'TWIXT TWO WORLDS: A Narrative of The Life and Work of William Eglinton. JOHN S. FARMER, AUTHOR OF "A NEW BASIS OF BELIEF IN IMMORTALITY," "HOW TO INVESTIGATE SPIRITUALISM," "EX ORIENTE LUX," ETC., ETC. LONDON: 1886. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. Early Life and Development as a Psychic 1 II. Early Professional Mediumship 5 III. The "Blackburn Seances" 8 IV. Work in London, the Provinces, and Abroad 14 V. Remarkable Seances At Malvern 21 VI. Private Seances and Spiritualism at Home 30 VII. South African Experiences 42 VIII. The Story of a Haunting Spirit 50 IX. Scientific Investigation on the Continent 58 X. Drawings and Writings Produced by Abnormal Means, Casts from Materialised Hands 69 XI. American Experiences 85 XII. Visit to India 89 XIII. The Royal Family and Spiritualism—Psychography Explained 98 XIV. General Testimony To Psychography 110 XV. "Brought to Book" 139 XVI. Evidence for Independent Mind-Action in Psychography 154 XVII. On Materialisations and Apparitions Formed with the Medium in Full View 163 XVIII. Phases of Opposition. Spiritualism and Art. A Problem for Conjurers. 184 XIX. Conclusion 192 ILLUSTRATIONS. FIG. PAGE FIG. PAGE Portrait Etching of Mr. Eglinton Frontispiece 17. Method of Obtaining Writing when the Slates are 1. Knots Tied in an Endless Cord 34 tied and held over the head of one of the Sitters 107 2. A Novel Test 38 18. Obtaining Writing under an Inverted Tumbler 108 3. Plan of the Garden Seance. 39 19. Reduced Facsimile of Recognised Psychographic 4. Dr. Hutchinson's Dial 44 Writing 114 5. A Direct Drawing 70 20. Handwriting of Mr. Eglinton 115 6. Writing with Ink on a Card inside a 21. Handwriting of Dr. Nichols' Daughter 115 Closed and Weighted Book 71 22. Facsimile of Direct Writing, reduced one-fourth 120 7. Specimens of Direct Writing 73 23. Facsimile of Direct Slate Writing obtained in Mr. 8. Direct Drawing and Writing 74 Adshead's presence 125 9. A Direct Drawing Executed in Total Darkness 75 24. Exact Reproduction of Direct Writing on a Card 132 10. Writing produced under an Inverted Tumbler 91 25. Exact Reproduction of Direct Drawing on a Card 133 11. Plan of Seance Room in Calcutta 96 26. Direct Writing on a Slate 135 12. A Direct Drawing 100 27. Message Written between the Slates when Resting on 13. Ground Plan of Mr. Eglinton's Seance the Shoulder of the Sitter 137 Room at Old Quebec Street 103 28. Facsimile of Direct Writing obtained in Broad Day 14. Table used by Mr. Eglinton, and Mode of Holding light 149 the Slate for Simple Experiments 104 29. Direct Writing obtained under an Inverted Tumbler150 15. Method of Obtaining the Writing when the Slate is 30. Dr. Herschell's Fenestrated Slate 152 held by Mr. Eglinton and the Sitter 105 31. Plan of Seance Room 170 16. Method of Obtaining the Writing between two 32. Plan of Seance Room 177 Slates held over the Table 106 Portrait of Mr. W. Eglinton 188 To CHARLES BLACKBURN THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR AS A SLIGHT ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE MANY SERVICES HE HAS RENDERED TO THE CAUSE OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM IN ENGLAND. 'TWIXT TWO WORLDS. ————— CHAPTER I. EARLY LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT AS A PSYCHIC. WILLIAM EGLINTON (or Willie as he is familiarly called by his friends) was born on the 10th of July, 1857, in Islington, near the New River, a now densely populated quarter of the Metropolis, but at that time almost open country. The family on the father's side is Scotch, and through John Montgomerie, of Bridgend, who died about 1630 a descent can be traced from the Montgomeries of Ayr.His mother, a Miss Wyse, came of a family, some members of which have held important official positions in the City of London. His early life was spent at school. Though extremely imaginative, dreamy, and sensitive, and, as a boy, passionate and hot-tempered to a degree, no indications of the wonderful power which afterwards developed itself were noticed. He recollects nothing himself, nor, as far as can be ascertained, is any member of his family aware of abnormal phenomena having occurred in Willie's presence. His education was a limited one, being purely commercial, and it ended just when most boys are commencing their studies in earnest. From school he passed into the well-known publishing house of a relative to learn the business of a printer and publisher; but, owing to his association with Spiritualism, his connection in this capacity was of short duration. Willie's religious training was practically nil. His father in early life had renounced Christianity, and had become an Agnostic. On the other hand, his mother was distinguished by a sweet, gentle piety, and "between the two," he writes, "I was puzzled both ways, and was