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JtrtT 5, 1851.] ®1>t nt&tltV* 637
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We should do our utmost to encourage the...
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SKETCHES FROM LIFE. By Harriet Martineat...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Mesmeric Teachers. Somnolism And Psychef...
Tlisoof the possibility of a mesmerized subject St fJXg impressions from the mind of the party to I horn their attention is directed , notwithstanding Jhev may be personally many miles from each other ; WenI knW from my relative's letter what had beerTthe subject of her thoughts , I put Emma into ihL mesmeric state , and asked her , ' How and why Se went to see the Queen ? ' She directly replied , ? L _ - — took me . ' 'Bu t how did y ou get in the door ? The
if there were soldiers at ' answer was curious : 'Oh , I jumped over the soldiers , but L— - could not jump over them , and , therefore , she could not get in . ' The reader will here observe an instance of the dream-like incongruity which attends most clairvoyant perceptions ; as Emma mistook the communication of an idea , for an actual accompanying of the party by whom the idea had been . communicated . And the facility of her entrance , notwithstanding the guards , appeared to her as jumping over them .
The italicised passages are very amusing , and a philosophic mind will not-fail to draw conclusions from them . The odyle , it appears , not only issues from the brain of Emma to objects , but also to thoughts ; and , meeting half-way the thoughts of the " party " to whom its attention was directed , forthwith accompanied those thoughts on their journey . But a difficulty here suggests itself to a " sceptical party" like this present Reviewer . He wishes to know how the odyle , passing from Emma could stumble against the odyle passing from " the relative , " and then suddenly endowed with consciousness and volition , set off on another journey to Buckingham Palace ?
But of course the Reviewer would be crushed by the ready answer that Scepticism destroys the phenomena . It is notorious that if a " party " desire to see the " higher phenomena , " he must be credulous , or they will not appear . It is the same with ghosts : they never appear to those who disbelieve in them . Cross-mesmerism ensueswhich is a pity , as it prevents satisfactory investigation . And we would strenuously advise every
sceptic to conceal his scepticism . If he pretend to be credulous , no cross-mesmerism occurs ! At feast that was our experience . We acted credulity with such thoroughness that the clairvoyante declared she never travelled with any one better than with us , which , considering the immense , the unmistakeable , and amusing mistakes she madenever once being right where there was the possibility of error—was peculiarly amusing to us !
Another difficulty to a " party" with a sceptical turn of mind is that the clairvoyante , can always perform such wonders in any direction but the one you open for her . She can read a language she does not know in a book she does not see ; but she cannot read the language she does know in the book you hold in your hand ! The mysteries of David Rizzio , and the identity of a fraudulent servant at any distance of time or space can be easily revealed ; but the watch key you have placed in . a little box cannot be distinguished from a bracelet or necklace ! Dr . Haddock remarks : —
" These experiments with boxes led to much annoyance . Too frequently almost every one in a company would bo urging her to describe the hidden contents of their packages , in which things w < re concealed under every kind of distortion and mixture , in order to increase the difficulty of the trial ; and supposing it was by common vision the things were to be seen , it wan expected that at once she should describe the contents of these packages , and
in common language . No wonder that her temper became ruffled by these procedures , and that who reiused to look at them . Besides , a 8 since observed , the activity of clairvoyant , or lucid vision , powerfully aff . ets the nervous system , and hence , quickly fatigues ; so that after even a moderate sitting , the subject is until ted for any trial that requires mental eltort . On these accounts , I discontinued all such experiments , as of no practical value , being generally required to gratify mere idle curiosity . "
We trust "the parties" arc satisfied with this explanation ! In conclusion we would beg of our readers not * ° misunderstand our purpose : this article is not directed against Mesmerism , but against the method employe , ] by most Mesmeric teachers . Everything advunced by these Professors may be true , yet their treatment of it not be , si whit "lens reprehensible . I bave already on more than one occasion stated
"' o amount of credence we feel bound by evidence J ° give the facts of Mesmerism , and are un"ygnedly willing to sign a declaration of faith in «« its marvels the instant that faith has grown up * n our minds . Meanwhile not only mu « t we write not proven" against all clairvoyance , but must * axJ that the generality of Professors do their best ° keep the public in a state of scornful scepticism . *
Jtrtt 5, 1851.] ®1>T Nt&Tltv* 637
JtrtT 5 , 1851 . ] ® 1 > t nt & tltV * 637
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We Should Do Our Utmost To Encourage The...
