The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-11 00:00:00

T UESDAY

EVE

came forward alone, and, in the Syrian tongue, said
Thou dost not affright me, devil, with all that bulk
of body—thou art ono and the same, in a little fox or in a
camel ; ' and so he stood firm, with his arm stretched
out, and, as the beast advanced towards him, furious
and ready to devour him, it presently fell down, with
its head to the ground." On this legend Dr. El-
liotson remarks :—" Now Middleton would not regard
this as a most ridiculous story, were he alive at pre-
sent, and acquainted with the power exhibited by the
Duke of Marlborough on two ferocious dogs, by
making passes with his hands before them, and by
the Rev. Mr. Bartlett, over a savage bull on staring
fixedly at the animal. A more striking instance of the,
power of mesmerism over brute never occurred.
The cause of true science is under infinite obligations
to Mr. Chandler for having thus opened up a new
test of mesmerism, and the more numerous and more
stringent are the tests to which it may be subjected,
the better for the cause of truth and of science. Here
we have mesmerism practised by one who was utterly
unacquainted with the science. St. Ewald knew that
by putting himself in certain pdsitions, and perform-
ing certain actions, be produced certain effects, andwe who are acquainted with mesmerism know that it
was by the development of mesmeric power conse-
quent upon those positions, and those actions, that be
produced those effects. There can be no doubt but
that the old picture is a faithful representation of the
attitude of the Saint, as handed down by tradition;
and that all ancient pictures of miracles represent to
a certain degree, and in general with tolerable accu-
racy, the relative positions of the worker and of the
patient at the time of the performance of the miracle.
Now, if we find in our examination of those ancient
pictures that the miracle worker is always represented
in a position which would develop in a
great de-
gree mesmeric force, we may confidently assume
that the effect on the patient was produced
by that force, in fact, that the miracle worker was
acting in accordance with, and not contrary to the
laws of nature. We commend this investigation to
the consideration of all scientific mesmerists. In ad-
dition to the above most valuable contribution to
mesmeric science, the present number of the Zoist
records many cases of the application of mesmerism
as a medical means for the cure of disease, and as a
means of rendering painless those operations of nature
which are ordinarily attended with intense suffering.
Among these papers we would particularly direct
the attention of the public—for it is only through the
public that the bigotted prejudices of the profession
can be overcome—to a case of " Painless Parturition
during the Mesmeric State, recorded by Mr. S. D.
Saunders, of Bristol," and we strongly recommend
all persons, if they find, which is too often the case,
that their medical attendant refuses to use mesmerism
in a case in which the patient or his friends may desire
it, or to meet in consultation those who do use it, to
at once dismiss such medical attendant, and send for
one who is more conscientious or less bigotted.
Were this course generally adopted, patients would
not much longer be condemned to suffer unnecessarily
years of agony because the monopolisers of the prac-
tice of medicine are too idle to study their profession,
and to make themselves acquainted with recent dis-
coveries in science.

FLOREACE SACKVILLE; or SELF-DE-
PENDENCE. By Mrs. Burbury. 3 Vols.
Smith and Elder.
This is an interesting and striking autobiography
of a young lady who is placed through life in most
trying circumstances. With a selfish and extravagant
father, an indolent and unjust mother, and a vain,
helpless younger sister, Florence Sackville indeed
requires self-dependence. Her father's affairs become
hopelessly embarrassed, the family property is sold,
and they are left almost penniless, deserted by the
unhappy cause of so much misfortune. Helen, the
youngest child, is the mother's favourite, which
affection carries her to the improbable extreme of
refusing thanks or encouragement to her self-sacri-
ficing eldest child, to cherish and commiserate the sel-
fish and thoughtless Helen. We cannot help regret-
ting that the talented authoress did not choose some
other field of action for her heroine than the one which
she has drawn. There might have been less that was
painful in the story, and more that was attractive in
the plot. Florence Sackville herself is the chief fea-
ture of interest, and certainly her misfortunes excite
the strongest sympathy. Mr. Temple is a despicable
character and quite unworthy the position of a hero.
The episode of poor Milly is very painful, though it
seems a style of subject which is to be food in most
novels. Why, it might be difficult to say, as it can
scarcely prove attractive, and the end is always plainly
foreseen. The incidents in " Florence Sackville '
are striking and varied. Some of the figures intro-
duced are, it is to be feared, very natural, though not
always to be admired. The heroine has a noble,
though undisciplined character, and the misfortunes
and depreciation she so constantly meets with only
increase the admiration of the reader.