heel-who desires to ascertain positively up to what point the phenomena announced with so much assurance by modern magnetizers, belong only to the domain of the rogue or the conjuror: all such inquirers, we say, are not really opposing themselves to a Lavoisier, a Franklin, or a Bailly. They are entering upon a world entirely new, the very existence of which these illustrious sages did not suspect. A little further on, Arago adds: " My object has been to show that Somnambulism ought not to be rejected à priori, especially by those who have kept up with the progress of modern physical science."

In 1826, a Commission was appointed from among the Members of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Paris, to examine the subject of Animal Magnetism; and after five years' investigation (in 1831) this Commission reported unanimously in favour of the reality of certain somnambulic phenomena : among them, insensibility, vision with the eyes closed, prescience during sickness, and, in one case, perception of the diseases of others. Some years later, (in 1837,) a second Commission of the Academy reported, expressing their conviction that not one of these phenomena had any foundation except in the imagination of the observers. They reached this conclusion by examining two somnambules only. Still, the President of the Academy, on their first Report, observed on the conclusions of the second Report, that "the negative experiences thus obtained can never destroy the positive facts observed by the previous Commission; since, though diametrically opposed to each other, both may be equally true."

Arago, also, speaking of "the actual power which one man may exert over another without the intervention of any known physical agent," declares that even Bailly's Report against Mesmer's crude theory shows "how our faculties ought to be studied experimentally, and by what means psychology may one day obtain a place among the exact sciences." Cuvier, more familiar than Arago with the phenomena of animated nature, says: "it scarcely admits of further doubt that the proximity of two living bodies in certain circumstances and with certain movements, has a real effect, independently of all participation of the imagination of one of the two" and he further adds: "it appears now clearly enough that the effects are due to some communication established between their nervous systems." This is conceding the principle lying at the base of Mesmerism,-a concession which is sustained by countless observations, little reliable in some cases, but in others made by upright and capable experimentalists, on the contested ground of artifical somnambulism and kindred phenomena.*

* Abridged from Owen's Footfalls.

Dr. Carpenter, in his Principles of Human Physiology, under the head "Mesmerism," discredits the higher phenomena of Clairvoyance, but admits, 1st, A state of complete insensibility, during which severe surgical operations may be performed without the consciousness of the patient. 2ndly, Artificial somnambulism, with manifestation of the ordinary power of mind, but no recollection, in the waking state, of what has passed. 3rdly, Exaltation of the senses, during such somnambulism, so that the somnambule perceives what in his natural condition he could not. 4thly, Action during such somnambulism, on the muscular apparatus, so as to produce, for example, artificial catalepsy: and 5thly, perhaps curative effects.

Dr. Carpenter adds: his mind is made up as to the reality of these phenomena, and that "he does not see why any discredit should attach to them."

Rogers, the poet, relates that, when he was in Paris, he went to Alexis, the clairvoyant, and desired him to describe the house in St. James's Place. "On my word," says Rogers, "he astonished me! He described most exactly the peculiarities of the staircase; and that, not far from the window in the drawingroom there was a picture of a man in armour, (the painting by Giorgione,) and so on. Colonel Gurwood, shortly before his death, assured me that he was reminded by Alexis of some circumstances that had happened to him in Spain, and which he could not conceive how any human being, except himself, should know. Still, I cannot believe in clairvoyance because the thing is impossible." Not because the opportunities for observation were too few, and the experiments needed repetition; but because no evidence would suffice. La Place, however, says: "it is exceedingly unphilosophical to deny magnet phenomena merely because they are inexplicable in the present state of our knowledge;" and upon the above instance, Owen, in his Footfalls, observes: "it is remarkable enough that in a matter like this, usually deemed to savour of imagination, the mathematician should reprove the incredulity of the poet."

Mental Phenomena.

MIND AND BODY.

It has been observed that the mental powers, unlike the bodily, do not suffer from the effects of time, but continue, as life advances, to enlarge and exalt themselves. Lord Brougham says:

It is an undoubted fact, and almost universally true, that the Mind, before extreme old age, becomes more sound, and is capable of greater things, during nearly thirty years of diminished bodily powers; that in most cases, it suffers no abatement of strength during ten years more of bodily decline; that in many cases, a few years more of bodily decrepitude produce no effect upon the mind; and that in some stances its faculties remain bright to the last, surviving almost totally the total extinction of the corporeal endowments. It is certain that the strength of the Body, its agility, its patience of fatigue, indeed, all its qualities, decline from thirty at the latest; and yet the mind is improving rapidly from thirty to fifty; suffers little or no decline before sixty; and therefore, is better, when the body is enfeebled, at the age of fifty-eight or fifty-nine, than it was in the acme of the corporeal faculties thirty years before. It is equally certain that, while the body is rapidly decaying, between sixty or sixty-three and seventy, the mind suffers hardly any loss of strength in the generality of men; that men continue to seventy-five or seventy-six in the possession of all their mental powers, while few can then boast of more than the remains of physical strength; and instances are not wanting of persons, who, between eighty or ninety, or even older, when the body can hardly be said to live, possess every faculty of the mind unimpaired.

