Anotherverystrangenotionofthepowerandcapabilitiesofmagnetismwasentertainedatthesametime。Itwasbelievedthatasympatheticalphabetcouldbemadeontheflesh，bymeansofwhichpersonscouldcorrespondwitheachother，andcommunicatealltheirideaswiththerapidityofvolition，althoughthousandsofmilesapart。Fromthearmsoftwopersonsapieceoffleshwascut，andmutuallytransplanted，whilestillwarmandbleeding。Thepiecesoseveredgrewtothenewarmonwhichitwasplaced；butstillretainedsocloseasympathywithitsnativelimb，thatitsoldpossessorwasalwayssensibleofanyinjurydonetoit。Uponthesetransplantedpiecesweretattooedthelettersofthealphabet；sothat，whenacommunicationwastobemade，eitherofthepersons，thoughthewideAtlanticrolledbetweenthem，hadonlytoprickhisarmwithamagneticneedle，andstraightwayhisfriendreceivedintimationthatthetelegraphwasatwork。Whateverletterheprickedonhisownarmpainedthesameletteronthearmofhiscorrespondent。[“ForeignQuarterlyReview，“vol。xii。p。417。]Whoknowsbutthissystem，ifithadreceivedproperencouragement，mightnothaverenderedthePost-Officeunnecessary，andevenobviatedmuchofthenecessityforrailroads？Letmodernmagnetiserstryandbringittoperfection。Itisnotmorepreposterousthanmanyoftheirpresentnotions；and，ifcarriedintoeffect，withtheimprovementofsomestenographicalexpedientfordiminishingthenumberofpunctures，wouldbemuchmoreusefulthantheirplanofcausingpersonstoreadwiththeirgreattoes，[Wirth’s“TheoriedesSomnambulismes，“p。79。]orseeing，withtheireyesshut，intootherpeople’sbodies，andcountingthenumberofarteriestherein。[“ReportoftheAcademicRoyaledeMedicine，“——
caseofMademoiselleCelineSauvage，p。186。]
ContemporarywithSirKenelmDigby，wasthenolessfamousMr。
ValentineGreatrakswho，withoutmentioningmagnetism，orlayingclaimtoanytheory，practiseduponhimselfandothersadeceptionmuchmoreakintotheanimalmagnetismofthepresentday，thanthemineralmagnetismitwasthensomuchthefashiontostudy。HewasthesonofanIrishgentleman，ofgoodeducationandproperty，inthecountyofCork。Hefell，atanearlyage，intoasortofmelancholyderangement。
Aftersometime，hehadanimpulse，orstrangepersuasioninhismind，whichcontinuedtopresentitself，whetherheweresleepingorwaking，thatGodhadgivenhimthepowerofcuringtheking’sevil。Hementionedthispersuasiontohiswife，whoverycandidlytoldhimthathewasafool！Hewasnotquitesureofthis，notwithstandingthehighauthorityfromwhichitcame，anddeterminedtomaketrialofthepowerthatwasinhim。Afewdaysafterwards，hewenttooneWilliamMaher，ofSaltersbridge，intheparishofLismore，whowasgrievouslyafflictedwiththeking’sevilinhiseyes，cheek，andthroat。Uponthisman，whowasofabundantfaith，helaidhishands，strokedhim，andprayedfervently。Hehadthesatisfactiontoseehimhealconsiderablyinthecourseofafewdays；and，finally，withtheaidofotherremedies，tobequitecured。Thissuccessencouragedhiminthebeliefthathehadadivinemission。Dayafterdayhehadfurtherimpulsesfromonhigh，thathewascalledupontocuretheaguealso。