certain), Eusapia, being \nseated, could not have touched the drum \u2014 ^unless she had had \ngigantically long arms, or unless her natural arms had been \nsuddenly elongated. \n\n\"Once, when the drum was presented above Eusapia's \nhead from the interior of the cabinet, I said to Dr. Poso: \n'Take it.' He got up, approached the drum and stretched \nout his arm. But the drum withdrew a little, then it vio- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 115 \n\nlently moved as if to give a blow, and pushed back the hand \nthat tried to seize it, John was still in a bad humor.\" \n\n\"The materializations/' says Professor Bottazzi, \"were \nnumerous and very important. Four times I saw an enor- \nmous black fist come out from behind the left curtain, which \nremained motionless, and advance toward the head of Mme. \nB. Immediately afterwards this lady said that she had been \ntouched either on the cheek, the ear, or the neck. The last \ntime the fist remained so long outside that when, at my re- \nquest, everyone looked that way, it was quite distinctly seen \nby all. But what I am about to relate is perhaps the phe- \nnomenon which most impressed me. \n\n\"I felt an open hand seize me from behind, gently, by the \nneck. Instinctively I let go of Dr. Poso's right hand with \nmy left, and I carried it where I clearly felt this sensation \nof contact, and I found the hand which was touching me: \na left hand, neither cold nor hot, with rough, bony fingers \nwhich dissolved under pressure; they did not retire by pro- \nducing a sensation of withdrawal, but they dissolved, de^ \nmaterialized, melted, \n\n\"Shortly afterwards, the same hand was laid on my head ; \nI carried mine quickly to the spot, I felt it, I grasped it; \nit was obliterated and again disappeared in my grasp. \n\n\"Another time, later on, the same hand was placed on \nmy right forearm, without squeezing it. On this occasion \nI not only carried my left hand to the spot, but I looked, \nso I could see and feel at the same time; I saw a human \nhand, of natural color, and I felt with mine the fingers and \nthe back of a lukewarm, nervous, rough hand. The hand \ndissolved, and (/ saw it with my eyes) retreated as if into \nMme. Palladino's body, describing a curve. I confess that \nI felt some doubt as to whether Eusapia's left hand had freed \nItself from my right hand, to reach my forearm ; but at the \nsame instant I was able to prove to myself that the doubt \nwas groundless, because our two hands were still in con- \ntact in the ordinary way. If all the observed phenomena \nof the seven seances were to disappear from my memory, \nthis one I could never forget. . . . \n\n\n\nii6 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"Two apparitions of human faces were also seen, not \ndark, but natural in color, very pale, almost diaphanous, \nbut well lit up. Each time the apparition was announced \nby Eusapia. The first time a head appeared above hers; \nbut I did not see it, and I report this according to what I \nwas told by the others. It was asked : 'Who is it ?' and Eusa- \npia replied in a thin voice: *It is Peppino!' The second time \nEusapia leaned her brow on mine, and said immediately \nafterwards: *Look!' We looked and saw behind the edge \nof the left curtain a very pale human head, clearly lit up. \nWe were not at all in agreement as to the interpretation of \nthe vision. M. B. affirmed that he saw the head of John \nKing in a turban, as he has been seen at other seances; M. \nGaleotti also said that he saw something white round a head, \nwhich must have been a turban.\" \n\nAn eighth seance was held in July, 1907, in the physiologi- \ncal laboratory, on which occasion Eusapia's hands were secure- \nly tied and sealed to two iron rings fastened to the floor. \nStrong cords led to the wrists from these rings, and were \nwound round them and securely tied. The length of the \ncords was such that, no matter in what direction she moved \nher hands, she could reach none of the objects in the cabinet. \nAt the conclusion of the seance, the ropes and seals were ex- \namined, and were found to be intact. Yet, during the seance, \nvarious articles were carried from the cabinet on to the table \u2014 \ntouches, raps, apparitions of hands, and huge fists were seen, \nas well as the following phenomena, recorded by Professor \nBottazzi : \n\n\"(i) Eusapia said to me: 'Stretch out your arm on your \nwife's shoulder.' I did so, and felt the trumpet being held \nout toward me from behind the curtain, and I at once recog- \nnized it by the touch. I seized it and placed it on the little \ntable. \n\n\"(2) Later on, without any warning, a sound as if the \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 117 \n\ncurtain were being touched was heard on Eusapia's right \nside. The curtain shook a little, while the vase of flowers \nadvanced on the same side. I seized the latter and placed it \non the small table. \n\n\"(3) While Galeotti was controlling Eusapia's right hand, \nhe distinctly saw the doubling of the left arm of the me- \ndium. 'Look/ he exclaimed, *I see two left arms \u2014 identical \nin appearance ; one is on the little table, and it is that which \nM. Bottazzi touches, and the other seems to come out of her \nshoulder \u2014 to approach her, and touch her, and then return \nand melt into her body again. This is not an hallucina- \ntion. I am awake, I am conscious of the two simultaneous \nvisual sensations, which I experience when Mme. Bottazzi \nsays that she has been touched.' \" \n\nProfessor Bottazzi, in commenting on these phenomena, \nsays: \n\n\"It would be necessary to have Mme. Palladino's fingers \nin the palm of one's hand, as I had that evening, in order to \nbe convinced that the levitations, the twanging of the strings, \netc, all synchronized with the very delicate movements of her \nfingers, and with the dragging and pushing movements of the \nmedium's hand, as if she were directed in the execution of these \nmovements by a will which knew the effect to be produced. \nThese were not irregular, impulsive, disordered movements \n\u2014 they were precise and coordinated. Whether they were \nmovements of one finger, or of several fingers, and were \nidentical with those which we should make if we tried to \nseize or to vibrate the strings with precision and delicacy. \nTwo of us, M. Scarpa and I, had our eyes fixed on the \nmandolin, and we can affirm with assurance that the instru- \nment, lit up by the lamp above it, was not touched by \nEusapia's visible hands, which were at least thirty inches \naway, but that it moved by itself, as if, by enchantment, \nit had been provided with motor organs. It looked like \nthe carcass of some monstrous reptile, which had been re- \nstored to life. I cannot describe the sensation one experiences \n\n\n\nIi8 Eusapia Palladino \n\nwhen seeing an inanimate object move, not for a mo- \nment merely, but for many minutes in succession, and, watch- \ning it together in silence, moving among inmiovable objects, \nuntouched, under the action of some mysterious force. . . . \nThe medium does not only move objects, but also feels with \nher invisible limbs, and while the movement was performed \non the left, phenomena occurred to the right of Mme. Palla- \ndino.\" \n\nAs the result of his seances. Professor Bottazzi concluded \nthat the phenomena are undoubted \u2014 ^whatever their inter- \npretation. He further asserted that fraud had never been \neven attempted at their seances, that Eusapia never used \nany expedients to deceive him, but that, on the contrary, she \ninvariably warned them every time she moved a table or a \ncurtain with her own hands. He concludes: \n\n\"To those who deny without having seen, affirming \na priori the impossibility of these phenomena, one must reply : \n'First see ; then you may argue.' \" \n\n\n\n\u00a7 20. Report of a Stance Held in Naples \u2014 1908 \n\nThe following interesting seance was held in Professor \nBottazzi's laboratory, under the same conditions as his former \nseances, and was attended by Mr. Gilman Hall, one of the \neditors of Everybody's Magazine, and Dr. Herbert R. Moody, \nProfessor of Chemistry in the College of the City of New \nYork. These gentlemen drew up the reports of the seance, \nwhich were originally published in Everybody's, and which, \nwith their kind permission, and that of the magazine, I quote \nherewith. It gives us a vivid pen picture of a typical seance \nseen through the eyes of an unprejudiced investigator. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 119 \n\n\n\nA Stance with Mme. Palladino \n\nThe seance was held in the same laboratory and with the \nsame cabinet that Professor Bottazzi had used in all his pre- \nvious experiments. It was a bare room with cement floor and \nbare walls \u2014 a room with almost no fixtures or laboratory \nparaphernalia. There were one or two shelves around; a \nstone pedestal; and a window opening on a garden. The \ncabinet was formed by a recess opposite the door by which we \nhad entered; and the back of it was a door leading into \nanother laboratory. This door and the door leading out of \nthe second laboratory were locked by Professor Bottazzi in \n. Dr. Moody's presence, and Professor Bottazzi put the keys \nin his pocket. The cabinet was about twenty-four inches \ndeep. Professor Bottazzi had placed in it a shelf nine inches \nwide about three feet from the floor, and on this shelf he \nhad put various things \u2014 a scale, a trumpet, a small drum, \na box of matches, a heavy brass candlestick, and an electric \nbeU. \n\nThere was no intention on our part of reporting the \nseance. The time was too short for extensive preparations. \nSo, while we took many precautions and made a number of \ntests, yet we depended on Professor Bottazzi for all the \npreliminary arrangements. \n\nProfessor Bottazzi and his assistant joined us at the table, \nmaking a party of nine, which proved an unwieldy number. \nMme. Palladino sat about one foot in front of the curtain \nthat hung before the recess, and ficed the end of the table. \nI sat at her right, but around the corner. Mme. Palladino \nfaced east, I looked north. Mrs. Moody sat beside me and \nDr. Moody beside her, both facing north. Mrs. Hall sat \nat the mediiun's left and opposite me, facing south. The \nrest of the party finished out the circle, which extended be- \nyond the table. Professor Bottazzi sat directly opposite \nMme. Palladino and at least three feet beyond the end of \nthe table. Mrs. Hall and I by our position were in charge \nof the psychic, and it was our duty to see that all the neces- \nsary tests were put on her. I held her right hand. By her \n\n\n\n120 Eusapia Palladino \n\ninstructions, I pressed my knee against hers and put my left \nfoot over her right one. Mrs. Hall applied the same tests \non the left. \n\nThe curtains in front of the cabinet were black, made of \nsome thin material like cheesecloth. The table was a light \ndeal one \u2014 ^about two by four, and the chairs were rather \nlight, common ones. We began the seance with a red sixteen- \ncandle electric light on a wall bracket, quite high above Mrs. \nHall's head, and a sixteen-candle white light on a small shelf \nback of Professor Bottazzi. Soon, at Mme. Palladino's re- \nquest, we turned the white light out. The seance was not \none hour along when, by request of the \"spirit\" controlling \nthe medium, we placed a handkerchief over the red light. \nLater, we put another handkerchief on. And later still, the \nhandkerchiefs burned and we took them both off. We could \nsee plainly all through the seance. \n\nWithin a minute after we seated ourselves, the table be- \ngan to tremble. I noticed it almost instantly and called the \nattention of everyone to it. It seemed to me as though the \nfiber of the wood was vibrating. \n\nWithin five minutes, the table began to rock and rise from \nthe floor. One end would lift up from six to twelve inches \nand then drop noisily. Now one end, now the other would \ncome up. Then the table would lift on one side. Dr. Moody \npressed against it at one of these times and said he thought \nit took a pressure of three pounds to force a release of the \ntable from the unseen power. \n\nSoon raps began. The table was pounded on the floor \nfor raps \u2014 generally ordinary ones ; but now and then it would \nstrike the floor with great violence, giving a startling effect \nof emphasis. The table tipping continued at intervals \nthroughout the seance, growing stronger and more pro- \nnounced as time wore on. There was one very dramatic lift \nnear the end of the sitting. Mme. Palladino suddenly thrust \nboth her hands high above her \u2014 Mrs. Hall and I being drawn \nfrom our chairs in our efforts to retain our holds on her, and \nthe table\u2014 every leg of it \u2014 rose all of eighteen inches from \nthe floor. The synchronism which Mr. Garland told of in \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 121 \n\nhis articles was perfect in this experiment. The table fol- \nlowed the psychic's hands on the moment. \n\nThe first twenty minutes we spent in trying to identify \nthe \"spirit\" controlling the raps. There was talk of a \"John \nKang\" \u2014 ^whom Mme. Palladino said was her \"spirit control.\" \nWe asked if there was anyone in the room with whom the \nspirit wished to communicate and got an answer \u2014 \"yes.\" \nIt proved to be Mrs. Moody that was meant, and soon the \ntable moved toward her \u2014 nearer and nearer \u2014 and finally \npressed against her chest. But the answers were contradic- \ntory, the results futile, and we gave it up. Anyway, \nwe were looking for physical phenomena. \n\nThe next manifestation after the table raising was a sud- \nden swirl of the curtain, which enveloped me completely. \nFrom hanging limp, it suddenly rose high in the air \u2014 as \nthough blown by a strong wind \u2014 and fell over me. I re- \nmained in that position a full ten minutes; for it gave me an \nexcellent view of the inside of the cabinet. But nothing of \nimportance occurred there, beyond a marked movement of \nthe other curtain. I had hardly thrown the curtain off when \nthere was a crackling sound and the table leg under me be- \ngan to split, at the point where it joined the table. I felt \nthe leg press against me as it moved. Professor Bottazzi \ncried out a protest, \"Here, John King, leave my table \nalone,\" and it stopped. \n\n\"He broke a table to pieces for me once. I do not want \nit done again,\" commented Professor Bottazzi. \n\nThe action seemed like that of a miniature flash of light- \nning; the sound was of rending wood \u2014 3. splitting, tearing \nsound. \n\nWe spent sometime trying to persuade the \"spirit\" to \nbring us a fan which lay on the pedestal under the red light, \nbut we failed utterly. A minute later, though, some force \nknocked the matches from the shelf in the cabinet to the \nfloor. Suddenly Professor Bottazzi cried out excitedly: \n\"Here comes the candlestick.\" There darted through my \nmind the thought that this was the crucial time for me to \nknow beyond all doubt that I was holding Mme. Palladino's \n\n\n\n122 Eusapia Palladino \n\nhand. I clenched it firmly and instead of looking at the \ncandlestick I gazed steadfastly at the hand I held. The \ncandlestick, a heavy brass one, and the candle it held came \nfrom the shelf in the cabinet up through the opening in the \ncurtains about a foot above the medium's head, and landed \nwith a crashing blow on the table in front of Mrs. Moody. \nThe candle fell out and then both candle and stick rolled into \nher lap. Oa the way to the laboratory I had said : \"If I could \nonly see some object moved one inch I should be satisfied.\" \nI had had my wish in full measure. \n\nWe had not time to recover before a heavy, clumsy, crock- \nery plate containing a wad of day, which Professor Bottazzi \nhad placed in a vacant chair some two feet to the left of \nMme. Palladino, came hurtling with tremendous force and \nalmost superhuman speed on to the table. It landed with \na really appalling noise. The effect was as though it had \nbeen thrown by a giant's hand and in great anger. There \nwas a wait of a few minutes. Then some force swept the \nremaining objects from the shelf in the cabinet. The drum \nfell, the trumpet followed ; there was a succession of various \nnoises from falling bodies. \"There go the scales,\" said Pro- \nfessor Bottazzi, as the heavy thud of falling iron was \nheard. \n\nFor some of his previous experiments. Professor Bottazzi \ntold me, he had cut a peephole in the door which formed the \nback of the cabinet, and one of his assistants had been sta- \ntioned there. An electric light was placed on the wall of \nthe cabinet, the wires for which led to a push button in Pro- \nfessor Bottazzi's pocket. During some of the amazing phe- \nnomena, such as we witnessed. Dr. Bottazzi had switched on \nthe light so that his assistant could see dearly into the cabi- \nnet. He proved beyond a question that no one approached the \ncabinet from behind, and that no one was in it \n\nIf Mme. Palladino went into a trance, it was not, for the \nmajor part of the time, a deep one. She was conscious of \nalmost all our doings. During the seance, and particularly \nduring the earlier stages of it, she coughed a great deal, deared \nher throat repeatedly, and suffered severely from hiccoughs. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 123 \n\nShe interspersed her manifestations with remarks to Pro- \nfessor Bottazzi, which he sometimes translated. Often she \ncalled out in a half moan asking if we had a good control \nover her. \"She always inquires about that,\" volunteered \nour mentor. A dozen times during the evening she cried \nout in complaint of our gripping her hands so tightly. Just \nbefore anything spectacular happened she moaned, and seemed \nto sink suddenly but temporarily into a deeper, perhaps an \nentire trance. Her head would roll a little from side to side, \nbut in a moment she would return to her half consciousness \nagain, and would show a somewhat dazed knowledge of what \nwas going on. Before the seance was a half hour old, she \nthrew her legs up on our laps \u2014 ^her left leg on Mrs. Hall's \nlap and her right one on mine. She held this position for \na good part of the sitting. Before and during the manifesta- \ntions, there were violent convulsive movements of the arms \nand sometimes of the legs. We grew used to these and soon \nlearned to call out a warning of some impending action when \nwe felt these muscular movements. \n\nThe next occurrence was a startling one \u2014 and aimed di- \nrectly at me. My chair was seized from behind by a power- \nful force, and an attempt was made to drag it from under \nme. I had again the impression of a giant at work in our \npresence. I cried out. All saw me moving. The force \ntugged at the chair and nearly succeeded in getting it from \nme. I was swerved around so that I faced Mrs. Moody and \nwas seated on only a third of the chair. Though everyone \nsaw me moving, no one saw any figure or apparition back of \nme. I had just resumed my position when I felt a hand move \nacross my back as though some one were reaching by me to \nMrs. Moody. Mrs. Hall, too, felt some one touch her on \nthe back. \n\nThere was a series of remarkable kicks in the cabinet \u2014 z \nnoise like the pounding of a horse's hoof in a near-by stable \nin the dead of night. No man could have produced it. It \nwas made apparently within the fiber of the wood. And here \nthe synchronism between the convulsive workings of the me- \ndium's muscles and the manifestations was marked. Mrs* \n\n\n\n124 Eusapia Palla3ino \n\nHall felt Mme. Palladino's foot thrust forward with great \nforce, in time with each kick in the cabinet behind her. \n\nProfessor Bottazzi here said that he was surprised at our \ncalmness. We ought to get more excited. We ought to \ntalk more \u2014 to demand manifestations. We should select \nsome one thing and then clamor for it. Supposing, for in- \nstance\u00bb we tried to lift the empty chair to the table. \n\nSo we tried. \n\nMme. Palladino asked us to set our minds on the task. \nWe did. We all talked at one time. We called out de- \nmands that the chair be lifted. The noise became a veritable \nbabel. Mme. Palladino's hands worked OMivulsively \u2014 \nthough held by us \u2014 as if in an effort to lift the chair. And \nup it came \u2014 a foot or so from the floor, giving the impres- \nsion of a magnet's work. Then, as if the magnet's power \nhad failed, the chair dropped to the floor and rocked back \nto its normal position. Twice, three times, four times we \ntried, but the lifting power was not strong enough. After \na few moments, however, with amazing swiftness the chair \ncame on to the table \u2014 ^and.lay on its back. It seemed in- \ncredible. We made several efforts to will the chair to an \nupright position, but in that we did not succeed. \n\nMme. Palladino here spoke to Professor Bottazzi in a \nhalf-querulous voice. \"She is complaining of the circle,\" he \nsaid. \"She says it is a poor one and does not help her.\" I \nrealized the truth of her complaint. The circle was un- \nwieldy in numbers ; having no common language was a serious \nhandicap ; Mme. Palladino had been ill for two months and \nwas far from strong; three of our party knew nothing of \npsychics; Dr. Moody had come to the meeting under pro- \ntest and in utter scorn of it all. There were a dozen reasons \nwhy the circle was of small potency. \n\nThe blowing out of the curtain was a frequent occurrence, \nand those nearest the cabinet felt often a cool breeze \u2014 as \nthough a window had been thrown open. \"Has anyone \nnoticed a light above Mme. Palladino's head ?\" inquired Dr. \nBottazzi. We all turned to him. \"There it is now,\" called \nMrs. Hall, and we all turned quickly back. But it had gone. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 125 \n\n\"Let's will It back,\" suggested some one, and we set up a \nclamor demanding it It came at once \u2014 a pear-shaped light \nabout six inches above the medium's head. I did not see it, \nbut every other member of the circle did. It appeared to \nthem like a faint electric light shining through a ground-glass \nbulb. At the same time Mme. Palladino's face was illumi- \nnated. Her skin shone as though phosphorescent. \n\nIt was now twelve o'clock and we brc^e up the circle. We \narose, turned on the white electric light, and I walked around \nthe table. Professor Bottazzi then took Mme. Palladino*s \nhand \u2014 ^in bright light and with no cirde \u2014 and produced \nsharp raps. He beat her hand toward the table, stopping \nshort when within twelve inches of the top\u2014 and a rap would \ncome from under the table. Most of the phenomena had \nbeen synchronous with her movements, but these raps would \nfollow a perceptible moment after the beat of the finger. \n\nI have been often asked if I was convinced. I can see no \nother alternative than acceptance of the phenomena. Only \none of the main phenomena took place entirely in the cabi- \nnet; only one other important one \u2014 the moving of the candle- \nstick \u2014 originated in the cabinet. All the rest of the mani- \nfestations occurred in the room and in clear light. There \ncould not possibly have been any preparations in the labora- \ntory that would not have been visible to us. Had Mme. \nPalladino used paraphernalia for trickery, we should have \nbeen able to see it when the manifestations were in process \u2014 \nfor it was light enough for that. On these points we are \nall agreed. \n\nI asked Professor Bottazzi about the chances of fake. He \nwas as impatient of the subject as he had been of spiritual- \nism. He had had trained scientific men to help him in his \nexperiments. Many people had been present at the various \nseances. The phenomena had been established in utter final- \nity. But they had led nowhere. He had reached only a \ncircle of phenomena. He had \"come face to a blank wall.\" \nHe was through \u2014 for the present, anyway. \n\nProfessor Bottazzi's assistant brought Mme. Palladino a \ncup of strong coffee. She seemed dazed and in real distress* \n\n\n\n126 Eusapia Palladino \n\nWhere she had been gracious before, she now seemed hardly \nto reah'ze our presence. She showed many of the symptoms \nof a person in dire seasickness. She looked old and seamed \nand yellow. She seemed to have little strength left. She \ndrank a little coffee, placed the cup on a shelf, crossed the \nroom to the window opening on the garden, and vomited. \nProfessor Bottazzi said she was always weak and nauseated \nafter a sitting. We all stood about, and I, for one, felt like \na guilty child. It seemed wrong that we should have caused \nthis woman such sickness just to satisfy our curiosity and \ninterest in psychical experiments. I gained an added respect \nfor her from the thought of all she had been doing for \nyears at so heavy a cost, in her sittings for the various sci- \nentists. We waited perhaps twenty minutes and then said \nour farewell to Mme. Palladino \u2014 a farewell which she re- \nturned with a limp hand and an indifference strangely in \ncontrast with her early greetings. Madame went out first. \nAs we left the building, we passed her, leaning heavily on \nthe arm of her husband, who had been waiting for her out- \nside; dragging herself slowly and painfully along the nar- \nrow lane which leads to one of those wonderful streets of \nsteps in Naples \u2014 ^which, in turn, gives on the larger street \nwhere the carriage waited. \n\nGiLMAN Hall. \n\n\n\nNotes on the Palladino Stance \nLocation: \n\nAn ordinary biochemical laboratory, practically unfur- \nnished, with a cement floor and a few shelves, in the Uni- \nversity of Naples. Two double doors \u2014 both leading into \nother laboratories equipped for regular preparative work, one \ndoor \u2014 that by which we had entered \u2014 ^left ajar all the even- \ning, with the room beyond well lighted ; the other door shut \nand locked in my presence \u2014 ^af ter I had thoroughly examined \nthe rooms \u2014 ^and the key put into Professor Bottazzi's pocket. \nThis latter door was midway through an alcove, mdcing a \nrecess about two feet deep on our side of it, the recess cur- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 127 \n\ntained off with a simple black cheesecloth curtain. Across \nthe back, behind the curtain, a shelf eight to ten inches wide. \nEquipment: \n\nTen rush-bottom chairs ; a large plate containing clay on \nan unoccupied chair two feet from Palladino; a plain deal \ntable \u2014 no drawer (could see under it, a pedestal five \nfeet high; two wall shelves a foot wide; one red electric \nbracket lamp; and one. portable white lamp on wall shelf. \nProcedure : \n\nCircle formed and all held hands lightly. Those at the \ntwo horns of circle held Palladino's hands and kept their \nfeet and knees against hers. Later she extended her legs \nso that second sitters beyond guarded her feet. Her move- \nments always kept under absolutely perfect surveillance. \nWhite lamp burned at first, later screened, after five minutes \nor so extinguished. This left full power red lamp; later, \nreceiving five raps for less light, this was screened with two \nhandkerchiefs. Eyes accustomed themselves to dim light \u2014 \nall could see even the expressions on others' faces. \nPhenomena: \n\nAlmost imperceptible tingling through hands \u2014 comparable \nto feeble current. Table began to rear almost at once, at \nfirst with Palladino's hands on it, but soon with no hand \nwhatever touching it. Maximum height of elevation about \neighteen inches. Always descended with violence, not as \nif falling but as if thrown down, with noisy clatter. I pushed \nit down myself once; required from three to five pounds' \npressure to overcome elevation. Fiber of table trembled, \nquivered. All in full light. Got usual one, two, three, four, \nfive knocks at will at any time upon request. Their signifi- \ncance seemed slight except as directions for more or less light, \nor a request to talk among ourselves. Instead of diminish- \ning Palladino's power by talking, during utterly inconsequen- \ntial conversation fine results came. This points to possibility \nof desire to distract attention of observer until object is \npractically accomplished. If so, in our case this was not suc- \ncessful ; we were continuously alert. Doubt if this were in- \ntended, as conditions absolutely gave no chance for fraud \n\n\n\n128 Eusapia Palladino \n\nand because at all times when we concentrated our minds on \nwhat we wished done, the end was reached more quickly. \nFor example, appearance of phosphorescent luminosity in \npear-shaped form about a foot above Palladino's head. Part \nof the time her face was mildly luminous. Afterwards Pro- \nfessor Bottazzi rather discredited this, but it was apparent \nenough to me. \n\nPhenomena of telekinesis were wonderful. Candlestick \nand candle came through opening between curtains and pro- \nceeded in a leisurely way in a sort of parabolic trajectory \nand fell rather violently on edge of table and into Mrs. \nMoody's lap. Plate containing ball of clay rose from chair \na foot from corner of table and dropped to table top with \na violent bang. Nearly everything on shelf in recess was \nnoisily thrown down and, queerly enough, directly under \nthe shelf \u2014 not on the floor in front of it. Cool draughts de- \nveloped, an \"arm\" appeared around the side of the curtain \nat a height of about six feet. Mr. Hall's chair was al- \nmost pulled from under him, a hand touched Mrs. Hall's \nback, and after various slight excursions across the floor \nthe unoccupied chair finally rose and lay on its back on \nthe table, then moved off on to the floor. Door behind \ncurtain was hit several hard blows resembling kick of a \nhorse. \n\nAfter the circle was broken, and in full light, Professor \nBottazzi held Palladino's hand and moved her finger tip \nthrough space of about an inch. The finger never got nearer \nthan six inches from the table, and yet there was a distinct \nknock as if a force were propelled from finger and struck \nthe table directly underneath. This was done in various \nparts of the table. \n\nImportant to observe that all kicks, noises, and movements \nwere synchronous with spasmodic movements of Palladino's \nmuscles. Also phenomena were preceded and accompanied \nby signs of hysteria, coughs, and unusual noises. Palladino \nmuch exhausted after sitting, had active nausea, and no \nstrength to leave until twenty minutes after the end of the \nsitting. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 129 \n\nConclusion: \n\nG)nsidering the sort of phenomena that I am accustomed \nto observe, my preconceived opinions were at variance with \nthese facts, but I had to accept what I saw. \n\nHbrbert R. Moody, Ph.D. \n\n\n\n{ ai. Report of the Psychological Institute^ Paris, 1908 \n\nOne of the latest reports on the mediumship of Eusapia \nPalladino is that issued by the \"Institut General Psycholo- \ngique,\" of Paris, which appeared in November, 1908, under \nthe signature of M. Jules Q)urtier, Secretary of the Insti- \ntute. It is based on four series of elaborate experiments, \ncarried out during the years 1905, 1906, 1907, and 1908. \nThe Report is divided into two parts, the whole of one part \nbeing devoted to photographs of phenomena \u2014 levitations, \netc, of the seance room, apparatus, the medium herself, \ngraphic tracings of the phenomena, etc. \n\nThe text of the Report is roughly divided into four parts: \n(i) A description of the phenomena themselves ; (2) psycho- \nphysiological studies of the medium; (3) exploration of the \nphysical conditions in the vicinity of the medium; and (4) \ncritical considerations. I shall give a brief resume of these, \nin turn. \n\nThe chief sitters at the seances held in Paris under the \nsupervision of the Institute were \u2014 in addition to M. Jules \nCourtier \u2014 M. d'Arsonval, Professor at the College de \nFrance; MM. Ballet, Richet, Perrin, Bergen, and Mme. \nCurie \u2014 ^all professors at the University of Paris; M. Char- \npentier, professor at the Nancy Lyceum ; M. Debieme, prin- \ncipal at the Sorbonne, and M. Yourievitch, Secretary to the \nRussian Ambassador at Paris. \n\n\n\n130 Eusapia Palladino \n\nParticular attention was paid throu^out to obtaining \ntracings of the phenomena by the graphic method. Many \nillustrations of such tracings are given in the illustrated por- \ntion of the report. \n\nRaps are first considered, and numerous cases are cited in \nwhich these were obtained. I quote two of these cases, by \nway of illustrating the manner in which the phenomena were \nrecorded. \n\n\"Eusapia says that she wishes to hit the table with her \nhead; she bends her head three times over the table, and \nthree strong blows are heard in the table. (Controllers: On \nthe left, Mme. Curie; on the right, M. Dcbieme.)\" \n\n\"At other times, the blows were heard in the table at the \ndemand of the controllers and as many times as the con- \ntrollers asked for them. (Controllers: On the left, M. \nCurie; on the right, M. Charles Richet.)\" \n\nPartial and complete levitations of the table are then con- \nsidered. I quote from an excellent summary of thicse phe- \nnomena in The Annals of Psychical Science (July-Septem- \nber, 1909): \n\n\"The two hands, feet, and knees of Eusapia being con- \ntrolled, the table is raised suddenly, all four feet leaving the \nground; then two and again four feet; Eusapia closes her \nfists, and holds them toward the table, which is then com- \npletely raised from the floor five times in succession, five \nraps being also given. It is again completely raised, while \neach of Eusapia's hands is on the head of a sitter. It is \nraised to the height of one foot from the floor and suspended \nin the air for seven seconds while Eusapia kept her hand on \nthe table and a lighted candle was placed under the table; \nit was completely raised to a height of ten inches from the \nfloor and suspended in the air for four seconds, M. Curie \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 131 \n\nonly having his hand on the table, Eusapia's hand being placed \non top of his. It was completely raised when M. Curie had \nhis hand on Eusapia's knees and Eusapia had one hand on \nthe table and the other on M. Curie's head, her two feet \ntied to the chair on which she was sitting. . . .\" \n\nWooden cones or tubes were then applied to the table \nlegs, resembling those used by us (see p. 180), but the \ntable was several times levitated to such a height that it \ncame completely out of the \"sheaths.\" An electrical arrange- \nment was then affixed to the legs of the table. Had a foot \nbeen introduced under the table leg3, it would have been \ninstantly discovered by means of signals. Yet, in spite of \nthese precautions, the table continued to be levitated, but \nno contact was registered by the electrical apparatus. \n\nIt was noted that the mediimi became heavier by the weight \nof the table when the table was levitated, showing that the \nfulcrum of the force was the subject herself. Yet she was \nenabled^ to voluntarily reduce her weight on another occa- \nsion \u2014 a phenomenon that has been noted years before at \nMilan (pp. 30-31). \n\nBulgings or swellings of the curtains and of the medium's \ndress were noted. M. Curie suggested that this force might \nbe directed by some mechanical means toward a distant ob- \nject. Accordingly, at the next seance a wooden frame was \nbrought, which, it was hoped, might effect this. \"It dis- \npleased Eusapia, who criticised it severely: it was strongly \nshaken and finally destroyed. When this occurred, Eusapia \nwas controlled by M. Curie on the left, M. Richet on the \nright, and her two feet by M. Youricvitch.\" \n\nVarious heavy objects were seen to be moved without ap- \nparent cause; particularly a small, three-legged wooden \ntable, which went backward and forward at Eusapia's com- \n\n\n\n132 Eusapia Palladino \n\nmand. When this was happening, Eusapia's feet were tied \nby laces to the legs of her chair, and her wrists tied to those \nof her controllers. The following remarkable incident then \noccurred, which I quote verbatim: \n\n\"M. Ballet holds Eusapia's two hands. M. d'Arsonval \nhas placed his arm on the stool. Eusapia tells M. d'Arson- \nval to try to raise the stool. He tries to do so, but finds it \nvery difficult. Eusapia leans he^ elbow on the stool, then \nshe removes it, and asks M. d'Arsonval to raise it again. \nM. d'Arsonval cannot succeed. *One would think it nailed \nto the ground,* said he. Eusapia again places her elbow on \nthe stool, and M. d'Arsonval raises it then with difficulty. \nSome minutes afterwards, Eusapia says to the stool, 'Be \nlight !* and M. d'Arsonval raises it then still more easily.\" \n\nFollowing these cases, instances are given of touches by \nhands; lights, which formed and disappeared suddenly, etc. \nDescriptions are given of the various lights \u2014 for the details \nof which I must refer the reader to the report itself. \n\nThe second portion of the Report is devoted to a psycho- \nphysiological study of the medium. It is of interest primar- \nily to the medical man and to the psychologist. Her re- \naction times, memory of colors, memory of figures, optical \nillusions, powers of mental calculation, etc, were tested, and \nare accurately recorded in the Report. Experiments testing \nher sensibility at a distance yielded negative results \u2014 ^which \nfact is of interest, in view of the theories of the phenomena \nadvanced by some who have studied them. She is very sensi- \ntive to the muscular movements of her controllers during the \nseance. Her strength was also tested with a dynamometer \n\u2014 ^with varying results. \n\nThe investigators next wished to test the effect upon phy- \nsical instruments of Eusapia's \"fluid.\" Alterations in weight \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 133 \n\nwere noted; a depression of a recording scale, of a Roman \nscale, and a cocoon weigher. The depression of a letter \nweigher seemed to yield uncertain results. Eusapia suc- \nceeded in discharging at a distance three electroscopes of \ndifferent construction, but she was not able to charge the \nelectroscope by means of the cold breeze coming from the \nscar in her skull. No phenomena of ionization were observed. \n\n'^Sonorous Waves. A glass placed in full light between \nher hands, at a distance of three millimeters, was made to \nvibrate without apparent contact, as though a moist finger \nhad been placed on the edge; then followed the rhythm \nof her hands, which began to tremble in a jerky manner; it \nglided forward and backward, fell on to the table and \nbroke.\" \n\nThe whole of the second part is devoted to a critical dis- \ncussion of the evidence, and need not be summarized here. \nDetails of the control of the hands and the feet are given ; \nand it is stated \u2014 ^what all investigators of Eusapia's medium- \nship know only too well \u2014 ^that she objects to certain kinds \nof control. A long discussion of her fraud then follows, \nand several instances are given where Eusapia was caught \nin the act of trickery. Her frauds are, unfortunately, only \ntoo well known, and it is unnecessary to dwell upon them \nhere. Skepticism exists in the minds of the majority, in \nany case; and it would be unnecessary to accentuate it by \nrecitals of fraud. If the reality of the phenomena were \nreally in doubt, it might be justifiable to do so; but when \nthere is no longer any doubt as to the reality of the phe- \nnomena, it would be misleading to emphasize, unduly, the \nsmall amount of fraud that had been practised in her seances \nin the past. There has been a certain amount of fraud; \nthat is certain. But I am convinced that this amount is very \n\n\n\n134 Eusapia Palladino \n\nsmall indeed-\u2014 compared with the vast mass of the phenomena \nthat have been observed in the past. It may be said in this \nconnection that various experiments conducted with the ob- \nject of duplicating the phenomena by fraudulent means, re- \nsulted, in almost every case, in complete failure. \n\n\n\n$ 33. Miscellaneous Cases Illustrative of the Phenomena \n\nIn the August and September (1907) issues of The \nAnnals of Psychical Science, Dr. Joseph Venzano, a dis- \ntinguished doctor of Genoa, gathered together a number of \nremarkable instances under the heading: \"A Contribution to \nthe Study of Materializations.\" I have referred to one of \nhis cases on pp. 283-84 when elaborating my own explanatory \ntheory of the facts, and shall give here merely a resume \nof his cases, which are partly original and partly gathered \nfrom other sources. \"It is certain,\" he says, \"that a large \nproportion of mediumistic phenomena suggest the interven- \ntion of a conscious entity, who, whatever may be its origin, \nis able to objectify itself in such a manner as to acquire \nthe character of a materialized form.\" He excludes, how- \never, from this category, levitations and similar phenomena, \napparently due to a blind force. \n\nThe first incident referred to by Dr. Venzano is that \nwhich occurred at the house of M. Alfredo Verisso, at Genoa. \nIn full light, it will be observed, the following incident \ntook place: \n\n\"When the seance had just begun, and while the room \nwas still lighted by an electric lamp of sixteen-candle power, \na very important phenomenon was observed, namely, a trum- \npet was distinctly heard playing inside the cabinet, at diiF- \nf erent distances from the ground, so that all heard it. Shortly \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 135 \n\nafterwards M. Brignola called the attention of the ex- \nperimenters toward the ceiling, where the trumpet appeared \nsuspended in the air between the two curtains, and a little \nbehind them, at a height of not less than a yard above the \nmedium's head. It was placed transversely, with the open- \ning toward the right side, on which I was seated, and the \nother extremity toward my wife, who had taken her place \nopposite to me and to the left of Eusapia. The hands of the \nlatter were lying motionless on the table, controlled by ours, \nand perfectly visible to everybody. After a time the trumpet \nwithdrew, and in retiring it again emitted various sounds \nseveral times.\" \n\nAt a seance held at the Minerva Club, May 22, 1900, \nand attended by Professors Morselli, Porro, and a number \nof distinguished men and women, the following incident \noccurred : \n\n\"The control was more strict than ever. The guitar sus- \npended on the wall was heard to move. It was unfastened \nand carried in the air ; it passed round the table, rapped re- \npeatedly on the head of Professor Porro, and finally stopped \non the table. A little later it rose to the height of more \nthan a yard, and again began hovering round the heads of \nthe sitters before returning to the table. The tambourine, \nwhich, as we have said, was placed on a chair in the cabinet, \nalso moved. At one time the guitar rose up again, and \nmoved about in the air at the same time as the tambourine. \nThis time the guitar went very high up, and. it was distinctly \nseen crossing the room at the level of the top of the curtain^ \n{more than ten feet from the floor) followed by a streak \nof light, due probably to the reflection of the light of the \ncandle coming from the anteroom and falling on the back \nof the guitar itself > The control remained very strict. Sud- \ndenly a bulky object was heard to be placed on the table, \nand by the dim light it was seen to come from the corner \nof the room to the left of the medium. Dr. Venzano, who \nwas at the end of the table farthest from the medium, was \n\n\n\n136 Eusapia Palladino \n\nable to see this bulky object rise in the air, from the left \ncorner of the room, pass over the head of Professor Mor- \nselli and place itself on the large table in front of him. It \nwas found that this object was the largp No. 6 *Barlock' \ntypewriter, weighing thirty pounds. Soon afterwards the \nseance was closed on account of the lateness of the hour/' \n\nThree days later, in the same place, the following incident \ntook place, which certainly is remarkable in character: \n\n\"Suddenly Professors Morselli and Porro perceived that \nEusapia had been raised, along with her chair, and carried \nup to a level above that of the surface of the table, upon \nwhich she redescended in such a way that her feet and the \ntwo front legs of the chair rested on the surface of the table, \nwhich was partially broken. Meanwhile the medium \nmoaned, as if intensely frightened, and asked to be put back \nwith her chair on the floor. But almost instantly she was \ncarried up again with the chair, and this levitation \nlasted some seconds, so that M. de Albertis and Professor \nPorro, without preconcerted arrangement and with com- \npletely simultaneous thought, succeeded in passing their \nhands under the feet of the medium and of the chair. Short- \nly afterwards Eusapia, still seated, redescended on to the \ntable ; she was held by those to right and left of her, the chair \nwas pushed or thrown down backward on to the floor; and \nthe medium, seized by several of those present, while still \nmoaning was carried to the floor and seated again in her \nplace.\" \n\nThe above is taken from the report made at the time, and \nwe are glad to confirm it by a few brief remarks from Pro- \nfessor Porro, in which this distinguished astronomer clearly \nexpresses the impressions made on him by this incident. \nReferring to the levitation of Eusapia along with her chair, \nhe writes : \n\n\"It was a moment of great anxiety and amazement. The \nlevitation was accomplished without blow or shaking, swift- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 137 \n\nly, but not by jerks. In other words, if one wished, by \ndint of supreme distrust, to imagine that this result had \nbeen obtained by artifice, one should have to suppose a \npull from above (by means of a cord and a pulley) rather \nthan a push from below. But neither of these hypotheses \nwill btand the most elementary examination of the facts. \nPalladino was actually drawn up and sustained in a posi- \ntion absolutely contrary to static laws, by an invisible \nforce, inexplicable in the present state of our knowledge \nof physics.\" \n\nProfessor Lombroso, in his interesting book. After Death \n\u2014 What? (pp. 69-70), tells the following incident which \noccurred at one seance at which Professor Morselli was \npresent. He says in part: \n\n\"At the sitting of the 26th, Morselli having taken a place \nin the chain, Madame Palladino remarked suddenly that she \nperceived a young man who came from a distance, and, after \nbeing questioned, specified *from Palermo'; and afterwards \nsaid 'portrait made in the sun.' Whereupon Massaro re- \nmarked that he had in his letter-case a photograph of his \nson taken out-of-doors (in the country). At the same time \nhe was aware of being sharply tapped on the breast at the \nvery spot where he had that picture of his son, and felt him- \nself kissed twice on the right cheek through the curtain that \nhung near him; and the kisses were followed by very arch \ncaresses, though most delicate withal. Then all of a sudden \nthe significant touches were repeated, but this time by a hand \nthat insinuated itself with eager movements into the inside \npocket of the coat just where the letter<ase was. This it \nopened just at the compartment that held the portrait. Dur- \ning the second appearance caresses and kisses were held back \nat first; then he felt himself seized round the body, drawn \nnear the curtain, and repeatedly kissed. Finally there was \nprojected on the curtain the apparition of a head bound with \na white bandage \u2014 a head which he recognized as that of his \nson. . . \n\n\n\n138 Eusapia Palladino \n\nThe materializations generally seen at Eusapia's seances \nare those of heads and faces, and very rarely does the full \nform manifest \u2014 particularly of late years. Usually, also, \nthe form is felt through the curtain, and it issues from be- \nhind their shelter and advances into the room but seldom. \nNevertheless, the materializations are unmistakable. The \nhands and faces may be felt, and on more than one occasion \nthey have been grasped and found to melt in the experi- \nmenter's hands. These bodies, which appear to be real \nhuman beings, or at least parts of human beings, some- \ntimes show themselves directly, and have the consistency of \nflesh. Occasionally, also, the medium carries the sitters' \nhands to the materialized face, and allows them to touch \nit, both behind the curtain and when exposed. Dr. Ven- \nzano, M. Barzini, Professor Bottazzi, and others, have all \nasserted that these hands, if grasped, will melt away, as \ndid the so-called spirit hands observed by Sir William \nCrookes, in the presence of D. D. Home. \n\nThe following incidents are typical of the materializa- \ntions that occur in the presence of Eusapia. The first in- \ncident occurred in the same series of seances, at the Minerva \nClub, from which some of the previous incidents have been \nquoted, and is taken from Dr. Venzano's original report : \n\n\"The Cavaliere Perctti having approached the curtain, \nhe felt himself suddenly grasped by a band which gently \npressed his own. This hand, as everyone could see, came \nfrom the interior of the cabinet, keeping itself all the time \ncovered by the curtain, and its form was distinctly recogniz- \nable under the curtain. This unexpected occurrence excited \nthe curiosity of those present, who, in turn, o\u00a3Fered their \nhands and received in the same way an a\u00a3Fectionate pressure. \nProfessor MorselH, for the second time, and M. Ferraro, \nwho until then had stood apart, put forward their hands at the \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 139 \n\nsame moment, but the desired phenomenon was not pro- \nduced again. Dr. Venzano and M. Schmolz, who had ap- \nproached the medium while the phenomenon was being re- \npeated, were able, while the curtain swelled out, to turn \ntheir attention to the interior of the cabinet, which was en- \ntirely empty, except for the chair and the lump of clay, while \noutside could be seen the relief, formed in the texture of \nthe curtain, of the hand which grasped those of the sitters.\" \n\nAt a later series, held in July, 1905, at the house of \nM. Berisso, the following incident occurred, and is reported \nby M. Berisso thus: \n\n\"At a certain moment, within the cabinet, in which a \nbottle full of water and a glass had been placed on a chair, \na noise was heard, evidently caused by these objects being \nknocked against each other. Shortly afterwards we heard \nthe sound of water being poured from the bottle into the \ntumbler, and almost at once the curtain was shaken and \na hand covered by the curtain placed the glass of water on \nthe table in front of Mme. Palladino. Meanwhile the left \nhand of Dr. Venzano and the right hand of Mme. Berisso \nwere distinctly seen on the table, holding the hands of the \nmedium. As soon as the glass had been placed on the table, \nEusapia expressed a desire to drink. We did not think it \nadvisable to let her do so, knowing by long experience that \nthis might result in nausea and vomiting. She persisted in \nher request and we still refused it. \n\n\"Eusapia became nervous and excited. Suddenly the right \nside of the curtain swelled out and partly covered the fore- \narm of the medium, which was controlled by Dr. Venzano. \nShortly afterwards my wife. Dr. Venzano, and I distinctly \nsaw a hand and an arm covered by a dark sleeve issue from \nthe front and upper part of the right shoulder of the me- \ndium. This arm, making its way above the free end of the \nside of the curtain which was on the table, seized the glass \nand carried it to Eusapia's mouth ; she leaned back and drank \neagerly. After that the arm replaced the glass on the table, \n\n\n\n(140 Eusapia Palladino \n\nland v^e saw it withdraw rapidly and disappear as if it \nreturned into the shoulder from which we had seen it \nissue. \n\n\"Dr. Venzano, who did not let the smallest detail of this \nphenomenon escape him, asked the sitters whether they also \nhad seen the arm, which seized the glass, issue from Eusapia's \nshoulder. My wife and I confirmed this fact. M. Bozzano, \nwho sat at the end of the table opposite to that at which \nthe medium was seated, affirmed that, for his part, he had \nseen a black mass detach itself from Eusapia's shoulder, and \nshortly afterwards advance under the side of the curtain \nlying on the table ; the arm ended in a hand of living flesh \nwhich seized the glass; he was at once seized with the con- \nviction that this was a case of a double, and he was about \nto communicate this impression to those present, when he \nwas prevented by the exclamation of Dr. Venzano. Mile. \nVenzano and Dr. Gellona, on account of the position which \nthey occupied, were not able to observe the first part of this \nphenomenon. It should be noted that during the period of \nthe production of the whole of this phenomenon, Eusapia's \nhands were under control and did not cease for a single \nmoment to rest on the table, visible to everybody.\" \n\nThe next report is taken from a seance which occurred on \nthe evening of December 27, 1901, in the rooms of the Miner- \nva Club. I quote from the report: \n\n\"At this moment there were fresh and repeated appear- \nances of a child's hand, previously mentioned, above the \nhead of Eusapia. It was a little hand, evidently a right \nhand of the color of pink flesh, with tiny fingers, somewhat \nlong and thin, which might belong to a child of seven years \nold. These appearances were so numerous that it was im- \npossible to count them. The little hand sometimes showed \nthe palm, sometimes the back. At times it was seen with \nthe tips of the fingers upward, at other times with the tips \npointing downward, and it often moved with a gesture of \nsalutation. Sometimes it remained visible for a very short \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 141 \n\ntime, sometimes for about ten seconds. Dr. Venzana and \nM. Vassallo, who was seated on his left, got up, and with- \nout breaking the chain of the control, they bent toward the \ncurtain, so that they were able to observe it at a distance of \na few inches only. Dr. Venzano expressed a desire to be \ntouched by it, and almost at once the little hand approached, \nwith its fingers in front, and stroked his cheeks repeatedly, \nso that the doctor felt the warm touch. At a certain mo- \nment, the little hand seized his nose and two fingers pulled \nit gpntly, then took the lobe of his right ear and pressed it \nwith a certain amount of force. \n\n\"The medium was awakened. The little hand retired, \nand after a few moments it reappeared with another little \nhand, the latter being certainly a left hand. As they ap- \npeared, the two hands parted the curtains, then disappeared \nand reappeared several times. The phenomena ceased for \nabout a minute, during which M. Vassallo and Dr. Venzano \nsat down again. Suddenly, while the medium continued \nawake, and kept her hands, visible to everyone, on the table \nand under strict control on the part of those sitting next \nto her, on the right and left, the curtain swelled out, and a \nhand much greater in bulk and in dimensions than that of Eu- \nsapia, and at the same level as the small hands previously \ndescribed, came out of the opening between the two cur- \ntains, seized the head of the medium and drew it violently \nbackward. The medium alarmed, tried to free herself, and \nbegan to cry out for help to the sitters. But the hand did \nnot let go of her head and continued to drag it forcibly \nbackward, as if to carry it into the cabinet. At a certain \nmoment the hand withdrew but it reappeared almost at \nonce, along with another hand. The two hands, like the \nformer ones, by the disposition of their thumbs, were mani- \nfestly right and left hands and by the identity of their char- \nacters seemed to belong to the same person, this time \napparently a man. While Mme. Palladino cried out and pro- \ntested, they seized her on both sides of her head, and con- \ntinued to drag it backward so that it twice disappeared into \nthe cabinet and was covered by the curtain,\" \n\n\n\n(142 Eusapia Palladino \n\nThe following incidents are related by M. Amaldo Vas- \nsalloy In his work, Nel Monda delgi Invisibilu The seances \ntook place in the rooms of the Minerva Club, in December, \n1901. The report reads: \n\n\"When the room had been darkened, M. Vassallo felt \nhimself seized from behind by two arms, which embraced \nhim affectionately, while two hands with long, thin fingers \npressed and caressed his head. Meanwhile a head, ap- \nparently belonging to a young person, approached his face \nand kissed him repeatedly, so that those present could dis- \ntinctly hear the sound of the kisses. While the phenomenon \nwas being produced, the head of Eusapia, who was com- \npletely entranced, rested on the right shoulder of Mme. \nRamorino. \n\n\"M. Vassallo asked the name of the entity who manifested, \nand at once the table began to move, and gave by typtology \nthe word: Romano. M. Vassallo then remarked that this \nwas one of the three names of his only son, usually called \nNaldino, whcMn he had lost a few years before, when he was \nbarely seventeen years of age. He added that this name was \nunknown even by some of his near relatives. \n\n\"He continued his interrogations. Having asked for a \nproof of identity, a finger passed inside his jacket and rested \nagainst his inner pocket, in which, said M. Vassallo, there \nwas a pocketbook containing the portrait of his son. \n\n\"M. Vassallo persisted in asking for more complete evi- \ndence and, if it were possible, a visible manifestation. The \ntable replied affirmatively, and by typtology asked that semi- \ndarkness might be made, which was done by placing a \nlighted candle on the floor of the anteroom adjoining. In \nthis way a very feeble light was produced, but sufficient to \nmake it possible to distinguish the faces of Mme. Palladino \nand the experimenters. Eusapia, still in a state of profound \ntrance, kept her head, as before, resting on Mme. Ramorino's \nshoulder. Suddenly, Dr. Venzano, who was seated almost \nopposite to Mme. Ramorino, saw a vaporous mass rise be- \ntween her and Eusapia; it was of an oblong form, gradually \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 143 \n\ncondensing at the top into a pear-shaped formation of the \nsize of a human head, on which appeared successively a very \nabundant growth of hair, and the eyes, nose, and mouth of \na human face. Dr. Venzano, in order to assure himself of \nthe phenomenon, got up, and was about to communicate \nhis impressions, when Cavaliere Erba and Professor Porro, \nwho were beside Mme. Ramorino, exclaimed at the same \ntime: *A profile, a profile!