ployed by me, at least, in difficult cases: for in impressible subjects, no uniform plan of operation need be adopted, as such may be as readily mesmerised by the exercise of the will alone, as when in actual contact. [Let the patient seat himself in a chair, somewhat lower than the chair in which the operator is seated; let him then dismiss from his mind all apprehensions as to the result of the experiment, and, in order to fix his attention, he should engage in some mental process, such, for instance, as counting backwards, or even forwards should he be a bad hand at counting. The operator should bring the insides of his knees, legs, and feet, in contact with the outsides of the knees, legs, and feet of the patient; then the balls of their thumbs should be brought in contact, and the operator's hands carried around on the outside, so as to bring his fingers in contact with the palms. of the patient. The subject should then be requested to look steadily in one of the eyes of the operator, say the right, winking as little as possible; the operator, in the meantime, must fix his gaze in the right eye of the subject, and forcibly will him to "go to sleep." During the whole operation, he must constantly repeat this command, or some one of similar import. When the patient falls asleep, which, with good subjects, will be the case in a few minutes, but with others not under half an hour or longer, the operator may, should it be desired, deepen the effect, by holding his hands on the forehead and eyes of the subject for a short time. After this, any part may be thoroughly charged with the mesmeric influence, by means of passes made from the head downwards; thus the arms, legs, fingers, or any single part separately, may be made as rigid as a bed-post. When the subject is highly impressible, the passes need not be made in contact with the part, but when not impressible, contact, even forcible contact, will be necessary to produce any effect. When it is wished to remove the influence from any part, or the whole body, it is only necessary to reverse the passes; that is, making them upwards, with the backs of the hands above. The influence should be thoroughly removed from every part, otherwise the patient will be left in an unpleasant condition, which will probably continue for twenty-four hours or longer. With regard to the circumstances most favorable to mesmeric experiments, it may be necessary to say a few words. The operator should be a man of sound body and mind, capable of forcible mental concentration, and at the

time of the operation, he should be buoyant in feeling, and confident as to the result of the experiment. The best subjects are those, whose nervous systems have become excitable on account of disease, but the nervo-sanguineous temperament, even when there is a slight admixture of the lymphatic or bilious, may be readily mesmerised even in health. Nearly all individuals can probably be mesmerised by perseverance, but great diversity prevails in the degrees of susceptibility. The dry, bilious temperament, can scarcely be affected at all, and the pure lymphatic is almost equally unimpressible.

Clear, dry weather, a room of moderate temperature, lights not too brilliant, and the most profound silence, are, further, indispensibly necessary to success in our experiments.

It may be asked, Of what advantage is mesmerism, even supposing it to be true? This question has been asked respecting every important discovery in science, and yet an unimportant truth has never been discovered. The true disciple of nature will never ask himself this question, though the practical advantages of the discovery may be completely hidden from his view. He reasons from what is known, to what is unknown, and concludes, that as all thoroughly understood truths are practically useful to man, so will all that is hidden be, when fully revealed by our investigations. But we are not altogether in the dark as to the practical advantages of mesmerism. We know enough to stimulate us to further investigation, and to satisfy us, that it is the most brilliant of modern discoveries in science. Among its known benefits may be enumerated the following:

In the first place, on account of the insensibility pervading the system during the mesmeric sleep, the most painful surgical operations have been performed without producing the slightest degree of pain to the patient. Thus teeth have been extracted, cancers and other tumours removed, and, recently, a leg amputated in England, without occasioning the slightest degree of pain whatever.

In the second place, we may safely conclude, both from experience, and the known effects of mesmerism on the constitution, that it will constitute an important agent in the treatment of many chronic affections, such, for instance, as epilepsy, palsy, a tendency to consumption, scrofula, dyspepsia, &c. Dr. John Elliotson of London, has derived important practical advantages from the use of mesmerism in some of these diseases, and the reader may be referred to VOL. III.-No. 6.

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case viii. of the foregoing experiments, for a fair illustration of what may be expected from this remedy in chronic affections of the chest.

But striking as are the advantages of mesmerism in a direct medical and surgical point of view, it presents still higher claims to our attention, as furnishing a clue to some of the principles of our nature, hitherto but very imperfectly understood. All, even the most superficial, must acknowledge, that a new chapter in human nature has been presented to our view. We have not, as yet, fully perused this chapter, but we have learned enough to satisfy our minds, that it contains a rich store of interesting and important truths. Dr. Jos. R. Buchanan, availing himself of the principles of mesmerism, has not only introduced more precision into our knowledge of phrenology, but has greatly enlarged its former boundaries. He has added a number of organs to the catalogue, and corrected some errors in our knowledge of organs previously known. But we must draw this article to a close. We have not attempted to explain the cause of the mesmeric phenomena; probably we are not yet prepared for a theory free from objection, but we have, nevertheless, thought upon the subject, and may, at some future time, when our views are more matured, present them to the public. We have examined the theories of Mr. Townsend, Dr. Caldwell, and others, and find that they are not free from serious, if not overwhelming objections.

