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TheProjectGutenbergeBook,TheComingoftheFairies,byArthurConanDoyle

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Title:TheComingoftheFairies

Author:ArthurConanDoyle

ReleaseDate:December1,2014[eBook#47506]

Language:English

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THECOMINGOFTHEFAIRIES

ARTHURCONANDOYLE

MR.E.L.GARDNERMemberoftheExecutiveCommitteeoftheTheosophicalSociety(England)

[Frontispiece


BYARTHURCONANDOYLE

Authorof“TheNewRevelation,”“TheVitalMessage,”“WanderingsofaSpiritualist”

ILLUSTRATEDFROMPHOTOGRAPHS.

NEWYORK

GEORGEH.DORANCOMPANY

COPYRIGHT,1921,1922,BYGEORGEH.DORANCOMPANY.

THECOMINGOFTHEFAIRIES.PRINTEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESOFAMERICA.

PREFACE

ThisbookcontainsreproductionsofthefamousCottingleyphotographs,andgivesthewholeoftheevidenceinconnectionwiththem.ThediligentreaderisinalmostasgoodapositionasIamtoformajudgmentupontheauthenticityofthepictures.Thisnarrativeisnot a specialplea for that authenticity,but is simplya collectionof facts the inferencesfromwhichmaybeacceptedorrejectedasthereadermaythinkfit.

Iwouldwarnthecritic,however,nottobeledawaybythesophistrythatbecausesomeprofessionaltrickster,aptatthegameofdeception,canproduceasomewhatsimilareffect,therefore the originals were produced in the same way. There are few realities whichcannotbeimitated,andtheancientargumentthatbecauseconjurersontheirownpreparedplatesorstagescanproducecertainresults,thereforesimilarresultsobtainedbyuntrainedpeople under natural conditions are also false, is surely discounted by the intelligentpublic.

Iwouldaddthat thiswholesubjectof theobjectiveexistenceofasubhumanformoflifehasnothingtodowiththelargerandfarmorevitalquestionofspiritualism.Ishouldbesorry ifmyarguments in favourof the latter shouldbe inanywayweakenedbymyexpositionof thisvery strangeepisode,whichhas reallynobearingupon thecontinuedexistenceoftheindividual.

ARTHURCONANDOYLE.

CROWBOROUGH,March1922.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I HOWTHEMATTERAROSE 13

II THEFIRSTPUBLISHEDACCOUNT,STRANDCHRISTMASNUMBER1920

39

III RECEPTIONOFTHEFIRSTPHOTOGRAPHS 59

IV THESECONDSERIES 93

V OBSERVATIONSOFACLAIRVOYANTINTHECOTTINGLEYGLEN,AUGUST1921

108

VI INDEPENDENTEVIDENCEFORFAIRIES 123

VII SOMESUBSEQUENTCASES 152

VIII THETHEOSOPHICVIEWOFFAIRIES 171

ILLUSTRATIONS

MR.E.L.GARDNER Frontispiece

PAGE

ELSIEANDTHEGNOME 32

ELSIEANDFRANCES 33

COTTINGLEYBECKANDGLEN 33

ELSIEIN1920,STANDINGNEARWHERETHEGNOMEWASTAKENIN1917

48

FRANCESIN1920 48

FRANCESANDTHEFAIRIES 49

ELSIESEATEDONTHEBANKONWHICHTHEFAIRIESWEREDANCINGIN1917(PHOTO1920)

64

THEFALLOFWATERJUSTABOVETHESITEOFLASTPHOTOGRAPH

64

FRANCESANDTHELEAPINGFAIRY 65

FAIRYOFFERINGPOSYOFHARE-BELLSTOELSIE 80

FAIRIESANDTHEIRSUN-BATH 81

AVIEWOFTHEBECKIN1921 128

THETWOGIRLSNEARTHESPOTWHERETHELEAPINGFAIRYWASTAKENIN1920

129

THEPHOTOGRAPHFROMCANADA 144

CHAPTERI

HOWTHEMATTERAROSE

Theseriesofincidentssetforthinthislittlevolumerepresenteitherthemostelaborateandingenioushoaxeverplayeduponthepublic,orelsetheyconstituteaneventinhumanhistorywhichmayin thefutureappear tohavebeenepoch-making in itscharacter. It ishardforthemindtograspwhattheultimateresultsmaybeifwehaveactuallyprovedtheexistenceuponthesurfaceofthisplanetofapopulationwhichmaybeasnumerousasthehumanrace,whichpursuesitsownstrangelifeinitsownstrangeway,andwhichisonlyseparated from ourselves by some difference of vibrations. We see objects within thelimitswhichmakeupourcolourspectrum,withinfinitevibrations,unusedbyus,oneithersideof them. Ifwecouldconceivea raceofbeingswhichwereconstructed inmaterialwhichthrewoutshorterorlongervibrations,theywouldbeinvisibleunlesswecouldtuneourselvesuportonethemdown.Itisexactlythatpoweroftuningupandadaptingitselftoother vibrations which constitutes a clairvoyant, and there is nothing scientificallyimpossible,sofarasIcansee,insomepeopleseeingthatwhichisinvisibletoothers.Iftheobjectsareindeedthere,andiftheinventivepowerofthehumanbrainisturnedupontheproblem, it is likely that some sort ofpsychic spectacles, inconceivable tous at themoment, will be invented, and that we shall all be able to adapt ourselves to the newconditions.Ifhigh-tensionelectricitycanbeconvertedbyamechanicalcontrivanceintoalowertension,keyedtootheruses,thenitishardtoseewhysomethinganalogousmightnotoccurwiththevibrationsofetherandthewavesoflight.

This,however, ismerespeculationand leadsme to the fact thatearly inMay1920 Iheard, in conversation with my friend Mr. Gow, the Editor of Light, that allegedphotographsoffairieshadbeentaken.Hehadnotactuallyseenthem,buthereferredmetoMissScatcherd,aladyforwhoseknowledgeandjudgmentIhadconsiderablerespect.Igotintotouchwithherandfoundthatshealsohadnotseenthephotographs,butshehadafriend,MissGardner,whohadactuallydoneso.OnMay13MissScatcherdwrotetomesaying that shewas getting on the trail, and including an extract from a letter ofMissGardner,which ran as follows. I amquoting actual documents in this early stage, for Ithink there are many who would like a complete inside view of all that led up to soremarkableanepisode.AlludingtoherbrotherMr.Gardner,shesays:

“You know that Edward is a Theosophist, has been for years, and now he ismostlyengagedwith lecturing and other work for the Society—and although for years I haveregardedhimasbathedinerrorandalmostpastprayingfor,Inowfindatalkwithhimaninspiring privilege. I am so very thankful that I happened to be inWillesdenwhen hisbereavement took place, for it was so wonderful to watch him, and to see howmarvellously his faith and beliefs upheld and comforted him. He will probably devote

moreandmoreofhistimeandstrengthtogoingaboutthecountrylecturing,etc.

“I wish you could see a photo he has. He believes in fairies, pixies, goblins, etc.—children,inmanycases,reallyseethemandplaywiththem.HehasgotintotouchwithafamilyinBradfordwherethelittlegirl,Elsie,andhercousin,Frances,constantlygointowoods and play with the fairies. The father and mother are sceptical and have nosympathywiththeirnonsense,astheycallit,butanaunt,whomEdwardhasinterviewed,is quite sympathetic with the girls. Some little time ago, Elsie said she wanted tophotographthem,andbeggedherfathertolendhiscamera.Forlongherefused,butatlastshemanagedtogettheloanofitandoneplate.OffsheandFranceswentintothewoodsnear a waterfall. Frances ”ticed’ them, as they call it, and Elsie stood ready with thecamera. Soon the three fairies appeared, and one pixie dancing in Frances’ aura. Elsiesnappedandhoped for thebest. Itwasa long timebefore the fatherwoulddevelop thephoto,butatlasthedid,andtohisutteramazementthefoursweetlittlefigurescameoutbeautifully!

“Edwardgotthenegativeandtookittoaspecialistinphotographywhowouldknowafakeatonce.Scepticalashewasbeforehetestedit,afterwardsheoffered£100downforit.Hepronounced it absolutelygenuineandaperfectly remarkablephotograph.Edwardhasitenlargedandhanginginhishall.HeisveryinterestedinitandassoonaspossibleheisgoingtoBradfordtoseethechildren.Whatdoyouthinkofthis?Edwardsaysthefairies are on the same lineof evolution as thewinged insects, etc., etc. I fear I cannotfollowallhisreasonings,butIknewyouwouldbekeenlyinterested.Iwishyoucouldseethatphotoandanotheroneofthegirlsplayingwiththequaintestgoblinimaginable!”

Thisletterfilledmewithhopes,andIrenewedmypursuitofthephotographs.Ilearnedthat they were two in number and that they had been sent for inspection to MissBlomfield, a friend of the family.My chase turned, therefore, in that direction, and inreplytoaletterofinquiryIreceivedthefollowinganswer:

TheMyrtles,Beckenham,June21,1920.

DEARSIR,

Iamsendingthetwofairypictures;theyareinteresting,aretheynot?

Iamsuremycousinwouldbepleasedforyoutoseethem.Buthesaid(andwroteittomeafterwards)thathedidnotwantthemtobeusedinanywayatpresent.Ibelievehehasplansinregardtothem,andthepicturesarebeingcopyrighted.Idon’tthinkthecopyrightwillbehis.Hehasnotyetfinishedhisinvestigations.IaskedhimifImightphotographthemmyselfsoastohaveafewprintstogivetofriendsinterested,buthewrotethathewouldrathernothingwasdoneatpresent.

Ithinkmycousinisawayfromhomejustnow.ButhisnameisEdwardL.Gardner,andheisPresidentofoneofthebranchesoftheTheosophicalSociety(BlavatskyLodge),andhe lectures fairlyoftenat theirHall (MortimerHall,MortimerSquare,W.).He lecturedthereafewweeksago,andshowedthefairiesonthescreenandtoldwhatheknewaboutthem.

Yourssincerely,E.BLOMFIELD.

Thisletterenclosedthetwoveryremarkablephotographswhicharereproducedinthisvolume,thatwhichdepictedthedancinggoblin,andtheotherofwoodelvesinaring.Anexplanatorynotesettingforththemainpointsofeachisappendedtothereproductions.Iwas naturally delighted at the wonderful pictures, and wrote back thanking MissBlomfield for her courtesy, and suggesting that an inquiry should be set on footwhichwould satisfy me as to the genuine nature of the photographs. If this were clearlyestablishedIhopedthatImightbeprivilegedtohelpMr.Gardneringivingpublicitytothediscovery.InreplyIhadthefollowingletter:

TheMyrtles,Beckenham,June23,1920.

DEARSIRARTHUR,

Iamsogladyoulikethefairies!IshouldbeonlytoogladtohelpinanywayifIcould,but there is so little I cando.Had thephotographsbeenmine (Imean thenegatives), Ishouldhavebeenmostpleasedthatanythingsolovelyinthewayofinformationshouldhavebeen introduced to thepublic under such auspices.But itwould, as things are, benecessarytoaskmycousin.Ibelievehewantspeopletoknow,but,asIwrotebefore,Idonotknowhisplans,andI’mnotsureifheisready.

IthasoccurredtomesincewritingtoyouthatitwouldhavebeenbetterhadIgivenyouhissister’saddress.She isamostsensibleandpracticalperson,muchengagedinsocialwork,withwhichhersympatheticnatureandgeneralefficiencymakeherverysuccessful.

Shebelievesthefairyphotographstobequitegenuine.Edwardisacleverman—andagoodone.Hisevidenceonanyoftheaffairsoflifewould,Iamsure,beconsideredmostreliablebyallwhoknewhim,bothforveracityandsoundjudgment.Ihopethesedetailswillnotboreyou,but I thoughtperhaps someknowledgeof thepeoplewho, so to say,“discovered” thephotographswouldhelp in takingyouone stepnearer thesource. Idonotseeanyopeningforfraudorhoax,thoughatfirstwhenIsawtheprintsIthoughttheremust be some other explanation than the simple one that theywerewhat they seemed.Theyappearedtoogoodtobetrue!ButeverylittledetailIhavesinceheardhasaddedtomyconvictionthattheyaregenuine;thoughIhaveonlywhatEdwardtellsmetogoupon.Heishopingtoobtainmorefromthesamegirls.

Yourssincerely,E.BLOMFIELD.

AtaboutthesametimeIreceivedaletterfromanotherladywhohadsomeknowledgeofthematter.Itranthus:

29CroftdownRoad,HighgateRoad,N.W.,June24,1920.

DEARSIRARTHUR,

Iamgladtohearthatyouareinterestedinthefairies.Iftheywerereallytaken,asthereseemsgoodreasontobelieve, theevent isno less thanthediscoveryofanewworld.ItmaynotbeoutofplacetomentionthatwhenIexaminedthemwithamagnifyingglassI

noticed,asanartist,thatthehandsdonotappeartobequitethesameasours.Thoughthelittlefigureslookotherwisesohuman,thehandsseemedtomesomethinglikethis.(Therefollowedasketchofasortoffin.)Thebeardinthelittlegnomeseemstometobesomesortofinsect-likeappendage,thoughitwould,nodoubt,becalledabeardbyaclairvoyantseeinghim.Alsoitoccurstomethatthewhitenessofthefairiesmaybeduetotheirlackofshadow,whichmayalsoexplaintheirsomewhatartificial-lookingflatness.

Yourssincerely,MAYBOWLEY.

Iwasnowinastrongerposition,sinceIhadactuallyseenthephotographsandlearnedthatMr.Gardnerwasasolidpersonwithareputationforsanityandcharacter.Ithereforewrote tohimstating the linksbywhich Ihad reachedhim,andsayinghow interested Iwasinthewholematter,andhowessentialitseemedthatthefactsshouldbegiventothepublic,sothatfreeinvestigationmightbepossiblebeforeitwastoolate.TothisletterIhadthefollowingreply:

5CravenRoad,Harlesden,N.W.10.,June25,1920.

DEARSIR,

Yourinterestingletterofthe22ndhasjustreachedme,andverywillinglyIwillassistyouinanywaythatmaybepossible.

Withregardtothephotographs,thestoryisratheralongoneandIhaveonlygathereditbygoingverycarefully.Thechildrenwhowere concernedarevery shyand reservedindeed….Theyareofamechanic’sfamilyofYorkshire,andthechildrenaresaidtohaveplayedwith fairies and elves in thewoodsnear their village sincebabyhood. Iwill notattempttonarratethestoryhere,however—perhapswemaymeetforthat—butwhenIatlengthobtainedaviewoftheratherpoorprintsitsoimpressedmeIbeggedfortheactualnegatives.These I submitted to two first-classphotographicexperts,one inLondonandoneinLeeds.Thefirst,whowasunfamiliarwithsuchmatters,declaredtheplates tobeperfectlygenuineandunfaked,butinexplicable!Thesecond,whodidknowsomethingofthe subject and had been instrumental in exposing several “psychic” fakes, was alsoentirelysatisfied.HenceIproceeded.

Iamhopefulofgettingmorephotographs,buttheimmediatedifficultyistoarrangeforthe twogirls tobe together.Theyare16or17yearsoldandbeginningtoworkandareseparatedbyafewmiles.Itmaybewecanmanageitandthussecurephotographsoftheothervarietiesbesides thoseobtained.Thesenature spirits areof thenon-individualizedorderandIshouldgreatlyliketosecuresomeofthehigher.Buttwochildrensuchastheseare,arerare,andIfearnowthatwearelatebecausealmostcertainlytheinevitablewillshortlyhappen,oneofthemwill“fallinlove”andthen—heypresto!!

By theway, I am anxious to avoid themoney consideration. Imaynot succeed, butwould far rather not introduce it. We are out for Truth, and nothing soils the way soquickly.SofarasIamconcernedyoushallhaveeverythingIcanproperlygiveyou.

Sincerelyyours,

(Sgd.)EDW.L.GARDNER.

This letter led tomy going toLondon and seeingMr.Gardner,whom I found to bequiet,well-balanced,andreserved—notintheleastofawildorvisionarytype.Heshowedme beautiful enlargements of these two wonderful pictures, and he gave me muchinformationwhich isembodied inmysubsequentaccount.NeitherhenorIhadactuallyseenthegirls,anditwasarrangedthatheshouldhandlethepersonalsideof thematter,while I should examine the results and throw them into literary shape. Itwas arrangedbetween us that he should visit the village as soon as convenient, and make theacquaintance of everyone concerned. In the meantime, I showed the positives, andsometimes the negatives, to several friends whose opinion upon psychic matters Irespected.

Of these Sir Oliver Lodge holds a premier place. I can still see his astonished andinterested face ashegazedat thepictures,which Iplacedbeforehim in thehall of theAthenæumClub.Withhisusualcautionherefusedtoacceptthemattheirfacevalue,andsuggested the theory that the Californian Classical dancers had been taken and theirpicture superimposed upon a rural British background. I argued that we had certainlytracedthepicturestotwochildrenof theartisanclass,andthatsuchphotographictrickswouldbeentirelybeyondthem,butIfailedtoconvincehim,noramIsurethatevennowheiswhole-heartedinthematter.

Mymost earnest critics came from among the spiritualists, towhom a new order ofbeingasremotefromspiritsastheyarefromhumanbeingswasanunfamiliaridea,andwho feared, not unnaturally, that their intrusion would complicate that spiritualcontroversywhichisvital tosomanyofus.OneofthesewasagentlemanwhomIwillcall Mr. Lancaster, who, by a not unusual paradox, combined considerable psychicpowers, including both clairvoyance and clairaudience, with great proficiency in thepracticeofhisveryprosaicprofession.Hehadclaimedthathehadfrequentlyseentheselittlepeoplewithhisowneyes,andI,therefore,attachedimportancetohisopinion.Thisgentlemanhadaspiritguide(Ihavenoobjectiontothesmileofthesceptic),andtohimhereferredthequestion.Theanswershowedboththestrengthandtheweaknessofsuchpsychicinquiries.WritingtomeinJuly1920,hesaid:

“Re Photographs: Themore I think of it the less I like it (Imean the onewith theParisian-coiffedfairies).Myownguidesaysitwastakenbyafairman,short,withhishairbrushed back; he has a studio with a lot of cameras, some of which are ‘turned by ahandle.’HedidnotmakeittosellSpiritualistsa‘pup,’butdidittopleasethelittlegirlinthe picture who wrote fairy stories which he illustrated in this fashion. He is not aSpiritualist,butwouldlaughverymuchifanyonewastakeninbyit.Hedoesnotlivenearwherewewere,andtheplaceisalldifferent, i.e. thehouses,insteadofbeinginstraightlines,aredroppedaboutallovertheplace.ApparentlyhewasnotEnglish.IshouldthinkitwaseitherDenmarkorLosAngelesbythedescription,whichIgiveyouforwhatitisworth.

“Ishouldverymuchlike the lenswhichwouldtakepersons inrapidmotionwith theclarityofthephotoinquestion,itmustworkatF4.5andcostfiftyguineasifapenny,and

not the sort of lens one would imagine the children in an artisan’s household wouldpossessinahandcamera.Andyetwiththespeedwithwhichitwastakenthewaterfallinthebackgroundisblurredsufficientlytojustifyaonesecond’sexposureatleast.WhatadoubtingThomas!Iwastoldtheotherdaythat,intheunlikelyeventofmyeverreachingheaven, Ishould(a) Insiston startingacard file indexof theangels, and (b)Startingarifle range to guard against the possibility of invasion from Hell. This being myunfortunatereputationatthehandsofthepeoplewhoclaimtoknowmemustdiscountmycriticismsascarping—toacertainextent,atallevents.”

These psychic impressions andmessages are often as from onewho sees in a glassdarklyandcontainacuriousmixtureoftruthanderror.UponmysubmittingthismessagetoMr.Gardnerhewasable toassureme that thedescriptionwas,on thewhole,averyaccurate one of Mr. Snelling and his surroundings, the gentleman who had actuallyhandledthenegatives,subjectedthemtovarioustestsandmadeenlargedpositives.Itwas,therefore,thisintermediateincident,andnottheoriginalinceptionoftheaffair,whichhadimpresseditselfuponMr.Lancaster’sguide.Allthisis,ofcourse,quitenon-evidentialtotheordinaryreader,butIamlayingallthedocumentsuponthetable.

Mr.Lancaster’sopinionhadsomuchweightwithus,andweweresoimpressedbythenecessityofsparingnopossiblepainstogetattruth,thatwesubmittedtheplatestofreshexamination,asdetailedinthefollowingletter:

5CravenRoad,Harlesden,N.W.10,July12,1920.

DEARSIRARTHUR,

Just a line to report progress and acknowledge your kind letters and enclosure fromKodak’s.

Aweekback,afteryourreferencetoMr.Lancaster’sopinion,IthoughtIwouldgetamorecareful examinationof thenegativesmade thanbefore, though thatwas searchingenough.SoIwentover toMr.Snelling’satHarrowandhada long interviewwithhim,againimpressinghimwiththeimportanceofbeingutterlycertain.Itoldyou,Ithink,thatthisMr. Snelling has had a varied and expert connection of over thirty years with theAutotypeCompanyand Illingworth’s largephotographic factory andhashimself turnedout some beautiful work in natural and artificial studio studies. He recently started forhimselfatWealdstone(Harrow)andisdoingwell.

Mr.Snelling’sreportonthetwonegativesispositiveandmostdecisive.Hesaysheisperfectlycertainoftwothingsconnectedwiththesephotos,namely:

1.Oneexposureonly;2.Allthefiguresofthefairiesmovedduringexposure,whichwas“instantaneous.”

AsIputallsortsofpressingquestions tohim,relating topaperorcardboardfigures,andbackgroundsandpaintings,andalltheartificesofthemodernstudio,heproceededtodemonstratebyshowingmeothernegativesandprintsthatcertainlysupportedhisview.Headded that anyoneof considerable experiencecoulddetect thedarkbackgroundanddoubleexposure in thenegativeatonce.Movementwasaseasy, ashepointedout ina

crowdofaeroplanephotoshehadbyhim.Idonotpretendtofollowallhispoints,butIam bound to say he thoroughly convincedme of the above two,which seem tome todispose of all the objections hitherto advancedwhen they are taken together!Mr. S. iswilling to make any declaration embodying the above and stakes his reputationunhesitatinglyontheirtruth.

IamawayfromLondonfromWednesdaynexttillthe28thwhenIgoontoBingleyforone or two days’ investigation on the spot. I propose that you have the two negatives,whicharecarefullypackedandcanbepostedsafely,forthisfortnightorso.IfyouwouldrathernothandlethemIwillsendthemtoMr.WestofKodak’s,orhavethemtakentohimforhisopinion,forIthink,asyousay,itwouldbeworthhaving,ifhehashaddirectandextensivepracticalexperience.

Iamveryanxiousnowtoseethisrightthrough,as,thoughIfeltprettysurebefore,Iammorethaneversatisfiednowafterthatinterviewtheotherday.

Yourssincerely,EDW.L.GARDNER.

B.ELSIEANDTHEGNOME

PhotographtakenbyFrances.FairlybrightdayinSeptember,1917.The“Midg”camera.Distance,8ft.Time,1/50thsec.Theoriginalnegativehasbeentested,enlarged,andanalysedinthesameexhaustivemannerasA.Thisplatewas

badlyunder-exposed.Elsiewasplayingwiththegnomeandbeckoningittocomeontoherknee.

