January 23rd Rare Autographs, Sports, Books and Photography
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/23/2020
Doyle (Arthur Conan)Autograph letter signed ('A.Conan Doyle') on spiritualism, reads in part “…You don’t seem to me to have had much of the evidence of others. In forming your judgement the works of Home, Crookes, Crawford, Geley, Lambrose, Barrett etc seem to have had no share. In every science the enquirer builds upon what is ascertained and does not begin de novo with no reference to his predecessors. I think you exaggerate about the evil forces at the threshold. The poor old fiend is an object of pity, to be reassured with and prayed for. You will, I believe, find him very amicable to charity if you try it. I believe these dangers are quite mythical, otherwise how do you explain that I in 33 years have never seen anything of them and I have met very many veteran spiritualists who tell me the same. What is certain is that the whole business is, as it should be, deeply religious. I think you are cynical over Raymond. His boyish account of the other world [...] would convince me far more than all the mental feats in the world [...] In all this matter from 1848 onwards wisdom has, as of old, been given to the humble minded. I am very conscious of this as I go through the country and meet the actual working spiritualists - wonderful fellows, so years ahead of the Physical Researchers", 3 pages, mailing fold, light foxing and toning, crease, Windlesham, Sussex, 2 June, n.y [c.1914?]
Doyle ALS on spiritualism
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