MUSCLE-READING ENTERTAINMENTS.
Thought-transference, like clairvoyance, is unequal in power and manifestation, even with good percipients, and cannot be turned on like, and with, the evening gas, to enlighten and entertain. Hence those enterprising entertainers, like Bishop and Cumberland, depended on “muscle-reading,” and “backed-up their show” with tricks, some of them so puerile and barefaced that a third-rate conjuror would be ashamed of them.
The general public, however, enjoyed these entertainments. They were something new, and, like “angel’s visits,” were few and far between. Not only so, but that wonderful combination, the general public, saw that these entertainments were patronised by men of science, such as Carpenter, Beard, Hammond, Baron Kelvin, and others deeply in love with strictly materialistic hypothesis. They were also patronised by “society.” These entertainers undertook to read thoughts and expose spiritualism; and as the dear public loves mystery, it went. But the dear public don’t like to be “taken in,” hence these performances are generally repeated—in the next town.
The following, reported from St. John’s, N.B., January 17, 1887, in the Herald, is a good illustration of the psychic and muscular indications involved in an experiment of this kind:—“In a ‘mind-reading’ performance on Saturday night, after several examples indoors, the ‘reader,’ a young man who belongs to this city, asked for an outdoor test. The party separated, one remaining with the reader, and hid a pin in the side of a little house used by the switchman of the New Brunswick Railway at Mill Street. In their travels they went over the new railway trestle, a most difficult journey. The reader was blindfolded, and one took his wrist, but at the trestle hesitated, fearing to venture, and was told by the reader to let go his wrist and place his hand on his head. The subject did so, and the reader went upon the trestle. Some of the party suggested that the bandage should be removed, but he told them not to mind, and, the subject again taking the wrist, he went over the ice and snow-covered sleepers. With a firm step he crossed to the long wharf, went over as far as the mill gates, then quickly turned, retraced his steps, and went back to the corner of Mill Street. Here he rested a minute, then again took the subject’s hand, and in less than five minutes afterwards found the pin. At the conclusion of the test, the reader inquired what the matter had been when they first reached the trestle. It was easily explained. The storm had covered the sleepers with snow, and it was thought dangerous, even for a man not blindfolded to cross them. The subject felt anxious for the reader’s safety, and hesitated about going across. The tests were most satisfactory.” Thought or mind-reading applied to these experiments is a misnomer. If this young gentleman could “read thoughts” by musculation, or contact, he would have known what the matter had been when they first reached the trestle. Muscle-reading is not thought-reading. Hence it is classified as spurious.
Any number of illustrations could be given of such entertainments. The foregoing is sufficiently adequate to give an idea of how these muscle (not thought) reading entertainments are given.
For drawing-room entertainments, first blindfold the reader, who is conducted out of the room while the experiments are decided upon. The blindfolding helps to mystify friends, who think the work is rendered more difficult. As a matter of fact, the reader’s work is rendered much more easy. It helps to isolate him, and leaves his mind much less entrammelled by sights and impressions which would otherwise prevent him receiving the impressions which it is desirable he should receive.
Suppose the reader is to locate the seat of an imaginary pain, the assistant or operator pro tem. will grasp[F] with his left hand the sensitive’s right wrist and hold it firmly. While the reader is endeavouring to locate the pain, the operator must give up his will, and think intently on the situation of the pain. The reader will then locate it.
There is less secret in this than appears at first sight. The sensitive, or reader, is simply guided or led by the operator, and the reader’s hand either stops partially over or is pressed upon the seat of the pain. He then declares he has found the seat of the pain, and points it out accordingly.
A somewhat similar method is adopted in finding the pin, or the hole in which a pin had been. The racing and flying about of public thought-readers are only so much “theatrical side,” thrown in to give dramatic effect to their performances.
In reading the numbers on bank-notes, or spelling out certain words, a board with the numerals and the alphabet (see front cover) is placed in sight of the audience. The reader takes the wrist of the operator, and, commencing at the left side of the board, proceeds from figure to figure till he detects the right one. The operator thinks only of one figure or letter at a time. This is the whole secret of “musculation.” Even when the operators are sincere, and are careful to give no conscious indications to the reader, yet it is almost certain, if they keep their mind fixed on the desired figure or letter, object or place, they will unconsciously indicate to the reader the right number or letter.
To find an article, number, or do a certain act, it is necessary for the reader to give prompt obedience to the indications given him. The concentration of attention necessary can only come with practice. No end of surprises and amusement will follow if the operator honestly concentrates his mind upon the things to be done, and a good muscle-reader is found to take up the indications. Apparently, the most difficult feats are sometimes accomplished.
During the experiments, the reader will have curious sensations, such as heaviness of feeling, dread and uncertainty, and then blankness of mind, followed by an impulse to do something. If the reader can keep his mind passive enough, he may receive impressions, as in thought-transference; anyway, it is advisable to wait for the impulse to move and to do. The highest percentages of success always follow.
General directions for the cultivation of experimental thought-transference and mind-reading given in these pages are sufficiently specific, to be found thoroughly practical by those who have put them into practice; and certainly no harm, either mental or physical, can come to those who are willing to give them a fair trial.
CHAPTER VII.
Spiritualism.
Any reference to Spiritualism here must be very brief, and, I am afraid, very incomplete. I will deal with the subject in the light of the preceding chapters.
It has been established on the clearest evidence that thought-transference and reception between two nearly harmonised or sympathetic human beings, or embodied human spirits, are possible, and this without intermediate sense or physical agencies. If, then, between mind and mind on earth, distance or space being no obstacle, matter no hindrance, why not between mind disincarnate—if we can conceive of mind apart from the human brain and organism—and mind incarnate? If not, why not?
It seems to me very difficult, if we accept the first, to reject the latter conclusion. If we accept the latter, we are committed in the main to belief in Spiritualism, ancient and modern. If we admit that it is possible for a disembodied spirit to communicate with us in dream, vision, or, as in the case of Miss Howett, have our hands influenced to write, or that we see and converse with spirits, as in the case of Mary Reynolds, we then admit, and accept in the main, the essential features of what is known as Spiritualism. The subject is not only interesting, but of vital importance; therefore, I think, the fear of being called a “Spiritualist,” or any other name, should not prevent us sounding to the depths, the psychic possibilities of our human nature.