WCP2583

[1]¹

Brooklyn N.Y.

January 6. 1880.

Alfred R Wallace Esq[ui]^r[e] F. R. S.

Dear Friend

I have received many letters from friends in this country and Europe[,] some of which in terms of commendation express the writers' appreciation of my last book "The Spirit World"² [,] but none of these has afforded me the pleasure which your kind and approving letter of the 9^th Ult[imo]. has done[,] coming as it does from one so thoroughly qualified by researches in both the natural and spiritual worlds to form a correct opinion of its merits. I am also pleased that you have noted your ideas on certain points [2]³ thus affording me the opportunity of making an explanation which I should have made in the book itself to wit, that in writing it I had constantly, almost exclusively in view that I was only the agent for the transmission of this knowledge to the world[,] and I now regret that I did not endeavor [sic] to strengthen by comment and explanation certain of the statements[,] which then would have been rendered easier of acceptance by the reader.

As to the first point noticed in your letter (page 12 of book) that all men are not to enjoy the future life seems very improbable[,] because wherever we draw the line we have hardly any real difference, I would say that this objective occurred to me and I stated it to my instructors and their reply [3]⁴ in substance was "all we know about it is the fact — we can speculate on it but we have no means of arriving at a satisfactory conclusion beyond what you possess." This reply was given by a spirit who professes to be and whom I believe to be Dr. Hahneman⁵ the founder of the Homeopathic system of medical practice. Many of the statements of fact in the book were like this[,] base statements without explanation and my instructors frequently acknowledged their ignorance of all beyond the fact itself[,] but they believe that henceforth we will steadily and ever rapidly advance in the knowledge of these things and constantly be better able to comprehend and explain them[.]

Possibly the degree of perfection which is necessary to insure continuity of existence to the spiritual body may be acquired by and through [4]⁶ progressive development[,] and until a certain indefinable stage of development is attained[,] this body like that of an animal is dissipated at death. I myself suggest this idea as ^a possible solution of [sic] the problem[.]

Regarding the second point — the seeming inconsistency of spirits not being able to perceive the heavens above them in passing by means of the causeways from one to the other[,] the reply is these causeways are so constructed that the view of all objects exterior to them is shut off[,] and while it is true that sprits by will-force should apparently be able to pass from heaven to heaven without assistance of these causeways[,] yet for some purpose to us unknown[,] these are the only avenues by which communication exists between the heavens. But [5]⁷ in passing over these causeways or avenues spirits are not necessitated to either walk or drive[,] for they possess the power to transport themselves from one heaven to another with by the same means and with the same speed that they traverse the atmosphere of their heavens.

I agree with you that the statement that the 18^th heaven is the manufacturing heaven is open to the objections that you urge. For a long time — at least six months — my instructors were unable to answer my question — where and how do spirits procure their furniture[,] garments etc? until one day Mr. Owen⁸ announced to me that he had learned from Mr. Stevens⁹, the spirit from the 32^nd heaven, that all these things were made in the 18^th heaven etc. and I at once expressed my surprise that [6]¹⁰ the employments of spirits in a heaven so high should be so common place[,] when he gave me the reasons as published in my book. I further understood from him that spirit mechanics in the fourth[,] fifth etc heavens are able to procure tools and instruments of every description[,] but it is only spirits of decided mechanical tastes and talents to whose happiness it is necessary that these tastes and talents should be exercised[,] and these are sooner or later invited to exercise them in the 18^th heaven. As to spirits in the heavens above the third who have followed mechanical employments but who there possess no decided mechanical tastes nor talents[,] they turn their attention to other things.

As to ancient spirits revisiting the earth[,] I had long [7]¹¹ and frequent conversations with Mr Owen and my father upon this subject and it was a long time before they obtained sufficient information to justify them in forming a decided opinion[.] To us the 30^th heaven appears very high but you will notice that Mr Stevens was in the 32^nd and suddenly was advanced to the 40^th and Mr Owen understood that he passed the intermediate heavens without his taking up abode in them. We thus find a spirit who when on earth was not, I presume, above the average of good and intelligent men[,] after the lapse of 150 years in spirit life attain the 40^th heaven.

As to spirits who passed from earth 500 years ago — not to mention those who passed away 2000 years since[,] my instructors do not believe that one of them at the present time has failed to reach at least the 32^nd heaven. These opinions of theirs [8]¹² were carefully formed & weighed before utterance but still they were only their opinions based upon such knowledge as they could obtain, we may say "on the spot".

