Different natures of manifestations.

— The Spirits attest their presence in diverse ways, according to their aptitude, will, and greater or lesser degree of elevation. All the phenomena with which we shall have occasion to occupy ourselves are naturally connected with one or another of these modes of communication. To facilitate the understanding of the facts, we believe, therefore, that we ought to open the series of our articles with a survey of the forms of manifestations. They may be summarized thus: 1st Occult action, when they have nothing ostensible about them. Such, for example, are inspirations or suggestions of thoughts, inner warnings, the influence upon events, etc.

2nd Patent action or manifestation, when it is perceptible in some way.

3rd Physical or material manifestations: these are those that are translated into perceptible phenomena, such as noises, the movement and displacement of objects. These manifestations frequently carry no direct meaning; their only aim is to draw attention to some thing and to convince us of the presence of an extra-human power. 4th Visual manifestations or apparitions, when the Spirit shows itself under some form, possessing nothing of the known properties of matter.

5th Intelligent manifestations, when they reveal a thought. Every manifestation that comports a meaning, even when it is no more than a simple movement or noise; that betokens a certain freedom of action; that responds to a thought or obeys a will, is an intelligent manifestation. They exist in every degree.

6th Communications are intelligent manifestations whose object is the exchange of ideas between man and the Spirits.

— The nature of the communications varies according to the degree of elevation or inferiority, of learning or ignorance, of the Spirit that manifests, and according to the nature of the subject in question. They may be: frivolous, coarse, serious, or instructive.

Frivolous communications emanate from light, mocking, and mischievous Spirits, more malicious than evil, who attach no importance to what they say.

Coarse communications are translated into expressions that shock decorum. They proceed only from inferior Spirits or from those who have not yet stripped themselves of all the impurities of matter.

Serious communications are grave as to the subject and the manner in which they are made. The language of the higher Spirits is always dignified and free from any triviality. Every communication that excludes frivolity and coarseness, and that has a useful aim, even of a private interest, is, for that very reason, serious. Instructive communications are the serious communications whose principal object is some teaching, given by the Spirits on the sciences, morality, philosophy, etc. They are more or less profound and more or less true, according to the degree of elevation and dematerialization of the Spirit. To draw a real benefit from these communications, it is necessary that they be regular and followed with perseverance. The serious Spirits attach themselves to those who wish to instruct themselves and second them, while they leave to the light Spirits, with their jests, the task of amusing those who see in these manifestations nothing but a passing diversion. Only through the regularity and frequency of the communications can one appreciate the moral and intellectual worth of the Spirits with whom we converse, as well as the degree of confidence they merit. If experience is needed to judge men, still more will it be needed to judge Spirits.