'Twixt Two Worlds
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'TWIXT TWO WORLDS: A Narrative of The Life and Work of William Eglinton. JOHN S. FARMER, AUTHOR OF "A NEW BASIS OF BELIEF IN IMMORTALITY," "HOW TO INVESTIGATE SPIRITUALISM," "EX ORIENTE LUX," ETC., ETC. LONDON: 1886. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. Early Life and Development as a Psychic 1 II. Early Professional Mediumship 5 III. The "Blackburn Seances" 8 IV. Work in London, the Provinces, and Abroad 14 V. Remarkable Seances At Malvern 21 VI. Private Seances and Spiritualism at Home 30 VII. South African Experiences 42 VIII. The Story of a Haunting Spirit 50 IX. Scientific Investigation on the Continent 58 X. Drawings and Writings Produced by Abnormal Means, Casts from Materialised Hands 69 XI. American Experiences 85 XII. Visit to India 89 XIII. The Royal Family and Spiritualism—Psychography Explained 98 XIV. General Testimony To Psychography 110 XV. "Brought to Book" 139 XVI. Evidence for Independent Mind-Action in Psychography 154 XVII. On Materialisations and Apparitions Formed with the Medium in Full View 163 XVIII. Phases of Opposition. Spiritualism and Art. A Problem for Conjurers. 184 XIX. Conclusion 192 ILLUSTRATIONS. FIG. PAGE FIG. PAGE Portrait Etching of Mr. Eglinton Frontispiece 17. Method of Obtaining Writing when the Slates are 1. Knots Tied in an Endless Cord 34 tied and held over the head of one of the Sitters 107 2. A Novel Test 38 18. Obtaining Writing under an Inverted Tumbler 108 3. Plan of the Garden Seance. 39 19. Reduced Facsimile of Recognised Psychographic 4. Dr. Hutchinson's Dial 44 Writing 114 5. A Direct Drawing 70 20. Handwriting of Mr. Eglinton 115 6. Writing with Ink on a Card inside a 21. Handwriting of Dr. Nichols' Daughter 115 Closed and Weighted Book 71 22. Facsimile of Direct Writing, reduced one-fourth 120 7. Specimens of Direct Writing 73 23. Facsimile of Direct Slate Writing obtained in Mr. 8. Direct Drawing and Writing 74 Adshead's presence 125 9. A Direct Drawing Executed in Total Darkness 75 24. Exact Reproduction of Direct Writing on a Card 132 10. Writing produced under an Inverted Tumbler 91 25. Exact Reproduction of Direct Drawing on a Card 133 11. Plan of Seance Room in Calcutta 96 26. Direct Writing on a Slate 135 12. A Direct Drawing 100 27. Message Written between the Slates when Resting on 13. Ground Plan of Mr. Eglinton's Seance the Shoulder of the Sitter 137 Room at Old Quebec Street 103 28. Facsimile of Direct Writing obtained in Broad Day 14. Table used by Mr. Eglinton, and Mode of Holding light 149 the Slate for Simple Experiments 104 29. Direct Writing obtained under an Inverted Tumbler150 15. Method of Obtaining the Writing when the Slate is 30. Dr. Herschell's Fenestrated Slate 152 held by Mr. Eglinton and the Sitter 105 31. Plan of Seance Room 170 16. Method of Obtaining the Writing between two 32. Plan of Seance Room 177 Slates held over the Table 106 Portrait of Mr. W. Eglinton 188 To CHARLES BLACKBURN THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR AS A SLIGHT ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE MANY SERVICES HE HAS RENDERED TO THE CAUSE OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM IN ENGLAND. 'TWIXT TWO WORLDS. ————— CHAPTER I. EARLY LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT AS A PSYCHIC. WILLIAM EGLINTON (or Willie as he is familiarly called by his friends) was born on the 10th of July, 1857, in Islington, near the New River, a now densely populated quarter of the Metropolis, but at that time almost open country. The family on the father's side is Scotch, and through John Montgomerie, of Bridgend, who died about 1630 a descent can be traced from the Montgomeries of Ayr.His mother, a Miss Wyse, came of a family, some members of which have held important official positions in the City of London. His early life was spent at school. Though extremely imaginative, dreamy, and sensitive, and, as a boy, passionate and hot-tempered to a degree, no indications of the wonderful power which afterwards developed itself were noticed. He recollects nothing himself, nor, as far as can be ascertained, is any member of his family aware of abnormal phenomena having occurred in Willie's presence. His education was a limited one, being purely commercial, and it ended just when most boys are commencing their studies in earnest. From school he passed into the well-known publishing house of a relative to learn the business of a printer and publisher; but, owing to his association with Spiritualism, his connection in this capacity was of short duration. Willie's religious training was practically nil. His father in early life had renounced Christianity, and had become an