batur anhelitus: hominum tamen voces, si clarius loquerentur, tamquam de longinquo se audire postea referebat."*

There is another class of mental states which affect the functions of the body, and over which the will has little or no control. We refer to those powerful emotions of the mind, which spring up spontaneously under the overpowering influence of circumstances. At one time we see them prostrating all the powers of the body and even producing sudden death, and at another, giving rise to the most alarming convulsive fits. Again, we see them nerving the frame to achievements of superhuman strength, or rendering it insensible to the most fearful tortures.

All are familiar with the fact, that the sight of blood, or the sudden hearing of painful intelligence, frequently produces syncope or fainting. The phrase " leaping for joy" is strictly founded in fact, and is expressive of the invigorating and exhilarating influence, which that lively emotion exerts upon the powers of the body. It is well known, that joy, or any strong mental excitement, will relieve pain. It may be remarked in reply, that there is no suspension of pain, but merely a diversion of the attention, so that the pain, though it exists, is not perceived. But we are unable to comprehend how it can be known that pain exists, when it is not felt. We have already sufficiently explained our views on this point.

We often wonder at the fortitude, with which some persons are able to endure the most excruciating tortures. But we are apt to overlook the influence of strong emotion in rendering the body insensible to pain. The warrior, in the midst of the excitement of the battle-field, will sometimes receive a severe wound without being conscious of any injury. Who does not admire the firmness and fortitude of Mutius Scaevola, when in defiance of the rage of Porsenna, and looking his enemy sternly in the face, he held his hand upon the burning coals till it was entirely consumed? Yet he was probably rendered nearly insensible to pain by the strong mental excitement under which he was laboring. The American Indian, who becomes the victim of the tortures of a hostile tribe, endures with comparative composure the most cruel inflictions, which savage ingenuity can invent. But his patient endurance of torture depends not so much upon his being naturally better able than others to support suffering, as upon the fact, that the struggling emotions of his mind render him nearly insensible to pain.

* De Civit. Dei, Lib. XIV. cap. 24.

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In all these cases of diminished or suspended external sensibility, the explanation is obvious on the principles, which we have endeavored to explain and illustrate. The brain is so much affected by the intensity of the mental action, that it becomes thereby disqualified for performing its part in the function of sensation.

Another class of phenomena, which are usually treated of under the head of sympathetic imitation, may be referred to, as illustrating the influence of the states of the mind over the body. A person witnessing the natural expression of an emotion of pleasure or pain, feels in some degree the same emotion, accompanied with an inclination to imitate its expression. We see this principle illustrated by the contagiousness of smiling, weeping, yawning, etc. Indeed, there is a propensity to imitate the irregular contortions of the body, which can hardly be considered the natural expression of any emotion of the mind. Nor is it always necessary that these phenomena should be witnessed by an individual, in order that they may be reproduced in himself.

Hecker in his "Tanzwuth" quotes from the (English) "Gentleman's Magazine" of 1787, an account which finely illustrates this principle. In an In an English factory, one of the girls mischievously introduced a mouse into the bosom of another, who immediately fell into violent convulsions, which continued, almost without cessation, for twenty-four hours. On the following day others were seized with similar convulsions, and by the the fourth day twenty-four were similarly affected. At this time medical aid was resorted to, and this singular disease was speedily removed by the agency of electricity. It is worthy of remark, that five of the individuals who were attacked, had not seen any one affected with the disease, but were seized with the spasms simply from hearing a description of them as they occurred in others.*

We see the influence of sympathetic imitation in the history of the various forms of the dancing mania, which have at different times prevailed under the names of St. John's dance, St. Vitus's dance, Tarantismus, etc. The same remark applies to the history of the Convulsionaries of St. Medard, and of witchcraft, whenever and wherever it has made its appearance.

* Die Tanzwuth, eine Volkskrankheit im Mittelalter, von Dr. J. F. C. Hecker. Berlin, 1832. p. 64.

† See Hecker's Tanzwuth.

Thus far we have endeavored to explain briefly the connection of the body and the mind, and to illustrate by a few examples their reciprocal influence. It may now be interesting to inquire how far the principles, which we have developed, will aid us in understanding the phenomena of animal magnetism.

What then are the agencies concerned in the production of these phenomena? Some have confidently attributed them to the agency of a supposed universally diffused fluid, of such extreme tenuity as to escape the cognizance of the senses, yet endued with such energetic properties as to be capable, when accumulated in the living body, of changing or modifying all its functions, suspending some and giving to others supernatural activity and power; and certain rules are given for directing and concentrating this fluid upon an individual so as to give rise to the phenomena in question. Others have denied the existance of any such fluid or of any real phenomena resulting from this or any other agent. With them the whole is a tissue of imposture and deception.

