The Sun.
London, England, 1838-06-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 1838.

DEP ARTU RE OF THE GREAT

WESTERN STEAM-SHIP.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
PORTSIIFAU, NEAR 1311ISTOL, JUNE 3.
compliance with a promise cheerfully made, in
,c)nseritience of the very full accounts conveyed to the pub-
'l,c, through the medium of your columns, of our first trans-
tlantic expedition, I acquaint you that the Great Western
weLe'hed anchor at about 5, P.M. yesterday, having first re-
telveJ the contents of three small steamers, containing pas-
te
ngcrs, and their friends, their luggage, a large quantity
"
of ‘1
Tlce rY hoods, and valuable parcels,' with some specie, &c.
Direetors.of the Company also came on board with
"Passengers.
The Lion steamer had been despatched to take a station
so
Tile twenty miles down the Channel, and the Cambria,
after unloading, also went a-head.
The whole length of the beautiful headland called Ports-
-4(1 Point was studded at intervals with parties. Vehicles
; "cry description were in request, and the rocks and
r m •°°ds• as viewed from the ship, with the numerous p-
;11‘? Parties, had an unique and beautiful appearance. The
1P went off in good trim and good style, very soon passing
„nd u
leaving the little Cambria. She was freighted with bets er
~'411700 tons of coal, 100 to of heavy, and about the same
Ttantity of measurement goods, a small quantity of specie,
and
11 a large quantity of saluable parcels, letters, and papers.
• le number of berths taken was 70, but two families hav-
tinj(in consequence of news of deaths brought after their
au
were on board)returned in one of the steam-packets. I
1
The Directors,
able to give you, from this spot, the exact number.
tlic Directors, and the friends and relations of the passen-
gers, left her in the Palmerston, for which vessel the Great
Hester)
lay to about twenty minutes three miles below the
t- °lmes. I think it right to mention this for the informa-
' of the friends of passengers, as a steamer at a stand-
:tln l• blowing off steam, in sight of two shores studded
4`th gazers, is apt in these times to be magnified into a
%witty
,
or an accident.
t} le
I would advise your friends not to run away with
le idea that the Great Western must on this occasion ar.
ti'e beibre the Sirius, because she drubbed her soundly in
t
last. The start the Sirius has is probably as great now
t'sl. it was in April, alihnugh the time is less by half.
/the Sirius sailed from Cork 48 hours be ore the Great
,
estern sailed from Bristol, she ought to have :been 650
miles in advance. It should not be forgotten that power
4,141 capacity tell in a double ratio in bad weather that they
cl in fine ' the voyages of each will probably be in fine
Feather at
this time of the year. The parting scene be-
,
neen the two steamers and their passengers, was exciting,
American
cheers that made the waters soon ceho them, the
clalerican Brass Band playing alternately " God save the
" Yankey Doodle," and " Rule Britannia."
Your obedient Servant,
C. CLAXTON, Managing Director.

