The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-08-10
From the London 1then9una.
Professor Faraday on Table MOVING.

From the London Ithen9una.
Professor Faraday on Table Moving.
THE following accounts of the method
pursued and the results obtained by Prof.
taraday in the investigation of the sub
Je"t which has taken such strange occupa-
ton of the public mind, both here and
abroad has been communicated to our
columns by that high scientific authority
lhe subject was generally opened by Mr..
taraday in the Times of Thursday. II
! being therein intimated that the details
We're to be reserved for our Uhis day's\
publication. The communication is OF
great Importance i'll the present morbid
condition of public thought-whcn, as
frof. farady says the effect produced by
the tablc-turners has, without due INQUIRY
been referred to electricity, to magnetism
TO attraction, to some unknown or hither-
to unrecognizcd physical power able TO
effect rnanimate bodies, to the revolution
OF the earth and even to diabolical or Sill
pernatural agency; and we are tempted
to extract passage from Mr. Faradav's
letter to the Times which we think well
worth adding to the experimental particu-
lars and the commentaries with which he
has favored ourselves.
~ have been," says the Professor,
greatly startled by the revelation which
this purely physical subject has made of
the condition of the public mind. No
doubt, there are many persons who have
formed right judgement or used eau
hous reserve-for | know several such,
and public communications have shown it
to be so but their number is almost as
nothing to the great body who have
believed and borne testimony. rs I think
10 the cause of error. | do not here
refer to the distinction of those who
agree with me and those vino differ. Bv
the great bod y | mean such as reject all
consideration Of the equality of cause and
effect-who refer the results to electricity
and magnetism, yet know nothing of the
laws OF these forces or to attraction. vet
show no phenomena Of pure attractive
power-or to the rotation of the earth, AS
IT the earth ievolved round the leg of n
table-or TO some unrecoenizcd physical
force, without Inquiring whether the
known forces are not sufficient-or who
even refer them to diabolical or supernatu-
raj agency, rather than suspend their
Judgement, or acknowledge to themselves
that they are not learned enough in these
matters to decide on the nature of the ac-
ton. think the system of education
that could leave the mental condition of
the public body in the state in which this
subject has found it must have been great
ly deficient in some very important prin-
ciple."
Experimental investigation of Table mop-
ing.
The object which had in view in this
inquiry was not to satisfy myself. for NV
conclusion had been formed already on
the evidence of those who had turned Ia
bles; but that might be enabled to give
a strong opinion, founded on facts, to the
many who applied to me for it. Yet the
proof which l sought for, and the method
followed in the inquiry, were precisely of
the same nature as those Which | should
adopt in any other physical investigation.
The parties with whom / have worked
were very honorable, very clear in their
intentions, successful tabIe-movers, very
desirous Of succeeding in establishing the
existence Of peculiar power, thoroughly
candid, and very effectual. 1t is with me
a clear point that the table moves when
the parties, though they strongly wish it,
do not intend, and do not believe that they
move it by ordinary mechanical power
They say, the trble draws their hands /:
that it moves first, and they have to fol-
low it-that sometimes it even moves
from under their hands. With some, the
table. Nilhmove to the right or left, ac-
cordinN S they wish or will it-with 9TH
ers,. ia oifeetion of the first motion is
uncertain; but all agree that the table
moves 7the hands, and not the hands the
table. Though | believe the parties do
not intend to move the table, but obtain
the result by quasi involuntary action
still l had no doubt Of the influence of ex-
pectation upon their minds, and through
that upon the success or failure of their
efforts. The first point, therefore, was, to
remove all objections due to expectation,
having relation to the substances which |
might desire to use so, plates of the
most different bodies, electrically speaking
namely, sand paper, mill board, glue,
glass, moist clay, tin foil, card board, gut
ta percha, vulcanized rubber, wood, DC,
were made into a bundle, and placed on
table, under the hands Of turner. The
table turned. Other bundles Of other
plates were submitted TO different persons
at other times-and The tables turned
Hencefofth, therefore, these substance.
may be used in the construction Of appa
ratus. Neither during their use, nor a
other times, could the slightest trace o
electrical OF magnetic effects be obtaiaeo