472 Further Experiments [October, 



under the impression that they are annihilating me. Others, 

 — and I am glad to say they are very few, — have gone 

 so far as to question my veracity : — " Mr. Crookes must 

 get better witnesses before he can be believed !" Accustomed 

 as I am to have my word believed without witnesses, this is 

 an argument which I cannot condescend to answer. All 

 who know me and read my articles will, I hope, take it 

 for granted that the facts I lay before them are correct, and 

 that the experiments were honestly performed, with the 

 single object of eliciting the truth. 



It is edifying to compare some of the present criticisms 

 with those that were written twelve months ago. When I 

 first stated in this journal that I was about to investigate 

 the phenomena of so-called spiritualism, the announcement 

 called forth universal expressions of approval. One said 

 that my "statements deserved respectful consideration ;" 

 another, expressed " profound satisfaction that the subject 

 was about to be investigated by a man so thoroughly quali- 

 fied as," &c. ; a third was " gratified to learn that the 

 matter is now receiving the attention of cool and clear-headed 

 men of recognised position in science ; " a fourth asserted 

 that " no one could doubt Mr. Crookes's ability to conduct 

 the investigation with rigid philosophical impartiality ; " and a 

 fifth was good enough to tell its readers that " if men like 

 Mr. Crookes grapple with the subject, taking nothing for 

 granted until it is proved, we shall soon know how much to 

 believe." 



These remarks, however, were written too hastily. It was 

 taken for granted by the writers that the results of my ex- 

 periments would be in accordance with their preconceptions. 

 What they really desired was not the truth, but an additional 

 witness in favour of their own foregone conclusion. When 

 they found that the facts which that investigation established 

 could not be made to fit those opinions, why, — " so much 

 the worse for the facts." They try to creep out of their 

 own confident recommendations of the enquiry by declaring 

 that " Mr. Home is a clever conjuror, who has duped us all." 

 " Mr. Crookes might, with equal propriety, examine the per- 

 formances of an Indian juggler." " Mr. Crookes must get 

 better witnesses before he can be believed." " The thing is 

 too absurd to be treated seriously." " It is impossible, and 

 therefore can't be."* " The observers have all been biolo- 

 gised (!) and fancy they saw things occur which really never 

 took place," &c, &c. 



* The quotation occurs to me — " I never said it was possible, I only said it 

 was true." 



