The Philosophy of Mystery

Part 1

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THE PHILOSOPHY OF MYSTERY.

“We so intreateth this serious and terrible matter of Spirites, that now and then insertyng some strange stories of counterfeyts, doth both very lybely display their falsehood, and also not a little recreate his reader: and yet in the ende he so aptly concludeth to the purpose, that his hystories seeme not idle tales, or impertinent vagaries, but very truethes, naturally falling under the compasse of his matter.”

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THE PHILOSOPHY OF MYSTERY.

WALTER COOPER DENDY, FELLOW AND HONORARY LIBRARIAN OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON; SENIOR SURGEON TO THE ROYAL INFIRMARY FOR CHILDREN, &c. &c.

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LONDON: LONGMAN, ORME, BROWN, GREEN, & LONGMANS, PATERNOSTER ROW. ——— 1841.

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GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, PRINTERS, St. John’s Square, London.

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TO HIS COUSINS,

STEPHEN DENDY, ESQ.

OF PARIS,

AND

CHARLES COOK DENDY, ESQ.

OF SOUTHGATE HOUSE, CHICHESTER;

AND TO HIS BROTHER,

EDWARD STEPHEN DENDY,

THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED,

IN TOKEN OF THE AFFECTIONATE REGARD

OF THE AUTHOR.

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CONTENTS.

PAGE THE CHALLENGE. Scenery on the Wye—A Ghost Seer—Tintern 1-5 Abbey—Faith and Scepticism in the reality of Phantoms

NATURE AND MOTIVES OF GHOSTS. Notions of the Ancients regarding the nature of 6-17 Ghosts—Confidence of the Ancients in their appearance—Modern Incidents in illustration of real appearance—Qualities of Ghosts—Motives of Apparitions—Ancient and modern Stories

PROPHECY OF SPECTRES. Ancient spectral Prophecy—Modern Stories in 18-33 illustration of prophetic Spectres—Philosophy and Poesy of Shakspere—Holy influence of Spectral Visitations—Stories of apparently special influence of the Deity

ILLUSION OF SPECTRES. Reasons for early faith in Phantoms—Modern errors 34-51 regarding classic Superstitions—Shallowness and Fallacy of modern Incidents—Explanation of Ghost Stories by Coincidence—Incidents in proof of Coincidence—Proneness of intellectual Minds to credulity and exaggeration—Innocent invention of an incident at Bowood

Part 2

PHANTASY FROM MENTAL ASSOCIATION. Influence of interesting localities—Definition of 52-66 a Phantom—An intense idea—Demonomania—Stings of Conscience—Curious effect of peculiar study or intense thought—Darkness and Obscurity—Romance of reality—A mysterious incident

PHANTASY FROM CEREBRAL EXCITEMENT. Second Sight—National propensity to the 67-79 Sight—Romance and Poetry of the Mountains—Morbid predisposition to Second Sight—Unearthly Visions on the eve of Dissolution—Glimpses of Reason in dying Maniacs

PHANTASY FROM CEREBRAL CONGESTION. Phantoms of intellectual Minds—Illusion of 80-88 Opium—Illustrations of Narcotic Influence

POETIC PHANTASY, OR FRENZY. Inspiration of Poesy and 89-100 Painting—Shakspere—Fuseli—Blake—Philosophy and Madness—Illusion of Tasso—Truth of Poesy—Splendid illusions at the onset of Mania—Melancholy constitution and decay of Poetic Minds—Letter of a Cheromaniac—Sensibility—Unhappy consequences of cherishing Romance—Fragment of John Keats

PHANTASY FROM SYMPATHY WITH THE BRAIN. Philosophy of Moral Causes—Effect of thought and 101-112 of the function of the Stomach in producing physical changes in the Brain—Stories in proof of this influence—Illusions from Derangements of Vision—Curious cases of ocular Spectra from peculiar conditions of the Eye

MYSTERIOUS FORMS AND SIGNS. Stories of Supernatural Appearances 113-122

ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION OF SPECTRAL ILLUSION. Credulity—Arrangement of Causes of Spectral 123-140 Illusion—Illustration of Atmospheric Illusions—Natural Phenomena—Fata Morgana—Schattenman of the Brocken—Romance of unlettered minds

