BOSTON AND THE HARVARD PROFESSORS (_Continued_).
DISINTERESTED JUDGMENTS UPON THE SHAM INVESTIGATION--OUR PART IN
THE PROCEEDINGS--MORE FAIR INVESTIGATION BY THE COLLECTIVE
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NEW ENGLAND PRESS--INVESTIGATION BY A BODY
OF UNITARIAN CLERGYMEN--OUR TRIUMPHANT RETURN HOME--THEODORE
PARKER.
Not only would Prof. Agassiz not sit in circle with us, saying that he
had vowed never again to sit in a circle, but he would not even consent
to go into a private room with the medium, Mr. Redman, who invited him
to do so when he found that the powerfully adverse influence of hostile
wills and feelings strained against him, in the room in which sat the
professors and the representative of _The Courier_, paralyzed his
ability to exhibit the phenomena which, under normal circumstances, were
familiar and invariable with him.
It is evident that all this was a mere sham "investigation." _The Boston
Traveller_ said after it, that "It is _the unanimous opinion_ of
those who witnessed the whole proceedings, with the exception of the
representative of _The Courier_, that the whole affair was in no sense
of the word an investigation, and that nothing was proved or disproved
by it." And without quoting from other (non-Spiritualist) papers, I will
only add from _The Cambridge Chronicle_ of July 11th, issued under the
shadow of old Harvard's edifices, and circulated through its halls and
dormitories, the following comments by a correspondent: "It is patent to
observation that the committee approached the subject with preconceived
views. They seem to have taken for granted that they knew more on the
subject, even without investigation, than the unscientific Spiritualists
with all their long experience and heart interest in it; and they
erroneously judged that the public would take their _ipse dixit_ with
unreasoning deference. Because a man knows a rock, does it follow that
he knows a star? or if he knows a star, does he know a Spirit? Their
professors have shown their ignorance in this 'investigation,' nothing
more," etc.
I may say, with specific reference to the part of the "two Fox sisters,"
that in spite of the bad influences upon us of the bitterly hostile
spirit which ruled the so-called "investigation," and the contemptuous
ill-temper often manifested by some of the committee, I had no reason to
be dissatisfied with the part played by our Spirit friends. Our rappings
came, if not as profusely as usual, yet abundantly, both low and loud,
in spite of our being moved to different parts of the room, of our being
placed standing on cushions and on the stuffed spring seat of a sofa,
etc. Their demonstrative effect was broken by Agassiz's assurances that
he could show how these could be produced by natural physiological
means, and his pledge that he would do so, a pledge given in the
collective form of "we," and therefore binding on the body whose silence
was assent to them. And yet on the last day, after he had in haste
left the room, and when Dr. Gardner called for the fulfilment of this
engagement, Prof. Pierce, who had presided, wriggled out of it by the
plea that that was only an individual promise by Prof. Agassiz, and _not
one by the committee_. Of course it would have been easy to recall
Agassiz, or to hold another meeting for the purpose. Nor was that pledge
ever after redeemed, in spite of the calls of the Spiritualist press.
Nor could the great Agassiz have more eloquently admitted the
impossibility of its fulfilment, than he did by such silence under such
circumstances.
On the 10th of July, 1857, Mr. Allan Putnam, of Roxbury, published a
statement from which I extract the following:
"Mrs. Brown and her sister, Miss C. Fox, were present as mediums. A
conversation was started which was carried on mostly, but not entirely,
by Mr. Lunt, the representative of _The Courier_, and Major Rains, of
Newburg, N. Y., a graduate of West Point, once assistant professor
there, and who, in connection with Judge Edmonds and others, made a
long-continued investigation of Spiritual powers scientifically. This
conversation related to the instrumentality and processes by which
Spirits work, and Major Rains expressed some of his views as to the
proper processes for a scientific investigation of this particular
subject.
"Also, there was conversation, mostly between Professor Agassiz and
Mrs. Brown, as to when and how the Fox family first learned that they
possessed this mediumistic susceptibility. The substance of this
harmonized with what has often been published.
