BF 1131 ■ Baal Hi ■ EHHRH 9HH mbH^H H 9H HE ^BH ■MB . o - > V » Y • °- ^\ «jk » AF > n//y^\^ : ~> -o * ^>v j» * ^sNXMiY^k'^ <^t * Mr/if. I "ov* .J§1>* "W fulfil;. **>*• c*« AN HIST011Y MAGIC, WITCHCRAFT, ANIMAL MAGNETISM. Ov yxg rt uvu yt xci%ti£g, ctAX' etiii wort Zij TQUTQ, KQV^elg (llhiV, 1% OTQV QclVYl, Sophocles. For this is not a matter of to-day, Or yesterday, but hath been from ail time, And none hath told us whence it came, or how. a •s m s C-l ^ £5 o SB * I 5 1 ^ I — f « £* SI ^ 'I o CU * !*1 ? 53 8" k EXPOSITION, OR A NEW THEORY OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM, WITH A KEY TO THE MYSTERIES: DEMONSTRATED BY EXPERIMENTS WITH THE MOST CELEBRATED SOMNAMBULISTS IN AMERICA: ALSO, STRICTURES ON "COL. WM. L. STONE'S LETTER TO DOOT. A, BRIGHAM." BY C. F. DURANT. H Step cautious, for beneath lies hid "The key to Time's dark mysteries. "'Twas buried before its birth — "So sleeps unnamed; but it may live ; " A whisper calls it forth — speak low — <"Tis Theory !" Chaldais inscription on a tomb stone. NEW YORK: PUBLISHED RY WILEY & PUTNAM, 161 BROADWAY PHlNfEP BY J. NARINfl, 11 WALL 8THBET, CORNER OF BROAD. 1837, 3& Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1837, by 'James Narine, in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. ORIGIN OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM. A fluid— Its effects on Eve — Effects on Children— Gipsies— Snakes charming birds — Sorcery— Witchcraft— Curing burnsby charms— Legislation against Natural Laws — Queen Margaret — Fortune -Telling — Magnetizer and Somnambulist in one — Prophecy —Singular prediction in the history of Josephine — Trance at Camp Meetings — Natu- ral Somnambulists— Miss Jane C. Rider— Reading with invisible eyes 14 CHAPTER U. SCIENCE OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM FOUNDED. Dawn of the science in Germany — Opinions of its cause and effect — Used in the cure of diseases— Antony Mesmer, his progress in France— Commissioners of the King, check the progress of the science — Mainauduc— His triumph in England— Theory at that time— The Church of England arrayed against the science— Divine attro of Animal Magnetism S3 CHAPTER III. A NEW ERA IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM (WITHOUT THEORY) UNDER DELEUZE. Da Puysegur discovers Somnambulism and Ciairvoyanee — Triumph of the scienct under Deleuze— His history— defence of the science — Foissac obtains anew examin- ation of Animal Magnetism from the Royal Society of Medicine — Report of the Com- missioners—Proofs of the magnetic iluid — Description of Somnambulism — Clairvoy- ance, its mysterious and supernatural effects CHAPTER IV. FIRST INTRODUCTION OF THE MAGNETIC SCIENCE IN AMERICA. Charles Poyen St. Sauveur lectures at Pawtucket — Triumph of the science under Poyen — New converts and disciples— Evidences offered in support of the doctrine— h> derful attributes— References to prove the truth of the science— Case of Clairvoj — Case of paralyzing a limb— Effect of the will— Reading letters with invisible eyes CHAPTER V. THE AUTHOR'S FIRST EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM IN THU CITY UV NEW YORK. Author's opinion of the science— A branch of Electricity— Introduction to prof Andros— His history— Somnambulic sleep — Extraordinary cases of Clain • . -* Mrs. Andros, her history— First experiment in New York— Wonderful effects on the brain of the Author— Falls in a magnetic sleep— Reverie— Poetically inspired— Solilo- quy—Resolves on mighty deeds CHAPTER VI AUTHOR'S NEW THEORY OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM. Matter in chaotic mass, globules in the formation of the universe A.tmoaf>heie— Water- Inaniinatemittor— Vnimals— Man- Magnetic fluid- EWtriorv i. I* He— Mapnet* Natural sleep-^Magnetic sleep— Polarity of Man— Cerin— It* properties- Knowledge, communicated by magnetic cords— Fluid carries off diseases 73 CHAPTER VII. SECOND EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM IN NEW YORK. Objections to new theory over-ruled— Case of William Wadsworth explained— Case of Miss Parker explained— Dream— Rapid conception of the brain— Captain Lefever's experience in thought— Theory proved by experiment— Conversions to the new theory— Bright future 80 CHAPTER VIII. THIRD EXPERIMENT IN AMMAL MAGNETISM IN NEW YORK. Fluid forced through a wall — Transmission of the magnetic fluid— How affected — Theory confirmed — Important notes necessary to be read in order to be well understood 88 CHAPTER IX. FOURTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM IN JERSEY CITY- Mrs. Andros describes things in Boston — Describes things in Calcutta— Sceptics — Fluid forced through four walls— Polarity pioved — Very important notes, not to be overlooked 92 CHAPTER X. PIFTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM IN JERSEY CITY. Mir*. Andros goes in spirit to New York — Things are darkish— Some talk about bleeding —Somnambulist cries and jumps-^Paralyzing the arm — Explanation of crying — Theory in bad odour.. 97 CHAPTER XI. SIXTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM IN NEW YORK. Interesting discussion about the bleeding — Bright prospects of the future — Fluid enters through wall a little before its time — Interesting notes about cutting off an arm. . , . 103 CHAPTER XII. SEVENTH AND EIGHTH EXPERIMENTS IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT NEW YORK. Mrs, Andros in better health— Extraordinary effect of the fluid — Forced through fifty walls— Beautiful effect of the theory — Author wills himself in magnetic communica- tion—Explanation — Notes which ought to be read 109 CHAPTER XIII. NINTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM IN NEW YORK. Mrs. Andros describes furniture in the city, and jn Brooklyn — Gets in the wrong house — Gets out again— Beautiful effect of the *' will" — Theory more firmly esta- blished — Notes of importance, which are well worth the trouble of reading 114 CHAPTER XIV TENTH AND MOST IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM IN NEW YORK. Cerin produces the most wonderful effects by cutting off the magnetic fluid — Cause why — Theory permanently established against all opposition — Most ready for a lecture 120 CHAPTER XV. FIRST LECTURE ON ANIMAL MAGNETISM EY THE AUTHOR. Philosophical reasoning on the incidents connected with events — Mrs. Andros goes- to I'roviiHjnce— Important disclosures made to Mr. Andros— Magnetic sleep shown to be no aloep at all— Plans of great promise for the future .. 129 VI CHAPTER XVI ELEVENTH, TWELFTH AND THIRTEENTH EXPERIMENTS IE ANIMAL MAGNETISM, AT PROVIDENCE, R. I. Mrs. Andros sees no better at home than abroad— Theory rising in the world— Miss Ann Eliza Ebon feels queer — Thinks she is asleep — Opens her eyes by the new theory after being burned to death— Magnetic somnambulism in a dog— His case is described in the notes 140 CHAPTER XVII. FOURTEENTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT PROVIDENCE, E. I. Professor Cleaveland's somnambulist at Pawtuxet — Mrs. Andros thought it was the paper box — Thought he sat there— It looks strange — White House !— Mine gentlemen — Remarkably correct — Key to Colonel Stone's picture history 153 CHAPTER XVIII. FIFTEENTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT PROVIDENCE. Miss Loraina Bracken — Her true portrait— Can distinguish objects very well— Hears a newspaper — Hears a knife — Sees much, but can't tell— Sees a noise !— Shifts the cot- ton—Yes, I see it — Don't want to tell— Can read a letter — Let her read this 15V CHAPTER XIX. SIXTEENTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT PROVIDENCE. Miss Parker sawadiseased spleen— Hears a book and knife— It is paper, but it ain't— Not quite asleep— Magnetized a little more— It is M. but it ain't — Pantomime— How the man whips that child— Theory never worked better— Col. Stone's picture in the notes : .... 173 CHAPTER XX. EFFECTS OF THE AUTHOR'S THEORY OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM. Rev. Professor Daniel Greene, his marvellous works— Professor A. Potter — Sorry I wrote it— According to the theory— Can't count money— Can't look at a watch— Beware of my theory 160 CHAPTER XXI. SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH EXPERIMENTS IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT NEW YORK. Miss Ayres — Magnetic convulsions — Author sees thoughts with invisible eyes— She hears the wrong hand — Can't see my theory — I thought so, too— Mysterious dream of the Author— Chips turned to money— Exchange very high— Notes should be taken up and read 1S» CHAPTER XXII. IMPORTANT FACTS RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM. Philosophical ramble — I never think of such things — I am satisfied they are asleep that is enough — But I ain't — Mysterious atmosphere about the author— Did you say so— No— Letter of David M. Reese, M. 1).— Mrs. Andros again in New York— She must think she is asleep— Tells a great deal better— Can't tell what ticket draws ths high prize in the- lottery— Balance of account in the notes 203 CHAPTER XXIII. STRICTURES ON COL. R'M. L. STONfi's LETTER TO DOCTOR A. BR1GHAM, ON ANIMAL MAGNETISM. Letter 216 DEDICATION. To Professor Wayland, President of Brown University: Sir, In reviewing the eminent names which adorn the literature and science of our country, to find one most worthy to receive the dedication of this book, I was surprised to find among so many advocates for the beautiful science of Animal Magnet- ism, so few, who like yourself, have dared to step fearlessly forth in its defence against a sceptical warfare. Your name stands isolated and far above all other disciples of the immortal Deleuze. Doctor Nott, Colonel William L. Stone, and the thousand other disciples of this beautiful doc- trine, cannot compare with your great influence and heroic conduct in disseminating the tenets of Animal Magnetism. There may be others whose u wills" are equally strong in the doctrine, but they lack your influence and courage, and per- haps not a few of them u retain a faint impression' ' of the immortal sentiment — w He that in the war gets slain, May never live to fight again." But you, Sir, have fearlessly defended your talisman — you have braved the front of battle, and you alone deserve the dedication of a work whichlforever must place the science of your choice beyond the , .possibility of doubt. Your letter of introduction and recommendation, in your own hand writ- ing, to professor A. V. Potter, An. Mag., has done more to Vlll gain converts to the doctrine of Animal Magnetism, than all the books that have been written on "remarkable interviews." Professor Potter has exhibited your letter to thousands ; it has served him for a passport, and the thousands who read it have exclaimed, " Well, if Professor Waylandisa believer, then there must be something in Animal Magnetism, and I will be a believer too." It is, Sir, the great influence of your name in the promul- gation of the science, in the making of proselytes, and the silencing of hardened unbelievers, as well as a sincere admi- ration of your brilliant talents and sound judgment, which have induced me to offer this small token of respect, and to pray that you will authorise this dedication of Durant's Theory of Animal Magnetism. Very respectfully, Your obedient and humble servant, The Author. Jersey City, 7th Oct. 1837. INTRODUCTION. In the parliamentary discussion of any important subject, a few prefatory remarks on the part of the speaker seem es- sential to prepare the minds of his hearers to receive with due force the evidences he may offer on the question at issue. As an author, I have promised much, and no less than a key to the mysteries of Animal Magnetism. I am aware of my responsibility to the public in promising to unfold the arcanum of a pretended science, which has confounded mil- lions, and which after a condemning scrutiny from special agents appointed by the French government, and another condemnation from a special commission by a scientific in- stitution, is again on the ascendency, and claiming for its vo- taries thousands of the scientific and intelligent men in all the civilized portions of the globe. But I have no fears as to the result of a careful perusal of this book: the evidences are too numerous, and too convincing to admit hereafter of doubt. Some objections may be made to the plan of the work, and particularly to the four first chapters : but a moment's reflection, by judicious minds, will convince them that such a plan was appropriate and judicious to the full accomplishment of the object in view ; satire may reach and conquer some minds, who would be deaf and insensible to the arguments of reason. The best satire on a false doctrine is to award to it all the attributes which its deluded votaries claim for their idol. I have done no more and no less, in sketching the rise and progress of Animal Magnetism up to me time u was first introduced in the North American States. The discussion may bear hard on some names that are the subject of remark, and some sensitive minds may even consi- der me cruelly severe : but to such and to all I would say, think on the necessity of the case — think on the loud call from justice which prompted me to the task. I would gladly have avoided offence to the sensibility of the meanest creature on earth ; I had a higher and nobler object in view, delicacy liad been offended, good sense had been offended, and human- ity was offended with this vile infatuation claiming with mer- ciless grasp for its victims, millions of both sexes in the community. To stay such offences, to redress such wrongs, to arrive at the goal of success, it was necessary to be severe. Justice prompted me to sting with the lash of truth, all objects that impeded my course. The step I have now taken is not without reflection on the respect due to the feelings of others, and of my own respon- sibilities, both moral and legal, in making characters truly eminent in society the subjects of public remark and rebuke. A few unimportant errors may have occurred in the minor details of the history, and these when pointed out, I will cheerfully correct; on the whole, I have* asserted nothing but truth, and stand prepared to defend all that I have written, against the denial of whomsoever may take offence at any part of the narration. I have not asked permission to publish names ; and the best apology I can offer for such deviation from such established usage, is, that the names were important to my argument, and could not well be dispensed with ; tl>e necessity of the case must serve for my excuse. I have yet more valuable evidence in support of my ar- XI gument, which I have omitted to give in this book, because I have already given more than sufficient to carry, full convec- tion to all minds open to the evidences of truth ; more evi- dence, I judged, would fatigue the reader, and I have already exceeded the number of pages contemplated in the com- mencement of the work. It is usual for authors on their first introduction, to express great diffidence of their own abilities : but as I am giving truths and not fiction, I will here at least express my true sentiments, and candidly avow that I feel no diffidence and no fears as to the success of the work. I at least think that I understand my subject, and feel conscious of possessing abilities to meet all opposition which may arise to thwart the accomplishment of the object in view. I am aware of the stubborn madness possessed by persons infatuated with a false doctrine, and the improbability of sud- denly restoring them to a correct sense of reason. I am also aware that among the large number of enthusiasts, whose keen sensibilities will be touched by my remarks, there are many eminent writers, who will probably take up the pen to hurl vindictive curses on my head. To such men, and to all critics, I would say, my demands are the annihilation of Animal Magnetism, the establishment of truth on the founda- tion of nature's known and invariable laws, against the crazed usurpation of a wild and unholy infatuation ; and I now stand in the breach, and throw down the glove. CHAPTER I. ORIGIN OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM. Jl fluid — its effects on Eve — effects on Children — Gipsies — Snakes charming birds — Sorcery — Witchcraft — Curing burns by charms — Legislation against Natural Laics — Queen Margaret — Fortune Telling — Magnetiser and Somnambulist in one — Prophecy — Singular Prediction in the history of Josephine — Trance at Camp Meetings — Natural Somnambulists — Miss Jane C. Rider — Read- ing with Invisible Eyes. The origin of Animal Magnetism is coeval with the crea- tion of Eve. The extremely subtil and invisible fluid, which when in contact with the animal brain, is capable of perform- ing all the phenomena cf this wonderful science, had existed millions on millions of years anterior to the creation of man, and is probably coeval with the birth of the trilobite, or even . creation itself. The sun's rays must pass through a .suitable medium to cause the phenomenon of light — so this invisible fluid continued unknown, though not inactive, until some of its inherent properties were developed in passing through a suitable medium, which was found to be the com- plicate and delicate brain of the highest order in the organized forms of creation. The smallest insect, the most simple form of vegetal; and the more noble formation of matter in man, were a!! i diums through which this fluid ever has, and still cOQtini to flow, producing all the symmetry, beauty and phenome- na of nature, which, to superficial minds, are no- ticeable, because they are of such frequent and even m sant occurrence, and are classed with the phenomena C w earth, cmly* the first time the brain receives their impression by the force of that mysterious fluid through the medium of the senses. A child is in mute ecstacy at the first so&nd* ©f the spring-rattle. He sees it; the mysterious fluid perva- ding all space, instantly impresses 0*1 his brain;, through the delicate lens of the eye, the form of the: instrument from* which such strange notes had. proceeded. He leaps with: joy when he perceives it is made of wood, and analogous to oth- er forms of things, long sine© familiar to his senses, by re- peated examination of the impression of similar obieets re- tained in the vast store-room of the brain. He seizes with delight the play-thing, and wonders that an* instrument so simple in its construction, could have caused him to wonder, when the strange music caused by its vibrations were first transmitted to his ear. He continues the manipulations and finds amusement in the harmony of sounds, until the sympa- thy of the nervous system,, that accurate tuning key of nature's wkxd-harp, softens the harsh tones of the rattle:; when, the whole forms a perfect chord on the' brain, which continues to amuse the senses, until monotony fatigues the imagination, and a new and more curious phenomenon is sought for, pro- bably in the decomposition by fire of the very toy which; once sent forth such strange sounds to the ear. He scarce- ly ceases to wonder at the flame issuing from his lighted torch, when he is called to the' window to scan a still more marvellous phenomenon in the air, fr ^a kite! a kite!''' a paper kite, buoyed aloft with a simple thread, is now the object of mute astonishment, followed by feud demonstra- tions of joy, as the mysterious fkid conveys through the ea- ger distended eye to the brain r a perfect impression affifog cbject which first held him: mute in. astonishment- The most learned among men are but children in embryo ; when their researches in science are compared with the vast &nd unlimited field which remains unexplored * Innumerable are (he forms imprinted on the brain in the life time of man, Each form was a phenomenon ; : each in turn became familiar; the whole; becomes monotonous, and the imagination, aided by the inventive genius of the brain-; seeks among the count- less millions of forms in creation for some new phenomena to feed the insatiate vortex of familiar monotony. In the eager desire to reach after phenomena, the reasoning faculties are dormant,- and man is capable only of admiring the wonderful effect on his brain without knowing the c Which produced ft; when, with less eagerness and more rea- son, man could refer to his brain, which ever retains the' im- pression received from innumerable objects, amdng which may be discovered forms sufficiently analogous to reconcile' the most wonderful phenomenon to the known and familiai (aivs of nattire, continually in operation around us; so the effects of Animal Magnetism continued to be seen, felt and admired in its various modifications, long before it received a nafrie among the sciences of the earth. In a subsequent chapter, I will give the theory which harmonizes and recon- ciles all the phenomena attending this science, and show the natural causes continually operating to produce it. I will, likewise, divest it of every supernatural attribute which its vo- taries and opposers are so zealous in ascribing to it. Enouud] for the present chapter will be to show its origin, its rise, and developments, under t&e various wrongly applied names of charnis, sorcery ^ beguilemerits, fortune-telling by the ©ipsies, tod witchcraft of the ancients and moderns. T^ san*}' fluid, which now unpertfeived by the "keenest 17 eye, is flowing through all organized matter, supporting life, when in a just equilibrium, and producing the effects called Animal Magnetism, when forced from its natural channel, was in existence from the creation, and commenced its un- natural effects on our race in the garden of Eden. The be- guilement by the serpent was merely the effect of this myste- rious fluid operating on the brain and nervous system of Eve. The same fluid held Adam in magnetic sleep "when he committed the unholy deed, for which, we, his posterity, are doomed to suffer as penance. The snake at all times has used the same fluid in subduing the feathered tribe. The charm attributed to this animal, is the self same magnetism which is now the subject of wonder in its effects on the brain of civilized man. The sorcerers of India knew the power of this fluid, and used it for the vilest purposes of deception. Witchcraft in all countries, was a branch of Animal Magnetism; it was the effect of the magnetic fluid, called a- u volition of the will" emanating from the witch by the animal force of the nerves ; the c 'bewitched" was the needle obeying the will of the mag- net, and exhibiting all the phenomena common to the present science of Animal Magnetism. The pointing downwards of ' a crotched stick to indicate a stream of water flowing through the earth; the rat-catcher's charm, and the soothing power possessed by many of curing scalded and burned flesh, are volitions of the will, and modified branches of this heretofore intricate science. The Gipsies, as a community, probably knew more of the astonishing power to be derived from the magnetic fluid than any collective race of beings on the globe. Their ac- curate predictions of future events are now subjects of histo- ry, and thousands of the most respectable inhabitants of Eu- rope have testified to the perfect fulfilment of events predict- ed by this people. Their origin and habits of life are as cu- rious as their magnetic phenomena. It is supposed that they came from Hindoostan, from the fact that their language jc- sembles in all its parts the Hindoostanee, notwithstanding they have been dispersed and wandering nearly four centuries in va- rious parts of the earth. Like the witches in our own country, the Gipsies have been persecuted in civilized Europe. 1530, we find penal statutes against them in England ; a s >eqi5ent act, made it death for them to continue in the k dom; and it is recorded, to the disgrace of England, thirteen were executed for this offence alone, but a few years prior to the restoration ; this cruel act was not repealed un- til 1733, when the science of Animal Magnetism was suffi- ciently improved to show the injustice and inhumanity of le- gislating against the laws which Nature designed to be estab- lished for some benevolent purpose to mankind. The G sles were expelled France in the middle of the sixteenth cen- tury, and Spain in 1591. Though expelled by statutes, they have not been entirely extirpated in any country ; they are stil] numerous in Asia, and the northern parts of Europe, their collective numbers are estimated at nearly a million of souls. Though scattered over the globe, they retain tl similar and original character and habits ; their principal siness is fortune-telling, in which they succeed to an ex* - ordinary degree, by the aid of the magnetic fluid, which I are so long accustomed to use, that they far surpass the I magnetic somnambulists of this country, not excepting M - Andros, Miss Brackett, Miss Parker, Miss El on, or Miss Avres, of magnetic celebrity in Providence. Havii nessed experiments with all these Indies, and having 5< 19 some of the magnetic experiments with the Gipsies., I dp npt hesitate tp declare jp favor of the latter, for accuracy in pr^cjict^ ing fujure events, as well as for the more extraordinary power of H Clairvoyance" manifested in the magnetic sleep, by see* ing through innumerable envelopes of paper, land annihilating distance, which they travel in spirit, although thousands pf miles distant from the body, and tell in one minute what is being transacted in the harem pf the Sultan, while the sprn* nambulist's body may be in Providence or France. Grellman, who wrote the history of the Gipsies, and in^ deed all persons who have been much acquainted with the habits and manners of this interesting race, regard them as a very singular phenomena; they are not changed by climate, and the sword has not been able to extirpate thern, In all countries they are the same wandering tribe, living in small huts, and though subject to the laws of the country in which they reside, they nevertheless have their own government as a community, the head of which is termed ^ Queen of the Gipsies. 35 Many of them attain a very advanced age. Mar* garet Finch, who died at Beckenham, in Kent, Oct, 24th, 1740, lived to the extraordinary age of one hundred and nine years ; Margaret held the title of queen ; after travelling near* ly a century, she settled at Norwood, w T here her extraordi** nary powers in Animal Magnetism, (denominated c ^ fortune* telling" by the superficial philosophers and unlettered people,) attracted, as it does in all countries, numerous visitors of the most respectable families in the country. c \ wonderful, and to many, supernatural effects on the physiolo- gical constitution of man. The superstitious required but a sight, or even the description of a single case, to bring them 27 in the pale' of ite follower's,- Scientific &ncf pMo&Opfiicaf fe$* sooers gradually became its supporters^ and drew with them a large proportion of the less scientific? tholigh more sensible and intelligent., to worship at the shrine of this partially Oc-* cult science, the phenomenon of which, would be the fcun^ dation of n new theory f (to be raised on the ashes G-f the Mo^ saicj Copernician and Newtonian,) whose canopy would overarch cosmogony, and whose structure would elicil tte spontaneous production of Mfe* CHAPTEM II, SCONCE $f ANIMAL MAGNETISM f&tfTSt&Eff* Dction of the science in Germany'' — 'Opinions of its idiis£ and effect-^Used in the cure frf diseases-^-Jlnlony M&s^ mer, his progress in France— Commissioners of the King,- check the progress of the $cience—^Maiftcmdnc-^-his fri* nmph in England-*-- Theory M thai time-^The Church of England arrayed against the science — Divine atirU lutes of Ardmal Magnetism.' In the first discovery of this rietv science, sO'mn&rabulisfti 3 Was rare, and ^clairvoyance' 3 ' unknown. It remained for other more ingenious philosophers to discover, By repeated' experiments, the most extraordinary faculty of travelling in' spirit^ to see and communicate the situation of things thou- sands of miles distant from the body of tfe somnambulist. Enough,, however, was knofcn 1 to inspire th6 rriOst Cnthusiats- tic and Wild expectations. Its principal ufres was Curing" of diseases y tod exhibitions of its wonders, to gratify the 4 cu- rious, with lectures to instruct the uninitiatfed irf th& manipu-' lations necessary to produce ihe phen^menctav- Some' of its 28 advocates claimed for it powers of a very superior order, an; asserted it was a divine inspiration given to man for be- nevolent purposes, and to be wrested from his grasp tiic moment his object should be perverted to base and vinlicU designs on his race. Among the most fervent advocates of the science at t time, was Antony Mesmer, born at Wieler 5 in Germany. He taught publicly the doctrine; wrote several treatise s the ^cience 1 and performed many w r onderful cures by the of the magnetic fluids during an Extensive travel which he performed through Germany, Swabia, Switzerland, and Bava- ria- Wonder followed his footsteps and fame heralded his approach in advance.. He arrived at the French metropol : s in 1778, where he performed many w r onderfu! cures? tvhicli drew to the standard of Animal Magnetism thousands cf lE & 1 - k classes in the community * who embraced the doctrine in its fullest extent, and hailed the discovery of the magnetic fluid as a panacea to remove all manner of diseases,, and to renew and invigorate age. Enthusiasts in the cause were not want- ing, who claimed an immediate divine revelation for the pow- er, mid indeed the very manipulations to produce such extra- ordinary results, induced the most sober philosophers among its votaries^ to believe the whole science of Animal Magnet- ism a supernatural phenomenon. Such high pretensions in a civilized country, might well be supposed to- create opposition from those fearful of m tire perversion of the established laws and order of society. Its advocates became enthusiasts ; its opponents _ d in their demands on the civil authority to suppress St. The King's government instituted ail. inquiry into its pntdfeions md merits. The comraissior* wa* composed of fetiia of ex- 29 alted character and science, chosen from the Royal Society of Medicine, and the French Academy of Science. Dr. Franklin, then a Plenipotentiary from the United States to the French Court, was one of the commission. M. D'Es- lon, who wrote a treatise entitled, " Observations sur k Magnetisme" was a member of the Royal Academy of Medicine, and a firm disciple of Mesmer, who pronounced him a powerful magnetizer. From this gentleman the commission obtained the most of their experiments ; perhaps because of evasion on the part of Mesmer to furnish suitable opportunities for investigations. Be that as it may, the commission reported against Animal Magnetism in 1784, and the weight of their characters and decision had sufficient influence to suppress, only for a time the progress of this science in France. During Mesmer's experiments in Paris, other portions of Europe felt the influence of this mysterious fluid. The sci- ence was born and cradled in Germany, where the giant con- tinued to disseminate light, and gain converts to the faith. England furnished her share of its champions, and amonp- them was Mainauduc, whose success in healing the sick and gaining converts to Animal Magnetism, almost equalled that of Mesmer, in France. In some respects, Mainauduc was' superior ; his lectures contained more philosophical reason- ing, and were therefore more powerful in gaining converts from the scientific and philosophical opposers of the science. The following condensed summary, by Robert Southey, from the lectures of Mainauduc, is the most philosophical that I have seen, and conveys the best idea of the science as practised in the time of Mesmer, before Somnambulism and Clairvoyance were discovered in the patients under the in- fluence of the magnetic fluid. 30 ft is, likewise, more similar than any other to my theory, which accounts for and explains the last discovered phenom- enon "clairvoyance," and which led to the important results disclosed in the subsequent chapters. According to the science of Animal Magnetism at that time, 'The earth, its atmosphere, and all their productions, are only one, and each is but a separate portion of the whole, occasionally produced and received bac;; into itself for the purpose of maintaining a continual and regular rotation of an- imate and inanimate substances. An universal connexion subsists between everv particle and mass of particles of this who'e, whether they be compre- hended under the title of solids or fluids ; or distinguished by the particular ap- pellation of men, beasts, birjds, fish, trees, plants, or herbs; all are particles of the same original mass, and are in perpetual cycle, employed in the work of forming, feeding, decomposing, and again re-forming, bodies or masses. A regular attachment universally exists betwepn all particles of a similar nature throughout the whole ; and all forms composed in and of any medium of parti- cles, must be influenced by whatever effects that medium, or sets its particles in motion ; so that every form in the earth and atmosphere, must receive and partake of every impulse received by the general medium of atoms, in which, and of which, they are formed. All forms are subject to one general law ; action and re-action produce hen', some of their constituent atoms are rendered fluid by heat, and form streams, and convey into the form atoms for its increase and nourishment ; this is call- ed composition by vegetation and circulation. Circulation not only brings in particles for growth and nourishment, but it also carries off the useless ones. The passages through which these particles pass in and out, are called pores. By a pore we are to understand a space formed between every two solid atoms in the whole vegetating; world, by the liquefaction of the atom, which, when solid, filled up that space. As circulation, vegetation, and consequently animal life arise from the formation of pores, so the destruction of them must terminate every process of animal existence, and each partial derangement of porosity induces incipient destruction of the form, or what is called disease. By the process of circulation adorns of various kinds are carried in, depo- and thrown out of each pait of every form ; and every form is surrounded ami protected by an atmosphere peculiar to itself, composed oi these particles i : culating fluids, and analogous to the general atmosphere of the earth. T. the general atmosphere of the form. The solid parts of the body throw ofl :n the same manner their useless particles, but these pass off and become bli I with those of the general atmosphere of the. earth. These are called the nations of the form. Thus then earth and atmosphere are one whole, of which every form is but a part, the whole and all its parts are subject to the s laws, and are supported by action; action produces re-action; action an action produce heat; heat produces fluidity ; fluidity pr produce circulation ; circulation produces vegetation; forms: forms are composed of solids and fluids; solids produce era fluids produce atmospheres; atmospheres and emanations proi composition; total decomposition is death.; d< ' ,jrn the atoms to the general mass of re- product ion. The whole vegetating svstem is comprised in miniature in man. He IS com- posed of pipes beyond conception Qum< reus, and forme 1 oi p U R ecu B 31 which the most minute porosity admits, in every direction, the passage of atoms and fluids. The immense quantity of air which is continually passing in and out through every part and pore of the body, carries in with it such atoms as may become mixed with the general atmosphere, and these must either pass out again or stop in their passage. If they should be of a hurtful nature^ -they> injure the parts through which they pass or in which they stop ; if, on the con- trary, they should be healthy and natural, they contribute to health and nour^ ishment. Butchers, publicans, cooks, living in an atmosphere of nutritious substances, generally become corpulent, though they have slender appetites;, painters, plumbers, dyers, and those who are employed in atmospheres of per-- mcious substances, become gradually diseased, and frequently lose the use of their limbs long before decomposition takes place for their relief. Hence, it appears that the free circulation of healing atoms through the whole; form is necessary, and that obstructions of its porosity, or stoppage of iis cir- culating particles, must occasion derangement in the system and be followed by disease. To obviate this evil, innumerable conductors are placed in the bo- dy, adapted by their extreme sensibility to convey information of every impress sion to the sensorium ; which, according to the nature of the -impression or the injury received, agitates, shakes, or contracts the form to thrust forth the of-, fending cause. Thfs is Nature's established mode of cure, and the efficacy of the exertion depends on the strength of the system; but thesesaiutary efforts have been mistaken for disease. As every impression is received through one medium disposed over the whole form for that purpose, it may be asserted that there is but one sense, and that ail these impressions are only divisions of the sense of feeling.. The accuracy ci any of these divisions depends on the health of the nervous system in gene- rah This nervous or conducting system is only a portion of a much greater one, similar in its nature but far more extensive in its employment. Tnere arein the general atmosphere innumerable strings of its component atoms;, asiness of these strings is to receive and convey, from and through every pari of the atmosphere, of the earth, and of their inhabitants, whatever impulses they receive. These conductors are to be called atmospherical nerves; the- nerve? of the human body are connected with these, or rather are a part of them. Tnis is elucidated by the phenomena of sound. Theorists agree that sound is produced in a bell by the tremulous motion of its component atoms, which alternately change its shape from round to oval a million of times in one in- ; as is proved by horizontally introducing a bar_ into the aperture, which e nteracting one of the contractions, the bell splits. The conveyance of sound they account for, by saying that the atoms of the atmosphere are displaced by : ternate contractions of the bell. Place a lighted candle near the bell, and iicory is overthrown; if the general atmosphere is agitated, wind must re- hut "the flame of the candle remains steady. Let us substitute the true process. Every impression in nature has its own peculiar set of conductors; and no two sets interfere with, or impede each other. The stroke of the bell affects the nearest atom of the nerves ot sound, and runs along them in every direction. Human nerves are continuations of the atmospherical; all animated beings be- ing only as warts or excrescences, which have sprung up amidst these atmos- pherical nerves, and are permeated by them in every direction. The atmos- :al nerves of sound are parts of the auditory nerves in man ; the atmos- pherical nerves of light are continued through man to form his optic nerves ;•■ and thus the auditory and optic nerves of one man are the auditory and optio nerves of every animated being in the universe: because all are branches sent oil from the same great tree in the parent earth and atmosphere. It may be asked, what prevents the derangement of these innumerable strings, when the atmosphere is violently agitated? Aerial nerves are like those of animated bodies composed of atoms,. hut tf he atoms are inJooser con-* tact. When a ray of sunshine comes through the hole in a window-shutter, tae atoms are visible, and the hand may pass through them; but they ins! resume their situations by their attractive connection Every inanimate substance is attached >o its similar : all animate and inani- mate substances are attached to each other by every similar part in ea< their compositions; all animate beings are attached to each other hy every similar atom in their respective forms, and all these attachments are form atmospherical nerves. If two musical instruments perfectly in unison be pla- ced one at each end of the same apartment, whatever note is struck upon one wiL be repeated by the other. Martial music may be heard by a v. army in the fieid ; each note has its peculiar conductor in the general ai pnere, and each ear must be connected with the atmospherical conductor A each note; so that every note has not only its separate conductor in the at- mosphere; but also its separate conductor in every ear. We have got through the hypothesis, now to the application. The mind is the arbitrator over the bones, the muscles, the nerves, and the body in general ; and is that something which the anatomist's knife can neither dissect, discover, nor destroy. But to define wnat that something is, we must apply to the words of our Saviour, — ''It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you;" the decisions, adoptions, arid cpnim of this spirit are man's volition ; but we are not accustomed to investigate the means by which volition is exerted, nor to seek for the privilege of improving it beyond the common necessary avocations of life. Yet, if it be properly sought lor, a power of volition may be called forth in man in a far more exalted degree Elian what he now exerts; a power subordinate to a far superior one, by whom it is portioned out to individuals according to the purposes for which they exert it, and which is partially or totally recalled when neglected or abused. The accomplishment of any purpose of the Will, depends physically on the length oJ time required for its performance, ana on the undis urbed continuance of the act of volition during that time. The least interruption, or the change of the will to any other subject before the first intention is accomplished, totally des- troys the influence. This axiom is unalterable in tins new science of healing, that to produce salutary cflects the' suggestion must be pure and moral, tue at- tention steadily determined, the intention single and fixed, and volition vigor- ously exerted, continuing unvaried and unrelaxed either till the purpose is af- fected or relinquished. The atmospherical part of the human body is capable of contraction, of dis- tention, and of duection ; it may be attracted from, or distended to, any unlim- ited distance; and may be so directed as to penetrate any other form in na- ture. The rejected atoms from the fluid, and emanations from the solid parts of bodies, when rightly understood, are the only and unerring criterion by which the obstructions" and diseases of each part can be ascertained; and when judi- ciously employed, they become material instruments for the removal ot every malady. They are subject to the influence of volition ; and may be forced out of their natural course, or attracted into the pores of the operator ; and the hu- man body, which in many respects resembles a sponge, is adapted to rect such emanations and atmospheres as a skilful practitioner may propel into any part of it, and to afford them a free' passage wherever he directs them countless number of universal nerves w(nch combine with, and are regular continuations of those similar conductors called nerves in animal forms, are subject to the influence of man's /spiritual volition,' and are atrected or infl cedif we strike* one or more of 'ihem with the atoms which are continually flowing from us ; that affection is conveyed on to euch parts of the body as those conductors are attached to, and the nature and degree of the impulse ■will be according' to the nature of the intention and the energy oi the fc Horn b2 " 33 To determine the situation, nature, and extent of derangement or disease, re- course must be had to the atoms which proceed from the patient; for the re- jected atoms resemble, in their healthy or diseased qualities, the parts from which they pass. These particles of matter are so immediately subject to the influence of combined spiritual volition, that the established system by which they are mixed with the universal medium gives way during our exertion, and they follow the course which we prescribe; and whatever may be the direction or medium through which we propel them, they remain unalterably the same; and continue passive and unchanged either by distance, direction, or contract, until we withdraw that influence and discharge them from our service. To judge of the state of the part from whence these atoms proceed, they must be attracted to some part of the examiner's body, and must strike his nerves; this process is called receiving impressions or sensations from the pa- tient. Every substance in nature will afford some impression to that part of his body which the experienced examiner opposes to receive it, but professors usu- ally prefer the hands and especially the fingers. The roots of the nails most commonly announce the first impressions, because the cuticle is thinnest in that part, and the pungent emanations more readily arrive at the nerves. No part, perhaps, of this astonishing science, says the lecturer, creates more jeal- ousy among students than their susceptibility of sensations. Some