trade. Astrologers are no longer consulted, and |lations furnished us by others who have made it fortune-tellers are mostly out of vogue; but Mes-their study, and sometimes from books which merists and Clairvoyants are doing the self same they make up by picking and stealing from the things, with the self same motives, and with a folios of Fader-land. But they bear about them reasonable share of success in their calling. In unequivocal marks of their origin. The broad Catholic countries, the recent exhibition of the German features of the subjects discussed betray Holy Coat of Treves proves the public mind to their parentage on every page; and the uncouth be no more skeptical, than it was when the low combinations of English, in which they are state of physical science allowed greater scope clothed, have been cut as nearly as possible after for the performance of miracles by the bones of the foreign fashion of the garments, in which saints and other relics; whilst, in Protestant they were first breeched. Great Britain, and Puritan America, the astonish- The "Night-Side of Nature," by Mrs. Cathing number of proselytes to the Mormon faith is no small reproach to the boasted efficacy of the Reformed religion in developing and strengthening our rational faculties.

Christian will forbear to offend, by an exhibition of disgust or contempt, even those, whose religious faith and worship are in his eyes mere mummery and superstition. We will, therefore, not indulge in that ridicule. which Mrs. Crowe considers to be closely akin to the ignorant impiety of the scoffing atheist; though we confess, it does cost us some effort to bridle our pen, when we compare the swelling dicta of these scientific quacks with the "facts and experience" from which they are deduced, to the undoubting con

erine Crowe, is a book, to which the preceding remarks are generally applicable, but which is in no wise subject to any charge of plagiarism or deceit. On the contrary, the authoress makes We once heard of an infidel, who denied the no secret of her obligations to the Magi of authority of Revelation, and doubted even the Modern Germany; and the frequent expression historical accuracy of the Bible, except so much of her gratitude and reverence for them would of it as related to the building of the temple. be ludicrous, were it not so solemn and earnest. That, being a zealous Free-Mason, he believed; Sincere and laudable feeling, however ill-dibecause it consisted with the tradition that Sol-rected and misplaced, deserves to be treated with omon founded or revived the Mystic order, when some respect; as an enlightened and liberal he commenced the preparations for that great work. Not unlike this is the singular inconsistency of the German philosophers. They have gone on, refining and rationalizing all that is supernatural in the Gospel narratives, now explaining that to be possessed of a devil means to be afflicted with epilepsy, and now resolving a mirade into what they call a Myth, or in other words, a fable-until they have reduced the life of Christ to nearly the same level with those of the gods and heroes of antiquity; making it to consist of a basis of truth, surmounted and con-viction of the fair writer herself. By way of a cealed by a superstructure of fancy and fiction. Nevertheless, during all this time, they have been industrious in cherishing the forms of superstition that yet survived-recalling to existence such as had passed away-and moulding them all into forced and fanciful analogy with the idle conceits of the same character peculiar to our own times. They have employed themselves in this work with so much gravity and perseverance, as to give assurance of their own sincere belief in it; whilst their terrible array of hard words (unknown compounds from the inexhaustible chemistry of the German tongue) impresses the ignorant and un- And it is no small honor, that the more commonreflecting, like the jargon of other jugglers, with place patronymic of the Rev. Hare Townshend an idea, that there must be a vast deal of mean- has been found worthy of a place on the same ing in that of which they comprehend so little. page with the illustrious Dutchmen; an honor Nor is this proneness to believe the supernatural fairly earned, however, by his unflinching belief at all dependant upon religious enthusiasm, or in, and zealous devotion to, the great cause of what another class of sanguine theorists (the Phre- Animal Magnetism. nologists) call the excitement of the organ of Veneration.

compromise, we will treat our readers to a few specimens of the book; which will serve to illustrate our own views, without damage to our reputation for gallantry and good nature.

The "German authorities" present a formidable muster roll. Doctors Kerner and Werner, Von Meyer and Eschenmayer, Schubert and Stilling, and Hegel, and Passavent, and Ennemoser, deployed into line, remind us of the Scottish names which so dismayed the muse of Milton-"Colkitto, and Macdonnell, and Gallasp."

