Anotherverystrangenotionofthepowerandcapabilitiesofmagnetismwasentertainedatthesametime。Itwasbelievedthatasympatheticalphabetcouldbemadeontheflesh，bymeansofwhichpersonscouldcorrespondwitheachother，andcommunicatealltheirideaswiththerapidityofvolition，althoughthousandsofmilesapart。Fromthearmsoftwopersonsapieceoffleshwascut，andmutuallytransplanted，whilestillwarmandbleeding。Thepiecesoseveredgrewtothenewarmonwhichitwasplaced；butstillretainedsocloseasympathywithitsnativelimb，thatitsoldpossessorwasalwayssensibleofanyinjurydonetoit。Uponthesetransplantedpiecesweretattooedthelettersofthealphabet；sothat，whenacommunicationwastobemade，eitherofthepersons，thoughthewideAtlanticrolledbetweenthem，hadonlytoprickhisarmwithamagneticneedle，andstraightwayhisfriendreceivedintimationthatthetelegraphwasatwork。Whateverletterheprickedonhisownarmpainedthesameletteronthearmofhiscorrespondent。[“ForeignQuarterlyReview，“vol。xii。p。417。]Whoknowsbutthissystem，ifithadreceivedproperencouragement，mightnothaverenderedthePost-Officeunnecessary，andevenobviatedmuchofthenecessityforrailroads？Letmodernmagnetiserstryandbringittoperfection。Itisnotmorepreposterousthanmanyoftheirpresentnotions；and，ifcarriedintoeffect，withtheimprovementofsomestenographicalexpedientfordiminishingthenumberofpunctures，wouldbemuchmoreusefulthantheirplanofcausingpersonstoreadwiththeirgreattoes，[Wirth’s“TheoriedesSomnambulismes，“p。79。]orseeing，withtheireyesshut，intootherpeople’sbodies，andcountingthenumberofarteriestherein。[“ReportoftheAcademicRoyaledeMedicine，“——
　　caseofMademoiselleCelineSauvage，p。186。]
　　ContemporarywithSirKenelmDigby，wasthenolessfamousMr。
　　ValentineGreatrakswho，withoutmentioningmagnetism，orlayingclaimtoanytheory，practiseduponhimselfandothersadeceptionmuchmoreakintotheanimalmagnetismofthepresentday，thanthemineralmagnetismitwasthensomuchthefashiontostudy。HewasthesonofanIrishgentleman，ofgoodeducationandproperty，inthecountyofCork。Hefell，atanearlyage，intoasortofmelancholyderangement。
　　Aftersometime，hehadanimpulse，orstrangepersuasioninhismind，whichcontinuedtopresentitself，whetherheweresleepingorwaking，thatGodhadgivenhimthepowerofcuringtheking’sevil。Hementionedthispersuasiontohiswife，whoverycandidlytoldhimthathewasafool！Hewasnotquitesureofthis，notwithstandingthehighauthorityfromwhichitcame，anddeterminedtomaketrialofthepowerthatwasinhim。Afewdaysafterwards，hewenttooneWilliamMaher，ofSaltersbridge，intheparishofLismore，whowasgrievouslyafflictedwiththeking’sevilinhiseyes，cheek，andthroat。Uponthisman，whowasofabundantfaith，helaidhishands，strokedhim，andprayedfervently。Hehadthesatisfactiontoseehimhealconsiderablyinthecourseofafewdays；and，finally，withtheaidofotherremedies，tobequitecured。Thissuccessencouragedhiminthebeliefthathehadadivinemission。Dayafterdayhehadfurtherimpulsesfromonhigh，thathewascalledupontocuretheaguealso。
　　Inthecourseoftimeheextendedhispowerstothecuringofepilepsy，ulcers，aches，andlameness。AllthecountyofCorkwasinacommotiontoseethisextraordinaryphysician，whocertainlyoperatedsomeverygreatbenefitincaseswherethediseasewasheightenedbyhypochondriaanddepressionofspirits。Accordingtohisownaccount，[Greatraks’Accountofhimself，inalettertotheHonourableRobertBoyle。]suchgreatmultitudesresortedtohimfromdiversplaces，thathehadnotimetofollowhisownbusiness，orenjoythecompanyofhisfamilyandfriends。Hewasobligedtosetasidethreedaysintheweek，fromsixinthemorningtillsixatnight，duringwhichtimeonlyhelaidhandsuponallthatcame。Stillthecrowdswhichthrongedaroundhimweresogreat，thattheneighbouringtownswerenotabletoaccommodatethem。