may be favored with astronomical
communications. Is this physical auto-suggestion? Not absolutely,
since the force goes outside of ourselves, in order to act. It is
rather _mental_ suggestion; yet an idea cannot be suggested to a piece
of wood. This is, therefore, the direct action of the mind. I cannot
find a better name for it than _psychical force_, a term, as already
stated, which I have used since 1865, and which has since become the
fashion.

The action of mind, outside the body, has other testimony, however.
Magnetism, hypnotism, suggestion, telepathy prove this every day. It
cannot be disputed that here also we encounter many illusions.

Some ten years ago a learned physician at Nice, Doctor Barety, the
author of "La Force Neurique Rayonnante et Circulante" (The Radiation
and Circulation of Nervous Force) devoted himself to ingenious
experiments in the distant transmission of thought as observable in a
magnetized person. In these experiments, in which I assisted, it
seemed to me that the subject's sense of hearing amply sufficed to
explain the results.

Take one case. The subject began to count aloud, while the magnetizer
was in an adjoining room, the door standing open between them. At a
certain moment the doctor, with all his energy, projected his "nervous
fluid" from his hands, and the magnetized subject forthwith ceased
counting; yet the doctor's linen cuffs made enough noise to indicate
what he commanded, though no word was spoken. During the experiments
at Salpetriere and at Ivry, to which Doctor Luys was kind enough to
invite me, I thought I observed that a previous knowledge of the
sequence of the experiments furnished a wide margin for the exercise
of the personal faculties of the young women upon whom the experiments
were made. These suspicions, however, did not prevent certain facts in
regard to mental suggestion from being absolutely incontestable.

Here is one among others:--

Doctor Ochorowiez was attending a lady troubled with long-standing
hysterio-epilepsy, aggravated by a maniacal inclination to suicide.
Madame M. was twenty-seven years of age, and had a vigorous
constitution. She appeared to be in excellent health. Her active and
gay temperament was united with extreme moral sensibility. Her
character was specially truthful. Her profound goodness was tinctured
with a tendency toward self-sacrifice. Her intelligence was
remarkable. Her talents were many, and her perceptive faculties were