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

mysterious reality Townshend throws into HE 'Sup
pement" the testimonies borne to some Of his expert.
ments by some Of the most learned men in Europe
The Review also declares, that Elliosons book "con
ans abundant testimony, of character so positive,
philosophical in its modes OF observation ana de-
scrpon, that there other escape from It's cnnclu
sons than in the supposition that one OF Inc most emi
ncnt learned and Of his profession has come
balnre the world face ell the storm OF rdicue and
obioqny he 10 provoke, to prove hmseif, not
only The besotted Of FOOLS but also the most orran
Of liars
The Democratic Review also refers 10 "he record
Of the late committee Of investigation IN boston, be.
fore which, DR.. ColIyer exhibited some Of the mesne
rio phenomena This committee was composed OF
about twenty FIVE of The most respectable gentlemen o
that city the three professions of the pulpit 'he par
aud the medical faculty, being about equally represent
in it's composition The report of its proceedings IS
contained in an appendix to the Boston EDITION OF
nshrnds work. above alluded 10; from wnich !. ap
pears that, after another, the 'nrreouly OF us
members, rs TO the reality of the peculiar somhanou
lie condition, caused by the nesmeric process y'eIoeo
10 The evidence which brought before thr' SO mar
they finally adopted, with entire unanmity, reso"'n'
declaring that, while they refrain from expressing any
decisive opinion 10 The science principle Oh animal
netsm, they freely confess that IN the experiments
of Dr. Coyer, certain Appearances hare been
uhich cannot be explained the sapp0Slton o. follu'
sim, or By reference to any physiological pT'"eples
kn0En to them
"lt ~ time, we presume, humbly 10 suggest, that
hppant rdcule, of all which ignorance refuses
to examine should suspend TOR time ITS uninean
ing pirate it cannot itself travel ont OF the narrow
range Of lis accustomed little ideas, let il at least leave
others undslurbed by;simperlinen cack!e ana mss 10
pursue dispassionaie enquiry into the merits OF The
most important andsfnterestng physiological question
o.! the day, presented as il under The most distinguish
ed and gn'tcd auspices. 1--WE Pirad
gully, frankly at The outset TO the crime OF belief in
Mes rnerlsm. We believe because cannot help
i,-because have and listened 10 so much, by
Inc positive evidence Of eye and ear and of mind DIS
irnstiuiiy and vgilanily attentive-and because We
have read and heard 80. much of the testimony oil
others from whom tIssiinpnssibe for TO Withhold
our confdeGce-that 10 disbel:eVe we're even harder
than 10 belle To those who refuse TO believe
in the first luuda mental law, Of the production ct the
state commonly termed the magnetic somnnmbulism-
these have nothing TO say 1t were about as wise
10 discuss with llotentot or Esqumaux those gene
raj truths of astronomy, or OF any Of the natural
sciences, which familiar almost TO the infant schools
Of New England town. They must read and learr,
or seek opportunities Of Iet. onal observation.
Blu: must he done with this ''eventful history" !
quote these authorities to show, not that your readers
to implicitly believe them Far, very far from II
agree with the Editor Of the Enquirer, well as with
the French Academy before him, that few men Gun be-
leve, perhaps ought To believe, these startling
phe nnmena until he has seen them for himself E.O
ridi trso crcGo have seen, therefore believe. Bot
quote these records TO show, that whilst many
strong, and honest and distinguished men are bearing
testimony what they hare seen, it is nnpIlcsophlca
and unwsc for any man, who prcends to think Tor
himself, 10 pronounce all at once "slap dash as
S,erne says, that it is all "huubug, oil 'chcaery,
all "juggery.' j, shows at least that the subject rs
nortly Of strct and careful investgaton-partic
la,ly VIXEN consider lis past and probable applico-
lious IN The healing art and The operations of surgery,
as in thu ease of Surgeon Cloquet in tie cutting Oft oI
the cdncrIous breast at Paris and in the notorious
eases of tecth.drawing in this country-and in The
treatment Of cousumpiive and pcraytc patients) Al
all events, lie, equally avoid all creduli,y and all
scep.cism. But see the lhenomena, institute tie
srctpst analysis, and judge for ourselves lfMtn, we
should beiitue thing let Us not fly 10 the other fS'
IRENE and tciire reyy Hing. If Tie hing be an iliu
sion, lie, US dspe it, If i, be real, let US not believe
that wise and good Providence has stamped any
law of Nature upon frames in vainor for AIRY but
wise pnrpos, and lei "vlndicate the ways OF God
IN man W. +. X.