species of perception, in these cases, might, perhaps, be more properly denominated feeling, than actual sight, hearing, &c. It is worthy of remark, too, that the perceptions of these somnambulists, in general, are much more vivid, acute, and delicate, than in the waking state. The foregoing observations, it is presumed, must be sufficient to convince every candid and unprejudiced mind of the existence in certain states of the organism, of the phenomenon of sensible perception, without the use of the appropriate organs. Here, then, we have a body of evidence in support of the existence of natural and artificial "clairvoyance," given by the same description of persons; physicians of eminence and unimpeached honour, a body of men who, perhaps more than the members of any other profession, are dependent on their character as the means of winning daily bread. It appears to me, that there is no ground for preferring the evidence of one set of witnesses to the other, and that both are by their character and knowledge eminently entitled to our belief, unless we reject all human testimony, declare clairvoyance to be a subject on which it is useless to accumulate facts and evidence, and "taboo" its consideration by the human mind. THE END. |