which I did
not know. I have taken scholarly linguists in his presence and to them
he demonstrated that he spoke in foreign tongues.

I have heard him deliver lectures on a great variety of scientific
subjects,--on political economy, theology, and natural philosophy. His
thought and method of treatment were of the very highest types of
intellectual ability. Of course James did not profess to do this of
himself; he was in fact, wholly unconscious of doing anything. When
entranced, the controlling spirit would say, for example: "The Baron
von Humboldt will address you this afternoon on the Cosmos." Then in a
discourse or lecture of an hour's duration he would give a condensed
history of the origin and development of the world. I remember on one
occasion he took up the nebular or La Place theory, adopted it as the
true one, and traced the rise and progress of the earth through the
evolution of matter to its present condition, in a most comprehensive
and masterly manner. At another time it was said: "John Quincy Adams
will speak to you to-day on the political condition of your country,"
and with all the grace, dignity, and eloquence of the famous old
Senator from Massachusetts when addressing the Senate of the United
States, this medium delivered a speech of which Adams himself would
not have been ashamed. It was in the war times, and fully embodied the
sentiments which we know were predominant in Mr. Adams's mind--the
permanency of the Union and liberty for the slave. It was before the
emancipation proclamation, but the speaker assured his hearers that
the day was close at hand when the oppressed and abused slave should
walk out in freedom before all the world.

I remember one very remarkable occurrence. James was entranced by the
spirit of Michael Angelo, and a lady medium present was controlled by
Raphael, and these two, partly in Italian and partly in English,
discoursed upon art, painting, architecture, and sculpture in a manner
calculated to produce a lasting impression upon the minds of those who
were so fortunate as to be witnesses of the scene. The spirits were
evidently fearful of losing control of the medium, and in their hasty
desire to speak constantly interrupted each other, but they referred
to the great works in which they had been engaged while on the earth,
and the monuments they had left behind them. I remember Raphael
particularly speaking of his last great painting of the
Transfiguration, which he dec