HYPNOTISM.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."
,Sis,—The article in which you review Dr. Tnckey's book on hypnotism points to a discovery of a very extraordinary nature which, if substantiated and followed out, will probably throw new light on the physical and metaphysical constitution of man. You say that through the agency of the mesmeric sleep, you get at a " second self " which stands in closer rela- tion to our body than our ordinary self does, producing sen- sations in the body in accordance with suggestions made to it, and even inducing bodily changes, like the stigmata.
That which you call the " second self " is probably the 1,Luri : and our present body is the oi.V.4a 1,tvxmoy, badly translated "natural body." This "second self" is the animal soul which, under ordinary circumstances, is moved, and exercised, and combated by the TrygDpx, our proper personality and true ego. It stands, as it were, between the spirit and the body, and is acted on, now by one, -now by the other, and itself acts on both. The hypnotic sleep swishes off the Trysiwx from its connection with the iPvxn while this passes under the influence of suggestion, and acts with greater force on all the bodily functions, as is the case sometimes when ordinary sleep produces dreams. In fact, this discovery confirms the traditional view of the tripartite nature of man, that he is body, soul, and spirit. These three elements of his nature act and react on each other; and healthy consciousness is the harmony of the chord. But they may be thrown out of gear, and then we have "abnormal" ,consciousness.
Under ordinary circumstances, nerve-movements are trans- lated into sensations, being excited by the objects corre- sponding with them,—sugar, for example, producing the sensation of sweetness, and we are able to say, am tasting something sweet ; ' but when the nerve-movement under hypnotic suggestion is made to come from the other end of the chain the thought, ' I am tasting something sweet,' actually sets in motion the proper nerves, and causes the sensation of sweetness. It is possible that, as alchemy led to the discovery of many chemical laws, so the study of hypnotism may lead the way to a more scientific and satisfactory psychology than we at present possess.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Oxford and Cambridge Club. J. J. COXHEAD.
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