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CHAPTER II.

The French Commission of 1779.-Both Right and Wrong. -The Mesmerists properly punished.-Condition required in the Patient.-State of my Mind before experimenting for myself.-Report of the Bishop of Lausanne to the Pope.-His Reply.-Accidental Nature of my First Experiment.-Accidental Nature of my Second Experiment. -First Mesmeric Surgical Operation.-Conclusion.

THE most formidable, because the most reasonable argument against the existence of Mesmerism as a natural power, is, perhaps, the report of the French Commission in 1779, of which Franklin was president. The verdict of the Savans was fair enough, considering the nature of the evidence placed before them; but yet, (such is human fallibility,) in this case summum jus was also summa injuria; truth was sacrificed to falsehood, as I think will clearly appear from a short analysis of their proceedings. This will probably not be time wasted, as I have heard intelligent gentlemen say, that the report of the French 'philosophers still decided their opinions. They had a series of axioms in Mesmerism presented to them, whose truth they were to examine, and the efficacy of certain processes was to be proved to their satisfaction by experiment.

The Mesmerist's object seems to have been, to try

to convince the commission that he had a secret worth knowing, and yet continue to keep it to himself, by hiding its extreme simplicity under a load of complicated machinery and various kinds of mummery. D'Eslon, the pupil of Mesmer, propounded his laws of animal magnetism, after this fashion:

"I. Animal magnetism is an universal fluid, constituting an absolute plenum in nature, and the medium of all mutual influence between the celestial bodies, and betwixt the earth and animal bodies."

This is only a gigantic assertion.

"II. It is the most subtle fluid in nature, capable of flux, and of reflux, and of receiving, propagating, and continuing all kinds of motion."

The first two clauses are probable enough; the last is only rash dogmatism.

"III. The animal body is subjected to the influences of this fluid by means of the nerves, which are immediately affected by it.”

We see no other way, at present.

"IV. The human body has poles, and other properties, analogous to the magnet."

The first proposition has never been proved, and takes every thing for granted; there is only likelihood in the second.

"V. The action and virtue of animal magnetism may be communicated from one body to another, whether animate or inanimate."

True, as regards the relations between animate bodies; and these can also impregnate inanimate sub

stances.

"VI. It operates at a great distance, without the intervention of any body."

True.

"VII. It is increased and reflected by mirrors, communicated, propagated, and increased by sound, and may be accumulated, concentrated, and transported."

Soothing sounds may possibly assist in lulling the brain, but quiet is far more essential; the other assertions are borne out by modern experience.

"VIII. Notwithstanding the universality of this fluid, all animal bodies are not affected by it; on the other hand there are some, though but few in number, the presence of which destroys all the effects of animal magnetism."

The first part correct, the last not improbable.

"IX. By means of this fluid, nervous diseases are cured immediately, and others mediately; and its virtues, in fact, extend to the universal cure and preservation of mankind."

True; to so great a degree, that we do not yet know how far it may go.

Is it surprising that the Commission dismissed contemptuously such a mass of sheer assertion and unsupported theory, seasoned with truth to be sure, but so diluted and obscured as not to be recognisable? Like a Bengal witness, D'Eslon was not content to tell the truth simply, but added so many corroborating inventions of his own, that no one knew what to believe, and the case was dismissed as unworthy of farther investigation. He ruined himself, and his cause, also, (perhaps in ignorance, however,) by load

ing the truth with a parcel of trumpery machinery, through which he hoped the power of nature would nevertheless penetrate. But Nature, like an overloaded camel, turned upon her driver, and threw him and his paraphernalia of magnetic platforms, conducting rods and ropes, pianos, magnetised trees and buckets, into the dirt; and truth retired in disgust to the bottom of her well, there to dwell till more honest men should draw her forth again to surprise and benefit the world.

As far as my observation goes, all that is neces→ sary for success, if the parties are in the relation of agent and subject, is passive obedience in the patient, and a sustained attention and patience on the part of the operator. The process being a natural one, the more the parties are in a state of nature the better: the bodies of my patients being naked, and their heads generally shaved, is probably of no small consequence in the proceedings.

Before presenting to the reader my first experiment in mesmerising, I may perhaps be excused the egotism of giving a brief sketch of the history of my belief in Mesmerism, as it is a remarkable epoch in a man's life the day he discovers that he possesses the temporary power of life and death over his fellowcreatures.

Ever since Dr. Elliotson declared, years ago, that he "should despise himself if he did not declare his conviction of the truth of Mesmerism," I ceased to regard it lightly, and paid attention to all well-attested reports upon the subject. At last the facts became

so numerous, and were so well supported by credible witnesses, and kept their ground so firmly, both against adverse reasoning and ridicule, that I felt compelled to surrender my belief in the existence of the Unknown Power, or cease to exercise my reason and judgment. Ten days before making my first experiment, I thus wrote to a friend in England:"What think you of this new mystery, Mesmerism? For my part, I am thinking seriously about it, and cannot help suspecting that we have hit upon one of Nature's great secrets. I keep myself perfectly neutral, and hear the pro and con. If it turns out to be a delusion, I shall be happy to assist in digging its grave."

The uniformity of the phenomena described by different persons, and coming from various parts of the world, strongly arrested my attention, and impressed me with the conviction that some new general law of Nature had been discovered. England, France, Germany, and America, all combined to give the same evidence in support of the new doctrines, or, rather, new phenomena of Nature. About the time that Miss Martineau's disclosures appeared, I also read a curious and striking document written in May, 1841, by the Archbishop of Lausanne and Geneva, and addressed to the Sacred Penitentiary, at Rome. As it may possibly make the impression upon others that it did on me, it is here transcribed.

"Most Eminent Lord,

Since that which has hitherto been answered respecting animal magnetism seems by no means to

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