ter.

The fit invades her at nine o'clock in the evening or about ordinary bed time. It commences with spasmodic agitation, heaviness of respiration, and anxiety, but differs from fevers of the intermittent type, in having neither a cold, a hot, nor a sweating stage.

The intermittent disorder which Miss Baker suffers, seizes her in bed or in her chair if she sits up. After a few moments of torpor or somnolency, at the usual hour she loses her consciousness and begins to speak in an audible and frequently a forcible tone. She is usually found lying in a supine posture and so free from all voluntary action save that of her organs of speech, and a little inclination of her neck, that she stirs neither hand nor foot from the beginning to the termination of the attack. Except the lips, throat, and neighbouring parts there is no more action discoverable in her than if she was totally disabled by palsy. She may be literally said to lie still. Thus this modest damsel falls into a devotional exercise as soon as she loses her consciousness. It would be improper to consider her asleep tho' her body and limbs are so quiet and her eyes steadily closed.

The exercise consists of three parts: the first an incipient or opening prayer to God, similar to those of our reformed preachers; the second an addres or exhortation as to a human audience present, and listen. ing to her; and the third a closing supplication to the Supreme being resembling in its principal points the final offering of confession and thanksgiving from the pulpit. She neither sings nor selects a text, but occasionally recites verses from the hymns of Watts.

It has been remarked that the topics of these exercises are strictly conformable to the Calvinistic faith. In them she manifests an extensive acquaintance with the doctrinal parts of the scriptures, and readily eites the several books. Some have supposed that she dwells more upon the Evangelists than upon the historical prophetical or epistolary writings. Others however arc of a different opinion, observing that

she quotes freely from all. Her language is usually plain but sometimes ornamental and figurative; her articulation distinct and occasionally earnest and impressive. Her sentiments are biblical and conformable to the orthodox protestantism of her sect. Her opinions delivered during the paroxism, and I meddle with no other, are as sensible, intelligent and indicative of thought as you generally hear. The purity of her expressions has been noticed as unexceptionable. She may be accosted during the performance. She hears the words addressed to her, and listens to catch them. But though her attention is thus roused she is not excited to ordinary wakefulness. The queries put to her always provoke replies. The answers are pious, discreet, and indicative of religious meditation. I doubt whether the waking persons present could have responded to the questions I put, more theologically right than this unconscious girl.

Her words are poured forth in a fluent and rapid stream. She rarely appears at a loss for an expression, but proceeds with as much readiness as the greater part of those who pray and preach. At times she is remarkably animated, and gives point to her sentences by the most expressive emphasis. But when the current of her thought is interrupted by a query, the catenation of her discourse is also broken; the original or preceding subject is abandoned and a new train of ideas suggested by the interrogation is substituted. This she pursues as long as she has any thing to offer, and then relapses into her ordinary topics of exhortation. If now a different question be put it immediately gives a new direction to her thoughts, and in her reply she dwells upon it until she has nothing further to observe; after which she again returns to her customary tenor of discourse. In this way I have received from her, answers in. terms devotionally appropriate to half a dozen successive questions on serious subjects.

Her pulse during the excrcise was full, equable,

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and flowing, without tremor, flutter, or intermission. Both, as to force and frequency it has a good healthy beat. The temperature of her hand, arm, face, and forehead, was so much like that of a person asleep that I could distinguish no preternatural heat or cold in them. There was neither dryness nor moisture upon the skin. However toward the end of the paroxism there was an evident diminution of the arterial pulsation at the wrist. On some occasions the frequency is increased eight strokes in a minute. Her features, which had in no instance indicated the smallest distortion, wore the look of languor and exhaustion. The eyes have been observed to be turned upwards, and their muscles in a tremulous spasm. She is insensible to all the stimuli which it has been thought prudent to apply, for the purpose of rousing her.

