obtaining of
psychographs might be deduced from the fact of pictures having been
obtained of angels with wings, a still popular belief of some, as
ridiculous in its conception as it is false in its anatomy, but still no
less true in its photo-pictorial outcome. This does not in the slightest
degree impair the genuineness and honesty of the medium, but it inspires
me, a disbeliever in the wing notion, with the belief that
spirit-photographs are not necessarily photographs of spirits.

"A concluding word: A medium may, on passing through a picture gallery,
become impressed by some picture which, although forgotten soon after,
may yet make a persistent appearance on his negative on subsequent
occasions. My caution is that if such be published as a spirit
photograph, care must be taken that no copyright of such picture is
infringed. I have cases of this nature in my mind's eye, but time does
not permit of this being enlarged upon, else I could have recited
several instances."

It would be extremely interesting if we could have had these "several
instances" recited. At all events, what Mr. Traill Taylor says is
suggestive, and is well worth being borne in mind by any one
investigating the subject. Some careful experiments have been made of
late years, mostly, so far as I have heard, with inconclusive, or
discouraging results. But I am not aware of any serious sustained study
of the question by any English photographer since Mr. Traill Taylor's
death.

CHAPTER XI

THE SUMMING UP OF THE WHOLE MATTER

In the preceding chapters the chief endeavour has been to present the
scientific evidence in favour of the reality of a mass of alleged
phenomena, so far unrecognised by science as facts. The chief object is
to arouse interest, and to excite inquiry and investigation. It is
difficult to imagine a more attractive undiscovered country than that
which lies just outside the realm of recognised science, in the
direction of such phenomena as have been under consideration. It is a
country teeming with wonders, and with miraculous occurrences of endless
variety. Miraculous to us, inasmuch as they are not subject to any "Laws
of Nature" which we have discovered. The marvel is that there is not a
rush of explorers into fields incomparably more fascinating than North
or South Pole can present, and containing more treasure than gold-fields
or diamond mines can ever yield.

The two chapters devoted to phenomena occurring in th