The lirst to give a rcalh^ scientific direction to the investigation of appearances of this class was Mr. Braid, a surgfon in ^Manchester, who detaclies them altogether from the semblance of power exerted by one individual over another, or by metallic disks or magnets, and traces the wliole to the brain of the subject, acted on by surj- f/estion, a principle long known to psychologists, though never yet made so prominent as it ought to be. The subject has been ably handled in a paper in the Quai- terly Review for September, 1853 (said to be by Dr. Car- penter). The reviewer traces tlic operation of this principle through the most ordinary actions, which no one thinks wonderful, up to the most miraculous of the so-called " spiritual" manifestations. Ideas become as- sociated in our minds bj' habit or otherwise, and one being awakened brings on another, thus forming a train of thought; this is internal suggestion. Hut impressions from without originate and modify those trains, consti- tuting external suggestion. While awake and in a nor- mal condition, the vill interferes with and directs these trains of thought, selecting some ideas to be dwelt upon, and comparing tlicm with others and with present im- pressions. A comparative inactivity of this selecting and comparing faculty, leaving the flow of ideas to its spontaneous activity, produces the state of mind called 7-everie or abstraction. In dreaming and somnambulism, the will and judgment seem completely suspended ; and under internal suggestions the mind becomes a mere automaton, while external suggestions, if they act at all, act as ujion a machine. These are well-known facts of the human constitution, and iude])cndent of mesmerism, though their bearing upon it is obvious. Another fact of like bearing is the effect of concentrated attention on any object of thought in intensifying the impression rc- oeiveiL This may proceed so far, in morbid states of the nervous system, that an idea or revived sensation assumes the vividness of a present impression, and over- powers the evidence of tlie senses. Ideas thus become dominant, overriding the impressions of the outer world, and carrying themselves out into action independently
of the will, and even trilhoul the consciousness of the in- dividual. These dominant ideas play a greater part in human actions and beliefs than most are aware of. "Expectant attention" acts powerfully on the bodily organs, and often makes the individual see and hear what l)e expects to see and hear, and, without his con- sciousness, moves his muscles to bring it about. These, too, are recognised facts in the sciences of physiology and psychology. See Carpenter's Human I'hijsiology and Dr. Holland's Chapters on Menial I'hijsioloffy.
In the Illustrations of Modern Mesmerism, trom Per- sonal Observation, published by Dr. (the late Sir John) Forbes in 1845, we have in small compass a complete exposure of the pretended clairvoyant powers of some of the most notorious persons of this class. In the pref- ace he states that he only professes, by a simple narra- tive of facts, to illustrate the actual pretensions and per- formances of the mesmerists of the present day, and to show on what sandy foundations the popular belief in their marvels rests. He exjiresscs the modest hope that what is contained in this little book may teach a useful lesson to those nuinerous unscientific persons who are ac- customed to attend mesmeric exhibitions, public or pri- vate, from motives of rational curiosity, or with the com- mendable object of investigating what seem to be impor- tant truths. He believes that such persons must now feel convinced that no reliance whatever is to be placed on the results presented at such exhibitions as evinc- ing the truth and powers of mesmerism. He found that it was impossible for the ordinary visitor at these exhibitions to discriminate the true from the false, and that the coarsest juggling might pass with the trusting spectator, seated at a distance from the scene of action, for mysterious and awful truths. ]\Icsmerism or clair- voyance may be true or false, and he professes fo be ready to believe them on obtaining suflicicnt proof of their reality. If, however, we find the most eminent, and apparentU' the most trustworthy of the clair^'oy- ants, not only uniformly unsuccessful when the neces- sary precautions are taken to test their powers, but act- uall}- detected, and confessing with shame that they have been guilty of the grossest imposture and deceit — where are we to look for the means of establishing the truths of this mysterious science? If we were to be- lieve a fiftieth part of the pretensions put forth in the works and lectures of professional mesmerists, it would be the easiest matter in the world to carry off the prizes offered to any one who coiUd read writing contained in an envelope so secured that it could not be read in the ordinary way. If it is an easy matter to see what is going on in the arctic regions, it cannot surely be diffi- cult to sec what is contained in a deal-box. In July, 1830, M. I5ourdin, a member of the French academy of science and medicine, as one of a commission of that celebrated body, appointed to inquire into the merits of clairvoyance, made the following offer to the mesmer- ists : '• I5ring us a person magnetized or not magnetized, asleep or awake; let that jierson read with the eyes open, through an opaque substance, such as tissue of cotton, linen, or silk, placed at six inches from the face, or re.id even through a simple sheet of paper, and that person shall have 3(J()0 francs." A'o candidate appeared. {Iiull.de I'Acad. iii, 1 r23.) If such a power as seeing in any other way than by the organ of vi>ion really existed, as w.ts vaunted to be possessed by so many per- sons both before the prize was offered and since, surely some one of the clairvoyants woidd have come forward and establislicd a just claim to the prize, but, as none appeared, we may conclude with safety that both then and now no such marvellous power exists or is developed in the human constitution.