Table Of Content'TWIXT TWO WORLDS:
A Narrative of
The Life and Work of William Eglinton.
JOHN S. FARMER,
AUTHOR OF "A NEW BASIS OF BELIEF IN IMMORTALITY,"
"HOW TO INVESTIGATE SPIRITUALISM," "EX ORIENTE LUX," ETC., ETC.
LONDON:
1886.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. Early Life and Development as a Psychic 1
II. Early Professional Mediumship 5
III. The "Blackburn Seances" 8
IV. Work in London, the Provinces, and Abroad 14
V. Remarkable Seances At Malvern 21
VI. Private Seances and Spiritualism at Home 30
VII. South African Experiences 42
VIII. The Story of a Haunting Spirit 50
IX. Scientific Investigation on the Continent 58
X. Drawings and Writings Produced by Abnormal Means, Casts from
Materialised Hands 69
XI. American Experiences 85
XII. Visit to India 89
XIII. The Royal Family and Spiritualism—Psychography Explained 98
XIV. General Testimony To Psychography 110
XV. "Brought to Book" 139
XVI. Evidence for Independent Mind-Action in Psychography 154
XVII. On Materialisations and Apparitions Formed with the Medium in Full View 163
XVIII. Phases of Opposition. Spiritualism and Art. A Problem for Conjurers. 184
XIX. Conclusion 192
ILLUSTRATIONS.
FIG. PAGE FIG. PAGE
Portrait Etching of Mr. Eglinton Frontispiece 17. Method of Obtaining Writing when the Slates are
1. Knots Tied in an Endless Cord 34 tied and held over the head of one of the Sitters 107
2. A Novel Test 38 18. Obtaining Writing under an Inverted Tumbler 108
3. Plan of the Garden Seance. 39 19. Reduced Facsimile of Recognised Psychographic
4. Dr. Hutchinson's Dial 44 Writing 114
5. A Direct Drawing 70 20. Handwriting of Mr. Eglinton 115
6. Writing with Ink on a Card inside a 21. Handwriting of Dr. Nichols' Daughter 115
Closed and Weighted Book 71 22. Facsimile of Direct Writing, reduced one-fourth 120
7. Specimens of Direct Writing 73 23. Facsimile of Direct Slate Writing obtained in Mr.
8. Direct Drawing and Writing 74 Adshead's presence 125
9. A Direct Drawing Executed in Total Darkness 75 24. Exact Reproduction of Direct Writing on a Card 132
10. Writing produced under an Inverted Tumbler 91 25. Exact Reproduction of Direct Drawing on a Card 133
11. Plan of Seance Room in Calcutta 96 26. Direct Writing on a Slate 135
12. A Direct Drawing 100 27. Message Written between the Slates when Resting on
13. Ground Plan of Mr. Eglinton's Seance the Shoulder of the Sitter 137
Room at Old Quebec Street 103 28. Facsimile of Direct Writing obtained in Broad Day
14. Table used by Mr. Eglinton, and Mode of Holding light 149
the Slate for Simple Experiments 104 29. Direct Writing obtained under an Inverted Tumbler150
15. Method of Obtaining the Writing when the Slate is 30. Dr. Herschell's Fenestrated Slate 152
held by Mr. Eglinton and the Sitter 105 31. Plan of Seance Room 170
16. Method of Obtaining the Writing between two 32. Plan of Seance Room 177
Slates held over the Table 106 Portrait of Mr. W. Eglinton 188
To
CHARLES BLACKBURN
THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED
BY THE AUTHOR
AS A SLIGHT ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE MANY SERVICES
HE HAS RENDERED TO THE CAUSE OF
MODERN SPIRITUALISM IN ENGLAND.
'TWIXT TWO WORLDS.
—————
CHAPTER I.
EARLY LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT AS A PSYCHIC.
WILLIAM EGLINTON (or Willie as he is familiarly called by his friends) was born on the 10th of
July, 1857, in Islington, near the New River, a now densely populated quarter of the Metropolis,
but at that time almost open country. The family on the father's side is Scotch, and through John
Montgomerie, of Bridgend, who died about 1630 a descent can be traced from the Montgomeries
of Ayr.His mother, a Miss Wyse, came of a family, some members of which have held
important official positions in the City of London.