* M. Vassallo, who, in expecta- \ntion of the apparition of a materialized form, was looking \ntoward the back of the room, which, on account of the light \ncoming from the anteroom, was somewhat better illumi- \nnated, turned toward the cabinet and was also able to see the \nhead, which advanced repeatedly over the table in his di- \nrection, and then dissolved. The small white electric lamp \nwas lit up. Dr. Venzano traced with a pencil on a piece of \npaper a sketch representing the form he had seen, and at \nthe same time M. Vassallo, who was very clever at drawing, \nreproduced with much accuracy the head in profile of his \nlost son. Then he showed the photograph in his pocket- \nbook to those present. The points of resemblance between \nthe face which appeared, and the sketches drawn by M. Vas- \nsallo, and Dr. Venzano and the portrait in M. Varsallo's \npossession were then recognized with lively surprise. In \nfact, the outlines of the head, and its pear-shaped aspect, \nproduced by the very abundant hair above the oval face with \nthe thinness of youth, corresponded marvelously. M. Ramor- \nino, from his position behind Dr. Venzano, and M. Vassallo, \nboth standing, and consequently shutting out his view, de- \nclared that he had not seen the apparition; also Mme. Ra- \nmorino, seated somewhat on one side, and in front of the \napparition, said she had not observed it either.\" \n\nThe second incident is also remarkably interesting. M. Vas- \nsallo, after being touched several times by a hand, and his scarf \npin having been gently removed by it, felt himself suddenly \nseized under the armpits by two hands which lifted him up, \nobliged him to stand upright, and drew him about two paces \n\n\n\nI44< Eusapia Palladino \n\nfrom the circle and behind his own chair. That is to say, \nmore than a yard away from the medium. Under these cir- \ncumstances, M. Vassallo, in order not to lose the hand of the \nmedium, passed it from his right hand into his own left \nhand, in contact with that of Dr. Venzano \u2014 so that Eusa- \npia, remaining motionless, was under the vigilant observa- \ntion of three controllers. \n\n\"Then M. Vassallo felt a himian body, of about his own \nheight, leaning on his left shoulder, and a face, which, in his \nopinion, had the character of the deceased Naldino, remained \nfor sometime pressed against his face. He then received re- \npeated kisses, the sound of which everyone could hear; and \nmeanwhile, broken sentences were heard, uttered in a soft \nvoice, which replied to the repeated questions of M. Vas- \nsallo. Dr. Venzano, getting up without abandoning the \ncontrol, advanced in the direction of the voice, and suc- \nceeded in hearing several words pronounced in the Genoese \ndialect, among which were the words: 'Caro Papa' The \nconversation between M. Vassallo and the entity lasted for \nsometime, until after the sound of a kiss, Dr. Venzano suc- \nceeded in catching this sentence : 'Questo e per la mamma.* \n(This for mamma.) \n\n\"Almost at once the materialized form disappeared, and \nthe table requested, by raps, that the light might be raised. \nAs soon as the white electric light had been lit, there was \nseen advancing toward M. Vassallo, who was still standing \nup, a human form enveloped in the curtain of the cabinet, \nwhich embraced him, while a hand, also covered by the cur- \ntain, seized that of M. Vassallo and held it for sometime. \n\n\"The medium remained all the time motionless in the. \nchair, her hands in contact with those of the controllers.\" \n\nThe next incident is quoted from the minutes of the sit- \nting which took place in the rooms of the Minerva Club, \non the evening of December 29, 1900, in the presence of \n\n\n\n\nMme. Eusapia Pallacliiio seated at our Seance table, in Italy. \nBehind her are seen the black curtains of the cabinet ; to her richt, \nthe locked door leading to Mr. Baggally's room. Directly in front \nof her is the Seance table, and beneath it is the small stool, referred \nto on several occasions. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 145 \n\nProfessors Morselli, Porro, and other eminent investigators. \nThe account reads in part as follows: \n\n\"Suddenly, Dr. Venzano, who held the medium with his \nleft hand, she resting her head, visible to all, on the shoulder \nof Professor Porro, saw forming to his left, at about a hand's \nbreadth from his face, as it were a globular, vaporous, whitish \nmass, which condensed into a more decided form, that of an \noval, which gradually assumed the aspect of a human head, \nof which the nose, the eyes, the mustache, and the pointed \nbeard could be distinctly recognized. This form came and \ntouched his face, and he felt a warm and living forehead \npress against his own and remain there for a second or two. \nThen he felt the contact of the whole profile of the face \nagainst his own, with a pressure as of a caress, then the im- \nprint of a kiss, after which the mass seemed to vanish into \nvapor near the curtains. The other sitters, meanwhile, were \nonly aware of a vague luminosity in the direction of Dr. \nVenzano; but they distinctly perceived the sound of the kiss.\" \n\nDr. Venzano asserts that the vaporous mass which con- \ndensed into the form of a human face came into direct con- \ntact with his own face, shutting out his sight of surrounding \nobjects, but furnishing forcible evidence through tactual \nsensation. He recognized in the face an extraordinary re- \nsemblance to a very near relative whom he had lost some \nyears before. This relative had not been known in life either \nto Eusapia or to any of the sitters present at the seance. \n\nThe next account is one of great interest, and is taken \nfrom Dr. Bozzano's book, Ipotesi Spiritica e Theoriche \nScientifiche. The seance occurred in the dwelling of M. \nAvellino, June 16, 1901. The seance is recorded by M. \nBozzano, as follows: \n\n\"To my left and a little more than a yard away there \nwas a small door^ through the opening of which a faint light \n\n\n\n146 Eusapia Palladino \n\npenetrated. Suddenly the hands of 'John,* la3r!ng hold of \nmy temples, forced me to turn my head in that direction. \nI understood that the action was done with a purpose, and \nI redoubled my care of observation. Very soon I noticed, \nlow down, something like a kind of black cone with uncer- \ntain, smoky, and changing outlines. It seemed as if this little \nmass gradually condensing in front of me were animated, \nor rather convulsed with a rapid rotary motion. It rapidly \nincreased in size and length until, in a few moments, it \nattained the height and size of a man. Then, in less time \nthan I can tell it, I was aware that this form had assumed \nthe aspect and profile of a human being. This form was \nnot more than two paces from me. My companions all \nnoticed that the light from the doorway was unexpectedly \nand almost entirely obscured. Our sensations therefore coin- \ncided and supplemented each other. \n\n'^Mme. Palladino at this point raised my hand and carried \nIt in the direction of the form. Immediately two other \nhands took possession of mine, and carried it upward. I \nthen felt a soft, long beard, which passed and repassed over \nthe back of my hand, causing a tingling sensation. After \nthis my fingers were caused to pass over the features of a \nface. / was thus able to assure myself that the face was not \nthat of 'John.' Eusapia then pulled my hand sharply toward \nherself. A moment afterwards the same figure began to \nadvance behind my back; at the same time the gleam from \nthe doorway reappeared. \n\n\"Almost immediately Dr. Venzano announced that a hand \nhad taken possession of his own, and was drawing it upward. \nSoon afterwards we all heard the sound of a sonorous kiss \nabove his head. And now the same very fine and long beard \nbegan to brush over the back of his hand, passing backward \nand forward. The impression felt by Dr. Venzano was suf- \nficiently distinct to enable him to declare that this beard \nwas shaped to a point. Then he was made to fed the hol- \nlow of a mouth, the upper jaw of which had some teeth \nwanting on the right side. \n\n\"At this point Dr. Venzano remarked that these signs \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 147 \n\ncorresponded exactly with the characteristics of a very near \nrelative, deceased.\" \n\nTo this account by Dr. Bozzano, Dr. Venzano adds some \nnotes of his own. He says: \n\n\"When my hand, guided by another hand, and lifted up- \nward, met the materialized form, I had immediately the \nimpression of touching a broad forehead, on the upper part \nof which was a quantity of rather long, thick, and very \nfine hair. Then, as my hand was gradually led upward, it \ncame in contact with a slightly aquiline nose, and, lower \nstill, with mustaches and a chin with a peaked beard. From \nthe chin, the hand was then raised somewhat, until, coming \nin front of the open mouth, it was gently pushed forward, \nand my forefinger, still directed by the guiding hand, en- \ntered the cavity of the mouth, where it was caused to rub \nagainst the margin of an upper dental arch, which, toward \nthe right extremity, was wanting in four molar teeth. \n\n\"It should be mentioned that when my hand came in con- \ntact successively with the lock of hair on the forehead, the \nnose, and the chin with the pointed beard, the other hand \nwhich guided it pressed upon it and caused it to stop at each \nwith manifest purpose, as though each of these points repre- \nsented a special sign. I must note, also, that on comparing \nthe indications obtained with those typical of a person who \nwas very dear to me, I did not remember whether the four \nmolars were absent on the right or left side, and that later, \nafter making special inquiries in the family, I was able to \nascertain that this defect exactly corresponded with the con- \nditions presented by the materialized form. \n\n\"In the present case, the problem of seeking for the will \nwhich directs the phenomena is of very great complexity. \nIt must be remembered that, in the execution of this mani- \nfestation, two materialized forms took part. This fact be- \ncomes evident since, without the control of the medium be- \ning in any way relaxed, two large hands, which were not \nhis own, seized M. Bozzano's head and forced him to turn \ntoward the far end of the room, which was dimly lighted. \n\n\n\n148 Eusapia Palladino \n\nwhere a second materialized form developed, having the ap- \npearance of a complete figure of a man. \n\n\"As for the materialized form which presented itself to \nmy direct observation, offering the tokens typical of a de- \nceased person, who was dear to me, I can affirm that it was \nneither thought of nor expected by me. Moreover, as I at \nonce declared, when I did first think of it, I certainly did \nnot ask for proofs of identity such as were offered me. Then, \ntoo, among the tokens by which the materialization revealed \nits identity, it chose one which was only imperfectly known \nto me, and the accuracy of which I could only ascertain \nafter making inquiries among my family. Nor could I have \nbeen influenced by an impression received from what had \noccurred just before to M. Bozzano. He had simply men- \ntioned that his hand had been carried into contact with a \nhuman face, with a pointed beard \u2014 a fact which had been \npreviously mentioned at sittings, and was insufficient to af- \nford precise data for the identification of a face. Thus the \npossibility is excluded of direct suggestion conveyed to Mme. \nPalladino from myself or from the other sitters \u2014 to whom, \nas to the medium herself, the person who manifested himself \nto me was entirely unknown. \n\n\"As to the medium, who remained during the whole \nseance in a state of profound trance, the only act of hers \nwhich might be suspected of being done with a purpose was \nthat of raising M. Bozzano's hand to touch the human face, \non which he recognized nothing characteristic except the \npointed beard. \n\n\"In the face of these conditions what conclusions can \none deduce ? In this case the dilemma referred to in relation \nto the previous case repeats itself. Either the phenomenon \nis produced under the direction of an intelligence foreign to \nthe medium and to the experimenters, or the subconscious- \nness of Palladino succeeded in bringing forth from the in- \nnermost recesses of my thought details known only by \nmyself and followed up this work of mind-reading by a lib- \neration of physiopsychic energy which assumed the form and \nthe character of two human beings, one of whom bore the \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 149 \n\ntypical traits of a deceased person with whom I was very \nfamiliar during his lifetime. And not only was the sub- \nconsciousness of the medium able to reveal facts which I \ncould clearly remember but also circumstances which I had \ndoubtless known of in the past, but which I had in large \nmeasure forgotten at the moment when the phenomenon \noccurred. I allude particularly to the number and position \nof the teeth found wanting at the extremity of the upper \njaw of the mouth of the face, a point on which, as I after- \nwards found, the Intelligence regulating the manifestation \nwas much better informed than I.\" \n\nThe last seance here quoted is that originally published \nin the Revue d* Etudes Psychiques, in September, 1902. \nProfessors Morselli, Bozzano, a^d a number of noted ladies \nand gentlemen were present. The sitting was held in the \nhouse of the Avellino family. The cabinet was of the usual \nsimple kind \u2014 two black curtains stretched across one comer \nof the room. Before the seance, Mme. Palladino was care- \nfully searched by two ladies present, and nothing un- \nusual discovered upon her person. \n\nEusapia was then bound to a small camp bed by means \nof ropes. Her wrists were fastened to the iron bars at the \nside; next, her waist was fastened likewise, and lastly her \nfeet and ankles. Professor Morselli executed the tying him- \nself, and fastened the cords in a number of knots in every \ncase. All felt that the tying was perfectly secure, and all \nthat could be desired. \n\nPlaces were resumed in the circle, and the table soon be- \ngan to move about of its own accord. Then the curtains \nof the cabinet were gently parted, and the head and shoulders \nof a young woman emerged. She bowed several times, and \nended by blowing a kiss to the company \u2014 ^which was heard \nby all present. \n\n\n\n150 Eusapia Palladino \n\nThe face of a man, with large head and strong shoulders, \nthen made its appearance between the curtains. It was en- \nveloped in white drapery, but the rosy tint of its skin could \nbe distinctly seen, and a black beard was visible ako. It \nremained visible about a minute, then disappeared behind the \ncabinet curtains. \n\nAt this juncture the medium began calling out plaintive- \nly that the ropes were hurting her, and Professor Morselli, \ngoing into the cabinet, found her securely tied as at first. \nHe unfastened her wrists, leaving her still tied by the waist \nand ankles, and resumed his seat \n\nSeveral forms then issued from the cabinet, in turn ; but \nsoon plaintive cries were again heard from the cabinet ; and \nProfessor Morselli, entering at Eusapia's request, found that \nthe medium had been tied afresh, at the wrists, and fastened \nto the two side boards of the bed, by means of many turns \nof cord, which terminated in knots much more numerous \nand tighter than those which were made by Professor Mor- \nselli at the beginning of the seance. \n\nShe was again untied and several more forms issued from \nthe cabinet\u2014 one that of a young woman carrying a child, \nwhich repeatedly kissed her. Finally, it became necessary \nto untie the medium, on account of her increasing complaints. \nHer breathing was difficult, and her pulse rapid and strong. \nShe appeared to be tired and suffering. It is of interest to \nnote in this connection that the form carrying the child was \nrecognized to be the host's grandmother. She wore a pecu- \nliar lace cap, characteristic of her in life. \n\nOne of the most remarkable and striking peculiarities of \nthe seance was that the forms remained visible for some \nconsiderable time in bright gaslight \u2014 light suffidently good, \nas Professor Morselli ascertained, to read a newspaper by. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 151 \n\nThis seems to show us that, when the medium Is genuine \nand the force is strong, no reasonable amount of light will \nimpede the manifestations. \n\nCommenting on these seances, Dr. Venzano comes to the \nconclusion that the spiritistic hypothesis is the only one \ncapable of explaining the facts in a reasonable way. He \nsays: \n\n\"In the greater number of the materialized forms per- \nceived by us either by sight, contact, or hearing, we were \nable to recognize points of resemblance to deceased persons, \ngenerally our relatives, unknown to the medium and known \nonly to those present who were concerned with the phe- \nnomena.\" \n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV \n\nPERSONAL BXPBRIMENTS WITH EUSAPIA \u2014 NAPLES, I908 \n\nBearing in mind the results of previous investigator^-* \nparticularly the reports more recently issued by eminent \nscientific men in Europe, it became imperative for the Society \nfor Psychical Research, in spite of the past negative results \nof the Cambridge experiments, to reconsider the question of \nEusapia's mediumship. The decision was reached in the \nfollowing way: \n\nIn October and November of 1908, I found myself in \nLondon on other business, and while discussing with Miss \nAlice Johnson various matters connected with the work of \nthe S. P. R., and my desire to hold seances with Eusapia \nPalladino, she suggested that it might be desirable for me \nto go for the English Society, and render them a report of \nthe phenomena observed. I acquiesced in this, and said I \nshould be glad to go, if the matter could be arranged. The \nHon. Everard Feilding \u2014 second son of Lord Denbigh \u2014 \nHon. Secretary of the Sodety, who had previously obtained \nseances with Eusapia in Paris, said that he would be glad \nto go also, and share in the investigation. The matter hav- \ning been decided, we left London on different days, traveled \nby different routes, and met in Naples on the afternoon of \nNovember 19, 1908. \n\nAt the conclusion of the second seance, we were so im- \npressed by the phenomena we had observed that we wired to \nEngland, giving the officials of the S. P. R. a brief account \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 153 \n\nof the phenomena witnessed, and asking for additional help, \nin order the more successfully to control the medium. We \nhad hoped that either Mr. Podmore or Miss Alice Johnson \nwould be able to come, but in this we were disappointed, \nneither of them being able to leave London at the time, but \nwe were joined after the fourth seanc^ by Mr. W. W. \nBaggally \u2014 a member of the Council of the English S. P. R., \nwho is himself an expert conjurer, and thoroughly well ac- \nquainted not only with the past history of all the important \nmediums since Home, but with their methods of trickery. \nAnd just here let me give a brief sketch of the personnel of \nthe three investigators {ue,, the two gentlemen above men- \ntioned and myself) who formed the committee of inquiry \nfor these seances. \n\nMr. Baggally, as I have said, is himself an amateur con- \njurer and is exceptionally well posted on all the tricks and \ndevices resorted to by fraudulent mediums. Most of them \nhe can perform himself. He has been constantly investi- \ngating the subject for more than thirty-five years, and dur- \ning all this time he had never witnessed a single genuine \nphysical phenomenon \u2014 ^with the exception, perhaps, of a few \noccurring at a previous seance of Eusapia's which he had at- \ntended some years before. Throughout his investigations, \nhe had invariably detected fraud and nothing but fraud. I \nthink it is safe to say, therefore, that a man of his caliber, \narmed as he was with this past knowledge of mediimi's his- \ntories, and their methods, would not be likely to be taken in \nby a few simple tricks, such as the substitution of hands or \nfeet, which Eusapia occasionally practises! \n\nMr. Feilding, in his position of Honorary Secretary for \nthe Society, is constantly investigating cases of all kinds, and \ndelights especially in running down cases of poltergeists, \n\n\n\n154 Eusapia Palladino \n\nphysical phenomena, etc. He has an excellent and keen judg- \nment in all such investigations. He has been engaged in this \nwork on and off for some ten years, but during all that time \nhe had never seen one physical phenomenon which appeared \nto him to be conclusively proved \u2014 ^with the exception, per- \nhaps, of certain phenomena which, again, had occurred in \nEusapia's presence, at a previous seance attended by him \nin Paris. We may well suppose, therefore, that Mr. Feild- \ning, also, was quite enabled to detect fraud, had such existed, \nand was not at all likely to be taken in by the simple process \nof substitution which he, in common with all of us, well \nknew existed. \n\nAs for myself, I can but say that, during ten years con- \ntinued investigations of the physical phenomena of spirit- \nualism, during which period I have sat many score, if not \nhundreds of times, with mediums, and traveled many hun- \ndreds of miles in order to see genuine physical phenomena, \nif such existed \u2014 I had invariably been disappointed, and un- \ntil I had attended my first seance with Eusapia, had never \nseen one single manifestation of the physical order which \nI could consider genuine. On the contrary, I had always \ndetected fraud, and, being an amateur conjurer myself, was \nenabled in nearly every instance to detect the modus operandi \nof the trick, usually the first time I saw it. In my Physical \nPhenomena of Spiritualism, I devoted more than three hun- \ndred pages to the psychology of deception, and to a detailed \nexposure of the tricks and devices of fraudulent medium- \nship.^ \n\n* In rericwing my book for the Proceedings of the English S. P. R^ Count \nPerovsky-Petrovo-Solovovo said: \n\n'*Mr. Carrington seems to have quite an extraordinary knowledge of conjuring \nand pseudo-mediumistic tricks, and throughout the four hundred pages of his \nbook he almost unceasingly opens up in this direction such vistas, that the \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 155 \n\nTaking it all m all, therefore, we felt that our committee \n\u2014composed as it was of skeptical investigators \u2014 ^and of \nskeptics, moreover, who were particularly qualified to ex- \npose trickery of the nature usually practised \u2014 ^we felt that, \nif trickery were practised to any great extent, we should de- \ntect it; and I think the detailed reports of our sittings will \nindicate that we took all due precautions to guard against \nsubstitution of hands and of feet, and to convince, not only \nourselves, but the outside world also, that her hands and \nfeet were not at liberty during the production of these phe- \nnomena, and that they weje not produced by any normal \nmeans. This, however, the reader must judge for himself, \nwhen he comes to the records of the seances. \n\nIt will be obvious to the careful student of the preceding \nrecords that there are two fundamentally weak points, which^ \nin spite of the evidential value of some of the sittings, must \nbe said to weaken them tremendously in the eyes of the pub- \nlic It is improbable that any seances will be held in the \nfuture more striking than some of those already held, and \n)ret, in spite of their tremendously strong character, it is \ncertain that they have failed to carry conviction to all care- \nful students of the reports \u2014 ^though I feel they should have \ndone so \u2014 ^largely because of these two weak points. They \nare ( I ) that the amount of light, on any one occasion, was \nnot as a rule specifically stated; and (2) the exact position \nof each hand and each foot of the medium was not fully ac- \ncounted for, when any special phenomenon took place. Thus, \nit is quite inadequate to say that ''the medium was securely \n\nuninitiated reader^t breath is simply taken away. ... As an expoter of con- \njuring and ^mediumistic* devices he in my opinion stands unsurpassed, and \nthere can be no doubt that his Tolume has dealt professional mediuinship a most \nsensible, I should perhaps say a crushing, blow/* \n\n\n\n156 Eusapia Palladino \n\nheld,\" or that \"there was no possibflity of trickery\" on any \nspecial occasion \u2014 ^whcn remarkable phenomena were in \nprogress. We want to know just how and where each hand \nand each foot was during that crucial moment; who was \nholding it, and how. In other words, as I have pointed out \nbefore, we do not want the investigator's opinion that such \nand such a phenomenon was genuine ; we want the facts and \nthe data which will allow us to form our own opinions as \nto whether the normal production of the phenomenon was pos- \nsible or not. It is inconclusive to say that an object \"at some \ndistance from the medium\" moved of its own accord. What \nwe want to know is exactly how many feet and inches away \nthe object was; and, having these facts before us, we should \nbe in a position to know or judge whether it was impossible \nfor the object to have been moved or not. This judgment \nmay be wrong. We may conclude that it was possible for \nthe medium to have moved the object, whereas, as a matter \nof fact, it was not possible, and this might have been obvious \nto the members of the circle. But so long as the printed \nevidence does not prove its impossibility, the skeptical world \nwill never be convinced. I have no doubt whatever that \nevery impartial investigator, who sits with Eusapia, becomes \nconvinced of the reality of at least some of the phenomena ; \nbut all the world cannot obtain personal sittings. They \nmust judge by the printed reports; and so long as that is \nthe case, the reports of the sittings must be made to read \nconvincingly. And in order to read convincingly, it is neces- \nsary, first and foremost, to have a strict account of the exact \nposition of each hand and foot of Eusapia, during each \nminute of the seance \u2014 certainly at the moment when any \nimportant occurrence is happening. Such a record can only \nbe made by keeping an exact stenographic account of the \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino [157 \n\nposition of the hands and feet; and this must be made during \nthe sitting \u2014 ^while it is actually In progress \u2014 and it is useless \nfor evidential purposes to attempt this account after the \nseance has terminated. A precise contemporary record is \ntherefore necessary \u2014 giving these exact details from moment \nto moment. \n\nFeeling the force of these arguments strongly, then, we \ndetermined that our seances should not be vitiated by the \nsame weaknesses that had impaired those of our predecessors \nin this field, and we accordingly organized our control, and \nthe manner of dictating it. We arranged a series of lights \nof varying intensities, in the center of the room, and de- \nscribed exactly what wp could sec in each case. This will \nbe found described in detail in the sittings. We also dic- \ntated to the stenographer, sitting at another table, the exact \nposition of each hand and each foot during the production of \nevery phenomenon.^ This will also be found in the record of \nsittings. It will be seen that this method of accounting for \neach hand and each foot precluded all possibility of decep- \ntion; since, if both hands and both feet are accounted for, \nit is obvious that the medium could not have produced any \nof the observed phenomena \u2014 unless some third hand pro- \nduced them \u2014 or some means equally supernormal. \n\nOur own seances at Naples were held in the middle room \nof our suite at the Hotel Victoria. The three members of \nthe committee occupied three adjoining rooms \u2014 Mr. Baggally \nthe one on the extreme left, Mr. Feilding the one in the \nmiddle, myself the room on the extreme right. These three \nrooms were all connected by double doors, which were usually \n\n* The extracts that follow are all drawn from our official Report on Eusapia \nPalladino^s mediumship, which ap peared in the Procttdings of the English \nSowty for Fs^chical Research, Vol, XXm, Fart UX, \n\n\n\n1^8 Eusapia Palladino \n\nleft open, but were dosed during the seance. All these \ndoors, particularly those leading into the public hall, were \nsecurely locked and bolted before each seance, and we tied \nthe door handles together by means of white tape, when the \ndoors could not be bolted from the inside. The windows, \ncme in each room, led on to a ^nall balcony, which looked \non to the street, five flights below. These small balconies \nwere not connected, and it would have been an utter im- \npossibility for anyone to have climbed from one room to \nanother, and so into the seance room through the window. \nThe windows were, moreover, closed, bolted, and shuttered. \nI need scarcely add that we made a careful examination of \nthe cabinet, the instrimients, the table, and seance room \nbefore and after each sitting. The instruments used \nwere in all cases our own, bought by us at various shops \nin Naples. \n\nWe constructed a cabinet by hanging two light, black \ncurtains across one corner of the room, forming a triangular \nspace about three feet deep\u2014 the curtains extending up seven \nor eight feet from the floor. Directly in front of the open- \ning in the curtains we placed Eusapia's chair, and again in \nfront of her, the seance table. The controllers occupied \npositions on either side of the table, as dose to Eusapia as \npossible. \n\nThe walls and the floor of the seance room were of stone \nand plaster, no wood being used in their construction. This \ncaused us some annoyance, since when, later on, we desired \nto fasten the small table to the floor by means of staples, \nwe found it extremely difiicult to do so, and had to drive \nthese into the woodwork, on the one hand, of the door lead- \ning from one room into the other, and on the other side, \ninto the window frame I \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n159 \n\n\n\nSCANCr TABLE \n\n\n\nB'i Roof^ \n\n\n\nC^ROOM \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDOOR \n\nC-P. - EUbAF\u00bb\u00abA*i POMTICM \nA B - CpnWGMXW* . \n\n\n\nAnd now as to the control of Eusapia*s hands and feet \nIt IS obvious that it is desirable to encircle the whole of the \nmedium's hands, whenever possible, and it is hard for the \nabsent critic to see why this should not be done. Before \nwe had our own seances, we could not see why previous \nsitters had not insisted on this more strongly than they ap- \npeared to have done. The fact of the matter is that Eusapia \nherself has a good deal to say as to the manner in which her \nhands shall be held, and her feet also. We do not mean \nby this that she always insists on her hands being held in \n\n\n\ni6o Eusapia Palladino \n\nsuch a manner that substitution is thereby rendered possible, \nfor she would allow <Mie of her hands to be held in her Isp \nand the other on the table. She does, however, frequently \nobject to a complete and rigid encircling of her hands by \nthose of the sitter, and, in reply to our protest, explained to \nus first, that if the hands of the sitter are moist or clammy, \nshe cannot bear them to touch her during the trance state \u2014 \nthough she does not particularly object to this when she is \nnormal, and secondly that the backs of both her hands, and \nthe insteps of both her feet (especially the left hand and \nleft foot) become extremely hyperaesthetic during the condi- \ntion of semitrance when the slightest pressure occasions her \nacute discomfort. We have frequently seen Eusapia wince \nunder a pressure of the hand that would not affect her in \nthe least in the normal state; and we came ultimately to the \nconclusion that this hyperaesthesia is genuine, and is not mere \naffectation, for the purpose of getting the hand free to pro- \nduce phenomena. One may hold the hand and wrist as \nfirmly as one likes, provided the tender spots are not touched, \nand she does not object in the least. It is for this reason, \ntherefore, that the entire hand of Eusapia is not completely \nencircled by the hands of the contrdlers more often than \nit is; but the control is generally quite as good as if it were \u2014 \nwhile, when her two hands are situated far from one ar.- \nother, on different comers of the table, or one on the table \nand the other in her lap, it must obviously be regarded as \nquite secure. \n\nWe may state, then, that, save on a few occasions, which \nwill be found described fully in the shorthand notes, the con- \ntrol of the medium's hands and feet (and particularly of her \nhands) was a far easier matter than We had anticipated. \nDuring the greater part of many of the sittings, there was \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino i6i \n\nso much light that we could clearly see both her hands on \nthe table before us; and as at such times it was perfectly \neasy to follow every movement of them, we ourselves should \nhave been content not to hold them at all. But for the sake \nof the public, and in order to be able to say that we had \ndone so, we carefully controlled each hand, nevertheless, and \nrecorded this control, as will be found in the notes. When \nit is light enough to see both the medium's hands on the \ntable in front of you, it is useless and childish to talk of sub- \nstitution \u2014 it would be just as obvious as a substitution prac- \nticed by a friend in the course of ordinary conversation. And \nall the best phenomena during the first two seances took \nplace in a light sufficiently good to see clearly every move- \nment of the medium, and not only that, to see the very tex- \nture of the skin of her hands, the color of her finger nails, \netc Under such circiunstances it would be absurd, we felt, \nto talk of substitution, which only becomes possible when \nthe light had been so far lowered that the hands became in- \nvisible to us. Throughout our sittings this very rarely hap- \npened. All our best phenomena took place in what might \nbe called good light \u2014 light sufficiently good, that is, to enable \nus to see the whole of the mediimi's body, and to see that \nshe did not produce the movements herself. \n\nEven when Eusapia's hands rested on ours, it was an easy \nmatter, as a rule, to feel which hand was on ours. Except \nwhen Eusapia was preparing to effect a substitution of hands \n(at which times her control became very furtive and un- \ncertain), her hands rested on ours quietly throughout; and we \ncould feel, from the relative position of the thumb and \nfingers, which hand we were holding. When the controlling \nhand slipped down so that only a portion of the hand would \nbe felt (e.g., only the fingers), then we would immediately \n\n\n\n1 62 Eusapia Palladino \n\nmove our hand about in such a way that Eusapia was forced \nto cover our hand with the whole of hers. This served the \ndouble purpose of showing us which hand we were holding, \nand also of proving that the hand covering ours was a real \nhand of flesh and blood, and not a mere dummy. When we \nmoved our hands in this manner, calling for completer con- \ntrol, the hand covering ours would invariably and at once \nreact in a perfectly natural manner; would grip our hand, \nmove the fingers, change its position, etc., as only a natural \nhand could do. Moreover, the hand was warm and life- \nlike, and we could feel the texture of the skin. At no time \nwas there the slightest doubt in our minds that the hand \nwe were holding was really a human hand ; the only objec- \ntion was that we were not always holding enough of the hand. \nThe portion that we were holding was doubtless the hand of \nEusapia. \n\nI should like to dwell upon this point at some length, \nfor the reason that, in some of our experiments, phenomena \ntook place when both hands and both feet were certainly \naccounted for and stated as being held securely. Such being \nthe case, it becomes obvious that the phenomena must be \naccepted as genuine, unless she managed to substitute a dum- \nmy hand for one of her own that we were holding. To us, \nthe suggestion appears absurd, and we are absolutely posi- \ntive that nothing of the sort took place, but it is necessary \nto state the precautions we took at the time to ascertain that \nthey were really flesh and blood hands we were holding, so \nthat these precautions might be stated in the report. \n\nIn the first place, then, we had the testimony of our eyes, \nfor, as we have repeatedly pointed out, during the greater \npart of almost every seance, it was quite ligjit enough for \nus to see that the hands we were holding were really Eusa- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 163 \n\npia's, and were connected with her body. This only became \nquestionable when the light was so far reduced as to render \nthis direct observation impossible \u2014 a very small fraction of \nthe time. On such occasions, we traced the connection of \nthe hand we were holding with the medium's body, and found \nthat it invariably joined her body at the shoulder. We also \nmoved the hand about to see if there was any resistance such \nas would be offered by the arm, for it must be remembered \nthat if Eusapia had substituted a dummy hand for one of her \nown, and we had suddenly jerked away the hand we were \nholding, we should have jerked away the hand altogether, and \nwe might have removed this dummy a yard or more away \nfrom Eusapia's body. As a matter of fact, however, we found \nthat the hand always resisted us, and so was connected with \nEusapia's body in some manner. \n\nIn addition to all this, we had the testimony of our sense \nof touch. As I have said before, we could always feel dis- \ntinctly that the hand we were holding was a natural, human \nhand, and not a mere dummy. It was warm, and moist, and \nkept moving its fingers, and responding to our pressures and \nmovements as only a natural hand could. When, further, we \ntake into account the fact that all this only applies to those \nportions of the seance when the hands were not visible to us \n(and these portions were but a small fraction of the whole), \nwe feel quite safe in saying that we regard it as proved be- \nyond doubt that the hands held by us at these sittings were \nreal hands in every case, and not mere dummies. \n\nAgain, as to the disposition of the hands. In a large num- \nber of cases, it is true, both the medium's hands were on \nthe surface of the table, and on some of these occasions, the \nmedium was holding the hand of one sitter, and was held by \nthe sitter on the other side \u2014 ^that is, in the position most \n\n\n\n164 Eusapia Palladino \n\nfavorable for substitution. I am practically certain, how-, \never, that substitution did not tskt place, as a matter of fact, \nat any time, save on those occasions mentioned in the short- \nhand notes. On the two occasions when Eusapia attempted \nthis (because the force was weak, or for some other reason \nbest known to herself ) we immediately detected this substi- \ntution, and even knew that it was going to take place before \nit actually did so. We could tell that Eusapia was gradually \nworking our hands nearer and nearer together, and finally, \nwhen, at an opportune moment, she effected the substitution. \nBut we had not the slightest difficulty in at once detecting \nthis, and the resulting phenomena, produced by fraudulent \nmeans, were also strikingly different from the genuine on \nboth occasions. It struck us at the time that it would be \nquite impossible to mistake the one for the other \u2014 the gen- \nuine for the fraudulent. The character of the phenomenon \nwas entirely different, and could not be confounded. To \nus, these very facts were perhaps the strongest argument for \nthe genuineness of the phenomena that we could conceive. \nThe fact that fraud was immediately detected when it was \nattempted, and that the resulting phenomena appeared to \nus to be entirely different in character from the genuine, were \nvery strong arguments for thinking that the genuine phe- \nnomena were such in reality ; and further assured us that we \nshould easily have detected other fraudulent manifestations, \nhad they been attempted. \n\nBut during the greater part of all our seances, the hands \nwere held in such a manner that substitution vsrould have \nbeen impossible. In the first place, the light was generally \nsufficient to allow us to clearly see the two hands of the \nmedium resting on the table ; and we did not have to depend \nupon our holding entirely or even primarily. A large part \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 165 \n\nof the time we should have been content to have no control \nat all, so clear were Eusapia's hands ; and we only paid such \nclose attention to the control and dictated it so carefully in \norder that it might appear in the shorthand accounts of the \nsittings that we had done so. During a large part of each \nsitting, we held one of the medium's hands in her lap and the \nother on the table, e.g,, or one hand on each corner of the \ntable; or held the hands in the air; and, on two occasions, \nI held both the medium's hands in both of mine, while touches \non my left side took place. During these touches the me- \ndium's head was clearly visible to us all, and her feet re- \nmained tied to the sitters' chairs on either side of hen \nHardly for a second throughout the whole course of the sit- \ntings was the medium's head invisible to us, ue,, the control- \nlers on either side of her. \n\nNow a few words as to the control of the feet As we \nhave said before, Eusapia is extremely hyperaesthetic about \nthe control of her feet, and one cannot control them in the \nway one would like. This is especially so with the left foot, \nas will be seen by referring to the detailed notes. Of course \nthe obvious deduction to be drawn from this fact is that \nEusapia attempted to force us to relax our control of her \nfeet, so that she might thereby release them the more easily. \nBut we are quite assured that this is not the case. During \nthe levitations of the table, and during some of the best \nphenomena that took place (for the production of which her \nfeet might have been employed), the control of her feet was \npractically perfect. On some occasions one of us was under \nthe table holding both her feet in his two hands; at other \ntimes her feet and legs were tied to the legs of her chair, or \nto the chairs of the two controllers on cither side of her ; on \nyet other occasions the \"stocks\" apparatus eflEectually pre- \n\n\n\n1 66 Eusapia Palladino \n\nvented her from using her feet for the production of spurious \nphenomena; at other times, the light was sufficiently good \nfor us to see both her feet ; while on all occasions, we could \nclearly feel the medium's foot pressing on ours, on the ex- \ntreme opposite sides of the table, and at a sufficiently great \ndistance from each other to eflEectually prevent any substi- \ntution. Wc frequently verified the control of the feet with \nour hands, and in other ways assured ourselves that her feet \nwere really pressing on ours, and that the feet were really \nEusapia's. At the very moment of the production of the phe- \nnomena we were especially careful to observe the control, and \ngenerally all but disregarded the phenomena in our attempt \nto verify the absoluteness of the control. \n\nFor all of these reasons, then (largely because Eusapia's \nhands and feet were kept so widely separated, were visible as \nwell as tangible, and were perfectly passive in our grasp), \nI consider the hypothesis of substitution as absolutely ex- \ncluded throughout our seances \u2014 except on those few occa- \nsions where our control was relaxed, and Eusapia attempted \nsubstitution. On these occasions, we at once informed Eusa- \npia that the control was not good, and she immediately ad- \nmitted that it was not, and replaced her hand under the \nsafe keeping in one of ours. The psychology of this fraud \nwill be found discussed at some length on pp. 327-28, 335. \n\nDuring the levitations of the table, wc tried every device \nto check the results by making the control as rigid as possible. \nFrequently, we lifted the medium's hands above the table a \nfoot or more while the levitatioh was in progress, and saw \nthat there was no connection between her hands and the \ntable. When her hands remained on the surface of the \ntable, we often passed our hands under her hands, and es- \npecially under her wrists, to see that she was inserting noth- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 167 \n\ning beneath the edge of the table. We would also pass our \nhands between her body and the table, and hold her head \nwell away from the table \u2014 ^precautions which the amount \nof Ught really rendered unnecessary, but which we did in \norder that we might say that we had done so. We ascer- \ntained that her skirt was not touching the legs of the table \nby passing our hands between the table and the skirt; we \nfrequently pressed heavily upon her two knees with our hands \nand arms ; we controlled her feet with ours, and on several oc- \ncasions placed a night light under the table, to be better \nenabled to see her feet and legs. We tied her legs to the \nchair with rope; finally we got under the table and held \nher ankles in our hands. In spite of all these precautions, \nhowever, the table continued to rise up into the air without \nvisible means of support. Accordingly, we devised the \n\"stocks\" apparatus (which will be found fully described in \nthe notes), in order to check, mechanically, our observations, \nand render impossible the use of the medium's feet for pur- \nposes of levitation by fraudulent means. Even after the in- \ntroduction of this apparatus, and the additional precautions \nfollowed by us after its use, we still obtained levitations; and \nwe were consequently forced to the conclusion that these levi- \ntations of the table were not produced by Eusapia, but were \nthe result of some force or forces as yet unknown. \n\nThroughout our sittings, we never lost sight of one primary \nfact, viz., that our object was to establish the facts, and not \nto theorize about them. Our sole object was to ascertain \nthat certain phenomena took place, and that they were not \nproduced by Eusapia herself by normal means; and we did \nnot care to speculate on the nature of the force displayed, \nbut merely to establish its reality. Of course we could not \nhelp commenting on the nature of the force at the time ; but \n\n\n\n1 68 Eusapia Palladino \n\nsuch speculations we carefully kept out of the report. Va- \nrious theories have been advanced in the past, from time to \ntime, to explain these facts, but none of them can be regarded \nas satisfactory, and none of them really explain all the facts. \nLet the facts once gain general acceptance, and the theories \nwill come in due \n\nSEANCE I \n\nOur first seance was held on November 21, 1908, F. and \nC. only being present. M., the stenographer, was seated \nat a separate table in the next room. We dictated at first \nthrough the partially opened doors. The seance commenced \nat 10.35 P*M., in good light. A sixteen-candle power elec- \ntric lamp, covered by three thicknesses of thin, brown tissue \npaper, hung from the ceiling. We could clearly read the \nsmall print of a Baedeker. For the first half hour, little took \nplace, except tilts of the table, which had very little eviden- \ntial value. Owing to our inexperience, moreover, at dic- \ntating notes, these appeared to us totally inadequate, when \nre-reading the seance next day, and we accordingly omitted \naccounts of all phenomena, up to 11.04, when our first com- \nplete levitation took place.* \n\nOur shorthand account of this seance reads in part as \nfollows: \n\n\"11.04 P\u00abM. The table tilts toward C. Then a com- \nplete levitation follows, both medium's hands being on the \ntable, and both clearly visible. \n\n* By ** complete levitation** we mean the lifting of the table off all four \nlegs simultaneously. A levitation of this kind is seldom less than six inches \noff the ground, and frequently a foot or more. By ** partial levitation\" we mean \nthe raising of the table on two, and sometimes onto only one, leg. In complete \nlevitations the table generally went up horizontally, sometimes momentarily \nbut occasionaUy lasting several seconds. A partial levitation would often turn \ninto a complete levitation \u2014 the table going up into the air at an angle. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n169 \n\n\n\n\"C.^ Both feet being on our feet, my left hand being \nacross both her knees. \n\nPosmoN I \nE-P. \n\n\n\n\"F. I looked under the table and clearly saw that her \nknees and the table legs were not touching.\" \n\nVarious raps and tilts followed, including one complete \nlevitation. As we found considerable difficulty in dictating \nthe control to the stenographer, he entered the room, and \n\nPosition II \nEiP. \n\n\n\ntook up his position at another table, at a distance of eight \nor nine feet from the medium. F. and C. changed places, \n\n* Throughout the stances, initials will be fouod indicating the dictator. Thus, \nin this first stance, C * Carrington, F \u2014 Feilding, and M*\"Mee8on (our stenog- \nrapher). \n\n\n\n170 Eusapia Palladino \n\nat 1 1. 1 5, when this was going on. During the rest of the \nseries of sittings the stenographer was invariably present in \nthe room at his own table. Various tilts and a complete \nlevitation at 11.26 followed under good conditions. At \n11.43 the following incident occurred: \n\n\"The table rocks violently. \n\n\"F. I am certain that her right leg is not touching the \ntable. \n\n\"C. My right hand being across both knees. Complete \nlevitation of the table. \n\n\"F. I am certain that her right leg is not touching the \ntable. My right leg was continuously curled round the table \nleg. I can see right down the right leg of the table. The \nmedium removed her hands, and mine, from the table, which \nrose right up into the air about two seconds after the hands \nhad left. My right hand had been pulled up by her about \ntwo feet above the table before it started. [My left hand \nwas on her right knee.] \n\n\"C. Her left foot was on my right foot ; my right hand \nwas held by the medium beneath the table, in her lap, about \none foot from the table. [M. notes that he could see table \nin the air, with nobody touching it.] \n\n\"C. Medium's left foot was continuously on my right.