The Divining Rod. 211 
between these, the rod vibrates, and the number of its vibra- 
tions is the depth of the attracting body, not in yards or 
inches, but in running feet ! 
ch are the laws of the divining rod; and such their 
boasted ‘‘ resemblance to the admirable and uniform laws of 
electricity and magnetism.” 
Some good men will yet be reluctant to surrender the di- 
vining rod ; to rank it among the monstrous births of the dark 
ages which yet survive. They will urge instances of its suc- 
cessful operation : they will assert, and perhaps prove, that 
fountains have been and are discovered according to the pre- 
dictions of the diviner. They will take particular notice of 
exactness with which the blinded boy struck the vein of 
water the first time, and be almost ready to suspect 
natural incertitude of mind, peculiar to one led about blind- 
folded, communicated itself to the divining rod, and caused 
its mistakes. 
That the lad succeeded perfectly the first time, ceases to 
be a wonder, when it is recollected that afterwards he failed 
incessantly. Possibly he kept some count of his scot to aid 
him in the first trial, and then became ildered. should 
be bewildered. He ought not to know north from south, but 
only that the ground he would tread on was safe. Then his 
mystical rod might have ceased to move, if it were not where 
the waters were. But it did move, and point most know- 
ingly. And if the young fox had had his eyes, I doubt not 
that in fifty trials, the rod would have pointed more than 
twice in the same place. 
I am not one to believe that a series of coincidences on 
the same point is often accidental. If fountains have been 
and are discovered according to the predictions of the divi- 
ner, (which I allow,) it is because, in this country, men can 
hardly fail of finding water in from 20 to 50 feet deep, any 
well, I shall not deny, when others 
honestly assert the fact. But they do sometimes mistake 
altogether ; and their failure being no wonder, is soon for- 
gotten, while their success is matter of aston: ent long to 
be remembered. 3 
After a faithful and patient investigation, I know not the 
slightest ground on which the claims of the divining rod - 
be sustained one moment. [I allow to the u that th 
case of my farmer’s new 
