SD2197. Ada Shepard to Henry Clay Badger

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 25, 361 (in part).

[Villa Montauto, Bellosguardo]

Friday night, Aug. 27th [1858]

… I have been singularly engaged, this afternoon and evening. I think I have told you of my writing as a “medium”, in the technical terms of the spiritualists. Mrs. H. has discovered my power in this way, and, as she is much interested in this subject now, I write for her sometimes. I do not feel in the least convinced that my hand is moved by spiritual agency, but it is moved without my willing it and things are written of which I am not the author, as far as I know. Still there is nothing at all satisfactory to me, although Mrs. H. is fully convinced that she talks with her mother and father through me.

The interest in this subject seems to be rapidly gaining ground in Europe. Mrs. Browning is a firm believer, but Mr. Browning ridicules it in every possible way. … [Editors’ note: text from transcript at Yale.]

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Concord Free Public Library.

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