Sometimes they found it reconstructing the past； either by the power
of retrospective vision； or by the mystery of a palingenesis not
unlike the power a man might have of detecting in the form；
integument； and embryo in a seed； the flowers of the past； and the
numberless variations of their color； scent； and shape； and sometimes；
again； it could be seen vaguely foreseeing the future； either by its
apprehension of final causes； or by some phenomenon of physical
presentiment。
Other men； less poetically religious； cold； and argumentativequacks
perhaps； but enthusiasts in brain at least； if not in heart
recognizing some isolated examples of such phenomena； admitted their
truth while refusing to consider them as radiating from a common
centre。 Each of these was； then； bent on constructing a science out of
a simple fact。 Hence arose demonology； judicial astrology； the black
arts； in short； every form of divination founded on circumstances that
were essentially transient； because they varied according to men's
temperament； and to conditions that are still completely unknown。
But from these errors of the learned； and from the ecclesiastical
trials under which fell so many martyrs to their own powers； startling
evidence was derived of the prodigious faculties at the command of the
Being of Action； which； according to Lambert； can abstract itself
completely from the Being of Reaction； bursting its envelope； and
piercing walls by its potent vision； a phenomenon known to the
Hindoos； as missionaries tell us； by the name of /Tokeiad/； or again；
by another faculty； can grasp in the brain； in spite of its closest
convolutions； the ideas which are formed or forming there； and the
whole of past consciousness。
〃If apparitions are not impossible；〃 said Lambert； 〃they must be due
to a faculty of discerning the ideas which represent man in his purest
essence； whose life； imperishable perhaps； escapes our grosser senses；
though they may become perceptible to the inner being when it has
reached a high degree of ecstasy； or a great perfection of vision。〃
I knowthough my remembrance is now vaguethat Lambert； by following
the results of Mind and Will step by step； after he had established
their laws； accounted for a multitude of phenomena which； till then；
had been regarded with reason as incomprehensible。 Thus wizards； men
possessed with second sight； and demoniacs of every degreethe
victims of the Middle Agesbecame the subject of explanations so
natural； that their very simplicity often seemed to me the seal of
their truth。 The marvelous gifts which the Church of Rome； jealous of
all mysteries； punished with the stake； were； in Louis' opinion； the
result of certain affinities between the constituent elements of
matter and those of mind； which proceed from the same source。 The man
holding a hazel rod when he found a spring of water was guided by some
antipathy or sympathy of which he was unconscious； nothing but the
eccentricity of these phenomena could have availed to give some of
them historic certainty。
Sympathies have rarely been proved； they afford a kind of pleasure
which those who are so happy as to possess them rarely speak of unless
they are abnormally singular； and even then only in the privacy of
intimate intercourse； where everything is buried。 But the antipathies
that arise from the inversion of affinities have； very happily； been
recorded when developed by famous men。 Thus； Bayle had hysterics when
he heard water splashing； Scaliger turned pale at the sight of water…
cress； Erasmus was thrown into a fever by the smell of fish。 These
three antipathies were connected with water。 The Duc d'Epernon fainted
at the sight of a hare； Tycho…Brahe at that of a fox； Henri III。 at
the presence of a cat； the Marechal d'Albret at the sight of a wild
hog； these antipathies were produced by animal emanations； and often
took effect at a great distance。 The Chevalier de Guise； Marie de
Medici； and many other persons have felt faint at seeing a rose even
in a painting。 Lord Bacon； whether he were forewarned or no of an
eclipse of the moon； always fell into a syncope while it lasted； and
his vitality； suspended while the phenomenon lasted was restored as
soon as it was over without his feeling any further inconvenience。
These effects of antipathy； all well authenticated； and chosen from
among many which history has happened to preserve； are enough to give
a clue to the sympathies which remain unknown。
This fragment of Lambert's investigations； which I remember from among
his essays； will throw a light on the method on which he worked。 I
need not emphasize the obvious connection between this theory and the
collateral sciences projected by Gall and Lavater； they were its
natural corollary； and every more or less scientific brain will
discern the ramifications by which it is inevitably connected with the
phrenological observations of one and the speculations on physiognomy
of the other。
Mesmer's discovery； so important； though as yet so little appreciated；
was also embodied in a single section of this treatise； though Louis
