Speaking Tubes.
107
Chap. 13.]
Other devices, less complex than the Roode of Grace, but when adroitlymanaged, equally effective and imposing, consisted in the application of se-cret tubes, through which sound might be conveyed from a person at a dis-tance. Sometimes the accomplice was concealed in the pedestal, or in thestatue itself, or in the vicinity. “ The craftinesse of the inchanters, (observesPeter Martyr, ) led them to erect images against walles, and gaye answerthrough holes bored in them; wherefore the people were marvellouslieamazed when they supposed the images spake. There were dailie woon-ders wrought at the images whereby the sillie people were in sundriewiseseduced.” a It was by a trick of this kind, that Dunstan confounded hisadversaries in an important discussion—the crucifix hanging in the churchopenedits mouth and decided the question in his favor. Numerous exam-ples of more recent times might be given. We add one from Keysler’sTrav. Vol. i, 148 : A monk having made a hole through a wall, behind animage of the Virgin, ‘ placed a concealed tube from it to his cell; and throughit caused the image to utter whatever he wished the people to believe.’ Bysuch tubes figures of the Virgin have repeatedly declared her wishes,saluted her worshippers, and returned their compliments. It was by thesame device that several statues of heathen deities performed prodigies ;that of Jupiter for example, which burst forth into loud fits of laughter.Misson’s Trav. Vol. ii, 412.
Within ancient temples, says Fosbroke, was a dark interior, answeringto the choir of modern cathedrals, the Penetrale, into which the peoplewere not permitted to enter. When the time of sacrifice arrived, thepriest opened the doors that the people might see the altar and victim;for only the priests and privileged persons entered into the cella, i. e. intointerior. Some temples admitted light only at the door, for darkness wasdeemed a most powerful aid to Superstition. “ The penetrale of the tem-ple of Isis, at Pompeii is a small pavilion, raised upon Steps, under whichis a vault, that may have served for oracular impositions. A shrine ofthis kind is still open for inspection at Argos. In its original state it hadbeen a temple; the further part where the altar was, being an excavationof the rock, and the front and roof constructed of baked tiles. The altaryet remains and part of the fictile superstructure, but the most remarka-ble thing is a secret subterraneous passage terminating behind the altarits entrance being at a considerable distance, towards the right of a personfacing the altar, and so cunningly contrived as to have a small aperture,easily concealed, and level with the surface of the rock. This was barelvlarge enough to admit the entrance of a single person, who could creepalong to the back of the altar, where being hid by some colossal statue, orother screen, the sound of his voice would produce a most impo-sing effect among the listening votaries.” Antiq. 33. It is a curiousfact that conjurers and chiefs among American Indians, were foundto practice similar cheats. In St. Domingo, some Spaniards havingabruptly entered the cabin of a cacique, they were astonished to hear anidol apparently speaking (in the Indian tongue) with great volubility.Suspecting the nature of the imposture, they broke the image, and dis-covered a concealed tube, which proceeded from it to a distant corner,where an Indian was hid under some leaves. It was this man, speakingthrough the tube, that made the idol utter, whatever he wished the hear-ers to believe. The Cacique prayed the Spaniards to keep the tricksecret, as it was by it, that he secured tribute and kept his people in sub-jection.»
“Common Placcs, Part ii, Chap. v. Lon. 1583.b Histoire Generale. La Haye. 1763. Tom. 18, p. 229.