ILLUSIONS OF ART. Monkish Impostures—Optical Toys—Spontaneous 141-146 Combustion

ILLUSTRATION OF MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS. Elemental Causes—Impositions at 147-154 Woodstock—Tedworth—Cock Lane—Subterranean Sounds—Currents of Air—Memnon—Phonic Instruments—Vocal curiosity in young Richmond

FAIRY MYTHOLOGY. Origin of Faëry—Legends of the Mythology of 155-165 various Climes—Cauld Lad of Hilton

DEMONOLOGY. Classic and Indian Mythology—Embodying of a 166-177 Demon—Stories illustrative of the Superstitions of Ireland and Cornwall—Legend of the Changelings—Poetry of Nature—Preadamite Beings

NATURE OF SOUL AND MIND. Psychology of the Greeks and of the 178-192 Moderns—Essence of Phrenology—Lord Brougham—Priestley—Paley—Johnson—Modes of Sepulture—Paradise—Atheism—Deity—Hindu Mythology—Senile Intellect

NATURE OF SLEEP. Unconsciousness of Sleep—Necessity of 193-204 Slumber—Malady of Collins—Somnolency of the Brute and of Savages—Periods of Sleep—Sleeplessness and its Antidotes

SUBLIMITY AND IMPERFECTION OF DREAMING. Unconsciousness of the Dream—Arguments on this 205-213 question—Episode of a dreaming Life

PROPHECY OF DREAMS. Ancient Prophetic Dreams—Stories of modern 214-222 Prophecies in Dreaming

MORAL CAUSES OF DREAMING. Associations of Dreaming—Incongruous 223-235 Combinations—Source of Ideas in Dreams—Innate Idea—Undreaming Minds—Flitting of the Spirit—Fallacy of Mental Energy in the Dream—Illusion of Dreams—Marmontel

ANACHRONISM AND COINCIDENCE OF DREAMS. Celerity of Ideas in the Dream—Sacred Records of 236-256 Dreams—Danger of profane Discussion of Scripture—Fallacy of Dreams—Consequences of Credulity in Dreams

MATERIAL CAUSES OF DREAMS. Blending of Metaphysics and Philosophy—Confusion 257-269 of ancient and modern Classifications of Dreams—Curious Cases of suspended Memory—Anecdotes of Tenacity of Memory—Physiology of Memory—Ghost of an amputated Limb

INTENSE IMPRESSION.—MEMORY. Curious Cases of Associations—Deranged 270-280 Memory—Dreams of Animals—Poetic Illustrations

INFLUENCE OF DARK BLOOD IN THE BRAIN. Conditions of the Brain—Analogy of Dreaming and 281-294 Mania—Sympathetic Causes of Dreaming—Repletion—Effects of Posture in inducing Dreams—Phrenological Illustrations

INCUBUS OR NIGHT-MARE. Illustrative Incidents—Night-mare of the Mind 295-303

SOMNILOQUENCE.—SOMNAMBULISM. Stories of Sleep-talking—Stories of 304-328 Sleep-walking—Changes of disposition in Somnambulism—Abeyance of Memory during the Interval—Exactness and Energy during Somnambulism—Concentration of Power—Unconsciousness—Analysis of Sleep-walking—Theory of Reflex Action of the Nervous System—Irresistibility—Disease of the Brain in Somnambulists

IMITATIVE MONOMANIA. Dance of the Middle Ages—Tarantulism—Saint Vitus’ 329-340 Dance—Tigretier—Lycanthropy—Fanaticism during the Commonwealth—Moravians—The Kent Tragedy—Stories of Imitative Suicide—Effects of Stramonium, and of Gaseous Inhalation

REVERIE. Abstraction of Idiocy—Cretinism—Wandering of the 341-352 Mind—Concentrativeness—Anecdotes illustrative of Illusive Abstraction

ABSTRACTION OF INTELLECT. Anecdotes in illustration—Brown 353-366 Study—Apathy—Heroism—Reverie of Philosophy—Sonata di Diavolo—Reverie at Caerphilly—Intense Impression—Abstraction of Deep Study—Reverie of the Dying

