The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1859

As interpreters of the spiritist communications, the mediums have an extremely important role, thus the attention given to the study of all possible influencing causes will never be excessive, all that with respect to the mediums’ own interest as well as the interest of those who, not being mediums, are served by them as their intermediaries. Everyone can then judge the degree of confidence deserved by the communications received by them.

Everyone is a medium in a greater or lesser degree, as we have already said. That name, however, has been conventionally given to those who present patent and facultative manifestations, so to speak. Well, the ap- titudes among them are widely diverse. One can say that each medium has their specialty. At first examination there are two well-established cat- egories: the mediums of physical effects and those of intelligent commu- nications. The latter ones present a large variety, being the principal: the writing or psychographic mediums, the drawing mediums, the speaking, hearing and clairvoyant mediums. The mediums of poetry, musicians and the polyglots are subclasses of the writing and speaking mediums. We will not return to the definitions of those several classes. We just want to recol- lect and succinctly remember the whole picture for a better explanation.

From all sorts of mediums the most common is that of psychography as this is the easiest type which can be acquired through exercise. That is why, and rightly so, the desires and efforts of the aspiring mediums are geared towards it. It also presents varieties equally found in the other categories: the mechanical writers and the intuitive writers. In the former case the movement of the hand is independent of the medium’s will. The hand moves by itself; the medium is not aware of what he writes. His thoughts can even be somewhere else. With the intuitive mediums, the spirit acts upon the mind; his thoughts cross the thoughts of the medium, if we can say so, but without confusion. As a consequence, the medium is aware of the writing, sometimes even having an earlier awareness, since the intuition precedes the movement of the hand; however, the expressed thought is not that of the medium.

A very simple comparison helps us to understand the phenomenon. When we want to talk to someone whose language we ignore we use the support of an interpreter. The interpreter is aware of the thoughts of the interlocutors; he must understand them in order to be able to express them; however, those are not his thoughts. Thus, the role of an intuitive medium is the same as that of an interpreter between the spirits and us. Experience has taught that the intuitive as well as the mechanical medi- ums are equally good, equally capable of receiving and transmitting good communications. As a means of convincing, the mechanical mediums have more value, no doubt about it, but once conviction has already been acquired then there is no useful preference. Attention should be entirely concentrated on the nature of the communications, say, about the apti- tude of the medium for receiving communications from bad as well as the good spirits. This summarizes the whole issue and this is of the essence, since this is the only means of determining the degree of confidence that the medium deserves. This is the result of study and observation and that is why we recommend our preceding article about the hurdles to the mediums.

With the intuitive medium the difficulty lies in the distinction of their thoughts from those that are suggested. The medium also faces that difficulty. The suggested thoughts seem so natural to the medium that it is frequently taken by their own thoughts, and therefore the medium doubts his faculty. The means of convincing the medium and the others is a frequent exercise. Then, among the evocations in which the medium will take part in, there will be a thousand and one circumstances; a lot of private information, particulars that the medium could not have any previous knowledge about, which will undeniably indicate total indepen- dence of the spirit.

The different varieties of mediums rest on the special skills whose principle we don’t understand well so far. At first sight, and to the persons who did not carry out a systematic study of this Science, it seems that it is not more difficult to write poetry than prose. One would say – par- ticularly if the medium is mechanical or unconscious – that the spirit can make him write in a foreign language as well as make a painting or write music. However, that is not the case. Although we see paintings, poetry and music produced by mediums that in their normal state are not painters, artists, poets or musicians, it is certain that not all of them are capable of producing those things. Despite their ignorance about those arts, they have an intuitive faculty and a flexibility that transform them into the kindest instruments. That is what Bernard Palissy responded, when asked about his choice of the medium Victorien Sardou, who could not paint, and still produce his remarkable paintings. “That is because I find him more flexible”, he said. The same happens to other abilities. And – what an interesting thing – we have seen spirits refusing to dictate poems through mediums that are familiar with poetry, while dictating delightful verses to others who were ignorant about the rules of poetry. This demonstrates once more that the spirits have free will and that any attempt to submit them to our caprices are useless. From the previous observations it results that the medium must follow the impulses that are natural to them, according to their own abilities; that must try to perfect such ability through exercise; that any effort to develop the one that is missing will result fruitless since it could be harmful to the ones that he has. Forcing our talent would yield no grace, as La Fontaine said, to which we could add: we would not do anything good. When a medium has a precious faculty with which he can become really useful he should be content with that and do not try to seek the vain satisfaction of his self- love with a variant that would weaken his fundamental faculty. In case a given faculty has to be modified, as it frequently does, or if the medium has to acquire a new faculty, it will all come spontaneously and not as a result of the medium’s wishes.

The faculty of producing physical effects is a very distinct category, rarely associated with intelligent communications, particularly those of elevated reach. It is well known that the physical effects are peculiar to spirits of an inferior order, as among us the exhibition of strength is pecu- liar to the acrobats. Well, the rapping spirits belong to that inferior class; they frequently act on their own, in order to have fun or tease others, but they sometimes act under the orders of superior spirits who use them as we do with our servants. It would be absurd to think that superior spirits would come to have fun by knocking on tables or making them turn. They use such means, we said, through intermediaries, be it to convince us or to communicate with us, as long as we do not have other means; however, they abandon such means as soon as they can act more rapidly, more conveniently and more directly, as we have abandoned the air tele- graph as soon as we had the electrical one available to us. The physical effects must not be neglected by any means, since they represent a means of conviction to many people. Moreover, they offer a precious study mate- rial about the occult forces. However, it should be noticed that the spir- its generally refuse to produce such phenomena to those who don’t need them or, at least, they advise us to not get particularly involved with them. This is what the spirit of St. Louis wrote about at the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies:

“They mocked the turning tables but they will never mock the phi- losophy, the wisdom and the charity that shines out of the serious com- munications. The turning tables were the lobby of the Science that once initiated we cast our prejudices aside, like the mantle that is left behind. You will never be advised enough to turn your meetings into serious cen- ters. May the physical demonstrations be done elsewhere; that one may see and hear somewhere else but that among you, may there be love and understanding. How do you expect to be seen through the eyes of the superior spirits when you make a table turn? Ignorant! Does the scholar spend his time reviewing Science 101? If you, on the contrary, are seen in search of intelligent and instructive communications, you will then be considered serious people, searching for the truth.”

