Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-01-26
DivinatIon, Witcacraft, and Mes
Iaserism.

i Unuer tDlS tltle tlC A"Oi" CmVtTSH
.Maeasine has a well written article review
ing the history of this singular subject fror
the early and the middle ages to the pre-:
entday. Instances and illustration of som
such mysterious influence manifested q
different periods under the various name
of C,ysialomancy, Cafopiromancy, LycGn
ihropy, &c., &c., are quoted from Glbbon
Moshem, Calmiel, and many Ancient am
Monkish writers. Selecting from these au
thorities only the best authenticated ac
counts, the article presents curious ant
entertaining narrative Of the various phe
nomena of this influence as exhibited in tht
practices of the Monks of Mount Athos
five hundred years ago,-of the Christian
ascetics in the deserts Of Idumea, of Egypt
and of Pontus-of divination by mirrors a:
practised in the times of the Roman En-.
perors-dlvnaton by crystals, by rings, by
water, by finger nails, &C., &C., as practis-
ed in all ages.
"Of the truth of many of these facts" !"
remarks the writer, $50 long and openly
discussed, there can be no question. The
monks of Mount Athos did. indeed put
themselves into state which may with
safety be called one of mental lucidity, by
fixing their eyes intently on point. Mr..
Robertson who used to induce the mesmer-
ic sleep By causing his votaries to fix their
eyes on a wafer, had better precedent than
he supposed for his practice; and Miss Mar.
tineau, who, in her artificial frances, saw
all objects illuminated, has been uncoh-
sciously repeating monastic method of
Worship"
"Thereis no reason, says Mosheim, "for
any to be surprised at this account, or 10
question its correctness. For among the
precepts and rules of all those in the East
who teach men how to withdraw the mind
from the body, and to unite it with God, or
incucate what the Latins call contempla-
tive and mystic life, whether they are Chris
tians, or Mahommedans, or Pagans, there
is this precept, viz, that the eyes must be
feed euery day for some hours upon some
particular object, and that whoever does
this will be. rapt into kind OF ecstasy
See what Engelbert Kempfer states con-
cerning the monks and mystics of Japan,
tom. i. p. 80; and the account of those of
India by Francis Bernier, tom. ii. p. 1877"
Want of space alone prevents us from
quoting more from this able article, which
is evidently prepared by a calm and ply
losopbical mind, not over inclined to credu-
lily, yet not hesitating 10 investigate the
most suspicious facts-to wlnnow bushels
of chaff for single grains--if necessary in
search of truth and science. The subject
would be interesting to our readers, and ap-
proprlate at this time in connection with
the Lectures of Professor Hale, now at
tracing so fnpch attention in Staunton and
elsewhere. After discriminating review
of the accounts, various manifestations Of
this influence under whatever names, and
in all ages, the article concludes with the
following deductions -
This long and varied survey of differ
ent forms of physical and mental malady
brings us to point where we may with
some confidence, take cur stand on induct-
i've conclusions.
at seems evident, then, that all the phe-
nomena of animal magnetism have been
from an an early period known to mankind
under the various forms Of divinitory &C.
stasy, demonopathy, o. wltchmania, theo-
mania or fanatical religious excitation, spon-
taneous catalepsy, and somnambulism.
''That, in addition to the ordinary mani
festations of insensibllity to pain, rigidity,
and what is called clairvoyance, the pa
tients affected with the mole intense
conditions &c tba ,oo1oJ, bovo Of oil f,nnes
exhibited a marvellous command of Ian
guages; seeming participation In the
thoughts, sensations, and impulses Of 9TH
ers power of resisting, for some short
time at least, the action of fire and per-
haps, a capacity of evolving some hitherto
unknown energy counteractive of the force
Of gravitation.
"That the condition of mind and body IN
question can be induced by means address
sed to each and all the senses, as well as
involuntarily by way of sympathy or con-
tagion.
'That the fixing of the eyes on partic-
ular point, as wafer, or the umbilicus,
or on a polished ball or mirror, is one of
the most general and efficacious means OF
artifcially inducing the condition of clair
voyance. That it may also, on those pre-
pared for its reception by strong mental ex-
citement, be induced by tumultuous music,
as by the sound of drums and cymbals, by
odors, and perhaps by unguents; and that
the same condition also frequently super
venes on long-continued and intense emo
ton. as well as on those bysterical and con-
vulsiye movements of the body which some
times attend on excessive religious excita-
ton.
"That, induced by the latter means, clair
voyance has a tendency to become conta-
gous, and has often afflicted whole commu-
mites with the most dangerous and deplor-
able epidemic hallucinations, as IN the fam
cied witch-sabbaths Of the demonlmaniacs,
and prowling excursions Of lycanthropes
and vampires but that, although in these
demotic frenzies, the prevailing ideas and
images presented to the minds of the sui
ferers are merely illusory, they possess the
capacity of being put in such arelation with
IDEAS and images derived from actual exist
ences in the minds of others, as to perceive
and appropriate them. Beyond this it would
be difficult to advance our speculation with
anv depree of certainty; but if speculation
NAV be at all INDUCED IN such question: 1t
might, perhaps be allowed to sangulIne
speculator, to surmise that, possibly, the
mind in that state may be put en- ropportc
with not only the ideas ard emotions ol
another particular mind, but with the whoie
of the external world, and with all its minds
Another step would carry us TO that parli-
cipahon IN the whole scheme. OF nature'pre-
tended to by divinators and seers; but 1t
must be owned that, in the present state OF