Robert W. Chambers

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British writer and publisher who played no public part in Spiritualism but whose conversion and anonymous activity, especially his writing, were known to his contemporaries. For example, according to William Howitt, he contributed the description of a haunted house at Cheshunt in Mrs. Crowe's Night-Side of Nature (2 vols., 1848). It was this house that novel-ist Charles Dickens wanted to investigate. It was partly pulled down and altered at the time; he could not find it. Also, an article in Chambers' Journal, May 21, 1853, on the mediumship of Maria B. Hayden was understood to have been written by Robert Chambers.

Chambers gave an account of the séances of another American visitor, a Mrs. Roberts, concluding that it was difficult to formulate an opinion but that it seemed to him the phenomena appeared to be natural and the medium the victim of self-deception. A few weeks later, however, his opinion underwent a decided change. He obtained movements of the table and answers by it in his own family circle on matters known only to himself. He wrote: "I am satisfied, as before, that the phenomena are natural, but to take them in I think we shall have to widen somewhat our ideas as to the extent and character of what is natural." His 1859 pamphlet Testimony: Its Posture in the Scientific World examines the scientific idea of evidence with special relation to psychical phenomena. Chambers had many experiences with the famous medium D. D. Home, and he wrote both the anonymous preface to Home's Incidents in My Life and the appendix, "Connection of Mr. Home's Experiences with those of Former Times."

In 1860, in company with Robert Dale Owen, he sat with the Fox sisters in America. They suspended a dining table from a powerful steelyard balance. Under bright gas light and perfect control the table was made heavier and lighter on request, showing variation of weight between 60 and 164 pounds. He had puzzling experiences with Charles Foster, who produced inscriptions on his skin. Chambers sat with Judge Edmonds's daughter, Laura.

In February 1867 he wrote to Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace, "I have for many years, known that these phenomena are real, as distinguished from impostures; and it is not of yesterday that I concluded they were calculated to explain much that has been doubtful in the past; and, when fully accepted revolutionise the whole frame of human opinion on many important matters."

Chambers retained his interest in psychic phenomena until his death in 1871. A record of a séance written by him was published by Violet Tweedale, his granddaughter, in Mellow Sheaves. Extracts from further records as preserved by another granddaughter, Mrs. Edward Fitzgerald, were published by A. W. Trethewy in Light, January 6, 1933. Chambers is best remembered today for his many books (on nonoccult themes), especially the many reference books he wrote, and his collections of Scottish poetry.

Sources:

Chambers, Robert. Testimony: Its Posture in the Scientific World. N.p., 1959.

Home, D. D. Incidents in My Life. First series. London: Green Longman, Roberts & Green, 1863. Second series. London: Whittingham & Wilkins, 1872.

Quotes:

"Books are the blessed chloroform of the mind."