The pamphlet of Capron and Barron relates several instances of musical instruments being played upon by spiritual powers, and of heavy objects being moved with great power, but this is the first statement I have seen of sounds being produced without any visible agency. In addition to the numerous instances reported, in which heavy objects were moved with great power by unseen agencies, it has been stated by quite a number, that an invisible or spiritual hand is sometimes laid upon the living! A very intelligent gentleman now in this city who recently visited the spiritual exhibition in New York, in a very skeptical mood, states that he not only witnessed loud raps upon a door, but upon requesting a demonstration upon his person, he felt himself seized by an invisible and! He is now a firm believer.

The last and most amusing form of these spiritual phenomena is that which has been reported by an orthodox clergyman, Rev. Dr. Phelps, to the New York Observer. The Doctor seems to have been visited by a very vulgar set of spirits, and if his narrative be accredited, he fully confirms the old stories of New England witchcraft. His priacipal object in publishing his letter is to denounce the whole as one of the delusive contrivances of the devil.

"To the Editor of the New York Observer:

"MESSRS. EDITORS: Public attention has been called of late to certain strange manifestations which have been denominated Mysterious Knockings.' They first began to attract attention in the City of Rochester, between two and three years ago. Since that time, similar manifestations have been in the cities of Auburn, Syracuse, and in other places in Western New York, and recently in several places in Ohio, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. For several weeks past, something of the same character has been witnessed at my house. It commenced on the 10th of March last, and continued, with slight interruptions, from two to three months. For the first five or six weeks, no communications were made that we could understand; but the phenomena consisted in the moving of articles of furniture in a manner that could not be accounted for. Knives, forks, spoons, nails, blocks of wood, &c., were thrown in different directions about the house. They were scen to move from places and in direetions which made it certain that no visible power existed by which the motion could be produced. For days and weeks together, I watched these strange_movements with all the care and caution, and close attention which I could bestow. I witnessed them hundreds and hundreds of times, and I know that in hundreds of instances they took place when there was no visible power by which the motion could have been produced. Scores of persons of the first standing in the community, whose education, general intelligence, candor, veracity and sound judgment, none will question, were requested to witness the phenomena, and, if possible, help us to a solution of the mystery. Eut as yet no such solution has been obtained. The idea that the whole was a trick of the children'—an idea which some of the papers have endeavored with great zeal to promulgate, is to every one who is acquainted with the facts, as stupid as it is false and injurious. The statement, too, which some of the papers have reiterated so often that the mystery was found out,' is, I regret to say, untrue. With the most thorough investigation which I have been able to bestow upon it, aided by gentlemen of the best talents, intelligence, and sound judgment, in this, and in many neighboring towns, the cause of these strange phenomena remains yet undiscovered.

"About the middle of April, a gentleman who was spending the night at my house, proposed to try the method of interrogation which had been adopted in Western New York, and to our utter amazement, a series of responses were returned, from which the inference was irresistible that they must have been produced by a being which possessed intelligence. For several weeks communications were made in this way relating almost wholly to a mattter in which certain members of the family are supposed to have an interest; at the same time the other manifestations continued, and very great annoyance was experienced. The mode of communication was by some persons repeating the alphabet, and the letters of the word to be uttered were indicated by a rap from some invisible agent. I tried by all the methods I could devise, to find what the power was by which the rapping was produced. I have heard it hundreds of times, and have done my best to ascertain the cause; but as yet I have not succeeded. I have been often asked if I believed it was the work of spirits. I have as often replied tast I do not know what it is. I have never seen a spirit, and I do not know what a spirit could do if it would, or what it would do if it could. The facts, however, are of such a nature, and have transpired under such circumstances as to render the idea of trick or designed deception wholly inadmissible. Still, however, I have become fully satisfied that no reliance whatever is to be placed on these communications, either as a source of valuable information, or as a means of acquiring truth. I speak of what has transpired at my house, and I have the fullest confidence, that if it is the work of spirits, it is the

work of wicked spirits. Indeed they profess to be wicked spirits in a state of torment, seeking a mitigation of their torment, by redressing the wrongs of which they were guilty in life. I have watched the progress of this matter with great care, and have done the best in my power to learn what these strange things mean; and although I have not yet been able to ascertain the cause, I am satisfied that their communications are wholly worthless. They are often contradictory-often prove false-frequently trifling and nonsensical, and more in character with what might be expected of a company of loafers on a spree, than with what might be expected from spirits returned from the world of retribution, to tell the secrets of their prison-house.

