At the first moments of the process of manipulation by the passes already described, these 'little atomies' enter with such rapidity, and in such number, as to jostle each other and produce some disturbance of the heart and brain, evidenced by irregular circulation of the blood and certain nervous symptoms. Still continuing to crowd in, they oppress the brain and choke up the avenues to the senses, and cause, in consequence, the magnetic drowsiness, torpor, and inability to move the limbs, manifested in the somnambulist. After a while, however, when they have all entered and taken their places, and each one is at its post, there is a regular chain established from the epigastrium and other parts of the body to the surface, and thence to the external air, and so on indefinitely, even to the moon. Then begins the state of clairvoyance, or complete lucidness. It is as yet doubtful whether, once in the central and dark parts of the body, they are sufficiently clearsighted to be able to detect, not only all that takes place in their new lodgings, but to see through their casements and tell what is going on out of doors. For ourselves, we do not, in the present state of our knowledge, affirm that they have this power: but once put in regular file, nothing is more easy than that they should be able to communicate to each other, by certain conventional signs, or even a language of their own, the phenomena of the outer world, no matter how great the distance. Now, it has been already said, that they can deceive our senses, and foretell future events; and hence, when a somnambulist says, that she can see through a mill-stone, for example, and tell what her mother is doing a hundred miles off, it is very clear that the little devils are the agents in this matter, themselves seeing and foreseeing everything,—and yet all the while, deceptive spirits as they are, allowing the person of whom they are possessed to suppose that she does these things herself.

We need hardly apprize the intelligent reader that, as recovery from the magnetic sleep and complete somnambulism are procured by counter or reverse passes, these diavolini follow the current from within outwards, and make their egress from the body with even more rapidity than they made their entrance.

So far Burton, in regard to the fact of the existence of the myriads and tenuity of the devils which make up the etherial magnetic fluid, just as the animalculæ make up the deteriorated air in epidemic diseases. We may claim some merit, however, for ourselves, in having raised, on this fact, a theory consistent in all its parts, which serves to explain, as we hope most lucidly, the phenomena of animal magnetism.

It next remains for us to give, on the testimony of the other witnesses, various proofs of the workings of these little gentry, long before animal magnetism as a science was named. We rejoice that on us devolves the task, so grateful to a philosophical mind, of redeeming as it were from oblivion a crowd of isolated facts, which have been recorded by various writers, of marshalling them in order, and of showing how they illustrate and harmonise with a grand principle or law. Rabelais, with his 'Pantagruel' in hand, gives his evidence. We shall content ourselves with a paraphrase of its most important points. One of the officers, named Epistemon, under Pantagruel, in the great battle with the giants, had lost his head. This caput was found after some search, and being well washed and nicely adjusted to the neck from which it had been separated, and the parts anointed with we know not what ointment, and stitched together, it adhered firmly; and Epistemon soon showed signs of life, by breathing, opening his eyes, yawning and sneezing, and in a short time was quite well, if we except a

slight hoarseness and a dry cough. These details are purely surgical, and only serve to elucidate still farther the doctrine of adhesive inflammation. But the magnetic part of the narrative remains to be told. It would seem, although no express mention is made of the fact, that Epistemon was in a state of somnambulism before he lost his head: his epigastric centre, however, remaining, he was enabled to see a great many strange things, of which he gave an account to his companions, after the apposition of his head, and his recovery from the trance into which he had been thrown.

He said that he had seen the devil, had spoken with Lucifer familiarly, and had been very merry in the lower regions, and in the Elysian fields; but in respect to the damned he would like to have seen more of them. Their estate and condition of living are changed after a very strange manner;-for, he continues, "I saw Alexander the Great there mending old stockings, whereby he got but a very poor living; Xerxes was a crier of mustard; Numa, a nailsmith; Sylla, a ferryman; Hannibal, a kettlemaker and seller of eggshells; Dido sold mushrooms; &c. I saw Diogenes there strut it out most pompously, and in great magnificence, with a rich purple gown on him, and a gold sceptre in his right hand. And which is more, he would now and then make Alexander the Great mad, so enormously would he abuse him, when he had not well patched his stockings."

Among other adventures of the great Pantagruel, was that in which he, under magnetic influence we may presume, was the first of his party, then on board of a vessel, to hear strange sounds in the air. These, as it turned out, were the words and cries of men and women, the hacking, slashing, and hewing of battleaxes, the shaking, knocking, and jolting of armours and harnesses, the neighing of horses, and all other martial din and noise, which had been frozen in the air at the beginning of the preceding winter during a bloody combat between the Arimaspians and the Nephelibates. These various voices and sounds, being now thawed in the season of spring, were heard by Pantagruel and his company. Some of them even were found still frozen, which seemed like rough sugar-plums, of many colours, such as those used in heraldry: when they had been warmed between the hands, they melted like snow, and we really heard them, say the narrators, but could not understand them, for it was a barbarous gibberish.