did not know the Swiss doctor's writingswhich are few and brief。
A simple and logical inference from these principles led him to
perceive that the will might be accumulated by a contractile effort of
the inner man； and then； by another effort； projected； or even
imparted； to material objects。 Thus the whole force of a man must have
the property of reacting on other men； and of infusing into them an
essence foreign to their own； if they could not protect themselves
against such an aggression。 The evidence of this theorem of the
science of humanity is； of course； very multifarious； but there is
nothing to establish it beyond question。 We have only the notorious
disaster of Marius and his harangue to the Cimbrian commanded to kill
him； or the august injunction of a mother to the Lion of Florence； in
historic proof of instances of such lightning flashes of mind。 To
Lambert； then； Will and Thought were /living forces/； and he spoke of
them in such a way as to impress his belief on the hearer。 To him
these two forces were； in a way； visible； tangible。 Thought was slow
or alert； heavy or nimble； light or dark； he ascribed to it all the
attributes of an active agent； and thought of it as rising； resting；
waking； expanding； growing old； shrinking； becoming atrophied； or
resuscitating； he described its life； and specified all its actions by
the strangest words in our language； speaking of its spontaneity； its
strength； and all its qualities with a kind of intuition which enabled
him to recognize all the manifestations of its substantial existence。
〃Often；〃 said he； 〃in the midst of quiet and silence； when our inner
faculties are dormant； when a sort of darkness reigns within us； and
we are lost in the contemplation of things outside us； an idea
suddenly flies forth； and rushes with the swiftness of lightning
across the infinite space which our inner vision allows us to
perceive。 This radiant idea； springing into existence like a will…o'…
the…wisp； dies out never to return； an ephemeral life； like that of
babes who give their parents such infinite joy and sorrow； a sort of
still…born blossom in the fields of the mind。 Sometimes an idea；
instead of springing forcibly into life and dying unembodied； dawns
gradually； hovers in the unknown limbo of the organs where it has its
birth； exhausts us by long gestation； develops； is itself fruitful；
grows outwardly in all the grace of youth and the promising attributes
of a long life； it can endure the closest inspection； invites it； and
never tires the sight； the investigation it undergoes commands the
admiration we give to works slowly elaborated。 Sometimes ideas are
evolved in a swarm； one brings another； they come linked together；
they vie with each other； they fly in clouds； wild and headlong。
Again； they rise up pallid and misty； and perish for want of strength
or of nutrition； the vital force is lacking。 Or again； on certain
days； they rush down into the depths to light up that immense
obscurity； they terrify us and leave the soul dejected。
〃Ideas are a complete system within us； resembling a natural kingdom；
a sort of flora； of which the iconography will one day be outlined by
some man who will perhaps be accounted a madman。
〃Yes； within us and without； everything testifies to the livingness of
those exquisite creations； which I compare with flowers in obedience
to some unutterable revelation of their true nature！
〃Their being produced as the final cause of man is； after all； not
more amazing than the production of perfume and color in a plant。
Perfumes /are/ ideas； perhaps！
〃When we consider the line where flesh ends and the nail begins
contains the invisible and inexplicable mystery of the constant
transformation of a fluid into horn； we must confess that nothing is
impossible in the marvelous modifications of human tissue。
〃And are there not in our inner nature phenomena of weight and motion
comparable to those of physical nature？ Suspense； to choose an example
vividly familiar to everybody； is painful only as a result of the law
in virtue of which the weight of a body is multiplied by its velocity。
The weight of the feeling produced by suspense increases by the
constant addition of past pain to the pain of the moment。
〃And then； to what； unless it be to the electric fluid； are we to
attribute the magic by which the Will enthrones itself so imperiously
in the eye to demolish obstacles at the behest of genius； thunders in
the voice； or filters； in spite of dissimulation； through the human
frame？ The current of that sovereign fluid； which； in obedience to the
high pressure of thought or of feeling； flows in a torrent or is
reduced to a mere thread； and collects to flash in lightnings； is the
occult agent to which are due the evil or the beneficent efforts of
Art and Passionintonation of voice； whether harsh or suave；
terrible； lascivious； horrifying or seductive by turns； thrilling the
heart； the nerves； or the brain at our will； the marvels of the touch；
the instrument of the mental transfusions of a myriad artists； whose
creative finger