illustrate what I mean from an experiment which Paracelsus
describes as not difficult； and which the author of the
'Curiosities of Literature' cites as credible： A flower perishes；
you burn it。 Whatever were the elements of that flower while it
lived are gone； dispersed； you know not whither； you can never
discover nor re…collect them。 But you can； by chemistry； out of
the burned dust of that flower； raise a spectrum of the flower；
just as it seemed in life。 It may be the same with the human
being。 The soul has as much escaped you as the essence or elements
of the flower。 Still you may make a spectrum of it。 And this
phantom； though in the popular superstition it is held to be the
soul of the departed； must not be confounded with the true soul； it
is but the eidolon of the dead form。 Hence； like the best…attested
stories of ghosts or spirits； the thing that most strikes us is the
absence of what we hold to be soul；that is； of superior
emancipated intelligence。 These apparitions come for little or no
object；they seldom speak when they do come； if they speak； they
utter no ideas above those of an ordinary person on earth。
American spirit seers have published volumes of communications； in
prose and verse； which they assert to be given in the names of the
most illustrious dead： Shakespeare； Bacon；Heaven knows whom。
Those communications； taking the best； are certainly not a whit of
higher order than would be communications from living persons of
fair talent and education； they are wondrously inferior to what
Bacon； Shakespeare； and Plato said and wrote when on earth。 Nor；
what is more noticeable； do they ever contain an idea that was not
on the earth before。 Wonderful； therefore； as such phenomena may
be （granting them to be truthful）； I see much that philosophy may
question； nothing that it is incumbent on philosophy to deny；
namely； nothing supernatural。 They are but ideas conveyed somehow
or other （we have not yet discovered the means） from one mortal
brain to another。 Whether； in so doing； tables walk of their own
accord； or fiendlike shapes appear in a magic circle； or bodiless
hands rise and remove material objects； or a Thing of Darkness；
such as presented itself to me； freeze our blood；still am I
persuaded that these are but agencies conveyed； as by electric
wires； to my own brain from the brain of another。 In some
constitutions there is a natural chemistry； and those constitutions
may produce chemic wonders；in others a natural fluid； call it
electricity； and these may produce electric wonders。 But the
wonders differ from Normal Science in this；they are alike
objectless； purposeless； puerile； frivolous。 They lead on to no
grand results； and therefore the world does not heed； and true
sages have not cultivated them。 But sure I am； that of all I saw
or heard； a man； human as myself； was the remote originator； and I
believe unconsciously to himself as to the exact effects produced；
for this reason： no two persons； you say； have ever told you that
they experienced exactly the same thing。 Well； observe； no two
persons ever experience exactly the same dream。 If this were an
ordinary imposture； the machinery would be arranged for results
that would but little vary； if it were a supernatural agency
permitted by the Almighty； it would surely be for some definite
end。 These phenomena belong to neither class； my persuasion is；
that they originate in some brain now far distant； that that brain
had no distinct volition in anything that occurred； that what does
occur reflects but its devious； motley； ever…shifting； half…formed
thoughts； in short； that it has been but the dreams of such a brain
put into action and invested with a semisubstance。 That this brain
is of immense power； that it can set matter into movement； that it
is malignant and destructive； I believe； some material force must
have killed my dog； the same force might； for aught I know； have
sufficed to kill myself； had I been as subjugated by terror as the
dog；had my intellect or my spirit given me no countervailing
resistance in my will。〃
〃It killed your dog；that is fearful！ Indeed it is strange that
no animal can be induced to stay in that house； not even a cat。
Rats and mice are never found in it。〃
〃The instincts of the brute creation detect influences deadly to
their existence。 Man's reason has a sense less subtle； because it
has a resisting power more supreme。 But enough； do you comprehend
my theory？〃
〃Yes； though imperfectly；and I accept any crotchet （pardon the
word）； however odd； rather than embrace at once the notion of
ghosts and hobgoblins we imbibed in our nurseries。 Still； to my
unfortunate house； the evil is the same。 What on earth can I do
with the house？〃
〃I will tell you what I would do。 I am convinced from my own
internal feelings that the small； unfurnished room at right angles
to the door of the bedroom which I occupied； forms a starting point
or receptacle for the influences which haunt the house； and I
strongly advise you to have the walls opened； the floor removed；
