The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-20
Spiritual Manifestations.

lonely house III one OF the new streets, and
dragged halfwitted female from her bed, at
night, accompanying the proceeding with brutal
violence and insulting language-if it were
added that Mr.. Blunt had forthwith indicted
the poor girl for 'bewitching one Zadok Shocks,
yeoman.o a grand jury had found true bill, a
petty jury returned a unanimous verdict OF
guilty. and Recorder Tillou sentenced her to
be burnt at the stake in the centre of the
Park-if we were assured finally. that the exc
cution had actually taken place in the presence
OF thousands OF men and women. citizens of New
York, who had testified their satisfaction at the
event by shouts of applause, while the flames
were rising over the head of the victim, and the
air was filled with thick smoke-we should
assuredly set down the tale as an audacious
falsehood, and dismiss the narrator with re-
buff that he would not be likely to forget In
dignant at the bare idea Of the resurrection of
the barbarous supeTstitions Of other ages, we
should angrily inquire Of our informant whether
he was aware that he was living in the nine
teenth century, among the enlightened people
Of America. We should point to the progress
which knowledge has made during the last two
hundred years, to the rational and humane
spirit which pervades our laws our code of
ethics, and the rules Of modern society and to
the universal spread Of education among the
lowest classes ofthe community, and, contrasting
with these evidences of intellectual and moral
advancement the delusions of our benighted
ancestors, we should thank Heaven that we did
not live in those times, and that we are not
such as they.
j, is O matter Of grave doubt whether the
acts would bear MS out in the Pharisacal as
sumption. Our criminal code is more humane,
certainly, than that of the Covenanters Model
schools are a modern invention. and the usages
OF society arc. we admit, in many respects.
based on sounder principles than those to which
our foroSathers bowed We do not hear of large
landed propretors employing amanuenses to
sign their names: we do not put man in the
pllory for kissing his wife on Sunday, as the
Puritans did. or openly allude to her capaliere
serrantc, as the gentlemen" of olden time
did not scruple to do; nor do we hang man
for stealing quarter Of dollar from dwell
ling house. OF burn crazy girl on pretence
that she is a witch. But whether our mental
faculties have really improved whether we are
less addicted to superstition than our ancestors
whether we are less liable to be deceived by
the FIRST impostcr who concocts plausible story.
than they. are very different matters. If they
believed that The witches of Salem commuued
with the devil. do not we believe that the sp-
ritual media hold intercourse with spirits? IF
they received with devout awe the responses of
the Cock Lane ghost do not we place stead
fast reliance on the thumps on the table by
which the spirit Of our grandmother converses
with us! II they made absurd laws in restric-
ton Of trade, Is not Mr. Greeley battling might
and main. to crush the traffic in wine, which
delighteth the heart Of man,
We doubt whether the witchcraft delusion
was ever sowidely spread in this country as the
absurd belief in spiritual manifestations. IL Is
the general subject Of conversation in every
circle People who have not the boldness to
avow openly their belief ia the humbug smile
ieebly when it il mentioned visit the circle rap
pings, and make vigorous attempts Ia private
to move their dressing table by rubbing il with
the tips Of their iingers Tables Of slender make
and smooth surface are specially appropriated
to these scientific exercises at every social party
Young women will tell you, with unfalter-
ing voice ihat they hold nightly interviews
with the spirits and that their slumbers arc
much disturbed thereby Grown men, who
have vainly attempted TO explain the mystic
rious rappings'' on any known principle of
physics or dynamics. wisely come to the conclu-
sion that the sounds must proceed from the
spiritual forgetting that they would find
it quite a. difficult TO discover the process by
which Signor Blitz, Mr.. Anderson Mr.. Heller,
or the Chinese jugglers, perform their feats A
doctor OF medicine consults his housemaid Ga
medium) on the quantity Of strycbninc to be
administered TO a nervous patient-a lawyer
inquiries from similar authority where his wit
ness is to be found. An anxious mother Il pra-
tilted 10 learn from 2 practising medium that
her son Is in good health il California;: and
young lady about to confdc her destiny 10 her
lover, rcjoices in the news that she will have
seven children and happy home.
But the spirits do not conine their attention
to cheering the hearts Of their yisters They
can DC intensely practical when they choose:
and. considering the length of time they have
been absent from this earth. and their supposed
exemption from human frailties aud passions
have preserved very remarkable knowledge
a thing. spbanary. Thus tloy were enabled