210. The first indication of a disposition to write, is a kind of trembling in the arm and hand ; little by little the hand is carried along by an impulse that it cannot master. It often traces, at first, but insignificant signs; then the characters are drawn more and more clearly, and it ends by acquiring the rapidity of ordinary writing. In all cases the hand must be aban- doned to its natural movement, neither resisting nor propelling.
Some mediums write easily and rapidly from the beginning, sometimes even from the first sitting, which lis quite rare.; others for a long time make lines and genuine calligraphic exercises; the spirits say to limber the hand. If these exercises are too prolonged, or de- generate into ridiculous signs, there can be no doubt it is a spirit amusing himself, for good spirits never do anything useless : in such case it is necessary to appeal to them with redoubled fervor. If, in spite of that, there is no change, stop as soon as it is found nothing serious can be obtained. The attempt may be renewed daily, but it is best to cease at the first equivocal signs, so as not to give such satisfaction to mocking spirits.
To these observations a spirit adds, " There are medi- ums whose faculty cannot go beyond these signs; when, at the end of some months, they obtain nothing but in- significant things, yes or no, or letters without continu- ance, it is useless to persist in soiling paper in pure loss: they are mediums, but unproductive mediums. The first communications obtained should be con- sidered only as exercises confided to secondary spir- its ; but slight importance should be atached to them, because of the spirits who are, so to say, employed as writing-masters to teach the beginner; for believe not that they are. elevated, spirits who take the medium through these preparatory exercises ; only it happens that, if the medium have no serious end in view, these spirits remain, and attach themselves to him. Nearly all mediums have gone through this crucible to be developed ; it is for them to do all they can to conciliate truly superior spirits.