\" \n\nAnother levitation and further tilts took place, immediately \nafter this phenomenon. At 11.56 we first saw the famous \n\"curtain\" phenomenon \u2014 the curtain blowing out as though \nfrom a wind inside \u2014 ^bulging out the curtain, as the sail of \na ship might be blown out by the wind. The medium held \none of our hands toward the curtain, and the curtain blew \nout of its own accord while our hands were at least a foot \naway from it. Her hands and knees were also controlled \nwhile this was taking place, and we could see that her head \nand body remained immovable. \n\n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 171 \n\nAt 11.58 a complete levitation of the table occurred un- \nder excellent conditions. Mr. Feilding was enabled to stoop \ndown, and pass his hands under the table legs while it was in \nthe air, showing that it was several inches off the floor. Both \nthe medium's hands were held away from the table. My \nright hand was across both her knees, both her feet were \nsecurely held, and we observed that the table legs did not \ntouch her skirt in such a manner as to effect the results. \nWhile the table was in the air, Eusapia suddenly brought my \nhand down on to the table, and asked me to press downward \nas hard as I could, she also pressing downward with her hand \nabove mine. I used considerable force in an attempt to \nforce the table to the floor, but for two or three seconds was \nunable to do so. Several raps and bulgings of the curtain \nfollowed. Between these bulgings, I felt along the floor, \nand between the medium and the curtain, and ascertained \nthat there was no string or thread which Eusapia was pulling \nin order to cause these bulgings. I found none. As a \nmatter of fact, even if she had succeeded in attaching a string \nto the curtain, unknown to us, and pulled it at the critical \nmoment, the phenomena would have had an entirely dif- \nferent appearance than any which we saw. It would have \ncome out always at one place, and in a point, as it were, \nwhereas the bulgings we perceived took place in various \nparts of the curtain, and always had a rounded appearance, \nas though a head were inside, pushing against the curtain. \nMoreover, since both the medium's hands were perfectly \nvisible in ours, we ascertained that she was not pulling any \nthread, or making any movement that would be necessary \nin order to accomplish this result. These observations we \nchecked off repeatedly at later sittings. \n\nTwo levitations, two minutes apart, followed by seven \n\n\n\n172 Eusapia Palladino \n\nraps on the tabic, told us to end the seance, which we did \nat 12.30 A.M. At our first sitting we had obtained only \nraps, curtain phenomena, and levitations of the table. \n\n\n\nSEANCB 2 \n\nOur second seance occurred under practically the same \nconditions, on the evening of November 23d. Only F. and \nC. were present, with the exception of M., the stenographer, \nat his separate table. The same light was permitted at \nfirst, though this was afterwards reduced, as the notes will \nshow. F. controlled the right side of the medium on this \noccasion, and C. the left. \n\nPosmoN Throughout \nC \n\n\n\nWe commenced by asking the medium to obtain raps on \nthe surface of the table, while her feet and legs are clearly \nnot touching the table legs. She consents, and kneels on a \nchair, her feet away from the table. Her right hand rests \non the table, closely observed by us, and apparently motion- \nless. Eusapia then makes two movements with her left \nhand, at a distance of about six inches above the table. Two \nfaint, echolike raps occur in the wood, about a second later. \nAfter obtaining these raps we tied Eusapia's leg$ to the legs \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 173 \n\nof our chairs by means of ropes, which were first passed round \neach ankle, knotted, and then carried to our chair legs, where \nthey were securely fastened. This tying occupied thirteen \nminutes \u2014 from which it may be judged that it was fairly \nsecure! We then resumed our places at the table, placing \nour feet upon her feet and pressing her knees together with \nour knees. We then each placed a hand upon one of her \nknees, and with our other free hand, each held one of Eusa- \npia's hands upon the table. \n\nRaps and tilts began almost immediately. Some of these \nwere very remarkable, and one of them ended in a complete \nlevitation. The table had tilted on to its two right legs. I \nwas holding the medium's, left hand in my hand, over the \ntable, her left foot pressing on my right foot, my right knee \nbeing in contact with her left knee. Her right hand was \nresting on F.'s shoulder, her right knee and foot also being \ncarefully controlled. The table was then completely levi- \ntated, and, while it was in the air, I brought my hand down \nto its surface and pressed upon the table strongly, in an at- \ntempt to force it to the floor. Eusapia also pressed with her \nhand \u2014 which was controlled by my hand. In spite of our \nunited pressure, however, the table remained in the air for \nat least two or three seconds, before falling heavily to the \nfloor. \n\nAt ii.oi, Eusapia's feet and knees being controlled by \nour feet, and by our hands, which rested across her knees, \nthe table tilted away from her \u2014 the two nearest legs rising \ninto the air at least a foot. At the moment this took place, \nthe medium clenched both fists, and removed them away \nfrom the table, on a line with her waist, to a distance of \nabout eighteen inches. Both hands were clearly visible, fists \nclenched. She sat well back in her chair and we observed \n\n\n\n174 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthat there was a clear space of at least nine inches between \nher body and the table, during the production of this remark- \nable phenomenon. \n\nA series of levitations then followed \u2014 succeeding one an- \nother so rapidly that we found it difficult to dictate the con- \ntrol. In spite of our utmost attention and repeated efforts \nto check these levitations, by some means or other they con- \ntinued to occur in the most exasperating manner. We were \nseated merely on the corners of our chairs, constantly peer- \ning beneath the table, noting the distance between her body \nand the table, her skirt and the table legs, the exact posi- \ntion of her knees, her feet, her hands, her head \u2014 ^holding, \ncontrolling, probing, investigating \u2014 ^all to no purpose. The \ntable continued to rise into the air in spite of our utmost \nprecautions and our attempts to prevent it. Our record \nof this series reads as follows: \n\n\"11.05 P-M. Complete levitation of the table. \n\n\"F. The table lifts about six inches, only C.'s and my \nhands were on the table, clasped across the middle. \n\n\"Another complete levitation of the table. \n\n\"F. Nobody's hands are on the table. It goes up all \nby itself! \n\n\"Another complete levitation of the table. \n\n\"C. All hands being off the table. Her right hand was \nfree, but perfectly visible, and about six inches off the table. \n\n\"11. 10. F. asks medium to attempt levitation while \nstanding up. She agrees, but presently says she cannot stand \nany longer. She reseats herself. \n\n\"ii.ii. Complete levitation of the table. \n\n\"C. Both hands of the medium are about eight inches \nabove the table. I can clearly feel her left foot across my \nright. The leg of the table was not in contact with her \nskirt. \n\n\"Another complete levitation of the table. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 175 \n\n\"F. My left hand was underneath the bottom of the leg \nof the table. There was no contact between her and the table \nleg. Her right hand is off the table altogether. \n\n\"C. There is nine inches between her body and the \ntable.\" \n\nBetween this time and 11.32 the light was lowered several \ntimes so that we could distinguish merely the outlines of \nthe mediimi's body, and the details of her head and hands \nupon close inspection. During this period raps, tilts, cur- \ntain phenomena, and levitations had continued to take place. \nAt 11.34 we experienced our first phenomenon of a different \ncharacter, consisting in the movement of objects at some dis- \ntance from the body of the medium. The conditions of this \nexperiment were as follows: \n\n\"C. My right hand is under the table, firmly holding \nthe mediimi's left hand. \n\n\"F. I have hold of her right hand continuously in her \nlap. \n\n\"C. Medium holds my right hand firmly. \n\n\"F. The medium kicks with her right foot violently \non mine. \n\n\"C. She kicks with her left foot also. \n\n\"C. Her left hand raises my right hand toward the cur- \ntain. \n\n\"F. Objects in the cabinet rattle on the table. \n\n\"F. Medium asks me to put my left arm on her shoulder. \nHer right arm is around my neck. \n\n\"C. With her left hand mediimi is holding my right hand \non the table. \n\n\"C. Objects In the cabinet fall over on the table. She \ngrasped my right hand firmly in her left hand at the time \nthis was going on and pressed on my right foot with her left \nfoot. \n\n\"F. I held her right hand on the table with my left and \ntile tips of both her feet under the table with my right hand. \n\n\n\n1176 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"C. My left hand holds her head. I am holding her \nleft hand in my right.\" \n\nImmediately after this, the small table, which had been \nplaced in the cabinet, and upon which rested the various \nmusical instnmients, climbed up of its own accord on to the \nseance table. It came up, remaining behind the curtains, so \nthat it was invisible. Several objects remained on the sur- \nface of the table \u2014 ^kept there by the pressure of the curtain \nabove them. It came up at an angle of about forty-five de- \ngrees, and, while it was endeavoring to clamber up on the \nseance table by a series of jerks, I placed my hand and elbow \nupon its surface and pressed downward in an attempt to \nforce it to the floor. I experienced a peculiar elastic resist- \nance, however, as though the table were strung on rubber \nbands and was unable to force it downward. I continued \nthis struggle for several seconds, then yielded and allowed the \ntable to clamber on to our seance table, which it almost suc- \nceeded in doing. While this was happening, we verified, \nseveral times, that our control of head, hands, elbows, feet, \nand knees was secure. \n\nAt 11.44 we experienced for the first time a touch by \nan apparently human hand. This was in reply to a request. \nF. had said, 'John, will you touch me?* He was imme- \ndiately touched on the left forearm as though by a hand. \nHe verified at that moment that he was holding the medium's \nright hand in his, while I verified that I was holding her \nleft hand. Her head was clearly visible.\" \n\nFollowing this, we experienced a series of touches, which \nwc recorded as follows: \n\n\"F. asks John to touch C. \n\n''C. I am touched through the curtain on my rig^t arm\u00ab \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 177 \n\nHer hand is holding mine on top of the table. I could \nsee her face. \n\n\"F. I could see her right hand in mine, and her face. \n\n\"11.49. F. asks whether John can touch C. on his head. \nThe medium asks F. to rest his head against hers. \n\n\"F. Our two heads are touching. \n\n\"C. I am touched on the head by a hand through the \ncurtain. While this was going on, the medium held my hand \nin hers, and I could feel her forearm, with my arm pressed \nagainst it. The distance between her hand and the touch \nwas about two feet. \n\n\"F. Her head was resting against mine. Her right hand \nwas in mine. \n\n\"C. The curtain blows right out over the table.\" \n\nAt this point the medium asked that her feet might \nbe untied, as they were hurting her. [Up to this point they \nhad remained securely tied with rope to our chair legs.] \n\nF. stooped down to untie the rope on his side, and at the \nmoment he was doing so I saw a square black object come \nout from the cabinet to within a few inches of my face and \ninstantly recede into the curtains again. This square ob- \nject somewhat resembled a head in outline \u2014 although it was \nexceptionally square and rather small. It appeared to be \nattached to a long neck. Eusapia's left hand was held in \nmine and her body and head appeared to be motionless. As, \nhowever, her right hand was unaccounted for, since F. had \nreleased it In order to untie her feet, we had to discount the \nevidential value of this phenomenon. F. stated, however, \nthat he looked up immediately I cried out, on seeing the face, \nand saw Eusapia's right hand and arm resting quietly, partly \non the table and partly on his own shoulder. \n\nThe cabinet curtains had remained drawn to one side, and, \nleaning sideways on my chair, I was enabled to see into the \n\n\n\n178 Eusapia Palladino \n\ncabinet. While doing so, I perceived that the small round \ntable (which had fallen backward, after its attempt to climb \nup on the seance table, and was now lying prone upon the \nfloor) seemed to be endowed with life and commenced to \nmove about upon the floor of its own accord. I watched the \nmovements for sometime, pausing to ascertain that Eusapia's \nfeet, knees, and hands were securely held in F.*s hands and \nmine, and again saw the table moving at some distance from \neverybody. It moved about a foot. \n\nEusapia now pressed F.'s hand three times, and three noises \nin the cabinet were heard, corresponding to these squeezes. \nThe noises appeared to issue from the tambourine, whose \ncymbals were heard to rattle. \n\nI have said that the small table was lying across the cabi- \nnet floor. In the comer rested our guitar, standing upside \ndown, where it had fallen from the small table when the \nlatter was forcibly extracted from the cabinet. In this posi- \ntion, it will be seen, the small table formed an effectual de- \nfense, or barrier, as it were \u2014 some eighteen inches high, be- \ntween Eusapia's feet and the guitar in the comer. In order \nto reach the guitar, moreover, she would have had to lift \nher foot, pass it between the opening in the curtains, over \nthe table, and touch the strings of the guitar. When I say, \nmoreover, that both the medium's feet were securely held, \nand that there was a clearly lighted patch of carpet of about \na foot between her skirt and the cabinet curtains, it will be \nobvious that her feet had nothing to do with the following \nphenomenon. \n\nThe medium was standing up, outside the cabinet, her \nhands held in ours. She took one of F.*s hands in hers, and \nrapped upon it three times with the other. Exactly corre- \nsponding with the first two raps, raps were heard on the \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 179 \n\nwood of the small table in the cabinet, and corresponding \nwith the third tap, one string of the guitar was played. The \nmedium had had no opportunity to touch this instrument be- \nfore, and we regarded this phenomenon as one obtained under \nexcellent test conditions. \n\nAt the conclusion of the seance a rather amusing incident \noccurred. The medium had said that she was tired, and \nasked John if the seance might terminate. John replied, \n\"No! No!\" by means of raps upon the table. The medium \nsaid, \"Say yes, John, please,\" but John again rapped, \"No! \nNo!\" The curtains of the cabinet were then gently parted, \nas if by invisible hands, and the next minute four complete \nlevitations of the table took place, following one another in- \nstantaneously. This took place when both hands and both \nfeet of the medium were well held \u2014 her hands being dearly \nvisible about six inches above the table. After this, Eusapia \nagain asked \"John\" if the seance might end, and this time \nhe rapped three times for \"yes.\" \n\n\n\nSBANCK 3 \n\nThe first two seances had afiForded us ample opportunity \nto assure ourselves that the phenomena were real, and had \nindicated several weak points in the management of the \nseance \u2014 partly in the manner of dictating the stenographic \nrecord, but chiefly as to the arrangement of the lights. \n\nFor our third seance, we had, accordingly, arranged in \nthe same position as the single burner at the previous seances, \na cluster of four electric lights. The current varied through \nno, 150, 220, and 240 volts. These lamps are referred to \nthroughout the shorthand notes as Numbers i, 2, 3, and 4, \nrespectively. No. i was a bright white lig^t, suiEciently \n\n\n\n;i8o Eusapia Palladino \n\nclear to enable us to read small print with ease; No. 2 a \nfeeble white light, but enabling us to see across the room \nvarious articles of furniture, etc.; No. 3 was a bright red \nlight, really as intense as No. 2, and we had to shade this \nlater with tissue paper and a silk handkerchief, since the rays \nwere very penetrating; No. 4 was a feeble red light, enabling \nus only to see the white of the medium's head and hands, \nand in order to detect the texture of the skin, etc., we had to \nhold them within a few inches of our eyes. The stenographer \nwas provided with a separate red lamp of his own, so as to \nthrow no light into any part of the room \u2014 ^the ra)rs being \ndirected downward on to his notebook. \n\nIn order to test, further, the phenomena of levitation, we \nhad had constructed, in wood, a piece of apparatus, which we \nstyled \"the stocks.\" [See accompanying figure.] This con- \nsisted of two square, tapering cubes, into which were set the \nlegs of the table. These tubes were fastened to a board, and \nthis board was held to the floor by our feet, whidi were \nplaced upon it, and by the legs of our chairs, which also rested \nupon this board. It will be seen, therefore, that the medium \ncould no longer raise the table by means of her feet, since she \ncould not toudi the table legs nearest to her in any way. \nShe was also prevented from levitating the table with her \nknees by the board which joined these two tubes at the upper \nextremity. The table could rock and sway, therefore, with \nmore or less freedom, and could, of course, be levitated with \nperfect ease. \n\nThe seance conunenced about 9.50, and considerable time \nelapsed without any important phenomena taking place. The \nlights were successively lowered through Nos. i, 2, 3, and 4. \nAfter about fifteen minutes the curtain commenced blowing \nout, and at 10.10 an incident occurred which shows us how \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino i8i \n\nthis power may be communicated from the medium to one of \nher sitters when she chooses to impart it. Thus: \n\n\"F, She asked me to make a motion toward the curtain \nwith my hand, free. I did so, and the curtain moved. She \nthen took hold of my wrist and the curtain came out and \ntouched me.\" \n\nPosition I \n\n\n\nAt 10.32 we detected a substitution of hands, which was \nthe first attempt at fraud that the medium had made, and, \nI feel sure, with one possible exception, during the ninth \nseance, that it was the last. The lights had been successively \nlowered, until almost complete darkness resulted \u2014 this being \nvery difEerent from our first two seances, where all our best \nphenomena had been obtained in bright light. Moreover, \ninstead of holding our hands upon the table, the medium \ninsisted in holding them beneath it \u2014 upon the board of \nthe stocks \u2014 still farther in the shadow. Our record of the \nincident reads as follows: \n\n\"10.32. F. The medium makes three gestures with the \nright hand and nothing happens. \n\n\"C. The curtain blows out on the table. \n\n\"F. For the first time the right-hand curtain blows out \non the table. \n\n\n\n1 82 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"C. My left hand was not properly held, and I am per- \nfectly certain that there was a substitution of hands. \n\n\"F, explains to the medium that the control was not good.\" \n\nI think that this detection of fraud, instead of tending to \ndisprove the reality of the phenomena, is the strongest pos- \nsible argument we could have that the majority of them \nwere genuine, and this for two reasons: In the first place, the \ncharacter of the resultant phenomena was entirely different \nfrom those which we had seen before and those which we \nsaw later. Whereas, in the other instances, the curtain had \nmerely bulged out, as though blown by a wind fnnn within \n\u2014 in this particular instance the curtain came out with a \nswish and the lower end of it landed on the seance table. \nNothing like it ever happened before or after. \n\nSecondly, the whole process was easily perceived by me, \non whose side it occurred. I saw the medium effect the \nwell-known substitution of hands, release the right hand and \narm, place it behind her into the cabinet, catch hold of the cur- \ntain on that side and throw it out over the table. Imme- \ndiately she resorted to fraud \u2014 it will be observed \u2014 ^wc de- \ntected it, and this is one very strong argument, it seems to \nme, that we should have detected it on other occasions also \nhad she resorted to it. When we told Eusapia that the con- \ntrol of her hands was not good \u2014 ^intimating to her that she \nhad practiced fraud, she immediately admitted that the con- \ntrol had not been satisfactory and replaced her hands in \nours, allowing for the rest of that seance, and thence- \nforward, perfect control to be exercised and did not again at- \ntempt fraud at any of the ensuing seances. \n\nIt seems probable to me that Eusapia attempted fraud on \nthis occasion in order to test our credulity, and to see if we \ncould be deceived by it It must be remembered that a \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 183 \n\ngenuine seance is exceedingly exhausting to Eusapia, and \nU she could have succeeded in producing fraudulent phe- \nnomena, and in duping us into thinking that they were \ngenuine, she would have saved herself this outlay of nervous \nenergy and yet receive her pay for the seances as usual ! I \nbelieve, therefore, that this phenomenon was merely to test \nus, and to see if she could rely upon deceiving us during \nthe future seances. Finding that she could not, she made \nup her mind that to attempt fraud was useless, and thence- \nforth consented to our most rigorous control and made \nno further attempt to produce phenomena by fraudulent \nmeans. \n\nRepeatedly, after this, the medium asked us to verify the \nfact that her hands and feet were securely held, and generally \nwarned us in advance, so that we could make sure of their \nexact position before any phenomenon. Thus, at 10.52 the \nmedium said: \n\n''Look out ! I feel that something is going to happen !\" \n\nShe pressed vigorously on my foot and immediately after- \nwards we obtained our first complete levitation of the table \nthat evening. The medium was holding my left hand in her \nright hand on her right knee, and F.*s right hand was held by \nher left hand on her left knee. We each felt a complete \nhand and assured ourselves that there was no question of \nsubstitution. F., at the moment of the production of the \nphenomenon, saw something which he described as \"z filmy \nblack thing\" shoot out from her body and touch the table \nimmediately before the levitation. \n\nTo the skeptic this would suggest that some mechanical \ndevice was employed by Eusapia in order to effect the levi- \ntation. We frequently ascertained, however, that such was \nnot the case. Not only could we see a clear space between her \n\n\n\n184 Eusapia Palladino \n\nbody and the table, but we frequently passed our hands be- \ntween them during the actual levitation, in a number of in- \nstances. We have to conclude, then, it seems to me, that this \nfilmy black substance was some supernormal prdongation, \nand was not a mechanical appliance as might be imagined at \nfirst sight \n\nA few minutes after this, I was pulled by a hand through \nthe curtains of the cabinet, and the medium called our at- \ntention to a black shadow, which, however, we did not see. \nThis fact is interesting, since it shows us how little expec- \ntancy and suggestion can succeed in producing hallucinations \nduring these sittings. So far as I can remember, this is al- \nhiost the only instance where Eusapia directly suggested to \nus that a form was to be seen in a certain direction \u2014 and we \nfailed to see it! \n\nAt 10.59 I heard something moving in the cabinet, which \nI described as a sound similar to that made by a small kitten \nromping about Nothing, however, resulted immediately. \nAt 11.06 the medium asked M., the stenographer, to change \nplaces with me. He accordingly assumed control of her right \nside, while F. went under the table and held her ankles in \nhis hands. On my side I was holding the medium's left \nhand on her left thigh, my hand entirely encircling hers. \nUnder these conditions of control, we obtained a complete \nlevitation of the table of about eight inches. A minute later, \nwe obtained a second levitation, which, however, we had \nlargely to discount for evidential purposes \u2014 ^inasmudi as the \nmedium had asked to rest and we were more or less off \nour guard. Personally we were convinced that she did not \nproduce the levitation by fraudulent means, but we would \nnot attempt to convince others on evidence itself inconclu- \nsive. At this point M. resiuned his position at his table, \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n185 \n\n\n\nmade notes of what had occurred, whflc F. assumed control \nof the right side. \n\n11.35. Medium's hands tied to ours with rope. \n\nAt 11.45, ^ftcr a series of curtain phenomena and lesser \n\n\n\nPosition II \n\n\n\nmanifestations, the following interesting series of events took \nplace, the account of which I quote from the detailed record: \n\n\"C. TTie tambourine in the Cabinet rattles after three \ndistinct movements. While that was going on, I was hold- \ning medium's left hand over the table with my right. \n\n\"Medium says: *Oh, la! la! la I' several times, and then \nsuddenly the table in the cabinet falls over and the things \non it fall to the floor with a crash. Tambourine strikes \nseveral times. \n\n\"F. She was holding my right hand all the time. \n\n\"C. Touched on my right arm. Medium holds my right \nhand in her left all the time. Her left foot pressing on my \nright foot. \n\n\"C. Touched again on my right arm. She presses four \ntimes strongly with her finger on my hand. \n\n\"F. Her right foot on mine all the time, and kicking \nabout, her right hand pressing on mine. \n\n\"C. Medium presses her left foot on my right. Loud \nnoises in the cabinet, as though objects were moving about \nwithin. \n\n\n\n1 86 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"F. She IS kicking about under the table with her right \nfoot.\" \n\n[The above series of phenomena took place so rapidly, \nlike a kind of feu de joie, that it was difficult to describe the \ncontrol throughout. The final description of the foot con- \ntrol, when one foot was stationary, while the other moved \nabout, seems to make it clear that two separate feet were \nheld.] \n\nImmediately after these phenomena, a complete levitation \nof the table occurred. \n\nAt 11.50 another series of remarkable phenomena oc- \ncurred, the account of which I again quote from the original \nrecord : \n\n\"Gestures made toward the cabinet, followed by movements \nof instruments inside the cabinet. \n\n\"Medium tells F. to make gestures with his free hand and \nnoises inside the cabinet follow them irregularly. \n\n\"C. Small table is coming out from under the curtain \non my right, legs first. One leg of the table has climbed up \non to my chair. [Here again the phenomena followed so \nquickly that a description of the control was impossible. We \ncan only say that it seemed adequate at the time.] \n\n\"Light No. 4. \n\n\"M. I can see everything very clearly. \n\n\"F. So can I. \n\n\"C. So can I. \n\n\"Noises again follow gestures made by F. \n\n\"C. The small table attempts to climb on to the seance \ntable and falls back. \n\n\"M. I can see all the hands over and away from the \ntable and her feet. \n\n\"Things in the cabinet move about violently and with \ngreat commotion. \n\n\"F. Feet are all right. [That is, securely held.] \n\n\"11.51. C. In good light I can see the small table mov- \ning toward me, the result of my making movements toward \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 187 \n\nit with my right hand. The medium's left hand holding my \nright hand and cleariy visible. She is pressing on my right \nfcMDt with her left foot. \n\n\"F. Her right foot firmly fixed on mine. I have just \nverified with my hand the division of her toes. \n\n''Medium asked C. to lift up the small table and put it \nupright. [The small table now stands completely out of the \ncabinet] \n\n\"11.53. G)mplete levitation of the small table. \n\n\"C. My right hand being on the surface, her left hand \nbeing upon mine, her left foot pressing strongly on mine. \n\n\"The table is raised about a foot in the air. \n\n\"F. Her right foot is pressing on mine. \n\n\"11.57 p. M. C. She puts her left hand on my right, \nwhich rests flat on the top of the small table and the table \nagain rises a foot in the air. Her foot is still strongly press- \ning on my right. \n\n\"F. Her right foot is still pressing on mine; her right \nhand is visible close to me, in mine. \n\n\"C. I now ascertain that there is no string or connection \nbetween the medium and the small table. The distance be- \ntween the small table and the dress of the medium appears to \nmc to be about a foot.\" \n\nSoon after this the medium made several movements of \nher hand above the table, which rocked to and fro in re- \nsponse to her motions. Finally, a complete levitation re- \nsulted, the small table rising to a height of about a foot. \n\nDuring these latter phenomena, I had not been perfectly \nsatisfied with the control of the foot on my side, not feel- \ning the whole of the foot, as I did usually. We explained \nto her that the control had not been considered perfect, and \nthat we were not altogether satisfied. As a matter of'fact, \nand as the result of added experience, I now think that these \nphenomena were probably genuine, but I was naturally skep- \ntical at the time, after only three seances \u2014 ^at one of which \n\n\n\n1 88 Eusapia Palladino \n\nwe had detected fraud. I was, therefore, in a hypercritical \nframe of mind and undesirous of accepting any phenomenon \nnot produced under absolutely test conditions. Immediately \nwe told Eusapia that our control had not been good, she \nsaid, \"Let us repeat it, then,\" and resumed her place at the \ntable, asking us to control her as before. I regret to say \nthat in spite of our waiting sometime no additional move- \nments of the small table took place. \n\n\n\nSEANCE 4 \n\nAfter our third seance Eusapia informed us that we must \nprovide a larger circle if we wished to see the more striking \nphenomena \u2014 since two of us were not enough to supply the \nnecessary \"current.** She asked that a friend of hers, a M. \nt)c Santis, and two other friends might be present \u2014 ^who \nwould sit outside the circle and act merely as spectators. To \nthis we agreed, feeling that, although we might thereby \nsacrifice certain scientific control of the seance, we might on \nthe other hand obtain more dedsive proof than any so far \nfurnished. We also invited to this seance Professors Bot- \ntazzi and Galeotti, Professors of Physiology and Pathology, \nrespectively, of the University of Naples, who had previously \nstudied her. \n\nWe had ascertained in the interval between the third and \nfourth seances that, if Eusapia managed to free one hand, \nshe could have produced levitations of the table by fraudu- \nlent means, in spite of our stocks apparatus \u2014 in this manner: \nIf Eusapia could free one hand and insert it beneath the edge \nof the table, an upward pull would succeed in levitating the \ntable, for the reason that the two front legs, Le,, those nearest \nto her, would be balanced and controlled by the front edge \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 189 \n\nof the stocks \u2014 ^against which it would scrape in its upward \njourney. Provided Eusapia could introduce one hand be- \nneath the edge of the table, therefore, it became easier for \nEusapia to levitate the table with the stocks than without \nthem! A hook, attached to a strap, passing around her \nshoulders, would have the same efiEect. If the hook were in- \ntroduced beneath the table and the medium half rose in her \nchair, it would be possible to lift the table off the ground, \nwhile both her hands and both feet were securely held. \nBecause of the facilities afforded, therefore, and partly on \naccount of Eusapia's antagonism to the apparatus, we dis- \ncontinued its use after this seance, preferring to obtain levi- \ntations without rather than with it. But on this occasion \nwe wished to obtain levitations while the stocks apparatus \nwas in place. We accordingly left the apparatus as it was \nbefore, and around the under edges of the table we pasted \nnewspaper, reaching down as far as the transverse board of \nthe stocks, across the front and the two sides, so that had a \nhand, a hook, or any similar instrument been introduced be- \nneath the table, it would immediately have torn the paper. \nWe felt convinced that if we obtained phenomena under such \nconditions, trickery would be excluded. We afterwards as- \ncertained, however, that even in spite of all these precautions, \nthe table could still be fraudulently levitated, provided one \nhand were free ! This could not be accomplished without the \napparatus and we accordingly agreed to discontinue its use. \n\nTo return, however, to the fourth seance, which com- \nmenced at 9.30 P.M. on the evening of November 29, 1908. \n\nNo phenomena of importance occurred for fully half an \nhour, when the first manifestation took place. This was a \ncomplete levitation of the table, which occurred in spite of \nour protective paper and the varied precautions observed by \n\n\n\n190 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\nus. Sometime before this, Eusapia had asked Professor Bot- \ntazzi to assume control of her right side in place of Mr. \nFeilding. I retained control of the left side up to this point* \nWriting the next day of this levitation, Mr. Feilding says: \n\n\n\nPo \n\nF \n\u2022 \n\n\nSITION \n\n\n^ Position 1 \n\n\n\n\n\u2022 % \n\n\n\n\n8 \n\n\u2022 \n\n\n\n\ns ; \n\n\n\n\n* < \n\n\n\u2022 \u2022 # \n\nX Y ^ \n\n\n\n\n\u2022 \u2022 # \n\nX V z \n\n\nPosition III \n\n\n\u2022 \n\n\n\n\nVJ \n\n\u2022 \n\n\nF \n\u2022 \n\n\n\n\nc \n\n\n\u00ab y \n\n\n% m \u2022 \n\n\n\n\nX Y Z \n\n\n\n\nf [XY \n\n\nZ-l \n\n\nI'rienoA 01 \n\n\np Eusapia] \n\n\n\nc \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 191 \n\n\"Having been removed from the place of controller of the \nmedium, I occupied myself in guarding the end of the table \nfarthest from her. The levitation, which began with only \na tilt on two legs, then on three, and finally a levita- \ntion of all four legs, lasted long enough for me to be able \nto pass my hands several times round the farthest end of the \ntable and down the legs, and verify that there was no contact \nwith any of the sitters. Of this I am certain.\" \n\nThe medium at this juncture asked Professor Galeotti to \nchange places widi me. He therefore assumed control of the \nleft side, while Professor Bottazzi retained control of her \nright side. The medium also stated that the paper was anti- \npathetic to her and asked that the ends of the table might be \nreversed. This was accordingly done. Throughout the \nearly part of this seance the light was exceedingly poor, and \nwe were not altogether satisfied, for many reasons, with \nthe phenomena. The following extract from the report will \nshow this: \n\n\"10.32 P.M. F.^ Medium makes gestures with B.'s \nhands up in the air. \n\n\"B. I have the right hand of the medium in my left \nhand in die air. \n\n\"G. I hold the hand of the medium in my hand in the \nmiddle of the table. \n\n\"Things tumble about on the small table in the cabinet. \n\n\"G. The medium has her foot on my foot. \n\n\"G. Something touched my arm. Something has moved \nunder my chair. Something has again moved under my chair. \nShe holds my fingers well. \n\n\"M . Medium gasps and moans. \n\n\"10.37. F\u00ab Note the position of heads is unknown. \n\n\"B. I have been touched on my left shoulder. \n\n^In this stance, F^FeOding, C^CarringtoD, M^Meesooy B\u00ab Professor \nBottaui, ind G- Professor Galeotd. \n\n\n\n192 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n\"C. (to B.). Can you see her head? \n\n\"B. No. \n\n\"10.39. Complete Icvitation of the table. \n\n'^B. The table is coming up; right hand held as before. \nMedium taps violently with her foot. \n\n\"C. Another OMnplete levitation of the table. Medium's \nright hand on my shoulder. \n\n\"G. Medium's left hand was on the table. \n\n\"The table rose up about two feet away from the me- \ndium.\" \n\nAt 1 1.04 the small table in the cabinet came out of its own \naccord and attempted to climb on to the seance table. It \nfinally ceased its movements and appeared to be resting part- \nly on the table, partly on Eusapia's shoulder, and partly on \nProfessor Galeotti's shoulder. I went round to investigate \nand found this to be the case. \n\nAt 1 1. 1 6, however, the small table made another series of \nattempts to climb up, and this time with more success, as it \nclambered completely on to the largpr table. \n\n\n\nPosition IV \n\n\n\nG \n\n\n\nShortly before 12 midnight, Eusapia's three friends and \nProfessor Bottazzi took their leave\u2014 only Professor Galeotti, \nMr. Feilding, and myself remaining. F. assumed control of \n\n\n\nEusapia Palla'dino \n\n\n\n193 \n\n\n\nthe rigbt side, while G\u00ab retained control of her left hand and \nfoot. \n\nI then went under the table, and, kneeling down, held \n\u00a3usapia*s two feet in my hands by the ankles. F. was holding \nher right hand in the middle of the table, while G. was hold- \ning her left hand close to its rim. Under these conditions, \nand while the medium was standing, we obtained a com- \nplete levitation, the table rising into the air, all four legs \nat once. \n\niPb6lTlON.V \n\n\n\n\nAt 12.16 I again resumed control of the left side of Eusa* \npia. The table tilted on its two legs farthest from her while \nI was holding her left hand completely away from the table, \nso that contact was impossible. F. then stood between the \nmedium and the table, her outstretched arms passing over \nhis arms, as over a fence. Under these conditions the table \ncontinued to stand on the two legs farthest from her for \nseveral minutes. After several movements of objects in the \ncabinet, die following inddent then occurred: \n\n\"12.23 A.M. F. The tambourine has jumped on to my \nleft knee (and fell down again). \n\n\"C. The medium held my right hand firmly and raised \nit toward the cabinet. ... \n\n\n\n194 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"F. Her foot is still on mine. \n\n\"C. I am touched on the right arm. I am holding \nthe medium's left hand on the table by the thumb and \nwrist. I was touched on the hip. Her left foot was on \nmine. \n\n'T. I can see her face. Medium now takes both my \nhands. The small table has come up on to my lap. \n\n\"12.25. C. Medium held all our hands on both her \nhands [that is, a pile of hands]. \n\n\"C. Her left foot is on my right foot. Her left arm \nrests on my right arm ; with my right hand I am also holding \nthe medium's left hand. \n\n\"F. I am sure of her right foot. \n\n\"12.27 A.M. C. Her left foot is now on my right, \nfirmly. \n\n\"F. And the right foot Is on my left foot. \n\n\"12.28. Movements in cabinet. \n\n\"C. With her left hand medium holds my rigjit hand, \nabout a foot above the table. \n\n\"12.30. Medium says she wants to rest An intermis- \nsion of about two minutes. \n\n\"i2.32. Things in cabinet move about. \n\n\"F. The small table falls over to my left. Her right foot \nis absolutely certainly on my left foot. I am holding her \nright hand motionless on the table. \n\n\"C. The left foot was thoroughly on my right foot, her \nleft hand was held by my right hand, about two feet above \nthe table, and she made a gesture with it in the direction of \nthe small table which was on her right side.\" \n\nIt is a significant fact that all our best phenomena were \nobtained after Eusapia's friends had left, and when only \nProfessor Galeotti, Mr. Feilding, and myself remained. Had \nEusapia attempted to resort to fraud, and were her friends \ninvited for the purpose of assisting her, it is certain that phe- \nnomena should have been noticed before they had left Since \nthese were only observed after their departure, however, it \n\n\n\n\n3P S \n\n\n\n\n\n\n:;r o \n\nc.t: \no g \n\n\u00ab o \n\ni= c \n\n4\u00bb \"3 \n\n\n\n\u25a0^ \n\n\n\n4) O) \n\nS \u00ab \nPJ \n\nII \n\n\u2022\u20225:S \na> O \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\nI9S \n\n\n\nserves to Indicate that the phenomena obtained were genuine, \nand that they depend on other conditions than those which \nwould facilitate fraud. \n\n\n\nSEANCE 5 \n\nAfter the fourth seance we were joined frcnn England by \nMr. W. W. Baggally, who shared in every seance thence- \nforward until the close of the series. We had also invited \nto our fifth seance, which took place on December 2, 1908, \nMr. Gibson, who, however, merely sat at the opposite end of \nthe table from Eusapia, at no time assumed control, and took \nno active part in the control of the phenomena. The seance \ncommenced at 9.44 P. M.^ in a good light, F. controlling the \nleft side of Eusapia and I the right. Various raps and tilts \n\n\n\nPosition II \n\n\n\n\nB \n\n\n\n\u00ab [d- Mr Gibson] \n\n\n\nof the table occurred, the table continuing to remain on two \nlegs, at an angle of about forty-five degrees, in spite of our \nrepeated efforts to press it to the floor. \n\nAt 10.18 I resigned my position of control to Mr. Bag- \ngally, who retained it during the rest of the seance. Remark- \n\n\n\n196 Eusapia Palladino \n\nable tilts continued to occur on the two legs ferdiest from \nEusapia, and at 10.32 I went under the table and held Eusa- \npia's feet in my hands. I reported that I could feel the live \nfoot through the shoes, and knew that I was not merely hold- \ning her empty shoes in my hands. Under these conditions, \nand while her hands were securely held by B. and F., the \ntable forcibly tilted on two legs farthest from hen \n\nAbout 10.40 the curtains of the cabinet blew out and we \nall felt a strong breeze coming from the cabinet and blow- \ning over the seance table. At 10.52 strong movements of the \nlittle table in the cabinet took place, both Eusapia's hands \nbeing well held, her right foot being on B.'s left foot, and \nher left leg resting across F.'s two knees. \n\nAt ii.io F. and I both saw a white hand come over the \nmedium's head, moving rather slowly, clench its fingers, and \nrecede again into the cabinet. B. and G. did not see this hand, \nowing to the position of the right-hand curtain. B. and F. \nwere both securely holding the medium's hands when this \noccurred. \n\nAt 1 1. 18 F. and I both saw a black object somewhat re- \nsembling a head in shape, which F. described as \"3. grotesque \nface with a Jewish nose,\" come to within a few inches of \nB.'s face, then recede quickly into the cabinet Eusapia's \nhead was resting against F.'s, and both her hands securely \nheld. \n\nShortly after this, the following interesting incident oc- \ncurred: \n\n\" 1 1.22. B.^ The small table is moving. \n\"F. She clenched my right hand at the time with her left \nhand on her lap ; her left foot quite clearly on my rig^t. \n\n^In tl^t trance, besides the usuil symbols, B\u2014 BaggaUj. This ii reUtned \nthroughout the remainder of the series. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 197 \n\n\"B. Same control as before. The small table rises and \ntouches my elbow, while I am perfectly certain that her right \nhand is on my left hand on the table, and I can feel the whole \nlength of her leg. \n\n\"B. The small table is again moving. The same con- \ntrol. \n\n\"F. My right hand was on her two knees, and her left \nhand in mine, visible, and close to me. Legs both firmly be- \ntween B.*s and mine, as I have felt. their position with my \nhand. \n\n\"11.25. The small table is rising again. \n\n\"C. The small table is put right on to the seance table. \n(Falling down again.) \n\n\"B. Control perfect. \n\n\"11.26. C. The small table is levitated right on to the \nseance table (and again falls to the floor) through the cur- \ntains, between B. and the medium. It rose to a height of \ntwo and a half feet from the floor and is now resting on the \nseance table.\" \n\n\n\nTwo or three minutes later I reached down and lifted the \nsmall table, and put it into an upright position. No sooner \nhad its feet touched the floor, however, than the table was \ncompletely levitated, rising up forcibly against my hand, to \nthe height of about six inches. F. and B. verified their hand \nand foot control and found them perfect. I kept my hand \nflat on the surface of the table, and it was again levitated, \ntwice. While I was leaning over, with my hand on the table, \nthe curtain blew out strongly and brushed against my face. \nSeveral raps occurred on the wood of the small table. It \ncontinued to tilt back and forth, and at 11.36, I alone having \nmy right hand on the small table, it tilted violently to the \nright, as though in response to a forcible pressure from one \nside. At the moment this was taking place, the medium, in \ntrance, was leaning completely back in F.'s arms, her body \n\n\n\n198 Eusapia Palladino \n\nbeing encircled by them. His right hand was on her two \nknees, her left hand was visible on the table, and her right \nhand on the opposite corner. Her right foot, resting on B.'s, \nwas swinging backward and forward under her chair \u2014 ^B. \ncontinuously following it with his left foot. \n\nAt 12.06 A.M. a forcible tilt, followed by a complete \nlevitation of the table, occurred under excellent conditions. \nI quote from the record in order that the reader may see \nthe precautions taken by us to guard against any deception, \nor the possibility that the medium might have effected these \ntilts by pressure on one side or other of the table, or by her \nfingers, thumbs, or wrists, placed over the edge. \n\n\"12.06. The medium stands up. \n\n\"F. The table tilts on its two legs farthest from me- \ndium. My left hand is under the left table leg. I passed \nmy hand down the leg also. Her left hand is motionless in \nmine. \n\n\"C. Her right hand on the top of the table. I am pass- \ning my fingers along the edge of the table; her fingers and \nwrists are well above the edge. \n\n\"B. I am holding her right hand. \n\n\"F. Both hands are now above the table. I was between \nher and the table. I pulled the table toward me, and it \nresisted considerably before it fell down \u2014 ^this after her hands \nhad left.\" \n\nImmediately after this, a complete levitation took place. \nAt the conclusion of the seance, we tested the cold breeze \nthat issued from her forehead \u2014 ^which we had distinctly felt \nduring the last few minutes of the seance. I examined the \nfamous scar, both with my fingers and optically, and held \nmy hand at a distance of about three inches from her head. \nThe cold breeze was distinctly perceptible. We all felt this \nin turn, holding Eusapia's mouth and nose, so that she could \n\n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n199 \n\n\n\nnot breathe Wc held our own breaths, and again placed our \nhands over the famous scar. Wc felt the breeze as distinctly \nas ever \u2014 it being considerably colder than the temperature of \nthe room. Although it was clear to us that this was objec- \ntive in character, we determined to demonstrate this fact at \nour next seance. Our experiments will be detailed at the \nconclusion of the next sitting, together with the remarkable \nresults we obtained. \n\nSEANCE 6 \n\nThe sixth seance, which was perhaps the most remarkable \nof the whole series, was held on the evening of Decem- \nber 4th\u2014 only the members of the committee \u2014 Messrs. \nFeilding, Baggally, and myself being present. For more \nthan an hour and a half no important phenomena with the \nexception of a few tilts of the table took place, until 11.35, \nwhen B. was touched for the first time upon his shoulder. \n\nPosmoN Throughout \n\nE.R \n\n\n\nHe was controlling the right side of the medium at this \nseance, I the left side, while Mr. Feilding was sitting oppo- \nsite Eusapia at the other end of the table. At this time, \n\n\n\n200 Eusapia Palladino \n\nalso, a square, black object, resembling a head, came out of \nthe cabinet, approached to within a few inches of my face, \nthen receded instantaneously. It was irregular in outline, \nand I described it as looking \"like a cauliflower.\" The me- \ndium, who had gone into a deeper trance than she had entered \nat any previous seaOice, had fallen toward me, her body \nresting against my right side, her head resting against my \nhead, and the whole of her left hand and arm being imder \nmy control. Her left foot was also under my feet; her right \nhand was held by Mr. Baggally on the table. I now quote \nfrom our detailed notes portions of this remarkable seance: \n\n\"11.41 P.M. C. I am touched by a hand on the head. \n\n\"F. I saw a white thing come out from the curtains over \nthe medium's head and touch C.*s head. \n\n\"C. While this was going on, the medium's head was \nresting against mine, my right arm being around her shoul- \nders, her left hand being visible on mine on the table, her \nleft foot pressing on my right. \n\n\"B. Mine exactly the same as before. Her right hand \nwas resting on my left hand on the table under the curtain \n[which had blown out] and her right foot is resting on \nmy left foot, and her right knee is pressing against my left \nknee. I could tell it was her right hand by the feeling \nof the relative position of her hand to her fingers, and feel- \ning the thumb in the palm of her hand; and that it was \nher real hand, by the warmth and by the response to my \nsqueezes.] \n\n\"i 1.44. The medium says: *It is coming. There!* [Me- \ndium said to C: \"Look, he will come there!\" indicating \na particular spot to the left of B.] \n\n\"C. I am touched on the head through the curtain, twice, \nthe medium's head resting against my head, the left hand \nvisibly on the table in my hand, her left knee pressing against \nmy right knee. \n\n\"B. Her right hand is resting in my left hand on the \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 201 \n\ntable, and her right foot is resting on my left foot, and I \nstill continue pressing my knee against her knee. \n\n\"F. I saw something white just over the medium's head. \nA sort of flash of white. The medium's head was motion- \nless. \n\nii.4.8. C. The medium moves the hand held in B.*s \nhand, and makes him feel with his hand that we are holding \ndifferent ones. \n\n'*B. And she tells me she is going to do it. \n\n\"11.50. C. I hear something moving in the cabinet. \n\n\"B. The curtain is thrown over my side. \n\n\"F. It has come as far as my end of the table. \n\n\"C. Her left hand held my right firmly on her knee, her \nleft foot resting on my foot; I was also stroking her fore- \nhead with my left hand. \n\n\"B. Her right hand on my left hand, on her right knee. \nHer right foot on my left foot, and I could feel the whole \nlength of her leg against mine, our knees touching. \n\nB. and C. both say they can^feel her thumbs. \u2022 . .\" \n\nUnder these conditions of control, we saw a white hand \nseveral times appear over Eusapia's head, and several of us \nexperienced touches. I was hit on the head several times \nby a hand, of which I could feel the four fingers and the \nthumb. The medium said she was getting cold. A hand \ncame out from behind the cabinet, and pressed B. tightly on \nthe shoulder. He could feel its thumb and the four fingers. \nHe was at the moment holding her right hand, and both her \nknees, while I was holding the other hand by the thumb on \nher left thigh. I resume the record at: \n\n\"12.05. C. The medium holds my right leg in between \nher two legs and is kicking to and fro, saying she wants to \nbring something out of the cabinet with her foot, but her \nfoot remained under the table all the time. \n\n\"B. She has removed her foot from mine. \n\n\n\n202 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"12.06. F. I again saw a white thing over her head. I \ncould not say what it was. \n\n''C. My control was exactly the same as before. I also \nsaw the white thing. The curtain blows out twice, as \nthough pushed by some substance. I can see the round \nswelling of the curtain. Her hand was pressing firmly \nagainst my hand, and I am holding it by the thumb. Both \nher legs around my right leg. \n\n\"B. Her right hand is on my left hand, on her right \nknee. \n\n\"F. I have asked the medium whether I could feel the \nhand also. F. stands to the left of C, and leans over with \nhis left hand outstretched about two and a half feet above \nand to the left of the medium's head. Immediately after: \n\n\"F. I am touched by something directly on the point of \nthe finger. \n\n\"12. 1 1 A.M. F. I am touched again. I am taken hold \nof by fingers, and I can feel the nails quite plainly. \n[My forefinger was pressed hard by three separate fingers \nabove it and by a thumb below, through the curtain. I felt \nthe nails quite distinctly as they pressed into my finger.] \n\n\"C. Her head pressing against my head. I am abso- \nlutely holding her left hand on the table. Both her legs \nare around my right leg under the chair. \n\n\"B. I am absolutely certain that her right hand is on \nmy left hand on her right knee. \n\n\"F. I am touched again, grasped this time as though \nby the lower part of a thunri) and fingers. \u2022 \u2022 \u2022 \n\n\"C. The medium has taken her two leg$ from around \nmy right leg, and now has her left foot on my right foot. \n\n\"B. And she places her right foot on my left foot, and \nI am feeling her knee with my knee. \n\n\"C. The medium rests her head on my right shoulder, \nand is pressing against it. I have my arm around her \nnecL I have her left hand in my left hand on the table. I \nsaw the curtain blow out in front of me. \n\n\"B. Medium's right hand is in my left. . . . \n\n\"C. I am touched on the head by a hand. At this mo- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 203 \n\nment the medium's head is pressing against my head, her left \nhand is on my left hand on the table, and with my right hand \nI am holding the whole of her left arm. Her left foot on \nmy right foot. \n\n\"B. Medium's right hand resting on my left, on the \ntable. Right foot on my left foot, which she moves back- \nward and forward, and I follow with my foot. \n\n\"C. My foot was motionless.\" \n\nAt 12.25 ^n exceedingly interesting and remarkable phe- \nnomenon occurred. My right foot was resting on its heel \nunder the table, my toes pointing upward at an angle of \nabout forty-five degrees. In the angular crutch thus formed \nEusapia's left foot was resting. She suddenly kicked upward \nwith her foot, and inunediately there resounded on the under \nsurface of the table a tremendous blow. It seemed as though \nthe table had been struck by a mallet or kicked with terrific \nforce. Now Eusapia's foot had quitted mine but the small- \nest fraction of a second, and I felt morally certain that, \nhowever quick she might have been, the time interval would \nnot have been sufficient for her to have raised her foot to the \nheight required, and lower it again. At the same time I \ncould not present this subjective feeling as proof to a skep- \ntical outsider. I therefore stretched my left arm across, \nunder the table, reaching from side to side, so that, if her foot \nattempted to kick the table a second time, she must neces- \nsarily have kicked my arm. I then asked her to repeat the \nperformance. Her foot quitted mine for an instant again, \nand again the thunderous rap was heard on the under side \nof the table^ but her foot did not touch my arm, I am, \ntherefore, certain that the blow was not produced by the \nnormal process of kicking, but probably by some projection \nof nervous, vital force from the toes of her foot \n\n\n\n204 Eusapia Palladino \n\nA minute or two after this, Mr. Feildmg rose and stood \nclose to the cabinet curtains, holding his hand outstretched \nagainst them. He felt a cold breeze about his hand. At \nthe same moment, a hand came out imder cover of the cur- \ntains, and distinctly pulled my hair. At this moment the \nmedium's head was resting against mine, her left hand and \nthe whole of her left arm were under my control. Mr. \nBaggally was certain that he was holding her right hand upon \nthe table. Both her feet were also accounted for. \n\nAt 12.30 I saw a head come out from the cabinet slowly, \nremain visible two or three seconds, within six inches of my \nface, and slowly retire. The medium's head was resting \nagainst mine, I was holding her left hand in her lap, while \nMr. Baggally was guarding her right hand. \n\nMr. Feilding held his hand about three feet above Eusa- \npia's head, wishing to see at how great a height he could \nbe touched. Eusapia's hands were clearly held in ours, and \nshe raised her own and our hands, held in hers about two \nfeet above the table, saying that \"it helped.