The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-07-02 00:00:00

MESMERISM AND CLAIRVOYANCE.

A young gentleman, known as Alexis the Somnambu-
list, has just arrived from Paris under the care of M.
Marcellet, 'and was exhibited on Monday, for the first
time (we believe) in London, at the residence of Dr. El-
liotson. Alexis has for some period excited much inte-
rest in Paris by the wonderful powers of clairvoyance
which he manifests whilst in a state of magnetic sleep.
Through the kindness of Dr. Elliotson, a large number
of ladies and scientific and distinguished persons had an
opportunity on Monday of witnessing M. Mareellet's
experiments. It is but just to Dr. Elliotson to observe,
that. previously to the commencement of the experiment,
he stated that he did not bold himself at all responsible
for what M. Marcellet had advanced. Knowing M Mar-
cellet to be a gentleman of undoubted respectability, Dr.
Elliotson permitted him to hold his first levee in Conduit-
street, taking no part whatever in the proceedings.
Without admitting that we have become believers in the
possibility of producing such a condition as that known
by the name of " clairvoyance," we must nevertheless
honestly confess that we have been much staggered by
what we saw after M. Marcellet had thrown his patient
into the magnetic state, and exhibited the tetanic spasm,
or rigidity of the muscles of the arms and legs, which
usually accompanies this condition of the nervous system.
Preparatory to the phenomena of clairvoyance being
shewn, the patient's eyes were bandaged. We pledge
ourselves that we did this effectually. To see, in the or-
dinary sense of the word, a ray of light was physically im-
possible. Two krge pieces of wool were placed over each
eye, and above this were bound with great care two linen
handkerchiefs folded several titnes. Thus blindfolded he
was placed at a table and commenced playing &aril with
a strange gentleman in the room. 'lt was, indeed, won-
derful to see with what accuracy he played, not only
knowing every suit he had in his own hands, but by a
species of divination being able to detect the condition of
his opponent's hand. Several persons played with him,
and amongst others Dr. Jerden, who, however, was for-
tunate enough to beat the somnambulist. To exhibit the
man's extraordinary powers, a large book of plates, nearly
two inches in thickness, was placed between Alexis and
his opponent, and, notwithstanding this physical impe-
diment, the somnambulist was able to tell the person with
whom he was playing the cards he held in his hand. It
may be said there was collusion. We know such was not
the case. Alexis then had a letter placed in his hands by
Colonel Gurwood, with the view of ascertaining whether he
could make out the name of the party who had written the
letter. It appears that col.Gurwood had placed himself in
communication with Alexis, some time back, in Paris, in
order to discover whether he had it in his power to
give him any hint by which to enable him to discover the
residence of a French soldier, whose life Colonel Gurwood
bad
enough to rind not only the name
fmo magnetic
nsaaetvti
ioecdu s
otdanut during
gaveeg the
subject
u bcj
esiocel
tog
one
feof l
h Garwood
Bd s aitqa jz
uoi
inquiry,
Alexisedc
tdui
acting
the
valuable
g upon:n
this, he was fortunate
s but his place of abode. Colonel Gurwood
owfrotitee ptoetr nhoes'oldier, and the letter which he placed folded
in Alexis' hands was the answer which he had received.
Alexis, after a little examination, wrote down the person's
name, and told Col. Gurwood the purport of the letter which
he held in his hand. lie made one mistake in the final letter
of the person's name, but this did not in the slightest degree
detract from his extraordinary penetration. Another gen-
tleman, who had not seen Alexis previously, (Colonel Gar-
dener, we believe,) asked the somnambulist to describe
his residence. This he did with great accuracy, telling
him the number of pictures he had in his drawing-room,
their peculiar position, and the subject of the pictures.
Watches were then placed in his hand, and, by merely
feeling on the back of the case for a few minutes he pointed
out, with one exception, the exact position of the hour
and minute hands. A large book of plates was subse-
quently held to the back of his head, and to the amaze-
ment of every person in the room Alexis was able to de-
scribethe various prints towbich his attention was directed.
We have thus endeavoured faithfully to record the
facts
nth i cwhe
rw
ee
performedwitnessed.
fairly, i
rl
yi our b
and
theal ite
if nn thato single
the xa
lee pe -
in-
stance did anything like collusion exist. We do not pre-
tend to account for the strange, the wonderful phenomena
thisasnony presentyouthsee in g certainlyuwnhd oe rrefusedsuemh manifested. forecasudl3lsi.
tetay.
variance
possibilityncijocteuhorhneiietshtheoeyuroe there
were
any whiche
p emr
gen-
tleman, more incredulous than the rest, declared most
emphatically that Alexis was able to see down his
.nose—
I eadtg
able to read a book
almost hermetically sealed e
anatomicalan
was
m he'
works on the table. In_
dependently from among
ofwas able to read and
through this the somnambulist with
conclusion from the facts; we
facility. We draw no
nd inexplicable—beyond our
dpelapeeenddeonvtelyr otfhetiptisari,nnmuadhbapetraidgkeerchieaf
large
ee
voftituldmeed wasid-
confess they are mysterious
e dt
hteov be
lsl e,
evrpe
comprehension.
tical examine the matter for
frequent opportunities of doing so.—
understand, have
Times. .Let those I:hoti.iaermestielivsepsos;

•
subject. Crossing the
itt this State (Virginia), related an
LOVE OF TITLES IN Asmnsica-•—A well-known gentle-
and yon need not call me
Potomac into Virginia, with in a ferry-boat, the
.. Meijer, I wish you would lead' yourborse
feilvitan'sald,
a little forward," which he immediately did, obServing to
atnneiajoonr,this
amusing
iaanntg, Na.,V,nienlccadh:eitsettleotrtd,
0ne.."1 'To. this the ferryman replied, " Well, Xurnel,
ax yOur pardon,
.and Ili not call you so no more." . Be-
ing arrived at the landing-place, be led hiS horse out Of
the boat, and said, " My good'friend, I am a very plain
man, I am neither a colbuel nor a major, I haVe no titleat all, and I don't like them: How much have I to'pav'"
The ferryman looked at hint and'said,""You 'are the first
white man ? ever crossed this feiry- that warn't jilt nobody
at- all, and I swear I'll not Charge you uothiog.''—sea=
thertlonhariyh's Excursions..