Beginning with the expressions in the Scriptures, which, as translated, attribute to man the Those, who like ourselves, are not masters of possession of a body, a soul, and a spirit, Mrs. the many-sided and multiform language, derive Crowe maintains, that the two latter are invested an acquaintance with its treasures from the trans- with certain peculiar inlets or means of intelli

gence, wholly independent of the bodily senses men of Great Britain, and several of our joureven during their union with the body, and when nalists, have been denying and ridiculing the directed to physical objects, no less than to ab-reports of these phenomena, the most emistract and spiritual things. She says

nent physicians of Germany have been quietly studying and investigating them, and giv"In the spirit or soul, or rather in both con- ing to the world, in their works, the results of joined, dwells, also, the power of spiritual seeing, their experience. Among the rest, Dr. Joseph or intuitive knowing; for, as there is a spiritual Ennemoser, of Berlin, has presented to us in his body, there is a spiritual eye, and a spiritual ear, two books on Magic, and on The Connecand so forth; or to speak more correctly, all these tion of Magnetism with Nature and Religion,' sensuous functions are comprised in one univer- the fruits of his thirty years' study of this subject sal sense, which does not need the aid of the bodily—during the course of which he has had repeated organs; but on the contrary, is most efficient opportunities of investigating all the phenomena, when most freed from them. It remains to be and of making himself perfectly familiar with seen whether, or in what degree, such separation even the most rare and perplexing. To any one can take place during life; complete it cannot who has studied these works, the mysteries of be till death; but whoever believes sincerely that the temples and of the witch trials are mysteries the divine spirit dwells within him, can, I should no longer; and he writes with the professed dethink, find no difficulty in conceiving that, al-sign, not to make science mystical, but to bring though from the temporary conditions to which the mysterious within the bounds of science. that spirit is subjected, this universal faculty is The phenomena, as he justly says, are as old as limited and obscured, it must still retain its indefeasible attribute."

the human race. Animal magnetism is no new development, no new discovery. Inseparable from life, although, like many other vital phe"It is by the hypothesis of this universal sense, nomena, so subtle in its influences, that only in latent within us--an hypothesis which, whoever hibited itself more or less in all ages and in all abnormal cases it attracts attention, it has exbelieves that we are immortal spirits, incorpora- countries. But its value as a medical agent is only ted for a season in a material body, can scarcely reject that I seek to explain those perceptions now beginning to dawn on the civilized world, which are not comprised within the functions of while its importance in a higher point of view our bodily organs. It seems to me to be the key is yet perceived by but few. Every human being to all or nearly all of them, as far as our own and the turmoil, and the distraction, of the world who has ever withdrawn himself from the strife, part in the phenomena extends. But supposing this admitted, there would then remain the diffi- without, in order to look within, must have found culty of accounting for the partial and capricious himself perplexed by a thousand questions with glimpses we get of it; while in that department regard to his own being, which he would find of the mystery which regards apparitions, except no one able to solve. In the study of animal such as are the pure result of disease, we must magnetism, he will first obtain some gleams grope our way, with very little light to guide us, as to the conditions and motives which might possibly bring them into any immediate relation with us.

"To any one who has been fortunate enough to witness one genuine case of clairvoyance, I think the conception of this universal sense will not be difficult, however the mode of its exercise may remain utterly incomprehensible."

of a light which will show him that he is indeed the child of God! and that, though a dweller on the earth, and fallen, some traces of his divine descent, and of his unbroken connection with a

higher order of being, still remain to comfort and encourage him. He will find that there exist in his species the germs of faculties that are never fully unfolded here on earth, and which have no reference to this state of being. They exist in all men, but in most cases are so faintly elicited as not to be observable; and when they do shoot up here and there, they are denied, disowned, misinterpreted, and maligned."

"Nothing could be more perplexing to any one who read them with attention, than the trials for witchcraft of the seventeenth century. Many of the feats of the ancient thaumaturgists and wonDear reader, you have now before you the der-workers of the temples might have been nearly great principle of what people have so long called as much so, but these were got rid of by the easy the supernatural, but which is in reality the unexpedient of pronouncing them fables and im- perceived natural, and nothing more. There are postures: but, during the witch-mania, so many those, who have always maintained, that, if mespersons proved their faith in their own miracu- merism aud clairvoyance were true, they were lous powers by the sacrifice of their lives, that it was scarcely possible to doubt their having some certainly magic and witchcraft. Mrs. Crowe is foundation for their own persuasion, though what of the same opinion. They are all operations of, that foundation could be, till the late discoveries or upon, the universal sense, which so few people in animal magnetism, it was difficult to conceive; are conscious of possessing, that the multitude but here we have a new page opened to us, which concerns both the history of the world and the history of man, as an individual; and we begin to see that that which the ignorant thought supernatural, and the wise impossible, has been both natural and true. While the scientific

gapes with wonder at its manifestations. The sorcerers of Egypt, who turned their rods into serpents, the witch of Endor evoking the awful shade of Samuel from the tomb, and Cornelius Agrippa, whose magic mirror displayed scenes

5

What is here meant seems to be, that the

and persons the most remote, either in time or solute spirit without body, we can form no condistance-all these, like the witches of the 17th ception.' century, were people who possessed a singular brain becomes the world to the spirit, before the control over "the spiritual seeing or intuitive impressions from the external world do actually knowing" in other persons, and had some tincture come streaming through by means of the exterThe inner spiritual light of acquaintance with the manual of mesmerism. nal sensuous organs. We admit the family likeness is a striking one, illumines, till the outward physical light overand does seem to warrant the suspicion of a com- powers and extinguishes it. But in this state the brain, which is the storehouse of acquired mon origin. knowledge, is not in a condition to apply its acquisitions effectively; while the intuitive knowledge of the spirit, if the sleep be imperfect, is clouded by its interference."

