I regret that I am unable to accept the invitation of the Committee of the Dialectical Society to cooperate with a committee for the investigation of “Spiritualism”; and for two reasons.  In the first place, I have not time for such an inquiry, which would involve much trouble and (unless it were unlike all inquiries of that kind I have known) much annoyance.  In the second place, I take no interest in the subject.  The only case of “Spiritualism” I have had the opportunity of examining into for myself, was as gross an imposture as ever came under my notice.  But supposing the phenomena to be genuine—­they do not interest me.  If anybody would endow me with the faculty of listening to the chatter of old women and curates in the nearest cathedral town, I should decline the privilege, having better things to do.  And if the folk in the spiritual world do not talk more wisely and sensibly than their friends report them to do, I put them in the same category.  The only good that I can see in the demonstration of the truth of “Spiritualism” is to furnish an additional argument against suicide.  Better live a crossing-sweeper than die and be made to talk twaddle by a “medium” hired at a guinea a seance. [(Quoted from a review in the “Daily News,” October 17, 1871, of the Report on Spiritualism of the Committee of the London Dialectical Society.)

To the report above-mentioned, Professor G. Darwin, who also was present, added one or two notes and corrections.]

Report on seance.

January 27, 1874.

We met in a small room at the top of the house with a window capable of being completely darkened by a shutter and curtains opposite the door.  A small light table with two flaps and four legs, unsteady and easily moved, occupied the middle of the room, leaving not much more than enough space for the chairs at the sides.  There was a chair at each end, two chairs on the fireplace side, and one on the other.  Mr. X (the medium) was seated in the chair at the door end, Mr. Y (the host) in the opposite chair, Mr. G. Darwin on the medium’s right, Mr. Huxley on his left, Mr. Z between Mr. Huxley and Mr. (Darwin) Y. The table was small enough to allow these five people to rest their hands on it, linking them together.  On the table was a guitar which lay obliquely across it, an accordion on the medium’s side of the guitar, a couple of paper horns, a Japanese fan, a matchbox, and a candlestick with a candle.

At first the room was slightly darkened (leaving plenty of light from the window, however) and we all sat round for half an hour.  My right foot was against the medium’s left foot, and two fingers of my right hand had a good grip of the little finger of his left hand.  I compared my hand (which is not small and is strong) with his, and was edified by its much greater massiveness and strength. (No, we didn’t link until the darkness.  G.D.)

G.D.’s left hand was, as I learn, linked with medium’s right hand, and left foot on medium’s (left) right foot.]