The “Bridge Which is between Physical and Psychical Research”: William Fletcher Barrett,Sensitive Flames,and Spiritualism

Barrett W. F. , notes on a Tyndall lecture, c. 1865, Barrett Papers, Royal Society Library, MSS. 377 (henceforth WFB-RS), f. 155.

Barrett W. F. , “Science and spiritualism”, Light, xiv (1894), 539–40, 559–61, 571–2, 583–5, 595–7, p. 571. Barrett's emphasis.

Besterman T. , “In memoriam: Sir William Fletcher Barrett”, Occult review, xxxii (1925), 13–15, p. 13; Haynes R. , The Society for Psychical Research 1882–1982: A history (London, 1982), 185.

Barrett W. F. , “Some reminiscences of fifty years of psychical research”, Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research (henceforth PSPR), xxxiv (1923–24), 275–97, p. 281.

Barrett to Lodge, 20 November c. 1900, Lodge Papers, Society for Psychical Research archive, Cambridge University Library (henceforth OJL-CUL), SPR.MS.35/155.

Lightman B. , The origins of agnosticism: Victorian unbelief and the limits of knowledge (Baltimore, 1987), 146–76; Barton R. , “John Tyndall, pantheist: A rereading of the Belfast address”, Osiris, iii (1987), 111–34; and Kim S. S. , John Tyndall's transcendental materialism and the conflict between religion and science in Victorian England (Lewiston, New York, 1996).

Barton , op. cit. (ref. 7), 134.

Tyndall J. , “The scientific use of the imagination”, in Tyndall, Fragments of science: A series of detached essays, addresses, and reviews, 6th edn (2 vols, London, 1879), ii, 101–37, p. 133; Barrett W. F. , “Dynamic thought”, Humanitarian, vii (1895), 241–8, p. 247.

Oppenheim J. , The other world: Spiritualism and psychical research in Britain 1850–1914 (Cambridge, 1985), 355–71.

For the Physical Society see Moseley R. , “Tadpoles and frogs: Some aspects of the professionalisation of British physics, 1870–1939”, Social studies of science, vii (1977), 423–46, and Gooday G. , “Teaching telegraphy and electrotechnics in the physics laboratory: William Ayrton and the creation of an academic space for electrical engineering in Britain 1873–1884”, History of technology, xiii (1991), 73–111, pp. 83–84.

Turner F. M. , Contesting cultural authority: Essays in Victorian intellectual life (Cambridge, 1993), 151–200.

Smith C. , The science of energy: A cultural history of energy physics in Victorian Britain (London, 1998), 170–91.

For ‘public science’ see Turner , op. cit. (ref. 11), 201–28.

Barrett W. F. , “The spiritual significance of nature”, Contemporary review, cv (1914), 791–9, p. 791, and Barrett , “Science and spiritualism” (ref. 2), 597.

For the history of the early SPR see Gauld A. , The founders of psychical research (London, 1968); Cerullo J. J. , The secularisation of the soul: Psychical research in modern Britain (Philadelphia, 1982); and Williams J. P. , “The making of Victorian psychical research: An intellectual elite's approach to the spirit world”, unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Cambridge, 1984.

Luckhurst R. , The invention of telepathy (Oxford, 2002), 60–114.

For Barrett W. G. see Register of missionaries, deputations etc, 4th edn (London. 1923), 315. Barrett's natural historical interests are suggested by Barrett W. F. , “Vultures and cotton trees of Jamaica”, Recreative science: A record and remembrancer of intellectual observation, iii (1861–62), 193–6.

For Barrett's Christianity see Campbell R. J. , “Foreword”, in Barrett F. (ed.), Personality survives death: Messages from Sir William Barrett (London, 1937), pp. v–xvi, p. vii.

Barrett W. G. , New sketches and skeletons of sermons, devout and practical (London, 1859), 247; ibid., Emigration, in its moral and religious aspects: A sermon (London, [1852]), 15–16.

Barrett W. G. , Geological facts: Or, the crust of the Earth, what it is and what it was (London, 1855), 6.

