The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-05-23
". I. BISHOP.
THE physical strength and persona


beauty of Bishop attract more admira-
ton than his performance does wonder.
The egotism of which youthful notoriety
is so prolific when unbalanced by culture,
played SO prominent a part in the enter
tainment as to detract from its many
merits in the opinion of those whose OBJ
servation was not wholly swallowed up
by curiosity. 1t may be safely asserted
that no medium" could more success
fully execute the ''tests, or perform any
more seeming, physical impossibiities.
Though reason might fail to suggest any
adequate explanation of Mr.. Bishops
feats Of legerdemain, they are by no
means so contrary to experience as to
justify the presumption of supernatural
aid, even if Mr.. Bishop should feel in
clined to attribute them to spiritual
agency. The achievements of Katy
King must have been of more ethereal
character to win the faith of so gifted a
mind as Robert Dale Owen possessed.
Bishops feats will challenge the investi-
cation of the most commonplace mind;
| but those tricks which paralyzed the rea-
son of that clear minded skeptic must
| have been stupeldous in comparison with
Bishops. His are not incomprehensi
BILE; they could not make the most ordi-
nary mind captive if exhibited for that
purpose. The conditions under which
he acted were so unfavorable to muscular
movement that the suspicion of COME
derate was the first suggested and the
last abapdoned; but as it was as difficult
to account for his concealment as it was
20 account for the performance of the
''tests without his assistance, the theory
was rejected.
Those who hoped for revelations were
much disappointed in the expose. "1'hy
solution was no solution, oh dreamer"
was the verdict. Many were convinced
that the tricks performed while the opera
tor was concealed in the pavilion were
| differently executed from, and more rap
idly than those in the "erpOse" which
followed. The omission of the ghost
| scene would be preferable to its perfor-
nance, particularly as its execution was
| dependent on a trick which was present
ed at an earlier stage of the entertain
ment. This trick is supremely silly in
conception and decidedly indicate in
| some parts of its execution, exceeding
even the privileged liberties of mounte-
banks. Contempt sinks into disgust at
the absurd attempts to invest with the
glamour of superstition an idle trick
which does not rise even to the question
able dignity of deception. 1t is impossi-
| bic to conceive of anything brilliant, en-
tertaining or Elusive in a mans stalking
| through an audience habited in white
robe with the lights burning dimly SO
that his features would not be recogniza-
BILE. At that stage of the performance
the predominant feeling of the audience
was one of shame at being party to this
child's play.
Had this criticism been written after
| attendance at but one seance, it would
have been more favorable; but at the
| second meeting jokes became stale, anec-
dotes pointless, and ''tests" commonplace
by repetition and showed a sterility of
fancy which prepared one to observe the
''tallow candles and ropes" which were
behind the scenes. The novelty Of the
performance made it enjoyable except
when tedious preparation interferred.
Expectant curiosity failed to look for de-
fects and the promised expose CLOSED
the trickery with delusive responsibility
Divest the performance of the respecta-
bility derived from the ostensible, and
laudable if genuine, purposed exposure
o, Gnmitiga.ed fraud and it appears to
be what it is in reality,-a sleight of
hand performance, curious in its execu-
ton, useless in its results; wondered at
in our idle moments desrised in our seri-
our ones.
If the tricks performed will wean be-
lief from the absurd doctrine that "spir-
it's concern themselves with teri estrial
matters and 'hover over and guard"
favorites in all their sordid schemes, they
will have accomplished some good !;
though it is difficult to conceive how
any body's faith in Immortality, hopes
| or fears of spiritual visitation or conf
dence in the affectionate solicitude of
| departed friends can rest on such a
fimsy structure as that imposed on their
credulity by such supposed manifesto
tons of supernatural power as were re-
produced by Bishop.