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SICLF-EDUGATION.
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into a state of sttipefaction ? Who has not seen the same rustic , on his bumps being rubbed , go through a variety of antics , supposed to correspond with the passions excited ? That was all the rao-e some fifteen or twenty years ago , but when electro-biological stances began to be held in greengrocers' back parlours and tavern tap-rooms , electro-biology went out of fashion , and / the bumps-of society got a holiday . But now we have changed all that ; we have got a mystery of a novel shape and form , something quite new or at least as new as . anything can be in a world where there
is nothing new under the sun . We have heard many accounts of the wonderful things which have happened at spiritual seances , both in Paris and in London , and all we have wanted to enable us to make the sayings and doings of the spirits a subject of serious public remark , lias been a well-authenticated relation of what has taken place . This we now possess . A writer in the " Cornhill Magazine , " for whose good faith and honourable character the editor publicly vouches , retails a variety of manifestations of the most extraordinary nature . At the first seance he went to , thp table was so deliirhteil to see him , that it actually ran across the
idea of spirits rapping" out their commuiiieations ( often with a total disregard of spelling and grammar ) , of tables dancing about a room , and clambering up ottomans , and of a man floating horizontally over a drawing-room table , we will not venture to say that these absurdities have not happened . We may , however , be permitted to remark upon the curious similarity between these manifestations and the tricks and' cheats which were played off' by pretenders to spiritualism in past times . M . Louis Figniek , in his - Histoire du Merveilleux dans" ; les , temps modernes , " gives an account of the miraculous doings of the Devils of Loudun , which in some respects feats of the of
bear a strong analogy in their nature to the spirits our modern drawing-rooms , which , adopting the title , we have called the Devils of London . Londun is an old town situated in the . modem department of Vienna , and the ancient province of Poitbu . In the " year 1632 it became famous for manifestations of a demonulogical character . Spirits of evil took possession of a convent Of Ursuline nuns there , and a favourite feat of the demons was lifting their victims up in the air . The superior , who was possessed by AsstoDEUs , raised herself high enough to astonish the vulgar , but just as the miracle was being proclaimed , an inquisitive person raised her robe and disclosed to those standing round that one of
her -feet touched the ground . Another spirit , or rather demon , greatly astonished the natives by lifting oft * people ' s caps , aud keeping them suspended in the air . He held liis seances late at night by the dull light of torches . On one occasion , however ^ it was discovered that all his necromancy consisted of a horsehair lino and a hook . When Asiiodeus was unable to answer a question , he was accustomed to rap out , according to the manner of the period , that he was aliud ac / c ? is ^ -on one occasion , in conducting to hell the soul of Lk Peout , the Procureur of the parliament of Paris . ) The spirits in those days , as now , were not universal linguists . They could only speak the language of persons who called them up , and they were not always good grarnmarians . The spirits of Johnson " and Bacox have come up in our day fearfully to belie their character for erudition , and the ability to speak the English language with propriety . ) Asjeodetts rapped out shamefully-bad Italian " and appeared to be quite insensible to the necessity of an accusative case after an active verb .- When a Seotelmian asked , him >/ ¦
the Scotch word for something , he answered , " Deus -non volo ¦ It seems a little strange that spirits in all ages should have had such a decided partiality for liitnig people . But to return to our own spirits . They are not ' all conjurors . Mr . Dickers gives a very different account from that of Mr . Tiiackeeay ' . s trustworthy correspondent . At his seance a spirit announced itself , and rapped . Who was the spirit ? _ A brother , and his name was Edwakd . Now the jjcrson for whom the communication Was said to be intended never liad a brother of the name of Edward . Then the spirit ' scratched upon / - a piece of paper , and the mcdium ,-a young lady , was caught making the noise with her finger . When the table reared itself up , this young Italy ' s thumbs Were discovered underneath it . The knee-twitching business was done , but this keen eye-witness , who resisted spiritual influence , distinctly felt the young lady doing it with her foot . An old guitar out noise
was played under the table , but it only gave a without ' ' any melody whatever , such as could have been produced by sweeping the hand or foot over the strings at intervals . These miracle * , which were regarded as such by sonic in the compan y , were plainly proved by ono ob-scwer among them to be clumsy and baro-ihcea impostures . We fire I ^ y - tr ^ Tnitrtlwt-it does , not follow because this lady medium is mi impostor , that therefore'Mr . Ho . uk snul other mediums are impostors ¦ ¦ also : But , at the sniiie time , it is but fair to argue , that if these thing's can be done by u clumsy operator so as to satisfy all but ono person in the company , a dexterous medium may bo able by the sumo means to satisfy W-rv one . The ln'dy medium who failed so signally to impose upon the witness whom we have quoted , did every thing which was done ub' Ivlr . IIomkY ,. scan re ( and to the satisfaction of the juniority of her audience ) , except the ' oiks fosit of suspending herto this t remarkthat it
