Chapter IV: Part 4

This writer has somewhat the advantage of me. I confess I have no means of coming to the knowledge of the truth but those of careful thought, patient observation, and collection of facts, and deduction from them. But here is a mind that can with one bold dive reach the inner mysteries of the sensible and supersensible world, penetrate the motives and impulses that govern the specific moral acts of men, and disclose at once to us the horrible secret of a conspiracy which, without preconcert, has been entered into by thousands of men, women, and children in all parts of the land, to cheat the rest of the human race--a conspiracy, too, in which certain members of innumerable private families have banded together to play tricks upon their fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters! I feel awed by the overshadowing presence of such a mind--in fact, I do not feel quite _at home_ with him, and therefore most respectfully bow myself out of his presence without further ceremony.

As to the hypothesis that the person or persons whose hands are on the board move it _unconsciously_, this is met by the fact that the persons are perfectly awake and in their senses, and are just as conscious of what they are doing or not doing as at any other time. Or if it be morally possible to suppose that they all, invariably, and with one accord, _lie_ when they assert that the board moves without their volition, how is it that the answers which they give to questions, some of them mentally, are in so large a proportion of cases, _appropriate_ answers? How is it, for example, that Planchette, under the hands of my own daughter, has, in numerous cases, given correctly the names of persons whom she had never seen or heard of before, giving also the names of their absent relatives, the places of their residence, etc., all of which were absolutely unknown by every person present except the questioner?

A theory propounded by the Rev. Dr. Patton, of Chicago, in an article published in _The Advance_, some time since, may be noticed under this head. He says:

"How, then, shall we account for the writing which is performed
without any direct volition? Our method refers it to an automatic
power of mind separate from conscious volition. * * * Very common
is the experience of an automatic power in the pen, by which it
finishes a word, or two or three words, after the thoughts have
consciously gone on to what is to follow. We infer, then, from
ordinary facts known to the habitual penman, that _if a fixed idea
is in the mind_ at the time when the nervous and volitional powers
are exercised with a pen, it will often express itself spontaneously
through the pen, when the mental faculties are at work otherwise. We
suppose, then, that Planchette is simply an arrangement by which,
through the outstretched arms and fingers, the mind comes into
such relation with the delicate movements of the pencil, that its
automatic power finds play, and the _ideas present in the mind are
transferred unconsciously to paper_." (Italics our own.)

That may all be, Doctor, and no marvel about it. That the "fixed idea"--"the ideas _present in the mind_," should be "transferred unconsciously to paper," by means of Planchette, is no more wonderful than that the same thing should be done by the pen, and _without_ the intervention of that little board. But for the benefit of a sorely mystified world, be good enough to tell us how ideas that are _not_ present, and that _never were_ present, in the mind, can be transferred to paper by this automatic power of the mind. Grant that the mind possesses an automatic power to work in _grooves_, as it were, or in a manner in which it has been previously _trained_ to work, as is illustrated by the delicate fingerings of the piano, all correct and skillful to the nicest shade, while the mind of the performer may for the moment be occupied in conversation; but not since the world began has there been an instance in which the mind, acting solely from itself, by "automatic powers" or otherwise, has been able to body forth any idea which was not previously within itself. That Planchette does sometimes write things of which the person or persons under whose hands it moves never had the slightest knowledge or even conception, it would be useless to deny.

THEORY SECOND--IT IS ELECTRICITY, OR MAGNETISM.

That electricity, or magnetism (a form of the same thing), is the agent of the production of these phenomena, is a theory which, perhaps, has more advocates among the masses than any other. It is the theory urged by Mr. Headley with a great amount of confidence in his article already referred to; and with his arguments, as those of an able and, in some sense, _representative_ writer on this subject, we shall be principally occupied for a few paragraphs.

When this theory is offered in seriousness as a final solution of the mystery in question, we are tempted to ask, Who is electricity? what is his mental and moral _status_? and how and where did he get his education? Or if by "electricity" is here simply meant the subtile, imponderable, and _impersonal_ fluid commonly known by that name, then let us ask, Who is at the other end of the wire?--for there must evidently be a _who_ as well as a _what_ in the case. But when the advocates of the electrical theory are brought to their strict definitions, they are compelled to admit that this agent is nothing more than a medium of the power and intelligence that are manifested. Now a medium, which signifies simply a _middle_, distinctly implies two opposite ends or extremes, and as applied in this case, one of those ends or extremes must be the source, and the other the recipient of the power or influence that is transmitted through the medium or middle; and it is an axiom of common sense that no medium can be a perfect medium which has anything to do with the origination or qualification of that which is intended simply to flow through it, or which is not absolutely free from action except as it is acted upon. That there are so-called mediums which refract, pervert, falsify, or totally obliterate the characteristics of that which was intended to be transmitted through them, is not to be denied; but these are by no means perfect or reliable mediums, either in physical or psychic matters.

