388 LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC. 



Another experiment made by the same distinguished 

 chemist was attended by still more remarkable results. 

 He was shut up in an air-tight breathing box, having a 

 capacity of about nine and a-half cubic feet, and he allowed 

 himself to be habituated to the excitement of the gas, 

 which was gradually introduced. After having undergone 

 this operation for an hour and a quarter, during which 

 eighty quarts of gas were thrown in, he came out of the 

 box and began to respire twenty quarts of unmingled 

 nitrous oxide. " A thrilling," says he, " extending from 

 the chest to the extremities, was almost immediately pro- 

 duced. I felt a sense of tangible extension, highly plea- 

 surable in every kind, my visible impressions were 

 dazzling, and apparently magnified. I heard distinctly 

 every sound in the room, and was perfectly aware of my 

 situation. By degrees, as the pleasurable sensation in- 

 creased, I lost all connection with external things ; trains 

 of vivid visible images rapidly passed through my mind, 

 and were connected with words in such a manner as to 

 produce perceptions perfectly novel. I existed in a world 

 of newly connected and newly modified ideas. When I 

 was awakened from this same delirious trance by Dr. King- 

 lake, who took the bag from my mouth, indignation and pride 

 were the first feelings produced by the sight of the persons 

 about me. My emotions were enthusiastic and sublime, 

 and for a moment I walked round the room, perfectly 

 regardless of what was said to me. As I recovered my 

 former state of mind, I felt an inclination to communicate 

 the discoveries I had made during the experiment. I 

 endeavoured to recal the ideas ; they were feeble and 

 indistinct. One recollection of terms, however, presented 

 itself, and with the most intense belief and prophetic 

 manner I exclaimed to Dr. Kinglake, ' nothing exists but 

 thoughts ; the universe is composed of impressions, ideas, 

 pleasures, and pains.' " 



