Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 https://archive.org/details/animalmagnetismm01leee 
 
ANIMAL 
 
 MAGNETISM 
 
 MAGNETIC LUCID SOMNAMBULISM. 
 
 WITH 
 
 OBSERVATIONS AND ILLUSTRATIVE INSTANCES 
 OF ANALOGOUS PHENOMENA OCCURRING 
 SPONTANEOUSLY; 
 
 AND 
 
 AN APPENDIX 
 
 OF CORROBORATIVE AND CORRELATIVE OBSERVATIONS 
 AND FACTS. 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWIN LEE, M.D., 
 
 CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF PRUSSIA, THE ROYAL 
 ACADEMY OF MEDICINE OF BELGIUM, THE MEDICAL ACADEMIES 
 AND SOCIETIES OF PARIS, BERLIN, MUNICH, BRUSSELS, 
 
 MADRID, TURIN, FLORENCE, ETC. 
 
 “ Every discovery is but a step in advance towards something higher in the 
 mysterious course of things.”— Humboldt’s “ Cosmos ” (Motto of the Essay). 
 
 “Wise men agree, or ought to agree, in this, that there is but one way in the 
 knowledge of Nature’s works—the way of observation and experiment.”— Reid “ On 
 the Active Powers of the Human Mind." 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO., 
 
 PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 
 1866. 
 
LONDON: W. J. JOHNSON, PRINTER, 121 , FLEET STREET. 
 
12 H 
 
 LH 77/4 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PASE 
 
 Preface ... .. ... ... ... ... v 
 
 Extract from the Report of the Commission 
 
 appointed to Examine the Competing Essays ... ix 
 
 Introduction : 
 
 i Antiquity of Animal Magnetism—Mesmer’s Proceedings 
 —Academic Commissions of 1784 and 1825—Diffusion 
 of Magnetism in Europe—Division into Physical and 
 Psychical Results—Addenda .. ... ... 1 
 
 iart I. 
 
 PHYSICAL PHENOMENA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Points of Analogy between Terrestrial and Animal Magnet¬ 
 ism—Action of the Magnet on Sensitive Individuals and 
 on Animals—Magnetic Fluid—Luminous Emanation 
 perceptible by Somnambulists—Diamagnetism—Reich- 
 enbacli’s Experiments — Action of Magnetism upon 
 Animals—Action from a Distance—Magnetic Attraction 
 —Magnetised Water ... ... .. ... 37 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Annihilation of Sensibility—Painless Surgical Operations— 
 Remedial Agency of Magnetism—Testimonies to its 
 Efficacy in various Diseases ... .. ... 58 
 
 Addenda to Part I. : 
 
 Arrest and Transference of the Pulse by Magnetism ... 78 
 
 ^art 3131. 
 
 PSYCHICAL PHENOMENA. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Perception independently of the Visual Organs—Objections 
 answered by Extracts from “ Butler’s Analogy,” Arago, 
 Laplace, and other Writers—Sleepwaking—Instances 
 from the Report of the Academic Commission and other 
 Sources—Transposition of the Senses ... ... 82 
 
 Addenda to Chapter III. ... ... ... ... 108 
 
IV 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IY. page 
 
 Somnambulic Lucidity—Disturbing Influences—Thought- 
 reading—Influence of the Will upon Somnambulists— 
 Community of Sensation between Magnetisers, or Per¬ 
 sons cn Rapport, and Somnambulists—Phreno-Magnet- 
 ism—Illustrative Cases ... ... ... ... 110 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Second-sight — Schamanism — Clairvoyance — Illustrative 
 Cases—Alexis Didier and Robert Houdin—Clairvoyance 
 subversive of Materialism—Theoretical Explanation of 
 the Phenomena ... ... ... ... ... 133 
 
 CHAPTER YI. 
 
 Clairvoyant Intuition as respects Diagnosis—Means of In¬ 
 termediate Rapport employed by Distant Persons— 
 Illustrative Instances ... ... ... ... 168 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Prevision—Testimonies to its Reality—Prevision in Mag¬ 
 netic Somnambulists — Illustrative Cases — Prevision 
 under other Conditions of the System—Corroborative 
 Instances ... ... ... ... ... 179 
 
 Concluding Observations ... ... ... ... 199 
 
 Addenda to Part II. : 
 
 Illustrative Cases from Professor Gregory’s “Letters to a 
 Candid Inquirer on Animal Magnetism” ... ... 207 
 
 iM APPENDIX, 
 
 V Clairvoyance, Transference of the Senses, &e. ... ... 238 
 
 Extract from 'a' Discussion' on'^extraordinary Nervous 
 Affections in the Society Medico-Psychologique, and 
 recorded in its “ Annales”... ... ... ... 243 
 
 Clairvoyance of Adolphe Didier, communicated by the 
 
 Rev. C. H. Townsend ... ... ... ... 251 
 
 Effects of Magnetism ascribed to Demoniacal Agency ... 253 
 
 Reports from Personal Observation upon the Phenomena 
 of Lucid Somnambulism manifested by Alexis Didier in 
 Brighton... ... ... ... ... ... 255) 
 
 Second-sight ... ... ... ... ... ... 280 
 
 -Baron von Reichenbach’s Observations ... ... ... 282 
 
 Extracts from the Article “Mesmerism,” in “The Occult 
 
 Sciences,” being part of the Rncyclopcedia Metropolitana 285 
 Transposition of the Senses ... ... ... ... 290 
 
 Extracts from the “Life of Duncan Campbell,” in Vol. 19 
 
 of Daniel Defoe’s Worhs ... ... ... .. 293 
 
 Clairvoyance... ... ... ... ... ... 300 
 
 Prevision ... ... ... ... ... ... 303 
 
 Clairvoyance and Prevision hi natural Sleep, and under 
 
 other Conditions ... ... ... ... ... 311 
 
 Sedative Effects of Magnetism on the Circulation ... 322 
 
 Professor Perty’s Observations... ... .... ... 322 
 
 Sir Buiwer Lytton’s Observations ... ... 328 
 
 4 
 
 < 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 My attention has long been directed to Animal 
 Magnetism, having had opportunities of acquiring 
 information during the periods of my sojourn on the 
 Continent ; and several years ago I published a 
 pamphlet on the subject, which reached a third 
 edition. The present work comprises the memoir 
 to which was awarded the prize offered for competi¬ 
 tion by the Milan Society for the Encouragement of 
 Arts and Sciences, together with much additional 
 matter since collected; the delay in the publication 
 of an English version having been occasioned by 
 circumstances which are scarcely to be regretted, 
 inasmuch as it has enabled me to reconsider the 
 topics relating to the question, and to adduce fur¬ 
 ther evidence confirmatory of the views advanced 
 and the recorded facts. 
 
 It is recorded in the “ Life ” of Dr. Arnold of 
 Rugby, that he said: “ I should like to hear some¬ 
 thing fresh about animal magnetism, which has 
 always excited my curiosity. What our fathers have 
 done still leaves an enormous deal for us to do. The 
 theory of life itself probably lies within our know¬ 
 ledge. We perceive the connexion of nerves with 
 the operations of mind, but we cannot understand a 
 
 b 
 
VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 thinking, a seeing, or a hearing nerve. Here and 
 in many other points there is room for infinite dis¬ 
 covery, to say nothing of the wonderful phenomena 
 of animal magnetism, which only Englishmen, with 
 their accustomed ignorance, are apt to laugh at, but 
 which no one as yet has either thoroughly ascertained 
 or explained.” * 
 
 The ignorance and prejudice existing on the subject 
 at. the time these words were uttered have fortunately 
 been, in great measure, dispelled by the progress of 
 knowledge, and by the vast accumulation of undeni¬ 
 able facts; so that few persons who have paid any at¬ 
 tention to it would be now disposed to deny the lead¬ 
 ing phenomena referrible to magnetism, which may 
 be said to be pretty generally admitted by scientific 
 and competent observers who have had sufficient 
 opportunities of investigating them—such an admis¬ 
 sion having been publicly expressed by several dis¬ 
 tinguished individuals. Even many years ago an 
 eminent French divine, the late Father Lacordaire, 
 in one of his “ Conferences,” delivered from the 
 pulpit of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, 
 stated his conviction of the reality of the phe¬ 
 nomena, observing; “ I firmly believe the facts of 
 magnetism. 1 believe that the magnetic force pro¬ 
 digiously increases the sphere of man’s vision. I 
 believe that those facts have been verified by a num¬ 
 ber of very sincere and Christian men.” 
 
 M. Babinet, a distinguished member of the Insti¬ 
 tute, likewise observed several years ago, in the 
 
 * “ Every secret which is disclosed, every discovery which 
 is made, every new effect which is brought to view, serves 
 to convince us of numbers more which remain concealed, 
 and which we had before no suspicion of.” (Bishop Butler, 
 “ Sermon on the Ignorance of Man.”) 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Vll 
 
 “Revue des Deux Mondes ” (May, 1856) : “Mag¬ 
 netism and somnambulism will soon become a beau¬ 
 tiful and positive part of physiology.”* 
 
 Since that date the interest attaching to questions 
 connected with magnetic and spontaneously occur¬ 
 ring somnambulism has gone on increasing, especially 
 within the last few years, during which public atten¬ 
 tion has been a good deal occupied by the mani¬ 
 festations termed spiritualistic, which have be t n 
 supposed by several persons to be referrible to mag¬ 
 netic agency. No scientific body, however, except that 
 to whose appeal I responded, has deemed the matter 
 worthy of serious and official investigation; and it is 
 surprising that a subject, a juster knowledge and 
 appreciation of which are calculated to lead to results 
 of the highest importance, should not have been 
 treated of of late by some one more competent to 
 the task than myself. 
 
 As respects religion especially, and in the present 
 state of controversial differences prevailing in the 
 religious world, a fuller investigation of the pheno¬ 
 mena of lucid somnambulism could not fail to be 
 attended with great advantage, by tending effectually 
 to controvert the doctrines of materialism which are 
 still so prevalent, though their influence is being 
 gradually lessened by the progress of inquiry into 
 the world of mind.f On the other hand, physiology 
 
 * “ If natural philosophy in all its parts, by pursuing the 
 inductive method, shall at length be perfected, the bounds 
 of moral philosophy will be enlarged also.” (Sir Isaac 
 Newton, “ Optical Queries. ”) 
 
 f “ The doctrine of materialism is not now that of the philo¬ 
 sophical world (in Great Britain), and I think the number of 
 its votaries is fast declining.” (“The Intellectual and 
 Moral Development of the Present Age,” by Samuel Warren, 
 F.R.S. Second Edition.) 
 
vm 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 and therapeutics appear to me likely to derive no 
 less advantage from a closer study of the physical 
 and psychical effects resulting from magnetism; 
 and it would afford me great satisfaction should 
 the present succinct resume of opinions and well- 
 authenticated facts be the means of causing a 
 greater share of attention to be directed to these 
 phenomena by members of the medical profes¬ 
 sion, theologians, and scientific men, who are the 
 most competent to form a correct estimate of the 
 value of animal magnetism and lucid somnambulism, 
 and of the good use to which they may be applied. 
 
 The Appendix has extended to a much greater 
 length than I contemplated. With the exception of 
 the clairvoyant phenomena manifested by a celebrated 
 somnambulist, which I have related from personal 
 observation, it comprises a selection of observations 
 and illustrative cases bearing upon the question, from 
 the writings of distinguished, or well-known and 
 trustworthy investigators. On these matters there 
 is such an “ embaras de richesses ” that the accounts 
 might be carried to an almost indefinite extent. 
 I have entered into fuller details on the question of 
 clairvoyant prevision ; for though the facts of this 
 surprising phenomenon are, in many instances, per¬ 
 fectly authenticated, they are the most inexplicable 
 of all in the present state of our knowledge. 
 
 Bkiguton, October, 18G6. 
 
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF THE 
 MEDICAL COMMISSION APPOINTED TO 
 DECIDE UPON THE MERITS OF THE 
 COMPETING ESSAYS. 
 
 The memoir having for its motto a quotation 
 from Humboldt, “ Chaque decouverte n’est qu’un 
 pas vers quelque chose de plus eleve dans le cours 
 mvsterieux des choses,” appears to us to have best 
 fulfilled the requisitions of the programme ;* the 
 points therein specified respecting the advantages 
 which may accrue to physiology, pathology, and 
 therapeutics, from the study of animal magnetism 
 being treated of, if not very extensively, yet with a 
 sufficient development, with clearness, and evidence 
 of much erudition. A succinct historical notice 
 precedes the consideration of the proposed subject of 
 inquiry. After having signalised some of the causes 
 which have hitherto impeded the general recognition 
 of animal magnetism, the writer candidly admits that 
 he, like many others, had previously expressed him- 
 
 * Question proposed for competition by Society : “ What 
 really useful applications to physiology, pathology, and 
 therapeutics, are likely to result from the studies that 
 have been pursued with reference to the phenomena con¬ 
 nected with Animal Magnetism?” 
 
 Ten memoirs were received in response to the Society’s 
 invitation. 
 
 c 
 
X 
 
 REPORT OF COMMISSION. 
 
 self opposed to it, but that he was constrained to 
 alter his opinions by the strong evidence of facts, 
 and was consequently induced to investigate the 
 matter more closely. He is not, however, a partisan, 
 but holds to a middle course, between exaggeration 
 on the one hand, and incredulity on the other. He 
 remarks, that though generally contested at the out¬ 
 set, yet the admission of the reality of magnetic 
 action was even then admitted by several men of the 
 highest scientific reputation, while others recom¬ 
 mended caution in opposing it, and a conscientious 
 examination before rejecting it. He refers to the 
 opinion of the distinguished Cuvier, as expressed in 
 his “ Anatomie Comparee; ” he gives a sketch of 
 Mesmer’s theory ; and, after adverting to the famous 
 report of Bailly, and to Jussieu’s opposition to it, he 
 quotes some of the principal conclusions of the report 
 of the commission appointed by the Academie Royale 
 de Medecine, in 1825, to examine the question; fully 
 agreeing with the last of these conclusions, that 
 “ magnetism ought to be comprised within the circle 
 of the sciences.” He next takes note of the com¬ 
 mission nominated by order of the Emperor of 
 Russia, which reported favourably of magnetism; of 
 the mesmeric infirmary of Moscow; the Royal ordon- 
 nances promulgated in Denmark and Saxony respect¬ 
 ing the authorisation of the practice of magnetism; 
 the latter of which bears the impress of so much 
 wisdom and prudence, that it might well serve as a 
 model for any other State, as respects a similar 
 regulation. 
 
REPORT OF COMMISSION. 
 
 XI 
 
 The writer then enters upon the consideration of 
 the magnetic phenomena, which he divides into the 
 physical and the psychical. He ascribes much of 
 the effects of magnetism to the power of the will, 
 and comments upon the relative difference in the re¬ 
 sults produced by different magnetisers, and by the 
 same magnetiser upon different subjects; he adverts 
 to the greater or less impressionability to the influence 
 manifested by the inhabitants of different regions of 
 the earth, and remarks that the non-appearance of 
 positive effects upon the subjects at the time of 
 magnetising is not always an indication of their in¬ 
 sensibility to the magnetic action; adding that the 
 contrary belief has been one of the causes prejudical 
 to the progress of magnetism. 
 
 Treating specially of the physical phenomena, the 
 writer opportunely begins by mentioning some points 
 of analogy existing between animal and terrestrial 
 magnetism, quoting in support of the argument a 
 passage from Newton’s “ Principia ” (respecting the 
 existence of a universally-diffused fluid), and referring 
 to the experiments of Professors Beclard, of Paris, 
 and Prevost, of Geneva, as also to those of fteil and 
 Burdach in Germany, respecting the influence that is 
 exercised by the approximation of a magnet upon 
 fish, and upon some sensitive individuals both when 
 in health and when in some abnormal conditions of 
 the system; these investigations having been recently 
 corroborated by the numerous and careful experi¬ 
 ments made by Reichenbach upon susceptible sub¬ 
 jects. The writer proceeds to enumerate as other 
 
XU 
 
 REPORT OF COMMISSION. 
 
 < 
 
 physical proofs of the existence of animal magnetism, 
 and of its affinity to terrestrial magnetism, the 
 luminous emanation perceived by some somnambulists 
 to issue from their magnetisers and from other per¬ 
 sons, as well as from magnets, crystals, &c., which 
 phenomenon, formerly noticed by the wise and con¬ 
 siderate Deleuze, has been observed more recently by 
 Professor Gregory, MM. Despine, Charpignon, Rei- 
 chenbach, and others. Among the physical effects 
 are also mentioned the action of magnetism upon 
 blind persons who were unconscious of being mag¬ 
 netised ; and especially the insensibility to pain in¬ 
 duced by the magnetic sleep, as has been proved by 
 the performance of numerous surgical operations 
 upon individuals while in this state. 
 
 The writer next gives a sketch of the various 
 modes of magnetising. He remarks that the practice 
 may be prejudical, and that for it to be employed 
 beneficially without risk, it should be subjected to 
 legislative regulation, and superintended by practi¬ 
 tioners of acknowledged intelligence. We fully con¬ 
 cur with him in these remarks, as also in the opinion 
 he expresses, that magnetism will be more justly 
 appreciated when those who practise it restrict its 
 pretensions within the bounds of the likelihood of 
 benefit resulting therefrom. He quotes the opinions 
 of various distinguished writers who testify to the 
 efficacy of magnetism in the cure and alleviation of 
 disease, and he concludes by stating his opinion, that 
 magnetism offers to medical practitioners a powerful 
 additional means for the relief of suffering; adducing 
 
REPORT OF COMMISSION. 
 
 xm 
 
 in corroboration the following passage from the 
 report of the Academic commission : “ As a thera¬ 
 peutical means, magnetism ought to occupy a place 
 within the pale of medical doctrines.” 
 
 Having- discussed the uses and advantages of direct 
 magnetisation, the writer proceeds to treat of the in¬ 
 direct mode, in which magnetic somnambulism may 
 be utilised for the detection and cure of disease, by 
 means of the faculty which enables some lucid 
 somnambulists to take cognizance of diseases existing 
 in themselves and in other persons. On this head, 
 also, he quotes the Academic report. He next dis¬ 
 serts at length and learnedly upon magnetic clair¬ 
 voyance, adducing as an additional proof of the reality 
 of this faculty, cases in which it has been manifested 
 spontaneously, independently of magnetic somnambul¬ 
 ism, and he remarks that it is wrong to regard similar 
 phenomena as being opposed to the laws of nature, 
 inasmuch as our knowledge of these laws is con¬ 
 tinually extending beyond its heretofore explored 
 limits. The failure of experiments undertaken to 
 demonstrate this faculty—which often happens before 
 a sceptical or adverse assembly—is not, he observes, 
 a valid reason for denying its existence, inasmuch as 
 experience has shown that this is a peculiarity in¬ 
 herent to the phenomena; and he quotes on this point 
 the statements of Feuchtersleben, Townsend, Col- 
 quhoun, and others, as also the sentiment expressed 
 by La Place, that it is unphilosophical to deny the 
 phenomena merely because they are inexplicable in 
 the actual state of our knowledge. 
 
XIV 
 
 REPORT OF COMMISSION. 
 
 The writer brings forward in confirmation of the 
 phenomena of clairvoyance, both magnetic and spon¬ 
 taneous, a great number of facts, partly from his own 
 observation, principally, however, from that of other 
 investigators; but always selected from those which 
 present all the elements of a sound logical and 
 histoi’ical evidence, or which, being vouched for by 
 the character of the reporters, and by the conco¬ 
 mitant circumstances, possess in the highest degree 
 the impress of truth. Among the writers quoted on 
 this head are Ennemoser, Esdaile, Clark, Gregory, 
 Despine, Colquhoun, Briere de Boismont, and Aber¬ 
 crombie. Adverting more especially to magnetic 
 clairvoyance, after having recalled to mind that the 
 commissioners of the Academie de Medecine admitted 
 likewise the existence of this singular faculty, the 
 writer demonstrates it by well-chosen arguments and 
 by facts which, like those adduced in support of 
 spontaneous clairvoyance, present all the characters 
 of truth and credibility. 
 
 Your commissioners would like to enlarge upon 
 this delicate question, if such were consistent with 
 the limits to which the report must be restricted, in 
 order to show with how much intelligence and learn¬ 
 ing the writer supports his opinions, and shows how 
 undeniable are his convictions. Should his memoir 
 be deemed worthy of the preference, he promises to 
 add to it an appendix respecting this phenomenon of 
 clairvoyance. 
 
 Such a faculty, applied to the diagnosis of disease, 
 may be, as every one will perceive, of great use. 
 
REPORT OF COMMISSION. 
 
 XV 
 
 The commissioners of the Academie considered 
 that it should be recognised, having been en¬ 
 abled, in a few cases, to verify its application in 
 this respect. The writer does not deny, how¬ 
 ever, that the instances are rare in which this 
 power of introvision is met with, as compared 
 with the frequency of some of the other phenomena; 
 neither does he seek to disguise how easily error and 
 illusion may be mixed up with this argument. 
 
 Besides some other questions, not comprised in the 
 programme, the writer treats likewise of the faculty 
 of prevision, whether arising spontaneously or under 
 the influence of magnetic somnambulism. He quotes 
 on spontaneous prevision remarks made by Bacon, 
 Macchiavelli, Plutarch, and Aristotle, and he adduces 
 instances from modern authors, as Abercrombie, 
 Briere de Boismont, and others.* With respect to 
 magnetic prevision he refers to the observations and 
 facts published by Deleuze, Ennemoser, Rostan, 
 Teste, and others, and finally to the favourable con¬ 
 clusion on this point expressed by the oft-quoted 
 report of the Academic commission. 
 
 There prevails throughout the memoir a sensible 
 moderation. The writer adduces in support of each 
 of the propositions numerous well-chosen facts and 
 distinguished names, and he reasons upon them 
 judiciously and impartially. He thinks that medical 
 practitioners should occupy themselves more about 
 
 * The quotations from ancient writers, the author begs 
 to observe, are taken from modern publications. 
 
XVI 
 
 REPORT OF COMMISSION. 
 
 magnetism than they have heretofore done, unless 
 they are disposed to leave in the hands of persons who 
 may be incapable of applying it with discernment, a 
 powerful remedial adjuvant to ordinary therapeutical 
 means, and thus render themselves justly chargeable 
 with not keeping pace with the progress of scientific 
 inquiry. 
 
 Members of the Commission : Doctors Cantu 
 (President), Yiglezzi, De Giovanni, Tarchini-Bon- 
 fanti, Calderini, Labus (Dr. Terragli, reporter). 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Antiquity of Animal Magnetism—Mesmer’s Proceed¬ 
 ings—Academic Commissions of 1784 and 1825— 
 Diffusion of Magnetism in Europe—Division into 
 Physical and Psychical Results. 
 
 The medical section of the Society for the Promo¬ 
 tion of Science, the Arts, and Letters of Milan having 
 awarded to me, some years ago, the prize offered for 
 the best essay upon the advantages that physiology 
 and therapeutics may derive from the investigations 
 undertaken with reference to animal magnetism, 
 I think it likely to be of service to publish at the 
 present juncture this essay in the English language, 
 with such additions as I have been enabled to make 
 by the acquisition of subsequent information; the 
 subject being of much importance, and one which 
 has given rise to. much difference of opinion and 
 discussion both in the scientific world and among a 
 large portion of the public who have felt interested 
 in the inquiry; and it is to be wished that the initia¬ 
 tive taken by the above-mentioned society will be 
 followed by other scientific or medical bodies, with 
 a view to obtaining an impartial and dispas¬ 
 sionate examination of the pretensions of magnetism 
 and its associated phenomena, so as tolead to its adop¬ 
 tion within the circle of the acknowledged sciences, 
 
 B 
 
o 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM, 
 
 and to its further recognition as an agent calculated 
 to he highly useful to humanity, as well as to eluci¬ 
 date some obscure points of psychology. 
 
 Several of the facts recorded by magnetisers, and 
 verified by unbiassed observers, are so greatly opposed 
 to daily experience, and to generally received ideas, 
 that it is not surprising that distrust on the one hand, 
 and prejudice on the other, should have discouraged 
 calm and searching inquiry; but the accumulation of 
 well-attested facts, now no longer disproved, by 
 impartial and competent investigators, renders it 
 necessary that a just appreciation of them should be 
 formed, in order to enable us to determine as to how 
 far animal magnetism is likely to be made available 
 for useful purposes. The subject has been studied 
 by few disinterested persons who have had sufficient 
 opportunities of observing the effects produced by this 
 agent under different circumstances—in so far as can 
 be determined by the published observations —and in 
 attempting to offer a satisfactory reply to the ques¬ 
 tion proposed by the society, I felt how very deficient 
 must be my endeavour in the actual state of our 
 knowledge ; nevertheless, as much of my attention 
 has been directed to the subject, I may possibly be 
 able, in the absence of any other recent account, 
 to present a tolerably correct estimate of the results 
 arrived at, from which justifiable conclusions may be 
 deduced. 
 
 Not believing in the reality of the phenomena 
 recorded, I expressed my disbelief in the first notice 
 which I gave of magnetism, as being a practice of 
 foreign origin, in the Appendix to my work on “ The 
 Medical Institutions and Practice of France, Italy, 
 and Germany,” which was published many years ago; 
 but at a later period, having had several opportunities 
 of further personal inquiry into the matter, I did not 
 hesitate to acknowledge in a separate publication the 
 mistake into which I had fallen, like so many others 
 who reason from their preconceived opinions on 
 various subjects, rather than from observation and 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 3 
 
 experience.* Notwithstanding the general incredulity 
 that prevailed at a period when the phenomena of 
 magnetism had been but rarely witnessed, several 
 men of the highest reputation for learning, philo¬ 
 sophy, and judgment, both in France and Germany, 
 partially admitted their reality. Thus, M. Cuvier 
 remarked in his great work on Comparative Anatomy: 
 
 It must be confessed that it is very difficult, in 
 experiments which have for their object to determine 
 the action which the nervous system of two different 
 individuals exercises the one upon the other, to dis¬ 
 tinguish the effects produced upon the imagination 
 of the individual subjected to the experiment from 
 the physical effects produced by the person who acts 
 upon him. The effects, however, of this power upon 
 individuals whom the operation (of magnetising) has 
 deprived of consciousness, and those presented by 
 animals subjected to this influence, do not allow us 
 to doubt that the proximity of two animated bodies 
 in certain positions, combined with certain movements 
 do produce a positive result independently of an\ 
 participation of the imagination. It also appears 
 evident that these effects depend upon a communica¬ 
 tion which is established between their nervous 
 systems.” 
 
 Subsequently, Dr. Pritchard, in our own country, 
 observed on this subject in the “ Cyclopedia of 
 Practical Medicine ” (article, “ Somnambulism ”): 
 “ Similar testimonies are received in tfiTr _ 5ountry 
 with the ridicule which, at the first view, they appear 
 to deserve ; they are rejected en masse, few persons 
 giving themselves the trouble to inquire whether 
 there be any foundation of truth upon which an 
 edifice of such extraordinary pretensions has been 
 raised. The Germans and the French have treated 
 the subject differently. Among the philosophers and 
 other scientific men of the Continent, there are many 
 
 * “ Animal Magnetism, with a Report on Clairvoyance.” 
 Third Edition. 
 
4 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 who are persuaded that animal magnetism, though 
 its powers have been exaggerated, is not without a 
 basis of truth, and even that it will lead to the dis¬ 
 covery of some important fact, or some series of facts 
 in the economy unknown up to the present time.” 
 
 There is every reason to believe that the practice 
 of animal magnetism dates from a very early period, 
 not only as respects the cure of diseases, but also in 
 order to serve other important purposes; and the 
 more general diffusion of a knowledge of the higher 
 order of phenomena connected with it will doubtless 
 go far to elucidate several occurrences handed down 
 to us by tradition that have been heretofore enveloped 
 in mystery. On the wall of a chamber, discovered 
 not very long ago among the antiquities of Egypt , 
 where are hieroglyphics referring exclusively to 
 medicine, a priest is represented in the act of mag¬ 
 netising an individual. Dr. Ennemoser observes, in 
 his “ History of Magic ” (Bohn’s edition): “ Mag¬ 
 netism was daily practised in the temples of Isis, of 
 Osiris, and of Serapis. In these temples, the priests 
 touched the sick and cured them, either by magnetic 
 manipulation, or by other means of producing^som- 
 nambulism. Several of Ike Egyptian monuments 
 present scenes of magnetic treatment. On a mummy 
 case, of which a representation is given by Mont- 
 faucon, an individual is shown in the act of mag¬ 
 netising a sick person by “jaasses.” Denon, in his 
 “ Voyage en Egypte,” likewise refers to the same 
 circumstance. The writer of the article, “ Mes¬ 
 merism,” in the work, “ The Occult Sciences ” 
 —extracted from the “ Encyclopedia Metropolitana ” 
 —after adverting to these and other writers on the 
 subject, observes: “ The power of magnetism, either 
 theoretically or practically, was never wholly 
 unknown. In Asia and China it has probably never 
 ceased to be practised from the earliest antiquity 
 down to the present hour, and in the former vast 
 region of population its use has been varied by that 
 of drugs and narcotics. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ It is, then, an actual power that we ascribe to 
 the hand, without which it could never have become 
 th e sym bol of power a mong the ancients. The 
 power of_the eye is equally remarkable, and even 
 savage animals turn away from its fixed, dauntless 
 expression. The fascination of the eye has been an 
 article of the popular creed of all ages. Magnetism 
 by the eye is, indeed, often more powerful than that 
 of the hand, but there is probably a specific difference 
 which experience may determine accurately. The 
 will Jus, after all, the real power exercised by the 
 magnetist. The hand, the eye, the expression may 
 give direction to the power variously, which may also 
 be determined by words, numbers, and signs, or even 
 by the silent will of the operator ; all of which have 
 a subtle and magical influence over the patient. 
 
 “It is now proved, also, that magnetic healing 
 was in vogue among all the nations of antiquity, 
 as the Hindoos, Persians, Chaldeans, Babylonians, 
 Egyptians, and even the Chinese. Athanasius 
 Eircher has shown that the Emperors Constantine, 
 Hadrian, and Vespasian cured by the hand, and the 
 “Edda” shows us King Olaf performing a similar 
 ceremony. The Venerable Bede, in his “ Ecclesias¬ 
 tical History,” mentions frequent cures by the 
 Christian bishops as early as the seventh century.* 
 
 It appears from the account given of China— 
 where the customs have scarcely varied during 
 several centuries—by M. Borget, in “ La Chine et 
 les Chinois,” that magnetism is employed on very 
 ordinary occasions, as for rendering the operation of 
 shaving less irksome. It must be remembered that 
 in China the whole head is shaved. 
 
 7U 
 
 L «j. j 
 
 + *y< 
 
 ) 
 
 ✓ 
 
 / 
 
 * Many of these cures, by touching with the hand, were 
 doubtless effected by the power of the imagination, as the 
 practice differs materially from that of magnetism. Hippo- \ 
 crates remarked on this point: “ There exists in the human 
 hand a singular property to draw away and remove pains 
 and divers impurities from affected parts by placing the hand 
 upon them, or by pointing with the fingers towards them.’’ 
 
G 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 It is foreign to ray purpose to enter into tire con¬ 
 sideration of historical details ; I will, therefore, only 
 briefly allude to Mesmer, by whom the practice of 
 animal magnetism was introduced into France towards 
 
 the close of the last century, and whose practice was 
 attended with considerable success in the treatment 
 
 ( Df various diseases. Mesmer’s theory is thus sketched 
 by Wolfart, a German writer on magnetism, held in 
 much repute : “ All things in nature possess a par¬ 
 ticular power, which manifests itself by special actions 
 upon other bodies—viz., a physico-dynamic power 
 acting exteriorly, without chemical union, or without 
 being introduced into the interior of the organization. 
 j Mesmer taught that all organic bodies, animals, trees, 
 plants, as also stones, water, &c., might be impreg- 
 j nated with the magnetic fluid, and that this fluid 
 / might be propagated to considerable distances. It 
 I might be transmitted by direct contact with a body 
 already magnetised, or by means of the hand, the 
 look, or even the will. Like light and electricity, 
 it could penetrate solid and fluid bodies, and it was 
 \ reflected by mirrors, or polished surfaces, especially 
 \jn the direction of the poles.”* 
 
 Respecting the universality of terrestrial mag¬ 
 netism, a modern author observes : “ It is a curious 
 sight,” says Professor Faraday, “ to see a piece of 
 wood, or an apple, or a bottle of water repelled by a 
 magnet; or, taking the leaf of a tree, and hanging it 
 up between the poles, to see it take an equatorial 
 position.’’ We have learnt that magnetism is not 
 limited to ferruginous matter ; we know that the 
 ancient doctrine of the universality of the property is 
 true. 
 
 * A recent writer remarks : “The idea of a magnetic 
 fluid is very old. Apuleius, quoting from Yarro some facts 
 of lucidity and prevision similar to those which are recorded 
 of somnambulists, endeavours to explain them by a theory 
 analogous to that of the magnetic fluid. All the basis of the 
 ideas of Mesmer on the point are found in the writings of 
 Paracelsus, Van Helmont, and Santorelli.”—Maury, “ La 
 Magie et 1’Astrologie. ” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ Kircher, in his strange work on magnetism, attri¬ 
 butes to this power nearly all the cosmical phenomena 
 with which in distance men were acquainted: 
 Reasoning by analogy, the question fairly suggests 
 itself, if the systems of inorganic atomic constitu¬ 
 tion are thus invested with a power of influencing 
 each other through a distance, why may not two 
 more highly-developed organic systems equally or 
 to a greater extent produce an influence in like man¬ 
 ner ? Upon such reasoning as this is founded the 
 phenomena of animal magnetism. There is no deny¬ 
 ing the fact that one mass of blood, muscle, nerves, 
 and bone must magnetically influence another similar 
 mass. This is, however, something totally different 
 from that abnormal condition which is produced 
 through some peculiar, and as yet unexplained, phy¬ 
 siological influences. The recognised and undoubted 
 phenomena are in the highest degree curious, and 
 the explanation must be sought for by the physiolo¬ 
 gist among those hidden principles upon which 
 depends all human sensation. 
 
 Although Mesmer admitted the great magnetic 
 power o f th e hand, he considered that bodies ter- 
 minaTmg in points formed the best conductors of the 
 magnetic fluid ; he consequently generally made use 
 of a metallic rod, with which he touched the different 
 parts of the bodies of his patients. His ordinary 
 method was to assemble his patients in a dimly- 
 lighted chamber of his house, around a vessel con¬ 
 taining a mixture of metallic and various other 
 substances, and which was termed the baquet, the 
 action of which was considered to be magnetic. 
 Each person was connected with the others by means 
 of wires or cords held in the hand ; soft music from 
 a harpsichord was heard from an adjoining room, 
 whilst various manoeuvres were performed by the 
 
 * “ The Poetry of Science.” By Robert Hunt. The 
 opinion of the general pervading agency of magnetism is 
 sought to be proved in a recent work, “ Der Magnetismus 
 als Urkraft,” by L. Stebr. Berlin. 1865. 
 
8 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 assistants. After a time, Mesmer himself entered, 
 clad in a robe of light-coloured silk, his rod in his 
 hand, with which he touched the patients, who seldom 
 failed to experience various sensations; many among 
 them falling into what were termed the crises (attacks 
 of a convulsive nature), the most decided effects 
 being produced, as may well be supposed, on the 
 + female portion of the assembly, -or on males of a ner¬ 
 vous and_effeminate temperament. Many of those 
 who attended the seances experienced, however, no 
 effects; among these were the commissioners nomi¬ 
 nated by the Academies des Sciences and de 
 Medicine to observe and report upon the mesmeric 
 practice. 
 
 The conclusions of the report of this commission 
 have been often adduced as definitively deciding upon 
 the question of the validity of animal magnetism. 
 The commission was, however, appointed merely for 
 the purpose of reporting upon Mesmer’s proceedings. 
 The results were ascribed by this body chiefly to the 
 influence of the imagination and to imitation. 
 Nevertheless, some of the phenomena they witnessed, 
 were of so striking a nature, that they gave rise to 
 expressions of surprise. “ Nothing is more astonish¬ 
 ing,” says the report, “than the spectacle presented 
 by these convulsions, by the sympathies which are 
 established between the parties, and which we cannot 
 explain by the causes above-mentioned.” Some of 
 the phenomena produced so strong an impression 
 upon one of the most distinguished members of the 
 commission, the celebrated botanist, Jussieu, that he 
 refused to sign the report, notwithstanding the 
 solicitations of his colleagues, and the threats of the 
 Minister, and he published a separate report, in which 
 he declared that the experiments he had made, and 
 those he had witnessed, had convinced himiithat man 
 can produce upon man a positive action by means of 
 friction, by contact, more rarely by mere approxima¬ 
 tion, and even when at some distance; that this 
 action—attributed to a universal fluid, the existence 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 0 
 
 of which had not been proved—appeared to him to 
 depend upon the original heat existing in bodies, 
 from which it is constantly emanating, extending to 
 some distance, and even passing from one body into 
 another ; that it is developed, increased, or diminished 
 in the body by moral and physical causes ; that, 
 judging from its effects, it possesses the properties of 
 tonic remedies, producing, like them, salutary or pre¬ 
 judicial results, according to the quantity imparted, 
 and to the circumstances under which it is employed ; 
 and that a more extensive use of this agent would 
 produce a better knowledge of its true action and of 
 the extent of its utility. 
 
 The observations of Jussieu attracted, however, 
 but little attention, and after Mesmer’s departure 
 from Paris, mesmerism fell into comparative disuse, 
 doubtless owing in great measure to the absorption 
 of the public mind by the grave political and social 
 events that occurred at that period. 
 
 The processes of Mesmer were well calculated 
 powerfully to impress the imagination, and to pro¬ 
 duce the crises which supervened more or less, 
 generally among the patients. Though these crises 
 were doubtless, in some instances, followed by preju¬ 
 dicial consequences, there is no doubt, on the other 
 hand, that a large proportion of the patients derived 
 advantage from this mesmerism, and that the results 
 which ensued were not wholly referrible to their 
 imagination being impressed. Mesmer’s absence was 
 long regretted by a large section of the upper and 
 middle classes. Referring to the effects produced 
 by his treatment, and the regrets caused by his 
 departure, a highly-esteemed poet of that day ex¬ 
 pressed himself in the following terms :— 
 
 “ Toi.s se felicitoient de leurs metamorphoses, 
 
 La viei j.e Egle croyoit voir renaitre ses roses ; 
 
 Le vieillard decrepit, se ranimant peu-a-peu, 
 
 D’un retour de sante menayoit son neveu ; 
 
 La jeune homme a vingt ans, ride par la mollesse, 
 
 Se promettoit encore quelques jours de jeunesse. 
 
10 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Mesmer conrut ailleurs porter son art aimable ; 
 
 Chaque malacle an fond de son appartcment 
 Tout senl avec ses maux s’enterra tristement, 
 
 Et des remedes vains implorant la puissance, 
 
 II perdit lc plus doux en perdant l’esperance.”* 
 
 In tlie magnetic establishments formed several 
 years later in Paris, in Strasbourg- by the Marquis 
 de Puysegur, and elsewhere, the baquets and the 
 chambres des crises, which constituted an essential 
 accompaniment to Mesmer’s practice, were abolished, 
 and the method was generally adopted of magnetising 
 each individual separately, in most cases in the fol¬ 
 lowing manner : The magnetiser, seated or standing 
 before the subject, places his hands for a minute or 
 two on the hands of the person, then on the shoulders, 
 whence he brings them down, slightly touching the 
 arms, to beyond the fingers. This is repeated a few 
 times. He then passes his hands from the head an 
 inch or two distant from the person’s body down to 
 the stomach or lower, occasionally placing two or 
 three fingers on the forehead, or epi gastrium. In 
 most cases, however, the gradual movements of the 
 hand before the face are sufficient. These or similar 
 movements are continued for a longer or shorter 
 period, and are occasionally varied by transverse 
 passes made across the face and breast with greater 
 or less rapidity. After a person has been magnetised 
 several times, the passes are frequently unnecessary 
 to reproduce the sleep, the magnetiser’s pointing to, 
 or me rely looking fixedly at, the individual, with 
 the intention of magnetising, being in manj r 
 cases suffi cient. The person may usually be 
 awakened by transverse passes, made by rapidly 
 
 * Delille. “L’lmagination.” 
 
 “We visited Mesmer,” says a contemporary ; “ bis apart¬ 
 ments were crowded from morning till night. There is not 
 the least doubt that he has performed innumerable cures, and 
 no person can deny the effects of animal magnetism. Som¬ 
 nambulism, though more extraordinary, is equally true.”— 
 “Memoirs of the Baroness D’Oberkirch.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 11 
 
 separating the closed hands before the face, or by 
 blowing upon him, with the intention of awakening 
 him.* 
 
 Most magnetisers consider the movements or passes 
 as very subordinate means: the will being the in¬ 
 fluence which determines the effects. “ The mag- 
 netiser,” says one author, “ may act in one way and 
 think in another : it is the thought that the sub¬ 
 ject comprehends and obeys. Thus, for example: 
 the magnetiser raises an arm, and wills that the 
 somnambulist should raise a leg; it is the will 
 which will be obeyed, and his own gesture will not 
 be imitated/’f 
 
 The phenomena most commonly presented by 
 persons subjected to magnetisation are frequent 
 winking of the eyelids, spontaneous paleness or 
 flushing, a feeling of heat or cold in the head, epiga- 
 trium, or extremities ; partial or general pricking, 
 muscular contractions, spasms, an accelerated or re¬ 
 tarded circulation, palpitations; some experience an 
 indescribable sensation of calm and well-being; 
 others, a general feeling of indisposition; a state of 
 somnolency, analogous to coma, supervening. 
 
 When in the magnetic sleep, the individuals are, 
 to a greater or less extent, insensible to external 
 stimuli, as noises of all kinds, pungent substances 
 (as ammonia) applied to the nostrils, pinching, prick¬ 
 ing, or other mechanical irritation of the skin ; but 
 at the same time are able to hear when addressed by 
 the magnetiser (or by persons placed in connexion 
 —en rapport —with them), answering questions, and 
 performing various actions ordered by him. These 
 effects are not obtainable upon all, and several persons 
 
 * Crises, or convulsions, now occur only in exceptional 
 cases, as when abuse is made of the power, or when an inex¬ 
 perienced person magnetises. To concentrate the influence, 
 and to produce more speedy or local effects, touching the 
 head, the eyelids, or other parts, with the fingers converging 
 to a point, is often employed. 
 
 f liicard. “ Traits du Magnetisme Animal.” 
 
12 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 have been subjected to tbe action of a powerful mag- 
 netiser without experiencing any, or only slight, 
 effects. Certain individuals experience effects alto¬ 
 gether different from those which are manifested 
 upon others. “ Some,” says M. Hicard, “ are endowed 
 with surprising sensibility, others are but little im¬ 
 pressionable. One may, however, easily convince 
 oneself that the same persons, who in a state of 
 perfect health experience nothing from the action of 
 magnetism, may be easily affected by it when they 
 are attacked by disease. Some individuals who ex¬ 
 perience no effects from the action of one magnetiser, 
 would feel very marked sensations from the action of 
 another. Climate, the condition of the atmosphere, 
 the temperature of living or inert bodies which sur¬ 
 round us, and the physical and moral dispositions of 
 the magnetiser, as also of the subject, exert a very 
 positive influence.” 
 
 Of one hundred persons subjected to magnetism in 
 France, somnambulism was induced by M. Picard in 
 twenty-five. In the south of France, the proportion 
 was from sixty to seventy per cent.; in Paris, on 
 one hundred persons who accidentally presented 
 themselves without any special conditions as to 
 health or other selection, the proportion of som¬ 
 nambulists was twenty, and at least ten out of this 
 number may attain considerable lucidity. “ A 
 curious circumstance is, that it is not the persons 
 who in their waking state possess the greatest amount 
 of knowledge, or mental qualifications, who are 
 brought to perfect somnambulic lucidity. Ex¬ 
 perience has proved, on the contrary, that it is 
 generally the most ignorant and ordinary individuals 
 who most frequently arrive at this extreme develop¬ 
 ment of the faculties, and who attain most quickly to 
 perfection.” 
 
 The following account of the occurrences authen¬ 
 ticated by the commission appointed by the 
 Academie Poyale de Medicine, may possibly 
 contribute to diminish the amount of scepticism 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 13 
 
 that still exists respecting the phenomena of som¬ 
 nambulism. 
 
 In 1825, M. Foissac proposed to the Academie to 
 produce a somnambulist in whom the members of that 
 body might witness the extraordinary phenomena 
 caused by animal magnetism. The proposition gave 
 rise to violent debates, which terminated in the ap¬ 
 pointment of a committee to determine as to whether 
 the Academie ought or not to take cognisance in the 
 subject. The committee decided in the affirmative 
 upon the following grounds : First, that the judg¬ 
 ment pronounced by the Academie in 1784, was not 
 founded upon reasons sufficiently conclusive; and, 
 secondly, that the magnetism now proposed for ex¬ 
 amination differed from the Mesmerian magnetism, 
 inasmuch as its effects were producible without actual 
 contact between the magnetiser and the magnetised, 
 and without the employment of metallic rods, mag¬ 
 netic chains, and other similar means. After strong 
 opposition, a commission was appointed, composed of 
 twelve members, to examine into and report upon 
 the experiments about to be made. The commission 
 pursued its investigations till 1831, when it presented 
 a report to the Academie, containing an exposition 
 of its labours, with the inferences deduced from them, 
 arranged under the following heads :— 
 
 1. The effects ascribed to magnetism are null in 
 most healthy persons, and in some invalids. 
 
 2. They are but little apparent in others. 
 
 3. They are often produced by ennui, monotony, 
 and the power of the imagination. 
 
 4. Lastly, they are developed independently of 
 these causes, very probably by the influence of mag¬ 
 netism alone. 
 
 The somnamhulist proposed to be presented to 
 the Academie by M. Foissac, who, he stated, would 
 remove all doubt as to the power of magnetism, was 
 the first person subjected to its operation before the 
 commission. It appears, however, that the experi¬ 
 ment was a, failu re, for the commissioners say in the 
 
14 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 report, “We must confess, our inexperience, our 
 impatience, our mistrust, perhaps too strongly mani¬ 
 fested, did not permit us to observe any of the phe¬ 
 nomena of somnambulism.” 
 
 It is unnecessary that I should follow the report 
 in the enumeration of instances illustrative of the 
 two first heads. The following cases will serve to 
 illustrate the third position ; it being sufficient to 
 place the persons in situations in which they be¬ 
 lieved themselves magnetised, to produce similar 
 phenomena. 
 
 “Madlle. L.: was magnetised eleven times at the 
 Hofei Dieu, within the period of a month. At the 
 fourth sitting, somnolency, convulsive movements of 
 the neck and face, with other symptoms, occurred. 
 At the eleventh sitting, the magnetiser placed him¬ 
 self behind her chair, without making any signs, 
 and without the.intention of magnetising; never¬ 
 theless she experienced more decided effects than on 
 the preceding trials.” 
 
 “ ^ , n hys terical girl was magnetised several times; 
 at each time there occurred somnolency with strong 
 convulsive actions. Being placed one day in the 
 same chair, in the same place, at the same hour, and 
 in the presence of the same persons, the accustomed 
 phenomena presented themselves, though the mag¬ 
 netiser was absent.” A like experiment was made 
 on an epileptic patient with a similar result. 
 
 ' The following is an abstract of som e of the case^, 
 li’om which the commissioners inferred, that "‘the 
 phenomena were produced by the action of magnet¬ 
 ism alone. 
 
 A child aged twenty-eight months, subject to 
 epileptic attacks, was magnetised by M. Foissac. 
 Alm ost immediately after the beginning of the passes, 
 it rubbed its eyes, leaned its head upon one of the 
 cushions, yawned, was agitated, scratched its head 
 and ears, and seemed to struggle against the ten¬ 
 dency to sleep. 
 
 A deaf and dumb boy, aged eighteen years, subject 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 15 
 
 to epileptic attacks from a long period, was magnetised 
 fifteen times ; the epileptic attacks were suspended, and 
 only returned after an interval of eight months, which 
 was unprecedented in the history of his disease; he 
 experienced besides, during the experiments, heavi¬ 
 ness of the eyelids, general torpor, the inclination to 
 sleep, and sometimes vertigo. 
 
 M. Itard . one of the members of the commission, 
 who had previously been magnetised without any 
 effect resulting, again subjected himself to the ex¬ 
 periment after nearly a year’s interval, and ex¬ 
 perienced languor without sleep, a marked excitation 
 of the nerves of the face, convulsive movements in 
 the nose, the muscles of the face and jaws, and ac¬ 
 cumulation in the mouth of saliva, having a metallic 
 taste—a sensation similar to that which he had ex¬ 
 perienced from galvanism. This phenomenon re¬ 
 curred on subsequent occasions, when he was mag¬ 
 netised ; the two first sittings produced headache, 
 which lasted several hours, at the same time his 
 habitual pains had diminished. 
 
 It was chiefly upon M. Petit, a teacher, aged 
 thirty-two, that convulsive movements~"have been 
 ^ 'determined with the greatest degree of precision, by 
 the approach of the magnetiser’s fingers. 
 
 “ M. Dupotet,” says the report, “presented him to 
 the commissioners, the 10th August, 1826, stating to 
 them that the man was very s usceptible to somnam - 
 kuli c p henomena, and that Avliile in this state, he, 
 M. Dupotet, could at his pleasure, and without ex¬ 
 pressing it by word, produce in the parts indicated 
 by the commissioners, evident convulsive movements, 
 by the mere approach of his fingers to the parts. He 
 was quickly somnambulised, and the commissioners, 
 to obviate any suspicion of a concerted plan, placed in 
 the hands of M. Dupotet a note composed in silence, 
 and at the moment, in which they had stated, in 
 writing, the parts which they wished to see convulsed. 
 1 “ Following these instructions, he first directed 
 
 .-P 
 
 t ' 
 
 / 
 
 his hand towards the 
 
 right 
 
 wrist, which became 
 
1G 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 affected with convulsion : he afterwards placed him¬ 
 self behind the patient, and directed his finger in the 
 first instance towards the left thigh, then towards the 
 left elbow, and then to the head. These three parts 
 were almost immediately seized with convulsive 
 movements. M. Dupotet next directed his left leg 
 towards that of the patient, who became agitated in 
 such a manner as to be near falling; M. Dupotet 
 then brought his foot near the right elbow of M. 
 Petit, and the elbow became agitated; he then 
 carried his foot towards the left elbow and hand, and 
 very strong convulsive actions took place in the 
 whole limb. One of the commissioners, M. Marc, 
 with the intention of obviating the slightest pos¬ 
 sibility of trickery, placed a band age over t he 
 v pa tient’s eyes, and the preceding experiments were 
 repeated, with but slight difference in the results. 
 Upon the combined and instantaneous indication of 
 several of us, M. Dupotet directed his finger towards 
 the patient’s left hand ; on its approach both hands 
 were agitated. We desired that the action should be 
 directed at the same time to both the inferior ex¬ 
 tremities : at first the fingers were approached with¬ 
 out any results; soon, however, the somnambulist 
 moved his hands, retreated, and then agitated his 
 feet. MM. Thillaye and Marc directed their fingers 
 towards various parts of the body, and provoked 
 some convulsive movements. Thus M. Petit always 
 had, on the approach of the fingers, convulsive move¬ 
 ments, whether his eyes were bandaged or not, and 
 these movements were more decided when a metallic 
 rod, such as a key, or the branches of spectacles, was 
 directed towards the parts. In conclusion, the com¬ 
 mission, although witnesses of several cases in which 
 this contractile faculty has been excited by the ap¬ 
 proach of the fingers, or of metallic rods, require 
 further facts, in order to appreciate the phenomenon, 
 of the constancy and value of which they do not con¬ 
 sider themselves sufficiently enlightened to pronounce 
 an opinion.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 As respects the clairvoyance of this subject, the 
 report continues:— 
 
 “ After the patient had been thrown into som¬ 
 nambulism, and had exhibited some of the pheno¬ 
 mena of muscular contraction and agitation on the 
 approach of the fingers or foot of the magnetiser, a 
 bandage was placed over the eyes. Having declared, 
 however, that he could not see with the bandage, it 
 was removed, but then constant attention was directed 
 to"the eyelids to verify that they were exactly closed. 
 For this purpose a light was held at a little distance 
 from the eyes during the experiment, and several 
 persons were watching him closely; one of them, 
 M. Ribes, even remarked, that the edges of the eye¬ 
 lids were so close, that the lashes of the upper and 
 lower lids crossed each other. The same gentleman, 
 a member of the Academie, then presented a cata¬ 
 logue which he took out of his pocket; the som¬ 
 nambulist, after some efforts which appeared to fa¬ 
 tigue him, read very distinctly the words— Lavater , 
 il est lien difficile de connoitre les homines —these 
 last words were in very small type. He next re¬ 
 cognised a "passport and a port'd’armes, which is 
 very like a passport: after a few instants’ attention 
 be read, De par le roi and Port d’armes. An open 
 letter was next shown him: he said he could not 
 read it, as he did not understand English—the letter 
 was in fact written in English. He afterwards dis¬ 
 tinguished the representation of a dog before an 
 altar, on a snuff-box; and on a closed letter being 
 presented to him, though he could not read it, he 
 pointed out the direction of the lines of writing. 
 On subsequently playing piquet, he handled the 
 cards with the greatest exactness, and without ever 
 being mistaken, notwithstanding attempts to deceive 
 him were frequently made, by withdrawing or 
 changing the cards; he counted with surprising 
 facility the number of points marked upon his ad¬ 
 versary’s marking card. 
 
 “ Whilst M. Petit was playing a second game, M. 
 
18 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Dupotet, at the suggestion of M. Bibes, directed, 
 from behind, his hand towards the patient’s elbow, 
 and the contraction formerly observed recurred. 
 Then, on the proposition of M. Bourdois, he mag¬ 
 netised him from behind, at the distance of a foot, 
 with the intention of awakening him. The ardour 
 with which the somnambulist was playing, opposed 
 this action, which seemed to annoy and vex him. 
 He several times carried his hand to the back of his 
 head, as if he were suffering; he afterwards fell into 
 a stupor, which seemed to be a light natural sleep, 
 and on some one speaking to him in this state he 
 waked up with a start.” 
 
 “ Shortly afterwards he was again magnetised, and 
 M. Dupotet, desirous that not the shadow of a doubt 
 should remain on the nature of a physical action, 
 exerted at will on the somnambulist, proposed to put 
 on him as many bandages as the commissioners 
 pleased, and then to act upon him. In consequence, 
 his face down to the nostrils was covered with 
 several handkerchiefs; the cavity formed by the 
 prominence of the nose being filled up with gloves, 
 \ and a black handerchief covered the wholepfalling 
 down to his neck like a veil. The experiments were 
 then repeated in various ways, and the same kind of 
 movements always manifested themselves in the parts 
 towards which the hand or the foot was directed. 
 After a game at ecarte, which the somnambulist 
 pursued with such ardour that he remained insen¬ 
 sible to the action of M. Bourdois, who vainly en¬ 
 deavoured to act upon him from behind, he rose, 
 walked across the room, putting aside the chairs 
 which were in his way, and went to sit 
 down at a distance from the experimenters, 
 when he was awakened by M. Dupotet. When 
 awakened, he said that he retained no recollec¬ 
 tion of what had occurred during his somnam¬ 
 bulism.” 
 
 I will now refer to the cases in which the com¬ 
 missioners witnessed, besides clairvoyance, “ the 
 
(• 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 1 9 
 
 proofs of intuition, and of a foresight very remark¬ 
 able, as regards themselves and others.” 
 
 Paul Villagrand, a law student, was attacked, 25th 
 December, 1825, by apoplexy, with paralysis of the 
 whole left side of the body ; after seventeen months 
 of varied treatment pursued at home, and in a 
 Maison de Sante, in the course of which period he 
 had two fresh attacks, he was admitted, 8th April, 
 1827, in the hospital La Charite. Although he had 
 experienced marked relief from the means employed 
 before his admission, he still walked with crutches, 
 without being able to lean upon the left leg. The 
 arm of the same side could execute some under move¬ 
 ments, but he could not raise it to the head. He \ 
 could hardly see with the light eye, and his hearing > 
 was'very bad on both sides. In this state he was 
 placed under the care of M. Fouquier. During five 
 months, he was bled, purged, or blistered, from time 
 to time, and took the extract of nux vomica. The 
 left arm acquired a little strength, the headache to 
 which he was subject was mitigated, and his condition 
 remained stationary till the 29th Augu st, on which 
 day he was magnetised by IVl. Foissac, according to 
 the order and under the direction of M. Fouquier. In 
 this first sitting he experienced a sensation of general 
 heat, and muscular twitchings. He was astonished at 
 the inclination to sleep, rubbed his eyes, and made 
 useless efforts to keep them open. From this period 
 the deafness and the headache disappeared. It was 
 only at the ninth sitting that the sleep became com¬ 
 plete ; on the tenth he answered by inarticulate 
 signs to questions which were addressed to him. On 
 a subsequent occasion he announced that he could 
 only be cured with the adjuvancy of magnetism, and 
 prescribed himself sinapisms, baths of Bareges, and 
 the continued use of pills of extract of nux vomica. 
 The 25th September the commission repaired to La 
 Charite, caused the patient to undress, and verified 
 the circumstance that the left inferior extremity was 
 much thinner than the other; that the left hand 
 
20 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 pressed much less strongly than the right; that the 
 tongue, when protruded from the mouth, was drawn 
 towards the right commissure. On being magnetised, 
 he again prescribed for himself, and added, that by 
 pursuing the treatment for three days, and on being 
 magnetised, he would be able on awaking to walk 
 without crutches. The treatment was accordingly 
 followed up, and on the stated day, the 28th, the 
 commissioners arrived at the hospital. Paul entered 
 the room supporting himself on his crutches, and 
 was magnetised as usual. When in somnambulism, 
 he stated that he would return to his bed without 
 crutches or support. When awakened he asked for 
 his crutches, but was answered that he did not 
 require them—in fact, he arose, supported himself 
 upon the paralysed leg, passed through the crowd 
 which followed him, descended the steps of the con¬ 
 ference-room, crossed the courtyard to the foot of the 
 staircase, which, after resting himself a minute or 
 two, he ascended with the assistance of an arm and 
 the bannister, went to bed without support, to the 
 great astonishment of all the patients, who till then 
 had only seen him fixed to his bed. From that day 
 he did not resume his crutches. 
 
 When again magnetised, on the 11th October, he 
 announced that he should be completely cured if a 
 seton were established below the region of the heart. 
 On being pricked with a pin on the eyelids, he evinced 
 no sign of sensibility. 
 
 The magnetic experiments in the hospital were at 
 j this period put a stop to by the administrative council. 
 The patient, however, said he could not sufficiently 
 praise the efficacy of magnetism, and was consequently 
 removed from the hospital by M. Foissac, who con¬ 
 tinued the treatment in a private apartment. 
 
 On the 29th of the same month, the commissioners 
 went to his apartment to ascertain the progress of the 
 cure, which they found materially advanced. On 
 being somnambulised, he showed increased strength, 
 raised M. Thillaye from the ground, and on being 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 told to descend the staircase, abruptly quitted his 
 chair, took the arm of M. Foissac, whom he left at 
 the door, descended and ascended the steps two at a 
 time with a convulsive rapidity, which, however, 
 became moderated when he was told to ascend only 
 one at a time. When awakened, he lost this sur¬ 
 prising increase of strength : his gait was slow but 
 assured ; he could not support the weight of his body 
 upon the left leg, and he tried in vain to raise M. 
 Foissac. It must be observed, that two days before 
 this last experiment, he had lost two pounds and a 
 half of blood, had had blisters on his legs, a seton in 
 the nape, and another on the breast. “ You will 
 consequently perceive with us, gentlemen,” continues ' 
 the report, “ what a prodigious increase of power 
 magnetism had developed in the diseased organs, 
 since the whole strength of the body had been more 
 than quadrupled.” 
 
 “ Paul afterwards renounced all medical treatment, 
 desiring that the remedial means should be restricted 
 to'magnetism; and towards the end of the year, as 
 he expressed a desire to be put and kept in somnam¬ 
 bulism during eight days, in order that his cure 
 should be complete on the 1st January, he was mag¬ 
 netised on the 25th December, and from that day , 
 remained in somnambulism till the 1st January. 
 During this time he was awakened for twelve hours 
 at unequal intervals ; and in these brief moments of 
 the waking state, he was suffered to believe that he 
 had only been asleep for a few hours. During the 
 whole time of his sleep the digestive functions were 
 performed with increased activity. 
 
 “ He had been asleep three days, when, still in 
 somnambulism, accompanied by M. Foissac, he set 
 off on foot, the 28th December, from the Rue Mon- 
 dovi, and went to find M. Fouquier at the hospital, 
 where he arrived at nine o'clock. He there recog¬ 
 nised the patients near whom he had slept before 
 leaving, as also the pupils on service, and he£’, v 
 read with c losed eyes, while a finger was held' 
 
22 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 on each eyelid, some words which M. Fouquier 
 showed him. 
 
 “The 12th of January, the commissioners once 
 more ass'embied at the house of M. Foissac, where 
 were present M. E. de Las Cases, deputy; the 
 Count de Rumigny, aide-de-camp to the king; and 
 M. Segalas, member of the Academy. M. Foissac 
 stated to us, that when Paul was in the state of 
 somnambulism, a finger might be held on each of 
 his closed eyes, and that notwithstanding the com¬ 
 plete occlusion of the lids, he would distinguish the 
 colour of cards, would read the title of a book, and 
 some lines in any part which might be opened. 
 After a couple of minutes of magnetic gestures, Paul 
 is asleep. The eyelids being held closed constantly 
 and alternately by MM. Fouquier, Itard, Marc, and 
 the reporter; a new pack of cards is brought, and 
 the stamped envelope of the government torn off; 
 the cards are shuffled, and Paul recognizes, easily 
 and successively, the king of spades, the ace of clubs, 
 queen of spades, nine of clubs, seven of diamonds, 
 queen of diamonds, and eight of diamonds.” 
 
 Analogous effects were observed on subsequent 
 occasions, and the commissioners remark that 
 
 “ The conclusions to be drawn from this long and 
 curious case are easy; they flow naturally from the 
 simple exposition of the facts which we have related. 
 1st. A patient whom a rational medication by one of 
 the first practitioners of the capital was not able to 
 cure of paralysis, finds his cure in the employment of 
 magnetism, and in the exactness with which the 
 treatment is pursued, which he prescribes for himself 
 while in somnambulism. 2nd. In this state his 
 strength is notably increased. 3rd. He gives us the 
 most undeniable proof that he reads with the eyes 
 closed, 4th. He foresees the period of his cure, and 
 is cured at the time which he announced.” 
 
 The case of another patient, a journeyman hatter, 
 aet. 20, born of an epileptic mother, and subject to 
 fits of epilepsy five or six times a week, for ten years, 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 23 
 
 is next given in the report. This individual pre¬ 
 dicted, while in somnambulism, the periods of his 
 attacks, and when he would be cured; the former 
 predictions were verified, but before the term which 
 he had fixed for his cure arrived he was knocked 
 down by a cabriolet and killed. The commissioners 
 observe upon this case—“ We see in this instance, a 
 young man subject during ten years to attacks of 
 epilepsy, for which he had been successively treated 
 at two hospitals, and exempted from military service. 
 Magnetism acts upon him, although he is completely 
 ignorant of what is done to him: he becomes 
 somnambulist. The symptoms of his disease are 
 ameliorated, the attacks diminish in frequency, his 
 headaches and oppression disappear beneath the 
 influence of magnetism ; he prescribes himself a 
 treatment appropriated to the nature of his disease, 
 and from which he promises himself a cure. Being 
 magnetised without his knowing it, and from afar, 
 he falls into somnambulism, and is awakened 'from it 
 Avith the same quickness as when the magnetiser is 
 near him. Lastly, he indicates, with a rare pre¬ 
 cision, one and two months beforehand, the day and 
 the hour at which he is to have an attack of epilepsy; 
 nevertheless, although endowed with a foresight for 
 attacks at so distant a period, as well as for those 
 which are never to take place, he does not foresee 
 that in two days he will meet with a fatal accident.” 
 On this last circumstance the commissioners remark, 
 that the previsions of the patient relate only to his 
 attacks, that they are reduced to the consciousness of 
 the organic modifications which prepare themselves 
 and happen in him, as the necessary result of interior 
 functions. “Let us add,” they continue, “that his 
 prevision is not absolute, that it is conditional, since, 
 when foretelling an attack, he stated that it would 
 not take place if he were magnetised; and, in fact, 
 it does not take place, it is altogether organic, in¬ 
 ternal. Thus we can conceive why he did not foresee 
 an event altogether external, viz., that chance should 
 
24 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 lead him in tlie way of an intractable horse, and 
 that in attempting to stop it he should receive a 
 mortal wound.” 
 
 In the next case the somnambulist, a female, be¬ 
 sides the ordinary phenomena of somnambulism, ex¬ 
 hibited that of ascertaining the symptoms of persons 
 presented to her. One of them was M. Marc, one of 
 the commissioners ; another was a dropsical young 
 woman, with some peculiarities, which were indicated 
 by the somnambulist, on touching her, with tolerable 
 precision. “It results from these observations,” 
 says the report, “ 1st. That while in the state of 
 somnambulism, Mademoiselle C. has pointed out the 
 diseases of three persons with whom she was placed 
 in relation (rapport). 2nd. That the declaration of 
 the one, the examination which was made of the 
 other, after thrice tapping, and the autopsic exami¬ 
 nation of the third, were found to accord with what 
 the somnambulist had advanced. 3rd. That the 
 different modes of treatment which she prescribed 
 are not beyond the circle of remedies which she 
 might know, nor beyond that of the order of things 
 which she might reasonably recommend ; and 4th. 
 That she applied them with a kind of discernment.” 
 
 The report terminates by saying, “The commis¬ 
 sion has reported with impartiality that which it 
 had seen with distrust; it has exposed methodically 
 that which it has observed under different circum¬ 
 stances, and which it has followed up with an atten¬ 
 tion as close as continued. It has the consciousness 
 that the statements which it presents to you are the 
 faithful expression of that which it has observed. 
 The obstacles which it has met with are known to 
 you; they are partly the cause of the delay which 
 has occurred in presenting the report, although we 
 have long been in possession of the materials. We 
 are, however, far from excusing ourselves, or from 
 complaining of this delay, since it gives to our ob¬ 
 servations a character of maturity and reserve which 
 should lead you to confide in the facts which we have 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 25 
 
 related, without the charge of prepossession and en¬ 
 thusiasm, with which you might have reproached us 
 if we had only recently collected them. We add, 
 that we are far from thinking that we have seen all 
 that is to be seen, and we do not pretend to lead you 
 to admit as an axiom, that there is nothing positive 
 in magnetism beyond what we mention in our report. 
 Far from placing limits to this part of physiological 
 science, we entertain, on the contrary, the hope that 
 a new field is opened to it, and warranting our own 
 observations, presenting them with confidence to 
 those who, after us, will occupy themselves with 
 magnetism, we restrict ourselves to drawing the 
 following conclusions, which are the necessary con¬ 
 sequence of the facts, the totality of which constitutes 
 our report. 
 
 CONCLUSIONS. 
 
 “ 1. Contact of the thumbs or the hands, frictions 
 or certain gestures termed passes made at a little 
 distance fr i the body, are the means employed to 
 place in r. u,tion, or, in other words, to transmit the 
 action from the magnetiser to the magnetised. 
 
 “ 2. Magnetism has acted on persons of different 
 sex and age. 
 
 “ 3. Magnetism does not generally act upon 
 healthy persons, nor does it act upon all in¬ 
 valids. 
 
 “ 4. Whilst persons are being magnetised, insig¬ 
 nificant and transient effects sometimes occur, which 
 we do not ascribe to magnetism alone, but which 
 may be accounted for without the intervention of a 
 particular agent, viz., by hope or fear, expectation 
 from a something new and unknown, the ennui re¬ 
 sulting from the monotony of the gestures, the 
 silence and repose observed in the experiments ; 
 lastly, by the imagination, which exercises so power¬ 
 ful an influence over some minds. 
 
 “ 5. A certain number of the effects observed 
 have appeared to us to result from magnetism alone, 
 and were not reproduced without it. These are well 
 
 o 
 
20 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 authenticated physiological and therapeutical phe¬ 
 nomena. 
 
 “ 6. The real effects produced by magnetism are 
 / very varied; it agitates some, calms others, it usually 
 accelerates the respiration and circulation, causes 
 transient convulsive movements similar to electric 
 shocks, a lassitude and torpor more or less profound, 
 somnolency, and, in a small number of instances, 
 what the magnetisers term somnambulism. 
 
 “ 7. The existence of a special character proper to 
 make known in all cases the reality of the state of 
 somnambulism has not been proved. 
 
 “ 8. It may, however, be inferred with certainty 
 that this state exists, when it gives rise to the deve¬ 
 lopment of new faculties, which have been designated 
 by the name of clairvoyance , intuition, internal pre- 
 K . vision; or when it produces great changes in the 
 / physiological state, as insensibility, a sudden and con- 
 \__siderable increase of strength, and when this state can¬ 
 not be referred to another cause. 
 
 “9. As among the effects ascribed to somnam¬ 
 bulism there are some which may be simulated, so 
 may somnambulism itself be simulated, and furnish 
 charlatanism with means of deception. 
 
 “10. A peculiar sleep, produced more or less 
 speedily, and established in a degree more or less 
 profound, is a real, but not a constant, effect of 
 magnetism. 
 
 “ 11. It has been demonstrated to us that the sleep 
 may be produced under circumstances in which the 
 magnetised have not been able to perceive, and 
 have been ignorant of, the means employed to oc¬ 
 casion it. 
 
 “ 12. "When a person has been already magnetised, 
 it is not always necessary to have recourse to contact, 
 or to the passes, in order to magnetise afresh. The 
 look of the magnetiser, his will alone, has often the 
 same influence. In this case one can not only act 
 upon the magnetised, but throw him completely 
 into the sleep, and awaken him from this state 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 27 
 
 without his being aware of it, out of his sight, at a 
 certain distance, and through closed door^2? 
 
 “ 13. There usually take place changes more or 
 less remarkable in the perceptions and the faculties 
 of individuals in whom somnambulism is produced 
 by magnetism. 
 
 “ 14. We have not seen any person fall into som¬ 
 nambulism on being magnetised for the first time. 
 It has sometimes been not until the eighth or tenth 
 sitting that somnambulism has become manifest. 
 
 “ 15. We have frequently seen ordinary sleep, 
 which is the repose of the organs of the senses, of 
 the intellectual faculties, and voluntary movements, 
 precede and terminate the state of somnambulism. 
 
 “ 16. When awakened, somnambulists declare that 
 they do not recollect any of the circumstances of the 
 state of somnambulism. 
 
 “ 17. We have seen two somnambulists distin¬ 
 guish with closed eyes the objects placed before 
 them; they have designated, without touching them, 
 the colour and name of cards ; they have read words 
 written, or lines from a book. This phenomenon 
 has occurred even when the eyelids ivere kept closed 
 by the fingers. 
 
 “ 18. We have met with two somnambulists who 
 possessed the faculty of foreseeing acts of the organ¬ 
 ism, more or less distinct, more or less complicated. 
 
 “ 19. We have only met with one somnambulist 
 who could indicate the symptoms of the diseases of 
 three persons with whom she was placed in relation. 
 We had, however, made researches on a considerable 
 number. 
 
 f * An instance of this was recently related to me by a gen¬ 
 tleman. A lady stated lier intention of magnetising the 
 younger of her two daughters, who were seated together at a 
 piano in an adjoining room, s eparated from the one in which 
 she herself was by folding-doors. On proceeding to carry 
 her mienfion into effect, magnetisation produced its effects 
 after a brief period on the young lady, wh o was not aware 
 of what was going on, her sister not being at all affected. 
 
 C 2 
 
 V 
 
28 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ 20. In order to determine with justness the 
 relation of magnetism to therapeutics, the effects 
 must have been observed on a great number of 
 individuals, and experiments should have been made 
 for a long period and daily on the same diseases. 
 This not having been done, the commission must 
 restrict itself to saying that it has seen too few cases 
 to be able to pronounce an opinion on this point. 
 
 “ 21. Some of the patients magnetised have 
 derived no advantage, others have experienced more 
 or less marked benefit—viz., one patient, the relief 
 of habitual pains ; another, the return of strength ; 
 a third, a suspension of several months of epileptic 
 attacks; and a fourth, the complete cure of serious 
 and Jong-standing paralysis. 
 
 “ 22. Considered as an agent of physiological 
 phenomena, or as a therapeutical means, magnetism 
 ought to find a place within the sphere of medical 
 science, and consequently only medical practi¬ 
 tioners ought to employ it, or to superintend its 
 employment, as is practised in several countries of 
 the north of Europe. 
 
 “ 23. The commission could not verify, because 
 it had no opportunity, the other faculties which 
 magnetisers had stated to exist in somnambulists. 
 But it has collected, and it communicates to the 
 Academie, facts sufficiently important to induce it 
 to think that the Academie ought to encourage 
 researches on magnetism as a very curious branch of 
 psychology and natural history. 
 
 “ Certainly we dare not flatter ourselves that we 
 shall make you share entirely our conviction of the 
 reality of the phenomena which we have observed, 
 and which you have neither seen, nor followed, nor 
 studied with, or in opposition to us. We do not, 
 therefore, exact from you a blind belief in all that 
 we have reported. We conceive that a great part 
 of the facts are so extraordinary, that you cannot 
 grant it to us: perhaps we ourselves should have 
 refused you our belief, if, changing places, you 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 ✓ 
 
 29 
 
 had come to announce them before this tribunal to 
 us, who, like you at present, had seen nothing, 
 observed nothing, studied nothing, followed nothing 
 of them. 
 
 “ We only require that you judge us as we should 
 have judged you, that is to say, that you remain 
 perfectly convinced that neither the love of the 
 wonderful, nor the desire of celebrity, nor any 
 interest whatever, has influenced us in our labours. 
 We were animated by motives more elevated, more 
 worthy of you—by the love of science, and by the 
 wish to justify the hopes which the Academie had 
 conceived of our zeal and devotedness. 
 
 “ (Signed) Bourdois de la Motte, President; 
 
 Fouquier, Gueneau de Mussy, 
 Guersent, Itard, Leroux, Marc, 
 Thillaye, Husson (Reporter;.” 
 
 The general justness of these conclusions has been 
 fully confirmed by the results of subsequent and a 
 more extensive experience; but even before the pub¬ 
 lication of this report the practice of magnetism had 
 become pretty generally diffused in several countries. 
 Hufeland, physician to the King of Prussia, whose 
 opinions on medical questions were held in high 
 estimation throughout continental Europe, decidedly 
 advocated its adoption into medical practice, though 
 cautioning against its abuse. He says : “ We neither 
 know the essence nor the limits of this astonishing 
 power; whosoever therefore undertakes to direct it, 
 should engage in the task with a high respect for the 
 principle which he will call into action. He must 
 especially avoid magnetising for mere amuse¬ 
 ment.” 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Sanby observed in his work, pub¬ 
 lished several years ago : “ In Russia, a commission 
 was named by the Emperor to investigate the utility 
 of magnetism, and it declared that it was a very 
 important agent. At Moscow, a course of magnetic 
 treatment has been systematically employed for 
 
30 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 several years, under tlie highest auspices. In 
 Denmark, physicians practice it under royal ordo- 
 nance and by a decree of the Council of Health. In 
 Holland many distinguished men take it up, and in 
 France the practice is carried on very extensively 
 indeed.”* In order to prevent the abuses which 
 might arise from the use of magnetism by incom¬ 
 petent persons, and to ensure the adoption of a 
 proper mode of treatment for those who seek to 
 improve their health by its means, the following rules 
 were promulgated in Saxony by royal command :— 
 
 “ 1. The employment of animal magnetism upon 
 sick or invalid persons is permitted only to phy¬ 
 sicians of the first and second class. The physician 
 must undertake the treatment himself; or, if not, 
 he must entrust it to another whom he may deem a 
 proper person. 
 
 “ 2. Non-medical persons are prohibited from 
 treating patients by magnetism on their own respon¬ 
 sibility. Those possessing special magnetic power, 
 or who believe themselves to possess such a power, 
 are allowed to practise it for the cure of disease only 
 as the instrument of a physician, who must super¬ 
 intend the treatment. 
 
 “ 3. The physician is responsible for the treatment 
 and its consequences, just as when he employs any 
 other means of cure. He should be present during 
 the greater part of the seances, in order to direct, 
 and, if necessary, to suspend the process. 
 
 “ 4. Every practitioner who undertakes the mag¬ 
 netic treatment of a case must first intimate his 
 intention so to do to the communal physician, and 
 give the name and address of the non-medical mag- 
 netiser, if employing one. He must also take 
 written notes of the case for the inspection of the 
 authorities when required.” 
 
 The effects resulting from animal magnetism are 
 divisible into two kinds; the physical, and those 
 
 * “ Mesmerism and its Opponents.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 31 
 
 as we 
 
 and in the larger 
 
 is 
 
 altogether 
 
 which are more especially referrible to the domain 
 of psychology, which are much more rarelv met with 
 than the former, and which are not exclusively pro¬ 
 duced by this agent, sometimes occurring sponta¬ 
 neously in abnormal states of the system. Even the 
 physical effects depend in great measure upon the 
 psychological condition of the magnetiser and the 
 magnetised, inasmuch as the will of the former 
 is the influence which produces them; and the 
 susceptibility of the subject to be affected varies, 
 have seen, under different circumstances, 
 proportion of healthy persons 
 wanting.* It is, not, however,' 
 always superior strength of will that ensures the 
 results; for women and children who have been 
 taught to magnetise can~sometimes produce the 
 sleep, relieve" pain, &c., in strong and robust indi¬ 
 viduals. An author whose works rank among the 
 most profound among those existing on the subject 
 in the German language observes on this point: 
 
 “ The power of magnetic action is generally un¬ 
 equal in different persons. It may, however, become 
 strengthened by exercise. Physical bodily strength 
 is no proof of the possession of this power in a high 
 degree; it depends upon individual peculiarities ; and 
 the beneficial results of its action are not proportioned 
 by the power of magnetisers; for persons apparently j 
 weak, women and even, .children, act, in certain cases, 
 in a much more advafTTageous manner than strong 
 men. I have had frequent opportunities of con¬ 
 vincing myself that, as respects the relief of pains, 
 and in inflammatory affections, the hand of. young 
 children acts better than that of grown-up persons.” 
 “Children, seven years old,” says JJeleuze, “ magnetise 
 very well, after they have seen it done. There are 
 instances in which individuals, without any appear¬ 
 ance of bodily strength, possess great power for 
 
 gouty and 
 
 great 
 
 acting upon others, for the dispersion~"of 
 
 K' 
 
 kjA 
 
 h 
 
 w 
 
 Especially on a tirst trial. 
 
32 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 rheumatic pains. This is more especially the case 
 with respect to those who have in them much elec¬ 
 tricity.” Three conditions are mentioned by Deleuze 
 as being requisite to produce beneficial action— 
 viz., “ the will, confidence, and the desire to do 
 good.”* 
 
 The magnetic effect is produced more readily and 
 n. constantly in hot co untries, where there exists among 
 the inhabitants a greater excitability of the nervous 
 system than in colder regions. In the East Indies, 
 almost all the natives on whom the trial was made 
 were more or less affected on the first or second 
 attempt. In the south of France, as we have seen, 
 the proportion of persons affected by magnetisation 
 was much larger than in the north, or other parts of 
 the country. It must, however, be observed, that 
 where one magnetiser fails another will often succeed 
 in producing the sleep, either because the latter may 
 possess greater magnetic power, or because the sub¬ 
 ject may be more impressionable on a second or third 
 magnetisation; so that it is not always a proof that 
 magnetism is without action when no immediate or 
 perceptible effects are experienced at the time. In 
 cases of disease, the production of very energetic 
 effects is not a favourable sign. “ I prefer for mag¬ 
 netic treatment,” says Dr. Ennemoser, “ a subject 
 who is not altogether insensible to the action, but one 
 who only manifests a slight and temporary suscepti¬ 
 bility to it. I am more apprehensive when very 
 marked effects are at once produced than when there 
 is more insensibility to its action. Magnetisation 
 once, twice, or thrice, may perhaps show no evidence 
 of the agency, which may be manifested if the process 
 be persevered in. Nothing has been more injurious 
 to the cause of mesmerism than the erroneous idea 
 that sleep andjsomnambulism are the chief objects to 
 be aimed at in magnetising ; nor has anything tended 
 
 * Ennemoser. “ Anleitung zur mesmerischen Praxis.” 
 Stuttgard, 1852. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 33 
 
 more to prevent a just knowledge of the subject 
 being obtained than such an impression.” 
 
 This brief general notice of the subject will the 
 better enable us to consider the effects of magnetism 
 separately, in accordance with the already-specified 
 division. 
 
 A pamphlet which I accidentally met with, pub¬ 
 lished in London in 1790, comprising letters addressed 
 to a periodical, is interesting as showing the opinions 
 expressed on magnetism in England, at a time when 
 much of the public attention of France was directed 
 to the subject. The writer observes, that though 
 originally sceptical, and disposed to regard mag- 
 netisers as jugglers, practising fraud and imposition 
 on the credulous, he afterwards became convinced of 
 the reality of magnetism from witnessing its effects. 
 After mentioning some cases of the sleep being pro¬ 
 duced by the fixed look of the magnetiser, &c., he 
 proceeds to say resjoecting magnetic lucidity : “ An¬ 
 other remarkable prerogative conferred upon the 
 
 subject of the crisis, is that of perfect and unob¬ 
 structed vision, or, in other words, all opacity is 
 removed, and every object becomes luminous and 
 transparent. It will be in vain for you to oppose 
 any objections founded upon the nature of light and 
 vision against my assertion. The merits of the case 
 shall rest upon fair and open experiment. I do not 
 pretend to affirm that every person in the crisis ^ is 
 possessed of this extraordinary faculty, but it is a 
 notorious fact that “Some highly-favoured ones have 
 declared they could tell you the hour of the day by 
 your watch, when it is locked up in your drawer, 
 and could read a book of moderate-sized print by 
 looking at it through a millstone. 
 
 “ It is unnecessary for me to expatiate upon the 
 numerous advantages that must result from the 
 application of this Lyncean power to medical pur¬ 
 poses. Physicians are frequently at a loss to ascertain 
 the precise cause and seat of internal diseases; and 
 we know that a judgment founded upon symptoms 
 
 c 3 
 
 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 34 
 
 and reasoning must be liable to great uncertainty. 
 Here we have at length obtained that long-wished- 
 for desideratum, the art of looking into the inside of 
 a patient. The experiment has been so frequently 
 repeated, and the Doctor maintains the fact with the 
 same feeling of confidence for which he is notorious 
 upon every other point of magnetic doctrine. 
 
 “No person can for a moment entertain a doubt 
 that very valuable benefits may be derived from the 
 discreet exercise of this power, and yet the friends 
 of magnetism have been grossly insulted upon this 
 very point by your sceptical philosophers. I very 
 well remember that when I first ventured to hint at 
 this effect of magnetic influence to a philosophical 
 friend, he very charitably supposed me to have lost 
 my senses, and with great politeness made that a 
 pretence for declining any further conversation upon 
 the subject.” 
 
 With respect to the occasional transference of 
 symptoms of disease from the subject to the mag- 
 netiser (a fact that has been confirmed by recent 
 observation), the writer remarked: “It must, indeed, 
 be acknowledged that the act of transplantation in¬ 
 duces a material change in the form of the disease, 
 so that the operator does not become the subject of 
 the specific complaint -which he translates, but only 
 experiences a general inconvenience. I am aware,” 
 he added, “ that the graver sort of people have been 
 greatly scandalised at our hinting a necessary con¬ 
 nexion of this new science with religion, but they 
 were probably ignorant of the surprising moral 
 effects which it has wrought upon many of its dis¬ 
 ciples. But while the subject of this new science 
 agitates and divides the minds of so many people, I 
 am happy to see the number of illustrious and re¬ 
 spectable names which dignify the list of converts to 
 magnetism. We can boast of disciples in both Houses 
 of Parliament; many worthy members of the Church 
 may be ranked among its warmest defenders; and 
 even a remnant among the Faculty have had the 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 35 
 
 liberality to divest themselves of prejudice, and be¬ 
 come students in the school of magnetism. There is, 
 indeed, one class of men upon whom we have been 
 unable hitherto to make the least impression; I ^ 
 mean the philosophers—a race of men notorious for 
 incredulity respecting all the occult sciences. We 
 have accordingly determined to regard them as in¬ 
 corrigible.”* 
 
 The following remarks upon the above communi¬ 
 cation were made by the editor : Lucid Vision .— 
 
 “ This species of divination is not the peculiar J ■ < 
 offspring of magnetism. Many years ago the city of 
 Paris was infested with vagrants, w ho offered to 
 convince any person that the ir eyes c ould pierce the r 
 most opaque substances. They pretended to know 
 the contents of any box made of gold, silver, or 
 wood; and more than this, they^ offered to repeat 
 the contents of any letter written at the distance of 
 several miles, provided the person would write it in 
 the presence of a particular clock, which they affirmed 
 would repeat again everything that was transacted in 
 its presence. What is rather singular, they seemed to ^ 
 perform what they so boldly promised, and with such 
 success as to impose upon some men of education, who 
 believed that these people had discovered a new 
 agent in nature.” It it be admitted that these ex¬ 
 periments were successful, they may be accounted for 
 on the suppositionThat the alleged necessity of the 
 presence of the clock was a mystification on the part 
 of an individual who possessed the power of thought¬ 
 reading, or of establishing a mutual rapport with 
 others in so far as relates to the particular tests, 
 independently of magnetism, as is not unfrequently 
 exhibited in public at the present day. 
 
 “ We learn from the history of human nature,” 
 added the editor, “ that the most illiterate part of the 
 
 * “A Plain and Rational Account of the Nature and 
 Effects of Animal Magnetism,” with Notes and an Appendix 
 by the Editor. 
 
36 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 community, from their proneness to superstition, 
 have most commonly become the prey of arrogant 
 impostors, but the modern tribe of magnetic jugglers 
 have had the finesse to seduce characters the most ex¬ 
 alted and respectable. What must be the astonish¬ 
 ment of posterity to read that members of the British 
 Senate have so far forgotten their dignity, as to coun¬ 
 tenance the most worthless foreigners in their flagrant 
 impositions upon the public —■ to read that they 
 have become their assistants and coadjutors ; have 
 learned the tricks and grimace of knavish buffoons ; 
 and that, thus equipped, they have issued forth as 
 magnetisers, offering their services to their friends 
 and acquaintances ? 
 
 “ This absurd business is likewise said to receive 
 countenance and support from many respectable 
 ministers, both in the Established Church and among 
 tbeTDissenters. Their motives for standing forth as 
 the advocates of so strange a cause may do credit to 
 their hearts, but the interests of humanity do not 
 require any man to lay aside his understanding. 
 
 “ It is very possible that some of these marvellous 
 stories which you have helped to circulate are gross 
 mistakes, and that the greater part are impudent 
 falsehoods. What, then, will be your reflections 
 when the bubble bursts, and the whole scheme of this 
 atrocious deception shall be detected? The time 
 cannot be far distant when the most fascinated advo¬ 
 cate for this medico-religious buffoonery will be 
 ashamed and confounded at his simple credulity. A 
 well-grounded charge of credulity and fanaticism 
 must unnerve all that your zeal, learning, and piety 
 may attempt, and the meanest of your hearers must 
 think it a sufficient reason for despising all that you 
 preach, when he shall say, ‘ This man was a mag- 
 netiser.’ ” 
 
 How far posterity has endorsed the predictions of 
 this writer may be inferred from the interest which 
 has been excited of late years on the subject, and 
 from the verification of the contested phenomena. 
 
PART I. 
 
 PHYSICAL PHENOMENA. 
 
 “We are at the dawn of a new day as respects science and 
 the interests of humanity. A discovery, surpassing all others 
 that have been hitherto made, promises to furnish us with a 
 key to some of the most recondite secrets of nature, and thus 
 to open out a new world to our view.”— Hufeland. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Points of Analogy between Terrestrial and Animal Mag¬ 
 netism—Action of the Magnet on Sensitive Individuals 
 and on Animals—Magnetic Fluid —L uminou s Emanation -7C 
 
 PERCEPTIBLE BY SOMNAMBULISTS-DlAMAGNETISM- ReICH- 
 
 enbach's Experiments—Action of Magnetism upon 
 Animals—Action from a Distance—Magnetic Attraction 
 —Magnetised Water. 
 
 The following passage, from the “ Principia ” of 
 Newton, appears in some degree to corroborate the 
 opinion of Mesmer respecting the existence of a 
 universally-diffused imponderable fluid, and to have 
 anticipated the results recently announced by Reich- 
 enbach, as deducible from his experiments: “We 
 might add something on the subject of a certain very 
 subtle spirit which exists in the latent state in solid 
 bodies. It is by the force and the activity of this 
 spirit that the particles of bodies mutually attract 
 each other at short distances and adhere when they 
 come in contact; that light is emitted, reflected, 
 refracted, and inflected; and that heat is communicated 
 to bodies. All sensation is excited, and the limbs of 
 animals are moved at will by the vibrations of this 
 
38 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 spirit, propagated by means of the solid filaments of 
 the nerves of the external organs and of the senses to 
 the brain, and from the brain to the muscles. But 
 these tilings cannot be explained in a few words, and 
 we do not possess sufficient experience to enable us 
 to determine and to demonstrate with precision the 
 laws by which the action of this spirit is regulated.” 
 
