Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-10-17
RICHMOND DAILY VIII
A.i~ai Mas.ssi,. -Clairuoyanee. &c.

In yielding place to the extract which follows
from the letter Of an unknown city correspondent,
addressed to tho Senior Editor, we do not mean
to commit the folly Of suffering ourselves to be
drawn into Phrese magsetie Mesmerie contro.
versy, q. gulf without sides or bottom: We simply
yield TO the personal wishes of the friend who adj
dresses ms. The city Of Richmond is now for the
second time, half crazed on the subject OF Mesmer-
ism. Large crowds nightly attend the exhibition
some who went 20 scof come awuy believers
n many we believe who believed before, return
cured Of their faith-and the subject is the theme
Of universal conversation
"7s J.k- H. Pieasssfs, E.q:
Dear Sir-" 10 s.,sd currently that you have expressed
yeurse 10 terms q than your energy aRains,
Mesmerm that you have declared you did no, believe and
cssi< net believe, that you had read book and would
read nonc that had witnessed exhibition and would
not witness one. that you had always believed in God
ssd wished To continue to believe in him. that Mes
msrisn was rank Massrislism and Atheism"
tHsfs
"But what did you ssy latcly1 That If eonrineed Won
wore prepared to change opinion upon any subiec
fsa Revelation down the fashion pair of gloves -
That . noble sentiment. worthy Of your unde
and spirit: Bot what do-s avail you are afraid TO enquire
aud avsstisaie. for feary you may convinced Read
and wifass and you will find that Mesmersm is true and
not incompatible with tho existence Of God Where a. will
lead cannot yet be oresccn but have to
still more clearly the goodness aud greatness Of God
"Pubshsthis'nois and come aud hear and see De Bon
neville, and obligs IN b. UNKNOWN FRIEND"
conxgNr. ..
We dare say we may have said something like
that stated by unknown friend for we thought il
al IL We did not say it. That the followers of Mes
nerism are MsteriaIists and Atheists we are far
from believing; but that the system leads to Maize.
rialisn and Atheism is perfectly clear to our ap
Prehension: But we have neither the time, or
space or inclination, to enter into the discussion.
and far less the ability.
But If it is true that another by Mesmeric agen.
cy subject both my body and mind to his will.
what becomes ofmoral responsibility and accom-.
tabilityl 90. .ls--...
IL People can be laid into the deepest and most |
death.like sleep by the exercise of this agency,
whore is the safety for life, for property, for fe
male chastity ...
lf(as we regard it) the exscrable Humbug of
Ciairpoyance is true, where is the need for
knowledge painfully acquired by books, and study
and thought! You have but TO blndfold q child,
white or black, ten years old, apply the agency
properly, and it will inform you more than books
can teach-who built the Pyramids, or what be. |
came Of the lost Pleiad, or whether there was in
reality siege of Troy! -a,
II these things are true, there must follow a
complete subverson of the moral structure of So |
siety. The Christians opinions of the attributes
the Deity must undergo. As it appears to us, the
most radical notifications. We do moi beliepe.
and we do not wish to believe or to be induced to
believe. We are almost tempted to say, and
would say were it not rreverent that if true they
ought not to be true. But we stop, as, having
confessed our ignorance, we bound to do
That sleep can be induced in some cases we do not
doubt; and there begins and ends our faith in
Assserism. We sorry to believe even that
iittls, bat reconciled by the hope that il is
benevolent provision Of Providence for the allie.
Walton Of pain and suffering. Ifit is true that in
those Nesmeric sleeps, ampmation for example,
can be effected without pain, (and we believe no
sAeh ihing,) why then can see the Divine bene-
violence, and the end justifying the means: But
enough We are ignorant, and wish 10 remain
90, Of the whole matter. .....