The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-06-17

ference 10 the females who get up "these knock
ings," and who have caused some degree Of ex-
element among the ignoramuses and old women
OF the town. Yet it il pardenable, in many Of
those presses whose conductors are often at their
wits end for original material for article or even
paragraph, for their paper. But what excuse can
be offered for the conduct OF a dozen of leading
names, who claim for themselves to be the great
men OF the day, in poetry, imagination, physic,
science, craftsmanship, religion, oratory, classical
piety-great historians and extraordinary romance
writeIs-men who have been told how great they
are in their respective professions, and have re-
pested it themselves so often that, like extraord-
nary liars, they now actually believe their own
imaginary statementsl
From accounts written by some of the immortal
twelve, we find that, not long since, the Reverend
the Honorable, the Extatic Rufus w. Grswold
opened his house, invited the knockers to meet " a
small party, that would be considered select, we
should suppose, in any world populated principally
from this" ESQ says the select journal from which
we partly obtain the narrative) This party con-
sisted of the Hon. Mr.. Grswod, the host, poeti-
cal and general literary genius; Fennimore Cooper,
the modest and humble American novelist, who
took up his residence at Cooperstown, so that his
cards, used in Europe, would read MIR. Cooper,
of Cooperstown the Rev. F. L. Hawks, an
Episcopal orator, Long Island speculator, &C.;
VIM. Cullen Bryant, notorious for his niger
politics. and eminent for his two pieces Of poetry
"Thanatopss," and Inscription Over the En-
trance TO a Woodlands" General Lyman, the
gossip writer; Tuckerman, the essayist; funny
DIR. Francis, who has more old women patients,
of both sexes, than any other physician in town
Dr. Marcy the Hon. Geo. Bancroft, historian,
politician, and late Minister TO England under
Polk Mr.. Nincom-Poop Willis, the celebrated
milk and water poet and editor for the past twenty
five years and, last, we have Mr. Bigelow, OF
the Ereming Post" and " Mr.. Ripley, of the 7ri-
bune," two people we never heard Of before.
Well-this is the party that met at Mr.. Griswolds
TO examine these women, and make a report to
the more ignorant part of the world. The wo-
men very properly refused 10 show oil for Willis
any of the small fry of the party. They
conversed with Marcy, Francis, Hawks, Tucker
man and Cooper. Will il be believed that
these dozen smp.etons became converts, endorsed
these impostoTs, and blasphemousy pronounce
that these Fish women held converse with the
spirits of the departed There is not dozen ofthe
Herald newsboys, who, if they had occupied the
seats of these learned humbugs, that would not
have opened their eyes with establishment at the
verdancy of the Fishes to try such a simple "do''
on them, and would have shouted, "Go it, ven
triloquism," before the knockings had lasted five
minutes, and would then have directed their whole
attention TO ascertain who was the ventroquist-
whether the widow Fish, the two young Fishes, or
the man at the door. Weare astounded at the guilt
bility Of this community. We believe these
females get dollar for every viser and yet for two
shllings our citizens can go and see an open and
professed ventriloquist, who will make more I'M
earthly noises, initiate knocking, bell ringing,
cork drawing, pigs squealng, and do a hundred
other things more wonderful than the ventrloqusts
of the Rochester knockings, who have so success
fully and ludcrously humbugged these twelve great
philosophers.
Willis says, there is no end Of the speculation
on the subject" Did this nincompoop poet ever
visit the extraordinary magical performances we
sometimes have had in this city, such as Adrien,
Signor Btz and dozens Of others, at two shillings
ticketl Could he explain account for ons-tenth
part ofthese exhibitions, or do more than "specu-
late" about theml No. Yet every boy in the
room, as well as Willis, knew that it was all de-
cepon and trick. So are the " Rochester knock
ings," which are not near as astonishing as some OF
these Museum magical performances and the
latter have just much connection with the spr-
itual world, as these "knockings." These bias
phemous knockings, which they pretend are
caused by the Deity, should be put an end to, the
parties arrested, and sent to the lunatic asylum.
No respectable person, we trust, will countenance
what is a rank insult to God.
The whole wretched contrivance will explode
before long, and, meanwhile, We caution people
how they are gulled on, Of their money by the
Rochester humbugs.