A famous magician has recently been exhibiting his powers in Boston. The Sunday Record prints the conversation of one of its contributors, styled The Modern Athenian, with an old Bostonian, who resided in Calcutta many years. Here are some of the things the East Indian said, which touch the teachings of this department. The journalist asked the elderly gentleman what he thought of the materialization of spirits, as shown by the necromancer; and thus he responded:
I have watched him carefully, as I do all the jugglers of any note who visit this city. I go to all the Spiritualist exhibitions also, four-fifths of which are sheer humbug. . . . This man actually materializes certain presences, or influences, for which there is no name that will make my meaning intelligible to Americans generally.
You have read Mr. Isaacs, the clever book by Crawford? Well then, with some pardonable exaggeration, to make these influences dramatically effective, a description of certain manifestations is given, which in no way surprises cultivated East Indians. Crawford has skilfully availed himself of these peculiar threads, to weave into the woof of his romance. He may use them fearlessly, for latter-day inquiry and latter-day story-tellers are certain to confirm his right.
