III.
The Philosophy of Mystery.
BY WALTER COOPER DENDY.
12mo, Muslin, extra gilt, 50 cents.
This is a learned and elaborate work, in which the writer goes into the investigation of all the phenomena of mind in the erratic operations and phantasies of ghost seeing and spectral hallucinations, and aims to give the true philosophy of all such delusions. He is a medical man of considerable eminence, and has spared no pains in his researches, giving a great number of facts and cases to illustrate his philosophy. The volume will be much sought for, as it is really a desideratum in the world of literature. We know of no work on this subject which lays the same just claim to public attention, or the study of the philosopher.--_Christian Advocate and Journal._
The volume before us is both instructive and amusing, and at this
## particular time, when the extremes of superstition and philosophy have
shaken hands, it will be likely to effect an inconceivable amount of good, if properly studied. It is one of the most remarkable productions of the day, and must create an extraordinary degree of interest in the public mind.--_Merchant's Magazine._
It belongs to that class of writings which you can take up and put down at pleasure, and which may be subjected to repeated readings. The work is pleasant, however, in spite of this--pleasant because of its facts, its numerous details of mystery, its vast collection of anecdote, its developments of _diablerie_, its tidings from the spiritual world, and the many cases which it brings together of the curious and the wonderful in nature and art, which former ages, and ignorance and superstition, have concluded to consider supernatural. Where science and modern speculation furnish the solution to the mystery, Mr. Dendy couples it with the statements, and the book is thus equally valuable and amusing.--_Charleston Transcript._
Here lies a remarkable work; beautiful in its style, and wondrous in its matter. The work is strictly philosophical in its tendency, yet more amusing than a novel.--_True American._
This is a book for the lovers of marvels and of mysteries. It contains an immense collection of anecdotes of spectral apparitions, of illusions of vision or of hearing, of striking phenomena exhibited in dreams, in insanity, in trance, or in magnetism, and furnishes many very valuable hints to aid in the solution of these mysteries, by which so many have been bewildered or affrighted. It is written in a style of great ease and elegance, and can not fail to find a very wide circle of welcoming readers.--_Albion._
This unique and remarkable book has just been placed on our table; we know its reputation of old; it is an admirable discourse on the subject of supernaturalisms, such as mental illusions, dreams, ghosts, mesmeric phenomena, &c. If any one will but read the first half dozen pages, we will vouch for it he will not neglect the rest of the volume: it is one of the best written books on one of the most curious range of topics that could engage the pen of a writer, or the attention of a reader. It is, in fact, one of the most curious volumes ever perused, upon a series of the most singular subjects, and, in this new and neat form, it will command a vast number of readers.--_Sunday Times._
"The Philosophy of Mystery" is an exceedingly able work; far better, we think, than the "Natural Magic" of Brewster, a book of identical purpose, carried out in a totally different way. The "Natural Magic" is the more ratiocinative, Mr. Dendy's essay the more poetical, the more imaginative, and to us the more interesting.--_National Press._