SuchwasAnimalMagnetismundertheauspicesoftheMarquisdePuysegur。Whilehewashibitingthesefooleriesaroundhiselm-tree，amagnetiserofanotherclassappearedinLyons，inthepersonoftheChevalierdeBarbarin。Thispersonthoughttheeffortofthewill，withoutanyoftheparaphernaliaofwandsorbaquets，wassufficienttothrowpatientsintothemagneticsleep。Hetrieditandsucceeded。
　　Bysittingatthebedsideofhispatients，andprayingthattheymightbemagnetised，theywentoffintoastateverysimilartothatofthepersonswhofellunderthenoticeofM。dePuysegur。Inthecourseoftime，averyconsiderablenumberofmagnetisers，acknowledgingBarbarinfortheirmodel，andcalledafterhimBarbarinists，appearedindifferentparts，andwerebelievedtohaveeffectedsomeremarkablecures。InSwedenandGermany，thissectoffanaticsincreasedrapidly，andwerecalledspiritualists，todistinguishthemfromthefollowersofM。dePuysegur，whowerecalledexperimentalists。TheymaintainedthatalltheeffectsofAnimalMagnetism，whichMesmerbelievedtobeproduciblebyamagneticfluiddispersedthroughnature，wereproducedbythemereeffortofonehumansoulactinguponanother；thatwhenaconnexionhadoncebeenestablishedbetweenamagnetiserandhispatient，theformercouldcommunicatehisinfluencetothelatterfromanydistance，evenhundredsofmiles，bythewill！Oneofthemthusdescribedtheblessedstateofamagneticpatient:——“Insuchamananimalinstinctascendstothehighestdegreeadmissibleinthisworld。Theclairvoyantisthenapureanimal，withoutanyadmixtureofmatter。Hisobservationsarethoseofaspirit。HeissimilartoGod。
　　Hiseyepenetratesallthesecretsofnature。Whenhisattentionisfixedonanyoftheobjectsofthisworld——onhisdisease，hisdeath，hiswell-beloved，hisfriends，hisrelations，hisenemies，——
　　inspiritheseesthemacting；hepenetratesintothecausesandtheconsequencesoftheiractions；hebecomesaphysician，aprophet，adivine！“[See“ForeignReview，ContinentalMiscellany，“vol。v。113。]
　　LetusnowseewhatprogressthesemysteriesmadeinEngland。Intheyear1788，Dr。Mainauduc，whohadbeenapupil，firstofMesmer，andafterwardsofD’Eslon，arrivedinBristol，andgavepubliclecturesuponmagnetism。Hissuccesswasquiteextraordinary。PeopleofrankandfortunehastenedfromLondontoBristoltobemagnetised，ortoplacethemselvesunderhistuition。Dr。GeorgeWinter，inhisHistoryofAnimalMagnetism，givesthefollowinglistofthem:——
　　“Theyamountedtoonehundredandtwenty-seven，amongwhomtherewereoneduke，oneduchess，onemarchioness，twocountesses，oneearl，onebaron，threebaronesses，onebishop，fiverighthonourablegentlemenandladies，twobaronets，sevenmembersofparliament，oneclergyman，twophysicians，sevensurgeons，besidesninety-twogentlemenandladiesofrespectability。“HeafterwardsestablishedhimselfinLondon，whereheperformedwithequalsuccess。
　　HebeganbypublishingproposalstotheladiesfortheformationofaHygeianSociety。InthispaperhevauntedhighlythecurativeeffectsofAnimalMagnetism，andtookgreatcredittohimselfforbeingthefirstpersontointroduceitintoEngland，andthusconcluded:——“Asthismethodofcureisnotconfinedtosex，orcollegeeducation，andthefairsexbeingingeneralthemostsympathisingpartofthecreation，andmostimmediatelyconcernedinthehealthandcareofitsoffspring，Ithinkmyselfboundingratitudetoyou，ladies，forthepartialityyouhaveshownmeinmidwifery，tocontribute，asfarasliesinmypower，torenderyouadditionallyusefulandvaluabletothecommunity。Withthisview，I
　　proposeformingmyHygeianSociety，tobeincorporatedwiththatofParis。Assoonastwentyladieshavegivenintheirnames，thedayshallbeappointedforthefirstmeetingatmyhouse，whentheyaretopayfifteenguineas，whichwillincludethewholeexpense。“
　　HannahMore，inaletteraddressedtoHoraceWalpole，inSeptember1788，speaksofthe“demoniacalmummeries“ofDr。Mainauduc，andsayshewasinafairwayofgainingahundredthousandpoundsbythem，asMesmerhaddonebyhisexhibitionsinParis。