enjoy that ' privilege to a great degree of accuracy, even at the first essay, whilst others are in pursuit of it for months. This difference is at first constitutional ; but when the science has produced a proper influence on the mmd and morals, the im- pressions insensibly grow into accuracy. It sometimes happens that they who are most susceptible at first, become totally deprived of that blessing until they approve themselves more worthy servants. It is essentially necessary to ren- der the process of receiving the atoms emitted from every object familiar; this will be effected by habitually seeking for them. For this purpose students should frequently receive the emanations from salt, sugar, water, fire, and in short from every substance which occurs ; by this means they soon become expert. There are two modes of examination ; the first is that which should accu- rately be attended to by newly initiated students, as it affords a catalogue of sensations which become a regular standard to judge of all diseases by, and to reduce examination to accuracy and perfection. This mode consists in oppo- sing one or both hands towards the patient. The examiner should sit or stand in an easy position, cautiously avoiding all pressure on his body or arms, lest he should suspect the impressions to proceed from that cause rather than from the disease. He should fix on some particular part of the patient, external or internal; then turning the backs of his hands, he must vigorously and steadily command the emanations and atmospheres, which passfrom that part to strike his hands, and he must closely attend to whatever impressions are produced on them. He must not permit his attention to wander from the object ; if he should, his labor is entirely lost. To render the process more steady, the eyes of the examiner should be fixed on the part to which he is attending with the unvaried intent of directing the effluent atoms towards his hands; it might naturally be supposed that his eyes should be open, but is better they were shut, as all extraneous objects are by thnt means excluded, and the porosity of the eyelids removes the idea of impediment It is perfectly immaterial what may be the distance between the examiner and the patient; the process and the im-- pressions will be exactly the same, provided he calls forth in himself the requi- site exertion. The second mode of examination is by opposing the whole body to that of the patient. In this, the operator must not seek to know where the patient is, but recollecting that all human beings are connected to each other by innu- merable atmospherical nerves, and that the whole medium in which they are placed is composed of loose atoms, he must fix his attention on the patient as if he stood before him. Thus situated, he must vigorously exert his power to 84 attract all the emanations and atmospheres proceeding from the patient to him- self. The atoms then which proceed from each particular part of the patient iu.i to the same parts of the examiner, who feels in every part of his own person whatever the patient feels in his, only in a less degree, bat always sufficiently to enable him to describe the feelings of the patient, and to ascertain the very spot in which the derangement exists, and tiie consequences resulting from it. If the examiner's attention is directed only to one particular viscus, that b viscus alone will receive information in himself; but if it be generally directed, every part of his body will give an account of its own proceedings. It is to be remarked, that fndiseased parts will not convey any remarkable impression to the examiner, as nothing results from health but gentle, soft, equable heat. The mode of healing is termed Treating;— it is a process marie use of by the operator to create, if partially obliterated, or to increase if becom< languid, the natural action and re-action in any part of the body; and to assist nature by imitating and re-establishing her own law, wuen she is become inadequate to the task. This process is the opposite to the last ; in that the examiner attract- ed the atoms from the patient to himself, but in this he must propel from himself to the patient. By a steady exertion of compound volition we . it in our pow r to propel the particles which emanate from out own body against and into whatever part of any other form we fix our intention upon, and can force them in any direction and to any distance. Tims by a continued and regular succession of particles, directed vigorously in a rapid stream against those atoms which are stopt in their passage and accumulated into a heap, we break down the impediments, push off those atoms which we detach, direct them into the circulating currents for evacuation, and save the system from all the evil consequences which its impeded functions were occasioning. This is like throwing handfuls of shot at a heap of sand in a rivulet which, as the grains of sand are separated from each other, washes them along before it. As all obstructions are not equally hard or compact, they are not all destroyed with the same facility. A single look will often prove sufficient for a recent accu- mulation of particles; for an accidental contraction or sudden distention; whereas those of a long standing and of a more serious nature demand frequent, long, and judiciously varied treatment. The general process of treatment is an influence of mind over organized mat- ter, in which organized matter is the occasional instrument. The mind should be able to perform this work without any particular motions of the body or of its extremities. But, says the professor, inexperience and the frequent disturb- ances which occur to divert the attention, induce us to adopt some mode of ac- tion; the constant repetition of which may attract, rouse, or recall the mind to :ts subject, when it becomes languid or diverted from its employment. He he adds, we generally employ our hands in the act of treating; and write, as it were, our various intentions on each part of the motions we make t or, in fact, we trace on the diseased part with our current of emanations the rious curative intentions of our mind or spirit. The pathology is soon explained. The impressions produced upon the fingers of the examiner by the stone, will be heaviness, indolence, and cold. Burns and scalds produces heavy dull pricking at first ; when inflammation place, great heat and sharp pricking, but indolent numbness from the centre. Rheumatic headach occasions pricking, numbness and creeping or \ motion; heat, if the patient be strong, cold, if he be relaxed. Inflamm sedby confined wind produces intense heat, pricking and creeping; the b< occasioned by the inflammation, the pricking by the wind, acting ag obstructed pores, and the creeping by the motion of the wind from o another. Pus communicates to the hand of the examiner such a fei i ness as we should expect from dipping the hand in it, but combined with prick- ing, from the motion which the wind^contained in it makes in its endeavors to escape. Diseased lungs make the fingers feel as if dough had been permitted §5 to dry on them, this is called clumsy stiffness. Pleurisy occasions creeping, heat, and pricking : deafness, resistance and numbness. Contracted nerves announce themselves to the examiner by a pressure round his fingers, as if "a string was tightly bound round them ; cases of a relaxed habit by a lengthened debilitated sensation; diseased spleen, or ovaries, by ^spinning in the finger-ends as if something were twirling about in them. The impression which scrofula produces upon the practitioner, is curious and extraordinary : at every motion ■ which he makes, the joints of his fingers, wrists, elbows and shoulders crack . Worms excite creeping and pinching; bruises, heaviness in the hands and numbness in the fingers. ' ' € The Modus Operandi must now be exemplified ; premising, according to the professor's words, that the operator's own emanations become for him invisible fingers, which penetrate the pores, and are to be considered as the natural and only ingredient which are or can be adapted to the removal of nervous or any other affections of the body. Instead, therefore, of lithotomy, the stone may thus he cured without danger or pain. This invisible power must be applied to the juices which circulate in the vicinity of the stone; and they must be conducted to the stone and applied to its surface, that the stone may be soaked in them for the purpose of dissolving the gum which makes the particles of sand cohere. If the hands are employed in this process, the mind must conceive that the streams of atoms, which con- tinually rush forth from the fingers, are continued on ; and lengthened out into long invisible fingers which become continuations of our natural ones ; and which, being composed of minute particles, are perfectly adapted to pass through the pores of another form ; and to be applied, as we should apply our visible fingers, to the very part On which it is intended to act. The last process is action ; by striking those very emanating particles that constitute that invi- sible elongation of the part of our own body which it is intended to employ^ whether i: be the hand, the eye, or any other part — by striking them forcibly in constant and rapid succession against the stone, the particles of sand having been rendered less : tenacious by the soaking, loosen and fall apart, and are washed out of the body by the natural evacuation. One instance more will suffice. In cases of indigestion, the sensations pro- duced by the ropy humor in the stomach are a thick gummy feel on the fingers; and when they are gently moved they meet with a slight degree of resistance. To judge of the depth of this slimy humor, the fingers must be perpendicularly dipt in it to the bottom of the stomach ; the consequence will be the impression of a circular line, as if a string surrounded each finger, marking the depth to which they had sunk. Now, to remove this derangement, the coat of the stomach must be cleared, which is done by the invisible fingers scraping all the internal surface. It follows incontrovertibly from the principles which have been advanced, that as the practitioners in this art heal diseases, so they can communicate them ; that they can give the itch by shaking with invisible hands, and send a fit of the gout to any person whom they are disposed to oblige. In England, as in other countries, the science had many opposers, and indeed what worldly or national good does not meet with opposition ? The administration of the United States under George Washington, the greatest and best, met with some opposition from the enemies of a Republican Go- vernment, and at this day, the pretended friends of our beloved 36 xountry are forming a formidable phalanx against the success- ful completion of the wise measures emanating from the chief magistrate of the nation. They even attempt to deride this most wise and consistent statesman with the epithet of u lit- tle magician," and many jealous and unprincipled politicians attribute his triumph in the Presidential Chair, to u the effect of the magnetic fluid operating on the brain of his supporter at the moment of inditing this paragraph there is borne to rny ear on the cords of the air, even the loud peans of the multi- tude reverberating the sound of the deep toned cannon, with its five hundred mouths proclaiming u glad tidings from the South," ;U good news from the West," a u triumph in Rhode- Island," a u victory in Maine," but in reality a "purchase of honest integrity" to fill up the rear-guard of " vile oppo- sition." Mainauduc had many opposers in England; the church was a formidable enemy to Animal Magnetism ; the jealous cler- gy accused him of blasphemy, and instigated the people I ) suppress the doctrine of the magnetic fluid, to prevent a rev- olution in the "legally established order of faith." To show the injustice of such accusations, I will here give an ex- tract from Mainauduc *s excellent lectures, which were pr' in a quarto volume, with his portrait, in 1798. "I flatter myself," says this pious and benevolent man, at the close of lis tures, " you are now convinced that this science is of too exalted a nature to be trifled with, or despised ; and I fondly hope that even the superficial spec which you have thus far received, has given you room to suppose it not a hu- man device held out for the sportive gratification of the idle moment, but vine call from the affectionate creating Parent, inviting his rebellious c\\\ by every persuasive, by every tender motive, to renounce the destrin t mentsef earthly influence; , and to perform the duties which he sent hit Son in the world to inculcate, as the only and effectual conditions on n\ deluded/3pirit in man should escape future punishment. The aposth ifl and accepted of those terms; disciples out of number embraced the doctl and by example, by discourse, and by cures, influenced the minds of the untl ing multitude, absorbed in sin and rioting in obstinate disobedience. \ the Almighty. Father designs to rouse his children from that indifference to 37 their impending fate, into which the watchful enemy omits no opportunity of enticing them. To lead our Saviour from his duty, the tempter showed and offered him all this world's grandeur ; — so he daily in some degree does to us. Our Saviour spurned him with contempt, and so must we. Our blessed Sa- viour, whose spirit was a stranger to sin, cured by perfect spiritual and physical innocence, and by an uninterrupted dependence on his Great, Omnipotent, Spiritual Father. He never failed. His chosen apostles cured by relinquish- ing this world and following him. We have but one example, that I can recol- lect, of their having failed ; and then Christ told them what was necessary to ensure success. The d sciples and the followers of the apostles performed ma- ny cures, but how far they were chequered by failures I am not informed. Pa- racelsus, SirKenelm Di^by, Sir Robert Fludri, and several others, experienced sufficient power in themselves to verify the words of our Saviour; but were soon deprived of what was only lent to urge them to seek for the great original cause, "Verily, verily," said Christ, "the works which I do shall ye do also; and greater works than these shall ye do, for I go unto my Father." Valen- tine Greatrakes,* by obeying the instructions imparted to him in visions, per- formed many cures ; but ceasing to look up to the source, and giving way to medical importunity, he administered drugs and couldnot expect success. Gas- ner, a moral and religious man, performed many cures ; he was shut up in a convent, through the ignorance of his superiors and superstitious blindness of the age he lived in ; thence his progress was trivia!, though his dawnings seem- ed to promise much. Mesmer pillagedt the subject from Sir Robert Fludd, and found to certainty the existence of the power : undisposed to attend to our Saviour's information, he preferred loadstones and magnetic ideas to the service of the Great Author ; and after performing several accidental cures, his magnetism and his errors shared the same fate of his predecessors. Doctor D'Elson, his partner, though a man of strong reason and impartiality, ascribed the power which he experi- enced to the physical will of man ; and after performing some cures, he fell asleep. At length, after so many centuries of ignorance, it has graciously plea- sed the Almighty Father to draw aside the veil, and disclose his sacred myste- ries to this favored generation. And when I shall be called home, it will, I hope, appear that for a bright and happy certainty of serving my God, and li- ving with my Saviour, I pointed out to you, my brethren, the Almighty's real science, and that path to Heaven whicU Christ, the only perfect and successful one of this list) left to mankind as his last testament and inestimable dying gift." Such were the pious lectures of Mainauduc, whose benev- olent services in the magnetic science, will, I hope, be justly appreciated wherever my theory! of somnambulism and * An Irish gentleman, who practised Animal Magnetism with great success ; he cured tho King's-Evil and many other obstinate cases of disease. His fame was so great, that Lord Conway sent for him to come to England, to cure a grievous headache which his amiable lady had endured for many years. t Mainauduc here speaks rather disrespectfully of his brother in science, but such feelings are common in all professions. I am in possession of much private slander circulated by the magnetizers of Providence, against their brethren in the profession. Even the clergy sometimes speak disrespectfully of a brother clergyman* particularly if he possesses a more than ordinary share of talent and fame J Vide chapter VI. 38 clairvoyance, with the result of the experiments in this coun- try to try its philosophical basis, shall become more general- ly known. CHAPTER III. A NEW ERA IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM (WITHOUT THEORY,) UNDER DELEUZE. J)e Puysegur discovers Somnambulism and Clairvoyance — Triumph of the science under JDeleuze— his history— defence of the science — Foissac cbiains a new examination of An- imal Magnetism from the Royal Society of Jlledicine — report of the Commissioners — proofs of the magnetic fluid — description of Somnambulism — Clairvoyance, its mys- terious and supernatural effects. The science of Animal Magnetism soon revived from the withering blast sent to it by the malicious report of the French King's commissioners. New facts were elicited, and new phenomena exhibited in the patients under the influence of the mysterious fluid. De Puysegur, a gentleman of great eminence in wealth and respectability, discovered and made known a few months af- ter the Commissioners' report of 17S4, the most extraordi- nary phenomena in the history of magnetical science. Somnambulism and Clairvoyance, hitherto unknown to be produced by the fluid, were by De Puysegur, discovered to form part of the science. This new phenomenon soon man if ed itself in nearly all the patients of the numerous magnetic pro- fessors in Europe, and gave to this interesting science a new force and extension, which time and unjust opposition has served to increase and expand. The French revolution re- 39 tarded its progress for a .while in that country, but it soon gained new vigor under the magical wand of Deleuze. This eminent gentleman and philosopher was bora at Sis- ieron, Lower Alps, in 1753. In 1798, he was chosen as- sistant Naturalist of the Jar din cles Plantes, at. Paris. He translated u Darwin's Lives of the Plants," in 1799, and Thompson's Seasons, in 1806. He is likewise the author of u Euxode, or Conversations on the study of the Sciences, Letters and Philosophy," and also of " Histoire Critique du Magnetisme," and u Instruction Pratique" in the same science. "In 1828, he was appointed Librarian of the Muse- um de Histoire Naturelle, and is member to many learned and philanthropic societies in Europe. His critical history of Magnetism appeared in 1813, and has probably done more .than all other works to advance the interest of this science. His cc Practical Instructions" appeared in 1825, and these two works, now translated into most of the European langua- ges, form the standard for instructive lectures and manipula- tions to all the professors of the science in Europe and Ame- rica. He dispenses with all hypothesis and theory, which makes his works infinitely more useful to the professors of the sci- ence, many of whom, I regret to say, are so unlettered as to be totally incapable of comprehending the beautiful theory taught in the time of Mesmer and Mainauduc, before the ad- dition of somnambulism and clairvoyance. The discovery of this last named phenomenon would render it impossible to maintain the science on that theory, and therefore Deleuze acted wisely to abandon all hypothesis, leaving each one to account for it as he best could, and establish the science on $he broad and sure foundation of the numerQus facts produce^ 40 ; by the manipulations and attested by the most influential and respectable witnesses.— cc> I shall -not," said Deleuze, (as re- . ported in his life by Foissac,) ." permit myself to form any theory, but will only state what has been witnessed by myself, and others worthy of credit." After giving a sketch of the history of its discovery, and various oppositions to it, he de- votes a long chapter to the examination of proofs on which the science is founded. He first lays down undisputed, correct principles of the probability of testimony, and applies them, with sound logic, to the examination of the proofs of Animal Magnetism. He shows that its effects have been attested by thousands of re- spectable witnesses, among whom are physicians, savans and enlightened men, who have not been afraid to, meet ridicule while obeying the dictates of conscience, and fulfilling a di to humanity ; that the many who have published their opinions, and the yet greater number who make their observations in silence, and content themselves with acknowledging their be- lief when questioned on the subject, have all either seen for themselves or actually produced the phenomenon of which they speak ; while among, the opposers of the science, not one can be found who has examined the subject in the only proper way, by experimenting for himself with scrupulous at- tention in exact accordance with the prescribed directions. The science, under Deleuze, gained converts from amo] the most; learned men in the Empire. Mr. Foissac, a distin- guished member of the medical faculty of Paris, readily em- braced the doctrine, and from being a skilful magnetizer him- self, wrote a memoir to the Academy of Medicine, in 1 325, inviting that learned society to make a new examination oi Animal Magnetism. His proposition was after tnucb dis< 41 sion adopted, and a commission composed of its members, Bourdois de la Motte, Fouquier, Gueneau de Mussy, Guer- sent, Itard, Leroux, Magendie, Marc, Thillaye, Husson, and Double, were appointed to conduct the experiments and re- port to the Academy. The commission spent five years with the most scrutinizing experiments, and finally, in 1831, reported unfavorable to the science, but acknowledged in the report, having seen ma- ny extraordinary and u unaccountable" facts, which w r as suf- ficient to show their prejudice and total incapability of judg- ing in a science in which the fundamental principles were above their comprehension. The respectability of the society which appointed the com- mission had some influence in retarding the rapid advances which the science was making ; but truth cannot be hid, and many Intelligent men soon saw the injustice occasioned by the report, and enlisted themselves in favor of Animal Mag- netism, w T hich is again on a triumphant march through all the civilized sections of the globe. The limits of this work will not admit the details connect- ed with the rise and progress of this science in Europe, or of giving the many thousand well attested facts which are record- ( ed in its favor on the pages of history, neither are they es- sential to my purpose; for when I treat of its progress in America, I will give the minutia of so many well authentica- ted facts, as shall leave no doubt on the minds of the most sceptical. Before entering on its rise in this country, I will give the manipulations, or mode of magnetizing, as practised by Mes- mer and Deleuze, with their followers, described by the- last named commission in their report to the sockty. 42 "The person," says the report, " who was to be magnetized was placed in the sitting position, on a convenient sofa, or upon a chair. The magnetizer, sitting on a little higher seat, before his face, and at about a foot distant, recollects himself a few moments, during which he holds the thumb of the patient, and remains in this position until he feels that the same degree of heat is established between the thumbs of that person and his own. Then he draws ofFhis hands in turning them outwards, and places them upon the shoulders for nearly one minute. Afterwards he carries them down slowly, by a sort of friction, very ii^ht along the arms, down to the extremities of the fingers, — he begins again the same motion five or six times ; it is what magnetizers call passes. Then he passes his hands over the head, keeps them there a few moments, brings them down in passing before the face, at the distance of one or two inches, to the epigastrium, where he stops again, either in bearing upon that region, or without touching it with his fingers. And he thus comes down slowly along the body, to the feet. These passes, or motions, are repeated during the greatest part of the course, arid when he-wishes to finish it, he carries them even be- yond the extremities of the hands and feet, in shaking his fingers at each time. Finally, he performs before the face and the chest some transversal motions, at the distance of three or four inches, in presenting his two hands, put near one another, and in removing them abruptly At other times, he brings near together the fingers "of each hand, and presenrsthem at three or four inches distant from the head or the stomach, in leaving them in that position for one or two min- utes; then, alternately drawing them of}', and bringing them near those par's, with' more or less quickness, he imitates the motion that we naturally execute when we wish to get rid of a liquid which met the extremity of our fingers. "These various modes were followed in all our experiments, without adhering to one rather than to the other,— often using but one, sometimes two ; and we never were directed in the choice that we made of them, by the idea that one mode would produce a quicker and better marked effect than another. The commission will not follow in the enumeration of the facts it has observed ; the order of the times when each of them was produced ; we thought it more convenient, and above all, more rational, to present them to you, classed ac- cording to the degree, more or less decided, of the magnetical action that it re- cognized in each of them." I will give a single experiment from the many reported by the commission, to prove the influence of the magnetic fluid. " The commission found among its members a gentleman who was willing to submit himself to the explosion of the somnambule ; it was Mr. Marc. Mile Celine was requested to carefully examine the state of health of our colleague : she applied her hand on his forehead, and the region of the heart.— and after three minute:, said that the blood was rushing to the head ; that Mr. Marc actually had a pain in the left side of that cavity ; that he often felt son pression, especially after his meals ; that he was often troubled with a slight couffh, that the lower part of the chest was filled up with blood; that B thing troubled the passage of the food; that the part called the region of the xiphoid (appendix,) had grown narrower; — that to cure Mr, Marc, : necessary to bleed him in an abundant manner; apply, on the inter the breast, poultices made with hemlock, and rub it with laudanum ; tu should drink lemonade, in which he should dissolve some n>im tie and often; finally, that he ought not to walk immediately ai "We longed to hear from Mr. Marc, whether he had really fell 901D- nambule had announced; he said that he had, ind< n hen he walked immediately after his meals; that he was of n troubl d with cough, and that before the experiment, he had a pain in the left side of his . but felt no difficulty in the passing down of his food.'' The present chapter, as I before remarked, sketches the era >: in which somnambulism and clairvoyance were discovered in persons under the force of the magnetic fluid, and therefore a description of those extraordinary powers would be desirable and appropriate in this place. Magnetic Somnambulism, called simply "somnambulism," when treating of this science, differs only from the common somnambulism, or sleep walking, by being the known effect of magnetic fluid directed by the manipulations which excites the phenomena ; while the common somnambulism or sleep- walking is produced by a natural sleep. Magnetic somnam- bulism, according to Beleuze,* is u an inexplicable change which occurs in the function of the nervous system^ in the play of the organs, and in the manner of receiving and transmit- ing sensation." The same author gives lucid directions for ascertaining when the patient is a somnambulist; the follow are his words: u If f your patient speaks, and to the ques- tion, Q Do you sleep? 9 answers, 'Yes;' he is a somnambulist." The same author continues, u when your somnambulist shall have given an affirmative answer to your first question, c Are ■ you asleepV you may address others to him. These ques- tions should be simple, clear, well adapted, and concise; . they should be made slowly, with an interval between them, leaving the somnambulist all the time he wishes to reflect on 'them." ' Deleuze was equally clear and explicit in all his writings on magnetism. He avoided, as I before remarked, all hy- pothesis and theory which enables his followers without much intellectual science to become parfaitement verse and hors • Vide translation by Mr. Hartshorn^ page 60. t Translation, page 63i : ' 44 de danger from the enemies of the science, who are ever try- ing to imdermine and raze to their own level the beautiful structure of Animal Magnetism, whose terrace and walls will yet form a temple in which the* goddess Panacea will ad- minister the antidote to mortality. Clairvoyance is literally clear sighteclness; it is a French word to express the faculty manifested by magnetic somnam*- bulists, of seeing with invisible eyes things at the most remote distance from the body, and hid by millions of opaque barri- ers from the sight cf persons awake. A somnambulic. Providence, for instance, would leave the body and tn (in spirit) in a few seconds to England, and after eyeing . particulars of Queen Victoria's household and dress. would relate the exact description audibly, to any person ma- king the inquiries of the lady. This property forms the n extraordinary feature in the science, and as Deleuze has given no theory of explanations, it remains unaccounted for lr his disciples in this couutry or elsewhere. It is in this particular phenomenon that I have been most successful in proving the correctness of my theory of imal Magnetism, with which, in the subsequent chapters, I will make clear as noon-day, all the previous mysteries connected with this wonderful science. CHAPTER IV. FIRST INTRODUCTION OF THE MAGNETIC SCIENCE IN AMERICA. Charles Poy en St. Sauveur lectures at Pawtucket — Triumph of the science under Poy en— new converts and disciples — - Evidences offered in support of the doctrine — its wonderful attributes — References to prove the truth of the science — Case of Clairvoyance — Case of paralyzing a limb— Effect of the will — Reading letters with invisible eyes. The first public lectures of importance on Animal Mag- netism delivered in the United States, were at Pawtucket, R. L, in the fall and winter of 1836, by Professor Charles Poyen St. Sauveur, a French gentleman of eminent* talents, and highly esteemed by all who have the pleasure of his ac- quaintance. His principal magnetic somnambulist from that time to the present, is Miss Gleason of Pawtucket, a young lady of very respectable family, possessing an amiable dispo- sition, and highly cultivated mind.f They visited Boston and Lowel, where Mr. Poyen gave a series of practical lectures, and gained many converts to the doctrine. They are, at the time of writing this chapter, in Nantucket, where he is lec- turing to a very respectable class, many of whom have be- come firm believers in Animal Magnetism. * Professor Poyen is much slandered by his brother professors, who call him "an ignor- ant old Frenchman," and the author has heard also from the mouths of the magnetic- gentlemen, that "Professor Poyen has more conceit than brains; 5 ? such remarks come with a bad grace from coadjutors in a benevolent cause. t"Envy with malicious tongue" has not spared even the sanctity of sex in this science; a professor of the magnetic fluid told the author very privately, that "Miss Gleason was a low thing, which old Poyen found working in a cotton factory at Pawtuck. et." When will people learn to sneak respectfully of superior accomplishments? 4G Mr. Poyen may justly be considered the father of the science in this country ; he translated the u report on Mag- netical Experiments" by the Royal Academy of Medicine, and by the many extraordinary facts produced in his instruct- ive lectures and experiments, he has not only gained hun- dreds of converts from among the most scientific and res- pectable families in the country, but he has likewise enabled many gentlemen by his instructions to become professional magnetizers, with even more powerful magnetical powers than himself; several of his disciples in Providence are acknowl- edged by all those capable of judging, to be stronger mag- netizers than Mr. Poyen, who has expressed the same opin- ion in relation to two or three of them. Poyen himself, and all the professors in this country, are perfect followers of Deleuze, who they take for a guide in all their manipulations and experiments, and who they quote as authority in all cases of technical dispute. Like Deleuze. y have no hypothesis or theory, and in exhibiting the phe- nomena of the science, they oiler it as a wonderful property in the physiological constitution of man, u exhibiting i brighter light than any ether the moral power and divine- origin of man, giving a new life to the religious principle* and furnishing unconquerable weapons to Christianity against ma- terialism^ which is already triumphant in some parts of the civilized world — opens a new and broad field to physchoUh gical speculations, that seemed nearly exhausted by the bars of the preceding ccnturicr — creates a iu > pathological investigation — settles therapeutic* hitherto unknown to the medical world — enlarges and so much the domain of physiology, that wt , the difications operated on it as C * Poyen'a introduction. 47 are a few of the attributes of this interesting science, which now claims for its supporters a large share of the intelligent men of the country. In the city of Providence alone, there are six professors of the science; they studied under profes- sor Poyen, and are now equally or better magnetizers than their instructor; each professor has one or more subjects, who are particularly under the influence of their magnetical power. Professor Wayland, president of Brown Univer- sity, has embraced the doctrine. Thomas C. Hartshorn, of Providence, a gentleman eminent in learning, is not only a firm disciple of Deleuze, but he has likewise translated and published Deleuze's u Practical Instructions in Animal Mag- netism," which the people of this country will highly appreci- ate. Mr. Hartshorn accompanies the translation with many remarkable facts produced by the professors of the magnet- ical science in Providence ; at the conclusion of the work he says : " The magnetizers in this city (Providence,) have been very accommodating to strangers, and men distinguished in the professions. Hundreds of them have had every facility of investigation, when they have appeared to be guided by a philosophical spirit, and not by vain curiosity. A list of a few whom the trans- lator recollects, is here presented, to enable their townsmen to find out from their own lips, ' whether these things be so.' A more extended one will be pre- pared at the end of the volume, which will be comprised in three parts, each with an appendix paged by itself. An index to the whole will be published in the last. A second edition of the volume, if called for, shall have a re-arrange ment of the matter in the notes. Joseph T. Allen, Norfolk, Vir.; Wm. Wadsworth, Philadelphia; Dr. Joshua B. Flint, Ephnam L. Frothingham, Wm. B. Bradford, Boston; Thomas B. Mitchell, James G. Whitaker, Mobile; W. P. Rathbone, Augusta, Geo.; Thos. Burgess, Jun. New Orleans; Professors Potter and Yates, Union College; Dr. Brownell, East-Hartford; Major Lomax, U. S. Army; Rev. James W. Cooke, Col. Stone, Abner Jones, New-York; Bishop Brownell, Hartford, Con.; Rev. Francis Wayland, Sen., Saratoga, N. Y. ; Professor D'Wolf, Castleton, Vt. Hunt, Esq., Rev. A. Kauffman, Charleston, S. O.j Rev. Dr. Brazer, Salem, Mass.; Rev. Henry Colman, Deerfield, Mass.; Rev. Mr. Elliott, St. Louis, Mo.; Rev. John A. Clarke, Philadelphia ; Rev. F. H. Hed^e, Bangor, Me.; Rev. Benj. Kent, Roxbury, Mass. ; John Taylor, Newark, N. J." The newspapers of the country have been nearly a year making known the extraordinary phenomenon produced by the magnetic fluid in Pawtucket and Providence. Mr, Harts- 48 horn, in his work, has collected several of these well authen- ticated facts. The following are from his book : "A child about nine years of age, attending the school of Miss Snow, in this city, (Providence,) was about a month ago, during an intermission, found to be asleep in the school-room. One of the young scholars came and gave infor- mation. Mis3 Snow and others tried to rouse her, but not succeeding, they became alarmed. A young medical student, a son of Commodore John Orde Creighton, being called in, soon perceived that she was in a magnetic sleep. A little girl about ten years old, immediately burst into tears. It was evident that she (Jane Ball,) had done it ; but she was so much terrified at the result of the mischief, that Miss Snow called her into another room, soothed her distress, and told her she need not be frightened ; she had only to go to Anne, and ask her to wake up. This was done. She merely spoke to her, and she came out of her magnetic state, with that smile upon her visage which is peculiar to those who are gently roused from it. The child bad been, once before, and only once, put into the somnambulic state. It was effected in about five minutes, by a lady who had never before tried her hand at this. business.* I learn these particulars from Mr. Benjamin Cozzens, and Mr. Joseph Balch, Jr. Dr. *** of this city, informed me that one of his daughters, seven years of a^e, put her little sister, between two and three years of age, into a deep mag- neticsleep, so that her mother could not rouseher. Sometime afterwards she was very eager to experience the effect again, and cried because she was not permitted to be magnetized. An instance occurred of one boy's putting another into the same state, which was related to me by an eyewitness of the fact. It took place in This ciiy.' ; A very extraordinary case of clairvoyance was evinced by Miss Parker, who is a magnetic subject of Dr. Brownell, a very eminent physician, and professor of animal magnetism at Providence; the description of this case has appeared in many of the newspapers, within the past three months, and excited much interest ; the particulars below are furnished by Dr. Brownell to Mr. Hartshorn. "The patient lived more than a quarter of a mile from my house. I requested a somnambulist, then at my house, to see if she could find such a man, at the * M An instance of the power of magnetizing without manipulation, ami causing sleep at the first trial, is afforded in the case of a woman, who. being in a nervous stale, put to sleep for thefhst time by her husband, in rhe course of fifteen m i n utes, without her knowing any thing of his intention ; she sitting at one part of the room, and he in another. When she was asleep, he went into an ad jo: nine room out ofhercKr and taking down a book, began to read it. After being sometime in thi she was awakened. She related correctly what he had done, and t\ .sual proofs of clairvoyance. The gentleman is a resident of this city, a friend of mim whose veracitv I can depend." c3 49 same time pointing out to her the situation of the house, which was not in sight from the room where we continued all the time. She saw him. On be- ing asked in what room, she replied, in the third room back from the street. She was then requested to describe the situation of the furniture in it, in order to discover whether she had got into the right place, and whether her clairvoy- ance might be trusted to at that time ; she described it ve.*y exactly. I then told her my patient had been sick a long time, and desired her to ex- amine him and tell what the disease was. She said, 'He looks so bad, I do not like to do it.' I replied, 'Never mind that ; it looks bad to you, because you have not been accustomed to looking at the interior of a body.' As I supposed him to be affected with a diseased liver, and with indigestion arising from a diseased state of the stomach, I asked her to look at the stomach to see if that was diseased; she answered, 'No.' Is the liver diseased 1 ' No.' Well, examine the whole intestinal canal, and see if there is any disease there. 'I do not see any, said she. Examine the kidneys. ' Nothing is the matter with them.' Not knowing what other part to call her attention to, I requested her to look at every part of him. After some little time, she says, ' His spleen is swelled ; ids enlarged.' His spleen ! said I ; when we speak of a person who is spleeny, we suppose he has an imaginary complaint. What do you mean ? She said, ' The part called the spleen, is enlarged. 5 How do you know it is enlarged? 'It is a great deal larger than yours.' Do you see mine ? ' Yes.' How large is his spleen ? 'It is,a great deal longer and thicker than your hand.' I then asked her to put her hand where the spleen is situated. She imme- diately placed her hand over the region of the spleen. I then asked her what the shape of the stomach was : she replied that it was like a flower in the garden. I was not acquainted with that flower, and do not recollect the name she gave to it. I then requested her to recollect all about this, saying I wished to talk with her about it when she awoke. After she came out of the somnambulic state, she was asked whether she remembered having examined the sick person. She remembered it. What part did you tell me was diseased? After a little consideration, she replied, 'I believe I told yon the spleen is enlarged.' How came you to call it the spleen ? 'I do not know.' Did you ever hear any description of the internal organs, or see any plates of thorn? ' No. ? Should you know the plate representing the stomach, if you were to see it? ' I think I should if it looked like it.' I will go into the library and bring out some plates, to see whether you know the in lorn a 1 organs. While I was gone into the library, she said to a lady present, 'Every once in a while I saw fluids pass from his stomach into his bowels. 5 On returning with the volume of plates, in order to ascertain whether she really distinguished the different organs, I showed her a plate somewhat resem- bling the stomach, and asked her if that was what she saw for the stomach? She said, 'No.' Turning to several plates in succession, she declared that neither of them resembled the stomach. Then turning to the true plate, as if accidentally, while throwing open the leaves, intending to pass it by unless she noticed it, she immediately cried out, 'That's it. that's what I saw for the stomach.' 