A very scarce work in fine condition by one of the most significant leaders of the 19th century "spiritualist" movement from the time when it operated largely within the framework of Christianity and was practice and promoted by many within orthodox Christianity.

Thomas Shorter [1823-1899] was an English poet, and the secretary of the Working Men’s College, London, an active spiritualist, and one of the founders of the spiritualist movement in Britain.

His contributions began as founder of the London Spiritualistic Union, which arose out of the Charing Cross Spirit Power Circle. This included John Ashburner, Jacob Dixon, a member of the Society for Psychical Research and a follower of Christian Socialist, Robert Owen. They became co-editors of The Spiritual Magazine. Shorter was additionally influential for Emma Hardinge Britten, William Howitt, Kenneth Robert Henderson MacKenzie, John Murray Spear, William M Wilkinson.

He also played an important role in the emergence of American spiritualism through his relationship with Paschal Beverly Randolph, which began when Randolph visited England in 1855. 

An exceptional copy with no examples currently in the trade and not at auction since 1987.

Shorter, Thomas [Anonymous]. Confessions of a Truth Seeker. A Narrative of Personal Investigations into the Facts and Philosophy of Spirit-Intercourse. London. William Horsell. 1859. 222pp.

A very good copy, bound in cloth, very solid, with generally bright pages.