I have read several of the "Historical Controls"¹³ in the "Medium"¹⁴ and was interested in these but can conceive that an able shrewd scholarly spirit who when here possessed a decided taste for historical subjects[,] and who now in spirit life either possesses the faculty of reading closed books or who has a spirit friend who possesses it and who is ready to assist him[,] may be able to gather most of his biographical & historical facts chiefly from the books in your libraries[,] for my instructors agree in declaring that spirits who have this faculty of reading closed books are able to exercise it so perfectly as to glean the contents of a volume in one tenth of the time that would be necessary for us to read the open pages of the same volume.

[9]¹⁵ I was fully aware of the risk I incurred of prejudicing the minds of scientific men in publishing the denial by my instructors of the sun being a globe of fire[,] but this denial was not based on their own opinions but was a fact communicated to Mr Stevens by spirits above him who had visited the sun. So it was stated by Mr Owen in his conversation with me[.]

With my limited knowledge I am not qualified to discuss this question with you and would not have the presumption to attempt to do so[,] but I will take the liberty of remarking that Herschel¹⁶ did not believe the sun to be a body of fire[,] and is it not possible that the metals in a gaseous state which spectrum analysis detects may exist only ^{and equally} in the atmospheres of the earth and sun [?]. It is now I believe generally conceded [10]¹⁷ that hydrogen is a metal in a gaseous form and it is unreasonable to suppose that other metals may exist in our atmosphere[,] either in combination or simple union with other elements as the oxygen and nitrogen of our atmosphere are ^associated. United

I believe it has been asserted by those aeronauts who have ascended to the greatest elevations[,] that at those elevations not only the heat but likewise the brilliancy of the sun is greatly diminished. This suggests the idea of the possibility of the sun's rays being simply magnetic and their being converted into rays of light upon reaching our atmosphere through the action of the oxygen which it contains[,] or oxygen associated with other gaseous substances perhaps to us unknown.

If the sun directly emitted rays of light the entire solar system would be penetrated & pervaded by [11]¹⁸ these rays[,] and would not the planets cast lengthened shadows into space and would not the shadow of the moon be distinctly visible to us? It is true that an opaque body suspended in our atmosphere shows no shadow in the line of its track and its shadow is only visible where it falls upon another object[,] but this is explained by the reflected light from surrounding objects and the atmosphere penetrating the line of the shadow[,] but in the case of the shadow cast by the moon the only light reflected upon it would be that from the earth which could, I should think, be hardly sufficient to obliterate the shadow[.]

A dosen [sic] more reasons present themselves to my mind which doubtless would appear equally fallacious to the scientific mind[,] and I will only add that somehow I have a strong impression amounting almost to a conviction that Mr Steven's denial will yet be proved [sic] to be well [12]¹⁹ founded.

I really am unable to experience any difficulty in believing that all these heavens may exist in the space above and not remote from us[,] when I consider that the transparent atmosphere is ponderable; that a perfect glass plate of intense solidity is equally invisible to us and although my apartment may be crowded with disembodied spirits[,] yet they are as invisible to me as if they did not exist[,] and in view of this fact it would be strange if I were able with my natural vision to perceive the worlds above me which these invisible beings inhabit. Our bodies are as material as our world and it follows that their world should not be anymore [sic] cognisable by our senses than they themselves are[.]

You truly remark that the fact that we exist at all is so marvellous as to make any other [13]²⁰ existence probable and even easy. This is a forcible argument in favor [sic] of existence hereafter and I fully believe that we are on the eve of absolute demonstration of this momentous truth in the light of which all other facts pale and in degree lose their significance[.] If well known men and women who have crossed the river of death should return[,] and ^temporarily clothing themselves with materiality should appear in clear strong light distinctly visible to assemblages of thousands[,] and familiarly address and converse with us[,] and if this were done habitually it seems to me that a future life would be demonstrated[.]

That this "proof of palpable[?]" the most wonderful and important event in the history of the race is very soon to be an established fact[,] my invisible instructors assure me[,] but more I am not permitted to say.

[14]²¹ When you wrote to me you you [sic] could not have imagined that in reply you would have had such a long epistle inflicted on you and it is rare indeed that I write a letter covering more than two pages[,] but I feel desirous of doing what I can to remove objections to statements in my book from your mind[,] and if I have succeeded in lessening the force of evere [sic] one of these[,] my efforts have been amply rewarded[.]

I will only add that I thank you sincerely for the very kind expressions of approval of my book contained in your letter. They are far more encouraging than I expected to receive from any one and from no one could they be more highly valued than from yourself.

Most truly Yours | Eugene Crowell [signature]