 The name of Animal Magnetism was adopted to 
 designate the peculiar~actioh here described of one 
 individual upon another, on account of an analogy 
 said to exist between this influence and that of ter¬ 
 restrial magnetism; a subtile emanation or fluid being 
 supposed to be transmitted from the magnetiser to 
 the magnetised, like that from the loadstone to the 
 iron which it attracts. 
 
 The action of magnets, and in some cases of bars 
 or plates of iron, upon the nervous system, attracted 
 the attention of scientific observers long ago, 
 and some experiments made in more recent times 
 have demonstrated that a magnetic influence exists 
 in the bodies of animals. Many years ago Professor 
 Beclard remarked that a nail on being stuck into a 
 nerve and left for a short time had acquired the 
 magnetic property of attraction. Berard likewise 
 states (“ Archives de Medecine,” Yol. xx.) that on 
 /withdrawing three iron needles from the sciatic 
 nerve of a rabbit, in which they had been stuck a 
 quarter of an hour before, he observed that they 
 attracted iron filings. More recently a distinguished 
 German physiologist(Burdach)remarked: “ The action 
 of the magnet upon some persons in health, as well as 
 upon others who suffered from spasmodic and painful 
 diseases, leads us to infer the existence of magnetic 
 power in the organism.” 
 
 M. Prevost, of Geneva, imparted a magnetic pro¬ 
 perty to needles by placing them very near to 
 exposed nerves, and perpendicularly to the direction 
 in which the electric current would pass along them. 
 The needle acquired the magnetic property at the 
 moment when muscular contraction was produced 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 39 
 
 by irritating the spinal cord of the animal. The 
 electric fish is deprived of the power of imparting 
 shocks when a magnet is placed in contact with its 
 body. “ It is a well-known phenomenon in the 
 kitchen,” says a German writer, “that an eel may 
 be made to remain perfectly quiet by placing upon 
 its head a key or other piece of iron. While the 
 key remains there the animal seems as if dead, but 
 as soon as it is removed it recommences its active 
 movements. The magnet exerts a still more powerful 
 action upon this animal, which is attracted to the 
 corresponding edge of the basin when the magnet is 
 brought within its atmosphere; it seems distressed 
 by the presence of the magnet, and its throat 
 swells.” * 
 
 It has been remarked that when frictions or 
 “ passes ” from above downward are made with a 
 horseshoe-shaped magnet upon a suitable piece of 
 iron, it becomes magnetised, and will adhere to the 
 magnet, but if the “passes” be made in a contrary 
 direction, as from below upwards, with the same- 
 magnet upon the same piece of iron, there will no 
 longer be any perceptible attraction between them. 
 This corresponds in some degree with the positive 
 and negative effects resulting from the downward 
 and upward “passes” made in magnetising indivi¬ 
 duals. Some additional proofs of the analogy that 
 exists between terrestial and animal magnetism have 
 been supplied of late years by the experiments of 
 Baron Reichenbach, who remarks: “Magnets act upon 
 the body, especially under certain conditions. When 
 a magnet is drawn from above downwards, without 
 contact with the body7lierfain'' sen'sations are experi¬ 
 enced by some individuals—out of twenty, three or 
 four will be found to be thus sensible to its action. I 
 found that out of twenty-two persons eighteen women 
 and girls were sensible to this influence. The sensation 
 
 I 
 
 3 
 
 * Reil, “Anwendung der Psycliischen Kunnethode,” 
 Halle. 
 
40 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 resembles an aura, sometimes warm, at other times cool; 
 at other times, again, prickings are experienced, and 
 occasionally headache. These effects occur when the 
 patients do not see the magnet, and do not know 
 what is done. They occur in both sexes, but most 
 frequently in females, especially in those whose 
 health, thouglrgood, is not strong. Those who labour 
 under spasmodic and paralytic affections are par¬ 
 ticularly sensible to the action. Insane persons and 
 somnambulists are always (?) so.”* ' 
 
 Two translations of the Baron’s work appeared in 
 the English language, one by Dr. Ashburner, the 
 other by Dr. Gregory, the late professor of chemistry 
 in the University of Edinburgh) who remarks that 
 the author never made similar experiments with the 
 magnet upon subjects while under the influence of 
 animal magnetism, adding: “ He has demonstrated in 
 magnets two forces ; one attracts iron and affects the 
 needle, the other acts upon the nervous system, and 
 is also found unmixed in crystals. This new force,” he 
 further observes, “ like magnetism and electricity, 
 assumes a polar arrangement in bodies, and those 
 charged with it are luminous, especially at their 
 poles; the light being visible to certain sensitive 
 individuals. Many persons have been able readily 
 y and without hesitation to distinguish a glass of water 
 over which a magnet had been passed from several 
 other non-magnetised glasses. A large crystal placed 
 in such a manner that its point rests upon a glass of 
 water magnetises it as completely as a horseshoe 
 
 * A philosophical writer and experimenter on animal 
 magnetism (Dr. Charpignon) remarked many years ago : 
 “ Having placed before some somnambulists four small bars 
 of iron, one of which was magnetised by the loadstone, they 
 could always distinguish this one from the others, from its 
 two ends being enveloped in a brilliant vapour. The light 
 i was more brilliant at one end (the north pole) than at the 
 other. I could never deceive them ; they always recognised 
 the nature of the poles, although when in their normal state 
 they were in complete ignorance of the subject.”—“ Physio¬ 
 logic, Medicine, et Metaphysique du Magnetisme. ” 1845. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 41 
 
 magnet would do.” “ Sensitive individuls,” says 
 Reichenbach, “ agree in stating that they perceive 
 an emanation like flames of a riband shape at the 
 poles of magnets and of crystals, as well as from the 
 bands, the feet, and eyes of persons. The same cir¬ 
 cumstance takes place in many of those who are in 
 the magnetic state.” “More than two years ago,” adds 
 Dr. Gregory on this point, “ I often saw a boy who, 
 while in the mesmeric state, perceived flames ema¬ 
 nating from my fingers, which I first remarked from 
 perceiving that he played with them. I had not 
 at that time heard speak of this phenomenon, so that 
 any suggestion on my part was impossible.” Dr. 
 Gregory quotes the following passage with reference 
 to the investigations of Professor Faraday, as bearing 
 on the point in question.* 
 
 “ If a man could be suspended with sufficient deli¬ 
 cacy and placed in the magnetic field, he would be 
 
 * “ Only recently have his experiments gone far to establish 
 a direct relation and dependence between light and the mag¬ 
 netic and electric forces, proving to a great degree that all 
 natural forces are interlinked and identical at their source 
 and origin. Moreover, a force hitherto unknown and unsus¬ 
 pected has been revealed by him, one which is exerted on all 
 matters—viz., the property of diamagnetism. The experi¬ 
 ments of Colomb had for a long time misled the scientific 
 mind into the belief that all matter was equally subject to 
 the magnetic force, which affected all bodies alike. Faraday’s 
 recent experiments have corrected this error. He finds that 
 different bodies are, on the contrary, acted upon by magnetic 
 forces in two different and opposite ways. Certain bodies, of 
 which iron is the type, are magnetic, such as cobalt, peroxide 
 of iron, paper, sealing-wax, Berlin porcelain, plumbago, 
 charcoal ; and take up an axial position, or one coincident 
 with the direction of the magnetic focus— i.e., in a direct line 
 between the poles of the magnet. A second class of bodies 
 takes a directly opposite position, an equatorial direction. 
 They arrange themselves at right angles to the magnetic 
 poles, and consequently to the magnetic lines of force. 
 Moreover, they are repelled from either pole of the magnet; 
 the law in this respect being that all such substances are 
 repelled from the stronger to the weaker points of action. 
 These bodies are diamagnetic. Bismuth may be considered 
 as the type of this class. It is extremely numerous. ” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 42 
 
 repelled and point equatoriallv ; for all the substances 
 r of which he is composed, including the blood, possess 
 : this (diamagnetic) property.” The phenomena, Fara- 
 ■day declares, “ abundantly establish the existence of a 
 magnetic property in matter new to our knowledge. 
 The new facts give not a mere negative to the statement 
 that all bodies are magnetic, as iron is, and point 
 between the poles, but something beyond—viz., an 
 affirmative as to the existence of forces in all ordinary 
 bodies directly the opposite to those existing in mag¬ 
 netic bodies ; for, whereas those practically produce 
 attraction, these produce repulsion. Those set a 
 body in the axial direction, but these take up an 
 equatorial direction.” Reichenbach has presented 
 similar researches, but in connexion with animal 
 life. “ Enough is proved to show that were our 
 senses rendered more acute, there would be many 
 things demonstrated which are now doubted. Physical 
 science must infer more than it can observe.” 
 
 Some of the cases recorded by Baron Reichenbach 
 fully confirm these observations. I subjoin two or 
 three of them :— 
 
 “ Mr. Schick had the singular custom when he 
 awoke early in the morning of regularly turning 
 himself in bed, so as to place his head where his feet 
 had been ; on doing this he invariably fell asleep 
 again, and this second sleep was far more refreshing 
 than that which preceded it. The author, on inquiry, 
 found that the position of the bed was such that the 
 head of the sleeper was directed to the south, his feet 
 towards the north. He advised the turning of the 
 bed exactly in the opposite direction, and from that 
 time the necessity for the second sleep never returned 
 —the ordinary sleep was sound and refreshing. 
 
 “ On examining the sleeping position of Mdlle. 
 ISTowotny she was found lying exactly in the magnetic 
 meridian, her head towards the north. She had 
 instinctively chosen this direction, and it had been 
 necessary to take down a stove to allow her bed to 
 be placed as she wished it. She was requested as an 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 43 
 
 experiment to lie down with her head to the south ; 
 she very soon began to complain of discomfort, 
 became restless and flushed ; her pulse became more 
 frequent and fuller, and she experienced increased 
 headache, together with a sensation of nausea. The 
 bed with the patient was now turned, but was stopped 
 half-way, where she lay in a magnetic parallel with 
 her head to the west. This position was far more 
 disagreeable than the former, in fact absolutely 
 intolerable. When restored to her original position, 
 with her head to the north, all disagreeable sensations 
 were in a few minutes completely gone. She had 
 frequently lived in different houses and had suffered 
 uneasiness in some, while in others she had felt com¬ 
 fortable, without the cause being known. Her brother 
 was told to take a compass and ascertain the position 
 of the bed in the different houses, as well as of her 
 couches and work-chairs. It was found in one house 
 that her bed and couch had accidentally been in the 
 magnetic meridian; she had lain with her head 
 towards the north. In another house she had lain in 
 a line north-east and south-west. She had been 
 comfortable in the former, while in the latter she had 
 always suffered and struggled with illness, even with¬ 
 out knowing why. She could not bear to sit across 
 her bed or sofa, neither could she lie on the sofa. 
 
 “Mademoiselle Sturmann was subject to cataleptic 
 attacks. The author found her lying in a position 
 from west to east. In this position a great magnet, 
 carrying eighty pounds, placed above her head or 
 under her feet had scarcely any effect. She was then 
 placed in a position from north to south. The change 
 was instantaneous; the patient at once experienced 
 a feeling of comfort; the previously existing feeling 
 of restlessness ceased ; a painful sensation of heat in 
 the eyes, which had constantly annoyed her, disap¬ 
 peared, and in its stead she felt an agreeable coolness. 
 Then followed a night of singularly sound sleep, such 
 as she had not had for a long time. Another time 
 the position from south to north was tried, with an 
 
44 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 equally rapid change for the worse. All disagree¬ 
 able sensations were, however, removed when the 
 patient again occupied the position from north to 
 south. The same magnet which had been used 
 without any marked action while she lay in the 
 magnetic parallel, now, when she lay in the meridian, 
 struck her down senseless at a distance of thirty feet. 
 All these patients now recollected how painful it had 
 been to them to remain in church, though they could 
 never tell why. But as all Catholic churches are 
 built from east to west, those persons in front of the 
 altar are necessarily in the position from west to 
 east, which to all sensitives is the most intolerable. 
 In fact, these patients in that position had often 
 fainted and been carried out of church.” 
 
 The following instances present an illustration of the 
 direct action of the magnet upon sensitive subjects:— 
 
 “ A patient lay in a cataleptic state without con¬ 
 sciousness or motion; a magnet of twenty pounds 
 supporting power was brought near to her hand, 
 which adhered to it so firmly that when the magnet 
 was moved sideways, backwards, or in any direction, 
 her hand stuck to it like a piece of iron would 
 have done. This occurred daily. Repeated ex¬ 
 periments with the magnet in various ways—the 
 patient’s eyes being blindfolded—always produced 
 the same results. Among other tests I arranged 
 with a friend to remove and replace alternately the 
 armature of a powerful magnet, supporting eighty 
 pounds, on the opposite side of the wall, behind the 
 place where the patient lay in bed. The armature 
 had hardly been removed when the patient became 
 restless, and complained that surely an open magnet 
 must be lying near her. The armature was now 
 replaced without her knowledge, and she immediately 
 became calm. When the experiment was secretly 
 repeated she became quite puzzled, and could not 
 conceive what was the origin of the varying feelings 
 of discomfort which attacked and left her. The 
 magnet had, therefore, acted on her through a stone 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 45 
 
 wall, without her being aware of its vicinity, exactly 
 as if it had been open before her, according to the 
 known laws of magnetism, which irresistibly pene¬ 
 trates all bodies. The experiment was subsequently 
 repeated with her knowledge, and the same results 
 were obtained.” * 
 
 The late Mr. Braid endeavoured to prove that the 
 phenomena recorded by Reichenbach depended upon 
 ideas suggested to the patients. He remarked 
 ( 7r TMm burgh Medical Journal”) that the indi¬ 
 viduals on whom he experimented saw neither light 
 nor flames issue from the poles of magnets or 
 crystals, nor from the fingers of magnetisers, unless 
 they had been previously impressed with some idea 
 of the kind, or were questioned upon the subject, 
 which would tend to give rise to similar sensations ; 
 and that while in the sleep there seemed equally a 
 disposition on their part to see something, when 
 neither the fingers nor magnets were in the direction 
 they indicated, just as much as when they were.f 
 
 We have seen, however, that Reichenbach’s sen- 
 
 * “ Letters to a Candid Inquirer on Animal Magnetism.” 
 
 f In a small work subseqently published Mr. Braid pro¬ 
 mulgated the opinion that magnetic sleep is referrible to 
 the attention being concentrated upon a particular object, as 
 a point or disc? He produced a kind of sleep, sometimes 
 accompanied by insensibility to outward stimulants to a 
 certain extent (hypnotism), by thus fixing the attention of 
 the subjects upon a pointed object 'suspended over their 
 heads, much in the same way as Indian fakirs can induce in 
 themselves an analogous state by a continual squint, fixing / 
 their eyes upon the tip of their nose. Dr. Binns, in his 
 “Anatomy of Sleep,’”'adverting to “the vast difference 
 between the sleep induced by monotony and the somnam¬ 
 bulism of mesmerism,” observes, “We have only to consider 
 the wonderful power which some mesmerised patients acquire 
 of resisting the influence of electro-galvanism, and we shall 
 arrive at the conclusion that the two states are as dissimilar 
 as sound sleep and absolute death. It happens singularly 
 enough that we found accidentally in a communication from 
 Mr. Barralin to the “Medical Times” (No. 121) an unex¬ 
 pected argument in support of our view of Mr. Braid’s 
 inonotonism. After speaking of this gentleman’s experi- 
 
46 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 sitives experienced uneasy sensations for which they 
 could not account, and that those sensations were 
 removed on the positive cause—which was the same 
 in all the cases recorded—being ascertained and 
 removed, and that those who were affected by the 
 magnet were not aware that any experiment of the 
 kind was being made. That the subjects of Mr. 
 
 ' Braid’s experiments, who were hypnotised but not 
 in the magnetic sleep, did not see light or the ap¬ 
 pearance of flames emanate from magnets, &c., 
 
 ; and that some believed that they saw certain appear- 
 
 ments, Mr. Barralin says : “It has been stated to me that a 
 gentleman of this town has for a number of years past been 
 in the habit of inducing a state, to him, as refreshing as his 
 usual sleep, by steadily fixing both his eyes in one direction 
 for a few minutes, when he immediately falls asleep. Until 
 he adopted that method he scarcely slept at all; whereas, 
 since he adopted it, he can produce a state of sleep in a few 
 minutes at any time.” Here we"observe the same effects as 
 those produced by Mr. Braid’s experiments, but there is 
 not a hint dropped, nor a suspicion entertained, that the 
 gentleman had mesmerised himself. “It cannot be too 
 frequently repeated, that mesmerism depends upon the pre¬ 
 sence of a fluid passing from one body to another, and not 
 upon monotonism, and that the mesmeric state is, conse¬ 
 quently, as distinct from that of normal sleep as is the 
 apoplectic stupor from refreshing slumber.” This author 
 recommends the following method for inducing sleep : “ The 
 person, lying comfortably on his right side and slightly closing 
 his lips, should take rather a full inspiration, breathing as 
 much as possible through the nostrils, which, however, is not 
 absolutely necessary. The lungs are then to be left to their 
 own action, the respiration being neither accelerated nor 
 retarded. The attention must now be fixed upon the action 
 in which the patient is engaged. Hejnust depict to himself 
 that he sees the breath passing from his nostrils in a con¬ 
 tinuous stream, and the very instant that he brings his mind 
 to conceive this, apart from all other ideas, consciousness 
 and memory depart; imagination slumbers; thought be¬ 
 comes subdued; the sentient faculties lose their suscepti¬ 
 bility ; the ganglionic system assumes the superiority, and 
 he no longer wakes but sleeps. This train of phenomena is 
 but the effort of a moment. The instant that the mind is 
 brought to the contemplation of a single sensation, that 
 instant the sensorium abdicates her throne, and the hypnotic 
 faculty steeps it in oblivion.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 47 
 
 ances of this kind when the idea was suggested to 
 them, in nowise disproves the validity of the experi¬ 
 ments recorded by Eeichenbach—who never pretended 
 that all, or even that many subjects were thus sensitive 
 —which were made with every precaution taken to 
 guard against fallacy, or the results being merely the 
 consequence of suggested ideas. They have been 
 found likewise to accord with physical phenomena 
 of an analogous nature that have been observed by 
 others. “ A considerable number of individuals,” 
 says Dr. Gregory, “ are separately examined re¬ 
 specting a peculiar order of phenomena, knowing 
 nothing of the objects proposed, and it is found that 
 each is consistent with himself as regards the results 
 of different experiments, and in all essential points 
 with the others, though no communication took place 
 between them.” Moreover, some of the results ob¬ 
 served by Eeichenbach on sensitive persons have 
 been manifested in others in good health and of an 
 established character for probity, who were not sub¬ 
 jected to special experimentation. The scientific accu¬ 
 racy and justness of the Baron’s investigations were 
 authenticated by their publication in Woehler and 
 Liebig’s “ Annalen der Chemie ” (Yol. liii.). Besides, 
 long before these experiments were made public, Dr. 
 Despine, physician-inspector at Aix-les-Bains, and 
 M. Charpignon had verified the fact of the percep¬ 
 tion by some magnetised subjects of the appearance 
 of light or flames emitted from magnets and from 
 the eyes or fingers of magnetisers, as also some of 
 the other conclusions at which Eeichenbach arrived, 
 respecting the action of some metals and of crystals 
 upon sensitive persons. “ Some patients when in 
 somnambulism,” remarked M. Charpignon, in 1845, 
 “ say that they see light emanating from the hands, 
 eyes, mouth, forehead, and the top of the head of 
 their magnetisers.” He magnetised one out of four 
 white phials without the somnambulist’s knowledge. 
 Holding the phial in one hand, he charged its interior 
 with the magnetic fluid, by pointing over its mouth 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 48 
 
 with, the united fingers of his other hand; he then 
 corked it and placed it with the others. On all four 
 being presented to the somnambulist he singled out 
 the one that had been magnetised, as being filled 
 with a luminous vapour. The same experiment, on 
 being repeated with different somnambulists, always 
 produced a like result. No light was seen by them 
 in the non-magnetised phials. In order to guard 
 against the circumstance that the success of the 
 experiment might depend upon the somnambulist’s 
 rapport with him, and thus divining his thoughts, 
 M. Charpignon sometimes had the phials magnetised 
 by persons unknown to him as well as to the subjects. 
 “ Somnambulists,” he observes, “ who are sufficiently 
 sensitive to perceive the magnetic fluid are rare. Like 
 the electric and (terrestrial) magnetic fluid, - the vital 
 fluid may be accumulated in certain bodies; some 
 retaining it longer than others, but all may be charged 
 with it. Some somnambulists can also distinguish 
 a magnetised bar or rod of iron from others not 
 magnetised, by perceiving a luminous vapour ema¬ 
 nating from both its ends.” * 
 
 * Op. cit. : “ Pieces of gold, silver, copper, zinc, and iron 
 were presented to several somnambulists, and each of these 
 objects was recognised, without the assistance of ordinary 
 vision or of touch, by the luminous vapour surrounding them, 
 which is more or less brilliant, according to the different 
 metals. The experimenter was surprised to see the somnam¬ 
 bulist place gold first and wood the last in the series, and 
 between these two extremes, in regular succession, silver, 
 copper, iron, and zinc, which is the true order of the (electro¬ 
 magnetic) classification of the metals.”— Chakpignon. 
 
 Very similar results were also noted many years ago by 
 the late Dr. Despine. “ My experiments,” said he, “ showed 
 me that my patients, while in the ^crisis, established a regular 
 order in the classes of the discs of metals, which was the 
 same as that admitted by Avorgardo and Michelotti. Gold 
 occupied the extreme positive, and zinc the extreme negative 
 of the chain. Between these two extremes there came suc¬ 
 cessively silver, copper, iron, and lead.” More recently, Dr. 
 Ennemoserobserved on this subject: “Mesmerism indicates 
 that from the central point of the nobler metals two ranges 
 are established, as in Richer’s physical range.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 49 
 
 Deleuze, who published his “ Histoire Critique du 
 Magnetisme Animal ” more than thirty years before 
 the publication of the observations of Heichenbach, 
 and the other experimenters whom I have quoted on 
 this head, gives his testimony as to the perception 
 of luminous emanations by somnambulists. “ Most 
 somnambulists,” said he, “ see a luminous and bril¬ 
 liant fluid crown their magnetiser, and emanate from 
 his head and hands. They admit that man can at 
 will accumulate this fluid, direct it, and impregnate 
 divers substances with it. Some, likewise, see it for 
 a few minutes after they are awakened; they pre¬ 
 tend that it is less luminous and more dense in per¬ 
 sons suffering from bad health.” 
 
 “ The magnetic fluid,” adds Deleuze, “ is constantly 
 escaping from us; it forms around our bodies an 
 atmosphere which, not having any determined cur¬ 
 rent, does not act perceptibly upon the individuals 
 around us; but when our will impels and directs it, 
 it acts with all the force which we impart to it. It is 
 moveable, like the luminous rays emitted from 
 burning substances. The principle which puts it in 
 action is in our soul, like that which transmits 
 strength to our arm, and it is of the same nature. 
 The phenomena of magnetism seem to depend upon 
 two causes—viz., the actionjof the will, and that oi 
 the fluid, which the will makes use of. Once admit - 
 this principle, and all these phenomena are explicable 
 by the same law.” 
 
 A recent writer observes on this point: “ Can 
 man emit the nervous fluid beyond himself, as the 
 Nestor of naturalists, M. de Humboldt, believes he 
 can ; * can he direct it at his pleasure ? It seems 
 evident that man can diffuse his nervous atmosphere 
 
 * According to M. de Humboldt, the nervous fluid forms 
 by its expansion outwardly a sphere of activity analogous to 
 that of electrified bodies. “ Very sensible observers,” he 
 remarks, “ relate facts from which it would appear that cer¬ 
 tain persons possess the faculty of experiencing a sensation 
 on the approximation of a body without touching it.— 
 “ Experiences sur le Galvanisme.” 
 
 D 
 
50 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 out of himself. The torpor which gradually comes 
 over subjects on being magnetised appears to me to 
 -prove the facts. The nervous effects, as partial or 
 general shocks of the body, the headache from local 
 magnetisation, the attraction of the limbs towards 
 the magnetiser’s hand (when so willed), the various 
 degrees of sleep, all these purely physical phenomena 
 demonstrate the action of an agent which passes 
 from the body of the magnetiser to that of the mag¬ 
 netised. It may be added that, according to some 
 magnetisers, several somnambulists perceive the fluid 
 escaping from the fingers, or from different parts 
 of the body of the magnetiser, in the shape of a 
 luminous aureola, which comes upon and penetrates 
 them.” * 
 
 The physical effect of animal magnetism, whether 
 arising from emanation of the nervous, magnetic, or 
 odyllic fluid, or from other causes determined by the 
 exercise of the will, is further proved by the influ¬ 
 ence that may be exerted upon animals by magneti¬ 
 sation, or upon persons who are unconscious of their 
 being magnetised, or who are in a natural sleep, as 
 also very young children. Many years ago Dr. 
 Wilson, physician to the Middlesex Hospital, re¬ 
 corded in a pamphlet the result of some experiments 
 which he made upon several of the animals in the 
 Zoological Gardens. They were put to sleep or 
 became affected in various ways by the magnetic 
 “ passes; ” among them was an elephant. Fish 
 became so passive under the "Influence that they 
 could be taken out of the water with the hand.f 
 
 “The magnetic action of men upon animals,” 
 says Dr. Ennemoser, “ is a positive fact. As re¬ 
 spects the cure of their diseases by it, surprising 
 results may often be obtained in a short time. All 
 the animals which at first avoided the approach or 
 
 * Dr. Macario, “Du Sommeil et du Somnambulisme.” 
 1857. 
 
 f- “Experiments of Animal Magnetism on the Brute 
 Creation.” 1848. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 51 
 
 contact of man became quiet when their heads were 
 stroked, or the hand was passed along their backs. 
 The effect is so decided and speedy when the hand 
 is passed in this direction at a distance of two or 
 three inches, that the animals will often come nearer 
 to the magnetiser. Fowls and other birds are often 
 put to sleep in a very short time.* Strong convul- 
 
 * The following account of the results of hypnotism 
 practised on birds appeared in Oalignanis Messenger: “The 
 Gazette ties Hopitaux relates the following curious experi¬ 
 ments on fowls, which prove beyond a doubt that the state 
 of anaesthesia effected by holding a bright object before the 
 eyes, and which our readers must henceforth understand 
 under the name of hypnotism or nervous slumber, while the 
 word anaesthesia is reserved for insensibility obtained by 
 inhalation, may be produced on animals as well as man. 
 Dr. Michea, the author of these experiments, having placed 
 a hen on a bench painted green, and about a yard and a-half 
 in length, and made an attendant hold it still, drew a line of 
 chalk from the root of the beak, the point of which rested 
 on the bench, all along the latter to its opposite extremity. 
 The hen, which before the operation had been struggling 
 violently and turning its eyes in all directions, in the course 
 of about two minutes kept looking fixedly at the line of 
 white chalk. Soon after it winked rapidly, then opened its 
 beak, and fell over on one side. Immediately its head, legs, 
 and body were repeatedly pricked with needles, without its 
 betraying the slightest symptom of pain. The operator 
 turned its head right and left, and ultimately forced it under 
 its wing, and in all these different positions it remained 
 passive and immovable. This state continued for about 
 three minutes, when the hen came spontaneously to itself 
 again. It first shook its head, then suddenly getting up, 
 shook it again several times, moved its eyes about, and then 
 began to run. It was caught again and the chalk rubbed off 
 its beak, as also from the bench ; after which they endea¬ 
 voured to make it remain still, as before, but in vain ; more¬ 
 over, the slightest pricking caused it to cry with pain. These 
 experiments were variously repeated, and always with the 
 same success. We may here remark that the act of making 
 a hen lie still by drawing lines with chalk on its head, along 
 and across its back, is very old, and is mentioned in various 
 books on legerdemain, with the explanation that by that 
 process the hen thinks itself tied down ; nevertheless Dr. 
 Michea’s experiments are highly interesting, he being the 
 first who has connected this well-known trick with the pheno- 
 
 D 2 
 
52 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 sive movements are allayed more quickly in animals 
 than in man. Wounds that are magnetised or 
 dressed with magnetised water heal very speedily. I 
 have had opportunities of seeing on horses the most 
 speedy results ensue from magnetism.” 
 
 It is supposed that it is by the magnetic power 
 manifested through the eye that some men are able 
 to control the most ferocious animals, and to remain 
 for some time in the same cage, taking care, how¬ 
 ever, not to avert their look from them. Vicious 
 horses are likewise rendered tractable and docile by 
 men who possess this power. “Laplanders,” says 
 Lindencrantz, “can instantly make-quiet the most 
 furious dogs, and cause them to run away, exhibiting 
 signs of terror. At a meeting of the Phrenological 
 Society several years ago, Dr. Elliotson stated that 
 the late Duke of Marlborough, while on a visit in 
 the country, suddenly came upon a ferocious dog that 
 was chained up. He dared not pass him, but keeping 
 at a distance magnetised and put him to sleep, and 
 then went up and actually embraced the animal, who 
 remained in the sleep for half an hour. 
 
 Mr. Borrow, the author of “ The Bible in Spain,” 
 relates that when in that country he prevented in 
 like manner the attack upon him by a savage dog. 
 
 Besides the ordinary mode of magnetising by 
 making “ passes ” with the hands, or touching the 
 subject, as by putting the hand upon his head, or by 
 friction, or pointing with the united fingers to the 
 part where a local action is to be produced,* the 
 
 menon of hypnotism, and shown that under such circum¬ 
 stances the hen is insensible, a fact which had quite escaped 
 the notice of the vulgar.” 
 
 * When the action is to be concentrated upon a part, animal, 
 like mineral magnetism, seems to act best if conducted from 
 points or poles, and not from surfaces. The editor of the 
 “ Phreno-Magnet ” observes : “ It is impossible not to notice 
 this evident analogy—that the influence, whatever it be, has 
 often a tendency to strike from point to point, like that 
 fluid, since we have frequently stood, sat, or stretched our¬ 
 selves parallel with highly susceptible subjects for a long 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 53 
 
 other means by which the influence of the magnetiser’s 
 will may be transmitted are the fixed look, by word 
 of speech or command. The Abbe Faria put subjects 
 to sleep by pronouncing energetically the word 
 dormer, by means of the breath ; and in exceptional 
 cases, whenTTEe ’rapport is already well established 
 between the parties, the silent action of the will suf¬ 
 fices, even when exerted at a distance from the subject. 
 
 “ I can vouch for this fact,” says Dr. Gregory, 
 “ that a magnetiser can strongly affect a person who 
 is not only in another room, in another house, or 
 many hundred yards off, but who is utterly unaware 
 that anything is to be done. The subject in such 
 cases feels all the sensations and exhibits all the 
 effects of magnetism while engaged in his usual 
 occupations; and in susceptible cases I have good 
 reason to know that this may be done without the 
 operator having ever seen the subject. I have often 
 seen persons put to sleep, both when aware of the 
 intention, and when that has been concealed, by the 
 operator from the next room, or from the floor below 
 or above.' The fact is,~that with a susceptible sub¬ 
 ject distance is a matter of little or no moment; the 
 influence, whatever it be, seems to travel to any 
 distance, like light. Many facts of this kind of 
 action at a distance, much greater than I have now 
 mentioned, h ave been recorded.” 
 
 The report of the Academic Commission records 
 several instances where the magnetiser, when taken 
 by the commissioners into a separate room, unknown 
 to the subject, has from thence magnetised him or 
 her, in conformity to instructions (as to the exact 
 moment, &c.) given him by them. 
 
 time, without producing any palpable effect, but have 
 instantly magnetised them by pointing towards them acci¬ 
 dentally, either with the fingers or toes, and that in a separate 
 room, as easily as when in their immediate presence.” 
 
 “ All magnetisers are agreed from experience,” says the 
 Rev. Mr. Sanby, “ that the mesmeric influence is most 
 powerfully conducted by the fingers.” 
 
54 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Not only may the magnetic sleep be thus produced 
 by action from a distance, but also the attraction of 
 the subject, when such is willed, towards the mag- 
 netiser, or of one or other of his limbs, which will fol¬ 
 low the direction of the hand of the magnetiser— 
 even when he is out of sight of the patient—as a 
 piece of iron fixed on a pivot will follow the course 
 of the magnet. 
 
 “The magnetiser,” says M. Charpignon, “can 
 produce upon his subject an attraction similar to 
 that of the loadstone upon iron, with this difference, 
 that his hand is not in contact with, but at a dis¬ 
 tance from the body of the subject, which follows its 
 direction. The somnambulist rises and is drawn 
 altogether towards his magnetiser, notwithstanding 
 a resistance, the nature of which is quite peculiar.” 
 Mr. Martin, the eminent dentist of Portsmouth, 
 lately told me that he could thus draw his magnetised 
 subjects towards him, even when he was in another 
 room, and when they were not aware that he was 
 acting upon them ; and also that when in a separate 
 room he could, by so willing, make the subjects go 
 to a piano, or perform other actions which he willed 
 them to do. 
 
 The Pev. Mr. Sanby, on adverting to the analogy 
 existing between animal and ordinary magnetism, 
 remarks : “I have frequently seen the hand and the 
 head of the person in the sleep follow the hand of 
 the magnetiser, as the needle is attracted in the 
 direction of the loadstone.* ” 
 
 Dr. Calvert Holland likewise remarks on this 
 point: “We have tried its attractive power upon a 
 person in a profound natural sleep, and the effect 
 was suddenly to raise the body from the horizontal 
 position, which it resumed on making movements 
 with the hand in a direction opposed to the former 
 ones.” f 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Townsend, referring to this order of 
 
 * Op. Cit. 
 
 j- “ The Philosophy of Animated Nature.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 55 
 
 facts,—which some sceptics have sought to explain 
 by ascribing the effects produced to suggestion,— 
 remarks : “ Let a doubter try the ‘ passes/ where 
 suggestion cannot be an element in the case ; let him 
 magnetise babies if he will. Even an idiot infant, 
 who did not otherwise sleep, was in five minutes 
 thrown into a mesmeric sleep so sound that it was 
 tossed about and thrown upon a bed without a pos¬ 
 sibility of waking it. Or let any one make experi¬ 
 ments on brutes, above all on birds, which are very 
 susceptible to the influence”. I have seen, in two 
 instances, birds which were so easily affected that 
 the head followed the finger, even ivhen held out of 
 sightj as iron follows the magnet. One of the birds, 
 when put to sleep, could be tossed in the air and 
 caught again like a ball. The other (a nightingale) 
 was still more susceptible; it could be mesmerised by 
 the eye of any person with whom it was familiar, and 
 would, if fixedly looked at, even from across the room 
 (it was generally allowed the liberty of the apart¬ 
 ment), stretch out its wings on a level with the table, 
 close its eyes, and so in that state manifest attraction 
 of the head to the human hand moved from side to 
 side.” * 
 
 * Dr. Elliotson, after adverting to a case where by mag¬ 
 netic attraction the subject’s arm was raised from the body, 
 confirms the statements of other magnetisers respecting the 
 frequent perception of luminous emanations from them by 
 magnetised persons. “ I am now,” he says, “ about to relate 
 a striking fact. Whilst I raise her rigid arm in the waking 
 state, and her eyes being open, as soon as the limb begins to 
 ascend she sees a colourless stream pass from my hand, of 
 the same breadth as the number of the points of my fingers 
 which I employ. Although I cover the part with a shawl, 
 single or folded in two, the appearance is the same. This 
 fact may be relied upon as certainly as the phenomena pro¬ 
 duced in the laboratory by the chemist. When I stiffen 
 her body and then make attracting passes, as soon as she 
 advances towards me the current which emanates from it is 
 perceptible. If I draw with both hands there are two cur¬ 
 rents coming from the part, one beside the other. The 
 farther I am from her the more weak does the current appear, 
 
5 G 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Blind persons have been affected and put to sleep 
 when magnetised without their knowledge. Dr. 
 Esdaile states that he could always put to sleep a 
 blind man who was unconscious that he was mag¬ 
 netising him. This result also took place, not only 
 when a wall intervened between them, but even 
 when the magnetiser was at a considerable distance. 
 Dr. Gregory also states that he has seen a blind 
 patient strongly affected, and put to sleep by his 
 fixed look, while engaged in conversation with 
 another person. , The same patient could distinguish, 
 when he was affected accidentally or unexpectedly, 
 the person whose influence magnetised him, by the 
 different sensation which he experienced from the 
 two operators. 
 
 The state of_ca talept ic rigidity of the body already 
 spoken of, or of any particular limb, may be pro¬ 
 duced in the subject by the magnetiser willing this 
 result, and magnetising the part, by which the nervous 
 power is so greatly determined towards it that even 
 persons whose muscular development is but slight 
 can in this state support from the extended arm a 
 heavy weight, and allow a heavy person to stand for 
 some minutes upon their extended legs, which it 
 would be quite impossible for them to do in their- 
 waking state. 
 
 The purely physical influence of magnetism is 
 further demonstrated by the occasional action of 
 intermediate agents, as, for instance, magnetised 
 water. “In some susceptible cases,” says Dr. Gre¬ 
 gory, “ water magnetised without the knowledge of 
 the patient will produce the sleep, whilst water not 
 magnetised, but given as magnetised, and thus aided 
 by suggestion, will have no effect. Water or any 
 other magnetised object is immediately distinguished 
 by a somnambulist from a non-magnetised object. * 
 
 and if I keep at a considerable distance there is no perceptible 
 current or attraction. She compares the appearance to the 
 light of the moon.”—“ The Zoist.” 
 
 * “If a glass of water be magnetised by the hand, the 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 57 
 
 “ It has been shown by Reichenbaeh that several 
 sensitive subjects possess the faculty of distinguishing 
 magnetised water while in the waking state. This 
 proves that there is a something, a fluid, an impon¬ 
 derable influence which may be communicated by 
 the human hand to water, and if to water so also to 
 other substances, for instance, the human nerves.” 
 
 “ Whoever doubts the action of magnetised 
 water,” says Dr. Ennemoser, “ has only to make 
 trials with unmagnetised water upon the same sub¬ 
 ject. Most patients can immediately tell the differ¬ 
 ence by the taste, especially somnambulists, who 
 cannot be deceived, and who often prescribe for 
 themselves magnetised water and nothing else.” * 
 
 breath, a cristal, a magnet, or by an electric current, and if 
 this glass be placed among a number of other glasses, in the 
 absence of the patient, he will point out without any hesita¬ 
 tion the magnetised water from all the rest. We have often 
 tried this simple experiment with all necessary precautions, 
 and have never seen it fail, though there may be persons 
 in the magnetic sleep who do not possess the power.”— 
 Gregory. 
 
 * Deleuze says of magnetised water : “ It is one of the most 
 powerful and salutary agents which we possess, especially in 
 internal diseases. I have seen it produce such effects that I 
 was afraid I was deceiving myself, and could only believe in 
 them after repeated trials. Magnetisers do not make sufficient 
 use of it.” 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 Annihilation of Sensibility—Painless Surgical Opera¬ 
 tions—Remedial Agency of Magnetism—Testimonies to 
 its Efficacy' in various Diseases. 
 
 The blunting or annihilation of the common sensi¬ 
 bility to ordinary and extraordinary stimulants 
 during the sleep is one of the most remarkable phy¬ 
 sical phenomena produced by magnetic action; the ner¬ 
 vous influence as respects sensation appearing to retire 
 from the periphery to be concentrated in the central 
 organ of this system. Magnetisers have always ob¬ 
 served that during the somnambulic state the func¬ 
 tions of the senses are more or less suspended, the 
 individual being insensible to the loudest noises made 
 close to him (as a pistol fired off), to ammonia or any 
 other pungent substance applied to the nose, to pinch¬ 
 ing, pricking, and other excitants applied to the 
 skin. This abolition of the cutaneous and muscular 
 sensibility has been made available for procuring 
 relief in some painful diseases, and as a means of 
 preventing pain being felt during the performance 
 of surgical operations. One of the first operations 
 performed under the magnetic influence was the 
 amputation of a cancerous breast by M. Cloquet, in 
 Paris, which gave rise to animated discussions in the 
 Academie de Medecine. On the patient being asked, 
 during the operation, whether she felt any pain, she 
 replied in the negative, and complained only of being 
 tickled when the sponge was applied to the wound. 
 M. Oudet, a dentist, and a member of the Academie, 
 related in that assembly cases of the extraction of 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 59 
 
 teeth from persons in the magnetic state, without 
 any manifestation of feeling. The serious operation 
 of extirpation of a portion of the lower jaw was sub¬ 
 sequently performed, without pain being experienced, 
 in the hospital of Cherbourg. A case of amputation 
 under the influence of magnetism likewise excited 
 much attention among the profession in England, and 
 gave rise to some angry debates in the Medico-Chirur- 
 gical Society, the majority of whose members op¬ 
 posed the reading of the report of the case, notwith¬ 
 standing the authenticity of the details was guaran¬ 
 teed by the evidence of surgeons, and other persons of 
 known reputation, who were present at the operation. 
 The patient was a man who had long suffered from 
 incurable disease of the knee-joint, the pain of which 
 was relieved by magnetising; consequently, when 
 amputation was deemed indispensable, this means of 
 blunting the sensibility during the operation was 
 adopted, and with perfect success. 
 
 The question was, however, soon after set at rest by 
 the publication of numerous accounts of painless 
 operations performed under the influence of mag¬ 
 netism. Dr. Elliotson published a tolerably large 
 pamphlet filled with reports of cases this kind; and 
 Dr. Esdaile gave detailed accounts of more than 300 
 operations thus performed by himself, Dr. W ebb, and 
 other surgeons in the hospitals of Calcutta, the patients 
 for the most part having speedily recovered, and none 
 having died from the consequences of the operations. 
 He terminates his report by saying : “ I have never 
 seen, nor have any of my acquaintance ever seen, any 
 bad effects accompany or follow operations performed 
 during the magnetic sleep, of which the influence is 
 essentially strengthening instead of being depressing. 
 It fortifies the patient for the operation, secures him 
 from pain during its performance, and facilitates his 
 recovery, inasmuch as it admits of the wound being 
 dressed without pain. It is the best and most prompt 
 sedative when he suffers from local pains, for the 
 system becomes very sensitive during convalescence 
 
GO 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 from serious operations, and a few ‘ passes ’ often act 
 in a more speedy and efficacious manner in procuring 
 sleep and in alleviating pain than the most powerful 
 narcotics.” * 
 
 The facts thus recorded were confirmed by many 
 medical practitioners, and by a commission appointed 
 to inquire into them by the Government of Bengal. 
 
 The late Marquis of Dalhousie (Governor-General), 
 soon after his return to England, wrote in reply to a 
 letter on this subject from the Exeter Board of Guar¬ 
 dians (dated July 27,1856): “All the statements in Dr. 
 Esdaile’s pamphlet with which my name is connected 
 are quite accurate. Of the efficacy of Dr. Esdaile’s 
 practice in cases of lunacy I am not able to speak : 
 of its efficacy in surgical cases I am able to speak 
 with confidence. Dr. Esdaile undoubtedly did possess 
 the faculty of so influencing the sensations of the 
 natives of India by magnetism, as to reduce them to 
 a state of insensibility no less complete than that 
 which is now produced by the use of chloroform. 
 While they were in this state of insensibility he per¬ 
 formed upon them operations of every kind, some of 
 them tremendous in their magnitude, duration, and 
 severity, without apparent consciousness on the part of 
 the patients, without pain, and with great success. I 
 appointed Dr. Esdaile one of the Presidency surgeons 
 in acknowledgment of the services he had rendered 
 to humanity.”f 
 
 Prior to this date the editor of the “ British and 
 Foreign Medical Eeview ” (Dr. Forbes), who had pre¬ 
 viously opposed the introduction of magnetism into 
 the practice of surgery, expressed the following opinion 
 on the subject: “We do not hesitate to say the 
 evidence is now of a kind so strong, varied, and ex¬ 
 tensive, as to authorise, and even in conscience to 
 
 * “ The Introduction of Mesmerism into the Hospitals of 
 India.” Perth. 1852. “Mesmerism as an Ansesthesic and 
 Curative Agent.” London, Bailliere. 
 
 f Published in the Morning Chronicle , August 14th, 
 1856. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 61 
 
 oblige us to recommend that trials be immediately 
 made of the magnetic practice in surgical cases.” 
 
 Professor Bennett lately remarked in his “ Clinical 
 Lectures, ” when speaking of the influence of pre¬ 
 dominant ideas : “In recent times more systematic at¬ 
 tempts have been made to relieve pain, control ner¬ 
 vous excitement, lessen muscular debility, and stimu¬ 
 late certain secretions. If it be considered that the 
 power of producing profound sleep, and acting on the 
 nervous functions may be manifested in so many 
 individuals as one in twenty of the whole population, 
 it must be evident in a class of persons particularly 
 predisposed the number capable of being affected 
 would be much greater. This subject, however, is 
 still in its infancy, and has to be separated from the 
 charlatanism that has hitherto been mingled with it. 
 The labours of Dr. Esdaile among the natives of India, 
 and of Mr. Braid in Manchester, exhibit a worthy 
 comment to the rational treatment of disorders bjr the 
 means now alluded to, and there can be little doubt 
 that in no long time its influence, when further 
 studied, will be acknowledged.” 
 
 It can scarcely be doubted that to the circumstance 
 of public and professional attentionhavingbeendrawn 
 to the production of insensibility during operations 
 by means of magnetism is owing the discovery of 
 the anacsthesic agents the employment of which has 
 since become so common. Though generally pro¬ 
 ducing a total or partial insensibility in the space of 
 a few minutes, those agents have nevertheless dis¬ 
 advantages that are not chargeable upon magnetism ; 
 not to speak of the numerous fatal cases that have 
 been recorded as a consequence of the employment of 
 chloroform. In many of the operations where this 
 anaesthesia is used, the patients give pretty strong 
 indications of suffering, and not unfrequently require 
 several assistants to prevent their struggles from im¬ 
 peding the progress of the operation; and their having 
 no recollection of suffering pain on their awaking is 
 no proof that they did not suffer. The coughing, the 
 
62 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 sense of suffocation, the kind of intoxication or delirium 
 which some patients experience from inspiring this 
 vapour, likewise occasion at times great inconvenience 
 to the operator as well as to the patient. 
 
 Asiatics being more impressionable than Europeans 
 to the magnetic influence, the sleep and concomitant 
 insensibility are producible in them more certainly, 
 and in a comparatively short time. Most persons who 
 are susceptible to magnetism in the temperate 
 latitudes would not be so far affected that insen- 
 sibilitjr to such an extent would ensue, until they had 
 been repeatedly magnetised; hence the introduction of 
 magnetism into practice as an ansesthesic, during 
 the performance of operations in England, though 
 desirable, is not likely to be preferred until this agent 
 be more generally adopted as a means of allaying 
 pain in disease, or during the dressing of painful 
 wounds, burns, &c. It may, however, in the meantime 
 be employed in exceptional cases, both in hospital 
 and in private practice, where effects of a more seda¬ 
 tive and durable kind than the exciting and momen¬ 
 tary action of chloroform are desired. 
 
 There is no doubt that animal magnetism may be 
 made very available in many cases as a remedial 
 means, as well as in blunting the sensibility. On this 
 head the late Dr. Pritchard expressed himself many 
 years ago as follows : “ When we consider the degree 
 of suffering occasioned by diseases upon which mag¬ 
 netism exerts an influence by means of the imagination, 
 and the little efficacy of ordinary remedies, it would 
 be greatly to be wished that this art, notwithstanding 
 the problematical nature of the theories attached to 
 it, were better known in practice. ” In fact, that an 
 influence which is shown to be capable of producing 
 insensibility during operations should also be capable 
 of affording relief in many painful affections, and of 
 acting beneficially in some abnormal conditions of 
 the system, is but the conclusion which a sound logic 
 would deduce from the facts observed; and this con¬ 
 clusion is fully confirmed by experience, without its 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 63 
 
 being necessary to call in the aid of the imagination 
 in order to explain the results. The desire expressed 
 by Dr. Pritchard will doubtless ere long be accom¬ 
 plished, the physical effects of magnetism being at 
 the present day pretty generally admitted ; and not¬ 
 withstanding the opposition it met with in certain 
 quarters and the small number of medical practitioners 
 who have shown themselves disposed to give it a fair 
 trial in this country, it may still be said of it, in the 
 words published upwards of thirty years ago in the 
 report made to the Academie de Medicine: “ Con¬ 
 sidered as an agent for the manifestation of physio¬ 
 logical phenomena, or as a therapeutical means, 
 magnetism ought to have a place within the sphere 
 of medical science, and none but medical practitioners 
 ought to employ it, or else to superintend its em¬ 
 ployment.” * 
 
 * Magnetism is very commonly practised in France, with 
 more or less success, by persons ignorant of medicine, who are 
 not unfrequently cited to appear before tbe tribunal, which, 
 however, for the most part imposes on the offenders only a 
 nominal fine. The following account appeared in Galignani’s 
 Messenger (August, 1856) : A female, formerly a magnetic 
 subject, has for some time practised magnetism at Toulouse, 
 and, according to the local papers, with so much success as to 
 cure readily all sorts of diseases, some even that had been 
 abandoned by the faculty A few days ago she was brought 
 before the Tribunal of Correctional Police on the charges of 
 illegally practising medicine and of swindling. That she had 
 practised medicine by means of magnetism she did not deny, 
 and she produced numerous witnesses, some of them in a 
 very respectable station in society, who positively declared 
 that she had by her art cured them of various complaints 
 more or less serious. But she energetically denied that she had 
 employed fraudulent means to make people believe she had a 
 power she did not possess. In this, too, she was corroborated 
 by several witnesses, who stated in addition that, so far from 
 swindling, enjoying a certain property of her own, she did 
 not exact fees for her advice, and even received with reluc¬ 
 tance small offerings made her. The tribunal acquitted her 
 of swindling, but fined her fifteen francs for illegally practis¬ 
 ing medicine.'’ A recent case also appeared in a medical 
 periodical : “ The Tribunal of Correctional Police of Evreux, 
 on the 14th January, condemned Lacroix, charged with 
 
G4 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ The degree of estimation in which magnetism 
 should be held as a remedial means requires to be 
 determined by impartial persons. Before its value can 
 be justly appreciated, its effects must be observed 
 upon a great number of persons, and trials made daily 
 for a long period in the same diseases.” * 
 
 The author of a justly-esteemed work remarks with 
 respect to the therapeutical application of magnetism: 
 “ This agent may be employed for three different pur¬ 
 poses. 1. To calm ; the magnetic sleep sufficing for 
 this effect. This harmless manipulation may at least be 
 tried ; it may produce a harmless psychological result 
 by inducing the feeling of hope, arising from a con¬ 
 fidence in its efficac} r , and a physical effect by the 
 centripetal innervation which it determines. 2. To 
 excite a salutary reaction through the intermediance 
 of the nervous system by means of a higher degree of 
 vitality. 3. To obtain by means of what is termed 
 clairvoyance recommendations from the patient himself 
 for the treatment of his disease. Where the scientific 
 
 illegally practising medicine by the use of animal magnetism, 
 to three lines of fifteen francs each ; and to pay the costs for 
 having unlawfully meddled with the art, without possessing 
 a diploma.” (“Abeille Medicale,” February, 1864.) 
 
 * The following testimonies are adduced by a recent writer 
 in favour of the treatment of some diseases by magnetism : 
 “ Georget records several cures of nervous diseases. J. Franck 
 quotes the case of a young lady, who, having been affected 
 during several years with painful periodical sick headaches, 
 was very speedily relieved of her complaint by magnetising. 
 Dr. Itard, a member of the Acade'mie de Medicine, having 
 treated without success a case of complete deafness, saw his 
 patient cured by magnetism. Dr. Deschamps, of Mons, 
 cured in two days a paralysis of eighteen months’ date. Dr. 
 Meyer, of Amsterdam, succeeded in calming an attack of 
 furious mania in a few hours, and effected a complete cure at 
 the expiration of a few days. Dr. Kuhnholtz, Professor of 
 the Faculty of Montpelier, cured several epileptic patients by 
 magnetism. Dr. Despine relates the case of a young girl 
 paralytic of the lower limbs, and confined to bed for two years, 
 cured by magnetism. When in the sleep she could walk and 
 run, but on its cessation she again became paralysed. ” Debay, 
 “ Les Mysteres du Sommeil et du Magnetisme.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 G 0 
 
 knowledge of the physician is at fault, and nothing is 
 risked, he may try this means. The magnetic treat¬ 
 ment thus presents physically a calming remedy, and 
 psychically an experiment which excites the imagina¬ 
 tion.” * 
 
 It appears that, as in Egypt, magnetism has been 
 employed remedially in India from time immemorial. 
 Dr. Dawson, physician at one of the stations in the 
 interior of the country, on seeing a patient magnetised 
 in the mesmeric hospital at Calcutta, remarked to Dr. 
 Esdaile, “I now understand what the Jarphoonk of 
 Upper India means; it is only magnetism.” On being 
 asked to explain himself, he replied: “ Several of my 
 people, whom I had tried in vain to cure of various 
 serious affections, asked leave of absence for a few 
 weeks in order to be healed by the Indoo-wallet or 
 sorcerer, and to my great surprise they often returned 
 cured. In reply to my interrogatories, they said they 
 had been subjected to the process of the Jarplioonk. 
 I never could understand what this was, but I now 
 see. It is the combination of stroking and breathing 
 upon; jama signifying to stroke, and phoonka to 
 breathe upon, which exactly describes the proceedings 
 of magnetisers.” 
 
 Making allowance for some exaggeration on the 
 part of magnetisers and exclusive partisans, it may 
 be assumed that magnetism should be regarded by 
 medical practitioners as an important additional means 
 conferred by a beneficent Providence upon suffering 
 humanity for alleviating pain, and remedying some 
 disordered conditions of the economy ; especially some 
 of those complaints that are referrible to the rapid 
 progress of civilisation, which ordinary medication is 
 so often powerless to cure; but until it is more 
 studied, and its practice is recognised and superin¬ 
 tended by the profession in the cases to which, like 
 any other remedial agent, it may be applied, abuses 
 
 * “Medical Psychology,” by Baron Feuchtersleben, trans¬ 
 lated by Dr. Laycock for the Sydenhaui Society. 
 
66 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 must be expected to arise from its improper employ¬ 
 ment. 
 
 I subjoin a resume of the remarks of some magne- 
 tisers and medical practitioners who have specially 
 devoted their attention to the subject, as corroborative 
 of the preceding observations, especially as regards 
 the remedial employment and practical application 
 of magnetism:— 
 
 “ Pain,” says M. Charpignon, “ is the cry of the 
 affected organs ; it is therefore easy to know to what 
 part the action of magnetism should be directed. If 
 there be doubt as to the seat of the disorder, we should 
 magnetise a grands courants ; we shall thus avoid con¬ 
 centrating the action upon any one point, and end by 
 restoring the equilibrium in the nervous centres, and 
 subsequently in the whole organism. It is scarcely 
 credible how salutary is the sedative influence of the 
 ‘ passes ’ a grands courants. They ahvays calm and 
 allay the super-irritation of the nervous and vascu¬ 
 lar systems. 
 
 ' “ Recent rheumatic pains promptly yield to mag¬ 
 
 netism. I have tried it very often, and magnetisers 
 are unanimous on this point. In the treatment of 
 some chronic affections by magnetism, a speedy miti¬ 
 gation of previously existing symptoms usually takes 
 place, but likewise sometimes an aggravation of 
 certain other symptoms which had recurred at long 
 intervals; these being the efforts of nature to effect 
 the cure. This distinction is essential to be observed 
 as regards the successful treatment, for, if mistakes 
 be made and the course of the action be disturbed, 
 serious results may ensue. I have seen very alarming 
 salutary crises, but when I have been allowed to 
 proceed, they have always terminated in a cure. 
 
 “ On meeting with a subject Avho is very suscep¬ 
 tible to be affected by magnetism, it often happens, 
 after a few minutes’ magnetising, that a more or less 
 violent agitation supervenes, which alarms the inex¬ 
 perienced magnetiser, and leads him to try to restore 
 the patient’s previous tranquil state. The sudden 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 G7 
 
 awaking of the patient cuts short the magnetic crisis 
 in the midst of its intensity, and instead of placing 
 him in his former state, he is left in a dangerous 
 half-crisis. A free course should be allowed to the 
 crisis to terminate spontaneously.” * 
 
 Dr. Ennemoser observes : “ He who thinks that 
 because no immediate sensible effects are experienced 
 by the patients, magnetism exerts no action on them, 
 would often be under a mistake ; a very powerful 
 action at the time is not a favoruable sign. The prac¬ 
 tice of magnetism requires more prudence than any 
 other remedial means, as also a knowledge of the 
 methods most applicable to particular cases. Some of 
 its partisans entertain the erroneous idea that if 
 magnetism does no good, it can do no harm; but 
 without sufficient experience we may easily be mis¬ 
 taken in this respect, for in many cases the existing 
 disorder becomes aggravated in the first instance—as, 
 for example, spasmodic affections, the violence of 
 which is almost always increased by magnetising; and 
 the cessation of the treatment occasions great weak¬ 
 ness, accompanied by irritability ; the disease being 
 actually made worse for a time. “ The physician 
 should be aware of the conditions favourable for under¬ 
 taking a magnetic treatment to good purpose—the 
 mode of proceeding in the different circumstances 
 under which he may find the patient; whether he 
 should seek to calm or strengthen, whether he 
 should diffuse or concentrate the power, in order to 
 prevent his doing more harm than good. 
 
 “ The conditions under which magnetism may be 
 employed without danger as a remedial means are of 
 general and special nature, as respects the physician, 
 the patient, and the peculiar circumstances of the case. 
 The general conditions are, first, that magnetism be 
 recognised by the Government as a part of the sani- 
 tory system; and secondly, the requisition of the guaran¬ 
 tee and superintendence of a physician, in order that it 
 
 * Op. Cit. 
 
G8 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 be not practised by any one except persons worthy of 
 confidence; for the ordinary practitioner who is 
 unacquainted with the phenomena and the different 
 results of magnetism, or one who tries experiments 
 from time to time for mere curiosity’s sake, may act 
 in as prejudicial a manner as non-medical persons who 
 are wholly ignorant of it. Every one possesses more 
 or less the gift of this power, and any one may em¬ 
 ploy it in cases of slight indisposition, but in cases of 
 a more serious nature, or of long duration, the treat¬ 
 ment should either be undertaken or superintended 
 by physicians, or by men who have an enlarged know¬ 
 ledge of the subject, and who can be relied upon. 
 
 A physician should not undertake a case of mag¬ 
 netism when he cannot give up the requisite time to it; 
 for chronic diseases, somnambulism, spasmodic affec¬ 
 tions, often require that the magnetiser should remain 
 a long time near the patient; neither should he un¬ 
 dertake it when he cannot carry on the treatment to 
 the close. 
 
 “A too prolonged magnetisation is more likely to 
 be prejudicial than when it is too short. Half an 
 hour or an hour has been considered necessary, from 
 the erroneous opinion entertained upon the sub¬ 
 ject that the sleep ought to be produced. The 
 French and English magnetise in order to pro¬ 
 duce as much possible the sleep, and when it does 
 not supervene on the first attempt they redouble 
 their efforts. No general rules can, however, be 
 laid down as to time. Even half an hour’s mag¬ 
 netising is, according to my experience, too much at 
 the first, whether the patient experience~any effects 
 or no. In nervous and spasmodic affections a few 
 ‘ passes ’ sometimes occasion a violent attack. In 
 similar cases a few minutes’ magnetising is sufficient; 
 ; for magnetism must, so to speak, be digested, and 
 an overcharge of it is quite as injurious as overloading 
 the stomach with food. 
 
 “ When disordered actions supervene, the process 
 should be suspended for the time. Whosoever ex- 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 69 
 
 pects a direct, or immediate alteration or cure to 
 ensue, will often find his expectation deceived, for 
 it not unfrequently happens that the disorder be¬ 
 comes aggravated at the first, especially in chronic 
 cases, that require time and patience. Sometimes 
 we eks or months elapse before the patient experi¬ 
 ences any advantage. This does not discourage the 
 experienced magnetiser, though it often discourages 
 the patient.” 
 
 Dr. Ennemoser corroborates the justness of 
 Eeichenbach’s observations respecting sensitive sub¬ 
 jects, when he further says : “ The position in which 
 a person is magnetised, as well as that of his bed, are 
 not unimportant circumstances. The best position 
 for the bed is that of the magnetic meridian, with 
 the head to the north.” He mentions the case of a 
 somnambulist whose menstruation was always de¬ 
 ranged when she slept with her feet to the west, but 
 this function was normally performed when her feet 
 were in the direction of the south.* 
 
 Deleuze has recorded his experience of the bene¬ 
 ficial employment of magnetism in many diseases, 
 some of the most intractable kind, as insanity and 
 epilepsy. “ Magnetism,” he says, “ has produced 
 surprising effects in chronic vomiting, after other 
 remedies had failed. A gentleman of Rheims, who 
 for twenty years had suffered from this affection, was 
 magnetised. On the second day the vomiting was 
 arrested, and at the end of two months the patient 
 was completely cured.” 
 
 We may perceive that the number of diseases 
 for which Deleuze recommended the employment of 
 magnetism is tolerably large. Let us, however, see 
 what is said by the modern magnetising physician 
 just quoted, who has occupied himself with the sub¬ 
 ject, both in a physical and psychical point of view, 
 perhaps more than any other person. “ One may draw 
 with the hand,” says Dr. Ennemoser, “ the nervous 
 
 \/ 
 
 * “ Anleitung zur Mesiuerisclien Praxis. 
 
70 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 influx to parts where it is deficient, and disperse it 
 from those where it is too concentrated, so that the 
 vis medioatrix inherent in the patient is enabled to 
 re-establish the deranged harmony of the economy 
 and procure the removal of the disease.” 
 
 The diseases which magnetism is calculated to cure 
 or to alleviate are thus enumerated by this author: 
 Obstructions of organs, as the liver, spleen, uterus, 
 &c., hemorrhoids, deranged menstruation, amenor- 
 rhcea, chlorosis, passive hemorrhage, menorrhagia, 
 scrofula, gout, dropsy, tumours and ulcers intract¬ 
 able to other means, indigestion, and hysterical 
 affections. “The most frequent crises induced by 
 magnetism,” he observes, “ are spasms, feverish 
 symptoms, recurrent symptoms of inflammation— 
 which, however, may subside as speedily as they 
 came on—and an increase of some of the secretions, 
 especially of the perspiration in gouty subjects. In 
 epilepsy abundant salivation sometimes supervenes as 
 a crisis. Sleep is, however, the best of crises, 
 especially in the insane, who, as is well known, often 
 remain long without sleep; it is then a favourable 
 sign, indicative of their recovery. 
 
 “Magnetism effectually relieves pains and spasms, 
 and is a remedy of the highest importance, inasmuch 
 as it procures sleep without being followed by ex¬ 
 citing or debilitating consequences on the nervous 
 sj^stem. In spasms and convulsions the action mani¬ 
 fests itself immediately in most cases ; in various 
 paralyses of the senses and of the organs of motion 
 the results are often speedy and more certain than 
 when other means are employed. In deranged 
 states of the circulation of the blood and fluids it 
 likewise operates speedily and efficaciously. 
 
 “ According to my experience and that of others,” 
 continues this author, “ it is in mental diseases that 
 magnetism possesses the highest"efficacy. When in 
 the magnetic sleep half-idiotic individuals, as also 
 some insane patients, often express themselves in a 
 very lucid manner, to the surprise of those who hear 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 71 
 
 them * I have seen a person who had been three 
 years and a-half in an asylum, and who on the Jlrst 
 application of magnetism became a lucid somnam¬ 
 bulist, and indicated the cause of the disease, as also 
 thelneans to he employed for obtaining the cure, 
 which took place at the expiration of two months. I 
 consider magnetism to be a means far surpassing all 
 others for the treatment of mental diseases. 
 
 “ As respects nervous d iseases, magnetism is, how¬ 
 ever, frequently only a palliative, and the disorder 
 is not un frequently aggravated at the beginning. 
 Some patients remain in a worse state than before, 
 because they are left without anything more (mag¬ 
 netism) being done. Wine, opium, and stimulating 
 remedies should be avoided. Time and patience are 
 required.” ~ 
 
 Dr. Ennemoser, as well as Deleuze and others, speak 
 highly of the advantage of magnetism in cases of 
 paralysis. “ In the amount of the cures effected by 
 magnetism in France, within a given period,” says the 
 last-named writer, “ there are more Jhan sixty cases 
 of paralysis. Nothing more strongTy " proves its 
 efficacy in this disease.” In Eieser’s “ Archives ” 
 several cures are recorded, and Mr. San by remarks 
 on this point: “ Among the patients who are con¬ 
 sidered to be relieved by the ‘ passes,’ those affected 
 with paralysis occupy a primary place.” Dr. Teste, 
 in his “ Manuel,” also relates several cures of 
 paralysis.f 
 
 * Dr. Choron, quoted by M. Gauthier in his work, mag¬ 
 netised in Landau an unmarried woman thirty years of age, 
 who was idiotic from her birth {imbecile de naissance). She 
 belonged to a ricli and distinguished family, who had in vain 
 tried every means to improve her mental condition. As soon, 
 however, as she became somnambulist she could speak about 
 anything that was desired,' and express her meaning clearly. 
 She was no longer the same being. No one would have 
 taken her for an imbecile. Her parents looked upon the 
 circumstance as marvellous, and wept for joy, exclaiming, 
 “ Would that she could always remain so!” 
 
 I Several of these instances were, doubtless, of the purely 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ According to my experience,” adds Dr. Enne- 
 moser, “ most deaf persons, especially if young, are 
 benefited by magnetism, and some, if they have not 
 been deaf long, are quite cured. Old persons may 
 get better, up to a certain point, after several weeks’ 
 treatment. I have tried intermediate bodies of all 
 kinds, magnets, electricity, and other exciting agents, 
 but few are of any use in these cases ; the hand 
 supersedes all other means ; the best accessory is 
 foot-baths of magnetised water, the patient being 
 acted upon by ‘ passes,’ made from the head down¬ 
 wards to the feet while in the bath.” * 
 
 “ The disposition to vomit is frequently only 
 symptomatic, and in these cases magnetism produces 
 a surprising effect. I treated a lady who had a com¬ 
 plicated abdominal disease, and who suffered for 
 several weeks from a tendency to vomit, which 
 fatigued her to such a degree, and of which she was 
 
 functional kind of paralysis, treated of in my work on 
 “ Nervous Disorders,” which sometimes terminates in spon¬ 
 taneous recovery, hut is also in many cases brought about 
 by mental influences exciting to action the torpid volition. 
 
 * Dr. Teste relates the interesting case of M. Adam, 
 professor of music and director of an institution at Rouen, 
 who had been affected with partial deafness for fourteen 
 years. He had consulted many practitioners, but the deaf¬ 
 ness increased, so that he was obliged to leave the institution. 
 In the course of a two months’ magnetic treatment, however, 
 his hearing became so much restored that one might con¬ 
 verse with him for hours without perceiving that he is or 
 rather was deaf. But the most surprising circumstance in 
 this case is an instructive dream which the patient had, when 
 he was already better, after being magnetised for four weeks. 
 “ I dreamed,” said he to Dr. Teste, “that I requested you 
 to magnetise mvfeet while they were in a bath of warm 
 water. You at nrst refused, but afterwards consented, and 
 I experienced so much advantage that a quarter of an hour 
 afterwards I heard quite well.” Dr. Teste followed the indi¬ 
 cation presented by the dream, and after the first “ passes ’’ 
 made over his feet Adam felt his head freed, but experi¬ 
 enced a feeling of formication, cold as ice, in liis feet, and 
 with joy and surprise perceived that he heard much better 
 than before. From this time the amelioration progressed 
 from day to day. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 73 
 
 so apprehensive, that she began to sweat as soon as 
 she felt the first indications of its approach. I could 
 always remove this symptom by holding my hand 
 near the stomach. Somewhat later the vomiting 
 ceased as soon as I came into the room, and after¬ 
 wards as soon as I entered the house. At length, 
 when I was sent for, at a subsequent period, I tried 
 to act upon her from my house, and each time 
 the indisposition ceased, till at last it altogether 
 disappeared.* 
 
 “ In the most frequent, and in favourable cases, an 
 increased activity of the nervous and vascular systems, 
 accompanied with an augmentation of muscular power, 
 ensues from a continued magnetic treatment, respi¬ 
 ration is more freely performed, and the appetite is 
 improved. Catarrhal and rheumatic affections dis¬ 
 appear in children on placing the hand several times 
 upon the affected parts ; a beneficial perspiration being 
 induced. In cases of dropsy a critical diarrhoea 
 often supervenes, as also an increased flow of urine. 
 Sometimes, however, symptoms of an opposite kind 
 occur; a sensation of fatigue, or of weight in the 
 limbs, of being heated or feverish, symptoms of 
 cerebral congestion, and spasms of various kinds. 
 These inconveniences, however, usually disappear in 
 a short time, leaving the patients in an improved 
 condition.” 
 
 With respect to the cure of epilepsy by mag¬ 
 netism, Woltart long ago remarked that this result 
 is more likely to ensue, and that the permanence of 
 the cure is more sure in cases where the attacks have 
 been at first violent and frequent. Out of ninety 
 cases which he treated in the course of eight years, 
 eighteen were perfectly cured. 
 
 Dr. Teste relates some cases of the cure of epilepsy 
 
 * As this patient, during the latter part of the treatment, 
 was conscious of the presence of her magnetiser, or knew 
 that he would act from a distance for this purpose, the anti¬ 
 cipation of relief was probably mainly instrumental in 
 producing it. 
 
 E 
 
74 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 in his work; in one of them a critical diarrhoea super¬ 
 vened on magnetisation, and the patient was com¬ 
 pletely cured. The Rev. Mr. Sanby calls magnetism 
 the “ grand specific ” in this disease. “ One should 
 not be alarmed,” he says, “ if a violent attack should 
 come on in consequence of the magnetising; it is 
 commonly of favourable augury.” Dr. Elliotson 
 corroborates the experience of others on this point. 
 He relates the case of a patient who for three weeks 
 had an attack each time as soon as he began to 
 magnetise him. He allowed it to subside, and then 
 recommended magnetising. The attacks recurred 
 only once a-month, and at length entirely ceased 
 after a year’s treatment, Six years afterwards the 
 patient had had no relapse.* The same distinguished 
 physician relates other cases in which the contrary 
 took place; the patients became better from the first, 
 and the frequency of the attacks diminished. 
 
 Even if the cures recorded in these instances were 
 not permanent, this would be no reason against the 
 employment of magnetism in so formidable a disease 
 as epilepsy, which so commonly resists all methods 
 of treatment. From the view already presented of 
 the modus operandi of this agent, it appears well 
 calculated to cure epilepsy in some curable cases, and 
 to mitigate its severity in others. 
 
 Several English writers, including the Rev. Messrs. 
 Townsend and Sanby, and Dr. Gregory, bear testimony 
 in their works to the efficacy of animal magnetism in 
 disease. “I do not pretend to say,” remarks the 
 last-named writer, “ that it can never do any harm, 
 but I can say that in all the cases which I have seen 
 treated by other practitioners, and in all those which 
 I have treated myself, of which a great number 
 occurred in nervous individuals affected with various 
 diseases—even with diseases of the heart, which 
 
 * The attacks of epilepsy, as is well known, are very liable 
 to be determined or to be suspended for a longer or shorter 
 time by influences acting on the patient’s mind, especially 
 when they recur at regular periods of time. 
 
animal magnetism. 
 
 75 
 
 would appear the most liable to suffer from all extra¬ 
 ordinary excitation—the effect of the magnetic pro¬ 
 cess in general, and of the sleep in particular, has 
 always been calming, and in no instance has it been 
 disagreeable to the patients ; it acted, moreover, in a 
 beneficial manner upon the health. 
 
 “It relieves rheuma,tic_and neuralgic pains, removes 
 headaches, and^procTuces a refreshing sleep in persons 
 who had long suffered from sleeplessness. It alle¬ 
 viates, and often cures, many diseases of the nervous 
 system ; but its effects are not restricted to these 
 cases. It acts upon the general health, so as fre¬ 
 quently to produce a very marked improvement, and 
 in many cases it causes to disappear, sooner or later, 
 long-standing and troublesome affections. It happens 
 every day that persons who are magnetised with the 
 object of studying the phenomena astonish and 
 delight the spectator by telling him that since mag¬ 
 netism has been employed they have got rid of some 
 obstinate disorder, or else that their general health 
 is much better.” * 
 
 Dr. Macario, author of several highly-estimated 
 medical works, considers magnetism to be recom¬ 
 mend able in several nervous affections, as cramp, 
 convulsions, nervous paralysis, and neuralgia, in which 
 its action is most efficacious. He mentions the case 
 of a lady who was relieved, as if by magic, by mag¬ 
 netism of an acute pain in the right knee, which for 
 three months had resisted a variety of remedies 
 that were prescribed by practitioners of high repute. 
 Another patient was relieved of chronic sciatica by 
 the same means, f 
 
 Professor Rostan long ago expressed his conviction 
 that magnetism produces favourable results, both in 
 acute and chronic diseases; I have on several occa¬ 
 sions known patients who have been relieved of 
 pains and slight ailments by magnetism, both abroad 
 and in England, and several patients in the mesmeric 
 
 e 2 
 
 * Letters, <fcc. 
 
 f “ Le Sommeil. 
 
7G 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 hospital in London stated to me that they had materi¬ 
 ally benefited by its employment; but I have not had 
 personal opportunities of witnessing its effects in the 
 more serious cases, and have therefore deemed it 
 advisable to present the preceding summary of the 
 observations of those who, either as magnetisers or 
 as impartial and competent observers, vouch for its 
 efficacy in such cases, in order that those who peruse 
 them may draw from them their own conclusions, 
 and that the accuracy of the statements may be 
 verified or modified by the more general subsequent 
 experience of unprejudiced observers, especially as 
 to how far the positive effects of magnetism on the 
 one hand, and the influence produced on the minds 
 of the patients on the other, may have been instru¬ 
 mental in producing the results recorded, f 
 
 Although the physical results are calculated to be 
 extremely serviceable and beneficial it nevertheless, 
 appears to me that they musLyield in importance to 
 those that are referrible to the psychological order of 
 phenomena, which will form the subject of conside¬ 
 ration in the following pages. 
 
 Admitting that magnetism is advantageous as a 
 remedial means, it by no means follows that because 
 it may have been found serviceable in any given 
 disease, it will necessary be so in other cases pre¬ 
 senting similar symptoms. Here, as with respect to 
 the employment of remedies in general, especially 
 of new remedies, a too absolute generalisation is what 
 is most to be apprehended; hence, owing to the 
 disappointment that ensues from undue expectations 
 having been raised, it often happens that remedies 
 which may be very efficacious in appropriate cases 
 
 * “As a therapeutical agent, magnetism has undergone 
 proscription without deserving it. 1 think its rational and 
 well-directed employment is too much neglected in the pre¬ 
 sent day. I have several times employed it with success in 
 some spasmodic affections that did not yield to ordinary seda¬ 
 tives.”—Dr. Lepelletier de la Sarthe, “ Doctrine Biologique.” 
 1858. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 77 
 
 are set aside and fall into unmerited neglect, and it 
 is to be hoped that medical practitioners, on perceiving 
 the probability of its utility, will be induced to occupy 
 themselves with the consideration of animal mag¬ 
 netism, unless they are disposed to leave altogether 
 in the hand of partisans, for the most part little 
 qualified to apply it with discrimination and judg¬ 
 ment, so powerful a means for alleviating some of the 
 ills of suffering humanity, and to be justly charge¬ 
 able with remaining behind-hand in the progress of 
 scientific inquiry, in so far as relates to its remedial 
 agency. 
 
ADDENDA TO PART I. 
 
 Arrest and Transference of the Pulse by Magnetism. 
 
 Dr. Madden in his “ Phantasmagata,” published in 
 1857, quotes, among others, the following case from 
 the report of the Ecclesiastical and Medical Commis¬ 
 sion appointed to inquire into the facts of supposed 
 demoniacal possession which prevailed as an epidemic 
 among the nuns in a convent in Auxonne from 
 1652 to 1662, as also among secular women in the 
 vicinity. 
 
 “ Denise Parisot,” it is stated in the Bishop of 
 Orleans’ report, “ being commanded by the prelate to 
 stop completely the pulse in the right arm, whilst 
 the left continued to beat, and then to transfer the 
 beating of the pulse of the left to the right arm, 
 whilst it stopped in the left, executed the order in 
 the presence of the physician (Morel), who acknow¬ 
 ledged and deposed to the same, and also in the 
 presence of several ecclesiastics. The sister of the 
 Purification performed the same thing two or three 
 times, causing it to beat or stop at the desire of the 
 exorcist.” 
 
 Dr. Madden then adds the following comments : 
 “ Calmeil’s attempt to explain the stoppage of the 
 pulse in either arm at the command of the exorcist, 
 and the transmission of pulsation from the arm, 
 where it was perceptible, to the other arm, where it 
 had ceased to be distinguishable, is not satisfactory. 
 Of the truth of the statement he expresses no doubt, 
 and evidently seems to entertain no doubt of it. My 
 own experience would lead me to believe the state¬ 
 ment as a true one. I have twice witnessed pheno- 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 79 
 
 mena somewhat analogous, where two individuals 
 were subjected to the operations of practisers of animal 
 magnetism. 
 
 “ In the first case the operator undertook to influ¬ 
 ence different parts of the body of persons not in a 
 state of somnambulism, and this he certainly per¬ 
 formed in instances where there could be no collusion, 
 I am quite sure, on the part of the persons operated 
 on. A rigid cataleptic state of a leg or an arm * was 
 repeatedly produced, and maintained till such time 
 as the operator announced his intention to remove the 
 ‘ magnetic influence.’ He undertook to mesmerise 
 the left hand of a young gentleman selected from the 
 audience for the experiment, and to reduce the pul¬ 
 sation in the wrist of that arm to about half the 
 number of beats of the pulse of the right arm. I 
 was requested to test this experiment, and did so 
 with all the care and scrutiny I could give it. The 
 operator vigorously made ‘ passes ’ along the arm, 
 and the operation had not been carried on above two 
 or three minutes when the frequency and volume of 
 the pulse gradually diminished, and at length the 
 number of beats was reduced to less than one-half 
 the number of pulsations in the right arm. I allowed 
 the operator to go on, and to my great astonishment 
 the pulse became wholly imperceptible. But the 
 operator was entirely unconscious of the effect he had 
 produced. lie expected to reduce the number of 
 beats to about thirty-five or forty in the minute. 
 
 “ In the other case a gentleman of great ardour in 
 the pursuit of mesmerism was the operator. On one 
 occasion, during the state of somnambulism, he 
 undertook, in the presence of many persons of rank 
 and station, to suspend in toto the circulation. On 
 this occasion the task of testing the experiment also 
 fell to my lot. Having never heard of any such 
 
 * This is one of the most common physical effects of mag¬ 
 netisation—the sleeper being then able to support heavy 
 weights on the extended arm or legs, which he would be 
 quite unable to do in his normal state. 
 
80 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 extensive power being claimed by any person as 
 Colonel Townsend bad been said to have over the 
 circulation, I had no idea that Mr. IT- pre¬ 
 
 tended to have any such extraordinary influence. 
 He mesmerised both arms for some time, the girl 
 being in a recumbent position ; the pulse in both wrists 
 became gradually smaller and smaller, and at length 
 almost ceased to beat at all. The pulsation at the 
 heart, however, was perceptible enough, very fre¬ 
 quent, but exceedingly tremulous and feeble, or 
 
 rather fluttering. Mr. H-then began to make 
 
 some more ‘ passes ’ over the body, but I objected 
 to their continuance, and the experiment ceased, Mr. 
 
 H-still asserting his power to produce the 
 
 ‘ death-trance,’ and some of the audience were very 
 apprehensive—not without good reason—that the 
 influence exercised by him might exceed his power to 
 control.* 
 
 “ We find,” adds Dr. Madden, “ in the case of the 
 exorcised nuns of Auxonne, a distinguished prelate, 
 evidently a good, faithful, and trustworthy man, two 
 centuries ago by means of exorcism inducing trance 
 and catalepsy. The somnambulism of mesmerists, 
 apparent thought-reading, mental communication, 
 
 * The Rev. C. H. Townsend records the case of a patient 
 suffering from violent palpitation magnetised at his house by 
 M. Regazzoni. ‘ ‘ When he came into the room his heart 
 could be heard beating some distance off. After eight 
 minutes of the ‘ passes ’ the pulsation had diminished to 
 such a degree that the usual action of the heart could 
 not be felt.” Colonel Townsend, towards the end of his 
 life, possessed the power of suspending the (perceptible) 
 pulsation of his heart and all appearance of a circulatory 
 movement. 
 
 The authentic accounts we have had in recent times of the 
 apparent suspension of the heart’s action for an almost inde¬ 
 finite period in certain fanatics of the Fakirs and the Seiks, 
 and even in one or two instances ofTheir being walled up 
 for a considerable time, deprived of air, and subsequently 
 resuscitated, show that these individuals possessed a power 
 over the circulation far beyond anything we read of in the 
 trance of Colonel Townsend and other records. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Hi 
 
 instantaneous as thought itself between the parties, not 
 only absent, but separated by considerable distances ; 
 the clairvoyance of the subjects of animal magnetism, 
 and, lastly, the stoppage of the pulse in the brachial 
 arteries, almost identical with the results produced 
 by mesmerists in two instances which fell under my 
 own observation. But these phenomena the bishop 
 believed were produced by demons. Now the same 
 phenomena we find ascribed by mesmerists to animal 
 magnetism, and such of the phenomena as are truly 
 reported and carefully observed by medical men of 
 the present day of ordinary enlightenment are attri¬ 
 buted to influences exercised on the imagination in 
 certain morbid conditions of the nervous system and 
 cerebral functions.” La\ < < 
 
 It would appear that Dr. Madden had not himself 
 witnessed any of the phenomena of lucid somnam¬ 
 bulism to which he refers, the validity of which has 
 been pretty generally admitted by those who have 
 had opportunities of observing them, both previous 
 to and since the date of publication of his remarks, 
 and of which the facts adduced in the following 
 pages afford ample confirmation. That some of the 
 results of lucid somnambulism, magnetic and spon¬ 
 taneous, are analogous to those recorded by spiri¬ 
 tualists may be allowed, without the inference being 
 justified that magnetism is but an effect of spiritual 
 (or, as has been supposed by two or three writers, 
 demoniacal) agency. Several of the phenomena re¬ 
 ported in former ages, by lay and ecclesiastical writers, 
 and referred by them to the action of demons or 
 spirits, now find a satisfactory solution in the obser¬ 
 vation of the facts exhibited in the state of magnetic 
 lucid somnambulism; but, on the other hand, there 
 have been recorded of late years, as well as at 
 earlier periods, innumerable instances of manifesta¬ 
 tions (said to be spiritual) which cannot be referred 
 to this source. 
 
PART II. 
 
 PSYCHICAL PHENOMENA. 
 
 “ Among all the phenomena to which the study of the soul 
 has directed our attention, there are perhaps none so sur¬ 
 prising as those which have lately been brought to light in 
 consequence of the philosophical investigations occasioned 
 by the pretensions of Mesmer and his associates.”— Dugald 
 Stewart. 
 
 “ However astonishing, it is now proved beyond all rational 
 doubt, that in certain abnormal states of the nervous organ¬ 
 ism, perceptions are possible through other than the ordinary 
 channels of the senses.” —Sir Wm. Hamilton. 
 
 “ A new world of mind ( Seelenwelt ) hidden in ordinary life, 
 is exposed to our contemplation, and the verification of the 
 principal phenomena of lucid somnambulism may be regarded 
 as tantamount to the discovery of a physiological and psycho¬ 
 logical America. ”— Fischer, uber Somnambulismtjs. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Perception independently of the Visual Organs—Objec¬ 
 tions answered by Extracts from “ Butler’s Analogy,” 
 Arago, and other Writers—Sleepwalking—Instances 
 from the Report of the Academic Commission and other 
 sources—Transposition of the Senses. 
 
 Referring once more to the Report made to the 
 Academie de Medecine, we find therein stated : “ It 
 may be inferred with certainty that the state of som¬ 
 nambulism exists when it gives rise to the develop¬ 
 ment of new faculties which have been designated by 
 the names of clairvoyance, intuition, and internal pre¬ 
 vision. We have seen two somnambulists who were 
 able with closed eyes to distinguish the objects that 
 were placed before them; they have told, without 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 KaV' a -‘ 
 
 r? 3' 
 
 (f 
 
 touching, the colours and names of cards ; they Have 
 read lines from a book and written words. This phe- 
 nomenon took place when the somnambulist’s eyelids 
 were kept closed with the fingers. 
 
 “We have met with two somnambulists who 
 specified the symptoms of the diseases of three persons 
 with whom they were put en rapport .” 
 
 It is to be regretted that during the long period 
 which has elapsed since the publication of this report, 
 notwithstanding the corroborative testimony given 
 by many impartial witnesses, several of them distin¬ 
 guished in a scientific point of view—scientific and 
 medical bodies (with the single exception of that to 
 which this memoir was addressed), as also the scien¬ 
 tific and medical world in general, should have dis- ^ 
 couraged investigations on a subject of"‘sucIT great 
 importance as That to which I now solicit attention. * 
 The study of psychology, which of late years has 
 attained so great a development, and especially a 
 more accurate observation of the phenomena presented 
 by sleep and by spontaneous somnambulism, as also 
 to those of an analogous kind, which are occasionally 
 manifested under certain morbid conditions of the 
 
 * Several years ago (July, 1852) the then Editor of the 
 “British and Foreign Medical Review," commenting on this 
 part of the subject, on reviewing Sir H. Holland’s “ Mental 
 Physiology,” observed : “ We are convinced that the profes¬ 
 sion lias done di scredit to its own character, and has lost no 
 inconsiderable amount of public confidence, by the tone of 
 ridicule which it has generally assumed with regard to the 
 class of phenomena in question, and that it will not recover 
 its lost ground until it shall have carefully and candidly 
 examined them with due attention to their relations, and 
 known physiological and pathological actions. We think 
 that the present aspect of mesmerism is one that strongly 
 calls for a full, fair, and searching investigation, with all 
 the assistance which can be afforded by the study of those 
 remarkable states with which the public has been of late so 
 familiar, electro-biology and hypnotism ; the phenomena, if 
 such there be, which are inexplicable by any known agency, 
 and which must be held to prove the existence of powers 
 hitherto unrecognised by scientific psychologists and physio¬ 
 logists. ” 
 
 ✓ 
 
84 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 system, would greatly tend to facilitate a general 
 belief in the reality of the phenomena that occur in 
 the state of lucid somnambulism ;—which state not 
 unfrequently supervenes in magnetised subjects, and 
 is occasionally met with, independently of the mag¬ 
 netic agency;—but, because they are not in accordance 
 / with certain preconceived ideas, and with our every-day 
 experience, their reality has been denied, on the 
 alleged supposition that they are opposed to the laws 
 ‘ of nature. Thus, a writer in the “Edinburgh Review” 
 (April, 1856), taking this circumscribed view of the 
 question, remarks: “ It is part of the great scheme of 
 Divine providence, that animals endowed with the 
 power of vision shall use the eyes given to them to 
 exercise that power : it is equally a proof of that 
 great and wondrous scheme that the brain and 
 nervous system shall be the organs of thought—it is 
 for this purpose that they have been so ex¬ 
 quisitely constructed. If, then, men set them¬ 
 selves to prove, and positively to insist, that their 
 arguments should be heard, that there is in the 
 ordinary course of nature vision without eyes, and 
 manifest mental phenomena independently of the 
 brain, they will have taken leave of their best guide, 
 common sense.” f 
 
 The writer then seeks to corroborate his opinion as 
 to the illusive nature of the phenomena referred to, 
 by adducing well-known instances of hallucination 
 (Macbeth’s air-drawn dagger, &c.), and the power of 
 certain drugs to produce similar results, as if these 
 instances had any relation to them. Moreover, it has 
 never been asserted or implied by the most zealous 
 advocates of magnetism that the phenomena in 
 question are manifested in the ordinary course of 
 nature. 
 
 Reasoners who thus base their arguments upon 
 the hitherto known laws of nature do not consider 
 how limited is our knowledge of those laws ; that this 
 
 f Review of the works of Holland, Brodie, and Laycock. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 85 
 
 knowledge is continually extending and opening out 
 new prospects to our view; and that any people’s or 
 any individual’s experience of them depends in great 
 measure upon the circumstances under which the 
 population or the individual is placed, the degree of 
 mental culture possessed by them, and the oppor¬ 
 tunities afforded them for acquiring the requisite 
 information; and, moreover, that a circumscribed 
 knowledge can never be allowed to disprove positive 
 and well-authenticated facts, however improbable they 
 may appear to be. The late Dr. Abercrombie, on 
 treating of the belief to be accorded to testimony, in 
 his work on the “ Intellectual Powers, ” observed, 
 “ While an unbounded credulity is the part of a weak 
 mind, which never thinks or reasons at all, an un¬ 
 limited scepticism is the part of a contracted mind, 
 which reasons upon imperfect data, or makes its own 
 knowledge and extent of observation the standard 
 and test of probability.” After adverting to the 
 instances of an ignorant peasant who rejected the 
 testimony of a philosopher respecting the size of the 
 moon, and to a King of Siam, who charged with 
 falsehood a European traveller in his dominions, 
 when he said that water became so solid in his country 
 as to bear the weight of an elephant walking on it, 
 this distinguished physician and acute reasoner 
 proceeded to add: “ The reception of facts upon the 
 evidence of testimony must therefore be considered as 
 a fundamental principle of our nature, to be acted 
 upon whenever we are satisfied that the testimony 
 possesses certain characters of credibility. These are 
 chiefly referrible to three heads: that the individual 
 has had sufficient opportunity of ascertaining the 
 facts; that we have confidence in his power of 
 judging of their accuracy ; and that we have no sus¬ 
 picion of his being influenced by passion or prejudice 
 in his testimony—or, in other words, that we believe 
 him to be an honest witness. Our confidence is 
 further strengthened by several wtinesses concurring 
 in the same testimony, each of whom has had the 
 
80 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 same opportunities of ascertaining the facts, and 
 presents the same characters of truth and honesty. 
 On such testimony we are in the constant habit of 
 receiving statements which are much bejmnd the 
 sphere of our personal observation, and widely at 
 variance with our experience. These are the state¬ 
 ments which for the sake of a name we may call 
 marvellous. In regard to such, the foundation of 
 incredulity, as we have seen, is generally ignorance, 
 and it is interesting to trace the principles by which 
 a man of cultivated mind is influenced in receiving 
 upon testimony statements which are rejected by the 
 vulgar as totally incredible. 
 
