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"As Mr. Crookes tells us, Professor Thury refutes "all these explanations, and considers the effects due to a peculiar substance, fluid, or agent, pervading in a manner similar to the luminiferous ether of the scientists, all matter, nervous, organic or inorganic, which he terms psychode.   He enters into full discussion as to the properties [...]

"Professor Thury, who denies the theory of departed human spirits, rejects the Christian devil-doctrine, and shows himself unwilling to pronounce in favor of Crooke's theory (the 6th), that of the hermetists and ancient theurgists, adopts the one, which, he says in his letter, is "the most prudent, and makes him feel strong against every one." [...]

"If every one of the experimenters were clever mesmerizers, the explanation, minus certain important details, might be acceptable. So much for the power of human will on inanimate matter, according to the learned minister of Louis Phillipe.   But how about the intelligence exhibited by the table? What explanation does he give as to answers [...]

"But can the scientists assert that they have in their possession the keys to such law? M. de Gasparin thinks he has. Let us see.   "I do not risk myself to explain anything; it is no business of mine. (?) To authenticate simple facts, and maintain a truth which science desires to smother, is [...]

"The contradictions, and we are sorry to say, the absurdities in which de Gasparin allows himself to be caught, are numerous. While bitterly criticizing the pretensions of the learned Faradaysiacs, he attributes things which he declares magical, to causes perfectly natural.   "If", he says, "we had to deal but with such phenomena (as witnessed [...]