The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 25, 1855

SPIRIT RAPPING AND ITS HISTORY AS EX
PLAINgD BY PROFESSOR ANDERSON.

his belief, namely, that the raps are produced mechanically
I am aware that in some instances electricity or electro-
magnetism is use d, and that in other cases it is merely a
skilful adjustment of levers and cleverly-arranged horse-
hairs; but a physical cause in every instance produces the
physical effect. Nor are the Spiritualists at all backward
in availing themselves of the latest discoveries in physical
science. In the Morning Advertiser of last Wednesday
there is a lengthy account of how the spirits have been de-
veloping themselves musically, and how magnetised harps
have been played upon by mysterious fingers, and piano-
fartee giving forth harmonyat the touch of invisible ghostly
young ladies. Do you ask how it was done ? i Go to the
Polytechnic, and you will learn. The whole mystery of
musical spirits you will find to be contained in the con-
ducting power of a piece of dry wood, and Dr. Bachoffner
will prove to be a more communicative and truthful me-
dium than any you will meet at a spirit-rapping soiree.
The second position I have taken up is, that the protes-
fessional rappers are wilful impostors. That opinion I
reiterate. Let those who deny my assertion state that
which they know of them, who they are, and what is their
position in society. Will any one have the goodness to
introduce me to a medium whose honour is unquestionable
and whose name is a guarantee for security? and will any
medium be good enough to produce raps on my table at
the Lyceum ?
The third position I take is, that many of the most
strenuous suppertersof Spiritualism are absolute believers
in it, and really have faith is what they affirm. These
are not the media, but the dupes of the media, the people
of acceptive intellect—if I may use such a phrase—who
take all promises for granted, and argue on bases of belief
which they have never examined. How often do we meet
with mathematicians of the most acute logic power, who
can reason with the utmost precisionand subtlety, but who
accept the axioms on which they argue without investi-
gating, in the first instance, whether those axioms are
really deserving of being ranked as axiomatic? It has been
the enlistment of this class, of minds which has reinforced
most powerfully the ranks of the Spiritualists, and pro-
duced the worst results in causing the ignorant to be de-
luded through the influence of their names.
My fourth position is, that many of the phenomena of
spirit-rapping ara purely subjective, that they are esoteric,
not exoteric; but which I mean that the belieter fancies
the existence of that which has no existence, ave in his
eownver
every
-day
. saying, H
"Youmuchm
ay real
make
yourself b lieve any-
philosophy is t ere in the
thing !" Only excite the brain sufficiently—only concen-
trate the imagination to one point, and your mipd becomes
the unconscious slave of your ideality. In this lies the
whole secret of what has been termed electro-biology, and
and in this is the explanation of how, without knowing it,
you may cause a table to turn round, and believe all the
while that it is turning of its own accord, or tilt it so that
it may rap the floor with one leg, and be induced to think
that the table is performing to you, while you are actually
performing to the table.
The fifth and last position I assume is, that spirit-rap-
ping is detrimental to the well-being of society, ,dangerous
to the community as a whole, cud productive of the worst
results to its individual members. Accerdiug to reliable
statements, which I saw before I left America, it was esti-
mated that 7,500 persons were immured in the lunatic
asylums of the United States, whose lunacy bad wholly
resulted from their belief in the spirit-rapping imposture.
It was also stated that from the same cause 30 had com-
mitted suicide. There have been many such cases in this
country already ; there was one at Sheffield recently ; and
I have no doubt that the physicians of our asylums for the
insane could adduce many more. Let any person paint to
themselves the condition of an individual who has been led

Sporting Intelligence,

NEWMARKET HOUGHTON MEETING.
WEDNESDAY.

In the columns of a morning contemporary we find a
letter from Professor Anderson, the Wizard of the North,
on this interesting subject, We extract it, making a few

Sweepstakes of 10 sevs each, for 2-yr•olds; colts, Bst
71b ; fillies, Bst 41b. The winner to be sold for 70
says, if demanded, &c. First half of Ab. M. 3

curtailments.

