Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-03-22

been qate in vain You have struggled to
resist me, and have felt the opposing power
baiiling me at every step yet sometimes !
have prevailed if but for short time. For
instance, during many days after leaving
Ems, left strong impression upon your
mind"
Which tried to shake OF, and did"
True; but it was q contended point for
some days. Let me recall another instance
to your memory. About FIVE days ago, you
were suddenly. and for some moments. forced
to succumb to my influence. although but an
instant previous you were completely n FREQ
agent
AT what time in the day was that Z" I ask
cd, falteringly.
About halEpast eight o'clock in the even
ing"
"But who're were you, Aber. 7" I muttored
in half-audabls voice.
He looked up, surprised at my emotion :;
then as if catching the reflex of my agitation
from my countenance. he turned ghastly pale
even to his lips and the drops of cold dew
started on his forehead
'1-was-bers," he said, with n slow and
laboured articulation, that added to my dis.
may.
But saw you--I saw you standing in my
garden just as / was thinking of you, or ruth-
er, Just as the thought of you had been forced
upon me-"
"And did you speak Toto the figure 7"
"Twice, without being heard. The third
time cried"
ALBERT, look round man =" interrupted
my friend, in hoarse quick voice.
"My very words! Then you heard me"
"Bnt when you had spoken them" he con-
tnued, without needing my questiou--"when
you had spoken them-what then 2.
at vanished-where and how. know not
Albert covered his face with his hands. and
groaned aloud
"Grea, God - he said fecbly; "then am
not mad ~
l wa. so horror.struck. that remained ST.
lent. Presently he raised his head, poured
out a half a tumblerful of brandy. drank it at
q craught, ana then turning his face partly
aside, and speaking in low and prenatural.
ly even tone, related TO me tho following
strange and fearful narratve:-
Dr. X. under whom have been study
ing for the last year here in Ca3sel, first con-
vinced me of the reality of the mesmerc doc
trine, before then, was as hardened q scep-
tic as yourself AS is frequently ,he case in
these matters, the pupi-bsng, perhaps. con-
sututionally inclined more towards those m
Huences-soon penetrated deeper INTO the
paths of mcsineric research than the master
by rapidity Of conviction that seemed almost
miraculous, / pierced at once to the essence
oil the doctrine. and passing from the coudi-
tion Of patient TO that of operator, became
sensible Of great internal power. and of a
strength Of voition which enabled me to es-
tabish the most extraordinary rapports be-
tween my patients and myself even when
separated from them by any distance however
considerable. became aware of another
and still more singular phenomenon within
myself. In order to convey to you proper
idea OF what this phenomenon is, | must beg
you to analyze with me the ordinary process
OF memory. Memory is the reproduction or
summohing back of past places and events
With some, this mental vision is so vivid, as
actually to produce the effect of painting the
place or thing remembered upon the retina
of the eye, SO us to present it with all its
substantive form, its lights, its colors, and its
shadows. Such is our so-caled memory
who shall say whether IT be memory or reali-
ty? | had always commanded this faculty in
Il high degree; indeed, so remarkably. that If
but related passage from any book, the
very page the printed characters, were spread
before my mental vision, and / read from
the volume. Ny recollection was therefore
said to be wonderously faithful, and, as you
will remember | never erred in single syl-
liable. Since my recent Investigations, this
faculty has increased in a very singular man.
ner. l have twice felt us though my inner
self, my spiritual self, were a distinct body
yet scarcely SO much body as nervous es-
sence or ether; and us if this second being
III moments Of earnest thought went from
me, and visited the people, the places the
objects Of external life. Nay" he contin-
ued, observing my extreme agitation, this
thing is not wholly new in the history of mag
netIc phenomana-but it is rare. We call
1t psychOlogcally speaking, the power OF far
working. But there is yet another and q
more appalling phase of far-workiDg-that
OF visible appearance out of the body--that
of being here and elsewhere at the same time
that in becoming, in short, a doppleganger
The irrefragable evidence of this truth
, have never dared TO doubt, but it has always
impressed me with an unparalleled horror
! believed, but dreaded; yet twice l have
for few moments trembled at the thought
that IL also--may be--O rather. far, fai
rather would l believe myself deluded, dream
| ing-even mad Twice have felt con
scousness Of seli-absence-once. a conscious
ness of selEseeing! All knowledge, all per
ception was transferred to my spiritual self
| while sort of drowsy numbness and nactiur
weighed upon my bodily part. The first time
, was about fortnight before ] visited you al
Ems the second happened five nights since
at the period Of which you have spoken. Or
that second evening, Ilenrich"-here BIZ
, voice trembled audibly-"l felt myself il
possession of au unusual mesmeric power
thought of you, and impelled the influence
as it were, from my mind upon yours. Thi:
/ time found no resisting force opposed tC
t mine; you yielded to my dominion-yOu be
leived."
~ was So" murmured family.
, At the same time. my brother. ] felt The
} most earnest desire 10 be once more near you
to hear your voice, to see your frank ant
r friendly face, to be standing again in you
pretty garden beside the running river. j
was sunset, and pictured to myself the seen,
? from that spot. Even as did so, dullnesl
, came over my senses-the picture on m,
r memory grew wider brighter ] felt the coo
breeze from the water; saw the red SUI
( sinking over the far-woods; l heard the yes
{ per-beIls ringing from the steeples; in
: word, | was spiritually there. Presently
became aware as Of the approach Of some
thing knew not what--but a something no
!, of the same nature as myself-sometnies
} that filled me with ashivering half compound
/ ed of fear aud half of pleasure. Then
/ sound smJthered and strange, as il untitled
f for the organs of my spiritual sense, seemed
: to fill the space around--a sound resembling
l speech, yet reverberating and confused, lik,