50 I then conversed with her in relation to the other vise ra ; and she gave a very correct description of them, as she had done in her sleep. I asked her if she had conversed upon the subject, or seen any plates of the internal organs. She declared she never had. Seven days after this, the patient was taken more seriously ill, and died on Saturday, the third day following. On Monday, a post-mortem examination took place; previous to which I invited all the physicians whom I could find in the city. Eighteen persons were present, of whom sixteen were physicians. I then stated all the particulars of the examination by the somnambulic patient; and requested the physicians to examine the body to see it they could discover the diseased spleen from external examination. They, with one voice, declared they could not. I then opened the body, and, to the utter astonishment of the physicians present, found the spleen so enlarged as to weigh fifty -seven ounces. Its usual weight is from four to six ounces. No other disease was perceptible, except a general inflammation, which no doubt came on about three days before his death." The magnetizers have likewise the power of paralyzing the limbs or any part of the patient, by directing the fluid through that particular part alone. The Rev. Daniel Greene, of Pawtucket, a professor of the science, possesses that power in a very extraordinary degree. Mr. Thomas H. Webb, editor of the Providence Journal, has made known a very extraordinary case of that kind, which he witnessed in a young lady at Pawtucket, who was magnetized by Mr. Greene. Another interesting phenomenon produced by the magnetic fluid, is the power of impressing the somnambulist's mind with the will of the magnetizer ; they can, for instance, will a knife, or pen, to be a water-melon, and the somnambulists will take it, put it to their mouths, and express their like, or dislike of the taste ; I have witnessed many interesl periments of this kind, which w T ill be related in the sub quent chapters. Two very extraordinary cases of clairvoyance are related by Col. Stone, in the N. Y. Commercial Advertiser, of the 4th Sept.; the Col. was previously an unbeliever in the science, and how far he is become a convert to the faith) I leave the reader to judge, from reading the following narrat from his pen : 51 "Animal Magnetism, — We have had our time and times of laughing at animal magnetism. We shall laugh at it no more. There is something awfully mys- terious in the principle, beyond the power of man to fathom or explain. Being in Providence on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, the 26th, 27th, and 28th of August, an opportunity was afforded us of seeing and taking part in a series of experiments, with a young blind lady, while under the magnetic influence, the results of which were not only marvellous in our eyes, but absolutely astound- ing. The exhibition was not public, and the parties were all people of the first respectability, professional and otherwise. Having heard much upon the sub- ject, and disbelieved all, the experiments were made before a private circle of ladies and gentlemen, at our own urgent solicitation. We have written a narrative of the circumstances, comprising some fifty or sixty pages of foolscap ; and we venture to say, that nothing hitherto published upon that subject, is so wonderful by far, as the facts of which we were wit- ness — all of which we saw and part of which we were. We shall publish our narrative, on taking it to Providence for examination, provided we can obtain permission of the parties— who have hitherto avoided publications, or public exhibitions. One surprising incident we will mention. On Sunday, while we were in Providence, a small package was received from Mr. Stephen Covill, of Troy, containing, as he wrote to his friend, a note, which he wished Miss B. to read* while under the magnetic influence, without breaking the seal, if she could. Mr. C. had been induced to try this experiment, in consequence of having heard of extraordinary performances of this kind— which, of course, he doubted. The package, or letter, was evidently composed of several envelopes. The outer one was composed of thick blue paper. On Sunday evening, Miss B., who, it must be borne in mind, when awake, is blind, was put into a magnetic slumber, and the letter given to her with instructions to read it. She said she would take it to bed with her, and read it before morning. On Monday morn- ing, she gave the reading as follows : — * No other than the eye of Omnipotence can read this, in this envelope nient.— 1837.' We made a memorandum of this reading, and examined the package con- taining, as she said, the sentence. She said, then, on Monday morning, that there were one or two words between the word 'envelopement' and the date, as we understood her, which she could not make out. We examined the seal with the closest scrutiny. The seal of Mr. Covill was unbroken, and to turn the letter, or to read it without opening, with human eyes, was impossible. After our return to the city, viz. on Wednesday last, we addressed a letter to Mr. Covill, to ascertain whether the reading of the blind somnambulist was correct. The following is his reply : — Troy, Sept. I, 1837. Dear Sir— Your' s of yesterday I received by this morning's mail, and as to your inquiry relative to the package submitted to Miss B. while under the mag- netic influence, I have to say, the package came to hand yesterday. The sentence had been written by a friend, and sealed by him at my request, and in such a manner as was supposed could not have been read by any human de- vice, without breaking the seal. We think the seals have not been broken until returned. The sentence as read by Miss B. is : — l No other than the eye of Omnipotence can read this, in this envelopement— 1837.' And as written in the oirginal, on a card, and another card placed on the face of the writing, and enclosed in a thick blue paper envelope, was : 'No other than the eye of Omnipo- tence can read this sentence^ in this envelope.^ Troy, N. York, August, 1837.' Respectfully, yours, &c. STEPHEN COVILL. P. S. — We have just received a note from Providence, with permission to> publish our own narrative. But as it is very long, and equally complex, and 52 wonderful, we shall first take it to Providence, for the examination of those who were present on the occasion, our aim being scrupulous exactness. Wc also left a note for the blind lady to read, sealed with seven seals. We have received it this morning, the seals unbroken, with the answer written on the outside. This answer is correct, as far as it goes. We were in great haste at the time of preparing the note, and having the odd title of a queer old book in our pocket, printed in small Italic letter, we wrote a part of the note with a pencil, and stuck on two and a half lines of the small Italic printing, with a wafer. The note, written and printed, as we left it, was in these words : — ' The following is the title, equally quaint and amusing, of a book which was published in England, in the time of Oliver Cromwell .-.—Eggs of Charity layed by the Chickens of the Covenant, and boiled by the waters of Divine love. r Vake ye and cat.'' The following is the answer, sent by Miss B through an intimate friend : — ' The following is a title, equally amazing (or amusing) and quaint, of a book published in England in the time of Oliver Cromwell : — ' 'Eggs of Charity—' 'Miss B. does not know whether the word is amazing or amusing. Something is written after the 'eggs of charity,' which she cannot make out.' Thus much for the present. We make no comments. What we know to be true, we fear not to declare. Facts sustained by the evidence of our own senses, we trust we ever shall have the boldness to publish. In regard to our narration, it is alike wonderful and inexplicable: As Paulding's black witch in Koningsmarke, says — ' I've seenwhat Vxeseen — I know what I know. ' " Many such facts have been witnessed in this country with- in the past year, and could be attested by the most respecta- ble citizens, who were eye witnesses of the facts, and are men of veracity, who are eminent in learning, in science, and in piety. But I will not enlarge on the sphere of marvellous phenomena ; enough, I trust, has been given to show the deep root which the science of Animal Magnetism has struck in the soil, to be nourished by the moist breath of credulity, until its overshadowing branches shall smother the weak plant of rea- son, which truth fails to sustain when unaided by light. CHAPTER V. THE AUTHOR'S FIRST EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNET- ISM IN THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. Author's opinion of the science — a branch of Electricity — Introduction to professor Andros — his history — Somnam- bulic sleep — extraordinary cases of Clairvoyance — J\lrs. Andros, her history — first experiment in New-York — ■ wonderful effects on the brain of the Author — falls in a magnetic sleep — Reverie — Poetically inspired — Solilo- quy — resolves on mighty deeds. Before disclosing the theory which is to initiate the rea- der into the arcana of Animal Magnetism, I will first relate the circumstances that led to its discovery, and likewise give the previously conceived opinions and expressions in regard to this science, before I had an occular demonstration of its ef- fects on the physical and physiological constitution of man. In the narration, I will endeavor to be a faithful historian, and present the facts in the order in which they occurred. In the discussion of Animal Magnetism with a number of gentlemen the past summer, I stated that I had never seen an experiment; but from what I could learn of the manipulations from the works published on the subject, and description given by those wiio had witnessed the effects produced by them, I considered it a mere branch of electricity, aided by terror on the brain, producing a mere drowsiness without somnambulism or clairvoyance, and the whole too insignificant to take a rank as a new science, under the appellation of Ani- mal Magnetism. I explained how electricity could be collected from the at- mosphere by the hairs and clothes of one person and trans- 54 mitted to another person less hairy, (or whose clothing was not so good a conductor of the fluid) by the manipulations used in producing magnetic sleep. It is a known fact, that gradual and moderate port'ons of electricity, transmitted from the common electric machine to a person, will cause a drowsiness for a short time ; and I explanation satisfied all present except one gentleman, (pro- fessor Arlington,) who said he had seen repeated experiments in Animal Magnetism, in which the somnambulist was so per- fectly asleep, that the dismemberment of a limb cculd awake her ; and he had known them to go (in spirit) remote- distances, and relate the accurate description of things, whi when awake, they had no conception of. This gentleman further stated, thathe had produced the phenomena a number of times in Boston, in presence cf many scientific physici. whom he convinced of the reality of the sleep. He is the author of a series of articles in favor of Animal Magneth which recently appeared in the N. Y. Herald, and like the professors of the science, he asserts the phenomena to facts, yet says they cannot be accounted for by any known laws of the universe. Feeling very little disposition, at that time, to argue against such absurd doctrines, I proposed to give him or any pro sor of the art, five hundred dollars,. if they would put me to sleep with the magnetic fluid, or put any other person so that I could not awake them; or the same sum if any som- nambulist would tell the contents of a trunk in my poss He declined, in consequence, as he said, of not wis take my money, but promised to show me an experinn which he has thus far failed to accomplish. Mr. James W. Hale, of the News Room, v. :u at 55 this conversation, and meeting him a short time afterwards, he told me, that at his boarding-house, (Varick House, Broad- way,) there were many gentlemen from Providence, firm believers in Animal Magnetism, and who related so many ex- traordinary stories in relation to facts produced by the mag- netic fluid, that he was induced to mention my conversation with professor Arlington, and he thought they would take up my offer of five hundred dollars, to produce the phenomena of magnetic somnambulism. The same week, I again met Mr. Hale, who told me that Mr. William Andros, of Pro- vidence, a professor of the science of Animal Magnetism, had arrived w T ith his lady, at the Varick House, with the avowed purpose of lecturing on the science, to the citizens of New- York. That out of nearly one hundred visitors at the house, there was but two (himself and Mr. Whitlaw) who were un- believers, and dared to oppose the arguments of the others in favor of the science — that he had made up his mind from my expressed opinion, that there w r as nothing in the science wor- thy of credit, and yet from hearing so many intelligent men from Providence say they had seen and believed it, he be- gan to doubt his previously conceived opinion, and feared I might be mistaken, and would lose the money if offered to Mr. Andros. I assured him that my opinion was founded on a careful investigation of the known laws of Nature, and that if I should be mistaken in my opinion, I would pay the five hundred dollars as freely as .1 would pay for a dinner, be- cause they would receive the money only by producing a phenomenon, which I suppose could not exist according to the known laws of Nature, and which, if it did exist, it was now time for me to know it, and such fact would be well worth five hundred dollars, as additional information to my small amount of knowledge. 56 It may be well here to give a synopsis of the magnetic fame of Mr. and Mrs. Andros. Mr. Andros was born at Plainfield, Conn., 1806. He has resided some years in Providence, where he kept an extensive flour store, and is now a manufacturer of various kinds of varnish ; he is highly respected, and possesses a good education, having taught a district school in Rhode Island for several years previous to commencing mercantile business in Providence. Mr. An- dros was an unbeliever in the science, even after the first ex- periment, which he witnessed at Pawtucket, by professor Poyen and Miss Gleason ; after the second experiment, which he witnessed at the same place, he became a convert and firm believer in the doctrine of Animal Magnetism. From his own description, he could think of nothing else, and de- sired to talk of nothing else, from being so completely capti- vated by the strange supernatural facts which he witnessed in the public lectures of Poyen and Miss Gleason. Mr. Andros was naturally fond of company, and in his usual afternoon ride in his chaise, he preferred some one to accompany him, but now he had no desire for company, he preferred being alone, and rode out alone to philosophize on this wonderful science. New converts were daily increasing the excite- ment, and among the new professors was Mr. Americus Potter, a highly respectable .manufacturing jeweller of Providence, who from attending Poyen 's lectures, became infatuated, and trying the power, which Poyen says every person contains within himself, he succeeded in magnetizing one or two per- sons in Providence. Professor Potter next essayed, by re- quest of Mr. Andros, to magnetize his lady, (Mrs. Amelia An- dros,) and succeeded, after the fifth trial, to place her in a pro- found magnetic sleep. Mr. Andros then concluded he could do 57 it likewise, and at the second trial, succeeded in producing somnambulism in Mrs. Andros, and kept her asleep half an hour ; he awoke her and tried it again ; she was perfectly under the control of his magnetic power ; from this time, he neglected his business to give private experiments to many gentlemen, who came to see from a great distance, attracted by the magnetic fame of Mrs. Andros, who is a highly ac- complished lady, of a most respectable family. She is the daughter of Col. George R. A. Oiney, owner and conductor of a very extensive cotton manufactory at Dighton, Massa- chusetts. Judge Durfee, attracted by the fame of Mrs. A., came from Newport to see her. While in magnetic sleep, Judge Durfee was put in magnetic communication, and ask- ed many questions about Newport, which she answered cor- rectly, to the astonishment of all present. He asked her the time by the court-house clock, at Newport, (it was then nine in the evening,) she answered "the clock don't go." Are you sure ? u Yes." How do the hands stand ? "Half past six." The clock had been taken down the day previ- ous, and the hands left at half past six. This made converts of Judge Durfee and all present, w T ho were previously unbe- lievers. In May or June last, Capt. Childs, of steam-boat Narra- gansett, on going to Boston with his family, told Mr. Andros he would stop at the American Hotel, in Hanover street, and at nine o'clock in the evening, desired Mr. Andros would ask Mrs. Andros in magnetic sleep, about his family in Boston. She was put asleep about ten, and went (inspirit) to Boston, described Capt. Childs in a parlor, with three gentlemen, and Mrs. Childs in the second story of another house, trying to put her baby to sleep. From the description of the build- 53 ing, the company judged Mrs. C. in the New England Cof- fee House. On the return of Capt. Childs, he confirmed all the important particulars described by her. He had been unable to procure lodgings at the American House, and there- fore went to the New England Coffee House ; he himself, at about ten, was in the parlor of another house with three gentlemen. At another time, Capt. Childs sent her (in spirit) to the Transportation Company Ware House, in New York, which she described quite to his satisfaction. At another time, Mr. Thomas C. Hartshorn, (author the translation of Deleuze's practical instructions,) was put in magnetic communication with Mrs. Andros ; he sent her (in spirit) to the house of Nathan Hastings, at Cincinnati. She described the house, furniture, &c, and said one young lady was not well ; u something like froth is on her liver ; it does not look like the healthy liver of Mr, Hartshorn." cc Shall I scrape it off ?" u JVo, that ivould kill her, but I think an emetic ivould be good for her, and I think Animal M netism would help her." The young lady, Miss Hast* is known to have a consumption, and Mr. Hartshorn has written to Cincinnati, to ascertain from Mr. Hastings how far the other particulars are .correct, and unquestionably answer from Mr. Hastings will confirm all the other particu- lars. As many as thirty gentlemen were in the roc; time of this experiment, among whom was William V» worth, Esq., firm of Charles P. Massey & Co., ( sion Merchants, of 27 South wharf, Philadelphia. Mr. \Y . was put in magnetic communication, and said, Cw on turn from Cincinnati, stop at my house, No. Square, Philadelphia ;" she did so, and describe 59 furniture, &c. He then said u do you see a dog ?" " Yes, I have just passed a black dog in the entry." u Has he any- white about him ?" u Yes, some ivhite under the neck and on the side, and a rope around his neck." Mr. Wadsworth said that the answers were remarkably correct : he knew nothing about the rope on the neck of the dog, but as he had been absent some days, it was probable that hehad been tied to escape the vengeance of the city law, and perhaps broke loose. Mr. Andros next presented her many bank bills ; she told most of them correctly, by placing them to the epi- gastrium, where she sees with the invisible eyes. Mr. A. next put into her hands a letter, which Mr. Wadsworth gave him — she said u this is not a bank note." " What is it then ?" u A letter." u Can you read the superscription?" c c Yes, it is directed to Mr. Wm. Wadsworth, Boston, and it is from a lady." " What lady ?" " / think it is from the lady I have just seen in Philadelphia." " Why do you think so ?" u Because it looks like her." From the ex- periments of that evening, most of the gentlemen present became converts. Mr. George Smith, engraver, firm of Terrey, Pelton & Co., Boston, was, at another time, put in magnetic commu- nication with Mrs. Andros, who went (in spirit) to his house, and described the furniture quite to his satisfaction. At another time, Mr. John Hartshorn (brother of Thomas C. Hartshorn,) merchant, of Boston, was put in magnetic communication with Mrs. Andros, who described his furni- ture, house, &c, to his entire satisfaction. Professor Ware, of Cambridge College, was put in mag- netic communication, and sent her (in spirit) to the College, which she described correctly and satisfactorily. Professor CO Ware remarked, that he had seen Poyen and Miss Gleason, who was "nothing compared with Mrs. Andros." Mr. Gladding, merchant, of Providence, at another time, sent her (in spirit) to the Varick House, New York, from which house he had just returned, and asked her to describe it, which she did to his satisfaction. She said there were two musical instruments in the parlor, " and there is a beau* tiful picture in the parlor near the piano." " Does it lay on the floor, or hang up?" " Neither, it stands on the floor and is uery large." It is a fact, that a very large por- trait of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, had been received that morning, and was standing on the floor. Mr. Andros is acknowledged to have very great magnetic power ; he, at one time, caused magnetic sleep in Miss Amy Hauze, aged 17, daughter of Gen. Joseph Hawse, of Provi- dence ; this sleep lasted three fourths of an hour ; it occur- red at Gen. Hawse's, before a large company, none of whom could wake her. He likewise caused partial sleep in Miss Sarah Hawse, so that she could not open her eyes ; also in Miss Elizabeth Adams, aged 17 years, of Warwick, so that she could not open her eyes or talk ; also in Miss Spaulding of Providence, formerly of Plainfield, Conn. The effects in this case were much the same as those exhibited by Miss Adams ; he also put in magnetic sleep, Mrs. Harris, of Smithfield. Mrs. H. is also a daughter of Gen. Hawse, and the experiment was at his house. Mr. Andros at first de- clined, on account of having a severe headache, saving if lie succeeded, Mrs. Harris would be left with a headache : he succeeded, kept her asleep half an hour, and she awoke with the severest headache she ever experienced. The foregoing history of Professor Andros, is from note- 61 of conversation held with that gentleman, whose well known veracity* precludes possibility of doubt, and it is but a small part of what could be given in support of his magnetical pow- ers. I have heard many Providence gentlemen, among whom are two eminent professors of magnetic science, declare Mrs. Andros to be the best magnetic somnambulist in this country. Mr. Andros, on coming to New York, brought letters of in- troduction and recommendation from Professor Brownell, M. D., Thos. C. Hartshorn, professor of languages, Thos. Doyle and Randall H. Greene, of Providence^ also from Abner Jones, of New York, and John Hartshorn, of Bos- ton. From my subsequent knowledge, derived from exper- iments with the various somnambulists, I do not hesitate to say, that Mrs. Andros is the best of all the magnetic som- nambulists in this country. I will now resume the history of my own personal expe- rience. On Sunday, 13th August, Mr. Hale called at my house ; said the many advocates of Animal Magnetism had induced him to say perhaps too much against it; that he had told them it was a deception, and that the refusal to accept of my offer was sufficient proof against the sincerity of its professors ; and, continued he, u in the overwrought excitement, I re- peated your offer to make them a present of five hundred dollars, if they would produce the facts which you required of Mr. Arlington ; at which, Mr. John C. Dodge, of Dodge- ville, R. I. drew from his pocket book one hundred dollars * Professor Andros, like all men of great talents, floes not escape his share of scandal. More than one of his brother professors have told me privately that he had the phreno- logical b U rnp denominated " stretching of things." From my own personal observa- tion, lam satisfied that the said bump is not more strongly developed in Mr. Andros than in some of the other professors of the magnetical science. 62 and offered it as a bet against an equal sum, to be deposited by you, that Mr. Andros could put Mrs. A. so perfectly asleep by the magnetic fluid, that no means (which a gentle- man would not deem disgraceful) could awake her ;" and, continued Mr. Hale, in his narration to me, u I fear your unbelief may be founded in error, for you will be satisfied when you see Mr. Andros that he is sincere in his belief, and too honest and open in his character to practise deception; and many of the boarders at the house are gentlemen well known for veracity, who would not be guilty of any decep- tion, and yet say they have seen repeated experiments at Providence, in which the somnambulists have told the most wonderful facts, which could not have been known to any in the room." I called the following day, (Monday,) at the Varick House, where I saw Mr. Dodge, and gave one hundred dollars to meet the bet made by Mr. Hale. Mr. Dodge said he was sure of winning the money, but did not offer the bet with a desire of gain. He said, he was firmly convinced of the reality of Animal Magnetism, and no person on earth could convince him to the contrary. He added, that he himself had caused the magnetic sleep in his wife's sister, a young lady at his house ; it occurred in presence of a h party at his house, and was so unexpected to him as to fright- en himself and others at the effect produced. The circum- stances in relation to the case were these : u A professor of the science was present, and tried to i netize the young lady, when he, in a joke, said \ Eliza, let me try, I think that I can put you asleep ;' he comment by using the usual manipulations, and she fell into a m sleep, from which she could not be roused by strong D 63 horn, or pinching, shaking, or tickling with a feather ;"and, continued he, u after witnessing such facts with my own eyes, you nor any other person can persuade me that Mr. Andros (who is acknowledged to be the best magnetizer in Provi- dence,) cannot produce a magnetic sleep, from which you cannot arouse the sleeper." Mr. Dodge is a very extensive manufacturer of domestic dry goods, in Dodgeville ; he is of undoubted veracity, and by all accounts from others, and from my own observations, possesses a good share of good sound sense on all subjects? except the magnetic science. There was present, Mr. Peter F. Ewer, a highly respect- able shipping merchant, of Nantucket ; he, I learned, was ready to bet thousands of dollars that Mr. Andros could pro- duce all that was asserted of the magnetic fluid. Mrs. Andros complained of ill health, in consequence of sea-sickness on the voyage from Providence, and therefore we found some difficulty in arranging a time for the experi- ment ; two days elapsed, when it was decided to choose an umpire, who might decide when she should be in suitable health for the trial. The two last named gentlemen and my- self called on Dr. Cheesman, who consented to serve as umpire. On returning to the hotel, a new difficulty arose, in regard to what should be considered a ivake up. Mr. Dodge asked, if the moving of the eyelids from a noise made with the hands would be considered waking up. I told him most assuredly, I would consider it so, because the magnetic pro- fessors asserted that dismemberment of a limb would not be felt by the patient ; and therefore, if a sudden noise made by the hands should cause her to move the eyelids or head, it ought to be considered a wake up, as that was all that could 64 be produced in a person who feigned sleep ; but that I would waive my opinion on that point, and leave it entirely with the umpire to say if she was awake. He said he would not consider that a wake up, and was fearful that Dr. Cheesman might be prejudiced against the science, and decide her to be awake from such a trifling motion of the eye, which would not alter his opinion of the sleep ; and in case of such a de- cision, it would be prejudicial to Mr. Andros, who came to convince the New Yorkers of the reality of this science by public lectures, that might be profitable to him. Mr. Dodge started another objection ; he wished to know if I was pre- pared to make the present of five hundred dollars in case she could not be waked up. I told him no, and for the simple reason, that the preliminaries of the experiment were not what I required to merit the five hundred dollars. First, he would allow only thirty minutes to wake her up, whereas I required at least one hour, to try some experiments, which required that time to perform; and secondly, he would allow only Mr. Hale, and not me, to try the experiment of waking; and as he would not perform any of the things required of Mr. Arlington, I did not feel in honor bound to do any thing more than comply with the bet made between him and Mr. Hale. Mr. Dodge said, u under such circumstances, he felt reluctant to have Mr. Andros perform the experiment, as he had told him he w T as to receive five hundred dollars, as a gratuity, in case of success." 1 then gave him liberty to withdraw his stakes, provided he would shew me a private experiment, in which I would not try to awake her, and I promised if I was convinced of the reality of the deep, to use ray influence in recommending Mr. Andros to the pub- lic. This was acceded to, the bet was withdrawn, and being d2 65 now at the Varick House, we repaired to a private parlor, for a private experiment in Animal Magnetism. There were present, John^C. Dodge, of Dodgeville, Peter F. Ewer, of Nantucket, James W. Hale, of New York, Mr. and Mrs. Andros, and myself. Mrs. Andros was seated in a rocking chair, and Mr. An- dros in a chair about eight feet from her, commenced the process of magnetizing. He remarked, what I had before understood, that after two or three trials, it was not necessary to use the manipulations with the same patient ; the will alone, aided by k steady look of the eye, was sufficient to produce the magnetic sleep. He fixed his eyes steadily on hers, and with much evident straining of his eye-bails, she fell into a magnetic sleep in about two minutes. Her eyes were closed, and being naturally of a sallow complexion, she had a death- like appearance. He approached her, extended his hand and hers raised to meet it ; he spoke to her, asked if she was easy ? u Fes." Are you perfectly asleep ? u Fes." I spoke to her ; she gave no answer. Mr. Andros remarked, she cannot hear any one unless in magnetic' communication, and could not even hear a gun if fired by her ear. She com- plained that the light hurt her eyes. Mr. Andros remarked, it was usual for her to make such complaints, and folded a dark handkerchief, which he tied over her eyes. Mr. Ewer said, u see if you can wake her up." I declined, by say- ing, as the bet was withdrawn, and the experiment private > I was not prepared for such an experiment at the present., would rather see an experiment of her clairvoyant powers; Mr. Andros remarked, " that he could put her in magnetic communicaton with any person, by the will alone, when she could hear all words such person addressed to her," and he 66 added, u if } T ou will be seated next to her, I will put her in magnetic communication with you." I took the seat, when he said to her, u Amelia, hear what Mr. Durant says to you, will you ?" She answered u J/es," and extended the right hand to me. She answered several questions which I ad- dressed to her, the same as a person awake. I asked her if she would go to my house in Jersey City, and how she would go there ? She nodded assent, and said " I will fly there." Well, let us fly there, and when you reach the house let me know? In a few seconds, she said, u I am there now." well, go in the back parlor and tell me what you see ? She described a centre table, carpet, chairs, &c. Well, go up stairs and tell me what you see there ? She described ct Something strange, it looks like silk, fyc." Very cor- rect, you see very well. I asked, if she recollected when awake, what she saw in her sleep. Mr. Andres said she could recollect any thing when told to do so, and not oth- erwise. He then by my request, told her to recollect what she saw in that room. I now said, we will fly back again ; tell me when you are at the Varick House '? In a few se- conds she said, u I am here." I gave her several things, to tell what they were. She took them in her hands, placed them against the epigastrium, and told correctly the names of things, and read correctly sentences wrote with a pencil on pa- per. Several changes in the situation of those present, had been made since she was blindfolded ; Mr. Andros was now- setting on the sofa. I asked her who was on the sofa. replied. Mr. Ewer. This was the first failure, and Mr. Dodge remarked, she is not well, and I exp fail in some things. Mr. Hale took from his pocket tbc scribed side of a letter, so much worn as to he separated trom 67 the rest of the sheet. I folded another handkerchief and held it below her nose close to the mouth, gave the paper in- to her hands, and asked her to read it. She felt it ; turned it over several times, and said u it is a bank note ; I cannot see very plain ; I think it is a five dollar note." Mr. An- dros remarked, " she does fail sometimes, particularly if she is not well, and I was afraid her ill health would cause her to fail in many things." Mr. Andros was again alone on the sofa. I said, tell me who is on the sofa now ? She replied, " JVLr. Dodge." Here several remarks were made about her ill health, and she complained of the heat, and stroked her forehead with her hands. Mr. Hale, I think, was next pla- ced in magnetic communication with her, and she told correct- ly every thing given her, and likewise went with him (inspir- it,) to a distant house, and told tolerably correct the situation, furniture, &c. Mr. Ewer said, " are you not satisfied now, Mr. Durant ?" I replied, u yes. The sleep produced by the fluid, is much more profound than I supposed could be produced ; but I am still convinced, I can wake her up, and will to-morrow explain to you how it can be done without touching her ; and will at the same time explain to you the cause of her failing to answer correctly some of the ques- tions' asked her ; it was not in consequence of ill health, but was caused by impressions in my mind, conveyed to her brain by the magnetic fluid, in a manner which I w T ill make perfectly clear to you all. I see enough in it to admire, and think it should interest both the curious and scientific. Too much sleep may be injurious, and you should now wake her up." After a few remarks in relation to my conversion, she was waked, by saying, " Amelia, you may now wake up in one minute." She awoke in about a minute, and when asked what she recollected having seen in her sleep, she said she had 68 a faint recollection of having seen some cocoons of silk at Mr. Durant's. I left, after a promise to be a friend to Mr. Andros, and to direct him in the best mode of introducing the science to the citizens of New York, after I should have seen a sufficient number of experiments to convince me of the reality of all its pretensions. On going out, Mr. Hale followed me to the outer door, and expressed his deep conviction of the extraordinary phenomenon. He described it as awful, and regretted having said so much against it. I left him, with a promise to ex- plain the cause of the phenomena on the morrow. In the evening, I had a large field for philosophical re- search; I had seen, for the first time, the wonderful effects of this most wonderful science. And, reader, if you have ever read a description of the phenomena produced by this science in Europe, or if you have heard of the one hundredth part of the marvellous effects produced by it in this country, and vouched for by eye-witnesses, whom you knew to be intelli- gent and learned, and whom you also knew to possess the most undoubted veracity, with discretion above the probabil- ity of being deceived, and with integrity and candor above the possibility of deception — fancy yourself in my situation, drawing conclusions from the scenes of the day. By a mere look and will of one mortal, another was thrown into a sleep, from which it was asserted, even the dismemberment of a limb could not rouse her. She was blind-fokled, yet could see with invisible eyes through the body; — nay, more — her spirit had left its natural tenement, annihilated distance, pen- etrated walls, and disclosed the situation of things unknown to its abode of organized and animated clay. — My head became dizzy, a new atmosphere seemed to pervade the room ; winged spirits clouded the air; I felt the magnetic Quid creep- G9 ing through the brain; a drowsiness came over me; I leaned back in the chair, and lost in reverie, I thought Life seems the evening meteor gleam, Electromotive leap To mimic Time on Lethe's stream ; Then vanish in the deep. Now, every varied form assumes, From Tnlohite to Man ; Who conscious lv&es } 'till he presumes His origin to scan. Life seems the mystic chrysalis Of lepidopter worm ; Conception's metamorphosis, A sleep, a death, a germ ; It was before cosmogony, Out-lives Time's circled span : 5 Tis infinite ! we only see Some mid-way link in man. Life seems a trance, where innate mind,- Through finite space will skip, More swift than light, past fleeting wind, From planet's tip, to tip. Sweet vision ! grant each thought may seem Of virtue, 'till the horn Of Gabriel calls to cite the dream. At rising in the morn. The mysterious fluid passed from the brain. I rou and retained a " faint recollection" of all that I had seen in the trance. The magnetic experiment had passed through my brain, and left a vivid impression of the arcanum leading to the phenomena. The somnambulist had gracefully closed her eyes, and when blind-folded, had answered as correctly in relation to things present and distant, as a shrewd son of Connecticut could do, when interrogated as to the flavor of an Oak-leaf Havanna. Three answers only were incorrect. The position of Mr. Dodge and Mr. Ewer were wrongly given, and a piece of white paper worn off from a letter, was transformed into the magnetic coin of the " little Magician;*' 70 in two answers, the objects were on a horizontal line with the eye, before which there were several folds of dense silk which prevented the magnetic rays of the objects from reach- ing the retina; in the third, misnaming of the object held by the hands to the epigastrium, the fluid of vision had been cut off by folds of silk held close against the upper lip, which obstructed the magnetic channel that runs from the epig« urn to the eye, through the opening, formed by the nose, pre- venting the blind-fold from touching the cheek. The whole seemed clear as noon-day. I tried an experiment on myself: cc I willed" a magnetic sleep, and it came. I tied two h kerchiefs over my eyes, and holding a book to the e urn, I read correctly one entire page in the Regne Am:. OF CUVIER. Here the reader may say, cc why not have made known to the world at once such an important discovery in science ?" I presume its disclosure would be of very little importai because it related to one single experiment, and to one : vidual only, while there were many more professors of science, whose fame in the magnetic doctrine would c ance the failure of one famous professor, j the experiment was witnessed by only four individuals ; two (at least) of whom were too thickly enveloped in my atmospheres, to see the cause of the phenomenon, i credulous to believe the truth, if explained to them. it was possible I might be mistaken; and such a was even ^probable, when surveying the formidable i wonderful facts vouched for, by a still more form of names, eminent in science and virtue. Tin; might carry conviction to a / rience in thought — Theory proved by experiment^ sions to the new theory— future. By my theory in the preceding chapter, the reader will perceive, that I was to advocate all parts of the science ex- cept Ci Clair V' or the power of seeing things unknown to the one ' ;netic coi ation. I called on Mr. Andros, at the V e morning after the first ex- periment. I explained to him 3 in part, my theory; taking care not to speak of the cc I things should be more matured. I ith all parts except disputing tc clairvoyance," and ci,. iber of cases, to show me that n error in tba One c . that re- lated in history, chapter V.- Irs. Andros saw the dog of Mr. i Wadsworth, in Philadelphia, when he himself did net know where ;, or whether he had a rope on his neck. I reconciled that case to my theory, by explaining the ' >e power of the brain thus: The in- stant we hear of men or things, no matter how distant, the brain instantly conceives a vivid impression of the object, although the eyes never saw it. When I heard that William IV. of England was dead, my brain conceived him lying in state, enveloped in cerecloth. If, at that moment, I had asked a magnetic somnambulist to tell me whether William IV. was in the house of Parliament, or at his dinne] m- nambulist would have answered, "neither, he is dead and e2 81 rolled in cerecloth," and this answer might be given, although the somnambulist never heard he was dead, but merely by the knowledge or impression, (which according to my theory is the same,) conveyed from my brain by the magnetic cords to the brain of the somnambulist. The moment Mr. Wads- worth asked about his dog, he had an impression on his brain that he was not all black, and knowing it was dog-days, thought he might be tied, to comply with the city laws; and if tied, he must have broke the string to be in the entry, which might or might not be correct, and yet be reconciled to my theory. Several similar objections I over-ruled by similar explanations, but he still thought, that by experiments with Mrs. Andros, he could convince me she possessed " clairvoyance." Mr. Peter F. Ewer was present a part of the time, but said, he did not " fairly understand the theory." Mr. Dodge was in the hotel at the time. He was to leave for home that day, (15th August.) I had only time to give him an outline of the theory, and told him when we should meet again, I would guarantee to convince him of the correct- ness of my theory, which would disprove u clairvoyance," and divest Animal Magnetism of every thing supernatural, leaving it a beautiful science, worthy of the admiration and patronage of all classes in the community. Mr. Dodge said, he had himself entertained doubts as to the u clairvoyance," and hoped I w r ould be able to substantiate, by actual ex- periment, my opinion on that point. He requested I would be a friend to Mr. Andros; advise him, in all cases, for bis good; and if convinced of the perfect truth of the science, to use my influence in introducing him to public notice; all which I promised to do, and these pages will show how I have kept my promise. 