New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-16
ILLUSTRATIONS OF MENTAL POWER.
By S. B BRITTAE


within the sphere Of personal observation. ali J.
should be borne IN mind that the results OF indl-
vidual experience constitute me accuHulateu
wisdom OF the world 10 is cordially conceded
that the experience Of other men may be Taught
with deeper interest than our own, but those WAC
restrict themselves 10 the repetition Of what orlers
have felt, and thought, ana spoken, add little or
nothing to the common stock o. ideas. 10 seek a
name IN tins way is 10 roo the dead OF their mm0r
tally. II were better TO &c and leave no memorial
than employ the brains and nerves Of other men 10
build monument.
Long before undertaking The labor OF a systematic
inquiry into the philosophy oi the vital funcilons
and the laws 81 mind. had witnessed and performed
experiments Attended nth results so renaik9-
be as 10 IeTder them worthy Of being preserved,
amoPg the more interesting inc dents OF my private
experience. shall 10. hesitate 90 record many Gu
nous facts occurring without tie sp1cre Of ny per
sOI al ODferY alton, when such can DE duly auheat
Gated nor do deemit necessary % offer an apology
for presenting The results % my own experience,
wheLcTer these vii better Slloserye he purpose
From an observation II facts incidentally occur
ring was prompted - series Of voluntary Efforts,
winch were siguahzed b. sui more Temarkabe ra-
suits. Ia numerous ms ances ired tie experiment
Of thinking intensely Ct some ~ person, Wlfl
q view 10 ascertain whether the mini Of thf' person
would Lot revert 20 me ~ the same time. This cX-
pertinent, though made VIII, different persons, and
III some instances with those n distance, was
em'nentiy successful. OF course the individuals
selected were usually. though not a ways, those
with whom the writer Was on intlmaie and friendly
terms. / vii now illustrate the nature aai results
" ny tiili-I.i' - 10 '~.N-'.- 80 i.T'-'.+i ~
aWp.es.
Mrs r Of Worcester, Mass, vas distinguished
for mCst delicate susceptibility 10 mcnt i lmpres-
slOLs. ! bad bten invited 20 visit her ~ her resi-
delCe, one afternoon, IA company With several
friends, when seating myself by her s,te-l re-
QueSted her 20 take an excursion, and % describe
whatever she saw by the way. Without giving the
slightest lniiuanon concerning ihe direction We
were 20 travel, proceeded on an ideal journey, by
railroad and steamboat, 20 Ne y. YORK. hrs u. de-
scllbed with singular fidelity all the objects The
If h.t ter q nl0-
CCptiOn-spOke Of persons whom she met by the
way and repeated the very words they were, by ne.
supposed 20 ut.er. On the same occasion, imagined
a letter 20 be placed before her when she suddenly
exclaimed, " Here Is letter from Mr. -, men.
uOnlHg the name o. IN absent friend % whom was
thinking at that moment. Breaking the seal and
unfolding the sheet she commenced and read rer-
bdtn, from my own mi0d, for several minutes II
should be observed that these were me FIRST and
only experiments made with AiIs. r., and u % my
acquaintance with the lady mas restricted go t"o OF
While employed in occurring a. New Canaan, t..
some months since, Glanced 10 be thinking ear
nestly Of young man who was living in Norwaik,
several miles distant, and who had been he subject
Of come interesting experiments on previous oeca-
son. This youth happened al thit p.c ,i-e tine, As
| subsequently learned, 20 be IA Inc presence OF
several gentlemen who we're subiecting himto some
SIMILAR experiments, when I'll ~ Oncc-and IN a
manner most unaccOuntaole 10 al pFeaeni-te es-
caDCd from their influence, declaring. with gfet
came stneSs. that Mn. Brltgn wanted him, and ne
Mis- ". of Loomrsfer. Mass, possessed melo-
diOus voice aud TO lii.lc sN IN musical execution.
Shewas SO extremely imprc Ssibie tnat alv piece Of
music, OF which one m gr' chince 20 ol thinking IA
her pfesence, could De communicated 10 her by ne
shSht,St touch. When, occasionally, the impress
sion Was indefinite, she would seem % BE listening
fox IN u slant AID theu-siaring IS though she hld
hetId aNOicC-Woul1 excaim, " &c, hear have
II and mmoclitey commence singing. Mr. d
IA amateur Yoinlst, and eycial others. repeated
the experiment, 80 my suggestion, Win similar re-
suiis l3is lady was, on several occasions. Zoe sub
ltct Of many curious experiments. IN which The
nervous I. enial susceptibility displayed was eV-
utmcb eellcdie n u nature and WONDERFUL n Is
results.
