Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-28
Literary Notices.


Literary Notices.
roorrALrs ON rHs BOUNDARY OF ANOTHER WORLD;
with Narrative Illustrations. By RosERr DALs
owax, formerly Member Of Congress and Ame-
rican Minister 10 Naples. PhiladelPhia: j. b.
Lippiaeots q Co. 1860. Lynohburg: Payne
& Bleekfard.
This il reuarkable book; the work OF q mas
Ter intellect. and moi only from its captivating
and poetic title, bat is marvellous contents the
result Of patient toll and great research. is dss-
tined 10 havs large sale. Every person Of sps-
eulatiys o. eontemplstive turn Of mind; indeed.
all persons are more os less affected by desire 70
know sonstaing Of that mysterious world whose
boundary 10 the narrow lac thai separates time
from eternity.
Upon this natural desire OF the human heart,
eur author thus beautifully discourses: This 10
n.t abiding place, aad ,hough. during our ten
sacy of sixtysr .evsaty years, behoove us to task
our best eaernes ia the cause Of earthly improve.
nsus and happiness -thoagh il be our boundsn
dsty. while here, to care. in . measure, Tor the
worldly welfare Of ALL more especially for the
wants and comforts Of Ger own domestic hearth
and though, as human workers, much the larger
portion Of our tboaghts and time must be, or
oush. 20 b. thus smp,oysd-yet If our pcrma-
neut dwelling place 10 soon to be established else
where; II, ~ the years pass, our affections are
stealing further before us; If the huns circle,
gradually dssolving here is to be rec ,nstito,ed
fresh and enduring in vthsr regions, stall We hold
1t to be matter 81 mere idle curiosity, fantastic
and indifferent, 70 ascertain whether, ia sober
truth. an iatimation from that future home is ever
permitted 70 reach Us, here on our pilgrimage DO
fore We DEPART
Mr.. Oven does mol pretend to investigate the
claims Of modern sniritrapping, or table moving,
to the eredesoe Of an Enlightened public; though.
among tho many instances 81 the supernatural
which he has oollated, 10 . case cited A. having
occu red in the reign of Charlie. the Second, two
hundred years ago lie furnishes testimony 70.
specting the remarkable phenomena which, has
never vet boen explained and wh icl. be thinks.
indicative of ultrsanndane interference in tho
adairs Of tho present hfe--from Ara go, BuLbage,
Bacon, Baxter. Bichat. Sir DAVID Brewster, But
ler. DIR. Carpenter, Rev. Dr. Clarke. Rev. Dr. Ed
wards Faraday. uenciol, uowlL Humboldt.
kericr. La Place. Locke. Muller. DR.. Prestly,
Scott Taylor, Tilletson, Archbishop whatcly, and
collect together solid rAliable building sto mes.
which may serve some future urciG tsct." and .,lso
to place che question Of aitrRm ndane infuoncs in
what he conceiyes 10 be its true light.
Whatever may be our views Of the sne plain cd
phenomena, 81 which there are IN this volume, 10
many well attes.ed cases; It must he admit ID,
that they are worked up by q sillful hand q
strong md ven-cutivated intellect, highly cal N
BILE OF the power Of analysis necessary TO ma ke
the bsss ass Il the facts prcseeted. VIA Sen IL
wing extract, taken from the eodcladiAg ehapte r
OF the work: Before part from the reader. b o
may desire to AJAX me whetl.et 1 conceive the rca
lhy of OCCASIONAL spiritual interference 40 b. hero
eonnlusiyely made out
IL prefer that he should take tho answer from
ias owndslibsrase judgment. IN s"e respect, he
is. probably. better qualified to Judge than l. 1t
is not in human nature to ponder long and deeply
any theery-to spend years in search Of its proofs
aad in examinations Of ha prosabihtscs--yct 1ain.
tain that nice squsnlmity which nacspts or rejects
without ono extraneons bias.
'lle ~ho simply inspects may @iseri0inae
more in collecting and oslaating
Yet. viii Aos withheld tho admissisn that
after pui, ting the strictest guard the larari,ism
Of paren,aye, / Am unable to espla.n much Of
true. IN any other lay ps.h ,Ais than the uiyamun
dane"
The work viii repay q careful pernsai.