We shall not stop to examine the merits of either of these hypotheses, but shall proceed to state the views, to which we have been led by a careful examination of facts. In doing this, it will be necessary to describe briefly two leading processes, which have been adopted by the magnetizers in the practice of their art. The processes, which we shall describe, are the one adopted by Mesmer and Deslon in Paris, and that which is in vogue at the present day.

Mesmer commenced his experiments upon animal magnetism in Vienna, his native city, and, after having travelled through Germany and Switzerland practising his new art and propagating his sentiments wherever he went, he at length arrived in Paris, where he set himself up as a great discoverer, and pretended to have under his control a universal remedy, adapted to every case of disease, and destined to supplant every other remedial means. We have the account of his mode of proceeding, in the report of the commissioners appointed by the king to examine into the subject.

In the centre of a spacious room was placed a circular oval vessel (baquet), in the bottom of which was placed a layer of bottles filled with magnetized water, and corked and disposed in the form of a radii, so that the mouths of the bottles converged towards the centre of the large vessel. This vessel was then filled with water, also magnetized secundum artem by

Mesmer. Powdered glass and iron filings were sometimes added to the water on account of their supposed agency in concentrating the magnetic fluid. The vessel was covered with a lid perforated with numerous holes, from which proceeded slender iron rods, rendered flexible by means of joints so that they might be bent into any convenient shape.

Thus equipped, Mesmer issued his proposals to the public. From this mysterious tub was to proceed a healing influence, before which the most inveterate diseases must speedily give way. It was even asserted that by the aid of animal magnetism, age would be made to assume the bloom and vigor of youth, and that the human race would soon be restored to ante-diluvian longevity.

The

Great numbers crowded around the baquet of Mesmer. gloomy hypochondriac there sought relief from his imaginary woes. Nervous females who had tried every other remedy in vain, betook themselves to animal magnetism as their last resort. The worn-out devotee of pleasure sought in this new agent that physical enjoyment which he had ceased to find in the rounds of sensuality. This motley throng were placed in a circle around the magnetic tub with their faces towards it. The iron rods which proceeded from the vessel were brought into contact with the bodies of the patients at the diseased part, if any point could be found, which enjoyed that distinction. A cord connected with a ring in the cover, passed around their bodies, and they were directed to join hands to render the circuit still more complete. Thus situated they waited in fearful expectation for the operation of the mysterious influence supposed to issue from the central vessel. In the meantime, Mesmer splendidly arrayed in lilac satin, waved majestically his iron rod over the expecting multitude. Streams of magnetic fluid were supposed to follow every motion of his magic wand; and his object seemed to be to conduct this agent from the central vessel along the iron rods to the patients seated around.

In this state of things a long time, was not required to develop some of the effects of animal magnetism. Some slight spasms and convulsions were first seen in the weaker and more nervous patients. This example was soon followed by others, until all became affected, and a state of things ensued, which by the magnetizers was denominated the crisis. Very different symptoms were manifested by different individuals. Some lay prostrate upon the floor in a state of insensibility, some in con

vulsions, some were weeping, others laughing, and others leaping about the room with demonstrations of the most extravagant delight.

An improved mode of operation is employed by the magnetizers of the present day. The apparatus of Mesmer is entirely laid aside, and the operator produces the wonderful effects of animal magnetism, by what are called by the French passes attouchemens, etc. practised upon a single individual. The person to be operated upon is seated in a chair, is directed to close his eyes, to sit perfectly motionless and to concentrate the whole power of the will and of thought upon the operation. The least motion of the body, or the least intrusion of thoughts foreign to the subject is considered unfavorable to the desired result. Sometimes the patient is instructed with regard to the effects which are expected to be produced, and directed to fix his thoughts immovably upon those effects. The patient being thus seated and thus instructed, the magnetizer takes his place before him, either standing or seated, and embracing the patient's knees between his own. He then commences the operation by placing his hands upon the head of the patient and pressing gently for a few moments, then passing them slowly down over different regions of the body. Sometimes he brings them down over the shoulders and arms and off at the hands, sometimes he passes them down in front of the body and off at the feet, not delaying however to perform some gentle attouchemens about the pit of the stomach. These manipulations are practised, for half an hour or more, two or three times every day, until the desired effects are produced or the patient is dismissed as not being susceptible of the magnetic influence. In this process the phenomena produced are attributed to the agency of the magnetic fluid flowing from the hands of the magnetizer into the person operated upon.

It is proper here to remark that this improved mode of operating has been supposed to have given rise to a peculiar phenomenon, we mean magnetic somnambulism. At least, such a phenomenon was never recognized by Mesmer and his immediate followers. It is, however, the principal object of interest with the magnetizers of the present day, on account of the extraordinary powers said to be possessed by persons in that state. We may, in a future number, make this phenomenon the subject of inquiry.

In examining the operations of the magnetizers, it is not dif