Agnostic. On the other hand, his mother was distinguished by a sweet, gentle piety, and "between the two," he writes, "I was puzzled both ways, and was practically left to solve the problems of life and religious teaching for myself, the result being the acceptance of materialistic notions, and the doctrine of total annihilation." Very early in life were the principles he had adopted brought to the test of experience, in the passing away of his mother in July, 1873, her remains being consigned to their resting place on his birthday. Mors janua vitae [Death is the gate of everlasting life]; and so it proved to be in the present case. Writing of the event, he says: "The loss to me was irreparable; for she was my only friend and counsellor, She "left a void which has never been filled." This bereavement seems to 1 2 'Twixt Two Worlds. have stirred him to more earnest thought and action, and to a deeper sense of the reality of life. He now began to take a more active interest in endeavouring to fathom the truth of the various dogmas, with the result that Atheism seemed to him the most rational. A poor result maybe, but he was in the right track, for he had begun to think. The mischief is not that people believe this or that doctrine, or profess this or that faith; it is rather that they are indifferent and apathetic, and will not think at all about these things. There is hope for the former, but very little for those who imbibe their religion as mechanically as they do the air they breathe. At this time he was, in company with his father, an occasional attendant at the services held by Mr. Charles Bradlaugh at the Hall of Science, becoming more than ever prejudiced against everything and everybody Christian. In this place, however, he was destined to receive the first impetus to a career in which he would be fighting in defence of what was then intolerable to him; and little did he think that, through his own marvellous but latent gifts, he would be able to deal deadly blows to the miserable doctrine of annihilation. So it was to be, however. It was in February, 1874, that a discussion on Spiritualism took place at the Hall of Science between Dr. Sexton and Mr. Foote, the former defending the latter's attack. Dr. Sexton, it should be observed, had himself been converted from Atheism through Spiritualism. Willie Eglinton relates his impressions as follows:—"I had never heard the word Spiritualism mentioned before, and was full of eager inquiries about it. My father attended this discussion with some friends, as also did I with some young companions. The place was densely packed, and hundreds had to be refused admission. I remember that when Dr. Sexton appeared he was but slightly cheered compared with Mr. Foote, owing, as I then supposed, to the weakness of the Spiritualistic party. I can but own that I felt a slight feeling of awe creep over me when Dr. Sexton began to address the audience, because my scant information had led me to expect that in his presence chairs and tables would float about. This showed my utter ignorance of the subject." In the course of his debate, Dr. Sexton advised all persons wishing to test the truth of Spiritualism to try in their own homes by themselves rather than with a professional medium. Willie's father, who was never a bigot, thought this sensible advice, and consulting a friend (Mr. John Davis, who has himself since become a Spiritualist, and whose family subsequently developed remarkable psychical powers), they agreed to buy a book of rules and try that very night to see "if there was anything in it." A home circle was formed, and, conforming with the conditions laid down in the book of rules, chapters from the Bible were read, and hymns were sung—"proceedings," remarks Willie Eglinton in his description of what took place, "quite unprecedented in our family circle. I refused to join them, on the plea that 'it was all humbug,' thus setting myself up as an authority upon a subject of which I knew nothing." Who has not done the same? The others sat patiently for two hours, awaiting manifestations, but in vain. Not discouraged by this failure, it was agreed to sit again and again, and give the subject a fair trial. Seven or eight evenings were passed in endeavouring to obtain proofs of the existence of some spiritual power, but none were forthcoming. To show his feelings on the matter, Willie fixed upon the door of the seance room large cards, upon which were written, "There are lunatics confined here; they will be shortly Early Life and Development as a Psychic. 3 let loose highly dangerous," etc., etc. This so far offended his father, that he was told either to join the circle, or leave the house during the investigation.