THOUGHT READING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4063, 30 July 1884, Page 4

THOUGHT READING.

The Paris correspondent of the Daily NeAvs gives an account of a "thought reading" seance at the Hotel Continental, in AA-hich Mr Stuart Cumberland, who is exciting much attention on the Continent, was the thought "reader." The Avriter sa y S: —"About 300 persons were invited, most of whom came, and I never Avas at a first theatrical representation at which thero were more distinguished persons present. The thought reader, or feeler, ancl I think the latter epithet more applicable to Mr Cumberland's pretensions, having been greatly favored by the Austrian, Dresden, and Munich Royal families, and in Canada by the Marquis of Lome and the Princess Louise, attracted tho elite of the Viennese, Bavarian, Saxon, and English colonists here. Mr Cumberland, who id a pleastintlooking and rather handsome fair-haired, man, being unable to speak French, addressed the assembly in English. He declared that he set up to no supernatural poAver, but only to a natural gift which he had developed by assiduous practice. He %vas careful to say that he was not always successful, because those whoso thoughts he Avished to read should concentrate their .minds upon the objects they Avantcd him to designate. When he bandaged his eyes President Vieville stealthily hid M. Daudet's cane, and then gave his hand to Mr Cumberland, who after laying it on his own forehead started off with him to seek for it. M. VieA'ille afterAvards said his old practico as Judge of Instruction gives him great self-possession ancl control over his muscles, so that when he was near the cane no muscular movement in his hand betrayed consciousness of that fact. The cane Avas also passed to a person avlio was to hide it in such a manner that only intimate friends kneAV where it was. Mr Cumberland's search Avas vain, he complained through 'tin -interpreter that the mental attention of the President could not bo concentrating on the object he thought of. A French journalist avus .then experimented upon unsuccessfully, but he subsequently confessed that in passing by a charmingpink bonnet ho allowed his thoughts to wander to its Avearer. Prince Hohenlohe was then asked to hide his breastpin somewhere. During a momentary absence of Mr Cumberlaud he came to the easy chair on which I sat and asked. me to let him stick it in the back thereof. Mr Cumberland, on returning and being blindfolded, took tho German Ambassador's hand, and in a very short time laid it on tho breastpin. Tho query is whether Mr Cumberlaud did lead Prince Hohenlohe, or Avhether the latter unconsciously led him, his Serene Highness being an impressionable man. Tho thought-reader then proposed that somebody should think of tho malady of an absent friend. The Princess Hohenlohe came forward at Mr Cumberland's request. She removed her mantle, and he felt her hands, arms, chest, shoulders, and then said sho thought of a pulmonary affection, on which the Princess cried out ' No, it is a sore throat.' That distinguished international commercial adA'ocato and huv reporter Mr Barclay avus then asked to hide a bunch of keys, and before doing so to touch tAvo places Avith them Avhilo Mr Cumberland was out of the room. Ho did no, tKid Mr Cumberland found the places aud tho keys, Avhich wore shut up on the kcy-boarcl of tbe piano. Mr Barclay assured mo that ho did not lead the thoughtreader, but that he avus not certain he avus quite master of his norvea and muscles and <ii<l not give involuntary indications Avhen near the bidden object. An experiment on Count Hoyos was not cpiite so successful, but a fan that the Abbe do Meissas thought of and which was passed on to a lady ho did not knoAV was found on her by Mr Cumberland. The seance seemed to me like a spiritless game of blind man's buff, and. I must say that I have seen more interesting experiments of the kind at Neuilly and at gingerbread fairs. What was remarkable was the quality of the people who wero experimentalised on, their apparent faith, und the seeming conviction of Mr Cumberland that he has a thoughtfeeling gift."