Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-05-02
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.

A. Hoyey. 1t is with the exception of the
closing chapter, 4 recital of the experiments
made and researches engaged in by the
| London Society for Psychical Research. In
1882 the society resolved upon certain lines
OF inquiry, each one being committed to a
| special committee
| l. An examination of the nature and ex-
tent OF any influence which may be eXerted
by one mind upon another, apart from any
| recognized mode of perception
! .. The study of hypnotism, and the forms
OF so-called mesmeric trance, with its al
| legged inSenSibihty to pain; clairvoyance,
and other allied phenomena
s. A critical revision of ReiChenbachs
researches with certain organizations called
sensitive" and an inquiry whether such
| organizations possess any power of percep-
| ton beyond highly exalted scnsibility of
| the recognized sensory organs.
t. \ careful investigation of any reports,
| resting on strong testimony, regarding APP
partitions at the moment of death, or other
| WISE or regarding disturbances in houses
| reported to be haunted.
! 5. An inquiry into the various physical
| phenomena commonly called Spiritual,
with an attempt to discover the causes
| and general laws.
6. The collection and collation. of ex-
listing materials bearing upon the history
of these subjects.
Very eminent men i'll science religion
and letters compose the society. They APP
preached their self-imposed task without
prejudice or prepossession OF any kind.
The character of the inquirers was suffi-
cient guarantee of the honesty of purpose
actuating them. Professor Henry Sidg
wick, a distinguished scientist and man of
letters, and one of the Faculty of Trinity
College, Cambridge, is the President of
the organization. The first chapter of the
book before u is really an epitomc OF the
addresses of Professor SidgwiCk up to 1884,
and the methods of scientific inquiry into
the apparently supernatural and the value OF
testimony that must be accepted in any such
research Us that indicated. Thereafter the
book is devoted to an inquiry into hat is
popularity known as mind-readiEg and is,
in fact, collation. from the reports made
TO and the testimony taken by the Society
The inquiry proceeds upon this query " Is
there, or is there not any existing or at
tainable evidence that can stand physi- |
illogical criticism to support belief that
vivid impression or a distinct idea in one
mind can be communicated to another
mind without the intervening help of the
recognized organs of sensation If so, " Is |
the impression derived from a rare or par
TALLY developed and hitherto unreCogIIZed |
!
been evoked directly, without any antece- |
dent sense percept?" The book is a record |
of a vast number of most curious expert |
ments with great number Of subjects I'M
der all the kinds of physical and men
tai conditions in which the mind !
reading" is made manifest. These
include the whole theory of gueSses, the
whole system of possible signals, and all
possible experiments of describing unseen
articles, divining thought, copying manu-
script and the production of figures, con-
ceived mentally only by the operator. We
cannot enter into explanation OF these ex-
perimcnts. They must be read in cxtenso
to he at all comprehended. The text relat-
iDg to them is full of interest, aud has all
the atmosphere surroundings of judicial
examination into a mysterious fact. |
Thought Transference is deliberately con-
sidered and very formally reported upon.
No positive conclusions as to causes appear
TO have been arrived at, but great deal of
valuable testimony was secured that goes
to establish certain phenomena as facts,
which have puzzled the learned and awed
the superstitious. The final chapter is Mr.
Hovey's own. In this he asks all who have
had knowledge of well-authenticated cases
of the occurrence of any of the phenomena
of which the volume treats, to commune
cate with him, is he proposes to continue
the work of investigation. \ single ex-
tract from Mr.. Eovey's text will be of in
tcreSt
Let us now come back TO q suggestion which
have made many times in the course OF this
chapter, but which cannot be too often re
peatcd, II the embodied mind can, in certain
cases, communicate and project its thoughts up |
Oh another human mind,-and / assert that it
can't does SO by virtue of and under natural |
law. In the same way if the disembOdied mind
can communicate and project its thoughts upon
The embodied mind have offered no proof of
his and hence do not assert tit does Il under
The same law. for the mind no longer in the |
body is rs much part of Nature as ever,-it
cannot pass beyond Nature. Hence such thought |
projection or impression Is not in any sense |
supernatural, it is nothing to be stunned it is
nothing to be feared If It occurs-and his is
yet to be provcd-it il Il most important, vGlu-
lble, attractive and interesting thing TO nvesti
gate. To say that ii does not admit OF invUstga-
CATION is absurd I
No one should be diverted from examin- !
alton of this exceedingly interesting volume I
" the false idea that il is a work defend
ng spiritualism. The truth is, it neither :
defends nor assails. 1t inquiries into the
acts of certain phenomena, coldly, judicial !
v and with perfect calm. 1t asserts moth |
ng without proof, it draws no conclusions {
Except such as are inevitable from estab- :
ished premises. I
Boots and Saddles is the title of the
,ctavo volume by Elizabeth B. Custer, t
wife of the late General Custer, relating the '
thief incidents of his romantic career 1t is /
simple, but very stirring recital. Mrs |
ulster accompanied her gallant husband in f
most of his campaigning, and was with e
lin in the great part of his perils. Few :
women have seen so much of camp life, or
% much of wild frontier army work. The J
,ool- is written with hand that testifies S
With every word it records to the great love a
between these two. The story is one full t
If interest and wild adventure, and it is Q
old with a gentle simplicity and straight I
orwardness that commands for it respect V
nd admiration. The story of Clusters life I
n Dakota is one of absorbing interest, and, b
$ told by his wife, takes on a form that it Y
ould assume in no other recital. Press of [
Harper II Bros, n. Y For sale by A. L.
Bancroft 4 Co.. San Francisco.
From the Century Publishing Company ,
We have the Century Illustrated Maya =
inc" for May a superb number, and 6
most richly and profusely illustrated :
lmong the leading articles are The New :,
orleans Exposition" by Z. V. Smalley; 5
Typical Dogs :; " An Artist Among tLe =
indians" by George De Forest Brush; q
Immortality and Modern Thought" bv a
' r. Munger; -" The Peninsular Cam "
align" By General George b. Mcclellan; +
General Grant by General Adam !.
;adeau The Second Day at Seven Pines"
Y Gustavus W Smith; Manassas to g
even Pines" by General JOS. Z. John
ton :" Incidents ofthe Battle of Manassas. I
Y General John D. Imboden. The poetry ::
nd novelties are of high character, and u
ne editorial department up to the usual 3
IGN standard -
It is scarcely necessary to more than n
all attention TO Commander Schley's and r,
rofessOr SCley's account of the Rescue r,
f the Greedy Party IT is a very com n
act volume and reple5e with interesting s.
alta OF Arctic research. Necessarily it u
oes beyond the mere account of the res 1
lie, and gives u very satisfactory account
the mission upon which the Greedy
arty was sent out as a branch of the in h,
effort to obtain certain valuable -,
data. Some excellent illus II
atoms and some large maps add to the 81
r,F.- 7. III