630 C. Mr. Henry G. Rawsoris Experiments}

Mr. Rawson had previously been successful as percipient in several short sets of experiments in card-guessing with different agents. In the paper referred to here, he describes experiments of various kinds carried out with a party of his friends: three sisters, Mrs. L., Mrs. B. and Miss B., and Mr. L., the husband of Mrs. L. Mr. Z., an uncle of Mr. Rawson, was also present on one occasion, and confirms what was reported then. The full names of all these persons were given us in confidence, and the originals of most of the notes of the experiments and of all the diagrams were sent to us. The following is Mr. Rawson's account of experiments on two evenings in the transference of diagrams: -

November 24th, 1894

The first evening was occupied with experiments in the transference of diagrams, Mrs. L. and Mrs. B. (who are sisters), being the operators, and myself the only other person present.

The positions on that occasion were throughout as follows: Mrs. L. sat on a low chair by the fire, drawing in her lap; Mrs. B. sat some distance off at a table in the middle of the room, with her back to Mrs. L.; and I stood almost between them with my back to the fire, looking occasionally over Mrs. B.'s shoulder. To the best of my recollection, I never saw Mrs. L.'s drawings until they were complete and handed up for comparison.

From the sitters' positions, it was impossible that they could look over one another, and as one was sitting throughout with her back to the other, some eight feet distant, no collusion was possible. In one case only, that of the fern-palms (No. 6, see below), was anything said except, "Oh! I know what she is thinking of," or words to that effect, which the percipient exclaimed on two or three occasions almost immediately the agent began drawing, and at once commenced her own sketch. All the diagrams drawn by both agent and percipient are reproduced below, those of the agent being marked O., and those of the percipient R. In the first three, Mrs B. was agent, and in the last three Mrs. L. No. 2 (the triangle) was the only one suggested by me, and also the only instance in which there was a failure. In this case alone some additions were made subsequently to the percipient's drawing by myself, showing how a kind of triangle was to be seen in the figure of the cat. At that time I had not thought of reproducing the record. The agent then made some additions to her sketch, but in the reproductions which accompany this paper, both diagrams are given as originally drawn.

The other diagrams were chosen by the agent in every case without communication with any one, and were drawn in the positions I have indicated.

1 See Proceedings S.P.R., vol. xi. pp 2-17.

December 12th, 1894

Present: Mrs. L., Mrs. B., and myself.

We tried first experiments with drawings, all of which are reproduced below. The annexed plan [omitted here] shows the relative positions of the sitters. Mrs. L. on chair facing [Mrs. B.], writing on lap. Mrs. B. sitting at table, back to Mrs. L., 11 feet distant. H. G. R. facing Mrs. L.

The originals of Nos. I, 2, and 3 were drawn by Mrs. L.; in some cases Mrs. B. had finished her thought copy almost as soon as Mrs. L.

The originals of Nos. 4, 5, and 6 were drawn by Mrs. B., in each case at my suggestion.

I have recorded all that was said.

(No. 1) Shortly after Mrs. L. began drawing this (a nose) Mrs. B. said, "I can think of nothing; I can only hold my nose." At that time I did not know what Mrs. L. was drawing. In some 10 seconds Mrs. B. began drawing, and was finished within 15 seconds of Mrs. L.

(No. 2) This was more like a foot at first, but while waiting for Mrs. L. to begin a fresh subject Mrs. B. began shading the boot - without thinking - and this accentuates the dissimilarity. This and the case mentioned on November 24th, are the only instances in which the drawing was touched after the original had been seen.

(No. 4) Mrs. L. said almost at once - after, say, 10 seconds: " Now I know what it is; I am sure; I can see it".

(No. 5) Mrs. L. began drawing within 10 to 15 seconds, and presently said, "I am drawing something I can see." The clock was in front of her on the mantelpiece.

(No. 6) Mrs. L. said, "I know what it is".

Afterwards Mrs. B. told me that she thought of putting a label on the champagne bottle she drew (No. 4).

A few experiments in "willing" the subject to perform various actions were tried at different times. No contact was used, but the subject was generally in sight of the agents, so that there might have been unconscious guidance through looks, etc.

Some short series of card-guesses were also carried out, the percipients on different occasions being Mr. Rawson, Mr. and Mrs. L. and Mrs. B., and the agents, Mrs. L., Mrs. B., and Miss B. The following is a summary of the results obtained: -

Total number of trials . . . . . . 5 9

Complete successes . . . . . .22

Number of pips only right ....5

Suit only right 27

Sometimes second guesses were allowed, but first guesses only are included in the above summary. In fourteen cases the card to be guessed was selected by the agent; in the other cases it was drawn from the pack at random.