 “ He is influenced by the recollection that many 
 things at one time appeared to him marvellous which 
 he now knows to be true ; and he thence concludes 
 that there may still be in nature many phenomena 
 and many principles with which he is entirely un¬ 
 acquainted. In other words, he has learned from 
 experience not to make his own knowledge the test 
 of probability.” 
 
 Many things are now daily occurring in the domain 
 of science and the arts, the possibility of which was 
 not dreamt of, or, if advanced, was ridiculed, fifty years 
 ago; and, as in the material world, so as respects the 
 world of mind, our knowledge will continue to extend; 
 past experience ought consequently to render us cir¬ 
 cumspect in refusing from any a priori reasoning to 
 inquire into, and when practicable to recognise, facts 
 accredited by impartial and valid testimony. 
 
 Montaigne observed more than a century ago in 
 his “ Essais : ” “We must not estimate what is pos¬ 
 sible and what is not according as it may be credible 
 or incredible to our senses ; it is an error into which 
 most men fall, to believe with difficulty from others 
 that which they could not or would not do.” 
 
 Professor Orfila, Dean of the Parisian Faculty of 
 Medicine, remarked: “If there does existsome trickery 
 and quackery in connexion with animal magnetism, 
 its adversaries are too hasty in refusing to admit that 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 87 
 
 which has been asserted in regard to its effects. The 
 testimony of enlightened physicians should be con¬ 
 sidered as proofs. If its phenomena appear to be ex¬ 
 traordinary, the phenomena of electricity appeared 
 equally marvellous at its origin. Whether magnetism 
 be for good or evil, it is clearly a therapeutic agent, 
 and it behoves both the honour and the dignity of 
 the Academie to examine it.” 
 
 Mr. Bakewell, in his “ Physical Evidence of a 
 Future State, ” likewise remarks on this point: 
 “ The phenomena of magnetism become so familiar 
 from frequent observation, that they cease to excite 
 surprise, but let us for a moment conceive that the 
 properties of the magnet were unknown, and that a 
 traveller from a distant part of the world were to 
 announce the discovery of the loadstone, and of its 
 singular powers. We can readily conceive that the 
 traveller who revealed this discovery would be over¬ 
 whelmed with ridicule, and his statements would be 
 deemed scarcely more deserving of credence than 
 those of Baron Munchausen. It is upon the same 
 narrow system of philosophising, which presumes all 
 things to be impossible of which the human faculties 
 can form no conception, that the arguments adduced 
 against the existence of the sentient principle in a 
 separate state from that of the body have been prin¬ 
 cipally founded. Every succeeding discovery, indeed, 
 trenches upon the territory of presumed impossibilities, 
 and shows that the operations of nature are not to be 
 circumscribed by the limits which the ignorance of 
 man would impose. But, regardless of these repeated 
 checks on his presumption, he adheres to this narrow¬ 
 minded system of reasoning, and will persevere in 
 denying the possibility of states of being that cannot 
 from their inscrutable nature be brought to the test 
 of positive proofs, though the arguments by which 
 these objections are attempted to be supported are 
 merely a repetition of those that have been previously 
 refuted in the material world, by the advancing 
 progress of knowledge. 
 
88 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ Hence to infer, first, that the results of experience 
 in ordinary cases are not to be taken as the limits of 
 possibility in questions relating to subtle properties ; 
 secondly, that as we perceive causes constantly opera¬ 
 ting in the material world, of the nature of which we 
 can form not the least conception, it is not improbable 
 that the still more inscrutable essence of the human 
 soul may be capable of exerting its energies under 
 circumstances that surpass our comprehension ; and 
 thirdly, that the separate existence of this subtle 
 property of matter, independently of the matter with 
 which it is combined, affords a close analogy to the 
 separate existence of the sentient principle distinct 
 from the body which it animates. 
 
 “ It is thus that, in the progress of knowledge, phe¬ 
 nomena which were once attributed to supernatural 
 agency are gradually discovered to be conformable 
 to established laws. The investigation of these laws 
 shows that the whole course of nature is regulated 
 by fixed and unaltered rules. Forgetful of the 
 gradual steps by which he has risen from a state of 
 ignorant wonder to his present position, and unable 
 to perceive the immense height of the eminence above 
 him, man is apt ignorantly to imagine that he has 
 reached the summit of the hill of science when he 
 has only surmounted some of the obstructions sur¬ 
 rounding its base ; and it is only when obstacles to 
 his further progress present themselves in forms 
 which he feels his inability to master, that he becomes 
 aware there is a higher ground to be attained, and 
 difficulties to be yet encountered, which his mental 
 constitution cannot overcome.” 
 
 With reference to a public exhibition of magnetism 
 given many years ago in London, by M. Lafontaine, 
 when the subject experimented upon presented the 
 more ordinary phenomena of unconsciousness to 
 pricking the skin, to a phial of ammonia held to the 
 nose, to the discharge of a pistol close to his ear, 
 together with those of cataleptic rigidity of the body, 
 and complete insensibility to the electro-magnetic 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 89 
 
 current from a powerful machine, and to the action 
 of a voltaic battery, the Times observed (July 24, 
 1844): “Are not the principles which govern so 
 tremendous an agency worthy of being inquired 
 into ? any objections urged, either from reason, from 
 analogy, or from experience, can scarcely be enter¬ 
 tained. At first sight, who would suppose that 
 the combination of certain plates of metal immersed 
 in diluted acid would produce the extraordinary 
 effects which we see daily demonstrated, either by 
 the electro-galvanic battery or the voltaic pile, 
 or that the union and combination of two gases 
 should produce so great a heat as to consume iron, 
 and reduce the diamond to its primitive elements ? 
 or that Hale’s hydraulic machine should overcome 
 the laws of gravitation, and raise water in spite of its 
 physical properties, simply by rapidity of motion ? or 
 that the violet ray of the prism should magnetise iron ? 
 Yet these are facts no one ventures to question, 
 because they are daily demonstrated. Or shall we 
 make any allusion to the daguerrotype, the electro¬ 
 type, or the wonderful powers of steam, with its 
 strange powers of electricity ? Why, therefore, 
 without inquiry, should we refuse to an individual 
 the credit of possessing latent powers which are not 
 common to all our race ? All fish have not the 
 property of the gj'mnotus, yet who doubts its power 
 to produce electrical phenomena ?f Or does any one 
 question that extraordinary faculty, which that in¬ 
 dividual pensioned at the Mauritius by the British 
 Government possessed, of seeing vessels some hundred 
 miles at sea Y or the fact of the Brahmin who could 
 sit on air; or of another Indian, who could bury 
 himself for a month, as witnessed by Lieutenant 
 
 f A physican, Dr. Pons, though incredulous as regards 
 mesmerism, was performing some passes on a somnambulist 
 of M. Picard’s, when, on applying two fingers to the epi¬ 
 gastrium of the patient, he felt a sensation very analogous 
 to an electric shock ; and did not require further evidence 
 to convince him of the power of this agent. 
 
90 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Boileau, and then resuscitate himself? It would he 
 an endless task to enumerate the frequent divergence 
 from the ordinary laws of the human economy in 
 persons of peculiar idiosyncrasies, but we shall merely 
 notice, in passing, the fact of Chabert swallowing 
 eleven grains of phosphorus, and we forget how many 
 of arsenic, with impunity. 
 
 “ Now, we ask, is there anything more wonderful 
 in magnetism than in the facts we have enumerated ? 
 We think not. But we are not insisting on the truth 
 of the doctrines of Mesmer; all we contend for is, 
 an impartial inquiry into their merits.” 
 
 A highly-estimated German writer observes in a 
 standard work," with reference to belief in the phe¬ 
 nomena of somnambulism : “ It is not to be denied 
 that we are hut learners in our investigations into 
 the secrets of nature, and that what appears to us to 
 be incomprehensible is not on that account to be 
 discredited altogether. We now know, for instance, 
 that the human soul, which employs as its instrument 
 as regards earthly things the nervous system more 
 especially, can also feel and perceive beyond the 
 sphere of the nerves. We know that in certain con¬ 
 ditions of nervous disorder man may possess increased 
 powers, may perceive distant things which are sepa¬ 
 rated from him by an interval of many miles ; that 
 \ in some states of the nervous system persons can see 
 with firmly closed eyes, can hear with closed ears. 
 We have examples of this in somnambulists, who 
 during the complete sleep of their bodies perform 
 acts which in their waking state thej r would be un¬ 
 able to perform. Herein shows itself very clearly an 
 activity of the human soul altogether independent of 
 its outward senses. But, in point of fact, it is not 
 
 I the eyes which see nor the ears which hear ; itjis the 
 soul which sees, hears, and perceives, by means of the 
 nerves which are distributed over the surface of the 
 
 # Zschokke, “ Stunden der Andacht.” (Hours of Devotion.) 
 Twenty-first Edition. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 91 
 
 body, and the powers of which are almost redoubled 
 in the apparatus of the senses, smell, feeling, &c.” 
 
 The Prince de Talleyrand stated many years ago 
 in his “ Memoires ” that he had seen such miracles 
 effected by means of magnetism that his mind shrank 
 back from contemplating the consequences that 
 might be deduced from them. “ I wish,” he added, 
 “ that science, renouncing the contempt with which 
 it received the discoveries of the circulation of the; 
 blood, of electricity, of vaccination, and more recently 
 of the power of steam, would give encouragement 
 to attempts to elucidate this question, and to prove 
 its truth by experiments conducted with calmness 
 and in good faith.” 
 
 Of late years the distinguished preacher, Father 
 Lacordaire, thus expressed himself on this subject in 
 one of his “ Conferences, ” delivered from the pulpit 
 of Notre Dame, in Paris : “ Animal magnetism is 
 destined to confound human reason, and to humble 
 it before God ; it is a phenomenon belonging to the 
 prophetic order of things. When plunged in this 
 artificial sleep, man is (sometimes) able to see through 
 opaque bodies, and at a distance, "lie carrTiidicate 
 thcTeTnOdiesThatltre calculated to relieve and to cure 
 diseases ; he seems to know things which were pre¬ 
 viously unknown, and which he forgets on awaking 
 from the somnambulic state.” 
 
 The perception of objects independently of theorgans 
 employed for vision in the normal state, of all the 
 phenomena recorded of somnambulism, has been re¬ 
 garded as that which is the most irreconcileable with 
 a law of nature; but the peculiar abnormal and ex¬ 
 ceptional conditions under which this phenomenon 
 has been so frequently observed were not taken into 
 the account by sceptics who have had no opportunity 
 of verifying it; yet a slight degree of consideration 
 might, one would think, suffice to show that there is 
 nothing improbable in such perception, or that is 
 inconsistent with any known law ; for, if we believe in 
 the existence of a higher order of beings than the 
 
92 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 human race, we must admit that there are means of 
 perception, as also of intercommunication and motion, 
 proper to them, of a kind wholly different from the 
 material organs which we habitually employ for those 
 purposes. Butler justly remarks, in his “ Analogy of 
 Religion, ” with respect to this subject: “ Common 
 optical experiments show, and even the observation 
 how sight is assisted by glasses shows that we see with 
 our eyes in the same sense as we see with glasses; nor is 
 there reason to believe that we see with them in any 
 other sense ; any other, I mean, that would lead us to 
 think that the eye itself is percipient. The same is 
 to be said of hearing ; and our feeling distant solid 
 matter, by means of somewhat in our hand, seems an 
 instance of the like kind. 
 
 “ All these are instances of foreign matter being 
 instrumental in preparing objects for, and conveying 
 them to, the percipient power, like to the manner in 
 which our organs of sense prepare and convey them ; 
 and if we see with our eyes in the same manner as 
 we do with glasses, the same may justly be concluded 
 from analogy of all the other senses. 
 
 “ And that we have no reason to think our organs 
 of sense percipients, is confirmed by instances of 
 persons losing some of them, the living beings them¬ 
 selves, the former occupiers, remaining unimpaired. 
 It is confirmed also by the experience of dreams, by 
 which we find that we are at present possessed of a 
 latent, and what would otherwise be an imagined, 
 unknown power of perceiving sensible objects in as 
 strong and lively a manner without our external 
 organs of sense as with them. 
 
 “ With regard to our power of moving, or directing 
 motion by will and choice. Upon the destruction of 
 a limb, the active power remains unlessened, so that 
 the living being who has suffered this loss can walk 
 by the help of an artificial leg, just as it can make use 
 of a pole or lever to reach beyond itself, and to move 
 things beyond the length and power of the natural 
 arm. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 93 
 
 “ Thus, a man determines that he will look at such 
 an object through a microscope, or, being lame, sup¬ 
 poses that he will walk to such a place with a staff a 
 week hence, there is no ground to think that his eyes 
 are the seers, or his feet the movers, in any other 
 sense than as the microscope and the staff are. Upon 
 the whole, then, our organs of sense and our limbs 
 are certainly instruments which living persons make 
 use of to perceive and move with ; there is not any 
 probability that they are any more, nor consequently 
 that we have any other kind of relation to them than 
 what we may have to any other kind of foreign 
 matter formed into instruments of sensation and 
 motion (suppose into a microscope or a staff). I say 
 any other kind of relation, for I am not speaking of 
 the degree of it, nor consequently is there any proba¬ 
 bility that the alienation or dissolution of those instru¬ 
 ments is the destruction of the perceiving and 
 moving agent. 
 
 “ It does not appear, then, that the relation of this 
 gross body to the reflecting being is in any degree 
 necessary to thinking, to our intellectual enjoyments 
 or sufferings, nor consequently that the dissolution 
 of the former by death will be the destruction of those 
 present powers which render us capable of this state 
 of reflection.” * 
 
 “ Doubt is a proof of modesty,” said M. Arago, 
 “ and it has seldom been prejudicial to the progress of 
 science.” This cannot be said of incredulity. He 
 who, beyond the sphere of pure mathematics, pro¬ 
 nounces the word impossible, is deficient in prudence. 
 Reserve is more especially a duty when the question 
 relates to functions of the animal organization. 
 
 “ Our senses, notwithstanding twenty-four cen¬ 
 turies of studies, observations, and researches, are 
 far from being an exhausted subject. Look, for 
 instance, at the ear. We learn from Wollaston 
 that with an equal sensibility respecting grave 
 
 * Chapter on “ Testimonies to the Separate Existence of 
 the Soul.” 
 
04 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 sounds, one individual will hear the sharpest 
 sounds, which another will not hear at all. Vision 
 presents phenomena no less curious, and a field 
 of research much more extended. Experience 
 has proved, for instance, that there are persons 
 absolutely blind with respect to certain colours, such 
 as red, but who enjoy perfect vision as respects 
 yellow, green, or blue. Men do not all see by the 
 same rays; very marked differences may exist in 
 this respect in the same individual, in different 
 nervous states ; it is possible that the calorific rays 
 — rays which are obscure for one, may be luminous 
 for another, and reciprocally ; the calorific rays freely 
 pass through certain substances called diathermanous, 
 which up to the present time have been called 
 opaque, because they did not transmit any ray that 
 is ordinarily luminous. At the present day the 
 words opaque and diathermanous have no absolute 
 significance. Diathermanous bodies allow rays to 
 pass which constitute the light of one person ; they 
 arrest, on the contrary, the rays that form the light 
 of another. Perhaps by following out this view we 
 may find the key to several phenomena which have 
 hitherto remained without a plausible explanation. 
 
 “ Among the marvels of somnambulism, nothing 
 has raised more doubts than the oft-repeated assertion 
 respecting the power possessed by certain persons in 
 the state of crisis of deciphering a letter at a dis¬ 
 tance, with the foot, the nape of the neck, with the 
 stomach (placed on the epigastric region). The 
 word impossible would seem to be here perfectly legi¬ 
 timate, yet I have no doubt that it would be with¬ 
 drawn by strict minds after reflecting on the ingenious 
 experiments in which Moser also produced at a 
 distance very clear images of all kinds of objects, or 
 all kinds of bodies, in the most complete obscurity. 
 True savants ought to have constantly present to 
 their minds the fine lines— 
 
 Croire tout decouvert est une erreur profonde ; 
 
 C’est prendre l’horizon pour les bornes du monde. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 95 
 
 The author of a work published several years ago 
 likewise remarked on this point: “ Experiments 
 
 made a few years ago on hearing, and which may be 
 extended to all the outward senses, would seem to 
 prove that their functions have been hitherto studied 
 under a too special and abstracted point of view. It 
 has been observed that when the ears are stopped up 
 and a watch is placed in contact with any part of the 
 head, face, teeth, or neck, the sound is heard just as 
 well as when the ears are free. The same effect 
 results if a stick or paper be placed between the 
 watch and the part that is in contact with it. It 
 has been supposed that in these cases the sound 
 passed mechanically through the bones and the soft 
 parts in the same manner as it is transmitted through 
 all solid bodies. But if it were so, when the auditory 
 nerve is in a healthy state the sound would be 
 perceived indifferently from all the points of the 
 head and neck where the contact is established. 
 Things, however, take place otherwise. Individuals 
 have been met with who heard very well by the 
 outward ear and its external passages, but who, 
 nevertheless, heard only by means of one side of the 
 face and head, or by some particular points of this 
 side, when their ears were stopped up, and many 
 individuals then heard absolutely nothing. A man 
 deaf and dumb from his birth heard a watch tick 
 when it was in contact with his left cheek, but 
 could hear nothing by his right ear or temple. On 
 the other hand, a man who had become so deaf of 
 the left ear that he could not hear a watch which he 
 heard very well with the right ear, had also become 
 deaf of the left cheek and temple, while he heard 
 very well by means of the right cheek and temple, 
 which proves that the nerves distributed to the left 
 temple and cheek had participated in the paralysis 
 of the auditory nerve of the same side. If the 
 sound were transmitted mechanically by an oscil¬ 
 latory radiation through the muscles, the fat, and the 
 bones, why it was not in these cases equally per- 
 
96 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 f 
 
 J 
 
 ! 
 
 ] 
 
 ceived from both sides of the head, face, or neck ? If, 
 however, the sound be not thus mechanically trans¬ 
 mitted through this mass of substance, it must be 
 transmitted by some other conductor, the action of 
 which may be altered. Hence it follows that the 
 auditory nerve is not the only conductor of sound, as 
 it has hitherto been thought to be, and that its pre¬ 
 dominance in this respect depends solely upon the 
 mechanical configuration of the apparatus in which 
 it terminates. It further results from the knowledge 
 of these important facts, that with suitable instru¬ 
 ments—the mechanism of which especially consisted 
 in the multiplication of surfaces and in the con¬ 
 vergence of their directions to one point—-we might 
 attain to the power of preserving the use of speech 
 to many persons whose deafness is truly irremediable 
 but in whom the facial nerve has retained its 
 sensibility.” * 
 
 That the eyes are not essential for vision under 
 certain circumstances is further proved by the obser¬ 
 vation of sleepwalking. Individuals in this state 
 can direct their course and avoid obstacles in their 
 way, even though their eyes be shut, and can also 
 perform other acts requiring vision. This fact, 
 which has been known for centuries, is referred to 
 by Shakespeare, who, on the entrance of Lady 
 Macbeth as a sleepwalker, pre-occupied with one idea, 
 makes the attendant say to the physician, “ Her 
 eyes, you see, are open; ”~fo which he replies, “ Ay ! 
 but their sense is shut.” Dr. Macario, treating of 
 this part of the subject, asks : “ How, in fact, could 
 sleepwalkers escape falling into frightful precipices, 
 on the brink of which they sometimes walk, if they 
 did not see them distinctly ; how could they take 
 hold of the objects they want, how get on horseback, 
 read, write,. &c., if it were otherwise ? Sleepwalkers 
 must,"'therefore, necessarily see and feel distinctly 
 
 * Gabet, “ Traite de la Science de l’Homme,” pp. 56, 57. 
 Paris, 1842. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 97 i 
 »42<M 
 
 the objects with which they are in relation. But, ^n 
 the other hand, how can they see in obscurity, or 
 with closed eyes ? Dr. Louyer Yillerraay, who was 
 a sleepwalker in his youth, said it seemed to him 
 that he saw within his head that which he wished to 
 write, without the assistance of his eyes. We must 
 admit that it is impossible to explain physiologically 
 this strange phenomenon. The fact, however, seems to 
 be certain. M. Lelut appears to admit it as proved, 
 for he says : “ Whether the'eyes be half-covered by 
 the-ey6tid57“or when wide open, they have the deep 
 and fixed regard which seems rather to be reflected 
 i nwar dly than to be directed towards external ob¬ 
 jects there is no doubt that in either case the sleep¬ 
 walker perceives, among the impressions made by 
 objects on the retina, at least those which are in 
 harmony with his false visual perceptions. Even the 
 absolute closure of the eyelids would not hinder this 
 rcsirttJ~a~rao'feimer^etic and exclusive action of the 
 cerebral part serving for the sense of sight, giving to / 
 the sleepwalker the faculty of receiving luminous im¬ 
 pressions to which he would be insensible in his 1 
 waking state.” * 
 
 A recent writer makes the following observations 
 on this subject: “ It would appear, as a general rule, 
 that rays of light, though invisible to the eye, are 
 passing irom all objects continually, and can pene¬ 
 trate readily certain substances, if not all, which are 
 opaque tcfTrrdtnary light. Those rays seem to be 
 able to pass at once to the brain of sensitive persons,) 
 and give the sensation of vision, without the inter¬ 
 vention of the eye as an organ. Ordinary light is 
 too coarse for such a refined instrument as the brain 
 to receive without the intervention of an organ ; but 
 for this refined light the brain needs no such go- 
 between, but passes at once through the portals and 
 is admitted into the inner chamber of the soul. 
 Some of the lower animals seem to perceive objects 
 
l J8 
 
 animal magnetism. 
 
 though they are totally blind, and in some cases do 
 not even possess the visual organs. We find in most 
 large caves blind animals, such as beetles, millipeds, 
 crawfish, &c., but although they possess none of the 
 ordinary power of vision, they yet move away from 
 1 the light of the explorer’s torch, as similar animals 
 out of doors do on the approach of an individual. 
 In the fresh-water polypi the whole body is sensitive 
 to the influence of light, for it turns to it.* 
 
 “ Bats, that spend their lives in twilight or dark¬ 
 ness, appear to possess t/ns interior vision to a won¬ 
 derful extent. Experiments made by Spallanzani, 
 and repeated by eminent philosophic naturalists, de¬ 
 monstrate that the bat when blinded regulates its 
 motions in the same manner as when it has full pos¬ 
 session of its eyes. Completely blinded, bats were 
 not in the least degree obstructed in their motions ; 
 they flew about by night or day with their wonted 
 ease and rapidity, avoiding all obstacles which lay or 
 were intentionally placed in their way as dexterously 
 as when in full possession of their sight. They turned 
 round at the right time when they approached a wall, 
 rested in a convenient situation when fatigued, and 
 struck against nothing. The experiments were mul¬ 
 tiplied and varied in the most ingenious manner. A 
 room was filled with thin twigs, in another silken 
 threads were suspended from the roof, and preserved 
 in the same position by means of small weights at¬ 
 tached to them. The bat, though deprived of its 
 eyes, flew through the intervals of these threads, as 
 well as of the twigs, without touching them ; and 
 where the intervals were too small, it drew its wings 
 more closely together. In another room a net was 
 placed, having occasional irregular spaces for the 
 bat to fly through, the net being so arranged as to 
 
 * The author quotes on this head Mr. Thompson, who in 
 his “ Passions of Animals,’’ referring to the Monas sulphuraria, 
 Stentor niger, <fcc., says : “In all these animals the power of 
 sight, or rather the sense of perception, is spread over the 
 whole surface of the body. ? ’ 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 99 
 
 form a small labyrinth. But the blind bat was not 
 to be deceived. In proportion as the difficulties 
 were ncreased the dexterity of the animal was aug¬ 
 mented. When it flew over the upper extremity of 
 the net and seemed imprisoned between it and the 
 wall, it was frequently observed to make its escape 
 most dexterously. When fatigued by its high flights 
 it still flew rapidly along the ground, among chairs, 
 tables, and sofas, yet avoided touching anything with 
 its wings. Even in the open air its flight was as 
 prompt, easy, and secure as in close rooms, and in 
 both situations altogether similar to that of its 
 associates who had the use of their eyes. 
 
 “Any animal living in darkness during a con¬ 
 tinued existence would, in my opinion, receive 
 visual impressions in the same way. It is not 
 surprising that human beings should possess power 
 which is thus shared in by many animals, some of 
 which are quite low in the scale of existence.” * 
 
 The author of a recent work observes on this head : 
 “ Harriet Martineau tells us of an old lady who had 
 been blind from her birth, and yet saw in her sleep, 
 and when in her waking state described the colour 
 of the clothing of individuals correctly. Most blind 
 persons exhibit such phenomena to a greater or less 
 extent, according to the sensitiveness of the indi¬ 
 vidual, and the length of time during which the 
 power has been cultivated. The case of the blind 
 Yorkshire surveyor is familiar to most persons, and 
 in his case the possession of vision without the use of 
 eyes seems most evident. 
 
 “ Somnambulists, who read and write with eyes\ 
 closed, and sometimes bandaged, who in dark nights 
 walk along: the roofs of buildings and narrow walls, 
 and perform various feats which other individuals 
 could only do in the light of day, bear evidence to 
 the possession of this faculty by man. For this 
 subtle light to which I have referred is never ob- 
 
 * “ Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal,” Vol. iv. 
 
 F 2 
 
100 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 scured ; it is always day with, it; and to those who 
 perceive by its instrumentality the darkest night is 
 as bright and clear as the sunniest noon. 
 
 “ Clairvoyance is but the exercise of the same power 
 by an individual in a somewhat different condition. 
 If this subtle light can pass through a brick wall, 
 the brick wall can be as readily seen through by the 
 person who sees by this instrumentality as we can 
 see through a pane of glass. To the clairvoyant 
 therefore, all things are transparent as air, because 
 they are pervious to the light by which he sees; the 
 rays proceeding from objects passing directly through 
 the transparent skull—transparent to this light—to 
 the brain.”* 
 
 “ I have observed several individuals,” says M. 
 Charpignon, “ who when in the somnambulic state 
 could not bear the least degree of natural or artificial 
 light; they required complete obscurity, and then 
 their faculties acquire so perfect a development that 
 vision could be effected notwithstanding their eyes were 
 closed. The objects were illumined for these som¬ 
 nambulists by the magnetic fluid, and by the natural 
 electricity of the objects. They saw them as through 
 a more or less dense fog, but their vision was always 
 more or less impeded, and did not take in all the 
 parts of the objects at the same time. In five som¬ 
 nambulists who possessed this faculty the interposition 
 of an opaque body between their eyes and the object 
 did not prevent vision, the obstacle only rendered it 
 slower and more laborious.” 
 
 Dr. Wayland, in his “Intellectual Philosophy,” 
 mentions the case of a Miss Reynolds, who, “ when 
 deeply blindfolded and placed in a dark room, could even 
 then read the smallest print; others have been known 
 to read sentences when the paper on which they were 
 written was enclosed in lead.” Dr. Wayland also 
 states that “ persons totally blind, when in a state of 
 
 * “Nature’s Secrets,” by W. Denton. London, 1863. 
 Houlston and Wright. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 101 
 
 mesmeric consciousness, have possessed for the time 
 the pow er of pe rceiving external objects.” 
 
 Dr. TTacarmrelates ‘ that Dr. Encontre, of Mont- 
 auban, published in the “Journal de Medecine,” of 
 Bordeaux, the very curious case of a boy aged fourteen 
 ( not magn etised) who perfectly distinguished objects 
 in the inosF"profound obscurity. His parents per¬ 
 ceived that although during the attacks his eyes icere 
 closed, he saw sufficiently to go about, and that he 
 could even read and write in the dark as well as in 
 broad daylight. The doctor tried several experiments 
 with him which left no room for doubt. He wrote 
 a question with a pencil, and in the dark gave the 
 paper and pencil to the boy, who, passing rapidly his 
 hand over the writing, immediately wrote an answer as 
 well as if he had been in full dayli ght. 
 i The case of Miss M‘Evoy, of Liverpool, was pub¬ 
 lished many years ago in a pamphlet by the prac¬ 
 titioner who attended her. Dr. Macario reverts to 
 this case as corroborative of similar ones observed in 
 
 I more recent times of what has been te rmed trans¬ 
 position of the senses. After becoming blind she read 
 from a book with her finger ends. The author adds : 
 “A venerable prelate related the following cir¬ 
 cumstance to the illustrious philosopher, Bosmini. 
 Having requested Miss M'Evoy to tell him the 
 hour indicated on a watch, she touched the glass with 
 her fingers, and then said, ‘ You have put something 
 under the glass, so that I cannot perceive the hour.’ 
 I had, in fact, put a piece of paper between the glass 
 and the face of the watch, in order to see whether 
 she would be able to distinguish the figures. On its 
 being removed she told me the hour to the half¬ 
 minute.” 
 
 M. Charpignon makes the following remarks on 
 this subject: “ The somnambulic crisis tends to 
 
 loosen the ties which bind the soul to the organic 
 laws of the body. The more perfect the crisis, so 
 much the more do the senses escape from their special 
 localisation. Any part of the organism may then 
 
J 02 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 receive the sensation as well as the apparatus which 
 serves for this purpose in the ordinary state. The 
 imponderable fluid which is the medium of the 
 ordinary relations between the spiritual substance 
 and the organism, is neither concentrated in, nor 
 restricted or modified by the sensitive organs; it 
 circulates uniformly in and through the whole 
 organism, so that the soul may be impressed with 
 the object about which it occupies itself, wher¬ 
 ever may be its place in space, without requiring the 
 physiological conditions that are commonly necessary 
 for the exercise of the senses. Under these circum¬ 
 stances perception is effected in most subjects at the 
 parts where the nerves have their chief focuses of 
 action. Thus, as respects one, it may be effected 
 merely through the closed eyelids ; in another it will 
 be through the epigast ric region ; in a third, some 
 part along the track of the spinal cord. I have seen 
 somnambulists who saw the object when enclosed in 
 a box, who read in a closed book, who heard what 
 was said in a distant place. All practical magnetisers 
 could adduce analogous facts. 
 
 “ This displacement, or vicariousness of the senses, 
 has been most frequently observed to take place at 
 the epigastrium ; it has been noticed to occur more 
 particularly in cases of spontaneous ecstasy Thus, 
 in these patients, when articles of food are placed on 
 their epigastric region, at the soles of their feet, or 
 elsewhere, the mouth makes the usual movements as 
 in eating, and they have the taste of the substance 
 so placed. But, in accordance with the physiological 
 principles which I have exposed, I in nowise be¬ 
 lieve that the sensation is effected in the parts which 
 the somnambulist regards as the sensitive centre. 
 Sensation and perception take place in the usual cere¬ 
 bral focuses, only the transmission is effected in an 
 unusual way. The optic, auditory, and lingual 
 nerves are, as it were, elongated and compounded 
 with the nerves of the periphery by means of the 
 nervous fluid which circulates uniformly in all parts 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 103 
 
 without undergoing the special action of the sensitive 
 organs.” * 
 
 The theory of the nervous fluid being so diffused 
 over the organism as to be capable of transmitting 
 perception and sensation to the central organ is 
 irreconcileable with some of the facts; for, admitting 
 that other nerves may, under these peculiar con¬ 
 ditions, vicariously fulfil the office of the special 
 nerves of sight and hearing, the same cannot be 
 said of taste, which requires the concurrence of 
 several cerebral nerves; and as in this test the 
 substances placed on the epigastrium or other parts, 
 and designated by somnambulists, are known to 
 the persons so placing them, it is not, I think, un¬ 
 reasonable to infer that successful trials as respects 
 this sense are referrible to the mental sympathy 
 that so frequently exists between the subject and the 
 party en rapport with him; whereas the perception of 
 objects, reading, &c., in this abnormal condition 
 cannot be accounted for on the same principle, inas¬ 
 much as in many instances (as in some of those 
 
 ( quoted, and when lines from a book opened at 
 random, or writing, are read on the page being 
 placed - against the occiput, upon the epigastrium, or 
 
 I by means of the tips of the fingers) it often hap¬ 
 pens that no one in the room has any knowledge of / 
 the words so read till the somnambulist’s accuracy is 
 subsequently verified. 
 
 The preceding remarks can scarcely be considered 
 as a digression from the subject, inasmuch as they 
 go far to explain some of the phenomena of clair¬ 
 voyance, in so far as respects the perception 
 of objects presented to magnetic somnambulists; 
 several instances of such possession of this faculty are 
 | recorded in the already quoted report to the Academie 
 de Medecine, and the distinguished Parisian Profes¬ 
 sor of Medicine, Rostan, gave at the time his corro¬ 
 borative testimony - to the existence of this power 
 
 * Op. Cit. 
 
101 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 in the article “ Magnetisme,” in the “ Dictionnaire 
 de Medecine,” wherein he remarked: “ There are 
 few facts better demonstrated than clairvoyance. I 
 placed my watch at a distance of three or four inches 
 from the occiput of the somnambulist, and asked her 
 if she saw anything. ‘ Certainly,’ she replied, ‘ it 
 is a watch ; ten minutes to eight.’ M. Ferrus re¬ 
 peated the experiment, with the same successful 
 result. He turned the hands of his watch several 
 times, and we presented it to her without looking at it; 
 she was not once mistaken.” 
 
 M. Filassier thus expresses himself on this subject: 
 “ I caused all the lights to be removed, and we were 
 in darkness. I took out my watch, with all necessary 
 pi’ecautions against the somnambulist’s seeing it, 
 placed it on her forehead, and asked her the hour. 
 After strongly concentrating her attention, she re¬ 
 plied ‘ The large hand is on the 6 and the small 
 one on the 7.’ We then went into the next room 
 and perceived that it was half-past 7 by the w T atch. 
 I turned the hands several times without myself 
 knowing the hour indicated, and I placed the watch 
 with the same precautions on the occiput of the 
 somnambulist. Her attention remained long con¬ 
 centrated; at length she said: ‘The large hand is 
 upon the 5, and the small one between the 3 and 
 the 4.’ I went into the next room and saw that it 
 was twenty-five minutes past 3. Some of my friends 
 repeated the experiment twice, placing the watch 
 upon the somnambulist’s epigastric region, over her 
 clothes. She told the hour correctly.” 
 
 M. Despine, late physician inspector of Aix-les- 
 Bains, relates the following analogous case in his 
 work: “Not only could our patient hear by means 
 of the palm of her hand, but we have seen her read 
 without the assistance of the eyes, merely with the 
 tips of her fingers, which she passed rapidly over the 
 page that she wished to read. At other times we 
 have seen her select from a parcel of more than thirty 
 letters the one which she was required to pick out; 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM 
 
 105 
 
 also write several letters, and correct on reading them 
 over again—always with her finger ends—the mis¬ 
 takes she had made; copy one letter word for word, 
 reading it with her left elbow, while she wrote with 
 her right hand. During these proceedings a thick j 
 pasteboard completely intercepted any visual ray that 
 might have reached her eyes. The same pheno¬ 
 menon was manifested at the soles of her feet, on 7 s 
 the epigastrium, and other par ts of the body, where 
 a sensation of pain was produced by the mere 
 touch.” 
 
 The author of “ Facts in Mesmerism,” in a more 
 recent work, published with the view of refuting the 
 opinions expressed in the “ Quarterly Review,” that, 
 the phenomena of clairvoyance, like those of electro- 
 biology and some other conditions of the system, 
 were all referrible to the principle of suggestion, 
 remarks:— 
 
 “The physician to the hospital of Antwerp, who- 
 had been much opposed to mesmerism, ' and had 
 laughed with the world at the idea of clairvoyance, 
 had the honesty afterwards to give in his adhesion 
 to the latter phenomenon at least. He told me him¬ 
 self that a young lady whom he had known from 
 childhood fell spontaneously, after experiencing some 
 strong emotion, into a species of intermittent somnam¬ 
 bulism, accompanied by an extraordinary develop- 
 ment“of faculties. The physician, a man of the 
 
 exactest science and a great friend of Arago’s, tested 
 the transposition (as it is called) o f s enses in the 
 most rigid manner, and he assured me that he has 
 convinced himself, not once, but ji hu ndred times, 
 that there was vision by the epigastrium. Writing, 
 glide'd~m7dace downward, by himself under the bed¬ 
 clothes and held down on the pit of the stomach, 
 was read without difficulty. Besides this, the patient 
 would frequently announce the arrival of unexpected 
 visitors, and describe their attire, and the objects 
 which they held in their hands, while they were yet 
 only approaching the house, and even perhaps a milo 
 
 f 3 
 
10G 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 away from it.” f The following instances, related in 
 the same work, occurred spontaneously in a subject 
 not mesmerised. “ A young lady, on being suddenly 
 told of the death of her father, fell into a sort of 
 somnambulistic sensitiveness. In this condition not 
 only were the normal avenues of sense rendered so 
 acute that she could by the smell hunt out a ball 
 where the children had lost it in the grass, but there 
 was also the development of a faculty, akin to visual 
 perception, in the nerves of the extremities. Having 
 
 received a letter from Lady B-, Mrs. B-glided 
 
 it under the sofa cushion, on which the sensitive was 
 sitting. She inserted her hand also under the cushion, 
 and with the palm pressed upon the letter, read 
 accurately the greater part of it from the touch 
 alone.” 
 
 “ A well-known divine (Dr. W.) came to a seance 
 at which I was to mesmerise a patient remarkable 
 for his power of reading and seeing objects by 
 abnormal vision. He held his fingers pressed tightly 
 down over the patient’s eyes, who then named every 
 
 object held before him. Surely if Dr. W-did 
 
 not hold down the ej^elids to his satisfaction it was 
 his own fault. Thus he let the experiment go on 
 for tivo or three minutes, and then in a highly 
 excited manner called out, ‘ His eyes are not shut; 
 it is all a trick and pretence.’ Some persons present, 
 
 annoyed at the manner of Dr. W-, proposed 
 
 bandaging the patient’s eyes and stuffing with cotton, 
 
 which was done. But in the meantime Dr. W- 
 
 had seated himself in a distant part of the room, 
 where he turned performer himself. He got himself 
 also bandaged without cotton and very loosely, and 
 was writhing about in order to get the bandages 
 displaced and to have a peep at a card which some 
 one held before him. Such is the influence of name, 
 that nearly all the persons in the room deserted the 
 
 * “Mesmerism Proved True,” by the Rev. C. H. Town¬ 
 send. Second Edition. 1855. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 J 07 
 
 somnambulist to l ook at the mountebank tricks of 
 the doctor. Though the sleepwalker sat with closely 
 bandaged and wadded eyes, and his back to the grimac¬ 
 ing part of the company, he described everything 
 they were doing with the most comic humour, and 
 he asked, ‘ What in the world is that gentleman in 
 the chair making such faces for, and what is he 
 giving himself such trouble about ? Tell him from 
 me that the card he is trying to see is so-and-so,’ at 
 the same time naming the card correctly.” 
 
 I have thus endeavoured to show that perception 
 independently of the usual organs of vision is not 
 only possible, but that it is very often observed in the 
 state of magnetic somnambulism, and sometimes in 
 other abnormal conditions of the system ; and that 
 other faculties besides that of vision may in like 
 manner be manifested under similar exceptional cir¬ 
 cumstances, without the concurrence of the organs 
 which, in the normal state, are necessary for their 
 manifestation, as will be further demonstrated in the' 
 following pages. 
 
 (vWe-n- ^ 
 u $\ f lo 
 
ADDENDA TO CHAPTER III. 
 
 Instances of the so-called transposition of the senses 
 have been frequently observed, even before attention 
 was particularly directed to the phenomena of lucid 
 somnambulism. Among subjects whose cases were 
 made public in modern times, were some patients of 
 Dr. Petetin, President of the Medical Society of 
 Lyons, who accidentally perceived that one of them 
 only heard when spoken to in a low tone, with his 
 mouth close to her epigastrium. She likewise desig¬ 
 nated cards placed on this region, and could tell in 
 ' the most co mplete darkness who came into the room.* 
 - Several of the ancient writers have recorded analogous 
 facts that occurred in cataleptic patients; among 
 others, Sauvages relates two cases in his “ Nosology,” 
 and Professor Fouquet, of Montpelier, repeated all the 
 experiments specified by Petetin on a cataleptic patient 
 with similar results ; and the distinguished Professor 
 Dumas (also of the Montpelier Faculty of Medicine) 
 remarked respecting these cases : “ It is possible that 
 by a singular combination of circumstances certain 
 organs may become capable of acquiring properties 
 and of performing functions foreign to them, and 
 which even belong to very different organs. If rare 
 and marvellous facts did not inspire me with con¬ 
 siderable distrust, I might allege extraordinary trans¬ 
 ferences of the hearing and sight, which, abandoning 
 their proper seat, have appeared to he located at the 
 pit of the stomach, so that sounds and colours ex¬ 
 cited in that part the same sensations which are 
 
 * “ L’Electricite Animate. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 109 
 
 naturally perceived by the ears and the eyes. Five 
 years ago a young girl who came to Montpelier 
 labouring under an hysterical affection, complicated 
 with catalepsy, presented an instance of this strange 
 phenomenon. She experienced, while in her attacks, 
 so great a concentration of the sensibility in the pre¬ 
 cordial region, that the organs of the senses seemed 
 to be completely fixed there. She referred to the 
 stomach all the sensations of sight, hearing, and 
 smell, which were then not produced in their accus¬ 
 tomed organs.” * 
 
 * “ Journal General de Medecine,” Vol. xxv. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Somnambulic Lucidity—Disturbing Influences—Thought¬ 
 reading—Influence of the Will upon Somnambulists 
 —Community of Sensation between Magnetisers, or 
 Persons en rapport and Somnambulists—Piireno-Mag- 
 netism—Illustrative Cases—Ketro vision—Community 
 of Sensation. 
 
 The extraordinary power of perception treated of in 
 the preceding chapter ought perhaps a la rigueur to 
 be classed among the physical phenomena, inasmuch 
 as the action of the nervous system (though not ne¬ 
 cessarily of the nerves of special sensation) appears 
 to be requisite for its manifestation. The most com¬ 
 monly-observed psychical phenomena of lucid som¬ 
 nambulism are, however, of two kinds: first, clair¬ 
 voyance, properly so called, in which objects and 
 circumstances unknown to the magnetiser, or to any 
 other person placed en rapport with the somnambulist, 
 are designated by him (or her) whether they be 
 present or distant; and secondly, the kind of clair¬ 
 voyance (which is the most common) that is re- 
 ferrible to the power possessed by the somnambulist 
 of reading the thoughts of the person en rapp ort, so 
 as to be able to answer the questions asked, to de¬ 
 scribe a distant locality, the contents of a sealed 
 packet or envelope, &c., with which the testing party 
 is acquainted. Positive clairvoyance and the power 
 of thought-reading are not unfrequently united in the 
 same subject; the latter sometimes giving a clue to 
 the former. Thus, a somnambulist, after accurately 
 describing a distant friend of the questioner, can 
 sometimes state what that friend is occupied about at 
 the time, or, having described a distant residence by 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Ill 
 
 means of thought-reading, will also describe the 
 persons there, in the drawing-room, or in some other 
 part of the house or grounds, and state what they are 
 doing ; and these statements are found by subsequent 
 inquiry to be true. This is termed vue a distance. 
 
 In the majority of clairvoyants the power cannot 
 always be depended upon, and is restricted, more or 
 less difficulty or hesitation being experienced (at 
 sometimes more than at others) in its manifestation, 
 even in the absence of the disturbing causes presently . 
 to be referred to. In the trials upon such subjects 
 failure s, or only partial success, are consequently of 
 very frequent occurance. On the other hand, some 
 lucid somnambulists can respond with little or no 
 hesitation to the tests of various kinds to which they 
 are put in quick succession, until, if the seance be too 
 prolonged, their powers becoming exhausted, they 
 become confused with the variety of impressions to 
 which they have been subjected in so short a space of 
 time, and are often at fault, stating that they can 
 no longer go on, and desiring to be awakened out of 
 the magnetic sleep. 
 
 Facts of this kind have been so multiplied of late 
 years, and their accuracy has been so fully verified 
 by competent and impartial observers, that the belief 
 in their reality is now pretty general among the more 
 cultivated classes of society, though incredulity re¬ 
 specting them very naturally still prevails among 
 the bulk of the community, because of the comparative 
 rarity of these manifestations; hence comparatively 
 lew~persons have been enabled by personal observa¬ 
 tion to corroborate statements that are at variance 
 with the results of every-day experience. 
 
 Somnambulic lucidity is not (as many persons 
 suppose) produced by magnetising, or at the will of 
 the magnetiser ; but the power supervenes sponta¬ 
 neously in a certain (or rather uncertain) s mall p ro¬ 
 portion of magnetised subjects, though it Is not re¬ 
 stricted to them, as the phenomena are occasionally 
 observed under other conditions of the system, and 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 112 
 
 it may possibly tend to lessen the amount of pre¬ 
 vailing unbelief, to advance some accredited instances 
 of clairvojmnce occurring independently of magnetism; 
 the testimony thus furnished, in addition to the re¬ 
 corded facts of magnetic clairvoyance, will, I think, 
 leave no reasonable ground in unprejudiced minds 
 for questioning the reality of these remarkable phe¬ 
 nomena. On this point being decided, we may then 
 more justly perceive in what way, and how, such an 
 extension of our knowledge is likely to be made 
 available for practical and beneficial purposes. 
 
 The phenomena of lucid somnambulism generally 
 requiring for their manifestation a concurrence of 
 favourable circumstances, partial observers, no less 
 than prejudiced opponents, on witnessing the failure 
 of one or more trials, on account of such deficienc}', 
 have not hesitated to express their conviction of their 
 non-existence, and have not unfrequently accused 
 magnetisers and somnambulists of wilful deception ; 
 considering impartial observers who have had ample 
 opportunities of forming a correct opinion of them, as 
 being dupes of trickery ; when very probably the 
 cause of failure may have been referrible to them¬ 
 selves. All mental processes are confessedly liable 
 to considerable variation from outward circumstances 
 or emotive feelings, as is seen in daily life, and of 
 which an apt illustration is afforded by stammerers, 
 who, as is well known, are more at ease, and able to 
 express themselves more readily, in the sole presence 
 of relatives or of persons to whom they are accustomed, 
 than when among strangers, especially among those 
 who notice their infirmity, of which notice they are 
 always apprehensive. Thus, also, when a somnambulist 
 has reason to think that he is surrounded by an 
 atmosphere of incredulity, as when before a large 
 assemblage of scientific persons with preconceived 
 ideas, or when opposition or scepticism is openly 
 manifested, his lucidity is apt to be wholly at fault 
 or imperfect. Many years ago, when incredulity re¬ 
 specting these phenomena was at its height in France, 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 113 
 
 a distinguished philosopher of that country observed 
 in a standard work : “ It is natural to suppose that 
 the action may be deranged from accidental circum¬ 
 stances. Thus, because in some trials the phenomena 
 of somnambulism have not been manifested, their 
 existence is not on that account to be denied. We 
 know so little about all the agents of nature, and 
 their different modes of action, that it would be 
 unphilosopkical to deny phenomena, merely because 
 they are inexplicable in the actual state of our 
 knowledge.” * 
 
 All persons who have had sufficient opportunities 
 of observation agree that the presence of several 
 individuals who are known to the somnambulist to be 
 prejudiced against belief will often prove an impedi¬ 
 ment to his lucidity. I have seen several instances 
 of failure from this cause in good clairvoyants, and 
 Baron Feuchterslebeu remarks on this point: “ The 
 presence of an indifferent or credulous spectator 
 excites their antipathy, and they only produce their 
 most astonishing wonders before believers, a fact of 
 which I have often convinced myself.” 
 
 The author of two of the best works on the subject — 
 “ The History of Animal Magnetism ” and “ Isis 
 Bevelata ” (Mr. Colquhoun)—observes that “thesup¬ 
 posed tendency of somnambulists, especially of females, 
 to deception” lias been noticed by all elementary 
 writers,'and the circumstance has been ascribed to 
 their vanity and desire of ostentation. I suspect, 
 however, tffat it depends chiefly upon the importunity 
 of those who place themselves en rapport, or upon the 
 proceedings being badly arranged. I believe it has 
 never been seen to occur in the highest stage of 
 clairvoyance, in which the faculties appear to be in 
 the highest degree spiritualised. We cannot, however, 
 take too much precaution in questioning somnambu¬ 
 lists, and in not too greatly taxing their powers, since 
 they may be themselves deceived, or deceive others 
 
 
 c 
 
 I 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 * La Place, “ Essai sur les Probabilites. 
 
114 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 without wishing it. The thoughts and desires of the 
 operator likewise produce a great influence upon 
 somnambulists.” 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Townsend observes: “ I have often 
 seen that if once somnambulists are deranged by the 
 presence of objects that exert a disagreeable influence 
 upon them, they become indisposed for the further 
 exercise of their faculties. All that seems to imply 
 a doubt of their sincerity greatly disquiets them, and 
 will prevent the manifestation of their powers, and 
 if they have to encounter a high degree of scepticism 
 and hostility to magnetism, they will become reserved 
 and irritable, and will fail in all that they undertake. 
 I have found, also, that the sensibility of clairvoyants 
 may become exhausted by the multiplicity of experi¬ 
 ments, and their too rapid repetition. Sometimes, 
 after having correctly described several objects, the 
 somnambulist would begin to make mistakes, and 
 evidently to guess instead of to perceive. At other 
 times he would push back the cards and books pre¬ 
 sented to him, exclaiming, 1 Now I can do no more, ’ 
 but when he was allowed to remain quiet for some 
 time, he regained his powers of clairvoyance.” * 
 
 The same writer subsequently remarked on this 
 subject: “ It was impossible for me to doubt that the 
 state of my body and mind, or of both together, acted 
 upon the somnambulist. On the days when my 
 thoughts were preoccupied, or my health a little out 
 of order, E. A., while in the mesmeric condition, was 
 depressed, without vivacity, and but little disposed 
 for exertion. Atmospheric yariations seemed also to 
 affect her. These circumstances have been too often 
 forgotten. Many failures that have led to the belief 
 that mesmerism was trickery, are attributable to the 
 disturbing causes above mentioned, or to the absence 
 of the necessary conditions for ensuring success. 
 
 “Forgetful that mesmerism is no less a vital and 
 mental than a physical phenomenon, and that mind 
 
 f “ Facts in Mesmerism/ 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 115 
 
 and life are in opposition to the laws of the material 
 world, adversaries have expected to see in it an 
 operation as constant as the galvanic battery, or the 
 electric phial. 
 
 “ That there has been deception on the part of 
 soi-disant somnambulists, and those of inferior lucidity, 
 will not be denied by the warmest partisans of mag¬ 
 netism; but even in the best subjects lucidity cannot 
 always be counted upon beforehand, and in most in¬ 
 stances the failure of experiments upon them is re- 
 ferrible to one or the other of the above-mentioned 
 causes, and sometimes to their combined action.” * 
 
 The writer of a modern work on magnetism, re¬ 
 ferring to the failu res of lucid somnambulists, observes: 
 “ How is it that the laculty of thought-reading is so 
 often at fault ? Several reasons may be assigned for 
 this circumstance. In the first place, it is difficult 
 for many people to have their thoughts clear and 
 distinct, so as to fix them upon a single object, though 
 this is necessary for them to be comprehended by 
 somnambulists. There may likewise be so much an- 
 tijyathy between the parties that no rapport can be 
 established ; or it is so imperfectly established, that it 
 gives rise to vague or erroneous answers, notwith¬ 
 standing that the somnambulist may be otherwise a 
 very lucid one. The constant vagueness of the thoughts 
 occurring in some persons, which perhaps they 
 cannot help, misleads the somnambulist by presenting 
 to his mind a number of objects at once, all equally 
 undefined. The brain, moreover, becomes at length 
 fatigued, so as no longer to be able to reproduce the 
 thought of the interrogator ; the fluid becomes ex¬ 
 hausted from similar sensations being repeatedly ex¬ 
 perienced, and the manifestation of lucidity ac¬ 
 cordingly becomes slower, more difficult, and is 
 sometimes impossible. The subject becomes confused, 
 false ideas arising from the sensations becoming mixed 
 up with those presented to his mind by the ques- 
 
 * “ Mesmerism Proved True. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 110 
 
 tiouer; he falls into a kind of delirium, and talks 
 nonsense, which affords grounds for the triumph of 
 sceptics ; as if a lucid somnambulist is to be exempted 
 from the operation of the laws affecting human nature, 
 which restrict within certain limits the use of our 
 most precious faculties.” * 
 
 Many years ago the editor of the “ British and 
 Foreign Medical Review ” observed with respect to 
 the then more generally prevailing incredulity 
 on the subject: “ The time is come that so far as it 
 [lucid somnambulism] may appear false, it can only 
 be put down by calm and unprejudiced inquiry. 
 From the curious and extraordinary accumulation of 
 records amassed by animal magnetisers, we have from 
 the beginning been very much persuaded that at the 
 foundation of all the extravagances of mesmeric dis¬ 
 quisitions there would ultimately be discovered some 
 truth. We admitted the phenomena of somnambulism 
 to the exclusion of clairvoyance and the other phe¬ 
 nomena comprehended under the term lucidity; these 
 latter, however, we only rejected as unproved.” 
 
 The following few illustrative instances, together 
 with others introduced in the course of this work, may 
 suffice to confirm the justness of the preceding 
 remarks. 
 
 Dr. Despine, late inspector of Aix les Bains, 
 records the following instance, in which, as respects 
 community of thought, the will of a magnetiser was 
 able to neutralise the effect of another magnetiser 
 who was endowed with less power : “What most sur¬ 
 prised me was to see the Count suspend by the action 
 of his will the magnetic rapport previously existing 
 between the somnambulist and myself, and to re¬ 
 establish it at his pleasure, or in accordance with the 
 desire expressed by'Tftfiers. This experiment was 
 often repeated, and Isaure did or did not hear me ac¬ 
 cording to the good pleasure of the Count. He 
 neither touched her directly nor indirectly. We even 
 
 * Morin, “ Le Magnetisme Explique par Lui-meme.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 117 
 
 conversed in writing, in order to remove from those 
 present all suspicion that the subject, notwithstanding 
 her eyes were closed, might have heard us, or under¬ 
 stood us if signs were made, and thus have compla¬ 
 cently submitted to the will of the magnetiser. The 
 Count, moreover, varied the experiment in the way I 
 desired. He said not a word, and yet he could cause 
 to be executed the orders which I transmitted to him j \J 
 in writing, at the very moment that I specified. 
 
 The following instance, recorded in Mr. Townsend’s 
 “ Mesmerism Proved True,” is more curious, as exem¬ 
 plifying the effects of the unexpressed will being ex¬ 
 erted on a person not in the magnetic sleep : “ M. de 
 
 Constant placed one of the girls at a table with a 
 book before her, out of which she was to read. She 
 was not asleep mesmerically, though she had 
 been so in the course of the evening, and was 
 much under the influence of M. de Constant, who 
 stood two yards behind her chair. I was invited 
 to stand close to him and to touch him gently, 
 when he was to stop the girl in her reading 
 by his silent will. Five times running she was 
 arrested in her reading by the exertion of M. de 
 Constant’s will, instantaneously, sometimes in the 
 middle of a word. On examination, her mouth was 
 found to be paralysed, stiff, and partly open in the 
 position it had assumed to form the syllable. To un- 
 paralyse the mouth, he was obliged to make ‘ passes ’ 
 over it.” 
 
 Relating another case of this kind, Mr. Townsend 
 says : “ The mesmeriser standing behind the patient’s 
 chair, the different doubters then handed silently to 
 him slips of paper, on which each had written what 
 he was to do, and in no one single instance did the 
 mesmerised girl fail to perform the same motion.” 
 
 The author adds : “ I remarked that they [imitative 
 movements] took place more especially when my 
 attention was directed to their production. Once I 
 arranged with a friend to place my hand in my coat 
 pocket, on a sign being made by him ; the soinnam- 
 
118 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 bulist immediately put her hand behind her in a similar 
 position to my own. This same friend endeavoured 
 by every means to put the somnambulist at fault, and 
 imitated my actions, such as rubbing his hands, 
 coughing, &c., in order to make Anna do the same, 
 and thus prove that she was guided by sound, and 
 not by sympathy of movement. The patient was 
 not, however, in the least affected by these artifices.” 
 
 In another case two subjects were sympathetically 
 affected by Mr. Townsend’s acting on one of them. 
 “ If,” says he, “ the young man rubbed his brow, the 
 lady rubbed hers also ; if the lady bent her head back, 
 the young man bent his head back. I found I could, 
 by only acting on one, influence the two simul¬ 
 taneously, just as if I held the wires of two 
 puppets. If I attracted the arm, or leg, or head of 
 the one, the corresponding arm, or leg, or the head of 
 the other performed precisely the same motion. Nay ; 
 I could make their mouths open and shut at the same 
 moment. See each other they could not, for they 
 were both leaning back in their chairs.” 
 
 An American writer relates the following case :— 
 
 “ President Covert called the magnetiser into an 
 adjoining room, the door being closed between them 
 and the subject of the magnetic influence, and re¬ 
 quested him, in a low tone of voice, that could be 
 heard by no one but themselves, to will that his 
 subject should leave her seat, come into the room 
 where they were, and seat herself in a designated 
 chair, there being many other chairs in the room. 
 The magnetiser did as he was directed, without 
 moving any part of his body. Immediately she 
 opened the door, entered the room, and passing to 
 the other side of it, sat down in the very chair 
 referred to, her eyes being all the time perfectly 
 closed, and the magnetiser, we repeat, giving not the 
 least indication of what he willed her to do. He then, 
 at the President’s request, willed her to go and seat 
 herself at the piano to entertain them with music and 
 singing; this she did accordingly. Facts of the most 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 119 
 
 authentic character, and bearing with equal force 
 upon the same conclusion, might be multiplied to 
 any extent.”* ^ o7 / 
 
 Respecting this class of phenomena, M. Charpignon 
 remarks in his work already quoted : “ I have often 
 formed in my mind fictitious images, and the som¬ 
 nambulist, when queffionecT, has seen these images 
 as realities. I have often obtained from somnam¬ 
 bulists a word, a sign, an action in accordance with a 
 mental request. Other persons addressing questions 
 to somnambulists in foreign languages unknown to 
 them, have received replies indicative of a knowledge 
 of the sense, but not of the idiom in which the speaker 
 expressed it; for, if he spoke without understanding 
 what was meant, the somnambulist was unable to 
 seize the sense of the question. In order for the 
 thought to be clearly perceived, the somnambulist 
 must be placed in direct rapport with the person.” 
 (There are, however, exceptions to this rule.) 
 
 Mr. Brindley, a medical practitioner in Shoreditch, 
 records a case of thought-reading, occurring in 
 one of his patients, in the “ Zoist.” “A question,” says 
 he, “ was transmitted to me in writing—viz., ‘If you 
 will that she should hear me when I speak to her, will 
 she hear me, and vice versa ? ’ I immediately passed 
 to the other side of the room, and on a sign being 
 given, I willed that she should hear the person speak. 
 He spoke; she answered. The sign for the contrary 
 was then given. I willed that she should not hear 
 him. He spoke, but she did not answer. The sign 
 was repeated, and the same result obtained ten times, 
 according to the will of the operator. I was then 
 requested to ask her what I was thinking of; the 
 subject of thought being suggested to me by one of 
 the persons present. She immediately replied, that 
 I was thinking of the funeral procession which had 
 just passed, and she was right. The same experiment 
 was several times repeated with success, the subject 
 
 * Mahan’s “ Modem Mysteries Explained. 
 
120 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 of ray thought being each time suggested to me by 
 different persons.” 
 
 Phreno-Magnetism. —This variety was likewise 
 manifested by Mr. Brindley’s subject. Several years 
 ago, repeated public exhibitions were given in Lon¬ 
 don and elsewhere of so-called phreno-magnetism, 
 corresponding manifestations being made by the 
 individuals magnetised in accordance with the 
 [phrenological] organs supposed to be excited, bv 
 touching or pointing to the part of the cranium 
 covering the organ. The subjects then exhibited, 
 in the most forcible manner, by their language, expres¬ 
 sion of countenance, gestures, and attitudes, the func¬ 
 tional activity of the excited organ. For instance, on 
 the operator's finger being placed upon or over the part 
 of the head corresponding to the organ of veneration, 
 an attitude of profound devotion would be assumed 
 by the subject, who perhaps would give utterance to 
 religious sentiments, to a prayer, or chaunt a verse 
 from a well-known hymn. If the finger were then 
 transposed to an organ of an opposite character—as, 
 for example, combativeness or destructiveness—the 
 entire appearance of the subject would undergo an 
 instantaneous change ; he would, while using cor¬ 
 responding language, strike at the persons near him, 
 or break and destroy anything that came in his way. 
 On the finger being transferred to benevolence, self¬ 
 esteem, or any other organ, corresponding sentiments 
 and actions would be manifested. Having several 
 times witnessed analogous results on a variety of 
 subjects, some of whom were well-known persons, 
 who, forming part of miscellaneous assemblies, volun¬ 
 tarily submitted themselves to the trial (which 
 however, failed in several unsusceptible individuals), 
 and feeling convinced that the experiments were con¬ 
 ducted in good faith, I concluded that the effects pro¬ 
 duced depended, not, as was generally supposed, upon 
 excitation of the phrenological organs, but upon the 
 reflex action of the thought and will of the operator 
 upon the mind of the subject. This was likewise the 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 12J 
 
 opinion of Mr. Colqulioun, and others who have 
 directed much attention to the question. “ If,” says 
 M. Charpignon, “ a magnetiser who is ignorant of the 
 phrenological localisation of the organs, touches at 
 random the head of a magnetised subject, he will 
 obtain no result. I have excited in various degrees 
 sentiments illustrative of poetry, prayer, anger, &c., 
 but in no case was the point of my finger directed to 
 the corresponding phrenological organ ; the real 
 operating power is the consciousness which the mag¬ 
 netiser has of what he desires, and the will to produce 
 it. Then, what he has in his thought in an abstract 
 form, is reflected in the mind of the somnambulist, 
 whose organs actively manifest the idea, realising it 
 by actions, if his personal moral force does not act 
 antagonistically.”* 
 
 Dr. Haddock, of Bolton, remarks on this point: “ T 
 have seen some of the phrenological sentiments excited 
 without touching the head. Thus, upon simply taking 
 my subject by the hand, and silently thinking re¬ 
 verently of the Deity, she has fallen down on her 
 knees, and manifested the most profound veneration. 
 On other occasions, when I have had several subjects 
 mesmerised at the same time, on touching and ex¬ 
 citing the organs in the head of one, the others, 
 without any touch or connexion, or any knowledge 
 of my action, have manifested the same sentiments, 
 and each according to their peculiar genius and tem¬ 
 perament.” f 
 
 Phrenologists, however, see in these exhibitions the 
 effect of an excited state of the organs. Thus, Dr. 
 Elliotson remarked in the “Zoist: ” “ I have never 
 produced any effect by simply willing. I have never 
 seen reason to believe that I could heighten the effect 
 of my processes by exerting the strongest will, or 
 that I lessened them by intentionally thinking of 
 something else, and endeavouring to bestow no more 
 
 * Op. Cit. 
 
 f “Somnolism and Psychism.” Second Edition, 1851. 
 
 G 
 
122 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 attention to wliat I was about than was just necessary 
 for carrying on the process. I have excited the 
 organs with my fingers just as well when I was 
 thinking of other matters with my friends, and mo¬ 
 mentarily forgetting what I was about, but I have 
 always failed, however much T willed, when I have 
 directed my finger to another organ than that which 
 I wished to excite intentionally, or have accidentally 
 misdirected my finger.” 
 
 Dr. Gregory expresses a similar opinion. “ Phreno- 
 magnetism,” he says, “is not the result of mental 
 sympathy or of reflex action. Whilst the operator 
 is calm, the subject may be very agitated. Ac¬ 
 cidental emotions in the former are very often not 
 communicated to the latter, who may be giving at 
 the same moment a representation of some passion 
 in the most natural manner. 
 
 “ When the operator, as frequently happens, is 
 just as ignorant of phrenology as the patient, he is 
 surprised and confounded by the results, because in 
 touching a part he did not know its function, and 
 consequently exerted no volition with reference to it; 
 and, notwithstanding, the manifestation will take 
 place in this case just as well as before. In fact, it 
 often happens that an operator who knows phreno¬ 
 logy has the intention to touch one organ, and in 
 turning round to speak to some one, he touches 
 another, having the idea of the former present to his 
 mind ; or else his hand slips from one organ upon 
 another ; he is then surprised at what seems to him 
 a false result, until he perceive the cause, and all 
 this occurs when the subject has no knowledge of 
 phrenology.”f 
 
 Amidst the conflicting opinions on this point the tes¬ 
 timony appears greatly to preponderate in favour of 
 the former, as might a priori be supposed it would. 
 
 The power of thought-reading is possessed by some 
 individuals when in their natural state, and is some- 
 
 f Letters, &c. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 123 
 
 times publicly exhibited, as in the case of the “ Mys¬ 
 terious Lady,” who many years ago attracted attention 
 at the Egyptian Hall, and recently by Mdlle. Prudence, 
 who daily, for several months, appeared at the Colos¬ 
 seum ; the persons possessing this faculty being able 
 to designate without hesitation the peculiarities of any 
 number of objects taken in rapid succession from the 
 audience by the exhibitors, with whom they are in 
 mental rapport. When at Rome several years ago, 
 
 I was present at a representation of this kind, given 
 in a theatre. The subject, a young girl ten or twelve 
 years old, with bandaged eyes, but in her normal state, 
 was seated on the stage, while her father went among 
 the public assembled in the boxes and pit, collecting 
 from persons in quick succession a variety of objects 
 which she minutely described. On his approaching 
 me I gave a ring, which the daughter immediately 
 said was a ring with a large white stone. He was 
 about to return it to me, when I expressed a wish 
 that she should say what was engraved on it. He re¬ 
 marked, “ I have not seen it myself yet,” and looking 
 attentively asked what there was, to which she replied, 
 “The head of an animal, a stag’s head.” I observed,' 
 “ .She is in mental rapport with you, and thus reads 
 your thoughts with reference to the tests proposed.” 
 “ Of course,” he said, “that is the only way it could be 
 done ; we make no secret of the matter.” 
 
 M. Robin has likewise recently given an exhibi¬ 
 tion at the Egyptian Hall (as he had previously 
 done in London), of which this manifestation formed 
 a part, the subject being his wife, who experienced no 
 hesitation in designating the varied objects given to 
 her husband, who prefaced this part of the entertain¬ 
 ment by saying, inasmuch as some persons thought 
 it was the way in which the questions were put that 
 gave a clue for the description of the object, he 
 should not put any question, but should merely ring 
 a small hand-bell, to intimate to his wife (whose eyes 
 were bandaged) that he had taken a fresh object 
 from one of the spectators. 
 
 o2 
 
124 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 An exhibitor whom I have several times seen (M. 
 de Caston) possesses himself the faculty of reading 
 the thoughts of any of his audience, with reference 
 to the tests proposed, he not being seconded or as¬ 
 sisted by any one. 
 
 The following is one of his manifestations of this 
 power, which he designates in his programme as la 
 divination de la pensee. His eyes being padded over 
 with wadding, and bandaged by any one of the 
 audience, the exhibitor gropes his way down from 
 the platform to distribute to' any persons who choose 
 to take them, tablets, and chalk or pencil, wherewith 
 to write on them whatever they please—as a series of 
 names of celebrated artists, authors, &c., the towns 
 through which they would pass on making an 
 imaginary journey, dates referring to historical 
 events, &c. He then tells the holder of each of the 
 tablets what he has written and what it refers to. 
 On one of the occasions, when I tested his power, I 
 wrote three dates. He said, “The first is the 2nd De¬ 
 cember,” referring to Louis Napoleon’s coup d'etat; 
 “ the second is the date of the origin of the French 
 Revolution, 1789; but,” he added,“you made a mistake, 
 you at first wrote 1799, and then effaced the first 9, re¬ 
 placing it by the 8 ; the third date has reference to 
 an event connected with the Stuarts ; two of the 
 figures are alike, 1678.” I said, “ How can that be? 
 You have just said that two of the figures arealike.” 
 “ Very true,” he replied, “ it is 1688.” A gentleman 
 sitting not far from me had written down the names 
 of a dozen literary and artistical celebrities, which, 
 like the other trials, were correctly told. M. de 
 Caston likewise plays a game at cards ( piquet ) with 
 any one who chooses, his eyes being padded over and 
 bandaged, a thick cloak in addition covering his head 
 down to the waist. In this state he deals and plays 
 correctly without hesitation, which circumstance is 
 evidently not referrible to thought-reading. He has 
 lately been giving daily exhibitions in a public hall 
 in Paris. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 125 
 
 M. Cazeneuve, who calls himself the prestidigitator 
 to the Emperor of the French, is accompanied by 
 a Mdlle. Alice, who likewise manifests this power, 
 without any special rapport being established between 
 her and the party who tests it. Any of the spectators, 
 on thinking of a sentiment or passion, as joy, anger, 
 &c., and willing, without speaking, that it should be 
 represented by the subject, finds it expressed in her 
 countenance and attitude. An acquaintance of mine 
 wrote on a slip of paper, and placed it in his closed 
 pocket-book, which he passed to Alice, who, putting 
 the book to her forehead, said, “ It is No. 14 you have 
 written,” which, it is almost needless to observe, was 
 exact. A bag containing a great number of small 
 balls ( jetons ), with numbers marked on them, is 
 passed along the assembly, a jeton being taken by as 
 many persons as choose to do so, and the subject tells 
 each person the number he or she may have drawn, 
 while standing with her back to the company, and 
 her eyes being bandaged. The clairvoyante names 
 cards or other objects placed behind her. She also, 
 when in a position which renders her quite unable to 
 see the movements made, will continue to sing so long 
 as is desired by a sign previously agreed upon—as 
 long, for instance, as a cane in the hand of a spectator 
 is held up; and ceases singing the moment the cane 
 is lowered. 
 
 Retrovision. —This remarkable faculty, which is 
 likewise doubtless referrible to thought-reading, is 
 occasionally possessed by persons in their normal 
 state. The celebrated religious and moral writer, 
 Zschokke, possessed at times this power, of which he 
 gives an account in his “Autobiography. ” He could 
 bring before unknown individuals several of the 
 circumstances of their past lives in detail, which they 
 may have forgotten, till thus recalled to their 
 memory.* 
 
 * See Appendix. Many instances are recorded of persons 
 who, when in circumstances of imminent danger, as from 
 
126 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 - Schubert, in his “ Symbolik des Traumes,” relates 
 the instance of ajnmth seventeen years of age, who could 
 tell the most secret thoughts of all persons who visited 
 him, and what they had previously secretly done or 
 said. He remarks respecting the manifestation of 
 this power in magnetised subjects: “There is de¬ 
 veloped in them a prophetic faculty, not only as 
 respects the future, but also the past. In these cases 
 the somnambulist recalls, with surprising clearness, 
 events long forgotten, which had taken place in his 
 waking state, and it often happens in dreams that we 
 recollect forgotten circumstances that occurred in the 
 years of our childhood. Here, likewise, the prophetic 
 knowledge may extend to others who are bound to 
 the somnambulist by the ties of relationship or of 
 friendship ; he can, in certain cases, accurately recount 
 the past circumstances and peculiarities which have 
 reference to existing disease, but of which the suffer¬ 
 ing person had lost the recollection.” 
 
 The nineteenth volume of Defoe’s “ Miscellaneous 
 Works” (Oxford, 1840) is taken up with the “ History 
 of the Life and Adventures of Mr. Duncan Campbell, 
 who, though born deaf and dumb, writes down any 
 stranger’s name at first sight, with their future con¬ 
 tingencies ~of fortune, now living in Exeter Court, 
 Strand.”* (London, 1720.) 
 
 drowning or otherwise, have had the prominent events of their 
 past lives pass before their minds in an inconceivably short 
 period of time. 
 
 * The account is prefaced by the following remarks : “Since 
 there does not exist such a man in London, actually deaf and 
 dumb, wTJoTTdes 'W'rite, read, and converse as well as any body ; 
 who likewise, by a presaging gift, can set down in writing the 
 name of any stranger at first sight, tell him his past actions, 
 and predict his future occurrences in fortune ; and since he 
 has practised this talent as a profession in London, for a long 
 series of years, with great success, upon innumerable persons 
 of every state and vocation in life, will it not be wonderfully 
 entertaining to give the world a perfect history of this so 
 singular man's life ? ” 
 
 In the appendix will be given an abstract of the leading 
 features of this remarkable history. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 127 
 
 A Parisian journal (La Presse, March 3,1864) thus 
 noticed two public exhibitions of this faculty : “ M. 
 Desbarolles gave a few days ago two conferences, one 
 at the Cours Agricole, the other in a saloon of the 
 Hotel de Ville. After showing on physiological 
 grounds the possibility of chiromancic revelations, 
 he publicly made an application of his system on the 
 persons present, revealing the principal events of their 
 past lives, such as the changes of fortune, the great 
 griefs they had experienced, the nature of the diseases 
 by which they had been afflicted, and the date of 
 their occurrence ; as also the actual weak part in the 
 health of those who consulted him, all being told them 
 with inconceivable exactness. At the Cercle Agricole 
 his wife gave on the entresol the counter-proof of 
 these experiments, by repeating to the persons who 
 had been previously examined by her husband on the 
 first floor the same prognostications as he had made. 
 M. Desbarolles declared himself ready publicly to 
 repeat his experiments before any assembly of phy¬ 
 sicians who would invite him so to do.” 
 
 Sympathy or Community of Sensation. —This 
 phenomenon is very commonly observed between lucid 
 somnambulists and the magnetiser, or the persons in 
 rapport with them, the sensations produced or oc¬ 
 curring in the latter being immediately experienced 
 by the former, who, as usual, are insensible to ordinary 
 impressions made on the organs of taste, smell, or 
 touch. “ It sometimes happens,” says Dr. Gregory on 
 this point, “ that if the magnetiser suffers from some 
 pain when he is magnetising a healthy, but susceptible 
 person, that the pain is transferred from him to the 
 subject. I have seen a headache thus transferred to 
 the patient, which lasted the whole day, whilst the 
 magnetiser was immediately and completely relieved. 
 Many analogous cases are recorded.” 
 
 “ A gentleman of our acquaintance,” says Mr. 
 Mahan, “called a magnetiser aside, and while speaking 
 to him, put a phial of hartshorn to his nose. ‘ Do take 
 that from my nose,’ instantly exclaimed the subject. 
 
] 28 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 The world is full of facts of a precisely similar nature, 
 wherever mesmeric phenomena have been witnessed.” 
 
 If a sensation be attempted to be produced on 
 the subject different from that experienced by the 
 magnetiser or person en rapport the attempt fails. 
 If, for instance, the magnetiser puts salt into his 
 mouth, and if sugar be put into the mouth of the 
 somnambulist, the latter will taste the salt, and not 
 the sugar. On one occasion I tested the community 
 of feeling upon the celebrated somnambulist Alexis, 
 who had not been previously subjected to a trial of 
 this kind. His magnetiser, M. Marcillet, being 
 behind, and quite out of sight of Alexis, whose eyes 
 moreover were bandaged, I suddenly pricked his left 
 elbow, upon which Alexis put his hand to his left 
 elbow, complaining of pain there. I then pinched 
 the magnetiser’s right little finger, and Alexis felt 
 his right little finger pinched. There could be no 
 collusion or mistake here, as neither of them knew of 
 my intention, which indeed was unpremeditated on 
 my part, the thought arising in my mind at the time. 
 
 The effects of sympathy or community of feeling 
 and action were shown in a very marked manner in 
 the course of a severe case of hysteria and lock-jaw, 
 of eighteen months’ duration, which was treated by 
 magnetism at Vevay. Besides the lock-jaw, which 
 rendered the patient incapable of taking nourishment, 
 and occasioned extreme emaciation with rapidly in¬ 
 creasing weakness, there was also contraction of the 
 limbs and dimness of sight. “We expected,” says Dr. 
 Gueneau, who reported the case, “and even hoped for 
 her death, as the only possible termination of such 
 prolonged suffering, when Mr. Bailey arrived at his 
 residence and devoted himself to her treatment. At 
 the very first trial, he succeeded in putting her to sleep, 
 and in opening her hands, the right having been pre¬ 
 viously closed for a twelvemonth. He next opened her 
 mouth, but deglutition continued impossible, and 
 without this there was no hope of recovering a person 
 who was dying of inanition. The Hon. Miss Boyle 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 129 
 
 then advised Mr. Bailey to take advantage of the 
 sympathy often existing between mesmeriser and 
 mesmeree, saying, “ When you play the piano in the 
 presence of your niece, while she is in the mesmeric 
 sleep, she repeats with her fingers the same notes 
 which you struck ; do the same with your patient; 
 swallow before her, and she will imitate you.” Mr. 
 Bailev followed this advice ; he mesmerised the jaws 
 and neck, and breathed into the mouth of the patient 
 to mesmerise her tongue, and then poured in some 
 milk, placing his thumbs on those of the patient; he 
 then swallowed some water ; Mdlle. P. immediately 
 made an effort to swallow, and gulped down at once 
 all the milk in her mouth.” 
 
 A short time afterwards, the report proceeds: “To¬ 
 day Mdlle. P. is almost completely cured ; both her 
 eyes are open ; her mouth opens freely and easily; her 
 powers of mastication and deglutition are perfect; her 
 appetite is excellent; all her functions are regular. 
 The arms and legs have regained their suppleness ; 
 she walks up and down stairs, but never sleeps except 
 by means of mesmeric ‘ passes. ’ ” 
 
 I am personally acquainted with Mr. Bailey, who 
 is a gentleman of independent means, residing near 
 Vevay in the summer season, and who confirmed to 
 me the correctness of the above statement, which was 
 communicated by Miss Boyle to Dr. Elliotson. 
 
 It is perhaps scarcely necessary to repeat that it is 
 chiefly by the power of thought-reading that som¬ 
 nambulists can respond to the various tests proposed 
 during the seances, public or private, in which their 
 lucidity is tested. 
 
 The principle is the same, whether the subject be 
 requested to describe the distant residence or a friend 
 of the questioner who holds his hand, whether it be 
 a trinket or other object carefully enclosed in a parcel, 
 or written words put into one or more envelopes ; these 
 are all known to the interlocutor, who is requested 
 by the somnambulist, if he finds that he is making 
 mistakes, to fix his attention on the proposed test. 
 
 g 3 
 
130 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISar. 
 
 The manifestation by somnambulists of sympa¬ 
 thetic consciousness and feeling with the magnetisers 
 or the persons placed in temporary rapport with them, 
 must not be classed with the effects obtained by 
 electro-biologists from their susceptible subjects, who 
 are not in the magnetic state, but are perfectly awake, 
 and whose feelings and volitional power are for the 
 time under the control of the more energetic will of 
 the operator, who, by forcibly and repeatedly ex¬ 
 pressing the ideas he wishes to impart to the subject, 
 at length succeeds in impressing his or her mind 
 with the same ideas, so as to make them believe and 
 act in accordance with his suggestions—for instance, 
 that a glass of water presented to them is and tastes 
 like wine or spirits ; that a stick or any other substance 
 placed in their hand is light or heavy, hot or cold; 
 that they are unable to rise from their seat, to speak, 
 open their eyes when closed, &c. In similar cases, 
 all the results are referrible to the influence of the 
 suggested ideas paralysing the volition of the 
 subject, or producing such an alteration in his 
 sensibility, as to render him incapable of a right 
 judgment with reference to the experiment to which 
 he is subjected, though in all other respects he retains 
 perfect consciousness; whereas, in the trials made 
 upon individuals in the magnetic state, with respect 
 to community of thought, feeling, or taste, the 
 operation is of a purely mental kind. Nothing need 
 be said by the magnetiser or experimenter en rapport , 
 who may even be behind, or otherwise out of sight 
 of the somnambulist, whose eyes may also be securely 
 bandaged over. 
 
 Dr. Macario, adverting to this part of the subject, 
 observes : “ Of all the faculties of somnambulists, 
 the transmission of the thoughts of the magnetiser is 
 that which the least shakes our belief, and which 
 consequently reckons the greatest number of believers. 
 I have witnessed this phenomenon in company with 
 several physicians of repute. This is what we saw : 
 On the magnetiser simply willing it, a male soin- 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 131 
 
 nambulist began to sing an air of an opera, or a 
 romance which is mentally indicated to him by the 
 magnetiser; and he ceased singing in the midst of a 
 phrase or of a word, as soon as the magnetiser 
 mentally ordered him to be silent. 
 
 “We took all imaginable precautions against being 
 made the dupes of trickery. The somnambulist had 
 a thick bandage over his eyes, which completely in¬ 
 tercepted the transmission of luminous rays, and the 
 magnetiser was placed at the distance of several yards 
 b ehind h im, no material means of communication 
 existing between them. It was one or the other of 
 us who intimated to the magnetiser, by means of a 
 sign agreed upon beforehand, when to cause the som¬ 
 nambulist to sing, and when to stop.” 
 
 “ On another occasion, Dr. Gromier, after having, 
 by magnetising, put to sleep an hysterical woman, 
 asked her husband to allow him to make an experi¬ 
 ment, and this is what occurred : Without saying a 
 word, he took her (mentally) out to sea ; the patient 
 remained quiet as long as it was calm, but on the 
 magnetiser raising (in his thought) a terrible storm, 
 she began to cry out and to hold fast the objects 
 within reach, in order to keep herself steady. Her 
 voice, her tears, and the expression of her physiog¬ 
 nomy, showed the great fright she was in. He then 
 gradually reproduced a calm, and in proportion as 
 she supposed the vessel to roll less, the mind of the 
 somnambulist became tranquil, though she still re¬ 
 tained a gasping of the breath, and a trembling in all 
 her limbs. “Never take me to sea again,” she fervently 
 exclaimed. “ And that wretch of a captain who would 
 not let us go on deck.” “ This exclamation surprised 
 me the more,” said M. Gromier, “as I had not given 
 her the slightest intimation of the nature of the ex¬ 
 periment I was about to make.”* 
 
 * Op. Cit. I have long been personally acquainted with 
 Dr. Macario, and can vouch for his high standing in the 
 estimation of the profession in France, and for his accurate 
 powers of observation. 
 

 132 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 The following remarks occur in the “ National 
 Review” (July, 1858), in the article, “ Gfhosts of the 
 Old and New School— 
 
 “There are much completer stories than these 
 [quoted], where the minutest details have been found 
 and made to correspond; and there are the stories of 
 Scottish second-sight, of which Dr. Ferriar gives one 
 or two singular instances, vouching for their accuracy 
 without giving any explanation of them. Of his 
 often-referred-to work, it is impossible not to observe 
 that it contrasts strongly with its pretensions; and 
 that the fact of spectral illusions does not meet many 
 of the cases he himself adduces. 
 
 “ Doubtless there is a border-land of matter and 
 spirit, in which lies at once the most perplexing and the 
 most interesting field of human investigation. That 
 
 o ^ o 
 
 the phenomena are most difficult of observation, the 
 evidence of facts extremely precarious and unreliable, 
 and especially hard to value, are only reasons why 
 the scrutiny should be most searching, and the in¬ 
 quiry conducted with the utmost deliberation and 
 caution. 
 
 “ There are sets of facts that demand a more search¬ 
 ing and persevering investigation than they have 
 yet received, either that they may finally be disposed 
 of as false, or reduced to scientific order. Such are 
 the appearance of ghosts, the power of second-sight, 
 of clairvoyance, and other phenomena of mesmerism, 
 the nature of sleep and dreams, of spectral illusions 
 (in themselves a decisive proof that the sense of sight 
 may be fully experienced independently of the eye), 
 the limits and workings of mental delusions, and 
 enthusiastic excitement. But these things have little 
 interest for the mass of scientific minds; they are at 
 once remote from their sympathies, and irritating 
 from the waj r in which they elude the intellect, used 
 only to grapple with definite exactlv-ascertainable 
 minutiae.” 
 
 The higher order of phenomena referribletoclairvoy- 
 ance requires separate consideration and illustration. 
 
CHAPTER Y. 
 
 SECOND-9IOHT— ScHAMANISM— CLAIRVOYANCE—ILLUSTRATIVE 
 Cases—Alexis Didier and Robert Houdin—Clairvoy¬ 
 ance Subversive of Materialism—Theoretical Expla¬ 
 nation of the Phenomena. 
 
 Innumerable instances are recorded of the posses¬ 
 sion of the faculty of clairvoyance by persons in the 
 normal state, in sleep, and in some abnormal con¬ 
 ditions of the system, and this is the most remark¬ 
 able characteristic feature of magnetic somnambulism. 
 A modification of the power under the name of 
 second-sight appears to have been very prevalent 
 formerly in certain localities, where a simple mode 
 of life distinguished the inhabitants, who had little 
 communication with the rest of the world, as in 
 some parts of Scotland and in the Hebrides. The 
 second-sight, by which a distant individual, though 
 unknown to the seer, could be accurately described 
 by him, was often combined with the power of pre¬ 
 vision, respecting the time of the person’s arriving at 
 a place, and especially as regarded the occurrence of 
 events, favourable or the reverse, to individuals 
 known to the seer, or whom he may have met without 
 previous knowledge. According to the most authen¬ 
 tic accounts, the seer is mostly of the male sex, and 
 in good health ; but at the time of the sight, which 
 comes on suddenly, he appears to be entranced, or 
 in a state analogous to ecstasy, his senses being often 
 closed to outward impressions, unless with reference 
 to the object of his preoccupation, respecting which 
 he can answer questions. Second-sight is said to 
 be still of tolerably frequent occurrence in parts of 
 
184 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Norway and other unsophisticated northern countries. 
 “ At the moment of the sight,” says Dr. Ennemoser, 
 “ which may come on unexpectedly and suddenly in 
 the night, or in the day-time, the seer is fixed and 
 immovable, with open eyes. He sees and hears 
 nothing of what is going on around him. He pre¬ 
 dicts future events ; it is as if a distant portion of 
 time and space were spread out before him like a 
 picture—as, for instance, the occurrence of death 
 the approaching arrival of persons who may be at 
 the time a hundred miles off, battles, sea-fights, &c. 
 In second-sight the speech and mode of expression 
 are frequently symbolical, and their meaning be¬ 
 comes explained by the subsequent events. The 
 sight may sometimes be communicated to others by 
 taking their hand, or even without contact, so that 
 persons separated by a considerable distance may 
 have at the same moment the same perception by 
 second-sight. Should the seer be taken to a distant 
 part of the world he loses his power, but regains it 
 on his return. Second-sight differs from dreaming 
 and from somnambulism, inasmuch as the seer has a 
 full recollection of all that occurs to him, and is com¬ 
 pletely awake. Within the last century second-sight 
 has become very rare in Scotland, but it is still very 
 common in Demark.” * 
 
 Schubert, in his “ Greschicte der Seele,” describes 
 phenomena of a peculiar kind, which are observable 
 in Northern Asia, in the state termed Schamanism, 
 a species of ecstasy into which the individual affected 
 falls after experiencing violent convulsive movements 
 of the limbs, the head being whirled about so fast 
 that “ it is like a ball tied to the body by a cord.” 
 The attack is voluntarily induced by the subject 
 drinking a stupifying beverage, and inhaling in the 
 intervals of the movements the fumes of strong 
 tobacco. Its approach is announced by symptoms 
 resembling those which accompany an epileptic or 
 
 * “ Geschicte der Thierischen Magnetismus.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 135 
 
 apopleptic fit. The Toll-danzer falls motionless to 
 the ground, and violent convulsions ensue ; sounds are 
 emitted from his chest, resembling a deep howling 
 of the wind. At length the state of syncope or 
 ecstasy supervenes; a violent perspiration not un- 
 frequently in this, or in the preceding stage, breaks 
 out all over the body. The subject sometimes passes 
 spontaneously out of this condition, but most fre¬ 
 quently he is awakened by the clashing of metallic 
 instruments or by other artificial means to the state 
 in which his revelations are made. His face is then 
 flushed, his eyes have a wild look, and his limbs are 
 affected with an uncontrollable trembling. 
 
 “ VonMatjutchen, who accompanied Colonel Wran- 
 gel in his expedition to the North Pole, was on one 
 occasion an involuntary and at first an unwelcome 
 witness of these exhibitions. The ecstatic had never 
 before seen the stranger, nevertheless he gave such 
 replies to his queries as proved by the result that 
 he possessed the gift of second-sight. Like a mag¬ 
 netic clairvoyan t,~filf gave a correct statement of the 
 actual condition of a distant friend of the inquirer, 
 who had been rescued from drowning, as also of the 
 state in which then were some of his relations at 
 home. The paroxysm ends as it had begun, by the 
 recurrence of the convulsive movements, until the 
 ‘ Schamann ’ is restored to his normal condition, 
 knowing nothing of what had taken place. 
 
