The most interesting person of the XIX century

The most interesting personality of the XIX century, Russian writer, teacher, music critic Vladimir Fedorovich Odoyevsky (1803 – 1869), the last representative of the ancient princely family of the Rurik dynasty, the organizer of the Society of Lyubomudriya, publisher of the magazine “Mnemozina”, one of the founders of the magazine “Moscow Herald” and co-editor of Pushkin’s Sovremennik, assistant director of the St. Petersburg Public Library and director of the Rumyantsev Museum, enthusiastically collected various facts attributed to the category of superstition and prejudice. A part of the collected materials was published by the prince in the journal “Notes of the Fatherland” in the article “Sorcery of the XIX Century” in 1839.
Here are some cases.
Guards officer Yurlov, who helped the prince to collect factual material, on his behalf visited Anton Markovich Gomuletsky, a 96-year-old retired colonel, in St. Petersburg. He was a vigorous and agile old man with an extraordinary memory.
Closely converging with Gomuletsky, Yurlov often stayed up late with him. One day the owner condescended to his pleas to show him the future bride. Gomuletsky led Yurlov and his friend Zedilin into a small room, where a crystal vase filled with water stood on the table, and a smoothly polished dark stone lay next to it.
The host explained to the guests that there was nothing miraculous in the objects prepared for the experience, and the tourmaline stone was “saturated,” as he put it, with the sun’s rays and, after being placed in the water, would illuminate it from the inside. The appearance of the bride Yurlov, if that happens, will only be the result of the will of the owner without any spells. “The time will come – science will explain this, too,” said Gomuletsky.
Gomuletsky warned Yurlov that it was in his power to bring about a reflection of only those events “which will happen in his life.” And since he, a 96-year-old, has only a few years left to live, then … the ghost may not appear.
Yurlov and Tsedilin silently watched the strangely glowing water. Ten minutes later, a room in which a girl of remarkable beauty sat at the piano clearly reflected in the water. Nearby stood a man with a pale face and long hair, pointing her something in the notes.
This picture was forever imprinted in Yurlov’s brain. For five minutes she and Tsedilin (who saw the same image!) Admired the picture. Then a strange crackling sound was heard in the vase and … the image disappeared.
All this time, Gomuletsky sat against the guests in a deep cross and stared intently at the vase. When, stunned by what he saw, the guests got up, Anton Markovich said to Yurlov: “So, my dear, you saw your bride, but do not rejoice, she will not be your wife!” – “Why?” – Yurlov asked. “Well, this is my secret!” – answered Gomuletsky.
Six months later, as Yurlov testifies, he became acquainted with the P-family and found out among the family members “the most accurate original of his vision.” Engagement took place. But the wedding had to be postponed on the occasion of the Hungarian campaign, and “when we returned, alas, my bride was already in another!” – Yurlov reports. The other original of the vision, the music teacher Laue, became a true friend of Yurlov.
No less striking testimony is contained in the Notes of the Countess A. D. Bludova, cited in M. Pogodin’s book “A Simple Speech on Wise Things,” published in 1875 …
The Countess conveys the story of a young girl, a certain E.Olenina. There was a war. All had a hard heart. Who has a father, who has a brother, who has a fiance at the front. Once, in one house, Olenina’s many friends gathered, complaining about the lack of news about relatives and friends who did not reach the theater of military operations in their villages. One of those present came to mind to tell fortunes in the mirror at her brother, as is done at Christmastime, The master’s daughter sat at the table. They arranged everything as it should, and she began to look, while others sat down at a distance and were silent or talking quietly to each other so as not to interfere with fortune telling. She sat for a long time without saying a word. Already annoying it became assembled. And suddenly the girl spoke. “Here, here, the fog comes off the glass, here is the wood, the sandy shore, the river is big, fast river! Lord, how many people! All the troops, the camp, the soldiers, the cannons, the horses on both banks. What is this so fussing at the foot of the mountain, on It’s all staffs here … Oh, here’s the boat set off from the other side, the general is sitting in it, there is a raft in the middle of the river, another boat moored, look! ” Olenina came up and stood behind the chair of a friend, looked in the mirror and saw all this herself (!! – Yu.R.). “Here and another general ascended the raft, he turned … Sire!” – cried the master’s daughter and jumped up, amazed by what she saw.
And it was on the day of the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit, the meeting of two emperors (Alexander 1 and Napoleon), about which no one could think, and it proceeded very peculiarly – two emperors came together on a raft in the middle of the river to talk without witnesses .. And so on you! Damned girls spied from a distance of several hundred kilometers!
How to treat the evidence given? What is it? Raffle? Hoax? Could it be like that? Take your time with the evaluation!