FOOTFALLS ON THE BOUNDARY OF ANOTHER WORLD WITH NARRATIVE ILLUSTRATIONS. BY ROBERT DALE OWEN, [1801-1877] FORMERLY MEMBER OF CONGRESS, AND AMERICAN MINISTER [Excerpted to include only the final chapters on Apparitions, etc.] "As it is the peculiar method of the Academy to interpose no personal judgment, but to admit those opinions which appear most probable, to compare arguments and to set forth all that may be reasonably stated in favor of each proposition, and so, without obtruding any authority of its own, to leave the judgment of the hearers free and unprejudiced, we will retain this custom which has been handed down from Socrates; and this method, dear brother Quintus, if you please, we will adopt as often as possible, in all our dialogues together."—Cicero I, Divin. Lib. ii. §72. PHILADELPHIA: 1859 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The text has not been professionally proofed and experience shows that works of this vintage are likely to have more than a few errors compared to recent works. Courtesy of SpiritWritings.com PREFACE. IT may interest the reader, before perusing this volume, to know some of the circumstances which preceded and produced it. The subjects of which it treats came originally under my notice in a land where, except to the privileged foreigner, such subjects are interdicted,—at Naples, in the autumn of 1855. Up to that period I had regarded the whole as a delusion which no prejudice, indeed, would have prevented my examining with care, but in which, lacking such examination, I had no faith whatever. To an excellent friend and former colleague, the Viscount de St. Amaro, Brazilian Minister at Naples, I shall ever remain debtor for having first won my serious attention to phenomena of a magneto- psychological character and to the study of analogous subjects. It was in his apartments, on the 4th of March 1856, and in presence of himself and his lady, together with a member of the royal family of Naples, that I witnessed for the, first time, with mingled feelings of surprise and incredulity, certain physical movements apparently without material agency. Three weeks later, during an evening at the Russian Minister's, an incident occurred, as we say, fortuitously, which, after the strictest scrutiny, I found myself unable to explain without referring it to some intelligent agency foreign to the spectators present,—not one of whom, it may be added, knew or had practiced any thing, connected with what is called Spiritualism or mediumship. From that day I determined to test the matter thoroughly. My public duties left me, in winter, few leisure hours, but many during the summer and autumn months; and that leisure, throughout more than two years, I devoted to an investigation (conducted partly by personal observations 3 4 PREFACE. made in domestic privacy, partly by means of books) of the great question whether agencies from another phase of existence ever intervene here, and operate, for good or evil, on mankind. For a time the observations I made were similar to those which during the last ten years so many thousands have instituted in our country and in Europe, and my reading was restricted to works for and against Animal Magnetism and for and against the modern spiritual theory. But, as the field opened before me, I found it expedient to enlarge my sphere of research,—to consult the best professional works on Physiology, especially in its connection with mental phenomena, on Psychology in general, on Sleep, on Hallucination, on Insanity, on the great Mental Epidemics of Europe and America, together with treatises on the Imponderables,—including Reichenbach's curious observations, and the records of interesting researches recently made in Prussia, in Italy, in England and elsewhere, on the subject of Human Electricity in connection with its influence on the nervous system and the muscular tissues. I collected, too, the most noted old works containing narrative collections of apparitions, hauntings, presentiments, and the like, accompanied by dissertations on the Invisible World, and toiled through formidable piles of chaff to reach a few gleanings of sound grain. Gradually I became convinced that what by many have been regarded as new and unexampled phenomena are but modern phases of what has ever existed. And I ultimately reached the conclusion that, in order to a proper understanding of much that has excited and perplexed the public mind under the name of Spiritual Manifestations, historical research should precede every other inquiry,—that we ought to look throughout the past for classes of phenomena, and seek to arrange these, each in its proper niche. I was finally satisfied, also, that it behooved the student in this field (in the first instance, at least) to devote his attention to spontaneous phenomena, rather, than to those that are evoked,—to appearances and disturbances that present themselves occasionally only, it is true, but neither sought nor looked for; like the rainbow, or the Aurora Borealis, or the PREFACE. 