第73部分(第6/7 頁)

　eminent　man　of　science　and　a　great　student　of　such　hidden　matters。　I　asked　him　whether　he　possessed　such　evidence　as　would　satisfy　a　reasonable　person；　say　a　judge　or　a　juryman；　of　the　fact　of　the　continued　existence　of　the　individual　after　his　physical　death。　He　answered：

As　to　your　question　—　it　is　not　an　easy　one。　By　scientific　experience　I　have　myself　bee　absolutely　convinced　of　persistence　of　existence；　and　I　regard　death　as　an　important　episode　—　the　reverse　of　birth　—　but　neither　of　these　episodes　really　initial　or　final。　One　is　the　assumption　of　connection　with　matter；　the　other　is　the　abandoning　of　that　connection。

If　it　be　further　asked　whether　after　we　have　abandoned　matter　we　can；　by　indirect　means；　occasionally　continue　to　act　upon　it　—　on　the　matter　of　the　inorganic　world　or　the　matter　of　our　friends’　brains；　for　instance　—　I　am　inclined　to　answer；　though　now　more　doubtfully；　that　in　my　judgment　the　evidence　points　to　the　existence　of　some　indistinct　and　undeveloped　power　of　this　sort。

The　simplest　and　best　developed　variety　of　this　continued　interaction　with　matter　is　on　the　side　of　telepathy。

This　is　experimentally　found　existent　between　the　living；　and　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　this　is　the　one　mode　of　munication　which　survives　the　transition；　and　that　under　favourable　conditions　we　can　still　influence　and　be　influenced　by　the　process　of　events　and　emotions　here　。　。　。　。

This　is　forting；　so　far　as　it　goes；　and　of　course　extremely　interesting。　But；　after　all；　we　have　here　only　the　experience　and　the　deductions　of　one　man　who；　brilliant　and　utterly　upright　as　he　is　known　to　be；　may　still　be　mistaken　like　the　rest　of　us。　The　manifestations　exist　—　many　can　bear　witness　to　them。　But　whence　do　they　e？　That　is　the　questio