DOI issue:
July to December, 1853
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16612#0163
152
PUNCH, OK THE LONDON CHARIVARI
ANOTHER INSULT TO IRELAND !
(From the Nation.)
“It is reported that the ever glorious John
Mitchell has escaped from the blood-red hands
of the sanguinary Saxon. And what has been
the i eward offered for his apprehension ? "Why
‘£2 or such lesser sum as may be determined
upon by the convicting magistrate!5 Eorty
shillings for that heroic martyr ! Oh, my
countrymen, does not the brutal Times, every
day of its atrocious existence, offer more for a
strayed cur—a wandering puppy-dog ? And
forty shillings (or less) for the hope of Erin ! ”
It would seem that the Colonial Government
has orders to treat Irish patriots as at rural
fairs and merry-makings the master of cere-
monies treats pigs ; namely—to grease well
their tails, that they may the more easily slip
out of hand.
Theatrical Act of Grace.
Our theatrical readers will rejoice to know
that Mr. Charles Iaean will re-open the
Princess’s with an act of clemency. The play-
going world lamented to leam that Mr. Kean
—in pursuance of a high, unflinching principle
—had erased the Queen’s name from the
List, for having incautiously laughed at Free
Mr. Eraid’s imitation of Mr. Kean. We are
happy to learn, however, that Her Majesty’s
name has been restored, intelligence to that
effect having, last week, been sent from the
Box-office to Balmoral.
MAHOGANY POSSESSED.
There is something in Table-moving — and we imagined that
Faraday had discovered what that was. At least we thought that if
he had not, the Deuce was in it; and we were right—but right in the
alternative. The phenomenon, according to the demonstration of two
Anglican divines, is produced by “ Satanic Agency.” The old broker of
souls is the man in possession of mahogany. The Rev. N. S. God-
frey, Incumbent of Wortley, Leeds, and the Rev. E. Gillson, Curate
of Lyncombe and Widcombe, Bath, have respectively printed and pub-
lished evidence of this fact. They have witnessed the change of maho-
gany into Satan-wood. They have seen the tables talk with their legs
by knocking on the floor, and they give us dialogues which they have
held, personally, with these articles of furniture; questions put and
genuine answers returned, with the stamp—without which none are
genuine. From these answers they conclude that the leg of the table
is connected with a cloven foot.
The tables, indeed, candidly confessed to both of these clergymen
that, they were actuated by evil spirits, one of which described itself as
a lost soul, by the name of Alfred Brown, but appeared, by the testi-
mony of another, to have an alias. This rogue of a spirit asserted that
he could move the table without the hands of the experimenters; which,
when tested, however, he could not do; and it certainly seems that
table-moving cannot be accomplished unless somebody else, besides the
devil, has a hand in it.
That personage is familiarly denominated the Old Gentleman. Plis
table talk justifies his title to that appellation, by showing that he is
in his dotage. The demons that possess the tables contradict them-
selves on cross-examination in a way unparalleled by the stupidest liar
that ever stood in a witness box. The Baronet whose case broke
down the other day was a very adept iu fiction, compared to the Father
ot it—speaking by tables. Besides it is very silly of him—not the
Baronet but the other—to disclose himself at all. If his great object
is to get people to come to him, he could do nothing more likely to
•defeat it than to go to them, and thus convince the British Public of his
■existence. “ The Devil is an Ass ” is now something more than the
title of a comedy.
The tables refused to move when the Bible was placed upon them—-
though one did lift its leg by trying very hard, “ slowly and heavily,”
under the burden of a New Testament. But another was equally
restive beneath a slip of paper whereon was written the name of
“Satan.” _ So it was under other names, not to be repeated here.
Now, all this is grossly inconsistent on the part of one who has always
been cosidered the very Prince of Plausibility.
However, both of 1 he reverend gentlemen denounce all doubt
touching the correctness of their reference of these things to diabolical !
agency, as profane scepticism ; and under these circumstances we have
besought the advice of our venerated Rector, the Rev. Dr. Dryport ;
who told us that he believed in no supernatural events whatever, the
acknowledgment ot which was not required by Ihe Thirty-Nine
Articles. He added that if he saw a table, moving without physical
agency, stopped, independently of simple weight, by the superposition
of a Bible, he should be disposed to let the volume remain where it
was, and apply himself to the study of its contents. If he had reason
to suppose that the devil was in the table, he should let him alone, and
have nothing to say to him unless he were sure he had the power to
cast him out of it. .