ELSIEANDFRANCES

AsnapshottakenbyMr.WrightinJune,1917,withthe“Midg”camerahehadjustobtained—hisfirstandonlycamera.

COTTINGLEYBECKANDGLEN

SitesofphotographsaremarkedA,B,C,D,E,andthecottagewithanX.

AfterreceivingthismessageandgettingpossessionofthenegativesItookthemmyselftotheKodakCompany’sOfficesinKingsway,whereIsawMr.WestandanotherexpertoftheCompany.Theyexaminedtheplatescarefully,andneitherofthemcouldfindanyevidenceofsuperposition,orothertrick.Ontheotherhand,theywereofopinionthatiftheysettoworkwithalltheirknowledgeandresourcestheycouldproducesuchpicturesby natural means, and therefore they would not undertake to say that these werepreternatural. This, of course, was quite reasonable if the pictures are judged only astechnical productions, but it rather savours of the old discredited anti-spiritualisticargument that because a trained conjurer can produce certain effects under his ownconditions, therefore some woman or child who gets similar effects must get them byconjuring.Itwasclearthatatthelastitwasthecharacterandsurroundingsofthechildrenuponwhichtheinquirymustturn,ratherthanuponthephotosthemselves.Ihadalreadyendeavouredtoopenuphumanrelationswiththeeldergirlbysendingherabook,andIhadreceivedthefollowinglittlenoteinreplyfromherfather:

31MainStreet,Cottingley,Bingley,July12,1920.

DEARSIR,

IhopeyouwillforgiveusfornotansweringyourlettersoonerandthankingyouforthebeautifulbookyousokindlysenttoElsie.Sheisdelightedwithit.Icanassureyouwedoappreciatethehonouryouhavedoneher.ThebookcamelastSaturdaymorninganhourafterwehadleftfortheseasideforourholidays,sowedidnotreceiveituntillastnight.

WereceivedaletterfromMr.Gardneratthesametime,andheproposescomingtoseeusattheendofJuly.Woulditbetoolongtowaituntilthen,whenwecouldexplainwhatweknowaboutit?

Yoursverygratefully,ARTHURWRIGHT.

Itwasevident,however,thatwemustgetintomorepersonaltouch,andwiththisobjectMr. Gardner went North and interviewed the whole family, making a thoroughinvestigation of the circumstances at the spot. The result of his journey is given in thearticlewhichIpublishedintheStrandMagazine,whichcoversalltheground.IwillonlyaddtheletterhewrotetomeafterhisreturnfromYorkshire.


MYDEARCONANDOYLE,

Yoursjusttohand,andasIhavenowhadanhourtosortthingsoutIwriteatoncesothatyouhavetheenclosedbeforeyouattheearliestmoment.Youmustbeverypressed,so Iput the statement as simplyaspossible, leavingyou touse justwhatyou think fit.Preparednegatives,printsofquarter,half-plate, andenlarged sizes, and lantern slides, Ihaveallhere.

AlsoonTuesdayIshallhavemyownphotographsofthevalleysceneryincludingthetwospotsshowninthefairyprints,andalsoprintsofthetwochildrentakenin1917withtheirshoesandstockingsoff, justastheyplayedinthebeckat therearoftheirhouse.IalsohaveaprintofElsieshowingherhand.

Withregardtothepointsyouraise:

1. I have definite leave and permission to act as regards the use made of thesephotographsinanywayIthinkbest.

Publicationmaybemadeofthem,theonlyreservebeingthatfullnamesandaddressesshallbewithheld.

2.CopiesarereadyhereforEnglandandU.S.A.

3. … The Kodak people and also the Illingworth Co. are unwilling to testify. Theformer,ofcourse,youknowof.Illingworthsclaimthattheycouldproduce,bymeansofcleverstudiopaintingandmodelling,asimilarnegative.AnotherCompany’sexpertmadeassertionsconcerningtheconstructionofthe“model”thatIfoundwereentirelyerroneousdirectly I saw the real ground! They, however, barred any publication. The net result,besidesSnelling’s views, is that the photographcould be produced by studiowork, butthereisnoevidencepositivelyofsuchworkinthenegatives.(ImightaddthatSnelling,whom I saw again yesterday evening, scouts the claim that such negatives could beproduced.Hestatesthathewouldpicksuchaoneoutwithouthesitation!)

4.Myreportisenclosedandyouareatperfectlibertytousethisjustasyouplease.

The father,Mr.ArthurWright, impressedme favourably.Hewas perfectly open andfreeaboutthewholematter.Heexplainedhisposition—hesimplydidnotunderstandthe

business,butisquiteclearandpositivethattheplatehetookoutoftheMidgcamerawasthe one he put in the same day. His work is that of electrician to an estate in theneighbourhoodnear.Heisclear-headedandveryintelligent,andgivesonetheimpressionofbeingopenandhonest.Ilearntthereasonofthefamily’scordialtreatmentofmyself.Mrs.Wright,afewyearsback,cameintotouchwiththeosophicalteachingsandspeaksofthese as having done her good.My own connectionwith theTheosophical Society sheknewofandthisgavethemconfidence.HencetheverycordialreceptionIhavemetwith,whichsomewhathadpuzzledme.

Bytheway,Ithink“L.‘s”guideranupagainstinnocentlittleSnelling!Hematchesthedescriptionquitewell,asIrealizedlastnight.Andhedidpreparethenewnegativesfromwhichtheprintsyouhaveweremade,andhehasaroomfullupwithweirdmachineswithhandlesanddevicesusedinphotography….

Sincerelyyours,EDW.L.GARDNER.

I trust that the readerwill agree thatup to thispointwehadnotproceededwithanyunduerashnessorcredulity,andthatwehadtakenallcommon-sensestepstotestthecase,andhadnoalternative,ifwewereunprejudicedseekersfortruth,buttogoaheadwithit,andplaceourresultsbeforethepublic,sothatothersmightdiscoverthefallacywhichwehad failed to find. I must apologize if some of the ground in the Strand article whichfollowshasalreadybeencoveredinthisintroductorychapter.

CHAPTERII

THEFIRSTPUBLISHEDACCOUNT—“STRAND”CHRISTMASNUMBER,1920

Shouldtheincidentsherenarrated,andthephotographsattached,holdtheirownagainstthe criticismwhich theywill excite, it is no exaggeration to say that theywillmark anepochinhumanthought.Iputthemandalltheevidencebeforethepublicforexaminationand judgment. If I am myself asked whether I consider the case to be absolutely andfinallyproved, I shouldanswer that inorder to remove the last faint shadowofdoubt Ishouldwishtoseetheresultrepeatedbeforeadisinterestedwitness.Atthesametime,Irecognize thedifficultyof sucha request, since rare resultsmustbeobtainedwhenandhowtheycan.Butshortoffinalandabsoluteproof,Iconsider,aftercarefullygoingintoeverypossiblesourceoferror,thatastrongprimafaciecasehasbeenbuiltup.Thecryof“fake”issuretoberaised,andwillmakesomeimpressionuponthosewhohavenothadtheopportunityofknowingthepeopleconcerned,ortheplace.Onthephotographicsideevery objection has been considered and adequately met. The pictures stand or falltogether. Both are false, or both are true. All the circumstances point to the latteralternative, and yet in a matter involving so tremendous a new departure one needsoverpoweringevidencebeforeonecansaythatthereisnoconceivableloopholeforerror.

ItwasaboutthemonthofMayinthisyearthatIreceivedtheinformationfromMissFeliciaScatcherd,sowell-knowninseveraldepartmentsofhumanthought, to theeffectthat two photographs of fairies had been taken in the North of England undercircumstanceswhichseemedtoputfraudoutofthequestion.Thestatementwouldhaveappealedtomeatanytime,butIhappenedatthemomenttobecollectingmaterialforanarticleonfairies,nowcompleted,andIhadaccumulatedasurprisingnumberofcasesofpeoplewhoclaimedtobeabletoseetheselittlecreatures.Theevidencewassocompleteanddetailed,withsuchgoodnamesattachedtoit,thatitwasdifficulttobelievethatitwasfalse;but,beingbynatureofasomewhatscepticalturn,Ifeltthatsomethingcloserwasneeded before I could feel personal conviction and assure myself that these were notthought-formsconjuredupbytheimaginationorexpectationoftheseers.Therumourofthe photographs interestedme deeply, therefore, and following thematter up from oneladyinformanttoanother,IcameatlastuponMr.EdwardL.Gardner,whohasbeeneversincemymost efficient collaborator, towhomall credit is due.Mr.Gardner, itmayberemarked, is amember of theExecutiveCommittee of theTheosophicalSociety, and awell-knownlectureruponoccultsubjects.

Hehadnothimselfatthattimemasteredthewholecase,butallhehadheplacedfreelyatmydisposal.Ihadalreadyseenprintsofthephotographs,butIwasrelievedtofindthathehadtheactualnegatives,andthatitwasfromthem,andnotfromtheprints,thattwoexpertphotographers,especiallyMr.Snellingof26TheBridge,Wealdstone,Harrow,hadalreadyformedtheirconclusionsinfavourofthegenuinenessofthepictures.Mr.Gardner

tellshisownstorypresently,soIwillsimplysaythatatthatperiodhehadgotintodirectandfriendlytouchwiththeCarpenterfamily.Wearecompelledtouseapseudonymandtowithholdtheexactaddress,foritisclearthattheirliveswouldbemuchinterruptedbycorrespondenceandcallers if their identitywere tooclearly indicated.At thesame timetherewouldbe, nodoubt, noobjection to any small committeeof inquiryverifying thefactsforthemselvesifthisanonymitywererespected.Forthepresent,however,weshallsimplycallthemtheCarpenterfamilyinthevillageofDalesby,WestRiding.

Some threeyearsbefore, according toour information, thedaughterand thenieceofMr.Carpenter,theformerbeingsixteenandtheothertenyearsofage,hadtakenthetwophotographs—theoneinsummer,theotherinearlyautumn.Thefatherwasquiteagnosticinthematter,butashisdaughterclaimedthatsheandhercousinwhentheyweretogethercontinuallysawfairiesinthewoodandhadcometobeonfamiliarandfriendlytermswiththem, he entrusted her with one plate in his camera. The result was the picture of thedancing elves, which considerably amazed the father when he developed the film thatevening.Thelittlegirllookingacrossatherplaymate,tointimatethatthetimehadcometopressthebutton,isAlice,theniece,whiletheoldergirl,whowastakensomemonthslater with the quaint gnome, is Iris, the daughter. The story ran that the girls were soexcited in the evening that one pressed herway into the small dark-room inwhich thefatherwasabouttodevelop,andthatasshesawtheformsofthefairiesshowingthroughthe solution she cried out to the other girl,whowas palpitating outside the door: “Oh,Alice,Alice,thefairiesareontheplate—theyareontheplate!”Itwasindeedatriumphfor the children, who had been smiled at, as so many children are smiled at by anincredulousworldforstatingwhattheirownsenseshaveactuallyrecorded.

The father holds a position of trust in connection with some local factory, and thefamilyarewell-knownand respected.That theyarecultivated is shownby the fact thatMr.Gardner’sadvancestowardsthemweremademoreeasybecauseMrs.Carpenterwasa reader of theosophical teachings and had gained spiritual good from them. Acorrespondence had arisen and all their letters were frank and honest, professing someamazementatthestirwhichtheaffairseemedlikelytoproduce.

ThusthematterstoodaftermymeetingwithMr.Gardner,butitwasclearthatthiswasnotenough.Wemustgetcloser to the facts.Thenegativeswere taken round toKodak,Ltd., where two experts were unable to find any flaw, but refused to testify to thegenuineness of them, in view of some possible trap. An amateur photographer ofexperiencerefusedtoacceptthemonthegroundoftheelaborateandParisiancoiffureofthelittleladies.Anotherphotographiccompany,whichitwouldbecrueltoname,declaredthatthebackgroundconsistedoftheatricalproperties,andthatthereforethepicturewasaworthlessfake. I leanedheavilyuponMr.Snelling’swhole-heartedendorsement,quotedlaterinthisarticle,andalsoconsoledmyselfbythebroadviewthatifthelocalconditionswere as reported,whichwe proposed to test, then itwas surely impossible that a littlevillagewithanamateurphotographercouldhavetheplantandtheskilltoturnoutafakewhichcouldnotbedetectedbythebestexpertsinLondon.

Thematterbeinginthisstate,Mr.Gardnervolunteeredtogoupatonceandreport—an

expeditionwhichIshouldhavewishedtosharehaditnotbeenforthepressureofworkbeforemyapproachingdepartureforAustralia.Mr.Gardner’sreportishereappended:


It was early in this year, 1920, that I heard from a friend of photographs of fairieshavingbeensuccessfullytakenintheNorthofEngland.Imadesomeinquiries,andtheseledtoprintsbeingsenttomewiththenamesandaddressofthechildrenwhoweresaidtohave taken them.The correspondence that followed seemed so innocent and promisingthatIbeggedtheloanoftheactualnegatives—andtwoquarter-platescamebypostafewdaysafter.Onewasafairlyclearone,theothermuchunder-exposed.

Thenegativesprovedtobetrulyastonishingphotographsindeed,fortherewasnosignofdoubleexposurenoranythingotherthanordinarystraightforwardwork.IcycledovertoHarrowtoconsultanexpertphotographerofthirtyyears’practicalexperiencewhomIknewIcouldtrustforasoundopinion.WithoutanyexplanationIpassedtheplatesoverand asked what he thought of them. After examining the “fairies” negative carefully,exclamations began: “This is the most extraordinary thing I’ve ever seen!” “Singleexposure!” “Figures have moved!” “Why, it’s a genuine photograph! Wherever did itcomefrom?”

Ineedhardlyaddthatenlargementsweremadeandsubjectedtosearchingexamination—withoutanymodificationofopinion.Theimmediateupshotwasthata“positive”wastakenfromeachnegative,thattheoriginalsmightbepreservedcarefullyuntouched,andthennewnegativeswerepreparedandintensifiedtoserveasbetterprintingmediums.Theoriginalsarejustasreceivedandinmykeepingnow.Somegoodprintsandlanternslidesweresoonprepared.

InMayIusedtheslides,withothers,toillustratealecturegivenintheMortimerHall,London,andthisarousedconsiderableinterest,largelybecauseofthesepicturesandtheirstory. A week or so later I received a letter from Sir A. Conan Doyle asking forinformation concerning them, some report, I understood, having reached him from amutualfriend.AmeetingwithSirArthurfollowed,andtheoutcomewasthatIagreedtohastenmyproposedpersonal investigation into theoriginof thephotographs, andcarrythisthroughatonceinsteadofwaitingtillSeptember,whenIshouldbein theNorthonothermatters.

In consequence, to-day, July 29, I am just back in London from one of the mostinterestingandsurprisingexcursionsthatithaseverbeenmyfortunetomake!

We had time, before Iwent, to obtain opinions on the original negatives from otherexpertphotographers, andoneor twoof thesewereadverse rather than favourable.Notthatanywouldsaypositivelythatthephotographswerefaked,buttwodidclaimthattheycouldproducethesameclassofnegativebystudioworkinvolvingpaintedmodels,etc.,and itwassuggested further that the littlegirl in the firstpicturewasstandingbehindatableheapedupwithfernandmoss,thatthetoad-stoolwasunnatural,thatinthegnomephotothegirl’shandwasnotherown,thatuniformshadingwasquestionable,andsoon.Allofthishaditsweight,andthoughIwentNorthwithaslittlebiasonewayortheother

aspossible,Ifeltquitepreparedtofindthatapersonalinvestigationwoulddisclosesomeevidenceoffalsity.

ELSIEIN1920.STANDINGNEARWHERETHEGNOMEWASTAKENIN1917

FRANCESIN1920

A.FRANCESANDTHEFAIRIES

PhotographtakenbyElsie.BrightsunnydayinJuly,1917.The“Midg”camera.Distance,4ft.Time,1/50thsec.Theoriginalnegativeisassertedbyexpertphotographerstobearnottheslightesttraceofcombinationwork,retouching,oranythingwhatevertomarkitasotherthanaperfectlystraightsingle-exposurephotograph,takenintheopenairundernaturalconditions.Thenegativeissufficiently,indeedsomewhatover-exposed.Thewaterfallandrocksareabout20ft.

behindFrances,whoisstandingagainstthebankofthebeck.Afifthfairymaybeseenbetweenandbehindthetwoontheright.Thecolouringofthefairiesisdescribedbythegirlsasbeingofverypalepink,green,lavender,andmauve,mostmarked in thewings and fading to almost purewhite in the limbs and drapery.Each fairy has its own specialcolour.

The lengthy journey completed, I reached a quaint, old-world village in Yorkshire,foundthehouse,andwascordiallyreceived.Mrs.C.andherdaughterI.(thegirlasshownplayingwiththegnome)werebothathometomeetme,andMr.C., thefather,cameinshortlyafterwards.

Severalof theobjectionsraisedbytheprofessionalsweredisposedofalmostatonce,as,ahalf-hourafterreachingthehouse,Iwasexploringacharminglittlevalley,directlyattherear,withastreamofwaterrunningthrough,wherethechildrenhadbeenaccustomedtoseeandplaywiththefairies.Ifoundthebankbehindwhichthechild,withhershoesand stockings off, is shown as standing; toad-stools exactly as in the photographwereaboutinplenty,quiteasbigandhearty-looking.Andthegirl’shand?Well,shelaughinglymademepromisenottosaymuchaboutit,itissoverylong!Istoodonthespotsshownand easily identified every feature. Then, in course of eliciting all that one could learnabout the affair, I gathered the following,which, for the sake of conciseness, I set outbelow:

Cameraused:“TheMidg”quarter-plate.Plates:ImperialRapid.

Fairiesphoto:July1917.Daybrilliantlyhotandsunny.About3p.m.Distance:4feet.Time:1-50thsecond.

Gnome photo: September 1917. Day bright, but not as above. About 4 o’clock.Distance:8feet.Time:1-50thsecond.

I.wassixteenyearsold;hercousinA.wastenyears.Otherphotographswereattemptedbutprovedpartialfailures,andplateswerenotkept.

Colouring: The palest of green, pink, mauve. Much more in the wings than in thebodies,whichareverypale towhite.Thegnomeisdescribedasseemingtobe inblacktights, reddish-brown jersey, and red pointed cap. He was swinging his pipes, holdingtheminhislefthandandwasjuststeppingupontoI.‘skneewhenA.snappedhim.

A.,thevisitingcousin,wentawaysoonafter,andI.saystheymustbetogetherto“takephotographs.”Fortunatelytheywillmeetinafewweeks’time,andtheypromisemetotrytogetsomemore.I.addedshewouldverymuchliketosendmeoneofafairyflying.

Mr.C.‘stestimonywasclearanddecisive.Hisdaughterhadpleadedtobeallowedtousethecamera.Atfirsthedemurred,butultimately,afterdinneroneSaturday,heputjustone plate in theMidg and gave it to the girls. They returned in less than an hour andbeggedhimtodeveloptheplateasI.had“takenaphotograph.”Hedidso,with,tohim,thebewilderingresultshownintheprintofthefairies!

Mrs.C.sayssheremembersquitewellthatthegirlswereonlyawayfromthehouseashorttimebeforetheybroughtthecameraback.

Extraordinaryandamazingasthesephotographsmayappear,Iamnowquiteconvincedoftheirentiregenuineness,asindeedwouldeveryoneelsebewhohadthesameevidenceof transparent honesty and simplicity that I had. I am adding nothing by way ofexplanationsortheoriesofmyown,thoughtheneedfortwopeople,preferablychildren,is fairly obvious for photography, in order to assist in the strengthening of the ethericbodies.BeyondthisIprefertoleavetheabovestatementasaplain,unvarnishednarrativeofmyconnectionwiththeincidents.

Ineedonlyaddthatnoattemptappearsevertohavebeenmadebythefamilytomakethese photographs public, andwhatever has been done in that direction locally has notbeenpressedbyanyofthem,norhastherebeenanymoneypaymentinconnectionwiththem.

EDWARDL.GARDNER.

I may add as a footnote to Mr. Gardner’s report that the girl informed him inconversationthatshehadnopowerofanysortovertheactionsofthefairies,andthatthewayto“‘ticethem,”asshecalledit,wastositpassivelywithhermindquietlyturnedinthat direction; then, when faint stirrings or movements in the distance heralded theirpresence, to beckon towards them and show that they were welcome. It was Iris whopointedoutthepipesofthegnome,whichwehadbothtakenasbeingthemarkingsofthemoth-likeunder-wing.Sheadded that if therewasnot toomuch rustling in thewood itwas possible to hear the very faint and high sound of the pipes. To the objections ofphotographers that the fairy figuresshowquitedifferentshadows to thoseof thehumanour answer is that ectoplasm, as the etheric protoplasm has been named, has a faintluminosityofitsown,whichwouldlargelymodifyshadows.

Totheveryclearand,asIthink,entirelyconvincingreportofMr.Gardner’s,letmeaddthe exact words which Mr. Snelling, the expert photographer, allows us to use. Mr.Snellinghasshowngreatstrengthofmind,andrenderedsignalservicetopsychicstudy,by taking a strong line, and putting his professional reputation as an expert upon thescales.Hehashadavariedconnectionofover thirtyyearswith theAutotypeCompanyand Illingworth’s large photographic factory, and has himself turned out somebeautifulworkofeverykindofnaturalandartificialstudiostudies.HelaughsattheideathatanyexpertinEnglandcoulddeceivehimwithafakedphotograph.“Thesetwonegatives,”hesays,“areentirelygenuine,unfakedphotographsofsingleexposure,open-airwork,showmovement in the fairy figures, and there is no tracewhatever of studiowork involvingcardorpapermodels,darkbackgrounds,paintedfigures,etc.Inmyopinion,theyarebothstraightuntouchedpictures.”

A second independent opinion is equally clear as to the genuine character of thephotographs,foundeduponalargeexperienceofpracticalphotography.

There is our case, fortified by pictures of the places which the unhappy critic hasdeclared to be theatrical properties. How well we know that type of critic in all ourpsychic work, though it is not always possible to at once show his absurdity to otherpeople.

Iwillnowmakeafewcommentsuponthetwopictures,whichIhavestudiedlongandearnestlywithahigh-powerlens.

Onefactofinterestisthispresenceofadoublepipe—theverysortwhichtheancientsassociatedwithfaunsandnaiads—ineachpicture.Butifpipes,whynoteverythingelse?Doesitnotsuggestacompleterangeofutensilsandinstrumentsfortheirownlife?Theirclothingissubstantialenough.ItseemstomethatwithfullerknowledgeandwithfreshmeansofvisionthesepeoplearedestinedtobecomejustassolidandrealastheEskimos.Thereisanornamentalrimtothepipeoftheelveswhichshowsthatthegracesofartarenotunknownamongthem.Andwhatjoyisinthecompleteabandonoftheirlittlegracefulfiguresastheyletthemselvesgointhedance!Theymayhavetheirshadowsandtrialsaswehave,butatleastthereisagreatgladnessmanifestinthisdemonstrationoftheirlife.

