33. It would not, however, be strictly correct to assert that those who commence
by the study of the spiritist theory are without the corroboration of facts. On the
contrary, they have an abundance of facts confirmatory of this theory, in the numerous
cases of Spontaneous manifestation, concerning which we shall speak in succeeding
chapters; a class of facts of which there are few persons
who have not had some cognisance in their own experience, although they may have
paid but little attention to them. Facts of this kind have great weight when supported by
unexceptionable testimony, because, in such cases, there can be no suspicion of
preparation or collusion. Even if the spiritist phenomena did not exist, the spontaneous
phenomena would none the less be facts; and if the only result of the spiritist theory
were to explain as it does the spontaneous phenomena that have occurred in all ages, its
value would evidently be very great.