Barrett W. F. , “Glaciers and ice”, Popular science review, v (1866), 41–54, p. 41.

Barrett , “The spiritual significance” (ref. 14), 791.

[Anon.], Barrett W. F. , Light, xiii (1894), 439–41, pp. 439–40; [ Shirley R. ], “Notes of the month”, Occult review, xlii (1925), 1–12, p. 9.

Barrett's position officially began in January 1864: See The archives of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. In facsimile. Minutes of managers' meeting 1799–1900 (15 vols, Menston, 1971–76), vols xi-xii, 32. However, he seems to have begun working for Tyndall in an unofficial capacity on 1 October 1863: Faraday M. , “Helps Notebook”, Faraday Papers, Royal Institution, F5C, p. 22.

For the mid-Victorian Royal Institution see Forgan S. , “Tyndall at the Royal Institution”, in Brock W. H. McMillan N. D. Mollan R. C. (eds), John Tyndall: Essays on a natural philosopher (Dublin, 1981), 49–60, and Howard J. , “‘Physics and fashion’: John Tyndall and his audiences in mid-Victorian Britain” (forthcoming).

Barrett W. F. , “Gladstone's life of Faraday”, Nature, vi (1872), 410–13, p. 412; Barrett to Poynting J. H. , 6 March 1911, Poynting Papers, Birmingham University Library, Physics 30/8, Folder A30.

For Tyndall see refs 6 and 25.

Tyndall , “Matter and force [1867]”, in Tyndall , Fragments (ref. 8), ii, 53–74, p. 72.

For the X-Club see Barton R. , “‘An influential set of chaps’: The X-Club and Royal Society politics 1864–85”, The British journal for the history of science, xxiii (1990), 53–81.

Draft of letter from Tyndall to Jones H. B. , 4 February 1866, Tyndall Journal VIIIa (1858–1871), Tyndall Papers, Royal Institution, ff. 366–368, f. 368.

Tyndall J. , “On calorescence”, Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London, clvi (1866), 1–24.

For Tyndall's molecular physics see Yamalidou M. , “John Tyndall: The rhetorician of molecularity”, Notes and records of the Royal Society of London, liii (1999), 231–42, 319–31.

Tyndall J. , Heat a mode of motion, 3rd edn (London, 1868), 392. Tyndall's emphasis.

Barrett W. F. , “On a physical analysis of human breath”, Philosophical magazine, xxviii (1864), 108–21.

Tyndall , “Radiation [1865]”, in Tyndall , Fragments (ref. 8), i, 28–73, p. 73; Barrett W. F. , “Light and sound: An examination of their reputed analogy”, Quarterly journal of science, i (1870), 1–16, p. 7.

Barrett , “Light” (ref. 35), 6.

Barrett , “Glaciers” (ref. 21), 41; Barrett W. F. , “On musical and sensitive flames”, Chemical news, xvii (1868), 220–2, p. 221.

Tyndall , op. cit. (ref. 31), 24.

Barrett William Fletcher , “Dr. Arnott's natural philosophy”, Reader, v (1865), 432–3.

For Tyndall and the Reader see Macleod Roy , “Seeds of competition”, Nature, ccxxiv (1969), 431–4.

Barrett , “Dr. Arnott's natural philosophy” (ref. 39), 432–3.

Barrett to Jones H. B. , 30 April 1866, Royal Institution: General Papers, Royal Institution, RI CG 1e/1.

Tyndall, entry for 17 February 1866, Tyndall Journal VIIIa, Tyndall Papers, Royal Institution, ff. 375–388.

Tyndall J. , “On sounding and sensitive flames”, Philosophical magazine, xxxiii (1867), 92–99, p. 96.

Barrett to Jones H. B. , op. cit. (ref. 42). For the London International College see Bibby C. , “A Victorian experiment in international education: The college at Spring Grove”, British journal of educational studies, v (1956), 23–56.

Tyndall , op. cit. (ref. 44).

Barrett W. F. , “Note on ‘sensitive flames’”, Philosophical magazine, xxxiii (1867), 216–20, p. 216.

