The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 13, No. 80, June, 1864

there be any truth in the well-known mot which calls Paris the Paradise of virtuous Yankees, it is limited to a

o thrust his epistolary tendrils. Was not Great Britain a genealogical hunting-ground where game of rarest plumage might be started? Was not a family-connection with Sir Walter Raleigh (whose name should be written Praleigh, a common corruption of "Prowley" in the sixteenth century) susceptible of the clearest proof? There were, in fact, few distinguished Englishmen of the present day, who, if a provoking ancestor or two could be unearthed, might not be shown to have the Prowley flu

all Sextons, Colonel Prowley soon discovered a relative of his own. Sir Joseph Barley, a rubicund old knight, and the Most Primordial in question, after an elaborate investigation and counter-investigation, a jockeying of the wits of very old women, and a raid into divers registers, scrolls, schedules, archives, and the like,-Sir Joseph Barley, I say, turned out to be a long-lost cousin. "Barley," it appeared, had anciently been written "Parley," and "Praley," a

Joseph Barl

ve spectacles with the glasses cut in parallelograms, above all, that full-blown face blandly contemplating our American rudeness like a smiling Ph?bus from British skies,-how could all these things, which had so individualized the natural body of Sir Joseph Barley, be dispensed with in its spiritual counterpart? No answer to such question,-only the grim facts, that one brother more had "gone over to the majority," and that the living minority got on very comfortably without him. Comfortably? Ay,

on his part,-so ran the idle rumor of the street,-covenanted never to call upon them for cod-liver oil, Bourbon whiskey, or a tour to Europe. In his majestic presence there was a total impression sanative to body and soul. The full powers of manner and tone, of pause and emphasis, were at his command. He would rise in a shingled meeting-house as effective as choir, organ, and sacerdotal vestments in full cathedral-service. I was glad to learn that this stalwart

about what is called Spiritualism will reflect actual observations. I do not forget that to the advocacy of the "New Dispensation" are devoted many men of earnestness and a few of ability. It is possible that the f

to's pursy nature. Now it had come to pass that this acidulated lady, essaying fresh flurries of progression, discovering higher passional affinities and new duties of demolition, proving that in Church and State every brick was loose and every timber rotten, testifying ever to the existence of a certain harmonial mortar by which the rubbish of a demolished civilization could be rebuilt into unexceptionable forms,-it happened that this woman, having towered for one proud moment at the very apex of her mission, slipped suddenly into the Romish communion, and was n

pit. The Gospel vibrated at all points between the interpretations of Calvin and Strauss. The congregation grew more and more critical, and could agree upon no candidate for settlement. They demanded the respectability of belief with the showy talents of skepticism,-an impossible co

e had been ordained to minister,-the hard and dreary lives of those whom he had undertaken to illumine. But he made the fatal mistake-inexcusable, it would seem, in a man of his liberal nurture-of supposing that this world's evil was owing to the absence of right opinion, and not of right feeling. It is to be feared that it was not principle, but only a paroxysm of cowardice, which caused Clifton to bury Vannelle's legacy in the Mather Safe. At all events, the minister found himself unable to dismiss a certain thin and impalpable fantasy which lingered behind that ponderous speculation of an all-embracing philosophy. For the past two years he had fitfully sought, or rather persuaded himself that he sought, some clue through the sad labyrinth of his fate. He had indulged in the most morbi

t to apologize for keeping you here so long; but there has been so much knocking about the house of late, and our cook and housemaid having turned out to be such excellent mediums, taking just as much interest in their circle dow

to know how they put aside all conventionalities. I should have accompanied Dr. Burge to th

h are now vouchsafed in Foxden-it would not be amiss to rid my premises of the amiable magicians congregated in my parlor before a minister were invited to enter. But a layman, as I take it

petty vanities and petty questionings which beset undecided men,-what wonder that persons not accustomed to sound analysis of evidence should be beguiled by these subtilest adaptations to their conditions, and hold dalliance with the feeble shades that imposture or enthusiasm vended about the towns? Historical personages-a nerveless mimicry of the conventional stage-representation of them-stalked the Colonel's parlor. Departed friends, Indians à discrétion, local cele

th fat hands sprawled upon the table, sat Mrs. Colfodder, widow, according to the flesh, of a respectable Foxden grocer. By later spiritual communications, however, it appeared that matters stood very differently; for no sooner had the departed Colfodder looked about him a little in the world to come than he proceeded to contract marriage with Queen Elizabeth of England, thereby leaving his mortal relict qu

