76 Notices of Books. (January, 
This, however, forms the smallest, though the most important 
and valuable portion, of the Report. It contains also the evidence 
taken viva voce of the experiences of a great number of dis- 
tinguished as well as undistinguished persons, who describe a 
vast variety of phenomena very different from those which the 
calm and vigilant eyes of the sub-committee were enabled to 
view. Without questioning the veracity of any of those witnesses, 
it is sufficient to say that some portion of the marvels they 
narrate are explicable by certain well-known principles of mental 
action, whereby ideas formed im the mind are by the mind pro- 
jected as it were outside itself, and appear to itself as if they were 
impressions conveyed by the senses, when, in fact, they are existing 
only in the sensorium. It may fairly be anticipated that the 
scientific examination with which this Force will be subjected 
everywhere, now that its existence is established, will solve also 
many of the problems in which the more obscure phenomena of 
Psychology are at present involved, and we shall obtain a clear 
insight into the causes of some things which now are inexplicable. 
At all events, the plain duty of Science is to submit to the most 
careful and elaborate examination and test all those physical 
phenomena of Psychic Force that are capable of scientific 
examination. 
Following the viva voce evidence are letters received by the com- 
mittee from a great number of persons eminent in science, literature, 
and art, who state frankly their opinions—some accepting, others 
denying, the truth of the phenomena. But it is worthy of remark 
that all who are convinced have become so after personal examina- 
tion of these phenomena; while all who deny them, without 
a single exception, have either never seen them at all or have not 
bestowed upon them the same patient trial as they would have 
given toexperiments inchemistry ormagnetism; and it is a striking 
fact that there is not a solitary case of any person after a patient 
investigation coming forward to declare that he had discovered 
an imposture, and to show by what contrivance the trick was 
done so that it might be imitated by others. 
The Editing Committee have been, we have said, ¢oo impartial 
in the introduction of opinions, for they have occupied many 
pages with mere speculations, such as those of Miss Blackwell, 
which were certainly not within the proper scope of an inquiry 
that was designed to collect facts, not opinions. Should a ~ 
second edition be called for, and we hear that the sale has 
already become very large, we would recommend to the com- 
mittee to omit all this portion of the work, and so to reduce its 
bulk and price. It will thus be introduced to a very wide circle 
of readers, who now can procure it only from the book club or 
the circulating library, but who would prefer to possess it for 
reference as well as for reading. It has made a great stir in the 
world, and must produce results still more important, for this 
Report is the testimony of a skilful and intelligent body of men 
