contributions to all the year round-第9部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



length　of　considering　this　by　any　means　a　marvellous　experience；　we

yet　venture　to　confess　that　it　has　awakened　in　our　mind　many

interesting　speculations　touching　the　present　whereabout　in　space；

of　the　spirits　of　Mr。　Howitt's　own　departed　boots　and　hats。



The　next　articles　of　belief　are　Belief　in　the　moderate　figures　of

〃thirty　thousand　media　in　the　United　States　in　1853〃；　and　in　two

million　five　hundred　thousand　spiritualists　in　the　same　country　of

composed　minds；　in　1855；　〃professing　to　have　arrived　at　their

convictions　of　spiritual　communication　from　personal　experience〃；

and　in　〃an　average　rate　of　increase　of　three　hundred　thousand　per

annum〃；　still　in　the　same　country　of　calm　philosophers。　　Belief　in

spiritual　knockings；　in　all　manner　of　American　places；　and；　among

others；　in　the　house　of　〃a　Doctor　Phelps　at　Stratford；　Connecticut；

a　man　of　the　highest　character　for　intelligence〃；　says　Mr。　Howitt；

and　to　whom　we　willingly　concede　the　possession　of　far　higher

intelligence　than　was　displayed　by　his　spiritual　knocker；　in

〃frequently　cutting　to　pieces　the　clothes　of　one　of　his　boys〃；　and

in　breaking　〃seventy…one　panes　of　glass〃unless；　indeed；　the

knocker；　when　in　the　body；　was　connected　with　the　tailoring　and

glazing　interests。　　Belief　in　immaterial　performers　playing　（in　the

dark　though：　　they　are　obstinate　about　its　being　in　the　dark）　on

material　instruments　of　wood；　catgut；　brass；　tin；　and　parchment。

Your　belief　is　further　requested　in　〃the　Kentucky　Jerks〃。　　The

spiritual　achievements　thus　euphoniously　denominated　〃appear〃；　says

Mr。　Howitt；　〃to　have　been　of　a　very　disorderly　kind〃。　　It　appears

that　a　certain　Mr。　Doke；　a　Presbyterian　clergyman；　〃was　first　seized

by　the　jerks〃；　and　the　jerks　laid　hold　of　Mr。　Doke　in　that

unclerical　way　and　with　that　scant　respect　for　his　cloth；　that　they

〃twitched　him　about　in　a　most　extraordinary　manner；　often　when　in

the　pulpit；　and　caused　him　to　shout　aloud；　and　run　out　of　the　pulpit

into　the　woods；　screaming　like　a　madman。　　When　the　fit　was　over；　he

returned　calmly　to　his　pulpit　and　finished　the　service。〃　　The

congregation　having　waited；　we　presume；　and　edified　themselves　with

the　distant　bellowings　of　Doke　in　the　woods；　until　he　came　back

again；　a　little　warm　and　hoarse；　but　otherwise　in　fine　condition。

〃People　were　often　seized　at　hotels；　and　at　table　would；　on　lifting

a　glass　to　drink；　jerk　the　liquor　to　the　ceiling；　ladies　would　at

the　breakfast…table　suddenly　be　compelled　to　throw　aloft　their

coffee；　and　frequently　break　the　cup　and　saucer。〃　　A　certain

venturesome　clergyman　vowed　that　he　would　preach　down　the　Jerks；

〃but　he　was　seized　in　the　midst　of　his　attempt；　and　made　so

ridiculous　that　he　withdrew　himself　from　further　notice〃an　example

much　to　be　commended。　　That　same　favoured　land　of　America　has　been

particularly　favoured　in　the　development　of　〃innumerable　mediums〃；

and　Mr。　Howitt　orders　you　to　believe　in　Daniel　Dunglas　Home；　Andrew

Davis　Jackson；　and　Thomas　L。　Harris；　as　〃the　three　most　remarkable；

or　most　familiar；　on　this　side　of　the　Atlantic〃。　　Concerning　Mr。

Home；　the　articles　of　belief　（besides　removal　of　furniture）　are；

That　through　him　raps　have　been　given　and　communications　made　from

