rded the sitting fairly well,
but the experiment was not repeated--why, I do not know, for the
intonations of the controls would have been an interesting study.

I have often used expressions of affirmation in this chapter, and the
reader might therefore conclude that the existence of spirits is no
longer a hypothesis in my eyes, but a reality. I have already warned
him, and warn him again, that I speak thus only for convenience' sake,
and that the existence of spirits is still as hypothetical to me as to
anyone else.

FOOTNOTES:

[52] Not the real name. _See_ p. 78, _Trans._

[53] _Proc. of S.P.R._, vol. xiii. p. 291.

[54] _Proc. of S.P.R._, vol. xiii. p. 294.

CHAPTER X

How George Pelham has proved his identity--He recognises his friends and
alludes to their opinions--He recognises objects which have belonged to
him--Asks that certain things should be done for him--Very rarely makes
an erroneous statement.

Some of my readers must have asked themselves what the returning George
Pelham can have said to make grave and intelligent men think he has
proved his identity. I shall try to give them some idea by relating such
incidents as I can report without entering into too slight or complete
details. I cannot relate everything, in the first place for want of
space, and secondly, because I should be tiresome--a thing to be avoided
in a popular work like the present.

When Dr Hodgson wrote the report which appeared in 1898, George Pelham,
who, like Phinuit, is always ready to act as intermediary (though
employing writing instead of speech) had had occasion to see one hundred
and fifty sitters, among whom thirty were old friends of his. He
recognised the whole thirty, and never mistook a stranger for a friend.
He not only addressed them all by name but took with each of them the
tone he had been accustomed to take.

We do not speak in the same way to all our friends. The tone of our
conversation differs according to the character and the age of the
person we address, and according to the degree of esteem or affection we
have for him. These shades of manner are typical, though instinctive,
and therefore are difficult to reproduce artificially.

George Pelham, then, addressed the thirty friends whom he had the
opportunity of meeting through the medium in the tone which he was in
the habit of taking formerly with each one of them. The incidents I
shall quote are only examples; I have said why I cannot reca