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What astonishes us most is that this revelation has been so long delayed。 How are we to explain that man has lived to this day with his domestic animals never suspecting that they harboured mediumistic or subliminal faculties as extraordinary as those which he vaguely felt himself to possess。 One would have in this connection to study the mysterious practices of ancient India and of Egypt； the numerous and persistent legends of animals talking； guiding their masters and foretelling the future； and； nearer to ourselves； in history proper； all that science of augury and soothsaying which derived its omens from the flight of birds； the inspection of entrails； the appetite or attitude of the sacred or prophetic animals； among which horses were often numbered。 We here find one of those innumerous instances of a lost or anticipated power which make us suspect that mankind has forestalled or forgotten all that we believe ourselves to be discovering。 Remember that there is almost always some distorted； misapprehended or dimlyseen truth at the bottom of the most eccentric and wildest creeds； superstitions and legends。 All this new science of metaphysics or of the investigation of our subconsciousness and of unknown powers； which has scarcely begun to unveil its first mysteries； thus finds landmarks and defaced but recognizable traces in the old religions； the most inexplicible traditions and the most ancient history。 Besides； the probability of a thing does not depend upon undeniably established precedents。 While it is almost certain that there is nothing new under the sun or in the eternity preceding the suns； it is quite possible that the same forces do not always act with the same energy。 As I observed； nearly twenty years ago； in The Treasure of the Humble； at a time when I hardly knew at all what I know so imperfectly to…day：
〃A spiritual〃I should have said； a psychic…〃epoch is perhaps upon us； an epoch to which a certain number of analogies are found in history。 For there are periods recorded when the soul； in obedience to unknown laws； seemed to rise to the very surface of humanity； whence it gave clearest evidence of its existence and of its power。 。 。 。 It would seem； at moments such as these； as though humanity；〃 and； I would add to…day； all that lives with it on this earth〃were on the point of struggling from beneath the crushing burden of matter that weighs it down。〃
One might in fact believe that a shudder which we have not yet experienced is passing over everything that breathes； that a new activity； a new restlessness is permeating the spiritual atmosphere which surrounds our globe； and that the very animals have felt its thrill。 One might say that； by the side of the niggardly private spring which would only supply our intelligence； other streams are spreading and rising to the same level in every form of existence。 A sort of word of command is being passed from rank to rank； and the same phenomena are bursting forth in every quarter of the globe in order to attract our attention； as though the obstinately dumb genius that lay hidden in the pregnant silence of the universe； from that of the stones； the flowers and the insects to the mighty silence of the stars； were at last trying to tell us some secret whereby it would be better known to us or to itself。 It is possible that this is but an illusion。 Perhaps we are simply more attentive and better informed than of old。 We learn at the very instant what happens in every part of our earth and we have acquired the habit of more minutely observing and examining the things that happen。 But the illusion would in this case have all the force； all the value and all the meaning of the reality and would enjoin the same hopes and the same obligation。
CHAPTER V。 THE UNKNOWN GUEST
1
We have now studied certain manifestations of that which we have called in turn and more or less indiscriminately the subconscious mind； the subliminal consciousness and the unknown guest； names to which we might add that of the superior subconsciousness or superior psychism invented by Dr。 Geley。 Granting that these manifestations are really proved； it is no longer possible to explain them or rather to classify them without having recourse to fresh theories。 Now we can entertain doubts on many points； we can cavil and argue； but I defy anyone approaching these facts in a serious and honest spirit to reject them all。 It is permissible to neglect the most extraordinary； but there are a multitude of others which have become or； to speak more accurately； are acknowledged to be as frequent and habitual as any fact whatever in normal； everyday life。 It is not difficult to reproduce them at will； provided we place ourselves in the condition demanded by their very nature； and； this being so； there remains no valid reason for excluding them from the domain of science in the strict sense of the word。
Hitherto； all that we have learnt regarding these occurrences is that their origin is unknown。 It will be said that this is not much and that the discovery is nothing to boast of。 I quite agree： to imagine that one can explain a phenomena by saying that it is produced by an unknown agency would indeed be childish。 But it is already something to have marked its source； not to be still lingering in the thick of a fog； trying any and every direction in order to find a way out； but to be concentrating our attention on a single spot which is the starting…point of all these wonders； so that at each instant we recognize in each phenomenon the characteristic customs； methods or features of the same unknown agency。 It is very nearly all that we can do for the moment； but this first effort is not wholly to be despised。
2
It has seemed to us then that it was our unknown guest that expressed itself in the name of the dead in table…turning and in automatic writing and speaking。 This unknown guest has appeared to us to take within us the place of those who are no more； to unite itself perhaps with forces that do not die； to visit the grave with the object of bringing thence inexplicable phantoms which rise up in front of us fruitlessly or haunt our houses without telling us why。 We have seen it； in experiments in clairvoyance and intuition； suppressing all the obstacles that banish or conceal thought and； through bodies that have become transparent； reading in our very souls forgotten secrets of the past； sentiments that have not yet taken shape； intentions as yet unborn。 We have discovered that some object once handled by a person now far away is enough to make it take part in the innermost life of that person； to go deeper and rise higher than he does； to see what he sees and even what he does not see： the landscape that surrounds him； the house which he inhabits and also the dangers that threaten him and the secret passions by which he is stirred。 We have surprised it wandering hither and thither； at haphazard； in the future； confounding it with the present and the past； not conscious of where it is but seeing far and wide； knowing perhaps everything but unaware of the importance of what it knows； or as yet incapable of turning it to account or of making itself understood； at once neglectful and overscrup