WCP4334

[1]

Rosehill, Dorking.

Nov[ember]. 25th. 1876

My dear Sir

I am very sorry you had such an unsatisfactory sitting with Slade¹. Those who like myself and others, have had positive proofs of his remarkable mediumship will not impute such failure as yours to imposture; and when you have yourself seen more of the characteristics of mediums I am inclined to think you will take a more charitable view of [2] of what occurred than you now seem disposed to do.

I think it is a mistake of Slade to introduce the bell, accordion &c.. The Slate-writing is his specialité; & if he would always place the slate on the table in the visitors’ sight, occasional failures to get anything would not, as now, lead to the belief that he is an imposter.

That text, & the writing when the slate was in my own hands, were the only facts on which I myself [3] laid much stress. But other phenomena, however inconclusive & suspicious are not proofs of imposture.

Believe me | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

Dr. C. M. Ingleby.²