“Nothingismoreastonishingthanthespectacleoftheseconvulsions。Onewhohasnotseenthemcanformnoideaofthem。Thespectatorisasmuchastonishedattheprofoundreposeofoneportionofthepatientsasattheagitationoftherest-atthevariousaccidentswhicharerepeated，andatthesympathieswhichareexhibited。Someofthepatientsmaybeseendevotingtheirattentionexclusivelytooneanother，rushingtowardseachotherwithopenarms，smiling，soothing，andmanifestingeverysymptomofattachmentandaffection。Allareunderthepowerofthemagnetiser；itmattersnotinwhatstateofdrowsinesstheymaybe，thesoundofhisvoice——alook，amotionofhishand——bringsthemoutofit。Amongthepatientsinconvulsionstherearealwaysobservedagreatmanywomen，andveryfewmen。“[RapportdesCommissaires，redigeparM。Bailly——
　　Theseexperimentslastedforaboutfivemonths。Theyhadhardlycommenced，beforeMesmer，alarmedatthelossbothoffameandprofit，determinedtoreturntoParis。Somepatientsofrankandfortune，enthusiasticbelieversinhisdoctrine，hadfollowedhimtoSpa。OneofthemnamedBergasse，proposedtoopenasubscriptionforhim，ofonehundredshares，atonehundredlouiseach，onconditionthathewoulddisclosehissecrettothesubscribers，whoweretobepermittedtomakewhateverusetheypleasedofit。Mesmerreadilyembracedtheproposal；andsuchwastheinfatuation，thatthesubscriptionwasnotonlyfilledinafewdays，butexceededbynolessasumthanonehundredandfortythousandfrancs。
　　WiththisfortunehereturnedtoParis，andrecommencedhisexperiments，whiletheroyalcommissioncontinuedtheirs。Hisadmiringpupils，whohadpaidhimsohandsomelyforhisinstructions，spreadthedelusionoverthecountry，andestablishedinalltheprincipaltownsofFrance，“SocietiesofHarmony，“fortryingexperimentsandcuringalldiseasesbymeansofmagnetism。Someofthesesocietieswereascandaltomorality，beingjoinedbyprofligatemenofdepravedappetites，whotookadisgustingdelightinwitnessingyounggirlsinconvulsions。Manyofthepretendedmagnetiserswerenotoriouslibertines，whotookthatopportunityofgratifyingtheirpassions。AnillegalincreaseofthenumberofFrenchcitizenswasanythingbutarareconsequenceinStrasburg，Nantes，Bourdeaux，Lyons，andothertowns，wherethesesocietieswereestablished。
　　AtlasttheCommissionerspublishedtheirreport，whichwasdrawnupbytheillustriousandunfortunateBailly。Forclearnessofreasoningandstrictimpartialityithasneverbeensurpassed。Afterdetailingthevariousexperimentsmade，andtheirresults，theycametotheconclusionthattheonlyproofadvancedinsupportofAnimalMagnetismwastheeffectsitproducedonthehumanbody——thatthoseeffectscouldbeproducedwithoutpassesorothermagneticmanipulations-thatallthesemanipulations，andpasses，andceremoniesneverproduceanyeffectatallifemployedwithoutthepatient’sknowledge；andthatthereforeimaginationdid，andanimalmagnetismdidnot，accountforthephenomena。
　　ThisreportwastheruinofMesmer’sreputationinFrance。HequittedParisshortlyafter，withthethreehundredandfortythousandfrancswhichhadbeensubscribedbyhisadmirers，andretiredtohisowncountry，wherehediedin1815，attheadvancedageofeighty-one。
　　Buttheseedshehadsownfructifiedofthemselves，nourishedandbroughttomaturitybythekindlywarmthofpopularcredulity。
　　ImitatorssprangupinFrance，Germany，andEngland，moreextravagantthantheirmaster，andclaimingpowersforthenewsciencewhichitsfounderhadneverdreamtof。Amongothers，Cagliostromadegooduseofthedelusioninextendinghisclaimstobeconsideredamasteroftheoccultsciences。ButhemadenodiscoveriesworthytobecomparedtothoseoftheMarquisdePuysegurandtheChevalierBarbarin，honestmen，whobeganbydeceivingthemselvesbeforetheydeceivedothers。
