Genre:

Letter, Spoof, Serial

Subjects:

Spiritualism, Lecturing, Scientific Practitioners, Telegraphy

    Ward describes his discovery of a morose-looking 'Trans-Mejim' (i.e. trance medium) living in a room in the 'Greenlion' where the author had apartments and that he and the sceptical landlord of the Greenlion attended a trance lecture given by the medium. The lecture began with the professed spirit of Benjamin Franklin speaking through the medium about the Atlantic cable. Having heard Franklin speak of the 'merrytorious affair' of the cable and other matters, the author concludes that if this was Franklin 'a spiritool life hadn't improved the old gentleman's intellecks particly'. Proceeds to describe the enthusiastic response of the audience and the Greenlion landlord's confusion over the supposed spirit of Oliver Cromwell, who spoke through the medium, and the Cromwell he believed had not settled his bill.

Reprinted:

Browne 1870