96 Notes of an Enquiry into the (January, 
Second Theory.—The persons at a séance are the victims of 
a sort of mania or delusion, and imagine phenomena 
to occur which have no real obje¢tive existence. 
Third Theory.—The whole is the result of conscious or 
unconscious cerebral action. 
These two theories are evidently incapable of embracing 
more than a small portion of the phenomena, and they are 
improbable explanations for even those. They may be 
dismissed very briefly. 
I now approach the ‘‘ Spiritual’ theories. It must be 
remembered that the word ‘“‘ spirits’ is used in a very vague 
sense by the generality of people. 
Fourth Theory.—The result of the spirit of the medium, 
perhaps in association with the spirits of some or all of 
the people present. 
Fifth Theory—The actions of evil spirits or devils, 
personifying who or what they please, in order to undermine 
Christianity and ruin men’s souls. 
Sixth Theory.— The actions of a separate order of beings, 
living on this earth, but invisible and immaterial to us. 
Able, however, occasionally to manifest their presence. 
Known in almost all countries and ages as demons (not 
necessarily bad), gnomes, fairies, kobolds, elves, goblins, 
Puck, &c. 
Seventh Theory.—The actions of departed human beings— 
the spiritual theory par excellence. 
Eighth Theory.—(The Psychic Force Theory).—This is a 
necessary adjunct to the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th theories, 
rather than a theory by itself. 
According to this theory the ‘‘ medium,” or the circle of 
people associated together as a whole, is supposed to 
possess a force, power, influence, virtue, or gift, by means of 
which intelligent beings are enabled to produce the phe- 
nomena observed. What these intelligent beings are is a 
subject for other theories. 
It is obvious that a ‘‘medium’” possesses a something 
which is not possessed by an ordinary being. Give this 
something aname. Call it “x” if you like. Mr. Serjeant 
Cox calls it Psychic Force. ‘There has been so much mis- 
understanding on this subject that I think it best tu give the 
following explanation in Mr. Serjeant Cox’s own words :— 
‘“The Theory of Psychic Force is in itself merely the recog- 
nition of the now almost undisputed fact that under certain 
conditions, as yet but imperfectly ascertained, and within a 
limited, but as yet undefined, distance from the bodies of 
certain persons having a special nerve organisation, a Force 
operates by which, without muscular contact or connection, 
