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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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