B572 <=> B574 [BTG XXXII Hypnotism, p. 573]

“As the automatic impelling causes – which have become, there, usual for contemporary beings – for the revival also of such a branch of their contemporary science were exceedingly peculiar and even as they themselves would say ‘piquant facts,’ it will in my opinion be very interesting to tell you a little more in detail also about this said ‘revival.’

“Although contemporary learned beings there affirm that the beginning of this branch of their science was made by a certain English professor named Brade and that it was developed by the French professor Charcot, yet in reality, this was not so at all.

“From my detailed investigations of this said question, by the way, it became also clear that the former, Brade, had unmistakable signs of the properties of a Hasnamuss, and the latter, Charcot, had the typical properties of a mama’s darling.

“And terrestrial types of this kind, particularly the contemporary ones, can never discover anything quite new.

“And indeed, it appeared that this matter proceeded there in the following way:

“A certain Italian abbot, Pedrini by name, was in his town what is called a ‘confessor’ for a convent.

“To this abbot confessor there often came for confession a nun named Ephrosinia.

“From the stories told about her, it seems that she frequently fell into a certain particular state, and while in this state she displayed manifestations unusual for her environment.

“During confession she complained to the abbot Pedrini that at times she was unmistakably under the influence of ‘diabolical suggestions.’

“Everything she herself said and the stories circulated about her interested the abbot Pedrini and he became very desirous of convincing himself personally about them.