Popular Superstitions, and the Truths Contained Therein With an Account of Mesmerism

always sensorial illusions—The truth of their communications accounted for—Zschokke’s seer-gift described, to show the possibility of direct mental communication—Second-sight—Th...

mental phenomena—Abnormal relation of the mind and nervous system possible—Insanity—Sleep—Essential nature of trance—Its alliance with spasmodic seizures—General characters of t...

divided into those of trance-sleep, and those of trance-waking—Trance-sleep presents three forms; Trance-waking two. The three forms of trance sleep described; viz., death-tranc...

occurrence in the form of catalepsy—Analysis of catalepsy—its three elements: double consciousness, or pure waking-trance; the spasmodic seizure; the new mental powers displayed...

rise to them shown to have been forms of trance brought on by fanatical excitement—The Cevennes—Scenes at the tomb of the Abbé Paris—Revivals in America—The Ecstatica of Caldaro...

Mesmer—The true nature and extent of his discovery—Its applications to medicine and surgery—Various effects produced by mesmeric manipulations—Hysteric seizures—St. Veitz’s danc...

of the phenomena—Od-motions produced by bodies in their most inert state—Analysis of the forces which originate them—Od-motions connected with electrical, magnetic, chemical, cr...

Dear Archy,—As a resource in the solitary evenings of commencing winter, it occurred to me to look into the long-neglected lore of the marvellous, the mystical, the supernatural...

In acknowledging my former letter, you express an eager desire to learn, as you phrase it, “all about Vampyrs, if there ever were such things.” I will not delay satisfying your...

The projected analysis has been crowned with success. The fumes of superstition have been driven off, and the ghosts have been reduced to rational elements. All trace of superna...

TRUE GHOSTS.—The apparitions themselves always sensorial illusions—The truth of their communications accounted for—Zschokke’s Seer-gift described, to show the possibility of dir...

TRANCE.—Distinction of esoneural and exoneural mental phenomena—Abnormal relation of the mind and nervous system possible—Insanity—Sleep—Essential nature of Trance—Its alliance...

TRANCE-SLEEP—The phenomena of trance divided into those of trance-sleep, and those of trance-waking—Trance-sleep presents three forms; trance-waking two. The three forms of tran...

A curious fate somnambulism has had. While other forms of trance have been either rejected as fictions, or converted to the use of superstition, somnambulism with all its wonder...

TRANCE-WAKING.—Instances of its spontaneous occurrence in the form of catalepsy—Analysis of catalepsy—Its three elements: double consciousness, or pure waking-trance; the spasmo...

RELIGIOUS DELUSIONS—The seizures giving rise to them shown to have been forms of trance brought on by fanatical excitement—The Cevennes—Scenes at the tomb of the Abbé Paris—Revi...

MESMERISM.—Use of chloroform—History of Mesmer—The true nature and extent of his discovery—Its applications to medicine and surgery—Various effects produced by mesmeric manipula...

The principal alterations made in “the Letters” for the present edition comprise an expansion of my account of “trances of spontaneous occurrence,” and the introduction of great...

I dedicate the present Letter to the reconsideration of the most knotty points already handled, and to the investigation of a few other questions, the solution of which is not l...

seventh holding the hand of a cataleptic patient, who at that time heard by her fingers only. When Dr. Petetin spoke to the fingers of the first, _i. e._ the most remote, person...

“Qualis ab incepto” shall be the motto of this twelfth letter, the materials of which were undreamt of by me, when some three months ago I remitted the new and corrected edition...

THE SOLUTION.—Examination of the genuineness of the phenomena—Od-motions produced by bodies in their most inert state—Analysis of the forces which originate them—Od-motions conn...

It is an advantage attending a long and patient analysis of, and cautious theorizing upon, a new subject of inquiry, that when fresh facts and principles emerge in it, instead o...