comedy, let us consider for a moment the interpretation of it and the lesson it teaches. It was not, I think always and in all its stages wholly an imposture, although generally it was. Two at least of the subjects, Mervel and Marguerite, and, I think, perhaps Clarice, were pronounced hysterics and thoroughly trained hypnotics; they mingled pathological conditions and an artificially induced state of partial automatism with their abundant frauds. They were at once, as Voltaire puts it, speaking of like impostors, "duped and dupers, deceived and deceivers." Jeanne and Vix appeared to me from first to last to be acting a part with full consciousness of all their frauds. They were, moreover, anxious to accomplish them to my satisfaction, and in such a way, as they both openly stated, to procure from me what Jeanne called "a réclame" and Vix "the favor of my recommendation." After I was gone, Jeanne, the "professor of languages," and "sincere subject" of Dr. Luys's lectures, sent after me the following letter, which I think too interesting a document not to put upon record, I omit the address and the final paragraph, but I preserve the original spelling:
1. On obtien sur moi tres facilement—
Les trois états classiques,
Léthargie, Catalepsie, Somnambulisme.
En Léthargie
Anestesie compléte.
Tous les différents effects et contracture—au contacte—des differents Metaux.
Les Contractures Neuro-Musculaires.
Le jeu du Diaphragm.
En Catalepsie
Prise du regard—le point fixe—autométisme—les attitudes—Effets des Couleurs.
Suggestions par gestes.
Effets des Aimants.
Cessation du battement du poux.
Raideur cadaverique.
Somnambulisme
Tous les phénomènes de l'hyperestesie de la peau.
Les attractions.
Effects de medicaments à distance,
Suggestion—instantanée et à écheance.
Changement de personalité,
Mneumonie.
