[Редна Ли]

A lady, whose veracity I have no reason to doubt [this lady, we understand, is Mrs. Burton], and who is supposed to have strong mesmeric powers, assured me that she perceived the musical instruments floating high in the air, or wriggling along the floor. Being able to see them in a dark room, she imagined that we had applied to them phosphorised oil, which we had not. On the same occasion she distinguished the outline of a figure which stooped slightly, and not, as she thought, that of any one in the room.
I have spent a great part of my life in Oriental lands, and have seen there many magicians. Lately I have been permitted to see and be present at the performances of Messrs. Anderson and Tolmaque. The latter shewed, as they profess, clever conjuring, but they do not even attempt what the Messrs. Davenport and Fay succeed in doing: for instance, the beautiful management of the musical instruments. Finally, I have read and listened to every explanation of the Davenport “tricks” hitherto placed before the English public, and, believe me, if anything would make me take that tremendous jump “from matter to spirit,” it is the utter and complete unreason of the reasons by which the “manifestations” are explained. — Believe me, ever yours truly, &c.
RICHARD F. BURTON.