which a magnet was being drawn; luminous emanations from the poles of a magnet in the dark, in some cases even in full daylight; or the attraction of a magnet or crystal held within reach of the hand,-for that expectancy to be fully realised. And, conversely, the same sensations were equally produced when the subjects of them were led to believe that the same agency was being employed, although nothing whatever was really done; the same flames being seen when the magnet was concealed by shutting it in a box, or even when it was carried out of the room, without the knowledge of the subject; and the attraction of the magnet for the hand being entirely governed by the idea previously suggested, positive or negative results being thus obtained with either pole, as Mr. Braid might direct.

I had myself the opportunity of witnessing these 'vigilant phenɔmena' (as Mr. Braid termed them, from their being presented by individuals not asleep, though in a state of abstraction) upon one of Mr. Braid's best 'subjects,' a gentleman residing in Manchester, well known for his high intellectual culture, great general ability, and strict probity. He had such a remarkable power of voluntary abstraction, as to be able at any time to induce in himself a state akin to profound Reverie (corresponding to what has been since most inappropriately called the 'biological'), in which he became so completely 'possessed' by any idea strongly enforced upon him, that his whole state of feeling and action was dominated by it. Thus it was sufficient for him to place his hand upon the table, and fix his attention

upon it for half a minute, to be entirely unable to withdraw it, if assured in a determined tone that he could not do so. When his gaze had been steadily directed for a short time to the poles of a magnet, he could be brought to see flames issuing from them, of any form or colour that Mr. Braid chose to name. And when desired to place his hand upon one of the poles, and to fix his attention for a brief period upon it, the peremptory assurance that he could not detach it was sufficient to hold it there with such tenacity, that I saw Mr. Braid drag him round the room by the traction of the magnet which he held, in a way that reminded me of George Cruikshank's amusing illustration of the German fairy story of the Golden Goose. The attraction was dissolved by Mr. Braid's loud cheery All right, man,' which brought the subject back to his normal condition, as suddenly as the attraction of a powerful Electro-magnet for a heavy mass of iron ceases when the circuit is broken.

ELECTRO-BIOLOGY.

Similar experiments to the foregoing (which I first witnessed about thirty years ago) have been since repeated, over and over again, upon great numbers of persons, in whom a corresponding state can be induced by prolonged fixation of the vision on a small object held in the hand. It was in the year 1850 that a new manifestation of the supposed 'occult' power first attracted public attention, through the exhibition of it by a couple of itinerant Americans, who styled

themselves 'professors' of a new art which they termed Electro-Biology; asserting that by an influence of which the secret was only known to themselves, but which was partially derived from a little disk of zinc or copper held in the hand of the 'subject' and steadily gazed on by him, they could subjugate the most determined will, paralyse the strongest muscles, pervert the evidence of the senses, destroy the memory of even the most familiar things or of the most recent occurrences, induce obedience to any command, or make the individual believe himself transformed into anyone else; all this, and much more, being done while he was still wide awake. They soon attracted large assemblages to witness their performances; and seldom failed to elicit some of the most remarkable phenomena from entire strangers to them, whose honesty could not be reasonably called in question. In place of a few peculiarly susceptible' subjects' not always to be met with, and open to suspicion on various grounds, those who took up this practice found in almost every circle some individuals in whom the 'biological' state could be self-induced by the steady direction of their eyes to one point, at the ordinary reading distance, for a period usually varying from about five to twenty minutes; a much shorter time generally sufficing in cases in which the practice has been frequently repeated. In this condition, the whole course of thought is directed by external suggestions, the subject's own control over it being altogether suspended. Yet he differs from the somnambulist in being awake; that is, he has generally the

use of all his senses, and usually, though not always, preserves a distinct recollection of all that has taken place. There is, in fact, a gradational transition from the 'biological' to the 'mesmeric' state; just as there is a passage from the state of profound reverie or 'day-dreaming' to that of ordinary sleep. All its strange phenomena are referrible to one simple principle-the possession of the mind by a dominant idea, from which, however absurd it may be, the subject' cannot free himself by bringing it to the test of actual experience, because the suspension of his self-directing power prevents him from correcting his ideational state by comparing it with external realities; this suspension being often as complete as it is in dreaming, so that, though the senses are awake, they cannot be turned to account. But it may exist in regard to one sense only, the impressions made on others being truly represented to the mind. Thus I have seen instances in which a 'biologised' subject could be made to believe himself to be tasting anything which the operator might assure him that he would taste—such as milk, coffee, wine, or porter-when drinking a glass of pure water, though he was instantly disabused by looking at the liquid; whilst another would see milk or coffee, wine or porter, as he was directed, but would instantly set himself right when he tasted the liquid. Nothing can be more instructive than to experiment upon a subject who has no misgivings of this kind, but whose perceptions are altogether under the direction of the ideas impressed upon him. He may be made to exhibit all the manifestations of

delight which would be called forth by the viands or liquors of which he may be most fond; and these may be turned in a moment into expressions of the strongest disgust, by simply giving the word which shall (ideally) change it into something he detests. Or if, when he believes himself to be drinking a cup of tea or coffee, he be made to believe that it is very hot, nothing will induce him to take more than a sip at a time; yet a moment afterwards he will be ready to swallow the whole in gulps, if assured that the liquid is quite cool. Tell him, again, that his seat is growing hot under him, and that he will not be able to remain long upon it, and he will fidget uneasily for some time, and at last start up with all the indications of having found the heat no longer bearable. Whilst he is firmly grasping a stick in his hand, let him be assured that it will burn him if he continue to hold it, or that it is becoming so heavy that he can no longer sustain it; and he will presently drop it with gestures conformable in each case to the idea.

It may, of course, be said that what I have presented to you as real phenomena are only simulated; and as there would be nothing difficult in such simulation, the supposition is clearly admissible. But they are so perfectly conformable to the known principles of Mental action, that there is no justification for the suspicion of deceit, when they are presented by persons in whose good faith we have reasonable grounds of confidence. For everyone must be conscious of occasional mistakes as to what he supposes himself to have seen or heard, which he can trace to