being
or existence or conscience beyond what the senses reach, beyond what the
scalpel discloses in the brain. They trace acts and motions and even
inclinations to the brain, and deny that there is or can be any thing in
contact which can influence it. _Cerebrum et praeterea nihil_ is their
motto. The book is the apotheosis of that lump of marrow and fibre. And
yet this brain, which is so jealously guarded from any spiritual or
immaterial influence, is declared to be completely under the direction
of any man or woman who may pass a hand, with faith, backwards and
forwards over the skull. The extremities of the body--the fingers--send
forth and radiate certain electric, or galvanic, or invisible
influences, and thus one has full power over another's organization and
volition! But as to any influence beyond the sensible world, that Miss
Martineau stoutly denies. The following passage is not an uninteresting
specimen of this foolish production:

"I observed that under the influence of mesmerism some patients
would spontaneously place their hand, or rather the ends of
their fingers, on that part of the brain in action; and these
were persons wholly ignorant of phrenology. In some cases the
hand would pass very rapidly from part to part, as the organs
became excited. If the habit of action was encouraged, they
would follow every combination with precision: and if one hand
would not do they would use both to cover distant parts in
action at the same time. I was delighted with their effects;
but did not consider them very extraordinary, because I had
been accustomed to observe the same phenomena, in a lesser
degree, in the ordinary or normal condition. I know some, who
on any excitement of their love of approbation, will rub their
hand over the organ immediately. Others, I have observed, when
irritated, pass the hand over destructiveness. I have observed
others hold their hand over the region of the attachments, as
they gazed on the object of their affections. I have watched
the poet inspired to write with the fingers pressing on the
region of ideality, and those listening to music leaning upon
the elbow, with the fingers pressing on the organ of music; and
I catch myself performing those actions continually, as if I
were a puppet moved by strings. You will observe, besides, how
the head follows the excited orga