　　Somuchcuriositywasexcitedbythesubjectthat，aboutthesametime，aman，namedHolloway，gaveacourseoflecturesonAnimalMagnetisminLondon，attherateoffiveguineasforeachpupil，andrealisedaconsiderablefortune。Loutherbourg，thepainter，andhiswifefollowedthesameprofitabletrade；andsuchwastheinfatuationofthepeopletobewitnessesoftheirstrangemanipulations，that，attimes，upwardsofthreethousandpersonscrowdedaroundtheirhouseatHammersmith，unabletogainadmission。Theticketssoldatpricesvaryingfromonetothreeguineas。Loutherbourgperformedhiscuresbythetouch，afterthemannerofValentineGreatraks，andfinallypretendedtoaDivinemission。Anaccountofhismiracles，astheywerecalled，waspublishedin1789，entitled“AListofNewCuresperformedbyMr。andMrs。deLoutherbourgofHammersmithTerrace，withoutMedicine；byaLoveroftheLambofGod。DedicatedtohisGracetheArchbishopofCanterbury。“
　　This“LoveroftheLambofGod“wasahalf-crazyoldwoman，namedMaryPratt，whoconceivedforMr。andMrs。deLoutherbourgavenerationwhichalmostpromptedhertoworshipthem。ShechoseforthemottoofherpamphletaverseinthethirteenthchapteroftheActsoftheApostles:“Behold，yedespisers，andwonderandperish！
　　forIwillworkaworkinyourdayswhichyeshallnotbelievethoughamandeclareituntoyou。“Attemptingtogiveareligiouscharactertothecuresofthepainter，shethoughtawomanwastheproperpersontomakethemknown，sincetheapostlehaddeclaredthatamanshouldnotbeabletoconquertheincredulityofthepeople。Shestatedthat，fromChristmas1788toJuly1789，DeLoutherbourgandhiswifehadcuredtwothousandpeople，“havingbeenmadeproperrecipientstoreceiveDivinemanuductions；whichheavenlyandDivineinflux，comingfromtheradixGod，hisDivineMajestyhadmostgraciouslybestoweduponthemtodiffusehealingtoall，betheydeaf，dumb，blind，lame，orhalt。“
　　InherdedicationtotheArchbishopofCanterbury，sheimploredhimtocomposeanewformofprayertobeusedinallchurchesandchapels，thatnothingmightimpedethisinestimablegiftfromhavingitsduecourse。ShefurtherentreatedallthemagistratesandmenofauthorityinthelandtowaitonMr。andMrs。deLoutherbourg，toconsultwiththemontheimmediateerectionofalargehospital，withapoolofBethesdaattachedtoit。Allthemagnetiserswerescandalisedatthepreposterousjabberofthisoldwoman，andDeLoutherbourgappearstohaveleftLondontoavoidher；continuing，however，inconjunctionwithhiswife，thefantastictrickswhichhadturnedthebrainofthispoorfanatic，anddeludedmanyotherswhopretendedtomoresensethanshehad。
　　Fromthisperioduntil1798，magnetismexcitedlittleornoattentioninEngland。Anattempttorevivethedoctrinewasmadeinthatyear，butitwasintheshapeofmineralratherthanofanimalmagnetism。OneBenjaminDouglasPerkins，anAmerican，practisingasasurgeoninLeicestersquare，inventedandtookoutapatentforthecelebrated“MetallicTractors。“Hepretendedthatthesetractors，whichweretwosmallpiecesofmetalstronglymagnetised，somethingresemblingthesteelplateswhichwerefirstbroughtintonoticebyFatherHell，wouldcuregout，rheumatism，palsy，andinfact，almosteverydiseasethehumanframewassubjectto，ifappliedexternallytotheafflictedpart，andmovedaboutgently，touchingthesurfaceonly。
　　Themostwonderfulstoriessoonobtainedgeneralcirculation，andthepressgroanedwithpamphlets，allvauntingthecurativeeffectsofthetractors，whichweresoldatfiveguineasthepair。Perkinsgainedmoneyrapidly。Goutysubjectsforgottheirpainsinthepresenceofthisnewremedy；therheumatismfledatitsapproach；andtoothache，whichisoftencuredbythemeresightofadentist，vanishedbeforePerkinsandhismarvelloussteelplates。ThebenevolentQuakers，ofwhosebodyhewasamember，warmlypatronisedtheinvention。Desirousthatthepoor，whocouldnotaffordtopayMr。Perkinsfiveguineas，orevenfiveshillings，forhistractors，shouldalsoshareinthebenefitsofthatsublimediscovery，theysubscribedalargesum，andbuiltanhospital，calledthe“PerkineanInstitution，“inwhichallcomersmightbemagnetisedfreeofcost。Inthecourseofafewmonthstheywereinverygeneraluse，andtheirluckyinventorinpossessionoffivethousandpounds。
