Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-07-10
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"Planchette.o

THOSE of our readers who have not al
ready heard of the new Constitution
called Planchettew will undoubtedly soon be
gratitied or amazed or puzzled, as the case
may be, by its appearance, rs it is already
offered for sale in several cities. 1t con-
sists of simple oblong, or sometimes
heart-shaped board, about eight inches
long, by five to seven wide, and a quarter
of an inch thick, supported on wheels or
castors, on which IL moves freely when
touched, and has soft pencil fastened into
one end. The work of this pencil is the
mystery of the whole. 1t is declared that
when placed on a sheet of white paper,
and lightly pressed by two persons for
few minutes, il will trace on the paper an
answer, more or less intelligent or correct,
to any qucstiona third may propose. 1t is
also asserted by some that the past and
the future are equally revealed, and that
distance creates no difficulty to this won.
dertul inanimate iortune-telor, matters
passing on the other side of the world be-
ing as certainly made known as those in
the same room. Marvellous stories are told
of the supernatural powers of "Plan-
chette" by its admirers, such as making
known the doings of friends in other hem
ispheres, and various other miraculous in
formation, such as is usually expected from
mesmerism, spiritrappings, and the like !;
while on the other hand some do not hesi-
tate to pronounce it base imposture, and
to declare that having followed all the di-
rections minutely, they are unable to eX-
tract wor1 of any sort from the reticent
machine. A writer in Chambers Journal
is especially severe on what he calls the
three-legged impostor," and, though ac-
knowlodging that marvellous tales were
told him by two of his friends, who were
eye-witnesses, one an accomplished lady,
and the other scholar of Quiclness and
humor, and who, he thinks, certainly be-
lieved them to be true, yet disbelieves the
whole of 1t because he could never succeed
in any such efforts at conversation.
1t appears to be of French origin, its
name signilying little board, and is
known TO French, Russian and Spanish
courts. In England, one maker says he
has sold four hundred and sixty-six Plan
chettcs, besides sending several abroad.
This maker declares that the wood must
be good, hearty stuff, and well dried but
declines to give any other advice as to its
construction. However, it isnow conceded
that they can be made by any ordinary
carpenter; and we recently saw very
simple one in this city, made of piece of
cherry board, in the shape of heart, the
dimensions being as above, the two little
castors being of brass, and placed under
the broad end of the heart while the
pencil was placed at the point of the
heart.
The author of a volume on Planchette,
published in England gives minute in.
structions for its use, by the observance of
which he thinks most persons may in time
become coniidants of its mysteries 1t is
not maintained by any that all the answers
given are true, or that any person, how
ever unsuccessful he may be in its use, can
put implicit reliance on its teachings.
There are various theories as to this re-
markable little companion, some maintain
ing that the influence is mesmeric, others
that 1t is electricity, or some unknown
connection between the brain or nervous
system of the operator and the board so
lightly touched by his fingers. There are
some of course who will attribute it all To
supernatural causes, and some who utterly
refuse the least crodence to any of the mys-
terious results affirmed.
These latter Just now occupy the safest
ground. 1t seems to be clear that in the
cases when "Planchotte moves without
being gmiSchievously or ordesignedly impelled
by the OPERATOR that the influence is mag
netic, just rs in tho case of" "tablo,moving
under similar conditions. 1t is but proper
TO say that wherever experiments with the
toy have come under our observation, the
writings of" Plancbette" have either been
such as would puzzle even Champollion
to decipher, or else they have been so
manifestly the work of the operators, for
the purpose of creating merriment, mis-
chief and laughter that no one could be
deceived into the belief that either spirits
or any other supernatural agency have
anything to do with them. "Planchette
is an amusing toy and nothing more
Philadelphia Ledger, JaRe 24th.