82 The following day, (16th,) I saw Mr. Andros, and explain- ed further my theory. Mrs. A. was present, and listened with much attention. They both expressed belief of rny theory, except disputing clairvoyance, and thought I would yet be a believer in that phenomenon. Mr. A. cited another case which could not be reconciled to my theory; it was that of Miss Parker seeing an enlarged spleen in a dead person, (re- corded in a preceding chapter,) when Dr. Brownell, \^ho was in magnetic communication, said u he had no idea that the gentleman died with diseased spleen." That was a mo*re difficult case, but I made it clear as noon-day, thus: The brain has an inventive power and also an extraordinary capacity for retaining the impression of things long past and apparently forgotten; it likewise conceives so rapidly, that we are not always conscious of what has been on the mind. An experiment was once tried, to awake a man by firing a pistol close to his ear; he awoke in four seconds, and after a few words of explanation, related his dream. A tremendous report from an alarm gun (the report of the pistol) roused the citizens to arms to repel the invading enemy, some of whom had already scaled the walls of the city and fired the town; a dreadful contest ensued between the enemy and citizens; lie was wounded and carried off a prisoner, remained in pri- son ten yeaiis, and was released by the king, who by accident in passing the grated windows, discovered the prisoner to be the prince, his son, long supposed dead; he resides at the palace four years, and marries a subject, for which he is banished from the country; is wandering in foreign count] seventeen years, undergoing great vicissitudes of fortune; is caught by a wild beast, and escapes with the loss of more than half of his head, including a large part of the brain; lingers one 83 year under the medical attendance of a kangaroo; recovers; spends three years on a farm; is arrested for high treason; in prison two years; condemned, and on reaching the scaffold, awakes ) to relate the events of thirty-seven years] all of which must have occurred in four seconds, the time which elapsed between firing the pistol and awaking. Capt. Lefever, of Beverly, Massachusetts, with whom I came passenger in the brig Texel, from Lisbon to Philadel- phia, in the fall- of 1823, related to me a similar circumstance in the history of his life. When a "hand before the mast," he fell from the yard-arm to the ocean, and during the desceat, which could not have occupied more than three second s, he thought he must be drowned; his mind flew home; he saw the family receive the news of his death; the grief and condolence of friends; preparations for the funeral sermon, burial and gradual reconciliation to the beravement, as great length of time elapsed after the event. The incidents which he saw in that three seconds, would, said Capt. Lefever, u occupy me an entire week to narrate." The power of unconsciously retaining the impression of things, is shown in our daily recalling to mind something omitted to be done. We sometimes say — there! — I promis- ed to do such a thing full two weeks since, and I have not thought of it until this moment. There! — how strange! — it just occurred to my mind, that I once put a toad in moist clay, enclosed the whole in a box, and buried it in the cellar to test its vitiality. I was then a small child; it must be twenty years since, and I have never thought of it since until this moment. So Dr. Brownell, when first called to prescribe for the patient, of whom he concluded to ask Miss Parker the nature 84 of the disease, rapidly revolved in his mind the cause of it. lie is a physician, and first thought of dropsy in the head or chest, diseased spleen, stone, gravel, and probably twenty other diseases, in a few seconds, but he finally came to the conclusion, that it was diseased liver; in arriving at this con- clusion, he is scarcely conscious of having thought of any other disease, and yet every impression lays dormant on the brain. He asks Miss Parker, is the liver diseased? at this instant, he thinks of perhaps fifty different incorrect answers she may give, and she answers u no." I requested her to look at every part of him, and after some little time, she answered Ct the spleen is diseased." Now, although Dr. Brownell sup- posed liver was uppermost in his mind, yet her answer u the spleen is diseased," was once a thought of his own, the faint impression of which had laid dormant on his brain until that moment, when it was communicated by the magnetic cord the brain of Miss Parker, who was m magnetic somnambuli and in magnetic communication with him. The argument was conclusive; both Mr. and Mrs. Andros readily embraced the whole theory. Mr. A. said, he could now see through the whole of it; he recalled to mind several of the cases of posed u clairvoyance," and readily imagined that there cc be no such thing ; it could all be accounted for by my theo- ry, and made perfectly plain. Mr. and Mrs A- both ex pi- ed astonishment, that no person ever before thought o\ - a beautiful theory, and expressed much delight at the fortu- nate circumstance of becoming acquainted with nu\ and ed to give me an interest of one half the receipts of the <•■ - templated lectures, if I would assist him in (It I professed much reluctance to take an interest, but offered to direct and assist him in the best mode of introducing the sci- 85 ence to the public. They were both very anxious to com- mence public lectures as soon as possible, and desired to know where a suitable room could be had for the purpose. I proposed trying private experiments first, for a few days, so I could ascertain all the somnambulic powers of Mrs. A., preparatory to arranging the form most suitable to introduce the experiments to the public. This plan was readily acce- ded to, and having at that hour an engagement elsewhere, I left, with promises to devote a good share of my time to simplify this interesting science, and promote his interest with the citizens. On the following day, (17th,) while in conversation with Mr. and Mrs. A. in the parlour of the Varick House, Mr. Ewer entered, and requested to hear more of my theory, as he could not perfectly understand it. I explained its general principles, and dwelt more minutely on the magnetic cord passing from the brain of the magnetizer to the brain of the somnambulist, and expressed my positive knowledge that the somnambulist could not see or tell any thing which did not come by that cord from the brain of the magnetizer; and I added, to test that part of my theory, I will arrange two trunks, one of which Mrs. Andros can tell its contents, and the other she cannot tell. " Do you say she shall tell what is in one?" yes, she shall tell one, and she shall not tell the other. All were now anxious for such a beautiful experiment,, and for want of two trunks, proposed taking two hats and try it at once. We repaired to Mr. A.'s private room, and after Mrs. A. was in magnetic sleep, near the door, I requested Mr. Ewer and Mr. Andros to step to the table to see the hats arranged; in one I placed a tumbler and in the other an inkstand; I then told Mr. A. to go and ask her the questions* 86 When his back was turned, I took a comb from my pocket and put it in place of the tumbler, which I took out. Mr. A. asked her to look in the hats, and tell what she saw there: she answered, u something round." "well, what is it? you know it well, tell me what it is?" " It looks round, it looks dark'" u yes, that is right, but tell us what it is ? you know it very well, can't you tell us the name?" ''• It looks like an inkstand." I then remarked, you see Mr. Ewer, she correct, so far. and now for the other. u Come Amelia, look in the other hat and tell us what you see there? cc It It colored'" u yes, that is right, but tell me what it is?" u It h round and it looks bright'," "yes, that is right, but tell me the name of it, can't you ?" u It looks like a tumbler." I then shewed Mr. A. it was a comb. This was complete; my theory triumphed; they all acknowl- edged it, but could not yet understand the cause. I explain- ed it thus : Mr. Andros saw me put the tumbler in one bat and the inkstand in the other, consequently the contents of both hats were impressed on his brain ; he was in magnetic communication with her, and his knowledge was conveyed by the magnetic cords to her brain, therefore, she saw a tumbler and an inkstand ; I took out the tumbler and put in its place a comb, when his back was turned, and as he did not know there was a comb in the hat, she of course could not; for by my theory, she cannot see or have knowledge of any ti which is not on the brain of the person in magnetic com' ni cation with her.* ' The true theory and explanation is this: The circuuistani i forme: the experiment was in her room. Shekne* all the things on I tumbler, an inkstand, and;', pair of sniffer 8 ; there is ttDohoUr, ami heoofthc l\ are ptobabrj in them :— First, "it is round?* 1 "Yes; 1 then lt it m dark' • I an inkstand, of course. Second,— "i7 is round*" "Yes*;" then* ti* I tb&n of tuiur.se it is a tumbLer ; for by her conversation in 87 This was perfectly satisfactory, and carried conviction to all. Mr. Ewer became a perfect convert to my theory. Mr. Andros was more confirmed, and Mrs. Andros, although she had tried in the morning to recant her former acknowledg- ments, now confessed herself a firm and unqualified believer in my theory. Many encomiums were given on my scientific acquirements, and particularly on my knowledge of Animal Magnetism. I am always delighted to receive compliments, particularly the following : u How the people of Providence will be astonished, when they come to hear of your theory. There is not a soul of 'em but what believes in clairvoyance, and there ai'nt one of them that knows how to account for any part of magnetism. I do Wish you could see old Poyen; he thinks he knows so much about magnetism, and gets in a great passion when any one crosses him." I felt of course much elated with the compliments, and particularly with having made a perfect convert of Mrs. An- dros to that part of my theory. That was glory enough for one day, and I left them, with promises to u keep an eye out" for a vacant lect *e room, and to meet them at the Hotel, on the morrow. not wish to believe that part of my theory, lest 1 should thereby unveil the mystery ; and therefore she trieH to guess correctly in both hats, but the idea of changing the tumbler for a comb, was unexpected, and she was now obliged to believe " that part''* of my the- ory, or expose her own deception. If she did not now admit "that part," she would stand seJf-accusr I \g at the contents of each hat. For, if she saw the insido of the hats with invisible eyes, or clairvoyance, it would follow that she-must see the comb, because it was actually in the hat. Mr. Andros, as I remarked in chaptei fifth, is perfect- ly innocent; so are all the magnet.izers that I have seen ; there is no collision between them and the somnambulist " f the men candidly and seriously believe that they put the da&r creatures asleep by the " will," or a fluid from their eyes. CHAPTER VIII. THIRD EXPERIMENT IX ANIMAL MAGNETISM IX NEW YORK. Fluid forced through a wall — Transmission of the m Ji u i d — Ho i o affe c te d — Th eory co n fi r m e d — ; necessary to be read in order to he well understood. Pursuant to promise, I met Mr. and Mrs. Andres on Fri- day, (18fh,) and after a few preliminary remarks of weather, and Mrs. A.'s health, the conversation turned on my wonder- ful theory. Since the preceding day, they had thought mi of it, and were more and more convinced of its correctness and beauty ; they bad thought over some of the most extraor- dinary cases of supposed clairvoyance, and my theory ac- counted for them all, and proved, that what was supposed to be clairvoyance, was only the thought of the magnetize) by the cords or nerves of the magnetic fluid to the brain the somnambulist ; and Mr. Andros continued, ' the people of Providence will stare when they come to hear of it; they will all he dreadful anxious to see Mr. Durant. But had we not better keep the theory to ourselves, for it makes Animal Magnetism so plain, and accounts so well for all the wonders and mysteries, that people might lose all cu- riosity to see the exhibition ?" On the contrary, I repli many were afraid to look at or believe in it heretofore, on count of its being so mysterious and supernatural in it- religious men would not countenance it, oild not understand it, and supposed the supernatural i the works of the devil ; scientific men would nol it, because they do not wish to acknowledge belief in any th 89 which they cannot understand, and so with the religions and scientific, Animal Magnetism has always had a formidable opposition, which must give way under the light which my theory will throw on the science ; it will be divested of clair- voyance and every thing supernatural, and so simplified that every child can comprehend the whole at a glance. Reli- gious men will see in it the simple and beautiful works of nature ; scientific men will find much in it to interest them, by comparing its effects with the analogous effects produced by Nature's known and analogous laws ; the curious will be pleased with it, because they will be able to understand the simple cause that produces such wonderful effects, and all persons will admire it as a curious amusement adapted to the capacities of children and men. Similar conversations occupied nearly an hour, when we repaired to Mr. A.'s room, to spend a leisure half hour with private experiments. She was put to sleep as usual, in about one minute, and complaining of pain in the eyes from effect of light, was blindfolded with a handkerchief. She performed several minor things, unimportant to the history ; as I always planned some things for her success, to inspire her with con- fidence, and lull any suspicions that might arise in her mind respecting my object of pursuit. At this time, as well as in most of the preceding experiments, he willed a pencil to be a water melon, and a tumbler to contain lemonade, &c, but I will reserve the explanation of these for a future chapter. I then proposed to have her waked, and for me to w T rite on paper the time he should put her asleep ; this was readily ac- ceded to, and when he awoke her, he remarked,, that he and all the magnetizers of Providence had often performed such experiments, and considered them as easily done as a*iy olhr- 90 er thing in magnetism ; and he added, u I have frequently put her asleep by time, when I was in another room, and separated from her by a partition." I remarked to them, that such things would be very useful to convince the public of the reality of the science and truth of my theory. We now compared our time, and altered his watch to correspond with mine. I then handed him a paper, on which I wrote, put her asleep at the end of fifteen minutes. We as;ain com- pared watches, and I pointed with a pencil on his, where the hand would be in fifteen minutes ; as he went out, she said "you won't stay long ;" he answered u oh no ;" and ad- dressing me, he said, " I suppose it won't be necessary to ivait long to see if I effect her, I will come in about five min- utes after," meaning in five minutes after the fifteen minutes should expire. She was not blindfolded, and in about three minutes, I looked at the watch, and then at her eyes, as if it was nearly time to fall asleep ; in four minutes and a half from the time he left, her eyes were closed, and I spoke to her, but recei- ved no answer ; this is always proof of being asleep, for they cannot in magnetic sleep hear any person who is not in mag- netic communication. I took hold of her hand, and contin- ued from time to time to speak to her, but she could not hear me, and of course could not answer. He returned after twenty minute's absence, haying waited five minutes extra, for fear the fluid might be some time ; ing through the wall ; she had fallen in sleep ten minutes and a half before the time designated on paper, but on his asking me " how did it succeed ?" I answered " very well ii it was not exactly to a minute, but my theory accounts tor that, by the magnetic fluid having so great an 'affinity for some 91 things, that it will be drawn through before its time, when through other substances, it will be retarded after the natural time. I carelessly took the paper from his hand, (lest she might be curious enough to look at it in my absence,) and told him, too much sleep was injurious, and he had better wake her up ; this he did, by saying u Amelia, you may now wake up." She opened her eyes smiling, and asked how it had succeeded. I gave the same explanation to her that I had given to him, and added, by a series of such experiments, I will be able to tell to a second the precise time the fluid will reouire to pass through all the various substances.* We now discussed the preliminary steps for the public lectures ; and I proposed, first, to interest some influential men, by private experiments, then show it to the editors, and nothing more would be necessary to make his fortune. 1 told them, some friends of mine from Boston, would like to see an experiment, and as they were influential men, it would be of much benefit to the science, while at the same time, I could gain from the experiment, the full extent of Mrs. A.'s magnetic powers, prior to commencing the lectures. * The true theory in this -science, is too well understood by the reader, to require utta- ny comments. She was anxious to know nearly the time of going to sleep, and there" fore carelessly said " you won't stay long." He merely answered her "no ;' ; for he is perfectly .sincere, and believed he could put her asleep by the fluid or "will;" he had implicit confidence in my great knowledge, and wished to do every thing just as Ide . sired ; but in his previous experiments of this kind, she had not always slept just at the moment intended, and fearing the wall might retaul the passage of the fluid, he desired to know how long I thought the fluid would be in passing through ; he also knew it was necessary to keep the time from her, and therefore he very honestly said, "I suppose it won't be necessary to wait long to see if I affect her; T will come in about five minutes after," which she mistook for five minutes after he should have left the room, and closed her eyes accordingly, guessing the time within half a minute of what she supposed was on the paper. I at once knew his remarks would be serviceable, and I carelessly answered, yes, five minutes will be enough to try this experiment, and to help mislead her judgement, I look ed alternately at the watch and her eyes, previous to the expiration of Jive minutes* in- stead of waiting for the fifteen minutes, and so "coaxed her in the trap." CHAPTER IX. FOURTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM IN JER- SEY CITY. Mrs. Anclros describes things in Boston — Describes in Calcutta — Sceptics — Fluid forced through four walls — Polarity proved — Very important notes, not to be o looked. On Saturday, (19th August,) Mr. and Mrs. Andros came, according to appointment, to my residence in Jersr where a number cf my friends, by invitation, came to se experiment in the wonderful science of Animal Magneti There were present, Dr. Palmer, cf the Commercial • zette, Boston ; Ich, of New York ; Ho- of Boston, and I .ie, of whom I have before spok the c 3 to whom I had expressed my candid sentiments, and the only one to whom I explained the plan of ope- rations : to all others, both friends and strangers, I conti: to advocate my theory, or small parts of it to t good care to ; about the cerin, and seldom i tioning the part which treats cf curing diseases ; I disputed clairvoyance, but advocated all other parts of the scienc its fullest extent. My friends, whose names i tioned, were unbelievers, but from my serious maun voeating the theory, which I always promised to w more fully thereafter, they were induced to beli be something in the science, yet would not beli they should see it. Mrs. A. closed her eyes as usual in about one mi: the principal experiments were, going to other places, and 93 describing houses, furniture, &c. All present, except Mr. Balch, were severally put in magnetic communication with her, and each sent her, (in spirit,) to distant places, all of which she described in the usual mode ; for instance, u there is a carpet on the floor, something dark in the centre of the room, looks like a table, something looks like a glass between the windows, some chairs in the room, they look dark color- ed, two lamps on the mantle, a lady in the room, looks mid- dle aged, one child ;" up stairs, was generally u a bed in the room., and a wash bowl ;" in the kitchen there was always " some kettles, and something dark, looks like a grate to burn coal, &c." There was one exception. Mr. Erving having resided in the East Indies, sent her, (in spirit,) to his for- mer residence in Calcutta ; there the things were u curious, can't describe it ; never saw such a house before, the mantle is different from any I ever saw," (there is none,) "some- thing on that side of the room, looks dark colored, can't des- cribe it ; in the yard, there is a man with peeked shoes on, something else looks green." My friends Palmer, Balch and Erving, could not believe she was asleep ; (incredulous men ;) they even whispered to me, that they could guess better themselves ; they said there was not one answer in , twenty correct, except the carpet, looking-glass and chairs, which, said they, u every body knows." The correct answers need no explanation, but the incor- rect ones I explained in this way ; according to my theory, she receives her information from the brain of the one in magnetic communication. You had an idea that she could not tell, and therefore when you asked a question, you con- ceived on your brain some incorrect object, w T hich was trans- mitted by the magnetic cords, or nerves, to her brain, and 94 answered incorrectly of course. Mr. Erving then proposed, that / should ask her about a stairway in Calcutta, which he described to me. I then asked her, and she told incorrectly. That seemed to upset my former explanation, but according to the theory, I explained it thus : I endeavored, it is true, to impress a perfect description of the Calcutta stairs on my brain, but at the same moment, the brain unavoidably con- ceived a fac-simile of many other stairs, and the magnetic cord conveyed the wrong one to her brain.* This explana- tion, of course, satisfied all present, except Messrs. Erving, Balch, and Palmer, who were too incredulous to believe what professors in the science know to be facts. On leaving me that day, one of my friends remarked, u Durant, I will bespeak for you a strait jacket, for I think you will want it soon." I was much pleased with his remark, as he undoubt- edly had reference to the approaching cold winter, and intend- ed to bespeak, as a present for me, a great jacket , or great- coat^ (as they are more generally called,) in compliment for my lucid theory of Animal Magnetism. The appointment at my residence, was particularly intend- ed for u a private experiment, to ascertain the full magnetic powers of Mrs. Andros;" and after the company left me, (Mrs. A. being now awake,) I told Mr. A., I wished to as- certain the strength of the polarity of the animal magnet, and settle by actual experiment, for the use of his lectures, whe- ther there was sufficient attracting power in the South Po (eye,) of the animal magnet, to draw from its true coi the magnetic needle, and at the same time ho could go in the front parlor and see if he could put her asleep w I * Any other theory would be superfluous in convincing the reader "t" :!;• \\\\< logic. Many learned men assert, that there is such ;i I or facts which admit of n<> proof; this seems i" me acase in point, and denco." F 95 walls intervened, (an entry way divides the parlors, and con- sequently tivo walls intervene.) He went in the front parlor, and she closed her eyes in about two minutes ; I found very little attraction in the South Pole, (eye,) and explained why, according to my theory, there should not be a very strong attraction. The reader who has read chapter VI. would on- ly be fatigued by an explanation here, and therefore I shall dispense with it.* A few minutes sufficed for this experiment, when I told him to awake her, which he performed in the usual way, by giving her permission to do so. The success was row of course all explained to her, and arrangements made for another experiment. The following day being Sunday, I suggested the propriety of dispensing with experiments, as our great aim should be to interest the clergy and religious men in the science, which could only be done by conforming with the most scrupulous exactness to the moral law, and go to church at least every Sunday morning. This was readily assented to, and they agreed to call again at my residence on Monday afternoon, to interest some influential friends whom I was to invite. Nothing is more true, than the saying, " it is easier to promise than it is to perform," and it never was more strik- ingly exemplified than with Mr. Andros in the present instance; "The true polarity sought for in this experiment, will be better understood in a subse- quent chapter. I wished to know the real force of the magnetic brain, or in other words, through how many thicknesses of w 7 all he could force the fluid, preparatory to the grand test of my theory. One very important point w T as attained by this trial. There is two partitions, and eonscqnently./owr thicknesses of plastered wall between the par- lors • each wall is likewise covered with paper, and notwithstanding all these obstruc- tions Mr Andros, by his "will," forced the magnetic fluid through the whole into her brain and put her asleep in two minutes. A very wise philosopher, who fell with Alamo *n defence of Texas, has said "first be sure you are right, and then; go ahead." I am sure the fluid went through four walls and put her asleep, and now— recollect I have not said a word about cerln. 9G for he promised to follow my example, by dispensing with experiments and go to church on Sunday; but the following Monday I called at the Astor House to see some friends, and happening there to meet friend Porter, of the Boston Travel- ler, the conversation, among other things, turned on Animal Magnetism. He told me he saw an experiment the clav pre- vious (Sunday,) at the Varick House, by Mr. and Mrs. An- dros ; he narrated a few of the most important particulars of that experiment, which I endeavored to impress strongly on my brain for future communication by the magnetic cords to the public in this lecture ; other impressions have almost ef- faced the impressions then received, but T retain a faint re- collection of the following : during her magnetic sleep, and while blindfolded, Capt. Childs, of the steamboat Narragan- sett, came in the room ; Mrs. Andros instantly recognised him, and called him by name ; she even cried with joy, for she felt so grateful to him for his kind attentions during her sea- sickness on the passage from Providence to New York. When she was about, being waked, Capt. Childs hid behind the bed, and on awaking she had no recollection of having seen him in her sleep, and did not know he was in the room." So much for friend Porter ; but when I told him I had a theory which would account for all that, I thought I saw a leer in the corner of his eye, seeming to say, " I will be- speak you a jacket too, friend Durant ;" but there is no un- derstanding these editors, they praise every thing except General Government, and that they lash without mercy, be- cause it fosters and protects all things worthy of praise. (2 CHAPTER X. FIFTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT JERSEY CITY. Mrs. Andros goes in spirit to New York — Things are darkish — Some talk about bleeding— Somnambulist cries and jumps — Paralyzing the arm — Explanation of cry- ing — Theory in bad odour. I explained to Mr. Andros the very great advantages he would derive from a private experiment, to convince some truly scientific men of the merits of Animal Magnetism, and enlist their influence, to bring the incredulous public to a be- lief of the true magnetic doctrine; and the experiment for this day, (21st,) was more specially intended for that purpose. The time was four o'clock, at my residence. There were present, Dr. Chilton, Dr. Ambler, Dr. Kimball, Mr. Cum- min, Dr. Stout, of New York; Dr. Ellet, professor of Chemistry in 1 Charleston (South Carolina) College; Messrs. Gilchrist, Mapes, Dr. Olcott, and Dr. Gautier, of Jersey City. The well known character and talents of the above named gentlemen, precludes the necessity of telling you, that I took especial care to say nothing to them about cerin, when advocating the science, so far as it conformed to my theory, which embraced all the phenomena except/ u clairvoyance," and reconciled the whole to the well known and analogous laws of nature ; the part of my theoiy which I dwelt most on, when conversing with these gentlemen, was, the fluid passing from the brain of the' maafnetizer to the brain of the somnambulist, and conveying /by the magnetic cords or nerves, the thoughts of the ma/gnetizer, (or one in magnetic 9S communication,) to the brain of the somnambulist. I con- tended that the cause of common sleep was the same, and only differed in degree. I also expressed my firm conviction that the magnetic sleep was so sound, that not even the dis- memberment of a limb could wake them. I did not, with any of those gentlemen, go into details of my theory, but promised them, as I promised all others, to explain and write it out more fully at some future day. Dr. Chilton knew of my previous unbelief of the science, and of the bet of one hundred dollars with Mr. John C. Dodge, as I consulted him on the various means of producing irritation of the nerves, expressly for that occasion, and he expressed much surprise to see me turn round, after having seen the first ex- periment. I told him that I would yet convince him of the truth of the doctrine, and requested him, on this occasion, to come prepared to wake Mrs. Andres, in which I assured him he would be mistaken ; to som£ N of the p^sent company, I had said little or nothing aboufmy theory, and they were all unbelievers in the science, except Dr. Kimball, who had seen an experiment in Boston, and he -thpvrdit " there might be something in it." On this, as on all occasions, Mr. Aridros used little or no manipulations, and put her asleep by the " will" in about two minutes; he then caused her to raise the hand by " will, " which is usually accompanied with raising his own hand: this is always a proof of perfect sleep. I then remarked, gentle- men, she is now in magnetic sleep, and the sound ot cannon to her ear or cutting off a limb could not wake her ; she, usual, complained of light, and was blindfolded. Several things were put in her hand, which she held to the epigastri- um, most of which she told correctly the name; he ** willed" 99 a pencil to be a water-melon, by giving it to her, and asking "what is it ?" Several were put in magnetic communica- tion, and she gave the usual answers ; out of twenty, which Dr. Chilton asked her, there was one correct, viz. : " there 9 is something looks like large glass jars in the window ," the other answers were incorrect; to Dr. Kimball, she answered more correctly ; she described " something looks like sur- gical instruments;" and " something looks like flowers on the shelj *," all other answers to him were incorrect. I ex- plained, by my theory, the cause of the incorrect answers; that they thought she could not tell, and presumed she would give a ivrong answer, and as their thoughts were carried by the magnetic cords or nerves to her brain, she must of course answer incorrectly. Things held at the epigastrium she told correctly.* Chilton, Ellet, and Mapes, now held things be- hind her, she answered all wrong. I explained this failure by my theory, the same as failing to describe furniture, but not one of the company seemed to believe a word of it ; some eyed me closely as if taking dimensions for a strait jacket. I sent Mr. Andros up stairs, in order to try some experiments of waking up. Dr. Kimball being last in magnetic commu- nication, I sent him to keep Andros company; for, accord- ing to my theory, if you frighten the magnetizer or one in magnetic communication, you also must frighten the somnam- bulist who receives all the impressions from their brains. No mention was made of what was to be done, and on my requesting Mr. A. to go up stairs, Mrs. A. requested him not to leave her. When Mr. A. had retired, I requested Dr. * The trae theory of seeing at the epigastrium is sufficiently explained in chapter V», where the magnetic channel is described as passing from the object to the eye between i lie handkerchief, cheek, and nose. If the reader has a, proboscis, he may trythe exper- iment on himself. 100 Chilton to try any experiment he chose, to awake her, in which I assured him he would be mistaken. A few moments of silence ensued, when Dr. Chilton remarked, u Mr. Du- rant, it is very evident to me that Mrs. Andros is not well, her pulse exhibits a high fever, and I am confident a little blood taken from her will relieve her." I remarked, I think it will, and you will find a bowl in that pantry; shall I get von some bandages, she has complained of ill health ever since her sea-sickness. By this time, all the gentlemen rose from their seats, and each one had something to say or do in the case. Dr. Gamier took out his lance ; I took the bandage from her eyes; one took hold of her hand; one said, " I would not take much;" " Oh a quart will not hurt;'' u where is the bandage ;" ;i I think a few ounces will be enough;' 3 •• there is the bowl ;" kW I know it will relieve her." The whole was so seriously performed, that Mr. Cummin actually took hold of Chilton's arm, and said, - : Oh, doctor, I would not urge it any further." Chilton answered, 4i Yes — lam determined to bleed her." From the first word that Dr. Chilton spoke in relation to bleeding, Mrs. Andros began to say, Mr. Andros, Mr. Andros, Mr. Andres, when Mr. Andros? Mr. Andros, send for Mr. Andn with this she ju.rped from her chair, stood erect, and ci; as loud as persons awake, and holding a pocket handkerchief to her eves, still calling v " Mr. Andros, where is Mr, And- Oh do send for Mr. Andros, why don't Mr. Am By this time her cries were so loud, that it was deemed I to send for Mr. Andros, who came in and tried to parity her: she sat down with him, still holding the handkerchief to Inn- eyes, and sobbing aloud for nearly ten minutes, though uttered not a word. Mr. Andros continued to ask me it he 101 had not better wake her up. I replied, oh no, she has prob- ably been frightened at your absence, and you can quiet her in a few minutes while asleep. She continued sobbing, and he continued asking me if he should wake her, and added, " she is so agitated, that I don't think I can quiet her with- out waking her.'- 5 I then told him to wake her, which he did in one minute, in the usual way, but she still continued sobbing for five minutes or more, and wiping her eyes at the same time. Most of the gentlemen had now got their hats and were about to leave, without thanking me for the beautiful experi- ment in Animal Magnetism ; but fearing they might leave with rather an unfavorable impression of this interesting science^ I followed them to the door, and endeavored to explain the cause of her crying by my theory, thus : there are two way - to account for it by the theory, and the first is, Dr. Chilton was previously in magnetic communication, and although Dr. Kimball was afterwards in magnetic communication, yet it is probable that the magnetic fluid was not entirely cut off, and consequently the magnetic cords conveyed all his thoughts to her brain, and hence she must be frightened when he talks of bleeding her. Here some one remarked, u why did she not object to bleeding, or say something about bleeding, if she knew from his brain that he was going to bleed her ?" I admitted that remark to be just, and thought she should in in that case have said u don't bleed me," but as she did not say any thing about bleeding, I would account for the crying by my theory in another way, thus : Mr. Andros was in mag- netic communication, and of course she knew by the mag- netic cords every impression or thought on his brain ; he is sent up stairs away from her, and he don't know why, but he 102 naturally thinks it must be to try some experiment of frighi ; his brain conceives many things which may be doing to fright- en her ; all his thoughts are, by my theory, conveyed to her brain by the magnetic cords ; he thought something frightful was going on, and consequently she must think the same ; on the same principle, she is conscious of his ab- sence, and with the idea that something frightful would be done to her in his absence, she must naturally c for all the magnetic acts, by my theory, are similar to natft acts.* But all my explanations did not satisfy a soul of them: they all had a curl of contempt on the lip ; some left without listening to me ; Ellet said, " the whole farce, Durant, is too ridiculous to look at or listen to ;" Mapes said, u If I un- derstand your theory, Durant, it is like walking on the water, a thing accomplished only by having faith enough to do it." I succeeded to keep a few to see Mr. Andres paralyze the arm ; an experiment which he often performs to the entire satisfaction of very respectable witnesses. After this over, Dr. Chilton whispered to me, that he " felt the muscles of the arm in strong action ;" and he added, u her arm was no more paralyzed than mine was ;" what an ungallant man ; and Dr. Ellet is no better, for while her arm was paralyzed, he asked her to " get up ;" she replied, u I can't get up while my arm is so." u Why, yes you can," said Dr. Ambler, "if your arm was off, you could rise from 3 chair ;" but she knew best, and remained seated until Mr. A. waked the arm up. So much for your scientific uwn : they were too incredulous to believe either the science or B03 I * It was a vary wise philosopher who said, " too much seasoning spoils i!i-' having given twv explanations on that point, I will not spoil it bj would "o\ordo'-' my theory with excess >f season ng 1 > his taste. 103 ory, and I should not wonder if they occasionally looked at the insane hospital register for the name of Durant. CHAPTER XL SIXTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT NEW YORK. Interesting discussion about the bleeding — Bright prospects of the future — Fluid enters through wall a little before its time — Interesting notes about cutting off an arm. Tuesday, (22d 5 ) I called on Mr. and Mrs. A. at the Va- rick House, and after a few morning complimentary remarks, the conversation turned on the experiment of the preceding day. I asked if Mrs. A. was conscious of what had trans- pired during her sleep. Mr. A. explained the usual effects in all cases, viz.: u she never recollects any thing that has transpired in her sleep, unless told at the time to recollect it; but sometimes, when not told to recollect any thing, she will in a subsequent sleep relate what has transpired in a prece- ding one; and on returning yesterday from your house, she was very anxious to know what had frightened her so much, and I put her in another magnetic sleep to ascertain, but all she could recollect was, that they wanted to bleed her;" here Mrs. A. made a few observations, and said u I know I must have been much frightened , but I have now no recollection of what caused it; did they intend to bleed me? I never was bled) and I know I should faint, for I don't believe I have too much blood; I don't see what they should want to bleed me for; you should not let them do so." " La! they did not intend to bleed you, and if they had, you know I would not have allowed it; it was only to ascertain how far your mind could 104 be affected by external things, for you know by my theory, that your brain will conceive a knowledge of every thing which touches the magnetic cord between you and Mr. An- dros, and it was for that reason I sent Mr. Andros and Dr. Kimball up stairs, so they could not conceive any thing to be conveyed, but either the magnetic cord could not have been cut oil from Dr. Chilton, or else the inventive impressions on Mr. Andros' brain must have caused the fear, and I sup- posed by my theory, that such would be the case ;" here I save all the explanations which I gave in the preceding chap- ter, which gave such perfect satisfaction to those who heard it. Mrs. A. thought the last explanation must be correct, because, said she, u if I got the fright from the magnetic cord of Dr. Chilton, I should have known they were going to bleed me, and in such a case would have named it in my sleep, and have objected to it, for I believe it would bill me to be bled, and I would not have it done for any thing." u Well, what did they think of it? 93 said Mr. Andros, " did they think she was awake?" " Why, at first I think they did, but after I explained it by my theory, they seemed to be satisfied; they are all scientific men, and are prejudiced against any new science, and therefore it is very hard to make them believe, but my theory is based on such philosophical laws and is so analogous to the well known laws of nature, that they are ob- liged to believe it, because there is no argument that can overturn truth when established by facts." Here many more encomiums were passed by Mr. and Mrs. Andros on my theory. Mr. A. remarked, he had written to Provident describing as much of it as he understood, which was the fluid passing from one brain to another, and, continued be, u they will think you a wonderful man to find out so soon 105 what they have never been able to understand; Mrs. Andros remarked, u I wish we had been acquainted with Mr. Durant immediately on our arrival, and then by this time we would have been lecturing in public; but no, Mr. Andros must listen to Mr. Ewer, who tried to set us against Mr. Durant; but Mr. Ewer has now altered his mind, and he thinks you will be the best friend we can have; he is satisfied that you know more than all the rest about it; Mr. Ewer only wanted to make money out of it." "Yes," said Mr. A., u he was prepared to bet several hundred dollars with Mr. Dodge, against your waking Mrs. Andros at that time, but he is now satisfied that you would have won his money." " Eut how did you intend to wake me up?" said Mrs. Andros, u you never explained that." " Oh yes, I explained that to Mr. Andros, I should have frightened him, which would have broke the magnetic cord without touching you; don't you see, by my theory, that would have waked you up?" " Oh yes, now I see; don't you think Mr. Ewer tried everything to be sure; he let the blower fall on the hearth, and they say he pinched me and put feathers in my nose and ears to try to wake me, and he was satisfied you could not wake me, but he has now altered his mind, and he thinks you could." u Ha ! what fools; Mr. Andros should not allow them to put feathers in your nose and ears, no gentleman would do such things; why if the feather touches the drum of your ear, it might kill you; you see, I never even touch you with all my experi- ments, and yet my theory is proved as I go along." " Yes, I see," said Mr. Andros, u and that satisfies me, if you had been at the hospital when I put the woman * asleep, she * The day after Dodye, Ewer and myself called on Dr. Cheesman, to serve as umpire, he sent for Mr. Andros to try his science in putting to sleep a woman at the City Hospital, wJb.o was to liave an arm amputated. Mr. Andros is so sincere and honest, that b» will 106 would not have felt it when Dr. Cheesman cut her arm oft I know that I affected her some, but seeing the blood must have frighted me, as you say, and broke the magnetic core!: I have no confidence any more, unless you are present; I don't know why, but somehow I j»ut so much confidence in you, that I don't feel right to try an experiment unless you are present." Here the conversation turned on the time of commencing ■ lectures, which I thought could be done in all that \v; as a very few more experiments would suffice for the prepa- ration, and in the same time, I would look out a lecture room, which, I remarked, ought to be very large, bee ■;. thousands would be anxious to pay their dollar to see it. Mr. A. said, "I hope you will find it convenient to assist me, and you shall have half of the receipts. Poyen anxious to have me wait until he finished at Nantucket, and then he would come with me and lecture together with Mrs. Andros ; and he take one third and I take two thirds of the money ; but my friends in Providence advised me to come alone with Mrs. Andros. Thomas Doyle, who keeps a lot- tery office in Providence wanted to come and lecture for me at a very small pay, but I thought I could do better alone. Mr. Ewer thinks one hundred thousand dollars could be made by the lectures, and that would be a fortune for boi us." \ told him I thought I could arrange my busi try any subject, you propose, as ho tJiinks he can effect them. Ah-t Andros ted mi her five or ten minutes, ho nsketl net if she felt am sleep, (she was ?erj ami dreaded the amputating experiment ;) she answered, "i don't fcn sleep; oh! I want to x go to steep, I feel a little different; oh ! I'll try to si eanpul me asteep^ 3 Dr. Cheesman waited till Mr. A., said he thoi h or any more,, when he cut heratmoff; but the popr won ral to mortals in such cases, and Cheesman had t »• come by invitation to see the experiment • n M 107 as to lecture for him, and would consent to take one half of the receipts, which would be at least six hundred thousand dollars in New York alone ; for, said I, there is a population of three hundred thousand souls, and each person must give a dollar to see it once ; when they will be so pleased, that they must see it again, which will make six hundred thousand dollars for New York alone, besides what can be made in other cities. This mathematical calculation was perfectly satisfactory, and we agreed to meet again in the afternoon to try another private experiment to ascertain the distance at which the fluid would operate. I called after dinner ; we went to Mr. A.'s room, and af- ter much preliminary conversation similar to that held in the morning, I wrote on paper, which I gave him, put her to sleep at thirty-Jive minutes past four — wake her at forty -Jive minutes past four — put her asleep again at five o'clock, and come home at half past five. We now compared watches and set his to correspond with mine ; (seventeen minutes past four.) On his leaving, she asked one or two indirect questions, as to how long he would be out, and what was to be ascertained by the experiment, but she obtained no an- swer that would convey an idea of what I had written. When he was gone a few minutes, I took out my watch and remarked, that as it was nearly time for him to put her asleep, by the paper, it would be well for her to prepare herself from falling, she closed her eyes, and on speaking to her she could not hear, as she was of course in sleep ; it was twenty-three minutes past four, (only twelve minutes before the time,) and did not awake again until his return. After a silence of some minutes, I said audibly, as if reading to my- self from the paper, " in magnetic communication ten min- 108 utes after; well, it is most time she should begin to hear what I say." I now commenced talking to her and looking at the watch; in about one minute she commenced answer!: (thirty-one minutes past four,) and frequently put her bai to her eves and to her forehead, and laughed immoderately, and repeatedly at amusing stories, which I related to her in the sleep. I also sent her (inspirit,) to houses at a distance, which she described correctly, f and continued answering all my questions, until Mr. A. came home, (half past five when I told him every thing came sufficiently near the time, and I expected a trifling variation by my theory, in conse- quence of the number of wallsj which intervene. I took the paper from his hand carelessly, and told him to wake her up, as she had had a very long sleep. On awaking, she made the usual inquiries, as to the correctness with which the time of sleeping corresponded with the paper, all of which I made very satisfactory, § and left with a promise to call the next morning. ' The reader will recollect I did not write on the paper " put her in magnetic commu- nication with me;" this was caused by the magnetic cords from my audible words to her brain. 