FOURTH CONVERSATION, SEPTEMBER 30th, 1859

Behold that Spiritism makes a great noise everywhere, behold that the newspapers give space to Spiritism; indirectly that is true, citing extraordinary facts of apparitions, rapping, etc. My ex-comrades mention the facts without comments, thus giving testimony of intelligence, since the Spiritist Doctrine should never be lightheartedly discussed or taken by a bad thing. However, they have not admitted yet the truthfulness of the medium’s role. They doubt. But I rebut their objections by simply saying that they are mediums as well. All writers, great and small, are more or less mediums, since the spirits who are around them act upon their mental system, and frequently inspire the thoughts that they boast of having conceived. They certainly would not accept that I, Privat d’Anglemont, a frivolous spirit by excellence, had resolved that question. However, I only tell the truth and as proof to raise a very simple question: how can they feel, after having written for some time, in a kind of super excited, very uncommon febrile state? It is the effort of concentration, you will say. But when you are very concentrated on the observation of something, say a painting, do you also feel febrile? No, not at all! Then, there is necessarily something there. Well then, I repeat: the cause is in the kind of communication existing between the writer’s brain and the spirits who surround him. Now, my dear comrades, you may bash Spiritism if that seems right to you. Mock it, laugh at it, but you are certainly teasing yourselves. You are nudging yourselves later… Do you understand? 

PRIVAT D’ANGLEMONT

The medium who was the interpreter of Privat d’Anglemont at the Society had the idea of evoking him privately, maintaining with him the conversation below. It seems that he felt certain affection towards him, be it due to the fact that he was an easy instrument or just because there was sympathy between them. The medium is a rookie in the literary world, and his promising essays announce a disposition that Privat will certainly encourage with pleasure.

1.     Evocation

-       I am here. I have been with you for some time. I expected that you would evoke me. It was me who inspired in you some good thoughts, not long ago. My dear friend, it was to console you a bit and help you to withstand with more courage the penalties of this world. Do you really think that I have not suffered more than you all imagine, you who laugh at my eccentricities? Below that armor of indifference that I always showed, how many pains and sorrows haven’t I hidden? But I had a very precious quality to a scholarly man and to an artist. I had always, irrespective of the occasion, balanced my sufferings with joy. When I was going through a lot of suffering I used to joke about it, using wordplay and teasing people. How many times haven’t hunger, thirst and cold knocked on my door! And how many times haven’t I responded with a sound laughter! False laughter, you may say. Oh! No, my friend! I confess that I was sincere. What do you want? I always had the most lightheartedly character. I had never been bothered by the future, by the past and the present. I always lived like a true bohemian, by chance, spending five francs when I had them, and even when I did not. And I was not richer four days after having received my paycheck than I was on the day before.

I certainly do not wish anybody to live such a useless, incoherent and irrational life. Eccentricities are no longer of our times. That is why the new ideas progressed in such a fast pace. It is a life from which I am not absolutely proud of and that makes me ashamed sometimes. Youth must be of study. It must strengthen intelligence through work, so that one can better understand the human being and all things.

You may be disenchanted, oh! Youth, if you think that you are men or scholars. You have the key to know everything. It is up to you now to work and study. You must enter more assertively in the vast field before you, whose paths were paved by your previous studies in college. I know that the youth requires distractions, since it would otherwise be against their nature. Yet, it must not be too much for the one who has only thought of pleasures, in the spring of life, prepares terrible remorse for later. It is when experience and the worldly needs teach that the time lost cannot be recovered. The youngsters need serious readings. Many times former writers are the best ones for good thoughts out of their good thoughts. They must avoid the romances, in particular, that only excite imagination, leaving the hearts empty. Romances should not be tolerated but only as a distraction and once in a while, or to certain ladies who have nothing better to do. Get educated! Get educated! Improve the God given intelligence. That is the only price that makes it worth living.

Q – Your language scares me, my dear Privat. You presented yourself as a very witty spirit, no doubt, but not as a profound spirit, and now…

A – Stop there, young man! Stop! I appeared, or better, I communicated with all of you as a willow spirit, that is true, but the fact is that I was not completely detached form the earthly envelope and the condition of spirit had not been revealed yet in all its plenitude. Now, my friend, I am a spirit and nothing more than a spirit. I see, feel and experience like the others, and my life on Earth is like a dream to me. And what a dream! I am kind of already used to this new world, which will be my dwelling for some time.

Q – For how long do you expect to remain as a spirit and what do you do in your new existence? What are your occupations?

A – The time that I will remain as a spirit is still in God’s hands and will last, I suppose, and as much as I can conceive, until God finds my soul advanced enough to incarnate in a superior region. As for my occupations, these are almost inexistent. I am still errant and that is a consequence of the kind of life I led on Earth. Thus, what seemed pleasurable to me in your world is now a punishment. Yes, it is true, I wish I had a serious occupation; I wish I could find someone who deserves my sympathy; to inspire good thoughts. But, my dear friend, we talked too much already and if you allow me, I must leave. So long! If you need me do not hesitate to call. I will come with pleasure. Courage! Be happy!