The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-30
DU MAuRIER
And Mesmerlsm : He and Mos
eheles Deeply Interested.
STORY OF THEIR FIRST MEETING
Many Sea dee, were Given Daring Their
Eariystudsnt Days In PnrlS-An IIpsF-
imsntsr who Got into Predleamsnt
ana HAD 10 be Helped ont.

ana AANA ~ ~ AANA ~ NN-N%
Felix Moscheles, the artist. writes for
the May Century a paper entitled IN
Bohemia with Du Maurier: Recollee-
lions OF Artist Life in the Fiftles." This
is accompanied by seventeen sketches
and several letters and poems by Du
Maurier. Mr. Moscheles writes as fol-
lows:
Mesmerism-or. as the fashion Of to-
day call II. hypnotlsm-f formed 80 fire.
quent a topic OF conversation between
Du Maurier and me that It takes
very prominent place In my recollec-
lions. In Paris ] had opportunities OF
attending some most interesting Sc
ances, in consequence Of which soon
proceeded to investigate the mesmeric
phenomena on my own account, NOW
have not touched the fluid for some
thirty years; ] swore on because It
was taking too much out Of me; but
look back with pleasure on my early
eGperim may say--tor
/ was fortunate enough to come across
sevral exceptional subjects. Du Maui
rier was particularly interested in one
OF these-Virginie Mersaudon-and had
O way Of putting puzzllng questions
concerning her faculties and my mes
merle influence. Virglnie was femme
de menage OF the true Partisan type,
a devoted, elderly creature, who per-
formed the duties Of charwoman and
housekeeper.
/ was not yet eighteen when ] flrst
went to Paris 20 study under my cousin,
the eminent painter, Henri Lehman.
At his studio I found Vlrginie installed
as the presiding genius OF the estab-
llshmenl, using In turn broom or tub,
needle, grill or frying pan, as occasion
might require. The wide range OF her
powers ! further extended by making
a truly remarkable mesmerlc subject
of her. My debut In Paris was that
of the somewhat bewildered foreigner,
speaking but very indifferent French,
and she had from the first done what
she could TO make me. feel at home in
the strange city, treating me with truly
motherly care and devotion. How
completely she took possession OF me
is shown by passage she wrote when
was Ill in Leipslc, where had gone
on visit to my parents. After eX-
pressing her anxiety and her regret
at not being there to nurse me, she
emphatically says: "Je rends madame
votre mere responsible de votre sante."
It needed but little to lead her on from
state Of docile and genial dependence
to one of unconscious mesmerlc subjec-
ton; and so, few passes shaping her
course, willed her across the boundary
line that separates US from the UNI
known-a line which, thanks 10 science,
Is daily being extended. Nine. Mer-
saudon was herself an incorrlgible dis
believer in the phenomena of mesmer-
ism. but as a subject her faculties were
such as to surprise and convert many
a scoffer.
At the seances, 10 which I invited
my friends and a few scientific out
siders, always courted the fullest in
yestigation, taking 1t as the first duty
OF the mesmerlzer to show cause why
he should not be put down as q char
latan. So we had tests and counter
tests, evidence and counter-evldence
there were doctors to feel the pulse
and TO scr1tlnize the riBldity OF the
muscles, experts to PROFOUND scientific
ifs" and butts" and wiseacres gen.
orally to put spokes in the wheel OF
progress, as IL their playful way when
ever they find that wheel in motion.
It was doubly satisfactory, then, that
the good faith OF subject and mesmerlst
could be conclusively proved.
OEG VI tuehE 6GhuGSb leu u u AukllGE
amusing incident. One night I was
awakened from first slumber by n
sharp ring at my bell, and when, after
some parleying, / opened the door
found myself confronted by two per-
sons. One recognized as an inquirer"
who had been brought TO my rooms
some time before; the other was a lad
I had not seen before. The inquirer,
ascertained, having Carefully watched
my modus operandi on the occasion of
his visit, had next tried experiments
of his own. In this instance he had
succeeded in mesmerlElng lad, but
had found It impossible to recall him
to his normal condition. so, securing
him by leather strap fastened round
his waist, he led him through the streets
OF Paris TO my rooms. There we both
tried our powers upon him, the result
being very unsatisfactory. The youth.
feeling himself freed from one operator
and not subjected by the other, refused
allegiance TO either, and being Of n pug
naclous temperament, squared up and
began striking al both Of US. II was
not without considerable difficulty that
1 mesmeriZed him completely, and then,
| having previously prepared his mind TO
account naturally for his presence In
my rooms, / succeeded In awakening
him, and all ended happily. The gins
quirer was duly grateful, the youth
went home strapless and none the worse
for the adventure, and proceeded to
do some very sound sleeping on my
| own account. 20
Moscheles thus describes his first
meeting with Du Maurier: SO
We first met at Antwerp. IN the ciass-
rooms Of the famous academy. was
painting and blnRuing, us one paints
and blagueH in the storm nnd-stTess
period OF ones artistic development.
| Il had been my good fortune 10 begin
my studies in Paris, where, in the Ate
Her Gleyre, had cultivated the essen
TALLY French art OF chatting. known by
the name of ia plague parislen1e,"
and was now able to give my less
lively Flemish friends and fellow-stu-
dents the full benefit OF my experience.
Many pleasant recollectlons bound me
10 Paris, 30 when heard one day that
n "noveau" had arrived straight from
my old Ateller Gleyre was not little
impatient TO make his Rcqualntance,
The newcomer was bu Maurjcr. I
sought him out, and, taking II for
granted that he.was n FrenChman, I
addressed him in French. We were
soon engaged in lively conversation,
asking and answering questions about
comrades In Paris. and sorting the
threads that associated us both with
the same place. did you know I'm
nomme Poyntcr?" he asked. eXquisitely
Frenchlfyng the name for my benefit
mentally translated this into equally
exquisite English, my version natur-
ally being "a man called Poynter."
Later on IN American came up, with
whom exchanged few words in his
md my native tongue What the
deuce arc you? EnglIsh?" broke IN