New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-16
FROM BOSTON.


individually and personally solved the problem by
becoming spirits Themselves, and seeing the invls-
BILE rsppers and table.movers face to face. The
principal mediums summoned by DIR. Gardner to
confront the Cambridge Committee are yet here,
and are giving daily and nightly seonees to crowds of
nquirers They have even had the audacity to
carry the war into Africa, by going to Cambridge
and giving exhibitions privately to some of the
principal people there 1t is whispered that among
the auditors Of the raps on these occasions were
several Professors Of the University, who did not
serve on the famous Committee and who have
been thrown into very unscientifc state of amaze
ment at what they have seen and heard.
have ayaled myself to the utmost of the visit of
these witches and wizards TO our city, and have
diligently sought TO enlarge my knowledge of the
other world, and especially my knowledge of those
who are in communication with it; and must con-
fess that, for some reason or other find the me-
dums themselves much more diverting than the
spirits The latter are excessively mOnOtonOus in
their style Of conversation and limited in the range
of their ideas and actions. The mediums, on the
contrary, are mostly persons of original AID flexible
character, cultivated by drO, queer mode of life
and by much experience of mankind. A profess
sioIal medium who has much business is usually
brought into close relation each day with dozens of
persons, including nearly every diverse grade of
humanity. Generally they make good use of their
opportunities of observation; and, notwithstanding
the serious nature of their profession, | have met
with no class more acutely alive to the weakness
and ollies of mankind or more disposed to laugh at
the absurdities which occasionally manifest them.
selves even in the best-reguated " circles"
Familiarity with the spirits it seems, does not
always breed contempt for them. Some of the most
eminent mediums now here have contested to inc
that they are horribly afraid of ghosts, that they
dare not sleep alone lest they should be startled out
of their wits by some fearful appirition. They
cannot bear even to be alone in the dark for few
minutes. These, however, are female mediums, of
probably weak nerves 'and active imaginatiOns.
On the other hand, one Of the most popular of the
male mediums asserts that the spirits will not allow
anybody but his wife to sleep with him. Two or
three gentlemen who have made the experiment of
occupying bed in the same room have found that
they could not endure the rough usage to which
they were subjected by invisible hands. hear of
one case, for example, where the bed occupied by
the medium and that occupied by his visitor wore
placed side by side, little distance apart. The
visitor had hardly lain down before both bedsteads
were tilted toward each other and slapped forcibly
together as YOU would shut with both hands large
folio volume.
My researchesamOng the mediums do not lead mo
TO envy them the possession of their strange
faculty. and it was with no little alarm that found
myself the other day apparently developing the
table-tippng power with surprising force | had
been spending long forenoon with number
mediums listening to ghOstly oracles, witnessing
tables andschairs spasmOdically jerking about and
feeling the yelvety tOnch of invisible hands upon my
feet and knees. Weared, exhausted and hungry,
when the stance closed repaired to Parkers for
dinner. To be exact in the locality, which, in these
high matters, is you know, of infinite consequence,
l will state that it was the ancient Parker's in
Court square, and not the marble palace in School
street. to which Parker has lately transferred his
name and person, though believe he still retains
his ownership of the old place, which will be forever
fragrant i'll the memories of BOstOnahs OF the pass
ing generation. l seated myself at one Of the
narrow side-tables, and discussed a not hasty
plate of soup, medltating the while on the
marvels / had just witnessed. A quarter OF an
hour elapsed. The waiter blandly removed the
plate and handed me the carte. was perusing that
distracting document with calm ntentness, endeav-
orDg to discover for the thOusandth time which of
hundred dishes I liked best, when suddenly Isaw
the chair Oh the opposite side of the narrow table
mCve-visibly palpaby move. There could be no
mistake about it. / watched it mOment-it stirred
again; looked around; no one was within ten feet
of it. The waiter stood far off, leaning against
pillar. The nearest person was gentleman who,
with bis back toward ME, was peacefully eating his
dinner Between us was an unOccupied table whose
chairs were standing quietly and firmly in their
places.
resumed my scrutiny of the chair. Again and
again it moved, slightly and spasmOdicaly, had
seen the tables when the spirits had seen fit to
exert themselves. / began to think that some
spiritual friend, perceiying the perplexty was in
about the carte, had volunteered TO assist me with
his advice. In the course Of my experience with
the mediums Ihad frequently seen advice given from
the other world on much less important occasions.
Taking up fork was about to point TO the names
Of varOus dishes the carte and inquire Is it that
Is if that in the regular Spirtualisc manner, when
suddenly, beneath the table, a slight touch was laid
upon my leg. 1t thrilled me- from its strlk.
ing resemblance to the spiritual touches had
felt in the morning. Like them, it was soft,
gentle, and quickly withdrawn. The affair was
growing serious. Assuredly | was becoming
% developed" In spite Of myself was destined to
be a medium. Already chairs spontaneously moved
in my presence, and invisible hands touched me.
To make quite sure Of the facts and to Danish the
last lingering remains of doubt, i raised the table
cloth, which fell nearly to the floor ard looked be-
meath the table. j beheld large yellow dog, appa-
rently just rOusng himself from nap His stretch
iDgs accounted for the motion Of the chair and his
nose presume was the instrument of the mystic
rous touch upon my leg. will confess to you that
made this discovery with mingled feeling Of sat
lsiaction and disappointment, for though had es
capped becoming medium had lost most excel
lent and convincing proof Of SpirtuaIism.
EEsTvALI BEFORE A MAGIsTRArE-A little musi-
cal episode Of an ibhanonous character took place