It will, we believe, be admitted that this is, certainly, a new form of embodying speech and sound, and is in advance, on the score of diablery, of any recent somnambulistic display. It ought to furnish a hint to some of our ingenious magnetising folks to the eastward, and suggest an, attempt to pack up in ice a portion of the revelations of their magnetised clairvoyantes, which might be brought out in the ensuing spring, or be sent, as they could then be privately, to the people of the south for their especial behoof and guidance. What an improvement on our present style of entertainments, to have served up at our parties pyramids alternately of ice-cream and of iced speeches including sketches of personal and domestic history, poetry, lover's sighs, and sentimental strains. Surely, we may yet, with proper magnetic faith, believe in the probability of this epoch in social intercourse being reached.

But the strongest instance of a magnetic influence, and which has only been paralleled of late years, in Paris, by the girl who, in a state of somnambulism, whilst drinking water, could persuade herself that she was sipping at one time coffee, at another wine, or chocolate or milk, and so forth, is related on the occasion of Panurge's visit to the temple of the wonderful bottle. We cannot do

better than give the words of the narrator and witness, himself, of the transmutation of fluids:

"Whilst we were admiring this incomparable lamp, and the stupendous structure of the temple, the venerable priestess Bacbuc, and her attendants, came to us with jolly smiling looks; and seeing us duly accoutred, without the least difficulty, took us into the middle of the temple, where, just under the aforesaid lamp, was the fine fantastic fountain. She then ordered some cups, goblets, and talboys of gold, silver and crystal to be brought, and kindly invited us to drink of the liquor that sprung there, which we readily did for, to say the truth, this fantastic fountain was very inviting, and its materials and workmanship more precious, rare and admirable, than anything Plato ever dreamt of in limbo."

We pass over the minute description of this fountain to reach the account of the kind offer of the priestess, and the effects which were manifested when Panurge and his friends drank of the water :

"Bacbuc asked us then how we liked our tiff. We answered that it seemed to us good, harmless, sober Adam's liquor, fit to keep a man in the right way, and, in a word, mere element; more cool and clear than Argyrontes in Etolia, Peneus in Thessaly, Axius in Mygdonia, or Cydnus in Cilicia, a tempting sight of whose cool silver stream caused Alexander to prefer the short-lived pleasures of bathing himself in it, to the inconveniences which he could not but foresee would attend so ill-timed an action."

Mark now what followed the expression of opinion on the part of travellers, that the liquid which they had drunk was mere water. Bacbuc, after asking them whether their throats were lined, paved or enamelled, that they could have missed the taste, relish and flavour of this divine liquor, turns round to her attendant gentlewoman, and tells her bring the scrubbing-brushes, to scrape, rake, cleanse and clear their palates. Here we find a distinct mention of the process then in vogue for magnetising. The passes were made with what is here figuratively called brushes, but which in fact consisted in hams, neat's tongues, &c., taken into the mouth and swallowed, and with, as we shall see, the same wonderful effect as that witnessed in modern somnambulism. After the preparatory process was over, the priestess says:

"Thus drinking of this miraculous liquor, you'll find its taste like any wine that you shall fancy to drink. Come then,' she continues, 'fancy and drink.' We did so; and Panurge had no sooner whipped off his brimmer, but he cried, by Noah's open ship, 'tis vin de Baulne, better than ever was yet tipped over tongue. On the faith of true lanterners,' quoth friar John, 'tis gallant sparkling Greek wine.' It seems to me Mirevaux wine,' said Pantagruel, 'for before I drank I supposed it to be such. Nothing can be misliked in it, but that it is cold, colder, I say, than the very ice.'

shall

"Drink once, twice, or thrice more,' said Bacbuc, still changing your imagi nation, and you shall find its taste and flavour to be exactly that on which you have pitched.

But for the well-known good faith and experimental philosophy so evident in the magnetisers of the day, one would be tempted to believe that M. Chapelain, or his interesting somnambulist, Miss Clarissa, had been reading an account of the fantastic fountain' in Rabelais, just before the scene in which the transmutation of liquids was enacted by this young lady and her magnetising chief. When the water, magnetised with the intention of its tasting like wine, milk, &c., was handed to her, she said: this has the colour of wine, and when I drink it, the taste also, because you will it so,-though I know very well that it is only water! Michel Montaigne having handed his Essays' into court, appears next on the witness stand. His grave and yet chearful aspect and easy carriage removed

a certain feeling of mistrust in the minds of the court which had been caused by the satirical expression of countenance and laughing eye of the former witness:

How many improbable things there are, begins this witness, testified to by persons worthy of credit, which if we do not believe, we must at least suspend our judgment on. And again, it is both dangerous in fact as well as hazardous to ourselves, to despise what we do not understand; for, when by our boasted understanding we have established the limits of truth and falsehood, we subsequently discover that we have to believe things still stranger than those which we denied to have any foundation. This caution against unreasonable scepticism being premised, and it seems to have been uttered in anticipation of the necessity of recourse to it by our modern magnetisers, Montaigne elsewhere narrates, from his own observation and the recorded experience of others, cases and circumstances as strange as some of those which constitute the wonders of 'self-penetration' and the lucid state."