1 1 presume they were correct, for I sent her to houses which I know nothing about, and to places where I supposed there was no house, but shefound 'em, and also found cnaiis, carpets, tables and looking-glasses in } em. J Mr. A. says he was in the barber shop of the hotel adjoining, when he put her asleep, and walked about the city afterwards; from the barber shop to the room is no great distance, but a great many walls intervene. Don't you perceive the smell of cunt §The reader, I trust, is also satisfied. CHAPTER XII. SEVENTH AND EIGHTH EXPERIMENTS IN ANIMAL MAGNET- ISM AT NEW YORK. Mrs. Andros in better health— -Extraordinary effect of the jivAd — Forced through fifty walls — Beautiful effect of the theory — Author wills himself in magnetic communication ~ — Explanation— Notes which ought to be read. I had resolved this morning, (23d August,) to try the ef- fect of the fmid on cerin, but consulting with Mr. Hale about it, he rather damped my sanguine hopes of success, for he thought the success impossible under all the advantages yet gained in Mr. and Mrs. A.'s confidence, and a most doubt- ful case of success under any circumstance; I therefore concluded to defer it for one or two days, and during the in- terval to fasten a few more shores on my theory to brace it against the approaching gale. On meeting Mr. and Mrs. Andros at the Varick House, she expressed much impatience at the tardiness in preparing for public lectures, and said if something was not done very soon she would go home. She -had been ill ever since her arrival in New York, and I told her that scolding was an ex- cellent symptom of convalescence. I explained the necessity of trying a few more private experiments, so I could become perfectly acquainted with her powers, in order to convince the incredulous public of the truth and beauty of Animal Mag- netism. I added, three days more will be sufficient, and by that time, I will find a suitable room for the lectures, and pre- pare a room for you and Mr. Andros at my house, where you will be much more comfortable than at the Hotel. That no was very satisfactory; she remarked, " I don't like the ho- tel, the hours of eating are so different from those I am ac- customed to, and I would like it much better at your house in Jersey City, where I should feel more at home." I now proposed an experiment similar to that of the preceding day, and for him to go a great distance off; for instance, "go down to Mr. Hale's reading room, and amuse yourself with the papers." I wrote on paper, put her to sleep at tea minutes past ten o'clock, and wake her at twenty minutes past ten; pat her to sleep again at half past ten, and come home at eleven. We compared watches, (five minutes of ten.) She tried by various questions, to ascertain how long Mr. A. was to be out; according to my theory, of course, she must not know, and that was satisfactory. She fell asleep at fif- teen minutes past ten, (only five minutes after the time des- ignated on paper,) and she did not wake up until Mr. Andros came home; she commenced answering me at twenty-five min- utes past ten, and continued to do so throughout the sleep. I told her some amusing stories, which caused her to laugh loudly and rub her eyes. I sent her (in spirit) to a house in Newark, which she described as having three rooms in a row on the lower floor; " the rear one is a kitchen." " Well, how do they light the centre room ?" " The windows are in the side of the house;" * all of which were very correct ; and Mr. A. returned at eleven o'clock, much delighted, when I told him (as I took the memorandum from his hand) that the time was more correct than on yesterday. I asked, if be put her in magnetic communication with me ? he replied, II no ;" and was a little astonished, when I told him she an- • I prosumr this was correct, because invisible eyes can see best. 1 i . k a house myself. G Ill swered my questions; but I explained it according to my the- ory, very satisfactorily, thus : u I know the direction of Hale's news room, and as I put my head between Mrs. A* and the room, the magnetic current must pass through my brain before- it reaches her, and consequently places me in magnetic communication ;" * this reconciled all, and I left, after proposing an experiment the following day, to gratify and interest a particular friend in Brooklyn, who would be of much service to the cause, by his extensive influence with the large population of that city. I called again, at one o'clock, with Mr. Hale, and re- marked to Mr. and Mrs;. Andros, that as I had a half hour's leisure, I wished Mr. Hale to see the experiment tried in the morning. Mr. Hale was always considered a convert like myself, and a particular friend to the parties and science since his conversion. I wrote on paper, put Mrs. Andros asleep at thirty-five minutes past one, and come in at forty minutes prst one, do not put her in magnetic communication with me, nor allow her to hear any thing that is said. We compared time, twenty minutes past one, and I told him audibly, go in the next room, as it will only require five minutes to show Mr. Hale the experiment tried this morning; at twenty-two min* utes past one,f (two minutes after he left,) Mrs. Andros was asleep, and would not answer words addressed to her. Mr. Hale and myself now commenced a philosophical conversa- tion about the magnetic science. We spoke of the profound- ness of the sleep, and the certainty that Mrs. Andros could * I presume the reader by this lime has sufficient science to understand the true theo 13 without more explanation in this case. There are at least/i/ty brick walls between Xl lie's news room and the Varick House^-a very perceptible smell of cerin. 1 'Only thirteen minutes before the time designated on th« paper. 112 not then hear what we were talking about, because she was not in magnetic communication with us. I spoke to her se- veral times, but she gave no- answer, and, indeed, how could she answer in a magnetic sleep ? Mr. Hale now remarked, "you know, Mr. Durant, that according to the paper, you was to be put in magnetic communication with her in four minutes after she fell asleep, and you see the four minutes have most expired." I remarked, "oh no, it wants nearly' a minute of the time, yet;" and in a few seconds, I said, " well, the time is up, I will see if she Will answer me." I spoke to her, and she commenced talking.* Mr. Hale exhibited to me (so she could not see) a hand- kerchief rolled up in his hand. I asked her " what has Mr. Hale got in his hand ?" She answered, " a knife, it looks dark." I waited a few seconds, and. she ' continued, " it looks dark, it looks like a comb." "Yes, that is correct." Mr. Hale now said, " see- if she can see this pencil" (hold- ing a pencil up before her,) " in my hand." I asked what Mrl Hale had in his hand ; " a pencil, it looks dark, but it looks like a pencil, "f I told Mr. Hale audibly, " see now, if I can will this knife to be a water-melon." I gave her the knife, and said, "taste it, Mrs. Andros, and tell me what it is." She put it to her mouth, and said, " It is a water-melon." I now said, " see if I can will it to be a sour apple; taste it again, Mrs. Andros, what is it now ? n she put it to her lips, made a wry face, spit, and said, " it is a soar apple." I also willed it to be an orange, &c, all of which she answered correctly 4 Mr. Hale remarked, v * ; * The reader will recolleot, do nut put hi r in magnetic communi ca tion t The magnetic fluid here came both to her ears ami eyes, for Bl and I observed the eye-lids open gently to admit the fluid X In all those cases, the fluid enters at the ears, which, from their peeoJUr formation are very sensitive. For this wise provision of Nature, we should he very thankful / 113 most time, by the paper, that the magnetic communication should be cut off." I answered, " yes, in a few seconds, but I will continue to talk to her, to see if he effects it at the moment.' ' She ceased answering my questions at thirty -three minutes past one. Mr. Hale remarked, u it is most time that you was to wake her up." I replied, u it wants nearly a min- ute yet, you see it is only thirty-four minutes now, and I was not to wake her until thirty-five minutes past one." I soon commenced throwing off the fluid, by the usual manipulations with the hands, and she awoke at thirty-six minutes past one o 'clock. * Mr. Andros came in the room in four or five minutes after, and though at first surprised, was soon delight- ed, when I explained, how by my theory, I had made her an- swer me, and u willed" the knife to be a water-melon, ap- ple, &c, and how I had waked her contrary to his u will." They both seemed more and more delighted with the the- ory, and after some little conversation on the arrangements necessary for commencing lectures, I left them, with a pro- mise to see further about a lecture room, and to call on the morrow. without the ears, the inagnetizer might "will" all his brains through the magnet- ic cords to the somnambulist, without transforming a knife into •<. delicious melon. For tetter theory, vide notes to Chaptfr XIII. * The time " honest folks should be asleep ;" but " new fashions makes women crazy, and turns the world up. id : down." CHAPTER XIII. NINTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT NEW YORK. •Mrs. Jlndros describes furniture in the city, and in Brook- lyn — Gets in the wrong house — Gets out again — Beau- tiful effect of the u will" — Theory more firmly establish- ed — Notes of importance, ichichare well ic or th the trouble of reading. The experiment of this morning, (August 24th,) was merely intended to gratify a friend, Mr. Lounsberry, of Brook- lyn, to whom, as to all others, I communicated my theory, (except the part relating to cerin,) and contended that Ani- mal Magnetism was founded on fact; but he, like many oth- ers, would not believe the marvellous attributes of the science, and came to be convined, (as I assured him he would be,) of the truth of the doctrine. Mr. Cummin,* of New York, was also present, and the experiment was in Mr. A.'s pri- vate room. She w 7 as put to sleep in the usual time, and Mr. Cummin, in magnetic communication, sent her (in spirit) to his re- sidence in Waverly Place, describing the doors and furniture. Mr. C. remarked, u that is incorrect." Mr. A. remarked "then perhaps she is in the wrong house." Mr. C. then told her to go out of doors and look at the house, which he de- scribed by number and stone basement, &c. She went in and described many things correctly, such as carpet, chairs, * Mr. Cummin is one of the gentlemen named in Chapter X. He remarked •<> the others, when crossing the ferry, after seeing the experiment of bleeding, M j woman cheats the man." You may know (Tom such an ongaHanl remark, that bt is a bachelor. I don't know what encomiums were pasted between them on Mr \ myself. 115 tables and glass, but other things Mr. C. occasionally remark- ed, " are incorrect." " Then I must be in the wrong room," said Mrs. Andros, and after recommencing several times, she finished a very accurate * description of the premises. Mr. Lounsberry was next in magnetic communication, and sent her (in spirit) to his residence in Nassau street, Brook- lyn. He described to her his house, by street, number, (109) yard in front; she answered, u well I am there,''' and describ- ed carpet, chairs, &c; but on Mr. L. remarking some things incorrect, she said u perhaps I am not in the right house;" here a new description of the external appearance of the house enabled her to get in the right one, w 7 here she saw 7 u some- thing dark, looks like chairs; a sofa on that side of the room; a table in the centre," <$fc., and all very correct; in the kitch- en was u something dark, looks like a grate, I can't see very well; yes, I see a black ivoman there, &c, all very correct, f I explained the cause of failing to tell correctly sometimes by my theory, which, you know, does not admit of a . clair- voyance," but accounts for the supposed seeing by the magne- tic fluid conveying the knowledge of the one in magnetic com- munication to the somnambulist; who must, of course, receive as w r ell, all incorrect impressions, which are formed by thinking of too many things at a time, or by strongly impressing on your mind an idea that the somnambulist cannot tell correctly. The gentlemen expressed themselves satisfied, and indeed who would not be satisfied with such a beautiful experiment and lucid ex- * On retiring-, Mr. Cummin told me, he thought the whole "a ridiculous piece of non" sense;" and he added, "almost any body couldguess as well or better than she does." What an incredulous man. 1 1 met Mr. Lounsberry a short lime afterwards and I found he was as incredulous as ev er ; he said " It was very bad guessing, and I felt really ashamed of myself, to be seen in such a little affair. — I wonder how you, Durant, can have patience to spend your time: with it " There is no accounting for tastes by my theory, except the tasting of water melon from a pencil, or lemonade from an empty glass. 116 planatiom All the magnetic somnambulists who possess clair- voyance, frequently get in the wrong house or wrong room; and this they are sensible of, and will make it known to you, if you tell them the answers or descriptions are not correct ; in fact, all professors say, " a perfect description of the things is the only proof we have that the somnambulist has found the right place ; whenever the answers or descriptions are incorrect, we then know they are in the tcrcng place, and inform them of the error by words ;* so they may leave that to find the right place ;" words agitate the air more than u in//," and consequently cause a more sudden vibration of the magnetic cord which conveys the impression or u thought" to the brain of the somnambulist. Mr. Andros also w T illed a pencil to be a water-melon ; such experiments are attendant on almost every exhibition ; he usually whispers to you, "I will make her believe this pencil is a water-melon';" lie now commences by holding the pencil in both hands the same as if it was a water-melon, and strongly impresses on his own mind that it is such ; he now lays it in both her hands, held out to receive it J he says, 4; taste it ;" she puts it to her mouth ; u well, what is it ? M u a water-mclai]" he says, u eat it ;" she now commences moving la maclwire, precisely as if she was eating a water- melon, and with the fingers, she motions as if taki seeds out. She asked for water, when he gave he* an em tumbler ; " taste it ;" she put it to her lips and gpits ; what is it ?" " lemonade ;" u yes ;" " tas in, and tell us what it is now ? " panel}. " u Yes, I most *The "m>i7/" is not strong enough to convey thisintel therefore words must be, used; in fact, words in mpsi 11 trilP to "convey the thoughts" to the somnambulist. l>r. Capron to correct errors on the mind of the Bomnambi Potter and professor Grant ; tlioy all find the "will" in.i (equate in i 117 succeed with these experiments^ though I do fail sometimes " said Mr. Andros ; and he continued, M I sometimes magnet- ize water so strongly with my wil% that I make her believe it is medicine, and it actually causes her at times to vomit and purge ; many gentlemen frequently write on paper what they wish me to will it, and I most always succeed ; suppose one of the gentlemen write something which they wish me to make it ;" here was written and presented to him, u will it to be water ;" he took the tumbler from her and held it a few moments in his own hand, to impress the glass strongly with water ; he gave it to her to taste ; she puts it to her lips and spits ; u well, what is it ? w u it tastes like brandy ;" well, it is singular I should fail in that ; she is not very well now^ and when she is not well, she can't tell half so good ; taste again, Amelia, and see if you can't tell me what it is ?" she makes a wry face and spits ; u well, what does it taste like ?'* u it tastes like vinegar ;" u no ; ah ! she is not well to- day, and I thought she would not succeed very well, but it is singular, I have done that over and over again for hundreds of gentlemen, and I very seldom fail." I explained this fail- ure, thus : Gentlemen, the fact is, health is a very important thing, but that is not the entire cause of the failure. In these cases, according to my theory, the mind of the magnetizer must conceive the object or thing, before he can transmit it by the magnetic nerves ; and sometimes when he tries to be- lieve air is water, something else, such as punch or vinegar, unavoidably comes uppermost on his mind, and is so carried by the magnetic cords to her brain ; for you see by my the- ory, that she can have no knowledge except what is derived from the brain of the person in magnetic communication.* * The true theory of this is very easily explained. The somnambulist is by t\)e magne- li/.er^ seriously supposed to b3 asleep, arrl totally insensible to every thing said iu the 118 If I had time to explain all the theory, (which I intend to do when more at leisure,) I could make that part perfectly clear to your minds. All present were satisfied, or at least seemed so ; though when some of them were out of the influence of my theory, they hinted some dissatisfaction, as you may per- ceive by the notes hereunto appended ; but that is not my fault, nor yet the fault of my theory, for I cannot be alwavs with every body to explain the cause and effect of things ; and it is a weil known saying, u out of sight, out of mind," and not less true than the familiar proverb, " when the old cat is gone the kittens are at play." Mr. Andros also paralyzed her right arm in the usual wav, room. In the first place, she has heard of or probably seen such things done by others ; he is anxious to know if he can succeed with her, and talks it over to the company ; she isfeigning sleep, and hears, and generally sees every thing that is done; he says audibly. " I will try to ' will' this knife or pencil to be a water-melon/' he honestly thinks, he must impress it firmly on his mind that it is a water-melon, and the better to enable hin. to d i so, he holds it in both hands, as if it was heavy ; she receives it, and of course, says (i it m a water-melon,"- because she heard him or others say, ll will it to be a water-melon. ,; The experiment is next tried on her, when she is blindfolded. She has her ears and eyes open, and sees between the handkerchief and face (see chapter V.) all objects held at the epigastrium ; or if she leans the head back, she can see some distance, and if she sees or feels the object coming from two hands, it must be a, water-melon ; if you write on paper, hold this pencil in both hands and will it to be lemonade, she will answer incorrectly and probably say it is a water-melon. The same rule holds good, with willing water to be lemonade : it is first presented by one hand, aud consequently, when she thereafter lb blindfolded and receives a izlass with one hand, it must belemonade. If you now write, will it to be water, she will probably answer incorrectly, for she is not shrewd enough to suppose you would write such a sim- ple thing as water. When the magnetizer intends to will any thing, such as the "hand to raise," there is always a silence of some seconds, and if her eyes are de- means something, and she guesses (if her eyes are closed) it must be to raise £h< or receive something, and she answers accordingly, though not always coin it. and does not guess right, once in three times — such is the case with ad BOmoambuhl Providence. The toagnetizersare so infatuated, and so implicitly do they beliefs shs ii isleepi and insensible to all sound, that they frequently say audibly, " note 1 \ believe //»»*• it medicine ;" she takes it and answers accordingly - e\ -n mors, I ha\ < that done in the presence of a dozen men, who profess and are acknow.ll ssess common sensk, yet could not see it, and really believed slo. - rnatu" ral power, 119 when she is awake, by directing the u will" forcibly on it to carry a stream of magnetic fluid through from the fingers to the elbow. She then has the use of all the system except that part which is so benumbed, that, if cut off, she could not feel it ; neither is she able to move it until Mr. A., by his u will," releases it. Mr. A. requested Mr. Lounsberry to write on paper, any finger he wished him to release, stating at the same time, u I sometimes fail m this as in other ex- periments, but most generally I succeed." Mr. Lounsber- ry wrote u thumb." Mr. A. threw his will into the thumb by directing his eyes steadily on it, in a few seconds she be- gan to move the thumb; u very correct;" now, said Mr. An- dros, try another, he wrote' u little finger ;" he directed his will on it, and soon the little finger* began to move ; u well done, you succeed well at this time, at any rate ; try an- other," said Mr. Andros ; Mr. Lounsberry wrote the name of another ; Mr. Andros directed his u will" on it, but the wrong one came up ; Mr. Andros said it would happen so sometimes, and requested Mr. L. to name one of the remain- ing two, he did, and the wrong one was released; cc well, that is singular," said Mr. Andros, who continued, cc for most generally I succeed with nearly all : at my house in Provi- dence one evening, I tried it by request of Mr. Hartshorn, for a number of gentlemen from Boston and Philadelphia, and I only failed with one finger." At this time he only fail- ed with two fingers, and yet my incredulous friend Lounsber- ry told me afterwards, he " did not think that was even good " In these experiments Mr. A. sits very close, and with the most sincere- and implicit confidence in his willing or flnidjeal power, he directs the eye on the particular fin- der in'ended to be released. V>y observing the direction of his eye. (which she always does in flu > experiment,) she can guess very nearly the one to be released, particularly if it is anouisidefimier, as I always observed Lis whole face directed to the. side of the- hand where the fortunate, ringer was fastened. 120 guessing. 55 I do not hesitate to say, that if he ever walks on the water, it will not be by u faith alone." CHAPTER XIV. TENTH AND MOST IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT IX ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT NEW YORK. Cerin produces the most wonderful effects by culling off the magnetic fluid — Ccmse why — -Theory permanently estab- lished against all opposition — Most ready for a lecture. This afternoon, (Thursday, 24th August, 1837,) was form an important era in the history of Animal Magnetism ; this was to be the grand experiment to prove the soundness of my theory, and establish the science on a basis too firm to be overturned by any combined opposition, and too beau- tiful and attracting to remain longer unobserved or nnadmired by the sceptical world. I had spent many tedious hours, u consumed the midnight oil, 5 ' and ransacked my brain to find analogous materials in the workshop of nature tostrength- en my favorite theory against the force of the sceptical storm. I called immediately after dinner, and meeting Mr. and Mrs. Andros in the parlor, I proposed we should retire to his private room to see the most beautiful of all the magoi experiments hitherto attempted, and one which it\ conviction to the most stubborn unbelievers of the s On entering the private room, I said to them, " i great that I can scarcely find words to express it ; 1 i thought of an experiment that must place the truth ory beyond the possibility of doubt, but in on most effectually, it will be necessary to keep its iraj 121 from the mind of Mr. Andros in the first trial, and then see the effect again, when I have impressed the whole on his brain. It will be necessary that you should go out and put Mrs. A. asleep by time, the same as you have done several times before ; this course will be necessary to ensure success to the experiment, and then we will be prepared at once to commence the public lectures, against the opposition of all the remaining sceptics in the world ; for this will enable me to prove most conclusively the truth and validity of my the- ory. I then wrote on a paper, which I gave him, put Mrs. Andros to sleep at thirty minutes past four ; ivake her at forty minutes past four ; put her to sleep again at five r and come home at half past five o'clock ; do not allow her to hear any thing that I may say. We compared time by our watches, (twelve minutes past four,) and I told him to go to the same place, (Hale's reading room,) to which he went the preceding day, and amuse himself with reading the papers. When Mr. A. had retired, I said to Mrs. Andros, u it is only necessary to keep the intended experiment from the mind of Mr. Andros, as it can have no effect on your mind, by my theory, and as it is such a beautiful thing, I will ex- plain it to you : you recollect my showing you the common magnets at my house, and hovv by repulsion and attraction, I proved there was a fluid funning through them ; also, when I dipped the ends in steel filings and put them together, how the steel was interlaced when the current was continued, by bringing the South and North Poles together, and how the steel was repelled when the two North Poles came together, proving there were two currents of fluid meeting together from opposite directions ; and you also recollect, how I show- ed you that the fluid passed through gkss, wood, metals 122 and stone, and you know by my theory, the magnetic sleep is produced by this same fluid passing from the brain of the mcgnetizer to the brain of the somnambulist ; and von see, Mr. Andros sends the fluid into your brain, through walls, wood, and glass, the same as magnets send it through the same materials, only not quite to such a great distance. All scientific men to whom I have explained my theory, ad- mit that it is founded on the analogous laws of the universe, but they are so unwilling to believe it, that they say, ' prove to us Durant, that there is a fluid passing from the magneti- zer to the magnetized. 5 Such a request is very reasonable, but it never before occurred to me, how I could prove it to their satisfaction ; but I have got the idea now, and it is this : The fluid in common magnets, passes through all things known to the scientific world, except cerin, an animal fat which was discovered in a graveyard, where dead bodies had been buried many years, and if the fluid between common magnets will pass through all substances except cerin, it must follow by my theory, that the magnetic fluid between two persons must pass through all substances except cerin. Now you know, it has put you to sleep, when it passed through two partitions at my house ; Mr. Andros also put you to sleep in this room, when he was in the barber's shop ; and you know that yesterday, when he was at Mr. Hale's reading room, the fluid passed through fifty or a hundred walls and put you to sleep in this room ; now, so far, it is similar to the common magnet, but to be perfectly analogous, the fluid must be cut off when cerin is held between the mag- netizer and the person to be magnetized ; for as the globules of which cerin is composed are so soft as to mash together, and prevent the passage of the common magnetic fluid, so 123 they should prevent the passage of the same fluid between the animal magnets ; and consequently, if cerin is held beween you and Mr. Andros, he cannot put you to sleep. Don't you see what a beautiful thing this will be to prove my theory, which is built on a magnetic fluid, and must therefore prove the truth of Animal Magnetism beyond the possibility of doubt. Cerin can be dissolved, and scientific men then sat- urate wood, cloth, and paper with it, so as to answer all pur- poses in the common magnetical experiments. You see this sheet of common tissue paper, look through it — -how very thin and porous, and yet it is saturated with cerin, and to- tally prevents any attraction by common magnets when held between them ; hence, it must cut oft and prevent any pas- sage of the magnetic fluid between Mr. Andros and yourself; and consequently, (although he may try his best,) he cannot put you to sleep. Now if this succeeds, you see how I will be able to prove to scientific men, that it is the fluid which produces the magnetic sleep. I am certain it will succeed, and if it fails, I will give up all pretensions to a knowledge of science hereafter. I have sent Mr. Andros to Mr. Hale's reading room, and written on paper the time when he should put you to sleep ; but see how astonished he will be when he comes home, to find you awake by such a simple yet scientific contrivance ; you recollect the experiment at my house to prove the Pole of the animal magnet was in the eye, therefore, all that will be necessary in this case, is for you to recline the head a little so that I can lay the cerin pa- per over your face and eyes, by which means the fluid from Mr. Andros will be thrown off the moment it strikes the paper " Mrs. Andros was pleased with my remarks, and I placed the sheet of paper over her face. I continued addressing her 124 on the natnie of cerin, and the advantages this experin: would give us, in confounding the unbelievers of Animal Magnetism, until thirty-eight minutes past four, when I asked her if she had felt sleepy. She answered " ?io, I have not felt the least effect of sleep or drowsiness." I now showed her a true copy of the paper which I had given to Mr. Audi by which she would have been asleep eight minutes before, if the paper cf cerin had not been over her face; and I re- marked to her, cc you see he is to put you asleep by the per, .also, at five o'clock; but you see if he don't fail in I too; if you feel sleepy at any time, I wish you to say so." I continued discoursing with her on the subject cf the t and lectures, and also on the subject of furnishing her and Mr. Andres a room in my hcuse, where they would be much more comfortable than at the Hotel ; all of which she was much pleased with, and continued awake, and conversing un- til Mr. Andros arrived at half past five o'clock. I was in eesta- cy at. the success of the experiment, and on giving him the same explanation that I had made to Mrs. A., he seemed as much delighted as myself. I remarked, that we should now try it in the room, to be more sure, as the great distance from the reading room might have lessened the force of the fluid. He commenced the trial, while I held the paper before her face, and he continued fo%ir limes as long as is necessarv to produce sleep without producing any effect, and said it no use to try any longer, for he was satisfied that the CBRIH cut off all influence of the fluid from him; and all were de- lighted at the success of the experiment. Nothing could now delay the lectures, and an immense fortune would soon be acquired by both of us. I remarked, that Mr. Hale should know the success of the beautiful experiment, as he had Si all the other important parts of the theory tested, and would 125 be of much assistance in the lectures: it was agreed that he should see it forthwith, and Mr. A. and myself left the room to call on him. At the parlor door we met Mr. Peter F, Ewer, and told him that I would return in a few minutes with Mr. Hale, and show him the most beautiful of all the magnetic experiments; he promised to be there on my re- turn, to witness it. Mr. A. remained with Mr. Ewer, while I went to invite Mr. Hale, whom I found at the reading room, and on saying to him u well, Hale, the cerin succeeded, and my theory is triumphant," he clapped his hands in great joy, and burst into a loud laugh, (very un- mannerly, indeed, in my presence,) and so immoderate was it, that he was obliged to lean against the w 7 all to sustain himself. I never like to copy bad examples, or laugh in a person's face, but somehow, the magnetic ccrcls between Mr. Hale and myself touched the sympathetic nerves of the brain, which so overcame me, that I was from necessity obliged to lean against the wall to assist my North Pole in sustaining the system; indeed, a clean carpet to roll on, I think, would have been a great relief to quiet the pain in my side. When we recovered sufficient to walk, we started for the Varick House, where we met Mr. Ewer and his lady in the hall, about to leave for the evening. He said, " Mr. Andros has tried to explain that experiment to me, but I don't under- stand it; he says you have got something that cuts off the fluid, and prevents putting her to sleep ; I am engaged out this evening, but I will see it to-morrow." On leaving him, Mr. Hale and myself went up stairs to Mr. Andros' room to try the beautiful experiment with cerin for Mr. Hale. I pro- posed that Mr. A. should first put her to sleep, to ascertain if his magnetic power was at all diminished. He was seated within about five feet of Mrs. Andros, and Mr. Hale held the 126 watchj to ascertain the time required to put her asleep ; it was a little short of a minute, proving his magnetic power as strong as ever. I now requested him to wake her up, which he did. I now held the cerin paper before her face, and told him to put her asleep ; he tried for seven minutes, and did not produce the least drowsiness. She said," he does not affect me in the least." The plate which accompanies this work, is intended to con- vey a more perfect idea of this beautiful experiment, which must settle forever the truth of Animal Magnetism, and tablish beyond the possibility of doubt my philosophical the- ory, which is thus proved to be based on the broad and cer- tain foundation of the natural laws that have been known to man since the discovery of loadstone, and which have been felt on our race since the creation of Eve. In the plate, (see frontispiece,) Mrs. Andros is represented sitting in the rocking chair, and the modest discoverer of the theory hold- ing the cerin paper before her ; professor Andros is repre- sented in the usual position, trying to u will" Mrs. A. in magnetic sleep; the magnetic fluid is represented bylines coming from his eyes (North Pole,) to her eyes, and intp* cepted in its course by the cerin, which breaks tne inaghei ic cord, and scatters the fluid in the room to recombine witn the atmosphere from w T hence it was u willed" through to the South Pole (feet) of the professor. cc This exquisite engra ving was executed at great expense, expressly for this work. " It is engraved by Adams, from a drawing by Chapman, and designed by the Author. Mr. A. remarked, u it is no use to try any more ; i | been long enough to have put her asleep half a dozen tin* and I have tried so hard, that it makes mv head ache; 1 air H 127 perfectly satisfied that I can't put her to sleep with that be- tween us." All were now in ecstacy at the success of this experiment^ ~ which would leave no difficulty in the way of con^kcing sci- entific men of the truth of this interesting sciences Mr. A. , remarked, that he had not been able to explain the nature of the experiment to Mr. Ewer, because he forgot the name of the article.in the paper. I replied;, u I am glad of it, because- after more thought,! think- it will be best to keep -this secrete between us four, until we commence the lectures. If We tell Mr. E^er, he will, tell Mr, Dodge, and then all Providence will know it before we are ^ready to useitofor our own advan- tage; so let it now be fairly understood, that we are to tell a nobody of this for the present; it is not right that we should be at so much trouble to find ouUhings, and have othfersto make an improper use of it before we get ready to lefcture. , If Mr. Ewer asks you, Mr* Andros, any thing about it, tell hinfryou - don't understand it well enough to explain it. And tell him .' further, that I want to try some more experiments, to have it perfect before we show it to others. I have no desire to have Mr. Ewer* know any thing about it yet; it will be time enough for him to know when we commence lectures. I am sorry we said any thing to him about it, though he cannot know much frftm what>has already been said to him, and he * may easily bevput off in thd manner I described to you ^'T — ~ - U . _ „J , — *,Mt, Ewer, although a believer in Animal Magnetism, is nevertheless, a very intelligent i man, and if I spoke to him of ce.rin or any thing else' cutting -off the attraction of magneto he would have discovered at once *he duplicity, aneUtfieh I should have been obliged to give up any further experiments, oi> let him in the secret, which I now was not willing < to do-; because I hadfelready concaved the idea of carrying out the game with thtf Tro- • vidence somnambulists, whom, through Dodge andEwenj might learn something about •' certm, and explode the whole- theory, which otherwise was made up of matter sufficiently y analogous fc& known laws, to withstand even! a'tolerab^&rgumentfrom a mauipdssassing .>; science., . 128 Mr. and Mrs. Andros seemed much pleased with the idea of keeping it to ourselves; and Mr. A. remarked, u Ewer will ask me about it in the morning, for he was very anxious to know; he said he knew it must be of great importance, for Durant looked so pleased." Mrs. Andros urged the necessity of having the editors to see an experiment on the morrow, and then commence at once with the lectures. She had always been very impa- tient, and once or twice said, if the lectures were not very soon commenced, she would go home. It was with some difficulty that I could, from time to time, find excuses for the delay; and among other things I had said, it was necessary first, to interest some scientific and influential men, and then invite the editors, to make it known to the public. I now promised to call in the morning :6 arrange the time for re- ceiving the editors, and go with Mr. A. to look for a lecture room. Mr. Hale and myself then bid them goodnight-, and retired. bS CHAPTER XV. FIRST LECTURE ON ANIMAL MAGNETISM BY THE AUTHOR. Philosophical reasoning on the incidents connected with events — Mrs. Andros gGes to Providence — Important disclo- sures made to Mr. Andros — Magnetic sleep shown to be no sleep at all — Plans of great promise for the future. Great discoveries, like u misfortunes, seldom come alone," and two circumstances seems necessary to complete any im- portant event. All nature seems to move by two's ; we have two ears, and two hands ; u day succeeds night," and " sun- shine succeeds storm;" so in the magnetic science, every thing seems to go in two's ; it takes two to make a somnambu- list, one to u will" and the other to sleep, one to ask ques- tions and the other to answer them, one to write and seal letters and the other to read them, one experiment to prove sleep and the other to show the cause, one experiment to prove the fluid can't be cut off and the other to show you can cut its head off ; and having made known one such discovery, it is necessary to make known another; in dis- closing the effect of cerin, one party was overjoyed, and I feared in disclosing the cause, the other party would be over- powered. A river is formed by accumulation, and flows quietly on in the time-worn channel, when the same mighty mass, if suddenly turned loose from the fountains, would have inundated the brook, and overpowered and uprooted in its course, the organized forms which for ages had braved the fluid of storm. I feared to make the new discovery known to Mrs. Andros, lest the natural weakness of woman would be overpowered under the excitement of surprise, and I fear- de to disclose all to Mr. Andros, while she was near to scan 130 with her invisible eyes the emotions that would be produced on her husband, in making known to him the most beautiful discovery in the science ; I therefore resolved to send her to Providence, and communicate to him alone the appendix to my lucid theory of Animal Magnetism. I called in the morning, (25th August,) and told them it would be impossible to commence exhibitions short of a week ; that I wanted time to write out the lectures and pro- cure a suitable room ; and in order to make a permament commencement, I thought it would be best for Mrs. Andros to go home for that time ; because, while here, many friends were anxious to see experiments, which only consumed the time necessary for our preparation, and in her absence I could arrange a 'room at my house to accommodate them on her re- turn ; this was readily acceded to by Mr. Andros, but she only complied after shedding a profusion of tears. * It •decided that she should leave that afternoon in the steam- boat Narragansett, for Providence, as things seemed most fa- vorable for the departure that day. CoL Cady, an intimate friend of the family, was going that day, and offered to take charge of Mrs. Andros ; besides, Capt. Childs was an inti- mate friend, arid: offered to take his niece as company for Mrs. A. on the voyage. She left at five in the afternoon, and Mr. Andros engaged to call at my residence the following morn- ings to discuss with me the arrangements necessary for die lectures. He called according to appointment, and after much con- versation about the science generally, and the Providence somnambulists in particular, we repaired to an upper and more •I think that Mrs. Androg suspoot.'it my real tottationa, and ittch Boradi cause of her tears. 131 private room, where I opened to him the following discourse. I have much to say to you, Mr. Andros, and desire you will hear me patiently before you make any reply ; it is a subject that may, and unquestionably must, cause you great surprise and agitation, and induce you at first to suppose me an enemy to you ; but when you have heard me through, I know you will thank me for that which I have done, and not only will you justify my conduct, but you will be more than ever convinced of my friendship towards you. I am and have been continually aware of my deep responsibility to your friends and yourself. I promised Mr. Dodge and Mr. Ewer, as I promised you, to investigate fairly and un- prejudiced the merits of Animal Magnetism, and I further- more promised t;o be your friend, #nd when I should have completed the investigation, to give you and the world my candid opinion of its merits, i was satisfied from the com- mencement that you was perfectly honest and sincere in your belief, and I knew you would forgive the employment of du- plicity to undeceive you. I have pretended to be a believ- , er. I saw the weak points of the pretended science, and framed a false theory to attack it. I could have satisfied my- self without it. I could in any one exhibition have convin- ced myself and those present that the whole is a deception, but I had a more extended aim in view; I saw thousands of credulous people led astray by this intricate mystery, and judging from the history of Europe, millions in our own country would in all probability become dupes to the decep- tion ; a belief in such mysterious and supernatural powers would disqualify all in the community from discharging the social duties to each other, which are so essential to the well being of society. The pretensions of the deception are so 132 unnatural, that even intelligent persons are led to believe because they cannot comprehend it, and think it may be true because others believe it ; those who go with minds prepared to see a miracle, will see something incomprehensible, only because they are not prepared to scan such an extremely sim- ple deception. You, Mr. Andros, I pity, because others . more intelligent than yourself have worked an your mind £ •firm belief of this doctrine. You acknowledged to me that the conviction of its supposed truth took entire possession of your brain. Y^ou saw others around you believers, and you unavoidably allowed the delusion to suppress your reasoning powers ; it caused you to forsake your business, and spend in solitude and abstraction the hours usually devoted to social conversation with friends. Your wife saw your infatuation, and very naturally humoured the delusion ; she even probably supposed the science was true. Poyen had taught, that all possessed and felt the pow r er. Mrs. Andres, in a belief of such supernatural effects, was net capable of scanning her own feelings ; she felt a queer sensation, and supposed it must'be magnetism, because the manipulations or passes used were said to produce magnetic sleep ; she felt perhaps a drowsiness from monotonous fatigue; she expressed a u sleepy sensation, " and you supposed it must be magnetism, lour whole soul was bent on producing it, and at this first glimmer of success you expressed your delight. She wished to plca-e you more, and said she felt more sleepy. Women arc tend of fame ; she knew other somnambulists wore fan ou> in the mouths of the credulous ; she saw a good opportunity ; >he concluded to carry it further, and feigned the wl.ule. She is not so much to blame, because she originally intended it perhaps to please you ; but when once she had bank note; or hold something behind her, anti you will soon fed that she can see no better than other persons who are Wide ,flwake, with the handkerchief over their eves: I kjj^vv;^ will be difficwlt^for you to believe your >yife has 137 deceived you, but if you will reflect on what I told you, you will see that I cannot be mistaken; I thought it best to send her home before I disclosed all this to you, so you would have time for reflection before you could see her; it is not* necessary for her ever to know this; she may even die in the belief that her deception remains undiscovered. I intend to expose the nakedness of this pretended science to the world, but I think the ringleader should be made the scape-goat to carry the brand of deception. Poyen's head should bear the iniquity of this imposition— it is him that has led you and thousands of others astray. I have not seen him, but I think he must know the whole is a deception, and I wish to make him the example of exposure; you will be the most suitable person to put him in my power, and the plan I would advise in this; you say he wanted you to wait in Providence uniil he should finish his lectures in Nantucket, and then he would come with you to New York, by giving him one third of the money to be made by lectures. Now write him a letter, and tell him that you have found a friend, Mr. Durant, who has undertook to assist you, and who advises you to procure, if possible, the assistance of Mr. Poyen, as he is so well known, that the lectures would be heard with less opposition from the few incredulous men, and say that your friend, Mr. Du- rant, has a theory which explains all the phenomena of Ani- mal Magnetism so clearly, that most all, among the many who have seen your private experiments, are now firm believers in the science; tell him it is my opinion that half a dozen fortunes could be made with the lectures in New York, and that you will give him half of the receipts ; by such means we may get him to the city, and then I will manage the rest. As Mrs. Andros was to return on Monday v yon . 