We are authorised to conclude from these facts, that unless some unusual and violent accident interferes, such as a serious illness or a violent contusion, the ordinary course of life presents the mind and the body running courses widely different, and in great part of the time in opposite directions: and this affords strong proof, both that the mind is independent of the body, and that its destruction in the period of its entire vigour is contrary to the analogy of nature.--Discourse of Natural Theology, pp. 119-121.

Dr. Cromwell gives as the leading doctrine of his work, that Mind is no independent immaterial essence, but the most excellent and exalted among the numerous and varied phenomena of life. Though," says Mr. Spencer, "we commonly regard mental and bodily life as distinct, it needs only to ascend somewhat above the ordinary point of view, to see that they are but subdivisions of life in general; and that a line of demarcation can be drawn between them otherwise than arbitrarily." (Elements of Psychology,

Mental Processes of which we are Unconscious. C5

p. 349.) And if the oft-put question again follow, "What is life?" we repeat that it cannot be more closely defined than as the expression by operation of the laws of the states, functions, and actions, by which an organism manifests itself to be alive."

MENTAL PROCESSES OF WHICH WE ARE UNCONSCIOUS.

It has long been our practice, in order to master a subject of difficulty, to assemble the facts and reasonings, to weigh and consider them thoroughly, and having done so, to take leave of the matter until the next day, or for a short interval; when, on returning to it, we have, invariably, been the better able to master the inquiry. This result may, perhaps, be attributed to returning to the subject with a fresh eye and recruited brain; but this is not precisely the explanation. In Sir Benjamin Brodie's Psychological Inquiries, we find it stated that a remarkable process takes place in the mind, which is independent of any direct act of volition; "as if there were in the mind a principle of order which operates without our being at the time conscious of it." The explanation is thus given in the First Dialogue:

Crites. It has often happened to me to have been occupied by a particular subject of inquiry; to have accumulated a store of facts connected with it; but to have been able to proceed no further. Then, after an interval of time, without any addition to my stock of knowledge, I have found the obscurity and confusion in which the subject was originally enveloped, to have cleared away; the facts have seemed all to have settled themselves in their right places, and their mutual relations to have become apparent, although I have not been sensible of having made any distinct effort for that purpose.

Eubulus. What you have now described has occurred repeatedly to myself. It is certainly not very easy to comprehend the nature of this mental operation. Is it that the subject every now and then comes before us, and is considered without our recollecting it afterwards?-or is it, as a philosophical friend as suggested, that in the first instance we are perplexed by the multiplicity of facts presented to us, and that after an interval of time, those of less importance fade away, while the memory retains those which are essential, in the subsequent arrangement or classification of which, being thus rendered more conspicuous, there is no difficulty?

Crites. The latter seems to be the more probable explanation of the two. At the same time, it must be admitted that they are not incompatible with each other.

Accordingly, as men possess this faculty of keeping the attention fixed on a particular object until we have, as it were, looked all around it, will be the success of taking cognizance of relations of which another mind has no perception. It is this, much more than any difference in the abstract power of reasoning, which constitutes the vast difference which exists between the minds of different individuals. "I keep the subject," said Sir Isaac

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Newton, "constantly before me, and wait until the first dawnings open by little and little into a full light." It was thus that, after long meditation, he was led to the invention of fluxions, and to the anticipation of the modern discovery of the combustibility of the diamond.

THE VOLTAIC BATTERY, THE ELECTRIC EEL, AND THE BRAIN OF MAN.

We boast of our Voltaic Battery; but when we compare it with the battery which Nature has given to the electrical eel and torpedo, how insignificant are human operations compared with those of the Architect of living beings! The stupendous electrical eel exhibited some years since at the Polytechnic Institution, when he sought to kill his prey, inclosed him in a circle; then by volition caused the voltaic force to be produced, and the hapless creature was instantly killed. It would probably require ten thousand artificial batteries to effect the same object, as the creature was killed instanter on receiving the shock. As much, however, as Smee's battery is inferior to that of the electric fish, so is man superior to the same animal. Man is endowed with a power of mind competent to appreciate the force of matter, and is thus enabled to make the battery. The eel can but use the specific apparatus which nature has bestowed upon it.

If the brain, (says Sir John Herschel,) be an electric pile constantly in action, it may be conceived to discharge itself at regular intervals, when the tension of the electricity reaches a certain point, along the nerves which communicate with the heart, and thus excite the pulsation of that organ.

A GALVANISED HUMAN BODY.

The appearances produced by the agency of galvanism on the human body are of the most frightful nature, and awaken horrible fancies in the mind of the spectator: the eyes roll wildly, and the countenance is distorted with ghastly grins, whilst the limbs move in forcible and convulsive actions. The most successful effort to resuscitate by galvanism was that made on the body of John White, who was executed for a murder at Louisville. The body, after hanging twenty-five minutes, was cut down, and whilst yet warm, and even trembling, was subjected to the stimulus of galvanism. The man suddenly rose from the bench to a sitting posture, afterwards stood on his feet, opened his eyes, and gave a terrific screech. His chest worked as if in respiration. One of the surgeons present exclaimed that he was alive. On another shock being given, he jumped up with a sudden bound, disengaged himself from the wires, and ran into a corner of the room.

He