A mediumistic painting at the Constantinople Exhibition.

— The president of the Spiritist Society of Constantinople, honorary member of the Spiritist Society of Paris, writes us the following, dated this past May 22:

“Dear Mr. Allan Kardec and Spiritist brother, “For a long time I have intended to give you my news, but do not believe that, on account of this, there is any inertia in the Spiritist propaganda; on the contrary, there is more activity than ever. Believe that everywhere, in this country wholly fanaticized and regimented into sects, Spiritism encounters obstacles that perhaps exist nowhere else, but whose roots are so alive and so productive that, in spite of everything, they penetrate little by little and will end up giving rise to vigorous shoots, which no human power will be able to fell. Constantinople already counts numerous adepts of Spiritism and, I can affirm, in the highest classes of society. I have only noticed that each one withdraws into himself, for fear of compromising himself. “Allow me to cite a fact that is happening here, and which shows to what extent Spiritism insinuates itself: it is that several booksellers who acquired Spiritist books, notably The Spirits’ Book and The Mediums’ Book, sold them immediately; and to whom? we do not know, we Spiritists who are known and avowed in the eyes of all. We are certain of the fact, to which I call your attention, because, when one of us wishes to buy your works, the bookseller answers: “I received them and sold them immediately.” We ask ourselves who monopolizes these works, as soon as they are unpacked, and this to such a point that our own people, when they wish to acquire them, can no longer find them? “Here now is another piece of news that, certainly, will not interest you any less:

“Our friend and Spiritist brother Paul Lambardo, a draftsman medium, of whom I sent you some flowers, executed a watercolor representing a beautiful bouquet of flowers, among which the connoisseurs refer principally to a velvety poppy-dahlia of a magnificent effect; all the other flowers, roses, carnations, tulips, lilies, camellias, daisies, poppies, cornflowers, pansies, etc., are of a perfect delicacy and naturalness. I encouraged him to present the painting at the Ottoman National Exhibition, presently open, and the painting was admitted with this inscription: MEDIUMISTIC DRAWING.

Executed by Paul Lambardo, of Constantinople, to whom the arts of drawing and painting are completely unknown.

“At the moment the painting figures in a notable manner in the palace of the Exhibition, to the right of the place reserved for paintings and engravings. Its price was set at 20 Turkish pounds or 460 francs. Note that this is a fact that can be authentically confirmed by thousands of persons.

“I receive letters from various points of Europe, of Asia, and of Africa, but I am sparing of answers, except to encourage the serious and deepened study of our great and beautiful science; then, I always refer to your excellent works The Spirits’ Book and The Mediums’ Book.

“We always have meetings for the physical experiments and for the psychological studies. Although the former almost always tire us, we cannot abandon them completely, since they serve to convince certain incredulous persons, who want to see and touch.

“I beg you to present to the Spiritist Society of Paris the respectful and fraternal greetings of our Spiritist brothers of Constantinople and, in particular, of this one who also calls himself your very devoted Spiritist brother.”

Repos Junior.

Lawyer.

— The significant fact of the exhibition of Mr. Lambardo’s painting in Constantinople, although ostensibly presented as a mediumistic product, is the counterpart of the Spiritist fables awarded prizes at the Floral Games of Toulouse. It was said elsewhere that if the Academy of Toulouse had known the origin of these fables, it would have refused them. This is to do it the grossest injury; it is, moreover, to forget that the materials sent to these kinds of competitions must bear no signature, nor any sign that could reveal the author, under penalty of exclusion. Thus, Mr. Jaubert likewise could not affix his own nor that of a Spirit, nor even say that they proceeded from a Spirit, because he would have violated the law of the competition, which demands the most absolute secrecy. This is the answer to those who accuse Mr. Jaubert of having made use of trickery, by being silent about the provenance of these fables. Be that as it may, at the two extremities of Europe an official sanction is given to productions from beyond the grave. Such facts would suffice to demonstrate the irresistible force of Spiritism, if, besides this, it had not made evident to all what is happening before our eyes, for some years now, and through the uselessness of the efforts that are made to combat it. And why are such efforts useless? Because, as we have said, it has a character that distinguishes it from all philosophical doctrines: that of not having a single focus, nor of depending on the life of any man. Its focus is everywhere, on Earth and in space; and if they create obstacles for it in one corner, it arises in another. Because, as the Spiritist Society of Palermo says, it affirms itself by facts that everyone can experience, and by a theory that has its roots in the intimate sense of each one. To stifle it, it would not suffice to compress one point of the globe, a village, a city, nor even a country, but the entire globe. Even so, it would be only a momentary halt, because the generation that arises bears within itself the intuition of the new ideas which, sooner or later, it will cause to prevail. See what is happening in a neighboring country, where they place upon these ideas a bell jar of lead and from where, nevertheless, they escape through all the cracks. [see The Spirits in Spain.]