"After a time, the mediums and a few others being at the table, raps
were heard, mostly on the floor (or rather upon a three or four inch
platform covering the stuffed or deadened floor), while a few gentle
ones were felt and heard as if made on the table. Afterward, when Mrs.
Brown stood by a large wooden box, and put first her finger and then a
common pencil against the box, the raps were heard there as on the box
and near her hand. Again, when she stood upon a covered stool, the
sounds seemed to be made beneath her on the platform. Again, when the
two mediums were both standing on the stuffed seat of a sofa, the
persons near them remarked that they heard sounds as from the wood of
the sofa, and also from the wall against which the sofa stood. My
position was distant from the sofa, and I only state what others who
were near remarked. Many of the raps upon the platform and one or two
upon the box were quite distinctly heard in most parts of the room.
"Near the close of their sitting, Prof. Agassiz stated that the
production of such sounds could be referred to known laws, and said,
'Before the investigation is over we will explain to you how they may
be produced.'
"When about to separate, Major Rains expressed a wish that all would
stop and compare notes, and come to an agreement as to what had actually
occurred or been exhibited. A few sentences as to the propriety or
importance of this course were exchanged between him and Prof. Pierce,
when the Professor said, with a very ironical and discourteous tone and
look, 'We thank you, sir, for your _advice_,' and bowing, hastily left
the room. This occurred while a portion of the company were about
leaving the room--while nearly all were standing and ready to go--while
promiscuous conversation was going on--and it is not probable that many
heard or saw what is here described. I was standing by the side of
Major Rains, and saw and heard the whole most distinctly. Mortified and
ashamed at the tones and looks of this representative of _Alma Mater_
and of Science, when addressed to a gentleman stranger, and a man of
science, I turned silently away, and was not surprised when, shortly
after, Major Rains said to me, 'There seems no occasion for me to remain
here because of any knowledge or skill which my experience in such
investigations may have given me; there is no attempt, no purpose, to
have an investigation of the general subject. I had better return home.'
And soon he did go, as then proposed.
"Now the 'change came o'er the spirit of my dream.' At the next
gathering I asked, privately, and learned from both Prof. Pierce and
Mr. Gould, that they considered the money question as still before them,
and that they were but judges and not investigators. From that time
my relations to them and to that particular trial became relatively
unpleasant. I had little to do or say, and nothing to hope for, because
of the necessary antagonism in the room.
"At their next sitting Mr. Redman was the medium. Raps and tipping of
the table did not come as they usually do with him; yet he asked those
at the table to write the names of deceased friends and roll up the
slips. Prof. Pierce commenced writing in a book. Prof. Agassiz, in the
meanwhile, was standing near his back, frequently changing his own
attitude and position, and looking very intently upon Redman, although
he said to Prof. Pierce, 'Throw that one out,' meaning the slip just
written upon. There was the appearance of much mental disturbance in
Prof. Agassiz, as shown by his attitudes, his changes of position, his
wild gaze, and his tones when he spoke. No raps came, _nothing_ claiming
to be Spiritual was done by or through Mr. Redman in the public room. At
some time during this sitting Dr. Gardner drew attention to the points
of disturbance, through strong mental action and intent use of the eyes.
Mr. Lunt was understood to say that he had been using both mind and eyes
intently, and with much effect; but I was on the opposite side of the
room from him when he spoke, and may not have taken in the exact import
of his words.
"Similar want of success attended the other mediums, at all the
subsequent sittings up to the meeting of the Davenports, on the last
evening. These boys, or young men, were intrusted almost entirely to the
management of the Committee, and those of us who were but spectators
are not so informed as to make it proper to state in advance of the
Committee what was attempted nor what the success. We do know that at
the close Prof. Agassiz held up a small, short piece of thread, which he
said had been '_broken_,' and that that was the _test_. Having uttered
these words in a very rough tone and emphatic manner, he, in a similar
tone, said, 'Good night, gentlemen,' and hastily left us.
"Prof. Pierce then said to Dr. Gardner, 'I suppose you are through with
us.' The Doctor replied, 'No, you have promised to show us how the raps
were made.' 'Not as a Committee,' said Prof. Pierce; 'Mr. Agassiz made
that promise as an individual.' And thus the affair closed--we as much
disappointed at the failure of Agassiz to keep his word and unveil the
mystery of rapping, as at any one failure during the sittings.
