inform us exactly where the natural and the spiritual meet and blend?
It was my good fortune to be domiciled during the summer of 1893 under the same venerable rooftree with my blind young friend whose all seeing Muse has inspired this book of poems. I have touched elbows with him while we strolled under the spreading elms which double line the main thoroughfare of historic Hadley, and marvelled as we walked, to discover that his perception was in some respects more acute than mine; especially on pitch-dark nights, when I had to depend upon his subtle acumen to avoid obstacles which my natural eye could not perceive! He says the air seems more dense when objects intervene. And so it is that he recognizes open spaces and solid bodies like houses, trees and telegraph poles, as he passes along; or persons as they approach, on foot or in vehicles, even at considerable distances. He has correct ideas of locality and associated landmarks, and an apprehension of dangerous proximities, seldom stumbling over obstacles, or into a hole. In fact, throughout his everyday life there is a constant manifestation of psychical phenomena which it will be useless to attempt to account for until we come to realize that the carnal envelope with its five so-called senses is actually a hindrance rather than a help to a free operation of the spiritual energy.
In the case of Clarence Hawkes, he seems to possess the gift of clairvoyance. He easily discovers articles mislaid; reads character with correctness by a grasp of the hand; and when introduced to strangers will size up their height, weight, features, age, and state of health, as soon as he shakes hands with them. He knows when chairs and tables are removed from their wonted places without having to ascertain by feeling for them, and he can tell when people are in the