On Popular Illufions. 97 



that Dr. Mefmer's opinions were chiefly bor- 

 rowed fronm the exploded hypothefis of Van 

 Helmont, he drew a fufficienc concourfe of pati- 

 ents to his houfe, to attract the attention of 

 government. A committee of perfons, well 

 known by their philofophical publications, was 

 appointed to examine the merits of this pre- 

 ter ied difcovery, and their inquiries, which it 

 is unneceflary to repeat in this place, as they 

 may be found in all the periodical publications*, 

 terminated in this conclufion, " that animal 

 magnetifm is a mere chimaera." In fad;, what- 

 ever may have been the operator's opinion, it is 

 evident that the patients were afted upon by the 

 force of imagination alone, which, however, pro- 

 duced very violent effefts, evidently hyfterical 

 in the female patients, whom the commiflioners 

 obferved to be more generally affefted than thofe 

 of the other fex. When the practice was no 

 longer permitted in Paris, it found fhelter in the 

 capital of this country, where, though the opera- 

 tions are fomewhat varied, fadls are not wanting 

 to prove that the principle is ftill the fame. 



The preffure of human evils fubjefls the mind 

 to furprizing adls of weaknefs, in its attempts to 

 procure confolation or relief: perhaps the moft re- 

 markable of thefe is that confidence, fo frequently 

 repofed, for the cure of difeafes, in the natural 



• Particularly a very diftinft abridg. in the Europ, 

 Mag. for Nov. 1784. 

 Vol. III. H virtues 



