not look upon it as anything very extraordinary. Nevertheless, the
phenomena is not the less wonderful for all that. Now I lay this
question on the table, for the spirits to rap out an answer--viz., as
tables and chairs are associated with man (and woman, of course), can,
or is the vital spark, or life principle, conveyed from the body into
the wood, which is _porous_, and can it make these otherwise
_inanimate_ objects "all alive alive O?" The reader must excuse me for
asking such a silly question, and will please to recollect that I am
not putting the question to him, but to the silly spirits and their
mediums, for these _spirits_, it is stated, are sometimes quite as
silly as _any body_ can be. I therefore ask again whether the vital
principle or force is conveyed into the tables whilst the parties or
"circle" are pressing their hands upon it; and if not, please to tell
us what it is, for the "outer" world are very anxious and waiting to
know. It must be observed that the tables only move under this
_pressure_, and whilst the "circle" is thus acting and using its
_atmospheric_ influence, otherwise the tables might or would be always
jumping about the room; and if the tables are not thus moved by animal
heat, how would the animal man be able to get his meals? And it follows
as a natural--beg pardon, spiritual--consequence, that if this be not
the case, or the cause, then are the spirits a very thoughtful and
well-behaved society, to be thus careful not to rattle or roll the
table about and jump it up and down when the dinner is spread; or
perhaps these spirits partake of the "good things of this life," as
very poor French emigrants used to do, namely, by merely _smelling_ the
viands at a cook's shop--"sniff, sniff, ah! dat is nice a roast a
bef--sniff, sniff, ah! dat nice piece de veal--ah! sniff, sniff, dat a
nice piece a de pork--ah! ah! sniff, sniff"--but if they don't _eat_ it
appears they _drink_; for in an article by R. H. Hatton, in the
"Victoria Magazine,"[5] entitled "The Unspiritual World of Spirits," it
states that Mr. Howitt "believes in a modern German ghost that drank
beer," which called forth the words (with a horrible exclamation), "it
swallows!" and at a "_seance_" held at a chateau near Paris, three
years back, a gentleman asked for some brandy and water, which when
brought was "snatched out of his hold by a spirit-hand which carried it
beneath the table," and "the glass came back _empty_." We are told that
the spirits have difficulty in making a finger; if so, they must have a
greater difficulty in "making mouths;" but suppose they do make a
mouth, and the spirits drink the beer and spirits, where is the liquid
to go to, if they have made no stomach out of the _atmosphere_ of the
_ladies_ and gentlemen forming the "circle" round the table? This does
not look as if it were "all fair and above board;" but, on the
contrary, very much as if there were some clever rascally little
_bodies_ playing their pranks and taking the "spirits" under the table;
however, if it be the _real_ spirits who drank the beer and spirits, I
as a teetotaler must express my disgust at such conduct, and, for one,
will have nothing to do with such spirits; indeed, I am quite shocked
to find, contrary to all former ideas of spiritual life, that even
these "_pure_ spirits" have still a taste for the spirit of alcohol. I
really begin to fear that these drinking, if not drunken spirits, do
haunt the "spirit-vaults." The _beer_ they drink is, I presume,
"_Home_-brewed."
[5] Published by Emily Faithful. And I take this opportunity
of wishing success to the "Victoria Magazine," as a part of
the good work in which that lady is engaged.
But to turn again to the "table-turning." One way that I would suggest
this question, to test, as to whether it be the life principle that
gives a sort of life to these wooden _legs_, and _drawers_, and _body_,
and _flaps_, from which the spirits send out their "raps," would be, to
substitute an IRON TABLE, a good heavy iron table, and as it is said
they can lift any weight, let 'em lift that; and if not iron, then try
a good large MARBLE SLAB. If the iron will not "enter into _their_
soul," let them try if their _soul_ will enter into the iron, or if the
stone will be moved by the "atmosphere" of their flesh and their bone.
Wonders, it is said, will never cease, and most assuredly some of the
tales told of these "_seances_," and some of the reported spirit
exhibitions are so wonderful, so astounding, that one does not know
_how_ to believe them; and there are certain circumstances in some
parts of the performance that look so _like_ trickery, that it is
impossible to accept the _whole_ relation as fact, however much we
might feel disposed to receive a part thereof. Some of these
performances are performed in the dark, in the "pitch dark," so dark
that the company cannot see each other; and it is in this state of
"inner" and "utter" darkness that the spirits prefer to lift Mr. Home,
and _float him up to the ceiling_,[6] so that the spirits who lift him
are "_invisible_ spirits," and Mr. Home is _invisible_ also. And this
makes me think that these spirits are without clothing, and being so,
are ashamed to show themselves. I put this as a question to Mr. Home,
and also, as they only _make_ hands and _shake_ hands, if they are not
"ashamed to show their faces," _why_ don't they _make faces_? (I don't
mean grimaces). But I should not only like to know why they don't make
some "atmospheric" "life-sphere" faces, but should also very much like
to sketch their likenesses, or "take them off," as people say.
