“Every new truth which has ever been propounded has, for a time, caused mischief; it has produced discomfort, and often unhappiness.”—Buckle, in History of Civilisation.

What led to the recent Experiments in Psychic Photography.

A number of test sÉances for spirit photography had been held with Mr. David Duguid, of which no records have been kept, but in April and May, 1892, four sÉances were held under strict test conditions, notes of which were made at the time, and signed by the various persons who were present. These notes were printed for private circulation, and a copy was sent, with some of the photographs, to Mr. Frederic W. H. Myers, Cambridge, (Hon. Secretary Psychical Research Society).

He suggested that when there was another opportunity for a test sÉance, the presence of a “scientific man,” and some one well acquainted with photographic manipulations, be got to attend to watch the experiments.

One of the investigators induced Mr. Duguid to come to London to give a sÉance under the strictest test conditions which could be devised; and Mr. J. Traill Taylor, Editor of the British Journal of Photography, by special request consented to take charge of the experiments, and to fix the conditions under which they should be made.

Mr. Taylor combines in himself the special qualities named by Mr. Myers, inasmuch as he is a “scientific man,” and an expert in photographic chemistry, optical research, and all photographic manipulations.[1]

Mr. Taylor is the author of several works relating to the chemistry, optics, physics, and practice of photography; and besides being a member of Council of the Photographic Society of Great Britain, is an honorary member of the Imperial Polytechnic Society of Russia, and of all the leading Photographic Clubs and Societies in London, and of several in New York.

Testimony Relating to David Duguid.

In a book recently published, entitled The Rise and Progress of Modern Spiritualism[2] (consisting of a reprint of a course of lectures delivered in Glasgow by Mr. James Robertson), the author gives the following testimony as to Mr. Duguid:—

One of Mr. Glendinning’s private letters to the editor of a photographic journal, with reference to an intended action for libel, contained the following:—

That would be an easy thing to do; but, when it is considered that Mr. Duguid has for a long time been employed by Mr. Robertson in his bicycle works; that Mr. Robertson, who is an active business man and a good judge of character, is year after year in almost hourly contact with Mr. Duguid; that he has been at many of Mr. Duguid’s sÉances, some of these being held in his (Mr. Robertson’s) own house—when these things are borne in mind, the value of the voluntary tribute given by Mr. Robertson to Mr. Duguid’s honesty and uprightness will be the more fully appreciated.

For nearly thirty years has Mr. David Duguid been before the world as a private medium for various descriptions of spirit phenomena. He has given innumerable sÉances readily, without fee or desire for reward, to clergymen, medical men, artists, teachers of science, lawyers, journalists, merchants, and men and women in all ranks of life; he has sacrificed time and money in the cause which is dear to his heart, and upon which no act or word of his has ever brought a stain. These facts are well known to many, nor would it be necessary to print them here were it not for the efforts made to destroy public confidence in the facts brought to light through his mediumship by writers in certain photographic journals, and the artful insinuations of men who put themselves forward on the plea of being anxious investigators.

Where Mr. Taylor read his Paper.

At a meeting of the London and Provincial Photographic Association, held on March 9, 1893, Mr. J. Weir Brown in the chair, the following paper by Mr. Taylor was read by him, and, with his consent, is reprinted from the British Journal of Photography (Vol. XL., No. 1715, March 17, 1893).

There was a large attendance of members, and several visitors were present. Visitors were allowed to make remarks, a privilege of which several availed themselves. Some members put questions to Mr. Taylor on points of detail regarding his experiments, all of which he replied to frankly and explicitly. In replying to one member, Mr. Taylor stated that he had received a letter, asking him to bring a reasonable man with him to witness his experiments—in fact, he said, he had the option of taking any one he chose. To another member Mr. Taylor replied that he himself placed the sitters and the camera, and also arranged the lighting of the room. Several members spoke highly of Mr. Taylor’s qualifications to conduct such experiments; but as they could not accept the spiritualistic hypothesis, and as the photographs had to them the appearance of being copied from cut-out prints, or made by “stump-work,” they concluded that therefore they could not be genuine, ignoring entirely Mr. Taylor’s emphatic statements, which he had already given in his paper, viz.:—

“My conditions were entirely acquiesced in”—that I “should use my own camera and unopened packages of dry plates, purchased from dealers of repute, and that I should be excused from allowing a plate to go out of my own hand till after development,” and that “I should dictate all the conditions of operation.”

As a matter of fact, everything connected with the experiments was subject to Mr. Taylor’s entire control and approval.