Page:The Naturalisation of the Supernatural.pdf/345

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The Case of Mrs. Piper
325

forget it, and she has done so in good measure, but she was ill a long time. She is a dear little creature when you know her, but she is hard to know. She is a beautiful little soul. She sends her love to her father.

Berwick, how is he? Give him my love. He is a good fellow; he is what I always thought him in life, trustworthy and honourable. How is Orenberg? He has some of my letters. Give him my warmest love. He was always very fond of me, though he understood me least of all my friends. We fellows who are eccentric are always misunderstood in life. I used to have fits of depression. I have none now. I am happy now. I want my father to know about this. We used to talk about spiritual things, but he will be hard to convince. My mother will be easier. ..[1]

In brief, between twenty and thirty persons who were friends of G. P. in life had sittings with Mrs. Piper, at which communications were given, purporting to come from the deceased. Most of these communications were accurate, relevant, and characteristic; many of them were of a kind too intimately personal for publication. On more than one occasion incidents which had taken place at a distance, unknown to any one in the room, were described with approximate correctness. References were constantly made to G. P.'s affairs, his manuscripts, and personal effects, which betrayed an intimate acquaintance with his own concerns and those of his friends. Many long conversations, partly by writing, and partly by voice, were held with Dr. Hodgson and other persons known to G. P.; and throughout the trance-intelligence showed an individual personality—a personality,

  1. Proceedings, S. P. R., vol. xiii.. pp. 300, 301.