Strange Visitors

Strange Visitors

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Strange Visitors, by Henry J. Horn
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Title: Strange Visitors
Author: Henry J. Horn
Release Date: August 21, 2004 [EBook #13237]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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STRANGE VISITORS:
A SERIES OF ORIGINAL PAPERS, EMBRACING PHILOSOPHY,
SCIENCE, GOVERNMENT, RELIGION, POETRY, ART, FICTION,
SATIRE, HUMOR, NARRATIVE, AND PROPHECY.
BY THE _SPIRITS OF IRVING, WILLIS, THACKERAY, BRONTE,
RICHTER, BYRON, HUMBOLDT, HAWTHORNE, WESLEY,
BROWNING_, AND OTHERS NOW DWELLING IN THE SPIRIT
WORLD
DICTATED THROUGH A CLAIRVOYANT, WHILE IN AN
ABNORMAL OR TRANCE STATE.

1871

TABLE OF CONTENTS.
HENRY J. RAYMOND To the New York Public MARGARET
FULLER Literature in Spirit Life LORD BYRON To His Accusers
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE Apparitions WASHINGTON IRVING
Visit to Henry Clay NAPOLEON BONAPARTE To The French
Nation W. M. THACKERAY His Post Mortem Experience
ARCHBISHOP HUGHES Two Natural Religions EDGAR A. POE
The Lost Soul JEAN PAUL RICHTER Invisible Influences
CHARLOTTE BRONTE _Agnes Reef. A Tale_ ELIZABETH B.
BROWNING To Her Husband ARTEMUS WARD In and Out of
Purgatory LADY BLESSINGTON Distinguished Women
PROFESSOR OLMSTEAD Locality of the Spirit World ADAH
ISAACS MENKEN Hold Me Not N.P. WILLIS _Off-Hand Sketches_
MARGARET FULLER City of Spring Garden GILBERT STUART
Art Conversation EDWARD EVERETT Government FREDERIKA
BREMER Flight to my Starry Home REV. LYMAN BEECHER _The
Sabbath--Its Uses_ PROF. GEORGE BUSH Life and Marriage in
Spirit Life JUNIUS BRUTUS BOOTH Acting by Spirit Influence REV.
JOHN WESLEY Church of Christ N. P. WILLIS A Spirit Revisiting
Earth ALLAN CUNNINGHAM Alone BARON VON HUMBOLDT
The Earthquake SIR DAVID BREWSTER Naturalness of Spirit Life
H.T. BUCKLE Mormons W.E. BURTON Drama in Spirit Life CHAS.
L. ELLIOTT Painting in Spirit Life COMEDIAN'S POETRY
Rollicking Song LADY HESTER STANHOPE Prophecy
PROFESSOR MITCHELL The Planets DR. JOHN W. FRANCIS
Causes of Disease and Insanity ADELAIDE PROCTER The Spirit
Bride

INTRODUCTION.
BY THE EDITOR.
In placing before the public a work with such novel and extraordinary
demands upon its consideration, a few explanatory words seem
appropriate.

Its title and contents will doubtless at first sight cause a smile of
incredulity, and will be regarded by many as one of the devices which
are sometimes put forward to entrap an unsuspecting public into the
perusal of a sensational hoax.
For a number of years past the community has been surprised with
accounts of most incredible marvels; and from time to time the press
has reported various phenomena in connection with an _unrecognized
force and intelligence,_ as occurring in almost every locality
throughout the habitable globe.
These phenomena are thought by many to be mere illusions, and by
some attributed to peculiar electrical conditions; while others seek their
solution in an abnormal state of the brain; and others still believe them
dependent on an actual intercourse between mortals and those who
have passed beyond the grave.
Having become interested in this mysterious and exciting subject, and
finding the means at hand for testing the various phenomena, I resolved
to undertake a series of experiments, with the hope of exposing a
delusion, if such it were, or perchance, of clearing up a mystery which,
by the magnitude and importance it has already assumed, is disturbing
the foundations of old beliefs and steadily diffusing it's theories and
doctrines into the very heart of society.
Among other expedients to attain this end (assuming the hypothesis
that spirits of the departed were in a condition to communicate with
mortals), I interrogated, through the instrumentality of a clairvoyant
gifted with the remarkable power of passing at will into an unconscious
or trance state, the spirits of a number of well-known individuals
concerning their views and sentiments in their present state of
existence.
In response to my questions, an intelligent answer was received from
the Countess Ossoli (Margaret Fuller), with the assurance that my
desire was apprehended and would receive the hearty co-operation of
those to whom it was addressed.

The process by which the papers were given was that of dictation
through the clairvoyant while in an abnormal or trance condition and
with her eyes closed. The matter was written in pencil as it fell from her
lips, and subsequently transcribed for the press.
The difficulties attending the transmission of ideas through the medium
of another mind, even under ordinary circumstances, must be apparent
to all, and the unprejudiced reader may readily perceive obstacles to the
literal reproduction of their respective styles and language by the
various contributors.
Yet, notwithstanding