at once, and suddenly flings herself on the flags, without the least attempt to protect her face with her hands. Yet she receives no injury. She remains for an hour in this horizontal position, her arms and feet crossed. About 4:30 she raises herself quickly without any assistance, her arms still in the form of a cross, as if some invisible power had placed her in this vertical position. She then falls on her knees, next sits down, and in about ten minutes the body is subjected to a kind of torsion, and the Ecstatic of Bois d'Haine-for so she is called-throws herself supine on the ground. Then it is that she is waked up; but to accomplish this the persons about her must belong to the Order of the Passion. Star, January 21st.

MR. HOME'S MANIFESTATIONS.-LIFTING OF A HEAVY BOOKCASE--EXTRACTING ALCOHOL-LEVITATION OF THE BODY. We make the following extracts from a letter to Human Nature for January last, signed H. D. Jencken, and dated from Norwood. Mr. Jencken states that he has the narrative from

Late in the month of November last the Hon. the

was engaged sorting papers at the family residence in Square; my friend was alone in his library, and deeply intent on his work, when loud raps aroused his attention; on looking round he noticed that the book-shelf, which was 12 feet by 3, full of books, and must have weighed upwards of half a ton, raised itself horizontally off the ground 12 to 15 inches, and then bumped on the floor as it descended with a crash, so loud as to bring up the housekeeper and servants from the adjoining rooms, who, alarmed at the noise, thought some accident had occurred. After a short pause raps came, and on asking what was meant the raps spelt out"Go to Daniel." At first the gentleman doubted his senses, but finding the message quite distinct and intelligible, at once went to Ashley House, Victoria Street, where Mr. D. D. Home resides. On entering the room he found Mr. Home absent, only Lord present, who had been for some time an invalid, confined to the house. Not finding Mr. Home, the Hon. the but being strongly impressed, as he describes it, returned about 11 p.m. By this time Mr. Home had returned, and, strange to say, all but impelled by the strong influence exerted upon him. So strangely brought together, the three seated themselves to see if the influences would produce any manifestation.

left,

After the usual preparatory movements of the table, and raps unusually loud, Mr. Home passed into a trance state; suddenly rising up he stepped into the adjoining room, with a bottle of cognac and a wine glass; this he filled with brandy, and then, holding the glass high over his head, proceeded to the window. From the centre of the glass a bluish light appeared, increasing in intensity until finally a flame two or three inches long rose out of the glass, flickering up and down, at times becoming extinguished. Mr. H. was now raised bodily off the ground, so high that the flame point rising out of the glass appeared to touch the ceiling. After two or three minutes he descended to the floor, and then the phenomenon occurred of the brandy being extracted from the glass. The Hon. the says he could visibly see the brandy as it was extricated, but to satisfy Lord of this, Mr. Home inverted the empty wine glass upon his lordship's hand. The same agency that had removed the liquid now poured it back into the glass, and the fluid, as it filled the glass, could be seen falling. The manifestation was repeated, accompanied by the click-clack sound of water falling; but this time, in all probability to satisfy Lord - the fluid

was poured over his hand, then over Mr. Home's hand into the glass. Mr. H. then said they would extract the alcohol, and which at once took place, filling the room with the unmistakable odour of spirits of wine.

Mr. Home had placed himself at the window which he opened, and deliberately stepped upon the ledge outside, looking on to the street, some 80 feet below, with utter unconcern. The Honourable the said he shuddered, alarmed at what he was witnessing. Mr. Home noticing this stepped down and reproached his friend, saying-"Little_faith, little faith; Daniel will not be injured!" After a few minutes Mr. Home deliberately stepped down from the ledge and re-entered the room, much to the relief of his two friends. The manifestations now closed, and Mr. Home awoke, as usual, very much exhausted. The first thing to do was to verify what had occurred with the brandy, and on examining the contents it was found that the alcohol had been completely extracted. This test was so far satisfactory, as it evidenced a former fact of the same kind which had happened to him.

APPARITION OF AN INDIAN OFFICER.

