diff options
Diffstat (limited to '43346-8.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 43346-8.txt | 7003 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 7003 deletions
diff --git a/43346-8.txt b/43346-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c937b25..0000000 --- a/43346-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7003 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Other World; or, Glimpses of the -Supernatural (Vol. II of II), by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Other World; or, Glimpses of the Supernatural (Vol. II of II) - Being Facts, Records, and Traditions Relating to Dreams, - Omens, Miraculous Occurrences, Apparitions, Wraiths, - Warnings, Second-sight, Witchcraft, Necromancy, etc. - -Author: Various - -Editor: Frederick George Lee - -Release Date: July 29, 2013 [EBook #43346] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OTHER WORLD, VOL II *** - - - - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive.) - - - - - - - - - -GLIMPSES OF THE SUPERNATURAL. - - - - - The Other World; - - OR, GLIMPSES OF THE SUPERNATURAL. - - BEING FACTS, RECORDS, AND TRADITIONS - - RELATING TO DREAMS, OMENS, MIRACULOUS OCCURRENCES, - APPARITIONS, WRAITHS, WARNINGS, SECOND-SIGHT, - WITCHCRAFT, NECROMANCY, ETC. - - - EDITED BY - THE REV. FREDERICK GEORGE LEE, D.C.L. - _Vicar of All Saints', Lambeth._ - - - IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. - - - HENRY S. KING AND CO., LONDON. - 1875. - - - - -(_All rights reserved._) - - - - -CONTENTS OF VOL. II. - - - Page - - CHAPTER VI. - - Spectral Appearances of Persons at the - Point of Death and Perturbed Spirits 1 - - CHAPTER VII. - - Haunted Houses and Localities 79 - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Modern Spiritualism 133 - - CHAPTER IX. - - Modern Spiritualism (_continued_) 167 - - CHAPTER X. - - Summary and Conclusion 205 - - GENERAL INDEX 243 - - - - -SPECTRAL APPEARANCES. - - -"Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little -thereof. - -In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, - -Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. - -Then a Spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: - -It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an Image was -before mine eyes."--_Job iv. 12-16._ - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -SPECTRAL APPEARANCES. - - -Examples of Spectral Appearances are so numerous, and the Editor has -collected so many, both ancient and modern, that considerable difficulty -has been occasioned in determining which shall here be set forth. The -following, chosen from examples, some well known and well authenticated, -and others now first published, but equally interesting and important, and -coming to the Editor upon very high authority, deserve the best -consideration of the reader. - -The following record describes what is known as the "Chester-le-Street" -Apparition:-- - -"About the year of Our Lord 1632 (as near as I can remember, having lost -my notes and the copy of the letter to Serjeant Hutton, but I am sure that -I do most perfectly remember the substance of the story), near unto -Chester-in-the-Street, there lived one Walker, a yeoman of good estate, -and a widower, who had a young woman to his kinswoman, that kept his -house, who was by the neighbours suspected to be with child, and was, -towards the dark of the evening one night, sent away with one Mark Sharp, -who was a collier, one who digged coals under ground, and one that had -been born at Blackburn hundred in Lancashire; and so she was not heard of -a long time, and no noise, or little, was made about it. In the winter -time after, one James Graham, or Grime, for so in that country they call -them, being a miller, and living about two miles from the place where -Walker lived, was one night alone very late in the mill grinding corn; and -about twelve or one of the clock at night, he came down the stairs from -having been putting corn in the hopper; the mill doors being shut, there -stood a woman upon the midst of the floor, with her hair about her head, -hanging down and all bloody, with five large wounds on her head. He being -much affrighted and amazed began to bless himself;[1] and at last asked -her who she was, and what she wanted. To which she said, 'I am the spirit -of such a woman who lived with Walker, and being got with child by him, -he promised to send me to a private place, where I should be well-looked -to, till I was brought to bed, and well again; and then I should come -again and keep his house. And, accordingly,' said the apparition, 'I was -one night sent away with one Mark Sharp, who, upon a moor (naming a place -that the miller knew) slew me with a pick, such as men dig coals withal -and gave me these five wounds, and after threw my body into a coal-pit -hard by, and hid the pick under a bank; and his shoes and stockings being -bloody, he endeavoured to wash them; but seeing the blood would not forth, -he hid them there.' And the apparition further told the miller that he -must be the man to reveal it, or else that she must still appear and haunt -him. The miller returned home very sad and heavy, but spoke not one word -of what he had seen, but eschewed as much as he could to stay in the mill -within night without company, thinking thereby to escape the seeing again -of that frightful apparition. But notwithstanding, one night when it began -to be dark, the apparition met him again and seemed very fierce and cruel, -and threatened him that if he did not reveal the murder she would -continually pursue and haunt him; yet, for all this, he still concealed it -until S. Thomas' Eve before Christmas; when being soon after sunset -walking in his garden, she appeared again, and then so threatened him, and -affrighted him, that he promised faithfully to reveal it next morning. In -the morning he went to a magistrate, and made the whole matter known with -all the circumstances; and diligent search being made, the body was found -in a coal-pit, with five wounds in the head, and the pick and shoes and -stockings yet bloody; in every circumstance as the apparition had related -unto the miller; whereupon Walker and Mark Sharp were both apprehended, -but would confess nothing. At the assizes following, I think it was at -Durham, they were arraigned, found guilty, condemned and executed; but I -could never hear they confessed the fact. There were some that reported -the apparition did appear unto the judge, or the foreman of the jury, who -was alive in Chester-in-the-Street about ten years ago, as I have been -credibly informed, but of that I know no certainty. There are many persons -yet alive that can remember this strange murder, and the discovery of it; -for it was, and sometimes yet is, as much discoursed of in the north -country, as anything that almost hath ever been heard of, and the relation -printed, though now not to be gotten. I relate this with the greater -confidence (though I may fail in some of the circumstances) because I saw -and read the letter that was sent to Serjeant Hutton, who then lived at -Goldsburgh in Yorkshire, from the judge before whom Walker and Mark Sharp -were tried, and by whom they were condemned, and had a copy of it until -about the year 1658, when I had it and many other books and papers taken -from me; and this I confess to be one of the most convincing stories, -being of undoubted verity, that ever I read, heard, or knew of, and -carrieth with it the most evident force to make the most incredulous -spirit to be satisfied that there are really, sometimes, such things as -apparitions.--William Lumley."[2] - -The above account, in which the object of the Spectral Appearance is -obvious enough, is taken from the well-known "History of Durham," by that -celebrated antiquarian the late Mr. Robert Surtees. It needs no comment, -telling as it does so well, in quaint but plain language, its own -remarkable story. - -The next example to be recorded, the Apparition of the Rev. Mr. Naylor, -may be found in Mr. John Nichols' "Literary Illustrations,"[3] and, though -less startling than that already given, is certainly not without its own -inherent interest:-- - - "Part of a Letter from Mr. Edward Walter, Fellow of S. John's College, - Cambridge, to his friend in the country, dated 'Dec. 6, 1706.' - - "'I should scarce have mentioned anything of the matter you write - about of my own accord; but, since you have given yourself the trouble - of an inquiry, I am, I think, obliged in friendship to relate all that - I know of the matter; and that I do the more willingly, because I can - so soon produce my authority. - - "'Mr. Shaw, to whom the apparition appeared, was Rector of Soldern, or - Souldern, in Oxfordshire, late of S. John's College aforesaid; on whom - Mr. Grove, his old Fellow Collegiate, called July last in his journey - to the West, where he stayed a day or two, and promised to see him - again on his return, which he did, and stayed three days with him; in - that time one night after supper, Mr. Shaw told him that there - happened a passage which he could not conceal from him, as being an - intimate friend, and one to whom this transaction might have something - more relation than another man. He proceeded therefore, and told him - that about a week before that time, viz. July the 28th, 1706, as he - was smoking and reading in his study about eleven or twelve at night, - there came to him the apparition of Mr. Naylor, formerly Fellow of the - said College, and dead some years ago, a friend of Mr. Shaw's, in the - same garb he used to be in, with his hands clasped before him. Mr. - Shaw, not being much surprised, asked him how he did and desired him - to sit down, which Mr. Naylor did. They both sat there a considerable - time and entertained one another with various discourses. Mr. Shaw - then asked him after what manner they lived in the separate state; he - answered, Far different from what they do here, but that he was very - well. He inquired further, whether there was any of their old - acquaintance in that place where he was? he answered, 'No, not one;' - and then proceeded and told him that one of their old friends, naming - Mr. Orchard, should die quickly, and he himself should not be long - after. There was mention of several people's names; but who they were, - or upon what occasion, Mr. Grove cannot or will not tell. Mr. Shaw - then asked him whether he would not visit him again before that time; - he answered, No, he could not; he had but three days allowed him, and - farther he could not go. Mr. Shaw said, "_Fiat voluntas Domini_;" and - the apparition left him. This is word for word as Mr. Shaw told Mr. - Grove, and Mr. Grove told me. - - "'_Note._--What surprised Mr. Grove was, that as he had in his journey - homewards occasion to ride through Clopton, or Claxton, he called upon - one Mr. Clark, Fellow of our College aforesaid and curate there, when - inquiring after College news, Mr. Clark told him Arthur Orchard[4] - died that week, Aug. 7, 1706, which very much shocked Mr. Grove, and - brought to his mind the story of Mr. Shaw afresh. About three weeks - ago Mr. Shaw died of apoplexy in the desk, [_i. e._ when ministering - in church,] of the same distemper poor Arthur Orchard died of. - - "'_Note._--Since this strange completion of matters, Mr. Grove has - told this relation, and stands to the truth of it; and that which - confirms the narrative is, that he told the same to Dr. Baldiston, the - present Vice-Chancellor and Master of Emanuel College, above a week - before Mr. Shaw's death; and when he came to the College he was no way - surprised as others were. - - "'What farthers my belief of its being a true vision and not a dream, - is Mr. Grove's incredulity of stories of this nature. Considering them - both as men of learning and integrity, the one would not first have - declared, nor the other have spread the same, were not the matter - serious and real. - - "'Edward Walter.'" - -The following example of an Apparition in Scotland, unlike those already -recorded, carries with it evidences of truth:-- - -"A gentleman of rank and property in Scotland served in his youth in the -army of the Duke of York in Flanders. He occupied the same tent with two -other officers, one of whom was sent on some service. One night during his -absence, this gentleman while in bed saw the figure of his absent friend -sitting on the vacant bed. He called to his companion, who also saw the -figure, which spoke to them, and said he had just been killed at a certain -place, pointing to his wound. He then requested them on returning to -England, to call at a certain agent's house in a certain street, and to -procure from him a document of great importance for the family of the -deceased. If the agent, as was probable, should deny the possession of -it, it would be found in a certain drawer of a cabinet in his room. Next -day it appeared that the officer had been shot as he had told them, in the -manner and at the time and place indicated. After the return of the troops -to England, the two friends walking together one day, found themselves in -the street where the agent lived, and the request of their friend recurred -to both, they having hitherto forgotten it. They called on the agent, who -denied having the paper in question; when they compelled him in their -presence to open the drawer of the cabinet, where it was found and -restored to the widow."[5] - -An authentic record of the "Tyrone," or "Beresford Apparition," will now -be given. It created a very great sensation at the time of its occurrence; -and the narrative which follows has been pronounced traditionally "true -and accurate" by a member of the family:-- - -"Lord Tyrone and Miss ---- were born in Ireland, and were left orphans in -their infancy to the care of the same person, by whom they were both -educated in the principles of deism. Their guardian dying when they were -each of them about fourteen years of age, they fell into very different -hands. - -"The persons on whom the care of them now devolved, used every means to -eradicate the erroneous principles they had imbibed, and to persuade them -to embrace revealed religion, but in vain. Their arguments were strong -enough to stagger their former faith. Though separated from each other, -their friendship was unalterable, and they continued to regard each other -with a sincere and fraternal affection. - -"After some years were elapsed, and both were grown up, they made a solemn -promise to each other that whichever should die first, would, if -permitted, appear to the other, to declare what religion was most approved -by the Supreme Being. - -"Miss ---- was shortly after addressed by Sir Martin Beresford, to whom -she was after a few years married, but a change of condition had no power -to alter their friendship. The families visited each other, and often -spent some weeks together. A short time after one of these visits, Sir -Martin remarked, that when his lady came down to breakfast, her -countenance was disturbed, and inquired after her health. She assured him -she was quite well. He then asked her if she had hurt her wrist: 'Have you -sprained it?' said he, observing a black ribbon round it. She answered in -the negative, and added, 'Let me conjure you, Sir Martin, never to inquire -the cause of my wearing this ribbon; you will never see me without it. If -it concerned you as a husband to know, I would not for a moment conceal -it: I never in my life denied you a request, but of this I entreat you to -forgive me the refusal, and never to urge me further on the subject.' -'Very well,' said he, smiling; 'since you beg me so earnestly, I will -inquire no more.' - -"The conversation here ended; but breakfast was scarcely over when Lady -Beresford eagerly inquired if the post was come in; she was told it was -not. In a few minutes she rang again and repeated the inquiry. She was -again answered as at first. 'Do you expect letters?' said Sir Martin, -'that you are so anxious for the arrival of the post?' 'I do,' she -answered, 'I expect to hear that Lord Tyrone is dead; he died last Tuesday -at four o'clock.' 'I never in my life,' said Sir Martin, 'believed you -superstitious; some idle dream has surely thus alarmed you.' At that -instant the servant entered and delivered to them a letter sealed with -black. 'It is as I expected,' exclaimed Lady Beresford, 'Lord Tyrone is -dead.' Sir Martin opened the letter; it came from Lord Tyrone's steward, -and contained the melancholy intelligence of his master's death, and on -the very day and hour Lady Beresford had before specified. Sir Martin -begged Lady Beresford to compose herself, and she assured him she felt -much easier than she had done for a long time; and added, 'I can -communicate intelligence to you which I know will prove welcome; I can -assure you, beyond the possibility of a doubt, that I shall in some months -present you with a son.' Sir Martin received this news with the greatest -joy. - -"After some months Lady Beresford was delivered of a son (she had before -been the mother of only two daughters). Sir Martin survived the birth of -his son little more than four years. - -"After his decease his widow seldom left home; she visited no family but -that of a clergyman who resided in the same village; with them she -frequently passed a few hours; the rest of her time was spent in solitude, -and she appeared determined for ever to banish all other society. The -clergyman's family consisted of himself, his wife, and one son, who at the -time of Sir Martin's death was quite a youth; to this son, however, she -was after a few years married, notwithstanding the disparity of years and -the manifest imprudence of a connexion so unequal in every point of view. - -"Lady Beresford was treated by her young husband with contempt and -cruelty, while at the same time his conduct evinced him the most abandoned -libertine, utterly destitute of every principle of virtue and humanity. By -this, her second husband, she had two daughters; after which such was the -baseness of his conduct that she insisted on a separation. They parted for -a few years, when so great was the contrition he expressed for his former -conduct, that, won over by his supplications, promises, and entreaties, -she was induced to pardon, and once more to reside with him, and was in -time the mother of a son. - -"The day on which she had lain-in a month being the anniversary of her -birthday, she sent for Lady Betty Cobb (of whose friendship she had long -been possessed), and a few other friends, to request them to spend the day -with her. About seven, the clergyman by whom she had been christened, and -with whom she had all her life been intimate, came into the room to -inquire after her health. She told him she was perfectly well, and -requested him to spend the day with them; for, said she, 'This is my -birthday. I am forty-eight to-day.' 'No, madam,' answered the clergyman, -'you are mistaken; your mother and myself have had many disputes -concerning your age, and I have at last discovered that I was right. I -happened to go last week into the parish where you were born; I was -resolved to put an end to the dispute; I searched the register, and find -that you are forty-seven this day.' 'You have signed my death warrant,' -she exclaimed; 'I have then but a few hours to live. I must therefore -entreat you to leave me immediately, as I have something of importance to -settle before I die.' - -"When the clergyman had left her, Lady Beresford sent to forbid the -company coming, and at the same time to request Lady Betty Cobb and her -son (of whom Sir Martin was the father, and who was then about twenty-two -years of age), to come to her apartment immediately. Upon their arrival, -having ordered the attendants to quit the room, 'I have something,' she -said, 'of the greatest importance to communicate to you both before I die, -a period which is not far distant. You, Lady Betty, are no stranger to -the friendship which subsisted between Lord Tyrone and myself: we were -educated under the same roof and in the same principles of deism. When the -friends, into whose hands we afterwards fell, endeavoured to persuade us -to embrace Revealed Religion, their arguments, though insufficient to -convince, were powerful to stagger our former feelings, and to leave us -wavering between the two opinions: in this perplexing state of doubt and -uncertainty, we made a solemn promise to each other that whichever died -first should (if permitted) appear to the other, and declare what religion -was most acceptable to God; accordingly, one night, while Sir Martin and -myself were in bed, I suddenly awoke and discovered Lord Tyrone sitting by -my bedside. I screamed out and endeavoured to awake Sir Martin. "For -Heaven's sake," I exclaimed, "Lord Tyrone, by what means or for what -reason came you hither at this time of night?" "Have you then forgotten -our promise?" said he; "I died last Tuesday at four o'clock, and have been -permitted by the Supreme Being to appear to you to assure you that the -Revealed Religion is true, and the only religion by which we can be saved. -I am further suffered to inform you that you will soon produce a son, who -it is decreed will marry my daughter; not many years after his birth Sir -Martin will die, and you will marry again, and to a man by whose -ill-treatment you will be rendered miserable: you will have two daughters -and afterwards a son, in childbirth of whom you will die in the -forty-seventh year of your age." "Just Heavens!" I exclaimed, "and cannot -I prevent this?" "Undoubtedly," returned the spectre; "you are a free -agent, and may prevent it all by resisting every temptation to a second -marriage; but your passions are strong, you know not their power; hitherto -you have had no trials. More I am not permitted to reveal, but if after -this warning you persist in your infidelity, your lot in another world -will be miserable indeed." "May I not ask," said I, "if you are happy?" -"Had I been otherwise," he replied, "I should not have been permitted to -appear to you." "I may, then, infer that you are happy?" He smiled. "But -how," said I, "when morning comes, shall I know that your appearance to me -has been real, and not the mere representation of my own imagination?" -"Will not the news of my death be sufficient to convince you?" "No," I -returned, "I might have had such a dream, and that dream accidentally come -to pass. I will have some stronger proofs of its reality." "You shall," -said he, and waving his hand, the bed curtains, which were crimson velvet, -were instantly drawn through a large iron hoop by which the tester of the -bed was suspended. "In that," said he, "you cannot be mistaken; no mortal -arm could have performed this." "True," said I, "but sleeping we are often -possessed of far more strength than when awake; though waking I could not -have done it, asleep I might; and I shall still doubt." "Here is a -pocket-book; in this," said he, "I will write my name; you know my -handwriting." I replied, "Yes." He wrote with a pencil on one side of the -leaves. "Still," said I, "in the morning I may doubt; though waking I -could not imitate your hand, asleep I might." "You are hard of belief," -said he. "Touch would injure you irreparably; it is not for spirits to -touch mortal flesh." "I do not," said I, "regard a slight blemish." "You -are a woman of courage," said he, "hold out your hand." _I did; he struck -my wrist: his hand was cold as marble; in a moment the sinews shrunk up, -every nerve withered._ "Now," said he, "while you live let no mortal eye -behold that wrist: to see it is sacrilege." He stopped; I turned to him -again; he was gone. - -"'During the time I had conversed with him my thoughts were perfectly calm -and collected; but the moment he was gone I felt chilled with horror, the -very bed moved under me. I endeavoured, but in vain, to awake Sir Martin; -all my attempts were ineffectual, and in this state of agitation and -terror I lay for some time, when a shower of tears came to my relief and I -fell asleep. - -"'In the morning Sir Martin arose and dressed himself as usual, without -perceiving the state the curtains remained in. When I awoke I found Sir -Martin gone down; I arose, and having put on my clothes, went to the -gallery adjoining the apartment and took from thence a long broom (such as -cornices are swept with); by the help of this I took down with some -difficulty the curtains, as I imagined their extraordinary position might -excite suspicion in the family. I then went to the bureau, took up my -pocket-book, and bound a piece of black ribbon round my wrist. When I came -down, the agitation of my mind had left an impression on my countenance -too visible to pass unobserved by my husband. He instantly remarked it, -and asked the cause; I informed him Lord Tyrone was no more, that he died -at the hour of four on the preceding Tuesday, and desired him never to -question me more respecting the black ribbon, which he kindly desisted -from after. You, my son, as had been foretold, I afterwards brought into -the world, and in little more than four years after your birth your -lamented father expired in my arms. After this melancholy event I -determined, as the only probable chance to avoid the sequel of the -prediction, for ever to abandon all society, to give up every pleasure -resulting from it, and to pass the rest of my days in solitude and -retirement. But few can long endure to exist in a state of perfect -sequestration: I began an intimacy with a family, and one alone; nor could -I foresee the fatal consequences which afterwards resulted from it. Little -did I think their son, their only son, then a mere youth, would form the -person destined by fate to prove my destruction. In a very few years I -ceased to regard him with indifference; I endeavoured by every possible -way to conquer a passion, the fatal effects of which I too well knew. I -had fondly imagined I had overcome its influence, when the evening of one -fatal day terminated my fortitude and plunged me in a moment down that -abyss I had so long been meditating how to shun. He had often solicited -his parents for leave to go into the army, and at last obtained -permission, and came to bid me adieu before his departure. The instant he -entered the room he fell upon his knees at my feet, told me he was -miserable, and that I alone was the cause. At that moment my fortitude -forsook me, I gave myself up as lost, and regarding my fate as inevitable, -without further hesitation consented to a union, the immediate result of -which I knew to be misery, and its end death. The conduct of my husband -after a few years amply justified a separation, and I hoped by these means -to avoid the fatal sequel of the prophecy: but won over by his reiterated -entreaties, I was prevailed upon to pardon and once more reside with him, -though not till after I had, as I thought, passed my forty-seventh year. - -"'But alas! I have this day heard from indisputable authority that I have -hitherto lain under a mistake with regard to my age, and that I am but -forty-seven to-day. Of the near approach of my death then I entertain not -the slightest doubt; but I do not dread its arrival; armed with the sacred -precepts of Christianity I can meet the King of Terrors without dismay, -and without fear bid adieu to mortality for ever. - -"'When I am dead, as the necessity for concealment closes with my life, I -could wish that you, Lady Betty, would unbind my wrist, take from thence -the black ribbon, and let my son with yourself behold it.' Lady Beresford -here paused for some time, but resuming the conversation she entreated her -son would behave himself so as to merit the high honour he would in future -receive from a union with the daughter of Lord Tyrone. - -"Lady B. then expressed a wish to lay down on the bed and endeavour to -compose herself to sleep. Lady Betty Cobb and her son immediately called -her domestics and quitted the room, having first desired them to watch -their mistress attentively, and if they observed the smallest change in -her, to call instantly. - -"An hour passed and all was quiet in the room. They listened at the door -and everything remained still, but in half an hour more a bell rang -violently; they flew to her apartment, but before they reached the door, -they heard the servants exclaim, 'Oh, she is dead!' Lady Betty then bade -the servants for a few minutes to quit the room, and herself with Lady -Beresford's son approached the bed of his mother; they knelt down by the -side of it; Lady Betty lifted up her hand and untied the ribbon,--_the -wrist was found exactly as Lady Beresford had described it, every sinew -shrunk, every nerve withered_. - -"Lady Beresford's son, as had been predicted, is since married to Lord -Tyrone's daughter. The black ribbon and pocket-book were formerly in the -possession of Lady Betty Cobb, Marlborough Buildings, Bath, who, during -her long life, was ever ready to attest the truth of this narration, as -are, to the present hour, the whole of the Tyrone and Beresford -families."[6] - -Three remarkable examples of Spectral Appearances must now be given, -because of their inherent interest and corresponding likeness. The first -is recorded by Glanville, a learned and pious author already referred to; -the second is the case of Dr. Ferrar, and the third that of the "Wynyard -Ghost Story." - -(I.) Glanville tells a story regarding the appearance of a spirit in -fulfilment of a promise made during lifetime, which is full of point and -purpose. It runs thus. The substance, not the exact words, of the -narrative are here given:--In the seventeenth century there lived two -friends, Major George Sydenham of Dulverton in the county of Somerset, and -Captain William Dyke of the same county. They were both reputed to be -unbelievers in the Christian religion, if not avowed atheists. During the -civil wars they had each served under the Parliamentary generals, and took -an active part on the side of the rebels. - -Having held many discussions both on the subject of religion and -irreligion, they eventually argued out the fact of the immortality of the -soul, which each felt disposed to deny: and finally they agreed between -themselves that whichever of them died first, should (if such a -possibility existed,) appear on the third day after death to the survivor -in Major Sydenham's summer-house at Dulverton, and enlighten him as to the -existence of a future state of rewards and punishments. - -In due course Major Sydenham died; and Captain Dyke, in company with a -cousin of his own, a celebrated physician, who was attending a sick child -at Major Sydenham's house, but who knew nothing of the matter in hand, -arrived there. Captain Dyke and his relative Dr. Dyke, the physician, -occupied the same bedroom. The latter was surprised to hear the captain -ask of the servant for two of the largest candles that could be obtained, -and sought an explanation. The captain then informed him of his promise to -Major Sydenham, and of his own determined resolution to fulfil it. Dr. -Dyke urged with considerable force that as there was no warrant for making -such engagements, they were to be regarded as unquestionably wrong; and -pointed out, firstly, that evil spirits might take advantage of the -situation, and secondly, that such a tempting of the Almighty was -altogether wrong. - -"This may be all very true," responded Captain Dyke, "but as I faithfully -promised to go, go I will. If you will come and sit up with me, well and -good: and I shall be grateful. But if not, I shall certainly go alone." - -Then, placing his watch on the table, he waited until half-past eleven; -when taking up the candles, he walked up and down in close proximity to -the entrance of the summer-house, until two o'clock, without either seeing -or hearing anything extraordinary. - -Upon this he formed two conclusions; either that the soul perished with -the body, or that the laws of the spiritual world forbade his friend Major -Sydenham abiding by his pledge. - -Six weeks afterwards, however, Captain Dyke and his relation the physician -had occasion to go to Eton, where one of the sons of the former was to be -placed at the college. They lodged at the S. Christopher's Inn, occupying -different sleeping-rooms. On the last morning of their stay, Captain Dyke -was unusually late, and when he entered the doctor's room was like a man -struck with madness, his eyes staring, his knees refusing to support him, -and his whole appearance altered. - -"What is the matter?" asked Dr. Dyke. - -"I have seen the major," replied the captain; "for if ever I saw him in my -life, I certainly saw him just now." - -Upon the doctor pressing for details, Captain Dyke gave the following -account:--"After it was first light this morning, someone pulled back the -curtains of my bed suddenly, and I saw the major exactly as I had seen him -in life. 'I could not,' he said, 'come at the time appointed, but I am -here now to tell you that there is a God, a very just and terrible God, -and that if you do not turn over a new leaf you will find it so.' He then -disappeared." - -It is said, finally, that Captain Dyke's truthfulness was so notorious, as -to preclude the possibility of doubting his relation of the occurrence. -Furthermore, the apparition and warnings of his departed friend exercised -a visible effect on his character and life, which latter was prolonged for -two years; during which period he is said to have had the words then -spoken to him always sounding in his ears. - -(II.) The celebrated Nicholas Ferrar, of Little Gidding, (who, in the -seventeenth century, lived a most retired, religious, and pious life,) had -a brother, a physician in London. This physician made a compact with his -eldest and favourite daughter that whichever of them died first should, if -happy, appear to the other. This compact is said to have proved the -subject of many conversations and religious discussions between father and -child. The latter is reported to have been very averse to making any such -agreement; but being overcome by arguments as to the reasonableness of -such a course (if permitted by a gracious and merciful God) at last -consented. After this she married and settled with her husband at -Gillingham Lodge, in the county of Wiltshire. Here she was prematurely -confined; and during her illness, one night by mistake took poison, and -died quite suddenly. That very night her spirit appeared to her father in -London, the curtains of whose bed she drew back, and with a sweet but -mournful expression looked upon him, and then gradually faded away. In -fact, and as a test of the objective reality of his daughter's apparition, -Dr. Ferrar, deeply impressed by the occurrence, announced the death of his -daughter to his family two days before he received intelligence of it by -the then tardy post. - -(III.) John Cope Sherbroke and George Wynyard appear in the "Army List" of -1785, the one as a captain and the other lieutenant in the 33rd -Regiment,--a corps which some years after had the honour to be commanded -by the Hon. Arthur Wellesley, subsequently Duke of Wellington. The -regiment was then on service in Canada, and Sherbroke and Wynyard, being -of congenial tastes, had become great friends. It was their custom to -spend in study much of the time which their brother officers devoted to -idle pleasures. According to a narration[7] resting on the best authority -now attainable, they were one afternoon sitting in Wynyard's apartment. -It was perfectly light, the hour was about four o'clock: they had dined, -but neither of them had drunk wine, and they had retired from their mess -to continue together the occupations of the morning. It ought to have been -said that the apartment in which they were had two doors in it, the one -opening into a passage and the other leading into Wynyard's bedroom. There -was no other means of entering the sitting-room, so that any person -passing into the bedroom must have remained there unless he returned by -the way he entered. This point is of consequence to the story. - -"As these two young officers were pursuing their studies, Sherbroke, whose -eyes happened accidentally to glance from the book before him towards the -door which opened to the passage, all at once observed a tall youth of -about twenty years of age whose appearance was that of extreme emaciation. -Struck with the presence of a perfect stranger, he immediately turned to -his friend, who was sitting near him, and directed his attention to the -guest who had thus strangely broken in upon their studies. As soon as -Wynyard's eyes were turned towards the mysterious visitor his countenance -became suddenly agitated. 'I have heard,' says Sir John Sherbroke, 'of a -man's being as pale as death, but I never saw a living face assume the -appearance of a corpse except Wynyard's at that moment.' As they looked -silently at the form before them--for Wynyard, who seemed to apprehend -the import of the appearance, was deprived of the faculty of speech, and -Sherbroke, perceiving the agitation of his friend, felt no inclination to -address it--as they looked silently upon the figure it proceeded slowly -into the adjoining apartment, and in the act of passing them cast its eyes -with an expression of somewhat melancholy affection on young Wynyard. The -oppression of this extraordinary presence was no sooner removed than -Wynyard, seizing his friend by the arm, and drawing a deep breath as if -recovering from the suffocation of intense astonishment and emotion, -muttered in a low and almost inaudible tone of voice, 'Great God, my -brother!' 'Your brother!' repeated Sherbroke, 'what can you mean? Wynyard, -there must be some deception; follow me;' and immediately taking his -friend by the arm, he preceded him into the bedroom, which, as before -stated, was connected with the sitting-room, and into which the strange -visitor had evidently entered. It has already been said that from this -chamber there was no possibility of withdrawing but by the way of the -apartment, through which the figure had certainly never returned. Imagine -then the astonishment of the young officers when, on finding themselves in -the chamber, they perceived that the room was perfectly untenanted. -Wynyard's mind had received an impression at the first moment of his -observing him, that the figure whom he had seen was the spirit of his -brother. Sherbroke still persevered in strenuously believing that some -delusion had been practised. They took note of the day and hour in which -the event had happened, but they resolved not to mention the occurrence in -the regiment, and gradually they persuaded each other that they had been -imposed upon by some artifice of their fellow-officers, though they could -neither account for the means of its execution. They were content to -imagine anything possible rather than admit the possibility of a -supernatural appearance. But though they had attempted these stratagems of -self-delusion, Wynyard could not help expressing his solicitude with -respect to the safety of the brother whose apparition he had either seen -or imagined himself to have seen; and the anxiety which he exhibited for -letters from England, and his frequent mention of his brother's health, at -length awakened the curiosity of his comrades, and eventually betrayed him -into a declaration of the circumstances which he had in vain determined to -conceal. The story of the silent and unbidden visitor was no sooner -bruited abroad than the arrival of Wynyard's letters from England were -welcomed with more than usual eagerness, for they promised to afford the -clue to the mystery which had happened among themselves. - -"By the first ships no intelligence relating to the story could have been -received, for they had all departed from England previously to the -appearance of the spirit. At length, the long wished-for vessel arrived; -all the officers had letters except Wynyard. They examined the several -newspapers, but they contained no mention of any death or of any other -circumstance connected with his family that could account for the -preternatural event. There was a solitary letter for Sherbroke still -unopened. The officers had received their letters in the mess-room at the -hour of supper. After Sherbroke had broken the seal of his last packet, -and cast a glance on its contents, he beckoned his friend away from the -company, and departed from the room. All were silent. The suspense of the -interest was now at its climax; the impatience for the return of Sherbroke -was inexpressible. They doubted not but that letter had contained the -long-expected intelligence. - -"After the interval of an hour, Sherbroke joined them. No one dared -inquire the nature of his correspondence; but they waited in mute -attention, expecting that he would himself touch upon the subject. His -mind was manifestly full of thoughts that pained, bewildered, and -oppressed him. He drew near to the fire-place, and leaning his head on the -mantlepiece, after a pause of some moments, said in a low voice to the -person who was nearest him, Wynyard's brother was dead. 'Dear John, break -to your friend Wynyard the death of his favourite brother.' _He had died -on the day and at the very hour on which the friends had seen his spirit -pass so mysteriously through the apartment._ - -"It might have been imagined that these events would have been sufficient -to have impressed the mind of Sherbroke with the conviction of their -truth, but so strong was his prepossession against the existence or even -the possibility of any preternatural intercourse with the spirits of the -departed, that he still entertained a doubt of the report of his senses, -supported as their testimony was by the coincidence of sight and event. -Some years after, on his return to England, he was with two gentlemen in -Piccadilly, when on the opposite side of the street he saw a person -bearing the most striking resemblance to the figure which had been -disclosed to Wynyard and himself. His companions were acquainted with the -story, and he instantly directed their attention to the gentleman -opposite, as the individual who had contrived to enter and depart from -Wynyard's apartment without their being conscious of the means. - -"Full of this impression, he immediately went over and addressed the -gentleman. He now fully expected to elucidate the mystery. He apologized -for the interruption, but excused it by relating the occurrence which had -induced him to the commission of this solecism in manners. The gentleman -received him as a friend. He had never been out of the country, but he was -the twin brother of the youth whose spirit had been seen. - -"From the interesting character of this narration--the facts of the vision -occurring in daylight, and to two persons; and of the subsequent -verification of likeness by the party not previously acquainted with the -subject of the vision, it is much to be regretted that no direct report of -particulars had come to us. There is all other desirable authentication -for the story, and sufficient evidence to prove that the two gentlemen -believed and often told nearly what is here reported. - -"Dr. Mayo makes the following statement on the subject: 'I have had -opportunities of inquiring of two near relations of this General Wynyard, -upon what evidence the above story rests. They told me that they had each -heard it from his own mouth. More recently a gentleman, whose accuracy of -recollection exceeds that of most people, had told me that he had heard -the late Sir John Sherbroke, the other party in the ghost story, tell it -in much the same way at the dinner-table. A writer in 'Notes and Queries' -for July 3, 1858, states that the brother, not twin-brother, whose spirit -appeared to Wynyard and his friend, was John Otway Wynyard, Lieutenant in -the 3rd Regiment of Foot-guards, who died on the 15th of October, 1785. As -this gentleman writes with a minute knowledge of the family history, this -date may be considered as that of the alleged spiritual incident. - -"In 'Notes and Queries' for July 2nd, 1859, appeared a correspondence, -giving the strongest testimony then attainable to the truth of the -Wynyard ghost story. A series of queries on the subject being drawn up at -Quebec, by Sir John Harvey, Adjutant-General of the forces in Canada, was -sent to Colonel Gore of the same garrison, who was understood to be a -survivor of the officers who were with Sherbroke and Wynyard at the time -of the occurrence, and Colonel Gore explicitly replied to the following -effect: He was present at Sydney, in the island of Cape Breton, in the -autumn of 1785 or 1786, when the incident happened. It was in the then new -barrack, and the place was blocked up by ice so as to have no -communication with any part of the world. He was one of the first persons -who entered the room after the apparition was seen. The ghost passed them -as they were sitting at coffee, between eight and nine in the evening, and -went into G. Wynyard's bed closet, the window of which was putt[i]ed down. -He next day suggested to Sherbroke the propriety of making a memorandum of -the incident, which was done. 