Letters on Mesmerism |
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Common terms and phrases
affections afterwards age to age appears asked Athenæum beautiful become believers in Mesmerism benevolent blessing bule cause clairvoyance clear countenance cure day of judgment declared deep disease doubt DOVER STREET dropsies EDWARD MOXON eyes facts faculties faith fear feel felt gentlemen give hands HARRIET MARTINEAU hear heard hour human ideas ignorant inquirers insight intel itinerant knew knowledge and power large number laudanum light lucidity ma'am MAGNÉTISME ANIMAL maid manifestations means ment merist mesmeric experiments mesmeric influence mesmeric power mesmeric sleep Mesmerist minutes moral mysteries nerves never night object observation occasion opiates ordinary pain patient person phenomena philosophical Phrenology power of body powers of nature practice of Mesmerism present rapport reason replied séance seems sick silent sisters of charity somnambule soul suffering supposition sympathy tell testimony theory things thought tion trance true TYNEMOUTH wait waking watch week witnessed wonder wreck
Popular passages
Page 9 - I rang for my maid, and asked whether she had any objection to attempt what she saw Mr. Hall do the day before. With the greatest alacrity she complied. Within one minute the twilight and phosphoric lights appeared ; and in two or three more, a delicious sensation of ease spread through me, — a cool comfort, before which all pain and distress gave way, oozing out, as it were, at the soles of my feet. During that hour, and almost the whole evening, I could no more help exclaiming with pleasure than...
Page 8 - I feared to move my eyes, lest the singular appearance should vanish, and I cried out, ' O ! deepen it ! deepen it !' supposing this the precursor of the sleep. It could not be deepened, however ; and when I glanced aside from the luminous point, I found that I need not fear the return of objects to their ordinary appearance. While the passes were continued, the busts reappeared, ghost-like, in the dim atmosphere, like faint shadows, except that their outlines and the parts in the highest relief,...
Page 12 - Under her hands the visual appearances and other immediate " sensations were much the same as before ; but the experience " of recovery was more rapid. I can describe it only by saying, " that I felt as if my life were fed from day to day. The vital " force infused or induced was as clear and certain as the strength " given by food to those who are faint from hunger. I am careful " to avoid theorizing at present on a subject which has not yet " furnished me with a sufficiency of facts ; but it can...
Page 6 - I have not yet re-entered upon the " hurry and bustle of the world. The case is thus not complete " enough for a professional statement. But, as I am aware of no " ailment, and am restored to the full enjoyment of active days " and nights of rest, to the full use of my powers of body and
Page 10 - ... composure of nerve and spirits has followed upon every mesmeric exhilaration. I have been spared all the weaknesses of convalescence, and carried through all the usually formidable enterprises of return from deep disease to health with a steadiness and tranquillity astonishing to all witnesses. At this time, before venturing to speak of my health as established, I believe myself more firm in nerve, more calm and steady in mind and spirits, than at any time of my life before. So much, in consideration...
Page 3 - I never felt wholly at case for one single hour. I seldom had severe pain ; but never entire comfort. A besetting sickness, almost disabling me from taking food for two years, brought me very low ; and, together with other evils, it confined me to a condition of almost entire stillness, — to a life passed between my bed and my sofa.
Page 18 - ... which leads on our race to knowledge and power, any new blessing of healing arises, it is little to one who enjoys it what disputes are caused among observers To him, the privilege is clear and substantial. Physically, having been diseased, he is now well. Intellectually, having been blind, he now sees. For the wisest this is enough. And for those of a somewhat lower order, who have a restless craving for human sympathy in their recovered relish of life, there is almost a certainty that somewhere...
Page 4 - ... to the highest practicable point. This was no surprise to me; for when any specific medicine is taken for above two years without affecting the disease, there is no more ground for hope in reason than in feeling. In June last, I suffered more than usual, and new measures of alleviation were- resorted to. As to all the essential points of the disease, I was never lower than immediately before I made trial of Mesmerism. " If, at any time during my illness, I had been asked, with serious purpose,...
Page 9 - ... and distress gave way, oozing out, as it were, at the soles of my feet. During that hour, and almost the whole evening, I could no more help exclaiming with pleasure than a person in torture crying out with pain. I became hungry, and ate with relish, for the first time for five years. There was no heat, oppression, or sickness during the seance, nor any disorder afterwards. During the whole evening, instead of the lazy hot ease of opiates, under which pain is felt to lie in wait, I experienced...
Page 44 - ... phénomènes, uniquement parce qu'ils sont inexplicables dans l'état actuel de nos connaissances. Seulement, nous devons les examiner avec une attention d'autant plus scrupuleuse qu'il...