HPB-SB-14-118: Difference between revisions

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Reports of the proceedings of Spiritualist Societies in as succinct a form as possible, and authenticated by the signature of a responsible officer, are solicited for insertion in “Light.” Members of private circles will also oblige by contributing brief records of noteworthy occurrences at their séances.

The Editor cannot undertake the return of manuscripts unless the writers expressly request it at the time of forwarding, and enclose stamps for the return Postage.

The Annual Subscription for “Light,” post free to any address within the United Kingdom, or to places comprised within the Postal Union, including all parts of Europe, the United States, and British North America, is 15s. 2d. per annum, forwarded to our office in advance.

Five lines and under, 3s. One inch, 4s. 6d. Half-column, £1. Whole Column, £2 2s. Page, £4. A reduction made for a series of insertions.

Cheques and Post Office Orders may be made payable to {{Style S-Small capitals|Edward t. Bennett}}, at the Chief Office, London. Halfpenny Postage Stamps received for amounts under 10s.

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{{Style P-Title|1883.}}

<p style="padding-left:2em; text-indent:-2em;">{{Style S-Small capitals|With}} the new year the price of “Light” will be reduced to twopence, or post-free 10s. 10d. per annum, paid in advance; while the size and number of pages will remain the same as at present. This reduction has been determined upon in consequence of very strong representations which have reached us that the change will add very materially to our circulation, and thereby greatly extend the sphere of our usefulness. We hope that the friends to whose suggestions we have thus deferred will do their best to ensure the fulfilment of their own prognostications.</p>

<p style="padding-left:2em; text-indent:-2em;">Many of our friends can well afford to aid in the extension of our circulation. Let them begin with the new year to take two or more copies instead of one, and so introduce “Light” amongst their friends and neighbours. They will thus be doing a good work, and at the same time make our success secure.</p>

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{{Style P-Title|“MAGNETIC DREAMS.”}}

An interesting article under the above heading appeared in the St. James’s Gazette of November 29th. It is chiefly concerned with speculations of Schopenhauer in relation to the phenomena of clairvoyance and similar facts. The forthcoming translation of Schopenhauer’s best known work is likely to draw greater attention to theories which are remarkably like some now being discussed by transcendental Spiritualists. Had Schopenhauer lived to see the recent developments of these phenomena, one can fancy with what vigour and effect he would have repelled the incredulity of the commonplace “scientific mind,” which is as mere a creature of the Zeit-Geist as was the crudest superstition of the Middle Ages. That even in Germany his philosophy has not yet reached the climax of its influence is the more probable from a fact which Schopenhauer himself anticipated. His system of thought was in great measure the result of studies comparatively little cultivated in Europe when he wrote, but which are now fast becoming an acknowledged power in our intellectual development.

“One of the fundamental doctrines of Schopenhauer’s philosophy,” says the St. James’s, “is that the world, as we know it, has not an independent existence. Like Berkeley, he held that it is merely an ‘appearance.’ The only real existence, he maintained, was ‘the thing in itself,’ and ‘the thing in itself’ he identified with the will.” So far, of course, this is pure idealism, since “the will,” if we may regard it as a spiritual energy, is just that “subject” whose activity results in the whole objective world of phenomena. How Schopenhauer himself regarded “the will” is not, however, sufficiently indicated in the article, which continues, “In ordinary circumstances we know the will only as it manifests itself under the forms of space, time, and causality; but he contended that there are states of the brain in which we penetrate behind these forms, and come into contact with the will as it is in its own nature. Even members of the Society for Psychical Research will not take up higher ground than this; and they will certainly not surpass Schopenhauer in the confidence with which he drew conclusions from his ultimate principles.” The account of the “magnetic sleep” which follows is too familiar to need reproduction here. Schopenhauer was a strict Determinist, and although, as Zöllner has pointed out, he had a belief in a transcendent, or teleological fatalism, the “Providence that shapes our ends,” in the world “everything happens in accordance with a fixed and necessary order.” And in the fact of what we now call prophetic dreams, or anticipations of experience, he found a confirmation of this. The present writer has often called attention to the significance of the frequently ''trivial'' character of these anticipations, and it seems that Schopenhauer took just the same view. “He gives an example of one which he himself had an opportunity of studying. This instance seemed to him all the more remarkable because it related to a matter of little importance. One day he was writing a letter in great haste, and when he had finished the third page he intended to strew writing sand over what he had written. In his hurry he seized the inkstand instead of the vessel containing sand, and dashed the contents over his letter. As the ink poured from his desk, he rang for the maid to wipe it from the floor. When she was engaged in doing so, she said, ‘Last night I dreamt that I should be wiping ink spots from the floor here.’ ‘That is not true,’ answered Schopenhauer. ‘It is true,’ she replied, ‘and when I awoke I mentioned it to the other maid who sleeps with me.’ Just then the other maid happened to enter the room in order to call away her fellow-servant. Schopenhauer, advancing to meet her, at once said, ‘What did this girl dream last night?’ ‘I don’t know.’ ‘Yes, you do, she told you when she awoke.’ ‘Oh, to be sure!’ the maid then said, ‘she dreamt that she would be wiping ink spots from the floor here.’” (As to the value of this evidence, it must be remarked that a sharp girl, seeing how her fellow-servant was employed, might easily connect that with the fact that the latter had been telling her master about a dream, and wishing to screen her from blame for lying, might make a good shot in confirmation.)