yself to conform to nothing,
for--as I said in Europe--_I do not even say the sounds are from
'spirits_;' and, what is more, it is utterly beyond human power to detect
them. _I do not say they are the spirits of our departed friends, but I
leave others to judge for themselves._
"MR. FURNESS. Then you have come to the conclusion that they are entirely
independent of yourself.
"The 'MEDIUM.' No, _I do not know that they are entirely independent of
myself_.
"MR. FURNESS. Under what conditions can you influence them?
"The response, which was partly inaudible at the reporter's seat, was
understood to be: 'I cannot tell.'
"MR. FURNESS. You say that in the generality of cases they are beyond your
control?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Yes.
"MR. FURNESS. How in the world shall we test that?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Well, by--
"MR. FURNESS. By--what? Isolating you from the table?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Yes.
"MR. FURNESS (applying his right hand, by her permission, to the
'Medium's' head). Are you ever conscious of any vibration in your bones?
"The 'MEDIUM.' No; but sometimes it causes an exhaustion, that is, under
circumstances when the raps do not come freely.
"MR. FURNESS. The freer the raps come, the better for you?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Yes, the freer the better--the less exhaustion.
"MR. SELLERS. But do you feel now, to-night, any untoward influence
operating against you?
"The 'MEDIUM.' No, not to-night, for it takes quite a little while before
we feel these things.
"MR. FURNESS. Do these raps always have that vibratory
sound--tr-rut--tr-rut--tr-rut?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Sometimes they vary.
"MR. FURNESS. As a general rule I have heard them sound so.
"The 'MEDIUM.' Every rap has a different sound. For instance, when the
'spirit' of Mr. Seybert rapped, if the sound was a good one, you would
have noticed that his rap was different from that of another. Every one is
entirely different from another.
"MR. FURNESS. Do you suppose that the present conditions are such that you
can throw the raps to a part of the room other than that in which you are?
"The 'MEDIUM.' I do not pretend to do that, but I will try to do it.
"Mr. Furness and Dr. Leidy station themselves in the corner of the room,
diagonally, and most remote from the pine table, at which their
associates remain seated, with their hands upon the table, and 'their
minds intent on having the raps produced at the corner indicated,' as
requested by the 'medium,' who also
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