Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854, 1852-04-04

may then induce such impressibility in the
negative mind, as to prepare it for instanta
neous and astonishing cures. We admit that
this system should only be practised by ele-
vated, enlightened and refined men. None
should be permitted to approach a subject
practising this art, unless he possesses the
entire confidence of the patient, and who is
known to be a gentleman we'll read, and of
honorable intentions Quacks, particularly
should be avoided. They may, and often
do, produce diseases which neither psycolo-
gy nor the whole range of materia medicta
can remove.
Having thus explained this matter, we
will now endeavor to relate briefly, the mys-
teries appertaining to mesmerism and clair
voyance Considering then, that we have
thus far assembled the first, second and third
steps Of modern mysteries, we shall now at
tempt the fourth and.ffth, and endeavor to
satisfactorily elucidate the grand mysteries
of spiritualism. Mesmerism, according to
the Rev. DR.. bod, may properly be called
spiritualiam: and clairyoyance, according To
Davis, IS explained as S0ut-seetng, or an in
dependent condition, which bestows on the
thinking organization the power to pene-
trate by electrical rays of light, to the most
distant objects, and which are instantly i'm
pressed upon the spiritual brain, and enun-
ciated to the astonished auditors with ce-
lerity, centainty and confidence, which
without further investigation, tends to re-
move much of the scepticism previously en-
tertained.
The mesmeric sleep is induced by mani
pulation. Its end is to paralyze any given
member of the body, or bring on a state of
coma, or lethargy, in the patient, SO that the
most difficult surgical operations may be
performed without his experiencing pain or
inconvenience. In order to arrive conclu-
sively at this point, the same formula which
induces the spasmodic or psychological con-
dition, ought to be observed
DR.. bod, in his course of lectures on the
PHILOSOPHY of Mesmcrism, delivered at
the Marlboro Chapel, Boston, cites several
very remarkable cases which came under his
own observation, and which are so astound-
ing as to induce even in the minds of those
acquainted with spirituality, scepticism.
Mesmerism has undoubtedly been practised
for ages; It was familiar to the Egyptian
that it was practised in the Eleusian and
Orphic mysteries, and was probably gene
rally understood by the Hebrew writers.
Indeed, this fact is more than limited at in
the sacred volume The strange tale of the
Witch of Endor summoning to the vision Of
the seeking Saul the terrible and menacing
Samuel, may thus be satisfactorily accounted
for. This to us mysterious science, is very
generally praotised by the Chinese, particu-
larly by the BARRIERS of that ancient Empire.
We have on the authority Of Dr. Haddock, q
recapitulation of the history of Anton Mes
mer, who was born in 1884, at Mersburg, on
the shores of the Lake of Constance, and
who in 1776 took the degree of Doctor of
Medicine in the University of Vienna. From
a very early age, Mesmer's mind was direct
ed to the investigation of physiological phe-
nomena Finally he attempted, as the result
of his inquiries, to cure diseases-frst by
the use of the magnet, and afterward through
manipulations In 1778, he commenced his
peculiar practice in Paris, and 80 successful
was he that he speedily acquired great pop
ularity in France, from the astonishing
cures he effected in those who, previously,
we're pronounced, by the most eminent med
ivui gentlemen, iuUurable, OF beyond the
reach of medicine The French government
offered him q large annual income if he
rrnuld diulllee his aenraL- nIRHna" Hrnnn-
lily refused the generous offer, and finally re-
tired to his native village-on being present
ed by his pupils with sum of over fifty
thousand dollars where he died in his
eighty year. A commission appointed
by the government, reported that his aston
ishing cures were simply caused by or
through the imaginatian or fancy Of his pa
tients. The great end Of Mesmer's proceed
ings appears therefore, to have been USE
the application of remedy for human suf-
fering. AS we shall have occasion to allude
to mesmerism again, in connection with inner
or spiritual sight, VIC shall at once proceed
to consider the Clairvoyant state. The first
positive knowledge we are in possession of,
of this remarkable property of the human
soul, is given to us through the experiments
of the Marquis de Puysegur, French noble
man, one of Mesmer's disciples, in the year
1884. In inducing this extatic state, manip-
ulations are necessary, besides supreme con-
6dence on the part Of the operator in his pos
tive control of the nerves. 1t is the waking
condition of the mesmeric state that may be
termed Clairvoyance, and as such it is closely
allied to the lesser developments treated of
BY us in preceding remarks DR.. Haddock,
in his " Science of the Soul" intimates that
the great difficulty hitherto experienced in
arriving at a knowledge of the real cause Of
clairvoyance, has arisen from two causes;
first, the different states Of the clalrvoyant
subject and the observer, and the imposgi-
bility Of their having the same sensational
perceptions - so that the observer cannot
sensationally perceive holc the clairvoyant
sees, nor cen the clairvoyant adequately de-
scribe his perceptions. And, secondly, the
necessity for the opening of higher degree
Of consciousness in order fully to compre-
hend the lower For instance, an animal can
have no proper idea of its own nature; but
man is enabled by the possession of an inter
nal spiritual principle, nationally and sensa-
tionally to investigate his animal body.
And the mere induction of the faculty of
clairvoyance does not enable the possessor OF
that faculty sensationally to perceive the
cause of that phenomenon; this requires the
awakening of higher consciousness, though
still probably belonging to the psyche, OF
animal part of the spiritual organism But
in this respect he has an advantage over
most enouirers, in possessing subject, wht
in addition to the ordinary induced mosmerit
extasis or trance, has repeatedly been il
states of spontaneous extasis of far higher
and more interior character, and the reality
Of these states has been proved to him by tn
most convincing evidence. One striking
f difference between these two states is, ths
whatever occurs to, or is seen by, the ordi
, nary mesmeric extatlc, is completely forgot
-, ten. or, more correctly, is altogether un
, known unon the return to the normal state
' while the true extatic, or subject oil tn
SUPERIOR state, as Davis, the America
olairvoyant, styles it, upon returning to tn
normal condition, rccollects all that has bee
| nauifested to him in tho abnormal condition
This singular fact receives an easy solution
4 if We admit the psychological doctrine, tbs
man possesses both an internal and erfeTnc
memory In the normal wakeful conditio
tbese memories act as a one, and hence
are only conscious of one memory. In th
abnormal state Of induced mesmerism, th
= internal memory is active while tho extern
is dormant; and from this want Of conne'
y ton between the two memories, arises tn
: oblivion invariably Witnessed. But in Il
= supeyior state, or true spiritual eztasis, bo
" memories are active, hut from moro int
rior degree than in ordinary life and hen
= the extatic subject can recollect in the no
- NAL stste what has trsuspired IN the spont
! u ueous abnormal state, and, at the same tim
= - posseeses full consciousness of the gre
v difference between these states, so as not
~ ooufound the perceptions and knOwledges
~ 80, 1toco of the other