were therefore reserved until the commencement of the discussion of the second proposition, when alone they could be introduced in an orderly manner.

Among the numerous facts cited in the following correspondence, to illustrate the Spiritual origin of the Manifestations, I learn that two examples, recorded in the eighth letter of my second series, have been called in question. The cases are those in which the name of J. II. Whiting occurs. An anonymous informant of one of the Milwaukie papers has disputed some of the essential features of the statement there given, and which was made on the authority of Mr. Whiting himself. There are substantial reasons for regarding Mr. W. as a man of strict veracity; but I deem it possible that he may have been misinformed, in the particulars wherein he is disputed, though the unwillingness of the party in Milwaukie to openly assume the responsibility of his own statement may not seem to favor such a conclusion. But facts of a similar character are now multiplying so rapidly, that the examples referred to can very well be spared, if it shall finally appear that they are essentially untrue.

With these brief remarks, the whole is respectfully submitted to the verdict of the Public. For myself, I ask no indulgence for the errors of this book, and anticipate no applause for the truth it may be found to contain. Nothing is claimed, at least on my part, but an honest desire to promote the truth, and to quicken the aspirations of men after communion with the Divine. If what is here written shall subserve this purpose, even in the humblest manner, I shall be satisfied.

NEW YORK, Aug. 4th, 1853.

S. B. BRITTAN.

RICHMOND AND BRITTAN'S DISCUSSION.

SPIRIT-IMITATIONS.

LETTER I.

S. B. BRITTAN:

Dear Sir: Having been repeatedly solicited to give my views of the "Spiritual Manifestations," and the columns of the TELEGRAPH having been liberally offered me for that purpose, I will furnish two columns, or more, weekly, for the perusal of your readers.

I attach much more importance to the "Manifestations" than most persons who oppose them; and am fully persuaded in my own mind that, if the various phases of the magnetic condition, into which the human mind, and body, may be thrown, were fully studied, and comprehended, that all, or nearly all, that now appears mystery and wonder, would be dissipated; and the public would go calmly to work to study this wonder, and try to comprehend more of the mysteriousness of our own nature. I regard it as the natural fruit of an abnormal magnetic state; and the public, not knowing how to explain it, the first "rappings" were attributed to the "spirits," and the idea having been set afloat, it has been adopted; and every person who has heretofore observed, or now witnesses, any of its multiplied singularities, does so under an impression, more or less distinct, that it is the work of departed spirits; and, as soon as any thing is observed that is a little singular, the mind not succeeding in its attempts to unravel it, readily concludes that it must be "spirits." This, say most persons, is the easiest way of accounting for it, and your theory is so complex, that I can not stop to make myself acquainted with it. Suppose that reply to have been made to Gallileo, when he put forth his theory of planetary motion-it would have rested with far more force against his system, than it can against the explanation I offer against the Spirit theory. Much is known, by the liberal-minded, in this country and in Europe, of the curious phenomena often seen, connected with this abnormal magnetic state; while nothing was known on the subject which he attempted to explain to the world. To the common mind, it was plain and easy

that the Earth was flat, and rested on something-on the back of Atlas, and he stood on a tortoise, and the tortoise, again, on something, of course- he must stand on something-and the fact that no body could tell what, was not permitted to stumble any one, on the theory that the Earth was flat and rested on a foundation. Motion, space, attraction, and repulsion, were not understood, and the Philosopher came near losing his life, and did lose his liberty of person, and character for intelligence. When the world is as fully instructed in certain principles connected with our existence, as it is in the laws of the physical universe, the "rappings," I think, will cease to be a wonder. The whole subject has been studied on the theory that it was "spirits," and but few persons have allowed themselves to ask the questions, Can these phenomena be explained on any other principle? Are they wholly caused by forces, acting in our own bodies, hitherto not understood? or are they the work of spirits of departed friends, returning to our sphere to renew their acquaintance, and to quicken our souls into a higher longing after immortality and a future? Or, is it the work partly of spirits, and partly caused by our magnetic state, which enables them to approach us?' I do not expect to convert any believer in its spiritual origin, to my notions; their minds are made up-the fact is clear to them and their minds are unbalanced for investigation. And the opposers are in a similar mood: their minds are made up-they know it to be a "humbug," and need no light to make the fact clearer. Of both parties I ask a candid hearing; suspend, if possible, your preconceptions, and listen, and weigh what of fact I may give you.

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A friend, writing me on the subject, says my theory is as "marvelous as the Atheist's theory of creation, added to the Mosaic " but still urges me to give my views to the public. I have waited to see if my first effort impressed any one, as affording any rational clue to the cause of this marvel; and, beyond one, I have not met a single person who can see any thing in what I wrote. And so I say to your readers, don't suppose that I have the vanity to believe, that I am going to upset the drift of feeling in favor of the cry of" spirits" that everywhere prevails. The press, generally, has scouted it as a cheat; its friends have believed, readily, all that has been claimed for it; and I know too well the perverse tendency in the human mind to be very sanguine. But the facts the public are entitled to, and whatever judgment may be rendered, I shall be prepared for it. Your faith has urged you to defend by reason, what you believed to be a truth, and in this I am cheeredthere is hope of the mind that will reason; but ignorance, and power,

prefer to coërce the belief of the human mind. I regard this phenomenon of much importance; it is taking deep hold of many minds, and the waves already in motion, will widen and spread, till the thing takes a definite shape, in the form of a religious organization. I mention as an axiom to be borne in mind, that the success of an idea in the world does not depend on its truthfulness; truth does not always prevail; the mysteriousness of any statement gives it far greater power than truthfulness, especially when it pertains to the realms of belief. The causes which put in motion the "rappings," may operate for a century, on the human organization-and let not the public suppose we are done with them.

With these preliminary remarks, let us commence our examination of facts, by attending first to the "Spirit imitations." A marked example of this is found in your "fac simile" of the Declaration of Independence," written by the spirits. The first copy was made, during the sitting of a circle, through the hand of a medium; the spirits not liking this, told him to burn the first copy, and place another paper where they could complete the document during the night. Parchment was placed on the table, in the sleeping-room of the medium, and in the morning the parchment was covered over with what can not be denied as being very good imitations of the hand-writing of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The whole document is highly marked by a nervous tremor, and is as clearly the work of a single hand, as any document ever written. The hand of John Hancock is very near the original size; but the hand trembled—and it will be remembered in the old Declaration the hand was smooth and bold. The only name on the Spirit Deelaration written without trembling is Stephen Hopkins; in this name the hand is firm, and in the original the hand was paralytic-so much so that it was a striking name on the old scroll. The account in the TELEGRAPH leaves the reader to suppose, that the Declaration on parchment written during the night was written by the hand of the spirits, in person, without the intervention of the hand of the medium. This is the impression left on the mind of the public everywhere. If each spirit wrote his or her name there, without a medium, then are we to conclude that spirits, generally, in the next sphere, are troubled with palsy-for almost every name on the scroll shows a palsied hand, with the exception of the name before mentioned; and Hopkins died with paralysis, or had it while writing his name to the old Declaration. He, it appears, has recovered his steady nerves, while the whole meeting of spirits that signed that paper, are now able to write