If the little instrument in question, therefore, is, through the medium of electricity or any other agency, brought under perfect control and then driven to write a communication, the force that drives and the intelligence that directs it can not be attributed to the medium itself, but to something behind and beyond it which must embrace _in itself_ all the active powers and qualifications to produce the effect. Now let us see where Mr. Headley gets the active powers and qualifications to produce the phenomena manifested by his Planchette. He shall speak for himself:

"That a spirit, good or bad, has anything to do with this piece
of board and the tips of children's fingers, is too absurd a
supposition to be entertained for a moment. We are driven,
therefore, to the conclusion that what is written (by honest
operators) has its origin either in the minds of those whose hands
are on the instrument, or else it results from communication with
other minds through another channel than the outward senses. At all
events, on this hypothesis I have been able to explain most of the
phenomena I have witnessed. I had, with others, laughed at the
stories told about Planchette, when a lady visiting my family from
the city brought, as the latest novelty, one for my daughter.
Experiments were of course made with it, with very little success,
till a young lady came to visit us from the West, whose efforts
with those of my son wrought a marvelous change. She was modest and
retiring, with a rich brown complexion, large swimming eyes, dark as
midnight, and a dreamy expression of countenance, and altogether a
temperament that is usually found to possess great magnetic power.
My son, on the contrary, is fair, full of animal life, and enjoying
everything with the keenest relish. In short, they were as opposite
in all respects as two beings could well be. As the phenomena
produced by electricity are well known to arise from opposite poles,
or differently charged bodies, they would naturally be adapted to
the trial of Planchette."

Mr. H. now finds the mysterious agency, "electricity," completely unchained, and under the hands of this couple Planchette becomes "very active." Indifferent to its performances at first, he was induced to give it more serious attention by the correct answers given to a couple of questions asked in a joking manner by his wife, concerning some love affairs of his before they were married, and which were known to none present except himself and wife. Of course these answers, being in his wife's mind when she asked the question, were supposed to be "communicated through the agency of electricity or magnetism to the two operators," and the mystery was thus summarily disposed of. But an interest being thus for the first time aroused in Mr. H.'s mind, he proceeds to inquire a little further into the peculiarities of this new phenomenon, and proceeds as follows:

"Seeing that Planchette was so familiarly acquainted with my lady
friends, I asked it point blank: 'Where is Mary C----?' This was a
friend of my early youth and later manhood, who had always seemed
to me rather a relative than an acquaintance. To my surprise it
answered, 'Nobody knows.'

I supposed I knew, because for twenty years she had lived on the
Hudson River in summer, and in New York in the winter.

'Is she happy?' I asked. 'Better be dead,' was the reply.

'Why?' 'Unhappy' was written out at once.

'What makes her unhappy?' 'Won't tell.'

'Is she in fault, or others?' 'Partly herself.'

I now pushed questions in all shapes, but they were evaded. At last
I asked, 'How many brothers has she?'

'One,' was the response. 'That,' said I, 'is false;' but not having
heard from the family for several years, I asked again, 'How many
_did_ she have?' '_Three._' 'Where are the other two?' I continued.
'Dead.'

'What is the name of the living one?' 'John.' I could not recollect
that either of them bore this name, but afterward remembered it was
that of the eldest. Now I had no means of ascertaining whether this
was all true, but convinced it was not, I began to ask ridiculous
and vexatious questions, when the answers showed excessive
irritation, and finally it wrote '_Devil_.' I then said: 'Who are
you?' 'Brother of the Devil.'

'What is your occupation?' 'Tending fires.'

'What are you going to do with me?' 'Broil you.'

'What for?' 'Wicked.'

Now while I was excessively amused at all this, I noticed that the
two young operators were greatly agitated, and begged me to stop.
I saw at a glance that the very superstitious feeling that I
was endeavoring to ridicule away, was creeping over them, and I
desisted.... Another day I asked where a certain gentleman was who
failed years ago, taking in his fall a considerable amount of my own
funds. I said 'Where is Mr. Green?' 'In Brazil.'

'Will he ever pay me anything?' 'Yes.'

'When?' 'Next year.'

'How much.' 'Ten thousand dollars.'

Neither of the operators knew anything about this affair, and the
answer, 'Brazil,' was so out of the way and unexpected, that all
were surprised. Whether the man was there or not, I could not tell,
nor did I know if he ever had been there--indeed, the last time I
heard from him he was in New York."

Now, observing that no conscious or intelligent agency in shaping these answers is assigned to the young persons whose hands were upon the board, and who, it appears, did not know anything of the persons concerning whom the inquiries were made, it would, perhaps, as we desire nothing but a true philosophy on this matter, be worth while to look a little critically at the answers and statements that were given, and the further explanations propounded by Mr. H. For convenience, they may be classified as follows:

1. Answers that were substantially in the interrogator's own mind when he asked the questions. Such were the answers to the questions: "How many brothers _did_ she [Mary C----] have?" "Where did she _formerly_ live?" He tells us that "the pencil slowly wrote out in reply: '_Catkill_,' leaving out the _s_;" and adds: "of course, this place was in my mind, though neither of the young people knew anything about the lady or her residence."

