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placed under the fingers which held the thread . The curious part of his experiment , however , was this . He fancied that while his eyes followed the oscillations of the pendulum he detected in himself a disposition or tendency to movement , which , perfectly involuntary , was always the more satisfied the larger the oscillations were ; hut on bandaging Jiis eyes the oscillations rapidly ceased , and then the interposition of foreign substances between the mercury and the pendulum exercised no sort of influence on the oscillation ! His interpretation of the phenomena is simple and satisfactory . In
holding the pendulum , an insensible muscular movement of the arm set the pendulum sjightly oscillating , and when once the oscillations commenced they were augmented by the influence exercised by vision , which caused him to assume that " tendency to movement" before mentioned ; this tendency , however , is so delicate and so unconscious that the mere thought of arresting it does arrest it . The two necessary conditions for a successful result he found to be- —1 st , A belief that the pdndulura will move of itself without muscular aid ; 2 nd , To see the oscillations , which become greater by the influence of vision in directing the muscles .
We should be glad , if space permitted , to cite examples of this unconscious tendance au movement referred to by M . Chevreul , but every one will remember how in fixing attention on a moving object we involuntarily lean in the direction of the movement ; and many have doubtless amused themselves with the experiment of suspending a book by means of a key , and willing the book to turn in a particular direction—an experiment we have proved over and over again to depend on the muscular action induced by " expectant attention . " The reader is referred to Dr . Carpenter ' s Human Physiology , fourth edition , 923 sq ., for interesting matter we have no room here to reproduce . With the light thus afforded , let us examine the phenomenon of hatmoving and table-moving ; and in relating our own experiences we shall
attempt to give the rationale . In perfect conformity with what has been said of the necessity of " expectant attention , " or " faith , " for a successful result , we have to declare that although the table has moved in our presence , it has never moved when we formed a link of the chain , although we were really waiting with strong desire to analyze the sensations which accompany the phenomenon . The objection that we are " anti-magnetic , " and that our scepticism produces a " cross current" is too frivolous for refutation . The main reason of the failure has been the knowledge of our scepticism on the part of the others , and their want of full conviction that it will succeed with us ; another reason is this—we have placed them on their guard against the sources of fallacy , and told them how they moved the table unconsciously .
A negative result cannot , we are aware , determine this question . But we have positive results to offer . One evening two believers , an indifferent person , and the " terrible sceptic" who writes this , stood round a table with hands lightly resting on a hat . After about twelve minutes the sceptic ' s hands were trembling slightly from tension of the muscles , and his legs becoming fatigued , he rested the main weight of his body on the right leg . Presently the hat began to move . We all asked each other , " Are you moving it ? " and received a conscientious negative ; nevertheless , to
the hat continued moving , with occasional pauses . The idea occurred the sceptic that as the hat was moving in the direction in which he leant , perhaps the slight stress so produced might cause the moving ; to test this he changed from right to left leg . The hat stopped ; presently it resumed its motion , but this time from left to right—i . e ., the reverse way ! He was still perfectly unconscious of any effort to move the hat , although he felt convinced it was occasioned by the slight stress of his body : he suddenly stood erect on both legs , and the motion ceased . It never moved
again during that evening . At the house of a gentleman who has made frequent experiments , and who for a fortnight was a firm believer in the electrical theory , but whose confidence became shaken by the suggestion of certain doubts , the " sceptic " stood with five other persons round a table which moved with extreme facility on a pivot . This time we waited five-aiul-forty minutes without been eminentlsuccessful
the slightest result ; yet the five persons had y on all previous occasions iu less than fifteen minutes . Whence failure ? Because we were all on our guard . We determined to remain entirely passive to stand erect on both legs ; to watch our sensations ; to be vigilant in neither aiding nor p reventing the movement . Yet these very persons only the day before bad made the table move with considerable velocity in the direction any one willed it : the will of the one person and the expectant attention of the others producing a result impossible in the
sceptical passive state of mind . We now ask , whether the p henomenon of table-moving is not more probable when classed with known phenomena of unconscious muscular action following expectant attention , than when classed with » mysteries and « ma « nc 7 " Of electrical action in this cqusc we have no proof , no t
evidence no analogies ; of muscular action we have abundan analogies . T ril b 2 v ^ Will renounce their belief , and accept this explanation we do nof expect . After the stolid mass of credulity which resisted our rxpoBure of tl ^ trick on which Spirit-Happing depeud—after the perverse twZZVZ arguments brought forward in reply to that exposure-we can avJ lie hope that the foregoing explanation will find much favour ^ ut if our exposition has been intelligible it will make every watchful investigator capable of testing its truth . subscriber Since this w » written we have received two letters from a subscriber .
