ving but unconscious
or semi-conscious person is an instrument which may, though with
difficulty, be utilised to that end._

_It is easy to express this hypothesis in such a way that it is
repugnant to common sense. It may be possible hereafter to formulate it
so that it shall correspond in some measure with the truth. But even
though it should turn out that intelligences can exist apart from the
surface of planets and the usual material concomitants, it by no means
follows that they must all at some period have been incarnate on the
earth. The recognition of modes of existence differing greatly from our
own, if it can ever be properly effected, will have an illuminating
bearing on many fundamental problems of life and death; but this is not
the place to attempt to discuss such a question, even if the time were
ripe for the discussion at all._

_The Society for Psychical Research, though it has now for some time
studied this among other questions, has arrived at no sort of agreement
concerning it; the only fact on which its members are generally agreed
is as to the reality of some kind of telepathy, an apparently direct
influence between mind and mind; and telepathy is no doubt an important
fact, but it by no means follows that it is a master-key capable of
furnishing the solution of every variety of psychical problem. The chief
work of the Society has not been the construction of theories; it has
accumulated and sifted a mass of evidence dealing with ultra-normal
human faculty, it has published much material and criticism in its
Proceedings, has printed more in its private Journal, and its members
have written books. To these accessible sources of information students
can be referred._

_But it is necessary to get some inkling of a subject before becoming a
student of it--people have not time to read a tithe of what is printed;
and inasmuch as many erroneous notions and misconceptions are prevalent,
even among educated persons, concerning the method and motives of the
Society, as well as concerning its ascertained results, it occurred to
the Council that perhaps a more popular account of the outline of some
of the facts, with abridged examples or illustrations of some of the
details, might be of service in spreading the rudiments of a wider
knowledge concerning at least one branch of a subject which must
certainly be of interest to the human race when it is rightly
apprehended._

_A popular statement was perhaps t