We asked the Reverend Doctor what he thought of the following
extract from the pamphlet of Mr. Gillson.
“ I then asked, ‘ Where are Satan’s head-quarters ? Are they in England ?’ There
was a slight movement. ‘ Are they in France?’ A violent movement. ‘Are they
iu Spain?' Similar agitation. ‘Are they at Rome?’ The table literally seemed
frantic .... ‘I)o you know the Pope ? ’ The table was violently agitated.”
Dr. Dryport answered that he supposed the table must have been
one that had been used at Exeter Hall, and probably acted under
influence from that quarter—of a mechanical nature. He should think
that one of the parties touching the table was a very zealous
IProf cstciiit/
We inquired if there would be any harm in our tiding if tables
would move by the imposition of our hands ? He replied that there
could be no doubt that they were moved by an imposition practised
by hand, but if we had any, there was no objection to onr making the
experiment. We, therefore, chose twelve honest men, constituting,
in fact, a British jury, and got them to lay their hands on a substantial
dinner-table, which presently began to move. The following dialogue
ensued:
“ Where are the head-quarters of despotism ? Are they in England ?
There was no movement. “Are they in France ? ” A violent move-
ment. “Are they in Austria?” A tremendous movement. “Are
they in Russia ? ” The table jurn ed and bounced, and tumbled from
side to side in such a manner that one might have imagined that a
quantity of brandy and water had been spilt upon it and made it
furiously drunk.
“ Do you know Old Nicholas ? ” The table capsized, went right
over; completely upset.
After that, what question can there be about the _ agency; con-
cerned in Table-moving? Dr. Dryport, however, will have it that
Mr. Godfrey aud Mr. Gillson have not been having communication
with evil spirits, and that whatever those gentlemen may say ior
themselves, they are no conjurors.
“ Manchester is the portico of the great Temple of Bcace.”—(olden
PUNCH, OK THE LONDON CHARIVARI
ANOTHER INSULT TO IRELAND !
(From the Nation.)
“It is reported that the ever glorious John
Mitchell has escaped from the blood-red hands
of the sanguinary Saxon. And what has been
the i eward offered for his apprehension ? "Why
‘£2 or such lesser sum as may be determined
upon by the convicting magistrate!5 Eorty
shillings for that heroic martyr ! Oh, my
countrymen, does not the brutal Times, every
day of its atrocious existence, offer more for a
strayed cur—a wandering puppy-dog ? And
forty shillings (or less) for the hope of Erin ! ”
It would seem that the Colonial Government
has orders to treat Irish patriots as at rural
fairs and merry-makings the master of cere-
monies treats pigs ; namely—to grease well
their tails, that they may the more easily slip
out of hand.
Theatrical Act of Grace.
Our theatrical readers will rejoice to know
that Mr. Charles Iaean will re-open the
Princess’s with an act of clemency. The play-
going world lamented to leam that Mr. Kean
—in pursuance of a high, unflinching principle
—had erased the Queen’s name from the
List, for having incautiously laughed at Free
Mr. Eraid’s imitation of Mr. Kean. We are
happy to learn, however, that Her Majesty’s
name has been restored, intelligence to that
effect having, last week, been sent from the
Box-office to Balmoral.
MAHOGANY POSSESSED.
There is something in Table-moving — and we imagined that
Faraday had discovered what that was. At least we thought that if
he had not, the Deuce was in it; and we were right—but right in the
alternative. The phenomenon, according to the demonstration of two
Anglican divines, is produced by “ Satanic Agency.” The old broker of
souls is the man in possession of mahogany. The Rev. N. S. God-
frey, Incumbent of Wortley, Leeds, and the Rev. E. Gillson, Curate
of Lyncombe and Widcombe, Bath, have respectively printed and pub-
lished evidence of this fact. They have witnessed the change of maho-
gany into Satan-wood. They have seen the tables talk with their legs
by knocking on the floor, and they give us dialogues which they have
held, personally, with these articles of furniture; questions put and
genuine answers returned, with the stamp—without which none are
genuine. From these answers they conclude that the leg of the table
is connected with a cloven foot.
