Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1842-08-09

ments been of nature to permit the possibility Of
such artsl is among who know him, out Of the
question But the character Of many of the effects
produced was even to dispassionate stranger, such
as TO stamp conviction Of their reality.
Dr. Buchanan, whose mild, unassuming manner
and amiabe department have gained for him many
friends during his short visit here, expressed to
a wish that some Of these experiments should be
faithfully chronIced. undertook the task, partly
from personal regard for himself, and partly from
a sense OF duty. And now offer them for insertion
ia the columns Of Journal Of which highly esti-
mate the spirit and temper. IN the hope that they
may not be without interest to ITS readers.
The first experiments were made III public and
the operator wrote on black board placed behind
the subject. the iicuity or emotion which he pro-
posed To excite.
The results produced were for time. chiefly of
q pathognOmlc character ind Gated by sudden change
OF countenance, gesture and attitude. These were
striking and unequlvocal.
The organs giving playfulne~s and good humor,
excited and the subject who had seemed
somewhat embarrassed by the novelty Of his stu
ton. cent forward. sailld. his arms relaxed his
embarrassment gone, and his whole ar was
that Of ease and mtrthful sympathy The effect
was infectious; and the audience INDUCED in
laughter, in which, with much apparent zest he
himself l,ined. Suddenly the operator raised his
hand, and placed 1t the organ OF scleSteem.
IN enchanters wand could not have Produced
transformation sudden and complete Every
expression OF mirth and playiuness vanished at the
touch the body was thrown back, even beyond the
perpendicular the chin elevated the legs crossed
consequentially the axed arms drawn up, one
hand placed on the breast, the other aklmbo; and
a sldeong glance of the most suPercious contempt
east on the audience, c0nvulsed them with laughter
The subject OF their mlrth however, remained
utterly unmoved not a muscle OF the face relaxed ;
and the expression of proud seemed to harden
on his countenance To the questions Of the ope-
rator he either disdained to answer or replied IN
the brief language of selt-suicient Impotence.
= What do YOU think of the audience - look
more expressive than words was the only reply.
The question repeated, and at last he said
They look very mean" DIR. b What are
they laughing - =" That is nothing to me. "
Ills attitude was so theatrical, that some one,
knowing that his memory very retentive and
that he fond of dramatic readng) suggested
that he should recite something. ''Will you re-
cite something for the audience - q No, don
care 10 DO it," {" Perhaps you don't know any
thing by hearth u could If | would" The
organs of memory, language and imitation being
excited, and 1t having been suggested to him that
he should select something from the play of Damon
and Pythias, at last he rose, and, with a tone,
and look, and gesture, that Kean himself might
have envicd such scornful and whitening con-
tempt did they expresshe recIted the passage com
mencng:
| =. Are all content' A nations rights betrayed,
And all content Oh slaves oh parricdes
Oh, by the best hope that just man has
!
L. told me afterwards, that before the play o.
Damon and Pythias named, he about &c
choose passage, of somewhat similar character
from Cor'olanus for that just suited the frame o.
+ mind into which no had been cast
After the recitation he renamed standing in the
Hottest attitude OF sarcastic scorn, and could hard
I be persuaded sit down. The chair seemed toe
small for his greatness At last the operator
touched the antagonstic organs and look tone
manner. gesture = all changed again on the IN
slant, as to initiate humble, almost childish good
humor.
character. After writing that he would excite
his memory of past events. probably IN early in
fancy, DIR. Buchanan touched the corresponding
organ. Instantly the attitude and expression be
came that of deep and absent thought the body
slightly advanced, the eyes somewhat raised mile
and melancholy, and fixed on vacancy. So class
and truthful was the whole expression, that severa
around me nvoluntarily exclaimed :" \ study 70
painter -
In this almost trance-ke frame of mind, he ap
peared dlsncllned to converse but when the Ques
ton was repeated - what was he thinking go h
replied . Oh, things that happened long ago.
" What things - = Of coming down the OH
when came here" :. How old were you then !!
:" Between two and three" What do you re
member about your voyage - T. then relate
many particulars, winch, his father afterwards al
mitted, were correct the letter. corroboratin!
the assertion that he not three years old at thu
time. Dr. b. then said What do you expect t.
occupy yourself about tomorrow - IL don
know Have you not thought about it I" - No.
= Nell, think about it, and let me know" No an
swer - Have YOU thought about ii ~ g No, II
rather not. " WHAT business would you like t
follow - Impaticntly) - | know nothing abou
tt can't tell 8 But you can tell what happen
ed when you came down the OHIO 3" .Oh yes
And the tranquil and rapt expression. which TIN
conversation had disturbed, returned AGAIN and h
repeated several additional particulars. suddenly
ne stopped would answer questions burst int
III OF tears, aad his emotions seemed great AM
uncomfortable. that the audience became alarmed
and Dr. b. FASTENED to calm the excitement an,
touching the Ta.rth!al organs r.. with the tears ye
wet upon his cheek, laughed galy as 4 ga,
"reminiscences had ever crossed his mind.
On beng subsequently questioned 5 TO the Gauss
of his tears he said, that all the particulars OF hi
grand mothers death, which happened after thei
J arrival here) rushed upon his mind with muc
OF the vividness OF reality that he found It impossi
bic TO control his emotions
remark here, that. in this experiment, there wa
no leading question asked, that might have tempte
the m nd back to the remote past DIR. b. slmp
inquired . what he was thinking Of And ever
attempt which ..e made by other questions to d
vert rs mind to the future, proved Intellectual
and seemed to be regarded BY HIM annoyin
interruption.
Experiments OF different character succeeded
On trial 1t was found, that L. could sustain in
natural state, horizontally at arms length, fitee
pounds on the right hand. BY acting thro lgh
portion # the brain, on the muscular system, ID
Ii. increased his power To twenty or twenty on
pounds and then, reversing the excitement, h
diminished it,.until /. unable to sustain egh
pounds. \ similar experiment made sue
ccssfuy the left hand
Another experiment was very amusing. Ate
writing on the board Hunger D. B. excite