HOMER describes the gods viewing the fierce contests on the plains of Troy, from the summit of Mount Ida. A later tradition tells of the astonishment of an humble shepherd, on this same summit, when he beheld his iron-bound staff leap from his hands and cling to the projecting rocks. History seems clear in pointing to this locality of ancient Magnesia as the scene of the earliest discovery of that wonderful ore or "stone" that would lift a "load," hence called the Loadstone. Very naturally was this force called Magnetism, and the ore a Magnet, out of deference to the place of its discovery.

This may be the very locality alluded to in the Arabian Nights as the Magnetic Mountain, which drew out the iron bolts and fastenings from passing ships, and sank them instantly.

Men were not long in discovering this magnetic iron-ore in other places, and putting it to various tests of usefulness. Chief among such experimental discoveries was the power it possessed of magnetizing a needle so that it would always point due North. Even in English annals we find the sailing stone mentioned as early as the twelfth century, but it was known and used long previously by other nations.

It seems strange that up to one hundred and fifty years ago men were ignorant of the existence of animal magnetism.

A few years before the Declaration of Independence received the signature of Benjamin Franklin, at that time the greatest philosopher of this continent, another great scientist, Galvani, professor in Bologna, was preparing some frogs to be cooked for his sickly wife. Happening to touch two different metals in contact to certain nerves and muscles, he was surprised to see the frog's lifeless legs resume all the activity of their accustomed motions. Others had noticed this result, but had not been led to investigate its philosophy.

After his death Professor Aldini, a nephew, traveled through Europe proving the truth of Galvani's statements and theories, which had been misrepresented and repudiated.

A favorite experiment of his was to form a battery out of several heads of recently slaughtered cattle, connecting their tongues and ears alternately by wires. The result was always surprising and conclusive. Aldini, among other things, maintained:

"That muscular contractions are excited by the development of electricity in the animal-machine, which is conducted from the nerves to the muscles, without the concurrence of metals."

"That all animals are endowed with an inherent electricity, appropriate to their economy, which, secreted by the brain, resides especially in the nerves, by which it is communicated to every part of the body. When a limb is to be moved, the nerves, aided by the brain, draw some electricity from the interior of the muscles, discharging this upon their surface, and they are thus contracted as desired."

Was it not the shrewd Napoleon I. who said, when he first saw a voltaic battery: "Voila l'image de la vie: la colonne vertebrale est le pile; la vessie, le pole positif; et le foie, le pole negatif."

We know that electricity and magnetism exist in all things. We are assured that its power vastly exceeds our present acquaintance with it. We have also seen that the very air becomes polarized and sets up induction between adjacent bodies.

The human frame is, so to speak, filled and dominated by latent magnetism. Hence the brain, which appears to be the seat of the soul or ego, is properly a sensitive electrical condenser, ready at any instant to charge any nerve that they may set (heir appropriate muscles in action, whenever that ego touches the magic key which completes the circuit.

Thales, then, considering that he lived twenty-five hundred yearsbefore our day, was not far out of the way when he said that"electricity is the soul residing in electron."

The latent magnetism of an individual is quickly awakened by the vibratory current of a magnetic person through the action of the voice, eye or touch.

Many persons are afraid to study these subjects, believing that they stand for something that is terrible, some weird power that may be associated with witchcraft. Hypnotism was undoubtedly the basis of the oldtime witchery, for it has always existed in the world, and been misjudged in every age.

But personal magnetism has never been in bad company. It has had no unsavory reputation; but, on the other hand, its work has been of the nobler stamp, and its influence has always tended to make the mind sound, the body whole and the nerves steady. Of all the thousands of pupils in personal magnetism whom we have met, there has never been one who retained the least bit of superstition, nor one who had any fear of ghosts or a belief in them. The brain gets a clear and perfect view of life free from the muddy hues that tinge the meaner nature.

Its very basis is vitality. Life and power grow with the increase of personal magnetism. It helps to uplift the weak, whether that individual be the student of the power or the one who is brought under its influence. One magnetic man or woman can wield a vast and inspiring sway over hundreds and thousands of others at one and the same time. Those who are thus dominated are given some of the magnetism of the master power, and the more they are under such sway the stronger they become in mind and purpose. Just the opposite is true of the uses of hypnotism.

Every intelligent reader knows what is meant by the power of personal magnetism, and there are few who cannot at once detect the man or woman who possesses this power. The mere entering of the room, the first steps toward an audience, the first tones of the speaking or singing voice, the touch of the hand, the glance of the eye, or the impress of the fingers on the piano, as in the case of the famous Polish player: these tell in a few seconds the fact that the individual is magnetic. If the gift be natural, then it has come from accidental habits that prevent the constant loss of vital electricity. You will see a self-controlled, easy, but at the same time energetic personality that will attract your attention because of the presentation of these two conditiona in one life.