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

CHAPTER V.
REMARKABLE SEANCES AT MALVERN.
R. EGLINTON'S stay at Malvern under the hospitable roof of Dr. and Mrs. Nichols
marks a new departure and distinct advance in the character and quality of his
mediumship.
In their pleasant home on the hills, and under their skilful treatment,
he soon recovered his usual health and strength. Then commenced a series
of most remarkable manifestations. The events of this period have been so
carefully and fully recorded by Dr. and Mrs. Nichols—both trained observers—that I prefer
their fresh unvarnished account to any second-hand summary that I might write, and, therefore,
give the narrative in their own words. It appeared in a series of letters in the Spiritualist,
extending from July to October, 1877.
On July 13th, 1877, Dr. Nichols gives evidence as follows:— "Your readers are aware that
on the 2nd of June Willie Eglinton came to Aldwyn Tower, Malvern, very ill. He was so much
changed by his illness, that when I met him at the Paddington station, I did not know him till
he spoke to me. For two or three months he had not been able to sit for any manifestations.
In the last week of June he had so far recovered, that we had some short but very satisfactory
seances, though the power was soon exhausted. On July 1st we had a seance under strict test
conditions, some account of which, I think, may be of interest. At our short seances the voice
of 'Joey' had been firm, distinct, and loud, and there was very acute intelligence. To prove that
the voice was not that of the medium, Mrs. Nichols mixed some dark wine with water, and Willie,
though in deep trance, filled his mouth full of this liquid. I turned off the light, and 'Joey'
instantly spoke in the best voice. I lighted the gas and the sleeping medium ejected the large
mouthful of wine and water into a basin. I then covered Willie's lips with gummed paper, which
I made adhere tightly to both lips. The voice came firm and full the moment the light was
turned out. Quickly turning up the gas, I found the paper quite fast, and so dried that it was
difficult to remove it. After this we had some slate-writing in the usual way. These experiments
were made in a small room, the door locked, and no one present but Mrs. Nichols and myself.
The next day we added another witness, a young officer of the English army. We four sat round
a small table in the light. A large musical box was placed under the table. Mrs. Nichols secured
Willie's feet, and all our feet were in contact. Mrs. Nichols held Willie's right hand, and Lieutenant
I held his left, and all our hands were joined. With feet and hands thus secured, the
musical box under the table was wound up, and played, and stopped, and played again at our