The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-06-26
CORRESPONDENCE.

| In the presence OF several hundret
| people, to make a personal attack upol
| myself, and in general to bestow upol
me good deal of his valuable attention
| Now, that l feel very much honored b,
the prominence into which the gentle
man has forced me, goes without say
ing. 1 am doubly honored because i
was equally unsolicited and undeserved
have never publicly mentioned Mr.
Bishop except in courteous terms, anC
| indeed l have mentioned him but once
never called him a mountebank, a
| juggler or a monstrosity although he
may be all three for anything know,
for the simple reason that / never heard
Of him before his arrival in Honolulu,
extensive as it would appear his reputa-
ton is, in the scientific circles of the old
world. Now, that Mr.. Bishop has made
a discourteous and entirely unwar-
ranted public attack upon me, is cir
cumstance in itself of very little conse-
quence. l am vain enough to suppose
that my good name is not going to be
irreparably damaged by the aspersions
of a stranger whose notOriety in Homo
month. l have not the slightest desire
to right myself with Mr.. Bishop, nor
with his ardent admirers of the gallery
but | prefer not to stand in false posi-
ton before the discriminating portion of
the public, and it is to this circumstance
entirely that my explanations are due
The reasons which led me to decline
Mr.. Bishops rather pressing invitation
to ascend the platform are too obvious
to need recounting In the first place,
came there with very different views
In the second place, had no curiosity
to crafty, and no doubts to resolve, for
never doubted that Mr.. Bishop could
perform the very wonderful and surpris-
ing experiments which / had heard de-
scribed. l did, however, doubt that
these experiments proved the theory of
an actual thought transference, and
was entirely satisfied from what [ had
heard and read, that Mr.. Bishop would
not and did not intend to bring the mat
ter to scientific test. | therefore pre-
ferred by remaining seated to avoid the
publicity which Mr.. Bishops very super
duous personal references during the
course of the evening continuously forced
upon me. Any public discussion on
scientific problems with Mr.. Bishop was
not cOurted by me for two reasons.
First, l make no pretension to being a
scientific man and am not specially
versed in scientific literature. l merely
know, as any ordinary reader knows, the
Jules of induction, and the ordinary
principles of scientific proof. [ was
never invited to address the faculties of |
he learned institutions of Europe. | |
Vas never even hand and glove with an |
eminent Investigator like DIR. William
V t. a. r
vas very unwilling to measure swords |
n the second place, l am not in the
habit of submitting my opinions to what
Gems to be Mr.. Bishops favorte court
# final resOrt-the suffrages of the gal
cry.
Such are some of the reasons which
ed me to pass over Mr.. Bishops invita-
ions, innuendoes, and challenges, last
saturday night in silence. [ take this
ppOrtunity, however, to assure Mr.
'ishOp that since Witnessing his some
that monOtonous, but very marvellous
eats, [ am more than ever disposed to
elieve that they in no way necessitate
ne hypothesis OF any thought transfer
nee. That they are not strictly scien-
fic experiments, every tyro must per-
Give. How much more, then, Mr.
ishop himself! My own curiosity is
ractically satisfied, but l am entirely
illing to stake small sum (not being
of Mr.. Bishops talent for
rawing " full house." cannot make
a large one), that if Mr.. Bishop, oper-
ing on myself, will consent to any
,ientifc test, agreed upon by ourselves
I'D two or three gentlemen OF standing !
the com munity, and privately per-
rmed in their presence, he will not
lcceed. Now, if Mr.. Bishops desire is,
J suspect it is, to confound skeptics
al dazzle the multitude, on the public ,,
age, he will naturally decline this offer
ut if he has a candid desire to establish I
scientific theory, am at loss to know
1w he can do otherwise than accept it.
e cannot deny that the proposition is
fair one. On the other hand to claim I
at his invitation OF Saturday night was
ir, or reasonable, OF. scientific, would be +
orse than absurd. / will not insult the c
of so eminent a scientist t
entertaining the thought. l never F
lard that his illustrious confreres, t
irpenter, Maudsley, Wundt, and a q
eat many others whom Mr.. Bishop .
ubtless knows better than [ do, con- =
proposes, and l am unable to under '
and why he should abandon the tradi- t
ms of his scientific brethren. G
In brief, if Mr. Bishop succeeds in any q
pertinent which is really rigidly and :,
operly conducted, 1 shall be very n
ppy to forfeit my stake, and publicly h
cant my unbelief. If he declines Il
e experiment, and insists on FIVE hun \
ed people, he may pr pirate any of a
e three appellations above mentioned,
any others of like nature in my d
for he will have made out a
) title to any or all of them.
HENRY n. CASTLE. '