1902. Little should be believed of what spirits speak
Nothing is more familiar than the fact that spirits who are speaking will declare something to be thus or so, for they think they know everything, and they will assert that something is so when it is not. It is evident from experiments I have made at times, what they are like, and how much they are to be believed.
When asked whether they know how this or that matter stands, then one after another declares that it is thus or so, each differently from the other. Even if there be a hundred of them, each will tell it differently from the other, and do so on the spur of the moment, sure of themselves, as if it had to be so, when yet it is not.
As soon as they notice anything that they do not know, they at once declare it to be thus or so. There are numerous other circumstances besides this, proving that they speak as if they know, when yet they do not know. 1748, 3 May.
1902. THAT VERY LITTLE CREDIT IS TO BE GIVEN TO SPIRITS SPEAKING.
Nothing is more familiar to spirits who speak than to say that a thing is so or so; for they think that they know everything, and indeed solemnly assert that it is so, when yet it is not so. From experiments made several times, it may be evident of what quality they are, and how they are to be believed: when it is asked [of them] how this or that is, then one after another says that it is so, one differently from another; even if there were a hundred, one would say differently from another; and indeed for the time with confidence, as if it were so, when yet it is not so. As soon as they notice anything which they do not know, they immediately say it is so and so; besides very many other proofs that they speak as if they knew, yet they do not know. - 1748, May 3.
1902. Quod spiritibus loquentibus parum credendum
Nihil familiarius est spiritibus, qui loquuntur, quam dicere quod ita vel ita sit, nam omnia putant se scire, et quidem asseverant quod ita sit, cum tamen non ita sit, ab experimentis factis aliquoties constare potest, quales sint, et quomodo credendi: dum quaeruntur num sciant quomodo hoc vel illud se habet, tunc unus post alterum dicit quod ita sit, unus aliter ac alter, si vel centum forent, aliter dicet unus quam alter, et quidem ex tempore, cum fiducia, tanquam id ita foret, cum tamen non ita sit; ut primum aliquid observant, quod non sciunt, statim dicunt, quod tale sit, praeter alia plura documenta, quod loquantur tanquam sciant, cum tamen non sciunt. 1748, 3 Maj.