Bro. Franz Anton Mesmer.

the goldsmith , but the cameo he brought for sale to me , as he kneAv that I Avould give him a better price than the goldsmith . But you must not think that it is of high value ; for it has not been cut by an old Greek artist , but it has all the appearance

of being Italian Avorkmanship . " Willingly did I accept this memento from the noble man . We Avere , however , surprised when , our attention having been directed to it by my daughter , AA e perceived that the very cameo , with Plato ' s

likeness , which Herr von Lassberg had presented me Avith a feAV days before , corresponded Avith the ring- on the finger in the j > ainting . "That , " laughingly said Herr von Lassberg , " is the cameo

Avhich I gave you . " "It is UOAA ' , " I replied , " doubly dear to me . " In order to satisfy myself that Mesmer possessed a ring with such a cameo , I AVt-nt to his heirs , and having turned over the inventory of his

remains and gone through it only once , I observed and read beneath the rubric , " Gold : A gold ring with an antique Plato . " Thereupon an old female relative of Mesmer told me that the ring had fallen by lot to her cousin , a forester , and that he

had immediately turned it into money . Thus this ornament of Mesmer ' s beneficent hand came into the possession of Herr von Lassberg , and through his kindness into mine .

Wolfart aptly prefixed to Mesmer ' s Avorks a saying of Plato ' s ; and rightly does Mesmer consecrate his hand , by Avearing on it this ring , ivitli Plato ' s likeness . Mesmer's faith , works , theories , even as Plato ' s , sprang' from inner prevision , inner

life , inner knoAvledge of nature , rather than from the exertion of isolated intellectual operations , or book-learning . Mesmer says , in his work published by Professor Wolfart , " I declare , at the outset , that this Avork , of Avhich I have conceiA ed

the idea from no external hint , makes its appearance Avithout any scientific experiment , but has issued from my owii sole experience and reflection . I keep it free throughout from those prepossessions and mistakes Avhich over refined information and

education may instill . I have abstained in eA ^ ery Avay from a hypercritical spirit , or a display of learning ; it remains for jjosterity to measure out and embellish the road AA hich I have merely evened . "

When the noble gentlemen , Herr von Lassberg , saAV that I Avas so much deli ghted Avith Mesmer's various relics , he said to me , " Come , now , once more Avith me into my cabinets . " The fine old

man of fourscore and four years , Avith his long white hair and beard , like an apparition of the days of romance , holding in his hand a bunch of keys , now preceded me through the long corridors of his ancient Meersburg , adorned Avith huge stag

and Avild goats' horns . The oldest tower of this castle had King' Dagobert built ; and the very Avindow is still pointed out from . Avhich Conradin of Suabia , before his fatal journey to Italy , gazed with rapture over the lovely neighbourhood . Here Herr von Lassberg led me doAvu to his cabinets , in which the most remarkable treasures of old

German literature , especially the poetry of the Middle Ages , & c , aud several rare documents of olden and modern times , were preserved in rows of presses . On the top of these are ranged stone bottles , goblets , cups , urns , arms , and Aveapons of the oldp . u time .

Here the noble old man pointed out to me a compartment in Avhich papers and documents of the last century , highly valued by him , were contained , aud said , " NoAA , then , as it has happened that so much that is A'aluable of good old Mesmer ' s

has fallen into your possession , I believe that it Avould be his AAdsh that his doctor ' s diploma should also become yours ; aud I believe , " he added , thinking indeed far too highly of me , " that in our Suabia I could not place it in better hands ; I obtained it about tAveut } r years since , in the same manner as I did that cameo . "

Thus I got full possession of Mesmer ' s doctor ' s diploma ; aud , with heartfelt thanks towards the noble donor , I deposited it for safe keeping , together with Mesmer ' s picture , his cameo again set in the ring , and Mesmer ' s MSS ., in the Magnetic

Institute of my son at Stuttgart . I give now , in the following pages , those literary remains of Mesmer which , have come into my possession—fragments and letters in his OAVU hand , descriptions of , and opinions on him from those

Avho , for a long period , had personal intercourse Avith him ; Wolfart ' s letters to him , & c , and some extracts from his earlier AA ritino-s Avhich are no

longer to be found in the book trade . I have arrang'ed them , for the most part , in the order of time . If , iu consequence of this arrangement , a merely superficial sketch of Mesmer ' s life be presented , I admit that these pages can lay no claim

to an effective biography of Mesmer , inasmuch as they hazard no critical nor erudite examination into Mesmer's theories . Their aim is simply this , to awaken a kindly remembrance of Mesmer , and