 “ A somewhat analogous phenomenon was observed 
 by Olaus Wormaus in the Lapland jugglers, except 
 that the vue a distance occurs while the individual is 
 in a state of deep syncope, like apparent death, which 
 usually lasts twenty-four hours, and Schafer affirms 
 that the friends on these occasions take pains to pre¬ 
 vent auy one from touching the stiffened body, or 
 making any loud noise, and especially from calling 
 the sleeper by his name, as his being suddenly 
 awakened is likely to be attended by serious conse¬ 
 quences, which, in some instances, have terminated 
 fatally. 
 
136 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ The Laplanders of the present day are still, 
 according to Hochstrom’s description, of a similar 
 psychcial disposition as has been noted in former 
 times. Any sudden noise, even that occasioned by 
 a spark from burning wood, sometimes gives rise to 
 convulsions and fainting. The inhabitants of the 
 Shetland and Feroe Islands are similarly circum¬ 
 stanced, and many instances of second-sight have oc¬ 
 curred there in recent times, in persons who were in a 
 state resembling the ecstasy of the Laplanders. These 
 islands, which at an earlier period were considered 
 as the special locality for the manifestation of distant 
 or second-sight, are during the greater part of the 
 year excluded by a stormy and rocky coast from 
 communication with the rest of the world, and by a 
 misty atmosphere even from the light of heaven, 
 while the monotonous stillness of summer is rarely 
 interrupted by any other noise than the screaming of 
 sea-birds. The approach of a stranger produces, it 
 is said, on some of these islanders such an extra¬ 
 ordinary excitation that they are seized with an 
 irresistible tendency to cough. Some, even when an 
 approaching vessel is yet far off, can tell the number 
 and appearance of the new comers. This is not the 
 only manifestation of their faculty, for they can 
 often predict the destiny of their relatives and 
 friends. 
 
 “ Distant sight and distant feeling (Ferngefiihl) 
 of the soul,” adds this author, “ is likewise a pecu¬ 
 liarity of ecstasy, dreaming, fainting, and apparent 
 death. The cases in which a far-distant friend or 
 beloved one, when at the point of death, or in other 
 eventful circumstances, appears to stand before the 
 seer, who may even think he hears his voice, though 
 at the time he may have been thinking of something 
 else, and may not have had the slightest knowledge 
 of the sickness of the loved person, are too well authen¬ 
 ticated to be denied. A near relation of mine, whose 
 mind is not likely to be misled by any self-deception, 
 had an experience of this kind at the time of the 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 137 
 
 death of his mother, who was at a great distance from 
 him. 
 
 “ By this opening of the inward sense the somnam- 
 nambulist can see a locality in which he has never 
 been, and of which he has never heard. One of the 
 persons so endowed perceived with remarkable clear¬ 
 ness while in the sleep the whole proceedings pre¬ 
 paratory to a robbery about to be effected in a 
 distant house, and the result proved that he had not 
 been mistaken.” 
 
 Several examples of second-sight or distant vision 
 occurring -spontaneously in persons in health are 
 recorded by ancient writers. Mr. Townsend, in 
 “Facts in Mesmerism,” quotes the following from 
 the history of Apollonius the Tyanean, with refer¬ 
 ence to the circumstances attending the death of 
 Domitian:— 
 
 “ All this happened at Rome, and all this Apol¬ 
 lonius saw at Ephesus, as if he had been present at 
 the transaction, which took place about mid-day in 
 the Emperor’s palace, at the time when Apollonius 
 was walldng and disputing among the trees near the 
 town. At first he let his voice fall as if alarmed at 
 something; he then went on conversing, but in a 
 lower accent than usual, like to the persons whose 
 thoughts are engaged with something different from 
 what they are saying ; at last he became quite silent, 
 then, fixing his eyes steadfastly on the ground, and 
 advancing three or four steps, he cried out, ‘ Strike 
 the tyrant! strike ! ’ This he did, not like one who 
 guessed at what was passing from seeing its image 
 in a mirror, but from literally seeing it, and as it 
 were promoting it. His vision of the plague at 
 Ephesus may be converted into a testimony of his 
 being a natural clairvoyant. ‘ You will ask, perhaps,’ 
 he says, ‘ how I foresaw the extraordinary phe¬ 
 nomenon at Ephesus. You heard my accuser speak 
 to that point. He said I did not live after the 
 manner of other men.’ (He lived solely on 
 vegetable diet.) ‘ This,’ he adds, ‘ is the kind 
 
] 38 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 of living which acts in the place of an occult cause, 
 and keeps my senses unimpaired without suffering 
 anything to overcloud them. This, in fine, is the 
 cause of my seeing what is, and is to be.’ 
 
 “ Swedenborg,” adds Mr. Townsend, “ relates 
 that it was after extraordinary fits of abstinence that 
 he fell into a state of conscious ecstasis. When 
 Swendenborg announces, Apollonius-like, suddenly, 
 in the midst of a party, that he sees his own house 
 at Stockholm, a hundred miles off, in flames, and 
 when the circumstance is verified by the next post, 
 we may justly conclude that the Swedish philoso¬ 
 pher’s way of living had given subtilty to his 
 senses.” * 
 
 Mr. Mahan relates the following instance of distant 
 vision occurring in a mulatto sailor on board a steamer 
 while on a cruise in the Mediterranean: “ One even¬ 
 ing, while at anchor in the port of Genoa, says one 
 of the officers, Mr. Brooks, the captain was on shore. 
 I asked Bishop in the presence of several officers 
 where the captain then was. He replied, ‘At the 
 opera, with Mr. Lester, the consul.’ ‘ What does he 
 say ? ’ I inquired. Bishop appeared to listen, and in 
 a moment replied, ‘ The captain tells Mr. Lester that 
 he was much pleased with the port of Xavia, that 
 the authorities had treated him with much considera¬ 
 tion.’ Upon this one of the officers laughed, and 
 said that when the captain returned he would ask 
 him. He did so, saying, ‘Captain, we have been 
 listening to your conversation while on shore.’ ‘ Very 
 well,’ he replied, ‘ what did I say?’ expecting some 
 jest. Then the officer reported what the captain had 
 said of Xavia and the authorities. ‘ Ah ! ’ said the 
 captain, ‘ who was at the opera ? I did not see any 
 of the officers there.’ The lieutenant then explained 
 
 * We see by the Scripture records that the prophet 
 Daniel when a youth was at his own request restricted chiefly 
 to a vegetable diet, and that it was after a long fast that 
 Peter fell into the trance during which he had the clair¬ 
 voyant vision recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 139 
 
 the matter. The captain confirmed its truth, and 
 seemed much surprised, as there had been no com¬ 
 munication with the shore during the evening. 
 
 “ On another occasion, an officer being on shore, I 
 directed Bishop to examine his pockets; he made 
 several motions with his hands as if drawing some¬ 
 thing from the officer’s pockets, saying, ‘ Here is a 
 handkerchief and a box. What a curious thing, full 
 of little white sticks with blue ends. What are 
 they, Mr. Brooks?’ I replied, ‘Perhaps they are 
 matches.’ ‘ So they are,’ he exclaimed. My com¬ 
 panion, meeting the officer on the gangway, asked 
 him, ‘ What have you in your pockets ?’ ‘ Nothing,’ 
 he replied. ‘ But have you not a box of matches ?’ 
 ‘ Oh, yes,’ said he, ‘ how did you know it ? I bought 
 them just before I came on board. The matches are 
 peculiar, made of white wax with blue ends.’ 
 
 “ The surgeons of the Princeton ridiculed these 
 experiments, upon which I requested one of them to 
 test for himself. With some care he placed Bishop 
 and myself in one corner of the apartment, and then 
 took a position some ten feet distant, concealing 
 between his hands a watch, the long hand of which 
 traversed the dial. He first asked for a description 
 of the watch, to which Bishop replied, ‘ ’Tis a funny 
 watch, the second hand jumps.’ He then asked him 
 to tell the minute and the second, which he did, 
 directly afterwards exclaiming, ‘ The second hand 
 has stopped,’ which was the case, the doctor having 
 stopped it. He subsequently told him twice cor¬ 
 rectly the minute, the second, and the hour. The 
 doctor was convinced.” 
 
 This author also records a case of clairvoyance in 
 a “medium” (not magnetised). Mr. W. asked a 
 medium if she could read the contents of a paper 
 folded up and placed under her hand. She expressed 
 her belief that she could do it. He then, placing him¬ 
 self where no one could see his motions, wrote upon 
 a slip of paper the word “ Truth,” and having folded 
 it up, placed it under her hand. After waiting, as 
 
140 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 if in deep thought, for a few minutes, she slowly 
 repeated the letters “ S-r-u-t-h.” “ That is not 
 
 right,” said Mr. W., “ try again.” Again and again 
 the same letters were repeated. On being assured 
 she was wrong, she replied, “ That is the way I read 
 it.” On opening the paper Mr. W. found that by a 
 mistake of his the letter T was written so as to 
 resemble an S. 
 
 M. Charpignon relates in his work the following 
 instances of me d distance :— 
 
 “ One evening there were two somnambulists 
 at my house : in a neighbouring house there was 
 a ball. The musicians had scarcely begun when 
 one of them became agitated; soon afterwards 
 the other also heard the music, and they then 
 understood it was a ball. ‘Would you like to see 
 it ? ’ said I. ‘ Certainly;’ and immediately the 
 two young girls were laughing about the attitudes of 
 the men and the dresses of the ladies. ‘ Look/ said 
 one, ‘ at those two girls in blue dresses, how curiously 
 they dance, and their father, who is figuring with 
 the bride. How wanting in grace is that lady; she 
 complains that her glass of water is not sufficiently 
 sugared: and that little man, what a strange coat he 
 wears.’ Two of the persons present, doubting as to 
 the reality of the vision, went to the ball-room, and 
 were stupefied on seeing the two girls in blue dresses, 
 the little man with the red coat, and the partner of 
 the bride, as they had been signalised by the som¬ 
 nambulist. 
 
 “ This vision, though spontaneous,” the author 
 observes, “ had yet been induced by a sound which 
 had established the physical rapport between the 
 somnambulists and the ball, which is effected by 
 means of the somnambulist’s nervous fluid, which is 
 propelled towards the point to which it is attracted 
 or directed. Thus, on asking those young ladies 
 how they could see at such a distance from the place 
 they were in, they answered, that as soon as 1 pro¬ 
 posed to them to see the ball, a strong light was 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 141 
 
 extended from their eyes to the room, and had ren¬ 
 dered it visible. 
 
 “ On another occasion, one of my somnambulists, 
 when in the crisis, desired to go and see her sister, 
 who was at Blois. She knew the road, and followed 
 it mentally. ‘ Oh !’ she said, ‘ where is M. Jouannot 
 going to ?’ ‘ Where are you ?’ said I. ‘ I am at 
 
 Menny, and I met M. Jouannot in full dress; he is 
 doubtless going to dine at some chateau.’ She then 
 continued her journey. Now, the person thus spon¬ 
 taneously presented to the vision of the somnambulist 
 was a resident of Menny, and being known to some 
 of the persons present, he was written to to ascertain 
 whether he really was walking in the place specified 
 at the time. The reply minutely confirmed all that 
 Mdlle. Celine had said. 
 
 “The perception of this somnambulist had not at 
 once been carried to the place she desired to see, as 
 so often occurs. She had gone over all the interme¬ 
 diate distance from Orleans (the residence of M. 
 Charpignon) to Blois, and had remarked during this 
 journey all that was calculated to attract her attention. 
 
 “ Some persons,” adds M. Charpignon, “ have 
 sought to utilise the faculty of distant vision in order 
 to discover individuals lost or missing (the discovery 
 of the body of an artist by these means occasioned a 
 great sensation), to find hidden treasures, to track 
 unknown criminals, &c. But we do not hesitate to 
 recommend the greatest reserve with respect to this 
 ki n d of experiments, because for one positive and 
 fortunate fact ten trials will be found to be illusory, 
 resulting from the hallucinations of somnambulism. 
 He who blindly trusts to the previsions of somnam¬ 
 bulists prepares for himself cruel deceptions. The 
 mind of the subject may be made to go to a distant 
 place, and it may be known through this medium 
 what is there occurring at the time; but it is requisite 
 that the person en rapport should know the place, or 
 that he should have known it. As respects the 
 ecstatic, he may be (mentally) transported to a place 
 
142 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 unknown to him, and to all those around him. He 
 sees and hears in an exact manner what is going on 
 there, but this vision is spontaneous, and cannot he 
 induced. Sometimes, however, the lucidity of som¬ 
 nambulists is such that similar distant visions take 
 place without any rapport, as in the following in¬ 
 stance : A lady possessed of remarkable lucidity 
 was about to undertake a distant journey, of which 
 she spoke a good deal while in her somnambulic 
 crises. One evening when magnetised, and quietly 
 seated near her husband, she slipped down from the 
 chair, became very pale, and her lips moved in an 
 agitated manner. At the expiration of a few minutes 
 she made some remarks as if we were with her in 
 the places which she passed through. The ecstatic 
 was (mentally) in a steamboat; she spoke with the 
 passengers ; trembled on account of the swiftness of 
 the Rhone as the boat passed beneath the bridge of 
 St. Esprit, and clung to us from apprehension. Then 
 she admired the scenery on the banks, and spoke of 
 the number of people collected at the port where the 
 boat stopped. ‘ It is Lyons/ said she. All of a 
 sudden she began to speak of the meadows; she had 
 arrived at the village to which she was going. She 
 laughed at the women’s hats ; did not understand 
 their language ; she saw sheep in the fields, 
 and fine mountains. She then ceased to speak, be¬ 
 came agitated, and relapsed into the somnambulic 
 state. She had forgotten all. It was an ecstatic vision. 
 
 “ Three months later, on her return from this 
 journey, she repeated to us all the details as they 
 appeared in her vision, of which we had taken note 
 at the time. She had thus seen, at the distance of 
 some hundreds of miles, places of which before her 
 ecstatic fit she only knew the name, without even 
 knowing where they were situated. 
 
 “ Hallucinations are, however, of frequent occur¬ 
 rence in somnambulism, and they sometimes assume 
 so definite a character that enthusiastic observers are 
 apt to take them for real visions.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 143 
 
 The author of a highly-estimated modern work 
 relates the following instance of clairvoyance or 
 second-sight occurring in a dream : “ Captain Youatt, 
 whom the author met in a hotel, came to California 
 as a trapper forty years ago. About six or seven 
 years ago, in a mid-winter’s night, he had a dream 
 in which he saw what appeared to be a company of 
 emigrants arrested by the snow of the mountains, 
 and rapidly perishing of hunger and cold. He noted 
 the very cast of the scenery ; he saw the men cutting 
 olf what appeared to be the tree-tops rising out of 
 the deep gulf of snow; he distinguished the very 
 features of the persons, and their particular look of 
 distress. He awoke profoundly impressed with the 
 distinctness and apparent reality of his dream. At 
 length he fell asleep, and dreamed exactly the same 
 dream again. In the morning he could not expel it 
 from his mind. Falling in shortly after with an old 
 hunter comrade, he told him the story, and was the 
 more deeply impressed by his comrade’s recognising 
 without hesitation the scenery of the dream. The 
 comrade declared that a spot in the Sierra of the 
 Carson Valley Pass answered exactly to his descrip¬ 
 tion. By this the unsophisticated patriarch was 
 decided. He immediately collected a company of men, 
 with mules and blankets, and all necessary provisions. 
 The neighbours were laughing meantime at his cre¬ 
 dulity. The men were sent into the mountains 180 
 miles distant to the Carson Valley Pass, and there they 
 found the company in exactly the condition as seen 
 in the dream, and brought in the remnant alive. 
 
 “ A gentleman present said, ‘You need have no 
 doubt of this, for we Californians all know the facts, 
 and the names' of the families brought in.’ Their 
 names he gave, and the places where they reside, and 
 I found afterwards that the Californian people were 
 ready everywhere to second his testimon)'.”* 
 
 * “ Nature and the Supernatural,” by Horace Bushnell. 
 New York. Fifth Edition. 18(30. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 144 
 
 A gentleman of my acquaintance experienced when 
 a boy a most remarkable clairvoyant dream. He 
 dreamt that under a mossy stone in a particular place 
 there was a spur of a peculiar form, which fitted 
 above the heel, lying upon some white paper. He 
 was so impressed by his dream, that when afterwards 
 on the spot with his school-fellows, they tried to raise 
 the stone, but, being unable, requested some labourers 
 who were passing to do it, and there was found a 
 mediaeval spur on some white sand. 
 
 The following case is related by the author of a 
 work already quoted : “I one day made my som¬ 
 nambulist visit (mentally) Havre. She did not know 
 this town, but had to go there somewhat later. 
 Among the things that struck her, of which she 
 while in Paris gave a detailed account, was a fine 
 American packet that had just arrived in port. 
 The crew, with the exception of the officers, consisted 
 of blacks, which circumstance led her particularly to 
 notice the vessel. I ordered her to observe it well, 
 and to retain a recollection of it. A week afterwards, 
 when we were walking on the quay at Havre, she 
 suddenly exclaimed, ‘ There is a ship I have already 
 seen.’ I endeavoured to persuade her that, not 
 having before been in Havre, she could not have 
 seen it. ‘ I don’t know where I saw it,’ she replied, 
 ‘ but I remember it, and can tell you what there is 
 peculiar about it.’ It was, in fact, the American 
 packet, exactly corresponding to the description she 
 had given, which I had preserved in writing.”* 
 
 Several of the instances of distant vision, thought¬ 
 reading, and prediction recorded in the Old and New 
 Testaments are referrible to the same category as 
 some of those above-quoted, and are Not to be con¬ 
 sidered of the same kind as the inspiration resulting 
 from a special divine agency, by means of which 
 prophets were able to predict important events affect¬ 
 ing the destiny of nations. Thus, we read that 
 
 * Garcin, “ Le Magnetisme Explique par Lui-meme.” 1855. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 145 
 
 Elisha having refused the gifts proffered by Naaman 
 out of gratitude for his cure, Gehazi followed and 
 overtook the Syrian prince when he was some dis¬ 
 tance off. “ And when Naaman saw him running 
 after him, he lighted from his chariot to meet him.” 
 Gehazi, under a specious pretext, having obtained 
 from Naaman money and vestments, on his return 
 went in and stood before his master. “ And Elisha 
 said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi P and 
 he said, Thy servant went no whither. And he 
 said unto him, Went not my heart with thee (in 
 the French version the words are rendered ‘ my 
 spirit there’), when the man turned again to meet 
 thee ? Is this a time to receive money and gar¬ 
 ments ? ” 
 
 When the army of the Syrians at a later period lay 
 in ambush for the Israelites, the king was warned by 
 Elisha, “ Beware that thou pass not such a place, for 
 thither the Syrians be come down. And the king 
 of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told 
 him and warned him of, and saved himself not once 
 nor twice. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria 
 was sore troubled, and he called his servants and said 
 unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for 
 the king of Israel ? And one of his servants said, 
 None, my lord, 0 king! but Elisha the prophet 
 telleth the king of Israel the ivords that thou speakest 
 in thy bed-chamber.” 
 
 Again, on the occasion of the famine in Samaria, 
 “ the king swore that the head of Elisha should not 
 stand on him that day. And Elisha sat in his house, 
 and the elders with him ; but ere the messenger came 
 to him he said to the elders, See ye how this son of 
 a murderer hath sent to take away mine head ; look 
 when the messenger cometh; and while he yet 
 talked with them, behold the messenger came down 
 unto him.”* 
 
 To revert, however, to clairvoyance in more recent 
 * 2 Kings, chapters v. and vi. 
 
 H. 
 
146 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 times. The following corroborative instances are 
 recorded in the “ Memoirs of the Baroness D’Ober- 
 kirch“ At a seance at the Duchesse de Bourbon’s, 
 where M. de Puysegur was the magnetiser, a secre¬ 
 tary of the Spanish embassy placed himself in rap¬ 
 port with the somnambulist, whom he had never 
 before seen. * I see your thoughts,’ said she ; ‘ you 
 are thinking of a woman who is a great way off. I 
 see her sitting in a trellised and gaily-painted cham¬ 
 ber, dressed in a costume I never saw before. Her 
 feet are bare; she wears trousers, and a gauze dress; 
 and her head-dress is of silver and network. She is 
 very beautiful.’ The secretary became pale and agi¬ 
 tated, and exclaimed, ‘ How could she know all 
 that ? Tell me,’ he added, ‘ can you see the woman’s 
 thoughts?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Does she love me?’ ‘She 
 does not.’ ‘ Is she alone ?’ ‘ She is alone now : it is 
 fortunate that you asked me her thoughts, otherwise 
 you might have been destroyed. You have written 
 to this woman?’ ‘I have.’ ‘She received your 
 letter this morning. You were mad to promise to 
 marry her and to go for her in six months, when 
 you will be thirty-four. She is a Jewess.’ 
 
 “ It would be impossible to describe the effect of 
 this announcement on all present. The secretary 
 became paler and paler, and could scarcely restrain 
 his emotions. ‘ Count,’ said M. de Puysegur, ‘ shall 
 she go on ? ’ ‘ Yes, I would rather know all; whom 
 
 does she love ?’ ‘ A man of her own nation—a 
 
 robber.’ We were all overwhelmed with horror. 
 ‘ They expect to make a prisoner of you when you 
 return, and to force you to purchase your liberty by 
 signing some papers; so be on your guard.’ ‘ But I 
 had her instructed and baptized ; she is a Christian.” 
 ‘ She deceived you in that, as in everything else ; she 
 is a Jewess.’ 
 
 “ The count, startled by these communications, 
 caused inquiries to be made, and discovered that all 
 the somnambulist said was quite true, and was greatly 
 struck with this adventure ; but it is not more extra- 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 147 
 
 ordinary than many others that we saw or heard of 
 during the winter. I have full faith in this science, 
 and am extremely anxious for its propagation, which, 
 I think, must tend to increase our faith in a future 
 life.” 
 
 Several interesting and perfectly authenticated 
 cases similar to those above quoted are given in 
 Dr. Gregory’s “ Letters,” and in Dr. Esdaile’s “ Na¬ 
 tural and Mesmeric Clairvoyance” (185'2), and also 
 in the work of Dr. Haddock, who had a remarkably 
 lucid clairvoyante:— 
 
 “ In some instances,” he says, “ there have been 
 most interesting experiments, affording evidence 
 of Emma’s being able to trace a series of events, 
 totally unknown to her in her normal state, 
 back through a series of years. Several times 
 she has been directed to look for persons in dis¬ 
 tant regions of the globe. Whenever she has found 
 them, her statement of time and season invari¬ 
 ably coincided with the latitude and longitude of 
 the places to which she has been directed. 
 
 “ On the 4th August, 1848, a gentleman of Bolton 
 brought a letter written by the wife of a physician in 
 Gloucestershire, who, having heard of the clairvoyant’s 
 power of describing the diseases of distant people 
 merely by touching their handwriting, desired that 
 it should be given to Emma in order to ascertain 
 whether she could discover the condition of the 
 writer. It must be remembered that, as Emma 
 could not read, the subject-matter of the letter was 
 of no consequence. She put it on her head, as she 
 used to do with pictures, and carefully felt it with 
 her right fingers. She then described the lady, even 
 as to a blemish occasioned by an accident—an affec¬ 
 tion of the spine under which she was labouring, 
 the situation and appearance of the place where she 
 resided, and gave many particulars. The accuracy 
 of her description was admitted by the doctor, and 
 subsequently I had an opportunity of personally 
 verifying some of her statements. The envelope of 
 
 h 2 
 
148 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 the letter was directed by the doctor; him she de¬ 
 scribed correctly, both as to his personal character, 
 general pursuits, and literary tendencies. This was 
 an entirely new experiment, and, finding the result 
 so unexpected and striking, it led to many more, 
 some of which were apparently more remarkable. 
 Among others, I may mention the case of a letter, 
 written by a gentleman at Cairo, that was put into 
 her hand. She described him, the condition of his 
 health, and the place where he was residing, together 
 with the climate, and the appearance of the people 
 there, even to the peculiar veil worn by the Egyp¬ 
 tian ladies. The correctness of her statement as to 
 this gentleman’s condition was ascertained from a 
 subsequent letter.” 
 
 A lost cash-box was recovered by means of 
 this somnambulist’s lucid power. “I asked Emma,” 
 adds the writer, “ to tell us, if she could, where 
 the box was taken from, what was in it, and 
 who took it. Presently, she began to talk with an 
 imaginary person, as if present in the room with us; 
 but, as I subsequently found, though imaginary to 
 us, he was both real and visible to her, for she had 
 discovered the thief, and was conversing with his 
 mind about the robbery. She described, in the 
 course of this apparent conversation, and afterwards 
 to us, where the box was placed, what was the 
 general nature of its contents, particularising some 
 documents which it contained, how he took it, that 
 he did not at once take it to his residence, but 
 hid it up an entry; and her description of his 
 person, dress, &c., was so vivid that Mr. W. imme¬ 
 diately recognised the purloiner in a person the 
 least to be suspected. Feeling satisfied, from the 
 general accuracy of her description, and also from 
 her describing the contents of the box, that she had 
 really pointed out the delinquent, Mr. W. went 
 directly to the house where he resided, which she 
 had pointed out even to the letters on the door-plate, 
 and insisted on his accompanying him to his house, 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 149 
 
 or, in case of refusal, to the police-office. When 
 brought and placed in rapport with Emma, she 
 started back as if it had been from a serpent, telling 
 him that he was a bad man, and observing that he 
 had not the same clothes on as when he took the box, 
 which was the fact. He denied strenuously all 
 knowledge of the robbery, then, and up to a late hour 
 in the afternoon ; but as he was not permitted to 
 go at large, and thus had no opportunity of destroy¬ 
 ing or of effectually concealing the box, and as Mr. 
 W. had promised, for the sake of his connexions, 
 not to prosecute if confession was made, and 
 the box, with its contents, recovered, he at last 
 admitted that he had taken it in the manner de¬ 
 scribed by Emma, and it was found in the place 
 where he had secreted it. 
 
 “ In other cases Emma has described articles lost 
 to the parties placed in rapport with her without 
 being asked to do so, or indeed without anything 
 being said respecting them.” 
 
 In another instance, the clairvoyante told the 
 exact sum in gold pieces contained in a missing 
 purse, and said the person who took it became 
 alarmed, and had concealed the purse, from which 
 one piece had been abstracted. The purse was dis¬ 
 covered in the place she described, with one piece of 
 money short. 
 
 Dr. Haddock, after stating this case, remarks : 
 “ That the fear of detection by means of clairvoyance 
 has had an influence on some dishonest persons, I 
 had an opportunity of knowing. On one occasion, a 
 person, a few miles from Bolton, had lost some 
 money, and, from the circumstances of the loss, sus¬ 
 pected that some one in his employ was the thief, 
 but had no clue to any particular individual. He 
 stated his intention of going to Bolton, in order to 
 ascertain the delinquent, and came to me with a 
 note of introduction ; but, for reasons above stated 
 [the not wishing to be mixed up with affairs of the 
 police, and the fear of inculpating innocent persons], 
 
150 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 I did not make the inquiry. Some time afterwards, 
 the gentleman who introduced him told me that, on 
 going home, he found his property restored.”* 
 
 * “ Somnolism and Psychism.” With respect to the per¬ 
 ception of objects through opaque bodies by some somnam¬ 
 bulists, Dr. Haddock remarks that it is by “light,” or an 
 element analogous to light, which they perceive as issuing 
 from the brain, and quite independent of the usual visual 
 organ, the eye. “ I have seen objects correctly pointed out 
 when the eyes have been blindfolded, and also when placed 
 behind the head, and out of the ordinary range of vision. 
 This is by far the most generally useful faculty, as it may be 
 turned to such good account in investigating the seat and 
 causes of disease. The human body seems as if transparent 
 to the truly lucid subject, and I have frequently availed my¬ 
 self of this faculty to discover the nature of obscure disease, 
 using my subject as a living stethoscope to assist my judg¬ 
 ment, just as the astronomer uses his telescope. 
 
 “ I would restrict clairvoyance to the perception of distant 
 objects, or to spiritual matters. Some subjects possess one 
 of these faculties, and not the other ; or one in greater per¬ 
 fection than the other, while others appear to possess both 
 equally.” After stating that on one occasion Emma, when in 
 the kitchen, saw a magnet that was suspended in an upper 
 room, the author further remarks : “ That she possessed the 
 , power of perceiving objects through opaque substances was 
 j sufficiently evident, as she frequently described persons in 
 another room, and said what they were doing, and this would 
 sometimes occur when her attention had not been directed to 
 the. inquiry. The first time I discovered any manifestation of 
 distant clairvoyance in her, was in the case of some near 
 relatives in London. She described minutely the dress and 
 and appearance of those parties, their occupation at a certain 
 time, and other particulars, which were subsequently found 
 to be correct.” 
 
 Dr. Haddock states the following incident as a proof 
 that some influence or current proceeds from her when in 
 the mesmeric state, which is not observable in the normal 
 state : “ One day the cat jumped upon her lap, while she was 
 in the mesmeric state. By her lucidity perceiving the 
 animal, she caressed it by stroking it with her right hand on 
 its head. The cat instantly began to evince signs of fear or 
 pain, and to cry in a peculiar, half-piteous, half-savage tone. 
 She observed it, and said it was because she was warm (her 
 term for being in the mesmeric state), and that the warm (or 
 magnetic) fluid affected its ‘pappy stuff’ (or brain), and 
 would make it mad if she continued. I was much struck 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 151 
 
 Many other instances of lost money and objects 
 recovered by this means are recorded. The following 
 are transcribed from Dr. Macario’s work :— 
 
 “M. de Maupas, residing rue St. George, stated 
 that, for three months, papers containing bank-notes 
 to the amount of 18,000 francs were lost, and all 
 searching had been fruitless. ‘ I then,’ he said, ‘ re¬ 
 collecting the wonderful accounts I had heard of som¬ 
 nambulism, and perceiving in a journal the addresses 
 of two somnambulists, I consulted both ; but neither 
 could even tell me what had brought me to them. Dis¬ 
 gusted with such charlatanry, I gave up all hopes of 
 recovering the money, when one of my friends, not¬ 
 withstanding my repugnance, took me to Mdlle. 
 Clemence. The artlessness of this young girl 
 strongly contrasted with the manners of the persons 
 I had visited. ‘You come here,’ she said, ‘on ac¬ 
 count of some papers which you think have been 
 stolen ? they have only been mislaid. I see them. 
 There are bank-notes (sixteen), but I am not quite 
 sure of the number, of 1,000 francs each. Your 
 servant put them into a drawer without noticing 
 what they were. In that drawer, which is the only 
 one you did not look into, there are two pistols.’ 
 I returned in haste, and there found the notes, her 
 indications being perfectly correct.” 
 
 In the next instance recorded, the celebrated 
 Alexis was the clairvoyant. It occurred to M. Pre- 
 vost, Commissioner of the Mont de Piete, and was 
 by him communicated in August, 1849: “ One of 
 the employes of the establishment disappeared, taking 
 with him a large sum of money. The endeavours of 
 the police to trace him were fruitless, when one of 
 my friends, M. Lieustand, a jurisconsult, without 
 informing me of his project, went to the magnetiser 
 Marcillet. He was was put en rapport with Alexis, 
 who said, ‘ You have come to ask about some money 
 
 with this circumstance, and repeatedly tried it with other 
 cats and kittens.” 
 
152 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 that was stolen from one of your friends by one of 
 his clerks, who has fled. The sum is considerable; 
 it amounts to about 20,000 francs.’ Then reflecting 
 for an instant, he added that the clerk’s name was 
 Dubois; that he saw him at Brussels, at the 
 Hotel des Princes, where he had alighted. M. L. 
 started for Brussels the next evening, and learnt, on 
 arriving, that Dubois had really lodged in that 
 hotel, but that he had left the city a few hours pre¬ 
 viously. M. L. then returned to Paris, and related 
 the circumstance to me. I begged him to take me 
 to Marcillet’s. It seemed to me that Alexis, on 
 being placed in rapport with me, saw Dubois at the 
 gaming table at Spa. He said that he was losing a 
 good deal of money, and that when arrested he 
 would have none left. I set off for Spa the same 
 evening; but during the delay occasioned by the 
 formalities necessary to procure his arrest, Dubois 
 quitted Spa. Thinking he had left the country, I 
 returned to Paris, and again consulted Alexis, who 
 said, ‘ You had too little patience; a few days ago 
 he went to Aix-la-Chapelle ; he has continued play¬ 
 ing, and has lost considerably. I now see that he 
 has returned to Spa, where he will leave on the 
 gaming-table the little he has remaining.’ I then 
 wrote to the authorities at Brussels and Spa, where 
 a few days afterwards Dubois was arrested. As 
 Alexis had stated, he had lost all at play. * 
 
 “ On the 23rd January, 1853, a shepherd of 
 Brion (Cote D’Or) fell into a state of complete som¬ 
 nambulism. During that and the following day, he 
 made such extraordinary revelations as attracted the 
 attention of the whole district, and even of passing 
 strangers. He replied most collectedly to all ques- 
 
 * The diffusion of the knowledge that robberies are likely 
 to be detected by means of clairvoyance has, in some in¬ 
 stances, deterred people from them. A lady who had lost 
 some valuables was requested by her servants to take a lock 
 of the hair of each to a clairvoyante, in order to exculpate 
 themselves. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 153 
 
 tions. To several persons he told their exact age, 
 and the date of their birth, the money they had in 
 their pockets or at home. On various objects being 
 presented to him, he stated the price they had cost, 
 the day on which they were bought, and the names 
 of the vendors. A carpenter questioned him about 
 
 some tools he had lost. He replied, ‘ It is-who 
 
 has stolen them ; he sold them to H., a carpenter at 
 Belan, for so much’ (mentioning the sum). The 
 fact was verified, and the tools were restored to their 
 owner. The Moniteur placard at Brion was found 
 one day to be daubed over with mud. Pastelot, on 
 being consulted, named the man who had done it, 
 adding that he had diluted the mud with some water 
 in a wooden shoe. ‘ Go,’ said he, ‘ to such a garden, 
 and you will there find the sabot and the bit of wood 
 he used for the purpose.’ This proved also to be 
 exact.” 
 
 “ A person asked him about a trinket he had lost. 
 He said, ‘It is a year since you lost it; it is in a 
 mound of earth in such a place.’ The place specified 
 was searched, and the trinket was found there. 
 Another person asked him respecting a lost chain ; 
 he named, the individual who had taken it, and it 
 was restored the same day. A stranger, newly- 
 arrived, asked if he knew his name, whence he came 
 from, and where he was going to, how long since he 
 left home; all which questions he answered cor¬ 
 rectly. A landed proprietor asked him what was 
 going on at his farm. He replied, ‘ Your shepherd is 
 now going into the stable to take the sheep to the 
 fields.’ ‘How many sheep have I?’ ‘Oh, that is 
 easily known; I will count them as they come out;’ 
 and he counted, as if the sheep were present, up to 
 the exact number. These details were afterwards 
 found to be quite correct.” 
 
 “ A young lady, perfectly awake, became on a 
 sudden very agitated, and declared that a misfortune 
 had happened to her father, who had left home in 
 the morning—viz., that he had fallen from his car- 
 
 H 3 
 
154 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 riage. A physician who called in tried to calm 
 her by reasoning on the improbability of any such 
 occurrence. A few hours later, however, her father 
 was brought in with his leg fractured, having been 
 thrown out of the carriage, which was broken to 
 pieces.” 
 
 The late Major Buckley, who took great interest 
 in the subject, magnetised a young lady, who then 
 stated what her mother was doing at the time—viz., 
 buying a dress, the colour of which, together with 
 other details, she specified. On the lady’s coming 
 in shortly afterwards, she was, to her great surprise, 
 informed by the Major where she had been, and the 
 circumstances connected with her purchase. 
 
 Several instances of clairvoyance occurring spon¬ 
 taneously during sleep are given in Dr. Abercrom¬ 
 bie’s work on the “ Intellectual Powers,” which the 
 author did not account for satisfactorily, considering 
 them as dreams, the phenomena of magnetic clair¬ 
 voyance being but little known in Great Britain at 
 the time when that work was published. 
 
 Dr. Briere de Boismont relates the following case 
 in his work “ L’Hallucination:” “ Madlle. C., en¬ 
 dowed with an excellent judgment, and of a religious 
 disposition, resided before her marriage with her 
 uncle, a distinguished physician, and member of the 
 Institute. One night she dreamt that she saw her 
 mother, who was seriously ill at a distance, pale, 
 disfigured, and at the point of death, and that she 
 manifested great distress of mind at not being sur¬ 
 rounded by her children at such a moment. She 
 soon afterwards heard herself called by her baptismal 
 name several times. On a sudden her features be¬ 
 came overspread with the pallor of death, and she 
 sank back, seemingly lifeless, in bed. The next day 
 
 she appeared before Dr -- in a very depressed 
 
 state, and related the details of the dream that had so 
 disturbed her. Pressing her to his heart, he ad¬ 
 mitted that it was but too true, her mother was just 
 dead; but he did not enter into any further explanation. 
 
V 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 155 
 
 Several months afterwards, during her uncle’s ab¬ 
 sence, while putting some of his papers in order, 
 Mdlle. C. found a letter, which had been thrown into 
 a corner, and, to her great surprise, she read in it all 
 the particular circumstances of her dream, which her 
 uncle had passed over in silence, being unwilling to 
 increase her emotion.” 
 
 M. Charpignon records the following cases :— 
 
 “A magistrate’s wife had a femme de chambre, whose 
 health was very delicate. She was magnetised by 
 her mistress in conjunction with her husband, and 
 became clairvoyant. One day, when in somnambul¬ 
 ism, she asked for some old wine ; the husband took 
 a candle, and went to get some from the cellar below 
 ground. The steps being wet, he slipped and fell 
 backward, without, however, being hurt, and even 
 without the light being extinguished. On his return 
 with the wine, he found that his wife had been in¬ 
 formed of his fall, the circumstances having been 
 stated by the clairvoyant just as they happened.” 
 
 “ I know the wife of a cavalry colonel who was 
 magnetised by her husband, and became lucid. In 
 the course of the treatment, being indisposed, he got 
 an officer of his regiment to assist in magnetising 
 her. Some time afterwards he requested his wife, 
 when in the magnetic state, to direct her thoughts 
 towards this officer. ‘ Ah, the unhappy man,’ she 
 
 exclaimed, ‘ I see him; he is at-; he is going to 
 
 kill himself; he takes a pistol—run quickly.’ The 
 place she mentioned was a league distant; a man 
 rode there directly, and, on his arrival, found the 
 suicide had already been perpetrated.” 
 
 The following cases appeared in several of the 
 Paris papers, including Galignani’s Messenger, from 
 which I extracted the account:— 
 
 “ On the 15th June, 1850, Madame D., the 
 wife of a gentleman living at Montmorency, missed 
 the sum of 1,500 francs in bank-notes from the 
 drawer of a table in her bed-room. She recol¬ 
 lected having sent the nurse to get something 
 
156 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 from the drawer a short time previously; but the 
 woman’s reputation was so good that she did not 
 suspect her. At length, at the general request of the 
 servants, she went with her husband to consult a 
 somnambulist, taking with her a lock of hair of each 
 of them. The somnambulist said the money had not 
 been removed from the premises, but was hidden in 
 some water. ‘ The nurse is guilty,’ she added, ‘ but 
 she will not be convicted.’ Some days later, the 
 money was found in the water-butt in the garden, 
 and as, just before, some towels and other objects of 
 trifling value belonging to the mistress had been 
 found in the nurse’s box, she was arrested. After 
 nine months’ imprisonment, she was brought on 
 Saturday before the Court of Assizes at Versailles. 
 She defended herself with much ability, and was ac¬ 
 quitted, upon which she declared her intention of 
 instituting proceedings against the somnambulist for 
 defamation of character. 
 
 “ V. Saucerotte, a somnambulist, was yesterday 
 summoned before the Correctional Police to answer 
 the accusation of swindling, and illegally practising 
 medicine by means of somnambulism. The wife of a 
 resident at Montmorency, having lost two horses 
 which she had lent to two young men to take a ride 
 in the forest, went to Mdme. Saucerotte, to whom 
 she put several questions respecting the horses. To 
 her surprise she exactly described their colour, and 
 said that her husband, accompanied by a friend, hard 
 sought them in a certain part of the forest, which 
 was true. She said, moreover, that one of the horses 
 would be found at the He Adam, and the other in 
 the forest of Montmorency. For this. consultation 
 she received ten francs. It appeared that the noises 
 were found, though not at the lie Adam and in the 
 forest, but at La Chapelle St. Denis, and this falsifi¬ 
 cation of the prediction constituted the alleged act of 
 swindling; but the complainant gave, on cross- 
 examination, the strongest testimony in favour of 
 the accused, by saying that her accurate description 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 >157 
 
 of the colour of the horses, and of the search for 
 them in the forest, had convinced her that she 
 was not an impostor, adding that she had no doubt 
 the horses had actually been taken to lie Adam, and 
 to the spot indicated in the forest, and that she 
 entertained the conviction that if she had continued 
 her questions the somnambulist would ultimately 
 have informed her that they were at La Chapelle. 
 TJpon this testimony the public prosecutor abandoned 
 the charge of swindling. As to the other charge, a 
 witness stated that she had paid the somnambulist for 
 her advice respecting distressing headaches to which 
 she was subject, adding, however, that what she 
 recommended had quite cured her , though she had 
 not been able to obtain any relief from the physicians 
 she had consulted. This witness further stated that 
 before putting confidence in the somnambulist, she 
 determined to put her skill to the test by asking 
 her where was the key of a drawer which had 
 been lost for some time. The accused mentioned 
 a certain place, and the key was actually found 
 there. In consequence of this favourable testi¬ 
 mony the tribunal condemned the somnambulist 
 merely to pay a fine of five francs, and the 
 president recommended her not to give consulta¬ 
 tions in future, without having a physician pre¬ 
 sent.” 
 
 My attention was originally directed to the phe¬ 
 nomena of clairvoyance on perusing the recital of 
 some facts which were recorded in the “ Medical 
 Times ” (1842) respecting a very lucid somnambulist 
 in Paris, magnetised by M. Ricard. I wrote to a friend 
 then in Paris, requesting him to attend some of the 
 seances. Calixte was able, on playing ecarte with 
 his eyes bandaged, to tell correctly the cards held by 
 hi' adversary, and to state correctly two words, c’est 
 incroyuble, written by my friend at a distance, on the 
 paper folded up being presented to him. The same 
 journal also gave detailed accounts of another of M. 
 Ricard’s somnambulists (Virginie), who described 
 
158 * 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 the distant residences or friends of the persons placed 
 en rapport with her. 
 
 On visiting Paris somewhat later, I attended 
 several magnetic seances. I first saw a somnambulist 
 named Julie, of whom I had previously read an ac¬ 
 count in a London journal, with whom I made some 
 trials, which, however, only partially succeeded. 
 Virginie was more successful, having described to 
 the director of an ecclesiastical seminary at Toulouse 
 the leading features of that town, his church and 
 residence, as also the chateau of a landed proprietor 
 with whom she was put en rapport. 
 
 These results were, however, insignificant as com¬ 
 pared with those furnished by a somnambulist whose 
 reputation has since become general, Alexis Didier, 
 magnetised by M. Marcillet (of whom I _ have already 
 spoken), whose lucidity (unless when overworked or 
 surrounded by an atmosphere of scepticism and 
 opposition), was rarely at fault. He played games 
 at ecarte or piquet with any one who offered, while 
 his eyes were padded over and bandaged (the adverse 
 parties bringing, if they choose, their own cards in 
 the stamped government envelope), and could not 
 only tell the cards in his opponent’s hand, but also 
 the cards dealt to him before taking them up from 
 the table. On one occasion a lady dealt him four 
 cards ; he said, without touching them, “ It would 
 be useless for me to play, they are only spades and 
 diamonds.” I turned up the cards, which were two 
 spades and two diamonds. In the same seance he 
 read, some words from a newspaper which I brought 
 with me, and at the request of a lady described her 
 father, who was then at Abbeville, as also the resi¬ 
 dence of a physician present, stating correctly among 
 other things that there was a skeleton in his ante¬ 
 room. 
 
 While describing the sitting-room, his attention 
 became concentrated upon a portrait. Placing him¬ 
 self in the attitude of the person represented, who, 
 he said, was likewise a physician, his name being 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 159 
 
 painted below—the portrait was really that of a 
 physician, and there was also a name below, but it 
 was that of the painter—for some time he could 
 not make out what was depicted in the hand of the 
 figure, saying it was something round, like a skull. 
 “ Oh \” he said at length, “ he has something round 
 in his left hand, and something long in his right.” 
 The interrogator then said the person represented 
 held in his left hand a heart, to which he pointed 
 with an instrument in his right hand. 
 
 This was mainly referrible to thought-reading, but 
 besides his being able to name cards which no one 
 present knew beforehand, Alexis gave proof of the 
 power of special clairvoyance. Having described, 
 
 for instance, the sitting-room of M-, he concluded 
 
 by saying, of his own accord, that there was upon the 
 table a rosewood box, the shape, &c., of which he 
 described. The gentleman en rapport admitted that 
 he had such a box, which, however, he said was not 
 on the table, but in a cupboard. The somnambulist 
 nevertheless persisted in his assertion, and on return¬ 
 ing home he, to his surprise, actually found the box 
 upon the table. He then ascertained that during his 
 absence his servant, wanting to get something that 
 was behind the box from the cupboard, had removed 
 it and had forgotten to replace it. 
 
 Alexis also described my room in the hotel, and 
 stated that there was something white on the night- 
 table close to the bed, which I denied, believing 
 there was nothing of the kind ; but on my return I 
 found a large piece of the white bed-curtain covering 
 the top of the night-table. 
 
 On another occasion he described minutely the 
 particulars of my apartment in London, even to two 
 engravings (representing the story of Mazeppa). He 
 moreover stated that on the commode (chest of 
 drawers) in the bedroom he saw a quantity of books. 
 I replied that I had a good many books, but not in 
 that room. He, however, persisted. On my return 
 I found everything as I had left it, but the next day 
 
100 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 the landlady apprised me that advantage had been 
 taken of my absence to have the place cleaned and 
 put to rights, mentioning that the various objects 
 had been put into cupboards or drawers, and that the 
 books were removed from the sitting-room while 
 it was being cleaned, and placed on the drawers in 
 the bedroom. 
 
 M. Charpignon records the following instance of 
 this somnambulist’s lucidity : “ M. Esquiros, a well- 
 known literary gentleman, placed a folded paper in 
 the hand of Alexis, who said, ‘ It is the handwriting 
 of M. Lacordaire.’ ‘ No.’ ‘ Oh ! it is that of M. de 
 Lamenais.’ ‘ Yes.’ ‘ And also some of yours.’ ‘ No.’ 
 ‘ Oh, par exemple,’ said Alexis to M. Alexandre 
 Dumas, ‘ see, there is evidently the signature of M. 
 Esquiros.’ The paper was unfolded ; it was a pass 
 granted to M. Lamenais, and countersigned by 
 Esquiros, who had forgotten the circumstance.” 
 
 On the invitation of several persons who were 
 desirous to ascertain the truth of a matter so 
 much contested, Alexis and his magnetiser sub¬ 
 sequently visited Brighton, and for nearly three 
 weeks were giving private seances at the houses 
 of several residents and visitors, two, and occa¬ 
 sionally three times a-day, in the presence of a 
 company more or less numerous, several of whom 
 came prepared with tests of various kinds to prove 
 the somnambulist’s lucidity. I attended most of 
 these seances, and took notes of the proceedings, which 
 were published in a report.* Alexis was very lucid 
 on these occasions, except when his powers became 
 exhausted ; he would then desire M. Marcillet to 
 awaken him, saying he could do no more, or when 
 placed en rapport with a person expressing scep¬ 
 ticism of, or hostility to, his lucidity. An avowed 
 opponent boasted that he would bring a test which 
 he was sure the somnambulist would not be able to 
 make out; and accordingly, at a subsequent seance, 
 
 * This is reproduced in the Appendix. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 161 
 
 after several tests had been satisfactorily answered, 
 he produced a brown paper packet, jeering and defj r - 
 ing the somnambulist to describe its contents. 
 Alexis, on taking his hand, said, “ I can do nothing 
 with you ; there is no rapport between us.” The 
 gentleman said he was sure beforehand that he would 
 not be able to state what the parcel contained. 
 “ But,” added Alexis, “ if you give it to any one else 
 who is not so biassed against magnetism, perhaps I 
 shall be able to make it out.” The packet was 
 accordingly transferred to a lady, who placed herself 
 en rapport. Alexis then said, “ Oh, I shall get on 
 better with you; the packet contains a Genevese 
 box ; on touching a spring a bird jumps out from 
 the lid and sings an air.” The packet was then un¬ 
 folded, and the bird warbled its air on the table. 
 
 At that time the public mind was a good deal 
 occupied about a murder committed in Norfolk under 
 aggravated circumstances, for which the murderer 
 (Bush) was subsequently executed. During the pro¬ 
 ceedings of the inquest, the coroner for the district 
 was advised anonymously to avail himself of the 
 agency of clairvoyance, in order to discover a missing 
 weapon with which it was supposed the deed had 
 been perpetrated. Accordingly he wrote in rather a 
 jeering style to Brighton, saying that such a sugges¬ 
 tion had been made; that he had no faith in clair¬ 
 voyance ; but if Alexis could tell him the contents 
 of a tin box in his office, he should think more 
 favourably of it. At the next seance, after several 
 tests had been responded to, the letter was put into 
 the hand of Alexis, who was asked if he could de¬ 
 scribe where it came from and the contents of the 
 box. He complained of being fatigued; nevertheless 
 he gave some details of the matter in question, stating 
 that the writer’s room looked out on a courtyard 
 planted with trees; that there was a table on the 
 left of the door covered with papers, and another 
 table between the windows, beneath which was a tin 
 box. On being pressed to name the contents, he said 
 
162 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 he was tired and could see no more, except that there 
 was some flannel and some blue cloth. This state¬ 
 ment was forwarded to the coroner, with the intima¬ 
 tion that a letter which he had only touched for a 
 few minutes was not the best means of establishing 
 the rapport from a distance ; but that if he sent some 
 of his hair, or something he was in the habit of wear¬ 
 ing, some more definite account would perhaps be 
 obtained. He replied in a more serious tone, remark¬ 
 ing that the description was accurate in all essential 
 respects, and that the box contained a south-wester 
 lined with flannel, as also a bat of blue cloth. On 
 this reply being given to Alexis at a subsequent 
 seance, he observed, “ Oh, this comes from the place 
 where the murder was committed. I now see there 
 is in the box a paletot and a hat with a broad flop¬ 
 ping brim.” He also stated some further particulars 
 respecting the writer. 
 
 The exhibitions of clairvoyance have often been 
 likened by sceptics to the tricks of conjurors. The 
 best reply to any such supposition is furnished by 
 the result of two seances given by Alexis to M. 
 Robert Houdin, the most celebrated prestidigitator 
 of the day, who went accompanied by the Marquis 
 de Mirville.* M. Houdin expressed his astonish¬ 
 ment at the result, and certified in writing that what 
 he then witnessed bore no reference to his art. “ I 
 cannot help declaring,” he said, “ that the facts here 
 reported are perfectly exact, and that the more I 
 reflect upon them the more impossible do I find it to 
 class them with those which constitute the object of 
 my art.” (May 10, 1849.) 
 
 “ At the second seance I witnessed still more sur¬ 
 prising events than at the first, and they no longer 
 leave any doubt in my mind respecting the lucidity 
 of Alexis. I tear off the envelope of a pack of cards 
 I brought with me. I shuffle and deal with every 
 
 * Author of the remarkable work, “ Des Esprits et de 
 leurs Manifestations Fluidiques. ” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 163 
 
 precaution, which, however, is useless, for Alexis 
 stopped me by naming a card which I had just 
 placed before him upon the table. ‘ I have the 
 king,’ said he. ‘ But you know nothing about it, 
 as the trump card is not turned up.’ ‘ You will see,’ 
 he replied ; ‘ go on.’ In fact, I turned up the eight of 
 spades, and his card was the king of spades. The game 
 was continued ; he told me the cards which I should 
 play, though my cards were held closely in my hands 
 beneath the table. To each of the cards which I played 
 he followed suit, without turning up his cards, which 
 were always perfectly in accordance with those I led. 
 I therefore returned from this seance as astonished as 
 one can be, and I am convinced that it is quite im¬ 
 possible that chance, or any superior skill, could 
 could produce such wonderful results.” (May 16.) 
 
 During his sojourn at Brighton, Alexis gave nu¬ 
 merous proofs of his extraordinary clairvoyant and 
 perspective power as regarded his being able to desig¬ 
 nate cards while with their faces to the table, to read 
 lines from any book opened at random, the opened 
 page being placed on his forehead, on the top or 
 b ack of his head. He was frequently requested by 
 one or other of the company assembled at the seances 
 to read some words or lines at ten, fifteen, or any 
 stated number of pages further on than where the 
 book was opened. He then took a pen or pencil, 
 drew a line at some part of the page, saying that the 
 words which he wrote down would be found at the 
 corresponding level of the page indicated, and he 
 was seldom wrong as to the words, though he was 
 not unfrequently so as to the precise number of 
 pages; the words, though on the same level, being 
 sometimes found a page or two nearer or further off 
 than that specified. On one occasion the trial was 
 made with a book, the leaves of which were uncut, 
 and which had to be cut open to ascertain the accord¬ 
 ance of the printed words with those which the 
 clairvoyant had written. 
 
 Several years have elapsed since, and Alexis has 
 
1C4 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 continued to give manifestations of his lucidity, being 
 daily subjected to tests of various kinds, and con¬ 
 sulted respecting the recovery of lost or stolen objects, 
 as also respecting the diagnosis of diseases, until he 
 adopted t he vocat ion of a comedian. 
 
 The objection has been made to animal magnetism 
 in general, and to clairvoyance in particular, that, 
 even admitting the facts as proved, it should be 
 discouraged, because the practice is liable to be 
 abused; but where are we to find any unmixed 
 good P The same objection might with equal reason 
 be urged against any of the powerful agents of nature 
 or art that we are in the habit of employing, as fire, 
 galvanism, opium, &c. There appears to me little 
 ground for apprehending bad results from the em¬ 
 ployment of this extraordinary power when it becomes 
 better understood and is under proper superintend¬ 
 ence. A just appreciation of the phenomena we have 
 been considering will, I think, render superfluous 
 any refutation of another objection that has been 
 raised against them, on the score of their being opposed 
 to the interests of religion. Similar arguments have 
 at various times been brought forward with a 
 view to impede, at their outset, the promulgation of 
 important discoveries, and the progress of philoso¬ 
 phical investigations that were supposed to have this 
 tendency, although the invalidity of such a supposi¬ 
 tion has always become apparent in proportion as the 
 truths these inquiries involved became more generally 
 admitted. 
 
 As respects the phenomena of lucid somnambulism, 
 a slight degree of consideration will suffice to show 
 that their verification, by subverting the doctrines 
 of materialism, must greatly tend to diminish the 
 prevailing amount of scepticism as regards spiritual 
 and religious beliefs, and there is great reason to 
 conclude that it has produced this result to a con¬ 
 siderable extent among the public, and members of 
 the scientific and medical world. 
 
 Many years ago, when materialistic opinions were 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 165 
 
 more general among the population of France than 
 at present, the distinguished physiologist Georget 
 caused a passage to be inserted in his will to this 
 effect: “ In 1821 I openly professed the doctrines of 
 materialism in my work on the nervous system, 
 which had scarcely appeared, when repeated medita¬ 
 tions on the very extraordinary phenomena of lucid 
 somnambulism no longer allowed me to entertain 
 any doubts of the existence, within us and external 
 to us, of an intelligent principle (in a word, of the 
 soul and God) altogether distinct from the material 
 organization. On this point I have a profound con¬ 
 viction, founded upon facts which I believe to be 
 incontrovertible. This declaration will not see the 
 light till a period when its truth cannot be doubted, 
 nor mv sincerity suspected ; and as I cannot publish 
 it myself, I request those who read it on the opening 
 of my will to give it all possible publicity.” 
 
 The most valid explanation of the phenomena of 
 clairvoyance appears to me to be that which has 
 been given by more than one distinguished writer— 
 viz., that under these exceptional circumstances the 
 soul may partially enfranchise itself from the fetters 
 of the material organisation by which, in the ordi¬ 
 nary normal state, its sphere of action is circumscribed. 
 Mr. Colquhoun quotes on this head the following 
 passage from the second edition of Dr. Passavant’s 
 work : “ Any one who has frequent opportunities of 
 carefully investigating the phenomena of animal 
 magnetism, must have had the conviction forced 
 upon him that they bear the most intimate relation 
 to the powers of the human soul; and that an indi¬ 
 vidual in the state of magnetic ecstasy, being enabled 
 to foresee future events with precision, and distinctly 
 to recognise distant objects, manifestly affords posi¬ 
 tive evidence of the immaterial nature of the soul, 
 which even in this life is sometimes emancipated from 
 the material organization.” 
 
 “ Distant vision, when clearly disengaged from 
 thought-reading,” says M. Charpignon, “is not 
 
1G6 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 explicable on the principle of an extension of organic 
 sympathy. In many distant visions, the exactness of 
 which I have verified, we do not find the necessary 
 elements for a solution of the problem in the suppo¬ 
 sition of a physical rapport between the nervous sys¬ 
 tem of the subject and the distant object, which, not 
 creating for itself a centre of action, can make no 
 impression on the somnambulist. On the contrary, 
 it is the somnambulist who acts alone, without im¬ 
 pulsion from without, and by the mere desire of 
 knowing by means of the peculiar faculty which he 
 possesses. 
 
 “ The part the soul takes in producing magnetic 
 phenomena at a distance appears to be immense. If 
 the magnetic fluid, and the physiological conditions 
 be partly instrumental, it is not the less evident that 
 the psychical agency predominates in producing the 
 result. Your somnambulist is far away from you, 
 and on your willing that he should be in the som¬ 
 nambulic crisis, the sleep comes on, and he becomes 
 lucid. You will that he advance towards yon, and in 
 the midst of any occupation in which he may be en¬ 
 gaged, he is seized with a peculiar uneasiness, and is 
 impelled to go and seek you. This idea, at first 
 vague, acquires strength, and becoming at length 
 importunate, he is forced to yield to it.” 
 
 “ In the experiments of an incipient and maltreated 
 science,” says an esteemed Transatlantic writer, “ we 
 have, perhaps, a glimpse of the manner in which the 
 soul will act in the future spiritual body; for if these 
 be not all delusion (and how can we reasonably infer 
 that experiments so multiplied, so various, and in 
 many cases—when not in the hands of itinerant jug¬ 
 glers—so fairly performed), I say, how can we 
 regard these as mere trickery ? and, if not, they are 
 best explained by supposing the soul to act indepen¬ 
 dently of the bodily organs, and through the same 
 medium which we have supposed to constitute the 
 future spiritual body. In this view mesmerism as¬ 
 sumes a most interesting aspect, forming, as it were, 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 107 
 
 a link between the present and the future world. A 
 similar view was presented several years earlier in a 
 work by Isaac Taylor, no less ingenious and profound 
 than that most classical, philosophical, and attractive 
 work, Townsend’s ‘ Facts in Mesmerism’—‘ The Phy¬ 
 sical Theory of another Life ’—a work, however, which 
 makes not the slightest allusion to mesmerism. The 
 author supposes such a state of things as I have 
 imagined in another life to be in existence even 
 now. 
 
 “ Is there not evidence that mind sometimes acts 
 directly upon other minds without any gross inter¬ 
 vening media ? There are certain facts in the history 
 of individuals in an abnormal state which show that 
 one mind acts upon another independently of the 
 senses, or of any other material means of intercom¬ 
 munication discernible by the senses. Do not the 
 details of sleepwaking and somnambulism present us 
 with numerous cases in which impressions are made 
 by one mind upon another, even when separated 
 beyond the sphere of the senses ? Take the facts 
 respecting double consciousness, and those where the 
 power is possessed of reading the thoughts of others, 
 or the facts relating to prevision, and surely they 
 cannot be explained but by the supposition of that 
 direct influence of one mind upon another.”* 
 
 I proceed now to the consideration of the mani¬ 
 festations of lucidity as respects the diagnosis of 
 diseases, and prevision, as evidenced in magnetic 
 somnambulists, and likewise under other conditions 
 of the system. 
 
 Hitchcock’s “Religion of Geology. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Clairvoyant Intuition as respects Diagnosis—Means of 
 Intermediate Hafport Employed by Distant Persons— 
 Illustrative Instances. 
 
 In the second volume of the “ Pathologie ” of 
 Joseph Frank, this eminent physician and teacher 
 observes, with reference to the power of diagnosis 
 possessed by some somnambulists : “ After a strict 
 experimental examination undertaken for physio- 
 logieo-pathological purposes, I have convinced myself 
 that by means of animal magnetism a state may be 
 produced in which the magnetised persons can answer 
 questions proposed to them by others, giving an 
 exact account of their health. They can announce 
 changes that will occur, and designate suitable 
 remedies. Most frequently the event confirms what 
 they had stated.” 
 
 This faculty was observed in the early days of 
 magnetic somnambulism, as we learn from a recent 
 writer, who says : “ Among the magnetised subjects 
 of M. de Puysegur, a certain number fell into a state 
 of crisis, and possessed the surprising faculty, on 
 touching a patient, of discerning the affected organ, 
 or the suffering part. They also indicated suitable 
 remedies. M. Cloquet, who records this fact, adds: 
 “ I caused myself to be touched by one of these 
 magnetic physicians. Her hands, after having felt 
 me all over, rested on my head, where she told me I 
 frequently suffered, and also that I was habitually 
 subject to ringing in the ears, which statements were 
 true. A young man, who witnessed the experiment, 
 desired to undergo the trial. She told him that he 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 1G9 
 
 suffered from stomach disorder, and that he had en¬ 
 largement of some of the abdominal viscera, ever 
 since the attack of a disease of which he still felt the 
 effects; which statement he admitted was true, but 
 not being sufficiently satisfied, he caused himself to 
 be touched by another, who repeated to him the same 
 statement. I never saw any one so astonished as this 
 young man, who came to jest, but went away con¬ 
 vinced.”* 
 
 The intuition, by means of which somnambulists 
 can designate abnormal alterations in internal or¬ 
 gans, the symptoms and peculiarities of various 
 obscure morbid conditions, as also can often suggest 
 appropriate means of relief, is a fact as well authen¬ 
 ticated as the other manifestations of lucid somnam¬ 
 bulism, by the testimony of the Academic Com¬ 
 missioners, who were enabled to observe this pheno¬ 
 menon in three cases, as also by the concurrent 
 testimony of many physicians of high reputation, 
 and of numerous non-medical persons who have 
 profited by or witnessed good effects from the exer¬ 
 cise of this power.t That there have been mauy 
 
 * Debay, “ Les Mysteres du Magnetisme Animal.” 
 f The following are the conclusions of the Report respect¬ 
 ing this order of phenomena : “ It results from these observa¬ 
 tions—1st. That Mdlle. C. described the diseases of three 
 persons with whom she was put en rapport. 2ndly. That 
 the declaration of one, the examination of another, after the 
 operation of tapping three times performed, and the post¬ 
 mortem examination of the third corresponded with what 
 the somnambulist had announced. 3rdly. That the various 
 means of treatment which she prescribed were not beyond 
 the circle of remedies which she might know, nor the order 
 of things which she might reasonably recommend. 4thly. 
 That she applied them with a kind of discernment.” 
 
 The writer who treated of this part of the subject in “ The 
 Occult Sciences,” extracted from the “ Encyclopaedia Metro- 
 politana,” published several years ago, remarked : “There 
 has been a large accumulation of experience since this report 
 was published ; the power of diagnosis possessed by some 
 somnambulists is now an established fact, and has been tried 
 by tests which could hardly have failed to detect imposture. 
 
 I 
 
17G 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 imperfectly lucid somnambulists who are often at 
 fault, and consequently have disappointed the expec¬ 
 tations of those who applied to them, and also that 
 there has been much deception on this score, may 
 well be admitted ; but these instances do not disprove 
 the existence of the power : they only show the ne¬ 
 cessity of caution, and of its being placed under 
 proper medical supervision, especially as respects 
 the application of remedies which, though some¬ 
 times efficient, are, on the other hand, not unfre- 
 quently such as would not be likely to be of advan¬ 
 tage. “ Somnambulists,” says M. Charpignon, when 
 asked about their own health, “ do not always sug¬ 
 gest the best means of cure, because they do not always 
 attain to the requisite degree of lucidity. When the 
 lucidity is applied to another subject, as also when a 
 lock of hair constitutes the medium of rapport, its 
 results are often without correlation to the disease, 
 and are not always applicable to it. Again, a som¬ 
 nambulist who may have afforded convincing proof 
 of sympathetic relation being established with the 
 consulting party, and of possessing medical instinct 
 (as respects the adaptation of remedies), has not at 
 all times the same degree of lucidity. 
 
 “ Out of ten consulting somnambulists, there may 
 be not more than one who really possesses the requi¬ 
 site faculty ; the others may merely reason, but they 
 have not the instinctive sense as regards the use of 
 remedies. The worthlessness and absurdity of the 
 therapeutics of some somnambulists have frequently 
 struck scientific men, who were desirous of ascer¬ 
 taining the truth respecting this faculty. The 
 faculty assuredly exists, and may produce surprising 
 results ; but in order to convince oneself of its exist¬ 
 ence, and to employ it without detriment, it should 
 
 Still, care is necessary to prevent deception, as tlie tempta¬ 
 tion is often great, and the means facile. It should be re¬ 
 marked also that the faculty of diagnosis may or may not be 
 accompanied with the perception of means of cure, or know¬ 
 ledge of medicine.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 171 
 
 be developed by an experienced magnetiser, who is 
 able to select from a number of subjects one who 
 really possesses it. Physicians are at first too sus¬ 
 picious—they prevent its manifestation in really 
 good subjects, and an inexperienced magnetiser is 
 too credulous—he accepts all. Somnambulists who 
 can be relied upon for a length of time, and for the 
 diagnosis of the diseases of many patients, are rare ; 
 but even those of inferior lucidity may certainly ren¬ 
 der useful service to one who knows how to distin¬ 
 guish, and to direct into its proper channel, their 
 special kind of lucidity. Thus, one somnambulist 
 may be able to see very clearly the organic state of 
 a patient, and may nevertheless recommend reme¬ 
 dies that are useless as regards promoting the cure 
 of the diseases, whereas another may specify suitable 
 remedies without being able to see the organism.” 
 
 M. Charpignon adduces several instances where 
 somnambulists gave a correct diagnosis of the dis¬ 
 eases, and prescribed remedies for themselves and 
 others. In some of these cases a lock of hair served 
 to establish the rapport with a distant patient. Ad¬ 
 verting more especially to one subject, the author 
 observes: “ This somnambulist, though remarkably 
 lucid, was not infallible in her predictions. Thus, 
 M. C., a gentleman of great intelligence, consulted 
 her respecting his father, who was suffering from a 
 cancer of the stomach, the rapport being established 
 by means of a lock of his hair. The vision of the 
 patient and the diagnosis given by the somnambu¬ 
 list had been wonderfully precise, and the very 
 rational treatment she recommended would, accord¬ 
 ing to her statement, prolong the patient’s life, which 
 was only so far exact that he survived but a few 
 weeks. 
 
 “ Madame de R. sent a lock of her hair, which I 
 gave to a somnambulist, and in a few minutes sym¬ 
 pathy without vision was established between the 
 parties. ‘ The lady,’ said she, ‘ has shiverings in 
 her limbs, a violent pain in the right side, and a 
 
 i 2 
 
172 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 feeling as if the liver were swollen. She also expe¬ 
 riences a sense of constriction at the stomach ; she 
 has a short cough, and she cannot sleep at night.’ 
 She added that the whole system of the patient was 
 too seriously affected for her to recover ; but in order 
 to give her some relief, it was necessary to diminish 
 the engorgement of the liver, and to calm the con¬ 
 striction at the stomach; as respected the cough it 
 was only secondary. 
 
 “ The reply of Madame de It. confirmed all that 
 the somnambulist had said. 
 
 “ I received from Bourges a letter containing some 
 hair, cut in such a way as to make it impossible to 
 say whether it was a man’s or a woman’s. When it 
 was placed in the somnambulist’s hands, she said, 
 
 ‘ The patient suffers from pain in the head, affecting 
 the sight; the belly is likewise painful, the bowels 
 being inflamed on one side.’ She stated moreover 
 that the patient felt a particular uneasiness in all 
 her limbs, and that she was a young girl about 
 twelve years of age. She prescribed the application 
 of leeches behind the ears, cataplasms of linseed-meal 
 and hemlock to the abdomen, emollient baths and 
 lavements, and tisane of chicory and mallows. 
 
 “ This consultation was given to persons unknown 
 to me, and I was ignorant of the result during six 
 months, at the expiration of which period a lady 
 came to consult us about her daughter, who, she 
 informed me, was the patient we had so well treated 
 when afar off; the statements of the somnambulist 
 having been very exact, and her recommendations 
 very beneficial. There still remained, however, the 
 particular uneasy sensations in the limbs, the nature 
 of which the somnambulist had not been able to 
 define, but which were referred to nervousness.” 
 
 A somnambulist of Dr. de Seze, a magnetiser, 
 appears to have possessed a high degree of lucidity as 
 respects the diagnosis of disease, and the indication 
 of remedies. This author has recorded thirty-five 
 cases exemplifying the accuracy of her diagnosis. I 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 173 
 
 subjoin, one of these cases: M. D. de P., set. 60, 
 director of one of the Government administrations in 
 Paris, sent for me to come with Mdlle. de Fontaine 
 to his house. The rapport being established, the 
 somnambulist stated that he suffered from articular 
 rheumatic neuralgia, affecting the joints of the 
 limbs and the spine. She said that there was con¬ 
 siderable edematous swelling of the joints, especially 
 of the left hand, the knees, and feet, and that the 
 disease began fifteen years previously ; that during 
 twelve years the patient had experienced great in¬ 
 convenience in his left shoulder; that for the last 
 six months he had been unable to walk, and had also 
 lost the use of his hands, so as to be unable to sign 
 his name. She stated, moreover, that the brain was 
 not diseased, but was only affected by the con¬ 
 tinuance of the pain, and the almost total want of 
 sleep. She added that he had no appetite, the 
 amount of food taken being next to nothing, and that 
 assimilation had been very imperfect for a long time. 
 The other organs appeared to her to be healthy, and 
 only suffering from the extreme general debility. 
 
 The somnambulist ascribed all these symptoms to 
 a general poorness of the blood, which had increased 
 to an extreme degree. She blamed the treatment to 
 which the patient had been subjected, and attributed 
 the aggravation of the complaint during the last six 
 months to the use of too prolonged baths. She pro¬ 
 mised to arrest its progress in two months, to give 
 the patient some relief in the meantime, and to effect 
 a complete cure within a year. She then prescribed 
 a course of treatment quite the opposite to that which 
 had been pursued. 
 
 “ The patient was much surprised at the exactness 
 with which Mdlle. de Fontaine had described all the 
 symptoms, and had specified the precise period of the 
 invasion of his disease. He was particularly aston¬ 
 ished that she had stated the cause of his aggravated 
 symptoms ; for, in fact, it was after his return from 
 JNeris, where he had been to take the baths, by the 
 
1 74 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 advice of liis physician, that he had become so much 
 worse. 
 
 “ Before leaving, I inquired of the family what 
 was the opinion of the physician who had been in 
 attendance. I was told that he, as well as some of 
 the first medical authorities of Paris, considered that 
 there was serious lesion of the spinal cord, compli¬ 
 cated with gout, and that the patient’s death was to 
 be expected, as he had arrived at the last stage of 
 emaciation. 
 
 “ The treatment recommended was followed out 
 with increasing confidence on the part of the patient, 
 and with admirable precision by Mdme. D. All 
 the previsions of the somnambulist respecting the 
 different phases of the disease were realised in the 
 most precise manner; the promised amelioration 
 took place at the expiration of the two months, and 
 continued in a progressive manner until the time 
 predicted for the cure, which has since remained 
 perfect, and M. D. now walks without the assistance 
 of either crutches or stick. The treatment, which 
 was commenced on the 22nd November, 1852, ter¬ 
 minated in the course of December, 1853.”* 
 
 One of the best attested cures effected by this 
 means in Germany, many years ago, is that of Dr. 
 Wetzlar, a physician of reputation, known by his 
 works on mineral waters, which was related by him¬ 
 self in a pamphlet published at the time.f 
 
 The somnambulist in this instance was a patient 
 in the hospital at Augsburg, from whose recom¬ 
 mendations several persons had derived advantage, 
 among others a young lady who had for five months 
 suffered from a painful sciatica, which obliged her to 
 keep her bed. Hearing of the beneficial results pro¬ 
 duced by following her advice, Dr. Wetzlar enter- 
 
 * “Application du Somnambulisme Magnetique au Diag¬ 
 nostic et au Traitement des Maladies.” Paris, 1855. 
 
 f “ Meine Wunderbare Heilung,” &c. Second Edition. 
 Augsburg, 1843. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 175 
 
 tained hopes of effecting the cure of his long-standing 
 complaint through her instrumentality. Dr. Horger, 
 the director of the hospital, being convinced that the 
 somnambulist was actually endowed with a high 
 degree of lucidity, allowed the above-mentioned lady, 
 on whom he attended, to put herself en rapport with 
 her. The result was most favourable, for the patient 
 recovered completely by following the somnambulist’s 
 advice. Dr. Wetzlar’s malady was of several years’ 
 duration ; the somnambulist immediately pointed out 
 its nature (weakness of the cutaneous functions, with 
 a tendency to take cold on slight occasions), and gave 
 minute directions for the preparation of a kind of 
 camphor-soap, which he was directed to apply all 
 over the body, and to remove it, not with water, but 
 with a dry towel. This remedy speedily produced a 
 cure, and it was consequently in great request by 
 other persons afflicted with chronic cutaneous com¬ 
 plaints. 
 
 A case occupied the attention of two tribunals in 
 France several years ago concerning the exercise of 
 this faculty. A resident of Bordeaux having for a 
 long time suffered from an intractable disease, some 
 of his friends recommended him to have recourse to 
 the somnambulist Yirginie, already mentioned. As 
 he could not undertake the journey to Paris, M. 
 Pticard, the magnetiser, proposed that the rapport 
 should be established by means of a lock of his hair, 
 which was sent accordingly. Yirginie, from this 
 clue, described the symptoms of the disease, and the 
 remedies recommended by her produced a cure, for 
 which the patient and his friends warmly expressed 
 their gratitude. At the instigation, however, of one 
 or more of the local physicians, proceedings were 
 instituted against the magnetiser and somnambulist 
 for practising medicine illegally, and they were 
 condemned to certain penalties ; but an appeal made 
 by them to the Court of Cassation at Paris procured 
 a reversal of the decree of the provincial tribunal, 
 on the grounds that the mere recommendation of 
 
176 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 remedies, under similar circumstances, could not be 
 considered as an infringement of the statute. 
 
 The following case was communicated several years 
 ago to the “ Zoist,” by Mr. Brindlay, who, after 
 stating some instances of the subject’s clairvoyant 
 power, proceeds to add : “ Several persons affected 
 with different diseases were then placed in rapport 
 with the somnambulist, who described the disease 
 from which each person suffered with minute exact¬ 
 ness, to the great astonishment of the patients, who 
 were strangers to her. She prescribed for some, and 
 those who followed her advice derived great advan¬ 
 tage from it.”* 
 
 Dr. Gregory remarks on this part of the subject:— 
 
 “ Another faculty which the somnambulist pos¬ 
 sesses is that of seeing the interior of his own body, 
 and of detecting there any existing disorder or disease. 
 In fact, he does this very easily, and his diagnosis is 
 confirmed by that of the physician who attends him 
 when he suffers from any complaint. The clair¬ 
 voyant likewise possesses in some instances the same 
 power with reference to the bodies of individuals 
 placed en rapport with him. He describes the in¬ 
 ternal conformation and its derangement, and I have 
 good reason to believe that in some cases, where the 
 nature of the disease is obscure, his diagnosis has 
 
 * At a subsequent period several objects were placed behind 
 this somnambulist’s head, and she immediately named them, 
 asking, with much naivete , why I asked if she could see them. 
 Some of the persons present descended to a room beneath 
 the one where we were, and the somnambulist was asked if 
 she could see them, who they were, and what they were 
 doing. “Yes,” she replied, “I see them.” She then gave 
 their names, and said that one of them was giving his cap 
 to another, and that a third person held a shoe in his hand, 
 which was perfectly true. She was next asked who there 
 was in Mr. H.’s drawing-room. She replied, “ Two ladies— 
 Mrs. H. and an elderly lady.” “ That cannot be,” said Mr. 
 H., “ for 1 left my wife alone.” “Be assured,” I said, “that 
 she is right ; send some one to see.” A messenger was ac¬ 
 cordingly sent, who returned to confirm what Serena had 
 said. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 177 
 
 been found exact. The clairvoyant who possesses 
 this power can exercise it at a distance with the assist¬ 
 ance of the hair or writing of the suffering persons. 
 I have seen it done in both ways, and often very 
 minutely and correctly. The observations of the 
 somnambulist have always accorded with the opinion 
 of the physician who treated the cases, but they have 
 gone further, and, in the opinion of the physician, 
 subsequently expressed, they have been correct in 
 the cases which I have studied. 
 
 “ As respects the use of clairvoyance as a means 
 of diagnosis, I feel assured that with a good subject 
 much may be done in this way. I could quote many 
 instances in the practice of others where the clair¬ 
 voyant, by contact with the person, or by the inter¬ 
 medium of his hair, or his writing, when at a dis¬ 
 tance, has described very exactly all the symptoms, 
 and has often been able to name the true cause, 
 which till then had been unknown. I will briefly 
 relate one of these cases which occurred lately. 
 Count R,., a Pole, gave me the address of a letter 
 in the writing of one of his cousins who lived in 
 Poland, and whom I had never seen. He only knew 
 that she was ill, but did not know the details of her 
 disease. I sent the writing to Dr. Haddock, and 
 requested him to try his somnambulist with it. She 
 soon saw the lady, and described her, adding that she 
 was ill, and had employed mineral waters. She then 
 gave a detailed account of the symptoms of the dis¬ 
 order, which were stated by the patient in a subse¬ 
 quent letter to be exact. 
 
 “ I was present on two occasions when Alexis cor¬ 
 rectly specified the prominent symptoms of the dis¬ 
 orders under which the interrogators laboured. This 
 may possibly have been referrible to the clairvoyant’s 
 extraordinary facility of thought-reading; and it is 
 doubtless by this power that somnambulists are often 
 enabled to suggest appropriate remedies; when a 
 physician is the magnetiser, or superintends the case. 
 The somnambulist may then, as Dr. Macario observes, 
 
 i 3 
 
178 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 give a correct diagnosis of the disease, and treat it 
 efficiently by means of the transmission of ideas. He 
 is then like a mirror which reflects the thought, and 
 he will prescribe conformably to the ideas of the 
 physician. This probably occurred in the cases of 
 the somnambulists quoted in the academic report. 
 Lacunee mentions the instance of a somnambulist, 
 celebrated in her day, who, being under the direction 
 of a well-informed pharmacien, was remarkable for 
 the dexterity with which she gave the recipes for the 
 medicines which she prescribed; but she read these 
 recipes in the mind of her magnetiser. What 
 proves the truth of this assertion, is the circumstance 
 that somnambulists give prescriptions always in 
 conformity with the medical doctrines that predo¬ 
 minate among the people, or in the medical schools of 
 their country.” * 
 
 * This may sometimes be the case, but in most of the 
 instances I have known of, the recommendations of somnam¬ 
 bulists have been for simple remedies and hygienic nr .ns, 
 not unfrequently quite different from those which had been 
 previously employed. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Prevision — Testimonies to its Beauty—Prevision in 
 Magnetic Somnambulists—Illustrative Cases—Previ¬ 
 sion under other Conditions of the System—Corrobo¬ 
 rative Instances. 
 
 I have now, in the last place, to consider what may 
 be regarded as the most surprising faculty that is 
 occasionally met with in magnetic lucid somnambul¬ 
 ism, as also in normal and some~abnormal states of 
 the organism (as in dreams, on the approach of 
 death, &c.). Reference has been partially made to 
 this phenomenon in preceding chapters, from its 
 being sometimes connected with clairvoyance and 
 second-sight, of which latter it constitutes an essen¬ 
 tial part; and howsoever we may attempt to explain 
 the facts, they are too numerous and well-attested for 
 their validity to be reasonably denied. Indeed, the 
 verification of predictions is abundantly testified to 
 by the records of Holy Writ, independently of the 
 prophecies of divinely inspired men, that refer to the 
 occurrence of catastrophes or of remarkable events 
 affecting empires or entire populations. 
 
 Of this ordinary kind of Scriptural prediction, 
 that of Agabus respecting what would befal St. Paul, 
 as related in the Acts of the Apostles, may be cited 
 as an instance. Many of the most celebrated philo¬ 
 sophers, divines, and writers in ancient as well as in 
 more recent times, up to our own day, have avowed 
 their conviction of the literal fulfilment of predictions; 
 which could not be referred to accidental coincidence, 
 though it is no less true that there have been many 
 real predictions which nevertheless were not fulfilled, 
 from these fulfilments being contingent upon circum- 
 
180 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 stances, by which a change was produced in the 
 course of events, as in some instances recorded in the 
 Bible, where predicted calamities were averted, such 
 as the destruction of Nineveh foretold by the pro¬ 
 phet Jonah, the prolongation of the life of Hezekiah 
 fifteen years beyond the time foretold for his death. 
 
 A distinguished Parisian physician, whose atten¬ 
 tion has long been devoted to the study and treat¬ 
 ment of mental diseases, Dr. Briere de Boismont, 
 says on this subject, in his work “ L’Hallucination 
 “ It cannot be denied that a great number of cases 
 of prevision are referrible to hallucination and mor¬ 
 bid ecstasy ; but there are likewise some that appear 
 to belong to another order of things. Such is the 
 history related by Josephus. There is then deve¬ 
 loped, under circumstances unknown to us, a greater 
 activity of the faculty of perception, just as we see 
 in certain diseases and on the approach of death the 
 s nses often acquire an extraordinary degree of acute¬ 
 ness. The patients surprise bystanders by the eleva¬ 
 tion of their thoughts; the intellect, which may have 
 been extinguished or obscured for a long series of 
 years, regains at once all its clearness. Presenti¬ 
 ments are explicable in a great many cases by natural 
 causes, but may we not saj r , without being accused of 
 an undue leaning to the marvellous, that there are 
 events which appear to be beyond the sphere of 
 ordinary laws, or which, at least, depend upon rela¬ 
 tions between the 'physique and the moral as yet un¬ 
 known ? We must recollect that men the most distin¬ 
 guished for knowledge have admitted the truth of 
 lacts of prevision, while avowing their ignorance of 
 their cause. Bacon refers to striking instances of 
 prevision of the future in dreams, in ecstasy, and on 
 the approach of death. ‘ I know not the reason,’ said 
 Macchiavelli; ‘ but it is a fact attested by ancient 
 and modern history, that scarcely any great calamity 
 has happened in a city or province that had not been 
 predicted by holy men, or announced by revelations, 
 prodigies, and other signs.’ ” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 181 
 
 “We often dream,” says the distinguished Ger-.e, 
 man physiologist Burdach, “ about insig nificant 
 things which happen on the next day. Tne belief 
 in predicting dreams has never been extinct, and was 
 entertained by the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, as 
 also by other nations of antiquity, and by those of 
 more recent origin.” 
 
 After relating a curious instance of the verification 
 of a prediction made during the same dream which 
 occurred to two persons, a late eminent moral writer 
 remarked: “ The opinion that truth sometimes pre¬ 
 sents itself to us during sleep, is diffused among all 
 the nations of the earth. The greatest men of an¬ 
 tiquity had faith in it; the Old and New Testaments 
 furnish us with instances of dreams that have been 
 realised. For my part, my own experience of the 
 matter is sufficient for me, for I have experienced 
 more than once that dreams are warnings sent by a 
 Power that takes an interest in us. Why should 
 dreamsHBe doubted P At all events, that of the two 
 unfortunate friends was soon realised.”*' 
 
 Schubert remarks respecting magnetic clairvoyance 
 and prevision in his work already quoted : “ Not only 
 can lucid somnambulists read without using their 
 eves in books previously unknown to them, tell the 
 the hour by a watch placed beyond the sphere of their 
 vision, and be conscious of the approach of persons 
 with whom they are acquainted, while they are still 
 at a distance, as also (sometimes) predict the time of 
 recurrence, and the future peculiarities of their own 
 diseases, but they likewise occasionally foreknow 
 things relating to others, who are in relation with 
 them, the termination of whose diseases they can fore¬ 
 tell. An individual in the clairvoyant state predicted 
 that on a certain day he would be invited into the 
 country, and induced to mount a horse, and that he 
 would meet with an accident from its falling with 
 him. This presentiment was verified in a manner 
 which could not have been anticipated.” 
 
 Bernardin de St. Pierre, “Paul et Virginie. 
 
182 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 M. Charpignon observes on tbis subject: “ Pre¬ 
 vision relating to events that do not concern the 
 individual himself is very uncertain; for, as respects 
 the fulfilment of those of much importance, there 
 always enter a greater or less number of persons 
 whose concurrence appears to be very necessary, but 
 each of whom is endowed with a free will, which 
 may complicate and modify, or even completely pre¬ 
 vent the predicted result. This faculty appears to 
 be proper to the soul; but must we conclude, from 
 this circumstance, that all the previsions, of which so 
 many examples are presented by history, are owing 
 to purely natural causes, and have resulted from a 
 state of ecstasy spontaneously developed ? We have 
 no doubt that the soul can be directly enlightened 
 from God, or from another high intelligence. We 
 believe that such supernatural communication may 
 take place in the normal state, either spontaneously 
 or under artificial excitation. As respects the holy 
 prophet, the prevision is external to him, and usually 
 refers to events which are to happen, often at very dis¬ 
 tant date, in which the destinies of the moral, political, 
 and religious life of a whole people are concerned. 
 Besides, the manner of the seer during the act of 
 prevision is so very different from any other, that by 
 this sign alone it is easy to distinguish the inspired 
 prophet from the ecstatic acting from his own spon¬ 
 taneity. In fact, supernatural prophecies are re¬ 
 vealed in the normal waking state; the prophet is in 
 possession of all his ordinary faculties ; he sees and 
 hears any one, he speaks to any one, and he remem¬ 
 bers that which he has announced. The ecstatic, on 
 the contrary, can only predict when he is in the 
 crisis, and is isolated from all else except that which 
 occupies him, and he almost always forgets after¬ 
 wards what he had said. 
 
 “ The prevision which is natural to man is but 
 limited ; it can neither be so precise, nor so constant, 
 nor so widely-diffused as that manifested by holy 
 prophets, or by men who are inspired by an intelli¬ 
 gence that is of a higher order than the human soul. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 J 83 
 
 “ Mesmer explained prevision by the same law as 
 that which presides over the development of instinct, 
 which faculty is subject to the common laws of sensa¬ 
 tion ; and this sensation, says he, is stronger in pro¬ 
 portion to the greater interest which events exert 
 upon our preservation. The theory of Mesmer, modi¬ 
 fied by spiritual ideas, perfectly explains the facts of 
 prevision which we have quoted; it also assists our 
 comprehension, by the same law, of presentiments, the 
 authenticity and realisation of which have embarrassed 
 many psychologists and physiologists ; it abolishes 
 the word by chance , by means of which the prevision 
 of certain dreams is sought to be explained.” 
 
 Dr. Georget remarks upon the prevision of mag¬ 
 netic clairvoyants: “ I have many times known 
 somnambulists announce correctly, several days be¬ 
 forehand, the hour and even the minute at which 
 epileptic attacks would occur, and what would be 
 their duration and intensity.” 
 
 Another distinguished professor of the Parisian 
 Faculty of Medicine (Rostan) makes the following 
 observations on this subject: “I have observed 
 several remarkable facts of this kind, which I could 
 with difficulty bring myself to believe. At the hos¬ 
 pital Salpetriere I produced somnambulism in some 
 females. One of them was seated on her bed perfectly 
 quiet, when she suddenly became much agitated, as 
 if suffering. To my inquiry as to the cause of this 
 sudden change, she did not at first reply; at length 
 she said, ‘ I feel that Felicite is approaching.’ In 
 fact, the next moment the door opened, and the 
 patient she had named came in. The agitation af 
 the somnambulist increased more and more; she 
 refused to tell us the reason, alleging that it would 
 give her friend pain. We sent Felicite out of the 
 ward, and repeated our questions. She then said, 
 ‘ The physicians think her lungs are diseased, but 
 they are not, it is the heart.’ She then went on to 
 say, ‘ In four days, on Saturday at two o’clock, she 
 will have a violent attack of hemorrhage, for which 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 184 
 
 she will be bled, but that will not prevent her death 
 six days afterwards.” The hemorrhage came on at 
 the hour she had named; recourse was had to blood¬ 
 letting, as it seemed to be indicated, and at the 
 expiration of the six days the prediction was com¬ 
 pletely realised. The examination of the body veri¬ 
 fied the somnambulist’s diagnosis.” 
 