His early life was spent at school. Though extremely imaginative, dreamy, and sensitive, and,
as a boy, passionate and hot-tempered to a degree, no indications of the wonderful power which
afterwards developed itself were noticed. He recollects nothing himself, nor, as far as can be
ascertained, is any member of his family aware of abnormal phenomena having occurred in
Willie's presence.
His education was a limited one, being purely commercial, and it ended just when most boys
are commencing their studies in earnest. From school he passed into the well-known publishing
house of a relative to learn the business of a printer and publisher; but, owing to his association
with Spiritualism, his connection in this capacity was of short duration.
Willie's religious training was practically nil. His father in early life had renounced
Christianity, and had become an Agnostic. On the other hand, his mother was distinguished by a
sweet, gentle piety, and "between the two," he writes, "I was puzzled both ways, and was
practically left to solve the problems of life and religious teaching for myself, the result being the
acceptance of materialistic notions, and the doctrine of total annihilation."
Very early in life were the principles he had adopted brought to the test of experience, in the
passing away of his mother in July, 1873, her remains being consigned to their resting place on
his birthday. Mors janua vitae [Death is the gate of everlasting life]; and so it proved to be in the
present case. Writing of the event, he says: "The loss to me was irreparable; for she was my only
friend and counsellor, She "left a void which has never been filled." This bereavement seems to
1
2 'Twixt Two Worlds.
have stirred him to more earnest thought and action, and to a deeper sense of the reality of life.
He now began to take a more active interest in endeavouring to fathom the truth of the various
dogmas, with the result that Atheism seemed to him the most rational. A poor result maybe, but
he was in the right track, for he had begun to think. The mischief is not that people believe this or
that doctrine, or profess this or that faith; it is rather that they are indifferent and apathetic, and
will not think at all about these things. There is hope for the former, but very little for those who
imbibe their religion as mechanically as they do the air they breathe.
At this time he was, in company with his father, an occasional attendant at the services held
by Mr. Charles Bradlaugh at the Hall of Science, becoming more than ever prejudiced against
everything and everybody Christian. In this place, however, he was destined to receive the first
impetus to a career in which he would be fighting in defence of what was then intolerable to him;
and little did he think that, through his own marvellous but latent gifts, he would be able to deal
deadly blows to the miserable doctrine of annihilation. So it was to be, however.
It was in February, 1874, that a discussion on Spiritualism took place at the Hall of Science
between Dr. Sexton and Mr. Foote, the former defending the latter's attack. Dr. Sexton, it should
be observed, had himself been converted from Atheism through Spiritualism. Willie Eglinton
relates his impressions as follows:—"I had never heard the word Spiritualism mentioned before,
and was full of eager inquiries about it. My father attended this discussion with some friends, as
also did I with some young companions. The place was densely packed, and hundreds had to be
refused admission. I remember that when Dr. Sexton appeared he was but slightly cheered
compared with Mr. Foote, owing, as I then supposed, to the weakness of the Spiritualistic
party. I can but own that I felt a slight feeling of awe creep over me when Dr. Sexton began to
address the audience, because my scant information had led me to expect that in his presence
chairs and tables would float about. This showed my utter ignorance of the subject."
In the course of his debate, Dr. Sexton advised all persons wishing to test the truth of
Spiritualism to try in their own homes by themselves rather than with a professional medium.
Willie's father, who was never a bigot, thought this sensible advice, and consulting a friend (Mr.
John Davis, who has himself since become a Spiritualist, and whose family subsequently
developed remarkable psychical powers), they agreed to buy a book of rules and try that very
night to see "if there was anything in it."
A home circle was formed, and, conforming with the conditions laid down in the book of
rules, chapters from the Bible were read, and hymns were sung—"proceedings," remarks Willie
Eglinton in his description of what took place, "quite unprecedented in our family circle. I
refused to join them, on the plea that 'it was all humbug,' thus setting myself up as an authority
upon a subject of which I knew nothing." Who has not done the same?
