A Thought-Reader's Thoughts, being the Impressions and Confessions of Stuart Cumberland.
London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1888. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. x + 326pp. + 32pp. ads. Navy cloth lettered in gilt on spine & front board; scarlet rule pattern on spine & front board, b&w frontisportrait of the author. The autobiography of Stuart Cumberland (1857-1922) an English mentalist known for his demonstrations of "thought reading". Cumberland was famous for performing blindfolded feats such as identifying a hidden object in a room among other stunts that appeared to be mind-reading. Cumberland claimed to possess no psychic ability - and said that his thought reading performances were accomplished by holding the hand of his subject & reading their "muscle movements". Cumberland believed that telepathy and communication with the dead were not possible and was known to be in dispute with the Society for Psychical Research. From the collection of Dr. M. H. Coleman, with his ex-libris seal blind-stamped on the front free endpaper. B/w frontis. portrait. Spine slightly canted, very light bruising and chafing to corners and spine ends, page edges darkened, pages lightly toned. Still overall a tight, clean VG+ copy (no dust jacket). Scarce. Item #47546
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