92 Notes of an Enquiry into the |January, 
“Yes,” wrote the planchette. ‘‘ Can you see to read this ) 
newspaper?” said I, putting my finger on a copy of the 
Times, which was on a table behind me, but without looking 
at it. ‘‘ Yes’’ was the reply of the planchette. ‘* Well,” 
I said, “‘if you can see that, write the word which is 
now covered by my finger, and I will believe you.” The 
planchette commenced to move. Slowly and with great 
difficulty, the word ‘‘ however” was written. I turned 
round and saw that the word ‘‘ however” was covered by the 
tip of my finger. 
I had purposely avoided looking at the newspaper when 
I tried this experiment, and it was impossible for the lady, 
had she tried, to have seen any of the printed words, for she 
was sitting at one table, and the paper was on another table 
behind, my body intervening. 
Crass XIII. 
Miscellaneous Occurrences of a Complex Character. 
Under this heading I propose to give several occurrences 
which cannot be otherwise classified owing to their complex 
character. Out of more than a dozen cases, I will select 
two. ‘The first occurred in the presence of Miss Kate Fox. 
To render it intelligible, I must enter into some details. 
Miss Fox had promised to give me a séance at my house 
one evening in the spring of last year. Whilst waiting for 
her, a lady relative, with my two eldest sons, aged 
fourteen and eleven, were sitting in the dining-room where 
the séances were always held, and I was sitting by myself, 
writing in the library. Hearing a cab drive up and the 
bell ring, I opened the door to Miss Fox, and took her 
directly into the dining-room. She said she would not 
go upstairs, as she could not stay very long, but laid her 
bonnet and shawl on a chair in the room. I then went 
to the dining-room door, and telling the two boys to go 
into the library and proceed with their lessons, I closed the 
door behind them, locked it, and (according to my usual 
custom at séances) put the key in my pocket. 
We sat down, Miss Fox being on my right hand and the 
other lady on my left. An alphabetic message was soon 
given to turn the gas out, and we thereupon sat in total 
darkness, I holding Miss Fox’s two hands in one of mine the 
whole time. Very soon, a message was given in the following 
words, ‘‘ We are going to bring something to show our 
power ;” and almost immediately afterwards, we all heard 
the tinkling of a bell, not stationary, but moving about in 