-li:37Jaelast four years " spirit-rapping" has en-
gaged my especial attention. It was a new ism, in
America, when I landed there about four years since.
Regardful of every novelty, be it in physics or psycho.
logy, I hastened to inform myself of its true cha-
racter and fundamental principles. The statements
which first attracted my attention by no means prepos-
sessed me in its favour. Common sense was so outraged
in every recital, and the acquired philosophy of ages was
so utterly tabooed by the reciters, that I suspected the ex-
istence of some gross piece of charlatanry, and believing
that I was treading on dangerous ground, I watched my
footsteps as I went, fooling for quicksands ere I planted
my feet. Though a professed conjuror, and who
has " known a trick or two," for the last twenty
years, , I was not egotistic enough to think that I was
proof against being deceived. I heard that tables had
been made to talk, and that spirits had been summoned
from "the world beyond," to communicate their hidden
secrets and mysterious lore to the mortals of this earth of
ours. Intricate questions had been put to the ghostly visi-
tants, and miraculous answers, in a tabulated form, were
said to have been returned. I was not altogether sceptical
enough to laugh at that which I heard, simply because I
did not understand it; although, as I have already said, the
information reached me in so questionable a shape, that I
regarded it with suspicion. Remembering that which I
had read of the belief of the Egyptians, Greeks, and
Romans in the revisitation to earth of disembodied spirits,
and not forgetting that the Pythia of Delphi uttered ora-
cles under the professed influence of spirits, which, if
history can be believed, certainly proved true, I deter-
rained to investigate before I decided, and to subject to
experiment before I pronounced an opinion. There was
the poetic faith of Milton to assure us that—
" Millions of spiritual beings walk this earth,
Unseen, both when we sleep and when we wake."

furlongs 215 yards.
Mr. Greville's Ceres, by Planet, Bat 41b (Flatman) 1
Mr. Morris's Lady Go-Lightly, Bst 41b (Basharn) 2
Mr. Sworder'e Persia, Bst 41b (Collins) 3
The following also ran :—King Chat and Crabstock.
Bating--6 to 4 agst Ceres, sto 2 agst Lady Go-
Lightly, 4 to 1 agst Persia, sto 1 agst King Chat. Won
easily by half a length ; three lengths between second
and third. The winner was claimed by Mr. Morris.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 15 sous each, 10 ft, for 2-yr-
olds. First half of Al:. M. 3 fur. 215 yds. (12 subs.)
Mr. Leach's Prince's Mixture, 6st 12th (G. Fordba,m) 1
Lord Anglesey's c by Slane—Raillery, 7st Bth
(J. Goater) 2
Lord Chesterfield's Thames Ditton, Bst 71b (Flatman)
--
Mr. Adkin's Curious, 7st (Clement) --
The following also ran :—Redan, Byrsa, Lawn, and
Cleopatra.
Bel:Ling-5 to 4 agst Lawn, sto 1 agst any other. A
very fine race. Won by a head ;• the second being only
a head in advance of Thames Ditton and Curious, who
ran a dead heat for the third place. The others were
well up.
The Selliing Handicap Sweepstakes of 15 soya each,
10 ft, for three-yr-olds and upwards. The winner to
be sold for 100 sovs, if demanded, &c. D.M. 7 fur.
201 yds. (4 subs.)
Duke of Bedford's Triton, by Weatherbit, 3 yrs, 7st 21b
(Charlton) 1
Mr. Stevens's Incubus, 4 yrs, Bst (Prior) 2
Capt. Christie's Sine-qua-non, 4 yrs, 7st 12Ib (T.Cliff) 3
Mr. Elwes's William Rufus, 5 yes, Bst 71b (A. Day) 4
Betting—Even on Triton, 3 to 1 agst Sine-qua-non,
4to 1 each agst William Rufus and Incubus. Wnn by
three-quarters of a length. Same distance between the
second and third.

There was the fact, stated as historic by Pausanias, that
four hundred years after the battle of Marathon the spirits
of its heroes were seen and heard upon that glorious battle-
plain ; there was the story of Plutarch fresh in my recollec-
tion, of the ghosts of the murdered citizens of his native
town revisiting Cheronnea, and uttering their imprecations
against its inhabitants ; there were all the stories of ap-
paritions, including those of William Lil]y and Dr. Donne,
not forgetting the famous Mr. Booty ; and there were all
the legends of spiritual communications, as detailed in
Wanley's Wonders, to cause me to pause, think, examine,
and scrutinise, before I came to a decision.