It is impossible to summarize in a more logical and precise way the character of both kinds of manifestations. The one who receives elevated communications owes them to the assistance of the good spirits. It is a demonstration of their sympathy. Resigning to that in order to entertain the material effects is the same as exchanging a select society by an in- ferior one. Willing to unite both is the same as attracting antipathetic beings and, in such a conflict, it is likely that the good ones will leave and the bad ones stay. Having said all that, there is no disregard for the mediums of physical effects. They exist for a reason and their objective is providential. They do an incontestable service to the Spiritist Science but when a medium has a faculty which puts him in contact with superior spirits, we do not understand that the medium would resign from that faculty or even wish others, unless out of pure ignorance. Frequently, the desire to be everything may in the end transform the medium in nothing.

In our article about the hurdles to overcome as a medium we placed greed on the list of the flaws that can provide entry to the imperfect spirits. It will not be useless to elaborate on this subject. The medium

that could turn their faculties into a profession is in the first row of the self-serving mediums, offering what is typically called sessions or paid consultations. We don’t know them, at least in France. Since everything can become the subject of speculation, it would not come as a surprise to us if one day they wanted to exploit the spirits. One still needs to know how the spirits would handle this matter in case such speculation was introduced. Even without any initiation in Spiritism one can understand how shameful this is.

However, those who only know, even if a little, the difficult condi- tions required by the communication of the good spirits with us, and the little which is needed to send them away, as well as their rejection towards anything representing a selfish interest, will never be able to admit that the superior spirits may serve the caprices of the first one to evoke them at some sort of hourly rate.

The simplest common sense repeals such hypothesis. The evocation of your father, your mother, your children and your friends through simi- lar means, wouldn’t that also be sacrilege? There is no doubt that one can obtain communications through such a mode but God knows from which source! The frivolous, liars, naughty, jester spirits and the whole crowd of inferior spirits always come. They are always ready to answer to anything. St. Louis was telling us the other day at the Society: “Evoke a stone and it will respond to you.”

Those who want serious communications must, before anything, be informed about the nature of the sympathies between the medium and the beings from beyond the grave. The communications fed by the ambi- tion of profit can only inspire a really mediocre confidence.

Self-serving mediums are not the only ones that could demand a given payment. Self-serving is not only translated as the expectation of a material profit but also by greedy thoughts of any kind, through which personal hope may be founded. Furthermore, it is an anomaly which the jester spirits know how to use very well, taking advantage of that with a really remarkable skill and insolence, feeding with deceptive illusions those who position themselves under their dependence.

In summary, mediumship is a faculty given for the good and the good spirits stay away from whoever intends to transform it into a ladder to reach any goal that is not in the designs of the Providence. Selfishness is the ulcer of Society. The good spirits fight it, therefore, it is not possible to suppose that they may come to stimulate it. This is so rational that it is useless to insist on that point.

The mediums of physical effects are not in the same category; un- scrupulous inferior spirits who are not concerned about moral sentiments produce these effects. This type of medium, who wanted to exploit his faculty, could very easily find spirits who would assist him. However, we would still have another inconvenience. As with the medium of intelligent communications, the one of physical effects has not received his faculty for his own pleasure. It has been given to him on the condition that it is used properly. If it is abused it can be taken away from the medium or converted into a loss, as, in reality, the inferior spirits are under the com- mand of the superior ones.

The inferior spirits like to mystify but they do not like to be mysti- fied. If they willingly agree to respond to jokes and questions of curiosity on one hand, on the other hand, like the other spirits, they do not like to be exploited and constantly prove that they have their own free will; that they act when and how they wish to do so, implying that the medium of physical effects becomes even more insecure with respect to the regularity of the manifestations than the writing mediums. Pretending to produce them at will on given days and at predetermined times would be a demon- stration of profound ignorance. What can then be done to make money? Simulate the phenomena. That is what can happen not only to those who have openly turned this into a profession but also to the apparently simple persons who had reduced themselves to receiving any retribution from the visitors. If the spirits don’t produce anything then the mediums produce it. Imagination is really fertile when there is money involved. It is a thesis that we will develop in a special article to help to preclude fraud.

We conclude from all the above that the most absolute disinterest is the best guarantee against charlatanism, since there is no uninterested charlatan.

If disinterest does not always ensure the good quality of the intelligent communications it does, however, subtracts from the bad spirits a power- ful means of action, shutting up the mouth of certain detractors.

The fact below was extracted from a letter addressed to us in September 1857 by a corresponding member from Saint-Etienne. After talking about several communications witnessed by him, he adds:

“A most remarkable fact takes place with a family of our knowledge. They moved from the turning tables to the talking couch; later a pencil was attached to the foot of the couch, indicating the psychography; this was then practiced for a long time, more of a distraction than a serious thing. Finally the writings designated a young lady of the house, ordering that she should have her head caressed after lying down. The lady fell asleep almost immedi- ately and after a certain number of experiments she transfigured. The young- ster would take over the facial traces, voice and gestures of deceased relatives; those of her grandparents who she had never met, and a brother that had died a few months earlier. The transfigurations took place one after the other in the same session. She spoke a dialect that is not from our days, as I was told, and since I am not familiar with the current one or the other. What I can affirm is that in one session she assumed the appearance of her funny, strong brother; the thirteen-year-old young lady medium then gave me a tough handshake. The phenomena have been constantly repeating in the same way, for about 18 months to two years, now with the only difference that it is produced natu- rally, without the imposition of hands.”

1. The case of transfiguration that we have just discussed, is that true?
- Yes.

2. Is there a material effect in that kind of phenomenon?

- The phenomenon of transfiguration may occur in a mate- rial way, to the point that its several phases may be registered through daguerreotype (obsolete photographic process).

3. How does this effect take place?
- Transfiguration, as you understand it, is nothing more than a change in appearance, an alteration or modification of the contour lines of the face, which can be produced by the ac- tion of the spirit over its own envelope (perispirit) or by an exterior influence. The body never changes, but it shows dif- ferent appearances through a nervous contraction.

4. Can the spectators be deceived by a false appearance?
- It can also happen that the perispirit plays the role that you know well. In the cited case there was nervous contraction, much amplified by imagination. As a matter of fact, this phenomenon is very rare.


5. The role of the perispirit would be analogous to what happen in the phenomena of bi-corporeity?
- Yes.

6. Then in the case of transfiguration is it necessary that there is a disappearance of the real body, so that the spectators may see only the perispirit under a different form?
- Not a disappearance, properly, but an occlusion. You must be clear about the terms.

