686 MESMERISM. 



equal accuracy. I cannot forget that a minute portion of semen 

 masculinum, probably far less than a drop, will transmit a 

 father's structure, mental and bodiJy character, in the minutest 

 points, even idiosyncracies of affection from various articles of 

 food and medicine, and from morbid influences, so that the 

 offspring may never take a particular contagious disease or not 

 take it till a certain time of life, just like the father. 



This declaration will excite a smile with almost every body; 

 for, since the report of the French commissioners in 1784-, it has 

 been customary to ascribe all mesmeric phenomena to imagination 

 or deception. But I set no more value upon reports of French 

 commissioners than the reports are worth. I know their reports 

 on Gall's labours (see supra, p. 329. sq.), contradicted by them- 

 selves in their subsequent report on M. Fleuren's experiments; 

 on Le Gallois' experiments, so well opposed by Dr. W. Phillip ; 

 their injustice to Dr. Tiedemann ; and afterwards to Dr. Vimont. 

 I have never yet declared an opinion upon a new truth that I 

 have been obliged to retract. Phrenology has now advanced 

 to its firm establishment ; Human Glanders is universally ad- 

 mitted; Auscultation is invariably practised except by the 

 wretchedly ignorant : Quinine, Prussic acid, Creosote, are now 

 in daily use. I stood abundant ridicule for advocating these, and 

 will now stand more ridicule with the same firmness and the 

 same silent pity y or contempt which I have always felt for my 

 opponents, till I see, as I shall, the truth of mesmerism also 

 admitted and the world forget that it was ever doubted. Ig- 

 norance and party feeling are more unblushing when many are 

 united officially, than when all is left to private and individual 

 discussion. For expressing opinions favourable to mesmerism, 

 two French academicians were expelled, and Mr. Chenevix I 

 heard censured after his death as a fellow of the Royal So- 

 ciety by the President from the chair. The first French com- 

 missioners strangely referred all the effects which they witnessed 

 to imagination, imitation, and touching. Now the influence of 

 touching must have been different from that of imagination, 

 as they employed two distinct words, and therefore all could not 

 have been imagination even in their view. Franklin was so 



y " Rideat me ista dicentem, qui non intelligit ; et ego doleam ridentem me" 

 said St. Austin. Isis revel, vol. i. p. 81. 



