Observations placeholder

The beginnings of Seership – Vincent Turvey

On November 15, 1905, Mr. J,'W'. Sharpe rang me up on the telephone in order to ask a question concerning a lecture that was to be given at the local Society's Hall. When I had answered the inquiry he said, "I must go now, as I have a friend here."

I replied, “Yes, I see you have."

He said, "You don't mean to say that you can see who it is?"

I said, "No! I cannot see who he is, but I can describe him to you."

I then proceeded to accurately describe the gentleman's face, hair, eyes, hands, stature and moustache, etc., and added, “he wants a shave."

I mentioned that he was sitting in an armchair with his legs crossed, and one arm on the arm of the chair. While this description was being given Mr. Pontifex, for that is the name of Mr. Sharpe's visitor, rose from the chair and went and leaned on the mantelpiece with one elbow, standing up to do so, with his legs crossed. I described his movements to Mr. Sharpe.

In order to make the "test” even more convincing, I asked Mr. Sharpe to tell Mr. Pontifex to pick up a book at random (I knew the telephone was in Mr. Sharpe’s library) and to hold it in such a position that Mr. Sharpe could not see it, and therefore could not " telepath " its description to me.

This was done, and I correctly stated the size of the book, the colour of the binding, that the lettering was in gold at the back, and that "although it is in English it is in some way connected with something foreign. "As a matter of fact it was an English translation of a German work on philosophy.

After that, Mr. Pontifex came to the telephone and asked for further demonstration. The ability to "see" was fast slipping away from me; but I was able to describe one or two more articles to him, such as his own watch, and a cigarette-case in his pocket. He then cross-questioned me in order to find out if I had seen him before, if I had ever heard him described, etc. His letter shows that I was able to convince him that I had never even heard of him.

There is one very remarkable thing about the incident, and I have purposely "left it till last" as the children say. In describing Mr. Pontifex to Mr. Sharpe, I said, "He is wearing, on his waistcoat, an oblong ornament; it is not made of silver or gold, but is of a brownish metal, such as is bronze," The extraordinary thing about this is that he was not wearing it at the time, but he frequently does wear it. The ornament was at his own house, two or three miles away from Mr. Sharpe's house, and yet I distinctly saw the thing on his waistcoat at the time he was sitting in Mr. Sharpe's library.

I cannot explain why or how I saw it there. I only know that I did see it, in a place "where it wasn't," if I may be pardoned the paradox. I now append letters from the two gentlemen concerned, which will enable the reader to verify my statements. I trust it is unnecessary to add that Mr. Sharpe in no way gave me any information as regards Mr. Pontifex's appearance or his movements.

(No.41,)

Bournemouth,

Nov. 15, 1905.

DEAR MR. TURVEY,

Your descriptions this afternoon were as follows-

1. As to Mr. Pontifex, that he was sitting in the, or in a, chair, with legs crossed, and one arm on the arm of the chair, and afterwards standing with legs crossed, and wearing an oblong metal, brownish, and not of gold nor of silver, something on his waistcoat. (This last particular was incorrect at the time but could be accurately referred to a badge which he does at times wear.)

2. An accurate description of his hands and of his features, of his moustache, and adding the fact that he was in want of a shave (which was true), and giving his stature correctly.

3. He took a book out of a shelf behind me and I remained in ignorance of the book until your description came to an end. You correctly stated its colour, and that the lettering was in gold upon the back, and that it was a book written in English about something foreign. It was, in fact, a treatise in English upon the philosophy of Kant.

Faithfully yours,

J. W. SHARPE [M.A.].

PS.-I ought to add that you communicated with Mr. Pontifex and myself by telephone, and that the distances between our two houses is nearly a mile.

The following letter is from Mr. Pontifex. He does not give many details, because I showed him the previous letter. However, he backs up the chief facts, and that is what is required.

(No. 42.)

Bournemouth,

Nov. 22, 1905,

DEAR SIR,

I am willing to testify that, although I was absolutely unknown to you (you never having seen me, or, as far as I know, even heard of me), while speaking to our mutual friend, Mr. SHARPE, by telephone, it being dark at the time, at a distance of about one mile, I being in the room alone with him at the time you were speaking to him, you were able to see me (apparently) as you described my personal appearance in great detail (to him), and were able to follow my movements about the room, even mentioning the articles I picked up or touched, such as describing accurately my watch, also a book which I chose at random out of a book-case in the room containing hundreds of volumes ; Mr. Sharpe not knowing what the book was until you described it to him by telephone.

(Signed) C. V. PONTIFEX.