“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The 42nd envelope experiment was held during the session. See the tracing on page 29. The object is the insurance receipt for the tape of the 170th session, which was sent to Dr. Instream on July 23,1965. The tape was made with the Gallaghers as witnesses, at their home outside Elmira, NY, on July 19,1965.

I will give an object shortly. First, an impression of several small packages—many, I believe, all of the same size, coming to him or being sent from him through the mails. Perhaps they involve cards for scoring. Or a survey.

I also have the impression of an object that looks like a toothbrush, but is used for cleaning something else. I do not know to what this refers.

Now for the object. A book, or an object resembling one. It could be a box of book shape. The space between either the covers of the book or the covers of the box being colored, and patterned. (Long pause.) The patterns resembling imperfect circles—shapes—perhaps red, orange or yellow, but more than one color.

Nine. A miscellany of shapes. A connection with a light or a round bright object that suggests light.

(“Do you want to say something about the color of the object, if any?”)

(See the tracing of the envelope object on page 29. As stated, it is the insurance receipt for the tape of the 170th session, made on July 19,1965 at the home of the Gallaghers, with them as witnesses. The receipt is handstamped July 23,1965, the day the tape was mailed to Dr. Instream.

(The receipt is rectangular in shape; in connection with this shape, Jane said she had an image within, of a whitish color. It was rectangular and of the approximate proportion of the object. She was aware of black lines upon it. She saw it standing on a narrow end. This is quite possible, since I noticed during the experiment that she held the sealed envelope at various angles. Remember also that she gave white in connection with the object’s color, in answer to my second question. The receipt is green.

(“Nine.” We are not sure, since we did not ask Seth. The sessions usually begin at 9:00 PM on the dot. The 170th session, represented by the envelope object, actually began at 8:57.

(“A miscellany of shapes.” This phrase crops up often in the data in describing words, numbers, other small repetitive printed matter. The object is covered with printed matter on both sides.

(“A connection with a light or a round bright object that suggests light.” Jane said this is her interpretation of Seth’s first data regarding the circular handstamp on the object. Later in the data she becomes more specific.

(“Copy in the center of the bottom of a paper item.” No matter which side of the envelope object was facing up, there would be copy in the center of the bottom side. Jane changed the position of the envelope frequently, as she held it while giving the data.

(The next paragraph of envelope data does not apply to the envelope object. These are Jane’s impressions, as Seth noted, and referred to my niece’s marriage, and the Christian Science Church.

(“Twelve.” See the back of the envelope object. As indicated on the tracing there are instructions about filing claims for lost objects. A time limit of one year is mentioned.

(“A river or water connection. Perhaps this is no more than Water Street. I do not know here, so check it.” There are many connections with the object and our residence of West Water Street, Elmira, NY.

(“Circular shapes. Perhaps four heads.” Four people were present when the 170th session, represented by the envelope object, was recorded: Jane and I, and Bill and Peggy Gallagher. Four heads of course could have referred also to coins or cabbages. I knew four people were present at the 170th session. I did not think I would be giving Jane information when I asked my first question, pertaining to elaboration of the four heads data. As far as she was concerned, I could have picked either a bit of data I knew to be wrong, or about which I knew nothing, as well as something that was correct.

(“White, it seems, with a large oval darker shape.” As stated on page 36, Jane had a mental image of a rectangular object that was whitish in color, with lines upon it. Hence the persistent references to a white object instead of the actual green color. The handstamp is round; does oval mean round, or something nearly round? Perhaps the meaning is subjective, as well as the size of the handstamp in relation to the size of the whole object.

(“Black, rather clear lines, one on top, bottom, and two sides. Vertical, that is, vertical lines, on the top and bottom, and horizontal on the sides.” The insurance receipt contains clear black printed lines, both horizontal and vertical on the front, and horizontal only on the back. As stated, Jane changed the position of the envelope frequently while she was giving the data. Thus lines that were vertical at one time would become horizontal, and it seems this would apply whether in relation to her as the clairvoyant observer, or the floor or whatever. I also wonder if some of this data might refer to the black lines formed by the printed matter on the object, and its neat-appearing edges, top, sides and bottom.

(“A white border, with uneven edges, or slightly scrolled edges.” In giving this data Jane emphasized un. See the tracing of the object on page 29. The top and bottom edges of the object are serrated or perforated; several receipts are contained on one page in the book at the post office, and are torn off as used. The sides of the object are straight.

(Reduced tracing of the page from my notepad, used as the object in the 43rd envelope experiment, in the 244th session for March 23,1966.)