7. From what you have just said it seems we can conclude that in the phenomenon of transfiguration there may be two effects: I – alteration of the traces of the real body, originated from a nervous contraction; II – variable appearance of the perispirit, made vis- ible. Is that right?
- Certainly.

8. What is the primary cause of this phenomenon?
- The will of the spirit

9. Every spirit can produce it?
- No. The spirits cannot always do what they wish.

10. How do you explain the abnormal strength of that girl, transfig- ured into the person of her brother?
- Doesn’t the spirit have a great strength? As a matter of fact, the strength is that of the body, in its normal state.

OBSERVATION: There is nothing remarkable about this fact. We often see very weak persons momentarily endowed by a prodigious force due to super excitation.

11. Since in the phenomenon of transfiguration the eye of the observ- er may receive an image different from the reality, could the same happen to other physical manifestations? For example: when a table is lifted without the support of hands and we see the table above ground, is it really the table that moves?
- You still ask?

OBSERVATION: This phenomenon has already been ex- plained by St. Louis and we thoroughly treated it in the May and June 1858 editions of the review, when discussing the theory of the physical manifestations. We were told that in such a case the table or any other object that moves is taken by a momentary factious life that allows the object to obey the will of the spirit.

Some people wanted to see a simple optical illusion in that fact, through a kind of mirage, that would make us see a table in the air when in reality it would be on the floor. If it were like that it would not be less worthy of attention. It is inter- esting that those who want to dispute or criticize the spiritist phenomena explain them through causes which would also be true prodigies and equally difficult to understand. But why then treat the subject with so much disdain? If the cause which they indicate is real, then why not study that cause in depth? The physicist tries to understand the minimum mo- tion of the magnetic needle; the chemist the slightest change in the molecular attraction. Why then showing so much in- difference to so strange phenomena, such as the ones we have mentioned here, be it through a simple consequence of the visible light beam, or be it by a new application of the known laws? This is not logical.

It certainly would not be impossible, through an effect anal- ogous to the one that makes us see an object in the water at a higher position that it really is due to the refraction of light rays, a table would apparently be in the air while in real- ity it would be on the ground. There is a fact however that definitely resolves the issue. It is when the table violently falls on the floor, broken into pieces. It does not look like an opti- cal illusion.

Let us return to the transfiguration.

If a muscular contraction may modify the physiognomic traces, it would not be but within certain limits. But certainly if a young lady takes the appearance of an old man, no physiological effect would give her a beard. Then we have to look for a cause elsewhere. Bearing in mind what we have said about the role of the perispirit in all phenomena of appari- tion, even those of living persons, and one will understand that this is the key to the phenomenon of transfiguration.

In fact, since the perispirit may be isolated from the body; that it can become visible; that through its extreme subtleness it may take several appearances, according to the will of the spirit, it is not hard to understand that it may thus go by a transfigured person: the body continues to be the same; it is only the perispirit that changed its appearance. But then, you will ask, what becomes of the body? How come the observer does not see a double image, that is, the real body on one side and the transfigured perispirit on the other? These are strange facts about which we will talk soon, demonstrating that from a fascination that assails the observer un- der such circumstances, the real body may somehow become hidden by the perispirit.

The phenomenon that is the object of this current article has been communicated to us long ago. We had not published it yet because our proposal is not to transformer our Spiritist Review into a simple cata- logue, destined to feed curiosity; or a rough compilation without appre- ciation and comments. Our task would then be very easy but we do take it much more seriously.

First of all, our target audience is the person of reason. Those in- dividuals like us, who want to understand things as much as possible. Well, experience has taught us that facts, however strange and amplified they may be, are not elements of conviction. The stranger they are the less convincing they will be. The more extraordinary a fact is the more abnormal it seems to us, and the less willing to believe we become. We want to see, and after seeing we still doubt; we are suspicious of illusion and connivance. It no longer happens when we find a plausible cause to the facts. We daily see people who have attributed the spiritist phenomena to imagination and blind credulity, and who are avid followers today, precisely because today those phenomena no longer repulse their reason: explain them, understand their possibility and then believe, even if they have not been seen. Having to talk about certain facts, we should wait until the fundamental principles were sufficiently developed, so that we could understand their causes. Among these facts is the transfiguration. For us, Spiritism is more than a belief, it is a Science and we feel happy to see that our readers have understood us.

Some people certainly expect to find here an answer to certain attacks to the Society, not so much moderated attacks to us personally and generally to the adepts of Spiritism, attacks from which we have seen vic- tims lately.

We ask our readers to refer to our article about spiritist controversy that opens up our last November issue, in which we have made our pro- fession of faith with that regard. We must add only a few words, once we have no time to spare with idle discussions. To those who have time to waste laughing at everything, even at things that they do not understand; to the slander; to the calumny or to the jokes, you may feel happy: we do not have the intent of creating hurdles to you. The Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies, which is composed of dignified individuals for their knowledge and position, French nationals and foreigners, doctors, art- ists, workers, officers, business men, etc., daily receiving the highest social notabilities and corresponding with all parts of the world, that Society is above the little intrigues of envy and self-love. The Society continues with its works in calmness and privacy, not distracted by the tasteless jokes that do not spare even the most respectable organizations.

Regarding Spiritism in general, which is one of the powers of na- ture, the mockery will bend over itself, as it has done regarding so many other things that were consecrated by time. This madness, this utopia, as classified by certain persons, has gone around the world and even all diatribes will not hinder its march, in the same way that, in the past, the anathemas did not block Earth from turning. Then, let the jester laugh as they will. They will do it to the price of the spirit. If they laugh at religion, why wouldn’t they at Spiritism that is a Science? We hope they will do us more service than prejudice, and that they spare us costs of publicity, since there isn’t one of their articles, more or less witty, that has not resulted in the sales of some of our books and that has not brought us some subscribers. Then, we are grateful to them for the service they involuntary do to us.

We will not say much about what affects us directly either. All those who ostensively or disguisedly attack us waste their time if they think that it affects us. They are also mistaken if they think that they can obstruct our path, since we ask for nothing and the only thing we aspire is to be- come useful, to the limit of our God given strength. For the more modest that our position may be we are satisfied with what would be mediocre to many. We do not long for any position, honor or fortune. We do not wish for the world or its pleasures.

