Joanna Southcott's Box W E are told that the ape and
the tiger in man die very hard ; but we are continually being shown that it is the child and the simpleton that die hardest of all.
One more example of this kind was given us recently when the famous box of Joanna Southcott was taken to the " National Laboratory of Psychical Research " in South Kensington and played with in various ways. Joanna Southcott in her will left the strictest instructions that the box was only to be opened in the presence of bishops, and Mr. Price, the Director of the National Laboratory of Psychical Research, says that he is determined to obey the injunction. But he and his colleagues apparently could not resist having a peep on their own account. First of all they tried the method of giving the box to various mediums, who were told to " concentrate their powers in order to sense what was inside." Mr. Price says that " we have some interesting reports, two or three of which tallied to 3 slight extent." But these messages from the spirit world do not seem to have been sufficiently substantial to satisfy the curiosity of the assembled psychic research students. So in place of the mediums an X-ray apparatus was introduced and a number of photographs taken ii the presence of " the Council of the Laboratory." The X-ray apparatus revealed a good deal more than the mediums, yet nothing apparently of the slightest value —" a pistol, coins, earrings, dice box, and a Wel with clasps." In short, Joanna's box contained Just the kind of miscellaneous oddities which one always does find in the cobwebby chests of the lumber room and attics of every eighteenth-century English count/ • house. It is suggested that the pistol haS been attached to the lid in such .a way that it will go 'off in the face of any impiOus person who attempts to ravage Joanna's secrets, but it is not explained how the mechanical device has been so designed that it can detect the hands of a bishop and omit to discharge its contents. In any case, however, we are informed that the powder will be by this time harmless, and that neither the pious nor impious need now fear to open the box.
Another interesting point is that as is usual in these eases the claim of this box to be the box is not uncontested. The prophetess made quite a habit of sealing up boxes for the puzzlement of posterity, and there are several pretenders who claim a superior title to the box in Mr. Price's possession. However, Mr. Price Means to perse- vere with his box. " We must have the bishops there when the box is opened in public," said Mr. Price to a representative of the Manchester Guardian, and he added that " this would be in a few weeks from now and perhaps at the Albert Hall." I certainly join with Mr. Price in his hopes that the opening ceremony will take place preferably in the presence of the whole episcopal bench and before a gigantic audience. For surely that would be an occasion of an absurdity so solemn and on so national a scale that it Would not soon be forgotten.
The X-raying of Joanna's box is symptomatic of our age. Unfortunately the X-ray can only see through solid matter, and cannot penetrate the denser material of the mass mind. And yet perhaps, after all, the light does begin to penetrate, indirectly and infinitely slowly.
The mere factthat atilast, after a hundred and thirteen years, Joanna's box will be opened, and consequently its legend destroyed (even if it took the bishops to do it—and, alas, it is improbable that they will agree to play Joanna's game), is doubtless a sign of progress. E. J. S.
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