The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-07-02

unseen WOTlui WeIc lhcIc, as MOic many
gentlemen of high standing, whose minds
were well siccled against any of the inllu-
ences of crcdulity, superstition, or rash judg-
ment. The actors in the movement could
not well be subjected to a stricter or stern
cr test. Inquiries we're propounded by sew
e1al gentlemen. We quote for the amusc~
ment of our readers some curious specimens
of these Mr.. Henry r. Tuckerman. hav-
ing fixed in his mind the name of an in
1ividual, he asked, Did he live in New
York 2 No answer. In Baltimore In
Cambridge? In Boston Y-three distinct
raps, which is the sign of an affirmative an
swer. a negative reply is indicated by ST.
lcncc Mr.. r. continued, Was he a law
yer? a merchant? y physician ? a
clergyman Knocks. WAS he an Epis-
copalian A Presbyterian ? y Unitaran|
going over the names Of the principal
sects. No answer At the suggestion of
gentleman, N,r. +. asked, Was he Chris.
tian 2 Knocks. Mr.. r. then asked the
age of tie person in a series Of tens. Was
he twenty years Old at the time Of his death?
Was he Thirty? Fifty? SixtyY Knocks.
. Has he left family ? Knocks. 'Cbll-
dren :? Knocks. Five? Three ? Two?'
Knocks. Did he die in Boston? In Phil
odelphia? In Albany? In Northampton:
In Bennington Knocks. Did he die of
consumption? Of fever? OF cholera? OF
old age?' Knocks.
The person in Mr.. Tuckerman's mind
was the late Rev. Dr. Claiming. of Boston,
who died in Bennington, VT, while on n
journey. The degree Of correctness in the
answers uay be judged by the reader. 1t
may be stated, however, that for the last
years of his life, Dr. c. disclaimed the use of
all sectarian names, pre'errng 10 oe called
only Christian, and that though under sew
enty, his physical powers had long suffered
from premature exhaustion.
Rev. DR.. HAWKS was then urgently solicit
ed by several Of the party to propose inqui-
ries, to which, after some hesitation, he re-
luctantly consented. He did not meet with
any great success. The sounds uttered were
faint, almost naudibc at several times, and
in the great majority of cases indicated an
incorrect reply. DR.. Hawks pursued his in
quiries with exemplary patience, but, after
several more Intellectual attempts, he resign
ed the floor to DR.. John w. Francis, who
was welcomed with a general roll of knock
ings, from the mysterious agents, seeming tc
claim the privilege of old and intimate ac-
quaintance. With his proverbial urbanity
seating himself as if at the bedside Of a pa.
tienr, DIR. I. asked, in terms of the most in
sinuating bandness, whether the spirits
present would converse with any member OF
the company? Would they vouchsate to
speak to his iustrious friend, the word-re-
noSned author, Mr.. Cooper? Would they
converse with the great American poet, Mr.
Bryant? To these llatlering invitations no
reply was given. Would they speak to 50
humble an individual as himself? Loud
knocks. DR.. f. then asked, fixing on per-
SON: Was he an American? Was he an
Engishman? ? Was he a Scotchman The
knocks were loud and unanimous. Was he
a merchant? Was he a lawyer? Was he
an author? Loud knocks. Was he poet:
Yes, in distinct knocks VIII you tell hi'
name? Here the spirits called for the al
phabet, by sounds ineligible to the ghost
seers The answers by this method are Civ
en- in knocks at the letter desired when the
alphabet is repeated by one of the ladies'. II
then spelled B-u-r-when the company in
discreetly, but spontaneously, interrupted
bv CRYING out Robert Burns. This was the
true answer, and after the interview with The
favorie Scotch poet Dr. F. declined any
further communication.
Mr. j. Fcnnimore Cooper was then re
| quested to enter into the supra a-mundanC
sphere and proceeded to interrogate the sFlr'
It's. with the most imperturblc selfpossessior
and deliberaion. After several desultory
questions from which no satisfactory answers
were obtained, Mr.. c, commenced new
series of inquiries. Is the person ] inquire
about Il relative? Yes, was at once indi
Gated bv the knocks A near relative ? Yes
| \ man. No answer. woman? Yes
\ daughter? \ mother? y wife , NJ
answer. 4 sister? Yes, Mr. {. then ask
ed the number of years since her death
| To this the answer was given in rapid an'
indstinct raps, some counting iorty-ive, 9th
crs forty-nine, flty-iour, etc. After consid
cradle parleying. as to the manner in whicl
the question should be answered, the consen
| of tho invisible interlocuior was given Il
knock the years so slowly that they might b'
distinctly counted. This was done. Knocl
-knock-kn knock-ior what seemed over
minute, till the number amounted to fifty
and was unanimously announced by the com
panv. Mr.. c. now asked, Did she die O
consumption-naming several diseases, t.
which no answer was given. Did she die b.
accident? Yes. Was she killed by light
ming? Was She shot ? Was she lost at sea
Did she fall from carriage? Was sh
thrown from horse Yes.
sir, Cooper did not pursue his inquire
any further, and stated to the company lha
the answers were correct, the person allude
to by him being sister, who, just fifty yoal
ago the present month, was killed by bein
thrown from horse.
, These displays Of what claims to be pr