seen my own hands covered with a lambent
flame; but nothing like this I ever saw.... The lights were preceded by
very sharp detonations on my chair, so that we could watch for their
coming by hearing the noise. They shot up very rapidly from the
floor."[21]

This sensational experience must conclude the evidence respecting the
lights, for the present. One more selection has, however, been made,
which is deferred to the special chapter on Mr. Stainton Moses'
experiences as a whole. The present chapter must be read in connection
with that chapter. It is admitted that the testimony quoted with regard
to the Lights does not reach the level of scientific evidence. At the
same time, when due consideration is given to the existing contemporary
records, and to the careful way in which Mr. Myers examined the whole
case, it is difficult to avoid the conviction that the Lights were
objective phenomena, not produced by any known physical cause. It is
much to be regretted that efforts were not made to secure a critical
study of the Lights by a competent scientific man.

FOOTNOTES:

[15] Vol. ix. pp. 245-352, and vol. xi. pp. 24-113.

[16] See ibid., vol. ix. pp. 273-274.

[17] See _Proceedings S.P.R._, vol. ix. p. 276.

[18] See ibid., pp. 276-277.

[19] _Proceedings S.P.R._, vol. ix. p. 290.

[20] _Proceedings S.P.R._, vol. ix. p. 319.

[21] _Proceedings S.P.R._, vol. xi. pp. 44-45.

CHAPTER V

PHYSICAL PHENOMENA ALLEGED TO HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PRESENCE OF DANIEL
DUNGLAS HOME

Scientific evidence of the reality of the Physical Phenomena alleged to
have occurred in the presence of D. D. Home is scarcely to be looked for
in the two volumes written by himself, nor even in the two volumes
published after his death by Madame Home. The alleged phenomena failed
to attract the attention of more than a very few men of science during
Home's lifetime. Of these the most eminent is Sir William Crookes,
F.R.S. With regard to Sir William Crookes' evidence the reader is
referred to two paragraphs on page 124.

THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE DIALECTICAL SOCIETY.

Again, the Report of the Committee of the Dialectical Society, or rather
the documents which accompany it, supplies some good evidence. Home had
four sittings with one of the Sub-Committees, but the phenomena were of
a trifling and inconclusive character. This was attributed to the state
of Home's bodily health. He was on the eve of a severe illness. Sever