Although Stuart Cumberland (1857–1922) was renowned for his mind-reading skills, he was a staunch critic of related spiritualist practices. He claimed that many séances and other events that he had seen confirmed his suspicions that 'the chief basis of the movement was money-making'. So he decided to launch his own campaign to uncover the truth about the methods of spirit-mediums, and in this work, published in 1918, he explains many mediums' tricks, such as making tables move using special silk thread, not spiritual aid. He lectured about the subject in places ranging from Cambridge University to Lambeth Palace, and attributed his own success to his ability to read muscle movement, rather than any supernatural communication. Providing a fascinating picture of the changing spiritualist movement, this work illustrates the extent of the social and political influence of some spiritualists, but also how credibility about their practices was being challenged.
Although famous throughout Europe for his mind-reading skills, Stuart C. Cumberland (1857–1922) was a staunch critic of the 'rascality' of some spiritualist practices and their practitioners. He claimed that many of the séances and other events which he had experienced were merely fraudulent money-making impostures. He wrote several books on his life as a thought-reader, in which he also revealed the techniques of fake mediums and psychics. (His That Other World, of 1918, is also reissued in this series.) In this 1888 work, Cumberland narrates his own history and career and describes some of his most memorable séances. One of these took place in the House of Commons, where Cumberland subjected none other than the prime minister at the time, W. E. Gladstone, to having his thoughts read. Their encounter made a great impression on the author, who found Gladstone one of his most remarkable subjects.
