WCP1458

[1]

To G. H. Lewes Esq.

Dear Sir

I am now reading with much pleasure your new "History of Philosophy"¹. I regret much however that you have not thought fit to alter the ^your illustration of a false method of enquiry, by what you term "Spirit-rapping" and describe as "table-turning." At the present time this seems about as reasonable as it would be to ^{try to} shew² how very unphilosophical modern ideas of Electricity are, and to illustrate it by, describing the stroking of a Cat’s back on a winter’s evening and the ^{a doll’s hair standing on end or the} elicitation of "cracks" and "sparks" ^{from a cat’s back.}. If you then chose to entirely to ignore every other phenomenon of Electricity, no doubt it could be shown to be very absurd to attribute these phenomena to the same cause as thunder and lightning and to impute both to etherial [sic] vibrations.

Like every one else who has paid a close attention ^{attended closely} to this subject for any time, I no longer "believe" the facts to be true, — I "know" them to be so, quite as certainly as I know any of the facts of any science to which I have paid attention.

I now write however merely to call to your notice [2] a curious fact, which has an important bearing, and which you can no doubt verify if you wish. Within the last three months phenomena such as I described to you as having myself witnessed, have been witnessed by Professor Wheatstone³in his own house, in broad daylight, and with none present but his own family. His daughter⁴ in fact is what we term a medium. I have it from Mr. ^Prof. Wheatstone’s f eldest Son⁴, that his father has seen articles of furniture move, ^when absolutely untouched by any one, and is ^{now quite} satisfied that there is a power at work of which he knows nothing.

But what I particularly wish to direct your attention to is, — that when Prof. W[heatstone] was first called to see these phenomena they ceased immediately he entered the room. Soon, they went on while he was in the room, but ceased if he looked at them. Gradually however he was able to take part in them, and witness all that can be ^was witnessed by the rest of the family. This is exactly ^{more or less} the experience of all enquiries, and should I think teach all sceptics that the assumption that "there can be nothing in it", because they do not immediately witness all the phenomena in the [3] fullest development, is most unphilosophical, since it assumes to decide ^{on a priori knowledge of} what are or are not the conditions of these phenomena.

I believe Prof. Wheatstone will not yet give any information to any one on this subject, which considering the way it has been and is treated by "scientific" men is not to be wondered at. The above statement of the facts I have had however from the Son of Prof. Wheatstone, whom I have met about weekly for the last three months.

Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]