could take place beneath. I ask by what extraordinary accuracy of hearing (there being no criterion of comparison) could he tell me whether the sounds in question proceeded from the upper or the under surface of the table? I have shown already, in my former paper, how such sounds may be easily produced either way. I will be more explicit as to the means of operating on the under surface of a sofa-table, stated to be the vehicle in this instance; but, first of all, I wish to explain the secret of the undula ting motion, and how that motion might be gradually increased ad libitum.
The absurdity of the device is its extreme simplicity as compared with the effect on the wondering spectator. “If the hands of the ladies had any influence upon the movements of the table, such influence,” says the writer, “must have operated at right angles, or in opposite directions.” Supposing both operated at the same time, this would have been so; but what is the necessity for assuming this simultaneous action? Supposing both pairs of hands, however, were altogether quiescent, there are other extremities to the human frame, and Mediums, as I observed, are not only aware of this anatomical resource, but are in the habit of developing it by assiduous education. In this case, however, we are far from requiring any such special aptitude, original or acquired, to account for the rocking phenomenon. The lady at the side has simply to draw her feet underneath her chair, insert her knees beneath the bar which runs from leg to leg, alternately raise and depress either heel, and a rocking motion is easily established, the deflection being proportioned to the length of the table. I can obtain such a motion of the sofa-table at which I am writing, but I am obliged to command the Spirits to desist, because I desire to finish a readable sentence which shall not be a rocking enigma to the compositor.
If the reader were sitting behind or even opposite me at a sufficient distance, he would see my heels in motion; but it would not be so easy to discern their activity if they were enveloped in crinoline and its gauzy collaterals. As in the case represented by the above diagram, crinoline, like charity, covers a multitude of insidious actions on the part of designing legs and heels which are not permitted to innocent pantaloons. A front view of the performer would only show the result, as in Fig. 2.
_-_Henry_Novra.png)
Fig. 2.
But the spectator, in this instance, was, as he tells us, some six or seven feet from the end of the table, in which case he could not see even the bar, and still less the Medium’s means of operation. The spiritual appearance exhibited to his eyes, would be a table deflected downwards, thus:
_-_Henry_Novra.png)
Fig. 3.
And we do not in the least dispute the fact that he did witness some such marvellous phenomenon:
As to the raps they may have been produced by means such as we have described elsewhere, or by others peculiarly adapted to the sofa-table, when, as is generally the case, such tables have drawers. It is a circumstance known to the spirit world, and even the uninitiated may verify it that such drawers fit their frames more or less loosely. A Medium seated at the end may perform with the foot. A Medium seated at the side may produce such raps with the knee. If either foot or knee are raised in support of the drawer and suddenly removed, the drawer itself will produce the rap by coming suddenly in contact with the frame on which it slides. Absurdly simple as this sounds, this is probably the means of the mystification. When the foot is employed by the Medium at the end, one leg must be crossed over the other, as thus:
_-_Henry_Novra.png)
Fig. 4.
When the knee is employed by the Medium at the side, it must be turned outward, to some extent, to enable it to reach the under surface of the drawer without coming in contact with its frame-work, as thus:
_-_Henry_Novra.png)
Fig. 5.
