precipitation, though more frequently the fragment of
pencil enclosed between the slates is guided by a spirit hand, of
which only just the tiny points sufficient to grasp it are
materialized.

[Sidenote: Levitation.]

An occurrence which occasionally takes place at _seances_, and more
frequently among eastern Yogis, is what is called levitation--that is,
the floating of a human body in the air. No doubt when this takes
place in the case of a medium, he is often simply upborne by "spirit
hands," but there is another and more scientific method of
accomplishing this feat which is always used in the East, and
occasionally here also. Occult science is acquainted with a means of
neutralizing or even entirely reversing the attraction of gravity, and
it is obvious that by the judicious use of this power all the
phenomena of levitation may be easily produced. It was no doubt by a
knowledge of this secret that some of the air-ships of ancient India
and Atlantis were raised from the earth and made light enough to be
readily moved and directed; and not improbably the same acquaintance
with nature's finer forces greatly facilitated the labours of those
who raised the enormous blocks of stone sometimes used in cyclopean
architecture, or in the building of the Pyramids and Stonehenge.

[Sidenote: Spirit Lights.]

With the knowledge of the forces of nature which the resources of the
astral plane place at the command its inhabitants the production of
what are called "spirit lights" is a very easy matter, whether they be
of the mildly phosphorescent or the dazzling electrical variety, or
those curious dancing globules of light into which a certain class of
fire elementals so readily transform themselves. Since all light
consists simply of vibrations of the ether, it is obvious that any one
who knows how to set up these vibrations can readily produce any kind
of light that he wishes.

[Sidenote: Handling Fire.]

It is by the aid of the etheric elemental essence also that the
remarkable feat of handling fire unharmed is generally performed,
though there are as usual other ways in which it can be done. The
thinnest layer of etheric substance can be so manipulated as to be
absolutely impervious to heat, and when the hand of a medium or sitter
is covered with this he may pick up burning coal or red-hot iron with
perfect safety.

[Sidenote: Transmutation.]

Most of the occurrences of the _seance_-room have now been referred
to, b