'Twixt two worlds : a narrative of the life and work of William Eglinton

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134 Twixt Two Worlds.
slates, and laid on the top of the table. She held Mr. Eglinton's hands, and rested them
on the top of the slates. Immediately the action of drawing was heard with the small
crumb of lead pencil that had been placed between the slates along with the card. The
experiment was not timed, but in much less than one minute, the drawing was done and the
card removed. It contained an exquisite pencil sketch (Fig. 25) of a male spirit. In the
illustration the only error is in the delineation of the palm-branch which the spirit carries
it is not broad and loose enough. The next step was to obtain some explanation of the
drawing. A clean slate was held under the table, :— and the following inscription, which is
given in facsimile (Fig. 26), was instantly given ' The spirit depicted upon the card is that
of your friend and guide BRUCE, and the influence of Mr. Burns has attracted him here to
say the words ' leal and true ' are specially intended for the fight your husband is making for
the cause.' That Mrs. Burns might have something more, particularly for herself, Mr. Eglinton
had the goodness to make one more effort. Two clean slates were laid upon one another,
with a crumb of slate pencil between. Mr. Eglinton held them at one end, while the
other rested on Mrs. Burns's shoulder, in full light of day. The writing commenced at
once, and was completed much sooner than any writer could have accomplished it (Fig. 27).
None of the writing is like the caligraphy of Mr. Eglinton or Mrs. Burns. The inscription
'
is :—
// has been said that Truth must prevail notwithstanding the opposition to which it is
sometimes subjected. And in precisely the same manner that you and your co-ivorkers arc
oppressed, so 'will you, like the Bruce of old, rise to the occasion. The only thing to guard
yourself against is the too frequent setting at naught the admonitions of those who direct you in
your ivork. There are many around you to-day pouring blessings upon you for the good you
have done, and though your reward may seem slow, it is not for you in your sphere to receive
it. Yon arc a second (the name has been obliterated by Mr. Burns), and as such we
greet you cordialh. We had hoped to secure for you some personal message for yourself, but
we find the power has been otherwise engaged. Good-bye, and may those who attend you lead
you to the highest light and usefulness.—]. S.' Of the genuineness of the results there cannot
be the slightest doubt. We are placed in possession of evidence of the most reliable and
unique kind. No artist would attempt such a drawing in so short a time. In every
respect the superhuman power at work is demonstrated."
One point with reference to Mr. Eglinton's mediumship in 1884 must not be allowed to
escape notice. This is the demonstration of psychography in public on two occasions, the
first being at the inaugural meeting of the London Spiritualist Alliance at St. James's Hall.
After the usual business of the meeting had been disposed of, Mr. Eglinton proceeded with his
experiments, and considering the delicate nature of the phenomena, and also having due regard
to the fact of its being, as far as I can learn, the first time that this phase of spirit power has
in this country been obtained in the presence of a large public audience, the results were
eminently satisfactory, and Mr. Eglinton is to be congratulated on the undoubted successes
achieved. The experiments were not, it is true, as startling in their character as others which
have been witnessed through his mediumship under conditions more suitable for crucial results,
but they were nevertheless thoroughly satisfactory to those who witnessed them. A committee
of three were nominated by the audience to conduct the experiments, those chosen being Mrs.
Jacob Bright (wife of Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P.), the Hon. Percy Wyndham, M.P., and Mr. A.