[6] I should like to ask a question here--
Is Home by spirits lifted, or by "atmosphere?"
Touching upon these faces reminds me that a new feature has been
introduced in this _new_ world, that is, taking up this new fashion of
the _old_ world by having "_carte de visites_." A Mr. _Mum_-ler, of
Boston, U.S., discovered that these spirits have a taste for art as
well as music, and that they have a little vanity like ourselves; and
it has since been discovered that _fraud_ has been _discovered_, of
photographers--"_palming off as spirit likeness_--_pictures of persons
now alive!_" But here comes the CLOTHES TEST again, these _spirited_
portraits have all got their _clothes on_. Apparitions of suits of
clothes, spirits of _coats_, _boots_, and _ladies' dresses_!!!
This _test_ of the _clothing_ is very severe, for without having
clothes the ghost can't appear; for even that extraordinary clever
invention of Professor Pepper's, the "patent" ghost, which he exhibited
at the Polytechnic Institution, and which is introduced into a piece
called "The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain," now performing at the
Adelphi Theatre, and which ghost, I am sorry to say, I have not yet had
time to see, but this "patent ghost," of course, has CLOTHES on. In
fact, apparitions cannot appear without clothes, and apparitions of
clothes cannot appear; and so--but really I had quite forgotten that I
had left Mr. Home sticking up against the ceiling, upon which it
appears he makes his _mark_--all in the dark--as a kind of "skylark."
"_Seeing_ is believing," but as his friends could not see him, he was
obliged to do some thing of this sort, suspecting, I suppose, that his
friends would not take _his word_. When a light was thrown upon this
scene, Mr. Home was discovered lying upon his back upon the table! It
may be rude to say that all this was all a trick, but pardonable,
perhaps, to say it looks very like trickery.
Talking of "skylarking," reminds me, that in conversation with a friend
of mine, who is a believer in Mr. Home, and expressing a doubt about
the possibility of Mr. H. kicking his heels up in the air in this way,
and asking if it were not imaginary, my friend assured me that it was
no "flight of fancy," that it was quite true, and that it was not at
all improbable but that some day, in daylight, we might "see Mr. Home
_floating across the metropolis_!" I suggested that Mr. H. had better
mind what he was about, as there was danger in such a flight, for some
short-sighted sports-man, or if not short-sighted, he might be in such
a state of _fuddle_ as not "to know a hawk from a hand saw," and might
mistake him for some gigantic, "monstrous blackbird," or some "_rara
avis_," and bring him down with his gun, though in this case he would
not want to "bag his game."
To prevent such a hit as this, or rather such a _mis_chance, I would
suggest that due notice should be given to the public when Mr. Home
intends appearing up above the chimney-pots; and that in addition to
his _floating_, that the spirits should run him along the "electric
telegraph" wires. That would be something worth seeing, and much better
than the stupid, silly, nonsensical tricks they now play either on the
table or under the table.
There used formerly, even in my time--I don't go back so far as the
reign of the Charles's, but to the days of the "charlies," as the old
watchmen were called, and before the "_new_ police" were introduced to
the public,--in those days ghost tricks were played in various parts of
London; one favourite spot was in front of St. Giles's churchyard, near
unto a "spirit vault." It used to be reported that there was a ghost
every night in this churchyard, but it was an invisible ghost, for it
never was seen, though there was a mob of people gaping and straining
their eyes to get a peep at it; but during this time, some low cunning
spirits used to creep out of the adjoining spirit vaults, mix amongst
the crowd, and having very _light fingers_, used, instead of _tapping_
the people on the knees, as the spirits do at the "_seances_" they
dipped their hands into the "atmosphere" of respectable people's
pockets, and "spirited away" their watches, handkerchiefs,
pocket-books, or anything else that came in their way, and then bolt
into the vaults again.
N.B.--These spirits could swallow _spirits_, like those described in
the preceding pages.
Spirits of the old style used to delight in the darkness of night, but
sometimes they'd show their pale faces by moonlight. A "_seance_" is
described that took place by moonlight. I don't mean to _assert_ that
it was _all_ "moonshine." A table was placed in front of a window
between the curtains; the "circle" round the table and the space
between the curtains was the _stage_ where the performance took place.
