granted that the 'rappings' are not produced by
artificial contrivances about the persons of the females, which may be
concealed by the dress. This hypothesis is excluded because it is
understood that the females have been repeatedly and carefully examined by
lady committees.

"It is obvious that the 'rappings' are not caused by machinery attached to
tables, doors, etc., for they are heard in different rooms, and in
different parts of the same room in which the females are present, _but
always near the spot where the females are stationed_. This mechanical
hypothesis is then to be excluded. So much for the negative evidence, and
now for what positively relates to the subject.

"_On carefully observing the countenances of the two females it is evident
that they involve an effort of the will. They evidently attempted to
conceal any indications of voluntary effort, but did not succeed. A
voluntary effort was manifested, and it was plain that it could not be
continued very long without fatigue._ Assuming, then, this _positive
fact_, the inquiry arises, how can the will be exerted to produce sounds
('rappings') without obvious movements of the body? The voluntary muscles
themselves are the only organs, save those which belong to the mind
itself, over which volition can exercise any direct control. But
contractions of the muscles do not, in the muscles themselves, occasion
obvious sounds. The muscles, therefore, to develop audible vibrations,
must act upon parts with which they are connected. Now, it was
sufficiently clear that the 'rappings' were not _vocal_ sounds; these
could not be produced without movements of the respiratory muscles, which
would at once lead to detection. Hence, excluding vocal sounds, _the only
possible source of the noises in question, produced as we have seen that
they must be, by voluntary muscular contraction, is in one or more of the
movable articulations of the skeleton_, from the anatomical construction
of the voluntary muscles. This explanation remains as _the only
alternative_.

"By an analysis prosecuted in this manner we arrive at the conviction that
the 'rappings,' assuming that they are not spiritual, _are produced by the
action of the will, through voluntary action on the joints_.

"Various facts may be cited to show that the motion of the joints, under
certain circumstances, is adequate to produce the phenomena of the
'rappings.' * * * By a curious coincidence, after arriving at the a