From the Unconscious to the Conscious 



bring these eminent men to an unexpected conviction 

 by the methods most likely to produce a strong impres- 

 sion. 



2. In what concerns the ' teaching ' given by the 

 communicators, the difficulties of an estimate are no 

 less considerable. 



These teachings are too variable in nature and value 

 to be made the basis for rational beliefs. 



The contradictions which M. Maxwell 1 has taken 

 pains to set forth are very disconcerting to any one who 

 thinks to base his beliefs on them. But it is not less 

 obvious that these contradictions are both natural and 

 inevitable. 



Bearing in mind the notions which have been demon- 

 strated above, a mediumistic communication may be 

 conceived to have either of two origins: 



(a) The communication may come entirely from the 

 medium. 



In this case it may be due to cerebral automatism, 

 or to a mental disjunction and a factitious personality, 

 or it may be a manifestation of crypto-psychism or 

 cryptomnesia. . . . Obviously then its value will be very 

 variable. Intellectual mediumship will be sometimes 

 the source of wonderful foreknowledge or revelations; 

 or sometimes, and more frequently, of platitudes, false- 

 hoods, and errors. It may show a superior inspiration; 

 it may also display a disconcerting and silly incoherence. 

 There are all degrees and categories in the products of 

 mental disjunction; and only those who are ignorant 

 can be surprised or moved by them. 



' We are incarcerated prisoners,' Maeterlinck - 

 exclaims poetically: 'with whom he (the real Self, 

 the unknown guest) does not communicate when- 

 ever he will. He prowls round the walls, he cries, 



1 Maxwell : Les Phtnomenes Psychiques. 

 Maeterlinck : L'Hdte Inconnu. 

 269 



