106 THE MICROSCOPE. July, 



feet mould ; a violet flame was radiating over the heart, a kind 

 look over the gentle face. The form arose to a standing posi- 

 tion ; cast one sorrowful look at the tenantless clay that lay so 

 still ; extending a hand as it were to say, ' Farewell, thou nar- 

 row house ; I need thee no more.' it gathered its forces into a 

 little sphere and passed out into the sunlight of the everlasting 

 morrow." 



If such astounding phenomena had been observed with cam- 

 era, for the intimation is that a camera was used in the latter 

 experiment, why have not the details of apparatus been des- 

 cribed in the scientific periodicals ? The author attributes this 

 account to a scientist who had patents — hence to a physician. 

 Why have we not been furnished with particulars from a scien- 

 tific standpoint? Why has J. C. Street, of Boston, been pecu- 

 liarly favored with what to the average scientific mind is an 

 impossible scientific arrangement? And why, in a reputable 

 book of 598 pages, published by Lee & Shepard, and claiming 

 to contain truth and wisdom, are we confronted by such in- 

 credible stuff? Does Mr. Street know that he discredits this 

 entire volume by giving us what we can but regard as one piece 

 of humbug ? If there is a single microscopist or photographer 

 who credits for one moment the possibility of arranging 

 apparatus as described, will he please to so inform us? 



We are not intending to call in question the occult phenom- 

 ena which the operator claims to have witnessed. Let that all 

 pass to be believed or disbelieved by people who feed on belief 

 or disbelief. The only issue we raise is that such account as 

 Mr Street furnishes of the apparatus is absurd, and not only 

 unknown to scientific men but incredible in the present stage 

 of progress. We need a full and consistent account of the ap- 

 paratus and the manner of its use. That is all we care for. 

 Given that, we will find out for ourselves what phenomena can 

 be observed with it, and when found out we will exhibit it to 

 others. Then they, as well as we, shall know what we have 

 seen and have no occasion for belief. 



The wholesale manner in which the word science is being 

 used by charlatans of every description is amazing. Honest 

 men should beware how they allow themselves to be misled by 

 mere words. When they find that a writer has either intention- 



