The spirits themselves "seem abundantly foolish, one must admit." Yet it was clear to her that mankind was being prepared for some great development of truth.

She would keep her eyes wide open to facts and her soul lifted up in reverential expectation.

By-and-by she felt the dumb wood of the table panting and shivering with human emotion.

The dogmatism of Faraday in an inadequate theory was simply unscientific, a piece of intellectual tyranny.

The American medium Home, she learnt from her friends, was "turning the world upside down in London with this spiritual influx." Two months later, in July 1855, Mrs Browning and her husband were themselves in London, and witnessed Home's performances during a seance at Ealing.