Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-12-15
Spirit Rapping.

Sir David brewster, whose name has ottn
much used in England in connexinn with table
rnpping has given the newspapers an account
Of his experience, from which We make the fol
lowing extract:
at is true that | saw at Cox'- Hotel. in COM
| pany with Lord Bfongham, and at Eaiing, III
company with Mrs Trollope, several mechanl-
cal effects which was unable to explain I5ui'
though could not account 'or all these effects,
| never thought of ascribing then to spirits
stalking beneath the draperv Of the table; and |
saw enourllto satisfy myself that they could all
he produced by human hands and feet. and In
prove to others that some of them ut least had
such an origin. Were Mr. Hume (the American
medium 10 assume the character OF the Wizard
Of the West.T would enjoy his exhibition as much
as that of other conjnrors, but when lie pretends
to possess the power of introducing among the
feet of his audience the spirits of the dead, Of
bringing them into phys communication with
their dearest relatives and OF revealing the Sc
crrts Of the grave. he insults religion and com
men sense. and Hampers with the most sacred
feelings of his victims" In another letter Sir
David enters in detail into what Lord
Brougham and he saw done by 1.-THE SPIRITS
and what they did not ee: ut is not true TINT
the ACCORDION played an air throughout in Lord
3roughams hands; it mere y squeaked. IL Il
not true, "a stated in article referred to by Mr.
Hume, that Lord Brougham's watch was taken
out of his poeket,and found in the hands OF Some
other person III the r"om' No such experiment
was tried
At Mr. Coxs house Mr.. Hume, Mr. Cox, Lord
| Brougham, and my self sat down to a small ia
bic. Mr.. Hume having previously requested us
| to examine if there was any machinery about
! his person, an examination, however, which we
decline to make. When all our hands were up
! on the table noises were heard, rappings in
abundance and, finally, when we rose up the
table actually rOse,as appeared to me, from the
IL al,
aceordeon already mentioned, small hand-hell
to he rung by the spirits, was placed on the
ground near my feet. placed my feet round It
in the form of angle, to catch any intrusive
apparatus. The bell did not ring; but when
taken to Il place near Mr.. IIume's feet it
speedily came across aud placed it, handle in my
hand This was amusing. 1t did the same thing
bunglingy to Lord Brougham, by knocking it-ef
against his Lordship's knuckles, and after jim
| gle it fell. The seedHce was most curious at
! Ealing, where | was more watchful and more
successful observer will not repeat the rela
lations made to Mrs. Trollope who there,
| lest ! should gound the feelings Of one so
complished and sensible remember them with
unminglpd pain. The spirits were here very
tive. prolific in raps of various ntonatons, max
ing long tables heavy or light at command tick
ling knees. male and female. but always the
side next the medum,t wing knots in hankerchlcfs
drawn down from the table, and afterwards toss
ed npon it; and prompting Mr.. Hume. when he
| Ind thrown himself into II trance to a mi SCRABBLE
| pharnphrase on the Lords Prayer, During these
experiments made some observations wOthy of
notice. On one occasion the spirit gave strong
affirmative answer TO question by three rdpS un-
usually loud. They proceeded from part of the
table exactly within the reach of Mr.. lIume's
foot andI distinctly three movements ia his
lons; perfectly simultaneous with the three
raps."