We are not displeased for the things that we cannot have. We see them with the most absolute indifference. That is not compatible with our tastes; consequently, we do not envy anyone who has such advantages, if any – which to our eyes it is a problem – since the puerile pleasures of this world do not ensure a place in the other world, much to the contrary. Our life is all about work and study, even dedicating our breaks to work. There is nothing in all this that may be a cause of envy. As many others do, we are bringing our stone to the edifice that is rising; however, we would blush if this were taken as a step to achieving anything. May others bring more stones than we do! May others work as much and better and we will see it all with real happiness. Before anything else and above all, what we want is the triumph of truth, coming from wherever it may, since we do not have the pretension of seeing the truth alone. If this can bring some glory, the field is open to everyone and we will reach out to everyone who will follow us through this tough path of life, with loyalty, with abnega- tion and without personal second intentions.


We knew very well that openly raising the flag of the ideas of which we became promoters, facing prejudices, we would attract enemies, always ready to throw poisoned arrows against whoever dares to stick the head out and be in evidence. There is, however, a difference between them and us. We do not wish them the harm that they want to inflict on us, for we understand the human fragility and that is the only point in which we consider ourselves superior to them.

Human beings violate themselves through envy, hatred, jealousy and all petty passions, but elevate themselves by the forgiveness of the offenses. That is the spiritist moral. Doesn’t that have as much value as those who destroy their fellow human beings? The spirits that assist us dictated such moral. We can then judge if they are good or bad from that. They show us the elevated things so great and the lower ones so little that we must only feel sorry for those who voluntarily torture themselves by providing transient satisfactions to their self-love.

Navy physician and naturalist traveler died on December 11th, 1858 at the age of 64. He was evoked on the 24 of the same month, by one of his friends, Mr. Sardou.


1. Evocation
- I am here. What do you want?

2. What is your current state?
- I am errant like the spirits who leave Earth and feel the desire to advance through the good path. We seek enlightenment and later we choose.

3. Have your ideas about the nature of human beings modified?
- Very much. You can assess that well.

4. What do you think now about the kind of life that you led in the existence that you have just left on Earth?
- I am happy since I have worked.

5. You thought that everything ends at the grave. Thus the Epicureanism and the desire that you sometime expressed of living for centuries, in order to enjoy life well. What do you think about those who have that philosophy?
- I am sorry for them. However, that thinking is useful to them.

With such a philosophy they can coldly appreciate everything that excites others. This allows them to judge in a sound way many things that easily fascinate the credulous.


OBSERVATION: This is a personal opinion of the spirit that we give as such and not as a maxim.

6. A person that endeavors morally, more than intellectually, does better than the one that is bonded to the intellectual progress, above all, and neglects the moral?
- Yes. The moral aspect is more important. God gives spirit as a reward to the good ones, whereas the moral must be acquired.


7. What do you understand by the spirit given by God?
- A vast intelligence.


8. However, there are many evil ones that have a vast intelligence.
- I told you already. You asked what would be better to endeavor to acquire, and I said that the moral would be preferable. But the one who works for the betterment of their spirit may ac- quire a high degree of intelligence. When will you understand it?


9. Are you completely detached from the material influence of the body?
- Yes. What you have been told about it only encompasses a small portion of humanity.



NOTE: It happened sometimes that evoked spirits, even a few months after their death, declared to be still under the influence of matter. All of them, though, were people that have not progressed moral or intellectually. It is to this part of humanity that the spirit of Paul Gaimard refers.


10. Have you had other existences on Earth, besides the last one?
- Yes.


11. Was the latest one a consequence of the preceding one?
- No. There was a large interval between them.

12. Despite the interval, however, couldn’t there be a relationship be- tween those two existences?
- If you understand me well, each minute of our lives is a consequence of the preceding minute.



NOTE: Attending this meeting, Dr. B. gave his opinion that certain instincts sometimes awake in us could well be the reflex of a preceding existence. He mentioned several cases perfectly verified in young ladies who, during their pregnancy, were led to erratic behavior, like for example the one that grabbed the arm of a young butcher, biting him ferociously; another one that beheaded a child and the lady herself took the child to the police commissioner; a third one that killed her husband, sliced him into pieces, salted him, feeding herself from him for several days. That doctor then asked if in previous existences wouldn’t those ladies have been anthropophagous.

13. You heard what Dr. B. has just mentioned. Would these instincts, which go by the name of desire in pregnant ladies, be a conse- quence of habits held on a previous existence?
- No. These are a transient madness; a passion in its highest degree. The spirit becomes eclipsed by the will.

NOTE: Dr. B. indicates that the physicians really consider these acts as transient madness. We share such opinion, but for other reasons, since persons not familiar with the spiritist phe- nomena are led to attribute them to exclusive causes that are known to them. We are persuaded that we must have reminis- cences of certain previous moral dispositions. We will even say that it is impossible that things occur differently, since progress only takes place gradually. But this is not the case here because the persons gave no signs of ferocity, before that pathological state. There was evidently only a temporary perturbation of the moral faculties. The reflex of previous dispositions is recog- nized through other signs, unequivocal in a way, which we will develop in a special article supported by facts.

14. Have you accomplished simultaneous moral as well as intellectual progress in your latest existence?
- Yes. Mainly intellectual.

15. Could you tell us what was the kind of life you had in your life before the last one?
- Oh! I was obscure. I had a family that I made unhappy. Later

I had to expiate in a hard way. But, why do you ask me? That is over and now I am in a new phase.

NOTE: Paul Gaimard died single, at the age of 64. More than once he regretted not having had a family.

16. Do you expect to reincarnate soon?
- No. I want to study first. We like this errant state because the soul is more its own self; the spirit has more consciousness of its strength. The flesh weighs, darkens and hinders.

NOTE: All spirits say that they study, do research and ob- serve in the errant state, in order to make a choice. Isn’t that the counterpart of the corporeal life? Don’t we make mis- takes, sometimes for years, before we select a career that we consider more adequate to our progress? Don’t we sometimes change it as we get more mature? Don’t we go about everyday trying to establish what to do next? Well, what do the several corporeal existences represent to the spirit other than periods, days of the spiritual life that is, as we know, the normal life, for the corporeal life is only transient and passing? Nothing more sublime than this theory. Isn’t that in perfect agreement with the harmonious grandiosity of the universe? Still once more, it was not us who invented that and we are sorry for not having that merit. Nevertheless, the more we go deep into that theory the more we find it productive in solving the problems that were inexplicable hitherto.