(FP.ONE ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.)
C)3IIISTOL, SATURDAY.—This being the day a; pointed for the
I re" Western to nail, and the al rangementsand preparations
ur
the voyage being 'oily completed at the stated hour, the
lirte.ara-boais David aad the Cambria were dispatched
1,-(:,111 Cumberland Basin to the Roads with the passengers and
egage to join the Great Western. By the kind permission of
nirectors of the Company, and Lieut. Hosken, R.N., the
ci'vtr'ti,anding officer, we were enabled to board the Great
eta revs, and proceed with her about fifty miles down the
ll'
th,a'nnel, we are therefore able to describe, as eye witnesses,
trianner in which this noble vessel commenced her second
and the incidents connected with it. At two o'clock,
Car~Grthe passengers began to assemble on board the
an to steamer, and were received by Mr. Thorne, the
pent for the proprietors of that boat, and every attention was
aft and accommodation afforded. The Post-office bags soon
fr,e,,,r arrived, and shortly before three o'clock the boat started
ktl-e the Basin. To a stranger who is merely a spectator,
111,0 whose Lcsom is free front those emotions consequent
fr,a several:cc from his native land, and from his dearest
and tile gran3eur and sublimity of the stupendous rocks,
ku the variety and beauty of the scenery down the Avon,
tals afford great dei!glit. Amor.g the passengers were seve-
te,,e,gant lad
surrounding sceneryies, and ,ae saw their friends directing their at-
;;on to the .
.
11,e on after four o'clock we were all safe on board the Great
tA .84" a, and, considering the lmrry inseparable from an oc-
,a,
n of this sort, we were as comfortably situated as cold
liet7isheti—not the slightest accident occurred, aud there was
aitie aPpareatt confusion; the deck, it is true, was covered
baggage, &c., but this we were informed would be en-
-1 removed in less than twenty-four hours. While the
I),salngers were embarking on board the steam-ship. The
t,,.teLY
r"'l on board the Cambria played " Hearts of Oak." These.
k4lns were succeeded by the rougher, but not less animating,
Ih4nds of " Cherrily, Cherrily, Ho," given most heartily by
crew while they were engaged in heaving the anchor.
411,141 Y after the band of the Great Western struck up, " The
'c'es weighed," and we were fairly off. At this moment
liaa"eene was truly animating ; the ships lying in the roads
Catl'.aisted their colours, the flags of the Great Western were
tlei„in gracefully in a gentle breeze from the west, and her
tl,er""tere was hailed with cheers by the different crews and
4rgetaters, which were responded to by the crew and passen-
f'f the Great .Western. When we came opposite to
rlead, a distance of about two miles from the roads, the
fro4l4uiLtants titona• the shore, and several ladies and gentlemen
%Nit" window's of their different ".seats," greeted us with
nued cheers, waving of handkerchiefs and flags, and shouts
4,484eCe53 to the Great 'Western, while the band played " Oh
14-" Y fair," and the cheers were repeated from on board. At this
fo%4l.erit we passed the Cambria steamer, which had been sent
tat
nard to bring back those ladies and gentlemen who were
blping to New York. At six o'clock the passengers and.
'sts dined in the spacious saloon, where 150 may dine with
it;),fort ; and which is most chastely and superbly fitted up
dinner and wines were excellent. There are upwards of
qty passengers on board-6S paid to go, but one family cot,-
4 •Ing of three persons, was prevented going by the death of
'eeaneat'relative. Among the passengera were the Hon.
whaluel Canard, and Messrs. Lynch and Carpender, U. S. N.,
eatne over to inspect the working of the Great Western,
'L' have been received at the Admiralty ; Captain Kennedy
laa'llSen and Lady ; Mr. and Mrs. Oliver ; Mr. and Mrs.
4"r Pier, and daughter ; J. R. Priestly, and Miss Priestly ;
a,v Burst, and Mrs. Aihuson. Among the visitors were
t` oral ladies, five of the Directors—i. e. R. Bright, T. R.
N13153'. T. Kington, and .J. Codwia, Esqrs., and Captain
tlie)(1011. IL N., the Managing Director ; Captain Elton, of
Mr. Aiken, Mr. Patterson, the builder of the
eat Western ; and Mr. Bond, engineer.
level,'e cloth having been removed, and the band having played
Na' aid al Popular airs, and the most ardent wishes for the sue-
prosperous voyage of the ship having been expressed,
visitors prepared reluctantly to leave her, and at about a
de `r before eight o'clock, being nearly opposite to Mine-
°aPtain Claxton hailed the Palmerston steamer from
At-tea, which soon came alongside and took us on board.
-',LI time the band played " Yankee Doodle." We now,
last time, gave three hearty cheers for the Great
titCe,en, which •.vere re-echoed from on board, and as soon as
tl:necring had subsided the band played " God save the
Cr-ev' The ci:eering was again renewed, when the
IVeste,,•n, being righted, went off at full speed in
tale
4 superb 'st style. The baud again struck up, as the
411 e " Yankee Doodle." In a few minutes, however,
and t. 4,4 away before our view, except the column of smoke
to b "e track she inae.;., upon the water, which we appeared
of irettacin The Gr,eat Western had on board half a ton
tar°l(l stLie, being, we balieve, about 62,720 sovereigns,
,aoowe are informed there were oat board from the Post-office
bunt letters and parcels, and front tc Great Western Office
eft &MO, besides a great many newspapers. The Sirius
Nag e °rk on Thursday afternoon at four o'clock, being full of
aqr mgers. A great many bets hate Lean made that the
11:4 Western will arrive first at New York this voyage.
Y°r hew steamer to be built to ply between Bristol and New
the same Company and the same builder, is to be
1444 ``,the City of New York, and will be of greater tonnage
Sbtl e, Great Western.
ckt.:,,nas shipped enough of coal this voyage, to steam her
1144,-,1`4 home. Among the parcels on board, •we saw a great
Containing music and books, which by this conveyance,
t,hib-eacif New York nearly as soon as they will the remote
of England and Wales !
'c'tt e Great Western was advertised to leave King-road, at
der
k, p.m , and at five minutes past she was fairly un-
-elgh, thus starting with the precision of a Mail.

LARI4ING STATE OF THE

COUNTRY.

