a, and rejection of others.
Connection between the rejected and accepted phenomena. The
attitude of Science. Difficulties of investigation illustrated.
Dr. Carpenter's Theory of unconscious Cerebration. Illustration of
this Theory. The Failure of the Inquiry by the Dialectical Society.
Professor Huxley, Mr. G. H. Lewes. Absurdity and charlatanism of
'Spiritualism'. Historical aspect of the subject. Universality of
Animistic Beliefs, in every stage of culture. Not peculiar to
savagery, ignorance, the Dark Ages, or periods of Religious crisis.
Nature of the Evidence.

It is not without hesitation that this book is offered to the
reader. Very many people, for very various reasons, would taboo the
subjects here discoursed of altogether. These subjects are a
certain set of ancient beliefs, for example the belief in
clairvoyance, in 'hauntings,' in events transcending ordinary
natural laws. The peculiarity of these beliefs is, that they have
survived the wreck of faith in such elements of witchcraft as
metamorphosis, and power to cause tempest or drought. To study such
themes is 'impious,' or 'superstitious,' or 'useless'. Yet to a
pathologist, or anthropologist, the survivals of beliefs must always
be curious and attractive illustrations of human nature.

Ages, empires, civilisations pass, and leave some members even of
educated mankind still, in certain points, on the level of the
savage who propitiates with gifts, or addresses with prayers, the
spirits of the dead.

An example of this endurance, this secular survival of belief, may
be more instructive and is certainly more entertaining than a world
of assertions. In his Etudes Egyptiennes (Tome i. fascic. 2) M.
Maspero publishes the text and translation of a papyrus fragment.
This papyrus was discovered still attached to a statuette in wood,
representing 'the singer of Ammen, Kena,' in ceremonial dress. The
document is a letter written by an ancient Egyptian scribe, 'To the
Instructed Khou of the Dame Onkhari,' his own dead wife, the Khou,
or Khu, being the spirit of that lady. The scribe has been
'haunted' since her decease, his home has been disturbed, he asks
Onkhari what he has done to deserve such treatment: 'What wrong
have I been guilty of that I should be in this state of trouble?
what have I done that thou should'st help to assail me? no crime has
been wrought against thee. From the hour of my marriage till this
day, what have I wrought agai