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But the only statement of an historical importance contained in the sentence above quoted—that the system of caste did not prevail at the time when Busiris was in India in human form—is such as to make everyone who is acquainted with Indian history doubt the veracity of Busiris. Rig-veda speaks of the four castes of the Hindus (see MaxMuller's Lectures, &c.), and, as the author admits that Rig-veda existed long before the composition of the Mahabharata, the system of caste must have also existed before Busiris had appeared in human form in this country. Again, "Santiparvam" and "Anusasanikaparvam" of the Mahabharata will distinctly show to the author that the system of caste existed when Busiris was living here as Vyasa. And, moreover, in the 13th verse of the 4th chapter of the Bhagvatgita itself, Krishna says that he had already created the four divisions of caste ("Chaturvarnam maya sreshtam"). This statement of Busiris, then, is clearly wrong. It is very surprising that an angel should lose his memory in the course of his transformation from man to angel, or should wilfully make false statements with reference to well-known facts of history. Under such circumstances, no one will be prepared to admit that Busiris was the author of the great poem, if there is no other evidence in support of it, bat the value of his own statements.
We have thus seen the degree of reliance that can be placed on the revelation from angels, who delight in giving now and then sensational news to the public through their friends and admirers in séance-rooms. So long as the so-called celebrated "Historical Controls" continue to give incorrect information regarding the events and facts in history, the public in general, and the Hindus in particular, ought to be excused for not giving credence to all that is claimed by Spiritualists on behalf of the "disembodied spirit" and "spirit communion."
I have purposely abstained from saying anything about the real agency at work in producing the so-called spirit manifestations, and from testing Busiris and his pretensions by examining the very basis of modern Spiritualism from its first
