It is all this, and far more! This soul-measuring process, of which the simplest application is to reveal the character of the writer of a manuscript, is capable of far more extended applications-capable of revealing the relations to man sustained by all organic and inorganic substances; capable of revealing the secrets of the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms; capable of extending our knowledge out rapidly into a broad ocean of truth, on the shores of which we are now slowly crawling.

The truth of these broad assertions would have been made obvious to progressive minds long ere this, if I had presented to their ultimates the experiments that I have made, recorded the results, and given them to the world. But the stolid reception given to as much of Psychometry as I thought proper to publish, destroyed, for the time, my desire to enlighten the great world without its consent and in opposition to its strongest prejudices.

Yet this field has not been entirely neglected; practitioners of Psychometry have made its power familiar to progressive minds; and I would express my thanks to Professor Denton for his valuable labours in this field, as shown in his interesting volume on the "Soul of Things."*

At some future time I shall make good the broad assertions just made as to the power of Psychometry; but at present I propose merely to make a practical suggestion as to its utility in aid of spiritual intercourse, the presentation of which was my first motive to this essay.

There are many who have not the capacity to be mediums for spiritual phenomena, who have, nevertheless, interesting and valuable psychometric capacities. If such a one could retire to a quiet situation and hold upon his forehead a piece of manuscript (resting his head upon a table), with an intelligent friend near by to question him and draw out his impressions, he would find a surprising coincidence between his impressions and the true character of the writer, or the mode in which he wrote. If his psychometric capacity is good, he will gradually enter more and more fully into the sphere of the writer, feel as he felt, and understand as he did his relations to society, and his entire physical condition. It will become apparent whether the writer is living or dead, whether his manuscript yields the strong physiological impression that belongs to animal life, or only the calm influence of spiritual consciousness. If the latter, there will soon be a rapport or sympathy established with his spiritual life. It will be apparent, perhaps, that he does not look upon the affairs of this life as he did whilst he was in it-that he has higher, kinder and truer views, and perhaps regrets something

A full account of this work is given in the article on "Psychometry" in the Spiritual Magazine for September, 1864.

N.S.-VII.

2 B

in his earthly life as not according with his present gentler and less passionate emotions. Thus may sympathy be established and spiritual intercourse be opened by many who at present would not believe themselves capable of ever reaching forth their hands to that supernal sphere in which departed friends have found a home.

There are so many mistakes in our intercourse with the spirit-world, and so much difficulty in the positive identification of spirits, that I would strongly urge the propriety of using the autograph of the friend with whom we wish to hold communication. Let a sheet of his manuscript be cut in pieces, and let each one in the circle hold a piece upon his forehead. All who are impressible will then be brought into sympathetic relation with him, and communications or impressions then received may be better relied upon, as coming from the proper source; at any rate it will speedily and surely establish the communication and insure the desired presence.

The present period is but the pale and shadowy dawn of a new era of intellectual progress. My discovery, in 1841, of the hitherto unknown organs in the brain, by which man holds communion with a higher world, and by which, in this life, he realises that marvellous insight into nature and destiny which belongs to angelic beings, gave a solid philosophic and anatomical basis to the dreamy hopes of philanthropists for a nobler condition of humanity, toward which these faculties are to be our pioneers. Psychometry was but one of the many diamonds then gathered in the rich Ophir of Anthropology, which it then seemed to me unnecessary to display in the dim twilight of thirty

years ago.

But the development of systematized spirit-intercourse, which occurred a few years later than my own discovery of the method of direct mental intercourse, has advanced mankind already more than a century in progress, and rendered it possible to teach the higher truths of Anthropology to millions who have been awakened from the torpor of ages by the dawning light of to-day.

Ere long I shall resume the long-neglected duty of completing the grand exposition of man's triune constitution-mind, brain and body-in which we find the Divine laws of his beingcorrelated with and analogous to the laws of the universe-laws which are the perfect guide of life, which point to the perfect reconstruction of society, and guide the individual to heaven here and hereafter. JOSEPH R. BUCHANAN.

Syracuse, N. Y., May 5th, 1872.

SPIRIT-PHOTOGRAPHS.

THE following, slightly abridged from the Spiritualist of July 15th, is a narrative of

SPIRITUAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN BRISTOL.

"In the experiments I am about to describe, you will find a great part of the evidence required exists in the registered results, and does not altogether depend upon the testimony of witnesses to one or more of the experiments.

"I will now give the history of these experiments, and how I was led to make them. I was convinced by the American evidence that there was truth in the statement that photographic impressions had been made through the instrumentality of invisible, intelligent beings. We generally find, if credence be given by many people to a statement, it may, nevertheless, contain much falsehood; but it must have had some root in truth. A falsehood wholly as such, cannot live, unless it draw nutriment from some hidden truth.

"I resolved to try if any result could be obtained in my own experience. I called upon an intimate friend (Mr. Butland), a good trance-medium; his duties allowed him but little time, nevertheless, I was successful in getting him to try the experiments with me. Two other gentlemen, Dr. Thompson and Mr. Tommy, agreed also to assist me.