practically left to solve the problems of life and religious teaching for myself, the result being the acceptance of materialistic notions, and the doctrine of total annihilation." Very early in life were the principles he had adopted brought to the test of experience, in the passing away of his mother in July, 1873, her remains being consigned to their resting place on his birthday. Mors janua vitae [Death is the gate of everlasting life]; and so it proved to be in the present case. Writing of the event, he says: "The loss to me was irreparable; for she was my only friend and counsellor, She "left a void which has never been filled." This bereavement seems to 1 2 'Twixt Two Worlds. have stirred him to more earnest thought and action, and to a deeper sense of the reality of life. He now began to take a more active interest in endeavouring to fathom the truth of the various dogmas, with the result that Atheism seemed to him the most rational. A poor result maybe, but he was in the right track, for he had begun to think. The mischief is not that people believe this or that doctrine, or profess this or that faith; it is rather that they are indifferent and apathetic, and will not think at all about these things. There is hope for the former, but very little for those who imbibe their religion as mechanically as they do the air they breathe. At this time he was, in company with his father, an occasional attendant at the services held by Mr. Charles Bradlaugh at the Hall of Science, becoming more than ever prejudiced against everything and everybody Christian. In this place, however, he was destined to receive the first impetus to a career in which he would be fighting in defence of what was then intolerable to him; and little did he think that, through his own marvellous but latent gifts, he would be able to deal deadly blows to the miserable doctrine of annihilation. So it was to be, however. It was in February, 1874, that a discussion on Spiritualism took place at the Hall of Science between Dr. Sexton and Mr. Foote, the former defending the latter's attack. Dr. Sexton, it should be observed, had himself been converted from Atheism through Spiritualism. Willie Eglinton relates his impressions as follows:—"I had never heard the word Spiritualism mentioned before, and was full of eager inquiries about it. My father attended this discussion with some friends, as also did I with some young companions. The place was densely packed, and hundreds had to be refused admission. I remember that when Dr. Sexton appeared he was but slightly cheered compared with Mr. Foote, owing, as I then supposed, to the weakness of the Spiritualistic party. I can but own that I felt a slight feeling of awe creep over me when Dr. Sexton began to address the audience, because my scant information had led me to expect that in his presence chairs and tables would float about. This showed my utter ignorance of the subject." In the course of his debate, Dr. Sexton advised all persons wishing to test the truth of Spiritualism to try in their own homes by themselves rather than with a professional medium. Willie's father, who was never a bigot, thought this sensible advice, and consulting a friend (Mr. John Davis, who has himself since become a Spiritualist, and whose family subsequently developed remarkable psychical powers), they agreed to buy a book of rules and try that very night to see "if there was anything in it." A home circle was formed, and, conforming with the conditions laid down in the book of rules, chapters from the Bible were read, and hymns were sung—"proceedings," remarks Willie Eglinton in his description of what took place, "quite unprecedented in our family circle. I refused to join them, on the plea that 'it was all humbug,' thus setting myself up as an authority upon a subject of which I knew nothing." Who has not done the same? The others sat patiently for two hours, awaiting manifestations, but in vain. Not discouraged by this failure, it was agreed to sit again and again, and give the subject a fair trial. Seven or eight evenings were passed in endeavouring to obtain proofs of the existence of some spiritual power, but none were forthcoming. To show his feelings on the matter, Willie fixed upon the door of the seance room large cards, upon which were written, "There are lunatics confined here; they will be shortly Early Life and Development as a Psychic. 