Genre:

Essay, Drollery

Subjects:

Spiritualism, Charlatanry, Machinery, Proof

    Describes the existence of some 'unfashionable' people who regard 'the so-called "manifestations" of Mr. Home and other Spirit-rappers' to be 'merely the machinations of a conjuror', but thinks that this not a 'fair' opinion. Emphasizes the dubious conditions under which the 'spirit tricksters [...] do their chief tricks' including darkness, the presence of believers, and the exclusion of 'Sceptics like Mr. Punch'. Draws attention to spiritualists' fear of having their 'clumsy machinery' detected and denies that mediums can be likened to conjurors such as Robert Houdin, Ludwig Döbler, and Wiljalba Frikell.