　　TheMarquisdePuysegur，theownerofaconsiderableestateatBusancy，wasoneofthosewhohadenteredintothesubscriptionforMesmer。AfterthatindividualhadquittedFrance，heretiredtoBusancywithhisbrothertotryAnimalMagnetismuponhistenants，andcurethecountrypeopleofallmannerofdiseases。Hewasamanofgreatsimplicityandmuchbenevolence，andnotonlymagnetisedbutfedthesickthatflockedaroundhim。Inalltheneighbourhood，andindeedwithinacircumferenceoftwentymiles，hewaslookeduponasendowedwithapoweralmostDivine。Hisgreatdiscovery，ashecalledit，wasmadebychance。Onedayhehadmagnetisedhisgardener；andobservinghimtofallintoadeepsleep，itoccurredtohimthathewouldaddressaquestiontohim，ashewouldhavedonetoanaturalsomnambulist。Hedidso，andthemanrepliedwithmuchclearnessandprecision。M。dePuysegurwasagreeablysurprised:hecontinuedhisexperiments，andfoundthat，inthisstateofmagneticsomnambulism，thesoulofthesleeperwasenlarged，andbroughtintomoreintimatecommunionwithallnature，andmoreespeciallywithhim，M。dePuysegur。Hefoundthatallfurthermanipulationswereunnecessary；
　　that，withoutspeakingormakinganysign，hecouldconveyhiswilltothepatient；thathecould，infact，conversewithhim，soultosoul，withouttheemploymentofanyphysicaloperationwhatever！
　　Simultaneouslywiththismarvellousdiscoveryhemadeanother，whichreflectsequalcredituponhisunderstanding。LikeValentineGreatraks，hefoundithardworktomagnetiseallthatcame-thathehadnoteventimetotakethereposeandrelaxationwhichwerenecessaryforhishealth。Inthisemergencyhehituponacleverexpedient。HehadheardMesmersaythathecouldmagnetisebitsofwood——whyshouldhenotbeabletomagnetiseawholetree？Itwasnosoonerthoughtthandone。TherewasalargeelmonthevillagegreenatBusancy，underwhichthepeasantgirlsusedtodanceonfestiveoccasions，andtheoldmentosit，drinkingtheirvindupaysonthefinesummerevenings。M。dePuysegurproceededtothistreeandmagnetisedit，byfirsttouchingitwithhishandsandthenretiringafewstepsfromit；allthewhiledirectingstreamsofthemagneticfluidfromthebranchestowardthetrunk，andfromthetrunktowardtheroot。Thisdone，hecausedcircularseatstobeerectedroundit，andcordssuspendedfromitinalldirections。Whenthepatientshadseatedthemselves，theytwistedthecordsroundthediseasedpartsoftheirbodies，andheldoneanotherfirmlybytheirthumbstoformadirectchannelofcommunicationforthepassageofthefluid。
　　M。dePuysegurhadnowtwohobbies-themanwiththeenlargedsoul，andthemagneticelm。Theinfatuationofhimselfandhispatientscannotbebetterexpressedthaninhisownwords。Writingtohisbrother，onthe17thofMay1784，hesays，“Ifyoudonotcome，mydearfriend，youwillnotseemyextraordinaryman，forhishealthisnowalmostquiterestored。IcontinuetomakeuseofthehappypowerforwhichIamindebtedtoM。Mesmer。EverydayIblesshisname；forIamveryuseful，andproducemanysalutaryeffectsonallthesickpoorintheneighbourhood。Theyflockaroundmytree；thereweremorethanonehundredandthirtyofthemthismorning。Itisthebestbaquetpossible；notaleafofitbutcommunicateshealth！allfeel，moreorless，thegoodeffectsofit。Youwillbedelightedtoseethecharmingpictureofhumanitywhichthispresents。Ihaveonlyoneregret-itis，thatIcannottouchallwhocome。Butmymagnetisedman——myintelligence-setsmeatease。HeteachesmewhatconductI
　　shouldadopt。Accordingtohim，itisnotatallnecessarythatI
　　shouldtoucheveryone；alook，agesture，evenawish，issufficient。
　　Anditisoneofthemostignorantpeasantsofthecountrythatteachesmethis！Whenheisinacrisis，Iknowofnothingmoreprofound，moreprudent，moreclearsightedclairvoyantthanheis。“
