. They invariably assert
that there _is_ an astral facsimile, or spiritual replica, of the
physical body. Repellent as the idea may be to some of a semi-material,
space-occupying soul, the facts would seem to indicate that such is
true. Yet there might be a way out of the difficulty, since we might
still suppose that the soul, or seat of consciousness, exists as a point
of force within this spiritual organism. Whichever theory is ultimately
proved correct cannot, of course, be settled by _a priori_ speculation,
but by _facts_; and such experiments as those conducted by Dr. Baraduc
in "photographing the soul" are, perhaps, the best line of investigation
to follow, and one from which,--with the improvements in
photography,--the most is to be hoped.

The reader now has the facts before him. I have no theory to offer as to
the nature of these photographs, save that they appear to me to be
genuine and supernormal from all the evidence and testimony that I have
been enabled to obtain. In my _Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism_ I
have explained a number of ways in which fraudulent "spirit" photographs
can be obtained; and in _Modern Psychical Phenomena_ I reproduced a
number of photographs which seemed to me to be supported by excellent
testimony, and which were, so far as I could see, genuine psychic
photographs. In that volume I also discussed the various _theories_
which have been advanced in the past to explain these extraordinary
photographs. The present collection is intended merely to supplement the
former, and to present a number of photographs the solution for which
is, it seems to me, yet to be found.

FOOTNOTES:

[22] Regarding the earlier photographs, however (those obtained by Mrs.
Dupont Lee), further evidence has caused me to modify my belief in their
supernormal value, and I should now attach no "evidential value" to them
at all, strictly speaking. In an excellent criticism of the Lee
photographs, published in the _Proceedings_, Amer. S.P.R., vol. xiii.
pp. 529-87, Dr. Walter F. Prince has shown the undoubtedly fraudulent
character of the Lee photographs--certainly those with which Keeler had
anything to do. The others are still _sub judice_.

[23] T. C. and E. C. Jack, Edinburgh.

[24] Not reproduced here.

CHAPTER VII

HALLUCINATION AND THE PHYSICAL PHENOMENA OF SPIRITUALISM[25]

The discussion begun by Count Solovovo, and continued by Miss
Johnson,[26] is assuredly of supreme importance to