deceased　friends。　　That　〃his　hand　has　been　seized　by　spirit

influence；　and　rapid　communications　written　out；　of　a　surprising

character　to　those　to　whom　they　were　addressed〃。　　That　at　his

bidding；　〃spirit　hands　have　appeared　which　have　been　seen；　felt；　and

recognised　frequently；　by　persons　present；　as　those　of　deceased

friends〃。　　That　he　has　been　frequently　lifted　up　and　carried；

floating　〃as　it　were〃　through　a　room；　near　the　ceiling。　　That　in

America；　〃all　these　phenomena　have　displayed　themselves　in　greater

force　than　here〃which　we　have　not　the　slightest　doubt　of。　　That　he

is　〃the　planter　of　spiritualism　all　over　Europe〃。　　That　〃by

circumstances　that　no　man　could　have　devised；　he　became　the　guest　of

the　Emperor　of　the　French；　of　the　King　of　Holland；　of　the　Czar　of

Russia；　and　of　many　lesser　princes〃。　　That　he　returned　from　〃this

unpremeditated　missionary　tour〃；　〃endowed　with　competence〃；　but　not

before；　〃at　the　Tuileries；　on　one　occasion　when　the　emperor；

empress；　a　distinguished　lady；　and　himself　only　were　sitting　at

table；　a　hand　appeared；　took　up　a　pen；　and　wrote；　in　a　strong　and

well…known　character；　the　word　Napoleon。　　The　hand　was　then

successively　presented　to　the　several　personages　of　the　party　to

kiss。〃　　The　stout　believer；　having　disposed　of　Mr。　Home；　and　rested

a　little；　will　then　proceed　to　believe　in　Andrew　Davis　Jackson；　or

Andrew　Jackson　Davis　（Mr。　Howitt；　having　no　Medium　at　hand　to　settle

this　difference　and　reveal　the　right　name　of　the　seer；　calls　him　by

both　names）；　who　merely　〃beheld　all　the　essential　natures　of　things；

saw　the　interior　of　men　and　animals；　as　perfectly　as　their　exterior；

and　described　them　in　language　so　correct；　that　the　most　able

technologists　could　not　surpass　him。　　He　pointed　out　the　proper

remedies　for　all　the　complaints；　and　the　shops　where　they　were　to　be

obtained〃；in　the　latter　respect　appearing　to　hail　from　an

advertising　circle；　as　we　conceive。　　It　was　also　in　this　gentleman's

limited　department　to　〃see　the　metals　in　the　earth〃；　and　to　have

〃the　most　distant　regions　and　their　various　productions　present

before　him〃。　　Having　despatched　this　tough　case；　the　believer　will

pass　on　to　Thomas　L。　Harris；　and　will　swallow　HIM　easily；　together

with　〃whole　epics〃　of　his　composition；　a　certain　work　〃of　scarcely

less　than　Miltonic　grandeur〃；　called　The　Lyric　of　the　Golden　Agea

lyric　pretty　nigh　as　long　as　one　of　Mr。　Howitt's　volumesdictated

by　Mr。　（not　Mrs。）　Harris　to　the　publisher　in　ninety…four　hours；　and

several　extempore　sermons；　possessing　the　remarkably　lucid　property

of　being　〃full；　unforced；　out…gushing；　unstinted；　and　absorbing〃。

The　candidate　for　examination　in　pure　belief；　will　then　pass　on　to

the　spirit…photography　department；　this；　again；　will　be　found　in　so…

favoured　America；　under　the　superintendence　of　Medium　Mumler；　a

photographer　of　Boston：　　who　was　〃astonished〃　（though；　on　Mr。

Howitt's　showing；　he　surely　ought　not　to　have　been）　〃on　taking　a

photograph　of　himself；　to　find　also　by　his　side　the　figure　of　a

young　girl；　which　he　immediately　recognised　as　that　of　a　deceased

relative。　　The　circumstance　made　a　great　excitement。　　Numbers　of

persons　rushed　to　his　rooms；　and　many　have　found　deceased　friends

photographed　with　themselves。〃　　（Perhaps　Mr。　Mumler；　too；　may　become

〃endowed　with　competence〃　in　time。　　Who　knows？）　　Finally；　the　true