"Similar manifestations are now being made in many other parts of the country. According to information which I suppose to be authentic, they are witnessed in from 150 to 200 different places at the present time.

*

*

*

"I will merely add, that for some weeks past these annoyances at my house have been subsiding, and now, as I hope, have ceased altogether. Yours respectfully, "Stratford, June 20, 1850. ELIAKIM PHELPS."

CLAIRVOYANCE, &c.-Remarkable exhibitions of clairvoyance are said to be in progress in Cleveland. Dr. Westervelt has a patient who is reputed to exhibit clairvoyant powers. The Democrat says: His subject is an invalid young lady, respectably connected, from the county of Medina. She has been sick for fifteen years. For the last eleven years she has not walked a step, until she was placed under the medical charge of Dr. WESTERVELT. This was five weeks ago. Now she can walk with great ease over the city." A Mrs. Bushnell has beeen developing her clairvoyant powers at Cleveland, and lecturing in what she calls the "abnormal state." What is the character or merit of the demonstrations I have not learned.

WATER GAS DISCOVERY.-The announcement of the grand discovery of the decomposition of water at a very trifling expense, by Mr. Heury M. Paine, was very slow in obtaining public credence, on account of the previous reputation of that gentleman. On that account I took no notice of it in this Journal, until the public attention was invoked in its behalf by publications of gentlemen whose statements were regarded as reliable. Knowing that water can be decomposed by various agencies, and knowing no reason why it should not be done cheaply by some more ingenious process, I remained with the greater portion of the scientific public in a state of suspense as to the reality of the discovery until it should be publicly demonstrated. Having learned from Mr. Vaughan a mechanical method of decomposing water, I supposed that probably Mr. Paine had carried out the same principle. At present, however (July 10th), the conviction appears to be general that Mr. Paine has no really important discovery. The numerous false reports in reference to his experiments and the immense sums to be paid him have tended to destroy all confidence, and the finishing stroke has been given by the report of a committee of distinguished chemists of New York, who visited Worcester to ascertain the merits of the discovery, but failed to learn anything satisfactory. Mr. Paine was absent-his brother exhibited the machinery, and the committee thought they discovered manifest evidences of fraud in its operation Notwithstanding all this, the friends of Mr. Paine still believe in his discovery. They conteud that the committee did not give an adequate examination, and refused to examine the apparatus again when requested. Mr. ELIHU BURRITT declares that he is confident the discovery is a real and a great one.

Meantime a French gentleman, Pierre Gillard, has patented a similar invention in France, and his processes are represented as having been put in successful operation, but with what amount of profit has not been stated.

SCIENTIFIC IMPOSTURE.-The Mississippians are a very liberal and hospitable peoplequick to recognize talent and moral worth-but equally quick to detect their counterfeits. An illustration of these traits has recently occurred at Raymond, Miss., in reference to a form of imposition to which other communities have submitted more patiently. It is a remarkable fact that in the older countries, the organized machinery by which reputation is manufactured is quite sufficient to sustain in a flourishing condition the most arraut impostors, while in the new countries of the West and Southwest, where every man judges more promptly for himself with less reference to the bubbles of the press, such gentlemen much more readily find their true level. The notorious oculist, Dr. Williams, for example, some years since played off his impostures successfully in the United States, until some of our western newspapers denounced the charlatan, and opened the eyes of the public to his knavery.

