Reverie, Somnambulism, Hypnotism, Sleep. 8 1 1 



all foreboding; as again the smallest expansion (of the skin) in a 

 moment brings the opposite state with a full breathing of delight. Raise 

 the head next and ask, (if it be a }'oung lady) whether she or some other 

 is the prettier, and observe the inexpressible hauteur and the puff sneers 

 let off from the lips which indicate a conclusion too certain to need 

 utterance. Depress the head and repeat the question, and mark the 

 self-abasement with which she now sa} s ' she is, ' as hardly worthy to 

 make the comparison. In this state whatever posture of any passion is 

 induced, the passion comes into it at once and dramatizes the body ac- 

 cordingly. " 



Many various sorts of ideas can be induced by appropriate posturing 

 of the subject. If the hand be raised above the head with the fingers 

 bent upon the palm, the idea of climbing, swinging, or pulling upon- a 

 rope is excited. If the arm hangs down and the fingers are then bent 

 upon the palm, the idea of lifting may be suggested. 



In making suggestions to the subject verbally, much effect may be 

 obtained by the particular tone and stress which the operator puts into 

 his words. Thus if he says, "there is an animal, what is it? " the 

 subject will answer, cow or sheep, etc. , or wolf or bear, etc. , according 

 as the tone of the questioner indicates indifference or seriousness. 



It is evident that in all these performances an extraordinary amount 

 of force is concentrated upon certain tracts of cerebral cells, leaving the 

 rest unstimulated and inactive. It is equally evident that the senses 

 are the avenues through which this force acts upon the cerebral cells. 

 In some of the cases last cited, the avenue was the muscular sense, in 

 others the auditory, &c. No new principles of action are involved over 

 those which govern the waking state. We are never so wide awake, but 

 that some of our cerebral tracts are dull and inactive, and probably 

 never so sound asleep, but that some tract is active or liable to be made 

 so by an incoming stimulus. The principles above will still remain in 

 force after we admit the existence of the psychical or mind-reading 

 sense, for such sense is still an avenue of physical energy like the rest. 

 The concentration of intensity, which in hypnotism is imparted to the 

 cerebral cells, is forwarded from these in motor activities of like propor- 

 tional force and vigor ; so that the physical ability in any direction is 

 greatly increased for the time being. That it is the concentration of 

 force upon a narrow line of action to which this extraordinary power is 

 due, is further shown by the fact that it is developed in cases of great 

 excitement in the ordinary waking state. I once knew a boy at school 

 who was " kept in " by the teacher and ordered to study his lessons. 

 As soon as the teacher left, the boy started to make his escape and was 

 discovered by the teacher, who instantly returned in pursuit, and the 

 boy, stimulated by the excitement, leaped a high tight board fence 



