Occultism and Common Sense Part 21

THE PHYSICAL PHENOMENA OF SPIRITUALISM: Fraudulent and Genuine. By HEREWARD CARRINGTON. Eleven Plates. 435 pp. Demy 8vo. 10s.

6d. net.

In its first part this book deals with the exposure of all kinds of trickery resorted to by fraudulent "mediums" in producing alleged spiritistic phenomena--slate-writing, sealed letters, materialisation etc.,--and explains clearly, by description and ill.u.s.trative pictures, exactly how the tricks are effected. In the second part of the volume is given an account of the most important phenomena which are vouched for by eminent scientists, which, after the most careful a.n.a.lysis, cannot be explained by any of the means known to legerdemain. Among those are recorded the famous experiments of Sir William Crookes, Professor Richet, Doctor Lombroso, etc.

As will appear from the description of the book's contents Mr Carrington's position is that, while a very great portion of alleged psychic phenomena is spurious or fraudulent, there yet remains a substantial residuum of cases apparently genuine which can only as yet be cla.s.sed as supernormal.

PROOFS OF LIFE AFTER DEATH. By R. J. THOMPSON. A Collation of Opinions as to a Future Life by the Most Eminent Scientific Men and Thinkers of the Day. Demy 8vo. 7s. 6d. net.

A Collation of Opinions as to a Future Life by such Eminent Scientific Men and Thinkers as Prof. N. S. Shaler, Prof. C. Richet, Camille Flammarion, Prof. Brunot, Sir William Crookes, Prof. Th. Flournoy, Prof.

Elmer Gates, Prof. William James, Dr Paul Joire, Dr Lombroso, Prof. S.

Newcomb, Prof. Hyslop, Dr M. J. Savage, Sir Oliver Lodge, Prof. Alfred Russel Wallace, Cardinal Gibbons, Andrew Lang, and many others. The book contains many arguments from a scientific standpoint that will interest all who wish evidence other than theological.

DO THE DEAD DEPART? and Other Questions. By E. KATHARINE BATES, author of "SEEN AND UNSEEN." Crown 8vo. 6s. net.

This somewhat original way of putting a well-worn query, prepares the reader for another book from the pen of Miss E. Katharine Bates.

In the present volume psychic matters are treated from a more philosophical standpoint than in "Seen and Unseen," which made no claim to be other than a truthful record of personal experiences. CONTENTS--SOME OBJECTIONS TO SPIRIT RETURN--SOME INSTANCES OF SPIRIT RETURN--A MOTHER'S GUARDIANs.h.i.+P IN AMERICA--A CURIOUS ILl.u.s.tRATION OF SPIRIT METHODS--BIBLICAL INCIDENTS--CLAIRVOYANCE--CLAIRAUDIENCE--RE-INCARNATION--AUTOMATIC WRITING--MATERIALISATION--HOW THE DEAD DEPART--GUARDIAN CHILDREN--APPENDIX