Asecondgeneralobservation is that theelvesareacompoundof thehumanand thebutterfly,whilethegnomehasmoreofthemoth.Thismaybemerelytheresultofunder-exposureofthenegativeanddullnessoftheweather.Perhapsthelittlegnomeisreallyofthesametribe,butrepresentsanelderlymale,whiletheelvesarerompingyoungwomen.Most observers of fairy life have reported, however, that there are separate species,varyingverymuchinsize,appearance,andlocality—thewoodfairy,thewaterfairy,thefairyoftheplains,etc.

Can these be thought-forms? The fact that they are so like our conventional idea offairiesisinfavouroftheidea.Butiftheymoverapidly,havemusicalinstruments,andsoforth, then it is impossible to talkof“thought-forms,”a termwhichsuggestssomethingvagueandintangible.Inasenseweareallthought-forms,sincewecanonlybeperceivedthroughthesenses,buttheselittlefigureswouldseemtohaveanobjectivereality,aswehaveourselves,eveniftheirvibrationsshouldprovetobesuchthatittakeseitherpsychicpowerorasensitiveplate torecord them.If theyareconventional itmaybe that fairieshave reallybeen seen in everygeneration, and so somecorrect descriptionof themhasbeenretained.

There isonepointofMr.Gardner’s investigationwhich shouldbementioned. Ithadcome to our knowledge that Iris could draw, and had actually at one time done somedesignsforajeweller.Thisnaturallydemandedcaution,thoughthegirl’sownfranknatureis, I understand, a sufficient guarantee for thosewho know her.Mr.Gardner, however,testedherpowersofdrawing,andfoundthat,whileshecoulddolandscapescleverly,thefairy figureswhich she had attempted in imitation of those she had seenwere entirelyuninspired, andborenopossible resemblance to those in thephotograph.Anotherpointwhich may be commended to the careful critic with a strong lens is that the apparentpencilledfaceatthesideofthefigureontherightisreallyonlytheedgeofherhair,andnot,asmightappear,adrawnprofile.

ImustconfessthataftermonthsofthoughtIamunabletogetthetruebearingsofthisevent.Oneor twoconsequencesareobvious.Theexperiencesof childrenwillbe takenmore seriously.Cameraswill be forthcoming.Otherwell-authenticated caseswill comealong.Theselittlefolkwhoappeartobeourneighbours,withonlysomesmalldifferenceofvibrationtoseparateus,willbecomefamiliar.Thethoughtofthem,evenwhenunseen,

will addacharm toeverybrookandvalleyandgive romantic interest to everycountrywalk.Therecognitionoftheirexistencewilljoltthematerialtwentieth-centurymindoutofitsheavyrutsinthemud,andwillmakeitadmitthatthereisaglamourandamysterytolife.Havingdiscoveredthis,theworldwillnotfinditsodifficulttoacceptthatspiritualmessagesupportedbyphysicalfactswhichhasalreadybeensoconvincinglyputbeforeit.AllthisIsee,buttheremaybemuchmore.WhenColumbuskneltinprayerupontheedgeof America, what prophetic eye saw all that a new continent might do to affect thedestiniesoftheworld?Wealsoseemtobeontheedgeofanewcontinent,separatednotbyoceansbutbysubtleandsurmountablepsychicconditions.Ilookattheprospectwithawe.May those littlecreaturessuffer fromthecontactandsomeLasCasasbewail theirruin!Ifso,itwouldbeanevildaywhentheworlddefinedtheirexistence.Butthereisaguidinghandintheaffairsofman,andwecanbuttrustandfollow.

CHAPTERIII

RECEPTIONOFTHEFIRSTPHOTOGRAPHS

ThoughIwasoutofEnglandatthetime,Iwasable,eveninAustralia,torealizethatthe appearance of the first photographs in the StrandMagazine had caused very greatinterest.Thepresscommentswereasarulecautiousbutnotunsympathetic.Theoldcryof“Fake!”waslessconspicuousthanIhadexpected,butforsomeyearsthepresshasbeenslowly widening its views upon psychic matters, and is not so inclined as of old toattribute every new manifestation to fraud. Some of the Yorkshire papers had madeelaborate inquiries, and I am told that photographers for a considerable radius from thehousewerecross-questionedtofindiftheywereaccomplices.Truth,whichisobsessedbythe idea that thewhole spiritualisticmovement and everything connectedwith it is onehuge,senselessconspiracytodeceive,concoctedbyknavesandacceptedbyfools,hadtheusualcontemptuousandcontemptiblearticles,whichendedbyaprayertoElsiethatsheshould finish her fun and let the public know how it reallywas done. The best of thecritical attacks was in the Westminster Gazette, who sent a special commissioner tounravelthemystery,andpublishedtheresultonJanuary12,1921.BykindpermissionIreproducethearticle:

DOFAIRIESEXIST?INVESTIGATIONINAYORKSHIREVALLEY

COTTINGLEY’SMYSTERYSTORYOFTHEGIRLWHOTOOKTHESNAPSHOT

Thepublicationofphotographsoffairies—or, tobemoreexplicit,onephotographoffairiesandanotherofagnome—playingroundchildrenhasarousedconsiderableinterest,notonlyinYorkshire,wherethebeingsaresaidtoexist,butthroughoutthecountry.

The story, mysterious as it was when first told, became even more enigmatical byreasonofthefactthatSirA.ConanDoylemadeuseoffictitiousnamesinhisnarrativeintheStrandMagazine in order, as he says, to prevent the lives of the people concernedbeinginterruptedbycallersandcorrespondence.Thathehasfailedtodo.IamafraidSirConan does not know Yorkshire people, particularly those of the dales, because anyattempttohideidentityimmediatelyarousestheirsuspicions,ifitdoesnotgosofarastocondemnthewriterforhislackoffrankness.

It is not surprising, therefore, that his story is acceptedwith reserve.Each person towhomI spokeof the subjectduringmybrief sojourn inYorkshiredismissed themattercurtlyasbeinguntrue. Ithasbeen theprincipal topicofconversationforweeks,mainlybecauseidentityhadbeendiscovered.

Mymission toYorkshirewas to secure evidence, if possible,whichwould prove ordisprovetheclaimthatfairiesexisted.IfranklyconfessthatIfailed.

The particular fairyland is a picturesque little spot off the beaten track, two or threemilesfromBingley.HereisasmallvillagecalledCottingley,almosthiddeninabreakintheupland,throughwhichtumblesatinystream,knownasCottingleyBeck,onitswaytotheAire, less thanamileaway.The“heroine”ofSirConanDoyle’sstory isMissElsieWright,[1]whoresideswithherparentsat31LynwoodTerrace.Thelittlestreamrunspastthe back of the house, and the photographswere taken notmore than a hundred yardsaway.WhenMissWrightmade theacquaintanceof the fairiesshewasaccompaniedbyhercousin,FrancesGriffiths,whoresidesatDeanRoad,Scarborough.

Onephotograph,takenbyMissWrightinthesummerof1917,whenshewassixteen,showshercousin,thenachildoften,withagroupoffourfairiesdancingintheairbeforeher, and in the other, taken some months afterwards, Elsie, seated on the grass, has aquaintgnomedancingbesideher.

Therearecertainfactswhichstandoutclearlyandwhichnoneof theevidenceIwasabletoobtaincouldshake.Nootherpeoplehaveseenthefairies,thougheverybodyinthelittle village knew of their alleged existence; when Elsie took the photograph she wasunacquaintedwiththeuseofacamera,andsucceededatthefirstattempt;thegirlsdidnotinviteathirdpersontoseethewonderfulvisitors,andnoattemptwasmadetomakethediscoverypublic.

First I interviewed Mrs. Wright, who, without hesitation, narrated the whole of thecircumstanceswithoutaddinganycomment.Thegirls,shesaid,wouldspendthewholeofthedayinthenarrowvalley,eventakingtheirlunchwiththem,thoughtheywerewithinastone’s throw of the house. Elsiewas not robust, and did notwork during the summermonths,sothatshecouldderiveasmuchbenefitaspossiblefromplayingintheopen.Shehadoftentalkedaboutseeingthefairies,butherparentsconsidereditwasnothingmorethanchildishfancy,andletitpass.Mr.Wrightcameintopossessionofasmallcamerain1917,andoneSaturdayafternoonyieldedtothepersistententreatiesofhisdaughterandallowedher to take itout.Heplacedoneplate inposition,andexplained toherhow totake a “snap.” The childrenwent away in high glee and returned in less than an hour,requestingMr.Wrighttodeveloptheplate.WhilethiswasbeingdoneElsienoticedthatthefairieswerebeginningtoshow,andexclaimedinanexcitedtonetohercousin,“Oh,Frances,thefairiesareontheplate!”Thesecondphotographwasequallysuccessful,andafewprints fromeachplateweregiven to friendsascuriositiesaboutayearago.Theyevidently attracted little notice until one was shown to some of the delegates at aTheosophicalCongressinHarrogatelastsummer.

ELSIESEATEDONTHEBANKONWHICHTHEFAIRIESWEREDANCINGIN1917(PHOTO1920)

THEFALLOFWATERJUSTABOVETHESITEOFLASTPHOTOGRAPH

C.FRANCESANDTHELEAPINGFAIRY

PhotographtakenbyElsieinAugust,1920.“Cameo”camera.Distance.3ft.Time.1/50thsec.Thisnegativeandtwofollowing(DandE)havebeenasstrictlyexaminedas theearlierones,andsimilarlydisclosenotraceofbeingotherthanperfectlygenuinephotographs.Alsotheyprovedtohavebeentakenfromthepacketgiventhem,eachplatehavingbeenprivatelymarkedunknowntothegirls.

Mrs.Wrightcertainlygavemetheimpressionthatshehadnodesiretokeepanythingback,andansweredmyquestionsquitefrankly.ShetoldmethatElsiehadalwaysbeenatruthfulgirl,andtherewereneighbourswhoacceptedthestoryofthefairiessimplyonthestrengthoftheirknowledgeofher.IaskedaboutElsie’scareer,andhermothersaidthataftersheleftschoolsheworkedafewmonthsforaphotographerinManninghamLane,Bradford,butdidnotcareforrunningerrandsmostoftheday.Theonlyotherworkshedid therewas“spotting.”Neitheroccupationwas likely to teacha fourteen-year-oldgirlhowto“fake”aplate.Fromthereshewenttoajeweller’sshop,butherstaytherewasnotprolonged.Formanymonthsimmediatelypriortotakingthefirstphotographshewasathomeanddidnotassociatewithanyonewhopossessedacamera.

At that time her father knew little of photography, “onlywhat he had picked up bydodgingaboutwith the camera,” asheput it, andany suggestion thathehad faked theplatemustbedismissed.

Whenhecamehomefromtheneighbouringmill,andwastoldthenatureofmyerrand,

hesaidhewas“fedup”withthewholebusiness,andhadnothingelsetotell.However,hedetailed the story I had already heard from his wife, agreeing in every particular, andElsie’saccount,giventomeinBradford,addednothing.ThusIhadtheinformationfromthe three members of the family at different times, and without variation. The parentsconfessed they had some difficulty in accepting the photographs as genuine and evenquestionedthegirlsastohowtheyfakedthem.Thechildrenpersistedintheirstory,anddeniedanyactofdishonesty.Then they“let itgoat that.”Evennow theirbelief in theexistenceofthefairiesismerelyanacceptanceofthestatementsoftheirdaughterandhercousin.

IascertainedthatElsiewasdescribedbyherlateschoolmasterasbeing“dreamy,”andhermothersaidthatanythingimaginativeappealedtoher.Astowhethershecouldhavedrawn the fairies when shewas sixteen I am doubtful. Lately she has taken upwater-colourdrawing,andherwork,whichIcarefullyexamined,doesnotrevealthatabilityinamarkeddegree,thoughshepossessesaremarkableknowledgeofcolourforanuntrainedartist.

SirA.ConanDoyle says that at first hewas not convinced that the fairieswere notthought-forms conjured up by the imagination or expectation of the seers. Mr. E. L.Gardner,amemberof theExecutiveCommitteeof theTheosophicalSociety,whomadean investigationon thespotandalso interviewedall themembersof thefamily, recordshisopinionthatthephotographsaregenuine.

LaterinthedayIwenttoBradford,andatSharpe’sChristmasCardManufactorysawMissWright.Shewasworkinginanupperroom,andatfirstrefusedtoseeme,sendingamessage to the effect that she did not desire to be interviewed. A second request wassuccessful,andsheappearedatasmallcounterattheentrancetotheworks.

Sheisatall,slimgirl,withawealthofauburnhair,throughwhichanarrowgoldband,circlingherhead,wasentwined.

Like her parents, she just said she had nothing to say about the photographs, and,singularly enough, used the same expression as her father andmother—“I am ‘fed up’withthething.”

She gradually became communicative, and told me how she came to take the firstphotograph.

Askedwherethefairiescamefrom,sherepliedthatshedidnotknow.

“Didyou see themcome?” I asked; andon receiving an affirmative reply, suggestedthatshemusthavenoticedwheretheycamefrom.

MissWrighthesitated,andlaughinglyanswered,“Ican’tsay.”Shewasequallyatalosstoexplainwhere theywentafterdancingnearher,andwasembarrassedwhenIpressedforafullerexplanation.Twoorthreequestionswentunanswered,andmysuggestionthattheymusthave“simplyvanishedintotheair”drewthemonosyllabicreply,“Yes.”Theydidnotspeaktoher,shesaid,nordidshespeaktothem.

Whenshehadbeenwithhercousinshehadoftenseen thembefore.Theywereonly

kiddieswhentheyfirstsawthem,sheremarked,anddidnottellanybody.

“But,” Iwenton,“it isnatural toexpect thatachild, seeing fairies for the first time,would tell itsmother.”Heranswerwas to repeat thatshedidnot tellanybody.Thefirstoccasiononwhichfairieswereseen,ittranspired,wasin1915.

In reply to further questions, Miss Wright said she had seen them since, and hadphotographed them, and the plates were in the possession of Mr. Gardner. Even afterseveral prints of the first lot of fairies had been given to friends, she did not informanybodythatshehadseenthemagain.Thefactthatnobodyelseinthevillagehadseenthem gave her no surprise. She firmly believed that she and her cousin were the onlypersonswhohadbeensofortunate,andwasequallyconvincedthatnobodyelsewouldbe.“Ifanybodyelsewerethere,”shesaid,“thefairieswouldnotcomeout.”

Furtherquestionsputwiththeobjectofelicitingareasonforthatstatementwereonlyansweredwithsmilesandafinalsignificantremark,“Youdon’tunderstand.”

MissWright still believes in the existence of the fairies, and is looking forward toseeingthemagaininthecomingsummer.

ThefairiesofCottingley,as theyappeared to the twogirls,arefine-weatherelves,asMiss Wright said they appeared only when it was bright and sunny; never when theweatherwasdullorwet.

The strangest part of the girl’s story was her statement that in their more recentappearancesthefairiesweremore“transparent”thanin1916and1917,whentheywere“ratherhard.”Thensheaddedthequalification,“Yousee,wewereyoungthen.”Thisshedidnotamplify,thoughpressedtodoso.

Thehithertoobscurevillagepromisestobethesceneofmanypilgrimagesduringthecomingsummer.ThereisanoldsayinginYorkshire:“Ah’llbelievewhatAhsee,”whichisstillmaintainedasavaluablemaxim.

The general tone of this article makes it clear that the Commissioner would verynaturallyhavebeenwellpleased toeffectacoupbyshowingup thewholeconcern.Hewas, however, a fair-minded and intelligentman, and has easily exchanged the rôle ofCounselfortheProsecutiontothatofatolerantjudge.Itwillbeobservedthathebroughtoutnonewfactwhichhadnotalreadyappearedinmyarticle,savetheinterestingpointthat thiswas absolutely the first photographwhich the children had ever taken in theirlives.Isitconceivablethatundersuchcircumstancestheycouldhaveproducedapicturewhichwas fraudulent andyet defied the examinationof somanyexperts?Granting thehonestyofthefather,whichnoonehaseverimpugned,Elsiecouldonlyhavedoneitbycut-out images, which must have been of exquisite beauty, of many different models,fashioned and kept without the knowledge of her parents, and capable of giving theimpressionofmotionwhencarefullyexaminedbyanexpert.Surelythisisalargeorder!

IntheWestminsterarticleitisclearthatthewriterhasnothadmuchacquaintancewithpsychic research. His surprise that a young girl should not know whence appearancescomeorwhithertheygo,whentheyarepsychicformsmaterializinginherownpeculiar

aura, does not seem reasonable. It is a familiar fact also that psychic phenomena arealwaysmoreactiveinwarmsunnyweatherthanindamporcold.Finally,thegirl’sremarkthat the shapeswere gettingmore diaphanouswas a very suggestive one, for it iswithchildhood that certain forms of mediumship are associated, and there is always thetendency that, as the child becomes the woman, and as the mind becomes moresophisticatedandcommonplace,thephasewillpass.Therefiningprocesscanbeobservedin the second series of pictures, especially in the little figure which is holding out theflower. We fear that it has now completed itself, and that we shall have no moredemonstrationsoffairylifefromthisparticularsource.

Onelineofattackuponthegenuinecharacterofthephotographswastheproductionofafake,andtheargument:“There,youseehowgoodthatis,andyetitisanadmittedfake.Howcanyoubesurethatyoursarenotsoalso?”Thefallacyofthisreasoninglayinthefact that these imitationswere done by skilled performers,while the originalswere byuntrainedchildren.It isarepetitionofthestaleandrottenargumentbywhichtheworldhasbeenbefooledsolong, thatbecauseaconjurerunderhisownconditionscanimitatecertaineffects,thereforetheeffectsthemselvesneverexisted.

Itmustbeadmittedthatsomeof theseattemptswereverywelldone, thoughnoneofthem passed the scrutiny of Mr. Gardner or myself. The best of them was by a ladyphotographer connectedwith theBradford Institute,Miss Ina Inman,whose productionwassogoodthatitcausedusforsomeweekstoregarditwithanopenmind.TherewasalsoaweirdbuteffectivearrangementbyJudgeDocker,ofAustralia.InthecaseofMissInman’selves,cleverastheywere,therewasnothingofthenaturalgraceandfreedomofmovementwhichcharacterizethewonderfulCottingleyfairygroup.

AmongthemoreremarkablecommentsinthepresswasonefromMr.GeorgeA.WadeintheLondonEveningNewsofDecember8,1920.IttoldofacurioussequenceofeventsinYorkshire,andranasfollows:

“Are therereal fairies in the land to-day?ThequestionhasbeenraisedbySirArthurConanDoyle, and therehavebeen submittedphotographswhichpurport tobe thoseofactual‘littlepeople.’

“Experienceswhichhavecomewithinmyownknowledgemayhelp to throwa littlelightonthisquestionastowhethertherearerealfairies,actualelvesandgnomes,yettobemetwith in thedalesofYorkshire,where thephotographsare asserted tohavebeentaken.

“Whilst spending a day last year with my friend, Mr. Halliwell Sutcliffe, the well-known novelist, who lives in that district, he told me, to my intense surprise, that hepersonallyknewaschoolmasternotfarfromhishomewhohadagainandagaininsistedthathehadseen, talkedwith,andhadplayedwithreal fairies insomemeadowsnot faraway!Thenovelistmentionedthistomeasanactualcuriousfact,forwhichhe,himself,hadnoexplanation.Buthesaidthat themanwasonewhoseeducation,personality,andcharactermadehimworthyofcredence—amannotlikelytoharbouradelusionortowishtodeceiveothers.

“Whilst in thesamedistrictIwasinformedbyamanwhomIknewtobethoroughlyreliablethatayoungladylivinginSkiptonhadmentionedtohimmorethanoncethatsheoftenwentupto——(aspotinthedalesthenameofwhichhegave)to‘playanddancewith the fairies!’Whenhe expressed astonishment at the statement she repeated it, andaverredthatitwasreallytrue!

“In chatting about the matter with my friend, Mr. William Riley, the author ofWindyridge,Netherleigh,andJerryandBen,awriterwhoknowstheYorkshiremoorsanddalesintimately,Mr.Rileyassertedthatthoughhehadneverseenactualfairiesthere,yetheknewseveral trustworthymoorlandpeoplewhosebelief in themwasunshakableandwhopersistedagainstallcontradictionthattheythemselveshadmanytimesseenpixiesatcertainfavouredspotsinUpperAiredaleandWharfedale.

“When some time later an article of mine anent these things was published in aYorkshire newspaper, there came a letter from a lady at a distancewho stated that theaccountconfirmedastrangeexperiencewhichshehadwhenonholidayinthesamedaleupaboveSkipton.

“Shestatedthatoneevening,whenwalkingaloneonthehigherportionofaslopeofthe hills, to her intense astonishment she saw in ameadow close belowher fairies andspritesplayinganddancinginlargenumbers.Sheimaginedthatshemustbedreaming,orunder somehallucination, soshepinchedherselfand rubbedhereyes tomakesure thatshewasreallyawake.Convincedofthis,shelookedagain,andstillunmistakablysawthe‘littlepeople.’Shegaveafullaccountofhowtheyplayed,ofthelongtimeshewatchedthem,andhowatlengththeyvanished.Withoutadoubtshewasconvincedofthetruthofherstatement.

“Whatcanwemakeofitall?Myownmindisopen,butitisdifficulttobelievethatsomanypersons,unknowntooneanother,shouldhaveconspiredtostatewhatisfalse.Itisaremarkable coincidence, if nothing more, that the girls in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’saccount,theschoolmastermentionedbyMr.Sutcliffe,theyoungwomanwhocamefromSkipton,andtheladywhowrotetotheYorkshirenewspapershouldallputthespotwherethefairiesaretobeseenalmostwithinamileortwoofoneanother.

“Arethererealfairiestobemetwiththere?”

ThemostsevereattackuponthefairypicturesseemstohavebeenthatofMajorHall-Edwards,thefamousauthorityuponradium,intheBirminghamWeeklyPost.Hesaid:

“Sir Arthur Conan Doyle takes it for granted that these photographs are realphotographs of fairies, notwithstanding the fact that no evidence has so far been putforward to show exactly how they were produced. Anyone who has studied theextraordinary effectswhich have from time to time been obtained by cinema operatorsmust be aware that it is possible, given time and opportunity, to produce bymeans offakedphotographsalmostanythingthatcanbeimagined.

“Itiswelltopointoutthattheelderofthetwogirlshasbeendescribedbyhermotherasamost imaginativechild,whohasbeen in thehabitofdrawingfairies foryears,andwho for a timewas apprenticed to a firm of photographers. In addition to this she has

accesstosomeofthemostbeautifuldalesandvalleys,wheretheimaginationofayoungpersoniseasilyquickened.

“Oneof thepictures represents theyoungerchild leaningonherelbowuponabank,whileanumberof fairiesareshowndancingaroundher.Thechilddoesnot lookat thefairies, but is posing for the photograph in the ordinaryway. The reason given for herapparentdisinterestednessinthefrolicsomeelvesisthatsheisusedtothefairies,andwasmerelyinterestedinthecamera.

“Thepicture inquestioncouldbe ‘faked’ in twoways.Either the little figuresof thefairieswerestuckuponacardboard,cutoutandplacedclosetothesitter,when,ofcourse,shewouldnotbeabletoseethem,andthewholephotographproducedonamarkedplate;ortheoriginalphotograph,without‘fairies,’mayhavehadstuckonitthefiguresoffairiescut from some publication. This would then be rephotographed, and, if well done, nophotographercouldswearthatthesecondnegativewasnottheoriginalone.