nay； the whole room pulled down。 I observe that it is detached
from the body of the house； built over the small backyard； and
could be removed without injury to the rest of the building。〃
〃And you think； if I did that〃
〃You would cut off the telegraph wires。 Try it。 I am so persuaded
that I am right； that I will pay half the expense if you will allow
me to direct the operations。〃
〃Nay； I am well able to afford the cost； for the rest allow me to
write to you。〃
About ten days after I received a letter from Mr。 J telling me
that he had visited the house since I had seen him； that he had
found the two letters I had described； replaced in the drawer from
which I had taken them； that he had read them with misgivings like
my own； that he had instituted a cautious inquiry about the woman
to whom I rightly conjectured they had been written。 It seemed
that thirty…six years ago （a year before the date of the letters）
she had married； against the wish of her relations； an American of
very suspicions character； in fact； he was generally believed to
have been a pirate。 She herself was the daughter of very
respectable tradespeople； and had served in the capacity of a
nursery governess before her marriage。 She had a brother； a
widower； who was considered wealthy； and who had one child of about
six years old。 A month after the marriage the body of this brother
was found in the Thames； near London Bridge； there seemed some
marks of violence about his throat； but they were not deemed
sufficient to warrant the inquest in any other verdict that that of
〃found drowned。〃
The American and his wife took charge of the little boy； the
deceased brother having by his will left his sister the guardian of
his only child；and in event of the child's death the sister
inherited。 The child died about six months afterwards；it was
supposed to have been neglected and ill…treated。 The neighbors
deposed to have heard it shriek at night。 The surgeon who had
examined it after death said that it was emaciated as if from want
of nourishment； and the body was covered with livid bruises。 It
seemed that one winter night the child had sought to escape； crept
out into the back yard； tried to scale the wall； fallen back
exhausted； and been found at morning on the stones in a dying
state。 But though there was some evidence of cruelty； there was
none of murder； and the aunt and her husband had sought to palliate
cruelty by alleging the exceeding stubbornness and perversity of
the child； who was declared to be half…witted。 Be that as it may；
at the orphan's death the aunt inherited her brother's fortune。
Before the first wedded year was out； the American quitted England
abruptly； and never returned to it。 He obtained a cruising vessel；
which was lost in the Atlantic two years afterwards。 The widow was
left in affluence； but reverses of various kinds had befallen her：
a bank broke； an investment failed； she went into a small business
and became insolvent； then she entered into service； sinking lower
and lower； from housekeeper down to maid…of…all…work；never long
retaining a place； though nothing decided against her character was
ever alleged。 She was considered sober； honest； and peculiarly
quiet in her ways； still nothing prospered with her。 And so she
had dropped into the workhouse； from which Mr。 J had taken her；
to be placed in charge of the very house which she had rented as
mistress in the first year of her wedded life。
Mr。 J added that he had passed an hour alone in the unfurnished
room which I had urged him to destroy； and that his impressions of
dread while there were so great； though he had neither heard nor
seen anything； that he was eager to have the walls bared and the
floors removed as I had suggested。 He had engaged persons for the
work； and would commence any day I would name。
The day was accordingly fixed。 I repaired to the haunted house；
we went into the blind； dreary room； took up the skirting； and then
the floors。 Under the rafters； covered with rubbish； was found a
trapdoor； quite large enough to admit a man。 It was closely nailed
down； with clamps and rivets of iron。 On removing these we
descended into a room below； the existence of which had never been
suspected。 In this room there had been a window and a flue； but
they had been bricked over； evidently for many years。 By the help
of candles we examined this place； it still retained some moldering
furniture；three chairs； an oak settle； a table；all of the
fashion of about eighty years ago。 There was a chest of drawers
against the wall； in which we found； half rotted away； old…
fashioned articles of a man's dress； such as might have been worn
eighty or a hundred years ago by a gentleman of some rank； costly
steel buckles and buttons； like those yet worn in court dresses； a
handsome court sword； in a waistcoat which had once been rich with
gold lace； but which was now blackened and foul with damp； we found
five guineas； a few silver coins； and an ivory ticket； probably for
some place of entertainment long since passed away。 But our main
discovery was in a kind