18 OCTOBER 1851, Page 12

HIIIIGERFORD HALL.

The dioramic and other exhibitions of this newly-opened establish- spent have this week received an accession—and an attractive one—in the mesmeric performances of a French gentleman, M. Lassaigne, and his patient, Mademoiselle Prudence. The lady is a clairvoyante, and does wonders, which, whether a manifestation of nature or of art, the spec- tator will almost be entitled to deem inexplicable until they shall have been explained on one ground or the other. The compass-needle is affected at her approach, showing, as the operator affirms, the in- fluence of animal on terrestrial magnetism ; she does your bidding at your secret will ; finds water to be champagne, burgundy, or brandy ; walks on flowers, or shudders at the brink of a precipice, at your good pleasure ; sees in vision and describes the events of your life ; and goes through a series of poses at the unspoken dictation of the audience. All this under the mesmeric influence of M. Lassaigne ; with whom the casual experimentalist from amid the spectators communicates privately, as it seems, and who transmits the thought or image to his pa- tient, to all appearance by a mere exercise of will. It is unlucky for the professors of scientific marvels, that results equally astounding are ob- tained by undisguised delusion and legerdemain. While M. Lassaigne talks mesmerism, the avowed conjuror, Mr. Robin, is "doing clairvoy- ance" with his wife, at no great distance. In such circumstances, the sceptic does no more than assert the rights of common sense in suspending his judgment ; though the downright denier and scoffer may be as un- philosophical as obstructive. We should add, that one or two ob- jections started on the night of our visit seemed to us, as answered by the operator, rather to confirm than invalidate the good faith of the ex- periments.