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is not my purpose to deal with any doubts of the kind—if I had time 
I have not the inclination, as only personal experience can convince 
persons whether the wonders of artificial somnambulism are true or 
not. I must ask those who disbelieve in the whole matter, to bear 
with me while I attempt what must appear to them the unprofitable 
enquiry—how the mind of Mr. Fletcher received the impression of 
the appearance of the interior of the Upper School at Eton. I had 
hold of Mr. Fletcher’s hand: could that be the medium of contact 
between my brain and his? This solution must be dismissed at 
once; it might explain this individual case, but in the great 
majority of cases there is no contact between the clairvoyant and 
his questioner. 
So far as I know, only three theories are put forward in 
explanation of similar cases by those who would believe the 
external circumstances to be as I state them. The first is the 
belief that man possesses a soul, and that this soul in certain 
abnormal conditions of the body is freed from the limitations 
which that body ordinarily imposes on it. With people holding 
this belief, the solution is easy. According to them, the soul of 
the clairvoyant—which is himself, while his body is in a state 
of insensibility—is able to have cognizance of the place in 
obedience to the will of the operator. I shall not dwell upon this, 
whatever my own opinion may be, as it begs the question, and, if 
admitted, proves more than I require for my argument. The 
second is difficult of explanation, if indeed capable of it. It 
is as follows—that there is no question of soul or other conscious- 
ness than that which is a secretion of the body. That in certain 
abnormal conditions the powers of the body become marvellously 
extended—how they are extended is not known—and the man 
sees without the use of his eyes. What is worth remarking here is, 
that there is an admitted independence of the organs of sight. 
Another solution would be that Mr. Fletcher was able to describe 
the appearance of the Upper School by what is called thought- 
reading ;—that he read the thoughts that were passing through my 
brain at the time. That the phenomenon of thought-reading exists 
I have little doubt, but it is quite distinct from clairvoyance. If 
