New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-07-23
THE TRIBUNE.
CiniryOyHnce.


The frs, Of these books contains condensation OF
the account given by DIR. kerner, learned and
heb minded German. Of the most remarkable case
# natural somnambulism yet recorded. We say
,,,u,al because though the results are out OF
tho common course Of nature. they were not induced
nv the action Of foreign means upon the patient
They were the development OF her character, and
gave the crisis dispositions that had appeared IN
her family for several generations.
The Translator Preface gives so good an account
fine book. and in so wise and candid spirit that
10 insert il a. the best we can do for our readers
Ts.SslAroRs PREFAcE.-As in presenting this Gu
,ou. work 10 the public 1t was my object 10 make
Aok that should be generally accessible. literal trans
,son became out of the question. Besides cOnsidera
be proxiiy there is great deal OF repcttiOn IN the
orglnai some parts would have been found too dry
and others mystical for the general reader nave
8reiore thought II advisable TO make ifee trdnsih
pop giving the sum and substance Of the book as sac
rnc,y as could only varying from this plan, where
Aoapht close adherence 10 the words Of the author
vas Indispensable
Iapprehend that many Of the extraordinary phenome
srecorded by kerner will ind very general credcnce
with English readers but TO the believers ~ calrvoy
snce the book Will have deep nterc=t-wmst 10 Inc
uger class who not yet prepared 10 yield iaiih 10
4. wonders should imagine that the facts would SIN
b. considered well worthy OF attention both ia Fhyrio
Oacal and psychological point OF view. | say Jdds
tecsuse cannot conceive the possibility of any candid
mind doubling the greatest number OF them, alter read
ng the book Of such one entertaining suspicion
Of mpesiure the part either OF physician or patent
Indeed hernors wei known character ought To exempt
him from such an impuiaton from any quarieri ana
for my own part reject with horror the idea that IN
suffering creature who lived ever the verge Oh the
grave so much apparent innocence and piety should
have been but the cloak to useless and cruel decep
ton
ia han IN set "A %
ure II Is a convenient mode OF cludng the trouble OF
inquiry and of sitting facts obnoxious TO preconceived
theories but il il vulgar recourse as well as COW
ndy one; though. am sorry TO say IN no country does
the practice prevail so much as IN this.
Rliicule IL another weapon easily handled but what
many learned, sensible and good men OF neighborng
nation believe they have ascertained to be true II Ger
iany very improper subject for III exercise II we
cannot also believe we are ai least bound 10 listen with
attention 10 what they have TO tell us AMI tic candid
and nquiring will receive the information With respect
II they csnnO, with conviction.
The sincerity and good faith OF Or kcinci IN his al
fair has never we believe, been impugned even by the
most determined sceptic He is wei known in Gerna
ny as accordingly sensible amahc. and religious
man and. lyric poet of considerable rmin"nc" Tn"
point of attack. for those who seek one must be ms ga
eacy but except the asssilant one who had had
the opportunities for observation and investigation
that be had the gfaiuous imputation OF creduy should
be- al least cautiously received. Al the same iin' RI
though confess should be very sorry myseliio be one
Of the many who | am aware, will receive these al
legged facts with contempt and derson, do not deny
thai the question: whether the appartons were subject
i've neutrality-suspicious. OF the nervous system, OF
actually external appcarapces-is one which can only
ever be dcinitivcly answered by the exhibition OF re
pealed phenomena OF the same description. Even her
ner himself however ultimately convinced seems long
nhaye doubted whilst he freely admits the mpossihili
Of absolute conviction the part of those who nave
never had any ocular testimony that such appearances
permitted
But in any case there are few readers should think
who nd ,b..h
BE earnest and pOus spirit in which It Is written. should
least constitute the authors defence against ndlcue
maheniiy and be- accepted the translaors justin
cation for presenting the work 10 the English pubic IN
sn accessible form.
We have been familiar with the book in the orr
ginsl, and could have wished tina, the translator
Mrs Crowel had screwed herself up To the wear
some task of exact translation The book. as Is so
often the case with the books of Germany, IL dli-
fuse and heavy, Germans rarely being gifted with
the art of knowing where TO stop or what 10 leave
ont The abrdgmcnt is made, 50 far a. we have
examined it, with good Judgment the translator
knowing how 10 cOndensc, instead of mu,ilating-
sill, We miss important facts. However, tins
pamphlet is very good, where we cannot get better
and we hope il may penetrate far aud wide We
are sure to every unprejudced mind ii will seem a
most beautiful psychological memoir and iraughi
IN that view. with important suggestions even II
'oey do not adopt DR. kerners opinion OF The case
Of the Sccress kener mentions one fact OF tie
sine character with that now exhibited by the nc
saica and Dominica OF the Catholic church
When she was placed in bath in this state eN
rsordinary phenomena were exhibited-namey
nn her limbs breast and the lower part of her per
Sn possessed by a strange elasticity, Involuntary
emerged from the water Her attendants used
every esior, TO submerec the body, but she could not
s kept down and had she at these times been
brown into river she would no more have sunk
han cork
This circumstance reminds us Of the test applied
o"iches who were often doubtless, persons un
Ger magnetic conditions and thus, contrary to the
ordinary law, iloaied on water Andrew MoIlen
mentions woman who lived in 1920, who being
@amagnetc state, rose suddenly into the air IN
ae presence of many persons. and lowered several
yards above II, as il she would have flown ont ol
aewindow The assistants called upon God, and
breed her down again. According to
The testimony Of 81 Theresa Peter Of Alcantara
Tor fourteen years allowed himself but half an
hours sleep. and tina, he took sitting with his head
eaning on pos, he lived on bread and water.
which be took AT intervals of three and. sometimes
eight days. TILL by the modification of his body
became transparent, and he saw through II as
aoagh veil His spirit being in constant com
aanlon with God he was frequently cnyeoped II
ss,rous light. and lifted into the air - The
fS, also. felt her soul. and then her head and
'aaly her whole body lifted from the earth and
NE sight of all the sis,erhood she foaied owe
NC crate Of the door. Many such instances are II
N'ued In the lives Of the Saints-phenomcna whcl
cannot comprehend and therefore pronounce Il
b fables"
Exactly similar to the state OF 81 Theresa. record
- " herself is tina, Of the Ecstaiica Maria Nor
~eh by the thousands who now visit her and o
iaiian wonder also. whose name we forget
-pnael has intuitivcy adopted this miracle an'
" me luminous atmosphere of Peter Of Alcan
hai greatest of his works which embOdic
uea OF the Transiisuraton Of Jesus
shall often have occasion To advert farther t.
"s Book Of Dr. Kener's
., .ae second Of the pamphlets named at the hea,
~s notice Is an account of tho revelations mad