"The _Investigation_, in fact, was a trial of the correctness of the
statements made at the preliminary meeting, viz., 'that it was in the
power of the gentlemen there present to make the trial a failure, by
ejecting certain forces from their own minds and eyes.' In this they
were successful.
"Two of the gentlemen, Prof. Agassiz and Mr. Lunt, omitted throughout
all the sessions to comply with invitations to sit in the circle around
the table, and there was not, in any instance or at any point, any
opportunity for Dr. Gardner to exercise 'the determination of all the
accessory circumstances.' The former gentleman, it seems, was permitted
to exercise his own choice as to being in the circle, but not so the
latter. Dr. Gardner's friends have been disappointed, and the chief
disappointment was at the manners and actions and mental and emotional
states of two of the Committee and a representative of _The Courier_.
"No chickens were hatched on this occasion, where the hen was kept in
perpetual agitation, and was often driven from her nest during the
period of incubation; _but it does not follow that eggs never contain
a vital principle_. Let the proper conditions be observed, let natural
laws have legitimate play, and the latent vital principle will take form
and embodiment and come forth from the shell a thing of life and power.
It is easy to prevent the hatching of an egg, for the Committee did that
with very little trouble. But many hens 'steal to their nests,' and in
secluded spots, where natural laws are conformed to, the hatching
processes still go on in spite of human science.
"ALLEN PUTNAM.
"ROXBURY, July 10, 1857."
I must here bear testimony to the uniform politeness--I may say
kindness--with which I was personally treated by Prof. Agassiz, however
rough may have been his occasional treatment of some of the other
mediums. So far as _we_ were concerned, he exhibited nothing but that
perfect gentlemanhood which lent another grace to his mental greatness
and scientific attainment. There has always remained on my mind the
impression of something mysterious as having clouded his general conduct
in this "investigation." He was indeed in a false position, and ought
never to have been a member of that committee of professors, inasmuch
as it was of such serious importance to Prof. Felton (afterwards
president), who was virtually the prosecuting officer against
Spiritualism, and so vehement in his public antagonism to it, and
who was also so closely connected by marriage with Agassiz, his
_father-in-law_ (I believe), that a failure to support Felton in this
must have complicated family relations. I must also add that I found
Prof. Horsford unexceptionable as a kind and courteous gentleman. I
think that at the bottom of the committee's strange conduct in only
making an "award" on a money question, which no longer existed before
them, and then remaining in the ridiculous position of never making
their promised "report," notwithstanding the challenges and the jeers
of the Spiritualist papers and orators, lay, in some degree at least,
the facts of this awkwardness of domestic difficulties, and the
impossibility of getting the professors united upon any report.
But that noble man, who has long since gone to his reward, Dr. Gardner,
did not let the matter drop at this point. No sooner was the "award"
promulgated than he engaged his mediums to postpone their departure from
the city, and, under like circumstances, in the same room, furniture
unchanged, to repeat their sittings before a different set of
investigators, namely, the _representatives of the Press_. A large body
of these gentlemen attended, besides their friends and other spectators,
and it is sufficient for me to say that the results were entirely
satisfactory. But Dr. Gardner had requested that their reports should be
withheld from publication until after the committee's full report should
have appeared.
In Mr. Allan Putnam's pamphlet above referred to ("Agassiz and
Spiritualism"), is given an account of this convening of the members of
the Press, by Dr. Gardner, written by the temporary editor of _The New
England Spiritualist_, and signed "One Present," and commencing:
"It is well known that the 'award' of the committee entirely failed to
meet the rational demands of inquirers. It took the form of a decree
rather than a decision. Such being the facts, Dr. Gardner thought it
due, not only to himself but to the community, to make another effort to
have the matter fairly and deliberately tested. Accordingly, immediately
after the appearance of the committee's 'award,' he invited the editors
of the principal newspapers in the city to attend the séances and
witness manifestations through the same mediums he had employed before
the professors.
