Theos-Talk Archives (February 2005 Message tt00001)

As for the proofs of ESP observations and existence of the subtle 
bodies there is a good book by Hector Durville "Manifestation Du 
Fantome Des Vivants". The book is available in French in Russian. I 
don't know whether is an English translation.
Durville was a psychic researcher who tried to be objective, but he 
writes much in favour of theosophists. He found that of many systems 
the theosophical system matches best to his observations, but he adds, 
"if theosophists theoretized less and experimented more, their books 
would be more accurate".
The value of the book (as of many others of that kind) is diminished 
by that fact that all persons whom he mentions as the witnesses (and 
the author himself) are dead long ago, so the sceptic may say that all 
account is just a fantasy like the books of the theosophists.
But as far I know, Durville was never challenged or called an imposter 
during his life. He was a member of Psychic Research Society, an 
institution which accused Blavatsky, but I don't know whether the 
French society was any way connected with the English or was quite 
independent organization.
After World War 1 his researches were just forgotten.

the Russian translation is available online at http://www.theosophy.ru 
but the French original should be ordered in the internet shops.