17. In which planet do you plan or wish to reincarnate?
- I don’t know. Give me time to search.


18. Which kind of existence would you ask God for?
- The continuation of the last one; the greatest possible development of the intellectual faculties.


19. It seems that you place the intellectual development in the first line, leaving the moral faculties in second place, contrary to what you said before.
- My heart is not sufficiently well formed to be able to appreciate the others.


20. Do you see the other spirits and have a relationship with them?
- Yes.


21. Are there some among them with whom you were acquainted on Earth?
- Yes. Dumont-d’Urville.


22. Do you also see the spirit of Jacques Arago, with whom you traveled?
- Yes.


23. Are those spirits in the same condition as yours?
- No. Some are more elevated, others less.


24. We refer to the spirits of Dumont-d’Urville and Jacques Arago.
- I don’t want to specify.


25. Are you happy that we have evoked you?
- Yes, particularly for one person.


26. Can we do anything for you?
- Yes.


27. If we evoked you within a few months, would you still kindly answer our questions?
- With pleasure. Good-bye.

28. You say good-bye. Can you please tell us where you are going to?
- Without any waste of time (to express myself as I would have done a few days ago), I will cross a space a thousand times longer than the itinerary that I followed in my journeys on Earth, which I considered so long, and that in less than a second, out of a thought. I am going to a meeting of spirits where I will take lessons and where I will be able to learn my new Science, my new life. Good-bye.

OBSERVATION: Who had known Mr. Paul Gaimard perfectly well would attest that this communication is highlighted by the hallmark of his individuality. Learn, see and get to know things were his domi- nant passion. That is what explains his trips around the world and to the regions of the North Pole, as well as his excursions to Russia and Poland, during the first breakout of cholera in Europe. Dominated by his passion and by the need of satisfying it, he exhibited a rare cold blood before the greatest dangers. That is how, thanks to his calmness and determination, he was able to free himself from an anthropopha- gus tribe that had surprised him in a Pacific island.

One statement of his characterizes well his avidity for seeing new things, for watching the spectacle of unexpected accidents. One day, during the most dramatic period of 1848, he said: “What a happiness to live during a period so fertile of extraordinary and unpredictable events!”

Almost uniquely dedicated to the sciences that deal with the orga- nized matter, his spirit had substantially neglected the philosophical sciences. Thus, one could say that his ideas lacked elevation. However, not a single act of his life demonstrates that he had ignored the great moral laws imposed on humanity. In short, Mr. Paul Gaimard had a beautiful intelligence. Essentially worthy and honest, naturally kind, he was incapable of causing any loss to anybody. We can only criticize his perhaps excessive friendship with the pleasures; but neither the world nor the pleasures corrupted his reason or his heart. Thus, Mr. Paul Gaimard was worthy of the friend who misses him and everyone that knew him. SARDOU

Somnambulist, deceased in Annonay, about a year ago. Although illit- erate, she had a remarkable lucidity, particularly with respect to medi- cal issues.

One of our corresponding members that knew her when she was alive, thinking that some useful teachings might be obtained, sent us a few questions to be addressed to her in case we thought it would be ad- equate to evoke her. It was what we did in the session of the Society, on January 28th, 1859.

1. Evocation.
- I am here. What do you want from me?

2. Do you have an exact memory of your corporeal existence? - Yes, very precise.

3. Can you describe your current situation to us?
- It is the same as every spirit that inhabits Earth. Generally have the intuition of the good and, nonetheless, cannot meet perfect happiness, only reserved to a higher degree of perfection.



4. When alive, you were a lucid somnambulist. Could you tell us if the lucidity of those days was analogous to the present one, as spirit?
- No. It was different since I did not have the timeliness and sharpness that my spirit has now.


5. Is the somnambulistic lucidity an anticipation of the spiritual life, that is, a separation between the spirit and matter?
- It is one of the phases of the Earthly life; but the Earthly life is the same as the celestial life.


6. What do you mean by saying that the Earthly life is the same as the celestial life?
- That the chain of existences if formed by rings, in a continuous sequence. No interruption can preclude its course. One can then say that Earthly life is the continuation of the pre- ceding celestial life and the prelude of the future celestial life, and so on, for all incarnations of the spirit. This means that between two incarnations there is not an absolute separation as you think.

OBSERVATION: During the terrestrial life the spirit or soul may act independently of matter and, at certain times, the human being enjoys the spiritual life, during the sleep or even in the state of vigil. Considering that the faculties of the spirit are exercised, despite the presence of the body, there is be- tween the Earthly life and life beyond the grave a constant correlation that led Mrs. Reynaud to say the same thing. The following question clarified her thought.

7. Why then not everybody is a somnambulist?
- The fact is that you still ignore that all of you are but in differing degrees, not only when you sleep but awake as well.


8. We understand that all of us are more or less somnambu- lists, during the sleep, since the dream is a kind of imperfect somnambulism. But what do you mean by saying that we are also even in the state of vigil?
- Don’t you have intuitions that you are not aware of and that are nothing but a faculty of the spirit? The poet is a medium, a somnambulist.


9. Has your somnambulistic faculty contributed to the development of your spirit after your death?
- A little.


10. At the time of your death did you remain perturbed for a long time?
- No. I immediately recognized myself. I was surrounded by friends.


11. Do you attribute your prompt detachment to your lucid somnambulism?
- Yes, a little. I already knew about the fate of the agonizing, but that would not do me any good if I did not have a soul capable of conquering a better life, thanks to a higher number of good faculties.

12. Is it possible to be a good somnambulist not having a spirit of an elevated order?
- Yes. The faculties are always in agreement. You are really mis- taken when you think that these faculties require a certain disposition. No, what you think is good is actually, at times, bad. If you don’t understand it I will elaborate on this idea.

There are somnambulists who know the future and tell things that are facts of the past completely ignored in their normal state. There are others who perfectly describe the character of the persons that interrogate them; they tell their age as well as the amount of money they have in their pockets, and so forth. That does not require any real superiority. It is only the exer- cise of the faculty that the spirit has and that is manifested in the sleeping somnambulists. What requires a real superiority is the employment of that faculty for the good; it is the con- sciousness of good and evil; understanding God better than people do; it is the ability of giving advices capable of making others advance in the path of good and happiness.

