448 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



In answer to a question whether I was a medium, the 

 response was three brisk and vigorous knocks. I noticed 

 that the knocks issued from a particular locality, and 

 therefore requested the spirits to be good enough to 

 answer from another corner of the table. They did 

 not comply ; but I was assured that they would do it, 

 and much more, by-and-by. The knocks continuing, 

 I turned a wine-glass upside down, and placed my ear 

 upon it, as upon a stethoscope. The spirits seemed dis- 

 concerted by the act ; they lost their playfulness, and 

 did not recover it for a considerable time. 



Somewhat weary of the proceedings, I once threw 

 myself back against my chair and gazed listlessly out 

 of the window. While thus engaged, the table was 

 rudely pushed. Attention was drawn to the wine, still 

 oscillating in the glasses, and I was asked whether that 

 was not convincing. I readily granted the fact of 

 motion, and began to feel the delicacy of my position. 

 There were several pairs of arms upon the table, and 

 several pairs of legs under it ; but how was I, without 

 offence, to express the conviction which I really enter- 

 tained ? To ward off the difficulty, I again turned a 

 wine-glass upside down and rested my ear upon it. 

 The rim of the glass was not level, and my hair, on 

 touching it, caused it to vibrate, and produce a peculiar 

 buzzing sound. A perfectly candid and warm-hearted 

 old gentleman at the opposite side of the table, whom 

 I may call A., drew attention to the sound, and 

 expressed his entire belief that it was spiritual. T, 

 however, informed him that it was the moving hair 

 acting on the glass. The explanation was not well 

 received; and X., in a tone of severe pleasantry, 

 demanded \\hether it was the hair that had moved the 

 table. The promptness of my negative probably 

 satisfied him that my notion was a very different one. 



