WCP4331

[1]¹

The Dell, Grays, Essex.

May 18^th. 1875

My dear Sir

I have been much occupied a[nd] sh[oul]^d have answered your letter before.

Mr Crookes² himself showed me the rooms and the exact conditions under which the phenomena occurred, & assured me that all means of unobserved exit & entrance were absolutely prevented, the door & window being securely fastened by himself. I asked this because I anticipated some such objection, although it might seem obvious that one of the first experiments of the day (as Mr C.’s) would hardly omit so obvious a condition in a matter in wh[ich]. he risk the Scientific reputation of his life. Mr Maurice ^Davies was writing for the "Daily Telegraph" & was obliged to introduce some [2] suspicions. However the best answer to such suppositions is to show that in other cases they are altogether precluded. I enclose you two newspaper cuttings which I have read & return. I know the author both by reputation & personally, & have independent testimony that what he relates is true. Read the larger cutting first, — the smaller gives the climax[?] of proof.

The two lady mediums alluded to have been engaged for 12 months experiments by a party of gentlemen of whom Mr H. Sidgwick of Cambridge is one. They have already got most satisfactory experiments under rigid test conditions in the [word illeg.] houses, [3] as I know by a private letter from one of them wh[ich]. I have seen.

Without going therefore to the most overwhelming evidence in America (as given in the book by Col[onel]. Olcott³ just published) — we have her[e] at han[d][?] a more[?] than confirmation of Crookes’ statements under most absolutely rigid test conditions.

No failures[?] & no suspicions in other places can get over these.

If you use my name and ask Mr Crookes when it will be convenient for him to show them — ^{the photos,} — to you I have no doubt he will do so. His address is 20, Mornington Road. N.W.[.] But the photos are so life-like that they will give you no satisfaction unless you believe [4] his statements as to the facts.

I may remark that the ‘spirit’s’ white robe has never been proved to contain Miss Cooke[sic]⁴ herself, — & I am not aware of any consternation on the part of the spiritualists.

I see[?] not much difficulty in the "hair a[nd]" clothing remaining. They are natural substances, formed by the spirits, who have the power of decomposing a[nd] dissolving them as quickly as they form them, — but when parting [two words illeg.] why sh[oul]d they not remain if the spirit does not exercise its power of decomposing them?

I remain | Yours very Faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

C. M. Ingleby Esq⁵.

Enclosing cutting from the Newcastle Daily Journal May 5 & 6 1875⁶