WCP3432

[1]

90 Rochdale Road

Manchester

14 Oct. 1874

A.R. Wallace Esq. F.R.A.S etc.

Dear Sir

I hope you will pardon any appearance of presumption, from one who admires your courage, and has benefitted by your articles on spiritualism in the Fortnight Rev.¹ When he calls your attention to the following questions. The first apropo[?] to Dr. Hardy.² I copy from p.178 of Life³ of Henry More,⁴ need I say, one of the Platonic Divines of Cambridge⁵ as Bond[?] churchmen of two centuries ago. The associate of Cudworth,⁶ John Smith⁷ etc and perhaps successor to Whichcote.⁸

"The Doctor hath likewise intimated that he had a long time thought it and not a few times said it; that there are as errant fools out of the body, as in the body."

The following on table-turning, is[2] from a note p.369 of Delitzsch's⁹ Biblical Psychology,¹⁰ Clarke's Foreign Library.

"For I ask of 'table-turning', we have Jewish testimony as early as the 17th century. Fredk. Brentz¹¹ (1614)¹² denounces Jews practicing Kischuph-magic.¹³ We make the table turn in playful times with Kischuph and whispers in one another's ears. Schmoth, Schel, Schedim — names of demons, and the table springeth up there even when laden with many a hundred weight". defends Lalann Lehr (1615)¹⁴ defends in this table-turning, as practical not theo. magic but I power of God, Kabbala Mansith (practical Kabbala). Thus for table-turning no Maasch[?] Schedim can be employed, for we sing excellent mismasim (songs) as Adon alam jigdal (the Lord of the world be exalted. Thus there can be no devil's work suffered when God is remembered". See therefore, Das Buch von dem Aegypt Mysterien, 1858 pp130-132.¹⁵

I would not have supposed that my first extract is necessary[3] to supplement your very excellent reply to Professor Huxley,¹⁶ nothing could be better, but it seemed to me that such a brief statement of opinion, from so excellent a Divine would show that the famous dictum of the kind hearted professor had been anticipated so so long before — i.e. to show to the public, a large share of whom I hope will be readers of yours — by me curiously anticipated book.

The New Quarterly¹⁷ with its flippant article will doubtless be widely read, tho. I have not seen second ed. a page form your material[?] new would lay the strippling low — if strippling he be, certainly the author's name is not widely known.

With regard to the Cui bono of S. have the following words of Simmenon[?]¹⁸ had sufficient prominence given to them?

"The secret of heaven is kept from age to age. No imprudent sociable ghost angel ever dropped on earth sylable[?] to answer the longing of saints, I fear of mortals. We should have listened on our[4] knees to any favourite, who by stricter obedience had brought his thoughts in parallelism with celestial currents and could hint to human ears the recovery and circumstances of the newly hasten soul". Show

Strange utterance after his acquaintance with Swedenborg.¹⁹

Apologising for this intention[?] | believe me sincerely yours

I de Main[?] Bourse[?]

Not knowing your address I sent this to your publisher.