'I remember the date, and on the 6th of June -our first letters from England brought the news of John Wynyard's death, -[which had happened] on the very night they saw his apparition.' Colonel -Gore was under the impression that the person afterwards seen in one of -the streets of London, by Sherbroke and William Wynyard, was not a brother -of the latter family, but a gentleman named (he thought) Hayman, noted for -being like the deceased John Wynyard, and who affected to dress like -him." - -So much for these records and testimonies. The following, now to be -narrated, not altogether unlike them, and producing a good result on the -person who witnessed the apparition, is of almost equal interest:-- - -"Lord Chedworth[8] had living with him the orphan daughter of a sister of -his, a Miss Wright, who often related this circumstance: Lord Chedworth -was a good man, and seemed anxious to do his duty, but, unfortunately, he -had considerable intellectual doubts as to the existence of the soul in -another world. He had a great friendship for a gentleman, whom he had -known from his boyhood, and who was, like himself, one of those -unbelieving mortals that must have ocular demonstration for everything. -They often met, and often, too, renewed the subject so interesting to -both; but neither could help the other to that happy conviction which was -honestly wished for by each. - -"One morning Miss Wright observed on her uncle joining her at breakfast, a -considerable gloom of thought and trouble displayed on his countenance. -He ate little, and was unusually silent. At last, he said, 'Molly' (for -thus he familiarly called her), 'I had a strange visitor last night. My -old friend B---- came to me.' - -"'How?' said Miss Wright, 'did he come after I went to bed?' - -"'His spirit did,' said Lord Chedworth, solemnly. - -"'Oh! my dear uncle, how could the spirit of a living man appear?' said -she, smiling. - -"'He is dead, beyond doubt,' replied his lordship; 'listen, and then laugh -as much as you please. I had not entered my bedroom many minutes when he -stood before me. Like you, I could not but think that I was looking on the -living man, and so accosted him; but he answered, "Chedworth, I died this -night at eight o'clock; I come to tell you, that there is another world -beyond the grave; and that there is a righteous God Who judgeth all."' - -"'Depend upon it, uncle, it was only a dream!' But while Miss Wright was -thus speaking a groom on horseback rode up the avenue, and immediately -after delivered a letter to Lord Chedworth, announcing the sudden death of -his friend. Whatever construction the reader may be disposed to put upon -this narrative, it is not unimportant to add that the effect upon the mind -of Lord Chedworth was as happy as it was permanent. All his doubts were at -once removed, and for ever." - -The well-known Lyttelton Ghost Story may now be fitly recorded. It created -a great and widespread interest at the time of its occurrence, and was -criticised and commented upon by many. Several versions of it have already -appeared in print, and they seem to vary in certain unimportant details. -The Editor, instead of writing out what has already appeared, prefers to -set forth at length various documents containing independent evidence of -the truth of the several apparitions, which by the courtesy and kindness -of the present accomplished bearer of the title, he is enabled to embody -_verbatim_ in this volume, having been permitted to transcribe them from -the originals in Lord Lyttelton's possession. - -The subject of this narrative was the son of George, Lord Lyttelton, who -was alike distinguished for the raciness of his wit and the profligacy of -his manners. The latter trait of his character has induced many persons to -suppose the apparition which he asserted he had seen, to have been the -effect of a conscience quickened with remorse and misgivings, on account -of many vices. The probability of the narrative[9] has, consequently, been -much questioned; but two gentlemen, one of whom was at Pitt Place, the -seat of Lord Lyttelton, and the other in the immediate neighbourhood, at -the time of his lordship's death, bore ample testimony to the veracity of -the whole affair. The several narratives of the singular occurrence -correspond in material points; and the following are the circumstantial -particulars written by the gentleman who was at the time on a visit to his -lordship:-- - -"I was at Pitt Place, Epsom, when Lord Lyttelton died; Lord Fortescue, -Mrs. Flood, and the two Miss Amphletts were also present. Lord Lyttelton -had not long been returned from Ireland, and frequently had been seized -with suffocating fits; he was attacked several times by them in the course -of the preceding month, while he was at his house in Hill Street, Berkeley -Square. It happened that he dreamt, three days before his death, that he -saw a fluttering bird, and afterwards a woman appeared to him in white -apparel and said to him, 'Prepare to die, you will not exist three days!' -His lordship was much alarmed, and called to a servant from a closet -adjoining, who found him much agitated and in a profuse perspiration; the -circumstance had a considerable effect all the next day on his lordship's -spirits. On the third day, while his lordship was at breakfast with the -above personages, he said, 'If I live over to-night I shall have jockied -the ghost, for this is the third day.' The whole party presently set off -for Pitt Place, where they had not long arrived before his lordship was -visited by one of his accustomed fits. After a short interval he -recovered. He dined at five o'clock that day, and went to bed at eleven, -when his servant was about to give him rhubarb and mint-water, but his -lordship perceiving him stir it with a toothpick, called him a slovenly -dog, and bade him go and fetch a teaspoon; but on the man's return he -found his Master in a fit, and the pillow being placed high, his chin -bore hard upon his neck, when the servant, instead of relieving his master -on the instant from his perilous situation, ran in his fright and called -out for help, but on his return he found his lordship dead. - -"In explanation of this strange tale it is said that Lord Lyttelton -acknowledged, previously to his death, that the woman he had seen in his -dream was the 'mother' of the two Misses Amphletts mentioned above, whom, -together with a third sister then in Ireland, his lordship had seduced and -prevailed on to leave their parent, who resided near his country residence -in Shropshire. It is further stated that Mrs. Amphlett died of grief -through the desertion of her children at the precise time when the female -vision appeared to his lordship. The most surprising part of the story, -because the most difficult of explanation, yet remains to be related. On -the second day Miles Peter Andrews, one of Lord Lyttelton's most intimate -friends, left the dinner-party at an early hour, being called away upon -business to Dartford, where he was the owner of certain powder-mills. He -had all along professed himself one of the most determined sceptics as to -the vision, and therefore ceased to think of it. On the third night, -however, when he had been in bed about half an hour, and still remained, -as he imagined, wide awake, his curtains were suddenly pulled aside, and -Lord Lyttelton appeared before him in his robe-de-chambre and night-cap. -Mr. Andrews gazed at his visitor for some time in silent wonder, and then -began to reproach him for so odd a freak in coming down to Dartford Mills -without any previous notice, as he hardly knew how on the emergency to -find his lordship the requisite accommodation. 'Nevertheless,' said -Andrews, 'I will get up and see what can be done for you.' With this view -he turned aside to ring the bell; but on looking round again he could see -no signs of his strange visitor. Soon afterwards the bell was rung for his -servant, and upon his asking what had become of Lord Lyttelton, the man, -evidently much surprised at the question, replied that he had seen nothing -of him since they had left Pitt Place. 'Psha, you fool,' exclaimed Mr. -Andrews, 'he was here this moment at my bedside.' The servant, more -astonished than ever, declared that he did not well understand how that -could be, since he must have seen him enter; whereupon Mr. Andrews rose, -and having dressed himself, searched the house and grounds, but Lord -Lyttelton was nowhere to be found. Still, he could not help believing that -his friend, who was fond of practical jokes, had played him this trick for -his previously expressed scepticism in the matter of the dream. But he -soon viewed the whole affair in a different light. About four o'clock on -the same day an express arrived from a friend with the news of Lord -Lyttelton's death, and the whole manner of it, as related by the valet to -those who were in the house at the time. In Mr. Andrews's subsequent -visits to Pitt Place, no solicitations could ever induce him to sleep -there; he would invariably return, however late, to the Spread Eagle Inn, -at Epsom, for the night." - - REMARKABLE DREAM OF THOMAS, LORD LYTTELTON.[10] - - "On Thursday, the 25th of November, 1779, Thomas, Lord Lyttelton, - when he came to breakfast, declared to Mrs. Flood, wife of Frederick - Flood, Esq., of the kingdom of Ireland, and to the three Miss - Amphletts, who were lodged in his house in Hill Street, London (where - he then also was), that he had had an extraordinary dream the night - before. He said he thought he was in a room which a bird flew into, - which appearance was suddenly changed into that of a woman dressed in - white, who bade him prepare to die. To which he answered, 'I hope not - soon, not in two months.' She replied, 'Yes, in three days.' He said - he did not much regard it, because he could in some measure account - for it; for that a few days before he had been with Mrs. Dawson when a - robin-redbreast flew into her room. - - "When he had dressed himself that day to go to the House of Lords, he - said he thought he did not look as if he was likely to die. In the - evening of the following day, being Friday, he told the eldest Miss - Amphlett that she looked melancholy; but, said he, 'You are foolish - and fearful. I have lived two days, and, God willing, I will live out - the third.' - - "On the morning of Saturday he told the same ladies that he was very - well, and believed he should bilk the ghost. Some hours afterwards he - went with them, Mr. Fortescue, and Captain Wolseley, to Pitt Place, at - Epsom; withdrew to his bed-chamber soon after eleven o'clock at night, - talked cheerfully to his servant, and particularly inquired of him - what care had been taken to provide good rolls for his breakfast the - next morning, stepped into his bed with his waistcoat on, and as his - servant was pulling it off, put his hand to his side, sunk back and - immediately expired without a groan. He ate a good dinner after his - arrival at Pitt Place, took an egg for his supper, and did not seem to - be at all out of order, except that while he was eating his soup at - dinner he had a rising in his throat, a thing which had often happened - to him before, and which obliged him to spit some of it out. His - physician, Dr. Fothergill, told me Lord Lyttelton had in the summer - preceding a bad pain in his side, and he judged that some gut vessel - in the part where he felt the pain gave way, and to that he - conjectured his death was owing. His declaration of his dream and his - expressions above mentioned, consequential thereon, were upon a close - inquiry asserted to me to have been so, by Mrs. Flood, the eldest Miss - Amphlett, Captain Wolseley, and his valet-de-chambre Faulkner,[11] who - dressed him on the Thursday; and the manner of his death was related - to me by William Stuckey, in the presence of Mr. Fortescue and Captain - Wolseley, Stuckey being the servant who attended him in his - bed-chamber, and in whose arms he died. - - "Westcote.[12] - - "February the 13th, 1780." - -Lord Lyttelton is also asserted to have appeared to Mr. Andrews, his -friend and boon companion, at the time of his lordship's sudden and -mysterious death. Of this fact testimony is furnished by Mr. Plumer Ward, -M.P., in his "Illustrations of Human Life," from which (vol. i. p. 165) -the following narrative is taken:-- - -"I had often heard much and read much of Lord Lyttelton's seeing a ghost -before his death, and of himself as a ghost appearing to Mr. Andrews; and -one evening, sitting near that gentleman, during a pause in the debates in -the House of Commons, I ventured to ask him whether there was any and what -truth in the detailed story so confidently related. Mr. Andrews, as -perhaps I ought to have expected, did not much like the conversation. He -looked grave and uneasy, and I asked pardon for my impertinent curiosity. -Upon this he good-naturedly said, 'It is not a subject I am fond of, and -least of all in such a place as this; but if you will come and dine with -me, I will tell you what is true and what is false.' I gladly accepted the -proposal, and I think my recollection is perfect as to the following -narrative:--'Mr. Andrews in his youth was the boon-companion, not to say -fellow-rake, of Lord Lyttelton, who, as is well known, was a man -distinguished for abilities, but also for a profligacy of morals which few -could equal. With all this he was remarkable for what may be called -unnatural cowardice in one so determinedly wicked. He never repented, yet -could never stifle his conscience. He never could allow, yet never could -deny, a world to come, and he contemplated with unceasing terror what -would probably be his own state in such a world if there was one. He was -always melancholy with fear, or mad in defiance; and probably his -principal misery here was, that with all his endeavours, he never could -extinguish the dread of an hereafter.... Andrews was at his house at -Dartford when Lord Lyttelton died at Pitt Place, Epsom, thirty miles off. -Andrews' house was full of company, and he expected Lord Lyttelton, whom -he had left in his usual state of health, to join them the next day, which -was Sunday. Andrews himself feeling much indisposed on the Saturday -evening, retired early to bed, and requested Mrs. Pigou, one of his -guests, to do the honours of the supper-table. He admitted that, when in -bed, he fell into a feverish sleep, but was waked between eleven and -twelve by somebody opening his curtains. It was Lord Lyttelton in a -night-gown and cap, which Andrews recognized. He also plainly spoke to -him, saying he was come to tell him all was over. The world said he -informed him there was another state, and bade him repent, &c. That was -not so. And I confine myself to the exact words of this relation. - -"'Now it seems that Lord Lyttelton was fond of horse-play, or what we -should call _mauvaise plaisanterie_; and, having often made Andrews the -subject of it, the latter had threatened him with manual chastisement -next time it occurred. On the present occasion, thinking this annoyance -renewed, he threw the first thing he could find, which were his slippers, -at Lord Lyttelton's head. The figure retreated towards a dressing-room -which had no ingress or egress except through the bed-chamber, and -Andrews, very angry, leapt out of bed, to follow it into the -dressing-room. It was not there. Surprised, he returned to the bedroom, -which he strictly searched. The door was locked on the inside, yet no Lord -Lyttelton was to be found. He was astonished, but not alarmed, so -convinced was he that it was some trick of Lord Lyttelton, who, he -supposed, had arrived, according to his engagement, but after he, Andrews, -had retired. He therefore rang for his servant, and asked if Lord -Lyttelton was not come. The man said, "No." "You may depend upon it," -replied he, out of humour, "he is somewhere in the house, for he was here -just now, and is playing some trick." But how he could have got into the -bedroom with the door locked puzzled both master and man. Convinced, -however, that he was somewhere in the house, Andrews, in his anger, -ordered that no bed should be given him, saying he might go to an inn, or -sleep in the stables. Be that as it may, he never appeared again, and -Andrews went to sleep. - -"'It happened that Mrs. Pigou was to go to town early the next morning. -What was her astonishment, having heard the disturbance of the night -before, to hear on her arrival about nine o'clock that Lord Lyttelton had -died the very night he was supposed to have been seen. She immediately -sent an express to Dartford with the news; upon the receipt of which, -Andrews, (quite well, and remembering accurately all that had passed,) -swooned away. He could not understand it, but it had a most serious effect -upon him, so that--to use his own expression--he "was not his own man -again for three years."' - -"Such is the celebrated story; stript of its ornamentations and -exaggerations; and for one, I own, if not convinced that this was a real -message from Heaven, which certainly I am not, I at least think the hand -of Providence was seen in it; working upon the imagination, if you please, -and therefore suspending no law of Nature (though that after all is an -ambiguous term), but still Providence, in a character not to be mistaken." - -The following remarkable occurrence of the Spectral Appearances of two -persons, one recently dead and the other a canonized saint of the Roman -Catholic Church, which occurred about thirty years ago, is now published -for the first time. It is known as "The Weld Ghost Story:"-- - -"Philip Weld was a younger son of Mr. James Weld of Archer's Lodge, near -Southampton, and a nephew of the late Cardinal Weld, the head of that -ancient family, whose chief seat is Lulworth Castle in Dorsetshire.[13] He -was sent by his father in 1844 to S. Edmund's college, near Ware in -Hertfordshire, for his education. He was a boy of great piety and virtue, -and gave not only satisfaction to the masters of studies, but edification -to all his fellow-students. It happened that on April 16, 1846, a play-day -or whole holiday, the President of the college gave the boys leave to boat -upon the river at Ware. - -"In the morning of that day Philip Weld had been to the Holy Communion at -the early celebration of Mass, having just finished his retreat. In the -afternoon of the same day he went with his companions and some of the -masters to boat on the river as arranged. This sport he enjoyed very much. -When one of the masters remarked that it was time to return to the -college, Philip asked whether they might not have one more row. The master -consented, and they rowed to the accustomed turning-point. On arriving -there, and in turning the boat, Philip accidentally fell out into a very -deep part of the river; and, notwithstanding that every effort was made to -save him, was drowned. - -"His dead body was brought back to the college, and the Very Rev. Dr. -Cox, the President, was immensely shocked and grieved. He was very fond of -Philip; but what was most dreadful to him was to have to break this sad -news to the boy's parents. He scarcely knew what to do, whether to write -by post, or to send a messenger. At last he determined to go himself to -Mr. Weld at Southampton. So he set off the same evening, and, passing -through London, reached Southampton the next day, and drove from thence to -Archer's Lodge, Mr. Weld's residence. - -"On arriving there and being shown into his private study, Dr. Cox found -Mr. Weld in tears. The latter, rising from his seat and taking the doctor -by the hand, said, 'My dear sir, you need not tell me what you are come -for. I know it already. Philip is dead. Yesterday I was walking with my -daughter Katharine on the turnpike road, in broad daylight, and Philip -appeared to us both. He was standing on the causeway with another young -man in a black robe by his side. My daughter was the first to perceive -him. She said to me, "Look there, papa: there is Philip." I looked and saw -him. I said to my daughter, "It is Philip, indeed; but he has the look of -an angel." Not suspecting that he was dead, though greatly wondering that -he was there, I went towards him with my daughter to embrace him; but a -few yards being between us, while I was going up to him a labouring man, -who was walking on the same causeway, passed between the apparition and -the hedge, and as he went on I saw him pass through their apparent bodies, -as if they were transparent. On perceiving this I at once felt sure that -they were spirits, and going forward with my daughter to touch them, -Philip sweetly smiled on us, and then both he and his companion vanished -away.'" - -"The reader may imagine how deeply affected Dr. Cox was on hearing this -remarkable statement. He of course corroborated it by relating to the -afflicted father the circumstances attendant on his son's death, which had -taken place at the very hour in which he appeared to his father and -sister. They all concluded that he had died in the grace of God, and that -he was in happiness, because of the placid smile on his face.[14] - -"Dr. Cox asked Mr. Weld who the young man was in the black robe who had -accompanied his son, and who appeared to have a most beautiful and angelic -countenance, but he said that he had not the slightest idea. - -"A few weeks afterwards, however, Mr. Weld was on a visit to the -neighbourhood of Stonyhurst in Lancashire. After hearing Mass one morning -in the chapel, he, while waiting for his carriage, was shown into the -guest-room, where, walking up to the fireplace, he saw a picture above the -chimney-piece, which, as it pleased God, represented a young man in a -black robe with the very face, form, and attitude of the companion of -Philip as he saw him in the vision, and beneath the picture was inscribed -'S. Stanislaus Kostka,'[15] one of the greatest saints of the Jesuit -order, and the one whom Philip had chosen for his patron saint at his -Confirmation. His father, overpowered with emotion, fell on his knees, -shedding many tears, and thanking God for this fresh proof of his son's -blessedness. For in what better company could he be than in that of his -patron saint, leading him, as it were, into the presence of his Creator -and his Saviour, from the dangers and temptations of this state of exile -to a condition of endless blessedness and happiness?"[16] - -This is, perhaps, one of the most remarkable and best-authenticated recent -cases of Spectral Appearances which has ever been narrated. The various -independent testimonies dove-tailing together so perfectly, centre in the -leading supernatural fact--the actual apparition in the daytime of a -person just departed this life by sudden death, seen not by one only, but -by two people, simultaneously; and seen in company with the spirit of a -very holy and renowned saint, the chosen patron of the youth who had just -been drowned. A more clear and conclusive example of the Supernatural it -would be impossible to obtain. - -The following case in certain particulars is not unlike that just -recorded; for two persons, at a distance of many hundred miles apart, saw -the Apparition of their departed relative who had just died in -Australia:-- - -"Circumstances, in the year 1848," writes a correspondent of the Editor, -"induced me to allow my youngest daughter to leave England, in order to -join a son of mine in Australia, who had left home about five years -previously, to seek his fortune in that country. In England, at home, he -had every opportunity of making his way in life, and settling -advantageously, but had availed himself of none that had offered. After -leaving school, he was placed under a private tutor's care, and duly -entered at Oxford. There he did nothing, or next to nothing, and left -without taking any degree. Soon after this, at his own suggestion, in -company with a friend, whose acquaintance he had made at the university, -an acquaintance which eventually ripened into a warm friendship, he went -to Australia; and he did not go empty-handed. A sum of money was placed to -his credit with a colonial bank in the city of London having agencies in -that colony, and nothing was left undone to secure for him a good start in -his self-chosen and new life. I ought to add here that my own wish always -had been that he should remain at home, and, after receiving orders, -become vicar of a parish, the patronage of which was in the gift of a -relation. Man proposes, but God disposes. - -"In Australia, as was not otherwise than I myself had anticipated, the -manner of life was utterly unlike that to which he had been accustomed. -Ill-luck and want of success met him at every turn, as we afterwards found -out; and not only did want of success meet him, but he had to undergo -privations and hardships, which eventually weakened a constitution never -too strong. - -"At the time that I consented to my daughter going out, much of the above -was unknown to us. He had written complaining of ill-health and weakness, -and she, with great self-denial and sisterly devotion, resolved to go. She -went with the understanding that she was soon to return. Just before she -started, the mail brought us unexceptionally bad news of her brother's -weak state of health, written by his college friend. - -"About six weeks after her departure, I was sitting musing in my -arm-chair, on a summer afternoon, close to the window of my library, which -looked out upon a lawn, to the left of which were three large and -overspreading cedar-trees. All of a sudden I saw the life-like apparition -of my son standing below the cedar-trees. He looked very pale, thin, and -careworn, much altered, but my very son. He gazed at me intently, and with -a mournful gaze, for about the space of two minutes. I could not speak--I -could not move--I could not take my eyes off him. I seemed riveted to the -spot; and, of course, I was at once convinced of the fact that he had -died. Then he seemed gradually to fade away. It was weeks before I could -get the thoughts of his appearance out of my mind; and nothing that the -members of my family could say served to remove the impression so -indelibly stamped upon it of our loss. - -"Some months afterwards, we received letters from my daughter (just -landed) and his other friends in Australia announcing his decease. He had -died somewhat suddenly, having expressed the most anxious desire to see me -before his death--a desire repeated again and again, and regarding which -he seemed to be unquiet. - -"The most remarkable feature yet to be told in the circumstance was -this,--that my daughter, who was reposing in the ladies' cabin of the -ship, on her way to Australia, saw the apparition of her brother come into -the cabin, move round it by a strange motion, and then, after looking at -herself with a strained and mournful look, glide out again. - -"Events afterwards showed that these appearances, both on shipboard and at -my own home, occurred at or about the very time of my dear boy's death. -And nothing will convince me that the record here set down is not one of -the most remarkable and undoubted examples of supernatural apparitions. -May God Almighty join us all together again, after these earthly -separations, in His heavenly kingdom!" - -The following example, which has already appeared in print, is -authenticated by a personal acquaintance of the Editor, who has kindly -written him a Letter on the subject. It was first given to Dr. William -Gregory,[17] who published it about twenty-three years ago. It is said to -have occurred in 1849:[18]-- - -"An officer occupied the same room with another officer in the West -Indies. One night he awoke his companion, and asked him if he saw anything -in the room, when the latter answered that he saw an old man in the corner -whom he did not know. 'That,' said the other, 'is my father, and I am sure -he is dead.' In due time news arrived of his death in England at that very -time. Long afterwards the officer took his friend who had seen the vision -to visit the widow, when, on entering the room, he started, and said, -'_That is the portrait of the old man I saw_.' It was, in fact, the -portrait of the father, whom the friend had never seen except in the -vision." - -"This story," writes Dr. Gregory, "I have on the best authority; and -everyone knows that such stories are not uncommon. It is very easy, but -not satisfactory, to laugh at them as incredible ghost stories; but there -is a natural truth in them, whatever they may be." - -Examples of Apparitions at the time of Death to friends and relations are, -however, so numerous that a considerable number might readily be printed. -Here are two, well and duly authenticated. - -The following statement is vouched for by the person signing the same:-- - - "In the summer of 1816, my father and mother having retired to bed - about nine o'clock, the latter was about to draw down the blind, when - she observed the figure of a female approaching their house by a - footpath which communicated with the village. Thinking the - circumstance unusual, she waited till the figure approached - sufficiently near to discern its features, when she exclaimed to my - father, 'Why, here is my sister B----; what can have induced her to - come here at this time of the evening?' She was about to prepare to go - downstairs to inquire the cause of such a visit at that late time of - night, when my mother observed the figure retracing its steps in the - same direction by which it had come. The following morning, early, - intelligence was brought to my mother that her sister B---- died at - the same hour at which her apparition appeared to my mother. This is a - simple statement of facts. - - "Signed by the son of the person to whom the apparition appeared. - - "C. J. Hanmer. - - "33, Henley Street, Camp Hill, Birmingham." - -The following is another statement of facts vouched for by those who -formally testify to its truth:-- - - "One evening in the autumn of the year 1868, my wife retired to bed - early. On my entering the bedroom about midnight, I found her wide - awake, and in a very excited state. On inquiring the cause, she stated - that she believed most firmly she had seen our old friend Mrs. G----, - then residing at a distance, whom we believed to be in perfect health. - My wife gave a minute description of her dress, which I had remembered - to have seen her wear, and at the same time stated that when the - apparition appeared to her, every object in the bedroom was strangely - but distinctly visible. Of course I tried to allay my wife's - excitement by assuring her that she was suffering from the effects of - an unpleasant dream, but I failed to shake her conviction that she had - seen the spirit of our friend. - - "Nothing occurred during the next day, but on the following we - received a letter from a relative, stating that Mrs. G---- had died - the night before about twelve o'clock. - - "It appears that Mrs. G----, while in her garden, was observed to fall - upon one of the flower beds. Having been taken to her room, medical - aid was promptly procured, but without avail: she remained unconscious - from that time until the moment of her death, which occurred about - twelve o'clock the same evening. - - - "(Signed) C. L. Hanmer, - Catherine Hanmer - (Wife of the above). - - "Branch Dispensary, Camp Hill, Birmingham, - Oct. 18, 1872." - -The following Account of the Apparition of a murdered man, near the place -of his death, is very remarkable. It has been published, though in another -form, in Australia, and is there generally accepted as true. The version -given below is from those who are thoroughly competent to furnish a true -and faithful account of a very impressive narrative:-- - -"In Australia, about twenty-five years ago, two graziers, who had -emigrated from England, and entered into partnership, became, as was -generally believed, possessed of considerable property, by an unlooked-for -success in their precarious but not unprofitable occupation. One of them -all of a sudden was missed, and could nowhere be found. Search was made -for him in every quarter, likely and unlikely, yet no tidings of him or -his whereabouts could be heard. - -"One evening, about three weeks afterwards, his partner and companion was -returning to his hut along a bye-path which skirted a deep and broad sheet -of water. The shadows of twilight were deepening, and the setting sun was -almost shut out by the tall shrubs, brushwood, and rank grass which grew -so thick and wild. In a moment he saw the crouching figure of his -companion, apparently as real and life-like as could be, sitting on the -ground by the very margin of the deep pond, with his left arm bent, -resting on his left knee. He was about to rush forward and speak, when the -figure seemed to grow less distinct, and the ashen-coloured face wore an -unusually sad and melancholy aspect; so he paused. On this the figure, -becoming again more palpable, raised its right arm, and, holding down the -index finger of the right hand, pointed to a dark and deep hole, where the -water was still and black, immediately beside an overhanging tree. This -action was deliberately done, and then twice repeated, after which the -figure, growing more and more indistinct, seemed to fade away. - -"The grazier was mortally terrified and alarmed. For a while he stood -riveted to the spot, fearing either to go forward or backward; while the -silence of evening and the strange solitude, now for the first time in -his Australian life thoroughly experienced, overawed him completely. -Afterwards he turned and went home. Night, which came on soon, brought him -no sleep. He was restless, agitated, and disquieted. - -"The next morning, in company with others, the pool was dragged, and the -body of his partner discovered, in the very spot towards which the figure -of the phantom had twice pointed. It had been weighted and weighed down by -a large stone attached to the body; while from the same spot was recovered -a kind of axe or hatchet, with which the murder had evidently been -committed. This was identified as having belonged to a certain adventurer, -who, on being taxed and formally charged with the murder, and found to be -possessed of certain valuable documents belonging to the murdered man, -eventually confessed his crime, and was executed. - -"This incident, and its supernatural occurrences, made a deep impression; -and, having been abundantly testified to, in a court of justice, as well -as in common and general conversation, is not likely to be soon forgotten -in the neighbourhood of Ballarat, in Australia, where it occurred." - -Here, of course, the purpose of the Apparition was obvious enough; and the -end attained was as just and proper as it was true and righteous; for -"whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." - -The following example of the appearance of the spirit of a dying woman to -her children, who were at a distance of some hundreds of miles from her, -is a plain unvarnished narrative of facts. It is now published for the -first time. - -"A lady and her husband (who held a position of some distinction in India) -were returning home (A.D. 1854) after an absence of four years, to join a -family of young children, when the former was seized in Egypt with an -illness of a most alarming character; and, though carefully tended by an -English physician and nursed with the greatest care, grew so weak that -little or no hope of her recovery existed. With that true kindness which -is sometimes withheld by those about a dying bed, she was properly and -plainly informed of her dangerous state, and bidden to prepare for the -worst. Of a devout, pious, and reverential mind, she is reported to have -made a careful preparation for her latter end, though no clergyman was at -hand to minister the last sacrament, or to afford spiritual consolation. -The only point which seemed to disturb her mind, after the delirium of -fever had passed away, was a deep-seated desire to see her absent children -once again, which she frequently expressed to those who attended upon her. -Day after day, for more than a week, she gave utterance to her longings -and prayers, remarking that she would die happily if only this one wish -could be gratified. - -"On the morning of the day of her departure hence, she fell into a long -and heavy sleep, from which her attendants found it difficult to arouse -her. During the whole period of it she lay perfectly tranquil. Soon after -noon, however, she suddenly awoke, exclaiming, 'I have seen them all: I -have seen them. God be praised for Jesus Christ's sake!' and then slept -again. Towards evening, in perfect peace and with many devout -exclamations, she calmly yielded up her spirit to God Who gave it. Her -body was brought to England, and interred in the family burying-place. - -"The most remarkable part of this incident remains to be told. The -children of the dying lady were being educated at Torquay under the -supervision of a friend of the family. At the very time that their mother -thus slept, they were confined to the house where they lived, by a severe -storm of thunder and lightning. Two apartments on one floor, perfectly -distinct, were then occupied by them as play and recreation rooms. All -were there gathered together. No one of the children was absent. They were -amusing themselves with games of chance, books, and toys, in company of a -nursemaid who had never seen their parents. All of a sudden their mother, -as she usually appeared, entered the larger room of the two, pausing, -looked for some moments at each and smiled, passed into the next room, and -then vanished away. Three of the elder children recognized her at once, -but were greatly disturbed and impressed at her appearance, silence, and -manner. The younger and the nursemaid each and all saw a lady in white -come into the smaller room, and then slowly glide by and fade away." - -The date of this occurrence, September 10, 1854, was carefully noted, and -it was afterwards found that the two events above recorded happened almost -contemporaneously. A record of the event was committed to paper, and -transcribed on a fly-leaf of the family Bible, from which the above -account was taken and given to the Editor of this book in the autumn of -the year 1871, by a relation of the lady in question, who is well -acquainted with the fact of her spectral appearance at Torquay, and has -vouched for the truth of it in the most distinct and formal manner. The -husband, who was reported to have been of a somewhat sceptical habit of -mind, was deeply impressed by the occurrence. And though it is seldom -referred to now, it is known to have had a very deep and lasting religious -effect on more than one person who was permitted directly to witness -it.[19] - -A personal acquaintance of the Editor, whom he has had the pleasure of -knowing for twenty years, most kindly furnishes the following example:-- - -"In the winter of 1872-3 I was afflicted with a long and severe illness, -so severe indeed, that for six weeks I was hovering between life and -death. A nurse of great knowledge and intelligence was in attendance on -me; she had been brought up as a Socinian, and was entirely careless as to -religious belief. At the same time she was wholly devoted to her duties, -and most attentive and assiduous in the same. Two days after her arrival -she was sitting up in the adjoining room, the folding-doors between which -and the room where I was lying being open, and lights were burning in each -apartment. It had struck two o'clock a.m., and from my critical position -she was unwilling either to sleep or to secure temporary rest. On looking -up at that moment she perceived a form bending over me. The figure was -that of an aged person with attenuated features, straggling grey hair, and -thin clasped hands, which were placed in the attitude of prayer. For a -while she thought it was someone who had entered the room; but, after -gazing at it intently, she was smitten with a strange awe, and stood -watching it attentively for at least five minutes, when it gradually faded -away and disappeared. - -"On the first opportunity she mentioned this strange occurrence to the -people of the house, when she heard for the first time that my father had -been lying dangerously ill at his own residence, more than a hundred -miles away. At the time of my own and my father's sickness, my dangerous -state, for medical and prudential reasons, was not communicated to him, -and my illness was made light of, fearing the bad effect upon himself. -That it was his Spirit which then appeared seems undoubted: for at two -o'clock p.m. a relation came to see me from the City where my father had -lived, to break to me the sad news of his decease. He had departed this -life exactly at the period when his apparition in the attitude of prayer -had been seen by my attendant. These facts were not made known to me until -some time afterwards."