HPB-SB-3-73: Difference between revisions

{{Style P-No indent|fallen into such idiotism of expression as we find in the following passage,—“Now any substance that could be introduced through this wall in a sufficient space of time to allow the attraction of cohesion to remain between the particles and fibres, would not disturb the wall.” How much time is requisite “to allow the attraction of cohesion to remain,” we may respectfully refer to Lord Dundreary.}}

Without looking further at the intellectual defects of the lecture, we perceive clearly that it is impossible that the lecture, as a whole, should have proceeded from the mind of Prof. Mapes ; it is simply possible that he may have inspired a portion of it ; but there is nothing in it beyond the power of dramatic clairvoyance. Indeed, it is quite certain that if Mrs. T. possessed a better disciplined and more scientific mind, she might have made a much better approximation to a lecture by Prof. Mapes ; one that would have been considered quite convincing and satisfactory as evidence of his personal expression, by ninety-nine hundredth of his hearers.

No such literature as this will command the respect, or even attract the attention of scientific minds. Its pleasing and evanescent impression on a popular audience, as its highest utility, and the unthinking acceptance by Spiritualists of the brilliant displays of dramatic clairvoyance as reliable messages from the spirit-world, tends to build up superstition rather than philosophy.

The lectures of Mrs. Tappan are pleasant reading ; her discourse in the name of Theodore Parker, is both eloquent and interesting ; but in all her efforts we perceive her own powers and peculiarities, very little modified by the name which she possesses to represent. The range of Parker’s thought was not so different from her own, and she makes a much better personation of Parker than of Mapes. Nor should our satisfaction be diminished in recognizing that, as dramatic clairvoyance, which some prefer to accept as a supernal utterance.

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