8 4 
A New Theory of Trance , 
[January, 
then, like dreams and all mental operations, whether coherent 
or incoherent, have their seat in some part of the brain ; 
and, according to this hypothesis, their existence, their 
coherency, and their extreme activity, are all explained. 
Ninthly, — That this hypothesis accounts for the relation of 
trance to its admitted predisposing and exciting causes. 
By this hypothesis any influence that tends to overthrow 
the cerebral equilibrium, to disturb the balance of innerva- 
tion, would be likely to be a cause of trance : experience 
shows that this is actually the case. 
The predisposing, like the exciting, causes of trance are 
both physical and psychical. 
One is physically predisposed to trance, says our author, who 
inherits or has acquired a nervous system generally sensitive 
and impressible. One is psychically predisposed to trance 
who is mentally unbalanced through excessive and dispro- 
portionate endowment of imagination and emotion. One 
who is powerfully developed in reasoning and thinking 
qualities, and is badly deficient in observing, practical facul- 
ties is so far forth predisposed to the intellectual form of 
trance. The best subjects are those who are predisposed 
both physically and psychically, who have sensitive organi- 
sations, and unbalanced, ill-trained minds. 
Trance is not, however, as many suppose, the peculiar 
gift of certain temperaments. It is the property of the 
human race. All persons are liable to become entranced, 
just as they are liable to become paralysed or epileptic, al- 
though all do not suffer in this way. All persons are not 
predisposed to the same form of this disorder ; one can 
only be entranced through the intellect, another through 
the emotions ; one person can only be frightened into this 
state ; one needs the presence of a medium, another of a 
mind reader, another of a clairvoyant, and another of a 
mesmeriser ; another of a magnetised letter, and another 
still of one who performs miracles of healing by the laying 
on of hands. Mr. Grimes, who has had much experience 
with the mesmeric trance, and who is accustomed to direCt 
his subjects to stand still with closed eyes and folded hands, 
as a means of exciting the emotion of reverence, says that 
he failed with every one out of forty military officers at 
West Point, while just across the river, among the opera- 
tives, the same process was very successful.* This is easy 
* Mr. Grimes has recently published a work entitled “ Mysteries of the 
Head and Heart,” the latter portion of which especially is commended to the 
attention of those who are interested in these themes. Mr. Grimes is, says Dr. 
Beard, almost the only writer on trance who has had sufficient originality and 
