52 Notices respecting Neiv Books. 



one hand; the minute-liand being exactly over the hour hand. 

 Mr. Glover assured me that for several days he was afraid of 

 s])eaking of the circumstance, lest he should he laughed at; but 

 she so often repeated this experiment in his presence, and in that 

 of other persons, that he made no hesitation in mentioninji; it. 

 She told the colour of the different hands, whether they were 

 of j^old or steel. She distinguislied a gold from a silver watch. 

 Brass and copper were also submitted to her touch, and she im- 

 mediately discovered the one from the other. The colours of 

 various seals and stones, whether mixed or not, were correctly 

 named ; as well as those of j^ems ; but it was onlv the colour and 

 not the nature of the stone, unless she had before been acquainted 

 with it. The eyes were covered with gogglers"^'." 



Various other experiments are stated by Dr. Renwick ; but 

 we cannot gather from them any thing new in addition to the 

 preceding observations, unless indeed we niav except ihe follow- 

 ing, which is certainly novel enough. 



" Exf). six. With her hands upon the window perceived two 

 newlv-cut stones of a yellow colour, lying one on the other against 

 a wall on the other side of the street ; distance about twelve 

 yards: also a heap of cast-iron railing piled upon each other. 

 One of the company being dispatched to place himself upon the 

 ground, stones, rails, &;c. she mentioned whenever he moved his 

 position ; perceived him jump off the railing; mentioned the co- 

 lours of his dress correctly, only said that a plum coloured coat 

 was black ; — ^mentioned two children accidentally passing by at 

 the timcj She said, they appear very small indeed ; the person 

 who was sent a])peared about two feet high when at the distance 

 of twelve yaids ; as he came nearer, she observed that she felt 

 liim grow bigger. All objects appear as if painted on the glass." 



Dr. Renwick has added to his Narrative, some " Remarks 

 upon Miss MacAvoy's Case ;" but they are wholly of a medical 

 nature, relating to certain convulsive aflfections to which the 

 young lady is subject. " The peculiar power," says the author, 

 " which she appears to possess of distinguishing colours, reading, 

 &c. with her fingers, are of so extraordinary a nature, an with 

 our present information to preclude all reasoning upon the sub- 

 ject." In this we differ from the author. The powers ascribed 

 to ryiiss MacAvoy are to be sure extraordinary enough ; but, a« 

 may be seen from the paper of an ingenious correspondent in a 

 preceding part of this number, there is much less difficulty in 



* These gogglers are described as forming a complete mask covering the 

 whole of the face, except the nostrils and mouth. They were tied by se- 

 veral pieces of tape at the back of the head, in almo.st every direction, and 

 two pieces of tape crossed each other under the nose, just below wherealine 

 of cotton-wool was, sewed in, ao as to prevent any ray of light from passing 

 upwards. 



reasoning 



I 



