Mrs. Piper the Society for Psychical Research | Page 4

what is printed;
and inasmuch as many erroneous notions and misconceptions are
prevalent, even among educated persons, concerning the method and
motives of the Society, as well as concerning its ascertained results, it
occurred to the Council that perhaps a more popular account of the
outline of some of the facts, with abridged examples or illustrations of
some of the details, might be of service in spreading the rudiments of a
wider knowledge concerning at least one branch of a subject which
must certainly be of interest to the human race when it is rightly
apprehended.

A popular statement was perhaps the more desirable since a number of
insignificant bodies have recently sprung up, showing considerable
energy in the business of advertisement, assuming colourable
imitations of our Society's designation, but having very different
objects--unscientific always, sometimes frankly pecuniary--so that it
was quite likely that a certain amount of confusion might occur.
The idea of the Council, in the first instance, was to have a short
popular account or summary of the Piper case specially written by one
of their own members; but it was brought to their notice that a French
writer had already issued a small book of a character not very different
from that contemplated, and had steered his way cleverly through the
intricacies of a subject bristling with difficulty below the surface and
choked with detail throughout; so it was thought best to utilise the
skilful work of the French writer, and simply see to it that a faithful
translation was made, only introducing changes in the direction of still
further abbreviation occasionally.
This is the book for which I consented, though I admit with some
misgivings, to write a preface when it was ready to appear; and now
that I see it in its English dress I find my misgivings justified.
The author speaks deprecatingly of his purpose in writing it, describing
it as "un modeste ouvrage de vulgarisation," and thereby disarms
criticism, for, considered from this point of view, it is successful; but I
must guard not only myself but all other members of the Council of the
S.P.R. from any endorsement of the sentiments and comments which M.
Sage scatters somewhat liberally through his pages. Taken as they
were intended in the original, they were not out of keeping; they
seemed to harmonise with the general tone and formed part of a
consistent artistic scheme. Translated they appear less appropriate, but
to omit them altogether would be to give the book a different character,
and probably to spoil it. As it stands, it is readable, more readable than
a profounder treatise would be. Let it pass, therefore, as conveying to
readers who have neither time nor inclination to enter upon a detailed
study some conception of the most remarkable modern instance of the
phenomenon to which I began by referring--a phenomenon of which a

better, but by no means yet a complete or final, treatment can be
studied in the work of Mr Myers called Human Personality and its
Survival of Bodily Death.
OLIVER LODGE.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Under the name "Second Sight," for instance.

OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY
The Society for Psychical Research was founded at the beginning of
1882, for the purpose of making an organised and systematic attempt to
investigate various sorts of debatable phenomena which are primâ facie
inexplicable on any generally recognised hypothesis. From the recorded
testimony of many competent witnesses, past and present, including
observations recently made by scientific men of eminence in various
countries, there appeared to be, amidst much illusion and deception, an
important body of facts to which this description would apply, and
which therefore, if incontestably established, would be of the very
highest interest. The task of examining such residual phenomena had
often been undertaken by individual effort, but never hitherto by a
scientific society organised on a sufficiently broad basis. The following
are the principal departments of work which the Society at present
undertakes:--
1. An examination of the nature and extent of any influence which may
be exerted by one mind upon another, otherwise than through the
recognised sensory channels.
2. The study of hypnotism and mesmerism; and an inquiry into the
alleged phenomena of clairvoyance.
3. A careful investigation of any reports, resting on testimony
sufficiently strong and not too remote, of apparitions coinciding with
some external event (as for instance a death) or giving information

previously unknown to the percipient, or being seen by two or more
persons independently of each other.
4. An inquiry into various alleged phenomena apparently inexplicable
by known laws of nature, and commonly referred by Spiritualists to the
agency of extra-human intelligences.
5. The collection and collation of existing materials bearing on the
history of these subjects.
The aim of the Society is to approach these various problems