Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-09-20

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RICHMOND. TUESDAY, SEPT. 90, 1912.
MEsMERIsM
We had devoted so many of our columns to mesmel
ism for the last fortnight that intended To spare
readers repetition Of the subject-at least for time
but The phenomena developed on Friday and Saturda
were very remarkable, that we hope may be ex
cused for giving brief account OF what have wit
messed I'VE are indebted 10 the pen Of Judge Tucke
for the notice of the Phreno mesmeric experiments
the accuracy Of which called forth the wonder Of those
, who had made Phrenology their study for years.
The Exhibition on Friday night, in The large room
of the Exchange Hotel decidedly one Of the mos
interesting -cerainly the most extraordinary speca
cle-we have ever witnessed. The audience was large
respectable and orderly their anxious curiosity
their excited establishment would permit them 10 be-.
RI We have never seen u thrilling impression made
upon any company. Never nave We seen so de
cided scepticsm suddenly converted into undoubt
, ing belief Many "who went TO scott, returned e
wonder They amply confirmed the accounts of the
phenomena, which the Rev w. A. Smith Of Peters
burg had witnessed at Norfolk, according 10 bis letter
published in The last Enqurer-and they rvalled n
brilliance and wonder the various phenomena OF 81
mar sort, with which the Journal from Cincinnati
abounds Ii was the first puGiie exhibition Of the
chronological phenomena that had been made in Viz
gna. Mr.. French had not tried them on his first lee
tnfe IN inns ono was OWING 10
first No. of the Journal of the Phreno Magnetic So
ciety of Cincinnati, on "Wednesday evening" that the
Il idea was first suggested. Mr.. French happened TO
have very small company in his the next
evening, (Thursday,) among whom was physician,
Dr.. H. who had glanced the Journal in the
of the day. After trying other experiments upon the
female servant, whom Mr.. F. had never seen until
that evening, belonging to AIR Ritter, the Doctor
proposed to touch the chronological organs. Those of
music, each side OF the forehead, the first that
~ IL. ga a.
truth Of Nature responding 10 the doctrine Of phreno
! ogy. The lips of the mesmerizee Immediately "ds.
coursed eloquent music" The mesmerizer touched the
organ of generation The top Of her scul and she
fell instananeousy into pous CALCULATIONS He touched
the organ of self esteem, and she sweed up with all the
symptoms of vanity erected her carriage and excaim
ed that she "good, good as any She would have
an inch and half put TO her boots in The morning. He
returned 10 the bump Of Music and she began to car
roll forth The comic strains OF Rosn the Bow-and then
Mr. French still keeping his thumb on the bump Of
Music, and extending his finger TO the organ of Vene
ration to connect the two, her merry strain was
Immediately turned, and she chanted forth in low
and plantive voice Mr.. Maffts /" Canaan. Surprise,
pleasure, wonder, and delight, united, seized upon the
few spectators-and it determined the spot, TINT
when MIR French gave his public lecture the next
night he TO produce the chronological Develop
ments if he fortunate enough TO obtain the same
subject. The liberality and kindness Of Mr. Ritter
contributed to every ditculiy-and it was the
exhibition of these Phenomena, that constituted
the principal source of the qualification and interest OF
that most extraordinary Exhibition.
MIR. French commenced on Friday MI ht with a very
manly and frank lecture-many passages were marked
by highly philosophical spirit, and adorned by flow
| ing language and some parts, with touching elo
quence. lie defended himsef-he defended the cause
of Mesmerism. He showed, how many difficulties
every new improvement was compelled to encounter
and illustrated his position by various examples de-
duced from the past records of the human race-such
/ II
of the of tartar emetic and even the common
potato by the laws Of France herself-the opposition
which Tlarvey's discovery Of the Circulation of the
Blood, Jenuers Vaccination, &c, &c, had met
with from their contemporaries. He showed also, that
wonderful the phenomena Of Mesmersm appear
ed to at this time yet there are many analogous
| Phenomena recorded in the Medical Journals, where
the senses are changed by disease, for instance,
in the Of Jane Read. The whole lecture in
deed we'll calculated to ul prejudice to sleep,
and prepare for the wonders, which he had to display
Whilst he was ec,uring DR.. r, scarcely hoping 10
succeed in his attempt, was putting Emma TO mesmeric
sleep in another ROOM Mr.. French had no hand in
the process. Indeed he did not know that Dr. r. was
making the attempt-Mr. F. being previously disap.
| pointed in obtaining the services of DIR. d. But
when she was mesmerzed, she conducted
to the Exhibition room, carried upon the plat.
! form, and the experiments began. MIR. French re-
quested that some gentlemen might be designated to
conduct them, and accordingly list of seven respecia
/
himself n sceptic-and most Of the committee were
likewi upbelevers One ofihese, and the first named,
on the committee Judge Beverly Tucker, OF the
College of William and Mary, whose acute and active
mind is well known TO this community, himself sceP-
tic Emma's eyes were first closely bandsged. The
! ex perimen,s sensation made by Mr. French,
in contact with Emma, (as had previously see n
ill., but separated from her SIX or eight feet-so that
there possibility Of her Distinguishing the SUBJ
by their odour of his regulating her answers
1 Io do mil pYnprI
ments with the taste. The second conclusive
quid of tobacco privately and noselessy given
TO him by OF the Committee, and after chewing II
| himself for few moments he asked her what she
was doing? She replied, she was chewng-"Chewng
what Az JJacco After trying few similar expe-
rrnenls, they proceeded to the chronological phe-
MOI na-when Mr.. French asked, if there were any
gentleman present, who was acquainted with Phreno-
| Iogy and who would be polite enough TO assist him.
MI Ludlam, intelligent merchant of Richmond,
came forward assembled the platform, and took his
place by the side OF the committee. The experiments
were tried under his direction, Mr. French touching the
different organs, Mr.. Ludam directed him, for MIR.
F. himself has not studied phrenoogy science
and the various organs were touched by his finger,
and the answers forth from the temple OF Nature,
as il were through the lips of this uniformed negro
GIRL (about twenty years Of ageD the explanation OF
the organ touched and the results proclaimed by
some of the committee. The establishment OF Mr. L.
himself cannot be described in words lie resisted his
impressions until the third experiment was made, and
then his wondering countenance aud his uplifted
hands bore stronger witness TO his surprise and plea
sure, than any language can express. We shall not
undertake 10 state the experiments, as Judge Tucker
hae been kind enough 10 give his own account OF
them, well as of the experiments which were tried
on the following day.
This occasion took place at our own house Satur-
day. where We had not scientific exhibition, but one
intended solely for the qualification Of some Of our
female friends and neghbors. The girl, who had dis,
played the wonderful effects Of Animal Magnetism SO
ming at Mr.. Frenchs lecture, WINS again put into mes
merlc sleep by Dr.. r. in presence fDr II. Her hands
yed the ATTRACTIVE impulse Of the mesmerzer, whilst
she repealed all others. She listened to his voice
alone, whilst she appeared impeneIably deaf TO al
others being the great object of the party TO exhibit
the chronological Phenomena, the newest, the mos
brilliant, the most intellectual the most startling Of all
very few experiments tried 10 illustrate the com
muni,y Of sensation. But before any thing was al