196. Imperfect Mediums
196. Obsessed Mediums. Those who cannot rid them- selves of importunate and deceiving spirits, but who are not deceived.
Fascinated Mediums. Those who are directed by deceiving spirits, and are deluded in the nature of the communications they receive.
Subjugated Mediums. Those who are subjected to a moral, and often material domination, on the part of bad spirits.
Trifling Mediums. Those who do not accept their faculty as serious, and use it only for amusement, or for futile things.
Indifferent Mediums. Those who draw no moral profit from the instructions, and in no way modify their conduct or their habits.
Presumptuous Mediums. Those who pretend that they alone are en rapport with superior spirits. They believe in their own infallibility, and regard as inferior and erroneous all that does not emanate from them.
Haughty Mediums. Those who are vain of the com- munications they receive; they think they have nothing more to learn of Spiritism, and do not take to themselves the lessons they often receive on the part of the spirits. They are not contented with the fac- ulties they possess ; they would have all.
Susceptible Mediums. A variety of the haughty mediums ; they are wounded by the criticisms of which their communications may be the object; they are angry at the least contradiction, and if they show what they obtain, it is to have it admired, and not to ask advice. Generally, they take an aversion to the persons who do not applaud them without reserve, and desert the reunions they cannot impose upon and control.
" Let them go and strut elsewhere, and seek ears more complaisant, or withdraw into isolation ; the reunions they deprive of their presence do not sustain a very great loss. "ERASTUS."
Mercenary Mediums. Those who sell their faculty.
Ambitious Mediums. Those who, without putting a price on their faculty, yet hope to draw from it some advantages.
Insincere Mediums. Those who, having real facul- ties, simulate those they have not, for the sake of being important. The title of medium cannot be given to those who, having no medianimic faculty, produce effects only by jugglery.
Egotistic Mediums.. Those who use their faculty only for personal use, and keep for themselves all the communications they receive.
Jealous Mediums. Those who see with envy other mediums better appreciated, and who are their superiors.
All these bad qualities have, necessarily, their coun- terparts in good.
