New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-06-21
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We have now and then losked into the ghostly
drawing. room at Barnums, within a week or two
past, to watch the operations Of the weird tele-
graph, though we confess, with a more lively hope
Of reading some new chapters in human nature,
than Of spelling out any of the peculiar mysteries
of the spiritual world The sister 6ibyls wait the
movements Of their "fsmiliars' with the meekess
long suffering, and seem in wise dsunted at the
frequent apparently capriciOus refusals to COM
municate nor at the as frequent meager and unsats
factory character Of the replies The room is
usually crowded with throng Of -" anxious inquir-
ers" We find there all varieties Of life Ito say
nothing Of the specimens from the Inferno')
from the sun Drowned IIoosier of the West to the
jewelled aristocracy Of New-York. Indeed we
are inclined TO believe that the piquancy Of the
receptions attracts as many visitors as the curios
ty of the manifestations. We are happy to say
that the courtesy Of the spectators is usually not
less exemplary than the patience of the hero.
phants-every disposition being shown to secure
the ladies' and their unique invisible attendants
fair and generous hearing. little harmless mirth
is occasionally INDUCED at the oddness of the
scene, in which the subte seem inclined to
share, the promptness fullness Of the replies be-
ing seldom interrupted by any expressions Of i'll.
timed levity. There is certainly no attempt at i'm
position by enactDg the sepulchra terror ms pring
atmosphere, which usually attends the operation
of mediciae.men and necromancers. They are
hserful sPrites, at any rate, fond of music and
poetry, and showing no signs OF horns or cloven
feet.
The usual routine Of questions has been proposed
whenever we have been present, and according to
our general experience, the answers have been
for the most part given to the satisfaction OF the
querists, and often with an accuracy and pre-.
cisicn which left the company 10 helpless astonsh-
ment. On the other band in many cases the
sounds persist in declining all intercourse, putting
off the applicant with promises which they some
times fail to keep; and if after assduous persua.
sion, their consent is gained, the replies are rem.
dered with bupgling, apprentice like want of cor.
II ctness showing lanentabe want of education
someW here.
An evening or two since, we accompanied
profes siOnal gentleman of our acquaintance, who
having no wish TO inquire about bis grandfather OF
cousins, proposed mentally to evoke the grim shade
Of Dr. Johnson, probably recollecting the sturdy
faith Of the great photographer in the famous Lon
Don Ccck-Lane Ghost, and presuming that be might
have 10 objection to figure in a similar scene for
the benefit Of bis modern admirers. The questions
were in part mental and in part sudbly expressed
Can converse with the person now in my mind
NO answer. Can / soon Yes. Can receive
2 'sweTs to my questions about hint Yes Did
, I'VE in the present century, In the last Yes.
u" he iawyeFi clergymanl A merchant
answer. An suthorl Yes. By this time a
ore decided knock was heard, which the Sisyls
sslo denoted the presence Of the person with whom
an interview was desired. The gentleman asked |
mentally Are you the spirit of DR.. Johnson Yes.
Did you live in London Yes. Did YOU believe in |
ghosts Yes 10 you now believe in them1 Yes
was the story true Of the Cock lane c;bo.,7
Yes These questions were all mental. the b;.-
'Pbsnts being engaged in brisk conversation the
= bile with another visitor much to the annoy .Doa
II the immediate interlocutor. He then s.ksd
ludiby, Did you love the Americans Did Won
'ste them Yes. Do you hate them nowl No.
After some other cross firing, with regard 10 the
philosophical ideas which the learned shade might
ow be presumed to bold, the contradictory replies
we're elected, that be approved Of the modern IN