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contributions to all the year round-第10部分
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when widely believed in; and they must disbelieve that such people
have the right to know; and that it is their duty to know; wonder…
workers by their fruits; and to test miracle…mongers by the tests of
probability; analogy; and common sense。 They must disbelieve all
rational explanations of thoroughly proved experiences (only) which
appear supernatural; derived from the average experience and study
of the visible world。 They must disbelieve the speciality of the
Master and the Disciples; and that it is a monstrosity to test the
wonders of show…folk by the same touchstone。 Lastly; they must
disbelieve that one of the best accredited chapters in the history
of mankind is the chapter that records the astonishing deceits
continually practised; with no object or purpose but the distorted
pleasure of deceiving。
We have summed up a fewnot nearly allof the articles of belief
and disbelief to which Mr。 Howitt most arrogantly demands an
implicit adherence。 To uphold these; he uses a book as a Clown in a
Pantomime does; and knocks everybody on the head with it who comes
in his way。 Moreover; he is an angrier personage than the Clown;
and does not experimentally try the effect of his red…hot poker on
your shins; but straightway runs you through the body and soul with
it。 He is always raging to tell you that if you are not Howitt; you
are Atheist and Anti…Christ。 He is the sans…culotte of the
Spiritual Revolution; and will not hear of your accepting this point
and rejecting that;down your throat with them all; one and
indivisible; at the point of the pike; No Liberty; Totality;
Fraternity; or Death!
Without presuming to question that 〃it is high time to protest
against Protestantism〃 on such very substantial grounds as Mr。
Howitt sets forth; we do presume to think that it is high time to
protest against Mr。 Howitt's spiritualism; as being a little in
excess of the peculiar merit of Thomas L。 Harris's sermons; and
somewhat TOO 〃full; out…gushing; unstinted; and absorbing〃。
THE MARTYR MEDIUM
〃After the valets; the master!〃 is Mr。 Fechter's rallying cry in the
picturesque romantic drama which attracts all London to the Lyceum
Theatre。 After the worshippers and puffers of Mr。 Daniel Dunglas
Home; the spirit medium; comes Mr。 Daniel Dunglas Home himself; in
one volume。 And we must; for the honour of Literature; plainly
express our great surprise and regret that he comes arm…in…arm with
such good company as Messrs。 Longman and Company。
We have already summed up Mr。 Home's demands on the public capacity
of swallowing; as sounded through the war…denouncing trumpet of Mr。
Howitt; and it is not our intention to revive the strain as
performed by Mr。 Home on his own melodious instrument。 We notice;
by the way; that in that part of the Fantasia where the hand of the
first Napoleon is supposed to be reproduced; recognised; and kissed;
at the Tuileries; Mr。 Home subdues the florid effects one might have
expected after Mr。 Howitt's execution; and brays in an extremely
general manner。 And yet we observe Mr。 Home to be in other things
very reliant on Mr。 Howitt; of whom he entertains as gratifying an
opinion as Mr。 Howitt entertains of him: dwelling on his 〃deep
researches into this subject〃; and of his 〃great work now ready for
the press〃; and of his 〃eloquent and forcible〃 advocacy; and eke of
his 〃elaborate and almost exhaustive work〃; which Mr。 Home trusts
will be 〃extensively read〃。 But; indeed; it would seem to be the
most reliable characteristic of the Dear Spirits; though very
capricious in other particulars; that they always form their circles
into what may be described; in worldly terms; as A Mutual Admiration
and Complimentation Company (Limited)。
Mr。 Home's book is entitled Incidents in My Life。 We will extract a
dozen sample passages from it; as variations on and phrases of
harmony in; the general strain for the Trumpet; which we have
promised not to repeat。
1。 MR。 HOME IS SUPERNATURALLY NURSED
〃I cannot remember when first I became subject to the curious
phenomena which have now for so long attended me; but my aunt and
others have told me that when I was a baby my cradle was frequently
rocked; as if some kind guardian spirit was attending me in my
slumbers。〃
2。 DISRESPECTFUL CONDUCT OF MR。 HOME'S AUNT NEVERTHELESS
〃In her uncontrollable anger she seized a chair and threw it at me。〃
3。 PUNISHMENT OF MR。 HOME'S AUNT
〃Upon one occasion as the table was being thus moved about of
itself; my aunt brought the family Bible; and placing it on the
table; said; 'There; that will soon drive the devils away'; but to
her astonishment the table only moved in a more lively manner; as if
pleased to bear such a burden。〃 (We believe this is constantly
observed in pulpits and church reading desks; which are invariably