 The subjoined case is officially attested:— 
 
 “Madame Plantin, the lady whose breast was ampu¬ 
 tated without pain by M. Cloquet while she was 
 under the influence of magnetism, had a daughter 
 who was endowed with a remarkable degree of 
 lucidity. M. Cloquet begged M. Chapelain to mag¬ 
 netise her, in order that he might ask her some 
 questions about her mother, who then lay in a dan¬ 
 gerous state. The somnambulist in reply said, ‘ My 
 mother has been very weak for some days past. Her 
 existence is prolonged only by magnetising.’ ‘ Do 
 you think her life can be preserved?’ ‘No, she 
 will die at an early hour to-morrow, without pain.’ 
 ‘What parts are diseased?’ ‘The right lung is 
 shrunk up, encased in a substance resembling glue, 
 and is surrounded by water; but it is more especially 
 here (pointing to the lower part of her shoulder- 
 blade) that she suffers. The right lung is no longer 
 serviceable for breathing; there is a little water in 
 the membrane enclosing the heart.’ ‘ In what state 
 are the abdominal organs ? ’ ‘ The stomach and 
 
 bowels are healthy ; the liver is white and discoloured 
 on the surface.’ 
 
 “ Madame Plantin died at seven o’clock the next 
 morning. M. Moreau, secretary to the surgical sec¬ 
 tion of the Academie de Medicine, and Dr. Dronsart, 
 were requested to be present at the post-mortem ex¬ 
 amination. The daughter was magnetised a little 
 before the hour appointed for it. I will not attempt 
 to describe the scene of filial tenderness and piety 
 produced on her by the (mental) aspect of the inani- 
 /mate form of her mother. Suffice it to say, that she 
 unhesitatingly repeated all she had said. During the 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 185 
 
 examination she was in an adjoining room, the door 
 of which was close shut; nevertheless she followed 
 the course of the scalpel in the surgeon’s hand, say¬ 
 ing to the persons near her, * Why do they make the 
 incision in the middle of the chest, when the disease 
 is on the right side ? ’ The statements she had made 
 respecting the diseased parts were completely veri¬ 
 fied. The account of the examination, of which the 
 following is an abstract, was drawn up by Dr. 
 Dronsart:— 
 
 “ ‘ On opening the thorax we found the cavity of 
 the pleura filled with about a quart of discoloured 
 serum. This membrane was covered with a soft 
 l ymphy e xudation, which was most abundant at the 
 posterior part. The lung was completely^ shrunk 
 upon itself; the pericardium contained three or four 
 ounces of serum. The surface of the middle portion 
 of the liver was covered with white patches.’ 
 
 Deleuze, after adducing some corrobora tive cases 
 under this head, remarks :— 
 
 “The previsions of somnambulists are referrible 
 to a sort of instinct that is developed in them. They 
 are in the order of nature. Let us profit by them ; 
 but we may be sure that somnambulists will only 
 recount to us their reveries if we persist in inter¬ 
 rogating them about things which do not present 
 themselves to them naturally and spontaneously. 
 
 “The Christian religion, while prohibiting the 
 practice of divination, admits its reality. But the 
 prohibition is very wise, because diviners have often 
 recourse to superstitious and culpable means, and 
 also because persons endowed with the faculty are 
 continually liable to error. This should not, how¬ 
 ever, prevent - us from profiting by those previsions 
 which present themselves naturally.” 
 
 Dr. Ennemoser records the following prediction 
 respecting herself, made by a lady under his care : 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 * Report made to the Academic Royale de Medecine, pub¬ 
 lished in the “ Archives Generales de Medecine,” Yol. xx. 
 
186 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ The Countess M. became a very lucid clair- 
 voyante after three years’ magnetising for her health. 
 Her special perceptive faculty consisted in recog¬ 
 nising diseases, and in recommending remedies. 
 When travelling to Carlsbad with me, she told me, 
 while in somnambulism, that she would be in danger 
 of being drowned in the bath there, and that I must 
 watch her well, for I alone would be able to prevent 
 it, as she would be in a fit, which no one else would 
 be capable of allaying. In accordance with her own 
 prescription, she took the Carlsbad waters for several 
 weeks, and sometimes used the baths. After a time 
 I no longer thought of what she had told me on the 
 road. I usually walked up the hill as soon as the 
 Countess had gone into the bath. One morning I 
 was about to do so, but first entered into a house near 
 the Sprudel. I had only been there a few minutes 
 when the servant came running, much alarmed, and 
 said that the lady was in a raving state in the bath, 
 and no one dared go near her. I then recollected 
 her prediction. I found her enveloped in the bath- 
 sheet, which was drawn tightly round her neck, and 
 strongly convulsed in the bath. On my taking her 
 hand and speaking some soothing words, the 
 paroxysm subsided. Her first words on coming to 
 herself were, * Did I not foretell this ? Consider it 
 as a warning for the future.’ ”* 
 
 The remarks made by the commissioners of the 
 Academie de Medecine upon the cases of prevision 
 which came under their observation have been 
 already quoted. 
 
 The Baroness d’Oberkirch relates the following 
 instances in her “ Memoirs ” :— 
 
 “ One day some friends went with me to M. de Puy- 
 segur’s house. After several strong proofs of the truth 
 of magnetism had been given, M. de Stainville asked 
 permission to interrogate the somnambulist. We 
 remained perfectly quiet. She said, ‘ I wish to speak 
 
 * “ Anleitung zur mesmerischen Praxis.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 187 
 
 to Marshal de Stainville. I know what he wants to 
 ask me, and I have very sad replies to make to him.’ 
 M. de S. asked her to tell him what he wished to 
 know. She said, * You are thinking of public affairs. 
 You wish to know what will be the fate of France, 
 and you are particularly anxious about the Queen.’ 
 ‘ That is quite true,’ said he, much surprised. At 
 this time every one was speaking of the prophecies 
 of M. de Cazotte, which had been sent me by the 
 Grand Duchess. ‘What!’ said the Marshal, ‘shall 
 all these things happen ?’ ‘ All these, and more.’ 
 
 ‘ When ?’ ‘In a few years from this time.’ ‘ Can¬ 
 not you tell the time precisely ?’ ‘ They will com¬ 
 
 mence this very year, and will continue for perhaps 
 a century.’ ‘ You are certain that the fate pro¬ 
 phesied for those august personages will be accom¬ 
 plished ?’ ‘I am; they will die a violent death.’ 
 * And shall I share in the misfortunes predicted for 
 my family ?’ ‘ You shall not.’ ‘ Ah ! it would not 
 
 suit an old soldier like me to be out of the melee' 
 The somnambulist was silent. ‘ What shall be my 
 fate ?’ For a long time she refused to reply, but at 
 the request of the Marshal, M. de Puysegur insisted 
 on her answering. ‘ Poor monsieur,’ said she, ‘ why 
 does he ask me what he will know himself in a few 
 months?’ ‘I shall die in a few months,’ said the 
 Marshal; ‘ so much the better. I shall not see the 
 ruin of my name. Shall I die in my bed?’ ‘ You 
 shall.’ ‘ Marshal,’ said I, ‘ we must not believe all 
 she says.’ ‘ I hope, madame, that it is true ; at all 
 events we shall not have long to wait for the fulfil¬ 
 ment of my part of the prophecy.’ 
 
 “ M. de Puysegur was then going to awaken the 
 somnambulist. I requested to be allowed to ask a 
 question. * What is now going on in the place I am 
 thinking of?’ ‘Iam going there, madame. Ah! 
 I see ; it is all covered with water, which is rising 
 higher every moment. It is a frightful inundation, 
 causing much loss, but no lives will be lost; you 
 will hear of it soon.’ I was shocked. I was think- 
 
 Q 
 
 7k 
 
 UJGV' 
 
188 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 ing of Montbeliard and of my dear friends. What 
 s he sai d was exactly true. On the 18th January, 
 1789, Montbeliard was visited by a dreadful inunda¬ 
 tion, that swept away houses, boats, and cattle, but 
 happily did not cause the death of a single human 
 being. When my friends announced to me the veri¬ 
 fication of this unwelcome prophecy, I was surprised 
 \ at the exactness with which it was f ulfilled, and 
 wondered how any person could refuse credence to a 
 science attested by such important results.” 
 
 Further on in the “ Memoirs ” the following pas¬ 
 sage occurs : “A few days after our return to Stras- 
 burg, as I was sitting alone, a servant came to tell 
 me that M. de Stainville had been taken suddenly ill. 
 As the day advanced his illness increased, and in the 
 evening there was scarcely any hope of his recovery. 
 He sent a present to the somnambulist, with a mes¬ 
 sage that he was extremely glad her prophecy was 
 about to be fulfilled. In three days from the begin¬ 
 ning of the attack he died.” 
 
 {Speaking of Cagliostro, who was at that time in 
 great vogue, the Baroness, after mentioning a pre¬ 
 diction respecting herself, added : “ What I am about 
 to relate is _ at least as extraordinary, and is more 
 generally known, than what I have related. He 
 predicted the death of the Empress Maria Theresa, 
 and even the hour at which she would expire. M. 
 de Eohan told it me in the evening, and five days 
 afterwards the news of her death arrived.” 
 
 A remarkable case of prevision is related in Dr. 
 Teste’s “ Manuel de Magnetisme Animal ” :— 
 
 A physician’s wife, who was enceinte, when in 
 magnetic somnambulism, predicted that at three 
 o’clock on the ensuing Thursday something would 
 happen that would frighten her exceedingly, and 
 would occasion miscarriage, accompanied by hemor¬ 
 rhage, which would endanger her life. After being 
 awakened she had no recollection of what she had 
 said. Dr. Teste, her husband, and another gentle¬ 
 man, determined to watch her at the time she had 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 189 
 
 specified, to see whether anything unusual would 
 occur. Accordingly the two gentlemen called at the 
 house a little before three, as if making a friendly 
 visit, and found the lady engaged with some needle¬ 
 work. The conversation turned upon indifferent 
 matters, when, just upon three o’clock, she laid aside 
 her work and rose to leave the room. On her hus¬ 
 band’s requesting her to remain, and asking where 
 she was going, she gave no definite reply, but per¬ 
 sisted. He then ottered his arm, and accompanied 
 her to the water-closet door on the staircase, but no 
 sooner had he turned his back than she uttered a 
 piercing scream and fell down senseless. Miscar¬ 
 riage ensued, attended with considerable hemorrhage. 
 To subsequent inquiry as to what had so greatly 
 alarmed her, she replied, that on opening the door a 
 rat (an animal to which she had a special antipathy) 
 ran out. Dr. Teste concludes by saying : “ Having 
 paid close attention to the circumstances of the case, 
 I declare upon my honour that they occurred just as 
 I have related them.” 
 
 The author of a work on magnetism, already 
 quoted, records the following instances of clairvoy¬ 
 ance and prevision :— 
 
 “ Mdlle. M. was one evening at the house of 
 Mdme. B. The visitors, while testing her power, 
 tried to puzzle her with cards, laughing and 
 greatly amusing themselves. Amidst the hilarity 
 a Mons. C., who was unknown to me, came in. 
 He asked me if Marie could tell him something 
 respecting one of his friends. He took her hand, 
 looking fixedly at her, without saying a word. The 
 physiognomy of the somnambulist, who up to this 
 time had been gay and cheerful, suddenly assumed a 
 serious cast; her features became contracted, and 
 she called out, with a voice full of emotion, * M. 
 Garcin, come to me ; this is a very serious affair— 
 death. Yes,’ she repeated, ‘ death ; how unfor¬ 
 tunate, one still so young, and after having worked 
 so hard. He is a physician ; it is impossible that he 
 
190 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 can live ; his bowels are inflamed.’ Then, after 
 having given a very accurate and detailed descrip¬ 
 tion of the disease, she concluded by saying, * He 
 , will not live over three days; do you hear?’ M. 
 C. burst into tears. At length he begged the som¬ 
 nambulist to point out some remedy for the patient 
 who was so accurately depicted to her mind. ‘ There 
 is no remedy,’ she replied. ‘He may take, if he 
 likes, a half-bath, composed of equal parts of milk 
 and decoction of mallows, and some cherry syrup for 
 a beverage.’ 
 
 “ M. C. then went to the patient—who but a short 
 time before had been admitted as an agrege of the 
 Ecole de Medecine—who immediately asked him for 
 some cherry syrup to drink, without having any 
 knowledge that this was j ust what the somnambulist 
 had recommended. The next day, on Marie’s being 
 again magnetised in the presence of several persons, 
 she said, with reference to this case, ‘ I see exactly 
 the same as yesterday ; I can find no remedy.’ She 
 then added, ‘ Perhaps if I were nearer to him I 
 should see the affected parts better.” She then rose, 
 quick as lightning, and prepared to set off'. We got 
 into a coach, and on arriving at the house were con¬ 
 ducted into a room adjacent to that in which the 
 patient lay. ‘ It is in vain,’ she said ; ‘ I can find 
 no remedy ; his intestines are much inflamed. I 
 was not mistaken ; he will die before the expiration 
 of three days.’ This sad prevision was but too well 
 verified by the event. The patient died at the time 
 specified, and the examination showed that the con¬ 
 dition of the organs was such as had been stated by 
 the somnambulist. 
 
 “ I had in Paris an old aunt, whose death the som¬ 
 nambulist foretold sixteen days beforehand, specify¬ 
 ing the exact time. The event occurred just as she 
 had predicted.”* 
 
 Predictions made by persons not in somnambulism 
 * “ Le Magnetisme Explique par Lui-meme,’’ 1855. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 19J 
 
 are not unfrequently recorded at the present day in 
 the journals as having been fulfilled; and the “ cases 
 of definite premonition,” says the author of “ Nature 
 and the Supernatural,” “ are reported so familiarly 
 and circumstantially, as to make a considerable item 
 in the literature of our time. Prophecies of good 
 men, or sometimes of poets and literary men, are so 
 often and so particularly fulfilled, as to be the com¬ 
 mon wonder of the merely curious who profess no 
 faith in their verity as communications from God. 
 Dreams are reported, how often, foreshadowing facts 
 in a manner so peculiar as to forbid any supposition 
 of accident under conditions of chance. The state of 
 trance is exemplified in Flavel, Tennent, and, indeed, 
 in hundreds of others, as remarkably as in St. Paul 
 in his vision of the third heaven.” 
 
 The predicting power would even seem to be a 
 peculiar endowment of certain races, in some 
 
 localities. 
 
 “The Jews of T angiers,” says a modern writer, 
 “ possess a remarkable power of insight into the 
 future, and often give utterance to prophecies, which, 
 
 so far as I know, seldom fail of being ultimately \J 
 realised. This statement can be amply confirmed 
 
 by many Europeans who have resided at Tangiers, 
 and who are acquainted with its Jewish population. 
 I can prove, to a certain extent, the truth of this 
 statement by an immediate reference to the first 
 person, not going beyond him, that person being 
 myself. I occasionally made the remark to some 
 Jews, who had travelled in Europe, that their love 
 of country must be very strong, to make them prefer 
 such a dirty little town as Tangiers to any other 
 more promising and agreeable place, where they 
 might have a wider sphere for their commercial 
 activity. ‘ Oh ! you dislike Tangiers,’ they replied, 
 ‘ well, we can tell you it will be your future home 
 for years to come.’ I had no intention, at the time, 
 of remaining at Tangiers; I knew of no circumstance 
 on which so unequivocal a prophecy could be founded ; 
 
192 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 and yet it was fulfilled to the letter, for, in less than 
 a year, I was married at Tangier^, and was compelled 
 to reconcile myself to the place, v* 
 
 Mr. Borrow, author of "The Bible in Spain,” 
 mentions in his work on the gypsies of that country, 
 a sect which exists in Barbary, which he considers 
 to form a part of that people. “ I allude,” he says, 
 “ to certain men and women termed Dar-bushi-fal 
 by the Moors, which word is equivalent to pro¬ 
 phesying or fortune-telling. They are great wan¬ 
 derers, but Have also their fixed dwellings or 
 villages, which are called ‘ Char-Sahara,’ or witch- 
 hamlets. They tell Dar-bushi-fal with flour, said a 
 Jew of Fez, to the author,They fill a plate and then 
 are able to tell you anything you ask them: they 
 likewise tell it with a shoe ; they put it to their 
 mouths, and then will recall to your memory every 
 action of your life.” 
 
 After relating some of the feats performed by this 
 sect, some of which are referrible to legerdemain, 
 Mr. Borrow adds, " There is of course some exag¬ 
 geration in the above account of them, yet there is 
 little reason to doubt that there is a foundation of 
 truth in all the facts stated.” 
 
 Respecting gypsies in various parts of the world, 
 the author remarks: “In all times since we have 
 known anything of these women, they have been 
 addicted to, and famous for, fortune-telling; indeed it 
 is their only ostensible means of livelihood. "W here 
 and how they first learned the practice, we know 
 not. Chiromancy, from the most remote periods, has 
 been practised in all countries. Certainly, amongst 
 all the professors of this art that ever existed, no 
 people are more adapted by nature to turn it to 
 account than these females; their forms, their 
 features, the expression of their countenance, are ever 
 j wild and sybilline, frequently beautiful, but never 
 vulgar.” 
 
 I * “ Sixteen Years of an itrfist’s Life, in Morocco and 
 Spain.” Murray, 1859. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 11*3 
 
 He gives a description of Gitanos telling fortunes, 
 from the work of a Spanish writer in the beginning 
 of the seventeenth century, which, he says, is in 
 every respect applicable to the English gvpsy 
 woman of the present day, whose promises are as 
 easily believed as then. 
 
 Though generally discrediting the alleged predict¬ 
 ing power of gypsy women, Mr. Borrow nevertheless 
 records an instance of the prediction of a male of this 
 people, which was speedily verified. Having much 
 associated with gypsies in various parts of Spain, with 
 the object of circulating among them portions of the 
 Scriptures in their own language, he was, when in 
 Madrid in 1838, much importuned by a gypsy soldier 
 obtruding his society upon him. He was subsequently 
 imprisoned for distributing the Bible among 
 Spaniards, and after his release, on returning one day 
 to his hotel, he found the gypsy regaling himself 
 with wine at his expense, but in a sullen mood, 
 uttering wild and incoherent words, and repeatedly 
 threatening some one. While in this excited state, 
 he took offence at Mr. Borrow’s servant, a Basque, 
 speaking in that dialect, which he did not understand; 
 at length, fancying himself insulted, he made a lunge 
 at him with his sword, which the Basque—who, like 
 all his countrymen, was very expert with the cudgel— 
 parried with a broomstick which he happened to 
 have with him, and disarmed his adversary. “ The 
 gypsy resumed his seat and his cigar ; he occasionally 
 looked at the Basque; his glances at first were 
 atrocious, but presently changed their expression, and 
 appeared to me to become prying and eagerly curious. 
 He at last arose, picked up and sheathed his sword, 
 and walked slowly to the door, when he stopped, 
 suddenly turned round, advanced close to Francesco, 
 and looking him steadfastly in the face, said, ‘My good 
 fellow, I am a gypsy, and can read bnji; do you 
 know where you will be this time to-morrow ?’ Then, 
 laughing like a hyena, he departed. I never saw 
 him again. The hostess, Maria Diaz, and her son 
 
 K 
 
194 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 were present when the outcast uttered these prophetic 
 words. At that time, on the morrow, Francesco was 
 on his death-hed. He had, during his attendance on 
 me, caught the jail-fever, which raged in the Carcel 
 del Corte where I was imprisoned. In a few days 
 he was huried in the Campo Santo of Madrid.” 
 
 The following case appears in Forbes’s “ Oriental 
 Memoirs The Brahmin predicted to his friend 
 Mr. Hodges, that he would rise to be Governor of 
 Bombay ; but Mr. H. thought little of the prediction 
 at the time. On a vacancy occurring some time 
 afterwards, Mr. Spencer was appointed to the post, 
 and Hodges was for some reason dismissed from the 
 company’s service, on which he sent for the prophet, 
 and jeered him about his prediction, telling him that 
 he was about to sail for England. The Brahmin 
 listened to him with the greatest tranquillity, and 
 when he had concluded said: “You see this vestibule 
 and the building to which it leads. Spencer will 
 reach the portico, but he will not enter the palace, 
 and you will certainly obtain the honour which I 
 foretold you ; a black cloud hangs over him. This 
 surprising prophecy was generally known and talked 
 of in Surat and Bombay. But Hodges thought so 
 little of it, that he prepared for his departure for 
 Europe. In the meantime, dispatches arrived, in 
 which the Court of Directors expressed displeasure 
 at Spencer’s conduct as Governor of Bengal, counter¬ 
 manded his appointment, and nominated Hodges 
 Governor of Bombay.” 
 
 The prediction made by M. Cazotte, with reference 
 to the French Revolution of 1789, after a dinner at 
 which several persons of high rank were present, 
 was exactly realised several years afterwards. He 
 foretold that such and such individuals among the 
 guests would be guillotined, a duchess among the 
 rest—which, at the time when there seemed not the 
 least likelihood of such an occurrence, gave rise to 
 much hilarity ; that the King would also be put to 
 death, and that La Harpe, who relates the circum- 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 195 
 
 stances, would become a Christian, he being at the 
 time a sceptic in religious matters. All happened 
 as Cazotte had stated, as is vouched for by many 
 witnesses. The details of this interesting case are 
 given in the work of M. Brie re de Boismont, as also 
 in some other works. 
 
 The fortune of Bernadotte was predicted to him 
 by the same person who predicted that of Napoleon 
 and Josephine. There existed, moreover, an ancient 
 chronicle in the Bernadotte family, that a king 
 would illustrate their posterity. 
 
 Some interesting details of the predictions referring 
 to Josephine are given in Sir A. Alison’s work on the 
 “ History of Europe,” during the French Revolution. 
 
 “ Her history,” says the author, “ had been very 
 remarkable. She was born in the West Indies, and 
 it had been prophesied to her by an old negress, that 
 she should lose her first husband, and be extremely 
 unfortunate, but that a fte rwards she s hould be greater 1/ 
 t han a queen. This prophecy, the authenticity of 
 which is placed beyond a doubt, was fulfilled in the 
 most singular manner. Her first husband, Alexandre 
 Beauharnais, a general in the army on the Rhine, 
 had been guillotined during the Reign of Terror, 
 and she herself, who was imprisoned at the same 
 time, was only saved from impending death by the 
 fall of Robespierre. So strongly was the prophecy 
 impressed upon her mind, th at, while lyi ng in the 
 dungeons of the Conciergerie, expecting every hour 
 to Fe summoned to the Revolutionary Tribunal, she 
 mentioned it to her fellow-prisoners, and to amuse 
 them, named some of them her ladies of the bed¬ 
 chamber a jest which she afterwards lived to realise 
 to one of their number. Josephine herself related 
 this extraordinary passage in her life, in the following 
 terms : ‘One morning the jailor entered the chamber 
 where I slept with the Duchess d’Aiguillon, and two 
 other ladies, and told me he was going to take away 
 my mattress to givo to another prisoner. ‘Why,’ 
 said Madame d’Aiguillon eagerly, ‘ will not Madame 
 
 k g 
 
196 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Beauharnais obtain a better one ? ’ ‘ No, no/ replied 
 
 be, with a fiendish smile; ‘she will have no need of 
 one, for she is to be led to the Conciergerie, and from 
 thence to the guillotine.’ At these words my com¬ 
 panions in misfortune uttered piercing shrieks. I 
 consoled them as well as I could; at length, worn out 
 with their repeated lamentations, I told them that 
 ^ their grief was utterly unreasonable ; that, not only 
 I should not die, but should live to be Queen of 
 France. ‘ Why then do you not name your maids of 
 honour ? ’ said Madame d’Aiguillon, irritated at such 
 expressions, at such a moment. ‘Very true,’ I said, 
 
 ‘ I did not think of that. Well, my dear, I make you 
 one of them.’ Upon this the tears of these ladies 
 fell apace, for they never doubted I was mad. But 
 the truth was, I was not gifted with any extra¬ 
 ordinary courage, but was internally persuaded of the 
 truth of thejoracle.” 
 
 '“‘^Thirteen years before the Revolution,” says Dr. 
 Macario, “ Father Beauregard, a celebrated preacher, 
 uttered from the pulpit of Notre Dame the following 
 words, which struck terror into the hearts of the 
 congregation : ‘ Yes, Lord, thy temples will be de¬ 
 spoiled and destroyed, thy holy days abolished, thy 
 name blasphemed, thy worship proscribed. To the 
 sacred chants which made the vaulted aisles resound 
 with thy praises, will succeed obscene and profane 
 songs. And thou, infamous divinity of paganism, 
 unchaste Venus, thou comest even here to assume the 
 place of the living God, to seat thyself on the throne 
 of the Holy One, and to receive the guilty incense 
 of thy new worshippers.’ * 
 
 “ M. Eugene de Mirecour, the celebrated author of 
 the ‘ Contemporaines,’ placed himself en rapport with 
 a somnambulist residing in the rue Rambuteau, in 
 the beginning of January, 1848. She first predicted to 
 
 * The Cathedral of Notre Dame was afterwards appro¬ 
 priated to the purposes specified, and a courtesan was there 
 worshipped as the representative of the Goddess of Reason. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 J 97 
 
 / 
 
 him the great literary success he afterwards obtained. 
 Being interrogated about politics, she said, ‘ Things 
 are going on very badly ; a terrible revolution is 
 preparing; before six weeks there will be fighting in 
 the streets, and the republic will be proclaimed.’ 
 Then suddenly interrupting herself, she asked : ‘ Do 
 you know Louis Napoleon ? ’ ‘ No.’ ‘ So much the 
 
 worse, he is destined to play a great part in the 
 events which are about to take place ; he will be 
 Emperor.’ 
 
 “These facts, which have been so completely 
 verified by the result, are recorded in the Biography 
 of M. de Mirecour, to whom, before republishing 
 them, I addressed myself, to ascertain whether they 
 were authentic. He replied, ‘ The fact is perfectly 
 exact; it must have been communicated to the author 
 of the work by M. Lambert, an advocate of Nantes, 
 who was present at the time of the prediction, as well 
 as myself. The predictions of this woman have been 
 so punctually realised, that I did not dare to relate 
 them, for fear of being accused of making a prophecy 
 after its fulfilment. M. Verteuil, secretary to the 
 Comedie Francaise, can give you the same testimony 
 on this head.’ ” 
 
 “Sceptical philosophers,” adds this author, “such 
 as Franklin and Cabanis, have spoken of this faculty 
 in terms so serious, that all which relates to som¬ 
 nambulism ought to attract the attention of the 
 learned. Eminent men of all times and places have 
 maintained this argument. Bacon has said that 
 striking instances of prevision were met with in 
 dreams, in ecstasy, and on the approach of denth. 
 M. Cousin has repeated the same thing. ‘Prophetic 
 inspiration,’ he says, ‘ the divining faculty , has for its 
 foundation the latent power of the soul, which, when 
 concentrated and withdrawn within itself, may see 
 into futurity, in dreams, in ecstasy, and when death 
 is near.’ The phenomenon is rarer in the waking 
 state and in health. When the mind is oppressed 
 ( assoupie ), in sleep, or in disease, it is not impossible 
 
198 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 that there may be a more direct communication 
 between the divinity and it.’ (‘ Cours d’Histoire de la 
 Philosophic.’ Yol I.). St. Gregory the Great and 
 St. Thomas Aquinas had already advanced the pro¬ 
 position that the soul, by its spiritual nature, may 
 predict certain future things, especially on the ap¬ 
 proach of death.” * 
 
 Enough has doubtless been advanced in the pre¬ 
 ceding pages to establish the reality of the 
 phenomena which are not unfrequently manifested 
 in the lucid somnambulism occurring under the 
 influence of magnetism, as well as in that 
 which is occasionally met with under other con¬ 
 ditions of the system, and which, as we have seen, 
 are vouched for, not only by persons who have spe¬ 
 cially occupied themselves with animal magnetism, 
 but by well-known physicians, and many individuals 
 distinguished in literature and science, as also by 
 competent observers among the general public. 
 Some additional corroborative testimonies and cases 
 are introduced in the Appendix ; and had I been 
 disposed to enlarge this work I might easily have 
 done so to a considerable extent, but I have deemed it 
 most advisable to present a succinct summary of 
 facts, and of comments thereon made, from an im¬ 
 partial estimation of which justifiable conclusions 
 may be deduced. 
 
 * Op. Cit. See further remarks on prediction and illus¬ 
 trative instances in the Appendix. 
 
CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 From the more general knowledge and a juster ap¬ 
 preciation of these phenomena, much good must, I 
 conceive, arise (however likely the contrary may have 
 appeared to some persons who have taken too cir¬ 
 cumscribed a view of the question), not only as re¬ 
 gards the promotion of the temporal well-being of 
 mankind, but also as respects the extension of 
 spiritual religion, by controverting the doctrines of 
 the gross materialism which refers all mental, as 
 well as bodily operations to the structural organisa¬ 
 tion.* 
 
 Speaking of the prejudices which a superficial 
 knowledge of scientific truths is apt to engender, 
 Bacon justly observed: “ Thus then, besides that 
 philosophy and human knowledge serve to adorn and 
 explain religion, they also render it two important 
 
 * It will be seen, upon a superficial examination, that 
 animal magnetism is opposed to the opinions of the physio¬ 
 logical materialist, the advocate of the organic origin of 
 mind, and exposes, in all their nakedness, the deformity, 
 the scantiness, insufficiency, and utter absurdity of his 
 creed. In animal magnetism we find a practical refutation 
 of all the material theories of the human mind—a most dis¬ 
 tinct, cogent, and impressive proof of the independent exist¬ 
 ence of the soul of man, and consequently the strongest 
 philosophical grounds for presuming its immortality, since 
 it has now been demonstrated, beyond the possibility of 
 rational doubt, that in its manifestations it is not necessarily 
 chained down to any particular part of the sensible and 
 mortal body, but that it is capable of exercising its various 
 functions in peculiar circumstances, without the assistance 
 or co-operation of any of those material organs by means of 
 which it usually maintains a correspondence with the ex¬ 
 ternal world .—Isis Revelata. 
 
200 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 services; on the one hand, they contribute to the 
 glory of God, and on the other, they afford an excel¬ 
 lent preservative against incredulity and error.” 
 
 An esteemed modern writer likewise remarks on 
 this point: “ The interests of religion are intimately 
 connected with the general progress of intelligence, 
 and every new discovery, whether in the universe of 
 matter or mind, directly tends to increase the good 
 of man and the glory of God. 
 
 “ Every advance in civilization, every increase in 
 the amount of knowledge, adds to the moral im¬ 
 provement of individuals and to the general benefit 
 of society. Except in the lowest states of barbarism, 
 we find nothing immutable; changes must come, 
 whether we desire them or not; time must generate 
 new ideas, leaving us to arrange their relations to 
 the common stock. If these ideas be developed by 
 knowledge, they will become beneficial truths; if 
 they be appropriated by ignorance, they will gene¬ 
 rate pernicious falsehoods.”* 
 
 r It lias been supposed that the admission of the 
 higher order of somnambulic phenomena would in¬ 
 validate or diminish the estimation in which the 
 Scrip ture miracles are held. Even were it so, this 
 circumstance could in no wise detract from their 
 value as acquired truths. This objection has, how¬ 
 ever, been ably met by the Rev. Mr. Sanby in 
 “Mesmerism and its Opponents;” and, in fact, it is 
 easy to perceive that there is but little analogy be¬ 
 tween these two orders of phenomena, beyond the 
 circumstance of miraculous agency and that of mag¬ 
 netic lucid somnambulism being both made subser¬ 
 vient to the benefit of mankind. The somnambulic 
 manifestations depend, as we have seen, upon the 
 existence of certain favourable conditions, and they 
 are liable to fail and to vary even in very lucid sub¬ 
 jects; whereas the miracles recorded in Scripture 
 
 * “ The Natural History of Society.” By W. Cooke 
 Taylor. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 201 
 
 were performed in special instances, and for the 
 specific objects of producing a conviction in men’s 
 minds of their divine origin, and of contributing to 
 establish by this means the power of religion and the 
 diffusion of the doctrines of Christianity, which, 
 unless these visible signs had forcibly impressed a 
 large number of witnesses, would not have been pro¬ 
 pagated (if at all) in so rapid a manner as they were 
 after the death of the Saviour by a few individuals 
 deficient in the learning of the age, and occupying a 
 very humble station in life, in spite of all the opposi¬ 
 tion raised against them by the great and powerful. 
 
 There was, therefore, as respects Scripture miracles, 
 no mere attempting, and no failure. All the sick 
 brought to the Saviour were healed ; many of them 
 labouring under diseases incurable by human means. 
 The beggar, lame from his birth, upon whom the 
 power of motion was instantly conferred by St. Peter, 
 was forty years old, and was known to have been 
 lame all his life by the whole population of Jerusalem. 
 The man, blind from his birth, to whom sight was 
 given at the moment, was also a beggar well known to 
 all the city, and in reply to the question made by 
 the disciples in accordance with a prevalent opinion, 
 “ Did this man sin, or his parents, that he was born 
 blind ?” our Lord takes occasion expressly to state 
 the reason of most of His miracles being performed 
 under circumstances of the greatest publicity—“ Nei¬ 
 ther hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but [he 
 now receives his sight] that the works of God should 
 be made manifest in him.” 
 
 Sharon Turner, in his “ Sacred History of the 1 
 World,” makes the following just remarks respecting 
 the occasions on which miracles were performed :— 
 
 “ Miraculous manifestations of himself, miraculous 
 communications of His mind, and will, and laws, and 
 purposes, must have taken place in ancient times, in 
 order that we should be acquainted with what He 
 desires us to know. Hence it is that when His plans 
 and purposes require a preternatural interposition of 
 
 k 3 
 
202 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 His power, it shall always be exerted, but with the 
 unusual occasion the unusual agency ceases, and the 
 extraordinary result no longer occurs. 
 
 “ When His special and immediate agency is 
 requisite to show that the commands or communica¬ 
 tions uttered in His name are from Him, it is ex¬ 
 erted sufficiently to cause this impression, and the 
 judgment of those whose minds are to be affected by 
 it is satisfied that the visible miracle cannot have 
 emanated from any other than a Divine Power. Our 
 common sense soon discovers this in all real miracles. 
 There could be no mistake or delusion in the raising 
 of Lazarus, nor in our Saviour’s own resurrection. 
 The supernatural agency was clear and certain in 
 both.” 
 
 Having stated what I conceive to be the principal 
 useful applications of animal magnetism, in so far as 
 they may be ascertained in the actual state of our 
 knowledge, I think myself justified in drawing from 
 what has preceded the following conclusions :— 
 
 1. Animal magnetism has been known and prac¬ 
 tised in various nations from a very remote period. 
 There appear to be certain points of analogy between 
 its action and that of mineral magnetism, as mani¬ 
 fested upon sensitive subjects, and upon animals. 
 
 2. The existence of a lumi nous emanation, per¬ 
 ceptible to sensitive subjects and to some somnam¬ 
 bulists, proceeding from the hands, the head, or other 
 parts of the magnetiser’s body, as also from the poles 
 of magnets, certain metals and crystals, seems to be 
 proved. 
 
 3. The action of animal, like that of terrestrial 
 magnetism, may be transmitted to a distance within 
 certain limits, even through walls and other solid 
 bodies, producing the sleep and other specified re¬ 
 sults. 
 
 4. The sleep, though the most common effect of 
 the magnetic processes, is not an essential proof of 
 the action of magnetism, which, in many cases, exerts 
 a beneficial influence independently of this state. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 203 v 
 
 5. The production o f crise s and other violent effects 
 consequent upon the practice of Mesmer and his 
 disciples was, in great measure, owing to the influ¬ 
 ence of an excited imagination and of imitation ope¬ 
 rating upon impressionable persons. Mesmer’s prac¬ 
 tice was, nevertheless, attended with beneficial 
 results in a large proportion of cases, which could 
 not all be referred to this cause. 
 
 6. It is proved that in the magnetic sleep the i 
 senses are closed to ordinary impressions, and that 
 the general sensibility may be so obtused as to enable 
 the subjects to undergo serious surgical operations 
 without manifesting signs of feeling pain, and that 
 many patients so operated upon have recovered with¬ 
 out experiencing the prejudicial consequences which 
 so frequently supervene upon the performance of 
 grave operations. 
 
 7. Considering the inconveniences, and not unfre- 
 quently fatal results, attending the employment of 
 ansesthesic agents, it may be inferred that, in some 
 cases, magnetism would be preferable to them, espe¬ 
 cially in those where the patients had been already 
 subjected to its influence, and that this agent might 
 be equally employed for this purpose during the 
 dressing of painful wounds, extensive burns, &c. 
 
 8. An agency capable of blunting the sensibility 
 to such an extent is necessarily calculated to render 
 great service in many diseases accompanied with 
 local pains and spasms ; and experience has demon¬ 
 strated that animal magnetism often cures or alle¬ 
 viates similar diseases, in some instances even with¬ 
 out the magnetic sleep being produced. 
 
 9. In many cases, also, where the innervation is un¬ 
 equally distributed, from being too much concen¬ 
 trated in certain parts, and from its deficiency in 
 others, magnetism has been employed with much 
 advantage, especially in sleeplessness, convulsive, 
 nervous, and mental diseases, and in some forms of 
 paralysis. 
 
 10. Magnetism has likewise been employed bene- 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 201 
 
 ficially in various other disordered states of the health, 
 and in some cases of organic lesion; but a more ex¬ 
 tensive experience of its effects on the part of the 
 medical profession is necessary, in order to determine 
 with some degree of precision the extent to which 
 it may be made therapeutically available. 
 
 11. Animal magnetism can, however, in no wise be 
 considered as a panacea, or of universal application 
 in any disease whatever ; but it may justly be re¬ 
 garded as a powerful and important therapeutical 
 means additional to those we already possess, and as 
 being not unfrequently serviceable when the latter 
 have failed to produce benefit. 
 
 12. The phenomena of a psychological order which 
 are observable during the magnetic sleep, as clairvoy¬ 
 ance, &c., though comparatively seldom met with, 
 are"nevertheless proved to exist just as much as is 
 the physical action of magnetism. These pheno¬ 
 mena are not producible at will, but they supervene 
 in an uncertain proportion of magnetised persons. 
 Analogous phenomena are likewise sometimes ob¬ 
 served in divers conditions of the economy, inde¬ 
 pendently of magnetic somnambulism. 
 
 l 13. The lucidity of most somnambulists is very 
 variable, its manifestation depending upon a com¬ 
 bination of favourable conditions, or upon the absence 
 of adverse influences; hence it cannot always be 
 reckoned upon even in good clairvoyants. 
 
 14. Thought-reading accounts for many of the 
 facts observed; but, independently of this power, 
 there is in clairvoyance proper an extraordinary 
 positive perception of persons, objects, or places, 
 either near or more or less distant. This phenomenon 
 not unfrequently occurs during natural sleep, and 
 under certain pathological states of the system. 
 
 15. In magnetised subjects, however, clairvoyance 
 is usually in great measure dependent upon the 
 establishment of the mental rapport between them 
 and the persons testing their powers, by which a 
 clue is given which enables them to describe more 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 205 
 
 or less correctly the person or place respecting which 
 they are questioned, and which is present in the 
 thoughts oi‘ the questioner at the time ; details, how¬ 
 ever, being often given, of which the latter is not 
 aware, but which are subsequently found to be exact. 
 
 16. Clairvoyance has been in many instances em¬ 
 ployed for useful purposes, including the recovery of 
 lost objects or stolen property ; the knowledge of the 
 existence of this power has been instrumental in 
 preventing misdeeds, from the apprehension that by 
 its means the perpetrators may be detected. 
 
 17. Phreno-magnetism exhibits phenomena of a 
 particular order, depending doubtless upon the reflex 
 action of the operator’s thoughts or wishes on the 
 mind of the magnetised subject, ancTnotTas has been 
 supposed, upon the direct excitation by magnetism 
 of the respective organs, in accordance with the 
 phrenological subdivisions. 
 
 18. Introvision by lucid somnambulists, as respects 
 the diagnosis of disease, has been fully proved in 
 numerous instances by the verification of the exact¬ 
 ness of the diagnosis given. This power may be 
 made” available, under medical superintendence, in 
 elucidating the diagnosis in obscure cases. The re- 
 commendations_pf_gomnambulists with respect to the/ 
 a pplica tion of remedies, though sometimes service¬ 
 able, are not generally to be depended upon, and 
 should not be adopted without the sanction of a phy¬ 
 sician. 
 
 19. Previsio n is occasionally manifested in mag¬ 
 netic lucid somnambulism, more especially as regards 
 the subject’s own health, the recurrence at stated 
 periods of attacks of disease to which he may be 
 liable, but also as respects events to happen to other 
 persons. The same phenomenon is sometimes observ¬ 
 able in dreams, on the approach of death, and in some 
 other conditions of the system as in the second-sight. 
 
 20. The observation of the phenomena of lucid 
 somnambulism, by extending the domain of psycho¬ 
 logical knowledge, tends to elucidate several occur- 
 
206 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 rences hitherto inexplicable, and must effect a change 
 in the opinions entertained by many persons respect¬ 
 ing some questions relating to the physiology of the 
 nervous system, especially the functions of the brain, 
 by demonstrating the incompatibility of the theory 
 of the material origin of mind with the facts ob¬ 
 served. 
 
 21. A profounder study of the state of lucid som¬ 
 nambulism, and a more general knowledge of its 
 phenomena, by showing more clearly the reciprocal 
 relations between the soul and the body, cannot but 
 be productive of beneficial results, by diminishing 
 incredulity respecting a spiritual existence, and con¬ 
 sequently by extending the influence of true re¬ 
 ligion. 
 
 Mesmeric Infirmary .-—This institution, in Weymouth- 
 street, supported by voluntary contributions, has existed 
 about seventeen years, during which period numerous out¬ 
 patients have derived benefit or a cure from the treatment. 
 Annual reports are published ; from these it appears that the 
 principal cases treated are chronic rheumatism, neuralgia, 
 and other nervous affections, accompanied or not with spasm, 
 pains, sleeplessness, glandular enlargements and tumours, 
 chronic headache, rheumatic paralysis, dropsy, muscular 
 contractions, old sprains, disordered general health, <fec. 
 In the report for 1863 is a good case of epilepsy. The report 
 for 1865 says : “ Our motto is the alleviation and cure of 
 disease, and the relief and prevention of pain by mesmerism 
 only. If phenomena spontaneously present themselves, we 
 do not reject them, but we do not seek for them. Somnam¬ 
 bulism, clairvoyance, introvision, prediction, &c., have 
 offered themselves to our notice in the course of the last 
 twelve months, and we availed ourselves of these phenomena 
 in the treatment of disease, so far as they appeared instruc¬ 
 tive or serviceable, but we did not lean upon them with 
 undue confidence. We know how uncertain, and how un¬ 
 reliable these manifestations repeatedly are ; and though 
 they are facts in nature which are occasionally, or perhaps 
 even often developed, nevertheless our system of treatment 
 is not built upon them. ” 
 
ADDENDA TO PART II. 
 
 J U 
 
 Illustrative Cases from Professor G regor y’s “ Letters 
 to a Candid Inquirer on Animal Magnetism!” 
 
 Direct Clairvoyance. —“At the house of Dr. Schmitz, 
 Rector of the High School here, I saw a little boy 
 about nine years of age put into the magnetic sleep 
 by a young man of seventeen. As he was said to be 
 clairvoy ant, I requested him, through the magnetiser, 
 whom alone he heard, to visit mentally my house, 
 which was nearly a mile off. He said he would, and 
 soon, when asked, began to describe a back drawing¬ 
 room, in which he saw a side-board with glasses, and 
 a singular apparatus which he described. In fact 
 this room is used as a dining-room, and has a side¬ 
 board, on which stood at that moment glasses and an ap¬ 
 paratus for preparing soda-water, which I had brought 
 from Germany, and which was then quite new in 
 Edinburgh. I then requested him, after he had 
 mentioned some other details, to look at the front 
 room, in which he described two small portraits, most 
 of the furniture, mirrors and ornamental glasses, and 
 the position of the pianoforte, which is very unusual. 
 Being asked whom he saw in the room, he replied, 
 only a lady, whose dress he described, and a boy. 
 This I ascertained to be correct at that time. I then 
 requested Dr. Schmitz to go into another room and 
 there to do whatever he pleased. Dr. S. took with 
 him his son, and when the sleeper was asked to look 
 into the other room, he began to laugh, and said that 
 Theodore was a funny boy, and was gesticulating in 
 a particular way with his arms, whiie Dr. S. stood 
 looking on. He then said that Theodore had left the 
 
208 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 room, and after a while that he had returned ; then, 
 that he was jumping about; and being asked about 
 Dr. S., he said that he also was jumping about. 
 Lastly, he said Dr. S. was beating his son, not with 
 a stick, although he saw a stick in the room, but 
 with a roll of paper. All this did not occupy more 
 than seven or eight minutes, and when Dr. S. re¬ 
 turned, I at once gave him the above account of his 
 proceedings, which he, much astonished, declared to 
 be correct in every particular. 
 
 “ Mr. T. occasionally showed quite spontaneously 
 some degree of clairvoyance. Thus, one day he told 
 me that he saw my carriage arriving in the court¬ 
 yard of the university, which I did not believe, as it 
 had been ordered an hour later. But he said he not 
 only saw it, but saw also the servant coming up¬ 
 stairs to announce it; and two minutes afterwards 
 the servant appeared, the carriage having, by mistake, 
 ' been brought an hour too soon. Another day he 
 spoke to me of seeing his uncle in Berwickshire, and 
 said that his uncle was then sending off a letter to 
 him. He had no reason to expect a letter; on the 
 contrary, he was at that time intending to 
 write to his uncle. But with the first post from 
 Berwick the letter came. He several times saw and 
 described what was going on at my house. On 
 several occasions when I was able to verify his 
 statements I found him correct as to the number, 
 dresses, &c., of the persons he saw in my drawing¬ 
 room. 
 
 “ One day he spontaneously visited Inchkeith, and 
 the lighthouse there, which he had never seen; but 
 I found, on inquiry, that his description, which was 
 very minute, was accurate, and it was certainly given 
 as by one seeing what he describes. His clairvoy¬ 
 ance was generally spontaneous, but sometimes I 
 was able to get him to look where I wished, and he 
 several times told, at my request, what was doing in 
 the room of a friend who lived at a distance of several 
 hundred yards. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 209 
 
 “ Mr. B., of the East India Company Civil Service, 
 being at Calcutta, and wishing to hear about Mrs. B., 
 then on her voyage to England, applied to a clair¬ 
 voyant at Calcutta, who, when asked where the ship 
 Queen was at that moment, answered that she 
 was off the Western Isles, and was then passing one 
 of them, described as having a high-peaked outline re¬ 
 sembling Madeira. The day, he said, was hazy and 
 gloomy. Mr. B. then asked him to enter Mrs. B.’s 
 cabin, which he at first declined for fear of intrusion, 
 but finally agreed to do, and said the cabin was in 
 great confusion. Two ladies were sitting in it con¬ 
 versing together ; and his description of Mrs. B. was 
 so exact and graphic, that Mr. B. was much affected 
 by it. Captain Macleod, of the Queen, afterwards com¬ 
 pared the statement of the clairvoyant as to the po¬ 
 sition of the ship with his log-book, and found it 
 perfectly correct. The Queen had an unusually long 
 passage ; according to the average passage she ought 
 to have been in England when she was off the 
 Western Isles. The clairvoyant had never seen 
 Mrs. B., and a fellow-passenger spoke from observa¬ 
 tion of the confused state in which her cabin 
 usually was. This case I have on the authority of a 
 lady who had it from the parties. 
 
 “ Mr. J. D. was put to sleep by Mr. Lewis in my 
 presence and in that of several gentlemen. After a 
 time he spontaneously passed into the clairvoyant 
 state. I asked him to describe my house, which he 
 did most accurately. In the drawing-room he said he 
 saw a lady sitting in a particular chair reading a new 
 book. On returning home, I found that Mrs. G. 
 had at that time been sitting in the chair alluded to, 
 which she hardly ever does, reading a new book 
 which had been sent to her just before, but of which 
 I knew nothing. Besides, I found that J. D. did 
 not, in describing my house, read my thoughts at all, 
 but dwelt on many things strange to him, which I 
 never thought of, and omitted others which I did 
 think of and wished him to notice. He had never 
 
210 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 / 
 
 entered the Infirmary, yet he saw the interior, de¬ 
 scribed two men putting a third into a bath on the 
 ground-floor, and afterwards going upstairs he 
 entered a ward, on the door of which he saw ‘ No. 
 IV.,’ counted the 1 eds on one side of it, noticed the 
 closets at the ends of the ward, and said that most 
 of the patients were in bed, but that one man was 
 smoking ‘ up the lum.’ 
 
 “At Mr. Lewis’s request J.D. once visited St. John’s, 
 New Brunswick, and told Mr. L. that his mother, 
 of whom he (Mr. L.) had not heard for years, was 
 alive and in that place. Also that on a certain day 
 Mr. Lewis would receive a letter from that quarter, 
 on business of importance, which was now on the 
 way; that it was written by an agent or executor, 
 who was them Ml; that the mother of Mr. L. would 
 also soon receive a letter which Mr. L. had written, 
 and he added private information of much importance 
 to him. The whole proved quite correct. Mr. L. 
 received the letter announced from an agent, whose 
 illness and death were mentioned in a later com¬ 
 munication. Mr. L.’s mother proved to be living 
 there, and she also received the last letter he had 
 written, without a knowledge of her being alive, 
 or of her address. I have since heard of various 
 other instances of J. D.’s great lucidity. 
 
 “ A young woman, set. 25, servant in the family 
 of Dr. M'Culloch, of Dumfries, was magnetised by 
 Mr. Lewis and became clairvoyante. On the 6th 
 October, she was put to sleep in the evening, and 
 asked to visit a school for young ladies at Boulogne 
 where Dr. M.’s daughter then was. She said she saw 
 her going to bed at a quarter to nine, and hanging 
 up a brown dress which she had worn that day, 
 because the day was wintry. It was supposed that 
 this was a mistake, as that dress w&s not to be' worn 
 till winter. She said that the young lady was to 
 return home in June or July,-and afterwards go 
 back to Boulogne. This also was supposed to be 
 quite wrong. She described minutely the person of 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 211 
 
 the English teacher, and said there were twenty- 
 five scholars; a point not known to any one in 
 Dumfries. She said that they dined at half-past 
 one, and drank no wine, but some light stuff out 
 of a very large flask of a pecajjar shape. She also 
 described the bed and other furniture of the young 
 ladies’ bedroom, particularly a small carpet of a stair- 
 carpet pattern, a deep red colour, much faded Miss 
 M. had heard from her mother last week, and 
 intended to write home on Wednesday, the 9th. She 
 also described a lady, whom she took for the school¬ 
 mistress, as a- stout woman, dressed in black satin, 
 wearing a cap* and with black hair. Miss M. 
 
 , generally sleeps alone, but sometimes one of the 
 young ladies sleeps with her. One of the French 
 teachers sometimes instructs in ri isic. Miss M. 
 was at the English church in the forenoon, but not 
 in the afternoon, because it was wet, The text of 
 the sermon was from Luke xvii. 
 
 “ On inquiry, almost thejvhole of these statements 
 were found correct. A few were wrong. Miss M. 
 did go to church in the afternoon, and the text in the 
 forenoon was not from Luke. The lady L. W. took 
 for the school-mistress was a friend on a visit to her. 
 But in almost everything else L. W. was right. Thus, 
 Miss M. had worn the brown dress that nay for the 
 first time, sooner than she intended, because the day 
 was very cold. She had gone to bed that evening at 
 a quarter to nine, and had hung up the dress in her 
 cupboard. Only the day before, she and the other 
 young ladies had been unexpectedly told that they 
 would have to return home about the end of June, or 
 beginning of July, because the mistress was obliged to 
 go at that time to Germany; which was entirely unex¬ 
 pected by Miss M.’s family. The person of the English 
 teacher was correctly described. The description of 
 the dinner was generally correct, and the water-flask 
 was exactly as L. W. said. The furniture of the bed¬ 
 room was also correctly described, as was the pattern 
 and colour of the carpet. Miss M. did intend to 
 
212 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 write, and did write on the 9th. One of the young 
 ladies sometimes slept with her, and one of the 
 French teachers occasionally gave instructions in 
 music. The number of scholars, which had varied 
 much, was then twenty-five. 
 
 “ The girl spoke and acted as if looking at what she 
 described, and it cannot, I think, be doubted that by 
 some means she did see it. The case is remarkable, 
 also, because she mentioned correctly various points 
 which cannot here be given, as to what passed in the 
 mind of Miss M., and because there was some tendency 
 to prevision of future events, as in regard to her 
 writing on the 9th, and her return at a later 
 period.” 
 
 A correspondent of Dr. Gregory’s (the Rev. Mr. 
 Gilmour, of Greenock) records several instances of 
 clairvoyance manifested by his female servant, of 
 which I select the following :— 
 
 “J. S., Esq., spending the evening with me, was 
 anxious to test her clairvoyance accurately. She 
 visited, at his request, the breakfast-parlour at home, 
 said his father was reading c Blackwood’s Magazine ’ 
 in his easy chair by the fire, described the room with 
 perfect accuracy, and mentioned what Mrs. Scott was 
 doing. Some of these statements he felt perfectly 
 sure were incorrect, but on going home he found that 
 she had been minutely accurate. He begged me, in 
 writing, to send her along to our Provost’s ; on going 
 into one room she saw a great number of young ladies, 
 on entering another room she said she saw a great 
 many little misses. On being pressed to look earnestly 
 at them to see if she knew any of them, she dis¬ 
 covered Mr. S.’s sisters, their governess, whom she 
 named, and the Misses L. Mr. S. then told me that 
 the Provost had a large party that evening, upwards 
 of sixty ladies ; that his sisters, their governess, and 
 the Misses L. were to his certain knowledge there. 
 While this was going on I heard a knock at my door. 
 On the person being admitted, I asked her to tell me 
 if any one was there. She said, Yes, a lady had been 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 y 
 
 213 
 
 taken into the parlour. On being pressed to tell who 
 she was, she named her. I went out and found that 
 all this was true. 
 
 “During the summer Dr. T., of K., Mrs. T., and 
 her two daughters visited me. On the day they left 
 I requested him to take notice of all that was doing 
 in his house at eleven o’clock that same night, and I 
 would visit him through my clairvoyante. I did so, 
 and despatched by next morning's post my questions 
 and her answers, stating that Dr. and Mrs. T. were 
 in a small parlour lighted by a gas jet from the 
 mantelpiece ; that Mrs. T. was sitting at a table with 
 a book before her ; that she had a turban on her head, 
 and wore a dress of an uncommon kind, which she 
 described; that the Dr. was standing in the room 
 (describing his dress) ; that one little miss was in a 
 small bed-room off the parlour, and that another 
 was in bed with the servant in a room at the head 
 of the stairs. By return of post the Dr. stated 
 that Mrs. T. was dressed in the peculiar manner 
 described, and that everything I had stated was 
 true.” 
 
 Mr. Atkinson had magnetised a young lady, the 
 daughter of a medical man wdio resided many miles 
 from London, where she then was. She became 
 clairvoyant, but her father, who came to see her, 
 would not believe in clairvoyance. Mr. A. then re¬ 
 quested him, when he got home, to do anything he 
 chose, not telling any one, at a certain hour and in a 
 certain room. At the time appointed he magnetised 
 the young lady, and requested her to visit her father’s 
 dining-room. (It was dinner time.) She saw her 
 father and the rest, but all at once she began laugh¬ 
 ing, and said, “ What does my father mean ? He 
 has put a chair on the dinner-table and a dog on the 
 chair.” Mr. A. sent an account of what his patient 
 had seen, and in answer was informed that she had 
 seen correctly, for that her father, to the amazement's 
 of his family, had put the chair on the table and the 
 dog on the chair at the time agreed on. 
 
2U 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Another lady, a patient also of Mr. Atkinson’s, 
 who, by long and laborious magnetic treatment, had 
 cured her of a most distressing complaint that had 
 resisted all other treatment, became highly clair¬ 
 voyant, and spontaneously described the house of a 
 near relation with all its inmates. She continued 
 for a long time to visit his house, and one time saw 
 that her relative was dangerously ill, and told how 
 many persons were in the sick room, saw the medical 
 men, described the treatment, and pursued the case 
 from day to day, involuntarily and even against her 
 wish, as it distressed her severely, till the distant 
 patient died. After this she was still involuntarily 
 drawn to the scene of death, saw the corpse, de¬ 
 scribed its appearance, and all the proceedings con¬ 
 nected with the interment. Everything that could 
 be ascertained and verified was found exact. 
 
 A young lady, on a visit away from her home, 
 being magnetised, was desired to visit her father’s 
 house. She did so, and said she saw the postman 
 delivering a letter, which was addressed to her ; that 
 it was from a brother or cousin, an officer, and dated 
 from Cork; that her sister had opened it, &e. When 
 she woke she had no recollection of the vision. On 
 being asked incidentally where the brother or cousin 
 was of whom she had spoken as the writer of the 
 letter, she said he had sailed a week or ten days 
 before from Cork for the colonies with his regiment. 
 It was therefore supposed that she had been dreaming 
 of some past letter, but on her return home she found 
 that at the time she saw it, a letter had arrived 
 addressed to her, the writer having been forced by 
 stress of weather to return to Cork, from which 
 place he had written. 
 
 Prevision. — “ Spontaneous prevision has been 
 recorded as occurring in all ages, sometimes in the 
 form of dreams, at other times in that of waking 
 visions or second-sight. By far the most re¬ 
 markable, because the best attested instance in 
 modern times, is the celebrated prediction of M. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 215 
 
 [ Cazotte, concerning the events of the Reign of 
 Terror.* It was well known in all its details, both 
 in Paris and London, at a time when every one 
 thought it a mere dream. I have seen persons who 
 heard of it very soon after it was delivered, and who 
 remembered hearing it ridiculed in society as absurd. 
 It is particularly worthy of notice that Cazotte, who 
 was a man of a very peculiar turn of mind, and 
 much addicted to the study of occult science, was 
 also subject to fits of abstraction, reverie, or dream¬ 
 ing, in which he seems to have been clairvoyant; 
 and that this was far from being the only occasion 
 on which he uttered predictions which were verified, 
 “ When, for the first time, I read this astonishing 
 prediction, I thought it was only a fiction of La 
 Harpe’s. The inquiries I have since made, and the 
 information I have gained, have induced me to 
 change my opinion, the Count de Montesquieu 
 having assured me that Mdme. de Genlis had repeat¬ 
 edly told him she had often heard this prediction 
 related by M. de la Harpe. I begged of him to 
 solicit from that lady more ample details.f 
 
 “ I have also seen the son of M. Cazotte, who 
 assured me that his father was gifted in a most re¬ 
 markable manner with a faculty of prevision ; one of 
 the most striking instances was that on returning 
 home, on the day in which his daughter had suc¬ 
 ceeded in delivering him from the hands of the 
 wretches who were conducting him to the scaffold, 
 instead of partaking the joy of his family, he declared 
 that in three days he should be again arrested, and 
 that he should then undergo his fate ; and in truth 
 he perished on the 25 th September, 1792. 
 
 * This case, already referred to, is given at length in Dr. 
 Gregory’s work from La Harpe’s Posthumous Memoirs, 1806. 
 
 1 In reply to this request Madame de Genlis wrote : 
 “ I have heard it related a hundred times by M. de la Harpe 
 before the Revolution, and always in the same form as I 
 have met with it in print, and as he himself caused it to be 
 printed.”—November, 1825. 
 
216 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ A friend of Yicq d’Azyr told me that that cele¬ 
 brated physician, some years before the Revolution, 
 had related to him before his family the prophecy of 
 Cazotte. 
 
 “ Extract from a letter on this subject, dated De¬ 
 cember, 1833, from the Baron de Lamothe Langoro 
 to M. Mialle : ‘ I have only on this subject to assure 
 you, upon my honour, that I have heard Mdme. la 
 Comtesse de Beauharnais many times assert that she 
 was present at this very singular historical fact. She 
 related it always in the same wav, and with the 
 accent of truth. Her evidence was fully corroborated 
 by that of La Harpe. She spoke thus before all the 
 persons of the society in which she moved, many of 
 whom still live, and could equally attest this asser¬ 
 tion. 
 
 “ The commonest form of clairvoyant prevision is 
 that of predicting the occurrence or recurrence of 
 fits in the sleeper, often with the statement that the 
 fit is to occur at a specified time, will be the last, the 
 last but one, &c. Some clairvoyants predict acci¬ 
 dents to themselves. In one case the predicted acci¬ 
 dent was a fall on the steps on coming out of church, 
 but it was only predicted generally as to happen at a 
 certain hour and to produce certain effects. It is 
 very common for such as go spontaneously into 
 trance or ecstasis, to predict these occurrences a long 
 time before. 
 
 “As to prevision unconnected with the sleeper, 
 and referring to other parties, this is much more 
 rare. But it has been frequently recorded, and I 
 think must be admitted as a possible occurrence, 
 beyond our power at present to explain. Major 
 Buckley informs me that it frequently occurs in his 
 experience. 
 
 “ A young lady in London, being magnetised, saw 
 her family in the country, described their occupa¬ 
 tion, and added that her little brother had got the 
 measles. Being asked if her little sister had not also 
 got the measles, she said, ‘ No, but she will have 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 V 
 
 217 
 
 them on Wednesday; and mv elder sister will have 
 them too, but not until the Wednesday following.’ 
 All this proved correct.” 
 
 In the first part of his work Dr. Gregory remarks 
 on this subject: “ Whether prevision exist or not, we 
 have now what I consider sufficient evidence that 
 clairvoyants do possess the power of seeing contem¬ 
 porary or present events, as well as that of seeing 
 past events. And even if it should turn out that all 
 alleged cases of prevision are founded on some fallacv, 
 this would not affect those other phenomena, which 
 must rest on their own evidence. I premise this, 
 because I have often heard the alleged impossibility 
 of prevision, or its absence in a particular case, em¬ 
 ployed as an argument, or rather as a proof, against 
 the possibility of clairvoyant vision, introvision, and 
 retro vision. Now, I cannot consent that these 
 should be in any way made to depend on the other. 
 
 “But on the other hand, vision, introvision, and 
 retrovision, being, as I think, established as facts, 
 though not explained or understood as occurring 
 under any known laws, furnish undoubtedly an addi¬ 
 tional argument for the possibility of prevision. If, 
 in some way to us at present unaccountable, present 
 and past events are presented to the mind’s eye, may 
 not future events be also thus perceptible ? If past 
 occurrences leave a trace behind them, may not 
 * coming events cast a shadow before ?’ If the latter 
 is inconceivable, the former, had we not seen them, 
 would be equally so ; and whether conceivable or 
 not, the one is as easy, or rather as difficult, if not 
 impossible, to explain as the other ” 
 
 Spontaneous Prevision, or Second-sight. —“ A 
 soldier in a Highland regiment, then in America, 
 named Evan Campbell, was summoned before his 
 officer for having spread among the men a predic¬ 
 tion that a certain officer would be killed next day. 
 He could only explain that he had seen a vision of 
 it, and that he saw the officer killed in the first 
 onset by a ball in the forehead. He was repri- 
 
 L 
 
218 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 mancled and desired to say no more about it. Next 
 day an engagement took place, and in the first 
 attack the officer was killed by a ball in the forehead.” 
 
 After adducing some other instances, Dr. Gregory 
 concludes by saying: “The above cases are onlyafew 
 out of many that might be adduced, and tend to 
 show that by so me obscure means certain persons in 
 a peculiar state may have v isions of eve nts y et futu re. 
 And, indeed, it is only by admitting some such in¬ 
 fluence that we can at all account for the fulfilment 
 of prophetic dreams, which, it cannot be doubted, 
 has frequently taken place. Coincidence is insuffi¬ 
 cient to explain even one case, so enormously great 
 are the chances against it; but when several cases 
 occur, it is absolutely out of the question to explain 
 them by coincidence.” 
 
 The following case is from a medical work, recently 
 published, which obtained the prize of the Academie 
 de Medecine:— 
 
 “ Madame C., set. 25, married to the captain of a 
 vessel, was subject to violent nervous crises while her 
 husband was at sea. For a month she had convul¬ 
 sions, alternating with complete coma, when one day 
 she exclaimed, * My husband is now landing at St. 
 Nazaire.’ All the persons who heard her ascribed it to 
 hallucination. ‘ I see him,’ she continued, ‘ he is 
 coming to Nantes.’ In the evening, without waking 
 from her somnambulic sleep, she added, ‘ He is come; 
 he is crossing the street; he is coming up the stair¬ 
 case.’ The bystanders thought she was deranged ; 
 but how great was their astonishment on seeing the 
 husband enter the room ! 
 
 “ Similar facts have been observed by Doctors 
 Fourre, Pellerin, and Maisonneuve, who is pro¬ 
 fessor in the Ecole de Medecine; and, if it is 
 easier to deny than to explain them, it seems to 
 me that they should at least be noted, without seek¬ 
 ing to bend them to systematic preconceptions.”* 
 
 * “ De la Medicine Morale, dans le Traitement des Maladies 
 Nerveuses.” Par le Dr. Padioleau. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 219 
 
 Prevision. —The same author relates the case of a 
 young lady, set. 21, suffering from a nervous affection, 
 marked by violent convulsive movements, attacks of 
 catalepsy, and crises of somnambulism. For several 
 months the patient took nothing except a small bit of 
 chocolate at night, for in the daytime she vomited 
 everything except a little water. She nevertheless 
 retained her fresh complexion, and there was no 
 sensible emaciation. “ One day, when plunged in a 
 deep sleep, she made signs to write. A pencil and 
 slate were put into her hands, and she wrote, 
 * Marie me guerira .’ Some time afterwards she de¬ 
 sired to have a white dress made, and while it was 
 making she often repeated that the time for her cure 
 was approaching; then, when pressed to take some 
 food, she said, ‘ It is of no use, I cannot; but when I 
 am cured I will eat like an ogre.’ 
 
 “ When her dress was ready, I asked her to put it 
 on. ‘ Not yet,’ she replied, ‘ I will not wear it till the 
 8th December, when I will go to the church of the 
 Immaculate Conception ’ (where her cure was to 
 be effected). In one of her attacks of somnambulism 
 she said that on the 7th she would have horrible fits, 
 but we were not to be alarmed, as she would be 
 cured the next day. 
 
 “In fact, on the 7th the whole family was in a 
 state of consternation, so horrible and frightful were 
 the spasmodic attacks, which recurred every quarter 
 of an hour. The action of the muscles of the upper 
 part of the back and of the nape of the neck was so 
 violent that they occasioned a constant movement of 
 rotation, nevertheless her intellectual faculties were 
 unimpaired, and in the short intervals of repose she 
 repeated, ‘ Why do you distress yourselves ? to¬ 
 morrow I shall be cured.’ 
 
 “ The next day, after passing a terrible night, she 
 was put into a carriage to be taken to the church, 
 and she was dragged, so to speak, to the holy table. 
 But on returning, she walked alone to her place, to 
 the great astonishment of her parents and friends. 
 
 L 2 
 
J 
 
 220 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 On leaving the church she got into the carriage, and 
 on arriving at the hotel crossed witli surprising 
 facility the court-yard, went hurriedly up the stairs, 
 sat down to the table, and really ate like an ogre. In 
 the course of the day she went out on foot, and ever 
 since (two years ago) she has enjoyed admirable 
 health.” 
 
 Curative Agency and Clairvoyance —There is 
 in the periodical “ Once a "Week,” for September, 
 1860, a long article from an Englishman who spent 
 six months among the Druses of Mount Lebanon, 
 who, he says, are divided into Akkals, or the ini¬ 
 tiated, and Djahils , or uninitiated. The Akkals are 
 of both sexes, and are the most respected of the 
 nation. They pursue the ordinary callings of life 
 like other men. One of the most distinguished among 
 the Akkals is the Sheykb Beschir, whose acquaint¬ 
 ance the author made. He solicited an exhibition of 
 his wonderful power, which he at first declined giv¬ 
 ing, on the ground that he had made it a rule that, 
 except to effect cures, he would have nothing more 
 to do with the unseen world. At length, however, 
 he was prevailed upon.” 
 
 After giving an account of the turning, at first 
 slowly, then rapidly, of a ivater-jar, caused by recita¬ 
 tions and movements of the hands of the Sheykh, at a 
 little distance from it , the writer adds : “ That the 
 fact of making the water-jar turn was a very won¬ 
 derful feat there can be no doubt, nor could I account 
 for it by any natural or ordinary means whatever. 
 That the Sheykh firmly believes in his intercourse 
 with the spiritual world is certain. 
 
 “ His greatest triumphs have been in cases of 
 epilepsy and confirmed madness, in which I know of 
 many instances where his success has been most won¬ 
 derful. He resorts to no severe measures to those 
 brought to him, nor does he use any medicine, 
 simply repeating over them certain incantations, and 
 making passes tvith his hands, as if mesmerising them. 
 
 “For severe fevers he has a twine or thread, which 
 
/ 
 
 animal magnetism. 221 
 
 he sends the patient—no matter how far off—enough 
 to tie around his wrists, when the sickness is said to 
 pass away at once. A relation of his own told me 
 that his (the relative’s) wife had been afflicted for 
 three years with a tumour, of which the European 
 doctors at Beyrout could make nothing, when at last 
 she agreed to consult Sheykh Beschir. The latter 
 shut himself up in his room for thirty days, fasting 
 all the time upon very small quantities of bread and 
 water. He then took the case in hand, and after 
 making several passes over the woman’s body, she was 
 in live minutes perfectly cured. 
 
 “ But what surprised me more than anything else 
 about the Sheykh, was the singularly correct descrip¬ 
 tion he gave of countries, towns, and even portions 
 of towns which he could never have seen, never 
 having been out of Syria. He can only read Arabic, 
 in which tongue works of information are very limited, 
 and the number of Europeans with whom he has haa 
 intercourse might be counted upon his ten lingers. 
 He asked me to name any town in which I had resided , 
 and which I wished him to describe to me. I men¬ 
 tioned, among others, London, Edinburgh, Calcutta, 
 Bombay, Cabool, Candahar, and Constantinople, each 
 of which he literally painted in words to the very 
 life, noticing the various kinds of vehicles, the dress 
 of the different people, the variety of the buildings, 
 and the peculiarities of the streets, with a fidelity 
 which would have been a talent in any one who had 
 visited them, but in a man who had never seen them 
 was truly marvellous.” 
 
 As respects the cures said to have been effected in 
 epilepsy and mania, they were most probably owing 
 to the positive influence of animal magnetism, of 
 which numerous instances are related in works on the 
 subject. The description of towns was doubtless 
 owing to the power of thought-reading, combined 
 with clairvoyance, possessed by the Sheykh, though 
 he was not in the somnambulic state, of which, like¬ 
 wise, numerous instances are related. The rapid 
 

 222 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 turning of the water-jar without contact finds its 
 counterpart in the recent accounts we have of the 
 turning of tables, the transposition of objects, &c., 
 also without contact, and ascribed to spiritual agencj r . 
 
 The distinguished German writer, Zschokke, says 
 in his “ Autobiography “ It has happened to me 
 sometimes on my first meeting with strangers, as I 
 listened silently to their discourse, that their former 
 life, with many trifling circumstances therewith con¬ 
 nected, or frequently some particular scene of that 
 life, has passed quite involuntarily, and as it were 
 dreamlike, yet perfectly distinct before me. For a 
 long time I held such visions as delusions of the 
 fancy, and the more so as they showed me even the 
 dress and motions of the actors, rooms, furniture, and 
 other accessories. I once in a family circle at Kirch- 
 berg related the seci’et history of a seamstress, who 
 had just left the room and the house, and whom I had 
 never seen before. The people were astonished, for 
 what I uttered was the literal truth. I, on my part, 
 was not less astonished that my dream-pictures were 
 confirmed by the reality. 
 
 “ This seer-gift manifested itself occasionally only, 
 and quite independently of my volition, and often in 
 relation to persons in whose history I took not the 
 slightest interest. Nor am I the only one in possession 
 of this faculty. In a journey with two of my sons 
 I fell in with an old Tyrolese, who travelled about 
 selling oranges and lemons, at an inn in one of the 
 Jura passes. He fixed his eyes upon me for some 
 time, joined in our conversation, and began to describe 
 my acts and deeds, to the no little amusement of the 
 peasants and astonishment of my sons, whom it inte¬ 
 rested to learn that another possessed the same gift 
 as their father. How the old lemon merchant ac¬ 
 quired his knowledge he was not able to explain, but 
 he seemed to attach great importance to his hidden 
 wisdom.” 
 
 Second - sight, Clairvoyance, and Cure of 
 Deafness. —Mr. Home, the medium, remarks in his 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 223 
 
 “Incidents of My Life:” “My mother was a seer 
 through her life. She had what is known in Scot¬ 
 land as the second-sight, and in many instances she 
 saw things which were afterwards found to have oc¬ 
 curred at a distance, just as she had described them. 
 She also foresaw many events which occurred in the 
 family, and foretold the passing away of relations, 
 and lastly, she foretold her own, four months pre¬ 
 viously. My aunt has told me that when I was about 
 four years old, I had a vision of the circumstances at¬ 
 tending the departure from earth of a little cousin, I 
 being at Portobello, and she at Linlithgow; all which 
 proved to be entirely correct, though I had men¬ 
 tioned persons as being present about her who, it was 
 thought, could not have been there, and had noticed 
 the absence of her father upon the water at a time 
 when it was thought he must be with her at home. 
 
 Introvision and Community of Feeling.—“ I 
 was so sensitive to any one who came near me in a 
 diseased state that I not only myself felt, but accu¬ 
 rately described their symptoms and the seat and 
 causes of the disease. One case was that of a person 
 who had been ill for many years without any appa¬ 
 rent cause. I brought to his mind an accident which 
 had occurred to him some years previously, and 
 which I was impressed to tell him was the cause of 
 his sufferings. A surgeon to whom he related the 
 circumstance told him that I had no doubt been cor¬ 
 rect in attributing his illness to that accident. My 
 own suffering in sympathy with other people’s illness 
 was often so great, and was indeed so frequent, that 
 I was often warned by my spirit-friends against 
 coming in contact with sick persons. 
 
 “ The day previous to my leaving, a wonderful 
 case of healing occurred through me in the manner 
 which I will now relate. 
 
 “ On the 19th March, 1857, I received a letter 
 from a stranger, Mdme. A. de Cardonne, of 233, rue 
 St. Dominique, St. Germain, stating that she had 
 had a dream, in which she had seen her own mother 
 
2:24 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 and mine, and that the latter had told her to seek 
 me at once, in order that her son, who had been deaf 
 for four years from the effects of typhoid fever, might 
 be cured. This was so strongly impressed upon her 
 mind, that she wrote to say that she would call 
 upon me with her son the following morning at 
 ten. 
 
 “ Accordingly she presented herself with her son 
 at my rooms, there being present the Princess de B. 
 and Miss E., who were with me previous to my 
 leaving Paris that very day to proceed on my voyage 
 to America. I received her with considerable em¬ 
 barrassment, which was fully reciprocated on her 
 part; the mother yearning for her son’s recovery, 
 and I not knowing how I was expected to be instru¬ 
 mental in healing this long total deafness; the more 
 so, that operations had been performed on the boy, 
 as I afterwards found, by eminent surgeons of Paris, 
 who had said that it was impossible he should ever 
 be restored to hearing. 
 
 “ She sat down on a chair near the sofa, I taking 
 a seat on the sofa, and beckoning the son to be seated 
 on my left. He was in his fifteenth year, of a deli¬ 
 cate complexion, with large dreamy blue eyes. 
 During the recital of his illness, told with all the 
 warmth and tenderness of a mother’s heart, and 
 describing the various surgical operations to which 
 he had been subjected, my sympathies were deeply 
 moved, and I unwittingly threw my left arm about 
 the boy, and drew him towards me, so that his head 
 rested on my shoulder. While in this position, and 
 Mdme. de Cardonne was telling some of the most 
 painful particulars, I passed my hand caressingly 
 over the boy’s head, upon which he, partly lifting 
 his head, suddenly exclaimed, with a voice trembling 
 with emotion, ‘ Maman, je t’entends.’ The mother 
 fixed on him a look of astonishment, and said, ‘ Emile’ 
 (the boy’s name), and he at once replied, ‘ Quoi 
 She then, seeing that the child had heard her ques¬ 
 tion, fainted with emotion, and on her recovery the 
 
1/ 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 225 
 
 scene was a most thrilling one; the poor mother 
 asking continually questions for the mere pleasure 
 of hearing her child reply. The boy was able to 
 resume his studies, and has continued to hear per¬ 
 fectly up to the present time.” (Home’s “ Incidents.”) 
 
 Clairvoyance of Alexis Didier. —The following 
 account of the clairvoyant means by which a robbery 
 was detected appeared in the Paris journal La 
 Presse :— 
 
 “ Mdme. A., living in the rue Tronchet, having 
 lately missed some articles of jewellery, and a con¬ 
 siderable quantity of linen, called upon M. Marcillet 
 and Alexis, with a view of obtaining some informa¬ 
 tion respecting them. Alexis, on being somnam- 
 bulised, said, ‘ Your present servants are honest, but 
 you had a maid who was married last month, it is 
 she who robbed you. She is so much the more to 
 blame, as you entertained towards her great regard, 
 which you proved by frequently making her pre¬ 
 sents ; even on her wedding-day you gave her a rich 
 silk dress.’ ‘ This woman cannot have committed 
 these robberies,’ said Mdme. A., ‘ for some sheets are 
 missing which I feel confident were in the house after 
 her departure.’ ‘You mistake,’ replied Alexis, ‘for 
 I see in the room a good deal of linen which belongs 
 to you. As to the jewels, part of them have been 
 sold.’ Then, in order to prove to Mdme. A. that he 
 saw her former femme de chambre, Alexis described 
 her, told her name, and even indicated the house 
 where she was then living. Mdme. A. went to the 
 house, saw the woman, and reproached her for her 
 ingratitude ; but being deceived by her answers, in 
 which breathed a spirit of candour, she almost re¬ 
 gretted having accused her, when suddenly the aspect 
 of matters changed. ‘ I did not expect you, Madame,’ 
 said the woman. ‘ See, here is the box containing 
 the few trinkets which I possess ; examine it your¬ 
 self, and ascertain whether there is anything that 
 belonged to you,’ placing the box at the same time 
 in the hands of her former mistress. Madame A., 
 
 L 3 
 
V 
 
 22G ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 having her suspicions removed by this speech, was 
 on the point of making excuses for having been so 
 credulous, when, from the abrupt movement made in 
 passing the box to her, a foreign coin, which Madame 
 A. immediately recognised as being hers, fell out. 
 With this proof of conviction she determined upon 
 lodging a complaint with the commissary of police. 
 This officer, on going to the house to make a search, 
 not only discovered the sheets which belonged to 
 Madame A. on the bed of the newly-married couple, 
 but also found that the shirts worn by the husband 
 belonged to M. A. It is needless to say that, after 
 verifying these facts, the faithless servant was trans¬ 
 ferred to the Prefecture de Police.”* 
 
 Clairvoyance.' —“ M. A., having to make a heavy 
 payment at the close of 1857, missed from his cash- 
 box the sum of 1,700 francs. He always carried the 
 key about with him ; he could not therefore make 
 out how the deficiency had occurred. He suspected 
 no one ; only three persons had access to his bureau— 
 
 * Tlie practice of somnambulism being illegal, and lucidity 
 as respects the discovery of lost or stolen property being 
 capable of possibly compromising innocent persons, Alexis, 
 together with some other Paris somnambulists, was on one 
 occasion summoned before the Correctional Police. The 
 facts that stolen or lost objects had been frequently recovered 
 through the instrumentality of the accused were not denied, 
 and their advocate defied the Commissary of Police to detect 
 a robbery by means of a pair of gloves that had been worn 
 by one of the parties implicated in a robbery, which Alexis 
 had recently done. Judgment was not pronounced, and the 
 practice of somnambulism continued to be tolerated, or was 
 visited only with slight penalties. In similar cases, however, 
 much precaution is required in validating the testimony of 
 somnambulists, for it might easily happen that the person 
 robbed, having present to his mind an individual against 
 whom he might think there -were grounds of suspicion, and 
 the somnambulist, divining his thoughts, might easily describe 
 i this individual, which would confirm the suspicions previously 
 i entertained of his being the guilty party, though he might be 
 quite innocent. This source of error would, therefore, always 
 require to be guarded against in employing the powers of 
 lucid somnambulism for a similar purpose. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 227 
 
 viz., his wife, brother, and sister-in-law—in whom 
 he fully confided. Being desirous of penetrating the 
 mystery, he applied to Madame Ogier, a somnambu¬ 
 list, whose lucidity he had heard highly spoken of. 
 On her being put into the magnetic sleep, he pre¬ 
 sented to her some objects which belonged to these 
 three persons. On examining them she said that 
 the two first belonged to two relatives of his who had 
 nothing to do with the missing sum. When she 
 felt the third object she expressed pain mixed with 
 apprehension, and refused to explain herself; but on 
 M. A. insisting, she said, ‘ It is a member of your 
 family who has betrayed your confidence. She has 
 taken the money.’ She minutely described the per¬ 
 son, and her description was very exact, both physi¬ 
 cally and morally. She added that the person had a 
 bunch of keys, one of which opened the box, though 
 with some difficulty ; that she had used this key for a 
 long time, and had abstracted several sums of money, 
 which she had hidden in certain articles of furniture. 
 ‘ Search,’ she said, * such and such an article 
 (describing them), there is more money than you 
 think, also some bank-notes, which are crumpled 
 up, and even somewhat torn.’ M. A. found in 
 the places specified some gold and 3,500 francs in 
 bank-notes, crumpled up and a little torn. Some 
 days afterwards he succeeded in getting the bunch of 
 keys, and found that one really opened his box. There 
 are in Paris numerous real and pretended somnam¬ 
 bulists, who give consultations. It is said that the 
 police sometimes employ this agency to assist them 
 in their researches.” 
 
 Spontaneous Clairvoyance in Sleep. —The fol¬ 
 lowing cases are taken from an esteemed German 
 work:— 
 
 “ Jardens, teacher in an establishment in Berlin, had 
 an uncle living in the country near Halle, who acted 
 as a father towards him. In the tenth year of his 
 age he was received into the Orphan-house of Halle, 
 where he dreamt that thieves were robbing his 
 
228 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 uncle’s house. He saw them go in, and take things 
 from particular rooms, ‘ as clearly,’ he said, * as if 1 
 saw it in full daylight with open eyes. I was very 
 apprehensive for the life of my uncle, and related the 
 dream to my fellow-scholars. In the course of the 
 morning I was called out of the school-room; my 
 uncle had come. I ran to embrace him, and told 
 him my dream. He made me repeat it, and then 
 told me all had so happened on the preceding night. 
 I had correctly pointed out in which room the thieves 
 first went, and what they had taken, among other 
 things all his clothes, except the old coat in which he 
 came into the town.’ 
 
 “ A friend of the author’s also a teacher (living in 
 ArmsdorfF), dreamt one night at the end of March, 
 1860, that a woman came in by the door, and said to 
 him, ‘ Your father is very ill, with a severe pain in 
 the left side; he will die.’ In the morning he re- 
 
 f lated the dream to his family. In fact, the same day 
 there came a female messenger from the death-bed of 
 his father, who was previously in health and lived at 
 Siegroth, four German miles distant, and described 
 the progress of the disease, which began with pain 
 in the left side. The son hurried off, and arrived in 
 time to see his father before he died. 
 
 “ A woman who had lived happily with her hus¬ 
 band was separated from him during a journey. 
 After reading one of his letters, she fell asleep, and 
 suddenly awaking with a scream, exclaimed, ‘ My 
 husband is dead. I have seen him die. He was at 
 a water-course, where there are several trees. An 
 officer in a blue uniform attending him stanched 
 the blood, issuing from a large wound in his side, 
 and gave him water to drink out of his hat.’ Those 
 about her vainly endeavoured to tranquillise her. She 
 again fell asleep, and having had the same dream recur, 
 no longer doubted the facts. Fever, attended with 
 convulsions, supervened. In a short time the news 
 arrived that her husband had been killed on the 
 road. Some months afterwards she went to mass; 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 229 
 
 after it was over, on suddenly seeing a gentleman, 
 she screamed out and fainted. On coming to herself 
 she said that was the officer who had been at the 
 death of her husband. On being appealed to he 
 confirmed the correctness of her account of the event. 
 
 “ An employe in Wurtemburg had an assistant 
 and an apprentice. The former being addicted to 
 excesses, came in drunk late one night, and finding 
 the young man writing, he seized him, threw him to 
 the ground, and pressed his throat so tightly that 
 he was blue in the face, and lost consciousness. The 
 employe's wife, who was in childbirth, falling asleep, 
 dreamt that she saw in the office the apprentice half¬ 
 dead on the ground, and blue in the face. She awoke, 
 and being frightened, called the nurse, and told her 
 to go to the office, where she arrived just in time to 
 prevent his death. The assistant, alarmed at her ap¬ 
 pearance, gave up the attempt. 
 
 Prevision during Sleep. —“ A somnambulist pa¬ 
 tient of Dr. Meissner’s dreamt on the 10th July that 
 at the end of the week she would fall down speechless, 
 and have an attack of hemorrhage. I made her 
 promise not to go out of her room the whole week. 
 On the 14th she was found by a person who acci¬ 
 dentally went in lying at the foot of the bed unable 
 to speak, and a quantity of blood by her side. She 
 afterwards said that she had risen from the bed to 
 take a cloth out of a high cupboard, and in drawing 
 it out that she fell backwards against the bedstead, 
 and began to emit blood from her mouth. 
 
 Clairvoyant Apparition. — “A young woman 
 died in the night in the Jews’ Hospital, in Frankfort. 
 Early the next day her sister and niece came to in¬ 
 quire after her (one of them lived in the town, the 
 other a mile off), as the deceased had appeared to 
 both of them in the night. The director of the hos¬ 
 pital assured me that similar instances not unfre- 
 quently occurred. 
 
 “Wesermann states in ‘ Rieser’s Archives:’ “I 
 tried to make my intended visit known to a friend, 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 280 
 
 whom I had. not seen nor written to for thirteen years, 
 by this means, that by the power of my will my 
 form should appear to him while asleep. On my 
 going to see him the next evening, he expressed his 
 surprise at the circumstance, inasmuch as he had 
 seen me the preceding night in a dream. 
 
 “ The cashier of a bank had a sum stolen, which, 
 as he could not replace at the time of making up the 
 accounts, occasioned him much anxiety. In the night 
 he dreamt that he saw a person who told him to go 
 to a particular street, and to a certain house, which 
 was so clearly indicated that he could not mistake it. 
 He was to go up two flights of stairs, at the top of 
 the second flight to take care not to fall, and that he 
 would obtain the required sum. The person who 
 appeared was unknown to him, but he recollected 
 having once met him in a large party. At first, the 
 dream made little impression on him, but on the day 
 after he determined to act on the presentiment, in 
 order that it might not be said he had neglected any 
 means in his power. He found the house, and after 
 ascending the first flight of stairs, the warning came 
 into his mind, and he went up the second carefully. 
 He was scarcely up when a door on the stairs was so 
 suddenly opened as almost to throw him down. A 
 man came out from the open door, who begged his 
 pardon for the accident. The cashier, greatly agi¬ 
 tated, and believing this was the man he sought, 
 related the circumstance that had brought him there ; 
 and to his astonishment was answered, ‘ Why did you 
 not come before ? I yesterday lent a large sum, 
 which I would willingly have lent to you.’ He, 
 however, gave himself some trouble about the mat¬ 
 ter, and helped him out of his difficulty.”—(“ Entdec- 
 kungen aus dem Gebiete der Seele,” Yon Karl Albert 
 Schemer, Docent der Philosophic in Breslau. Berlin, 
 1861 .) 
 
 Transposition of the Senses, &c. —This pheno¬ 
 menon was observed by Dr. Barrier de Privas in the 
 case of Euphrosine Bonneau, and formed the subject 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 231 
 
 of a memoir transmitted by M. Cuvier to the Insti¬ 
 tute of France in 1833: There were “complete in¬ 
 sensibility of the body, except at the epigastrium, 
 where all life seems to be concentrated ; the power of 
 divining the thoughts of any person placed en rapport 
 with her, this faculty being so developed that she 
 can keep up a conversation in which the person only 
 converses mentally; the obliteration of vision, taste, 
 and smell in the special organs, and their transfer¬ 
 ence to the epigastrium ; prevision of evenfs'T'Slating 
 to~Eer" complaint, with a just appreciation of the 
 remedies required ; sympathetic feeling of the suffer¬ 
 ings experienced by others.” 
 
 “A lady we know personally is very easily thrown 
 into the mesmeric trance, and immediately becomes 
 clairvoyant. The first time she was so, inquiries 
 were made of her in regard to the son of a lady pre¬ 
 sent, who had not been heard of for some time, and 
 about whom his mother was in great anxiety, and 
 
 Mrs.-described exactly where he was, and what 
 
 he was doing, which proved afterwards to have been 
 the case that day. And this sort of thing continually 
 occurs.”—(“What is Mesmerism?” 2nd Edition. 
 London : Bosworth, Regent-street. 1863.) 
 
