At a large and respectable meeting of the citizens of Boston, held at the Masonic Temple on the evening of the 22nd of June, 1841, Drs. Abner Phelps, Winslow Lewis, jun., and Francis Dana, were appointed a committee to select twenty-four gentlemen of the three learned professions in this city, for the purpose of investigating the claims of Animal Magnetism, as exhibited by Dr. Collyer.

The following gentlemen having been requested to attend to that duty, signified their acceptance of the appointment, and subsequently met at the Temple :-Rev. Messrs. Stowe, Gannett, Greenwood, Muzzy, Adams, Chapin, Neaie, Turnbull, and Jones; Messrs. James, Power, Williams, Denny, Tolman, Peabody, and Plimpton, Barristers; Drs. Storer, Lane, Morrill, Flint, Dana, Strong, Ingalls, Lewis, and Stedman.

This committee associated with them several gentlemen, among whom were Drs. Adams and Stone, who attended some of the sittings.

Friday, 10 A.M., June 25th, 1841.

The committee organized by choosing Dr. William Ingalls Chairman, and Dr. Francis Dana, Secretary.

Dr. Collyer performed the customary manipulations upon his boy "Frederick," which were followed by the usual appearances. Many attempts were made by members of the committee to arouse him - such as stretching him upon the floor and firing two large pistols near his head - but without eliciting any symptoms of consciousness, unless it were in a spasm in the arm (tetanus), the like of which had been occurring for more than a quarter of an hour previous, and which happened at one of the discharges.

At this time a lad was introduced, who was suffering under the affection called chorea, or St. Vitus's dance. In answer to inquiries if any one knew him, the Rev. Mr. Stowe said he was a member of his church, and had been for several years, and was very exemplary; and moreover, that he knew there could be no collusion between him and Dr. C. Dr. C. having performed the passes upon him for about fifteen minutes, there was a general quiet of the whole system, which before was continually writhed with involuntary twitchings and convulsions.

It is worthy of note, that while this process was going on, the first subject, still "asleep," was thrown into strong spasms, which continued during the remainder of his sleep. The Rev. Mr. Gannett asked Dr. C. if he intended to transfer those symptoms (of chorea) from the affected lad to the first subject. Dr. C. replied that he had no such intention, and moreover, that he was as much surprised as any one present at the circumstance. To the question put by the President, "Is the boy in an unnatural state?" Dr. Stedman replied, "He appears to be in an unnatural state. Those spasms, I think, could not be feigned."

The committee adjourned, to meet again on Saturday at ten o'clock A.M.

Saturday, June 26th, 1841.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment, but without attending to any experiments, adjourned to Monday at ten o'clock a.m.

Monday, June 28th.

The committee met according to adjournment. A letter from the Hon. Judge Thacher was read. Dr. C. operated first upon his own subjects, with more or less of apparent success. It was then suggested by a member that it might be more satisfactory to the committee to have some subject not known by Dr. C, but with whom the committee were better acquainted: and that there was a gentleman present who was willing to subject himself to the process, and who was believed to be susceptible. Dr. C. consented to make an attempt. The gentleman alluded to was then presented. Several medical gentlemen of the committee, and some who were the strongest disbelievers of Animal Magnetism, expressed their high commendation of the character of the new subject for unimpeachable integrity and high attainments as a physician and a scholar, and said they knew he would enter into no scheme for misleading this audience or any other. Dr. C. then performed his usual process for about ten minutes, when the patient had gradually fallen asleep.

Then as Dr. C. pointed his hand towards the face of the patient, he very suddenly with a shaking of the head and shoulders awoke: and half smiling, seemed partially self-possessed, and continued so for about ten seconds; but Dr. C. looking sternly at him, he reclined his head, and in about ten seconds more appeared asleep again. In a few seconds he awoke as before. He was again asleep under C.'s eye in a few seconds - then waking and beginning to explain how he felt, he put his hands upon the arms of his chair to rise, as if he bona fide thought he was now at liberty to leave, and rose half-way up; when (Dr. C. looking him sternly in the face) he fell back again into the chair, as if too weak to rise. He then rose to a perpendicular posture on his feet, and under the same circumstances and appearances sank again into his chair. Presently he rose again upon his feet,, and turned towards the committee, and seeming to believe he was now at liberty, and not perceiving Dr. C, who stood close behind him with face and eyes sternly bent upon him, attempted again, with seeming eagerness, to explain how he felt; but he faltered every two or three words, pressing his hand hard against his eyes two or three times as though partially faint, and breaking off in the middle of a sentence without finishing any intelligible explanation, and having his hand again pressed over his eyes, rubbing them as though but partially awakened from deep sleep, he turned to take his seat, when he discovered that Dr. C. was close behind him and intent upon him.

He then passed a distance of about three steps (Dr. C. now for the first time leaving him), and spoke connectedly and with an easy freedom. He said he felt a pleasant thrill in his arms and hands. "I did not lose my consciousness entirely, but felt confused, as you see I am. I attempted twice to speak while under the power of Dr. C, but could not." He says he never has spoken to Dr. C. but once, which was casually yesterday at the Natural History room, nor seen him more than twice, or ever communicated with him upon this subject. [He subsequently declined a request of the committee to submit himself again to experiment.]