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the trial being made, movements were produced quite as striking as those which which were I have already described. At last, five knocks were given,, interpreted by the medium to mean that the alphabet was called for, when the letters GOOD BYE were rapped out. After this unmistakable dismissal of our party, it was in vain for us to attempt to elicit any raps, tips, or risings; the table's strength had departed, and it had become like another table.

This is followed by an account of a second visit to the Marshalls, in company with a clergyman, and with results similar to the first. Mr. Paul then entered into correspondence with persons interested in the inquiry, among others, with Professor De Morgan, of whom he speaks as "one of the first mathematicians of the day, and the author of several works of high repute on Mathematics and Logic; certainly he is one of the last persons in the kindom to be charged with credulity." He says:

I described to him what I had seen, and asked whether he had witnessed similar manifestations, and whether he had been able to detect any juggling tricks on the part of the mediums, or thought the movements I described attributable to any known force. I took the liberty of addressing the Professar as an old disciple of his, having many years before attended his mathematical lectures. His reply was as follows:

"Dear Sir, I am perfectly satisfied that phenomena such as you describe. are genuine, and this from what I have seen, and heard on evidence which I cannot doubt. What they arise from I cannot tell.

"The physical phenomena which you describe are beyond all explanation, but still there may be physical forces we know nothing of. The mental pheno mena are vastly more difficult; there must be, so far as we can see, some unseen intelligence mixed up in the matter. Spirit or no spirit, there is at least a reading of one mind by something out of that mind.-Yours truly,

Mr. Paul adds:

"A. DE MORGAN."

To complete the description of the experiments which I have witnessed, I may mention that, subsequent to the proceedings which I have described, I have experimented with perfect success at home. On these occasious, all objections on the score of possible imposture on the part of a professional medium have been obviated. Three or four of us were employed in searching for truth, with a full understanding that we were bound in honor not to attempt any trick or hoax upon each other. In my own room, and experimenting with my own table, the same jerks and tippings took place as I had witnessed in King-street, but we have had no rapping. The table has sometimes appeared quite unruly, batting with violence against one of the operators. The signals of the spirits (so called) have been given by jerks made in the direction of the diameter of the table,-in fact, elementary tips, or others in a tangential direction, as though a differential attempt were made at turning the table on its axis. I have never seen a continuous rotary motion; in fact, the table has never been moved under my observation more than three or four degrees of its circumference.

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With these facts before him, Mr. Paul arrives at this result:"I consider the fact fully established that, by the process I have described, a force is elicited which is perfectly distinct from all forces hitherto discussed by scientific writers. At present subject is involved in profound mystery, but I have no doubt that the investigations of candid searchers for truth will at length be rewarded by the discovery of some simple principle, which will suffice to account for the varied phenomena which have been recounted."

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At the reading of his Paper, Mr. Paul had not advanced farther than this. As regards the element of intelligence manifested in these proceedings, Mr. Paul says:

I think that, in some mysterious manner, the mind of each person who sits at the table modifies the answers received; and thus it comes to pass that, indubitably, a visitor to a medium will receive information which he is certain is known only to himself, and, not being aware that the answers which are spelt out are but the reflex of his own mind, he comes to the conclusion that they proceed from some supernatural source.

Mr. Paul admits that what he has been able to ascertain on the subject "is very little;" but from the honesty with which that little is recorded, we do not doubt that further investigation would satisfy him that the theory of reflex action of the mind is insufficient to account for many of the facts which this inquiry presents; he would find that facts are disclosed and thoughts presented which are not in the mind of either the medium or any person present at these séances, and therefore, which cannot be thence reflected, but must be referred to an outstanding intelligence.

We commend the clear, candid, personal testimony to the facts of this honest F. R. G. S. to his brother savans, and hope that they will join him in the inquiry into the nature of this alleged new force, of which people, not quite satisfied with the clumsy theory of imposture and conjuring, are beginning to talk. If they do so with the thoroughness which all science requires, we have no doubt they will in the end find that this "new force" is a very old force, being none other than the force inherent in the energies of the human soul and spirit, and manifested to our sensuous perceptions by and through material agencies.

MORNING LECTURES, BY A. J. DAVIS.*

THESE discourses are on miscellaneous topics of general interest, but having no mutual connexion, with the exception of the last four on the "Summer Land," as Mr. Davis terms the second sphere of human existence. In his preface he informs us that the subject matter of the Discourses, and the language in which they are clothed, were drawn from the inspiration given during the moments allotted to their delivery-sometimes, indeed, the speaker had not chosen either his theme, or the line of argument to be pursued until he arose to address the congregation. This fact will amply account for both the defects and excellencies which may be found sprinkled through the following pages."

* Morning Lectures: Twenty Discourses, delivered before the Friends of Progress, in the City of New York, in the Winter and Spring of 1863. By ANDREW JACKSON DAVIS, Author of several volumes on the Harmonial Philosophy. New York: PLUMB & Co. London: J. BURNS, Camberwell.

No doubt it will do so, but would it not have been bette if the author, prior to publication, had given the work tha careful revision that would have removed its defects, while re taining its excellencies? Mr. Davis in this volume is more tha usually severe against what he regards as the errors of dogmati theology, on which, indeed, he pronounces as dogmaticall as though he were the infallible head of an infallible churc Whether on this subject his views are right, or not, there can little hesitation in affirming that he is not right in his tonethe scolding, sneering, and sarcasm with which he has thong proper to assail the popular theology. For the rest, he is plai honest, and outspoken, and we only regret that he has allowed himself to do greater justice to himself and to 1 themes. "Whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well," a proverb which eminently applies to book making. In a bo we have a right to expect something better than the crude for of thought and the redundant verbiage tolerated in free and premeditated talk. Books should be the fine gold of though newspapers and pamphlets supply the smaller mental coin, use enough for the petty expenditure of the day, but, let us remem that a sovereign, though small in bulk, is worth two hundred forty penny pieces. The Paradise Lost of Milton, or a play Shakespeare's, is of more value than a cartload of the o popular pieces of Lope de Vega.

