I wished merely to describe the more incomplete and by far the most common cases, because they are often mistaken for simulation.

The cases detailed above provide us with noteworthy instances of the persistence of consciousness, and to a certain extent of self-consciousness as well, in hypnosis. It is obvious that where self-consciousness is so strongly expressed the activity of the hypnotic's will cannot be entirely suppressed. Let us now inquire in what other ways the activity of a hypnotic's will is displayed, bearing in mind that we have to deal with an external and an internal activity. The former governs the movements, now starting, now inhibiting them; similarly, the latter rules the ideas, feelings, and emotions, which are, within certain limits, influenced by the will, the latter sometimes arousing and sometimes suppressing them.

When we investigate the activity of the will in hypnosis, care must be taken to distinguish between the two groups which 1 described on page 59. In the first group the external activity alone is diminished, and the consciousness presents no abnormality. The subject knows exactly where he is; he knows what is being done with him; he makes the movements commanded because he cannot help it; his limbs are paralyzed at command. Catalepsy may be induced by suggestion, and yet the subject will be fully aware of all that goes on. Some of Hack Tuke's subjects - for example, North, a physiologist in London - have given very interesting information with regard to the interference of the will during the experiments, which makes them unable to resist, though otherwise fully conscious.

It is very different in deep hypnosis. Here also the external activity of the will is limited, as we have already seen. Moreover, the experimenter can very considerably influence the internal activity of the will by suggestion. But it is exactly the quickness with which the subject can be transferred from" one situation to another, and with which he accepts the suggested idea, which demonstrates that he is only the play thing of the experimenter. Just as the ideas of dreams transport us from one situation to another, so do suggested ideas. Pleasure is changed into pain in a moment; the moods change as quickly as they usually only do in children and the sick. The subject now thinks he is in my room; the next moment he believes he is in bed; directly after he is swimming; now he believes he is ninety years old; and in the next second he is back in his tenth year. Now he is Napoleon I., then a carpenter, then a dog, etc. This change of ideas often takes place in a moment: the corresponding ideas arise at once through association.

The quick change of ideas, feelings, emotions, and of the whole mood is so common that I was astonished to read (in Malten) that a legal specialist in Vienna, Ferronf, has been led by it to conclude that the thing is simulation.

In spite of this, it would be a great mistake to think of the subject as an automaton without a will. On the contrary, the will of the subject expresses itself in manifold ways, as may be seen from the expressions of self-consciousness noted above, and each of the two forms of volition has its own expressions of will.

Often the decreased power of will shows itself merely in slow and lingering movements. In these cases any movements can be made, but the subject takes longer to perform them than he does in normal circumstances. An inexperienced person has a tendency to fail to recognize hypnosis in such cases; he generally thinks the experimenter mistaken in calling them abnormal. Further, it has been already said that in many persons only certain muscles can be controlled by suggestion (page 71). In other cases it is necessary to repeat the suggestion often before the result is obtained. For example, a subject can raise his arm in spite of the command of the hypnotize, but repetition of the command ends by making the movement impossible. These are examples of the way in which resistance to suggestion expresses itself.

Expressions of the will which spring from the individual character of the patient are of great psychological interest. The more an action is repulsive, the stronger is his resistance (Forel, Delbceuf, Jong). Habit and education play a large part here; it is generally very difficult to successfully suggest anything that is opposed to the confirmed habits of the subject For instance, suggestions are made with success to a devout Catholic, but directly the suggestion conflicts with his creed it will not be accepted. The surroundings play a part also. A subject will frequently decline a suggestion that will make him appear ridiculous. A lady whom I easily caused to make suggested movements could not be induced to put out her tongue at the spectators. In another such case I succeeded, but only after repeated suggestions. The manner of making the suggestion has an influence. In some cases it must be repeated often before it succeeds; others interpret the repetition of the suggestion as a sign of their own ability to resist. Thus it is necessary to take character accurately into account. It is often easier to induce some action by suggesting each separate movement than by suggesting the whole action at once.

For example, if the subject is to fetch a book from the table the movements may be suggested in turn; first the lifting, then the steps, etc. (Bleuler).

Resistance is sometimes expressed in other ways. Beaunis has observed that an attack of hysteria is sometimes the answer to a repugnant suggestion. I myself have observed that subjects have asked to be awakened when a suggestion displeased them. The fact that subjects are not nearly so inclined to discuss their private affairs as is sometimes stated is another proof of the activity of the will. Dollken found that whole tissues of lies were as readily invented in hypnosis as in the waking state; and Loewenfeld observed that hypnotics spoke the truth - hesitatingly, perhaps, - about matters which they would have gladly kept to themselves when awake. But he also admits that subjects are prone to make false statements when it is to their interest to withhold the truth. The statement, so often made, that a hypnotic is always ready to tell the truth unreservedly, is not quite right as far as my experience goes, though many subjects are readier to make admissions in deep hypnosis than when awake.