70 Henry Riddell on 



Some schemes have had extraordinary success in gaining 

 belief and even in some cases in obtaining the assistance of 

 capitalists to develop the inventions. 



One of the most curious cases, illustrating the extent to 

 which human credulity can be played upon by a visionary 

 enthusiast, is found in the story of the American, Keely. This 

 man succeeded in gaining the ears of one or two sharp Anaerican 

 company promoters, as well as arousing an unreasoning faith in 

 a multitude of otherwise sensible persons, who proved their faith 

 by their action in financing a company to enable Keely to finish 

 his experiments, complete the machine, and put it upon the 

 market. Not even failure after failure, nor the passage of years 

 succeeded in quenching the faith of some of his friends in his 

 mythical constructions, but the man died and his pretensions 

 perished with him. 



I have spoken of Keely's constructions as mythical, but there 

 was nothing inherently absurd in the theories or hypotheses upon 

 which he founded the construction of the machines which many 

 observers declared were successfully operated in their presence. 



It is a peculiar psychological fact that among a people so 

 energetic and hard-headed as the Americans every imposture, 

 depending for its success upon mystery, should find multitudes of 

 believers. America is the home of Mormon, Christian Scientist, 

 and a host of other sects, who each follow the leadership of a 

 single person, it may be ignorant and impudent, or it may be of 

 that much learning which maketh mad, but at least all agreeing 

 in being mystics of the very first water. Thus when Keely began 

 to publish his views and when their very boldnes of conception 

 caught public attention, many, very many, were found to follow 

 him and look upon him as the great genius, philosopher and 

 inventor of the day. American geese are always swans, and really 

 Keely deserved a good deal of attention. 



According to Keely, leaving out all his jargon of musical 

 terms, all matter is framed from the ether, and every atom, as 

 every molecule, is in exceedingly rapid vibration, at a rate and to 

 an amplitude which can be determined, and just as with gun- 



