"There were also 40 diagrams for experimental evenings with strangers, in series of sixes and sevens, all misdrawn, and not fairly to be reckoned in the above.
457 experiments under proper conditions.
70 nothing perceived.
——
387
319 wholly or partially correct; 68 misdescriptions = 18 per cent."
In the second series there were 123 trials; in 15 cases no impression was received, and in 35 cases, or 32 per cent of the remainder, an incorrect description was given. In the third series, of 133 trials there were 24 in which no impression was received and 40 failures: proportion of failures = 37 per cent. Mr. Guthrie attributes this gradual decline in the proportion of successes to the difficulty experienced by both agents and percipients in maintaining the original lively interest in the proceedings.
No. 6.—By PROFESSOR LODGE, F.R.S.
Subjoined is a detailed description of experiments made on two evenings in 1884, recorded by Professor Lodge,[22] which leaves no room for doubt that the impressions received in this instance by the percipient were of a visual nature. The agent on the first evening was Mr. James Birchall, who held the hand of the percipient, Miss R. The only other person present was Professor Lodge. The object was placed sometimes on a wooden screen between the percipient and the agent, at other times behind the percipient, whose eyes were bandaged. The bandage, it should be observed, was a sufficient precaution against cornea-reading; but for other purposes no reliance was placed upon it. It is believed that the precautions taken were in all cases adequate to conceal the object from the percipient if her eyes had been uncovered. In the account quoted any remarks made by the agent or Professor Lodge are entered between brackets.
Object—a blue square of silk.—(Now, it's going to be a colour; ready.) "Is it green?" (No.) "It's something between green and blue. … Peacock." (What shape?) She drew a rhombus.
[N.B.—It is not intended to imply that this was a success by any means, and it is to be understood that it was only to make a start on the first experiment that so much help was given as is involved in saying "it's a colour." When they are simply told "an object," or, what is much the same, when nothing is said at all, the field for guessing is practically infinite. When no remark at starting is recorded none was made, except such an one as "Now we are ready," by myself.]
Next object—a key on a black ground.—(It's an object.) In a few seconds she said, "It's bright. … It looks like a key." Told to draw it, she drew it just inverted.
Next object—three gold studs in morocco case.—"Is it yellow? … Something gold. … Something round. … A locket or a watch perhaps." (Do you see more than one round?) "Yes, there seem to be more than one. … Are there three rounds? … Three rings?" (What do they seem to be set in?) "Something bright like beads." [Evidently not understanding or attending to the question.] Told to unblindfold herself and draw, she drew the three rounds in a row quite correctly, and then sketched round them absently the outline of the case, which seemed therefore to have been apparent to her though she had not consciously attended to it. It was an interesting and striking experiment.
Next object—a pair of scissors standing partly often with their points down.—"Is it a bright object? … Something long-ways [indicating verticality]. … A pair of scissors standing up. … A little bit open." Time, about a minute altogether. She then drew her impression, and it was correct in every particular. The object in this experiment was on a settee behind her, but its position had to be pointed out to her when, after the experiment, she wanted to see it.
ORIGINAL.
Next object—a drawing of a right-angled triangle on its side.—(It's a drawing.) She drew an isosceles triangle on its side.
Next—a circle with a cord across it.—She drew two detached ovals, one with a cutting line across it.
REPRODUCTION.
Next—a drawing of a Union Jack pattern.—As usual in drawing experiments, Miss R. remained silent for perhaps a minute; then she said, "Now I am ready." I hid the object; she took off the handkerchief, and proceeded to draw on paper placed ready in front of her. She this time drew all the lines of the figure except the horizontal middle one. She was obviously much tempted to draw this, and, indeed, began it two or three times faintly, but ultimately said, "No, I'm not sure," and stopped.
[N.B.—The actual drawings made in all the experiments are preserved intact by Mr. Guthrie.]
[END OF SITTING.]
Experiments with MISS R.—Continued.
I will now describe an experiment indicating that one agent may be better than another.
Object—the Three of Hearts.—Miss E. and Mr. Birchall both present as agents, but Mr. Birchall holding percipient's hands at first. "Is it a black cross … a white ground with a black cross on it?" Mr. Birchall now let Miss E. hold hands instead of himself, and Miss R. very soon said, "Is it a card?" (Right.) "Are there three spots on it? … Don't know what they are. … I don't think I can get the colour. … They are one above the other, but they seem three round spots. … I think they're red, but am not clear."
Next object—a playing card with a blue anchor painted on it slantwise instead of pips.—No contact at all this time, but another lady, Miss R——d, who had entered the room, assisted Mr. B. and Miss E. as agents. "Is it an anchor? … a little on the slant." (Do you see any colour?) "Colour is black. … It's a nicely drawn anchor." When asked to draw she sketched part of it, but had evidently half forgotten it, and not knowing the use of the cross arm, she could only indicate that there was something more there but she couldn't remember what. Her drawing had the right slant exactly.
Another object—two pairs of coarse lines crossing; drawn in red chalk, and set up at some distance from agents. No contact. "I only see lines crossing." She saw no colour. She afterwards drew them quite correctly, but very small.
ORIGINALS.
REPRODUCTION.
Double object.—It was now that I arranged the double object between Miss R——d and Miss E., who happened to be sitting nearly facing one another. [See Nature, June 12th, 1884.] The drawing was a square on one side of the paper, a cross on the other. Miss R——d looked at