3 let loose highly dangerous," etc., etc. This so far offended his father, that he was told either to join the circle, or leave the house during the investigation. He elected the former alternative; and, under protest, entered the seance room. I now continue in his own words:—"My manner, previous to doing so, was that of a boy full of fun; but as soon as I found myself in the presence of the 'inquirers,' a strange and mysterious feeling came over me, which I could not shake off. I sat down at the table, determined that if anything happened I would put a stop to it! Something did happen, but I was powerless to prevent it. The table began to show signs of life and vigour; it suddenly rose off the ground, and steadily raised itself in the air, until we had to stand to reach it. This was in full gaslight. It afterwards answered, intelligently, questions which were put to it, and gave a number of test communications to persons present. The next evening saw us eagerly sitting for further manifestations, and with a larger circle, for the news had got widely spread that we had 'seen ghosts and talked to them,' together with similar reports. After we had read the customary prayer, seemed to be no longer of this earth. A most ecstatic feeling came over me, and I presently passed into a trance. All my friends were novices in the matter, and tried various means to restore me, but without result. At the end of half an hour I returned to consciousness, feeling a strong desire to relapse into the former condition. We had communications which proved conclusively, to my mind, that the spirit of my mother had really returned to us. Even upon the hypothesis that we and our friends were conspiring together to delude each other, as is too commonly suggested nowadays by many, the internal evidence contained in the messages was sufficient to convince me of the presence of some abnormal power which could tell us of things only known to 'the dead' and ourselves. The various theories of 'elementals,' 'astral bodies,' and 'shells' had not then been propounded to perplex and confound, and I readily accepted as proved the fact that those who had passed beyond this life could and did communicate with us. I then began to realise how mistaken—how utterly empty and unspiritual—had been my past life, and I felt a pleasure indescribable in knowing, beyond a doubt, that those who had passed from earth could return again, and prove the immortality of the soul. In the quietness of our family circle, only broken by the admission of friends to witness the marvellous manifestations, we enjoyed, to the full extent, our communion with the departed; and many are the happy hours I have spent in this way." Frequent seances were also held with a professional trance medium. About this time Mr. Haxby, afterwards well-known as an excellent physical medium, and who died a few years ago, joined the circle, and began to develop strongly his mediumistic faculties. A few months after the first seance, stronger phenomena gradually developed, and instruction and guidance were given by a spirit who gave the name of "Joey Sandy," and who has since become one of the principal directors at all Mr. Eglinton's seances. The latter says:—"To his honesty and fidelity I owe the success I have met with both in public and private, while his vivacious disposition and common sense have rendered him a general favourite." I, as well as many others, can confirm this estimate of "Joey Sandy's" character and work. I have ever found him willing and patient in his endeavours to bring home to earnest inquirers the truth of Spiritualism. I have learnt, after a long experience of his ways and objects, to respect him as a man, and to esteem him most highly for his work's sake. Ever faithful and true, "Joey Sandy" will never be effaced from the memory of thousands who owe to him what has proved an inestimable blessing. "Ernest," another of Mr. Eglinton's "guides," or instructors, as I prefer to say, came to him 4 'Twixt Two Worlds. about eighteen months after the advent of "Joey Sandy." His sober common-sense, intelligence, and kindness, have made him respected by all, and too high a tribute cannot be paid to so good and noble a spirit. Apropos of the estimation in which this co-worker of Mr. Eglinton was held, even in 1876, when he first began to manifest strongly, a writer in the Religio-Philosophical Journal thus speaks of him:—"When 'Ernest' gives us some of his calm, well-expressed advice, delivered in words of earnest feeling, or when he tenderly commits us to the care of guardian angels, invoking blessings upon us, the voice causes our very hearts to swell in soft responsive affection; and it would be impossible to ascribe a voice so full of the human feeling gained through a long life of experience, and such vicissitudes as human existence always brings, to an elementary. No; we feel it is a man before us, a spirit rich in the love of humanity, longsuffering, patient, calm above human weakness by self-conquest, and a very angel of mercy and beneficence to mortals." To this many a heart comforted through his ministry will say "Amen." Only those who have come into these intimate relations, born of mutual