13. Does the employment of their faculty influence the state of the somnambulist’s spirits after their death?
- Yes, and a lot, as with the bad or good employment of all faculties given by God.


14. Can you explain to us how come you have medical knowledge without having had any formal education?
- It is always a faculty of the spirit. Other spirits advised me. I was a medium: it is the state of all somnambulists.


15. The medications prescribed by a somnambulist are always indi- cated by another spirit or are they also given from instinct, simi- larly to what happens with the animals that look for the herb that is healthy to them?
- They are indicated, if the somnambulist asks for advice, in case his experience is not sufficient. He knows them by their qualities.
16. Is the magnetic fluid the agent of the somnambulistic lucidity?
- No. It is the agent of sleep.


17. Is the magnetic fluid the agent of vision, in the state of spirit?
- No.
18. Do you see us here as clearly as when alive, and with your body?
- Now I see even better. I see further into the inner individual.

19. Could you see us in the same way if we were in the dark?
- Yes, the same way.


20. Do you see us better, worse or as well as when you were alive, in the somnambulistic state?
- Even better.


21. What is the agent or the intermediary that allows you to see?
- My spirit. I have no eyes or pupils; I have no retina or lashes; however, I see better than any of you see your neighbor. You see through your eyes but it is your spirit that sees.

22. Are you aware of darkness?
- I know it exists to you, not to me.

OBSERVATION: This confirms what we have always been told: that the faculty of vision is a property inherent to the own nature of the spirit and that resides in the whole being. In the body, it is localized.

23. May the second sight or remote viewing be compared to the som- nambulistic state?
- Yes. The faculty does not come from the body.


24. Does the magnetic fluid emanate from the nervous system or it is spread into atmosphere?
- From the nervous system but the nervous system takes it from the atmosphere, which is its main source. The atmosphere itself does not have it. It comes from the beings that populate the universe. It is not the nothingness that produces it. It is, on the contrary, an accumulation of life and electricity ex- tracted from that crowd of beings.

25. Is the nervous system fluid its own fluid or would that be the result of the combination of all other imponderable fluids that penetrate the bodies, like heat, light and electricity?
- Yes and no. You don’t know the phenomena sufficiently to say that. Your words cannot express what you want to say.


26. What is the cause of the numbness produced by the magnetic action? - The agitation produced by the overload of the fluid that the magnetized person accumulates.


27. Does the magnetic power of the magnetizer depend on his physi- cal organization?
- Yes, but it also depends much on his character. In a word: depends on him.


28. What are the moral qualities that can help the somnambulist in the development of their faculty?
- The good ones. You asked about the ones that can help.



29. What are the defects that can mostly harm it?
- The ill faith.


30. What are the most essential qualities of the magnetizer?
- The heart; the always-firm good intentions; the disinterest.

31. What are the defects that mostly harm them?
- The bad inclinations, or even worse, the desire to cause harm.


32. When alive, did you use to see the spirits in the somnambulistic state?
- Yes.
33. Why don’t all somnambulists see them?
- They all see at times and on several degrees of clarity.


34. Where does the faculty of seeing the spirits come from, in certain non-somnambulistic persons?
- That is a gift from God, as intelligence and benevolence to others is a gift from God.


35. Does such a faculty result from a special physical organization?
- No.
36. Can it be lost?
- Yes, as much as it can be acquired.


37. What are the causes that may determine its loss?
- We have said that already: the malevolent intentions. As a first condition it is necessary the intent of making good use of that faculty. Given that, one needs to verify if such a favor is deserved, since it is not given uselessly. The difficulty to those who have that faculty is that it meddles with the unfortunate human passion that you know well – pride – even when there is the desire of seeking the best results. They brag about what is really God’s work and many times want to take advantage of that. Good-bye now.

38. Where are you going from here?
- To my occupations.


39. Could you tell us more about your occupations?
- I have some, like you do. I try to learn and for that I take part in a society of those who are better than me. While rest- ing, I do the good deeds. My life moves on with the hope of reaching a greater happiness. We have no material need to satisfy and, consequently, our whole activity aims at our moral progress.

A Navy Officer present in the Session of the Society on February 4th last, showed his wishes to have a Tahitian chef called Hitoti evoked, who he met when visiting the Oceania.

1. Evocation
- What do you want?

2. Could you tell us why you preferred to embrace the French cause in the Oceania?
- I liked that nation. Besides, my interest obliged me to that.


3. Were you happy with the trip to France that we provided to your grandson and with the care given to him?
- Yes and no. The trip might perhaps have improved his spirit a lot but that made him completely alien to his homeland, for it gave him ideas that he should never have entertained.


4. What were the rewards from the French government that pleased you the most?
- The decorations.



5. What was your preferred decoration?
- The Legion of Honor

OBSERVATION: The medium and all of those attending the meet- ing ignored this circumstance. The person who made the evocation confirmed it. Although the medium was intuitive and not mechani- cal, how could such a thought have been attributed to him? It could be admitted in the case of an ordinary question, but this would be inadmissible since dealing with a positive fact from which nobody could have given him any idea about.

6. Are you happier now than when you were when alive?
- Yes, much more.

7. What is the state of your spirit?
- Errant, but I must reincarnate.


8. What do you do in this errant life?
- I enlighten myself.

OBSERVATION: This answer is almost general among the errant spirits. The more morally advanced they are the more they add the practice of good and assistance to those who need their advices.

9. How do you get instructed since you don’t do that in the same way you did when alive?
- I work my spirit and travel. I understand that this is not very clear. Later you will know.


10. Which regions do you visit with more satisfaction?
- Regions? Rest assured that I do not travel over your Earth. I move up and down; I go from one side to the other, moral and physically. I have seen and examined worlds with great care at your sunrise as well as your sunset; some which are still in terrible states of barbarism and others well above yours.

11. You said that you would be incarnate soon. Do you know in which world?
- Yes. I have been there many times.


12. Can you designate it?
- No.


13. Why do you neglect Earth in your travels?
- Because I already know it.


14. Although you don’t travel around Earth any longer, do you still think of some persons that you loved?
- A little.


15. Aren’t you concerned with the persons who gave you affection?
- A little.


16. Do you remember them?
- Very well. But we will meet again and then I hope to pay them everything back. I was asked if I do not worry about them. No, but it does not mean that I forgot them.


17. Haven’t you seen again that friend I referred to earlier on and that, like you, is also dead?
- Yes but we will see one another more physically. We will incarnate in the same sphere and our paths will cross.


