Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-01-29
MAGIC MIRRORS.

the apostle, but the general persuasion
of mankind has long been that we may
see, in glass, quito clearly, persons
and objects far removed by time and
space, says the London News. In somc
notes of Mr.. Clouston's to Chauccr's
"Squire's Tale" published by the
Chaucer Society, there is an interesting
essay on the magic mirrors which re-
veal the absent. A belief so common in
medieval times is not likely to have
wanted prccedcnts in the ancient world.
The spcculum is the natural homo of
the spectra. Mr.. Clouston is only able
to give one classical instance, from
Pausanlus, who wrote a guide book to
ancient Greece. 1t is the twenty-first
chapter of his seventh book, where he
says that the Achmans, after making
certain fumigations, let down q mirror
into the holy well of Dcmctcr; they
then looked into the mirror and dis
cerncd whether sick person would
live or die. Mr.. Clouston says they saw
faces, healthy or distcmpered, in the
mirror, n circumstance not mentioned
by Thomas Taylor in his old trans
lation. The famous mirror in which
Surrey saw fair Geraldine is discredited
by Mr.. Clouston, who does not rely on
the directions given in Reginald SCOTS
Discovery of Witchcraft," written in
1884, q classical text with which he does
not seem to be acquainted. Any mem
bcr of the Psychical Society may try
the experiment for himself. In the first
place he must concilintc his good Ee-
MUS. Then he retires into his closet
with little table and silk carpet and
two waxcn candles lighted, as also with
Il crystal triangular stone ''abort the
quantity of an apple" Then, after n
prayer, he must sprinkle every thing
with his own blood, and utter q magic
charm or two, and finally sit down
with bible in one hand and crystal
in the other. The spirit comes in about
quarter of IN hour, but the curious
thing is that various pictures first up
pear in the glass, beginning with q
beaten track or road travellers, n shop
herd with sheep, 'strangc appearances,
noises, chances and affrightmcnts,
which shows will nll ut last vanish on
the appearance of the Genius" Such
things DR.. Dee may have bchcld in his
crystal. ut least if we believe Goodwin
in his Olives of the NecroEancers," not
exactly n contemporary authority. Ac-
cording to Joachim Camcrarius. quoted
by Mr.. ClouSton, the spectator must be
young boy, or person of the purcst
life. Granvil quotes q case Of one
Compton, who showed certain Mr..
Hill his wife in q looliing-glHss. Scott
uses the idea in "Nly Aunt Margarct's
Mirror" but tho great masters of this
art are the modern Egyptians.
CuriouSly enough, and too late for
Mr.. Clouston's use, Sir Walter Scott
tells long tale of the Egyptian ink
mirror in his diary for October, 1881.
lie was then in London, where people
were talking of the mystery on the evil
dence of Lord Prudhoc, 'whor1 I
know as an honorable man." At Cairo
Lord Prldhoe heard of y magician
from the interior Of Africa" who gave
on instance of his powers. Lord Prud-
hoe chose Nubian boy, in whose hand
the maTician drew a kind of pcntacle in
ink. Through this, "as if the substance
of the hand had been removed" the
boy saw what was asked for.
AS in Ach@a Of old, there were first
funigations of incense, then flags and n
sultan appeared. These, as in
REGINALD Scott's account, were mere
preliminary apparitions. Then Shake
spearc was asked for, and described in
accordance with his portraits. Then
the brother of one of tho English
spectators was correctly described; he
had lost an arm, nnd this was men
toned. In Malta Sir Walter made in
ouirics, and found that Shakespeare
(sheillh sparD originally showed in the
complexion of m Arab! On the whole,
Sir Walter thought tho whole affair On
tmposturc. Six years later, in his
Egyptian book, Mr.. Lane seemed more
crednlous. He gives long account of
the affair. Tho boy first sees q man
swccping, then procession Of flags.
then the Sultan; finally he saw and cor
rcctly described Lord Nelson: "Hc has
not lost his left arm, it is placed to his
Breast" where Nelson pinned his
nrnntu nlnnun Mr Lana .-.... -, : =