Chapter 7

           Soherewasmypredicament:IknewthatwithinmyselfwasaGolcondaofmemoriesofotherlives,yetIwasunabletodomorethanflitlikeamadmanthroughthosememories.IhadmyGolcondabutcouldnotmineit.

           IrememberedthecaseofStaintonMoses,theclergymanwhohadbeenpossessedbythepersonalitiesofSt.Hippolytus,Plotinus,Athenodorus,andofthatfriendofErasmusnamedGrocyn.AndwhenIconsideredtheexperimentsofColoneldeRochas,whichIhadreadintyrofashioninotherandbusierdays,IwasconvincedthatStaintonMoseshad,inpreviouslives,beenthosepersonalitiesthatonoccasionseemedtopossesshim.Intruth,theywerehe,theywerethelinksofthechainofrecurrence.

           ButmoreespeciallydidIdwellupontheexperimentsofColoneldeRochas.Bymeansofsuitablehypnoticsubjectsheclaimedthathehadpenetratedbackwardsthroughtimetotheancestorsofhissubjects.Thus,thecaseofJosephinewhichhedescribes.ShewaseighteenyearsoldandshelivedatVoiron,inthedepartmentoftheIsère.