Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1842-09-22
AlESNIERISN.
Animal Magnetism may be all "a humtug.' as. in

Animal Magnetism may be all "a humbue," a., in
the can, phrase of the day. ii fppaniy called We
are ne, prepared say from very decided conviction
If lis truth that il is not for in truth, have wi,nes
oa NO experiments, and Judge OF only by the auhen
,.,,a cases WE have read But we constrained 10
cay that, If il be humbug, there be some humbuss
thai exert strange influence over mems setses Read
far examples the interesting letter. (Which may be seen
N, the fourth page Of this morning paper. from the
Roy. William A. Smith, of the Methodist E. Church.
now stationed in Petersburg, and well known TO our
own community as man whose ardent zeal Minis
Ter is tempered aud chastencd BY the power we'll as
he the p,ilosophc cast Of his mnd-a man not apt TO
be misled by Imagination and fancy, or dupcd by the
tricks Of charlatans and mpostors. The experiments
which MI, Smith Details i, will be SEEM go step far
Their than mere Mcsmersn and like those Of the learned
Professor Mitchell Of Philadelphia embrace Phrenology
also We publish the letter for what it is worth. Those
who know Mr. Smith will agree with u.s. that while he
is no, himself easily deceived he is the last man
on earth who would lend himself to the purpose OF de-
csf ,g others. Still, suppose that his state
mi .ill convince all who read il; for the truth is, the
results of The experiments which he witnessed
strange, aud othe ordinary of things tina,
is exceedingly difficult doubtless even for those who
see such deyiaons from what we have been taught to
regard the established laws of nature dvest their
minds of the mpcsson that after ALL there some is col
fusion and trick, by which cheated and
the sem,bance Of things that not, appear as though
they are!
The subject seems to be attracting great attention.
and it is due TO its importance all truths relating 10
the character and operations Of the mind are important
that it should be dsassionalely considered and
amined.
case occurred in Huntsville, (Aabama,) the other
day, which is not undcservins of attention A Mr.
Moore had been delivering some lectures in that place.
illustrated by experiments and DIR. Fearn, leading
citizen d that town, pronounced it humbug and
Moore impstor, and pledged himself give Moore
500 if he could no, prove it, if Moore would submit
his experiments the test of committee to be appoin
ted BY the Doctor. To this Moore agreed if he might
be permitted to appoin, half the number of Judges The
change asscncd to. and the part cs wen, into
room Tor the purpose A person magnczed. and
his eyes securely bandaged and his ears well stuffed
with cotton; and while in this situation Dr. Fean ,rroe
on slips of paper the various actions which he desired
that the operator should ,cW the person magne,zed
todo-a and the actions wilcd were invariably perfor
med, with very sigh, variation in two Of the
many ins;ances,--e variations being rather con-
n
der which the man acted The commt,e 6 to 81 de
cded in favor Of Moore, and Dr. Fearn los, his 800
Here is an experiment. tested no, only under the very
eyes, Tut IN great measure controlled by gentleman
who had avowcd his ability to strip from it its cloak Of
mystery, and to reveal the mposurc to the world His
ia"re TO do SO shows That ii there be any thing like i'm
posture, ii is the most skuly executed dcusion Ina,
has ever been ralmed upon tie wcrd. And yet if it
he not 1t is, in some offs aspects certainly enc Of the
most astonishing truths that has been discovered
We intend 10 lake no part in the controversy on the
suliect-or arc in truth ourselves mere inauirers
aud not dsci,des We concede that the weight Of cvi
denre III Nor If the truth of the precnsions advanced
Is the Mesn r!ss hu do not hold il be conclusive
We shall therefore not believe until we see-but in the
,neun time. shn rdicule, because we cannot
comprehend.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIMENTS