in vain for strong, new thought, worthy of Intelligences freed from
the prison of the flesh. The communications of a loftier kind
occasionally granted are, for the most part, from non-human
Intelligences, attracted by the pure atmosphere of the medium or
sitters.

And there is an ever-present danger in this commerce with the Shells.
Just because they are Shells, and nothing more, they answer to the
impulses that strike on them from without, and easily become malicious
and mischievous, automatically responding to evil vibrations. Thus a
medium, or sitters of poor moral character, will impress the Shells
that flock around them with impulses of a low order, and any animal
desires, petty and foolish thoughts, will set up similar vibrations in
the blindly responsive Shells.

Again, the Shell is very easily taken possession of by Elementals, the
semi-conscious forces working in the kingdoms of Nature, and may be
used by them as a convenient vehicle for many a prank and trick. The
etheric double of the medium, and the desire bodies emptied of their
immortal Tenants, give the material basis by which Elementals can work
many a curious and startling result; and frequenters of _séances_ may
be confidently appealed to, and asked whether many of the childish
freaks with which they are familiar--pullings of hair, pinchings,
slaps, throwing about of objects, piling up of furniture, playing on
accordions, &c.--are not more rationally accounted for as the tricky
vagaries of sub-human forces, than as the actions of "spirits" who,
while in the body, were certainly incapable of such vulgarities.

Let us leave the Shells alone to peacefully dissolve into their
elements, and mingle once again in the crucible of Nature. The authors