Research source

In regard to Table-Tilting with contact, I have given Faraday's conclusions on the subject,--unconscious…

Date of account: Published 1897
Source: Hours with the Ghosts or, Nineteenth Century Witchcraft Illustrated Investigations into the Phenomena of Spiritualism and Theosophy
Reference: Hours with the Ghosts or, Nineteenth Century Witchcraft Illustrated Investigations into the Phenomena of Spiritualism and Theosophy · selected passage 25
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-24

Record summary

In regard to Table-Tilting with contact, I have given Faraday's conclusions on the subject,--unconscious muscular action on the part of the sitter or sitters

Published source text

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Source passage

Source text · mention only

In regard to Table-Tilting with contact, I have given Faraday's conclusions on the subject,--unconscious muscular action on the part of the sitter or sitters. In the case of Automatic Writing (particularly with the planchette), unconscious muscular action is the proper explanation for the movements of the apparatus. "Professor Augusto Tamburini, of Italy, author of 'Spiritismo e Telepatia', a cautious investigator of psychical problems," says a reviewer in the Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research (Volume IX, p. 226), "accepts the verdict of all competent observers that imposture is inadmissible as a general explanation, and endorses the view that the muscular action which causes the movements of the table or the pencil is produced by the subliminal consciousness. He explains the definite and varying characters of the supposed authors of the messages as the result of self-suggestion.

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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