"The gentlemen who responded to this invitation were: Messrs. Carter,
Robinson, and Brown, of _The Boston Traveller_; Stockwell, of _The
Journal_; Bulger, of _The Post_; Clapp and Shillaber, of _The Gazette_;
Marsh, of _The Bee_; Tracy, of _The Herald_; Hill, of _The Ledger_; and
the editors of _The Banner of Light_, and _New England Spiritualist_.
There were also present at a portion of the sittings, Hon. L. V. Bell,
A. Putnam, Esq., Alvin Adams, Esq., and others."
I extract only the following, which relates to ourselves:
"SECOND SESSION.
"At the second session, on Thursday afternoon, July 2d, Mrs. Brown and
Miss Kate Fox were present as mediums. The precaution was taken again to
examine the furniture and appliances of the room, to guard against any
mechanical trickery. The company then seating themselves, raps were in a
few moments heard upon the floor and table. The sounds were various and
complicated, from the lightest tap to quite heavy blows. The heavier
sounds had a peculiar softness, as if they had been made by a padded
drum-stick worked by a spring.
"The next step was to test the intelligence manifested through the
sounds. The method of doing this will be understood from the following,
which is but a small part of the proceedings--as a report of the whole
would be but a repetition of questions similar in their character, and
eliciting equivalent results.
"A Spirit-friend of Mr. Marsh announced himself as present.
"MR. MARSH.--'Will you tell me your name?'
"BY THE SOUNDS.--'Yes.'
"A list of names was written by Mr. M., and as he pointed to them
separately the Spirit designated that of Le Grand Smith.
"MR. M.--'Will you tell me the manner of your death?'
"'Lost at sea.' (Correct.)
"MR. M.--'Will you tell me where I last saw you?'
"'New York.' (Correct.)
"'Have you any other acquaintance in this room?'
"'Mr. Clapp.'
"MR. C.--'Will Mr. Marsh ask him where I last saw him?'
"Answer obtained by Mr. Marsh--'Boston.' (Correct.)
"MR. C.--'I have seen him when he was sick; can he tell at what place?'
"MR. M.--'Will the Spirit tell where Mr. Clapp has seen him sick?'
"'New York.' (Correct.)
"'Where else?' (No answer.)
"'Whom were you intimate with in Boston? the Chickerings?'
"A weak affirmative was returned, which was supposed to indicate that he
was acquainted with them--perhaps not intimately.
"'Did you know Col. N. A. Thompson?'
"'Yes.'
"'Any other persons in this circle?'
"'Dr. Gardner'--and others.
"Dr. G. seemed willing that all failures should pass as such, and
promptly said, 'That is a mistake, gentlemen; I don't know any such
person.'
"A desultory conversation here sprung up; after which Mr. Marsh resumed:
'In whose employ were you when I first knew you?'
"'Jenny Lind's.'
"DR. G.--'Oh! is that the man? I know now. I saw him in Springfield
once; had some sharp words with him, too.'
"MR. STOCKWELL--'Is there any other Spirit present who was lost at sea?'
"'Yes.'
"MR. S.--'An acquaintance of mine?'
"'Yes.'
"'Will he tell in what steamer he was lost?'
"Correctly answered.
"'If I write a list of names, will he indicate his?'
"'Yes.'
"Mr. S. wrote a list of names; but neither of them was indicated by the
Spirit, though he went through the list twice. A moment or two after, an
earnest response was heard. Mr. S. had spelt the name wrong in the first
instance; but instantly, on correcting it, the affirmative came. The
last-mentioned facts were then stated to the company, no hint having
been given in the course of the proceeding whether it was satisfactory
or not. The name indicated was that of Samuel Stacy.
"Another friend of Mr. S. announced his presence. His name was correctly
given; and a list of towns was written, with the request that he would
point out where he died. No response came; but on changing the word
Cambridge in the list, to Cambridge_port_, the sounds were promptly
returned. In these last two instances was an accuracy of intelligence
beyond what was looked for by the experimenter.
"'Will the Spirit tell his birth-place?'
"'Yes.'
"A list of towns being written by Mr. S., was passed to Mr. Brown, with
the request that the response might be given to him, Mr. B. being
totally ignorant of the matter.
