3711. Hiram Powers to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 22, 70–75.
Florence
Jan 9th 1856
Dear Mrs Browning
I am suffering to-day from my old enemy the headache, and cannot work, or duty would require some delay in answering your very kind letter, the object of which is very clear–
You want to know if there is anything of what we understand by the terms—supernatural—or spiritual, whether for good or for evil, in the manifestations by Mr Hume– I can only state my own impressions and views derived and taken from what I have seen and heard—and they are as follows——
Impressions, 1st and of the medium himself–
A quick wandering eye, does not look you in the face—until quite assured of your confidence in him–
2d apparently nervous and short of breath—but breathes freely at times when engaged in animated conversation. He fainted at the sight of a crushed finger nail, but did not seem the worse for it a few moments after cold water had revived him—— I thought this fainting fit a very clumsy feint, but was prepared for many peculiarities on the part of a medium.
3d At my first sitting to witness the manifestations, heard some test questions asked—and of a quality to show that the Interrogator suspected trickery[.] The medium did not seem nervous or show any signs of displeasure, in short he suppressed his feelings—if he had any—very successfully.
I noticed that no remark escaped his observation, and yet he rarely seems to be listening to general conversation–
4th He has an extraordinary memory, and wonderful quickness of perception, can read one[’]s thoughts on the face, and knows what one intends to say before it is half expressed in words– An attempt was made to mislead him, as to the locality of an event. This was done in a conversation—apart, and apparently not intended for his ear, but he heard it all, and appears to have understood its object– I had this from himself, before the other party told me of it–
5th His remarks about persons who have been useful to him and befriended him seem careless and show at least much indifference in regard to obligations– He says indeed that this or that person has been kind to him, but immediately tells how much he has done for them, as—for example—saved them from Atheism, or from some moral or physical evil—in brief he claims as merited tribute whatever service he receives—and yet on recollecting himself, he sometimes declares that it was not himself, but a higher power that did it–
6th No matter how kind and confiding a friend may be to him, he reveals without scruple to perhaps the first new acquaintance, all he has heard or seen in that friend[’]s house—and in order to become near and familiar in a family, he begins by begging that he may be called “Dan” and if this is yielded, he then calls the family by their familiar names—and says “My Dear” “My child” &c &c—but if this method fails or is met with coldness, his very delicate health is brought to bear upon the besieged– The medium swoons,—or has a dreadful fit of coughing,—and expectorates very small quantities of blood and on these occasions, the good spirits are ever near to comfort “Dan”– But Dan does not cough at other times! Dan has a stout arm and leg, and can walk briskly without getting out of breath, and Dan has been heard to say that there is not much the matter with my lungs now, or words to that effect–
Dr Wilson [1] tried to examine Dan’s chest but Dan baffled him– The Dr’s Thumps hurt him! Draw a long breath then! “I can’t it hurts me”– Cough! “That hurts too”. Try. “oh–o’h o–o–o,[”] and Dan instantly turned over and thrust his head under the bed cloth[e]s, in short, says Dr Wilson, he would not permit me to examine him– He could pronounce long sentences and refill his lungs—and yet could not draw a long breath, and when I applied the stethoscope—he failed me completely by turning over–
Dr Wilson gives no opinion, but says, I give the facts, let every one draw his own conclusions–
Thus much—for the temporal of “Dan”, now for the spiritual——
1st when the raps have been feeble I have noticed no motion in correspondence with them on the part of the medium, but when strong (loud) I have rarely failed to perceive simultaneous agitation of some part of the person of the medium—— Indeed on one occasion, a gentleman present actually asked the medium, who had his arm to the elbow under the table, “Is that you who are making the raps”—“O—no” (said the medium withdrawing his arm and placing it with the other upon the table, and smiling blandly as he did it.) “Oh no! it was the spirits[.”] But the raps went on as before with this difference, they had a dull sound now, but before the sound was sharp and hard——
