Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-09-16


been handed for publication, and enclose them tn
YOU There are also many other gentlemen who could
bear testimony 10 The truth Of Mesmersin The Rev
VIM. A. Smith, whose interesting letter also enclose
10 one of the brightest ornaments OF the Methodist
Chu rch and as much loved for piey, as he respected
for his tale mis- and a;tainuents
Yours, respectfully,
Richmoad, Sept 10, lci2. }. IS. FKENCH.
PETERSBURG, Sept Is, 1912.
Dear Sir-Ynur Kindness in hiiording me repeated
opportunities of witnessing under the most favorable
circumstances, your expermensi IN 4ntmaf .hdyneftsm
LAYS me under obligation, which cheerinily meet,
TO give YOU a statement of the singular phenomena
have witnessed. witnessed several Of these expert
ments in your Office upon servant hoy and g'rl:-
These learn you have repeatedly exhibited IN public
II is not important that enamerale them. only re-
mark ihst they made i'll private, and wholly IN.
connected with any exciting circumstances calculated
to misleud my judgment us to question OF act-ih.
deed, some of them OF character that, am mol
inclined to think possible, could have been the re-.
suit of purpose TO deceive. They strongly Impressed
my mind with the reality OF The physical tfe's "i what
you call nesmeriSm, and greatly excited my curiosity
10 wiinf IS an experiment upon intelligent subject,
more fully developing the extent to which the faculty
oil clarvoyance may be exhibited.
My curiosity this point TO some extent graft
fed on a late visit the Borough Of Norfolk. mel
den,ally called in the store of friend, and, whist
there was iny,ed up stairs To visit family of my ac-
ouaintance When entered the sitting room, found
the lady or the house. valued acquaintance OF former
years in profound sleep, but upon the floor, with her
whole system trembling under some strange excite
ment, and she following her magnetlzer aboutlhe room
with the aiihiulness Of magnetic attraction on being
seated. put in rapport or communication with her
by taking her hand, whilst the operator passed his
hand several times Her system now became
calm, and she appeared 10 be enjoying tranquil and
refreshing sleep. ! entered into conversation Win
her. Her eyes were ban;!aged She told me the names
,r ind, ,d,,lc ho had
positions they occupied in The room; but as she COM
planned Of severe pain in her eyes when describing
things that she saw dessted from any further expert
uens Of this kind, and renewed my conversation on
moral subjects She recalled 10 my recollection seve-
raj things that occurred in the e time Of my first wife
She gave her views fully the subject Of religion
About this time, the Nagne,zer, Mr.. Warfel OF Nor
folk, formerly OF this town. put his fingers ON the OF.
gans Of deSructirensSS and comCasrncss, on which,
she abruptly broke oil the midst of her remarks, and
complained of great excitement and showed great anx
ety which she attributed to The perptSlng nature oi
her domestic concerns. The excitement was then APP
pareniy removed from these organs, and placed upon
tia, Of ocquisitirencss then offered her bunch OF
keys as present. which privately willed she should
consider as five or six dollars. She accepted the pre-
sent with pleasure and being asked the value OF IT,
she promptly replied, "tve or SIX dollars She heldIt
in her op, and Ycrsed freely about for
time. The mesmerc influence was then apparently
transferred 10 the organ Disturbances on which she I'M
medately commenced 10 conceal II about her person.
persisted in refusing 10 let have 1t, or 10 give
any information about il, stating in one OF her re-
Plies that SIT a small matter that had no right
10 know" But when the influence was transferred 10
the organ Of bener0nee, she promptly drew out from
the place Of conceamen', cenveIscd freely about u
again-was wiling 10 let he have ii il desired, and
actually presented II 10 Ire 10 apply TO charitable Oh
ect which had specified.
A glass Of vinegar, and glass of water were brought
The vinegar was pu, 10 my lips, at the same time that
Le ate In HI
with xpreesons Of resentment declaring that vinegar
had been put her lips. PerceivIng that she had
conceived for resentment, | had the organs oil
Combatrenesy and Disturbances again excited; on
which she Immediately expressed very great indigna
ton at the treatment she had received, and even re-
buked me severely for having permitted It. This IN
1uence destroyed, on which she Instantly be-
came calmer, and stated that her excitement never
lasted more than moment The water was then put
TO my lips and the vinegar 10 here She drank II with
great relish and would have drank the hole water,
if il had not been taken from her.
Such brief statement OF the principal iacts, as
they appeared 10 ranspre before my eyes. will not
say, that it absoiutc'y impossible for me 10 be de-
tceved in what heard and saw but must think 1t
was moi a, all probable that could be. Indeed, must
say tina, consider both Mr. Wsrrel and the lady, who
the subject OF these experiments as morally inca
pabe Of any attempt TO deceive under the crcumstan-
ces. And, the lady assured me- positively, on being
awakened that she had the sg htest recollection
of my thing that said done BY herself or others,
she conscious Of my having been III The Toom
although she had been in conversation with me ior
more than hour and had given me TN accurate &C
count Of several sermons she had heard from me, and
the effect they had produced upon her mind and moral
feelings declared herself perfectly scepilca as
10 the whole matler-laving submitted 10 the operation
merely for the qualification Of private circle oil friends
THIS may explain the reason why | do not give her
name. Many were present, end witnessed all nave
SAID.
OF these facts, would lie understood as giving no
opinion. | simply state them at your request, and
lea ve it 10 those who have time and ability 10 e1
plain the cause, whether real imaginary.
will make ore remark, however, IN concluson-
have in the experiments have Witnessed eVi'
dences Of the reality OF clavoyance, sufficient TO salts
fy my mind on any other subject Of inquiry that ever
engaged my atention but, yet, have only examin'
ed the subject of great curiosity, and not with
that patient, often repeated, and long continued IN
vestiraton to which novel question in metaphys-
cal science is entitled; before should rest fully salts.
fed my opinions feel myself justified in publishing
convictions to The world-whether for or against Il
So much for cairvoyance- and also as It stands con-
nected with Phreno Magnetism in The case here de-
tailed.
or The medicinal efe cts of mesmcrism, was assured
by physician "a friend in Norfolk) that he had several
times operated upon his patients, in particular ais
eases, with good effect and that other physicians hao
repeatedly done the same; but of this have made nc
personal observations. Nor have ! witnessed any oil
the advantages said to be offered in surgical operations
|, therefore, lay all these-for which the writer's and
other friends Of the science con,end-ou OF the account,
in giving my settled convictions the SUBJECT But
il does appear to a:e that whatever mny or may moi ht
true upon these several points, no one can witness
the physical Effects of mesnerc manipulation without
being convinced Of the very grea, abuses to which it's
LIABLE and that every mother of the land, onsht 10 I'M
derstand more fully than they probably DO, the enec
of many Of those personal liberties which are rommon
in social life. cannot with some OF my friends,
who imagine, that if the strange power indicated oy
the examples of mesmerc influence over the nervous
and muscular system of those who SUBJECT themselves
to it. does really exist as an cnduw of Nature that
The morals Of society would be more secure II We re
main in ignorance of that power. can see no good
to enure from ignorance this point any more than
upon any other subject, connected with morals. on
the contrary, our safety in slight degree depends
upon our well understanding the capabilities and liza.
btes of physical as we'll as moral natures;