Allan Kardec-THE Spirit's Book_ The Principles of Spiritist Doctrine (1989)

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ALLAN KARDEC
influence on the tracing of the letters. But let us suppose that, by some wonderful cleverness,
the medium succeeds in deceiving the most keenly observant eye, how can we explain the
nature of the communications, when they are altogether beyond the scope of the medium's
knowledge and ideas? And it is, moreover, to be remarked, that we are speaking not of
monosyllabic replies, but of many pages, dashed off, as frequently happens, with the most
astonishing rapidity, sometimes spontaneously, and sometimes upon a given subject; of
poems of elevated character, and irreproachable in point of style, produced by the hand of an
utterly illiterate medium. And what adds to the strangeness of these facts is, that they are
occurring all the world over, and that the number of mediums is constantly increasing. Are
these facts real or not ? To this query we have but one reply to make: "See and observe;
opportunities of doing so will not be lacking; but, above all, observe often, for a long time,
and according to the conditions required for so doing."
To the evidence adduced by us, what do our antagonists reply? 'You are," say they, "the dupes
of imposition or the sport of illusion." We have to remark, in the first place, that imposition is
not likely to occur where no profit is to be made; charlatans are not apt to ply their trade
gratis. If imposition be practised, it must he for the sake of a joke. But by what strange
coincidence does there happen to be an understanding between the jokers, from one end of
the earth to the other, to act in the same way, to produce the same effects, and to give, upon
the same subjects, and in different languages, replies that are identical, if not in words, at least
in meaning? How is it that grave, serious, honour-able, and educated persons can lend
themselves to such manoeuvres and for what purpose? How is it that the requisite patience
and skill for carrying on such a piece of deception are found even in young children? For
mediums, if they are not passive instruments, must posses a degree of skill, and an amount
and variety of knowledge, incompatible with the age and social position of many of them.
"But," urge our opponents, "if there be no trickery, both parties may be the dupes of an
illusion." It is only reasonable that the quality of witnesses should be regarded as an element
in deciding the value of their evidence; and it may fairly be asked whether the spiritist theory,
whose adherents are already to be counted by