The Express.
London, England, 1857-09-12 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 12, 1857.

LITHAATURA

Light in the rangy. My Ilaperienees of Spirt-
lualism. By Mrs. NEWTON CIOSLAND. London:
Published for the author by O. ltoutledge and Co.
The age of mooncalves is not yet extinct. The
table-rappers are a body in the state, they possess
an organ, they publish books, they bemoan the
matenalisation of our popular literature, and, as we
find by the work before us, they endeavour to
spiritnalise it by confession of their own personal
experiences. Not content with seeing strange visions
themselves, and personally beholding the dancing of
ecstatic table', they now attempt to proselytise, and
endeavour to remove the film from the eyes of the
unbeliever. Because Wesley was credulous, Baxter
weak, and Cardan mentally deranged, the agile
pirouettes of the graceful " pembroke," and the der-
vish-like bounding, of the " mahogany dining," are to
be taken aa demonstrated facts. We havebeen thought-
less in heaping ridicule upon the household altar—
the table ; round it we read, we eat, we write, we
assemble, we quarrel, we are reconciled—so says the
spsritualist ; and who can wonder that there is some-
thing about it to which spirit appropriately
.clings ?
A suspicion seems to have crossed the minds of
these dreamers that knuckle-rapping is scarcely a
dignified manifestation of an immortal spirit. The
answer which " a very high spirit " gives tea ques•
tiara touching this subject is, "If we sum with
more solemnity we should awe you too much." And
the spiritualists find a well of suggestive truth in
this reply, for its effect is to create an equality of all
phenomena. The rude village ghost—a turnip, a
candle, a broomstick, and a sheet—is raised to the
level of the vision which floated before Saul is the
care at Endor, and the same power that healed the
sick, and raised the dead, is made to preside over
the revolutions of an ordina7 hat, or the scratching
of spirit answers on the wainscot.
Associated with Mrs. Crosland in this book are
certain individuals who go by the names of " Com-
fort," " Sustainer," and " Introvision ;" there is also
a child of three years old, a son of " latrovision,"
who is called " Hopeful." These enthusiasts not
only see visions, but, under the inspiration of the
moment, they render them pictorially. " Comfort"
gives us a page of spirit writing. At the top is a
readable line, " You must persevere in writing;'
after this all is chaos and scribble. A large sheet
is careering through the page, and the appearance
of the manuscript generally is that of a copy-took
with a writing lesson badly set, and imitated by a
child of tender years.
The most remarkable of the illustrations are the
".personal spirit emblems" of " Sustainer," " Intro-
vision," and young" Hopeful." The first is a gaudy
beetle, set in a border of blue, red, and orange ; the
second, a variegated representation of a ranumeur,
in a similar border; while the child gives us some-
thing that would serve as a very pretty pattern fur
a fancy shirt. If it were not for the freedom and
spontaneity of the design, we should fancy it bad
been seen under the influence of the rod.

Theliot or the eteetin Mr.. eraland's circle, who

are either active visionaries or passive believers,
comprises a military man, several ladies, a literary
friend, a gentleman who" writes to the newspapers,"
a clergyman, and the son of a statesman. Further
comment on the creed or proceedings of these per-
sons would be us,lem ; we can only express our re-
gret at finding a hand associated with many graceful
trifles in magazines and annuals, now figuring on
the title-page of a book, the doctrine of which would
make it offensive did not its folly render it con-
temptible.

RELIEF FOR THE SUFFERERS PRO3I
THEINDIAN MUTINIES.

MEETING AT COVENTRY.
On Wednesday lot a meeting was held at Coven-
try, for the purples of expreAting sympathy with and raising
suberriptione ou behalf of the auSerera by the mutiny in
India. The Manisa pn,iided, and most of the leading par-
eons of th.• town were preo•nt on the oveasion.
A (emulate...was uppointril to collet subeeriptions, whirl
am to he paid user to the metropolitan fund now 'Meg
robied for the same purpose. The sum of al. WAS subscribed
in the room.