WCP2585

[1]

Valentines, Ilford

Feb. 15 1880

My dear M^r. Wallace,

To yours of Feb 9,¹ for which accept my thanks, I only reply, so far as affects the assertion which I made, without verification, of Miss F Cook² having been captured or detected as Crookes³ & I have now verified it, & find I was wrong. & I have written to M^rs. Corner⁴ to say as much.

1.The incident was at Joy Cox’s⁵

2. The medium was Miss Showers⁶

3. She was not ‘captured’, but detected, being found in the cabinet with her head tired in white standing on a chair looking thro’ the curtain.

4. S. Maurice Davies,⁷ who gives the narrative in chapter x 2 of his ‘Mystic London’,⁸affected to give it in the words of a friend who was present — & by implication seems to say he was not. But this is a transparent blend for the style of the friend communications in chapters xxxix & x 2 — is unmistakably his own.

How it came to pass that I muddled up Miss F. Cook — & Miss Showers is easily told. In the narrative, Miss C. & Miss S. are referred to as the new young lady mediums: and ‘Florence’ is several times (equivocably) mentioned, once as being like Miss S. But this Florence, is ‘Florence Maple’ a supposed spirit said to be materialized thro’ Miss S., but really Miss S. herself. The detection [2 words illeg.] of the medium, but the imposture, seems to have been most complete. & Miss S. appears, from another book I have, to have made a confidant of Joy Cox & [2] as some amends for having taken him in to have explained in minute detail the modus operandi: even to shewing him a private letter from another lady medium giving full instructions for carrying out a successful impersonation. Cox did not commit the breach of faith which publication of the letter should have been but wrote a long account of the affair to Home⁹ — who published it.

Cox says, in ^March 1876, that up to this time five materializing mediums had been caught & exposed. Two of these of course were Mrs. Holme’s¹⁰ & Miss Showers (both American); & I suppose another was Eva Fay:¹¹ but if not, who were the other three? It is but fair that such cases sh^d be recorded, with a note to those in which the medium was believed to be sleep-walking.

Was not Dr Monck¹² prosecuted, like Slade¹³ — & convicted? I have an imperfect recollection of some proceedings against him.

Such things too sh^d be recorded as a safeguard against delusion, if not imposture. In so very serious an inquiry one can hardly be too cautious: & this I [3] say with full recognition of the brainless & superstitious deceptions of the outside world in all ^modern prefer natural things.

I believe we have pretty well decided upon going on with Haxby,¹⁴ when he is better. He told me of Monk’s [sic] illness, & Mrs. Corner of Home’s. Both mediums seem to be dying of paralysis.

I am | yrs very truly | C. M. Ingleby¹⁵ [signature]

A. R. Wallace Esq.