believers　in　the　gospel　according　to　Howitt；　have；　besides；　but　to

pin　their　faith　on　〃ladies　who　see　spirits　habitually〃；　on　ladies

who　KNOW　they　have　a　tendency　to　soar　in　the　air　on　sufficient

provocation；　and　on　a　few　other　gnats　to　be　taken　after　their

camels；　and　they　shall　be　pronounced　by　Mr。　Howitt　not　of　the

stereotyped　class　of　minds；　and　not　partakers　of　〃the　astonishing

ignorance　of　the　press〃；　and　shall　receive　a　first…class　certificate

of　merit。



But　before　they　pass　through　this　portal　into　the　Temple　of　Serene

Wisdom；　we；　halting　blind　and　helpless　on　the　steps；　beg　to　suggest

to　them　what　they　must　at　once　and　for　ever　disbelieve。　　They　must

disbelieve　that　in　the　dark　times；　when　very　few　were　versed　in　what

are　now　the　mere　recreations　of　Science；　and　when　those　few　formed　a

priesthood…class　apart；　any　marvels　were　wrought　by　the　aid　of

concave　mirrors　and　a　knowledge　of　the　properties　of　certain　odours

and　gases；　although　the　self…same　marvels　could　be　reproduced　before

their　eyes　at　the　Polytechnic　Institution；　Regent　Street；　London；

any　day　in　the　year。　　They　must　by　no　means　believe　that　Conjuring

and　Ventriloquism　are　old　trades。　　They　must　disbelieve　all

Philosophical　Transactions　containing　the　records　of　painful　and

careful　inquiry　into　now　familiar　disorders　of　the　senses　of　seeing

and　hearing；　and　into　the　wonders　of　somnambulism；　epilepsy；

hysteria；　miasmatic　influence；　vegetable　poisons　derived　by　whole

communities　from　corrupted　air；　diseased　imitation；　and　moral

infection。　　They　must　disbelieve　all　such　awkward　leading　cases　as

the　case　of　the　Woodstock　Commissioners　and　their　man；　and　the　case

of　the　Identity　of　the　Stockwell　Ghost；　with　the　maid…servant。　　They

must　disbelieve　the　vanishing　of　champion　haunted　houses　（except；

indeed；　out　of　Mr。　Howitt's　book）；　represented　to　have　been　closed

and　ruined　for　years；　before　one　day's　inquiry　by　four　gentlemen

associated　with　this　journal；　and　one　hour's　reference　to　the　Local

Rate…books。　　They　must　disbelieve　all　possibility　of　a　human

creature　on　the　last　verge　of　the　dark　bridge　from　Life　to　Death；

being　mysteriously　able；　in　occasional　cases；　so　to　influence　the

mind　of　one　very　near　and　dear；　as　vividly　to　impress　that　mind　with

some　disturbed　sense　of　the　solemn　change　impending。　　They　must

disbelieve　the　possibility　of　the　lawful　existence　of　a　class　of

intellects　which；　humbly　conscious　of　the　illimitable　power　of　GOD

and　of　their　own　weakness　and　ignorance；　never　deny　that　He　can

cause　the　souls　of　the　dead　to　revisit　the　earth；　or　that　He　may

have　caused　the　souls　of　the　dead　to　revisit　the　earth；　or　that　He

can　cause　any　awful　or　wondrous　thing　to　be；　but　to　deny　the

likelihood　of　apparitions　or　spirits　coming　here　upon　the　stupidest

of　bootless　errands；　and　producing　credentials　tantamount　to　a

solicitation　of　our　vote　and　interest　and　next　proxy；　to　get　them

into　the　Asylum　for　Idiots。　　They　must　disbelieve　the　right　of

Christian　people　who　do　NOT　protest　against　Protestantism；　but　who

hold　it　to　be　a　barrier　against　the　darkest　superstitions　that　can

enslave　the　soul；　to　guard　with　jealousy　all　approaches　tending　down

to　Cock　Lane　Ghosts　and　suchlike　infamous　swindles；　widely　degrading

when　widely　believed　in；　and　they　must　disbelieve　that　such　people

have　the　right　to　know；　and