. But
if it is wished to continue the conversation with him, the ear must be
addressed directly he is ready to resume. All this does not interrupt
the writing; the head and the hand do not interfere with one another.

The observers of these strange phenomena, especially Dr Hodgson,
maintain that the controls write without consciousness that they are
writing, as, no doubt, they speak without consciousness that they are
speaking. According to what they say, these controls perceive in the
body of the medium two principal masses of the mysterious fluid, the
unknown energy which appears like light to them, and which they call the
"light." One of these masses is in the head, the other in the hand. The
controls think "in" this light, and their thoughts are transmitted to us
automatically through the organism.

The automatic writing differs according to the controls. They do not
always succeed in reproducing the characteristics of their handwriting
when alive. George Pelham has tried to do so at least once, and did not
succeed. But this should not surprise us; we do not work as well with
other people's tools as with our own. In any case this difference in the
handwriting is a presumption the more in favour of the difference of
individuality.

The writing often looks like that on a lithographic stone, and can only
be read when reflected in a glass; this writing, which is called
mirror-writing, is produced as rapidly as ordinary writing, though Mrs
Piper, in her normal state, would be unable to write in this way. This
mirror-writing has been often observed in subjects who write
automatically; the cause for it is still to be found.

On other occasions words are written backwards. Thus for _hospital_,
_latipsoh_ will be obtained. With certain mediums not only words but
whole sentences are thus written. To read them, they must be begun at
the last letter and read backwards to the first. Syllables are also
often misplaced in Mrs Piper's automatic writing; thus _hospital_ may be
written _hostipal_. I remind the reader that I am referring to facts
well attested by competent men, about which there can be no question of
fraud.

There exist detailed minutes of many of the sittings, copied from
stenographic notes. An attempt was made to introduce a phonograph.
Phinuit jokingly felt the mouth with his hands and asked, "What is this
thing with a tube?" The attempt to explain its use to him was
unsuccessful. However, the phonograph reco