[The Book of Dreams and Ghosts by Andrew Lang]@TWC D-Link bookThe Book of Dreams and Ghosts CHAPTER II 7/44
Probably there is no such instance, but the following tale, picturesque in itself, has a kind of shadow of the only satisfactory sort of corroboration. The author responsible for this yarn is Dr.Gregory, F.R.S., Professor of Chemistry in the University of Edinburgh.
After studying for many years the real or alleged phenomena of what has been called mesmerism, or electro-biology, or hypnotism, Dr.Gregory published in 1851 his Letters to a Candid Inquirer on Animal Magnetism. Though a F.R.S.and a Professor of Chemistry, the Doctor had no more idea of what constitutes evidence than a baby.
He actually mixed up the Tyrone with the Lyttelton ghost story! His legend of Queen Mary's jewels is derived from (1) the note-book, _or_ (2) a letter containing, or professing to contain, extracts from the note-book, of a Major Buckley, an Anglo-Indian officer.
This gentleman used to "magnetise" or hypnotise people, some of whom became clairvoyant, as if possessed of eyes acting as "double-patent-million magnifiers," permeated by X rays. "What follows is transcribed," says the Doctor, "from Major Buckley's note-book." We abridge the narrative.
Major Buckley hypnotised a young officer, who, on November 15, 1845, fell into "a deeper state" of trance.
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