Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-12-09
Che Vrleorapl).
EIESMERiSaI.

MESMERiSM.
In respect to subjects of controversy, feel
willing that both sides should have hearing
AS we have published already several articles
rather favoring Animal Magnetism, we hoV"
thought we ought TO present something on the
other side Perhaps we may express, since we
devote considerable space 10 the subject, our re-
grets that the author of the following article,
which we copy from the Boston Medical Jour
nal, and which that journal copies from London
work, had not adduced something in the form of
argument against the supposed 'chimeras of Mes
nersts Those who read the article will be sur
prsed that writer 50 self-eonident should en-
tire2u overlook the fac, that rnen of research of
scientific minds, generally discriminate between
sound argument and the noisy arrogance Of self
concerted drivellers. Now we do not propose 10
say that Mesmersm has any claim to truth as a
science we mean only, that the writer in qnes,
ton, has srgnally failed of his darling object.
It may be, however. that he relied too confident
ly upon the supposition that people generally
would regard the subj 'ct, in the same light as he
has. However, as do not desire to loresta!l,
we will only add, that the article contains some
wit, and does actually em6ody about all that can
be said against Magnetism, for which reason, more
than any other, we have inserted it in our
columns, as a textbook for future reference.
THE industry and wonderful perseverance Of
the family of Spiders is proverblal. They never
tire the destruction of their fmsy hiaments is
1he signal for the reconstruction of new webs !,
and when they are driven from the wall, they
withdraw to holes, corners, and remote cham
bers, to catch flies or dust, as the case my be.
In the morning your cunning 50 der SITS euthron.
ed in the midst of his web, spreading far and
from shrub to shrub; he surveys his work with
cool complacency, and contempates with quiet
Joy the unfortunate insects that have got en-
tangled in his mesics. You sweep away his
,disfgurng fabric-it avails MT; for in the even
ing the net is spread again,
Retaque ct laQueas, que lamna flliere possint
and the spider is again there his place is
,pled by some one of his countless heirs and sue
scessors. Now, If there be any set of men who
have these characters in common with the
,qrachnide, they are the maguetlzers. Franklin
and the French commission demolished all the
illusions invented by Mesmer, detected hs1rauds,
and explained the real phenomena by the ordna-
try laws of ply sology. As new Nlesmersts arose,
their decisions were dispersed; and so late as
the year 1888, the editor of this Journal took the
trouble, with some of his friends, to examine
most carefully, patiently, and impartially, the
experiments of Dr. EIliotson, performed by DR.
.E.iatson himself on patients selected md r1 ned
10y him. after he and his friend Dupotet had had
the subject eighteen months IN hand. Expert
.rnents were also Instituted that were free from
the fallacies which were mixed up with all Dr.
Elotsons unsatisfactory performances The
results are we'll known. The Mesmerzed SOW
ereigns, the water, and the nickrl-above ALL
the nickel-n short, the whole humbug was ex-
,pioded. No effects rhaierer we're pr0d"ce} bit By
the poliioa Of the t,uI girls. Wtea OR'y dm
not knoU that substances 1cere cOhSideret IN be
.Mesmerized, then pr0ducel not the slightest eT ct,
and her hints nercr morei an The right direriioas
achea she couiA not Icarn in ,chat direriions they
arere erpecieL 20 more. Mesnersm had far,
Tall trial if the spectators present had any prelu
.cices, they were IN its favor; yet II was proved
to demon stration to be essentially q delusl i'm
Dr. EIliotson was convicted of gross error of
judgement, 10 say the least OF Il, andvery proper
" retired into private life, there, not, it seems,
to purge his mind from error, and to make
amends for the nschefhe might have done to
society and the medical profession, by some use
ful investigation, conducted in n rational, phIlo-
sophie spirit. lie is still disciple OF Mesmrr ;
he has been all the while worshlping the false idol
in secret and Lpfontane had no sooner strutted
n The stage of the Hanovrr-square rooms, and
rot himself pufied in halta dozen newspaper p'r-
AgrapnS, tnhn Dr. FlliOlSOH dpptafth ughIh oti'I'
select parties of friends in Conduit street. hll
this is pitiable. Gu; Of compasslon-ont Of regard
for Dr. Elliotsons previous labors-and out OF a
lingering hope that he might one day have the
good sense to acknowledge the Illusions 10 which
he had abandoned himself, we have never noticed
his private vngaries but as he has now publicly
entered the lists as the rival of Lafonlaine, and
has thus drawn the curtain with his own hand, IL
may be injurious to the credulons part of the pub
lie not to notice his performances.
The first account we have to notice is contained
in paragraph in the Morning Chronicle (and If
these accounts be not written they are evidently
revised by DIR. E stating that he had afforded 10
Indies and gentlemen of rank and science an OPP
portuuity of Witnessing experiments in the SCI
ence of Mesmerism The doctor and two young
women were on the stage and the grand e1Pef-
iment was the exhibition of the attractive power
which he exercised on their bodies, so that they
were drawn after him about the room IA every dl'
rection. One of them, for instance, placed at
distance in the assumed Mesmer!c state, would
approach him, advance hen he reireatrd, go I"
the right hind when he went to the right mana,
turn round-in fact, follow him just as if she hnd
been drawn utter hun by cord Such were Inc
facts. The gIgls followed the magnetic doctor
that was all. why did they do so If person
~ dog be seen following anotaes rouac tie Foo1