A
spiritualist, as distinguished from a materialist, Rossetti certainly
was, but his spiritualism was not, I should say, that which in common
parlance bears this name. It was exactly like 'Aylwinism,' which
seems to have been related to the doctrines of the Lavaterian sect
about which Jay Aitch inquires. As a matter of fact, it was not the
original of 'Wilderspin' nearly so much as the original D'Arcy who
was captured by the doctrine of what is called in the story the
'Aylwinian.'
With regard to Johann Kaspar Lavater, Jay Aitch is no doubt aware
that, although this once noted writer's fame rests entirely upon his
treatise _Physiognomische Fragmente_, he founded a school of mystics
in Switzerland. This was before what is called spiritualism came into
vogue. I believe that the doctrines of _The Veiled Queen_ are closely
related to the doctrines of the Lavaterians; but my knowledge on this
matter is of a second-hand kind, and is derived from conversations
upon Lavater and his claims as a physiognomist, which I heard many
years ago at Coombe and during walks in Richmond Park, between the
author of _Aylwin_ and my father, who, admittedly a man of
intellectual grasp, went even further than Lavater.
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