Barrett , “Note on ‘sensitive flames’” (ref. 47), 219–20.

See, for example, Tyndall , Sound: A course of eight lectures delivered at the Royal Institution of Great Britain (London, 1867), 217–54.

Tyndall , op. cit. (ref. 44), 99.

Barrett W. F. , “On sensitive flames”, Philosophical magazine, xxxiii (1867), 287–90, p. 287.

Barrett W. F. , “On sensitive flames”, Popular science review, vi (1867), 154–66, p. 157.

Rayleigh Lord , “Acoustical observations. II”, Philosophical magazine, v (1879), 149–62, p. 153; Rayleigh Lord , The theory of sound (2 vols, London, 1877–96), ii, 376–414.

Barrett , “On musical and sensitive flames” (ref. 37), 222.

Barrett , “On sensitive flames” (ref. 52), 162, 165. Barrett was citing Huxley T. H. , “On the present state of knowledge as to the structure and functions of nerve [1854]”, Proceedings of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, ii (1854–58), 432–7, p. 437.

See Ball W. V. , Reminiscences and letters of Sir Robert Ball (London, 1915), 86, and Ball R. to Barrett , 9 October 1873, WFB-RS, f. 10.

The annual of the Royal School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, 1871–1872 (2 vols in 1, London, 1871–72), i, 91. Barrett also helped run the Department's summer schools for the booming number of science teachers: [Anon.], The Physical Society of London 1874–1924: Proceedings at the jubilee celebration meeting, March 20, 21, and 22 1924 (London, 1924), 14. Tyndall claimed that he had helped Barrett's career after the RI in Tyndall to L. Playfair, 17 July 1879, typescript in Tyndall Correspondence Volume III, Tyndall Papers, Royal Institution, f. 1000.

Tyndall , “On the study of physics”, in Tyndall , Fragments (ref. 8), i, 333–55, p. 349, and Barrett William Fletcher , “Practical physics”, Nature, xi (1875), 482–5, p. 482 (Barrett's emphasis).

For Guthrie, Foster and practical physics teaching see Gooday Graeme , “Precision measurement and the genesis of physics teaching laboratories in Victorian Britain”, The British journal for the history of science, xxiii (1990), 25–51. On the Physical Society see Gooday , op. cit. (ref. 10).

For the RCSI see Barrett W. F. , An historical sketch of the Royal College of Science (Dublin, 1907); Woodworm W. Gorman M. , The College of Science for Ireland: Its origin and development (Dublin, 1923); Kelham B. , “The Royal College of Science for Ireland (1867–1926)”, Studies, lvi (1967), 297–309; and Whyte N. , Science, colonialism and Ireland (Cork, 1999), 101–19, 136–46.

Barrett , An historical sketch (ref. 60), 7.

Ball to Barrett , op. cit. (ref. 56).

This is based on Kelham , op. cit. (ref. 60), 303, Barrett , An historical sketch (ref. 60), 12–13, and analyses of the Report of the Science and Art Department for the period 1874–99 and the Annual report of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for the period 1901–10.

For Barrett's complaints about laboratory space see Barrett , An historical sketch (ref. 60), 10–11. The problems of space in Victorian science colleges are discussed in Forgan S. Gooday G. , “‘A fungoid assemblage of buildings’: Diversity and adversity in the development of college architecture and scientific education in nineteenth-century South Kensington”, History of universities, xiii (1994), 153–92.

Foster R. F. , Modern Ireland 1600–1972 (Harmondsworth, 1988), 400–28. For attacks on the RCSI see Quiggin A. Hingston , Haddon the head hunter (Cambridge, 1942), 57. Elsewhere I have suggested that Barrett's sympathies for the condition of Irish plebeians underpinned his confidence in Irish Home Rule and reflected his more tolerant attitude to middle- and working-class Spiritualists. Barrett's positions on Ireland and spiritualism were opposed by Tyndall, Huxley, and most of the SPR élite who were Unionists and more distrustful of mediums. See Noakes R. , “‘Cranks and visionaries’: Science, spiritualism, and transgression in Victorian Britain”, unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Cambridge, 1998, 222–75.