2. Answers which he does not know were in his mind, but supposes they must have been. Thus, in his own language, while commenting on the answers to questions respecting Mary C---- and her brothers: "Nor can I account for the answer '_Unhappy_,' _unless unconsciously to myself_ there passed through my mind that vague fear so common to us all when we inquire about friends of whom we have not heard for years. The death of the two brothers baffled all conjecture _unless I remembered_ that during the war I saw the death of a young man of the same name, and I wondered at the time if it was one of these brothers--whether they had joined the army." (The Italics our own.) So also of Planchette's answers to the questions respecting Mr. Green, locating him in Brazil, and saying that he intended to pay him (Mr. H.) ten thousand dollars next year, while Mr. G. had last been reported to Mr. H. as being in New York, and the latter did not know that he had ever been in Brazil. But Mr. H., after thinking over a certain conversation which he had previously had with Mr. Green respecting a business journey he had made to "_South America_," remarks: "Brazil doubtless often occurred to me--in fact, I was conscious on reflection that I had more frequently located him in that country than in any other. So when the question was put, it would involuntarily flash over me _without my being conscious of it_, 'I wonder if he has gone back to South America, and if his venture is in Brazil?' _Magnetism caught up the flashing thought and put it on paper._" (Italics our own.) Such is his hypothesis to explain an hypothesis!

3. Answers which he not only knows he had not in his mind when the questions were asked, but which were directly _contrary_ to his mind or opinion. Such were answers to several of the questions occurring in the conversation about Mary C----, as, "better be dead;" "unhappy;" fault "partly herself;" has "_one_" brother; which latter statement was so directly contrary to his mind that he even pronounced it "false," until he thought to inquire, "How many _did_ she have?"

4. Answers which were not only not in his mind, but which he directly pronounces "_false_" and thus dismisses them. Such, for instance, is the answer "Nobody knows," to the question "Where is Mary C----?" "That this," says he, "was false, is evident on the very face of it."

With this analysis of the leading phenomena cited by Mr. H. before us, lot us look at the wonderful things which "electricity and magnetism" are made to accomplish.

I do not dispute that there is such a power of the human mind as that known as clairvoyance. I have had too many proofs of this to doubt it. But I have had equally positive proofs that the development of its phenomena is dependent upon certain necessary conditions, among which are, that the agent of them, in order to be able to reveal the secret thoughts of another, must possess by nature peculiar nervous susceptibilities, enabling his psychic emanations, so to speak, to sympathetically coalesce with those of the person whose thoughts and internal mental states are to be the subject of investigation. But this sympathetic coalescence can not take place where there is the slightest psychic repulsion or antagonism to the clairvoyant on the part of the interrogating party. Moreover, even when all these conditions are present, nothing can be correctly read from the mind of the questioner unless there is on his mind a _clear and distinct definition_ of the matters of which he seeks to be told.

But even in class No. 1 of the above series we find that "electricity," hitherto believed to be only an imponderable and impersonal fluid, has, upon Mr. H.'s theory, been able to accomplish the revealment of secret thoughts entirely independent of all these conditions. It is distinctly stated that those young persons whose hands were on the Planchette knew nothing whatever of the matters which formed the several subjects of inquiry; and for aught that is stated to the contrary, they appear to have been perfectly awake and in their normal state. In addition to this, it is to be observed that Mr. Headley here appears in the assumed character of a captious, contentious, and somewhat irritating questioner, which, whether he intended it or not, was entirely the opposite of that harmonious and sympathetic interflow of mental states known in other cases to be necessary to a successful clairvoyant diagnosis of inward thoughts. And yet "electricity" overleaps all these obstacles, seizes facts that occurred many years previous, some of which were known only to Mr. H. and wife, others only to Mr. H. himself, and instantly flashes forth the appropriate answer! Here is science! If there were no other phenomena connected with Planchette, this alone might well challenge the attention of philosophers!

But if this is wonderful, what shall we think of the achievements of this same "electricity" and "magnetism" in revealing facts of the second class--facts which the questioner himself did not and does not now _know_ were in his mind, but only _supposes they must have been_? Think of a diffused element of nature, which, from the dawn of creation had been blind and dead, and only passively obedient to certain laws of equilibrium, suddenly assuming intelligence and volition, burrowing into a man's brains, rummaging among ten thousand thoughts, emotions, and experiences stored up in the archives of his memory, and finally coming to the mere fossil of a (_supposed_) experience from which the last vestige of memory-life had departed, and seizing this incident, it moves the little board with an intelligent volition, and lo, the fact stands revealed.

And again, what of that spicy colloquy in which Planchette writes the words "devil," "devil's brother," "stir fires," "broil you," etc.? Oh, Mr. H. tells us, "That was owing to the irritation of the mediums, their horror and fright, their superstition, and their repugnance to the questions that were being asked." Curious, is it not? to see "electricity" seizing hold of this irritation, that horror, the other fright, and such and such a superstition, repugnance, and disgust, and, carefully arranging these mental emotions, building them up by a mysterious mason-work into a distinctly defined and sharply pronounced individuality, with a peculiar moral and intellectual character of its own, differing more from each and all of the parties present in the flesh than any one of the latter differed from another! And this individuality, too, putting forth a volition which was not _their_ volition, moving the Planchette which _they_ did not move, making and arranging letters which _they_ did not make and arrange, writing intelligent words and sentences which _they_ did not write, and then causing this creation to assume the name and character of a regularly built "devil"--a character which appears to have been so far from these young persons' minds that they were unwilling to look it in the face, and were sorely afraid of it! Surely, if "electricity" can do all this, then "electricity" itself is the "devil," and the less mankind have to do with it the better.