At the end of the exercise, she had a few small spasms of the arms and throat. The latter resembled an hysterical inflation of the pharaynx. She was agitated with an emotion between sighing and groaning: And after a turn of restlessness and moaning that lasted from two to fifteen minutes, but without waking, consciousness, or even opening her eyes, she passed from her state of purturbation to that of natural and tranquil sleep. This continues usually until morning, as is common to persons in good health, when she awakes invigorated and refreshed as if nothing uncommon had happened, and professes herself ignorant of every part of the transaction, with which she becomes acquainted only by information from others. After certain of her prolonged discourses, her hands have been violently clenched, and all the muscles of the trunk and limbs stiffened

by spasm for a short time. During the intermission she is as well as other persons, and works diligently with her needle. She considers it as a heavy affliction that she should be the vehicle of devotional effusions which give her neither pleasure nor edification, and which expose her to the animadversion of all who are admitted to behold her.

One of the curious particulars in her case is, the persuasion she possesses that she is wide awake. On one occasion I observed, during her sermon, that she ought to be silent and not talk so long and so loud in her sleep. She heard me and denied that she was asleep. Her eye lids were, as usual, accurately closed, and there was no sign of winking. She declared herself awake, and in confirmation of her opinion, described in vivid and glowing strains the spectacle then bright in her view; consisting of the angels, saints, and souls of just men made perfect, ministering before the throne of the Almighty, clothed in robes white as snow, and without spot or. blemish, and looking like fine linen wrought by skilful hands, and with curious and cunning workmanship. Another memorable particular is, that while she is in this paroxysm, she acts under the persuasion that it is the duty of those who are renewed by all merciful grace to direct poor wanderers to the strait way, while at the same time her waking belief is, that it is not apostolical for a woman to be a public teacher of holy things.

To remove this train of symptoms, her physicians had attempted to abate the excitement of her sensorium by blood-letting. This, though practised to a degree considerably debilitating, did not prevent the paroxysm, nor break the habit of recurrence. Recourse was also had to opiates, with the intention of composing her to sleep, but their anodyne qualities were of no avail. The fit was not broken, and the diseased associations went on as before. I have not learned that any other important remedies were tried.

She was brought to New York in October, 1814, to procure medical counsel, to try the effect of traveling, and to experience the influence of a maritime atmosphere. Doctor Douglass was requested to take charge of her health; and by that gentleman I was desired to visit her. It was concluded, through tenderness, to forbear all recommendation of active pre

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scriptions, until her case could be satisfactorily observed. When thereafter, a plan of treatment should be formed, it might, at. any future day be communicated. Afterwards Dr. Birch, Dr. Mott, and Dr. Bruce were invited to a consultation on her case, and they also consented to postpone for the present, all interference by remedies.

The journey did not suspend the accustomed visitations. The taverns where she stopped were witnesses of her involuntary prayers and exhortations. Nor did the air of the ocean produce any salutary effect, In the city she obtained no respite; every evening her fit was renewed. Now and then there seemed to be an increase of its violence. For if there was any memorable alteration, it continued longer and was followed by severer spasms and greater debility. This might possibly be caused by the multitudes who crouded into her chamber to learn for themselves. Curiosity was so strong, that, on the day of her departure, many persons followed her out of town to the place of resting until the morn, that they might witness the spectacle, not of a waking preacher and a drowsy audience, but of a preacher abstracted from outward things, holding forth to a wondering and staring company.

After this recital of her case, there will be no need of considering with some persons that it is an example of supernatural agency; nor of supposing with others that it is an instance of refined imposture. It is capable of solution upon medical principles, and of being referred by their aid to its proper place in the animal economy.

It differs from sleep by the performance of hearing, of attention, of speaking and of acting in a manner that evinces a remarkable degree of method and consistency. There is no feverish condition of her system to countenance the supposition of its being DeliriStill less is it the moping of melancholy or the

um.

raving of mania.

In some of its forms, it manifests its nearness to