Page:Novels of Honoré de Balzac Volume 23.djvu/109

 worthy of inspiring her with love, and so his anxiety passed.

At this juncture, one month before the day upon which this drama commences, one of those events took place in the doctor’s intellectual life which ploughs up the field of conviction to the chalk and overturns it; but this event requires a brief account of several incidents of his medical career, which will moreover give fresh interest to this story.

Toward the end of the eighteenth century, science was as entirely divided about Mesmer’s appearance, as art had been about that of Gluck. After having discovered magnetism, Mesmer came to France, where from time immemorial inventors have flocked to obtain recognition of their discoveries. France, thanks to her intelligible language, is in some sort the trumpet of the world.

“If homeopathy reaches Paris, it is safe,” said Hahnemann lately.

“Go to France,” said Monsieur de Metternich to Gall, “and, if they jeer at your bumps, you will be famous.”

Mesmer had, then, followers and antagonists as keen as were the Piccinists against the Gluckists. Learned France was roused and a solemn discussion opened. Before pronouncing any decision the Faculty of Medicine in a body proscribed Mesmer’s socalled charlatanism, his tub, his divining rod and his theories. But, it must be said, this German unfortunately compromised his magnificent discovery by preposterous pecuniary claims. Mesmer