FOSSUSSIOI^ AND MEDIUMSIIIP. 223 



the world's history, described by persons of different convictions 

 and in each case differently interpreted, and shall try to show the 

 absolute identity of type in each. The first occurred in France in 

 1636 in a Roman Catholic community, the second in England a 

 generation later ; both were ascribed to evil spirits. The third 

 occurred in China only a few years ago, and was ascribed to the 

 agency of a native goddess. The fourth and fifth are recent cases, 

 one from Switzerland and one from British Columbia ; both oc- 

 curred among Spiritists, and were believed to be due to the spirits 

 of deceased human beings, although one should note that in the 

 last case the patient was not himself, for a moment misled as to 

 the true character of the phenomena. In all, the automatic pro- 

 cesses manifested themselves, partly by hallucinations of sight 

 and hearing, partly in compulsory ideas and emotions, and partly 

 by more or less significant automatic movements. In all there 

 also appears to be a tendency toward association and systematiza- 

 tion of the automatic processes with one another, so that what 

 begins by being a more or less confused medley, in some cases 

 rising to the point of mania, finally becomes a tolerably coherent 

 expression of a characteristic personality which in turn repre- 

 sents the notions entertained by the patient and the community 

 in which he lives as to what the demon, god, or spirit ought to do 

 and say. Especially should one note how the automatic pro- 

 cesses invariably present themselves to the patient as being some- 

 thing absolutely foreign to himself a trait which Prof. James 

 happily hit off in terming such attacks " invasions.'' 



The story of the " Devils of Loudun" has often been told. In 

 1631 an epidemic of " possession" broke out among the nuns in a 

 convent at Loudun, in southern France, and was ascribed by the 

 sufferers to the machinations of a priest named Urbaia Grandier. 

 Grandier, by his dissolute life and overbearing conduct, had macle 

 himself many bitter and powerful enemies, chief among whom 

 was Mignon, the father confessor of the convent, and there is 

 good reason for believing that, originally at least, the " epidemic" 

 was nothing more than a conspiracy devised by Father Mignon 

 and the Mother Superior for the destruction of Grandier. It was 

 most successful. Grandier was accused of witchcraft, and, although 

 he escaped several times through technicalities, he was finally 

 tried by a tribunal appointed by Cardinal Richelieu, was con- 

 demned, tortured, and burned. 



Shortly after his death one of the priests who were trying to 

 exorcise the devils from the nuns. Father Surin by name, claimed 

 to be himself possessed by the devils and has left a vivid account 

 of his experience. He seems to have been a feeble and credulous 

 old man, and whatever the origin of the " epidemic " may have 

 been I am inclined to regard his experience as a genuine invasion 



