Madame de Staël.

At the session of the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies, of September 28, 1858, the Spirit Madame de Staël communicated spontaneously and without being called, through the hand of Miss E…, a psychographic medium, dictating the page that follows:

To live is to suffer; yes, but does hope not accompany suffering? Has God not placed in the hand of the unfortunate a greater dose of hope? As a child, sorrow and disappointment accompany birth; but ahead of it marches hope, which says: Advance; the goal is happiness; God is merciful.

Why – ask the strong spirits – why come to teach us a new religion, when Christ established the foundations of so grand a charity, of so true a happiness? It is not our intention to modify what the great reformer taught. No; we come only to reaffirm our conscience, to increase our hopes. The more man civilizes himself, the more he should have confidence and the more need we still have to sustain him. We do not claim to change the face of the Universe, we have come to help make it better; and if in this century we did not come to the aid of man, he would be very unhappy, through the lack of confidence and of hope. Yes, wise man, who read in others, who seek to know what little concerns you and push away that which interests you, open your eyes and do not despair; do not say that nothingness can be possible when, in your heart, you ought to feel the contrary. Come and take a seat at this table and wait, for at it you will be instructed regarding your future and you will be happy. Here there is bread for all: you will develop your Spirit, you will nourish your body, you will soothe your sufferings and you will make life flower, embellishing it with hope, in order to make it more bearable. Staël. n Remark. – The Spirit was alluding to the table where the mediums were.

Question, and I will answer your questions.

Because we did not foresee your visit, we have not prepared a subject.

Answer. – I know perfectly well that particular questions cannot be answered by me; but how many things of a general character can be asked, even of a woman who had a little wit and now has much heart!

At that moment, a lady who was attending the session seemed to faint; but it was no more than a kind of ecstasy that, far from being painful, was very agreeable to her. They offered to magnetize her; then, the Spirit Madame de Staël said spontaneously: No; leave her in peace; it is necessary that the influence exercise its action.” Then, addressing that lady: “Have confidence, a heart watches near you; it wishes to speak with you; the day will come… let us not hasten the emotions.” The Spirit who was communicating through that lady, and who was that of her sister, then wrote spontaneously: “I will return.”

Addressing that lady again, Madame de Staël wrote: “A word of consolation to a heart that suffers. Why these woman's tears for a sister? These incursions into the past, when all your thoughts ought to turn toward the future? Your heart suffers, your soul has need to expand. Well then! Let these tears be of relief, and not originating from remorse! She who loves you and for whom you weep is happy and blessed! Hope to be reunited with her, one day. You do not see her; yet, for her there exists no separation, since she is constantly near you.”

Could you tell us what you presently think of your writings?

Answer. – A single word will enlighten you. If I returned and could begin again, I would modify two thirds and keep only one.

Would you consent to reveal the things that you disapprove of?

Answer. – It is not too much of a demand, for that which is not just other writers will change: I was too masculine for a woman.

What was the first cause of the virile character that you demonstrated when you lived?

Answer. – That depends on the phase of our existence.

At the following session, of October 12, the following questions were put to her through Mr. D…, a psychographic medium.

The other day you came to us spontaneously, through Miss E… What motive led you to favor us with your presence, without our having evoked you?

Answer. – The sympathy that I have for all of you; it is, at the same time, the fulfillment of a duty that is imposed on me in my present existence, or rather, in my transitory existence, since I am called to live again; moreover, it is the destiny of all Spirits.

Do you prefer to appear spontaneously or to be evoked?

Answer. – I prefer to be evoked, for it is a proof that they think of me; but you know, too, that it is agreeable to a freed Spirit to be able to converse with the spirit of man; that is why you should not be astonished to have seen me arrive so suddenly among you.

Is there an advantage in evoking Spirits, instead of waiting for them to come when they wish?

Answer. – In evoking them you have a goal in view; in letting them come spontaneously, you run the risk of obtaining communications imperfect in many respects, because the bad ones come just as well as the good.

Have you already communicated in other circles?

Answer. – Yes; but they have made me appear more than I would have liked; that is to say, they frequently take my name.

Would you have the kindness to return some times and dictate to us some of your beautiful thoughts? We would have pleasure in reproducing them, with a view to general instruction.

Answer. – Willingly; I come with pleasure among those who work seriously to instruct themselves. My coming the other day is a proof of this.

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[v. Staël.]