Barrett cited in “Second report of the Royal Commissioners on Technical Instruction: Vol. IV. Evidence &c., relating to Ireland”, Parliamentary papers, xxi (1884), 68–78, p. 75.

[Anon.], “Last night's conversazione”, Freeman's journal, 16 August 1878, 5.

Barrett , “Sensitive flames”, Nature, ix (1874), 223; Tyndall John , “Sensitive flames”, Nature, ix (1874), 241. Compare Tyndall , On sound (ref. 49), 235, with Tyndall , Sound (4th edn, London, 1883), 250–2.

Barrett R. , “Sir William Fletcher Barrett, F.R.S.”, Nature, cxvi (1925), 15.

Barrett published most of his original physical research in the journals of the Royal Dublin Society, which did not enjoy a large circulation in Britain: Hunt B. , The Maxwellians (Ithaca, 1991), 37.

Lodge to Myers , 21 October 1890, OJL-CUL, SPR.MS.35/1309.

Tyndall , “Science and the ‘spirits’”, Reader, iv (1864), 725–6, reprinted in all editions of Tyndall, Fragments (ref. 8). For the growth of Victorian spiritualism see Gauld , op. cit. (ref. 15), 66–87, and Oppenheim , op. cit. (ref. 9), 7–57.

The identity of Tyndall's séance hosts is suggested by letters between Crosland and the engineer Latimer Clark who initially invited Faraday to visit the Croslands: Camille Crosland to Latimer Clark, 4 May 1857, typescript in Tyndall Correspondence Volume I, Tyndall Papers, Royal Institution, p. 224. See also Noakes , op. cit. (ref. 65), 123.

Tyndall , “Miracles and special providences [1867]”, in Tyndall , Fragments (ref. 8), ii, 8–34, p. 15.

Tyndall , “Science and the ‘spirits’ [1864]”, in Tyndall , Fragments (ref. 8), ii, 496–504, p. 499.

Tyndall , “On prayer as a form of physical energy [1872]”, in Tyndall , Fragments (ref. 8), ii, 40–45, p. 42.

Tyndall, op. cit. (ref. 75), 496.

Tyndall, op. cit. (ref. 75), 499.

Tyndall, op. cit. (ref. 75), 504, and Tyndall to Medini El , 23 August 1889, British Library, Add 41295, f. 30 (Tyndall's emphasis).

Tyndall , Sound (London, 1895), 79.

Barrett , “Some reminiscences” (ref. 4), 281.

Barrett , New sketches (ref. 19), 334.

For a survey of these positions see Oppenheim , op. cit. (ref. 9), 63–110.

[ Barrett W. F. ], “The phenomena of spiritualism”, Nonconformist, xxxvi (1875), 934–7, p. 937.

Barrett to Lodge , 18 October 1890, OJL-CUL, SPR.MS.35/60.

Barrett W. F. , “Professor Barrett on spiritualism and Christianity”, Light, i (1881), 341, and [ Barrett W. F. ], “The phenomena of spiritualism” (ref. 84), 937.

For Barrett's observation of Irish hostility to spiritualism see [Anon.], “A psychic night at the Authors' Club: Sir William Barrett on psychical research”, Light, xliii (1923), 740–1, p. 740.

Barrett , “Science and spiritualism” (ref. 2), 539, 540. Barrett's emphasis.

Barrett W. F. , “On some physical phenomena, commonly called spiritualistic, witnessed by the author”, PSPR, iv (1886–87), 25–42, p. 42.

Barrett , “The spiritual significance” (ref. 14), 799.

For Crookes's and Barrett's appeal to Faraday's example see Crookes , Researches in the phenomena of spiritualism (London, 1874), 24–25, and Barrett to Lodge , op. cit. (ref. 5).