It has been alleged, that the magnetiser, whilst, by a strong effort of the will, and giving his whole energies to the task, he imparts fresh life and extraordinary powers to the subject of his operations, yet at the same time undergoes, himself, fatigue and exhaustion.

Wonderfully illustrative, and indeed in direct enforcement of this phenomenon, is the remark of a celebrated physician, Simon Thomas by name, to Montaigne, then a young man in the prime and vigour of life. Old Monsieur le docteur Thomas, who was consumptive, said that he delighted to look on the fresh complexion and full face of Montaigne. "I have no doubt," he continued, "that if my eyes were allowed to luxuriate at the sight, and my mind to be occupied with the idea of such a spectacle, so as to be saturated as it were with your youth, that I should be in much better health." But, said Montaigne, in his narrative, using the language of a true magnetiser, the doctor forgot to add how much my health would suffer during this feast of his imagination. We can readily trust to the exercise of this faculty in our readers, for them to suppose a great variety of cases in which this sympathetic exchange is brought about. The fact recorded, in sacred writ, of David in his old age taking a young damsel to cherish and revivify him, does not stand alone. When May is wedded to January, she cannot hope to retain her roseate bloom, her wreathed smiles, and pulse's rapid play.

Cases are recorded by Montaigne, after Celsus and others, in which the bodies of persons have become breathless and insensible; the mind, the while, being in a state of ecstasy, ready to tell, it should have been added, both the past and the future, provided there had been a due display of magnetic power. To this last, although the details are not given, must we attribute the singular and sudden change recorded of a certain Cippus, king of Italy, no matter at what time, or of what portion of the peninsula, who after dreaming through the night about bull-fights, at which he had been present and displayed a lively interest on the preceding day, found himself, on awaking in the morning, with two goodly sized horns projecting from his forehead. We can hazard little in supposing that this cornute king had, in his sleep, unconsciously made numerous passes across his head. More whimsical still were the effects of a passe made by a girl in jumping too high, which displayed themselves in a change of sex. This girl-man was pointed out to Montaigne in one of his journeys. The escape of the female opera dancers from such transformations is probably due to the reverse or counter passes by which

the effect of the direct ones is counteracted. But we profess our inability to decide so nice a point as this; and must refer its solution to Doctors Filassier, Foissac, and company, aided by the directors of the opera and maitres de ballet. Knowing, as we do, on good magnetic authority, M. Rostan, for example, that the looks and expression of countenance of the magnetiser powerfully contribute to the effects produced, we can the less hesitate to give credence to what is told of certain women in Scythia who, when excited and angry with a person, could destroy him by a single glance. Nor need we go so far back to be convinced of the power of woman's eye, whether lighted up by love or anger. Turtles and ostriches, as the story goes, hatch their eggs by merely looking at them. This may be denied by some matter-of-fact naturalists; but when a man has a subject before him which sets every day facts, and common sense, and the severest logic at defiance, such obstacles as these are soon gotten over.

More directly to the point, and in proof of the sanatory power of animal magnetism in former times, is the case recorded by the present witness (Montaigne), of one of the princes of the blood royal of France, who was crippled with the gout, but who, happily, consented to submit to a process (certain words and gestures) performed by a magnetiser of that day. The result was, that in a few hours he was able to walk about freely.

Miguel de Cervantes with Don Quixote' in hand—his right of course, for his left was lost at the battle of Lepanto-now presented himself. Questions had been prepared to be put to this witness respecting his knowledge of charms and conjurations, as they were called in his time, derived from a residence, while a prisoner among the Moors. But these were waived, on its being suggested by the court that, probably, all desirable proof of the matter could be obtained by reference to the adventures of the hero of La Mancha, which were on record, and the authorship of which was distinctly proved to belong to the witness.

Don Quixote was an instance of complete magnetisation, saturated as he was with these little devils, which, as we have already seen, can represent castles in the air, palaces, armies, spectres, prodigies, &c., and deceive all the senses. This somnambulist errant saw and lived in a world of his own, far beyond the ken of his fellow mortals, who, in excuse for their own blindness and opacity, ridiculed and opposed his clairvoyance and the object and scope of his adventures. It was his misfortune to live in an age in which superstition was rife enough, but yet in which the time for establishing magnetic relations had passed, and had not yet been revived, as it now happily is. He was unfortunate, also, in his squire Sancho, who was a rude and robustious unbeliever,—a fellow all stomach and no nerves. Surcharged as the Don was with the magnetic fluid, he could not have failed to penetrate others with it,-had he, with the indomitable will which he possessed, been endowed with corresponding physical force. In the failure of his passes before his dulcinea, we recognize the counteracting agencies of her own good health, of mountain air, and of the garlic which she had been eating a short time before. Besides this, the magnetic value of the intensity of his own gaze, when kneeling before her, was rendered nearly null by the arch leer of his faithless squire near him. It is doubtful, indeed, whether the greatest masters of the art now living could resist successfully these untoward influences. Certain it is, that they are careful, either to withhold them, or to make their experiments under very opposite circumstances from those on which Don Quixote op rated.

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