Subscription Plate of 50/., for 2-yr-olds fist 71b, and three,
Bst 10ib. The winner to be sold for 350 sovs., if de-
manded, &c. T.Y.C. 5 fur. 140 yds.
Mr. J. M. Stanley's Glen Lee, by The Flyiig Dutch-
man, 2 yrs (carried Est 91b) ('r. Cliff) 1
Mr. Armstrong's Imposture, 2 yrs (Bearpark) 2
Lord Wiiton's f by BirdcatCher—Sacrifice, 2 yrs
(Bullock) 3
The following also ran :—b f by Flatcatcher—Skilful,
Calcutta, c by Surplice—Cieraentina, and 'Gamester.
Plumb weighed for Little Fairy filly, and the number
was put up, but whilst cantering up the course she was
found to be lame, and was consequently drawn.
The betting opened at 5 to 2 aost Little Fairy filly,
and 6 to 1 ag,t Glen Lee, but whenb the number of the
former was taken down, 13 to 8, was taken about Gitn
Lee, 4to 1 Sacrifice filly, and sto 1 Imposture. Won
by a length, two lengths between the second and third.
The winner was claimed.
Sweepstakes of 10 sovs each ; for 3-yr-olds, 7st 71b ;
four, Bst 21b ; five and upwards, Bst 71b. The winner to
be sold for 150 soya if demanded, &O. T.Y.C. 5 fur-
longs 140 yards. (6 subs.)
Sir J. Hawley's Bocksfoot, 3 yrs (T. Cliff) 1
Mr. W. Brooks's Anglo Saxon, 5 yrs (Kendal) 2
Mr. G. Hobson's Pharos, 5 yrs (Sly) 3
Sextus and Treachery also ran.

,
I am not one who believes that we have travelled to the
boundaries of human knowledge, or that we have fathomed
the profoundest depths of that ocean of truth, from the
bottom of which the dredgers of after ages shall dredge up
jewels of which we have never dreamed, and discover ex-
istencies which we have never imagined. At the same time
I suspect a new ism, if not founded on a scientific basis, and
I still more suspect it if I find that it assumes the form of
a creed, or a religion. Now, spirit-rapping assumes both
these forms. For that reason, my first impressions con-
cerning it were not favourable. I will frankly own that I
thought at one time it might possibly turn out to be a good
conjuring trick; and if so, that I would add it to my pro-
gramme. If I, as well as other people, could make tables
rap, well and good; and if I could cause people to think
that invisible beings were the rappers, so much the better
—provided, that causing them to think so, would be pro-
ductive of no moral mischief, nor be injurious to the hap.
piness of individuals, or society. Let me anticipate, how-
ever, that which I have to say, and at once declare that. I
discovered spirit-rapping to be nothing more than a con-
juring trick, and I perceived that it was made use of for
the most blasphemous purposes, and to the production of
the direst results. I found its propagandists to be either
designing impostors, or credulous mystics, and I saw the
result of its propagation to be mental imbecility, fatalism,
lunacy, mind-torture, despondency and suicide.
Having studied the subject carefully, I think that I
am able to throw light upon some of its more obscure
parts. That it is my duty to do so, I believe and feel
when I see that the imposture is making headway in
my native land, and when I find such names as those
of Lord Brougham, Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, and Sir
David Brewster associated with that which I know to be
a juggle, and a mischievous delusion. So strange have
been the statements, so romantic some of the narra-
tives put forth by the Spiritualists, and so seemingly philo-
sophic some of the theories they have adduced, that I do
not wonder at the imaginative intellect of the graceful and
accomplished author of Rienzi and The Caxtons being se-
duced to waste time upon its study. He who could study
Rosicrusianism and write Zanoni may, possibly, from his
researches on Spiritualism, build up another story quite as
strangely beautiful and fascinatingly mysterious. Idu not
wonder that when tens of thousands of Americans declare
that they have made a discovery whichoverthrows all our ac-
cepted philosophic dogmas, and sets at nought all our re-
cognised laws of science, the subtle mind of so profound
a philosopher and so acute a logician as Lord Brougham,
should devote a brief time to the investigation of the
so-called facts of those who promulgate the new doctrine.
Nor am I surprised that one whose attainments in ex-
perimental science are so high as those of Sir David Brew-
ster, and the tendency of whose analytic mind is to accept
nothing without the test of experiment, should give a mo-
mentary share of attention tothat which, arrogating to itself
the dignity of science, requires to be tested that it may
be deprived of its disguise, and laid bare as a sham and a
deceit.

