takes part in their discussions
and tries to make them understand that what they take for realities are
only shadows. But they, confident in the results of their lengthy
reflections on the subject, laugh him to scorn. The same thing would
happen to a soul which had dwelt for a time in the world of spirit and
had been brought back into the world of matter.

When Plato's captive is brought back into the cave, his eyes, no longer
used to half-darkness, can distinguish nothing for some time; if he is
questioned about the shadows of the passing objects he does not see
them, and his answers are full of confusion. Perhaps something like this
happens to the discarnate spirits who try to manifest themselves to us
by borrowing the organism of a medium. Such at least is the suggestion
of George Pelham; in that way he would explain the incoherence, the
confusion, the false statements made by many of the communicating
spirits:[71] "For us to get into communication with you, we have to
enter into your sphere, as one like yourself asleep. This is just why we
make mistakes as you call them, or get confused and muddled so to put
it. I am not less intelligent now. But there are many difficulties. I am
far clearer on all points than I was, shut up in the body. 'Don't view
me with a critic's eye, but pass my imperfections by.'"

George Pelham also tells us how we may summon the spirits of those with
whom we desire to communicate. The thoughts of his friends reach him; if
he is to come and make himself manifest his friends must think of him.
He adds that, so far from the communications being injurious to the
communicating spirits or the sitters, they are positively to be desired.

On one occasion Dr Hodgson asked what became of the medium during the
trance.[72]

George Pelham.--"She passes out as your ethereal goes out when you
sleep."

Dr Hodgson.--"Well, do you see that there is a conflict, because the
brain substance is, so to speak, saturated with her tendencies of
thought?"

George Pelham.--"No, not that, but the solid substance called brain--it
is difficult to control it simply because it is material; her mind
leaves the brain empty as it were, and I myself, or other spiritual mind
or thought, take the empty brain, and there is where and when the
conflict arises."

All this is very unintelligible in the present condition of our
knowledge. But here is another passage even less intelligible and one
which in its _naivete_ almost