confidence and trust, can conceive the weight of the evidence so ungrudgingly given in favour of the survival of the soul after death. Critical acumen is of immense service in psychical research, but to pass beyond even the threshold of the inquiry one needs something more, hence the failure of many investigators. But to those who unite with a critical eye the sympathetic mind, all the things of the spirit are possible, and no trouble is too great, no proof too much to ask of the invisible workers. I acknowledge with deep gratitude my personal indebtedness to Mr. Eglinton's guides, and hope that placing on record my firm conviction of the cause of so much failure may open up the right path to others. A variety of phases of mediumship were subsequently developed—trance, healing, and clairvoyance—and finally materialisations were obtained; not with a cabinet or darkened room, but in the moonlight, while all sat round the table. At these times Mr. Eglinton was invariably conscious, and the figure of his mother generally appeared, radiant, and transcendently beautiful, "and looking," he says, "more as we imagine spirits to be than any I have since seen, and they are not a few. I was induced to sit in the dark for manifestations by a friend of mine, who had been to a seance with a professional medium, and who gave a wonderful account of what had taken place. After I did this the really spiritual seances we had been having seemed to leave us, and in their stead we obtained the rough physical phenomena so common to all dark seances." It is a matter for deep regret that these dark cabinet seances have played so important a part in the history of Spiritualism. Why they were introduced at all seems a mystery, as no more potent source of error or perplexity could possibly have been devised. Happily at the present time they relate to a state of things, let us hope, passed away for ever. More rational and sounder methods now obtain, to the advantage of all concerned. Fortunately, Mr. Eglinton steadily set his face against them, and though, in deference to the wishes of others, and the exigencies of circumstances, he has occasionally sat in this way, yet it was always distasteful to him, and his best results have ever been obtained under the auspices of better conditions. CHAPTER II. EARLY PROFESSIONAL MEDIUMSHIP. THE powers of Mr. Eglinton's mediumship having now attracted public attention, he received numerous applications for seances, but he steadily resisted for a long time all efforts to induce him to become a professional medium. However, after having given a large number of seances to his friends, he found the strain in following his business and giving sittings at the same time was proving too much for him, and, after a rather severe illness, he resisted the calls of the public no longer, but entered upon his career as a professional medium. Personally he now regards this step as an injudicious one, as thereby all his prospects in life have been destroyed. I hope events will yet falsify Mr. Eglinton's fears on this point. One of the earliest of these seances is recorded in The Medium for September, 1875, and again in October and succeeding months. About this time he became acquainted with Mrs. Catherine Woodforde, who was then giving "developing" seances, and to her and Mrs. Brewerton he owes much for their kindly advice and support. In Mrs. Woodforde's rooms he commenced a series of most successful sittings, and at the same, time his equally remarkable professional career. At the end of the same year (1875) several seances were given to the Dalston Association of Spiritualists, of which society he was afterwards made an honorary member. Perhaps one of the earliest sittings on record in England for plaster casts took place with him in January, 1876, when, at the residence of Mrs. Woodforde, several moulds were obtained, including that of a face. In January, 1876, another successful series of seances was given, this time to the Brixton Psychological Society, under the presidency of Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald, M.I.Tel.E., and these were followed in quick succession by others. The first seance held by him at the house of Mrs. Macdougal Gregory, whose intimate friendship he enjoyed from that time until she passed from our midst in May, 1885, took place in February, 1876, and was fully reported in the Spiritualist, of March 3rd. There were present Sir Garnet (now Viscount) Wolseley, the Hon. Mrs. CowperTemple (now Lady Mount-Temple), Mr. A. joy, the Viscountess Avonmore, General Brewster, Captain James, and others. Most striking results were obtained, but as in the matter of evidence I suffer from an embarras de richesse [embarrassment of riches], I shall have to pass by many cases with only a bare mention. At this time