Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-08-17

preservation of his valuable lite, to MS diocese.
The apostolic rite of confirmation was admins
rered TO seven persons in The Mount Zion and to
three in Trinity Church.
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IFor the Gazette
Ar Edstor--
AS Animal Magnetism is al present ex-
ci;ing considerable interest among the
good folks Of Ma.tinsburg, permit me 10
make few remarks touching some ex.
permenis made before select company
OF gentlemen few evenings since at the
U. S. Hotel. will proceed 10 give you
the facts, as like the distinguish ope,
rator, haye mo theory about it." I'm.
prints, suppose US all comfortably seated
in No. s.-eyes and mouths wide open ioi
the astonishing Developments 81 the new
science, or rather the oil science Jegene-
rated. The magnttser and TO be mag.
netised, master and man (bGth strangers
to the company took their llaces by
centre tlb'e, Sc, d, and ready TO com
mence. A, this sage physician was
requested to feel the subjects pulse, who
timed it and found it 95 to the minute.
THE subject was boy perhaps 10 years
of age, his average pulse stated to be So.
The magnetser commenced operations
by gazing in the eyes of the boy, like
serpent charming a bird. This was con-
timed for some moments, the by gradu-
ally shutting his ey's, and showing slight
convu'sive mo,ions. following oil The time
alphabetically, with his body, the grodu-
al wavy motions Of the operator.
William, ere you asieep?" "Yes,
fiery taiaily.l The operator now drew
his hands over Williams face and down
his arms several times, to the extremities
of his fingers. He was now in a state Of
perfect "clairvoyance, fast asleep. and
the physician was again requested to feel
his pulse. 1t was found to have risen to
ITO. SO far good; and il nothing Use
exctes the pulse bit magnetism, it Of
course was the agent in this case. Ii is
true, physicians assert that alcohol, opium,
mental emotions, &c. &c. increase the
activity of the pulse, and the i!l-naturcd
who can believe them, might say the boy
had taken a stimulus before ne took his
seat, being mind ul Of the ten beats ahead
Of time, before the magnetic process was
entered upon, but such remarks are by.
percrtical and splenetc. To proceed,
the closed eyes were now sealed over with
adhesive plaster by ono Of the company,
and the rest we're invited to examine, and
satisfy thems, Ives there could be no vision
in the natural way. A gentleman de-
tected vey small crevice under the arch
of the eyebrows, near the inner JINGLE.
He objected to this, aud required it should
be efiectua|y closed. He wished to bind
a handkerchief ovtr the whole, including
the ye-brows, but as some OF the facuI-
ties lie Immediately behind them, this was
not permit d, The Doctor, ((or the mes
mcriscr is an omneul phys Gin withal, as
himself assured u.s. was "considr rably
rifed," q quote him) that the uaiuitiated
should tavil a, proceed ngs so much above
their ca acilies; but in time several papers
were handed 10 the subject, wi'h very
large plan print, as the head dress OF
newspaper, which were carefully handled
by him, then laid upon the forel cad. held
for an instan, seine three inches above the
eyes, and pronounced upon. The frs,
offered was Press" from the heading Of
the Charlestown Free Press. "What is
it, WiIliam" said the Doctor. "Don't
know; it's all curled." A portion Of the
audience was satisfied there was something
in t-others laughed; but the Doctor de-
clared il was not fair experiment, as the
boy could no, read German or cid English
capitals. "He's poor scholar, then,
said one. "He's 6rs,-raie scholar" said
the Doctor, which was conclusive. The
next lhing offered was--"for sale'-large
aud distinct, which he read clearly. 9th
er scraps were offered, of which he made
cut some letters and missed others. In
the mean time the gentleman before men,
toned and the Doctor were disc ussirg ra.
ther tartly whether the boy did no, "leg"
his clairuoyance little by peeping up un'
der his eyebrows. The Doctor seemed
to belong to the "gtnus irritablei" winch
shows that philosophers and poets are
nearer nkin than is generally supposed.
: sle was short than pie-crus,, and being
advised to keep his temper, declared him