For a long time I thought that it was only possible for the subject to represent the most diverse characters and emotions when in hypnosis; but one day it turned out that the subject possessed an extraordinary talent for this sort of thing in the waking state as well, and that all that was added in hypnosis was the possibility of situations being called up by suggestion. Everything else was just as possible in the waking state. Now, when we come to consider that to make a sensation of the whole affair by laying stress on the hypnosis was always to the interest of Madeleine G. and her impresario, the magnetizer Magnin, it follows that we must greatly distrust all unsubstantiated statements to the effect that the woman did not possess the same talents when in the waking state. It has just as little been proved, and, moreover, was never asserted by Schrenck-Notzing, that the lady is not musical, or is less sensitive to music in the waking state. There is, also, no proof whatever that she had not received a long training in the art of expressing various emotions. Certainly Schrenck-Notzing has accepted these assertions of the impresario, Magnin, as accurate.

Schrenck-Notzing says: - "No instruction had ever been given in dramatic art or in ballet-dancing. . . . Magnin tried the effect of music on the sleeping somnambulist; and at the very first of these experiments she passed into a state of active somnambulism, and accompanied the sensations aroused in her by the music with the most exquisite plastic poses and a dramatic skill in expressing emotion that far surpassed anything that the highest order of acting is capable of achieving. Her phenomenal dramatic skill is consequently a ready-made gift of nature. In all she can do she has received but little assistance from practising and developing her latent talents." So many sentences, so many assertions, which is all the more striking in the case of Schrenck-Notzing, since he never seems able to be suspicious enough when dealing with the experiments of other investigators. I call to mind, for instance, his thoroughly justifiable criticism of the statements made about the production of organic changes by suggestion.

Schrenck-Notzing will doubtless understand that we do not yet consider his confidence in the trustworthiness of his subject a proof of that trustworthiness.

As far as his statement that she had received no instruction whatever is specially concerned, it has nevertheless certainly been proved that she comes of a dancing-master's family. I am inclined to doubt whether that exactly proves that she had received no instruction. Moreover, Lcewenfeld also takes it for.granted that at least Madame Magdeleine G.'s capabilities were specially cultivated when she was in the hypnotic state.

Thus much for the actual material, which has not brought us any essential scientific benefit. For it was known long before Madame Magdeleine G.'s much puffed performances took place, that music, either with or without hypnosis, could cause susceptible persons to display emotion. I here refer the reader to what I said on page 143 et seq., to which I may add a recent observation made by Pamart. The latter saw a lady, who. was listening to a pianist playing a piece by Beethoven, approach the performer with staring eyes and sink down weeping beside him, in a state of complete catalepsy. Numerous other cases of sleep-dancing have also not proved of any greater importance to science. At the most, we need only feel interested in the infection which one such case can spread. Madame Magdeleine G. was followed by a whole series of sleep-dancers. We also heard of a lady who could draw in her sleep, and another who could ride in her sleep. The latter, who had never been on a horse before, suddenly developed into an accomplished horsewoman in the somnambulic state.

In conversation with me, an expert to whom the lady had referred certainly denied in to to that she possessed any such skill.

As far, then, as the relation of hypnosis to art is concerned, we must pay no attention to the case of Madame Magdeleine G., which caused such an unreasonable sensation, but we must discuss the question generally, for the very reason that it has never been proved that Madame Magdeleine G. had to be in hypnosis for her to represent emotions and feelings.

In itself, there is no objection to the opinion that hypnosis may be used for artistic purposes. Not only are we able to succeed in the arbitrary suggestion of emotions and feelings - i.e., to produce such experimentally - in the case of a suggestible person in hypnosis, but we have also to consider that the inhibition which is often caused by the surroundings is less likely to occur in the case of a hypnotic than in that of a waking person. We can therefore understand that under circumstances a hypnotic may be able to pose as a good model for the representation of feelings and emotions. That hypnosis itself can be used for artistic representation goes without saying, and has already been mentioned by me (p. 32). At all events, the possibility of utilizing hypnosis cannot be denied. The representation of the emotions given us by Charcot and Richer, Luys, Rochas and others should certainly favour this possibility.

As far as the further relations of hypnosis to art are concerned, Lcewenfeld mentions a case of Dufay's, who sent an actress to sleep and suggested that she should undertake, for a sick colleague, a part she had never studied but only seen played. The actress played the part excellently, and it was necessary for Dufay to wake her after the performance was over. However, one would hardly be so ready to venture on such an experiment. But, as Lcewenfeld also insists, there is another direction in which the use of hypnosis for artistic purposes might well be considered, and this brings us into touch with a domain that is closely connected with medicine and education. Actresses and other artists have not infrequently expressed a wish to be relieved of their fear of "going on" by means of hypnotic suggestion. It is undoubtedly possible to do this in a whole series of cases, and we certainly have a right to accede to such a request even when the nervousness has not quite reached a pathological stage.

Like many others, I am convinced that a very great service might be rendered some persons in this way.

Thus much about the relation of hypnosis to art. I may add that I have not here discussed the use of hypnosis in belletristics, because I have already mentioned the chief points of that question in the first chapter (p. 32 et seq.).