The Humbugs of the World · Chapter
Spiritualist Humbugs Waking Up explained
Barnum recounts various exposures of spiritualist mediums, including Foster, S.
What happens
Barnum recounts various exposures of spiritualist mediums, including Foster, S. B. Brittan, the Boston artists selling fake spirit portraits, a Washington medium faking spirit hands with phosphorus, and the Davenport brothers being foiled by a sea-captain's wheat flour and later exposed in Liverpool. He also tells of a shingle that refused to move, stumping the spirits.
Themes in this chapter
Universality of Deception
Barnum shows that spiritualist mediums universally adopt new tricks when old ones are exposed, illustrating the pervasive nature of deception.
Gullibility and Human Nature
The credulity of spiritualists is highlighted, such as the believer who refused to accept the exposure of the Washington medium even after being told the story.
Advertising and Showmanship
The Boston artists used handbills and theatrical setups to sell fake spirit portraits, demonstrating showmanship in humbug.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Foster
Anonymous letter suggests Foster is a humbug; Barnum suspects Foster wrote it himself.
- B. Brittan
Ex-Universalist minister and 'man Friday' of Andrew Jackson Davis; wrote a communication to the Banner of Light.
- Andrew Jackson Davis
Mentioned as the source of 'Revelations' produced with Brittan's help.
- Mr. W. Howard
Test-medium alias used by one of the Boston artists in the spirit portrait humbug.
- The Davenports
Exposed by a sea-captain's wheat flour trick and later in Liverpool where their cabinet was smashed.
- Ira Davenport
Refused to be tied by Mr. Cummins; had his hand cut when Ferguson cut the knot.
- J. V. Mansfield
Mentioned as the originator of the trick of answering communications and writing on arms.
- Hans Von Vleet
Mentioned as someone who exposes old tricks of mediums.
Key passages
“The exhibiting mediums must, of course, contrive new tricks as fast as Dr. Von Vleck and men like him show up their old ones.”
Mediums have to invent new tricks as quickly as their old ones are exposed by skeptics like Dr. Von Vleck.
Barnum explains the constant cycle of deception and exposure.
“It is a curious instance of the thorough credulity of genuine spiritualists that a believer in this wretched rogue, on being circumstantially told this whole story, not only steadily and firmly refused to credit it, and continued his faith in the fellow, but absolutely would not go to see the application of any other test.”
A true spiritualist refused to believe the exposure of a fraudulent medium and would not even witness a test, showing extreme gullibility.
Barnum highlights the stubborn faith of spiritualists despite clear evidence.
“Once the 'spirits' were 'stumped' with a shingle—a very proper yankee jawbone of an ass to route such disembodied Philistines.”
The spirits were defeated by a simple shingle, like using a jawbone to rout the Philistines.
Barnum uses a biblical analogy to mock the spirits' inability to move a shingle.
