Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-09-15
From The Richmond Wig.
PRIVATE THFATRf(AfS


Yesterday morning there was quite bun In the
the city. At every corner Of the streets groups
we're assembled, and from the earnest manner W
which they eonNersed. il manifest to the
most casual observer, that something unusual and
Of general interest bad occurred.
Upon inquiry, IL was sscertsinsd that, the night
before, al exhibition Of the wonderful phenomens
OF mesmrrism had been made, which from the
success attending it. had created the most pro
found sensation. Two young gentlemen, { /. and
r. amateurs in the mysterious science, had been
making experiments, and ascertained that they
possessed the mesmereiic power-the one to OPP
crate and the other TO be operated upon-in We
ry high degree. They tested their capacities sew
eral evenings before parties OF their irends-snd
by the astoninhing phenomena exhibited, made
crowds Of conyerts--unl their fame fairly eeiPsed
that Of Mr.. French himself. They determined
Monday night in consequence OF the urgent soli-
citations OF their votsres and admirers, TO extend
the sphere Of their operations little. A compa-
ny Of some twenty-five invited TO witness the
operations. AT the appointed time, the company
consisting of many stout betetios, as well a. true
believers, assembled. Our contemporary OF the
Enquirer. conspicuous among all, graced the pres
ence. He, as one Of the initiated, who had al
ready witnessed some Of the wonders, opened the
ceremonies IN few remarks. tie urged the i'm
portance Of silence, and entrested the company
not to press the patient as crowd would
intercept the free circulation of the magnetic fluid
and weaken its effects! Profound silence ensued.
| X. Qhe Mesmerizee, took chair, and speed
! lily transported to other spheres by the mysterious
influence exerted over him by T., (the Mesmerizer }
Mr.. Richie, who had brought his handkerchief
| full Of pepper and flowers, etc. and the Doctors
their pilI-boxes. opened their stores. Clerks took
their the table to make a minute Of the
rur Hav.. Tkapk au fha anai nv
periments. Wine and water, and vinegar aud
pepper were all tasted by L. the operator-and X
the patient, guided by unerring sympathy tasted
the same things. A flower was put to rs nose
| X. smelt it-A 25 cent piece secretly slipped
into rs hand-R being asked what be had IN has
hand, readily replied silver. +. would stand at
the opposite side of the room and by movement
OF his hands would raise those OF r." like BIT
of paper attracted by rubbed sealing wax. -
With eyes tightly bsndsged, r. repeatedly told the
time OF night to a minute, the watch being pressed
upon his forehead. This was most remarkable
and unaccountable Numerous other experiments
were nale--~hieh wrought conviction in nearly
sll present--ana Mr.. Richie pronounced the exhi-
bition infinitely superior in all respects, to Mf
1 French's! After a sitting Of three hours, and es
cry test had been resored to-the young operator
remarked that he proiessed 10 do more than Mr
French did:-He could explain the cause Of the
| phenomena which had been exhibited, and which
seemed to battle the profoundest inteects. 1t wa,
all a humbng-and the patien; was as wide awake
as he was, and all that had been done was by sign.
previously agreed upon between them
This speech produced the most marked effects
| upon the company-Some roared, some were sur
prised the facility with which they had beer
duped but the picture which the venerable Editor
presented, was piieous to behold II ad the gull
of perdition been yawning before him, he could
not have worn a more CHASTITY appearance. A.
soon as he recovered his senses, be frankly con-
fessed that he had been omrleiely hoaxed-but b.
| roared out for Mr. French and avowed the deter
mination to appeal to that gentleman's honor to
know il he pracliscd an imposition, and to demand
another exhibition.
The whole scene was the richest enacted in
real life, and hear those who were in the secret
give detail Of ali that passed, is laughabe be-
yond any thing ever heard. One OF the mos
surprising things Of the whole is, that the Magneti
ser and the patient could repress their laughter a
some of the occurrences of the evening For in
stance, when il was proposed aloud to make some
new experiment, some suggested that the pa
ten, would overbear ito, never fear that, '
said Mr.. Richie, you may as we'll talk to dead
mani"
Thus sinks to rest one Humbug. Ii is beauti
full custom of the East to stew flowers over thu
graves of the dead, aud we commend that melan-
choly and pleasing duty to old Mesmer himself, il
he survives amid tina wreck.
The Young gentlemen who have thus ingeD ious ],
exposed this detestube humbug to the riiicue and
contempt of the public, richly deserve the public
thanks; and The people OF Richmond are under OBJ
legations to them for the heartest and most uni
laugh they have enjoyed since the very founda
on of the CITY.