The true northerner., 1874-10-30
WONDERS OF MAGIC.


So eminent scientist as Prof. Alfred
II. Wallace has written several elabor-
ate articles in an English periodical in
support of the claim that the physical
phenomenon called spiritualistic is pro-
duced by spirits which once inhabited
human bodies. Many marvellous things
are reported almost daily of this spirit
manifestation. A few years ago moth
ing more startling than raps and table
tipping was produced, but now we are
asked TO believe, not only that mediums
like Home elongate their bodies from
6 to II feet, carry red-hot Goals in their
hands without injury, and float visibly
in the air, but that the g spirits " can
materialize themselves so as to be-
come the solid flesh and bone that they
were in this life. Nay, more Col.
Olcott, clear-headed pratical lawyer
and gentleman of unimpeachable
veracity. who is at Chittenden, VT, in
vestigating the alleged phenomena pro-
duced by the Eddy mediums, tele-
graphs 70 New York in triumph that he
has succeeded in catching one of the
spirits female one, and weighing her
on Fairbanks scales.
PROFESSIONAL MAGICIANs.
Now, al this from Messrs. Wallace,
Crooks and Varley, from Col. Olcott,
from Philadelphia, from Moravia, New
York. and other places haunted by ma
teriaiized spirits, and from persons who
have sat with Slade, Foster and Mans
field, is vafy wonderful; but is it con-
elusive proof that the claims of Spirit
ualisn are right? What if it can be
shown Eatphenomena quite as extraor-
dinary have been produced by pro-
fessionaI jugglers, men who have made
no pretense that they were assisted by
occult powers, and who have even ex-
planned the mechanism of their tricks
If this can be done, the inference must
necessarily follow either that the Spirit
uahstic mediums are cunning impostors,
or that the professional necremancers
are liars when they declare that their
phenomena are mere trickery, and that
they are really assisted by supermun-
dane agents. All history is full of the
deceptions practIced either by these
professional characters CT others who
pretended TO supernatural powers, and
were subsequently exposed as charla-
tans. juggiery was allied to the an
cient religions of the Greeks, Romans,
Egyptians and Chaldeans. Hellas had
its oracle. with its cunning priesthood
Rome its augurs and OWNERS, and
Chaldee l5s world-renowned magicians.
In the dark ages of Europe there were
enchante,s, sorcerers and astrologers,
and, little later, witches, who had to
have their conjury burned and drowned
out of them. The Thaumaturgists and
Rosicrucians pretended to magical pow
ers. There is notan age in the world sre-
corded past, hardly year even, that
some prcstjdiqitoteu' has not figured
on the scene, either az court append
age, religious leader, or an actor per-
forming lCr the amusement Of the popu-
lace. Let the Davenport Brothers or
DIR. Slade do more than is related here,
and then they will have right to ask
us TO consider if the phenomena they
show are the work of "spirits."
One of the most remarkable exhibit
tions OF clever jugglery is mentioned in
Salverte's Philosophy of Magic,
London, 1876, vol. 1, page 105). 1t
was seen at Nancy, in France, in 1929.
A man from the audience was induced
to lie down ON the stage, and the magl-
clan deliberately chopped off his head.
He displayed the severed head to the
audience so that they could recognize
the features he permitted them to
touch it. to open the mouth, which shut
again OF it's own accord, and to examine
the bleeding section of the neck at the
extremity of the trunk. He removed
the body and withdrew q curtain, and
almost Immediately the supposed dead
man appeared in perfect health. Sal
Verte says that the beheading trick was
performed by the Mohamedans, and
that Ailian is authority for the state
ment that Esculapius apparently re-
united the heart OF woman to her
corpse and restored her TO life and
health.
According to Mr.. Goodwin. in his
." History of the Necromancers. +" il was
common practice at the time he wrote
(ffty years ago. for jugglers in the
market-piaces of the English towns to