to believe in the iiO;ibility of being able to bold converse
tion with the departed souls of those whom they loved on
earth; who believes, too, that those sacred shades will
come at his bidding, will ans erer to his questions, will open
up to him the secrets of futurity, will lift the veil from
Isis, and give him the prevision of a Cassandra ; that when
he pleases be may quit the society of his fellowmen, to hold
commune with those who have crossed the bridge which
Mirza saw in the dream, and who have become denizens
of the better land. Would it not be likely—would it not
be highly probable—would it not be certain—that an in-
dividual so believing would become an ecstatic,
a superstitious enthusiaet, a hopeless, irredeemable
lunatic? Yet such is neither more nor less than
the Spiritualists profess, neither more nor less
than they declare in the Sew York. Spiritual Telegraph,
neither more nor less than some of them have openly pro-
fessed in this country. Surely they deserve to be dealt
with vigorously. If we subject those who insult the ma •
jesty of the sovereign to punishment, to what should they
be subjected who offer insult to the dignity of Heaven by
declaring that they can summon spirits from thence to
play fantastic tricks upon pieces of old furniture ?
I am sorry to see that in this England of ours there are
clergymen who believe in spirit-rapping. The following
account I met with in a little pamphlet, entitled, " Table-
moving Tested, and Proved to be the Result of Satanic
Agency," by the Rev. N. S. Godfrey, S.C.L., of St. Ca-
therine Hall, Cambridge, and Incumbent of Wortley,
Leeds. To my mind it contains the grossest blasphemy,
and affords one of the most lamentable examples of that
which even an educated mind may be led to believe :
" On Thursday evening, 16th June, my wife, my curate,
and myself, sat down at a quarter past 9 p.m., and placed
our hands upon a small round mahogany table. The top
was about 12 inches in diameter, and it stood upon a tri-
pod stand without castors, I was exceedingly sceptical as
to the fact of electricity being the moving power, and
therefore was prepared, should we succeed, to test that
fact. I should also say we had tried several times and
failed. At 10 o'clock the table began to move. I immedi-
ately summoned our female servants (two in number), and
also our national schoolmaster, in order that they might
witness whatever should take place. It was agreed that I
should direct the movements of the table. I first com-
manded it to move round to the right, to the left, to go to
the door, to the window, to move forward without turn-
ing, to turn slower er faster in order to make sure that I
really had power to cause the table to obey me. Every one
in the room being satisfied that I had, I then commanded
it to stand on one leg, to move forward on one leg, to
move forward on its three legs successively, to rock quickly
from side to side, to turn to me, to turn from me, to throw
a hat off in a given direction—all which commands it im-
plicitly obeyed ! I then told it to move toward each ser-
vant in succession, to lift up the log opposite each person
named, which it did. I then said, If F— (a female
servant) is in the room, knock three times on the floor
with this leg,' naming the leg. It slowly rose and did
as it was commanded. `lf Mr. M— (the schoolmas-
ter) is in the room, knock three times quicker.' It
knocked twice quicker. I was watching it, and ob-
served it did not knock the third time. I said,
" It's wrong now,'—when I found that Mr. M— to
test it, had slipped out of the room. I now felt con-
vinced that electricity had nothing to do with the matter,
and resolved upon a different course of experiment. I
spoke to the table, and said, If you move by electricity,
stop.' It stopped instantly ! I commanded it to go on
again, and said, while it was moving, "If an evil spirit cause
you to move, stop.' It moved round without stopping ! I
again said, If there be any evil agency in this, stop.' It
went as before. I was now prepared for a further experi-
ment of a far more solemn character. I whispered to the
schoolmaster to bring a small Bible to lay it on the table
when I should tell him. I then caused the table to re-
volve rapidly, and give the signal. The Bible was gently
laid on the table, and it instantly stopped! We were hor-
ror-struck. However, I determined to persevere. I had
ether books in succession laid on the table to see whether
the fact of a book lying upon it altered any of the condi-
tions under which it revolved—it went round with them
without making any difference ! I then tried with the
Bible four different times, and each time with the same
result : it would not move so long as that precious volume lay
upon it.
" We then discontinued for ati me our connexion with the
table ; and three others in the room laid their hands upon
it. It immediately began to move. I then presented fine
needle points to it, to ascertain if there were electricity.
I placed a small piece of raw silk upon it; not a fibre was
disturbed. I then placed the Bible on myself; it again
stopped, and went round on its removal, as before.
" As it was now past eleven o'clock, we left off; and had
supper. During supper, other tests suggested themselves,
and about twenty minutes before twelve we three laid our
hands on again. I commanded the table to move, and it
immediately began as before. I now said, If there be a
hell,
I command you to
(the one next me) twice :' knock on the floor with this leg
it was motionless. If there be
not hell, knock twice :" no answer. `lf there be a devil,
knock twice no motion. If there be not a devil, knock
twice : to our horror, the leg slowly rose and knocked twice!
I then said, In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, if
there be no devil, knock twice : it was motionless.
This I tried four several times, and each time with
the same result. I then asked other questions—' If there
be a heaven knock twice.' If there be not a heaven, If
there be not an eternity,' `lf the soul live after death.'
To not one of those questions could I get an answer. I
then asked it to tell me the hour—the leg knocked eleven
times. I then said, Tell me what time Mr. came
home to-day.' It began—l said, 'No, not that leg, the
next.' It changed that leg, and struck four, the exact
hour. I then said, Tell me the day of the month ;' it
commenced—I said, Quicker ;' it quickened, and at
lfifteen, sixteen, and after a slight
pand fell the seventeenth time.
I said, It is wreng now, Ido think you (my wife) must
have been unconsciously pressing it ;' but Mr.
eanugsteh,
it
it m every
fourteen,
(the
curate) looked at his watch and said, `No, it's right ; it is
roseca,
sl
owl y
about three minutes past twelve.'"
With such a statement as this before me, and with fifty
others which I have not space to allude to here, I think it
is time that every man—be he priest, philosopher, legisla-
tor, author, or even conjuror—should raise his voice against
the promulgation of so dangerous a delusion, and I sin-
cerely hope that Lord Brougham, Sir Bulwer Lytton, and
Sir David Brewster will not only disclaim their belief in it
in the most public manner, but use the influence of their
names to deal it a death-blow stronger than that which can
be dealt by,
Sir
• , your obedient servant,
JOHN HENRY ANDERSON, Wizard of the North.
Royal Lyceum Theatre, Oct. 19, 1855.
•