The Times, a few weeks ago, in reviewing Sir Walter Scott's Demonology and Witchcraft, relates the case of an apparition of an officer, who died in India, to a young English lady, which, it says, "has quite recently fallen under our own observation." It is thus related :

A young English lady had been betrothed to an officer before his departure to the East. During her lover's absence she was taken abroad by her mother, and on their arrival late one evening at a French inn they found it necessary to occupy rooms on different floors. As Miss C was in the act of getting into bed late at night, she suddenly beheld the form of her lover standing in a remote corner of her chamber. His countenance was extremely sad, and she observed that round his right arm he wore a band of crape. Indignant at the conduct of her betrothed in entering her sleeping apartment, she called on him loudly to depart; the form of her lover remained speechless, but as she lifted up her voice his brow grew yet sadder, and as he glided silently out of the room he seemed a prey to the gloomiest feelings. After a time Miss C summoned up sufficient courage to descend to her mother and recite her adventure. They caused diligent search to be made for the returned officer, but without success. Nor could the smallest trace of him be afterwards discovered. Several weeks later the young lady received the news of her lover's death in a general action in India.

LIFE SAVED BY A SPIRITUAL WARNING.

Mr. David S. Fuller, in a letter to the Banner of Light, Boston, written from Davenport, Iona, under date of November 13th, 1868, and published December 12th, writes thus:

"In your issue of Oct. 10th, in an article from Des Moines, you make mention of the mediumship of Mrs. Hattie P. Glover, (who is now located here as a clair voyant physician and medium.) Although she does not claim to be a test medium, she has a list of over twelve hundred names, mostly persons in this State, to whom she has given tests in the last two years, many of which are much more pointed and perfect than the one I am about to relate. I am an engineer, and have run the engine I am about to speak of nearly six years. On the eveni of Oct. 27th, while receiving a communication (through Mrs. Glover) she sai You are in much danger of being killed before many days.' She the described a steam-boiler, the inside of which presented a foaming, gaseo appearance, and said the accident would result from that; but my spirit-frien

would try to warn me in time to avert it. I knew it meant an explosion. One week after, while about my work, an impression that seemed an audible voice came to me saying, 'Stop it.' I obeyed quickly, and stopped the engine, for I remembered the warning; found on examination my pumps choked, and the water in the boiler frothing, so that it appeared to be above the middle gauge. After wetting my fire out, I found my boiler nearly empty. I cannot too sincerely thank my spirit-friends for this warning. Five minutes later, and I should never have written this article.

"Once before I was saved from a similar accident by impressions from spirits through myself. I am at times impressible, and have been used to heal by laying on of hands."

A SPIRITUAL VISIT.

The other day, in a case heard before the Sheriff at Dundee, it turned out that a husband, who was supposed to have been dead years ago, had returned to his wife after an absence of nearly fifteen years. The husband's story was curious. He said he had believed his wife to be dead, and remained wandering in South America. He then added:-"In the latter part of October, 1867, while lying in bed one fine night, I fancied I saw the form of a female figure approaching my bedside. I at first thought it was a thief, which made me grasp my revolver from under my pillow, where I always keep it at night ready for any emergency. Well, the form of a female stood by my bedside, and said, in a low voice, 'Robert, go to Dundee!' repeating the words twice. It seemed to glide towards the door, which was in the darkest part of the room, and vanished. The vision caused me great uneasiness; night and day it was never out of my mind, until at last I resolved to ship in some vessel, and proceed to Dundee as soon as possible."

A STRANGE DREAM.

An Australian paper, the Albury Banner, recently told a singular tale. Several months ago a man named Piall was accidentally drowned in the Murray at Thologolong and his body was not recovered for some weeks afterwards. Some time after Piall had been drowned, a boundary rider on the station named Greenwood told persons that he had dreamt that he was fishing in the Murray, and that the deceased appeared to him on the bank of the river and asked him what he was doing there. Greenwood, in his dream replied, "Oh, I am fishing for your body, as I hear you are drowned." "You needn't look there,' said the shade of the drowned man, "my body is lying on yon log," at the same time pointing towards the place where the body was afterwards found.

THE TIMES ON DEMONOLOGY-DREAMS-BIBLE MIRACLES-GHOSTS AND SPIRIT-RAPPING.

MESSRS. TEGG have been re-publishing Sir Walter Scott's Demonology and Witchcraft, and the Times of 26th December last gives a whole page to a review of the subject. In the course of this, the reviewer gives us a notion of his capacity for the office he has undertaken; and in his out-spoken, easy way settles several incidental questions, which have hitherto been considered important. We beg our readers to listen to the oracle:

Magic has died out, but its place has been usurped by newer forms of superstition, and although the popular errors of our day have not the same importance for the historian, they possess a painful interest to the philosopher. . .

