The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-07-20

But the most valuable effect Of this
tosts,apparatus (which was afterwards
made more perfect and independent of
the table, is the corrective power it pos.
sesses over the. mind Of the tabIc-turner.
AS soon as the index is placed before
the most earnest, and they perccive-as
in my presence they have always dome
shat it tells truly whether they arc pres.
sing downwards only or obliquely, then
all effects of table-turning cease even
though the parties perscverc earnestly
desiring motion, till they become weary
and worn ont. No prompting or check.
ing of the hands is needed-the gotocr
as gone aud this only because the par.
ties are made conscious of what they
are really doing mechanically, and so are
unable, unwittingly, to deceive thomselv-
os. l know that some may say that it
is the cardboard next the fingers which
moves first, and that it both draqs the
table and also the table.turner with it.
All that | have to reply is that the card
board may in practice be reduced to n
thin sheet ofpaper weighing only few
grains, or to piece of goldbeater's skin,
or even tho end of the lever, and Gin
principlc) to the very cuticlc of the fin.
gers itself
Then the results that follow are ton
absurd to be admitted ihc table be-
comes an incumbrance and person hold.
ing out the fingers in the air, either max
ed or tipped with gold heaters skin or
cardboard, ought to be drawn about the
room. &c; but | refrain from considering
imaginary yet consequent results which
have nothing philosophical or real in
them. | have been happy thus far in
meeting with the most honorable and
candid, though most saBguinc persons
and believe the mental check which |
propose available in the hands of all who
desire truly to investigate the philoso.
ply of the subject, and. being content to
resign expectation, wish only to be led
by the facts and the truth of nature. As
am unable, even at present, to answer
all the letters that como to me regard
ing this matter, perhaps you will allow
me to prevent any increase, by saying
that my apparatus may be seen at the
shop of the philosophical instrument
makcr-Newnan-l22 Regent street
Permit me to say, before concluding
that | have been 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 a right iude.
ment or use cautious reserve. for |
know se"eral such, and public communi.
cations have shown it to be so; but their
number is almost as nothing to the great
body who have believed and borne tes-
timony, as think, in the cause of error.
do not here refer to the distinction of
those who agree with me and those who
differ. BY the great body, mean such
as reject all consideration of the equali-
ty Of cause and effect, who refer the re-
suit to electricity and magnotism-yet
know nothing of the law of these forces:
or TO attraction yet show no phenon,-
ena of pure attractive power or to the
rotation of the earth, as if the earth re-
volved round the leg of table; or to
some unrecognized physical force, with
out inquiring whether the known forces
are not sufficient or who even refer
them to diabolcal or supernatural agcn-
cy, rather than suspend their judgment,
or acknowledge to themselves that they
are not learned enough in these matters
to decide on the nature of the action
| 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
greatly deficient in some very important
principle.
| am, Sir, your very obcdicnt servant,
NJ FARADAY.
Royal Institution June %