[20] - -The following story, no less interesting and impressive, appears in "The -Life and Times of Lord Brougham, written by Himself," published a few -years ago by Messrs. Blackwood and Co.:-- - -"'A most remarkable thing happened to me--so remarkable that I must tell -the story from the beginning. After I left the High School [in Edinburgh], -I went with G----, my most intimate friend, to attend the classes in the -University. There was no divinity class, but we frequently in our walks -discussed and speculated upon many grave subjects--among others, on the -immortality of the soul, and on a future state. This question and the -possibility, I will not say of ghosts walking, but of the dead appearing -to the living, were subjects of much speculation; and we actually -committed the folly of drawing up an agreement, written with our blood, to -the effect that whichever of us died first should appear to the other, and -thus solve any doubts we had entertained of the "life after death." After -we had finished our classes at the College, G---- went to India, having -got an appointment there in the Civil Service. He seldom wrote to me, and -after the lapse of a few years I had almost forgotten him; moreover, his -family having little connection with Edinburgh, I seldom saw or heard -anything of them, or of him through them, so that all the old schoolboy -intimacy had died out and I had nearly forgotten his existence. I had -taken, as I have said, a warm bath; and while in it and enjoying the -comfort of the heat after the late freezing I had undergone, I turned my -head round towards the chair on which I had deposited my clothes, as I was -about to get out of the bath. On the chair sat G----, looking calmly at -me. How I got out of the bath I know not, but on recovering my senses I -found myself sprawling on the floor. The apparition, or whatever it was -that had taken the likeness of G----, had disappeared. The vision produced -such a shock that I had no inclination to talk about it, or to speak about -it even to Stuart; but the impression it made upon me was too vivid to be -easily forgotten; and so strongly was I affected by it, that I have here -written down the whole history with the date, 19th December, and all the -particulars as they are now fresh before me. No doubt I had fallen asleep; -and that the appearance presented so distinctly to my eyes was a dream, I -cannot for a moment doubt, yet for years I had had no communication with -G----, nor had there been anything to recall him to my recollection; -nothing had taken place during our Swedish travels either connected with -G---- or with India, or with anything relating to him or to any member of -his family. I recollected quickly enough our old discussion, and the -bargain we had made. I could not discharge from my mind the impression -that G---- must have died, and that his appearance to me was to be -received by me as a proof of a future state.' This was on December 19, -1799. In October, 1862, Lord Brougham added as a postscript:--'I have just -been copying out from my journal the account of this strange dream: -certissima mortis imago! And now to finish the story, begun about sixty -years since. Soon after my return to Edinburgh there arrived a letter from -India announcing G----'s death! and stating that he had died on the 19th -of December.'" - -The following example of the apparition of a departed friend is, for -reasons which will be apparent from the narrative, not unlike the three -curious, but independent cases already recorded in the early part of the -present chapter, and not altogether unlike that told by the late Lord -Brougham. It comes directly to the Editor from the pen of the person who -saw the spectral appearance:-- - -"I was sitting in my library one evening, towards the close of summer, -somewhat late. The shadow of evening had been deepening for some time, for -the sun had long gone down; and the expansive valley beyond and below my -sloping garden was white with mist. Within, beyond the heavy folds of the -curtains which hung beside a single and rather small and open window, -there was a grey darkness which almost enshrouded the corners of the room -on either side. I had been musing and meditating on a variety of subjects, -theological, metaphysical, and moral, for more than an hour; while I -reposed in a low arm-chair on one side of the fire-place. - -"All of a sudden I saw what seemed to be an elongated perpendicular cloud -of foggy-looking grey smoke, collected in the right-hand corner of the -room. I could not comprehend what it was. While looking steadily at it, -and rubbing my eyes (doubting for a moment whether I was awake or asleep), -it seemed to form itself, by a kind of circular rolling motion of the -smoke or luminous mist, into a human shape. There, before me, came out -slowly, as it were, face, head, body, arms, hands and feet--at first a -little indistinct in detail, but eventually so self-evident and clear -that it was impossible to doubt the fact--of a figure, which a moment or -two afterwards was developed into the exact and unmistakeable form of an -old fellow-student at Oxford, who had died soon after we left that -university, and of whom I had heard nothing whatever since the day of his -death about seven years previously,[21] to that moment. Appearing just as -he had lived, though death-like and ashen, he looked at me with a fixed -and strangely-vacant stare, which appeared to grow alternately vivid and -piercing, and dull and nebulous. I seemed to feel the air all at once -chill and unearthly; and an indescribable sensation came over me which I -had never experienced either before or afterwards. I felt almost -paralyzed, and yet not altogether terrified. The form of my old college -companion (who had been a very upright, devout and religious man) in a -moment smiled at me, and raising his hand, pointed for a few seconds -upwards. At this action a very bright mist, not exactly a light, but a -luminous mist, seemed to hover over him. I tried to speak, but could not. -My tongue clave to the roof of my mouth. Then, protecting myself with the -sign of the Cross, and a mental invocation of the Blessed Trinity, I -sheltered my eyes with my right hand for a few seconds, and then looking -up again saw the apparition become more and more indistinct and soon -altogether fade away. - -"This is my ghost story, and I have always connected the appearance with -arguments and conversations which, against aggressive objectors, used to -be held at Oxford in defence of the Christian doctrines of the -Resurrection of the Body and the Immortality of the Soul, in which my dead -friend took so intelligent and earnest a part." - -Not less interesting is the following account of a Spectral Appearance -which occurred in the latter part of the afternoon of a bright autumnal -day, well authenticated, and here set forth for the first time:-- - -"The widow of a well-known Bristol merchant was, in 1856, acting as lady -housekeeper to a Berkshire clergyman. One of her sons was an officer in -the Indian army, and serving in the Madras Presidency. It was his custom -to write to his mother by every fortnightly mail. He had not missed doing -so with punctual regularity. - -"One evening, however, between six and seven, in the month of October of -the above year, the lady in question was walking on the lawn before the -house, in company with the curate of the parish, a well-known Oxford man, -when all of a sudden both of them saw what appeared to be a dog-cart -containing three men drive along the lane which skirted the lawn and -flower-garden, and which was separated from it by a closely-cut -box-hedge, so low as to admit of those who were walking in the garden -seeing with ease and distinctness any person approaching the house in a -vehicle. It was driven in the direction of the carriage entrance, and, -from the sound, appeared to have entered the court-yard of the house. One -of the persons in it, he who sat behind, half rose, and looking towards -his mother and the clergyman, smiled, and waved his right hand as a -greeting. He looked very pale and ashy; otherwise there was nothing -remarkable in his appearance. Both most distinctly observed the action -just mentioned. Immediately on seeing it, the lady exclaimed with marked -feeling and excitement, 'Good heavens! why, there's Robert.' She at once -rushed through a passage of the house, which led directly to the -court-yard, only to find to her amazement and perplexity that no carriage -nor dog-cart had arrived, and that the large gates of the house were, as -usual, locked and fastened, and moreover had not been opened. - -"The impression this remarkable incident made was deep and great. No doubt -whatever existed in the minds of those who had seen and heard the passing -vehicle, that the form on the seat behind was the son of the lady in -question. She consequently felt confident that some harm had happened to -him, became miserable, and was inconsolable. No remarks or reasoning to -the contrary, several of which were attempted, produced the slightest -effect. A deep gloom settled over her. The sequel can soon be narrated. In -the course of a few weeks the mail _viâ_ Southampton, most anxiously -looked for, brought two letters to the lady in question, one intimating -that her son had been suddenly struck with a most severe fever, was -delirious and in great danger; the other intimating his death. This latter -occurred on the very day at which the appearance in question was seen, but -at a slightly different time." - -With the following example, as strange in itself as it is painfully -interesting, this part of the subject will be brought to a close. It is -only right to add that a version of the incident which now follows has -already appeared in one of Mr. Henry Spicer's interesting volumes:-- - -"A young German lady of rank, still alive to tell the story, arriving with -her friends at one of the most noted hotels in Paris, an apartment of -unusual magnificence on the first floor was apportioned to her use. After -retiring to rest, she lay awake a long while contemplating, by the dim -light of a night lamp, the costly ornaments in the room, when suddenly the -folding doors opposite the bed, which she had locked, were thrown open, -and amid a flood of unearthly light there entered a young man in the dress -of the French navy, having his hair dressed in the peculiar mode _à la -Titus_. Taking a chair, and placing it in the middle of the room, he sat -down, and took from his pocket a pistol of an uncommon make, which he -deliberately put to his forehead, fired, and fell back dead. At the moment -of the explosion, the room became dark and still, and a low voice said -softly, 'Say an _Ave Maria_ for his soul.' - -"The young lady fell back, not insensible, but paralyzed with horror, and -remained in a kind of cataleptic trance, fully conscious, but unable to -move or speak, until at nine o'clock, no answer having been given to -repeated calls of her maid, the doors were forced open. At the same -moment, the powers of speech returned, and the poor young lady shrieked -out to her attendants that a man had shot himself in the night, and was -lying dead on the floor. Nothing, however, was to be seen, and they -concluded that she was suffering from the effects of a dream. - -"A short time afterwards, however, the proprietor of the hotel informed a -gentleman of the party that the terrible scene witnessed by the young lady -had in reality been enacted only three nights previously in that very -room, when a young French officer put an end to his life with a pistol of -a peculiar description, which, together with the body, was then lying at -the Morgue, awaiting identification. The gentleman examined them both, and -found them exactly correspond with the description of the man and the -pistol seen in the apparition. The Archbishop of Paris, Monseigneur -Sibour, being exceedingly impressed by the story, called upon the young -lady; and, directing her attention to the words spoken by the mysterious -voice, urged her to embrace the Roman Catholic faith, to whose teaching, -as His Grace asserted, it pointed so clearly." - -The various examples of Spectral Appearances now given (and they might -have been largely augmented) may certainly serve to provide cases, so -inherently striking and conclusive in themselves, as to leave little or no -doubt of their intrinsic truth. Making every allowance for unintentional -misconceptions and exaggeration in the record of them, putting aside mere -rhetorical ornaments and literary additions, it seems quite impossible, -being guided by the ordinary rules of evidence, not to admit the force and -value of such striking facts as the above. In the cases already set forth, -it is quite irrational to maintain that the disturbed imagination or wild -fancy of the persons who are said to have seen the Apparitions were the -sole foundations of the things seen; more especially as in some instances -the Appearances were beheld by two or more persons at the same time, and -often the same form presented itself to different people upon different -occasions. It may be that some own a power of seeing disembodied spirits, -which is not possessed by others, and it is tolerably certain that the -large majority of people have never beheld anything of the sort. But this, -after all, is but negative testimony. That which is positive, covering, it -may be, a small area, is of considerable value and importance in aiding -those who are open to conviction in coming to a reasonable conclusion. For -existing positive evidence cannot be rudely and arrogantly set aside, when -found to be, as in the case under consideration, so completely in harmony -with many of the plain and specific statements of Holy Scripture, with the -express testimony of the Fathers of the Christian Church, and the almost -universal tradition of mankind in every age. - - - - -HAUNTED HOUSES AND LOCALITIES. - - -"Nations civilized as well as uncivilized: barbarians of the rudest type, -and Christians of the highest and deepest spirituality, have always -believed that certain localities were the haunts of unquiet -spirits."-_-Richard H. Froude._ - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -HAUNTED HOUSES AND LOCALITIES. - - -Many who are unaffected by the demoralizing and degrading materialistic -theories of life, which are now enunciated by some who name themselves, -and whom their flattering admirers style "philosophers," will not be -unwilling to allow that a considerable amount of evidence[22] is in -existence, indicating that certain localities are troubled by the presence -of evil spirits, who from time to time manifest their powers, or sometimes -appear to mankind in forms which give a shock to those who are enabled or -permitted to perceive them. - -If Christian tradition be accepted, a belief in the official ministry of -unfallen spirits,--"the armies of the Living God,"--will be held, -firmly[23] and intelligibly, as a most reasonable and beautiful part of -Almighty God's revelation, Who "has ordained and constituted the services -of angels and men in a wonderful order." So, by consequence, the existence -and action of fallen angels, the Legions of Satan, and of spirits,[24] -who, at the particular judgment following immediately upon death, have -merited the swift and righteous condemnation of an all-just Judge, will be -fully admitted. - -The power, activity, and malice of Satan is apparent from numerous -statements in Holy Scripture; and most Christian writers who have dealt -with the subject of evil spirits have maintained that their power and -influence are unquestionably greater in some localities than others. It is -commonly held, that in lonely deserts, on lofty mountains, where the feet -of men seldom tread, as well as in the mines of the earth,[25] and in vast -forests where desolation reigns, the powers of the Devil and his angels, -being unchecked and uncurbed by the positive energizing activity of -Christianity, are vast. So, likewise, the universal instinct of mankind -has maintained that there are certain places in which the appearances of -unquiet or lost souls might be reasonably looked for, rather than in -others. Deserted houses and lonely roads, where crimes of violence and -special wickedness have been perpetrated; deep mines,[26] localities, -unblessed by Holy Church, where the bodies of Christians have been placed -to moulder away, instead of in God's holy acre, the consecrated -churchyard; battlefields, where it may be that so many have been cut off -in deadly sin-- - - "Unhouseled, disappointed, unanealed," - -have each and all been regarded as the fitting haunts of disquieted and -wandering spirits. - -On this point Southey, in "The Doctor," with much force thus writes:--"The -popular belief that _places_ are haunted where money has been concealed -(as if, where the treasure was and the heart had been, there would the -miserable soul be also), or where some great and undiscovered crime has -been committed, shows how consistent this is with our natural sense of -fitness." - -On a collateral detail of this subject (the constant and malignant -activity of evil spirits), Mr. John Wesley, a thorough believer in the -Supernatural, put forth his faith and convictions with singular force and -lucidity, plainly maintaining the reality and importance of all those -explicit statements of Holy Scripture which so directly and practically -bear on the point under treatment. - -"Let us consider," wrote Wesley, "what may be the employment of unholy -spirits from death to the resurrection. We cannot doubt but the moment -they leave the body, they find themselves surrounded by spirits of their -own kind, probably human as well as diabolical. What power God may permit -these to exercise over them we do not distinctly know. But it is not -improbable [that] He may suffer Satan to employ them as he does his own -angels, in inflicting death or evils of various kinds on the men that know -not God. For this end they may raise storms by sea or by land; they may -shoot meteors through the air; they may occasion earthquakes; and in -numberless ways afflict those whom they are not suffered to destroy. Where -they are not permitted to take away life, they may inflict various -diseases; and many of these, which we may judge to be natural, are -undoubtedly diabolical. I believe this is frequently the case with -lunatics. It is observable that many of these, mentioned in the Scripture, -who are called 'lunatics' by one of the Evangelists, are termed -'demoniacs' by another. One of the most eminent physicians I ever knew, -particularly in cases of insanity, the late Dr. Deacon, was clearly of -opinion that this was the case with many, if not with most lunatics. And -it is no valid objection to this, that these diseases are so often cured -by natural means; for a wound inflicted by an evil spirit might be cured -as any other, unless that spirit were permitted to repeat the blow. May -not some of these evil spirits be likewise employed, in conjunction with -evil angels, in tempting wicked men to sin, and in procuring occasions for -them? Yea, and in tempting good men to sin, even after they have escaped -the corruption that is in the World. Herein, doubtless, they put forth all -their strength, and greatly glory if they conquer."[27] - -Although some may maintain that this passage is perhaps wanting in -theological exactness, there can be little doubt that, with much force, it -truly and eloquently embodies the belief of all Christian people, and -gives a simple and forcible explanation of Scripture statements regarding -the active and untiring energy of the legions of Hell. - -Again, the Marquis de Marsay, a pious French Protestant writer of the last -century, whose collected works were issued about the year 1735, sets forth -from his own point of view a theory regarding the nature and character of -spirits, which because it bears directly on the subject of Haunted -Localities, and in some respects follows the teaching of the schoolmen, it -may be well to quote here:-- - -"I believe," he writes, "that there are three kind of spirits, which -return to this World, after the death of their bodies. The spirits of such -as are in a state of condemnation, and which are in a very miserable -condition, hover about, and _haunt the places where they have committed -their evil deeds and iniquities_. They remain at these places by divine -permission, and do all the evil they can; whilst, at the same time, they -suffer intolerable torments and are malignant. Some of this kind of -spirits occasionally make themselves visible.... The second kind of -spirits are those which roam about, because they seek to free themselves -from their state of purification[28] by other means than by resignation -to Divine Justice; hence they seek help from those that fear God, and in -so doing, withdraw themselves from the Divine Order.... These are not evil -spirits, but such as are still in their self-will, and therefore refuse to -yield to the Divine Order, by voluntarily submitting themselves to the -punishment imposed upon them.... _The third kind of spirits, or rather -souls that reappear, are those, whose punishment is to be at some certain -place in this world, because they have satisfied their passions in that -place, and lived according to their lusts in an idolatrous manner_; for -that which now causes a man lust and pleasure, must hereafter serve as his -pain and punishment. Of this we have several instances; amongst others, -that of a pious man, who after his death appeared to his daughter, who was -likewise a pious person, and after conversing with her some time on his -state, began to turn pale, to tremble, and be much distressed; and said to -his daughter that the time was now arrived when he must go and remain for -a time in his grave, with his putrefying and corrupting corpse; and that -this happened to him every day, because in his life-time he had had too -much affection and tenderness for his body." - -The dissertations of the schoolmen, and of certain English writers of the -seventeenth century, are not unlike the above.[29] So, too, are several -of their most reasonable deductions and conclusions. In fact, Dr. Joseph -Hall, sometime Bishop of Exeter (A.D. 1627-1641, and afterwards of -Norwich, from 1641 until 1656), maintained that many souls, guilty both of -deadly sin (duly repented of during life), and of venial sin, in which not -improbably they died, might have to suffer, by lingering, unsatisfied, -because away from their Creator, and about the places where they sinned -in their lifetime, until their temporal punishment was complete; a theory -which though from the pen of one suspected of favouring Puritanism, is -very like that embodied in the faith and practice of the Universal Church. - -However this may be, at all events there is scarcely a locality in which -some old tradition as regards Haunted Houses and Places does not exist; -and which is not more or less accepted and believed in even now. A general -rejection of the Supernatural may be the case with many, and a shallow -desire not to be thought superstitious or over-credulous by more, are -obvious reasons why some traditions have become weakened and others -obscure. But putting aside all such, half-lost, forgotten, or fading away, -and making every allowance for exaggeration and hyperbole, the facts which -can still be testified to by credible witnesses, the evidence which is -even now on record, coupled with that innate sentiment of awe, so common -to many, and often strengthened by a sound religious belief, which gives -point to old traditions, are sufficient to induce the calm and the -unprejudiced not too hastily to disavow the existence of a principle of -almost universal acceptance with mankind, and which neither the lame and -limping logic of the sceptic, nor the imperfectly marshalled facts and -random conclusions of the materialist can, in the long run, either weaken -or destroy. - -The following curious record, a fair example of numerous others, may now -be suitably set forth:-- - -"Elizabeth, the third daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke (preceptor to Edward -VI.) married Sir Thomas Hobby, of Bisham Abbey in Berkshire, and -accompanied him to France, when as ambassador to Queen Elizabeth he went -thither. On his death abroad in 1566 Lady Hobby brought his corpse home to -Bisham, where he was buried in a mortuary chapel. She afterwards married -John, Lord Russell. By her first husband she had a son, who when quite -young is said to have entertained the greatest dislike and antipathy to -every kind of learning; and such was his resolute repugnance to acquiring -the art of writing that in a fit of obstinacy he would wilfully and -deliberately blot his writing-books in the most slovenly manner. Such -conduct so vexed and angered his mother, who was eminently intellectual, -and like her three sisters, Lady Burleigh, Lady Bacon, and Lady Killigrew, -an excellent classical scholar, that she beat him again and again on the -shoulders and head, and at last so severely and unmercifully that he died. - -"It is commonly reported that, as a punishment for her unnatural cruelty, -her spirit is doomed to haunt the house where this cruel act of -manslaughter was perpetrated. Several persons have seen the apparition, -the likeness of which, both as regards feature and dress, to a pale -portrait of her ladyship in antique widow's weeds still remaining at -Bisham, is said to be exact and lifelike. She is reported to glide through -a certain chamber, in the act of washing blood stains from her hands. And -on some occasions the apparition is said to have been seen in the grounds -of the old mansion. - -"A very remarkable occurrence in connection with this narrative, took -place about thirty years ago. In taking down an old oak window-shutter of -the latter part of the sixteenth century, _a packet of antique copy-books -of that period were discovered pushed into the wall between the joists of -the skirting, and several of these books on which young Hobby's name was -written, were covered with blots, thus supporting the ordinary -tradition_."[30] - -Creslow in Buckinghamshire,[31] like so many old manor-houses, has its -ghost story. It is said to be the disturbed and restless spirit of a lady, -which haunts a certain sleeping chamber in the oldest portion of the -house. She has been seldom seen but often heard only too plainly by those -who have ventured to sleep in this room, or to enter it after midnight. -She appears to come up from the old groined crypt, and always enters by -the door at the top of the nearest staircase. After entering she is heard -to walk about, sometimes in a gentle, stately manner, apparently with a -long silk train sweeping the floor. Sometimes her motion is quick and -hurried, her silk dress rustling violently as if she were engaged in a -desperate struggle. - -This chamber, though furnished as a bedroom, is seldom used, and is said -to be never entered without trepidation and awe. Occasionally, however, -some persons have been found bold enough to dare the harmless noises of -the mysterious intruder; and many are the stories current in -Buckinghamshire respecting such adventures. The following will suffice as -a specimen, and may be depended on as authentic:-- - -"About the year 1850, a gentleman, not many years ago High Sheriff of the -county, who resides some few miles' distance from Creslow, rode over to a -dinner-party; and, as the night became exceedingly dark and rainy, he was -urged to stay over the night if he had no objection to sleep in the -haunted chamber. The offer of a bed in such a room, so far from deterring -him, induced him at once to accept the invitation. He was a strong-minded -man of a powerful frame and undaunted courage, and like so many others, -entertained a sovereign contempt for all haunted chambers, ghosts, and -apparitions. The room was prepared for him. He would neither have a fire -nor a night-light, but was provided with a box of lucifers that he might -light a candle if he wished. Arming himself in jest with a cutlass and a -brace of pistols, he took a serio-comic farewell of the family and entered -his formidable dormitory. - -"In due course, morning dawned; the sun rose, and a most beautiful day -succeeded a very wet and dismal night. The family and their guests -assembled in the breakfast-room, and every countenance seemed cheered and -brightened by the loveliness of the morning. They drew round the table, -when the host remarked that Mr. S--, the tenant of the haunted chamber, -was absent. A servant was sent to summon him to breakfast, but he soon -returned, saying he had knocked loudly at his door, but received no -answer, and that a jug of hot water left there was still standing unused. -On hearing this, two or three gentlemen ran up to the room, and, after -knocking and receiving no answer, opened it and entered. It was empty. -Inquiry was made of the servants; they had neither seen nor heard anything -of him. As he was a county magistrate, some supposed that he had gone to -attend the Board which met that morning at an early hour. But his horse -was still in the stable; so that could not be. While they were at -breakfast, however, he came in, and gave the following account of his last -night's experiences:--'Having entered my room,' said he, 'I locked and -bolted both the doors, carefully examined the whole room, and satisfied -myself that there was no living creature in it but myself, nor any -entrance but those which I had secured. I got into bed, and, with the -conviction that I should sleep soundly as usual till six in the morning, -was soon lost in a comfortable slumber. Suddenly I was awakened, and, on -raising my head to listen, I certainly heard a sound resembling the light -soft tread of a lady's footstep, accompanied with the rustling as of a -silk gown. I sprang out of bed, and having lighted a candle, found that -there was nothing either to be seen or heard. I carefully examined the -whole room. I looked under the bed, into the fire-place, up the chimney, -and at both the doors, which were fastened just as I had left them. I then -looked at my watch, and found it was a few minutes past twelve. As all was -now perfectly quiet again, I put out the candle, got into bed, and soon -fell asleep. I was again aroused. The noise was now louder than before. It -appeared like the violent rustling of a stiff silk dress. A second time I -sprang out of bed, darted to the spot where the noise was, and tried to -grasp the intruder in my arms. My arms met together, but enclosed nothing. -The noise passed to another part of the room, and I followed it, groping -near the floor to prevent anything passing under my arms. It was in vain, -I could feel nothing. The sound died at the doorway to the crypt, and all -again was still. I now left the candle burning, though I never sleep -comfortably with a light in my room, and went to bed again, but certainly -felt not a little perplexed at being unable to detect the cause of the -noise, nor to account for its cessation when the candle was lighted.'" - -So that this gentleman's experience (and as to ghosts, he was a sceptic) -only served to strengthen the old and unbroken tradition. Of its -foundation nothing very certain is known. The general facts, however, are -commonly received. - -Another example, unusually curious, relating to the Castle at York, is -taken from the "Memoirs of Sir John Reresby:"-- - -"One of my soldiers being on guard about eleven in the night at the gate -of Clifford Tower, the very night after the witch was arraigned, he heard -a great noise at the Castle; and, going to the porch, he saw there a -scroll of paper creep from under the door, which, as he imagined by -moonshine, turned first into the shape of a monkey, and thence assumed the -form of a turkey-cock, which passed to and fro by him. Surprised at this, -he went to the prison, and called the under-keeper, who came and saw the -scroll dance up and down, and creep under the door, where there was scarce -an opening of the thickness of half-a-crown. This extraordinary story I -had from the mouth both of one and the other."[32] - -An account of the haunting of Spedlin's Tower was furnished to me by a -Scotch friend, who asserts and vouches for the authenticity of the -tradition:-- - -"Spedlin's Tower, the scene of one of the best accredited and most curious -ghost stories perhaps ever printed, stands on the south-west bank of the -Annan, in Dumfriesshire. The ghost story is simply this:--Sir Alexander -Jardine, of Applegarth, in the time of Charles II., had confined in the -dungeon of his tower of Spedlin's, a miller named Porteous, suspected of -having wilfully set fire to his own premises. Sir Alexander being soon -after suddenly called away to Edinburgh, carried the key of the vault with -him, and did not recollect or consider his prisoner's case till he was -passing through the West Port, where, perhaps, the sight of the warder's -keys brought the matter to his mind. He immediately sent back a courier to -liberate the man, but Porteous had, in the meantime, died of hunger. - -"No sooner was he dead, than his ghost began to torment the household, and -no rest was to be had within Spedlin's Tower by day or by night. In this -dilemma, Sir Alexander, according to old use and wont, summoned a whole -legion of ministers to his aid; and by their strenuous efforts, Porteous -was at length confined to the scene of his mortal agonies, where, however, -he continued to scream occasionally at night, 'Let me out, let me out, -for I'm deein' o' hunger!' He also used to flutter against the door of the -vault, and was always sure to remove the bark from any twig that was -sportively thrust through the key-hole. The spell which thus compelled the -spirit to remain in bondage was attached to a large black-lettered Bible, -used by the exorcists, and afterwards deposited in a stone niche, which -still remains in the wall of the staircase; and it is certain that, after -the lapse of many years, when the family repaired to a newer mansion -(Jardine Hall), built on the other side of the river, the Bible was left -behind, to keep the restless spirit in order. On one occasion, indeed, the -volume requiring to be rebound, was sent to Edinburgh; but the ghost, -getting out of the dungeon, and crossing the river, made such a -disturbance in the new house, hauling the baronet and his lady out of bed, -&c., that the Bible was recalled before it reached Edinburgh, and placed -in its former situation. The good woman who told Grose this story in 1788, -declared that should the Bible again be taken off the premises, no -consideration whatever should induce her to remain there a single night. -But the charm seems to be now broken, or the ghost must have become either -quiet or disregarded, for the Bible is at present kept at Jardine Hall." - -Another example from Scotland now follows, all the more remarkable, -because it is still asserted that in a certain part of the mansion unusual -voices, and supernatural footsteps are said to be still heard, a fact to -which the late Mr. Hope Scott often testified:--Sir Walter Scott relates a -striking occurrence which happened to him at the time Abbotsford was in -the course of erection. Mr. Bullock was then employed by him to fit the -castle up with proper appurtenances, when during that person's absence in -London the following extraordinary circumstance took place:--In a letter -to Mr. Terry in the year 1818 Scott wrote:--"The night before last we were -awakened by a violent noise like drawing heavy boards along the new part -of the House. I fancied something had fallen and thought no more about it. -This was about two in the morning. Last night at the same witching hour -the same noise recurred. Mrs. S., as you know, is rather timbersome; so up -I got with Beardy's broadsword under my arm, - - 'Sat bolt upright - And ready to fight.' - -But nothing was out of order; neither could I discover what occasioned the -disturbance." Now, strangely enough on the morning that Mr. Terry received -this letter he was breakfasting with Mr. Erskine (afterwards Lord -Kinneder) and the chief subject of their conversation was the sudden death -of Mr. Bullock, which on comparing dates must have happened on the same -night and as near as could possibly be ascertained at the same hour, these -disturbances occurred at Abbotsford. One might be induced to maintain that -some drunken workmen or disorderly persons were on the premises, but this -method for accounting for the coincidence will at once be exploded on -reading the following passage from Scott to the same gentleman:--"Were you -not struck with the fantastical coincidence of our nocturnal disturbance -at Abbotsford with the melancholy event that followed? I protest to you -that the noise resembled half-a-dozen men hard at work pulling up boards -and furniture, _and nothing could be more certain than that there was -nobody on the premises at the time_." - -The following account of a haunted locality is from the pen of a scholarly -and accomplished clergyman[33] in the diocese of Ripon:--"Some years ago I -was residing in a village about eleven miles from York, and one mile and a -half from another village, in which was the Post Office for the -surrounding district. Whenever I had reason to suppose a letter was lying -there for me, I used to anticipate the delivery of it on the following -morning, by calling for it myself in the evening before. One night, in the -latter end of November, I was going, for this purpose, along the path -through the fields, and when I was midway between the two villages, I -passed through a little hand-gate, and after going about twenty yards from -it, I was startled and alarmed by a succession of the most horrible -shrieks that can possibly be conceived. They seemed scarcely human, though -I felt at the time that they were certainly uttered by some man or woman, -imitating the piercing scream of a hog when the fatal knife is being -plunged into its throat. The panic that seized me vanished in a moment, as -the thought instantaneously flashed across my mind that I was being made -the victim of some ploughman's joke. Being armed, as I then invariably -was, with a particularly tough and stout cudgel, I ran back to the little -hand-gate on tip-toe, intending to take condign vengeance on some rustic, -whom I felt sure I should find crouching down behind the low hedge. Just -as I reached the hand-gate, the sounds suddenly ceased, and to my utmost -astonishment I could see no one, although it was quite impossible for any -person within the distance of two or three hundred yards to have escaped -my observation. The full moon was shining brightly, with the very thinnest -of fleecy clouds before her face, which did not obscure her light, but -only made the whole country distinctly visible in every direction, from -the absence of all strongly-defined shadow. Then, again, I must confess, -an unaccountably superstitious awe crept over me, and, instead of pursuing -my intended route, I returned to my own home. - -"On the following morning, when reflecting on what had happened, I began -to take a philosophical and reasonable view of the singular occurrence. -In passing through the little gate I might, as I thought, have left it -ajar, and that soon after it lost its nice equilibrium, and swung back to -its accustomed resting-place. The hinges might have given a creaking -sound, which the lonely solitude of the night had intensely magnified in -my imagination. So much for the philosophical view. I then determined that -I would put this view to the proof, and see if I could by any means get -the gate to produce any noise similar to what I fancied I had heard. This -was the reasonable view. I took care, however, to put my determination -into practice at the earliest period of the evening, just, in fact, as the -daylight had departed. Accordingly I was at the little gate between five -and six o'clock, but in spite of all kinds of efforts it would make no -sign, but swung backwards and forwards on its hinges with noiseless -smoothness. In the midst of my experiments a very intelligent man, a -Gardener by calling, came up. He was a resident of my own village, but had -been working in the other village, and was then returning home from his -day's labour. He expressed some surprise at seeing me there at that time -of the evening, and I gave him a brief account of the reason. 'Well, sir,' -said he; 'if you will walk back with me, I will tell you something more -about that little hand-gate.' I consented immediately, and he said to me -as follows: 'Some years ago, when we were all children at home, my mother -had been to the other village, where she remained till night; on her -return homewards, just as she passed through the little gate, she saw some -kind of figure lying close by it, huddled together in a strange, -mysterious manner. She was horror-stricken, and fled from the spot as fast -as possible. On reaching her own cottage, she flung open the door, and -fell fainting on the ground before her astonished and frightened children. -When she came to herself, and was asked what had caused her evident -terror, she told what she had seen, and where she had seen it. She could, -however, give no definite description of the figure she had seen. She -could only say, "It was something hideous." But never could she be induced -to pass that place again after night-fall, as long as she lived.' 'Well,' -said I, 'this is a very remarkable coincidence.' 'Yes,' said he, 'but I -will tell you something more remarkable still. About forty years ago the -land between the two villages was unenclosed. It was nothing more than a -wild, uncultivated common. One night, about that period, as the villagers -were going to bed, loud and piercing shrieks were heard coming from the -common. Some of the men dressed themselves hastily, with the intention of -going and seeing what was taking place. Some woman, as it seemed to them, -was evidently being ill-treated. They set off on their kindly-intentioned -errand, but as the sounds completely ceased, and the night was very dark, -they thought it impossible to reach the exact spot where their services -might be required. They went to bed, and slept soundly. On the following -morning one of them was going to work at the other village, and as he -passed over the common he was almost distilled to a jelly with the effect -of fright at the appalling sight that suddenly met his gaze. A woman was -lying before him, huddled up on the ground, quite dead, with her throat -cut from ear to ear. She had evidently been murdered, on the preceding -night. Who she was, whence she came, why or by whom she had been murdered, -was never known, and probably never will be in this world. When, a short -time after this dreadful event, the common was enclosed, it so happened -that the little hand-gate was put up close to the spot where the woman's -lifeless body was found.' - -"He finished his narrative. I thanked him for it, and internally resolved -never, if I could help it, to pass through those fields alone in the gloom -of night, on any account whatever. I scrupulously kept my resolve." - -The celebrated case of the Haunted Room in the Jewel House of the Tower of -London created great interest, about fifty-five years ago. Additional -interest and importance have been given to it by the publication of the -following authentic account of Mr. E. Lenthal Swifte,[34] which in simple -but forcible language tells its own story:-- - -"I have often purposed to leave behind me a faithful record of all that I -know personally of this strange story.... Forty-three years have passed, -and its impression is as vividly before me as on the moment of its -occurrence.... In 1814 I was appointed keeper of the Crown Jewels in the -Tower, where I resided with my family until my retirement in 1852. One -Saturday night in October, 1817, about 'the witching hour,' I was at -supper with my then wife, our little boy, and her sister, in the sitting -room of the Jewel House, which--then comparatively modernized--is said to -have been 'the doleful prison' of Anne Boleyn, and of the ten bishops whom -Oliver Cromwell piously accommodated therein.... The room was, as it still -is, irregularly shaped, having three doors and two windows, which last are -cut nearly nine feet deep into the outer wall; between these is a -chimney-piece projecting far into the room, and (then) surmounted with a -large oil picture. On the night in question the doors were all closed; -heavy and dark cloth curtains were let down over the windows, and the only -light in the room was that of two candles on the table.... I sate at the -foot of the table, my son on my right hand, his mother fronting the -chimney-piece, and her sister on the opposite side. I had offered a glass -of wine and water to my wife, when, on putting it to her lips, she paused -and exclaimed, 'Good God, what is that?' I looked up, and saw a -cylindrical figure like a glass tube, seemingly about the thickness of my -arm, and hovering between the ceiling and the table. Its contents appeared -to be a dense fluid, white and pale azure, like to the gathering of a -summer cloud, and incessantly rolling and mingling within the cylinder. -This lasted about two minutes, when it began slowly to move _before_ my -sister-in-law, then following the oblong shape of the table, before my son -and myself; passing _behind_ my wife it paused for a moment over her right -shoulder (observe, there was no mirror opposite to her in which she could -then behold it). Instantly she crouched down, and, with both hands -covering her shoulder, she shrieked out, 'Oh, Christ! it has seized me.' -Even now, while writing, I feel the fresh horror of that moment. I caught -up my chair, struck at the wainscot behind her, rushed upstairs to the -other children's room, and told the terrified nurse what I had seen.... -Neither my sister-in-law nor my son beheld this 'appearance.'... I am -bound to add that shortly before this strange event some young lady -residents in the Tower had been, I know not wherefore, suspected of making -phantasmagorical experiments at their windows, which, be it observed, had -no command whatever on any windows in my dwelling. An additional sentry -was accordingly posted so as to overlook any such attempt. Happening, -however, as it might, following hard at heel the visitation of my -household, one of the night sentries at the Jewel Office was, as he said, -alarmed by a figure like a huge bear issuing from underneath the door. He -thrust at it with his bayonet, which stuck in the door, even as my chair -dinted the wainscot. He dropped in a fit, and was carried senseless to the -guard-room. His fellow-sentry declared that the man was neither asleep nor -drunk, he himself having seen him the moment before awake and sober. Of -all this I avouch nothing more than that I saw the poor man in the -guard-house prostrated with terror, and that in two or three days the -fatal result, be it of fact or fancy, was that he died. Let it be -understood that to _all_ which I have herein set forth _as seen by -myself_, I absolutely pledge my faith and my honour.