that he was, like other
historic personages whom we have already encountered, a victim of
dissociation. There is no gainsaying the fact that he was of a
distinctly nervous temperament; and it is equally certain that he chose
a vocation, and placed himself in an environment, which would tend to
make a dissociated state habitual with him. But this is bringing us to
the consideration of a psychological problem which would itself require
a volume for adequate discussion. Enough to add that, when all is said,
and viewed from whatever angle, Daniel Dunglas Home, was, and remains, a
fascinating human riddle.

FOOTNOTES:

[N] But a "conjurer" who in all probability should not be held to strict
account for his deceptions. On this point, see below.

[O] "Modern Spiritualism," Vol. II, p. 242.

IX

THE WATSEKA WONDER

When the biography of the late Richard Hodgson is written one of its
most interesting chapters will be the story of his investigation into
the strange case of Lurancy Vennum. Archinquisitor of the Society for
Psychical Research, the Sherlock Holmes of professional detectives of
the supernatural, in this instance Hodgson was forced to confess himself
beaten and to acknowledge that in his belief the only satisfactory
solution of the problem before him was to be had through recourse to the
hypothesis that the dead can and do communicate with the living.

As is well known, subsequent inquiries, and notably his experiences with
the famous Mrs. Piper, led him to the enthusiastic indorsement of this
hypothesis; but at the time of the Vennum affair, with the recollection
of his triumphs in Europe and Asia fresh in his mind, he was still a
thoroughgoing if open minded skeptic; and to Lurancy Vennum must
accordingly be given the credit of having brought him, so to speak, to
the turning of the ways. Oddly enough too, scarce an effort has been
made to assemble evidence in disproof of his findings in that case and
to develop a purely naturalistic explanation of a mystery which his
verdict went far to establish in the minds of many as a classic
illustration of supernatural action. Yet, while it must be admitted that
until recently such a task would have been extremely difficult, it may
safely be declared that the phenomena manifested through Lurancy Vennum
were not a whit more other-worldly than the phenomena produced by the
tricksters whom Hodgson himself so skilfully and mercilessly exposed.

To refresh the r