WCP3476

[1] ^1,2

Constance Road

July 9^th

Dear Sir,

When Hamlet said to Horatio, there are more things in heav'ⁿ and earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy (we don't think I opine that he need have gone so far as heavⁿ to remind his Friend how little we know of the great Whole.

I don’t think the law of limitation holds good (always) on this material plane, if so, how about the eternal evolvement to higher conditions?

It is very to see I should think, the stupendous presumption of petty mortals to set up a law of

limited possibilities to spiritual, generative, creative energy, which permeates every existing thing, this Living Force that sees, hears, feels, knows & if we spiritualists are not alive to this fact (but I think most of them must be) they are scarcely fully alive to the true meaning of Spiritual Philosophy.

[2] I’ve been reading from time to time in the Telegraph Prof Lankester’s ³ Scientific effusions from his easy chair, (some) dedications cull'd from other mens brains. I’m quite fair to him in saying that having seen a little of the world & keeping my eyes and ears open, I have come across some very hard nuts picked from the trees of the invisible universe, which I don’t think the learned Professor can crack unless he crosses the border line & enters the World of Causes, for I suppose he know there is one very near indeed, though seemingly so far. I think Gerald Massey⁴ said the truth, that, Science has a broad and lofty brow, but the foolish senses crown it, & her eyes are void of Spiritual light. I should much like the Prof to give the scientific kernels of four little nuts which came to me spontaneously at my home 36 Blenheim Grove Kye Lane Peckham. I think he will have to get out of that easy chair to do it any way. I put them in notation as they occurred.

[3]⁵ In 1873 I entered as tenant of the house of the forenamed address; an independent Lady with a boy aged 10 came to lodge with us, her name was Chamberline (& was seperated from her husband, who was a racing man. An elderly gentlemen named Dr Bigsby a small author I believe) very poor; call'd quite often & also an lady's parents in an adjacent street, he was godfather to the boy mentioned and all of them came from Hunnington in Lincolnshire, I had several long conservations with him amongst which, Spiritualism came up, but seem'd to think there might be something in it. He always announced himself by two loud knocks (the door had a very heavy knocker) — he was taken ill suddenly from internal stoppage, total insensibility followed. on the Thursday night, prior to his death on Saturday morn., two very loud raps were given on my street door, there were wight steps up to it from the sidewalk, myself, wide & the lady were awakened instantly, I jumped out of bed threw up the window in minute, [4] there was a subdued light from the veiled moon, but perfectly clear, I could plainly see the whole length of the Grove both ways I look'd at the clock twenty minutes past one. The next night Friday, two similar knocks came to the door of my lodger’s parents in Hanover Street her father came down to see whom it might be, it was about the same time as with me — Singular it seems, that the poor old Gent should have been able to an ante-mortem proof of things of had been to earnestly speaking to him about so.

Short a time before my lodger and her parents seem'd to be the only people he visited.

These little details are written with a view to accuracy, and they may amuse, and interest you, at any rate, they must be novel in one sense and you are at perfect liberty to do with them as you think fit. [5] ⁶ About three months prior to the death of my first wife, we being quite alone in the basement living room, my wife was reading Lloyds Paper, and I was quietly smoking at the opposite side of the table. I was just thinking how very ill she was looking , & was surprised to see a filmy, silvery, kind of mist gradually enclose the whole of her head down to the shoulders & extending about four inches deep forming a complete casque, her features were much enlarged, and unpleasant to look at, I was afraid to move to the back of her chair for fear it might vanish, it was in a good light & seem'd to last from five to eight minutes and gradually dispersing in seeming live motion, I never told her of it, nor anyone else at the time. [6]⁷ My wife died on the 17^th of June 1879 about six in the evening, in the dead of the night whilst musing somewhat sadly at my loss & what I was call'd upon to face alone, four young children requiring a mother's care & sweet strains of music came floating through the night air, triumphant in tone rising, falling, swelling, dying, there seem'd no longer any ceiling to the room, nor roof to the house, it lasted several minutes and gradually died away in a seeming long distance — it seem'd like a band of many instruments.

It seem'd to say all is well !

[4] [377] [7] The following was sent to an inserted in the Spiritualist Paper of that time. On a bright, sunny August morning I had just left home for business, my second daughter aged 13 was dressing herself, whilst twisting her head fastening her stays, she fancied she saw a mass of white over her shoulders, turning round to the bed the full form of her mother was presented to her beautifully arrayed, especially her head, a kind of turban tastefully fixed, her features were veiled but perfectly clear, radiant health shone over her face her eyes clear and bright, My daughter asked is that you Mother ? the form said 'yes' in a deep kind of whisper & the same when asked if she was happy, the girl I shall soon be with you mother, and the reply I shall be glad was the answer; (my children were all brought to know that these things are possible & do occur). [8] The whole fabric seem'd to melt away and pass through the wall; but the girl noticed that her mother’s feet seem'd encased in the very stockings, she had drawn on herself she also noticed that her mothers hands were in the folds of the gossamer like drapery which she saw in motion as if she was wiping her spectacles as she often did in life time.

Now Sir,

I should very much like to know whether these "trashy, "silly" occurrences can be explained, by "unconscious" cerebration expectancy, delusion, preconceived ideas charlatanry & and all that Piffle, Paffle. Ad Nauseum track ER

P.S. I most sincerely trust that (despite you great age) perfect good healthy is still with you.