Hethereuponlefthishouseinthecountry，andwenttoYoughal，wheretheresortofsickpeople，notonlyfromallpartsofIreland，butfromEngland，continuedsogreat，thatthemagistrateswereafraidtheywouldinfecttheplacebytheirdiseases。Severalofthesepoorcredulouspeoplenosoonersawhimthantheyfellintofits，andherestoredthembywavinghishandintheirfaces，andprayingoverthem。Nay，heaffirmed，thatthetouchofhisglovehaddrivenpainsaway，and，ononeoccasion，castoutfromawomanseveraldevils，orevilspirits，whotormentedherdayandnight。“Everyoneofthesedevils，“saysGreatraks，“wasliketochokeher，whenitcameupintoherthroat。“Itisevident，fromthis，thatthewoman’scomplaintwasnothingbuthysteria。
　　TheclergyofthedioceseofLismore，whoseemtohavehadmuchclearernotionsofGreatraks’pretensionsthantheirparishioners，settheirfacesagainstthenewprophetandworkerofmiracles。HewascitedtoappearintheDean’sCourt，andprohibitedfromlayingonhishandsforthefuture:buthecarednothingforthechurch。HeimaginedthathederivedhispowersdirectfromHeaven，andcontinuedtothrowpeopleintofits，andbringthemtotheirsensesagain，asusual，almostexactlyafterthefashionofmodernmagnetisers。Hisreputationbecame，atlast，sogreat，thatLordConwaysenttohimfromLondon，begging-thathewouldcomeoverimmediately，tocureagrievoushead-achewhichhisladyhadsufferedforseveralyears，andwhichtheprincipalphysiciansofEnglandhadbeenunabletorelieve。
　　Greatraksacceptedtheinvitation，andtriedhismanipulationsandprayersuponLadyConway。Hefailed，however，inaffordinganyrelief。
　　Thepoorlady’shead-achewasexcitedbycausestooserioustoallowheranyhelp，evenfromfaithandalivelyimagination。HelivedforsomemonthsinLordConway’shouse，atRagley，inWarwickshire，operatingcuressimilartothosehehadperformedinIreland。HeafterwardsremovedtoLondon，andtookahouseinLincoln’sInnFields，whichsoonbecamethedailyresortofallthenervousandcredulouswomenofthemetropolis。AveryamusingaccountofGreatraksatthistime1665，isgiveninthesecondvolumeofthe“MiscellaniesofSt。Evremond，“underthetitleoftheIrishprophet。
　　Itisthemostgraphicsketchevermadeofthisearlymagnetiser。
　　Whetherhispretensionsweremoreorlessabsurdthanthoseofsomeofhissuccessors，whohavelatelymadetheirappearanceamongus，wouldbehardtosay。
　　“WhenM。deComminges，“saysSt。Evremond，“wasambassadorfromhismostChristianMajestytotheKingofGreatBritain，therecametoLondonanIrishprophet，whopassedhimselfoffasagreatworkerofmiracles。SomepersonsofqualityhavingbeggedM。deCommingestoinvitehimtohishouse，thattheymightbewitnessesofsomeofhismiracles，theambassadorpromisedtosatisfythem，asmuchfromhisowncuriosityasfromcourtesytohisfriends；andgavenoticetoGreatraksthathewouldbegladtoseehim。
　　“Arumouroftheprophet’scomingsoonspreadalloverthetown，andthehotelofM。deCommingeswascrowdedbysickpersons，whocamefullofconfidenceintheirspeedycure。TheIrishmanmadethemwaitaconsiderabletimeforhim，butcameatlast，inthemidstoftheirimpatience，withagraveandsimplecountenance，thatshowednosignsofhisbeingacheat。MonsieurdeCommingespreparedtoquestionhimstrictly，hopingtodiscoursewithhimonthemattersthathehadreadofinVanHelmontandBodinus；buthewasnotabletodoso，muchtohisregret，forthecrowdbecamesogreat，andcripplesandotherspressedaroundsoimpatientlytobethefirstcured，thattheservantswereobligedtousethreats，andevenforce，beforetheycouldestablishorderamongthem，orplacetheminproperranks。
　　“Theprophetaffirmedthatalldiseaseswerecausedbyevilspirits。Everyinfirmitywaswithhimacaseofdiabolicalpossession。
