Alfred Russel Wallace 



other action possible. Their evidence is just as valueless as 

 that of the people who say that all thought-transference is 

 collusion or imposture ! 



I do not say that it is not " muscular action," though 

 I believe it is not always so, but I do say that you have 

 as yet given not a particle of proof that it is so, while 

 scattered through your paper is plenty of evidence which 

 points to its being something quite different. Such are 

 the cases when people hold the rod for the first time and 

 have never seen a dowser work, yet the rod turns, over 

 water, to their great astonishment, etc. etc. 



Your conclusion that it is " clairvoyance " is a good 

 provisional conclusion, but till we know what clairvoy- 

 ance really is it explains nothing, and is merely another 

 way of stating the fact. 



I believe all true clairvoyance to be spirit impres- 

 sion, and that all true dowsing is the same — that is, 

 when in either case it cannot be thought-transference, 

 but even this I believe to be also, for the most part, if 

 not wholly, spirit impression. — Believe me yours very 



^^^^Jf Alfred R. Wallace. 



To Prof. Barrett 



Parkstone, Dorset. February 17, 1901. 



My dear Barrett, — I am rather sorry you wrote to any 

 one of the Society for Psychical Research people about my 

 being asked to be President, because I should certainly feel 

 compelled to decline it. I never go, willingly, to London 

 now, and should never attend meetings, so pray say no more 

 about it. Besides, I am so widely known as a '' crank " and 

 a ^' faddist " that my being President would injure the 

 Society, as much as Lord Rayleigh would benefit it, so pray 

 do not put any obstacle in his way, though of course there 



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