Spiritualism, Fjsgrljiral, ©Milt Artîr Jejatiial Ttesearrlj Jomtm in 1881*

L ig h t , J u l y 30, 1936 & fmmml 0! spiritualism, fJsgrlJiral, ©milt artîr JEJatiial ttesearrlJ JomtM in 1881* No. 2899. VOL. LVI. (Registered as THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1936. a Newspaper) PR IC E TWOPENCE THE SUPERNORMAL IN RECENT LITERATURE RAPIDLY CHANGING ATTITUDE By R. V. DENHAM of Spiritualism, and would probably be indignant J\T0 human being in these days could possibly keep at being dubbed Spiritualists, but they have, con pace with the spate of books which continually sciously or unconsciously, absorbed from various pours from our publishing houses. The student has sources a certain amount of knowledge of the super to select his reading carefully if he is to keep abreast normal. of modern thought to any degree whatever. The I propose to take quite at random one or two recent most enthusiastic reader can only claim to have read books which will help towards illustrating my meaning, a fair number of recent books; therefore, even as an and which may be of interest to psychic students. omniverous reader, I am well aware that only a smallish percentage of the enormous output falls into my hands. The first, however, does not, strictly-speaking, come In spite of this, however, I cannot help being impressed within the limit I have set myself, as it is by a scientist, by the progress made by the subject of Spiritualism—or a psychologist. Man the Unknown has already been as I prefer to call it, using a more comprehensive word, ably reviewed in the pages of Light by Mrs. Hewat Psychics—in the minds of authors of the present day. McKenzie, so I shall only go into its contents briefly, advising all who have not time to read this important Books by investigators apart, it is not so long ago book to get Light for April 16th. that the average writer if he mentioned psychic matters, treated them either as a joke, or alternatively in order Man the Unknown, by Dr. Alexis Carrel, a Nobel to make his readers’ flesh creep with horror piled on prize-winner and noted psychologist, deals with tend thick. (Indeed it is difficult to know what the sen encies in modern civilisation which the author considers sational author would have done without having been wholly bad, and which must be changed, in his opinion, able to call in the aid of the occult!) A third method if civilisation is to survive. He does more than merely was to show that these supernormal occurrences, if mention supernormal phenomena—he states that he not a delusion, were always capable of a “ natural ” has given these matters careful study himself, and has explanation. In the scientific field, this latter method, come to the conclusion that this science, together with * with very few exceptions, still holds undisputed sway. Psychology and Physiology, must be given intensive Scientists quite naturally adopt an attitude of caution and prolonged study by a group of eminent men as a and reserve towards a subject which they imagine preliminary to an endeavour to transform our, as he has not been investigated with sufficient exactitude thinks, rapidly-decaying civilisation into one which or precision—this being, of course, the correct attitude will make this earth a better place for mankind. We to take up ; the trouble has been the seeming reluctance can be saved from ourselves, but only by sacrificing of these learned gentlemen to do the necessary in nearly all the industrialism that has made such mush vestigating for themselves. Nevertheless, progress room growth during the last century. is being made even in the somewhat prejudiced ranks It is interesting, by the way, to note that Dr. Carrel of science, and this may quite possibly be speeded-up holds out no hope of Communism, either in the Soviet as scientific knowledge stretches ever further in the Union or elsewhere, changing the world into a Paradise direction of the but slightly explored regions of energy for man. and radiation. Before leaving this subject, I cannot but state my My motive, however, in writing this article is not— regret that the author of this significant book should except in one case—to comment on the scientific refer so briefly to Sir Oliver Lodge’s enormous con reaction, but rather to draw attention to the amount tribution to our knowledge of Psychics. To dismiss of psychic knowledge which is steadily filtering through him from the field as " amateur ” is ludicrous and to the lay mind, an exemplified by a few authors of the quite unworthy of a writer who gives his opinions present day. Some of these disclaim any knowledge with an admirable lack of dogmatism, I do not know 482 LIGHT J u l y 30, 1936 why the whole province of Psychics must be fenced of his music, more especially in such compositions off “ for