Sucharethemiserableshiftstowhicherrorreducesitsvotaries！
WhileDupotetthusconvenientlyforbearstodwellupontheunfavourabledecisionofthecommitteeof1837，letushearhowhedilatesuponthefavourablereportofthepreviouscommitteeof1835，andhowhepraisesthejudgmentandtheimpartialityofitsmembers。
“TheAcademieRoyaledeMedicine，“sayshe，“putuponrecordclearandauthenticatedevidenceinfavourofAnimalMagnetism。TheComissionersdetailedcircumstantiallythefactswhichtheywitnessed，andthemethodstheyadoptedtodetecteverypossiblesourceofdeception。
ManyoftheCommissioners，whentheyenteredontheinvestigation，werenotonlyunfavourabletomagnetism，butavowedlyunbelievers；sothattheirevidenceinanycourtofjusticewouldbeesteemedthemostunexceptionablethatcouldpossiblybedesired。Theywereinquiringtoo，notintoanyspeculativeorocculttheory，uponwhichtheremightbeachanceoftheirbeingledawaybysophisticalrepresentations，buttheywereinquiringintotheexistenceoffactsonly——plaindemonstrablefacts，whichwereintheirownnaturepalpabletoeveryobserver。“[“IntroductiontotheStudyofAnimalMagnetism，“p。27。]
M。DupotetmightnotunreasonablybeaskedwhethertheverysameargumentsoughtnottobeappliedtotheunfavourablereportdrawnupbytheableM。Duboisd’Amiensandhiscoadjutorsinthelastinquiry。
Ifthequestionwereasked，weshould，inallprobability，meetsomesuchareplyasthis:——“True，theymight；butthenyoumustconsiderthevarietyofincidentalcircumstances，toonumeroustomention！M。
Bernamayhavebeenoveranxious；infact，theexperimentsmusthavebeenspoiledbyanincidentalsuggestion！“
AmanwithafaithsolivelyasM。DupotetwasjustthepersontoundertakethedifficultmissionofconvertingtheEnglishtoabeliefinmagnetism。Accordinglywefindthat，veryshortlyafterthelastdecisionoftheAcademie，M。DupotetturnedhisbackuponhisnativesoilandarrivedinEngland，loadedwiththemagneticfluid，andreadytore-enactallthefooleriesofhisgreatpredecessors，MesmerandPuysegur。SincethedaysofPerkinismandmetallictractors，until1833，magnetismhadmadenoprogress，andexcitednoattentioninEngland。Mr。Colquhoun，anadvocateattheScottishbar，publishedinthatyearthe，tillthen，ineditedreportoftheFrenchcommissionof1831，togetherwithahistoryofthescience，underthetitleof“IsisRevelata；or，anInquiryintotheOrigin，Progress，andpresentStateofAnimalMagnetism。“Mr。Colquhounwasadevoutbeliever，andhisworkwasfullofenthusiasm。Itsucceededinawakeningsomeinterestuponasubjectcertainlyverycurious，butitmadefewornoconverts。
Aninterestingarticle，exposingthedelusion，appearedinthesameyearinthe“ForeignQuarterlyReview；“andoneortwomedicalworksnoticedthesubjectafterwards，toscoutitandturnitintoridicule。ThearrivalofM。Dupotet，in1837，workedquitearevolution，andraisedAnimalMagnetismtoaheightoffavour，asgreatasithadeverattainedeveninFrance。
Hebeganbyaddressinglettersofinvitationtotheprincipalphilosophersandmenofscience，physicians，editorsofnewspapers，andothers，towitnesstheexperiments，whichwereatfirstcarriedonathisownresidence，inWigmore-street，Cavendish-square。Manyofthemacceptedtheinvitation；and，thoughnotconvinced，weresurprisedandconfoundedatthesingularinfluencewhichheexercisedovertheimaginationofhispatients。Still，atfirst，hissuccesswasnotflattering。Toquotehisownwords，inthededicationofhisworktoEarlStanhope，“hespentseveralmonthsinfruitlessattemptstoinducethewisemenofthecountrytostudythephenomenaofmagnetism。Hisincessantappealsforanexaminationofthesenovelfactsremainedunanswered，andthepressbegantodeclareagainsthim。“Withasaddenedheart，hewasabouttorenouncethedesignhehadformedofspreadingmagnetisminEngland，andcarrytosomemorecredulouspeopletheimportantdoctrinesofwhichhehadmadehimselftheapostle。EarlStanhope，however，encouragedhimtoremain；tellinghimtohopeforafavourablechangeinpublicopinion，andtheeventualtriumphofthattruthofwhichhewasthedefender。M。
