THE HEYDAY OF SPIRITUALISM

by Slater Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 19, 1970

What was termed with such delicate caprice the divine afflatus overcame a widely susceptible audience in the 19th century and this is a history of many of its manifestations: from magnetism (initiated by Mesmer) to telesthesia (traveling clairvoyance) to all kinds of rappings and poltergeists. Some familiar familiars reappear--the Fox Sisters, Dr. Fahnestock and Andrew Jackson Davis--as well as others of the more soberly convinced--the Shakers who permitted an extraordinary ""influx"" of communicators; Swedenborg who at 56 veered from scientist to mystic and was famous for his second-sightedness; the famous Scot, D. D. Home; etc., etc. There is a bibliography and Mr. Brown verifies this where possible even though, inevitably, much of his deja vu is deja lu.

Pub Date: May 19, 1970

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Hawthorn

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1970

Categories: NONFICTION