\" F. felt a cold \nbreeze, and blows on his wrist, but no hand grasped his. \nImmediately afterwards I perceived a head coming out from \nbetween the cabinet curtains, between Eusapia's head and \nmine. She had removed her head from contact with my \nhead, and it was now about eight inches distant, and per- \nfectly visible. \n\nVarious touches concluded the seance, but not the phe- \nnomena. After we had turned up the lights, pulled aside \nthe cabinet curtains, examined the cabinet and its contents, \nand were discussing the seance, B. still continued to feel \nhands playing about with his back and side, this, be it ob- \nserved, in full light, and when Eusapia was wearily resting \nher head on her two hands on the table. The curtain blew \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 205 \n\nout several times in full light, and under the same conditions. \nSeveral tilts of the table also occurred. We then asked \n\"John\" to try and pick one of the strings of the small guitar \nwhich was standing in the corner of the cabinet. We all \nstood up, including the medium, who was about six inches \nin front of the cabinet curtains, her skirt not touching them, \nand her two feet controlled by those on cither side of her; \nher hands also being held. The light was sufficiently good \nto enable us to read small print with ease. We stood thus \nfor about a minute, when 6. and M. exchanged remarks \nupon some subject bearing on the seance. At that moment \nF. and I, who were listening intently, clearly perceived a \nslight twanging sound of the strings of the guitar, as though \nfingers were playing with them lightly, but were unable to \npull one of them with sufficient force to make it resound. The \nattempt to play these strings was, however, quite clear and \naudible to F. and myself, who heard it at the same instant. \n\nAfter the medium had resumed her chair, we felt her head \nwith our hands, to see if the cold breeze was issuing from \nher forehead. Wc all clearly perceived it with out hands, \nplaced at a distance of about three inches from the medium's \nhead. F. held his hand over her mouth and nose, and we \nall did likewise, holding our noses and mouths and refrain- \ning from breathing, and the breeze was still distinctly per- \nceptible. B. then held a small paper flag to the medium's \nforehead \u2014 ^her nose and mouth, as well as our own, still be- \ning well covered. The flag blew out several times, and then \nout so forcibly that it turned completely over and wrapped \nitself once round the flagstaff, to which it was attached! \nThe objective nature of this breeze was thus established \u2014 \nthough a thermometer held to her head failed to record any \nlowering of temperature. \n\n\n\n2o6 Eusapia Palladino \n\nAt the conclusion of the sixth seance, we asked the medium \nif we might search her. She at once consented, and pro- \nceeded to take ofiE her clothes one by one and hand them to \nus for examination. There was certainly no slit or other \ncontrivance in the skirt or in the bodice, and we also exam- \nined her petticoats and other undergarments and felt over \nher body with our hands through the few remaining clothes. \nSo far as we could discover, nothing was concealed about \nher person or her clothes. \n\nI quote the following extract from Mr. Feilding's Note, \nmade the day after the seance, since it expresses, more or \nless, the view of all of us who participated in these seances. \nHe says in part: \n\n\"After the sixth seance, for the first time I find that my \nmind, from which the stream of events had hitherto run off \nlike rain from a mackintosh, is at last beginning to be capable \nof absorbing them. For the first time I have absolute con- \nviction that our observation is not mistaken. I realize as an \nappreciable fact in life that, from an empty curtain, I have \nseen hands and heads come forth, and that from behind that \nempty curtain I have been seized by living fingers, the ex- \nistence and position of the very nails of which were percep- \ntible. I have seen this extraordinary woman sitting outside \nthe curtain, held hand and foot, visible to myself, by my \ncolleagues, immobile, except for the occasional straining of a \nlimb, while some entity within the curtain has over and over \nagain pressed my hand in a position clearly beyond her reach. \nI refuse to entertain the possibility of a doubt about it, or \nthat we were the victims of an hsdlucination. I appreciate \nexactly the fact that ninety-nine people out of a hundred will \nrefuse to entertain the possibility of a doubt that it could be \nanything else, and, remembering my own belief of a very \nshort time ago, I shall not be able to complain, though I shaU \nunquestionably be annoyed when I find that to be the case. \n\u2022 \u2022 \u2022 Since writing the above, I have read the notes of C. and \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 207 \n\nB. The former has apparently submitted with the same \ncompleteness as myself to the evidence of facts. B., who is \nevidently passing through the same stages as I did in my \nearlier seances, toys with the suggestion of an apparatus, by \nway of easing his mind. It would be an interesting problem \nto set before a manufacturer of conjuring machines to de- \nvise an apparatus capable of producing alternately a black, \nflat, profile face, a square face on a long neck, and a 'cello- \nlike face on a warty, knobby body, two feet long. Also a \nwhite hand with movable fingers, a yellowish hand, and a \nhand invisible altogether \u2014 all these for use outside the cur- \ntain. Further, for use within, a hand with a practicable \nliving thumb, and fingers having nails, capable of reaching \nhigh above the medium's head, of patting, hitting, and pulling \nhair, and of so vigorously grasping B. by the coat as to up- \nset him into the cabinet. Our manufacturer must so con- \nstruct the apparatus that it can be actuated, unseen by a \nsomewhat stout and elderly lady, clad in a tight, plain gown, \nwho sits outside the curtain, held visibly by hand and foot, \nin such a way as to escape the observation of two practical \nconjurers, clinging about her, and on the lookout for its \noperation. It must further be of such dimensions as to be \nconcealed about the lady, while parading herself for inspection \nupon a chair clad in her stays and a short flannel petticoat, \nand it must have the property of penetrating matter suffi- \nciently well to be able to emerge from its hiding place, either \nthrough the two plain skirts (apart from the flannel petti- \ncoat) and through a close bodice, with a waist belt so tight \nthat I cannot get my finger in, making no mention of the \nstays.\" \n\n\n\nSEANCE 7 \n\nOur seventh seance occurred on the evening of Decem- \nber 7th. Finding that there was a tendency on the part \nof \"the powers that be\" to upset the table in the cabinet when \nbringing it on to the seance table, thereby turning all the \n\n\n\n208 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palkdino \n\n\n\nmusical instruments upon It over on to the floor, we secured \nthe table firmly by means of rope fastened to staples, \ndriven into the floor, in such a manner that it could not be \nlifted except by the exertion of an immense force, which \nwould either snap the rope or pull the iron staples out \"by \nthe roots,\" \n\n\n\nPotion \ne p. \n\n\n\nI \n\n\n\n\nSoon after the seance began a phenomenon occurred which \nhas frequently been observed by others, viz: the blowing out \nof her skirt, as though by a strong air current from within. \nThe skirt slowly bulged out six or eight inches. All of us, \nincluding Eusapia, watched it with considerable interest. I \nasked Eusapia if I might touch this. She replied \"yes.\" I \nput my hands down, and felt that there was no solid substance \nunder the skirt, causing it to inflate in this manner. We \nascertained with our hands and with our eyes that Eusapia's \nfeet were both securely held, and that they were not produc- \ning this bulging movement. With her permission we then \nturned back her skirts, examined the leg as far as the knee, \nand the skirt and petticoats beneath it. We found no \nmechanism, and no piece of apparatus, the operation of which \ncould in any way account for the facts. We let the dresi \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n1209 \n\n\n\nfall again and it immediately began to inflate as before. Eu- \nsapia then told Mr. Feilding to sit between the light and her \nskirt, so as to throw it into shadow, when, she said, the \nbulging would become stronger. This incident is interesting, \nserving as it does to indicate the influence of light upon the \nproduction of the phenomena. These swellings continued \nfor some minutes, becoming stronger and stronger, and finally \ndying away. \n\nPosition 11 \n\n\n\nB \n\n\n\nShortly after lo p.m. I exchanged places with Mr. \nBaggally, who retained control of the right side throughout \nthe remainder of the seance. Various minor phenomena oc- \ncurred during the first hour, including tilts of the table of \na remarkable character, curtain phenomena, and movements \nof a small stool outside the cabinet without apparent cause. \nWhite objects also appeared over her head and shoulder, \nand were perceived by us \u2014 the control being perfect. The \nsmall stool came farther out into the seance room, and con- \ntinued to move, visibly, in response to waves of her hand in \nthe air above it. \n\nAt 1 1. 01 Eusapia nodded her head four times in the direc- \ntion of the table, but without touching it. Exactly corrc- \n\n\n\n210 Eusapia Palladino \n\nspending with each nod, four tremendous bangs, as though \nmade by a large wooden mallet, were heard on the table \u2014 \nso loud it would have been impossible to duplicate it without \nsome mechanical contrivance, such as a hammer. A minute \nlater she said she would try to levitate the table, and a par- \ntial levitation resulted. \n\nAt 11.07 wc asked \"John\" to show himself outside the \ncabinet curtains. Four tilts of the table, meaning \"talk,\" \nresponded. We spoke, however, very little, but paid close \nattention to the curtains. In a moment, something misty \nand black shot out about eighteen inches from the cabinet, \nclose to Mr. Baggally's head. It came and went so quick- \nly, however, that we could not distinguish what it was. A \nfew minutes later, we heard the table in the cabinet lifted \na fraction of an inch oS the floor and then released again, \ncoming down with a bang. It must be. remembered that the \ntable had been securely fastened down with ropes, and that \nit was impossible to move it. A very considerable force must \nhave been exercised to lift it off the floor at all \u2014 certainly \nmore than Eusapia could have brought to bear with one or \neven with two hands free. We explained to \"John\" that since \nhe had always upset the table and the instruments upon it \nin former seances, we had tied it to the floor on this occa- \nsion, since we wished him to finger aijd to bring out to us the \nvarious small objects placed upon it. \n\nAt 11.20 a remarkable manifestation took place\u2014 one of \nthe most remarkable of all, perhaps \u2014 ^the description of which \nI quote from our detailed record: \n\n\"C. A bell from the cabinet is lifted from the table \nthrough the curtains and put upon the medium's head and \nremains there. \n\n\"F. The left hand was visibly in my right all the time on \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 211 \n\nthe table, and I heard the bell, which had been on the table \nin the cabinet, began to ring, and then it suddenly appeared \noutside the curtain and came over the medium's head, and \nit hung there and went on ringing. She told me it was tied \nto her head. I felt with my fingers and felt something like \nmuslin tying it to her hair. As I was looking at it, I suddenly \nsaw a white thing, which I thought was the medium's right \nhand come to untie the bell, because it was uncomfortable, \nring it hard, and throw it on to the seance table. This was \nwithin one foot of my nose. I could see the medium's face \nperfectly. \n\n\"B. I saw the bell come out and lie on the medium's \nhead, and also saw it thrown from her head on to the table. \nDuring the whole of this phenomenon her right hand was \nresting on my left hand on the table, and her right foot on \nmy left foot.\" \n\nDuring the next few minutes indefinable white objects \ncontinued to appear over the medium's head \u2014 ^under excel- \nlent test conditions \u2014 and when her hands and feet were \nsecurely held. A brilliant, bluish-green light was perceived, \nwhich lasted about two seconds. The next minute a simi- \nlar light came outside the curtains of the cabinet and was \nseen to be resting in Eusapia's lap. The table rapped for \nless light. A brilliant luminous point was seen within the \ncabinet about two and a half feet from Eusapia, bluish green \nin color. Another light of a slightly diflFerent character ap- \npeared the next minute\u2014 this time, however, a small spark- \nling light, about four or five inches above her head. \n\nWe asked Eusapia to endeavor to obtain an impression of \na hand in our clay, which we had placed in readiness on the \nsmall table. She felt F.'s hand, which was resting upon the \nseance table as though she were feeling the day with hers, \nand replied that the clay was \"too wet.\" \n\nAt this point, Eusapia informed us that some one was com- \n\n\n\n212 Eusapia Palladino \n\ning out to kiss Mr. Baggally. The curtain swelled out toward \nhim and a clicking sound was made close to his face. It did \nnot sound in the least like a kiss, however, which she had said \nit was, but exactly like the sound one would make were \nthe thumb and middle finger nails clicked together. This \nwas, of course, a highly suspicious circumstance, and we so \nregarded it, in spite of the fact that we repeatedly verified \nthe control of the hands, and could even see them lying up- \non the table while this phenomenon was in progress. \n\nA small, black, square object then came out, which Eusa- \npia said was \"the head of a man clean shaven.\" It did not \nresemble a head, however, and was far too small for the head \nof anybody. Mr. Feilding complained to Eusapia that it did \nnot look in the least like a head, and that it was, as he ex- \npressed it, \"an outrage upon humanity.\" Eusapia said: \"We \nwill try again.\" The black thing thereupon came out the \nsecond time, somewhat larger than before, but still not hav- \ning any resemblance to a human profile. It retired imme- \ndiately, and we could, in fact, catch but a fleeting glimpse \nof it. \n\nSBANCS 8 \n\nIt will be remembered that we had partially searched \nEusapia at the conclusion of the sixth seance. We did not \nfeel, however, that our search had been strict and thorough \n\u2014 such a search as would enable us to say with confidence \nthat nothing was concealed about her person ; and while we \nourselves felt assured that nothing was in fact concealed, we \nhad to have evidence such as would convince others of this \nfact. We desired to obtain the services of one or two ladies \nto make a thorough and proper search, and we accordingly \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n213 \n\n\n\nasked Senora Rocca and Miss Crawford \u2014 ^thc two daughters \nof Mr. Marion Crawford \u2014 ^to attend this seance and super- \nvise the searching for us. There were also present at this \nseance Lord Sudeley and Mr. Ryan \u2014 so that we had an ad- \ndition of four to our usual number. The sitters were ar- \nranged as shown in the diagram. The eighth sitting took \nplace in the usual room, on the evening of December 10, \n1908. \n\nEusapia was taken into a separate room, and, before the \ntwo ladies, she completely stripped, and handed them, one by \none, her clothes for inspection. These were thoroughly ex- \namined, even the linings of the bodice and the skirt being \nsearched, andjier hair was taken down and put up before \nthem. \n\n\n\nPosition \n\n\n\n\n^6mON \n\n\n\n\n'\u2022 \n\n^ \n\n\n\n\n# \nnt55C \n\n\n# # \n\n\n\n\n\u2022 \n\n\nR \n\nm \n\n\n# \n\n\nKtev, \n\n\n\n\n\u2022 \n\n1 r\\t9r\\ ^ \n\n\n\n\n\nThe seance beganiit 10.30, and an exceptionally long wait \noccurred before any phenomena of interest took place. At \n10.53 I resigned my control to Mr. Ryan, to see if this might \nbeneficially influence the results. But it was not until past \nII that phenomena began to be noticed. Slight, and then \nmore forcible movements of the curtain were the first mani- \nfestations of interest. These were followed by several \ntouches under conditions of good control, but merely dupli- \n\n\n\n214 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\neating phenomena seen at previous seances. At this point \nF. and R. change places. \n\nPosition 111^\u00a9 \n\n\n\nF \n\n\n\n^c** \n\n\n\nMiss ' \n\n\n\ntOPO' \n\n\n\nAt 11.55 we saw the first striking manifestation. The \ntin trumpet, which had rested on the small table in the cabi- \nnet, appeared in front of the curtains, about a yard distant \nfrom Eusapia, and crept slowly along Mr. Ryan's arm until \nit arrived on the seance table. A square white patch then \nappeared over Eusapia's head. Immediately afterwards the \nsmall toy piano was thrown from the cabinet, struck Mr. \nRyan lightly on the head and rolled to the floor. Eusapia \nwas at this moment holding Mr. Ryan by the hand, her right \nhand being held by Mr. Feilding on her lap. Both her feet \nwere also held. \n\nVarious lights then manifested, and a white object, which \nwas described at the time as resembling \"a boiled white \ncabbage,\" came out from between the curtains and approached \nMr. Ryan. Again, something tried to lift the small table, \nbut finding, apparently, that it was tied, let it go with a \nbang. \n\nAt 11.22, after the appearance of another white, inde- \nfinable object over the medium's head, a hand appeared at \nthe extreme opening of the left curtain, nearest the window, \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 215 \n\nand about a yard distant from Eusapia. This hand was bear- \ning the plate of clay which we had placed upon the small \ntable, hoping for impressions of hands or faces. The clay \nmust have been lifted first of all from the small table, to the \nposition at the opening of the curtains, where it was seen \nby us. \nt The hand then moved slowly downward and deposited the \nplate of clay on the seance table, taking fully four or five \nseconds in its passage. The hand then seemed to disappear. \nThis phenomenon was clearly visible to all of us, and it \nwould have been quite impossible for Eusapia to have dupli- \ncated it, even had her left hand been free (i), because she \ncould not have reached so far, and (2), had she succeeded \nin doing so, and had she brought the plate of clay on to the \nseance table, she must necessarily have gathered in toward her \nthe left-hand curtain, round which her arm must neces- \nsarily have circled. But such was not the case. I noted \nespecially that, while the white hand was conveying the \nobject from B.l to C.i the curtain remained stationary. \nMr. Ryan is certain, moreover, that he was, at that mo- \nment, holding Eusapia's left hand in the middle of the \ntable. \n\nMr. Baggally then climbed up on to the seance table and \nstretched his hand at least a yard over Eusapia's head, resting \nit against the cabinet curtains. We felt that, were he touched \nunder these conditions, it would be proof positive that Eusa- \npia had not produced the phenomenon by fraud \u2014 since she \ncould not, with her short arms, reach so high. He felt a \nsolid substance pressing against his hand on two or three oc- \ncasions, however, which he described as being not solid, but \nresembling the pressure of wind. \n\nAn interesting series of phenomena began at 12.47, the \n\n\n\n2i6 Eusapia Palladino \n\naccount of which I quote from our detailed notes as fol- \nlows; \n\n\"R.* Somebody nudged me in the ribs on the right side. \n\n'^C. A solid substance pushes against my hand. I am \ntouched on the left arm. \n\n\"F. Her right hand is two feet above the table in my left \nhand. \n\n\"R. Noises in the cabinet. \n\n\"F. She taps with her right hand on mine, and the tam- \nbourine shakes synchronously inside the cabinet. Her head \nclose to me and visible. The same thing has happened again. \n\n\"R. She grips my hand, both resting upon the table, \nher foot pressing mine firmly. \n\n\"C. The bell rings, and has been brought on to the \ntop of the medium's head from the cabinet and remains \nthere. \n\n\"F. I was holding her right hand on the top of the \ntable. I saw the bell arrive on her head. I hold the bell \nup against the curtain and ask John to take it from me. \nI was holding my hand about a foot from her head and to- \nward the curtain, with my fingers holding it so that they \nprojected beyond the bell toward the curtain. Three or \nfour fingers took hold of the bell and shook it in my hand. \nI felt the pressure on my fingers. [This is not a strictly \naccurate description. The fingers took hold of my fingers. \nI felt them distinctly as living fingers through the curtain. \nThey held my fingers tight, and shook my hand, and with \nit the bell.]\" \n\nImmediately after this several touchings occurred, the cur- \ntain blew out toward me, brushed against my face, and some- \nthing hit me through the right-hand curtain. I was then \npushed through the curtain and a solid substance came out \nfrom the cabinet and struck me on the face. A small ob- \nject then came out past me ahd landed on the seance table. \n\n' In this sitting, R\u2014 Rjaa. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 217 \n\nThese phenomena followed so rapidly on one another that it \nwas almost impossible to dictate the control. F. and R. both \nassert, however, that the hands under their supervision were \nsecurely held throughout this series of remarkable manifesta- \ntions. \n\nWhile I was standing at least a yard in front of the cur- \ntain, a hand came out and touched my hand. I could feel \nthe texture of the skin. F. was touched on the left cheek \nby a hand through the curtain, while the medium's right \nhand was resting firmly in his left and while she was grasp- \ning the forefinger of Mr. Ryan's hand with her left hand \u2014 \nfingers and thumb encircling it. \n^ At I. OS A.M. a very unusual manifestation occurred, the \nonly one of its kind we saw, and which has been very rarely \nrecorded in the past history of this case. It throws con- \nsiderable light on many of the historical phenomena, render- \ning highly possible manifestations which have hitherto been \nconsidered incredible. I quote from our detailed record : \n\n\"C. Two raps are heard in the cabinet. Medium says \nshe is tired. \n\n\"F. A white hand has appeared over her head. Oh! it \nhas brought a cord. [A small coil of cord was on the top of \nthe medium's head, the end of it descending to her left. F. \nhanded it to R. and asked him to trace it down.] \n\n\"F. It is fastened to something. Somebody is pulling it. \n[R. traced it down and found it attached to the rung of his \nchair.] \n\n\"F. Two minutes before this had happened she had asked \nme to feel the cord on her left leg, to see whether it was \nfastened. [We had tied her feet to our chairs with rope at \nthe commencement of the seance.] I put my finger through \nthe loop on her left leg and found that the cord was still \nround it. I did the same thing to the right leg. Shortly \nafter that, I put my left hand on the medium's head and \n\n\n\n21 8 Eusapia Palladino \n\nshe said she was going to rest. I continuously kept my right \nhand on her left. There then appeared a white hand through \nthe curtain, which dropped something on the top of her head. \n// proved to be the cord which had previously been fastened \nto the left leg, [I had tied the medium's left leg at the nar- \nrowest part of the ankle with this cord. I made four reef \nknots. The other end of the cord I had attached to the leg \nand rung of the controller's chair, in the same manner \u2014 ^with \nfour reef knots \u2014 ^pulled tightly. B.] \n\n\"[F. It did not occur to me when the medium asked me \nto verify the fastening of her feet two minutes before this in- \ncident to do more than ascertain that the ropes were still tied \nround her ankle, which was so, nor did it occur to me when \nthe coil dropped on her head, that it could possibly be the \nsame cord. When traced by R. to the left leg of his chair, \nher leg was found free. The rope was of such a kind as to \nbe difficult to untie. A similar knot on the other foot took \nme about two minutes to untie \u2014 ^using both hands. Even \nsupposing that the medium had freed her hand from R., \nunperceived and unremembered by him, it is, to me, in- \nconceivable that she could have stooped down and untied the \nknot with her left hand between the time that I verified the \nfastenings and the appearance of the rope on her head, un- \nnoticed by R. and me \u2014 the light being amply sufficient to \nfollow any action of the kind.] Several touches and a par- \ntial levitation of the table ended the seance.\" \n\n\n\nSEANCE 9 \n\nOur ninth seance was held on the evening of December \nI3\u00bb 1908 \u2014 the conditions being the same as the last seance, \nwith the exception that Messrs. Feilding, Baggally, and my- \nself were alone present At the last seance, it will be re- \nmembered, we waited for more than two hours before any \nmanifestations of note took place. At this seance, on the \nother hand, hardly had we seated ourselves at the table than \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n219 \n\n\n\nmanifestations began ! Eusapia allowed us to tie up her hands \nand her feet with rope \u2014 ^though she had angrily refused to al- \nlow us to do so when we had asked her at the previous \nsitting. The seance began in very good light at 10.12 p.m. \nI quote from our detailed record \u2014 the initial stages of this \nremarkable seance: \n\nPosmoN Throughout \n\n\n\n\n^'Tilts begin almost immediately. \n\n*T. Table tSlts on the legs farthest from her. \n\n\"10.13. Complete levitation of the table. \n\n\"C. The right hand resting on the table, touching mine. \nMy wrist being between hers and the edge of the table. Her \nright foot in contact with my right foot. I saw a clear space \nof about nine inches between her dress and the leg of the \ntable. \n\n\"B. Complete levitation of the table, for a second time. \n[During dictation of B.'s control.] \n\n\"B. My right hand on both her knees. Her left foot \ntouching my right foot. \n\n\"10.14 P\u00abM. F. Complete levitation for the third time \nin full view of us all. \n\n\"B. Another complete levitation! \n\n\"F. Both medium's hands completely on top of the \ntable, touching ours. \n\n\n\n220 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"C. I can sec a clear space of about eight inches between \nher dress and the table leg all the way down. \n\n\"B. Right hand on her two knees. My right foot against \nher left foot, and I can see between her left leg and the \ntable leg. \n\n\"10.16 P.M. Another complete levitation. \n\n\"F. Right hand off the table altogether. Left hand on \nB.'s, pulling the table up with it, which appeared to stick \nto it. \n\n\"10.17. Another complete levitation of the table. \n\n\"F. First of all a partial levitation, which lasted about \nten seconds, then a complete levitation off all four legs. Right \nhand touching the table, left hand on B.*s. She raised her \nhand from the table and the table slid sideways in the air \nunder B.'s hands. \n\n''B. Right hand across both her knees. \n\n\"C. Her right hand clenched at first on the table, within \nthree inches of my eyes. My left hand across both her knees. \nRight foot on my left foot. I can clearly see a space of at \nleast six inches between her dress and the table leg all the \nway down. \n\n\"B. My right knee against her left knee. My right foot \nagainst her left foot, and I see a clear space between her leg \nand the table leg. \n\n\"[The light was sufficient to read small print with \ncomfort, at the farther end of the room. The hands were \nalways plainly visible and always situated so that it was clear \nthat the table was not lifted by them. The extreme rapidity \nof the levitations made complete description almost impos- \nsible and it was decided to confine the description of the con- \ntrol to the feet \u2014 the control of the hands being obvious to \nall and description rendered unnecessary. Medium was \nthen told that enough levitations had been produced, but \nwas asked, before proceeding to further phenomena, to pro- \nduce one more with her feet actually held under the table. \nF. went under table.] \n\n\"F. I have got my hands on both feet. \n\n\"C. The table tilts away from her. My left hand on \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino ^21 \n\nboth her knees. Both hands being flat on the table in full \nview of us. Her wrists not over the edge. Five raps of \ntable ask for less light. \n\n\"Light No. 2. \n\n\"F. I have now got my hands on the floor against the \ntable legs, and inside them. Her two feet are between my \nhands. Five more tilts of the table ask for still less light. \n\n\"Light No. 3. \n\n\"10.23. Complete levitation of the table. \n\n\"Immediately before levitation took place, medium asked \nF. if he had got her feet all right. \n\n\"F. I had my hands on the floor, between her legs and \nthe table legs. Her feet and the whole of her dress were in \nbetween my hands. \n\n\"C. My left hand on her right knee, her right hand \nbeing on the top of my left hand, and it did not leave it. \n\n\"B. My right hand on her left knee. Her left hand on \nthe top of my right hand. My foot was away from her foot, \nbut F. had control of her feet.\" \n\nAfter this series of remarkable levitation phenomena, Mr. \nFeilding came out from under the table. Movements of ob- \njects in the cabinet occurred one minute after, under condi- \ntions of perfect control. \n\nThe next minute, the small stool, which had remained out- \nside the cabinet, and which was about a yard distant from \nEusapia, now moved of its own accord and approached her. \nOn my side I was continually holding her right hand and \nfoot securely ; and B., on his side, paid strict attention to the \nhand and foot under his care. In spite of our utmost pre- \ncautions, however, the small stool continued to move about \nover the floor in response to movements of Eusapia's hands, \nmade above it. Eusapia then placed B.'s hands on the sur- \nface of the stool, and rested her hand on his. The stool rose \ninto the air several times \u2014 only B/s hands resting on it. Eusa- \n\n\n\n222 Eusapia Palladino \n\npia removed her hand from the back of B.'s hand altogether, \nand the stool again rose completely into the air about six \ninches. During these movements and levitations of the small \nstool we repeatedly ascertained that Eusapia's feet were well \nheld, and that they did not in any way approach the stool. \nOne of us rose, walked to the stool, placed his hands complete- \nly round it, along the carpet and between the stool and the \nbody of the medium. We thereby ascertained that there was \nno thread, hair, or connection between the stool and the me- \ndium's body. After wc had done so, however, it continued \nto move about in response to waves of Eusapia's hand, made \nin the air, at a distance of some two feet above the stool. \nSeveral touches were experienced by us shortly after this \u2014 \nthe first touches we had experienced at any of the seances \noutside the cabinet curtains and in front of the medium. At \n1 1.06 I thought I detected an attempted substitution of feet \nand bent down to verify the fact. ' I forgot that the me- \ndium's feet had been tied to ours with rope, and the moment \nI became dissatisfied with the foot control, I proceeded to \nascertain the exact position of the feet. The medium be- \ncame extremely irritated, and woke up from a state of semi- \ntrance into which she had fallen. She said that, as her feet \nwere tied, she did not think that we need worry so particular- \nly where her feet were. As a matter of fact I have now no \ndoubt that I was excessively hypercritical, but my habitual \nskepticism forced me, almost unconsciously, to investigate the \ninstant I found anything out of place. On this occasion, how- \never, the effects proved disastrous, and served, I believe, to \npartially ruin a seance that had started so propitiously. The \nmedium expostulated for three quarters of an hour, and it was \na long time before she again consented to resume and again \nattempted to go off into the trance state. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 223 \n\nAs soon as the seance was resumed, the small stool again \nbegan its movements and M.> our stenographer, passed his \nhands completely round the stool, before and after it had \nmoved, in response to movements of Eusapia's hands. In \nhis note he says: \n\n\"I got up and examined the little stool, feeling right round \nit and saw that there was nothing connecting it to the me- \ndium's dress. As I was about to resume my place, I saw the \nlittle stool again moving and stooped down to watch it. It \nmoved in little jerks about a foot sideways. When it had \nfinished I again put my hands right round it and found no at- \ntachment. While I was doing this the stool seemed to brush \nup against my coat sleeve as though drawn by a magnet. I \nwas again about to sit down when the stool began moving for \na third time and I examined it again. There was absolutely; \nno possibility of there being any attachment.\" \n\nImmediately following these convincing movements of the \nstool, which appeared to us to be obtained under perfect \ntest conditions, we obtained a complete levitation of the table. \nThe conditions of this levitation were extremely good. An \noutburst of phenomena seemed to occur just at this periodj^ \nwhich I quote from the detailed record : \n\n\"11.50 P.M. Complete levitation of the table. \n\n\"C. Both hands were on the top of the table. My left \nhand resting on her right knee. Right foot on her left foot \nfirmly. I can see a clear space between her dress and the leg \nof the table all the way down. \n\n\"B. My right hand on her left knee. My right foot \nfeeling her left foot. There is a space between her leg and \nthe table leg. \n\n\"11.5S P.M. F. Standing up at the other end of the \ntable, I saw her make gestures with her right hand at a dis- \ntance of about three and a half feet from the small stooL \n\n\n\n224 Eusapia Palladino \n\nHer left hand being motionless in B.'s, on his comer of the \ntable, and the stool advanced in little jerks toward B. \n\n\"C. The curtain has pushed right out on this side about \nthree feet. \n\n\"B. I am feeling her left foot with my right foot. \n\n\"C. Control the same as before, the whole of the me- \ndium's hand being visible. [Still light No. 2.] \n\n\"C. The curtain has again pushed out about two feet. \nHer right hand on my left on the table. Right foot on my \nleft foot firmly. \n\n''B. Control same as before, hand and foot. \n\n\"12.01 A.M. Partial levitation of the table. Another \npartial levitation of the table, almost complete. \n\n\"12.02 A.M, The curtain blew out. \n\n\"C. I am holding my hand out toward the curtain. \n\n\"12.03. Five violent tilts of the table ask for less light. \n\n\"12.04. The right curtain has again blown out. [Li^t \nNo. 3.]\" \n\nDuring the rest of the seance, under perfect conditions of \ncontrol, we all of us, and I especially, experienced a large \nnumber of remarkable touches, and even grasps by a complete \nhand, the position of the thumb and fingers of which we could \nplainly define. Scattered throughout the sitting, also, were \nnumerous levitations, blowings out of the curtains of the cabi- \nnet and other remarkable manifestations. I quote from the \nrecord : \n\n\"12.22. Loud noises in the cabinet. \n\n\"12.23. Medium asked C. if he had been touched. \n\n\"C. I was touched through the curtain as if by a hand. \nHer right hand holding my left. \n\n\"B. Her left hand holding my right hand on her left \nknee. \n\n\"F. Her head is visible to me. I saw the curtain come out \nat the place where C. was touched. \n\n\"12.25 A.M. C. I was touched again as if by a hand \n\n\n\n\no I \n\n\u2022\u00a72 \nE3 \n\n\n\no \n\nli \n\nt/) O \n\n\u25a05E \n\n\n\ne \u25a0\u2022^ \n\n\"S \u00abi2 **- \n\no I 2 \nG. J E \n\n\u00ab> ^ \u00ab \n\n\n\no c:5 \nj= o \u00a32 \n\n.2 2 8. \n\n^\u2022^ ST \n\nsi- \n\no to \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 225 \n\nthrough the curtain on the wrist of my right hand as I was \nstroking the medium's forehead with it. \n\n\"C. I am touched again in the same place. Meanwhile \nI have her right hand, of which I feel the thumb and four \nfingers, on the table. \n\n\"B. I am holding her left hand on her left knee. \n\n\"12.26. Q)mplete levitation of the table. \n\n\"F. Note that her face and eyes are visible to me over \nat the opposite end of the table.\" \n\nThese were a remarkable series of touches, espedally those \non the back of the hand with which I was stroking the me- \ndium's forehead, since I could clearly see both her hands \non the table and my hand was only a few inches distant from \nmy face and quite visible. But still more remarkable phe- \nnomena were to follow. I quote again from our record : \n\n\"12.38. Two raps. \n\n\"C. I am grasped through the curtain by a complete \nhand. At that time her right foot was pressing strongly \nagainst mine. Fingers of her right hand pressing on my \nleft hand on the table, almost in the center of it. \n\n\"B, Her left hand holding my right hand on the table. \nI could see both her hands at the time. Her left foot kick- \ning against my right foot. \n\n\"12.43. Medium squeezes on C's hand and movements \nin the cabinet follow. [Thumps on tambourine.] \n\n\"B. I was holding her left hand with my right hand on \nher knee. \n\n\"C. Mine, holding medium's, is on the table. \n\n\"B. She gives three squeezes of her left hand in my right \nhand, and synchronizing with these three squeezes, we hear \nthree thumps on the tambourine. \n\n\"12.45. C. Corresponding to squeezes of the medium's \nhand, the tambourine is thumped. \n\n\"B. My right hand was holding medium's left hand, and \nmy right foot was on her left foot. My right knee pressing \nagain her left knee. \n\n\n\n226 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"C. I am holding medium's right hand by the thimib \non the table. Her right foot on my left completely. \n\n\"12.47. F. I ask 'Carlo' to give me the tambourine. \n[Medium said he would do so, and I moved round behind \nC. F.] \n\n\"B. She held my right hand over the table in front of \nher and made gestures with it in the air and the tambourine \nslid along the floor. \n\n\"C. I am touched again. The same thing has happened \nagain. I was touched three times with fingers on my left \nhand. The tambourine then jumped up about ten or twelve \ntimes inside the cabinet, apparently trying to get to the edge \nof the curtain, and was then pushed outside the cabinet I \nam grasped very firmly by a hand through the curtain on my \nleft arm. I felt the medium's right hand on my left on the \ntable, at the same moment that the tambourine was kicking \nabout inside the cabinet. \n\n''B. I am holding her hand on the table. I can see it \nquite clearly. \n\n\"12.51. Medium wishes to touch C, which she docs. \n\n\"C. I was grasped just above the left elbow by four \nfingers and a thumb, which pressed very hard indeed. I am \ntouched on the left side by a hand. I was holding both the \nmedium's hands in both of mine, and she was squeezing \ntightly. Her right foot pressed strongly on my left foot, in \ncontact with my right. \n\n\"B. I was holding the wrist of her left hand in my right \nhand on the table in full view of us all and perfectly visi- \nble. My right knee against her left knee. My right foot \nunder her left foot, \n\n\"C. I am holding both medium's hands in both of my \nhands, one being clearly visible and one on the table, \nunder the curtain. Absolute control of right foot and leg. \n\n\"i A.M. C. I am touched on the face by a hand \nthrough the curtain as the medium kicks to and fro. I \nam again touched on the face by a hand, medium having both \nher legs round my left leg. Her right hand holding my left \non the table, in the middle, under the curtain. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 227 \n\n\"B. Her left hand holding my right hand on the table, \nwhich I see clearly. \n\n\"F. Note that heads are visible to me. I am standing \nup between C. and the curtain, holding my right hand on \nC.'s shoulder. \n\n\"1.03. C. I was touched on the left shoulder strongly. \nMedium had both her legs round mine, her right hand hold- \ning my left under the curtain, in the middle of the table. \n\n\"B. I am holding her left hand with my right hand on \nthe table. \n\n\"1.05. The tambourine jumps up apparently about twelve \ntimes, as if trying to play a tune. \n\n\"B. She squeezes my hand synchronously, in tune with if. \n\n*T. I have put my hand between the tambourine and \nthe medium's knee. [I knelt down on the ground and felt \nright round the tambourine, which was lying near the edge \nof the curtain, behind and to the left of C.'s chair. There \nwas no attachment. \n\n\"C. I am touched on the left arm above the elbow. Con- \ntrol exactly the same as before. \n\n\"1.06. C. The tambourine jumps and jerks as though \nit tried to get on to my lap. Control the same as before. \n\n\"B. My control absolutely the same as before. \n\n\"1.13. All stand up. F. asks *John* if he can make an \nimpression on the clay. Three tilts of the table respond: \n*Yes.' \n\n\"1.17. The medium is told that it is very late, and that \nif she is unable to do an)rthing else, she must go ; but she re- \nplies: *The phenomena are not finished yet.* \n\n\"1.24. Something falls over behind the medium. C. \nascertains that it is the medium's chair. Medium says: *Do \nnot take any notice of that, as I might have done it with ray \nfoot' \n\n\"1.30. Something moved in the cabinet. Medium says: \n'Please note that I did not move at all, then.* \" \n\n[Owing to the lateness of the hour, the medium is several \ntimes asked whether she would not finish. For sometime she \ndeclines. She is asked whether she can get an impression on \n\n\n\n228 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthe clay; first of all she replied, \"They said 'yes,' \" but after \nlong-continued eflEorts, she said she felt tired, and could do \nno more.] \n\nBELL INCIDENT \n\nOne most curious incident occurred on the afternoon of \nDecember 15th \u2014 on the evening of which day we held our \nninth seance. A remarkable physical phenomenon (appar- \nently) occurred, in the presence of two members of the com- \nmittee only \u2014 Eusapia not being present \u2014 ^and, so far as we \ncould discover, paying no particular heed to us at the mo- \nment. We had suspended a small bell inside the cabinet by \nmeans of a piece of string, in the hope that \"John\" might \nring it during the seance. So far, he had failed to do so, but \non this memorable afternoon, the bell rang of its own ac- \ncord, swinging violently to and fro on its suspending string \u2014 \nwithout apparent cause, and while only Mr. Baggally and \nmyself were in the room ! Indeed, I was in the next room \nat the time, eating an orange, if I remember rightly, while \nMr. Baggally was standing at the table in the center of the \nroom, smoking his pipe and working glycerine and water into \nthe clay which we were to use that evening in our attempt \nto obtain impressions of hands and faces. I subjoin, here- \nwith, the original notes taken at the time by us, dated and \nsigned. \n\n15th December, 1908. \n\n\"8.45 by C/s watch. \n\n\"At a certain moment, when Mr. Baggally was working \nup our day at the small table in the center of the room, C. \nbeing in the next room, with the door open, the small bell, \nhanging from the string in the cabinet, rang violently. It \nstruck against the wood of the doorway \u2014 a good two and \none half feet from the bell. The ringing continued for sev- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 229 \n\ncral seconds, with violence, and then stopped. B. was at least \nnine feet from the belL at the time of ringing and C. could \nsee he did not approach it. Nobody else was in the room \nat the time. As soon as the bell ceased ringing, we called in \nMr. Ryan, from the next room, who opened the curtains \nand saw (as did we all) that the bell was still swinging on \nits suspending string. The cabinet was empty save for a \nchair, standing inside it. We all three heard and saw this \nremarkable bell phenomenon. \n\n\" Signed: W. W. Baggally, \n\n\"Hereward Carrington.\" \n\n\"I was adding my final note to my previous evidence when \nI heard the bell in the next room ring. I attached no im- \nportance to this (thinking that B. and C. were testing the \napparatus). Mr. Baggally just then rushed in, made me \ncome round and open the curtain. I then saw that the bell \nwas still swinging on its string. I noted the time (deduct- \ning ^ minute for time in transit) as twenty-eight minutes \nto nine p.m. Mr. Baggally's hands were covered with clay, \nwhich he was puddling. \n\n-.5/.1/08.- \"jA'^^s R^^-\" \n\n\"As to this bell incident, I can express no opinion, not \nhaving been present. I came in amidst the general consterna- \ntion. It is infinitely painful to me, as Hon. Secretary of that \nmost staid body, the S. P. R., to record the state of emotion in \nwhich I found my colleagues. \n\n\"As to who was responsible for it, we shall never know. \nIf it was 'John,* he reveals a sense of humor on which he \ndeserves sincere congratulation ; if a more fleshly jester, the \nchambermaid and the boots must divide my homage. The \nonly way that I can imagine the bell ringing as it did (it was \nstill swinging as I came in) was by its having fallen from \na position of unstable suspense, from which it was dislodged \nby some concussion. It may have occurred to the cham- \nbermaid, or the boots, to balance it on a certain nail in the \nhopes that it might tumble dramatically later on. Long \n\n\n\n230 Eusapia Palladino \n\npractice has failed to disclose any other method. The cham- \nbermaid and the boots, delicately questioned, deny blankly. \nThe chambermaid, indeed, is terrified at our cabinet and \ncould barely be persuaded to play ^Eusapia' in some imitation \nphotographs of phenomena we took yesterday. The boots \nis too stolid for such imaginative leaps. 'John' himself is \nunquestionable. Taking it all round it is the most perplex- \ning, indeed, annoying, dilemna of this most perplexing month. \n\u00abD\u00ab:ember .7. .908.\" \" EVBRARD FeILDING.\" \n\nBELL INCTOENT, December 15, 1908 \nBy W. W. Baggally \n\nI was standing alone at 8.45 p.m. on the evening of Decem- \nber 15th, by the side of a table in the seance room preparing \nsome clay for the purpose of obtaining, if possible, impres- \nsions of \"John's\" fingers, or hand, at the sitting which Eusa- \npia Palladino was to give us on that evening when suddenly \na bell in the cabinet gave a bang against some woodwork \nand rang loudly. I was standing at the time two and three \nquarter meters from the closed curtains of the cabinet. I \nlooked at Mr. Carrington, who was just within the open \ndoorway of his room and said to him: \"Do you hear that?\" \nHe exclaimed: \"By Jove!\" I then rushed into my room \nwhere Mr. Ryan was seated writing some notes and I told \nhim what had occurred. He came with me into the seance \nroom, opened the curtains and we all saw the bell swinging \nviolently with the string that it was suspended by. I had \nanticipated that this string had broken and that the bell had \nfallen to the ground; my surprise was great to see the bell \nstill hanging and swinging violently. I asked Mr. Carring- \nton to make a note of the occurrence at once and also Mr. \nRyan. \n\nAfter the swinging of the bell had ceased it occurred to \nme that possibly some one had hung or balanced it on the \nhorizontal cord to which the string (by which the bell hung) \nwas attached, and that if this were so a jerk might cause the \nbell to fall and ring. I found by experiment that I could \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 231 \n\nnot balance the bell on the cord but that I could balance it \non a nail in the cabinet, or hang it on the cord by a small \nornamental knob that was on the side of the handle. When \nso balanced or hung the bell required a jerk to cause it to \nfall. No one was near the cabinet to give this jerk. The \nincident has no evidential value, but is very perplexing. It \nis strange that it should have occurred during the course of \nthe seances. \n\nADDITION TO BELL INCIDENT \n\n\"This bell incident should perhaps be taken in conjunction \nwith one which occurred after, I think, the fifth seance, \nhitherto not mentioned. I had gone to bed and to sleep. I \nwas presently awakened by C, who came in saying that from \nhis bed in the next room he heard rappings in mine through \nthe open door. They still continued and I rose and went \nwith C. to the cabinet whence they came. They were slow, \ndeliberate raps, apparently on the woodwork near the win- \ndow. They went on for about a quarter of a minute while \nwe stood there. Unfortunately the light was then turned \nup and the curtain withdrawn and they immediately stopped. \n\n\"Eusapia, when told of this, declared it must have been \nher *fluid' which sometimes stayed behind. Perhaps\u2014 or a \nbeetle, I do not know. \n\n\"E. Feilding.\" \n\n\n\nSEANCE 10 \n\nWe had determined to devote the tenth seance to obtain- \ning photographs of levitations, and perhaps other phenomena, \nand after the brilliant results at the ninth seance, we had \ngreat hopes of obtaining some interesting photos as the result \nof this seance. We accordingly arranged with some pho- \ntographers to come and take flashlight photographs of the \nphenomena as they occurred. We stationed them in the \nnext room with their apparatus, flashlight, magnesium, etc, \n\n\n\n232 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\nand partly closed the folding doors, leading between the two \nrooms. Our plan was to notify them by means of a given \nsignal when phenomena were about to occur (Eusapia was \nto warn us in advance) and we should then cry out at the \ncritical moment and obtain a flashlight of a levitation, or \nwhatever the phenomenon might be. \n\nWe had also invited to this seance Professor Galeotti, \nwho had attended our fourth seance, and Mr. Ryan, who \nhad been present at the eighth. Messrs. Feilding and Ryan \nlay down on the floor, and each held one of the medium's \nfeet. Professor Galeotti and Mr. Baggally assumed control \nof her hands, and I sat at the opposite end of the seance \ntable, getting a clear view of the general proceedings. \n\n\n\nPosition .1 \n\n\n\nPos^noM II \n\nE'P \n\n\n\n$ \n\n\n\n& \n\n\n\n1? \n\n# \n\n\n\nIt is rather amusing to relate that, after all our prepara- \ntions, we obtained at this seance no results worth noting! \nSeveral times Eusapia informed us that phenomena were \nabout to take place, and we opened the doors leading into \nthe next room and warned the photographers that they were \nto be ready for the given signal. It never came ! Once the \nmagnesium was exploded by mistake and Eusapia nearly had \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 233 \n\na fit of hysterics. Several times feeble levitations and tilts \ntook place, but they came without warning, and could not \nbe photographed. The curtains were blown out on several \noccasions, and we obtained a number of remarkable raps on \nthe table ; but, compared with the previous seances, this one \nmust be set down as a complete failure. \n\nThis failure cannot be due, as the sceptic might think, \nto the fact that Eusapia feared the camera or felt that a \nphotograph might disclose some trick, because she has often \nbeen photographed before by other investigators. When we \nasked her if she had any objection to our taking flashlight \nphotographs of the phenomena, she replied that she had not, \nand we are assured that she was sincere in her statement, \nfor she had often allowed photographs to be taken under \nvery similar conditions. No; we must assume that the \nforce was weak on this occasion, and, because of the lack of \nit, the seance was a complete and dismal failure. It was a \ngreat pity that this should have been so, since it effectually \nprevented us from obtaining any photographs of the phe- \nnomena in actual progress. But it could not be avoided. \n\n\n\nSTANCE II \n\nThe eleventh seance I did not attend, having been com- \npelled to leave Naples and return to New York on certain \nmatters of a private nature which called me away. To this \nseance, which took place on the evening of December 19, \n1908, Messrs. Feilding and Baggally, who had remained, \ninvited Mrs. and Miss Hutton, two English ladies, and \nM. Zingaropoli, who had already obtained a niunber of \nseances with Eusapia and written several short reports upon \nher and her phenomena. Mrs. Hutton, who was said to \n\n\n\n234 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\nbe \"an exceptionally keen observer,'* assumed control of the \nleft side of the medium while Mr. Feilding controlled her \nri^t hand and foot. The seance began at 10.05 p\u00abm. \n\n\n\nPosition \n\nEP \n\n\u2022 \n\n\n1 \n\nMi\u00bb.ri \n\n\u2022 \n\n\u2022 \n\n\nF \n\n# \n\n\u2022 \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThree minutes later the tilts became violent, and the next \nmoment a complete levitation of the table occurred. Bulg- \nings of the dress and swellings of the curtain occurred a \nfew moments later. Lights and raps on the sitters' chairs \nfollowed. \n\nAt 1 1.02 B. climbed on to the seance table, at the medium's \nrequest. Immediately he had done so, a complete arm came \nout and touched his arm. It was far too high for the \nmedium to have reached. He was then touched by a hand \nseveral times, the fingers of which he could feel. At this \ntime his outstretched hand was at least three feet above the \nmedium's head. At this stage of the seance the exact posi- \ntion of the medium's hands was verified, and they were \nfound to be resting on opposite corners of the small table \u2014 \na distance of about nine or ten inches separating them. At \n11.09, just as B. was getting down from the table, a large \nhand came out, grasped his sleeve and nearly pulled him off \nthe seance table into the cabinet. \n\nA few minutes after the occurrence of these phenomena \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 235 \n\nthe curtains of the cabinet were drawn aside and a white \nobject \u2014 described at the time as resembling \"a handful of \nwhite dough\" \u2014 appeared at the opening of the curtains \nabout three feet from the medium's head. The position of \nthe medium's hands rendered any substitution impossible, as \nthey were held on opposite corners of the seance table, and \nthe curtain, which had blown out over it, remained separat- \ning the two hands. \n\nSeveral more touches were experienced under perfect con- \nditions of control. A black hand came out and grasped \nMrs. H. visibly. She saw the hand approach her and finally \nfelt it as it grasped her body. A black head, the features \nof which were visible, then appeared \u2014 coming out from \nbehind the curtains. The medium's head was resting against \nMr. Feilding's at the moment this phenomenon occurred, \nand both her hands were accounted for. \n\nAt 11.38 an extremely interesting series of phenomena \noccurred, the record of which I quote from the detailed \nnotes: \n\n\"Medium asks F. to pinch him. \n\n**F.^ I am now pinching her. \n\n\"Mrs. H. I am pinched on my right arm. \n\n\"F. I am pinching again. \n\n\"H. Both at the same time now. \n\n\"F. I pinched the medium and Mrs. Hutton felt a \npinch simultaneously, but not always; that is to say, some- \ntimes I pinched and she did not feel the pinch.\" \n\nB. and F. changed places soon after this, but touches con- \ntinued to be felt, chiefly by Mrs. Hutton. At one time, \nhowever, a hand was active in both B.'s and Mrs. H.'s laps \n\n^Besides the usual symbols, in this stance, H\u2014 Mrs. Hutton, Z*M. Zingar^ \nopoli. \n\n\n\n236 \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\nat the same moment. The medium's hands were held on \nopposite corners of the table when this was taking place. \nBoth hands were also visible to F. and Mrs. H. \n\n\n\nPosition If \n\n\n\n\nM\u00ab>.H \n\n\n\nSeveral more remarkable touches were experienced under \nperfect conditions of control; then the following incident \noccurred at 12.11: \n\n\"F. Mrs. H.*s left hand was seized by a hand by the \nwrist and dragged across the table to touch B.'s face. \n\"B. Oh ! Here's the hand again. I saw it that time.