THE MEDIUMS’ BOOK

157. We call the writing thus obtained indirect psychography, in opposition to direct or manual psy- chography, obtained by the medium's self. To understand the last, it is necessary to notice what happens in this operation. The spirit who is communicating acts on the medium, who, under this influence, directs his arm and hand to write, without having (at least in ordinary cases) the least consciousness of what he writes ; the hand acts on the basket, and the basket on the pencil. Thus, it is not the basket that becomes intelligent; it is an instrument directed by an intelli- gence ; it is, in reality, but a pencil-holder, an appen- dage to the hand, an intermediary between the hand and the pencil; suppress this intermediary, and hold the pencil in the hand, and you will have the same result, with a mechanism much more simple, since the medium writes as he does in normal conditions, so every one who writes with the aid of a basket, plan- chette, or other object, could write directly.

Of all the means of communication, writing with the hand— called by some involuntary writing — is, with- out contradiction, the most simple, the easiest, and the most convenient, because it requires no preparation, and because, as in ordinary writing, it can be used for the most extended development. We shall return to this in speaking of mediums.

158. In the beginning of the manifestation, when there were less exact ideas on this subject, several writings were published, headed Communications of a Basket, of a Planchette, of a Table, &c. All that is insufficient and erroneous in these expressions is now understood as a not sufficiently serious view of their character. In fact, as has been seen, tables, plan- chettes, and baskets are only unintelligent instruments, though momentarily animated with a factitious life, which can communicate nothing of themselves ; it is taking the effect for the cause, the instrument for the principal; as well might an author add to the title of his work that it was written with a steel pen or a goose quill.

Besides, these instruments are not absolute; we know one person who, instead of the basket we have described, used a funnel with a neck, through which he put the pencil. It might have been said communica- tions of a funnel, or of a stewpan, or a salad dish. If they were given by rappings, and these rappings were made by a chair or cane, it is no longer a talking table, but a talking chair or cane. What is necessary to know is, not the nature of the instrument, but the method of obtaining. If the communications take place by writing, let the pencil-holder be what it may, for us it is psychography; if by rappings, it is typtology. Spiritism, having taken the proportions of a science, requires a scientific language.