ave been several cases
reported, and one woman in Paris who aided in a murder was released on
her plea of irresponsibility because she had been hypnotized. In none of
these cases, however, was there any really satisfactory evidence that
hypnotism existed. In all the cases reported there seemed to be no doubt
of the weak character and predisposition to crime. In another class of
cases, namely those of criminal assault upon girls and women, the only
evidence ever adduced that the injured person was hypnotized was the
statement of that person, which cannot really be called evidence at all.

The fact is, a weak character can be tempted and brought under virtual
control much more easily by ordinary means than by hypnotism. The man
who "overpersuades" a business man to endorse a note uses no hypnotic
influence. He is merely making a clever play upon the man's vanity,
egotism, or good nature.

A profound study of the hypnotic state, such as has been made by Prof.
William James, of Harvard College, the great authority on psychical
phenomena and president of the Psychic Research Society, leads to the
conviction that in the hypnotic sleep the will is only in abeyance,
as it is in natural slumber or in sleepwalking, and any unusual or
especially exciting occurrence, especially anything that runs against
the grain of the nature, reawakens that will, and it soon becomes
as active as ever. This is ten times more true in the matter of
post-hypnotic suggestion, which is very much weaker than suggestion
that takes effect during the actual hypnotic sleep. We shall see,
furthermore, that while acting under a delusion at the suggestion of the
operator, the patient is really conscious all the time of the real facts
in the case--indeed, much more keenly so, oftentimes, than the operator
himself. For instance, if a line is drawn on a sheet of paper and the
subject is told there is no line, he will maintain there is no line; but
he has to see it in order to ignore it. Moreover, persons trained to
obey, instinctively do obey even in their waking state. It requires a
special faculty to resist obedience, even during our ordinary waking
condition. Says a recent writer: "It is certain that we are naturally
inclined to obey, conflicts and resistance are the characteristics of
some rare individuals; but between admitting this and saying that we are
doomed to obey--even the least of us--lies a gulf." The same writer says
further: "Hypnotic suggestion