--Edmund Lenthal -Swifte." - -Another statement, regarding another apparition in the same part of the -Tower, stated by Mr. Offor to have been produced by some instrument, but -which latter assertion is pronounced impossible by Mr. Lenthal Swifte, -also sufficiently illustrates the facts embodied in it:-- - - "Before the burning of the armouries there was a paved yard in front - of the Jewel House, from which a gloomy and ghost-like doorway led - down a flight of steps to the Mint. Some strange noises were heard in - this gloomy corner; and on a dark night at twelve the sentry saw a - figure like a bear cross the pavement and disappear down the steps. - This so terrified him that he fell, and in a few hours after, having - recovered sufficiently to tell the tale, he died. It was fully - believed to have arisen from phantasmagoria.... The soldier bore a - high character for bravery and good conduct. I was then in my - thirtieth year, and was present when his body was buried with military - honours in the Flemish burial ground, St. Catherine's. - - "George Offor." - -On this, however, Mr. Swifte thus writes:-- - - "When on the morrow I saw the unfortunate soldier in the main - guard-room, his fellow sentinel was also there, and testified to - having seen him on his post just before the alarm, awake and alert, - and even spoken to him. Moreover, as I then heard the poor man tell - his own story, the figure did not cross the pavement and disappear - down the steps of the sally-port; but issued from underneath the Jewel - Room door--as ghostly a door, indeed, as ever was opened to or closed - on a doomed man; placed, too, beneath a stone archway as utterly out - of the reach of my young friends' apparatus (if any such they had) as - were my windows. I saw him once again on the following day, but - changed beyond my recognition; in another day or two--_not_ 'in a few - hours'--the brave and steady soldier, who would have mounted a breach - or led a forlorn hope with unshaken nerves, died at the presence of a - shadow, as the weakest woman might have died. - - "Edmund Lenthal Swifte." - -The case of a Haunted House in Northamptonshire may now follow:-- - -"A house at Barby,[35] a small village about eight miles from Rugby, was -reputed to be haunted, and this under the following circumstances:--An old -woman of the name of Webb, a native of the place, and above the usual -height, died on March 3, 1851, at two A.M. aged sixty-seven. Late in life -she had married a man of some means, who having predeceased her, left her -his property, so that she was in good circumstances. Her chief and -notorious characteristic, however, was excessive penuriousness, being -remarkably miserly in her habits; and it is believed by many in the -village that she thus shortened her days. Two of her neighbours, women of -the names of Griffin and Holding, nursed her during her last illness, and -her nephew, Mr. Hart, a farmer in the village, supplied her temporal -needs; in whose favour she had made a will, by which she bequeathed to him -all her possessions. - -"About a month after the funeral Mrs. Holding, who, with her uncle, lived -next door to the house of the deceased (which had been entirely shut up -since the funeral), was alarmed and astonished at hearing loud and heavy -thumps against the partition wall, and especially against the door of a -cupboard in the room wall, while other strange noises, like the dragging -of furniture about the rooms (though all the furniture had been removed), -and the house was empty. These were chiefly heard about two o'clock in the -morning. - -"Early in the month of April a family of the name of Accleton, much -needing a residence, took the deceased woman's house, the only one in the -village vacant, and bringing their goods and chattels, proceeded to -inhabit it. The husband was often absent, but he and his wife occupied the -room in which Mrs. Webb had died, while their daughter, a girl about ten -years of age, slept in a small bed in the corner. Violent noises in the -night were heard about two o'clock, thumps, tramps, and tremendous -crashes, as if all the furniture had been collected together, and then -violently banged on to the floor. One night at two A.M. the parents were -suddenly awakened by the violent screams of the child, 'Mother, mother, -there's a tall woman standing by my bed, a-shaking her head at me!' The -parents could see nothing, so did their best to quiet and compose the -child. At four o'clock they were again awakened by the child's screams, -for she had seen the woman again; in fact she appeared to her no less than -seven times, on seven subsequent nights. - -"Mrs. Accleton, during her husband's absence, having engaged her mother to -sleep with her one night, was suddenly aroused at the same hour of two by -a strange and unusual light in her room. Looking up she saw quite plainly -the spirit of Mrs. Webb, which moved towards her with a gentle appealing -manner, as though it would have said, 'Speak, speak!' - -"This spectre appeared likewise to a Mrs. Radbourne, a Mrs. Griffiths, and -a Mrs. Holding. They assert that luminous balls of light hovered about the -room during the presence of the spirit, and that streams of light seemed -to go up towards a trap-door in the ceiling, which led to the roof of the -cottage. Each person who saw it testified likewise to hearing a low, -unearthly, moaning noise,--'strange and unnatural-like,' but somewhat -similar in character to the moans of the woman in her death-agony. - -"The subject was, of course, discussed; and Mrs. Accleton suggested that -its appearance might not impossibly be connected with the existence of -money hoarded up in the roof, an idea which may have arisen from the -miserly habits of the dead woman. This hint having been given to and taken -by her nephew, Mr. Hart, the farmer, he proceeded to the house, and with -Mrs. Accleton's personal help made a search. The loft above was totally -dark, but by the aid of a candle there was discovered, firstly, a bundle -of writings, old deeds, as they turned out to be, and afterwards a large -bag of gold and bank-notes, out of which the nephew took a handful of -sovereigns, and exhibited them to Mrs. Accleton. But the knockings, -moanings, strange noises, and other disturbances did not cease upon this -discovery. They did cease, however, when Mr. Hart, having found that -certain debts were owing by her, carefully and scrupulously paid them. So -much for the account of the Haunted House at Barby. The circumstances were -most carefully investigated by Sir Charles Isham, Bart., and others, the -upshot of which was that the above facts were, to the complete -satisfaction of numerous enquirers, completely verified." - -The following comes to the Editor from Scotland:-- - -"There is, without a doubt, a 'Haunted Room' in Glamis Castle. Access to -it now is cut off by a stone wall, and none are supposed to know where it -is, except Lord Strathmore, his eldest son, and the Factor on the estate. -This wall was built some years ago by the present proprietor. Strange, -weird, and unearthly noises have been heard from time to time by numbers, -and these by many persons wholly unprepared for the same. The following -statement is from the lips of a lady who was sleeping in the castle one -night, and who knew nothing of the reputation of the house:--She was -undressing to retire for the night, when all of a sudden she was alarmed -by a most violent noise, which made her fancy that one of the walls of the -house had fallen. She rushed out into the passage, but no one but herself -had been aroused by it. So she went back, and slept until morning. She -mentioned the circumstance at breakfast, but the subject was evidently an -unpleasant one. The conversation was at once changed, and she received a -hint to take no further notice of it. Some members of the family cannot -bear the subject to be alluded to, and repel all inquiries." - -"There is no doubt," writes another correspondent, "about the reality of -the noises at Glamis Castle. On one occasion, some years ago, the head of -the family with several companions was determined to investigate the cause -one night, when the disturbance was greater and more violent and alarming -than usual. His lordship went to the Haunted Room (before it was walled -up), opened the door with the key, and dropped back in a dead swoon into -the arms of his companions; nor could he be ever induced to open his lips -on the subject afterwards. - -"On another occasion a lady and her child were staying for a few days at -the castle. The child was asleep in an adjoining dressing-room, and the -lady, having gone to bed, lay awake for a while. Suddenly a cold blast -stole into the room, extinguishing the night-light by her bedside, but not -affecting the one in the dressing-room beyond, in which her child had its -cot. By that light she saw a tall mailed figure pass into the -dressing-room from that in which she was lying. Immediately thereafter -there was a shriek from the child. Her maternal instinct was aroused. She -rushed into the dressing-room, and found the child in an agony of fear. -It described what it had seen as a giant, who came and leant over its -face. - -"An accomplished antiquarian, who has investigated this subject, writes as -follows:--There is a tradition that in olden times, during one of the -frequent feuds between the Lindsays and the Ogilvies, a large number of -the latter, in flying from their enemies, came to Glamis, and claimed -hospitality. The master of the castle did not like to deny them the -protection of his castle walls. He therefore admitted them; and on plea of -hiding them, is reported to have put them into this out-of-the-way -chamber. There he let them starve, and it is said that their bones lie -there unto this day, the bodies never having been buried. This may have -been the sight which startled the late Lord Strathmore on entering the -haunted room--a large number of skeletons lying in the various parts of -the place was a sight calculated to startle any man. And these are -declared to be peculiarly revolting. Some had apparently died in the act -of gnawing the flesh off their own arms." - -The Editor is indebted to Henry Cope Caulfeild, Esq., of Clone House, St. -Leonard's, for the following:-- - -"The account here set forth was recently told to me by a Captain -S----living near Cardiff, South Wales. - -"A few miles from Cardiff, on the Monmouth road, there is a narrow spot -held in awe by the peasantry; for a murder was committed there years ago, -and it is said to be haunted by unquiet spirits. - -"The brother of my friend, an officer in the army, who has seen active -service in India, was returning with his wife in a dog-cart, some few -months ago, from a dinner with some friends in the country a few miles -from Cardiff. It was late in the night; and as they entered the narrow -part of the road just mentioned, they heard the sound of wheels behind -them. They looked back, and saw the lights of a carriage, and to avoid -being overtaken and passed in such a narrow road, Captain S---- whipped -his horse, and tried to keep well in front. Presently the sounds of wheels -ceased; and to their great surprise, indeed consternation, they all of a -sudden saw the lights and heard the wheels of a carriage some distance on -in front of them. It was evidently the same; and yet it had never passed -them! It seemed to stop at the side of the road, and Captain S---- drove -his dog-cart past the strange carriage. He and his wife saw in it a dim -light; there were people in it, and they seemed to be without heads! Mrs. -S---- was paralysed with terror; her husband told his brother that he -would rather face a battery of artillery than go through the horror of -that moment; and the horse evidently was in sympathy with them, for he -went like one mad. - -"It appears that the very same spectral figures had been seen by a -country surgeon when passing the same place; and that the land-owners in -those parts had cut down trees, and clipped and altered the appearance of -the hedges on each side of the road, in order to get rid, if possible, of -the ghastly horror, and of the hold which it has upon the popular mind. -The _appearance_ of the carriage and its occupants, in a dim, hazy light, -was to the last degree unearthly and spectral." - -A correspondent of the Editor furnishes him with the following:-- - -"A brother of mine, a man who is the last person in the world to believe -over much, or to be in the least degree superstitious, wishing to be near -a particular town, and yet within easy reach of the permanent country -residence of his greatest friend, was induced (A.D. 1862) to take over the -remainder of the lease of an old-fashioned furnished mansion in Cheshire, -where he, with his wife, children, and servants, in due course, went to -reside. He was advised to take the place as well because of the -reasonableness of the rent--for it was spacious and comfortably -furnished--as by the recommendation of the London house-agents, a -well-known firm in the West End, with whom the letting of it rested. - -"Soon after the arrival of the family and servants, the latter protested -again and again that they were disturbed almost every night by a continual -'tramp, tramp, tramp' of heavy footsteps up the stairs, and along the -narrow passage, out of which were the doors which led to their bedrooms. -They would have it that the house was haunted. The sounds were sometimes -so loud and alarming that, as one of the servants remarked, 'It seemed -like a regiment of foot soldiers marching over creaking boards.' -Complaints were made to my brother, who merely said that the noises must -be the result of wind under the joists, or of rats, and he laughed at the -whole affair. Some of the servants gave warning, and left. Still the -sounds went on: not always, and every night, but, with certain cessations, -from time to time. - -"In the autumn of the year 1863, a lady, her daughter of fourteen, and a -maid, came to stay in the House; and as the former was somewhat of an -invalid, a suite of rooms in the west wing, each communicating with the -other, was apportioned to them. The second night after their arrival, the -lady in question, suddenly awaking, saw in her bedroom a luminous cloud, -which gradually appeared to be formed into the shape of an old man, with a -most painfully depressing countenance, full of the deepest sorrow, and -wearing a large full-bottomed wig. She tried to raise herself in bed, to -see if it were not the effect of her half-waking fancy, or the result of a -disturbed dream, but could not. The room, in which there was no natural -light, seemed to be partially but quite sufficiently illuminated; and she -felt confident that a spectre was before her. She gazed at it for some -minutes, three at least, hearing the ticking of her watch, and counting -the seconds. There the apparition stood, and seemed to be making an effort -to speak, while a strange, dull, inarticulate groan seemed to come up as -from the floor. Upon this, seeing the bell-rope hanging within the folds -of the curtains at her right hand, she braced herself up to seize it and -give it a most violent pull. Immediately she did this, the face of the -figure bore an expression of anger, and by degrees it faded away. The -bell, which hung some distance away, was heard by no one, and she was -compelled to lie alone, for she feared to rise (though the apparition did -not reappear) until the church clock near struck four, when, the morning -having broken, she rose, and dressed herself. - -"In the morning, before she had said a word, her daughter, on meeting her, -said, 'Oh, mamma, an old man in a great wig tramped through my room twice -in the night. Who could it have been?' - -"The lady being so impressed by these occurrences, which her host and -hostess would persist in saying were only the result of her own fancy, -determined on leaving in the course of a few days (as she afterwards -stated). On the following night, she slept with a night-light, and the -door into her maid's room open. But the noise of tramping, which had been -hitherto heard only in the servants' wing of the house, which was -opposite, was now heard in the east side of it. 'Tramp, tramp, tramp!' the -sounds were heard constantly, without cessation; so much so that the -master of the house, my brother, rose suddenly that very night, thinking -that thieves had broken in, and rushed out to the east passage. But all in -a moment, they stopped; nothing was to be heard, nothing seen; all was -still. This occurred again and again. - -"The lady left as arranged. The noises ceased for a while, and then began -once more. It was with difficulty that any of the servants could be -induced to remain, believing that the house was haunted. - -"About ten months afterwards, my brother having forgotten all about the -supposed spectre and the noises, had been out for the day, and returned -home in a dog-cart, some time after midnight, in company with his groom. -Only the housekeeper had remained out of bed, as his return was quite -uncertain. The horse and trap were put up, both the servants had gone to -their rooms, and my brother was taking some refreshment in the -housekeeper's apartment, by the light of the fire, when all of a sudden, a -loud and decisive rap was heard at the door. Thinking, of course, that it -was one of the servants, he replied, 'Come in.' Before the words were out -of his mouth, the door opened, and the apparition of the old man in a -large wig stood before him. My brother was paralysed with terror for a -while. He could not speak; he tried hard, as he says, but his mouth was -dry and his tongue motionless. 'Good God!' he exclaimed at length, 'am I -awake or asleep, in my senses or gone mad?' The motionless figure, whose -face was intensely sad, looked at him beseechingly. 'In God's Name, what -do you want, or what can I do for you?' 'Too late! nothing,' was the -mournful, but somewhat inarticulate response. And with that the spectre -suddenly vanished away. At this moment a strong, loud, piercing, bitter -wail, as of the voice of a woman, broke the awful silence. It seemed to -come from the courtyard outside, and was repeated again and again round -the upper part of the house. The scream was said to be like nothing human. -The servants heard it, my sister-in-law was awoke by it, and the groom and -housekeeper, with the others, as a consequence, came rushing downstairs. -My brother, who is as brave and bold as he is remarkable for common sense, -does not now dispute the reality of haunted houses. - -"A few months afterwards, he and his left. And after he had given up -possession, he was informed, on good and credible authority, that -tradition confidently asserted the mansion to have been the residence of a -disreputable Dutch hanger-on of William of Orange, who is represented to -have violently made away with one of his mistresses in that very house, in -a room which overlooked the park, now a disused lumber-room, at the east -end of the old mansion."[36] - -An American clergyman, of what is commonly termed "the Protestant -Episcopal Church," sent the following, which, as he writes, "went the -round of the newspapers," and for the truth of which he himself vouches:-- - -"Few positions in life can be imagined more disagreeable than that of -being imprisoned in a haunted cell in a police station. 'The New Orleans -Times' tells a most unpleasant story of a ghost-infested cell in the -Fourth Precinct police station in that city. It appears that several years -ago 'a little old woman,' named Ann Murphy, committed suicide by hanging -herself in this cell; and since that event no fewer than thirteen persons -have attempted to destroy themselves in a similar manner; four of these -attempts being attended with fatal results. One of those lately cut down -before life was extinct was a girl named Mary Taylor, who, on recovering -consciousness, declared that while lying on the floor of the cell she was -aroused by a little old white woman in a faded calico dress, with no -stockings and down-trodden slippers, with a faded handkerchief tied round -her head. Her faded dress was bound with a sort of reddish-brown tape, and -her hand was long, faded, and wrinkled, while on the fourth finger of her -left hand was a plain, thin gold ring. 'This little woman,' said the girl, -'beckoned me to get up, and impelled me by some mysterious power to tear -my dress in strips, place one of the strips round my neck, and tie the -other to the bars. I lifted my feet from the floor, and fell. I thought I -was choking, a thousand lights seemed to flash before my eyes, and I -forgot all until I found myself in the room with the doctors and police -bending over me. It was not until then that I really comprehended what I -had done, and was, I believe, under a kind of trance or influence at the -time, over which I had no control.' Mary Taylor had never heard of the -suicide of Ann Murphy, whose appearance, according to the police, tallied -exactly with the description given by the girl. Others having complained -in a like manner of the ghostly occupant of the cell, the police, to test -the real facts of the case, placed a night lodger who had just arrived in -the city in this cheerful apartment. Being thoroughly tired and worn out, -he fell asleep immediately, but shortly afterwards rushed into the office -in a state of terrible alarm. He, too, had been visited by the little old -woman, and wisely declined to sleep another hour in the station." - -The following case, as may be seen from an attestation at its conclusion, -is likewise well authenticated:-- - -"An English clergyman, who was seeking a residence in a northern Scottish -city about ten years ago, had his attention accidentally called to an -old-fashioned, pleasant-looking detached house, of some size and -convenience, which had been for some time vacant, about a mile and a-half -from the city. It had considerable grounds round it well timbered, a -high-walled garden, and was in many respects both commodious and -comfortable. One attraction, likewise, was the extremely moderate rent -which was asked for it. So he secured a lease of it for a short term of -years. He and his family and servants came up from England in due course, -and took up their abode in it. They were not there long before it soon -became evident, to some of them at least, that the house was haunted. -Noises of the most extraordinary character were heard in various parts. -Sometimes there came the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs. At others -there were knocks, both violent and gentle, at the doors, none of which -could be accounted for. At midnight, on several occasions, there was a -constant, uninterrupted sound in one room, as if a large sledgehammer -(having been wrapped in a blanket folded several times), was steadily and -regularly struck against the wall, at the head of the bed in the room, by -some particularly powerful arms. 'Thump, thump, thump,' it sounded, as -though lifted and directed with tremendous force; and this noise often -lasted, with only slight intermission, for two or three hours. On other -occasions persons on the stairs or in the passages felt the air move, and -heard the creaking of the floor close to them, as if someone invisible -were passing quickly by. One night, between twelve and two, the master and -mistress of the family were awakened by a loud and startling noise, as if -all the shutters of the windows of the house had been suddenly and -simultaneously burst open with the greatest violence. The crash was -literally tremendous; and each believed that thieves were breaking in. So -the clergyman, seizing a large presentation sword which hung on the wall -of the landing, unsheathed it, and went downstairs with a light, expecting -to face the intruders. He first examined the dining-room (from whence the -noise seemed chiefly to come), but everything was just as usual. No -shutter was open; no cupboards forced. So, too, in hall and library. -Nothing was moved. Then he descended into the large cellars; but there, -likewise, everything was untouched, and nothing unusual was seen. A large -retriever dog, which lay at the foot of the front stairs, however, was -greatly agitated, trembled and howled. But still nothing was to be seen. -Perfect silence reigned. So the clergyman and his wife returned to their -sleeping-room, only to hear, all of a sudden, precisely the same strange -noise repeated about ten minutes after their return, with, if anything, -even greater violence. - -It was currently reported, and commonly believed by several residents -thereabouts, that many years previously, the cast-off mistress of a Scotch -nobleman, having been handed over to a physician and university professor -for marriage, and the latter having received from the nobleman in -consideration of the marriage the gift of the house and lands in question, -subsequently murdered the woman, for whom he had conceived a special -dislike, and buried her body on the premises. This story, with slight but -unimportant variations, was told by several; and it is quite certain that -a young female Scotch servant, who once lived in the house, following the -sound of heavy footsteps up to an attic in the front portion of the house, -which she had pledged herself to do when next she heard them, fell down in -a swoon or fit at the top of the stairs; from that moment lost her reason, -and is now in a lunatic asylum, near the City in question. These are facts -testified to by those who know the circumstances.[37] As to the general -accuracy of the foregoing, the Editor is enabled, on the testimony of -several, to pledge his word thereto. - -I am indebted for the following narrative to a friend,[38] who in her own -words has given all the details of another remarkable example of a Haunted -House:-- - -"Monsieur de Goumoëns, a magistrate, or a gentleman holding a high -judicial position at Berne in Switzerland, a man of undoubted and -well-established character for personal courage, as well as for moral -rectitude, related to my father, Mr. Caulfeild of Bath, with whom he was -on the most intimate terms of personal friendship, the following -circumstance, at once so extraordinary and so painful, which had come -within the precincts of his own house, as to drive him from his place of -residence. The account was given to my father in the year 1829, when he -was residing with his family at Berne. Noises and disturbances had been -frequently heard in M. de Goumoëns' bedroom, as of footsteps, the opening -and shutting of drawers, and of an escritoire when papers were shuffled -about. The heavy curtains of the large old four-posted bed were drawn and -undrawn by no human hand, and were sometimes suddenly flung up on to the -top of the bed; while the sound of the flapping of the wings of some very -large bird was often heard. All these and other sounds so disturbed M. de -Goumoëns and his wife, that the health of the latter began perceptibly and -seriously to fail. Examinations of the house made by himself, in -conjunction with the police, and special investigations of the bedroom and -other adjoining apartments, afforded no solution whatsoever of the -mystery. At length Madame de Goumoëns' maid gave warning to leave her -service, complaining that her sleep and peace were completely broken by -these supernatural occurrences. While consulting together as to what could -be done, and hesitating as to whether they might not be compelled to leave -the place, the strange sounds became louder than ever. One night they were -suddenly aroused by hearing sharp cries of distress from one of their -children, a little boy, who slept in their room, and who in great terror -called out fretfully again and again, 'Let me alone; let me alone; don't -you hurt me!' as he pointed into vacancy. This particular event was the -last straw which broke the camel's back, and led the child's parents to -determine on leaving the house immediately. - -"I may add that on a subsequent and more searching examination of the -house, one room was found to be both locked and fastened up; regarding the -character of which the owner was somewhat reticent. However, the boarding -before the door, which had been papered over, was removed, the keys were -forthcoming, and the room was carefully examined. On the shutters being -opened, it was found just as it had been left since its occupation by a -previous tenant, who had gone by the sobriquet of 'the Black Styger.' He -was a nobleman of bad reputation, and had committed suicide in that very -apartment by blowing out his brains; the traces of which with blood were -found scattered both on wall and floor. It was generally believed that his -disturbed spirit haunted the place." - -One of the most singular recent examples, testified to by two independent -eye-witnesses, now deserves to be reproduced. The appearance of a large -spectral bird is thus recorded by Mr. Henry Spicer in one of his curious -and thoughtfully written volumes entitled "Strange Things amongst Us:"-- - -"Captain Morgan, a gentleman of the highest honour and veracity, and who -certainly was not over-gifted with ideality, arrived in London one evening -in 18--, in company with a friend, and took up his lodgings in a large -old-fashioned house of the last century, to which chance had directed -them. Captain Morgan was shown into a large bed-chamber, with a huge -four-posted bed, heavy hangings, and altogether that substantial -appearance of good, solid respectability and comfort which associated -itself with our ideas of the wealthy burghers and merchants of the time of -Queen Anne and the first George, when so many strange crimes of romantic -daring or of deep treachery stained the annals of the day, and the -accursed thirst for gold, the bane of every age, appeared to exercise its -most terrific influence. - -"Captain Morgan retired to bed, and slept, but was very soon awaked by a -great flapping of wings close beside him, and a cold, weird-like sensation -such as he had never before experienced spread through his frame. He -started, and sat upright in bed; when an extraordinary appearance declared -itself in the shape of an immense black bird, with outstretched wings, and -red eyes flashing as it were with fire. - -"It was right before him and pecked furiously at his face and eyes so -incessantly, that it seemed to him a wonder that he was enabled, with his -arms and the pillow, to ward off the creature's determined assaults. -During the battle it occurred to him that some large pet bird belonging to -the family had effected its escape, and been accidentally shut up in the -apartment. - -"Again and again the creature made at him with a malignant ferocity -perfectly indescribable; but though he invariably managed to baffle the -attack, he noticed that he never once succeeded in _touching_ his -assailant. This strange combat having lasted several minutes, the gallant -officer, little accustomed to stand so long simply on the defensive, grew -irritated, and leaping out of bed, dashed at his enemy. The bird -retreated before him. The captain followed in close pursuit, driving his -sable foe, fluttering and fighting, towards a sofa which stood in the -corner of the room. The moonlight shone full into the chamber, and Morgan -distinctly saw the creature settle down, as if in terror, upon the -embroidered seat of the sofa. - -"Feeling now certain of his prey he paused for a second or two, then flung -himself suddenly upon the black object, from which he had never removed -his gaze. To his utter amazement it seemed to fade and dissolve under his -very fingers. He was clutching the air; and in vain he searched, with -lighted lamp, every nook and corner of the apartment, unwilling to believe -that his senses could be the victims of so gross a delusion--no bird was -to be found. After a long scrutiny the baffled officer once more retired -to rest, and met with no further disturbance. - -"While dressing in the morning, he resolved to make no allusion to what he -had seen, but to induce his friend, on some pretext, to change rooms with -him. That unsuspecting individual readily complied, and the next day -reported, with much disgust, that he had had to contend for possession of -the chamber with the most extraordinary and perplexing object[39] he had -ever encountered, to all appearance a huge black bird, which constantly -eluded his grasp, and ultimately disappeared, leaving no clue to its mode -of exit."[40] - -And with this, the present chapter is closed. Numerous other cases of -Haunted Localities might have been provided; some which have long been in -print, others which have been heard from the lips of those whose -experience and good faith testify to the truth of their narratives. In so -many examples collected, almost every one owns certain features in common: -and all in some measure are alike. Repetition, by consequence, becomes -wearisome. The cases here put on record, therefore, while sufficiently -diversified, serve abundantly to set forth the reality of those facts, to -a brief record of which this chapter has been devoted. - - - - -MODERN SPIRITUALISM. - - -"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that, in the latter times, some shall -depart from the Faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of -devils."--_1 Tim. iv. 1._ - -"Many believe that the final assault upon Christianity will be made by the -enemies of God, bonded and compacted together into an universal kingdom. -It may be, as some have held, that another Incarnation shall take place; -and that the Enemy of souls will be permitted to assume man's nature. -Anyhow, we are told that Antichrist shall _reign_. Thousands, deluded by -false miracles and lying wonders, will become his subjects, his willing -votaries; and own him as their king. His worship will be an adroit -counterfeit of the worship of the True God--his kingdom a parody of the -Catholic Church; while its doctrines will be at once so attractive and -delusive to fallen man as that the predicted Apostasy will be great and -widespread."--_Sermons on Antichrist._ - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -MODERN SPIRITUALISM. - - -When, in a country where for at least twelve centuries the Christian -Religion has been accepted, and by which that country has received unknown -blessings both temporal and spiritual, schools of thought arise, in which -Historical Christianity is not simply patronized, but put out of court, -the phenomenon is both portentous and noteworthy. That this is so at the -present time in England with many, need scarcely be pointed out. The -scepticism which has deluged the Continent, coming upon a people whose -religious convictions had been so seriously disturbed by the Reformation, -and whose conceptions of objective political truth had been so ruthlessly -disorganized by the events of the Commonwealth and the Revolution of 1688, -has found the ground well prepared for a scattering of the seeds of doubt. -Abroad they were sown some generations ago, and brought forth deadly -fruit. The French Revolution and its horrors followed as a matter of -course. Events before our eyes tell in very plain language that our own -turn has at last come.[41] The day of trial is now upon us. True, the -vulgarity of the eighteenth-century unbelievers is not at present so -manifestly apparent; though it exists amongst certain active leaders of -the lower classes with whom scepticism is popular. But the tone and temper -of public opinion, the bold utterances of serials and newspapers, the -public political policy now in vogue and popular, the too general -understanding that Christianity is to be as far as possible ignored in -legislation--all indicate the steady and rapid progress of sceptical -liberalism. - -The Broad Church party in the established communion has done much, and -will no doubt do much more, to eliminate the Supernatural from the minds -of its admirers and of the people of England. Disliking dogma, its -teaching, when the fog which surrounds it allows that teaching to be -partly comprehended, is of the earth earthy. It dovetails in with the low -material views and carnal desires of the money-grubbing many. Its ideal of -bliss, not always wrapped up in philosophical jargon (and therefore -sometimes intelligible), is simply commercial prosperity and temporal -wealth; eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, comfort, -material pleasure and ease; the conquest of Nature by scientific research -and progress; an enjoyment of the present and only the present; and a -complete banishment of the old-world theology--useful, it may have been, -in times gone by, when the World was being educated; but now to be thrown -aside as lumber, worn out and valueless. In place of that Historical -Christianity accepted since the days of S. Augustine of Canterbury, we are -promised doubt, disbelief, a refined as well as an unrefined intellectual -Paganism; and in the end--though such an end may not now be contemplated -by all members of that ecclesiastical school--a positive rejection of the -distinct nature of God. - -At present, of course, the figure is decently draped. Its ugly proportions -and hateful outline are not apparent. Its admirers have to accommodate -themselves with some skill to the strong prejudices of the age; to -tolerate systems which they contemn, to carry out the silent but certain -operation of destruction, under the hypocritical desire of assisting -mankind to complete the work of temporal progress. - -All this is before us and around us, if we would but note it. And this -being so, the state of thought and of society, as few can fail to observe, -is eminently calculated to afford those who disbelieve in the -Supernatural, good opportunities of advance in the direction of negations. -On the other hand, the presence amongst us of a sect of persons who call -themselves "Spiritualists," and whose notorious words and works may be -noted and criticized, is full of moment and importance. Spiritualism, when -first it appeared and took shape, was treated with contempt. The facts -urged by its supporters were denied; the manifestations almost universally -disbelieved in. It was declared to be the work of acute knaves, or the -offspring of idle and imaginative dreamers. Public writers treated it with -scornful contempt. Reports of its strange proceedings and extraordinary -developments were knowingly and deliberately suppressed. It was hastily -hustled off the public stage, refused a hearing, and denied a defence. -This policy, however convenient to its promoters, has failed. Sneers have -not killed it. Its ideas and theories have been recently reduced to a -formal system, while its votaries have increased to an extent scarcely -credited. Christians and non-Christians, Roman Catholics, -Church-of-England people and Protestants, have ranged themselves under -its banner, and accept and propagate its views. To some the existence of -spurious coin proves the value of the true; and the portents of these -latter times are surely full of warning and value. - -At all periods, it should be observed, certain classes of leaders of men's -thoughts have succeeded in banishing the Supernatural from the field of -human action. For example, Thucydides, representing the World exclusively -in its natural aspect, did this. He had neither ear nor eye for the -marvellous. In recent times, from the period of Locke to the beginning of -the present century, a similar course was adopted by a very influential -school of writers, remarkable for their careful dismissal of the -miraculous, both from ken and consideration. To such, the World was a -machine, wound up once for all by its Author, and needing no further -application of that power which appeared to have spent itself, so to -speak, in the act of creation. Like S. Peter's "scoffers," "walking after -their own lusts," they practically declared, "since the fathers fell -asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of -creation."[42] - -But, of course, such a state of thought could only be transitory. The -universal convictions of man's conscience, and the most earnest desires of -his heart, produced a reversion of opinion. The very dogmatic -philosophers soon found themselves at sea. Reason and Imagination were -starved, while the Understanding was profoundly flattered. This has so -turned out, not once, nor twice, but continually. Scepticism has followed -Superstition, and Superstition Scepticism. Wherever the Catholic Religion, -having once been had, has been deliberately cast out and denied, there, as -in Scotland at the present day, Superstition is more than ordinarily -widespread and rampant. The Gnosticism and Manichæism of the early -Christian era have reproduced themselves in later times; while Materialism -has lived side by side with that Superstition which, on the surface, it -seemed so necessary for the same Materialism to deny. - -The following faithful account of the rise of the modern system of -Spiritualism is borrowed from a contemporary record:-- - -"In December, 1847, a respectable farmer and his family, named Fox, -settled in a house at Hydesville, a hamlet near Newark, in the State of -New York. They were troubled from the first with noises, which in January, -1848, assumed the definite character of knockings, like that of a hammer. -Two children, since so famous as the Misses Fox, felt something heavy, -like a dog, lie on their feet when in bed, and one of them felt as if a -cold hand were passed over her face. The knockings went on increasing in -violence, and at length it was observed, on some occasion when Farmer Fox -tried the windows to see if they could be caused by the wind, that the -knockings exactly answered the rattle accidentally made by the moving -sash. This suggested the idea of inviting the noises, or rather the beings -who caused them, to reply by rapping, on repetition of the letters of the -alphabet, to questions put to them. This was first tried at a place called -Rochester, with which the family were connected, whence the term -'Rochester knockings' came into use. The experiment succeeded perfectly, -and this was the origin of 'spirit-rapping,' which has since grown into a -regular system. The neighbours being called in, the affair soon thickened -and developed into a 'movement.' The rappings revealed a murder which had -taken place in the house when in other hands. Public meetings were called, -committees of ladies formed to examine the children, and prevent the -possibility of deception. Similar phenomena began to show themselves in -various parts of the country, and under yet more extraordinary conditions. -Raps were heard on all sorts of objects--ceilings, tables, chairs, &c., -and it was discovered that certain persons were better fitted than others -to communicate with the spirits, to whom these noises were now attributed. -Such persons were called _mediums_, a name with which the World is now -sufficiently familiar, and when they were present, tables and chairs would -move about and rise from the ground. Many other astonishing things became -common, as drawing and music, executed under this strange influence, by -persons who knew nothing of these arts." - -As to its principles and policy, no better nor fairer exposition of them -can be had than from the various publications which are so largely and -generally circulated. From a pamphlet written with some system[43] by Mr. -T. Grant of Maidstone, the following extracts, explanatory of the now -formulated principles of Modern Spiritualism, are made:-- - -"TABLE OF MEDIA. - - _Outward._ - - 1. Vibratory Medium. - 2. Motive Medium. - 3. Gesticulating Medium. - 4. Tipping Medium. - 5. Pantomimic Medium. - 6. Impersonating Medium. - - _Inward._ - - 7. Pulsatory Medium. - 8. Manipulating Medium. - 9. Neurological Medium. - 10. Sympathetic Medium. - 11. Clairlative Medium. - 12. Homo-motor Medium. - - _Onward._ - - 13. Symbolic Medium. - 14. Psychologic Medium. - 15. Psychometric Medium. - 16. Pictorial Medium. - 17. Duodynamic Medium. - 18. Developing Medium. - - _Upward._ - - 19. Therapeutic Medium. - 20. Missionary Medium. - 21. Telegraphic Medium. - 22. Speaking Medium. - 23. Clairvoyant Medium. - 24. Impressional Medium. - -"The _Outward_ stratum includes all kinds of mediumship in which spirits -act only on the physical organism, first using simply the electrical or -magnetic emanations from the medium and others in the room to produce -movements of objects, or concussions called rappings, and to control -matter in various ways; and secondly, using portions or the whole of the -medium's body by direct action of spirits upon the bodily organs, the -medium's spirit being more or less passive, and not taking part in the -performance.... - -"_Vibratory Mediumship._ I have often met with instances in my experience, -and multitudes of persons are sometimes attacked together, with variations -in accordance with individual character. The physical excitement and -convulsive phenomena often witnessed at revival meetings are chiefly of -this kind.... - -"The _Motive Medium_ comes next in order; he furnishes the magnetic power -by which spirits are enabled to move tables and other material objects.... - -"The third class is _Gesticulating Mediumship_, which appears to be a -development of the vibratory. It is exhibited by the sect of 'Shakers' of -the present day in the initiatory stage of their development, and was a -form of mediumship common amongst the prophets of the Cevennes, the -votaries of S. Vitus, and in most religious excitements. - -"_Tipping Mediumship_ follows next, and this again is a step in advance -from the _Motive_ mediumship, the movements of tables and other objects -being so regulated by the intelligence of spirits as to produce -telegraphic communications.... - -"_Pantomimic media_ belong to the fifth class; they are made, by the -controlling or guardian spirit, to put themselves in various postures, so -as to represent any peculiarity belonging to spirit-friends who are -standing by, wishing to make their presence known and to communicate. -Lecturers on electro-biology produce, to some extent, the same effects. - -"The last in this stratum is the _Impersonating Mediumship_, which is a -development from the Pantomimic. In this case the communicating spirit -enters and takes full possession of the medium's body, whilst his own -spirit stands aside." - -The writer then passes on to consider what he terms the "Inward stratum," -thus:-- - -"First we have _Pulsatory Mediumship_, in which the medium receives -communications from spirits and answers to mental questions by means of -pulsations, like tiny raps, on different parts of the body, or by sounds -heard only by himself. These manifestations, although very convincing to -the medium himself, afford but little satisfaction to anybody else. - -"_Manipulating Mediumship_, which follows, is in fact Curative Mesmerism, -in which, however, the will of the mesmeriser is strengthened and guided -by spirits. Dr. Newton, of America, who visited Maidstone in 1870 and made -several interesting and permanent cures, is a most remarkable and -successful medium of this class, many of his cures having, indeed, all the -appearance of miracles. - -"In the next form of mediumship, the _Neurological_, the spirit impresses -thoughts upon the brain, and the medium puts them into words; thus the -communications partake of the peculiarities of the medium, and if the -medium is impressed to write, he does so in his own handwriting and mode -of diction and spelling. - -"Next comes _Sympathetic Mediumship_, which is an extension of the -Neurologic, but in which the spirits enter more intimately into sympathy -with the medium. Both of these last are transitional forms of mediumship, -and not very reliable until carefully developed. - -"In _Clairlative Mediumship_, which succeeds in order, scenes of the past -are clearly reproduced, or original scenes pictured to the mind, as in -dreams and visions.