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- "T ^ iso the possibility a mesmerized subject divine impressions from the mind of the party to r vhom their attention is directed , notwithstanding 7 h ? v may be personally many miles from each other ; £ r when I knew from my relative ' s letter what had IJen the subject of her thoughts , I put Emma into the m ^ meric state , and asked her , ' How and why * he went to see the Queen ? ' She directly replied , ? T took me . ' ' But how did you get in if there were soldiers at the door ? ' The answer was
curious : « Oh , I jumped over the soldiers , but Lcould not jump over them , and , therefore , she could not get in . The reader will here observe an instance of the dream-like incongruity which attends most clairvoyant perceptions ; as Emma mistook the communication of an idea , for an actual accompanying of the party by whom the idea had been communicated . And the facility of her entrance , notwithstanding the guards , appeared to her as jumping over them .
The italicised passages are very amusing , and a philosophic mind will not fail to draw conclusions from them . The odyle , it appears , not only issues from the brain of Emma to objects , but also to thoughts ; and , meeting half-way the thoughts of the party " to whom its attention was directed , forthwith accompanied those thoughts on their journey . But a difficulty here suggests itself to a " sceptical party" like this present Reviewer . He wishes to know how the odyle , passing from Emma could stumble against the odyle passing from " the relative , " and then suddenly endowed with consciousness and volition , set off on another journey to Buckingham Palace ?
But of course the Reviewer would be crushed by the ready answer that Scepticism destroys the phenomena . It is notorious that if a " party " desire to see the " higher phenomena , " he must be credulous , or they will not appear . It is the same with ghosts : they never appear to those who disbelieve in them . Cross-mesmerism ensueswhich is a pity , as it prevents satisfactory investigation . And we would strenuously advise every sceptic to conceal his scepticism- If he pretend to be credulous , no cross-mesmerism occurs ! At
least that was our experience . We acted credulity with such thoroughness that the clairvoyante declared she never travelled with any one better than with us , which , considering the immense , the unmistakeable , and amusing mistakes she madenever once being right where there was the possibility of error—was peculiarly amusing to us ! Another difficulty to a " party" with a sceptical turn of mind is that the clairvoyante , can always
perform such wonders in any direction but the one you open for her . She can read a language she does not know in a book she does not see ; but she cannot read the language she does know in the book you * hold in your hand ! The mysteries of David Rizzio , and the identity of a fraudulent servant at any distance of time or space can be easily revealed ; but the watch key you have placed in a little box cannot be distinguished from a bracelet or necklace ! Dr . Haddock remarks : —
" These experiments with boxes led to much annoyance . Too frequently almost every one in a company would bo urging her to describe the hidden contents of their packages , j n which things w < re concealed under every kind of distortion and mixture , in order to increase the difficulty of the trial ; and supposing it was by common vision the things were to be seen , it was expected that at once she should describe the contents of these packages , and
common language . No wonder that her temper became milled by these procedures , and that she relu . sed to look at them . Uesides , as since observed , the activity of clairvoyant , or lucid vision , powerfully nff . 'cts the nervous system , and hence , quickly fatigues ; ho that after even a moderate sitting , the Hubject in unfitted for any trial that requires mental effort . On these accounts , [ discontinued all huuIi experiments , as of no practical value , being generally requited to gratify mere idle curiosity . "
We trust " the parties" are satisfied with this exp lanation ! » u conclusion we would bog of our readers not ' ¦<> misunderstand our purpose : this article is not directed against Mckiuci ism , but against the method ' ¦ mployed by most Mesmeric teachers . Everything advanced by these , Professors may be true , yet their ? icalinent of it not be a whit less reprehensible .
We have already on more tlian one occasion stated the amount , of credence we feel bound by evidence | give , the facts of Mesmerism , and are un-Ji'igiU'dly willing to sign a declaration of faith in utt Uh marvels the instant that faith has grown up »>» our inindN . Meanwhile not only must we write not proven" againut all claiivoyauee , but must Ha y that the generality of ProfeuHOiH do their bent t () keep the public in a , wtate of ucornful ncepti-CJ 8 U 1 .