The others sat patiently for two hours, awaiting manifestations, but in vain. Not discouraged
by this failure, it was agreed to sit again and again, and give the subject a fair trial. Seven or eight
evenings were passed in endeavouring to obtain proofs of the existence of some spiritual power,
but none were forthcoming. To show his feelings on the matter, Willie fixed upon the door of the
seance room large cards, upon which were written, "There are lunatics confined here; they will be
shortly
Early Life and Development as a Psychic. 3
let loose highly dangerous," etc., etc. This so far offended his father, that he was told either to
join the circle, or leave the house during the investigation. He elected the former alternative; and,
under protest, entered the seance room. I now continue in his own words:—"My manner,
previous to doing so, was that of a boy full of fun; but as soon as I found myself in the presence
of the 'inquirers,' a strange and mysterious feeling came over me, which I could not shake off. I
sat down at the table, determined that if anything happened I would put a stop to it! Something
did happen, but I was powerless to prevent it. The table began to show signs of life and vigour; it
suddenly rose off the ground, and steadily raised itself in the air, until we had to stand to reach it.
This was in full gaslight. It afterwards answered, intelligently, questions which were put to it,
and gave a number of test communications to persons present. The next evening saw us eagerly
sitting for further manifestations, and with a larger circle, for the news had got widely spread that
we had 'seen ghosts and talked to them,' together with similar reports. After we had read the
customary prayer, seemed to be no longer of this earth. A most ecstatic feeling came over me,
and I presently passed into a trance. All my friends were novices in the matter, and tried various
means to restore me, but without result. At the end of half an hour I returned to consciousness,
feeling a strong desire to relapse into the former condition. We had communications which
proved conclusively, to my mind, that the spirit of my mother had really returned to us. Even
upon the hypothesis that we and our friends were conspiring together to delude each other, as is
too commonly suggested nowadays by many, the internal evidence contained in the messages
was sufficient to convince me of the presence of some abnormal power which could tell us of
things only known to 'the dead' and ourselves. The various theories of 'elementals,' 'astral bodies,'
and 'shells' had not then been propounded to perplex and confound, and I readily accepted as
proved the fact that those who had passed beyond this life could and did communicate with us. I
then began to realise how mistaken—how utterly empty and unspiritual—had been my past life,
and I felt a pleasure indescribable in knowing, beyond a doubt, that those who had passed from
earth could return again, and prove the immortality of the soul. In the quietness of our family
circle, only broken by the admission of friends to witness the marvellous manifestations, we
enjoyed, to the full extent, our communion with the departed; and many are the happy hours I
have spent in this way."
Frequent seances were also held with a professional trance medium. About this time Mr.
Haxby, afterwards well-known as an excellent physical medium, and who died a few years ago,
joined the circle, and began to develop strongly his mediumistic faculties.
A few months after the first seance, stronger phenomena gradually developed, and
instruction and guidance were given by a spirit who gave the name of "Joey Sandy," and who has
since become one of the principal directors at all Mr. Eglinton's seances. The latter says:—"To
his honesty and fidelity I owe the success I have met with both in public and private, while his
vivacious disposition and common sense have rendered him a general favourite."
I, as well as many others, can confirm this estimate of "Joey Sandy's" character and work. I
have ever found him willing and patient in his endeavours to bring home to earnest inquirers the
truth of Spiritualism. I have learnt, after a long experience of his ways and objects, to respect him
as a man, and to esteem him most highly for his work's sake. Ever faithful and true, "Joey Sandy"
will never be effaced from the memory of thousands who owe to him what has proved an
inestimable blessing.
"Ernest," another of Mr. Eglinton's "guides," or instructors, as I prefer to say, came to him
4 'Twixt Two Worlds.
about eighteen months after the advent of "Joey Sandy." His sober common-sense, intelligence,
and kindness, have made him respected by all, and too high a tribute cannot be paid to so good
and noble a spirit.
Apropos of the estimation in which this co-worker of Mr. Eglinton was held, even in 1876,
when he first began to manifest strongly, a writer in the Religio-Philosophical Journal thus
speaks of him:—"When 'Ernest' gives us some of his calm, well-expressed advice, delivered in
words of earnest feeling, or when he tenderly commits us to the care of guardian angels, invoking
blessings upon us, the voice causes our very hearts to swell in soft responsive affection; and it
would be impossible to ascribe a voice so full of the human feeling gained through a long life of
experience, and such vicissitudes as human existence always brings, to an elementary. No; we feel
it is a man before us, a spirit rich in the love of humanity, longsuffering, patient, calm above
human weakness by self-conquest, and a very angel of mercy and beneficence to mortals."