[44] - -"The last of this Inward group is called the _Homo-motor_ medium, one who -is in perfect sympathy and under the complete control of one individual -spirit only, who, in fact, appears to live a second life on earth in union -with him." - -And then he defines and discusses the "Onward stratum":-- - -"We begin with _Symbolic Mediumship_, in which the interior vision is -opened by spiritual aid, and the medium sees in a vision the almost exact -pre-figurations of things which will occur at some future time, or which -do in reality now exist, either in germ or in full or partial development. - -"The second in this group, _Psychologic Mediumship_, is a very important -form. A medium of this class is one who is in a condition to be impressed -by a sympathetic spirit with any set of ideas which he desires to -represent. It is sometimes done in a pictorial form, when the medium -clearly sees and describes scenes which appear to the vision, such as the -appearance and movements of an army, a landscape, a congregation in a -cathedral, and so forth.... - -"The _Psychometric Medium_ has the power of feeling and correctly -describing the characteristics of persons with whose spheres he or she is -brought into sympathy or contact. The power is generally exercised by -placing to the forehead, the perceptive region of the brain, anything -which has been intimately connected with the person, as a piece of his -hair, his handwriting, or a well-worn article of dress. Some will thus -read a sealed letter or the mottoes enclosed in nuts.... - -"_Pictorial Mediumship_ differs from the Symbolic chiefly in the -circumstance that the things seen and described by the medium do not in -reality exist as material facts, but are only representations, prefiguring -or bodying-forth a spiritual or psychical truth.... - -"The next is the _Duodynamic Medium_, a word signifying two powers, he -being capable of exhibiting two or more forms of mediumship at the same -time. These compound media, maturely developed, are said to be -comparatively rare. - -"The last in this Onward stratum is the _Developing Medium_, through whom -spirits can very usefully assist in developing the mediumistic faculty in -others. They have the power of harmonising the influences which affect -them, and of rendering media passive to the action of the spirits who are -seeking the control of their organisms." - -As regards the "Upward stratum," the following definitions are given:-- - -"The _Therapeutic Medium_ is one who effects the cure of many diseases -through the sympathetic power of seeing and describing minutely the -disorganized parts of the body, and directing the necessary treatment; -sometimes the manipulating mediumship is added, when the medium not only -sees the source of mischief, but also makes curative mesmeric passes at -the same time. - -"Next, we have the _Missionary Medium_, who is irresistibly compelled to -go, without knowing why or whither, wherever the spirit guides him. Under -this controlling influence, media have been made to travel nearly all over -the civilized world, generally without purse or scrip, or any personal -knowledge of the places; the spirits raising up friends and helpers at -every step as they are required." Writing of a Missionary Medium known to -himself, Mr. Grant adds the following:--"I am acquainted with a medium of -this class in Maidstone, who is too weak in body to walk far in his -ordinary state, yet, under this influence, he is often made to walk long -distances without feeling fatigue, at the most unreasonable hours of day -or night, and he has several times been instantaneously transported from -one place to another, miles apart." - -"Speaking mediumship," writes the author quoted, "is a most useful and -instructive faculty.... In most cases speakers have to be entranced, that -is, their spirits have to be removed from the body for a time, in order to -give the acting spirit full control; but when this has to be done the -medium is but little advanced from the personating mediumship, which is -one of the successive stages which a fully-developed speaking medium -generally passes through. Many of our most celebrated and effective -preachers and speakers have been, or are, really speaking media, under the -guidance of spirits, without its being suspected or understood even by -themselves. This is, indeed, 'inspiration.' - -"The _Clairvoyant Medium_ follows next in order, and is in advance of the -telegraphic, because he is able to see the scenes that are actually -transpiring at the time in another place, no matter how far distant. - -"The _Impressional Medium_ is generally one who has advanced through the -neurologic, sympathetic, clairlative, and psychologic phases, and thus -become so easily and thoroughly impressible by his guardian spirit that -the medium appears to live a double life, the conditions and circumstances -of both states of existence finding a ready expression through his -organism at all times without his being entranced, the spiritual -existence becoming as much as the physical his normal state." pp. 7-18. - -The acts and deeds of Mr. Daniel Home, a Scotchman, and of the Davenport -brothers, Americans, who figure very prominently as mediums in the -authentic records of the spiritualists, are tolerably well known by report -to many. From America, where the signs were first noticed, they came -eastwards to England and the European continent, in which places the -spiritual manifestations were even more remarkable than those which had -occurred and been testified to in the West. Under the direction of a -medium, people sat round a table, and by a silent invocation of spirits, -by "willing"[45] that they should come, they came, and produced the -following amongst other equally strange phenomena.[46] Large tables rose -to the ceiling, floating in the atmosphere with a sort of undulating -motion, and coming down again to the floor without noise; sprigs of -flowers were torn off and presented to people by the spirit; accordions -and other musical instruments were played without any visible hand holding -or moving them; luminous stars and streaks of light appeared in various -places, while "spirit hands" were seen and felt as palpably as mortal -flesh and blood could be; answers to questions made, were given by a -system of raps or by spelling out words on a child's alphabet placed on -the floor. Thus conversations, sometimes sensible, but frequently trivial -and absurd,[47] were held with the spirits summoned. Spirit hands, using -material pens, ink and paper, wrote answers to queries; quoted verses -from known authors, or put down original poems. In some cases the -narratives published were anonymous, and only authenticated by witnesses -who privately testified to the newspaper-editors their accuracy. But in -some instances persons of repute and ability came forward in support of -their correctness.[48] Dr. Gully of Malvern, for example, publicly -testified that he had seen Mr. Home float about a room for several -minutes, and guaranteed the accuracy of the facts set forth in a most -remarkable fashion in an early number of the "Cornhill Magazine." A -well-known clergyman of the High Church party in the Church of England, -gives his testimony to the truth and strangeness of certain appearances -and manifestations, in the following communication to the Editor of this -volume:-- - -"I was staying in the north of England with the Rev. ----, in 1850. During -my visit a well-known medium (at that period a clergyman of the diocese of -London) spent the evening with us. Eight or ten other people were there at -the same time. 'Table-turning' was the subject of a long and animated -discussion, in which those who accepted the facts and those who rejected -them were about equally divided. There was nothing to be done, therefore, -but to test the question. This was determined on. A circular table about -four feet in diameter, of considerable size and weight, was used. Seven -people sat round it, joining their hands on the table, and after -conjointly _willing_ that it should turn itself in one direction or be -turned, for about twelve minutes, it began to vibrate strangely and then -slowly to move. At first its motion was in circles, then it moved from -side to side of the room with dash and rapidity. Afterwards it was -strangely tilted on the other side. On one occasion later on, it rose -several inches from the ground, and remained suspended in the air for -nearly two minutes. As to the facts, no one could dispute them. Afterwards -a variety of questions were put, to which the table replied by knocking on -the floor. It was agreed beforehand that one knock should stand for 'No', -two for 'Yes.' An alphabet was produced, and words in response were -spelled out. Some of the queries were trivial, some arithmetical, some -momentous. The answers were usually accurate, sensible, and intelligible, -but not always so. After questions had been put concerning the future -state, heaven, hell, purgatory, the happiness of the good and the -punishment of the wicked, a question was asked, 'Where did the spirit now -answering dwell when on earth?' The name of a place in Devonshire was -spelled out. This reply greatly interested a clergyman present, who some -fifteen years previously had been curate in that county. It was followed -by another:--'What was the name of the person whose spirit is here?' Then -the table spelt out, by means of the alphabet, the name of a yeoman who -had died impenitent and blaspheming at the period before referred to. This -was sufficient for me," writes the above correspondent; "what I had heard -and seen convinced me that necromancy was practised. I left the house, -protecting myself by the sacred sign, convinced of the sin of the -practice. And though I had been a spectator and not an actor, I made a -resolution, which I have scrupulously kept, never to see nor sanction such -proceedings again." - -Another somewhat similar example is here recorded. A clergyman of the -Church of England, intimately known to the Editor of this volume, supplies -the following remarkable narrative regarding the action and authors of -Spiritualistic manifestations:--"Being a perfect and total sceptic as to -the supernatural character of so-called 'Spiritualism,' and believing that -the results asserted to be produced by its votaries were brought about by -pre-arranged trickery and the deception of confederates, I for a long time -declined to be present at, or to take part in, a _séance_, though -earnestly pressed to do so. However, circumstances led me to attend one in -the year 1862, at a house in Notting Hill Square, London, in the month of -October. Prior to the operations, which were managed and conducted by a -'medium,' I was invited to examine both the room where the _séance_ was to -be held, and the table by which the operations were to be conducted. -Conversations, held by a well-known spiritualist, were to be carried on, -(by means of an alphabet, raps and knockings,) with the spirits who were -presumed to be present, and who were declared to have miraculously moved -the table round which, for some time, seven persons, including myself, had -been sitting. The room was about ten feet in height, and in the centre was -a gas chandelier of three lights, all of which were burning. During the -sitting, after the table had made several most remarkable gyrations, -tilting one side of itself upwards and downwards at an angle of at least -forty-five degrees, at the command of the chief operator it slowly -ascended from the floor to the height of at least seven feet, viz. the -bottom of the pendent gaselier. Its plane having caused the lamp glasses -to rattle by contact, the table then with a strange throbbing and -vibration and slow movement began to descend. We had all removed our -chairs, to give room for its ascent, and standing close to the walls -around, saw it slowly come down to its place. I was so shocked and -horrified at what I beheld, and now so firmly convinced that the -remarkable actions we had witnessed were the result of the invocation and -intervention of evil spirits, that I declined, in language most positive -and unmistakable, to have any further part in such unlawful performances. -When further attempts were made to obtain fresh manifestations, taking -from my neck a small silver crucifix, which had been blessed by a high -ecclesiastical dignitary, I made a mental act of faith in the Blessed -Trinity, and holding the small crucifix in my closed hand, placed my hand -clasping it on the table, saying mentally, 'If this be the work of evil -spirits, may God Almighty, for Christ's sake, stop it!' The moment I did -this, the table, which had been moving about strangely in several -directions, and by varied singular motions, became suddenly and at once -motionless. Nor could it be made to stir afterwards. Being perfectly -convinced that such operations were of the nature of Necromancy, forbidden -by the Church, as Scripture plainly testifies, I made an earnest -exhortation to those in the room, after the last manifestation, not to -cooperate in such deeds any further. Some maintained by rather blasphemous -arguments that Spiritualism was destined to, and would soon, take the -place of Christianity; and were kind enough to pity my ignorance, -narrowness, prejudice, and sectarianism, to which I made no reply. I then -left." - -From another source (a well-known country gentleman in one of the midland -counties) has been obtained a series of questions and answers which were -put, given, and taken down in the year 1856, at a gathering at which the -practice of table-turning and spirit invocation was tested by those whose -conviction, in the main, regarding them, as the Editor is informed, agrees -with that of the correspondents already quoted. Similar strange phenomena -occurred on this occasion likewise:-- - - "Are you a Spirit who inhabited this earth? Yes. - - How long have you been dead? No reply. - - Have you been dead years? No. - - Months? No. - - Weeks? No. - - Days? Yes. - - How many? Five days. - - Do you mean five days? Yes. - - Did you live in this neighbourhood? Yes. - - Did you know any at this table? Yes. - - Will you point them out? Yes. (It then crossed the room three times - violently and stopped before three persons.) - - Will you spell your name? Yes. R---- J----[49] (the way he always - spelt it). - - Are you happy? No answer. - - Can we do you any good? No. - - Was the Baptist religion true? No. - - Will you spell the true religion? Yes--Saients. - - Is there a middle state of souls? Yes. - - Will the end of the World be soon? Yes. - - Will it be the end of the World or the end of wickedness? The end of - wickedness? Yes. - - Will the World be destroyed by water? No. - - By fire? No. - - Will it be partly destroyed by fire? Yes. - - Shall any of us see the Last Day? Yes. - - In how many years? Twenty-five years. - - Will the Last Judgment be then? No. - - Will that be the Millennium? Yes. - - Will Enoch and Elijah come again? Yes. - - Will the Jews be restored? Yes. - - Will Russia conquer England? Yes. - - Will it be in the reign of Queen Victoria? No. - - In the reign of her successor? Yes." - -The testimony of Mr. Crookes, the discoverer of a new metal, and a Fellow -of the Royal Society, may here be suitably recorded. Unlike some other -so-called "scientific investigators," he is reported to have resolved upon -a careful and thorough examination of the spiritualistic phenomena. He is -said to have maintained originally that, even if the alleged facts were -true, he might be able to explain them by some natural law. Accordingly he -thoughtfully pursued his inquiries and investigations over a series of -years, taking unusual care to render deception out of the question and -impossible. The result has been given to the public in the "Quarterly -Journal of Science" for January, 1874,[50] from which the following -quotations are made:-- - -"The phenomena I am prepared to attest are so extraordinary and so -directly oppose the most firmly-rooted articles of scientific -belief--amongst others, the ubiquity and invariable action of the law of -gravitation--that, even now, on recalling the details of what I witnessed, -there is an antagonism in my mind between _reason_, which pronounces it to -be scientifically impossible, and the consciousness that my senses, both -of touch and sight--and these corroborated, as they were, by the senses of -all who were present--are not lying witnesses when they testify against my -preconceptions. But the supposition that there is a sort of mania or -delusion which suddenly attacks a whole roomful of intelligent persons who -are quite sane elsewhere, and that they all concur to the minutest -particulars in the details of the occurrences of which they suppose -themselves to be witnesses, seems to my mind more incredible than even the -facts they attest" (pp. 77-78). - -Under the heading of "The Phenomena of Percussive and other Allied -Sounds," he makes reference to the raps and knocks of various kinds made -and heard in different places, "in a living tree, on a sheet of glass, on -a stretched iron wire, on a stretched membrane, a tambourine, on the roof -of a cab, and on the floor of a theatre," and where no known law, and no -contrivance or trickery, could afford any clue to their cause. He then -inquires whether the sounds thus heard are the result of some blind, -irrational, hidden material force obeying the Laws of Nature. His -conclusion, however, was that the varied phenomena being evidently -governed by intelligence, a thinking being must have been concerned in -their origination. "The intelligence," he maintains, "is sometimes of such -a character as to lead to the belief that it does not emanate from any -person present." The movement of heavy substances at a distance from the -medium is then discussed, and Mr. Crookes thus writes:-- - -"On three successive evenings a small table moved slowly across the room, -under conditions which I had specially pre-arranged, so as to answer any -objections which might be raised to the evidence" (p. 84). - -Again:--"On five separate occasions a heavy dining-table rose between a -few inches and one and a half feet off the floor, under special -circumstances which rendered trickery impossible. On another occasion a -heavy table rose from the floor in full light, while I was holding the -medium's hands and feet. On another occasion the table rose from the -floor, not only when no person was touching it, but under conditions that -I had pre-arranged, so as to assure unquestionable proof of the fact" (p. -85). - -Once more:-- - -"On one occasion I witnessed a chair, with a lady sitting on it, rise -several inches from the ground. On another occasion, to avoid the -suspicion of this being in some way performed by herself, the lady knelt -on the chair in such manner that its four feet were visible to us. It then -rose about three inches, remained suspended for about ten seconds, and -then slowly descended. At another time two children, on separate -occasions, rose from the floor with their chairs, in full daylight, under -(to me) most satisfactory conditions; for I was kneeling and keeping close -watch upon the feet of the chair, and observing that no one might touch -them" (p. 85). - -Respecting another class of phenomena, said to be common enough with -Modern Spiritualists, which appeal to the sense of sight, under the head -of "Luminous Appearances," Mr. Crookes thus writes:-- - -"Under the strictest test conditions I have seen a solid self-luminous -body, the size and nearly the shape of a turkey's egg, float noiselessly -about the room, at one time higher than anyone present could reach -standing on tip-toe, and then gently descend to the floor. It was visible -for more than ten minutes, and before it faded away it struck the table -three times, with a sound like that of a hard, solid body. During this -time the medium was lying back, apparently insensible, in an easy-chair. - -"I have seen luminous points of light darting about and settling on the -heads of different persons; I have had questions answered by the flashing -of a bright light a desired number of times in front of my face. I have -seen sparks of light rising from the table to the ceiling, and again -falling upon the table, striking it with an audible sound. I have had an -alphabetical communication given by luminous flashes occurring before me -in the air, whilst my hand was moving about amongst them. I have seen a -luminous cloud floating upwards to a picture. Under the strictest test -conditions, I have more than once had a solid, self-luminous crystalline -body placed in my hand by a hand which did not belong to any person in the -room. In the light, I have seen a luminous cloud hover over a heliotrope -on a side-table, break a sprig off, and carry the sprig to a lady; and on -some occasions I have seen a similar luminous cloud visibly condense to -the form of a hand, and carry small objects about" (p. 87). - -Two pages later on the following occurs:-- - -"I was sitting next to the medium, Miss Fox, the only other persons -present being my wife and a lady relative, and I was holding the medium's -two hands in one of mine, whilst her feet were resting on my feet. Paper -was on the table before us, and my disengaged hand was holding a pencil. -A luminous hand came down from the upper part of the room, and after -hovering near me for a few seconds, took the pencil from my hand, rapidly -wrote on a sheet of paper, threw the pencil down, and then rose up over -our heads, gradually fading into darkness" (p. 89). - -And then Mr. Crookes testifies that not only spirit-hands, but spectres or -spirit-persons in their entirety, were seen:-- - -"In the dusk of the evening, during a _séance_ with Mr. Home at my house, -the curtains of a window about eight feet from Mr. Home were seen to move. -A dark, shadowy, semi-transparent form like that of a man was then seen by -all present standing near the window, waving the curtain with his hand. As -we looked, the form faded away and the curtain ceased to move. The -following is a still more striking instance. As in the former case, Mr. -Home was the medium. A phantom form came from a corner of the room, took -an accordion in its hand, and then glided about the room playing the -instrument. The form was visible to all present for many minutes, Mr. Home -also being seen at the same time. Coming rather close to a lady who was -sitting apart from the rest of the company, she gave a slight cry, upon -which it vanished" (p. 90). - -In conclusion Mr. Crookes sets forth five current theories with regard to -these and similar phenomena; one of which theories is clearly expressed -in the following sentence. These supernatural manifestations, he asserts, -some maintain to be "the actions of Evil Spirits or Devils, personifying -who or what they please, in order to undermine Christianity and to ruin -men's souls" (p. 96). Such a definition, it may be added, is in perfect -accordance with ordinary experience, the testimony of Scripture, the -action and teaching of the living Church, as well as a fulfilment of -express and definite prophecies regarding "the latter days." - - - - -MODERN SPIRITUALISM. - -CONTINUED. - - -"Superstition, in its grossest form, is the worship of Evil -Spirits."--_John Henry Newman._ - -"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except -there come a falling away first, and that Man of Sin be revealed, the Son -of Perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called -God, or that is worshipped.... Whose coming is after the working of Satan, -with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of -unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of -the Truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them -a strong delusion that they should believe a lie."--_2 Thess. ii. 3-11._ - -"The greatest intellectual triumph that can be achieved by the Devil is -gained when men are prepared to believe that he is not."--_Sermons_, _Rev. -T. T. Lee_ (A.D. 1796). - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -MODERN SPIRITUALISM. - -(CONTINUED.) - - -More recently the manifestations have been still further developed. From -the "Spiritual Magazine" the following is quoted:-- - -"The _séance_ was held by appointment. Our object being that of -investigation, we limited the number to three, and, I must add, used every -precaution we could think of to preclude the possibility of -self-deception; we likewise guarded against any possible preparatory -arrangement. Accordingly, we changed from the library to the dining-room. -We were soon seated at a heavy square table. Twenty minutes passed without -any manifestation; then came gentle raps, followed by the table being -lifted, tilted, and gently vibrated. Then raps were heard simultaneously -in different and opposite parts of the room. At my suggestion, the lamp -was partly turned down, when a cold current of air was felt to pass over -our hands and faces. A pause ensued. The dining-room table leaf standing -in the corner of the room then commenced to vibrate, and one of the leaves -being taken from the stand, was passed between Mr. Home and the table at -which we were seated. It was then raised straight up, and passing -vertically over my friend, gently touched him; in passing over me, it -struck me on the crown of the head, but so gently, that I could hardly -realize it to be the heavy leaf of the dining-room table; the touch -nevertheless caused the leaf to vibrate all but sonorously. I name this to -prove how delicately balanced and suspended in the air the leaf of the -table must have been to have produced the vibration. It then passed over -to the right, touching my shoulders, and finally was placed upon the table -at which we were seated. The distance the leaf was carried I compute at -nearly twelve yards (allowing for the circuit made), and at an elevation -of six feet. A small round table was then moved from the corner of the -room, and placed next to my friend; and in reply to his question '_who it -was_,' he received the answer, audible to us all, '_Pa, Pa,--dear--darling -Pa_.' An arm-chair behind my friend, and at a distance of three yards, was -raised up straight into the air, carried over our heads, and placed upon -the dining-room table to my left, a voice clearly and loudly repeating the -words, 'Papa's chair.' We then observed the wooden box of the accordion -being carried from the extreme corner of the room up to my friend. In -passing my right hand, I passed my hand under and over the box, as it -travelled suspended in the air to my front. I did this to make sure of the -fact of its being moved by an invisible agency, and not by means of -mechanical aid.... The accordion was then taken from Mr. Home, carried -about in the room, and played. Voices were distinctly heard; a low -whispering, and voices imitating the break of a wave on the shore. -Finally, the accordion placed itself upon the table we were seated at, and -two luminous hands were distinctly seen resting on the keys of the -instrument. They remained luminously visible for from twenty to thirty -seconds, and then melted away. I had, in the meantime, and at the request -of my friend, taken hold of the accordion; whilst so held by me, an -invisible hand laid hold of the instrument, and played for two or three -minutes what appeared to me to be sacred music. Voices were then heard, a -kind of murmuring or low whistling and breathing; at times in imitation of -the murmur of the waves of the sea, at other times more plaintively -melodious. The accordion was then a second time taken by an invisible -power, carried over our heads, and a small piece of sacred music -played,--then a hymn, voices in deep sonorous notes singing the -hallelujah. I thought I could make out three voices, but my friend said he -could speak to four. A jet of light then crossed the room, after which a -star or brilliantly illuminated disk, followed by the appearance of a -softly luminous column of light, which moved up between me and my friend. -I cannot say that I could discern any distinct outline. The luminous -column appeared to me to be about five to six feet high, the subdued soft -light mounting from it half illumining the room. The column or luminous -appearance then passed to my right, and a chair was moved and placed next -to me. I distinctly heard the rustling as of a silk dress. Instinctively I -put my hand forward to ascertain the presence of the guest, when a soft -hand seized my hand and wrist. I then felt that the skirt of a dress had -covered my knees. I grasped it; it felt like thick silk, and melted away -as I firmly clenched my hand on it. By this time I admit I shuddered. A -heavy footstep then passed to my right, the floor vibrating to the -footfall; the spirit-form now walked up to the fire-place, clapping its -hands as it passed me. I then felt something press against the back of my -chair; the weight was so great, that as the form leaned on my shoulder, I -had to bend forward under the pressure. Two hands gently pressed my -forehead; I noticed a luminous appearance at my right; I was kissed, and -what to me at the time made my very frame thrill again, spoken to in a -sweet, low, melodious voice. The words uttered by the spirit were -distinctly heard by all present. As the spirit-form passed away, it -repeated the words, 'I kissed you, I kissed you,' and I felt three taps -on each shoulder, audible to all present, as if in parting to reimpress me -with the reality of its presence. I shuddered again, and, in spite of all -my heroism, felt very 'uncanny.' My friend now called our attention to his -being patted by a soft hand on his head. I heard a kiss, and then the -words, 'Papa, dear papa.' He said his left hand was being kissed, and that -a soft, child-like hand was caressing him. A cloud of light appeared to be -standing at his left." - -Another example, from the same publication, deserves to be put on -record:-- - -"The first group of the manifestations (I use the term 'group' to mark the -characteristic difference of the phenomena on each occasion,) occurred at -a friend's house at Great Malvern. Those present had only incidentally -met; and, owing to a prohibition being laid upon Mr. Home by his medical -man against trying his strength, no _séance_ was attempted. I name this as -characteristic. Raps in different parts of the room, and the movement of -furniture, however, soon told the presence of the invisibles. The library -in which the party had met communicated with the hall; and the door having -been left half open, a broad stream of light from the burners of the -gas-lamp lit up the room. At the suggestion of one of the party, the -candles were removed. The rapping, which had till then been heard in -different parts of the room, suddenly made a pause, and then the unusual -phenomena of the appearance of spirit-forms manifested itself. The opening -of the half-closed door was suddenly darkened by an invisible agency, the -room becoming pitch dark. Then the wall opposite became illumined, the -library now being lit up by a luminous element, for it cannot be described -otherwise. Between those present and the opposite and now illumined wall -two spirit-forms were seen, their shadowy outline on the wall well -defined. The forms moved to and fro. They made an effort to speak; the -articulation, however, was too imperfect to permit of the meaning of the -words to be understood. The darkening which had obscured the half-closed -door was then removed, and the broad light from the hall lamp reappeared, -looking quite dim in comparison with the luminous brilliancy of the light -that had passed away. Again the room became darkened, then illumined, and -a colossal head and shoulders appeared to rise from the floor, visible -only by the shadow it cast upon the illumined wall. What added to the -interest was the apparent darkening and lighting up of the room at will, -and that repeatedly, the library door remaining half open all the while. -The time occupied by these phenomena was perhaps five to ten minutes, the -manifestations terminating quite abruptly." - -A correspondent of the same serial gives the following facts:-- - -"On the 1st October, 1865, I attended a _séance_ at 13, Victoria Place, -Clifton, where the younger Mrs. Marshall, the well-known medium from -London, was staying. - -"I had previously prepared, as a test, a series of written questions -inserted in a book and numbered consecutively; my wife, who was present, -was by the usual method put in communication with the spirit of her -mother, and the following are a few of the results. It is important to -observe that no clue was given to the medium, or to the others present, as -to the nature of the answer required, the questions being put in the -following form:--'Will you answer the question No. 33?' &c., and as the -answers were occasionally given in a different form from what was -anticipated, though still quite correctly, these two facts taken together -conclusively prove, as it appears to me, that the answers were neither the -result of any knowledge on the part of the medium, nor any 'reflex action' -from the mind of the interrogator. - -"The spirit having been requested to answer the question numbered 33, -viz.:--'Will you spell the name of the place where we lived when you left -this state?' The reply, spelt through the alphabet, was 'Aust.' - -"Question No. 34 having been put in the same manner, viz.:--'Where was -your body buried?' The reply was, 'Saint George's.' - -"No. 35.--'While your body was lying in the coffin, was anything put in -the hand?'[51] Reply, 'Yes.' - -"No. 36.--'What was it?' Reply, 'A sprig of myrtle.' - -"No. 37.--'By whom was it put there?' Reply, 'Thomas Bowman.' - -"No. 38.--'Who else were present at the time?' Reply, 'Ann, Tommy and Mary -Bowman Bryant.' - -"Many other replies were given of an equally satisfactory character, but I -must not further trespass on your space. I would merely remark that the -answers in each case were quite correct, and that the events referred to -occurred upwards of forty years since." - -Again, Mr. James Howell, of 7, Guildford Road, Brighton, writes as follows -in the "Spiritual Magazine" for November, 1867:-- - -"When I was at the Marshalls' last summer, a circumstance, unknown to -anyone present save myself, was made known to me by unaccountable means. -The name of a young lady who suffered and died from spinal complaint in -the year 1843 was correctly spelled out, and the date of her death given. -I was most intimately acquainted with her. She was good, pious, and highly -intellectual. To her I owe my knowledge of the French language, and my -love of its literature. I was not thinking of her at the time; in fact, -she was furthest from my thoughts; yet her name--a very uncommon one, you -will admit--was given correctly, 'Aletta V----.' Now I am honest enough to -confess that a million guesses would not have guessed that name. I was -astounded and affected; for it brought back to my mind a rush of thoughts, -happy and sad, of those evenings when I sat by her bedside listening to -her sweet voice, and imbibing the original thoughts which sprang, not only -from a well-stored mind, but one instinct with genius. Twenty-three years -had elapsed from the time of her death; she had often promised to -communicate with me from the spirit-world, if it was possible, and now -that promise was fulfilled, even in the presence of others." - -And once more, the same writer gives the following record of facts:-- - -"I paid a visit on Monday, July 2nd, to Mrs. Parks, of Cornwall Terrace, -Regent's Park, then staying at 7, Bedford Square. Miss Purcell, the -medium, went with me; and we three had some strong and wonderful -manifestations. The table was turned about merrily, and once whirled round -in mid-air. It became as animated as a living being; it even ran about -when not a single being touched it. Knockings were heard all over the -room; in chairs, in tables, under the floor, and along the wainscot. We -had great trouble to keep the tables from being smashed. - -"During the evening, the 'Blue Bells of Scotland' and '_Marlbrook s'en -va-t-en guerre_' were knocked out on the table in a beautiful and correct -manner, the table beating and dancing admirable time to each tune. At a -previous _séance_ a well-known tune was knocked out, and my wife was -requested to dance, the spirits stating that the table should accompany -her; but as we could not induce her to do so, we lost the promised _pas de -deux_ between a human being and a table. At my request the table also gave -a series of knocks, viz. the footman's, the postman's, the tax-gatherer's, -and the countryman's, which were perfect, and caused us much amusement. In -one part of the room there appeared a silvery, bluish star, shining -brilliantly. Mrs. Parks, strange to say, could not see it, but to the -medium and myself it was clearly visible, at the same time too; and a -brilliant member of the stellar creation it was, coming and going like -those of the sky, when for a moment a veil of clouds passes over them." - -The conviction that such acts and deeds are the work of evil spirits is -put on record in the same serial, a formal organ of the Spiritualists, in -the following narrative:-- - -"Mr. and Mrs. C---- attend a _séance_ at which the spirit of 'a darling -child' is manifestly present. They attend a second _séance_, and through -the same medium they are confirmed in the conviction of the real presence -of their child. Mr. C---- then finds that he is himself a medium, and -forthwith he purchases a small table for the exercise of his power. - -"His first experiment proves to him beyond a doubt that an intelligent -being, though invisible, is with him; but he speedily begins to suspect -that whatever the character may have been of the spirit which first -manifested to him through another medium, this, which is now communicating -through himself, is an evil spirit. On his 'wishing it to walk to the -dining-room, it started at once.' He was struck by its heavy tread, 'so -very unlike the footfalls of a young child,' and he exclaimed, 'This is -_not_ the spirit of my child, if so, I want no other manifestation.' -Becoming more and more suspicious of the character of this particular -visitant, he said, 'If thou art not the spirit of my child, march out of -the house.' 'The table did, indeed, march, making a noise like the loud -and well-measured footfalls of a heavy dragoon--literally shaking -everything in the room.' - -"This gentleman then adjured the spirit in a variety of forms, and asked -if it was not a bad spirit? and it said, 'Yes!' Then he said, 'Accursed -devil! by the living God I adjure thee to speak the truth! Has the spirit -of my child _ever_ been put in communication with myself or her mother -through this or any other table?' The 'accursed devil' said, 'No, never!' -Then, after similar assurances, Mr. C---- made up his mind to believe the -devil; and he closed his experiments with an auto-da-fé, by breaking up -and burning the table!" - -Mr. Chevalier, who was the first witness called before the committee -appointed by the Dialectical Society, gives the following personal version -of this experiment, 20th July, 1869. He stated that he had had seventeen -years' experience of Spiritualism, but it was not till 1866 that he -commenced experimenting on tables. He obtained the usual phenomena, such -as raps and tiltings and answers to questions. On one occasion, the answer -which was given being obviously untrue, the witness peremptorily inquired -why a correct answer had not been given, and the spirit in reply said, -"Because I am Beelzebub." Mr. Chevalier, in continuation, said, "I -continued my experiments until I heard of the 'Spiritual Athenæum.' About -that time I lost a child, and heard my wife say she had been in -communication with its spirit. I cautioned her, and yet was anxious to -communicate also. I placed one finger on the table; it moved, and the name -of the child was given. It was a French name. I told a friend of mine what -had happened, but was laughed at by him; he however came, sceptic as he -was. I placed one hand on the table asking mental questions, which were -all answered. He then asked where my child went to school, not knowing -himself, and the answer 'Fenton' was given; this also was correct. -Frequently after this, I obtained manifestations in French and English, -and messages as a child could send to a parent. At my meals I constantly -rested my hand on a small table, and it seemed to join in the -conversation. One day the table turned at right angles, and went into the -corner of the room. I asked, 'Are you my child?' but obtained no answer. I -then said, 'Are you from God?' but the table was still silent. I then -said, 'In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I command you to -answer--are you from God?' One loud rap, a negative, was then given. 'Do -you believe,' said I, 'that Christ died to save us from sin?' The answer -was 'No!' 'Accursed spirit,' said I, 'leave the room.' The table then -walked across the room, entered the adjoining one and quickened its steps. -It was a small tripod table. It walked with a sidelong walk. It went to -the door, shook the handle, and I opened it. The table then walked into -the passage, and I repeated the adjuration, receiving the same answer. -Fully convinced that I was dealing with an accursed spirit, I opened the -street door, and the table was immediately silent; no movement or rap was -heard. I returned alone to the drawing-room, and asked if there were any -spirits present. Immediately I heard steps like those of a little child -outside the door. I opened it, and the small table went into the corner as -before, just as my child did when I reproved it for a fault. These -manifestations continued until I used the adjuration, and I always found -that they changed or ceased when the Name of God was mentioned. One night, -when sitting alone in my drawing-room, I heard a noise at the top of the -house; a servant who had heard it came into the room frightened. I went to -the nursery and found that the sounds came from a spot near the bed. I -pronounced the adjuration and they instantly ceased. The same sounds were -afterwards heard in the kitchen, and I succeeded in restoring quiet as -before. - -"Reflecting on these singular facts, I determined to inquire further and -really satisfy myself that the manifestations were what I suspected them -to be. I went to Mrs. Marshall, and took with me three clever men, who -were not at all likely to be deceived. I was quite unknown; we sat at a -table, and had a _séance_: Mrs. Marshall told me the name of my child. I -asked the spirit some questions, and then pronounced the adjuration. We -all heard steps, which sounded as if someone was mounting the wall; in a -few seconds the sounds ceased, and although Mrs. Marshall challenged again -and again, the spirits did not answer, and she said she could not account -for the phenomenon. In this case, I pronounced the adjuration mentally; no -person knew what I had done. At a _séance_, held at the house of a friend -of mine, at which I was present, manifestations were obtained, and, as I -was known to be hostile, I was entreated not to interfere. I sat for two -hours a passive spectator. I then asked the name of the spirit, and it -gave the name of my child. 