Betting-6 to 4 agstßuckstone, 7to 2 agst Sextus,
sto 1 each agst Anglo-Saxon and Pharos. Won by a
length and a balf. Bad third. The winner was claimed
by Mr. S. Darling.
Sweepstakes of 10 soya each, for 2-yr-olds Est 91b,
three Bst 71b, four Bst 121 b, five and upwards 9st 11b.
The winner to be sold for 250 sovs if demanded, &c.
Last half of Ab. M. 3 furlongs 217 yards. (3 subs.)
Mr. Howard's Overreach, 2 yrs, 6st 9lb (Porter) 1
Mr. Stevens's Unexpected, 2 yr-,, Est 91b (Prior) 2
B,tting-6 to 4 on Unexpected. Overreach made all
the running, and won by a neck.
Handicap Plate of 501. for 3.yr-olds and upwards. A.F.
1 mile 2 fur. 73 yds.

Mr. Palmer's The Chicken, 3 yrs, 7st 51b...(Ashmall) 1
Mr. J. Osborne's Lord Alfred, 3 yrs, 7st ...(Bearpark) 2
Mr. E. Gill's Bourgeois, 5 yrs, flit (J. Marson) 3
The followit, also ran :—Speed the Plough, Indian
Warrior, Sir Rowland Trenchard, Newbold, Cuurtenay,
Kimburn, Rambling Katie, Noisette, Veteran, Kafir,
Crown Pigeon, Biron, Gambler's Daughter, Georgium