　　Dr。Haygarth，aneminentphysicianatBath，recollectingtheinfluenceofimaginationinthecureofdisease，hituponanexpedienttotrytherealvalueofthetractors。Perkins’scuresweretoowellestablishedtobedoubted；andDr。Haygarth，withoutgainsayingthem，quietly，butinthefaceofnumerouswitnesses，exposedthedelusionunderwhichpeoplelabouredwithrespecttothecurativemedium。HesuggestedtoDr。Falconerthattheyshouldmakewoodentractors，paintthemtoresemblethesteelones，andseeiftheverysameeffectswouldnotbeproduced。FivepatientswerechosenfromthehospitalinBath，uponwhomtooperate。Fourofthemsufferedseverelyfromchronicrheumatismintheankle，knee，wrist，andhip；andthefifthhadbeenafflictedforseveralmonthswiththegout。Onthedayappointedfortheexperiments，Dr。Haygarthandhisfriendsassembledatthehospital，andwithmuchsolemnitybroughtforththefictitioustractors。Fouroutofthefivepatientssaidtheirpainswereimmediatelyrelieved；andthreeofthemsaidtheywerenotonlyrelieved，butverymuchbenefited。Onefelthiskneewarmer，andsaidhecouldwalkacrosstheroom。Hetriedandsucceeded，althoughonthepreviousdayhehadnotbeenabletostir。Thegoutymanfelthispainsdiminishrapidly，andwasquiteeasyforninehours，untilhewenttobed，whenthetwitchingbeganagain。Onthefollowingdaytherealtractorswereappliedtoallthepatients，whentheydescribedtheirsymptomsinnearlythesameterms。
　　Tomakestillmoresure，theexperimentwastriedintheBristolInfirmary，afewweeksafterwards，onamanwhohadarheumaticaffectionintheshoulder，sosevereastoincapacitatehimfromliftinghishandfromhisknee。Thefictitioustractorswerebroughtandappliedtotheafflictedpart，oneofthephysicians，toaddsolemnitytothescene，drawingastop-watchfromhispockettocalculatethetimeexactly，whileanother，withapeninhishand，satdowntowritethechangeofsymptomsfromminutetominuteastheyoccurred。Inlessthanfourminutesthemanfeltsomuchrelieved，thatheliftedhishandseveralincheswithoutanypainintheshoulder！
　　AnaccountofthesematterswaspublishedbyDr。Haygarth，inasmallvolumeentitled，“OftheImagination，asaCauseandCureofDisorders，exemplifiedbyfictitiousTractors。“TheexposurewasacoupdegracetothesystemofMr。Perkins。Hisfriendsandpatrons，stillunwillingtoconfessthattheyhadbeendeceived，triedthetractorsuponsheep，cows，andhorses，allegingthattheanimalsreceivedbenefitfromthemetallicplates，butnoneatallfromthewoodenones。Buttheyfoundnobodytobelievethem；thePerkineanInstitutionfellintoneglect；andPerkinsmadehisexitfromEngland，carryingwithhimabouttenthousandpounds，tosoothehisdecliningyearsinthegoodcityofPennsylvania。
　　ThuswasmagnetismlaughedoutofEnglandforatime。InFrance，therevolutionleftmennoleisureforsuchpuerilities。The“Societesdel’Harmonie，“ofStrasburg，andothergreattowns，lingeredforawhile，tillsternermattersoccupyingmen’sattention，theywereoneaftertheotherabandoned，bothbypupilsandprofessors。ThesystemthusdrivenfromthefirsttwonationsofEurope，tookrefugeamongthedreamyphilosophersofGermany。Therethewondersofthemagneticsleepgrewmoreandmorewonderfuleveryday；thepatientsacquiredthegiftofprophecy-theirvisionextendedoverallthesurfaceoftheglobe——theycouldhearandseewiththeirtoesandfingers，andreadunknownlanguages，andunderstandthemtoo，bymerelyhavingthebookplacedontheirbellies。Ignorantclodpoles，whenonceentrancedbythegrandMesmericfluid，couldspoutphilosophydivinerthanPlatoeverwrote，descantuponthemysteriesofthemindwithmoreeloquenceandtruththantheprofoundestmetaphysicianstheworldeversaw，andsolveknottypointsofdivinitywithasmucheaseaswakingmencouldundotheirshoe-buckles！