If our readers do not clearly comprehend the rationale of this explanation, we will commend them to the following passage, which is as full of light in its termination, as an East Indian fire-fly

who

This universal sense, as it seems, is commonly inactive, when the other senses are at work, waking up for the most part only when they go to Armed with this magical weapon of the unisleep and hence the nearest approach which ordinary, healthy, work-day people can make to its versal sense-whieh is tipped at both ends with exercise, is when they are dreaming. Some of polarity, and is capable with a touch, either of the German "physiologists and psychologists" the positive or negative point, of resolving the attribute the phenomena of dreams to supernatu- knottiest problems in nature-Mrs. Crowe sallies ral agency, but the learned ENNEMOSER, who is forth in quest of all the marvels that ever were the Magnus Apollo of the authoress, "maintains written or talked about, assumes their reality as that the explanation of the mystery is to be chiefly Don Quixote did that of his giants and enchantsought in the great and universal law of polarity, ers, and straightway subdues them all to the law which extends not only beyond the limits of this of the "supersensuous and transcendent spirit." earth, but beyond the limits of this system, which Dreams, magnetic, prophetic, and allegorical— must necessarily be in connection with all others: Heathen oracles-Waruings, literal and symbolso that there is thus an eternal and never ceasing ical-Warnings in unknown tongues, which the inter-action, of which, from the multiplicity and recipients had to get translated by others more contrariety of the influences, we are insensible, learned than themselves-Wraiths, Ghosts, and just as we are insensible to the pressure of the Apparitions-Döppelgangers or Doubles, which atmosphere, from its impinging on us equally on present us with fac similes of ourselves—Troubled spirits, that walk to and fro upon the earth— all sides." others, that haunt houses, and keep their prison bounds-Spectral Lights-Poltergeists, break the crockery, smash the furniture, and assail honest folks with "sticks, staves, stones and brickbats," for which they should be indicted "With respect to dreaming, Dr. Ennemoser under the statutes of Assault and Battery-all rejects the physiological theory, which maintains, these, and a hundredfold more visitations of simthat in sleep, magnetic or otherwise, the activity ilar kinds, are hunted up and adduced as maniMrs. Crowe of the brain is transferred to the ganglionic sys-festations of this spiritual agency. tem, and that the former falls into a subordinate relation. Dreaming,' he says, is the gradual is never at a loss for authority. The venerable awakening of activity in the organs of imagina- traditions of the East, and the Pagan fables of tion, whereby the presentation of sensuous ob- Western Europe, are thankfully received. jects to the spirit, which had been discontinued man professors are quoted by the score. in profound sleep, is resumed. Dreaming,' he alphabet furnishes a large contingent; Mr. A. adds, also arises from the secret activity of the and Mrs. B., Judge W. and Col. Z. contribute spirit in the innermost sensuous organs of the brain, busying the fancy with subjective sensu- liberally to her stores of the wonderful. And ous images, the objective conscious day life giv- when these are wanting, a letter, a magazine, an ing place to the creative dominion of the poetical essay before some psychological association, or genius, to which night becomes day, and universal that most reliable of all sources of truth—a newsnature is the theatre of action; and thus the supersensuous or transcendent nature of the spirit paper paragraph,-presents us with a fact so aubecomes more manifest in dreaming, than in the thentic, that to doubt it is rank impiety. She waking state. But, in considering these pheno- feeds us, as Meg Merilies did the terrified Dominie mena, man must be viewed in both his psychical Sampson-" Gape, siuner, and swallow!" is the and physical relations, and as equally subject to inexorable mandate. But truly the viands, thus spiritual as to natural operations and influences; forced upon us, are neither so savory as the Gipsince, during the continuance of life, neither soul

