To show the extent to which belief in these absurdities goes, I subjoin an extract from a paper, by which it appears that even the solemnities of a funeral cannot sober the minds of their deluded followers.  Mr. Calvin R. Brown—­better known as the husband of Mrs. Anne L. Fish, a famous “spirit medium” in New York—­having died, we read the following notice of the funeral:—­“After prayer, the Rev. S. Brittan delivered an address, in which he dwelt with much earnestness upon the superiority of the life of the spirit, as compared with that of the body.  At various points in his address there were rappings, sometimes apparently on the bottom of the coffin, and at others upon the floor, as if in response to the sentiments uttered.  After concluding his address, Professor Brittan read a communication purporting to have come from the deceased after his entrance into the spirit world.  While it was being read, the reporter states that the rappings were distinctly heard.  Several friends then sang, “Come, ye disconsolate,” after which the Rev. Mr. Denning made a few remarks, during which the rappings were more audible than before.  Other ceremonies closed the funeral.  The whole party, preachers, physicians, and all, were spiritualists,” &c.

But I have before me a letter written by Judge Edmonds, which is a more painful exemplification of the insanity superinduced by giving way to these absurdities; in that document you will find him deliberately stating, that he saw heavy tables flying about without touch, like the leaves in autumn; bells walking off shelves and ringing themselves, &c.  Also, you will find him classing among his co-believers “Doctors, lawyers, clergymen, a Protestant bishop, a learned and reverend president of a college, judges of higher courts, members of congress, foreign ambassadors (I hope not Mr. Crampton), and ex-members of the United States Senate.”

The ladies of the old country will, no doubt, be astonished to hear that their sisters of the younger country have medical colleges in various States; but, I believe, mostly in the northern ones.  To what extent their studies in the healing art are carried, I cannot precisely inform them; it most probably will not stop at combinations of salts and senna, or spreading plasters—­for which previous nursery practice with bread and butter might eminently qualify them.  How deeply they will dive into the mysteries of anatomy, unravelling the tangled web of veins and arteries, and mastering the intricacies of the ganglionic centre; or how far they will practise the subjugation of their feelings, whether only enough to whip off some pet finger and darling little toe, or whether sufficiently to perform more important operations, even such as Sydney Smith declared a courageous little prime minister was ready to undertake at a minute’s notice; these are questions which I cannot answer:  but one thing is clear, the wedge is entered.  How far it will be driven in, time must show.[AK]