Star.
London, England, 1824-03-15 00:00:00

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'Sketches of the Philosophy of Apparitions; or, on At-
tempt to Trace such Illusions to their
By Samuel Hibbert, M.D. 1 Vol. l2mo. pp. 463.
We have here a well written and clever book, on a
most unpromising subject. We say unprornising, not
that there is any lack of well-authenticated stone of
apparitions of every description, but from tl'e diffi
culty of accounting for these,allusions on anything like
philosophical principles. To cut the gordian knot by
a sceptical denial of the facts wi;l never snti.ty any
mind habituated to investigate facts, and duly to exa-
mine rind appreciate moral evidence. The first -who
pointed out the importance of explaining the..t auses
Which give rise to the illusive• creations
sof the mind
(aild such in reality are all visions of apparitions, whe-
Obi- of such men and things as surround- us daily, or
cif drigeli, demons, or of departed spirits, etc.) was
the late Dr. Persian-, or Manchester, who insisted that
the unaffected accounts of spectral visions, instead of
lieiiig regarded with the horror of the vulgal', or the
the sceptic, ought to engage the 'attention of
the" 01MM:oldies is 11 as the physitian, and to be ac-
curately examined, to ascertain their exact relation to
the state of the brain, and of the external senses. But,
As Dr. Hilibbert remarks, " the circumstances most in-
teresting to the pathologist; either from having been
considered as unnecessary or inconvenient to the pur-
poses or views of sutorstitical, appear in most instances
toha-re been altogether suppressed." This fact cannot
Ire controverted, and hence the increased difficulty of
accounting for all these illusions on pathological prin.
ciples, which is what the author proposes to accom-
plish, and in which we think be has succeeded.
Dr. Hibbert's view of the mind is that or the late Dr.
thOwn, Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University
Of Edinburgh. Considering the mind as simple and
indiviiibie, he conceives that every mental feeling is
only.ihe mind itself, existing in a certain state. •
" In endeavouring then," says be," to obtain a cot-
Sect notion of Certain vital properties of the human
fainter and the relation which the immaterial principle
if the mind may, be..r to them; I shall commence with
that iiisfooriant fluid, the blood, which, from the peat-
- tardy of its properties, has Induced physiologists to
hiaintitin its vitaliq. this incirriry, at the same time,
may meet with some assistance from Observations upon
the effect of Certain gases, which, when introduced into
the lungs, exert an influence over the blood. The pulse,
for instance, of perions. inhaling the nitrous oxide,
though it May vary in different individuals, with regard
to stlength or velocity, hever fails to he increased in
fulness; which remit wOuld intimate, that the general
Volume of the circulating mass is, upon the application
or a piisper agent, susceptible of an increasing degree of
. expinsiOn. Oh the other hand, in the earliest stage of
. the hoiiisus influence Ofthe febrile miasma, there is an
evident diminution in the volume of the blood, as is ab-
dicated by a small Contracted pulse, and an increasing
constriction of the Capillaries.. Hence may be drawn.
the general COnchrsien, that the coreuscules of the Vital
fluid easseis within themselves an inherent dilatibility
and contractility, by the alternate force of whit)] they
ire enabled to act upon the elastic coats of the vessels
of the hurnair body.
" A more important observation, however, with re-
Ord 16 the vet y opposite effects of the gases alluded to
yet restraint to be stated. It would appear, that, _with
in increase of the volume Of the ell-enlacing-fluid, a ge-
itiril sense of pleasure is experienced. This fact is well
illuiti•ated in the delight eXpressed by the individuals,
*his, a nudger 4 years ago, submitted Cleinselves to
the eXiiefiinentsinstitated with the view of ascertaining
the effeet'airtleihrous oxide. The feelings which they
eapiiiineell are described under such terms as plea-
iiir.itile tlirilliags extending from the chest to the extre-
•"•:ties, or .4 sublime ethotrons."' On the contrary,'when'
-there is.an increasing 'contraction in the volume Of the
blisbdindiCited ty a spastic disposition of the vessels,
stakeleiit 'to impede the general current of the circu-
latingliiia, an OppoSite state of pain appears to be an
- iritlfriable result. This-fact is proved in the distressing
*k:erings'aperienced duringthe earliest symptoms arising
ff:siis the epidetisic Contagion ofthe febrile miasma."'
bit 'these principles the atithor attempts to explain
the nature of the sanguineons influence 'or energy.
With 'the -influencing condition 4-the circulating lord,
a-tendency-to pleasurable or sto painful :feelings i. cols..
fleeted. And having ascertained in the nitrous oxide,m
andibeietifileiniasma3wo agents capable of affectingi
the qbality of our mental feelings, he proceeds to•en-
quire into-the effect which they can produce when their
_ excitation is carried to an extreme height. He riotices
the distinction which is always made " between those
'states of thind -which are induced when causes impress-
ing our organs of sense are present, and those which
meat as teviials of prior Mental states ; the former are
termed- senia:iOns; the litter ideas, •nr, more correctly.
tendratedyeelittizs. These differ only in degree. The
renovated feelings are less intense, less vivid, or fainter
than the former. Dr. Hibbert, in prosecuting his in-
quiry,
next quotes severalof Sir H. -Davy's experiments
on the nitrous oxide, but we must confine cur extract .
to one of them only, made on Sir Ilumphry himself*:
who says, speaking of the effect produced by inhaling
this gas—" A thrilling, extending from the chest to the '
extremities, was almost immediately produced. I felt
a sense of tangible extension, highly pleasurable in
every limb, my visible impressions were dazzling and
apparently magnified. I heard 'distinctly every sound
in the room, and was perfectly aware of my situation. ,
By degrees, as the pleasurable sensation increased, I lOst
all connection with external things; trains of vivid
visible images rapidly passed through my mind, and
sveke connected with %Voids in such a manner, as to.
prodbee perceptions perfectly novel. I existed in a
world of newly connected and newly modified ideas.
When I was awakened from this semi-delirious trance
by Dr. kinglake, who took the bag'from my mouth, in-
digoation 'and'pride were rite first roofi
ngs produced by
the sight of-the.persons about me. iCIy emotions were
etstintsiastie and 'sublime; ithd for a moment I walked
round the room, perfeCtly'segardless of what was said
to one. As I recovered 'toy former state of mind, I felt
an-inclination to communicate the discoveries I had
bride during the experiment. I'-endeavoured to recall
the ideasthey wetefeebieland'indistinct. 'One recol-
lectitralif terms; howeter; presented' itself, and with the
most intense belief and prophetic 'manner I exclaimed,
to Dr.-tin:take, 4-Nothing'-exists•but thoughts, the
tiniq'rse is composed of - unapt essions, ideas, • pleasures,
and ptihri." •
T..e intentiodOf the preceding quotation cannot escape

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