# XII explained — The Humbugs of the World

> Chapter companion for The Humbugs of the World by P. T. Barnum.

## What happens

This chapter exposes the tricks and deceptions used by fraudulent spiritualists, including methods for producing 'bloodred letters on the arm,' the tambourine and ring feats, Dexter's dancing hats, and the use of phosphorescent oil for reading in the dark. The author also mocks the pseudophilosophical jargon of spiritualist writings and calls for exposing such mountebanks.

## Themes in this chapter

### Gullibility and Human Nature

The chapter details how easily audiences are deceived by simple tricks, and how spiritualists exploit credulity for profit.

### Advertising and Showmanship

Dexter's hat-dancing exhibition and the mediums' performances are examples of showmanship used to attract attention and gain money.

## Character check-ins

### Dexter

Devised a hat-dancing exhibition using hidden wires to attract customers to his saloon.

## Key lines

> The mediums produce 'bloodred letters on the arm' in a very simple way. It is done with a pencil, or some blunt-pointed instrument, it being necessary to bear on hard while the movement of writing is being executed.

Mediums create red letters on the arm by pressing hard with a blunt pencil, which forces blood to the surface.

_Explains the physiological trick behind a common spiritualist demonstration._

> A number of hats, placed on the floor of his saloon, danced (or bobbed up and down) in time to music. His place was visited by a number of the leading spiritualists of New York, several of whom were heard to express a belief that the hats were moved by spirits!

Dexter's hats appeared to dance to music, and prominent spiritualists believed spirits moved them, though the effect was achieved by hidden wires.

_Illustrates how even leading spiritualists were fooled by a simple mechanical trick._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_humbugs_of_the_world_se/chapters/xii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_humbugs_of_the_world_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_humbugs_of_the_world_se/chapters