Observations placeholder
Viscount Adare - Experiences in Spiritualism with Mr D D Home – 23 Levitating up and down with a wine glass; the spirits drink spirits
Identifier
024793
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
EXPERIENCES IN SPIRITUALISM WITH MR. D. D. HOME. BY VISCOUNT ADARE, [Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin 1841-1926] WITH INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE EARL OF DUNRAVEN. [Viscount Adare's father] [1869]
No. 40.-Seance,
Last night Lindsay called; he said that he had had strong manifestations that evening when alone, and had been told to go to Ashley Place. About 11 o'clock Home came in. We sat round the table and had a most wonderful seance. The room was nearly dark. We had physical manifestations. Home went into a trance; he walked about the room for some time, arranging the light, and talking to himself; he then opened the window, drawing the curtains, so that we could see nothing but his head; and got outside the window.
This frightened us and Lindsay wanted to stop him, but did not. Presently, he came back and told us that we had no faith whatever, or we would not have been alarmed for his safety. He went into the next room, and we saw him pour out from a bottle on the table about half a large wine glass of brandy. He brought the glass back with him; then partially covering himself with the window curtains, but holding the glass with the brandy in it above his head, between us and the window, so that we could see it, he was lifted off the floor about four or five feet. While in the air, we saw a bright light in the glass ; presently, he came down and showed us that the glass was empty, by turning it upside down ; he also came to us and, turned it upside down upon our hands; then going back to the window, he held the glass up, and we heard the liquid drop into it.
He began talking about the brandy, and said ”It is under certain circumstances a demon, and real devil; but if properly used, it is most beneficial."
As he said this the light became visible in the glass, and he was again raised in the air; “But," he said, “if improperly used, it becomes so," (the light disappeared) " and drags you down, down, lower and lower ;” and as he spoke he sank gradually down till he touched the floor with the glass.
He again raised the glass above his head and the liquor was withdrawn. He then told me to come and hold my hand above the glass; I did so, and. the liquor fell over and through my fingers into the glass, dropping from the air above me. I sat down and asked him where on earth the liquor went to.
“Oh," he said, “the spirit that is making the experiment is obliged to form a material substance to retain the fluid. He might-drink it, or hold it in his mouth; in this case he held it in his hand."