riting." There is perhaps
no phenomenon more incredible to the "beginner" in these studies, than
that legible and intelligent writing should be produced without human
agency, and yet there seems no other way of explaining the facts. The
following is an account, by Mr. Stainton Moses himself, of a seance held
on 19th September 1872, the last held before a break in the series
during the autumn of that year. "Imperator" had recently announced
himself as the leading guide or director of the phenomena.

[Illustration: Facsimile reduced from original. The paper was blue, with
faint blue lines. The corner at the top right hand was torn off for
identification of the paper.]

"We darkened the seance room, leaving the gas burning brightly in the
adjoining dining-room. Dr. and Mrs. Speer and I sat at the table. On the
floor under the table we put a piece of ruled paper and a pencil. A
corner of the paper I tore off, and handed it to Dr. Speer to identify
the sheet of paper if necessary. Various raps, some objects brought in,
and a noise rather like sawing wood. When light was called for, Mrs.
Speer stooped down and picked up the paper. The upper surface was blank.
Her endorsement on the back of the paper, afterwards written, reads: 'I
took the paper from under the table with the writing downwards,' _i.e._
on the surface touching the carpet. Dr. Speer and I wrote and signed
this endorsement: 'The above corner was torn by me (S. M.) before the
light was put out, and was given to Dr. S.' I (S. M.) afterwards put the
two pieces together. They fit exactly, and are secured by a couple of
halfpenny stamps, with the initials of Dr. S. and myself upon them. The
message follows the rules exactly. A facsimile is appended, omitting
only the initials of a deceased friend. It will be noticed that the
writing is clearly and laboriously executed on the ruled lines. In no
case are the lines deserted. I fancy the message is written backwards.
Imperator's signature is of his usual decided type, very like what is
automatically written by my hand. I suspect that the message was written
by two hands."[54]

FOOTNOTES:

[39] _Proceedings S.P.R._, vol. ix. pp. 245-352, and vol. xi. pp.
24-113. Reference should also be made to an obituary notice of Mr.
Stainton Moses by Mr. Myers, in _Proceedings_, vol. viii. pp. 597-601.

[40] _Proceedings S.P.R._, vol. ix. pp. 247-248.

[41] Ibid., p. 248.

[42] Ibid., p. 247.

[43] Ibid., p. 247.

[44] _Pr