THE PROGRESS OF PSYCHICAL RESEARCH. 483 



As far back as our records reach perhaps, as Mr. Spencer thinks, 

 from the childhood of our race a belief in the existence of invisible 

 and, on physical grounds, unexplainable beings and modes of action 

 has existed in human society. Sometimes this belief has dominated 

 a larger, sometimes a smaller portion of mankind, and the attitude of 

 the intelligent classes toward it has correspondingly varied. In our 

 own day this belief not only exists, but it influences a far greater 

 number of persons than the chance observer supposes. 



Of late years the effects of this belief in supersensible beings and 

 influences have shown themselves in many ways and places, particu- 

 larly in Great Britain and America. We have heard of numberless 

 clairvoyants, spiritualists, mesmerizers, and mind-readers. The nine- 

 teenth-century scientist has hitherto found no leisure to investigate 

 the many remarkable occurrences that, from time to time, have been 

 spoken and written of ; or, if he has had the leisure, he has spurned 

 the reports of these occurrences as beneath his notice as an educated 

 and well-balanced man. Nevertheless, the fact that such occurrences 

 as we refer to, numerous instances of which are familiar to every one, 

 have been allowed to pass uninvestigated, has been a standing reproach 

 to true science. Science prides itself on dealing with phenomena of 

 any kind whatsoever, without fear or favor. And these occurrences, 

 and the belief which many intelligent men and women hold in refer- 

 ence to them, are certainly phenomena. Grant, for the sake of argu- 

 ment, that the occurrences are fictitious and fraudulent, the belief in 

 them remains as a phenomenon in human nature. Instances of this 

 form part of our experience quite as truly, if not so frequently, as 

 the sensations of heat and light do. If they are false, let us know 

 the fact on demonstrable grounds ; if true, let us know how and why. 

 At all events, we must have scientific knowledge concerning them. 



If this investigation is to be scientific, it must be undertaken in a 

 thoroughly impartial spirit. We must lay aside our preconceived no- 

 tions, and examine the facts as we find them. We want to know the 

 truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 



About four years ago certain gentlemen in England, all of them well 

 known in their respective callings, found that they held substantially 

 the opinions which we have just outlined, and the result was the for- 

 mation of a Society for Psychical Research. It is to the work of this 

 society that we desire to call attention. 



The personnel of the society is remarkable, and of a character to 

 command the greatest respect and confidence. The first president was 

 Henry Sidgwick, the distinguished Professor of Moral Philosophy at 

 Cambridge, and on the list of the earliest officers and council we find 

 such names as those of Professor Balfour Stewart, Professor Barrett, 

 of Dublin, Richard H. Hutton, Edmund Gurney, and F. W. H. Myers. 

 That the principle and work of the society continue to inspire confi- 

 dence may be inferred from the fact that, since its organization in 



