Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-21
A POETS LIBEL slit.

| Among well known Englishmcn whom
this country is at present entertaining is Ger
aid Massey, the poet. Mr.. Massey has of
late years developed into something marvel
lousy like crank, and he came here to make
money delivering lecture called "Thc story
OF man in search of his soul during fifty
thousand years"-a title which has decided
flavor of George Francis Train or Daniel
Pratt. The American public didn't seem to
yearn after Mr.. Massey's ideas to any con-
siderable extent, and was chiefly conspicu-
Gus at his lectures by its absence.
Indeed, his lecture tour was dead
failure. lie has now, however, attract
cd public attention to himself by
bringing libel suit against the New York
Times for $4,000. The article he com. lains
of was published in the famous funny
column of the Timess editorial page, and
MIR. Massey says that it was false and defam-
atory, and that by its publication he has suf-
ferred loss Of reputation as an author, writer,
lecturer an as man. lie further says that
his purposes as lecturer have been thereby
defeated NJ, his II re tive engagements
thwa.,-d, to his great damage The article
complained Of said
1t is unfortunate that Mr.. Gerald Massey
has arrived In this ,uDtry at time when
| The Concord School of Philosophy is MT in
session. There can lie no doubt Ii at Con-
| cord is his true sphere, Any hing vl.uer
and more uuthinkuble than Mr.. Ma sc,'s leo
| lure On MANS Search Alter His Soul" has
never previously been written and had it
O,en delivered in Concord last summer the
| fame of the Joneses and Hurriscs would
have been al once and forever eclipscI. Be
ne an exceptionally profound philosopher,
| MIR. Massey of course rejects the Christian
| religion, and treats it with lofty con empt.
He has n philosophic system which IS infinite
ly better than the philosophy ard morality
of revelation. Throu Ii the magnificent
vagu ness and unqualified mint Eligibility
| of his lecture we a, d occasional glimpses o,
the grand system of which Mr.. Massey is the
prophet. 1t consists richly in the theory
that man has seven souls, and that he oh
tains proof of the existence of his seventh
and cn.y really valuable soul by getting
drunk.
Mr.. Massey denies absolutely that he ad-
vanced the theory that man has seven souls,
or that he obtains proof of the existence of
his real soul by getting drunk. In his an.
swer, MI. Massey says nothing about the
''vaguenuss" and "unthinkablcnes," of his
lecture, as limited by the Times. The alleged
lihe continues;
1hiuk for "A moment how much easier is
Mr. Mussey's answer to the inquiry what
must II man do to he saved? than is the
answer set forth in the New Tesamcut--if
Mr. Massey will excuse the mention of that
unphilosophic work In the same breath with
his private and patent philosophy. Mr.
Massey's answer virtually is "Get drunk
and commune with your seventh SOUL" This
is what any man with little whiskey or a
few pennies can do, and ii ought TO became
immensely popular.
Mr.. Massey denies that he ever Treated of
any drunkenness, or spoke of mesmerism as
stimuant, or that he stated that what is
known as the trance state is the variety of
druuknness best adapted for communion
with our seventh soul, or that the trance state
was a variety of drunkenness.
Mr.. Massey must be very fragile person
if he has suffered to the extent of five thous-
and dollars by an article like that. He ought
to be dJno up in cotton wool and laid aaay
in bank vault