Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-07-03
The Power Of Imagination.

But though there may be some ground |
for it, there may not be enough TO estab-
fish the truth of a certain view. The ground
here is simply that the power of imagna-
lion on the body is immense, and that
what is done Ivy versions in state of what
is called mesmerism, or in any of the in
stances | have mentioned, which is appar-
emily due TO those odd lorces-ths time it
has two dees-is due to the Imagination of
the person under these influences. John
Hunter long ago having to deal with
mesmerizer, showed very clearly what oc-
ours in these cases. He said that he had
observed of himself that by thinking of
any part of the bobby he could very soon
produce a sensation there, and if he thought
of certain kind of sensation that kind ora
sensation was produced. Having been
urged strongly TO go to mesmerizer's, he
tells us that he was very reluctant 10 do so
because he was troubled with that serious
affection known as angina pecto,iS and
feared for his health. Finally he made up
his mind to go and determined TO call some
sensation from a part remote from that on
when the mesmeriZer was trying t. fix his
trying to act on his hand, saying, "Don't
you feel this or that sensation when this
instrument is put into your hands p Hun
ter at that time was trying TO give himself
the govt in the big toe. Hunter unfortu-
nately knew by experience what the govt
| was, for he was careless of his health, and
bad that complaint in other and worse parts
than the big toe. But this time he thought
he would divert it TO that member. and
succeeded in doing ii so well that an at
tempt of the mesmerzer 10 produce n SEN
sation in the fingers failed. Hunter had
the true view about this when he attribut-
| ed it 10 the Imagination. Another man of
immense genius, although at times, Accord
| ing to my notion, he was carried away by
Authorizations and illusions fro n diSOr
der in his mind that man, SwedenbOrg,
had also a very clear view of what John
Hunter has expressed. He lived before
Hunter and therefore preceded him in this
view and he expressed it in his usual way,
somewhat mystically but very forcibly,
for he said that the brain had the power Of
conveying various sensations in il of other
things TO any part of the nervous system.
And this is what Imagination may do. But
the real discoverer of this influence, the
| man who has established on most solid
ground the agency of the Imagination in
| this matter, is Thomas Braid of Manches-
| ter, the real introducer OF hypnotism, al
though some three or four Americans had
had a good deal of his thought mixed up
with notions more or less incorrect. The
influence of the mind on sensations espec-
tally is exceedingly great. Prof Bennett
of Ednburg relates the case OF butcher
who was once trying to hang up a piece of
| meat on hook. He found suddenly that
he had suspended himself TO the hook in
stead of the meat. His agony of pain,
| when he discovered il was terrible, but an
| examination showed that the hook had on
ly passed through his sleeve and had hard
| ly touched his skin. The exatalion of the
| senses that we see, especially in mesmer-
| lied persons may go 10 a wonderful extent.
Indeed, the power Of the sense of hearing
especially is such that il would be danger
GUS, If you wanted to reach the truth about
mesmerism, to talk in a room adjoining
the one in which the mesmerized person,
| about that which the mesmerized person
was to find. The mesmerized person would
have a good chance OF hearing what you
say. All the senses indeed are exceeding
| ly delicate then.-DT. BrOWn SeQudrd.