5 wind that bloweth where it listeth, uncontrolled by the wishes or the agency of man. By restricting the inquiry to these, all suspicion of being misled by epidemic excitement or expectant attention is completely set aside. A record of such phenomena, carefully selected and authenticated, constitutes the staple of the present volume. In putting it forth, I am not to be held, any more than is the naturalist or the astronomer, to the imputation of tampering with holy things. As regards the special purpose of this work, no charge of necromantic efforts or unlawful seeking need be met, since it cannot possibly apply. The accusation, if any be brought, will be of a different character. If suspicion I incur, it will be not of sorcery, but of superstition,—of an endeavor, perhaps, to revive popular delusions which the lights of modern science have long since dispelled, or of stooping to put forth as grave relations of fact what are no better than idle nursery-tales. Accepting this issue, I am content to put myself on the country. I demand a fair trial before a jury who have not prejudged the cause. I ask for my witnesses a patient hearing, well assured that the final verdict, be it as it may, will be in accordance with reason and justice. I aspire not to build up a theory. I doubt, as to this subject, whether any man living is yet prepared to do so. My less ambitious endeavor is to collect together solid, reliable building-stones which may serve some future architect. Already beyond middle age, it is not likely that I shall continue here long enough to see the edifice erected. But others may. The race endures, though the individual pass to another stage of existence. If I did not esteem my subject one of vast importance, I should be unworthy to approach its treatment. Had I found other writers bestowing upon it the attention which that important merits, I should have remained silent. As it is, I have felt, with a modern author, that "the withholding of large truths from the world may be a betrayal of the greatest trust." I am conscious, on the other hand, that one is ever apt to *"Friends in Council," Art. Truth. 6 PREFACE. overestimate the importance of one's own labors. Yet even effort such as this may suffice to give public opinion a true or a false direction. Great results are sometimes determined by humble agencies. "A ridge-tile of a cottage in Derbyshire," says Gisborne, "decides whether the rain which falls from heaven shall be directed to the German Ocean or the Atlantic." Let the reader, before he enters on the inquiry whether ultramundane interference be a great reality or a portentous delusion, permit me one additional remark. He will find that, in treating that hypothesis, I have left many things obscure and uninterpreted. Where no theory was clearly indicated, I preferred to state the facts and waive all explanation, having reached that period of life when, if good use has been made of past years, one is not ashamed to say, "I do not know," in any case in which that is the simple truth. We do well, however, to bear in mind that a difficulty unsolved does not amount to an argument in opposition.* To the many friends whose kindness has aided my undertaking, these pages owe their chief value. To some therein named I am enabled here to tender my grateful acknowledgments. To others who have assisted in private I am not less deeply indebted. I doubt not that if I were to delay the publication of this book for some years I should find much to modify, something to retract. But if, in this world, we postpone our work till we deem it perfect, death comes upon us in our hesitation, and we effect nothing, from bootless anxiety to effect too much. R. D. O. (On page 511 will be found "Addenda to the Tenth Thousand.") ——— * "Where we cannot answer all objections, we are bound, in reason and in candor, to adopt the hypothesis which labors under the least."— "Elements of Logic," by ARCHBISHOP WHATELY. "That is accounted probable which has better argument producible for it than can be brought against it"—SOUTH. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE 3 LIST OF AUTHORS CITED 13 BOOK I. PRELIMINARY. CHAPTER I. STATEMENT OF THE SUBJECT 17 Is ultramundane interference reality, or delusion?—The inquiry practical, but hitherto discouraged—Time an essential element—Isaac Taylor— Jung Stilling—Swedenborg—Animal Magnetism—Arago's opinion—Dr. Carpenter's admissions—The American epidemic—Phenomena independent of opinions—Sentiment linked to action—The home on the other side—Hades—Johnson's, Byron's, Addison's, and Steele's opinions—Truth in every rank—The Ghost-Club—Contempt corrects not—Spiritualism an influential element—Dangers of over-credulity— Demoniac manifestations—Reason the appointed pilot—Duty of research—How dispose of spontaneous phenomena?—Martin Korky— Courage and impartiality demanded—A besetting temptation—Feeble belief—Skepticism—Georget's conversion—Evidence of sense —Some truths appeal to consciousness—Severe test applied to the subject selected. CHAPTER II. THE IMPOSSIBLE 60 Columbus in Barcelona—The marvel of marvels—Presumption —There may be laws not yet in operation—Modern study of the imponderables— Arago's and Cuvier's admissions—What may be. CHAPTER III. THE MIRACULOUS 70 Modern miracles rejected—Hume—The Indian prince—Definition of a miracle—Change-bearing laws—Illustration from 8 CONTENTS. PAGE Babbage's calculating machine—That which has been may not always be—An error of two phases—Alleged miracles—Convulsionists of St. Medard—Spiritual agency, if it exist, not miraculous—Butler's and Tillotson's ideas of miracles. CHAPTER IV. THE IMPROBABLE 92 Two modes of seeking truth—Circulation of the blood—Aerolites— Rogers the poet, and La Place the mathematician—Former improbabilities—Argument as to concurrence in testimony—Love of the marvelous misleads—Haunted houses—The monks of Chantilly—Mental epidemics of Europe Modesty enlists confidence—One success not disproved by twenty failures—Hallucination—Second-sight—Diagoras at Samothrace—Faraday on table-moving—Consequences of doubting our senses—Contending probabilities should be weighed. BOOK II. TOUCHING CERTAIN PHASES OF SLEEP. CHAPTER I. SLEEP IN GENERAL 117 A familiar marvel—An inscrutable world—Dreamless sleep—Perquin's observation—Does the soul sleep?