Ghost Stories/Volume 2/Number 2/The Ghost Forum

by J. A. V.

The
GHOST FORUM

Pro and Con of Spooks in Literature

Were the Fox sisters, founders of modern spiritualism, genuine mediums—or frauds?

Probably men will wrangle over that question for the next 200 years. One of the managers for the famous pair, when they were touring America in seance exhibitions, assured me they were fakers. He was Elmer P. Ransom, an expert conjurer of New York City. On the other hand the Fox sisters are saints to a great number of devout and intelligent people.

What and whom is the unprejudiced inquirer to believe?

The latest defense of the Fox sisters, as well as of Doctor Monck, D. D. Home, and other celebrated mediums, appears in what is undeniably one of the most important literary efforts ever put forward in the history of psychic research. It is a new two-volume work by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, entitled The History of Spiritualism.

The books, just published by Doran, must keenly interest every one at all attracted to the subject-for the romantic and beguiling style of Doyle, the story-teller, is not relinquished by Doyle, the historian.

It is a recital that one cannot expect to be unprejudiced. Everybody knows that Sir Arthur is a devout spiritualist. He cannot therefore write in a detached vein. One might as well look for complete candor from a Democrat writing the history of Tammany Hall.

But he does make successful attempts to be fair to the enemies of spiritualism.

However, one must accept Doyle's "History" with some reservations. But no one will be bored by its engaging narrative. It is a good story, a thrilling tale, that he tells, from the first chapter on Swedenborg down to the closing lines of the second volume. The history of the Shakers is told, and other beginning manifestations; and the early days of the mediums are portrayed with a fervent zeal.

To a man like myself—a conjurer who is, nevertheless, half way ready to accept the spiritistic theory as a possible truth—it is nevertheless staggering to observe, in this portion of the book, the firm confidence of this good and in some ways great man, who actually created the astute character of Sherlock Holmes. Here we find him giving a clean bill of health to the notorious Davenport brothers. I cannot take these pages of the "History" seriously. I have discussed the Davenport brothers with a man to whom they taught their tricks the late Harry Kellar, greatest of all the modern magicians. More, I discussed them with a woman who knows whereof she speaks—Anna Eva Fay.

I know to my own satisfaction at least that the Davenport brothers faked part of the time. And this is to say nothing of the valuable testimony presented by Houdini in his book, A Magician Among the Mediums.

On the other hand, Doyle wins more than one victory over the enemies of spiritualism. He refutes a very persistent story that Professor Zoellner, a scientist converted to occultism, died in a mad-house. He does a good service, also, to the memory of Home.

Now and then he lets his disapproval of psychic research societies flare out. Doyle regards with contempt the agnostic mood and method in a scientific study of psychic phenomena.

The second volume of the history is, by far, the more interesting of the two. It discloses the new story of psychism, and should leave a reader, new to the subject, mentally a-gasp, wondering if all he has just been told can possibly be true—even if a fragment of it can be true.

Here we learn of spirit photography, of ectoplasm, and the revival of interest that followed after the war.

In preparing The History of Spiritualism, Doyle was greatly helped by W. Leslie Curnow.

NOT content with this two-volume history of his faith, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has tossed still a third volume on the literary sea this fall. It is a novel——and it is called The Land of Mist.

I remember reading certain of its chapters in an English magazine while in London last year. The quality of these further adventures of Professor Challoner—the hero of Doyle's Lost World and Poison Belt stories—has not improved between the covers of a book.

As a story-teller Doyle has, in my opinion, no living equal. He is a modern tale-spinner, fit to be ranked with the romancers who sit on rugs in Oriental bazaars, guardians of the Arabian Nights.

One virtue of The Land of Mist is that it does give a dramatic and authentic picture of what seances and mediums are really like. Now and then in the pages of the book Sir Arthur forgets that he is a spiritualist—forgets it in spite of his fervor, and reverts to his proper role of story-teller. Then the story glows and lives. There are certain moments in The Land of Mist that are packed with real curdling thrills.

The Door of Death Wide Open is the title of still another volume to be added to the rapidly growing pyramid of new books on psychic subjects. The author is Jules Guyard, who is credited also with being the author of The Dead and The Moon and Her Etherics.

Mr. Guyard attempts, not always in good English or good taste, to tell just what happens after we die. His book tells with the most naive assurance, the "rules, regulations, customs, and daily life" of the spirits. The "Mooners" and the "Islanders" are carefully described. You will probably form your own opinion of the book when I advise you that Chapter Three is entitled "You Vomit Your Life."

It is published by The Christopher Publishing House, of Boston.

IT is a relief to turn from such flap-doodle as this last really is to a truly sane, sensible, competent and arresting treatment of these important topics. I now refer to a new book entitled Psychical Research, Science and Religion by Stanley De Brath.

Here is a new book that challenges attention. The materialist will be left bewildered, perhaps a little incensed, but undeniably he will recognize in this author a man who will be heard and must be reckoned with.

The study to which Mr. De Brath addresses himself is the effect of scientific psychical research upon the religions of today.

That is his intention. But what he has really done amounts to a great deal more than that. What he has really done is to present a concentrated statement of what modern scientists believe to be the known facts in their peculiar field. From this viewpoint the book assumes a considerable importance.

I have no hesitancy in recommending it unreservedly to any inquirer who wants information in a form concise, definite, and interesting, as to what scientists believe they have established in psychical research.

This is also published by Doran.

Another little book came to my attention recently which deeply interested me—Magic in the Making by Mulholland and Smith, two young conjurers who are members of the Society of American Magicians.

By perusing the very simple text and studying the illustrations, one can become an accomplished magacian in an hour.

The book is published by Scribners.

—J. A. V.