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{{Style P-HPB SB. Title continued | Strange Powers of Spirits of Sleeping Mortals |3-105}}
{{Style P-HPB SB. Title continued | Strange Powers of Spirits of Sleeping Mortals |3-105}}
...
As a matter of fact, Mr. Gledstanes posed at 11.15 a.m. Paris time, which is 11.5 a.m. London time. On the first half of the plate then exposed is a faint image of me. The second half shows no trace of anything beside the sitter. The second exposure took place at 11.25 Paris, or 11.15 London time. The result is that on the first half of the plate appears a perfect likeness of myself, and on the second half the figure of an old man with clearly-marked features. My own face wears the appearance so hard to define, yet so familiar to all who have seen much of entranced persons. The eyes are closed, and the expression is that of a person in deep sleep. The figure is not, as is usually the case, close behind the sitter, but is apparently supported at some distance from him as though by a power external both to itself and to him. This is the exception in M. Buguet’s pictures. I have before me some sixty of them, and only in rare cases does the spirit stand away from the sitter. In almost all it extends its arm over the head of the sitter, as though it were drawing some influence or power from him, and generally the fluidic drapery covers the sitter’s head or some part of his body. In this case the figure is apart as though supported, as I learn was actually the case.
My own share in the business is soon described. I remained in bed in order to be at rest, and to be free from risk of disturbance. I woke shortly after 10.15 a.m., and lay in a dreamy state, half asleep and half awake, listening to the church bells ringing, until near eleven o’clock, when I became unconscious again. The bells were ringing as I lost note of what was passing, and the clock had not struck. I remember no more until 11.47 a.m., when I woke and looked at my watch. That three-quarters of an hour is an absolute blank, as is all the time during which I am entranced, if the trance-state is perfectly established. I remained in a condition of partial trance during the whole day. About 3.30 p.m. I went to Dr. Speer’s, and we had a sitting in the evening. My friends noticed, as soon as I went into the room, the peculiar expression which with me indicates partial entrancement. I did not lose that feeling until the following morning. The sitting was specially devoted to an address from a spirit who had not before controlled me, and nothing was said about the success of the photographic experiment until the next morning—Monday, about 6 a.m. When I woke I received at once a communication explaining what had been done, and telling me that at the last exposure a representation of myself appeared on one half of the plate, and on the other one of the spirits who had arranged and carried out the matter. He has communicated with me regularly for more than two years. He was on earth a sage who is historically known for his deep spiritual knowledge. Other points were noticed, with which I need not trouble your readers. Suffice it to say, that I elicited full particulars at 7 a.m. on Monday morning, and that each point was exactly corroborated by a letter which I received from Mr. Gledstanes from Paris, nine hours after, ''i.e.'' about 5 p.m.
The whole affair, sufficiently astonishing in its details and in the speculations to which it leads, I have recorded with literal exactness. There is no doubt whatever as to the fact that the spirit of a person whose body was lying asleep in London was photographed by M. Buguet in Paris. And there is no doubt that this is not a solitary instance. Nor do the communications which I have received respecting it from those who have never deceived me yet, leave any room for doubt that the spirit was actually present in the studio, and that the picture is not one of some image made up by the invisibles, as is sometimes the case.
I have only to add that a friend who frequently joins our ''seances, ''was so impressed with a sense of my presence about 11.25 a.m., on the Sunday, while sitting in his rooms near Bond-street, that he noted the fact, being impressed with it as curious because he was thinking of other matters. The communication which I received on Monday morning, detailed the attempts that had been made to impress a sense of my spiritual presence upon two friends, one of whom was the gentleman in question.
I have heard many cases of the trans-corporeal wanderings of spirit: and I have some in my own records. I hope one day to collect these, and by that time I hope that other photographic experiments may be successfully carried out. Meantime any of your readers who wish to see the photograph, or can favour me with records of experiences bearing upon it, are invited to communicate with me at Mr. Allen’s, your publisher.
{{Style P-Signature in capitals|M. A. (Oxon.)}}
February, 1875.