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Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism Fraudulent and Genuine
Being a brief account of the most important historical phenomena; A Criticism of their evidential value; and a complete exposition of the methods employed in fraudulently reproducing the same.
464 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1998
About the author
Hereward Carrington
428 books12 followersHereward Carrington, Ph.D. (born Hubert Lavington) (17 October 1880 – 26 December 1958) was a well-known British investigator of psychic phenomena and author. His subjects included several of the most high-profile cases of apparent psychic ability of his times, and he wrote over 100 books on subjects including the paranormal and psychical research, conjuring and stage magic, and alternative health issues.
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August 16, 2024
THE BRITISH PSYCHIC INVESTIGATOR GIVES A LARGELY SKEPTICAL EXAMINATION
Hereward Carrington (1880-1958) was a well-known British investigator of psychic phenomena, as well as the author of many other books such as 'Eusapia Palladino and Her Phenomena.' He wrote in the Preface to the original 1907 edition of this book, "Many persons will doubtless consider [the book] an unnecessary attack upon spiritualism and the spiritistic creed, but I beg to assure my readers that such is by no means the case. It is BECAUSE I believe that such phenomena do occasionally occur, that I am anxious to expose the fraud connected with the subject---since it is only by doing so that we can ever hope to reach the genuine phenomena which are to be studied... the chief object of this book is to expose in full the METHODS that are employed in fraudulently reproducing the genuine phenomena---if genuine phenomena there be."
He states early on, "There can be no doubt, then, that the history of spiritualism is saturated with fraud, and that the vast majority of the phenomena obtained through mediums are fraudulent in character." (Pg. 9) He notes that the Society for Psychical Research "decided to 'drop' Eusapia, and to have nothing more to do with her. She had been detected in trickery... this course was a very unfortunate one, since the Continental investigators... continued their researches, and (apparently) showed that phenomena were produced when trickery was not possible... If Eusapia possesses genuine mediumistic gifts, it ought only to be a matter of time and sufficiently careful experimenting in order to establish that fact." (Pg. 12-14)
He points out, "If the séance is held in the dark... the medium's task is easy enough... he has only to press heavily on his side of the table, in order to cause an upward tilt on the side opposite to him, or, he may place his feet under one or both of the table-legs, and, by elevating HIS legs, and at the same time steadying the table with his hands, he can cause the table to be 'levitated' in a very remarkable manner..." (Pg. 73) He adds, "If the medium has full swing of the séance-room, he can cause a table to rise and float in the air ... by stretching two black threads across the room, these passing under the table. The threads are in the hands of assistants, who have only to raise the threads in their hands to 'levitate' the table." (Pg. 75-76)
He also observes, "It must not be forgotten that there is a sort of brotherhood among mediums throughout the country, enabling them to exchange information about sitters in this manner, to their mutual advantage and profit." (Pg. 219) Later, he added, "As numbers of mediums were constantly travelling over all parts of the country... in the course of a few years, a great mass of information was accumulated, which wa arranged, printed, and circulated among the mediums who had joined the Brotherhood. So closely was this secret guarded from the public, however, that it was in operation many years before any inkling was had of such a publication being in existence. It was called the 'Blue Book,' and its present size and thoroughness may be imagined when I state that the Blue Book contains about seven thousand names devoted to Boston alone!" (Pg. 314)
Nevertheless, he concludes, "The fact that so much fraud has been discovered, in the history of spiritualism, does not imply that all the physical phenomena that have occurred in the history of the subject, since its initiation, have been fraudulent, but rather that there must, at the first, have been some genuine manifestations to copy." (Pg. 335)
Carrington's book will be of keen interest to anyone studying the Spiritualist movement.
Hereward Carrington (1880-1958) was a well-known British investigator of psychic phenomena, as well as the author of many other books such as 'Eusapia Palladino and Her Phenomena.' He wrote in the Preface to the original 1907 edition of this book, "Many persons will doubtless consider [the book] an unnecessary attack upon spiritualism and the spiritistic creed, but I beg to assure my readers that such is by no means the case. It is BECAUSE I believe that such phenomena do occasionally occur, that I am anxious to expose the fraud connected with the subject---since it is only by doing so that we can ever hope to reach the genuine phenomena which are to be studied... the chief object of this book is to expose in full the METHODS that are employed in fraudulently reproducing the genuine phenomena---if genuine phenomena there be."
He states early on, "There can be no doubt, then, that the history of spiritualism is saturated with fraud, and that the vast majority of the phenomena obtained through mediums are fraudulent in character." (Pg. 9) He notes that the Society for Psychical Research "decided to 'drop' Eusapia, and to have nothing more to do with her. She had been detected in trickery... this course was a very unfortunate one, since the Continental investigators... continued their researches, and (apparently) showed that phenomena were produced when trickery was not possible... If Eusapia possesses genuine mediumistic gifts, it ought only to be a matter of time and sufficiently careful experimenting in order to establish that fact." (Pg. 12-14)
He points out, "If the séance is held in the dark... the medium's task is easy enough... he has only to press heavily on his side of the table, in order to cause an upward tilt on the side opposite to him, or, he may place his feet under one or both of the table-legs, and, by elevating HIS legs, and at the same time steadying the table with his hands, he can cause the table to be 'levitated' in a very remarkable manner..." (Pg. 73) He adds, "If the medium has full swing of the séance-room, he can cause a table to rise and float in the air ... by stretching two black threads across the room, these passing under the table. The threads are in the hands of assistants, who have only to raise the threads in their hands to 'levitate' the table." (Pg. 75-76)
He also observes, "It must not be forgotten that there is a sort of brotherhood among mediums throughout the country, enabling them to exchange information about sitters in this manner, to their mutual advantage and profit." (Pg. 219) Later, he added, "As numbers of mediums were constantly travelling over all parts of the country... in the course of a few years, a great mass of information was accumulated, which wa arranged, printed, and circulated among the mediums who had joined the Brotherhood. So closely was this secret guarded from the public, however, that it was in operation many years before any inkling was had of such a publication being in existence. It was called the 'Blue Book,' and its present size and thoroughness may be imagined when I state that the Blue Book contains about seven thousand names devoted to Boston alone!" (Pg. 314)
Nevertheless, he concludes, "The fact that so much fraud has been discovered, in the history of spiritualism, does not imply that all the physical phenomena that have occurred in the history of the subject, since its initiation, have been fraudulent, but rather that there must, at the first, have been some genuine manifestations to copy." (Pg. 335)
Carrington's book will be of keen interest to anyone studying the Spiritualist movement.
Displaying 1 of 1 review