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vol. title: vol. period: 1879-1880 pages in vol.: 577 |
Professor Zollner's Scientific Testimony
Through the kindness of the publisher, Mr. W. H. Harrison, 33, Museum Street, London, I have received an elegant volume, entitled “Transcendental Physics: an Account of Experimental Investigations from the Scientific Treatises of Johann Carl Friedrich Zöllner, Professor of Physical Astronomy in the University of Leipsic, etc. Translated from the German with a Preface and Appendices, by Charles Carleton Massey, of Lincoln’s Inn, Barrister-at-Law.”
The work is an excellent résumé of all that is new and important in the experiments and speculations of Zöllner and his fellow physicists of Germany in their investigations of the phenomena obtained in the presence of Henry Slade, the medium.
If anyone has a doubt that some of the transcendent phenomena of Spiritualism are subjects for scientific verification, and are already sufficiently well established, through the accumulation of valid testimony, to present the materials for a scientific basis—his doubt will be removed by the perusal of this interesting and carefully arranged work. It is true that Mr. Massey, in his excellent preface, while he admits that the phenomena are “as capable of verification by scientific men and trained observers (by whom they have in fact been repeatedly verified), as by anyone else,” is a little disposed to limit the definition of the word science, when he adds that the phenomena “are not exactly suitable for scientific verification.”
Surely a phenomenon that is not only “capable of verification by scientific men and trained observers,” but has already been “repeatedly verified” by such, and may be yet verified by all the contemporary men of science of any high authority, must be admitted, not only as a potential, but an actual fact of science. The science of the non-professional majority would be sadly limited, did they not accept, on the authority of physicists, thousands of facts and conclusions, which it is impossible for an unskilled, ordinary man, even had he the proper instruments, to verify.
If the verification of our psycho-physical facts depends upon certain physical or psychical conditions on the part of the medium, so does the verification of many natural facts, accepted by science, depend upon certain delicate or seasonable or accidental conditions which cannot “be regularly provided, and the experiment repeated at pleasure”—to use the words of Mr. Massey.
I hope to show in my Scientific Basis of Spiritualism, now in the electrotyper’s hands, and which Messrs. Colby and Rich expect to publish in November, that Spiritualism already answers the true, liberal, and comprehensive definition of a science, in its presentation of certain facts amply demonstrated in the presence of men of science, and capable of daily demonstration for anyone who will take the trouble of patient investigation. The verification may be had through some fifty mediums, now in different parts of the United States; and the facts (which may be rationally accepted as the type and guaranty for the reality of many other phenomena, not so easily demonstrated in broad daylight under flawless conditions) are open and accessible to the most searching scientific methods. But it was not to extend the limits of Mr. Massey’s definitions that I took up my pen. It was to thank him for his beautiful and well-arranged volume; not the least interesting part of which is the matter from his own pen in the Introduction and the Appendix.
More or less good testimony that may be fairly classed as scientific, has been given by prominent investigators, both in the United States and in England and France; but this is one of the first elaborate attempts to present the subject scientifically, with the aid of illustrative diagrams, to scientific attention. I hope that Spiritualists generally will do what they can to accelerate the circulation of so able and timely a work.—Banner of Light.
Sardou as a Spiritualist
His familiar spirit was that of Beaumarchais—naturally enough—and on one occasion the author of “Les Pattes de Mouche” asked his invisible friend in what part of infinite space dwelt the spirit of the great Mozart—Sardou’s favourite composer. “Take a pencil,” replied Beaumarchais. Sardou obeyed, and began, under the influence of the author of “Marriage of Figaro,” to draw shapes and lines on the paper before him. Suddenly he came to the end of his paper. What was to be done? “Go to the Boulevard St. Michel, such and such a number,” rapped Beaumarchais; “you will find there the paper you need.” Sardou jumped into a cab, and was at the given address in the twinkling of an eye, but alas! to his disappointment there was nothing like a stationer’s shop to be found in the house indicated by the defunct Beaumarchais. On his return home he again put himself in communication with the deceitful spirit. “Return,” rapped the invisible tyrant laconically. Back went Sardou, and after making many inquiries he found that there did live a wholesale paper merchant in the house indicated by the spirit. To buy the necessary quantity of paper, return home, and seat himself once more, pencil in hand, was but the work of a few minutes, and then—oh, wonder or wonders!—he began involuntarily, and without any impulse of his own, to draw the most extraordinary and fantastic palaces, without doors and of an unknown style of architecture. It was there the spirit of Mozart dwelt. The drawing was so extraordinary, and so marvellously well done, that Sardou was anxious to have it engraved, but no engraver could be found in Paris who would undertake it, so complex and subtle were the lines, and in such a grand chaos of confusion, although forming an artistic unity. The spirit of Beaumarchais rapped Sardou out of this dilemma by instructing him to begin the sketch over again, but this time on lithographic paper. Sardou did the work within the space of a few minutes, and it is this marvellous lithograph known as “La Maison de Mozart,” which the brother of the author of “Dora,” the well-known bookseller in Brussels, sells to a few privileged amateurs.—Whitehall Review.
Editor's notes
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 423, October 1, 1880, p. 166