\" \n\nAt 12.26 one of the aiost strih'ng phenomena of the \nwhole series took place, since it would have been utterly \nimpossible for the medium to have accomplished it, even \ngranting that she had released one hand. M., the stenog- \nrapher, who had the clearest view of this phenomenon, \ndescribed it in the following terms: \n\n\"As the control was no longer to be given in full, I had \nstood up to try to see some of the phenomena and was stand- \ning behind to the right of Mrs. H. I was looking down \nat the little stool which was on the floor about a foot from \nthe curtain and about two and a half feet from the medium's \nleg, and wondering whether anything would happen. Sud- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n237 \n\n\n\ndenly, as I was looking, I saw it approach the curtain and \nthe curtain go out toward it. It then climbed very slowly \nindeed up the curtain, horizontally, one corner only pointing \nin and touching the curtain on the outside. It gave me the \nimpression of being drawn up as if by a kind of magnet on \nthe other side of the curtain. // slid past the curtain, which \nremained motionless. I felt up the curtain as it was climb- \ning up on both sides of the stool, but not between the stool \nand the curtain, as I was afraid of interfering with the \nmovements. There was nothing tangible behind. When \nit had climbed up to a distance of about one and a half feet \nabove Mrs. H.'s shoulder it seemed to turn, and drawing the \ncurtain with it, went over Mrs. H.'s shoulder on to the \nseance table. At the moment it was turning I was curious \nto verify the position of the mediimi's left hand. I began \nby Mrs. H.'s shoulder, felt all down her arm, discovered she \nwas holding the medium's right hand, which I felt right up \nto the medium's shoulder. On bringing my hand down \nagain to the medium's hand she made a violent movement \nas If to push it away and said: 'Somebody is breaking the \ncurrent, FiliJ \n\n\n\nPOSITION lit \n\n\n\nMftSH \n\n\n\nPosition IV \n\niM\u00aba.\u00ab \n\n\n\nI1i\u00bbs rt^ \n\n\n\nMfS5 H \n\n\n\nB. and Z. here changed places for a short period, but B. \nagain assumed control of her right hand after a few minutes. \n\nB. continued to receive touches on his hand and arm, \nboth the medium's hands being securely held and visible; \n\n\n\n238 Eusapia Palladino \n\nand at i a.m. he was grasped by a complete hand while \nhe was holding both the medium's hands in his \u2014 as I held \nthem in the ninth seance. He remarked at the time: \n\n\"I have got both her hands now. Yes, it has touched me \nagain. It is an absolute proof to me that this hand is not \nthe hand of the medium. I have got both her thumbs. I \nam holding her right hand in my left hand, my right hand \nis on the right end of the table holding her left. This hand \nis still playing about with me. \n\n\"F. B.*s left hand is now lying on the corner of the table \nand a hand from inside the curtain plays with it. Mean- \nwhile he is holding the two thumbs of the medium in his \nright hand visible to me. \n\n\"B. Oh! It is touching me again. I have verified the \nfoot control.\" \n\nAt 1. 1 5 the medium said she was tired, and the seance \nofficially terminated. Several raps, under excellent condi- \ntions of control, were, however, obtained; the account of \nwhich reads as follows: \n\n\"Lights are gradually turned up, but medium still keeps \nher place as also do B. and H. After a time: \n\n\"B. Medium makes three gestures toward the door and \nthree noises are heard in it. \n\n\"M. This in light No. I. Next room door open with \nfull electric light on. \n\n\"H. I heard them. \n\n\"B. Several times medium makes gestures and each time \nraps are heard in the door. These gestures and raps were \nmade a considerable number of times, finishing by four large \ngestures and four loud raps.\" \n\n[F. B. called me in from the other room. I asked \nmedium to repeat the raps. It seemed as though the force \nwere expended. She made three or four gestures and no \nraps followed. Then she made a final gesture and a loud \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 239 \n\nrap followed. It appeared to me distinctly to come from \nthe door beside which I was standing; her feet at least three \nfeet from the door and her hand, as she made the gesture, \ndid not approach to within six inches of it. There was a \nclear space between the whole of the medium and the door.] \n\n\n\nCHAPTER V \n\nRESUME OF THEORIES ADVANCED TO EXPLAIN THESE \nPHENOMENA \n\nBefore wc can profitably discuss any of the scientific or \nphilosophical theories that have been advanced to explain \nthe facts based upon the supposed genuineness of the phe- \nnomena\u00bb it is, of course, necessary for us, first of all, to \nconsider and successfully exclude all purely normal explana- \ntions. \n\nApart from the notion that the investigators of Eusapia \nhave deliberately falsified the facts \u2014 z notion which cannot \nbe seriously entertained at this date \u2014 there remain only two \nnormal explanations which can be advanced. These are: \nhallucination and fraud. \n\nNow, I contend that hallucination, as an explanation of \nthese facts, is absolutely excluded by the nature of the evi- \ndence. It might conceivably be an explanation of some few \nof the facts, but could not be held to explain the greater \nnumber of them. We should have to assume (and for this \nthere is no warrant whatever) that Eusapia, without speak- \ning a word \u2014 frequently, while she is in deep trance, and \nabsolutely quiescent \u2014 can so influence her sitters as to cause \nthem to see sights and hear noises which had no basis what- \never in reality 1 Were one disposed to press this theory, he \nwould find that there is no analogy whatever in hypnotic \ncases or in historic cases of similar type. I discussed this \nquestion of possible hallucination in connection with the \n\n2^ \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 241 \n\nmediumship of D. D. Home at some length in my Physical \nPhenomena of Spiritualism, pp. 386-93. I there pointed \nout that, although there were a number of facts which \ntended to support such a theory, there were, on the contrary, \nnumerous other facts tending to disprove it, and which, in \nfact, were cumulatively so strong as to offset and disprove \nthis hypothesis. I further analyzed the performances of the \nHindu Yogis and fakirs in connection with this question of \nhallucination and found that there was but little evidence \nin favor of any such theory \u2014 ^while the difference between \nthe performances of the Hindu fakirs, as reported, and the \nphenomena of Home were many and obvious throughout.^ \nWhile the fakir performs his experiments by prefacing \nthem with various conjurations, incantations, the burning \nof incense, etc., the modem medium does not resort to any \nsuch devices (or, at least, Home and Eusapia cannot be said \nto have done so), but, on the contrary, they remain passive \nthroughout, and do not attempt to suggest to their sitters \nthe phenomena which are to take place. It might be urged \nthat Home did occasionally suggest phenomena to his sit- \nters ; but the same cannot be said of Eusapia, since she very \nrarely speaks and when she does it is almost invariably about \nsome matter-of-fact subject not connected with the seance. \nThose who contend, therefore, that Eusapia could by such \nmeans induce full-blown hallucinations in a large circle of \nsitters are bound to prove their theory, since they would \nfind no support whatever from any analogy drawn from \nhypnotically induced hallucinations, or hallucinations that \nare the result of any process of suggestion. \n\nThroughout the seances we were in a perfectly calm and \ncritical attitude of mind\u00ab closely observing all that took \n\n^ See, in this connection, my pamphlet entitled Hindu Magic. \n\n\n\n242 Eusapia Palladino \n\nplace, while on the constant lookout for fraud. It would \nbe hard to conceive an attitude of mind further removed \nfrom suggestibility than ours. We were active, alert, and \nintent on controlling the phenomena rather than letting \nthem control us! Further, it must be remembered that \nEusapia speaks no English and very little French, so that all \nher remarks had to be translated to me (I speak no \nItalian), and yet I saw or failed to see all that Mr. Feilding \nand Mr. Baggally did \u2014 both of whom speak Italian and \ncould understand Eusapia at first hand. It is hardly con- \nceivable that any suggestion made by Eusapia could take \neffect under these circumstances, or, at any rate, if any critic \nthinks so, the responsibility is thrown upon him of proving \nhis case. There is no analogous case in the whole history \nof psychical research. Even if D. D. Home succeeded in \nhallucinating some of his sitters, the case would be very \ndifferent with Eusapia. Suppose that Eusapia said, ''Seel \nThere is a head!\" pointing in a certain direction. This \nremark woiJd have to be translated to me \u2014 into English \u2014 \nbefore I would know what it meant, and this waiting and \ntranslation of the remark would surely take the edge ofiE \nany suggestion that the medium might make. It is a most \ndifficult thing to induce full-blown hallucinations in a good \nhypnotic subject, and even when he is thoroughly under \ncontrol, he frequently refuses to take the suggestion. This \nbeing so, how are we to believe that three men, who have \nnever been hypnotized, who are not in a suggestible, but, on \nthe contrary, in a very positive frame of mind, can be \nhallucinated in this simple manner ? The thing is incredible. \nBut there is another answer to the critics who would urge \nhallucination as an explanation of the facts. Eusapia very \nrarely makes suggestions of the kind, and when she does \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 243 \n\nthey are given in a dreamy, far-away voice, very different \nfrom the positive, convincing tone of the hypnotic operator. \nIn all our sittings, we do not remember that Eusapia directly \nsuggested to us more than three or four phenomena, and it \nis interesting to note that, on at least one occasion, we did \nnot see what she indicated, or rather what she said would \nhappen did not happen and she admitted that It had not \ntaken place. If any phenomenon took place, we all saw it \nat one and the same time; and if a hand was seen by one \nof us and not by all, it was for the simple reason that the cur- \ntain or some material object was between the hand and the \nonlooker. Everything indicated that the facts observed by \nus were objective in character, and that none of them were \nsubjective. We felt and still feel that it would only be \nnecessary for the critic to attend a few seances with this \nmedium in order to be assured of that fact. \n\nBut there is still more conclusive evidence that the phe- \nnomena witnessed in the presence of Eusapia are not sub- \njective in their nature, or the result of any process of \nhallucination. These phenomena have been photographed, \nand it is to be assumed that the camera and the sensitive \nplate cannot be hypnotized in the same way as a human \nbeing! Numerous cases are on record in which levitations \nof tables and other phenomena have been photographed, and \nthere is no longer any doubt as to the objective character of \nsome of these phenomena \u2014 ^whatever the explanation may \nbe; it is certain that facts, apparently supernormal, have \noccurred and have been photographed. Additional evidence \nis furnished by those cases in which records of the phenomena \nhave been obtained by instrumental means. The actual \noccurrence of a phenomenon has been proved, e.g., by means \nof revolving cylinders, electrical apparatus, and other devices \n\n\n\n244 Eusapia Palla'dino \n\nwhich have checked the progress of the phenonhena by purely \nautomatic means. Henceforth, therefore, no critic of these \nphenomena, whatever theory he may choose to hold regard- \ning them, can contend that hallucination is an adequate ex- \nplanation of the facts, and it must accordingly be aban- \ndoned. \n\nNow let us turn to the second possible normal explana- \ntion of the facts \u2014 namely, fraud. It is far more difficult \nto combat this theory than the preceding one, and it is in \nfact a vera causa^ inasmuch as Eusapia has been known to \ndefraud her sitters whenever she could, and all investigators \nhave found that, were she permitted, she would occasionally \nrelease one hand or one foot, and endeavor to produce \nphenomena with it. This happened at our own sittings, \nand has doubtless occurred more or less at every series of \nsittings held by other investigators. To the man-in-the- \nstreet it would appear that this effectually bars all further \nscientific investigation. If a medium has been caught trick- \ning, he would urge, she is a fraud and need be investigated \nno longer I It is useless to look for genuine phenomena in \nthe presence of a fraudulent medium. In spite of the ap- \nparent rationality of this argument, however, all those in- \nvestigators who have had much experience with Eusapia, \ncontend that this argument is not valid in her case and that \ngenuine phenomena do occur in her presence, if fraud be \nprevented, and she is controlled with sufficient accuracy to \nprevent her from releasing her hands and feet and produc- \ning or attempting to produce fraudulent manifestations. \nThe reason for this attempted fraud on her part I shall \nendeavor to state presently. Just now I need only say that \nfraud alone is incapable of accounting for all the phenomena \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 245 \n\nthat have been observed in her presence from time to time \nin the past. \n\nTake, for example, the following instances. In their \nReport on the ile Roubaud phenomena, the savants there \nexperimenting recorded certain occurrences that took place \nwhen both hands, both feet, and the head of Eusapia were \nadequately held \u2014 e.g., in the following instance : ^ \n\n\"A covered wire of the electric battery came out on to \nthe table and wrapped itself round R.'s and E.'s hands, and \nwas pulled until E. called but. Thenceforth R. held her \nhead and body, M. kept one hand and both feet, while L. \nheld the other hand, and in this position E. made several \nspasmodic movements, each of which was accompanied or \nfollowed by violent movements of the neighboring round \ntable.\" \n\n\"L., holding both hands of E., was distinctly touched as by \na hand on the shoulder and back of head. The hairy mass \nwas again felt by him.\" \n\n'X. was then permitted to hold both hands and both feet, \nand he was then touched twice on the back and grasped \ndistinctly on the left arm. E. then held up one of L.'s \nhands, and with it made two small movements and with \neach movement a chair not far distant grated along the floor \nas if pushed or pulled.\" \n\n\"While Lodge held both the medium's hands on the table \nand also her head leaning over on him away from the \nchalet and while Richet held both her feet, the suspended \nchalet was heard to be wound up partially three times with \nbrief pauses, making four seconds in all \u2014 ^as heard and re- \ncorded by BelHer.\" \n\nIt will be observed that in some of the above instances \nboth hands and both feet, as well as the head of the medium, \nwere adequately held when the phenomenon took place, and \n\n' R. stands for Richet ; M. for Myers ; L. for Lodge ; O. for Ochorowicz; \nand \u00a3. for Eusapia. \n\n\n\n246 Eusapia Palladino \n\narc accounted for in the notes. Now it is only rational to \nsuppose that if a man is intrusted with the safe-keeping \nof both the medium's hands, he knows when he has these \ntwo hands, and he would not be liable to confuse them with \none hand. If the two hands are being held by different \nsitters, who are not on the constant lookout for fraud, who \nare not aware of the tricks resorted to by Eusapia in order \nto substitute one hand for two, it is at least conceivable that \nthe hands had been approximated during the seance and that \nsubstitution had taken place. But when, as here, we find \nthat both hands have been held by the same investigator, \none in each of his, and while both feet and the head have \nbeen held by other investigators, it would really appear in- \nconceivable that any substitution could have taken place, or \nthat the medium could have induced the sitters controlling \nher hands and feet to believe that they were holding one \nhand and one foot under such conditions! It is, I repeat, \ninconceivable ; and doubly so when we remember the scientific \neminence of her investigators, who were all well aware of the \npossible methods of trickery and on the constant lookout for \nIt; and when, moreover, the light was sufficiently abundant \nto enable them to see as well as to feel the hands they were \nholding and to observe a clear, lighted space between the \nmedium's body and the object moved.^ \n\nIn our own seances I am absolutely certain that fraud \nwas not and could not have been employed in the vast \nmajority of cases. Not only did we fed the hands con- \n\n' I think it should be added here that I had the pleasure of discussing theee \nphenomena with Professor Lombroso, at Turin; with MM. Flammarion, Max- \nwell, Youri^vitch, Courtier, etc., in Paris, and in every instance a full belief in \nthe reality of the phenomena had remained with the investigators. None of \nthem had found any new indications of fraud whatever, or any symptom that \nwould tend to cause them to change their opinion as to the reality of these \nphenomena. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 247 \n\ntrolled by us, not only did we encircle them with our hands, \ntrace the arm to the body, and ascertain from the relative \nposition of the thumb and fingers which hand we were \nholding, but we could frequently see, as well as feel, the \nmedium's hands resting in ours upon the table or stretched \nbefore us perfectly visible. When it is sufficiently light to \nsee and not only feel the hand; when one can see the very \ntexture of the flesh, the finger nails, the distance between \nthe fingers, etc., it is really absurd to talk of substitution, \nsince it would be as impossible to produce any of these \nphenomena unobserved as it would be to do so in full day* \nlight and during the course of a social chat. When the \nlight is sufficiently abundant to see as well as feel the hands, \nthe head, the feet, and all portions of the medium's body; \nwhen the medium is being securely held on both sides by \nskeptical investigators, who are themselves conjurers, and \nwho have exposed numerous mediumistic tricks; when, in \naddition to all this, the mediiun's hands and feet have \nremained securely tied with rope to the hands and feet of \nthe investigators on either side of her \u2014 I repeat, it is absurd \nto talk of fraud when phenomena have been produced under \nsuch circumstances. I quote a few instances from our own \ndetailed record, showing how complete was our control of \nthe medium at the very moment of the production of an \nimportant phenomenon. \n\n\"F. I have asked the medium whether I could feel the \nhand also (which we had felt through the curtain). She \nreplied, *Yes.' F. stands to the left of C. and leans over \nwith his left hand outstretched about two and a half feet \nabove and to the left of the medium's head. Inunediately \nafter: \n\n\"F. I am touched by something directly upon the point \nof my finger. \n\n\n\n248 Eusapia Palladino \n\n\"12. 1 1 A.M. F. I am touched again. I am taken hold \nof by fingers and I can feel the nails quite plainly. [F. \nMy forefinger was pressed hard by three separate fingers \nabove it and a thumb below through the curtain. I felt the \nnails quite distinctly as they pressed into my finger. Decem- \nber 6, 1908.] \n\n\"C. Her head pressing against my head. I am abso- \nlutely holding her left hand u()on the table. Both her legs \nare around my right leg under the chair. \n\n\"B. I am absolutely certain that her right hand is on my \nleft hand on her right knee. \n\n**F. I am touched again. Grasped this time as though \nby the lower part of a thumb and fingers. \n\n\"B. I am touched gently on my hand and at the same \nmoment I am touched by a hand on my shoulder. Also the \ncurtain came out as though struck violently by a hand from \nwithin.\" \n\nAt 12.24 ^^^ following phenomenon took place: \n\n\"C. I am touched. Oh, my hair is pulled by a complete \nhand through the curtain! Medium's head resting against \nmine, medium's left hand [control stated but omitted in \nstenographic notes], the whole of her left arm controlled \nby my right arm and her left foot on my right foot. \n\n'^B. Medium's right hand is on my left hand on the \ntable. I am sure it is her right hand, as I can feel her \nthumb. Her right foot is on my left foot, and I can feel \nthe side of her leg against my leg. \n\n\"F. When Carrington was touched I saw the curtain \ncome right out over the medium's head.\" \n\nNow it would appear to me that, unless the skeptic \nchooses to believe that we have deliberately falsified the facts, \nthere is no other alternative in such cases than to accept the \nonly logical conclusion, and to believe that genuine phe- \nnomena were produced. Both hands and both feet were \nsecurely held ; both arms were under control ; both feet and \n\n\n\nEusapla Palladino 249 \n\nthe Jegs as far as the knees were also completely under con- \ntrol. The same may be said of the medium's head, which \nwas resting against my head. Farther, the light was suffi- \nciently good to enable us to see the hands we were holding. \nWe would lift them up to within six inches of our eyes and \nexamine their texture in detail \u2014 ascertaining that stuffed \ngloves or dummy hands were not held by us, and we manip- \nulated the hands in such a way that we forced responsive \nsqueezes or pressures from the medium's hands \u2014 showing \nthat the hands we were holding were really living hands, \nand were not mere dummies. We ascertained that these \nhands were connected with her body by tracing their con- \nnection with cur free hands. Further, be it observed, a \nsubstitution of hands would have been impossible; first, \nbecause one hand was held in her lap, while the other was \nheld upon the surface of the table. This was done pur- \nposely and in order to avoid any possibility of approximating \nthe hands. Secondly, we generally held Eusapia's hand by \nthe thumb or by encircling the whole of her hand in ours. \nBy this means it was possible to tell which hand one was \nholding \u2014 because of the relative position of the thumb \nand fingers. When, therefore, phenomena took place un- \nder such circumstances, I think we were quite justified \nin asserting that fraud is incapable of explaining the facts \nand that, whatever their ultimate explanation may be, \nwe shall have to seek elsewhere for it than in the sim- \nple hypothesis of trickery and fraudulent substitution of \nhands. \n\nBefore concluding this discussion of fraud and its possibil- \nities, however, I wish to answer, in a general way, one or \ntwo serious critics of these phenomena, by way of illustration. \n\n\n\n250 Eusapia Palladino \n\nI shall choose one of the most recent and authoritative of \nthese. \n\nIn the Proceedings of the S. P. R., for February, 1909, \nMrs. Sidgwick published her review of Professor Morselli's \nbook, Psicologia E Spiritismo, and in her review she answered \nseveral critics of the Cambridge experiments, and stated her \nviews \u2014 and not only hers, but, I feel justified in saying, those \nof the majority of the S. P. R. officials \u2014 of Eusapia Palla- \ndino's mediumship. Mrs. Sidgwick regards Professor Mor- \nselli as \"a good and careful observer\" who is aware that \nEusapia Palladino does sometimes trick, and who has, in \nfact, \"himself sometimes detected her in trickery, or what \nlooks suspiciously like it.\" As a matter of fact, Professor \nMorselli estimated that less than ten per cent, of her phe- \nnomena were due to fraud (Vol. I, p. 312), the remaining \nninety per cent, being genuine phenomena. \n\nMrs. Sidgwick emphasizes on several occasions her opinion \nthat it IS useless to speculate as to the nature of the phe- \nnomena \u2014 ue., whether or not they arc spiritistic in character, \nor whether they represent \"some unknown biological law\" \n\u2014 until the facts themselves have been established. Until \nall normal explanations {e.g,, tricker}^) have been eliminated \nand the phenomena proved to exist, it is useless to speculate \nconcerning them. I think Professor Morselli would agree \nMrith this, but it must be remembered that, in his estimation \nat least, the phenomena have been definitely proved, so far \nproved that there is no longer any doubt in his mind concern- \ning their reality, and, to himself, he is accordingly justified in \ntheorizing as to their origin and nature. I must say that be- \nfore I obtained my sittings I, too, took Mrs. Sidgwick's view \n\u2014 ^writing in my Coming Science, p. 382: \"Personally, I \nthink that it is premature to speculate on the origin and na- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 251 \n\nture of such phenomena as those presented by Eusapia Palla- \ndino. The facts are not yet sufficiently well established to \nwarrant any speculations of the kind, though one can well \nsee how it would be a temptation to offer such speculations \nwhen one has been thoroughly convinced of the nature and \ngenuineness of the phenomena,\" \n\nMy own sittings convinced me finally and conclusively that \ngenuine phenomena do occur, and, that being the case, the \nquestion of their interpretation naturally looms before me. \nWhile Mrs. Sidgwick's attitude is, therefore, justified in so \nfar as it represents the position of one as yet unconvinced, \nIt docs not necessarily indicate the position of one fully con- \nvinced, as -I became, and as Professor Morselli became \u2014 as \nthe result of his sittings. \n\nI cannot agree with Mrs. Sidgwick, moreover, when she \nsays that the hypothesis of the agency of spirits would not \nrender Eusapia's phenomena more intelligible. For the minor \nphenomena, there is certainly no need for such a theory ; in- \ndeed, the facts seem to point against it (p. 268) ; but for the \nmore important phenomena of materializations, etc., such, e.g., \nas those quoted on p. 147, I think that not only is the spirit- \nistic hypothesis justified as a working theory, but it is, in fact, \nthe only one capable of rationally explaining the facts. Cer- \ntainly we should not be entitled to disregard it ; far less should \nwe contend that the hypothesis is superfluous \u2014 ^when a large \nnumber of the facts point to it as their only rational ex- \nplanation. \n\nMrs. Sidgwick is right in saying that there is a great uni- \nformity and sameness about Eusapia's seances. Certainly this \nwould argue that she is only capable of producing a limited \nnumber of phenomena by fraudulent means. But we might \nalso argue that this sameness pointed to the genuine charac- \n\n\n\n252 Eusapia Palladino \n\nter of the seances \u2014 inasmuch as the power which produced \nthe phenomena was probably capable of producing only a \ncertain number of phenomena within a limited range. More- \nover, the fact that there is this sameness should facilitate the \ndetection of fraud, when once it is known to exist, and \nwhen we know precisely the kind of fraud to look for. \n\nBut it is not altogether true that Eusapia's seances have \na sameness about them. In our own series of sittings fresh \nphenomena were added at every seance, and the phenomena \nbecame more startling and convincing, took place at greater \nand greater distances from Eusapia, and we came nearer and \nnearer to obtaining full-form materializations as the seances \nprogressed \u2014 ^inasmuch as we obtained no materializations at \nall during the first seance, and but feeble ones during the \nfirst three or four, but they became more numerous and \nstronger as the series progressed, until finally distinct heads \nand white tangible hands touched us outside the curtains, and \nin front of Eusapia \u2014 ^whereas, at first, these hands had only \nventured to touch us through the curtain. When, therefore, \nwe find that, even in a short series of sittings, materializa- \ntions of parts of a body may be obtained, it is only reason- \nable to suppose that full-form materializations might be ob- \ntained in a large number of sittings, under better and more \nfavorable conditions than prevailed at ours. It is a question \nof degree, not of kind, be it observed ; and inasmuch as we \nwere definitely convinced that materialized hands did mani- \nfest, I can see no rational ground for skepticism. \n\nMrs. Sidgwick tells us that, at Cambridge, \"no dark cur- \ntained recess was especially provided.\" The importance of \na cabinet at Eusapia's seances is certainly obvious to all who \nhave had sittings with her \u2014 at least of late years \u2014 and one \ncan quite understand that, being deprived of it, Eusapia's \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 253 \n\nincdiumship would suffer. We are glad to have Mrs. Sidg- \nwick's formal refutation of the current idcSis concerning Eu- \nsapia's unhappiness and loneliness at Cambridge. She was \nsubmitted to no offensive searching and the investigators evi- \ndently did everything in their power to make her happy and \ncontented. But the Cambridge sittings certainly differed \nfrom ours, and probably from those of other investigators in \none very important point. Speaking of the Cambridge series, \nMrs. Sidgwick says: \n\n\"There is, at these sittings, so much moving of the posi- \ntion of the whole circle, including the medium,. so much rest- \nlessness altogether, and so much difficulty in ascertaining \nwhat were the exact relative positions of the phenomena, that \nit is difficult to get clear evidence. . . .\" \n\nNow, In our sittings, Eusapia remained a passive agent \nthroughout. Occasionally we changed places, the controller \non the right taking the place of the controller on the left, and \nvice versa, but Eusapia rarely moved her position, and during \na large part of every sitting she remained entirely passive, \nmoving neither hand nor foot \u2014 ^her whole body, on occasion, \nresting against ours, and being entirely encircled by our arms \nand hands. So far as I am aware, such conditions were not \npermitted at Cambridge, but I think that we are justified in \nsaying that our own seances form an efficient reply to this \nobjection by Mrs. Sidgwick, and formally and explicitly re- \nfute this criticism \u2014 based upon the supposed OHistant rest- \nlessness of Eusapia. \n\nI quite agree with Mrs. Sidgwick that numerous suspicious \ninstances were noticed at Cambridge (e.g., the incident of \nthe handkerchief, p. 520), even before fraudulent substitu- \ntion of hands was actually detected. I also agree that when \n\n\n\n254 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthe hands were held as they were at that period, one might \nhave been a good observer and yet tricked into believing that \nhe was securely holding one hand, when as a matter of fact \nhe was not. Further and finally, I heartily agree with Mrs. \nSidgwick when she contends that almost the whole force of \nthe argument for supernormal phenomena rests upon this \nsingle fact: whether the hands and feet were adequately \nheld at the time. \n\nBut I think there are numerous instances on record which \nindicate clearly that both hands were securely held during \nthe production of remarkable phenomena; and, further than \nthis, and still more conclusive, is the evidence that they were \nseen resting upon the table, held in the hands of her con- \ntrollers. Secondly, there are, as Mrs. Sidgwick herself ad- \nmits, many cases on record which cannot be accounted for, \neven supposing that Eusapia had one, or even both hands \nfree \u2014 but that in order to produce the manifestations frau- \ndulently, she must have left her place at the table and walked \nabout the room! \n\nNow, in our own series of sittings, phenomena were pro- \nduced on various occasions when we felt absolutely certain \nthat both hands were securely held, and this, not only because \nwc could feel the whole of her hand, but because both \nhands were distinctly visible to us resting upon the table. \nThus, at our ninth seance, at 10.44, Mr. Feilding, who was \nsitting at the opposite end of the table from Eusapia \u2014 ^and \ncertainly farther away from her than either of her controllers \n\u2014 said : \"I can see the medium's left hand on B.*s. I can see \nCarrington's hand held out against the curtain. I can see \nher right hand on the table. I can see from where I am a \nstrong movement of the small stool; her head is perfectly \nvisible to mc.\" \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 255 \n\nAgain, at the same seance, at 12.51, I was touched on the \nleft side by a hand, while I was holding both the medium's \nhands in mine, and while they were both perfectly visible \nto me. This occurred again a few moments later. It will \nbe remembered that Professor Lodge was several times \ntouched under precisely similar circumstances during the \ncourse of the ile Roubaud phenomena. Again, during our \nsixth seance, we were repeatedly touched by a hand through \na curtain, while I was holding Eusapia's left hand in her lap, \nand while Mr. Baggally was holding her right hand upon \nthe table. The hands were separated by more than two feet \nfrom one another, and no attempt whatever was made to ap- \nproximate or substitute the hands. One hand was perfectly \nvisible to us, held in mine. The other hand resting beneath \nthe curtain on the table. The touches occurred on my side, \nand, the hand I held being visible throughout, Eusapia must \nhave released her right arm in order to produce them. Now, \nmany of the touches were far beyond her reach, even had she \nthe right hand free, and Mr. Baggally is absolutely certain \nthat such was not the case \u2014 since he could feel the flesh of \nher hand and repeatedly ascertained that the hand he was \nholding was connected with her body by means of her nor- \nmal arm. \n\nAll the objections Mrs. Sidgwick raises might be met if \nwe could suppose that Eusapia materializes for the time be- \ning a third arm, which produces these phenomena, and which \nrecedes into her body at the conclusion of a phenomenon. In- \ncredible as such a supposition doubtless is, there is evidence \ntending to show that such is indeed the case. Professor Bot- \ntazzi relates that he, on more than one occasion, saw a hand \nwhich a moment before he had felt, and found to be \"luke- \nwarm, nervous and rough\" (the exact opposite of Eusapia's \n\n\n\n256 Eusapia Palladino \n\nhand), \"retreat into Mme. Palladino's shoulder, describing \na curve.\" At .the eighth seance, held in July, 1907, Professor \nGaleotti distinctly saw the doubling of the left arm of the \nmedium. He exclaimed : \"Look, I see two left arms, identi- \ncal in appearance ! One is on the little table, and it is that \nwhich M. Bottazzi touches, and the other seems to come \nout of her shoulder \u2014 to approach her, and touch her, and \nthen return and melt into her body again. This is not an \nhallucination. I am awake, I am conscious of two simul- \ntaneous visual sensations, which I experienced when Mme. \nBottazzi says that she has been touched.\" \n\nIt will be seen, therefore, that, impossible as such an idea \nmay seem, there is evidence tending to show that such a phe- \nnomenon may in fact, occur, and if it were once definitely \nproved that such were the case, it would readily explain a \nlarge portion of the Cambridge experiments in a manner \nquite compatible with her honesty and with the existence of \nher genuine supernormal powers. \n\nOf course there is the objection that fraud was actually \ndetected at Cambridge, and that, in a very large number of \ninstances, a suspicious narrowing down of the control of the \nhand to two or three fingers was noticed \u2014 generally, though \nnot invariably, followed by an instantaneous release of the \nhand altogether from the sitter's control. Such facts would \ncertainly seem to indicate the practice of fraud, and the only \nscientific procedure in such cases would be to assume that \nit did indicate fraud \u2014 particularly when it was detected in \nactive operation at later seances. Yet, in view of our own \nexperiences, I feel constrained to doubt the accuracy of the \ndeductions. We repeatedly noted that Eusapia worked her \nhands into what might be called a good \"substitution position,\" \nwithout her taking any advantage of the fact, and in many \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 257 \n\ninstances Eusapia's holding of our hands became quite un- \nsatisfactory, and her hands even left ours altogether for the \nfraction of a second, returning to them later \u2014 during or im- \nmediately before the production of a phenomena. While we \nalways insisted that her hands should be immediately re- \nplaced on ours in a satisfactory manner upon these occasions, \nwe were, nevertheless, quite certain that no substitution had \ntaken place, for the reason that we could distinctly see her \nhand the whole time, and noticed that she did not, in fact, \nproduce any fraudulent phenomenon with it \u2014 though, had the \nroom been dark and had we been compelled to judge from \nthe sense of touch alone, unaided by sight, we should cer- \ntainly have come to the conclusion that she frequently ef- \nfected a substitution of hands, and produced the observed \nphenomena. \n\nIn view of these facts, then, I cannot but feel that a large \nproportion of the supposed substitutions of hands at Cam- \nbridge were, in fact, not real substitutions at all, but merely \ninstinctive or automatic reflexes on Eusapia's part \u2014 synchro- \nnizing with the phenomenon \u2014 ^and that her hand instinctively \ntried to free itself and endeavored to reach the object to be \nremoved in a normal manner. It must be remembered that \nEusapia has frequently stated that, at the moment of the \nproduction of any phenomenon, she feels a strong desire to \nproduce the phenomenon normally, by means of her hands, \nand unless she is prevented from doing so, her hand will \noften shoot out automatically and move the object in a \nnatural way. But if she be prevented from doing so, and \nher hands are securely held, this instinctive desire is pre- \nvented from becoming externalized in motor expression and \nthe phenomenon is produced at a distance from the medium \n\u2014in spite of the utmost rigor as to the control of her hands. \n\n\n\n258 Eusapia Palladino \n\nIt win be observed that almost the whole of Mrs. Sidg- \nwick's criticism is based upon the supposed substitution of \nhands and feet, and is colored, naturally, by the Cambridge \nexposure. But, as I have, before pointed out, many phenome- \nna have been observed in the past, and were observed by us, \nwhich could not have been accounted for even had Eusapia \nfreed one hand, or even both hands. I need not give in- \nstances in this place, since they are numerous, and Mrs. Sidg- \nwick herself admits that such instances exist. But once \ngrant the genuine character of at least some of the phe- \nnomena and what rational ground is there for refusing to \nbelieve that a large proportion of them are also genuine \u2014 \nonly that the evidence does not prove that fact? I feel quite \nconvinced that at least the majority of the phenomena we \nobserved were genuine, and could not possibly have been \nproduced by fraud, and I think this is the opinion, also, of \nmy colleagues and of the majority of investigators who have \nhad a large number of sittings with Eusapia, and who pre- \nvented, instead of allowed, fraud on her part The existence \nof one single phenomenon having been proved, it opens the \nway for numbers of others, equally well established, and even \nfor those far less conclusively proved \u2014 since, all a priori ob- \njection having been removed, it becomes merely a question \nof sufficient evidence. We ourselves ascertained, however, \nhow difficult a matter it is to present evidence of the sort \nwhich would be necessary to convince a skeptic who had not \nbeen present at the sittings ; and, bearing in mind that fact, \nand remembering our own previous attitude toward these \nphenomena, I am prepared to allow the critic much indul- \ngence, and we even have sympathy with those minds who \ncannot as yet accept the phenomena as proved. Personal \nsittings, I feel assured, would finally convince ; and short of \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 259 \n\nthese, the utmost I can hope for is that the printed evidence, \nas presented in our own series of sittings, will at least assist \nin removing a large number of doubts and objections that \nhave existed in the past, relative to Eusapia's mediumship. \n\nOf course it is conceivable that Eusapia might have at- \ntached a string or a hair to some of the smaller objects and \nmoved them by pulling this with her foot, or some part of \nher body, unnoticed by us; but I am quite convinced that she \ndid not do so, ( i ) because no movement of the sort was dis- \ncovered; (2) because there was a clearly lighted space be- \ntween her body and the object; (3) because we were con- \nstantly on the alert for any attempt of the sort on her part, \nand were on the lookout for any movement that could be \nconstrued as bending down and affixing hairs, threads, etc., \nto objects; (4) because we ascertained on several occasions \nthat no such hair, thread, or string was, in fact, pulled \nduring the actual production of the phenomenon. I cite one \ncase by way of illustration of this: During the ninth seance, \nthe small stool which we had placed just outside the cabinet, \nabout three feet distant from the medium, came out of its \nown accord and moved up to within a foot of her. Eusapia \nwaved one of her hands, still controlled by ours, above the \nstool, and it moved in various directions, corresponding to \nthe movements of her hand. She then approached her hand \nto the stool and a complete levitation resulted. One of us \nthen passed his hands between the stool and the medium's \nbody, and along the carpet, showing that no thread, hair, \nstring, or other attachment was possible. We picked up the \nstool and examined it, replacing it on the ground. We did \nnot allow Eusapia to touch the stool with hand or foot, after \nit had been placed on the floor, but held her hand in ours \nabout three feet above the stool, and held her leg by knee \n\n\n\n26o Eusapia Palladino \n\nand ankle on the side nearest the stool. There was a brightly \nilluminated patch of carpet of about eighteen inches between \nthe small stool and her skirt. In spite of these precautions, \nhowever, the stool immediately began its movements, and \nrose into the air several times under the hands of one of the \ninvestigators and without being touched in any way by Eusa- \npia. We considered that this was a test phenomenon, which \nhad been obtained under conditions absolutely precluding \nfraud. \n\nIf, then, fraud is unable to account for many of the phe- \nnomena, it is certainly rational to suppose that the more \nmarvelous phenomena, observed from time to time, are also \ndue to some supernormal force, and cannot be accounted for \nby any process of trickery or hallucination. It is merely a \nquestion of degree, not of kind. Once grant the existence \nof the simplest phenomenon, unrecognized by physical science, \nand the way is opened for the admission of the more extraor- \ndinary facts, which, in themselves, would prove everwhelm- \ningly incredible. \n\nBefore I had had my personal sittings, I had been an ex- \ntremely severe critic of the reports of others \u2014 I now think, \ntoo severe. It is a very different matter \u2014 being convinced \nof the phenomena oneself, and convincing others. Never be- \nfore had I realized how impossible, almost, it is to frame a \nreport in such a manner that it shows that fraud was ab- \nsolutely excluded. To those who have not had much ex- \nperience in these phenomena, it would doubtless appear to \nbe extremely simple ; but such is by no means the case. Facts \nwhich appear to the onlooker obvious are omitted in the \nreport, and the result is that, when the report appears in \nprint, these defects \u2014 ^as they seem to be to the public \u2014 ap- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 261 \n\npear to be glaringly conspicuous. Thus, when the hands \nof the medium are both plainly visible, the average investi- \ngator does not think of constantly reiterating the fact that \nthe hands are visible and constantly held ; yet if he does not \nsay so, critics who do not see the progress of the seance, but \nonly the printed reports, will find fault with him for not stat- \ning just such facts, and will hold that the seances are in- \nconclusive because of the lack of these recorded impressions. \nOnly the critic who knows the extreme value of recording \nevery movement of the medium, would think of recording, \nevery moment, the exact position of her hands and feet; so \nthat, when phenomena took place, they were accounted for. \nIn our sittings we endeavored to supply this hitherto funda- \nmental defect, and supplied, from moment to moment, exact \ndescriptions of the position of each hand and each foot. This \nthe reader will see, however, when consulting the detailed \nrecords. \n\nIn criticising these seances \u2014 Le,, the work of other men, \nbefore obtaining sittings myself \u2014 I wrote in part as follows \n\u2014and the reader will see that I certainly did not lack in \nskepticism. In reviewing M. Flammarion's book, Myste- \nrious Psychic Forces, I said : \n\n\"Now, in going over the facts that are recorded in this \nbook, one finds many loopholes that enable one to think that \nfraud might have been practised on such and such an occa- \nsion. Thus, for instance : the holding of the medium is care- \nfully described, and the amount of light recorded. It is then \nstated that the sitters changed places, and soon after this, \nwonderful phenomena took place. But it will be observed \nthat we are not told how the medium was held after the sit- \nters changed places, and if the amount of light was the same. \nAgain, it is quite inconclusive to anyone who knows the pos- \nsibilities of fraud, in such cases, to be told that the 'medium \n\n\n\n262 Eusapia Palladino \n\nwas securely held' while manifestations were in progress. \nWhat we want to know is how she was held ; and that, not in \ngeneral terms but in the greatest and most exact detail. The \nposition of the fingers and the thumb should be indicated, and \nit should be stated what parts of the medium's hand, and how \nmuch of it, they were holding. Again, at the moment of the \nproduction of any phenomenon, the control-holders should \nmake it a point of never looking at the phenomenon, but of \nexamining, minutely, the hands they were controlling, and \nexchange remarks at that instant, as to the amount of control \nsustained, and how satisfactory it was. Further, when any \nobject is moved, or any musical instrument played, etc., it is \nvery inconclusive to state that it was *at some distance' \nfrom the medium. What the critic wants to know is just \nhow far away the object was, in feet and inches, and he can \nthen estimate for himself the possibility of fraud on the part \nof the medium. In other words, the critic should not be \ncalled upon to accept the judgment of any of those forming \nthe circle for his conclusions. What he wants is the facts, \nand he can form his own opinion from these. These opinions \nmay be wrong, but it must be emphasized over and over \nagain that the only way in which the scientific man can ever \nbe influenced is by patiently recording all the details \u2014 they \ncannot be too detailed \u2014 and allowing the critic to form his \nopinions of the phenomena from the facts, and not from the \nopinions of the persons witnessing the facts. \n\n\"It should be borne in mind, by those having sittings with \nEusapia, that much of the trickery practised by professional \nmediums is prepared beforehand, and almost invariably the \ntrick is done at some other time than that at which the spec- \ntators suppose it is done. Just as the conjurer counts *one, \ntwo, three !' and, while the attention of the spectators is fo- \ncused on the word 'three,' and what is to happen thereat, \nthe conjurer has opportunity to perform the trick during the \n*one, two* period, or even before the counting began at all. \nIn the Palladino case, this should be borne in mind, and \na close watch kept upon the movements of Eusapia during the \nintermissions or rests \u2014 to see that she does not attach strings \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 263 \n\nto the furniture, make imprints in the prepared putty, etc. \nAt the very time of making the experiments it is quite pos- \nsible that Eusapia would be totally unable to use either of \nher hands or her feet; but we must have equal surety that \nshe has not had the opportunity of accomplishing these phe- \nnomena before the intermission of the seance closed. Fre- \nquently we are told that sitters are enabled to rise and walk \nabout the room, look behind the cabinet curtains, etc Does \nthis mean that they have broken the circle in order to do this, \nor was there no circle to break? Another word of caution. \nThe imprints of hands, faces, etc, in the putty or clay, were \nnot, apparently, produced by Eusapia \u2014 ^at least at the time of \nthe holding, and during the seance. But is it possible that \nEusapia had concealed about her person plaster casts of hands \nand faces that she could in some manner impress into the \nclay at some convenient moment? We are rarely told of the \nsearching of the medium ; but that surely should be invariably \ndone. If this had been done, it would make these tests far \nmore conclusive. \n\n\"I have made these remarks and raised these objections, \nnot because of any a priori objection to the possibility of the \nphenomena, but merely to point out and again insist upon the \nfact that only by conducting experiments that are not open \nto just such objections can these men, experimenting with \nEusapia, hope to convince the skeptical world that here are \nindeed phenomena that are not due to fraud and trickery. \nThe best way, it seems to me, would be to have the medium \nsecurely handcuffed to the sitters on either side of her, and \nthe keyholes of the cuffs sealed. If the cuffs were tight, \nthis would be a pretty conclusive test. The ankles of the \nmedium might be fastened to the legs of the chair in a similar \nmanner. After this has been done, and before the lights of \nthe seance room are lowered, one oi the circle should inspect \nthe instruments, plates of clay, etc, and see that they are as \nyer untouched. If the medium would not allow this (and \nwhy should she not?), then let the sitter on each side of her \npull the arm straight, and hold the medium's hand against \nhis chest during the manifestations with his own. A separate \n\n\n\n264 Eusapia Palladino \n\nperson should be detailed to guard the feet. A code might \nbe arranged between the controls (those holding the hands) \nthat a slight and peculiar squeeze of the hand should be made \never so often, and if one of the controls felt this squeeze, he \nwould be certain that his fellow control had hold of his hand, \ninstead of that of the medium \u2014 and that she had in some \nmanner managed to free hers. This would be a signal for \ncloser investigation, and the trick might be discovered. \n\n\"Were I to sum up the results of this book, as they appear \nto me ; were I to try and express the effect upon my mind of \nthe facts recorded \u2014 endeavoring to keep it as open and im- \npartial as possible \u2014 I should say that the actual facts, as they \ntook place, in reality, were doubtless in many instances super- \nnormal, and were the results of some imknown force or \nforces ; but I must also insist that in very rare instances does \nthe evidence presented in the book prove this. I feel that, had \nI been there in person, I, too, should have been convinced; \nbut the printed evidence is far from satisfactory and conclu- \nsive, and it is that which the critic will see and only that will \nhe weigh. The conditions of the seance are very rarely such \nas to force recognition and acceptance of the facts; but, \npartly because some of the phenomena appear to be indubi- \ntable, it would be rash and dogmatic to contend, a priori, for \nthe 'impossibility' of the others. M. Flammarion has done \nhis best to furnish all particulars of his seances, and he is to \nbe complimented on his painstaking and worthy effort. But \nother reports arc far from being sufficiently detailed. When \nwill the investigators of Eusapia learn that no detail can be \ntoo trivial and insignificant; that in these very details con- \nsists, frequently, the clew to the mystery, and that no report \nwill ever be regarded as final and conclusive without them? \nThe most minute detail should be given as to the relative po- \nsition of the fingers, when holding the hands ; when the con- \ntrol was changed ; how the new control was effected ; whether \nthe change of control was effected in the light or in the dark, \nand a thousand other details that cannot be enumerated here. \nIt must always be borne in mind that the subjective impres- \nsion of the sitters is of no value, relatively, to one who has \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 265 \n\nnot had sittings with the medium; and, to one who knows \nthe possibilities of fraud, there is always a grave doubt in the \nmind as to sureness of conditions, sufficienqr of control, etc. \n\u2014especially in a case like Eusapia's \u2014 ^where fraud has been \nproved to exist over and over again. Accounts of some of \nthe Luer seances \u2014 ^those narrated in the Annals of Psychical \nScience, e.g, \u2014 appear to render fraud quite impossible, but \nthese cannot be considered here, since they are not included \nin M. Flammarion's book. It is at any rate a comfort to \nknow that a series of experiments is being conducted by \nscientific men, and that Eusapia is not to pass from us as D. \nD. Home did, with virtually no indorsements, save that of Sir \nWilliam Crookes. If experiments upoii the present lines can \nbe carried on for a number of years, with constantly improving \nconditions, we may be assured that conviction will ultimately \nbe borne in upon the scientific world ; and then what a re- \ncasting of old prejudices and conceptions there will be! It \nmay be said that M. Flammarion, in the excellent and in- \ntensely interesting book under review, will doubtless have \nhelped greatly to bring this result to pass; to have demon- \nstrated that the present scheme of science is not a 'closed \ncircle' but that, behind and beyond this world of matter and \neffects there is a world of forces and causes the width and \ndepth and extent of which we are only just beginning to \nfathom and realize.\" \n\nI further proposed that luminous paint might be applied \nto the hands, so that they might be seen the more easily in \nthe dark \u2014 not knowing that her hands are usually more or \nless visible throughout the sittings. I also found fault with \nthe photographs that had been published, saying: \"I do not \nfor a moment question the interest and value of these photo- \ngraphs, I only say that they appear to me to be inconclusive. \nAnd all photographs are open to this fundamental objection. \nThey give us a picture, merely, of what is actually happen- \ning at any one time, without telling us the preceding actions \nof the medium and others present, leading up to that event. \n\n\n\n266 Eusapia Palladino \n\nWhat we should have, in order to be conclusive, is a series \nof photographs, and preferably a cinematographic record of \nthe seance. In that manner we should be enabled to follow \nevery movement of the medium throughout. Might not such \nan apparatus be devised ? We should not, in that case, have \nto depend on the unaided powers of observation of the sitters, \nbut would have demonstrable proof that the phenomena \nwere objective realities.