he more desirable since a number of
insignificant bodies have recently sprung up, showing considerable
energy in the business of advertisement, assuming colourable imitations
of our Society's designation, but having very different
objects--unscientific always, sometimes frankly pecuniary--so that it
was quite likely that a certain amount of confusion might occur._

_The idea of the Council, in the first instance, was to have a short
popular account or summary of the Piper case specially written by one of
their own members; but it was brought to their notice that a French
writer had already issued a small book of a character not very different
from that contemplated, and had steered his way cleverly through the
intricacies of a subject bristling with difficulty below the surface and
choked with detail throughout; so it was thought best to utilise the
skilful work of the French writer, and simply see to it that a faithful
translation was made, only introducing changes in the direction of still
further abbreviation occasionally._

_This is the book for which I consented, though I admit with some
misgivings, to write a preface when it was ready to appear; and now that
I see it in its English dress I find my misgivings justified._

_The author speaks deprecatingly of his purpose in writing it,
describing it as_ "un modeste ouvrage de vulgarisation," _and thereby
disarms criticism, for, considered from this point of view, it is
successful; but I must guard not only myself but all other members of
the Council of the S.P.R. from any endorsement of the sentiments and
comments which M. Sage scatters somewhat liberally through his pages.
Taken as they were intended in the original, they were not out of
keeping; they seemed to harmonise with the general tone and formed part
of a consistent artistic scheme. Translated they appear less
appropriate, but to omit them altogether would be to give the book a
different character, and probably to spoil it. As it stands, it is
readable, more readable than a profounder treatise would be. Let it
pass, therefore, as conveying to readers who have neither time nor
inclination to enter upon a detailed study some conception of the most
remarkable modern instance of the phenomenon to which I began by
referring--a phenomenon of which a better, but by no means yet a
complete or final, treatment can be studied in the work of Mr Myers
called_ Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death.

_OLI