Spiritual Magazine an extraordinary narrative by Mr. S. C. Hall, the well-known editor of the Art Journal, which afford as remarkable illustration of the existence of the same faith among ourselves. Of the sincerity of Mr. and Mrs. Hall there can be no doubt. Their frank and courageous evidence in a matter wherein laughter and contempt are their certain portion, can not fail to command the respect of thoughtful and generous minds, even should it be held that they are under a lamentable delusion. Spiritualism has been exposed and exploded over and over again, but it is certainly odd that those who profess to have enjoyed an actual acquaintance with the supernatural phenomena are never known to retract, or have their eyes opened to the imposture." MR. PEPPER'S LAST GHOST.—A few days ago Mr. (com monly known as “ Professor”) Pepper, F.C.S., introduced a new ghost at the Polytechnic, in an entertainment called the “Mysteries of Udolpho.” It consisted of a gigantic skeleton which was made to execute a comic dance to the tolling of a bell ; such an outrage on good taste caused a violent com motion among the spectators, and a great deal of hissing. The skeleton will not appear for the future CURIOUS SUSPENSION OF SPEECH.—A contemporary says that it is not often, in these prosaic and sceptical times, that a miracle comes formally attested by an official Government report, to be duly included in a Government Blue Book. But the Governor of Aldershot has reported that a prisoner who being lately checked on drill by one of the warders, wished with a blasphemous oath that the warder “ might be struck dumb,” was himself “struck dumb on the spot,” all which may be found solemnly recorded in the recent report on mili tary prisons of Captain Du Cane, Inspector-General. Captain Du Cane informs us that the man remained dumb for seven days, and was very much frightened. On recovering his speech it appears that he made great promises of amendment; but we regret to add that he is reported to have been “soon in prison again." PLASTICITY OF THE MIND.—When children are young their bones are in a somewhat gelatinous state, and can then be bent to some extent in the living body into unnatural forms. The analogy holds good with respect to the mind which may be unnaturally warped by parents who press their helpless children into particular grooves of foolish thought. In this way superstitions descend from generation to genera tion, just as some tribes of American savages, age after age, flatten out the skulls of their children when young by long pressure between two boards. THE EFFECTS OF MEDIUMSHIP.—The following remarks are extracted from a speech made in London by Mrs. Har dinge :—Some sixteen or seventeen years ago a young girl, studying for a profession which necessitated the use of the voice, found herself afflicted with a disease of the throat and lungs which threatened serious consequences. As the whole of her life depended upon the maintenance of the voice, it was necessary that stringent measures should be made for her relief. A celebrated physician operated upon her, but without much effect. A second, third, fourth, and fifth operation was performed. Assumed to be on the verge of incurable con sumption, she proceeded to America. The disease followed her, till at last she found her voice was quite gone as far as music was concerned— a victim to injudicious operations Finding herself in a foreign land, with the staff upon which she leaned broken, she visited a clairvoyant, who declared that spirits would restore her voice. She was at that time a spiritual medium, having become acquainted with Spiritualism a short time previously. Six weeks after the dictum of the spirits, she stood before 2,000 persons and spoke for a length ened time. For fourteen years she has sustained similar addresses six times a week, speaking to audiences of between 700 and 2,000 persons without difficulty. "That illustration," Mrs. Hardinge said, “stands before you.” This, she said, was a case showing the beneficence of spirits in opposition to the assertions of the dangers of Spiritualism.—Daybreak. "ASSUMPTIONS.”—The Cardiff Times, the chief and best weekly newspaper in Wales, calls “facts ” testified to by numerous witnesses “assumptions,” as will be seen by the following paragraph which it published last Saturday about this joumnal:—“ THE SPIRITUALIST is the title of a new fortnightly journal, which has been commenced as a 're cord of the progress of the science and ethics of Spiritual ism.' Hitherto “Spiritualism’ has been represented by three monthly periodicals of rather limited circulation, but this new venture partakes of the character of a newspaper. It contains reports of public meetings and assemblies con nected with Spiritualism, and also papers by persons of more or less scientific celebrity on the same subject, while about a fourth of the paper is devoted to 'facts for non-Spiritualists.' The style in which the new journal is got up is highly credit able to its promoters, and believers in Spiritualism will be able to say the same of the literary ability displayed in the composition of its contents. Our estimate of the facts and arguments, adduced by the several writers, is best stated by the expressive term 'bosh.' We, however, can commend the journal both to those who desire to know the assumptions which a belief in Spiritualism leads to, and to those who may be interested in a collection of curious statements." THE SPIRITUALIST.—During the last fortnight a stead and continued sale of the first number of THE SPIRITUALIST has taken place. It has sold well in London, and to a limited extent in the country, but the present demand comes chiefly from the provinces. The possible future of this journal may be divided into three heads.—1. It may sell well enough to be published weekly at an early date. 2. There may be a small loss upon its publication. 3. It may be a failure.—The sale of the first number, and the favourable comments in letters received, give plenty of evidence that the third possibility is not likely to prove a fact, nor, from the present dimensions of the spiritual movement, is the first possibility likely to be realised as yet. Should the second one prove true, we have been thinking that it would be a good plan to bring out the paper monthly for a time, but not on the first day of the month, as that would be underselling our contemporaries which we should not like to do. With this journal published in the middle of each month, and the others at the beginning, there would be a fortnightly supply of news. The three periodicals could then quictly gather strength while the move ment grows ; and as soon as the ground will bear it, this journal will fulfil its chief object, and come out weekly. This idea requires consideration, and the best plan of action will be more clearly seen after five or six numbers of THE SPIRIT UALIST have been published. Already it has found its way, more or less, into nearly all the chief towns and counties in the three kingdoms; and we printed off an extra supply of the first number, copies of which were posted to five hundred of the most eminent men of science in Great Britain.