138 may write to her to remain until we get ready for the lec- tures, which you can say are unavoidably put off a few days, in consequence of fitting up a room. We will continue to advocate all parts of my theory, except the cerin, which you must not mention to any person, because, if a man of true science, or even common sense, hears of cerin cutting off the magnetic fluid, the whole theory will be blown up. Ail other parts of the theory are so well framed that I can for a time keep up a good argument in its favor, even if scientific men should attack it ; and, indeed, it is so analogous to known laws, that it would not astonish me if sleep should be pro- duced in that way. I trust you will now forgive the duplicity, and believe me, what I professed to be, at heart, your friend. Mr. Andros listened patiently, and, as the reader may well imagine, with surprise and sorrow. I really never pitied a man more than I pitied Mr. Andros, and I think the most difficult task of my life was, summoning resolution to unde- ceive him on this occasion. I would gladly have avoided it, but a sense of duty prompted me to the task ; he made but few" objections, but thought u Mrs. Andros must think she was asleep. It is not possible for all in Providence to be mistaken; they certainly think they are asleep.'* I re- called to his mind the various experiments recorded in this work. He acknowledged them as I stated, calculated lo leave the impression which I had imbibed, but he named many extraordinary cases done in Providence, in presence of the most respectable witnesses, which would prove unquestiona- bly, that there was some truth in the science. I told him they were not fairly tried ; that the witnesses went prepared to see miracles, and they saw them. lie acknowledged, as 139 I named over the circumstances, that Mrs. Andros had not done? any. thing in my. presence that a person awake could not dd. Yet u she must think she is asleep ;" he confessed that my conduct towards him was? throughout, irreproacha- ble, and he still considered me his friend. He thought if I would go to Providence, that he could convince me by some of the Somnambulists, of some truth in the science ; he promi- sed to write, as I requested, for Poyen, but he would rather have me go to Providence, for then I might be satisfied of the truth of the science, and he could, with my assistance, commence hfs lectures in New York. A week now elapsed, without receiving- any intelligence, by letter, from Poyen. I saw Mr. Andros each day, and he contined his solicitations for me to visit Providence ; he said he knew he should be able, when there, to show me experi- ments that would convince me of the truth of Animal Mag- netism; I consented to go with himj and promised, if he would show me one single case that proved a magnetic sleep in which the somnambulist could do any thing that a person awake could not do, I would give him my little influence to advance his interest with the public. We accordingly started for Providence, in the' steam-boat Rhode-Island, on Satur- day, 2d Sept., and arrived the following day; the experi- ments in that city, forms the subject matter for the subse- quent chapters, - CHAPTER XVI. ELEVENTH, TWELFTH, AND THIRTEENTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM, AT PROVIDENCE, R. I. Mr$v Jlndros sees no better at home than abroad — theory rising in the world — Miss Ann Eliza Ebon feels queei —-thinks she is asleep— ^opens her eyes by the new theory after being burned to death — Magnetic ' Somnambuli in a dog- — his case is described in the notes. We arrived in Providence, September 3d, and in the afternoon of the same day J called to see Mrs. Andros, whom I -found at her house, in excellent health. I judged this a good- opportunity to satisfy all parties that very good health is not a very important requisite in magnetic somnambulism. I requested Mr. A. to put her asleep, which he did in a minute and a half, When eight or ten minutes had elapsed, I asked her the time by clock in the same room. She an- swered u I can't see very plain,; it is a quarter past two. " (It was eleven minutes past two.) I held behind her a key. Mr A. asked her to u look at and tell what it is ?" She an- swered u a pencil case." Mr. A. wrote on paper u Durant," andasked-her to-read it. (She was blindfolded.) She an- swered " / can't see very plain.* I think one letter is JP." Similar unimportant things were done with the same success, and she was permitted to awake. In< a conversation with her at this time, I found Mr. A. had told her there was " nothing in the cerin," and that it had been used only to see the effect * The fact was, she saw very clearly the name " Durant," f~r it was held at the epigastrium, but she was afraid to read it all, lest it should excite suspicijn about seeing all things at the epigastrium, and seeing wrongly all thingi heU in other plat«a. The reader recollects the " nose and cheek" in ttie fhrsl lccnlte. 141 of the mind. She asked why I wished to try such things. This took me so much by surprise, that I had like to have failed in accounting for it. I explained how the mind was an essential part of my theory, and how various things should affect it in various ways. On leaving, Mr. A. went to my lodgings (City Hotel) with me, and I took occasion to reprimand him for telling Mrs. A. any thing about the cerin, further than she knew. He said he had not told her any thing about its real character, but only enough to prevent her from naming the cerin at all to any other person, and he added — cc She is still as ignorant as a child about the real nature of that experiment." Even if he had told the whole, it was now unimportant, for I knew it would not do to talk about trying cerin in Provi- dence, where, among so many professors, some, at least, would know that magnetic attraction could as well be cut off with moonshine as with cerin, and there was more than enough left of the theory to cut off their deception without the assistance of cerin. From the time of my arrival, Mr. Andros had been very industrious in trying to induce the professors to show me experiments in the science. He represented (by my re- quest) that Mr. Durant had come to collect proofs in support of his theory of Animal Magnetism, which disputed clair- voyance, and advocated all other parts of the science ; and to his intimate friends he told that he paid me fifty dollars to come and get proofs of the doctrine, to assist him in intro- ducing the lectures in New York. The first gentlemen he had seen on the subject were Professor Americus V. Potter, and Professor Christopher Potter, twin brothers, and manufac- turing jewellers of Providence. They are highly respectable 142 men, and on all subjects except the magnetic science, the/ seem to possess a tolerable share of good sense. On my in- troduction to these gentlemen, they admitted frequent doubts as to somnambulists telling any thing more than was on the mind of the magnetizer. They expressed much pleasure that I had undertaken the investigations with a proper spirit of inquiry. They admitted my theory w r as philosophically formed, and they hoped to see me establish it by experiment, promising to do all in the ir power to aid me, by gaining access to all the principal somnambulists. At five o'clock on the same day we met at the residence of Mr. Andros. Mr. A. Potter now put Mrs. A. asleep, and asked her what Mr. Durant held behind her. She answered — " /( looks like a pencil case. M I showed it to him, (it was a toothpick.) I now held a pebble stone. She said in answer to u what is it?" u It looks dark ; . I can't see what it is." I next held a map in a red morocco case. He asked her — "what does Mr. Durant hold behind you ?" She answered — u It is light color ; it looks like paper , but I can't see to tell what it is." Mr. Christopher Potter now held his empty clenched fist behind her, and she was asked — u what does Christopher hold behind you ?" She answered — u It is a pen-knife. " Thus every experiment failed on her part ; but I reconciled them all to my theory, and accounted for the failures of imperfect impression of the things on the brain of Mr. Potter, as all the know le< was of course derived from him by the magnetic cords or nerves. In the evening Mr. Christopher Potter called on me at the City Hotel, and offered to show me the only somoara* bulist he then had under his charge ; he said she had never been able to see at a distance, but in all other respe< I 143 was equal to the best somnambulist in Providence. Her name is Ann Eliza Ebon, he described her as a very intelli- gent and amiable girl, who had long labored under a disease of the spine, but who was now rapidly recovering under his Hiagnetical treatment. I went with him and saw her at the house of her friend, where she now resides expressly to re- ceive the professional visits of Mr. Potter. I was now per- fectly satisfied that both the Mr. Potters were honest and sincere in their belief of Animal Magnetism, and this seemed the more extraordinary, as they both seemed- to possess, on other matte^ a very quick and accurate conception of things. Miss Ebon was represented as a very good somnambulist in all things except clairvoyance, which all acknowledged she did not possess ; this seemed still more mysterious, that she should not pretend to the most wonderful and easy part of the deception ; but the whole mystery was very soon made per- fectly clear Y as-ycm tvill find in the sequel. When Mr. Christopher Potter and myself entered the room, there were* present three ladies belonging to the house, and Miss Ebon 5 with whom I- commenced conversation, immediately after the introduction. She is about sixteen years of age, and bent forwards in consequence of the diseased spine, otherwise she seems to possess good health', and is rather em bon point ; she speaks quick, and exhibits very little cultivation or reach of mind ; her conversation is in detatched words, from which her meaning can be easily understood ; she is devoid of shrewdness, and so much of a natural in her appearance and conversation, as to satisfy the observer that she does not know enough to practise deception.- The reader may suppose I am painting a singular picture, by showing two persons per- fectly honest, and yet intending. i& prove their actions are de- 144 ceitful ; but it is no more singular than true ; Mr. Potter and Miss Ebon both firmly and honestly believe she is in a pecu- liar sleep, and subject to his will in all her actions ; when at* the same time, she is no more asleep than I, who am writing this history. Singular as such a state of things may appear to the reader, it can, nevertheless, be demonstrated and made perfectly clear to your understandings, by an attentive perusal of the circumstances connected with the experiment. Miss Ebon is the only self-deceived magnetic somnambulis* that I have seen, and therefore her case merits a more par- ticular description. She was seated in a rocking chair ; and Mr. Potter seated directly in front, with her knees pressed between his own. commenced the manipulations or passes, by first holding her thumbs in his hands, then pressing his hands on her forehead, then draws them down on her shoulders and thighs to the knees, then presses both hands on the stomach and bowels, then again on the forehead, shoulders and thighs to the knees; and so continues alternately ; and at the same time honestly supposing his " will" has something to do with the sleep, he keeps his eyes (and he has sharp ones,) directed on hers with such muscular force as even to cause him pain ; he oc- casionally says to her, u Ann Eliza, do you feel sleepy yet ? Ann Eliza, how do you feel ?" and she as often answers, « Oh ! I don't know." u I don't know, .Mr. Potter, I feel a little queer." " I feel a little sleepy, Jfr. Potter." lie continues the manipulations, and again addresses her, cc how do you feel now, Ann Eliza ?" " Do you sit ©as) : Do vou feel sleepy now ?" u Try, see if you can open your eyes, Ann Eliza?" She in turn answers, u Oh! 1 f more right." " tin good, I sit good." u ffm sleepy no*" 12 145 Mr. Potter ;" and then slowly opens her eyes wider than when in a natural waking state, at the same time saying, " Oh! no, I could not have been asleep ;" he then says, " no, shut your eyes again, Ann Eliza ;" and continuing the passes, he says after a. few moments, u how do you feel now, Ann Eli- za ?" " do you feel sleepy now, Ann Eliza ?" u try to open your eyes ;" and she in turn, answers again, " Oh ! I feel right, just right ;" " Pm sleepy now, Mr, Potter ;" u Pm exactly right now, Mr. Potter, I can't open my eyes." This occupied about ten minutes, and when I told Mr. Pot- ter that Mr. Andros generally put his lady asleep in one or two minutes, he remarked, the sleep could not be good, when done so quick ; and he continued, u I have often told Mr. Andros, that he put his wife asleep too quick ; I generally occupy from ten to fifteen minutes." He commenced by willing the hand to raise, and accompanied it with saying, u I will now see if I can iake her raise the right hand." She of course raised the right hand. He said, " she is now perfectly asleep;" I asked if she could hear me speak; he said, u no, she could not hear a cannon fired by her ears." " Do you hear Mr. Durant, Ann Eliza?" she answered, cc JVo, Idon'thear any body but you, Mr. Potter." u Try her, Mr. Durant, see if she hears you." I then called her name, u Miss Ebon, do you hear me?" she answered, u Idon'lhear Mr. Durant, Mr. Potter." " No," said Mr. Potter, " I have tried her often, and she can't hear a gun fired to her ears ; nor she don't feel pinching, or if you should cut her arm off, she would not feel it." Before I proceed with the experiments, I will here give the reader the true situation of things. Mr. Pot- ter is about thirty years of age, short of stature, but full, hale and healthy ; he is a firm" and ardent believer in this sci- 146 ence, and believes the patient cannot feel or hear any thing, unless he " wills" it ; consequently, he, and all around, talk freely and loudly, about what they wish her to do. She is about sixteen years of age, and extremely simple ; she hears of Animal Magnetism, and she thinks it must be true, because her acquaintances tell her it is so. Cures are supposed to be effected by it, and her friends wish Mr. Potter (who is considered one of the best professors) to cure her diseased spine. She has all the animal passions and lust common to that age, without intel- lect to understand it. She is intimate with Mr. Potter, who is very lively and sociable. She feels the warm knees of a hale, robust man, pressing against hers. She feels bis warm hands pressing and creeping over her forehead, stomach, bowels, arms and thighs. She feels, as she expressed it, • c queer," iQ sleepy." What girl of her age and full* habit of body -would not. "feel queer ?" She is told that this is magnetism. She readily believes it, and feels "just righ because she likes the u queer feelings" of this magnetism. They tell her that persons in magnetic sleep do not hear any body, unless " willed," (told, as she understands it,) to hear them. Others speak to her, and she thinks she is in mag- netic sleep, and cannot hear them. Therefore, she says, — u JVo ; I don't hear any body but you, Mr. Pot'' She is told they can see things with invisible eyes at a great distance ; this is above her comprehension, and she s; does not see at a distance ; or, in other words, she has not " clairvoyance." This is proof to me that she is honest and sincere. They now tell her that the magnetizer can * w will" the hand to raise ; that she understands, and thinks she must do it. The light does not " hurt her eyes," and therefore. 147 she does not ask to be blindfolded. She knows that to .be asleep she must keep the eyes shut, but she also thinks she must raise the hand when u willed" to do so, and must take things when offered ; instinct,* therefore, teaches her to open the eyes a little, (which she continued to do during this ex- periment,) to see the object when offered, and to raise the hand when willed without speaking, for, in willing the hand to raise, the magnet^zer generally thrusts out his own, which * The lower order of animals, are known to manifest instinct in an equal or more ex- traordinary degree. When I was a child, the family possessed a dog, whose instinct and sagacity furnished amusement and pastime to all fcbe children in the neighborhood : iis name, Cash, was as singular as his sports ; he was a great favorite, and he knew it ; he was very small, and much petted by my sister, to whom he seemed more attached than to any other in the family ; he would lay down or sit up when told to do so ; he would eat the most indigestible things when told to eat it. I see him now in retrospection, as he used to sit eating whole grains of corn, chips, and even cotton, which he would archly roll in his mouth, and swallow at the bidding of the children. A word was sufficient, and " Cash, eat that;" " Cash, here is some cotton;" " Cash, take some com," would always command obedience, and then he woul,dlook up for more, as, much as to say, I like that cake, or water-melon, with a face so serious, that the whole juvenile company would be convulsed with laughter ; he knew such things pleased the company, and he took delight in entertaining them ; he knew cotton and chips were not natuial food, but he also knew that his unnatural sports gained for him the admiration of all the school children in the vicinity. He would shut his eyes or open them at a word, and many a time has my sister laid him in the miniature bed of her baby-house, and after singing ol o by for a few minutes, would say to him, "now, Cash, shut your eyes, and go to sleep." I would perhaps say " Cash, I would not sleep in that bed without curtains," but he would not pay any attention to me, and presently my sister would say, "Cash, are you dreaming? Cash, open your eyes and let me see if you are asleep," he would then open those cunning eyes, and look as serious as a deacon, while my sister would address him, " yes,— you are asleep now, Cash, shut your eyes again, and don't hear what Charles says to you." I would then clap 'my hands, and call, " Cash, Cash, here Cash, catch the chickens, Cash;" but he would lay as quiet as a mouse, and not stir even the eyelids, and if he could talk, I know he would have said, " no, I don't hear Charles nor any body but you, little Miss." Such was his instinct, that he knew he must not hear any one but my sister, and therefore he feigned sleep. But I detected the little rogue , : when I said chickens, (he was fond of chasing the chickens,) for I could see his ears move, and I know he found it difficult to keep his eyes closed. Hundreds of his feats are retain- ed in the recollections of the family, with whom he is frequently the subject of remark at the fire-side conversations. I could write volumes on his interesting sports.— Poor Cash, he is long since dead, but his name and virtues will be 'cherished in memory, long after Animal Magnetism will be forgotten among the other deceptions of the times. 148 he holds over the hand he " wills" to raise. She is next told that the magnetizer can will a pencil to be a water-melon. They now say audibly, (for they think she cannot hear,) 64 see if I can will this pencil to be a watermelon," she knows she must not hear, and yet she cannot help listening to such audible u ivill," and therefore she says it is a water-melon. They now say audibly— 44 See if I can will this handkerchief to be a cat." Such audible u will" has already reached her brain, for she has her ears open, (though she thinks she must not hear.) The magnetizer honestly thinks he must 44 will" very strong, because it is difficult to turn a handkerchief into a cat in his own brain, and therefore he commences rolling it up, lay$ it in one hand, and strokes it with the other hand., now taps it on the artificial head, with his fingers, to make it lay still, precisely as if it was a cat, and then places it into her hands, which she extends (for the eyes are a little open to catch the 44 wills,") to receive it, and thinks she must do the same with it as if it w r as a cat, (this 44 will" came through the ears;) therefore, she says, i4 poor Puss /" or 44 Oh ! take the cat away — she'll scratch me /" They next try the experiment silently, without saying a word, by request of some incredulous person, who writes on paper, 44 will it to be a cat." Not a word is spoken, but he rolls it up, strokes it with his hand, taps it on the head with his finger, (she now catches the 44 will" through the eyes alone,) and she receives it, exclaiming — 44 what do you ^ivc me this cat for ? you know I don't like cats.'' So much for the theory of this case, and now for the facts by actual experiment. A short time after Miss Ebon thought she was asleep, a younger brother of Mr. Potter, with Mrs. Potter, and Dr. Miller, of Providence, came ini o ike icon 149 I told Mr. Potter audibly, " will the left hand to raise," £nd it raised accordingly. I said, " can you will things written on paper, Mr. Potter ?" He answered, " Oh yes, I can 4 will' almost any thing. I often will a handkerchief to be a cat or a bird, and will the hand to raise, or any thing of that kind. You write something, Mr. Durant, and see if I can- not will it." I remarked, " I wish to try a peculiar experi- ment to prove my theory," and wrote on paper, which I gave to him, " will her to raise the right hand." "Do you see what I wrote ?" u Yes," "well, I wish you to keep it well on your mind. Does she hear me ?" " No, she could not hear a gun if fired by her ear. Do you hear Mr. Durant, Ann Eliza?" " jYo, I don't, Mr, Potter." " Now, will the left hai}d to raise, you see what I wrote , be sure you do it." He willed, and up came the left hand. " How is that, Mr. Durant ? I tried to will what you wrote. I don't understand that." " Oh, I will explain all that by and by. It is a part of my theory. Let us try another." And I gave him on paper "will her to raise the right hand." " Are you certain she does not hear me?" "Oh yes." "Do you hear Mr. Durant, Ann Eliza?" u No, Mr. Potter ; I do not hear any body hut you." I now said audibly, " will the left eye to open ; I have seen Mr. An- °dros do that often. It is a beautiful experiment. Be sure you do what you have on the paper." He " willed" away, and open came the left eye. " Well, that is strange," said Mr. Potter, " I tried to do what you wrote. I don't under- stand that." " I dare say, but that is part of my theory, and I can make it very plain to you, when I explain it. I tried many such with Mr. and Mrs. Andros, and they are now, you know, firm believers in my theory. Here is another I 150 wish to try." u Oh, certainly ; this is so new to me thai I am much pleased with it." I now wrote on paper which I gave him, " will this to be a water-melon.'" u Look well at what I have written. Do you understand it ?" u Yes, 1 have done that often." u You are certain that she don't hear me ?" " Oh, she don't hear a word you say. Do you hear Mr. Durant's voice, Ann Eliza." u No, Mr. Potter." I now said audibly, "will that pencil to be red hot iron, and see if we can't burn her. Mind you do what I wrote on the paper." He commenced holding the pencil in both hands, as if it was a heavy water-melon, to impress it firmly upon his mind ; he then put it in her extended hands. She. drew her hands suddenly back, exclaiming, " Oh! Oh! Oh! take it away!" " Why, what is the matter ?" u Why, you're burning me to death." u Well, Mr. Durant," said Mr. Potter, u that is the most curious thing that I ever saw. I tried my best to have her do what you wrote on the paper. We never tried such experiments before. How do you account for them ?" " Oh, it is the effect of the mind. It will be all very plain when you un- derstand my theory. Let us try another." " Oh, certainly , I want you to go on with them ; chey are so curious." f now gave him on paper, u will the left eye open after ten minutes, but not before then. " " Ask her if she hears m< " Do you hear Mr. Durant, Ann Eliza ?" u JVb, I hi only you, Mr. Potter." I now said audibly, cc will her to open both eyes in half a minute. Now keep your mind on it and be sure you make her do what is on the ; I then took out my watch and commenced talking u I know we can wake her up in half a minute, for I bave s< Mr. Andros do it frequently, I know you will succeed ; I 151 can see the eyes move already ; there, there they come, there, there, there she is wide awake ;" and so she was, gen- tle reader, with both eyes wide open, and glistening like two peeled onions, in about twenty seconds from the time of com- mencing the operation. " Well," said Mr. Potter, " that beats me all out ; we never tried such experiments before in Providence, ajid I don't see how it is done ; I tried my best, to keep her asleep ; I should like you would explain that, it must be your talking, that confused my mind, and prevents what I was trying to do from the paper." u Yes, you have the idea exactly, Mr. Potter, it is the effect of the mind, and when I get time to explain to you all my theory, you will see how easily it can be understood ; it would require some hours to tell over the wbole of it, but some time I will ex^ plain it in full.* All parties seemed quite satisfied and delighted with my theory ; Mr. Potter, in particular, expressed himself much delighted, that I had visited Providence, as my very singular experiments and theory, promised to be of much service to Animal Magnetism, by explaining satisfactorily to all, what had thus far, confounded the most scientific men in the nation. Dr. Miller accompanied me to my lodgings, where we spent some time in philosophising on phenomena, and the magnetic science in particular. I used various means to have him express his opinion of Animal Magnetism, and was more particularly anxious to know his sentiments, from having been told by a professor, that Dr. Miller was a believer. The good sense and intelligence manifested in his conversation, and the soundness of his sentiments on other things, induced me to suppose the professors had been mistaken as to his real * I trust the reader has the id§a in fall, by this time. 152 belief of the doctrine; and though he made no direct acknow- ledgement to me, yet I was satisfied from his remarks that he was not a firm believer, but prepared and desirous to re- ceive evidence, both for and against the science. I asked him if he saw any evidence of Miss Ebon's being asleep; he acknowledged he had not. Did you see any evidence that she was awake ? he evaded a reply. Did she do any thing' in your presence that persons awake could not do ? u No, I think a person awake might do all that she did." This was enough to inform me of Dr. Miller's real sentiments, wdiich I presume he does not disclose openly, because his patients and neighbors are believers, and he prefers quiet enjoyment of practice and opinion, to an open and hostile argument on this most strange infatuation. Without disclosing my plans to Dr. Miller, I allowed him to infer from the conversation, that my theory had more meaning than letters in its composi- tion and I desired he would be with me as much as possible, to take actual notice of what occurred during my experiments in Animal Magnetism at Providence. CHAPTER XVII. FOURTEENTH EXPERIMENT IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM^ AT PROVIDENCE. Professor Cleaveland' s somnambulist at Pautuxet — -Mrs, Andros thought it was the paper box — Thought he sat there-^-It looks strange — White house ! — Nine gentlemen— Remarkably correct — Key to Col. Stone's picture history. From the time of my arrival in Providence, a stir began to be made among the professors; some were anxious to of- fer me facilities for proving my theory, though some seemed lukewarm, and one endeavored to prevent my having access to any somnambulist. On the morning of the 4th Sept., I was met at my lodgings by four celebrated professors, viz. : Professors A. Potter, C. Potter, Rev. Daniel Green, and Andros ; all except Green, had used every endeavor to pro- cure subjects for me, and had particularly interested them- selves to have me see Miss Bracket, and Miss Parker, but as yet, without success ; they had made arrangements for me to visit professor Cleaveland, M. D. at Pautuxet; to which place, Mr. C. Potter, politely escorted me, in his chaise. Mr. Cleaveland was absent from the village ; we as- certained the name of his somnambulist, on whom we called, and spent half an hour, or more, in conversation.. She was in bed, in very feeble health, and more \ feeble mind ; she dis- couraged us, by saying, if Dr. Cleaveland was at home, he would not put her asleep then, because she Was so ill. In vain I praised, and proved the benefit of magnetic sleep, and hinted that Mr, Potter would be able to magnetize, and re- lieve her ; she would not consent to it ; her mother, the ma- 154 tron of the house, kept things so tidy and clean, that I felt somewhat astonished that she should not have kept the mind of her daughter more clean and free from the pollutions of deception : and Cleaveland, Doctor Cleaveland^ a practition- er of medicine, holding lives at the mercy of his drugs, what shall I say of his strange infatuation, filling the mind of that weak and simple girl with deceit, at a most critical time, when her eternal welfare requires a clean and unspotted mind, to hold converse with her God ; but I will stifle the sigh in my breast, to spare humanity the pangs, and sympathy the tears, which a description of such scenes must produce. We returned to the residence of Dr. Cleaveland, and finding no certainty of his speedy return, we left our cards, and re- turned to Providence. In the afternoon, (Mr. A. having been unable to procure more subjects,) I accepted an invitation from Mr. Dyer, to accompany him in the carriage, to his cocoonery and nur- sery garden, a few miles from town, and returned in time to see an experiment with Mrs. Andros, in the evening. The experiment, this evening, I think was given at the re- quest of Mr. Hartshorn, to gratify some friends from Boston and Philadelphia. There were present in the commence- ment, Gen. Frothingham, of Boston, John Hartshorn, of Boston, Mr. Cowperthwait,* of Philadelphia, Dr. Hai horn, Dr. Brownell, Dr. Miller, and Mr. Andros, of Provi- dence, another gentleman, whose name I forget, and in all nine gentlemen. The reader recollects that Mrs. An- dros, as I before remarked, succeeds with her deception, only by seeing under the handkerchief, (ihis was not known to the company,) things held at the epigastrium, aid by *I am doubtful as to the on uil correct me. 155 guessing in what is called clairvoyance; and now for the re- sult of this experiment. Mr. A. magnetized her as usual ; she complains of light and is blindfolded. I requested pro- fessor Brownel!, M. D., might be put in magnetic commu- nication. Dr. Brownell's patient sees things behind, and therefore he very honestly (for he is sincere) held an apple behind Mrs. Ari-dros, and asked her to tell the name of it, she answered, " it is a pencil case."* Dr. Brownell says, "look again, and take time," at the same time he put it in front of her, but kept his hands on the top of it, unintentional on his part, arid so near, that the apple barely touched her hand an instant, and she answered " it is a book."f Several remarks were now made by Dr. Brownell and Mr. Andros, about her not being perfectly magnetized, and Mr. Andros magne- tized her a little more. Ong of the gentlemen asked how they knew when she was magnetized enough. Dr. Brow- nell answered,- u when they tell correctly, "J Mr. Andros asked, u do you feel well magnetized, Amelia ?" " Yes." The apple had continued to lay on the Franklin stove behind her. Mr. A. took it in his hand (still behind her) and asked a what have I got in my hand, Amelia ?" she answered, u It is long, it looks like paper, it is a paper box. "§ He looked a little disconcerted, and said, " you are mistaken." She an- swered, u I thought it 10 as the paper box on the mantle." * They frequently guess pencil case, and the reader must know that every gentleman cariies such a thing, and is likely to held it in such cases. t An apple would feel, when touching for a moment the back of the hand, like a book. 1 knew by the position, that, she could not see, and I anticipated her reply. X Such answers I have received from all the magnetizers, except Mr. Fotter, whose answer on that question, I could never comprehend. § Strange as it may appear to the reader, I also anticipated this reply. I was so much accustomed to see Mr. A. take the nearest thing at hand, that I knew she would suppose ho held the long cylindrical paper box, then on the mantle near hirn'j and the only thi&£- ^n-the &«*£«, probably placed t.^tire by her for that purpose. 156 Dr. Brownell asked her, u how many persons are there in the room?" "nine;" u are you certain?" " Yes." " Did you count yourself ?" u Yes." " Well, that would make ten." u No, there is only nine with myself." u Look again, and, be very certain." U I mean there is nine GENTLEMEN in the room."* Mr. Andros, after my lecture to him in Jersey City, dare not now give her any thing in the hand to hold to the epi- gastrium, where she can see under the blindfold, and which weuld now, by reading a bank note, have compensated in the minds of all for the previous failures. Mr. Cowper- thwaite was now put in magnetic communication, and she went with him, (by flying in spirit,) to his country house near Philadelphia. She described the premises thus — u Ft is a white house — something greenish around the door." After some silence, u do you see any thing over the door ?' u I can't see very well — thert appears to be something over the door," w do you see any thing that looks like a piazza over the door." u I see something over the door, — it don't look much like a piazza — / can't see very icell — it looks like something there." Here a multiplicity of leading ques- tions and corresponding answers followed. It would be a waste of time to write or read them. Suffice it to say, the * This was a trap, (though unintentional on the part of BrownelL) and I saw the result likely to ensue, when he asked the question " how many persons are theie in the r. They are often asked how many gentlemen are there in the room, and therefor* ;ake a good look and impress it strongly on the mind before they shut the eyes : thej are also often asked the tone, and therefore they look at the clock, and impress that mind ; they are al Mrs. Andros being considered first for intelligence and tact in the deceptions of the craft. I, had a little previous conversation with Dr. * The first of this lady's fame was having four artificial teeth inserted while in mag' nctic sleep, without being consciousof it, until she was waked. This case is aften used in support of the doctrine; the true theory is this : she wanted four teeth, and suffered excruciating pain without complaining, for the sake of having the teeth inserted gratis^ She is poor, and I fear will remain so. unless she tries some; new science that my theory cannot unravel. ?74 Brownell about my theory. He thought he could convince me that Miss Parker possessed clairvoyance, and this expe- riment was expressly to satisfy me on that point. There were present Dr. Brownell, Dr. Miller, Mr. Church, Miss Parker, and myself. Brownell 's process for magnetizing is the same as that of Mr. Andros. The Doctor was seated about four feet from Miss Parker, and closed her eyes in about eight minutes, when he said she was in magnetic sleep, and insensible to any torture or noise, except from one in magnetic communication, and perfectly subject to his w4 will" in all her actions. She is never blindfolded, because she does not complain of the light. Her invisible eyes are generally on top of her head, though sometimes she sees best behind. She always keeps her eyelids a little open, in order to catch a glimpse of the object before it goes on top of the head or behind her. This is very important, because some- times the name of the object is not spoken aloud, and then it would be impossible to acquire the necessary knowledge by the magnetic cords through the ears. She is very shrewd, but she found my theory too deep for her shrewdness, as you shall see by the particulars of this experiment. She was seated in a rocking chair, directly in front of the sofa, on which sat Miller, Church, and myself. I requested the doctor to " will" the hand to raise, but he could only move it an inch or two. He remarked, this was extraordinary, because he could generally " will" the hand to touch the head.* I concluded to try the same game whicu I jriea * The true cause of failing to get the hand up, was, that both she and Miss Bracju u hoard of my theory working miracles on MissEbon, and they concluded to thwart me in that, atleast. Miss B. and Miss P. are great cronies; they com day, and tell each other what has transpired. By that m< ans they obtain much k* ledge in the way of" clairvoyance ;" these two have been m interesting stories are told of their " munkey shines :) m sue 175 with Miss Brackett, and asked Brownell if she could hear what I said. He replied, " no, she can hear nothing unless I will her to hear." I held a knife in my hand, and said audibly, cc see if she knows I have a knife in my hand." " What has Mr. Durant got in his hand?" "A knife." u See if she can tell that I have a book in my hand." u What has Mr. Durant got in his hand?" " He holds a book." u Yes, now we will try the other part of my theory, doctor ; and in this case you should not know your- self what I hold. Ask her what I have in my hand." I held a piece of pine chip behind her. u What does Mr, Durant hold in hishand ?" She hesitated some time, and said u It is paper." u Ask her what colored paper." u What is the color of the paper ?" u It is blue, nearly white." " Are you sure it is paper." " Yes." " Is there any writing on it ?" u There is some letters on it, but I cannot see what they are." These and similar ques- tions were repeated at least twenty times, and she continued to give similar answers. I held it perfectly enclosed in my hand to her head, face, and various other parts ; but still, cc it was paper — light blue — nearly white — some letters ca it." " What is the use of it ?" u I can't tell." « What is the shape of it?" u Long, and appears to be in tico parts." I now held it up open over her head, so that Mil- ler, Church, and Brownell could see it. Still u it is paper — nearly white — light blue — some letters on it — can't tell what they are — it is in two parts." u Which hand is it in ?" " Right." It was in the left. I now shifted it to the right hand. "Ask her if she is sure it is in the right hand ?" " Are you certain it is in the right hand ?" "It was then in the right hand, but it is now in the left." So she con- 176 tinued for more than a half hour, asserting the pine chip was "paper — light blue — writing on it — in two parts," 177 ter a little hesitation she answered, " it is M, I think it is J\l v but I can't see very plain ;" u ask her to be sure ;" u are you sure it is M ?" u yes, it is M ;" he opened the book, and what do you suppose it was ? a large D, at least one inch long ; I pitied the poor doctor, and feared he would be obliged to believe my theory ; he could not account for so many failures. I asked the doctor if she could distinguish flowers ; and proposed trying her, which he consented to, and while I was taking some flowers from a bouquet, in the adjoining room, to cover a bottle of hartshorn, he came in ; I remarked, u we will see if I can cheat her ;" he made no objections, so I put it to her nose ; she immediately opened her mouth and ceased breathing at the nose, but she stood it w T ellj for nearly half a minute ; when the doctor thought it might strangle her, and wishing to keep him in good humor, I took it away; at that moment Dr. Miller remarked, iX there are tears in her eyes; she is crying about something ;" u Oh ! see hoiv the man is whipping the child," was her shrew T d ex- cuse. u She sees a man whipping a child, "* said the doc- tor ; who continued, u she often laughs and cries at things which she sees in her sleep." Dr. Miller proposed asking her the time by the clock. Dr. Brbwnell said, u try your watch Mr. Durant, alter the hands, and I think she will tell the time by it; she seldom fails in that." I did so, and held the face to the palm of my hand ; Dr. Brownell asked u what time is it by Mr. D want's watch ?" she hesitated a little and * Recollect, she had apt been out Of the room, even inspirit; her last ramble was, £uessing«< a letter in the room. They are all very shrewd in this particular, generally ; iithey are away describing fttrnitnre. and you suddenly ask (hem to look at something in the room, tliey will say, you must brim; mo back first, I can't come back alone. But she forgot heSrself in this particular instance; her excuse, to be consistent with the doctrine, should ha\ e been " dovtor, yniv room is full of sirawge smoke., I can't see it, and yeh't strangles ?nc, n or any excuse relating to the room which she was in. 17S opened her mouth with a low whisper, " what do you say ;" u speak louder ; we don't hear you ;" she still continued to move the lips, as if replying to each question ; once the doc- tor said, " I think she says something about ten, and three."* < c Well, be sure you know what she does say, my ears are very sensitive, and although close to her lips, I cannot distin- guish a word ;" u speak louder ?" "I don't hear a word you say." This pantomimic farce continued more than half an hour, when he gave up, and said, u I don't hear what she says ; it is no use to question her any more ; she never acted so before, and I don't know the cause, unless it is something in the atmosphere about you."f u Well, doctor, you will acknowledged she has failed in every thing with me, except the book and knife, which you knewj yourself ; so you must give up all pretensions to seeing with invisible eyes." The doctor acknowledged again having failed with me, but * Here is a proof of her shrewdness, and a key to Col. Stone's picture?. She knew by my conversation with the doctor, that she had failed in every thing, and she knew the chance of guessing the time was not more than one in one thousand, and though she would not care much ahout this failure alone, yet this connected with the others, she knew would be a strong proof of her imposition, and therefore, she articulates some- thing to sound like three o'clock, and ten mihiit* s, but so low, that it might be taken foi any thing else. Now suppose the time by the watch was thirteen minutes past one, and all pr sent, including myself, were believers in the doctrine. I would then have said' " ask her again, and see if the ten is not owe," as that sounds like ten. She would hear it, and when asked, "speak louder, I can't hear you?" she would have said, •■ * * * one * * * *" " yes, 1 think she says one;" "well, that is correct, it is thirteen min- utes past one j' 1 "but she did not tell the minutes correct, see if you was correct about the three;" "speak louder, we can't hear you ; what lime is it?" and she wouldhave answered, " thirteen * ******** "yes, she says thirteen," and all present would have gone to a justice of the peace to make afhdavit.ihat Miss Parker told the rfm< watch, with the hands altered, when it was enclosed in paper, or at her back ; but my heory was too deep for one who can see a diseased spleen* The watch wast* minutes past four, and she would not have told it in four times twenty guess t Several of the professors attributed the total failure of all experiment! during the week I was at Providence, to " a bad atmosphere about Durante X I should think it strange, if she did not know those two things, when she had her «ar*open, for I spoke the names loud enough to be heard by an adder. 