We should do our utmost to encourage the Beautiful , for the Useful encourages itself . —Goethe .
Sketches From Life. By Harriet Martineat...
SKETCHES FROM LIFE . By Harriet Martineatj . XII— THE STOCK FARMEB . William and Robert Creswick called each other Bob and Bill when they were children ; and though they are now old men , they call one another Bill and Bob to this day , while respectfully named at length by everybody else . Bill has retired from business as a country shopkeeper . Bob is a farmer ; and , though rich enough to retire , he holds on—at a loss , as he declares , —till his second son shall enter on the Dale farm , which the Duke ' s agent
has promised he shall succeed to . When that happens , Mr . Creswick and his daughter will leave the old farm to the eldest son , and make up their minds where they shall live . Meanwhile , the old brothers meet occasionally . Bob thinks he can never leave home , except on the great occasion of his annual journey to Falkirk fair , to buy stock ; but he snatches a day or two at that season to pop in on his brother and have a chat ; and Bill has plenty of leisure , so that he appears at the farm more than once a year , and can stay a week or two at a time .
One of those visits was in winter—a few years since . He found his brother on the look-out for him ; his nephews were attentive , in their cool , indifferent , dull sort of way . His niece Rosalinda had made up a roaring fire in the kitchen , and prepared a vast supper , and the farming men , who sat on benches at the farther end of the kitchen , pulled their forelocks and made their bows as formerly ; but there was not the usual cheerfulness .
A deep gloom hung over everybody . Bill had observed that Bob ' s hand was very tremulous when they shook hands on meeting ; but he had always thought that his brother ' s shakiness about the lips and hands was owing to the enormous quantity of tobacco that he chewed . Now , however , he perceived that there was something more the matter , for when he asked cheerfully what ailed them all , that they looked so glum , and Bob turned away to the fire , Bob ' s old cheeks were all shining with
tears . " What ' s the matter , Rosa ? " whispered the uncle . rf Rosa dashed the cups and plates about while she answered that her father did not know what was to become of them all , on account of the corn-laws . " Ah ! " sighed the uncle , looking now extremely grave , " I am as sorry about that as any of you can be . As my neighbour Price says , I could hang Peel and the Duke with the greatest pleasure . " The men on the benches made a stir , looking at each other in amazement and horror , so that the farmer had to explain .
" My brother means the Duke of Wellington , — not our Duke . Don't suppose anybody talks of hanging ouv Duke . " He added , in a murmuring voice , heard only by those next him , that he had little thought , though , to see the day when their own Duke would give up the corn-laws without a word .
The young farmer , Tom , who had been preparing , for some minutes , for the unusual effort o expressing- a thought , now found himself ready , and , looking-his uncle in the face , he said , "You see , we don ' t want the corn-laws done nothing to . " And , again , the uncle sympathized . Supper was dull . When the men were gone to bed in their lofts , the family drew together about the / ire , and talked over their affairs . The result was somewhat cheering to the old fanner , who cared about Rosa more than
about all the rest of the world together . Othei people were sorry to sec how much less Rosa cared about him ; but no pertness and roughness of hers checked her father ' s love and care ; and to-night he was cheered by its being settled that , whenever he and bis sons were ruined by the repeal of the cornlaws , Rosa , —whose little independent fortune was oft no account to bft touched , —should live with her undo , and be an much of a lady us if her father bad been ever so prosperous .
When the young people were also gone to bed , Bill said to Hob , " So , Rosa has not made a match yet ?" " No , —and that is what I live in eonntant dread of , — 'her throwing herself away on some of the young fellows hereabouts . You see , she has high spirits , —and she likes her own way ; and her fortune makes hor an object ; and . . .