 Robert IIoudin and Alexis. —The somnambu- 
 Jist’s ey es Raving- been covered with wadding and two 
 handkerchiefs, IIoudin drew from his pocket two 
 packs of cards with the Government envelope. After 
 shuffling a pack, he requested Alexis to cut, and then 
 dealt five cards to him and also to himself. When 
 about to take them up, AlexisT stopped Tim, saying, 
 “It is useless, I have the game,” and he named the 
 ten cards without turning them up. “ Let us recom- \lo- 
 mence,” said Houdin ; and having dealt ten cards 
 and taken up his five, said, “ I propose.” “ Why 
 do you keep those two cards and that small trump ?” 
 asked Alexis, “hiever mind, give me three,” re¬ 
 plied Houdin. “What are they?” covering them 
 with his hands. “ Queen of diamonds, queen of 
 clubs, and eight of clubs.” A third game of ecarte 
 
232 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 was played with the same exactness of results. Hou- 
 din then, taking off the bandages from the somnam¬ 
 bulist, took a book out of his pocket, and requested 
 him to read something eight pages beyond where it 
 was opened, at a specified level. Alexis pricked with 
 a pin the page about two-thirds down, and read, 
 “ Apres, cette triste ceremonie.” On turning over the 
 leaves, Houdin found on the same level the words Alexis 
 had read, not at the eighth, but at the ninth page. 
 
 “ Whose lock of hair is this ?” inquired Houdin. 
 “ It is a young man’s—your own son.”—“ How old 
 is he ?”—“ Three years younger than you state him 
 to be.”—“ That is true.”—“ AVhat is the matter with 
 him?”—“He is ill; he suffers on the right side; 
 but stop, you have touched this hair, I am mistaken 
 in the fluid; it is you who suffer on the right side 
 even now.”—“ It is true, but my son ?” “ Your son, 
 
 he has nothing the matter with him.”—“ Oh, yes, 
 search well.” Alexis, after feeling himself all over, 
 from his feet to his head, touching the region of his 
 stomach, his heart, his head, at length exclaimed, 
 “ Ah, I see, are you uneasy about that little imper¬ 
 ceptible point which I perceive on the right side of 
 his right eye ? He is now sixteen years and three 
 months old; at eighteen years of age that will have 
 disappeared.”—“ It is stupefying,” said M. Houdin, 
 who the next day signed the following declaration: 
 “ I cannot help stating that the facts above related 
 are scrupulously exact, and the more I reflect 
 upon them the more impossible do I find it to 
 class them among the tricks which are the object of 
 my art.” 
 
 A fortnight later he sent a letter to M. de Mirville 
 (by whom he had been introduced to Alexis), saying 
 that he had been to a second stance, and the same 
 results were repeated, Alexis telling him the cards 
 dealt while with their faces still on the table. At one 
 deal, he said, ‘ I have the king.’—‘ How do you 
 know ?’ said Houdin, ‘ I have not yet turned up the 
 trump card, so that you cannot know.’—‘You will 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 233 
 
 see.’ “ In fact I turned up the eight of clubs, and 
 his card was the king of clubs. The game was con¬ 
 tinued in a curious way, for he told me the cards I 
 was to play, though my game was in my hands, and 
 held under the table. At each card that I played he 
 put forward one of his without turning it up from 
 the table, and it always corresponded to the one I had 
 played. I therefore came away from this seance as 
 astonished as any one can be, and fully convinced 
 that it would be quite impossible for any one to pro¬ 
 duce such surprising effects by mere skill.”—May 
 16,1847. L. pi 5 * 
 
 The following passage is extracted from the report 
 made by the Commissioners to the Academie de 
 Medecine, respecting the case of Mdlle. P igeaire, who 
 read and designated objects presented to her with her 
 eyes bandaged over : “A new sphere of life is doubt¬ 
 less opened out to us by lucid somnambulism. In 
 that state the soul exhibits phenomena which con¬ 
 found our reason, for they are without analogy in the 
 normal life. Its manifestations appear to be subject 
 to laws different from those which regulate the intel¬ 
 lect ; but though they cannot be considered as normal, 
 they are at all events natural—they are human. 
 This form of existence can only be regarded as a 
 special expansion of the human soul opening out to 
 to us new and brilliant prospects in the domain of 
 philosophy and the sciences. But this lucidity, 
 this particular extension of the intelligence, is 
 simply a gift of the Deity—ft is a faculty; it is 
 not, therefore, merely a kind of sleep. It is really 
 surprising that some writers who have treated of 
 the subject should have allowed themselves to be 
 so blinded by the appearance presented by mag¬ 
 netic somnambulism as to see only a form of sleep 
 in a state whieh exhibits a development of new 
 faculties.” 
 
 The author of a recent work, which is rather op¬ 
 posed than otherwise to magnetism, remarks respect¬ 
 ing somnambulic lucidity : “ I defended before the 
 
234 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Tribunal of Correctional Police a somnambulist who 
 was accused of the illegal practice of medicine. A 
 crowd of witnesses, summoned both for the prosecution 
 and for the defence, declared that they had been ill 
 for a longer or shorter period, and that having de¬ 
 rived no advantage from ordinary medication, they 
 had applied to the somnambulist, who had exactly 
 described their ailments, and had speedily cured or 
 relieved them. Such unanimity of testimony cannot 
 be ascribed to prejudice or to complaisance, and it 
 must be admitted that the greater number of the wit¬ 
 nesses had really experienced salutary effects from the 
 the remedies prescribed by the somnambulist. Many 
 other prosecutions of somnambulists have exhibited 
 analogous results. 
 
 “ The lucidity of somnambulists may undoubtedly 
 render much service. A great number of patients 
 have received from them indications to which they 
 owed their cure ; many persons, through their instru¬ 
 mentality, have recovered valuable objects which were 
 lost; others have obtained from them important in¬ 
 formation ( renseignments ) in difficult cases. There 
 exist on this point very numerous attestations. 
 Lucidity is, therefore, not merely a wonderful faculty 
 ancTan interesting subject for scientific study, but it 
 is likewise an agent of great utility. Independently 
 of the use which a wise and vigilant police may make 
 of it, physicians, when no longer apprehensive of 
 being confounded with charlatans, will not hesitate 
 to employ somnambulism, in which they will find a 
 precious auxiliary in acquiring a knowledge of the 
 causes of diseases, and in the indication of remedies. 
 The replies of somnambulists will often furnish them 
 with data, which may serve to guide them after they 
 have been controlled by their medical knowledge. 
 Somnambulism, thus practised, will only be attended 
 with advantages, without presenting any of its actual 
 inconveniences. Several enlightened physicians have 
 already entered upon this path, and have published 
 useful works, in which they have not hesitated to 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 235 
 
 admit all that they owed to the elucidation of disease 
 by somnambulists.* 
 
 The following apposite remarks to the present sub¬ 
 ject appear in a standard work :— 
 
 Wonders op Science Compared with the Won¬ 
 ders of Nature. —“ Unless we must discredit testi¬ 
 mony which would be deemed sufficient to establish 
 the truth in any other science, they (mesmerism and 
 spiritualism) do present us with many curious and 
 remarkable facts, which, to say the least, are with 
 great difficulty explicable by ordinary scientific prin¬ 
 ciples. Now, in such a case, what is the course 
 which every true philosopher ought to take ? Evi¬ 
 dently, if he follow Newton and Bacon, he ought to 
 examine those facts calmly, and with a scrutiny pro¬ 
 portionate to their anomalous and marvellous cha¬ 
 racter. The philosophy of those facts is a subsequent 
 matter, and should be left untouched until facts 
 enough are collected to force the mind to theorise. 
 But how different from all this has been the course 
 pursued ! On the one hand, how many have become 
 violent partisans before they could be half acquainted 
 with the facts. On the other hand, it has been main¬ 
 tained that the facts could not be true, because they 
 conflicted either with the principles of sciences already 
 
 * “ Du Magnetisme et des Sciences Occultes.” Par A. S. 
 Morin, Ancien Sous-Prefet. Paris, 1801. 
 
 The following paragapli appeared in Galignani’s Messenger, 
 January, 25, 1804 : “ Two clairvoyant brothers, Bonheur, 
 are now drawing crowds to the Cirque. The younger is 
 thrown into a magnetic trance by his elder brother, and gives 
 proof of extraordinary lucidity. The most wonderful part of 
 the performance is worth describing. At the bidding of any 
 one of the audience, who whispers his wishes in the ear of 
 the elder Bonheur, the ‘ subject ’ rises from his chair, goes to 
 a black board, and draws the portrait of any person whose 
 name may be mentioned. As there is no apparent com¬ 
 munication between the brothers, this is certainly rather 
 startling. The portraits are generally good likenesses, but 
 to prevent mistakes, the names of the individuals they 
 are meant to represent are written at the bottom by the 
 somnambulist.” 
 
236 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 established, or with those of religion, and thus vir¬ 
 tually declaring that nothing can be learnt respecting 
 mind or matter. On these grounds an appeal is 
 made to the strongest passions and prejudices of 
 human nature against the claims of the new sciences, 
 and a popular odium is thus excited against those 
 who cultivate them; and it requires not a little 
 moral courage and attachment to science to induce a 
 man to pursue his investigations in the face of so 
 much obloquy and illiberality.” 
 
 With reference to the phenomena of lucid somnam¬ 
 bulism, the author remarks : “ Whatever may be our 
 views of this unsettled branch of knowledge as a 
 whole, it would seem as if we could not doubt that 
 its facts prove the action of mind upon mind inde¬ 
 pendently of the bodily organization, without reject¬ 
 ing evidence which would prove anything else.” 
 
 Again, under the head of “ Religious Truth Illus¬ 
 trated from (Science “ Nor does it seem to me more 
 difficult, on natural principles, to see how the mind 
 may act at a distance through the undulations of a 
 mesmeric medium, than to see how light and heat 
 are .transmitted by the waves of a luminous ether. 
 If physiology and phrenology tend to materialism, 
 certainly mesmerism tends even more decidedly to 
 immaterialism, as the conversion of several distin¬ 
 guished materialists will testify. It does also open 
 to the Christian most interesting glimpses of the 
 mode in which the mind may act when freed from 
 flesh and blood, and clothed with a spiritual body. 
 Indeed, I doubt not that the general principle will 
 prove true, that the more ominous of evil any branch 
 of knowledge seems to be in its incipient state, 
 the more prolific it will ultimately become in illustra¬ 
 tions favourable both to morality and religion. Be¬ 
 cause some physiologists have been materialists, it 
 has been inferred that physiology was favourable to 
 materialism. But it is now found that they were 
 materialists in spite of physiology, rather than from a 
 correct interpretation of its facts. Upon the whole, 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 237 
 
 every part of science which has been supposed by the 
 fears of friends or the malice of foes to conflict with 
 religion, has been found at length, when fully under¬ 
 stood, to be in perfect harmony with its principles, 
 and even to illustrate them.” * 
 
 * “ The Religion of Geology, and its Connected Sciences.” 
 By Edward Hitchcock, D.D., Professor of Natural Theology 
 and Geology. 
 
 A very distinguished writer (Sir Bulwer Lytton) makes one 
 of the characters in “A Strange Story” say, with reference 
 to mesmeric phenomena : “ Honour to those who, like our 
 bold contemporary, Elliotson, have braved scoff, and sacri¬ 
 ficed dross, in seeking to extract what is practical in uses, 
 what can be tested by experiment, from those exceptional 
 phenomena on which magic sought to found a philosophy, 
 and to which philosophy tracks the origin of magic.” 
 
 He further quotes on this head the following passage from 
 Sir William Hamilton’s “ Lectures on Metaphysics and 
 Logic”: “Somnambulism is a phenomenon still more 
 astonishing (than dreaming). In this singular state a person 
 performs a series of rational actions, and those frequently of 
 the most difficult and delicate nature, and, what is still more 
 marvellous, with a talent to which he could make no pre¬ 
 tension when awake. His memory and reminiscence supply 
 him with recollections of words and things which, perhaps, 
 never were at his disposal in the ordinary state ; he speaks 
 more fluently, a more refined language ; and if we are to 
 credit what the evidence on which it rests hardly allows us 
 to disbelieve, he has not only perception of things through 
 other channels than the common organs of sense, but the 
 sphere of his cognition is amplified to an extent far beyond 
 the limits to which sensible perception is confined. This 
 subject is one of the most perplexing in the whole compass 
 of philosophy.” The author remarks upon the latter para¬ 
 graph of this quotation : “ The perplexity in which the dis¬ 
 tinguished philosopher leaves the judgment so equally 
 balanced, that it finds it impossible to believe, and yet im¬ 
 possible to disbelieve, forms the right state of mind in which 
 a candid thinker should come to the examination of those 
 more extraordinary phenomena, which he has not himself 
 yet witnessed, but the fair inquiry into which may be ten¬ 
 dered to him by persons above the imputation of quackery 
 or fraud.” 
 
,v 
 
 
 * 
 
 } 
 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 V ^ 
 
 CLAIRVOYANCE, TRANSFERENCE OF THE 
 SENSES, ETC. 
 
 The following instances excited much attention and 
 stormy discussion in France at the time :— 
 
 In the daughter of Dr. Pigeaire, of Montpelier, aged 
 eleven years, the phenomenon of reading with closed eyes 
 was exhibited before numerous spectators. “ After being 
 magnetised, she read,” says her father, “ with the greatest 
 facility, though her eyes were closed or covered with a ban¬ 
 dage, written or printed words, not only when she applied 
 Keiningers to the paper, but also when a piece of glass was 
 interposed between the book and her fingers.” M. Kuhn- 
 holtz, librarian of the faculty of Montpelier, wished to see 
 her read. “We placed a bandage over her eyes, after filling 
 up the hollow on either side of the nose with cotton ; a book 
 which M. Kuhnholtz brought was placed before her, and 
 she read with facility, always with the a ssistance of the 
 fingers.” In the next sitting a mask was employed instead 
 of the handkerchief, after the apertures for the eyes had been 
 closed with black velvet, folded four times ; and a fresh book 
 brought by M. Kuhnholtz was opened, in which she also 
 read. M. Pougosky went out, brought in another book, and 
 asked the little girl if she could read in it when closed. After 
 having rubbed the cover of the book with her fingers, she 
 said, “ I cannot read, I can only perceive that it is in verse.” 
 The cover was opened, and the blank page before the title 
 was seen ; the little girl rubbed her fingers over this page, 
 and read the name of the work, “ Fables de la Fontaine.” 
 
 Among the numerous persons who witnessed the phe¬ 
 nomena were MM. Lallemand, Amador, Eustace, Delmas, 
 and others, well known in the town ; and M. Pigeaire invited 
 two physicians from Paris, whom he selected from the most 
 incredulous, to come to Montpelier, and if the somnambulist 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 - 239 
 
 £ P^'5 
 
 did not read with her eyes closed and covered with a double 
 black handkerchief, he_engaged to defray their expenses ; or 
 he would go to Paris, and if the experiment succeeded, he 
 was to be reimbursed the expenses of his journey. 
 
 M. Burdin had proposed in the Acaddmie de Medecine a 
 prize of three thousand francs to be given to the individual 
 who was able to read without the use of his eyes a nd w ithout ^ 
 light, either in the state of somnambulism or awake. M. 
 Pigeaire with his daughter consequently went to Paris. 
 
 Some preparatory experiments were made in private, which 
 were attended by several learned and distinguished person- ■ . 
 ages, most of whom attested in writing that Mademoiselle > ' 
 
 Pigeaire read while her eyes were covered with a bandage of 
 black velvet, which was bound down to the skin of the face j ' 
 at the lower part, so that light could by no possibility arrive 
 atf the eyes. Among the persons who certified the fact . 
 were MM. Orfila, Ribes, Reveille-Parise, and other well- '> 
 known physicians. 
 
 The trial for the prize did not, however, take place ; for 
 thoughAhe condition of the_absence of light was dispensed 
 tjith, father impediments were thrown in the way, such as 
 the insisting upon the somnambulist wearing a particular 
 apparatus, which was entirely to incase the head, instead of , 
 the bandages or velvet covering with which the former ex¬ 
 periments were made. M. Pigeaire consequently declined to 
 allow his daughter to make the attempt. 
 
 The experiments made many years previously by M. 
 Petetin, an eminent physician, and President of the Medical 
 Society of Lyons, who for a long time disbelieved in mag¬ 
 netism, tended to prove the transference of other senses 
 than the sight to particular parts of the body. These ex¬ 
 periments originated from an accidental circumstance. A 
 cataleptic patient was under Ins care, who appeared^ to be for 
 a length of time in a state of complete insensibility; no 
 stimulus had any effect upon her ; her eyes and ears ap¬ 
 peared to have lost altogether the power of receiving their 
 appropriate impressions. M. Petetin, however, was greatly 
 astonished on accidentally discovering that she heard him 
 perfectly when he spoke near her stomach. Having satisfied 
 himself of the fact by repeated trials, he afterwards perceived 
 that it was the same with respect to the senses of sight and 
 smell. The cataleptic patient read witli the stoma ch, even 
 through an intervening opaque substance : he also found 
 that it was not necessary to speak directly upon the 
 stomach in order to be heard, but that it sufficed to speak at 
 one end of a conductor, of which the other end rested upon 
 the stomach. Some years afterwards he met with other 
 cataleptic and somnambulic individuals, who presented the 
 same phenomena as the former, with the difference, however, 
 
240 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 that the faculties were found to he transferred, not only to 
 the epigastrium, blit also to the extremities of the lingers 
 and toes. 
 
 M. Petetin secretly placed pieces of cake, biscuit, tarts, 
 &c., upon the stomach of one of the patients, which was 
 immediately followed by the taste of the particular sub¬ 
 stance in the mouth. When the substance was enveloped 
 in silk, no sensation was felt, but the taste was immediately 
 perceived on the covering being removed.* One of the 
 patients enumerated the most remarkable articles in the 
 pockets of several individuals. These and other equally 
 surprising phenomena were witnessed by a large propor¬ 
 tion of the physicians and learned men of Lyons and its 
 vicinity. 
 
 In the “France Mdridionale,” November 1, 1839, there 
 is the following statement respecting a very lucid som¬ 
 nambulist :— 
 
 “ We were yesterday present at a sitting of experiments 
 on magnetism, the results of which have entirely dissipated 
 whatever doubts previously remained on our minds, on the 
 so-much-contested fact of vision without the assistance of 
 the eyes. M. Picard gave in this seance the most evident 
 proofs of his prodigious moral power, and of the admirable 
 lucidity of his somnambulist Calixte, of whom we will merely 
 mention one fact. After having been magnetised, he played 
 a game of piquet and ecartd with astonishing precision and 
 rapidity ; his eyes were perfectly closed, cotton filled up the 
 orbits, and a bandage was bound over them. The cards 
 were brought by a physician who believed but little in mag¬ 
 netism, and were examined by several persons, among whom 
 was a conjuror, who prided himself upon knowing all the 
 tricks practised by persons in his profession.” 
 
 “At another time, Calixte, after having been magnetised, 
 a card was placed on the region of the heart, and he named 
 without hesitation the ace of clubs. His eyes were padded 
 over and bandaged with a thick handkerchief ; he then played 
 with the most sceptical several games at ecarte, with new 
 cards, without making the least mistake. If his adversary 
 named, in playing, a different card from that which he played, 
 the somnambulist was annoyed, complained of his bad faith, 
 and added—“Why do you try to deceive me? I can see 
 them better than yourself, and to prove it, you hold such and 
 such cards in you r hand.” 
 
 “ One of the players, suspicious in the extreme, having 
 raised the bandage in order to convince himself that no ray 
 of light could arrive at the organ of sight, was scolded by 
 
 * “ De l’Electricite Animale.” This result could not therefore 
 have depended on thought-reading. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 241 
 
 the somnambulist in no measured terms, and owed his con¬ 
 version to magnetism to the following experiment:— 
 
 “ So you think I can see with my eyes,” said the somnam¬ 
 bulist to him ; “ are you, then, so blind as not to compre¬ 
 hend that my eyelids being pressed upon by padding and a 
 bandage, which annoy me terribly, it is impossible for me to 
 perceive anything in the ordinary way ? Well, then, go into 
 the next room, stick against the wall, with a wafer, any card 
 you please, and you will soon know whether I shall be able , 
 to tell it or not.” This was accordingly done, and Calixte 
 named, without much hesitation, the king of diamonds, 
 which was correct. 
 
 “ Twelve pieces of ribbon, of different colours and shades, 
 were given to the patient, who distinguished them in the 
 most exact manner. 
 
 “ A stop-watch, of which the hands had been purposely 
 deranged, was applied to the region of the heart, and he told 
 the hour which was indicated.” 
 
 The same individual was also magnetised in Paris, by Mr. 
 Macpherson Adams, who published an account of the seances 
 in the “Medical Times” (October 15, 1842), and similar^, 
 phenomena were elicited, the somnambulist playing ecarte, 
 and naming the cards in his adversary’s hand. He also 
 selectecTaTcoin, which had been touched by his magnetiser, 
 from several others. “I then put him in contact with the 
 captain, and asked him about his health, if he had lost any 
 limb or the use of any organ ? He said he was then suffering 
 no pain, that he had lost no limb. I asked if he was deaf 
 or blind ? The reply was, ‘ He sees better with one eye than 
 the other,’ and on being desired to name which eye was the 
 best, he named the left, which was quite correct, for the other 
 eye was quite gone, though unless looked into not to be 
 easily perceived. Another experiment we made was to see 
 if he could tell us the names of four cards with their faces on 
 the table ; he said he could not, he thought, tell us the 
 colour, but he would count the points for us, which he did 
 correctly, only once he counted seven instead of ten.” 
 
 After some further experiments of reading in books and , 
 words written in small characters, whicITTtie somnambulist P. ■ 
 performeTPcorrectTy, the narrator further says : “ We also 
 tried the community of taste. I ate a piece of sweet biscuit, 
 which he said was ‘gateau.’ I put a ginger lozenge in mv 
 mouth, which he said he did not know the flavour of, but 
 said it was some sort of preserved fruit, but that he was not 
 acquainted with those tastes. I then took some brandy from 
 some brandy cherries, with sugar in it, and he said it was 
 some sort of liquor, brandy, or rum, or something of that 
 sort.” 
 
 On perusing this case, I wrote to a friend in Paris, to be 
 
 M 
 
243 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 present at some of the experiments, who replied : “In refer¬ 
 ence to Mr, Macpherson Adams, before receiving your letter, 
 I had attended one or two of his magnetio seanoes, and wit¬ 
 nessed some experiments that puzzled mo not a little. In 
 fact, I went to scoff, and remained to pray (in further 
 enlightenment). Calixte played ecarte with me, told the 
 cards in my ha nd wit h his eyes bandaged,” &o. 
 
 Failure of Experiments on Alexis. 
 
 I subsequently received a letter from my friend, Dr. Davi¬ 
 son, of which the following is an extract 
 
 “I have been present at three seances magnetiques, but 
 none of the experiments were successful. Alexis failed in 
 almost every instanoe, and a new subject, the servant of 
 Marcillet, of whom he related marvels, was totally at fault, 
 j “The president of our Sooiety, Dr. Oliffe, engaged 
 Marcillet and Alexis to perform at his house about a fort¬ 
 night since, and he invite_d_many of the membe rs, that they 
 might have an opportunity of forming their own conclusions 
 on the subject. The rooms were warm and crowded, and 
 the people almost hemmed in the magnetiser and his subjeot. 
 Scarcely had the experiments commenced when one person, 
 Dr, L., made some absurd objections to them, and expressed 
 his utter disbelief in mesmerism. In faot, the oonduct of the 
 majority was such, that it is not surprising Alexis was alto¬ 
 gether JEapting in clairvoyance ; in place of one name he gave 
 another ; and the other experiments were not more success¬ 
 ful.” 
 
 Thus it would appear that the somnambulist’s powers were 
 impaired by the circumstance of his knowing that he was 
 to exhibit before an assembly the majority of whom were 
 adverse to and discredited magnetism, of which I have 
 related an instanoe in' the report, and whioh magnetisers 
 staieTo be most frequently the case. At the time when I 
 proposed that he should appear before the Sooiety, M. 
 Maroillet at once consented, but Alexis objected, and stated 
 his apprehension of not succeeding before a large assembly of 
 medical men, the greater number of whom he conceived to 
 be prejudiced against magnetism. The failures, however, 
 in no wise invalidate the result of the successful trials, for if 
 the experiments were invariably to succeed, there would no 
 longer be room for scepticism, and no doubt could exist. At 
 all events, nothing could more strongly evince the good faith 
 and confidence of the magnetiser than his readiness to allow 
 the somnambulist to try his powers under such unfavourable 
 circumstances. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 213 
 
 EXTRACT FROM A DISCUSSION ON EXTRA¬ 
 ORDINARY NERVOUS AFFECTIONS IN THE 
 SOCIETE MEDICO-PSYCHOLOGIQUE, AND RE¬ 
 CORDED IN ITS “ ANNALES,” APRIL, 1857. 
 
 “ M. Lunier stated the case of a young girl, set. fourteen, who 
 was affected with a nervous disorder, characterised by attacks 
 of somnambulism, terminating in hysterical or epileptiform 
 convulsions, recurring every month immediately after men¬ 
 struation, which was regular, but scanty. Some irregular 
 experiments, made with a view to magnetise the patient, 
 appeared to have induced the somnambulic crises. This state 
 lasted for seven or eight years, resisting all the means 
 employed for its removal. M. Lunier then determined to 
 have recourse to magnetism. Lise soon became a remark¬ 
 able subject. In the waking state, but especially when in 
 magnetic sleep, she obeyed the mentally-formed will of the 
 magnetiser. She told him that in order to cure her she must 
 be frequently magnetised. By this means he prevented and 
 retarded the monthly crises, and at length obtained the 
 cessation, which had been predicted by the somnambulist 
 with remarkable precision. Several times he dictated to her j 
 mentally a word or a sentence, which she wrote down as if. 
 she had heard them spoken. 
 
 “ ‘This case,’he observed, ‘is the only one in which I 
 have verified in a person in the somnambulic state the vue a 
 distance and a knowledge of things unknown to the mag¬ 
 netiser. In a case of robbery the somnambulist has recog- y 
 nised the individuaT,~IolI6wed'him into the town, seen him 
 ascend a staircase, and cut off a piece of cloth.’ M. Ferrus 
 asked if M. Lunier knew the thief. He replied, ‘ I had 
 some suspicions, but I did not know the details of the fact, 
 which were subsequently verified.’ 
 
 “ The patient’s disease was progressively removed under the 
 influence of magnetism. In her waking state she was a very 
 simple and uncultivated girl, presenting nothing remarkable. 
 
 “ M. Bourdin mentioned the case of a patient who was in 
 a state of nervous crisis. She was a married woman, and had 
 had children. She was treated during several weeks with 
 various remedies, but without success. Her physician then 
 proposed magnetism ; and M. Bourdin, notwithstanding his 
 inexperience, undertook to magnetise her. ‘ 1 will,’ he said, 
 
 ‘ give an account of the surprising facts that presented 
 themselves to my observation during the treatment. They are 
 of two kinds. The first consists in a mysterious transmission 
 of the sensations of the magnetiser to the magnetised sub¬ 
 ject. A person lightly passed the feather of a pen under my 
 nose. The patient made a grimace as if she had been touched 
 
 M 2 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 244 
 
 herself ; the experiment was repeated several times with 
 success. They tried to tickle me by lightly pinching my 
 knees and my side. The patient gave way to such frank 
 laughter, that its sincerity could not be suspected. During 
 different seances I was pinched, pricked, and tormented in 
 various ways, my hair and ears were pulled, my foot was 
 trodden upon, and each time the patient appeared to feel the 
 same pains that I felt. The trials were subsequently repeated 
 when 1 was not in the patient’s presence. I placed myself, 
 with two experimenters, in an adjoining room. One of 
 them pinched me on the left breast. At the same moment 
 the patient, who was walking about, suddenly stopped, her 
 face expressed pain, and she put both her hands to the cor¬ 
 responding part of her own breast. 
 
 “ ‘The second series of facts was characterised by mental 
 transmission, without external signs, of orders which were 
 understood and executed by the patient. Sometimes I 
 could make her perform defined movements, at other times 
 I could produce in her singular illusions. 
 
 “ ‘ Whilst the patient was talking to a physician, one of the 
 experimenters made me a sign to make her come to me. The 
 order mentally transmitted to her was immediately executed. 
 The same person made a sign to send her back to her place ; 
 and the order, mentally transmitted, was executed as quickly 
 as if it had been outspoken. Analogous experiments, made 
 according to the suggestions of another person, were attended 
 with an equally successful result. I tried to deceive the 
 patient by producing real illusions by the mere effect of the 
 will. I held the feather of a pen three or four inches 
 distant from my ear, imitating the movements of a person 
 tickling it ; the patient scratched her corresponding ear. 
 The same experiment was repeated on other parts of the 
 body, and succeeded perfectly. Other trials were made upon 
 the sense of smell. A person took a visiting card from his 
 case, which I presented to the somnambulist, and asked her 
 of what it smelt. She said, “ Eau de Cologne,” and after 
 attentively examining it, added, “It is singular this card 
 does not seem to be moist.” I had mentally imparted to it 
 the odour designated by her. 
 
 “ ‘ In like manner, on giving water to the patient to 
 drink, I could make her believe it was wine, wine and 
 water, (fee. 
 
 “ ‘ These facts did not follow in their reproduction a regular 
 course, as do facts of the physical order. Sometimes they 
 were produced, at other times not. Why it so happened I 
 could not discover.’ 
 
 “M. Ferrus asked whether M. Bourdin was able to recog¬ 
 nise any resulcs tnat were referrible to the application of 
 magnetism to the treatment of the patient. M. Bourdin 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 215 
 
 replied, 1 Certainly, since tlie attacks have completely dis¬ 
 appeared for several years.’ 
 
 “ M. Bucher remarked : ‘ It results fiom the experiments 
 that the patient was more frequently mistaken than right in 
 her statements. If the phenomenon really existed, the 
 relation would be inevitable, invariable, like that of the 
 combination of an acid with an alkali, or of digestion with food 
 introduced into the stomach. I see in all this only things 
 which happen by chance, or the result of skilful manoeuvres, 
 or fortunate coincidences which are sometimes met with.’ 
 
 “M. Bourdin regretted that he must dissent from M. Bucher 
 a3 respected the necessity of the constancy of phenomena of 
 the order specified. When the fact is proved of the digestion 
 of an alimentary substance, a certain, but not a constant, 
 fact is proved ; for the same substance may not be digested 
 another day by the same stomach. When, on the contrary, 
 an acid is brought into contact with an alkaline basis, another 
 fact certain, but also constant, is proved. There is between 
 the two facts the essential difference of a possible reproduc¬ 
 tion in the one case, of the certain reproduction in the other. 
 Facts which are not of an analogous kind should, therefore, 
 not be compared with each other. The laws which regulate 
 the physiological order are different from those which govern 
 the physical world. 
 
 “ M. Ferrus declared that he had produced very positive 
 effects by magnetism, and he expressed the opinion that the 
 Society ought to appoint a commission to make and super¬ 
 intend experiments, in order to verify the results of mag¬ 
 netism. The question of magnetism is much agitated in 
 the world ; it behoves science to investigate the opinions, to 
 fix the uncertainties connected with it. 
 
 “ M. Delasiauve recalled to mind the facts quoted by M. 
 Rostan, in his article on magnetism, in the ‘ Dictionnaire 
 des Sciences Me'dicales.’ Most of these facts are of great 
 authority, both on account of their nature and their special 
 character. ‘ I believe,’ lie added, ‘ that we cannot remain 
 quiescent without studying these mysterious phenomena, 
 and I concur in the opinions expressed by M. Ferrus.’ 
 
 “ M. Ferrus said, ‘I attended the experiments of M. 
 Rostan, I have made others myself, and 1 feel convinced of 
 the reality of certain facts, the existence of which has been 
 contested in this discussion.’ 
 
 “ M. Briere de Boismont remarked : ‘ It seems to me that 
 it belongs to the physician to examine these facts. Ought we 
 to refuse to investigate them, if there be any truth revealed 
 in these nervous phenomena, because imagination, bad faith, 
 credulity, or fanaticism may have altered their nature 'l I do 
 not hesitate to say that there is in the organism an agent 
 possessed of unknown power, by the assistance of which re- 
 
2IG 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 markable results are obtainable—viz., tlie influence, or ratlier 
 the power of the will, of one man over another. It is exer¬ 
 cised not only by word and gesture, but by the touch—slight 
 pressure, the contact of the hands, often produce in nervous 
 diseases a decided amelioration, an instantaneous change. 
 All this depends on idiosyncrasy. Imagination doubtless 
 plays a great part in the production of these results, but 
 1 affirm that it is insufficient to explain them all.’ M. Briere 
 stated that he minutely observed the case of a patient 
 (Mdlle. Marie) for several years in liis establishment. The 
 case presented remarkable phenomena ; she repeatedly de¬ 
 scribed what the inhabitants of a house, at a considerable 
 distance from Paris, were doing at the time. On one oc¬ 
 casion, among other things correctly described, she said : 
 ‘ There is M. Charles, who is going into a cafe ; he speaks 
 with a person, and sits down to take some refreshment.’ 
 ‘ Cabanis,’ he further remarked, ‘ who will not be accused 
 of credulity, affirms having seen, under the influence of 
 magnetism, intellectual faculties, which were not previously 
 apparent, manifest themselves ; women presented all the 
 characteristics of excellent diviners, and predicted in their 
 paroxysms certain crises or organic modifications. Has not 
 Aretseus, one of the greatest physicians of antiquity, written 
 that there are sick persons who announce future things to 
 those present 1 Is not the return of reason after long years of 
 mental alienation, at the last moments of life, another proof 
 of the profound transformations undergone by the nervous 
 power V M. Belhomme said : ‘ I was interne at Bicetre, at 
 the time when M. Blandin was the physician, and I was 
 struck with his magnetic experiments on several patients. 
 One patient slept little, notwithstanding the employment of 
 opiates ; and after having been magnetised several times he 
 slept every night, and all night. A patient afflicted with 
 rickets, who had been a long time in the ward, experienced 
 an extraordinary magnetic effect ; as soon as M. Blandin 
 entered the room he fell into the sleep. These facts prove 
 that magnetism in the hands of physicians may have an 
 incontestable efficacy.’ 
 
 “ M. Baillarger remarked : ‘ Esquirol attended an idiotic 
 child ; chance discovered to him one day that he could read 
 the thought of his preceptor. On a name being spoken to 
 him, while the child was at a distance, and after all imagin¬ 
 able precautions were taken to prevent its hearing, it could 
 nevertheless repeat the word uttered. 1 made the following 
 experiment myself : The preceptor read a name on a visit¬ 
 ing card, and the child repeated this name. I have even 
 seen the child read an entire sentence which had been pre¬ 
 viously read by the preceptor.’ 
 
 “ M. Ferrus said : ‘ Instances of natural somnambulism 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 217 
 
 are frequent and incontestable ; they have evidently with 
 magnetism an undeniable connexion. Public opinion on 
 this subject has greatly advanced since twenty years ago ; 
 when the article of M. Rostan on magnetism appeared in 
 the “ Dictionnaire,” no one then dared to say that he believed 
 in magnetism, or occupied himself with it. At the present 
 day the question, whether it be agitated or not within this 
 assembly, will unquestionably be taken up, discussed, and 
 elucidated elsewhere. This is inevitable. As regards the 
 danger ascribed to the practice of magnetism, in bad hands 
 it may doubtless be productive of evil; but in the hands of 
 physicians its employment can only be attended with advan¬ 
 tage, without any bad effects resulting therefrom. It has 
 been asserted that M. Rostan had changed his opinions, but 
 this distinguished pathologist denied the statement, remark¬ 
 ing : “ The opinions which I formerly expi'essed respecting 
 
 magnetism remain unchanged. Being the results of ex¬ 
 periments carefully made, and, as I believe, incontestable, 
 they could not change. They were made in a room of the 
 hospice of the Salpetriere, without any looking-glass, and 
 in the presence of only one or two witnesses. The subject 
 was a female servant in the establishment, very simple, and 
 ignorant oven of the name of magnetism. Theso are extra 
 physiological phenomena which I.maintain, and have observed, 
 carefully guarding myself from all deception. The subject 
 experimented upon can at will accelerate or retard the move¬ 
 ments of the heart and the pxdse. 1 insist on this pheno¬ 
 menon, because it appears to me to be quite conclusive, but I 
 have observed many others of a more extraordinary kind. 
 If I had now to write an article on magnetism, I should 
 retract nothing of what I formerly said. I could, moreover, 
 make additions to it. If that article was not reproduced in 
 the last edition of the ‘ Dictionnaire,’ the omission was 
 independently of my will. I have reason to believe the 
 experiments of Georget to be as bond fide and as carefully 
 made as my own ; and if M. Dechambre subsequently ob¬ 
 tained retractions from one or two of the subjects of Georget's 
 experiments (it was said that one of them, Petronille, had 
 confessed to trickery), this depends upon the particular way 
 in which he set about to interrogate them, upon the kind 
 of word-torture which he made them undergo, and such 
 retraction in no wise invalidates the value of the facts 
 published by Georget. I have long ceased to occupy myself 
 with magnetism, but I retain my convictions with regard to 
 the reality of certain extra-pliysiological facts, which I do 
 not pretend to explain. If I have not replied to certain 
 attacks directed against myself, it is becarrse I did not think 
 it worth while: truth will always make way for itself. It 
 is useless to try to convince those who will not be convinced; 
 
218 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 we can only pity people who reject a truth when it is 
 pointed out to them, who refuse to examine it, and who 
 pride themselves on putting their judgment and sagacity 
 above the judgment and the sagacity of others.” ’ ” 
 
 An interesting case of the effects of magnetisation is 
 recorded by the distinguished physician M. Cerise, in the 
 second volume of the fifth series of the “ Annales^de Psy¬ 
 chologic.” A woman, set. 32, had been subject for several 
 years to hysterical epileptiform attacks several times a-day, 
 which lasted only for a short time. “ All the means tried 
 for her relief had failed, and the family desired that she 
 should be magnetised. After two or three minutes’ mag¬ 
 netisation the movements became transformed into so violent 
 an attack that I was very frightened, and determined never 
 to try again. The attack had never been so severe, nor of 
 such long duration ; the epidemic character tended to pre¬ 
 dominate. I remained near her until she became calm and 
 then retired, telling the family that 1 would not repeat the 
 trial. Well; I was mistaken. That which seemed to me to 
 be an aggravation of the disease was, in reality, an element of 
 amelioration, perhaps of cure. In fact, the next day passed 
 over without an attack; as did also a second, a third, and 
 a fourth day. The patient begged me to make a fresh trial. 
 I desired her to wait. She did wait; but slight attacks 
 soon recurred and daily increased in intensity. She then 
 made another appeal to me, to which I yielded. The result 
 was similar ; only this time the attack was less severe than 
 on the former occasion. Encouraged by the renewed sus¬ 
 pension of the disease, I continued to magnetise her until 
 she appeared to be cured. There was therefore an unfore¬ 
 seen substitution of attacks arising from my intervention for 
 the spontaneous attacks, and this substitution was beneficial 
 and, in some measure, therapeutical. 
 
 “ I must, however, add that the course of the disease was 
 only suspended ; as, a year afterwards, it recurred with 
 renewed force, and terminated in epilepsy, insanity, and 
 the death of the patient.” 
 
 M. Cerise related another case of a nervous disorder, 
 which enabled him to verify the existence of the faculty of 
 transmission of the senses of hearing and taste to the 
 epigastric region. “ In the Insane Asylum at Turin there 
 was a young cataleptic girl, who was seen by the physicians 
 of the institution, and by several distinguished confreres. 
 When she was in the cataleptic state two trials were made 
 in my presence. The patient could hear no sound nor word 
 spoken unless a communication was established between her 
 epigastrium and the person who spoke, or the thing which 
 made the noise. A chain was formed by the persons present, 
 and the one most distant from the patient, speaking in his 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM, 
 
 249 
 
 hand, obtained an answer expressed through the person 
 nearest to her, who held his hand upon her epigastrium. 
 In the second trial some tobacco-powder in water was placed 
 on her epigastrium ; she was much annoyed, and made 
 violent efforts at coughing, as if to relieve her throat of an 
 acrid and irritating substance. For the tobacco syrup was 
 substituted, and the patien, showed herself to be agreeably 
 affected, making decided movements of swallowing.” 
 
 In a subsequent discussion (February 22, 1858), as to 
 whether the facts stated in the Society should be published 
 or not, M. Cerise observed: “ But under this absurd 
 denomination (magnetism) is there really nothing that is 
 worthy of the attention of the physician ! I set aside the 
 question of lucidity, together witli the acquisition of extra¬ 
 dinary or even supernatural faculties, which is a very 
 different one. No one among us admits it seriously. To see 
 through time and space, or through blocks of marble, is to be in 
 a position to acquire riches, which no one has acquired by 
 these means. It is to give the lie to the history of human 
 destilues. ”* 
 
 > 
 
 In the course of this discussion the following case was 
 recorded by M. Belliomme :— 
 
 “ Alexandre, let. 19, of a nervous and irritable constitu¬ 
 tion, in consequence of the death of his mother, was seized 
 with convulsive actions, which subsequently assumed the 
 character of epileptiform crises. 
 
 “About the middle of January it was perceived that after 
 these crises the patient fell into a somnambulic sleep. One 
 day, while in this state, he got up and wrote a page. M. 
 Belliomme, thinking that magnetism was indicated for the 
 treatment, recommended it to the family, and he was con¬ 
 sequently magnetised by a young man. While in the sleep, 
 he stated that magnetism was the only means that could 
 relieve him, and predicted the time of the recurrence of his 
 crises, as also when the cure of his disorder would be 
 effected. His sensations were all blunted, except with 
 reference to the magnetiser. On ammonia being held to his 
 nostrils by others he was insensible to its action, but not so 
 when held by M. Leclerc, who could paralyse one or other 
 of his limbs and restore its motion at will. He could also 
 
 * The observations of M. Cerise with regard to the power of clair¬ 
 voyance, are but little applicable to the facts, which, since the date of 
 the discussion, have greatly accumulated, and are generally admitted 
 by those who have had opportunities of observing them, and, perhaps, 
 by M. Cerise himself. It by no means follows, from the recognition ot ~~yr 
 these facts, that the individual endowed with this faculty should be by 
 it placed in A-position fo acquire riches, &e. It is the more sur¬ 
 prising that these remarks should have been made, after M. Cerise’s ", 
 testimony given to the phenomenon of transference of the senses to the 
 epigastrium. 
 
 M 3 
 
250 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 produce in the patient a cataleptic state, and remove it. 
 When in his crises, the muscular power of Alexandre wag 
 doubled, or quadrupled ; the efforts of several men were 
 required to control him. M. Leclerc coidd alone do so by 
 magnetic passes. The patient’s heart was slightly hyper- 
 trophised, his pulse beat 108; but the magnetiser, by his will, 
 I made it fall to 80 pulsations. He foretold that his crises 
 would cease after the twelfth seance. These facts were 
 verified by Doctors Cerise, Bail larger, and Bouillard, who 
 w'ere among the persons present. 
 
 “At the termination of one seance, when Alexandre was 
 awakened, we went to breakfast with the rest of the com¬ 
 pany. After breakfast, being desirous to convince my 
 confreres of the magnetiser’s power over Alexandre, I re- 
 \ quested him to magnetise him from a distance, and to cause 
 him, by an effort of his ■will,'to come to the dining-room. 
 At the expiration of three minutes Alexandre was put to 
 sleep, and came from his room, passing across the garden 
 to the salon where we were ; and being still asleep, he 
 begged M. Leclerc to awaken him, which he did im¬ 
 mediately. 
 
 “ At the twelfth and last seance, notwithstanding the 
 patient’s disinclination, he was somnambulised. At eleven 
 o’clock, the crisis, of which he had spoken the previous day, 
 occurred, and he said, ‘ I am to be cured to-day.’ He was 
 first seized with delirium, then with convulsions, and at 
 length he fell into a cataleptic state. His clothes were tom 
 by the violence of his movements; he emitted frightful cries, 
 combined with tears and sobbings. During a violent 
 paroxysm he cast himself against the door of his room, and 
 received a severe contusion on the head. Notwithstanding 
 his formal prohibition, they were obliged to restrain him. 
 At half-past one all was over. The patient had fallen into a 
 state of prostration and sleep, from which M. Leclerc with 
 difficulty recovered him. 
 
 “ When awakened, he quietly got'up, and reconducted M. 
 Leclerc as far as the middle of the garden. He remained a 
 month longer in the establishment without having the least 
 recurrence of his crises ; and he was afterwards placed in a 
 commercial house, as it was previously decided he should be. 
 
 “ M. Leclerc saw the young man, cured, for the space of a 
 year; and whenever he experienced a nervous attack, it was 
 sufficient to place his hand on his forehead, and all the 
 symptoms disappeared. 
 
 M. Belhomme remarked on this case: “The patient’s 
 constitution was so exceptionally irritable, that he could 
 only be compared to a sensitive plant. His nervous system 
 was greatly shaken by the death of his mother. All the 
 rational means of medication that had been employed had 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 251 
 
 failed. He was magnetised by a young man belonging to a 
 rich family, full of candour, and animated by a love of 
 science, who benevolently devoted himself to the service of 
 a poor patient who could only offer his thanks. 
 
 “ At the close of one of his ciises he fell into a magnetic 
 sleep. This appeared to me an indication to be carried out, 
 and I advised that he should be magnetised ; though 1 am by 
 no means a partisan of magnetism. The treatment com¬ 
 pletely succeeded. It is true the crises were multiplied; 
 but the patient in his sleep foresaw the period of their 
 recurrence, and their termination by a cure. Speaking here 
 as a conscientious man, I ask, ought we to neglect any 
 means to relieve and cure patients that are confided to our 
 care f ”—Annales Medico-Psycliologiques. 
 
 CLAIRVOYANCE OF ADOLPHE DIDIER, COM¬ 
 MUNICATED BY THE REV. C. H. TOWNSEND, 
 FROM GENEVA. 
 
 “ The somnambulist described Lausanne, the road to it 
 from the lake, the particular house in which the person was 
 about whom the questioner wished to know, the lady herself, 
 very accurately. He then added, ‘ What a curious thing she 
 is putting on her head,’ which he designated as a filet brim, 
 in which he persisted, notwithstanding the questioner con¬ 
 sidered him to be mistaken. He also mentioned her wearing 
 a sort of jacket, with skirts of another material. This was 
 also considered to be a mistake. Both, however, proved to 
 correct. The lady had put on her head the brown net; she 
 went to the window as the clairvoyant had also indicated, 
 and wore the particular dress he specified, instead of her 
 riding habit, as she was only going to take a lesson ; and all 
 this had taken place at the exact time—between eleven and 
 twelve o’clock—that Adolphe was being questioned. No 
 leading questions were asked ; the somnambulist almost 
 spontaneously made the statements. 
 
 “On another occasion, Adolphe was engaged to go from Paris 
 
 to London to Lord-, and, on his arrival, was magnetised 
 
 by Mr. Barth. By way of testing his lucidity, Adolphe, on 
 being asked, said he would read a book without having it 
 
 presented to him. Lord - reached (quite at random) a 
 
 bodk-from a shelf, and, holding it behind him, asked him 
 what it was, to which lie replied, ‘"Voyage en Suisse.’ 
 Placing the book behind him again, and without opening it, 
 he requested Adolphe would read the first four lines of page 
 twenty-seven. Adolphe immediately repeated several sen¬ 
 tences in French. On opening the book and tunring to 
 page twenty-seven, he found that Adolphe had correctly 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 O ■“> o 
 
 read four lines from the twenty-seventh page of a closed 
 hook, held behind his querist, out of all possible range of 
 natural vision. He then went mentally to a nobleman’s 
 residence in one of the midland counties, and described it 
 most accurately, even to the pictures and costumes of the 
 portraits hanging in the dining-hall. At another time, a lady, 
 having lost a ring about two years previously, asked the 
 magnetiser, who was going to magnetise Adolphe, to inquire 
 about it, and wrote her name on a piece of paper. The 
 clairvoyant, on receiving it, placed it on his lips and forehead, 
 and after a short interval, said it was written by a lady-— 
 describing her correctly—and said she wished to know about 
 a lost ring. He then described the ring, the apartment from 
 which it was taken, what articles were in the same box, who 
 had taken it, and where it was pawned, adding that it 
 would not be recovered, unless the pawnbroker would admit 
 having received it, and declare where he had disposed of it. 
 His description of the lady, the apartment, and the box, and 
 the various articles contained therein, were all perfectly 
 correct. The person whom he stated^ had taken it is deceased. 
 The party who was presumed to be meant denied ever having 
 taken in pledge any ring of so great value, and the verification 
 of the latter part of his statement was consequently impossible. 
 It is somewhat curious and corroboratory, that on Alexis 
 Didier being asked in Paris, and Ellen Dawson subsequently 
 iiTHondon, also respecting the ring, they each described the 
 same person as having stolen it. ” 
 
 Extract of Reports from Journals, given in the Provinces, 
 respecting Adolphe Didier. 
 
 Card-playing and distinguishing cards with bandaged eyes 
 were among the most ordinary and always successful experi¬ 
 ments. Several address cards were given him. He read 
 them instantly. One instance is more curious. A card was 
 handed to him by a person who had not read the address it 
 bore, and was even ignorant whose it was. Adolphe 
 y immediately read the card correctly. A book taken at 
 random from the table was opened before the clairvoyant, 
 and he read a line of it promptly, with apparent ease. At 
 another seance he gave, with the most' exact details, descrip¬ 
 tions of the apartments of several persons. But that which 
 struck every one most, was the obstinacy with which, m spite of 
 her reiterated denial of the fact, he assured a lady, whose apart¬ 
 ment he had admirably described, that he saw a glass of 
 water on her piano. But this fact was verified and acknow¬ 
 ledged, as we have since learned, by the lady herself on her 
 return home. Diagnosis of diseases from hair sent from a 
 distance by the patient or friends was also made correctly.* 
 
 * Adolphe has long practised magnetism in London. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 2o3 
 
 EFFECTS OF MAGNETISM ASCRIBED TO DEMO¬ 
 NIACAL AGENCY. 
 
 A recent author thus accounts for the relief afforded by 
 magnetisation : “ We may therefore say, and fearlessly 
 repeat it, this same unknown power, whose physical action 
 may be as terrible as implacable, we sometimes see it instan¬ 
 taneously reli eve sick pe rsons. More than once I have been 
 the dupe of EEIsT false beneficence. I have seen it, when 
 conducted by my hand, benumb, displace, and remove the 
 most acute pains. In such moments of surprise, one imagines 
 oneself to have a fairy wand at the fingers’ ends. One day, 
 an old and very near female relative, half-paralysed with 
 rheumatism, was painfully lamenting, while fixed to her 
 reclining chair. In a few moments, by means of a few 
 ‘passes,’ made without contact, and almost against her will, 
 
 1 restored warmth to her limbs. She arose, walked with¬ 
 out support, and wondered at it. I was not the less sur¬ 
 prised. The astonished domestics looked upon the circum¬ 
 stance as a miracle ; t he m iracle lasted but for a day. The 
 following day it had flown ; At 1 fil'd' lost its power. It is true 
 that I could now and then renew it ; and sometimes—the 
 experiment is very worthy of remark—it was by endeavour¬ 
 ing not to succeed—that is to say, that placing myself in 
 tlieTTitentical Conditions, I made the ‘ passes ’ in the most 
 mechanical manner, averting my thoughts from them, and 
 detaching my will from the effect which I seemed to wish, to 
 produce. Vain and strange trials to fail of success, for, with 
 this agent, of which I found myself to be the momentary 
 organ, I was compelled to succeed in spite of my efforts ; 
 in like manner that, in spite of efforts to the contrary, I 
 often failed to succeed, notwithstanding the obstinate combi¬ 
 nation of my will and my ‘passes.’ * 
 
 “ But,” adds the author, “ when the magnetic agent exerts 
 an operation upon bodily diseases, experience has established 
 as a general truth that it does not cure them without causing 
 severe pains, or without risk of life, which it frequently 
 
 * In these purely functional paralyses, influences acting on the 
 mind of the patient have often great power in producing temporary 
 improvement, and sometimes a permanent cure. This would account 1 
 for the author’s succeeding in the above-mentioned case, when making 
 the “ passes,” without wishing to succeed, and without willing for the ' 
 effect to he produced. In the other instances referred to (if the same 
 patient he not meant), the want of success may be attributable to the 
 subjects not being impressionable to the mental or to the magnetic 
 influence. If the same patient be meant, the probability is that the 
 repetition of the actions had lost their effect upon the patient’s mind, 
 and therefore no result ensued, notwithstanding the combination of 
 the operator’s will and the “ passes.” 
 
254 '■‘‘animal magnetism. 
 
 - A 
 
 destroys. Its cures require a disheartening length of time ; they 
 are only exceptionally complete ; the evil which it drives 
 out of an organ is often succeeded in another organ by one 
 of a more serious nature, and the diseases dispersed are 
 liable to relapses. We have the formal avowal of Puysegur 
 himself, for he had observed during his long practice of this 
 art that diseases (some) which he thought were radically- 
 cured returned periodically in his somnambulists. He 
 specified especially the end of the year as the time for their 
 fatal recurrence. 
 
 “ But a phenomenon sufficiently characteristic that it be¬ 
 comes a duty to observe it, is that somnambulism, under whose 
 incubation so many apparent cures, and so many acts of 
 superhuman power occur, is in itself but a consequence of a 
 state of disorder and suffering. The pretended fluid which 
 the somnambulist assumes" for his sanctuary cannot acclima¬ 
 tise itself in his system if it does not there find a morbid 
 state, and further, without exerting a deleterious action.” 
 
 These observations, which are opposed to the ordinary 
 experience of magnetic practice, are derived at second hand, 
 from a prejudiced source. It is true that in some convulsive 
 and nervous complaints there not unfrequently ensues upon 
 magnetising a temporary aggravation of the symptoms, which, 
 however, is succeeded in most instances by marked ameliora¬ 
 tion, and in many by a complete cure on the treatment being 
 properly pursued, without anymore serious complaint super¬ 
 vening, and without relapse ; and where a relapse does occur, 
 the disorder is generally experienced in a milder form, and 
 is not unfrequently ultimately removed by persistence in the 
 same means, judiciously employed. So far from cures by 
 magnetism requiring a disheartening length of time, in most 
 cases the beneficial action of this agent"isrsoon manifested ; 
 and slighter ailments, or those that are not of long standing, 
 or of an organic nature, are often speedily mitigated or 
 removed, sometimes after the failure of other means. Som¬ 
 nambulism, though an abnormal state, and frequently occur¬ 
 ring under disordered conditions of the economy, is not a 
 consecpience of a state of disorder and suffering. Most 
 somnambulists experience no other effect than a temporary 
 fatigue from the manifestation of the phenomena therewith 
 connected ; and several of the most lucid somnambulists by 
 vocation, who have for years exhibited the surprising powers 
 with which they are endowed, have enjoyed good health and 
 spirits. 
 
 M. des Mousseaux does not deny that good effects do 
 sometimes result from the action of magnetism, but he 
 accounts for the circumstance by the following hypothesis : 
 “The subjection of the evil spirits to the will of man, for 
 instance, to the thought of the magneriser, such is one of 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 235 
 
 the probable causes, which on a thousand occasions paralyses 
 at least a part of the bad intentions to which their infernal 
 ardour draws them on. By this accidental subjection, the 
 primary cause of which is the merciful will of God acting 
 through our guardian angel, we are also inclined to explain 
 the occasionally salutary effects of magnetisation, or of some 
 practices of the occult arts, when they are directed by right- 
 minded men, who, in their simplicity, have engaged in them. 
 Then, perhaps, the 'perverse spirits, to whom it is painful to 
 do the least amount of good, placed in presence of our good 
 angels, and fettered in their acts, are bound to serve those 
 well-intentioned men. But in forming this hypothesis, we are 
 strongly inclined to think that similar exceptions but rarely 
 occur. ”* 
 
 REPORTS FROM PERSONAL OBSERVATION UPON 
 THE PHENOMENA OF LUCID SOMNAMBULISM 
 MANIFESTED BY ALEXIS DIDIER IN BRIGHTON, 
 IN 1849 (MAGNETISEITEY M. MARCI LLET). 
 
 Seance at Captain Ford’s, Western Cottages, Janttary 15. 
 
 Being somnambulised, the eyes of Alexis were closed and 
 covered with cotton wadding so as to leave merely the 
 aperture of the nostrils free for breathing, three handker¬ 
 chiefs being applied by Captain Ford, who then sat down to 
 play ecarte, the smaller cards having been previously taken 
 out from the entire pack, without any hesitation, by Alexis ; 
 neither was there any difficulty or hesitation in the play¬ 
 ing, the somnambulist leading off’, and following suit cor¬ 
 rectly, proposing and throwing out four bad cards, on one 
 occasion, while they lay with their faces on the table. Cap¬ 
 tain Ford in this deal retained his own cards, on which 
 Alexis observed : “If you had drawn, you would have taken 
 in the king, which is on the top of the pack.” I turned up 
 the top card, which proved to be the eight of hearts, on which 
 Alexis said, “ It is the next.” This, however, was the eight 
 of spades. “ This, then, is it,” and in fact the next card was 
 
 * Le Chevalier Gougenot des Mousseaux, “ La Magie au Dix- 
 neuvieme Siecle.” 
 
 That these views are not adopted by those of the Roman Catholic 
 ecclesiastics who have directed their attention to the higher phenomena 
 of magnetism may be perceived by the acknowledgment of several of 
 them that its effects have been very beneficial in a moral point of view. 
 Thus, the celebrated Father Lacordaire, in one of his “Conferences,” de¬ 
 livered from the pulpit of Notre Dame, Faris, remarked: “ Whilst 
 magnetism renders materialists religious, its history tends to elucidate the 
 origin of medicine, and that of different modes of worship, and to cast 
 a new light upon the science of the past, to remould that of the present 
 day, and to prepare the future.” 
 
250 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 the king of hearts, Alexis having seen it through the two 
 above it. Trials were then made of reading in a book several 
 pages in advance of the part where it was opened. The first 
 book was badly printed, being very old (1717). On Mrs. 
 Ford desiring him to read five pages in advance, he said, 
 marking about the middle of the page, “ opposite this point 
 is the beginning of a chapter, with the words (which he 
 wrote down) ‘ This discourse ended ’ ”—which, on turning 
 over the five pages, proved to be correct. A folio French 
 book was then brought. He mentioned the word “ Enseigne ” 
 as being several pages forward ; this, however, could not 
 be found. On the suggestion of one of the company, that 
 he should read six pages in advance, he wrote the words 
 “ D'un mitre cote la trop grand abonda/nce ,” which was also 
 found to be correct. A lady, Miss C., then gave him a paste¬ 
 board box, of which, after some difficulty, he correctly 
 described the contents, saying it was very antique, a head, or 
 three heads with something round them, not ornaments ; 
 that it was on stone, representing a divinity, and after some 
 time drew a resemblance, the form of the heads—viz., one 
 large round figure and two small profiles, of a man on the 
 right and a woman on the left—these being on the reverse. 
 On the box being opened it contained a large antique carved 
 stone brooch, representing Medusa’s head with the snakes 
 around it, and on the reverse two small profiles. A smaller box 
 was presented to him, which he said contained a similar object 
 to the preceding, though not so ancient, and wrote down 
 Socrates, which was in fact the head represented, though the 
 lady had been told that it was Homer. Captain Ford then 
 gave his card-case, which Alexis said contained a large plain 
 gold ring, wider than ordinary wedding rings. He also 
 correctly described a portrait, in a morocco case, as repre¬ 
 senting a colonel in uniform, with epaulettes, &c., handsome 
 countenance, and said that it was the Captain’s father; 
 that the portrait was taken when he was about 45 years of 
 age ; that he had been long dead, and wrote down 1831— 
 whereas he died in 1829. Another small box was offered by 
 a lady, which he said contained a carving in wood (after some 
 hesitation) of a tomb; that it came from Italy, “Home ?” 
 “Bo.” “It had passed, then, through Rome?” “Yes.” 
 “ It came from the north of Italy, not far from Venice ; had 
 been referred to by Lord Byron and other poets ; ” and he 
 at length wrote “Verona,” the object being in fact a minia¬ 
 ture copy of Juliet’s tomb in that city. A gentleman 
 connected with the Brighton press -wrote some words, as 
 “ Rome,” and “Edward Street,’’ which were correctly desig¬ 
 nated by the somnambulist, as also the words “ Bon soir,” 
 which a gentleman, previously sceptical, wrote in an adjoin¬ 
 ing room on the failure of Alexis to decipher an English 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 257 
 
 sentence which he had presented. I also placed myself en 
 rapport, giving him a letter which I had received a tew days 
 before from the coroner of Norfolk, referring to a test, pre¬ 
 liminary to the somnambulist’s aid being required to en¬ 
 deavour to find the missing weapons with which the murder 
 in that county was supposed to have been perpetrated. He 
 proceeded to give a description of the coroner, his residence, 
 and the office in his house, the tin box which had been pro¬ 
 posed as a test, which he said he saw confusedly—but there 
 was in it some blue cloth or stuff, and flannel, though from 
 the very imperfect nature of the rapport established by these 
 means it is scarcely to be expected that this account would be 
 exact.* The seance terminated by the somnambulist’s cor¬ 
 rect designation of the grandfather of a young lady, who 
 was in Canada, mentioning some peculiarities. 
 
 Second Seance at Captain Ford’s, January 18. 
 
 Cataleptic rigidity of limbs, one of the heaviest persons 
 iu the room standing on the legs (extended in the horizontal 
 position) of the somnambulist. Card-playing, eyes being 
 securely bandaged with three handkerchiefs and cotton 
 beneath ; cards repeatedly told in adversary’s hand ; the 
 trump card (seven of diamonds) named before being turned, 
 as also the king of clubs twice. Reading a few lines in a 
 book opened at random. The bandaj(es7md cotton were then 
 removed, and reading tried six pages in advance. A line was 
 drawn by Alexis on the page, and on the same level the follow¬ 
 ing words, written down by the somnambulist : “II en est 
 dedans, des_ prejets indolents,” were found eight pages in ad¬ 
 vance, instead of the six required. A lady presented some 
 writing in an envelope, which Alexis could not describe, 
 stating the. paper to be too much folded and the writing 
 . crossed. On her retiring, writing two words, and enclosing 
 r ) L them in an envelope, they were exactly stated, “ Bon jour.'’ 
 Another writing in an envelope he stated to be in English, 
 but not able to decipher; as also a card of address, pre¬ 
 sented by Mr. VVhitehouse, which, however, he said was 
 printed and in two lines. Another paper envelope was 
 then placed in his hand, which he said (correctly) con¬ 
 tained the portrait of a gentleman, the husband of the 
 lady en rapport; no peculiarities being indicated, nor, in 
 fact, on opening it, were there any to specify. A larger 
 
 * After the above was written an answer was received from the 
 coroner, admitting that “in somepaiticulars, both as regarded himself 
 and his office, the description was accurate;” arid also that the box 
 contained a hat, “lined with purple or bluish cloth, and south-wester 
 lined with flannel.” This accordance is surprising, considering that 
 the letter was but a very few minutes in Alexis’ hands. The mur¬ 
 derer (Rush) was executed. 
 
258 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 packet, sealed, was then given by Captain K-, a scep¬ 
 
 tic as regards clairvoyance. This Alexis said was a portrait 
 representing a person dead more than a century, upwards 
 of fifty years of age, of a king or chief, and wrote on 
 his paper C. These last particulars were stated to be in¬ 
 correct by the Captain, and Alexis, after some further 
 trials, gave up the attempt; but the packet on being opened 
 was found to represent Cromwell. His account, though not 
 satisfactory to the party proposing the test, was perfectly so 
 
 to Sir R. G-, who had also been placed en rapport with 
 
 reference to it. Mr. W. then asked what was the object en¬ 
 closed in a box in his hand, which Alexis said was a light 
 yellow colour; of a lighter colour inside than exteriorly, 
 something eatable and rather sweet. The box was then 
 opened, and a piece of biscuit taken out of the paper in 
 which it had been wrapped, of a somewhat similar shape to 
 
 that designated by the somnambulist. Sir R. G-then 
 
 gave a morocco case, which Alexis said contained the por¬ 
 trait of a handsome female, about 32 years of age, who was 
 royal or connected with royalty ; that she had been dead a 
 long time, and died in the presence of several persons ; that 
 there was an article of dress of a peculiar form round the 
 neck, and also pearls in the hair. On Sir R. asking the 
 name, he wrote, “ Elizabeth. ” The case was then opened, 
 and a portrait, supposed to be Mary Queen of Scots, ap¬ 
 peared with the ruff worn at the period round her neck, and 
 pearls in the hair. Sir R. G—— having previously thought 
 it was the portrait of Elizabeth, was doubtless the reason 
 why the somnambulist wrote this name. Sir R. next pro¬ 
 posed a ring, which was likewise correctly designated. Ar¬ 
 ticles proposed by others of the company were described more 
 or less correctly. The reporter of one of the Brighton 
 papers was told by Alexis the objects which he held in his 
 closed hand—viz., two rings—one with a stone engraved, 
 the other a smaller and plain ring, which had not been 
 bought by the possessor, but had been given him by a lady. 
 Mr. W. also proposed another test. Alexis said it was a 
 gold article, not a coin ; that there was on it a small figure 
 respresenting a female about 20 years of age, which was 
 exact. 
 
 Third Seance at Capta,in Ford’s, January 19. 
 
 Ecarte-playing with Captain Marsh and two ladies, the 
 cards being frequently mentioned in the adversary’s hand, 
 or in the somnambulist’s own hand, while still in contact 
 with the table and not turned ; a folio volume placed up¬ 
 right between the players did not impede the somnambu¬ 
 list’s lucidity. Reading from a volume opened at random 
 by the Rev. F. Robertson, twenty pages in advance. The 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 259 
 
 words written down by the somnambulist, “ C’est une v 
 mandoline qui a resonnee sous le balcon,'’ were found in 
 the corresponding level to that indicated by him, though 
 not at the exact number of pages. Mr. C. Burrows pre-, 
 sented a packet containing, as he said, a bank note with 
 a sentence written upon it, to become the somnambulist’s 
 property if he could decipher the sentence. Alexis said he 
 saw printing on greyish paper ; wrote down a word, and he 
 declined to say whether it was right or not; but could not 
 make out any of the others, owing to the imperfect rapport 
 between them from the scepticism of the proposer. The 
 same result withTTreference to a similar challenge (10L en¬ 
 closed) from Mr. Drummond, who Alexis said was a more 
 confirmed sceptic than Mr. B. He wrote down some 
 letters, Mr. D. refusing to assist in any way by mention- 
 ing whether they were right or wrong. On opening the ^ 
 paper the words'"^? ivs apro/ios” appeared written on a piece 
 of card; these not at all corresponding to the letters' 
 which Alexis had” previously written. M. Marcillet said 
 that he would not have any mo re m oney tests, both because 
 the persons offering such were always avowed sceptics, and 
 also because the somnambulist knowing there was a stake in 
 which he was individually concerned, this was almost sure 
 to impair his lucidity as regarded them. 
 
 One of the ladies who had previously played cards behind 
 an interposed folio volume (Mrs. Fitzpatrick, whose name 
 Alexis wrote down, saying he had met her in Paris), then 
 wrote a word while retaining her seat in a distant part of 
 the room, placing the writing beneath the cover of a book 
 which she held. This was correctly "designated with scarcely ,, 
 any'difficulty, the word “Incredule” being written back- / 
 wards by Alexis. The Rev. Mr. Robertson then presented s'* 
 a long brown paper parcel, sealed. After some little time, 
 Alexis said it contained wood, with leather over it ; that it 
 opened. “ A portrait of a man ?” “ No.” “ A woman 1” 
 
 “ No.” There was, he said, a small portrait only at the 
 upper part of the packet, and drew its shape and size ; he 
 added that he saw an animal. On the packet being 
 opened, it was found to consist for the most part of 
 brown paper, with a wooden case covered with morocco, 
 about the size which he had drawn. He then said the 
 person represented was very young, not more than six 
 years, with long hair falling on the shoulders; that it 
 was coarsely painted ; had been done by a lady about 
 eight months ago : and after some efforts wrote down 
 the name “ Charles,” the son of the rev. gentleman. Mrs. 
 
 R. had also placed herself en rapport, which doubtless 
 facilitated the description ; Mr. R. himself being incredu¬ 
 lous as to clairvoyance. All these particulars were correct, 
 
260 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 the portrait having been copied from a painting, which 
 contained also the representation of a horse’s head. A lady 
 then presented a card-case. This Alexis said contained a 
 word in French, ~and~ then wrote his own name, which 
 proved correct. Another lady "gave him a letter, which 
 he said was from a relation ; in fact her son, who was about 
 twenty-six years of age, dark, tall ; that he went about a 
 great deal from place to place, and that his name was like¬ 
 wise Charles, all which was exact. Miss Marsh offered a 
 morocco covered box tied up, which Alexis said contained 
 gold. . This was not the case at the time, the gold orna¬ 
 ment in it habitually having been taken out, and something 
 else substituted, of which Alexis drew the form, and said it 
 wa.s a leaf. The form designated was correct, the object 
 being hair, the upper part being spread out somewhat in 
 the form of a leaf. The Rev. Mr. R. again offered a small 
 square box, which, however, Alexis could not make 
 dufi Mrs. Fitzpatrick then gave him a letter, with refer¬ 
 ence to which he was very lucid, expressing himself pleased 
 to b e en rapp ort with this lady. The letter he said came 
 from Beyond the sea; that it was a long time on its 
 passage, a month ; from a gentleman rather under fifty 
 years of age ; that he wore occasionally a uniform, and 
 sword, though not in the army; that he was a Governor, 
 or rather Consul, in a country in Africa, not belonging to 
 England, but to Turkey (this was afterwards stated to be 
 ! Alexandria) ; and on being asked as to his name, wrote 
 “ Anthony ”—by which, however, he said he was not called; 
 ancTtTiis was in fact the second Christian name. 
 
 These were the principal tests proposed by those present, 
 the only positive failures being the two enclosed bank-notes, 
 and the square box of the Rev. Mr. R. 
 
 The first test in reading, sixteen pages in advance, pro¬ 
 posed by this gentleman was also a partial failure, the 
 words written by Alexis, “ La belle . fhjrbilla,” not being 
 found at the point specified, though doubtless they would 
 have been found in another page. 
 
 Having received a lock of the hair of the coroner already 
 referred to, as a means of more direct rapport than 
 the letter, I gave it to Alexis, whose account varied some¬ 
 what from the preceding one respecting his age and height, 
 and mentioned one or two peculiarities. On inquiring 
 further about the contents of the tin box, he said that 
 there was an old or fiattenecF'liat^ different from those 
 usually worn, and with broad brim, of a light colour, but 
 could not state of what it was made; and also that there 
 was an over-all wrapper (paletdtJ. As the coroner had 
 mentioned these objects in his letter, their designation by 
 the somnambulist was doubtless facilitated by reading my 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 2G1. 
 
 thoughts, I having sought to ascertain for my own satis- M 
 faction whether he could describe them. 
 
 £oa 1 
 
 Seance at the Residence of Mr. Bailer, Regency Square, , u 
 January 20— Morning. 
 
 Ecarte-playing very lucid with bandaged eyes, the adver¬ 
 saries’ and Alexis’ giro cards being me ntioned bv him before 
 
 being turned up. On Mr. B-proposing and throwing out 
 
 four cards7~5.1exis said, “ I will pick you out a good hand 
 and the pack being spread out withfaces against the table, he 
 selected from it the king, knave, nine, and ace of trumps^"" 
 and the king of clubs, naming the cards as he gave them. 
 Reading several lines from Racine’s Pla'deurs, the page being 
 in contact with his forehead. Reading being requested 
 twenty page s in "advance, Alexis wrote the words “ noctur- V " 
 rial assemblies,” which were found, in small type, at the cor- > 
 responding level he had marked on the open page, thirty- / 
 
 five , pages further on Mr. B- then proposed a'"small, ' 
 
 square, sealed packet, which Alexis said “ contained the por¬ 
 traits of a man and woman who had been long dead ; that 
 they were French and wrote with slight hesitation after 
 the first letter, “Napoleon,’’ and then said “Oh! it is 
 the Emperor and Empress Maria Louisa.” The envelope 
 being removed, and the case being opened, contained the 
 profiles, in cameo, of the above-named personages, this being 
 the only one of the kind extant, and was given by Napoleon 1 
 to General Rapp. 
 
 The Hon. Colonel - wrote a word in the adjoining 
 
 room, “ Clairvoyance,*' which, though the writing was not 
 very clear, was made out by Alexis with very little difficulty. 
 
 Mrs.-then gave a lock of her sister’s hair, upon which t 
 
 Alexis wrote an account of her disposition, &c., which was 
 admitted to be correct. A gentleman proffered a ring with 
 hair, and also a hair chain, respecting which Alexis wrote : 
 
 “ They are the hair of the mother and daughter ; they are 
 both dead ; the daughter died first ; the hair on the ring was 
 cut off after death and on his being pressed for the name, 
 he wrote, “Mary Ann,” and at length “ Kelly and also, 
 on being further questioned, the date of death, 14th July, 
 
 1837 All this was a ccurate. Mr. W-next gave a box, 
 
 which AdexiiTT(3M^“ contained hair and gold, but he could 
 not designate the objects.” He next described the interior of 
 
 t he country house of Sir -, stating the" number of miles '/ 
 
 from town (8057which was correct. He then drew three sides 
 of a square, said that the approach was not direct, but by a 
 semicircular sweep on each side ; that there was a church a 
 
 little on the right, and an avenue of trees behind. Sir- 
 
 laid great stress on his naming the date engraved on the 
 
2G2 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 house, but so obscurely as scarcely to be distinguished by 
 any one standing below. Alexis wrote 15. The next 
 figures he had some difficulty in making out; at length, 
 however, he speci fied 1575, the true figures being 1585. He 
 also mentioned some peculiarities of a room in the country 
 house of a lady (not, however, without first making several 
 mistakes)—viz., that there was a portrait of an old gentleman 
 in costume (a judge’s robe) ; a mirror with antique frame ; 
 also an ancient table, of which he drew a representation ; that 
 the wood was yellow ; and that there was also gilding. 
 
 Seance ai the Residence of Mr. Stracey, Brunswick Square, 
 Januanj 20— Evening. 
 
 Lucidity in card-playing as usual. On one occasion both 
 hands having been dealt, were played by the somnambulist 
 while the cards lay with their faces on the table, and without 
 any mistake either in following suit or the playing. Required 
 to re ad ten page s in advance of the page where the book was 
 openecT! He wrote the words “ Les choses etaient en cet etat, 
 e t personn e.” which were found “on the’'same lovcl fifteen 
 pages in advance, he having seen the words through five 
 more pages ; he also read words through a sheet of paper 
 placed over them, and said, “ Under this point (making a 
 pencil mark) is the word ‘Desmoulins,’” which was found 
 fifte en page s further on. A letter in an envelope was given 
 
 by Mrs. -— ; Alexis said the name of the writer was Henry, 
 
 and also George ; that he had not signed his owii name, but 
 dliaf - ( 3 f’"ar~person of note, and wrote the word “ Socra te.” 
 which was found to be the signat ure aflixed to the letter. 
 A riband was next put into his hand, which he said was not 
 
 given Mrs. -by the person to whom it belonged, but by 
 
 another ; that he was a military man now in London ; that 
 it formed part of a decoration conferred upon the owner by 
 a person of high grade—a general; and that the owner was 
 a colonel—all which was correct. Mr. C. then gave a card- 
 case, the contents of which Alexis could not correctly desig¬ 
 nate, and put it aside with the intention of resuming it. A 
 foreigner then requested particulars of a lady, the rapport 
 being by means of a letter. Alexis said she was stout— 
 lived in a house fronting the grand avenue of the Champs 
 Elysees —that the saloon had yellow curtains—that she had 
 with her a child, an attendant (bonne), and an old lady who 
 wore a black dress. The Hon. Col. -then requested a de¬ 
 
 scription of his rooms. Alexis said that in the drawing-room 
 there were several pictures—eleven—(there were only eight) 
 that the windows were bow-shaped, and in the bedroom was 
 one picture—the Crucifixion—which he drew on his paper. 
 A young lady desired an account of her grandmother, which 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 263 
 
 was given by Alexis, who said she was then playing at cards, 
 and this was in fact her usual occupation in the evening. 
 
 Two med ical consultations (at which I was present) were 
 given by Alexis on the cases of ladies. They were of a some¬ 
 what complicated nature ; nevertheless, the leading symptom s 
 were accurately detailed, to the surprise of the parties, as 
 
 f» 1 v/ UlWULUILVlJ VVJ IUV OUi|yilOV/ KJJ. lillV JL/UI1 UlOOj ^ 
 
 also the exact date of the diseases. The remedies suggested 
 by him were of~a~s7mple kind, and very rational, which it 
 was proposed to give a trial. Alexis was also consulted 
 with reference to objects stolen, in two instances, and 
 mentioned correctly the particulars connected with the cir¬ 
 cumstances ; writing down in one instance the name of a 
 discarded servant, in the other that of the daughter of a j 
 lodging-house keeper, whom he described, and who had been 
 suspected. 
 
 ✓ 
 
 4- 
 
 Seance at Mr. Howell's, Hove. Monday, January 22. 
 
 (As reported by an incredulous observer in the Brighton Gazette.) 
 
 “ Certainly, if cotton wadding and three silk pocket hand- '* ' 
 kerchiefs, arranged so as to cover all from above the eye¬ 
 brow to the point of the nose, could have obstructed vision, 
 it was done as effectually as two shrewd and i ncredul ous 
 gentlemen could manage the matter. Nevertheless, with a 
 pack of cards provided by Mr. Howell himself, and then 
 for the first time produced, Alexis did the writer of these 
 lines the honour to play with him two deals at ecartd, 
 wherein, if he really possessed the presumed power of seeing 
 both hands of cards by a mental operation, it was little 
 marvel that Alexis had the best of it. 
 
 “ For the seoond exploit a book was produced — 
 
 ‘ L'Histoire de la Revolution, par M. Guizot.’ It was 
 brought by an op ponen t, a physician, who opened it and 
 placed it open upCh the forehead of Alexis. The page was 
 230 ; and he pronounced distinctly the words, ‘ La guerre 
 prochaine n’Stait plus douteuse.” The writer had a dupli¬ 
 cate copy of the book in his hand, and found these words 
 in the middle of the page, just on the spot where the line 
 would touch the perceptive organs. The same experiment 
 was repeated with respect to page 282, where Alexis rapidly 
 read off the very unlikely sentence, * Reading se rendit 
 en dir. jours.’ Tn both cases all care was taken to prevent i 
 a glimpse at the required phrase, especially so far as M. 
 Marcillet was concerned, while the company were known to 
 each other, and nearly all ‘ in opposition,’ and the bandaged ■ 
 condition of the clairvoyant seemed to preolude sight in * 
 that quarter. 
 
 “ A still more astonishing feat followed. The bandages 
 having been removed, the book was opened —anywhere ; it 
 
261 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 happened to be at p. 289. M. Marcillet requested Dr. - 
 
 to signify at how many pages farther on the clairvoyant 
 should read aloud : he said ten, and according^, with 
 difficulty, no doubt, and hesitation, but still with truth, 
 Alexis read a few words of p. 299, looking intently all the 
 while on p. 289, as if reading through so many printed 
 pages. This experiment was repeated, with the partial 
 failure of a mistake as to the page ; and in this instance 
 it was thought possible that even unmesmerised optics might 
 have caught a sentence while rapidly turning the leaves 
 of a book. 
 
 “ The next, though partially unsuccessful, was ajpretty 
 good gues s, if nothing more. The writer had sealed up 
 something, unknown to all the world but himself, in twelve 
 envelopes of white paper. Alexis, in broken and difficult 
 enunciation, said it was writing—two names, both com¬ 
 mencing with M, one of them an English name, the other 
 French, or some other language not English ; that the first 
 contained four letters, the second six ; but he failed to 
 guess the names, which were, ‘ Mary Magdalene. ’ It was 
 suggested that, if they had been written in French, his 
 mind might have more readily discerned them. 
 
 “The physician before mentioned next produced a packet 
 containing a lock of hair, and was correctly informed as 
 to the age, sex, general appearance, state of health (so far 
 as regarded one important malady, while another was 
 entirely overlooked), and as to the probable occupation of 
 the person to whom the lock belonged, with a description 
 of those likely to be in the room. The packet was not 
 opened, so as to furnish any clue as to age or sex. 
 
 “A lady then presented a paper parcel with hair in it, 
 whereof the clairvoyant said, ‘ I see two men with the hair,’ 
 which seemed to be accounted for by the fact that there were 
 two locks of hair, taken, however, from the same head, but 
 cut at a minute’s interval. The locks could not be seen, 
 nor readily felt, as distinct; but this latter was possible. 
 The lady was informed, correctly, as to the individual’s age, 
 relationship to her, as to where he then was, and how he was ; 
 likewise as to one disorder of the frame to which he was 
 confessedly liable, whilst another much more manifest afflic¬ 
 tion was entirely overlooked, and Alexis so far failed. 
 
 “ A young French lady then placed her watch in the clair¬ 
 voyant’s hand, and, to the satisfaction of herself and her 
 friends, Alexis described the giver of the watch, the colour 
 of his eyes and of his hair, Iris general appearance, his habits 
 of life, his costume, that he was at that moment studying 
 mathematics with a number of other people about him in the 
 room [this was considered problematical, but no one could 
 deny it], that he was very fond of music, and specifying (and 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 265 
 
 truly) that he excelled on the piano, the violin, and the 
 clarionet ; that he lived ‘ a Paris, dans line rue sortant dn 
 Boulevard des Italiens—dam la Chaussee d'Antin; ’ that he 
 was the young lady’s brother ; and, on being pressed to give 
 his name, Alexis, with a spasmodic effort, wrote upon a piece 
 of paper, ‘ Edouard !’ The clairvoyant added that the watch 
 had not been originally intended for the young lady who now 
 possessed it; which, together with all the preceding informa¬ 
 tion, was admitted to be true. 
 
 “ The last experiment regarded an oval bonbon box, in 
 which the host himself had concealed a mystery. Alexis 
 described it as wrapped in several folds, graven all round, 
 oval, a portrait of a young person set. 18, but done a long 
 time ago, set in gold, ‘ femme habillee en blanc ’— ‘Me est 
 morte ’—‘ la tete d droite. , In all these respects the object 
 was faithfully described—in particular as to ‘ the long time 
 ago,’ which, by a date on the portrait, was found to be 
 1.769. 
 
 “ In conclusion, the writer is startled but not convinced.\ 
 The clairvoyance of Alexis is sufficiently wonderful to make 
 one ready to admit that the mind of man may, by possibility, 
 act independently of the bodily organs and other mundane 
 influences ; that, in fact, mesmerism may possibly be true, 
 but the evidence here recorded is not enough for rational 
 conviction. - 
 
 “ Whether the above facts tend to much or little, they 
 are nevertheless true.” 
 
 The Paris correspondent of the same paper also wrote : 
 “ I have read with much interest your account of the seances 
 of the well-known somnambulist Alexis. I remember, some 
 years ago, before he became known to the public, having 
 seen this young man, in a private house, do some most 
 extraordinary things. Among others he stated, having his 
 eyes thickly bandaged at the time, the first words of a par¬ 
 ticular page of a closed book which was presented to him ; 
 and he read for me ’(his eyes still bandaged) the words 1 Paris 
 a nd Louis Philippe.’ which I had written on a piece of 
 crumpled paper. But wliat struck me as most singular was, 
 that an elderly gentleman, who was present with his wife, 
 asked him if a little girl who called him papa was really his 
 child? Alexis hesitated, and begged to be excused from 
 answering. The gentleman’s wife seemed embarrassed, and 
 the persons present, fearing scandal, wished to change the 
 subject. But the elderly gentleman persisted in demanding, 
 
 ‘ Is this child who calls me papa and my wife mamma, really 
 my child or not?’ Alexis at length answered, ‘No,’ to the 
 great astonishment of the company. ‘ You are right,’said 
 the gentleman, ‘she is not our child, s he is only adopted.’ 
 On another occasion, a friend of mine, a strong disbe- 
 
 7 
 
 & 
 
 C/< 
 
 iV" 
 
20G 
 
 animal magnetism. 
 
 
 
 AM 
 
 
 
 laYs 
 
 liever in clairvoyance, went to Alexis, and asked him 
 to describe his sitting-room. Alexis did so without the least 
 hesitation, although he had never seen the gentleman 
 before, and could not have the slightest idea where he lived. 
 
 And what is written on the piece of paper which I placed 
 under the clock just before leaving V said the gentleman. 
 
 The words Lord Brougham,’ answered Alexis ; and sure 
 enough ‘ Lord Brougham ’ was written on the paper. 
 
 “ But such things as these, and others even more extraor¬ 
 dinary, are thought nothing of in Paris. They are mere 
 matters of course. Such is the general belief in clairvoyance 
 that it has become a recognised profession. There are at this 
 moment a score at least of persons—chiefly females—who 
 practise it regularly ; the practice consists in giving informa¬ 
 tion of absent friends, of the places in which lost property 
 may be found, of crimes and criminals, and even in prescrib¬ 
 ing for the sick.” L , A 
 
 .) ' ".'/*> ■ \ • " ’-:-j VA't I 
 
 Seance at Mrs. Elliott’s, Western Cottages, January 24. 
 
 0 Morning. 
 
 Card-playing with two ladies and a gentleman —no 
 hesitation in telling cards in adversary’s hand—mentioning 
 his own hand while the cards were with faces upon the 
 table—viz., king, seven and eight of spades, king of hearts. 
 All right, except that the nine was turned up instead of the 
 eight. Asked adversary what she would like for trumps, 
 and on mentioning hearts, picked out the eight from the pack. 
 Beading from a book, opened it at random, the words 
 ‘ ‘ Niew-blatt ” and ‘ ‘ C’est hier. ” Beading required ten pages in 
 -advance. Alexis wrote down the words “ Cette_somnambule 
 reconnue lucide.” The words “ Cette somnambule etnit reconmie 
 lucide'” were found two or three pages further on (and on the 
 same level) than the one indicated. Making a pencil point 
 on the book, he said, “What a curious name is opposite 
 this point, Idiez !” This name was in fact found at the 
 corresponding spot of another page. 
 
 Box presented by Mr. Mott; Alexis said it was mag¬ 
 netised. It contained a paper with letters—rather large— 
 right; and wrote down one or two which were incorrect— 
 consequent failure. 
 
 Miss B. presented a sealed packet, which Alexis said con¬ 
 tained a ring with engraving on it, which he afterwards 
 mentioned : he said that it did not belong to Miss B.; that 
 the stone was white; the ring had been given to a lady by a 
 Frenchman who had been in England, but was now in Paris ; 
 and being asked his name wrote, as if by sudden inspiration^ 
 “ Louis Napoleon.” All correct. 
 
 A pasteboard box, presented by Miss. C., which Alexis 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 267 
 
 said contained a painting on a ring and a small head 
 (drawing a resemblance on the outside) of a child ; that 
 it was very ancient ; then that it represented the Virgin 
 and the Infant Jesus, painted ; and after some delay and \J 
 corrections he mentioned the name of the painter, first 
 writing Rubens, then Rubini, which was correct, he being 
 the inventor of enameT painting. On being further 
 questioned he said it had belonged to a queen, and that 
 Miss C. had bought it at Bruges ; all which was correct. 
 The box being then opened, the ring with a beautifully 
 painted Madonna and Infant enveloped in cotton was taken 
 out. The queen to whom it had belonged was of Sardinia. 
 
 Mr. E. then presented a large case, which Alexis said 
 contained three objects (indicating their length) cf metal, 
 gold. One of the articles he said was a spoon ; but com¬ 
 plained of being confused by the three. Two were then 
 taken out, and he said the spoon part was gold, the handle 
 glass or stone of a red colour ; a golden spoon with a red 
 agate handle was then taken out. 
 
 Madame F. next gave a box, which after short hesitation 
 he said, “contained a chaplet or chain; that it was made 
 of lead and copper ; that it was not worn or used by the 
 lady, and he could not tell its use ; that it was made in the 
 direction of Switzerland, in Austria ; had been to Vienna, 
 and was worn down the front of the body !” At length he 
 said, “it was employed against the cholera,” which was 
 the case. The chain of alternate links of copper and lead, 
 then taken from the box, was stated to be a charm against 
 cholera and other complaints, and was worn in Austria. 
 
 Mr. Levison offered a sealed packet. Alexis said “ it was 
 a brooch, shining”—then said, “hair”—and mentioned the 
 initial M worked upon it. All exact. 
 
 Mr. P. asked from whom came a letter he placed in the 
 hand of Alexis ; who replied, “ It was from a relative, his 
 son ; that he was a military man, lieutenant, wearing only 
 one epaulette, stationed at (waiting down the word) Thurles ; 
 there were three initials before the name on the letter, one 
 of which was E, the others he could not make out, but would 
 tell the number of the regiment as indicated on the button 
 of his uniform,” writing down 49, which was perfectly 
 correct. 
 
 Mr. E. then wished an account of his father, who, Alexis 
 said, “was in India, and had been for twelve or fourteen 
 years but he could proceed no further, and, complaining of 
 being tired, he was awakened. 
 
 In all these tests the somnambulist was only so far 
 assisted by the parties proposing them, by their replying 
 “No,” if he was wrong, on which he generally corrected 
 himself; but sometimes persisted in his assertions, saying, 
 
 N 2 
 
268 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ that he saw the thing so and so.” The only thing in which 
 he failed was the box of Mr. Mott, which failure was ascribed 
 by this gentleman to his having magnetised the box and 
 himself by passes made at the time. 
 
 Seance at the Residence of Mr. B., Montpelier Road, 
 January 24— Evening. 
 