Psychologists only." It seems to me that as “ Sea Drift," “ Appalachia,” and " The Song of the greater the number of brains of all varieties working the High Hills ” seems the artistic expression of a mind on these vast problems, the more likely are they to be obsessed by struggle, the result probably of a sub satisfactorily solved. conscious conflict between intuition and what the Moreover, Sir Oliver Lodge has that extremely rare conscious, and in this case sceptical mind, needs must faculty of co-ordination and synthesis which is so reject. immensely valuable in work of this kind. He has In Miss Cicely Hamilton’s autobiography, entitled devoted a great brain to a lifetime of thought and Life Errant, we find the supernormal mentioned several experiment on this subject, and writers of many shades times. The author, on the whole, takes a very broad of opinion quote him, glad to be able to avail themselves minded view of our thorny subject, as one might expect. of his clear and forthright exposition of the case against Miss Hamilton is one of those fortunate beings who have the Materialist (Mr. Beverley Nichols in his recent had the question of an after-life solved for them. There book on religion, The Fool Hath Said, being one of the are no doubts in her mind. Evidently somewhat latest examples). mediumistic, she had a vision of her brother shortly Turning to quite a different theme, that of Biography, after his death, which made a tremendous impression the life of the composer Delius, who died quite recently, on her. She has, in fact, had various psychic ex makes an interesting psychological study. It is by his periences, once in France riding “ through ” a ghost sister Clare, and is entitled Frederick Delius. Clare on her bicycle. Delius (or, to give her her married name, Mrs. Black) Miss Hamilton is careful to state that she is not in tells her gifted brother’s story with sympathy and any sense a Spiritualist, but her outlook on the subject understanding. He had, to one of his nature, a difficult is essentially a sane one, and her comment on the and trying environment during his youth, living as he attitude of the scientific brotherhood in relation to did, one of a large family, in an industrial town in psychics could not be bettered. Yorkshire. Delius p'ere, who was of German origin, Dame Ethel Smyth’s racy reminiscences are always governed his numerous off-spring with somewhat worth reading. In the latest, /Is Time Went On, she Prussian hardness, and was particularly unsympathetic briefly mentions a supernormal experience, but does not towards his son Frederick’s musical aspirations. In attempt to interpret it to us, merely stating it as a fact. fact, to their death, both parents refused to acknowledge that he possessed any remarkable talent, or even to On the subject of fiction I am not well qualified to allow the family to discuss his career with them— comment, for I read very little of this popular branch a most amazing state of affairs, when one considers of literary activity. However, before I close, I will that critics the world over had hailed him as one of the mention two recent novels very briefly, as in their most original of living minds in the art of music, and varying ways they are both of interest to psychic this long before his parents had died. students. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that Frederick The first in Miss Rachel Ferguson’s A Harp in Lowndes should have rebelled against this atmosphere at home, Square. The author of this novel has evidently made a and also at his father’s office. It is fortunate for the close and intelligent study of supernormal phenomena; world that he did so, otherwise an art of great in moreover she writes with a great deal of charm and dividuality would have been lost to it. Listening to distinction. The story mainly concerns a twin brother the spiritual appeal of much of Delius’s music, it is and sister, who, with the psychic sympathy so often difficult at first to understand w'hat his sister tells us displayed by twins, both develop second sight. In concerning his hide-bound scepticism regarding religion, some ways this book is remin scent in its atmosphere or his equally sceptical outlook concerning the super of An Adventure (by the Misses Moberley and Jourdain) normal, or an after-life in any shape or form. it also has an affinity with Mr. Dunne’s An Experiment To quote Mrs. Black : " A sceptic about supernormal with Time. phenomena—he had played several tricks on his friend Strange Glory has a special interest for those familiar Strindberg, who was a firm believer in the occult— with one of the great classics of the supernormal— he went to considerable pains to disprove that Folly I refer to Human Personality by F.

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