The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-02

would be wise to keep him In school In view
of the existing need Of his peculiar services.
As for CoNLEE, the evidence against him 10
imperfect, and It is likely enough that he
also should be allowed to stay In school,
though doubtless he would rather go fish
ing. But there can be no question about
the remaining person In the case. Plainly,
GIBB CURRY In q hypnotist to be feared.
Perhaps the hypnotic state is not a Patio
logical condition. At any rate, II 1t is, 10
does not appear to DO feared or even recog-
nized hereabouts. It is never mentioned
In tho formidable tabulations Of the Board
of Health. Nobody is warned to look Dub
for It. Nobody does look out for 1t. 1t IL
not known to the police. Probably no
New York policeman has ever been urgently
and vehemently called upon by anybody for
protection against a hypnotist. Here, OIL
cially, hypnotism Is no moro recognized
than Theosophy or the enriching enterprise
founded upon the device to convert sun
shine into c~ucumbers, The Importance Of
q thing is not always to be gagged by the
amount Of talk there is about 1t. If 1t were,
Mr.. HALL GAINES novels, now that some
other novelists who used to be as distin-
guished as he is have retired excessively
into the realm of mere memory, would be
the greatest things on earth. Theosophy
has made q good deal of noise for a number
of years, but there has never been occasion
to call out the police to regulate the hosts
Of followers Of Col. OLoorr and the late
Mrs. B~LAvATsKY. Enthusiasm is permit
ted to have its fling here, and the police
never attempt to interfere with surging
gatherings OF w or three. In a New York
street car 1t is not to hear q
request to have the door shut preferred
politely but earnestly by somebody suffer-
ing from cold feet; but nobody seems to be
afraid Of hypnotism, and the germs of 1t
have never been officially attacked either
by edict or with chlorides.
Perhaps we in New York are not partic-
ularly well fitted to foresee new and strange
dangers. Hypnotism is new and strange,
Notwithstanding that 1t cut some early
figure in the times and experience Of DR..
MEsMER and Prof. CAGLIosTRo. Very
likely 1t will always be new Inc strange.
Be that as it may, the more one reflects
upon the fact of GLIB CURRY the moro is
one impressed by the slight interval that
separates US from the unknown, the men.
aoing. and the terrible.
The question Is, Is there no sharp lesson
for us in this incident at Oshkosh9 If we
have not put up our umbrellas or worn our
overshoes hitherto, would 1t not be we'll to
put them up and assume them nowg OF
course, we speak fguratively. As we have
intimated, it may be that our best pro-
lection Is to be sought in other means. 1t
is possible that to have ourselves put in
plaster would be to provide the only sort Of
defensive decentralization at which GIBB
CURRY would halt.
In time Of peace prepare for war is an ad-
monition Of acknowledged wisdom. Doubt
less the bacillus of hypnotism is an insid-
ious N almost indiscoyerable enemy (who
ever heard of the FLINTs before q, and it
would be q rhetorical solecism to ask to
lave trained upon it our heaviest uns
But ought not something to be done, some
deterring agency employed overshoes, UNI.
brellas, kiosks, the common EXPLANATIONS
directed against encroaching fowls-any.
thing that might be efficaciousR We see at
present merely a diminutive cloud, what
might be called q Juvenile cloud, displayed
upon the heaven of distant and once happy
Oshkosh. If nothing comes of it, IL it goes
away, well and good. But II 1t does not go
away2 II it does exactly the contrary9 II
it expands and looms in an unmistakable
approach hitherward, taking On the dread
form of GLIB CURRY and making hypnotic
passes in the airf What then2