Dupotetremained。HewasnotsocruelastorefusetheEnglishpeopleasightofhiswonders。Althoughtheymightbeungrateful，hiskindnessandpatienceshouldbelongenduring。
Inthecourseoftimehisperseverancemetitsreward。Ladiesinsearchofemotions——thehysteric，theidle，thepuling，andtheultra-sentimentalcrowdedtohissaloons，asladiessimilarlypredisposedhadcrowdedtoMesmer’ssixtyyearsbefore。Peers，membersoftheHouseofCommons，philosophers，menofletters，andphysicianscameingreatnumbers——sometobelieve，sometodoubt，andafewtoscoff。M。Dupotetcontinuedhisexperiments，andatlastmadeseveralimportantconverts。MostimportantofallforasecondMesmer，hefoundasecondD’Eslon。
Dr。Elliotson，themostconspicuousamongtheconvertsofDupotet，was，likeD’Eslon，aphysicianinextensivepractice——athoroughlyhonestman，butwithalittletoomuchenthusiasm。Theparallelholdsgoodbetweenthemineveryparticular；for，asD’Eslonhaddonebeforehim，Dr。Elliotsonsoonthrewhismasterintotheshade，andattractedallthenoticeofthepublicuponhimself。HewasatthattimeprofessoroftheprinciplesandpracticeofmedicineattheUniversityCollege，London，andphysiciantothehospital。InconjunctionwithM。
Dupotet，hecommencedacourseofexperimentsuponsomeofthepatientsinthatinstitution。Thereportswhichwerepublishedfromtimetotime，partooksolargelyofthemarvellous，andwerecorroboratedbytheevidenceofmenwhoselearning，judgment，andintegrityitwasimpossibletocallinquestion，thatthepublicopinionwasstaggered。Menwereashamedtobelieve，andyetafraidtodoubt；andthesubjectatlastbecamesoengrossingthatacommitteeofsomeofthemostdistinguishedmembersofthemedicalprofessionundertooktoinvestigatethephenomena，andreportuponthem。
Inthemeantime，Dr。ElliotsonandM。Dupotetcontinuedthepublicexhibitionatthehospital；whilethecredulousgapedwithwonder，andonlysomefewdaringspiritshadtemerityenoughtohintaboutquackeryanddelusiononthepartofthedoctors，andimpostureonthepartofthepatients。Thephenomenainducedintwoyoungwomen，sisters，namedElizabethandJaneOkey，weresoextraordinarythattheybecameatlastthechief，ifnottheonlyproofsofthescienceinLondon。Wehavenotbeenabletomeetwithanyreportsoftheseexperimentsfromthepenofanunbeliever，andarethereforecompelledtorelysolelyuponthereportspublishedundertheauthorityofthemagnetisersthemselves，andgiventotheworldin“TheLancet“andothermedicaljournals。
ElizabethOkeywasanintelligentgirl，agedaboutseventeen，andwasadmittedintotheUniversityCollegehospital，sufferingunderattacksofepilepsy。ShewasmagnetisedrepeatedlybyM。Dupotetintheautumnof1837，andafterwardsbyDr。Elliotsonatthehospital，duringthespringandsummerof1838。Bytheusualprocess，shewasveryeasilythrownintoastateofdeepunconscioussleep，fromwhichshewasarousedintosomnambulismanddelirium。Inherwakingstateshewasamodestwell-behavedgirl，andspokebutlittle。Inthesomnambulicstate，sheappearedquiteanotherbeing；evincedconsiderablepowersofmimicry；sangcomicsongs；wasobedienttoeverymotionofhermagnetiser；andwasbelievedtohavethepowerofprophesyingthereturnofherillness——themeansofcure，andeventhedeathorrecoveryofotherpatientsintheward。
