Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Spiritualism, Religious Authority, Superstition, Faith, Charlatanry

    Discusses a recent attack on Daniel D Home in the Quarterly Review (Mansel 1863), drawing attention to the claims that Home converted to several religious faiths and may convert Pope Pius IX to 'a belief in rapping'. Relishes the prospect that Home's conversion to Roman Catholicism will destroy his spiritualistic powers, but warns that the Catholic Church, with 'its own superstitions to support', will probably not support the rival 'superstition' of spiritualism, not least because 'The gullibility of man [...] may be exhausted'. Declares its greater respect for 'the Papal faith' than 'the humbug of the Spirit-rappers', and expects Home to confess to all of his 'artful dodges'.