"I next went to Mr. Josty, a professional photographer, and arranged with him for the use of his studio, glass, instruments, and such assistance from himself as we might require. The studio is lighted from nearly north. The camera takes three pictures or exposures on one plate, 8 inches by 5 inches in size; lens, Ross's, 6 inches in focus; all other conditions as usual, only, no dipping bath used, but a flat porcelain tray instead, with a lid to it, called by some, a developing tray. Time of day 6 p.m.; light well curtained,' and lens stopped down to lengthen the exposure to about two, and sometimes four minutes. The background was a common one used in everyday work, dark brown in colour, and standing close against the wall.

เ

"The medium sat with his back to it, with a little table in front of him, Dr. Thompson and Mr. Tommy sat at one side, and I, during exposure, at the other.

exposures

and no result.

Second one,

"First séance-nine a week after, on the ninth exposure;* if nothing had then taken place, we were resolved to give the matter up. We were pleased,

* The first manifestation was, therefore, on the eighteenth exposure.

however, to find, on the developer touching the plate, that an appearance leaped out at once. After long discussion, we found that the effect could not be classed in any category of ills that photography was heir to. This induced us to make farther trials. Let me mention that Mr. Josty, up to this point, was laughing at the mere idea of the experiments, although the result in the second séance had staggered him a little. In our third sitting, on the first plate no result, on the second plate a manifestation on each exposure; the first two like a luminous bust, with the hands crossed and raised; in the third the same form, but the figure elongated; above and in front of the figure is a strange angular form, differing in size and position in each exposure on the same plate.. In the next the figure changes nearer to the human form, and the other image above has grown like a star. This seeming evolution goes on for three more exposures, until the star assumes the outline of a head. While we were exposing one of this series, Mr. Josty uncapped the lens, and was sitting by the camera on a chair. We heard the cap of the lens fall out of his hands; on our looking he was in a deep trance, from which he awoke greatly excited and frightened. After he calmed down a little, he said the last thing he saw was a white figure in front of us, like his wife. After that took place, for the rest of the evening, he could not be induced even to touch the camera or slide, he was so superstitiously afraid. He did not laugh any more that evening.

"In the third series of experiments, the results took other forms more wonderful. First, we get a cone about threequarters of an inch long, with a shorter cone above it; both like sections of a wax candle. In the second, these forms radiate light laterally; in the third, the cone is changed into a form like a Florence flask, and the short one into a shape like a star; on the fourth the same forms appear, with a duplicate of the star given in addition. On the fifth, the effect is exactly as if an ignited magnesium wire had been dropped into each; the star is now like an illuminated flying bird, and the flask shape has burst into light.

"At our next séance we had eighteen exposures and no result; but the day was very wet. Then on Saturday, the 15th, we had most strange effects both physically and spiritually. I will try my best to give a truthful description. Twelve exposures, and no result. Then Mr. Butland and Mr. Josty were both entranced, and from that trance Mr. Josty never entirely recovered for the whole evening. He kept saying, 'Fat is dis? I feel queer! I am tied! (we smiled at the expression) Fat you say in England when you too much beer?' In fact, he felt the stupid sensation of semi-trance. On the next exposure his

duty was to uncap the lens. When he had done so, he walked quickly and stood behind us, at which we were surprised. When the time was up, he ran and replaced the cap. Observe

-on this one came out a white form in front of him, just leaving his head exposed. Now, to this hour, he will not believe he went and stood there; he evidently was guided to do so in the trance state.

"Next experiment, Mrs. Josty sat with us, and Dr. Thompson uncapped the lens. During the sitting, Mr. Josty said, 'I see what looks like a London fog.' On the next part of the plate going on, he said, 'Now I see nothing-all white,' and he stretched out his hands to convince himself we were there. On the third part of the plate going on for exposure, he said he saw a fog again, and Mr. Butland said, 'I see a figure before me.' Now, observe, these statements were made during the exposure. When I touched the plate with the developer, the result was most, nay, inconceivably, strange. The first came out covered by an equal semi-transparent veil, and the natural images neutralised, or destroyed; not only was an effect produced, but one prevented. On the next one was complete opacity. On the third a thin veil and figure, as seen by Mr. Butland.

"Next séance, only one result out of fifteen exposures. A figure like a dragon: I can attach no meaning to it. This was followed by an interesting session, in which the plates were covered with strange flames, in each case minutely described by both mediums as to number, position, and brightness during the exposure. One last trial on the 22nd, Mr. John Jones from London present. Mr. Josty was suffering from a severe headache, and Mr. Butland was much fatigued by other duties. Twenty-one exposures, and only three results: one a luminosity only, the other two forms like trusses, well rounded, with a clear line in front, and light radiating from behind.

"In this report I have given as well as I can a sort of skeleton of these experiments. During their progress much occurred that required to be seen and heard. The experiments were undertaken for our own satisfaction only. We closed every door from which there was the remotest suspicion of wrong getting entrance. Having done so, we commenced our work earnestly, hopefully, but truthfully. The results have well repaid us, even if we get no more. I enclose you for inspection a set of these results. I am sure you cannot fail to see their immense value in a scientific sense. During the whole of our experiments we have had explicit directions given us as to light, time of beginning and stopping of the lens. Before we begin our work, the table comes round and individually salutes us. I do all the photographic manipulating. The