—A personal observation—Phases of sleep which have much in common—Sleeping powers occasionally transcend the waking—Cabanis—Condoreet—Condillac—Gregory— Franklin—Legal opinion written out in sleep—Hypnotism—Carpenter's observations—Darwin's theory as to suspension of volition—Spiritual and mesmeric phenomena hypnotic—How is the nervous reservoir supplied?—The cerebral battery, and how it may possibly be charged—A hypothesis. CHAPTER II. DREAMS 137 Ancient opinions—Dreams and insanity—Dreams from the ivory gate— Fatal credulity—Dreams may be suggested by slight causes—Dreams may be intentionally suggested—An ecstatic vision—The past recalled in dream—Dreams verifying themselves—The locksmith's apprentice— How a Paris editor obtained his wife—Death of Sir Charles—Lee's daughter—Calphurnia—The fishing-party—Signor Romano's story CONTENTS. 9 PAGE —Dreams indicating a distant death—Macnish's dream—A shipwreck foreshadowed—Dreams involving double coincidences—The lover's appearance in dream—Misleading influence of a romantic incident— Alderman Clay's dream—A Glasgow teller's dream—The Arrears of Teind—The same error may result in skepticism and in superstition— William Howitt's dream—Mary Howitt's dream—The murder near Wadebridge—The two field-mice—The Percival murder seen in dream— Dreams may disclose trivial events—One dream the counterpart of another—The Joseph Wilkins dream—A miracle without a motive?— The Mary Goffe case—The Plymouth Club alarmed—We must take trouble, if we will get at truth—An obscure explanation—Representation of cerebral action?—Prescience in dreams—Goethe's grandfather—The visit foretold—The Indian mutiny foreshadowed—Bell and Stephenson—Murder by a negro prevented—Inferences from this case— Dreams recorded in Scripture—Are all dreams untrustworthy? BOOK III. DISTURBANCES POPULARLY TERMED HAUNTINGS. CHAPTER I. GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE PHENOMENA 210 No proof of gaudy supernaturalism—A startling element presents itself— Poltergeister—What we find, not what we may expect to find—Ancient haunted houses. CHAPTER II. NARRATIVES 214 Disturbances at Tedworth—First example of responding of the sounds— Glanvil's observations—Mr. Mompesson's attestation—The Wesley disturbances—John Wesley's narrative—Emily Wesley's narrative, and her experience thirty-four years later—Opinions of Dr. Clarke, Dr. Priestley, Southey, and Coleridge—The New Havensack case—Mrs. Golding and her maid—The Castle of Slawensik—Disturbances in Silesia—Dr. Kerner's inquiries—Councilor Hahn's attestation—Twenty- five years after—Disturbances in the dwelling of the Seeress of Prevorst—Displacement of house rafters—The law-suit—Disturbances legally attested—The farm-house of Baldarroch—An alleged discovery—The credulousness 10 CONTENTS. PAGE of incredulity—Spicer's narrative of a four-year disturbance—The cemetery of Ahrensburg—Effects produced on animals—An official investigation—Its report—The Cideville parsonage—Disturbances in the north of France—Legal depositions—Verdict of the court—Additional proofs—The Rochester knockings—Disturbances at Hydesville—Kate Fox—Allegations of the sounds—Previous disturbances in the same house—Human bones found—Two peddlers disappear—One reappears—The other cannot be traced—The Stratford disturbances. CHAPTER III. SUMMING UP 300 Character of the testimony—Phenomena long continued, and such as could not be mere imaginations—No expectation to influence—No motive for simulation—Whither ultra skepticism leads—Did Napoleon Buonaparte ever exist? BOOK IV. OF APPEARANCES COMMONLY CALLED APPARITIONS. CHAPTER I. TOUCHING HALLUCINATION 303 Difficult to determine what is hallucination—The image on the retina— Opinions of Burdach, Muller, Baillarger, Dechambye, and De Boismont—Effects of imagination—Examples of different phases of hallucination—Illusion and hallucination—No collective hallucinations—Biological experiments—Reichenbach's observations— Exceptional cases of perception—The deaf-mute in the minority—Effect of medicine on perceptions—Is there evidence for epidemical hallucination?—De Gasparin's argument—The fanciful and the real. CHAPTER II. APPARITIONS OF THE LIVING 317 Jung Stilling's story—Apparition to a clergyman—Two apparitions of the living on the same day—The bride's terror —Suggestion as to rules of evidence—The Glasgow surgeon's assistant—Sight and sound— Apparition of the living seen by mother and daughter—Was this hallucination? Dr. Donne's wife—Apparition at sea—The rescue— Apparition of the living at sea, and its practical result—The dying