Query: How did the mediums know, when they placed this table, that the
spirits who "lent a hand" in the performance would act their play at
that part of the table? By the by, the _table_ plays an important part
in these spirited pieces; the spirits surely would not be able to get
on at all without a _table_! At each side of this stage, lit by the
moon, and close to the window curtains, which formed as it were the
"proscenium," stood a gentleman, one on each side, like two
"prompters," one of whom was Mr. Home; and when one particular hand was
thrust up above the rim of the table, and which _hand_ had a _glove
on_, Mr. H. cried out, "Oh! keep me from that hand! it is so cold; do
not let it touch me." Query: How did Mr. H. know that this hand _was so
cold_? and had it put the glove on because it felt itself so cold? And
out of whose "atmosphere," or "life sphere" had the spirit made this
hand? if it were _so_ cold, it must have got the stuff through some
very _cold-hearted_ "medium." Then comes my _clothes test_ again, where
did the _hand_ get the _glove_? Suppose it was a _spirit hand_, the
hand of a soul that once did live on earth, could it be the _spirit_ of
a _glove_? Whilst waiting for an answer to these queries, I would
suggest to these "mediums," that if they see this "hand and glove"
again, they should ask, "Who's your glover?" Yes, it would be important
to obtain the name and address of such a glover, as such gloves, we may
suppose, would not wear out, nor require cleaning.
An old and valued friend of mine attended a _seance_ in 1860, of which
he wrote a short account, and which he keeps (in manuscript) to lend to
his friends for their information and amusement, upon this subject; and
although he confesses that, as a novice, he was rather startled upon
one or two occasions during the evening, that the extraordinary
proceeding of the _seance_ had something of a _supernatural tinge_
about it; nevertheless, upon mature reflection he came to the
conclusion that the whole was a very cleverly-managed piece of trickery
and imposture. As I am permitted to quote from this manuscript, I will
here give a short extract to show the reader how an American medium--a
Dr. _Dash_--assisted by two other "mediums," also Americans, _managed_
the spirits upon that occasion. A party of eight were seated round a
table:--
"Shortly and anon, a change came o'er the spirit of the Doctor. He
jumped up and said, '_Hush! I hear a spirit_ rapping at the door.'
* * * * *
"The Doctor told us there was a spirit which wished to join our
_seance_, the door was opened, a chair was most politely placed at the
table, and there the spirit sat, but, like 'Banquo's' Ghost, _invisible
to the company_."
In the Waterloo Road there resided--next door to each other--some years
back, two paperhangers, who vied with each other in doing
"stencilling"--that is, rubbing colour on walls through a _cut out_
pattern; there was great opposition between them, and one of them (No.
1) wrote on the front of his house in _large_ letters, "THE ACME OF
STENCILLING," upon which No. 2, determined not to be outdone in this
style, wrote upon the front of his house in letters _double_ the size
of his neighbour's, "THE HEIGTH OF THE ACME OF STENCILLING." Now, I do
not know whether this pretended _introduction_ of an _invisible_
spirit, and putting a chair for this worse than nothing to sit in, when
he had nothing to sit down upon, may be considered as the _heigth_ of
the _acme_ of unprincipled, impudent imposture; but it goes far enough
to show that trickery _can be and is carried on_, and carried on even
as a trade or "calling" in this "spirit-rapping" business, for I have
seen a printed card where a _professional_ "medium" gives his name and
address, and has on it, "Circles for Spiritual Manifestation--hours
from 12 to 3 and 5 to 10 P.M.;" to which is added, "Private Parties and
_Families_ visited."
If such a card as this had been introduced in "The Broad Grin Jest
Book," some years back, it would have been quite in place, but to think
that such a card as this should be circulated in this "age of
intellect," as a _business_ card--the card of a "_Maitre de
Ceremonie_," who undertakes to introduce _invisible spirits_, into
parties and _private families_, is something more than I ever expected
to see, on the outside of Bethlem, or in the list of impostures at a
police station.
As this Dr. _Dash_ pretended that spirits were "mixed up" with this
party--were indeed surrounding the "circle," and who had come into the
room _without knocking_, and were not _accommodated with chairs_, why
should this ghost of nothing knock at the door, and how did the Dr.
know that he wished to join the _seance_, and why should _this
invisible_ Mr. Nobody have a chair, and the other _spirits_ be obliged
to stand? And then was this spirit _dressed_ in his best? for as it was
an evening party, he ought to have been "dressed with care."
