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tfjie Irte.
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without Spirit .,. " The -dto or ciannd Jbeing ™ - * cge Odyle . ^ fng Cl Se S « n h lan 1 e ^ X ^ of ' sp ^ Manifestation , he rejects ^ acl ^ SMTES t ^ ' itt : 7 en £ ^ a . n ^ l ^ S ^^
si l ^^ We portion of the Bible , its prophecies ecstasies , vm ^'/^ JP ™ tne
pasteboard barriers . Such a theory will sweep its way tnrougu ««« , - ^ x » authority , its plenary inspiration will be annihilated On the ^ othef hand , if the theory of spiritual intervention through odylic channels be accepted in the Bible , it cannot be shut up there , but must sweep its way through the wide domain of ' popular superstitions / as they are called , separating the element of truth on which those superstitions are based , and asserting its own authoritative supremacy . "As to the alleged probability of accounting for all those « superstitions on purely apneumatic grounds , it is infinitesimally small . The probabilities are that science will approximate nearer to the line in odylics which divides between the effective agency of embodied and disembodied spirits . At present , the phenomena blend in a penumbra , and form a land of shadows and of debate . It is only at a distance from the line that effects on either side can be with certainty referred to
causes . That science will , in clearing up this dimness , ever expel spiritual agency from all physical share in human intercourse , is in the last degree improbable /' This OdyJe , of which ignorance has made such facile use , turns out to be the universal medium suspected by the ancients : — " What the ancients suspected , the moderns have demonstrated . In every chemic , or vital function of the body , with electricity , another imponderable , diverse from electricity , is evolved . , Three independent courses of experiment , by Matteucci , Thilorier , and Lafontaine , and Reichenbach , coincided with the report of Arago on Angelique Cottin , in establishing the discovery . Transmissible through electric non-conductors , capable of accumulation in unisolated bodies , possessing polarity , residing in the magnet with , but distinct from , magnetism , visible in darlmess to sensitive organs , energising from the organism upon nature , and reacting from nature upon the organism , it pervades the earth and heavenly bodies , is diffused through space , and is the agent of the phenomena of clairvoyance .
" Producing when discharged , as in Angelique Cottin , by the sub-cerebral centres , unintelligent effects on heavy bodies , equal to any of the manifestations / it Binmlatea , when directed by the brain itself , all the characteristics of intelligence . " Tested by Ashburner , endorsed by Gregory of Edinburgh , Hitchcock of Amhcrst , and others of scientific note , the discovery lias nt least supplied a desideratum , by affording a nomenclature of singular appropriateness for almost all the anomalies that have ever afflicted science . " Seldom lias greater trash afflicted Science ! Let us gather from this volume a glimpse or two at the pseudo-scientific reasoning in which Odyle is made to play a part . " Instrumental representative of mind , tho brain is capable of spontaneous action , without mind . Such spontaneous action will be indistinguishable from mental operations proper .
" Musicians perform automatically . Printers set type mechanically . In reveiy , all manner of things are done unconsciously , " A servant-maid , delirious with fever , recited passages of Hebrew heard many years before . A . somnainbulic girl , before exhibition , rose by night and painted at her trial j ) i <; co with surpassing ulull . A soinnamhulic chess-player defeated while asleep those who heat him when awake . Every operation , from tho highest rational to the lowest sensational , which brain performs , with mind as irritant , it cum reproduce , without mind , under Hpeciiio external irritants , not even excluding fictitious coiiHcious personal identity .
" Add tho power of rapping and lipping at a distance , and ono class of tho manifestations is accounted for . Now Dr . Kcrner , chief physician at Weinsberg in Germany , . states ilmt Mrs . Fmlork-a I [ faille , when in tho magnetic sloop , could rap at n distance , producing a hollow , yot dear sound , soft , but distinct . And Dr . jiiiuis mentions u gentleman , who , in a dream , pushed aguinst a door in si distant house , ho that those in the room were . scarce able to resist tho pressure . ' Offour . se , if bruin without mind can rap , and movo bodies at a riintancc , itenn go do it hh to represent its own impressions in the shape of spelled counnunicatioiiH . In confirmation , tho Hpollhig follows th « cerebral luibit of the medium , being corrector incorrect as tho medium in educated or illiterate . Tims any impression , even though long dormant ., or never consciously recognised on tho brain of tho medium , niuy automatically reproduce itself .
" MoreoviT , iih the human countenance photographs it « olf upon tho sensitive Hilver plate , whieh it docs not touch , m tlio human brain may odyline , itself upon the sensitive cerebral plate of the medium which it does not touch . Or , as in every cranium two brains unit *) to form u doublo cerebral unit , ho iu npuce two brains , fihnily meshed together by odylic threads , may virtually nnito to form n doublu cerebral unit-, th « iiupronmoiiH of the Htrongcr imparting themselves to and through the weaker . Thus tilings never known to tho inodiuin , apparently , or to nnj ono In the circle , may ho given forth by tho distant automatic agency of Homo cd « ofllci « tit bruin . " Jtiftuvi lencatis ' t Ih it not pretty theorizing F Kow delightfully it JiccountH for t-lio " facts !" "TIiuh any high-wrought , eerebral excitement mrtV telegraph itself ucroHH tho globu , upon any other brain in duo odylic rapport , ana comtnulueato lutolllgencu of tlwin pwjBlnff events .
