The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-05-10

beg leave to present to the Senate
II petition, with somo fifteen thousand
names APPENDED toit,upon very singular
and novel subject. The petitioners rep
resent that certain physical and mental
phenomena, of mysterious import, have
become 50 prevalent in this country and
Europe as TO elgrOss large share of
public attention A partial analysis of
these phenomena attcsts the cxisterce:-
|. Of an occult force which is exhibit
cd in sliding, raising, arrcstng, holding,
suspendine, and otherwise disturbing
ponderable bodies. apparently in direct
opposition TO the acknowledged laws Of
matter, and transcending the accredited
power of tho human mind daughter J
2. Lights of different degrees Of inten-
slty appear in dark rooms where chcmi.
cal action or phosphoresic illumination
cannot be developed, and where there
are no means Of generating electricity
or producing combustion daughter J
). a variety Of sounds, frequent in oc-
curreuco and diversified in charactcr,an
OF singular significance and import, con-
slsting of mysterious rapping. indicating
tho presence Of invisible intelligence
Sounds are often heard like those pro
duced by the prosecution of mechanical
operations, like the hoarso murmur Of
the winds and waves mingled with the
harsh creaking noise of tho masts and
rigging Of ship laboyng in a sea. Con-
cusslons also occur resembling distant
thunder,producing oscllatory movements
OF surrounding objects, aud tremulous
motion of the premises upon which these
phenomena occur Harmonious sounds,
al that Of human voices. and other
sounds, resembling those of ffo, drum.
trumpet. &c, have been produced with
out any visible agency. 4 All the func
tions Of the human body and miud are
influenced in what appears to be certain
abnormal states of the system, by causes
not yet adequately understood or account
ed for. The occult force or invisible
power frequently interrupts the normal
operation Of the faculties. suspcndinr
sensation and voluntary motion Of the
body to deathlkc coldness and rigid
ty, and diseases hitherto cousidercd in.
durable have been entirely eradcated 10y
this mysterious agency. The petition
ers proceed to state that two opinions
prevail with respect to the origin of
these phcnomena-on ascrbcs them to
the power and the intelligence of depart.
ed spirits operating upon the elements
which pervaGe all material forms; the
other rejects this conclusion. and con
tends that all these results may be ac-
counted tor in rational and satisfacto-
ry manner The momorialsts, while
thus disagrecing as to the cause, concur
in opinion as to the occurrence Of
the alleged phenomena, and in view of
their origin, nature, and bearing upon
the ini erests of mankind. demand for
them patient, rigid. scientific investiga-
ton, and request the appointment of a
scientific commission for that purpose |
have given faithful synopsis Of this pc
tition, which, however unprecedented in
itself, has been prepared with singular
ability, presenting the subject with great
dcllcacy and moderation. l make it
rule to present any petition to the Sen
ate which is respectful in its terms, but
having discharged this duty, | may be
permitted to say that the prevalence of
this delusion at this age of the world,
amongst any considerable portion of our
citizens, must originate, in my opinion
in a defective system Of education, or in
a partial arrangement of the mental fac.
ultios produced by diseased condition
of the physical organization. | cannot,
therefore, believe that it prevails to the
extent indicated in this petition. DIFF
fereut ages Of the world have had their
peculiar delusion. Alchemy occupied
the attention OF eminent men for sever
al centuries but there was something
sublime in alchemy. The philosophers
stone, or the transmutation Of base met.
ais into gold--the elixir vitn, or water
Of life" which would preser7e youth
and beauty, and prevent old ago, decay,
aud death, were blessings which poor
humanity ardently desired, and which |
alch emy sought to discover by persever-
ance and piety. Roger Bacon, one of
tho greatest alchomists and greatest men
Of tho thirteenth century, while search.
for the philosophers stone discovered !
the telescope, burning glasses and gun
powder. The prosecution Of that delu.
sion led, therefore, to number of useful |
discoveries. In the sixteenth century
hourishcd Cornelius Agrippa, alchcmist,
astrologer and magician--oue of the
greatest professors of hermetic phloso /
ply that ever lived. He had all of the .
spirits of the air and demons of the
sarth under his command. PaulusJovius
says that the devil, in the shapcof . large
black dog, attended Agriqpa wherever
he went. Thomas Nash says. that at .
ihe request of Lord Surrey, Erasmus
and other learned men, Agrippa called
lp from the grave several Of the great
of antiquity among Others,
lully whom he caused to re.deliver his .
1ratlcn for Roscius, to please tho En-
oeior Charles the Fourth. lie summon.
ID King David and King Solomon from
he tomb, and the Emperor conyerscd
With them long upon the science Of gov.
'rnment. This was glorious cxhibi-
ion of spiritual power compared with
he Insignificant manifestations Of the
present day. will pass over the cele-
1rated Paracelsus, for the purpose Of
making allusion to an Englishman with
whose veracious history every one ought
% make himself acquainted. In the
'ixteenth century, DR. Lee made such
'rogress in the talismanic mysteries that
ne acquired ample power to hold famil-
ar conversation with spirits and angels,
% learn from them all the secrets Of the
universe. On one occasion the angel