self in ' the air . And with regard , we mus , is necessary jbv the conviction of thoso present , that the- medium should himself announce that ho is in the air ; they are not sensible that he is in that , position until they are . told , in this ago of scionfcilie research wo should ha very cautious how woiejud . new discoveries . Fifty years j ;«* o the notion . of lmvolling : it tlio rato of thirty miles an hoiiv wiu * oiienlv iuniuted ia tha liouso . of Commons as u mero j ) ii : iniasv : wo now tvavol at the rate of sk-. ty miles an hour . Who , twenty year ,- ! n ^ o , would , huvo conceived it possible that a message ooultl Ijj sent from London to Paris in a low seconds Y We are , therefore , willing to give tho spirits ti patient liearin ;; and a fair trial . At present , however , when failure and suecos . s -are so evenly balanced ill tho doimmstrntioii oi' this new science , if ' siu-li it may l > y called , we must Wait until the miab is decidedly turned to tho oiio side or t . hu oilier , before \ vo can make up our whit ' s to say wnethcr s'nril i \ : !>; n : i ; < l '< u n ' espo ! truth or ail impious imnosturu .
room to meet him . We will give his own words : " At my request , a question was put as to whether I might join the seance . The answer was given in the affirmative , with tumultuous energy ; and , at the same moment , the table commenced a , vigorous movement along the floor , till it came quite close-tip to me . " But there was a more wonderful table still . * " In accordance with an instruction received through the alphabet , we finally removed to a small round table , which stood on a slender pillar with three claws . Here the noises and motions thi'ongcd upon us faster and faster . _ . . The table seemed to be . inspired with the most riotous animal spirits .-.. ¦ ' . . . 'It pitched--about with a velocity which flung pit' hands from side to side as fast as we attempted to place them . " Presently , this remarkable table rolled over on its side , and sank to the floor : then it got up ,-and ran about the room . ..- ' - * Part of the
journey , ' - ' we are quoting- the trustworthy witness again , " it performed alone , and we were never able to reach it at any time together . Using the leg of the large table as a fulcrum , it directed its claws towards the ottoman , which it attempted to ascend . . . It slipped down at first , but again quietly resumed its task ; and , at last , by careful ' and .. ' . persevering 1- . efforts , ; it accomplished the top of the ottoman , and stood on the summit of the column in the centre , from whence , in a few moments , it descended to the-floor by a similar process . " This is wonderful enough in all -conscience , if , as ' our trusworthy correspondent " assures us , no one asr ; isted the table in its movements ; but something- far more wonderful still remains ¦ to be told . We-are- at a seanre now , at which tile celebrated Mr . I-Io-MK-is present . There is the great man seated in-the
window , ' not by any means si CA : GtiosTuo in appearance , but a very tiiiltl specimen" of that -familiar humanity which you pass every , hour in the day , and see nothing remarkable in . We are assured that Mr . Home is as modest as he looks , and that the vulgar stories which have been eir . cula . ted about him , give altogether a ialse impression of his character . lie plainly and unreservedly tells you that . 'he- is . perfectly impassive in theso matters , and that whatever happens , happens from causes pvei-which lie . 'has no control . When the scaiicehe ^ an , t ] io spirits intimated in the usual manner , namely , by raps , that the lights must be extinguished . The company were in almost total darkness , and all eyes were immediately turned TowaTJlFtnTTwiM ^ We-quoi-p again : " Pi-eHCiitly , the tassel of the cord ( if the sprinyblind b 6 i _* iuYio tivsnble . Slowly , and anparontly with caution or
( liliiculty , tho blind began to . dpscend- ... . several times , at interval ' s , the blind was raised ami pullecVdown , but capricious as the movement appeared , the ultimate object seemed to be io diminish the lis- 'ht . " 'The--persons seated round tho table , and many of them \ vere ladies , iclfc a ( witching at-their : knees , as of ti'boy's hand partly sfratchhig , partly striking and pulling them in plav ; soon aiti'r / wJiat seeined to )> c a large hand came under the table-cover . Our trustworthy witness , somewhat too eager to satisfy hiw curiosity , sobed it , i ' olt it very rteu ^ ibly , but the next instant it went out like air iii his grasp . This phantom hand- -the one wo presume which appeared to ' the Rmppror of tho Fkk NCH . aiul signed his uncle ' s nn ' . no—performed ft varioty of fonts , too numerous toiuention . ijet ,.,. ,.. ...,,.. » ¦ +.. * i ,., ,. / .,., > i . ri ; , \ n "i > 'lii <> Ii lnv nh n . diniiiiu'e iVom the iloor . us come to the accordionv'hich lay at a distance irom the Hour .
