For which I'd change the fame of men.
My load unloosed like Pilgrim's thrall;
I fed my hungry heart again;

I saw my boyhood, home and all

And heard the blackbirds, nestling, sing
Their tender songs of evening!

Clear martial call of buried hosts!

How sure thy challenge passed the years!

I saw like sentries at their posts

A myriad forms: the pines like spears

Shot through the after-sunset's red;

The darkening fields; the gleam of panes ; The murky dusk, star-panoplied;

The lazy kine along the lanes;

The school-house dun; the village spire;
The home-bent, dusty harvest folks ;
The cornfields flamed with sunset fire ;
And in our tryst beneath the oaks,
We heard the blackbirds, nestling, sing
Their tender songs of evening!

Thus, Angel of our later days,

With ever-hovering, unseen hand Are flashed upon our blinded ways

The hidden shrines we understand. We climb the rugged steeps of Truth, And falter. Lo! thy helpings bring The lesser to the larger Youth!

A note, a tone, the humblest thing, Sweeps irresistless all between,

And there the Now prays with the Then Where once our heaven was lived unseen,

And where, like pilgrims come again, We hear the blackbirds, nestling, sing Their tender songs of evening!

PHINEAS PARKHURST QUIMBY.

BY GEORGE A. QUIMBY.

THE great interest evinced, during the last ten years, in the treatment of disease through the mind, and the growing desire of a large number of students of the science, and others, to know in what manner the late P. P. Quimby was connected with this principle of curing and what was his mode of treatment, has induced the writer to present, in a brief article, a sketch of the man, his life and

ideas. It is not the intention

to make the article other than a plain statement of facts, based on personal knowledge.

of

In his capacity of secretary for Mr. Quimby during the last and most active years his profession, in which he was finishing his life's work, the writer is enabled to give a correct account of what passed during those years, and to publish, in the doctor's own words, what his ideas were.

Phineas Parkhurst Quimby was born in the town of Lebanon, N. H., February 16, 1802. When about two years of age, his parents emigrated to Maine, and settled in the town of Belfast. His father

was a blacksmith and the subject of this sketch was one of a family of seven children.

Owing to his father's scanty means, and to the meagre chances. for schooling, his opportunity for acquiring an education was limited. During his boyhood he attended the town school a part of the time, and acquired a brief knowledge of the rudimentary

branches; but his chief education was gained in after life, from reading and observation. He always regretted his want of education, which was his misfortune, rather than any fault of his.

When he became old enough to go to work, he learned the trade of watch and clock making, and for many years after engaged in that pursuit. Later, before photography was known, he for several years made a business of taking a style of portrait picture known as the daguerreotype. He had a very inventive mind, and was always interested in mechanics, philosophy, and scientific subjects. During his middle life, he invented several devices on which he obtained letters patent. He was very argumentative, and always wanted proof of anything, rather than an accepted opinion. Anything which could be demonstrated he was ready to accept ; but he would combat what could not be proved with all his energy, rather than admit it as a truth.

With a mind of this combination, it is not strange that, when a gentleman visited Belfast, about the year 1838, and gave lectures and experiments in mesmerism, Mr. Quimby should feel deeply interested in the subject. Here was a new, to him at least, phenomenon; and he at once began to investigate the subject; and on every occasion when he could find a person who would allow him to try, he would endeavor to put him into a mesmeric sleep. He met with many failures, but occasionally would find a person whom he could influence.

At that time Mr. Quimby was of medium height, small in stature, his weight being about one hundred and twenty-five pounds; quick motioned and nervous, with piercing black eyes, black hair and whiskers; a well-shaped, well-balanced head; high, broad forehead, and a rather prominent nose, and a mouth indicating strength and firmness of will; persistent in what he undertook, and not easily defeated or discouraged.

In the course of his trials with subjects, he met with a young man named Lucius Burkmar, over whom he had the most wonderful influence; and it is not stating it too strongly to assert that with him he made some of the most astonishing exhibitions of mesmerism and clairvoyance that have been given in modern times.

At the beginning of these experiments, Mr. Quimby firmly believed that the phenomenon was the result of animal magnetism, and that electricity had more or less to do with it. Holding to this,

he was never able to perform his experiments with satisfactory results when the "conditions" were not right, as he believed they should be.

For instance, during a thunder storm his trials would prove utter failures. If he pointed the sharp end of a steel instrument at Lucius, he would start as if pricked by a pin; but, when the blunt end was pointed toward him, he would remain unmoved.

One evening, after making some experiments with excellent results, Mr. Quimby found that during the time of the tests there had been a severe thunder storm; but, so interested was he in his experiments, he had not noticed it.

This led him to further investigate the subject; and the results reached were that, instead of the subject being influenced by any atmospheric disturbance, the effects produced were brought about by the influence of one mind on another. From that time he could produce as good results during a storm as in pleasant weather, and could make his subject start by simply pointing at

finger at him as well as by using a steel instrument.

Mr. Quimby's manner of operating with his subject was to sit opposite to him, holding both his hands in his, and looking him intently in the eye for a short time, when the subject would go into that state known as the mesmeric sleep, which was more properly a peculiar condition of mind and body, in which the natural

senses would, or would not, operate at the will of Mr. Quimby. When conducting his experiments, all communications on the part of Mr. Quimby with Lucius were mentally given, the subject replying as if spoken to aloud.