he first came in contact with Mr. Benjamin Coleman, a long-to-be-remembered pioneer and supporter of Spiritualism in England, and Mr. Charles Blackburn, of Blackburn Park, Didsbury, Manchester. It needs no words of mine to emphasise the services so freely and spontaneously rendered to 5 6 'Twixt Two Worlds. Spiritualism by Mr. Blackburn. As a matter of fact, the movement is indebted to him more than many Spiritualists dream of—especially the new generation of inquirers and investigators. For years Mr. Blackburn has spent himself, his time, and his resources, in furthering the cause of spiritual research. Hardly a medium can be named who has not experienced his fostering care, and whose gifts, but for him, would never have been carefully examined and usefully applied. Nor is the literature of the movement less indebted to him. For a long time he contributed hundreds of pounds yearly to the support of the Spiritualist newspaper, and in numerous other ways has he watered and tended the growth of what he believed would, if carefully guided, prove one of humanity's greatest blessings. I hope Mr. Blackburn will forgive these allusions to what I know he himself regards as of little account, but for the sake of historical accuracy it is desirable that the facts should be made known. Mr. Blackburn united a wise discretion with unbounded generosity in his work for Spiritualism. He clearly saw the great need of Spiritualism at that time, as now, was systematic research, and with this end in view he arranged for a series of experimental seances with various mediums. These took place at the rooms of the British National Association of Spiritualists at 38, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, and were known as the "Blackburn seances." Mr. Eglinton was amongst the mediums engaged, and the first seance took place in March, 1876. Important results were obtained at these sittings. They were given before a committee of the B.N.A.S., and taking place as they did in the light, they were much appreciated owing to the extreme difficulty existing at that time of obtaining other phenomena than those occurring at dark seances. Mrs. Marie Neville, the wife of George Neville, the well-known actor, writing in the Spiritualist, for March 17th, 1876, testifies that these daylight seances were a great step in advance. She further expressed an opinion that these conditions should be encouraged in every way as likely to be satisfactory to inquirers, adding that "Mr. Eglinton's courtesy and willingness to submit to any proposed test cannot be too strongly commented upon." At one of these seances he met another life-long friend and tried worker in Spiritualism, Mr. Dawson Rogers. Mr. Rogers, in the Spiritualist, for March 24th, 1876, gives a very interesting account of the manifestations witnessed by him, and concludes his report by saying, "I will only add my belief that all present had the most implicit confidence in the genuineness of the manifestations." Amongst those present on the occasion were the Rev. W. Miall, the Rev. W. Newbould, and other well-known Spiritualists. On March 21st, 1876, Mr. Eglinton held another seance at Mrs. Gregory's, at 21, Green Street, W., He there met Dr. Kenealy, M.P., who was, if not then a Spiritualist, very much interested in the subject. A frequent correspondence ensued, and as instancing how thoroughly Dr. Kenealy believed in the Claimant up to the day of his death, I may mention that, in one of the advocate's letters to Mr. Eglinton, after expressing his wonder and belief in the phenomena of Spiritualism, he adds a characteristic note, "Anniversary of poor Tichborne's conviction." it should be specially remembered that from this time (March, 1876), down to the year 1883, Mr. Eglinton never gave a single sitting on his own premises. This fact entirely cuts the ground from under the feet of those who ignorantly assert that mediums can only obtain results in a prepared room of their own. Seance followed seance in rapid succession, and Mr. Eglinton was kept fully employed. Early Professional Mediumship. 7 As showing the impression being made upon the public—especially the critical expert investigators—it is pleasing to read in the Spiritualist of May 12th, 1876, that "the test manifestations with Mr. Eglinton are of great value, not because other mediums may not obtain equally Conclusive results, but because, in his case, they have been observed and recorded by good critical witnesses, whose testimony will carry weight with the public; all mediums should seek to get their test results thus verified." How strong and conclusive the testimony in regard to Mr. Eglinton's mediumship was, to which the editor here refers, will be seen when I come to deal with the general results of these experimental seances of Mr. Blackburn's.