To this many a heart comforted through his ministry will say "Amen." Only those who have
come into these intimate relations, born of mutual confidence and trust, can conceive the weight
of the evidence so ungrudgingly given in favour of the survival of the soul after death. Critical
acumen is of immense service in psychical research, but to pass beyond even the threshold of the
inquiry one needs something more, hence the failure of many investigators. But to those who
unite with a critical eye the sympathetic mind, all the things of the spirit are possible, and no
trouble is too great, no proof too much to ask of the invisible workers. I acknowledge with deep
gratitude my personal indebtedness to Mr. Eglinton's guides, and hope that placing on record my
firm conviction of the cause of so much failure may open up the right path to others.
A variety of phases of mediumship were subsequently developed—trance, healing, and
clairvoyance—and finally materialisations were obtained; not with a cabinet or darkened room,
but in the moonlight, while all sat round the table. At these times Mr. Eglinton was invariably
conscious, and the figure of his mother generally appeared, radiant, and transcendently beautiful,
"and looking," he says, "more as we imagine spirits to be than any I have since seen, and they are
not a few. I was induced to sit in the dark for manifestations by a friend of mine, who had been
to a seance with a professional medium, and who gave a wonderful account of what had taken
place. After I did this the really spiritual seances we had been having seemed to leave us, and in
their stead we obtained the rough physical phenomena so common to all dark seances."
It is a matter for deep regret that these dark cabinet seances have played so important a part
in the history of Spiritualism. Why they were introduced at all seems a mystery, as no more
potent source of error or perplexity could possibly have been devised. Happily at the present
time they relate to a state of things, let us hope, passed away for ever. More rational and sounder
methods now obtain, to the advantage of all concerned. Fortunately, Mr. Eglinton steadily set his
face against them, and though, in deference to the wishes of others, and the exigencies of
circumstances, he has occasionally sat in this way, yet it was always distasteful to him, and his
best results have ever been obtained under the auspices of better conditions.
CHAPTER II.
EARLY PROFESSIONAL MEDIUMSHIP.
THE powers of Mr. Eglinton's mediumship having now attracted public attention, he received
numerous applications for seances, but he steadily resisted for a long time all efforts to induce
him to become a professional medium. However, after having given a large number of seances to
his friends, he found the strain in following his business and giving sittings at the same time was
proving too much for him, and, after a rather severe illness, he resisted the calls of the public no
longer, but entered upon his career as a professional medium. Personally he now regards this step
as an injudicious one, as thereby all his prospects in life have been destroyed. I hope events will
yet falsify Mr. Eglinton's fears on this point.
One of the earliest of these seances is recorded in The Medium for September, 1875, and
again in October and succeeding months. About this time he became acquainted with Mrs.
Catherine Woodforde, who was then giving "developing" seances, and to her and Mrs. Brewerton
he owes much for their kindly advice and support. In Mrs. Woodforde's rooms he commenced a
series of most successful sittings, and at the same, time his equally remarkable professional
career. At the end of the same year (1875) several seances were given to the Dalston Association
of Spiritualists, of which society he was afterwards made an honorary member. Perhaps one of
the earliest sittings on record in England for plaster casts took place with him in January, 1876,
when, at the residence of Mrs. Woodforde, several moulds were obtained, including that of a face.
In January, 1876, another successful series of seances was given, this time to the Brixton
Psychological Society, under the presidency of Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald, M.I.Tel.E., and these
were followed in quick succession by others. The first seance held by him at the house of Mrs.
Macdougal Gregory, whose intimate friendship he enjoyed from that time until she passed from
our midst in May, 1885, took place in February, 1876, and was fully reported in the Spiritualist,
of March 3rd. There were present Sir Garnet (now Viscount) Wolseley, the Hon. Mrs.
CowperTemple (now Lady Mount-Temple), Mr. A. joy, the Viscountess Avonmore, General
Brewster, Captain James, and others. Most striking results were obtained, but as in the matter of
evidence I suffer from an embarras de richesse [embarrassment of riches], I shall have to pass by
many cases with only a bare mention. At this time he first came in contact with Mr. Benjamin
Coleman, a long-to-be-remembered pioneer and supporter of Spiritualism in England, and Mr.
