Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 8.djvu/597

Rh instance of the application, to the phenomena of the divining-rod, of the very simple test of closing the eyes, has lately been sent me by an American friend, who was apparently unaware of its former application by Chevreul and Biot: "An aged clergyman, of thorough integrity, has for many years enjoyed the reputation of being specially skilled in the finding of places to dig wells by means of the 'divining-rod.' His fame has spread far; and the accounts that are given by him, and of him, must be, to those who place an implicit reliance on human testimony, overwhelmingly convincing. He consented to allow me to experiment with him, and I found that only a few moments were required to prove that his fancied gift was a delusion. In his own yard there was known to be a stream of water running a few feet below the surface, through a small pipe. As he marched over and near this, the rod continually pointed strongly downward, and several times turned clear over. These places I marked, and then blindfolded him, and marched him about until he knew not where he was, taking him over the same ground over and over again; and although the rod went down a number of times, it did not once point to or near the places indicated."

5. So strong was the impression made by the rope-tying and other performances of the Davenport brothers, about twenty years ago, upon those who were already prepossessed in favor of their "spiritualistic" claims, that I was pressed by men of distinguished position to become a member of a committee