formulized by ANTON MESMER from a mass of more or less confused
observations by earlier writers, was the doctrine that there is a
magnetic fluid circulating in all created forms, capable of flux and
reflux, which is specially active or potent in the human body. Its
action may be concentrated or increased by the human will, so as to
work wonders, one of which is to cause a person who is magnetized by
another to obey the operator, this obedience being manifested in many
very strange ways.

Still there were thousands of physiologists or men of science who
doubted the theory of the action or existence of Animal Magnetism, and
the vital fluid, as declared by the Mesmerists, and they especially
distrusted the marvels narrated of clairvoyance, which was too like
the thaumaturgy or wonder-working attributed to the earlier magicians.
Finally, the English scientist, BRAID, determined that it was not a
magnetic fluid which produced the recognized results, "but that they
were of purely subjective origin, depending on the nervous system of
the one acted on." That is to say, in ordinary language, it was "all
imagination"--but here, as in many other cases, a very comprehensive
and apparently common-sensible word is very far from giving an
adequate or correct idea of the matter in question--for what the
imagination itself really is in this relation is a mystery which is
very difficult to solve. I have heard of an old French gentleman
who, when in a circus, expressed an opinion that there was nothing
remarkable in the wonderful performances of an acrobat on a
tight-rope, or trapeze. "_Voyez-vous monsieur_" he exclaimed;
"_Ce n'est que la mathématique--rien que ca_!" And only the
Imagination--"all your Imagination" is still the universal solvent in
Philistia for all such problems.