No more decisive proof of the truth of the principles just laid down could be desired by us ; for our correspondent has , in perfect good faith , recorded all the details required for his own refutation . The reader will see how muscular action attendant on expectant attention produces the results . Sib , —In the last number of the Illustrated News , iu the French correspondence , the writer states that a book suspended by a house door-key , the rims of which rested on the right forefingers of two persons , would turn at the will of the holders if both willed the same way , with another result if they opposed each other . The experiment was so easy of proof , that I at once attempted it . The result came . It was tested every way . Each holder willed contrariwise ; the book remained stationary . During this time one , without informing the other , changed
her will to make both agree , on which the book immediately turned . This may "be accounted for by the harmony in the wills so produced allowing the galvanic current to flow in the , proper course . I had long credited the possibility that a force or unseen electric fluid pervades our planet and atmosphere , if not the whole universe , which may possibly be an agent to influence us in the same degree that the pole controls the magnet . This force , as most are aware , Reichenbacb . asserted he had discovered , and named it the Od Force ; therefore , the results I had obtained did not surprise me , but what followed is so startling , and so resembles the results said to be obtained by the Spirit Rappers , that I merely relate what occurred , leaving others to try the experiment . Some ladies present observed that with servants and others there was a common superstition that a key so placed
in the Bible at a certain verse relating to Boaz and Ruth , would , being so suspended , cause the Bible to rotate at the mention of certain names , or rather initials indicating those by whom or whom the experimentalise ! - liked , ( an influence , undoubtedly . ) Now here , if tliere be such a thing as Od Force , were the means of using it in a novel way . A key , which is a perfect conductor , inserted in a book , a non-conductor , the current to pass uninterruptedly "between the two persons , that current to be disturbed only , and to manifest the disturbance by the key turning itself and the book when some unknown force was brought to operate at certain times , as the caller named each successive letter in the alphabet , and arrived at the one indicating a forename or surname . Here—mixed up with the vulgar belief that the book must be a Bible , was a superstition of the ignorant
concealing of the result—was attained a simple but important scientific truth , an impalpable agent causing , when under a certain influence , the comparatively ponderable book to turn and reveal . It was laughingly suggested that ; with one book ( Ccesar ' s Commentaries , by the bye , although a non-conducting block of wood would have done as well ) and key the experiment should be tried . As an utter joke , another and myself sat down and tried it , and to my unutterable astonishment , at ; the mention of certain initials ( corresponding with my own judgment , although I willed no initial ) the book turned , and continued to turn invariably at the same ones ( with each caller ) on repeated experiments . They were not confined to two initials , nor need they be—we are influenced strongly by many , although the first should have the preference in these indications . With two by whose influence the book turned at all times when they willed it , it remained quite
stationary during this experiment . In reading of the table-movings , the question has often occurred to me , " of what direct use can they be ? Spirit Eappists pretend to answer questions , however absurd their statements may seem ; tables answer no questions . " It occurred to me , and I did not mention it to the others , that if Spirit-Eapping or its alphabetical indications could be t ested , now would there be an easy way by the agency at hand—the book to turn or answer at certain letters mentioned as the alphabet was passed over , and to spoil the name of which I thought of only . I therefore very slowly called over the letters , thinking in my experiments of names ( all dead ) , no one knowing , of course , who I was thinking of , or what indeed was my object , and to my amazement , the book
by turning spelt the names in every instance—in one , a deceased friend of mine , whose name bad fifteen letters . As I did not proceed with the usual Spirifc-Rapping questions , and as the book might turn from my will being influenced ( although I endeavoured to abstract it ) , the result is not conclusive , but is very suggestive of further trial . With the exception of the odometer ring , this was my first experiment in " natural magic . " Table-moving requiring such prelude and pationce ( with the clianco of getting- one ' s toes rapped ) to obtain what might be a ridiculous retail !; . In this case , those who ridicule will do so at facts . I inclose my address as a guarantee of the good faith of this communication of Book and Key revelations . IU # x •
That passage about the " harmony of the wills allowing the galvanic current to flow in the proper course , " is a typical illustration of the assumptive reasoning employed on this subject ; replace the passage thus" the harmony of expectant attention is followed by a harmony of co-ordination of muscles to produce the expected result ; " and you will not only get rid of an assumed " galvanic current , " and of an assumed influence of the will upon that current , replacing it by known phenomena ; but you will also be able to understand how , when the caller named the initial letter of
the name at which the book was to turn , the expectation of its turning at that moment , would naturally produce the result j whereas you cannot be unreasonable enough to suppose the " galvanic current" to be endowed with such perfect intelligence of the alphabet , that on hearing a particular letter it will instantly cause n book to gyrate ! So again , when M . P . K . thought of aname , and expected the book would turn to spell the name , it did so without fail : does he believe the " galvanic current" knew hu thoughts ? Our correspondent ' s second letter , while showing his perfect sincerity , illustrates the rapidity with which these delusions grow when once their
premises nre intellectually accepted : — Silt — I yesterday wrote you on " Key Itevelntioim ; " then I was only miiiMcd at Spirit-Uapring , now I a . n an amazed believer , ami havo arrived at tho su . no result without any medium but a key mid book . I asked-IIow long is it mnoo Mr . (» fried of in . nu ) Am \ ? anil counted the figures . Answer correct , tho book turning at- the proper % « r < , as I named it , beginning at tho figure 1 . Question 2 . Are them , rcmtos for good ? lho book turned . 3 . Will questions intended for evi purpose , * answered , > Stet « mary . 4 . Recollecting a fetter ia the Leader , on tho Bpnt-Itappin B , 1 a-kod , Will So revelations ever |» u »*> audibly P Tho book turned . 5 . In how many
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May . 81 , 1853 . ] THE LEADE R . 499 - ——^ " " . . - ..,. „ .. , f ^ . .... . . , ¦
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), May 21, 1853, page 499, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1987/page/19/
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