whether I was really for those three hours in direct contact with supernatural beings, or simply taken in by one of the most satisfactory physical mediums' it was ever my good fortune to meet."-"Daily Telegraph," October 10th.

เ

As our readers will, no doubt, desire to know something more of the young lady who was the medium for these manifestations which have so puzzled the Daily Telegraph's “Own Commissioner," and which he has described with a candour that is quite refreshing, we have much pleasure in presenting from her own pen the following sketch of the

MEDIUMSHIP OF MISS FLORENCE COOK.

"I am sixteen years of age. From my childhood I could see spirits and hear voices, and was addicted to sitting by myself, talking to what I declared to be living people. As no one else could see or hear anything, my parents tried to make me believe it was all imagination, but did not alter my belief, so was looked upon as a very eccentric child. In the spring of 1870 I was invited to the house of a school-friend, whose name I am not at liberty to mention. She asked me if I had ever heard of spirit-rapping, adding that her father, mother and self had sat at a table and got movements, and that if I liked, they would try that evening. I was horrified at such 'wickedness,' as I called it, and said if spirits communicated they must be bad ones. I refused to sit, and went home greatly disgusted with the idea of spirits tapping tables. I told mamma about it; she said, 'Doubtless Miss —was joking. It is all a trick to amuse the children with. When next you go, sit at the table and see all the fun." I felt I should like to know what it all meant, so in a few days went to Mr. A séance was arranged. The sitters were Mr. and Mrs. their daughter, and myself. We placed our hands on a moderately large table; it soon moved about uneasily; then distinct raps were heard. I rose from the table to see if I could find out who or what was producing the sounds. I could see nothing. I walked round the room. To my amazement, the raps followed me. Mr. said, 'We have never had raps before. Florrie, it must be through you.' I returned to the table and called over the alphabet. A message was given to me from what purported to be the spirit of my aunt. I asked my friends if they would stand away from the table, leaving me by myself. The table rose from the floor quite four feet. I went home astonished. Mamma and I went a few days after. We had some excellent tests of spirit identity given us, still we did not believe in spirits. At last it was spelt out that if we would sit in the dark I should be carried round the room. I laughed, not thinking it would be done, and put out the light.

The room was not perfectly dark, a light came in from the window. Soon I felt my chair taken from me. I was lifted up until I touched the ceiling. All in the room could see me. I felt too startled at my novel position to scream, and was carried over the heads of the sitters, and put gently on to a table at the other end of the room. Mamma asked if we could get manifestations at our own home. The table answered, 'Yes,' and that I was a medium. The next evening we sat at home, table and two chairs were smashed, and a great deal of mischief done. We said we could never sit again, but we were not left in peace. Books and other articles were thrown at me, chairs walked about in the light, the table tilted violently at mealtimes, and great noises were sometimes made at night. At last we sat again; the table behaved better, and a communication was given to the effect that we were to go to 74, Navarino Road, and that there was an association of Spiritualists there. Out of curiosity, mamma and I went, and found we had been told quite correctly. Mr. Thomas Blyton came to a séance at our house; he invited me to a séance at Mr. Wilkes's library in Dalston-lane. There I met Mr.

Harrison. He came to see the manifestations at my home. By this time we were convinced of the truth of spirit-communion. About this time I was first entranced; a spirit spoke through me, telling papa that if I sat with Messrs. Herne and Williams, I should get the direct voice. I had several sittings with them and finally succeeded in getting the direct voice, direct writing, and spirit touches. The presiding spirit of my circles is Katie, John King's daughter. She speaks very much the same as her mother, who is the celebrated Katie King of Herne and Williams' séances. Sometimes she uses a tube, she has lately spoken without it. While she and other spirits are talking, I feel as if I cannot breathe. I used to be entranced while the more powerful manifestations were going on, but that has now gone off. Before a good séance I am usually very much excited and restless. After a séance I cannot stay indoors. I always get into the fresh air. If I sit too long I am much exhausted the next day, and cannot bear anyone to touch me. Since I have sat regularly my health has greatly improved. I, mamma, and several of the family are mediums, but some of them knew nothing of Spiritualism until lately. We belong to the Church of England, and were very orthodox. I used to be afraid of death, but Spiritualism has taken away all my fears."

NOTES AND GLEANINGS.

MUSICAL AND OTHER MANIFESTATIONS AT KINGSTON-ONTHAMES.

CAPTAIN C writes us a long letter descriptive of musical and other manifestations at Kingston-on-Thames, which he declares to be among the most remarkable manifestations witnessed by him during an experience in Spiritualism of 20 years. The spirits played well on musical instruments, and sang both in English and Italian. Mr. Champernowne's son, who has been in the spirit world 20 years, sensibly manifested himself to hearing, sight, and touch; patting and shaking hands with the company, and allowing the hair of his head to be felt; spiritlights were also seen. These manifestations continued for about two hours. We have not space to give the letter entire, but the above is a brief résume of its contents.

INVESTIGATIONS OF LIEUTENANT SALMON.