But more wonderful still. It appears that "electricity" can give answers, of which not even the slightest elements previously existed in the mind of the questioner or any of the company, and which were even diametrically _contrary_ to his mind; as in the answers of class No. 3. Here "electricity" swings loose, and, becoming completely independent, commences business on its "own hook." Not only so, but it even goes so far beyond the sphere of Mr. H.'s mind as to _fib_ a little, giving at least two answers which this writer pronounced "false," as noted in class No. 4--thus giving a still more signal display of its independent powers of invention--naughty invention though it was.

Seriously, had not friend Headley better employ his fine talents in giving us another clever book or two about "Washington and his Generals," and leave Mr. Planchette, and that more wonderful personage, Mr. Electricity, to take care of themselves? We are obliged here to part company with Mr. H., and pass on for the purpose of having a few words under this same head with the reverend author of "Planchette, or Spirit-Rapping Made Easy," in the _Ladies' Repository_.

I find it difficult to get at the idea of this writer, if indeed he himself has any definite idea on the subject. By the title of his article, however, and several expressions that occur in the body of it, he seems to associate the performances of the Planchette with a somewhat extensive class of phenomena, in which spirit-rappings, table-tippings, etc., are included. He says:

"Twelve years ago I took pains to study the matter, and at that time
I came to conclusions that are every day being proved to be true. I
was soon satisfied that as regarded 'trance mediums,' the cause was
due to one-third trickery, one-third partial insanity or monomania,
and the remainder animal magnetism. I have since learned that opium
and hashish (Indian hemp) played an important part. It was proved
that young ladies purchased written speeches which they delivered
under the influence of hashish."

He then goes on to speak of galvanism, magnetism, electricity, animal magnetism, and the odylic force; but, so far as we can see, without proving any necessary connection between these forces or either of them, and the subject which he aims to elucidate. Quoting a former article of his, he continues:

"The magnetizer of whom I spoke [an exposer of rappings] threw
himself into magnetic connection with the table, and _willed_ it
to move hither and thither. The will in this case seemed to be a
powerful battery, putting its subject into life. Now I suggest
that this power be applied to machinery. We will get us a large
propelling wheel, to which we will connect our machinery. We will
then engage a company of mediums who shall get into _rapport_ with
one wheel, and stand willing the wheel on in its evolutions.... If a
table may be made to spin around the room, why may not a wheel be
made to turn as well?"

The writer certainly deserves credit for this sage suggestion, and a patent for his machine; but whether he will succeed in making it operate satisfactorily without calling into requisition the "monomania," the "hashish," and the "opium," remains to be seen. He then goes on to describe Planchette, and afterward continues:

"The mysterious little creature is called Planchette, and is
no humbug. And it conforms to all the customs of the old-time
tipping-tables. The operator magnetizes Planchette, and by a
mysterious will-power causes it to answer questions. Before giving
illustrations, we may as well state the laws that seem to govern it.
_First._ It will always answer correctly, _if the operator knows the
answer_. _Second._ While it will answer other questions, in all the
experiments I have ever engaged in, it has never answered correctly.
_Third._ If a person standing by, who has strong magnetic powers,
asks a question, Planchette will answer. But _in all cases_, in our
experiments, some ruling mind must have knowledge of what the answer
should be, if a correct answer is returned."

In reply to the above, we assert, _First_. That the "operator" does not "magnetize" the board at all, nor does he exercise any "will power" over it, causing it to answer questions; and if he did thus cause it to answer only those questions whose answers are already in his mind, what marvel is there in it, more than there is in my pen being caused by my will-power to trace these words and sentences? _Secondly._ If by his _second_ and _third_ specifications of the supposed "laws" which govern Planchette, he means to imply that it will not tell, _often_ tell, and tell with remarkable correctness, things that were never known or dreamed of by the operator, the questioner, or any one present in visible form, then he simply mistakes, as can be testified by thousands, in the most positive manner. But the great essential question is, not so much whether answers given under such and such circumstances can be _correct_, as whether answers and communications _can be given at all_, which have no origin in the minds of the persons engaged in the experiment, and which must hence be referred to some outside intelligence?

The writer under review, after all, acknowledges his incompetency to unravel this subject, by saying:

"There are mysteries in Planchette. No one is ready to explain the
mysterious connection between the mind and the little machine, but
there can no longer be any doubt that these curious phenomena,
table-tipping and all, are produced by magnetism and electricity....
It is useless to ignore these things, or to laugh at them. It were
better to account for them, and subject the influence to the power
of man.... When some scientific man will condescend to toy with
Planchette, we shall have the curtain drawn aside behind which the
spirits have operated these years, and this calamitous
spirit-rapping mania will destroy no longer."

One might almost regret that this latter thought did not occur to the writer before he commenced his article, in which case, by a little patient waiting for this ideal and very condescending "scientific man," we might have been spared this diatribe of jumbled electricity, magnetism, will-power, opium, hashish, monomania, and driving wheels.