"Various tests of this nature were tried. The questions were asked by
those ignorant of their answers, and the result was, without exception,
correct.
"The question of a separate intelligence having had due consideration,
experiments were tried with regard to the sounds. The mediums, by
request, moved to various portions of the room; and the sounds were
produced, varying in quality according to the different substances from
which they apparently proceeded. The 'toe-joint' theory being suggested
by some one, the mediums were requested to stand on the spring cushion
of a sofa. This they did, and merely touching the tip of a finger
against the plastering, the sounds were distinctly and abundantly heard
on, or rather _in_ the wall. They were equally distinct to a person in
the adjoining room. That the ladies had no other contact with the wall
than to touch it lightly with the tip of a single finger, all present
can testify."
Nor was this action of the members of the Press the only investigation
by high authority which we two (Katie and I) underwent on this occasion
of our visit to Boston, in 1857.
It was proposed by our friends that we should meet a party of Unitarian
clergymen at the house of Rev. Dr. Harrington, in Summerville, about six
miles from Boston.
They made a most thorough investigation. They held a consultation in a
private room, and considered that now was the time to satisfy themselves
in regard to the production of the sounds; as they had read the
statement made by the Buffalo doctors, in which "knee-knocking" figures,
and also the Burr toe-ological humbug, and many more wise theories,
which they wished to prove true or silence forever.
Rev. Dr. Francis, a brother of Lydia Maria Child, and another
distinguished clergyman, were appointed to hold our knees, and two
ladies held our feet, rested on chairs, exposed plainly to view.
During the time we were held in this position, sounds were made all
around the room--on chairs, on the floor, under their feet, etc. One old
gentleman shouted out, "Thank God, I always believed the raps were
genuine, and now I know they are." He then told us he was living near
Rochester when we first came before the public, and always felt the
deepest sympathy for us.
At the close of the investigation we were all invited to go into the
dining-room, where a sumptuous banquet had been prepared for the party.
The Spirits of earth and heaven met and rejoiced together on this
occasion; and there were many more of the invisible ones than of those
still in the flesh. Many sweet songs were sung, and the timely echoes
from the Spirit world told us plainly that they were not afar off. It
was time for us to leave them. Mr. Alvin Adams had taken us there in his
beautiful equipage, and he advised us of the hour. The party accompanied
us to the carriage, and with many blessings and words of encouragement,
bid us farewell.
There were fifteen or more Unitarian clergymen together with many of
their lady and gentlemen friends. One of the clergymen, laying his hand
on the shoulder of Dr. Francis, exclaimed, "Gentlemen, this is proof
positive of that which we have all been grasping after, as a shadow,
from time immemorial."
On our return to the hotel at Boston, a large party of friends had
assembled in our parlor, and met us with outstretched hands. Wm. Lloyd
Garrison said, "I know you have been successful, or you would not come
in with such happy faces." The Spirits rapped in response to his
exclamation, and we spent a pleasant evening.
The following morning a large party, who came from Vermont, occasioned
considerable amusement.
They came "to see the mediums," which seemed to be all that some of them
wanted. They waited in the reception-room. Several of them stood on the
stairs. As we came from the breakfast table and passed through the hall,
one of them called out loudly to the others, "There! we've seen 'em
without paying."
They came from the Green Mountains, with the idea that we were something
curious to be seen: and they had concluded to spend a dollar in order to
gratify their curiosity. Edwin Forrest and several of his friends were
still at the breakfast table, and they enjoyed the joke very much.
The party were not all, however, of this kind; two or three came in and
paid the admission fee. One woman had good evidence of communication
with a daughter lately deceased.
We met many interesting persons at Mr. Parks's, among whom were Theodore
Parker, and Rev. James Freeman Clark, who seemed very much interested,
and kindly invited us to accompany Mr. and Mrs. Parks to his home, which
invitation was accepted. We spent a pleasant day with his honored mother
and sister, his wife being absent from home.
I shall ever remember the beaming, kindly face of Rev. Theodore Parker,
who fearlessly, frankly, and honestly announced to his friends that he
was a believer in Spiritualism. Subsequently he visited me several times
in company with Rev. John Pierpont.