Sidus.
Betting-2 to 1 agst Lord Alfred, 6to 1 agst Crown
Pigeon, 7 to 1 each agst Veteran and the Chicken, 10 to
1 each agst Speed the Plough, Bourgeois, Noisette, and
Kafir. Won by two lengths ; a length and a-half be-
tween the second and third ; Crown Pigeon fourth, Ve-
teran fifth ; Speed the Plough and Kafir the next two.
Sweepstakes of 10 sous each ; for 3-yr-olds, 7st 71b ;
four, Set 41b ; five and upwards, 9st 11b. • The winner
to be sold for 40 sove, if demanded, &c. T.Y.C. 5
fur. 140 yds. (6 subs.)
Captain Lane's John o'Bruges, by John o'Gaunt, 4
yrs
Mr. Samwell's Usurer, 3 yrs (Kendall) 2
Mr. Garrett's Little Brownie, 3 yrs (Charlton) 3
The following also ran :—Sine-qua-non, Lady Alicia,
and St. Julian.
Betting-6 to 5 agst Usurer, sto 1 agst any other.
Won by three quarters of a length ; halt a length be-
tween the second and third. Tue winner was claimed
by Mr. Samwell.
A fine bright day, but very cold. Sport only of pass-
ing interest ; attendance moderate.
The principal feature of business before the races com-
menced was the settling on the Cambridgeshire. Al-
though two or three are reported " gone," yet it is likely
to have a pretty favourable termination.
BETTING UP TO SIX O'CLOCK.
DEBBY.
9to 1 agst Wentworth (taken and offered)
10 to 1 agst Yellow Jack (taken)
10 to 1 agst Fly by Night (taken)
14 to 1 aget Ellington (taken)
20 to 1 agst Artillery (taken)
20 to 1 agst Coroner (take 25 to 1)
25 to 1 agst Porto Rico (offered)
1000 to 25 agst Mr. Verdant Green (taken)
1000 to 30 aget Sugar Plum (taken)
lop to 15 agst Aleppo (taken)
1000 to 15 agst Bucolic (taken)
1000 to 10 agst The Prince (taken)

I am, I repeat, by no means surprised that men whose
names are written so distinctly on the roll-call of Fame
should have given Spiritualism the honour of their atten-
tion ; but I am surprised that, having examined it, having
probed the wound it has inflicted on society, and having
ascertained that it is nothing but a piece of char
latantry, that they have not exposed it more fully and
denounced it more energetically. The multitude, unfortu-
nately, sexing such distinguished names associated with
the subject, are apt to regard it as worthy of being so as-
sociated,
while it appears to be the aim of the Spiritu-
alists themselves to trade upon the names, and to de-
clare, with unblushing effrontery, that Lord Brougham, Sir
Bulwer Lytton, and Sir David Brewster are actual believers
in the absurdities of table-rapping—although Sir David
' Brewster has declared in a letter that he regards the so-
called " spiritual communications" as nothing but feats in
conjuring, and publicly disowns any belief in the vagaries
of the spiritualists. Iperceive that some of your correspond-
ents openly assert that Sir David is contradicting himself,
and stating his non-belief in that which he believes. Among
toy nightly visitors to the Lyceum Theatre, I find many who
regard me as being too bold in denouncing that which, iu
some way or other, they have been led to think that Sir
David Brewster and Lord Brougham credit. My table is
laden with letters on the subject, and every pest brings an
accession to the stock. Some of my correspondents thank
me ler my exposure of the imposition, but not a few of them
reprehend me because that I, a conjuror, have trespassed
on the domains of the philosopher. Shades of Aristotle
and Bacon, where is the philosophy? I have sought
for it, but found it not. I have asked for it, and been
answered with absurdities. Conjuror or philosopher,
whichever I may be, I will, with your permission,
declare what I think and know of Spiritualism, and having
declared it, my declaration may be taken for what it is
worth —vacant quantum vatere possunt..
Spirit-rapping originated iu the year 1848, or, to
speak with more propriety, it was resuscitated in
America about that time; for in an old book which I
have in my possession, I find that table-tapping is by no
means a modern juggle. Indeed, there is reason to believe
that it was practised by the Chinese many centuries ago.
Its resuscitators in America were the Misses Fox, of Ito-
chester, New York, and their rappings became known
through the Union as the " Rochester knockings." I really
believe that at the commencement the idea was merely a
matter of amusement with these young ladies ; but, being
clever enough to discover that money was to be made with
it, they opened up business accordingly, and speedily ac-
quired a fortune. Everywhere, from one end of the United
States to the other, the Misses Fox became famous. They
were received as the media through whom dis3mbodied
spirits deigned to make their communication". They were
able to cause raps to be heard, where no machinery to
create them seemed to exist—they told people that these
raps were made by ghostly knuckles, and that they were
the replies of spirits to the interrogatories addressed to
them through the medium. They did not care to explain
how it was that immaterial knuckles produced sound on
coming in contact with material oak and mahogany, nor
did they venture to elucidate the question of why ghosts
prefer to talk with their knuckles rather than with their
lips. It sufficed for them that when people were told that
the rappings were spiritual the people believed it and paid
for their faith. The Misses Fox made so much money that
many-other young ladies speedily discovered themselves to
be qualified media, and commenced their practice in the pro-
fession. The first raps were made on the wall of the house,
or on any available article. Time elapsed before tables be-
came the proper piece of apparatus, and then three-legged
ones were generally preferred. It has struck me as being
singular that the spirit-rapper should require a three-legged
table, and that it was a tripod which the sibyl of Delphi sat
upon in old time. It is a curious subject for speculation,
whether the spirits prefer three legs to four, or whether the
Delphian tripod did not suggest the modern rapping table?
But leaving that point open to discussion, I will go on
with my narrative. By the time I landed in America in
1851, I found spiritualism to have extended its sphere of
operations most alarmingly. Tables were rapping in every
direction ; every tenth or eleventh young lady had heard
them rap, and been told mysterious secrets relative to her
future fortune, by the ghost of her great grandfather, or
that of some musty maternal ancestor. That which had
been a curiosity for tea-table discussion a few months be-
fore had risen in importance, till it had become an ac-
credited faith and an accepted form of religion. People
were being openly told, that the proper medium through
which toobtainknowledge in celestial matters, was not the
Holy Scriptures, but the lady at the rapping-table • and
hundreds there were who put faith in that which they
were told, and gave themselves up to be gulled by the
greedy spirit-monger. I mixed with these people ; I at-
tended spirit-rapping seances innumerable ; I watched the
manoeuvres of, the rappers, and studied the effects pro-
duced on those whom they deluded. By so doing 1 satis-
fied myself on the following paints :—Firstly, that the
the faithuaoonnffadoctyuht
reppings were mechanically produced ; secondly, that they
were impostors who produced them, and wilfully asserted
falsehoods as to the mode of their production ; thirdly,
, that there were many persons of an imaginative turn
of mind, and strongly nervous teat perament, who really,
and without wishing to deceive, believed in the new doc-
trine, simply because it was new, and had something mys-
terious about it; fourthly, that many of the phenomena
were what psychologists term subjective ; that is, than an
excited brain made for itself its own raps, just as the fever-
rhhe Pa
effectt len to cf ()and ut rhei es iwpa his itsoodwenr spectres;aogo
society—toand,
pervert fifthly, that
be.
lief in all that ages have taught us to regard as holy and
intellectsmw au yoot fy i rooa;wordrefathers has consecrated—to craze the
weaker and
mostmo r e
lamentable susceptible
roofs
tthes nc otmh
the
on all these points iLest•uction.Having_assured
to place my lance in rest, and have position ;
determined.
an a tilt with Spiritualism,
•
if the combatants would but enter the lists. They wished
tournament should beopen and
sthkaepfieelodf Otfherctehaaltfenallged
wlhthierheNVl
me to combat with them priVately. I preferred that the
public. I chose Metropo-
hicleOrlwietnatritahHneas
elgl:a:uonet:wl_e_trYoinrkihaes

