EDITOR’S PREFACE.

I learned that she had passed a very comfortable night and had slept for seven and a half hours without waking. Her voice was also clear, the expression of weariness original: "languor" had left her face original: "countenance", and she felt so well that she ventured to dine at the house of a friend, three miles from the minister's house Manse A manse is the traditional name for a minister's residence, particularly in Scotland. Whatever was the cause of the improvement, I was delighted to see my friend evidently better, and I resolved to mesmerize An early form of hypnosis, then thought to involve the movement of "animal magnetism" between people her again.

On our return from a short walk original: "saunter" in the garden on the evening of June 11th, she lay down on the sofa, waiting for the servants to come in for prayers. As they happened to be longer in coming than we expected, I said, “Suppose I try to mesmerize you?”

Her reply being “Very well,” I began my manipulations original: "manipulations"; the specific hand motions or "passes" used by a mesmerist to induce a trance at five minutes before ten. Before that hour struck, we had the following conversation:

“Oh! I am very sleepy.”

“Do you really think I am exerting any influence over you?”

“How can I doubt it? I never felt this way before. I am in a state of the most delightful calmness original: "placidity".”

“Why, then, I had better put off the prayers and keep the house quiet for a little while.”

“No, no; don’t do that. I am very drowsy,”—and with these words she gave up original: "relinquished" the attempt to rise and rested her head on the pillow.

Having slipped out of the room and ordered that no noise be made, I found her still very sleepy original: "somnolent" upon my return. Without saying another word, I proceeded with my techniques for twenty minutes. I then spoke, and, receiving no answer, I proceeded to find a witness for my subsequent actions. Calling my housekeeper, I said, “Come and try if you can awaken Mrs. C.; I believe I have mesmerized her.”

The housekeeper tried every means to do so, but in vain. Her respect for the lady would not allow her to obey my order to prick her with a pin; I therefore took a sharp-pointed instrument and pricked her hand until the marks