ti4 Life ami Lctteftt of FranriK (kUton 



the one hand and the extraordinary chamcler of the thing on the other, quite staggers me: 

 wondering what I shall yet see and loam I remain at present <|uite passive with my eyes and 

 ears open. Very sincerely yours, Fkancib (jALTOn. 



5 Bertie Terraci', Li'iiiiiiti;;tiiu. Murcli ;Jlst, 'I'l. 



Mt ueab Dakwin Your letter will he a great encounigoment to Crookes and I have for- 

 warded it to him to rvud, telling him what I had written. 



About the 'female' — 1 hesituted a full 10 minutes before inserting the word 'it' on the 

 ground that the subject of the story might be identified in after life and that the knowledge of 

 the trick might damage her marrying value! I do not know if I am over fastidious. It is purely 

 my own idea — no objection was raised by iiny of the family. So do entirely as you like'. Very 

 sincerely yours, Francis Galtok. 



42 Rutland Gate. A/n-il 19/72. 



My dear Darwin I have only had one seance since T wrote, but that was with Home in 

 full gas-light. The playing of the acconlion, held by its ha»e by one hand under the table and 

 again, away from the table and l>ehind the chair was extraordinar}'. The playing was remarkably 

 good and sweet'. It playe<l in Sergeant Cox's hands, but not in mine, although it shoved itself, 

 or was shoved under the tablp, into them. There were other things nearly as extraordinary. 

 What surpri.ses me, is the j)erfect apparent openness of Miss F. and Home. They let you do 

 whatever you like, within certain rea.sonable limits, their limits not interfering with ade(|uate 

 investigation. I rejilly Itelieve the truth of what they allege, that people who come us men of 

 science are usually so disagrtt^able, opinionated and obstructive and have so little patience, that 

 the seances rarely suceee<l with them. It is curious to observe the entire absence of excitement 

 or tension alx)Ut people at a seance. Familiarity has bred contempt of the strange tilings 

 witnessed, and the people find it as pleasant a way of passing an idle evening, by sitting round 

 a table and wondering what will turn up, as in any other way. Crooke-s, I am sure, so far as 

 it is just for me to give an opinion, is thoroughly scientific in his proceclure. I am convinced, 

 the atTair is no matter of vulgar legerdemain and Ijelieve it well worth going into, on the 

 understanding that afirtt rate medium (and I bear there are only 3 such) puts himself at your 

 disposal. 



Now considering that the evenings involve no strain, but are a repont;, like the smallest of occa- 

 sional gossip; considering that there is much possibility of the aiTair l)eing in many strange 

 respects true; considering that Home will, Iwna fide, put himself at our disposal for a suliicient 

 time (I assume this from Crookes' letUfr and IxOieve it, l>ecause it would Ije bad for Home's 

 reputation, if after offering he drew back; but of course this must be made clear); considering, 



(Griffin and Minchen, Li/e of liohert Brovnituj, p. 203, 1910) only did so publicly in this 

 poem, which .so strangely echoes Galtou's account of the seances. 



' This last paragraph refers to an entry in the pedigree of the nose-stroking family. 

 ' So Browning again : 



"All was not cheating, sir, I'm positive 



I don't know if I move your hand sometimes 



When the spontaneous writing sprejids so far. 



If my knee lifts the table all that height, 



Why the inkstand don't fall off the desk a-tilt, 



Why the a<;conlion plays a prettier waltz 



Than I can pick out on the piano- forte, 



Why I speak so much more than I intend 



De«cril)e so many things I never saw. 



I tell you, sir, in one sense I believe 



Nothing at all, — that everybody can. 



Will, and does cheat; but in another sense 



I'm ready to Iwlieve my very self — 



That every cheat's in8]>irod, and every lie 



Quick with a germ of truth." 



Mr Sludg*, "The Medium," loe. eil. p. 236. 