Mesmerhadoftenpretendedinhisdaythathecouldimpartthemagneticpowertopiecesofmetalorwood，stringsofsilkorcord，&c。Thereaderwillrememberhisfamousbattery，andthenolessfamoustreeofM。dePuysegur。DuringtheexperimentsuponOkey，itwassoondiscoveredthatallthephenomenacouldbeproducedinher，ifshetouchedanyobjectthathadbeenpreviouslymesmerisedbythewillorthetouchofhermagnetiser。Atasitting，onthe5thofJuly1838，itwasmentionedthatOkey，someshorttimepreviously，andwhileinthestateofmagneticlucidity，hadprophesiedthat，ifmesmerisedteawereplacedineachofherhands，nopowerinnaturewouldbeabletoawakeheruntilafterthelapseofaquarterofanhour。Theexperimentwastriedaccordingly。Teawhichhadbeentouchedbythemagnetiserwasplacedineachhand，andsheimmediatelyfellasleep。Aftertenminutes，thecustomarymeanstoawakenherweretried，butwithouteffect。Shewasquiteinsensibletoallexternalimpressions。Inaquarterofanhour，theyweretriedwithredoubledenergy，butstillinvain。Shewasleftaloneforsixminuteslonger；
butshestillslept，anditwasfoundquiteimpossibletowakeher。Atlastsomeonepresentremarkedthatthiswonderfulsleepwould，inallprobability，lasttilltheteawasremovedfromherbands。Thesuggestionwasactedupon，theteawastakenaway，andsheawokeinafewseconds。[“Lancet，“vol。ii。1837-8，p。585。]
Onthe12thofJuly，justaweekafterwards，numerousexperimentsastothecapabilityofdifferentsubstancesforconveyingthemagneticinfluenceweretrieduponher。Aslipofcrumpledpaper，magnetisedbybeingheldinthehand，producednoeffect。Apenknifemagnetisedherimmediately。Apieceofoilskinhadnoinfluence。A
watchplacedonherpalmsenthertosleepimmediately，ifthemetalpartwerefirstplacedincontactwithher；theglassdidnotaffecthersoquickly。Asshewasleavingtheroom，asleeve-cuffmadeofbrown-holland，whichhadbeenaccidentallymagnetisedbyaspectator，stoppedherinmidcareer，andsentherfasttosleep。Itwasalsofoundthat，onplacingthepointofherfingeronasovereignwhichhadbeenmagnetised，shewasimmediatelystupified。Apileofsovereignsproducedsleep；butiftheyweresoplacedthatshecouldtouchthesurfaceofeachcoin，thesleepbecameintenseandprotracted。
Stillmoreextraordinarycircumstanceswererelatedofthispatient。Inherstateofmagneticsleep，shesaidthatatallblackman，ornegro，attendedher，andpromptedtheanswersshewastogivetothevariousperplexingquestionsthatwereputtoher。Itwasalsoassertedthatshecouldusethebackofherhandasanorganofvision。Thefirsttimethisremarkablephenomenonwassaidtohavebeenexhibitedwasafewdayspriortothe5thofJuly。Onthelatterday，beinginwhatwascalledastateofloquacioussomnambulism，shewasaskedbyDr。Elliotson’sassistantwhethershehadaneyeinherhand。Sherepliedthat“itwasalightthere，andnotaneye。““Haveyougotalightanywhereelse？“——“No，noneanywhereelse。“——“Canyouseewiththeinsideaswellastheout？“——“Yes；butverylittlewiththeinside。“
Onthe9thofJulybreadwithbutterwasgiventoher，andwhileeatingitshedranksomemagnetisedwater，andfallingintoastupordroppedherfoodfromherhandandfrowned。Theeyes，partiallyclosed，hadtheabstractedaspectthatalwaysaccompaniesstupefaction。Theright-handwasopen，thepalmupwards；theleft，withitsbackpresentedanteriorly，wasrelaxedandcurved。Thebreadbeinglost，shemovedherleft-handaboutconvulsivelyuntilrightoverthebread，whenaclearviewbeingobtained，thehandturnedsuddenlyroundandclutchediteagerly。Herhandwasafterwardswrappedinahandkerchief；butthenshecouldnotseewithit，andlaiditonherlapwithanexpressionofdespair。
TheseareafewonlyofthewonderfulfeatsofElizabethOkey。
Janewasnotquitesoclever；butsheneverthelessmanagedtobewilderthelearnedmenalmostasmuchashersister。Amagnetisedsovereignhavingbeenplacedonthefloor，Jane，theninthestateofdelirium，wasdirectedtostoopandpickitup。Shestooped，andhavingraiseditaboutthreeinches，wasfixedinasoundsleepinthatconstrainedposition。Dr。Elliotsonpointedhisfingerather，todischargesomemoreofthemesmericfluidintoher，whenherhandimmediatelyrelaxeditsgraspofthecoin，andshere-awokeintothestateofdelirium，exclaiming，“Godblessmysoul！“