« As to events so far in the past that they cannot e * isfc In the fottn of ** ff + *" SffiiSK- ^ JSpS sg half comes into such a susceptible state that all these phantoms held m odylic sus-JSriTSi ^ Wtype themsel ves thereon , and ate givenforth as before explained in automatic discharge- , < i » oi » , " And even future events , in some such way , may be sensed by the brain . _ "In confirmation of this , it is found that as anciently oracle * cofcld teftrtfcd only in certain localities , as only in some regions the ^ inmg-rod m the hands of ^ ui ™ « nflfented : as in some localities only the phenomena of hw * m *< l -
^ .. ; tne sensitive i » h uc « jkgu , « o " » . ™— „ * » v « , « a ) houses odcur , according as the mundane imponderable emanations vary ; so Ifi mm * localities the ' manifestations' can be had with greater * ^ , ^ «* " %£ * 2 * - fbrence being appreciable sometimes in different apartments of the sanie hdtis * Do note that phrase , "in confirmation of this I" It is as S ^ « ™> lo « nc so humorously ridiculed by Shakspeare in the famous Jack . Cade scene , where Cade claims to be the descendant of Mortimer , his father having been stolen while a child , — * ' Became a bricklayer when he came to age ;
His son am I ; deny it if you can . Smith . Sir , he made a chimney in my father ' s house , and the oricTcs ure alive at this day to testify it } tfierefore deny it not !" The scientific statements ate as good as the logic . Thus Dr . Bogets ~ a great authority with OdylistB-assures us , with the air of a man perfectly certain of his facts : ¦—
« ' Every particle , however minute , of eVefy living being ; , is ail exAei ^ presehtetive of the whole organism / ' Each particle of the brain ia a repreaentatWe Of the state of the mind at the time the particle was organized / < We are constantly giving off these' representative particles . < Whoever comes after us , who has tne sense that shall be affected by them , shall have represented on the delicately sensitive brain all the sensuous peculiarities / and « the exact mental state , ' we exhibited at the time / ' they were elaborated in the organism / " The gross ignorance implied in the assertion " that every particle is is the
the exact representative of the Whole organism , " more reprehensible , because it will mislead the " general reader , ' who , having learned that the organism is composed of mmute cells , will fancy Ur . Koo-ers is illustrating the cell doctrine . But a nerve cell is not a bone cel £ a bone cell is not a fat cell ; and the organism , so far from being " represented" by any single cell , is only possible when multitudes ot diverse cells are combined together . He mig ^ t as well take an individual man , and , because the state is formed of individuals fulfilling diverse functions , declare every man was " an exact representative of the whole
State . " .. , . The Rev . Charles Beecher thinks the " automatic argument unacceptable , because " it is equally valid against the existence of the aoul as distinct from the brain —a bit of clerical logic which we Will not disturb . Let us , in conclusion , warn the unwary reader against placing any confidence in the physiology of these facile doctors , who " tftlk familiarly as maidens do of puppy dogs , " and have yet to learn the a , b , C of " cerebral action . "
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LADY TABTUFE . On Wednesday the much-expected comedy , Lady Tartufe , was produced , before a house crowded from ceiling to orchestra , ( the very orchestra was abolished , ) and received with applause , although not with enthusiflsni There are those who Wonder why Lady Tartufe disappointed the Parisians . The reason surely is Bimple enough P Lady Tartufe ia a weak and disagreeable play , abounding in wit , in cynicism , ih sparkling points , but wanting the main elements of dramatic success : a good fable and life-like characters . Lady Tartufe herself has some admirable touches , touches which reveal not only a keenly sarcastic and femininely observant pencil , but which also indicate dramatic power ; yet , on the whole , the character ia ft complete failure—the details are elaborately drawn , but they are not
organized into a character . Dedtourbieres is tho other attempt at character , and he is more palpably untrue . A scamp and pimp , in tho first two acts , he suddenly throws off that larval condition , emerging Into virtue and delicate sensibilities , because tho authoress wiaheB it ! Tile supposition of such a right-minded man , as ho suddenly becomes , being forced into bo disgraceful a position , as that from which ho emerges , merely because he owes Lady Tartufh a mim of money , and that on Borrowing the said , sum , to repay her , there is " a total eclipse of tho mauvais styet , "—is a supposition quite childish ; and yet , bo doarly does an uudionco delight ih virtue , so pleased is tho healthy heart of tho mass With ovon the aomblahco of reform , the applause which followed Dcstourbieres , conversion
was uproarious ! That ono bit of virtue cleared tho atmosphere" ! Rudden conversions I disbelieve , in toto ; but , oven granting tlUiir sincerity , they must bo prepared . JSTow DestourMiret , conversion is not only sudden , and Without suiliciont motive , it h in violent
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Leader (1850-1860), June 18, 1853, page 596, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1991/page/20/
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