Observations placeholder

EXPERIENCES IN SPIRITUALISM WITH MR. D. D. HOME. BY VISCOUNT ADARE, [Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin 1841-1926] WITH INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE EARL OF DUNRAVEN. [Viscount Adare's father]  [1869]

….Home, before the change said,” Ah, there is some strange influence at work now." After the discordant notes, the accordion was raised above the table, Home still holding it, he said his arm felt quite paralyzed, and that he was obliged to follow it; it drew him from his chair and. went near to D- and remained there some time oscillating backwards and forwards, and waving itself about, the accordion then led him back to chair, after which it went under the table and recommenced playing as before the interruption.

Soon the alphabet was called, and the following spelt :-“We do all we can to shew you that we do not forget” and then the accordion finished the sentence by playing “ Auld lang Syne," first quietly, then with the full loud chords.

Home said, suddenly, “Oh, this is a very powerful spirit." He stood up, or rather he was raised up, and his  hand was violently agitated in the air;  he then sat down, and his hand was extended towards the flowers on the small table, the fingers pointing towards them. His hand remained there a few seconds, and was then brought round, and with a motion like sprinkling, cast the perfume of the flowers towards each of us in turn; the perfume was so strong that there could be no mistake about it. This was done twice.

His hand was then raised a little above my head, the fingers pointing towards me, and went through motions something like mesmeric passes, or as I thought, as though blessing me. His hand was then placed upon mine, and stroked my fingers gently, first one the other; it then was carried to his own face, and passed across it two or three times. His hand was now swung violently to and fro, then remained quiet and presently it was extended to the flowers again.

I could distinctly see it with the fingers pointing towards the flowers, about six inches above them; I am sure it never touched them.

His hand became quite luminous, and was brought slowly round and across the table, until it remained with the fingers still extended, over my hand. I raised my hand towards it, and a leaf of sweet-scented geranium fell apparently from under his hand into mine, the leaf was not held in his fingers, neither could I see it until it fell.

Home said, when his hand was extended over the flowers, that it felt to him, as though it was resting on a solid or semi-solid substance.

At the same moment, the alphabet was called for- and this spelled, " Take it with you my boy." This sentence followed immediately, “We have done what we promised, look under the handkerchief."

Mrs. Jencken had, on the evening they had had such beautiful manifestations, a short time ago, asked that a flower-might also be given to her. They had announced, that it would be done, and now under her handkerchief there was a piece of geranium; her handkerchief had been on the table all the time, and no one had touched it.

This sentence was now spelled, “Next for dear D-." Home's hand was extended again to the flowers;  it certainly was not nearer them than 6 inches; it became luminous, and a flower was given to D- in the same way it had been given to me.

The alphabet was again called. And this spelled, “This is for you “, and at the same moment, a flower dropped at Mr. Jencken's hand; none of us heard it broken off, or saw it, but it fell on the table just in front of his hand.

" Our joy" was now spelled and the accordion played, and then “Our thanks to God," and it played again.

The alphabet was called, and “Weep not" spelled. Dear old Mrs. Jencken was quietly crying, not as she said for sorrow, when the words “ Weep not” were spelled, her handkerchief was gently taken from her under the table, and afterwards replaced upon it. After this, “Good night" was spelled, and nothing more occurred.