ELECTRICITY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

From much and varied observation and experiment in reference to the performances of Planchette, and of kindred phenomena, now extending over a period of about twenty years, I here record my denial, in the most emphatic manner, that electricity or magnetism, properly so called, has anything to do with the mystery at all, and call for the proof that it has. That a certain psycho-dynamic agency closely allied to, and in some of its modifications perhaps identical with, Reichenbach's "Od," or odylic force, may have some mediatorial part to play in the affair, I do not dispute, nor yet, for the present, do I affirm. But though this agency has sometimes been identified with what, for the want of a better term, has been called "animal magnetism," it has yet to be proved, I believe, that there are any of the properties of the magnet, or of magnetism, about it, even so much as would suffice to attract the most comminuted iron filings. It is remarkable that the assertion or hypothesis that electricity or magnetism is concerned in the production of the phenomena in question, has never yet had an origin in any high scientific authority. This is accounted for by the fact that those who are properly acquainted with this agency, and who have the proper apparatus at their command, can demonstrate the truth or falsity of such a hypothesis with the greatest ease. For an experiment, place your Planchette upon a plate of glass, or some other non-conducting substance. Attach to it a common pith-ball electrometer, and then let your medium place his hands upon the board. If electricity equal to the force even of a small fraction of a grain passes from the medium to the board, the pith ball, to that extent, will be deflected from its position. By means of the _Torsion Balance_ electrometer, invented by Coulomb, the presence of almost the smallest conceivable fraction of a grain of electrical force in your Planchette or your table might be detected; and with these delicate tests within reach, tell us not that the movements in question are caused by electricity till you have _proved_ it positively and beyond all dispute.

In the discussion of this electrical theory we have occupied more space than we originally intended, but we have thought it might be for the interest of true science to exhibit, once for all, this ridiculous and yet very popular fallacy, in its true light.

THIRD--THE DEVIL THEORY.

This theory, which appears to have many advocates, is well set forth in the following excerpts from an article published in the Philadelphia _Universe_, a Catholic organ:

"Neither the sight of the eye, nor the touch of the hand, can
discover the spring by which Planchette moves. Therefore it is not,
in its movements, a toy. It moves--undoubtedly it moves. And how?
Intelligently! It answers questions of any kind put to it in any
language required. It does this. This can not be done but by
intelligence. Well, by what description of intelligence? It can not
be supposed that the Divine intelligence is the motive; for how can
God be conceived to make such a manifestation of himself as
Planchette exhibits?

"A corresponding reason cuts off the idea that it is presided over
by an angelic intelligence; and it is evident to all that a human
mind does not control it. There is but one more character of
intelligence--that of evil spirits. Therefore Planchette is moved by
the agents of hell.... But why should the devil connect himself with
Planchette?... We suppose that the experienced scoundrel is ready to
do anything human wickedness may ask him when souls are the price of
the condescension. But his reasons for particular manifestations are
of small importance here. Facts are facts, and the point is, that
Planchette is not a toy, that it is moved by an intelligence, and
that the intelligence that moves it is necessarily evil. We would
therefore advise all who have a Planchette to build for it a special
fire of pitch and brimstone.... No one has a right to consult the
enemy of God. They who do so are in danger of becoming worshipers of
the devil, and of dwelling with him for ever."

This theory has at least the merit of being clear, definite, and easy to be understood, if it is not in all respects convincing. But here we have an exemplification of the old paradox of an irresistible force coming in contact with an immovable body. The Catholic priest tells us that Planchette is _not_ a toy; that it moves by an intelligence and volition that is not human; that its moving and directing power is of the devil. The Rev. Dr. Patton, in his article in the _Advance_ (heretofore referred to), tells us that "It is a philanthropic toy, which may be used to bring to light hidden connections of mind and body, and to refute the assumptions of spiritism;" and the Rev. A. D. Field, in his article in the _Ladies' Repository_, backs up Dr. Patton by saying, that it is "a mere toy," "is no humbug," is of "some use;"--and, concerning the _devil_ theory of the general power which moves it and other physical bodies, he says: there is "too often the spirit of gentleness to make the theory acceptable." The "immovable body" here, is the authority of the Catholic priest; the "irresistible force" is the authority of our clerical brethren representing Protestantism; and after this fair impingement of the latter upon the former, we shall, perhaps, have to adopt a compromise solution of the problem, by saying that the "immovable body" has been moved _a little_, and that the "irresistible force" has been resisted _some_.

But this _devil_ theory, if what the Bible teaches us concerning that personage is true, is encumbered with other difficulties; and the first of these is, that the devil, however wicked, is not a _fool_. If he should set a trap for human souls, he would not be so stupid as to tell them there is a trap there. When approaching human beings, he assumes, as the good book tells us, the garb of an angel of light; but it is not likely that he would ever say he is the devil, as Planchette sometimes does--at least until he felt quite sure of his prey. And again, when, in a case slightly parallel with cases sometimes involved in the question in hand, the captious Pharisees accused the Saviour of men of casting out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils, he reminded them that a house or a kingdom divided against itself can not stand. Now Planchette, I admit, is not always a saint--in fact, she sometimes talks and acts very naughtily as well as foolishly; yet at other times, when a better _spirit_ takes possession of her, she is gentle, loving, well disposed, and does certainly give most excellent advice,--advice which could not be heeded without detriment to the devil's kingdom, and which, if universally followed, would work its overthrow entirely. It is inconceivable that Satan would thus tear down with one hand what he builds up with another. But just at this point I wish to say, I think there is need of great caution in consulting Planchette on matters of a weighty or serious nature, lest one should extort from her mere _confirmations_ of his own errors, either in doctrine or practice; and that nothing should in any case be accepted from it that is repugnant to the established principles of the Christian religion. But we are after the _science_ of the thing now, and for the present that is our only question--a question, however, which the devil theory, as will appear from the foregoing, does not seem fully to answer.

