mescal: a new artificial paradise. 547 



which then seemed to fall into harmony with it, and any sudden change 

 in the character of the music would blur the visions, as though clouds 

 passed between them and me. The chief object of the tests was to 

 ascertain how far a desire on the composer's part to suggest definite 

 imagery would affect my visions. In about half the cases there was 

 no resemblance, in the other half there was a distinct resemblance, 

 which was sometimes very remarkable. This was especially the case 

 with Schumann's music, for example, with his Waldsceuen and Kin- 

 derscenen; thus "The Prophet Bird" called up vividly a sense of 

 atmosphere and of brilliant feathery bird-like forms passing to and fro, 

 "A Flower Piece" provoked constant and persistent images of vegeta- 

 tion, while "Scheherazade" produced an effect of floating white rai- 

 ment, covered by glittering spangles and jewels. In every case my 

 description was, of course, given before I knew the name of the piece. 

 I do not pretend that this single series of experiments proves much, 

 but it would certainly be worth while to follow up this indication and 

 to ascertain if any light is hereby thrown on the power of a composer to 

 suggest definite imagery, or the power of a listener to perceive it. 



It would be out of place here to discuss the obscure question as 

 to the underlying mechanism by which mescal exerts its magic 

 powers. It is clear from the foregoing descriptions that mescal 

 intoxication may be described as chiefly a saturnalia of the specific 

 senses, and, above all, an orgy of vision. It reveals an optical fairy- 

 land, where all the senses now and again join the play, but the mind 

 itself remains a self-possessed spectator. Mescal intoxication thus 

 differs from the other artificial paradises which drugs procure. Under 

 the influence of alcohol, for instance, as in normal dreaming, the intel- 

 lect is impaired, although there may be a consciousness of unusual 

 brilliance; hasheesh, again, produces an uncontrollable tendency to 

 movement and bathes its victim in a sea of emotion. The mescal 

 drinker remains calm and collected amid the sensory turmoil around 

 him; his judgment is as clear as in the normal state; he falls into no 

 oriental condition of vague and voluptuous reverie. The reason why 

 mescal is of all this class of drugs the most purely intellectual in its 

 appeal is evidently because it affects mainly the most intellectual of 

 the senses. On this ground it is not probable that its use will easily 

 develop into a habit. Moreover, unlike most other intoxicants, it seems 

 to have no special affinity for a disordered and unbalanced nervous 

 system; on the contrary, ii demands organic soundness and good 

 health for the complete manifestation of its virtues.^ Further, unlike 

 the other chief substances to which it may be compared, mescal does 

 not wholly carry us away from the actual world, or plunge us into 

 oblivion; a large part of its charm lies in the halo of beauty which it 



'It 18 true, as many persons do not need to be reminded, that iu neurasthenia and 

 states of overfatigue, symptoms closely resembling the slight and earlier phenomena 

 of mescal intoxication are not uncommon ; but in such cases there is rarely any sense of 

 well-being and enjoyment. 