18. We are thankful to you for attending our appeal.
- Good-bye. Work and think.

OBSERVATION: The person that did the evocation and knows the habits of those people declares that the last statement is in agreement with their practices. It is a usual expression among them, kind of vulgar, and which the medium could not guess. It is also acknowledged that the whole conversation is in agreement with the character of the evoked spirit and that his identification is evident.

The answer to question 17 offers remarkable insight: we will incarnate in the same sphere and our paths will cross. It is dem- onstrated that the beings that loved each other meet in the world of the spirits. However, as it seems also from many analogous an- swers, one may also follow the other in their corporeal existences. Then, unnoticeably, the circumstances lead them closer through physical relationships or through friendships. This gives us the reason for certain sympathies.

Mr. J..., one of our comrades at the Society, had seen blue flames fly- ing around several times, over his bed. Certain that it was a kind of manifestation, we had the idea of evoking one of those spirits in the session of January 20th last, in order to learn about their nature.


1. Evocation.
- But what is it that you want from me?


2. What was the objective of your manifestation at Mr. J...’ house?
- Why does it matter to you?


3. In reality it is not important to me but to Mr. J... is different.
- Ah! What a good reason!

NOTE: Mr. Kardec framed the initial questions. Mr. J... contin- ued the interview.

4. The fact is that I do not receive anyone in my house just out of good will.
- You are wrong. I am very good.

5. Can you then do me a favor and let me know what are you doing in my house?
- Do you really believe that because I am good I must obey you?

6. I was told that you are a frivolous spirit.
- Then I was very badly judged.

7. If it is a calumny than prove it.
- I don’t care.

8. I could well use means of making you state whom you really are.
- My word that I would have some fun with that.

9. I demand that you say what you have come to do in my house.
- I had only one objective: have fun.

10. This is not in agreement with what I was told by the superior spirits.
- I was sent to your house and you know the reason. Are you happy?



11. You lied then?
- No.


12. Didn’t you then have ill intentions?
- You were told the same as I did.


13. Can you tell us what your category among the spirits is?
- Your curiosity amuses me.


14. Since you pretend to be good, why don’t you respond to the questions in a more convenient way?
- Have I eventually insulted you?


15. No but why do you respond evasively and refuse to give me the explanations that I require?
- I have the freedom to do what I want, under the command of certain spirits though.


16. That is good! I see with pleasure that you begin to be more reasonable hence I foresee that we will have a friendly relationship.
- Stop the useless talk! It will be much better


17. Under which form are you here?
- I have no form.


18. Do you know what the perispirit is?
- No, unless it is the wind.


19. What can I do to please you?
- I told you already. Shut up.


20. The mission that was assigned to you in my house, has it made you improve as a spirit?
- That is another subject. Do not ask me such questions. You know that I obey certain spirits. Talk to them. As for me, let me go.


21. Have we eventually had a bad relationship in another existence that would be the cause of your bad humor?
- Don’t you remember how badly you spoke of me to whoever wanted to hear? Shut up, I tell you.


22. I only speak of you what the superior spirits has said about you.
- You also said that I had obsessed you.


23. Were you happy with the end result?
- That is my problem.


24. Do you then want me to keep an unfavorable opinion of you?
- It is possible. I am leaving.

OBSERVATION: From the reported conversations we can see the extreme diversity in the language of the spirits, according to their degree of elevation. The language of spirits of this nature is character- ized by rudeness and impatience. When invited to serious meetings it is noticeable that they do not come willingly and are in a hurry to leave, for they do not feel comfortable among their superior spirits and among people that put pressure on them with questions. The same does not happen in frivolous meeting where people enjoy their mockery. There, these spirits are in their element and rejoice.

Letter to Sura (Book VII – Letter 27)

“Our break allows you to teach, while I learn. I wish I knew if the ghosts do have something of real; if they have a real expression; if they are genies or no more than vain images created by imaginations disturbed by fear. What leads me to believe that there really are true shad- ows is what I was told that happened to Curtius Rufus. When he did not have a name or fortune yet he followed the governor to Africa. One eve- ning Rufus was strolling under a porch when a lady of impressive beauty and elegance presented herself to him and said: “I am Africa. I come to predict what is going to happen to you. You will go to Rome; you will be in charge of the highest positions; then you will return to govern this province, where you will die.”


“It all happened as she had predicted. Some even say that the same figure showed up to him when he left the ship upon arrival at the port of Cartago.” “The truth is that he was taken ill and by judging the future from the good things of the past, and by the misfortune that threatened the good luck he had enjoyed, he soon lost any hope of cure, despite the opinion of his closest ones.”


“Here you have another story, not less remarkable and much more terrible. I will tell you the way I heard it.”


“There was a very large and comfortable house in Athens which was condemned and deserted. In the deepest quietness of the night, noises of chains and shackles were heard - in the beginning it seemed to have come from far away but the noises got gradually closer. Soon the shadow of a somewhat very skinny old man showed up, pale, bearing a long beard, di- sheveled hair, chains in his feet and wrists, which he would violently shake. All that explained the horrible and sleepless nights of the people who lived in the house. The prolonged insomnia brought the disease, and the disease, multiplying the horror, was followed by death; during the day, although the shadow would not appear, the impression it had left would always revive in people’s minds, and the fear it had caused generated new fear.”

“The house was finally abandoned, left to the ghost. It was an- nounced on the market for sale or rent, in the hopes that someone not well informed about the terrible nuisance could be deceived.”

“Athenodorus, the philosopher, came to Athens. He reads the ad for the house and wishes to know the price. The low numbers make him suspicious. He searches for clues. He learned about the story and, far from breaking the deal, he rushed to cut it. He then moves in; comes the af- ternoon and he asks to have his bed moved to the front bedroom; he also wishes to have planchettes, pen and light brought in, and that the remain- ing persons be dislodged to the back of the house.”