“MajorHall-Edwardswenton to remark that greatweight hadbeenplacedupon thefactthatthefairiesinthephotographhadtransparentwings,butthatatrickyphotographercouldveryeasilyreproducesuchaneffect.

“‘Itisquitepossible,’heobserved,‘tocutoffthetransparentwingsofinsectsandpastethemonapictureof fairies. It iseasy toadd the transparentwingsof large fliesandsoarrange themthatportionsof thephotographcanbeviewed through thewingsand thusobtainaveryrealisticeffect.’

“It has been pointed out that although the ‘fairies’ are represented as if they weredancing—in fact they are definitely stated to be dancing—there is no evidence ofmovementinthephotographs.Anexplanationofthishasbeengivenbythephotographerherself,whohastoldusthatthemovementsofthefairiesareexceedinglyslowandmightbecomparedtotheretarded-movementfilmsshowninthecinemas.Thisprovesthattheyoungladypossessesaveryconsiderableknowledgeofphotography.

“Millionsofphotographshavebeentakenbyoperatorsofdifferentages—childrenandgrown-ups—ofcountryscenesandplaceswhich,wehavebeentaught,arethehabitatsofnymphsandelves;yetuntilthearrivaluponthesceneofthesetwowonderfulchildrentheimageofafairyhasneverbeenproducedonaphotographicplate.OntheevidenceIhaveno hesitation in saying that these photographs could have been ‘faked.’ I criticize theattitude of those who declared there is something supernatural in the circumstancesattending the taking of these pictures because, as a medical man, I believe that theinculcation of such absurd ideas into the minds of children will result in later life inmanifestationsofnervousdisorderandmentaldisturbances.SurelyyoungchildrencanbebroughtuptoappreciatethebeautiesofNaturewithouttheirimaginationbeingfilledwithexaggerated,ifpicturesque,nonsenseandmisplacedsentiment.”

D.FAIRYOFFERINGPOSYOFHARE-BELLSTOELSIE

Thefairyisstandingalmoststill,poisedonthebushleaves.Thewingsareshotwithyellow,andupperpartofdressisverypalepink.

E.FAIRIESANDTHEIRSUN-BATH

Thiscontainsafeaturethatwasquiteunknowntothegirls.Thesheathorcocoonappearinginthemidstofthegrasseshad never been seen by them before, and they had no ideawhat itwas. Fairy lovers and observers describe it as amagneticbath,wovenveryquicklybythefairies,andusedafterdullweatherandintheautumnespecially.

TothisMr.Gardneranswered:

“MajorHall-Edwardssays‘noevidencehasbeenputforwardtoshowhowtheywereproduced.’Theleastawould-becriticshoulddoissurelytoreadthereportofthecase.SirA.ConanDoyle isasserted tohave taken it ‘forgranted that thesephotographsare realand genuine.’ It would be difficult to misrepresent the case more completely. Thenegatives and contact prints were submitted to the most searching tests known tophotographicsciencebyexperts,manyofwhomwerefranklysceptical.Theyemergedasbeingunquestionablysingle-exposureplatesand,further,asbearingnoevidencewhateverin themselvesofany traceof the innumerable fakingdevicesknown.Thisdidnotclearthementirely,for,asIhavealwaysremarkedinmydescriptionoftheinvestigation,itisheld possible by employing highly artistic and skilled processes to produce similarnegatives.Personally,Ishouldverymuchliketoseethisattemptedseriously.Thefewthathavebeendone, thoughverymuchbetter than thecrudeexamplesMajorHall-Edwardssubmits,breakdownhopelesslyonsimpleanalysis.

“Thecaseresolveditselfatanearlystageintotheexaminationofthepersonalelementand themotive for fakedwork. Itwas this thatoccupiedussostrenuously, forwe fullyrealized the imperative need of overwhelmingly satisfying proof of personal integritybefore accepting the photographs as genuine. This was carried through, and itsthoroughnessmaybeestimatedby thefact that,notwithstanding thesearchingnatureoftheinvestigationthathasfollowedthepublicationofthevillage,names,etc.,nothingevenmodifiesmy first report. I needhardly point out that the strength of the case lies in itsamazing simplicity and the integrity of the family concerned. It is on the photographicplusthepersonalevidencethatthecasestands.

“IntopartofthecriticismadvancedbyMajorHall-Edwardsitwillbekinder,perhaps,not to enter. Seriously to suggest that a visit to a cinema show and the use of an aptillustration implies ‘averyconsiderableknowledgeofphotography’ isonaparwith thesupposition that to be employed as an errand girl and help in a shop indicates a highdegreeofskillinthatprofession!Wearenotquitesocredulousasthat,norwereweableto believe that two children, alone and unaided, could produce in half an hour a fakedphotographofthetypeof‘AliceandtheFairies.’”

In addition to this criticism byMajorHall-Edwards there came an attack in Johno’London from thedistinguishedwriterMr.MauriceHewlett,who raises someobjectionswhichwereansweredinMr.Gardner’ssubsequentreply.Mr.Hewlett’scontentionwasasfollows:

“The stagewhich SirA.ConanDoyle has reached at present is one of belief in thegenuinenessofwhatonemaycalltheCarpenterphotographs,whichshowedtheotherdayto the readers of the Strand Magazine two ordinary girls in familiar intercourse withwingedbeings, asnear as I can judge, about eighteen incheshigh. Ifhebelieves in thephotographs two inferences can be made, so to speak, to stand up: one, that he mustbelievealsointheexistenceofthebeings;two,thatamechanicaloperation,wherehumanagencyhasdonenothingbutprepareaplate,focusanobject,pressabutton,andprintapicture, has rendered visible something which is not otherwise visible to the commonnakedeye.That isreallyallSirArthurhas to tellus.Hebelieves thephotographs tobegenuine.Therestfollows.Butwhydoeshebelieveit?Becausetheyoungladiestellhimthattheyaregenuine.Alas!

“SirArthurcannot,he tellsus,go intoYorkshirehimself tocross-examine theyoungladies, even if he wishes to cross-examine them, which does not appear. However, hesends in his place a friend, Mr. E. L. Gardner, also of hospitable mind, with settledopinions upon theosophy and kindred subjects, but deficient, it would seem, in logicalfaculty. Mr. Gardner has himself photographed in the place where the young ladiesphotographed each other, or thereabouts.Nowinged beings circled about him, and onewonderswhyMr.Gardner (a)was photographed, (b) reproduced the photograph in theStrandMagazine.

“Theonly answer I can find is suggested tomeby the appearanceof theVirgin andChild tocertainshepherds inapeach-orchardatVerona.Theshepherds told theirparishpriestthattheVirginMaryhadindeedappearedtothemonamoonlitnight,hadaccepted

abowlofmilkfromthem,hadthenpickedapeachfromoneofthetreesandeatenit.Thepriestvisitedthespotintheircompany,andinduecoursepickedupapeach-stone.Thatsettledit.ObviouslytheMadonnahadbeenreallythere,forherewasthepeach-stonetoproveit.

“I am driven to the conclusion that Mr. Gardner had himself photographed on aparticularspotinordertoprovethegenuinenessofformerphotographstakenthere.Theargument would run: The photographs were taken on a certain spot; but I have beenmyself photographed on that spot; therefore the photographs were genuine. There is afallacylurking,butitisahospitablefallacy;andluckilyitdoesn’tverymuchmatter.

“The line to take about a questionof the sort is undoubtedly that of least resistance.Which is the harder of belief, the faking of a photograph or the objective existence ofwingedbeingseighteenincheshigh?Undoubtedly,toaplainman,thelatter;butassumetheformer.Ifsuchbeingsexist,iftheyareoccasionallyvisible,andifacameraiscapableofrevealingtoalltheworldwhatishiddenfrommostpeopleinit,wearenotyetabletosaythattheCarpenterphotographsarephotographsofsuchbeings.Forwe,observe,havenotseensuchbeings.True:butwehaveallseenphotographsofbeingsinrapidmotion—horsesracing,greyhoundscoursingahare,menrunningoverafield,andsoon.Wehaveseenpicturesofthesethings,andwehaveseenphotographsofthem;andtheoddthingisthat never, never by any chance does the photograph of a running object in the leastresembleapictureofit.

“Thehorse,dog,orman,infact,inthephotographdoesnotlooktobeinmotionatall.And rightly so, because in the instant of being photographed it was not in motion. Soinfinitelyrapidistheactionoflightontheplatethatitispossibletoisolateafractionoftime in a rapid flight and to record it.Directly you combine a series of photographs insequence,andsetthemmoving,youhaveasemblanceofmotionexactlylikethatwhichyouhaveinapicture.

“Now,thebeingscirclingroundagirl’sheadandshouldersintheCarpenterphotographare in picture flight, and not in photographic flight. That is certain. They are in theapprovedpictorial,orplastic,conventionofdancing.Theyarenotwellrenderedbyanymeans. They are stiff compared with, let us say, the whirling gnomes on the outsidewrapperofPunch.Theyhavevery littleof thewild, irresponsiblevagaryofabutterfly.But they are an attempt to render an aerial dance—pretty enough in a small way. Thephotographsaretoosmalltoenablemetodecidewhethertheyarepaintedoncardboardormodelledintheround;butthefiguresarenotmoving.

“Oneotherpoint,whichmaybecalledasmallone—butinamatterofthesortnopointisasmallone.Iregarditasacertainty,astheotherplainlyis.Ifthedancingfigureshadbeendancingbeings,reallythere,thechildinthephotographwouldhavebeenlookingatthem,notatthecamera.Iknowchildren.

“Andknowingchildren,andknowing thatSirArthurConanDoylehas legs, IdecidethattheMissCarpentershavepulledoneofthem.MeantimeIsuggesttohimthatepochsareborn,notmade.”

TowhichMr.Gardnerrepliedinthefollowingissue:

“I could have wished thatMr.Maurice Hewlett’s somewhat playful criticism of thegenuineness of the photographs of fairies appearing in the StrandMagazine Christmasnumber had beenmore clearly defined. The only serious point raised is the differencebetween photographic and pictorial representation ofmotion—Mr.Hewlettmaintainingthatthelatterisinevidenceinthephotographs.

“With regard to the separate photographs of the sites, surely the reason for theirinclusion is obvious. Photographic experts had stated that though the two negativesrevealed no trace of any faking process (such as double exposure, painted figures onenlargementsrephotographed,set-upmodelsincardorothermaterial),stillitcouldnotbeheldtobeimpossibletoobtainthesameclassofresultbyverycleverstudiowork.Also,certainpoints thatneededelucidationwere thehazeaboveandat thesideof thechild’shead, and the blurred appearance of the waterfall as compared with the clarity of thefigures,etc.Aninspectionofthespotsandphotographsoftheirsurroundingswassurelytheonlyway to clear up someof these.As amatter of fact, thewaterfall proved to beabout twenty feetbehind thechild,andhenceoutof focus,andsome large rocksat thesamedistanceintherear,atthesideofthefall,werefoundtobethecauseofthehaziness.Theseparatephotographs,ofwhichonlyoneispublishedofeachplace,confirmentirelythegenuinenessofthesites—notthegenuinenessofthefairies.

“In commenting on the photography of a moving object, Mr. Hewlett makes theastonishingstatementthatattheinstantofbeingphotographeditisnotinmotion(Mr.H.‘sitalics). Iwonderwhen it is, andwhatwouldhappen ifacamerawasexposed then!Ofcoursethemovingobject is inmotionduringexposure,nomatterwhether thetimebeafiftiethoramillionthpartofasecond,thoughMr.Hewlettisbynomeanstheonlyonetofall into this error. And each of the fairy figures in the negative discloses signs ofmovement.Thiswasoneofthefirstpointsdetermined.

“Iadmitatonce,ofcourse,thatthisdoesnotmeetthecriticismthatthefairiesdisplaymuchmoregraceinactionthanistobefoundintheordinarysnapshotofamovinghorseorman.Butifweareheredealingwithfairieswhosebodiesmustbepresumedtobeofapurelyetherealandplasticnature,andnotwithskeleton-framedmammalsatall,isitsuchaveryillogicalmindthatacceptstheexquisitegracethereinfoundasanaturalqualitythatisneverabsent?Inviewoftheoverwhelmingevidenceofgenuinenessnowinhandthisseemstobethetruth.

“Withregardtothelastqueryraised—thechildlookingatthecamerainsteadofatthefairies—Alice was entirely unsophisticated respecting the proper photographic attitude.Forher,camerasweremuchmorenovelthanfairies,andneverbeforehadsheseenoneusedsoclosetoher.Strangetousasitmayseem,atthemomentitinterestedherthemost.Apropos, would a faker, clever enough to produce such a photograph, commit theelementaryblunderofnotposinghissubject?”

Amongotherinterestingandweightyopinions,whichwereingeneralagreementwithour contentions, was one byMr. H. A. Staddon of Goodmayes, a gentleman who hadmadeaparticularhobbyoffakesinphotography.Hisreportistoolongandtootechnical

forinclusion,but,underthevariousheadingsofcomposition,dress,development,density,lighting, poise, texture, plate, atmosphere, focus, halation, hegoesvery completely intotheevidence,comingtothefinalconclusionthatwhentriedbyalltheseteststhechancesarenotlessthan80percent.infavourofauthenticity.

Itmaybeaddedthat inthecourseofexhibitingthesephotographs(intheinterestsoftheTheosophicalbodieswithwhichMr.Gardnerisconnected),ithassometimesoccurredthat the plates have been enormously magnified upon the screen. In one instance, atWakefield,thepowerfullanternusedthrewanexceptionallylargepictureonahugesheet.The operator, a very intelligent man who had taken a sceptical attitude, was entirelyconverted to the truth of the photographs, for, as he pointed out, such an enlargementwouldshowtheleasttraceofascissorsirregularityorofanyartificialdetail,andwouldmakeitabsurdtosupposethatadummyfigurecouldremainundetected.Thelineswerealwaysbeautifullyfineandunbroken.

CHAPTERIV

THESECONDSERIES

WhenMr.Gardnerwas inYorkshire inJuly,he leftagoodcamerawithElsie, forhelearned that her cousin Franceswas about to visit her again and that therewould be achanceofmorephotographs.Oneofourdifficultieshasbeenthat theassociatedauraofthetwogirlsisneedful.Thisjoiningofaurastoproduceastrongereffectthaneithercanget singly is common enough in psychic matters. We wished to make full use of thecombinedpowerof thegirls inAugust.Mylastwords toMr.Gardner, therefore,beforestartingforAustraliawerethatIshouldopennolettermoreeagerlythanthatwhichwouldtellmetheresultofournewventure.InmyheartIhardlyexpectedsuccess,forthreeyearshadpassed,andIwaswellawarethattheprocessesofpubertyareoftenfataltopsychicpower.

I was surprised, therefore, as well as delighted, when I had his letter atMelbourne,informingmeofcompletesuccessandenclosingthreemorewonderfulprints,alltakeninthefairyglen.Anydoubtswhichhadremainedinmymindastohonestywerecompletelyovercome,foritwasclearthatthesepictures,speciallytheoneofthefairiesinthebush,were altogether beyond the possibility of fake. Even now, however, having a wideexperience of transference of pictures in psychic photography and the effect of thoughtupon ectoplasmic images, I feel that there is a possible alternative explanation in thisdirection,andIhaveneverquitelostsightofthefactthatitisacuriouscoincidencethatso unique an event should have happened in a family some members of which werealreadyinclinedtooccultstudy,andmightbeimaginedtohaveformedthought-picturesofoccult appearances.Such suppositions, thoughnot tobe entirelydismissed, are, as itseemstome,far-fetchedandremote.

HereisthejoyousletterwhichreachedmeatMelbourne:

September6,1920.

MYDEARDOYLE,

Greetingsandbestwishes!Yourlastwordstomebeforewepartedwerethatyouwouldopenmyletterwiththegreatestinterest.Youwillnotbedisappointed—forthewonderfulthinghashappened!

I have received from Elsie three more negatives taken a few days back. I need notdescribethem,forenclosedarethethreeprintsinaseparateenvelope.The“FlyingFairy”andthe“Fairies’Bower”arethemostamazingthatanymoderneyehaseverseensurely!IreceivedtheseplatesonFridaymorninglastandhavesincebeenthinkingfuriously.

Anice little letter camewith themsayinghowsorry theywere (!) that they couldn’tsendmore,buttheweatherhadbeenbad(ithasbeenabominablycold),andononlytwo

afternoonshadElsieandFrancesbeenabletovisittheglen.(FranceshasnowreturnedtoScarboroughat the callof school.)Allquite simple and straightforwardandconcludingwiththehopethatImightbeabletospendanotherdaywiththemattheendofthismonth.

IwentovertoHarrowatonce,andSnellingwithouthesitationpronouncedthethreeasbearingthesameproofsofgenuinenessasthefirsttwo,declaringfurtherthatatanyratethe“bower”onewasutterlybeyondanypossibilityoffaking!WhileonthispointImightaddthatto-dayIhaveinterviewedIllingworth’speopleandsomewhattomysurprisetheyendorsedthisview.(NowifyouhavenotyetopenedtheenvelopepleasedosoandIwillcontinue….)

I amgoing toYorkshire on the 23rd inst. to fill some lecture engagements and shallspendadayatC.,andofcoursetakephotosofthesespotsandexamineandtakeawayany“spoilt”negatives thatwillserveasusefulaccompaniments.Thebowernegative,by theway,thegirlssimplycouldnotunderstandatall.Theysawthesedate-lookingfairytotheright,andwithoutwaitingtogetinthepictureElsiepushedthecameracloseuptothetallgrassesandtookthesnap….

TothisletterImadeanswerasfollows:

Melbourne,October21,1920.

DEARGARDNER,

MyheartwasgladdenedwhenouthereinfarAustraliaIhadyournoteandthethreewonderful printswhich are confirmatory of our published results.You and I needednoconfirmation,butthewholelineofthoughtwillbesonoveltotheordinarybusymanwhohasnotfollowedpsychicinquiry,thathewillneedthatitberepeatedagainandyetagainbeforeherealizesthatthisneworderoflifeisreallyestablishedandhastobetakenintoseriousaccount,justasthepigmiesofCentralAfrica.

IfeltguiltywhenIlaidadelay-actionmineandleftthecountry,leavingyoutofacetheconsequencesoftheexplosion.Youknew,however,thatitwasunavoidable.Irejoicenowthatyoushouldhavethiscompleteshieldagainstthoseattackswhichwillverylikelytaketheformofaclamourforfurtherpictures,unawarethatsuchpicturesactuallyexist.

Thematterdoesnotbeardirectlyuponthemorevitalquestionofourownfateandthatofthosewehavelost,whichhasbroughtmeouthere.Butanythingwhichextendsman’smentalhorizon,andprovestohimthatmatteraswehaveknownitisnotreallythelimitofouruniverse,musthaveagoodeffect inbreakingdownmaterialismandleadinghumanthoughttoabroaderandmorespirituallevel.

Italmostseemstomethatthosewiseentitieswhoareconductingthiscampaignfromthe other side, and using some of us as humble instruments, have recoiled before thatsullen stupidity againstwhichGoethe said the gods themselves fight in vain, and haveopenedupanentirelynewlineofadvance,whichwillturnthatso-called“religious,”andessentially irreligious, position, which has helped to bar our way. They can’t destroyfairiesbyantediluviantexts,andwhenoncefairiesareadmittedotherpsychicphenomenawillfindamorereadyacceptance.

Good-bye,mydearGardner,Iamproudtohavebeenassociatedwithyouinthisepoch-makingincident.Wehavehadcontinuedmessagesatseancesforsometimethatavisiblesignwascomingthrough—andperhapsthiswaswhatismeant.Thehumanracedoesnotdeservefreshevidence,sinceithasnottroubled,asarule,toexaminethatwhichalreadyexists.However,ourfriendsbeyondareverylong-sufferingandmorecharitablethanI,forI will confess that my soul is filled with a cold contempt for the muddle-headedindifferenceandthemoralcowardicewhichIseearoundme.

Yourssincerely,ARTHURCONANDOYLE.

The next letters fromMr.Gardner toldme that in September, immediately after thissecondserieswas taken,hehadgonenorthagain,andcameawaymoreconvinced thanever of the honesty of the whole Wright family and of the genuine nature of thephotographs.FromthisletterItakethefollowingextracts:

“MyvisittoYorkshirewasveryprofitable.Ispentthewholedaywiththefamilyandtookphotographsofthenewsites,whichprovedtobeincloseproximitytotheothers.Ienclose a few prints of these. Itwas beside the pond shown that the ‘cradle’ or bowerphotographwas taken.The fairy that is in the airwas leaping rather than flying. It hadleaptupfromthebushbelowfiveorsixtimes,Elsiesaid,andseemedtohoveratthetopof its spring. It was about the fifth time that it did so that she snapped the shutter.Unfortunately, Frances thought the fairywas leaping on to her face, the actionwas sovigorous,andtossedherheadback.Themotioncanbedetectedintheprint.ThefairywhoislookingatElsieintheotherphotographisholdingabunchoffairyharebells.Ithoughtthisonehad‘bobbed’hairandwasaltogetherquiteinthefashion,herdressissoup-to-date!But Elsie says her hairwas close-curled, not bobbed.With regard to the ‘cradle’Elsie tellsme theybothsaw the fairyon the rightand thedemure-lookingspriteon theleft,butnotthebower.Orrather,shesaystherewasonlyawreathoffaintmistinbetweenand she could make nothing of it. We have now succeeded in bringing this print outsplendidly,andasIcangetcertificatesfromexpertsgivingtheopinionthatthisnegativecouldnotpossiblybe‘faked’weseemtobeonperfectlysafeground.Theexposuretimesineachcasewereone-fiftiethofasecond,thedistanceaboutthreetofourfeet,thecamerawastheselected‘Cameo’thatIhadsenttoElsie,andtheplateswereofthosethatIhadsenttoo.

“Thecoloursofdressesandwings,etc.,Ihavecomplete,butwillposttheseparticularsonwhenwritingatlengthalittlelaterandhavetheabovemorefullywrittenout.”…

November27,1920.

“Thephotographs:

“WhenIwasinYorkshireinSeptemberinvestigatingthesecondseries,Itookphotosofthespots,ofcourse,andthefullaccountofthesuccess.Thechildrenonlyhadtwobriefhoursor soof decent sunshineduring thewholeof that fortnight theywere together inAugust.On theThursday they took twoandon theSaturdayone. If ithadbeennormalweather wemight have obtained a score ormore. Possibly, however, it is better to go

slowly—thoughIproposewetakethematterfurtheragaininMayorJune.ThecameraIhadsentwastheoneused,andalsotheplates(whichhadallbeenmarkedprivatelybytheIllingworthCo.,independentlyofme).Thethreenewfairynegativesprovedtobeoftheseandcanbecertifiedsotobebythemanager.TheCradleorBowernegativeis,asIthinkItoldyou,declaredtobeutterlyunfakeable,andIcangetstatementstothiseffect….”

