men submit unquestioningly to the commands of other men of stronger wills than their own, even to their own injury. It is one of the marvels of this world, and one of the secrets of the possibility of the wretched government and misrule we see, that men so blindly submit to one another's will, and then talk of liberty."
As we had been just talking of spiritualism, I suggested a séance. I was not much of a believer in it, but I knew Hilbert professed to be a medium; and I thought at least, if there was anything in it, that this might be a way of solving the secret about my mysterious friend, without asking him questions. I rather thought he objected to the séance at first, but at length consented to join the circle. We half turned down the lights, and laid our hands on the table in the approved mode. In a few minutes Hilbert gave symptoms of drowsiness, and then appeared to be slightly convulsed, the usual symptom of what spiritualists call "being under control." A sheet of paper and a pencil had been laid on the table under a cover. "Take off that cover," said Hilbert. I did so, and on the paper was traced these word:—
"We cannot reveal anything to-night. There is one in the room whom we cannot understand, but who looks very different to us from what he
