Nineteenth century miracles, or, Spirits and their work in every country of the earth : a complete historical compendium of the great movement known as "modern spiritualism" . most absorbing attention. Mesmer seems to have been aware that sleep-waking intelligence wasnot unfrequently a result of animal magnetism, but he affirmed this statewas full of danger, and he not only steadily discountenanced the practice ofdeepening the magnetic sleep into waking trance, but he bitterly opposedthe new sect formed by Puysegur, and disclaimed all alliance with hisfollowers. It might have been partly as th
Nineteenth century miracles, or, Spirits and their work in every country of the earth : a complete historical compendium of the great movement known as "modern spiritualism" . most absorbing attention. Mesmer seems to have been aware that sleep-waking intelligence wasnot unfrequently a result of animal magnetism, but he affirmed this statewas full of danger, and he not only steadily discountenanced the practice ofdeepening the magnetic sleep into waking trance, but he bitterly opposedthe new sect formed by Puysegur, and disclaimed all alliance with hisfollowers. It might have been partly as the result of this feud, and partly in con-temptible subservience to the opinions of the French savants, that the nameof Mesmer, was for a time almost tabooed from the literature of the subject,and it became fashionable to speak of, and investigate the wonders ofSomnambulism, but carefully to avoid all allusion to the unpopulartheme of animal magnetism. Time, the immutable touchstone of truth, has at length rendered justiceto all sides of this vexed question. Puysegur, Barberini, Kerner, Cahagnet,Dupotet, Deleuze, and all who have written on, or experimented with these 1. ^r^^:::^:^. Mesmer NINETEENTH CENTURY MIRACLES. 13 wondrous occult life forces, have each had their day, commanded the ficklemind of the populace for the time being, and aided in compelling the worldto acknowledge the facts which were being daily enacted. Even the verdict of the French Academy has done a work for truth, byproving the incapacity of stereotyped associations to deal with matters out-side the groov^es laid down for their own action. In the mean time, therival claims of Mesmers various followers, have all been merged in thevalue of the great fundamental discovery of a demonstrable vital force, andthe possibility of its utilization and transfer, as originally proved by other name takes rank—where it justly belongs—as secondary tohis. Animal magnetism, and all the marvels which follow
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecad, booksubjectspiritualism, bookyear1884
