And once more, the same writer gives the following record of facts:--
"I paid a visit on Monday, July 2nd, to Mrs. Parks, of Cornwall Terrace, Regent's Park, then staying at 7, Bedford Square. Miss Purcell, the medium, went with me; and we three had some strong and wonderful manifestations. The table was turned about merrily, and once whirled round in mid-air. It became as animated as a living being; it even ran about when not a single being touched it. Knockings were heard all over the room; in chairs, in tables, under the floor, and along the wainscot. We had great trouble to keep the tables from being smashed.
"During the evening, the 'Blue Bells of Scotland' and '_Marlbrook s'en va-t-en guerre_' were knocked out on the table in a beautiful and correct manner, the table beating and dancing admirable time to each tune. At a previous _séance_ a well-known tune was knocked out, and my wife was requested to dance, the spirits stating that the table should accompany her; but as we could not induce her to do so, we lost the promised _pas de deux_ between a human being and a table. At my request the table also gave a series of knocks, viz. the footman's, the postman's, the tax-gatherer's, and the countryman's, which were perfect, and caused us much amusement. In one part of the room there appeared a silvery, bluish star, shining brilliantly. Mrs. Parks, strange to say, could not see it, but to the medium and myself it was clearly visible, at the same time too; and a brilliant member of the stellar creation it was, coming and going like those of the sky, when for a moment a veil of clouds passes over them."
The conviction that such acts and deeds are the work of evil spirits is put on record in the same serial, a formal organ of the Spiritualists, in the following narrative:--
"Mr. and Mrs. C---- attend a _séance_ at which the spirit of 'a darling child' is manifestly present. They attend a second _séance_, and through the same medium they are confirmed in the conviction of the real presence of their child. Mr. C---- then finds that he is himself a medium, and forthwith he purchases a small table for the exercise of his power.
"His first experiment proves to him beyond a doubt that an intelligent being, though invisible, is with him; but he speedily begins to suspect that whatever the character may have been of the spirit which first manifested to him through another medium, this, which is now communicating through himself, is an evil spirit. On his 'wishing it to walk to the dining-room, it started at once.' He was struck by its heavy tread, 'so very unlike the footfalls of a young child,' and he exclaimed, 'This is _not_ the spirit of my child, if so, I want no other manifestation.' Becoming more and more suspicious of the character of this particular visitant, he said, 'If thou art not the spirit of my child, march out of the house.' 'The table did, indeed, march, making a noise like the loud and well-measured footfalls of a heavy dragoon--literally shaking everything in the room.'