" Well , now ; all things considered , Bob , I could wish she was married and settled . " " No , no , " said the soft-hearted old man ; " I can ' t part with Rosa . I can ' t think of it , Bill . I watch her as if she was an infant , and ! her mother . "
• " And how does she like being watched ?" The old father shook his head , and choked a little when he tried to answer j and nothing more , to any purpose , was said that night . The corn-laws were repealed . Bill heard a good deal about his brother's doom of being ruined , but he heard nothing about Rosa coming to take refuge with him . It was only by going over to the farm that he could learn anything of his relatives , for they could not correspond by letter . The old
farmer , who had never been apt at the pen , was now barely able to make a tremulous signature . His sons did not pretend to do more than sign their names ; and Rosa was so far conscious of her eccentric spelling that she walked down to the Duke ' s lodge to get the steward ' s daughter to write for her , whenever a note on business was required . It made her uncle rather uneasy at times to think that no accounts were , or could be , kept at the farm ; but it was no use thinking about it , for there was nobody to do it .
One fine August , Bill thought he would go and see how his relations were getting on . He wrote , two days before , to announce his intention ; but , if he had considered a moment , he would have spared himself that much trouble . The farm was two miles from a post-office ; and letters were so rare , and so little cared for by people who never thought of any thing ( except the corn laws ) outside the Duke ' s property , that they lay in the post-office till the alternate Sunday , when the family came to church . So Bill ' s letter was not delivered till the Sunday after the close of his visit ; and , when he rode up , nobody was on the watch for him .
At first he hardly knew where he was . He could not make his way into the old farmyard , so encumbered was it with blocks and slates of stone , with beams and mortar ; and , instead ofthericketty old offices , be saw before him a vast stone building , three times as large as the house ; barn , stables , cowsheds , poultry houses , all on a grand scale . The boy came out to take his horse , and grinned , and said the Duke was building a barn for master . Then the eldest nephew appeared ; and his vacant
face and foolish mouth took by degrees the expression of a smile ; and he found means to say that the Duke was building father a barn . Then the niece ' s ringlets shone over the garden wall ; and Rosa appeared through the gate , looking as if she was expecting- somebody , if not her old uncle . She wore a scarlet-and-green silk petticoat , and a purple satin jacket . A crimson and yellow shawl hung over her arm ; and she held her white chip bonnet , which was trimmed with blue riband , and bore a tall feather , tipped with scarlet .
"Why don't you call father to uncle ? " asked her brother . " Father ' s out . Not back yet ? " said Rosa . " Why , he went to meet you ! " said her brother . * ' I know he did : but I came round by the deerpark . He won't be long now . He must be tired of waiting for me by this time . " " I want to know about this , Rosa , " said her
uncle kindly , but gravely , when they were alone in the kitchen . " Do yo \ i mean that your father is watching for you on one road , and that you came home by another ?" " Father worries me so , " replied she . " He scarce ever lets me out of his sight . It is like cat and mouse . I did not ask him to come and see me home . I can take care of myself ; and I have friends that can take care of me . "
Here the father appeared at the door , exhausted , overheated , and alarmed . The look of tender satisfaction that he east upon Rona when he sawshe was safe touched his brother ' s feelings . Peril tps Rosa , did not see it ; for she told her father a bit of her mind about his wearing himself out in watching her , when she was very well able to take of herself . She drew some beer , and set down the bread and cheeso before him with a clatter ; and the old man thanked her for the deed , and made no reply to the words .
While the brothers took their bread and cheese , to enable them to wait for supper , Rotm went to take off her fine clothes , in preparation for cooking the supper . Her father took the opportunity to tell how industrious and invaluable Rosa was , and how much more she did than nny other young woman . And in this there was some justice . She was up ut four or iive every weekday , now that there were bo many men on the premises to bo pro-
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 5, 1851, page 17, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05071851/page/17/
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