THE MEDIUMS’ BOOK

245. The motives of the obsession vary according to the nature of the spirit ; sometimes it is a vengeance he exercises on an individual, against whom he has cause of complaint, either during his life or in another existence ; often, also, he has no other reason than the desire of doing evil ; as he suffers, he wishes to make others suffer ; he finds a kind of joy in tormenting and vexing them ; also the impatience they exhibit excites him, because such is his object, while, by being patient, we weary him ; in becoming irritated, and showing vexation, we do exactly what he wishes. These spirits sometimes act from hatred and jealousy of good ; this is why they cast their malicious eyes on the best people. One of them sticks like a leech to an honorable family of our acquaintance, whom he has not even the satisfaction of deceiving ; interrogated as to his motive for attacking good people, instead of evil men like himself, he answered, " They give me no cause for envy!' Others are guided by a sentiment of cow ardice, which leads them to profit by the moral weak ness of those who they know are incapable of resist ing them. One of these, who subjugated a young man of very limited intellect, interrogated as to the motives of his choice, answered, " I have a very great need of tormenting some one: a sensible person would repulse me. I attach myself to an idiot, who has no means of opposing me"