1141111,,-77ie Sun of inda • last, find recorded " A dreadful
followed Monday
)cuicid'e in Berner's Mews ; The
or a female" in W' aterlL-terrace ; " the exceubtioimi ofet
tp ti; 'eTreY, for two of the most hideous murders to .
afire criminal calendar of Scotland," and " A mui.deerous
a IY at
4i ..Preston," in which about eight hundred Englishmen
eottrishorten fought with guns, pistols, knives, and scythes, the
tQ4,cluentse of which Was that six or eight Englislime.n
da verous gun-shot wounds--some had their
`••‘'erlt"r°lien,., -.'sQme their skulls fractured, and upwardsd,od
ttlIQ v;ere
.severely, if not dangerously wouh ,
etar,l was kilL'A outright, and a verdict of manslaughter
ri",Node" aerairutt some person unknown. About the same
"'eti - a number' 7 n lishmen were sentenced at the Mid.
oq ex of .1! g
Sessionssorn to various punishments for an atrocious attack
amallharil.working Irishmen, who would rather labour for
"Ltat; ,:vages than beg or_ starve, and there is also recorded a
s't)t() ‘3l,4laccoun t of Newark' setting forth that in that
easesg" alone, there had been not less than 17,784 decided
4ft of drunkenness in one year. On Friday, four days
l'l4erll'iardS we find it recorded that a bloody etTray took
14e 'n Kent, the centre of Churelt-of-Englandism, and near
14,1tviierabie
Cathedral, from whose towers arc seen Protes-
tlttChitrehes all aroni d, " thick as autumn al leaves that
the
brooks of b " In :his affray ten persons
fete filled, Vella., rn • - ,
„le„ about the same number were taken pilsoner:s, and
tw;ce the number seriously wounded, WAll the
qurd the
such an authenticated list of atrocities corn-
Iti,tifiitted within a similar period in that gotintry where, Orange-
41:e 8,4.7, there is no security for life, and " surpliced ruffians"
r:t:'•41'`)(181Y employed in 'teaching their fotiti.G,wers to murder
Th-
-stenta?

\'loll7 ‘le lie admitted to the Illuminated
uotil tell o•otsufk. tc-merrow, of the spbenclid appentlagos
t' Gait or Mr- Blicke, itege:lt-stieet, opposite.. to Mr. Nash's
41. erY, by catalog 'leg, which will acli4,4; OA: persons..
Siqtob. Bell paired off with Mr—Clne4 ;p favour of
on Poop, motion on the Municipal Bill on Fr 41

ANIMAL MAGNETISM AT THE

NORTH LONDON HOSPITAL,

On Saturday last Dr. Elliotson delivered a lecture upon
what is called Animal Magnetism, at the North London
Hospital, illustrated by the exhibition of phenomena,
wholly inexplicable upon any principles, physical or moral,
which science or philosophy at present recognise. Before
we proceed to give a report of the lecture and experiments,
it may be satisfactory to many readers to depart a little
from the usual form of reporting, prefacing a few words
respectingthe subject itself, and to explain away mistakes
into which most people we believe are led, by the inappro-
priate name of Animal Magnetism, by which it is usually
spoken of'.
It is true that when Frederick Mesmer (a young Swiss
physician, and a zealous advocate of the doctrine of plane-
tary influence on the human body) discovered, or professed
to discover, in 1773, that by certain means oneindividualcould
exercise an influence over the health and actions of another
without contact or visible communication, and without the
will or even the consciousness of the person so influenced,
he, at first attributed this power to magnetism, and used
metallic tractors, or magnetized iron•rods, as the means of
bringing it into operation. But in his public experiments
it did not appear that any of the results produced depended
upon the mineral instruments, as the same results appeared
in every case to be equally produced by the motion of his
hands, and even by his look. However, the mystery which
he observed, and the flagrant quackery of all his proceed-
ings, brought upon him the contempt of all sensible persons,
and induced men of science to regard the extraordinary
facts which he unquestionably did exhibit, to the effects of
imagination in most cases, and to collusion in the others. The
animal influence which he professed to have discovered was
regarded by the whole scientific world as having no existence,
but in the disordered minds of his dupes.
In 18:26, however, the subject was again forced upon
the attention of men of science in Paris, by Messrs. 'Trois-
sac and Dupotet, men of high character for skill, experi-
ence, and integrity ; and in compliance with their request
a committee of medical men and naturalists was appointed
by the Royal Academy of Science, to investigate the truth
of their statements, and-to watch their experiments. In
June 1881, the Commissioners reported the result of their
observations to the Academy, and detailed a vast number
of eases, altogether in favour of the despised pretensions of
Mesmer and his followers. The facts which they reported
were such as could be accounted for upon no understood
principle, and even upon the unexceptionable authority of
those eminent men who drew up the report, could scarcely,
if at all, be credited by any one who did not witness them :
and precisely of the same character are the facts which we
witnessed at the London Hospital, and have now to re-
port. Here let it be observed, that Magnetism has nothing
at all to do with the matter—the operator undergoes no
magnetic process, and he uses no magnet in his opera'ions.
The influence (if it exist at all) exists naturally in the
animal body, and, it would appear, in every human body ;
that is to say, the:advocates of the theory aflirm that every
person may be an operator, although every person cannot
be operated upon.
The application of very powerful mineral magnets to the
treatment of rheumatism, tic dolereux, and nervous affec-

tions generally, as practiced lately, and is some recorded
cases with decided success, by Dr. E. Straw Blundel, Dr.
Kyli, and others, has no relation to the press nt subject, and
is no more mysterious, although its effects are less palpable,
than the application of electricity to the human body. The
subject of Dr. Elliotson's lecture may therefore more pro-
per:), be called Mesmerism, as the Doctor himself calls it,
after the name of the discoverer, until it be either driven
from the field of science, or its true character being ascer-
tained, shall enable us to give it an appropriate and ex-
pressive designation. The term magnetism in no respect
applies to it.

