[6] _Preliminary Report of the Commission appointed by the University
of Pennsylvania to investigate Modern Spiritualism_, Philadelphia,
1887, Lippincott, p. 159. The members of the commission were: Dr.
William Pepper, Dr. Joseph Leidy, Dr. G. S. Koenig, Prof. R. E.
Thompson, Prof. G. S. Fullerton, Dr. H. H. Furness, Mr. Coleman
Sellers, Dr. J. W. White, Dr. C. B. Knerr, and Dr. S. Weir Mitchell.
[7] _Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research_, vol. viii.
253.
[8] I desire not to seem to overlook the fact that there
are manifestations presented by Spiritualism of a different
character from those above considered. There are, for example,
the inspirational messages revealed through the medium when in a
trance-like condition, and which are supposed to rest for their
proof of supernatural origin on the testimony of the medium or
upon their internal content. The psychological status of these and
similar mediumistic phenomena must be interpreted in the light of our
knowledge of hypnotic and allied conditions, of automatic writing,
of modifications of conscious and subconscious personality. I do
not consider that the evidence which these phenomena contribute
towards the establishment of the probability of the truth of the
spiritualistic hypothesis at all affects the estimate arrived at in
the main discussion. That there are other than the physical phenomena
of Spiritualism should, however, not be overlooked.
[9] There is a minor problem of psychological interest in regard
to the fraud apparent in these manifestations, that is worthy of
consideration: namely, the motives for such fraud. That greed for
gain and notoriety constitute two of the main inducements is obvious
enough; that the latter is a far more widespread and variable mental
inducement than we ordinarily realize, has been shown by the cases
in which fraud has been detected. In addition we must recognize the
existence of deception as the expression of a deep-seated instinct
abnormally present in not a few persons. It is deception for the
love of imposing upon humanity, mingled somewhat with a love of the
conspicuousness and interest which the deceiver's position brings
with it; and this often exists where the motives for it cannot be
accurately determined. Cases of deception on the part of children,
on the part of those who present suspicions of the hysterical
temperament, and cases of so-called disinterested deception, have
been collected in sufficient number to make the criticisms which are
advanced against professional mediums quite as cogent in the case
of unpaid and private mediums. I may refer to the discussion of the
subject by Mr. Podmore. _Studies in Psychical Research_, p. 185, sqq.