Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
ConJurers and spiritualista.
From Chambers Journal.

With vagaries in the shape of rappinos an
various other manifestations which. while re-
veallng the supposed presence of shirt
have presented nothing very tangible. TIL
Sealoe has served Its purpose by attractip,
ana nEstfylng an audience, who, pawn,
handsomely for an exhibition of tambourine
9eatln6' horn-blowing, and bell-rinpinp in
a'IAthed chamber, have retired more mysti
-'d 'u"h ever. The spirit, ubiquitous in il,
ll1yements, has to be fixed a c., y ~ ~
ever, has been taken in another directior
spirits, though still refusing 10 he can
taied Ike ordinary mortals, have consen,sJ
'' Aio" themselves to be photographed
I-'s now ooedlently follow those over whom
i-'H "A'ch 70 the studios Of photographers
ana mere ialllng into graceful attitude
allow tAose who believe themselves to be ac
anled through life by guardian an.
3. 10 satisfy their vanity (and credulity) by
-t'lng a carte de visite taken Of themselyes
--l iielr - attendant spirit" The resulting
..I'r gives such an AIR of reality to the affair
'-at u is considered rank folly to doubt any
longer when the spirits can be actually pbo.
-'Apled' and thus brought within the ken
Tie most hardened sceptic.
such piteous folly on one side and arron,
epuon on the other are more nrevalen,
i-u ordinary folks generally suppose 4
brought TO our notice from Paris will il,
.-tfa.e the way IN which this class of pho.
lhers impose on the public. The police
-r-A- that certain photographer of that
Was pocketlng large profits by taking
photographs for creGulous people. dis
I'd an emlssary to discover the fraud
making known his wish to be photogranb-
with his guardian spirit, he was rea9ested
.. ...'e Ile studio for a short time for the
-e oi the spirit being invoked. During
A.7snre plate, prepared in the ordinary
.a.. was exposed to light for few seconds
L. screen Wnereon vague, ghostlv
Vas figured. The mans photograph
opposed gave it Is needless to saw
Iairrd effect. The photographer. ON a
- 'r.m the police, ceased to take spirit
apLs.
l'e photographs may also be produced
photographers common process of
a- from two negatives one negative
.-. tAr sitter, the other the " spirit" as be-
% printing from both, the effects are
Hrd- Another method depends upon
i- electrical fact Ii a tin-foil device
... t-i"een two sheets of glass, and TIN
lad on the outer surface Of the glass.
i-'u electric sparks passed between the
i-nEs II Is found that an image Of
.s'-- is formed upon the two glass
t- caused by a molecular change in the
ms image is at brst invisible but on
.'.r- n the glass 1t becomes visible and
Ai b can thon be taken Of 1t in the
...rt way.
tae cleyerest plan Of al is that which
i-e lately discovered optical princi-
E-""n as tuorescence. Paint on white
.a Hltl sulphate Of quinine (which is
~sl something shad0wy to represent
r'-sreal being Expose this to bright
-lt Tor short flme and fb4r r,la.a
--H-pectng believer II guardian
before tins screen Photograph him
r rinary way, and at the same time
Tam a picture Of your painting about
-a is lguorant- Finish the photo
Ia tue ordinary way. The quinine
having VIII come out" hazv and iudis-
t.' .- IAri Of the picture and then your
t.r ln sIrlts, who has longed TO have
attendant spirit manifested to him.
% irembhngly with gratitude. Alas
.rt. errluhty Of mankind
"-tt discussing il detail any more
-.aallNtlc manifestations, let US pro-
. illustrate the following proposition
L 0.iI IIrerS, apart from any nonsense
-pats, black or white, visible or in
Hu perform, have performed, and
oR performing, achievements more sur
-- than any well-authenticated cases Of
allied -lIritualism
Although full of the vanity so often dis
...i by thorough Frenchmen, Robert
u, ia his " Memoirs" gives rs a relia-
-.'ouut of the long course OF practice
study which enabled HIM 10 become the
.e of c0nIurers, and which I'VE may in
similarly fitted Friken. Robin, Jacobs.
