Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

OF THE EXISTENCE OF SPIRITS. 355larger one he liad written a full account of the inystcrioiismanifestations,in the form of a diary, and, having noted them as they occurred from dayto day, they were recorded with more minuteness than could afterwarddone. Upon looking, it was discovered that every page that had beenwritten upon was torn from the book and gone. After a long search, thefraii'ments of the leaves were found in the vault.heCopies of the characterswhich the doctor had carefully taken, and felt anxious to preserve, wereevery scrap gone.There were, in a dressing-table drawer in the chamber,a great number of the notes sent. These were set on fire with a matchand burned in the drawer. The fire was discovered by the smoke, but notuntil the papers were so far charred as to injure them beyond preservation.A few of these writings only arc retained, which were in other places.The last of the annoyances was on the 25th of September, and was thatof throwing ink upon the daughter's dress. She was standing on thepiazza, near the front door; the window of the front chamber was open,from whicli was thrown a small bottle of ink. The ink went over herdress in a way to entirely unfit it for further use. There was no person inthe chamber who would have done such a thing for mischief; and, indeed,no person in the house who would have been guilty of1731. ^' The young lady w\as just setting out for a visit at New Haven,from which she was anticipating much pleasure, and I cannot conceiveany feeling, short of sheer malevolence, that would prompt such an act.1732. " On the second day of October, the family, with the exceptionof Dr. Phelps and the cook, left Stratford to go to Pennsylvania.their absence all demonstrations ceased, with what may be termed oneit.ofDuringexception.A letter, addressed by Dr. Phelps to Mrs. Phelps, contained,when itreached her, some of the spirit-writing in pencil, saying that 'herhusband was sick and wished her to return if she expected to see himalive.' He was then in good health; but the next week was sick andconfined to his bed two or three days. There may or may not have beensome connection between the two occurrences. It was the design of Dr.Phelps to separate the fiimily for a time, in order, if possible, to get rid ofthe annoyance ; and for the five weeks he remained at Stratford, after thefamily had left, no disturbances took place. Harry stayed in Buckscounty (Pa.) all winter, and the other members of the family lived inPhiladelphia.1733. " In the month of March the family returned to Stratford. Thehouse had been closed and under the charge of a neighbour, and no signof any disturbance was visible, as every article of furniture was found justas they left it.About the fourth or fifth day after their return slight rappingwas heard as they sat at the tea-table. They affected not to noticeit, and the next day it was repeated more distinctly, but no response wasmade. Soon after, certain characters were found about the house, whichwere known, from the circumstances, to be of recent origin. Two or three