A wild animal has only small reasoning organs. The influence of the human
eye is potent over him. Lichtenstein says, "The African hunters avail
themselves of the circumstance that the lion does not attempt to spring
upon his prey until he has measured the ground, and has reached the
distance of ten or twelve paces, when he lies crouching on the ground,
gathering himself up for the effort. The hunters," he says, "make it a
rule never to fire on the lion until he lies down at this short distance,
so that they can aim directly at his head with the most perfect certainty.
If one meets a lion, his only safety is to stand still, though the animal
crouches to make his spring; that spring will not be hazarded if the man
remain motionless, and look him steadfastly in the eyes. The animal
hesitates, rises, slowly retreats some steps, looks earnestly about him,
lies down, again retreats, till, getting by degrees quite out of the magic
circle of man's influence, he takes flight in the utmost haste."
It is said of Valentine Greatrakes, the great magnetizer and forerunner of
Mesmer, that the glance of his eye had a marvellously fascinating
influence upon people of a susceptible or nervous organization. All
magnetizers, etc., who have tried their powers upon the writer, first
bent a sharp, scrutinizing gaze upon the eye of their unruly subject. Yet
they have exercised no _reason_ in selecting the subject.
[Illustration: THE LION MAGNETIZED.]
I attended the exhibitions of Professor Cadwell, night after night, in
Boston. I went on the stage. I examined the subjects whom he controlled
"like an old fiddle," and, physiognomically and phrenologically, not one
of them was above mediocrity intellectually, and the most of them were far
below. The best subjects had the least intellectuality. His control over
them was astonishing. In some he could suspend the power of memory, others
all the reasoning faculties. Some he could control muscularly, some
mentally.
"This is a hot stove," he said, setting an empty chair before the row of
men, boys, and girls sitting along the wall side of the stage. "_It is
very hot_;" and they began drawing back--all but one. "Don't you see the
stove, and feel the awful heat, Frank?" he asked of one hard subject.
[Illustration: A HARD SUBJECT.]
"I can feel the heat, but I can't see the stove in that chair," was his
droll reply.
The professor could make this gentleman forget his name, but could not
make him believe that "a silk hat was a basin of water."