On the Merits of Unnaturalness by Samantha Shannon Read Free Book Online Page A

Gift in this Manner, resulting in great Uncertainty about what each and every one of us can do, and how we should organise ourselves to achieve maximum Efficiency within our Syndicate. 2 I believe that many more Types are yet to be discovered, and will categorise them in a later Pamphlet should they reveal themselves.
    2 Previously, as the Reader will no doubt be aware, we have attempted to organise ourselves by various clumsy and nonsensical Means, such as the Luminosity of our Auras (or, as suggested in 1986 by the Mollisher named the Fool of Far r ingdon , by the Sizes of our Shoes) but these forms of Categorisation lack Nuance and should, in this Writer’s humble Opinion, be abandoned forthwith.
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    I could write a short Essay on each of these Gifts, but for the Sake of Brevity, I have simply included an educational Outline. For the Merits of Unnaturalness are many, and ought to be known throughout our Underworld, from the Devil’s Acre and the Chapel to the brave Stronghold of I Cohort. With the greatest Humility, I believe that this is a Piece of Literature of the utmost Importance, and I propose that it be read by all who possess a clairvoyant Gift. Every Mime-Lord, Mime-Queen and Mollisher, every Busker and Courtier, every Séance-Master and Nightwalker ought to read this Pamphlet. For we will not be bound together merely by mutual Suffering, but by mutual Knowledge of the many Variations of our Gift.
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THE
 
    T he Sensors are often confused with the Mediums,
as the two Gifts are sometimes considered, by the Ignorant, to be one and the
same. However, I make the Distinction that a Medium is subject to Possession and
Control by a Spirit, while a Sensor is privy to the intimate Workings of their
World. The Art of SENSORY is a delicate one, a Secret
kept buried by its Practitioners, who are often mistakenly diagnosed as
psychotic by amaurotic Quack Doctors if they dare to speak aloud the Things they
sense around them. They sense the Æther as if it is entirely open to the
physical World. It is a precious and sophisticated Gift, clouded by
Misunderstanding, and I extend my deepest Sympathies to those Sensors that have
faced Persecution.
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    SNIFFER. A colloquial Name for what
was previously called the OLFACTOMANCER by the esteemed
Mister Didion
Waite , who published a Pamphlet on
the Subject entitled ‘ BRING FORTH THE SMELLING SALTS; OR, HOW I SNIFFED OUT SARAH METYARD ’. I refute this Label most ardently, as the
Suffix – mancer strongly suggests Soothsaying or
Augury. 18 The Sniffer is neither
Soothsayer nor Augur. They are able to detect spiritual Activity through a keen
Sense of Smell. They may detect an Aroma indicative of what the Spirit wore or
enjoyed in Life, such as a favoured Perfume. They are also able to detect Aura
through a particular Scent, which could not be described by Sniffers interviewed
in the Course of my Studies. Should only be taken seriously if absolutely no
other Smells are present.
    18 The honourable Mister Waite is cordially invited to respond to this
Refutation publicly if he so desires.
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    POLYGLOT, sometimes called JULKER or, archaically, SPIRIT-SINGER . This is perhaps the most fascinating of all
clairvoyant Abilities. The Polyglot experiences spasmodic Bursts of Language, at
random Intervals, but the Language they speak is unknown to any Linguist. It has
long been recognised as the Art of ‘speaking in Tongues’. Speaking this Language
has a notable Impact upon the Æther, and appears to draw in nearby Spirits. I
firmly believe that this is the pure Language of Spirits, a Language beyond our
Comprehension until such Time that we meet Death. Polyglots are too often
dismissed as insane, as their Outbursts are typically accompanied by Fitting and
Vomiting. It might be persuasively argued that the Polyglot is similar to a SPEAKING
MEDIUM , as these Fits are generally
uncontrollable. However, my Observations have yielded no Evidence that