THEORY OF A FLOATING, AMBIENT MENTALITY.

It is supposed by those who hold this theory, or rather hypothesis, that the assumed floating, ambient mentality is an aggregate emanation from the minds of those present in the circle; that this mentality is clothed, by some mysterious process, with a force analogous to what it possesses in the living organism, by which force it is enabled, under certain conditions, to move physical bodies and write or otherwise express its thoughts; and that in its expression of the combined intelligence of the circle, it generally follows the strongest mind, or the mind that is otherwise best qualified or conditioned to give current to the thought. Although the writer of the interesting article, entitled "_Planchette in a New Character_," in _Putnam's Monthly_ for December, 1868, disclaims, at the commencement of his lucubration, all theories on the subject, yet, after collating his facts, he shows a decided leaning to the foregoing theory as the nearest approach to a satisfactory explanation. "Floating, combined intelligence brought to bear upon an inanimate object," "active intellectual principle afloat in the circumambient air," are the expressions he uses as probably affording some light on the subject. This is a thought on which, as concerns its main features, many others have rested, not only in this country but in Europe, especially in England, as I am told by a friend who recently visited several sections of Great Britain where forms of these mysterious phenomena prevail.

The first difficulty that stands in the way of this hypothesis is that it supposes a thing which, if true, is quite as mysterious and inexplicable as the mystery which it purports to explain. How is it that an "intellectual principle" can detach itself from an intellectual being, of whose personality it formed the chief ingredient, and become an outside, objective, "floating," and "circumambient" entity, with a capability of thinking, willing, acting, and expressing thought, in which the original possessor of the emanated principle often has no conscious participation? And after you have told us this, then tell us how the "intellectual principle," not only of _one_, but of _several_ persons can emanate from them, become "floating" and "ambient," and then, losing separate identity, _conjoin_ and form _one_ active communicating agent with the powers aforesaid? And after you have removed from these _mere assumptions_ the aspect of physical and moral impossibility, you will have another task to perform, and that is to show us how this emanated, "combined," "floating," "circumambient" intelligence can sometimes assume an individual and seemingly _personal_ character of its own, totally distinct from, and, in some features, even _antagonistic_ to, all the characters in the circle in which the "emanation" is supposed to have its origin?

It is not denied now that the answers and communications of Planchette (and of the influence acting through other channels) often do exhibit a controlling influence of the mind of the medium or of other persons in the circle. But no theory should ever be considered as explaining a mystery unless it covers the _whole ground_ of that mystery. Even, therefore, should we consider the theory of the "floating intelligence" of the circle reproducing itself in expression, as explaining that part of the phenomenon which identifies itself with the minds of the circle (which it does not), what shall be said of those cases in which the phenomena exhibit characteristics which are _sui generis_, and can not possibly have been derived from the minds of the circle?

That phenomena of the latter class are sometimes exhibited is not only proved by many other facts that might be cited, but is clearly exemplified by this same writer in _Putnam's Magazine_. The intelligence whose performances and communications he relates seems to stand out with a character and individuality as strongly marked and as distinct from any and all in the circle as any one of them was distinct from another. This individuality was first shown by giving its own pet names to the different persons composing the circle--"Flirt," "Clarkey," "Hon. Clarke," "The Angel," and "Sassiness." The young lady designated by the last _sobriquet_, after it had been several times repeated, petitioned to be indicated thereafter "only by the initial 'S,'" which the impertinent scribbler accorded only so far as omitting all the letters except the five S's, so that she was afterward recognized as "S.S.S.S.S."

The writer further says:

"It is always respectful to 'Hon. Clarke,' and when pressed to state
what it thought of him, answered that he was 'a good skipper,' a
reputation fairly earned by his capacity for managing a fleet of
small boats. But we were not contented with so vague an answer, and
our urgent demand for an analysis of his character produced the
reply: 'A native crab apple, but spicy and sweet when ripe.' * * *
When asked to go on, it wrote: 'Ask me Hon. Clarke's character
again, and I will flee to the realms of imperishable woe; or, as
Tabitha is here, say I'll pull your nose;' and on being taunted with
its incapacity to fulfill the threat, it wrote: 'Metaphorically
speaking, of course.' Not satisfied with this rebuff, on another
occasion the subject was again pursued, and the answer elicited as
follows: 'Yes, but you can't fool me. I said nay once, and when I
says nay I means nay.' [A mind of _its own_, then.] More than once
it has lapsed into the same misuse of the verb, as: 'I not only
believes it, but I knows it;' and again: 'You asks and I answers,
because I am here.' * * *

"Again, on being remonstrated with for illiteracy, it defended
itself by saying: 'I always was a bad speler' (_sic_); an
orthographical blunder that no one in the room was capable of
making. But on the whole, our Planchette is a scientific and
cultivated intelligence, of more than average order, though it may
be, at times, slightly inaccurate in orthography, and occasionally
quote incorrectly; I must even confess that there are moments when
its usual elegance of diction lapses into slang terms and abrupt
contradictions. But, after all, though we flatter ourselves that as
a family we contain rather more than ordinary intelligence, still it
is more than a match for us."

