e life to come can
also be greatly aided by intercourse with those who have already died.
When you really want to associate spiritually with us, you can do so;
for, though perhaps only one in a hundred million can, like me, so
clothe himself as to be again visible to mortal eyes, many of us could
affect gelatine or extremely sensitive plates that would show
interruptions in the ultra-violet chemical rays that, like the thermal
red beyond the visible spectroscope, you know exist though you can
neither see nor feel them. Spirits could not affect the magnetic eye,
because magnetism, though immaterial itself, is induced and affected
only by a material substance. The impression on the plate, however,
like the prismatic colours you have already noticed, can be produced by
a slight rarefaction of the hydrogen in the air, so that, though no
spirit could be photographed as such, a code and language might be
established by means of the effect produced on the air by the spirit's
mind. I am so interested in the subject of my disquisition that I had
almost forgotten that your spirits are still subject to the
requirements of the body. Last time I dined with you; let me now play
the host."

"We shall be charmed to dine with you," said Ayrault, "and shall be
only too glad of anything that will keep you with us."

"Then," said the spirit, "as the tablecloth is laid, we need only to
have something on it. Let each please hold a corner," he continued,
taking one himself with his left hand, while he passed his right to his
brow. Soon flakes as of snow began to form in the air above, and
slowly descended upon the cloth; and, glancing up, the three men saw
that for a considerable height this process was going on, the flakes
increasing in size as they fell till they attained a length of several
inches. When there was enough for them all on the table-cloth the
shower ceased. Sitting down on the ground, they began to eat this
manna, which had a delicious flavour and marvellous purity and
freshness.

"As you doubtless have already suspected," said the spirit, "the basis
of this in every case is carbon, combined with nitrogen in its solid
form, and with the other gases the atmosphere here contains. You may
notice that the flakes vary in colour as well as in taste, both of
which are of course governed by the gas with which the carbon, also in
its visible form, is combined. It is almost the same process as that
performed by every plant