Helen Smith

A famous late-19th century French psychic, Helen Smith claimed to be able to communicate with Martians. She would write out the the Martian communications on paper and translate them into French, popularizing automatic writing. In 1900, Mlle Smith became famous with the publication of 'Des Indes à la Planete Mars' (From India to the Planet Mars) by Theodor Flournoy[?], Professor of Psychology at the University of Geneva[?]. The book was a sensation.

Helen Smith was known by the Surrealists as the Muse of Automatic Writing. They considered her evidence of the power of the surreal and a symbol of surrealist knowledge.