Barrett W. F. , On the threshold of a new world of thought: An examination of the phenomena of spiritualism (London, 1908), 11. This work was an expanded version of Barrett , “Science and spiritualism” (ref. 2). In the preface he explained that the work originally appeared in 1895 but was withdrawn following the much-publicized ‘exposure’ of Eusapia Palladino, a medium whose veracity he endorsed in the text. Later positive evidence for Palladino's genuineness prompted him to re-release the book.

For Wilson see Winter A. , Mesmerized: Powers of mind in Victorian Britain (Chicago, 1998), 226–7.

Barrett , “Some reminiscences” (ref. 4), 282.

Barrett W. F. , “On some phenomena associated with abnormal conditions of mind”, Spiritualist, ix (1876), 85–88, p. 86.

Barrett , “On some phenomena” (ref. 95), 85.

Barrett , “On musical and sensitive flames” (ref. 37), 221.

Barrett , “Light” (ref. 35), 8.

Crookes to Barrett , 15 May 1871, in D'Albe E. E. Fournier , The life of Sir William Crookes (London, 1923), 199.

[ Barrett W. F. ], “Spiritualism and science”, Nonconformist, xxxiv (1873), 445–6.

[Anon.], “Spiritualism”, Nonconformist, xxxiii (1872), 97–98, p. 98.

[ Barrett ], “Spiritualism and science” (ref. 100), 446.

[ Barrett ], “The phenomena of spiritualism” (ref. 84).

Barrett W. F. , “The phenomena of spiritualism”, Nonconformist, xxxvi (1875), 1017–20.

[ Barrett ], “The phenomena of spiritualism” (ref. 84), 934. The works reviewed were Crookes , op. cit. (ref. 91); Mahan A. , The phenomena of spiritualism, scientifically explained and exposed (London, 1875); and Wallace A. , Miracles and modern spiritualism (London, 1875).

[ Barrett ], “The phenomena of spiritualism” (ref. 84), 936.

Barrett W. F. , On the threshold of the unseen: An examination of the phenomena of spiritualism and of the evidence for survival after death (London, 1920), 38. This work was a revised edition of Barrett , On the threshold (ref. 92).

[ Barrett ], “The phenomena of spiritualism” (ref. 84), 936. Barrett's emphasis.

[ Barrett ], “The phenomena of spiritualism” (ref. 84), 936. Mayo's emphasis. Barrett was citing Mayo , On the truths contained in popular superstitions with an account of mesmerism (Edinburgh, 1851), 73.

See Tyndall , “Science and Man [1877]”, in Tyndall , Fragments (ref. 8), ii, 337–74, p. 358.

[ Barrett ], “The phenomena” (ref. 84), 937.

Tyndall, “The Belfast address [1874]”, in Tyndall , Fragments (ref. 8), ii, 137–203. For discussion see Barton , op. cit. (ref. 6).

[ Stewart Balfour Tait Peter Guthrie ], The unseen universe; or, physical speculations on a future state (London, 1875), p. vii. For discussion of this text see Heimann P. , “The unseen universe: Physics and philosophy of nature in Victorian Britain”, The British journal for the history of science, vi (1972), 73–79.

[ Stewart Tait ], op. cit. (ref. 113), 43.

Stewart to Barrett , 26 December 1881, William Barrett Papers, Society for Psychical Research archive, Cambridge University Library (henceforth WFB-CUL), SPR.MS.3, A2/19, and Stewart Balfour , “President's address”, PSPR, iv (1886–87), 262–7.

Wallace to Barrett, 30 October 1875, WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3, A2/132. For Wallace and spiritualism see Fichman M. , “Science in theistic contexts: A case study of Alfred Russel Wallace on human evolution”, Osiris, xvi (2001), 227–50.

On the Slade controversy see Milner R. , “Darwin for the prosecution, Wallace for the defense”, North Country naturalist, ii (1990), 19–35, 37–50.

Barrett , “On some phenomena” (ref. 95), 86–87.

Barrett , “On some phenomena” (ref. 95), 88.

[Anon.], “The British Association and Professor Barrett's paper”, Spectator, 30 September 1876, 1209–11, and Lankester E. Ray , Times, 16 September 1876, 7.

