Mesmerism: France, 18th century

Seven letters on animal magnetism, bound into a booklet (labelled "24eme cahier"). The letters show no signs of having been sent: this is presumably a set of copies (or possibly a draft of a literary work, broken into letters as a matter of stylistic convention). The letters are chiefly in one hand and written by someone who signs himself "Philippe"; part of the fifth letter and all of the sixth are in different hands, the latter being signed "De Montainville". The collection, previously held in the Western Manuscripts Department's Autograph Letters Sequence, was formerly ascribed to the physician and psychiatrist Philippe Pinel (1745-1826), but does not appear to be in his hand.

1784-1785

10ff. (nos.3, 4 and 8 loose, no.4 with a section cut out).

Probably purchased from Desgranges or Charavay, Paris, circa October 1933.

Database description transcribed from Richard Aspin and Christopher Hilton's typescript supplement to S.A.J Moorat's Catalogue of Western Manuscripts