ART. X.-Life of John C. Calhoun. Presenting a condensed History of Political Events, from 1811 to 1843. NewYork: Harper & Brothers, 82 Cliff-street. 1843.

THE object of the biographical sketch before us, is not simply to perpetuate, to the latest posterity, the memory of an illustrious American citizen, but to place before the American people, at this particular juncture in their history, the claims which that distinguished individual is entitled to prefer to the Presidency of the Union. If this object be not expressed, it yet is understood. We are aware, that the opinions of mankind do not, in every case, sanction the practice of writing and publishing the lives of eminent men,

before the grave has closed over their mortal remains, and while they are still prominent actors upon the stage of life. Why, it is asked, have the picture, however true to the life,why the inanimate marble, however exact the proportions, while the living, conscious being is before us, moving and acting his part, and when no painter or statuary can be expected to do full justice to the original? Why record the history of a life that is not yet ended? If we venerate and love our friend, our benefactor and the benefactor of our country, why suffuse his honest face with blushes, or elate his mortal heart with pride, by an ostentatious rehearsal in his ear of his own great merits? Why not leave it to posterity, whose verdict is impartial, and whose motives are not to be suspected, to do fit homage to his memory?

The feelings which give birth to such sentiments are natural; in the case of the mere scholar and philosopher, they are just and becoming. But the politician and statesman, the candidate for office in a free country, is placed in a different position in respect to his contemporaries. As he is called upon to represent the popular will, it is necessary that his character and qualifications should be thoroughly canvassed and discussed, and that the people should be fully placed in possession of all that is to be known respecting him. What has the candidate done for his age and his country? In the stations of responsibility he has filled, how has he acquitted himself? What evidences has he given to the world of great self-control, of superior knowledge, of consummate skill in the affairs of government, of capacity to act ably in great emergencies, of remarkable sagacity, of rare forethought, of practical wisdom, gained by long experience? What title can he set up to the special esteem, the profound respect, the warm-hearted confidence of his fellow citizens? In a word, why he should be preferred to other candidates seeking the same power, at the hands of the people? These are questions which, in this country, we propound in respect to any individual who aspires to the exalted office of Presidency of the Union-an office which invests the incumbent, who fills it well, with more real glory than any crown or sceptre can impart to the monarch, who wears or wields it. They are questions that will be discussed in private circles, in public meetings, in towns and districts and States, in conversations between friends and partizans, in the speeches of orators, and especially will they be discussed,

thoroughly, by a free and independent press, in every shape, in newspapers, in tracts, in essays, in biographical sketches. These are engines of political warfare, resorted to by all parties, and which may be powerfully wielded in support of the claims of rival candidates for the highest office. The genius of the American government, our institutions, our feelings, our habits of thinking and acting, ever since we have been an independent people, justify such a proceeding. It is fair, honorable and above board-free from all objection-inconsistent with all concealment. Every thing must be known. Facts must be stated. History must be appealed to. The past must be brought to light in all its stern reality, without disguise or pretence. Assertions must be sustained, and when every thing is said and done, that can be fairly said and done, to awaken preferences or produce conviction, Americans must judge for themselves in the premises, as becomes a free and enlightened people.

In what light, then, does Mr. Calhoun appear before the American people? What are his claims to the Presidency? The work before us, in a style plain, yet forcible, elegant, without the affectation of grace, answers these questions. It is divided into seven chapters, and fills seventy-four closely printed octavo pages. But within that narrow compass,

how much has been said and well said! What a flood of light and glory has been shed, not only upon the character of the distinguished subject of the sketch, but upon the history of our country! How interesting political events have been rendered by the genius of the accomplished author, who, like the gallant knight in Ivanhoe, performs his devoirs without a name! What a fulness of information on every page! What elevation of language and of sentiment! What illustrious facts! It is a work to be pondered on and to be studied, not only as a model of nearly faultless composition, but as a lesson of the purest and most exalted patriotism. Here may be ascertained, almost at a glance, how liberty and honor are to be maintained in a free country, and what it is that constitutes the elements of true greatness. Surely, surely, Carolina may be proud of a performance, which so truly records the achievements of her favorite and gifted son, whoever he may be, who is entitled to carry off the laurels of its authorship. Surely, the greatest statesman of the age has found, in this individual, a biographer worthy of himself, of our country and its literature.