Carpenter to Barrett , 2 November 1876, WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3, A2/12. Carpenter's emphasis.

Carpenter W. B. , “Spiritualism”, Spectator, 14 October 1876, 1282–3, p. 1283. Carpenter's emphasis.

Tuckett I. , “Psychical researchers and ‘the will to believe’”, Bedrock, i (1912–13), 180–204, p. 204.

[Anon], “Sympathetic vibrations”, Times, 29 December 1876, 3.

Strick J. , Sparks of life: Darwinism and the Victorian debates over spontaneous generation (Cambridge MA, 2000), 167–70.

Barrett W. F. , “The demons of Derrygonnelly”, Dublin University magazine, xc (1877), 692–705, p. 700n.

Barrett , “Some reminiscences” (ref. 4), 285; Smith R. A. to Barrett , 18 October 1876, WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3, A2/131. Citation from Barrett to Lodge, 29 January 1925, OJL-CUL, SPR.MS.35/140. For Crookes and Rayleigh see [Anon.], “The British Association at Glasgow”, Spiritualist, ix (1876), 88–94, p. 89.

Barrett W. F. , Times, 22 September 1876, 10.

Barrett W. F. , “Mind-reading versus muscle-reading”, Medium and daybreak, vii (1876), 646.

Wallace to Barrett , 18 December 1876, WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3, A2/133. Wallace's emphasis.

For the “willing game” see Barrett W. F. , Psychical research (London, 1911), 44–46.

Romanes G. J. , “Thought-reading”, Nature, xxiv (1881), 171–2, p. 172.

Barrett's doubts about Bishop are noted in Lodge O. , Past years (London, 1931), 273.

Barrett W. F. , “Mind-reading versus muscle-reading”, Nature, xxiv (1881), 212.

For Barrett's feeling of priority see Barrett to Lodge , 8 April [c. 1900], OJL-CUL, SPR.MS.35/145.

Romanes to Barrett , 18 July [1881], WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3, A2/106.

Stewart Balfour , “Note on thought-reading”, PSPR, i (1882–83), 35–38.

Gauld , op. cit. (ref. 15); Cerullo , op. cit. (ref. 15); and Williams , op. cit. (ref. 15).

Myers to Barrett , 23 September 1877, WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3/61, and Myers to Barrett, 9 October 1877, WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3/62.

Barrett W. F. , “The origin of the Society for Psychical Research”, Light, xiii (1893), 453–4, p. 454, and Barrett , “Professor Barrett” (ref. 86).

Barrett W. F. , “The early years of the Society for Psychical Research”, Light, xxiv (1924), 395.

Moses to Barrett , 12 January [1882], WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3, A2/54.

[Anon.], “The Society for Psychical Research. Objects of the society”, PSPR, i (1882–83), 3–6, p. 3.

Gauld , op. cit. (ref. 15), 137–355, and Cerullo , op. cit. (ref. 15), 38–108.

[Anon.], “Constitution and rules”, PSPR, i (1882–83), 331–6, p. 331. Emphasis in original.

See, for example, Sidgwick Henry , “The canons of evidence in psychical research”, PSPR, vi (1889–90), 1–6.

For Barrett and the American SPR see [Anon.], “General meeting”, Journal for the Society for Psychical Research (hereafter JSPR), i (1884–85), 172–9.

Barrett W. F. , “Third report on thought-transference”, PSPR, i (1882–83), 161–215, p. 173. Emphasis in original.

See, for example, Donkin Horatio , “A note on ‘thought-reading’”, Nineteenth century, xii (1882), 131–3.

Barrett to Sidgwick , 31 October 1887, WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3, A3/5.

Barrett W. F. , “Thought-transference”, Times, 27 January 1925, 10.

See, for example, Maudsley H. , Natural causes and supernatural seemings (3rd edn, London, 1897), 11–47, and Tuckett , op. cit. (ref. 123).

Society for Psychical Research: Minutes of Council Meetings, Volume 1, Society for Psychical Research Archive, Cambridge University Library, p. 8.