On Saturday, three o'clock was appointed for the lec-
ture ; but soon after two o'clock the theatre was filled,
and even the area, which, on the present occasion more
than any other ought to have been as little intruded upon
as possible, but left free to the lecturer and his patients,
was crowded with Noblemen, Members of Parliament, and
men of science ; amongst them were Earl Stanhope, Lord
Seaford, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of Wilton, Lord
Oxmanton, Lord Northland, Lord Mansfield, the Bishop of
Norwich, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Herbert Mayo, Mr. Thomas
Moore (the poet), Professor Grant, Dr. Lardner, &c.
Dr. ELLIOTSON addressed the auditory as follows
am one of those who are satisfied that influence may be
exerted by one animal, whether human or brute, upon
another individual, independently of the individual who is
affected being aware of the operation. The influence may
be exerted independently of sense and emotion on the part
of the person affected. I have seen this over and over again,
when the persons affected were wholly unaware of what was
being done—when they were asleep. I have seen it,
when the patient was in the coma of a fit, most
evidently, and could not be aware that any one was about
to operate. In the instance before you—(pointing to two
young men, each about twenty years of age, who were sit-
ting upon chairs beside him)—you will see that I am
obliged to do so. for the most part with the knowledge of
the patients. However, I shall endeavour to operate upon
them with their knowledge. The effect is various in diffe-
rent cases ; and it sometimes happens, when we take the
greatest pains, we can produce no effect ; whereas in other
cases the effect is immediate, upon persons who know no-
thing of what we are doing. Even when they may know
what we are doing, they do not know exactly what is
about to take place. Thus, when two boys, both epileptic,
have held hands, the head of one of them (who had never
heard of any such effect) was drooped—his upper eyelids
began to shake, and he became sleepy ; not indeed in
sound sleep, but in the state of one who felt a
tendency to sleep, and could not keep the eyes
open. This was always the case, when a gentle-
man going quietly behind him, when he was not aware, but
was engaged in talking, made a certain motion with his
hand. Sometimes this has been done whilst he had in his
hands a number of things, which he immediately let fall
upon my moving my hand towards him. The same thing
was done to the other boy, who was about the same age,
and subject to the same kind of fits. But in his case there
was no effect, or very little. The first boy, who was.easily
affected, had been subject to fits a very long time. He
had two fits every day for nine weeks previous to his ad-
mission. But he never had a tit after he was admitted
into the hospital, and was for the first time subjected to this
simple process of holding the hand near to his head. His
name was William Reid. He was admitted on the
12th of May, 1837, and when he had been a month
in the hospital he would not stay any longer.
He said he was quite cured. The other boy could
not be affected, and he went away believing that he could
not be cured. The two boys now before you correspond
with those cases. One of them fell perfectly asleep at once.
But the other has not been affected.—(The boy here said :
Orly that I have a little headache at the time.") Dr. E.
then stood before the other youth, and moved his open
hand, opposite to his face, first pointing the fingers towards
the boys forehead, and then dropping it gradually towards
his chest. He repeated this process several times. The
boy's head began to nod—his eyelids closed—his mouth
was partly opened, and at length his head fell back, and he
sank into a sound sleep. The doctor then proceeded :—lt
appears that Mesmerism sends him to sleep in about two
minutes and a half. His fits diminished froth the first
operation to one a-day ; but from May 23 to June 2,
he has had no fit. He is not now in a state of coma, but
can be easily awakened. [lt was however with some difficulty
he was roused ; and then he appeared exceedingly heavy and
a t first could not open his eyes. Dr. E. pointed the fore-
finger of each hand opposite to the youth's upper eyelids, a
few inches distant, and as he raised the fingers upwards the

lids rose, to all appearance involuntarily, the eyes opened,
and the stupor went off.] This (continued the Professor)
is the smallest effect that is produced, and the most ordi-
nary. In the next two cases the effect is great. One is
that of a yohng woman, who is epileptic. The other is a
case of lock-jaw, which used to occur every otht r day. It
was not of a dangerous kind. It would never have killed
the girl, It was hysterical lock-jaw. Ann Ross is the epi-
leptic patient—she bad a fit every fortnight, which lasted
a quarter of an hour ; and every day after the day of the
fit she had involuntary movements, without being comatose.
She has now been in the hospital a month, and every in-
voluntary motion has ceased. The other girl has had
but two tits since her admission ; but she used
to have her jaw locked every other day for five
hours, This paroxysm has become leas frequent since the
1 1 th of May, when she was admitted. She has not had
one these three weeks, and nothing has been done to her but
mesmerism.—[Here Dr. E. repeated the movement of his
hand opposite the girl's face, as in the former cases, and in
two or three seconds, she fell into deep stupor, resembling
deep, and would have fallen from the chair, upan which she
was sitting, had not Lora Northland who sat near, caught
her by the arm and raised her uprizirt. In the mean time
Mr. Wood (one of the surgeons of the Hospital), was prac-
tising the tioweraent of the hand, already described optiosi43
the back of the other gi4's head, and she also, though not
seeing the movement or apperiftrii to I,e conscious of it be-
came tic,7,wsy, and in about a minute fell ititc ticre same state
of stupor or zir,ep, The Doctor stated that it was ten day.-,.
before the lock yawed girl :repled to be sensibly affected
by mesmerism, but now the efieet !vas instantaneous.
The two girls were awakened one by the semi; prag%g which
had set her asleep, and the other by Dr. E. breathing in
her f„„ ; after ohjela the patients retired and the Lec-
turer proceeded.] A girl d4Z go.qle into the hospital affected
with St. Vitus's dance. No rnediwrag 11,1 - been given to
her, the only means of cure attempted tias irc-en tLis
with the .exce,v4r:,that the nurse gave her once a little
purmjypWlt::;tt forbidden her to do again.
The rneeme,r4r4 .bail no scnsktme eprea ttpßn her, but
she has imprinii4 m.cri 47: her 'lirliad-.li)as become

