ANIMAL MAGNETISM: PREVISION.

jSceptical as we are on this subject, we have no hesitation in printing, without comment, the following case ; which proceeds from a gentleman well knewn to ns for habits of careful observation and for scrupulous veracity. We admit it as a record of a curious fact, whatever may be the explanation of which it is susceptible.]

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SPECTATOR.

Clapham New Park, 18th Sanuary 1844. DEAR Sat—Puzzled by the conflicting statements put forward on all sides regarding Animal Magnetism, I resolved a year or two back, to seek by personal experiment a solution which I had in vain endeavoured to arrive at from the opinions of others. The result convinced me' not only that Animal Magnetism la a truth, but that it is one, which, although productive of danger in the hands of inexperienced persons, may be turned to the happiest account as a remedy for many human ills. Have you courage to give insertion to the following case ? It is so singular that I can hardly expect any one to receive it without considerable hesitation ; and yet, as I am able to pledge myself to the strict accuracy of its details, and to the respectability of station and high moral worth of the parties to whom it refers, I feel desirous that it should be widely known. On Monday the 25th December, 1 magnetized Mrs. H—, a married lady,

twenty-eight years of age. She bad been magnetized at intervals during the preceding year, altogether about six times. Upon-each occasion she had mani- fested some degree of lucidity ; and in the only instance when the experiment was tried, she had answered readily to the action of my hand upon the various phrenological organs. On the present occasion I magnetized her solely for the improvement of her health, as she was suffering from weakness and a pain in the breast, the results of a confinement eight weeks back. In other respects her health was good.

In less than two minutes from the commencement of the magnetizing pro- cess, she passed into a state of somnambulism. I then addressed her.—" How

do you feel?" She made no answer. I repeated the question two or three times, without success ; but in a few moments she exclaimed, with an expression of great anguish—" Oh, pretty well : but I shall soon be dreadfully ill.' "'When shall you he ill? now, while you are being magnetized? "—" No, in two days time. " At what hour?"—" Three in the afternoon."

" Can nothing be done to avert it ? "—. Nothing." " 'What will it result from? an accident, or natural causes ? "—" Natural causes."

"Can you tell me any thing that should be done ? Will magnetism afford you service ? "—" Yes : it cannot avert the attack, but it may do much good. It will be a spasmodic attack, and after a little while it will extend to the heart. The heart will not be originally affected ; but the violence of the suffer- ing will cause it to be affected sympathetically, and there will then be danger. Magnetism may remove this."

"And will it not remove the other sufferings ? "—" No." Then, after a pause she added—" It cannot remove them entirely ; but I think it may miti- gate them."

"At what time after the attack should I commence the magnetic passes?"— " In about half an hour."

" How long will the attack last ?"—" From an hour to an hour and a quarter. It will be dreadfully severe; but it will not prove fatal. I shall have more of them. I have much suffering to undergo."

"When will the next attack take place ?"—" I cannot see." " What description of.passes should I make on Wednesday, in order to re- lieve the heart?"—" Commence just under the heart, and make long passes to the feet."

"During what time am I to continue them ? "—" About five minutes. You must also make passes across my 14ack1 if possible."

"How long will it be before you cease to suffer from these attacks ? "— " About eight months." "Will magnetism benefit you during that time ?"—" Materially."

She still manifested much apprehension and anguish. "Come," I said, "You must not be sad. I am sure that you can bear pain with patience ; and, as it will all end well, you must not give way to despondency." " Ah 1" she exclaimed, "1 think of my children, and my husband—I know what be will feel."

I now ceased speaking to her for a minute or two : afterwards I said, " You must tell me if you desire to say any thing more, or if you would rather sleep ? "—"I think you had better awaken me." I demagnetized her accordingly. She awoke instantly, and (as on all former occasions) totally unconscious of having uttered a single word. She said, however, that she was not so much refreshed as usual, and that her head felt as if she had been engaged in the most intense thought. To relieve this, I magnetized her again for a few minutes; and when she was again awakened, she stated herself perfectly restored. I then took my leave ; previously agree- ing with Mr. H— that no intimation should be given to his wife of what had passed. On the following day, I saw Mr. H— • when he stated, that during the preceding evening his wife had enjoyed excellent spirits, and that she still con- tinued in a satisfactory state. On the Wednesday morning, he told me that he hacl left her in apparently good health, excepting that she seemed in a state of depression which almost caused him to apprehend that her prediction would be verified. She was herself, however, free from any anticipation of evil.

In the afternoon, I proceeded to her house, intending to reach it at about half-past three, which according to her prediction would be half an hour

after the commencement of the attack, the time at which she had stated that magnetism should be resorted to. Having, however, little expectation that my services would be required, (since 1 was inclined to regard her forebodings

merely as the result of a momentary sadness,) I did not pay any particular attention to punctuality, and it was twenty-two minutes to four when I arrived.

I found her extended upon a sofa, in the severest agony. Her pain drew from her repeated cries, and I learned that she had been seized with a violent spasmodic affection. I immediately commenced making the passes below the heart, which she had directed during her somnambulism on the preceding Monday.

"Does that give you relief? "—" Oh yes; it greatly relieves the heart."

I then raised her to a sitting posture, and commenced the passes across her back.

"Oh! that gives still more relief—it takes it entirely away from the left aide; but the general pain remains the same." She sank, apparently still suffering most severely from attacks of pain in the epigastric region, which seemed to threaten suffocation. She began, however,

after I had made a few passes, to experience some short intervals of ease. During one of them I asked, "At what time were you attacked ?"—" Half an hoar or three-quarters of an hour before you came ; nearer three-quarters of an hour."

" Was it sudden ?"—" Quite. I was in the passage, and was obliged to call one of the servants to help me to this room. It seemed to suspend animation. In about twenty minutes, or more, it attacked my heart ; the blood seemed to fill my head, and I was much alarmed. It continued till you came ; my suf- ferings were dreadful : hut now the pains seem no longer to affect the heart." She still continued to experience paroxysms, which I was only able partially to relieve. At intervals she exclaimed, " 06, how fortunate you happened to call I feel as if you had saved me."

She complained of fulness of the head, and directed me to make two or three passes over her forehead; which gave her instant relief. At length, at about

six or seven minutes past four, the pains seemed rapidly to subside. She fell into a calm sleep, her countenance assuming an expression of perfect compo- sure; and from this, at about twenty minutes past four, she awakened in good spirits, and, although greatly exhausted, perfectly free from pain. She continued to dwell upon the " fortunate ' circumstance of my baying called ; and I left her in the full belief that the visit had been an accidental one.

Since the above occasion, she has been magnetized several times ; and she now predicts with rigid accuracy the state of her health for several consecutive

days. On the 7th of this month, she announced a slight attack to occur at eleven o'clock on the morning of the 11th, which would not extend to the heart, and another severe attack at three p. en. on the 15th, in which that or- gan would again be compromised. On both occasions the prediction was ful- filled even in its minutest particulars.

I may mention, in conclusion, that until the attack above described, she had never experienced any indisposition in which the heart was supposed to be in the slightest degree affected.