Human Physiology. 



of animals. A woman with no conscience, and great powers 

 of seduction, may be more dangerous. 



In the exercise of the mesmeric power the operator wills to 

 use his life-force in a special direction and for a definite 

 purpose. We all magnetise, or influence others unconsciously, 

 but the experienced magnetiser uses his force consciously to 

 quiet pain, to give strength, to produce insensibility, sleep, 

 somnambulic trance, clairvoyance. The life-energy, aura, 

 " fluid," or perhaps vibrations, is thrown off like electric or 

 magnetic " currents" from the fingers, or radiates from the eyes. 

 I have seen this act so powerfully as to produce a local 

 paralysis, and many severe surgical operations have been 

 performed upon patients magnetised into insensibility. The 

 influence upon the mind and emotions is perhaps even more 

 powerful than upon the body. The weak yield to the strong. 

 People are controlled to good or evil. Love is, in a multitude 

 of cases, only a magnetic fascination. 



As every atom of matter has an atmosphere around it, a 

 repulsive force, and a less comprehensible power of attraction, 

 so animals and men have their spheres and forces. We speak 

 of men and women being attractive or repulsive ; and we attri- 

 bute their power of attraction or repulsion to their looks, or 

 manners, or conversation. These may correspond to the effect 

 they produce upon us, but it is not these in many cases, if in 

 any, which are the real forces which draw or repel us. An 

 ugly man or woman may be very attractive and seductive a 

 handsome one may have no charm for us. There is something 

 in either case beyond or interior to any manifestation to our 

 senses. We feel the characters of people more than we judge 

 of them by outward signs. A babe in arms will shrink away 

 from one person, and go eagerly to another, when there is 

 nothing in their looks or actions to justify the choice. There 

 are persons whose mere presence is delightful to us or the 

 reverse, and we can give no reason for our feeling. We feel 



