1 883.] Reichenbach and the Psychical Research Society . 317 
substance about one’s body : as a precaution, however, Smith 
emptied his pockets beforehand.” Prof. Barrett adds, how- 
ever, “ At the same time it is quite possible a skilful operator, 
bent upon deceiving us, might be able to deteCt the moment 
of magnetisation and demagnetisation by feeling the move- 
ment of a concealed compass-needle. Against this hypo- 
thesis must be placed the faCd that no information was 
given to Smith beforehand of the nature of the experi- 
ment.” 
The possibilities of imposture are further greatly lessened 
by the experiments made with the boy Wells. His percep- 
tion of the luminous phenomena appears to have been more 
acute and sensitive than that of Smith. In the preliminary 
trials he saw the light earlier than Smith had done. The 
flame, according to his description, was larger and brighter 
than it appeared to Smith. To the latter, moreover, the 
light on breaking contaCl disappeared immediately, and he 
accordingly exclaimed “ It’s gone.” To Wells it seemed to 
die away, rapidly but not instantaneously, and he therefore 
said, “ Oh, you are spoiling it.” Prof. Barrett here points 
out that there was still a large residue of magnetism left in 
the eleCtro-magnet after the current was interrupted. We 
do not learn whether any experiments with permanent horse- 
shoe magnets were tried with Smith ; but with Wells some 
very valuable results were obtained in this manner. He 
saw the luminous appearance on the poles of both : when 
they were silently removed without his knowledge he de- 
tected at once their new position. Says Professor Barrett, 
“ Holding one of the magnets in my hand, Wells told me 
corredtly whether I moved the magnet up or down, or held 
it stationary : this was repeatedly tried with success.” 
It was further ascertained that no effeCt was produced by 
these magnets upon a small compass-needle, even at one- 
tenth of the distance at which Wells stood. Hence the 
compass trick, to which Prof. Barrett referred, would in this 
case be ineffectual. Moreover, it is scarcely conceivable 
that a baker’s shop lad would be familiar with this method 
of detecting magnetic aCtion. 
The next question which suggests itself concerns the 
compatibility of the luminous phenomena observed with 
known laws. We by no means mean to intimate that theo- 
ries ought to override faCts. But it will be granted that if 
some novel observation is found to be in harmony with our 
previous knowledge, we feel much better satisfied with its 
accuracy than if it appears irreconcilable and anomalous. 
If a luminous appearance hovers over the poles of magnets 
