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=, The following article, from the pen o
EDGAR A. Poe, Esq, will be found "passing
strange" and is calculated to present Mes
merism to the world in an entirely new
light. 1t assumes the appearance of truth
vet appears to be woven with the thread
of fiction-if truth, we must say it is stran-
ger than fiction. We recommend all to read
it, believing they will, at least, be repaid fol
that trouble. 1t firstSappeared before the
public in December last, in the American
Review, journal published in the city Of
New ork, unQer the captlon OF
..t..l "vALDEMAR's CAsE.''
Ofcourse shall not pretend to consider
it any matter for wonder, that the extraor-
binary case of NJ. Valdemar has excited dis
cussion. 1t would have been miricle had
it not-especially under the circumstances
Though the desire of all parties concerned
to keep the affair from the public, at least
for tie present, or until we had farther OPP
pertunites for inveStigation-through our
endeavors to effect this, garbled or exag-
geraled account made its way into society,
and became the source Of many unpleasant
representations, and, very naturally, of a
great deal of disbelief.
Il is now rendered necessary that give
the facts, as far as comprehend them my
self They are, succinctly, these:
My attention, for the last three years,
had been repeatedly drawn to the subject
of Mesmerism and, about nine months
ago, it occurred to me, quite suddenly, that
in the series Of experiments made hitherto,
there had been very remarkable and most
unaccountable omission-no person had as
yet been mesmerized in articuIo morris. 1t
remained to be seen, first, whether, in such
condition, there existed in the patient any
susceptibility to the magnetic influence !;
secondly, whether, if any existed, it was
impaired or increased by the condition ;
thirdly, to what extent, or for how long a
period, the encroachments of Death might
be arrested by the process. There were
other points to be ascertained, but these
most excited my curiosity-the last in es-
pecial, from the immensely important cha
racter of its consequences.
In looking round me for some subject by
whose means might test these particulars.
| was brought to think of my friend NJ.
Ernest Valdemar, the well-known compiler
of the "Biblotheca Forensica,n and author
(under the nom de plume of Issachar Marx
of the Polish versions Of "Wallesein'' and
"Gargantua." VI. Valdemar, who has re-
sided principally at Harlaem, N. Y, since
the year 1899, is or wasl particularly no
ticeable for the extreme spareness of his
personals lower limbs much resembling
those of John Randolph; and also for the
whiteness of his whiskers, in violent con-
trast to the blackness of his hair-the lat
ter, in consequence, being very generally
mistaken for wig. His temperament was
markedly nervous, and rendered him good
subject for mesmeric experiment. On two
or three occasions ! had put him TO sleep
with little difficulty, but was disappointed
in other results which his peculiar constl-
tuition had naturally led me to anticipate.
His will was at no period positively under
my control, and in regard to cIaw0Oydnce,
could accomplish with him nothing to be
relied upon. always attributed my failure
at these points to the disordered state of
his health. For some months previous to
my becoming acquainted with him, his ply
sicians had declared him in confirmed
phthisis. 1t was his custom, indeed, to
speak calmly of his approaching dissolu-
ton, as of matter neither to be avoided or
regretted
When the ideas to which have alluded
first occurred to me, it was of course very
natural that ! should think of NJ Valdemar
knew the steady philosophy of the man
too we'll to apprehend any scruples from
him; and he had no relatives in America
who would be likely to interfere. ! spoke
to him frankly on the subject; and to my
surprise his interest seemed wildly excited
say to my surprise for, although ne hat