woidf °Wv"loracensdtera,rHphearnesforedf; and
nally made up, and show a
THE LATE HEREFORD FESTIVAL OF THE THREE
CHOIRS.—The accounts of the late Hereford music meet.
the
jGng
clergy
l o
ef oegr
toeft
rh
thehaebveetnhjerufie
stet
dioceseso
been
e tehnt e
fi"
result highly gratifying. The collection on behalf of the
charitylas been. increased by subsequent donatiOns. to
"the Onieunt.of 9141. Os. ld., being the largest receipt on
record at Hereford, except in the year 1840, when extra-
ordinary exertions were made.
HAIR DRESSING A LA RACHEL—The New York hair-
dressers have just introduced a new style of dressing
hair under the above title. It is thus described ;
" The back hair is plaited in the wide Circassian braid,
and arranged . so ,as to form a star ; a Grecian braid,
through which pearls are interwoven, is brought round,
forining a border er trimming to the wider braid, and
in the centre a diamond star shines forth from a con-
trasting background of black' velvet. Between each of
the four points of the star are placed bunches of small
flowers, violets, myrtle blossoms, or resebuds, with
pendant sprays falling on each side of the neck ; tlie two
upper clusters meet the front hair, which is looped up
in two thick curls, brought down. rather long on the
see
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-medical assistance, but without avail ; at length he tried
Holloway's Ointment and Pills, by the use of which his
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PRICES OF SHARES

IN BANKS, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COM-
PANIES' STOCK.

From the Official Lzst.
PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING.
LONDON, TUESDAY, OCT. 23, 1855.