Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-09-22
The .Nssmui. Humbug.

We publish to-day, the report of the Faculty Of
the city, touching some OF Mr. French's experiments
l, will be seen that very large proportion of those
who attended the exhibitions, concur in the opinion
that the pretended science is humbug. few
| others submitted resolution, that they had not
seen enough TO come to a decided opinion. Several
of the older members Of the Faculty would no,
countenance the humbug far as TO attend the ex.
hibitions-and their Names therefore, are not TO bo
found appended to the report.
The experiments speak for themselves, without
comment. II appears that fully FIVE experiments
out Of six failed wholy-ard where any succeeded,
the success was only apparent, as was demonslra.
ted by subsequent events. The fact is. the Doctors
were convinced, from what they saw-and thew
saw with the eyes OF undersia nding, that in every
case submitted to their observation there was fraud
and collision. What the signs were, which were
understood between the mesmerizse and mesmerizer
1t was no duty OF theirs to ascertain. II was c
nough for them TO ASCERTAIN that il was q n impos-
ture.
The incident referred 10 yesterday by us, as ex.
posing conclusiyey the cheat occurred at an eve
nins's exhibition at the Exchange, and is not en-
braced in this report. A full account of tina,
exhibition will be given hereafler-and as MIR
French, on that occasion, was operating on his
iavorite subject (Amy) there is no possibility OF
escaping the full force OF the gross failures which
occurred. They stamp HUMBUG in capitals upon
the front OF the boosted science.
MesmeriSm is now upon its last legs. IL i,
much talked of st-but those who were in
clIned to believe in il, are rapidly giving into
the general opinion that il was all a deluson.
THE splendid exhibition OF Phreno. N gnetism u
Friday night-when one humbug WAS brought for
ward TO bolster nnoher-eannot save the Chief
Humbug md the Humbuggers from the fate which
awaits them. The current notion now is that that
exhibition was as complete hoax as that Of The
boys down street, with the exception that il cos,
so cents head, and the operators did not If, the veil
when the performance over. All the experi-
menls which then succeeded, were conducted in yio-
lntion oil the fundamental principles OF the science
and any euffee, in minutes teaching, could have
learned what responses to make, when the five or
six bumps were touched. But MIR French made
hundred dollars, excited great admiration, and ler,
the sage with flying colours. He is the only man
who has made any thing by ii-unless the impress
sion said to prevail in the country oe ,ruc-tbat he
| and Old Mesmer were in eohooL We credit no
| thing OF this kind, however We bel eve the old
gentleman IS an honest DUPE. All bis actions show
that he is clean pATr the subject; and il he were
no, in his doinge, he could not be persuaded 10
sacrifice his reputation for common sense, for any
remuneration TO result from these astonishing sxhi
bitions-nltho' hail the PEOPLE in the Common
wealth should pay 80 cents 10 sec them. lie is q
hopeless case, and his condition is to DO pitied-for
never was poor old man so wretohedly bubbled
since the world began. lie seemed to 90 a doomed
victim from the begnnins-and aliho' admonished
to beware, lie rushed forward with the apparent,
determination TO make worlds wonder Of himsslf;
md eminenty successful has he been. Ifutnny
time hereafter he comes to a sense Of his true con
dition, VIC shall be pleased to crack joke with him
over tho udefous figure he is now cutting in the
face Of the world.