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That is true： it is the simplest theory； perhaps too simple； and； like the religious theory； it dispenses as from all effort or seeking。 We have nothing to set against it but the mediumistic theory； which doubtless does not account exactly for a good many things； but which at least is on the same side of the hill of life as ourselves and remains among us； upon our earth； within reach of our eyes； our hands； our thoughts and our researches。 There was a time when lightning； epidemics and earthquakes were attributed without distinction to the wrath of Heaven。 Nowadays； when we are more or less familiar with the source of the great infectious diseases； the hand of Providence knows them no more； and； though we are still ignorant of the nature of electricity and the laws that regulate seismic shocks； we no longer dream； while waiting to learn more about them； of looking for their causes in the judgment or anger of an imaginary Being。 Let us act likewise in the present case。 It behooves us above all to avoid those rash explanations which； in their haste； leave by the roadside a host of things that appear to be unknown or unknowable only because the necessary effort has not yet been made to know them。 After all； while we must not eliminate the spiritualistic theory； neither must we content ourselves with it。 It is even preferable not to linger over it until it has supplied us with decisive arguments； for it is the duty of this theory which sweeps us roughly out of our sphere to furnish us with such arguments。 For the present； it simply relegates to posthumous regions； phenomena that appear to occur within ourselves； it adds superfluous mystery and needless difficulty to the mediumistic mystery whence it springs。 If we were concerned with facts that had no footing in this world； we should certainly have to turn our eyes in another direction； but we see a large number of actions performed which are of the same nature as those attributed to the spirits and equally inexplicable； actions with which； however； we know that they have nothing to do。 When it is proved that the dead exercise some intervention； we will bow before the fact as willingly as we bow before the mediumistic mysteries： it is a question of order； of internal policy and of scientific method much more than of probability； preference or fear。 The hour has not yet come to abandon the principle which I have formulated elsewhere with respect to our communications with the dead； namely； that it is natural that we should remain at home； in our own world； as long as we can； as long as we are not violently driven from it by a series of irresistible and incontrovertible proofs coming from the neighbouring abyss。 The survival of a spirit is no more improbable than the prodigious faculties which we are obliged to attribute to the mediums if we deny them to the dead。 But the existence of mediums is beyond dispute； whereas that of spirits is not； and it is therefore for the spirits or for those who make use of their name to begin by proving that they must。 Before turning towards the mystery beyond the grave； let us first exhaust the possibilities of the mystery here on earth。
CHAPTER II。 PSYCHOMETRY
1
Now that we have eliminated the gods and the dead； what have we left？ Ourselves and all the life around us； and that is perhaps enough。 It is； at any rate； much more than we are able to grasp。
Let us now study certain manifestations that are absolutely similar to those which we attribute to the spirits and quite as surprising。 As for these manifestations； there is not the least doubt of their origin。 They do not come from the other world； they are born and die upon this earth； and they arise solely and incontestably from our own actual living mystery。 They are； moreover； of all psychic manifestations； those which are easiest to examine and verify； seeing that they can be repeated almost indefinitely and that a number of excellent and well…known mediums are always ready to reproduce them in the presence of any one interested in the question。 It is no longer a case of uncertain and casual observation； but of scientific experiment。
The manifestations in question are so many phenomena of intuition； of clairvoyance or clairaudience； of seeing at a distance and even of seeing the future。 These phenomena may either be due to pure； spontaneous intuition on the part of the medium； in an hypnotic or waking state； or else produced or facilitated by one of the various empirical methods which apparently see only to arouse the medium's subconscious faculties and to release in some way his subliminal clairvoyance。 Among such methods； those most often employed are； as we all know； cards； coffee…grounds； pins； the lines of the hand； crystal globes； astrology； and so on。 They possess no importance in themselves； no intrinsic virtue； and are worth exactly what the medium who uses them is worth。 As M。 Duchatel well says：
〃In reality； there is only one solitary MANCY。 The faculty of seeing in TIME； like the faculty of seeing in SPACE； is ONE； whatever its outward form or the process employed。〃
We will not linger now over those manifestations which； under appearances that are sometimes childish and vulgar； often conceal surprising and incontestable truths； but will devote the present chapter exclusively to a series of phenomena which includes almost all the others and which has been classed under the generic and rather ill…chosen and ill…constructed title of 〃psychometry。〃 Psychometry； to borrow Dr。 Maxwell's excellent definition； is 〃the faculty possessed by certain persons of placing themselves in relation； either spontaneously or； for the most part； through the intermediary of some object； with unknown and often very distant things and people。〃
The existence of this faculty is no longer seriously denied； and it is easy for any one who cares to do so to verify it for himself； for the mediums who possess it are not extremely rare； nor are they inaccessible。 It has formed the subject of a number of experiments （see； among others； M。 Warcollier's report in the Annales des Sciences Psychiques of July； 1911） and of a few treatises； in the front rank of which I would mention M。 Duchatel's Enquete sur des Cas de Psychometrie and Dr。 Otty's recently published book； Lucidite et Intuition； which is the fullest； most profound and most conscientious work that we possess on the matter up to the present。 Nevertheless it may be said that these regions quite lately annexed by metaphysical science are as yet hardly explored and that fruitful surprises are doubtless awaiting earnest seekers。
2
The faculty in question is one of the strangest faculties of our subconsciousness and beyond a doubt contains the key to most of the manifestations that seem to proceed from another world。 Let us begin by seeing； with the aid of a living and typical example； how it is exercised。
Mme。 M； one of the best mediums mentioned by Dr。 Osty； is given an object which belonged to or which has been touched and handled by a person about whom it is proposed to question her。 Mme。 M operates in a state of trance； but there are other noted psychometers； such as Mme。 F and M。 Ph。 M。 de F； who retain all their normal consciousness； so that hypnotism or the somnambulistic state is in no way indispensable to the awakening of this extraordinary faculty of clairvoyance。
When the object； which is usually a letter； has been handed to Mme。 M； she is asked to place herself in communication with the writer of the letter or the owner of the object。 Forthwith； Mme。 M not only sees the person in question； his physical appearance； his character； his habits； his interests； his state of health； but also； in a series of rapid and changing visions that follow upon one another like cinematograph pictures； perceives and describes exactly his immediate surroundings； the scenery outside his window； the rooms in which he lives； the people who live with him and who wish him well or ill； the psychology and the most secret and unexpected intentions of all those who figure in his existence。 If； by means of your questions； you direct her towards the past； she traces the whole course of the subject's history。 If you turn her towards the future； she seems often to discover it as clearly as the past。 But we will for the moment reserve this latter point； to which we shall return later in a chapter devoted to the knowledge of the future。
3
In the presence of these phenomena； the first thought that naturally occurs to the mind is that we are once more concerned with that astonishing and involuntary communication between one subconsciousness and another which has been invested with the name of telepathy。 And there is no denying that telepathy plays a great part in these intuitions。 However； to explain their working； nothing is equal to an example based upon a personal experience。 Here is one which is in no way remarkable； but which plainly shows the normal course of the operation。 In September； 1913； while I was at Elberfeld； visiting Krall's horses； my wife went to consult Mme。 M； gave her a scrap of writing in my handa note dispatched previous to my journey and containing no allusion to itand asked her where I was and what I was doing。 Without a second's