Facts demonstrating mundane emanations ganism - The influence of this mundane emanation upon an object standing in relation to the affected person Case of the Seeress of Prevorst- - Thouvenel's observations compared with Professor Fara- day's and Baron Reichenbach's How this new agent brings the or- ganism into relation with the world of matter — The Oracle of Delphi depended upon the action of local emanations upon the priestess - Tes- timony of Diodorus, and other classical writers-Heathen predictions depend upon the relation of the brain to the events of time, or the changes of matter-Discovery of the Delphic oracle. - Local mun- dane influence exhibited in the phenomena of the present day - Local mundane emanations exhibited in the phenomena of haunted houses,. 245 Mysterious agencies in certain localities in Boston-William Howitt's accounts of the strange phenomena at the miller's dwelling- An in- quiry into the local influences here Reichenbach's Od manifested in the blue, misty forms- Arguments from the observations of European philosophers on local mundane influence - The relation of this agent to the nervous system of persons-Strange phenomena of the Blocks- berg-Their association with witchcraft Causes discovered - Reich- enbach's deduction Additional deduction by the author — The most SHOWING STILL FURTHER THE RELATION OF LOCAL MUNDANE FORCE of Prevorst - Other cases given, showing the extent of this pathematic induction In no case are the phenomena of the present day pro- duced without pathematic means—) Pathetism establishes the rapport Further consideration of the influences that have operated in the produc- tion of present phenomena - Observations upon the laws of nervous epidemics Law of specific cerebral impression-The character of the epidemic according to the specific cerebral impression - The pres- ent demonstrated to be a nervous epidemic-Singular facts of man and nature developed at the present day-What is developed in an individual case of nervous disorder may be exhibited as the type of a PREFACE. THE following work is the result of a long and patient inquiry into those mysterious phenomena which, from the earliest ages, have been found to be associated with human beings; but which either, on the one hand, have been regarded as the superstitions of the ignorant, or, on the other, have merely received a flippant explanation, or have been used as the materials of a mystical philosophy. While every other field of natural inquiry seems to be occupied with busy, patient plodders for the ore of truth,-while the profoundest talents and the most varied learning are employed in developing the sublime laws of the heavens and the earth, while the mysteries of light, heat, electricity, and of magnetism, of chemical affinity and of molecular agency, are being displayed, in their wonderful relations to this mundane sphere, - no profound learning, no master mind, seems to have entered this field with the same spirit of patient inquiry and unmystified intellect that, in modern times, characterize our chemists and our astronomers, in their respective fields. But we have to remember that, by the former, the mysteries of alchemy have been transformed to the precise laws of chemistry; and that, by the latter, the fearful wonders of astrology have assumed the sublime principles of astronomy. Numerous works have been written upon the mysteries of which this volume treats; but, with only here and there an exception, they have regarded the phenomena as the "disclosures of the invisible world;" as the "manifestations of spirits;" not as the phenomena of nature, to be classified and arranged according to their relations, that their real agency may be discovered. Now, either these phenomena, and the like of them in all past ages, are the production of spirits of another world, or they are the production of causes lying within the sphere of this world. la what way can we decide this question faly? Certainly by the most candid and thorough investigations, without leaning to either side. But this cannot be accomplished by observing a few isolated cases, or the collection of a few phenomena. The inquirer must travel over the whole ground. He must take the facts of the past, of an analogous character, and compare them with the modern facts. He must view every accompanying circumstance, every particular or general influence, every condition entered into for the evolution of the phenomena. In short, a scientific method must be adopted and closely followed. Of the method we have adopted in the treatment of these occult phenomena we shall particularly speak in the Introduction. We would remark here, with regard to one great difficulty we have had to meet with in all our inquiry, -namely, that but few faithful records of mysterious phenomena are to be found. The most wonderful circumstances have been given in the boldest, and even in an exaggerated, language; while the circumstances which would require some special attention and protracted inquiry on the part of the observer have been almost entirely neglected. This work is far from satisfying the author, as to the style and arrangement: the former he has not aimed to excel in; and it is possible that, in some few instances, in the more abstract portions, he may, here and there, be a little obscure to the general reader; he has aimed, however, to express himself as clearly as the nature of the subject will permit. He has not given a work merely to be read, but to be studied. The public, however, must judge this for themselves. Such as it is, he consigns it to them as an appeal to their reason. May the ever-present Deity make it the minister of good, which it is the prayer of the author for it to accomplish, the advancement of man in a knowledge of his own being, and of his wonderful relations to this mundane sphere; that he may know, also, wherein his highest nobility and culture consist; and how, by his spirit, he may have a conscious alliance with the angels and the ever-blessed God! BOSTON, August, 1852. INTRODUCTION. Ir is fitting we should speak here of the principles we take for granted in the outset of this inquiry, and of our method of investigation, that the reader may see the legitimacy of our deductions. 1. There can be no inductive science, no discovery of the laws of nature, without an accumulation of facts or phenomena by careful experiment or cautious observation. These, however, would not be sufficient alone. The facts accumulated must be carefully compared, classified and arranged, according to their relations. 2. No phenomenon, therefore, can be scientifically accounted for, without its being referable to a class of phenomena already known, or which is capable of being formed from the abundance of materials already existing, or which may be furnished by direct experiment. 3. It follows that, whenever any phenomenon presents itself for explanation, we should seek, in the first place, if there is any class of analogous phenomena to which it belongs, where experience, experiment or observation, has shown the cause.* * See Sir J. F. W. Herschel's Discourse on the Study of Natural Phi losophy, § 141. |