　　Thefirstthatwaspresentedtohimwasamansufferingfromgoutandrheumatism，andsoseverelythatthephysicianshadbeenunabletocurehim。’Ah，’saidthemiracle-worker，’IhaveseenagooddealofthissortofspiritswhenIwasinIreland。Theyarewateryspirits，whobringoncoldshivering，andexciteanoverflowofaqueoushumoursinourpoorbodies。’Thenaddressingtheman，hesaid，’Evilspirit，whohastquittedthydwellinginthewaterstocomeandafflictthismiserablebody，Icommandtheetoquitthynewabode，andtoreturntothineancienthabitation！’Thissaid，thesickmanwasorderedtowithdraw，andanotherwasbroughtforwardinhisplace。Thisnewcomersaidhewastormentedbythemelancholyvapours。Infact，helookedlikeahypochondriac；oneofthosepersonsdiseasedinimagination，andwhobuttoooftenbecomesoinreality。’Aerialspirit，’saidtheIrishman，’return，Icommandthee，intotheair！——exercisethynaturalvocationofraisingtempests，anddonotexciteanymorewindinthissadunluckybody！’Thismanwasimmediatelyturnedawaytomakeroomforathirdpatient，who，intheIrishman’sopinion，wasonlytormentedbyalittlebitofasprite，whocouldnotwithstandhiscommandforaninstant。HePretendedthatherecognizedthisspritebysomemarkswhichwereinvisibletothecompany，towhomheturnedwithasmile，andsaid，’Thissortofspiritdoesnotoftendomuchharm，andisalwaysverydiverting。’Tohearhimtalk，onewouldhaveimaginedthatheknewallaboutspirits——theirnames，theirrank，theirnumbers，theiremployment，andallthefunctionstheyweredestinedto；andheboastedofbeingmuchbetteracquaintedwiththeintriguesofdemonsthanhewaswiththeaffairsofmen。Youcanhardlyimaginewhatareputationhegainedinashorttime。CatholicsandProtestantsvisitedhimfromeverypart，allbelievingthatpowerfromHeavenwasinhishands。“
　　Afterrelatingaratherequivocaladventureofahusbandandwife，whoimploredGreatrakstocastoutthedevilofdissensionwhichhadcreptinbetweenthem，St。Evremondthussumsuptheeffectheproducedonthepopularmind:——“Sogreatwastheconfidenceinhim，thattheblindfanciedtheysawthelightwhichtheydidnotsee——
　　thedeafimaginedthattheyheard——thelamethattheywalkedstraight，andtheparalyticthattheyhadrecoveredtheuseoftheirlimbs。Anideaofhealthmadethesickforgetforawhiletheirmaladies；andimagination，whichwasnotlessactiveinthosemerelydrawnbycuriositythaninthesick，gaveafalseviewtotheoneclass，fromthedesireofseeing，asitoperatedafalsecureontheotherfromthestrongdesireofbeinghealed。SuchwasthepoweroftheIrishmanoverthemind，andsuchwastheinfluenceoftheminduponthebody。NothingwasspokenofinLondonbuthisprodigies；andtheseprodigiesweresupportedbysuchgreatauthorities，thatthebewilderedmultitudebelievedthemalmostwithoutexamination，whilemoreenlightenedpeopledidnotdaretorejectthemfromtheirownknowledge。Thepublicopinion，timidandenslaved，respectedthisimperiousand，apparently，well-authenticatederror。Thosewhosawthroughthedelusionkepttheiropiniontothemselves，knowinghowuselessitwastodeclaretheirdisbelieftoapeoplefilledwithprejudiceandadmiration。“
　　AboutthesametimethatValentineGreatrakswasthusmagnetisingthepeopleofLondon，anItalianenthusiast，namedFranciscoBagnone，wasperformingthesametricksinItaly，andwithasgreatsuccess。Hehadonlytotouchweakwomenwithhishands，orsometimesforthesakeofworkingmoreeffectivelyupontheirfanaticismwitharelic，tomakethemfallintofitsandmanifestallthesymptomsofmagnetism。
　　Besidesthese，severallearnedmen，indifferentpartsofEurope，directedtheirattentiontothestudyofthemagnet，believingitmightherenderedefficaciousinmanydiseases。VanHelmont，inparticular，publishedaworkontheeffectsofmagnetismonthehumanframe；andBalthazarGracian，aSpaniard，renderedhimselffamousfortheboldnessofhisviewsonthesubject。“Themagnet，“saidthelatter，“attractsiron；ironisfoundeverywhere；everything，therefore，isundertheinfluenceofmagnetism。Itisonlyamodificationofthegeneralprinciple，whichestablishesharmonyorfomentsdivisionsamongmen。Itisthesameagentwhichgivesrisetosympathy，antipathy，andthepassions。“[“IntroductiontotheStudyofAnimalMagnetism，“byBaronDupotetdeSennevoy，p。315。]