Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-06
TO TIE EDITORS

Il
cussion with an opponent whose only arguments fiat
contradictions of my statements Of fact; offer
Ply to Mr. ALBERT WELLEs ELY, who introduced hmse
into the lntelligencer Of the 9Th Instant
For the satisfaction of yourselves and those of your
readers who are willing to accord credit my
sermons until they proved false give the following
few words: The suggestion Of Sir John Herschel that
the brain is species of gavanic battery may be found
page 3i3 of one of the editions Of his celebrated Dis
course ON Natural Philosophy That it is a. not he pre-
yaing opinion among medical that animal life is
nothing more nor less than electricity circulating through
as through wires "copper" is sufficiently shown
In the suboined passage from Carpenters Physiology
| found on page 10l:
"Of the actual nature Of the changes by which i'm
pressioRs are received the perpheral origins of
aerent nerves. communicated to the central origins
he motor ana are conducted along each to their opposite
extremities, Psychologists have certain knowledge
that they are electrical has been and still continues
De- iayorlte theory with and that there is great
aaae0y between the propagation Of and that
electrical influence cannot be denied
OF course it understood fully by all the readers of
my former communication that l secuted this qaluanc
idea of Herschel, the medical men, and Adams Locke
Whether Professor Draper did did take the step in
advance which suggested that he took leave to be de-
cided upon the following extract additional from his lee
ture on Phosphorus
ton and how it is covered with coat of muscles how
these in relation with the axis through
the Intervention of Again. it belongs to physics
and chemistry to take up the story and to explain how
every motion must be accompanied by and indeed orig
maze M chemical changes occurring in the machi
merry"
1t is matter of not the least concern to me for which
of the two schools of philosophers am booked whether
for the school spiritual the school material doubt
the ability of single member Of either to explain the diff
ference between his belief and that of member of the
other If my opinion that idea Of the form and color
Of flower is obtained through the action of matter in its
connection with the ethereal substance whatever else
this may be termed, makes materialist then am
one. defy any one to give plausibiity even to an
opinion opposed to it.
BY the way of Professor Faradays settlement of the
tablepping question 1t is really amusing to see with
what assurance he pronounces his decision just if
particle of testimony had been examined Like the true
Baconian which he is he has left entirely of the
count all circumstances and all facts that failed to appeal
directly to his Now, it is according my theory
with respect to the rappngs that the real guardians
of them originally made it part of their plan to lead the
public mind into turmoil touching the matter SO there
have been different classes of manifestations to suit the
different classes of minds noting them; thus the un-
educated and the marvellous the phenomena have been
presented in fancy exciting aspect to be for
only upon the superstition of spiritual influence For
the consideration of the conclave of Buffalo Doctors
simply the tapping manifestation was offered to be easily
explained on the kneeoint hypothesis And now before
Professor Faraday is brought the
which is satisfactorily shown be the result of muscular
force exered unconscously Take notice. that do not
intimate any disbelief that the Professor disposed properly
of the facts which came under his observation
In concluding this b, advance it my opinion not
my mdteal that the spiruasts in their
accounting for the rappngs have had the best of the
argument thus far. G. w. EVELETH /