APPENDIX. 735 



duly kept in view, many of the supposed " higher phenomena" of Mesmerism may be 

 accounted for, without regarding the patient on the one hand as possessed of extraordinary 

 powers of divination, or on the other as practising a deception. Thus, hearing in mind 

 that Somnambulism is an acted dream, the course of which is governed by external impres- 

 sions, it is easy to understand how the subject of it may be directed by leading questions to 

 enter buildings which he has never seen, and to describe scenes which he has never wit- 

 nessed, without any intentional deceit. The love of the marvellous so strongly possessed 

 by many of the witnesses of such exhibitions, prompts them to grasp at and to exaggerate 

 the coincidences in all such performances, and to neglect the failures ; and hence reports 

 are given to the public, which, when the real truth of them is known, prove to have been 

 the results of a series of guesses, the correctness of which is in direct relation to the amount 

 of guidance afforded by the questions themselves. In like manner the manifestations of the 

 excitement of the " phrenological organs" seem to depend upon the conveyance of a sug- 

 gestion to the patient, either through his knowledge of their supposed seat, or through the 

 anticipations expressed by the by-standers. Many instances are recorded, in which the 

 intention has been stated of exciting one organ, whilst the finger has been placed upon or 

 pointed at another ; and the resulting manifestation has always been that which would flow 

 from the former. It does not hence follow that intentional deception is being practised by 

 the Somnambulist; since the condition of mind already referred to, causes it to respond to 

 the suggestion which is most strongly conveyed to it. Many of the emotional states are 

 readily excitable, by placing the muscles in the position which naturally expresses them ; 

 thus the combative tendency may be called forth by gently flexing the fingers, so as to 

 double the fist ; a cheerful hilarious mood may be induced by drawing outwards the cor- 

 ners of the mouth as in laughter ; and this may be exchanged for the reverse state of gloom 

 and ill-temper, by drawing the eyebrows downwards and towards each other, as in frown- 

 ing. In like manner, on putting the hand upon the vertex, the Somnambulist draws him- 

 self up, and shows the manifestation of self-esteem ; whilst the depression of the head into 

 the position of humility calls forth the corresponding emotion. Those who have carefully 

 observed the habits of infants and young children, must perceive the accordance of these 

 phenomena with those which continually present themselves at that early period of life, 

 when the condition of the mind is so completely under the government of suggestions re- 

 ceived from without. 



In regard to the alleged powers, which are said to be possessed by many Somnambulists, 

 of reading with the eyes completely covered, or of discerning words enclosed in opaque 

 boxes, the Author need only here express his complete conviction that no case of this de- 

 scription has ever stood the test of a searching investigation. 



The modes in which the Artificial Somnambulism may be induced, are extremely vari- 

 ous. The experiments of Mr. Braid have shown, that one of the most effectual is the con- 

 tinued convergence of the eyes upon a bright object, held at a small distance above and in 

 front of them, and gradually approximated towards them. The mere steady direction of the 

 eyes towards a distant object, in persons who have often practised the former method, fre- 

 quently serves to induce the state. All the phenomena described in the preceding para- 

 graphs, have been witnessed by the Author in individuals thus " hypnotized ;" and he 

 considers that this curious class of observations cannot be better prosecuted than by the em- 

 ployment of that method. He is not yet satisfied that, in the ordinary " Mesmeric " process, 

 any other influence than this is really exerted; but the patient is sent to sleep with the 

 dominant idea that some special influence is exerted by the Mesmerizer, and this idea affects 

 all the subsequent phenomena, producing, for example, in some cases, insensibility to every- 

 thing but what is said by the mesmerizer or by an individual placed by him en rapport with 

 the Somnambulist. It will generally be found, that the degree of this supposed connection, 

 depends upon the notions of it previously formed by the individual Mesmerized. In the 

 hypnotic state, there is an entire absence of any such peculiar influence ; the Somnambulist 

 being equally conscious of what is said or done by every bystander. 



The Author may refer to an Article in the British and Foreign Medical Review for April, " 

 1845, as on the whole expressing (although not written by himself) his opinions upon this 

 curious and interesting subject. 