steady and now she can do needle-work. I have found
that even when no sensible eff:.ct is producA, yet ae
nervous complaint gives way, and the paroxysms become
milder ; but when the effect is sensible, the recovery is ob-
vious.

Earl STANHOPE asked how long the sleep wculd continue
if not purposely interrupted.
Dr. ELLIOTSON—I cannot exactly say ; but I have
known it last three hours. They are awakened by rubbing
the eyelids, and over the brows, or by breathing in the face.
In fact, the same process of waving the hand, or breathing
in the face, will set them asleep in the first instance, and
awaken them afterwards. We had here a girl who had
hysterical delirium. She was very bad, and when she came
in, as the case was so decided, she was bled, but she got no
better. On the third day we tried Mesmerism. No sleep
was produced ; but in six hours there was a decided im-
provement, and she went out last week, perfectly well.
There are two epileptic patients, subject besides to extra-
ordinary nervous symptoms, and to " delirium," in which
they cannot speak English. They do not forget the lan-
guage altogether, but they cannot in that state speak it
correctly. They show great stupidity ; and yet they an-
swer questions with great shrewdness. When they are in
this state the surface of the body is utterly insensible. You
may pinch the skin as severely as possible, or prick them as
deeply as you please, without their feeling it. In fact the
interior of their bodies is insensible ; for the eleeftic fluid is
passed through them without the slightest effect. When
the machine has been so charged that a healthy young
man could not endure the shock, it has had no effect upon
them. They put their hands upon the cylind. r, and as it
was turned round, they only laughed, and said " Oh, what
a rummy noise !" The Leyden phial also had no effect.
They took it in their hands, and, when it was discharged,
one of them said, " Oh, I see the sparks." But the
shock had no effect. We can produce that state at any
time, and put an end to it at any time. But it also comes
on spontaneously.
The two girls were here introduced. The elder seemed
to be about fourteen years of age—thin, pale, and sallow—
but having rather pretty features, and a very mild modest
manner. The younger (who was her sister) ap-
peared to be about twelve years old—but stronger than
the other, and having a somewhat wild and bold ex-
pression of face. Dr. Elliotson said they were very good
girls, and very clever. They were then in the natural
state, and their gentle and respectful demeanour, especially
that of the elder, was remarkably different from the viva-
city, archness, and familiarity with which they behaved
afterwards when mesmerised. He explained tliat they were
subject to three distinct states besides the natural one.
First they could be thrown into a state of complete stupor
or coma, by mesmerism, after which they passed into a
state of delirium, and there was a third state intermediate
between those two, which was that of somnambulism. In
that state they recollected everything which occurred to
them when they were in it before. But they recollected
nothing else, except, indeed, the language, their own names,
and the persons most familiar to them ; and being taken out
of it, they recollected nothing that occurred whilst they were
in it. He could put them into that state in a moment, and
as readily take them out of it ; and it would last until he
or others stopped it. It had lasted with one of them
twelve days. In her state of somnambulism, she
any thing
hisnege
a little and walk ; but she would go up against n
that was in her way, and would fall down if not supported.
She would answer questions in a low whisper, and had made
communications respecting her own health and her suscep-
tibility to mesmerism. - She had (whilst in that state) ex-
plained other modes by which it could be brought on her
besides those usuelly practised. She had also said that she
would have no more fits, and that on the 14th of June
she would be perfectly cured.
Whilst the Professor was speaking, Mr. Wood, who we
understood, first drew Dr. Elliotson's attention to the prac-
ticability of exercising the mesmeric influence, moved his
hands behind the backs of the girls, and they fell each into
a state of profound sleep. They were then pinched, vio-
lently shaken, and pulled by the arms, not only by the
Professor, but by several of the Noblemen and Gentlemen
around, without manifesting the slightest degree of sen-
sibility. But by breathing upon their hands they were in-
stantly awakened, when they exhibited a delirious vivacity
and boldness, in remarkable contrast to their gentleness in
the natural state. In the elder girl the contrast wag most
striking—she sang, whistled, and jested with Dr. E. and
with Lords Wilton and Stanhope, with the familiarity of a
playful and petted child amongst her own family, and she
displayed not only great archness, but wit and humour.
In the midst of her liveliest sallies, however, Dr. E. sud-
denly pointed the fore-finger of one hand at her fore-
head, and on the instant she stood immovable as
a statue, and evidently in a state of utter un-
consciousness. He then pointed a finger at each
upper eye-lid, and as he raised the fingers (several inches
from her face) the lids rose also, to the utmost extent
exposing the whole eye-ball—and so they remained
fixed, the body standing motionless. In the same manner
pointing one finger opposite the upper lip, and another
opposite the chin, he raised the one finger upwards and the
other downwards with a quick movement, and the mouth
opened ; and she stood still, in that posture, until he
breathed upon her face ; when she suddenly started into
consciousness and began to dance, sing, and jest as before.
Whilst the eyelids were wide apart--further than they
could be extended by any voluntary effort—and the eye-
balls exposed to the strong light from above, the pupils
were very much contracted. This would of course natu-
rally take place under such a light. But what is extra-
ordinary is, that when the Professor p )inted his fingers op-
posite the eyes, and then moved his fingers to and fro, the pu-
pils (notwithstanding the light) expanded to a great size, and
were again and again contracted and expanded in the same
situation, and by the same process. Can imagination or
collusion have any thing to do in this?