\" It will be seen from my own pre- \nvious attitude in the matter that I could not be accused of \ncredulity, whatever else might be laid to my door. And I \nthink the fact that I was completely convinced of the \nreality of the phenomena, in spite of my previous skepticism, \nshould at least have some weight. Fraud, I am quite \nconvinced, cannot explain the facts observed in Eusapia's \npresence. \n\nHaving thus exhausted all normal explanations of these \nphenomena, let us now turn to their possible explanation by \nother theories. Before doing so, however, I wish to insist \nupon one point, which is of great importance. It is this: \nThat, having once given up the theory of fraud as inadequate \nto account for the facts, it is useless to keep reverting to it, \nand keeping it in the back of the mind as a \"possible\" ex- \nplanation. I trust that I have shown that fraud is unable \nto explain all the phenomena witnessed at Eusapia's seances, \nand that being the case, let us seek in other directions, and \nglance at the various theories that have been advanced from \ntime to time in the past, by way of explaining these phe- \nnomena. Having once eliminated what might be called the \n\"natural\" or \"normal\" explanations, let us turn to a con- \nsideration of those theories that attempt to explain the facts \nupon other lines \u2014 those theories that admit their reality, \nwhile attempting to account for the facts as best they can. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 267 \n\nSeveral writers agree more or less in their interpretation \nof the phenomena, though differing in the detail of their \ntheory. Thus, several writers have advanced the idea first \nproposed by Gasparin \u2014 ^that some fluid emanates from the \nbody of the medium and produces the effects seen. Thury \ntook a very similar view, calling this hypothetical fluid \npsychode. Sir William Crookes, many years ago, advanced \nhis theory of \"psychic force,\" which is closely akin to the \nabove theories. TTiis force it is which produces the phe- \nnomena. It will be seen that there is a very close approxi- \nmation of theories, but none of them can be said to explain \nall the facts, inasmuch as this fluid has never been discovered ; \nand because, while it would explain all the lesser phenomena \n\u2014 ^movements of objects, etc. \u2014 it would not explain the cases \nof materializations, etc., that have taken place from time \nto time, and which still need explanation. The intelligence \nconnected with the phenomena would still have to be ac- \ncounted for. \n\nProfessor Lombroso was at first inclined to believe that \nin these phenomena are to be found instances of \"trans- \nformation of forces\" \u2014 a theory which he abandoned later, and \nhas practically adopted the spiritistic hypothesis \u2014 a position \nalready taken by Alfred Russel Wallace, and numerous other \nscientists. Certainly his earlier theory would not account for \nthe facts \u2014 and the spiritistic hypothesis as generally held, \ncannot be said to do so either. And for the following rea- \nsons. \n\nEven if the existence of spirits were granted, we should \nstill have great difficulty in accounting for many of the facts \nin detail, and the theory seems to be in direct opposition to \nother phenomena. Thus, when Eusapia says, \"I am going \nto fetch something out of the cabinet with my foot\" \u2014 ^and \n\n\n\n268 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthen proceeds to kick about under the table and the instru- \nment in the cabinet comes out with a rush \u2014 this is certainly \nin consequence of a force controlled by herself \u2014 ^which force \nappears to be under the direction of her own conscious mind. \nNo external agent is involved in the production of such a \nphenomenon, therefore \u2014 ^which appears to be the result of \na voluntarily controlled force, issuing from the medium's \nbody. When the medium wills the production of a phe- \nnomenon, and the thing immediately occurs, it is absurd \nto contend that \"spirits\" are involved in its production. That \nwould be clearly reverting to \"animism\" in its most primi- \ntive form; and we should have to abandon all our ideas of \nscientific causation. No; while such a theory may be said \nto explain a large number of the facts, and even explain them \nin a satisfactory manner, it cannot be said to explain them \nall^ and any theory which cannot do that cannot be said to \nbe final and conclusive. \n\nColonel Albert de Rochas believes that these phenomena \nare due to an \"exteriorization (or externalization) of mo- \ntivity.\" An astral body of the medium, composed of some \nsort of nerve fluid, is supposed to exist, and this duplicate \nbody is enabled to perceive and act at a distance from the \nmedium's physical body. It is a sort of projection beyond \nthe periphery of the nervous force of the medium (as in the \nfirst theories), only in this case this force is more than a \nmere blind, liberated energy \u2014 ^it might be considered as being \nthe astral double or replica of the medium's body. This is \nthe view which the astronomer Porro is inclined to take, as \nwell as other noted scientists. Professor Ochorowicz also be- \nlieves in a \"fluidic double,\" which produces these phenomena. \n\nThere are many facts which seem to prove conclusively \nthat some such vital emanation does proceed from the me- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 269 \n\ndium, and that it can condense and produce plastic effects in \nspace outside the body of the medium. Dr. Fere observed \nluminous radiations proceeding from the body of several of \nhis patients in broad daylight. Reichenbach's experiments \nhave never been satisfactorily explained. An emanation of \nthe kind is seen to be issuing from the medium's body in \nseveral photographs that have been taken at various times \u2014 \nphotographs which were intended to prove other things en- \ntirely. Colonel de Rochas* experiments are, some of them, \nvery striking. \n\nIn discussing these phenomena this authority says: \n\n\"With certain persons, who are known as psychics, the \nadhesiveness of the nervous fluid to the carnal organism is \nfeeble, so that they may even, under various influences, pro- \nject this nervous fluid outside their bodies. . . . Experiment \nhas also shown that this fluidic body is able to model itself \nunder the influence of the will, like clay under a sculptor's \nhand, and thus to present the form of this or that personage \ncalled up by the thought of the medium or that of the \nmagnetizer. . . . The frequent formation of hands above \nEusapia's head, exactly on the spot where she has a hypno- \ngenic opening, would be the result of an almost abnormal \nwithdrawal of a large quantity of fluid at this point . . .\" \n\nIs any proof offered for this theory? Colonel de Rochas \ndoes offer one case, which, he asserts, goes to prove his con- \ntention, and which is certainly very striking. It is the fol- \nlowing strange incident: \n\n\"One day M. de Watteville desired, in my presence, to \nphotograph Eusapia between Count de Grammont and Dr. \nDariex. The photograph having been taken, I chaffed Dr. \nDariex, who is small of stature and who was standing with \nhis hand in his waistcoat, saying to him: 'Doctor, you re- \nsemble Napoleon.' The plate, however, was preserved, but \n\n\n\n270 Eusapia Palladino \n\na thing which no one could foresee is that the profile of Napo- \nleon stands out very clearly on the background by the side \nof the water post which seems to serve as a pedestal for it, \nbut there was nothing to explain this appearance, notwith- \nstanding other attempts afterwards made in the same place.\"^ \n\nNow it would seem to me that this case fails to prove its \npoint, first, for the reason that (as stated in the text) the \nexposure had been made before the remark was passed about \nNapoleon, and hence we cannot assume that the contents \nof the medium's mind could have affected the results in any \nmanner \u2014 even if his theory were true. In the next place, this \nis but one case against all past experience. In the third place, \nthe resemblance to Napoleon may have been more fancied \nthan real. And in the fourth place, the hypothesis does not \ncover those cases in which knowledge is exhibited by the \nphantom which the medium did not know at the time and \nnever had known. An example of this will be given on p. \n284. \n\nWhile there is much to be said in favor of such a theory, \ntherefore, there is also much to be said against it. How can \nthis etheric double be possessed of a will and intelligence of \nits own \u2014 ^as the phenomena frequently show must be the \ncase ? How can an \"etheric double\" or anything correspond- \ning to it produce impressions of altogether different faces and \nhands in wet clay, as is so often done? If these impressions \nwere those of the medium, we could understand it ; but when \nthey are those of persons entirely dissimilar to Eusapia, how \ncan we conceive that this body could produce such impres- \nsions? It would seem impossible for it to do so; and we \nmust, accordingly, reject this hypothesis, as we have rejected \nall those in the past, as inadequate to account for the facts. \n\n^Annals of Psychical Scienct, April- June^ 1909, pp. 227-8. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 271 \n\nDr. Grasset, a celebrated physician, thinks that the expla- \nnation is to be found in the ^'psychopathology of the nervous \ncenters.\" When it has been shown just how the nervous \ncenters produce these phenomena, I think we ma/ seriously \nconsider this hypothesis, and not before! Dr. J. Maxwell \nbelieves that most of the phenomena are to be explained by \nthe operation of a force within us ; and that the intelligence \noperative in their production is some kind of a \"composite \nconsciousness\" \u2014 composed of the minds of the circle of ex- \nperimenters. It is, in fact, a sort of \"collective conscious- \nness.\" M. Marcel Mangin is also disposed to adopt this \nidea. I think there is not one particle of evidence that \ncan be urged in favor of such a theory \u2014 but that, on the con- \ntrary, nearly all the facts are opposed to it. \n\nOther investigators speak of \"ectenic force,\" \"psycho- \ndynamism,\" and other hypothetical forces, more or less in- \ntelligent, which are supposed to issue from the body of the \nmedium. The objections that have been urged above apply \nto all these theories: viz., we have not the least evidence, \noutside of these phenomena, of the existence of such a force ; \nand it is contrary to scientific method to explain unknown \nfacts in terms of the unknown. We can only \"explain\" phe- \nnomena by bringing them into the realm of the known, and \nshowing their connection with the known. And until evi- \ndence of the existence of these \"forces\" is obtained, it is use- \nless to explain remarkable phenomena by means of them. \n\nYet other observers have come to the conclusion that a third \narm is materialized during the seances, and that this arm \nis that which produces the phenomena! So positive of the \nfact were these investigators, indeed, that they insisted on \nstripping and searching Eusapia, to see whether or not such \nan appendage might not be there. None such was found 1 \n\n\n\n272: Eusapia Palladino \n\nThose experimenters who defended this theory did so on the \nground that real hands appeared, and produced phenomena, \nwhen both hands of the medium were clearly held. As this \nthird hand seemed to be under the dominating influence of \nEusapia, they concluded that some artificial prolongation had \nactually taken place. They were forced to conclude that \nsome prolongation, usually invisible, and impalpable, became \nvisible and palpable, and took the form of an artificial hand, \nhaving flesh and muscles. \n\nThe a priori objections to this hypothesis need hardly be \npointed out; but I shall not consider these. Within itself, \nthe hypothesis is unable to explain all the facts. It might \nexplain touches and movements of objects in the immediate \nvicinity of the medium, but the more distant phenomena \u2014 \nthe appearance of heads and faces, the appearance of lights, \nthe impressions, in clay, of faces, differing from that of the \nmedium \u2014 it explains none of these things, nor does any simi- \nlar theory, advanced to date. \n\nSir Oliver Lodge, in his original Report upon Eusapia, \nadvanced a tentative theory, based on the sympathetic move- \nments observed whenever objects at a distance were moved, \nor other similar phenomena occurred. He says in part: \n\n\"When the accordion is being played, the fingers of the \nmedium are moving in a thoroughly appropriate manner, \nand the process reminds one of the twitching of a dog's legs \nwhen he is supj>osed to be dreaming that he is chasing a \nhare. It is as if Eusapia were dreaming that she was finger- \ning an instrument, and dreaming it so vividly that the in- \nstrument was actually played. It is as if a dog dreamed of \nthe chase with such energy that a distant hare was really cap- \ntured and killed, as if by a phantom dog; and, fanciful as \nfor the moment it may seem, and valueless as I must suppose \nsuch speculations are, I am, I confess, at present more than \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 273 \n\nhalf disposed to look in some such direction for a clew to \nthese effects. In an idealistic interpretation of nature, it has \nby many philosophers been considered that thought is the \nreality, and that material substratum is but a consequence of \nthought. So, in a minor degree, it appears here: it is as if, \nlet us say, the dream of the entranced person were vivid \nenough to physically affect surrounding objects and actually \nto produce objective results \u2014 to cause not only real and per- \nmanent movements of ordinary objects, but also temporary \nfresh aggregations of material particles into extraordinary \nobjects; these aggregations being objective enough to be felt, \nheard, seen, and probably even photographed, while they \nlast.\" \n\nThere is at least one class of phenomena, however, which \ncannot be explained upon this theory \u2014 namely, those in \nwhich an independent intelligence is displayed, other than \nthat of the medium \u2014 since we should have to assume, on the \nabove theory, that only Eusapia's will was responsible for \nthe facts. Yet there are many phenomena which do not \nseem to be controlled by her will, but on the contrary occur \nin direct opposition to it. An instance of this occurred in our \nown sittings, when Eusapia said she was tired, and asked \nJohn if the seance might end. John replied by rapping twice \nfor \"No,\" and the seance was resumed. Soon after we ob- \ntained four complete levitations of the table, in rapid suc- \ncession, and under excellent test conditions, and John then per- \nmitted the seance to terminate. Here, then, we have evidence \nof an external intelligence, differing from that of Eusapia, \nand expressing wishes in direct opposition to her own. Can \nwe assume that any such theory as the above would explain \nthese facts? \n\nThe theory has been advanced that, while the conscious \nmind of the medium is not involved in the production of the \n\n\n\n274 Eusapia Palladino \n\nphenomena, the subconscious mind is active, and in fact it is \nthat which is operative and which produces these phenomena. \nMyers first proposed this theory, and has elaborated it in \ngreat detail in his Human Personality. This subconscious \nmental life supposedly possesses thoughts, desires, and voli- \ntions of its own ; and possesses also, according to the hypothe- \nsis, various faculties and powers, which normally remain latent \nin this life, but which may be called into activity at certain \ntimes, under certain exceptional conditions. This subcon- \nsciousness is supposed, by some, to be endowed with the facul- \nties, not only of telepathy and clairvoyance, but with the \ncapacity for moving physical objects at a distance from the \nbody of the medium! As Dr. Geley expressed it: \"A certain \namount of force, intelligence, and matter of the body may \nperform work outside of the organism \u2014 act, perceive, or- \nganize, and think, without the collaboration of muscles, or- \ngans, senses, and brain. It is nothing less than the uplifted \nsubconscious portion of our being; it constitutes, in truth, \nan extemalizable subconscious nature, existing in the Me \nwith the normal conscious nature.\" ( The Subconscious Na- \nture, p. 82.) \n\nHartmann, as we know, attempted to explain all phenom- \nena on his theory of \"The Unconscious.\" The theory was \n( I ) that a nervous force can produce, outside the limits of \nthe human body, mechanical and plastic effects; (2) that \nduplicate hallucinations of this same nervous force exist, pro- \nducing also physical and plastic effects; (3) that a latent, \nsomnambulistic consciousness (the subject being in the nor- \nmal state) capable of reading in the intellectual background \nof another man his present and his past, and being able to \ndivine the future, is operative. \n\nAksakof, in his Animism and Spiritism, replied at great \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 275 \n\nlength to this theory, and showed that it was unable to ex- \nplain all the phenomena that had been observed by various \ninvestigators. I do not think that many readers will hesi- \ntate to accept his conclusions also. As a matter of fact, there \nIS ha: Jly any evidence whatever that the \"subconscious mind\" \ncan do any of these things, and the theory seems to me to \nbe one deliberately invented in order to neutralize the simpler \ntheory of spiritism, which, in scientific minds, did not appear \nto be acceptable. Whether spiritism be true or not, however, \nit may be said that the scientific world has not taken kindly \nto Hartmann's theory, and that it is accepted by no one. \n\nM. Guillaume Dc Fontenay, in his work, A prt^pos d^ Eusa- \npia Palladino, ingeniously tried to explain the phenomena by \na d3mamic theory of matter. According to this theory, the \nsolidity and stability of matter can no more be said to be \nreal than the light that strikes our eyes, or the sound our \ncars. What corresponds to solidity and stability in matter \nwould, in reality, consist of disturbances or vortices in the \nether. Life itself would be a special kind of movement \u2014 \nthis movement being determined and organized by a direct- \ning force. Applying this theory to the facts before us, we \nmight be enabled to account, in some degree, for the phe- \nnomena observed. For, in this case, the vital force of the \nmedium would externalize itself, and produce in a point of \nspace a vibratory system, which would be the counterpart of \nitself, in a more or less advanced degree of visibility and \nsolidity. So far as duplicate apparitions of the medium are \nconcerned, therefore, wc might conceive that this hypothesis \ngoes a long way toward explaining the facts ; but it would fail \nto explain the foreign inteUigences manifested during a \nseance, or the materializations of heads, hands, and even com- \nplete forms, differing from those of Eusapia. \n\n\n\n276 Eusapia Palladino \n\nOther investigators have come to the conclusion that in- \ndependent intelligences are manifested during a seance, but \nthat these intelligences arc not those of human beings. That \nis, spirits are present, but not necessarily the souls of the dead- \nAll kinds of spiritual beings might exist, and fill the space \nall about us, without our ever knowing anything of them \nexcept under unusual circumstances. In fact, we find in the \nliteratures of all nations references to demons, angels, gnomes, \ngoblins, spirits, specters, elementals, etc. It might be that \nthese legends have some foundation in fact! Some psychic \nresearchers of *the present day are, in fact, inclined to defend \nthis hypothesis in certain instances \u2014 there being much evi- \ndence tending to show that \"evil spirits\" are operative in the \nproduction of phenomena \u2014 phenomena indicating external, in- \ndependent intelligence. Nevertheless, no scientific man could \naccept this theory unless some definite evidence were ad- \nvanced in its support. We are not entitled to assume that \neven human consciousness exists apart from bodily structure, \nuntil it has been proved ; and if that is the case with human \nconsciousness, which we know exists in this life, we should \nrequire a great deal more evidence to prove that independent \nintelligences of other types existed \u2014 since we have no scien- \ntific evidence at all that they exist or have ever existed in \nconnection with bodily frames ! Though one could not say \n\"impossible\" to such a theory, therefore, definite evidence \nwould have to be advanced that such intelligences exist quite \napart from these phenomena ; and until such evidence is pro- \nduced, I feel that it is useless to discuss this hypothesis \nfurther. \n\nSome authorities have advanced the theory that a sort of \nreflection, or reflex action, is sufiicient to explain the phe- \nnomena. Says M. Flammarion: \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino Tj^j \n\n\"Evciyonc has seen his image reflected in a mirror, and \nnobody is astonished by it. However, analyze the thing. \nThe more you look at this optical being moving there behind \nthe mirror, the more remarkable the thing appears to you. \nNow, suppose looking-glasses had not been invented. If \nwe had not knowledge of those immense mirrors which re- \nflect whole apartments and visitors in them, if we had never \nseen anything of the kind, and if some one should tell us that \nimages and reflections of living persons could thus manifest \nthemselves, and thus move, we should not comprehend and \nshould not believe it. \n\n\"Yes, the ephemeral personification, created in spiritual- \nistic seances, sometimes recalls the image that we see in a \nmirror, which has nothing real in itself, but which yet exists \nand reproduces the original. The image fixed by the photo- \ngraph is of the same kind, only durable. The potential image \nformed at the focus of the mirror of a telescope, invisible in \nitself, but which we can receive on a level mirror and study, \nat the same time enlarging it by the microscope of the eye- \npiece, perhaps approaches nearer to that which seems to be \nproduced by the concentration of the psychical energy of a \ngroup of persons. We create an imaginary being; we speak \nto it, and in its replies it almost always reflects the mentality \nof the experimenters. And, just as with the aid of mirrors, \nwe can concentrate light, heat, ether waves, electric waves, \nin a focus \u2014 so, in the same way, it seems sometimes as if \nthe sitters added their psychic forces to those of the medium \n\u2014 condensing the waves, and helping to produce a sort of \nfugitive being, more or less material. The subconscious na- \nture, the brain, of the medium, or its astral body, the fluidic \nmind, the unknown powers latent in sensitive organisms \u2014 \nmight we not consider these as the mirror which we have \njust imagined, and might not this mirror also perceive and \nreproduce impressions, or influences from a soul at a dis- \ntance?\" \n\nProfessor Morselli, though firmly believing in the facts, \nridicules the spiritistic interpretation of them and clings to \n\n\n\n278 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthe idea that these \"teleplastic phantoms,\" seen at EusapiVs \nseances, are the creations of her subconscious mind, and are \nmerely mental reflexes of her subliminal activity. When \nfacts are told by the phantoms, unknown to the medium^ \nthese are supposed to be obtained, telepathically, fropi the \nminds of the sitters. Nevertheless, I am convinced that the \nmajority of students of these phenomena would consider this \nby far the more improbable hypothesis of the two; and that \nit has not any real evidence in its support whatever. Pro- \nfessor Lombroso, in criticising Morselli's book, justly says: \n\n\"When, therefore, Morselli attempts to explain the dis- \nagreement of John with his medium, when he went so far \nas to cuff her because she refused to hold a seance on the fol- \nlowing day, by saying that the medium tried to be *more \nmedium than die medium,* in order to convince the sitters of \nher sincerity, he juggles with subtleties which, through being \ntoo subtle, break down under the evidence ; and, in fact, when \nEusapia refused, since she was too tired, to work on the next \nday, it was for a very good reason, because the seance in such \na case would not have been successful. \n\n\"Another explanation which errs through excess of subtlety \nis that of the levitation of Eusapia, which took place slowly, \nwithout shocks, like a person who dreams that he is flying; \nand he adds, mistakenly: *not, however, as though the me- \ndiimi was carried upward by a force acting on her from \nwithout.' But when one dreams of flying, one has the illu- \nsion of moving suddenly and rapidly, and not seated on one's \nchair, but rising upward, and that not slowly. Besides, what \nrelation is there between an illusion, a mere dream, and a \nreal fact that is tangible to other persons? \n\n\"It is notable also that when he finds himself confronted \nwith new and important facts, he tries to throw doubt on \nthem through excess of impartiality. Thus, having weighed \nEusapia before and after the seance, he finds that at the end \nof the sitting her weight had diminished by 2.2 kilogrammes. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 279 \n\nor nearly 5 lbs. (Vol. II, p. 293), but he remarks that this \ndiminution in weight arose from her moving about while \nshe was on the scale, and thus throwing the balance out of \nequilibrium. Now, his critici^n might have been just if \nEusapia had moved ; but it is not so at another time when he \nadmits that she did not move, but remained rigid on the scale ; \nhere it is evident that if the results in both cases are to be \ntaken as negative, the conditions ought to have been the same, \nand not different ; all the more so as this alteration in weight \ncoincides with what was observed on other occasions by Gyel \nand Aksakoff, and indirectly by Visani Scozzi when he saw \nher lose her lower limbs during a levitation. \n\n\"Yet he attaches some importance (Vol. I, p. 351) to the \nloss in dynamometric force by five of the sitters, amounting \nto 6 kilos on the right side and 14 on the left; while the \nfact might be explained otherwise than by the left-handedness \nof the medium, as being due to the weariness produced by \na long sitting and great nervous strain. \n\n\"More importance, on the other hand, should have been \ngiven to the fact that the medium, usually left-handed, be- \ncame right-handed at one sitting, and MorseUi himself be- \ncame left-handed. This confirms Dr. Audenino*s hypothesis \nof transitory left-handedness in the abnormal state, and the \ntransference to the sitters of the anomalies of the medium; \nand the left-handedness of Eusapia, like that of Mme. \nd'Esperance and of Miss Smith, and the reversed writing \nof mediiuns, seem to indicate the increased participation of \nthe right lobe of the brain in mediiunistic states, as occurs \nwith hypnotized persons, and would explain the concomitant \nunconsciousness. \n\n\"As to the feeling of intense repugnance at seeing his \nmother recalled, and against his will, by Eusapia, I confess \nthat I not only do not share it, but, on the contrary, when \nI saw my mother again, I felt one of the most pleasing in- \nward excitements of my life, a pleasure that was almost a \nspasm, which aroused a sense, not of resentment, but of grati- \ntude to the medium who threw my mother again into my \narms after so many years, and this great event caused me to \n\n\n\n280 Eusapia Palladino \n\nforget, not once but many times, the humble position of \nEusapia, who had done for me, even were it purely automat- \nically, that which no giant in power and thought could ever \nhave done. \n\n\"I respect Morselli's feelings, however, because feelings \nare individual ; yet I ask him if it has ever happened to him, \nas to me, to have to sit alongside of persons who, if not by \nbirth, at least by conduct, are much more unworthy than \nEusapia \u2014 and not as an involuntary spectator, but as a col- \nlaborator ? \n\n\"Where Morselli excels, and his book has great merit, is \nin the clinical study of Eusapia, made at two or three dif- \nferent periods, but complete. He has observed, for in- \nstance, that during trance Eusapia's secretions augment, \nthat the reflexes on both sides are abolished, that several \nnerves are painful on pressure, etc.; left-handedness, hyper- \naesthesia of the whole left side of the body; that she is \nmore easily magnetized than hypnotized, so that by me- \nthodical stroking of her head with the hand one can remove \nheadaches and calm her mind, and by magnetic passes \nfrom below upward can cause a semicatalepsy, while by \nreverse passes one can relieve muscular contractions and \nparesis. \n\n\" 'Like the fakirs,' he writes, *when they wish to enter \ninto trance, Eusapia begins to slacken her rate of breathing, \npassing from 28 inspirations to 15 or 12 to the minute, while \nher heart beats from 99 to 120; then her hands are seized \nwith little starts and tremors, the joints of the feet and hands \nare bent and straightened, and every now and then become \nrigid. The passage through this state of active somnam- \nbulism is marked by yawns, sighs, sweat on the brow, per- \nspiration of the hands, strange expressions of countenance \u2014 \nnow seized by a kind of anger marked by imperious com- \nmands, and sarcastic phrases addressed to the critics \u2014 and \nnow by a voluptuous erotic ecstasy, succeeded by intense \nthirst.' \n\n\"All this is connected with hysteria, just as many of those \nafflicted with gravel and asthma have similar symptoms to \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 281 \n\nthe gouty and rheumatic, even though they may not have pain \nin their joints. \n\n\"Very true also are his observations that Eusapia predicts \nwhat will happen at the seances, and, therefore, has a certain \nconsciousness of the phenomena before they occur; and that \nalmost all her trance phenomena are stereotyped and auto- \nmatic, like some of the peculiar motions of epileptics, which \nmay or may not be associated with absolute loss of conscious- \nness, but always with an impotence of the will to restrain \nthe actions. Equally automatic are the movements of the divin- \ning-rod, spirit writing, musical and dramatic performances \nin a state of trance, in which there is a disintegration of the \npersonality, while certain brain centers are still able to act ; \nand so, too, according to Myers, are hallucinations with the \ncrystal ; and why should we not add, as he says, the speaking \nin foreign tongues, and impersonations? It is true that we \ndo not understand what is the internal stimulus from which \nthese latter result, if we do not wish to admit the action of \nspirits, but sometimes they arise from forgotten impressions \nof childhood.\" \n\nThis completes our resume of the theories that have been \nadvanced, to date, to explain the remarkable phenomena oc- \ncurring in Eusapia*s presence. Other theories will doubtless \nbe proposed in the future, and perhaps others have been ad- \nvanced in the past of which I am ignorant. But the above \nsummary will at least give the reader an idea of the hypoth- \neses that have become necessary, in order to explain these \nfacts \u2014 once they are admitted into positive science. The \nsame objection may be applied to each and every one in turn. \nThey explain some of the facts, but by no means all of them, \nand any theory which does not explain them all cannot be \nsaid to be truly explanatory. I shall again refer to this in \nthe next chapter, in which I shall advance a theory of my \nown. \n\n\n\n282 Eusapia Palladino \n\nCertain it is that the facts occur; and that having once \nbeen granted, it becomes necessary to explain them, or to at- \ntempt to explain them, by some means or other, and with the \nleast strain upon our credulity. Any theory which serves to \nexplain the facts in the most satisfactory manner must depart \nleast from scientific standards, as held to-day. That is, in \norder really to explain a phenc\u00bbnenon, we must show its rela- \ntion to the known, and attempt to connect it in some way \nwith the established facts \u2014 ^with physical, physiological, or \nmental science. It is useless to speculate at random con- \ncerning these phenomena \u2014 though speculations of this char- \nacter are, perhaps, seldom wasted. Still, the most scien- \ntific hypothesis is probably that which departs least from \nwhat is known of the physical and mental world. I diall \nendeavor in the next chapter to formulate a theory which \nfulfills these requirements \u2014 ^inasmuch as I shall attempt to \nbring these phenomena within the pale of science by showing \ntheir connection with what we know of physics, physiology, \nand psychology. \n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI \n\nMY OWN HYPOTHESIS TO ACCOUNT TOSL THE FACTS \n\nThe theory that is now presented is based upon the as- \nsumption that the phenomena are genuine, and are the result \nneither of fraud nor of hallucination. Of course, personal \nexperiments finally settled this, but the incident which origi- \nnally forced me into an attitude of belief was the following, \nwhich appeared in the Annals of Psychical Science for Sep- \ntember, 1907, under the signature of Dn Joseph Venzano, \nwho relates the incident at first hand soon after it occurred. \n*'The room,\" we read, \"was arranged as usual and lighted \nwhen the phenomenon occurred by the candle in the ante- \nroom. . . . The control of Mme. Palladino was confined to \nme, on the right, and to Mme. Ramorino, seated on the left. \n\u2022 \u2022 . The narrative of this incident is taken from the special \nnote which I made mj^self on the same evening after the \nsfemce.\" \n\nIt would appear, therefore, that very little is to be desired \nin the way of testimony, and the light was fairly good \u2014 \ncertainly enough to see the outlines of the medium's figure, \nas we shall presently see. Yet, under these conditions, the \nfollowing remarkable incident took place (p. 164) : \n\n\"In spite of the dimness of the light I could distinctly see \nMme. Palladino and my fellow-sitters. Suddenly I perceived \nthat behind me was a form, fairly tall, which was leaning \nits head on my left shoulder and sobbing violently, so that \nthose present could hear the sobs; it ki^d me repeatedly* \n\n\u00bb\u00ab3 \n\n\n\n284 Eusapia Palladino \n\nI clearly perceived the outlines of this face, which touched \nmy own, and I felt the very fine and abundant hair in \ncontact with my left cheek, so that I could be quite sure \nthat it was a woman. The table then began to move, and \nby typtology gave the name of a close family connection who \nwas known to no one present except myself. She had died \nsometime before, and on account of incompatibility of \ntemperament there had been serious disagreements with her. \nI was so far from expecting this typtological response that \nI at first thought this was a case of coincidence of \nname; but while I was mentally forming this reflection I \nfelt a mouth, with warm breath, touch my left ear and \nwhisper, in a low voice in Genoese dialect, z, succession of \nsentences, the murmur of which was audible to the sitters. \nThese sentences were broken by bursts of weeping, and their \ngist was to repeatedly implore pardon for injuries done to \nme with a fullness of detail connected with family affairs \nwhich could only be known to the person in question. The \nphenomenon seemed so real that I felt compelled to reply \nto the excuses offered me with expressions of affection, and \nto ask pardon in my turn if any resentment of the wrongs \nreferred to had been excessive. But I had scarcely uttered \nthe first syllables when two hands, with exquisite delicacy, \napplied themselves to my lips and prevented my continuing. \nThe form then said to me, *Thank you,' embraced me, \nkissed me, and disappeared.\" \n\n\n\nThese facts were corroborated by the others present at \nthe seance. Hallucination, therefore, could not explain the \nfacts. M. Venzano distinctly asserts that he was perfectly \ncalm throughout the seance, that he did not cease to watch \nthe medium carefully, who \"was quite awake and visible to \nall,\" and who also \"remained motionless through the whole \ncourse of the phenomenon.\" As to the alternatives \u2014 fraud \nand hallucination \u2014 M. Venzano writes: \"The ensemble of \nmy perceptions of contact as well as audible ones (the latter \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 285 \n\nshared by my fellow-sitters), the typtological response in \ncomplete accordance with the perceptions themselves, and the \nfact that, in spite of th'e very dim light, Mme. Palladino \nwas distinctly visible to me as to all those present \u2014 as well \nas her complete ignorance of the family details revealed \u2014 \nexclude absolutely both these hypotheses\" (p. 165). \n\nIn the face of evidence of this kind it would appear to \nme simply absurd to press any theory of fraud. If the \nseance had been held in complete darkness, or if the medium \nhad been in a cabinet concealed from all, such a theory \nmight be pressed. But in view of the evidence it certainly \ncannot. In such a case as this fraud appears to me to be \nabsolutely out of the question, and any attempt to explain \nthe facts by that theory would be far more inconceivable \nthan an acceptance of the facts. In this case, at any rate, \nfraud is unable to explain the facts observed, and since that \nIS the case in this instance, it is most probably inadequate to \n. explain many of the other facts likewise \u2014 only in these other \ncases the facts, as reported, are not strong enough, evi- \ndentially, to establish that conclusion. There is always a \nvast diflFerence between a truth and establishing a truth. \n\nHaving thus shown that fraud alone is unable to explain \nthe facts, we must turn to other explanatory hypotheses. \nHallucination may appeal to some as a rational explanation \nof at least some of the incidents; but here I would ask my \nreader to bear in mind what I have said before as to the \nnecessary inclusiveness of any h5T)othesis that may be ad- \nvanced. Hallucination certainly cannot account for many \nof the graphic records \u2014 it has very rarely been actually \nproved to exist in any case \u2014 ^why, therefore, postulate it as \na part of any explanatory hypothesis, when we have no evi- \ndence whatever that it is correct or even justifiable? \n\n\n\n286 Eusapia Palladino \n\nI should like to say one or two more words here on this \nquestion of hallucination, as it is one on which other critics \nand myself tend to disagree in our interpretation of the \nphenomena. It is a theory often advanced by students as an \nexplanatory hypothesis and finds great favor in certain quar- \nters. I am well aware of its strong points and the argu- \nments in its favor, but I am also aware of the facts and \narguments tending to disprove it. I think it probable that \nillusions very frequently take place at spiritualistic seances. \nOne very interesting example of this I mentioned in my \nreport on \"Lily Dale\"; * but that is a different thing from \nfull-blown hallucination. The former implies that there is \nsome background of reality, the outlines and details of which \nare filled in by the mind of the seer; the former supposes \n,that there is no such reality of background at all. There \nis a vast difference between these two. I have frequently \nseen the former psychological process at work at fraudulent \nseances ; but I can truthfully say that in the ten years during \nwhich time I have been a constant attendant at seances (all \nof which time I was on the alert for anything of the kind), \nI have never seen any traces of genuine hallucination in any \nsingle case. I am disposed to disbelieve in this hypothesis \nmost strongly. I have never seen a trace of it at work. \nWhere others saw hallucination I saw simply fraud. In \nmost cases, what passes for hallucination is nothing more \nthan clever trickery \u2014 trickery of a kind I have frequently \nbeen able to detect. I have always been inclined to place \nthe physical phenomena either in the realm of fraud or that \nof reality, and I greatly doubt if hallucination plays any \npart in any of these phenomena. In this, however, I am \nin disagreement with other writers. Each one must choose \n^Proctedings oi the Amcricm S. P. R., Vol. II, Part I, p. 29. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 287 \n\nthe hypothesis that most appeals to him; I merely give my \nopinion in such a case \u2014 stating it for what it is worth. \n\nThe same objections, it seems to me, that have been \nadvanced against fraud and hallucination (as explanations) \nmay successfully be urg^d against every one of the theories \nthat has been advanced to date. Fluidic prolongations, \netheric doubles, unknown neuric forces, etc., explain many \nof the phenomena, but by no means all of them. What \nis the use of a theory that explains a certain percentage \nof the phenomena, merely, and leaves unexplained a large \nnumber of facts \u2014 ^and the most interesting facts at that? \nNone of these theories would explain the impressions \nobtained on wet clay and putty; of faces and hands other \nthan those of the medium; none of them explain the \nmaterializations of forms, of heads and faces, entirely dif\u00ab \nferent from those of Eusapia; none of them really explain \nthe intelligent force that frequently moves objects, plays \nmusical instruments, etc. \u2014 ^which Eusapia could not have \nmoved or played. To postulate an \"unknown force\" leaves \nus where we were in the first place, and explains nothing \nin the second. Can \"unknown forces\" make impressions of \nhands and faces in putty? Do they possess an intelligence \nequal to or even greater than that of the medium who \nliberates them? The mere statement of the theory carries \nwith it its own refutation; it is inherently absurd. So far \nas we know ans^thing about \"forces\" in this universe, they \ncan do none of these things. \n\nNor can the theory of an \"astral double of the medium\" \nexplain the facts. It might explain some of them, but cer- \ntainly not all, or even the great majority of them. One can \nconceive that such an entity could make impressions of the \nmedium's face in the putty (duplicating hers), but how about \n\n\n\n288 Eusapia Palladino \n\nImpressions of altogether alien and foreign faces? Unless \nwe revert to the mediaeval conception of lycanthropy (change \nof form at will) we are unable to explain diese facts on \nany such dieory. And the same objections may be raised, \nit seems to me, against the dieory of \"prolongations,\" and \nall die other theories that have been advanced to explain \ndiese phenomena. \n\nIt would appear to me that the most satisfactory hjrpoth- \nesis (and indeed the only one that satisfactorily covers and \nexplains all die facts in die case) is the spiritisdc I know \nthat there is a universal dislike for this theory; that it is \na tremendous assumption in the first place; unable to account \nfor many of the facts in the second; and crude, as generally \nheld, in the third; but it is the most logical and consistent \none, in the long run, I am convinced. I shall endeavor to \nplace this hypothesis upon what may be at least a conceivable \nbasis, after first answering one or two objections that can be \nraised to it \u2014 legitimate objections, such as those I have ad- \nvanced above. I shall pass over that of crudity, as I hope to \nremove it before the argument is finished. \n\nFirst, then, as to the ''assumption\" that is made in formu- \nlating this hypothesis. It may be contended that it is a \nmere begging of the question \u2014 ^thus to defend a theory \nwhich it is, in a sense, our object to prove! All the data \nof materialism may be urged against this assumption \u2014 it \nbeing contended that \"spirits\" having been eliminated from \nthe universe, they cannot be present tipping Mme. Pal- \nladino's tables or anyone else's. The hypothesis, it may \nbe claimed, evades the issue and reverts at one swoop to \nmediaeval superstition. That would be die position of many \ncritics. \n\nIn itply, I would remind the skeptic that we must, at all \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino '289 \n\nevents have some theory to explain the facts. And we must \nhave one that explains all the facts. Now, broadly speaking, \nthe spiritistic hypothesis does this, and is the only one that \ndoes. By it we can explain the movements of objects, the \nplaying upon musical instruments, the appearance of human \nheads and faces, the materialization of forms, the presence \nof an external intelligence, etc. \u2014 ^all of which facts are most \ndifficult and many of them impossible to explain upon any \nother theory. I think it will be granted that, apart from \nthe inherent difficulty of accepting this theory (and certain \nminor objections that might be cleared away and removed \nby further experimenting), it most satisfactorily explains all \nthe facts in the case and includes them all in one general \nhypothesis. Certainly this is to be desired. And if this be \ngranted (as I think it must be), then the only reason for \nrejecting the theory is its \"inherent\" improbability \u2014 ^the im- \nprobability of there being any such thing as \"spirit\" in the \nuniverse at all \u2014 in short, the general objection founded on \nmaterialism. I at least can see no valid objection on any \nother ground (apart from the minor difficulties mentioned \nabove, which are really difficulties within the problem, not \nobjections to it), and I shall accordingly turn to a con- \nsideration of this objection. \n\nThe position of materialism is well known. Matter and \nforce occupy all the universe; and besides them there is no \nsubstantial reality. G>nsciousness is merely a by-product \u2014 \na result of brain activity, which perishes at the moment of \ndeath. Vitality is the result of chemical combustion; it is \nall very simple! Such a thing as \"spirit\" would be quite \nimpossible if materialism were true. \n\nNow, if we were to undertake to dispute this hypothesis, \nwe should have to take into account the whole range of \n\n\n\n290 Eusapia PallaHino \n\nphilosophy, metaphysics, and science \u2014 z task certainly be- \nyond my powers. Here it need only be said that this theory \nis being so far undermined by the newer discoveries that it \nis beginning to be given up, even by its former champions \nin orthodox science. Matter and force are no longer found \nto be indestructible; consciousness certainly cannot be \ndovetailed into any materialistic scheme. Many scientific \nwriters are now defending the idea that life is something \nquite apart from the matter, which forms its incasement, and \ncertain of us contend that vitality is not such a simple thing \nas has been previously believed. However, letting all thb \ngo for the moment, I am content to let my opponent hold \nwhatever views of the universe he pleases; he may be a \nbeliever in Haeckel's monism if he likes; the only thing I \ndemand (and upon that I insist) is that he explains on \nthis theory all the facts. If he can do this he can hold \nto his theory; if he cannot, then he must adopt anodier \ntheory or modify his sufficiently to explain and cover the \nfacts. That is the ultimate test and the only real one. \nAny theory advanced must explain all the observed phe- \nnomena. \n\nNow, it is quite certain, it seems to me, that any material- \nistic theory cannot explain many of the facts of psychic re- \nsearch. Let us omit telepathy as possibly explicable on the \nmaterialistic scheme. Clairvoyance, premonitions, appari- \ntions of the dead, haunted houses, to say nothing of the case \nof Mrs. Piper \u2014 none of these facts are really explicable on \nany materialistic theory. The method in the past, there- \nfore, has been to ignore them. But this cannot be done \nmuch longer I So much evidence is constantly pouring in \u2014 \nevidence so well attested, of such an extraordinary nature \u2014 \nthat it will not be many years before at least some of diese \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 291 \n\nphenomena are accepted by orthodox science. And then \nwhat will become of materialism? \n\nEnough has been said, at any rate, to show us that \nmaterialism no longer has the same firm foothold as it had \nsome years ago. Then no one thought of questioning it if \nhe wished to be thought \"scientific\"; now everyone does! \nThe Piper case, and others of a similar nature, and the \nwhole mass of psychical phenomena, seem to indicate that \nthere are, operative in nature, forces and intelligences be- \nyond those known to or recognized by orthodox science. \nAnd however far we may stretch explanatory hypotheses, \nwe are at all events in the realm of the \"supernormal,\" and \nhence beyond materialism. Spiritism is the only rational \nexplanation for certain cases, and it S)mthesizes the whole \nof psychical research in a way that no other hypothesis can. \nOnce accepted, it explains all the phenomena in a very \nsimple and satisfactory manner. \n\nWhen we come to view the facts in the Palladino case, \nthen, we find that they form or are divisible into two general \ngroups. Broadly, they may be divided as follows: (i) \nThose phenomena in which there is some mechanical move- \nment, devoid of external intelligence; and (2) those phe- \nnomena in which there is (apparently at least) an external \nintelligence. In the first of these two groups I should place \nmovements of objects without contact, levitations, raps not \nshowing intelligence, musical sounds ditto, the blowing out \nof the curtains of the cabinet, etc. In the second class I \nshould have to place raps and musical sounds showing in- \ntelligence, impressions in putty of hands, faces, etc., mate- \nrializations, conversations, intelligent handling of the record- \ning apparatus, and all kindred phenomena. Now, I must \ninsist that, while the theories that have been advanced to \n\n\n\n292 Eusapia Palladino \n\ndate (and which were reviewed in the last chapter) might \nexplain the phenomena included in the first of these two \ncategories, they certainly cannot explain the second set of \nfacts. Intelligence cannot be displayed by a thing that has \nnone, and \"forces\" and even \"fluidic elongations\" have none! \nWe must postulate something at work, therefore, that has \nintelligence, and, since this is not the mediiun, what can it \nbe but some external intelligence \u2014 some entity with a mind \nand thoughts of its own? And what can that be but a \nspirit? To me any attempt to evade this main issue is \nmerely quibbling. \n\nWhether we can conceive any such thing as a spirit or \nnot is beside the case ; the question is. Do the facts prove itf \nTo me they certainly do prove it in at least some of the \ncases\u2014 an example of which I gave earlier in this discussion. \nAny attempt to explain such a case as that by any theory of \n**forces\" or in any other way than to admit the presence of \nthe spiritual intelligence who purported to be present is, to \nme, absurd. I should much rather prefer to hold that Dr. \nVenzano falsified the facts, or that the whole seance was \ndue to fraud, than advance any theory other than the spirit- \nistic, in a case of this character. Any other theory would \nbe a straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel, indeed! \n\nHaving defined my position, then, in broad outline, I \nmust now proceed to fill in the details. I shall be told that \nthis is no new theory, but that it has always been held by \na largp number of observers and defended by them. Further, \nthere are many difKculties within the problem; and again, \nthere are numerous facts which seem to indicate that some \nforce, under the control of the medium's own brain and \nmind, is in operation and not that of any spirit. (This \nwould seem to negate this hypothesis, therefore.) I am \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 293 \n\naware of all these objections, and shall endeavor to answer \nthem as we proceed. \n\nI must begin by making certain assumptions\u2014 assumptions \nwhich should find no difficulty in being accepted in the main, \nand which at all events cannot be argued here. These are: \n(i) That consciousness persists after the dissolution of the \norganism; (2) that this consciousness maintains its personal \nidentity \u2014 including, of course, memory; (3) that this con- \nsciousness (\"soul\") is or inhabits a body of the same shape \nas our physical body \u2014 ^at least at first; (4) that it is con- \nstantly about us \u2014 in our surroundings\u2014 capable of exercising \ncertain functions to us deemed supernormal, such as telep- \nathy, clairvoyance, etc.; (5) that it is normally invisible to us, \nbut may become visible under certain conditions, as yet un- \nknown, to one or more individuals, and can then more or \nless directly communicate with them; (6) that such an \nintelligence can only act on the material world through \nsome intermediary and not directly \u2014 either upon a nervous \nmechanism (probably indirectly) or upon inert matter \n(almost certainly indirectly) through some semifluidic in- \ntermediary. Only by means of this etheric or vital inter- \nmediary is mind enabled to act upon matter and the material \nworld. \n\nNone of this is new \u2014 except, perhaps, the last proposition. \nIf such a thing as ''spirit\" exists at all, I think there should \nbe but little difficulty in granting the first five of these \nassumptions. The sixth is the one that I now wish to \nelaborate and defend at some length. \n\nFirst of all, let us go back to the world-old problem of \nthe connection of mind and body. There are certain aspects \nof this question that seem to have been overlooked even by \nthose psychologists and philosophers who have written about \n\n\n\n294 Eusapia Palladino \n\nit at length, and as this question has a more or less direct \nbearing on the problem before us, as we shall presently sec, \nit may be well to point these out in this place. \n\nThe ordinary materialistic conception is, of course, the \n\"production\" theory. Mind is thought to be the direct \nconsequence of the brain's functioning, and is the result of \nit. But if this narrow conception be given up, as it now is\u00bb \nby a large number of even \"orthodox\" psychologists, and as \nit certainly must be if even one supernormal fact ever be \nproven, then it becomes necessary to postulate some other \nconnection, and both parallelism and interactionism prac- \ntically admit the existence of consciousness apart from brain \nstructure. The refusal to consider the matter in this light \nis a mere piece of dogmatism; and anyone has just as good \na right to affirm that mind does exist apart from brain \nactivity as another man has to assert that it does not. The \nskeptic's only ground of vantage is the fact that conscious- \nness has never been proved to exist, independent of such \nactivity, which would seem to indicate, at least upon a super- \nficial view of the facts, that it was the result of it. But if \nwe do have evidence of its independent existence \u2014 in such \nphenomena as those of Mrs. Piper, for example \u2014 then it is \nat once and forever proved that consciousness does and can \nexist apart from brain structure, and that it merely uses that \norgan or instrument to function through \u2014 ^while here in the \nbody. That is, consciousness exists as a separate entity, but \nonly becomes manifest and objective to us here in the body \nwhile utilizing some material brain. On this theory the \npossible separate existence of consciousness is admitted, and \nonly the nature of its connection with the organism is the \nmystery. \n\nNow, if mind exists apart from the brain and merely \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 295 \n\nutilizes it to manifest through, it is acting upon it by a \nspecies of telekinesis all the time! Every mental state and \nchange \u2014 accompanied, as it doubtless is, by molecular action, \nchemical changes, etc. \u2014 is the result of a telekinetic action! \nThere should be no very great difficidty in imagining con- \nsciousness capable of afiFecting the outside material world, \ntherefore. Further, for all we know, the mind may be a \nthousand miles away from the brain it is acting upon and \nmerely be in rapport with it by means of some sort of mag- \nnetic attraction! If anyone asked me if I believed such a \ntheory I should say, \"No, I do not\"; but at the same time \nthere is really nothing against it. Once grant the possible \nexistence of consciousness apart from brain activity, and we \ncan conceive this quite easily. \n\nIt may be objected to the above that, whereas mind can \nconceivably act on organic matter, and particularly nervous \ntissue, it cannot, so far as we know, act upon the inorganic \nworld in a similar manner. That is probably very true; \nthere is some sort of vital connection in the one case which \nthere is not in the other, and upon that fact hinges the \nability of the mind to influence organic and not inorganic \nmatter. It is more than probable, it seems to me, that there \nexists some sort of etheric medium between mind and even \norganic nervous tissue, upon which the mind must act first \nof all. Thus we should have the chain of connection : mind, \nvital or etheric medium, nervous tissue, muscle, bone. So \nmind acts upon matter, and it will be seen that there is an \nincreasing density of structure, and that just in proportion \nto this density is mind incapable of affecting matter directly. \nWe must, it seems to me, always postulate some sort of \netheric medium through which mind acts in order to affect \nand move matter \u2014 organic or inorganic. And without this \n\n\n\n296 Eusapia Palladino \n\nvital intermediary there can be no action and consequently^ \nno manifestation. \n\nNow, on the ordinary materialistic view, human vitality is \nconceived to be a mere product of chemical combustion. \nThe potential energy of the food we eat is, according to \nmodem science, transformed into actual or kinetic energy \nin the body \u2014 ^when food is oxidized within it. In this way \nis the energy of the body maintained, and vitality is thus \nconceived to be one of the forces of nature and transformable \nand transmutable into them. Heat, light, chemical affinity, \nelectricity, vitality, etc., are all conceived to be forces on the \nsame plane, and all transmutable one into the other. And \none b no more mysterious than the other \u2014 ^vitality no more \nso than chemical affinity! \n\nNow, in my book Vitality, Fasting, and Nutrition, I \nargued this point at great length, and brought forward \nmany facts and arguments in an attempt to show that vitality \nis not a simple material force like the others \u2014 but is some- \nthing distinct, separate, per se \u2014 ^and unlike any other force \nwhatever. I cannot repeat in this place any of the arguments \nthere brought forward in defense of this view, but shall as- \nsume its correctness for the sake of argument, as it will \nenable us to understand these facts much more fully than will \nany other hypothesis.