“Fearing that his imagination could be taken over by a cold horror, to the point of imagining ghosts, he delivers his mind, his eyes and hands to writing. In the beginning, as evening breaks, a profound quietness falls around the house. All is then broken by the noise of chains and shackles. He does not raise his eyes nor stop writing; he calms down and tries to listen. The noise increases, comes closer and gives the impression that it is at the door. He then looks and sees the shadow, as it was described to him. The ghost was standing, calling him with his finger. He then wastes no time, stands up, takes the lamp and follows the ghost that walks with difficulty, as if pressed by the weight of the chains. Arriving at the internal courtyard, the ghost suddenly disappears, leaving behind our philosopher who then picks leafs and herbs, using them to identify the place where the ghost disappeared. On the very next day he sought the courts, requesting authorization to excavate the place. Once it was done they found bones still attached to chains. Time had eaten the flesh. All remains were care- fully gathered, and a proper public burial carried out; since the last eulo- gies and tributes were duly paid to the deceased, he never showed up again or perturbed the peace of the house.”


“What I have just told you I did so by repeating the word passed on to me by someone else. Here, however, is what I can attest to others from my own faith:”

“I have a freed slave by the name of Marcus, who is not an ignorant man. He was lying in bed with his younger brother when he thought to have seen someone else sitting on his bed, and who had swung a pair of scissors by his head, to the point of cutting his hair over his forehead. In the morning he noticed that he had his hair cut at the top of his head and the hair was spread on the floor around him. Soon after, a similar thing happened to one of my relatives who gave me no doubts about the previ- ous event. One of my young slaves was asleep with his mates, in the rooms that were destined to them. According to their story, two men dressed in white came to the room through the window, cut his hair thin on top, while asleep, and left the same way they had entered. He was found bald head the day after, like the other one, and his hair spread on the floor.”

“Such adventures had no consequences other than having me accused before Domitian, in whose Empire these things took place. Had he out- lived me and I would not have escaped since there was a complaint against me that was found in his briefcase, filed by Carus. From this, one may conjecture that since the habit of the accused was to allow their hair to grow freely out of negligence, those who had cut the hair of my people assured that I was in no danger. I beg you to give all the attention to this subject. It deserves profound meditation and perhaps I am not unworthy of sharing your clarifications. If, as it is in your traditions, you balance the two contrary opinions, make the scale swing in one direction so that I can be spared from such a discomfort. I consult with you about nothing else but this – Farewell.”

Answers given by Pliny to questions addressed to him at the Society, on January 28th, 1859

1. Evocation
- Speak that I will respond.

2. Although you have been dead for about 1743 years, do you still keep memories of your life in Rome during Trajan’s time?
- Why then we, the spirits, would not remember? You have memories of several years of your infancy. What is a previous existence to the spirit other than the infancy of existences, which we have to go through before reaching the end of the trials? Every worldly existence or existence wrapped by the material veil, is a step to- wards the ether, and at the same time a material and spiritual infancy: spiritual because the spirit is still in the beginning of the trials; material because the spirit has just got to the more dense phases, through which they must learn and depurate.

3. Could you tell us what you have been doing since that time?
- It would take long to tell you what I have done. I tried to be good. No doubt you wouldn’t like to spend hours and hours until I told you everything. Then be satisfied with an answer. I repeat: I tried to do the good deeds, learn and lead the Earthly beings to approach the Creator of all things, the One who gives us the spiritual as well as the material bread.


4. In which world do you live now?
- Never mind. I spend some time everywhere. Space is my do- main and of many others too. These are questions that a wise spirit, enlightened by the saint and Divine ray, should not respond, unless on very rare occasions.

5. In a letter that you wrote to Sura you reported three cases of ap- paritions. Do you remember them?
- I confirm them because they were true. You daily have similar facts to which you don’t pay attention. Those are very simple, but at that time, they were considered remarkable. This should not surprise you. Leave these things behind since you have others much more extraordinary.

6. However, we would like to ask you a few questions with regard to this.
- I will give you generic answers and that will be enough for you. Nonetheless, ask if you will. I will give you terse answers.


7. In the first case a lady appears to Curtius Rufus, and tells him that she is Africa. But who was that lady?
- A great figure. It seems to me that she is too simple to the enlightened people of the XIX century.


8. What was the reason behind the appearance of Athenodorus’ spirit, and why those shackles’ noises?
- Symbol of slavery; manifestation; means of convincing people and to draw their attention, making them talk about it and demonstrate the existence of the spiritual world.


9. You defended the cause of the persecuted Christians before Trajan. Were you driven by a simple duty of humanity or by conviction, regarding the truthfulness of that Doctrine?
- Both but humanity came second.


10.. What do you think about your panegyric of Trajan?
- It should be redone.


11. You wrote about the history of your time, writings which have been lost. Could you repair that loss by dictating it to us?
- The spiritual world does not manifest for these things in particular. You have these forms of manifestations but they have their objectives. There are multiple guidelines, laid down on the left and on the right hand side of the great path of truth. But leave it behind; do not dedicate your time or studies to that. It is up to us to see and judge what is important to you to learn. There is a time for everything. Thus, do not move away from the guidelines that we have delineated to you.

12. We are pleased to be worthy of your elevation and above all, your altruism. They say that you charged nothing to the clients who were defended by you. Was such altruism as rare in Rome as it is among us?

- Don’t praise my past qualities. I give no importance to them. The altruism is almost non-existent in your century. In every two hundred people you will find only one or two true al- truist. You know very well that this is the century of money and selfishness. Presently, people are made of mud, coated by metal. Formerly, there was feeling, the stuff of antiquity; today, there is only the social position.

13. Although not defending our century, it does seem that it is more valuable than yours, when corruption was in its apex and accusa- tions had no sacred grounds.
- I give you an accurate depiction. I know that there wasn’t much altruism over that time; however there was something that you don’t have or have in small dose – the love of beauty, of noble, of greatness. I speak about everybody. Today’s in- dividual, particularly those of the west, and even more par- ticularly the French, have their hearts ready to achieve great things but that is only a transient spark. Soon there comes reflection and reflection leads to second thoughts, saying: the positive, the positive before anything else. Then selfishness and money take the lead again. We manifest ourselves exactly because you have moved away from the principles given by Jesus. So long. You will not understand.

OBSERVATION: We understand very well that our cen- tury falls short of what is expected. Its ulcer is selfishness and selfishness engenders greed and the mindless search for opulence. From that point of view we are far from the altru- ism that the Roman people gave us so many sublime examples, during a certain period, but which was not that of Pliny. However, it would be unfair not to recognize its superiority in more than one point, even over the most beautiful times of Rome that also had its time of barbarism. Then, there was ferocity even in greatness and altruism, while our century is going to be marked by the soothing of the traditions and by the feelings of justice and humanity, which presides over all institutions since birth and even over the disputes among nations.


ALLAN KARDEC