522 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



comedy, let us consider for a moment the interpretation of it and 

 the lesson it teaches. It was not, I think, always and in all its 

 stages wholly an imposture, although generally it was. Two at 

 least of the subjects, Mervel and Marguerite, and, I think, per- 

 haps Clarice, were pronounced hysterics and thoroughly trained 

 hypnotics ; they mingled pathological conditions and an artificial- 

 ly induced state of partial automatism with their abundant frauds. 

 They were at once, as Voltaire puts it, speaking of like impostors, 

 " duped and dupers, deceived and deceivers/' Jeanne and Vix ap- 

 peared to me from first to last to be acting a part with full con- 

 sciousness of all their frauds. They were, moreover, anxious to 

 accomplish them to my satisfaction, and in such a way, as they 

 both openly stated, to procure from me what Jeanne called " a 

 reclame " and Vix " the favor of my recommendation." After I 

 was gone, Jeanne, the " professor of languages," and " sincere sub- 

 ject " of Dr. Luys's lectures, sent after me the following letter, 

 which I think too interesting a document not to put upon record. 

 I omit the address and the final paragraph, but I preserve the origi- 

 nal spelling : 



Monsieur le Docteur — Ayant eu l'honneur Samedie dernier de servir de Snjet 

 a uoe Seance d'hypnotisin cliez vous, Monsieur le Docteur, j'espere que vous vou- 

 drez bien m'excuser, Monsieur le Docteur, la liberte que je prends de vous ftiire 

 parvenir une petite nomenclature— des experiences et des phenomenes — que Mr. 

 le Dr. Luys obtien, depuis bien tot 7 ans, sur moi. 



1. On obtien sur moi tres far ilemert — 

 Les trois etats classiques, 

 Letbargie, Oatalepsie, Somnainbulisme. 



En Lethargie 

 Anestesie complete. 

 Tous les differents effects et contracture — au contacte — des differents 



Metaux. 

 Les Contractures Neuro-Musculaires. 

 Le jeu du Diaphragm. 



En Catalepsie 



Pri?e du regard — le point fixe — autometisme — les attitudes — Effets des 



Couleurs. 

 Suggestions par gestes. 

 Effets des Aimants. 

 Cessation du battement du poux. 

 Raideur cadaverique. 



Somnarnbulisme 



Tous les pbenomenes de l'hjperestesie de la peau. 



Les attractions. 



Effects de medicaments a distance. 



Suggestion— instantanee et a 6cbeance. 



Changement de personalis. 



Mneumonie. 



