The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-10-11

vision, but under the process had become n
somnambullst; aud, when in the magnetic
sleep, possessed those wonderful powers of
eldiruoyance, or mental vision which it gen.
orally imparts. She is described as a young
lady of good education, irreproachable char
acter, sensitive feelings, aud delicate man.
ners.--lt was not without importantly that
she would be prevailed upon to permit a
stranger to see her ia the somnanbulous
state, but her friends at length persuaded her,
and Col. Stone was introduced. After
some casual conversation, DR.. Capron, her
physician, looked 6xediy at her, put his
fingers upon her forehead and arms in the
usual manner, and in five minutes she was
in profound slumber. The following ex-
empllfcations of her powers in this state
were then obtained -
at was arranged that the first experiments
should be made 70 the purpose Of eliciting
some of the phenomena Of ctairuOyance,
or mental vision. For this purpose an ex-
hibition was made of various prints, large
and small, likeness Of distinguished per-
sons, &C., with which my friend haC pro-
vided himself from his own house. With
some of these the front parlor was hung,
before we entered it from the back room,
while the smaller prints were thrown upon
the centre-table. II must here be borne in
mind, in the first place, what has been al
ready several times remarked, that the pa
tient is blind. Her eyelds, moreover, were
entirely closed in addition to which, cot
ton bats were placed over her eyes, and
confined by pair of green spectaces. 1t
would, therefore, have been impossible for
her to see-or rather, any other person
would have been involved in the deepest
darkness, with eyes thus closed, aud then
cotton bats over them.
"Soon after going into the room she ap-
peared to see the pictures and admire them
This fact was tested in every way. From
her repugnance to so much company, how
ever, the little circle, drew as much as pos
sible away from her, and her chief conver-
satiou on the subject Of pictures was held
with my friend with whom, both sleeping
and waking, she had previously been ac-
quainted. Invariably, when she studied
picture, she turned her back upon the wall
against which il hung. When she took up
n print TO examine il, she held it at the back
of her head, or rather just over the parietal
]
( ly, and selected from the, small prints like
ness of Mrs. Judson, whose life she said
she had read several times. She took mp II
portrait, while Standing on the side of the
room opposite to my friend and myself,
aud putting it to the side of her heud, al
most behind, as she remained alone, inquir-
ed" Is not this a likeness of john Fos-
teri John-Yes, il is John Foster"
immediately passed around the table to her,
and held brief conversation with her re-
pecting the character and writing of Foster
of whom there had not been word said, !,
before she selected his picture and pro-
nomuced his name"
After some other experiments of this
kind, the nagnetiser, by nm exercise of his
will, withdrew her attention from the circle
"f friends around her. and introducing her
to Colonel Stone particularly, placed her
hand in his, and permitted him exclusively
TO hold conversation with her. Having
heard that she could, in mental vision, ac-
company any person, with whom she was
thus IN communication, To the most dis
tant places, and describe localities and prl-
vate residences which she had not before
seen or heard Of he proposed "A visit to New
York, by the steamboat Narragansett, which
then lay at the dock. She objected to this
mode of conveyance, MS it occasioned sea
sickness, and preferred going through the
air. Ii is proper to remark, that she never
had, in reality, been in this city, but OH n
former ideal voyage by thu. boat, she had
experienced and manifested all the nau-
seating sensations of actual sea sickness.
Through the air, therefore, they agreed to
travel n way, in Imagination, they sailed
for the commercial emporium.
The first object that seemed to arrest her
attention in their eriel flight was Bristol,
which she wished to pause and behold.
Having expressed her admiration of the
streets, and her satisfaction witt the ease
and expedition of her mode of travelling,
she alighted with her mental conductor, on
the dock of the Providence steamboat, at
the north end of the Battery. She remark
ed that it was not the place at which she
landed on her former visit, and it is well
known that the place Of these boats has
been changed from Market and Chamber
streets TO the Battery during the present
season. Castle Garden and man there
in the dress of the Boat Club /; the Bowling
green, with Mr.. Rays granite house, and
bronzed lions Astor House, and the gen.
temen at its portal; Mechanics Hall, in
Psrk-plsce, with the sculp,ured group on
its cornice Columbia College, and a par
ticular decnying tree on the green the
house of the President, and the absence uf
his family, together with many other things,
were successfully described by this blind
young lady, who never was in this city in
her life.
Colonel Stone, in conducting her mind
to the neighborhood of the College, was, it
seems, on the way to his own house, No.
SO IN Church street, the interior of which
he wished to introduce ms a peculiarly Y sat-