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ThisbookcontainsreproductionsofthefamousCottingleyphotographs,andgivesthewholeoftheevidenceinconnectionwiththem.ThediligentreaderisinalmostasgoodapositionasIamtoformajudgmentupontheauthenticityofthepictures.Thisnarrativeisnotaspecialpleaforthatauthenticity,butissimplyacollectionoffactstheinferencesfromwhichmaybeacceptedorrejectedasthereadermaythinkfit.
Iwouldwarnthecritic,however,nottobeledawaybythesophistrythatbecausesomeprofessionaltrickster,aptatthegameofdeception,canproduceasomewhatsimilareffect,thereforetheoriginalswereproducedinthesameway.Therearefewrealitieswhichcannotbeimitated,andtheancientargumentthatbecauseconjurersontheirownpreparedplatesorstagescanproducecertainresults,thereforesimilarresultsobtainedbyuntrainedpeopleundernaturalconditionsarealsofalse,issurelydiscountedbytheintelligentpublic.
Iwouldaddthatthiswholesubjectoftheobjectiveexistenceofasubhumanformoflifehasnothingtodowiththelargerandfarmorevitalquestionofspiritualism.Ishouldbesorryifmyargumentsinfavourofthelattershouldbeinanywayweakenedbymyexpositionofthisverystrangeepisode,whichhasreallynobearinguponthecontinuedexistenceoftheindividual... |
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