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Public； sitting in judgment on the question； reserved any point in this great
verdict for subsequent consideration； but the verdict would seem to have
been regarded by a perverse generation as not quite final； inasmuch as Mr。
Howitt finds it necessary to re…open the case； a round ten years afterwards；
in nine hundred and sixty…two stiff octavo pages； published by Messrs。
Longman and Company。
Mr。 Howitt is in such a bristling temper on the Supernatural subject；
that we will not take the great liberty of arguing any point with him。 But…
…with the view of assisting him to make convertswe will inform our
readers； on his conclusive authority； what they are required to believe；
premising what may rather astonish them in connexion with their views of
a certain historical trifle； called The Reformation； that their present state of
unbelief is all the fault of Protestantism； and that 〃it is high time； therefore；
to protest against Protestantism〃。
They will please to believe； by way of an easy beginning； all the
stories of good and evil demons； ghosts； prophecies； communication with
spirits； and practice of magic； that ever obtained； or are said to have ever
obtained； in the North； in the South； in the East； in the West； from the
earliest and darkest ages； as to which we have any hazy intelligence； real
or supposititious； down to the yet unfinished displacement of the red men
in North America。 They will please to believe that nothing in this wise
was changed by the fulfilment of our Saviour's mission upon earth； and
further； that what Saint Paul did； can be done again； and has been done
again。 As this is not much to begin with； they will throw in at this point
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rejection of Faraday and Brewster； and 〃poor Paley〃； and implicit
acceptance of those shining lights； the Reverend Charles Beecher； and the
Reverend Henry Ward Beecher （〃one of the most vigorous and eloquent
preachers of America〃）； and the Reverend Adin Ballou。
Having thus cleared the way for a healthy exercise of faith； our
advancing readers will next proceed especially to believe in the old story
of the Drummer of Tedworth； in the inspiration of George Fox； in 〃the
spiritualism； prophecies； and provision〃 of Huntington the coal…porter
（him who prayed for the leather breeches which miraculously fitted him）；
and even in the Cock Lane Ghost。 They will please wind up； before
fetching their breath； with believing that there is a close analogy between
rejection of any such plain and proved facts as those contained in the
whole foregoing catalogue； and the opposition encountered by the
inventors of railways； lighting by gas； microscopes and telescopes； and
vaccination。 This stinging consideration they will always carry rankling
in their remorseful hearts as they advance。
As touching the Cock Lane Ghost； our conscience…stricken readers
will please particularly to reproach themselves for having ever supposed
that important spiritual manifestation to have been a gross imposture
which was thoroughly detected。 They will please to believe that Dr。
Johnson believed in it； and that； in Mr。 Howitt's words； he 〃appears to have
had excellent reasons for his belief〃。 With a view to this end； the faithful
will be so good as to obliterate from their Boswells the following passage：
〃Many of my readers； I am convinced； are to this hour under an
impression that Johnson was thus foolishly deceived。 It will therefore
surprise them a good deal when they are informed upon undoubted
authority that Johnson was one of those by whom the imposture was
detected。 The story had become so popular； that he thought it should be
investigated； and in this research he was assisted by the Rev。 Dr。 Douglas；
now Bishop of Salisbury； the great detector of impostures〃… …and therefore
tremendously obnoxious to Mr。 Howitt〃who informs me that after the
gentlemen who went and examined into the evidence were satisfied of its
falsity； Johnson wrote in their presence an account of it； which was
published in the newspapers and Gentleman's Magazine； and undeceived
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the world〃。 But as there will still remain another highly inconvenient
passage in the Boswells of the true believers； they must likewise be at the
trouble of cancelling the following also； referring to a later time： 〃He
（Johnson） expressed great indignation at the imposture of the Cock Lane
Ghost； and related with much satisfaction how he had assisted in detecting
the cheat； and had published an account of it in the newspapers〃。
They will next believe （if they be； in the words of Captain Bobadil； 〃so
generously minded〃） in the transatlantic trance…speakers 〃who professed to
speak from direct inspiration〃； Mrs。 Cora Hatch； Mrs。 Henderson； and
Miss Emma Hardinge； and they will believe in those eminent ladies
having 〃spoken on Sundays to five hundred thousand hearers〃small
audiences； by the way； compared with the intelligent concourse recently
assembled in the city of New York； to do honour to the Nuptials of
General the Honourable T。 Barnum Thumb。 At about this stage of their
spiritual education they may take the opportunity of believing in 〃letters
from a distinguished gentleman of New York； in which the frequent
appearance of the gentleman's deceased wife and of Dr。 Franklin； to him
and other well…known friends； are unquestionably unequalled in the annals
of the marvellous〃。 Why these modest appearances should seem at all
out of the common way to Mr。 Howitt （who would be in a state of flaming
indignation if we thought them so）； we could not imagine； until we found
on reading further； 〃it is solemnly stated that the witnesses have not only
seen but touched these spirits； and handled the clothes and hair of
Franklin〃。 Without presuming to go Mr。 Howitt's length of considering
this by any means a marvellous experience； we yet venture to confess that
it has awakened in our mind many interesting speculations touching the
present whereabout in space； of the spirits of Mr。 Howitt's own departed
boots and hats。
The next articles of belief are Belief in the moderate figures of 〃thirty
thousand media in the United States in 1853〃； and in two million five
hundred thousand spiritualists in the same country of composed minds； in
1855； 〃professing to have arrived at their convictions of spiritual
communication from personal experience〃； and in 〃an average rate of
increase of three hundred thousand per annum〃； still in the same country
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of calm philosophers。 Belief in spiritual knockings； in all manner of
American places； and； among others； in the house of 〃a Doctor Phelps at
Stratford； Connecticut； a man of the highest character for intelligence〃；
says Mr。 Howitt； and to whom we willingly concede the possession of far
higher intelligence than was displayed by his spiritual knocker； in
〃frequently cutting to pieces the clothes of one of his boys〃； and in
breaking 〃seventy…one panes of glass〃unless； indeed； the knocker； when
in the body； was connected with the tailoring and glazing interests。
Belief in immaterial performers playing （in the dark though： they are
obstinate about its being in the dark） on material instruments of wood；
catgut； brass； tin； and parchment。 Your belief is further requested in 〃the
Kentucky Jerks〃。 The spiritual achievements thus euphoniously
denominated 〃