Who can fail to perceive, from these quotations and admissions, the marked and distinctive _individuality_ of the intelligence that was here manifested, as being of itself totally fatal to the idea of derivation from the circle?

But not only was this intelligence _distinctive_, but in several instances even _antagonistic_ to that existing in the circle, as in the case reported as follows:

"Some one desiring to pose this ready writer, asked for its theory
of the Gulf Stream; which it announced without hesitation to be
'Turmoil in the water produced by conglomeration of icebergs.'
Objection was made that the warmth of the waters of the natural
phenomenon rather contradicted this original view of the subject;
to which Planchette tritely responded: 'Friction produces heat.'
'But how does friction produce heat in this case?' pursued the
questioner. 'Light a match,' was the inconsequent answer--Planchette
evidently believing that the pupil was ignorant of first principles.
'But the Gulf Stream flows north; how, then, can the icebergs
accumulate at its source?' was the next interrogation; which
elicited the contemptuous reply: 'There is as much ice and snow at
the south pole as at the north, ignorant Clarkey.' 'But it flows
from the Gulf of Mexico?' pursued the undismayed. 'You've got me
there, unless it flows underground,' was the cool and unexpected
retort; and it wound up by declaring, sensibly, that, after all,
'it is a meeting of the north and south Atlantic currents, which
collide, and the eddie (_sic_) runs northward.' [At another time,]
on being twice interrogated in regard to a subject, it replied
tartly: 'I hate to be asked if I am sure of a fact.'"

Now, what could have been this intelligence which thus insisted upon preserving and asserting its individuality so distinctly as to forbid all reasonable hypothesis of a compounded derivation from the minds of the circle, even were such a thing possible? A fairy, perhaps, snugly cuddled up under the board so as to elude observation. Friend "Clarkey," try again, for surely _this_ time you are a little befogged, or else the present writer is _more_ so.

"TO DAIMONION" (THE DEMON).

There was published, several years ago, by Gould & Lincoln, Boston, a little work entitled: "TO DAIMONION, OR THE SPIRITUAL MEDIUM. _Its nature illustrated by the history of its uniform mysterious manifestations when unduly excited._ By TRAVERSE OLDFIELD." This author deals largely in quotations from ancient writers in illustration of his subject; and as an attempt to explain the mysteries of clairvoyance, trance, second-sight, "spirit-knockings," intelligent movements of physical bodies without hands, etc., his work has claims to our attention which do not usually pertain to the class of works to which it belongs. "_To Daimonion_" (the demon), or the "spiritual medium," he supposes to be the _spiritus mundi_, or the spirit of the universe, which formed so large an element in the cosmological theories of many ancient philosophers; and this, "when unduly excited" (whatever that may mean), he supposes to be the medium, not only of many psychic and apparently preternatural phenomena described in the writings of all previous ages, but also of the similar phenomena of modern times, of which it is now admitted that Planchettism is only one of the more recently developed phases. For some reason, which seemed satisfactory to him, but which we fear he has not made clear or convincing to the mass of his readers, this writer assumes it as more than probable that this _spiritus mundi_--a living essence which surrounds and pervades the world, and even the whole universe--is identical with the "nervous principle" which connects the soul with the body,--in all this unconsciously reaffirming nearly the exact theory first propounded by Mesmer, in explanation of the phenomena of "animal magnetism," so called. Quotations are given from Herodotus, Xenophon, Cicero, Pliny, Galen, and many others, referring to phenomena well known in the times in which these several writers lived, and which he supposes can be explained only on the general hypothesis here set forth; and in the same category of marvels, to be explained in the same way, he places the performances of the snake-charmers, clairvoyants, thought-readers, etc., of modern Egypt and India.

This _spiritus mundi_, or "nervous principle," to which he supposes the ancients referred when they spoke of "the demon," is, according to his theory, the medium, or menstruum, by which, under certain conditions of "excitement," the thoughts and potencies of one mind, with its affections, emotions, volitions, etc., flow into another, giving rise to reflex expressions, which, to persons ignorant of this principle, have seemed possible only as the utterances of outside and supermundane intelligences. And as this same _spiritus mundi_, or demon, pervades and connects the mind equally with all _physical_ bodies, in certain _other_ states of "excitement" it moves those physical bodies, or makes sounds upon them, expressing intelligence--that intelligence always being a reflex of the mind of the person who, consciously or unconsciously, served as the exciting agent.