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SKETCHES FROM LIFE . By Harriet Martineau . XII— THE STOCK FARMER . William and Robert Creswick called each other Bob and Bill when they were children ; and though they are now old men , they call one another Bill and Bob to this day , while respectfully named at length by everybody else . Bill has retired from business as a country shopkeeper . Bob is a farmer ; and , though rich enough to retire , he holds on—at a loss , as he declares , —till his second son shall enter on the Dale farm , which the Duke ' s agent
has promised he shall succeed to . When that happens , Mr . Creswick and his daughter will leave the old farm to the eldest son , and make up their minds where they shall live . Meanwhile , the old brothers meet occasionally . Bob thinks he can never leave home , except on the great occasion of bis annual journey to Falkirk fair , to buy stock ; but he snatches a day or two at that season to pop in on his brother and have a chat ; and Bill has plenty of leisure , so that he appears " at- the farm more than once a year , and can stay a week or two at a time .
One of those visits was in winter—a few years since . He found his brother on the look-out for him ; his nephews were attentive , in their cool , indifferent , dull sort of way . His niece Rosalinda had made up a roaring fire in the kitchen , and prepared a vast supper , and the farming men , who sat on benches at the farther end of the kitchen , pulled their forelocks and made their bows as formerly ; but there was not the usual cheerfulness .
A deep gloom hung over everybody . Bill had observed that Bob ' s hand was very tremulous when they shook hands on meeting ; but he had always thought that his brother ' s shakiness about the lips and hands was owing to the enormous quantity of tobacco that he chewed . Now , however , he perceived that there was something more the matter , for when he asked cheerfully what ailed them all , that they looked so glum , and Bob turned away to the fire , Bob ' s old cheeks were all shining with
tears . " What ' s the matter , Rosa ? " whispered the uncle . Rosa clashed the cups and plates about while she answered that her father did not know what was to become of them all , on account of the corn-laws . " Ah ! " sighed the uncle , looking now extremely grave , " I am as sorry about that as any of you can be . As my neighbour Price says , I could hang Peel and the Duke with the greatest pleasure . " The men on the benches made a stir , looking at each other in amazement and horror , so that the farmer had to explain .
" My brother means the Duke of Wellington , — not our Duke . Don't suppose anybody talks of hanging our Duke . " lie added , in a murmuring voice , heard only by those next him , that he had little thought , though , to see the day when their own Duke would give up the corn-laws without a word .
The young farmer , Tom , who had been preparing , for some minutes , for the unusual effort of expressing a thought , now found himself ready , and , looking his uncle in the face , lie said , " You see , we don ' t want tho corn-laws done nothing to . " And , again , the uncle sympathized . Supper was dull . When the men were gone to bed in their lofts , the family drew together about the lire , and talked , over their uffuirs . The result wan somewhat cheering to the old fanner , who cared about Rosa more than
about all the rest of the world together . Other people were worry to see how much less Rosa eared about him ; but no pertness and roughness of hers cheeked her father ' s love and care ; and to-night he was cheered by its being . settled that , whenever he and bin sons were ruined by the repeal of the cornlaws , Rosa ,- —whose little independent fortune was on no account to be touched , —should live with her uncle , and be , as much of a lady as if her father had been ever so prosperous .
