2ESCULAPIUS. 525 



straction, the personal ego pushed to nonentity. The unit 

 of Mesmerism is the common state of the patient, caught as 

 he stands, and subjected to the radiant ideas of another per- 

 son : it is mediate ; or both personal and impersonal. Neither 

 sleep nor hypnotism can exist in the presence of a second per- 

 son, without partaking more or less of Mesmerism. The sleep 

 brain is fluid, the hypnotic brain movable-pointed, and the 

 Mesmeric brain elastic. Sleep =influx ; hypnotism = efflux ; 

 Mesmerism = afflux."* This is as crystalline as mud, and must 

 be clear even to the uninitiated and unlettered ; transparent 

 and glorious as the splendors of an October morning, the 

 "ideas sticking out like asses' ears." Consummation; "the 

 virtue of hypnotism, where it succeeds, is just this, that for 

 the moment, it unweeds the human soil so completely, that 

 whatever faith is impressed, can work and grow." 



Some faiths will grow in almost any soil, weeded or un- 

 weeded, and work too ; but most faiths grow best where 

 there are most weeds. But wherever it does grow, it is a 

 good thing, and may cure. Thus, hypnotism, by pushing 

 the personal ego to nonentity, may work and grow, and thus 

 cure and save by faith. 



What is the scientific solution of the phenomena of ap- 

 parent curing by nostrums, quacks, and delusions in general ? 



Various forms of revelation of the optimism or overflow- 

 ing goodness of Nature have been made to divers inspired 

 souls ; and to all men in whom perception is at all awake it 

 must be apparent, that a good principle, a conquering energy 

 of benevolence and love, a constantly-acting recuperative 

 power predominates in the order of things. "The universe 

 is a system of divine ends, organizing and executing itself, 

 under the influence of divine love, directed by divine wis- 

 dom." All created beings dwell in the full exuberance of this 

 boundless nature, this overwhelming goodness, this unspeak- 

 able beauty, live, move, and have their being in the bosom 

 of an infinite intelligence, held tenderly in the lap of an in- 

 finite love. Like little children, drawing life and strength 



* Wilkin 



