New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-04-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

inen.-esm and peios phca in rs tone-rte ron aouse
or rdicue of the Sp.ri ua--sDd ahou sdug IN '+s Tor
the support Of lie views Toe suihor mas no 'n 70 'ne
Ode fore. elampl 20 have been d-overed oy "e'cneu
bach as al eIpsbaon of phenomena 10 question: ONT
traces ,h N to the operation of certain Involuntary powers
and inst, e, Of the human mind OF course he nects tho
,bsor, that The spirits the departed have any agency IN
the n after While with exemplary esndar he ad1rts that
il i not humbug sustained BY coiluion deception or
tick. but the effect Of natural rational cause
This cause according The author is to b. f)1ai in
certain condition Of the systems of the persons
WHO act as mediums THIS condition may De defined as the
temporary paralysis of the acse powers and the snos
tacn The bvolurtar. powers OF the mnd o. as"neh
by too erea; degree OF val electric force being con
c. nrs.ed the latter The result is the psssivy OF ihs
voluntary nerves and hs abnormal activity Of the nvol
ur,sry reryes and hence the remarkable niesat'ons
tina; ere so or6de1y attributed to the az ney spus
Az an illustration OF the distinction between the voluntary
and involuntary power the ensuing passage 10 por'
Tie voluntary power Of he mind move or saspeni
motion can oct acting. can reason think under
stand and will suspend oil these, rs In steep bnt me
involuntary p,wer Of the mind confines i's eaees sell
motion through every period Of existence when we are
asleep as wei vhen awake. II has no power TO 'p
lecnuse molten is inherent attribute OIL ~ nhture see
inc hegng feeling taste and smell belong TO tue invol
rrtarv ers # the mind where all impressions through
the senses are rt received and from thence are instant
" transmitted 10 the voluntary powers CT the mud wnere
thew are compared and formed INTO ideas by the p0 yer OF
what term reason and assOcifuon luousn tue Nouu
tsry ard Involuntary Of the mind are entirely o
t1ct Attributes belonging To two distinct btais yetthre
is at he time undesirable connection EXISTING
between H. two and asO strong symodthy 10 c'hcue
tgeiber in common state AMI mode " tcon thouSh
INDULGENCE era habit.
how for instance who has the perec. control Of his
voice IN ccnversa,D, may take pains to I'M ate ms stat
term, wv ate whom he Is strongly nttached ana
with whom lie "a in daily Intercourse I'll he becomes
corfued stuteIor b INDUCING IN this act the tFt9-
~ powers Teduay cres weaker IN thelr na"rai force
for want OF correct action, and the iuroqry powers
by constant force ohaht gathered strength until through
INDULGENCE sympathy nd habit they So far 60, the upper
hgrd thar he lost in good degree the voluntary control
OF bi- own voice When he exercises oil his voluntary
nower 70 spfk smoothly the involuntary pc ger nteffers
through habit indulgence AZ sympathy ana sl'ternsIs
n result Bu this is in conversation only while IN sag
ing be lie, praeiiced Suffering The creates; Sufferers
that ever existed never kno@n to stuer while iog
ing sorg hy mn when the reading OF might be
amo.t al mVossibily fur them 70 perform. There is
OF DOL here of great importance to my argument IL s
,bsLbe voluntary and involuntary .'uerng of this boy
were alike His real suffering which he could not con
tTol almost exactly like that which he hrst male IN
sport 10 mimic his compaDi IN, or because ne cSnsder'i u
pretty Tho involuntary power moved 10 the ~ ne track
that The voluntary power had marked on, nnd P't,'ced
for ar before observed, they obtain through habit ani
sympathy strong tendency 10 concu; together IN one
common state II action. .
