630 G. Miss Despard's Experiments

The following case comes from two ladies well known to me, Miss R. C. Despard and Miss C. M. Campbell. After successful experiments with both in the same room, they made two trials, both of which were successful, with agent and percipient in different parts of London. Some time later they carried out another short series of experiments at a distance, which I quote in full from the Journal S.P.R., vol. vii. pp. 234-237. (For full details of all their experiments, see the Journal S.P.R., vol. vi. pp. 4-9, and vol. vii. pp. 234-238).

The descriptions of each witness were always written before comparing notes with the other. All the letters quoted, with the envelopes corresponding to the first two of them, were sent to the Editor of the Journal S.P.R.

[Miss Despard describes the general conditions of the experiments thus: - ]

Agent in Surbiton, Percipient in London, W.C. district, distance about 14 miles.

Agreed upon: Agent to concentrate attention at 11 p.m.; percipient to then write down any impression received. Experiments to begin on December 27th, 1895; one experiment each night, alternately an object and a diagram. December 31st to be omitted.

[The first account is a letter written from Surbiton by the agent, Miss Despard, to Miss Campbell in London].

Strathmore, Surbiton Hill Park, Surbiton, December 27th, 1895. 11.30 P.M.

Dear K., - As you know, we agreed a few days ago to try some experiments in thought-transference - to begin to-night at 11 p. M. - alternate nights to think of an object and a diagram. So to-night I fixed my attention about 11.4 p.m. on. a brass candlestick with a lighted candle in it. I feel the result will not be very satisfactory, for I found difficulty in concentrating my mind, and not having decided previously what object to think of, I looked over the mantelpiece first and rejected two or three things before fixing on the candlestick. A very noisy train was also distracting my attention, so I wonder if you will think of that.

December 28m, 11.45 P-M

I thought of this diagram [a cross inscribed in a triangle], the [triangle] in thick black, and the cross inside in lighter.

December 29th, 11.40 P.m

I hope this will be more successful. I found to-night I could bring up a much clearer mental picture of the object - a small Bristol-ware jug about six inches high, the lower part being brownish red, of a metallic coppery colour, the upper part having a band of reddish and light-purple flowers of a somewhat conventional rose pattern - handle greenish. I do not think you have seen this jug, as it has been put away in a cupboard and only lately brought out. I saw the jug chiefly by bright firelight.

December 30th, 12 Midnight

I am very tired and fear the result is vague; this is the diagram.

My mental image was not as correct, but tended to slope up to the right.

Let me know your impressions soon. - Yours, etc, R. C. Despard.

[The corresponding account of the percipient, Miss Campbell, is as follows: - ]

77 Chesterton Road, W., December 29th, 1895.

Dear R., - I have nothing very satisfactory to report. I am sorry to say I quite forgot on the 27th about our projected experiments until I was just getting into bed, when I suddenly remembered, and just then I heard a train making a great noise, and as I have never noticed it like that before, I wondered if it was one of your trains. I could not fix my mind on any object, but clock, watch, bath, all flitted past, and the circle of firelight in the front room; the only word that came to me was "sand" and a sound like k or q at the beginning of a word (you know I as often hear the name of the object as see the thing itself). I stopped, for it seemed ridiculous, but you must have attracted my attention, for just after I stopped I heard the clock here strike the half-hour, and found next morning it was twenty minutes fast, so when I "suddenly remembered," it must have been just after eleven.

Last night I believe you forgot, for I had no strong impression, but you see the paper enclosed.1 The scribbles in corner my pencil did without me; the rectangle I believe was a guess; as for the circle, my pencil would go round and round in the centre making that spot, the circle itself being a very shadowy impression.

II.15 P.M

The first thing that came into my mind was a sponge, but I think that was suggested by the sound of water running in the bath-room, and next I had more distinctly an impression of a reddish metallic lustre, and I thought it must be the Moorish brass tray on May's mantelpiece; but at last I saw quite distinctly a small jug of a brownish metallic appearance below, with above that a white band with coloured flowers, lilac and crimson, on it. I can't be sure what it was like at the top, for that seemed to be in shadow and seemed to be darkish, - perhaps like the bottom, but I saw no metallic gleam. I don't remember anything like this among May's things, but the impression was so vivid I describe it.

1 The diagram enclosed is not at all similar to the agent's figure.

30th, 11.I5 P.m

Thought vaguely of a triangle and figure like this, but no vivid impression; if you were thinking of any figure at all, were also thinking of something else.

31st

I send you this as far as it goes, and shall be glad to hear from you with your accounts. - Yours, C. M. Campbell. 15 Heathcote Street, W.C.

[The post-marks on the envelopes of these letters proved that Miss Campbell posted her letter before receiving Miss Déspard's; and almost proved - but for an illegibility in a portion of one post-mark - that Miss Despard posted hers before receiving Miss Campbell's.

Five more experiments were made, of which I quote the first two, the last three being failures. The following is the agent's account: - ]

Strathmore, Surbiton, January 1st, 1896. TI.40 P.M.

Dear K. - Have thought of a small dog's whip hung on M.'s wall, but did not see it clearly, kept thinking of it in use; was in E.'s room, looking at some dresses, and could not give whole attention to it.