Spirit Writing

152. Spirit science has progressed like all other sciences, but more rapidly than the others; for but a few years separate us from those primitive and incomplete means which were triflingly called talking tables; and already communication can be had with spirits as easily and as rapidly as people have with each other, and by the same means—writing and speaking. Writing has the advantage of showing more materially the intervention of an unseen power, and of leaving traces we can preserve as we do our own correspondence. The first means employed was that of planchettes, or baskets armed with a pencil.

152. Spirit science has progressed like all other sciences, but more rapidly. Only a few years have passed since the early, incomplete methods that people jokingly called talking tables. Yet already we can communicate with spirits as easily and quickly as we communicate with each other. We can even use the same methods: writing and speaking. Writing has the advantage of making the involvement of an unseen power more tangible. It also leaves a record we can preserve, just as we preserve our own correspondence. The first method used planchettes, or baskets fitted with a pencil.

153. We have said that a person endowed with a special aptitude can impress a movement of rotation to a table or any other object whatever; take now, instead of a table, a little basket (either of wood or of willow; no matter which, the substance is indifferent). If a pencil is passed through the bottom of it and solidly fastened, the point outward, then, holding the whole squarely on the point of the pencil placed on a sheet of paper, resting the fingers on the edge of the basket, it will begin to move; but instead of turning, it will carry the pencil in various ways over the paper, whether in insignificant characters or in writing. If a spirit is invoked, and he desires to communicate, he will answer, not by rappings, as in typtology, but by written words. The motion of the basket is no longer automatic, as in the turning tables; it becomes intelligent. In this way, when the pencil reaches the end of the line, it does not return to begin another; it continues circularly, so that the lines of writing form a spiral, and the paper has to be turned several times to read what is written. The writing thus obtained is not very legible, the words not being separated; but the medium, by a sort of intuition, easily deciphers it. For economy, a slate and slate pencil can be substituted for the ordinary paper and pencil. We call this basket corbeille-toupie. For this basket is sometimes substituted a card, the pencil forming the axis of the teetotum.

153. We have said that a person with a special ability can make a table or any other object rotate. Now, instead of a table, take a small basket. It may be made of wood or willow, since the material does not matter. Pass a pencil through its bottom and fasten it firmly, with the point facing outward. Place the pencil point on a sheet of paper, keeping the basket level, and rest your fingers on its edge. The basket will begin to move. But instead of turning, it will carry the pencil across the paper in various directions. It will produce either meaningless marks or writing. If a spirit is invoked and wishes to communicate, it will answer in written words, not by raps as in typtology. The basket’s movement is no longer automatic, as with turning tables. It becomes intelligent. In this way, when the pencil reaches the end of a line, it does not return to begin another. It continues in a circle, so the lines of writing form a spiral. The paper must be turned several times to read what is written. The writing is not very legible, and the words are not separated. But the medium easily deciphers it through a kind of intuition. To save money, a slate and slate pencil can replace ordinary paper and pencil. We call this basket corbeille-toupie. A card is sometimes used instead of the basket, with the pencil forming the axis of the teetotum.

154. Other ways have been thought of to secure the same end. The most convenient is that we shall call corbeille-à-bec (basket with a beak), which consists in adapting to the basket an inclined piece of wood in the position of the bowsprit of a vessel. Through a hole pierced in the end of this stick or beak a pencil is passed, long enough for the point to rest on the paper. The medium having his fingers on the edge of the basket, the whole machine is moved, and the pencil writes as in the above case, with this difference, that the writing is, in general, more legible, the words separated, and the lines are not so spiral, the medium easily taking the pencil from one line to another. Dissertations of several pages are obtained in this way as rapidly as with the hand.

154. Other methods have been devised for the same purpose. The most convenient is what we will call the corbeille-à-bec (basket with a beak). It has a sloping piece of wood attached to the basket, like a ship's bowsprit. A pencil passes through a hole at the end of this stick, or beak. The pencil is long enough for its point to rest on the paper. The medium places their fingers on the edge of the basket, and the whole device moves. The pencil writes as in the previous case, but the writing is generally easier to read. The words are separated, and the lines are less spiral. The medium can easily move the pencil from one line to the next. In this way, several pages of writing can be produced as quickly as by hand.