Ths l. not only 81 in relation to the voice in speaking
bu also to the hands feet body, regards motion
Take for instance finished performer upon the piano
forte. When be first commenced playing this instrument
t. Was wholly matter Of though and voluntary motion
He had pause and think upon what Keys to place me-
frpers and II en- moved them Wholly BY thought. The
whole was at first slowly execu'ed and entirely 10y his
voluntary powers But by degrees bis involuntary po"
.rs through indulgence and sympathy, hal gradual
tendency, and sill more, 70 concur With the vln
tary powers in the mode of nc ION untl perfect
hhIiiuJe beween the two was ostGblhel lie y noWthe
finish cd ~ rfomer lie PLAYS distinct part OF the music
with each hand and he sings third. He can weep his
fingers the keys with the most astonishing raQaty;
and RI. time be looking his friend IN the race ana
holding an inter, sting conversation with hin lie does
not think whore he his fingers indeed he cannot
co So for lis thoughts are with his friend and hence his
L. tfcrf IL hpt
tie invouuery powers ] am awsreit will be SAID thar
lie docs all this by babt or is generally expressed
he his fingers mechanically. This is granted; ont
what ask, i habit only an impression sucee s'uy maze
and repe ated, till il is established upon the involuntary
powers Of TIE mind through the medium othe senses u
is nothing else 1t is second nature 1t IS the same WIN
The violin harp Though there is some yolition con
centd yet the greater part Is performed by the nyoun
tGTy powe.s Of the mind tRsacrety concuFTing 10 the
mode of action with The voluntary powers lie plays
BY his instructive energesr with these habits strongly
asocated and through these impressions transmitted
10 the voluntary powers Of the mind In like manner IL
tie diurs hsnd moved by bis involuntary powers to
form those letters only that practically learned by
his voluntary powers nj school And there is much IL
genee manifested in the harmony OF sounds as there is
in the harmony Of sentences
The theory tus stated ID applied TO the explanation OF
ysIus ssouI ding phenomena that day forced upon
the aeren Of he public with very considerable plausi
biiy though it be ackno ,ledged not with the
t,nty Of demsn.tracn In spite OF all philosophising
the subject including the attempts OF Ibis author it still
remains that state Of ambiguity which always affords
tempting bait to the lovers of riddles and msrves No
one however whose mind ID given TO the investigation OF
the matter should neglect the peusal Of This volume
Auar fl IN the peculiar views which it maintains it is both
curious and Isrucve and by many sders will be found
quite entertaining
THE METHODIST QUARTERLY REVIEW. April Carlton
Philips
Dr. Edward Btechers Confic of Ages receives q go
we're bandlr in the opening article Of this number The
position and motives of that distiDg theocgian are
fully appreciated as the following passage shows:
The son OF eminent American divine, who has long
been distinguished for mental energy honest zeal ana
purity Of purpose 8. well as great Intellectual indepen
nee and manifest though not extreme mental eccen-
city he inhes good hare of bis father excellences
and culiaes also. Trained in the school of New Eng
land Orthodoxy which HE father has borne as yoke dur
ing ministry of half Gentry, and against when nus
whole life and ministry have been earnest protest. his
theology was necessarily at bottom Caly ansc but Incl
dtntay quite another thing The united influences OF
home education that spuiDed the bOur DIS and mees OF
creeds ard platforms and Of honest and inqusltve
spirit melted and controlled by pety to haze
Of forced and artificial orthodoxy Ecciesissac ally as
.ociated with body whose symbols OF belief but i'll &c
cord with his views of Christian doctrine, his position has
been anon aOUs and uncomfortable; and L. would have
been strange had such mind in such case consented
stop short of XamiDati0n o. It's theological
system and strenuous effort reidjlst the whole as
/ to commend it to bis own understanding.
But the writer las by means high opinion OF the
sou.dpess of DR. Beechers iltelee He has conf
dehoe ia him vbsever leader OF opinion. On this
! point be hus exprss-es himself
He has no lack of learning but he lacks tbs skill 20
IlOy sdvsltsge He has logic. but only enough TO
amuse bis mind with syllogisms and 20 render him self
eoutcent in HE arguments resemble the feet OF
Nebuchadnezz6rs mage in which the iron was mingled
with uiry clay and the whole aliss pogeriess
n n ia