InasubsequentfulleraccountMr.Gardnersays:

“OnThursdayafternoon,August26,afairlybrightandsunnyday,fortunately(fortheunseasonably coldweather experienced generally could hardly have beenworse for thetask),anumberofphotographsweretaken,andagainonSaturday,August28.Thethreereproducedherearethemoststrikingandamazingofthenumber.Ionlywisheveryreadercouldseethesuperlativelybeautifulenlargementsmadedirectlyfromtheactualnegatives.Theexquisitegraceoftheflyingfairybafflesdescription—allfairies,indeed,seemtobesuper-Pavlovasinminiature.Thenext,ofthefairyofferingaflower—anethericharebell—toIris,isamodelofgentleanddignifiedpose,butitistothethirdthatIwoulddrawspecial and detailed attention. Never before, or otherwhere, surely, has a fairy’s bowerbeenphotographed!

“Thecentraletherealcocoonshape,somethingbetweenacocoonandanopenchrysalisinappearance, lightlysuspendedamid thegrasses, is thebowerorcradle.Seatedon theupperleft-handedgewithwingwelldisplayedisanundrapedfairyapparentlyconsideringwhether it is time to get up. An earlier riser of more mature age is seen on the rightpossessingabundanthairandwonderfulwings.Herslightlydenserbodycanbeglimpsedwithinherfairydress.Justbeyond,stillontheright,istheclear-cutheadofamischievousbutsmilingelfwearingaclose-fittingcap.Ontheextremeleftisademure-lookingsprite,with a pair of very diaphanous wings, while just above, rather badly out of focus,however,isanotherwithwingsstillwidelyextended,andwithoutspreadarms,apparentlyjustalightingonthegrasstops.Thefaceinhalfprofilecanjustbetracedinaveryclearand carefully tonedprint that I have.Altogether, perhaps, this of thebower is themostastonishingandinterestingofthemoresuccessfulphotographs, thoughsomemaypreferthemarvellousgraceoftheflyingfigure.

“Thecomparativelackofdefinitioninthisphotographisprobablyaccountedforbytheabsence of the much denser human element. To introduce us in this way directly to acharmingbowerofthefairieswasquiteanunexpectedresultonthepartofthegirls,bytheway.Theysawthesomewhatsedatefairyontherightinthelonggrasses,and,makingnoattemptthistimetogetinthepicturethemselves,Irisputthecameraverycloseupandobtainedthesnap.Itwassimplygoodfortunethatthebowerwascloseby.Inshowingmethenegative,Irisonlyremarkeditasbeingaquaintlittlepicturethatshecouldnotmakeout!”

Therethematterstands,andnothinghasoccurredfromthattimeonwardstoshakethevalidityofthephotographs.Wewerenaturallydesirousofobtainingmore,andinAugust1921 the girls were brought together once again, and the very best photographicequipment, including a stereoscopic camera and a cinema camera,were placed at theirdisposal. The Fates, however, were most unkind, and a combination of circumstances

stoodinthewayofsuccess.TherewasonlyafortnightduringwhichFrancescouldbeatCottingley,anditwasafortnightofalmostincessantrain,thelongdroughtbreakingattheendof July inYorkshire. Inaddition, a small seamofcoalhadbeen found in theFairyGlen, and it had been greatly polluted by human magnetism. These conditions mightperhapshavebeenovercome,butthechiefimpedimentofallwasthechangeinthegirls,theonethroughwomanhoodandtheotherthroughboard-schooleducation.

Therewasonedevelopment,however,which isworthrecording.Although theywereunabletomaterializetheimagestosuchanextentastocatchthemuponaplate,thegirlshadnotlosttheirclairvoyantpowers,andwereable,asofold,toseethespritesandelveswhich still abounded in theglen.The scepticwill naturally say thatwehaveonly theirownword for that, but this is not so.Mr. Gardner had a friend, whom I will callMr.Sergeant, who held a commission in the Tank Corps in the war, and is an honourablegentlemanwithneither thewill todeceivenoranyconceivableobject indoingso.Thisgentleman has long had the enviable gift of clairvoyance in a very high degree, and itoccurredtoMr.Gardnerthatwemightusehimasacheckuponthestatementsofthegirls.With great good humour, he sacrificed aweek of his scanty holiday—for he is a hard-workedman—in this curiousmanner.But the results seem tohaveamply repaidhim. Ihavebeforemehisreports,whichareintheformofnotesmadeasheactuallywatchedthephenomena recorded. The weather was, as stated, bad on the whole, though clearingoccasionally. Seatedwith the girls, he saw all that they saw, andmore, for his powersprovedtobeconsiderablygreater.Havingdistinguishedapsychicobject,hewouldpointinthedirectionandaskthemforadescription,whichhealwaysobtainedcorrectlywithinthe limitof theirpowers.Thewholeglen,according tohisaccount,wasswarmingwithmanyformsofelementallife,andhesawnotonlywoodelves,gnomes,andgoblins,buttherarerundines,floatingoverthestream.Itakealongextractfromhisratherdisjointednotes,whichmayformaseparatechapter.

CHAPTERV

OBSERVATIONSOFACLAIRVOYANTINTHECOTTINGLEYGLEN,AUGUST1921

GnomesandFairies. In the fieldwe saw figures about the size of the gnome. Theyweremakingweird facesandgrotesquecontortionsat thegroup.One inparticular tookgreatdelight inknockinghisknees together.Theseformsappeared toElsiesingly—onedissolvingandanotherappearing in itsplace. I,however,sawtheminagroupwithonefiguremoreprominentlyvisiblethantherest.Elsiesawalsoagnomeliketheoneinthephotograph,butnotsobrightandnotcoloured.Isawagroupoffemalefiguresplayingagame,somewhatresemblingthechildren’sgameoforangesandlemons.Theyplayedinaring;thegameresembledthegrandchainintheLancers.Onefairystoodinthecentreofthe ringmoreor lessmotionless,while the remainder,whoappeared tobedeckedwithflowers and to show colours, not normally their own, danced round her. Some joinedhandsandmadeanarchwayfortheothers,whomovedinandoutasinamaze.Inoticedthattheresultofthegameappearedtobetheformingofavortexofforcewhichstreamedupwardstoanapparentdistanceoffourorfivefeetabovetheground.Ialsonoticedthatinthose parts of the fieldwhere the grasswas thicker and darker, there appeared to be acorrespondinglyextraactivityamongthefairycreatures.

WaterNymph.Inthebeckitself,nearthelargerock,ataslightfallinthewater,Isawawatersprite.Itwasanentirelynudefemalefigurewithlongfairhair,whichitappearedtobecombingorpassingthroughitsfingers.Iwasnotsurewhetherithadanyfeetornot.Itsformwasofadazzlingrosywhiteness,anditsfaceverybeautiful.Thearms,whichwerelong and graceful, were moved with a wave-like motion. It sometimes appeared to besinging,thoughnosoundwasheard.Itwasinakindofcave,formedbyaprojectingpieceofrockandsomemoss.Apparentlyithadnowings,anditmovedwithasinuous,almostsnake-like motion, in a semi-horizontal position. Its atmosphere and feeling was quitedifferentfromthatofthefairies.Itshowednoconsciousnessofmypresence,and,thoughI waited with the camera in the hope of taking it, it did not detach itself from thesurroundingsinwhichitwasinsomewaymerged.

WoodElves. (Under theoldbeeches in thewood,Cottingley,August12,1921.)Twotinywood elves came racing over the ground past us aswe sat on a fallen tree trunk.Seeing us, they pulled up short about five feet away, and stood regarding us withconsiderableamusementbutno fear.Theyappearedas ifcompletelycovered ina tight-fittingone-pieceskin,whichshoneslightlyasifwet.Theyhadhandsandfeetlargeandoutofproportion to theirbodies.Their legsweresomewhat thin,ears largeandpointedupwards, being almost pear-shaped. Therewere a large number of these figures racingabout theground.Theirnosesappearedalmostpointedand theirmouthswide.No teethandnostructureinsidethemouth,notevenatongue,sofarasIcouldsee.Itwasasifthe

wholeweremadeupofapieceofjelly.Surroundingthem,asanethericdoublesurroundsaphysicalform,isagreenishlight,somethinglikechemicalvapour.AsFrancescameupandsatwithinafootofthemtheywithdrew,asifinalarm,adistanceofeightfeetorso,where they remainedapparently regardingusandcomparingnotesof their impressions.Thesetwoliveintherootsofahugebeechtree—theydisappearedthroughacreviceintowhichtheywalked(asonemightwalkintoacave)andsankbelowtheground.

WaterFairy.(August14,1921.)Byasmallwaterfall,whichthrewupafinespray,wasseen poised in the spray a diminutive fairy form of an exceedingly tenuous nature. Itappeared to have twomain colourings, the upper part of its body and aura being paleviolet,thelowerportionpalepink.Thiscolouringappearedtopenetraterightthroughauraand denser body, the outline of the latter merging into the former. This creature hungpoised,itsbodycurvedgracefullybackwards,itsleftarmheldhighaboveitshead,asifupheldbythevitalforceinthespray,muchasaseagullsupportsitselfagainstthewind.Itwas as if lying on its back in a curved position against the flow of the stream. It washumaninshape,butdidnotshowanycharacteristicsofsex.Itremainedmotionlessinthispositionforsomemoments,thenflashedoutofview.Ididnotnoticeanywings.

Fairy,Elves,Gnomes,andBrownie. (Sunday,August14,9p.m. In thefield.)Lovelystillmoonlightevening.The fieldappears tobedenselypopulatedwithnativespiritsofvariouskinds—abrownie,fairies,elves,andgnomes.

ABrownie. He is rather taller than the normal, say eight inches, dressed entirely inbrown with facings of a darker shade, bag-shaped cap, almost conical, knee breeches,stockings,thinankles,andlargepointedfeet—likegnomes’feet.Hestandsfacingus, innowayafraid,perfectlyfriendlyandmuchinterested;hegazeswide-eyeduponuswithacuriousexpressionasofdawningintellect.Itisasifhewerereachingaftersomethingjustbeyondhismentalgrasp.Helooksbehindhimatagroupoffairieswhoareapproachingusandmovestoonesideasiftomakeway.Hismentalattitudeissemi-dreamlike,asofachildwhowouldsay“Icanstandandwatchthisalldaywithoutbeingtired.”Heclearlyseesmuchofouraurasandisstronglyaffectedbyouremanations.

Fairies.Francesseestinyfairiesdancinginacircle,thefiguresgraduallyexpandinginsizetilltheyreachedeighteeninches,theringwideninginproportion.Elsieseesaverticalcircleofdancingfairiesflyingslowlyround;aseachonetouchedthegrassheappearedtoperformafewquickstepsandthencontinuedhisslowmotionroundthecircle.Thefairieswhoaredancinghavelongskirts,throughwhichtheirlimbscanbeseen;viewedastrallythe circle is bathed in golden yellow light, with the outer edges of many hues, violetpredominating.Themovementof the fairies is reminiscentof thatof thegreatwheel atEarl’sCourt.Thefairiesfloatveryslowly,remainingmotionlessasfarasbodiesandlimbsare concerned, until they come round to the ground again. There is a tinkling musicaccompanyingallthis.Itappearstohavemoreoftheaspectofaceremonythanagame.Francesseestwofairyfiguresperformingasifonthestage,onewithwings,onewithout.Theirbodiesshinewiththeeffectofripplingwaterinthesun.Thefairywithoutwingshasbentoverbackwardslikeacontortionisttillitsheadtouchestheground,whilethewingedfigure bends over it. Frances sees a small Punch-like figure,with a kind ofWelsh hat,

doingakindofdancingbystrikingitsheelonthegroundandatthesametimeraisinghishat andbowing.Elsie sees a flower fairy, like a carnation in shape, thehead appearingwhere thestalk touches the flowerand thegreensepals forminga tunic fromwhich thearmsprotrude,whilethepetalsformaskirt,belowwhichareratherthinlegs.Itistrippingacross the grass. Its colouring is pink like a carnation in a pale, suffused sort of way.(Writtenbythelightofthemoon.)Iseecouplesafoothigh,femaleandmale,dancinginaslowwaltz-likemotioninthemiddleofthefield.Theyappeareventoreverse.Theyareclothed in ethericmatter and rather ghost-like in appearance. Their bodies are outlinedwithgreylightandshowlittledetail.

Elsieseesasmallimpreminiscentofamonkey,revolvingslowlyroundastalktothetop of which he was clinging. He has an impish face and is looking our way as ifperformingforourbenefit.

Thebrownieappearsduringallthistohavetakenuponhimselfthedutiesofshowman.Iseewhatmaybedescribedasafairyfountainabouttwentyfeetahead.Itiscausedbyanuprushoffairyforcefromtheground—andspreadingfish-tailfashionhigherintotheair—itismany-hued.ThiswasalsoseenbyFrances.

(Monday,August 15. In the field.) I saw three figures racing from the field into thewood—thesamefigurespreviouslyseeninthewood.Whenaboutadistanceoftenyardsfromthewalltheyleaptoveritintothewoodanddisappeared.Elsieseesincentreoffieldaverybeautiful fairy figure, somewhat resemblinga figureofMercury,withoutwingedsandals, but has fairywings.Nude, light curly hair, kneeling down in a dark clump ofgrass,withitsattentionfixedonsomethingintheground.Itchangesitsposition;firstitissittingbackonitsheels,andthenitisrisingtoitsfullkneelingheight.Muchlargerthanusual,probablyeighteenincheshigh.Itwavesitsarmsoversomeobjectontheground.Ithaspickedupsomethingfromtheground(asIthinkababy)andholdsittoitsbreastandseemstobepraying.HasGreekfeaturesandresemblesaGreekstatue—likeafigureoutofaGreektragedy.

(Tuesday,August16,10p.m.Inthefield.)Bythelightofasmallphotographiclamp.

Fairies.Elsieseesacircleoffairies trippinground,handsjoined,facingoutwards.Afigureappearsinthecentreofthering,atthesametimethefairiesfacedinwards.

Goblins.Agroupofgoblinscamerunningtowardsusfromthewoodtowithinfifteenfeetofus.Theydiffersomewhatfromthewoodelves,havingmorethelookofgnomes,thoughtheyaresmaller,beingaboutthesizeofsmallbrownies.

Fairy.Elsieseesabeautifulfairyquitenear;itisnude,withgoldenhair,andiskneelinginthegrass,lookingthiswaywithhandsonknees,smilingatus.Ithasaverybeautifulface,andisconcentratingitsgazeonme.Thisfigurecamewithinfivefeetofus,and,afterbeingdescribed,fadedaway.

Elf.Elsieseesakindofelfwhoseemstobegoingsofastthatitblowshishairback;one can sense the wind round him, yet he is stationary, though he looks to be busilyhurryingalong.

Goblins. Elsie sees a flight of little mannikins, imp-like in appearance, descendingslantwiseontothegrass.Theyformintotwolineswhichcrosseachotherastheycomedown.One line is coming vertically down, feet touching head, the other comes acrossthemshouldertoshoulder.Onreachingthegroundtheyallrunoffindifferentdirections,allserious,asifintentuponsomebusiness.Theelvesfromthewoodappeartobechieflyengagedinracingacrossthefield,thoughnootherpurposeappearstobeservedbytheirspeedorpresence.Fewofthempassnearuswithoutpullinguptostare.Theelvesseemtobethemostcuriousofallthefairycreatures.Francesseesthreeandcallsthemgoblins.

Fairy.Abluefairy.Afairywithwingsandgeneralcolouringofsea-blueandpalepink.Thewingsarewebbedandmarkedinvaryingcolourslikethoseofabutterfly.Theformisperfectlymodelled andpracticallynude.Agolden star shines in thehair.The fairy is adirector,thoughnotapparentlywithanybandforthepresent.

FairyBand.Therehassuddenlyarrivedinthefieldafairydirectorwithabandoffairypeople.Theirarrivalcausesabrightradiancetoshineinthefield,visibletoussixtyyardsaway.She isveryautocraticanddefinite inherorders,holdingunquestionedcommand.Theyspreadthemselvesoutintoagraduallywideningcirclearoundher,andastheydoso,a soft glow spreads out over the grass. They are actually vivifying and stimulating thegrowthinthefield.Thisisamovingbandwhicharrivesinthisfieldswinginghighoverthe tree topsas if fromaconsiderabledistance.Insideaspaceof twominutes thecirclehasspreadtoapproximatelytwelvefeetwideandiswonderfullyradiantwithlight.Eachmemberofthebandisconnectedtotheleaderbyathinstreamoflight.Thesestreamsareofdifferentcolour,thoughchieflyyellow,deepeningtoorange.Theymeetinthecentre,merging inheraura,and there isaconstant flowbackwardsand forwardsamong them.Theformproducedbythisissomethinglikeaninvertedfruitdish,withthecentralfairyasthestem,andthelinesoflightwhichflowinagracefulevencurveformingthesidesofthebowl.Thispartyisinintenseactivity,asifithadmuchtodoandlittletimeinwhichtodoit.Thedirectorisvivifiedandinstructedfromwithinherself,andappearstohaveherconsciousnessseateduponamoresubtleplanethanthatuponwhichsheisworking.

Fairy.Elsieseesatallandstatelyfairycomeacrossthefieldtoaclumpofharebells.Itiscarryinginitsarmssomethingwhichmaybeababyfairy,wrappedingauzysubstance.Itlaysthisintheclumpofharebellsandkneelsdownasthoughstrokingsomething,andafter a time fades away.We catch impressions of four-footed creatures being ridden bywinged figures who are thin and bend over their mounts like jockeys. It is no knownanimalwhichtheybestride,havingafacesomethinglikethatofacaterpillar.

Amongstthisfairyactivitywhichappearsalloverthefield,oneglimpsesanoccasionalgnome-like formwalkingwith seriousmienacross the field,whilst thewoodelves andother imp-like forms run about amongst their more seriously employed fairy kind. Allthreeofuskeepseeingweirdcreaturesasofelementalessence.

Elsieseesaboutadozenfairiesmovingtowardsusinacrescent-shapedflight.Astheydrewnearsheremarkedwithecstasyupontheirperfectbeautyofform—evenwhileshedidsotheybecameasuglyassin,asiftogivethelietoherwords.Theyallleeredatheranddisappeared.Inthisepisodeitmaybethatonecontactsaphaseoftheantagonismand

dislikewhichsomanyofthefairycreaturesfeelforhumansatthisstageofevolution.

Francessawsevenweefairiesquitenear—weirdlittlefigures—lyingfacedownwards.

(IntheGlen,18th,2p.m.)Francesseesafairyasbigasherself,clothedintightsandagarment scalloped round the hips; thewhole is tight-fitting and flesh-coloured; she hasverylargewingswhichsheopensaboveherhead;thensheraisesherarmsfromhersideupaboveherheadandwavesthemgracefullyintheair.ShehasaverybeautifulfacewithanexpressionasifinvitingFrancesintoFairyland.Herhairisapparentlybobbedandherwingsaretransparent.

GoldenFairy.Onespeciallybeautifulonehasabodyclothediniridescentshimmeringgolden light. She has tallwings, each ofwhich is almost divided into upper and lowerportions.Thelowerportion,whichissmallerthantheupper,appearstobeelongatedtoapointlikethewingsofcertainbutterflies.She,too,ismovingherarmsandflutteringherwings. I canonlydescribeher as agoldenwonder.She smiles andclearly seesus.Sheplaces her finger on her lips. She remains watching us with smiling countenance inamongst the leaves and branches of the willow. She is not objectively visible on thephysicalplane.Shepointswithherrighthand,movingitinacircleroundherfeet,andIsee a number, perhaps six or seven, cherubs (winged faces); these appear to be held inshapebysomeinvisiblewill.Shehascastafairyspellovermecompletelysubjugatingthementalprinciple—leavesmestaringwild-eyedinamongsttheleavesandflowers.

Anelf-likecreaturerunsuptheslantingbranchof thewillowfromthegroundwherethefairystands.Heisnotaverypleasantvisitor—Ishoulddescribehimasdistinctlylowclass.

CHAPTERVI

INDEPENDENTEVIDENCEFORFAIRIES

By a curious coincidence, if it be indeed a coincidence, at the moment when theevidencefortheactualexistenceoffairieswasbroughttomynotice,Ihadjustfinishedanarticledealingwith the subject, inwhich Igaveparticularsof anumberofcaseswheresuchcreaturesweresaidtohavebeenseen,andshowedhowverystrongwerethereasonsforsupposingthatsomesuchformsoflifeexist.Inowreproducethisarticle,andIaddtoitanotherchaptercontainingfreshevidencewhichreachedmeafterthepublicationofthephotographsintheStrandMagazine.

We are accustomed to the idea of amphibious creatures whomay dwell unseen andunknown in the depths of thewaters, and then some day be spied sunning themselvesuponasandbank,whencetheyslipintotheunseenoncemore.Ifsuchappearanceswererare,andifitshouldsohappenthatsomesawthemmoreclearlythanothers,thenaverypretty controversywould arise, for the scepticswould say, with every show of reason,“Our experience is that only land creatures live on the land, and we utterly refuse tobelieveinthingswhichslipinandoutofthewater;ifyouwilldemonstratethemtouswewill begin to consider the question.” Faced by so reasonable an opposition, the otherscouldonlymutter that theyhad seen themwith their owneyes, but that they couldnotcommandtheirmovements.Thescepticswouldholdthefield.

Something of the sortmay exist in our psychic arrangements.One canwell imaginethatthereisadividingline,likethewateredge,thislinedependinguponwhatwevaguelycallahigherrateofvibrations.Takingthevibrationtheoryasaworkinghypothesis,onecouldconceivethatbyraisingorloweringtheratethecreaturescouldmovefromonesidetotheotherofthislineofmaterialvisibility,asthetortoisemovesfromthewatertotheland, returning for refuge to invisibility as the reptile scuttles back to the surf.This, ofcourse, is supposition, but intelligent suppositionbasedon the available evidence is thepioneerofscience,anditmaybethattheactualsolutionwillbefoundinthisdirection.Iamalludingnow,nottospiritreturn,whereseventyyearsofcloseobservationhasgivenussomesortofcertainanddefinitelaws,butrathertothosefairyandphantomphenomenawhichhavebeenendorsedbysomanyages,andstilleveninthesematerialdaysseemtobreakintosomelivesinthemostunexpectedfashion.

Victoriansciencewouldhavelefttheworldhardandcleanandbare,likealandscapeinthemoon; but this science is in truth but a little light in the darkness, and outside thatlimitedcircleofdefiniteknowledgeweseetheloomandshadowofgiganticandfantasticpossibilitiesaroundus,throwingthemselvescontinuallyacrossourconsciousnessinsuchwaysthatitisdifficulttoignorethem.

There ismuchcuriousevidenceofvaryingvalue concerning theseborderland forms,whichcomeorgoeitherinfactorimagination—thelattermostfrequently,nodoubt.Andyetthereremainsaresiduewhich,byallhumanstandards,shouldpointtooccasionalfact.LestIshouldbetoodiffuse,Ilimitmyselfinthisessaytothefairies,andpassingalltheage-long tradition, which is so universal and consistent, come down to some moderninstanceswhichmakeone feel that thisworld isverymuchmorecomplex thanwehadimagined,andthattheremaybeuponitssurfacesomeverystrangeneighbourswhowillopenup inconceivable linesof science forourposterity, especially if it shouldbemadeeasierforthem,bysympathyorotherhelp,toemergefromthedeepandmanifestuponthemargin.