* I shall proceed upon the theory that \nvitality is a living force, non-material, that guides the body \nduring its life here on earth. It forms the connecting link \nbetween mind and matter, and is, quite possibly, the vehicle \n\n'Although mj theory has been before the world for almost two years, no \none has come forward to challenge the correctness of it. Almost every \nreviewer, without exception, has stated his disbelief in the theory, but has failed \nto advance a single fact tending to disprove it; no one has undertaken to refute \nit in detail. Both Dr. Rabagliati and myself expected the idea to meet with \nridicule and rejection, at first, as all new ideas do; but the absence of contrary \nfacts is most extraordinary. I shaU not do more than refer to it here. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 297 \n\nof the soul \u2014 the ctheric double, the astral body of the \ntheosophists.^ \n\nNow, if we grant that this vitality is a separate force, \ncapable of controlling the nervous mechanism under certain \nconditions, and acting as an intermediary between it and \nmind, it is evident that this vital force is more detachable \nfrom the organism \u2014 ^more a thing, an entity \u2014 ^than we have \nbeen in the habit of supposing. It might be transferable, \nunder certain conditions, from one organism to another, \nand this would account for mesmeric phenomeila and some \nso-called miraculous cures. This same vitality, again, issuing \nfrom the scar in the medium's forehead, would account for \nthe \"cold air\" so often felt by experimenters at the Palladino \nseances (p. 205). This postulated vital energy would \nexplain a number of other facts, and is probably closely \nallied to Gasparin's \"fluid,\" to Thury's \"psychode,\" and to \nSir William Crookes* \"psychic force.\" None of the in- \n\n\n\n^In the Journal of the S. P. R^ Febniaiy, 1908, pp. 180-6, it to be found \na tummarj of Sir Oliver Lodgers *^ scheme ojf personality** \u2014 a remarkably in- \ngenious theory, which should be published in full and certainly at as early a \ndate as possiUe. Sir Oliver Lodge represents the total self by two semicircles, \n'* abutting against one another, alter the manner of a placenta.** The upper \nis the mental, the lower the physical, side of man. ^Life** unites these two \npieces by means of the brain (p. 180). Nevertheless, Dr. Lodge evidently \nthinks that **the brain** is not the only factor involved in this necessary con- \nnection, for on page 183 he says: *^ Vitality unites the two halves and pierces \nthe boundary. . . .** This is a clear statement of a belief that vitality is that \nwhich unites mind and matter \u2014 as I have been contending all along. But if \nvitality were nothing more mysterious than chemical affinity, e,g^ and no nearer \nthe fountain of life, why should not that form the connecting link \u2014 just as well \nas vitality? Why should not heat, or light, or any other force^ for that matter? \nLi the sentence quoted above there is at least a tacit assumption that vitality is \nsomething more than mere mechanical force; and further, that it unites mind \nand matterl I think this is a position that will one day come to be generally \naccepted; and it will be seen that this really places vitality outside the law of \nconservation (as I have so strongly contended it should be placed)^ ind ackno^- \nedges that it is a force with quite individual peculiarities of its own \u2014 a force \n^'absolutdy ptr $t.** \n\n\n\n298 Eusapia Palladino \n\nvestigators, however, applied his theory to the most remark- \nable of all the phenomena \u2014 those implying an external \nintelligence (materializations, e.g.) \u2014 and apparently it could \nnot be stretched so as to cover them. The theory I am \nabout to advance, while closely akin to some of these hypoth- \neses, also differs from them in some important particulars, \nand is capable of explaining all the facts in a satisfactory \nmanner. I shall now endeavor to state this view as briefly \nas possible. \n\nThe nervous or vital energy, for whose existence I have \nbeen so strenuously arguing, is normally limited to the \nperiphery of the body, and never extends beyond it. But \nunder certain conditions, of which we know nothing at \npresent, it is possible for this force to extend beyond the \nlimits of the body, and produce certain material movements \nand displacements of objects in the external world. This \nforce would be, supposedly, at such times under the sub- \nconscious control of the medium, and mig^t even pass \nslightly imder the control of her voluntary mind, and be \ndirected by her \u2014 ^just as the muscles of respiration are usually \nunder the control of the subconscious mind, but we can \nalso bring them imder the control of the conscious mind at \nwill. The sphincter muscles would be a still better example \nof this \u2014 muscles over which we have normally even less \ncontrol, but which we yet can control, at least in part, by \nan effort of will. So, then, this force, being more or less \ndirectly controlled by the mind of the medium (conscious \nand subconscious) and acting beyond the periphery of die \nbody, would be enabled to produce all the effects of class one \nof the phenomena previously enumerated. The vital en- \nergy would form the intermediary or connecting link be- \ntween the mind of the medium and the production of die \n\n\n\nEusapla Palladino 299 \n\nmovement \u2014 and would cause the phenomenon in that man- \nner. All of the phenomena apparently devoid of intel- \nligence, or those under the control of the medium, could be \nexplained by this hypothesis, which indeed presents nothing \ndistinctly new so far. It is closely akin to several others \nthat have been advanced. \n\nBut now we come to the second group of facts \u2014 ^those \nproduced and controlled, apparently, by some external in- \ntelligence. How are these usually accounted for? Usually, \nit must be admitted, they are not accounted for at all \u2014 or \nso incompletely as to leave the mind totally unsatisfied with \nthe explanations. I have pointed out the defects of these \ntheories before and it is unnecessary to repeat the arguments \nhere. They simply do not explain. They explain the facts \nof group one, but not those of group two. If any of these \nphenomena are such in reality (and it seems very clear to \nme that they are), the spiritistic hypothesis is the only ra- \ntional one to account for the facts; is the only one worthy \nof serious consideration. When hands, faces, and forms \nappear, when conversations are carried on with these forms, \nin a language imknown to the medium, about matters private \nand unknown to her, it seems preposterous to attempt to \nexplain these facts in any other way than to admit that a \nspiritual entity is present and active there. The spiritistic \nhypothesis is the only one that in any way explains the facts, \nand I shall accordingly adopt it, until some better explana- \ntion be forthcoming. \n\nGranting, then, that a spiritual intelligence is active, how \nare we to conceive that it produces these effects? \"Spirit\" \nbeing supposedly pure mind, or closely related to it, it can- \nnot act upon the material world directly, or effect changes \nin it In order for this to take place there must be some \n\n\n\n300 Eusapia Palladino \n\nintermediary, as I have before indsted upon ; but I now \nthink we are in a position to see in what this intermediary \nconsists. // is the nervous, vital force of the medium, ex- \nternalized by her beyond her body and utilized by the mani- \nfesting spirit for the purposes of its manifestation. This \nsame vital energy, which is controlled by the medium's own \nmentality, when producing the phenomena of class one^ is \nutilized by the manifesting intelligence in very much the \nsame manner (when the medium is in trance) in producing \nthe manifestations and phenomena of class two. We mi^t \nconceive that this vital energy is utilized by the manifesting \nintelligence, who imbibes and clothes himself with it, as it \nwere\u2014 creating a sort of temporary fluidic body through \niidiidi it can manifest\u2014 <:an come in contact with the \nmaterial world, move material objects, be seen, fdt, and \neven photographed. Normally, such an intelligence would be \nseparated from our world by the veil of sense; but now a \nlink is supplied enabling the phantom to become more \"ma- \nterial\" in a way, for the time being \u2014 sufficiently so, at least, \nto cause the various manifestations we have recorded, and to \nproduce the materializations so frequently attested to in \nEusapia's seances. The vitality would act as a sort of sheath \nor doak, a semi-material substance through and by means \nof whidi a spirit can manifest to us here, and initiate die \nvaried phenomena witnessed at Eusapia's seances. \n\nThus and thus only, it seems to me, can these phenomena \nbe explained. By postulating this intermediary, this vital \nconnection between the material and the spiritual worlds, \ncan we explain all the facts at these seances, and in no other \nway. Normally, of course, this vitaUty would not be \nliberated in this manner; it would remain shut up within \nthe medium's organism, it would not be \"at large/' and \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 301 \n\nhence could not be \"pounced upon\" and utilized by any \nforeign intelligence in order to produce physical effects of \nthis kind. But occasionally there are cases, seemingly, where \nthis externalization takes place spontaneously, and without \nthe knowledge, and even against the will, of the \"medium.\" \nWhen this occurs, we have the \"electric girls\" and the \nsporadic poltergeist cases \u2014 ^which still remain in spite of \nall the attempts to explain them away! By postulating \nthis vital energy (for whose existence I have so frequently \ncontended, both on the grounds of accepted physiology and \nbecause of these phenomena), we can explain the facts, and, \nit seems to me, in no other way can we explain them. When \nthe phenomena of psychical research come to be generally \naccepted, we shall have to recast many of our conceptions \nand beliefs; and one of the first of these will be our idea \nof vitality and the life force. Much hinges on this for \npsychic research, and, if its advocates could but see it, the \nbattle might be practically won on this issue alone. How- \never, that is beside the question for our present purposes. \nI have advanced my hypothesis \u2014 the most rational, to my \nmind, for accounting for these facts; and I leave it to its \nfate \u2014 together with all the other speculations and hypotheses \nthat have been advanced from time to time in the past I \n\n\n\nCHAPTER VII \n\nBIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS \n\nProfessor Floumoy, m his most interesting and scholarly \nbook, From India to the Planet Mars, makes the following \nremarks regarding the study of the supernormal: \n\n\"It goes without saying that in treating of the super- \nnormal we must admit theoretically its possibility, or \u2014 ^which \namounts to about the same thing \u2014 fail to believe in the in- \nfallibility and perfection of present-day science. If I con- \nsider it a priori absolutely impossible for an individual to \nknow sometime before the arrival of a telegram containing \nthe news of an accident by which his brother at the An- \ntipodes has been killed, or that another can voluntarily move \nan object at a distance without having a string attached to \nit, and contrary to the laws of mechanics and physiology, it \nis clear that I will shrug my shoulders at every mention of \ntelepathy, and I shall not move a step to be present at a \nseance with Eusapia Palladino. What an excellent means \nof enlarging one's horizon, and of discovering something \nnew by being satisfied with one's ready-made science and \npreconceived opinion \u2014 quite convinced beforehand that the \nUniverse ends at the wall opposite, that there is nothing to \nbe obtained beyond that which daily routine has accustomed \nus to look upon as the limit of the Real! This philosophy \nof the ostrich, illustrated formerly by those grotesque monu- \nments of erudition \u2014 over whom Galileo did not know \nwhether to laugh or weep\u2014 who refused to put their eyes to \nthe glass for fear of seeing something which had no official \nright to existence, and again, that of many brains petrified \nby the unseasonable works of scientific vulgarization and the \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 303 \n\nunintelligent frequenting of universities \u2014 these are the two \ngreat intellectual dangers of our time.\" \n\nProfessor Flournoy bases his argument on two general \npropositions, which he terms, respectively, the Principle of \nHamlet and the Principle of Laplace. The first is, \"All is \npossible\" ; the second is, \"The weight of the evidence should \nbe proportioned to the strangeness of the facts.\" \n\nTrue to these principles \u2014 ^which appear to me to be quite \nsound \u2014 let us examine the evidence in the case of Eusapia \nPalladino. There can be no doubt that, were the facts in \nthis case not so strange, they would have received acceptance \nlong before now. Had Eusapia not been known by that \nodious term \"medium,\" many of the \"scientific\" objections \nwould doubtless have been removed, and still more would \nhave been removed were it said, merely, that this woman \nhad the capacity for moving physical objects without contact. \nThe united and mutually confirming testimony of the many \nhundreds of sitters who have shared in the seances of this \nmedium would have proved beyond all reasonable doubt the \nveritable existence of the phenomena, were they less startling \nin character. But when we find facts not only imexplained, \nbut, apparently, running counter to the whole of human \nexperience; when such facts contradict, apparently, the \nknown laws of biology, physics, and psychology \u2014 ^what can \nthe average man think but that there must be a mistake \nsomewhere, and that, rather than admit the facts, he would \nprefer to believe that the investigators have one and all been \ndeluded, either by some process of hallucination or by the \ntricks of a clever medium ? \n\nAnd yet the facts are real! To my mind, at least, they \ncan no longer be doubted. Certainly I did not think so \nuntil I had obtained my own sittings and seen phenomena \n\n\n\n304 ^ Eusapia Palladino \n\noccur under conditions which absolutely precluded fraud as \neffectually as they prevented hallucination. Having been \nconvinced, however, that one does witness extraordinary phe- \nnomena at such times, I contend that it becomes our \nduty to study such facts in detail ; to ascertain the conditions \nunder which they are obtained, and endeavor, if possible, \nto improve them; in short, to examine into the physiological \nand psychological peculiarities of the medium, studying, as \nbest we may, the conditions under which these phenomena \nhave been obtained. To these I accordingly turn. \n\nProfessor Lombroso, in his paper Eusapia Pdladino and \nSpiritism, tells us the following interesting facts regarding \nthe medium and her phenomena: \n\n'*She (Eusapia) weighs 132 poimds, and her weight does \nnot (usually) vary after a seance. The left eye presents the \nClaude Bemard-Horner phenomenon, as in the case of epi- \nleptics. \u2022 \u2022 \u2022 \n\n\"The sensitiveness to pain is sixty on the right and thirty \non the left side, being much more delicate than that of \nnormal persons, whose general sensitiveness when measured \nby the same methods showed 45 mm. and sensitiveness to \npain 20 mm. The sense of weight is unequal with left- \nhandedness. \u2022 \u2022 . On one occasion, when she was in a nor- \nmal state, in full light, she held her left hand for four min- \nutes on a photographic plate, covered with three sheets of \nopaque paper. This sufficed to throw her in a state of \ntrance, and caused her to feel in her hand an electric shudder. \nWhen the plate was developed, at the spot which corre- \nsponded with her index finger, there was a blurred line of \nthe length of her finger. This fact, which is perhaps con- \nnected with spiritistic radioactivity, may be compared with \nan analogous fact observed by Flammarion, which was that \nof a diaphanous luminosity round the outlines of the fingers, \nwhich almost formed a second misshapen outline. *V^n \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 305 \n\nI have this token/ she said, 'I can obtain wonderful things/ \n. . . The hypnotic phenomena which resemble spiritistic phe- \nnomena so much that they are easily confused with them, are \nfrequent with Eusapia, though she neither perceives metals \nnor magnets. Thus, Dr. Arullani, merely by rubbing her \nbrow with his hand, succeeded in hypnotizing her, and soon \nmade her fall into a cataleptic state. She has also morbid in- \ndications, which almost amount to hysteria; she passes \nquickly from joy to sorrow; she has strange fears \u2014 for in- \nstance, that of soiling her hands; she is very impressionable, \nand subject to dreams in spite of her ripe age; she has fre- \nquent hallucinations, and also fears her shadow. As a child \nshe used to think that she saw two eyes gazing at her behind \nthe trees and hedges. When she is angry, particularly when \nshe is offended concerning her reputation as a medium, she is \nviolent and repulsive, and reviles her enemies. . . . These \ntendencies are in strong contrast with her remarkable kindli- \nness, which makes her give what she earns to relieve the suf- \nferings of the poor and of children, inspires her with a gen- \nerous pity for the aged and weak to such a degree as to render \nher sleepless, and impels her to protect animals, even by ill \ntreating those who injure them. \n\n\"In the trance state, which occurs even in full light, merely \nby concentrating her attention on an object, she first turns \npale, the pupils of her eyes turn upward and inward, her \nhead moving from side to side; she then becomes ecstatic, \nand many of her gestures are similar to those habitual to \nhysterical subjects, such as yawns, spasmodic laughter, fre- \nquent mystification, and at the same time vision at a distance ; \nher language is then sometimes very elevated, and even \nscientific, often in a foreign tongue, with very rapid idealiza- \ntion, so that she seizes the ideas of those present, even when \nthey are not expressed aloud, or translates them into some \nmysterious form, as, for instance, when Professor Morselli, \nin order to indicate that he suspected fraud, uttered the let- \nters E. T. V. \n\n\"At the close of the seance, the most important incidents \nare produced. She has veritable convulsions, and cries out as \n\n\n\n3o6 Eusapia Palladino \n\nif in distress and falls into profound sleep, and from the \nparietal depression a warm fluid evaporates, sensible to the \ntouch. During the trance she transmits many of her powers \nto those present by touching them for a few minutes at a \ntime, as Home could communicate momentary incombusti- \nbility. After the seance she evinces morbid hyperaesthetic \nand photophobic sensibility. She has frequent hallucinations, \nand becomes delirious, asking to be guarded lest anyone \nshould hurt her. She has serious digestive disturbances, so \nthat she is sick if she has eaten before the seance ; and finally \nshe exhibits actual paralysis of the legs, so that it is necessary \nto carry her and to dress her. These disturbances become \nmuch worse if, through the carelessness of some one present, \nshe is exposed during the seance to sudden illumination, and \nthis recalls to us the account of the Pythoness of Delf^i \nwhose lives were shortened by their prophesying. . . .\" \n\nA large number of seances were held with Eusapia by \nProfessor Enrico Morselli, Director of the Clinic for Nerv- \nous and Mental Diseases of the University of Genoa. He \nhas published the results of his investigations in two large \nvolumes, entitled Psychology and Spiritism. A few passages \nI quote herewith \u2014 ^as representative of Professor Mor- \nselli's views on Eusapia: \n\n\"These phenomena, the acceptance of which I at first con- \nsidered to be due to deception or gullibility, to fraud or illu- \nsion of the senses, to simple faith or preconception, are, in the \nvery great majority of cases, real and certain, and the small \nminority, as to which I am uncertain, do not in any way \ndisprove the existence of a category of extraordinary, preter- \nnormal facts, which depend upon the special organization or \nactivity of certain individuals. ... It is important to de- \nfine the mental state of the medium during the phenomena. \nI will only say here that whereas, for the minor phenomena \n(raps, movements of the table, levitations, etc.), Eusapia \ncan be seen to be awake and attentive \u2014 ^although very soon \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 307 \n\nher attention is restricted to certain groups of perceptions \u2014 \nyet in the case of the major phenomena, those of great signifi- \ncance in the spiritistic doctrine, and more novel to the ob- \nserver (such as strong action at a distance, apparitions, forms, \nphantoms), it is necessary that her consciousness should be ob- \nscured in trance, and her will in suspense. It is only then \nthat we have the automatic discharge of the energies which \nwe will call *mediumistic* accumulated in her nervous cen- \nters. Then only do we enter into the mysterious and sur- \nprising region of true spiritism.\" \n\nProfessor Morselli offers the following interesting remarks \nrelative to Eusapia's mental state before and during trance: \n\n\"l. First of all, the modifications in the state of conscious- \nness of the medium and sitters during the seances. In Eusa- \npia, who is a subject from whom a very conclusive study \ncan be made, the consciousness is now clear, now clouded \nup to complete suspension; she then very plainly shows the \noperation of the subconsciousness, which is of such great im- \nportance in modern psychology. \n\n\"2. The state of auto-hypnosis, to which the Anglo- \nAmerican spiritists have given the name of 'trance.* I have \nbeen able to follow its phases, examine its symptoms, con- \nvince myself of its affinity with hysterical states and with \nhypnotism, with reserve as to the existence of a 'magnetic' \nstate distinct from the 'hypnotic' state. \n\n\"3\u00bb Suggestibility. Eusapia is not only hypnotizable, but \nalso suggestible in the waking state; she is then dominated \nby various auto-suggestions, among which I may include all \nthe superstitious beliefs as to her previous existence in another \nbody ( ?), her present reincarnation, her submission to a spirit \nguide ('John King,* who was her father in a previous life), \netc. This mass of improbabilities and 'spiritistic' conjectures \nhas formed itself in her mind by the suggestion of others \n(training by Damiani, instruction of Chiaja, influence of \nspiritistic circles, etc.). Eusapia is very ignorant, and one \ncannot listen to her without smiling when she tries to put \n\n\n\n3o8 Eusapia Palladino \n\nforward her naive or involved explanations of her own phe- \nnomena. She, however, does not speak much or willingly \nof theoretical spiritism ; she does not do like Home, Stalnton \nMoses, or Mme. d'Esperance, who took upon themselves the \noffice of doctrinarian propagandists. Eusapia is indeed proud \nof her mediumistic athleticism, and becomes triumphantly \nsarcastic toward the incredulous when any extraordinary \nphenomenon succeeds well, but is modest enough in professing \nor thinking of herself as a living champion of pretemormal \npsychology. \n\n\"4. Oniric or dream phenomena. A great part even of \nthe material phenomena of Palladino's mediumship is con- \nnected with her strong, though monotonous and stereot3rped, \nactivity during sleep. \n\n\"5. Personifications. Ordinarily in the mediumistic half- \nsleep, and still more so in *trance,* Eusapia believes herself \nchanged into other personalities, into the child of 'John King,' \nwhich she had been in a former incarnation. Sometimes it \nseems that she herself is impersonated in John King, who \nspeaks through her mouth and acts through her. Other \ntimes she personifies the spirits of the deceased whom, by \ndesire of those present, or for reasons of proselytism, she \nimagines that she evokes. This transformation of person- \nality offers a large field for psychological research, but in \nEusapia it does not assume the intense coloring nor the power \nof expression seen in other intellectual and intuitive me- \ndiums and psychographists, as, for instance, in Floumoy's \nHclene Smith, of Geneva, or of Randone, of Rome. \n\n\"6. Communications and messages in Italian. These are \nmostly given by means of the table (*typtology'), rarely \nwith the voice (exceptionally, they say, by writing also). \nDuring our sittings, as we gave the most attention to physi- \ncal effects, these phenomena, always scarce with Eusapia, \nwere extremely rare and of little interest. \n\n\"7. Communications in foreign languages. One or two \nare attributed to Eusapia, who speaks even Italian very badly, \nand expresses herself only in a corrupt vernacular; but al- \nthough this was asserted to me by persons worthy of belief, \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 309 \n\nno such phenomenon was observed by me, and I have strong \ndoubts about it. \n\n\"8. Divination of thought and mental suggestion. I have \ncollected a few examples of these, chiefly in the series of sit- \ntings in 1901-2 ; they were also described by my companion in \nthe group, Dr. G. Venzano, an excellent observer ; however, \nthey appear to me probable rather than proved, and many at- \ntempts of mine to suggestionize Eusapia mentally were fruit- \nless, though I succeeded in hypnotizing her; this, however, \ndoes not imply that others may not obtain better results. \n\n\"9. Lucidity and clairvoyance. It has not been proved \nto me that Eusapia hears or sees or feels at a distance, nor \nthat she has premonitions, or precognitions, or presents other \nsimilar metapsychic phenomena. I believe that Chiaja has \nasserted it, but it would be necessary to examine her more at \nease, and while living close to her. \n\n\"10. Exttrnalization of sensibility. The able observer, \nColonel de Rochas says that Palladino has given him some \nelementary phenomena of this very singular subnormal state ; \nI also have succeeded in making her perceive (with closed \neyes) pricks with a pin made in the air an inch or two from \nher skin, but I am not certain about all my experiments; I \nshould have to repeat and scrupulously verify them, and not \nas passing and half-concealed observations; this is not easy \nto do, on account of the repugnance of Eusapia (and of all \nmediums) to physiological examinations. \n\n\"All this subjective portion of the mediimiistic phenomena \nIS revealed by the attitude, the deportment, the physiognomy \nand mimetic action, the speech and the entire conduct of Eu- \nsapia ; and if on the whole even the amateurs of seances and \nthe uninitiated in psychology are able to grasp superficially \nthe main and most apparent lines, in reality it belongs to us, \npsychologists and medical alienists, to apply to the subjective \nphenomena of mediums the analytic and synthetic methods \nand procedures of psychical examination; and I have given \na particularized exposition of these methods in the two vol- \numes of my Semejotica delle malattie mentali, as I give it in \nmy lessons in experimental psychology.\" \n\n\n\n3IO Eusapia Palladino \n\nThere is a great deal to learn about Eusapia's seances, \nfor they are far more complicated than would appear at \nfirst sight. One must be familiar, not only with the general \nrun of the phenomena, and know what to expect, but one \nmust make a careful psychological study of the medium, in \norder to insure the best results, and cater, more or less, to \nher various prejudices and idiosyncrasies. Thus, Eusapia \nhas a great dislike to soiling her hands. She has a great \nantipathy to mechanical or electrical apparatus of any kind, \nor to anything that she does not understand. She dislikes \nexcessively being controlled in too severe a manner \u2014 since, \nif her hands are grasped too firmly, or if the controller's feet \nare planted too solidly on hers, it pains her, because of the \nhyperassthetic patches or zones on the backs of her hands, and \non her insteps. Some investigators endeavor to force the \nphenomena \u2014 that is to say, insist upon their production, claim- \ning that the best results can be obtained in this manner. \nOthers, on the contrary, who have had equal experience, con- \ntend that this is entirely the wrong course, and that the in- \nvestigators should merely sit expectantly, without controlling \nthe medium more than is necessary, and wait passively for \nresults. If no attention be paid to the lesser phenomena oc- \ncurring in Eusapia's immediate vicinity, say these investiga- \ntors, more important phenomena will be obtained at a dis- \ntance. I may say that this is opposed to Professor Morselli's \nobservations, and to our own. We discovered that the more \nrigorous the control, other things being equal, and the greater \nthe contact with the medium's body, the better the results. \nAbove all, suspicion must not be shown at a seance, for if \nEusapia feels ill at ease on this account, phenomena will \nalmost invariably be inhibited. This is not due to fear that \nclose investigation will expose her in trickery, since, no mat- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 311 \n\nter how rigorous the control, // suspicion be not manifested^ \nexcellent phenomena will result. \n\nOn some occasions Eusapia will talk of \"John King,\" her \nsupposed control, and of spirits ; at other times she will speak \nof \"my fluid\" or of the \"wind\" that issues from her head, \nleg, and various other parts of her body. As a matter of \nfact, her own idea of the phenomena seems quite hazy and ill- \ndefined. It is a great pity that a medium cannot arise such \nas Eusapia, who is, at the same time, a psychologist I \n\nEusapia talks but little during a seance, except at first, \nwhen she is, generally, finishing some narrative begun before \nshe entered the seance room, and continued after she has \nseated herself at the table. But this soon lags, and silence \nintervenes, except for an occasional remark addressed to the \nsitters, or a few words addressed to \"John.\" Generally, \nduring the seance, however, the table will tilt four times, be- \ning the conventional code adopted to signify \"talk.\" The \ninvestigators are thereupon expected to converse, not to Eu- \nsapia, but to each other, and a phenomenon generally occurs \nsoon after this signal is given. We ourselves did not do so, \nhowever, as a rule, regarding it (evidentially) as an attempt \nto distract our attention, and spoke but little, while we re- \ndoubled our attention. Phenomena invariably followed \nnevertheless. When Eusapia has passed into deep trance, \nshe rarely speaks at -all, and all conversation with the in- \ntelligent agent, whatever it is, producing these phenomena, \nis carried on through the table \u2014 ^which is tilted automatic- \nally\u2014or by raps, or levitations, which are apparently pro- \nduced by the ag^nt direct, and without the intervention of \nher physical body. \n\nEusapia's psychology is a puzzle to all her investigators. \nQuestioned about her phenomena, she either offers contra- \n\n\n\n312 Eusapia Palladino \n\ndictoiy or unintelligible replies, or shrugs her shoulders and \nsays nothing. We asked her on one occasion what feelings \nshe experienced when a i^enomenon was about to take place. \nShe said she felt annoyed, irritated, somewhat nauseated, \nand, just before the production of the phenomenon, a cloud \nseemed to pass over her mind, and she remembered nothing \nuntil it had transpired. She stated that she remembered most \nof the phenomena that happened during our early seances, \nbut occasionally had lapses of memory when important phe- \nnomena took place, and sometimes, as during the sixth seance, \nremembered very little of what had transpired. This is a \nsignificant fact, seeming to show that during the lesser phe- \nnomena, when the energy is directed by her own will, she \nretains memory of all that occurs; but during the more im- \nportant phenomena, so to speak, when an independent in- \ntelligence is shown, she remembers little or nothing of such \noccurrences. It would seem that when \"John King\" (what- \never that may mean) is merged with her personality, amnesia \ntakes place, and the more important phenomena are produced. \n\nEusapia stated to us that she is rarely or never troubled \nwith manifestations, or is in any way psychic or mediumistic \nat other times than during the seance; then only arc her \npowers displayed. She has, two or three times during her \nlife, experienced premonitions and vivid dreams, but such \nexperiences could be counted on the fingers of one hand and \nare probably not more numerous than many persons have \nexperienced in their own lifetimes. In this she differs from \nother mediums, who have been, as a rule, more or less psychic \nconstantly, and phenomena have frequently occurred in their \npresence when they did not wish them to do so, and against \ntheir own direct volition. \n\nEusapia was quite unable to tell us how she could dis- \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 313 \n\ntinguish one phenomenon from another when it was about \nto occur, though this distinction is certainly dear in her own \nmind, and their production depends largely upon her will \nin many cases, since she frequently says, \"I will show you \na head,\" or, \"I will fetch such and such an object from the \ncabinet,\" and the head is shown, or the object is fetched im- \nmediately afterwards. \n\nIt is an interesting psychological fact that phenomena may \noccasionally be obtained by merely clamoring for them, when \notherwise they would not have manifested at all. Thus, \nMr. Oilman Hall obtained lights by incessantly demanding \nthem, and this happened upon various other occasions, with \ndifferent investigators. It is probable that this adds some \nstimulus to the phenomena, but what that stimulus is \n(whether it be the psychological effect upon Eusapia, or \nwhether added energy is really unconsciously liberated by \nthe sitters, because of their mental attitude, or whether the \nwords uttered are heard by \"John,\" and have a stimulating \neffect upon him) I do not know. But it is certain that this \ninsistent clamoring for phenomena will generally result in \ntheir production. \n\nForeign objects unknown to, and previously untouched by, \nthe medium do not seem to be so likely to be operated upon \nas more familiar objects. I myself at first tried to get things \nout of my pocket moved, but unsuccessfully. Later I chose \nthings belonging to or connected with Eusapia \u2014 ^taking them, \nhowever, secretly and arranging them as I pleased before- \nhand. These were successfully moved in almost every case, \nprovided they were inside the room. It may be well for in- \ntending experimenters to remember that when they seal things \nup or otherwise place them for experiment, it is preferable \nto choose something previously handled by the medium, and \n\n\n\n314 Eusapia Palladino \n\nnot some foreign object, without interest for her or In as- \nsociation with her. The probability that the latter objects \nare best may sound suspicious, as so many other things may \nsound, but, so far as I can see, the suspicious nature of the fact \nis only apparent ; such objects will serve the purpose as well \nas any other if properly arranged, and cannot be held re- \nsponsible for the human character of the manifestation; nor \ncan it be considered altogether unreasonable. \n\nHow can we conceive such objects to be moved? Is there \na veritable actio ad distansf Or is some energy projected \nfrcMn the periphery of the medium's body, and propagated \nby means of waves, through the air, or through the ether? \nIs it hiunan vitality that is thus externalized, or is it some \nother force, wholly unknown ? We cannot say. Certain it \nis that no instrument has as yet succeeded in measuring this \nforce, which seems only to affect the object it strikes. Sir \nOliver Lodge, commenting on these phenomena, in the \nJournal of the S. P. R., November, 1894, says: \n\n\"Physical movements imply a source of energy, and It may \nbe assumed that the energy is drawn from those present \u2014 \nprincipally, I suppose, almost entirely, from the medium, \nwho was sometimes completely exhausted \u2014 ^although she was \nusually quite restored by a night's rest. I shall leave others \nto report on the dynamometer readings, which, as already \nincidentally mentioned, were taken before and after each \nseance, in order to ascertain, if possible, the source of the \nenergy; nothing has yet been clearly proved by them so far \nas I know, but if once the movements are admitted, it will \nbe conceded that animal vitality is the most natural, indeed \nthe only likely, source of the energy employed. ... I do not \nregard the attempt at detection of the seat of the reaction as \naffecting the evidence for the reality of the movements, but \nas conveying informations as to the laws of the unknown \nforce. I anticipate, but quite gratuitously, that the reaction \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 315 \n\nwill be found on the person of the medium, so that when \nshe IS supporting a table she will be found heavier by the \nweight of the table,^ but it by no means necessarily follows \nthat it is so ; it is conceivable that the reaction will be diffused \nthrough the room. A reaction may be taken up and diffused \nby air molecules \u2014 as, for instance, in the case of a lamb be- \ning carried off by an eagle ; it would not in that case be easy \nto demonstrate the still existing weight of the lamb. It is \na matter for experiment to determine where the reaction is ; \nand if no adequate reaction can be found, the phenomenon \nwill have to be likened more nearly to the action of a flying \nanimal than to that of an animal resting on the ground.\" ^ \n\nDuring a sitting, and for the production of phenomena, \na large amount of Eusapia's energy is sapped, and, other \nthings being equal, the better the seance, and the more re- \nmarkable the phenomena, the greater is this depletion of vital \nforces. After a seance, Eusapia is indeed a pitiable object. \nShe appears shrunken together, weak, nauseated, with loss \nof memory of much that has transpired, her face deeply lined \nand sallow \u2014 giddiness, and general uncertainty as to her sur- \nroundings \u2014 these are all symptoms which are observed at the \nconclusion of the seance, when even graver symptoms, such \nas hysteria, partial paralysis, etc., do not supervene. \n\nThis vitality, which seems to be used in the production of \nthe phenomena, while it is drawn mostly from the medium, \nis certainly drawn in larg^ part from the circle also. All \nof us noticed this more or less, and slept to an unusually late \nhour the following morning. Further, in my own case es- \npecially \u2014 ^perhaps because of my continued bodily contact \n\n^This supposidon has now been proved correct. The Psychological Insti- \ntute of Paris found this to be the case. \n\n' For a further discussion of these difficult questions, see Count de Couden* \nhovels article, *Xoncernine Physical Phenomena in Mediumship,** in the July- \nSeptember (1909) Annals (pp, 467-483). \n\n\n\n3i6 Eusapia Palladino \n\nwith the medium \u2014 I noticed after about six seances a pain \nin the base of the brain, and a general feeling of exhaustion, \nwhich many others have experienced at the beginning of an \ninvasion by external intelligences, and in cases of so-called \n\"obsession.\" I did not notice this during the seance itself, \nbut generally afterwards, and particularly the following \nmorning. It is interesting to note in this connection that \nMrs. Piper's trances, when the sittings have been very success- \nful, draw vitality in a similar manner from the sitters. Dr. \nHodgson especially noticed this, and one of his chief reasons \nfor keeping so perpetually in perfect physical training was \nto build up and offset the vital drain which the sittings con- \nstituted during the first two or three days of every week. \n\nEusapia stated on one occasion that the phenomena were \nproduced in proportion to the density of the will of the me- \ndiutn \u2014 by the force of the will of the medium. She stated \nthat the combined will of the sitters helped to secure results. \nSometimes phenomena obey the strongest will in the circle \u2014 \nas was demonstrated at a seance held on June ii, 1905. \nExercise of the will of the medium will induce phenomena; \nand corresponding to this exercise of will power, contractions \nof her muscles, either of the arm, the leg, or even of the neck, \ntake place. Music was not found to be beneficial ; rather the \ncontrary. \n\nOn another occasion Eusapia said that there were two \nkinds of fluidic currents: one proceeding from the cabinet, \nand the other proceeding from the chain of sitters. The one \ncoming from the cabinet was, so to say, fed by that coming \nfrom the chain. In her Paris experiments she defined dif- \nferently the character of the fluids coming from the different \ncontrollers. That of M. Yourievitch was jerky or spas- \nmodic; that of M. Courtier was strong and tranquil; that \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 317 \n\nof M. d'Arsonval was gentle and favorable. She also named \nthe various sensations which she experienced, and which, \nshe said, came from the hands of various persons. The \nmoral characters of her controllers also plays a very impor- \ntant part in the production of phenomena \u2014 according to \nEusapia. \n\nDr. Ochorowicz, in discussing another case under ob- \nservation by him at the time (that of Mile. Tomczyk), gives \na theoretical explanation of the manner in which objects are \ntransported from place to place, levitated, etc This ex- \nplanation was made to him by \"John King,\" and Is to the \nfollowing effect: \n\n\"After having explained the duplication of the medium's \nhands in the fluidic attouchments, John, that is to say Eusa- \npia, in complete trance, gave me still further explanations \nas to the transport of slates. With a view of obtaining some \nsign by writing, we had prepared two slates, tied together \nand placed in the center of the table. \n\n\"When John was explaining to me that it was easier for \nhim to materialize the tips of the fingers and the nails than \nany other part of the arm, I felt something hard tapping \nlightly on my head. \n\n\" 'Those are the slates,* said John. \n\n\"In answer to my question as to how he was able to hold \nthem in the air, he gave me all his theory, which I will try \nto reproduce as faithfully as possible : \n\n\"The hands of all present, and principally the medium's, \nrelease an emanation which John simply called 'fluid.* This \nfluid forms bundles of straight rays, which are like stretched \nthreads and support the slates. When these threads or rays \nare sufficiently strong, the object may perhaps be raised above \nthe heads, because then the rays converge on to a surface or \na point of the object, becoming, so to speak, rigid, and the \nobject rests on them as on shafts. But their power depends \non certain conditions, and, above all, on the harmony es^ \n\n\n\n3i8 Eusapia Palladino \n\ntablished between the various fluids. By suddenly changing \nthe conditions, for example, by breaking the chain of hands, \nyou cut the current and the power from the fluidic rays \nis dispersed. \n\n\"In order to verify this assertion of John's, I suddenly \nwithdrew my hands from my neighbor on my left, and im- \nmediately the slates fell onto the table. \n\n\" *That is true,' I said to John, 'but do you know that I \nhad an impression that the slates had fallen from the me- \ndium's head?' \n\n\" 'I shall prove to you by and by that you made a mistake.' \n\n\"We reformed the chain, as he directed, and a few minutes \nafterwards the slates were again in the air, above our heads. \n*And now lift up your hand,' said John. We raised our \nhands, Eusapia and I, as high as it was possible without let- \nting go of each other's hands, and the slates manifested their \npresence at that height several times by touching our hands. \n\n\"It was evident: \n\n\"i. That the slates were much higher than the mediimi's \nhead. \n\n\"2. That the raising of both our hands, without breaking \nthe chain, did not in any way interfere with the mechanical \naction of John's rays.\" \n\nIt was ascertained by us that, in the trance state, a greater \nor lesser degree of amnesia was present. We ascertained, \nmoreover \u2014 ^which the Paris investigators did not \u2014 ^that, the \nmore important the phenomena, other things being equal, the \ngreater the degree of amnesia. \n\nExcessive h5rperaesthesia was ascertained by the Paris inves- \ntigators to be present in the hands, head and feet. Eusapia \nprefers to hold the hands of her controllers, rather than be \nheld by them. These hyperaesthetic spots appear in zones or \npatches \u2014 a common phenomenon in h)rsterical cases. This \nhyperaesthetic condition is particularly marked on her shoul- \nder blades* \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 319 \n\nFurther, notes were taken of the respiration, circulation, \nblood pressure, and pulse rate \u2014 before and after the seance. \nExperiments were conducted with the galvanometer. An \nanal3rsis of the urine was also made. \n\nA number of experiments were conducted, seeming to show \nthat objects placed in the immediate neighborhood of Eusa- \npia varied in weight Eusapia also succeeded in discharging \nan electroscope without contact.^ \n\nIt is a very interesting fact, and one telling strongly in \nfavor of the genuine character of the phenomena, it seems \nto me, that just before their production, and especially at \nthe commencement of the seance, Eusapia shows certain \nphysiological peculiarities. Thus, we frequently noticed that \nthe mediiun hiccoughed violently whenever she went into a \ntrance (or whenever she did not pass into trance, if phe- \nnomena were following), but this soon left her. She also \nsighs, groans, and seems to be extremely uncomfortable, until \nthe phencMnena are well under way; and especially during \nthe production of ^y larger phenomena she cries, \"Oh, dear I \nOh, dear I\" and groans repeatedly. When she passes into \ntrance, however, this suffering is lost, and partial or com- \nplete amnesia and anaesthesia take the place of the former \nhyperaesthesia, and acutely alert consciousness. The lesser \n\n^ This phenomenon has been recorded several times by other observers. \nThus, in the August-September Annals^ 1908, is an article by Dr. Imoda, en- \ntitled ^^The Action of Eusapia Palladino on the Electroscope.*** He observed \nthis phenomenon repeatedly. He observed, also, that the instrument was not \ndischarged immediately, as would be the case were a radium salt introduced, \nbut **in the case of Eusapia the discharge did not take place until after several \nminutes, as though the body of the medium, previously passive, suddenly pro- \njected a jet of these radiations. That is to say, the emission of the mediumistic \nra3rs appeared not to be continuous, but by shocks, as, perhaps, in the case with \nthe electrical discharge of the gymnotus and torpedo. . . . The mediumistic \nrays are able of themselves to become a conductor of electricity, and that, in \nconsequence, the radiations of radium, the cathodic radiations of the Crooket \ntube, and mediumistic radiations, are fundamentally the same.