The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1859

From the Courrier de Paris, May... 185912

“Do you know that every somnambulist, all turning tables, all magnetized birds, every sympathetic pencil and fortunetell- ers have predicted the war long ago? Many prophecies have been made about it to several important people who pretending not to have taken such revelations into account, were not less evidently worried about them. As from our side, not resolving the issue in one direction or the other, and even thinking in what François Arago had doubts about, at least we are allowed not to mention them, limiting ourselves to the report of some facts which we witnessed, with no comments added.

“Eight days ago we were invited to a spiritist gathering in the residence of Baron G... All twelve guests were sitting around the table at precisely the scheduled time; ... a simple, miraculous ma- hogany table, where the tea and sandwiches were initially served. It is necessary to say that from those guests there was none who could for any reason be called charlatan. The owner of the house is a close relative of several ministers, belonging to an impor- tant foreign family. Two very distinct English officers, a French mariner, a well-known Russian prince, a renowned physician, a millionaire, a secretary of embassy and another two or three important people from the Saint-German area formed the faith- ful group. We were the only profane ones among the illustrious spiritists, but in the condition of a skeptical Parisian journalist by duty we could not be accused of an exaggerated credulity.

The meeting then could not be under the suspicion of repre- senting a comedy. And what a comedy! Would that be a useless and ridiculous comedy in which each person would have voluntarily played the role of mystifier and mystified? That is not acceptable. Besides, what would be the intention? What would be the interest? Wouldn’t that be the case to ask: “Who is being deceived here?”

No, there was no ill intention or madness there. If you wish we could agree that there was chance... It is all that our con- science may concede.

Here is what happened:

That brings to memory another event of the same kind that also happened before our eyes some years ago.

Everyone remembers that during the Crimean war the Emperor Nicholas recalled all vassals that lived in France back to Russia, or otherwise in case of disobedience face confiscation of all their properties.

We were then in Leipzig, Saxony, where like everywhere else there was a vivid interest in all those events. One day the follow- ing message got into our hands:

“I am here for a few hours only. Come to see me at the Poland Hotel, # 13. Princess de Rebinine.”

Princess Sophie of Rebinine was a close acquaintance of ours, a charming and distinct lady, whose history is a whole romance (which we will write one day) who honored us by calling us a friend. We promptly attended her kind invitation since we were as pleasantly surprised as happy for her passage by Leipzig.

It was Sunday the 13th, and the weather was naturally grey and gloomy, as usual over that part of Saxony. We found the Princess in her quarters, more gracious and witty than never; just a bit pale and melancholic. We made that observation to her.

To begin with, she said, I left like a bomb. It had to be that way, since we are at war and I feel a little fatigued by the journey. Then, although we are enemies now, I don’t hide from you that I regret leaving Paris. It is some time now that I considered myself almost French and the Emperor’s orders made me break up with sweet and old habits.

Why haven’t you just stayed in your beautiful apartment of Rue Rumfort?

Because my budget would have been cut!
However, don’t you count on so many and good friends among us?
Yes... at least I believe so. But in my age a woman doesn’t like to mortgage herself... the interest sometimes is higher than the capital! Ah! If I were an old lady it would be different. But then nobody would give me a loan.

Then the Princess changed the subject.
You know I have a very demanding character... I know nobody here... Can I count on your company for the whole day?
Easy to guess our answer.
At one o’clock we heard the bells in the patio and went down- stairs for lunch. At that point everybody was talking about the war and the turning tables.
As for the war, the Princess was certain that the Anglo- French fleet would be destroyed in the Black Sea and she would courageously have set them on fire, if the Emperor Nicholas had assigned her with that delicate and dangerous mission. Regarding the turning tables, her faith was less solid, but she proposed to carry out some experiments with another friend that we introduced to her when we were having dessert.
We returned upstairs to her room. We had coffee served. Since it was raining, we spent the afternoon interrogating a trilegged table, like those that we still see around.