The latest and most profitable form of Scientific trickery which has imposed upon a careless credulity is that of retailing as a wonderful secret, under the name of ElectroBiology, a few stale mesmeric notions and formulæ, utterly destitute of either novelty

or philosophy. Of all practitioners of this process none have been more successful in gathering money than Mr. Theophilus Fisk (sometimes called a Reverend). The exposure of his pretensions in Boston, by one of his pupils, and by the lectures of Mr. Grimes, enlightened the public mind in that region, but did not prevent a very profitable campaign in New Orleans. The review of a pamphlet on Electro-Biology (so called, in the 11th number of this Journal, showing the emptiness of its pretensions, having attracted public notice in the South, Mr. Fisk published a very insolent and deceptive card upon the subject, making great pretensions to scientific knowledge and to the possession of important information, not contained in the pamphlet, which he dignified by the name of science. This pretended knowledge he gave under promises of secrecy at ten dollars each to the members of his private classes. Under these solemn assurances that he had a science to communicate-something entirely different from the paltry information published as Electro-Biology, a number of very intelligent gentlemen, at Raymond, were induced to pay him his fee of ten dollars, in return for which he gave them a single lecture of one hour, imparting the very same information which was published in the little pamphlet from which I have quoted, and a few additional facts familiar to the tyro in physiology, together with assumptions and puerilities which were dearly paid for by the time spent in listening:

Indignant at so base an imposition, a strong disposition was felt to punish adequately the guilty individual, which resulted in a prosecution under the statute against obtaining money under false pretences-a penitentiary offence. An affidavit was made, showing that the parties had been defrauded under the false pretence of imparting knowledge different from that published in this Journal. The trial before a magistrate was interrupted by a writ of habeas corpus, which brought the prisoner before Judge Posey, who decided that the affidavit was defective in not properly conforming to the statute. Another affidavit, drawn up in due form, was made by Dr. Patton and others, under which a trial was commenced before the same magistrate, and this was again interrupted by a writ of habeas corpus, by which the prisoner was removed from the jurisdiction of the magistrate to that of a judge at Vicksburg. This change of venue proved fortunate for the culprit, as the Vicksburg Judge decided that the statute was not designed to apply to such cases of scientific imposition as this, and that the remedy must be by a civil rather than a criminal process. He apparently lost sight of the true character of the case, regarding it as a prosecution for teaching a false science, instead of a prosecution for making false and fraudulent pretences in reference to a true science, which was the offence. Certainly it would be wrong to punish the sincere teacher of a false science, but, when the truths of a science are admitted, as in this case, and when the offence is charged and proved, of getting large sums of money by professing to give additional knowledge, when no such knowledge is given, a little punishment just y administered could not fail to promote sound morals and science, and protect the public from the debasing influences of charlataury.

The gentlemen concerned in this prosecution, with whom I am personally acquainted, are very intelligent, high-minded, honorable men. Their declaration that they have learned nothing new from Mr. Fisk (in accordance with his promises) is alone sufficient evidence of the imposture, and as a minute narrative of Mr. Fisk's proceedings, keture, &c., has been sent to me by one of those whom he defrauded, I feel fully autherized to say that they have pursued just such a course as ought to be adopted by an intelligent community in all similar cases.

The Raymond Gazette is highly indignant in its denunciations, and if the newspapers of our large cities were a little more discriminating and conscientious in their notices of the various candidates for popular favor, the effect would be highly beneficial.

In connection with this imposition, I cannot avoid referring to one of the most barefaced exhibitions of charlatanry and ignorance which has recently been obtruded upon the public notice-a small book entitled "Lectures upon Electrical Psychology," by J. B. Dodds. The ostentatious pretensions and ridiculous ignorance of this notorious writer would render his book or pamphlet unworthy of notice but for the fact that respectable publishers have given it circulation and rendered it desirable to expose its true character. If it possessed any scientific merit whatever, the fact that its mala object is to promote the sale of the great ten dollar secret (which has been detected as an imposition) would sink it below the level of our common quack advertisements The quack nostrums are generally medicines of some real value, but this Psychological or Biological secret is a sheer imposition.