2d When the table (a heavy one) has been raised, the movement has generally been preceded by some apparent preparation by the medium—leaning back in his chair, and slight change in posture– Indeed some of us learned to anticipate the moment of the rising by watching the medium, and when the table was up his features seemed less composed than usual and under constraint, in short he seemed in the act of assisting the spirits if really not doing it all himself—no foot has been seen under the column of the table, but my son has discovered that the best way is to clap the leg immediately under the table top—this gives by far the best purchase and in this manner I have with but one leg raised the table a good 6 inches from the floor,—as much as I have been able to do, but the spirits have raised it more than a foot, and there held it for some moments– Pardon me Dear Mrs Browning, if in writing of these things I lose my gravity and stumble on trickery when I meet it—and I do meet it often—of that be sure, in the manifestations of Mr Hume–
3d When handkerchiefs have been taken from the “Circle” and tied in knots under the table—I have observed with but one possible exception that the spirits always have found an excuse of one sort or another for getting Mr Hume[’]s hand or hands under, they have rapped for something “Dear Spirits! what is it? Do you want the accordion? rap—rap—rap—so that’s it! here it is—dear spirits.” But the spirits have only sounded mere chords on such occasions, and this—strange to say—my son can do quite as well by means of his feet alone! At other times the spirits play airs very sweetly–
4th I have never seen material bodies such as tables, chairs and the like moved by spirits any where beyond the possible reach of the medium[’]s hands or feet—if I except one or two instances, the most remarkable of which was—the taking of a fan from the hand of a lady, and fanning her with it in a natural manner—by a hand, which rose from under the table and performed this at a distance from Mr Hume—quite beyond the reach of his legs or arms– This was done in a room without any other light than the indirect rays of the moon—— But—I have heard objects moving about in the dark—when no one could see at all– The accordion has then been played—apparently in the air and floating about the room. A piano has been played upon—in total darkness, while the medium kept his seat at the table—but on trying the experiment after the company had gone, I found I could reach the notes he sounded from the chair and place he sat in– I have heard the spirits attempt to speak under the table, but strange to say, can produce precisely the same sounds by rubbing my boots against the table legs and column——
I have had a watch and locket of gold placed in my hand under the table—by a hand while Mr Hume[’]s hands were both on the table– I felt the fingers distinctly and am confident they were not toes. I am thus particular because, on another occasion, a lady told me that she had had her hand touched near the wrist as it lay on the table by the toes of a foot, at least she judged so by the peculiar exhalation, and as for the cold air—occasionally felt on the hands and faces of the “Circle” I have both seen and heard the medium blow me across the table! and have felt “the cold air”. Some have smelled the cold air, and the odour was of wine—not spirits[.] I must do the medium the justice however to say that he is generally moderate in the use of wine—how much-soever he may be addicted to spirits.
5th I have been able to imitate some of the raps—but have failed to discover a method of producing them all unobserved. I have heard them—seemingly in several parts of the room at the same moment, and on one occasion when the medium was ill and the raps were numerous about him, I asked if the spirits would make them on the pillow above his head and close to my ear. An instant reply—by three distinct raps—within five inches of my face on the pillow was made! There was no perceptable [sic] motion of Mr Hume—and his hands were distant at the time– I cannot conceive how this and many other similar things could be done by merely natural means–
Mental questions too have been answered correctly and instantly—of a nature not likely to enter into the conception of the medium– I know that by the alphabet a careful watcher might obtain hints from the eye and voice of the questioner whose eye might dwell upon the first letter of a name or word, or voice—hesitate long enough to supply a cue, but some of these questions have been asked by one party and another has called over the alphabet, who did not know the question at all!——
6th “Spirit hands” have appeared when all light save that of the moon has been excluded from the room– To see these the party is arranged in a semi-circle at the table—leaving about ⅓d of the latter open next the window. The medium always sits on a side nearest the light and manages to have some one “strong in faith” [2] on the other—and here let me say that the medium almost invariably arranges the sitters so that the most faithful may be next to him always.
