er did what they desired, or begged that
they would not ask her to do what was beyond her strength.

In conclusion, let me animadvert upon the injustice with which, to its
own loss, society has treated mesmerism. The use of mesmerism in nervous
disorders, its use towards preventing suffering in surgical operations,
have been denied and scoffed at in the teeth of positive evidence. The
supposition of physical influence existing that can emanate from one
human being and affect the nerves of another, was steadily combated as a
gratuitous fiction, till Von Reichenbach's discoveries demonstrated its
soundness. And, finally, the marvels of _clairvoyance_ were considered
an absolute proof of the visionary character of animal magnetism,
because the world was ignorant that they occur independently of that
influence, which only happens to be one of the modes of inducing the
condition of trance in which they spontaneously manifest themselves.
Adieu, dear Archy.

Yours, &c.

MAC DAVUS.

HISTORY OF THE CAPTIVITY OF NAPOLEON AT ST HELENA.[10]

Whatever may be the pursuits of our posterity, whether the mind of
nations will turn on philosophy or politics, whether on a descent to the
centre of the earth, or on the model of a general Utopia--whether on a
telegraphic correspondence with the new planet, by a galvanised wire two
thousand eight hundred and fifty millions of miles long, or on a
Chartist government--we have not the slightest reason to doubt, that our
generation will be regarded as having lived in the most brilliant time
of the by-gone world.

The years from 1789 to 1815 unquestionably include the most stirring
period since the great primal convulsion, that barbarian deluge, which
changed the face of Europe in the fifth century. But the vengeance which
called the Vandal from his forest to crush the Roman empire, and after
hewing down the Colossus which, for seven hundred years, had bestrode
the world, moulded kingdoms out of its fragments, was of a totally
different order from that which ruled over our great day of Change. In
that original revolution, man, as the individual, was scarcely more than
the sufferer. It was a vast outburst of force, as uncircumscribed as
uncontrollable, and as unconnected with motives merely human, as an
inroad of the ocean. It was a vast expanse of human existence, rushing
surge on surge over the barriers of fair and fertile empire. It was
hunger, and love of seizure, and hot thirst o