Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

Apart, however, from theory, Herr Perty has brought together a great body of most interesting facts, which we recommend to the perusal of readers of German. One of the most astonishing characters to whom he introduces us is the Rabbi Hersch-Dänemark of Siebenbürgen. When he has put on his gold-laced cap he counts with a glance the longest rows of lines in a closed book or manuscript that any one can bring. He counted, for instance, instantly and correctly, the 44 lines in the page of a printed book. Still more, he will read the words in the book whilst it is shut if those words are Hebrew. It is a peculiarity in such cases that he can only read Hebrew. Let himself or some one present touch with a finger, a knife, or the point of a needle, the page of a closed book, and he will read the words. which the finger, &c., touches with his eyes shut. He has, moreover, an astonishing memory, and knows not only the Talmud literally by rote, but probably thousands of Hebrew books. He gave exhibitions of this kind in Germany, France, and Switzerland in 1842. On the 26th of September of that year, before an assembly of the professors of the University and clergymen of Basle, he not only read and counted as before stated, but he allowed the sent to name any page in the Talmud, and the partic page in a copy of the mediately read the words in that

[ocr errors]

Talmud on the tager on a certain spot in the Talmud with

line. He put his

his face turned away, and not only read the words there, but said also what were the words on several leaves farther, and what were above and below on these leaves. He read with his back turned on the book, long passages in it, and noted where every fresh page began to a syllable. Still more mysterious and astounding is another faculty of this extraordinary man, to which it is difficult to give a name, and which has much engaged the enquiries of the learned in Germany. He allows any one present to select at pleasure a Hebrew volume, to lay his finger or a needle on some place in the book, or turn down a corner of a leaf, and he at once indicates the places on that page under or above the finger, the needle, or the corner of the leaf; or he allows a number of the leaves to be pierced through with a needle, and names the number of the leaves thus transpierced, and the number of the page where the puncture ceases. he did with a manuscript of the University Library, with a pocket edition of the Psalms, and with Ewald's Hebrew Grammar. Of trick or sleight-of-hand there could be no question, for the Rabbi was watched by too many critical eyes.

This

In Vienna he was invited to a particular proof of his powers in the saloon of Prince Metternich and before the Grand Duke Franz, and in the presence of a number of distinguished physical

philosophers and men learned in languages. At his departure the Prince presented him with a gold snuff-box in which was laid a bank-note of 100 florins. In Basle he received this testimony:-"The performances of the Chief Rabbi, Hersch-Dänemark, in the presence of a number of learned men and clergymen, have exceeded all expectation. Not only has he shown a power of memory perfectly inconceivable, but as respects Hebrew words in books, which he had never before seen, and had never opened, he displays a gift of real divination, which the more it is reflected upon appears the more astonishing." This was signed by the Professors Gerlach, Fischer, De Witte, and Deacon Preiswerk.

ཧ་་་།

Dr. Friedenber, editor of the Voss Gazette, relates of HerschDänemark in 1847—“ We have witnessed a test of his achievements, and have thence derived the conviction that these belong rather to some undiscovered field of the endowments of nature than to human art. They border on the incredible. Herr Hersch-Dänemark is in a condition to read in a book closed to his eye, any passage at pleasure. He can, however, only read Hebrew. Every one present he' such a book. I myself, a Journey in Africa, by oli, translated into Rabbinical Hebrew, a very rare De e which Hersch-Dänemark had certainly never seen. His finger laid on the book, and his entranced eye directed into space, he read off the words or the places that we had noted privately ourselves. Still more, he asked us which line in a certain page he should read; we said the sixteenth from the top. He replied, "That I cannot do; for there is a vacant place in the book, but I will give you the contents of the twelfth page," which he did. On opening the book, the page was found exactly as he had said.

A physician present doubted whether the Rabbi could read a book which he did not touch immediately with his finger, but he read just as well a volume wrapped in silk or woollen cloth. Most striking was to every one present the sort of entrancement in which the Rabbi seemed to be when he read or divined the passage in a closed book. Let us reflect that though he has exercised this gift at any given moment through a long unbroken course of years, yet it would be difficult to bring it into a parallel with the now known phenomena of clairvoyance."

In an article in the Appendix to the Allgemeine Zeitung of March 9, 1851, it is stated that a doubter of the reality of the Rabbi's power was allowed to put his finger on a Hebrew word in the German book of a friend, where it was impossible for the Rabbi to see it, but he gave the word correctly. He himself asserts that he has no knowledge of whence his wonderful capability arises. In the moments of his power he is in an ecstatic

condition in which he comes into rapport with spirit-life, like somnambulists and mediums, and into co-operation with this life; "a very different thing," says the learned professor, to legerdemain.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Truly; but what strikes our mind with a vivid wonder in reading of such a person as the Rabbi is the question-What are the real limits of the human intellect when liberated from the obstructive despotism of the physical frame? Has it any? The powers, as it were, of instinctive perception displayed by Hersch-Dänemark in his trance state, would seem to say that

there are none.

Not the least curious chapters of thi lume are those detailing the remarkable visits of a spirit professing to be Marie Antoinette, to the seeress, Anna Maria Weiss, of Vienna, with a political purpose, published in full at Leipsic during the present year; and the concluding essay or the continuance of our identity in another state. In conclusion, our friend Coleman would smile to find himself figuring in this work as the editor of the Spiritual Magazine.

THE OLD YEAR.

By ROBERT Leighton.

Good-bye, old year, good-bye! now would I learn
The new one's name, but yours jumps to my pen,
As. like a parting friend, you turn and turn
To shake my hand again.

What promise made! how little done, old year!
But 'tis God's way, and we are wisely mute.
The blossom'd Spring gives hope of endless cheer;
But Winter counts the fruit.

And so, our hopes are blown to outward loss:
Yet, inwardly, the gain, who knows how great!
For, like the blighted hope on Calvary's cross,
They grow, would we but wait.

Good-bye, old year! though now you largely stand,
With all your living memories in store,
Soon will you lie, an unknown grain of sand,
On Time's eternal shore.

And with my farewell I could give a tear,

If man's own end were only death and dross:

But, with eternity around us here,

Lost time can be no loss.

Yet, mourn its waste-for that is waste of soul;
And make each blighted hope a chastening rod:

Then, though the years inexorably roll,

They bring us nearer God.

4

་་་

« FöregåendeFortsätt »