How about me, the Princess suddenly asked; you don’t have any- thing to say?
No.
Why.

The Poland Hotel, whose magnificent and large ballrooms accommodate at least two thousand people, holds a great ball almost daily, in the summer as in the winter, organized by some society of town; the assistance from upstairs in a private gallery is reserved to the travelers who can appreciate the spectacle and listen to an excellent orchestra.

As a matter of fact, the foreigners are never forgotten in Germany, finding reserved balconies all over the place, explaining why the Germans on coming to Paris for the first time always ask for the foreigners’ balconies in theaters and concerts.

That evening’s ball was really brilliant and the Princess, de- spite being a simple observer, really enjoyed watching it. She had then forgotten the tri-legged table and its ominous prediction when a hotel waiter brought her a telegram which had just ar- rived. The message read:

“- To Madam Rebinine, Poland Hotel, Leipzig – Indispensable presence Paris – Serious interests – followed by the signature of the Princess’ attorney. A few hours later she took the route to Paris instead of Dresden. Eight days later we learned of her death!

Paulin Niboyet

We found the following report in a remarkable collection of authentic stories of apparitions and other spiritist phenomena, published in 1682, in London by Reverend J. Granville and by Dr. H. More. The title reads: “Apparition of Major Georges Sydenham’s Spirit to Captain V. Dyke”, extracted from a letter by Mr. Jacques Douche, from Monkton, to Mr. J. Granville.

“... soon after the death of major Georges, Dr. Th. Dyke who was a close relative to the captain, he was called to treat a sick child. The doctor and the captain lay down on the same bed. After a brief nap the captain asked the maid to bring him two lit candles, the biggest and thickest that could be found. The doctor asked him about the meaning of all that. The captain responded:

“You know about my discussions with the major, relatively to the ex- istence of God and the immortality of the soul. It was not possible for us to elucidate those points, although it has always been our wishes.”

“We agreed that the first to die would come back on the third evening after the funerals, between midnight and 1 am, to the gardens of this small house, clarifying the one that outlived about the subject.”

“Today is the very day when the captain should keep his promise.”

“Therefore he set the alarm clock by his bed and woke up at 11:30 pm; he then took a candle in each hand and left through the back door, spending the next two and a half hours in the garden. When he came back he declared to the doctor that he had not seen nor heard anything that was not very natural. However, he added, I know that the major would have come if he could.”

“Six weeks later the captain went to Eaton to take his son to college, and the doctor accompanied him again. They stayed for about two or three days in a lodge called San Christopher, but did not sleep together like in Dulverton. They occupied two different rooms.”

“One morning the captain remained in his room longer than usual, before calling the doctor. At last he came to the doctor’s room showing altered faces, bristly hair, eyes popped and his body shaken.”

“What happened, cousin captain? The doctor asked.”
“-I saw the major, responded the captain.”
“The doctor seemed to smile.”
“I am positive that I saw him today or I have never seen him in all

my life.”
“He then told me the following story:”
“At day break this morning someone came by my bed, removed the

sheets and screamed: Cap!”
“Cap was the word that the major normally used to call the captain.” “I responded: - Hi there, my major!”
“He continued: - I could not come the other day. Now however, I am here and will tell you this: There is a very just and terrible God! If you don’t change your skin you will see it when you arrive here.”

“A sword that the major had given me was resting on the table. He walked around the room a couple of times then he took the sword from the scabbard; since he did not find it as polished as it should be he said: - Cap, cap, when this sword was mine it was better conserved.”

“He then suddenly disappear ed after those words.”

The captain was not only persuaded about the reality of what he had seen and heard but since then he had become much more serious. His character, jovial and lighthearted, was remarkably modified. When he had his friends over, he treated them prodigally but always controlled. Those who knew him ensured that he believed to have heard the major’s words several times in his ears, during the two years that he outlived that adventure.