MESMERISM. 689 



by mesmerised persons in the state of sleep-waking who had 

 never seen them before, but who were placed in relation with 

 the patients by putting their hands in contact with them. The 

 details are most interesting, and, in at least all particulars to 

 which my own experience extends, I have no doubt most faithful. 

 The report is signed by MM. Bourdois de le Motte, Fouquier, 

 Gueneau de Mussy, Guersent, Husson, Itard, J. J. Leroux, Marc, 

 and Thillaye. 



After translating this report, Mr. Colquhoun refers to some 

 cases of mesmeric sleep-waking in which it is said that the 

 surface of the body acquired a new power of sensation ; some 

 related by M. Tardy de Montravel a of the recognition of ob- 

 jects of sight by the epigastrium even at some distance ; one 

 by Dr. Gmelin b ; one of a Scotchman named Macgill, a servant 

 of a Russian ambassador, who resolved the man's cure should 

 be attempted by mesmerism, and describes all the phenomena 

 himself ; one of an epileptic boy at Jena, magnetised by Pro- 

 fessor KieseH, with the effect of producing various nervous 

 symptoms, coma, convulsions, chorea, tetanus, and at length 

 perfect sleep-waking, in which, though the eye appeared quite 

 blind, objects of sight were recognised by his toes, fingers, 

 elbows, shoulders, abdominal and facial surface, chin, and point 

 of the nose. Similar cases without end are recorded in works on 

 mesmerism. 6 



Traitement Magnfrique de la, Dem. N. vol. i. 



Material fur die Anthrop. vol. ii. 



Biblioth. du Magn. Animal, vol. iii. p. 126. 



Archivfur den thierischen Magnetismus, vol. iii. No. 2. 



The work of Mr. Colquhoun is meritorious in a literary point of view 

 for the industry and ardour employed in it, and for the total disregard of the 

 laughter of the ignorant and prejudiced world at large, and of the contempt 

 of men who, eminent in one department of science, consider themselves autho- 

 rities in matters which they have never studied. It is valuable also for the 

 translation of the French Report, which had never been published and was 

 merely lithographed and distributed among the members of the Academy. But 

 I fear it is calculated to do far more harm than good from its displaying en- 

 thusiasm, and an inordinate love of the marvellous, whether true or false, in- 

 stead of knowledge and judgment. It contains an Appendix, entitled, A New 

 Theory of Physics, which any one acquainted with physics will perceive to be 

 replete with mistatements and illogical inferences. Phrenology he abhors, 

 and displays the grossest ignorance of it, making statements totally at variance 



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