New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-19
PHYSICAL SCIENCE md GHOSTS.
From The London Spectator.


The Pail Nal GG:eft5 deprecates the inquiry lnto
tho authenticity OF cl.vst stories promised by the
" Psychical Research" Society. tof lear ~ nho"i
encourage sensible people 10 believe III ghOsts
clerical correspondent OF that journal has lnlproVeu
on tins sceptlcIsIn by "a small syllogisnl, which
dsposcs once for all of the possibility OF any sgieh
tile man believing in tho existence OF ghosts mere
is the svlIogsn: No really scientific observer
will ever be led TO believe in ghosts. Dir: 4. ~ Z.
believe. III ghosts therefore. etc. =. r ~ Inns
il kind of scepticsn which Is more closely alliel
TO pig-heJdedness than to science IL IL prov etT.
ally difficult TO prOvc negative; hut IL Is nov "nIs
dficult, 10 is impossible. TO dsprOVe tho eAIslenc9
OF ghosts or their occasic nal apparItlon to mortal
eyes. Even IL IL possible ,whlch 10 N noV W
prove that no ghost i.as ever appeared on ear
science whether physical or metaphysical, SUPPLIES
no calculus for tho disprOOf of phOstiy aplariois
in the future. We may even go fnrtheT. ana say
that the progress OF phvsial science mas Inade pee
in ghosts easier instead Oi nader ue lDoSS a.
vauced conclusions in regard to the Lawson IIghl
and sound 20 to show the possibility OF ihAniheI
able sights and SOUNDS about ms Wnlch ma po ~
visible and inandibe simply because We nave no
organs sufficiently delicate TO apprehend theln' ~
is certain that some OF the lower animals lar sur
pass us in this respect; 50 Tar, lnieei' III sun
cases that tE6ir superiority dlu We not hhoT 10 %
n tact would seem quite rs incredible as euosIS;
The microscope has discovered "orI,l OF "rgHuHc
eXistences close IN MS, OF when Inc nakeu cyo
knows nnthing. Recent discoveries III tue spheIo
of sound are not less startling. puf an aroltiaIb
limit Lo these discoveries. and declare doghhticay
that science has reached the end OF It's tctber 10
such matters il not the mark OF Il scleutlEc uut
rather OF IN aTI0ganIy preludcei nina. 10.
las science 10 sly against tue existence OF peIhsS "
ethereal to lbs incapable OF appfeueuS'oh ~
human senses save only under abnotHai coh1I-
tiOns-rther bv temporary eXdltatIoh OIL .hc
buuon faculties or by such a modification OF INC
normal laws Of spiritual substances rs sLal OGihg
them Temporarily witnI the cOgn lIinCe Oh human
senses9 Absolutely nothing what phYslctl
science has demonstrated IS the possibility oil sncn
beings-assumng their existtnce-il9'lhS cI"so "
us without OGT being aware OF IL. III mas also p,cn
shown 10 be possible for one person 10 see si;Hts
and hear suuu1s of which another person stah''InS
by his side may he unaware. Professor lyn4Aii
tells = rtory of Himself and friend riding over y
Swi rS pass on srltTy day. tfuiesSor lynuai'
compla ned of the ccaseloss nose OF The grdssh"p-
pers Tnis was inaudible Ia ms companion; Dut ne
as irrtated 10y the munOtnnOns hnd OF IL c ihu.cs
boots on the turf. which, on tie other hhlh' vas
inau lbe tn Professor Iyndait. ne ear Oh oIg wa
sensitive to the slow movements OF the atlhospnIC
waves; the Otuer, to the rapid movements Nay
NOT this be the explanation Of the two apparently
contradictory statements made by the author Oh
the Acts and st. Paul coucernlng the miracle Oh MS
conversion first, that his travelling companions
heard not the voice that spake 10 him on the way
TO Damascus: secondly that they did hear IT, Dut
saw no man. They heard the SOUND, pcrnlpS' out
failed to catch iis artcula.e utterance' sIliIar
incident is related IN -. Johu = Gospel "ueIe
es1s gives thanks to His Father for words when
sounded t. the multitude liko the ludr''cniate
NJ are ,,ot are,Iing IN favor of belief in ghosts
or in the manifestations Ut so ca!iei SplrihiiShi
We are arguing against the uuscientihc hIoiI oi
mind which would toihid, on pyiOF! ground7' ~
Etnd nl rational investigation. No doubt inc '9st
maority of ghost stories are myths anu We nav !,
never seen auy exhibition OF SprltuiIIsH "HICu
c1uId not be explainci Ivy sleight-cf-hand Eut the
widespread belief in such rbenonena IS surely a
reason Tor inquiry rather than Tor dOSlIidt' 9
tlboolur of tine whole subject. superstition anu
error have never been put down by anatbema; but
flew have frequently vanished before the lighs OF
inpaitial Investigation No believer IN ghosts VIII
lie shaken in his faith by u syilOgSn when VIC
Iaics tie laws of logic by begging the very point III
dIspntr Bnt make the matter as lpdeed IL j. a
question of evidence pure ana simple am we oe-
licy that but few ghost stories will stand the test
The instances are probably very lew indeed III
which "A natural explanation Will not account lOr
thc ap2uitlon. The nerves oil the ghost-Seer are
seldon I'm condition favorable 10 calm AMI I'm
martial scrutiny: and there arc, IN auultlol' is-
orders ri tho brain which project Images on nc
retlna OF tho ere that are entirely subjective. OF
tam forms Of malaroas fever have tbs effect. we
kuuw OF two lnstances.-One, that OIL lady VINO
on the recurrence Of the lever. used 20 see. Win
unfailing regularity, terrace with n peacock
Walking on 10 the other. that OF nUbienah who'
under similar Circumstances, invariably saw
sls:ei OF mercy In hIs bedroom By asirSHi7r
cOpr!cncr sister of mercy did attend h'ih ia EI5
list Uino,s When shc entered the room. lie TX
claimed "The nnn again. and died. There u,
However 4 re>iduum OF stories OF snpccna turaI or
at least pretcrnatural, character, Which c1un0t I'D
SD eIsllV explained away.