We have copied the plan and a view of the castle (which we have placed at the head) in order to enable our readers to judge for themselves whether it is a Norman castle or not. One of the most remarkable features of this book is that almost every argument which is brought forward to prove that this is not a Norman castle, does in fact prove the very reverse.

If any one well acquainted with Norman castles were called upon to describe their general character in a few lines, he would say, "They are massive structures calculated both for defence and for habitation, with very thick walls on solid foundations; the ground rooms vaulted and having no internal communication with the upper stories, the principal rooms on the first floor, with a separate entrance opening to an external staircase, or a drawbridge." This description applies as clearly to Colchester as to any other Norman castle; the plan shews the usual arrangement, and the thick walls; the view we have chosen shews the entrance doorway, and remains of the external staircase. Some of the turrets are solid, as at Knaresborough in Yorkshire, Coucy in Picardy, and many others, yet each of these features in succession is brought forward by Mr. Jenkins as a proof that this is not a Norman castle! Another argument is that Roman remains have been found near to it, and it seems to have been built on the site of a Roman villa, but the very evident contempt with which these foundations were treated by the Norman builders, who have built their walls without the slightest regard or attention to them, and crossing them obliquely, (as shewn by Mr. Jenkins' plan,) is a proof that the Roman villa had been destroyed long before the Norman castle was built. The existence of Norman fireplaces and chimneys in the walls presents no difficulty to our author, who discovers again, on the authority of Fosbroke, that the Romans also had chimneys in their temples.

The absence of a moat is considered by Mr. Jenkins as another proof that the castle is not Norman; but many Norman keeps have no moat: there is none round the keep at Dover for instance. The existence of excellent arrangements for drainage is brought forward as another proof, but the Normans were nearly as careful in this respect as the Romans-every Norman castle has excellent

contrivances for drainage. These drains are connected with a large culvert" arched with brick, which passes beneath the ramparts on the east side of the castle, and discharges itself into the river Colne." This culvert Mr. Jenkins of course calls the Roman culvert, and it may possibly be so, as it may have belonged to the Roman villa on the site of which, and perhaps on the foundations also, the castle was built. But the Norman culverts are frequently nearly as fine, and as well built, as those of the Romans themselves, and the material being that most readily obtained is in itself no evidence either way.

The real history of the castle appears to be remarkably clear; it was built by Eudo the steward of the household of William Rufus (Dapifero meo), the charter is preserved in the British Museum, and is printed by Mr. Jenkins, who strangely converts the title of his office into his sirname, and calls him "Eudo Dapifer." This is the history given by Mr. Morant, a diligent investigator, and confirmed by the unvarying tradition of the country.

In conclusion we must do Mr. Jenkins the justice to acknowledge the learning, and the diligent research, which he has brought to bear in support of his untenable theory. If he has failed it was only from the nature of the case, in which mere book-learning is entirely misapplied. If there had been an Architectural Society in his University at the time he was resident, he would not have attempted to prove by books those facts which can only be proved by observation, and a comparison with other similar structures.

SPIRIT RAPPING.

"We must have knocks: ha! must we not ?"

Richard III.

FOR forty years M. Jourdain talked prose without knowing it: and for more than forty centuries who can say that the world has not been unconsciously communicating with spirits? It has been reserved for our own times to make this discovery, or rather to develope it; but we must say that in a minute investigation of the past may be traced the existence of those same relations between ourselves and the spiritual world, which are said to be the glory of the century. America existed, but only lacked its Columbus : steam blew off pot-lids, though the steam engine was not: children used Indian rubber before Mackintosh arose and puss's coat crackled and amber attracted straws, before Franklin flew his kite, or Faraday lectured. So it may be with the spirit rappings. The spirits are now the rappers: but how remarkable is the amount of intercourse by this medium which the world has been unconsciously cultivating. Hitherto we have rapped to the spirits, now the spirits rap to us. The poet raps his forehead to summon the lurking muse. The abstruse student taps his brain-pan for the fugitive intelligence. The convivialist invokes the spirit of revelry by knocking his knife-handle into the tavern-table. The senator thumps the parliamentary red box as he appeals to the phantom of patriotism and eloquence. The patient husband as he mechanically performs the tattoo on the tea-table during a homily from his wife, is only unconsciously communing with the domestic sylphs of good temper and non-resistance. We rap a school-boy's knuckles only to awaken his spiritual nature: the pulpit cushion is thumped for other than material objects. Sir Plume taps his box; and what depth of meaning is conveyed by this appeal. Why should a knock mean, "May I come in," in all languages? Why should clapping the hands signify applause? Why should tapping the forehead with the forefinger be connected with argumentative demonstration? Why should the street door knocker be so polyglottic? Why should it be capable of producing such a variety of significant inflections? The knock decisive, as of the tax-gatherer and postman; timorous, as of the poor relation; sly,