Taking a large number of caseswhich lie beforeme, there are two pointswhich arecommontonearlyallofthem.Oneisthatchildrenclaimtoseethesecreaturesfarmorefrequently than adults. This may possibly come from greater sensitiveness ofapprehension,or itmaydependupon these little entitieshaving less fearofmolestationfromthechildren.Theotheris,thatmorecasesarerecordedinwhichtheyhavebeenseeninthestill,shimmeringhoursofaveryhotdaythanatanyothertime.“Theactionofthesun upon the brain,” says the sceptic. Possibly—and also possibly not. If it were aquestionofraisingtheslowervibrationsofoursurroundingsonecouldimaginethatstill,silentheatwouldbe theveryconditionwhichmight favour sucha change.What is themirageofthedesert?Whatisthatsceneofhillsandlakeswhichawholecaravancanseewhileitfacesinadirectionwhereforathousandmilesofdesertthereisneitherhillnorlake,noranycloudormoisturetoproducerefraction?Icanaskthequestion,butIdonotventuretogiveananswer.Itisclearlyaphenomenonwhichisnottobeconfusedwiththeerectorofteninvertedimagewhichisseeninalandofcloudsandofmoisture.

If the confidence of children can be gained and they are led to speak freely, it issurprisinghowmanyclaimtohaveseenfairies.Myyoungerfamilyconsistsoftwolittleboysandonesmallgirl,very truthfulchildren,eachofwhomtellswithdetail theexactcircumstancesandappearanceofthecreature.Toeachithappenedonlyonce,andineachcaseitwasasinglelittlefigure,twiceinthegarden,onceinthenursery.Inquiryamongfriendsshowsthatmanychildrenhavehadthesameexperience,buttheycloseupatoncewhenmetbyridiculeandincredulity.Sometimestheshapesareunlikethosewhichtheywouldhavegatheredfrompicture-books.“Fairiesarelikenutsandmoss,”saysonechildinLadyGlenconner’scharmingstudyoffamilylife.Myownchildrendifferintheheightofthecreatures,whichmaywellvary,butintheirdresstheyarecertainlynotunliketheconventionalidea,which,afterall,mayalsobethetrueone.

AVIEWOFTHEBECKIN1921

THETWOGIRLSNEARTHESPOTWHERETHELEAPINGFAIRYWASTAKENIN1920

Therearemanypeoplewhohavearecollectionoftheseexperiencesoftheiryouth,andtryafterwardstoexplainthemawayonmaterialgroundswhichdonotseemadequateorreasonable.Thusinhisexcellentbookonfolk-lore,theRev.S.Baring-Gouldgivesusapersonalexperiencewhichillustratesseveralofthepointsalreadymentioned.“Intheyear1838,”hesays,“whenIwasasmallboyoffouryearsold,weweredrivingtoMontpelieronahotsummerdayoverthelongstraightroadthattraversesapebble-and-rubble-strewnplain,onwhichgrowsnothingsaveafewaromaticherbs.Iwassittingontheboxwithmyfatherwhen,tomygreatsurprise,Isawlegionsofdwarfsofabouttwofeethighrunningalong beside the horses; some sat laughing on the pole, some were scrambling up theharness togeton thebacksof thehorses. I remarked tomyfatherwhat I saw,whenheabruptlystoppedthecarriageandputmeinsidebesidemymother,where,theconveyancebeing closed, Iwasout of the sun.The effectwas that, little by little, the host of impsdiminishedinnumbertilltheydisappearedaltogether.”

Here,certainly,theadvocatesofsunstrokehaveastrong,thoughbynomeansafinal,case.Mr.Baring-Gould’snextillustrationisasounderone.

“When my wife was a girl of fifteen,” he says, “she was walking down a lane inYorkshire,betweengreenhedges,whenshesawseatedinoneoftheprivethedgesalittle

greenman, perfectlywellmade,who looked at herwith his beady black eyes.Hewasabout a foot or fifteen inches high. She was so frightened that she ran home. Sheremembersthatitwasasummerday.”

Agirloffifteenisoldenoughtobeagoodwitness,andherflightandthecleardetailofhermemorypointtoarealexperience.Againwehavethesuggestionofahotday.

Baring-Gouldhasyetathirdcase.“Onedayasonofmine,”hesays,“wassentintothegardentopickpea-podsforthecooktoshellfordinner.Presentlyherushedintothehouseaswhiteaschalktosaythatwhilehewasthusengaged,andstandingbetweentherowsofpeas, he saw a littlemanwearing a red cap, a green jacket, and brown knee breeches,whose facewasoldandwan, andwhohadagreybeardandeyesasblackandhardassloes.Hestaredsointentlyattheboythatthelattertooktohisheels.”

Here,again,thepea-podsshowthatitwassummer,andprobablyintheheatoftheday.Onceagainthedetailisveryexactandcorrespondsclosely,asIshallpresentlyshow,tosomeindependentaccounts.Mr.Baring-Gouldisinclinedtoputallthesedowntotheheatconjuringupthefamiliarpicturesoffairybooks,butsomefurtherevidencemaycausethereadertodoubtthisexplanation.

Let us comparewith these stories the very direct evidence ofMrs.Violet Tweedale,whosecourageinmakingpublictheresultofherownremarkablepsychicfacultiesshouldmeet with recognition from every student of the subject. Our descendants will hardlyrealizethedifficultywhichnowexistsofgettingfirst-handevidencewithnamesattached,for theywillhaveoutgrown thestatewhen thecryof“fake”and“fraud”and“dupe” israised at once against any observer, however honourable andmoderate, by peoplewhoknowlittleornothingofthesubject.Mrs.Tweedalesays:

“Ihadawonderfullittleexperiencesomefiveyearsagowhichprovedtometheexistenceoffairies.OnesummerafternoonIwaswalkingalonealongtheavenueofLuptonHouse,Devonshire.Itwasanabsolutelystillday—nota leaf moving, and all Nature seemed to sleep in the hot sunshine. A fewyards in front ofmemy eyewas attracted by the violentmovements of asinglelongblade-likeleafofawildiris.Thisleafwasswingingandbendingenergetically,while the restof theplantwasmotionless.Expecting toseeafield-mouseastrideit,Isteppedverysoftlyuptoit.Whatwasmydelighttoseeatinygreenman.Hewasaboutfiveincheslong,andwasswingingback-downwards. His tiny green feet, which appeared to be green-booted, werecrossed over the leaf, and his hands, raised behind his head, also held theblade.Ihadavisionofamerrylittlefaceandsomethingredintheformofacaponthehead.Forafullminuteheremainedinview,swingingontheleaf.Thenhevanished.SincethenIhaveseveraltimesseenasingleleafmovingviolentlywhile the rest of the plant remainedmotionless, but I have neveragainbeenabletoseethecauseofthemovement.”

Here the dress of the fairy, green jacket and red cap, is exactly the same as wasdescribedindependentlybyBaring-Gould’sson,andagainwehavetheelementsofheatandstillness.Itmaybefairlyansweredthatmanyartistshavedrawnthefairiesinsucha

dress,andthatthecoloursmayinthiswayhavebeenimpresseduponthemindsofbothobservers.Inthebendingiriswehavesomethingobjective,however,whichcannoteasilybe explained away as a cerebral hallucination, and thewhole incident seems tome animpressivepieceofevidence.

AladywithwhomIhavecorresponded,Mrs.H.,whoisengagedinorganizingworkofthemostresponsiblekind,hashadanexperiencewhichresemblesthatofMrs.Tweedale.“Myonly sight of a fairy,” she says, “was in a largewood inWest Sussex, about nineyears ago. He was a little creature about half a foot high, dressed in leaves. Theremarkablethingabouthisfacewasthatnosoullookedthroughhiseyes.Hewasplayingaboutinlonggrassandflowersinanopenspace.”Onceagainsummerisindicated.ThelengthandcolourofthecreaturecorrespondwithMrs.Tweedale’saccount,whilethelackof soul in the eyesmaybe comparedwith the “hard” eyesdescribedbyyoungBaring-Gould.

One of the most gifted clairvoyants in England was the late Mr. Turvey, ofBournemouth,whosebook,TheBeginningsofSeership,shouldbeinthelibraryofeverystudent.Mr. Lonsdale, of Bournemouth, is also a well-known sensitive. The latter hasgivenmethefollowingaccountofanincidentwhichheobservedsomeyearsagointhepresenceofMr.Turvey.

“Iwassitting,”saysMr.Lonsdale,“inhiscompanyinhisgardenatBranksomePark.Wesat inahutwhichhadanopenfront lookingon to the lawn.Wehadbeenperfectlyquietforsometime,neither talkingnormoving,aswasoftenourhabit.SuddenlyIwasconsciousofamovementontheedgeofthelawn,whichonthatsidewentuptoagroveof pine trees. Looking closely, I saw several little figures dressed in brown peeringthroughthebushes.Theyremainedquietforafewminutesandthendisappeared.Inafewsecondsadozenormoresmallpeople,abouttwofeetinheight,inbrightclothesandwithradiantfaces,ranontothelawn,dancinghitherandthither.IglancedatTurveytoseeifhe saw anything, andwhispered, ‘Do you see them?’ He nodded. These fairies playedabout,graduallyapproachingthehut.Onelittlefellow,bolderthantheothers,cametoacroquethoopclose to thehutand,using thehoopasahorizontalbar, turned roundandroundit,muchtoouramusement.Someoftheotherswatchedhim,whileothersdancedabout,notinanysetdance,butseeminglymovinginsheerjoy.Thiscontinuedforfourorfiveminutes,whensuddenly,evidentlyinresponsetosomesignalorwarningfromthosedressedinbrown,whohadremainedattheedgeofthelawn,theyallranintothewood.Justthenamaidappearedcomingfromthehousewithtea.Neverwasteasounwelcome,asevidentlyitsappearancewasthecauseofthedisappearanceofourlittlevisitors.”Mr.Lonsdaleadds,“IhaveseenfairiesseveraltimesintheNewForest,butneversoclearlyasthis.”Herealsothesceneislaidintheheatofasummerday,andthedivisionofthefairiesintotwodifferentsortsisremarkablyborneoutbythegeneraldescriptions.

KnowingMr.LonsdaleasIdotobearesponsible,well-balanced,andhonourableman,I find such evidence as this very hard to put to one side. Here at least the sunstrokehypothesis isnegatived,sincebothmensat in theshadeof thehutandcorroborated theobservation of the other.On the other hand, each of themen, likeMrs. Tweedale,was

supernormal in psychic development, so that it might well happen that the maid, forexample,wouldnothaveseenthefairies,evenifshehadarrivedearlieruponthescene.

Iknowagentlemanbelongingtooneofthelearnedprofessionswhosecareeras,letussay,asurgeonwouldnotbehelpedifthisarticleweretoconnecthimwithfairylore.Asamatteroffact,inspiteofhissolemnavocationsandhispracticalandvirilecharacter,heseemstobeendowedwiththatfaculty—letuscallittheappreciationofhighervibrations—whichopensupsowonderfuladoortoitspossessor.Heclaims,orratherheadmits,forhe is reticent upon the subject, that he has carried this power of perception on fromchildhood,andhissurpriseisnotsomuchatwhatheseesasatthefailureofotherstoseethesamething.Toshowthat it isnotsubjective,hetells thestorythatononeoccasion,while traversing a field, he sawa little creaturewhichbeckoned eagerly that he shouldfollow.Hedidso,andpresentlysawhisguidepointingwithanairof importancetotheground.There,between the furrows, laya flint arrow-headwhichhecarriedhomewithhimasasouveniroftheadventure.

Another friend of mine who claims to have the power of seeing fairies isMr. TomTyrrell, the famous medium, whose clairvoyance and general psychic gifts are of thestrongestcharacter.IcannoteasilyforgethowoneeveninginaYorkshirehotelastormofraps,soundingverymuchasifsomeonewerecrackingtheirfingersandthumb,brokeoutaroundhishead,andhowwithhiscoffee-cupinonehandheflappedvigorouslywiththeothertowarnoffhisinopportunevisitors.Inanswertomyquestionaboutfairieshesays,“Yes,Idoseetheselittlepixiesorfairies.Ihaveseenthemscoresoftimes.ButonlyinthewoodsandwhenIdoalittlefasting.Theyareaveryrealpresencetome.Whatarethey?Icannotsay.Icannevergetnearertothebeggarsthanfourorfiveyards.Theyseemafraidofme,and thenscamperoffup the trees likesquirrels. Idaresay if Iwere togo in thewoodsoftenerIwouldperhapsgaintheirconfidencemore.Theyarecertainlylikehumanbeings,onlyverysmall,sayabout twelveorfifteenincheshigh.Ihavenoticedtheyarebrownincolour,withfairlylargeheadsandstanding-upears,outofproportiontothesizeoftheirbodies,andbandylegs.IamspeakingofwhatIsee.Ihavenevercomeacrossanyotherclairvoyantwhohasseenthem,thoughIhavereadthatmanydoso.Probablytheyhave something to do with Nature processes. The males have very short hair, and thefemaleshaveratherlong,straighthair.”

The idea that these little creatures are occupied in consciously furthering Nature’sprojects—verymuch,Isuppose,asthebeecarriespollen—isrepeatedbythelearnedDr.Vanstone,whocombinesgreatknowledgeof theorywithsomeconsiderableexperience,though a high development of intellect is, in spite of Swedenborg’s example, a bar topsychicperception.Thiswould show, if it is correct, thatwemayhave to return to theclassicalconceptionofsomethinginthenatureofnaiadsandfaunsandspiritsofthetreesand groves. Dr. Vanstone, whose experiences are on the borderland between what isobjective and what is sensed without being actually seen, writes to me: “I have beendistinctly aware of minute intelligent beings in connection with the evolution of plantforces, particularly in certain localities; for instance, in Ecclesbourne Glen. Pond lifeyieldstomethelargestandbestsenseoffairylife,andnotthefloralworld.Imaybeonlyclothingmysubjectiveconsciousnesswithunrealobjectiveimaginations,buttheyarereal

tomeassentient,intelligentbeings,abletocommunicatewithusinvaryingdistinctness.Iaminclinedtothinkthatelementalbeingsareengaged,likefactoryhands,infacilitatingtheoperationofNature’slaws.”

AnothergentlemanwhoclaimstohavethismostremarkablegiftisMr.TomCharman,whobuildsforhimselfashelterintheNewForestandhuntsforfairiesasanentomologistwouldforbutterflies.Inanswertomyinquiries,hetellsmethatthepowerofvisioncameto him in childhood, but left him for many years, varying in proportion with his ownnearnesstoNature.Accordingtothisseer,thecreaturesareofmanysizes,varyingfromafew inches to several feet.Theyaremale, female, andchildren.Hehasnotheard themutter sounds, but believes that they do so, of finer quality than we can hear. They arevisible by night aswell as by day, and show small lights about the same size as glow-worms.Theydressinallsortsofways.SuchisMr.Charman’saccount.

Itis,ofcourse,easyforuswhorespondonlytothemorematerialvibrationstodeclarethatalltheseseersareself-deluded,orarethevictimsofsomementaltwist.Itisdifficultfor them todefend themselves fromsuchacharge. It is,however, tobeurgedupon theother side that these numerous testimonies come from people who are very solid andpractical and successful in the affairs of life. One is a distinguishedwriter, another anophthalmic authority, a third a successful professionalman, a fourth a lady engagedonpublicservice,andsoon.Towaiveasidetheevidenceofsuchpeopleonthegroundthatitdoesnotcorrespondwithourownexperienceisanactofmentalarrogancewhichnowisemanwillcommit.

It is interestingtocomparethesevariouscontemporaryandfirst-handaccountsof theimpressionswhichall thesewitnesseshavereceived. Ihavealreadypointedout that thehighervibrationswhichweassociatewithhot sunshine, andwhichweactually seem toseeintheshimmerofnoontide,isassociatedwithmanyoftheepisodes.Apartfromthisitmustbeadmittedthattheevidenceisonthewholeirregular.Wehavecreaturesdescribedwhichrangefromfiveinchestotwoandahalffeet.Anadvocateofthefairiesmightsaythat,since the traditionhasalwaysbeen that theyprocreateashumanbeingsdo,wearedealingwiththemineverystageofgrowth,whichaccountsforthevaryingsize.

It seems tome,however, thatabettercasecouldbemadeout if itwerepleaded thattherehavealwaysbeenmanydifferentracesoffairyland,andthatsamplesoftheseracesmaygreatlydifferfromeachother,andmayinhabitvaryingspots;sothatanobserverlikeMr. Tyrrell, for example, may always have seen woodland elves, which bear noresemblance to gnomes or goblins. The monkey-like, brown-clad creatures of myprofessional friend, which were over two feet high, compare very closely with thecreatureswhich little Baring-Gould saw climbing on to the horses. In both cases thesetaller fairies were reported from flat, plain-like locations; while the little old-man typevariescompletelyfromthedancinglittlefeminineelfsobelovedbyShakespeare.IntheexperienceofMr.TurveyandMr.Lonsdale,twodifferenttypesengagedindifferenttaskswere actually seen at the same moment, the one being bright-coloured dancing elves,whiletheotherwerethebrown-colouredattendantswhoguardedthem.

Theclaimthatthefairyringssooftenseeninmeadowormarshlandarecausedbythe

beatoffairyfeetiscertainlyuntenable,astheyunquestionablycomefromfungisuchasAgaricus gambosus or Marasmius oreades, which grow from a centre, continuallydeserting the exhausted ground, and spreading to that which is fresh. In this way acompletecircleisformed,whichmaybequitesmallormaybeof twelve-footdiameter.Thesecirclesappearjustasofteninwoodsfromthesamecause,butaresmotheredoverbythedecayedleavesamongwhichthefungigrow.Butthoughthefairiesmostcertainlydonotproducetherings,itmightbeasserted,andcouldnotbedenied,thattheringsonceformed,whatever their cause,wouldoffer avery charmingcourse for a circular ring-a-ringdance.Certainlyfromalltimethesecircleshavebeenassociatedwiththegambolsofthelittlepeople.

After these modern instances one is inclined to read with a little more gravity theaccountwhichourancestorsgaveofthesecreatures;for,howeverfancifulinparts,itstillmayhavehadsomecoreoftruth.Isay“ourancestors,”butasamatteroffactthereareshepherdsontheSouthDownstothisdaywhowillthrowabitoftheirbreadandcheeseover their shoulders at dinner-time for the little folks to consume. All over the UnitedKingdom,andespeciallyinWalesandIreland,thebeliefislargelyheldamongthosefolkswhoarenearest toNature.Firstofall itwasalwayssupposed that they livedwithin theearth.Thiswasnaturalenough,sinceasuddendisappearanceofasolidbodycouldonlybe understood in that way. On thewhole, their descriptionwas not grotesque, and fitseasilyintoitsplaceamidtheexamplesalreadygiven.“Theywereofsmallstature,”saysoneWelshauthority,quotedinMrs.Lewes’sStrangerthanFiction,“towardstwofeetinheight, and their horsesof the sizeofhares.Their clothesweregenerallywhite, butoncertainoccasionstheyhavebeenseendressedingreen.Theirgaitwaslively,andardentand loving was their glance…. They were peaceful and kindly among themselves,divertingintheirtricks,andcharmingintheirwalkanddancing.”Thismentionofhorsesis somewhatoutof thepicture,but all the rest seemscorroborativeofwhathasalreadybeenstated.

THEPHOTOGRAPHFROMCANADA

One of the best of the ancient accounts is that of theRev.R.Kirk,who occupied aparishatMonteith,ontheedgeoftheHighlands,andwroteapamphletcalledTheSecretCommonwealth, about the year 1680.He had very clear and definite ideas about theselittlecreatures,andhewasbynomeansavisionary,butamanofconsiderableparts,whowaschosenafterwardstotranslatetheBibleintoErse.Hisinformationaboutfairiestalliesverywellwith that of theWelshman quoted above.He slips up in imagining that flintarrow-headsare indeed“fairy-bolts,”butotherwisehiscontentionsagreeverywellwithourmoderninstances.Theyhavetribesandorders,accordingtothisScottishclergyman.Theyeat.Theyconverseinathin,whistlingsortoflanguage.Theyhavechildren,deaths,andburials.They are fondof frolic dancing.Theyhave a regular state andpolity,withrulers,laws,quarrels,andevenbattles.Theyareirresponsiblecreatures,nothostiletothehuman race unless they have reason to be angry, but even inclined to be helpful, sincesomeofthem,thebrownies,are,byuniversaltradition,readytoaidinthehouseholdworkifthefamilyhasknownhowtoengagetheiraffection.

An exactly similar account comes from Ireland, though the little folk seem to haveimbibedthespiritoftheislandtotheextentofbeingmoremercurialandirascible.Therearemanycasesonrecordwheretheyareclaimedtohaveshowntheirpower,andtohavetakenrevengeforsomeslight.IntheLarneReporterofMarch31,1866,asquotedinTrueIrishGhostStories, there isanaccountofhowastonewhich thefairiesclaimedhavingbeenbuiltintoahouse,theinhabitantswerebombardedwithstonesbyinvisibleassailantsbydayandnight,themissileshurtingnoone,butcausinggreatannoyance.Thesestoriesofstone-throwingaresocommon,andpresentsuchsimilarwell-attestedfeaturesincasescoming from every part of the world, that they may be accepted as a recognizedpreternatural phenomenon,whether it be the fairies or someother formofmischievouspsychicforcewhichcausedthebombardment.Thevolumealreadyquotedgivesanotherremarkablecase,whereafarmer,havingbuiltahouseuponwhatwasreallyafairyright-of-waybetweentwo“raths”orfairymounds,wasexposedtosuchpersecutionbynoisesandotherdisturbancesthathisfamilywasatlastdrivenout,andhadtotakerefugeinthesmaller house which they had previously occupied. This story is narrated by acorrespondentfromWexford,whosaysthatheexaminedthefactshimself,examinedthedesertedhouse,cross-examinedtheowner,andsatisfiedhimselfthatthereweretworathsinthevicinity,andthatthehousewasinadead-linebetweenthem.

IhaveparticularsofacaseinWestSussexwhichisanalogous,andwhichIhavebeenable to trace to the very lady towhom it happened. This lady desired tomake a rock-garden, and for this purpose got some large boulders from a field hard by, which hadalwaysbeenknownasthepixiestones,andbuiltthemintohernewrockery.Onesummereveningthisladysawatinygreywomansittingononeoftheboulders.Thelittlecreatureslippedawaywhensheknewthatshehadbeenobserved.Severaltimessheappeareduponthestones.Laterthepeopleinthevillageaskedifthestonesmightbemovedbacktothefield,“as,”theysaid,“theyarethepixiestones,andiftheyareremovedfromtheirplace,misfortuneswillhappentothevillage.”Thestoneswererestored.

But supposing that theyactuallydoexist,whatare thesecreatures?That is a subjectuponwhichwecanspeculateonlywithmoreorlessplausibility.Mr.DavidGow,editorof

Light,andaconsiderableauthorityuponpsychicmatters,hadfirstformedtheopinionthatthey were simply ordinary human spirits, seen, as it were, at the wrong end of aclairvoyanttelescope,andthereforeveryminute.Astudyofthedetailedaccountsoftheirvariedexperiencecausedhim toalterhisview, and to conclude that theyare really lifeformswhichhavedevelopedalongsomeseparate lineofevolution,andwhichforsomemorphological reason have assumed human shape in the strange way in which Naturereproduces her types like the figures on themandrake root or the frost ferns upon thewindow.

