Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1842-10-13
From the Richmond Compiler.
MESNERISM.
SrMiT.RY, Oct. 4

.xc,,ed in relation to Animal Magnetism and as scion
,;.c men are divided in their views the subject. is
desirable to collect all the ,re authenticated facts thai
RAY occur and leave each form ms own the.ry
snail proceed therefore, 10 give you the results Of three
expe.nen,s which have recently eome under my obsor-
sailvn.
The irs, was made T ridsy night, the 30h uli..
Nm Burnley, youth about IL years oil age. by Tho.
4 Narior a Young man Of nineteen, both students Of
this institution The subject put to sleep IN ten
minutes lis limbs were sti, aud. hnn placed ON his
feet he was able stand, but unable 10 walk. Being
iaterroraled about his studies his aequainanccs, has
former instructors his attachments and dlslikcs 10 his
presen, school mates. and places which he had
visited he gave satisfactory lie asked To
decline penaa and scrnlo To conjugaie ano and ando.
aud 10 give their mouds and euscs lie went through
them all No was hen in communication With
him. aud he seemed as willing TO reply 10 one person as
,pther | then took him by the hand and the
lscs rubbed or Alternately TO see II communion
linn could be established NV has You by the haud}'
The me.neriztr asked. Mr. Ryland. was his reply,
bot,le OF salts being silently put into my loft hand,
opened it, and applied /, 10 my NOSE What Is Mr..
n. dunrln He made ~ answer. ''ANhat have | in
my hand?" "A smCllug bottle" Sine person aaye
me piece of corn bread, Of which ale. "What is
Mr. f. daiagl" .lIe is eating Eating what"
"Breal, !" "Vthat sort of brcadl" Loaf bread
chen ate Of . posto He was asked, YNNha is Mr..
r eating naw}n "a p1iata.' ! then tasted an apple.
ana he re piel that, eating bread When BIT the
apple SO that he coulI hear he noise Of mascaon. he
rcpicd IAN apple" HIS answers satisfactory in
respect to chewing tobacco and drinking water but not
~ in regard 10 salt, cheese and vinegar We then com
menced with chronology W hen the organ Of combat
ivoness was touched he shock his head manifested
aurcr ani attempted to strike. s soon as the finger
WAS removed he became calm, The organ Of devotion
Was then touched H. hung his head, seemed thought
fa er,ane shed tears pr9t1scy and at last exhibited
IN his sGch deep Fcuencc iat every spec
sator felt profound sympathy. Silence pcrvadcd The
,,I liar IA 11 anb hn t,ly
shrunk back without uttefng word. lie showed The
same cfac By whoms1eyor the experiments made.
hni no visible influence seemed to be produced by touch
inc any other organs than the throe Just mentioned
After remaining in this state about hfS hive minutes, he
was walked up hy several students rubbing his arms up
wards When consciousness returned. he stared with
snrrrso on the scene. 'Nna arc all Of these people
ding hcrclN said he.
The next day, Saturday, tho subject was again
s,np scd to sleep, with results very similar. Ii IS need
less TO repeat them
Late IN ,hc afternoon Of the same day. two Young
men, y. b. w inlrce and !. H. Laid. both about nuo-
teen wears Of aye, sitting IN their together
aud the latter proposed 10 the former payluly 70 Try
,ac-nerze hun. lie commenced, and IN about fifteen
minutes to his utter surprise, the subject became stiff
and apparently unconscious. At that mumeui the bell
rang iO evening prayers, and The mesalerzer felt his
cuts to discontinue the process lie called Mr. Warnr
late his room, and ASKED him to aid in waking him up
Mr. w refused to rouse him. but replied, "fou 60 in
I. he clGHfl, ana II put MN mo s1undCr sleep,
Aicr worship. informed Of the fact and all
rushed IN into the room. We found him lying on his
bed (his posture had been changcd) with his arms cx
tended and his legs perfectly stu We first carried
him into adjoining, because larger room aud held
him IN standing attitude. Here We tried several
rcIi,noots which excited general asunshmeui. but as
the rson, was crowded. carried him down into the
wand lie showed inclination either stald or 10
walk, but was literally carried, Here many msceane-
on. questions proposed TO him. ali which he answer
ed. then graspcd his hind, and the usual process TO
establish communication was hastily gone ihrough.-
ate bread and drank milk, but he seemed entirely lgno-
rant Of villa, Twas doing 'Loi take ,rip Peters
burg" said II can't gu" said he, "BUt I'll bear |
your expenses" Il cant leave my studies" is !
there a Baptist Church IN Poicrsbnrglp "Ycs-Mr |
Rohords preached there ''llow 60 yuu like Mr. Ro- |
bord.l" 81 like him pretty WELL but he is very rough
in some things lie then, at my suggestion passed
his judgment Messrs. jeor, Taylor and Magoon and
STATED tho subject which the last named minister dis
cpprscd the previous Sabbath. then tried various
fhreno Alcsnoric experiments the result of which was
alike wonderful and conclusive. My fingers being
placed on the organ of tune. he Immediately sung | |
changed them from tune 10 devotion. His head was IN
s,an,ly inclined his cuunenance become deeply solemn
and he began 10 pray. touched eemba,iycness--h
countenance was angry--his gestures violent and he
gave 10 those who happened be in reach very sensible
demonstration of the excitement of the organ. return
Cd my finger TO dcyo,lonhc became tranquil, aud said
ooh me, We ought to Try to bear every thing" then
touched amaivenesshe looked pleased spoke of certain
ladies when Intercepted. and Kissed audiby and re
aucnty then touched cauton-he seemed agitated
and afraid. flake tina, thing out Of the road,'--
"Nhat thiug?" "1hat eg--it will turn over tina,
carriage Of ladies'" The organ Of number was then
touched, and he went through sum IN Davies arllh-
meic. which he had recently studied. giving the re
suits correctly. | then touched secreyonrss and he |
whispered inaudibly. The organ ii canliUusuess was
again touched and he Immediately exclaimed with great
emotion, Take that little boy out of the water 1t is |