, 1884-08-09
ABOUT MIND-READING.
Suggestions from an Amateur Who
Has Discovered the Secret.
''Muscular Impulses, which Lead
IA Operator to n object sought
-Directions for ExpeFiment-
Ing In the ss0eeuIs.r

ny nlrA hAAthipt NJ mllu-IcAaiuB Whs
a young lady seated at a piano. Taking
her hand a la mode for the operation I
requested her to point her fore finger out
straight and intently think of one Of the
keys. Pressing my right hand on her
brow, ! made the preliminary nervous
twiiches. closed my eyes, and went up and
down the key board once or twice, then
giving my fair subject her own way she
placed her finger at once on the key.
Several circumstances combined 10 make
this first attempt successful The choice
ola piano key was a fortunate one, be
cause there was very slight chance of my
deciding in my own mind what particular
key 1t was. such a decision being fatal to
success. The young lady had never seen
mind reading. was mentally above the
average, being able to hold her mind 10
one object for the required time, and last
but far from least. she had no bangs to
disarrange or invisible net to tear. / have
known many IA good operation spoiled
entirely by elaborate bangs, and many an
otherwise good subject made unconsciously
cratic by an invisible net. Solicitude for
the bangs or net under the operators
tremulous right hAnd distracts the mind,
and Immediately puzzles the operator. who
fails to find the muscular impulses toward
the object that exist.
AbAipMbk AohlAllOu' mus NC bD
served.
The subject must keep his mind i~ntently
fixed ON the object. The subject must do
all the thinking. The operator must nave
no thought of where he Is going nor desire
to go anywhere except where he Is led. He
must be entirely passive In the hands Of
the subject. Notwithstanding that the con
trary Is suppose TO be the case. The mus
Giles Of the subjects arm must be flexible
aud easy. without being limp, nor rigid.
For If held stiff and rigid those muscular
impulses which direct the operator will not
be MAJ. The absolute rigidity OF arm
which n strong man can assume defeats
the most skillful operator and prove con
clusively that reading the mind has nothing
10 do with the process.
The operator must possess certain quail
ficalions. such as delicacy Of touch and
nervous sensibility TO the slight impulses
received from the subject. and the afore.
said confidence In himself which makes an
impression on n subject and tends TO draw
him out OF the passive state he supposes
he Is in.
The inexperienced operator had better
be blindfolded. for with the eyes nearly
closed the tendency TO open hem every time
anything is touched Is great, and once open
the operator is no longer passive: while a
blindfolded person is always helpless.
Such a test as piano key Is better TO choose
nj first. for thes subject can point with his
finger and the muscular impulses are much
stronger when the subject Is TO place his
extended finger on any given point.
Placing the right hand on the subjects
forehead is, of course. for the purpose of
mystifying. In the flowing language Of
the operator, ut assists the circuit of the
magnetic current. " Invariably impress the
subject and the audience with the idea of
a magnetic current. for Il Is astonishing
how much magnetism Il mnn will feel
coursing down his back II he only thinks
II Is there.
In all performances into which decep.
ton enters 1t Is well to give your audience
an erroneous Idea OF how what you are do
ing Is done.
The object in requiring the subject TO
grasp your hand tightly as to have the
muscular tension sufficiently strong 80
that the impulses will be perceptible. An
arm perfectly limp will convey nothing
any more than one perfectly rigid. 1t Is
well to give a nervous tremor TO the hand
for 1t serves both TO make the operation
more mysterious and TO cover up the action
Of the subject. This is only required Of
first before you have started for the OBJ
ject. for to stand still with but few desul-
tory motions till the subject gives you a
pull one way or another would indicate
too plainly who did the reading.
When in position ready for work the
hand and arm of the subject must be
moved here and there a few times rather
quickly, and If the object is somewhere in
the room the subject must be led a few
PAGES in one or two directions. These are
to give the subject O start, and o good OPP
orator need do no more; the subject will
make a bee" line for the object and when
the hand is within a few inches of Il the
operator could not in most cases prevent
the subject from touching II, As the OPP
orator runs the hand up and down the key
board Of q piano, given sudden pulls
this way and that, it will be readily dis
covered that in every direction but the
right one-toward the key thought Of
the subject resists going. 1t requires an
effort to pull the hand way from the
proper key while towards Il the hand
moves readily, hence all that is TO be done
is 10 permit the subject TO point out the
key. In moving about n room or about a
house after something 1t is just the same,
the subject will go willingly towards the
object, but must be forced 10 90 other.
wise.
1t is not every one who can be success.
full the first time trying. 1t requires a lit
tie practice to be able to become entirely
passive, and 1t requires some practice to
recognize and obey the muscular impulses
OF the subject But nine persons out Of
ten tan read minds TO n greater or less ex-
tent after IA few trials If they observe the
necessary conditions. That Is, they can
read them according TO the method here
given. but there are operators so skillful
MS TO almost make one believe thai some
occult influence is at work, even though
one knows better.