[Anon.], “The Society for Psychical Research. Objects of the Society”, PSPR, i (1882–83), 3–6, p. 3.

Barrett W. F. , “Note on the alleged luminosity of the magnetic field”, Philosophical magazine, xv (1883), 270–5, p. 271. Barrett was probably referring to von Reichenbach Karl , Researches on magnetism, electricity, heat, light, crystallisation, and chemical attraction, in their relation to the vital force, transl. and ed. by Gregory William (London, 1850), 394.

Barrett W. F. “Preliminary report of the ‘Reichenbach’ committee”, PSPR, i (1882–83), 99–100.

Barrett W. F. “First report of the ‘Reichenbach’ committee”, PSPR, i (1882–83), 230–7, p. 230. The official author of this report was the Committee's Honorary Secretary, Walter Coffin, but as the Committee's Chairman Barrett played a large part in its construction.

Barrett , “First report” (ref. 157), 232.

Barrett , “First report” (ref. 157), 233–4.

Barrett , “First report” (ref. 157), 236.

Fitzgerald to Barrett , 23 April 1882, cited in Barrett , “First report” (ref. 157), 236–7, p. 236.

Thomson William , “Six gateways of knowledge”, in Thomson William , Popular lectures and addresses (3 vols, London, 1889–93), i, 253–99, pp. 258, 260–1, and Barrett W. F. , “On a ‘magnetic sense‘”, Nature, xxix (1884), 476–7, p. 476.

Jastrow J. Nuttall G. , “On the existence of a magnetic sense”, Proceedings of the American Society for Psychical Research, i (1885–89), 116–26.

Myers F. W. H. , Human personality and the survival of bodily death (2 vols, London, 1903), i, 525.

Barrett W. F. , “On the luminosity of the magnetic field and of certain human beings”, in L'état actuel des recherches psychique d'après les trauvaux des IIme Congrès International tenu à Varsovie en 1923 (Paris, 1924), 169–73, and Barrett to Thompson S. P. , 13 April [1910], Thompson S. P. Papers, Imperial College Library, London, no. 24. This letter showed Barrett's interest in his friend S. P. Thompson's evidence for the effect that Lindsay and Varley failed to detect: Thompson , “A physiological effect of an alternating magnetic field”, Philosophical transactions, ser. B, lxxxii (1909–10), 396–8.

Gurney E. Myers F. W. H. Podmore F. , Phantasms of the living (2 vols, London, 1886).

Barrett W. F. , “Appendix to the report on thought-reading”, PSPR, i (1882–83), 47–64, p. 62. See also Barrett , “First report on thought-reading”, PSPR, i (1882–83), 13–34, pp. 33–34.

Barrett , “Appendix” (ref. 167), 62, and Gurney , op. cit. (ref. 166), i, 93.

Barrett W. F. , “Some experiments in thought transference by Miss Miles and Miss Ramsden”, JSPR, xiii (1907–8), 50–52, and Lodge , “Presidential address”, PSPR, xvii (1901–3), 1–21, pp. 19–20.

Barrett W. F. , “Telepathy and the spiritual significance of nature”, Quest, iv (1912–13), 3–18, p. 9, and “Discrete degrees”, New-Church magazine, xxxiii (1914), 415–25, p. 415.

Barrett W. F. , “The evidence for spirit identity”, Light, xv (1895), 62–75, p. 62.

Barrett , “On some physical phenomena” (ref. 89), 41, and On the threshold (ref. 92), 11.

Barrett , On the threshold (ref. 92), 47–48, 91.

See, for example, Lodge Oliver , “On the scientific attitude to marvels”, Fortnightly review, lxxix (1906), 460–74, p. 471.

Sidgwick, diary entry for 7 March 1888, in Sidgwick Arthur Sidgwick Eleanor Mildred , Henry Sidgwick: A memoir (London, 1906), 441.