...

The causes of the belief in demons and witches lie deep in the human heart. The belief in the immortality of the soul is the main inducement to credit the -occasional appearance of spirits.

The phenomena of dreams shew us how us how often supernatural apparitions are presented to the sleeping sense. Sometimes the patient may retain sufficient consciousness as to recognize the familiar objects around him, -and in such a case it becomes futile to argue with him against the reality of his dream. The undeniable facts lend weight to those to which we cannot reasonably assent. Again, if such an event as the death of the person dreamt of should occur so as to correspond with the nature and the period of the -apparition, the mere coincidence seems perfect and the evidence complete. But if we consider how often such coincidences must occur, since dreams almost always refer to the accomplishment of the ideas which absorb the mind when awake, we need not experience the smallest surprise.

The broad truth now universally recognized by educated persons in all countries, that we cannot accept the authority of Scripture in matters of physical science, and that it is therefore idle to quote the Old or New Testament to establish a scientific doctrine, was hardly recognized in its fulness by Sir Walter Scott. He is at pains to discover whether the "wise men of Pharaoh were sorcerers or conjurors; whether they obtained their art from supernatural powers or from sleight-of-hand." For our own part, we do not hesitate to reply, from the latter. The Egyptians were a cunning and a cute people, and, for aught we know, they may have acquired the art of legerdemain ten thousand years ago. What more probable, then, than that they who lived by the impostures of Isis should pretend in other matters to the possession of supernatural powers?

The explanation of the phenomenon is easy. The female choristers were placed and sang in an adjoining room, and our hero fired at their reflection which had been thrown into the room by a concave mirror. And either in this manner, or through some physical causes we believe all apparitions of ghosts may be explained.

What we have said of ghosts and witches will apply equally well to the mod forms of superstition-spirit-calling and rapping, mesmerism, and chirom The nearest approximation to exact evidence in this case generally is th of some person who has himself received the story at second hand, often who is merely acquainted generally with the persons to whom the happened, or with the localities mentioned. In the so-called "spirit-r in the vast majority of cases the professor of the art-in their lang medium-is a mere mercenary cheat, who enriches himself at the e the credulous vulgar.

We have dwelt long upon this case, both because it shews in a r manner the credulity of even some well-educated and cultivated mind simple explanation which can be often applied to the most startling app

name.

We cannot help wishing that the reviewer had given us his If we can find it out we will certainly make it public. To us it reads like the joint production of Professor Tyndall and his friend Mr. Palgrave. At all events it is foolish enough for both of them put together, with a touch of Dr. Smellfungus besides.

TWO REMARKABLE DREAMS.

THE CORPSE IN THE CELLAR.

MR. JOHN TAYLOR, the author of Monsieur Tonson, and who, in 1832, published his life, abounding with anecdotes of celebrated actors and actresses, relates the following circumstances, on what he affirms to be most reliable authority. The first relation he received from a Mr. Donaldson, a man well known in his day, and to whom this matter was communicated by the gentleman to whom it happened. This gentleman was a Member of Parliament, and in order to attend the House of Commons, had taken apartments in St. Anne's Churchyard, Westminster. On the evening when he took possession, he was struck with something that appeared to him mysterious in the manner of the maid-servant, who looked like a man disguised, and caused him a very unpleasant emotion. This feeling was strengthened by a similar deportment in the mistress of the house, who soon after entered his room, and asked if he wanted anything before he retired to rest. Disliking her manner, he soon dismissed her and went to bed, but the disagreeable impression made on his mind by the maid and mistress kept him long awake. At length he fell asleep and dreamed that the corpse of a gentleman, who had been murdered, was deposited in the cellar of the house. This dream, co-operating with the unfavorable, or rather repulsive, countenances and demeanour of the two women, banished all further sleep, and it being summer time, he arose about five o'clock in the morning, took his hat, and resolved to quit so suspicious a house. To his surprise, as he was leaving it, he met the mistress in the entry, dressed as if she had never gone to bed. She seemed to be much agitated, and inquired his reason for going out so early. He told her that he expected a friend, who was to arrive by a stage in Bishopsgate Street, and that he was going to meet him. He was suffered to depart, and when revived by the open air, he felt, as he afterwards declared, as if relieved from impending destruction. In a few hours afterwards he returned with a friend, to whom he