Whatever elements of truth this theory, in a _different_ mode of application, might be found to possess, in the form in which it is here presented it is encumbered by two or three difficulties which altogether seem fatal. In the first place, it wears upon its face the appearance of a thing "fixed up" to meet an emergency, and which would never have been thought of except by a mind pressed almost to a state of desperation by the want of a theory to account for a class of facts. Look at it: "The spirit of the world identical with the nervous principle"!--the same, "when unduly _excited_," the medium by which a mind may _unconsciously_ move other minds and organisms, or even dead matter, in the expression of its own thoughts! Where is the shadow of proof? Is it anything more than the sheerest assumption?

Then again: even if this mere assumption were admitted for truth, it would not account for that large class of facts referred to in the course of our remarks on the "Electrical theory," unless this _spiritus mundi_, demon, nervous principle, or spiritual medium, is made at once not only the "medium," but the intelligent and designing _source_ of the communication; for, as we have said before, it would be perfectly useless to deny that thoughts are sometimes communicated through the Planchette and similar channels, which positively never had any existence in the minds of any of the persons visibly present.

And then, too, in relation to the nature of the demon, or demons: the theory of the ancients, from whose representative minds this writer has quoted, was notoriously quite different from that which he has given. The ancients recognized good demons and evil demons. The demon of Socrates was regarded by him as an invisible, individual intelligence. A legion of demons were in one instance cast out by Christ from the body of a man whom they had infested; we can hardly suppose that these were simply a legion of "nervous principles" or "souls of the world." What those demons were really understood to be in those days, may be learned from a passage in the address of Titus to his army, when encamped before Jerusalem, in which, in order to remove from their minds the fear of death in battle, he says:

"For what man of virtue is there who does not know that those souls
which are severed from their fleshy bodies in battles by the sword,
are received by the ether, that purest of elements, and joined to
that company which are placed among the stars; that they become
_good demons_ and propitious heroes, and show themselves as such to
their posterity afterward?"--_Josephus, Wars of the Jews, B. VI.,
chap. 1, sec. 5._

Hesiod and many others might be quoted to the same purpose; but let this suffice as to the character and origin of these demons; and it may suffice also for the theory of _To Daimonion_, as to the particular mystery here to be explained.

IT IS SOME PRINCIPLE OF NATURE AS YET UNKNOWN.

If there is any wisdom in this theory, it is so profound that we "don't see it." It looks very much to us as though this amounted only to the saying that "all we know about the mystery is, that it is _unknown_; all the explanation that we can give of it is, that it is inexplicable; and that the only theory of it is, that it has no theory." Thus it leaves the matter just where it was before, and we should not have deemed this saying worthy of the slightest notice had we not heard and read so much grave discussion on the subject, criticising almost every other theory, and then concluding with the complacent announcement of the writer's or speaker's theory as superior to all others, that "_it is some principle or force of nature as yet unknown_!"

THEORY OF THE AGENCY OF DEPARTED SPIRITS.

This theory apparently has both merits and difficulties, which at present we can only briefly notice. Among the strong points in its favor, the first and most conspicuous one is, that it accords with what this mysterious intelligence, in all its numerous forms of manifestation, has steadily, against all opposition, persisted in claiming _for itself_, from its first appearance, over twenty years ago, till this day. And singularly enough, it appears as a fact which, perhaps, should be stated as a portion of the history of these phenomena, that years before public attention and investigation were challenged by the first physical manifestation that claimed a spiritual origin, an approaching and general revisitation of departed human spirits was, in several instances, the burden of _remarkable predictions_. I have in my possession a little book, or bound pamphlet, entitled, "A Return of Departed Spirits," and bearing the imprint, "Philadelphia: Published by J. R. Colon, 203½ Chestnut Street, 1843," in which is contained an account of strange phenomena which occurred among the Shakers at New Lebanon, N. Y., during the early part of that year. In the language of the author: "Disembodied spirits began to take possession of the bodies of the brethren and sisters; and thus, by using them as instruments, made themselves known by speaking through the individuals whom they had got into." The writer then goes on to describe what purported to be the visitations of hundreds in that way, from different nations and tribes that had lived on earth in different ages--the consistency of the phenomena being maintained throughout. I have conversed with leading men among the Shakers of the United States concerning this affair, and they tell me that the visitation was not confined to New Lebanon, but extended, more or less, to all the Shaker communities in the United States--not spreading from one to another, but appearing nearly simultaneously in all. They also tell me that the phenomena ceased about as suddenly as they appeared; and that when the brethren were assembled, by previous appointment, to take leave of their spirit-guests, they were exhorted by the latter to treasure up these things in their hearts; to say nothing about them to the world's people, but to wait patiently, and soon they (the spirits) would return, and make their presence known to the world generally.

During the interval between the autumn of 1845 and the spring of 1847, a book, wonderful for its inculcations both of truth and error, was dictated in the mesmeric state by an uneducated boy--A. J. Davis--in which the following similar prediction occurs:

"It is a truth that spirits commune with one another while one is in
the body and the other in the higher spheres--and this, too, when
the person in the body is unconscious of the influx, and hence can
not be convinced of the fact; and this truth will ere long present
itself in the form of a living demonstration. And the world will
hail with delight the ushering in of that era when the interiors of
men will be opened, and the spiritual communion will be established,
such as is now being enjoyed by the inhabitants of Mars, Jupiter,
and Saturn."--_Nat. Div. Rev., pp. 675, 676._