July 1892 - The Emma Hardinge Britten Archive

180 Spz"ritual Gifts.
whom he came in contact more or less evidences of the
psychometric gift, Professor Denton at length collected
together the results of his various experiments, and
published them in a series of three deeply interesting and
most instructive volumes, entitled "The Sou] of Things."
In these records our readers must not judge either of the
value or vast importance of this mighty revelation by the
silly, and too often worthless exhibitions that are put forth
as psychometry on the public Spiritual rostrums of the
day. There, a bunch of keys, a pocket-handkerchief, or
some object taken from the person of some one in the
audience is sent up for examinati01z.
Assuming that the owner of the article so submitted is
a vicious person, would the public psychometrist dare to
say so, or, if describing any particular vice of the said
owner, would the latter be candid enough or fool enough
to own the impeachment? Scarcely so, we presume,
even if so rash a truth were uttered.
What follows, then? Just a few such generalities as
would apply to any dozen persons in any company,
together with a few items of fortune-telling, equally
applicable to all or anyone of the audience present.
\Vhilst deeply regretting that the Spiritual Rostrum should
descend from the exposition of noble and salvatory principles
to the exhibition of mountebank tricks fit only for a
fair booth, I do most heartily, most reverently, commend
the experiments of genuine psychometry to the attention
of every student of occult science.
Take the methods pursued by Dr. Buchanan or Professor
Denton, and place the object examined in wrappers
carefully concealed from the eyes of the psychometristletters,
hair, or photographs in envelopes-and subject
these veiled objects, not to one but to many examinants,
and the most marvellous revealments of II the soul" of
things will be the result. Some ten years ago a farewell