179 lie cited the case of diseased spleen, Col. Stone's letter, and talked about respectable proof of what had been done. I told the doctor, I was now through with all the principal somnambulists in Providence, and that they had all failed as Miss Parker had failed, but that I would stay a week or a month longer, if he would name a time to show me an- other experiment. He expressed sorrow both in words and looks, that every somnambulist had failed with me, but could not give another experiment, because Miss Parker had already spent too much of her time in these experiments ; be felt re- luctant to ask her for another. She had been waked up, and w 7 as then in the adjoining room, where Miss Brackett had just arrived on an afternoon call ; I heard a part of their con- versation, it was about the article* on Col. Stone's letter, which she, (Miss B.,) had just received in the N.'Y. Com- mercial, of the 4th Sept. ; they had a fine time over it, but I could not avoid a thought of the future, and in imagination, I saw Miss Parker weeping over this narration, (for she has some virtues, and some modesty ;) and I imagined myself saying to her, weep, woman, weep, for your dark deeds are unveiled ; weep for the disgrace you have brought on your- self ; weep for the stain which your deception has caused to your sex ; ,weep tears of repentance to wash out your ini- quities, registered in heaven ; weep, woman, weep tears of humanity, till your heart melts within you, for u Oh, see /'* I am now lashing " the child." * The article is contained in chapter if. CHAPTER XX. EFFECTS OF THE AUTHOR'S THEORY OF ANIMAL MAG- NETISM. Rev. Professor Daniel Greene, his marvellous works — Pro- fessor A. Potter — Sorry I wrote it — According to the theory — Can't count money — Can't look at a watch — Be- ware of my theory. My first interview with the Rev. Daniel Greene, was on the morning of the 4th, at my lodgings, in company with three other professors of Animal Magnetism. Professor Greene ranks very high as a magnetizer, because he tells the largest stories in relation to it. At the first interview, he told me much about his study and knowledge of the nervous system, and the many marvellous things he had performed on his patients, while in the magnetic sleep. H<^ said, a by the will alone I have paralyzed my patient's arm, I have paraly- zed the half of the body, including the brain, and so com- pletely, that the patient could not have felt it, if I then had cut the body in two, only taking care to follow down the par- alyzed line, and I know lean stop the breath and cause death in a person by my will in fifteen minutes." I praised his great knowledge of the nervous system, and endeavored, by flattery, to induce him to show me an expe- ment with his best subject, but he declined, saying " hi plenty more magnetizers, ivho will show you their suhj< ■ what is the use of showing you ? You will be like many others who come here to see ; you won't believe it when I show it to you — I am going to New York soon, to give some lectures, and then you may see it." I explained to him my 181 theory, but he would not hear it, and continued talking about his knowledge of the nervous system. I now 7 tried to drive him, and told him there was no such thing as clairvoyance, which I could prove by Messrs. Andros and Potters, wlo were present : but all would not do ; he would not show me Miss Jones, his patient. He told Mr. Potter, the next day, that the reason why he would not let me see his patient was, because he was going to New York himself, in a few days, to lecture, and u Bur ant would only put my eyes out."* On the 6th of Sept., when in company with my friend, Mr. John Miller, (associate editor of the Providence Journal,) on our return from witnessing the commencement ceremo- nies of Brown University, we met the Rev. Daniel Greene. I again tried to obtain an experiment from him, but without suc- cess. I said to him, u here is my watch, worth fifty or one hundred dollars ; I will shift the hands, roll it in paper, and if your patient will tell the time by it, within one or two minutes, I will make her a present of it. I will put a dozen bank notes in separate papers, and if your somnambulist will tell merely the denomination and bank, without asking her to read any thing else on them, I will make her a present of them. If she tells only a few of them correct, I will not give her any, for I can guess at a few in a dozen, but she must tell them all to obtain them as a present ; and if she can see the tenth part as well as you say she can, she ought to read every word and letter on them, which I do not re- quire. You say she is poor, and you are going to lecture with her for money, so you can have no excuse for not com- plying with this offer ;" but all would not. do, he would not consent to show me his patient, but named over many * The parables of the Rev. professor are not generally very inteliijible. 1S2 wonderful things she had done, and named respectable peo- ple who would swear to it ; he said he should be lecturing soon in New York, and then he would he very much pleased to show me how much he could do. I have said all the magnetizers are sincere and honest in the belief of the magnetic doctrine, but I have had some doubts about the Rev. Professor Daniel Greene, of Paw- tucket, and though I still entertain some doubt, I will throw it in the scale of mercy, and believe him sincere. The his- tory I have already given of him I know will leave an im- pression on the mind of the reader that Daniel is an impos- tor, but I will sketch what may, probably, be his true cha- racter. He is a preacher of the gospel, and a practitioner in the healing art ; he is about 45 years of age, and posses- ses more sagacity than intellect ; he delights in telling mar- vellous things, and he is so credulous, that after he lias told over two or three times what he at first knew to be wrons;, he begins then to believe it himself, and seriously and hones; ly tells it for truth ; he is much celebrated as a professor ol Animal Magnetism, yet people, generally, do not believe one half that he says on any subject. I will give one instance of his credulity, which occurred after I left Providence ; it was told to me by one of his brother professors; the particulars are these : — Professor C. Potter (of whom I have before spoken) engaged a young lady somnambulist to go with him to New York, for the purpose of lecturing ; she was in indi- gent circumstances, and he advanced money to "fit her out." She resided in the neighborhood of Mr. Greene, who told her and her friends that Professor C. Potter was cousin to the Rev. Mr. Potter, well known in that vicinity as having been once expelled the church for a lascivious 183 transaction with a young lady : he said this merely to pre- vent professor Potter from superceding him in the New York lectures, and he told the young lady that he would re- imburse the advanced funds if she would not go with Mr. Potter. Professor Potter of course heard all this, and took pains to prove to professor Greene that he was in no way connected with Rev. Mr. Potter, and asked him to contra- dict the falsehood he had circulated; but reader, will you be- lieve it, Daniel has neither contradicted the falsehood nor reimbursed the money ; and I think it is because he told the story so many times, that his credulity received it as a truth, and promising many times to pay the money, induces him to believe that he actually paid it. I would not have blotted these pages with such a character, but justice requires a passing notice of such a celebrated pro'fessor, whose marvel- lous deeds are recorded in the u Translation of Deleuze, 55 and who is frequently cited as a very respectable witness to prove the truth of Animal Magnetism. He is a living satire on his race, and one such man as Rev. Daniel Greene would cause more injury to the Christian religion, than would five thousand open and avowed infidels. Before meeting Mr. Greene this time, professor Americus Potter and professor Andros called on me at the City Hotel. I told them that Dr. Brownell had consented only to give me an experiment with Miss Parker, on condition that I would afterwards make her a present, in some delicate man- ner, to compensate for her time, which she could not afford to lose in experiments •; but I added, she told me nothing correct yesterday, and my conscience will not permit me to make her a present under such circumstances; but I will fold a dozen bank notes in paper, and also enclose my watch in 184 paper, and if she will tell the denomination o; ;he notes, ami lime by the watch, she may have them all as a present. Those two gentlemen and myself called on Dr. Brownell, to make him the offer, but as he was not in, I requested they would see him as soon as he came in, and make him the offer ; and I also told them I would do the same to any som- nambulist whom they would induce to make the attempt. Mr. Potter asked me if I had Hartshorn's book, (published that day.) On answering in the affirmative, he asked if I saw a letter in it from him to Mr. Hartshorn. I answered no ; when he said " perhaps he has reserved it for the se- cond part. I wrote, by his request, a description of one of my somnambulists, but I will not now allow it to be pub- lished, for since I have seen you I have changed my mind some, and lam sorry that 1 wrote it."* 1 gave notice to all the professors, that I would leave for New York on the afternoon of the 6th, but offered to remain a week or a month longer if they would set a time to show me another experiment. I had been sufficiently open in my conversations to convey to many gentlemen a tolerably correct idea of my theory, and, on the day I left, it began to be understood ; for a gentleman opposite to me at the dinner table, by accident, overturned his champaigne glass, when he remarked, u Burant, that is according to the the About a dozen of my friends and acquaintances called to me at the hour of departure ; among them were Mr. John Miller, Dr. Miller, Messrs. Dyers, also professors A. Potter and Andros. I was explaining, in light humor, some of the effects of my theory, when professor A. Potter remark * Ptofesser Potter is not the only one in Providence who recei> I so i the marvellous effects produced by my theory. Mr. Hartshorn opei wide, whea I told him aboul the cotton behind Mu whether numb ej two ofDeleuze will eve . hi in this h i: iC Ah ! Durante that curl* in your under lip satisfies me that your theory is merely a step to knock something else down." I turned to him and said, recollect that I have wit- nessed every experiment in Animal Magnetism which the professors are willing to show me, and I have seen all the best somnambulists, but in every instance I have proved my theory, and the somnambulists have failed to show a single case of clairvoyance, or to do any thing which I cannot do when awake. Now I leave Providence, and I wish to recall to your mind that I have not said a word against the science, but I warn you, Mr. Potter, to be aware of my theory.! CHAPTER XXI. SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH EXPERIMENTS IN ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT NEW YORK. Miss Ayres — Magnetic convulsions — Author sees thoughts with invisible eyes — she hears the wrong hand — can't see my theory — / thought so, too — Mysterious dream of the author — Chips turned to money- — Exchange very high — Notes should be taken up and read. On my arrival in New York, (7th September,) I called on professors William W. Grant, and Christopher Potter, at Clinton Hall Hotel, where they were preparing for public lectures, with Miss Ayres, a cousin to Mr. Grant. Pro- fessor Grant is a native of Providence, and a young man of wealthy and respectable family, and on all subjects except the magnetic science, he converses w 7 ith good sense. He, • I had continued to praise the science, and I wonder how Mr. Potter could see so much in a curled lip; but I begin lo be a physiognomist, for a little girl, to whom I am pledged for life, has told me more than once that my pretty lips had won her heart. When I finish this book, I intend to satisfy myself on that point by a. peep inthe' glass. 186 like the other professors, is sincere and honest in his belief, and evidently above the practice of deception. I first saw him at the Varick House, at the time Mis. Andros was residing there. He was then alone on a recon- noitering tour, and as I was going to Providence, I requested him to give me a letter which might procure an experiment with his cousin, Miss Ayres, then in Providence; but he declined, because, in such a case, she must be magnetized by some person other than himself, which is considered in- jurious by all the professors of the science. I endeavored to prevail on Mr. Potter to obtain from Miss Ayres an ex- periment while in Providence ; but he said she would not consent that any person but her cousin, Mr. Grant, should magnetize her. It is Christopher Potter who came with her to meet Mr. Grant in New York, and the same Mr. Potter as the reader must recollect, who .magnetized Miss Ann Eliza Ebon. Another lady, sister to Mr. Grant, was also at. the Clinton Hotel when I saw them. The conversation, of course, turned on my visit to Providence, and Mr. Pot- ter remarked, u I don't understand how you succeeded so well with me and Miss Ebon, for we have been trying with Miss Ayres, and your theory don't work with her. I think you will be satisfied that you can't affect her the same as you did Miss Ebon. " Miss Ayres was now present ; also. Miss Grant and Mr. Grant, in parlor No. 6. The reader will recollect that Mr. Potter was in Providence, and knew o\ my experiments to defeat the somnambulists and what knew had of course been talked over in presence of Miss Ayres, and therefore it might be supposed she would be pre- pared and guarded against every attack that I could make on her deception ; but no magnetic somnambulist has ever lived 187 who could withstand the scrutiny of my all-searching theory. I remarked to Mr. Potter that, though I found every subject differ a trifle, yet all seemed to harmonize, and I thought I could convince him by an experiment with Miss Ayres that my theory was too firmly based to be overturned. Mr. Grant offered an experiment at once, and using the same process as that used by Mr. Andros, he put her in magnetic sleep in about five minutes. He then extended his hand, and hers rose to meet it, and he pronounced her u sound asleep." She now commenced a musical* sound in the throat, which sounded much like a chorus of singers at a distance, and Mr. Grant, calling my attention to it, asked if I ever observed the same phenomenon in any other somnam- bulist, I answered, "it is the first case of the kind that I have witnessed, and I -am much pleased to see something so new and interesting ; but, some time at our leisure, I will explain the cause of it by my theory." She now commenced twitching the hands, and closing her fists; she flourished them in the air, and drumming on her breast and epigastrium alternately with each, and occasionally with both together. Mr. Grant remarked, that those convul- sions were generally attendant on her magnetic sleep ; but less severe now than in the first experiments. I told him I was much pleased to see an exhibition of the magnetic con- vulsions, so strongly developed ; and remarked further, the strongest convulsive symptoms that I have previously wit- nessed, were in Miss Brackett, but she only moved the arms by sudden twitches, scarcely raising the hand more than three or four inches ; it is particularly gratifying for me to witness * Tlie music was the same as that produced by ventriloquists, and ragged boy.6 who infest the market docks. I am not much acquainted with music, but I think the tones were much softer than those from the bassoon. 188 such strong symptoms, because I will be able to explain hqw you may, by my theory, subdue them almost entirely, if not all together ; they are caused by the magnetic fluid meeting with obstructions through the system, the same as water sud- denly emptied on the ground will start by sudden twitches in various directions through the earth, until a small clear channel is formed through which it may pass off freely. 80 with the magnetic fluid, it meets with obstructions at first, and the best way to quiet the convulsions will be to drive out the obstructions by forcing a stronger magnetic current through the system ; now, try the manipulations by the hands, and see if you can't u will'' 3 enough of the magnetic fluid through the system to stop the convulsions.^ He commenced draw- ing the hand from her forehead down to the toes, and then shaking the fingers, so that no fluid would adhere to them ; and so on alternately, commencing at the forehead, and end- ing at the toes, where he shakes the fluid from the fingers as a cat would shake off the fluid of a puddle from her feet. In one or two minutes the convulsions entirely ceased. f Miss Ayres does not complain of the light, and therefore ' The true theory of these convulsions will be best understood by the reader, the description of a natural case of somnambulic convulsions which I witnessed months since in the city of New York, when passing that den of iniquity called the u Five Points." I saw something in the form of a human being, (the African race,) in female attire, lying partly on the side walk and partly in the gutter ; her fists clenched and flourishing in the air, and ever and anon she would strike her breast and epigastrium, with one or both hands alternately. As I passed her, she dashed b< in the gutter, and came nigh disfiguring my boots and pantaloons with the mud and dirty water. She also exhibited the phenomenon of music in the throat; the tones were a little more harsh than those sent forth by Miss Ay res, and 1 caught the MtCI as they grated on the ear, like— G * * d * * * y * * * * s * * * y * * d * * * w ' * ' * i ' h * * " w * * * y * * d * * * y * * 1 * * in * a * * * *. The theory is precisely the same in both cases, it is a " volition of the will." t The reader must readily perceive the cause of ceasing. Her cars were open, and srie" wanted a little science about it, so she •onformed to the M will" or •OUYtnttfoBl cu the subject % 189 she is never blindfolded. She always keeps the eyelids open a little, so she can see the object before it goes on top of her head, where she sees with u invisible eyes." She also takes good care to sit close up to the wall, or in a cor- ner so yon can't get behind her ; and it was not until I used great persuasion that I could induce her to sit a little remov- ed from the wall. There was a letter lying on the centre table addressed to u Wra. W. Grant, New York," which she had undoubtedly had in her hands a dozen times. She also sat facing the table with her eyes enough open to see all that was going on. I took up the letter, and holding it open before her, said to Mr. Grant, u ask her if she can see this letter ?" " What has Mr. Durant got in his hand ?" u A letter ," was her reply. I now held the letter carelessly with the inscribed side towards her, and within two feet of her eyes, and said to Mr. Grant, u ask her if she can read the superscription on the letter." u Tell me what writing is on the outside of the letter ?" She answered, u William TV, Grant, New York." I praised her ready and distinct an- swer, as being superior in some respects to the other som- nambulists, and explained it according to my theory, in the usual way. Mr. Grant knew what was on the letter, and his knowledge was conveyed to her brain by the magnetic cords, as he was in magnetic communication with her.* I asked if she could hear me, and Mr. Grant gave the usual answer, " oh, no, she could not hear a cannon fired by her ear." I now said, I want to try an experiment the same as I tried with you, Mr. Potter, on Miss Ebon ; I wrote on ■ The reader must see it was a very strong cord this time, for not only had she read it many times, but her eyes were also a little opon, and she saw me take it from the table, and I held it close enough to read even if she never saw it before. Ears were not necessary in this case. | 190 on paper, will the left hand to raise, and gave it to Mr. Grant ; I now said, audibly, " will the left hand to raise, this is the same as I tried w r ith Miss Ebon." He " willed," and up came the right hand. Mr. Grant opened his eyes; and Mr. Potter, looking at the paper, smiled, and w r as about to say, "that ay'nt the same as you tried with me," but I said, hush ! and raising my hand, he stopped at u that ay'nt ***,***';'* I remarked, as this is an experiment of the will and mind, you must not make any remarks ; I want to try another of the same as I tried with you and Miss Ebon; I wrote on paper, which I gave to Mr. Grant, will the right hand to raise. I then said audibly, " be sure you do what I wrote on the paper, will the right hand to raise." He u willed," and, reader, w^ould you believe it, the left hand rose gracefully up to the chin. Mr. Grant remarked, " why. that is not the same as you tried with Miss Ebon." Yes, that is the same, and according to my theory, in some cases, I must take them in contraries. u How is that according to your theory? I don't understand it," said Mr. Potter. Why. I wrote right hand and you tried to will it ; M yes," and I said right hand ; " yes ;" then I willed the left hand to de- feat you ; so you must acknowledge it was according to my theory. u Why no, it is not according to your theory, un- less the theory is to defeat the will of the magnetizcr ;" said Mr. Potter. Well, that is a part of the theory ; it is the effect of the mind; and if I had time to explain it all to you, you would see it clear as noon-day ; some time I will write it out, and then you will comprehend the whole at a glance ;* let us now try another experiment of clairvoy- * The true theory in this case, is a most effectual stab at the heart of the pretended science ; it is quite equal to ccrin or opening of Mis* £7o#n'j eye*, or ping that child.' 1 ' The positive pretended effect of Animal Magnetism, [a U command a M 191 ancev I took from my pocket the selfsame chip which Miss Parker had transformed into a u piece of paper, blue, nearly white, and some letters on it." I held the chip enclosed in my hand, and requested Mr. Grant to ask her what I held, u What does Mr. Durant hold in his hand ?" " It is round, it looks like money, it is bright ;" "yes, but see if she can tell what kind of money it is ;" u what kind of money is it?" u It is a quarter of a dollar;" u see if she can tell the date ;" " what is the date of it ?" u eighteen, two — " ff ask her if she is sure the third figure is a two ;" and I now opened the hand over her head, and held the chip exposed to the view of Mr> Potter and Mr, Grant, both of whom showed a half willing smile, as Mr. Grant said, u are you certain the third figure is atwo?" u eighteen — eighteen- — - three — " cc ask her what the fourth figure is;" u w T hat is the fourth figure on it ?." u eighteen hundred and thirty — " M ask her if she is sure it is money ;" \f look again, and see if you are not mistaken ; are you sure it is money ?" cc yes, it is a quarter of a dollar, eighteen hundred and thirty ;" and so she continued for full half an hour, insisting the poor pine chip was H a quarter of a dollar." I have preserved it as a most singular phenomenon ; and intend to deposit it, with the cerin paper, in one of the museums. It may do as a " will" the actions of the somnambulist. I wrote left and said left hand, and yet the right hand raised; and again I wrote right hand and said right hand, when, according to all laws and all theories (except my own,) the right hand should have raised, but instead of that, the left hand comes up ; why, if her head had then jumped from the body, it would have been as consistent as to raise the left hand. Hero is the keyby which you may open it. Mr. Potter and Mr. Grant had talked to her about my wonderful manoeuvre in -perform- ing all things on Miss Ebon, which I spoke aloud when Mr. Potter had a memorandum on paper to will some contrary thing. She knew such things would expose the deception, and she resolved to thwart me. She thought I was really trying the same game with her, and she concluded when I said left hand, tliat the writing was right hand, and she raised it accordingly. It never occurred to her light hollow brara, that I knew whaUAfi tnew, and could read with "invisible eyes'' her very thoughts,. 192 substitute for the u paper currency ;" then those who are handy with a penknife, according to her own and my theories, will never want for change. This was readily explained, according to my theory ; when you first asked the question, you did not know what it was, therefore you could not con- vey any correct idea of it, but you involuntarily conceived on your brain that it w r as a quarter of a dollar, and the mag- netic cords conveyed that idea from your brain to hers, after I opened my hand and showed you it was a chip ; but the first impression, (quarter dollar,) was so strongly im- pressed on your brain, (particularly by knowing she had fail- ed, which caused you to think the stronger,) that the incorrect impression still remained strongest, and must of course be carried by the magnetic cords to her brain." Several other experiments succeeded equally well, and having finished, she was waked up ; and while conversing on the science generally, eight or nine gentlemen entered, I think by appointment with Mr. Grant, to see a private experiment; they were principally clergymen, and among them were Rev. Mr. Frederick Farley, of Providence, also Mr. Farley, his broth- er, of New York, and Mr. John R. Bartlett, firm of Je-s; p, Swift & Co., New York. The conversation soon turned on my theory, which, by request, I explained, to the apparent delight and satisfaction of all present ; the Rev. Frederick Farley thought, u it is very clearly explained, and a very ingenious theory, at all events ;" I thought so too, but I did not wish to express my candid opinion. The day after (8th September) the first experiment with * The true theory is this, I used her own ears to derive herself; in taking the-flttek from my pocket, I took care to shake some keys which ■winded like "something round, money, silver;" and I caused Mr. Grant to put leading questions, t<> lead net in the trap. as Col. Stone was led into his own room, and thexe blinded against his " mlL 9i ft? 193 Miss Ayres, I saw Mr. Hall, of the Commercial Advertiser, to whom I had explained my true theory, as he, I knew, esteemed Animal Magnetism as highly as myself. He then called my attention to the following advertisement in the Commercial Advertiser of the 7th, (the preceding day :) — "ANIMAL MAGNETISM.— At the urgent solicitation of a number of scientific and literary gentlemen, as well as of many ladies, the subscriber has been induced to tarry a few days in this city, for the purpose of exhibiting a few experiments illustrative of the remarkable phenomena of Animal Mag- netism. Having a subject possessed of the powers of somnambulism to a considerable extent, he is enabled to satisfy the most sceptical of the truths of the science, and the more fully to convince them, has no objection to submit his experiments to the most rigid scrutiny. He proposes giving an exhibition at the Clinton Hotel, to a limited number of ladies and gentlemen. Cards for admission to which can be obtained at the Clinton Hotel, and at Mr. C. Shepherd's bookstore, No. 262 Broadway. Hours of admission at 12 M., and 8 P. M. He will also wait upon parties at their own houses, when a private exhibi- tion is preferred; and will be happy to see those who desire to witness such an exhibition, at the Clinton Hotel, between the hours of 9 and 11 A. M., and 4 and 6 P. M. WM. W. GRANT, of Providence, R. I." In the conversations with Messrs. Grant and Potter, I had understood them to say they would not in some days yet be prepared for public lectures, and I hoped before that time arrived, to send them out of the city, as I had done Mr. Andros. I intended, as soon as leisure from other business would permit, to write out my theory, which I knew would not only stop all exhibitions of Animal Magnetism wherever it would be read, but I also knew, or thought I knew, that the very professors would be so much ashamed of it, that they would soothe their u spasmodic twitchings''' by saying, "well, if it is all deception, New York helped to pay for it." I have some local pride, and as I drew the fluid of the future through my brain, I felt such a sentence in relation to my native city grate very harsh upon my ear, and I even imagined that I heard others saying, " Durant, why did you permit them to deceive us, and get our money, when you had at that time in your possession such overwhelming testimony 194 to undeceive us." I wished to avoid such a severe rebuke in the future, and I consulted Mr. Hall as to the most judicious plan of operations. If I went there and explained the true theory to the visitors, the genuine fluid might be caught by some well disposed persons, who sometimes carry a dark resin and plumes to mark the subjects of their displeasure, and such a result would only make things worse, for two ladies were in the case, and u tar always leaves a stain." So I resolved to open a private u account current, 5 ' to be 4 c balanced" after my leisure would permit, to disclose the true theory of Animal Magnetism, when I knew that all private wrongs would be obliterated by the public good. I submitted my plan to Mr. Hall, and it having received his sanction, I thought it prudent to put it in execution ; for I knew that with his benevolent feelings and correct judgment of things, he w r ould not sanction any thing which the world at large would condemn. I now went, of course, to Mr. James W. Hale, and gave a diagram of the camp, and mode of attack. He being my aid in this warfare, of course buckled on his armor at the first tap of the drum. I always feel an aversion to dark deeds, when awake, and therefore, I will tell what occurred in a dream. I willed a u magnetic sleep" on myself, and I saw (in spirit) a man go in and out at the " exchange broker's.' 5 I saw him purchase for one dollar a ten dollar note on some society in Ohio ; and he procured for fifty cents a five dollar note on a broken bank of Maine ; at another place in Courtlandt street, he procured a five dollar note of the Washington Banking Company, and a three of some other bank, for fifty cents each ; making in all twenty-three dollars, for which he paid in all two dollar-. I saw him go to Mr. Hale, and after some whispering, they 195 sallied out in the high ways and bye ways, and ever and anon stopping to whisper something mysterious in the ears of those they met on the peregrination, and each one instantly turne.d to follow them to Lovejoy's Hotel, where they all (thirteen in number) collected around this mysterious look- ing man, who addressed them thus : — u Gentlemen— there is an exhibition of Animal Magnetism to be held in the Clinton Hotel, at 12 o'clock. Now this pretended science is all a delusion, as I will be able to prove to you hereafter, when I shall make it so plain that every man will be able to magnetize himself, and perform all the wonders which these somnambulists perform. But when I shall make it known, people will be sorry that they ever paid a dollar to see it, and the professors will be so much ashamed of having practised a deception instead of a science^ that they will endeavor to palliate their chagrin by saying c well, New York helped to pay for it,' and if they actually receive fifteen or twenty dollars, they will magnetize it into one or two hundred dollars. Now, to save the credit of the city, I have bought some broken bank money, and they will be so glad to receive something ■ for the science, they will suppose it is good money, and give good change in return. This good change we will keep to balance accounts when the whole theory is known. Now, to prevent falling in magnetic sleep ourselves, we must present the largest bills first, and then they cannot give us any small broken bank bills in change. That is called the theory of change. I shall be with you, and when you look at ray wand, a fluid will reach your brain, and direct you what to do. You must be very civil, because there are two ladies in the room ; and you must never say a word about this, until I am ready to pub- 196 lish my theory of the mysterious fluid. There is a bar-room down stairs, and for fear the magnetizer may direct the will there, to ask the bar-keeper about the currency of the notes, it will be necessary to let him in the secret, and then, if asked about the money, he can say he has no change, but almost any money is good enough since paper was mag- netized at Washington." Here they all left the room, and I saw nothing of them until in about one hour, when I followed them (in spirit) into the same room at Lovejoy's hotel, where I before over- isard their conversation ; they were now all giggling like a flock of geese. I found they had been to see the magneti- zers; and being only thirteen of them, and tickets one dollar each, they had ten dollars in good money as change, which they handed out to that mysterious man (he looked just like a theory) ; and I overheard him whisper to them thus: — ^Now, gentlemen, you must keep dark about all this, until I have time to explain all my theory, and then, if we find they shall have received less than ten dollars good money, we will make up the balance, but if they ever receive ten dollars or more in New York for magnetizing, then we will keep this ten to balance accounts ; because they should not receive money from the citizens for doing what every citizen (by the aid of my theory) will be able to do for himself without money ; and by that means we shall save the character of the city from such epithets as, well, you *Yew Yorfa to pay for it." That mysterious man ceased talking, and I overheard one of the company say to him, u it takes you to do things^ and another one said, " now you all recollect that there were no persons in the room who paid for entrance except oursch cs. " 197 u Yes," said another one, u and I was there last evening by invitation ; it was the first exhibition, and they did not thera receive a dollar, for there were only five persons present, who all came (gratis like myself) by invitation." The whole company then dispersed, and on awaking, I retained recollection of what I h&d seen ; and it is not since entirely obliterated from rny brain. About half-past twelve o'clock on the Sth, I called on Messrs. Grant and Potter, at the Clinton hotel — Miss Ayres and Miss Grant were present. On entering the parlor, I expressed some surprise at not seeing visitors and an exhibi- tion; saying, I saw an advertisement in which you announce an exhibition at twelve to-day. Mr. Grant remarked, u we intended an exhibition, but as no persons have called, we concluded to postpone it." I said to them, I would nol think of postponing it, for in passing through the bar-room I heard a number of gentlemen talking about magnetism ; and I inferred from their conversation that they were coming up stairs : it is usual for New Yorkers to be always half an hour behind the time at all theatres and exhibitions. While such conversation was going on, a rap at the door announced some visitors to see the exhibition. One gentleman gave Mr. Potter a ten to pay for six persons ; he appeared agitated with delight, and diving both hands in different pockets, he drew out his pocket-book, from which he gave them four dollars change. Another arrival of four gentlemen with jive dollars, one dollar change. Again a jive dollar bill paid for three persons and received two dollars change ; and again a three received one dollar change. From such a crowd of persons rushing in together, I began to think Mr. Grant would do an excellent business in Animal Magnetism, and I 193 believe both him and Mr. Potter thought so too, for they were exceedingly lively in handing chairs to the company, and making excuses for not having had tickets prepared to save time in making change at the door. They at the same time exhibited a superior dignity, and seemed conscious that the eyes of the world were looking to them for a lecture on the wonderful science of Animal Magnetism. I am not well versed in similies, but I could not avoid comparing each of the professors to an East India nabob, reclined under his own fig tree, with a rainbow in his mouth, and smoking a cluster of spice islands. But after all the fuss, there were only thirteen who paid to see the exhibition. I was acquaint- ed with one of the gentlemen, Mr. James W. Hale, whom I had seen in company with the professors. I ascertained that the names of the others were Captain A. C. Delano, of New York, Samuel F. Caldwell, do.; Isaac C. Pray, editor of the Boston Herald; Mr. Rixford of Nantucket ; Charles Burdett, reporter for the New York Courier and Enquirer; Mr. Ames, a lawyer of New York; Mr. Bigelow, do. ; Mr. Kingsbury of Portland ; Dr. Clark, of Jersey City ; Mr. Davis, and two other gentlemen, whose names I did not learn. I had a u faint recollection" of having seen all those gentlemen before ; and it occurred to my mind that they might be the same party that I saw in my magnetic sleep — but as to that, I would not like to say positively. After a few preliminary remarks by the professors, Miss Ayres closed her eyes (nearly as usual) by the " mental will" of professor Grant. I proposed putting me in magnetic communication, as the gentlemen were strangers, and would probably prefer seeing the experiments tried by one acquainted with it. Mr. Grant told her to hear what I should say, and I was thus "cloth- 199 u ed with the power of enjoying her exclusive company ! ! ! u I then commenced a conversation with Miss Ay res upon or- u dinary subjects, just as I would have done with any strange u lady (strange kind of lady !) to whom I might be introdu- 66 eed, talking upon various matters, and she conversing in a iC sprightly and intelligent manner, using very correct English. " In the course of my remarks, I now asked her if she would u like to visit'^ Jersey City ? "She replied, that she would. iC ' She should like to go there very well. 5 I then observed 6i that it would afford me pleasure to accompany her; and u asked, how shall we go ? Shall we take the steamboat" Sussex ? u It is a very fine boat, and now lies at the dock. a She replied, she did not like to go in a steamboat, it made u her sick. This remark was noted as affording an illustra- u tion of her former ideal voyages, in which she actually be- u came sea-sick, ( c and vomited in a lady's lap,') aswasre- a ported to me," (by Dr. Capron,) from professor Grant, — u 'How then will you go ?' c I should like to go through the " air. J 'Very well,' I replied, 'we will step into a balloon, u that will be a pleasant mode of travelling. She did not, u however, seem to comprehend what was meant by a bal- u loon," (yet she had seen balloons, and knew that I was 'a balloon man,') u and repeated her desire to go through the u air. I assured her that I would as gladly accompany her u that way as any other. ' But you must not let me fall,' said u she. ' Oh no,' I replied, ' I am used to that mode of travel- " ling, and will bear you up with perfect safety.' " She still continued to object to travelling in the balloon, and said, u I ivill fly there." u Saying which, she grasped my right hand more firmly — u took my left hand, and pressed upon both tremulously, as 200 iC if buoying herself up. I raised my hands some ten or " twelve inches, very slowly, favoring the idea that she was u ascending. c You must keep me up,' she said, with a u slight convulsive grasp, or rather shuddering grasp,'' (like the thing in the gutter, affected with natural convulsions,) u as though apprehensive of a fall. i Certainly,' I replied, u c I am used to these excursions;' and away, in imagination, u \veflew!!! c Oh,' said she, ' how I like to travel in a this way, it is so easy, and we go so quick.' ' Yes,' I 4fi answered, c and here w T e are, at" Jersey City. Come, we will go right through the window. u She then grasped my hand, and bore down, exactly as " though descending from a height ! ! ! u Safely down" said I, a and now tell me what you see in the room." u There is something dark on that side," she replied. 1 answered, u Yes, what is it ? v a It looks dark, it looks like a table." So she described accurately something there looks like chairs, looks like a glass between the windows, a- carpet on the floor, very light colored.' 1 ' She placed much emphasis on the word light colored, and I remarked to the gentlemen, "that is a very extraordinary circumstance, for my carpet is lighter colored than one in two hundred, as Mr. Hale can tell you, and this fact alone, ought to establish the truth of Animal Magnetism.* u Well, what else; do you see any thing in the centre of the room ?" u Yt ?, / Si *It is a very singular fact, that, my carpet is probably lighter colored than □ ii\ use, but the true key to this is, Mr. Grant had visited me two \\ of course, carelessly asked many questions frjanj her cousin,- about thi hOi who could open the eyes of a somnambulist, gainst the" will" of the u Andros, also, had visited my house several times, and these two fortuufe- tell era had an excellent opportunity for my.tual improvement in clairvoyance, befon Providence; the emphasis on very light meant something, and I used it with the o ny as she desired. 201 thing in the middle of the room, it is a table," u Are you sure it is in the middle, is it not a little on one side ?" u Yes, it stands nearest to that side." I remarked to the gentle- men, that this was very correct, for my table stands on one side of the room, near the book-case. * Several such things were told very correctly, and I ex- plained it according to my theory, as usual. I was in mag- netic communication, and my knowledge was conveyed by the magnetic cords to her brain. I now told them of the power of ceriri) cutting off knowledge, as well as sleep. My communication was broken off, and Mr. Grant u was clothed with the exclusive power of enjoying her exclusive compa- ny" !!! I said, u let us try an experiment with bank notes," and I exhibited a Lancaster Bank note to Mr. Grant, in or- der to impress it on his mind, and then I put it between the folds of a newspaper. Mr. Grant asked her u what does Mr. Durant hold in the newspaper ?" u It is a bank note, one dollar." u Yes," now I dropped my eerin handkerchief between her and Mr. Grant, and he asked her u what Bank is it ?" u It is a banknote, Y — Y — " Mr. Grant remarked* that he had himself forgotten what bank it was ; I said, it will be necessary in this experiment, that you should know, because I wish to show that even when you do know, cerin will cut off your knowledge, and she will tell wrong ; so I stepped towards him, and taking out the bank note, I put in a letter which was lying on the table. I showed the letter to Mr. Grant, and said, " now impress it strongly on your mind, for I intend to prevent her telling it, by cutting off your knowledge with cerin." I held my pocket handkerchief be- *I need not tell the reader, that my table stands nearest to that side, for if you will magnetize yourself, you will see that without eyes, provided you are not deaf, 202 fore her, and Mr. Grant asked u what does Mr. Duranthold in the newspaper ?" She answered, " It is a one dollar note, Y — York, Bank of New- York." She was asked a dozen times, to be sure, and she continued to give the same answers, when I opened the single fold of the newspaper, and showed the letter to all. This was explained by my theory in the usual way. She told correctly one dollar note, because ilis knowledge was conveyed to her by the magnetic cords ; but as soon as the cerin handkerchief was placed between, it cut off the magnetic cord which conveyed the knowledge, and therefore she could not know there w T as a letter in the newspaper, but the last impression on her mind, bank note, was the most prominent thing on her brain, and therefore she must continue to answer bank note. The error in the name NewYork for Lancaster, is accounted for by my theory thus, the name of the bank had not been strongly impressed on her mind when I changed it for a letter. She retained the im- pression one dollar, and the natural association of ideas, gives to her brain the impression that a one dollar note must be of a bank ; next, what bank ? why, she knows she is in New-York, and therefore the association of ideas gives her brain the impression, u it is the Bank of New-York.''' All were delighted with the lucid explanation* by my theory, and the company separated, to dream (at Lovejoy's) on the inexpressible beauties of Animal Magnetism. 