She was afterwards repeatedly struck motionless, on the
instant, in every variety of attittule which, in her delirious
playfulness, she might happen -to assume ; and this was
done not only by Dr. E. himself, but frequently
when he was not aware of it, and whilst she was
talking to him—by a single movement of the hand,
behind her back, by Lord Wilton, Lord Northland,
and others, who seemed to enjoy the exercise of their
newly-discovered mesmeric powers. When she was seated
in the chair, and thrown into sleep, her hands ly'ng in her
lap, Dr. E. extending his arms placed a hand opposite
each of hers, and then drawing his hands away, he raised
them upwards and inwards towards his head. Her hands
followed his until she had raised them to the level of her
head, when, with a convulsive movement, she fell back in
the chair in a state of coma, or torpor, more profound than
the previous sleep. We observed that this phenomenon
followed every experiment in which she was caused to
make any physical exertion. When she was seated and
asleep, Mr. Wood being behind her, placed his hands near
her's, and as be drew his away her's followed them—as he
raised his, she raised her's. In the same manner, as
she sat asleep, her eyes being closed, Lord Wilton placed
his left hand opposite to her right, and as he drew his
away, per's followed, as far as her arm would extend, appa-
rently attracted, as a needle would follow a powerful magnet.
Whilst she sat asleep, with her body leaning forward, Mr.
Wood, being still behind her, pointed his hand to the back
of her head, but at a distance of three or four feet, and as
he retired further back, her head was raised slowly, and
moved backwards in the direction of his hand as far as the

top rail of the chair would allow, when she made a convul-

sive effort to rise, and sank into a state of lethargy. In the
same manner when feet were pointed opposite to her's, and
withdrawn, her's fullowed th.mi ; and this spades of attrac-
tion was exercised upon her with the same effects by the

surrounding spectators as well as by the medical practi-
tioners. Numeroas other experiments were made to elicit
similar phenomena, both with this patient and her sister.
Mr. Wood, kneeling down behind the chair of one of the
slepping girls, placed his thumbs behind his ears, and when

his hand remained some minutes in that position, the hands
of the girl began to move from her lap, and :o be raised

(apparently with great effort) ; the thumbs extended back-
wards, as if for the purpose of imitating the action of Mr.
Wood, whom she could not see, if she were awake, and

her eyes open. But before they reached her ears, she had a
slight convulsion, and instantly became comatose or torpid.
A large sheet of thick brown paper having been held up
between Dr. Elliot2on and the younger girl, he desired her

to " fight at it." She did not seem to comprehend him ;
but on his putting himself into a boxing attitude, with one
foot advanced, she imitated exactly his attitude and move-

ments, which it di] not appear that she could very well see
through the paper. He dropped one hand, and she
became instantly insensible ; and fixed as a statue,
in the attitude of a boxer. Grimaces, also, made
by persons behind the back of either girl, in the state
of unconsciousness, and continued for some time,.
were at length imitated by them, as it seemed, involunta-
rily. Dr. Elliotson stated that, on a recent occasion, when
the elder girl was in the state of somnambulism, she was
asked if there was any other mode of mesmerising her than
those modes which had been tried, to which she answered
that she could be mesmerised by any person pressing
the palms of his hands against her's ; and having re-
stored her to the natural state, he did, by pressing
the palms of his hands against her's, throw her
instantly into file sleep. This experiment was then
tried in another way. Dr. Qraut went behind the door, and
placed his hands with the palms firmly pressed against it,
and gi)e teas caused to press her's against the other side, op-
posite to his, Jii a few miitutes she fell into the sleep ; but
the result was not produced at all so spat) as when her
hands were in actual contact with those of the operator.
With one more of the phenomena exhibited on this occa-
sion, we most hay; d^ne, Dr, I.7.lliotson stated that the
patients in the stiiie f lionmambulisni seetnot to hay..? a
great augmentation of physical strength,- istwel as what
would appear to be_ a preternatural or prophetic power.
,

