THE PHENOMENA, &C. 



people around ray tree, filled with confidence and delight, pouring forth 

 prayers for my welfare, you will, I am persuaded, experience the highest 

 satisfaction. LE MARQUIS DE PUYSEGUR. 



Another extract. The Marquis continues to syeak of Victor, the 

 extraordinary patient, whom he mentions in his last letter: 



IV. 



It is with this simple peasant, a tall, robust man, twenty-three years old, 

 at present in a state of weakness, caused by indisposition, or rather by af- 

 fliction, and on that very account more easily susceptible of being moved by 

 nalure's agent it is through this man, I say, that I receive instruction. 

 When he is in a magnetic state he is no longer a silly peasant, scarcely able 

 to express himself in common language, but he becomes a being I am quite 

 unable to describe. There is no necessity for my speaking to him ; I 

 think in his presence, and he comprehends and answers me. Should any 

 one enter his room he sees him, if such be my will ; he speaks to him, and 

 says what I wish him to say, not always in the way I dictate to him, but in 

 the way that truth requires. You will easily understand that this poor man 



is penetrated with gratitude for the attentions paid to him by Madame P , 



and by me ; he would not venture to express his feelings when in his usual 

 state, but the moment he enters into a magnetic crisis, his mind becomes ex- 

 panded ; he then wishes that his very interior might be seen, and it would 

 become manifest how much gratitude he feels towards his benefactors. We 

 are absolutely moved to tears on hearing the voice of nature expressing 

 itself with candour : it affords me such infinite pleasure that I frequently 

 leave him in that state longer, perhaps, than is necessary for the benefit of 

 his health. 



In order not to tire your patience, you must know that this poor man has 

 a cause of great vexation, in consequence of the ill-treatment he experiences 

 from a sister at whose house he is residing, and who wishes to get possession 

 of a sum of money bequeathed to him by his mother. This woman is the vilest 

 creature in the country, and she teazes him from morn till night. I have 

 learnt all these particulars from himself, without his recollecting any thing 

 about the circumstance. I endeavoured to offer him consolation, by promis- 

 ing to attend to his affairs, and to do every thing in my power to prevent him 

 suffering from his sister's injustice. This morning a woman came in just as 

 I had commenced magnetizing him : I wished him to know that the woman 

 was present, and that she entertained a feeling of friendship towards him. 

 He then addressed her : " Good morning, Angelique ; may I ask you to do 

 me a favour?" "With great pleasure." (I requested this woman to 

 answer him just as she would have done, if he had been in his natural state). 

 " The Marquis," continued Victor, " has been extremely kind to me, he 

 visits me, and takes care of my health ; he must know that I am suffering ; 

 under great affliction and I trust that he will relieve me. Do you know, 

 Angelique, that my sister is the cause of all my misery ?" " Only take 

 patience, and every thing will be settled in a comfortable manner." " Now, 

 I wish you to deliver something to the Marquis ; will you undertake to place 

 it in his hands ? I should never think of taking so great a liberty myself." 

 " What is it?" "You will find in the cupboard, in such a drawer, a bundle 

 of papers of such a shape ; it is a lease of this house, which my mother gave 

 to me a short time before her death, in order to reward me for the care I 

 had taken of her in her old age." Angelique having looked in the cupboard 

 finds the document mentioned, and showing it to Victor, asks him if that is 

 what he wishes to give me (you must remark that his eyes continued closed 

 during this conversation, and I took care to keep him in the crisis in order 

 not to fatigue his eyes), he replied, " That is the parchment ;" he then par- 



