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making； as he called it； terms with God。
〃But；〃 the abbe would say to him； 〃if all men would be so； you must
admit that society would be regenerated； there would be no more
misery。 To be benevolent after your fashion one must needs be a great
philosopher； you rise to your principles through reason； you are a
social exception； whereas it suffices to be a Christian to make us
benevolent in ours。 With you； it is an effort； with us； it comes
naturally。〃
〃In other words； abbe； I think； and you feel；that's the whole of
it。〃
However； at twelve years of age； Ursula； whose quickness and natural
feminine perceptions were trained by her superior education； and whose
intelligence in its dawn was enlightened by a religious spirit （of all
spirits the most refined）； came to understand that her godfather did
not believe in a future life； nor in the immortality of the soul； nor
in providence； nor in God。 Pressed with questions by the innocent
creature； the doctor was unable to hide the fatal secret。 Ursula's
artless consternation made him smile； but when he saw her depressed
and sad he felt how deep an affection her sadness revealed。 Absolute
devotion has a horror of every sort of disagreement； even in ideas
which it does not share。 Sometimes the doctor accepted his darling's
reasonings as he would her kisses； said as they were in the sweetest
of voices with the purest and most fervent feeling。 Believers and
unbelievers speak different languages and cannot understand each
other。 The young girl pleading God's cause was unreasonable with the
old man； as a spoilt child sometimes maltreats its mother。 The abbe
rebuked her gently； telling her that God had power to humiliate proud
spirits。 Ursula replied that David had overcome Goliath。
This religious difference； these complaints of the child who wished to
drag her godfather to God； were the only troubles of this happy life；
so peaceful； yet so full； and wholly withdrawn from the inquisitive
eyes of the little town。 Ursula grew and developed； and became in time
the modest and religiously trained young woman whom Desire admired as
she left the church。 The cultivation of flowers in the garden； her
music； the pleasures of her godfather； and all the little cares she
was able to give him （for she had eased La Bougival's labors by doing
everything for him）；these things filled the hours； the days； the
months of her calm life。 Nevertheless； for about a year the doctor had
felt uneasy about his Ursula； and watched her health with the utmost
care。 Sagacious and profoundly practical observer that he was； he
thought he perceived some commotion in her moral being。 He watched her
like a mother； but seeing no one about her who was worthy of inspiring
love； his uneasiness on the subject at length passed away。
At this conjuncture； one month before the day when this drama begins；
the doctor's intellectual life was invaded by one of those events
which plough to the very depths of a man's convictions and turn them
over。 But this event needs a succinct narrative of certain
circumstances in his medical career； which will give； perhaps； fresh
interest to the story。
CHAPTER VI
A TREATISE ON MESMERISM
Towards the end of the eighteenth century science was sundered as
widely by the apparition of Mesmer as art had been by that of Gluck。
After re…discovering magnetism Mesmer came to France； where； from time
immemorial； inventors have flocked to obtain recognition for their
discoveries。 France； thanks to her lucid language； is in some sense
the clarion of the world。
〃If homoeopathy gets to Paris it is saved；〃 said Hahnemann； recently。
〃Go to France；〃 said Monsieur de Metternich to Gall； 〃and if they
laugh at your bumps you will be famous。〃
Mesmer had disciples and antagonists as ardent for and against his
theories as the Piccinists and the Gluckists for theirs。 Scientific
France was stirred to its center； a solemn conclave was opened。 Before
judgment was rendered； the medical faculty proscribed； in a body；
Mesmer's so…called charlatanism； his tub； his conducting wires； and
his theory。 But let us at once admit that the German； unfortunately；
compromised his splendid discovery by enormous pecuniary claims。
Mesmer was defeated by the doubtfulness of facts； by universal
ignorance of the part played in nature by imponderable fluids then
unobserved； and by his own inability to study on all sides a science
possessing a triple front。 Magnetism has many applications； in
Mesmer's hands it was； in its relation to the future； merely what
cause is to effect。 But； if the discoverer lacked genius； it is a sad
thing both for France and for human reason to have to say that a
science contemporaneous with civilization； cultivated by Egypt and
Chaldea； by Greece and India； met in Paris in the eighteenth century
the fate that Truth in the person of Galileo found in the sixteenth；
and that magnetism was rejected and cast out by the combined attacks
of science and religion； alarmed for their own positions。 Magnetism；
the favorite science of Jesus Christ and one of the divine powers
which he gave to his disciples； was no better apprehended by the
Church than by the disciples of Jean…Jacques； Voltaire； Locke； and
Condillac。 The Encyclopedists and the clergy were equally averse to
the old human power which they took to be new。 The miracles of the
convulsionaries； suppressed by the Church and smothered by the
indifference of scientific men （in spite of the precious writings of
the Councilor； Carre de Montgeron） were the first summons to make
experiments with those human fluids which give power to employ certain
inward forces to neutralize the sufferings caused by outward agents。
But to do this it was necessary to admit the existence of fluids
intangible； invisible； imponderable； three negative terms in which the
science of that day chose to see a definition of the void。 In modern
philosophy there is no void。 Ten feet of void and the world crumbles
away！ To materialists especially the world is full； all things hang
together； are linked； related； organized。 〃The world as the result of
chance；〃 said Diderot； 〃is more explicable than God。 The multiplicity
of causes； the incalculable number of issues presupposed by chance；
explain creation。 Take the Eneid and all the letters composing it； if
you allow me time and space； I can； by continuing to cast the letters；
arrive at last at the Eneid combination。〃
Those foolish persons who deify all rather than admit a God recoil
before the infinite divisibility of matter which is in the nature of
imponderable forces。 Locke and Condillac retarded by fifty years the
immense progress which natural science is now making under the great
principle of unity due to Geoffroy de Saint…Hilaire。 Some intelligent
persons； without any system； convinced by facts conscientiously
studied； still hold to Mesmer's doctrine； which recognizes the
existence of a penetrative influence acting from man to man； put in
motion by the will； curative by the abundance of the fluid； the
working of which is in fact a duel between two forces； between an ill
to be cured and the will to cure it。
The phenomena of somnambulism； hardly perceived by Mesmer； were
revealed by du Puysegur and Deleuze； but the Revolution put a stop to
their discoveries and played into the hands of the scientists and
scoffers。 Among the small number of believers were a few physicians。
They were persecuted by their brethren as long as they lived。 The
respectable body of Parisian doctors displayed all the bitterness of
religious warfare against the Mesmerists； and were as cruel in their
hatred as it was possible to be in those days of Voltairean tolerance。
The orthodox physician refused to consult with those who adopted the
Mesmerian heresy。 In 1820 these heretics were still proscribed。 The
miseries and sorrows of the Revolution had not quenched the scientific
hatred。 It is only priests； magistrates； and physicians who can hate
in that way。 The official robe is terrible！ But ideas are even more
implacable than things。
Doctor Bouvard； one of Minoret's friends； believed in the new faith；
and persevered to the day of his death in studying a science to which
he sacrificed the peace of his life； for he was one of the chief
〃betes noires〃 of the Parisian faculty。 Minoret； a valiant supporter
of the Encyclopedists； and a formidable adversary of Desion； Mesmer's
assistant； whose pen had great weight in the controversy； quarreled
with his old friend； and not only that； but he persecuted him。 His
conduct to Bouvard must have caused him the only remorse which
troubled the serenity of his declining years。 Since his retirement to
Nemours the science of imponderable fluids （the only name suitable for
magnetism； which； by the nature of its phenomena； is closely allied to
light and electricity） had made immense progress； in spite of the
ridicule