694 



SLEEP. 



steadily traverse narrow planks, and even 

 clamber precipices ; and this with far less 

 hesitation than they would do in the waking 

 state. The fact seems to be, that they are 

 utterly unconscious of the danger they are 

 incurring ; and that the whole attention 

 being fixed without any distraction upon the 

 indications of the muscular sense, the requi- 

 site movements are performed under its 

 guidance with steadiness and certainty. So, 

 again, it is well known that somnambulists 

 will write with their usual degree of neatness 

 and regularity, when prompted to do so 

 either by their own train of thought, or by 

 some suggestion from without; and this, 

 when it is perfectly certain that they cannot 

 see. We have ourselves witnessed this in 

 hypnotic experiments on two individuals, and 

 made quite sure that vision could not be 

 affording any assistance, by holding a large 

 book between the eyes and hand of the 

 writer. Not only were the lines well written, 

 and at the proper distances, but the z's were 

 dotted and the fs crossed ; and in one instance, 

 the writter went back half a line to make a 

 correction, crossing off a word, and writing 

 another above it, with as much correctness 

 as if he had been guided by vision. The 

 guidance of the muscular sense in this case 

 may be compared to that which we ourselves 

 receive from it, when ascending or descend- 

 ing a pair of stairs, or traversing a passage, to 

 which we have previously been accustomed, 

 in the dark ; we know when we have come 

 to the end, without having counted our steps, 

 or in any way observed our progress, simply 

 by the information we receive through the 

 muscular sense. To the suspension, com- 

 plete or partial, of the activity of one or more 

 of the organs of sense, which may occur spon- 

 taneously, or may be induced by calling off the 

 attention from it, reference has already been 

 made. 



The next point to be noticed is the readiness 

 with which the train of thought may be guided, 

 during the state of somnambulism, by the 

 principle of suggestion. This is more, perhaps, 

 the case in artificial or induced than in natural 

 somnambulism ; for in the latter there is fre- 

 quently, as already pointed out, some domi* 

 nant idea or set of ideas, from which the 

 attention of the somnambulist cannot easily 

 be distracted. In the former, the mind is 

 like a weathercock, without the least fixity or 

 self-control, but liable to be turned in any 

 direction by the impressions to which it is 

 subjected. It is one of the most curious and 

 important of Mr. Braid's discoveries, that the 

 suggestions conveyed through the muscular 

 sense are among the most potent of any in 

 determining the current of thought. Let the 

 face, body, or limbs be brought into the atti- 

 tude expressive of any particular feeling, or 

 into a condition at all corresponding with 

 that in which they would be placed for the 

 performance of any voluntary action, and the 

 corresponding mental state is at once called 

 up. Thus, if the hand be placed upon the 

 vertex, the somnambulist will frequently, of 



his own accord, draw his body up to its fullest 

 height, and throw his head slightly back ; his 

 countenance then assumes an expression of 

 the most lofty pride, and his whole mind is 

 obviously possessed by the feeling. Where 

 the first action does not of itself call forth the 

 rest, it is sufficient to straighten the legs and 

 spine, and to throw the head somewhat back, 

 to arouse the feeling and the corresponding 

 expression to its full intensity. During the 

 most complete domination of this emotion, 

 let the head be bent forward, and the body 

 and limbs gently flexed; and the most pro- 

 found humility then takes its place. So, 

 again, if the angles of the mouth be gently 

 separated from one another, as in laughter, a 

 hilarious disposition is immediately generated ; 

 and this may be immediately made to give 

 place to moroseness, by drawing the eyebrows 

 towards each other and downwards upon the 

 nose, as in frowning. Not only have we 

 witnessed all these effects repeatedly pro- 

 duced upon numerous " hypnotised " sub- 

 jects, but we have been assured by a most 

 intelligent friend who has paid special atten- 

 tion to the psychological part of this enquiry, 

 that having subjected himself to Mr. Braid's 

 manipulations, and been only partially thrown 

 into the " hypnotic " state, he distinctly re- 

 members everything that was done, and can 

 retrace the uncontrollable effect upon his 

 state of mind which was produced by this 

 management of his muscular apparatus. 



So, again, not merely emotional states but 

 definite ideas are thus excitable. Thus, if 

 the hand be raised above the head, and the 

 fingers are flexed upon the palm, the idea of 

 climbing, swinging, or pulling at a rope is 

 called up ; if, on the other hand, the fingers 

 are flexed when the arm is hanging down at 

 the side, the idea excited is that of lifting 

 a weight ; and if the same be done when the 

 arm is advanced forwards in the position of 

 striking a blow, the idea of fighting is at once 

 aroused, and the somnambulist is very apt to 

 put it into immediate execution. On one 

 occasion on which we witnessed this result, a 

 violent blow was struck, which chanced to 

 alight upon a second somnambulist within 

 reach ; his combativeness being thereby ex- 

 cited, the two closed, and began to belabour 

 one another with such energy, that they were 

 with difficulty separated. Although their pas- 

 sions were at the moment so strongly excited, 

 that even when separated they continued to 

 utter furious denunciations against each other, 

 yet a little discreet manipulation of their 

 muscles soon calmed them, and put them into 

 perfect good humour. The power of the 

 operator, in regulating the state of mind of 

 such somnambulists, is almost unlimited ; and 

 surpasses the credibility of those who do not 

 discern the very simple principle on which it 

 is exercised. The facility with which parti- 

 cular feelings or ideas may thus be excited, 

 will of course be dependent in part on the 

 previous character and habits of the somnam- 

 bulist. 



Again, a very uncommon degree of power 