:

as of the dun; pragmatical, as of the tailor; insinuating, as of the physician; defiant and insolent, as of the footman; stern, as of the master; voluble, as of the mistress? Why, we say, should all these things be, unless the world has been unconsciously carrying on spiritual communications by this infinite variety of rapping? Can we venture to conjecture the amount of knowledge, refinement, perception, enquiry, and emotions, moral, material, spiritual, physical, which have hitherto been conveyed by the simple and unconscious medium of knocking? Yet so it is the world goes on ignorant of its greatest men. Generations of men have slammed the door, kicked the table, stamped on the floor, beat their breasts, and seriously rapped their own and their neighbour's heads, eyes, and noses, ignorant that this was a spiritual manifestation and not an outbreak of earthly temper. The lover's heart has palpitated and throbbed, yet how seldom has he been aware what angel was tapping at his ribs. Had Mr. Spicer lived ten centuries ago, science might long since have resolved tic douloureux into the unfriendly rappings of a perturbed and malignant spirit; and who knows but "the woodpecker tapping the hollow beech tree," and Pompey energetically bobbing his tail on the floor, may not be conversing with their kindred spirits, rather than as dull fools suppose, engaged with sublunary flies and fleas? But

to be serious.

We shall not insult our readers by supposing them ignorant of the "mystery of the day." It has found its hierophant in one Mr. Henry Spicer, who in a work entitled "Sights and Sounds," thus summarily announces it. Mysterious noises denominated 'spirit-rappings,' which commenced four years since, in Rochester, U. S., which embody communications from those who have passed into another sphere of existence. . . . conveyed by the agency of sounds. . . . somewhat resembling slight raps, or pecks, through a clairvoyant or peculiarly impressible person, easily susceptible of magnetic influences, whose mere presence suffices to secure rapping replies; and who, as the connecting link between the human querist and the supposed spiritual respondent, is called the medium." The usual mode of consulting the oracle we find (p. 209) to be for "the medium" to take the head of a dining table, and the postulants to range themselves round it. A pause occurs: a rap is heard the medium asks, Is our circle properly formed? Silence, or a knock, signifying a negative or affirmative. Then the

querists begin. Will any spirit communicate with me? Rap [Yes]. On any subject? Rap [Yes].

Now here, be it observed, that all that the oracle pretends to do directly, is to reply yea or nay by simple rapping, or by simple silence. To get other answers a very complex process is resorted to. The table is furnished with an alphabet like that used in infant schools, and the querist wields a pencil. Suppose the question to be, Who robbed the jeweller's shop in the Strand? The querist passes his pencil down the alphabet and on arriving at J a distinct rap is heard. Alphabet over again, rap at O, which process is repeated till JOHN SMITH is spelled out. Tedious this; and it is no great wonder that at present this exceedingly cumbrous mode of intercourse with the unseen world has not very materially enlarged the cycle of human knowledge. Were each particular tap as pregnant with meaning as Lord Burleigh's shake of the head, the information conveyed would be circumscribed. We have looked

through Mr. Spicer's work chiefly with the one object to enquire what new truths, reserving the question of fact, have been gained by these dealings with spirits. The old-fashioned book says something about "proving the spirits," which among other meanings at least has this, that it hints at the lawfulness of a testing process. It is impossible to conceive that a spirit disembodied can be less wise, less intelligent, less informed, than when in the flesh. The American necromancers have summoned the spirits of the dead. Southey and Coleridge and Franklin have answered the appeal, and with what answers Mr. Spicer informs us. An American "medium" has been favoured with an interview with the spirit of Percy Bysshe Shelley, who favoured the pythoness with the following delectable lines:

"We have no Word of God save holiest page

Of Nature's book, spread out in panoramic view.
Here I am blest. My mind can search o'er all
Of Beauty, and drink in a freedom

That on earth I was denied. Earth's sons,

With souls of clay, would have despoiled me," &c., &c.

At p. 442 of Mr. Spicer's book we find a dialogue on the future:

'Q. Are there any spirits in a state of misery or pain, so as to feel their existence a burden?

"A. There are some who have mental suffering, because they did not improve, or misused their advantages while on earth.