190 ROUGH WAYS MADE SMOOTH. 



summit of attention, with no object left, a mere statue 

 of attention, a listening, expectant life ; a perfectly undis- 

 tracted faculty, dreaming of a lessening and lessening mathe- 

 matical point : the end of his mind sharpened away to 

 nothing. What happens? Any sensation that appeals is 

 met by this brilliant attention, and receives its diamond glare ; 

 being perceived with a force of leisure of which our distracted 

 life affords only the rudiments. External influences are 

 sensated, sympathised with, to an extraordinary degree ; 

 harmonious music sways the body into graces the most affect- 

 ing ; discords jars it, as though they would tear it limb from 

 limb. Cold and heat are perceived with similar exaltation ; 

 so also smells and touches. In short, the whole man appears 

 to be given to each perception. The body trembles like down 

 with the wafts of the atmosphere ; the world plays upon it 

 as upon a spiritual instrument finely attuned.' 



This state, which may be called the natural hypnotic 

 state, may be artificially modified. 'The power of sug- 

 gestion over the patient,' says Dr. Garth Wilkinson, ' is 

 excessive. If you say, " What animal is it ? " the patient 

 will tell you it is a lamb, or a rabbit, or any other. " Does 

 he see it?" "Yes." "What animal is it now?" putting 

 depth and gloom into the tone of now, and thereby sug- 

 gesting a difference. " Oh ! " with a shudder, " it is a wolf ! " 

 " What colour is it ? " still glooming the phrase. " Black." 

 " What colour is it now?" giving the now a cheerful air. 

 " Oh ! a beautiful blue ! " (rather an unusual colour for a 

 wolf, I would suggest), spoken with the utmost delight (and 

 no wonder ! especially if the hypnotic subject were a na- 

 turalist). And so you lead the subject through any dreams 

 you please, by variations of questions and of inflections of 

 the voice ! and he sees and feels all as real? 



We have seen how the patient's mind can be influenced 

 by changing the posture of his body. Dr. Wilkinson gives 

 very remarkable evidence on this point. ' Double his fist 

 and pull up his arm, if you dare,' he says, of the subject, 

 * for you will have the strength of your ribs rudely tested. 



