The Project Gutenberg EBook of Strange Visitors, by Henry J. Horn

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Title: Strange Visitors

Author: Henry J. Horn

Release Date: August 21, 2004 [EBook #13237]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE VISITORS ***

Produced by Curtis Weyant, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.

STRANGE VISITORS:

A SERIES OF ORIGINAL PAPERS, EMBRACING PHILOSOPHY, SCIENCE, GOVERNMENT, RELIGION, POETRY, ART, FICTION, SATIRE, HUMOR, NARRATIVE, AND PROPHECY.

BY THE SPIRITS OF IRVING, WILLIS, THACKERAY, BRONTE, RICHTER, BYRON, HUMBOLDT, HAWTHORNE, WESLEY, BROWNING, AND OTHERS NOW DWELLING IN THE SPIRIT WORLD

DICTATED THROUGH A CLAIRVOYANT, WHILE IN AN ABNORMAL OR TRANCE STATE.

1871

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

     HENRY J. RAYMOND To the New York Public
      MARGARET FULLER Literature in Spirit Life
           LORD BYRON To His Accusers
   NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE Apparitions
    WASHINGTON IRVING Visit to Henry Clay
   NAPOLEON BONAPARTE To The French Nation
      W. M. THACKERAY His Post Mortem Experience
    ARCHBISHOP HUGHES Two Natural Religions
         EDGAR A. POE The Lost Soul
    JEAN PAUL RICHTER Invisible Influences
     CHARLOTTE BRONTE Agnes Reef. A Tale
 ELIZABETH B. BROWNING To Her Husband
         ARTEMUS WARD In and Out of Purgatory
     LADY BLESSINGTON Distinguished Women
   PROFESSOR OLMSTEAD Locality of the Spirit World
   ADAH ISAACS MENKEN Hold Me Not
          N.P. WILLIS Off-Hand Sketches
      MARGARET FULLER City of Spring Garden
       GILBERT STUART Art Conversation
       EDWARD EVERETT Government
     FREDERIKA BREMER Flight to my Starry Home
   REV. LYMAN BEECHER The Sabbath—Its Uses
    PROF. GEORGE BUSH Life and Marriage in Spirit Life
  JUNIUS BRUTUS BOOTH Acting by Spirit Influence
     REV. JOHN WESLEY Church of Christ
         N. P. WILLIS A Spirit Revisiting Earth
     ALLAN CUNNINGHAM Alone
   BARON VON HUMBOLDT The Earthquake
   SIR DAVID BREWSTER Naturalness of Spirit Life
          H.T. BUCKLE Mormons
          W.E. BURTON Drama in Spirit Life
     CHAS. L. ELLIOTT Painting in Spirit Life
    COMEDIAN'S POETRY Rollicking Song
  LADY HESTER STANHOPE Prophecy
   PROFESSOR MITCHELL The Planets
  DR. JOHN W. FRANCIS Causes of Disease and Insanity
     ADELAIDE PROCTER The Spirit Bride

INTRODUCTION.

BY THE EDITOR.

In placing before the public a work with such novel and extraordinary demands upon its consideration, a few explanatory words seem appropriate.

Its title and contents will doubtless at first sight cause a smile of incredulity, and will be regarded by many as one of the devices which are sometimes put forward to entrap an unsuspecting public into the perusal of a sensational hoax.

For a number of years past the community has been surprised with accounts of most incredible marvels; and from time to time the press has reported various phenomena in connection with an unrecognized force and intelligence, as occurring in almost every locality throughout the habitable globe.

These phenomena are thought by many to be mere illusions, and by some attributed to peculiar electrical conditions; while others seek their solution in an abnormal state of the brain; and others still believe them dependent on an actual intercourse between mortals and those who have passed beyond the grave.

Having become interested in this mysterious and exciting subject, and finding the means at hand for testing the various phenomena, I resolved to undertake a series of experiments, with the hope of exposing a delusion, if such it were, or perchance, of clearing up a mystery which, by the magnitude and importance it has already assumed, is disturbing the foundations of old beliefs and steadily diffusing it's theories and doctrines into the very heart of society.

Among other expedients to attain this end (assuming the hypothesis that spirits of the departed were in a condition to communicate with mortals), I interrogated, through the instrumentality of a clairvoyant gifted with the remarkable power of passing at will into an unconscious or trance state, the spirits of a number of well-known individuals concerning their views and sentiments in their present state of existence.

In response to my questions, an intelligent answer was received from the Countess Ossoli (Margaret Fuller), with the assurance that my desire was apprehended and would receive the hearty co-operation of those to whom it was addressed.

The process by which the papers were given was that of dictation through the clairvoyant while in an abnormal or trance condition and with her eyes closed. The matter was written in pencil as it fell from her lips, and subsequently transcribed for the press.

The difficulties attending the transmission of ideas through the medium of another mind, even under ordinary circumstances, must be apparent to all, and the unprejudiced reader may readily perceive obstacles to the literal reproduction of their respective styles and language by the various contributors.

Yet, notwithstanding the impediments to felicity of expression, I feel assured that persons at all familiar with the characteristics of the originals will readily perceive a marked resemblance in style to that of the authors named.

In the delivery of the articles, their composers would usually assume or personate their own individual characteristics; thus, Artemus Ward's conversation and gestures were exceedingly ludicrous. He was the very personification of mirth, occasionally going to the wall and humorously "chalking out" his designs. Archbishop Hughes expressed himself in a quiet, earnest, and eloquent manner. Lady Blessington was full of vivacity, and Margaret Fuller was our Presiding Angel; while Booth would become vehement to an intense degree, and at times would mount some article of furniture in the room, becoming passionately eloquent, as if again upon the "mimic stage of life."

An intelligent public will perceive the mental effort incident upon the production of a series of articles so unusually varied; embracing the distinctive qualities of Philosophy, Science, Religion, Political Economy, Government, Satire, Humor, Poetry, Fiction, Narrative, Art, Astronomy, etc., etc.; and the query has fitly been advanced,—what mind, in the exercise of its normal functions,—has furnished a consecutive number of essays so surprising in novelty, so diverse in