The Dead Man’s Message
Florence Marryat2009

First published in 1894, "The Dead Man’s Message" was inspired by Florence Marryat’s very strong spiritual beliefs. On the surface, a curious little gothic tale, Marryat delivers a story which engages with humane questions over how people live their lives and contextualises this within a plot which grapples with much wider scientific debates.
Professor Aldwyn wakes from a nap to discover that he is actually dead. During life he was a rational man of science, but he has now entered the spirit world and is forced to account for his actions on earth. In this novella Florence Marryat presents the reader with a sometimes playful, but ultimately engaging, challenge to the wider scientific community and its skepticism of the spiritual other.
This new edition, edited by Greta Depledge, features a critical introduction, contextual notes, and additional material on contemporary debates :
- Science versus Spiritualism - the debate
- Spirit photography
- Extracts from Florence Marryat's "There is No Death"

Titre original : The Dead Man’s Message (2009)