MAN AND HIS RELATIONS.*

THIS is one of those valuable books in which a philosophic gathers up the results of its observations, experiments, and re tions during the greater part of an active lifetime on some g theme; and so fitting them into their proper places and pro tions as to present at once a comprehensive philosophy and a w

of art.

Man and His Relations deserves to be classed with t works of rare merit, which, like Dr. Wilkinson's The Hu Body and its Connexion with Man; and Grindon's Life: Nature, Varieties, and Phenomena; rise above the mere mat and sensuous view of man's nature, and, realising in all significance and issues, the fact that he is essentially a spiri being, work from this central truth, and thus bring out t and deeper views on all that relates to his physical nature

*Man and his Relations: Illustrating the Influence of the Mind on the i the Relations of the Faculties to the Organs, and to the Elements, Objects and nomena of the External World. By S. B. BRITTAN, M.D. New York: Tows London Agent: BURNS, Progressive Library, Camberwell.

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571

well-being, as well as to his character, duties, and destiny as the heir of an immortal life; for it is only as we grasp the radical elements and forces of humanity, and comprehend the conditions of their perfect harmony, that we can successfully repair any breach that may be made in their integrity, so far as this may be under the controul of human power. Life, in the estimation of our author, is a spiritual and natural revelation of the Divine procedure. The outward processes of Nature demonstrate the existence of inward forces; specific forms are the material records of essential laws; the human body is a living revelation of the indwelling soul, and each corporeal organ of a corresponding hidden faculty in the mind; so that the whole organic instrument thus represents that complete assemblage of faculties and affections which constitute the human spirit.

The phenomena that illustrate the laws and relations of the human mind are carefully classified: each of the thirty-five chapters of which the work is composed, treating of some one of its phases, so arranged that it is naturally developed in orderly succession from those preceding, and growing in interest and importance as the author's philosophy becomes more clearly and fully unfolded; some of the later chapters including such topics as "The Clairvoyant Vision;" "The Law of Prophecy;" ." Philosophy of Inspiration;" "Rationale of Worship ;" and "Natural Evidences of Immortality." These question are treated in a spirit worthy of their high quality;-with boldness and freedom, yet with all due reverence and becoming modesty. Were we attempting a critical estimate of the work in all its parts, we should have to point out here and there views we think erroneous, but as a whole we deem it one of the noblest works in elucidation of spiritual philosophy and the true nature of the constitution of man and its relations, with which we are acquainted. It would be idle to attempt to convey an idea of its character, by presenting isolated passages, which could at most serve but to illustrate the particular subject of the chapter from which it was taken, but we may, in passing, remark that those of our readers who are nterested in the questions treated of in the valuable papers that have recently appeared in this Magazine, on Spiritual Spheres and Atmospheres, and on Mysteries of Nature and of Spirit, will nd in some of the chapters of this work much that will further inform and stimulate their mental faculties on the subtle, but important topics therein discussed. In concluding a notice which, had space permitted, it would have been a pleasure to have extended to a length commensurate with our sense of the value of the work under consideration, we may state that its conclusions are not only derived from evidently wide research, deep reflection, and careful induction from facts, some of which are none the less certain for not having hitherto received the attention they

merit, but that many of the facts are presented first hand from the author's personal knowledge and experience. Whatever may be thought of his philosophy, it can scarcely be denied that the body of facts he has here presented in its illustration have considerable significance and value; and to those, especially, who are interested in those views of man and immortality which this Magazine is established to promote, it will be found a repository of both facts and reasonings which they will do well to study; they are eminently calculated to strengthen those cheering and consolatory views which it is our privilege to hold. As a minor, though by no means unimportant feature of this work, we would mention the marked care and accuracy with which it is written, as the lack of this has been a serious drawback to many books that have been written to illustrate the spiritual faculties and laws appertaining to humanity.

SPIRITUAL POETRY FOR THE YOUNG.*

THE well-printed little book of 36 pages, of which the full titlepage is given below, is a nice string of pearls of thought for young people. The thoughts strung together are great enough to fill the soul of a philosopher, and simple enough for the capacity of even little children; many of whom we have no doubt will find them easy to learn and pleasant to remember. Whether Miss Sedgwick avows herself a Spiritualist or not, we are ignorant; but many spiritual mediums are in their own experience familiar with the mode of composition of these hymns for children, as thus stated by herself in the Preface." In publishing these Pearls of Thought, for the use of schools, and the benefit of young children, the Authoress does so, because she believes they have been suggested to her for that purpose; she disclaims all plan or intention of her own of doing anything so original as that of reducing her ideas to words of one syllable. The Hymn for the Lord's Day,' the first that was written, flowed freely and harmoniously from her pen, in the form it is now seen, without any effort of her own; others followed, and then it was advised these fragments should be gathered up, and a book should be made of them." We are glad to perceive that this candid avowal does not prevent the book being "had at the Sunday School Institute and all Booksellers," and that it has reached, as it well deserves, a sale of ten thousand copies.

Pearls of Thought strung in Rhyme; or, Hymns and Songs in Words of One Syllable. By Miss SEDGWICK. Tenth thousand. London: WILLIAM MACINTOSH, 24, Paternoster-row; may be had at the Sunday School Institute, 41, Ludgate-hill, and all Booksellers. 1864.

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