lively。) 〃Seeing this she was greatly incensed; and determined to
stop it; she angrily placed her whole weight on the table; and was
actually lifted up with it bodily from the floor。〃
4。 TRIUMPHANT EFFECT OF THIS DISCIPLINE ON MR。 HOME'S AUNT
〃And she felt it a duty that I should leave her house; and which I
did。〃
5。 MR。 HOME'S MISSION
It was communicated to him by the spirit of his mother; in the
following terms: 〃Daniel; fear not; my child; God is with you; and
who shall be against you? Seek to do good: be truthful and truth…
loving; and you will prosper; my child。 Yours is a glorious
missionyou will convince the infidel; cure the sick; and console
the weeping。〃 It is a coincidence that another eminent man; with
several missions; heard a voice from the Heavens blessing him; when
he also was a youth; and saying; 〃You will be rewarded; my son; in
time〃。 This Medium was the celebrated Baron Munchausen; who relates
the experience in the opening of the second chapter of the incidents
in HIS life。
6。 MODEST SUCCESS OF MR。 HOME'S MISSION
〃Certainly these phenomena; whether from God or from the devil; have
in ten years caused more converts to the great truths of immortality
and angel communion; with all that flows from these great facts;
than all the sects in Christendom have made during the same period。〃
7。 WHAT THE FIRST COMPOSERS SAY OF THE SPIRIT…MUSIC; TO MR。 HOME
〃As to the music; it has been my good fortune to be on intimate
terms with some of the first composers of the day; and more than one
of them have said of such as they have heard; that it is such music
as only angels could make; and no man could write it。〃
These 〃first composers〃 are not more particularly named。 We shall
therefore be happy to receive and file at the office of this
Journal; the testimonials in the foregoing terms of Dr。 Sterndale
Bennett; Mr。 Balfe; Mr。 Macfarren; Mr。 Benedict; Mr。 Vincent
Wallace; Signor Costa; M。 Auber; M。 Gounod; Signor Rossini; and
Signor Verdi。 We shall also feel obliged to Mr。 Alfred Mellon; who
is no doubt constantly studying this wonderful music; under the
Medium's auspices; if he will note on paper; from memory; say a
single sheet of the same。 Signor Giulio Regondi will then perform
it; as correctly as a mere mortal can; on the Accordion; at the next
ensuing concert of the Philharmonic Society; on which occasion the
before…mentioned testimonials will be conspicuously displayed in the
front of the orchestra。
8。 MR。 HOME'S MIRACULOUS INFANT
〃On the 26th April; old style; or 8th May; according to our style;
at seven in the evening; and as the snow was fast falling; our
little boy was born at the town house; situate on the Gagarines
Quay; in St。 Petersburg; where we were still staying。 A few hours
after his birth; his mother; the nurse; and I heard for several
hours the warbling of a bird as if singing over him。 Also that
night; and for two or three nights afterwards; a bright starlike
light; which was clearly visible from the partial darkness of the
room; in which there was only a night…lamp burning; appeared several
times directly I over its head; where it remained for some moments;
and then slowly moved in the direction of the door; where it
disappeared。 This was also seen by each of us at the same time。
The light was more condensed than those which have been so often
seen in my presence upon previous and subsequent occasions。 It was
brighter and more distinctly globular。 I do not believe that it
came through my mediumship; but rather through that of the child;
who has manifested on several occasions the presence of the gift。 I
do not like to allude to such a matter; but as there are more
strange things in Heaven and earth than are dreamt of; even in my
philosophy; I do not feel myself at liberty to omit stating; that
during the latter part of my wife's pregnancy; we thought it better
that she should not join in Seances; because it was found that
whenever the rappings occurred in the room; a simultaneous movement
of the child was distinctly felt; perfectly in unison with the
sounds。 When there were three sounds; three movements were felt;
and so on; and when five sounds were heard; which is generally the
call for the alphabet; she felt the five internal movements; and she
would frequently; when we were mistaken in the latter; correct us
from what the child indicated。〃
We should ask pardon of our readers for sullying our paper with this
nauseous matter; if without it they could adequately understand what
Mr。 Home's book is。
9。 CAGLIOSTRO'S SPIRIT CALLS ON MR。 HOME
Prudently avoiding the disagreeable question of his giving himself;
both in this state of existence and in his spiritual circle; a name
to which he never had any pretensions whatever; and likewise
prudently suppressing any reference to his amiable weakness as a
swindler and an infamous trafficker in his own wife; th
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