TCDE-Team at 14:14, 12 November 2025

2025-11-12T14:14:04Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:14, 12 November 2025
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	He writes as follows:—		He writes as follows:—

	<~~span class="~~q">To the Editor of the "Daily Express."		<q>To the Editor of the "Daily Express."</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">Sir, — I do not think that any committee which you could assemble could possibly be more weighty than that which formed itself under the name of the Dialectical Society. In its report it says: "Four-fifths entered upon the investigation wholly sceptical as to the reality of the alleged phenomena, firmly believing them to be the result of imposture, delusion, or involuntary muscular action."</~~span~~>		<q>Sir, — I do not think that any committee which you could assemble could possibly be more weighty than that which formed itself under the name of the Dialectical Society. In its report it says: "Four-fifths entered upon the investigation wholly sceptical as to the reality of the alleged phenomena, firmly believing them to be the result of imposture, delusion, or involuntary muscular action."</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">Forty meetings were held under test conditions, with the result that the sub-committee upon the phenomena reported unanimously upon the truth of the claims made by the Spiritualists.		<q>Forty meetings were held under test conditions, with the result that the sub-committee upon the phenomena reported unanimously upon the truth of the claims made by the Spiritualists.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">In the same way the Psychical Research Society originated in a body of men many of whom were entirely incredulous. It is now well known that Mr. Myers, Dr. Hodgson, and other leaders, who began as sceptics, were forced by the evidence to reconsider their views. It is true that these were individual expressions of opinion, for the society has never presented a collective report.</~~span~~>		<q>In the same way the Psychical Research Society originated in a body of men many of whom were entirely incredulous. It is now well known that Mr. Myers, Dr. Hodgson, and other leaders, who began as sceptics, were forced by the evidence to reconsider their views. It is true that these were individual expressions of opinion, for the society has never presented a collective report.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">There have been several other such investigations at different times, and I am not clear that anything is to be gained by another one. People seem to be continually demanding new evidence when they have never taken the trouble to master the evidence which already exists.</~~span~~>		<q>There have been several other such investigations at different times, and I am not clear that anything is to be gained by another one. People seem to be continually demanding new evidence when they have never taken the trouble to master the evidence which already exists.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">I may add that this is, in my opinion, a subject to be treated with decent reverence even by those who are merely inquirers. A suggested investigation which begins by applying the comic term of "spooks" to the spirits of those whom we have loved and lost is not one with which I could be associated.</~~span~~>		<q>I may add that this is, in my opinion, a subject to be treated with decent reverence even by those who are merely inquirers. A suggested investigation which begins by applying the comic term of "spooks" to the spirits of those whom we have loved and lost is not one with which I could be associated.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.<br />		<q>ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.<br />
	Windlesham, Crowborough, Sussex,<br />		Windlesham, Crowborough, Sussex,<br />
	Oct. 30.</~~span~~>		Oct. 30.</q>

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TCDE-Team at 21:34, 1 July 2024

2024-07-01T21:34:37Z

New page

''Sir A. Conan Doyle Declines'' is a letter written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] published in the [[Daily Express]] on 1 november 1917.

== Sir A. Conan Doyle Declines ==
[[File:daily-express-1917-11-01-p3-sir-a-conan-doyle-declines.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Daily Express]] (1 november 1917, p. 3)]]

'''TEST FOR MEDIUMS NOT ACCEPTED.'''

[[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] declines the offer of the "[[Daily Express]]" to give mediums whose genuineness he has proved by experience an opportunity of demonstrating their powers before a selected number of men and women to whom he could not possibly object.

He writes as follows:—

To the Editor of the "Daily Express."

Sir, — I do not think that any committee which you could assemble could possibly be more weighty than that which formed itself under the name of the Dialectical Society. In its report it says: "Four-fifths entered upon the investigation wholly sceptical as to the reality of the alleged phenomena, firmly believing them to be the result of imposture, delusion, or involuntary muscular action."

Forty meetings were held under test conditions, with the result that the sub-committee upon the phenomena reported unanimously upon the truth of the claims made by the Spiritualists.

In the same way the Psychical Research Society originated in a body of men many of whom were entirely incredulous. It is now well known that Mr. Myers, Dr. Hodgson, and other leaders, who began as sceptics, were forced by the evidence to reconsider their views. It is true that these were individual expressions of opinion, for the society has never presented a collective report.

There have been several other such investigations at different times, and I am not clear that anything is to be gained by another one. People seem to be continually demanding new evidence when they have never taken the trouble to master the evidence which already exists.

I may add that this is, in my opinion, a subject to be treated with decent reverence even by those who are merely inquirers. A suggested investigation which begins by applying the comic term of "spooks" to the spirits of those whom we have loved and lost is not one with which I could be associated.

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE. 
Windlesham, Crowborough, Sussex, 
Oct. 30.

...

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* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

Sir A. Conan Doyle Declines - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 14:14, 12 November 2025

TCDE-Team at 21:34, 1 July 2024