The calling up of one spirit seems to call up or raise another spirit,
and as Dr. _Dash_ introduced a dumb and invisible spirit who was
supposed to take his seat at a table, I take this opportunity of
introducing a spirit of a very different character--one of the old
fashioned spirits--one that could both be seen and heard, and who was
_seen_ to take his seat at the table, and enter into conversation with
his friends. An extract from the "Registry of Brisley Church in 1706,"
runs thus:--A Mr. Grose went to see a Mr. Shaw, and whilst these
gentlemen were quietly smoking their pipes, in comes (without
"rapping") the ghost of their friend Mr. Naylor. They asked him to sit
down, which he did, and they conversed together for about two hours; he
was asked how it fared with him, he replied, "Very well," and when he
seemed about to move, they asked him if he could not stay a little
longer, he replied that he "could not do so, for he had only three
days' leave of absence, and had other business to attend to."[7]
[7] As, according to Mrs. Crowe, ghosts can smoke, and upon
equally good authority, spirits can swallow _spirits_, no
doubt this ghost of Mr. Naylor, who did not come without the
help of his tailor, took a pipe with his friends, and took
something to _drink_ with them also, for you may _rely_ upon
it, that the ghost's friends were not smoking a "_dry_ pipe."
Now this is something like a ghost, whose visit you observe is recorded
in the registry of a parish church, and as the party I believe were all
clergymen, of course the Rev. Mr. Naylor came in his clerical "habits
as he lived," no doubt "dressed with care." Yes, this you see was a
respectable sort of ghost--one that you could see and listen to, not
such a poor "dummy" as Dr. _Dash's_ poor spiritless spirit, Mr. Nothing
Nobody, Esq.,
Who could neither be seen nor heard,
Which even to name, seems quite absurd.
The reason for thus suddenly pretending to introduce a _spirit_, was to
produce an _effect_--a _sensation_--upon the nerves of the party
assembled (particularly the novices), for it is only under excited
nervous feelings that anything like success can attend the operations
of such "mediums."
The CREATOR has so formed us that our nerves are more excitable in
darkness than in the light, and our senses thus excited, are for our
safety and protection, when moving about in the dark, either in-doors
or out, as we feel and know, that there is a chance of our being
seriously injured by running against or falling over something, or that
there might be evil spirits in the shape of robbers lurking about,
against whom it would be necessary to be ready to defend ourselves, or
to avoid. Our faculties being thus put on the "_qui vive_," is natural,
healthy, and proper; but when the mind has been imbued from childhood
with a belief in ghosts, and the individual should happen to be in a
dark and lonely place, and should hear or see indistinctly something
which the mind on the instant is not able to account for, _naturally_,
or _comprehend_ rationally, then under such circumstances, to use a
common expression, "we are not ourselves," and in giving way to
imaginary fears, under the impression of supernatural appearances, the
stoutest hearts and the strongest men, have been known "to quiver and
to quail," to be confused and to feel that thrilling sensation, that
cold trickling down the back from head to heel, which is produced from
fright, and nothing but the rallying of their mental and physical
forces, and rousing up a determined resolution, has enabled such men to
overcome this coward-like fear, and to discover that they have been
scared by some natural sound, or some imperfectly-seen natural object,
that it was all "a false alarm," or perhaps a made up ghost, by some
fool or rogue, or both, who was playing his "tricks upon travellers."
But with weak and nervous persons, who believe in supernatural
appearances, the effects of fright, under such circumstances, produce
the most painful feelings, total prostration of the faculties, and
sometimes fatal consequences. Here is an instance where all the
faculties were prostrated by fright in consequence of seeing a supposed
apparition, followed by the death of an innocent person:--
In the year 1804, the inhabitants of Hammersmith, a village situated on
the west side of the metropolis, but now forming part of it, were much
terrified by the appearance of, as it was said, a spectre clothed in a
winding sheet. This apparition made its appearance in the dark evenings
in the churchyard, and in several avenues about the place. I well
remember "the Hammersmith ghost," as it was called, being the "Town
Talk" of that day, and not only in Hammersmith, but even in town, many
persons were afraid to leave their homes after dusk. Besides a man of
the name of John Graham, who was detected, and I believe imprisoned,
there were several actors in this ghostly farce, which was however
brought to an end in a tragical manner--that is, by a young man of the
name of Thomas Millwood, a plasterer, being shot dead by one Francis
Smith, an exciseman, who at the time (as the narrator states) was
rather "warm over his liquor"--that is about half drunk; and in this
state he was allowed at the "White Hart" public house to load a gun
with shot, and go out for the purpose of discovering the ghost, and he
no sooner saw a figure in a light dress (which was the poor plasterer
in his _working dress_, on his road to fetch his wife home, who had
been at work all day at a house in the neighbourhood of "Black Lion
Lane," where this murder was committed) than he lost the use of his
faculties, and was in such a state of fright that, as he said in his
defence, he "did not know what he was about," and unfortunately, under
these circumstances, killed an innocent man, which he never would have
done had he not been a believer in apparitions and ghosts.
