structure. Certain accompanying manifestations may be briefly considered: the unconscious additional creative work. Here we shall encounter a not altogether unjustifiable scepticism on the part of the representative of science. Dessoir’s conception of a second ego met with much opposition, and was rejected as too enthusiastic in many directions. As is known, occultism has proclaimed a preeminent right to this field and has drawn premature conclusions from doubtful observations. We are indeed very far from being in a position to state anything conclusive, since we have at present only most inadequate material. Therefore if we touch on the field of the unconscious additional creative work, it is only that we may do justice to all sides of our case. By unconscious addition we understand that automatic process whose result does not penetrate to the conscious psychic activity of the individual. To this region above all belongs thought-reading through table movements. I do not know whether there are people who can divine a whole long train of thought by means of inductions from the intentional tremulous movements. It is, however, certain that, assuming this to be possible, such persons must be availing themselves of a routine achieved after endless practice. But in our case long practice can be excluded without more ado, and there is nothing left but to accept a primary susceptibility of the unconscious, far exceeding that of the conscious.
This supposition is supported by numerous observations on somnambulists. I will mention only Binet’s[1] experiments, where little letters or some such thing, or little complicated figures in relief were laid on the anæsthetic skin of the back of the hand or the neck, and the unconscious perceptions were then recorded by means of signs. On the basis of these experiments he came to the following conclusion: “D’après les calculs que j’ai pu faire, la sensibilité inconsciente d’une hystérique est à certains moments cinquante fois plus fine que celle d’une personne normale.” A second additional creation coming under consideration in our case and in numerous
- ↑ Binet, “Les Altérations,” p. 125. Cf. also Loewenfeld’s statements on the subject in “Hypnotismus,” 1901.
