Experimental Investigation of the Spirit Manifestations, Demonstrating the Existence of Spirits and their Communion with Mortals. Doctrine of the Spirit World Respecting Heaven, Hell, Morality, and God. Also, the Influence of Scripture on the Morals of Christians.
New York, NY: Partridge & Brittan, 1855. First Edition. Hardcover. Large octavo. 462pp. + 4pp. ads. Original decorated cloth lettered in gilt on spine. Four plates, and two steel engraved portraits. Robert Hare (1781 – 1858) was an American chemist, inventor, and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He became interested in Spiritualism and in 1853 conducted a series of experiments with mediums, which led him to embrace the cause. As part of his experiments he invented several devices, including the aptly named "Spiritoscope," which were designed to restrict the ability of mediums to cheat (the odd contraptions are reproduced in the four plates that preface the volume). His findings, which he published in "Experimental Investigation of the Spirit Manifestations" were enthusiastically received by the Spiritualist community, but greeted with skepticism by his fellow scientists. This first edition is rare - the print run was sufficiently small and demand sufficiently high that it was reprinted 3 years later. From the collection of Dr. M. H. Coleman, with his ex-libris seal blind-stamped on front free endpaper. Several b/w plates. This copy has been professionally recased - although the repair is so well done that it is almost impossible to distinguish. Page-edges browned, endpapers discolored, marginal annotations in pencil a few pages, otherwise a tight VG or better copy. Quite scarce. Item #54000
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