182 GLIMPSES OF NATURE. 



as a nation, we are to permit ourselves to be hypnotised, 

 will only be thoroughly settled by our first of all un- 

 derstanding what hypnotism is, and what it professes 

 to do in the way of curing disease. 



I made the remark that the mesmerist or hypnotiser 

 could only be successful where there existed intellectual 

 sensitiveness on the part of his subjects. My words 

 were : " It is impossible to hypnotise every one ; and, 

 as far as my experience of it goes, only in the case 

 of the intellectually sensitive shall I add weak ? 

 can hypnotism hope to secure its most characteristic 

 effects." Dr. Bramwell and Mr. Lloyd Best, referring 

 in the New Review to these words, state that Beau n is, 

 a Continental authority, is " of the opinion that every 

 one is more or less susceptible to hypnotic influence." 

 They add that their own experience seems to confirm 

 the views of Beaunis. 



Now, one fact is worth many theories, and I main- 

 tain fearlessly that both Dr. Bramwell and Beaunis 

 are in error. For, personally, although I have been 

 many times tried by different hypnotisers, I have not 

 been in the least degree affected. Again, I know 

 others who -are in a similar position to myself. They 

 have not been mesmerised after repeated trials. Dis- 

 sected out, Beaunis's statement, as recorded by Dr. 

 Bramwell, is that every one is " more or less susceptible 

 to hypnotic influence." This is a relative statement, 

 after all. It includes comparative degrees, from success 

 to the zero-point ; and it does not logically, therefore, 

 mean all its authors might evidently be regarded as 

 implying. 



To allege that everybody can be hypnotised is a 

 rash assertion, and nothing more. For, to be true, it 

 must include a full knowledge of every human being's 



