CHAP. xvii. HYPNOTISM AND PSYCJHICAL RESEARCH. 205 



e I have the king/' said he. ' But you know nothing 

 about it, as the trump card is not turned up. 7 ' You will 

 see/ he replied; ' go on.' In fact, I turned up the ace 

 of spades, and his card was the king of spades. The 

 game was continued; he told me the cards which I should 

 play, though my cards were held closely in my hands be- 

 neath the table. To each of the cards I played he fol- 

 lowed suit, without turning up his cards, which were 

 always perfectly in accordance with those I led. I 

 therefore returned from this seance as astonished as one 

 can be, and I am convinced that it is quite impossible 

 that chance, or any superior skill, could produce such 

 wonderful results." (May 16, 1849.) 



JSTow the point which I wish to submit to nry readers 

 is, whether the method of argument and discussion 

 adopted by the most eminent opponents of Animal Mag- 

 netism is either honest, or scientific, or even rational. 

 We do not ask them to accept blindly any of the facts 

 reported, or to refrain from any criticism, however se- 

 vere, which is founded upon a fair consideration of all 

 the available evidence. But in this matter, as I have 

 here shown by a few striking examples, the public mind 

 is influenced by the omission to state the case fairly; by 

 putting forth the weakest instead of the strongest facts 

 and arguments; and by the denial that any good and 

 trustworthy evidence exists. What should we think of 

 the man who discussed any of the disputed questions of 

 recognized science in this way? who either ignorantly or 

 wilfully omitted all reference to the most careful re- 

 searches of the most eminent writers on the subject; and, 

 while professing to instruct and enlighten the public, led 

 them to believe that such researches did not exist? 