'In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy -Ghost,' said I, 'are you the spirit of my child?' It answered, 'No!' and -the word 'Devil' was spelled out." - -Dr. Edmunds: "How were the names spelled out?" - -Mr. Chevalier: "The legs rapped when the alphabet was called over. Mrs. -Marshall used the alphabet herself, and the table rapped when her pencil -came to the letters. My opinion of the phenomena is that the intelligence -which is put in communication with us is a fallen one. It is the Devil, -the Prince of the Powers of the air. I believe we commit the crime of -Necromancy when we take part in these spiritual _séances_." - -We obtain from these extracts, which might be multiplied thirty-fold from -the authorized publications of the Spiritualists, some idea of the nature -of their _séances_ and proceedings. Our own statement at the outset has -been more than justified as regards its moderation and accuracy from the -examples provided in the extracts in question. "Necromancy" has been well -defined to be "The art of communicating with devils and of doing -surprising things by means of their aid; particularly that of calling up -the dead and extorting answers from them." Now this, it seems clear, in -one form or another, is precisely that which is carried on by a -considerable and increasing section[52] of people in America, in England, -on the Continent, and elsewhere. It is practised mainly by persons who -were such extreme Protestants in previous times that, having almost -altogether denied the Supernatural, they have been reluctantly won over to -a belief in it by communion with evil spirits. Father Perrone, the -distinguished Jesuit, has calculated that upwards of two thousand -treatises have been published in defence of the system of these -manifestations during the past fifteen years. It has been pointedly -remarked by an English clergyman, of those people who once, like the -ancient Sadducees, rejected the idea of the existence of spirits, but who -now have accepted the Spiritualistic theory, that "they have given up -believing in nothing, and have taken to believe in the Devil."[53] And -this epigrammatic saying is hardly too pointed. According to Perrone, the -modern professors of divination frankly allow that the phenomena have -passed through three phases. First, that of Mesmerism; secondly, -artificial Somnambulism and Clairvoyance; and thirdly, Spiritualism, -properly so called. He gives five reasons for maintaining his theory of -diabolical agency with regard to the same. 1. From the nature of the -phenomena. 2. From its effects. 3. From the manner in which Mesmerism -operates. 4. From the malice and wickedness of the agent, who frequently -utters anti-Christian and blasphemous doctrines; and lastly, 5. from the -frank and candid admission of the mediums or operators themselves. - -In most cases it may be safely assumed that evil spirits personify the -souls of the departed. That such spirits are the deadly foes of man so -long as he is in his period of probation, may, for all Catholic -Christians, be also assumed. That such spirits, moreover, constantly -represent the departed as continually desiring the hand of Death to fall -upon their earthly friends, in order, as is implied or stated, that a -future of unclouded light and everlasting happiness may speedily link them -together, can be seen from a careful study of the records of Spiritualism. -Some of the facts already set forth teach this. The principle that men, -whether good or bad, righteous or unrighteous, will all be certainly -saved, and be for ever hereafter in bliss, is the practical heresy[54] -that Spiritualism in its theological aspect has most openly taught, and -still continues to teach. "Spiritualism," writes Mr. William Howitt, a -convert to it from Quakerism, "rejects the doctrine of eternal damnation -as alike injurious to God and man. Injurious to God's noblest attributes, -repugnant to the principles of justice, and unavailing in men as a motive -to repentance.... Spiritualism knows that there are isolated passages in -the Gospels and in the words of our Saviour capable of being made to bear -an appearance favouring the doctrine of eternal punishment, but it knows -that the original terms bear no such latitude, and when Christ says there -is a state 'where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched,' it -admits the state, but denies that any of God's creatures will continue in -that state a minute longer than is necessary to purge the foulness of sin -and the love of sin out of their spiritual constitutions. Were the -solution of this supposed difficulty much harder than it is, Spiritualism -would place the love of God and the love of Christ, and all the great and -gracious attributes of God and His Saviour--justice and truth and wisdom, -and a charity more immeasurable than God Himself recommends to mankind, -confidently and courageously against so horrible and senseless a -doctrine." - -Now, though Spiritualism be ignored by the press, Universalism, its own -offspring, is constantly and persistently maintained. Spiritualism also -flatly denies the great Christian doctrine of the Resurrection of the -body:-- - -"Spiritualism teaches, on the authority of Scripture and of all -spirit-life, that there is no such thing as death: it is but a name given -to the issue of the soul from the body. To those in bodies who witness -this change, the spirit is invisible, and they only see a body which -ceases all its living functions, has lost that intelligence which during -so-called 'life' emanated from it, and lies stiff and cold, and to all -appearance dead. But even the body is not dead. There is a law of life -even in what is called dead matter, which is perpetually changing its -particles and converting them into mere black earth and water, and hence -into all the articles necessary for the physical life--corn, meat, wine, -all foods, all fruits. The same law immediately begins to operate in the -dead body, and, if unobstructed, speedily resolves it back into earth, and -then forms this again into food and clothing and fresh enveloping forms -for fresh human beings. The whole of the universe is in perpetual action, -and the ever-revolving wheel of physical is subserving the perpetual -evolution of spiritual life."[55] - -And again:-- - -"The Church of England and Spiritualism accord, but not in the doctrine of -the resurrection of the body. The spirits all assert with S. Paul, that -the body which rises from the death-bed is the spiritual body, and that -the soul needs no other, much less an earthly body, in its -spirit-home--that, in fact, nothing of the earth can ever enter heaven. -That if the spirits of just men are _made perfect_, they can be nothing -more, and no addition of anything belonging to this earth can add to their -happiness, freedom, power, and perfection, but on the contrary. That so -far from receiving at some indefinite and, probably, very distant period, -their earthly bodies back again, they are continually, as they advance, -casting off the subtler particles of matter that have interpenetrated -their spiritual bodies."[56] - -With regard to the influence of the Protestant Reformation on that temper -of mind and habit of thought which have led sceptics and those whose faith -has been overturned by the blasphemies of Calvin or the immoral principle -of the Lutheran systems and their offshoots, to become votaries of -Spiritualism, we cannot do better than put on record Mr. Howitt's -deliberate judgment, expressed in language which, however painful to read -in some parts, is at once forcible and pertinent:-- - -"By the denial of the intermediate states, the Protestant Reformers -perpetrated a more monstrous outrage on the Divine justice, and more -frightfully libelled the Divine mercy, than by the broadest stretch of -imagination one would have thought it possible. By this arbitrary -extinction of some of the loveliest regions of creation, by this wiping -out of vast kingdoms of God's tolerance and goodness by the sponge of -Protestant reaction, God's whole being was blackened, and every one of His -eternal attributes dislocated and driven pell-mell into the limbo of -Atheism. I say Atheism, for such a God could not possibly exist as this -Protestant theory would have made Him--a God with less justice than the -most stupid country squire ever established in the chair of magistracy; -with less mercy than an inquisitor or a torturer with his red-hot pincers -and iron boots. These atrocities were but the work of moments, but this -system made the God of love and the Father of Jesus Christ sitting in -endless bliss amid a favoured few, whilst below were incalculable -populations suffering the tortures of fires which no period even of -millions of years should extinguish, and that without any proportion -whatever to the offences of the sufferers! All who were not 'spirits of -just men made perfect' were, according to this doctrine, only admissible -to this common hell, this common receptacle of the middling, bad, and the -most bedevilled of devils! Never could any such monstrous, foul, and -detestable doctrine issue from any source but that of the hearts of -fiends themselves. None but devils could breed up so black a fog of -blasphemy to blot out the image of a loving and paternal God from the view -of His creatures. And yet the mocking devil induced the zealous Protestant -fathers to accept this most truly 'doctrine of devils,' as an antidote to -Popish error. As some glimmering of the direst consequences of this -shutting-up of the middle states of the invisible world began to dawn on -the Protestant mind, it set about to invent remedies and apply -palliatives, and by a sort of spiritual hocus-pocus, it taught that if the -greatest sinners did but call on Christ at the last gasp, they were -converted into saints, and found themselves in heaven itself with God and -the Lamb. This was only making the matter worse, and holding out a premium -for the continuance in every sin and selfishness to the last moment. It -was an awful temptation to self-deception presented to human selfishness. -Millions, no doubt, have trusted to this wretched Protestant reed.... Yet -common sense in others rejected and rejects the cruel deceit. A country -poet, writing the epitaph of the blacksmith in my native village, -expressed the truth on the Protestant theory of no middle regions:-- - - 'Too bad for heaven, too good for hell, - So where he's gone we cannot tell.'" - -And now to conclude this portion of our subject, regarding which not a -tenth part of the examples of "Spiritual" manifestations gathered has been -given. To have discussed the facts and theories provided on previous -pages, would have occupied several chapters. Sufficient, however, is -recorded to show that Spiritualism is directly antagonistic to the -Christian Religion,[57] to point out the true character of many of the -signs and wonders which exist in this nineteenth century, and which -testify and witness to old and unchangeable truths. The ministry of "men -and of angels in a wonderful order,"[58] the practice of exorcism, the -facts of diabolical agency, possession by evil spirits, the sins of -Witchcraft and Necromancy, are all more or less intertwined with the -Divine Revelation which God has been pleased to give to man. But the -Materialism of these latter days is blinding men's eyes, that they cannot -see, and successfully destroying their faith in all that is beyond their -cramped and narrow temporal range. Intellectual Paganism, and a positive -disbelief in the distinct Nature of God, if not openly professed, is -indirectly acknowledged; while the Faith of Pentecost, which for -generations has regenerated the World, is cast aside as worn out, effete, -and valueless. The possibility of miracle is derided; Providence is -scouted as the fond dream of an exaggerated human self-love; belief in the -power of prayer is asserted to be only a superstition, illustrative of -man's ignorance of the scientific conception of law; the hypothesis of -absolute invariable law, and the cognate conception of Nature as a -self-evolved system of self-existent forces and self-existent matter, are -ideas advancing with giant strides. Side by side with all this, however, -stand the portentous phenomena referred to here. Let the existence of one -course of such facts as those related be granted, and far more follows -than the pure Materialist or the Positivist would for a moment allow. Yet -none can deny the presence amongst us of such, evil in their essence and -mischievous in their operations. The whole cycle represents the works of -the Devil and his angels--works opposed at every step in theory by the -Truths of Christianity, and in fact by the sacraments of the Church -Universal. Man's highest and chiefest duty is to do the Will of the Most -High: the practice of the Spiritualists, on the other hand (and let men -lay the warning to heart), appears to be an intentional and systematic -giving up of their wills to the evil one; an invocation of evil spirits -for unlawful purposes, a "willing" for supernatural intervention in things -which are not lawful, and a deliberate turning away from Him to Whom all -power is given in Heaven and in Earth. - - -APPENDIX TO CHAPTER IX. - -SPIRITUALISM AND SCIENCE. - -The following Letter appeared in "The Times" newspaper a few years ago:-- - -"SIR,--Having been named by several of your correspondents as one of the -scientific men who believe in Spiritualism, you will perhaps allow me to -state briefly what amount of evidence has forced the belief upon me. I -began the investigation about eight years ago, and I esteem it a fortunate -thing that at that time the more marvellous phenomena were far less -common and less accessible than they are now, because I was led to -experiment largely at my own house, and among friends whom I could trust, -and was able to establish to my own satisfaction, by means of a great -variety of tests, the occurrence of sounds and movements not traceable to -any known or conceivable physical cause. Having thus become thoroughly -familiar with these undoubtedly genuine phenomena, I was able to compare -them with the more powerful manifestations of several public mediums, and -to recognize an identity of cause in both by means of a number of minute -but highly characteristic resemblances. I was also able, by patient -observation, to obtain tests of the reality of some of the more curious -phenomena which appeared at the time, and still appear to me, to be -conclusive. To go into details as to those experiences would require a -volume, but I may, perhaps, be permitted briefly to describe one, from -notes kept at the time, because it serves as an example of the complete -security against deception which often occurs to the patient observer -without seeking for it. - -"A lady who had seen nothing of the phenomena asked me and my sister to -accompany her to a well-known public medium. We went, and had a sitting -alone in the bright light of a summer's day. After a number of the usual -raps and movements, our lady friend asked if the name of the deceased -person she was desirous of communicating with, could be spelt out. On -receiving an answer in the affirmative, the lady pointed successively to -the letters of a printed alphabet while I wrote down those at which three -affirmative raps occurred. Neither I nor my sister knew the name the lady -wished for, nor even the names of any of her deceased relatives; her own -name had not been mentioned, and she had never been near the medium -before. The following is exactly what happened, except that I alter the -surname, which was a very unusual one, having no authority to publish it. -The letters I wrote down were of the following kind:--yrnehnospmoht. After -the first three--yrn--had been taken down, my friend said, "This is -nonsense, we had better begin again." Just then her pencil was at e, and -raps came, when a thought struck me (having read of, but never witnessed, -a similar occurrence), and I said, 'Please go on, I think I see what is -meant.' When the spelling was finished I handed the paper to her, but she -could see no meaning in it till I divided it at the first h, and asked her -to read each portion backwards, when to her intense astonishment the name -'Henry Thompson' came out, that of a deceased son of whom she had wished -to hear, correct in every letter. Just about that time I had been hearing -_ad nauseam_ of the superhuman acuteness of mediums who detect the letters -of the name the deluded visitors expect, notwithstanding all their care to -pass the pencil over the letters with perfect regularity. This experience, -however (for the substantial accuracy of which as above narrated I vouch), -was and is, to my mind, a complete disproof of every explanation yet given -of the means by which the names of deceased persons are rapped out. Of -course I do not expect any sceptic, whether scientific or unscientific, to -accept such facts, of which I could give many, on my testimony; but -neither must they expect me, nor the thousands of intelligent men to whom -equally conclusive tests have occurred, to accept their short and easy -methods of explaining them. - -"If I am not occupying too much of your valuable space I should like to -make a few remarks on the misconceptions of many scientific men as to the -nature of this inquiry, taking the Letters of your correspondent Mr. Dirks -as an example. In the first place, he seems to think that it is an -argument against the facts being genuine that they cannot all be produced -and exhibited at will; and another argument against them, that they cannot -be explained by any known laws. But neither can catalepsy, the fall of -meteoric stones, nor hydrophobia be produced at will; yet these are all -facts, and none the less so that the first is sometimes imitated, the -second was once denied, and the symptoms of the third are often greatly -exaggerated, while none of them is yet brought under the domain of strict -science; yet no one would make this an argument for refusing to -investigate these subjects. Again, I should not have expected a scientific -man to state, as a reason for not examining it, that Spiritualism 'is -opposed to every known natural law, especially the law of gravity,' and -that it 'sets chymistry, human physiology, and mechanics at open -defiance;' when the facts simply are that the phenomena, if true, depend -upon a cause or causes which can overcome or counteract the action of -these several forces, just as some of these forces often counteract or -overcome others; and this should surely be a strong inducement to a man of -science to investigate the subject. - -"While not laying any claim myself to the title of 'a really scientific -man,' there are some who deserve that epithet who have not yet been -mentioned by your correspondents as at the same time spiritualists. Such I -consider the late Dr. Robert Chambers, as well as Dr. Elliotson, Professor -William Gregory, of Edinburgh; and Professor Hare, of Philadelphia--all -unfortunately deceased; while Dr. Gully, of Malvern, as a scientific -physician, and Judge Edmonds, one of the best American lawyers, have had -the most ample means of investigation; yet all these not only were -convinced of the reality of the most marvellous facts, but also accepted -the theory of Modern Spiritualism as the only one which would embrace and -account for the facts. I am also acquainted with a living physiologist, of -high rank as an original investigator, who is an equally firm believer. - -"In conclusion I may say that, although I have heard a great many -accusations of imposture, I have never detected it myself; and, although a -large proportion of the more extraordinary phenomena are such that, if -impostures, they could only be performed by means of ingenious apparatus -or machinery, none has ever been discovered. I consider it no exaggeration -to say that the main facts are now as well established and as easily -verifiable as any of the more exceptional phenomena of nature which are -not yet reduced to law. They have a most important bearing on the -interpretation of History, which is full of narratives of similar facts, -and on the nature of life and intellect, on which physical science throws -a very feeble and uncertain light; and it is my firm and deliberate belief -that every branch of philosophy must suffer till they are honestly and -seriously investigated, and dealt with as constituting an essential -portion of the phenomena of human nature. - - "I am, Sir, yours obediently, - "ALFRED R. WALLACE." - -The following Review, taken from the "Weekly Register" of August 1, 1874, -will be read with interest:-- - -"The May and June numbers of the 'Fortnightly Review' for 1874, contain -two remarkable articles by Mr. Wallace, the eminent naturalist. They are -entitled--'A Defence of Modern Spiritualism.' His aim in these is to prove -the objective reality of its phenomena in the first instance, and then to -show that the theory which explains them can be accepted by those who, -like himself, entirely disbelieve in a Supernatural order. He points out -that Modern Spiritualism is not in any way a survival or revival of old -superstitions, but a completely new science. The facts upon which it rests -have been known and noted from the earliest beginnings of history, but, -owing to the influence of Superstition, were almost universally -misinterpreted. Now, at last, these mists are clearing away. We have -abundant materials upon which to work, and he looks forward with -confidence to the establishment of a satisfactory scientific theory of a -future life. Such a theory will be a truly regenerating influence, -resting, not on arbitrary beliefs, but on established facts, and will, for -the first time, make a true religion possible and a pure morality. - -"At the close of the second essay, there is a sketch of the outline of the -theory up to the point which it has reached as yet. Of course there is -still much which requires to be explained and developed. The science is -only in its infancy; but still its principles can be understood and -appreciated. It is taken for granted that there are no spirits but human -ones, these being the only spirits of which we can have any scientific -knowledge. This being assumed, Mr. Wallace proceeds to give a short -analysis of human nature, drawn from generalizations from the 'phenomena -in their entirety,' and the communications of the spirits themselves. This -is contained in four propositions:-- - -"1. Man is a duality, consisting of an organized spiritual form evolved -coincidently with and permeating the physical body, and having -corresponding organs and development. - -"2. Death is the separation of this duality, and effects no change in the -spirit, morally or intellectually. - -"3. Progressive evolution of the intellectual and moral nature is the -destiny of individuals; the knowledge, attainments, and experience of -earth-life forming the basis of spirit-life. - -"4. Spirits can communicate through properly-endowed mediums. They are -attracted to those they love or sympathise with.... But, as follows from -Clause 2, their communications will be fallible, and must be judged and -tested just as we do those of our fellow-men. - -"From the acceptance of these propositions will result a far purer -morality than any which either Religious systems or Philosophy have yet -put forth, and with sanctions far more powerful and effective--'For the -essential teaching of Spiritualism is that we are all, in every act and -thought, helping to build up a "mental fabric" which will be and -constitute ourselves more completely after the death of the body than it -does now. Just as this fabric is well or ill built will our progress and -happiness be aided or retarded. There will be no imposed rewards and -punishments; but everyone will suffer the inevitable consequences of a -well or ill spent life. The well-spent life is that in which those -faculties which concern our personal physical well-being are subordinated -to those which regard our social and intellectual well-being and the -well-being of others; and that inherent feeling, which is so universal and -so difficult to account for, that those latter constitute our higher -nature, seems also to point to the conclusion that we are intended for a -condition in which the former will be almost wholly unnecessary, and will -gradually become rudimentary through disuse, while the latter will receive -a corresponding development. This teaching will make a man dread to give -way to passion, or falsehood, or a selfish and luxurious life--knowing -that the inevitable consequences of such habits are future misery and a -long and arduous struggle, in order to develop anew the faculties which -had been crippled by long disuse. He will be deterred from crime, knowing -that its unforeseen consequences may cause him ages of remorse, and his -bad passions perpetual torment, in a state of being in which mental -emotions cannot be drowned in the fierce struggles and sensual pleasures -of a physical existence. And these beliefs (unlike those of theology) will -have a living efficacy, because depending on facts occurring again and -again within the family circle, and so bringing home the realities of the -future life to the minds of even the most obtuse.' He asks us to 'contrast -this system of natural and inevitable reward and retribution, dependent -wholly on the proportionate development of our higher mental and moral -nature, with the arbitrary system of rewards and punishments dependent on -stated acts and beliefs only, as set forth by all dogmatic religions; and -who can fail to see that the former is in harmony with the whole order of -Nature--the latter opposed to it?' We cannot enter on the religious and -moral questions which this brief survey of Mr. Wallace's theory suggests, -but we wish to make some remarks on the 'facts' on which it is founded, -and his treatment of them. The point that strikes one most in these -articles is their evident sincerity. Mr. Wallace has become a believer in -Spiritualism in spite of deeply-rooted prejudices against it, and he is -anxious to deal thoroughly and impartially with all the facts connected -with it as far as he can, without contradicting the first principles of -his scientific creed. We can understand this limitation, for we, too, have -first principles--first principles of which we are so certain that no -seeming contradiction of them by facts could shake our belief. But the -difference between our position and his is that our first principles are -founded, not on facts of experience, but on a _belief_ that God has spoken -to us, and is speaking every day in the Church. Therefore, whatever God -has revealed becomes to us as a first principle, which, _à priori_, cannot -contradict facts, and which, as our knowledge increases, we more and more -find experimentally to harmonize with them and explain them. But the whole -of Mr. Wallace's theory is founded on the assumption that God does not -speak--that He, and all that concerns Him, is unknown and unknowable to -us; and this assumption rests, he would tell us, on facts--_i. e._ on his -view of the order of Nature. Now, what we wish to point out is, that -nothing which thus rests only on experience can, in any true sense, be -called a first principle. It is merely a wide generalization, which may, -any moment, be displaced by a still wider one. Mr. Lecky, in his 'History -of Rationalism,' asserts that the evidence in favour of the reality of -witchcraft would be irresistible, were we not convinced, on _à priori_ -grounds, that witchcraft is a delusion. Once Mr. Wallace fully shared this -conviction, and found himself compelled, in his own words, to 'reject or -ignore' all this evidence. Now, Modern Spiritualism has enabled him to -accept all these, and other facts of a similar nature; and he expatiates -on the relief he feels in being able to open his eyes to a whole host of -things which he had hitherto been obliged painfully and laboriously to -overlook. There is quite a string of them. Socrates' Demon, the ancient -Oracles, all Miracles--those of the Bible, the lives of the Saints, and in -the present day, answers to prayer, all the phenomena of Second Sight, -Ghosts, and occult disturbances of all sorts. We cannot refer our readers -to the articles themselves for the explanations, some of them very -curious, of all these things. But we should like to ask whether it may not -be possible that there may be some theory yet to be found still more -comprehensive than Spiritualism, and which may yield a still deeper joy -and relief? The one before us seems to us still to require a considerable -amount of reserve, to say no more, in dealing with some of the facts. -Professor Huxley objects to the amount of twaddle that is talked by the -spirits; but to this Mr. Wallace replies, very justly, we think, that it -is no more than we must expect, considering the mental and moral calibre -of the majority of mankind; and, consequently, of spirits, who are not -much improved by the mere fact of dying, not to mention that of the -spiritualists themselves; and we know that the proverb, 'Like attracts -like,' is especially applicable to mediums. But we confess that we are -surprised when we are told that 'sectarian' spirits continue to maintain -special dogmas and doctrines, while yet quite unable to describe -themselves as being in any situation which at all corresponds to the -orthodox teaching about a future life. We cannot understand what doctrines -or dogmas could survive such a _désillusionnement_, whether agreeable or -the reverse, as Mr. Wallace's future life would be to a spirit whose -conceptions on the subject had been moulded on any form of Christianity. -Nor can we conceive of any motive, except a diabolical maliciousness, -which could prompt spirits to wish to keep up such delusions among their -surviving friends. And yet Mr. Wallace explains the apparitions of Our -Lady, &c., in modern times, as being produced by spirits with strong -Catholic predilections, knowing that they would be very efficacious in -stimulating the cultus which they prefer. And this is said without any -moral comment whatever. Also allowing, as he does, the reality of the -apparitions, though only of human origin, in the Bible and lives of the -saints, we are at a loss to see how he can say that orthodox notions of -heaven are never confirmed by spirits. We should have said that it was -precisely by them that most of these had been originated, not to say -confirmed. If his spirits are spirits, so are ours, and quite as worthy of -credit. These are only a few of the difficulties on the surface of -Sceptical Spiritualism. But we have already exceeded our limits. We will -only add that we cannot but hope that, Spiritualism being so far an -approach to truth that it admits an important class of facts which had -lately been very much denied and ignored, may, by the difficulties which -they raise, lead some minds to reconsider the position they have taken up -with regard to the Supernatural. There is no bridge across the chasm which -divides Faith from Unbelief, and yet in this World the edges are so close -that it is but a step, and we pass from darkness into light." - - - - -SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. - - -"The Angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear Him, and -delivereth them."--_Psalm xxxiv. 7._ - -"God sees at one view the whole thread of my existence, not only that part -of it which I have already passed through, but that which runs forward -into all the depths of Eternity. When I lay me down to sleep I recommend -myself to His care; when I awake I give myself up to His direction. Amidst -all the evils that threaten me, I look up to Him for help, and question -not that He will either avert them, or turn them to my advantage. Though I -know neither the time nor the manner of the death I am to die, I am not at -all solicitous about it: because I am sure that He knows them both, and -that He will not fail to comfort and support me under them."--_Addison._ - -"Reverence the angels; shun the demons."--_Thomas Scott._ - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. - - -Before a brief summary is made of the contents and purport of this book, -an account of a most remarkable event which occurred at Oxford about -forty-five years ago may be fitly chronicled. It will be known, in its -general outline, by many Oxford men; and was given to the Editor in the -month of June, 1854, by a member of Brasenose College, where it had -occurred. - -In the year 1829, a club, known as the "Hell-Fire Club," consisting of -members of the university _in statu pupillari_,--formed in some respects -on the model of that existing in the last century, which met at Medmenham -Abbey,--was accustomed to meet twice a week at Brasenose College, in -Oxford. Unbelief at that time is said to have taken coarser forms there -than is the case now. Then it was less dangerous, because more gross and -revolting. The members of the Club, however, were not unsuccessful in -their imitation of the blasphemy, drunkenness and other sins which had so -notoriously characterized the older society. They met twice a week, and -each is reported to have endeavoured to outdo his fellow-member in rampant -blasphemy and sceptical daring. The meetings were kept so private, and -such judicious care was taken to preserve unity of thought and secrecy -amongst the various members, that the College authorities, though -partially aware of its existence, were said to be unable to interfere. - -On the north side of the College runs a narrow lane, connecting the square -in which Brasenose College faces that of All Souls, with Turl Street. -Going towards the latter, on the left-hand side stands Brasenose, until it -is joined by the north portion of Lincoln College. On the other side is -the high garden wall of Exeter College. It is a dreary and dismal-looking -thoroughfare at best; and especially so at night. The windows of Brasenose -College are of a narrow Jacobean type, protected both by horizontal as -well as perpendicular stanchions. The lower windows, being almost level -with the street, were further secured by a coarse wire netting. - -Towards midnight on a day in December in the year above-named, one of the -Fellows of Brasenose College was returning home, when as he approached he -saw a tall man apparently draped in a long cloak, and, as he imagined, -helping to assist some one to get out of the window. The window belonged -to the rooms of one who was reported to be a leading member of the -Hell-Fire Club. Being one of the authorities of the College, he -instinctively rushed forward to detect what he imagined to be the -perpetration of a distinct breach of the rules, when (as he himself -afterwards declared) a thrill of horror seized him in a moment, and he -felt all at once convinced that it was no human being at whom, appalled -and fear-stricken, he looked. As he rushed past he saw the owner of the -rooms, as he conceived, being forcibly and strugglingly dragged between -the iron stanchions. The form, the features,[59] horribly distorted and -stamped with a look of indescribable agony, were vividly before him; and -the tall figure seemed to hold the frantic struggler in a strong grasp. - -He rushed past, round to the chief entrance, knocked at the gate, and then -fell to the ground in a swoon. Just as the Porter opened it, there rose a -cry from a crowd of men trooping out from a set of rooms immediately to -the right of the Porter's lodge. They were members of the notorious -Hell-Fire Club. In the middle of a violent speech, as profane as it is -said to have been blasphemous, and with a frightful imprecation upon his -lips, a chief speaker (the owner of the rooms) had suddenly broken a -blood vessel, and was then lying dead on the floor. - -The club in question, it is reported, never met again.[60] - -So much on this point. A few words are perhaps needed upon another. It may -be held by some that what has already been written on Witchcraft and -Necromancy is a melancholy instance of grovelling superstition on the part -of its Author.[61] Be it so. He is quite ready to avow his entire belief -in the express statements of Holy Scripture, and in the general Christian -tradition and teaching on the subject itself and all that is necessarily -involved in it. Those who believe in the existence of angels, "the -glorious battalions of the living God," and who frankly accept as truth -the various records of Holy Scripture, in which their ministry to mankind -is set forth, will likewise believe that S. Peter's exhortation to the -Early Christians did not simply embody a sentiment but declared a fact, -when he wrote: "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the Devil, -as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."[62] - -That the pagan nations owning and serving the Prince of this World, and -being supernaturally served by him in return, actively practised magic at -the time of our Blessed Saviour's first coming, is generally allowed. And -that the Christian writers of early times, more particularly S. Gregory -Thaumaturgus, admitted the reality and force of the sorcerers' -incantations and powers, is abundantly evident from their words and -reasoning. The case of the damsel of Thyatira, "possessed with a spirit of -divination," who "brought her masters much gain by soothsaying," clearly -establishes this point; and so does the apostle's authoritative -action:--"Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command -thee in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the -same hour."[63] - -When, three centuries after the Day of Pentecost, the Church of God -commenced numbering up her earliest triumphs, the soothsayers, the -diviners, and the dealers with evil spirits began to experience her -righteous and beneficent power. Constantine, urged to action by those who -sat in the seats of the apostles, formally sanctioned the condemnation of -magicians; but of course under Julian the Apostate, magic rites were not -only still commonly in vogue, but were publicly patronized. Later on, -Valentinian re-enacted the laws of Constantine; and under Theodosius the -severest penalties were likewise enforced against the practice of magic; -and, in truth, against every phase of pagan worship. But a general belief -in sorcery and divination remained powerful and active long after the -supreme and glorious victory of Christianity in the sixth century; and the -manner in which the authorities of the Christian Church met the belief, -and, by Sacraments and Sacramentals, aided the faithful to withstand the -legions of the Devil and his human allies, is perfectly familiar to the -student of history. - -The well-known conviction that demons had appeared to mankind under the -names of sylvans, gnomes, and fauns was common enough amongst the Romans -prior to the revelation of Christianity; while the conviction that these -demons had sometimes made women the object of their passion was arrived at -by many. Justin Martyr and S. Augustine of Hippo[64] seem to imply -something of the sort; and marriage or commerce with demons was a charge -frequently made against witches, even from the earliest times.[65] It was -said that these demons owned a remarkable attachment to women with -beautiful hair,--a belief possibly founded on the passage in S. Paul's -First Epistle to the Corinthians,[66] in which he exhorts women to cover -their heads "because of the angels." In the middle ages the intercourse -of philosophers belonging to certain secret societies with sylphs and -salamanders was also believed by many:[67] and, later on, the study of -astrology, with its fatalistic theories, and the restoration of the -heresies of the Manichees, served to aid in more systematically -formulating that belief in witchcraft and the supernatural which was for -centuries so universal, and which never could have become so without a -sure and solid substratum of fact and truth. - -Again, it is impossible to believe that the sorcerers of the Oriental -nations have been and are impostors. As regards those of modern Egypt, Mr. -Lane, in his interesting volume upon that country,[68] appears to have -settled the question by expressing his conviction of the truth and reality -of their supernatural performances. And similar conclusions have -reluctantly but most certainly been arrived at by those who, with some -knowledge and reasonable powers of observation, have witnessed the acts -and deeds of the Eastern dealers with evil spirits. - -With reference to Egypt, Mr. Lane's statement on the subject stands -thus:-- - -"A few days after my arrival in this country my curiosity was excited on -the subject of magic by a circumstance related to me by Mr. Salt, our -consul-general. Having had reason to believe that one of his servants was -a thief, from the fact of several articles of property having been stolen -from his house, he sent for a celebrated Maghrabee magician, with a view -of intimidating them, and causing the guilty one, (if any of them were -guilty,) to confess his crime. The magician came, and said that he would -cause the exact image of the person who had committed the thefts to appear -to any youth not arrived at the age of puberty; and desired the master of -the house to call in any boy whom he might choose. As several boys were -then employed in a garden adjacent to the house, one of them was called -for this purpose. In the palm of this boy's right hand, the magician drew -with a pen a certain diagram, in the centre of which he poured a little -ink. Into this ink he desired the boy steadfastly to look. He then burned -some incense, and several bits of paper inscribed with charms; and at the -same time called for various objects to appear in the ink. The boy -declared that he saw all these objects, and, last of all, the image of the -guilty person; he described his stature, countenance, and dress; said that -he knew him; and directly ran down into the garden, and apprehended one of -the labourers, who, when brought before the master, immediately confessed -that he was the thief."--P. 267.[69] - -The performers themselves maintain, that they have been instructed in the -art by those who have traditionally received the knowledge step by step, -and period by period, from the old "magicians of Egypt;" and some frankly -allow, that they themselves are constantly attended and waited on by a -familiar spirit, demon, or genius, who actively aids them in their -performances, and who is, under certain circumstances, always prepared to -do their bidding. - -These genii, or "Ginn" as they are called in Egypt, "are said to be of -pre-Adamite origin, and in their general properties," remarks Mr. Lane, -"are an intermediate class of beings between angels and men, but inferior -in dignity to both, created of fire, and capable of assuming the forms and -material fabric of men, brutes, and monsters; and of becoming invisible at -pleasure. They eat and drink, propagate their species (like or in -conjunction with human beings,) and are subject to death."... "The Ginn," -continues Mr. Lane, "are supposed to pervade the solid matter of the -earth, as well as the firmament, where, approaching the confines of the -lowest heaven, they often listen to the conversation of the angels -respecting future things, thus enabling themselves to assist diviners and -magicians."--P. 222. - -In the twentieth chapter of his interesting and attractive volume, he -writes:--"I have met with many persons among the more intelligent of the -Egyptians who condemn these modern Psylli as impostors, but none who has -been able to offer a satisfactory explanation of the most common and most -interesting of their performances."--P. 383. - -In another part of the book Mr. Lane concludes his chapter on "Magic" -thus:--"Neither I nor others have been able to discover any clue by which -to penetrate the mystery."