instead of leaving it for the final explanation of whatever might be
clearly proved to be otherwise inexplicable."

It is hardly necessary to repudiate such a condition of mind on the
part of the guests at B----, but it may be well to remark that the
writer of this sapient paragraph seems to be under the impression that
every result of certain forces at present imperfectly understood is
supernatural. The assertion that any one who was in the house during
Colonel Taylor's tenancy believed in the possibility of the existence
of anything supernatural is, so far as the present editors are aware,
a pure fabrication, having no foundation whatever. In their own belief
all things which exist, or can exist, are, _ipso facto_, natural,
although their nature may not belong to the plane of being in which we
are normally accustomed to move.

In this connection may be usefully quoted the following passages from
Miss Freer's article in _The Nineteenth Century_, August 1897:--

"Some of my friends asked me how I proposed to organise a haunted
house research, to which I could only reply that I didn't propose to
do anything of the sort. It seemed to me that among several things to
be avoided was self-consciousness of any kind, that the natural thing
to do was to settle down to a country-house life, make it as pleasant
as possible, and await events.... The subject of the 'haunting' was
never accentuated, and we always tried to prevent talking it over with
new-comers.... As to the guests, for the most part they came on no
special principle of selection.... Several of our visitors had more or
less special interest in the inquiry, but others merely came for a
country-house visit or for sport, and some knew nothing whatever till
after their arrival of any special interest alleged to attach to the
house.... Analysing our list of guests, I find that there were eleven
ladies, twenty-one gentlemen, and _The Times_ Correspondent. Of the
gentlemen, three were soldiers, three lawyers, two were men of
letters, one an artist, two were in business, four were clergy, one a
physician, ... and five, men of leisure."

It would be unnecessary to quote all the preliminary correspondence;
but the following passages from Lord Bute's letters to Miss Freer help
to explain the situation, and the relation of those concerned:--

"_December 20th.--_ ... I am afraid I shall encroach even further upon
your kindness. Myers has all the papers, but I fancy you woul