The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-02
BRAIN-wAvEs-A THEORY.

S'Vhtes h~latDg 10 c0ntem p0rary persons and
events would not only bs curious and inte-
resting, but might serve to throw light 90 one
OF the darkest fields of scienos--a field in
deed, hardly yet claimed by science.
49, The mere oOllocation might bring out fea-
lures suggestive of Law. Ii to such col
lection were lied so many of the "manies-
tations' OF mesmerists, spiritualists, electro
biologists, and olairvoyauts as have clear
reslduum Of fact (and after q sweeping de-
ouction OF professional contributons), the in
oication of a common action OF force through
them all might probably become still more
obvious.
Such statements as the following, coming
as they do within the scope of single per-
sons observation, may, doubtless, be taken
10 stand for very many similar ones.
In giving them ss sample narratives, do
30 with two objeots-frstly, to commence in
your pages, If you are willing to open them
for 1t, veraoious and authenticated catalogue
OF such experiences; and secondly, to venture
on crude hypothesis by way of explanation,
which, of course, will be taken merely for
what 1t is worth, but which has appeared
plausible TO some. 1t may, perhaps, at any
rate, serve as a temporary thread whereon to
collect illustrative or contradictory instances.
Mr. Robert Browning, of whose keen study
OF the subject his poem of "Mr. Sludge, the
Me dium," would be alone sufficient proof,
tells me that when he was in Florence, some
years since, an Italian noblemen "a Count
Ginnasi, of Rsvenna), visiting at Florence,
was brought to his house, without previous
introduction, by an intimate friend. The
Count professed to have great mesmeric or
clsirvoyant faculties, and declared, in reply
to Mr.. BrowniDg's avowed skeptcism, that
he would undertake to convince him somehow
or other of his powers. He then asked Mr..
Browning whether he had anything about
him then and there which he could hand to
him, and which was in any way a relic or
memento. This, Mr.. Browning thought was
perhaps because he habituslly wore no sort
OF triDket or ornament, not even watch
guard, and might, therefore, turn out to be
safe challenge. But it so happened that by
curious accident he was then wearing under
his coat sleeves some gold wrist-studs to his
shirt, which he had quite recently taken into
use, in the absence (by mistake of a seam
stress) of his ordinary wrist-buttons. He
had never before worn them in Florence or
elsewhere, and had found them in some old
drawer where they had lain forgotten for
years. One of thess gold studs he took and
handed to the Count, who held it in his hand
awhile, looking earnestly in Mr.. Browning's
face, and then said, as if much impressed,
"C'e, qualche cosa che mi grida nell orecchio
'Ucosione, uccisione 30 ("There is some
thing here which cries out in my ear, Murder,
murderl'")
and truly" says MIR. Browning, "those very
studs were taken from The dead body of great
estass OF ~ s Wno was ar1 voeaiy Killed on his
These. IA q gold watch and other personal
opjeols ct value, were produced In court OF
pnrTo OF q slaughter which was effected by
his own slaves, They were then transmitted
TO my grandfatb er. who had his initials en-
Giaved on them. and wore them ali his life.
They were taken out of the night-gown in
which he died, and given to me, not my father.
may add that trit TO get Count Glneesi to
use his elairyoyance on this termination Of
ownership also. and that he nearly hit upon
omething like The fact, mentioning bad In q
room; but he failed in attempting to describe
the rOom-si uation OF the bed with respect to
windows and door, The occurrence of my great
uncles murder was known only to myself, of
possession of the studs"
MIR. Woolner, the sculptor, tells me the fol-
lowing story of two youag men, one of them a
personal friend of his own now, ssliving-These
two men lived very long as great friends but
ultimately quarreiled, shortly before the de
parture of one of them to New Zealand. The
emigrant had been absent for many years, and
his friend at home (Mr. Woolner's informant)
never having kept up correspondence with
him, had naturally almost lost the habit o
thinking about him or his affairs. One day
however, as he sat in his rooms, in stree
near Oxford street, the thought of his frient
came suddenly upon him. accompanied by th'
most restless and undefnable discomfort. III,
could by no means account for it; but, finding
the feeling grow more and more oppressive
tried to throw it off by change Of occupation
Still the discomfort grew, till 1t amounted to
sort of strange horror. He thought he mus
be sickening for bad illness, and at length
being unable to do anything else, went ou
of doors and walked up and down tn
busiest streets, heping by the sight and soun'
of multitudes of men and ordinary things Il
dissipate his strange and mysterious misery
Not, however, till he had wandered to and fr
in the most wretohed state Of feeling 70
nearly two hours, utterly unable to shake OF
an intolerable sort Of vague consciousness o
/ his friend, did the impression leave him an
his usual frame of mind return. So great
was he struck and puzzled by all this, tina
he wrote down precisely the date of the da
and hour OF the occurrence, fully expecting I
have news shortly OF or from his old friend
And surely, when the next mail or the mex
but one arrived, there came the horribl
news that at that very day and hour (allov
ance being made for longitude) his friend ha
been made prisoner by the natives of Ne
Zealand, and put to slow death with tn
u most frightful tortures.
OF this same kind, though happily ditfereI
in result, is story of his own experience
which Mr.. Tennyson, the Poet Laureate, tel
me- viz, that some years ago he was induce
20 try (successfully) the curative effect
mesmerism by passes of the hand upon pi
tient, who became 30 sensitive as to be AVA
on one occasion Of his approach by railws
two hours before he reached the house, al
when his coming was entirely unannounct
and unpremeditated. On another occasit
the same patient positively asserted to thir
Ason that Mr.. Tennyson had been there Il
before, when Mr.. Tennyson himself WI
equally positive to the contrary, till he afte