The elder of these two patients had been asked a week
ago (whilst in that state) what weight she could lift ?—to
which she answered that she could lift 100 lb., but that
would hurt her arm ; and that she could lift 801 b. with
case. He now put her into the somnambulist state, and
her arm having been bandaged, with a board underneath
and a quantity of wadding, as is done to a person with a
broken arm, two weights, amounting to 841 b., were tied to
it. Mr. Wood then asked her whether she could lift
them ? As Er as we could judge she had no means, if she
were perfectly sensible, of guessing at the weight.
But, as we understood, she said that she could
only lift 801bs. and that there were then 6lbs. more.
In fact there were only 4lbs. more. But the weight
was reduced to 701bs. Then as she sat in evident
sleep, Mr. Wood (being behind her) pointed his
hand to her's, and raising it, it was followed by her's, not-
withstanding the great weight attached to her arm, and
when she could follow his hand no further is ithout standing
up, she sprang upon her feet, lifting the weights considerably
from the ground, but instantly fell back in a state of coma.
She was then brought back to the natural state—was
sprightly, showed no consciousness of what had been done--
and on being requested, attempted to lift the same weights,
but by no exertion was she able to do so.
Of this exhibition we have had only to report what we
saw, tlithout expressing any opinion. We observed nothing
that would warrant the least suspicion of deceit or collusion ;
and the high character of Dr. Elliotson will be taken by
most scientific men in Europe as a sufficient guarantee for
the good faith of his experiments, however unaccountable
they are, and opposed to all ascertained laws of animal
existence.

MAGAZINES-CONTINUED.

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

The account of the " Coronation of the kings of France
prior to the Revolution," is a well-timed article, and will
be sure to attract many readers. That of Charles the
Tenth was—says Mr. White, the chronicler—the most
magnificent ever exhibited in France, a fact which we have
some little difficulty in believing, remembering the taste for
pomp and pageantry that raged, like an epidemic, among
the French noblesse, from the days of the Grand Monarque,
down to those of the unfortunate Louis the Sixteenth.
And here, while on the subject of coronations, we would
advise those of our readers who may not happen to be
acquainted with it, to peruse Beau Tibb's account of his
preparations for appearing in the coronation of George
the Third, which is one of the raciest bits of humour that
Goldsmith ever penned. If we remember rightly, it will
be found among his miscellaneous essays. "My Hus-
band's Winnings" is by Jerrold. It is a little tale, or ra-
ther dialogue, that inculcates a most serviceable household
moral, and is written in a light, jocular, and good-hu-
moured spirit. It would make a capital little comedy, with
a few alterations, in two acts. " A Night on the Table
Mountain" is characterised by considerable descriptive vigor.
" Subjects for Pictures" are poems from the practised pen
of Miss Landon. The " Death of Camoens" is the most
interesting of the series. We quote the cicsing stanzas.
The versification is peculiar, but full of melody.

Flinging far below him each meaner thought that cumbers
Wishes born of wants, he lighted up life's dream
With the kindling light that warms the poet's numbers—
Yet arc they sung by the Tajo's sunny stream.
Still was his country thz theme of his inspiring,
How her bold vessels first swept the southern seas—
Still was her praise the meed of his desiring,
While telling how her heroes met the fierce and mighty breez?.
The past and the sea triumphs—
His dreams were Slid with these.

How was he rewarded ?—how are such rewarded ?
Those who thus lavish their inward wealth in vain ?
Only one doom for the poet is recorded—
A present that must buy the future with its pain.
Long, long away, toss'd on the Indian billow,
Dreamed he sweet songs for his lady and his land ;
Pale and wan he lies on his last neglected pillow—
None are near to minister with soft and soothing hand.
There let the poet perish—
So bath perished all his band.

Heavily, heavily, his large black eyes are closing
On the twi►ight loveliness they are too faint to know ;
O'er that pale high forehead a shadow is reposing—
Peace to the weary heart that languid beats below!
From that sweet lip its old songs are departed;
Take, ye wild winds, what it wont to breathe of yore—
There he is dying deserted, broken hearted,
Like a broken lute which no music wanders o'er,
Farewell to Carnoens !
The swan will sing no more.