When the young people were also gone to bed , Hill Maid to Hob , " JSo , Rosa has not made a match yet ?" " No , —and that is what 1 live in constant dread of , — -her throwing herself away on some of the young fellows hereabouts . You nee , who haw hi ^ h spirits , —and nho likes her own way ; and her fortune makes hor an object ; mid . . /'
" Well , now ; all things considered , Bob , I could wish she was married and settled . " " No , no . " said the soft-hearted old man ; " I can ' t part with Rosa . I can ' t think of it , Bill . I watch her as if she was an infant , and I her mother . "
" And how does she like being watched ?" The old father shook his head , and choked a little when he tried to answer ; and nothing more , to any purpose , was said that night . The corn-laws were repealed . Bill heard a good deal about his brother ' s doom of being ruined , but he heard nothing about Rosa coming to take refuge with him . It was only by going over to the farm that he could learn anything of his relatives , for they could not correspond by letter . The old
farmer , who had never been apt at the pen , was now barely able to make a tremulous signature . His sons did not pretend to do more than sign their names ; and Rosa was so far conscious of her eccentric spelling that she walked down to the Duke ' s lodge to get the steward ' s daughter to write for her , whenever a note on business was required . It made her uncle rather uneasy at times to think that no accounts were , or could be , kept at the farm ; but it was no use thinking about it , for there was nobody to do it .
One fine August , Bill thought he would go and see how his relations were getting on . He wrote , two days before , to announce his intention ; but , if he had considered a moment , he would have spared himself that much trouble . The farm was two miles from a post-office ; and letters were so rare , and so little cared for by people who never thought of any thing ( except the corn-lawsj outside the Duke ' s property , that they lay in the post-office till the alternate Sunday , when the family came to church . So Bill ' s letter was not delivered till the Sunday after the close of his visit ; and , when he rode up , nobody was on the watch for him .
At first he hardly knew where he was . He could not make his way into the old farmyard , so encumbered was it with blocks and slates of stone , with beams and mortar ; and , instead of thericketty old offices , he saw before him a vast stone building , three times as large as the house ; barn , stables , cowsheds , poultry houses , all on a grand scale . The boy came out to take his horse , and grinned , and said the Duke was building a barn for master . Then the eldest nephew appeared ; and his vacant
face and foolish mouth took by degrees the expression of a smile ; and he found means to say that the Duke was building father a barn . Then the niece ' s ringlets shone over the garden wall ; and Rosa appeared through the gate , looking as if she was expecting somebody , if not her old uncle . She wore a scarlet-and-green silk petticoat , and a purple satin jacket . A crimson and yellow shawl hung over her arm ; and she held her white chip bonnet , which was trimmed with blue riband , and bore a tall feather , tipped with scarlet .
" Why don't you call father to uncle ? " asked her brother . " Father ' s out . Not back yet ? " said Rosa . " Why , he went to meet you ! " said her brother . " I know he did : but 1 came round by the deerpark . He won ' t be long now . He must be tired of waiting for me by this time . " " I want to know about this , Rosa , " said her uncle kindly , but gravely , when they were alone in the kitchen . " Do you mean that your father is watching for you on one road , and that you came home by another ?" " Father worries me so , " replied she . "He scarce ever lets me out of his sight . It is like cat and mouse . I did not ask him to come and ( sec
me home . I can take care of myself ; and I have friends that can take care of me . " Here the father appeared at the door , exhausted , overheated , and alarmed . The look of tender satisfaction that he cast upon Rosa when lie saw she was safe touched his brother ' s feelings , l ' erhtus Rosa did not nee it ; for she told her father a bit of her mind about his wearing" himself out in watching her , when she was very well able to take of herself . She drew some beer , and set down the bread and cheese before him with a clatter ; arid the old man thanked her for the deed , and made no reply to the words .
While the brothers took their bread and chc . mc , to enable them to wait for h upper , Rosa iv »; nt to take off her fine clothes , in preparation ( or cooking the supper . Her father took the opportunity to tell how industrious and invaluable Jtosa was , and how much more « he did than any other young woman . And in thin there w « a wotne justice . She wan up at four or live every weekday , now that there were no many men on the nremiseH to be pro-
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We should do our utmost to encourage the Beautiful , for the Uaeful encourages itself . —Gokthe .
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of of Jin , * 5 , 1851 . ] Qttft tteaJrrr . # 637
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 5, 1851, page 637, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1890/page/17/
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