St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1853-05-12

situation that might be made of a
terial agency in their movings and rap
pings! Our friends are left therefore to
their own conclusions as to the true q
false reasoning of our little-of-faith Ugh
Dor in the premises.
h" Our usually quiet town has been set
agor, within the past week, bv expeii
mcnts in animal magnetism. Who org
mated the experiment we know not, bat
it has become the all-engrossing topic.
We hardly think there is a house in the
village, in which the wonder has rot
been exhibited. Large centre tables
have moved slowly around, and little
candle-standS and card-tables have been
hopping about, at a rate so astonishing as
to demand a passing notice.
The process is this: Three or four
persons surround stand or table, and
place their hands upon it, their palms
lust touching the surface, and each ones
fingers in contact with those of his neigh
Dor. They are then directed to UiU the
table to move around in a certain direc-
ton, and that most intently. After re-
naming in this position for about four
or five minutes, the table begins to move
in the direction wi>hed-and the stronger
the will is excrted, the more rapid the
motion. When the rotary movement is
going on, those surrounding are directed
TO wiW the table to rise on two feet, which
it soon does, still preserving its first md
ton. If rillcd to come up on one fool
up it comes in ;ify. In a word, it VIII
move IN any direction almost, in which,
is desired provided the hands be kept
upon it.
The idea that this is all effected by
the exercise Of the mind or the will is. 6, g
analogy between this case and the effecs
generally produced by what is terma
animal mngnefiSm. The will is an al
stract thing, as it were-immateria al
subjective. Its action does produs
bodily movement-for we wiN, and, as 4
consequence, move our limbs. But it 1
impossible, from its very nature, that /
should exert any influence upon an extet
nal and concrete thing. In animal mag
netism what is effected Why, by The
action o! one Will, another is brought int
subsection, influenced and directed. BIT
then the subject of operating Will is nd
concrete thing, but another wiH-ab
stract like itself. 1t surely cannot follow
that the mind or the will has power t.
move a bodily, material, and insensiblt
object, because it has power TO effect
thing like itself, immaterial and sensible
1t is absurd to suppose that what is inter
nal or subjective, as the philosophers say
should have any power over what is ex
ternal or objective, say by means of some
material thing, over which the subjective
has natural inseparable control, as the
muscles of the body.
" But apart from the nature of the will
we suppose this motion is further falsifiec
by fundamental rule of natural philoso.
ply; that every body will remain ir
a state OF rest until removed by some
foreign force. Now, this force must be
a material one, proceeding from some
other concrete thing-else there can, as.
suredly, follow no movement. If this be
denied, then we demand of the obiector
that he show motion caused without the
intervention of bodily force certainly
it has never been exhibited so far, in the
progress of science.
it be insisted, hcx-yer, that it,
barely the will that iSGesS o.
- ----A 49, s@zxn4 -
the placing Of ing lands uT5
disposed to think an indivs
and call table to him, all ssday go Ilsvs
rather poor recompense for his trouble!
But if he should put his hands upon il
and tell it TO go, it would, we think, be
exceedingly apt to start.
Here, then, is the proper explanation
of the august phenomenon of Table
Moving. It is astonishing with what
little effort a single person can turn a
small table. Indeed, il NAV be done
almost imperceptibly to himself, with the
palms of his hands. When, therefore,
some four or five have their hands upon
it at the same time, each one has 10
exert mere fraction of the originally
required force. The quantum required
from each would be so small as only to
be expressed enthusiastically. When,
therefore, number Of persons are STAN
ding around the table in question, with
their palms touching il and their minds