MESMERISM, ODYLISM, TABLE-TURNING, ETC. 171 



repeated experiments, that, while the rod dips when the " diviner " 

 knows or believes he is over a water-spring or a metallic vein the 

 results are uncertain, contradictory, or simply negative, when he is 

 blindfolded, so as not to be aware precisely where he is. The follow- 

 ing is a striking case of this kind that has been lately brought to my 

 knowledge : 



" A friend of mine," says Dr. Beard,' " an aged clergyman, of thorough in- 

 tegrity and fairness, has for many years the larger part of his natural life, I 

 believe enjoyed the reputation of being especially skilled in the finding of 

 places to dig wells, by means of a divining-rod of witch-hazel, or the fresh 

 branches of apple or other trees. His fame has spread far, and the accounts 

 that are given by him and of him are, to those who think human testimony is 

 worth anything, overwhelmingly convincing. He consented to allow me to ex- 

 periment with him. I found tliat only a few moments were required to prove 

 that his fancied gift was a delusion, and could be explained wholly by uncon- 

 scious muscular motion, the result of expectancy and coincidence. In his own 

 yard there was known to be a stream of water running through a small pipe a 

 few feet below the surface. Marching over and near this, the rod continually 

 pointed strongly downward, and several times turned clear over. These places 

 I marked, blindfolded him, marched him about until he knew not where he was, 

 and took him over the same ground over and over again ; and, although the rod 

 went down a number of times, it did not once point to or near the places j^revi- 

 ously indicated.'''' 



I very well remember having heard, some thirty-five years ago, 

 from Mr. Dilke (the grandfather of the present Sir Charles), of an 

 experiment of this kind which he had himself made upon a young- 

 Portuguese, who had come to him with a letter of introduction, de- 

 scribing the bearer of it as possessing a most remarkable power of 

 finding, by means of the divining-rod, metals concealed from view. 

 Mr. Dilke's family being at a summer residence in the country, his 

 plate had all been sent to his chambers in the Adelphi, where he was 

 visited by the Portuguese youth ; to whom he said, " Go about the 

 room with your rod, and try if you can find any mass of metal." 

 The youth did so ; and his rod dipped over a large standing desk, in 

 which Mr. Dilke's plate had -been temporarily lodged. Seeing, how- 

 ever, that there were circumstances which might reasonably suggest 

 this guess, Mr, Dilke asked the youth if he was willing to allow his 

 divining power to be tested under conditions which should exclude 

 all such suggestion ; and, having received a ready assent, he took his 

 measures accordingly. Taking his plate-box down to his countrj- 

 residence, he secretly buried it just beneath the soil in a newly- 

 ploughed field ; selecting a spot which he could identify by cross- 

 bearings of conspicuous trees, and getting a plough drawn again over 

 its surface, so as to make this correspond pi-ecisely with that of the 

 rest of the field. The young diviner was then summoned from Lon- 



1 Review of Medicine and Pharmacy (New York), September, 1875. 