Ina remarkablebook,AWanderer in theSpiritLands,published in1896, theauthor,Mr. Farnese, under inspiration gives an account of many mysteries, including that offairies.Whathe says fits inverycloselywith the facts thathavebeenput forward, andgoes beyond them.He says, speaking of elementals: “Some are in appearance like thegnomes and elves who are said to inhabit mountain caverns. Such, too, are the fairieswhommenhaveseeninlonelyandsecludedplaces.Someof thesebeingsareofaveryloworderoflife,almostlikethehigherorderofplants,savethattheypossessindependentmotion. Others are very lively and full of grotesque, unmeaning tricks…. As nationsadvanceandgrowmorespiritualtheselowerformsoflifedieoutfromtheastralplaneofthatearth’ssphere,andsucceedinggenerationsbeginatfirsttodoubtandthentodenythattheyeverhadanyexistence.”Thisisoneplausiblewayofexplainingthedisappearanceofthe faun, the dryad, the naiad, and all the creatures which are alluded to with suchfamiliarityintheclassicsofGreeceandRome.

One may well ask what connection has this fairy-lore with the general scheme ofpsychicphilosophy?Theconnectionisslightandindirect,consistingonlyinthefactthatanythingwhichwidens our conceptions of the possible, and shakes us out of our time-ruttedlinesofthought,helpsustoregainourelasticityofmind,andthustobemoreopentonewphilosophies.Thefairyquestion is infinitelysmallandunimportantcompared tothequestionofourownfateandthatofthewholehumanrace.Theevidencealsoisverymuchlessimpressive,though,asItrustIhaveshown,itisnotentirelynegligible.Thesecreatures are in any case remote from us, and their existence is of little more realimportancethanthatofstrangeanimalsorplants.Atthesametime,theperennialmysterywhysomany“flowersareborntoblushunseen,”andwhyNatureshouldbesolavishwithgiftswhichhumanbeingscannotuse,wouldbesolvedifweunderstoodthat therewereotherordersofbeingwhichusedthesameearthandshareditsblessings.Itisatthelowestaninterestingspeculationwhichgivesanaddedcharmtothesilenceofthewoodsandthewildernessofthemoorland.

CHAPTERVII

SOMESUBSEQUENTCASES

Fromtheforegoingchapteritwillbeclearthattherewasagooddealofevidencewhichcannot easily be brushed aside as to the existence of these little creatures before thediscovery of the photographs. These various witnesses have nothing to gain by theirtestimony,anditisnottaintedbyanymercenaryconsideration.ThesameremarkappliestoanumberofcaseswhichwerecommunicatedtomeaftertheappearanceofthearticlesintheStrand.Oneortwoweremoreorlessingeniouspracticaljokes,butfromtheothersIhaveselectedsomewhichappeartobealtogetherreliable.

ThegentlemanwhomIhavealreadyquotedunderthenameofLancaster—hewhowassodoubtfulastothevalidityofthephotographs—ishimselfaseer.Hesays:

“PersonallyIshoulddescribefairiesasbeingabout2feet6inchesto3feetinheight,anddressedindufflebrownclothes.ThenearestapproachIcangettothemistosaythatthey are spiritual monkeys. They have the active brains ofmonkeys, and their generalinstinct is to avoid mankind, but they are capable individually of becoming extremelyattachedtohumans—orahuman—butatanytimetheymaybiteyou,likeamonkey,andrepentimmediatelyafterwards.Theyhavethousandsofyearsofcollectiveexperience,callit ‘inheritedmemory’ ifyou like,butno reasoning faculties.Theyare justPeterPans—childrenwhonevergrowup.

“I remember asking one of our spirit group how one could get into touch with thebrownies.Herepliedthatwhenyoucouldgointothewoodsandcallthebrownrabbitstoyoutheotherbrownieswillalsocometoyou.Speakinggenerally,Ishouldimaginethatanyonewhohashadanytruckwithfairiesmusthaveobeyedthescripturalinjunctionto‘becomeasalittlechild,’i.e.heorshemustbeeithersimpleoraBuddha.”

Thislastphraseisastrikingone,anditiscuriouslyconfirmedbyagentlemannamedMatthews, writing on January 3, 1921, from San Antonio, Texas. He declared that histhreedaughters,nowmarriedwomen,couldallseefairiesbeforetheageofpuberty,butnever after it. The fairies said to them: “We are not of the human evolution.Very fewhumanshaveevervisitedus.Onlyoldsoulswelladvancedinevolutionorinastateofsexinnocencecancometous.”ThisrepeatsindependentlytheideaofMr.Lancaster.

Thesechildrenseemtohavegoneintoa trancestatebefore theyfoundthemselves inthe country of the fairies—a country of intelligent beings, very small, 12 to 18 incheshigh.According to their accounts, theywere invited to attend banquets or celebrations,excursions on beautiful lakes, etc. Each childwas able to entrance instantly. This theyalways didwhen they visitedFairyland, butwhen the fairies came to them,whichwasgenerally in the twilight, they sat in chairs in normal state watching them dance. Thefatheradds:“Myownchildrenlearnedinthiswaytodance,sothatatlocalentertainments

audiencesweredelighted,thoughtheyneverknewfromwhatsourcetheylearned.”

My correspondent does not say whether there is a marked difference between theEuropean and theAmerican type of fairy.No doubt, if these results are confirmed andfollowed up, there will be an exact classification in the future. If Bishop Leadbeater’sclairvoyancecanbetrusted,thereis,aswillafterwardsbeshown,averycleardistinctionbetween the elemental life of various countries, as well as many varieties in eachparticularcountry.

Oneremarkablefirst-handcaseofseeingfairiescamefromtheRev.ArnoldJ.Holmes.Hewrote:

“Beingbroughtup in the IsleofManonebreathed theatmosphereof superstition (ifyouliketocallit),thesimple,beautifulfaithoftheManxfisherfolk,thechildliketrustoftheManxgirls,whotothisdaywillnotforgetthebitofwoodandcoalputreadyatthesideofthefireplaceincasethe‘littlepeople’callandneedafire.Agoodhusbandistheultimate reward, and neglect in this respect a bad husband or no husband at all. ThestartlingphenomenaoccurredonmyjourneyhomefromPeelTownatnighttoSt.Mark’s(whereIwasIncumbent).

“After passing Sir Hall Caine’s beautiful residence, Greeba Castle, my horse—aspiritedone—suddenlystoppeddead,andlookingaheadIsawamidtheobscurelightandmistymoonbeamswhat appeared to be a small army of indistinct figures—very small,cladingossamergarments.Theyappearedtobeperfectlyhappy,scamperingandtrippingalongtheroad,havingcomefromthedirectionofthebeautifulsylvanglenofGreebaandSt.Trinian’sRooflessChurch.The legend is that ithaseverbeen thefairies’haunt,andwhen an attempt has been made on two occasions to put a roof on, the fairies haveremovedall theworkduring thenight, and for a centuryno further attemptshavebeenmade.Ithasthereforebeenlefttothe‘littlepeople’whoclaimeditastheirown.

“Iwatchedspellbound,myhorsehalfmadwithfear.Thelittlehappyarmythenturnedin the direction ofWitch’s Hill, andmounted amossy bank; one ‘littleman’ of largerstature than the rest, about 14 inches high, stood at attention until all had passed himdancing,singing,withhappyabandon,acrosstheValleyfieldstowardsSt.John’sMount.”

The wide distribution of the fairies may be judged by the following extremelyinterestingnarrativefromMrs.Hardy,thewifeofasettlerintheMaoridistrictsofNewZealand:

“AfterreadingaboutwhatothershaveseenIamencouragedtogiveyouanexperienceofmyown,whichhappenedaboutfiveyearsago.Willyoupleaseexcusemymentioningafewdomesticdetailsconnectedwiththestory?Ourhomeisbuiltonthetopofaridge.The ground was levelled for some distance to allow for sites for the house, buildings,lawns,etc.Thegroundoneithersideslopessteeplydowntoanorchardonthe left,andshrubberyandpaddockontheright,boundedbythemainroad.OneeveningwhenitwasgettingduskIwentintotheyardtohangthetea-towelsontheclothes-line.AsIsteppedoff the verandah, I heard a sound of soft galloping coming from the direction of theorchard.IthoughtImustbemistaken,andthatthesoundcamefromtheroad,wherethe

Maorisoftengalloptheirhorses.Icrossedtheyardtogetthepegs,andheardthegallopingcomingnearer. Iwalked to theclothes-line,andstoodunder itwithmyarmsuplifted topeg the towel on the line, when I was aware of the galloping close behind me, andsuddenly a little figure, riding a tinypony, rode right undermyuplifted arms. I lookedround,toseethatIwassurroundedbyeightortentinyfiguresontinyponieslikedwarfShetlands.The little figurewhocamesoclose tomestoodoutquiteclearly in the lightthatcamefromthewindow,buthehadhisback to it,andIcouldnotseehis face.Thefaces of the otherswere quite brown, also the ponieswere brown. If theywore clothestheywereclose-fittinglikeachild’sjerseysuit.Theywereliketinydwarfs,orchildrenofabout twoyears of age. Iwas very startled, and called out, ‘Goodness!what is this?’ IthinkImusthavefrightenedthem,foratthesoundofmyvoicetheyallrodethroughtherosetrellisacrossthedrive,anddowntheshrubbery.Iheardthesoftgallopingdyingawayinto the distance, and listened until the soundwas gone, thenwent into the house.Mydaughter,whohashadseveralpsychicexperiences,said tome:‘Mother,howwhiteandstartledyou look!Whathaveyouseen?Andwhowereyouspeaking to justnowin theyard?’Isaid,‘Ihaveseenthefairiesride!’”

Thelittlefairyhorsesarementionedbyseveralwriters,andyetitmustbeadmittedthattheirpresencemakesthewholesituationfarmorecomplicatedanddifficulttounderstand.Ifhorses,whynotdogs?Andwefindourselvesinawholenewworlduponthefairyscale.Ihaveconvincedmyselfthatthereisoverwhelmingevidenceforthefairies,butIhavebynomeansbeenabletoassuremyselfoftheseadjuncts.

The following letter from a young lady in Canada, daughter of one of the leadingcitizens of Montreal, and personally known to me, is interesting on account of theenclosedphotographherereproduced.Shesays:

“TheenclosedphotographwastakenthissummeratWaterville,NewHampshire,witha2ABrowniecamera(portraitlensattached)byAlverda,elevenyearsold.Thefatherisable,clear-headed,enthusiasticongolfandbilliards; themotheronJapaneseart;neitherinterested inpsychicmattersmuch.Thechildhasbeen frail and imaginative, but sweetandincapableofdeceit.

“The mother tells me she was with the child when the picture was taken. Themushrooms pleased the little girl, and she knelt down and photographed them. As anindicationoftheirordinarysize,theyareAmaintamuscaria.

“Therewasnosuchfiguretobeseenasappearsinthepicture.

“There was no double exposure. The picture astonished them when developed. Theparentsguaranteeitshonesty,butaremystified.

“Doyouthinkshadows,etc.,canexplainit?I thinkthelineoftherightshoulderandarmespeciallyaretoodecisivetobethusbrushedaway.”

Iratheragreewiththewriter,butitisapointwhicheachreadercandecideforhimselfupon examination of the photograph. It is certainly very vague after the Yorkshireexamples.

NewZealandwouldappeartobequiteafairycentre,forIhaveanotherletterfromalady in thosebeautiful islands,which ishardly less interestinganddefinite than theonealreadyquoted.Shesays:

“IhaveseenfairiesinallpartsofNewZealand,butespeciallyinthefern-cladgulliesoftheNorth Island.Mostofmyunfoldment formediumshipwascarriedout inAuckland,and during that time I spent hours inmy garden, and saw the fairiesmost often in theevening just after sunset. Fromobservation I notice they usually lived or else appearedabouttheperennialplants.Isawbrownfairiesandgreenfairies,andtheyallhadwingsofa filmyappearance. Iused to talk to themandask them tomake specialpetplants andcuttingsIputinthegardengrowwell,andIamsuretheydid,bytheresultsIgot.SinceIcametoSydney,Ihavealsoseenthegreenfairies.Itriedanexperimentlastspring.Ihadsomepheasant-eyenarcissusgrowinginthegarden.Isawthegreenfairiesaboutthem.Itransplantedoneofthebulbstoapotwhenhalf-grown,andtookitwithmewhenIwentawayforashortholiday.Iaskedthefairiestokeepitgrowing.Iwatcheditcloselyeveryevening—a green-clad fairy, sometimes two or three of them,would appear on the potunder the plant and whatever they did to it during the night I do not know, but nextmorningitwasverymuchbigger,and,althoughtransplanted,etc.,itfloweredthreeweeksbefore those in the garden. I am now living at Rochdale, Sydney, with friends bothAustraliansandSpiritualists,andtheyalsohaveseenthefairiesfromchildhoodup.Iamsure animals see them. The fairies appear every evening in a little wild corner of thegardenweleaveforthem,andourcatsitsandwatchesthemintently,butneverattemptstospring at them as he does at other moving objects. If you care to make use of theinformationcontainedinthisletter,youarewelcometodoso.”

IhadanotherinterestingletterfromMrs.Roberts,ofDunedin,oneofthemostgiftedwomen inpsychicmatterswhom ImetduringmyAustralianwanderings, inwhich shedescribes, as the last writer has done, the intimate connection between these elementalforms of life and the flowers, asserting that she has continually seen them tending theplantsinherowngarden.

FromIrelandIreceivedseveralfairystorieswhichseemedtobehonestlytold,evenifsomemarginmustbeleftforerrorsofobservation.Oneoftheseseemstolinkupthefairykingdomwithspiritualcommunication, for thewriter,MissWinter,ofBlarney, inCork,says:

“We received communications from a fairy namedBebel several times, one of themlasting nearly an hour. The communicationwas as decided and swift as from themostpowerfulspirit.HetoldusthathewasaLeprechaun(male),butthatinaruinedfortnearusdweltthePixies.OurdemesnehadbeenthehabitationofLeprechaunsalways,andtheywiththeirQueenPicel,mountedonhergorgeousdragon-fly,foundalltheyrequiredinourgrounds.

“He askedmost lovingly aboutmy little grandchildren, who visit us frequently, andsincethenhehasbeenin thehabitofcommunicatingwith them,whenwehaveyieldedthe table to them entirely, and just listened to the pure fun he and they were havingtogether.Hetoldthemthatthefairiesfinditquiteeasytotalktotherabbits,andthatthey

dislikedthedogsbecausetheychasedthem.Theyhavegreatfunwiththehens,onwhosebackstheyride,buttheydonotlikethembecausethey‘jeer’atthem.Whenhementionedthe old fort, I thought he referred to Blarney Castle, not far away, but on relating theincident toa farmer’sdaughter,whose familyhasbeen in theneighbourhood foraverylongtime,sheinformedmethatalabourer’scottageattheentrancetoouravenueisbuiltonthesiteofanoldfort,informationabsolutelynewtous.”

Afewmoremaybeadded tomy listofwitnesses,whichmightbegreatlyextended.MissHall,ofBristol,writes:

“I, too, have seen fairies, but never until now have I dared tomention it for fear ofridicule.Itwasmanyyearsago.Iwasquiteachildofsixorsevenyears,andthen,asnow,passionatelyfondofallflowers,whichalwaysseemtomelivingcreatures.Iwasseatedinthemiddleofaroadinsomecornfields,playingwithagroupofpoppies,andnevershallIforgetmy utter astonishment at seeing a funny littleman playing hide-and-seek amongtheseflowerstoamuseme,asIthought.Hewasquickasadart.Iwatchedhimforquitealong time, then he disappeared. He seemed a merry little fellow, but I cannot everremember his face. In colour he was a sage-green, his limbs were round and had theappearanceofgeraniumstalks.Hedidnotseemtobeclothed,andwasaboutthreeincheshighandslender.Ioftenlookedforhimagain,butwithoutsuccess.”

Mr.J.FootYoung,thewell-knownwaterdiviner,writes:

“Some years ago I was one of a party invited to spend the afternoon on the lovelyslopesofOxefordHill,inthecountyofDorset.Theabsenceofbothtreesandhedgesinthislocalityenablesonetoseewithoutobstructionforlongdistances.Iwaswalkingwithmycompanion,wholivesinthelocality,somelittledistancefromthemainparty,whentomyastonishmentIsawanumberofwhatIthoughttobeverysmallchildren,aboutascoreinnumber,andalldressedinlittlegaily-colouredshortskirts,theirlegsbeingbare.Theirhandswerejoined,andallheldup,as theymerrilydancedroundinaperfectcircle.Westoodwatchingthem,wheninaninstanttheyallvanishedfromoursight.Mycompaniontoldme theywere fairies, and that they often came to that particular part to hold theirrevels.Itmaybeourpresencedisturbedthem.”

Mrs.EthelEnidWilson,ofWorthing,writes:

“I quite believe in fairies.Of course, they are really nature spirits. I haveoften seenthemonfinesunnydaysplaying in thesea,andridingon thewaves,butnooneIhaveeverbeenwithat the timehasbeenable tosee them,exceptingoncemy littlenephewsandniecessawthemtoo.Theywerelikelittledolls,quitesmall,withbeautifulbrighthair,andtheywereconstantlymovinganddancingabout.”

Mrs.Rose,ofSouthend-on-Sea,toldusinachatonthesubject:

“IthinkIhavealwaysseenfairies.Iseethemconstantlyhereintheshrubberybythesea.Theycongregateunderthetreesandfloataroundaboutthetrees,andgnomescomearoundtoprotectthem.Thegnomesarelikelittleoldmen,withlittlegreencaps,andtheirclothes aregenerallyneutral green.The fairies themselves are in light draperies. I havealso seen them in the conservatory ofmyhouse, floating about among the flowers and

plants.Thefairiesappeartobeperpetuallyplaying,exceptingwhentheygotorestontheturforinatree,andIoncesawagroupofgnomesstandingoneachothers’shoulders,likegymnastsonthestage.TheyseemedtobelivingasmuchasIam.Itisnotimagination.Ihaveseenthegnomesarrangingasortofmossbedforthefairies,justlikeamother-birdputtingher chicks tobed. I don’t hear any sounds from thegnomesor fairies, but theyalwayslookhappy,asiftheywerehavingarealgoodtime.”

MissEvaLongbottom,L.R.A.M.,A.R.C.M.,ofBristol,acharmingvocalist,whohasbeenblindfrombirth,toldusinaninterview:

“I have seenmany fairies withmymind’s eyes (that is, clairvoyantly). They are ofvariouskinds,theonesIsee.Themusicfairiesareverybeautiful.‘Argent’describesthem,for theymakeyou thinkof silver, and theyhavedulcet silveryvoices.They speak andsing,butmoreinsoundthanindistinctwords—alanguageoftheirown,a fairy tongue.Theirmusicisathingwecannottranslate.Itexistsinitself.Idon’tthinkMendelssohnhastrulycaught it,butMr.Coleridge-Taylor’smusic remindsmeof themusic Ihaveheardfromthefairiesthemselves;hisfairyballadsareverycharming.

“Thentherearedancingfairies.Theirdancingisdaintyandfullofgrace,asweetoldstyle of dance, without any tangles in it. I am generally alone when I see them, notnecessarilyinawoodland,butwherevertheatmosphereispoetical.Theyarequitereal.

“Anotherkindisthepoemfairies.Theyaremoreethereal,andofavioletshade.IfyoucouldimaginePerditaintheMidsummerNight’sDream, translatedfromthestage intoarealfairy,youwouldhaveagoodideaofthepoemfairy.Shehasaverybeautifulgirlishcharacter.ThesamemightbesaidofMiranda,butsheismoresentimental.

“The colour fairies are also most interesting. If you can imagine each colourtransformedintoafairyyoumaygetanideaofwhattheyarelike.Theyareinairyformsanddanceandsinginthetoneoftheircolours.Ihavenotseenanybrownies,asIdonottakesomuchinterestinthedomesticsideofthefairies’life.

“When I was young I had it so much impressed on me that fairies were imaginarybeingsthatIwouldnotbelieveinthem,butwhenIwasaboutfourteenIbegantorealizethem,andnowIlovethem.Perhapsitwasthedeeperstudyoftheartsthatbroughtthemtome.Ihavefeltasympatheticvibrationfor themand theyhavemademefeel thatwewerefriends.Ihavehadagreatdealofhappinessandgoodfortuneinmylife,andperhapsIcanattributesomeofthattothefairies.”

These last examples I owe to Mr. John Lewis, Editor of the PsychicGazette, whocollectedthem.IthinkImayfairlyclaimthatifallofthembeaddedtothosewhichIhavequoted inmyoriginal article, and theseagainbe linkedupwith theCottingleychildrenand photographs,we are in a position to present our casewith some confidence to thepublic.

CHAPTERVIII

THETHEOSOPHICVIEWOFFAIRIES

Of all religions and philosophies in Western lands I know none save that ancientteaching now called Theosophy which has any place in it for elemental forms of life.Therefore,sincewehaveestablishedsomesortofindependentcasefortheirexistence,itiswell thatweshouldexaminecarefullywhat they teachandseehowfar it fits inwithwhatwehavebeenabletogatherortodemonstrate.

Thereisnoonewhohasabetterrighttospeakuponthepointthanmyco-worker,Mr.E.L.Gardner,sincehe isboth thediscovererof thefairiesandaconsiderableauthorityupontheosophicteaching.Iamglad,therefore,tobeabletoincludesomenotesfromhispen.

“Forthemostpart,”hewrites,“amidthebusycommercialismofmoderntimes,thefactof their existence has faded to a shadow, and a most delightful and charming field ofnature study has too long been veiled. In this twentieth century there is promise of theworldsteppingoutofsomeof itsdarkershadows.Maybe it isan indication thatwearereaching thesilver liningof thecloudswhenwefindourselvessuddenlypresentedwithactualphotographsoftheseenchantinglittlecreatures—relegatedlongsincetotherealmoftheimaginaryandfanciful.

“Now,whatarethefairies?

“First,itmustbeclearlyunderstoodthatallthatcanbephotographedmustofnecessitybephysical.Nothingofa subtlerordercould in thenatureof thingsaffect the sensitiveplate. So-called spirit photographs, for instance, imply necessarily a certain degree ofmaterializationbeforethe‘form’couldcomewithintherangeevenofthemostsensitiveof films. But well within our physical octave there are degrees of density that eludeordinaryvision.Justastherearemanystarsintheheavensrecordedbythecamerathatnohumaneyehaseverseendirectly,sothereisavastarrayoflivingcreatureswhosebodiesareofthatraretenuityandsubtletyfromourpointofviewthattheyliebeyondtherangeofournormalsenses.Manychildrenandsensitivesseethem,andhenceourfairylore—allfoundedonactualandnowdemonstrablefact!

“Fairiesusebodiesofadensitythatweshoulddescribe,innon-technicallanguage,asofa lighter thangaseousnature,butweshouldbeentirelywrongifwe thought theminconsequence unsubstantial. In their own way they are as real as we are, and performfunctionsinconnectionwithplantlifeofanimportantandmostfascinatingcharacter.Tohintatonephase—manyareaderwillhaveremarkedonthelastingfreshnessandbeautyofflowerscutandtendedbyoneperson,and,ontheotherhand,theircomparativelyshortlifewheninthecareofanother.Theexplanationistobefoundinthekindlydevotionoftheonepersonandthecomparativeindifferenceoftheother,whichemotionsaffectkeenly

the nature spirits inwhose immediate care the flowers are. Their response to love andtendernessisquicklyevidencedintheircharges.

