WCP4343

[1]

Waldron Edge, Duppas Hill.

Croydon

Jan[uar]^y. 8th. 1880.

My dear D^r. Ingleby¹

I am glad to hear that you are having some sittings with Haxby². I have great confidence in his mediumistic powers, and have seen many good phenomena with him. Of course if you want satisfaction you must have some kind of tests but I do not thinking tying is best, & you cannot expect success if you begin introducing such rigid conditions.

The As these phenomena are undoubtedly a combination of mental & physical & depend on both the mental & physical status of the medium & of the sitters, the [2] first thing is to get phenomena under any conditions & then to see how you can best test them. It is most important to be on quite friendly terms with the medium & to make him feel at home, & also to find our as soon as possible if there is any one in the circle whose antagonism (perhaps involuntary) checks the phenomena — as if so it is waste of time to go on.

Having got the phenomena leaving the medium quite free, & supposing you have "Abdullah"³ appear in his pure white dress and turban, it appears to me that an absolute & complete test is to search the medium thoroughly immediately afterwards, & then if nothing [3] whatever is found concealed to accept that as conclusive proof that the medium is not an impostor, & thenceforth have no more such tests. To avoid anything disagreeable this should all be arranged with Haxby beforehand. Tell him that of course you want to obtain satisfactory tests — that is the sole purpose of the seánces and propose that you go on sitting in any way most agreeable to him till the form appears & is satisfactorily seen and examined, & then afterwards he will be asked to submit to a complete search, which being satisfactory is never to be repeated. I think he would agree. I saw Eglinton⁴ searched exactly in this way immediately after a seánce when 3 distinct figures had [4] appeared. He was not out of our sight for one second & he took off every article of his clothing in the presence of myself & 2 friends each article passing through our hands for examination even to his under vest. Nothing whatever was found, & to all present the test was perfectly satisfactory. But there are some people so foolish as to think that notwithstanding this, if on another occasion it were proved that the figure was Mr. Eglinton himself he would be an impostor. It might have been Eglinton himself on the evening of we searched him, but he was none the less a medium. If Abdullah appears and (as I saw him) taller & larger than Haxby, it may still be Haxby's body,— the only test that it is not, is seeing Haxby & Abdullah at the same time. That you may get but it is very doubtful. If you are predetermined to believe it all imposture until you get positive proof of the figure being distinct from Haxby, I doubt if you will get any satisfaction.

Thanking you for your remarks about Epping

Believe me | Yours very truly | Alfred R Wallace [signature]

C.M. Ingleby.⁵