[70] - -So likewise as regards India,[71] it is impossible to set aside the facts, -which are testified to not by one but by hundreds, as to the supernatural -powers of the jugglers there. Identical in kind with the performances of -the magicians of Egypt before Pharaoh and in the presence of Moses and -Aaron, recorded in the Book of Exodus, the secret of the following -"tricks" (familiar to any one who has been in India) has been handed down -from father to son from the most remote ages; and we have no reason to -doubt that the source of the power by which these acts are done is one and -the same. - -For instance:--The juggler, giving one of the spectators a coin to hold as -securely as possible within his hands, after pronouncing incantations in a -monotonous voice for some minutes, suddenly stops, still keeping his seat, -makes a rapid motion with his right hand, as if in the act of throwing -something at the person holding the coin, at the same time breathing with -his mouth upon him. Instantaneously the hands of the person taking part in -the performance are suddenly distended, while a horrible sensation of -holding something cold and disagreeable and nasty, is immediately felt, -forcing him to cast away the contents of his palms, which, to the horror -and disgust of uninitiated persons, turns out to be, not the coin which -before was there, but a live snake coiled up! The juggler then rises, and -catching the snake, which is now crawling and wriggling on the ground, -takes it by the tail, opens his mouth wide, and allows the snake to drop -into it. With deliberation he appears by degrees to swallow it, until the -whole, tail and all, completely disappears. He opens his mouth for the -spectators to investigate; but nothing is to be seen, neither does the -snake appear again. - -Here is another instance:--A juggler will be brought to act before, -perhaps, many hundreds of people, of all ages, degrees, and religions, -including the soldiery of a garrison, in the public yard of a barrack. A -guard of soldiers will be placed around him, to prevent either trickery or -deception on his part, or interruption from the spectators. A little girl, -about eight or nine years old, accompanies the man, who is also provided -with a tall, narrow basket, three or four feet high, little more than a -foot in width, and open all the way up. The juggler, after some -altercation with the child, pretends to get angry, and lashing himself -into a fury, seizes hold of the child, and inverts the basket completely -over her. Thus placed completely at his mercy, and in spite of her screams -and entreaties, he draws his sword, and fiercely plunges it down into the -basket, and brings it out dripping with blood--or what apparently is such. -The child's screams become fainter and fainter, as again and again the -sword is thrust through the basket; and at length they gradually cease, -and everything is still. Then follows a critical moment for the supposed -murderer: and the exertions of the guard scarcely serve to save him from -the excited soldiery. When order is at length obtained, however, the man, -raising his bloody sword for an instant, strikes the basket with it, which -falls, and reveals--not a murdered child weltering in blood, but an empty -space, with no vestige left of the supposed victim. In a few moments the -identical little girl comes rushing--from whence no one can tell--to the -feet of the performer, with every sign of affection, and perfectly unhurt. -Be it observed that these performances commonly take place in India in -places where it is impossible for any contrivances or trap-doors to exist, -in the centre of court-yards at the various military stations, and before -innumerable witnesses. - -Again: in Corea and China the practice of Necromancy is said to be almost -universal. An intelligent modern writer upon China gives an account, in -the following passage, of one mode in which questions are put, and answers -obtained, by a kind of divination:--Written communications from spirits -are not unfrequently sought for in the following manner: after the -presence and desired offices of some spirit are invoked, "two or more -persons support with their hands some object to which a pencil is attached -in a vertical position, and extending to a table below covered with sand. -It is said that the movements of the pencil, involuntary as far as the -persons holding it are concerned, but governed by the influences of -spirits, describe certain characters which are easily deciphered, and -which often bring to light remarkable disclosures and revelations. Many -who regard themselves as persons of superior intelligence are firm -believers in this mode of consulting spirits."[72] - -Here, as illustrating the common principles and course of action which are -adopted and followed in all parts of the World by those who seek -information by forbidden means, the following may be set forth:-- - -There is a dreary-looking House in one of the London Squares which is -reported to be haunted. And certainly this opinion, as the Editor can -testify from a careful personal enquiry, is tolerably current in the -neighbourhood. A Lady, curious about the fact, was present on an occasion -when certain inquiries were made regarding this House by means of -"Planchette,"--the instrument just referred to as so commonly used in -China. It is a small board, in shape like a heart, which is made to run -on two wheels or castors, and a hole is provided for a pencil so to be -placed with its point downward as that, when put upon a sheet of white -paper the point may just touch the surface. After the usual invocation or -incantation (or whatever it be), the persons who practise modern -divination place their hands on the board. Questions are put, and answers -given. No one touches the pencil, but the board is so guided, as the -Necromancers and Spiritualists assert, that the pencil is made to write -intelligible answers to expressed (and sometimes to mere mental) queries. -The following, printed _verbatim et literatim_, are in the handwriting of -the lady who witnessed them put and responded to, and are given as a fair -specimen of this mode of divination, now so generally practised in -England:-- - - Is any house haunted in B---- Square? Yes. - - What killed the two people in the haunted room? Fright. - - What frightened them? Spirits. - - What kind of spirits? Yourself. - - How could any one be afraid of me? Without your body. - - Did they see them? Spirits not visible. - - How did they know they were there? Thought they saw them. - - Did they make them feel them? No. - - Then how did the spirits make themselves known--by what means? - Mesmeric. - - Were you ever there? No. - - Why do those spirits haunt that house? Murder was committed there. - - Who was murdered, a man or a woman? A woman. - - What was the name of the woman? (Writing not intelligible.) - - Who murdered her? (Writing not intelligible.) - - Is he alive or dead? Dead. - - Is it the woman's spirit, or the man's, who haunts the house? Both. - - Was the man hung? No. - - Was the murder found out while he lived? No. - - Are you a bad spirit? Bad. - - Is it what the Bible calls "divination" to consult you in this way? - Yes. - - Is it displeasing to God? Perhaps. - - Is it wrong? You know. - -It is only right to add that those who made and obtained the foregoing -intelligible responses to intelligible questions, for good and sufficient -reasons came to hold such practices to be unlawful and wicked, and threw -the instrument by which they had been given into the Thames. - -On this subject, and all its details, no words of warning could be more -forcible than the following, which are quoted, in the hope that some who -may have been thoughtlessly induced to adopt the practices of Modern -Spiritualism, may be led at once to desist from the same:-- - -"Although good and evil spirits possess a powerful influence in the -government of the World, yet it is strictly forbidden, in the divine laws -of the Old and New Testament, to seek any acquaintance with them, or to -place ourselves in connection with and relation to them; and it is just as -little permitted for citizens of the world of spirits visibly to manifest -themselves to those who are still in the present state of existence, -without the express command or permission of the Lord. He, therefore, that -seeks intercourse with the invisible world sins deeply, and will soon -repent of it; whilst he that becomes acquainted with it, without his own -seeking and by Divine guidance, ought to beg and pray for wisdom, courage, -and strength, for he has need of all these; and let him that is introduced -into such a connection, by means of illness, or the aberration of his -physical nature, seek by proper means to regain his health, and detach -himself from intercourse with spirits."[73] - -Yet, with many, and an increasing number, it is to be feared such advice -is wholly unheeded. For more than five-and-twenty years the subject of -Modern Spiritualism has been under discussion in England, and the facts on -which it has been founded have been before the World; but "having eyes men -see not, and having ears they hear not." Or, guided by the superficial -opinions of those whose one-eyed Materialism tinges so many of their -hap-hazard theories, they put aside a consideration of the astonishing -phenomena of the system of Spiritualism, and absolutely deny their -existence.[74] The age is shallow in its very incredulity. The wisdom of -the World is foolishness indeed. - -When it is too late, when thousands upon thousands have become the active -votaries of Spiritualism, perhaps the bishops and clergy of the Church of -England may wake up to some realization of the enormous influence for -evil,[75] both dogmatic and moral, which this diabolical system cannot do -other than secure, and lift their testimony against it. Mahometanism is -not more directly anti-christian. Yet the numbers of those who believe in -Spiritualism are daily increasing, and the purblind policy of ignoring its -principles and action must very soon come to an end. Of course -Materialists and sceptics reasonably doubt; for otherwise their own -infallibility would ignominiously collapse. But for Christians, who -possess a copy of the "Holy Bible," and are able to read it, doubt seems -to me (I write with all due humility) simply inconsequent and irrational. - -Here, let us turn from shadow to sunshine, from that which is evil to that -which is good; from the "lying wonders" of designing evil spirits, to the -glorious manifestations of God Almighty's power in the Christian -Church--for the one kind are but reasonable correlatives of the other. - -And, for myself, I am free to confess that the evidence in favour of -certain of the recent miracles said to have been wrought in the Roman -Catholic portion of the One Family of God is not only convincing, but -conclusive. Having long given up attributing any value to the slanders and -misstatements of Protestant and infidel writers, I have attempted for -myself to investigate the principle of action, in the reception of -evidence and the decision of authority, which is taken at Rome, with -regard to such events and occurrences; and briefly give it as follows:-- - -The Congregation of Rites, which enquires into all miracles which demand -sanction, is presided over by the cardinal-vicar. It consists of -twenty-one cardinals of various nations, nine official prelates, nine -consulting prelates of various nations, all the fourteen Papal Masters of -Ceremonies, fourteen ordinary members, one secretary, one -deputy-secretary, and one notary and keeper of the archives--in all -seventy people. Four miracles are required to be distinctly proved for -Beatification; and two more for Canonization. All these must be proved by -eye, and not by ear-witnesses. In miracles where diseases have been cured, -it is required, 1st, That the disease must have been of an aggravated -nature, and difficult or impossible to be cured; 2ndly, that it was not on -the turn; 3rdly, that no medicine had been used, or if it had that it had -done no good; 4thly, the cure must be sudden; 5thly, it must be complete -and perfect; and 6thly, there must have been no crisis. In the process of -examination and enquiry, no step is taken, no doubt propounded, no fact -allowed, without many of the members of the Congregation being present: -and a printed Report is sent to all who may have been absent. Besides the -ordinary cross-examinations, which are always of a most scrutinizing -character, it is the sole duty of one of the leading members of the -Congregation, the _Promotor Fidei_, as he is termed, to raise objections, -and if possible to disprove every reported miracle. The members of this -Congregation are as keen, penetrating and business-like, and have as -complete a knowledge of the unconscious delusions of the human heart, as -any body of English jurymen. As ecclesiastical scholars they may be truly -said to be equal to the same number of English barristers; and the head of -the Congregation, for shrewdness, acuteness of intellect, and judicial -ability, is equal to any judge in England, who by his interpretation of -the law, and his particular sentence in a special case, wills away the -life or property of any Englishman. The subject has been treated at length -in the great work of Pope Benedict XIV. (A.D. 1740-1758) "On -Beatification," &c., as well as in the Decrees of Pope Urban VIII. and -Pope Clement XI.; and so sifting and careful has always been the -investigation, that Alban Butler asserts, on the authority of Daubenton, -that an English gentleman (not a Roman Catholic) being present and seeing -the process of several miracles, maintained them to have been completely -proved and perfectly incontestable, but was astonished beyond measure at -the scrupulosity of the scrutiny when authoritatively informed that _not -one of those which he had heard discussed_ had been allowed by the -Congregation to have been sufficiently proved. - -Father Perrone, the distinguished living theologian, also asserts that -having shown the formal process for certain miracles to a lawyer of some -eminence (not a Roman Catholic) who after examination was perfectly -satisfied with both the testimony and the reasoning, the latter declared -that they would certainly stand before a British jury; but was mightily -astonished on hearing that the Congregation did not consider that evidence -to be sufficiently convincing and conclusive. - -Similar investigations have been made in England, since the Reformation, -and this by ecclesiastical authority. For example: in the year before his -translation to the see of Norwich (_i. e._ in 1640), Dr. Joseph Hall, then -Bishop of Exeter, made a strict and judicial inquiry into all the -circumstances of the sudden and miraculous cure of a cripple at S. -Madron's Well, in Cornwall, and the following is the recorded conviction -of this pious prelate:--"The commerce which we have with the good spirits -is not now discerned by the eye, but is, like themselves, spiritual. Yet -not so, but that even in bodily occasions we have many times insensible -helps from them; in such a manner as that by the effects we can boldly -say, 'Here hath been an angel, though we see him not.' Of this kind was -that (no less than miraculous) cure which at S. Madron's, in Cornwall, was -wrought upon a poor cripple, John Trelille, where (besides the attestation -of many hundreds of neighbours), I took a strict and personal examination -in that last Visitation which I ever did or ever shall hold. This man, -that for sixteen years together was fain to walk upon his hands, by reason -of the close contraction of the sinews of his legs, (upon three -admonitions in a dream to wash in that well) was suddenly so restored to -his limbs, that I saw him able to walk and get his own maintenance. I -found here was neither art nor collusion: the thing done, the author -invisible."[76] - -Now, whatever may be thought of the principles enunciated in Mr. -Lecky's[77] volumes on "The Rise and Influence of Rationalism," none can -deny either the marvellous faculty exhibited for gathering and marshalling -facts; while some portions of his thoughtful reflections do but put into -luminous language thoughts and convictions which find a cordial response -from many. - -The following remarkable passage is singularly true and accurate in its -estimate of an unmistakeable historical fact, viz., that the Oxford -movement to a great extent left out of consideration[78] the continued -existence of modern miracles in the Christian Church. Mr. Lecky writes -thus:--"At Oxford these narratives (_i. e._ the record of patristic and -mediæval miracles) hardly exercised a serious attention. What little -influence they had was chiefly an influence of repression; what little was -written in their favour was written for the most part in the tone of an -apology, as if to attenuate a difficulty rather than to establish a creed. -This was surely a very remarkable characteristic of the Tractarian -movement, when we remember the circumstances and attainments of its -leaders, and the great prominence which miraculous evidence had long -occupied in England. It was especially remarkable when we reflect that one -of the great complaints which the Tractarian party were making against -modern theology was, that the conception of the Supernatural had become -faint and dim, and that its manifestations were either explained away or -confined to a distant past. It would seem as if those who were most -conscious of the character of their age were unable, in the very midst of -their opposition, to free themselves from its tendencies."--Vol. i. pp. -165-166. - -It must be allowed that there is some amount of truth in this -temperately-made charge. Whatever else may have been pressed forward, and -with success, it is obvious that the active energy of the Supernatural has -been kept somewhat in the background. At all events it has not been made -too prominent. Even in books of devotion, adapted from Roman Catholic -sources, examples of miracles have been omitted; and so the golden threads -which were so rudely broken three centuries and a half ago, are still in -the mire; for few have cared to gather them up once more and weave them -into a perfect whole. That work has still to be done. Not until there be -what a modern writer terms "daring faith"--faith which can move -mountains--should the work be attempted. - -And now, fully alive to its imperfections, I bring my book to its close. - -It has been briefly shown herein what a great influence the materialistic -speculations of a few bold and over-confident writers have recently -exercised on current thought. At the same time the presence of the -Supernatural in Church History has been made perfectly manifest, and -abundant sources pointed out from which additional examples may readily be -gathered for consideration by those who may desire to gather them. Side by -side, however, with that which in the Supernatural order is good and -beneficial to man, energizes that which is evil. There are angels and -there are demons. There is light and there is darkness. Numberless armies -of glorious spirits, as the Divine Revelation tells us,[79] stand, rank by -rank and order by order, as the bright ornaments of the City of God. Their -subtlety, their quickness of penetration, their extensive knowledge of -natural things, are undoubtedly perfect in proportion to the excellency of -their being, inasmuch as they are pure intelligences, perfect from the -Hand of their Maker. They know the concerns of mortal men.[80] They are -our protectors, our patrons, our guides. For us they lift up their prayers -to God, and they are near us in our trials and temptations. Their motion -is swift as thought, their activity inconceivable. As they are the friends -of mankind by God's decree, so specially do they become the guardians of -the regenerate and the particular protectors of the innocent and young. -And their beneficent actions are not altogether unknown. The old records -tell of their charity; man's experience testifies to their presence. And, -furthermore, for man's behoof in his time of trial, and for his eternal -advantage hereafter, were given those powers and properties which belong -to the Church by the grace and efficacy of the Sacraments. - -Yet, on the other hand, until the number of the Elect is accomplished, the -Enemy of Souls, the Prince of the Powers of the Air, is permitted to wield -an alarming influence; while too often the natural man, with his will -free, wills to remain his servant. Yea; and even the baptized, too. For by -Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Necromancy Satan still works, men being his -direct agents and slaves. Sometimes in one form, sometimes in another, he -dupes those who seek him; while his legions suggest to men's minds evil -thoughts, paint dangerous objects to the imagination, frequently direct -the active current of the human heart to sin, and finally turn round and -accuse their captives at the tribunal of God the Judge of all. So must it -be to the end, for this life is man's time of probation. - -Of Dreams and Warnings, Omens and Presentiments, much has been written. -Each example must be considered on its own merits; for perhaps no coherent -theory will sufficiently cover and explain all the instances here already -adduced. - -So, too, with Spectral Appearances and Haunted Localities. While -experience testifies to the facts recorded, such Glimpses of the -Supernatural may be well left to tell their own story, to leave their own -impression, and set forth their own teaching. To those who possess the -grace and habit of faith they will not seem over-strange, for as Hamlet -remarked to his friend-- - - "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, - Than are dreamt of in our philosophy." - -As I prepare to lay down my pen, I cannot but notice and put on record -what amid "the triumphs of Science," so frequently start up to confront -us, viz. the sad records of calamity brought to notice, and the gloomy -scenes of deepest misery which are yet so frequently depicted. "Woe is -me!" is man's wail still. But with many the Supernatural, as we too well -know, is bidden to stand aside. The Catholic Religion is written of as -antiquated, out of date, and effete. The truth of the Christian Revelation -is openly denied. Yet may not the terrible disasters of which we hear, and -the miserable calamities which so constantly occur along the path of -"human progress" and "scientific triumph," be permitted by God Almighty as -an intelligible and richly deserved rebuke to lofty looks and the impious -and blasphemous thoughts of the proud?[81] - -Man's life in this country is certainly not longer than it was eight or -ten centuries ago. He dies as he died. Nor is the race of Englishmen -sturdier, finer, or better grown than of old. The tombs of the Crusaders -tell us this. Look at the stately figures of the Fitzalans in Bedale -Church, or at those of the Marmions in that of Tanfield, and it may be -that in this practical particular deterioration instead of progress should -be more fittingly and faithfully recorded. As is obvious enough, Science, -with all the boasting of its adherents, can, after all, effect but little. -True it is that wonderful discoveries are made in the Realms of Nature. -Operations untraced before, are now accurately apprehended; and secrets, -long hidden, are triumphantly brought to light. One might imagine from the -random confidence of some (as guides more shallow than safe), that Science -had discovered an appliance for every human weakness, an antidote to every -physical evil or disease, an unfailing specific against every want and -woe. Yet, after all its researches and with all its supposed discoveries -(for many may have been known and lost), never were failures so great or -misfortunes so heavy. The ugly iron ship of the present day, hideous in -form and appearance, yet constructed with all the obtainable skill of -modern science, at an enormous sacrifice of expense, fitted with -life-boats and patent scientific life-preservers, divided into -compartments, after due calculations (on a scientific method), suddenly -goes down, where a fisherman of six centuries ago, in his wooden skiff, -would have ridden a storm securely, and becomes an iron coffin for five or -six hundred corpses, rotting where the seaweed grows. Again, War, with -scientific appliances--in the invention and preparation of which the great -nations are active rivals--marches over a great country, defended by the -highest military art and strength, and in a few short months reduces its -people to spoliation, tribute, and shame. Less than a century ago, nearly -a twenty years' struggle would have been made, ere such a sudden and -sweeping contest could have been so securely sealed. - -Human Art may do something, and Science may effect more: but how -frequently some little flaw or casualty defeats all! The boastings of -Science, consequently, become vain and vapid: its works lie in the dust. -Past ages have had their pride humbled; as Tyre and Alexandria and Babylon -too eloquently tell. When God, by the insolence of intellect, is thrust -aside, He sometimes, nevertheless, mercifully but efficiently reminds men -that He is. When the Supernatural is deliberately denied and scornfully -rejected, suffering may serve to open the eyes of the blind and make the -dumb to speak. The general tendency in these days is to worship Mind, -Intelligence, and Power, for Might, with too many, is Right. Literary -jargon setting forth this duty may be constantly read. The wisest action -for the truly wise is to turn away from such; for the noblest and proudest -ambition of a Christian's life should consist in being humble worshippers -of Him the One Author of the Supernatural and the Natural, Whose only -power is infinite, Whose knowledge and wisdom are boundless, and Whose -abiding love and mercy are over all His works. - - -APPENDIX TO CHAPTER X. - -THE CLAIMS OF SCIENCE AND FAITH. - -By my friend Mr. Hawker's obliging kindness I am enabled to publish the -following remarkable Letter:-- - -"To Mr. S. J----, Merchant, Plymouth. - -"MY DEAR NEPHEW,--You ask me 'to put into one of my nutshells' the pith -and marrow of the controversy which at this time pervades the English mind -as to the claims of Science and Faith. Let me try: The material -universe--so the sages allege--is a vast assemblage of atoms or -molecules--'motes in the sunbeam' of Science, which has existed for -myriads of ages under a perpetual system of evolution, restructure, and -change. This mighty mass is traversed by the forces electrical, or -magnetic, or with other kindred names; and these by their incessant and -indomitable action are adequate to account for all the phenomena of the -world of matter, and of man. The upheaval of a continent; the drainage of -a sea; the creation of a metal; nay, the origin of life, and the -development of a species in plant, or animal, or man; these are the -achievements of fixed and natural laws among the atomic materials, under -the vibration of the forces alone. Thus far the vaunted discoveries of -Science are said to have arrived. Let us indulge them with the theory that -these results, for they are nothing more, are accurate and real. But -still, a thoughtful mind will venture to demand whence did these atoms -derive their existence? and from what, and from whom, do they inherit the -propensities wherewithal they are imbued? And tell me, most potent -seigniors, what is the origin of these forces? And with whom resides the -impulse of their action and the guidance of their control? 'Nothing so -difficult as a beginning.' Your philosopher is mute! he has reached the -horizon of his domain, and to him all beyond is doubt, and uncertainty, -and guess. We must lift the veil. We must pass into the border-land -between two Worlds, and there inquire at the Oracles of Revelation -touching the Unseen and Spiritual powers which thrill through the mighty -sacrament of the visible Creation. We perceive, being inspired, the realms -of surrounding space peopled by immortal creatures of air-- - - 'Myriads of spiritual things that walk unseen, - Both when we wake and when we sleep.' - -These are the existences, in aspect as 'young men in white garments,' who -inhabit the void place between the Worlds and their Maker, and their God. -Behold the battalions of the Lord of Hosts! the Workers of the sky! the -faithful and intelligent Vassals of God the Trinity! We have named them in -our own poor and meagre language 'the Angels,' but this title merely -denotes one of their subordinate offices--messengers from on high. The -Gentiles called them 'Gods,' but we ought to honour them by a name that -should embrace and interpret their lofty dignity as an intermediate army -between the kingdom and the throne; the Centurions of the stars, and of -men; the Commanders of the forces and their Guides. These are they that, -each with a delegated office, fulfil what their 'King invisible' decrees; -not with the dull, inert mechanism of fixed and natural law, but with the -unslumbering energy and the rational obedience of spiritual life. They -mould the atom; they wield the force; and, as Newton rightly guessed, they -rule the World of matter beneath the silent Omnipotence of God. - -"'And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of -it reached to Heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and -descending on it. And behold the Lord stood above it.'--Genesis xxviii. -12. _Tolle, Lege_, my dear nephew. - - "Your affectionate uncle, - "R. S. HAWKER. - -"Morwenstow Vicarage, Cornwall." - - - - -GENERAL INDEX. - - - A Discerner of spirits, i. 81 - - Abimelech's dream, i. 210 - - Aerolites, i. 24 - - After-vision of a suicide, ii. 75 - - Alexander Macdonald's dream, i. 285 - - Amulet of the Grahams, i. 277 - - ---- of the Macdonald Lockharts, i. 278 - - Ann Thorne bewitched, i. 194 - - Apparition at Ballarat, ii. 61 - - ---- at time of death, ii. 59 - - ---- in the Jewel House, ii. 105 - - ---- near Cardiff, ii. 114 - - ---- of a college friend, ii. 71 - - ---- of a crow, ii. 131 - - ---- of a dying father, ii. 58 - - ---- of a dying lady to her children, ii. 64 - - ---- of a father to his son, ii. 58 - - ---- of a friend, ii. 60 - - ---- of a sister, ii. 59 - - ---- of a son to his mother and another, ii. 73 - - ---- of an officer, ii. 10 - - ---- of Dr. Ferrar's daughter, ii. 25 - - ---- of Philip Weld, ii. 51 - - ---- of Rev. W. Naylor, ii. 7 - - ---- of S. Stanislaus, ii. 51 - - ---- seven years after death, ii. 71 - - ---- to a gentleman, ii. 119 - - ---- to a lady and her child, ii. 113 - - ---- to a lady and her child, ii. 117 - - ---- to a sentry, and his death thereupon, ii. 108 - - ---- to Lord Brougham, ii. 68 - - ---- to Lord Chedworth, ii. 35 - - ---- to Mr. Andrews, ii. 41 - - Apparitions at Oxford, ii. 209 - - Arrowsmith, Trial of Rev. E., i. 91 - - Arrowsmith's Hand preserved, i. 95 - - Authentication of Lamb's cure, i. 96 - - - Barony of Chedworth, ii. 34 - - Belief in God universal, i. 5 - - Benediction, The principle of, i. 90 - - Beresford apparition, The, ii. 11 - - Bird, The Spectral, ii. 128 - - Bisham Abbey, Ghost at, ii. 91 - - Bishop Joseph Hall on temporal punishment, ii. 89 - - Bishop Ken's hymn, ii. 82 - - Blessing and cursing, Power of, i. 90. - - Bosworth's testimony, Mr. T., ii. 146 - - Bridget Bishop accused of witchcraft, i. 198 - - Bull of Pope Innocent VIII. against witchcraft, i. 162 - - - Captain William Dyke, ii. 22 - - Cardan, Jerome, i. 282 - - Case of Annie Milner, i. 169 - - ---- of Martha Brossier, i. 165 - - Catharine Campbell accused of witchcraft, i. 197 - - Catholic claim to exclusive use of exorcism, i. 163 - - Causation, The law of, i. 3 - - Chamber, John, on "Judiciall Astrologie," i. 200 - - Charles I., Omens concerning, i. 267, 271 - - Charles Ireland bewitched, i. 186 - - Chevalier's testimony concerning Spiritualism, Mr., ii. 180 - - "Christ is coming" quoted, ii. 136. - - Christian Shaw bewitched, i. 197 - - Christian writers on the Supernatural, i. 31 - - Christianity, Morse on the decline of, ii. 137 - - Citation, Remarkable case of, i. 90 - - Club, The Hell-Fire, ii. 207 - - Colgarth, The Philipsons of, i. 90 - - Collins's Sermon, Rev. H., i. 135 - - Cometism, The Trinity of, i. 19 - - Constantine victorious, i. 38 - - Creslow, Haunted chamber at, ii. 92 - - Criticism upon Mr. Congreve, i. 20 - - Crookes, Mr. W., on Spiritualism, ii. 159, 162, 164 - - Cross of Constantine, The, i. 35 - - ---- fire seen in France in 1826, A, i. 16 - - Cure, Miraculous, i. 95 - - ---- Miraculous, by the Blessed Sacrament, i. 121, 125 - - - Daimonomagia, i. 174 - - Dale-Owen, Mr., quoted, ii. 183, 185 - - Death of Captain Speer, i. 253 - - ---- of Rev. S. B. Drury, i. 251 - - De Lisle's, Miss, death, Supernatural music at, i. 135 - - De Lisle, Mr., on the Weld ghost story, ii. 54 - - ---- Mr. Edwin, on Strauss, i. 2 - - Demons, Belief in, ii. 212 - - Denial of the Supernatural, i. 1 - - Details of the Supernatural, i. 8 - - Discovery of a lost will, i. 204 - - Disease of witchcraft, i. 174 - - Double apparition at time of death, ii. 55 - - ---- in the West Indies, ii. 58 - - Dr. Lamb, the sorcerer, i. 202 - - Dr. Newman on ecclesiastical miracles, i. 36 - - Dr. Samuel Johnson on the Lyttelton story, ii. 45 - - Dr. William Harvey's escape from death, i. 284 - - Dream of a child, Warning given in the, i. 260 - - ---- of a dignitary realized, i. 257 - - ---- of a housekeeper realized, i. 240 - - ---- of a widow lady, i. 258 - - ---- of Adam Rogers, i. 219 - - ---- of Andrew Scott, i. 261 - - ---- of Mr. Matthew Talbot, i. 225 - - ---- of Mr. Williams of Scorrier, i. 226 - - ---- of the Princess Natgotsky, i. 255 - - ---- of the Swaffham tinker, i. 215 - - ---- Prognostication of death in a, i. 250 - - ---- Remarkable, of a clergyman, i. 247 - - ---- Warning given in a, i. 254 - - ---- Warning neglected, i. 244 - - Dreams and visions, i. 211 - - Dreams, Nature of, i. 210 - - ---- of James Jessop, i. 244, 245 - - ---- recorded in Scripture, i. 211 - - ---- reproduction of thoughts in, i. 215 - - ---- supernatural, i. 210 - - Dunbar's testimony, Rev. Dr., ii. 218 - - Dungeon at Glamis Castle, The, ii. 114 - - - Early Popes martyrs, The, i. 31 - - Eastern form of exorcism, i. 162 - - Ecclesiastical miracles, i. 32 - - Effect of the Supernatural, i. 7 - - Elimination of God, The, i. 19 - - Elizabeth Gorham bewitched, i. 187 - - ---- Style accused of witchcraft, i. 177 - - ---- Tibbots bewitched, i. 178 - - ---- Treslar hung for witchcraft, i. 181 - - Ellinor Shaw and Mary Philips, i. 182 - - Emperor Julian thwarted, The, i. 42 - - English canon concerning exorcism, i. 164 - - ---- statutes against witchcraft, i. 163 - - "Eternal," The term, i. 5 - - Execution of Frederick Caulfield, i. 223 - - ---- of Lamb's servant, i. 203 - - Exhumation of James Quin, i. 236 - - Exorcism, Power of, i. 57, 69, 82 - - ---- Latin form of, i. 138 - - ---- Oriental form of, i. 162 - - - Facts of witchcraft and necromancy, i. 164 - - Faculty of Jerome Cardan, i. 283 - - Fall of aerolites, i. 25 - - False reasoning, i. 26 - - Ferrers family, Omen concerning, i. 272 - - Florence Newton accused of witchcraft, i. 180 - - Friday an unlucky day, i. 282 - - - Ghost of Bisham Abbey, ii. 91 - - God and His creatures, i. 4 - - ---- The elimination of, i. 19 - - Guesses of Science, The, i. 14 - - - Hand of Arrowsmith preserved, i. 95 - - Hanmer, Mr. C. L., on an apparition, ii. 60 - - Hannah Green's testimony, i. 242 - - Haunted houses and localities, ii. 82 - - ---- chamber at Creslow, ii. 92 - - ---- Glamis Castle, ii. 114 - - ---- house at Barby, ii. 109 - - ---- house at Berne, ii. 126 - - ---- house in Cheshire, ii. 116 - - ---- house in Scotland, ii. 123 - - ---- place at York Castle, ii. 96 - - ---- places, ii. 84 - - ---- police cell, ii. 121 - - ---- road near Cardiff, ii. 114 - - ---- room at Glamis Castle, ii. 112 - - ---- room in the Tower, ii. 104 - - ---- spot in Yorkshire, ii. 100 - - Hell-Fire Club, The, ii. 207 - - Henry Spicer's testimony, Mr., ii. 75 - - ---- IV. of France, Omen of death to, i. 267 - - Herder on Witchcraft, ii. 210 - - Heresies of the modern Spiritualists, ii. 185, 191 - - Home, Mr. Daniel, ii. 151, 153 - - Hospitals, Christian in their origin, i. 10 - - Howell, Mr. J., on Spiritualism, ii. 176, 177 - - Howitt, Mr. W., on eternal punishment, ii. 186, 188 - - Hume on miracles, i. 23 - - - Increase Mather on the tests of demoniacal possession, i. 173 - - ---- Mather's "Cases of Conscience," i. 195 - - Inquiries regarding Wynyard, ii. 33 - - - Jane Brookes accused of witchcraft, i. 175 - - ---- Wenham accused of witchcraft, i. 192 - - Johnson, Dr. Samuel, on the Lyttelton ghost, ii. 45 - - - Kostka's, S. Stanislaus, apparition, ii. 53 - - ---- picture at Stonyhurst, ii. 53 - - - Labarum, The, i. 37 - - Lactantius on dreams, i. 213 - - Lady Betty Cobb, ii. 15 - - Lancashire demoniacs, The, i. 171 - - Lane, Mr., on Modern Necromancy, ii. 215, 217 - - Laud, Omens concerning Archbishop, i. 271 - - Law of causation, The, i. 3 - - Lecky, Mr. W. H. E., on the Oxford Movement, ii. 232 - - Legion, The Thundering, i. 34 - - Longdon, Mary, bewitched, i. 194 - - Lord Falkland, Omen concerning, i. 270 - - Lord Litchfield's note of a presentiment, i. 281 - - ---- testimony, i. 281 - - Lord Westcote's testimony, ii. 42 - - Lyttelton Ghost story, ii. 36, 42, 46 - - - Macdonald's, A., case of second sight, i. 285 - - Macknish on dreams, i. 215 - - Major George Sydenham, ii. 22 - - Marquis de Marsay on Spirits, ii. 86 - - Mary of Medicis, Omen of death to, i. 267 - - Media, Table of Spiritual, ii. 143 - - Mines, Haunted, ii. 84 - - Ministry of Angels, ii. 82 - - Miracles at Rome in 1792, i. 17 - - ---- Bishop Hall on, ii. 230 - - ---- examination of at Rome, ii. 227 - - ---- of our Lord, i. 30 - - ---- of Prince Hohenlohe, i. 17 - - ---- wrought by the Blessed Sacrament, i. 123, 126 - - Miracle at Garswood, i. 96 - - ---- at Metz, i. 128 - - ---- at Typasa, i. 42 - - ---- under Marcus Aurelius, i. 33 - - Miraculous cure at Pontoise, i. 83 - - ---- facts, Tradition of, i. 32 - - ---- of Joseph Lamb, i. 95 - - ---- of Mary Wood, i. 114 - - ---- of Winifred White, i. 116 - - Mediumship, ii. 143 - - ---- Clairlative, ii. 146 - - ---- Clairvoyant, ii. 150 - - ---- Developing, ii. 148 - - ---- Duodynamic, ii. 148 - - ---- Gesticulating, ii. 144 - - ---- Homo-motor, ii. 147 - - ---- Impersonating, ii. 145 - - ---- Impressional, ii. 150 - - ---- Manipulating, ii. 145 - - ---- Missionary, ii. 149 - - ---- Motive, ii. 144 - - ---- Neurological, ii. 146 - - ---- Pantomimic, ii. 145 - - ---- Pictorial, ii. 148 - - ---- Psychologic, ii. 147 - - ---- Psychometric, ii. 148 - - ---- Pulsatory, ii. 145 - - ---- Speaking, ii. 150 - - ---- Symbolic, ii. 147 - - ---- Sympathetic, ii. 146 - - ---- Therapeutic, ii. 149 - - ---- Tipping, ii. 144 - - ---- Vibratory, ii. 144 - - Miss Weld's testimony, ii. 54 - - Modern scientific methods, i. 10 - - Monsignor Patterson's testimony, ii. 52 - - More's "Antidote against Atheism," i. 173 - - Mr. De Lisle on Miracles, i. 15 - - Mr. De Lisle's testimony, ii. 54 - - Mr. Edwin De Lisle in reply to Strauss, i. 4 - - Mr. E. Lenthal Swifte's testimony, ii. 104 - - Mr. George Fortescue's declaration, ii. 43 - - Mr. Henry Cope Caulfeild's testimony, ii. 115 - - Mr. Herbert Spencer answered, i. 11 - - Mr. J. G. Godwin's declaration, ii. 68 - - Mr. Laxon's wife tormented, i. 189 - - Mr. M. P. Andrews' declaration, ii. 43 - - Mr. Ralph Davis on the Northampton witches, i. 182 - - Mr. Rutherford's declaration, i. 263 - - Mr. William Talbot's testimony, i. 226 - - Mrs. Baillie-Hamilton's testimony, ii. 66 - - Mrs. George Lee's testimony, i. 230 - - Mrs. Kempson's testimony, i. 254 - - Murder discovered by a dream, i. 221 - - ---- of Maria Martin discovered, i. 231 - - ---- of the crippled and imbecile, i. 9 - - - Naturalistic materialism, i. 10 - - Nature of God, i. 6 - - ---- dreams, i. 210 - - Necromancy recognized by the fathers, i. 161 - - ---- in China, ii. 220 - - Northamptonshire witches, The, i. 182 - - Notions, reintroduction of Pagan, i. 13 - - - Old traditions generally accepted, ii. 90 - - Omen concerning Archbishop Laud, i. 271 - - ---- concerning King Charles I., i. 268, 269, 270 - - ---- concerning Lord Falkland, i. 270 - - Omens and prognostications, i. 263 - - ---- The subject of, i. 263 - - Opinions of Strauss, i. 3 - - Oracles, The cessation of, i. 282 - - Ostrehan's, Captain, testimony, ii. 218 - - Oxenham omen, The, i. 273 - - - Pagan notions, Reintroduction of, i. 13 - - Patterson's, Monsignor, information, ii. 52 - - Perrone, Father, on Spiritualism, ii. 184 - - Philipsons of Colgarth, The, i. 90 - - Planchette, Use of, ii. 220, 222 - - Plumer Ward's, Mr., account of the Lyttelton ghost, ii. 46 - - Plutarch on the "Cessation of Oracles," i. 282 - - Popes martyrs, The early, i. 31 - - Portrait of S. Stanislaus, ii. 53 - - Power and malice of Satan, ii. 83 - - ---- of blessing and cursing, i. 90 - - ---- of exorcism claimed exclusively, i. 163 - - Presentiment of Lieutenant R----, i. 250 - - ---- of death, i. 262 - - ---- to Lady Warre's chaplain, i. 281 - - Principle of benediction, The, i. 88 - - Principles of the Broad Church party, ii. 137 - - Prognostication of death in a dream, i. 250 - - ---- of death to Captain Speer, i. 252 - - Prognostications and omens, i. 263 - - Propriety of a revelation, i. 5 - - Purbrick, Rev. E. J., on the Weld ghost story, ii. 54 - - Purport of dreams, i. 212 - - - Rebuilding of the Temple, i. 42 - - "Report on Spiritualism" quoted, ii. 153 - - Rev. Dr. Cox's testimony, ii. 54 - - Rev. Dr. J. M. Neale's testimony i. 243 - - Rev. Edward Price on the World of Spirits, ii. 82 - - Rev. G. R. Winter on the Swaffham tinker, i. 215 - - Rev. H. N. Oxenham's testimony, i. 277 - - Rev. J. Richardson's testimony, i. 253 - - Rev. John Wesley on evil spirits, ii. 85 - - Rev. Joseph Jefferson's testimony, ii. 100 - - Rev. Mr. Perring's dream realized, i. 234 - - Rev. T. J. Morris's testimony, i. 240 - - "Rules for the Spirit Circle" quoted, ii. 151 - - - S. Augustine on miracles, i. 30 - - S. Bernard on dreams, i. 214 - - S. Cyprian on dreams, i. 214 - - S. Cyril on dreams, i. 214 - - S. Irenæus on miracles, i. 41 - - S. John's College, Oxford, Founding of, i. 267 - - S. Pacian on miracles, i. 41 - - S. Thomas Aquinas on dreams, i. 214 - - Sacrilege discovered by a dream, i. 232 - - "Sadducismus Triumphatus" referred to, i. 199 - - Satan, power and malice of, ii. 83 - - Science and faith, Rev. R. S. Hawker on, ii. 239 - - Science of the Pagan oracles, i. 161 - - "Scientific View of Modern Spiritualism" quoted, ii. 143 - - Scott, Dream of Andrew, i. 261 - - Scripture on witchcraft and necromancy, i. 164 - - Séance at the Marshalls', i. 203 - - ---- record of, from "Spiritual Magazine," ii. 169 - - Second sight, Treatise on, i. 285 - - ---- at Cardiff, i. 286 - - ---- at Ramsbury, i. 288 - - ---- Jerome Cardan's gift of, i. 283 - - Sexton, Dr. G., on spiritualism, ii. 225 - - Shakespeare's conception of the supernatural, ii. 89 - - Singular prognostication, i. 250 - - Sir Christopher Heydon on astrology, i. 200 - - Sir George Caulfeild, i. 223 - - Sir Henry Chauncy trying witches, i. 193 - - Sir Henry Yelverton and his death, i. 95 - - Sir Martin Beresford, ii. 13 - - Sir Matthew Hale's evidence as to witchcraft, i. 163 - - Sir Thomas Brown's evidence against witchcraft, i. 163 - - Slade's, Sir Alfred, testimony, ii. 218 - - Somerset omen, The, i. 266 - - Sorcery of Dr. Lamb, i. 202 - - _Sortes Virgilianæ_, The, i. 269, 270 - - Sound of a drum, The, i. 278 - - Southey on haunted localities, ii. 84 - - Spectral dog, The, i. 280 - - Spectre of Lady Hobby, The, ii. 91 - - Spedlin's Tower haunted, ii. 97 - - Spirits, perturbed, ii. 87 - - ---- World of, ii. 82 - - Spiritualism despised, ii. 139 - - ---- modern, ii. 135, 169 - - ---- Mr. W. Crookes on the phenomena of, ii. 159 - - ---- Origin of, ii. 141 - - Spiritualistic manifestations, i. 205; - ii. 151, 153, 155, 157, 160, 161, 163, 169, 173, 175, 176, 177, 178, - 180 - - Statement of Lord Lyttelton's valet, ii. 45 - - Stigmatization, i. 98, 100, 101, 102, 105, 109 - - Strauss, Opinions of, i. 2 - - Successful exorcism by an English clergyman, i. 80 - - Sudden death of Ruth Pierce, i. 289 - - Supernatural banished, The, ii. 140 - - ---- basis of life, i. 12 - - ---- its work, i. 2 - - ---- noises at Abbotsford, ii. 99 - - ---- religion, i. 18 - - Surey demoniac, The, i. 177 - - - Tertullian on dreams, i. 213 - - Testimony to the fulfilment of a solemn Curse, i. 117 - - The Chester-le-Street apparition, ii. 3 - - The Christian system, i. 26 - - The Lyttelton ghost story, ii. 35 - - The Misses Amphlett, ii. 39 - - The Oxenham omen, i. 274 - - The result of a solemn Curse, i. 117 - - The sound of a drum, i. 278 - - The spectral dog, i. 280 - - ---- bird, ii. 128 - - The use of the Sign of the Cross, ii. 4 - - The white bird of the Oxenhams, i. 274 - - Theories concerning dreams, i. 210 - - Thirteen to Dinner, i. 281 - - Thomas Aquinas on miracles, S., i. 28 - - Three men rescued by a dream, i. 231 - - Tichborne dole, The, i. 264 - - ---- Curse and Prophecy, The, i. 265 - - ---- Mabella, Lady, i. 264 - - ---- Sir Henry, i. 265 - - ---- Sir Roger, i. 264 - - Tinley, Dream of Samuel, i. 262 - - Tradition of miraculous powers, i. 32 - - Treatise on second sight, i. 285 - - Trial of Rev. E. Arrowsmith, i. 91 - - Trinity of Comteism, The, i. 19 - - Twice-repeated dream of a sailor, i. 231 - - Tyrone apparition, The, ii. 11 - - - Unalterable experience, i. 24 - - Use of the Sign of the Cross, ii. 4 - - - Wallace, Mr. A., on spiritualism and science, ii. 193 - - Wandering souls, ii. 87 - - Ward's account of the Lyttelton ghost, Mr., ii. 46 - - Warning given in a dream, i. 238, 254 - - ---- given to a lady by a dream, i. 242 - - ---- to a lady, i. 258 - - ---- to a little child, i. 260 - - ---- to two persons in dreams, i. 258 - - "Weekly Register," The, on Mr. Wallace's theories, ii. 197 - - Weld ghost story, The, ii. 49 - - ---- Philip, drowned, ii. 50 - - ---- Very Rev. Alfred, S. J., on the Weld ghost story, ii. 54 - - Weld's, Philip, apparition, ii. 53 - - Westcote, Lord, on the Lyttelton ghost, i. 33 - - White's Dream, Sir Thomas, i. 266 - - Witchcraft and necromancy, i. 152 - - ---- and sorcery, Canon Melville on, i. 156 - - ---- common in non-Catholic countries, i. 201 - - ---- condemned in Scripture, i. 152, 155 - - ---- Definition of, i. 174 - - ---- Examples of, i. 176-201 - - ---- George More on, i. 171 - - ---- Herder on, ii. 210 - - ---- Jane Wenham accused of, i. 192 - - ---- Joseph Glanville on, i. 175 - - ---- recognized by the Fathers, i. 161 - - ---- Rev. John Wesley on, i. 160 - - Witches, The Northamptonshire, i. 182 - - "Wonders of the Invisible World," i. 198 - - World of spirits, The, ii. 82 - - Wynyard ghost story, The, ii. 26 - - -THE END. - - - CHISWICK PRESS:--PRINTED BY WHITTINGHAM AND WILKINS, - TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE. - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] Here in Mr. Surtees' record is a remarkable example of the pious and -devout use of the sacred Sign of the Cross, which, having been universal -amongst all classes before the Reformation, was continued by many for long -generations afterwards, and the use of which since the Catholic Revival in -the English Church has become common. - -[2] "History of Durham," by Robert Surtees, Esq.: under -"Chester-le-Street." Vol. ii. pp. 147-148. - -[3] "Nichols' Literary Illustrations." Vol. iv. p. 119, _et seq._ London, -1822. - -[4] Arthur Orchard, of S. John's College, Cambridge, B.A. 1662; M.A. 1666; -B.D. 1673. - -[5] "Letters on Animal Magnetism," by Dr. W. Gregory, p. 487. London, -1851. - -[6] A member of the noble family of Beresford thus wrote (A.D. 1873) to a -friend of the Editor, with reference to the above narrative:--"The -tradition in our family is entirely in favour of the truth of the Spectral -Appearance, and the account which I have read, and return, is in my -opinion a true and faithful narration of it." - -[7] The record of this came to the Editor, through a friend, from the late -Rev. W. Hastings Kelke, M.A., sometime Rector of Drayton Beauchamp, in the -county of Bucks. - -[8] The barony of Chedworth was conferred upon John Howe, Esq., of -Chedworth, co. Gloucester, on May 12, 1741. He had two sons, John Thynne, -the nobleman referred to in the above account, and Henry Frederick, who in -turn succeeded him in the title. His daughter Mary married Alexander -Wright, Esq., whose daughter Mary Wright is the lady mentioned in the -above narrative. Miss Wright's cousin John inherited as fourth baron, but -died unmarried, Oct. 29, 1804, when the peerage became extinct. - -[9] Another narrative of this remarkable event, which substantially -corresponds with those given in the text above is provided here. In -certain respects there are discrepancies, and just those kinds of -discrepancies which might reasonably have been looked for in accounts -drawn up by different hands; but in the main facts, regarding which there -can be no reasonable doubt, there is a remarkable and notable identity in -all the leading features: "Two nights before, on Lord Lyttelton retiring -to bed, after his servant was dismissed and his light extinguished, he had -heard a noise resembling the fluttering of a dove at his chamber window. -This attracted his attention to the spot; when, looking in the direction -of the sound, he saw the figure of an unhappy female whom he had seduced, -and who, when deserted, had put a violent end to her own existence, -standing in the aperture of the window from which the fluttering sound had -proceeded. The form approached the foot of the bed, the room was -preternaturally light, the objects of the chamber were distinctly visible. -Raising her hand and pointing to a dial which stood on the mantlepiece of -the chimney, the figure, with a severe solemnity of voice and manner, -answered to the appalled and conscience-stricken man that at that very -hour, on the third day after the visitation, his life and his sins would -be concluded, and nothing but their punishment remain, if he availed -himself not of the warning to repentance which he had thus received. The -eye of Lord Lyttelton glanced upon the dial; the hand was on the stroke of -twelve: again the apartment was involved in total darkness--the warning -spirit disappeared, and bore away at her departure all the lightness of -heart and buoyancy of spirit, ready flow of wit, and vivacity of manner, -which had formerly been the pride and ornament of the unhappy being to -whom she had delivered her tremendous summons. Such was the tale that Lord -Lyttelton delivered to his companions. They laughed at his superstition, -and endeavoured to convince him that his mind must have been impressed -with this idea by some dream of a more consistent nature than dreams -generally are, and that he had mistaken the visions of his sleep for the -visitation of a spirit. He was consoled, but not convinced; he felt -relieved by their distrust, and on the second night after the appearance -of the spectre, he retreated to his apartment with his faith in the -reality of the transaction somewhat shaken; and his spirits, though not -revived, certainly lightened of somewhat of their oppression. On the -succeeding day the guests of Lord Lyttelton, with the connivance of his -attendant, had provided that the clocks throughout the house should be -advanced an hour; by occupying the host's attention during the whole day -with different and successive objects of amusement, they contributed to -prevent his discovering the imposture. Ten o'clock struck: the nobleman -was silent and depressed. Eleven struck, the depression deepened, and now -not even a smile, or the slightest movement of his eye indicated him to be -conscious of the efforts of his associates, as they attempted to dispel -his gloom. Twelve struck. 