286 



MY LIFE 



Chap. 



seems so impossible, with such a man, for instance, as Huxley, 

 to obtain a moment's patience for this subject — so infinitely- 

 transcending all those of physical science in the potential 

 results ! 



" My idea is that the term * supernatural ' is a gross 

 mistake. We have only to enlarge our conceptions of the 

 natural, and all will be right. , 

 " I am, dear sir, 



" Yours very sincerely, 



"Robert Chambers." 



In the latter part of the year, while attending the meeting 

 of the British Association at Dundee, I visited St. Andrews, 

 and after a geological excursion under the guidance of Sir 

 A. Geikie, and a collation with the university authorities, at 

 which Robert Chambers was present, I had the great pleasure 

 of an hour's conversation with him in his own house. The 

 Spiritual Magazine^ founded by William Howitt and some 

 friends, was at that time admirably edited by Mr. Thomas 

 Shorter, and my host told me that he always read it through 

 from cover to cover, and that few of the magazines of the 

 day contained so much valuable information and so much 

 good writing as this depised periodical, in which I fully agreed 

 with him. 



Two years later (in 1869) I received a letter from him 

 to introduce me to Miss Douglas, a lady much interested 

 in spiritualism, who lived in South Audley Street. Here I 

 attended many seances — on one occasion when Home was 

 the medium and Mr. (now Sir William) Crookes was present. 

 As I was the only one of the company w^ho had not witnessed 

 any of the remarkable phenomena that occurred in his pre- 

 sence, I was invited to go under the table while an accordion 

 was playing, held in Home's hand, his other hand being on 

 the table. The room was well lighted, and I distinctly saw 

 Home's hand holding the instrument, which moved up and 

 down and played a tune without any visible cause. On 

 stating this, he said, " Now I will take away my hand " — 

 which he did ; but the instrument went on playing, and I 