After a time and much expectation the hands appear rising slowly above the edge of the table. The light has never been sufficient to enable me to distinguish colours—except the whiteness of the long gauze like sleeve attached to the hands–
I could produce these appearances if I except the instance of the fan—by attaching a stick or wire to one of my feet with a stuffed glove or wax hand on the end of it, and a piece of gauze for the sleeve, but how could I conceal these things about my person? and what shall we say of the exception above alluded to?——
I will now conclude this long letter by saying—that if I had no better proofs of spiritual manifestations than have been given in my presence by Mr Hume I should doubt the fact– For, the fact that he does assist throws a strong shade of doubt over the whole, and if spirits can perform a part, and that part apparently the most difficult where is the necessity for collusion? and that there is collusion in the present case at least, I am perfectly certain.
All unite with me in kindest regards and best wishes for you and yours–
Sincerely your friend
Hiram Powers.
P.S. We are—one and all here—entirely satisfied with young Rymer [3] —who has behaved with remarkable propriety throughout and is now as thoroughly convinced in regard to Hume, as any of us–
Perhaps I should say something about the spiritual revelations through Mr Hume, some of these have been very remarkable, for their accuracy and characteristic qualities. Facts known only to individuals (so at least some have declared) have been revealed, with time place and circumstances—all quite astonishing. In some of these instances it seemed quite impossible to resist the conviction that the medium was really inspired by the spirit of the deceased individual purporting to be present–
My case in regard to Mr Hume is similar to what must exist between one who has heard a falsehood and one who has told a falsehood. I know not when to believe or to doubt, but must suspect every thing that does not prove itself–
Mr Hume has had rooms from me but in no wise connected with our own residence. Your letter would seem to imply that you thought him living with my family– He has visited us very often and many of the séances have been at our house–
My belief in spiritual manifestations remains firm and unchanged by the deceptions of Mr Hume—and his delinquencies only confirm the views I took of them at an early date, views I have on several occasions expressed to you– We must not trust the revelations upon the fact alone, that they come from the spiritual world—for all sorts of spirits are there—and the evil are just as anxious to communicate with us as the good—such is the case here—and why shod it be otherwise there? and if a highway is indeed now opened between the two worlds, should we wonder if highway men should be found upon it and thieves and robbers at its gates? That this spiritualism is doing a deal of mischief in the United States where converts to it are now numbered by millions! I am quite sure. How much good it may be doing I do not know, for evil is loud while good is silent– An attempt (sanctioned by spirits) is being made there to overturn Christianity—render void the marriage obligation, and sanction “Free Love[.]” That this sort of spiritual manifestation—if indeed spirits have any thing to do with it—is of Hell and not of Heaven, is I should think clear upon the face of it– I am sorry that Mr Browning coupled young Rymer with Mr Hume. I have seen much of this young man and am perfectly sure, that he has been imposed upon—and has not been a party to the tricks of the former– We suspected him also at first, but soon found out our error. He is now fully convinced of his error and I have no doubt will be able to persuade his Father for he takes with him to England letters from half a dozen of the most respectable foreign residents in Florence besides other evidence sufficient I should say to satisfy any man in his proper senses– Hume remains here for the present and is quite at home in Villa Colombai[a] with the Crossmans– [4]
Florence is full of gossip in regard to him—his doings and sayings and I suppose he will have his day here like other animals of the same sort–
H.P–
Publication: None traced.
Source: Author’s file copy at Smithsonian Institution.
1. William Wilson (d. 1896, aged 82), born in Edinburgh, was “Physician to the British Embassy … licentiate of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Surgeons of London and Gottingen,” residing “at No. 4190, Via Tornabuoni” (Francis Coghlan, Handbook for Travellers in Northern Italy, 1856, p. 169).
2. Romans 4:20.
3. John Wilkinson (“Wilkie”) Rymer (1837–97).
4. Anne Crossman (née Oakes, b. 1789), widow of Rev. George Brickdale Crossman (d. 1854, aged 62); her daughters, Anne Crossman and Georgina Baker, wife of Eric Thomas Baker (1809–82); and the Bakers’ son, Anatole Frederick Demidoff Baker (1851–88). They had been invited to live in the Villa Colombaia, which was located at Bellosguardo, by Major Charles Gregorie (1791–1858), who had resided there since about 1845 and was related to the Crossmans through marriage of a sister (see Waddington, pp. 318–320).
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