During Miss Freer’s absence the house was occupied for some days by the eminent classical scholar Mr. F.W.H.  Myers, late Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, one of her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools, and Hon. Sec. to the S.P.R.

It is well known that the S.P.R. is very greatly indebted to Mr. Myers for his most valuable services for many years as Hon. Sec., and for his many important contributions to its literature.  He has, however, of late years somewhat alienated the sympathies of many of its members, by the extent to which he has introduced into its Proceedings the reports of spiritualist phenomena, and the lucubrations of mediums.  The original rules of the society would appear to exclude the employment of hired mediums, and it is difficult to distinguish Mrs. Piper, and certain other subjects of experiment, from this class.  The differences, however, between Mr. Myers and some of the members do not stop at this point, for his preference for the experiences of female mediums, whether hired or gratuitous, would appear to amount to an indifference to spontaneous phenomena, an indifference that is distinctly and rapidly progressive.

Mr. Myers, however, appeared to take considerable interest in the phenomena of B——­, and on March 13, 1897, after reading the journal for the first five weeks, the only part of the evidence which has been submitted to him, or indeed to any member of the Council of the S.P.R., he wrote to Miss Freer:—­

“It is plain that the B——­ case is of great interest.  I hope we may have a discussion of it at S.P.R. general meeting, May 28th, 8.30, and perhaps July 2nd, 4 P.M., also.  Till then, I would suggest, we will not put forth our experiences to the public, unless you have any other view....

“I should particularly like to get Mr. [’Q.’] to go again in Easter week [i.e. during the Myers’ tenancy].  I saw him last night, and heard his account, and next to yourself he seems the most sensitive of the group.  I am very glad that you secured him....  I will send back the two note-books after showing them to the Sidgwicks.  I am so very glad that you and others have been so well repaid for your trouble....  You seem to have worked natural causes well.”

On April 12th Mr. Myers arrived at B——­, and remained until the 22nd.  He was preceded a day or two earlier by Dr. Oliver Lodge, Professor of Physics at Victoria College, Liverpool, Mrs. Lodge, and a Mr. Campbell of Trinity College, Cambridge.  The party also included a “medium,” the only person to whom this term could be applied, in the ordinary sense, who visited B——­ during Col.  Taylor’s tenancy.  This person was a Miss C——­, but in order to avoid confusion with other persons, she is here called Miss “K.”  Miss “K.” is not a professional medium, in the same sense in which a gentleman rider is not a jockey.  She is the proprietress of a small nursing establishment in London, and at the time of her visit to B——­ was described as in weak health and partially paralysed.  She was accompanied by an attendant who was a Roman Catholic, a circumstance which is interesting in view of the strongly sectarian character of the ensuing revelations.