 Ecarte and piquet playing, lucid as usual. Card selected 
 from the pack by his adversary. Not correctly told. On the 
 somnambulist placing himself en rapport, mentioned another 
 card from the pack held by his adversary as the eight of 
 spades, whereas it was the nine. An old book of the last 
 century being produced, reading twenty pages in advance 
 required. Alexis wrote, “ Jignorais les tr acasseries d' Assas. ” 
 The words were found on the same level wliicirhe had indi¬ 
 cated, and within two or three pages of the twenty. An 
 envelope presented, which he said “ contained a faded 
 flower,” and on opening it, a faded rose was taken out. A 
 packet which he pronounced to be “ a portrait of a gentle 
 man,” and gave a general description. Admitted to be 
 correct, as also the age (“about 48, though not appearing to 
 be so much ”), and position of residence—viz., “ in a square.” 
 Stating his wife to be “ dark-complexioned ; not now in 
 Brighton, but in London, and having a little girl; not a 
 daughter, but an adopted child.” An envelope presented by 
 the same gentleman who on the previous evening had had 
 “ clairvoyance ” read by Alexis, and who subsequently 
 thought, on holding the paper to the light, that it might be 
 seen through. Alexis, after some hesitation, wrote “Louis 
 Napoleon.” He was correct, this word being in three or four 
 paper envelopes. On this test being satisfactorily answered, 
 
 Mr. -admitted “ that he was no longer incredulous.” A 
 
 gilt box given by a lady, which Alexis said “contained 
 several white objects and after a little time, drew the 
 form as of a small knob at one end and long "projecting 
 poidions. He could not, however, tell what they were. On 
 opening the box, three lucifer matches about the length 
 drawn were taken out. 
 
 Mr. W. asked for the description of a house. Alexis said, 
 “ it was sixty leagues to the right of London, about a league 
 from a railroad ; the sea on one side, and sands along the 
 shore ; the house very old ; of stone ; an inscription en¬ 
 graved on it on stone ; Latin ; five words ; five letters in 
 the second word. At length, after some efforts, Alexis— 
 having been correct in the former particulars—wrote the 
 words, “ Non Nobis Homme,” in characters similar to the 
 inscription. He tried hard at the other words, but seemed 
 confused, which was accounted for on the words being stated. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 2G9 
 
 The two first were repeated thus : “ Non Nobis Domine, Non 
 Nobis.” He further said, “ that the house was two storeys 
 high ; that one portion was much newer than the other; 
 that there was a servant living in the stables about forty 
 years old, not good-looking (he is much marked with the 
 small-pox) ; a large dining-room in the house with three 
 windows, they look out on trees on either side ; there are 
 two wells in the grounds ; the oldest well contains good 
 water; the newer one is dry, or has at times brackish, or 
 rain water. In the park, near the centre, a pillar or column, 
 with a something on the top; a transverse cross-bar,” of 
 which he drew a representation. (The object was, as I un¬ 
 derstood, a high post with a frame to hold a slate for marking 
 the points at archery shooting.) “ There was no game in the 
 park.” All correc t. 
 
 A young ladygave a parcel, which Alexis said, after some 
 little delay, “contained a box with velvet, and a gold object 
 like a brooch, with a chain and red stones—rubies.” A box 
 lined with velvet, and an ornament like the one Alexis had 
 designated, with carbuncles, were then taken out. 
 
 Seance at St. Leonards and Hastings, January 25. 
 
 St. Leonards Assembly Rooms, 2 o’clock. 
 
 (Large Audience.) 
 
 Cataleptic rigidity of limbs. A heavy gentleman standing 
 on the somnambulist’s legs extended in the horizontal 
 position. Card-playing lucid as usual. Reading with', 
 bandaged eyes words from a book opened at random, 
 
 “ Voila pourtant dit Candide un pays,” also — “Oe qu'ill 
 advint de Cunegonda et de Candide; also several pages in 
 advance, “ Candide, qui etait naturellement curieux.” 
 
 A gentleman presented a watch for Alexis to tell the 
 name ; he could only say, however, “ that the name was a 
 French one, though the watch was not, having been made 
 at Geneva.” Description of a country residence required 
 by a gentleman. “ It stands isolated ; is two storeys high ; 
 has been built about 250 years ; between it and the road is 
 water; the interior was repaired and renovated about four 
 years ago ; there is a flower-garden ; a road between the 
 garden and the house ; more steps on the side of the garden 
 than on the other. The gentleman en rapport had slept in 
 two different rooms ; the house is not inhabited at present, 
 though there is an ugly man servant.” All correct. On the I 
 name of the servant being required, he said, “ it hau five 
 letters,” and at length wrote the right name— “ Bla ke.” 
 
 A lady presented an envelope. Alexis saTd there were 
 two lines in writing, but could only make out the first letter, 
 not liking to return to reading after descriptive tests. The 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 270 
 
 dining-room of the lady described (with the omission of a 
 bed, which had been placed in it for an invalid)—form, long, 
 narrow ; a family portrait, and a small picture. 
 
 Mr. ■—— then required the description of a country re¬ 
 sidence, which Alexis said “ was a castle, formerly fortified ; 
 there were two portions, one comparatively new, which was 
 much lower and longer than the old part; a hall with stone 
 floor ; large gallery ; copy of a Rubens on the right (not 
 
 known by Mr.-) ; old arms ; battle-axe, spiked club, 
 
 and a horse, or portions of a horse.’’ (Probably a wooden 
 
 figure.) “ Mr. -has twice resided in the house for a 
 
 short time ; the proprietor is an old gentleman in good 
 health, and bald on the forehead; the house is upwards of 150 
 miles the other side of London, and there is near it a railroad 
 in progress of construction.” There were in this account 
 two or three minor discrepancies not noted ; but the above 
 particulars were acknowledged by the gentleman en rapport 
 to be correct. The residence referred to is Alton Towers. 
 
 A lady presented a packet, which Alexis said “ contained 
 a ring which had been given her on her birthday (right) ; 
 there were letters and figures engraved on it—1843 and 
 C.M. ” There were these letters, as also some others which 
 he did not designate. 
 
 Seance at Hastings, January 25— Evening. 
 
 Assembly Rooms, Swan Hotel. 
 
 Cataleptic rigidity of limbs. Card-playing very lucid. 
 Telling his adversaries’ and his own cards several times, 
 while with faces on the table. Reading from a book while 
 gyes jvere .bandaged. Reading required twenty pages in 
 advance. Alexis wrote, “ Malgre tant de vertns ce heros," 
 which were found at the corresponding level, eighteen pages 
 from the part were the book had been casually opened. 
 
 An envelope presented. The word Pensee correctly stated, 
 as also the word “Paris” in a lady’s memorandum book, 
 written in similar characters by Alexis. A lady gave a lock 
 of hair which Alexis said was from a friend ill in bed, about 
 36 years of age, suffering at the lower part of the abdomen, 
 which was distended, the chest and head were also somewhat 
 affected, and had been ill five years ; the bedroom was 
 small, and had but one window, which fronted the bed. 
 Right. 
 
 A gentleman gave a letter which was not told by Alexis, 
 who dislikes coming back to reading tests, after having under¬ 
 taken others. A ring put into his hand Alexis said was 
 engraved with an animal upon it ; a brooch with hair being 
 presented, Alexis said the hair was of two persons, sisters, 
 one was about five years older than the other, both in the 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 271 
 
 country near a village, where was a rude chapel about the 
 size of the room—the youngest rather taller—the name 
 Helene (writing the French name), the lady en rapport had 
 seen them seven months ago. All this was right except that 
 it was a year since the lady had seen the sisters—there was 
 an interval of seven months between the times of her seeing 
 them. Mr. 1)., the librarian, presented a packet, which 
 Alexis said contained a ring—that it had two sides, and 
 turned round, there were characters engraved upon it in 
 three lines, they were not European, but Greek or Turkish, 
 there was a sun. The ring being taken out, the stone was 
 found to turn upon an axis—engraving in Hebrew characters, 
 in three lines, a star and one or two other symbols. A gen¬ 
 tleman connected with the local press then asked several 
 questions, most of which were correctly answered. Alexis 
 could not, however, tell an object in his hand—complaining 
 of being tired, was awakened. A hair chain presented by a 
 gentleman at the close of the seance also failed to elicit par¬ 
 ticulars of the party to whom it referred. 
 
 The following account of these seances from t he local paper 
 is subjoined, as evidencing the impression of an observer not 
 likely to be unduly biassed, and is in accordance with those 
 of the reporters of other papers who have been present at 
 some of the seances: "His'eyes were opened, but little 
 expression was visible. When he looked before him, his 
 stare was vacant; and when looking obliquely, one would 
 have imagined he was blind. But his eyes were of little use 
 to him during the first experiment, as they were carefully 
 covered with cotton, and then bandaged with three silk 
 handkerchiefs, by one of the audience. An elderly gentle¬ 
 man played a game at ecarte with Alexis, who, while in this 
 state, played without the least hesitation. He would even 
 tell what were in his opponent’s hand ; there could be no 
 mistake as to the cards, as they were a pack newly brought 
 by a gentleman present, one of the audience ; this experi¬ 
 ment was not only wonderful, but highly satisfactory. He 
 was then requested to read a line nin e pages further on, with¬ 
 out turning over the leaves ; the words which he wrote were 
 found at the eleventh page, thcTfook was brought from 
 Southall’s Library. This experiment also gave great satis¬ 
 faction: Captain Langford then placed himself en rapport 
 with Alexis, who gave him a detailed account of a house in 
 the vicinity which he had visited, and the nature of the 
 approach to it, and the servant’s name, which was Blake— 
 writing one letter after another until he made out the word. 
 This appeared to be the most astonishing part of the whole 
 experiment, and to excite the faculty of wonder in every 
 one present. Mr. B-next placed himself in correspond¬ 
 
 ence with Alexis, who forthwith entered into the required 
 
272 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 < 
 
 description of a house and its environs, stated that in the 
 hall there was a collection of old arms, and among other 
 things an anc ; ent club which he could not name, but drew 
 its appearance most correctly upon a slip of paper. The 
 gentleman told the audience that the place described was 
 Alton Towers, near Shrewsbury, and that the description 
 given was perfectly correct, except in one or two particulars. 
 What was exceedingly wonderful, he said, was that tliemoment 
 he thought of the word chateau, Alexis gave utterance to it. 
 
 “ Considerable importance seems attached to the sympathy 
 that exists between the minds of the clairvoyant and the 
 questioner, who has to sit by his side with his hand in that 
 oi-Alexis. With one person his description is exceedingly 
 lucid, and with another he can say little, and what he says 
 is disjointed and not at all to the point. 
 
 “At Hastings, in the evening, playing ecarte, Alexis was 
 observed to name every card before he turned it up, and 
 told the names of the cards in his opponent’s hand. A lady 
 handed him a card-case, perfectly secured, on which was 
 written upon a card the word ‘ Paris.’ After some difficulty 
 he not only wrote the word, but when compared with the 
 original, it was a perfect facsimile. This our reporter has in 
 shis possession, and can testify to its genuineness. The other 
 trials of this curious science were in many respects similar 
 and as perfectly satisfactory. We are, on observing these 
 experiments, struck with astonishment, and feel ourselves 
 puzzled and know not what to think. They, however, can¬ 
 not be the tricks of a conjuror, as they appealed to the judg¬ 
 ment, yet they leave us undetermined as to the causes which 
 produce these wonderful effects. Experience and the advance 
 of truth and intexigence may, however, perhaps bring us 
 to an understanding of that which at present partakes of the 
 miraculous. The first appearances of the noblest arts that 
 dignify our country were assailed with as many objections 
 and received with as many sneers as this clairvoyant wonder 
 which has in these days made its appearance .”—Hastmgs 
 and St. Leonards Chronicle, January 30. 
 
 'Seance at the Residence of Lady H -, Eastern Terrace, 
 
 Brighton, January 26— Morning. 
 
 Objections were made to the usual mode of bandaging, the 
 party requiring that a handkerchief should be tied over his 
 head, so as to completely cover the face—objections also to 
 the card-playing. This appeared to annoy the somnambulist. 
 Lady A. however, offered to play dcarte, which was played 
 by Alexis with unbandaged eyes, though not with his usual 
 lucidity ; for though he played well he could not name the 
 cards in his adversary’s hand. At last he named a card on 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 273 
 
 the table before it was turned up, the knave of diamonds. 
 Reading from a book opened at random, the page being 
 placed in contact with the back of the somnambulist’s head, 
 the words, “ Pendant ce terns I’ingerme,” &c., which he men¬ 
 tioned, were not found, neither were “ J’crime cette jeune 
 Jille,” which were required thir ty p ages in advance. Mrs. 
 F., who had been enTrapport at Captain Ford’s, then gave 
 an envelope, which Alexis said contained a word in French, 
 and after some efforts, previously writing other letters which 
 be subsequently effaced, he wrote on the envelope the word 
 “ Amie,” which on opening it was found to be correct, the 
 paper having heen_enclosed in several ot hers. Lady A. 
 gave an envelope, which Alexis said did not come from her 
 but from an opponent, a nd threw it asi de. It had been 
 given her a few minutes before by the Rev. Mr. Robertson, 
 to whom Alexis bad formerly objected; and who, when stand¬ 
 ing near on his right, he motioned away as impeding_his 
 power s. This gentleman had offered a book encased in paper, 
 except at the page were it was opened, in order that Alexis 
 might try to read in it some pages in advance. He however 
 re fused, a s coming from a sceptic. 
 
 Lady A. then said, £C Here is something that comes from 
 me,” presenting a packet enveloped in paper, on which 
 Alexis observed, “ that it was the portrait of a person long 
 dead, about twenty-three years of age, copied from another 
 painting ; that there was a blue low dress ; and on being 
 asked who it represented, wrote M, then Blanche, and at 
 length “ Montespan,” the portrait being one of Madamede 
 Montespan taken when about that age, and having a light 
 blue ground around it.* Lady H. presented a packet, which 
 Alexis said contained a gold article which opened, though 
 there was nothing in it; that it was shell-shaped ; and 
 drew a representation, which on opening the case was 
 found to be not unlike. The object represented a large 
 beetle, the back of which might well have been likened to a 
 shell. 
 
 A gentleman required the description of his friend. Alexis 
 said he had light hair, blue eyes, was taller than the person 
 en rapport, that he had very thick moustaches, was of an 
 open disposition, aged thirty-six, good health, good teeth ; 
 in all these particulars he was correct, but could not men¬ 
 tion a peculiarity. On being urgently pressed said he had 
 lost an eye, whereas he had lost a forefinger. 
 
 A bracelet was given, respecting which Alexis could say 
 nothing. While, however, he was attempting something 
 else, it was mentioned that the bracelet was made from the 
 
 * Whether the Christian name were Blanche was not known to any 
 present. 
 
 N 3 
 
274. 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 mane of a horse ; on which Alexis cried out, “ Oh, yes ; 
 and the horse’s name is Tom,” which was correct. 
 
 Owing to the impediments at the beginning on the part of 
 avowed opponents, the lucidity was much less evident in this 
 sTtnicS'Tlian on most occasions. Nevertheless he made out 
 some difficult tests, to the conviction of the company, with 
 one or two exceptions. 
 
 Seance at the Residence of Sir C. Ibbetson , Marine Parade, 
 January 27. 
 
 Card-playing. The cards being on some occasions named 
 while on the table—reading with eyes bandaged—two 
 lines from a French book ; also, some pages in advance, 
 “ L’Existence de Dieu prouvee par. ” A box presented, Alexis 
 said it contained another box, round, shell-shaped, marbled, 
 with copper gilt round it. An enamelled box, of which the 
 lid appeared to be marbled, with a copper gilt rim round it, 
 was then taken from the outer one. 
 
 A large box was then brought forward, with Chinese 
 figures on the outside, which seemed to create some con¬ 
 fusion, as Alexis mentioned collars or chains as worn by 
 the figures on the inner box, these being on the Chinese 
 figures outside ; he said the box had several small figures 
 painted on it at each end, some in the recumbent position, 
 like children ; they were not together, but separate. There 
 were on the box some whole figures—a man on the right 
 apparently playing some instrument—the subject was 
 allegorical. This account was admitted to be correct, except 
 by two or three sceptical persons present, whose objections 
 seemed to cause annoyance to the somnambulist. 
 
 Lady-presented a box, which Alexis said contained 
 
 a white object, drawing i ts .shape, that it was yellowish, 
 like a piece of bohe’T’he did not know its use, nor would 
 any one else on seeing it. The test was a piece of the 
 willow from Napoleon’s tomb, very like a piece of decayed 
 bone, and of the same shape which AJexis had drawn. 
 
 One or two other tests not satisfactorily described in con¬ 
 sequence of the opposition and loud talking, which induced 
 ( M. Marcillet to exclaim, “ c'est un combat.” Nevertheless, 
 Alexis correctly designated, in similar characters, the letters 
 B. E. L., written on a paper folded several times. 
 
 1 A case was presented by a gentleman. Alexis said it 
 contained a silver medal with letters on one side, not 
 English, and coat of arms representing an animal, on the 
 other. The case, on being opened, contained a silver 
 medal, with a crest (an animal’s head), and Latin motto 
 round it. 
 
 Sir R. G. then offered a case, on which Alexis, after 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 275 
 
 slight hesitation, wrote, “ It is a young woman now dead, 
 handsome, curled hair, white dress, shoulders somewhat 
 exposed—painted about twenty-eight years ” (she had been 
 dead about that period). On being pressed for the name, 
 he said Margaret; also said that the portrait had been 
 taken from another. (Sir R. G. subsequently ascertained 
 that four portraits were painted at the same time.) All 
 the above particulars were correct. 
 
 Seance at the Residence of Mr. B -, Brunswick Terrace , 
 
 January 27— Morning. 
 
 Card-playing particularly lucid. Scarcely any mistakes 
 in telling cards in his adversaries’ hand, or his own hand, 
 before being turned up. Reading, after some hesitation, 
 words on the page presented, and also eight pages further T / 
 on—“ Gar elle considere que (two words not distinguished) ! 
 viellissent.” A large paper packet presented, which Alexis 
 said “ contained a portrait of a child ; light long hair ; 
 blue eyes; almost the entire figure ; lightly dressed ; the 
 neck exposed ; painted twenty years ago. It represented 
 the brother of the young lady en rapport, whose name 
 (writing down) was Fanny. The gentleman’s name con¬ 
 tained eight letters—Montague.” A little later, while- 
 trying another test, he wrote correctly the surname of the 
 lady. 
 
 A young lady, Miss C., gave a letter, which he said came 
 from a person abroad, in Germany, Austria, who had grey 
 moustaches, white uniform, in fact, in the Austrian service ; 
 and on being questioned respecting a peculiarity, he said the 
 officer had lost an eye in one of the battles of the empire, 
 before Waterloo, from a musket shot, and wore a black band )g ' 
 over the part. All correct. 
 
 An elderly lady then gave a letter. Alexis tried some! 1 • 1 
 time, but could not make anything of it. 
 
 A large box was then brought, which Alexis said contained 
 a metallic object ; having difficulty in proceeding further, 
 he required “that the article should be taken out and 
 enveloped.” This was done by the lady in another room, 
 in cotton wadding and paper. He then said, “ it was round, 
 with a ring at the top ”—and at length correctly stated “ that 
 it was an old family watch which did not go.” A sealed 
 paper was next offered, which he said “contained a name 
 which he could not easily make out.” The last letters, “ ley,” 
 were stated. The name was Stanley, but badly written. 
 
 “It also contained dead leaves, and a small faded flower, 
 gathered from a mountain a long way off; not brought to 
 England by the lady en rapport; not in Europe, in the East, 
 near Jerusalem,” Could not, however, tell the name of the 
 
 bi Iph 
 
276 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 mountain. The leaves and a small flower brought from 
 Lebanon were then taken from the envelope. 
 
 A letter just arrived by post and not opened was given 
 him; he said the person from whom it came was the husband 
 of the lady, that he was 51 years of age, but did not appear 
 to be more than 45, that he was not stationary, but went 
 about a good deal, very little hair, Christian name Montague. 
 This, however, he was told was the second name, on which 
 he said the first was John—he had good health, not very 
 stout, was of a cheerful open countenance, dark eyes, and 
 strongly-marked eyebrows. 
 
 Miss B. presented a letter, which Alexis said had some 
 connexion with the picture previously presented (the name 
 was in both, which he then wrote). It was from the elder 
 brother of the young man whose portrait he had described ; 
 his age 24| years ; that he was not in England, but in 
 Columbia; wore a uniform, not of the army ; was not like 
 his brother, but had dark hair, blue eyes, and taller ; was a 
 great deal on horseback, going from place to place. 
 
 On this lady asking wh at she wore under her dress, he said 
 it was something white,“and then a crucifixion. A small 
 metal cross was then taken out from the dress. 
 
 A young lady then gave another letter, which he said was 
 from a friend 23 years old, now in Paris, but at Brussels 
 when she wrote the letter—a good musician, an Italian ; and 
 on being asked the name, wrote Marie, and, after some little 
 delay, AlbonL This was one of the most lucid seances of 
 Alexis^fhe only complete failure being the letter of the 
 elderly lady. 
 
 Seance at the Residence of Mr. B -. Pavilion Parade, 
 
 Januai~y 27. 
 
 Rigidity of limbs—Mr. B. (one of the heaviest present) 
 standing during half a minute or more on the somnambulist’s 
 legs extended horizontally. Card-playing very lucid—read¬ 
 ing with bandaged eyes from a book opened at random by 
 one of the company. Making a point with his pencil, Alexis 
 said, “What a curious name is underneath this,” and wrote 
 down Kara-George, which was found opposite the point 
 indicated, on turning over some pages—required to read five 
 pages in advance, wrote down, “ II a ete une reaction 
 incarnee” (and joking at the same time, said “As in 
 France”). The words were found at the level specified. A 
 packet presented by a lady, Alexis said contained a small 
 gold object, which opened, and contained hair of a lady now 
 dead, who was forty years old and upwards. A parcel pre¬ 
 sented by a gentleman, whose manner was reserved, and who 
 declined answering—the object enc osed not designated. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 277 
 
 Mr. F-then gave a letter, which Alexis said was from a 
 
 person 39 years of age, short stature—that it was on busi-' 
 ness ; he saw figures—the sum total was 1881. 16s. 6d. 
 (This was correct as regarded the main sum—1881. 13s. 3d. 
 being the amount.) On beirig^'questibned as to any 
 peculiarity, he said that the writer had a wooden leg 
 
 (right). 
 
 An elderly gentleman presented a word in envelopes, of 
 which, after some efforts, Alexis wrote Mort —saying the word 
 was composed of seven letters ; he could not, however, make 
 out the last ones of Mortemar. 
 
 Mr. B-gave a packet, which Alexis said contained a i. 
 
 box, which he had already seen at a former seance —inside 
 was an object—ring, with date 1840—that the person had 
 died in 1840 ; it had been worn by a lady ; had reference 
 
 to a near relative, the father of Mr. B-, who was not ill 
 
 long before he died, though lie had had bad health for a long 
 time previously; had left six surviving children—two brothers, 
 four sisters ; was taken in the country to be buried, to the 
 right of a small church (Portslade). The clergyman who 
 usually officiates there was now present, and last Sunday 
 preached before a very small audience (the Hospital 
 Chapel). 
 
 Mr. F- gave a ring, which Alexis said was from a 
 
 relative, a military man in India—a good deal on horseback \ 
 
 — whose name was Edward. 
 
 The object presented in the early part of the seance which 
 Alexis failed to make out, was again given him wrapped in 
 paper. The gentleman, as before, declining to answer any 
 questions, negatively or affirmatively, Alexis said it contained 
 metal with engraving on it—he thought a cross, and drew a 
 cross on the outside. The packet being opened, contained a 
 ring wrapped in a quantity of cotton wadding and paper, 
 so as to form a largish parcel. Complete failure. 
 
 A watch was then given. Alexis said the proprietor was 
 upwards of 40 years of age; had light hair—married and 
 had two children—a son and a daughter—lives near Mr. 
 
 F-, in the Montpelier Road—is now in a drawing¬ 
 
 room ; is here present. He said if the gentlemen would 
 successively touch his hand, he would restore the watch to 
 its owner on all touching. He refused most of them, and 
 
 seemed undecided between Mr. B-and the owner, saying, ' 
 
 “ I have him. ■’ He ultimately, however, gave the watch to Fcui 
 the wrong person. Correct m the first part. 
 
 A box was then given, which lie said contained a coin 
 and a portrait of a young man, a friend of Mr. F., now 
 beyond the seas—that it was a daguerrotype. These were 
 right, but he was wrong in saying lie was a military 
 man. 
 
278 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Communicated by Mrs. Fitzpatrick to M. Marcillet respecting 
 some of the tests proposed at her house. 
 
 “A line was agreed on in a page completely uncut, the 
 sides and tap, page 95 of the Conferencetf—12th line from 
 the bottom. Alexis read the word, ‘ Le Koran ’ in it seve¬ 
 ral pages off. Every one present can attest the truth 
 of this. The book was uncut. Ho read also ‘ St. 
 Matthieu ’ and' other words equally well through several 
 pages, when there Was no possibility of his seeing, as the 
 leaves were uncut. He gave the description of both sides 
 of a very remarkable medal in the possession of a young 
 gentleman present. He also described an accident, with 
 all the details, which happened to the same person in the 
 year 1844, in a most interesting and accurate manner. 
 He was shown a box wrapped up in paper—said the thing 
 in it was an inch long, in stone, three different pieces—red, 
 then white ; then five stones. It was a seal with four birds 
 upon it, and a dog in the middle. ** 
 
 The body of facts collected in' these reports witliin a few 
 days, and which might be multiplied ad infinitum, is amply 
 sufficient for their due appreciation by the'impartial and un¬ 
 prejudiced. All these facts point to one conclusion—viz., the' 
 possession of abnormal powers of .perception by persons in 
 somnambulism, which has long been acknowledged by those 
 who have attended to the manifestations’ of this extraor¬ 
 dinary state, but which is now becoming more generally 
 evident to the public, and is so far established as no longer 
 to be set aside by the hostility which has always impeded 
 the progress of new truths at their outset. 
 
 I had no idea till witnessing these last seances at Brighton, 
 of the great influence which the presence of sceptics and the 
 expression of disbelief, or other disturbing mental causes, 
 exerts upon the lucidity of somnambulists ; and considering 
 the opposition to which Alexis was exposed in two or three 
 houses, it is surprising that he should have succeeded in so 
 many of the tests proposed ; whereas, notwithstanding this 
 opposition, the failures were the rare exceptions tending to 
 prove the rule. “I have observed,” says Mr. Townsend 
 (“ Facts in Mesmerism”) “ that sleep-wakers when once dis¬ 
 turbed by the presence of objects that influence them dis¬ 
 agreeably, become indisposed for further exertion of their 
 faculties. Anything like a doubt of their sincerity will also 
 
 ' * In the preceding reports each experiment is to be considered 
 successful unless when the contrary is stated ; the total or partial 
 failures being always specified; without, however, recordingthe erroneous 
 impressions, which, owing to the variety of tests proposed, often pass 
 I through the mind of a somnambulist, >u which he may give utterance 
 before definitely deciding upon the test before him. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 279 
 
 distress them exceedingly and obstruct the exercise of their 
 powers. Moreover, they display extraordinary penetration in 
 discovering which of the persons around them entertain 
 feelings of incredulity or suspicion ; and should they have 
 to encounter a large amount of unbelief and hostility to 
 mesmerism, they will become reserved and irritable, and 
 ■fill fail in every thing they undertake. Thus I have known 
 ill. A., alter having told a card held behind a book, seem 
 quite incapable of repeating the effort from the moment 
 that a person who was scep tical entered the apartment.” 
 
 With reference to the clairvoyance of Alexis, the objec¬ 
 tions have been made that any tricks may be done with 
 cards, that he might see under the bandage, Ac., and these 
 objections have been afterwards brought forward by persons 
 who had themselves bandaged the eyes and, together with 
 the rest of the company, admitted at the time that it was 
 i mpossib l e for him to have seen. The most conclusive trials 
 are, however, made with eyes unbandaged, and allowing, 
 for argument’s sake, that he might by possibility see 
 beneath the three handkerchiefs and cotton wadding, 
 when merely the nostrils are left free for breathing, 
 would this enable him to tell his adversaries’ cards—to name 
 Ids own while still with their faces upon the table—to select, 
 naming them beforehand, particular cards from the pack 
 (Which, occurs at almost every seance), whether the cards are 
 dealt by his adversary or by himself l As far as regards the 
 extraordinary powers of perception possessed by somnam¬ 
 bulists, these trials with cards are such as evei'ybody can at 
 once_ judge of ; and are preferred by Alexis to begin with, 
 -because somnambulists can do with greater facility that which 
 they have been accustomed to, by which means their lucidity 
 is increased so as to enable them the more readily to answer 
 the many isolated tests proposed by individuals. On further 
 considering what a variety of impressions must from these 
 different tests pass through the somnambulist’s mind in the 
 short space of an hour and a-half, and also the efforts made to 
 distinguish the objects, to describe distant residences, &c., 
 it would indeed be surprising if, as regards many of them, 
 the first impressions were not often partially or even wholly 
 wrong , especially when the parties en rapport refuse to give 
 an affirmative or negative answer, by which the somnam¬ 
 bulist might know whether or no he be in the right track ; 
 and, by this refusal, evidence their disinclination that the 
 trial should succeed. To take the result of any single 
 seance , or even of any single test, it must be apparent from 
 the simple calculation o' chances that, if mere guessing were 
 concerned, a person might go on guessing for months before 
 hitting upon the right object or words enclosed. In all the 
 trials it is the impression which the somnambulist definitively 
 
280 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 res ts upon which must be taken as the criterion as to his 
 ( being right or wrong ; and the successes or failures are to 
 j be estimated, not from any one trial or seance, but from the 
 j aggregate of the experiments. Hence may be seen how 
 / erroneous it is for any one to prejudge the matter upon a 
 primd facie view, or because the somnambulist may be 
 less lucid at one seance or as regards any particular test. 
 The phenomena of clairvoyance have, T repeat, been fully 
 verified and admitted, not only by innumerable individuals 
 of high scientific attainments, but also by bodies most quali¬ 
 fied to appreciate them, which have been nominated for the 
 purpose of investigation, and have not recorded the result 
 of their experience till aft er long and £atient inquiry. 
 
 Having in the course of repeated visits'to the Continent 
 had many opportunities of convincing myself of the reality 
 of these phenomena (involving an important principle from 
 which great results may be anticipated), I was desirous in 
 following up the seances of MM. Marcillet and Alexis 
 Didier, and, in presenting these reports (to which I might 
 add a third, though this would but contain a repetition of 
 analogous facts), to obviate as much as possible the annoy¬ 
 ances to which, when formerly in London, as complete 
 strangers, they were subjected, in order that the question 
 might be fairly placed before the public with a view to its 
 more correct appreciation. To the charge of trickery 
 brought against the magnetiser and somnambulist by persons 
 1 who could know nothing of tbem previous to their visit, and 
 which places in the position of dupes all who have admitted 
 their conviction of the reality of the phenomena, no other 
 reply is needed than an appeal to the numerous facts con¬ 
 i' tained in these reports, conscientiously and impartially 
 drawn up. I may, however, add that, having on several 
 occasions when in Paris known many persons acquainted 
 with Marcillet and Alexis, I have neve r heard anything re¬ 
 flecting upon their truthfulness. In consequence of many 
 applications, they were induced to prolong their visit to 
 Brighton considerably beyond the few days originally 
 intended. 
 
 , .cl 
 
 SECOND-SIGHT. 
 
 Professor Perty remarks on this subject : “ This pheno¬ 
 menon is sporadic in many countries besides Germany and 
 Switzerland, as Daupliiny and the Cevennes, Denmark, 
 Sclavonia, Lapland, the Feroe Islands, but is more common 
 and was formerly even endemic in the Highlands of Scotland, 
 the Shetland Islands, and Jutland—thus occurring both in 
 mountainous and plain regions. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 281 
 
 “ Second-sight may be hereditary, but most frequently it 
 
 is not. Sometimes the children of parents who had it not _ 
 
 possess the gift. On leaving the British Isles where it 
 prevails the seer mostly, but not always, loses the faculty, jt. 
 
 It is more common in men than in women. It refers chiefly 
 to events, persons, and circumstances that do not interest 
 the seer, who often against his will is impelled to impart his 
 perceptions to the persons they concern, or to those around 
 him, even though it may give them pain. The sight comes 
 on in the midst of any occupation in which the'Iieer’rnay be 
 engaged, and departs as suddenly.” 
 
 After quoting several instances from various writers, the 
 author adds : “ The sight may take a special direction. 
 
 Prior, in his ‘Voyage to the Indian Seas,’ relates that some£' ! > ! 
 men in the Isle of Prance possess the faculty of perceiving 
 v essels that are at a distance of some hundred miles. One . -. 
 very accurately described the time and circumstances of the 
 appearance of a vessel off the coast of Madagascar, where it 
 took up provisions. A young woman whose lover was at sea, 
 and whom she anxiously expected, addressed herself to one 
 of these seers, who informed her the vessel on which he wrs 
 was at the distance of three days’ sail from the island. It 
 arrived on the expiration of this time. A man named 
 Bottineau, of the same island, could state many days before¬ 
 hand the time of the arrival of ships. Admiral D’Urville 
 mentions a man named Taillope who could discern vessels 
 200 and 300 miles distant, but more distinctly when they 
 were within a distance of sixty or a hundred miles. Their 
 picture appeared to him on the horizon as a dark brown 
 cloud, which became more or less perceptible as the vessel t 
 approached or receded farther off. When the vessel 
 was visible to ordinary sight on the horizon the 
 picture disappeared to the seer.”*—“Die Mystische 
 Erscheinungen der menschlichen Natur.” 
 
 “ Mrs. Gregory (the wife of the late Professor of Chemistry 
 
 * “ Martin, the author of ‘ The Western Islands of Scotland,’ regards 
 the phenomena of second-sight as sufficiently proved, especially among / 
 the inhabitants of the Island of Skye. He alleges that the gift is 
 usually hereditary ; that animals are wont to distinguish at the same 
 time as the seer the apparition which he alone of all human beings 
 present perceives, and to be violently affected by it. He adds that 
 the gift seems endemical, since natives of Skye, noted as seers, if . 
 they pass into a distant country lose the power, but recover it as soon 
 as they return to their native land. Scheffer, too, in his ‘ History of 
 LapIMd',’ adduces various examples which he considers as indicating 
 the existence of second-sight among the natives of that country. But 
 it appears to differ in its form from the second-sight of Scotland, and 
 more nearly to approaclTfo somnambulism, for the seer is plunged into a 
 deep sleep or lethargy, duTtTigTvhlcli his prophecies are uttered.”—Dale 
 Owen’s “ Footfalls on the Boundary of Another World.” 
 
282 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 .u/k ^ v »* y 
 
 in the University of Edinburgh) possessed the gift of second- 
 sight. The Professor informed me that one morning while at 
 breakfast she saw a large shin on fire, the movements of the 
 crew and passengers, the boats, &c. In a few days came the 
 news of the burning of the Amazon, as seen by her. In a 
 similar manner she saw the landing of the troops in the 
 Crimea ; she depicted the appearance of the place where 
 they landed, and the verification came afterwards by the 
 newspapers ; and when the Illustrated News gave a sketch of 
 the coast all recognised it as tallying with Mrs. Gregory’s 
 vision. The same happened at Marshal Arnaud’s death— 
 she saw the body with its surroundings. She left her son at 
 Edinburgh, and went to Geneva. While there she saw him 
 ill, &c. A letter came from Edinburgh, ‘all well.’ When 
 she returned home she taxed the nurse with concealing the 
 illness of the child, stating the time, &c. The nurse acknow¬ 
 ledged its truth, and the reason she had for concealing it. 
 Mrs. Gregory saw these visions in her ordinary condition, 
 when busy with her domestic duties.”—The Natural and 
 the Supernatural.” 
 
 BARON YON REICHENBACH’S OBSERYATIONS. 
 
 “If downward passes be made with strong magnets,” says 
 Professor Reichenbach, “a certain number of persons will 
 perceiveimpressions, which are generally agreeable, of cool¬ 
 ness or warmth, occasionally of pricking and headache. This 
 occurs not only in females, but sometimes in men in the 
 prime of life, and also very vividly in children. 
 
 “Persons who are highly sensitive perceive, according to 
 the degree of their sensitiveness, and to the more or less 
 complete darkness, a smaller or larger luminous appearance 
 of the nature of a moving flame at the poles of strong mag¬ 
 nets, when examined in the dark. 
 
 “ The force of the magnet is not, as hitherto supposed, a 
 single force, but consists of two—one unknown and decidedly 
 distinct, which also resides in crystals. The force is seated 
 in the axes of the crystals ; light, visible in the dark to sensi¬ 
 tive subjects, is emitted from the poles. The light, which is 
 red, acts on the plate of the daguerrotype, and may be con¬ 
 centrated in the focus of a lens, but has no appreciable 
 warmth. Terrestrial magnetism exerts on sensitive persons, 
 whether healthy or diseased, a peculiar action, strong enough 
 to destroy their comfort—in the case of healthy sensitives, to 
 affect their sleep ; in the case of disease^ sensitives, to disturb 
 the equilibrium of the mental powers, the circulation, and 
 the functions of the nerves. 
 
 ‘ ‘ That the magnet has a sensible action on the human 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 283 
 
 organism is a well-founded fact. About a fourth or a third 
 of the people in this part of Europe are sensible of this 
 influence, which is perceptible in the form of sensations of 
 apparent coolness and warmth, of luminous emanations, &c. 
 Human beings are luminous over nearly the whole surface, 
 but especially in the hands, the palms, the points of the 
 fingers, the eyes, certain parts of the head, the pit of the 
 stomach : the emanation being perceptible to sensitives. 
 
 “ On a piece of iron being placed in contact with a mag¬ 
 net, or a glass of water placed between the poles of a horse¬ 
 shoe magnet and thus magnetised, not only could every sensi¬ 
 tive patient instantly distinguish it from ordinary water, but 
 when placed in the hands of cataleptic patients immediately 
 after being magnetised it attracted the hand like a magnet; 
 something, therefore, as in the case of the iron, must have 
 passed from the magnet into the water, and remained in it; 
 something that is not proper magnetism, which we have no 
 chemical means of arresting or detaining, and the presence of 
 which we cannot recognise by means of our ordinary senses. 
 The same effect residted from the hand of a physician after 
 having handled a magnet. 
 
 “The peculiar force found both in magnets and crystals 
 resides also in the hands, producing the effect of ‘ passes ’ 
 in animal magnetism. ‘ Passes ’ made with the hand over 
 sensitive persons act on them like passes made with the poles 
 of crystals. Crystals have well-marked north and south 
 poles, the cooler always corresponding to the former, the 
 warmer to the latter.’’ 
 
 After recording several instances of subjects being dis¬ 
 agreeably affected and their sleep prevented by lying in bed 
 with the head to the north, which inconveniences were re¬ 
 moved when the direction in which they lay was changed 
 from n orth _to south, the author adds : “ The position from 
 west to east, or transversely to the magnetic meridian, was 
 found to be by far the most disagreeable and injurious of all. 
 
 “ All these patients now recollected how painful it had 
 been to them to remain for any length of time in church. 
 Roman Catholic churches are built from west to east, so that 
 the congregation fronting the altar are in the position the 
 most objectionable to sensitive persons ; in fact, they often 
 fainted. 
 
 “ The above observations furnish a key to the numerous 
 errors and contradictions which appear in the whole history 
 of animal magnetism, from Paracelsus and Mesrner down to 
 our own times, which have staggered the soundest heads, 
 and everywhere introduced discord among opinions. For 
 when the same disease was treated magnetically in Vienna, 
 the patient being in the position from north to south ; in 
 Berlin, in that from east to west; and in Stuttgard, in that 
 
284 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 7 
 
 from south to north, different results were obtained in each 
 case, and no agreement between the observations was attain¬ 
 able. 
 
 “if the same physician were to treat the same disease mag¬ 
 netically, and the beds of the patients happened to be in 
 different directions, he must necessarily observe widely diffe¬ 
 rent effects, and would be confused in his mind, and still 
 more with reference to magnetism as a remedy. Such, in 
 fact, is the melancholy history of magnetism. It has been 
 times innumerable, from the earliest period, employed, and 
 as often again rejected, and now it is hardly ever employed ; 
 yet it is a truly wonderful, penetrating, and, it may be said, 
 incomparable means of affording relief in diseases on which 
 hitherto human art has very rarely succeeded. But I con¬ 
 fidently hope and expect that this will, in no long time, 
 cease to be the case in the same degree. Henceforth the 
 powerful influence of terrestrial magnetism will be mea¬ 
 sured and taken into account, and the whole subject of mag¬ 
 netism in a medical point of view will now admit of regular 
 investigation. Progress will be made, and we shall come to 
 understand each other, while the world may at last hope to 
 derive some benefit from the application of these remarkable 
 facts, a result which has been, with justice, long looked for.” — 
 “Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, <fcc., their Relations 
 to the Vital Force.” By Baron Von Reichenbach. Translated 
 by Professor Gregory. London, 1850. 
 
 Baron Reichenbach’s conclusions are corroborated by ex¬ 
 periments made by Professor Gregory, the results of which 
 are recorded in the Appendix to his translation, from which 
 I extract two or three instances :— 
 
 “ A sensitive, a patient just confined in one of the charit¬ 
 able institutions in Edinburgh, a somnambulist, and exces¬ 
 sively nervous. Passes were made'wiflTweak magnets, and 
 in every particular she described the same sensations (without 
 any questions being put) as the sensitives examined by the 
 author—viz., apparent different temperature from the same 
 end on the upward and downward ‘ pass,’ so that she could 
 instantly tell which pole or ‘ pass’ was employed. The sensa¬ 
 tions were very vivid and strong, the cooler being pleasant, 
 the warmer unpleasant. Precisely similar results were ob¬ 
 tained with several crystals of moderate size. Both magnets 
 and crystals caused twitchings and tendency to spasm. 
 
 “ Sir Wm. Hamilton showed to another very nervous 
 patient and to her sisters Dr. Gregory’s abstract, when they 
 all immediately declared they found in that work the explana¬ 
 tion of the fact observed for years, that the patient could 
 never feel tolerably comfortable, or obtain sleep, except 
 when lying in the position from no rth to south. This lady 
 likewise felt strongly the actions of crystals and magnets, as 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 285 
 
 described by the author, and in imperfect darkness was able 
 to see light emanate from crystals. 
 
 “ The nine years old healthy son of a gentleman was called 
 in from the lawn, where he was playing, and shut up in a 
 short passage between two drawing-rooms, which could be 
 tolerably darkened. He held one end of a copper wire ten 
 or twelve feet long, passed through the keyhole. When the 
 other end was placed on one pole of a weak horseshoe mag¬ 
 net, he soon described a warm sensation passing up his arm 
 from the wire. When the end of the wire was immersed in 
 weak nitric acid, the sensation was different. The wire soon 
 felt hot, and after a pause he cried out, ‘ I see a fire,’ and 
 on inquiry, said, ‘ It was a shining green cloud or smoke.’ 
 Of course nothing had been told him of the phenomenon, 
 and be probably never knew what kind of wire he held, and 
 if he did was certainly not aware that copper and its com¬ 
 pounds tinge ordinary flame green. This fact was always 
 observed by the author in the odyllic light when copper was 
 used. 
 
 “The same boy, in various crystals of rock crystal, gyp¬ 
 sum, &c., instantly detected the warm and cool poles in the 
 lines of the crystallographio axis. These were marked, un¬ 
 known to him, and he was again tried in the dark, and 
 always fixed on the same poles as warm or cold. Similar 
 results took place on other subjects. 
 
 “ A lady, suffering from aphonia, was observed by her 
 family to move, so as to lie across the bed. On the bed being 
 placed in that position, she never changed her place, and 
 felt comfortable. This occurred several years before the 
 Baron’s work was published.” 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM THE ARTICLE “MESMERISM,” 
 IN “THE OCCULT SCIENCES,” BEING PART OF 
 THE “ ENCYCLOPAEDIA METROPOLITANA.” 
 
 (By the Rev. E. Smedley, M.A., W. Cooke Taylor, LL.D., the 
 Rev. H. Thompson, M.A., and Elihu Rich, Esq.) 
 
 This article, as also that on dreams, was supplied by the 
 last-named writer. 
 
 Antiquity and Progress of Magnetism. —“ This power, 
 which has been regarded as a novelty, was exercised in re¬ 
 mote antiquity, and was probably the chief art of the 
 magician. Ample proof of this fact is given by Ennemoser. 
 A French writer in the ‘ Annales du Magnetisme Animal ’ 
 says : ‘ Magnetism was duly practised in the temple of Isis, 
 of Osiris, and Serapis. In these temples the priests treated 
 the sick and cured them by magnetic manipulation, or by 
 
286 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 other means producing, somnambulism. ’ Ennemoser justly 
 observes that ‘ Christianity was a very important crisis in 
 the history of magic—in fact, the most important. As the 
 Biblical history of the Old Testament is the seed and the 
 I type of all later history, so in the New Testament, for the 
 first time, like the flower unfolding from The bud, is deve¬ 
 loped a perfect revelation of the truth. But as the fruit is 
 matured from the blossom only by progressive degrees, so too 
 does this maturity in the new history advance forward with 
 a measured step. Religion and morals, art and science, are, 
 it is true, progressing in new and widely-ramifying parties 
 in this latter Christian time, but they are as yet very far 
 from their goal, which is perfection. The same may be said 
 with regard to magnetism, which has yet advanced only so 
 far as the intelligence of those minds which have laboured to 
 comprehend it has itself advanced.’ 
 
 “ The power of magnetism, either theoretically or prac- 
 v tically, was never wholly unknown. In Asia and China it 
 has probably never ceased to be practised from the remotest 
 antiquity down to the present hour, and in that vast region 
 of population its use has been varied by that of drugs and 
 narcotics. The writings of Avicenna and the annals of 
 Roman Catholic worthies may be consulted ; and in English 
 literature the ‘ Ecclesiastical History ’ of Bede, who has 
 placed on record many remarkable cures performed some 
 ages before, both by the hand and by prayer. In Bede’s 
 time there was little question of philosophy, and it was four 
 or five centuries later before the universities arose. The 
 occult sciences participated in the revival of learning, and 
 the middle age period of magnetism, dreamy and profitless 
 for many good reasons, closes with several great names— 
 \j Paracelsus, Van Helmont, Cornelius Agrippa, and Kircher. 
 
 “The man fated to produce this cloistered wisdom of the 
 elder times upon the busy stage of life was F. A. Mesmer. 
 As a student of medicine he showed great independence of 
 thought, and his favourite books were the almost forgotten 
 labours of the mystfcs arid astrologers. His theory supposed 
 the magnetic element to pervade the entire universe, and to 
 penetrate all bodies, acting in the same relation to the ner¬ 
 vous system of all animals as light to the eye. Settled in 
 the Austrian capital as a physician, he attempted to bring 
 his theory into practice as a means of cure ; and at last, 
 towards the close of 1773, resorted to the artificial magnet, 
 his coadjutor in these experiments being the Jesuit, Maxi¬ 
 milian Hell, Professor of Astronomy. The latter afterwards 
 claimecTtlie priority of discovery, which produced some dis¬ 
 agreement between them, and probably had some effect in 
 turning Mesmer from the artificial means to the more exclu¬ 
 sive study of ‘animal magnetism,’ as he finally termed it. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 287 
 
 Somnambulism also discovered itself to him while he treated 
 some'ot lus patients with the loadstone, and he may now 
 have surmised that all the divine virtues attributed to its 
 magnetic properties by the ancients were capable of realisa¬ 
 tion. He occupied 1775 and the following year in travelling 
 through Bavaria and Switzerland, where he effected some 
 remarkable cures both in private circles and in the public 
 hospitals. In the beginning of 1778 he sought a new 
 theatre for the exercise of his art in Paris. Here Mesmer, 
 whose character was not without its weak points, assumed 
 the airs of a magician, with a view to secresy, and perhaps to 
 greater gain. He published his first treatise on animal mag¬ 
 netism in 1779.* The scenes around his magnetic battery 
 in the meanwhile had drawn the attention of the French 
 Government to his proceedings, and in 1784 the first com¬ 
 mission was appointed to examine them. But the whirl of 
 the French Revolution was just now commencing, and mag¬ 
 netism and clairvoyance were presently associated with poli¬ 
 tical and social aims. In fine, Mesmer was obliged to quit 
 France, and after residing some time in England, under a 
 feigned name, he died in his native place, assured of the un¬ 
 obtrusive progress of his doctrines, in 1815. 
 
 “ Magnetism had been formerly professed in England by 
 Dr. de Mainandue, whose curious lectures date in 1798. 
 
 “In TST5 M. Deleuze had written his well-known ‘His¬ 
 tory of Animal Magnetism,’ and the turmoil in which this 
 discovery had been involved by the Revolution having sub¬ 
 sided, the subject was again open to sober observation. 
 It had also within the last twenty years made the tour of 
 Europe, and some of the most illustrious savants and men 
 of letters in Germany had addressed themselves to the in¬ 
 vestigation. Several distinct schools began to appear in 
 France, the most important of which was under the direc¬ 
 tion of Puysegur, at Strasburg. The battery and its ‘ crisis ’ 
 
 * The following are the leading points of his theory : 1. “ There is 
 a reciprocal influence (action and reaction) between the planets, the 
 earth, a nd anim ated nature. 2. The means of operating this action is 
 a most nne subtle fluid, which penetrates everything, and is capable 
 of receivtng anil communicating all kinds of motions and impressions. 
 3. This fluid exercises an immediate action on the nerves, with which 
 it embodies itself, and produces in the human body phenomena similar 
 to those of the loadstone—that is, polarity and inclination. 4. This 
 fluid flows with the greatest rapidity from body to body, acts at a dis¬ 
 tance, is reflected by the mirror like light, and is strengftTPTrcd and 
 propagated by sound. 5. There are animated bodies which exercise 
 an action directly opposed to animal magnetism. Their presence alone 
 is capable of destroying the effect of magnetism."By means of 
 dntmal magnetism we can effect an immediate cure of nervous diseases, 
 and a mediate cure of other disorders ; indeed, it explains the action 
 of medicaments, and operates the crisis. 7. The physican can discover 
 by magnetism the nature of the most complicated diseases.” 
 
288 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 were dispensed with, and the intelligible observation of 
 psychological phenomena was now connected with the phy¬ 
 sical treatment. In 1825 Deleuze published his ‘ Practical 
 Instructions,’ and such was the urgency of the revived 
 interest in this subject that it was brought under the ob¬ 
 servation of the Royal Academy of Medicine. In 1826 a 
 new commission was appointed, whose labours extended over 
 five years, when in 1831 their report was drawn up. It was 
 favourable to the practice of magnetism.”* 
 
 The writer makes the following extract from Deleuze’s 
 “ Histoire Critique,” adding the foot-notes, some of which I 
 subjoin : “ When magnetism produces somnambulism, the 
 being who is in this condition acquires a prodigious exten¬ 
 sion in the faculties of sensation, several of his external 
 organs, generally those of sight and hearing, are inactive, 
 and all the sensations which depend upon them take place 
 internally.! Of this state there is an infinite number of 
 shades and varieties. The somnambulist has his eyes shut ; 
 he does not see with his eyes, and he hears better than one 
 who is awake. He sees and hears only those with whom he 
 is~ iii magnetic communication (not an invariable rule). He 
 sees nothing but that at which he intends to look, and he 
 generally looks only at those objects to which his attention 
 is directed by those in magnetic communication with him. J 
 He is under the will of his magnetiser in regard to every¬ 
 thing that cannot hurt him, and he does not feel contrary 
 to his ideas of justice and truth.§ He feels the will of his 
 magnetiser, he perceives the magnetic fluid, he sees or rather 
 he feels the interior of his body and that of others (provided 
 
 * The writer, commenting in a note upon the conclusion of the 
 report, verifying the perception of objects by somnambulists with 
 closed eyes, the eyelids being held down by the fingers, adds : “ There 
 has been a large accumulation of experience under this head since the 
 report was published,” and he quotes Dr. Moore, who, adverting to 
 the case connected with the Archbishop of Bordeaux, observed : “It 
 is much easier to deny such facts than to accotmt'to/ them ; but in¬ 
 stances like these are too numerous, and too numerously attested by 
 independent witnesses in different ages and countries, to be very rea¬ 
 sonably denied. It is much more rational to believe the facts, con- 
 ■ sistent as they are to each other, than to conclude, in spite of all evid¬ 
 ence, that those who relate them are enthusiasts and simpletons.” 
 
 + The sensations that depend on 'the senses are at'all times rela¬ 
 tively internal. 
 
 i “ M. Deleuze should have said that he only speaks of those objects. 
 
 I Our own experience establishes that the clairvoyant is in relation with 
 another world of sentient existences, and if not continually recalled by 
 the magnetiser, becomes intensely interested in them.” 
 
 I § “Not necessarily so. We constantly hear of clairvoyants who, 
 being treated as oracles, answer every fool according to his folly. In 
 such cases the magnetiser is greatly to blame. An experimenter in 
 magnetising ought to test his own fitness for the office by the indepen¬ 
 dence and distinct-intelligence of his patient.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 289 
 
 that he touch them); hut he commonly observes only those 
 parts of it which are not in their natural state, and which, 
 therefore, disturb the harmony of the. whole.* * * § He recovers 
 the recollection of things which, when awake, he had for¬ 
 gotten. He has prophetic visions and sensations, which 
 may be erroneous in some circumstances, and which are 
 limited in their extent. He expresses himself with astonish¬ 
 ing facility. He is not free from vanifylf He becomes 
 more perfect for a certain dime of his own accord, if guided 
 wisely; he wanders when he is ill-directed .% When he 
 returns to the natural state, he entirely loses the recollection 
 of all the sensations and ideas which be had had in the state 
 of somnambulism, as if the somnambulist and the waking 
 man were two different beings. § 
 
 Practice of Mesmerism and Clairvoyance. —“The re¬ 
 commendation (report) that physicians only should practise 
 or superintend the use of mesmerisih was sufficiently modest, 
 coming as it did from al5ddy who had these doctrines forced 
 upon them by public opinion ; of course, the Church will 
 eventually recognise the higher facts of clairvoyance, and 
 then it will be very proper that only beneficed clergymen 
 should assume the direction of them. We do not think 
 indeed that magnetism should be practised by all or before 
 all. We are too painfully conscious of the abuses to which 
 ''it is exposed, and of the more subtle injuries that may 
 result from such personal contact. Certainly, the true mag¬ 
 netism is not a physical, but a mental and religious power, 
 acting, however, by physical causes. The real power is the 
 will, because the will is the momentary gift of the love of 
 God, and it works with His love when the religious prin¬ 
 ciple is recognised, but otherwise in favour of self-love and 
 self-gratification. The injury done by separating the re¬ 
 ligious spirit from the magnetic art is incalculable, for it 
 originates in principle all that is properly called the ‘ blaclt 
 magic ’ of the middle ages. Magnetism is a sacred power, 
 which ought to have but one end, as it can have but one 
 
 v; 
 
 0-1 
 
 y 
 
 / 
 
 * Simply because the attention is generally called to such parts for 
 particular reasons. 
 
 + Nor from any other human passion. 
 
 J What then becomes of the former assertion concerning the sub¬ 
 jection of the patient to the will of the magnetiser ? The saving clause, 
 which provides that the former does not feel it contrary to his ideas of 
 justice and truth, is of very little value, if the patient is uninformed in 
 such ideas. The magnetiser, in short, puts himself in the most respon¬ 
 sible of all situations, and much unaffected charity, much self-denial, 
 ought to mark his character. 
 
 § This is commonly the case, but it is not an invariable condition of 
 the magnetic sleep. There is evidence of a twofold memory, the inner 
 or deeper having a distinct activity, which may be exercised concur¬ 
 rently with the outer, or not. 
 
 O 
 
200 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 first origin—the elevation of the human race out of their 
 present miseries, spiritual, moral, and physical. The patient 
 is highly sensitive to impressions from the operator, especially 
 to those which flow out spontaneously from the moral ground 
 of his being ; and though they may not be felt at the time, 
 they are beyond doubt received as distinctly and more inde¬ 
 libly than the at first invisible image of the daguerrotype, 
 and a slight cause, at some later period, may bring them into 
 manifest existence. 
 
 ‘ ‘ The same remarks apply, if possible, with greater force to 
 the development of psychological phenomena by magnetism. 
 We have seen performances that were truly diabolical in 
 character and purpose. 
 
 “Magnetism and somnambulism are, therefore, like any 
 other powerful agency, capable of being applied to good or 
 bad purposes, hence the greater need of legislative regulation 
 of the practice.” 
 
 The writer terminates the article with the following extract 
 from Mr. Colquhoun (“ History of Magic ”) on the traditional 
 knowledge of the experience of the phenomena of clairvoy¬ 
 ance, spiritual sleep, and other related subjects : “ Accord¬ 
 ing to the code of Menu, the three states of the soul in this 
 world are the waking state, the state of sleep and dreaming, 
 and the ecstatic state. The state of waking in the external 
 sensible world affords no true knowledge of things. Igno¬ 
 rance and illusion predominate in consequence of external 
 contemplation and the influence of the animal passions. This, 
 therefore, is a state of darkness. In sleep and dreaming the 
 solar influence is manifested in phantasms. This state may 
 be compared to the twilight. The ecstatic sleep first develops 
 the light of true knowledge, and the real internal waking 
 state presents a contemplative view of objects inaccessible 
 to the ordinary natural sight. The.internal eye of the soul 
 is opened, and the sight is no longer sensual and confused ; 
 but there is a clear-seeing (clairvoyance), an accurate seeing, 
 a thorough seeing of the whole magic circle from the circum¬ 
 ference to the centre. This ecstatic sleep, however, has diffe¬ 
 rent gradations of internal wakefulness and lucidity. 
 
 “ Here then we have a pretty accurate description of the 
 somnambulism of the modern magnetists, nearly in their 
 own language, from the lower state of ‘ sleep-waking ’ to the 
 higher ‘ clairvoyance.’ ” 
 
 TRANSPOSITION OF THE SENSES. 
 
 Dr. Petetin’s work bears the title of “ De l’Electricite 
 Animale and his patients who manifested the phenomena 
 he has recorded were regarded as cataleptic. Catalepsy, 
 
4NIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 291 
 
 however, is an extremely rare affection ; and as the effects of 
 animal magnetism were but little generally known at that 
 time, the subjects were doubtless in the state of magnetic 
 catalepsy and clairvoyance. As the experimenter was aware 
 of the nature of the substances with which the trials were 
 made, it is doubtful whether the results were not referrible 
 to t hought -reading, and to the community of feeling so fre¬ 
 quently observed to exist between lucid somnambulists and 
 their magnetisers, or persons temporarily put en rapport 
 with them, rather than to a transposition of the senses, such 
 as is sometimes met with, as is confirmed by the following :— 
 
 The Count de Gasparin, referring to trials made on Mr. 
 Petetin’s subject, remarks : “ He brought pieces of various 
 edible substances separately wrapped up in paper, and 
 placed them singly upon the stomach of the somnambulist, 
 who named them all. She correctly designated cards, and 
 the position of the hands of a watch” (purposely altered and 
 placed on the same region). “ On another occasion,” says 
 M. Petetin, “ 1 pressed my hand upon the stomach of the 
 patient, who, without any hesitation said : ‘ I see through 
 your hand an ancient medal.’ Her sister-in-law enclosed in 
 a brown semi-transparent bonbon box a folded paper, and 
 gave me the box behind her sister’s chair. Holding it in my 
 closed hand, which I placed upon her epigastrium, the 
 cataleptic said, ‘ I see a box in your hand, and in the box a 
 letter addressed to me.’ I opened the box, and drew out a 
 letter, folded up, and addressed to the patient, with the post¬ 
 mark from Geneva. 
 
 “ The next day, before going out, I put a little letter on 
 the upper part of my breast, which I covered up with my 
 cloak. On coming in to see the patient I opened the cloak, 
 so as to expose the upper part of my dress ; when she said, 
 ‘ How long, Doctor, has it been the fashion to carry letters 
 on the breast V ‘ You may be mistaken, madam,’ I replied. 
 ‘ No, I am certain of what I say ; you have there a letter 
 which is not larger than this ;’ and she specified exactly 
 the size and the place where it was. ‘ If I were not discreet,’ 
 she added, ‘ I might tell you its contents ; but to prove to 
 you that I have really read it, there are only two lines and a- 
 half of very fine writing.’ On the note being opened, every 
 one present saw that there were only two and a-half lines, 
 in veiy small writing. A friend of the family drew from his 
 pocket a purse, which he placed on my breast, and covered 
 it over with my waistcoat. The patient exclaimed, ‘ Doctor, 
 there is now on your breast the purse of M. B. It contains 
 so many louis (stating the number) on one side, and some 
 silver on the other. I will tell each person present what 
 there is most remarkable in their pockets.’ She commenced 
 with her sister-in-law, and told her that the most interesting 
 
 o 2 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
292 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 % 
 
 \p 
 
 tiling in her pocket was a letter. She then passed on to the 
 others, and specified the contents of onr pockets with the 
 same exactness.” (“ Les Tables Tournantes.”) 
 
 With reference to the phenomena manifested by the mag¬ 
 netised patients of Dr. Despine, of Aix-les-Bains, the 
 author of a recent work observes : ‘‘ One is a patient who 
 sees,, hears, and smells by means of the fingers and toes; 
 another reads with the finger ten whole pages with great 
 readiness ; chooses from out of a packet of more than thirty 
 I letters the one which it was wished she should select; writes, 
 i corrects, and copies letters, word for word, with her right 
 hand while reading them with her left elbow, notwith¬ 
 standing a thick pasteboard completely hid the objects from 
 her eyes. The same perceptions were exhibited through the 
 medium of the epigastrium, the soles of the feet, and other 
 parts of the body ; nevertheless, she always referred the 
 visual perception of objects to the eye, smell to the nostrils, 
 though she smelt with the finger-ends ; and when reading 
 by the palm of her hand, she rubbed here eyes to see more 
 clearly. ”*—“ Mesmer et le Magnetisme Animal,” par Ernest 
 i Bersot, 1864. 
 
 Professor Perty records the following instance of transposi¬ 
 tion of the senses (p. 187) : “ A boy, who likewise possessed 
 the power of distant sight, could discern objects by means of 
 y th e tips of his finge rs, his lower lip , and at length by almost 
 \ all the parts of his body. He distinguished by his fingers 
 objects when they were two fingers’ length distant, so that 
 his knowledge of them could not be referred to touch. He 
 described pictures and cards, read large writing by the tips 
 of his toes through coarse woollen stockings. With his 
 finger outstretched from the window he saw by its 
 means all that was going on in the street, and described men 
 and animals that were passing beneath, which he could not 
 see with his eyes, for his head remained behind the window. 
 He likewise recognised, though with difficulty, objects 
 when placed with his back to the window and his finger 
 was pointed to the street. He could see nothing in the 
 dark. 
 
 rr In ‘ Thompson’s Journal ’ is recorded the case of a blind 
 man in Liverpool, the surface of whose skin seemed to be all 
 i retina. Haller mentions the case of a man who seemed to 
 hear by the surface of the body. Schenk relates the case of 
 a man who after a badly-healed wound of the eyes saw by 
 both nostrils. Smetius also mentions a peasant boy who, 
 
 * The same author further remarks, “Bertrand saw as many as sixty 
 most severe attacks predicted by a somnambulist, both as respects their 
 commencement and termination, to the precise minute ; and also an 
 accession of delirium forty-eight hours beforehand, which occurred at 
 the time specified.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 2 OH 
 
 after losing both his eyes, saw everything with his nose. v/ 
 Van Herr also records an analogous case.” 
 
 These men Professor Perty considers were in the somnam¬ 
 bulic state—though if such were the case, this state could 
 not fail to have been observed ; and would, doubtless, have 
 been recorded—which, he adds, “ was unknown to those 
 observers of a former time, and the phenomenon is referrible 
 to the so-called transposition of the senses.” 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM THE “LIFE OF DUNCAN CAMP¬ 
 BELL,” IN VOL. 19 OF DANIEL DEFOE’S WORKS. 
 
 Duncan’s father having been cast on the coast of Lapland, 
 there married a person of consideration, who inherited from 
 all her ancestors (who had possessed it from time immemo- , 
 rial) the gift of s econd-sigh t, “to a greater degree,”says Mr. 
 Campbell in a letter to ins father, “ than ever 1 knew any of 
 our countrywomen or countrymen. One day this last week,” 
 he adds, “ my wife distracted me between the extremes of 
 joy and sorrow. She told me that I should shortly see you, 
 and that my coming son (the child with which she was then 
 enceinte , whose sex she had predicted) would grow to be one of 
 the most remarkable men in England and Scotland, for las v 
 p ower of fore sight ; but that 1 should soon lose her, and 
 meet with difficulties in my own country in the same manner 
 as my father (meaning you, Sir) had done before me, and on 
 the same account—viz., civil broils and intestine wars in 
 Scotland. ”* 
 
 Of Campbell’s childhood, his biographer says: “Our 
 young prophet, who had taught most of his little com¬ 
 panions to converse with him by finger, was at the head of 
 every little pastime and game they played at. The boys, by 
 hearing that he foretold other things, used to consult him 
 when they made their little matches, who should get the 
 victory. He used commonly to leave these trifles unde¬ 
 cided, but if ever he gave his opinion, the end always 
 answered his prediction.” It appears also that he was at 
 that time pretty generally consulted. “ The little chalked 
 circle where he was diverting himself with his playfellows 
 near the Cross at Edinburgh was frequented with as much 
 solicitation and as much credit as the tripos of Apollo was at 
 Delphos in ancient times. 
 
 * Mr. Campbell’s death was occasioned by his taking part in the 
 rebellion of the Duke of Argyle, whose clansman he was. “ Every¬ 
 thing the Lapland lady had predicted so long before,” says the histo¬ 
 rian, “being thus come to pass, we may less admire the wouders per¬ 
 formed by her son, when we consider this faculty of divination to be 
 so derived to him from her, and grown as it were hereditary.” 
 
294 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ The most unexceptionable mistress that teaches these 
 things to be in nature,” the author remarks, “is experience. 
 If we had very many people gifted in this way, the extra¬ 
 ordinary thing would have become ordinary, and therefore 
 I cannot help wondering that it should be so ordinary a 
 thing for wise men themselves to wonder too much at things 
 because they are extraordinary, and suspect them as frauds 
 because they are uncommon. 
 
 “ There has been scarcely any period of time in which 
 some person of this prophetic class has not existed, and has 
 not been consulted by the greatest of men, and their pre¬ 
 dictions found in the long run to come true ; ignorant men 
 1 always rise to their belief of them by experience, and the 
 the most learned men submit their great opinions to expe- 
 I rience.” 
 
 After his coming to London to take up the profession of a 
 predicter, “ the first remarkable thing I knew him do in 
 London,” says his biographer, “being in this splendid com¬ 
 pany, where there were so many undoubted witnesses of 
 quality, too, that had ocular proof of his predictions, was in 
 the year 1698. 
 
 “ The mother of a beautiful young lady, to be satisfied of 
 his talent, before she asked any more questions, asked him 
 in writing if he knew her daughter’s name, and who she 
 was ( After a little ruminating and pondering upon the 
 matter, and taking an exact view of the beauty, he wrote 
 down her name ; told Mrs. W. that she was her daughter, 
 and that her father was a doctor. Convinced by his so 
 readily telling the name and quality of persons he had never 
 seen in his lifetime that fame had not given a false character 
 to his capacity, she proceeded in her questions as to her 
 future fortune. He gazed afresh at her eagerly for some time, 
 and his countenance seemed to be ruffled with abundance of 
 disturbance and perplexity. At length, after having a long 
 debate within himself, he took the pen and wrote that he 
 begged to be excused. After many struggles to avoid it, and as 
 many instances made to him both by mother and daughter 
 for his discovery of prescience in this point, he complied 
 with very great difficulty.” He predicted that her beauty 
 would be destroyed by the small-p'ox, to which she would 
 fall a Victim. His prediction was verified, and the mother 
 soon after died from grief. 
 
 “Mrs. Irwin (the landlady of the tavern where this meet¬ 
 ing took place), who was in a prosperous way of life, brought 
 in her three pretty children, and presenting one to Camp¬ 
 bell, smiling, wrote the question in general terms, ‘ Is this 
 boy to be happy or unhappy V A melancholy look once 
 more overspread the countenance of the predicter, and he 
 seemed to regret being asked a question to which, by his 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 cv 
 
 29.i 
 
 Y 
 
 
 talent of foreseeing, he was compelled to give so unwelcome 
 an answer. He at last wrote down that great and unex- I ■/ 
 pected accidents would involve the whole family in new • 
 calamiffi5's''Tliat the son she asked about would have the 
 bitterest task of hardship to go through ; he would be basely 
 and maliciously brought to an untimely end by some mortal 
 enemy or other ; but she would never see it, for it would 
 happen some years after she had departed from the world. 
 
 This melancholy account closed up the book of predictions 
 for that day, and put a sad stop to all the projected mirth 
 and curiosity. In a few words, the event thus answered the 
 prediction ; poor Mrs. Irwin, by strange accidents, decayed 
 in the world, and dying poor, her sons were forced to be 
 put out apprentices to small trades, and the son whom the 
 above-mentioned prediction concerned was, for stealing a > 
 cheese, severely prosecuted at the Old Bailey, and on TV ed- 
 nesclay, the 23rd December, 1713, was hanged at Tyburn.” 
 
 After relating several other predictions which were veri- 
 fled, the biographer remarks: “The fame which Mr. Duncan 
 Campbell got by the foregoing, and several other predictions 
 of the like kind, was become very large and extensive, and 
 had spread itself into the remotest corners of the metropolis. 
 
 The squares rang with it, it was whispered from one house 
 to another, through the most magnificent streets where per¬ 
 sons of quality and distinction reside ; it catched every house \ 
 in the city, like the news of stock from Exchange-alley ; it 
 was the chat of the tea-table, and the town was full of it. 
 
 “ A lady of distinction, whose name shall be concealed, 
 came with two or three of her special friends, who took her 
 for the most merry, innoc ent, spotless virgin upon earth. 
 
 She having rallied Mr. Campbell with several frivolous ques¬ 
 tions, doubting his capacity, and vexing and teasing him 
 with gay impertinences beyond all patience, was by him told 
 that he did not take fees in his profession to be made a jest 
 of like a common fortune-teller, but to do a real good to 
 those who consulted him as far as he was able by his predic¬ 
 tions ; that he was treated with more respect by persons of / 
 higher condition than she was, and so offered her guinea 
 back again with a bow and a smile. She affected appearing 
 grave, and told him she would be serious for the future, and 
 asked him to set down her name, which she had neglected 
 before, to ask other questions which were nothing to the 
 purpose. He pausing a little longer than ordinary about 
 it, she returned to her former uncivil merriment and ungal¬ 
 lant raillery. She repeated to him, as fast as she could write . 
 them on three or four scraps of paper, the same words—viz., i 
 that he could not tell her name, nor whether she was maid, 
 wife, or widow ; and laughed as if she would split her sides, 
 triumphing to the rest of her companions over his ignorance J 
 
296 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 and her own wit, as if she had posed him and put him to an 
 entire stand. But see what this overweening opinion of 
 / security ended in. The man of the second-sight was not to 
 be easily baffled. Vexed at being so disturbed, and coming 
 out of his brown study, he reaches the paper and begins to 
 write. Now it was the lady’s turn to suffer; she had 
 deserved hearty punishment, and it came to her hands with 
 the note. S he read it, and swooning away, dropped from 
 her chair. The whole room was in a bustle, and I, who was 
 in the outward chamber, ran in. While Mr. Campbell was 
 sprinkling water in her face, a lady snatched up the note to 
 read it, at which he seemed mightily displeased. I there¬ 
 fore, who understood his signs, recovered it out of her hands 
 by stratagem, and ran to burn it, but first satisfied my 
 curiosity by reading it—a curiosity raised too high by so 
 particular an adventure. The contents of it were : ‘ Madam, 
 since you provoke me, your name is -. You are no 
 
 ( widow, you are no wife, and yet_y_pu ar e no mai d. You 
 have a child at nurse at such a place, by such a gentle¬ 
 man, and you were brought to bed in Leicestershire.’ The 
 lady, convinced by this answer of his strange and mysterious 
 power, and pleased with his civility in endeavouring to con¬ 
 ceal from others the secret after so many repeated provoca¬ 
 tions, though she showed great disorder for the day, be¬ 
 came one of his constant attenders for some time afterwards, 
 and would not take any step in her affairs without his 
 advice, which she has often said since she found very much 
 to her advantage. In fine, she was a thorough convert and 
 a votary of his. ” 
 
 The following is an extract from a letter that appeared in 
 the Spectator at that time : “About two years ago I was 
 called upon by the younger part of a family related to me to 
 visit Mr. Campbell, the dumb man, for they told me that 
 was what chiefly brought them to me, having heard wonders 
 of him in Essex. I, who always wanted faith in such mat¬ 
 ters, was not easily persuaded to go, but lest they should take 
 it ill, I went with them, when, to my own surprise, Mr. 
 Campbell related all their past life. Our names, though he 
 had never heard of us before, and which we endeavoured to 
 conceal, were as familiar to him as to ourselves. Being 
 impatient to know my fortune, he told me, after his manner, 
 that in a year and nine months I should fall ill of a fever, 
 be given over by the physicians, and with much difficulty 
 recover ; that when I took the air afterwards I should be 
 addressed by a young gentleman of plentiful fortune, good 
 sense, and a generous spirit. Mr. Spectator, all he said is 
 come pass, and I am the happiest woman in Kent.” 
 
 “In the year 1810 a gentlewoman lost about six pounds’ 
 worth of Flanders lace, and as it was a present made to her 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 297 
 
 by her husband, she was concerned as much as if it had been 
 twenty times the value. A lady of her acquaintance coming 
 to visit her, she unfolded in discourse this disaster. The 
 lady, smiling, replied with the question, ‘ Did you never 
 hear of Mr. Duncan Campbell ? It is but making your ap¬ 
 plication to him; things that are lost are immediately 
 found ; the power of his knowledge exceeds even the power 
 of the laws : they but restrain and frighten and punish 
 robbers, but he makes thieves expiate their guilt by the 
 more virtuous way of restoring the goods they have stolen.’ 
 ‘ Madam,’ rejoined the losing gentlewoman, ‘ you smile 
 when you tell me this.’—‘ What makes me smile,’ said the 
 lady, ‘when I speak of it or think of it, is the address and 
 peculiarity of this man’s talent in helping one to such things ; 
 but, without the least jest, I assure you that I know by 
 experience those things come within the compass of his 
 knowledge ; and I must seriously tell you, for your further 
 satisfaction, that he has helped me and several of my friends 
 to the finding again things lost which were of great value.’ 
 
 “No sooner was this gentlewoman convinced, but she was 
 eager for the trial, and solicited her friend to conduct her to 
 Mr. Campbell, whom they luckily found within. The ladies 
 had not been long seated before he wrote down the name 
 of this new client, Mrs. Saxon, who then propounded to 
 him the question about the lace. He paused but a very little 
 while upon the matter before he described the person who 
 took it, and satisfied her that in two or three days she would 
 be mistress of her lace again, and find it in some book, or 
 corner of her room. She was very contentedly going away, 
 when Mr. Campbell very kindly stopped her, and signified 
 to her that he had something of more importance to reveal 
 to her. The paper he then delivered to her contained the 
 following account : ‘ As for the loss of a bit of lace, it is a 
 mere trifle ; you have lost many hundreds of pounds, which 
 your aunt (naming her name) left you, but you are bubbled 
 out of that la?ge sum ; for, while you were artfully required 
 downstairs about some pretended business or other, one Mr. 
 
 H. H -n conveyed your aunt’s will out of her desk, and 
 
 several other things of value.’ Then writing down the 
 names of all the persons concerned, which put Mrs. Saxon 
 in great consternation, he concluded this paper with 
 bidding her go home with a contented mind, she should 
 find her lace in a few days, and as she found that predic¬ 
 tion prove true, she should afterwards come and consult 
 him about the rest. 
 
 “ When she came home she rifled and ransacked every 
 corner, but no lace was to be met with ; all the next day 
 she hunted for it in like manner, but to no purpose ; the 
 third day her curiosity abated, she gave over the hopes of 
 
 o 3 
 
298 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 it, and took the prediction as a vain delusion. That very 
 day, however, when she least dreamt of it, she lighted on it 
 by accident and surprise. She ran with it immediately to 
 her husband, told him of the loss of it, and the whole story 
 of her having been to Mr. Campbell’s about it, and begged 
 him to accompany her there to consult respecting what he 
 had told her of more considerable affairs. He would fain 
 have laughed her out of that opinion, but the end was she 
 persuaded him to go to the oracle. 
 
 “ To Mr. Campbell’s they accordingly came, and he saluted 
 Mr. Saxon with the assurance that there was in Kent a 
 a little country house, with some land appertaining to it; 
 that it was his, in right of his wife ; that he had the house, 
 as it were, before his eyes ; that though he had never been 
 near the place where it stood, he had seen it figuratively, as 
 if in exact painting ; that particularly it had four green trees 
 before the door, from whence he was positive that if Mr. 
 Saxon went with him in quest of it, he should find it out. 
 
 “ They accordingly rode to Kent; and when at Sevenoaks 
 (the place which Campbell described), on coming out of the 
 church-yard, Mr. Campbell makes a full stop, and point¬ 
 ing to a house, he pulls out of his pocket pencil and paper, 
 and notes dow r n, ‘ This is the house my vision presented to 
 me, I am sure it is the same.’ 
 
 “ Next day, being Monday, they sent for an attorney of the 
 place, to find out who the house belonged to, but by all the 
 inquiry that could be made, nobody could find it out for a 
 long time ; but at last it came to light; and appeared to be 
 justly to a tittle as Mr. Campbell had predicted. The 
 event of this journey procured Mr. Saxon a great insight, 
 upon inquiry, into several affairs belonging to him ; and he 
 is now engaged in a Chancery suit to do himself justice, and 
 is in a fair way of recovering great sums of money, which, 
 without consultation with the dumb gentleman, he had, in 
 all likelihood, never dreamt of.” 
 
 There is no doubt that Campbell was by hereditary dis¬ 
 position a natural clairvoyant and thought-reader, which 
 enabled him to write down the names, and state circum¬ 
 stances connected with the parties who came to consult him, 
 to which was superadded, in many instances, the power of 
 predicting events relating to them, of which there are 
 numerous examples in ancient and modern times. With 
 respect to his powers, as is the case with magnetic and other 
 clairvoyants, we are told that they were in some cases not so 
 speedily manifested as in others. “ There is,” says Camp¬ 
 bell’s biographer, “avast deal of difference; some he can 
 tell in a minute or two with ease, some not in less than 
 four or five hours and great trouble.” And he observes with 
 reference to one particular case, where Campbell’s perplexity 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 290 
 
 afforded his consulters a subject of mirth : “ However, after 
 two hours’ hard sweat and labour, and viewing the face in 
 different shades and lights, he undeceived them with regard 
 to his capacity. He wrote down that Adeodata’s real name 
 was Amanda, as being the natural daughter of Amandus, 
 (she being ignorant of her real parentage, and having been 
 passed off by this gentleman on his wife and others as the 
 daughter of a deceased friend whom he adopted). The 
 ladies were surprised at the discovery ; and Amandus, when 
 he was called in, owing it as a truth, his wife applauded the 
 curious way of her coming by such a discovery, when 
 Adeodata was just marriageable, took a liking to her as if 
 her own daughter ; and everything ended with profit, mirth, 
 and cheerfulness.” 
 
 After making several quotations from distinguished writers, 
 the biographer remarks : “ Thus the reader sees what great 
 authorities may be produced to prove that wonderful and 
 true predictions have been delivered by persons gifted witli 
 the second-sight. The most learned men in almost all 
 nations, the most celebrated and authentic historians, and 
 some divines in England, persons of all ranks from the 
 highest to the lowest in Scotland, all these have unani¬ 
 mously asserted, repeated, and confirmed to us, that there 
 have been at all times, and in many different nations, 
 and that still there are persons who, possessed with a gift of 
 second-sight, predict things that wonderfully come to pass ; 
 and who seem to merit very little less than the name of 
 prophets for their miraculous discoveries.”* 
 
 Schlegel, in his “ Philosophy of Life” (Bohn’s Edition), 
 
 * D’lsraeli, in his “Curiosities of Literature,” remarks, under the 
 head of “Prediction:” “ Knox, the reformer, possessed an extraor 
 dinary degree of this awful prophetic confidence. He appears to have 
 predicted several remarkable events, and the fates of some persons. 
 Condemned to a galley at Rochelle, he predicted that within two or 
 three years he should preach the Gospel at St. Giles’s, in Edinburgh— 
 an improbable event, which happened. Other striking predictions, of 
 the deaths of Thomas Maitland, of Kirkaldy of Grange, and the warn¬ 
 ing he solemnly gave to the Regent Murray not to go to Linlithgow, 
 where he was assassinated, occasioned a barbarous people to imagine 
 that the prophet Knox had received an immediate communication from 
 heaven. A Spanish friar and almanack-maker predicted in clear and 
 precise words the death of Henry IV. of France. Some of the king’s 
 friends had the almanack laid before him. That high-spirited monarch 
 thanked them for their solicitude, but utterly slighted the prediction. 
 The event occurred. 
 
 “ The high destinies of the Empress Josephine were predicted to her 
 when young, in the Isle of France, by an old negress ; and when, as 
 the wife of Eugene Beauharnais, she was in the prison of the Concier- 
 gerie, and on the point ot being brought before the Revolutionary 
 Tribunal to be condemned to death (which was prevented by the fall of 
 Robespierre the same day), she had still such faith in the verification 
 of the remainder of the prediction—the former part having occurred as- 
 
300 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 remarks, with reference to this subject : “ Numberless are 
 the instances of such forebodings (among which we must 
 reckon also the significant vision or dream), recorded of all 
 times, countries, and spheres of life. The fact cannot be 
 denied, as, indeed, it is not even attempted by any 
 unprejudiced and profound observer of the present day. 
 But now if such an immediate feeling of invisible light and 
 life does freely develop itself as an indubitable faculty, and 
 a perfectly distinct state of consciousness ; then, assuredly, 
 we have herein a new organ of perception and a new natural 
 sense. Though not, indeed, more infallible than any other 
 of the senses, it may, nevertheless, be the source of very 
 remarkable phenomena, which perhaps above all others 
 require investigation, in order that their distinctive cha¬ 
 racter may be precisely and accurately determined.” He 
 further observes : “ Generally in those early ages of the 
 world, man possessed many higher energies and living 
 powers in and over nature, which subsequently were en¬ 
 tirely withdrawn from him ; or which in later times formed 
 singular exceptions to man’s ordinary endowments.” 
 
 Again, “ If any wonderful phenomena in any way resem¬ 
 bling thereto be now found, they only form so many 
 remarkable exceptions.” (Page 268.) 
 
 CLAIRVOYANCE. 
 
 A well-known solicitor, who has written an interesting 
 work on spirit manifestations, and cognate subjects, records 
 the following instance : “ On Monday morning I received 
 a letter from a town in Bedfordshire, written by my 
 brother-in-law, whom I had not seen for some time, stating 
 that he would be obliged if I would answer the questions 
 in the letter. The first was, ‘ On Saturday night were you 
 suffering much from headache ? ’ and the second, ‘ Are you 
 suffering from boils ?’ A medical friend was standing near ; 
 I handed to him the letter, and said, ‘ It is very strange, I 
 hardly have had a headache since I joined the temperance 
 society when a youth, but on Saturday night I had one so 
 severe that it reminded me of those I had when I w'as 
 accustomed to take my ‘toddy;’ and, as to boils, frankly, I 
 
 announced to her—that she was in high spirits, and told her friends 
 that she would he Empress of Erance ; which led them to look upon 
 her as deranged. The details of this case are recorded in the ‘ His¬ 
 tory of Europe,’ by Sir A. Alison, who states in a foot-note that 
 he heard this prophecy in 1801, long before Napoleon’s elevation to 
 the throne, from the late Countess of Bath, and the late Countess of 
 Auerum, who were educated in the same convent as J osephine, and 
 had repeatedly heard her mention the circumstance in early youth.”) 
 (Chapter XX.) 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 301 
 
 have them—I never had them before.’ I replied to the 
 letter, stating as above, and in a day or two had a reply to 
 the following effect: ‘ There is a girl here, sixteen years of age, 
 who has been mesmerised by a person I know, in consequence 
 of a lecture on that subject in the town, and she has turned 
 out clairvoyant. On Saturday she was put mto the sleep, 
 and she” told us about different persons, their characters and 
 habits, and what they were doing, though they were miles 
 away. I thought I would send her to see you ; she an¬ 
 swered, ‘ Yes, I see him.’ She then described you exactly, 
 your appearance, habits, and the furniture in your room. I 
 then asked, ‘ Do you see anything particular i ’ ‘ Yes ; he 
 
 is suffering from a severe headache.’ ‘Anything else?’ 
 
 ‘ Yes, he is suffering from boils ; he is taking a little 
 medicine ; but it will be of no use unless he gets the cause 
 removed.’ ‘ What is the cause ?’ After a pause she said, 
 
 ‘ There are drains under his office, and the smells are so 
 strong that they have corrupted his blood.’ 
 
 “ I need not inform the reader of my surprise. I knew 
 th ere w ere bad smells, but supposed they proceeded from 
 bad - drainage in my dwelling-house which adjoined. The 
 Hoor of the office was taken up, and there was exposed an 
 open drain. The soil had got stopped, and the mass of 
 putrefaction was almost solid. All was removed ; the smell 
 ceased, and I recovered.” 
 
 This author adds his testimony as to the curative powers of 
 mesmerism. His daughter, fourteen years of age, was, at the 
 age of eight months, ricketty ; the spine being greatly bent. 
 “ Under the advice of a celebrated orthopaedist, she was 
 strapped down to ‘ a kind of butcher’s tray.’ She was also sub¬ 
 ject to daily fits ; till at last, some twelve months later, when 
 they had reached about twenty daily, the ordinary medical 
 attendant plainly stated that he had tried everything, and 
 could do no more ; that he expected death daily, but that if 
 she lived she would be an idiot. Mesmerism was had 
 recourse to, and in about five minutes after the first ‘ passes ’ 
 the child seemed "Soothed, the fits rapidly ceased; and 
 after about five weeks’ mesmerism twice a-day the , 
 cure was effected ; strength was gained ; the spine gradually 
 straightened ; the butcher’s tray had long before been found ! 
 useless, and cast aside, and the patient became strong and« 
 active, both physically and mentally. 
 
 “Another daughter, set. 10, had from her birth been affected 
 with a sudden pain at the top of the spine ; and when about 
 four years old, in the midst of play would almost daily come 
 running in, with tears in her eyes, saying, ‘ Oh, my neck ! ’ 
 
 ‘ Passes’ daily made from the head to the middle of the back, 
 for ten minutes, for about a fortnight, procured the removal 
 of the complaint. 
 
302 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 “ I have also been a looker on, while others have success¬ 
 fully operated for diseased liver, lungs, tic-douloureux, &c. ; 
 and, as the operators were personal friends of mine, engaged 
 in business, but who benevolently set apart a portion of their 
 morning and evening to relieve their afflicted acquaintances, 
 no charge of quackery and imposture can stand and front 
 them.”* 
 
 M. de Mirville says, respecting the antiquity of animal mag¬ 
 netism and table-turning : “ The Abbd Vienot, a missionary 
 in the province of Sy-Tchenen, in the east of Thibet, wrote 
 to a distinguished ecclesiastic of my acquaintance as follows : 
 ‘ Animal magnetism has been known here for many cen¬ 
 turies ; which proves that Mesmer was not its inventor. It is 
 the same as regards table-turning. The tables can even write 
 with either a pen or pencil, that is attached perpendicularly to 
 one of their feet. I therefore think that all these sorceries have 
 passed from the East into Europe.’ (“ Des Esprits et de 
 j leurs Manifestations diverses.” Yol. iii., p. 277.) 
 
 “The best proof that our good missionary speaks the 
 truth (adds the author) is, that we read in the ‘ Annales des 
 Voyages’ for 1829, vol. xliii., p. 363: The person who 
 has the intention to obtain the appearance of a seer, prepares 
 two tables, and spreads upon them a white powder ; he 
 then procures a straight piece of stick, of which he makes a 
 pencil, and a horizontal rule to hold the table well. Then 
 j under the direction of the invisible spirit, lie seeks for a 
 little boy who neither knows to read or write, in order to 
 guide the pencil as directed by the spirit. When the time 
 has come, if the spirit consents to manifest itself, the pencil 
 which the child holds begins to move in an irresistible 
 manner, and writes answers either in prose or verse. No 
 female can be present on these occasions.” (Extracted'from 
 the"Canfm-Register .) 
 
 The following instances of clairvoyance are related in M. 
 de Mirville’s work :— 
 
 “ My father, in his youth, while playing at quoits with 
 several officers of his regiment, saw one of them stop sud¬ 
 denly, and heard him exclaim, ‘ Oh, God ! ’ my father has 
 just broken his thigh in leaping over a barrier in America.’ 
 Three months afterwards this announcement was completely 
 verified.” 
 
 “ The Abbe-almoner of one of the great colleges of Paris, 
 stated to me that a young religious lady, a relation of his, 
 saw, at a distance of sixty leagues, her mother die suddenly; 
 heard her calling her, and expressing her regret at not being 
 able to embrace her. She got up, awakened the family, 
 
 * “ Apparitional Man; or, The Natural and the Supernatural.” 
 By John Jones, of Beckham. London : Bailliere. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 303 
 
 and, sobbing, told them that her mother had just died. 
 Nobody believed her until the arrival of the courier two 
 days afterwards ; when it was found that the circumstances 
 had occurred just as she bad stated. 
 