, . That accordion , played tunes of its own aevonl . The air was wild , and full of Ktmnj ^ ' e tvunsiiiom * . with a wail pi' tho . mo . st iiaihotic sweet ness running through' it . " The ears which hoard it lr . nl . novel huforo boon visited by a wound no fino . " ]\ Ir . IIomh takes his turn next , liko tho la ; , b va ' ulter in tho circus , who comi . vs in to outdo all tho others , and . iumj ) ovor nil tho six hor ^ os at onco . When tho niTonlion Imil fiuirliod its tusic , he said , - My Chair is _ moving ; 1 am oil" this ground ; don't notice me . " Hut oiu- oyo-witiw'ss oould not rostrum ' his t-uruwity , nud ho did notice the great liuV . i'un . In a moment or two ho spokt * again . Ho was thon up in iho ' nir . Ar ho asccntlo : ! lus her ho described liis j ) osilion . Our pyo-witncs .-i tUiis net i \ i \ y that ho saw him thoiw It wum at !! r . < t periioiuliv'Ui . ' . r , and
iiilorwlintu liori / ontal . Xow , li (»\ vover , they iuw A \ v .- Uom i : m ii-. yviro l ) ft «« ! b >\» l on (> t ; uui ul > t 1 < 1 (< w " ml <» w to tho olhov , f < -et forouiMst . lyivi ; . ; nori / dnially iirflTo iiir : At'luiWtlrhoitnvprcrl ppvpcntHctvhn-ly ww the companv ' s hinid .-i , allowed our infovmant to touch his I ' o . it , : v . id then ( lesioo . nilod . V / e should not omit to mention that tlii ;' , iiovfori !! - imco was o \ ili \ emnl l . v a Uwx > IVom ihv n-lf-iictin . v ,- m-v . vdu . n on tho iloor , anil it h also ir . ' U ' . d . ! fl Thai ^ nHt- ' wi- ro hv . tn ! and i , eo ; i _ tfYuhw about tho vmr . n y . uvvoinnloil ! iy coliuinul : itiii (; . »|)! it . 'Vt' : i . aV . Una roadu liko aelumlor oi't ! io Jl : ii » it .- otl I ' au ' . 'ii's in * ' I ! ecl
Untitled Article
;] J- > Or-li . ^ Dii : it . 'ia a .. irt . HVj . v « i- '» r < - ^ 'l . um iv : ul ; in . | > Ri'J » li >» 5 , iii-. JL < leo : ! , the hni-1 sliuHc . l i-iuey of lilrt po ^ ii-y , 'tlus "'" iiira '""< . ; U > , ! Mrnr ; - i ) : is ! : <^ e bevnv ; . ' tlu » ouly ' ou-o yvaJraily kno \; n ; but it is _ J ' ull of -vnenil ivnV . i und ¦ sw' . i . iijvAiIo onm ^ 's . uuis , iv . v . l the Uilt ^ uiiiud vh-, / ii . 4 v u ' c r ; .,, ih > liK iiu ); i . ' . i : idiviaii : il , ii . 'i-. ' . oiii ' . Uy oiioinvc to tin . y > vt , p : i : ;; n : » like u SVhilwori . ' i v ' . i ! .. > biilP't tlwuuv'l . «> whole Illy ot the ni ' . iK ! f . vuui , ^ . JioiuDy ii » :. iui ! s to ' . \ i--f . :: \ ' , <» \ vJjo . ii tiiey niuv i > o ' imliviihmllv uuu . uwn , ¦ smu" [ . iiMvinj ' , iulln-s oi wm-li no iinme . iiuto iutbrinidoa i . uiv ji . Tliups o . 'cur to ( i . e . reader . » iio cctio ( , f one of I ' ouuVi whutrt is eonlhuuulv iMltlin , i in nuv oars , vory pour
Untitled Article
Aug . 11 , I 860 . ] The Saturday Analyst and Leader . 717
Siclf-Edugation.
SICLF-EDUGATION .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 11, 1860, page 717, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2360/page/5/
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