THE DEATH OF DARWIN 189 



field they could get at without breaking the 

 fences, was quite lovely." 



On August 22 he was at Southampton with 

 the Wilberforces for the British Association 

 meeting. He was astonished to find himself in 

 an atmosphere of Spiritualism ! Mr. Bishop, 

 the thought-reader, was asked to meet him. It 

 was suggested that Mr. Bishop should try to 

 read the number of a £5 note in Sir John's 

 purse. " He placed his hand over, and some- 

 times grasped my wrist, writing at the same 

 time on a blackboard. The following day he 

 called and asked if he might give an account of 

 what took place. I did not much like this, and 

 thought it better to put the matter in my own 

 words." Accordingly he wrote Mr. Bishop the 

 following letter : 



London, 25 August 1882. 



Dear Sir — When I met you at Canon Wilberforce's, 

 I did not expect to be asked for a statement of what 

 took place, but as you wish me to put down what occurred 

 with reference to the £5 note, I will not decline to 

 do so. 



I took the note out of my purse, looked at the number, 

 and then replaced it without showing it to any one else. 

 The number was, if I remember right, 95,974. You 

 gave the first number right, and almost at once, then 

 hesitated some minutes, eventually making a three, 

 but at the same time expressing doubt. The remaining 

 numbers you wrote down correctly. I was not conscious 

 of giving any indication which could have guided you, 

 and, whatever the explanation may be, the experiment 

 interested me very much. — I am, yours truly, 



John Lubbock. 



W. I. Bishop, Esq. 



P.S. — You subsequently rubbed out the three and 

 made a five, but I do not mention this, because I had 

 in the meantime stated that five was the right number. 





