Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Spiritualism, Religion, Heat, Miracle

    Discusses a report in The Times that Palma, an Italian 'Estatica' or 'medium', has announced that Nicholas P S Wiseman has come out of purgatory. Wonders whether this suggests that the papal authorities recognise the mediumship of Palma but not that of Daniel D Home, whom they banished from Rome for being a sorcerer. Playing on the word 'palm', describes some of the spiritualistic feats performed by Home using his palms, notably his handling of hot coals. Suggests that Home 'might be conceived to be able to handle fire himself, however, by means no more occult than a sort of chemical palmistry, but anyhow surpasses anything that we have heard of Palma'. Describes Home's apparent ability ot elongate his body but warns 'Never believe half of what you hear'.