Ger

The

nor body can act quite independently of the sy's, nor half so easy of digestion. Among these narratives, there are many, of other; for, although it be the immortal spirit which perceives, it is through the instrumentality course, exhibiting a wonderful correspondence, of the sensuous organs that it does so; for of ab- literal or figurative, between the warning, dream,

presentiment, or apparition, and the event which tion, was compelled to set out at ab either accompanied or followed its occurrence. o'clock. On arriving at the village of Bi There is no lack of the melancholy or the terri- der about half-way between Hambur Bergsdorff, he recollected his dream with ble in Mrs. Crowe's compilation. But she occa- but perceiving the baillie of the village at sionally weakens the case very much by addu- distance, talking to some of his work meu, cing authorites, which not only prove nothing in costed him, and acquainted him with his si themselves, but detract from the prestige of the dream, at the same time requesting that, verified supersensuosities. Sometimes it is obvi-had money about his person, one of his men might be allowed to accompany h ous from her own showing that the dream led to protection across a small wood which lay its own fulfilment-sometimes its absurdity dis way. The baillie smiled, and, in obedie credits the possibility of a spiritual origin-and his orders, one of his men set out with the again, a most imposing introduction, full of thril- apprentice. The next day, the corpse of t ling interest, winds up with the announcement, ter was conveyed by some peasants to the that "nothing particular followed upon it." We along with a reaping hook which had been by his side, and with which the throat present our readers with illustrations of these murdered youth had been cut. The baill inconclusive instances, which the writer cites mediately recognised the instrument as one with as much apparent confidence as any of the he had on the previous day given to the best authenticated "correspondences," detailed man who had served as the apprentice's in her work. for the purpose of pruning some willows. workman was apprehended, and, on being frouted with the body of his victim, made confession of his crime, adding that the reci the dream had alone prompted him to co the horrible act. The assassin, who is thirt years of age, is a native of Billwaerder, previously to the perpetration of the murde always borne an irreproachable character."

"When the German poet Collin died at Vienna, a person named Hartmann, who was his friend, found himself very much distressed by the loss of a hundred and twenty florins, which he had paid for the poet, under a promise of reimburse ment. As this sum formed a large portion of his whole possessions, the circumstance was occasioning him considerable anxiety, when he dreamed one night that his deceased friend ap

66

peared to him, and bade him immediately set Joseph Wilkins, a dissenting minister, two florins on No. 11, on the first calling of the that being, one night asleep, he dreamed th little lottery, or loto, then about to be drawn. was travelling to Loudon, and that, as it w He was bade to confine his venture to two flor-not be much out of his way, he would ins neither less nor more; and to communicate Gloucestershire, and call upon his friends. this information to nobody. Hartmann availed himself of the hint, aud obtained a prize of a hundred and thirty florins.

Since we look upon lotteries, in this country, as an immoral species of gambling, it may be raised as an objection to this dream, that such intelligence was an unworthy mission for a spirit, supposing the communication to have been actually made by Collin. But, in the first place, we have only to do with facts, and not with their propriety or impropriety, according to our notions; and, by-and by, I shall endeavor to show that such discrepancies possibly arise from the very erroneous notions commonly entertained of the state of those who have disappeared from the terrestrial life."

cordingly he arrived at his father's house, finding the front door closed, he went rou the back and there entered. The family, ever, being already in bed, he ascended the s and entered his father's bedchamber. Hi found asleep; but to his mother, who was aw he said, as he walked round to her side of bed, Mother, I am going a long journey, an come to bid you good-by;' to which she answe 'Oh, dear son thee art dead! Though st with the distinctness of the dream, Mr. Wil

attached no importance to it, till, to his surp a letter arrived from his father, addressed to self, if alive-or, if not, to his surviving frien begging earnestly for immediate intellige since they were under great apprehensions their son was either dead, or in danger of de for that, on such a night (naming that on w "SINGULAR VERIFICATION OF A DREAM.- the above dream had occurred), he, the fa A letter from Hamburgh contains the following being asleep, and Mrs. Wilkins awake, she curious story relative to the verification of a distinctly heard somebody try to open the dream. It appears that a locksmith's apprentice, door. which being fast, the person had ¿ one morning lately, informed his master (Claude round to the back and there entered. She Soller) that on the previous night he dreamed perfectly recognised the footstep to be tha that he had been assassinated on the road to her son, who had ascended the stairs, and er Bergsdorff, a little town at about two hours' dis-ing the bedchamber, had said to her, Mothe tance from Hamburgh. The master laughed at the am going a long journey, and am come to young man's credulity, and, to prove that he him- you good by;' whereupon she had answered, self had little faith in dreams, insisted upon send- dear son, thee art dead!' Much alarmed ing him to Bergsdorff with one hundred and forty had awakened her husband and related what rix dollars, which he owed to his brother-in-law, occurred, assuring him that it was not a dre who resided in the town. The apprentice, after for that she had not been asleep at all. in vain imploring his master to change his inten-Wilkins mentions that this curious circumsta

"Used to could." A vulgarism used in the Southern States of America, and in the dialect of Essex and other parts of England for "could formerly."