155. The intelligence that acts is often manifested by other unequivocal signs. Having reached the end of the page, the pencil makes a spontaneous movement to turn; if he wish to refer to a preceding passage in the same page, or in another, he seeks it with the point of the pencil, as with the finger, then underlines it. Should the spirit wish to address one of the assistants, the end of the beak of wood is directed toward him. To abridge, he often expresses the words yes and no by the sign of affirmation and negation, as we do with the head; if he wish to express anger or impatience, he strikes forcibly with the point of the pencil, often breaking it.

155. The intelligence at work often reveals itself through other unmistakable signs. At the end of a page, the pencil moves on its own to turn it. If the spirit wants to refer to an earlier passage, on the same page or another, he uses the pencil point to find it, as one would use a finger. He then underlines it. If the spirit wants to address one of those present, the end of the wooden beak points toward that person. To save time, he often expresses yes and no by making the same gestures of affirmation and denial that we make with our heads. If he wants to express anger or impatience, he strikes forcefully with the pencil point, often breaking it.

156. Instead of a basket, some persons use a kind of little table made for the purpose, with three feet, one of which carries a pencil; the other two are rounded, or furnished with a little ivory ball, to make it glide smoothly over the paper. Others use a simple planchette, triangular, oblong, or oval; on one edge is an oblique hole for the pencil; placed to write, it is inclined, and rests by one side on the paper; this side is sometimes finished with two little rollers to facilitate the movement. It may be readily imagined that there is nothing absolute in any of these arrangements; the most convenient is the best.

156. Instead of a basket, some people use a small three-legged table made for the purpose. One leg holds a pencil. The other two are rounded or fitted with small ivory balls to help the table glide smoothly over the paper. Others use a simple planchette, either triangular, oblong, or oval. An angled hole on one edge holds the pencil. When positioned for writing, the planchette tilts and rests on the paper along one side. This side is sometimes fitted with two small rollers to make movement easier. As one might expect, none of these arrangements is fixed. The most convenient is the best.

With all these machines, two persons are almost always necessary; but it is not necessary that the second person should be endowed with the medianimic faculty: it is only to maintain the equilibrium, and diminish the fatigue of the medium.

With all these machines, two people are almost always needed. But the second person does not need mediumistic ability. They are only needed to maintain balance and reduce the medium's fatigue.

157. We call the writing thus obtained indirect psychography, in opposition to direct or manual psychography, 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 intelligence; it is, in reality, but a pencil-holder, an appendage 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, planchette, or other object, could write directly.

157. We call writing obtained this way indirect psychography, as opposed to direct or manual psychography, which the medium produces personally. To understand direct psychography, we need to look at what happens in the process. The communicating spirit acts on the medium, who under this influence directs their arm and hand to write. At least in ordinary cases, the medium is not at all aware of what they write. The hand acts on the basket, and the basket acts on the pencil. Thus, it is not the basket that becomes intelligent; the basket is an instrument directed by an intelligence. In fact, it is only a pencil holder, an extension of the hand, between the hand and the pencil. Remove the basket and hold the pencil in the hand, and you will get the same result. The method is much simpler, since the medium writes as they normally do. So everyone who writes with the help of a basket, planchette, or other object could write directly.

Of all the means of communication, writing with the hand—called by some involuntary writing—is, without 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.

Of all the ways to communicate, writing by hand, which some call involuntary writing, is unquestionably the simplest, easiest, and most convenient. It requires no preparation and, like ordinary writing, can be used to develop ideas at great length. We will return to this subject when discussing 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, planchettes, 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.

158. In the early days of these manifestations, ideas about the subject were less precise. Several writings appeared under titles such as Communications of a Basket, of a Planchette, of a Table, and so on. We now understand that these expressions were inadequate and misleading because they did not treat the subject seriously enough. As we have seen, tables, planchettes, and baskets are merely unintelligent instruments. Though temporarily animated with an artificial life, they cannot communicate anything on their own. These expressions mistake the effect for the cause, the instrument for the agent. An author might as well add to the title of a 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 communications 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.

Besides, these instruments are not fixed. We know someone who used a funnel with a neck instead of the basket we described. He put the pencil through the neck. One might have spoken of communications from a funnel, a saucepan, or a salad bowl. If communications come through raps made by a chair or a cane, it is no longer a talking table. It is a talking chair or cane. What matters is not the kind of instrument, but the method used to obtain the communications. If the communications come through writing, we call it psychography, whatever holds the pencil. If they come through raps, we call it typtology. Spiritism has grown into a science, so it needs a scientific language.