“Fairiesarenotbornanddonotdieaswedo,thoughtheyhavetheirperiodsofouteractivity and retirement. Allied to the lepidoptera, or butterfly genus, of our familiaracquaintanceratherthantothemammalianline,theypartakeofcertaincharacteristicsthatare obvious. There is little or no mentality awake—simply a gladsome, irresponsiblejoyousness of life that is abundantly in evidence in their enchanting abandon. Thediminutivehumanform,sowidelyassumed,isdoubtlessdue,atleastinagreatmeasure,tothepowerfulinfluenceofhumanthought,thestrongestcreativepowerinourcycle.

“IntheinvestigationsIhavepursuedinYorkshire,theNewForest,andScotland,manyfairy lovers andobservers havebeen interviewed and their accounts compared. Inmostcases I was interested to note that my share in making public the photographs ofCottingleywas theworst sort of introduction imaginable. Few fairy lovers have lookedwithfavouron that.Reproacheshavebeenfrequentandcouched innomeasured terms,forthephotographshavebeenresentedasanunwarrantedintrusionanddesecration.OnlyafterearnestassurancesastomyownattitudecouldIgetfartherandobtainthoseintimateconfidences that Ihavecomparedandcheckedandpieced togetherandamat liberty tonarratehere.

“The function of the nature spirit of woodland, meadow, and garden, indeed inconnectionwithvegetationgenerally, is to furnish thevital connecting linkbetween thestimulating energyof the sun and the rawmaterial of the form.That growthof a plantwhichweregardasthecustomaryandinevitableresultofassociatingthethreefactorsofsun, seed, and soilwouldnever takeplace if the fairy builderswere absent.Wedonotobtain music from an organ by associating the wind, a composer’s score, and theinstrument—thevitallinksuppliedbytheorganist,thoughhemaybeunseen,isneeded—andsimilarlythenaturespiritsareessentialtotheproductionoftheplant.

“THEFAIRYBODY.—Thenormalworkingbodyofthegnomeandfairyisnotofhumannor of any other definite form, and herein lies the explanation of much that has beenpuzzling concerning the nature-spirit kingdom generally. They have no clean-cut shapenormally,andonecanonlydescribethemassmall,hazy,andsomewhatluminouscloudsofcolourwithabrighterspark-likenucleus.Assuchtheycannotbedefinedin termsofformanymorethanonecansodescribeatongueofflame.Insuchabodytheyfilltheiroffice,working inside theplant structure. ‘Magnetic’ is theonlyword that candescribetheir method. Instantly responsive to stimulus, they appear to be influenced from twodirections—thephysicalouter conditionsprevailingandan inner intelligenturge.Thesetwo influences determine their working activity. Some, and these are by far the mostnumerous,workoncellconstructionandorganization,andarecomparativelysmallwhenassuming the human form, being two to three inches high. Others are concernedexclusivelywithrootdevelopmentbelowground,whileothersareapparentlyspecialistsin colour and ‘paint’ the flowers bymeans of the streamingmotion of their cloud-likebodies. There appears to be little trace of any selective or discriminating work doneindividually. They all seem actuated by a common influence that affects them

continuously, and which strongly suggests the same type of instinctive prompting thatmarksthebeeandant.

“THE HUMAN FORM.—Though the nature spirit must be regarded as practicallyirresponsible,livingagladsome,joyous,anddelightfullyuntrammelledlife,eachmemberappearstopossessatleastatemporarydefiniteindividualityattimes,andtorejoiceinit.Thediminutivehumanform—sometimesgrotesque,asinthecaseofbrownieandgnome,sometimes beautifully graceful, as in the surface-fairy variety—if conditions allow, isassumed in a flash. For a while it is retained, and it seems clear that the definite andcomparatively concrete shape affords pleasure above the ordinary. There is noorganizationperceptible,asonemightperhapshastilyinfer.Thecontentofthebodystillappearshomogeneous,thoughsomewhatdenser,andtheshapeof‘human’isusuallyonlyseen when not at work. The nature spirit so clothed indulges in active movement inskipping and dancing gestures and exhibits a gay abandon suggestive of the keenestdelightintheexperience.Itisevidently‘timeoff’andplayforit,thoughitsworkseemscharmingenough.Ifdisturbedoralarmedthechangebacktotheslightlysubtlervehicle,themagneticcloud,isassuddenasthebirth.Whatdeterminestheshapeassumedandhowthetransformationiseffectedisnotclear.Onemayspeculateastotheinfluenceofhumanthought, individual or in themass, and quite probably the explanationwhen foundwillinclude this influence as a factor—but I am intent here not on theorizing, but on anarrativeofobservedhappenings.Onethingisclear—thenature-spiritformisobjective—objective,thatis,inthesenseinwhichweapplythattermtoastone,atree,andahumanbody.

“FAIRY WINGS.—The wings are a feature that one would hardly expect to find inconjunctionwitharms. In this respect the insect type,with its several limbsand twoormorewings,isanearermodel.Butthereisnoarticulationandnovenation,andmoreoverthewingsarenotusedforflying.‘Streamingemanations’istheonlydescriptiononecanapply.Insomevarieties,particularlythesylphs,thestreamerssurroundthebody,asbyaluminousaura sprayed toa featherymist. Iwas told that theearlier andmoreelaborateRedIndianheaddressesmusthavebeeninspiredfromthissource,sosuggestivearethey,thoughthebestofthemarebutpoorcopiesoftheoriginals.

“FOOD.—Thereisnofoodtaken,asweshouldregardit.Nourishment,usuallyabundantandampleforsustenance,isabsorbeddirectlybyarhythmicbreathingorpulse.Resourcetothemagneticbathonoccasionappearstobetheironlyspecialrestorative.Theperfumeofflowersisdelightedin,and,reversely,disagreeableodoursrepel.Thisisoneofmanyreasons,besidestimidity,whyhumansocietyisusuallyavoided,therebeinglittlethatisinvitinginthatconnectionforthem,andmuchthatisobnoxious.

“BIRTH, DEATH, AND SEX.—Any estimate of length of life is misleading, becausecomparison with ourselves cannot be made. There is no real birth nor death, as weunderstandtheterms—simplyagradualemergencefrom,andareturnto,asubtlerstateofbeing.Thisprocesstakessometime,probablyyearsincertainvarieties,andtheirlifeonthedenserlevel,correspondingtoouradultperiod,maybeaslongastheaveragehuman.Thereisnothingdefiniteinallthis,however,exceptthefactofthegradualemergenceand

return. There is no sex, aswe should regard it, though, so far as I can gather, there isdivisionand sub-divisionof ‘body’ at amuch subtler andearlier level than thatusuallysensed.Thisprocessseemstocorrespondtothefissionandbuddingofourfamiliarsimpleanimalcules,withtheaddition,towardstheendofthecycle,offusionorreassemblyintothelargerunit.

“SPEECHANDGESTURE.—Belowthesylphthereappearstobenothing,orverylittle, inthe way of a language of words. Communication is possible by inflexion and gesture,muchasthesamecanbeexercisedwithdomesticanimals.Indeed,therelationofhumanwiththelowernaturespiritsseemstobeaboutonaparwiththatofkittens,puppies,andbirds.Yetthereisabundantevidenceofatonelanguageamongthem.Musicbypipeandflute is common, though to the human ear of the quaintest character—butwhether theinstrument or the voice is the real source I cannot yet determine. The higher orders ofnaturespiritsareaddingmentalitytotheemotionaldevelopment,andspeechwiththemispossible.Theirattitudetoordinaryhumanityisunfriendlyratherthanwelldisposed,andoftenhostile,arisingprobablyfromourutterdisregardoftheamenities.Iambeginningtosee sense and reason in the ‘burnt-offerings’ of yore. Pollution of the atmosphere is ahorrortothesylphsanddeeplyresented.AnancientsayingIhadseensomewherecametomindwhendiscussingthebeautifulair-spiritsandtheirwork:‘Agni(Fire)isthemouthofthe gods!’Our sanitary and burial customs are doubtless still capable of improvement!Onefairyloversaidtomegleefully,‘Ah,well!youwillneverbeabletogetphotographsof thesylphs—theyknowtoomuchforyou!’ Ifwecanestablishfriendlyrelationswiththem,though,theweathermaybeours,ifthatbedesirable!

“CAUSE AND EFFECT.—The dissection and examination of vegetable forms, howeverexhaustive,isbutananalysisofeffects.Noadequatecauseisthereintobefoundanymorethanadissectionofasculpturewilldisclosethecraftsman.Theamazingskillinevidencein the plant kingdom in construction, adaptation, and adornment demand the labour ofworkman,mechanic,andartist.Theirrecognitioninthenaturespiritsfillsthevaguehiatusbetweenthesun’senergyandthematerialwrought.Onourownhumansideofthelinethefindingoftwopiecesofwoodnailedtogetherwouldunmistakablypointtoaworkmanofsorts,yetweareaccustomedtogazewithwonderandadmirationontheexquisitelybuiltformsofawholekingdom,andmurmur ‘evolutionaryprocesses,’or ‘thehandofGod,’accordingtoour temperament.Anagent isnecessaryontheonesideandnolessontheother.

“MODEOFWORKING.—Thefeaturethatwillappealtoeverynatureloverinterestedinthevitalprocessesofplantlifeisthecraftsmanshipofthenature-spiritagent.Aninference,ifitbesimpleenough,oftenescapesus,thoughinthiscasetheexperiencesgatheredofourownhuman labour suggest theanalogyvividly.Ananalogywithadifference,however,forthehiddenmannerofworkofthenaturespiritisinmostrespectstheexactoppositeincharacter to our own. In this physicalworldwe labourwith hands and tools, andworkconsistently on exteriors, always indeed handling and applying our material from theoutside.Addition,accretion,isourconstructivemethod.Wefindourselvesmadethatway,anditisourcharacteristicmodeofapproach.Thenaturespiritsoperatefromtheinterior,workingfromacentreoutwards.Theiraimappearstobetoachieveanever-closertouch

withtheenvironment,andtothatendthedrivingurgeoftheiractivityishowbesttoadaptthemeanstotheirhand.Itiseasytoperceivethecauseofvarietyinnatureinviewofthisstrivingendeavourtoorganizethevehiclethatthenaturespiritsuse,andsogaininendlessways a closer touch. Flower colouring, mimicry, seed protection and distribution,defensiveandaggressivemeasures,all the thousand-and-onedevicesemployed toattainanend,pointtoanintelligenceworkingthroughagentswho,attheirownlevel,areofteninmoreorlessantagonisticrelationwitheachother.Varietyanddifferenceisasmuchinevidence as among humanity, andmakes for that diversity of form and custom thatwefindonoursidesofruitfulofexperience.Inthetillingofthesoilandthecultureofplantlife for our own purposes we have worked intimately together—though unconsciously.The efforts of nature spirits working by themselveswithout our assistance produce thewild flowers and berries of our woodlands and meadows, while partnership with thehumanyieldsarecordofcultivatedcereal,flower,andfruit,immenselyricher.

“PLANT CONSCIOUSNESS.—The relation of the nature spirit to the consciousnessfunctioning through thevegetablekingdomgenerally is an interesting study too, for thetwainappearquiteseparate.Thismightperhapsbelikenedtotherôlerespectivelyofcrewandpassenger inaship.Theslumbering,oratbest slowlyawakening,consciousnessoftheplant,makesofitlittlemorethananidletraveller,whereasthenaturespirits,alertandactive, attend to the upkeep and navigation of the craft, and the voyage through thekingdommeansagrowthanddevelopmentforboth.

“THEFUTURE.—Whatmight follow an intelligent understanding of the ‘little people,’andtheestablishmentofmutualgoodfeeling,opensupaprospectalluringintheextreme.Itwouldbe forusaworking in the light insteadof indarkness.Aforetasteofsuchco-operationmaybegatheredbynotingtheeffectofadevotedloverofflowersonhisorhercharges.Thenaturespiritrespondstoemotionandappearskeenlyappreciativeofkindlyattention and affection. Whether this applies with any force to any but the varietiesconcerned with flowers and fruits I cannot say, but it certainly does to them, and theintelligentdirectionofeffortinplaceofempiricalincidenttemptsone’sspeculationtorunriotastofuturepossibilities.

“Theawakened self-consciousnessof thehumankingdom,with avigorousmentalitylinkedtokindlyemotionandphysicalaction,mayenableanages-olddebttobeadjusted.We have served the nature-spirit line of evolution consciously not at all, but byunderstandingthesituationwecanco-operatetogetherintelligentlyandhelpfully,andtheserviceofboth tomutualadvantagecan take theplaceofblindexperimentandgropingself-interest.”—E.L.G.

IntheliteratureofTheosophy,Iknownoonewhotreatstheelementalforcesofnaturemore fully than Bishop Leadbeater, whom I met in my Australian travels, and whoimpressed me by his venerable appearance, his ascetic habits, and his claims to aremarkableclairvoyancywhichhas,ashealleges,openedupmanyoftheArcana.InhisbookTheHiddenSideofThingshetalksveryfullyofthefairiesofmanylands.

Dealingwith the little creatureswhom somanyofmy informants have seen tendingflowers,theseersays:

“The little creatures that look after flowers may be divided into two great classes,thoughofcourse therearemanyvarietiesof eachkind.The first classmayproperlybecalled elementals, for, beautiful though they are, they are in reality only thought-forms,and therefore theyarenot really living creatures at all.Perhaps I should rather say thattheyareonlytemporarylivingcreatures,for,thoughtheyareveryactiveandbusyduringtheirlittlelives,theyhavenorealevolving,reincarnatinglifeinthem,andwhentheyhavedone their work they just go to pieces and dissolve into the surrounding atmosphere,preciselyasourownthought-formsdo.Theyarethethought-formsoftheGreatBeings,orangels,whoareinchargeoftheevolutionofthevegetablekingdom.

“When one of theseGreatOnes has a new idea connectedwith one of the kinds ofplants or flowers which are under his charge, he often creates a thought-form for thespecial purpose of carrying out that idea. It usually takes the form either of an ethericmodelofthefloweritselforofalittlecreaturewhichhangsroundtheplantortheflowerall throughthe timethat thebudsareforming,andgraduallybuilds theminto theshapeandcolourofwhichtheangelhasthought.Butassoonastheplanthasfullygrown,ortheflowerhasopened,itsworkisoveranditspowerisexhausted,and,asIhavesaid,itjustsimplydissolves,becausethewilltodothatpieceofworkwastheonlysoulthatithad.

“Butthereisquiteanotherkindoflittlecreaturewhichisveryfrequentlyseenplayingaboutwithflowers,andthistimeitisarealnaturespirit.Therearemanyvarietiesofthesealso. One of the commonest forms is, as I have said, something very much like ahumming-bird,anditmayoftenbeseenbuzzingroundtheflowersmuchinthesamewayas a humming-bird or a bee does. These beautiful little creatures will never becomehuman,becausetheyarenotinthesamelineofevolutionasweare.Thelifewhichisnowanimatingthemhascomeupthroughgrassesandcereals,suchaswheatandoats,whenitwasinthevegetablekingdom,afterwardsthroughantsandbeeswhenitwasintheanimalkingdom.Nowithasreachedthelevelofthesetinynaturespirits,anditsnextstagewillbetoensoulsomeofthebeautifulfairieswithethericbodieswholiveuponthesurfaceoftheearth.Lateron theywillbecomesalamanders,or firespirits,and laterstill theywillbecomesylphs,orairspirits,havingonlyastralbodiesinsteadofetheric.Laterstilltheywillpassthroughthedifferentstagesofthegreatkingdomoftheangels.”

Speakingofthenationalcharacteristicsoffairies,hesayswithalltheassuranceofanactualobserver(page97):

“Nocontrast couldwell bemoremarked than that between thevivacious, rollicking,orange-and-purple or scarlet-and-gold mannikins who dance among the vineyards ofSicilyandthealmostwistfulgrey-and-greencreatureswhomovesomuchmoresedatelyamidsttheoaksandfurze-coveredheathsinBrittany,orthegolden-brown‘goodpeople’whohauntthehillsidesofScotland.

“InEnglandtheemerald-greenkindisprobablythecommonest,andIhaveseenitalsointhewoodsinFranceandBelgium,infar-awayMassachusetts,andonthebanksoftheNiagaraRiver. The vast plains of theDakotas are inhabited by a black-and-white kindwhich I have not seen elsewhere, and California rejoices in a lovely white-and-goldspecieswhichalsoappearstobeunique.

“In Australia the most frequent type is a very distinctive creature of a wonderfulluminoussky-bluecolour;butthereisawidediversitybetweentheethericinhabitantsofNew SouthWales or Victoria and those of tropical Northern Queensland. These latterapproximate closely to those of theDutch Indies. Java seems specially prolific in thesegraceful creatures, and the kinds most common there are two distinct types, bothmonochromatic—oneindigobluewithfaintmetallicgleamings,andtheotherastudyinallknownshadesofyellow—quaint,butwonderfullyeffectiveandattractive.

“Astrikinglocalvarietyisgaudilyringedwithalternatebarsofgreenandyellow,likeafootballjersey.Thisringedtypeispossiblyaracepeculiartothatpartoftheworld,forIsawredandyellowsimilarlyarrangedintheMalayPeninsula,andgreenandwhiteontheothersideoftheStraitsinSumatra.ThathugeislandalsorejoicesinthepossessionofalovelypaleheliotropetribewhichIhaveseenbeforeonlyinthehillsofCeylon.DowninNewZealandtheirspecialityisadeepblueshotwithsilver,whileintheSouthSeaIslandsone meets with a silvery-white variety, which coruscates with all the colours of therainbow,likeafigureofmother-of-pearl.

“In India we find all sorts, from the delicate rose-and-pale-green, or pale-blue-and-primrose of the hill-country to the richmedley of gorgeously gleaming colours, almostbarbaric in their intensity and profusion, which is characteristic of the plains. In somepartsofthatmarvellouscountryIhaveseentheblack-and-goldtypewhichismoreusuallyassociatedwiththeAfricandesert,andalsoaspecieswhichresemblesastatuettemadeoutofagleamingcrimsonmetal,suchaswastheorichalcumoftheAtlanteans.

“Somewhat akin to this last is a curious variety which looks as though cast out ofbronze and burnished; it appears tomake its home in the immediate neighbourhood ofvolcanicdisturbances,sincetheonlyplacesinwhichithasbeenseensofararetheslopesofVesuviusandEtna,theinteriorofJava,theSandwichIslands,theYellowstoneParkinNorthAmerica,andacertainpartoftheNorthIslandofNewZealand.Severalindicationsseemtopointtotheconclusionthatthisisasurvivalofaprimitivetype,andrepresentsasortofintermediatestagebetweenthegnomeandthefairy.

“In some cases, districts close together are found to be inhabited by quite differentclassesofnaturespirits; forexample,ashasalreadybeenmentioned, theemerald-greenelvesarecommoninBelgium,yetahundredmilesawayinHollandhardlyoneofthemistobeseen,andtheirplaceistakenbyasober-lookingdark-purplespecies.”

VeryinterestingindeedishisaccountoftheIrishfairies.SpeakingofasacredmountaininIreland,hesays:

“A curious fact is that altitude above the sea-level seems to affect their distribution,thosewhobelongtothemountainsscarcelyeverinterminglingwiththoseoftheplains.Iwell remember, when climbing Slieve-na-mon, one of the traditionally sacred hills ofIreland,noticing theverydefinite linesofdemarcationbetween thedifferent types.Thelower slopes, like the surrounding plains, were alive with the intensely active andmischievouslittlered-and-blackracewhichswarmsalloverthesouthandwestofIreland,beingespeciallyattracted to themagneticcentresestablishednearly two thousandyearsagobythemagic-workingpriestsoftheoldMilesianracetoensureandperpetuatetheir

domination over the people by keeping them under the influence of the great illusion.Afterhalfanhour’sclimbing,however,notoneof thesered-and-blackgentrywastobeseen,but instead thehill-sidewaspopulouswith thegentlerblue-and-browntypewhichlongagoowedspecialallegiancetotheTuatha-de-Danaan.

“Thesealsohadtheirzoneandtheirwell-definedlimits,andnonaturespiritofeithertypeeverventuredtotrespassuponthespaceroundthesummit,sacredtothegreatgreenangelswho havewatched there formore than two thousand years, guarding one of thecentresoflivingforcethatlinkthepasttothefutureofthatmysticlandofErin.Tallerfarthantheheightofman,thesegiantforms,incolourlikethefirstnewleavesofspring,soft,luminous,shimmering,indescribable, lookforthovertheworldwithwondrouseyesthatshine likestars, fullof thepeaceof thosewholive in theeternal,waitingwith thecalmcertainty of knowledge until the appointed time shall come.One realizes very fully thepowerandimportanceofthehiddensideofthingswhenonebeholdssuchaspectacleasthat.”

Forfullerinformationthereadermaywellbereferredtotheoriginal,publishedbytheTheosophicalPublishingHouse.Thebook isastorehouseofknowledgeuponalloccultmatters, and certainly the details concerning the fairies fit in remarkablywell with theinformationfromothersources.

I have now laid before the reader the full circumstances in connectionwith the fivesuccessfulphotographstakenatCottingley.Ihaveaddedtheexperienceofaclairvoyantofficer in the company of the girls upon the third and unsuccessful attempt to getphotographs. I have analysed someof the criticismwhichwehavehad tomeet. I havegiven the reader the opportunity of judging the evidence for a considerable number ofalleged cases, collected before and after the Cottingley incident. Finally, I have placedbeforehimthegeneraltheoryoftheplaceincreationofsuchcreatures,asdefinedbytheonlysystemofthoughtwhichhasfoundroomforthem.Havingreadandweighedallthis,theinvestigatorisinasstrongapositionasMr.Gardnerormyself,andeachmustgivehisownverdict.Idonotmyselfcontendthattheproofisasoverwhelmingasinthecaseofspiritualisticphenomena.Wecannotcalluponthebrightestbrainsinthescientificworld,theCrookes,theLodges,ortheLombrosos,forconfirmation.Butthatalsomaycome,andforthepresent,whilemoreevidencewillbewelcome,thereisenoughalreadyavailabletoconvinceanyreasonableman that thematter isnotonewhichcanbereadilydismissed,butthatacaseactuallyexistswhichuptonowhasnotbeenshakenintheleastdegreebyanyofthecriticismdirectedagainstit.Farfrombeingresented,suchcriticism,solongasit is earnest andhonest,mustbemostwelcome to thosewhoseonlyaim is the fearlesssearchfortruth.

FOOTNOTES

[1]FromthistimeonwardstherealnameWrightisusedinsteadofCarpenterasintheoriginalarticle—thefamilyhavingwithdrawntheirobjection.

Transcriber’sNote:

Obviousprintingmistakeshavebeencorrected.Both“air-spirits”and“airspirits”wereusedinthisbook.Page13,“every”changedto“ever”(“hoaxeverplayedupon”).Page40,“prima-facie”changedto“primafacie.”

Possibleerrorsretainedinthisbook:

Page150,“time-rutted.”Page166,“Oxeford.”

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