Page:The Diothas, or, A far look ahead (IA diothasorfarlook01macn).pdf/352

 to the time mentioned in my note. Receiving no answer to my knocking, I supposed you were out. But on entering, with the intention of awaiting your return, I found you fast asleep,—so fast indeed, that I had not the heart to disturb you. I was in the less haste to do so, perhaps, from the fact that what I had to say was not without its embarrassments.

"While I sat smoking, and patiently awaiting your awakening, an idea occurred to me, for which you will possibly not thank me. You remember our visit to Dr. K's, and our long discussion thereafter anent the experiments we had just witnessed. It was your idea, remember, that the scientific possibilities of mesmerism were still undeveloped, chiefly owing to the difficulty of inducing suitable subjects to submit to experiment under proper conditions. My contention was, that we can expect from a bottle only what was put into it. You replied, that not only was my argument utterly refuted by the facts, even as regards the contents of a bottle, but that also no just comparison can be instituted between the inert passivity of such a recipient and the wonderful combining power, the almost creative energy, of the human brain.

"Lo, here lay before me the proper subject! and that, too, under apparently the most favorable conditions, as laid down by yourself. For obvious reasons, I could not first seek your consent to the projected experiment; since this one of the most important conditions would at once be spoiled. If I have been too hasty in taking your assent for granted, I hereby give you full permission to try the like experiment on myself, should opportunity present itself. Fiat experimentum, etc.

"Thus far, all has succeeded admirably. I had only to give your thoughts the desired direction, having purposely chosen a subject on which you are prone to speculate. From what I have been able to extract from you,—though I refrain from much questioning, as it seems in some way to disturb you,—you appear to be passing through strange experiences, of which I claim, and hope some day to receive, a full and particular recital. If what you are passing through seemed to cause you any distress, I would at once put an end to the experiment. But, as the contrary