obtained had proved decidedly beneficial, and that the interest of mankind at large, as well as the advancement of science, required the continuation of those experiments.

They had no idea of the possibility of a refusal; but, to their extreme surprise, on the 10th of December, they received the following letter:

"To Dr. BOURDOIS DE LA MOTTE, Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine, and President of the Committee on Magnetism. "SIR,-The Board of Directors of the public hospitals of Paris took cognizance, at their last meeting, of the letter written by the members of the committee of which you are the President, and concerning some experiments on Magnetism undertaken without authorization in the hospital La Charité.

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They carefully weighed the motives which dictated your letter, but they persisted in their determination not to allow experiments in the establishments under their control, on a kind of treatment which long since has been the cause of discussions among scientific men.

"In requesting me to transmit to you this decision, the Board of Directors invited me to express their regret for refusing to second the views of the enlightened physicians who compose your committee.

"Very respectfully, etc.
(Signed)

"VALDRUCHE."

In America, the land emphatically denominated the "patria" of Liberty,-instead of finding support against an odious despotism, will scientific liberty alone meet with oppression? Will the trustees of the public institutions of this country imitate the deplorable fanaticism which blinded the members of the Board of Directors of the hospitals of Paris? At Rome, in the land where a short time ago it was not permitted to teach publicly that it is the

earth which revolves, and not the sun, we can easily conceive how a cardinal OPPIZONI prohibited the practice of Psycodunamy; but here, where many important and useful discoveries have received in their practical application a development so creditable to American enterprise and genius, will Psycodunamy alone be an exception, and be allowed still to remain in the hands of the despicable tribe of wonder-mongers? Will not persons distinguished for their rank in life, for their literary attainments, and for their reputation as medical men, divesting themselves of absurd prejudices, take it under their protection? Will they not form among themselves a society, whose transactions shall be conducted upon a plan that will avoid every chance of fraud, and set forth in all its splendor the truth which will one day confer on mankind at large the most valuable benefits?

Such is my ardent wish; such is my most sanguine expectation. It is the hope of seeing the dawn of the day when the rays of that light shall begin to shine, that induces me to remain in this my adopted country, where, perhaps, I shall reap the glory of having contributed my mite towards so fortunate an event.

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CHAPTER VI.

PSYCODUNAMY IN ENGLAND.

TOWARDS the end of 1785, Mesmer visited England; but he met there with rather a cold reception. Except Lord Stanhope, whom he convinced of the importance of his doctrine, and who very hospitably received the German doctor, it may be truly said that he was considered there, by everybody, as a mere charlatan. Hence he made but a short stay among the English.

One of the pupils of Mesmer, or rather of Dr. d'Eslon, Dr. de Maineduc, had been in England before Mesmer himself. He lectured there, and practised according to the principles of his masters, with enough success to realize £100,000 at Bristol, from the year 1778 to 1798, when he published a work in a quarto volume, in which he modified the doctrine of Mesmer, and made it still more obscure and incomprehensible. He found many opposers, particularly among the members of the clergy, who accused him of blasphemy for asserting that his practice had been taught by our Saviour.

At the same time, Perkins, a surgeon practising in London, invented and obtained a patent for his metallic tractors; these were strong pieces of steel strongly magnetized, which were applied over the affected part, and gently moved about, touching the skin. Gout, rheumatism, palsy, and many other diseases, were cured by these tractors. Among the persons who publicly vouched for the truth of the wonderful cures, were eight university professors, four being professors of medicine; twenty clergymen, ten being doctors in divinity; thirty-six medical men, nineteen being M. D.'s. The tractors, however, cost five guineas

a pair, and consequently were beyond the means of the poor; and as Perkins was a Quaker, this sect subscribed a large sum and built the Perkinean Institute, in which all comers were operated upon free of cost. But the correctness of the remark of Mesmer, that the magnet was not the cause of the success, was soon demonstrated by Dr. Haggarth, of Bath, and his friend, Mr. Richard Smith, of Bristol. They tried publicly upon five hospital patients, some tractors made of wood, painted and shaped so as exactly to resemble the real ones. Four of those patients were affected with chronic rheumatism in the ankle, knee, wrists, and hip. The fifth had chronic gout. All were considerably and instantly relieved: one of them, who was previously unable to stir, felt his knee much warmer, and immediately walked across the room. The following day the real metallic tractors were applied with results precisely similar.

Since De Maineduc, the only work published on the same subject is by Mr. Baldwin, ex-consul of England at Alexandria, in Egypt.

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"When I returned to England," says he, in his preface, "I spoke to some friends of my resolution to publish the effects I had produced by using the means taught by Mesmer and D'Eslon. But all of them endeavored to deter me from it. 'You will expose yourself,' said they, to public derision. There is in England a prejudice so strongly pronounced against this doctrine, that you will find it impossible to overcome it.' I feigned to yield to that advice, and remained, to all appearances, as indifferent or incredulous on this important discovery as any of the learned men of my country. But, in fact, I sought for the secret reason of not only their repugnance, but even the sort of fear that they entertained of that practice. I think I found it out, and this gives me the courage of submitting to the whole world the examination of this great truth." He speaks no more

on the subject, and leaves to the sagacity of his readers to guess at the cause. His endeavors to reconcile Psycodunamy with the Holy Scriptures, prove that he was afraid to give offence to the Church of England.

From 1801 to 1825, I have been unable to follow the progress of our subject in the three kingdoms. It is certain, however, that some persons were devoting their time to the Psycodunamic practice, for, in the first volume of the "Hermes," (p. 358,) I find the following fact, which, on account of its being an instance of a somnambulist curing another person, I think proper to relate in full.

"In 1825, Mr. Grandchamp, a dunamiser of some renown in London, was attending on Miss G***, who, during her long Psycodunamic treatment, exhibited the most striking phenomena of somnambulism. One day, being in that state, she rose suddenly from her seat, and ran into the next room, where several patients were assembled. She went to a young girl who had just arrived in a distressing situation she touched in succession the parts where the pains were more acute; excited a considerable perspiration; and advised the patient to go to bed, and not to fail to come again on the next day, warning her that indeed she would suffer much for thirty-six hours, but at the end of that time she would be perfectly cured.

"The next day, at twelve o'clock, Miss G***, being in somnambulism, manifested great uneasiness, agitation, and impatience. What is the matter, Miss?' inquired her dunamiser. This girl of yesterday feels now excruciating pains; she cannot come, I must go there; my action will save her.'-' How can we, Miss? we know neither her name nor her residence.'—'O, sir! I will go; I shall find her out.' The astonishment of the bystanders, among whom was his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, was greatly excited; they were all of opinion that it was best to let Miss G*** do as she pleased.