Turligood, with her eyes fixed upon a crack in t

vouchsafe

rap?" cried Stellat

ricked an ear to

anklin, is

scientific and philosophical view of these co

anklin, is

reaking i

living woman!" ejacula

el," explained Miss Turligood,-and this

ination by

t your patent ly

ghtenment of

when he got to the spheres a committee gave him

eated. A mysterious rubbing inte

u? (she 'most always comes with him)

s exceeding

el Prowley, or even p

ainty o

iss Miss T

isfied that it c

o, with the confidence of an ex

ss Miss Branly, if all

t it highly proba

would be very satisfactory, if she would, and couldn't see why any one should object to it. She (Miss Turl

uggested a

issing be done t

t couldn't, but afterwards r

ntas appoint

wo

e alphabet

houl

tip towards the m

d not b

es of all mediums present, and wou

hat w

share in this Gift Enterprise

erity. "This general conversation cannot be permitted. We are about to have a mo

as did n

me to the name of the medium through who

s certain

Mrs. Co

rep

Eugenia

ertainly

uppose it must b

re pulling it very hard upon Mr. Stellato's side, and som

Mr. Ste

sion r

dder's name," interposed Miss Branly. "I am sure the

again," responded Miss Turli

rly sprang into the lap

saluted-Miss Sarah Branly. And the skeptic will please take notice that this extraordinary manifest

what he termed "the principle of the thing," or, as he otherwise phrased it, "a scientific explanation of the way the spirits worked mediums,"-"sperrets" and "meejums" according to celestial pronunciation, but I am loath to disturb the carnal orthography. This philosophical exposition, drawled forth in interminable sentences, was a dark doctrine to the uninitiated. There was a good deal about "Essences," which, at times, seemed to relate to the perfumery vended in the fancy-department of apothecaries' shops, and then again to some obscure matters of "Zones," "Interiors," "Magnetic Relations," and the like. The central revelation, if I remember rightly, had to do with a sort of putty, by which,

x-elocutionist happened to be within a few seconds' flight of the circle, and had nothing in

by affirmative or negative replies to

of a Root-Doctor when in the body, and would gladly prescribe through that gentleman for the cure of all diseases. Considered mineral medicines destructive to the vital principle. Doctor Dastick, being a drug-doctor, would not be recognized by any medical association in the spheres. Would give any information about the fixed stars. The inhabitants of the Milky Way telegraphed to each other by means of the Detached Vitalized Electricity

, and, having slapped the table some forty tim

own rotary motion of the earth, impart density and spacefulness to our spheral persons: this is the philosophy of our presence. Many shining friends, su

oseph

onel Prowley, rather taken aback at the sudd

ght, for the medium's hand

oseph die?" I v

from him for several months. When he last wrote, he was suffering under a severe

r Joseph Barley, can you giv

its to give numbers,

done by tips," qu

much cajoling and counting, a cer

give me t

h foreign cities as I might remember, and assu

out to b

ige me with the name of the physici

ny which would go far to impede other manifestations. Where people were not harmonial, he explained, the Detached Vitalized Electr

self about the day and place of his decease. You must soon hear from some member of his family. If these particulars

s remark, that, nudging Miss Branly, she solemnly arose and moved to break up the circle for the

t eight o'clock, for the pursuance of further investiga

" mildly suggeste

o'clock. In this place. Let every medium be punctual. It i

ndancy of emphasis, was cast in my direction,

ch, till I was ready to admit the supposition that the spirits had carried it off, as entirely reasonable and satisfactory. A good-natured Irishman, servant to Miss Turligood, who had come with a lantern to see her home, at length discovered this missing bit of apparel upon

e in an obscure corner, and I had scarcely realized her presence. "Over at last! and of all fatiguing and un

in my heart to refuse them. I did wish, to be sure, that we might have our Fast-Day in quiet; but Miss Turligood, who knows much more about the matter than we do, thinks the spir

believer, Colone

he communications from distinguished characters, many of them so very important and interesting. To be sure, my poor cousin Barley did not do himself justice this evening, though some of his ideas were very poetical; but, really, the other night, when he told

njoy. Dr. Burge wished me to visit, in his company, your former pastor, Mr. Clifton,

abiding shame for a minister of the gospel to meddle with these things, except, po

moral and intellectual consequence must be maintained by avoidance of all dangerous inquiries, common interests, and secular amusements. A minister attending a Jenny-Lind Charity-Concert in a play-house, or leading armed men in t

e back before you wis

rangement: door-key under the scrape

nt forth to keep my app