Yet not for this in the spirit's faith I falter,
Heavy though the doom be—yet glorious is the meed.
Let the life be laid upon the fated altar—
It is but the sacrifice of an eternal creed.
Never yet was song breathed in this high believing,
But, like a star, it bath floated down time's wave;
While what lofty praises and tender grieving,
And what noble hopes come to sanctify and save!
Even such the glory,
Cameos, by thy grave!
" Leaves from Mr. Keeley's Journal" are amusing. They
arc reminiscences of his late professional tour to America,
where, we believe, this sprightly comedian was eminently
successful. The most diverting portion of his journal is the
sentimental paroxysm he fell into, on looking at the
great Niagara Falls. Here it is. " God, how inde-
scribable !" quoth little Bob, " with an enjoyment too ex-
quisite for an attempt at description, there mingled an awe,
such as I have felt in my younger days when reading of the
m ysterious beings that people another and a shadowy world.
Thank Heaven, nobody spoke to me. The tears ran down
my cheeks, and I am quite sure, if I had been alone, I
should have thrown myself on my knees, and wept aloud."
We can imagine Bob Keeley standing convulsed with
pathos, in one of his most picturesque attitudes, with his
face buried in a white pocket handkerchief, beside the Falls
of Niagara! The " Manager's Note 13ook" furnishes us
pith some details respecting Incledon and Cook, which
will be found interesting, we suspect, to none but members
of the pl ()cession. ‘‘ Residence in Little Pedlington" con-
tains some capital hits at Auctioneers' Puffs, and the
" Copyright" question. Mr. Pools is the author of this
ludicrous satire.

pbarireifshv boo; iuss BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.
scene in his Oliver Twist, where the poor
The present number is a goo,l one. Boz, as usual,
figures foremost among the contributors, and draws one
surprized in his country seat by the hideous
apparition of the leering old Jew, who is peeping in at
the window of the room where he is sitting. Cruick-
shank's plate, illustrative of this incident, is by no means
igo
one of his most successful efforts. ‘' The Widow Cured"
is an amusing, well-told talc, whose leading incident,
however, is borrowed from an episode in Don Quixotte.
" Griffoae, a tale of the Peninsula," is from the pen of
Colonel Napier, and displays much fancy. It opens with
some very graceful descriptive touches. " The Windsor
Ball of the latest Fashion," trundles along smoothly and
agreeably enough. " A chapter on Clowns" does no
more than justice to the merits of the incomparable
Grimaldi. " Nights at Sea" contain one or two laughable
naval anecdotes, told in the sailor's richest dialect. The
" Professor of Toledo," which is the production of Delta,
is a tale of the wild and the wonderful, illustrative of the
superstitious character of the Spaniards in the 13th century.
Some portions of the story are related with spirit, but there
is rather too much exaggeration throughout it. " Dark-
ness" is a very respectable sample of Magazine versifica-
tion. ,‘ Mr. Buggins" is a sprightly sketch, bordering on
caricature, but bit off with ease and vigour. The hero is
a romantic tailor, who while travelling under an alias on
the Continent, capivates, and nearly secures, a well-
dowered young lady, the daughter of a steady, old-fashioned
English country gentleman. Luckily, he is detected by
one of his ovin .aristocratic customers, ere he can bring
his matrimonial projects to maturity. This incident, it will
be observed, is trite enough, but it is worked up with infi-
nite tact and vivacity. We have no space for extracts.

MONTHLY CHRONICLE.
This is a clever periodical, but there is far too'much
assumption about it. The advertisement, for instance,
aflixed to the present number, states with infinite pomp of
manner that the " Monthly Chronicle" has for its main ob-
ject t " embrace those topics which, though they interest
Urge numbers of the reading public, have been usually con-
sidered of too grave a nature for periodicals, that rather
contribute to the amusement of a peculiar class, than repre-
sent the interests of the general community." This is as
much as to say, that all other Magazines are mere flimsy
vehicles of amusement—but that this one is sage—grave—
profound ;—all, in fact, that a first rate national periodical
should be. Now we have read the numbers of the
6' Monthly Chronicle" with some little attention, and must
honestly confess that, as yet, we have seen nothing in it to
warrant its high, inflated tone of pretension. Its critical
articles—ingenious and showy as we grant them to be—are
far beneath the average of those in Fraser ; it has no meta-
physical papers equal in depth, subtlety and style, to those
masterly ones on :,he " Theory of Consciousness" in Black-
wood ; and surely the melodramatic romance of Zicci will
not bear an instant's comparison with " Oliver Twist" in
Bentley's Miscellany I Where then lies the prodigious and
overwhelming talent of this Magazine ? nubibus—and
nowhere else that we know of. As, however, its critical
perspicacity is
much insisted on, we select an extract from
its no:ice of Mr. Bulwer's late tale of " Leila, or the Fall
of Granada," which will enable our readers to judge for
themselves. " All this," says the Reviewer, speaking of the
main incidents of the tale, " is conducted with such grace ;
the scenes
style ; and there is so much pomp of a fitting kind in the
4re so spiritualized by an airy and voluptuous
story such stepping in music, and gleams of beauty, that
the imagination becomes rapidly filled with the voices and
the motions, the grandeur and eloquence, that occupy the
scene." What an absurd farrago of words, utterly desti-
ulzr a though;, 14:re 2oneeive t` stepping in
inusid,"aF,itspirittaaizil.b vr'iluptubusries, to a degree that
fills the iraaiinatiozitith it voices aria -Enc4ions Was ever.