'Thank God! I am safe,' exclaimed Lord -Lyttelton, 'the ghost was a liar after all. Some wine, there. Congratulate -me, my friends; congratulate me on my reprieve. Why, what a fool I was to -be cast down by so idle and absurd a circumstance! But, however, it is -time for bed. We'll be up early and out with the hounds to-morrow. By my -faith, it's half-past twelve, so good night!' and he returned to his -chamber convinced of his security, and believing that the threatened hour -of peril was now past. His guests remained together to await the -completion of the time so ominously designated by the vision. A quarter of -an hour had elapsed: they heard the valet descend from his master's room. -It was just twelve. Lord Lyttelton's bell rang violently. The company ran -in a body to his apartment. The clock struck one at their entrance, the -unhappy nobleman lay extended on the bed before them, pale and lifeless, -and his countenance terribly convulsed." - -In his "Memoirs," Sir Nathaniel Wraxall has the following relating to this -occurrence:-- - -"Dining at Pitt Place, about four years after the death of Lord Lyttelton, -in the year 1783, I had the curiosity to visit the bed-chamber, where the -casement window, at which Lord Lyttelton asserted the dove appeared to -flutter, was pointed out to me; and at his stepmother's, the Dowager Lady -Lyttelton's in Portugal Street, Grosvenor Square, who being a woman of -very lively imagination, lent an implicit faith to all the supernatural -facts which were supposed to have accompanied or produced Lord Lyttelton's -end. I have frequently seen a painting which she herself executed in 1780, -especially to commemorate the event: it hung in a conspicuous part of her -drawing-room. There the dove appears at the window, while a female figure, -habited in white, stands at the foot of the bed, announcing to Lord -Lyttelton his dissolution. Every part of the picture was faithfully -designed after the description given to her by the valet-de-chambre who -attended him, to whom his master related all the circumstances." - -[10] Copied from a paper in the autograph of Lord Westcote, entitled -"Remarkable Circumstances attending the Death of Thomas, Lord Lyttelton," -which the present Lord Lyttelton most courteously entrusted to the Editor -of this volume, together with several other original documents relating to -the same, as follows:--1. Extract from Mr. Plumer Ward's "Illustrations of -Human Life," vol. i. p. 165. 2. Written account given by Sir Digby Neave, -bart., to Lord Lyttelton in 1860. 3. MS. containing Mr. George Fortescue's -testimony, signed S. L. 4. The following declaration:--"Chiswick, May 6th, -1867. Miles Peter Andrews told me the story of Lord Lyttelton's appearance -to him, driving with me at Wingerworth, many years ago.--Anna Hunloke." - -[11] Lord Lyttelton's valet made the following statement:--"That Lord -Lyttelton made his usual preparations for bed; that he kept every now and -then looking for his watch; that when he got into bed, he ordered his -curtains to be closed at the foot. It was now within a minute or two of -twelve by his watch; he asked to look at mine, and seemed pleased to find -it nearly keep time with his own. His lordship then put them both to his -ear, to satisfy himself if they went. When it was more than a quarter -after twelve by our watches, he said, 'This mysterious lady is not a true -prophetess, I find.' When it was near the real hour of twelve, he said, -'Come, I'll wait no longer; get me my medicine, I'll take it, and try to -sleep.' I just stepped into the dressing-room to prepare the physic, and -had mixed it, when I thought I heard my lord breathing very hard. I ran to -him, and found him in the agonies of death."--"Gentleman's Magazine," vol. -lxxxv. part i. p. 598, A.D. 1815. - -[12] In Boswell's "Life of Samuel Johnson" (vol. iv. p. 313) the Doctor is -recorded to have said, "It is the most extraordinary occurrence in my -days. I heard it from Lord Westcote, his uncle. I am so glad to have -evidence of the spiritual world, that I am willing to believe it." - -[13] "James Weld, Esq., seventh son of Thomas Weld, Esq., of Lulworth -Castle, was born April 30, 1785, married July 15, 1812, the Hon. Juliana -Anne, daughter of Robert Edward, tenth Lord Petre, and has had issue, 1. -Henry, 2. Francis, a priest, 3. _Philip_, died 1846; 1. Anna Maria, 2. -Katharine, 3. Agnes, a nun, 4. Charlotte."--See Burke's "Landed Gentry," -vol. ii. art. "Weld of Lulworth Castle." - -[14] The Right Rev. Monsignor Patterson, the present President of S. -Edmund's college (A.D. 1872), kindly informs me that there is a memorial -brass in front of the sanctuary of the chapel of that society, on which is -figured a floriated cross, rising out of waves, with a label appended to -it,--"Lord save me." - -[15] S. Stanislaus Kostka was born on Oct. 28, 1550, his parents being -John and Margaret Kostka, Polish nobles of wealth and repute. Miraculous -signs foreshadowed his birth; and the holiness and purity of his early -years betokened in a marked manner the favour of God towards this child. -In his fourteenth year he went to Vienna to finish his studies at the -Jesuit college. Here, his saintliness was so manifested forth by his -conduct, that the Fathers said, "We have in our seminary an angel under -the form of Stanislaus." Many miraculous favours are said to have been -bestowed upon him by the hands of saints and angels, too numerous and -lengthy to be recorded. He commenced his noviciate in the Jesuit college -at Rome; where, after a short but edifying sojourn, he joyfully departed -this life, aged 18 years, on the morning of August 15, 1568. - -[16] Mr. de Lisle, of Garendon Park, Leicestershire, in communicating to -me the above narrative, writes as follows:--"I send you my account of the -apparition of Philip Weld, according to my promise. I received it back -this morning (July 17, 1872) from the Benedictine Convent at Athenstone, -in Warwickshire, where my daughter Gwendoline is a nun, and where one of -the Miss Welds, a cousin of Philip, is also a nun. She approves the -accuracy of my account, and has added a paper with a few notes, which I -inclose along with my own article, and from which you can correct mine so -far as needed. I add here my affirmation that the above recorded narrative -is a true and faithful account of what the Very Rev. Dr. Cox, then -President of S. Edmund's College, related to me and to Mrs. de Lisle in -February, 1847." The Editor is also greatly indebted to the Very Rev. -Alfred Weld, S.J., for his courteous Letters upon the subject of the above -narrative, as likewise to the Rev. E. J. Purbrick, S.J. - -[17] "Letters on Animal Magnetism," by Dr. W. Gregory, pp. 448-489. -London, 1851. - -[18] "The Apparition or Spectral Appearance of my friend's father to him -in the West Indies--the old gentleman having died in England, and the fact -of two officers having seen it simultaneously, shows that it could not -have been the result of their imagination, but that it was an objective -appearance; in fact, the dead man's immortal spirit, indicating to one -once bound by Nature's ties to the living witness of it, that the -separation of soul and body had taken place. It is firmly believed by the -family, who, however, all shrink from making their names public. So, my -dear doctor, you must be content with this."--E. M. C., Cambridge, July -15, 1873. - -[19] "The narrative of the spectral appearance of a lady at Torquay, -forwarded to Dr. F. G. Lee at his special request, is copied from, and -compared with that in, the family Bible of H. A. T. Baillie-Hamilton by -the undersigned, - - "C. Margaret Balfour, - Mary Baillie-Hamilton. - Witness, J. R. Grant. - - "Princes Street, Edinburgh, - October 7, 1871." - -[20] "The above is a correct and truthful statement. - - "Witness my hand and seal. - John Gill Godwin. - -[Illustration] - - "76, Warwick Street, - South Belgravia, Nov. 6, 1874." - -[21] Special enquiry, made since the above was penned, shows conclusively -that this appearance was seen exactly seven years after the date of -death.--Editor. - -[22] The Editor is in no degree concerned with Paganism or Pagan -superstitions, nor has he gathered præ-Christian examples. Yet such will -have been numerous to the ordinary student of classical history. The -Haunted House of Damon, mentioned by Plutarch, will be familiar to many. - -[23] The following is the original of a most beautiful verse in Bishop -Ken's well-known "Evening Hymn," either mutilated in the worst of taste in -most hymn-books, or else altogether eliminated and suppressed:-- - - "You, my best guardian, while I sleep - Close to my bed your vigils keep; - Your love angelical instil, - Stop all the avenues of ill." - -[24] "What do we know of the World of Spirits? Little or nothing, beyond -what Faith and Revelation afford. Still we know that they surround us; -that they hover over us; that they accompany us whithersoever we go; and -that even in the innermost tabernacle of the soul they penetrate and have -their being. Good spirits and bad are around us; good spirits to aid us, -to waft our lame and imperfect prayers to heaven, and to protect us in the -hour of temptation or peril. 'He shall give His angels charge over thee, -lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.' Bad angels, too, are around us -and against us, percolating through every avenue of the soul, inflaming -the imagination, warping the judgment, tainting the will, and too often, -alas! perverting it to perdition. Bad angels are around us, even within -the protecting sanctuary of God's Church, when summoned, permitted there -by the subdued and corrupted will of man. Bad angels are around us in -every walk and rank and condition and event of life: we see them not, but -they hover over us and around us, and they penetrate within the mysterious -precincts of the soul, by many a foul and unholy thought, by many an evil -suggestion to sin. And they triumph, and they gibber in their unholy glee -whenever they tempt and prevail. They triumph, and they laugh the -insulting laugh whenever they steep to the lips in sin an unhappy mortal, -and fasten upon him the mocking thought and determination of a deathbed -repentance. That is their battle ground, the battle ground of victory. The -standard of deceit is then triumphant: the captive is delivered bound into -their hands to do with as they list, to be tormented according to the -refinement of their infernal pleasure. 'He shall be delivered unto the -tormentors.'"--Rev. Edward Price. - -[25] This belief prevails extensively in Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland. - -[26] The souls of the dead, or spirits of some sort, are constantly heard -and not unfrequently seen in mines. A Shropshire miner informed the Editor -that, of his own knowledge, he had heard supernatural sounds of moanings -and mutterings underground, and had seemed to _feel_ the passing spirits -as they swept by. On one occasion, after the violent and sudden death of a -comrade, the noises were unusually loud; while the horses employed -underground would stand trembling and covered with perspiration whenever -the spirits were heard. - -[27] "The Life of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., by Robert Southey, Esq.," -vol. ii. p. 370. London: 1858. - -[28] In many places on the continent, especially in France and Spain, it -was the custom to pray for departed souls, suffering (as their needful -purification was incompleted) _in any particular locality_. Dr. Neale -gives an example of this, occurring in a prayer which he saw printed and -hung up in a church at Braganza in Spain, which ran thus:--"We pray, -likewise, for the souls which are suffering in any place by the particular -chastisement of God." And the following is translated from a French -Prayer-Book of the last century:--"Have mercy, O Lord God, good and -pitiful, on the souls of those who are being chastised for their -transgressions in the flesh, in those places where Thou willest them to -suffer;" an evident reference in both cases to troubled spirits which -haunt definite spots. - -[29] When the tone of thought in Shakspeare's day is compared with that in -our own, the contrast between the accurate and explicit religious -statements regarding the Supernatural, with the shallow and cynical -scepticism of modern writers, can hardly be put down to the credit of the -Modern. At all events those who claim to range themselves on the side of -the Ancient and the True may be permitted to do so. Nothing could more -forcibly set forth the current belief of the sixteenth century than the -following well-known utterance of the Ghost in "Hamlet":-- - - "I am thy Father's spirit; - Doom'd for a certain time to walk the night, - And for the day confined to fast in fires, - Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature - Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid - To tell the secrets of my prison-house, - I could a tale unfold whose lightest word - Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, - Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, - Thy knotted and combined locks to part, - And each particular hair to stand on end, - Like quills upon the fretful porcupine: - But this eternal blazon must not be - To ears of flesh and blood." - "Hamlet," pp. 22-23. Oxford: 1873. - -[30] The Editor is indebted to the late Revs. W. Hastings Kelke and H. -Roundell of Buckingham, for the above curious example. It was intended to -have been published some years ago in "The Records of Bucks." - -[31] For an accurate account by the late Rev. W. Hastings Kelke of this -curious and interesting old mansion, the property of Lord Clifford of -Chudleigh, see "The Records of Bucks," vol. i. pp. 255-267. Aylesbury, -1858. - -[32] "Memoirs of Sir John Reresby," p. 238. - -[33] The Rev. Joseph Jefferson, M.A., Vicar of North Stainley, near Ripon, -who sent me the above--unaltered, and printed just as it was written--on -the 2nd of June, 1873. - -[34] "Notes and Queries," vol. x. second series, Sept. 8, 1860, pp. -192-193, and Sept. 22, 1860, p. 236. - -[35] Barby is a parish in the Hundred of Fawsley, in the county of -Northampton, a little more than five miles from Daventry. It contains -between six and seven hundred inhabitants. - -[36] "Your account, as about to be printed, is _true and exact_, as to all -the facts of the haunted house at ----, which came within my own personal -knowledge. Don't mention names, or we shall perhaps be damaging the -property, and lay ourselves open to an action at law. I may add that the -late Bishop of Chester [Dr. Graham] is said to have furnished a mutual -friend, the late Master of Trinity, with similar accounts, which had taken -place before I knew the place, verifying to an A B C the old and, no -doubt, perfectly true tradition. It is strange enough I know, _but it is -true_.--Yours, &c., H. S. B., November, 1874." - -[37] The wife of the clergyman above alluded to, wrote to the Editor as -follows:--"Having read the account which you contemplate publishing, I can -testify of my own personal knowledge that it is _neither understated nor -exaggerated, but is in all its details strictly true and accurate_.--June, -1874." - -[38] Miss S. F. Caulfeild, author of "Avenele," "Desmond," &c. - -[39] It seems that other places are reported to be haunted by appearances -of Birds. A correspondent informs the Editor that this is the case with an -old House in Dorsetshire, not far from Poole, where a wingless bird is -sometimes seen. The same is said of a mansion in Essex, as another -correspondent declares. In one room in an old house in Dean Street, Soho, -likewise, several persons have seen a large raven, three times the size of -an ordinary raven, perched on the tester of the old-fashioned bed. The -inmates of the house, in 1854, whose family had had the lease for eighty -years, are said to have been so accustomed to seeing it (though they knew -it to be spectral) that they were undisturbed by its frequent appearance. -Dr. Neale's story as follows (not unlike the examples already given), is -very singular. Regarding it he wrote:--"_It comes to me with a weight of -evidence, which, strange as is the tale, I cannot disbelieve_. Three -friends, not very much distinguished by piety, had been dining together at -the residence of one of them in Norfolk. After dinner they went out and -strolled through the churchyard. 'Well,' said a clergyman, one of the -three, 'I wonder, after all, if there is any future state or not?' They -agreed that whichever died first should appear to the others and inform -them. 'In what shape shall it be?' asked one of the friends. At that -moment a flight of crows arose from a neighbouring field. 'A crow is as -good a shape as any other,' said the clergyman; 'if I should be the first -to die, I will appear in that.' He _did_ die first; and some time after -his death, the other two had been dining together, and were walking in the -garden afterwards. A crow settled on the head of one of them, stuck there -pertinaciously, and could only be torn off by main force. And when this -gentleman's carriage came to take him home, the crow perched on it, and -accompanied him back." - -[40] "Strange Things Amongst Us." By Henry Spicer. 2nd ed., pp. 100-102. -London: Chapman & Hall, 1864. - -[41] The following is taken from a small volume which has been -gratuitously circulated very widely amongst the clergy and laity. It bears -a Christian title, but is altogether anti-Christian from end to end:-- - -"The unwise, idolatrous, early Christian priests, in their admiration of -Christ, exalted him in their imagination to be God Himself, forgetting the -Creator God, and exalting in their foolish imagination his Blessed Mother -as the Mother of God--folly that has been widely perpetuated down to these -days. Oh, foolish churches, how great has been your folly, how widely you -have departed from the truth; therefore how little you have been able to -cope with the wicked heart of man! - -"In like manner as the Israelites, from the crucifixion down to these -days, have erred in disbelieving the Messiah-ship of Christ, so the -spurious churches have, during many ages, exalted Christ in their -imagination to be God. The Israelites and the spurious churches being -equal in their great error--the one refusing to acknowledge him as the -long-promised Messiah, the other exalting him in their imagination as -being the Messiah, the Holy Ghost, and God the Creator also; the -Israelites refusing to give any glory to Christ, the spurious churches -madly rushing, in their ancient antagonism towards the Jews, to the -opposite extreme, by robbing, in their imagination, God the Creator of His -Glory, and giving all glory to the Messiah, to the great grief of the -Messiah. - -"Now clearly understand, oh ye nations of the whole world! it was not God -who was born out of the Virgin Mary, and who was crucified, but the before -holy angel Christ--understand this, and the Holy Scriptures will be plain -to your comprehension--Christians have erred greatly during so many -generations, in like manner as the followers of Mahomet and of Buddah have -erred--errors that were carelessly accepted by powerful rulers, evil and -ignorant, and forced upon the priests and the people, generation after -generation. The time is at hand, even knocking at the door, when your -understanding shall be made clear, and neither the professing followers of -Christ, nor of Buddah, nor of Mahomet, nor the unwise of other sects, will -continue in their many errors."--"Christ is Coming," pp. 135-6. - -"Yet to-day, if one dare question the value of Christianity, what a howl -is raised from one end of Christendom to the other! We say so advisedly, -for it is the howl of fear.... Though Christianity to-day declines and is -losing power and vigour, yet in its day it hath done great and glorious -good in the work of human redemption. It was an advance upon the religions -which preceded it."--"What of the Dead? An Address by Mr. J. J. Morse, in -the Trance State," p. 5. London: J. Burns. 1873. - -[42] 2 St. Peter iii. 3, 4. - -[43] "A Scientific View of Modern Spiritualism: a Paper read by Mr. T. -Grant to the Maidstone and Mid-Kent Natural History and Philosophical -Society on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 1872." London: J. Burns. - -[44] A remarkable example of this has been courteously given to me by Mr. -Thomas Bosworth, of 198, High Holborn, as follows:--"Some seven or eight -years ago there appeared in one of the newspapers a story to the following -effect:--A commercial firm at Bolton, in Lancashire, had found that a -considerable sum of money which had been sent to their bank by a -confidential clerk, had not been placed to their credit. The clerk -remembered the fact of taking the money, though not the particulars, but -at the bank nothing was known of it. The clerk, feeling that he was liable -to suspicion in the matter, and anxious to elucidate it, sought the help -of spirit medium. The medium promised to do her best. Having heard the -story, she presently passed into a kind of trance. Shortly after she said, -'I see you on your way to the bank--I see you go into the bank--I see you -go to such and such part of the bank--I see you hand some papers to a -clerk--I see him put them in such and such a place under some other -papers--and I see them there now.' The clerk went to the bank, directed -the cashier where to look for the money, and it was found; the cashier -afterwards remembering that in the hurry of business he had there -deposited it. A relation of mine saw this story in a newspaper at the -time, and wrote to the firm in question, the name of which was given, -asking whether the facts were as stated. He was told in reply that they -were. That gentleman who was applied to, having corrected one or two -unimportant details in the above narration, wrote on November 9, -1874:--'Your account is a correct one. I have the answer of the firm to my -enquiry at home now.'" - -[45] The term "willer" and "necromancer" are used as identical by Easterns -as well as by the aborigines of New Zealand. - -[46] There have been published "Rules to be Observed for the Spirit -Circle," "framed under the Direction and Impression of Spirits," by Emma -Hardinge, from which the following points are gathered. Firstly, there is -a definition, and it is stated that "the Spirit Circle is the assembling -together of a given number of persons for the purpose of seeking communion -with the spirits who have passed away from Earth into the higher world of -souls." A leading direction enjoins the inquiring votaries to "_Avoid -strong_ light, which by producing excessive motion in the atmosphere, -disturbs the manifestations. A very subdued light is the most favourable -for any manifestations of a magnetic character, especially for spiritual -magnetism." "Strongly positive persons of any kind" and "the dogmatical" -should not be admitted. Furthermore, these "Rules" contain the -following:-- - -"Spirit control is often deficient, and at first almost always imperfect. -_By often yielding to it, your organism becomes more flexible and the -spirit more experienced_; and practice in control is absolutely necessary -for spirits as well as mortals. _If dark and evil-disposed spirits -manifest to you, never drive them away_, but always strive to elevate them -and treat them as you would mortals under similar circumstances. Do not -always attribute falsehoods to 'lying spirits,' or deceiving mediums. Many -mistakes occur in the communion of which you cannot always be aware. -_Strive for Truth_, but rebuke Error gently, and do not always attribute -it to design, but rather to mistake, in so difficult and experimental a -stage of the communion as mortals at present enjoy with spirits." - -[47] The kind of communication made to those who first consult the -spirits, is just of that nature calculated to allure the superficial, the -frivolous, the uninformed, triflers, and seekers after novelties; and to -lead them on to a more frequent intercourse and a deeper kind of -communion. - -[48] Dr. J. G. Davey, M.D., of Northwoods, Bristol, writes as follows:--"I -have satisfied myself not only of the mere abstract truth of Spiritualism, -but of its great and marvellous power for good, both on moral and -religious grounds. The direct and positive communications vouchsafed to me -from very many near and dear relatives and friends, said to be dead, have -been of the most pleasing yet startling character."--_Report on -Spiritualism_, p. 232. London: Longmans, 1871. - -[49] This person, whose name was most accurately given, had died five days -previously. He was a servant on the estate, and had belonged to the sect -of the Anabaptists. - -[50] "Notes of an Enquiry into the Phenomena called Spiritualism, during -the years 1870-73." By William Crookes, F.R.S. - -[51] "The reader who has not been in the habit of attending _séances_ -should be informed that the peculiar phraseology of some of the questions -is rendered necessary by the fact that if you ask the spirits, 'Where did -_you_ die?' or 'Where were _you_ buried?' they will sometimes tell you -that it was not _they_ who died and were buried, but merely the external -shell or material covering of the real man."--Note by the Editor of the -"Spiritual Magazine." - -[52] "There is scarcely a city or a considerable town in Continental -Europe, at the present moment, where Spiritualists are not reckoned by -hundreds if not by thousands; where regularly established communities do -not habitually meet for spiritual purposes: and they reckon among them -individuals of every class and avocation."--"Scepticism and Spiritualism." -In a letter to the "Spiritual Magazine," dated May 4th, 1867, Judge -Edmunds, of America, estimated the number of Spiritualists in the United -States at ten millions. "In London, ten years ago," writes Mr. R. Dale -Owen, "there was but a single Spiritual paper; to-day there are -five."--"The Debatable Land," p. 175. London: Trübner, 1871. - -[53] The Rev. John Edwards, jun., M.A., Vicar of Prestbury, near -Cheltenham. - -[54] "We do not, either by faith or works, _earn_ Heaven, nor are we -sentenced, on any Day of Wrath, to Hell. In the next world we simply -gravitate to the position for which, by life on earth, we have fitted -ourselves; and we occupy that position _because_ we are fitted for -it."--"The Debatable Land," by R. Dale Owen, p. 125. London, 1871. - -[55] Howitt's "What Spiritualism has Taught," p. 8. - -[56] Howitt's "What Spiritualism has Taught," p. 10. - -[57] "Spiritualism is avowedly opposed to the Christian Religion. 'The -Creed of the spirits' is published in the shape of a little tract, one of -those called 'Seed Corn,' which active agents love to distribute -gratuitously wherever readers can be found, and these are its clauses: 'I -believe in God'--'I believe in the immortality of the human soul'--'I -believe in right and wrong'--'I believe in the communion of spirits as -ministering angels.' Nothing more. Those well-intending persons, -therefore--and we believe that among Protestants there are many--who go to -_séances_ out of curiosity, and who are sometimes heard to say that if -Spiritualism be true it must therefore be right, should be warned that -they are lending countenance to persons in whose writings the doctrines of -the Trinity and the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ are emphatically -denied--the Holy Ghost scoffed at in words too blasphemous for repetition, -our Blessed Lady insulted, and the whole fabric of Religion attacked and -undermined; and whether this is done by spirits who actually manifest -themselves for the purpose of leading people astray, or by impostors who -work upon the credulity of their audience, the thing can have but one -origin, and that is the same as that of any other work by which the -Arch-enemy seeks to close the heart of man against the True Faith. It is -time therefore to use other weapons than that of ridicule against the -baneful and, we fear, widely increasing delusion."--"Tablet," September 6, -1873. - -[58] Collect for the Feast of S. Michael and All Angels, "Book of Common -Prayer." - -[59] "The soul has a kind of body of a quality of its own."--Tertull. -cont. Marc. lib. v. cap. xv. - -[60] This account is current, with slender and unimportant variations, at -Oxford; or at all events _was_ current in my days there (A.D. 1850-1854), -and on what could not be regarded as other than good authority. One -version is already in print--that given by Mr. William Maskell, at pp. -108-112 of his curious and interesting book, "Odds and Ends," London, -1872. He seems to imply that it was the late Archdeacon of Cleveland, the -Ven. Edward Churton, who saw the spectral apparitions in Brasenose Lane; -but the Archdeacon belonged to Christ Church, and, as his son, the Rev. W. -R. Churton, of Cambridge, informs me, was not resident at Oxford at the -time of the occurrence. More probably it was the Archdeacon's brother, the -Rev. T. T. Churton, sometime Fellow of Brasenose. - -[61] As to the universality of the belief in Witchcraft, the reader may -consult Herder's "Philosophy of History," bk. viii. ch. 2. And as regards -the convictions of some of the leading minds of Europe in times past on -the subject, Mr. Leckey in his "History of Rationalism" (vol. i. p. 66), -makes the following candid admission: "It is, I think, impossible to deny -that the books in defence of the belief are not only far more numerous -than the later works against it, but that they also represent far more -learning, dialectic skill, and even general ability. For many centuries -the ablest men were not merely unwilling to repudiate the superstition; -they often pressed forward earnestly and with the most intense conviction -to defend it. Indeed, during the period when Witchcraft was most prevalent -there were few writers of real eminence who did not, on some occasion, -take especial pains to throw the weight of their authority into the scale. -Thomas Aquinas was probably the ablest writer of the thirteenth century, -and he assures us that diseases and tempests are often the direct acts of -the devil; that the devil can transport men at his pleasure through the -air; and that he can transform them into any shape. Gerson, the Chancellor -of the University of Paris, and, as many think, the author of 'The -Imitation,' is justly regarded as one of the master intellects of his age; -and he, too, wrote in defence of the belief. Bodin was unquestionably the -most original political philosopher who had arisen since Machiavelli, and -he devoted all his learning and acuteness to crushing the rising -scepticism 'on the subject of witches.'" - -[62] 1 S. Peter v. 8. - -[63] Acts xvi. 16-18. - -[64] Apologia, cap. v. De Civit. Dei, lib. xv. cap. xxiii. - -[65] 1 Cor. xi. 10. - -[66] Ibid. xi. 15. - -[67] Luther, following the current tradition of his day, believed that the -Devil could beget children on the bodies of women; and declared that he -himself had personally come across, and was well acquainted with, one of -the Devil's offspring. So too did Erasmus believe the fact of such -generation. It is a tradition in the Catholic Church, that the last and -great Antichrist--the final Antichrist--may be born of such an alliance. -Of course Mahomet was _a_ great Antichrist; for though he borrowed certain -Christian features and adopted many Jewish notions and Rabbinical -traditions in his system, yet he plainly and undoubtedly fulfilled the -prophetic statement of S. John the Divine--"_He is Antichrist, who denieth -the Father and the Son_." (1 S. John ii. 22.) Mahomet's great and leading -heresy is expressed in the following dogmatic assertion of the Koran: -"_God neither begetteth nor is begotten_." Now no system has more -pertinaciously, successfully, and for so long a time opposed Christianity -than Mahometanism--not even Arianism. But modern "Liberalism," so called, -as still developing amongst ancient Christian nations, promises even to -outstrip the system of Mahomet, and to be as blighting and baneful in its -results. - -[68] "An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians." By -E. W. Lane. 5th edition. London: 1860. - -[69] See the whole of this chapter, which is full of information and -interest. It gives a record of several other similar examples. - -[70] In No. 117 of the "Quarterly Review," there is a criticism on Mr. -Lane's account of these necromancers; but the facts recorded by him are -neither satisfactorily accounted for nor successfully explained away. - -[71] My brother-in-law, Captain Ostrehan, of the Bombay Staff Corps, Sir -Alfred Slade, Bart., and the Rev. Dr. Dunbar, chaplain to Bishop -Claughton, have furnished me with remarkable examples of the power of -Oriental necromancers. - -[72] Nevins' "China and the Chinese," p. 167. New York, 1868. - -[73] "Theory of Pneumatology," by J. H. Jung-Stilling, pp. 136-137. -London: Longmans, 1834. - -[74] Dr. Sexton in his "Defence of Modern Spiritualism" (London: J. -Burns), a tractate written with ability and frankness, remarks that "it is -too late in the day to sneer at this matter with a sort of -self-complacency, which seems to say, 'You are a poor deluded creature: -behold my superior wisdom; I don't believe in such nonsense.' Here are the -facts, and we demand in the true spirit of Science to know what is to be -done with them. If you have any theory by which they can be explained, let -us hear it, in order that we may judge of its merits; if you have not, we -are all the more justified in clinging to our own." And, again, referring -to the inquiries of a certain Dr. Hare in America, he writes:--"The -question with Dr. Hare was--Did the phenomena occur, and, if so, were they -produced by the direct action of those persons in whose presence they took -place? The nonsensical notions mooted by unscientific opponents, and which -are still urged with as much gravity as though they had been made the -subject of mathematical demonstration, that electricity, magnetism, odic, -or psychic forces are the agents by which the manifestations are produced, -he knew well enough could not bear a moment's investigation. Electricity -cannot move tables, nor in fact act at all without cumbrous apparatus. -Magnetism cannot give intelligent responses to questions, and odic force -and its twin brother psychic are probably as imaginary as the -philosopher's stone; and even if their existence could be proved beyond -the shadow of a doubt, they could not in the slightest degree help us to -the solution of the great problem of the cause of the phenomena designated -Spiritual." - -[75] A thoughtful writer, and one who is evidently far-seeing and awake to -the danger, recently made the following pertinent remarks in the _Church -Review_:-- - -"The presence of Superstition is always the sign of a wandering from the -true path; the _excess_ of Superstition almost invariably the precursor of -great intellectual and religious changes, if not absolute convulsions. -Before the great crash of Paganism the necromancers and practisers of -curious arts were carrying on an unusually brisk trade among the Romans. -We all know how prevalent was the belief in witches, wizards, and -astrology at the time immediately preceding the (so-called) Reformation. -Before the French Revolution the sect founded by Cagliostro and Lorenza -Feliciani, which professed a knowledge of the ancient arts of the -Egyptians, found great numbers of followers. And have we not a sign of a -national mental crisis in our own day in the prevalence of 'Spiritualism,' -which is the form which necromancy at present takes? There may be many -people who are utterly unaware how large a number of their -fellow-countrymen, and especially of their countrywomen, believe in -Spiritualism, and attend _séances_. Those who do so are not usually very -fond of parading their belief, because they have a lurking suspicion that -they may get laughed at; but this very reserve makes the bond between the -votaries of Spiritualism so much the stronger. It is no exaggeration to -say that the practice of dealing with familiar spirits is on the increase -in Great Britain at the present moment." (A.D. 1873.) - -[76] "On the Invisible World," by Joseph Hall, D.D., &c., book i. sec. 8. -Father Christopher Davenport, better known as "Sancta Clara," in one of -his most remarkable treatises, "Paralipomena Philosophica de Mundo -Peripatetico," chap. iv. p. 68 (A.D. 1652), confirms the account in the -text of the above-named Bishop of Exeter, giving all the details of this -particular miraculous cure. It seems that both the Well and Chapel of S. -Madron were constantly visited by the faithful during the first part of -the seventeenth century, especially in the month of May and on the feast -of Corpus Christi. - -[77] "History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in -Europe," by W. E. H. Lecky, M.A. Fourth edition in two volumes. London, -1870. - -[78] Dr. Newman will, of course, be excepted; for his remarkable -Dissertation prefixed to the translation of Fleury's "History" is known to -many, more especially in its new form,--a volume already referred to at -length in chap. ii. pp. 35-36. It is certainly quite unjust to include the -Tractarian school amongst those who are referred to by Mr. Lecky in the -following passage:--"At present nearly all educated men receive an account -of a miracle taking place in their own day, with an absolute and even -derisive incredulity which dispenses with all examination of the -evidence."--Vol. i. p. 1. Though many are reticent, and many more shrink -from publicity and rude criticism, it is known that the direct influence -of the Miraculous and Supernatural is by no means unknown in the Church of -England. - -[79] Job xxv. 5. - -[80] See a most remarkable Letter from the pen of my friend the Rev. R. S. -Hawker, of Morwenstow, on "The Claims of Science and Faith," standing as -an Appendix to this Chapter, in which the office of the angels is referred -to. - -[81] Mr. Mill, who is now dead, wrote that "this World was a bungled -business in which no clear-sighted man [meaning himself apparently, and -modestly] could see any signs either of wisdom or of God." Mr. Matthew -Arnold, son of Dr. Arnold of Rugby, has written that "the existence of God -is an unverifiable hypothesis." A third writer maintains that the "great -duty" of the philosophers "should be to eliminate the idea of God from the -minds of men," a sentiment not unlike that of Mr. Congreve, already quoted -on p. 19 of vol. i.; while a popular publication, circulated by thousands -amongst the lower classes, declares that the mission of its Editors is "to -teach men to live without the fear of God; to die without the fear of the -Devil; and to attain salvation without the Blood of the Lamb." - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Other World; or, Glimpses of the -Supernatural (Vol. II of II), by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OTHER WORLD, VOL II *** - -***** This file should be named 43346-8.txt or 43346-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/3/4/43346/ - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |