The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-02-01
PEOPLES PRESS.
Middlebury, Feb. l, i04S.
MESMERISM.

his novelty VarlocSly oenomlDaten
Neurology, Animal Magnetism, Som
nambullsm and Mesmerism, which has been
making progress among the learned and
unlearned throughout the country, has at
length arrived in Middlebury. On Thurs
day and Friday evenings last week, Mr.
Richardson Of Montpelier, entertained a
highly respectable, and it might be well
said inquisitive audience of ladies and gen.
tlemen at the town room with his expert
ments upon this subject. A chairman was
appointed and three learned professional
gentlemen designated TO fest the fairness of
the proceedings A boy of about 16 years
was placed in a chair, and by various ma
nipuIations ~downwards accompanied with
a tremulous motion of the head of the
magnetizer, while gazing with an appear
ance of intense %voIition in the face Of the
subject, gradually sunk into a deep & quiet
sIumber, and all the muscles OF his BODY
seemed as rigid as those Of a corpse. He
vas now entirely under the contro Of the
operator, who by mere passes of the hand
without coming in contact, raised relaxed
and again stiiFened his limbs at pleasure
His lower extremcties being relaxed, and
the subject placed upright is then fixed to
The floor like a marble statue, by a pass OF
the hand from the head downwards, and
again released by a reverse notion
By touching the organs of the head in sue
cession as classified by Phrenology, their
appropriate indicia were clearly apparent
in the actions and words of the subject,
and after being made to laugh, adore, won
der, sing, fight and run away, his senses
are again sealed up, and he stands paraliz-
ed like patience on a monument. Sew
eral gentlemen were put by the operator in
communication with the subject, by plac.
ing their hands in contact, and manipula-
ting from the latter to the former, who were
thereupon enabled TO exhibit the same pho
nomena as the mesmerizer himself. To
demonstrate the indemnity Of perception
and feeling, a gentleman secretly handed
some alOes to the magnetizer, then stand
ing at a distance behind the blindfolded
subject, which he no sooner chewed than
the boy began to curl his lips, as if DISCUS
led with some unsavory taste. A similar
sympathy CT the olfactories was manifest
ed upon the magnetizer's taking a pinch ct
snuff.
Il might be observed that many of the
phreno-magnetic experiments which were
successful the first evening, failed the next
IN consequence, as asserted by the opera
tor,of the anger which the boy expressed be-
fore being magnetized at the erection of the
stage upon which the exhibition was made.
Mr.. Richardson makes no p~retentions to a
knowledge of the philosophy of these mar
velous~ phenomena.
The motive o fthis article is by nc means
tolay Our own unimportant opinions upon
this subject before the public, but to des-
crbe the phenomena as they were present.
ed, leaving every individual to judge for
himself. Upon the successful performance
Of several experiments the committee de-
clared that they could disco yer no imposi'
tion. Many intelligent men who went in
wholly incredu.ous, went away not only
marvelirg, but believing in the reality of
what they had witnessed, while others con-
Guided thai the apparent miracles "seemed
TO be what they were not" For half a cen.
tury past animal magnetism has been before
the world, and more than once had its eDi.
taph written. 1t seems now to have aris.
ca with renovated vigor, and many learned
and sagacious men accede to the probable
Iy Of its existence. But facts must be &C.
cumulated. and further and stronger devel-
'Pements must be made before it can ar
i've at the dignity Of 4 s~cience. While it
Shy no means incredible that there is
Somethiag characterized as animal mag.
He'sn, which may radiate from one to an.
o'Her' The astounding claims made for it by
us advocates, such as supernatural vision
eOnm0nly called ~clairvoyance, its assum.
~ 10 demonstrate the truths of Phrenolo. !
s''and many others equally marvellous
~r'e'enhons, will long hold the world in
'4'panse- Time and experience alone can