 “ So true is it that hereditary tendencies are everywhere 
 met with, that this same lady (the mother) had presented 
 the same phenomenon. Being in Lorraine, she started up 
 one night from her sleep, and declared that her son, who was 
 in Paris, had been stabbed, and thrown into the river. They 
 wrote to Paris, and the authorities found the body in the 
 place designated, and having in it the fatal wound.” 
 
 PREVISION. 
 
 It is stated in the “Autobiography of Goethe,” respecting 
 Goetlie’smaternal grandfather: “The reverence we entertained 
 for this venerable old man was raised to the highest degree 
 by a conviction that he possessed th e gift of prophe cy. It 
 is true he revealed himself to no one distinctly anti minutely, 
 except to my grandmother, yet we were all aware that he 
 was informed of what was going to happen by significant 
 dreams. He assured his wife, for instance, at a time 
 wlien~he was still a junior councillor, that on the first 
 vacancy he would obtain the place of the schdjfen; and soon 
 afterwards, when one of those officers died of apoplexy, my 
 grandfather gave orders that his house should be quietly got 
 ready prepared on the day of electing and balloting, to 
 receive his guests and congratulators. Sure enough the 
 decisive gold ball was in his favour. He confided to his 
 wife that in his dream he had seen himself in the ordinary 
 assembly of councilmen, when all went on as usual. Sud¬ 
 denly the late scliiiff rose from his seat, descended the steps, 
 and pressed him in the most complimentary manner to take 
 the vacant place, and then departed by the door.” 
 
 After relating other instances, the narrative continues : 
 “It is worthy of note also that persons who showed no signs 
 of prophetic insight at other times, acquired it for the moment 
 while in his presence, and by means of some sensible 
 evidence presentiments of diseases or deaths which were 
 then occurring in distant places. But no such gift has been 
 transmitted to his children.” 
 
 The following instances of clairvoyant prevision during sleep 
 are related in the notes appended to Dr. Binns’s “Anatomy 
 of Sleep “In 1768 my father, Matthew Talbot, of Castle 
 Talbot, County Wexford, was much surprised at the recur¬ 
 rence of a dream three several times during the same night, 
 which caused him to repeat the whole circumstance to his 
 lady the following morning. He dreamed that he had arisen 
 
304 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 as usual, and descended to his library, the morning being 
 hazy. He then seated himself at his secretaire to write, 
 when happening to look up a long avenue of trees opposite 
 the window, he perceived a man in a blue jacket, mounted 
 on a white horse, coming towards the house. My father 
 arose, and opened the window. The man, advancing, pre¬ 
 sented him with a roll of papers, and told him they were 
 invoices of a vessel which had been wrecked, and had drifted 
 in during the night on his son-in-law’s (Lord Mountmorris’s) 
 estates, close by, and signed, ‘ Be ll and Stephenson.’ My 
 father’s attention was only called to the dream from its 
 frequent recurrence ; but when he found himself seated at 
 his desk on the misty morning, and beheld the identical 
 person whom he had seen in his dream in the blue coat, 
 riding on the grey horse, he felt surprised, and opening the 
 window, waited the man’s approach. He immediately rode 
 up, and drawing from his pocket a packet of papers, gave 
 them to my father, stating that they were invoices belonging 
 to an American vessel which had been wrecked, and drifted 
 in upon his lordship’s estate ; that there was no person on 
 board to lay claim to the wreck, but that the invoices were 
 signed, ^Stephenson and Bell.’ I assure you, my dear Sir, 
 that th^above is most faithfully given, and actually oc- 
 ' curred ; but it is not more extraordinary than other examples 
 of the prophetic powers of the mind or soul in sleep which I 
 have frequently heard related.”— William Talbot. —Alton 
 Towers, October 23, 1862.” 
 
 “ Lady Nuneham, when on a visit at Earl Harcourt’s, 
 mentioned to her husband at the breakfast-table that she 
 was very unhappy from having bad a horrid dream, and 
 earnestly wished to narrate it. He laughed at her, and 
 declined it, and the conversation was interrupted by his 
 father (Earl Harcourt) coming in, and the son and daughter- 
 in-law did not see each other again till dinner-time. They 
 waited some time, and Lord H., who was always very punc¬ 
 tual, did not appear. His son expressed surprise, and asked 
 one of the servants if he knew where he was. Upon which 
 j Lady Nuneham exclaimed, ‘Look in the well,’ and fainted 
 away. Lord Harcourt was found in the well, with his dog lying 
 at his feet, as she had seen in her dream ; and it was sup¬ 
 posed that, in endeavouring to save the life of his dog, he 
 had lost his own.” 
 
 It is stated in a recent work that “ a farmer’s wife dreamed 
 that she met a funeral, and from the coffin blood flowed 
 upon the ground. The bearers placed it at her feet, opened 
 the lid, and exhibited her husband murdered. She awoke 
 in great terror. But here follows the incomprehensible part 
 of the narrative. Her husband entertained an idiot cousin 
 in the house, and he in doggrel rhyme repeated the very 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 305 
 
 same dream to a gossip, to whom the farmer’s wife had 
 related hers. That very night the farmer was murdered, 
 and the next morning the poor idiot, to the horror of all, 
 exclaimed, 1 Click (the farmer’s name) is kilt. Shamus Dhu 
 More kilt him, and buried him in the new flitch at the back 
 of the garden. I dreamt it all last night.’ Search was . 
 made at the spot indicated, and the body was found with the 1 
 skull nearly cleft in two. In the meanwhile, More absconded 
 and enlisted, but was afterwards arrested, confessed his 
 crime, and was executed.”—“ Literature and Curiosities of 1 
 Dreams.” By F. Seafield. London, 1865. 
 
 The following observations are quoted in the same work 
 from “Blackwood’s Magazine” (1840): “There are in 
 everybody’s mouth so many instances of the discovery of a 
 murder by dreams that it is difficult to know whose to 
 choose. It was stated at the time (in this magazine) that 
 Corder’s murder of his wife was found out by a dream (of her 
 mother), in which the very place where the body was deposited 
 was seen. You must recollect the whole vision in a dream 
 of the murder of Mr. Percival (Chancellor of the Exchequer), 
 at a distance of more than 150 miles from the scene, in which 
 the faces of Bellingham and his victim were distinctly pour- 
 trayed.* A dreamer, on whose veracity I place great 
 reliance, was engaged in a China manufactory at Swansea. He 
 dreamed that he saw a man drowning in one of their pools. 
 He dreamed the same a second time, and a third time, 
 and then could not resist making an effort to satisfy him¬ 
 self that it was not so. He got up, went to the spot, and 
 found the man drowned. But have we not authority for 
 dreams that we cannot question ? (The dreams of Jacob, of 
 Joseph, of Pharaoh respecting the fat and lean kine ; of 
 Pilate’s wife, of Caesar’s v'ife, &c.) Then comes the ques¬ 
 tion, Are appearances dreams, imaginary visions, or are 
 they, however inexplicable the mode, the actual spiritual ap¬ 
 pearance of the persons whose images they bear ( I cannot 
 but think it less a matter of astonishment that the spirits of 
 those who have existed should assume form and appearance 
 than that, as in dreams and the like, ‘ coming events cast 
 their shadows before.’ ’’ 
 
 Predictions op Mademoiselle Lenormand. —“Madlle. 
 Lenormand predicted truly of many persons and events. 
 
 * The details of this clairvoyant prevision, given in Abercrombie’s 
 work on the “ Intellectual Powers,” are quoted further on. We see 
 that the dreamer related the dream to his family, and wished to go to 
 London to warn Mr. Percival, but was dissuaded from so doing. When 
 afterwards in London, he recognised the scene—the lobby of the House 
 of Commons —as he had seen it, and also the murderer and murdered 
 man, even to the particular dresses and the brass buttons on Belling¬ 
 ham’s coat, as represented in the print-shops. 
 
306 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 When a young girl in a convent she was asked who 
 would be the successor of the deposed abbess; she 
 replied that the king, refusing all applications, would 
 appoint a lady from Picardy. She was laughed at, 
 but eighteen months later the prophecy was ful¬ 
 filled. In 1789 she prophesied the overthrowing of the 
 French throne. During the Revolution she was visited for 
 the purpose of consulting her by innumerable persons, in¬ 
 cluding the Princess Lamballe, Mirabeau, the Count of Pro¬ 
 vence (Louis XVIII.), and Madame de Stael. She foretold 
 the fate of Hoche, Lefevre, Robespierre, Murat, and St. 
 Just. Josephine had great faith in her, and she was on 
 several occasions consulted by Buonaparte. She predicted to 
 him misfortune from the contemplated invasion of England, 
 for which she was imprisoned, which also happened when she 
 exposed Napoleon’s plans, or foretold their unsuccessful 
 issue. Napoleon consulted her by writing incognito, but she 
 immediately detected him, and predicted that misfortune 
 would befall him in the Spanish war, and on his separation 
 from Josephine. She was in relation with Talleyrand, the 
 Duchess of Angouleme, Bernadotte, and many other distin¬ 
 guished persons. Frederick William consulted her incognito. 
 She told the President von Malchus and Countess Morio past 
 and future events relating to them, and foretold Horace 
 Vernet when a child, that thirty years later, after a victory 
 by the French in Africa, he would be sent there as a cele¬ 
 brated painter. She also predicted to Murat twenty years 
 beforehand the time and place of his death.” (Perty’s 
 “Mystische Erscheinungen. ”) 
 
 Mrs. Crowe relates the following, among other instances: 
 “A gentleman who resided near one of the Scottish lakes 
 dreamt that he saw a number of persons surrounding a body 
 that had just been drawn out of the water. On approaching 
 the spot he perceives that it is himself, and the assistants are 
 his own friends and retainers. Alarmed at the life-like 
 reality of the vision, he resolved to elude the threatened 
 destiny by never venturing on the lake again. On one 
 occasion, however, it became quite indispensable -that he 
 should do so, and as the day was quite calm he yielded to 
 the necessity, on condition that he should be put on shore 
 at once on the opposite side, whilst the rest of the party 
 proceeded to their destination, where he would meet them. 
 This was accordingly done ; the boat skimmed gaily over 
 the smooth waters, and arrived safely at the rendezvous, the 
 gentlemen laughing at the superstition of their companion, 
 whilst he stood smiling on the bank to receive them. But 
 alas ! the fates were inexorable ; the little promontory that 
 supported him had been undermined by the water ; it gave 
 way beneath his feet, and life was extinct befor he could 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 307 
 
 be rescued from the waves. This circumstance was related 
 to me by a friend of the family. 
 
 “A friend of mine lately dreamt one Thursday night that 
 he saw an acquaintance of his thrown from his horse, and 
 that he was lying on the ground with the blood streaming 
 from his face, which was much cut. He mentioned his 
 dream in the morning, and being an entire disbeliever in 
 such phenomena, he was unable to account for the impression 
 made upon his mind. This was so strong that on Saturday 
 he could not forbear calling at his friend’s house, who he was 
 told was in bed, having been thrown from his horse on the. 
 previous day, and much injured about the face. 
 
 “Relations of this description,” the author remarks, 
 “ having been more or less familiar to the world in all times 
 and places, and the recurrences of the phenomena too frequent 
 to admit of their reality being disputed, various theories 
 were promulgated to account for them ; and indeed there 
 scarcely seems to be a philosopher or historian among the 
 Greeks and Romans who does not make some allusion to 
 this ill-understood department of nature, whilst among the 
 heathen nations the faith in such mysterious revelations 
 remains even yet undiminished.”* (“ Night Side of Nature.” 
 New Edition. 186(5.) 
 
 Presentiments. —This subject is closely related to pre¬ 
 vision! I'lie writer of the article thus headed in the last 
 number of the “ Cornhill Magazine” (October, 1866) re- 
 
 * Respecting second-sight this author remarks : “ It is the fashion 
 to say that second-sight was a mere superstition of the Highlanders, 
 and that no such thing is ever heard of now ; but those who talk in 
 this way know very little about the matter. Such phenomena, though 
 known in all countries, are comparatively rare, as well as uncertain and 
 capricious, and not to be exercised at will; but 1 know of too many 
 instances of the existence of this faculty in families, as well as of 
 isolated cases occurring to individuals above all suspicion, to entertain 
 the smallest doubt of its reality. But the difficulty of furnishing evi¬ 
 dence is considerable ; because when the seers are of the humbler classes 
 they are called impostors, and are not believed ; and when they are of 
 the higher they do not make the matter a subject of conversation, nor 
 choose to expose themselves to the ridicule of the foolish ; and con¬ 
 sequently the thing is not known beyond their own immediate friends. 
 When the young Duke of Orleans was killed, a lady residing here saw 
 the accident, and described it to her husband at the time it was occur¬ 
 ring in France. She had frequently seen the duke when on the Con¬ 
 tinent.” With reference to the emanation of light from magnetisers or 
 persons en rapport, sometimes seen b.y magnetised somnambulists, 
 this writer observes : “ I myself can bear witness that the most igno¬ 
 rant girls, when in a state of somnambulism, have been known to 
 declare that they saw their magnetiser surrounded by a halo of light; 
 and it is doubtless this halo of light that, from their being strongly 
 magnetic men, has frequently been observed to surround the heads of 
 saints and eminently holy persons ; the temperament that produced 
 the internal fervour causing the visible manifestation of it.” 
 
308 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 marks: “We have some evidence that presentiments do 
 exist, and we have proof that a great many people believe 
 in them. But we do not know how far this evidence is trust¬ 
 worthy, and we do know that people who believe in jDre- 
 sentiments very seldom act on their belief. We may safely 
 lay it down as a rule that the essence of a true presentiment is 
 that it shall be spontaneous. It must come at a time when 
 you have no reason to look for it, when you are not under 
 the influence of fear or anxiety from known causes ; you 
 ' must not know that a friend is in danger, and have a pre- 
 ■ sentiment of his death. Because there is here aT Sihfple 
 natural cause for fear or uneasiness. If presentiments can 
 be accounted for in a natural way, we must hesitate to receive 
 them. Even when a natural solution covers some of the facts, 
 it does not always cover them all. Call them presentiments, co¬ 
 incidences, or anything else, there are many cases which you 
 can settle to a certain point, but no further. Many of them 
 are fully authenticated, and cannot be explained away. Mrs. 
 Crowe’s work and ‘Communications from the Unseen World’ 
 are brimful of such stories. The stories are almost marvel¬ 
 lous. If we grant that one of them is true, we have enough 
 for our purpose. One is sufficient to show that there is more 
 in heaven and earth than is dreamt of in material philosophy, 
 and to make us think many times before we bound the world 
 by the evidence of our senses.” 
 
 The writer, after referring to the presentiment specified in 
 Schiller’s “ Wallenstein,” and to that of his assassination 
 experienced by Henry IV. of France, adds : “ What seems 
 the most genuine presentiment is an event occurring to the 
 Czar Paul four or five days before his assassination. He 
 was riding, and he turned round suddenly to the Grand 
 Master of the Horse, saying: ‘I felt quite suffocated; I could 
 not breathe— won’t they strangle me ? ’ The incident was 
 related to the Russian general officer, in whose papers it is 
 recorded, the very same evening by the Grand Master him¬ 
 self. It was no doubt natural that a Czar should expect to be 
 strangled, but why should he have this feeling of suffocation, 
 and why should it have come to him so few days before he 
 was actually strangled ? ” 
 
 An interesting instance is related, communicated by a near 
 relative to the writer, who proceeds to say: “When, as in this 
 case, presentiments have been acted upon, it is shown that 
 they do not predict the inevitable. Sometimes a presenti¬ 
 ment seems to warn a man of an impending fate in order to 
 lead him to a better course of life ; the death or calamity 
 does not come, but it leads to life and fortune. Or when 
 something strange or unlikely is about to happen, the man is 
 enabled to avoid it by a warning which points to something 
 probable. There are curious examples of both these rules in 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 309 
 
 the ‘ Life of Wilberforce.’ He relates that he was once 
 reading on a camp-stool close to the brink of a river. Some¬ 
 thing whispered to him that he might be overcome by drow¬ 
 siness, and fall off the camp-stool into the water. Obeying 
 the warning, he moved the camp-stool away: he had scarcely 
 sat on it for five minutes when it broke suddenly, and he fell 
 flat on the grass. If this had happened by the river-side he 
 must have been drowned.” 
 
 This incident can hardly be adduced as a definite instance 
 of presentiment, for on considering his position the idea 
 might very naturally have come into Wilberforce’s mind 
 that it was not a very safe one, and so lead him to remove 
 his seat farther back from the river. 
 
 Instances of escape from imminent danger owing to warn¬ 
 ings conveyed in a voice audible to the percipient are numer¬ 
 ous, several of them perfectly authenticated. Mr. Home 
 states, in “Incidents of my Life,” that one day when out 
 shooting, having stationed himself beneath a tree, he thus twice 
 distinctly heard himself warned to move away, which he had no 
 sooner done, than an enormous branch fell from the tree on 
 the spot where he bad stood, and where, had he remained, he 
 must infallibly have been killed. 
 
 Mr. Spicer relates the following instance in his work al¬ 
 ready quoted : “ The grandmother, or great-aunt, of the 
 
 present head of the family of B-was sitting alone in her 
 
 room, reading by the light of a candle placed in rather dan¬ 
 gerous proximity to her head. This was at the period when 
 ladies’ caps were high and complex structures. Suddenly her 
 studies were interrupted by a voice distinctly saying, ‘ Take 
 the pins out of your cap.’ She looked up with a start, but 
 no one was in the room, and she presently resumed her 
 studies, when the same voice repeated, with greater emphasis, 
 
 ‘ Take the pins out of your cap.’ Mechanically the hearer 
 obeyed, and well it was she did so, for the next moment her 
 cap burst out into flame. The pins being fortunately with¬ 
 drawn, she was enabled to snatch off the burning fabrio with¬ 
 out sustaining the least injury.” 
 
 Second - sight. —With reference to impressions of the 
 nature of second-sight, occurring during sleep, this author 
 
 observes : “ The wife of Mr. N-(who himself related the 
 
 circumstance to a friend of the writer’s) had at intervals 
 throughout her life displayed remarkable indications of a 
 second-sighted intelligence conveyed through the medium of 
 dreams. Although, generally speaking, these previsions re¬ 
 ferred to matters of slight importance, such as the visits of 
 friends, the arrival of letters, &c., they occasionally ex¬ 
 tended to greater things, and the confirmation which almost 
 
 invariably followed at length induced Mr. N-, as well as 
 
 other members of the family, to regard these prophetic im- 
 
310 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 pressions with a degree of respect scarcely inferior to that 
 entertained for them by the dreamer herself. It followed, 
 that when one night she awoke her husband with the intelli¬ 
 gence that she had had a dream of terrible omen as regarded 
 their son—a midshipman on board a line-of-battle ship on a 
 distant station—he had the greatest difficulty in reassuring 
 her. On the succeeding night, she awoke still more agitated 
 than on the first occasion, and declared that ‘ George ’ had 
 seemed to stand at her bedside,'pale, disordered, dripping, 
 having in fact the appearance of one just drowned, and such 
 she was now assured had been the poor boy’s fate. The 
 recurrence on the third night of the ominous dream convinced 
 the poor mother that she had indeed been deprived of her 
 child. 
 
 “ As Mr. N- was standing before breakfast at his 
 
 garden-gate, a neighbour accosted him, inquiring if he had 
 heard the news that had just arrived, a sudden and terrific 
 
 hurricane had burst upon the coasts of - . All the vessels 
 
 lying in the roads of B-made the most strenuous efforts 
 
 to get to sea, and such as succeeded in doing so weathered 
 the storm in safety ; but unhappily three English vessels of 
 war had been forced on the coast and totally lost. Mr. 
 
 N-eagerly inquired their names. His friend mentioned 
 
 them. ‘ God be thanked,’ exclaimed the father, ‘ George is 
 
 indeed on that station, as you know, but he is in the L-.’ 
 
 ‘And it is expressly mentioned that she got well to sea,’ was 
 the rejoinder. 
 
 “ Hurrying in with a mind much relieved, Mr. N-related 
 
 to his wife what had passed, trusting that her gloomy fore¬ 
 bodings would now be dissipated; on the contrary, they seemed 
 only to be the more confirmed. Not for an instant did she 
 question the fatal meaning of the vision ; and in truth the 
 presage was sadly fulfilled. 
 
 “ When the details of the disaster reached England, it was 
 
 known that the captain of George N-’s ship had gone to 
 
 dine on board another, taking the boy with him. The sud¬ 
 denness with which the storm burst upon them precluded 
 even an attempt to regain their own ship. They had to re¬ 
 main perforce, and were lost with those they came to visit.”* 
 This case is referrible to the category of apparitions. 
 
 D’lsraeli remarks on this head in the “Curiosities of Lite- 
 
 Tke author quotes the following passage from Protoplast: “It 
 is an interesting inquiry how far we are warranted by profane and 
 sacred history to believe in the visitation of spirits in visible form. 
 It is very curious that, whatever may be said of the credulity of the 
 vulgar, men of great intellect have almost invariably been believers 
 in what are commonly called supernatural appearances, and I never 
 met a person of any strength of mind who set aside the mass of evidence 
 that has accumulated on the subject.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 31 ! 
 
 rature,” “ Who does not believe in the existence of ghosts 1 
 for, as Dr More forcibly says : ‘ That there should be so uni¬ 
 versal a fame and fear of that which never was, nor is, nor 
 ever can be in the world, is to me the greatest miracle of all. 
 If there had not been at some time or other true miracles, 
 it had not been so easy to impose upon the people by false. 
 The alchymist would never go about to sophisticate metals, 
 to pass them off for true gold and silver, unless that such a 
 thing as true gold and silver was acknowledged in the world.’ ” 
 
 CLAIRVOYANCE AND PREVISION IN NATURAL 
 SLEEP, AND UNDER OTHER CONDITIONS.* 
 
 A late distinguished philosopher and physician, Dr. Aber¬ 
 crombie, recorded the following remarkable instance in his 
 work on “ The Intellectual Powers” :— 
 
 “ Many years ago there was mentioned in several of 
 the papers a dream which gave notice of the murder of 
 Mr. Percival. Through the kindness of an eminent medical 
 friend in England, I have received the authentic par¬ 
 ticulars of this remarkable case from the gentleman to whom 
 the dream occurred. He resides in Cornwall, and eight days 
 before the murder was committed, dreamt that he was in the 
 lobby of the House of Commons, and saw a small man enter 
 dressed in a blue coat and white waistcoat. Immediately 
 after he saw a man dressed in a brown coat with yellow 
 basket metal buttons draw a pistol from under his coat and 
 discharge it at the former, who instantly fell. The blood 
 issued from a wound a little below the left breast. He saw 
 the murderer seized by some gentlemen who were present, 
 and observed his countenance ; and on asking who the 
 gentleman was who had been shot, he was told it was the 
 Chancellor. (Mr. Percival was at the time Chancellor of the 
 Exchequer.) He then awoke, and mentioned the dream to 
 his wife, who made light of it; but in the course of the night 
 the dream occurred three times without the least variation in 
 any of the circumstances. He was now so much impressed by 
 it, that he felt much inclined to give notice to Mr. Percival, 
 but was dissuaded by some friends whom he consulted, who 
 
 * The following circumstance was related to me. A young lady, 
 perfectly awake, became suddenly very much affected, and asserted 
 that her father, who had left home in the morning, had just met with 
 an accident, having fallen from the carriage. A physician, who called 
 in, endeavoured to reason her out of her apprehension, and to impress 
 upon her mind the unlikelihood of such an occurrence. A few hours 
 afterwards, however, her lather was brought home with a fractured leg, 
 from the carriage having broken down, and his falling out. 
 
312 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 assured him lie would only get himself treated as a fanatic. 
 On the evening of the eighth day after, he received the 
 account of the murder. Being in London a short time after, 
 he found in the print-shops a representation of the scene, 
 and recognised in it the countenances and dress of the parties, the 
 blood, on Mr. Percival’s icaistcoat, and the peculiar yellow 
 basket-buttons on Bellingham’s coat, precisely as he had seen 
 them in his dream.” * 
 
 Dr. Abercrombie likewise relates the following case of 
 clairvoyance :— 
 
 “ The gentleman to whom I am indebted for the following 
 case was born in Madras, and was brought from thence at 
 the age of three years to be educated in England, where he 
 grew up without the least recollection of anything relating 
 to Madras or to his parents, who remained in India. At 
 the age of fourteen, he dreamt that he saw his mother 
 sitting in the dress of a widow, and apparently under deep 
 distress ; and he gave a distinct account of the apartment in 
 which he saw her, with the position of various prominent 
 articles of furniture, which he described minutely. It after¬ 
 wards turned out that his father died about the time of the 
 dream ; and that he had correctly described a drawing-room 
 in the house at Madras in which his mother was in the habit 
 of sitting.” 
 
 The following instances relating to this part of the subject 
 are recorded in Professor Perty’s work :— 
 
 “ A lady who, on the previous evening, had received a 
 favourable letter from her absent husband, awoke in the 
 night with a piercing shriek, and told her maid that she had 
 just seen him die near a spring surrounded by trees. An 
 officer in a blue uniform had endeavoured to stanch the 
 blood which flowed out from a wound in his side, and had 
 given him water to drink out of his hat. After having in 
 some measure regained tranquillity, she again fell asleep, 
 when a similar vision recurred. An attack of brain fever 
 supervened, and she lay for a fortnight in a state between 
 life and death. On her recovery she specified the place where 
 she had seen her husband die, and described more minutely 
 the officer. The account of the violent death of her husband, 
 as stated, had in the meantime been received, but the news 
 was then kept from her. Four months afterwards, she saw in 
 church a gentleman, and, uttering a scream, fainted away. 
 This was the officer she had seen in her sleep, who 
 corroborated her account of the particular circumstances 
 attending the event—the spring, the trees, his own actions, 
 
 * I was assured by a person, on whose statement I place every 
 reliance, that the death ot the Duke of Orleans was predicted by a 
 somnambulist a fortnight before the occurrence of the accident which 
 occasioned it. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 813 
 
 and tlie position of the dying man, who, in his last moments, 
 had called out the name of his wife, so that perhaps from 
 him had proceeded the distant view which she had ex¬ 
 perienced (p. 684). 
 
 “ An Irish innkeeper, named Rogers, saw in a dream two 
 travellers not far from his village, and the smaller, weaker 
 man murdered by the stronger and taller one. A short time 
 afterwards two strangers came to his house, who exactly 
 resembled the persons he had seen. The innkeeper and his 
 wife, fearing for the little man, Hikey, endeavoured to 
 separate him from his companion, and to detain him, but 
 their attempt failed, and Hikey was murdered by Caulfield, 
 in the place depicted in the dream. 
 
 “ A young painter, of Prague, was about to go on foot 
 from thence to Carlsbad, when, the morning before his 
 setting out, his sister dreamed she saw him attacked by 
 robbers in a wood, and murdered. He nevertheless set off, 
 and met his fate as foreseen. On search being made, his 
 naked body was found buried in a wood between Elnbogen 
 and Carlsbad. 
 
 “ A watchmaker, who resided in Lockle, near Rotterdam, 
 was found bound hand and foot, and still living, in a canal, 
 but he died soon after being taken out. In his desk was 
 discovered a paper stating as follows : ‘ Last night I had 
 
 a horrid dream; two men fell upon me, bound me with 
 cords, and threw me into the water. This is the fourth time 
 that I have dreamed the same dream within the last five 
 weeks. God help me ! ’ 
 
 “ The English clergyman and poet, Cunningham, saw in a 
 dream the taking prisoner and hanging of a man, whom, to 
 his great surprise, he recognised the next day in Major Andre. 
 The Major was just about to sail for America, where, as is 
 well known, he met this fate, having been taken for a spy. 
 
 “ A very characteristic instance of second-sight during 
 sleep is recorded in Rieser’s ‘ Archives’ (Vol. x.), and also 
 in Stilling’s ‘ Jenseits.’ The sister of professor Rieser, in 
 Jena, foresaw, several months beforehand, the death of the 
 wife of a neighbour living opposite, specifying all the details 
 and the persons present ; she also mentioned the occurrence 
 of a shower of rain in the place through which the funeral 
 convoy passed, which obliged it to stop for shelter. 
 
 “ An innkeeper’s wife in Brandenberg, who was attended 
 by Dr. Steinbach, when a young girl, had had predicting 
 dreams. In one of these she saw her own future husband; in 
 another the future husband of her sister, with all the 
 circumstances accompanying the marriages, even to the 
 clothes worn. The power increased after her marriage, 
 when she became affected with pulmonary disease, so that 
 she foresaw in symbolic dream-pictures all the important 
 
314 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 events that occurred in her family and among her relations. 
 Dr. Steinbach has given an account of her case in a work he 
 published. 
 
 From the following case, as in others, it would appear 
 that the events thus signalised by premonitory clairvoyance 
 may often be prevented : “A woman had to take a sum of 
 money to a neighbouring town, to which the way from her 
 house lay through a solitary wood. Her husband tried to 
 dissuade her from going alone, but she persisted. The night 
 before setting out she saw in a dream an old wandering 
 sportsman, and, at the same time, a handsome young sports¬ 
 man, who warned her to beware of the former, as he had 
 already murdered several persons. She nevertheless set off, 
 and when a few hundred yards from home, she saw an old 
 sportsman, just like the one she had seen in her dream, come 
 out of a house and follow her. Though apprehensive of him, 
 she would not turn back from fear of being laughed at by 
 her husband, especially as she noticed that the man took a 
 different path. She went, however, by a circuitous way, an 
 hour out of the direct road, and when close to the town she 
 saw the sportsman sitting down. He asked her how it was 
 she had been so long in coming. In reply, she asked him 
 how he knew that she had come a long way round. He 
 replied that he had observed her setting out, and would have 
 accompanied her but he lost sight of her. ‘ I am very glad,’ 
 she rejoined, ‘ that it so happened.’ 
 
 “ The following communication, dated October 11, 1855, 
 was sent to the Allgemeine Zeitung, by a correspondent in 
 Constantinople. ‘ Six weeks ago a Greek boy living in 
 Galata disappeared, and no trace of him could be found. 
 Last Friday night, his mother had a remarkable dream. 
 She thought her three-years old daughter, who died a year 
 before, appeared to her, as if coming home from school, and 
 said : “ Dost thou know where brother Constantine is ? He 
 is in yonder well.” The mother on awaking was much 
 troubled, and related her dream. The police took cognizance 
 of the circumstance, the well indicated was searched, and the 
 body was there found.’ 
 
 “ One of the most surprising foreseeing dreams is recorded 
 in the ‘Blatter aus Prevorst’ (Vol. vi.), .by Colonel von 
 Pfvffer, whose family is historically known in Lucerne. A 
 lady, who when a child was auto-somnambulist, told her 
 husband one morning that the previous night she dreamed 
 that she had accompanied him to a town unknown to her, 
 but which from her description he knew to be Zurich. He 
 ha 1 taken her into a house the lower rooms of which were 
 hung round with family portraits. The occupants of the 
 second floor had received them in a very friendly manner, 
 and after dinner had taken a walk with them to a wall from 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 31.5 
 
 whence there was a beautiful prospect over a lake. ‘ An old 
 woman,’ she added, ‘ sat on a bank, and afterwards tried to 
 lift a burden of wood, which, as it seemed to be too heavy, 
 I was about to ask you to help her, when a gentleman in 
 white silk stockings rendered her this service, on which I 
 awoke.’ A fortnight afterwards, on the occasion of her 
 birthday, her husband invited her to go with him to Zurich. 
 On arriving, every street seemed to be known to her, though 
 she had never been there. When ascending the stairs of 
 the hotel, she described the furniture of the public room. 
 After dressing, she went to the Engelsburg, and as she walked 
 through the range of family portraits she became deadly 
 pale, for the recollection of her dream at once flashed upon her 
 
 mind. The F- family received her in the most cordial 
 
 manner, made her stay to dinner, after which they went to 
 walk on the Katze. While there she exclaimed, ‘ See, there 
 is the old woman, I would ask you to help her if I had not 
 such confidence in my dream.’ Then came up the State- 
 
 writer (Staats-schreiber), M. L-, in white stockings. He 
 
 spoke to the old woman, gave her an alms, and helped her to 
 raise her fagot of wood.” 
 
 Clairvoyance in Sleep, &c. —The following instance of 
 clairvoyance in sleep and alleged prayer-cure is recorded by 
 the author of “ The Natural and the SupernaturalThe 
 Rev. Dr. Whitehead preached in the house of a man whose 
 daughter lay ill of a fever some ten miles off - . That day he 
 received a message from his wife, that the girl’s life was de¬ 
 spaired of. He earnestly desired the doctor to recommend 
 his daughter to God in prayer both before and after preach¬ 
 ing. He did so in a most warm and affectionate manner. 
 Late that evening, while the mother was sitting by the bed¬ 
 side of her daughter, who had been in a strong delirium for 
 several days, she opened her eyes, and hurriedly exclaimed, 
 “ Oh, mother ! I have been dreaming that I saw a man 
 lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, and fervently pray¬ 
 ing for my recovery. The Lord has answered his prayer, 
 and my fever is gone.” Her mother, thinking she was in her 
 delirium, desired her to compose herself and remain quiet. 
 The daughter answered, “ I am perfectly in my senses—help 
 me to rise, that I may praise God.” Her mother did so, and 
 from that hour the young woman recovered so fast that she 
 was soon able to attend to the affairs of the family. She 
 had never seen Dr. Whitehead, but some weeks after she 
 saw him, and the moment she beheld his face she fainted 
 away. As soon as she came to herself she said, “ Sir, you are 
 the person I saw in my dream when I was so ill of a fever.” 
 
 Dr. Madden, in his “ Phantasmata” (Vol. i. p. 345), says 
 on this head : “In Olaus Magnus’s work on ‘ Northern 
 Nations,’ there is a curious account of magic practices, 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 316 
 
 particularly in Lapland and Finland, where incantations are 
 performed by the process of striking the image of a brazen 
 frog or serpent with many blows on an anvil, and other 
 operations whereby a deep sleep like death, and a state of 
 ecstasy, are produced. He states that by the force of these 
 incantations they can see the most remote things as if they 
 were present—can perceive what either their friends or 
 enemies are doing at any time, thougli it may be that such 
 persons are at the distance of a thousand miles from them. 
 These and other extraordinary phenomena are evidently con¬ 
 nected with animal magnetism, or ascribed to some influence 
 producing catalepsy, somnambulism, trance, and ecstasy.” 
 
 Referring to the extraordinary mental lucidity that is 
 sometimes manifested by persons at the point of death, a 
 recent author, after quoting Cicero (“ De Divinatione”), who 
 says : “ When about to quit the body, the mind appears to 
 acquire fresh energy, and seems to approximate itself to 
 God,” adds : “ At other times,, even in the plenitude of life, 
 the soul attains to the point of almost completely isolating 
 itself from the senses. In states of ecstasy, these strange 
 excursions beyond our ordinary limits, these frequently 
 sublime elevations towards heaven, as also in the manifesta¬ 
 tion of certain phenomena more or less coarse and fugitive, 
 produced by magnetism, it so entirely abstracts itself in a 
 superior world that some philosophers hare believed that in 
 such moments it is really detached from the body.” 
 
 With reference to the disproof of materialism presented by 
 the somnambulic condition, this author further remarks : 
 “ In exceptional states the soul separates itself from the 
 ’body: it thinks and acts independently of the bodily 
 organization, as if the more clearly to show that the latter 
 plays but a subordinate and intermediate part. This is 
 ■evidenced in the striking examples presented by the strange 
 phenomena of magnetism and ecstasy, in which the soul, 
 •concentrated within itself, abstracts itself from the body, 
 which it leaves as a useless mass, and rising to the superior 
 regions,, seems to disencumber itself of all the conditions of 
 matter. 
 
 “ The soul thus proves that it does not always require the 
 senses to act, and to think. If, therefore, it can, even 
 while united to the body, accomplish alone and without 
 intermediance its intellectual functions, should it not be 
 more capable, when sejiarated from the body by death, of 
 continuing the operations proper to its own nature ? ” * 
 
 The distinguished Swiss writer, Zschokke, remarks on this 
 subject in his standard work on practical morality and 
 religion : “ It is not to be denied that we are but learners in 
 
 ■* “ L’lmmartalite.” Par M. Bagenault de Puehesse. Paris, 1860. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 317 
 
 our investigations into the secrets of nature, and that what 
 appears to us to be incomprehensible is not, on that account, 
 to be denied altogether. We now know, for instance, that 
 the human soul, which employs for its instrument, as 
 regards earthly things, the nervous system more particularly, 
 can also feel and perceive beyond the sphere of the nerves. 
 We know that in certain conditions of nervous disorder 
 man may possess increased powers, may perceive distant 
 things, which are separated from him by an interval of many 
 miles. We know that in some states of the nervous system 
 persons can see with firmly-closed eyes, can hear with closed 
 ears. We have examples of this in the so-called som¬ 
 nambulists, who, during the complete sleep of their bodies, 
 perform things which in their waking state they were unable 
 to accomplish. Thus, herein shows itself very clearly an 
 activity of the human soul altogether independent of its 
 outward senses. But, in point of fact, it is not the eyes 
 which see, nor the ears which hear ; it is the soul which sees, 
 hears, and perceives by means of the nerves, which are dis¬ 
 tributed over the whole surface of the body, and the powers 
 of which are at most redoubled in the apparatus of the 
 senses, smell, feeling,” &c. 
 
 With respect to the power of prediction, this author 
 observes in another part of his work, “ Yet the understand¬ 
 ing and judgment are not the -only means by which God 
 occasionally permits the future to become evident to man. 
 There likewise exists in the human soul another faculty for 
 which, as yet, no name has been applied, and the extent of 
 which we ourselves do not know, notwithstanding its ex¬ 
 istence cannot well be questioned. Under certain circum¬ 
 stances, which, however, rarely occur, and usually appear to 
 accompany a disordered state or an approaching dissolution 
 of the body, the soul enjoys a greater freedom than in 
 ordinary cases. It has the faculty, directly, and without 
 inference, both of perceiving occurrences at a distance and 
 of being sensible of future events. The properties of man's 
 nature are too little known to us for us to pay no regard to, 
 or to consider as erroneous, that which we are not able to 
 explain from ordinary and known causes. The ancients, 
 who knew as much as we do of the properties of the human 
 soul, observed this inexplicable pow 7 er of perception and 
 foresight, especially in cases of nervous weakness, and in the 
 dying. Experience, and numberless observations, in more 
 recent times, up to our own day, corroborate this opinion— 
 viz., that there are circumstances under which the soul, less 
 bound down than usual by the body, passes out beyond the 
 circle of operation of the earthly senses.”* 
 
 * “ Stumlen rler Andacht, - ’ 21st Edition. (On Prophecies.) 
 
318 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 As regards prevision in sleep, an author already quoted 
 remarks: “ The ancients attached great importance to 
 
 dreams and their interpretation. Aristotle, Plato, Zeno, 
 Socrates, Xenophon, Pythagoras, have all expressed more or 
 less distinctly their belief in the divine or prophetic character 
 of dreams, and even some of the ancient philosophers who 
 denied all other kinds of divination admitted those which 
 proceeded from frenzy and from dreams.* 
 
 “ In the three or four years past, during which I have 
 taken an interest in this and kindred subjects, there have 
 been communicated to me so many examples of dreams con¬ 
 taining true warnings, or otherwise strangely fulfilled, that 
 I have become convinced there is a considerable proportion 
 of all the persons we meet in our intercourse with the world 
 who could relate to us one or more such as having occurred 
 either in their own families or to some of their acquaint¬ 
 ances.” (“ Footfalls on the Boundary of Another World.”) 
 
 The writer of the article “ Dreams,” in “ The Occult 
 Sciences,” remarks as regards clairvoyance and predictions 
 during sleep, “In certain states of the dreamer, second 
 persons, though far distant, may make themselves felt and 
 perceived, and in ecstasy predictions may be uttered which 
 yet may not be exactly fulfilled, because the course of 
 human affairs is not by unalterable and fated laws, but is 
 subject to derangement. Tertullian, after running through 
 the well-known common places on dreaming, expresses his 
 belief that future honours and dignities, medical remedies, 
 thefts, and treasure, have at times been revealed by dreams. 
 Dreams also proceed from God, as one portion of prophecy.” 
 
 Adverting to the vision of the Rev. Mr. Wilkins to his 
 mother, recorded by Abercrombie as one of double-dream, 
 and to his attempted explanation, the writer observes: 
 “We are brought much nearer to the facts of nature by the 
 simple admission of Aristotle, that in certain clear dreams, 
 friends and relations may make themselves known and 
 perceived even from a great distance ; and it shows how little 
 we have gained from theorising upon these subjects in more 
 
 * Dr. Schindler in his work already referred to quotes the following 
 passage from Plutarch : “The soul possesses the prophetic gift at all 
 times, though it is hidden in consequence of its present admixture 
 with earthly elements. Although latent under the ordinary circum¬ 
 stances of life, it may yet he excited into activity by a higher power, 
 or it may manifest itself freely and openly when the bodily power is 
 from any cause diminished. This occurs more especially in those 
 states wherein the soul is apparently the least bound to the body ; it 
 has then the power of seeing into the inward essence of things. Such 
 lucid insights occur with particular significance in sleep, in dreams, 
 and on the approach of death.” Porphyry remarks on this subject: 
 “ This is a natural property in man, which, however, is only developed 
 under certain circumstances.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 319 
 
 than 2,000 years, while the natural action of mind upon mind 
 has remained the same in all ages.” 
 
 Respecting predictions made by somnambulists, Professor 
 Perty says : “ Gustavus, King of Sweden, who was shot by 
 Ankerstrom in 1792, came under an assumed name, accom¬ 
 panied by a physician, to the somnambulist Marguerite, who 
 was magnetised by Aubry, one of Mesmer’s scholars. She 
 told the King that he often suffered from a difficulty of 
 breathing, owing to a fall three years previously, on which 
 occasion he also broke his arm. On his wishing to know his 
 future destiny, she said, ‘ Take care, Sir, you are in danger 
 of being murdered.’* Mayo records two instances in which 
 future events were foretold—viz., an attack of disease 
 caused by fright, occasioned by the sudden appearance of a 
 rat; and a case of poisoning from an overdose of morphine 
 being taken in mistake for quinine. 
 
 A more remarkable instance is the fulfilment of the pre¬ 
 diction of the death of the King of Wurteruburg, which had 
 been foretold by two somnambulists, one stating, several 
 months beforehand, that the event would occur from 
 apoplexy on the 17th of April. Several years ago Dr. 
 Klein, who accompanied the Crown-Prince of Wurtemburg 
 to England, was introduced to me, when 1 took the op¬ 
 portunity of inquiring as to the validity of this statement, of 
 which he said there was no doubt. It was generally credited 
 in Stuttgard, and, moreover, that his father was physician to 
 the late King, who rose on the morning of the 17th, ap¬ 
 parently in perfect health, but who, in the course of the day, 
 had an attack of apoplexy. 
 
 The writer adds, “ The laws of space are annihilated for 
 the dreamer, and distant objects seen with distinctness,” and 
 quotes the following instances of clairvoyance in sleep : 
 “ Mr. G. Halley was carried on with a strong impulse to 
 take a voyage to St. Helena, to make observations on the 
 southern constellations. Before he undertook the voyage he 
 dreamt that he was at sea, sailing towards that place, and 
 saw the prospect of it from the ship, which he declared to 
 the Royal Society to be the perfect representation of that 
 
 * la this instance, there was nothing as respects the prediction but 
 what might have been foretold irrespectively of any prophetic power. 
 It is most probable the somnambulist by clairvoyance, if not other¬ 
 wise, knew it was the King, and that the accident he met with had 
 occasioned the results she specified ; and, knowing that a conspiracy 
 was organised, she might easily predict that lie was in danger of being 
 killed, of which, indeed, Gustavus had warning from other quarters. 
 Another version of this circumstance is, that the King was warned he 
 would be killed by the first person whose hand he took after leaving 
 the clairvoyante. This person was Captain Ankerstrom, who, having 
 been in disgrace, was pardoned and cordially received by the King on 
 his return, but who afterwards joined the conspiracy. 
 
-320 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 island, even as he had it really, when he approached to it. 
 Mr. Howitt relates a similar dream, as occurring to himself 
 on his recent voyage to Australia, when he distinctly saw the 
 residence of his brother at Melbourne, as it was afterwards 
 realised to his waking vision. “ Still more remarkable,” 
 he adds, “ was the dream of a gentleman now deceased, 
 which he related to the writer, as it sets time and space and 
 personal experience alike at defiance. In this dream he 
 travelled to South America, took up his residence there, 
 went into business, married, had a family, and in a short 
 time went through all the experience of years, and was sur¬ 
 prised when he awoke to find himself another person. The 
 dream-life was, of course, vividly impressed upon his 
 memory. Some time afterwards, a panoramic view of that 
 country was exhibited in Leicester-square, and, going to 
 view it from the curiosity excited by his dream, he was 
 filled with amazement when he recognised a scene familiar to 
 him. He knew the city, the buildings, and only observed 
 one church that was unknown to him. Assuming the air of 
 a well-informed traveller, he questioned the exhibitor as to 
 the accuracy of the picture, and was told that the church had 
 been recently erected. These circumstances are surely 
 curious, and they point, we think, to the association of 
 spirits, and the participation of thought in these cases. 
 Thought-reading, in certain experiences of the somnambulist, 
 may suggest to us that whatever has been impressed on the 
 memory of any one may be comunicated to another. We 
 have then to suppose that the dreamer in each of the above 
 cases was the subject of certain transmitted thoughts or 
 ideas, the proper explanation of which must be sought for in 
 the laws of the spirit-world. 
 
 “ Among the most interesting dreams, are those pre¬ 
 monitory of death, and we have already observed that this 
 event is sometimes represented by a scene in the nature of 
 second-sight, at others symbolically.* At times the funeral 
 scene and the symbolic prophecy may be mingled together, 
 proving, we think, that the prescient spirit comes empty- 
 handed, if we may use such an expression, and selects its 
 images from the memory of the dreamer, which it combines 
 according to its own foreknowledge, or puts into intelligible 
 action according to certain possibilities which we are hardly 
 
 in a condition to appreciate. The husband of Mrs. M-, 
 
 a friend of the writer, was forewarned of his death by three 
 
 * “Another class of dreams may be called enigmatical, and generally 
 there is some stroke of humour in them. We have cited examples 
 from the ancients on a preceding page ; we may here add a modern one 
 Irom Aubrey. Lady Seymour dreamt that she found a nest with nine 
 finches in it, and so many children she had by the Earl of Winchelsea, 
 whose name was Finch.” 
 

 animal magnetism. 321 
 
 remarkable dreams. In the first, it appeared to him that a 
 person in a clergyman’s gown came into his room, and 
 significantly placed a hour-glass on the table ; as Mr. M—— 
 watched the sand running out, he inquired what it meant, 
 and was answered, ‘ You have lived twenty-eight years.’ 
 He was about to inquire further, but the man disappeared. 
 After a few days’ interval, he dreamed again, and this time 
 seemed to walk in a churchyard, where his attention was 
 attracted by a deep grave. One appeared to him as he stood 
 upon the brink, and, addressing himself to this personage, 
 
 Mr. M-inquired for whom the grave was intended. The 
 
 reply was briefly given, 1 For a young man not yet thirty 
 years of age,’ and the dreamer awoke as before. In his third 
 dream, a circumstance which afterwards happened in the 
 funeral, and could not have been anticipated, was distinctly 
 foreshown. It appeared that a hearse drew up at his door, 
 and he saw the coffin lifted out, but no coaches or mourners 
 were visible. He spoke to the men, and asked them if they 
 were sure they had come to the right house ? They replied, 
 
 ‘ Yes, that was the house, and the coach would be there by- 
 and-by. ’ On awaking, he expressed his fears that a serious 
 illness would befall him. And now comes the curious 
 verification of his dreams, even to the last-mentioned 
 particular. About two months afterwards he was taken 
 ill with the symptoms of a rapid consumption, which became 
 so alarming in its progress that a physician of eminence was 
 sent for, whose fee was ten guineas for only two visits. The 
 distance being great, it was impossible to procure easier 
 terms, and as the patient was not satisfied with any other 
 medical attendant, he was removed to the near neighbour¬ 
 hood of that gentleman, and died in his new abode. The 
 body was then conveyed home in a hearse unaccompanied 
 and in a few days subsequently the funeral took place. 
 
 “ Such instances might be largely multiplied, and not only 
 have persons received presentiments of their own death, but 
 of the death of others. There is much in the unexplained 
 phenomena of dreams that we could have wished to enlarge 
 upon, but for want of space we must refer to the occasional 
 hints contained in other parts of this volume, for the accumu¬ 
 lative proof that an action or influx of the spiritual world 
 into the natural is a law of nature —in fact, the most 
 universal of laws, explanatory of all subsistence and in¬ 
 telligence. We cannot understand how a blade of grass 
 should spring up, or a flower blossom, except by the opera¬ 
 tion of this law ; much less would we pretend to dogmatise on 
 the manifestation of mind, though only in the dream of a 
 child.’’ Some additional illustrations of this remarkable 
 faculty are recorded further on. 
 
 F 3 
 
S22 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 SEDATIVE EFFECTS OF MAGNETISM ON THE 
 CIRCULATION. 
 
 The Rev. C. H. Townsend states in his work, that a young 
 man suffering from violent palpitation of the heart, regarded 
 by medical men to be the result of aneurism, was mesmer¬ 
 ised by M. Regazzoni in his house. “ The palpitation was 
 greatly allayed, though, when he first came into the room, his 
 heart was beating so violently as to be heard some distance 
 off. After eight minutes of the ‘ passes,’ the pulsation had 
 diminished to such a degree that the usual action of the 
 heart could not be discovered on feeling, at which the patient 
 expressed astonishment.”'*' 
 
 PROFESSOR PERTY’S OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 1/ 
 
 Magnetic Fluid. —“ Reuss and Lowenthal (Rieser’s 
 ‘ Archives,’vols. v., vii., viii.) sought to prove the existence of 
 a magnetic fluid by experiments made on a fourteen year 
 old epileptic boy. A constantly used magnetised bottle 
 sent him to sleep, though it was filled every day with water, 
 but it gradually acted slower, and the sleep did not last so 
 long as when it was fresh magnetised. Lowenthal mag¬ 
 netised a piece of glass, by holding it in his hands for a 
 minute and a-half. After the boy had taken it into his hand 
 he fell into the perfect sleep in a few seconds. A stranger 
 wrapped the glass in a double fold of silk, the boy never¬ 
 theless slept as soon as he took it into his hand. According 
 to these observers, all substances may be employed as con¬ 
 ductors of the magnetic power (p 143). 
 
 Action of Metals.— “The same metals act differently upon 
 di fferent somnam bulists. Many cannot bear iron, others 
 gold or silver, but generally gold acts beneficially upon them, 
 but in many cases its action is exciting. Bochard, in Heil- 
 bronn, could not put a girl, eight years old, affected with 
 chorea, into the magnetic sleep, when he forgot to remove 
 the two gold rings he wore from his fingers. Silver placed 
 on the region of the heart of Dr. Haddock’s somnambulist 
 Emma demagnetised her ; Dr. Haddock could not mes¬ 
 merise her as long as she had a piece of silver on her head. 
 A looking-glass held before the somnambulist Petersen gave 
 rise to muscular contractions, which terminated in spas- 
 
 * “M. Regazzoni had certificates from the medical bodies of Tou¬ 
 louse and Montpelier, the latter of which declared, after keeping the 
 mesnieriser before them for six hours, that mesmerism presented the 
 characteristics of a true science.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 323 
 
 modic actions ; spasms were also induced by her holding zinc 
 or iron in her hand. Silver had a calming effect; copper 
 produced no result. 
 
 “The somnambulist Kachler magnetised by ‘passes ’apiece 
 of steel, which attracted large needles, whereas before it 
 only attracted iron-filings. This subject was so sensitive to 
 the influence of mineral magnetism, that she felt the 
 presence of a magnetic needle from afar, and could act upon 
 it with the finger, and even by her mere look and will, 
 according to the statement of Biilir and Kohlschiilter. From 
 a distance of half a-yard, she made by her look the mag¬ 
 netic needle decline 4“ to the west, and a like result recurred 
 three tunes by the influence of her mere will—on one oc¬ 
 casion the needle turned to 7°, always westward. A similar 
 fact is confirmed by the Countess R., who by approximating 
 her breast to the needle set it in a trembling motion. 
 Prudence Bernard in Paris, by moving her head to and fro, 
 made the needle follow these movements. ( Galignani’s 
 Mexstngir, Oct. 31, 1851.) Count Szapary records a similar 
 phenomenon as occurring in a somnambulist. 
 
 liUMTNons Em anations.— “Many somnambulists speak of 
 a shining atmosphere that is perceptible about the mag- 
 netiser and themselves ; several see sparks, streams of light, 
 or flames issuing especially from the fingers, but .also from 
 the h air, eyes, palms of the hands. When Tardy’s som¬ 
 nambulist approximated his thumbs to his and then with¬ 
 drew them, a stream of t}juish : white light was seen to 
 emanate from them ; the stream issuing from the magnetiser 
 was'EITiPsTfbngest; sealing-wax attracted it, but silver, 
 quicksilver, and copper repelled it. When the stream was 
 conducted by a magnet the somnambulist saw issue from its 
 point a straight and a spiral stream. This somnambulist, as 
 also Nape’s somnambulist, saw magnetised water shine. A 
 boy magnetised by M. Jobert saw the fluid stream from 
 his fingers, and himself surrounded by a white cloud. 
 Segonin mentions somnambulists who saw magnetised bottles 
 filled with a shining vapour ; persons when awake likewise 
 sometimes see this fluid, some sick jrersons see it in the form 
 of a vapour, and see it penetrate magnetised water. 
 
 Reciprocal Action. —“ That the magnetiser not only 
 affects the magnetised person, but that the latter sometimes 
 affects the former, is a fact proved by repeated experience. 
 Barth had always a headache after magnetising a day-labourer 
 who suffered from neuralgic pain in the head. A strong, 
 healthy physician, who magnetised a man afflicted with 
 spasm of tlie face, after a few days felt indisposed, and on 
 the seventeenth day of the magnetic treatment became like¬ 
 wise affected with the same complaint, which only left him 
 after ten days. 
 
3*24 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 Magnetised Water, &c. —“Many somnambulists can dis¬ 
 tinguish magnetised substances from others. Bendsen’s som¬ 
 nambulist, Petersen, recognised accurately fluids (wine, beer 
 <fcc.) which he had previously magnetised from non-magnetised 
 analogous fluids. Cams records the case of a patient on 
 whom magnetised water acted, while non-magnetised water 
 produced no effect. Deleuze treated magnetically a blind 
 patient. When he fixed his eyes upon her for a few moments 
 with a determined will, though she was not in the least 
 aware of his intention, she turned towards him laughing, 
 and said, ‘ Ah ! Sir, you are occupying yourself about me, I 
 feel it very well.’ Magnetised water, with which he washed 
 her eyes, stimulated, like brandy, and occasioned tears. He 
 often gave her common water instead of magnetised, but 
 she immediately knew the difference. 
 
 Action upon Animals. —‘ ‘ Deleuze observed that a dog that 
 had been previously magnetised for some slight pains, came 
 back, and by its demeanour seemed to require the same 
 remedy. In dogs, cats, and apes, magnetised by Dupotet, 
 analogous (physical) effects were produced as on human 
 subjects. Animals magnetised when asleep, become restless, 
 as do men under like circumstances. Bakker, Wolthers, and 
 Hendricks (Dutch physicians and magnetisers) made mag¬ 
 netic experiments on dogs, cats, apes, and pigeons. In the 
 dogs there supervened convulsions, and whining ; the cats 
 and apes were put to sleep ; in the pigeons there were mani¬ 
 fested winking of the eyes, and spasmodic movements of 
 the body. According to Barth, some kinds of birds are very 
 sensitive to the influence, others are not so. 
 
 Combination of Spontaneous and Magnetic Somnam¬ 
 bulism. —“ Sleep-waking is occasionally complicated with 
 magnetic somnambulism. A lady of my acquaintance, ac¬ 
 cording to the statement of her husband, often spoke in her 
 sleep, and occupied herself,, ahgut future events. He could 
 speak with her while holding her T:ah<T, or great t oe ; she 
 then heard and answered him. According to her own state¬ 
 ment, she.often .foresaw events which occurred the next day, 
 or within the next few days ; she told me herself, that 
 often in the daytime, she fell into a condition in which she 
 seemed for a moment to be altogether separated from the 
 external world, and saw events that occurred at a distance ; 
 when she came to herself she perfectly recollected what she 
 had seen. Under these circumstances she often saw what 
 a distant intimate friend was doing, what dress she wore, 
 <fec., and subsequent letters confirmed the accuracy of her 
 statements. 
 
 “ During the attempts made to awaken a sleep-waking boy, 
 he not only acted and spoke, but read with closed eyes. When 
 he was told to open his eyes, he answered, ‘ I see already.’ 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 325 
 
 Levitation.— “ Even in ordinary sleep-walking the weight 
 of~the Body”seems to be often dimin ishe d, as appears also 
 to be the case in some magnetised somnambulists. The som¬ 
 nambulist Kachler, when bathing in the Elbe, floated. 
 Korefl’s somnambulist, who could not swim, floated, while 
 in this state, on the surface of the water. Madame Haulfe (the 
 seeress of Prevorst) rose to the surface when placed in a bath, 
 it sleep-walker in Carlsruhe seemed likewise to be partly 
 emancipated from the power of gravitation. Anna Fleischer, 
 the wife of a resident of Frey burg, who was subject to 
 epileptic fits, attended with violent convulsions and hallu¬ 
 cinations, is stated by Superintendent Muller to have often 
 risen in the air, and once, in the presence of Deans Dachsel 
 and Walburger, and others, was raised two and a-half yards 
 from her bed, in a horizontal position, and thus floated treely 
 in the air. Those present cried to God, caught hold of her 
 and brought her back, for it appeared to them as if she 
 would go out of the window. A sleep-walker, seventeen 
 years old, leaped out of the window of a house in Charmes 
 (Department of the Meurthe), a height of forty feet, and fell 
 on the pavement without injuring himself. In other cases, 
 however, sleep-walkers thus falling from a height were 
 killed, especially if they fell when awake, when the law 
 of gravitation regained its power. In ecstatic subjects in the 
 waking state, rising in the air much more frequently occurs 
 than in somnambulists. We are so accustomed to consider 
 gravitation as being a something absolute and unalterable, 
 that the idea of a complete or partial rising in opposition to 
 it seems inadmissible, nevertheless, there are phenomena in 
 which, by means of material forces, gravitation is o vercome. / 
 In several diseases, as, for instance, nervous fever, the weight 
 of the human body appears to be increased, but in all ecstatic 
 conditions, to be diminished. And there may, likewise, be 
 other forces than material ones which can counteract this 
 power. ” * 
 
 * The rising of tables, the transference of objects through the air 
 from place to place, without contact, the rising ot Mr. Home and other 
 mediums, have been attested by numerous unbiassed and competent 
 witnesses of so-called spiritual manifestations. The writer of the 
 article “ Modern Spirit Manifestations,” in the “ Occult Sciences ” (Mr. 
 Rich), remarks on this head : “Rising in the air is auotherphenomenon 
 alleged to have taken place, and if glasses, books, and other light articles, 
 can be moved without any visible power, it is only a question of de¬ 
 gree whether the body of a man can be raised.” “We have in history,” 
 says Calmet, “ several instances of persons full of religion and piety, 
 who, in the fervour of their orisons, have been taken up into the air 
 and remained there some time. 1 have known a good monk who 
 rises sometimes from the ground, and remains suspended without 
 wishing it, especially on seeing some devotional image or hearing some 
 devout prayer. I know a nun, to whom it has often happened, in 
 spite of herself, to see herself tfunTralsedup in the air to aTCfertaiu 
 
V 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 326 
 
 Distant Sympathy between a Magnetiser and Somnam¬ 
 bulist.— The author quotes the following instance from Mrs. 
 Crowe’s “Night Side of Nature “Mr. M., a gentleman 
 from the North of England, was under a magnetic treat¬ 
 ment, and at a later period was magnetised from a distance, 
 as he was sojourning at Malvern, and his magnetiser was 
 in Cheltenham. His dependence upon the will of his 
 medical magnetiser was often manifested in the most 
 evident manner. On one occasion when in the magnetic 
 sleep, he suddenly jumped up and clasped his hands together 
 in an attitude of fear, and then burst into a fit of laughter. 
 This account was sent to his physician, who wrote in reply : 
 
 ‘ While my mind was occupied about him, I was suddenly 
 startled by a loud knocking at the door, so that 1 jumped 
 up and clasped my hands together. I could not help laughing 
 heartily at my folly, but I regret that it had an unfavour¬ 
 able effect on him.’” 
 
 Retrospective and Prospective Clairvoyance. —“ M. 
 Morillon, who resided in the rue de Charenton, No. 43, dis¬ 
 appeared on the 31st January, 1858, and it was supposed he 
 had been murdered. After some time his daughter con¬ 
 sulted a somnambulist (Madame Roger), who mentally 
 followed the missing gentleman, from the time of his leaving 
 home, at 3 o’clock, till 7 in the morning, when he was about 
 to return. She saw him go down to the bank of the Seine, 
 where he had an attack of apoplexy, and fell into the river, 
 having received a wound in the forehead on falling. ‘ It is 
 neither a murder nor a suicide,’ said she; ‘ I see his money 
 and a key in the pocket of his paletot.’ She specified the 
 place where he fell, and where the body then lay. It was 
 there found, with the wound in the forehead, the money, and 
 the key as indicated. ” 
 
 “ In his account of the ecstatic girls of the Tyrol, Dr. 
 Garcia records several particulars respecting an uneducated 
 
 distance from the earth.” He then mentions the same thing as occurring 
 : to St. Philip of Neris, St. Catheriua Columbina, and to Loyola, who 
 ! was “ raised up from the ground to the height of two feet, while his 
 ; body shone like light.” “ A nun,” is also mentioned, “ who in her 
 1 ecstasies rose from the ground with such impetuosity, that five or six 
 of the sisters could hardly hold her down.” More remarkable, perhaps, 
 was the case of Christina, a virgin of Tron, who is said to have been 
 carried into the church for burial, “ when her body ascended from the 
 the coffin, and being recovered from her trance she related her visions, 
 : and ever afterwards was so light that she could outstrip the swiftest 
 dogs in running, and raise herself on to the branches of trees or 
 the tops of buildings.” After citmg several other instances, the writer 
 says : “We may add that of the martyr of freedom and reason, Savo- 
 ,narola, who was seen, when absorbed in devotion, previous to his tragical 
 1 death at the stake, to remain suspended for a considerable height from 
 the floor of his dungeon. The historical evidence of this fact is ad- 
 »mitted by his recent biographer.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 327 
 
 young man, named Michel, living in Figueres in Provence, 
 who could voluntary fall into sleep at any time, and was 
 then gifted with a surprising perception. If an absent 
 person was named to him, his external appearance and in¬ 
 ternal condition were immediately depicted to him. He 
 could be made to travel mentally, and would describe 
 distant places of which he had never head even the names. 
 He thus accurately described the town of Martigues, as also 
 the interior of a castle, and the persons who were there 
 playing cards at 10 P. M. He had likewise visions of the 
 past, and described events of the occurrence of which he 
 had never heard ; such as the wreck, in 1833, of the vessel 
 Lilloise, after its voyage through hot and cold regions (the 
 sensations of which he seemed to feel), and saw it sink, 
 and three cats that were on board drowning. He saw 
 the siege of Constantine in Algeria, specified the death 
 of General Dauiremont, and the day on which he fell.” 
 
 “ Mystiche Erscheinungen der meschlichen Natur ” (p. 583). 
 
 Pkevison. —“ The ecstatic girl Elise Eppinger, of Neider- 
 bronn, in the Lower Rhine district, notified several events 
 beforehand on the (ith November, 1847, according to the re¬ 
 port of Dr. Kircher (who wrote to me about her), published 
 in the Courier du Bas-tihin ; she foretold the Revolution of 
 February, 1848; she thought she saw the distant scenes, and 
 gave details respecting the appearance of the persons she 
 described—for instance, the flight of Pius IX., the siege of 
 Rome, the street conflict in Pans. She told several persons 
 things known only to themselves. She predicted, however, 
 wrongly a violent death to Louis Philippe in the February 
 Revolution. 
 
 “ Caroline Stadtelhauer said one day, while in the magnetic 
 sleep : ‘The apartment of M. H. must be cleaned to-day, & 
 for to-morrow two strangers are coming, who, however, will 
 first come inadvertently to my room.’ On the evening of 
 the following day, two unknown persons came and asked to 
 see Mr. H., after having really first gone into the room of 
 Caroline, who, when afterwards in the magnetic state, 
 exclaimed, ‘ These were the two persons whom I saw yester¬ 
 day ; when they came to-day into my room when 1 was 
 awake, I knew them, became violently affected, and fell into 
 my present sleep.’ No one had previously any expectation 
 of the strangers’ coming. 
 
 “Werner’s somnambulist, in Schorndorf, was in her normal 
 waking state on the 16th April, at noon, when the conversa¬ 
 tion turned upon announcements of death, and she observed, 
 
 ‘ I like the shortest and expressive ones best. I read one in 
 the Bchwabisehe Mercur which pleased me very much. 
 
 It stated, “On the 15th April Josephine VonT. softly passed 
 to a better life, after an illness of only two days.’” It was 
 
328 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 remarked that the 15th of April was yesterday, and no one 
 had seen this announcement. She persisted in the assertion 
 that she had read it. On the 20th, several numbers of the 
 journal arrived at once, and in that of the 17th the above an¬ 
 nouncement was found word for word as had been stated, 
 but dated on the 15th, and was in the press only on the 16th. 
 The deceased young woman was not known to the somnam¬ 
 bulist, nor to any of those present.”* 
 
 SIR BULWER LYTTON’S OBSERYATIONS. 
 
 With reference to the connexion between electricity and 
 the magnetic power and mediumship, Sir Bulwer Lytton 
 remarks, in “ The Strange Story ” (Vol. II., p. 213) :— 
 
 “ Whether in the electric fluid, or some other fluid akin 
 to it of which we know still less, thus equally pervading all 
 matter, there may be a certain magnetic property more active, 
 more operative upon sympathy in some human constitutions 
 than in others, and which can account for the mysterious 
 power 1 have spoken of, is a query I might suggest, but not 
 an opinion I would hazard. Still, the supposition conveyed 
 in the query is so far worthy of notice that the ecstatic tem¬ 
 perament (in which phrase I comprehend all constitutional 
 mystics) is peculiarly sensitive to electric-atmospheric in¬ 
 fluences. This is a fact which most medical observers will 
 have remarked in the range of their practice. Accordingly, 
 I was prepared to find Mr. Hare Townsend, in his interesting 
 work (‘Facts in Mesmerism’), state that he himself was of 
 the ecstatic temperament, sparks flying from his hair when 
 combed in the dark, &e. This accomplished writer, whose 
 veracity no one would impugn, affirms that between this 
 electrical endowment and whatever mesmeric properties he 
 
 * If the accuracy of this statement be admitted, the fact is referrible 
 to distant clairvoyance, the announcement being seen by the clair- 
 voyanteat the same time as it was in the press for the next day’s journal, 
 A physician, Dr. M., wrote the following statement to the author of 
 “The Natural and the Supernatural,” which he published in that 
 work: “Some time ago, when my mother resided in London, and I 
 
 was in full practice at-, fifty miles off, one night I had so vivid 
 
 a dream, that I told my wife of it, and made a memorandum in my 
 diary. It was that I was with my mother, she used certain words upon 
 a subject, and 1 replied. Some six months after, I and my wife went to 
 London, and coming into the presence of my mother, she commenced the 
 subject named in my dream, and used the very words 1 had dreamt. I 
 called the attention of my wife to the circumstance, and she remembered 
 it. Then, said my mother, ‘John, I had such a strange dream, at such 
 a time—naming the date I had my dream—and thought you said ’—- 
 being the very words I had said.” 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 320 
 
 might possess there is a remarkable relationship and paral¬ 
 lelism. 
 
 “ ‘ Whatever state of the atmosphere tends to accumulate 
 and insulate electricity in the body promotes equally,’ says 
 Mr. Townsend, ‘the power and facility with which I influence 
 others mesmerieally.’ What Mr. Townsend thus observes in 
 himself, American physicians and professors of chemistry 
 depose to have observed in those modern magicians, the 
 mediums of (so-called) ‘ spirit manifestations.’ They state 
 that all such mediums are of the electric temperament, thus 
 everywhere found allied with the ecstatic ; and their power 
 varies in proportion as the state of the atmosphere serves to 
 depress or augment the electricity stored in themselves. 
 Here, then, in the midst of vagrant phenomena, either too 
 hastily dismissed as altogether the tricks of fraudful im¬ 
 posture, or too credulously accepted as supernatural por¬ 
 tents—here, at least, in one generalised fact we may perhaps 
 And a starting-point from which inductive experiment may 
 arrive soon or late at a rational theory.* 
 
 Respecting the instinct of remedies sometimes acquired in 
 the trance or somnambulic state, the following remarks are 
 made :— 
 
 “ ‘ Faber,’ said I abruptly, ‘ can it be that Lilian is the 
 patient in whose self-suggested remedies you confide more 
 than in the various learning at command of your practised 
 skill 1 ’ 
 
 “ ‘ I cannot deny it,’ said Faber, reluctantly. ‘ In the 
 intervals of that suspense from waking sense which in her 
 is not sleep, nor yet altogether catalepsy, she has for the last 
 few days stated accurately the precise moment in which the 
 trance, if I may so call it, would pass away, and prescribed 
 for herself the remedies that should be then administered. 
 In every instance the remedies so self-prescribed, though 
 certainly not those which would have occurred to my mind, 
 have proved efficacious. Her rapid progress to reason I ascribe 
 to the treatment she herself ordained in her trance, without 
 remembrance of her own suggestions when she awoke. We 
 knowhow the mesmerists would account for this phenomenon 
 of hygienic introvision and clairvoyance. But here there is 
 no mesmeriser, unless the patient can be supposed to mes¬ 
 merise herself. Long, however, before mesmerism w r as heard 
 of, medical history attests examples in which patients who 
 baffled the skill of the ablest physicians have fixed their 
 fancies on some remedy that physicians would call inope¬ 
 rative for good or for harm, and have recovered by the 
 
 * This was written several years ago, before public attention was 
 so strongly directed to the intelligence displayed in connexion with 
 “ spirit manifestations,” for the electrical influence could only aifect 
 the production of the physical phenomena. 
 
330 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNLT1SM. 
 
 remedies thus singularly self-suggested ; and Hippocrates 
 himself recognises the powers of self-cure which the con¬ 
 dition of trance will sometimes bestow on the sufferer, 
 “ where,” says the faiher of our art, “ the sight being closed 
 to the external, the soul more truthfully perceives the affec¬ 
 tions of the body.” In short, I own it. In this instance the 
 skill of the physician has been a compliant obedience to the 
 instinct called forth in the patient.’”* (“ Strange Story,” 
 Vol. II., p. 299.) 
 
 * An esteemed German writer remarks on this subject: “ The in¬ 
 stinct of suitable remedies, as manifested in states of sleep and som- 
 sambulism, is often far removed from ordinary therapeutics. Som¬ 
 nambulists mostly prescribe for themselves simple remedies, which are 
 often those of which the relation to the disease is not known to us; but 
 they likewise often prescribe the means, the idea of which appears to 
 be derived from the mind of the attending physician. Thus a som¬ 
 nambulist whom I saw ordered for a patient afflicted with blindness, 
 in consequence of a wound of the fifth pair of nerves in the orbit,, 
 frictions made with the extract of stramonium; whereas in another 
 disease an infusion of anagallis arvensis was prescribed, a plant of 
 whose action I was ignorant.” (Dr. Schindler, “ Das magische Geistes- 
 leben.” Breslau, 1857.) 
 
 Dr. Schindler remarks, under the head of “Doppelganger:” “Both 
 sacred and profane history abound in accounts of persons who have 
 been seen in places far from those where their bodies were at the time.” 
 
 He refers to Pythagoras, Apollonius, St.Benedict, St. Bruno, and others 
 of the ancients, and quotes cases in point from Jung-Stilling and other 
 modern writers, further remarking that Lord Byron when lying sick in 
 Paris was seen in London, and that an analogous case is recorded by 
 Wieland. He then quotes the following instance : “ Pommer relates 
 of himself that after being married a year he went a journey, and 
 when sitting alone in an inn thinking earnestly of his wife, he was im¬ 
 pressed with a strong desire to be with her, when he had a vision of 
 her, sitting at her work-table, and occupied with some needle-work. 
 He sat, as he thought, on a stool near her, and she endeavoured to 
 conceal her work from him. Soon after an express messenger sent by 
 his wife arrived, who said that she had seen his form seated in the 
 place specified and at the same moment, and being anxious about him had 
 sent to learn how he was. On his return he found the work at which 
 he had seen her occupied was exactly the same, though he had never 
 previously seen it, which further proved to him that the occurrence 
 was not the result of his excited imagination.’ 
 
 “ Similar accounts where the apparition is seen at the same time by 
 two parties are often met with. Somnambulists can ^often show 
 themselves to persons distant from the spot where their bodies are, as 
 is vouched for by Wienholdt, Wetzel, and others (Kerner also, as re¬ 
 spects the seeress o f-Erevorst). They have gone (in spirit) and brought 
 back information from distant places. To this category of phenomena 
 are referrible the numerous authentic histories recorded of individuals 
 who, at the point of death, or when in imminent danger, have appeared 
 to relatives or friends at a distance. 
 
 “ Gerber considers it quite impossible that mere impressions on the 
 imagination of a similar kind can proceed from one man to another. 
 It as a sufficient proof to him of the objectivity of the apparition that 
 it is seen by several persons, and also that animals often manifest the 
 second-sight at the same time.” (Op. cit.) 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM 
 
 331 
 
 Again, one of the characters in the “Story” says, with 
 reference to “ a something which perplexed and baffled 
 rational conjecture—a dream unaccountably verified, an (in¬ 
 definable presentiment or forewarning ; from such slighter 
 and vaguer tokens of the realm of marvel up to the portents 
 of ghostly apparitions or haunted chambers “I believe 
 that the greater number of persons arrived at middle age, 
 however instructed the class, however civilised the land, 
 however sceptical the period to which they belong, have 
 either in themselves experienced, or heard recorded by inti¬ 
 mate associates, whose veracity they accept as indisputable 
 in all ordinary transactions of life, phenomena which are 
 not to be solved by the wit that mocks them, nor perhaps 
 always and entirely to the contentment of the reason or 
 philosophy that explains them away. Such phenomena, I 
 say, are infinitely more numerous than would appear from 
 the instances currently quoted and dismissed with a jest; for 
 few of those who have witnessed them are disposed to own 
 it, and they who only hear of them from others, however 
 trustworthy, would not impugn their character for common 
 sense by professing a belief to which common sense is a mer¬ 
 ciless persecutor.”* (Vol. II., p. 38.) 
 
 The author quotes in a note (page 52) an anecdote illus¬ 
 trating the analogy between dreaming and spectral illusion 
 from Abercrombie, on the “ Intellectual Powers “ A 
 gentleman, while under considerable anxiety, fell asleep in 
 his chair, and had a frightful dream, in which the prominent 
 figure was an immense baboon. He awoke with the fright, 
 got up and walked to a table, being quite conscious of the 
 
 * Schlegel, in Ins “ Philosophy of Life,” observes: “All the blows of 
 scepticism glance off from a real and solid experience, and soon cease 
 entirely ; and .just so also the limits of an assumed or credited impos¬ 
 sibility, which is too hastily and too nearly set up, are quickly over¬ 
 stepped by facts themselves. Very often before now it has happened 
 in experimental science that what man once not merely questioned, 
 but actually declared to be incredible, nay, even impossible, has unex¬ 
 pectedly proved afterwards to be an actual fact, and gained general 
 credence as undeniably certain. How much is there not in nature 
 that deserves to be called marvellous, and borders close upon the 
 miraculous, and which makes at least some such impression on our 
 minds and understandings as they have been hitherto developed.” 
 
 “ The word (impossible! ought long to have been erased from all 
 dictionaries. History is but a string of impossibilities that have come 
 topass* Events are constantly taking the world by surprise. Human 
 progress, whether scientific or political, always arrives at unforeseen 
 results ; at events not only beyond the reach of the vulgar mind, but 
 even of the very highest intellects.” (Times, August 16, 1866. 
 
 “ A dozen years ago an honest country gentleman who firmly 
 believed he had seen a ghost, was forced to keep his belief to himself 
 if he would not be laughed down by his enlightened friends. Quite . 
 another view is now prevalent. A thorough disbelief in uhosts has 
 become rather vulgar than otherwise.” (Times, March 13, 1862.) 
 
332 
 
 ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 articles around him, but close to the wall in the end of the 
 apartment he distinctly saw the baboon making the same 
 grimaces which he had seen in his dream ; and this spectre 
 continued visible for about half a minute.” 
 
 Sir Bulwer makes the following just comment upon this 
 case : “ Now a man who saw only a baboon would be quite 
 ready to admit that it was but an optical illusion ; but if 
 instead of a baboon he had seen an intimate friend, and that 
 friend by some coincidence of time had died about that date, 
 he would be a very strong-minded man if he admitted for 
 the mystery of seeing his friend the same natural solution 
 which he would admit for seeing a baboon.” 
 
 An article on “ Superstition,” with the signature of Mark 
 Shattock, appears in this month’s (October, 1866) number of 
 the “ St. James’s Magazine,” the writer of which—like so 
 many others who have argued upon the subjects especially 
 treated of, from a priori entertained convictions, and from 
 an imperfect acquaintance with them—-appears not to have 
 drawn his conclusions from any personal observation of the 
 phenomena, which he does not hesitate to include indis¬ 
 criminately in the category of imposition. 
 
 After referring to the legends of sorcery and witchcraft, to 
 fortune-telling, the magic crystal of Dr. Dee, &c , the writer 
 observes : “ This phase of superstition has passed away—at 
 least among the educated classes, but a more dangerous has 
 succeeded. The mysteries of mesmerism and electro-biology 
 have supplanted these old-fashioned theories ; and the latest 
 development of the new rules of faith has appeared in the 
 shape of animal magnetism.” Though there may be some few 
 phenomena in electro-biology, magnetism, and spirit-rapping 
 that resemble each other in a certain degree, yet, as will be 
 evident to anyone who has given his attention to the matter, 
 there is no essential connexion between animal magnetism, 
 electro-biology, or spirit-rapping. Adverting more par¬ 
 ticularly to spiritualism, the writer adds : “ The wonder 
 of the reception of such doctrines exceeds that of their 
 existence ; it can be explained only by the innate yearning 
 of the human mind after the supernatural, and the willing¬ 
 ness of a certain class to believe anything rather than have 
 the trouble of looking below the surface . . . and the 
 
 miracles of Mr. Home, and the cabinet manifestations of the 
 Davenports, in spite of the ridicule with which the more 
 critical and practical men of the age greet them, have made 
 many converts, and raised speculative doubts in the minds 
 of even those whose sterner reason will not allow of their 
 conversion. It is a question somewhat difficult of solution 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 333 
 
 whence this new superstition has arisen ; whether it is the 
 mere reaction of the unbelieving and practical turn of 
 thought prevalent at the present day, or whether it has 
 also received an impetus from the writings of our novelists 
 and philosophers [referring to Sir Bulwer Lytton’s. 
 ‘ Strange Story ’]. Plain matter-of-fact, practical men of 
 the world, can hardly credit such things as these. They 
 smile "Incredulously, and ash if any one can really be deluded 
 by the shallow tricks of these mediums. Unfortunately 
 we are not all strong-minded, common-sense men, and the 
 innate yearning after the marvellous subdues the dictates of 
 sense and reason. A chartalan deludes us with his pretended 
 feats of supernatural power, and actually gains converts to 
 the most senseless, unreasonable, and illogical faith that the 
 world has ever witnessed—subtle folly ! blind infatuation ! 
 
 “ The superstition which develops itself in a belief in 
 apparitions, omens, warnings, dreams, is, by the side of this 
 latter fanaticism, harmless and inoffensive. There is pro¬ 
 bably no case on record of a ghost having been seen simul¬ 
 taneously by two people, and an apparition generally resolves 
 itself into an optical illusion, or a severe attack of indiges¬ 
 tion. Presentiments are but conclusions deduced from 
 certain bases by irregular, but still somewhat logical processes 
 of reasoning. And the small number of dreams that ever con¬ 
 tain warnings or receive fulfilment, bid us rather to contem¬ 
 plate in surprise the millions that have no bearing whatever 
 upon subsequent events.” 
 
 As respects these last observations, 1 would observe that 
 the records of sacred and profane, ancient and modem his¬ 
 tory, abound in accounts (howsoever they may be accounted 
 for) of visions and apparitions being perceived by more than 
 one person at the same time ; as also of presentiments and 
 dreams being fulfilled, that cannot be referred to the above 
 explanation ; and that a thousand negative results do not 
 suffice to disprove one perfectly-authenticated fact. 
 
 Many of the discoveries in science and art which were 
 originally disbelieved and laughed at as visionary, are now 
 generally recognised as every-day occurrences, “in spite of 
 the ridicule with which the more critical and practical men 
 of the age ” greeted them. As respects spiritualism, it is 
 hardly to be supposed, considering its continued recognition 
 for so many years, and its wide diffusion in both hemispheres, 
 that the thousands of adherents and believers in its mani¬ 
 festations were the mere dupes of imposition, and that 
 “ there is nothing in it.” The subject is one that requires a 
 searching investigation in order to elicit the truth, from what 
 may be superadded deception ; and the writer of this article 
 would perhaps have done well to pause before expressing 
 himself in such decided terms on the question. 
 
ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 
 
 834 
 
 The reviewer of Mr. Bray’s new work on “ Force and its 
 Correlatives, with Speculations on Spiritualism,” in the cur¬ 
 rent number of the “ Westminster Review,” is more cautious; 
 he remarks : “ Mr. Bray would have done better to have 
 confined himself to the subject of the former part of his 
 essay. The phenomena of what is called spiritualism are 
 still subject to so much debate, that it is premature to 
 endeavour to embrace them in any scientific theory.” 
 
 I leave it to my readers to draw their own conclusions 
 from the amount of evidence adduced in the preceding 
 record of facts and observations published by well-known 
 and impartial writers respecting extra-magnetic clairvoyance, 
 prevision, and other remarkable phenomena correlative to 
 the main subject of the work. 
 
 LONDON : W. J. JOHNSON, PRINTER, 121, FLEET STREET. 
 
WORKS ON HEALTH RESORTS, CLIMATES, 
 MINERAL WATERS, ETC., 
 
 BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 
 
 THE WATERING-PLACES OF ENGLAND. 
 
 Fourth Edition. 7s. 6d. 
 
 Selections from Critical Notices. 
 
 “ Recommends itself by the justness of its therapeutical 
 points of view, and also by the important information which 
 appears in every page.”— Gazette Medicate de Paris. 
 
 “ A concise and very fair account of these sanitary resorts.” 
 —Medical Gazette. 
 
 “Dr. Lee’s coup d'ceil of British watering-places is that of a 
 master.”— Medical Times. 
 
 “ Contains a large amount of information in a concise form.” 
 — Mcd.-Chir. Review. 
 
 THE BATHS OF GERMANY. 
 
 Fourth Edition. 7s. 
 
 “ Marked by good sense, reflection, and acquaintance with 
 the action of the waters.”— British and Foreign Medical 
 Review. 
 
 “ Embraces every point of practical interest or importance 
 connected with the subject.”— Dublin Medical Journal. 
 
 “ Must be ranked among the best handbooks on the subject; 
 even of those published in the German language.’’—German 
 Medical Review. 
 
 “Complete and comprehensive.”— Edinburgh Medical 
 Journal. 
 
 “ Full of information, conveyed in a pleasing and perspi¬ 
 cuous style.”— Medical Times. 
 
 BATHS OF NASSAU. 
 
 m 2s. 6d. 
 
 BATHS OF SWITZERLAND AND SAVOY; 
 
 WITH REMARKS ON THE ACTION OF MOUNTAIN AIR. 
 3s. Gd. Recently published. 
 
 THE BATHS OF FRANCE. 
 
 Fourth Edition. 3s. 6d. Recently published. 
 
HOMCEOPATHY AND HYDROPATHY 
 IMPARTIALLY APPRECIATED. 
 
 WITH NOTES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE INFLUENCE 
 OF THE MIND ON THE BODY. 
 
 Fourth Edition. Re-issued, with Supplementary Remarks on 
 Homoeopathy. 3s. 
 
 ‘ 1 Dr. Lee deserves commendation for having exposed, and 
 it is hoped prevented, the progress of homoeopathy.”— Times. 
 
 “Dr. Lee’s opinions respecting the dogmas in question are 
 generally just, and he gives a very fair and impartial outline 
 of their leading features. ”— Lancet. 
 
 “The candour and moderation displayed in the hook, amply 
 justify encomiums passed upon it by the press generally.”— 
 Westminster Review. 
 
 “ We recommend the work to the attentive consideration 
 of the reader.”— Atlienccum. 
 
 “Abounds in learning, research, and observation.”— 
 Monthly Magazine. 
 
 J. CHURCHILL & SONS, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 
 
 THE HEALTH RESORTS OF THE SOUTH 
 OF FRANCE. 
 
 HYERES, CANNES, PAU, ARCACHON, BIARRITZ. 
 Second Edition. 4s. Recently published. 
 
 NICE AND ITS CLIMATE. 
 
 WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE. 
 Second Edition. 3s. 6d. Recently published. 
 
 NICE ET SON CLIMAT. 
 
 Second Edition. 2s. 6d. 
 
 NOTICES OF MENTON AND SAN REMO. 
 
 Is. 6d. 
 
 SPAIN AND ITS CLIMATES. 
 
 “Dr. Lee’s publications have an extensive circulation, and 
 deserve it. Practical and suited to the occasion, they recom¬ 
 mend themselves by their utility.”— Dublin Medical. Press. 
 “Dr. Lee has certainly placed both the profession and the 
 
public under many obligations to him. We recommend his 
 valuable works as containing perfectly trustworthy informa¬ 
 tion.”— Dublin Journal of Medical Science. 
 
 “Dr. Lee’s works give all the information that can be 
 desired on the subjects.”— Monthly Medical Journal. 
 
 “We recommend Dr. Lee’s work to all who propose to 
 repair to Nice.”— Medical Times. 
 
 “ We recommend all travellers to Nice to provide them¬ 
 selves with this little manual.”-— Medical Gazette. 
 
 “ Pleasantly composed, and contains all necessary informa¬ 
 tion.”— London Journal of Medicine. 
 
 “Dr. Lee has deserved well of science and of invalids.” 
 -—Union Medicale. 
 
 “ Strangers as well as residents may consult with advantage 
 a work of which every page was studied on the spot.”— Avenir 
 de Nice. 
 
 “Valuable medical handbooks.”— Canstatt’s Jahresbericht 
 der Medecin. 
 
 THE CONTINENT. 
 
 CONSIDERED CHIEFLY IN A CLIMATIC AND REMEDIAL 
 POINT OF VIEW. 
 
 Comprising General and Medical Notices, with Appended 
 Remarks on the Influence of Climate and Travelling, 
 and Meteorological Tables. 
 
 Second Edition. Re-issued. 7s. 6d. 
 
 “Though principally intended for the use of those who 
 travel in search of health, this work will be found useful to 
 all manner of travellers.”— Spectator. 
 
 “ Dr. Lee’s work requires no commendation from us. The 
 present edition fully maintains the reputation of its pre¬ 
 decessor.”— British, and Foreign Med.-Chir. Review. 
 
 “We do not know a more useful or agreeable travelling 
 companion. ”— Medical Circular. 
 
 “Admirably adapted for the purpose for which it was pub¬ 
 lished, being written clearly and concisely, and yet sufficiently 
 diffuse for invalids.”— Dublin Medical Press. 
 
 “ Full of interest alike to the traveller for enjoyment and to 
 the invalid.”— London Medical Review. 
 
 W. J. ADAMS, 59, FLEET STREET. 
 
MEDICAL WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR 
 
 OBSERVATIONS ON THE MEDICAL 
 INSTITUTIONS AND PRACTICE 
 OF FRANCE, ITALY, AND GERMANY, 
 
 WITH A PARALLEL VIEW OF 
 
 BRITISH AND FOREIGN MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 
 Second Edition. Out of Print. 
 
 A TREATISE ON SOME NERVOUS 
 DISORDERS. 
 
 Second Edition. Out of Print. 
 
 THE JACKSONIAN PRIZE ESSAY. 
 
 ON THE COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES 
 OF LITHOTRITY AND LITHOTOMY. 
 
 ON FUNCTIONAL PARALYSES. 
 
 A PRIZE ESSAY. 
 
 Preparing for Publication. 
 
 THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE ON 
 TUBERCULOUS DISEASE. 
 
 WITH NOTICES OF FOREIGN WINTER RESORTS. 
 
 A Prize Essay. 4s. 6d. 
 
 MINERAL WATERS AND THEIR CURA¬ 
 TIVE AGENCY. 
 
 Second Edition. Preparing for Publication. 
 
 THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN GREAT 
 BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 
 
 WITH ACCOUNTS OF THE MEDICAL ORGANIZATION 
 OF FRANCE, ITALY, AND GERMANY. 
 
 J. CHURCHILL & SONS, NEW BURLINGTON STREET.