'The true theory needs but very little explanation. She knows l>y bei oars, that it is a banknote, and every thing-' else she must guess at. It is one dollar. I anticipated this guess, from my previous experiment with her, and selects! tmtdoflar, to ha\ oris thing correctly, and now she falls completely inthe gue8Sfng k trap 1 for if Grant can u will" onedollar, he can a will" Lancaster, but she gnessee " wide of the mark/' Again, if Grant can "will" one dollar, he ©An " will" one lrtt>r; but she dcm't hit th* mark. Again, a cerin handkerchief, or moonshine, cuts oil' knowledge, but it don't r*& off guessing, for she continues guessing enoug to guess hei head oil. CHAPTER XXIL IMPORTANT FACTS RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM. Philosophical ramble — I never think of such things — / am satisfied they are asleep y and that is enough — But layout — Mysterious atmosphere about the author — Did you say so — No — Letter of David M. Reese, M. D. — Mrs. Jlndros again in New York— She must think she is asleep - — Tells a great deal better — Can't tell what ticket draws the high prize in the lottery — Balance of account in the notes. I called to see the professors on the morning of the 9th Sept., and had a social conversation on the all absorbing topic of magnetical science. I u let down the bars/ 5 and took professor Grant in a large open field, for philosophical investigations, as I said to him, do you never allow your- self to doubt the various things in life, in order to convince yourself of realities, by philosophical proofs; I often indulge in such speculations myself, and though it may not be very lucrative, yet it feeds the insatiate appetite of mind, and seems a suitable employment to strengthen the reaching pow- ers of thought. I would take that picture, or the slab on that table, for instance, and doubt that it is marble ; thought would then search for proofs to support my doubts, and in the pages of cosmogenous law, a formidable argument could be offered to the arbitration of mind ; painted wood is some- times made to resemble marble ; fragments of other rocks may be so combined as to deceive the most critical eye ; earth and metals in cemented masses, may imitate it, and yet, in its decomposition by fire, it might not form lime, or in' a 204 chemical analysis, show the component atoms in properties or quantities which nature employed in the formation of what by general consent is called marble ; again, there are many proofs that it is in reality what to the eye it appears to be ; it is colored and hard like marble, it is cold and susceptible of polish like marble, it is brittle and fractures like marble, and a chemical analysis may show that it has all the atoms in just proportions to form what by common consent is called marble ; have you never allowed your mind to investigate matter by reaching with thought for the proofs to' confirm the reality of appearances ? u No, I don't know that I ever thought of it; I don't know that I ever think of any thing of that kind.' 5 Well, I frequently indulge myself in such meditations. and I am very apt to doubt all things until I philosophically prove them to my mind. I even sometimes allow myself to doubt that I am alive or have an existence ; and in this, like in all other cases, I find many proofs to support my doubts. You know in our dreams, we think positively, that we are in some other world than this earth, and then sucklenlv we are positive it was a dream ; I have often dreamed and was coi:- scious^that I was dreaming ; the vision has been pleasant, and I have tried to remain in sleep, by avoiding any motion of the muscles that might cause me to wake. I have seen hor- rible visions, and was not only conscious that it was a vision, but I have also succeeded by great exertions to rouse from the sleep. I sometimes think that what we call life, is noth- ing but a dream, and when I wake up in the morning,! shall have a long and amusing story to tell, about being in a world they called the earth, where the people lived in what they called houses, and clusters of them together they called cities^ 205 and they thought they had nights and days, and had queer looking things called beds, on which they recline in the nights, and then they imagined they slept, and even u dreamed ," as they call it, that they were in another world beyond it. And again I find many evidences that I am alive, and after duly weighing all the proofs, the mind decides that there is some reality in the appearance of things, and that I certainly have an existence. Have you never allowed your mind to philoso- phize on such things ? cc No, I never thought of such things. I never thought it worth while to think about such things." Well, I often amuse myself in that way, and doubt things until I prove them, Have you never doubted, for instance, the sleep of the somnambulist, in order to prove to your mind that they are asleep ? u No : we know they are asleep." True, but I should think you would often doubt it, merely to see how you could prove that they are asleep. Have you ever thought of any evidence that you could give to support the sleep ? u No, I don't know that I have: we are satisfied that they are asleep." Yes 3 but I think that every thing admits of proof; and for that reason I think the phrase self-evident, has no meaning? and should be erased from the catalogue of words. I should think you would occasionally amuse yourself with that kind of philosophy, and sometimes look for proofs that they are in sleep. a Why we know they are asleep, because a person awake could not see as they do." But you know I have proved to you that they have no clairvoyance. 205 u Yes, I am satisfied now that they have no clairvoyance, but a person awake could not be controled by the will of another." But first you would want to prove that they are controled by the will of another. Now I am, for instance, satisfied that they are subject to the u will" of another, but that don't prove it. You know a person might feign sleep, and guess at what they are to do. u Oh ! a person awake could not guess so correctly." Why it is possible to guess all things which the somnam- bulists have told me ; and you know that a person feigning sleep could shut their eyes and stand a little pinching; and if they are feigning sleep, they hear all that is talked about near them ; and if they hear, they would learn a great deal without guessing, for you know it is customary to talk over what you want them to perform : so Miss Parker might have told about the diseased spleen, merely by leading questions from Dr. Brownell, or she might have guessed it, and then not do more -than a person awake. I spent nearly two hours with her, and she told correctly only the things which were talked of in her hearing. u Well, how then could Miss Brackett read Colonel Stone's letter. She is blind, and cannot see anything when awake," But we should first prove that she is blind : if she feigns sleep she may feign blindness, and a hot knife will open a wax seal without injury ; or you can see a great deal of a letter without breaking the seal : if she could read a part with in- visible eyes, she should read the whole, and she only read a part of Ids letter. u Oh, I am perfectly satisfied that they are asleep." N 207 I am satisfied too, but still I frequently doubt things in my mind, merely to prove them. u Well, how would you prove that they are asleep 1 ?*'"' Oh, I scarce'y know. I never particularly thought of that.- I am so well satisfied that they are asleep, besides a person awake could not guess so well.* u Oh I have no doubt about their being asleep. "f There is no doubt of that, but how very difficult it is, Mr. Grant, to make people generally believe it. There is- so much evidence in it, particularly in favor of being awake, fou know none of the somnambulists have told me more than one awake could tell, and then they told so many things wrong, and Miss Ayres raising the right hand yesterday when .you willed the left hand to raise, and then all of them failing with me in almost every thing, make it look rather singular. cc Well, it does seem mysterious, and there must be- something about you. When I was conversing with Dr. Webb, of Providence, at the Varick House, he asked me what was the cause of all the somnambulists of Providence failing in every thing last week, when they seldom failed before ; and I told him that I thought it was because Durant was on there, and deranging the minds of the somnam- bulists by making them believe that they could not tell any tiling ; I know the mind will affect them a good deal. " Was that Dr. Thomas H*. Webb, the proprietor of the Providence Journal? What did he say to your, remarks ?* * I- know a colored man* who will guess at a mark with the best magnetic somnambu- lists in the States ; he is an arch rogue; he pretends to his customers that he is deaf, and so got* mucltof their knowledge from their own mouths, and then gets their shillings fin trlling their fortunes. t Look ajgftina Profc-iso/, Bfffetf yow have n.cruaod. this, book, and' " b» sure y.ou are right " 208 "Yes, I believe he is the editor of the Journal. He did not say much in answer to my remarks, but he seemed to think that you was the canse of their failing. It is very singular indeed that you all attribute the failures to some mysterious atmosphere about me. I shall begin to think that I am a wizard. I shall not forget your remark to Webb very soon. You know that my theory shows how these things are accomplished if the person is asleep, but you know that my theory does not prove that they are asleep ; for you see, according to my theory, the somnambulist may feign all these things without affecting the truth of the theory. Such conversations* continued some time when Mr. Pot- ter, with the two ladies^ Miss Grant and Miss Ayres, entered the parlor from a morning walk. 1 remarked — You must be doing a pretty good business. From the company that I saw yesterday, there must have been as much as twentv-five dollars in the room. 1 ' "Yes, we are doing very well/ 3 said Mr. Potter, who continued, "but there were only twenty dollars there." Mr. Grant had previously told me that they had received "twenty-one dollars at that time." And you must have had as much more at the first exhibition the previous evening ? Mr. Potter answered " we received only eleven dollars then." That will make thirty-one dollars, which will pay your expenses, and I think it very encouraging for the commetice- ment. * I have held similar conversation*- with thiee •li'frp-nr professoil, a. id il\*ays received similar answers. Not one of them ever offered I magnetic sleep. n2 209 Mr. Grant replied, u Oh yes, that does very well, and more than pays the expenses."* Mr. Potter followed me to the stairs on my departure, where I had some conversation about the success of Animal Magnetism in New York. I said to him, there are a great many unbelievers, and I fear that if you exhibit any more before I have time to publish my theory, the citizens may perhaps be a little rude. After my theory shall have appeared, they will then understand the science, and not only believe in it, but the most of them will be delighted with it. At present, you cannot explain it, and many even think it is a deception. When I left the room yesterday, after that exhibition, I heard some of the gentlemen whis- pering among themselves something about broken bank notes. Mr. Potter replied, " well, if any body has received bad money from me, let them come and tell me of it, and not whisper about it in my absence." * The reader will find a key to this in the dream recorded in a preceding chapter. You will recollect there were only five the first evening, who were all invited, and, of course, came in gratis. Now I happened to be present at the twelve o'clock experi- ment, when there were only thirteen paying visitors, and if I am to believe my dream, (which I know to be more correct than such stories from professors,) thirteen persons entered for ten dollars less than nothing ! Let us enter the account in the ledger, and strike a balance:— Dr. Cr. Science. Private acc't. Five persons, tickets one dollar, $5 00 Do. error in account, as they didn't pay, $5 00 Thirteen persons, tickets one dollar 13 00 Broken bank notes, worth nothing, but went at par, charge 'em ? 23 00 full value,.... > 18 00 28 00 Change received at the door and due to Science to balance ? 1Q qq accounts, S #28 00 #29 00 By the above, I find science must receive ten dollars before they are even square with New York, and the debt is as bad as the debts due from Chicago to Pearl streei, overstocked with such commodities, and "chance so scarce and exchange so high, that we can't send it by letter. We will be down to the city in the spring-" 210 I then remarked, no, I did not understand it so ; I could only catch their meaning from whispers, but I understood them to say that they had given you bad money. You could tell, I suppose, by looking in your pocket book ? wC Yes, I know what money I have got, and I suppose they mean to say, if I ^m ********* * 3 they will ####&#*#» j 3U |- j et them come on with their bad money." I don't know that they meant any thing, but you know thoughtless people are sometimes rude, and until they can see my theory to explain the science, they will not believe it; being a friend to you, I thought it was my duty to tell you what I heard, and then you could act as you thought best. " Well, I am much obliged to you, for telling me, but I don't fear them ; let them come on with their bad money, I am ready for them." The following letter from Dr. Reese, of New York, may serve to corroborate my testimony in relation to professor Grant, and Miss Ayres. " Jersey City, September 28th, 1S37. Dear Sir — Having learned, that during the late visit of Mr. Grant and his lady somnambulist to this city, you availed yourself of the opportunity to investigate the subject of Animal Magnetism, and having understood that you tested the pretensions of the magnetizer and his somnambulist, m the presence of a number of ladies and gentlemen, in a manner well calculated to satisfy the curious; I would respectfully solicit the result of your observations, together with any facts within your knowledge in relation to the subject. Your early compliance will oblige, as I am about issuing a publication on the subject, to which professional testimony may be important and useful. Yours, D. M. Reese, M. D." C. F. DURANT. " New York, September '29th, 1837, Dear Sir — In reply to your brief note of yesterday, and in compii Dec with your request, I can have no objection to state " the result of my observa- tions" upon Mr. Grant and the young lady who was the subject of his "expe- riments in Animal Magnetism; but as to any "facts within my knowledge in relation to the subject," I regret to say that so far as my opportunities of personal knowledge will allow me to decide upon the merits o( "Animal Magnetism," there is an utter absence of any single " fact," which can in the 211 least give a shade of reality to the "science falsely so called." I saw a variety of experiments performed at Clinton Hall, upon the young lady in question, by Mr. Grant, his friend Mr. Potter, and other gentlemen, but neither in their manipulations, volitions, nor conversations with her during apparent somnambulism, nor in those which I myself conducted, was there to my mind any semblance of evidence, which even rendered it probable that she slept at all, or whether, asleep or awake, that she possessed the faculty of clairvoyance or even imaginative locomotion, as pretended ; but, on the con- trary, all the "facts" which served to bewilder and even convince others of the genuineness and marvellousness of the somnambulism, were to my mind so obviously "false facts," that I was utterly amazed at the delusions by which so many around me were deceived and imposed upon. Y\ 7 ithout describing minutely each experiment I witnessed, suffer me to state that Mr. Grant's theory is that there is no sight or clairvoyance* in the somnam- bulist, but he alleges that the phenomena which he professes to exhibit, result wholly from the mental sympathy or intercommunion between the mind of the magnetized person and the individual who is in conversation with her. He used very little manipulation, but employed his eyes in looking upon her intently, and his will in producing sleep. He declared that he could put her to sleep without being in the room with her, but in no instance succeeded when he tried it in my presence, though he said he had often done so. I saw him, however, a number of times, by the exercise of his will, and the use of his eyes, dispose her to a semblance of sleep ; after which, by a few passes with his hands, he would pronounce her in a state of somnambulism. The following dialogue took place on one of these occasions, which will serve as a specimen for the uninitiated. "Mary, are you asleep?" "Yes," was her modest reply. Then turning to me, Mr G. said, "Now, Sir, I will convince you that she is under the influence of my will, and that she cannot see. I will drop this pencil into her hand, and she shall call it whatever you please." I expressed my satisfaction with the test, and wrote on a slip of paper, " a loaf of bread," and handed it to him. He promptly spoke to his " sleeping beauty," and said, "Mar)', hold up your hand." She did so. "Both hands," he added, and she obeyed. This manoeuvre I understood to be significant that it was something large which was to be. giyen her. Dropping the pencil in her hand, and potting forth all the power of his will, he said, "Mary, what is this?" She replied, "it is a water-melon!" Again he repeated the question, and she said "a big apple T And thus she went on guessing unsuccessfully, until aware of her utter railure, she sighed heavily, and was asked if she was sick, to which she feplied in the affirmative, and her indisposition was alleged as the cause of her failure. After trying the same experiment again and again with a key, a knife, &c, it was abandoned. I then gave her my watch, having previously moved the hands some hours beyond the correct time, and Mr. G. told her to tell the hour without looking at it, which he affirmed she could do with accuracy. She guessed, after holding it a moment to her stomach, and to the side of the neck, naming the correct hour of the day, but a very different time from that which the watch indicated. Being told that she was altogether * When professor Grant first came to New York on this science, he was a firm believer in clairvoyance. I had much trouble to convince him of his error, and it was not until my first experiment with Miss Ayres that he gave up to me, and acknowledged himself a perfect convert to my theory. He should at least have told Dr. Reese where he acquired his theory. No professor of the science since the days of De Puy- segur and Deleuze, had any theory whatever until my beautiful theory dazzled tbeir understandings. "Give every dog his bone." In theory "Iwill have my pound' qf fiesh." 212 wrong, she half opened her, eye?, and in passing the watch again from her stomach to her neck, stole a glance at it, but still failed to guess within aa hour or two, and this experiment also was a failure. I then attempted to conduct her on a short walk through streets with which she was not lam liar when awake, and though she readily professed to go in imagination on the designated route, and to see all that I described to her. yet the moment I ceased to give her lending questions, I found her utterly in fault, guessing and blundering perpetually, until, in common with all the company, I tell no other sentiment than disgust for the silly imposture, and commisseration for its deluded victims. After a number of interviews with this young lady when awake, and after witnessing her in a state of somnambulism, so called, and closely investi- gating the experiments made by Messrs. Grant and Potter, at one time, and by the former three times, as well as listening to conversations held with her by a number of gentlemen after being magnetized, I have deliberately come to the conclusion in my own mind, which subsequent reading and reflection have confirmed, that no part or parcel of the pretensions of Animal Magnetism has any foundation in truth, but that the whole is a ridiculous conceit, a stupid ****.**, of which its devotees will soon be heartily ashamed. That this girl, though said to be peculiarly susceptible of the magnetic fluid, and an excellent specimen of somnambulists, was ever asleep in my presence, 1 unhesitatingly deny. Her eyelids never ceased to quiver when they were closed; the rotary motion of the eye was unceasing, and the pupil gave evi- dence, on opening the eye, that the function of vision was in no degree suspended, though of this I had other and unequivocal evidence. Never- theless, she seemed to be asleep in the estimation of all the believers, although to a practised observer her sleep was but a clumsy counterfeit. It was said, however, by two gentlemen who saw her, and had previously seen Colonel Stone's girl at Providence, that Mary gave as veritable evidence of Genuine somnambulism as she. :Gf this, however, you can judge, after having seen them both, as I understand you have. If this be so, however, I cannot sup- press my astonishment that any man of ordinary intelligence could be so egregiously gulled, as I find some of my quondam friends have been. As to the experiments I witnessed, during the several hours I devoted to this object. at each of my visits, I am constrained to declare that during her alleged som- nambulism, this girl exhibited no one evidence, either of clairvoyance or sub- mission of her mind to the will of her fnagnetizer, nor were there any pheno- mena which could compare in mysteriousness with the "facts" with "which ^fortune-tellers, in the shape of old women, astrologers, and ******, are ever and anon enlightening our most gullible citizens. If you shall succeed in the publication of your "Key" to expose this most mischievous of modern *******, or rather this resuscitation of an imposture, you will be a public benefactor. And I trust, our good friend, the Colonel, with his ********** * * * * * correspondent, by whom he has been indoctrinated into this stupid delusion, will be restored to their senses through your instrumentality. Wishing you all success in your good work, I remain, Yours truly, D. M. Reese, M. D. C. F. Durant, Esq." Mr. Reese will perceive that I have striken out a few harsh words, which (though they may be just,) it will be perceived by a perusal of these chapters, would not accord with the ienor of my rebukes. The conqueror, to be truly brave, auust be merciful. I went some distance to cut a sicitck, 213 when at the same time I have a bundle of horsewhips on my desk; we should also keep in view that " Even as the plume adds swiftness to the dart, Pruned language sends its saiire to the heart..", Writers on fiction usually have a heroine whom they place in the foreground of the tableau vivant ; and describe with the most minute precision her outgoings and incomings : but as my tale contains facts instead of fiction, I will bring forth my hero, whose perambulations my readers are no doubt de- sirous to learn. It will.be recollected that I left him in Pro- vidence, though not without a second brief lecture and friendly admonition for his good. I kept from him the de- tails of my experiments, but told him in plain words- — Mr, Andros, there is no such thing as sleep or somnambulism in all the Animal Magnetism of Providence or the Universe; the whole is a deception, and both simple and disgraceful. I advised him to attend to his mercantile business and aban- don the false doctrine, except occasionally in private to lull any suspicion on the mind of Mrs. Andros. He. said, cc it can't be possible that all are mistaken, and Mrs. Andros must think that she is asleep. 55 I asked him if he had tried what I proposed to him at my house as the means of detecting her deception, and he answered me, u no, for she must think she is asleep, and I have spent a hundred dollars in my visit to New York ; if I could only have two or three lectures to get that back, I would not care so much. I promised to «:ive you fifty dollars to pay your expenses to come on with me to satisfy yourself, and I am willing to give you a hundred dollars, for you have been at a good deal of trouble for me ; but would you care if I went to Boston to lecture there, un- il 1 could get back what it has cost me ?"' In answer to him, I said : Mr. Andros, it is asserted tha £ 214 c t every man has bis price/' and I may have mine ; but a few hundred, or a few thousand dollars will not purchase me. You promised, it is true, to pay my expenses, but I did not come to Providence expressly for you, and therefore I could not receive money from you. I am provided with funds, and I have now done with you. You may lecture where you choose ; but if I am now asked my opinion of the science, I must give it in candor. If you go to New York,- I shall be asked the question daily ; and if you go to Boston, I have friends who. know that I have been investigating the pre- tended science, and they will write to know my opinion, which I must give them now in candor, as I have no more oc- casion for duplicity.. I shall say nothing about it at present, unless asked the question; but some future day, when I have more leisure, I will write out the result of my inquiries. I had intended to go from Providence to Nantucket, to see professor Poyen; but business now T required my attention at home, and having in my possession such overwhelming proofs against Animal Magnetism, I judged that any further investi- gation would be a sinful waste of time. My admonitions seemed of little avail, for scarcely three weeks elapsed, when I learned to my astonishment that Mr. Andros and his lady had arrived in New York. I called to pay him my respects in a few days after his arrival, and when I told him that the visit was very unexpected, he replied : — Ci Why Mr. A. G. Thompson, of New York, a very rich man, was on to Providence, and he saw me put .Mrs. Andres asleep, and he wanted us to come on to New York to give him some private experiments; and yesterday he gave me a check for one hundred dollars. We go to his house twit. day, and he says he will pay all our expenses. He is a firm 215 1 ^iever in Animal Magnetism, and I have no doubt will pay me very liberal ; and Mr. Doyle will be on in a few days, and then we thought of giving a few lectures." I asked him if he had tried what I proposed, to satisfy him- self of her feigning sleep, and he answered, u no, but I know she thinks she is asleep, Mr. Durant, and she tells a great deal better now, than when you saw her." What has she told so extraordinary lately. u Oh, I don't know, she has told a great many things, you would be astonished." Well, what is one thins" she has told ? " Oh, I hardly know, but she tells a great deal better than when you was at Providence." Well, Andros, when she improve? so as to tell what ticket draws the highest prize in the lottery, I want you to let me know, will you ? u Oh, I know you don't believe it, Mr. Durant, but some how she did not tell well when you saw her, and I know you are going to write and say a great many things against it." I assured him that I intended only to write my theory, and let the public draw their own inferences, which 1 trusted would be very favorable to the science. I called at another time, and saw Mrs. Andros, in his ab- sence, when the following dialogue occurred. u I hear you are going to write against magnetism, Mr. Durant, I should think you would not, I don't see why you should." I don't see who could say that I was going to write against it. I am about publishing my theory, with the facts that I have witnessed, and you know that would rather be a benefi,t than injury to the science. 216 u I don't sen why you want to write at all about it ; you wont publish any names, will you ? I would not like to have my name published.' 5 I should think you would like to have your name in it, the theory will be very interesting, and I came partly to see if you desired to have your name in it. Of course I would not mention your name unless you desired it. " I don't see why you want to write any thing about it ; you wont make it any better or any worse. You see a good may persons write against it, and it don't amount to any thing. Mr. Andros has heard that you are going to write against it, and he don't care. He says, if nobody writes against it, he would be obliged to hire* some one to do it, so as to make it more known." I now u wilted" my fore finger to open, and the hand to raise, as I said to her, woman, you know that / know enough about it, and you may tell Mr. Andros, that if he will employ me to take up the pen against Animal ^lagnetisrn, I warrant that he will never have occasion to employ another. CHAPTER XXIII. strictures on col. wh. l. stoxf.'s letter to doctor a. bf.jgha.' Animal magnetism. Col. Wm. L. Sto?> t e : Sir, — Your u letter to Dr. A. Bri^ham, on Animal netism, describing an interview with Miss Loraina Brackett, while in a state of somnambulism," seems to require a special notice from the author of a Key to the mysteries. 'This aayiug, Andros got from Peter F. Ewer, and it was ajways o?er when an article appeared in any of the papers, against Animal Magnetism. 217 Strictures, rigid and ample, on your letter, will be found in the twenty-two chapters preceding this page, where evi- dences conclusive and overwhelming, are given, to prove that the doctrine is a deception, and so simple and wicked, that reason must brand with weakness, infatuation and idiocy , the man who will hereafter believe in it. It cannot be pre- sumed that I would now discuss, sentence by sentence, your letter, in order to show its false and wicked tendency, when I have already proved, beyond the probability of doubt, that the doctrine on which you found your u remarkable interview !" has no foundation in truth. A single paragraph from your letter, would now be a stain to my page, and you must read- ily perceive, that an attempt on my part, now, to disprove your narration, when I have already proved that your subject and doctrine is false, would be a most effectual satire on my self. I cannot, however, allow your letter to pass without a condemning sentence on its pernicious tendency, and a brief notice of your reprehensible conduct, in raising a false bea- con on your high name and character, to strand the weak minds of a credulous world. I will show you cause for re- pentance, till you shall loathe the offspring of your own brain, and if a u volition of your will" could accomplish it, you should u vomit" your production " in telpher <£3j lap," to clear out the guilty stain from your heart. The votaries of Animal Magnetism, claim for their idol, attributes, nothing short of omniscience; and you, as an en- lightened man^ living in an enlightened age, should have known that omniscience belongs to Deity alone. " Charms," u fortune-telling ," and u astrology," have been duly meas- ured by the scale of evidence, and are now, by conamon con- sent, stamped with deception and infamy. Yet their rotew 218 claimed for their idols, nothing less, ana nothing more, in attributes, than are now claimed for this most impious de- ception, called Animal Magnetism. You cannot have for- gotten Perkin's metalic tractors, or Miss Rachel Baker's au- guries ; they both lived in your day, ranked with Animal Magnetism, and both, by a due analysis of evidences, are now, by common consent, branded with deception and infa- my. The votaries of u trance," at camp meeting, claim for it u clairvoyance" equally omniscient with that claimed for Animal Magnetism; and yet all men of sound sense, know that it is a delusion. As that phenomenon still has believers, and is mentioned in my work, I will give you the key to un- lock it Should it ever be your fortune to see the t; en- tranced" and to be ;c clothed with the power of Ic^her^^Tj* exclusive company," seat yourself by her side, take one of her wrists in each of your hands, (their limbs are usuallv stiff,)' pretend that you are a believer, and trying to see if you can bring her right hand to her face; try the righthand gently for a dozen or more times, you will find the arm stiff and immoveable ; then suddenly and unexpected to her, you may bring the left hand to the face ; such is a true kev, which I warrant will lead you to the arcanum of her u clair- voyance. Witchcraft, which has left a stain of blood on the historic page of our own country, is now, by common consent, and in vour own mind, stamped with u infamous chlusion." Yet it never had more, and it never claimed less, than is now claimed for the science of Animal Magnetism. It is but three years since, that (be ne.vsp. f the country were teeming with the kW marvellous clairvoyant powers, of Miss Jane C. Rider, a natural somnambulist, M of 219 Springfield, Mass. In chapter one, I have given an extract from Dr. Belden's book, to show the powers attributed to her. Most persons read the marvellous stories related of her, and thousands believed^ and still continue to believe them. I never saw the parties, but from the honest and sincere description by Dr. Belden, a poor infatuated man, like yourself, I will give you a key to unlock her most simple deception. She read cards, and read letters; she even wrote one in her somnambulic sleep, and it occupies more than a page of the book referred to. Thousands went to see he?, and like yourself, prepared to see a miracle ; they returned with a belief that she really possessed u clairvoyance," with invisible eyes, and supernatural' powers. The book contains letters from Hon. Wm. B. Calhoun, Rev. W. M 0. Pea- body, Dr. John Stone and Dr. Bakery vouching for the truth of her miraculous deeds, and to this day, the secret of her deception, I have cause to believe, lies locked in Miss Rider's breast, and mine. It is so extremely simple, that I never discovered it until experimenting in your idol, Animal Magnetism. As she may again resume her u paroxisms ," I will give you her mysterious key, which may open your eyes, when' you shall be "clothed with the power of ic^her=*£n} exclusive company." She always complained of the light, and was blindfolded with a handkerchief, when she, or any one else, can see and read at the epigastrium ; try yourself, with even half a dozen handkerchiefs, and even put cotton batts beneath ; if they do not touch the nose so much the better, and then, I warrant you will have u invisible eyes and clairvoyBnce," withoiitthe u will" of the Animal Magnetizer.* * Extracts from Dr. Beldeti's book. " Her eyes are so sensible to the light, that she invariably suffers when she goes abroad in a clear day without a veil." Page 31. "Hcrcy.es were generally clcse^ but at times the£ \tere stretched Vri&ely open, and 220 This simple imposition has deceived thousands. Dr. Belden, like yourself, devotes several pages to prove the " impossi- bility of deception,'' on the part of his prophetess, and then, poor deluded man, he devotes chapters on the causes and phenomena of sleep, with a dissertation on metaphysics ; subjects which he knows nothing about, and clothes his im- aginings in language which no reader can understand ; yet the world must be pestered with his book, like the nauseating offspring of your own brain, another "vomit in the lap*' of the community. The first information I received of your delusion, was from reading the article in the Commercial* of Sept. 4th. - I was then in Providence ; on my arrival in New York, I called at your office to undeceive you. You had been a friend to me, and I hoped in turn to befriend you, I gave you enough to understand that I could prove the whole was a deception. I asked for the letter which the pretended blind girl had read, and told you I would explain how any one could read it. You excused yourself from talking further, for want of time, but said you was going to Providence, and on your return I should see it. the pupil was then very considerably dilated. These different states of the eye, seeme I to occasion no difference in the power of seeing." Page 41. M In the day time she always had the eyes covered with a bandage rthring the parox« ranis; nor would she allow it to be removed for a single moment." Pi* '• I do not know that she ever read cards which she had never ieen, when onfe Back was presented to her." Page 50 "A person standing benindher, very carefully interposed a piece of brown papei tween her eyes and the paper on which she was writing. Whenever this w .. appeared disturbed, and exclaimed " dun 7, don't." " A watch was presented to her, the faceof which was concealed by a piece of brown paper placed between it and the chryst+il. Instead of telling the time, she observed, " any thing but a Roger tr Page 63.. * VUte' chapter iv . 221 On your return, Monday, 11th Sept., I called at your office, when you showed me the letter ; can I cause you to blush, when I describe it ? A letter folded in the usual and most careless form; the inner edges of the folds not meeting within one inch, and on the head where one seal is always placed, and where one is quite enough, you had placed five ! on each side where at least five w T ere necessary to prevent seeing inside, you had but one seal ! shall I describe the conversation at that time? The five seals were unbroken, but the seal at each side was broken, as you said, by yourself. As I held the letter up to the window, and kept the broken seal closed with my thumb and finger, I said to you, u Col. there are two words which I can see at this distance,' 5 (two feet off,) and w 7 hile holding the seal I opened the folds, say- ing, u there are three more words that I can see;" and turn- ing it over, " there are several more, Col., which can be read without breaking a seal, and if you will fold another letter just like this, I will read any sentence you may write in it while I am awake; 55 you answered, u then I should icant the privilege oj putting your eyes out , for she is blind." "Are you sure she is blind ?" " Yes, she is perfectly blind, that is well known, and more than fifty respectable people in Provi- dence toill vouch for it." u Col., she is not blind,' 5 and then I explained to you how my theory had elicited the con- fession, u I can distinguish objects very well, 5 ' in her own words, at which you answered, " well, I knoiv she can dis- tinguish a faint outline of objects when held up to the light ; but they donH believe your theory in Providence." u I should think that they would not, for T don 5 t believe it myself, but some of the professors, at least, believe it, and by the theory I will prove that Miss Brackett, can see very well" 222 During that conversation, I requested you to write to Mr. Covil, of Troy, for his letter which I offered also to explain if it could be procured ; you declined and proposed for me to call personally on him at Troy. Having other business of importance, I could not make the tour, and I wrote to him, stating if he w r ould send me the letter, with a description of the circumstances connected with it, as far as he knew, that I would explain the mystery of reading it ; but he has never returned me an answer, probably for fear that I would unde- ceive him. The true key to all Miss Brackett told you is this. You supposed she was deaf, and you talked over freely and loudly* in her hearing what you wanted her to answer ; and you being infatuated with the doctrine, put leading questions to her, without being conscious of it yourself. When |c~p u she rose with offended dignity, and walked towards the door"^£nf it was to shift the cotton behind her spectacles ! so she could describe the things held over her head. The key to her reading of your letter is this: — Dr. Capron magnetized her for a whole night, and gave her the letter to read. While in bed, she looked into the sides, where there is but one seal, and made known the contents in the morning. This fact is known to you; for in Hartshorn's translation of Deleuze, he says she 4t took it to bed with her." Hartshorn's work was published — no, "vomited " — on the 6th of September, and you have a copy of it in your possession. What would you think of the man who would put a patent combination lock on his barn door, when it was hung with • k, I here suggested to the docior. thai lie should ask her whether, she saw a fruit piece " Colonel Stone's letters to Dr. Brigham, page 4 1—42. " Oh f/e-V was the reply." Quere— coul 1 you hear a loud suggestion if you feitfaae* aleep 1 £Cj- u Oh yes."«CT4 O 223 leather hinges ? Or would you not call him a fool, who y having two front doors, would, to guard against robbers, un- hinge one, to redouble the strength of the other ? Yet you showed less wisdom in the manner of sealing the letter. You, Colonel Stone, have done much to entitle you to the thanks of a nation. You have fearlessly and effectually stood forth to defend an injured and persecuted sect, from the vile aspersions of a most infamous wretch : you have laid bare her impositions, and disarmed an unholy prejudice of power, to sting by arrows secretly poisoned with malicious falsehoods ; but your good works cannot justify you in evil. You have now kindled a deceptive torch, and your virtues add fuel to the flame : your character lends radiance to the false light, and thousands now strand on the rocks of delusion, who, if left to their own glimmer of reason, would have passed in safety the shoal of infatuation. I am accosted by friends at every turn of the street, w T ith, u Durant, have you read Col. Stone's pamphlet?' 5 U I thought you told us there was nothing in Animal Magnetism; there must be something in it: if true, it must overturn all present laws in society." u Colonel Stone is a believer in it, and he would not be led away with a false doctrine." In vain I have said to all, there is nothing in it, and Colonel Stone cannot believe such a simple and false doctrine. I have facts that must put it down, and I have told Colonel Stone that I had detected the deception ; lam preparing my evidence for the world, and it is not possible for Animal Mag- netism to exist any longer in any civilized country, under the proofs that I will give of its deceptions. But I am answer- ed in turn, " would to heaven you could succeed ; but what can you do ? The government of France has reported for- 224 mally against it — the Paris Medical Academy, after five years investigation, reported against it — thousands of writers have appeared in the journals against it ; — but they have not been able to subdue it. The doctrine is so strange, and the effects are so supernatural, that I could not believe it ; it claims om- niscience in attribute, and is too impious to believe; but Mr. Durant, there must be something in it, for Colonel Stone is a confirmed convert to the doctrine, and I must believe there is something in it. True, he is cautious in expressing belief, but his caution adds weight to his belief : he is a pious and cautious man, and he does not wish to tell more than he knows. He says "she teas in a deep and prof ound slumber, insensible, as we ascertained by experiment, alike to the touch and the voices of all present." He says that " the patient is blind, her eyelids moreover were entirely closed;" and he says, u the fact of seeing the pictures was tested in every way;" he says, " we satisfied ourselves of the wonderful poxter of vision, with- out the use of visual organs;'' he says, " she can hear noth- ing addressed to her by any one else than the person in mag- netic communication, and not even him, if he directs his con- versation to any but herself;" he says, in reply to the pic- ture, u this reply was astounding." The fact seems not only incredible, but absolutely impossible, but, as I believe, it is nevertheless true. And again, Col. Stone says, " I have already said repeatedly, that the characters of all the parties forbids the idea of fraud, collusion, or imposture," and "what I saw, I know to be true,"znd " Iwillnot, therefore, distrust the evidence of my oicn senses, ichen all the circum- stances were such as to render deception impossible !!!'* He is not credulous; Col. Stone is intelligent, his veracity is un- doubted, and i must therefore begin to believe this strange 225 doctrine; yet its tenets seems a sacrilege, and its works the destruction of society. I fear your evidences, Mr. Durant, cannot weigh against the assertions and character of Col. Stone, and the thousand other eminent men, who have em- braced the doctrine, but if you think you can prove that it is a delusion, why longer delay ? each hour adds new victims to the infatuation; try what you can do to suppress it, and may heaven grant you success.'* It is but yesterday that such conversation was addressed to me by a man, eminent in piety and virtue, a learned and intelligent friend; and such conversations are frequent, where- ever your letter to Dr. Brigham has been read. What deplorable consequences must ensue if I should sup- press the facts contained in this book, and allow the delusion, by your aid, to go on claiming its victims. The very report from the Paris Academy, is used in this country to establish the false doctrine. But Animal Magnetism, by this blow, can no longer triumph ; it is not possible for it to survive the withering blast which these pages will send it ; I have given too many evidences of its deception; no woman who reads this book, can hereafter be a magnetic somnambulist. She will feel and know, that each child in the room sees her deception; her guilty conscience will not allow her to feign another sleep, or if she should yet try to imitate sleep, the explanations herein contained, will enable even |CJ*you, the infatuated Col. Wm, L. Stone«*£3l to see the nakedness of her unholy deceptions. EXPOSITION, OR A a • NEW THEORY OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM, •'Step cautious, for beneath lie* hid "The key to Time's dark mysteries. "'Twas buried'before its birth — • •'So sleeps unnamed; but it may live ; 11 A whisper calls it forth— speak low — "'Tis Theory !" Chaldaic inscription on a tomb stmxe. 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