Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-10-11

i
You will excuse the length of this article and believ
me, Sir with great respect,
Your very nbt serv't,
JOHN {. McCABE.
(drOiine COnnfY Ort. a, 1912
This day personally appeart before me DIR. John
McCabe, who made oah that the above cornmun cnior
contained nothing hut the truth TO the best of his know
ledge and belief Given under my hand the day and
year above written VIM. S. RoYSToN, J. 2.
From The Petersburg Statesman, oet ~
MESMERSM
The reader will probably remember that some allu
sion was lately made in this paper TO certain move
and astonishing phenomena in MesmerIsn, that have
been developed in recent experiments in Peters
burg. We also threw out promise of presenting
details of those experiments. Those details have moi
yet been communicated 10 1t will readily occur
TO the reader, that there is good deal of difficulty in
undertaking TO describe phenomena new and SD stu
penduous, and Furthermore, that it Is not always
agreeable to relate facts much controverted as
those of Mesmerisn. In the mean t.me however, on
Tuesday evening last at the Bolingbrook Hotel Mr.
French delivered another lecture Animal aagne tsrn
and assisted by several amateur Mesmerizers exhibited
a series OF experne nts, the most brilliant and asionsh
ing. The large room where the experiments were per
formed, was crowded with spectators, who evincod q
very high, and al times, intense interest in the pheno
mena developed
Mr.. Frenchs lecture was satisfactory yndIcatioH
Of the science of Mesmersm-well delivered.
There were seven subjects mesmerized in the course
Of the evening, and al lime believe, all in
that state together. First apprentice attached IL
this office, aged about ID. He had been mogneiized
only three four times, and those within few days
previous Next, three sisters all of the age (sha
we call them three twns:) operatives we believe in one
OF factories. The three are aged about thirteen,
sweet interesting girls and said TO be very much alike
of whom Mr. French related, the authority OF their
father the extraordinary FACT that neither Of them
sick without the other two being so likewise
These three sisters conducted 10 platform and
seated, the apprentice alluded TO- on chairs
next the wall and facing the spectators.
The room being crowded and the atmosphere close,
good deal of interruption occurred, but the mesmeri
zaton nevertheless proceeded successfully. The youth
mesmerized by Mr.. French, one of the sisters by
Mr. Co. of New Orleans, the next by Mr.. N, and The
third by MIR. H. of this place. The four ak thrown
into The sleep waking condition in moderate time.
OF The sisters the magnetizrd by Mr. II. evnced
the magnetic attraction in the hands and arms in the
most extraordinary and beautiful manner she continu.
ally moving her in attraction towards his, reaching
up he elevated his, until at times sle fairly leapt
from the platform upward towards his arms This phe-
nomenon alone seemed tn enough 10 convince any
candid mind of the truth Of Mesmerism. And what
made il the remarkable in this particular instance
wus, that stated at the time, MIR. Fl. had never
before even seen the girl he magnetized.
The spectacle Of these three SISTERS simultaneously
thrown into the sleep waking stale, was exceedingly
striking The youth mentioned was left simply sleep.
ing in the chair ard made 10 exhibit other phe
nomennn except the paraytc rgidity OF the arm The
ne II subject introduce Mr. -, lately from
North Carolina, aged about % lie, 1t is stated, had
been sick Of bilious fever, and desired to be magnet
led with hope that il might promote his recovery
file magneiizsd according to his own wish, in pr.
vae room Of the hotel by Mr. IL. Of Petersburg. This
subject introduced mesmerized, aud seated in u
char in front of the platform.
Here MIR. French being put "fn rapport" with him,
a. I,,ry
phenomena that we ever behed. We allude 10 The
Phrcno Magnetic phenomena. On Mr.. +. touching the
organ tune this gang in low, solemn tones;
on touching mrlh, lie laughed heartily; on touching
mitatveness, lie grunted exactly like pig, and barked
for al! the world like dog; on touching selfesteen he
ASSUMED an uilpde, onl selfimportant air, on
touching venerution, lie fell back into posture Of hr
mility; touching combaiiveness he showed fight; on
touching bene Violence, however, he was put at once in
TO good humor. part Of these experiments Mr. f.,
assisted by Mr. H., who appeared TO have great
control over The subject 1t observable also, that
this subject displayed much irraby when the phre
biological organs touched, and persuasion was
found necessary to secure his acquiescence.
We have heard it objected to those experiments, by
one or two, that the organs were named before the
phenomena exhibited. 1t SO happens, however,
as We believe tina, such generally the fact-on
the contrary, in instances, TO say the least
Tie oreaa wsB not named until the phenomenon had
been developed These phenomena which we are de-
scrbing imperfrctly from memory, may seem, as the
Dominic would say pro- di-gi.ous; nay to some incre
dibe For their truth, however, have the evidence
Of our Senses and The concurrent testimony OF large
number Of intelligent spectators then present
Perhaps the reader will here think that have
reached the acme ofthe wonderful, in the experiments
which We inadequntely describing But fany thing
within the compass OF wonders can surpass the pheno
mena in the case Of MIR. -, Of North Carollnn, it
WIS presented in the case of little negro boy named
DANIEL, Inc property III paca c: :hi= awr appeIsa..
" aged about IL. The remarkable Mesalerian lido
syDcracy in this case TO be- that all the boys Ia
cultes seem merged in that of smell. In word,
Daniel is, by Magnetism, made to initiate the &C.
ton of dog. He appears TO Judge of objects al.
most exclusively by the smell-he snufs like dog,
fetches Ink dog, md barka like dog In fact, the
pie nomenu exhibited by this little negro are such as
we can hardly expect any one TO believe on hear say
Several OF the Phreno Magnetic phenomena are aso
remarkably manifested in his Daniel was first
wonderful alesmer,c influence oyer him. This eyinc
ed in attraction Of the hands, counterpart limitations OF
gesture &c. By the sense OF smell he distinguished
Mr. hat in the crowd, and carried 1t TO him IN his
mou ih Wherever MIR. a. moved the boy eagerly FOL
lowed evidently guided By the ollactores. One Of his
arms was made rigid and 90 remained for some time
variety of curious and astonishing experiments were
ade with this boy and we are informed, on good au
thority that he displays in private several other re.
markable phenomena. :,
We understand, that among Inc phenomena OF smell
was the mixing Of parcel of half dolars,one of them,
handled and marked by The mesneriser. The boy Sc
lectrd that one from The Others = Enquirer
Altogether, the experiments Of the evening were ad,
mirabe, and lie spectators were apparently highly en-
,er,ained Among those present, we observed The Hon
George B. Cary, and the Hon. Ba'lie Peyton Of New
Orleans both Of whom seemed to be particularly graft
fed on The occasion.
Mesnerism opens wide field Of interesting inquiry,
in physiology psychology and the philosophy OF mind
The phenomena are curious, grand, and INFINITELY d.
versied
Great credit is due to Mr. French for his perseveflng
Investigation of this extraordinary science. During
he nna ~