Barrett W. F. , “On some physical phenomena” (ref. 89), 40–41. Barrett's emphasis. Barrett probably agreed with Stewart that in the “very different conditions of things” in the psychical domain there might be an “apparent and prima fácie breakdown” of “the laws of Energy”: Stewart Balfour , “Note on above paper”, PSPR, iv (1886–87), 42–44, p. 44.

Cerullo , op. cit. (ref. 15), 57–87.

Sidgwick E. M. , n.d. [1886], in Sidgwick E. , Mrs. Henry Sidgwick, a memoir by her niece (London, 1938), 99.

Sidgwick E. to Barrett , 23 November 1905, WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3, A2/115, and Barrett, “Science and spiritualism” (ref. 2), 560.

Barrett , “Science and spiritualism”, 584.

Barrett , “Science and spiritualism”, 559, 597.

By 1894 Barrett's original contributions to the research had become so paltry that Myers had to beg him to “start some experimental work”: Myers to Barrett , 8 November 1891, WFB-CUL, SPR.MS.3, A2/77. Myers's emphasis.

Sidgwick to Barrett , op. cit. (ref. 179).

Barrett to Lodge , 21 October 1912, OJL-CUL, SPR.MS.35/73. See also Barrett to Lodge , 12 December 1912, OJL-CUL, SPR.MS.35/77.

Piddington to Lodge , 24 September 1904, OJL-CUL, SPR.MS.35/1632; Sidgwick E. M. to Lodge , 19 May 1912, OJL-CUL, SPR.MS.35/2148.

Sidgwick to Lodge , op. cit. (ref. 185).

Barrett W. F. , “On the so-called divining rod, or virgula divina”, PSPR, xiii (1897–8), 2–282, p. 2; Barrett to Lodge , 15 September 1897, OJL-CUL, SPR.MS.35/70, Barrett's emphasis.

Barrett , “On the so-called divining rod” (ref. 187), 10.

Barrett W. F. , “On the so-called divining rod”, PSPR, xv (1900–1), 130–383, p. 311.

“The writer of the article”, “The supposed dowsing faculty”, Nature, lvii (1897), 78.

Myers , op. cit. (ref. 164), i, 480–1, and Gregory J. W. , “Water-finding”, Times, 23 January 1905, 3.

Thomson J. J. , Recollections and reflections (London, 1936), 158–63, and von Klinckowstroem C. , “The present position of the divining rod in Germany”, JSPR, xxii (1925–26), 54–60.

Barrett , “The spiritual significance” (ref. 14), 791.

Barrett W. F. , “Sympathetic vibrations”, Good words, xxxii (1891), 41–46, p. 46.

Barrett W. F. , “Psychical research”, Good words, xxxii (1891), 467–71, pp. 468–9.

Wilson David B. , “The thought of late Victorian physicists: Oliver Lodge's etherial body”, Victorian studies, xv (1977), 29–48, and Heimann , op. cit. (ref. 113).

Barrett W. F. , “Address by the President”, PSPR, xviii (1903–4), 323–50, p. 337, and Barrett , “Science and spiritualism” (ref. 2), 597.

Barrett W. F. , “Some aspects of psychical research”, Contemporary review, cxxii (1922), 595–603, p. 603.

Barrett , “Discrete degrees” (ref. 170), 423–4.

Wynne B. , “Physics and psychics: Science, symbolic action and social control in late Victorian England”, in Barnes Barry Shapin Steven (eds), Natural order: Historical studies of scientific culture (Beverly Hills, 1979), 167–87.

For Lodge Tyndall see Lodge , op. cit. (ref. 133), 76–78.

Oppenheim , op. cit. (ref. 9), 355–90.

Lodge O. , “Address [1891]”, Report of the sixty-first meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science (London, 1892), 547–57, p. 553.

Foster to Lodge , 25 October 1894, Oliver Lodge papers, University College London, MSS. Add 89/33.

Mauskopf S. McVaugh M. , The elusive science: Origins of experimental psychical research (Baltimore, 1980).

Lightman B. , “‘The voices of nature’: Popularising Victorian science”, in Lightman Bernard (ed.), Victorian science in context (Chicago, 1997), 187–211.