The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-05-21
FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS SPY
THE OWNING ron


Mr.. EDIToR,-Among the great variety Of
false and superstitious beliefs, which have been
prevalent in the world, perhaps there is not one
OF the long catalogue, that has stood the test of
time better than that on the subject of the green
crotch or twig, generally called the Divning
Rod In ancient times, it was supposed that a
torked twig from the witch hazel was the only
one that possessed the power of pointing out
the springs of water under ground beds of me-
tallc ores, hidden treasures, stolen goods and
thieves But, in these latter times, it has been
found that green twig from any tree or bush.
will answer equally as well as the witch hazel.
Those OF the present day, who are best versed
IN this occult science, do not pretend to find
stolen goods or thieves, but they are very posi-
tive as to its efficacy in discovering springs of
water under ground, and | have met with MANY
gentlemen in the United States (particularly
in the middle, southern and westerly who were
otherwise well informed, that were full believ-
ers IN the mysterious operations of the little
green twig, and who would almost quarrel with
any one that was skeptical on the subject It
should here be Observed that the divining rod
does not work or turn in every persons hands
equally we'll, and those gifted persons in whose
hands it operates perfectly, are sometimes call
ed water-witches. Walter Scott has given a
very good description of a coniurer of this kind
IN his Antlquary he protested to discover
treasure or gold, that being a more lucrative
business than the finding of the pure element
| have seen several paragraphs in papers of the
United States, in which the writer's attempted
to reduce this bantling of ignorance and super
stition to real science, by directing that the
hands and feet should be rubbed with chemical
preparations. When the performer takes hold
of the forked twig, he places his hands and fin
gers around each branch in a twisted position
10 such manner as to bring the palms of the
hands uppermost, and thus, with his stick nice
ly poised, and with his elbows fixed against his
sides, he marches over the ground in search of
a subterraneOus spring, and after moving round
for short time, the stem, or elevated part OF
the crotch, bends or turns down towards the
ground and there the well must be due. Now.
the whole secret of this wtchery is simply this
the hands are placed around the branches of
the crotch in twisted position, and the tines
OF the fork have tendency to fly round and
fix themselves in natural position IL the
branches are taken hold of in the common or
natural way, the rod will not have the least ten
dency to turn towards the ground, and any
other substance, such as whalebone or wire,
that has any spring about it, will turn in the
hands precisely in the same manner as the
green forked twig. 1t is astonishing that man.
kind should for ages have been duped by so sim
pie and foolish an operations and that the cause
OF the rod S turning should not have been dis
covered by every one, on seeing the performer
place the rod in his hands, Those who are not
convinced of the folly ofbeeving in the power
OF the divining rod, by what has already been
said on the subject, can be thoroughly satisfied
by actual experiment, if they will take the
trouble of making it. Take, for instance, the
best performer, or water witch, that can be
found; let him march over certain. piece OF
ground, and point out, by the dipping of the
rod, all and every place where water is to be
found within said ground then let the same
performer be blindfold, led over the same ground
in every direction, and wherever the rod turns,
there stick down stake, and 1t will be seen
that there have been many more springs found
without sight than WITH and that they are not
in the same situations. This experiment has
frequently been tried by the writer, and never
failed to turn out as above described. certain
ly should never have thought of writing against
so glarlng an absurdity, as that of believing that
green twig possessed the power of turning
towards the earth and pointing out hidden wa
ters, had not, as before mentioned, met with
many highly respectable persons who were i'm
plicit believers.
The truth is, that when an attempt is made
to find springs of water under ground bv the
dvning rod, and it fails, there is little or moth
ing said about it, because the one who tries il.
and fails, is ashamed of his credulity, but if sue.
cessfu it is proclaimed far and wide, and in
this way the deluson is kept up from one gen
GRAFTON to another. EXAMINATION.