WffV BO SPRINGS AND WELLS OVERFLOW ? 71 



phetic nature. It seems clear that the only element of prophecy is due 

 to a coincidence or similarity between the dream and the event. The 

 minute particulars missing from the dream will be filled in by the 

 imagination almost unconsciously, because the events of the dream 

 and the real events become confused in the recollection. 



All this does not divest the unknown of its mysterious possibili- 

 ties. But there is a striking contrast between the so-called unaccount- 

 able results of clairvoyance and mesmerism, in their relation to tran- 

 scendental knowledge, and the theories of science founded upon verified 

 experiments. The obscurity or apparent mystery of the scientific 

 theory steadily decreases with each addition of evidence, until the 

 astonishing possibility "hardens into a fact." The clairvoyant theory 

 not only evades all attempts to analyze it, but utterly fails in regard 

 to any valuable results which could serve as starting-points for future 

 discovery. The coming fact at once seems " reasonable and real," 

 and does not rest upon the mere belief of one person. It can be veri- 

 fied from more than one point of view, and carries with it the convinc- 

 ing force of an axiom. Emerson, in his lecture in the Old South 

 Church, Boston, on February 24, 1878, finely said, "The gracious 

 lesson taught by science to this country is, that the history of nature 

 from first to last is incessant advance from less to more, from rude to 

 finer organization, the globe of matter thus conspiring with the prin- 

 ciple of undying hope in man." 



We must look to the onward march of progressive development 

 for new power, and not to the mysterious and so far valueless results 

 of clairvoyance, with its examples of trickery or nervous organisms 

 thrown out of balance. There is more of the spiritual element in a 

 beautiful sunset than in the table-rapping and other dramatic effects 

 of animal magnetism or jugglery. 



WHY DO SPRINGS AXD WELLS OVERFLOW? 



By nelson W. GREEN. 



SINCE water tends to find a level, we infer that flowing water is 

 acting in harmony with this natural law, unless it be put in motion 

 by some equivalent force. The overflowing of wells and springs has 

 hitherto been accounted for by scientists only upon the supjiosed 

 existence of hydrostatic pressure. But a more careful investigation 

 seems to justify the conclusion that, while in exceptional cases this 

 may occur, yet as a proposition it is fallacious, and it will be the aim 

 06 the following discussion to expose the fallacy. 



In 1844 Rev. William Buckland, Professor of Geology at Oxford, 