Charles Blackburn, of Blackburn Park, Didsbury, Manchester.
It needs no words of mine to emphasise the services so freely and spontaneously rendered to
5
6 'Twixt Two Worlds.
Spiritualism by Mr. Blackburn. As a matter of fact, the movement is indebted to him more than
many Spiritualists dream of—especially the new generation of inquirers and investigators. For
years Mr. Blackburn has spent himself, his time, and his resources, in furthering the cause of
spiritual research. Hardly a medium can be named who has not experienced his fostering care, and
whose gifts, but for him, would never have been carefully examined and usefully applied. Nor is
the literature of the movement less indebted to him. For a long time he contributed hundreds of
pounds yearly to the support of the Spiritualist newspaper, and in numerous other ways has he
watered and tended the growth of what he believed would, if carefully guided, prove one of
humanity's greatest blessings. I hope Mr. Blackburn will forgive these allusions to what I know
he himself regards as of little account, but for the sake of historical accuracy it is desirable that
the facts should be made known.
Mr. Blackburn united a wise discretion with unbounded generosity in his work for
Spiritualism. He clearly saw the great need of Spiritualism at that time, as now, was systematic
research, and with this end in view he arranged for a series of experimental seances with various
mediums. These took place at the rooms of the British National Association of Spiritualists at
38, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, and were known as the "Blackburn seances." Mr. Eglinton
was amongst the mediums engaged, and the first seance took place in March, 1876. Important
results were obtained at these sittings. They were given before a committee of the B.N.A.S., and
taking place as they did in the light, they were much appreciated owing to the extreme difficulty
existing at that time of obtaining other phenomena than those occurring at dark seances. Mrs.
Marie Neville, the wife of George Neville, the well-known actor, writing in the Spiritualist, for
March 17th, 1876, testifies that these daylight seances were a great step in advance. She further
expressed an opinion that these conditions should be encouraged in every way as likely to be
satisfactory to inquirers, adding that "Mr. Eglinton's courtesy and willingness to submit to any
proposed test cannot be too strongly commented upon."
At one of these seances he met another life-long friend and tried worker in Spiritualism, Mr.
Dawson Rogers. Mr. Rogers, in the Spiritualist, for March 24th, 1876, gives a very interesting
account of the manifestations witnessed by him, and concludes his report by saying, "I will only
add my belief that all present had the most implicit confidence in the genuineness of the
manifestations." Amongst those present on the occasion were the Rev. W. Miall, the Rev. W.
Newbould, and other well-known Spiritualists.
On March 21st, 1876, Mr. Eglinton held another seance at Mrs. Gregory's, at 21, Green
Street, W., He there met Dr. Kenealy, M.P., who was, if not then a Spiritualist, very much
interested in the subject. A frequent correspondence ensued, and as instancing how thoroughly
Dr. Kenealy believed in the Claimant up to the day of his death, I may mention that, in one of
the advocate's letters to Mr. Eglinton, after expressing his wonder and belief in the phenomena of
Spiritualism, he adds a characteristic note, "Anniversary of poor Tichborne's conviction."
it should be specially remembered that from this time (March, 1876), down to the year 1883,
Mr. Eglinton never gave a single sitting on his own premises. This fact entirely cuts the ground
from under the feet of those who ignorantly assert that mediums can only obtain results in a
prepared room of their own.
Seance followed seance in rapid succession, and Mr. Eglinton was kept fully employed.
Early Professional Mediumship. 7
As showing the impression being made upon the public—especially the critical expert
investigators—it is pleasing to read in the Spiritualist of May 12th, 1876, that "the test
manifestations with Mr. Eglinton are of great value, not because other mediums may not obtain
equally Conclusive results, but because, in his case, they have been observed and recorded by
good critical witnesses, whose testimony will carry weight with the public; all mediums should
seek to get their test results thus verified." How strong and conclusive the testimony in regard to
Mr. Eglinton's mediumship was, to which the editor here refers, will be seen when I come to deal
with the general results of these experimental seances of Mr. Blackburn's.