In p. 46, of the "Victoria Magazine," the writer, in speaking of an
interview which Mr. Home had with the spirit of the Count Cagliostro,
states that the said _spirit_ diffused and wafted over his friend Mr.
H. the most "delicious perfumes," and that they "appeared to have been
a part of the Count's personal resources;" and argues for various
reasons that these spirits are "sensitive to sweet smells," and that
the spirits are "adepts in perfumery," "are fond of it," and surround
themselves and their medium "with exquisite odours." And as Mr. Home is
such a great favourite with these "spirits," his "life sphere" and
"atmosphere" must be very highly scented and perfumed with smells, and
this accounts at once for the spirits playing "Home, _sweet_ Home" upon
the accordion, when he holds it under the table with one hand, and they
play upon it, I suppose, with "_their hands of atmosphere!_" Be this as
it may, however "sweet upon themselves" they may be, these spirits are
at this moment in _very_ "_bad_ odour" with a large body of the press,
as also with the large body of the public, and it therefore rests with
the "mediums" to bring these "spirits of darkness" into light, and that
these supposed spirits, their mediums, and their friends should _place_
themselves in a right position before the public. "Come out in the
road" (as the low folk say when they are going to fight). By the by,
there surely must be (as they are all _spirited_ fellows) some
"prizefighters" amongst these "rapping" spirits, and if so, I would
suggest that mediums, as "backers" and "bottle-holders" (provided they
don't have any "spirits" in their bottle), should get up a "prizefight"
as a public exhibition, between such spirits as Jem Belcher and Tom
Crib, or any of those celebrated deceased popular heroes; and there
would be this advantage in such contests, that the "sporting world"
would have all their favourite sport, and be able to bet upon their
favourites in these "sham-fights" without the attendant horrible and
disgusting brutalities of the _real_ fights; for although they would,
of course, "rap" each other, their _fists_ being only made of
"_atmosphere_," they could not hurt or disfigure each other as they do
in the _earthly_ boxing. And if these aerial boxers did "knock the wind
out" of each other, it would be of no consequence, for as they would be
surrounded with lots of their own kind of "life sphere," or
"atmosphere," they could soon "make themselves _up_" again, if even
they did not "make it up" with each other. But I see some difficulties
in carrying out these "sports," which did not occur to me at first; for
instance, if they cannot make their own thick heads out of the
"atmosphere" of the heads about them, having no heads then, how can
they be "set by the ears?" Besides, they could not hear when "time" was
called, and then, again, the patrons of the "Prize ring" would not be
satisfied unless they could see these spirited ghosts "knock each
other's heads half off."
If these spirits cannot "make head," and keep up with the intellectual
progress of the spirit of the times, and with the spirit of the world.
If they cannot be a "body politic," or a body of spirits, or any other
body, let the mediums set their _hands_ to work, "All _hands_, ahoy!"
Let them lend a hand to any "handiwork;" "hand-looms," or hand about
the tea and bread and butter at parties, or make themselves "handy" in
any way, even if they were made to use "hand-brooms." Yes; let them put
their hands to any honest calling rather than keep their hands in
idleness, for they should recollect what Dr. Watts asserts--
"That _Satan_ finds some mischief still
For _idle hands_ to do."
And if these "spirit hands" are too flimsy and delicate to _work_--to
do hard work--then let them _play_ musical instruments, get up popular
concerts, and as they can make perfumes, or are themselves perfumers,
they could thus whilst playing gratify their audiences with sweet
sounds and sweet scents at the same time.
However absurd this asserted _fact_ of tables being moved by spirits
may appear, and to many persons appearing not worth a "second thought,"
yet it is natural that we should endeavour to account for such a
movement in a natural way, one cause assigned is natural heat, the
other involuntary muscular action, etc., etc. In this state of
uncertainty a little "_guess_ work" about the table movement, may
perhaps be excused, even if it be as absurd as "table lifting" itself.
We know that the common air, dry or moist, affects all earthly
materials, and that
The water and the air,
Are everywhere,
Changing, the flower and the stone,
The flesh and the bone.