New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-07
NEW PUBLTC,AT TONS

before the public. for several years as bold and
visWeus journalist, an active politician, social
pefsrmee and more recently, in diplomatic capac-
Nv, as United States Minister to Naples man
Of capacity and education of ample knowledge of
De woIR, and no little practice in affairs, he is
,sssy entitled to challenge attention in his discus
s;sn Of subject which is rarely presented except
4. the spirit of enthusiasm or partisanship.
His mind was frat directed TO the pretensioRs of
nedern spiritualism while residing at Naples in
tAs Autumn Of 1855. Until that time he had re-
sarded the whole matter az dslasOn, aud, but for
ne influence Of an intelligent friend and former col
hague, the ViscOunt dc st. AmarO, Brazilian Min
ktsr at Naples, wOBld probably never have submit
BED it to \ serious examination. 1t was through
him that the attention Of Mr.. Owen was tHrned to
certain phenomena of q magneto-psychOlOgicai
character, and to the study Of analogous subjects.
In His apartments, on the 4th of March, 1885, in
ne presence of Inns If and his wife, together with
member of the royal family of Naples, the author
ior the Grst time witnessed certain physical move
nents apparently without material agency. Three
weeks later, al incident occurred, during an even
hs at the Russian Ministers, which appeared mex
pheable, without referring it to some intelligent
agency foreign to tho spectators present From
Shat tine, Mr.. Owen determined to test the matter
thoroughly, and devoted the leisure of more than
TIVE years to investigating the question of the agency
Of spirts from another sphere Of existence, on the
concerns Of mankind
His inquiries embraced wide range Of research.
IN addition to the usual experiments and observa-
kens, which are familiar to multitude of persons,
Beth in Europe and the United States, he devoted
ks self to the study of the best standard treatises
On physiology, especially in it's connection with
EssltAl phenomena, on psychology in general on
sleep, on hallucination, on insanity, aud on the
great mental epdemics Of Europe and America,
tsgether with the curious observations of Reichen
bach, and the record of interesting researches of
recent date in Prussia Italy, England, and else
where, on the subject of human electricity in con-
nestiOn with its influence on the nervous system
and the muscular tissues.
II was not long before Mr.. Owen arrived at the
senclusiOn that the modern phases of what is called
Spirtualism are the reproduction Of ancient and
Tel-kROwn phenomena. Hence, he inferred the
importance of historical research as an essential
preliminary TO a scientific theory. He also ju-
4isiOasly decided that it was better to devote
attention to spontaneous and casual phenomena,
rather than to those that are formally evokedto
appearances and irregularities that present them
selves, occasionally only but without anticipation,
or design, hike the rainbow, or the Aurora BOreals,
or the hurricane, Independent of the wishes or the
agency Of man. BY this restriction, the suspicion
ef being misled by epidemic excitement or fOregOne
Impressions is set aside.
The result Of Mr.. Owens investigations, con-
austed according to this method is set forth in the
present volume. 1t consists mainly of the record OF
pAeromena relating TO the subject, that have been
eAserved in various countries and in different Pc
Esds of history. The author makes no claims to
the establishment of theory For that, in his Opin-
ion, the time has not yet come. He aims at no
higher mark than to collect and arrange materials,
which may serve in the erection of system by
ssne future inquirer. He certainly discusses the
subject with calmness, discrimination and ability
and his volume must at once take its place as a val
liable collection of facts and illustrations on the
mysterious subject Of which it treats.
Among the curious narratives, which, If received
rs authentic, show us that there are more things
n Heaven and earth than are dreamed Of in our
philosophy" though they by no means help to
demonstrate the reality of spiritual manifestations
No extract the following:
WHY LIvoNIAN sCHoOL-TEACHER LOST HER
SITUATION.
HABITUAL APPARITIOS OF A LIVING PERSON.
There existed IN the year 1915, and IS still continued
h LvOnia, about thirty-six miles from Riga aud q
nile and half from the small town of WOlmar,
institution of high repute for the education of young
ladies' entitled the Pensionnat of Neuwecke. IL is
under the supe1intendence of Moravan directors; Of
whom the principal, at the time Of the occurrences
about 70 be related was named Buch.
There were, in that year, forty two young ladies
residing there boafders, chiefly daughters of noble
Lvonian famil es; among Them Nademoiselle Julie,
second daughter Of the Baron de Guldenstubbe then
ekireen years Of age.
In this institution Of the female teachers at that
time was hademoiselle Elnelie Sagee, French lady,
from Dion. She was of the Northern type-a blonde,
with very fair omplexion, hghtblue eyes, chestnut
hair slightly above the middle sZe and of slender fig
are. In character she amiable quiet, and good
tempeIed not at all given 10 anger impotence; but
Of an anxious disposition and 10 her physical tenn
permanent, somewhat neryousy excitable. Her health
usually good; and during the year and half that
abe lived as teacher at Neuwecke she had but one
swosIeht indspositions. She was intelligent and &C
semPfhed and the directors during the entire period
sf her stay perfectly satisfied with her conduct
her Industry and her requirements. She was at that
time tbuty-two years Of age.
A few weeks after Aademoisele Sagee first arrived,
singular reports began TO circulate among the pupils
Wien some casual inquiry happened 10 be made TO
where she was, one young Lacy would reply that she
had seen her ia such or such a room; whereupon
other would say, oh, no she can't be there; for
hzye Just met her on the Stairway" or perhaps in
scme distant corridor. At first they naturally supposed
i wss mere mistakes but as the same thing required
agais and again. they began to think II very odd, and
finally spoke TO the other COVE nesses about II.