SOMNOLENCE.—TRANCE.—CATALEPSY. Description of Trance—Legends of Deep 367-377 Sleepers—Stories of Modern Trances—Analogies from Intense Impression—Periodical Catalepsy

PREMATURE INTERMENT.—RESUSCITATION. Stories in Illustration—Romance, Life in 378-392 Death—Causes of Resuscitation—Disunion of Mind and Body—Insensibility of the Decollated Head—Sensations during Hanging and Drowning—Case of Dr. Adam Clarke

TRANSMIGRATION.—ANALYSIS OF TRANCE. State of the Spirit after Death—Fables of 393-404 Transmigration—Superstition in India and England—Tenacity of Life—Hybernation—Sleep of Plants—Physiology of Trance

Part 3

MESMERISM. Its origin—Commissions for its 405-430 investigation—Caspar Hauser—Sensations of Magnetism—Magnetized Trees—Operations during Magnetic Trance—Transference of Senses—Mineral Traction—Clairvoyance—Trance of Santa Theresa—Prophetess of Prevorst—Magnetic Aura—Personal Sympathy—Socrates—Fascino—Prince Hohenlohe

SIBYLLINE INFLUENCE. Occult Science—A Gipsy—Spells and 431-443 Charms—Relics—Ordeals—Philosophy of Prophetic Fulfilment—Melancholy effects of Prophecy—Astrology—Conclusion

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THE

PHILOSOPHY OF MYSTERY.

THE CHALLENGE.

“There are more things in heav’n and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”—HAMLET.

THERE was a shallop floating on the Wye, among the gray rocks and leafy woods of Chepstow. Within it were two fair girls reclining: the one blending the romantic wildness of a maid of Italy with the exquisite purity of English nature; the other illuming, with the devotion of a vestal, the classic beauty of a Greek.

There was a young and learned bachelor sitting at the helm. Study had stamped an air of thoughtfulness on his brow; yet a smile was ever playing on his lips, as his heart felt the truth and influence of the beautiful life around him.

Listen, gentle reader, we pray thy courtesy and thy patience, as a rude unskilful pen traces the breathed thoughts of these wanderers of the Wye.

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CASTALY. We have roamed, dear Ida, among the classic lands of the far-off Mediterranean: we have looked, from her pinnacles of snow, on the silvery gleaminess of Switzerland, and from purple sierras on the sunny splendour of Spain; yet these English meadows, with their fringes of wild bloom, come o’er the heart with all the freshness of an infant’s dream. Yon majestic crag of Wyndcliff is flinging its purple shadows athwart the water, and floods of golden glory are streaming through the beech-woods of Piercefield: and see, our little sail, white as the wing of a swan, is wafting us towards Abbey Tintern, along this beautiful valley, where the river almost doubles on itself; meandering among its mead-flowers and its mosses, as loth to leave its luxuriant bed. Listen! the breath of evening is among the trees that dip in the ripple of the Wye their leaves of shivering gold. What a scene for minions of the moon to revel in! Say, shall we charm the lingering hours of this midsummer night among the ivied cloisters of the abbey? But where is Astrophel, our moon-struck student, who, like Chaucer’s scholar, keeps

——“at his bed’s head, A twenty books clothed in black and red, Of Aristotle and his philosophy?”——

They have not taught him courtesy, or he would not steal away from the light of our eyes to commune with owls and ivy-bushes.

Yet we promise him our smile for your sake, Evelyn. Indeed, I am thinking his mysteries will chime in admirably with the solemnity of this lone abbey. We appoint him master of our revels.

EVELYN. Let your smile be in pity, fair Castaly, on the illusions of Astrophel. Ensconced in his dark closet, within a charmed ring of black-letter folios, he has wofully warped his studies, and has read himself into the belief that he is a GIFTED SEER. Yet love him, lady, for his virtues; for his history is a very paradox. His heart is melting with charity for the beings of earth, yet his mind is half-weaned from their fellowship. At his imminent peril, he leaps into the Isis to save a drowning boy, and the world calls him misanthrope, withal. It is the fate indeed of many a cloistered scholar, whose

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