Lieutenant Richard Arthur Salmon, of the Royal Artillery, Woolwich, writes us that desirous of personally investigating the truth of Spiritualism, he visited Miss Lottie Fowler, Mrs. Holmes, Messrs. Herne and Williams, and Mrs. Oliver, and that the phenomena he witnessed, and the tests and communications he received, have satisfied him that Spiritualism is a "beautiful reality," and he urges investigation upon others. We do not publish his letter, as it has already appeared in other journals.

FRANCES POWER COBBE ON THE LIFE AFTER DEATH.

The current number of the Theological Review contains an excellent paper on "The Life after Death," by Frances Power Cobbe. But what does the writer mean by "the obvious mental confusion into which those fall who believe that they have had visible, audible, and tangible evidences" of that life? Surely, any one who has seen and held audible converse with one who has entered on the Life after Death must feel that experience to be more conclusive on the question than any mere abstract argument, however able, can be. If the "mental confusion" of this view is so "obvious," it can, of course, easily be shown, and we respectfully invite Frances Power Cobbe to point it out. We apprehend the "mental confusion" lies elsewhere.

EXPERIENCE WITH MISS LOTTIE FOWLER.

Mr. Robert Crawford, of 1, Hampden Terrace, Mount Florida, Glasgow, in describing a visit to Miss Lottie Fowler, clairvoyant and test medium, in London, writes:

"I was a total stranger to the medium, and it is quite impossible she could have any previous knowledge of me or of my affairs. Immediately on her being entranced the spirit described an event which happened more than 20 years ago, giving details which were in every point correct. My whole past history seemed to be before her like a panorama. She told me of events which I had almost forgotten, and many things which I did not know, but which I have since corroborated. Friends who have long since passed into spirit-life were named, their appearance described, and the diseases under which they suffered clearly indicated. The present seemed to be as clear as the past to this spirit, who described minutely my present circumstances and prospects, both in family and business matters; foretold certain changes, and described events which are in progress; and also described my wife and two children then in Glasgow, the house in which we live, and the various occupations at which they were at that moment engaged. On coming home I found the description was correct in nearly every particular."

HORACE GREELEY A SPIRITUALIST.

Horace Greeley, who is now a candidate for the Presidency of the United States, like the late President Lincoln, and other eminent American Statesmen, is a Spiritualist. The Exchange and Mart thus notices a memoir of Horace Greeley, recently published:-"From it we learn that Mr. Greeley sprung from the middle class, and is to a great extent self-educated. His career has been one of singular independence. He attached himself to no party, but freely criticised the acts of all parties. He was slow of conviction, and inquired much before he gave his assent; but, once satisfied, he supported his opinion with unflagging energy. He did not, like most of his contemporaries in America, and too many in England, ask if an opinion was popular before he espoused it: he asked only if it were true. It was thus he obtained so much honour by his dealing with Spiritualism. He began by fiercely opposing it. He was induced to examine it for himself, and Miss Kate Fox, the famous medium, was invited to a lengthened visit to his family, so that he might try experiments in the security against fraud thus provided. After a lengthened investigation he came to the conclusion that the phenomena were substantially true, and he publicly so announced in the Tribune, and thenceforward gave to it a steady support."

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S EPITAPH ON HIMSELF. WRITTEN MANY

YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH.

THE BODY

OF

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,

Printer,

(like the cover of an old book,
its contents torn out,

and stript of its lettering and gilding)
lies here food for worms;

yet the work itself shall not be lost,
for it will (as he believed) appear once more
in a new

and more beautiful edition,
corrected and amended

by

THE AUTHOR.

A SECULARIST LEADER A CONVERT TO SPIRITUALISM.

Mr. George Sexton, M.A., M.D., one of the most able and popular of the leaders of the Secularist party, is now an avowed Spiritualist. He has been subjected to a good deal of abuse in consequence of his secession from the Secularist camp, consequent on his new conviction. He very tersely says: "When so-called free-thinkers object to a man's receiving new convictions opposed to those he formerly entertained, they belie their pretensions, and prove to the world how great a sham is their assumed free thought. As to spiritual manifestations, I have been investigating them since 1853, and have for at least a dozen years held that the phenomena were totally inexplicable by any known laws of nature, and that imposture and delusion were out of the question. I long looked upon the phenomena as the result of some occult force that neither philosophers nor scientists could explain. I see clearly now that the only hypothesis capable of accounting for the extraordinary results that so constantly occur under almost every variety of condition is the noble and elevating doctrine of Spiritualism. That the spirits of our departed friends do communicate with us, and that their visits are not, as angels' were once said to be, 'few and far between,' but numerous and frequent, is to me as much a matter of fact as that I am writing this letter. The truth that there is no such thing as death' is the noblest consolation that has ever blessed humanity. Contrast this with the wretched, grovelling doctrine of materialism in the annihilation of consciousness when we pass into the grave, and who can fail to see the result? The soul clings to the one with all the tenacity it is capable of, and recoils, shuddering with horror,