1 88 1 .] Correspondence . 5 1 
round of pedantry which contents his famulus Wagner, is repre- 
sented as reduced to utter despair, and meditating suicide, before 
the arrival of his fiendish visitor. He dies in the joyous antici- 
pation that his life will be crowned by the sight of a free people 
dwelling in a free land, which he himself has reclaimed from 
the sea.— I am, &c., 
C. N. 
[We are perfectly ready to draw a distinction between Dr. 
Lewins and “ Thalassoplektos.” The theses of the former gen- 
tleman are a subjeCt for legitimate scientific examination, and we 
think all who really value truth would like to see the question of 
Animism or Hylozoism fairly and fully discussed. The remarks 
of “ Thalassoplektos ” on scientific men in general, and on 
Faraday in particular, seem to us incapable of defence, or even 
of palliation. — E d. J. S.] 
UNPLEASANT ALTERNATIVES. 
To the Editor of The Journal of Science . 
Sir, — Mr. Hingston, in his “ Australian Abroad,” describes cer- 
tain feats which he saw performed by jugglers in India. Certain 
balls, marked with numbers, were thrown up into the air, where 
they disappeared out of sight. On any of the spectators asking 
for a certain number, that one, and no other, reappeared and fell 
into the circle. It is difficult to account satisfactorily for such 
phenomena. We cannot suppose that Mr. Hingston is know- 
ingly and consciously relating an incident that never took place. 
We cannot imagine that these jugglers are acquainted with 
unknown natural forces or with novel applications of such as are 
already known, but of which our greatest physicists are ignorant. 
As little can we assume that superhuman beings hold themselves 
in readiness to execute the orders of these jugglers, especially 
as, if the latter have such allies in their service, they might turn 
their powers to far more profitable account than to collecting a 
few rupees from wondering spectators. Nor, if we consider that 
the performance took place in the open air, is it easy to conceive 
of any manner in which Mr. Hingston’s senses might have been 
deceived. Is not this a matter worth scrutiny ? — I am, &c., 
Verifier, 
