592 The Outline of Science 



though rarely, not exposed, but screened from the view of the 

 operator; some form of pointer being usually employed as in- 

 dicator of the letters, for convenience. This is a more elementary 

 form of manifestation ; for the letters are already formed, and only 

 have to be pointed at instead of written. Sometimes the muscular 

 action takes the form of tilts or taps, which repeat themselves as 

 the alphabet is recited by somebody present, and which stop when 

 the intended letter is reached. Or else, as in some cases, a tilt is 

 given only when the intended letter is reached. All these variations 

 are trivial: the important thing is the substance of the communi- 

 cation, and the proof of identity which can thus be obtained. 



Here, therefore, a caution a much needed caution. The ease 

 with which communication of some kind can be got, by tilts and 

 by pointing to letters, enables people with extraordinarily small 

 mediumistic power to get results of some kind. So also can they 

 be got, by a fair number of people, through automatic writing. 

 And in many cases it has to be pointed out, politely but emphati- 

 cally, that what they get is very rubbishy, and may be due to the 

 unconscious tapping of their own dream stratum. 



Occasionally, if people are truly susceptible to telepathic in- 

 fluences, even the dream stratum may be the recipient of genuine 

 impressions from a distant mind or scene; and in that case even 

 dreams, as well as the more mechanical methods of tapping the 

 subconsciousness, may be veridical or truth-telling, that is to say, 

 may give information unknown to the persons operating, which 

 yet can subsequently be verified. 



This undoubtedly happens occasionally, however it be ac- 

 counted for ; but, as a rule, it may be said that the more mysterious 

 or occult modes of writing, or spelling, or talking, are of no parti- 

 cular value merely because they are puzzling and occult. In some 

 painful cases they are no better than if the person operating 

 allowed the fancy to roam at large and say whatever came into its 

 ken. The tricks of the subconsciousness are innumerable: much 

 more so than novices suspect. 