^ \n\n\n\n320 Eusapia Palladino \n\nphenomena are, apparently, nearly always remembered\u2014 the \nmore remarkable ones are forgotten. \n\nOne fact of interest and significance should be noticed \nhere. During the greater portion of our early sittings the \nmedium suffered from paroxysms of violent coughing, which \ncame on as the seance opened. She had suffered from them \nmore or less all day. But we invariably noticed that, as \nsoon as the phenomena actually commenced, this cough com- \npletely disappeared and did not again manifest itself until \nthe conclusion of the seance, when the coughing was re- \nsumed. It was as though the energy normally used in the \nemotive process of coughing had, during the seance, become \ndiverted into the production of the phenomena. One incident \nknown to me seems to verify this supposition. My father \nused to be a great sufferer from neuralgia \u2014 the pain extend- \ning up the cheek and including the teeth and ear. On one \noccasion he was suffering from a bad cold in the head and \nwas continually ''snuffing\" and blowing his nose, and had \nbeen for some days past. On this occasion severe neuralgia \nset in on the evening of the second day and lasted all night. \nIt disappeared in the morning, whereupon my father dis- \ncovered for the first time that his cold had been entirely sus- \npended during the entire night (he had not once desired to \nuse his handkerchief) and did not return until the neuralgia \nhad in turn left him! \n\nIn this case it would appear that the vital energies of the \nbody were so fully occupied by the pain of the neuralgia at- \ntack that they were monopolized by that, and were unable \nto \"pay any attention\" to the cold and its resultant phenome- \nna. They were diverted and directed into other channdis, \nas it were. \n\nSimilarly, it seems to me, are the energies of Eusapia di- \n\n\n\nEusapla Palladino 321 \n\nrectetl during a seance Into tfie production of phenomena, \nand such minor manifestations as are represented by a cold \nand cough are allowed to \"stand over\" until the termina- \ntion of the seance, when they are again allowed free play. \nIn any case, it seems to me, the fact tells in favor of the \ngenuine character of the observed phenomena. \n\nThere is one point I wish to emphasize just here, and that \nis that it is impossible to form a just estimate of Eusapia's \nsittings, and of the phenomena that occur thereat, until a \nlarge number of sittings has been obtained. Investigators \nfrequently obtain two or three seances, or even one, and form \ndefinite opinions, one way or the other, as to the phenomena \nfrom that one sitting. It is quite impossible to do this with \nany fairness either to the medium or to her phenomena. It \nmust be remembered that Eusapia is, in such cases, giving a \nfirst sitting\u2014 -OTy if given to different investigators, a series \nof first sittings, and it has been ascertained by direct ex- \nperiment that Mrs. Piper's first sittings are almost invariably \npoor, and that the character of the evidence improves both \nas to quality and quantity the longer the sittings are con- \ntinued. Thus, the second sitting would be much better than \nthe first, the third better than the second, and so on. It is \nthe same with Eusapia. We noticed this especially in our \nsittings. The first (although good, and in it the phenomena \nwere produced chiefly in the light) was limited to the produc- \ntion of three types of phenomena \u2014 ^viz. : table levitations, raps, \nand the blowing out of the cabinet curtains without apparent \ncause. At our second seance these same phenomena were \nrepeated, but several others were added: movements of ob- \njects without contact, playing upon musical instruments, etc. \nEvery stance thenceforth added some fresh phenomenon. \nLights, touches by invisible hands, appearance of visible \n\n\n\n322 Eusapia Palladino \n\nhands, appearance of heads, carrying about of objects, Icvita- \ntions of a small stool outside the cabinet, touches by visible \nhands \u2014 these were all added to our stock of phenomena as \nthe seances progressed. On the whole, we were, therefore, \nmuch more impressed at the conclusion of the tenth seance \nthan we were at the conclusion of the second or third. \n\nDuring the third seance, as I have said, we had detected \nfraud. The first two sittings had both been held in good \nlight, and under excellent test conditions, and at the con- \nclusion of the second sitting it is safe to say that we were \nquite convinced of the reality of her phenomena. Our men- \ntal state at the close of the third sitting would be difficult \nto analyze. We had naturally reverted to a skeptical atti- \ntude, and yet the first two sittings impressed us almost as \nmuch as ever, and we were as totally unable as ever to ac- \ncount for many of the phenomena we had observed. I \ncannot conceive a more exasperating state of affairs than to \nhave two or three sittings, and be left in mid-air, so to speak, \nas to their interpretation. In spite of our utter inability to \naccount for the phenomena of the first two seances, we never- \ntheless should have felt ourselves quite unable to formulate \nany definite opinion either for or against, had we ter- \nminated our series at this seance. It was only after we had \nobtained several more sittings, and phenomena had been ob- \nserved under what we conceived to be absolutely test condi- \ntions, that we were reconverted to a belief in her phenomena \n\u2014 a. final, irrevocable belief. Whatever fraud we had dis- \ncovered, whatever fraud might be discovered in the future, \nwe felt and still feel that we had observed genuine phenome- \nna, which could not be explained by any methods of trickery \nor deceit. \n\nI have before referred to the manner in which the facts \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 323 \n\nrolled off our minds, and failed to find lodgment and force \nbelief. Seance after seance, we remained doubtful, until the \nsixth, when we felt that we had become finally and irre- \nvocably convinced. The facts had at last found lodgment in \nour minds, and we felt that our observations had not been \nmistaken. Having once been convinced that genuine phe- \nnomena did occur, we determined, after the eighth seance, \nto relax our precautions somewhat, and give Eusapia freer \nplay, so to speak. Accordingly, we allowed the medium to \nconduct herself largely as she chose, relaxing our precautions \npurposely in order to see the result. One might suppose, \na priori, that better phenomena occurred in consequence of \nthis. Such, however, was not the case. Eusapia immediately \ntried to trick us, and we again detected for the first time \nsince the third seance, attempted substitution of hands! We \naccordingly insisted upon rigidity of control, and when this \nhad been established, and all possibility of trickery eliminated, \nwe again obtained excellent phenomena, under the best of \nconditions. \n\nAs the result of our seances, we came to this conclusion : \nThat when the force is strong, phenomena take place no mat- \nter what conditions are imposed to prevent them \u2014 in fact, the \nmore stringent the conditions, the more securely Eusapia Is \nheld, the better are the results obtained. We also found that \nthe greater the contact between Eusapla's body and ours, the \nmore forceful the phenomena, and the sooner do they set \nin. This agrees with Morselli's observation. He also noted \nthis fact On the contrary, if the force is weak, stringent \ncontrol seems to offset phenomena \u2014 because it produces an \nadverse psychological condition in Eusapia. It makes her irri- \ntable and suspicious, and phenomena do not occur in conse- \nquence. If they fail to appear, she endeavors to stimulate \n\n\n\n324 Eusapia Palladino \n\ntheir production by lowering the lights, until almost com- \nplete darkness results, by greater freedom of her hands and \nfeet, and then, finally, if the phenomena fail to appear, by \na resort to fraud. \n\nThis again was illustrated in our own sittings. In the \nfirst two the power seemed to be strong, and Eusapia willing- \nly submitted to any test conditions \u2014 gpod phenomena re- \nsulting notwithstanding. On the contrary, at the third \nseance, when she felt depressed and weary, phenomena failed \nto appear for more than an hour, and then only in almost \ncomplete darkness. Finally, Eusapia attempted fraud. \nAgain, at the eighth seance the power appeared to be some- \nwhat weak, and nearly two hours elapsed before any im- \nportant phenomena occurred. We had asked Eusapia at this \nsitting if we might tie her hands and feet with rope (as we \nhad on several previous occasions). She became exceedingly \nangry and refused to permit any tests of this character. In \nspite of the fact that her hands and feet were free, however, \nphenomena failed to appear, as we have seen. Yet, during \nour ninth sitting, Eusapia not only allowed us to tic her \nwith rope, but even suggested it herself, and, in spite of this \nelaborate tying, and the most rigorous control, the phenomena \ncommenced almost immediately, and were the most forceful \nand convincing we had seen throughout the whole series. \n\nIt will be seen, therefore, that the production of good \nphenomena depends, not upon the rigor of the control, but \nupon the mental and physical wellbeing of the medium. If \nshe is depressed, down-spirited, or fatigued, a poor seance in- \nvariably results. Since the phenomena appear to depend \nlargely upon the amount of reserve energy she possesses, this \nis only what we should expect, but it is interesting to note \nthat the success of the seance seems to depend even more upon \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 325 \n\nher mental condition than upon her bodily health. If she is \nhappy, high-spirited, elated in mind, remarkable manifesta- \ntions occur, no matter what the precautions taken. \n\nOn several occasions the medium had had some domestic \ntrouble before leaving home and arrived in a very irritable \nframe of mind. This seemed to offset the production of the \nphenomena far more than her physical health. The degree \nof the rigidity of the control seemed insignificant compared \nwith it. \n\nAll the investigators of Eusapia have discovered this fact, \nand have found it excellent policy to stimulate the production \nof phenomena by entertaining her in various ways. Dinners, \ntheater parties, carriage drives, etc., flattering Eusapia, and \nin general inducing in her a buoyant, happy frame of mind, \nwill do more to insure a good seance than any other method \nthat has so far been devised. We tried the effect of these \nvarious diversions, and usually found that our expectations \nwere fully realized, and that an excellent seance resulted. \n\nWe did not find, however \u2014 contrary to general opinion, \nand contrary even to the belief of Eusapia herself \u2014 that an \nincrease in the number of the circle affected the results bene- \nficially \u2014 rather the reverse. Thus, we obtained excellent \nphenomena during our first three seances, when Mr. Feild- \ning and I alone were present, controlling the medium, and \nunder the most rigorous test conditions. At the fourth \nseance, at her request, we invited no less than five additional \ninvestigators, three of them personal friends of Eusapia, to \njoin our circle. Eusapia had stated to us that the \"current\" \nof one or two of these gentlemen was particularly favorable \nand would be sure to induce good results. Nevertheless, the \nphenomena were weak and altogether unsatisfactory, and \nIt was only after the departure of all the sitters, with the \n\n\n\n326 Eusapia Palladino \n\ncxcq)tion of Professor Galcotti and ourselves, that wc ob- \ntained phenomena that could in any way compare with those \nof the first seances. Again, at our eighth seance, four addi- \ntional sitters were present \u2014 besides one additional investigator \n\u2014 ^who had come on from England, and who joined us after \nthe fourth seance. At this seance, again, the phenomena were \ncomparatively weak, and did not commence until a longer \nperiod had elapsed than at any previous sitting. We did \nnot find, therefore, that mere numbers added anything to the \nproduction of the phenomena \u2014 even when those attending \nwere personal friends of the medium and entirely in sym- \npathy with her and her methods. \n\nWe seemed to find, on the contrary, that physical contact \nhelped the production of phenomena, and that forming the \n''chain,\" as she expresses it, stimulated their production on \nmore than one occasion. Thus, to quote one instance, -wt \nhad asked Eusapia to fetch one of the musical instruments \nout of the cabinet and have it brought on to the seance table. \nHer hands were at that moment free, but visible to us, rest- \ning upon the table. She lifted her hands, and made gestures \nwith them toward the curtain, but nothing resulted. After \nvarious attempts she suddenly cried: \"The chain! the \nchain!\" and grasped our hands, making us join hands all \naround the table. After a few seconds she again raised her \nhand toward the curtains, held in one of ours and again made \ngestures. This time the instrument inside the cabinet came \nout with a rush and landed upon the seance table. \n\nUsually the phenomena are more abundant on the left- \nhand side of Eusapia than on the right, but this only agrees \nwith what we should suppose a priori \u2014 inasmuch as Eusapia \nis left-handed. This fact is, therefore, open to the double in- \nterpretation ( I ) that she can more easily produce fraudulent \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 327 \n\nphenomena with the left hand, and (2) that the \"force,\" \nwhatever it is, is more abundant on the left side. The duty \nof the controller on that side is, therefore, the more respon- \nsible of the two, and in our seances we took it in turn to con- \ntrol this side, so as to check one another's sensations of con- \ntact, pressure, and observation. In every case our conclu- \nsions agreed, so that we felt in the end morally certain that \nnone of us had been mistaken, but that genuine phenomena \ndid, in fact, occur more abundantly on this side than on the \nother. \n\nOf course the question will be asked\u2014 and it Is a perfectly \nlegitimate question \u2014 if Eusapia can produce genuine phenom- \nena, why is it that she ever cheats at all and thus leave her- \nself open to attack from skeptical critics because of this? To \nthe average healthy mind, it would appear a paradox that \nthis should be so, and the majority would prefer to believe \nthat Eusapia invariably cheats, and that all the phenomena \noccurring in her presence are necessarily fraudulent. \n\nI can quite appreciate this attitude \u2014 one that I m3rself as- \nsumed before attending my sittings. I could not easily believe \nthat the same medium could be both fraudulent and genuine \nand preferred to believe in the former alternative. In spite of \nthe fact that I could not account for many of the phenomena \nrecorded, I still inwardly believed that there must be some \nerror somewhere, which, if discovered, would serve to ex- \nplain the facts. Only personal sittings can remove this a \npriori objection, which I now regard as worthless and con- \nclusively disproved by the facts in the case. \n\nThe question still remains, however: Why does Eusapia \ncheat? I believe that she does this sometimes simply and \nsolely because of her love of mischief. She delights in seeing \nonlookers mystified at the phenomena produced through her \n\n\n\n328 Eusapia Palladino \n\nmediumship, and when she is in a trance state she remembers \nvery little of what takes place, and, as it were, misses all \nthe fun 1 But when she is in a normal state and can observe \nwhat is going on, she will try fraudulently to produce phe- \nnomena simply and solely for the love of the thing. Still, \nI admit that this is but a small part of the reason. Some of \nit is doubtless premeditated fraud \u2014 intended to deceive her \nsitters, and which she would pass off as genuine phenomena \nif she could. But I am convinced that the great majority of \nher fraudulent phenomena are produced in a semitrance con- \ndition, and that she is unaware of her movements. The fact \nthat she is in a state bordering on trance, and the definite \nproof that amnesia is present a great part of the time, allows \nus to assume that Eusapia does not know many of her move- \nments while in the trance state; and the statement that she \nfeels a strong desire to produce the phenomenon with her \nown hand, inmiediately before it takes place, coupled with \nthe convulsive twitchings of her hands and body as a whole, \nat the moment of the occurrence of the phenomenon \u2014 ^all \nthese facts point, it seems to me, to a spasmodic reflex action \non the part of the medium rather than to deliberate fraud. \nThere is a strong impulse to produce phenomena, and, if she \nis not restrained, she will endeavor to produce them in a \nperfectly normal manner. But if she is restrained, genuine \nphenomena will result \u2014 ^as we repeatedly ascertained. \n\nIt is true that there are certain suspicious circumstances \nthat crop up from time to time, while hardly a seance elapses \nwithout the investigators having to ascertain by the sense \nof touch, and by that of sight, that they are in reality holding \nthe hands of the medium. Eusapia insists upon more or less \ndarkness, especially as the seance proceeds, when the more \nimportant phenomena are witnessed. Almost invariably, too, \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 329 \n\nthe phenomena originate within the cabinet, instead of out- \nside it. But rarely do phenomena take place in good light, \noutside the curtains; and when they do they are almost in- \nvariably telekinetic in character and of a simple nature. \n\nWhy this cabinet? Why darkness? It must be admitted \nthat it would be far more satisfactory if both of these condi- \ntions were done away with; but we must submit to them \nwith as good grace as possible. The medium says that the \ncabinet is necessary in order to concentrate and hold the \nmagnetic fluid which emanates from her person, and which \nthe spirits use for the production of the phenomena. Of \ncourse this may be due, largely, to auto-suggestion. All me- \ndiums use cabinets, and Eusapia thinks she must have one, \ntoo. But there is ground for supposing that there is a good \ndeal of truth in this assumption. In the first place, it would \nseem that the medium's statement must be given some weight \n\u2014 since she might be supposed to know how she feels and \nwhat conditions stimulate the phenomena better than out- \nsiders possibly can. In the next place, we have frequently \nnoticed that the nearer the cabinet curtains the medium can \nget, the stronger are the phenomena, and the more abundant \nand convincing. Most of the phenomena originate from \nwithin the cabinet, so that, on any h)rpothesis, we can safely \nsay that it stimulates their production \u2014 no matter what view \nwe hold of the phenomena themselves. \n\nAll mediums insist on certain \"conditions,\" which, they \nassert, arc necessary for the production of their phenomena. \nDarkness is one of these necessary conditions, apparently, for \nthe production of physical manifestations. Why should this \nbe so? It must be admitted that it is usually insisted upon \nfor the reason that it renders possible trickery of all kinds. \nFraud is easily possible in the dark \u2014 trickery of a kind which \n\n\n\n330 Eusapia Palladino \n\nlight would successfully disclose and reveal. But why should \ngenuine mediums insist upon this condition? To tell the \ntruth, it is not positively known why this should be so ; but \nvarious theories have been advanced, and numerous mediums \nhave made a declaration, stating exactly why this should be \nthe case. They say that light is a very disruptive agent, pos- \nsessing fine, yet powerful influences, and that, when one is \ndealing with such subtle forces and conditions as one is in a \nseance, light must be excluded, for the reason that it de- \nstroys the subtle forces produced, and disintegrates the forms \nthat would otherwise materialize. \n\nIs there any truth in this assertion? Is there any warrant \nfor such an assumption? To tell thc-truth, there is. Let \nus take a simple analogy, which has often been used. Sensi- \ntive plates, used in photography, cannot be exposed to the \nlight before the picture is taken ; if they were, they would be \nruined, and the photograph spoiled. Darkness is necessary, \nIt is one of the \"conditions\" required by every photographer \nfor obtaining a successful photograph. And it may be so \nhere. Light rays are now known to be very destructive to \nsome forms of animal life and to human protoplasm; if too \nlong continued, they are extremely energetic, and liable to \ndisintegrate and disrupt any excessively fine and subtle body. \nThat being the case, we are certainly entitled to take into \nconsideration these requests of the medium, and we may con- \nsider her statements well founded \u2014 provided the imposed \nconditions do not permit the possibility of fraud. And I \nmay say, that in Eusapia's case, this was nearly always pre- \ncluded by the amount of light allowed. In her case, during \nthe greater part of the seance, sufficient light was alwa3rs \npresent to allow us clearly to see her hands, as well as feel \nthem in ours, resting on the table. Although the light was \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 331; \n\nlowered, It was at no time completely extinguished ; and dur- \ning the greater part of the seance, it was very good, allow- \ning us to sec everything in the room with the greatest clear- \nness and precision. \n\nWhile the lesser phenomena seem to be directly imder the \ncontrol of Eusapia's will, the more important phenomena \nare certainly dictated and are brought about by intelligences \nother than that of the medium herself. Eusapia believes \nthat \"John King,\" her supposed control, officiates at her \nseances, and is responsible for most of the more important \nphenomena. \n\nThis \"John King\" is said to be the brother of Crookes* \nKatie King, and to have been Eusapia's father in another \nexistence. It is John who speaks when Eusapia is in her \ntrance ; when he speaks of her he calls her \"my daughter,\" \nand gives advice about the care of her person and her life. \nM. Ochorowicz thinks this John is a personality created in \nthe mind of Eusapia by the union of a certain number of \nimpressions collected in the different psychic environments in \nwhich her life has been passed. \n\nWriting of Eusapia's phenomena, and her psychology, Sig- \nnor Angelo Marzorati, Editor of Luce e Ombra, says: \n\n\"During the first part of them (the sittings), she keeps up \na lively conversation, interspersed with witticisms, when she \nfinds rfiat she is among friends. She rarely goes into com- \nplete trance, and only toward the end of the sitting is she \novertaken by a semitrance, characterized by an incoherent \nbabbling and a strongly marked alteration of her counte- \nnance; but more often her face seems to acquire a glassy \nclearness, as though something extra human were watching \nwithin her. Sometimes, in pursuit of the phenomena, by \nthe pale gleam which came from the antechamber, I caught \nthe watchful keen glance of the witch, and had the impres- \n\n\n\n332 Eusapia Palladino \n\nsion that of all those present, believers or skeptics, she was \nthe one who had the greatest presence of mind; that she \ndominated all the rest, with the full power of the unknown \nwhich is within and about us. \u2022 . . \n\n\"Although rarely, Palladino falls into a truly feminine \nlanguor and calls upon her John : 'Come, my father, come I' \nHer voice then trembles with a strange and feeling passion ; \none feels behind the curtain the presence of someone; shadows \nflit rapidly between the curtains, raising the outer edges, and \nsometimes stopping long enough for us to see the characteris- \ntic features. I remember also clearly, at a distance of two \nyears, the diaphanous figure and sweet face of 'Katie'; and \nI also remember those black shadows of various forms and \ndensities which, in a sitting at Genoa, came right up to my \nface, and which seemed mere empty appearances, for they \noffered no solid resistance. I remember also how I once \nstood erect, holding both Eusapia's hands firmly on the table \nin my left hand, and introduced my right into the open* \ning of the curtains, where, at a height of more than two \nyards, which my stature allowed me to reach, it was shaken \nby a vigorous and gigantic hand. Palladino was seated \nand I standing and no deception was possible. . . . An- \nother time, while I was standing outside the chain, iso- \nlated and at least two yards from Eusapia, to my great \nsurprise an electric lamp was repeatedly lighted, of whidi \nI had the switch in my pocket \u2014 I say repeatedly because, \nbeing placed on my guard by the first lighting, I was \na more careful and conscientious observer the second \ntime. \n\n\"I ought to say that, at the close of the sitting, Palladino \nIS exhausted, done up, even more than other mediums. She \nlooks round savagely, like a wounded animal, and clutches \nat the objects round her, as though attracted by them; at \nother times she has fits of weeping, of which she feels the \neffects the next day. Not unfrcquently, when in this state, \nshe is impelled to simulate a few phenomena, but in so \nchildish a manner as to render it doubtful whether she is \naware of it. \u2022 \u2022 \u2022\" \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 333 \n\nSome have thought that they noticed that Eusapia pre- \npared herself, consciously, or unconsciously, at the seance, \nby diminishing the respiration \u2014 a very singular thing. At \nthe same time her pulse gradually rises from 88 to 120 pul- \nsations a minute. Is this a practice analogous to that which \nthe fakirs of India employ, or a simple eflEect of the emotions \nwhich, before every seance, Eusapia experiences? \u2014 ^a fact \nwhich has a strong tendency to convince the sitters, but is \nnever sure of the production of the phenomena. \n\nEusapia is not hypnotized; she herself enters into the \ntrance state when she becomes a link in the chain of hands. \nShe begins to sigh deeply, then yawns and hiccoughs. A \nseries of varied expressions passes over her face. Sometimes \nit takes on a demoniacal look, accompanied by a fitful laugh \n(very much like that which Gounod gives to M ephistopheles \nin the opera of \"Faust\") which almost always precedes an \nimportant phenomenon. Sometimes her face flushes ; the eyes \nbecome brilliant and liquid, and are opened wide. The smile \nand the emotions are a mark of the erotic ecstasy. She says \n\"mio caro\" (\"my dear\"), leans her head upon the shoulder \nof her neighbor, and courts caresses when she believes that \nhe is sympathetic It is at this point that phenomena are \nproduced, the success of which causes her agreeable and even \nvoluptuous thrills. During this time her legs and her arms \nare in a state of marked tension, almost rigid, or even under- \ngo convulsive contractions. Sometimes a tremor goes through \nher entire body. \n\nTo these states of nervous superactivity succeeds a period \nof depression, characterized by an almost corpselike pale- \nness of the face (which is frequently covered with perspira- \ntion) and an almost complete inertia of her limbs. If she \nlifts her hand, it falls back of its own weight \n\n\n\n334 Eusapia Palladino \n\nDuring the trance her eyes are turned up and only the* \nwhite is visible. Her presence of mind and her general \nconsciousness are diminished, or not at all in evidence. She \ngives no reply, or if she does, her reply is retarded by ques- \ntions. Eusapia has no recollection of what has taken place \nduring the seances, except for states of mind bordering dose \non those of her normal state; and, consequently, they only \nrelate, as a general thing, to phenomena of slight intensity. \n\nIn order to aid in the manifestations, she frequently asks \nthat her force be increased by putting one person in the \nchain. It has frequently happened to her to address a sym- \npathetic spectator, to take his fingers and press them as if to \ndraw something out of them, then push them abruptly away, \nsaying that she has enough force. \n\nIn proportion as her trance increases, her sensibility to \nlight increases. A sudden light causes difficulty in her breath- \ning, rapid beatings of her heart, an h3rsterical feeling, gen- \neral irritation of the nerves, pain in the head and eyes and \na trembling of the whole body, with convulsions\u2014 except \nwhen she herself asks for light (a thing which frequently \nhappens to her when there are interesting verifications to be \nmade upon the subject of displaced objects), for then her \nattention is strongly called in other directions. \n\nShe is in constant motion during the active period of \nmany of the seances. These movements may be attributed \nto the hysterical crises which then agitate her; but they \nappear to be necessary to the production of the phenomena. \nEvery time that a movement is being caused at a distance \nshe imitates it, either with her hands or with her feet, and \nby developing a much stronger force than would be neces- \nsary for producing the movement by contact \n\nDuring and after the levitations of the table, she has a \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 335 \n\nfeeling of pain in her knees; during and after other phe- \nnomena^ in her elbows and all through her arms. \n\nHere is what she herself says of her impressions when Ac \nwishes to produce a movement at a distance. She suddenly \nexperiences an ardent desire to produce the phenomenon; then \nshe has a feeling of numbness and the gooseflesh sensation \nin her fingers; these sensations keep increasing. At the same \ntime she feels in the inferior portion of the vertebral column \nthe flowing of a current which rapidly extends into her arm \nas far as her elbow, where it is gently arrested. It is at this \npoint that the phenomenon takes place. \n\nIt would appear to me that the above statement explains, \nin part at least, much of Eusapia's fraud. Here there is the \nwish, amounting to a strong desire, to produce the phenome- \nnon by normal means ; and this desire would naturally find, \nor attempt to find, motor expression, in the release of one \nhand, and in the shooting out of that hand automatically, \ntoward the object. These desires doubtless produce abortive \nmuscular twitchings and movements, which, by a hyper- \ncritical investigator, might be interpreted as attempts on her \npart to release a hand or a foot, and with it produce die \nphenomenon fraudulently. But we repeatedly found that if \nshe were checked from doing so, and the hand or the foot \nsecurely held, genuine phenomena woiJd result and the ob- \nject be moved by an exteriorization of motor force. It would \nfind actuality just as (to use an analogy) a visualized thought \nmight, under certain conditions, become externalized in the \nmind as a full-blown hallucination \u2014 ^having all the appear- \nance of reality. \n\nWhatever the interpretation of the facts, however, I re- \ngard it as certain that they are established, and that they \n\n\n\n33^ Eusapia Palladino \n\nshould, in consequence, be studied by men and by societies \ninterested in natural knowledge. It need hardly be pointed \nout that if but one or two of the facts asserted to occur at \nEusapia's seances ultimately prove to be facts, they arc of \nthe utmost possible importance to science \u2014 ^necessitating, as \nthey would, reconstructions and enlargements of the present- \nday view, upon an unprecedented scale. Nevertheless, the \nfacts, I am fully convinced, do occur ; and that is the opinion, \nalso, of a large number of scientific men in Europe who have \nstudied Eusapia for a number of years. I think, therefore, \nthat Eusapia should be brought to America, and studied \nhere, by a commission of scientific investigators \u2014 ^as she has \nbeen studied in the past in England, France, Italy, Riissia, \nand elsewhere. Eusapia is yet alive, and it is not too late \nto reverify, or to discredit, the facts. Fresh sittings arc \nconstantly being held, and each body of investigators leaves \nunder the distinct impression that it has seen genuine physi- \ncal phenomena of a supernormal character. Should not these \nopinions be checked, and the argument settled one way or \nthe other before Eusapia dies? As a matter of fact, I think \nthe case has practically been settled \u2014 for all unbiased students \nof the records ; but further and more conclusive tests should \ndoubtless be performed, since it is impossible to establish too \nthoroughly facts which are of such great mcnnent to science. \nIt is earnestly hoped that sufficient money and sufficient in- \nterest will soon be raised in this country to bring Eusapia \nto America, and to study her by means of a long series of \nexperiments; and, when once the facts have been established \n(as I feel certain they would be) , to begin a scientific investi- \ngation \u2014 ^physical, mental, and possibly spiritual\u2014 of the me- \ndium and her phenomena. Certain it is that the present state \nof things is a disgrace to science\u2014 particularly in a country \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 337 \n\nwhich boasts of its wealth, its progress, and its openminded-' \nness! I cannot do better than quote, in this connection, the \nwords of Professor Sidgwick, who, in his first presidential \naddress before the Society for Psychical Research, delivered \nJuly 17, 1882, said: \n\n\"Why form a Society for Psychical Research at all at \nthis time \u2014 ^including in its scope not merely the phenomena \nof thought reading, but also those of clairvoyance and mes- \nmerism, and the mass of obscure phenomena commonly \nknown as Spiritualistic? Well, in answering this, the first \nquestion, I shall be able to say something upon which I \nhope we all agree \u2014 meaning by *we,' not merely those who \nare in this room, but we and the scientific world outside; \nand as, unfortunately, I have but few observations to make \non which so much agreement can be hoped for, it may be \nwell to bring this into prominence \u2014 namely, that we are all \nagreed that the present state of things is a scandal to the \nenlightened age in which we live. That the dispute as to \nthe reality of these marvelous phenomena \u2014 of which it is \nquite impossible to exaggerate the scientific importance, if \nonly a tenth part of what has been alleged by generally \ncredible witnesses could be shown to be true \u2014 I say it is a \nscandal that the dispute as to the reality of these phenomena \nshould still be going on \u2014 ^that so many competent witnesses \nshould have declared their belief in them, that so many \nothers should be profoundly interested in having the ques- \ntion determined, and yet that the educated world as a body \nshould still be simply in the attitude of incredulity.'' \n\nSuch, it appears to me, is the attitude of the scientific \nworld with regard to Eusapia Palladino and hier phenomena. \nIt is earnestly to be hoped that the time will not be far dis- \ntant when this \"scandalous\" state of things will no longer \nexist; when scientific men will consent to investigate these \nphenomena; and then, it is to be hoped, Eusapia Palladino \n\n\n\n339 Eusapia Palladino \n\nwill be ranked, not as a vulgar impostor, but as a rarely \ngifted individual, possessing powers worthy of the deep- \nest study and respect; as a delicate and sensitive piece of \norganic machinery, which should be guarded and cared for \nwith the utmost kindness and consideration. \n\n\n\nAPPENDIX \n\nIn the Annals of Psychical Science, for July-September, \n1909, Mrs. Finch\u2014 its late editor\u2014 published a \"letter\" bit- \nterly attacking Eusapia and her phenomena. Mrs* Finch as- \nserts that veryiew of them are genuine; that roost of her \nsitters are simply deluded or \"glamoured'' by her mere pres- \nence; that she succeeds in casting a sort of spdl over \nher sitters, merely by reason of the fact that she is a \nwoman! She accuses her of \"erotic tendencies''; and con- \ncludes that no evidence is of any value in her case unless \nsupported by photography. \n\nI took occasion to reply to this letter at the time \u2014 as I \ndeemed it not only misleading, but totally false in imj^ca^ \ntion and in fact; and I reprint here what I then said: \n\nA REPLY TO MRS, FINCH'S LETTER ON \nEUSAPIA PALLADINO \n\nBy Hbrsward Carrinqton \n\nMrs. Finch's extraordinary letter in the July-September \nAnnals deserves more than a passing mention* To many \nminds, doubtless, the letter answers itself, and, reading be- \ntween the lines, one can quite easily surmise some of the mo- \ntives which prompted the writing of so scathing a criticism. \nNevertheless, Jt may be well to indicate how baseless aic \n\n339 \n\n\n\n340 Eusapia Palladino \n\nthe assertions contained in this contribution to psychical re- \nsearch ; and to examine her letter in some detail. \n\nMrs. Finch is surely unaware of the implications of her \ntheory regarding Eusapia's phenomena; for if she were aware \nof it, she would surely not advance it \u2014 ^at least in public \nCertain it is that Eusapia has been studied more carefully, \nmore exactly, and by a greater number of eminent men than \nany other physical medium who has ever lived. With very \nfew exceptions (which can easily be explained) every one \nof these men has been converted to a belief in the reality \nof her phenomena. Now, if it were possible to show that \nafter all these years of work, and such a vast amount of re- \nsearch; if, in spite of all the afSrmative testimony in her \nfavor, nothing but fraud had been practised, it would deal \nthe physical phenomena such a crushing blow that they would \n(probably) never recover frcxn the shock. If nothing super- \nnormal really exists, if no genuine phenomena occur in her \npresence, then surely, the case for their occurrence, else- \nwhere, would be finally and irretrievably ruined \u2014 for in no \nother case does the mass and excellence of the testimony in \ntheir favor equal this. It may fairly be said that the case \nfor the physical phenomena stands or falls with this case of \nEusapia Palladino. \n\nMrs. Finch asserts that one faint light, witnessed at one \nseance, was the only ^nuine phenomenon ever seen by her \nin Eusapia's presence. In view of our own experience with \nthis medium, I should be strongly inclined to doubt this state- \nment. Where are the records of these seances? Who else \nattended the sittings attended by Mrs. Finch? And where \nis their negative evidence ? Statements of this sweeping char- \nacter must be supported my proof; we do not want a mere ex \ncathedra pronouncement upon her phenomena. Besides, it \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 341 \n\nmust be remembered that this is a mere statement of one per- \nsons experience; and others may have had experiences which \ndiffer from it. As the reports show, their experiences have \ndiffered ; and no one can read the published reports without \nseeing that Mrs. Finch's explanation\u2014 simple fraud \u2014 ^is ludi- \ncrously inadequate to account for all the facts. \n\nWhat, then, is the root and basis of Mrs. Finch's animos- \nity? It would seem that this is purely personal \u2014 2, strong \nantipathy toward Eusapia \u2014 ^which, I may add, is equally \nshared by Eusapia. Mrs. Finch objects to her phenomena be- \ncause, forsooth, she objects to the woman herself! She is \nvulgar, dishonest, etc. On these grounds, and because of \nthem, Mrs. Finch cannot believe in her phenomena. One \ncan only say: \"How like a woman!\" (Some women.) For \nscience, of course, such reaspns are ridiculous. For science, \nit makes not a particle of difference whether a medium is \nugly or beautiful, whether she washes her neck, whether \nshe is vulgar or obscene in her speech or actions; she may \nbe all this, and a trickster, a fraud, and absolutely mad. \nThe question is: Do physical objects move without contact \nin her presence? That is the only point to be settled. No \nmatter how honest a medium m^y be, we always have to \nassume, for evidential purposes, that she is fraudulent, and \nconduct our experiments with the idea of debarring this pos- \nsibility. Conversely, the medium may be as big a fraud as \nyou please, but if the conditions of the experiment prove \nfraud to have been impossible, then we shall have to assume \nthat the phenomena are genuine. The personality of the \nmedium, in other words, should be quite discounted, and \nshould not be allowed to enter at all into the discussion, or \nto the settlement of the main problem: Are her phenomena \ngenuine? \n\n\n\n342 Eusapia Palladino \n\nMrs. Finch asserts that the few scant phenomena of a \ngenuine character are ''hidden in a quagmire of deliberate \nfraud.\" This is precisely the reverse of my own experience. \nI found that but a very small percentage were fraudulent; \nand that the vast bulk of the phenomena were genuine. This \nis also Professor Morselli's experience \u2014 ^who estimates that \nten per cent of her phenomena (at the outside) mi^t pos- \nsibly be fraudulent. Besides, if Mrs. Finch was so assured \nthat E. P. was nothing but a clever trickster, and that her \nphenomena were fraudulent, why did she continually pub- \nlish accoimts of her seances in the Anndsf I think that \nsome of us would like an explanation of that fact. \n\nOf course it is very important to study the mentality of \nthe sitters at a spiritualistic seance. When such analyses are \nmade, what do they reveal ? Usually, that the bulk of the \nsitters are so credulous that they are totally incapable of de- \ntecting fraud \u2014 had such existed \u2014 and that they accept everjr- \nthing presented in the name of Spiritualism. Among them \nmay be found a sprinkling of skeptics or genuine investigar \ntors. Now, when it comes to a question of fraud and its de- \ntection, we should, of course, be guided, almost entirely, \nby what the latter class has to say about the phenomena \u2014 as \nthe former is probably very easily suggestible, and sec all \nthey are supposed to see, and more. Of two descriptions of \na phenomenon, also, we should select the less marvelous. \nAll that being granted, the question arises: Who are to be \ntrusted? Whose word is to be taken in a question of this \ncharacter? \n\nThe consensus of opinion is, I think, that conjurers, or \nsdentists thoroughly familiar with conjuring, are the best \njudges ; and it was for that very reason that our special ccnn- \nmittee \u2014 Messrs. Fcilding, Baggally, and myself \u2014 ^were asked \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 343 \n\nto undertake the investigation. If any of us had been sug- \ngestible and easily \"glamoured,\" is it not probable \u2014 nay, cer- \ntain \u2014 that we should have been similarly affected, at least to \nsome extent, by other mediums, mostly women, with whom \nwe had obtained sittings in the past? Speaking personally, \nI may say that never once had I seen anything but trickery, \nupon the detection of which I bent my whole energies. Some \nof these mediums, I may add, were far younger and more \n\"beautiful\" than Eusapia, whom, I think I am safe in saying, \nnone of us ever thought of for a moment as anything more \nthan a \"case\" \u2014 and at first, possibly, a clever trickster. On \nno occasion did we ever detect any such \"erotic tendencies\" as \nMrs. Finch describes \u2014 ^and as other authors, too, have re- \nmarked. Not the slightest symptoms were ever noticed by \nany of us, I am safe to say. Eusapia did not touch us in \nany close manner until the fifth or sixth seance. Besides, \nnone of us were in any sense emotional men; precisely the \nreverse. Further, as I said before, how was it that no one \nof us had ever been similarly affected by any other medium \nwith whom we had ever sat? Speaking personally, I may \nsay that I have sat for hours and hours with mediums alone \nand in the dark \u2014 and never once did I feel any peculiar \nsymptoms \u2014 never once was I influenced in the slightest de- \ngree; never once did I see anything but trickery; never was \nthere a hallucination! (See my report on \"Lily Dale,\" Pro- \nceedings Amer. S. P. R., Vol. II, pp. 1-119O \n\nThe introduction into this discussion of stories of what \nEusapia did when she was 16 has nothing whatever to do vrith \nthe problem before us. As I have said before, the sole ques- \ntion for science is: Can she move objects without contact? \nThat is the question to be settled, and it has nothing more \nto do with her past career than with the spots on the sun. \n\n\n\n344 Eusapia Palladino \n\nOne can obviously sec, here, that the criticism has degen- \nerated from a scientific to a personal one. Mrs. Finch is \ntotally wrong in saying that \"nothing of an indisputably \ngenuine nature occurs in the light.\" That may have been her \nexperience ; it certainly was not ours. As our Report abun- \ndantly shows, a large number of phenomena \u2014 ^and even the \nvery best phenomena \u2014 occurred in a good light \u2014 light suf- \nficiently good to read the small print of a Baedeker. What \nis one to say, therefore? Obviously, that Mrs. Finch's \nstatements are totally incorrect, and that a large num- \nber of genuine phenomena do occur in light sufficient to \nenable us to see the whole of the medium's body quite \nclearly. \n\nMrs. Finch speaks of \"the mediimi's body being in perpet- \nual movement \u2014 ^her hands, arms, legs, and body are scarcely \never still when phenomena are being produced. \u2022 . \u2022\" Noth- \ning of the sort occurred in our seances. At first \u2014 particularly \nin bad seances \u2014 a certain amount of movement and restless- \nness was noted, I admit (who could sit for three or four \nhours without moving a muscle?), but in the best seances \nthere was scarcely any movement at all. Note this : the bet- \nter the phenomena, the less the movement. Precisely the re- \nverse of this should be the case on Mrs. Finch's theory. But \nI must emphatically insist that, during the best seances \u2014 and \nparticularly during the production of the best phenomena \u2014 \nEusapia scarcely moved a muscle, but submitted herself to the \nvery fullest control, and her hands and feet were held im- \npassively in ours. There was no attempt at movement, far \nless at substitution, as our Report will show. Our experi- \nence on this point, therefore, formally and explicitly con- \ntradicts that of Mrs. Finch, and shows it to be quite incorrect \nfrom the point of view of fact. \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 345 \n\nMrs. Finch asserts that Eusapia selects her controllers with \ngreat care\u2014 choosing those whom she can influence \u2014 and that \nthese sitters are consequently incapable of a trustworthy \nreport of the existing control. Now as to the first point, \neveryone knows this is absolutely false; Eusapia does not \nchoose her sitters, but the experimenters control her them- \nselves. Occasionally, she asks that certain sitters change \nplaces, that a new control be established, e.g,, in order to \nsupply a better \"current.\" But this is comparatively rare, \nand the request is not always granted. Certain it is that \nEusapia could have had no choice in our first three sittings, \nsince only two of us were present ! As to our being partic- \nularly suggestible, I should like to ask the mediums \u2014 ^men \nand women \u2014 ^with whom we had previously sat, whether \nthey considered us so ! I think our previous records in psychic \nexperimentation would answer that question. \n\nNow a word as to the value of photographs. Mrs. Finch \ncontends that \"no man's account of her phenomena should \nbe accepted \u2014 no matter who he may be \u2014 unless he can cor- \nroborate his account with photographs.\" In the first place, \nthese phenomena have often been so corroborated. Photo- \ngraphs of levitations and other phenomena have been taken \ntime and time again, and, so far as photographs can prove \nan3^hing, these phenomena have been proved- thereby. But \nI must contend (in direct opposition to Mrs. Finch) that \nphotography can very rarely afford any valuable corroboration \nwhatever. Generally, it is quite useless for establishing the \nreality of a phenomenon \u2014 ^though it might often disclose \nfraud. It can prove what is there, but not what is not there. \nI have insisted upon this several times before, in discussing \nthese phenomena. Thus, in reviewing M. Flammarion's \nbook) Mysterious Psychic Forces, in the Journal, Amen \n\n\n\n346 Eusapia Palladino \n\nS. P. R., Vol. II, pp. 471-91, long before I had had sit- \ntings with E. P., I wrote: \n\n\". . . All photographs are open to this fundamental ob- \njection. They give us a picture, merely, of what is actually \nhappening at any one time, without telling us the preceding \nactions of the medium and others present, leading up ta thai \nevent, . . . The worthlessness of photographic records is evi- \ndenced by the fact that on page 113 of Around the World \nwith a Magician and a Juggler, there is a photograph of a \ntable levitated by fraudulent means \u2014 it is impossible to see \nhow.\" \n\nThis, it may be added, is also the opinion of Sir Oliver \nLodge, who wrote {Proceedings S. P. R., Vol. X, p. 23) : \n\n\"For myself, I would prefer to trust my own observation \nrather than any amount of second-hand information, fortified \nby the assurance of any number of Kodaks.\" \n\nIt will thus be seen that photographs, so far from fumi^- \ning final and conclusive evidence \u2014 ^as Mrs. Finch contends \nIS the case \u2014 ^are practically worthless for establishing the \nreality or supernormal character of these phenomena. So \nfar from being the best \u2014 ^and in fact the only \u2014 means of \nsatisfactorily proving the reality of the phenomena, it is a \ntotally inadequate method\u2014 one open to many objections, from \nthe evidential point of view, and proving nothing, in the \nmajority of cases, when successful! \n\nA word more and I have done. Mrs. Finch has obviously \ngone out of her way to attack a woman who can neither read \nnor write, and who is, consequently, unable to defend her- \nself in a controversy of this character. Those who know her \nshould, therefore, enter the lists for her, and fight her bat- \ntles. Mrs. Finch has made the attack a personal one, and \n\n\n\nEusapia Palladino 347 \n\nhas thereby laid herself open for just such replies as this \u2014 \nand indeed far more severe ones which I trust may be forth- \ncoming from other quarters. Moreover, she has quite aban- \ndoned the scientific attitude in the matter, and thus forever \nafter denied herself the right to a serious hearing in all \nmatters scientific or psychic. The scientific problem is again \nand again mixed with and governed by the personal animus, \nas is shown over and over again, throughout her article. I \nregret to say that this attitude has also been adopted (un- \nconsciously, doubtless) by other investigators, as her quota- \ntion from Professor Morselli shows. The question we should \nask ourselves is not, '^Can a soul so pure breathe in so foul \nan atmosphere?\" but does it? If the facts prove that to be \nthe case, we shall have to accept them, no matter whether \nwe care to or not. It is a question of fact; not of emotion \nand belief. The inanity of the greater part of \"spirit com- \nmunications\" would seem to prove that the majority of the \ninhabitants of the next world are little better than lunatics. \nYet, as Dr. Hyslop has so well pointed out and insisted upon : \n\n\"We have to accept the life to come, if it be a fact, with- \nout any ability to escape it, and its degenerated nature would \nnot affect the evidence for the fact of it. Its being a mad- \nhouse or an asylum for idiots would not weaken the evidence \nfor its existence.\" \n\nThe majority are incapable of divorcing their sentiments \nfrom their judgment, and allow the mind to be swayed by \nthe emotions. Such persons should not investigate psychical \nmatters: they arc totally unfitted to be scientific investigators. \nOnly those who are prepared to admit the facts, no matter \nwhere they may lead, and who feel no personal interest in \nthe problem, one way or the other \u2014 these are the only per- \n\n\n\n348 Eusapia Palladino \n\nsons who should devote themselves seriously to psychic iih\u00bb \nvestigation and research. \n\nIn conclusion, I wish to say that this reply does not in- \nvolve either of my colleagues, or the opinion of an3rone but \nmyself. However certain I might feel that I have their \nmoral support in this reply, I wish it to be distinctly \nunderstood that my reply to Mrs. Finch comes entirely from \nmyself, and is prompted solely by the desire to defend an \nabsent and helpless woman, who, in spite of adverse criticism, \npossesses many good qualities, and a more straightforward \nand honest soul, perhaps \u2014 in spite of her petty trickery\u2014 \nthan some of her scoffers and critics. \n\n\n\nINDEX \n\n\n\nAccordion plajong, 46 \nAction at a distance, 314-15 \nAggazzotti, Dr.y 100-108 \nAksakof, Count, 29, 274, 275 \nArm, doubling of, 117 \nArmelin, M., 70-71 \nAscensi, M., 28, 29 \nAstral double, theoiy of, 268, \n\n270 \nAudenino, Dr., 89-100 \nAuto-hjrpnosis, 507 \n\nBaggally, W. W., 152, 153, 157, \n\n168-239 \nBarisso, M., 139-140 \nBarzini, Dr., 84, 85, 86 \nBell incident, 228-231 \nBlech, M., 61, 62-67 \nBottazzi, Professor, 109-118, \n\n138, 188, 190, 191-192 \nBozzano, Dr., 145-147 \nBreeze, cold. See G>ld Breeze. \nBuflFem, Professor, 30 \n\nCabinet, construction of, 158- \n\n159 \nreasons for, 329-330 \nCarrara, Mme. Paola, 20, 21- \n\nCarreras, Dr. H., 75 \nChalet incident, 48 \n\n\n\nChiaia, Professor, 28, 59, 66 \nCiolii, M., 28 \n\nQairvoyance, question of, 309 \nQay, impressions in, 66 \nClinical study of the mediun^ \n\n280-281, 304-309 \nCold breeze at seances, 198^ \n\n199, 205 \nCollective consciousness, theoiy \n\nof, 271 \nCommunications, question o^ \n\n308-309 \nConsciousness, collective. See \n\nCollective, \nmodifications of, 307 \nControl of medium, question o^ \n\nI55-I57\u00bb 159-167 \nCourtier, Jules, 129-134 \nCrawford, Misses, 213 \nCrookes, Sir William, 6, 41-44 \nCurie, Mme., 129, 130, 131 \n\nDariex, Dr., 57, 58, 61 \nDarkness, reasons for, 329-331 \nd'Arsonval, M., 129, 132 \nDavis, Andrew Jackson, 7 \nDebieme, Dr., 130 \nde Fontenay, G., 62, 63-67, 275 \nde Grammont, Count, 57, 75 \nde Rochas, Colonel Albert, 34^ \n57, 58, 268, 269 \n\n\n\nW \n\n\n\n3SO \n\n\n\nIndex \n\n\n\nde Siemiradski, M., 33 \nde Watterville, Baron, 57 \nDissolving hands, 115 \nDoubling of the medium's ami, \n\n117,255-256 \nDreams, question of, 308 \nDuPrel, Dr. Charles, 29 \nDynamic theory, 275 \nI^namometer test, 79 \n\nEctenic force, theory of, 271 \nElectrical girls, 301 \nElectroscope, discharge of, 319 \nErmacora, Professor, 29 \nEvil spirits, 276 \nExteriorization of modvity, 268 \nExtemalizationof modvity. See \n\nExteriorization. \nExtemalizadon of sensibility, \n\n309 \n\nFeilding, Hon. Everard, 152, \n\nI53\u00bb i57\u00bb 168-239 \nFinch, Mrs. L. I., reply^to, \n\n239-2148 \nFinzi, M., 30, 31, 32 \nFlammarion, Camille, 20, 63- \n\n67, 71-72, 276, 277 \nFloumoy, Prof. Th., 202-203 \nFluid, theory of, 267 \nFluidic double, theoiy of, 268, \n\n270 \nFoa, Dr. Charles, 100-108 \nFoi, Prof. Pio, 101-108 \nFraud, quesdon of, 182-184, \n\n188-189, 206-207, 244-266, \n\n345 \nFraud, reasons for, 327-329, \n\n335 \n\n\n\nGaleotti, Professor, 109-1x8, \n\n188, 190, 191-192, 232 \nGasparin, M., 267 \nGeley, Dr., 274 \nGerosa, Professor, 29 \nGibson, Mr., 195, 196 \nGigli, M., 28, 29 \nGrasset, Dr., 271 \n\nHall, Gilman, 1 18-126 \n\nHallucinadon and photography, \n62 \n\nHallucinadon, theoiy of, 240* \n244, 286, 287 \n\nHartmann, \u00a3. von, 274 \n\nHands, dissolving. See Dis- \nsolving. \n\nHerlitzka, Dr., 100-108 \n\nHindu fakirs, 241 \n\nHodgson, Dr. R., i, 33, 51-57 \n\nHome, D. D., 5, 6, 10, 41-44 \n\nHutton, Mrs. 233, 235-238 \n\nHjrperacsthesia, 318-319 \n\nHypnosis, 207 \n\nHyslop, Dr. J. H., 347 \n\nIdealistic theory of phenomena, \n272, 273 \n\nIllusions vs. Hallucinadonsy \n286-287, 343 \n\nImoda, Dr., 89-100, 319 \n\nIndependent writing. 5^^ Writ- \ning. \n\nIntermediary, vital, theory of, \n300 \n\nJohn King, 24, 331 \nJohnson, Miss Alice, 33, 53, 152, \n153 \n\n\n\nIndex \n\n\n\n351 \n\n\n\nKey incident, 49-50 \n\n\n\nLaboratory, psychical, require- \nments for, 51 \n\nLanguage unknown to the medi- \num, spoken by phantom, \n\n284 \n\nLe Bocain, M., 71 \n\nLeBon, Dr., 69-70 \n\nLeft-handedness, transference \n^. of, 279 \n\nLevitadon of tabic, definition \n2^ of, 168 \n\nLevy, Ardiur, 68, 69 \n\nLife, nature of, 297 \nQih Light, amount of, 168 \n\nLodge, Sir Oliver, 33, 38-51, \n52, 272, 273, 297 \n\nLombroso, Cesare, 28-29, 35, \n^ 89-100, 137, 267, 278-281, \n\n4 3^4-306 \n\nLucidity, question of, 309 \nLuminous paint, as a test, 265 \n\nMangin, M. Marcel, 61, 69, \n\n271 \nMarzorad, Angelo, 331-332 \nMaskelyne, John Nevil, 53 \nMaterialism, 14, 289-291 \nMaxwell, Dr. J., 17, 55-57, 57- \n\n58, 271 \nMedium, psychological condi- \n\ndon of. See Psychological \n\nG>ndidon. \nMeeson, Albert, 169 \nMind and body, connecdon of, \n\n293-296 \nMoody, Dr. Herbert R., 126- \n\n129 \n\n\n\nMorselli, Prof. Enrico, 72, 73^ \n74, 75-89* I35\u00bb 136, 138, \n\n278,306-309 \nMoses, William Stainton, 10 \nMucchi, Dr., 94, 97-100 \nMyers, F. W. H., 33, 38-50, 52, \n\n53, 55, 274 \n\nObjecdons to phenomena, 12, \n\n13, 14-18 \nOchorowicz, J., 33, 34, 3^38, \n\n38-50, 52, 268, 317-318 \n\nPerovsky - Petrovo - Solo vovo. \n\nCount, 54, 55 \nPersonificadons, quesdon of, \n\n308 \nPersonnel of our committee, \n\n153-155 \n\nPhantoms, teleplasdc. 5^fTel- \neplasdc Phantoms. \n\nPhenomena, dassificadon of, \n291-292 \n\nPhenomena, condidons for pro- \nduction of, 325-327 \n\nPhenomena, list of, 75-77 \n\nPhenomena, progression of. See \nProgression. \n\nPhenomena, theory of, 313- \n\nPhotographic plate incident. \n\nPhotography and hallucinadon, \n62 \n\nPhotography, value of, as evi- \ndence, 265, 266, 345-346 \n\nPiper, Mrs., i, 2, 5, 291 \n\nPodmore, F., 7, 9 \n\n\n\n35\"^ \n\n\n\nIndex \n\n\n\nPoltergeist cases, 301 \n\nPorro, Professor, 72-74, 135, \n\n136-137, 268 \nPrejudice, question of, 347-348 \nProgression of phenomena, 321- \n\n322 \nPsychic force, theoiy of, 267 \nPsychode, theoiy of, 267 \nPsycho-dynamism, theory of, \n\n271 \nPsychological condition of medi- \num, 311-314 \nPsychological condition of sit- \nters, 310-3U \n\nRabagliati, Dr. A., 296 \nRadiations, human, 269 \nRadioactivity of the medium, \n\n108, 319 \nRamorino, M me., 283 \nReality of the phenomena, 246 \nReflection, theory of, 277 \nReflex action, theory of, 276, \n\n277 \nRichet, Prof. Charles, 29, 32- \n\n33\u00bb 3Sf 3^50f 52, 130, \n\nRyan, Mr., 213, 214, 215, 217, \n229, 230, 232 \n\nSabatier, Prof., 57, 58 \nSamona, Dr. Carmelo, 74-75 \nSchiaparelli, Professor, 29, 30- \n\n31 \nSchmolz, M., 139 \nSchrenck-Notzing, Baron von, \n\n35 \nStance room, 158, 159 \nSeances, general run of, 310 \n\n\n\nSearching medium, 206 \nSensibility, extemalizadoa of. \n\nSee Extemalization. \nSidgwick, Mrs., 33, 40, 53, 250- \n\n258 \nSidgwick, Professor, 33, 40, 53, \n\n?37 \nSiemiradski, M., 34 \nSitters, psychological condition \n\nof. See Psychological \n\nCondition. \nSmashed table incident, 106- \n\n107 \nSpirits, evil. See Evil Spirits. \nSpirits, theoiy of, 267-268 \nSpiritualism, growth of, 7 \nSubconsciousness, theoiy of. \n\nSubstitution of hands, question \nof, 182-184, 188-189, 206- \n207, 244-266 \n\nSudeley, Lord, 213 \n\nSuggestibility, question of, 307- \n\n308 \n\nSully-Prudhomme, M., 61 \n\nTamburini, Professor, 28, 29 \nTelepathy, question of, 309 \nTeleplastic phantoms, theory \n\nof, 278 \nTheoiy of phenomena, 313-^ \n\n318 \n\nThird arm, theory of, 71-72 \nTrance, nature of, 333-334 \nTrance, question of, 305, 307 \nTransformation of forces, 267 \n\nUnconscious, the, theoiy of, 274, \n275 \n\n\n\nIndex 3 S3 \n\nVassallo, M., I40-I4i\u00bb I42-I43\u00bb Wagner, Professor, 33, 34 \n\n144 Wafiace, Alfred Russel, 267 \n\nVenzano, Dr. Joseph, 134, 138- Wci^t, loss of, 30-31 \n\n139, 140, 145, H7f I5if Writing, independent, 45, 48- \n\n283, 284 49 \n\nVisani-Scozzi, Dr. Paolo, 33, \n\n59 Youricvitch, M., 129, 131 \nViuUty, nature of, 296-299 \n\nVizioli, M., 28 Zingaropoli, M., 233, 237 \n\n\n\nHC 2A1I H \n\n\n\nh i229 \n\n\n\nI'iil \n\n\n\nAU15034 \n\n\n\nEirtalMii Pa^ladino and h\u00bbr f^\u2122*^*gL \n\nCatiM**tti Llbfary ^ ^., , ,^ ,,,,, ,, \"\"^ \n^ \"\u25a0 ''if 'I ''\u25a0\u25a01 I .\u201e.. \n\nii'ill iillii \n\n\n\nli \n\n3 2044 045 188 31","title":"Eusapia Palladino and her phenomena","tradition":"Spiritualism & Psychical Research","translated_text":null,"word_count":116593}