1905 The Psychic Vampire

Society,” observed Candida, as she thoughtfully twirled a gleaming, topuz ring engraved with a falcon, round he? finger, 'is rioting in the psychic-craze. It is lost in an abyss of misty occultism obsessed with an insane desire to know the' unknowable.'
“What! The modern athletic girl, the young Amazonian of the golf links treading the perfumed chambers of Isis?”
“Even the golfing girl is not quite without woman's curiosity,' retorted Candida serenely. 'The fact is a dreadful fate has overtaken the psychic movement. Actually it has lived to have popularity thrust upon it. Ghostly manifestations which were once considered only fit and proper subjects for the pages of Christmas annuals have become topics of daily conversation.
=== Print Info ===
* Grenfell Record and Lachian District Advertiser
* Saturday 16th December 1905 
* Greenfell, Australia
* Vol. 38 No. 1993 page 7
* By: Emilie H. Marshall
== Article Text ==
= THE PSYCHIC VAMPIRE =
SOCIETY OBSESSED BY OCCULTISM
"Society,” observed Candida, as she thoughtfully twirled a gleaming, topaz ring engraved with a falcon, round her finger, 'is rioting in the psychic-craze. It is lost in an abyss of misty occultism obsessed with an insane desire to know the' unknowable.'
“What! The modern athletic girl, the young Amazonian of the golf links treading the perfumed chambers of Isis?”
“Even the golfing girl is not quite without woman's curiosity,' retorted Candida serenely. 'The fact is a dreadful fate has overtaken the psychic movement. Actually it has lived to have popularity thrust upon it. Ghostly manifestations which were once considered only fit and proper subjects for the pages of Christmas annuals have become topics of daily conversation.
“Clubs and societies for the development of the occult are flourishing, select ‘circles' are being held nightly in Mayfair and Belgravia, and fashionable audiences in evening dress assemble after dinner to hear the secrets of the spirit world revealed by Eastern seers with unpronounceable names. Society small talk is mixed up with the language of the occult, and psychic phenomena is discussed at afternoon tea tables instead of the domestic servant question.
CRYSTAL GAZERS
The enthusiasts have already mastered the language of the new cult, and glibly talk of 'psychometry,' 'visualization,' 'super-normal,', ' and the 'sub-conscious,' ' continued Candida. Crystal-gazing,' the pet fad a few seasons ago, paved the way to the present rage for occultism. 
“Dark-eyed Sybils with mysterious pasts have established themselves in luxurious rooms situated in fashionable thoroughfares. The arrival of the mysterious unknown and her readiness to read in the limpid depths of the crystal the secret of the future - in return for golden considerations - is diligently advertised, and the bait never fails' to attract credulous women who have more money than they can profitably spend.”
“From among her dupes the smart set psychic, who always takes care to be well-informed concerning the past history and present circumstances of her clients, selects the most credulous. To these easy converts the astute secrets reveals the fact that all unknown to themselves they possess extraordinary mediumistic powers which only require developing. The process of development is naturally one that feathers the nest of thu psychic exponent, who evidently finds the game a paying one.
MYSTERIOUS SCRIBBLINGS
From crystal-gazing and kindred diversions, the psychic convert is introduced lo the whole business of occult phenomena, with the result that there are hundreds of leisured women of good position ' simply obsessed by modern variants of the black art.
“These new psychic enthusiasts,” proceeded Candida, “are delightfully credulous people who are content to take the whole world of psychic phenomena on trust. They produce some aimless scribbling and stoutly maintain that it is 'automatic writing and they even profess to read in these hieroglyphics advices as to their investments and business transactions.
“Look at the vogues of the occult novel: Papers devoted entirely to the doings of the psychics obtain large circulations. Advertisements of mediums offering exceptional opportunities for witnessing startling phenomena appear in the columns of the daily newspapers. 'Madame Zenobia, the Anglo-Egyptian Psychometrist, has returned to town after a most successful Continental tour. Call by appointment. Fee, one guinea. Zara, the world-renowned Hebrew Psychic and Magnetic Healer. Private consultations daily. Princess X, Psychic Adviser to the Aristocracy. Highly recommended by the Marchioness-of- _________.
ZODIACAL JEWELS
'That topaz, Candida!' I broke in suddenly, as the yellow jewel, with its quaint engraving flashed in the firelight.
“Is the mystic gem which corresponds to November, my birthday month,” returned Candida. 'If I had been born in May I would wear an emerald engraved with a sparrow, in January a sapphire with a ram, and in December blush-red coral with the twins.
“The 'twins?' I murmured, interrogatively.
'Signs of the zodiac, of course. Don't, you know, that it is the fashion with the occultists - and we are all occultists now - to wear jewels that correspond to the signs of the zodiac and the months of the year and the jewelers are cabalistically resettling the family jewels of society?
“But, my dear Candida, why ever do you ----? '
“Pander to a foolish craze,’ finished Candida sweetly. 'Oh yes, I know what you 'were going to say. But let me tell you'— and there was an air of finality in her tone - 'there is one set of laws which no woman can afford lo disregard. Fashion has decreed for occultism, and occultists we shall all remain, until fashion pleases to annul its latest decree.”
— Emilie H. Marshall, in the Daily Dispatch.
== Citations ==
Article identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111756982
Page identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page12370013
APA citation
THE PSYCHIC VAMPIRE. (1905, December 16). The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser (NSW : 1876 - 1951), p. 7. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111756982
MLA citation
"THE PSYCHIC VAMPIRE." The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser (NSW : 1876 - 1951) 16 December 1905: 7. Web. 17 Sep 2019 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111756982>.
Harvard/Australian citation
1905 'THE PSYCHIC VAMPIRE.', The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser (NSW : 1876 - 1951), 16 December, p. 7. , viewed 17 Sep 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111756982
Wikipedia citation
== Images ==
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Category:Occultism
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