-.o, Hermann, Anderson, Stodare. Heller,
uu, Maskelyne, etc, to bewilder their au-
lcts with feats which fully equal those of
.. spirit mediums IN nexplicabilitv.
sHa.at being disfgured by the rogueries
t+ -i.Inesses chargeable TO too many of
vl1 pretend that disembodIed beings,
tauuudane OF submundane, participate
. f-e manifestations. Sir David Brewsters
A-aml Magic Is full Of instructive infor-
a..u.l "a the possihle-and IN most cases
...a.l means Of developing phenomena OF
startling character IN simple way and
>- Walter Scott's Demonology and Witch
--t worth studying in similar spirit.
DR. l4u-, Prof Earaday, DR.. Tyndall all
..- u,lhuted to the available stock Of in
.-.lfluu on these points
a. Is knowledge of the physical sciences
-.-- al important part in matters of this
.l4 tue exhibitor, when he possesses more
.li, knowledge than the majority Of his
..eulr, and Us withal an ingenious contriy-
mechanism, has immense powers Of ca
r When Robert Houdin went to Al
-i part # his work ,at the suggestion Of
t.ufl COyenment) was to detect and
.. certain Arab sorcerers, who had OBJ
.-.I g.. Yeruicious hold over the minds Of
PHI. iHrut natives. He experienced no
-t difficulty IN fcrretIng out their secrets
r a.hl,vements. but with no more sor-
.a them than in Houdin himself What
4lArly aimed at however, was TO
.. tls Arabs IN their Own craft to
.s. Iu tile presence Of spectators, phe-
us which would plunge the sorcerers
into blank amazement. His ia
.-a, ia this line was, at the word Of
at.l3. 10 reduce strong stalwart Alge
TOD ta, weakness OF child, and then as
-.att o. restore his strength again. The
-..- r.. or could not lift an iron box from
3D. just as Houdn willed that he should
III. not.
I.. -urprlse Of the Arabs at this feat
- -... B a. scare and CONSERVATION. Hou-
-u.Isly preparing his room for the
had availed himself Of the beauti-
. very in electromagnetic, whereby
.r soit Iron can instantly be made
--.1t q sending an electric current IN
ma 1t, and then demRgnetlzed by
s. a..uE the current. How such piece
loss the floor of the room could be
-t the pleasure Of the conjurer, to
.-.- aud loosen the iron box resting on
the reader viii be able TO under
i Itile consideration. That most
#i public exhibitions il England, the
.t-l..a GIRL. was the product Of an IN
- imillr with acOustIcal science , II
,alligl application OF the principle
H sound VIII retain its power for long dis
-.,s whom conveyed through tube or
.l. The tiny, ladyike voice, speaking and
"a metal alDfe "A few inches IN dIa-
.-lr was one OF the most ineIplicable
-.u-s ever brought before an audience Vet
Na- II perfectly consistent with known pbvsi- !
el laws We cannot repress belief that
'he Invisible Girl would have vanquished
.auy "a " sqirit-yoice, Just as Robert Hou-
- auGuishel the Arab sorcerers.
l0unected with the same acoustic princi-
are many public performances which
s.r fail to excite astonishment in the
a.als Of persons unprepared OF only half
.ltl lrod 10 trace them to their scientific
.auJatIon. Nentriloquism e. voice issuing
-l the stomach) is a striking case III
.ut The pitch, loudness, and timbre, or
lItE. of a sound greatly influence our
.i-meut IN determining Its direction and
Stance tie ventrlloquIst has peculiar
.Htr uf varying these conditions , and thus
.. can make his audience believe that sounds,
illy issuing from his mouth albeit the lips
ly be quite motlonless), come from dis
tucr-down the chimney, up from cellar,
.It Of "A small box IL from the street, or
hat not He would be bold man who
aould deny that some at least of the " spirit
roices" of recent times are the product of
,lccessiul yentriloquism. That We must not
WAYS " believe our own ears was amply
proved by the late Mr.. Love, whose yentrlo-
.ai,tic wonders still cling 10 the memory of
iao-e who heard them ; if ever mans voice
.--.,d from box thnt did not contain man
- could not have deceived the audience more
--mpetely than did Mr.. Loves boX-voice
l-riomance.
The phrase lust used, believe our own
-.rs leads Us to a far more important mat
tr Connected alike with conJuring and with
-pIUtualistic performances. 1t Is now quite
..Hf. IN that yVa must not ALWAYS " believe