/ once attended social party given by Mrs X. d,
her IesdeLce IA Albany. ga the company "as
laCy Mrs NJ > who, from certain circumstances,
presumed t. be highly susceptible 20 electro nervous
Impressions, Trough l had never confirmed my
oplnltn hy the least experiment. Taxing scar
bs gentleman NhD Was AnOwn 90 be inyuiueranly
Skepncal, observed thai u might bee possible % de-
monsuatc the existence IN man, o. power he "4s
disposed 20 DENY. That although had never con-
NtfStd with Mrs NJ. on he subIeci, nor made The
slightest effort TO subject her - psychological i'm
pressicns. had lite hesitation IN saying tlIat the
voluntary functions OF he b01y Nigh, he controlled
without ply steal coniacl-oy Tie unalted power
o. Vollticn
Tins gentleman having expressed IL desire 10 vii
reSs the experiment, It VAS agreed that I should
cause the lady 70 cave her place al the opposite
cad Of the room, and occupy vac lNt chair by his
sice. In icsS than one minute The proposed result
~eS acccmpA >Aet. She o0eyCd ny wlil and seated
she was impelled 80 change her position several
times ana finally 10 leave the goom temporarily
with 10 Specl6c coect. and without suspscling the
org of N impulse she was unable - resist
Ire tea-table was the sceUe % an interesting ex-
pertinent Ms. N was L.. re ac' OF removing from
The board. having finished her repast when several
ashes were handed - her, all OF When were ye-
fused. Ms. h. uTged Mrs. VI. 20 ACCEPT another
cish Of Tea, which The latter declined. Without
utienrg Word, succeeded "A changing hsr pur-
- Sc aud ODE c1t 20 my 70 l.on. she Immediately
re 4 4 L 10 - a sr.t frH frr
dish of tea On mt passing the dishes s1e hld inst
u use, Wis. l p-took OF each, as II i Nere Tor
The hI>l aa.t-
Atan ,a.l hour she proposed - 20 home, hlt my
lady friend who had given The entertainment. sDpre
honSse THAT others might follow the example, de-
slled ne % restrain heT. She instantly Obeyel the
re occasion presented were 50 numerous, and
Nlhal so powerful, tl1i she could not break iHay.
j. tAls uanner heI Ge>ile to 80 home Was neutral
zee, sAo MS w. remained uI,ti The company sePa-
Taiec.
Sometime Silce. while on me- Wy ~ visit friend
and when some twenty miles iron his noclly pres
snce made ctierminel efof, 10 impress hls mind
Win The fact ,lSt would I.St hun On ts4t day Ga
My SrrlI a, be proceeded - inform me t0a' short
tno before, he had been s,rOogy Impressed that /
was coming. and thai my sppeaIance was Aot, there
fore, NncN pected
While On a visit al ". became acquainted
with 'ady whose extreme Teeeptisily % m.nt was !
eSi1eit iGom her READINGS g. divine .le thoughts
ard ieel es o. those afo1nt her II The course OF
ouT Interview an experiment was suggested for the !
~ bose oi a>CSf alNius H-ttnet her eKlft ne SuS-
ct tNolts would ADMIT Oh her receiving Impressions
rom clstalce l. vas mutually agreed that on 4
Ire succt ccns Tues ay evening, a. ten o'clock. she
to-it reins 70 her private apartment, ADD Nrlle 4
her Thoughts Tor htf hour. The time Sc apart
Tor ne utl found lie occupied ai.h 4 slo q, of 4
such arse t'1s lu-eCCsI, taN the h0ar actually i
passed. Sc ore / suspected !; raj arrived. j. was 4
~ftciSt.y tAuty minutes AFTER Zen. when I was sud
ceuy reminded Of my engagement. BIZ 70 vas toea I
zoo Tale % make me proposed lrisl. Under these I
G TClu stances, resolved 10 make az experiment .
tha.. u slcc sssful. would be still more csaylnctng
because wholly unprecedented. Accordingly, ! /
waited uril eleven &C Qck and thirty minutes,
y len, pTeSumlng that She must De asleep. Occu-
ped The remaining bali hour before ghs IN an
t.cf % project certain lm2ges before the mind, AZ
c.,'srcc az about eighteen mles Tne ideal picture
represented sylvan scene, enllvened By clear
l0~Ig waters and 4 variety Of such natural ian
agts as afe necessary TO complete an enchanting