396 Thought Reading . [July, 
will be seen in the constellation Cassiopeia about August, 
1887. It is said to be the same star that appeared at the 
birth of Christ, and only appears once in 312 years. It is 
not to be supposed that astrologers would allow so extraor- 
dinary a phenomenon to pass unnoticed, and many prodigies 
may be expedited to occur.” In the number of the same 
publication for June a member of the Astronomical Society 
reviews the religious aspe< 5 t of the belief. He disposes of 
the supposed star of 1264 as the splendid comet seen the 
year of the battle of Lewes, and mentioned by all the his- 
torians of that period. “ And with regard to the Star of 
the Nativity nothing can be more evident, as was pointed 
out by St. Chrysostom, than that it was a miraculous ap- 
pearance in the form of a star (perhaps visible, as many 
divines think, to the Magi only), sent expressly to indicate 
the Saviour’s birth.” In such a case, however, we have 
St. Jerome and the authors of the Revised Text brought 
into strange conflict ; for not only the words “ in the like- 
ness of” do not occur, but Herod is represented as enquiring 
of the Magi concerning the time of the star that appeared. 
Again, since Bethlehem is only 5 miles distance from Jeru- 
salem and a trifle to the westward, I conclude that there is 
no paramount reason that a strange star should not go be- 
fore the Magi. A certain sensational painter, however, has 
priority in such matters, as a well-known print has long 
flared in the bookseller’s window, where the Star of Beth- 
lehem is depicted as something between a bombshell and a 
comet. 
V. THOUGHT READING* 
By Rev. H. H. Higgins, M.A. 
S HE limited time at my disposal induces me at once to 
state my belief that the process known as “ thought 
reading” is characterised by genuine phenomena 
which are in perfect accordance with the natural laws recog- 
nised in the science of Mental Physiology. 
* The substance of this article has been read in a paper before the Philo- 
sophical Society of Liverpool. 