The tables, indeed, candidly confessed to both of these clergymen
that, they were actuated by evil spirits, one of which described itself as
a lost soul, by the name of Alfred Brown, but appeared, by the testi-
mony of another, to have an alias. This rogue of a spirit asserted that
he could move the table without the hands of the experimenters; which,
when tested, however, he could not do; and it certainly seems that
table-moving cannot be accomplished unless somebody else, besides the
devil, has a hand in it.
That personage is familiarly denominated the Old Gentleman. Plis
table talk justifies his title to that appellation, by showing that he is
in his dotage. The demons that possess the tables contradict them-
selves on cross-examination in a way unparalleled by the stupidest liar
that ever stood in a witness box. The Baronet whose case broke
down the other day was a very adept iu fiction, compared to the Father
ot it—speaking by tables. Besides it is very silly of him—not the
Baronet but the other—to disclose himself at all. If his great object
is to get people to come to him, he could do nothing more likely to
•defeat it than to go to them, and thus convince the British Public of his
■existence. “ The Devil is an Ass ” is now something more than the
title of a comedy.
The tables refused to move when the Bible was placed upon them—-
though one did lift its leg by trying very hard, “ slowly and heavily,”
under the burden of a New Testament. But another was equally
restive beneath a slip of paper whereon was written the name of
“Satan.” _ So it was under other names, not to be repeated here.
Now, all this is grossly inconsistent on the part of one who has always
been cosidered the very Prince of Plausibility.
However, both of 1 he reverend gentlemen denounce all doubt
touching the correctness of their reference of these things to diabolical !
agency, as profane scepticism ; and under these circumstances we have
besought the advice of our venerated Rector, the Rev. Dr. Dryport ;
who told us that he believed in no supernatural events whatever, the
acknowledgment ot which was not required by Ihe Thirty-Nine
Articles. He added that if he saw a table, moving without physical
agency, stopped, independently of simple weight, by the superposition
of a Bible, he should be disposed to let the volume remain where it
was, and apply himself to the study of its contents. If he had reason
to suppose that the devil was in the table, he should let him alone, and
have nothing to say to him unless he were sure he had the power to
cast him out of it. .
We asked the Reverend Doctor what he thought of the following
extract from the pamphlet of Mr. Gillson.
“ I then asked, ‘ Where are Satan’s head-quarters ? Are they in England ?’ There
was a slight movement. ‘ Are they in France?’ A violent movement. ‘Are they
iu Spain?' Similar agitation. ‘Are they at Rome?’ The table literally seemed
frantic .... ‘I)o you know the Pope ? ’ The table was violently agitated.”
Dr. Dryport answered that he supposed the table must have been
one that had been used at Exeter Hall, and probably acted under
influence from that quarter—of a mechanical nature. He should think
that one of the parties touching the table was a very zealous
IProf cstciiit/
We inquired if there would be any harm in our tiding if tables
would move by the imposition of our hands ? He replied that there
could be no doubt that they were moved by an imposition practised
by hand, but if we had any, there was no objection to onr making the
experiment. We, therefore, chose twelve honest men, constituting,
in fact, a British jury, and got them to lay their hands on a substantial
dinner-table, which presently began to move. The following dialogue
ensued:
“ Where are the head-quarters of despotism ? Are they in England ?
There was no movement. “Are they in France ? ” A violent move-
ment. “Are they in Austria?” A tremendous movement. “Are
they in Russia ? ” The table jurn ed and bounced, and tumbled from
side to side in such a manner that one might have imagined that a
quantity of brandy and water had been spilt upon it and made it
furiously drunk.
“ Do you know Old Nicholas ? ” The table capsized, went right
over; completely upset.
After that, what question can there be about the _ agency; con-
cerned in Table-moving? Dr. Dryport, however, will have it that
Mr. Godfrey aud Mr. Gillson have not been having communication
with evil spirits, and that whatever those gentlemen may say ior
themselves, they are no conjurors.
“ Manchester is the portico of the great Temple of Bcace.”—(olden