foretelling events leads to much mischief and misery, and from certain
facts we may be assured that there is a larger amount of evil from this
cause than is made known to the public. The "occult law" leads to many
breaches of the law of the land, and to serious crime; it opens the
door to gross imposture, swindling, and robbery, misleading the minds
of simple people, and turning their conduct and ways from their proper
and natural course, and the strange _unaccountable_ conduct of some
persons might be easily accounted for, when traced to this
"fortune-telling" foolery. The happiness of one family was destroyed
only the other day by a deaf and dumb "ruler of the stars," who is now
in penal servitude, and who would have been executed had the offence
been committed some years back. Several such "rulers of the stars," or
"fortune-tellers," have been hung for similar crimes, in my time, one I
remember was a black man, hung at the Old Bailey.
The _clothes test_ cannot be brought to bear upon the predicting of
events, but there is a _test_, which may be brought with equal force
upon this question, which is, that although these prophets profess to
tell what is going to happen to others, THEY CANNOT FORETELL WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEMSELVES, for if they could, they would have, of
course, avoided the punishments which the law has, and is constantly
inflicting upon them for their offences. And Mr. "Zadkiel," for
instance, would not have brought his action against Admiral Sir Edward
Belcher, if he could have _foreseen_ the result; after which, no doubt,
he cried out, "Oh! my stars!--if I had known as much as I know now, I
never would have gone into court!"
A "Bow Street officer" (as a branch of the old police were styled) told
me that he had a warrant to take up a female fortune-teller, who was
plucking the geese to a large amount. Her principal dupes were females,
and he being a _gander_ had some difficulty in managing to get an
introduction (for this tribe of swindlers use as much caution as they
can). He however succeeded in getting the _wise_ woman to tell him his
fortune, for which he professed himself much obliged, and told her that
as he had a little faculty in that way himself, he would in return,
tell her, her fortune, which was, that she was that morning going
before the magistrate at Bow Street, who had some power in this way
also, and he would likewise tell her her fortune. She smiled at first
and would not believe in what he said, but he showed her the warrant,
and all came true that he had told her; but nothing came _true_ of what
she had told him.
From the high and pure character of many persons well known to me, who
are mixed up in these _seances_, it is _almost_ impossible not to
believe their statements of these wonders, the truth of which wonders
they so _positively_ assert. _If_ true, they are _indeed_ wonderful;
but _if tricks_, then do they surpass all other tricks, ever performed
by all the "sleight of hand" gentry put together, who ever bamboozled
poor credulous, simple creatures, or astonished and puzzled a delighted
audience. There can be but _two sides_ to a question, _true_ or
_false_; and, as already hinted, it remains for the mediums to prove
their case, and to place the matter in a better light than it stands at
present, which is indeed a very dim and uncertain sort of "night
light;" but as, up to this time, their assertions are at variance with
what has hitherto been considered as sound sense and understanding,
those outside the "circle" have not only a right, to be cautious of
stepping into such a circle, but, until some more reasonable reasons
are given--even putting aside the _cui bono_ for the present--unless
some rational natural cause can be assigned, they have a right to
suspect the whole, either as a _Delusion_ or a _Disease_.
But even if this party _prove_, that these "thing-em bobs" are _real_
spirits, they appear to be so dreadful and dangerous, and there really
is such a "_strong_ family likeness" between some of them, and a
certain "_Old Gentleman_," that I would say "the less they have to do
with them the better;" but even supposing they are not "so black as
they are painted" (by their mediums), if even they are a sort of
"half-and-half," nevertheless, I would say--
"Rest, rest, perturbed spirits rest;"
For if not for you, for us 'twill be the best.
There _may_ be, as already observed, more things _between_ heaven and
earth than were dreamt of in the philosophy of Horatio; but let the
"inquiring spirit" _rest_ assured that amongst these "things" there
could not be included the _Ghost_ of IRON ARMOUR; and though 'tis said
"there's nothing like leather," yet none of these said "things" could
have been the LEATHER of "TOP-BOOTS"--no, not even the LEATHER of the
"TOPS" nor the LEATHER of the "SOLES" thereof.
In concluding, I will just add to this Addenda, that,--
Although I _have_ seen, (in the "mirage," in the sky)
A ship "upside down," the great hull and big sails,
No one, has ever yet seen, such things, as the _Ghosts_,
Of HATS or WIGS, or of short, or long PIG-TAILS.
And this is the "long and the short" of my
DISCOVERY CONCERNING GHOSTS,
with
A RAP AT THE RAPPERS.
THE END.
HABBILD, PRINTER, LONDON.
TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
PUSS IN BOOTS,
TO FORM No. 4 OF
GEORGE CRUIKSHANKS FAIRY LIBRARY.
The other Numbers already Published being
HOP O MY THUMB,
JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK,
AND
CINDERELLA.
ALSO, PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION,
THE ADVENTURES OF MR. LAMBKIN;
OR, THE BACHELOR'S OWN BOOK.
NOW ON SALE,
THE SHILLING EDITION OF
THE BOTTLE.
* * * * *
THE LOVING BALLAD OF LORD BATEMAN.
COMIC ALPHABET.
ILLUSTRATIONS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT'S DEMONOLOGY AND WITCHCRAFT.