The prejudices against Mesmerism which have so long prevented it from receiving justice are greatly strengthened and prolonged in their influence by the ignorance and obtrusiveness of those who thrust themselves forward as its advocates.

BUCHANAN'S

JOURNAL OF MAN.

Vol. II, No. 3-SEPTEMBER, 1850.

ART. I.-POSITIVE SCIENCE AND POSITIVE ACTION.

PHRENOLOGY and MESMERISM were long hooted at as visionary theories, bordering upon insanity. Every one who dared to espouse them was assailed as a deluded simpleton or a public impostor. Medical men, who dared to defend the obnoxious doctrines, were openly denounced by their professional brethren their practice injured, and their access to all stations of honor or profit obstructed. All that could be done by silent contempt, by jeering buffoonery, by denunciation and slander, was vigorously done; and as it was supposed that this was enough to annihilate at once the new sciences, the public were informed from time to time that the humbugs were exploded, were "going down," or discountenanced. Still the public perceived these humbugs coming before them every year with greater moral strength, and obtaining a wider and stronger hold upon intelligent minds. Physicians braved the anathemas of the profession in behalf of the persecuted truths. Demonstrations of the most startling character challenged and defied scepticism. The practical truth of Phrenology was publicly demonstrated by Gall and Spurzheim. The facts of Mesmerism, including its wonderful clairvoyance and sympathy, were demonstrated and reported by a committee of the French Academy. Yet still the opposition was nearly as violent as ever. For the last twenty years there has been a continual accumulation and diffusion of evidence upon these subjects. Practical Phrenology has been carried into almost every village in civilized countries by teachers of cranioscopyand its truth has been brought home to the minds of the masses of the people. Mesmeric demonstrations too have been made almost everywhere. The impressible have been put to sleep,surgical operations have been performed during the somnolent VOL. II.-D

unconsciousness, not only in Parisian hospitals, but in every civilized country-and clairvoyant subjects have created a new profession by their extensive operations in the way of describing distant objects, reading with eyes covered, revealing the nature of diseases, and prescribing for the sick. The dullest intellectual sluggards have no longer any excuse, since these wonders have been brought home to their very doors, and the most stubborn skeptics have been met upon their own ground, by appealing to their own five senses. The question is settled, if extensive public and private demonstrations can settle anything.

But where has conscience fled to? Where are the apologies from the gentlemen who once vilified these sciences and all therewith connected? Now that Clairvoyance is a "fixed fact," and Phrenology a generally admitted science as to its essentials, where are the generous acknowledgments of error from their former assailants-where are the tributes, the honors tendered to their champions? Where is the justice, and where are the honors due to such men as Dr. Elliotson, of England, and Dr. Caldwell, of America? Alas! the echo only answers, where? And of all the medical colleges which have insulted these sciences, and taught their pupils to despise and shun them, where is the school that is making amends for its past injustice? The Eclectic Medical Institute has taken a proper position, (other reformatory schools will manifest a similar spirit) but where among our antiphrenological and anti-mesmeric schools is there one which will rectify its exploded falsehoods, and courteously recognize a demonstrated truth? Where can we find even a medical journal which will do fair and full justice to these long-persecuted truths? The British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review has indeed given them a passing nod of friendly recognition, but for so doing its editor has been fiercely assailed by the Lancet and other medical journals, as guilty of treachery to the orthodoxy of medical science.

If common sense sufficient to recognize palpable demonstrated facts and common honesty or fairness sufficient to admit their existence in a public manner, be treason to the dignity of the ancient and honorable system of medical philosophy and ethicsthen let us most fervently pray for the speedy death and burial, and total oblivion of all such systems of falsehood and wrong. But let us not rest content with praying to Heaven for a speedy deliverance from leaden-headed and iron-hearted medical despotism. Let every friend of truth and human progress resolve that he will no longer by word or deed sustain these iniquities-that he will no longer patronize a medical journal which wilfully sup presses the publication of the truth in reference to these sciences

-a physician who refuses to investigate them-nor a medical school which continues to delude and stultify its pupils upon these important subjects.