repeated experiments, that, while the rod dips when the "diviner" knows or believes he is over a water-spring or a metallic vein the results are uncertain, contradictory, or simply negative, when he is blindfolded, so as not to be aware precisely where he is. The following is a striking case of this kind that has been lately brought to my knowledge:
"A friend of mine," says Dr. Beard,[1] "an aged clergyman, of thorough integrity and fairness, has for many years—the larger part of his natural life, I believe—enjoyed the reputation of being especially skilled in the finding of places to dig wells, by means of a divining-rod of witch-hazel, or the fresh branches of apple or other trees. His fame has spread far, and the accounts that are given by him and of him are, to those who think human testimony is worth anything, overwhelmingly convincing. He consented to allow me to experiment with him. I found that only a few moments were required to prove that his fancied gift was a delusion, and could be explained wholly by unconscious muscular motion, the result of expectancy and coincidence. In his own yard there was known to be a stream of water running through a small pipe a few feet below the surface. Marching over and near this, the rod continually pointed strongly downward, and several times turned clear over. These places I marked, blindfolded him, marched him about until he knew not where he was, and took 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 previously indicated."
I very well remember having heard, some thirty-five years ago, from Mr. Dilke (the grandfather of the present Sir Charles), of an experiment of this kind which he had himself made upon a young Portuguese, who had come to him with a letter of introduction, describing the bearer of it as possessing a most remarkable power of finding, by means of the divining-rod, metals concealed from view. Mr. Dilke's family being at a summer residence in the country, his plate had all been sent to his chambers in the Adelphi, where he was visited by the Portuguese youth; to whom he said, "Go about the room with your rod, and try if you can find any mass of metal." The youth did so; and his rod dipped over a large standing desk, in which Mr. Dilke's plate had-been temporarily lodged. Seeing, however, that there were circumstances which might reasonably suggest this guess, Mr, Dilke asked the youth if he was willing to allow his divining power to be tested under conditions which should exclude all such suggestion; and, having received a ready assent, he took his measures accordingly. Taking his plate-box down to his country-residence, he secretly buried it just beneath the soil in a newly ploughed field; selecting a spot which he could identify by cross bearings of conspicuous trees, and getting a plough drawn again over its surface, so as to make this correspond precisely with that of the rest of the field. The young diviner was then summoned from Lon-
- ↑ Review of Medicine and Pharmacy (New York), September, 1875.