　　Inanotherletter，describinghisfirstexperimentwiththemagnetictree，hesays，“YestereveningIbroughtmyfirstpatienttoit。AssoonasIhadputthecordroundhimhegazedatthetree；and，withanairofastonishmentwhichIcannotdescribe，exclaimed，’WhatisitthatIseethere？’Hisheadthensunkdown，andhefellintoaperfectfitofsomnambulism。Attheendofanhour，Itookhimhometohishouseagain，whenIrestoredhimtohissenses。Severalmenandwomencametotellhimwhathehadbeendoing。Hemaintaineditwasnottrue；that，weakashewas，andscarcelyabletowalk，itwouldhavebeenscarcelypossibleforhimtohavegonedownstairsandwalkedtothetree。To-dayIhaverepeatedtheexperimentonhim，andwiththesamesuccess。IowntoyouthatmyheadturnsroundwithpleasuretothinkofthegoodIdo。MadamedePuysegur，thefriendsshehaswithher，myservants，and，infact，allwhoarenearme，feelanamazement，mingledwithadmiration，whichcannotbedescribed；buttheydonotexperiencethehalfofmysensations。Withoutmytree，whichgivesmerest，andwhichwillgivemestillmore，Ishouldbeinastateofagitation，inconsistent，Ibelieve，withmyhealth。Iexisttoomuch，ifImaybeallowedtousetheexpression。“
　　Inanotherletter，hedescantsstillmorepoeticallyuponhisgardenerwiththeenlargedsoul。Hesays，“Itisfromthissimpleman，thistallandstoutrustic，twenty-threeyearsofage，enfeebledbydisease，orratherbysorrow，andthereforethemorepredisposedtobeaffectedbyanygreatnaturalagent，——itisfromthisman，Irepeat，thatIderiveinstructionandknowledge。Wheninthemagneticstate，heisnolongerapeasantwhocanhardlyutterasinglesentence；heisabeing，todescribewhomIcannotfindaname。Ineednotspeak；I
　　haveonlytothinkbeforehim，whenheinstantlyunderstandsandanswersme。Shouldanybodycomeintotheroom，heseeshim，ifI
　　desireitbutnotelse，andaddresseshim，andsayswhatIwishhimtosay；notindeedexactlyasIdictatetohim，butastruthrequires。
　　WhenhewantstoaddmorethanIdeemitprudentstrangersshouldhear，Istoptheflowofhisideas，andofhisconversationinthemiddleofaword，andgiveitquiteadifferentturn！“
　　AmongotherpersonsattractedtoBusancybythereportoftheseextraordinaryoccurrenceswasM。Cloquet，theReceiverofFinance。Hisappetiteforthemarvellousbeingsomewhatinsatiable，hereadilybelievedallthatwastoldhimbyM。dePuysegur。Healsohasleftarecordofwhathesaw，andwhathecredited，whichthrowsastillclearerlightupontheprogressofthedelusion。[“IntroductiontotheStudyofAnimalMagnetism，“byBaronDupotet，p。73。]Hesaysthatthepatientshesawinthemagneticstatehadanappearanceofdeepsleep，duringwhichallthephysicalfacultiesweresuspended，totheadvantageoftheintellectualfaculties。Theeyesofthepatientswereclosed；thesenseofhearingwasabolished，andtheyawokeonlyatthevoiceoftheirmagnetiser。“Ifanyonetouchedapatientduringacrisis，oreventhechaironwhichhewasseated，“saysM。Cloquet，“itwouldcausehimmuchpainandsuffering，andthrowhimintoconvulsions。Duringthecrisis，theypossessanextraordinaryandsupernaturalpower，bywhich，ontouchingapatientpresentedtothem，theycanfeelwhatpartofhisbodyisdiseased，evenbymerelypassingtheirhandovertheclothes。“Anothersingularitywas，thatthesesleeperswhocouldthusdiscoverdiseases——seeintotheinteriorofothermen’sstomachs，andpointoutremedies，rememberedabsolutelynothingafterthemagnetiserthoughtpropertodisenchantthem。Thetimethatelapsedbetweentheirenteringthecrisisandtheircomingoutofitwasobliterated。Notonlyhadthemagnetiserthepowerofmakinghimselfheardbythesomnambulists，buthecouldmakethemfollowhimbymerelypointinghisfingeratthemfromadistance，thoughtheyhadtheireyesthewholetimecompletelyclosed。