TRILBY AND SVENGALI UP-TO-DATE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1686, 22 June 1904, Page 53

TRILBY AND SVENGALI UP-TO-DATE

(From Our Oavu Correspondent.) LONDON, May 14. The remarkable performances of individuals placed in a state of trance by hypnotists like Milo de Me\ 7 er or “Professor” Kennedy, Avhich Avere the talk of London in years gone by, have been quite overshadoAved by the novel and extraordinary exhibition of hypnotic poAA'er given at the Hotel Cecil a feAv days ago iby a young Swiss girl named Nydia, under the direction of a remarkable looking individual named Samson. Mdlle. Nydia was seated upon a raised platform between ti\ r o large mirrors, and Samson glared ferociously at the reflection of the girl’s eyes-until the girl’s head dropped limply fonvard. Then S'amson invited any medical man present to step up and examine the physical condition of the hypnotised girl. Two well-known London medicos did so and testified that to all appearances Mdlle. Nydia AA’as in a state of hypnotic unconsciousness. Thereupon Svengali— Samson, I mean,—blindfolded Trilby—l mean Nydia/—with . several layers of linen and black velvet. Then in obedience to an unspoken command the girl rose, walked across the stage and sat doAA’n at a piano. At this point Samson explained that if anyone Avould hand up a piece of music—original compositions preferred —his subject Avould execute them x>erfectly upon the niano. In a moment half a dozen pieces in MS. were being offered from as many places in the audience, among them being an original composition which Dr Wyndham Earle, a New Zealand cleric, was conveniently provided with. One by one these pieces were handed up and placed before the blindfolded pianist. Behind her stood Samson armed. Avith a little hand mirror and indulging in a series of hair -raising scoavls and glares

and a number of strange motions with his hands. With her head slightly thrown back Mdlle. Nydia then began to play, slowly and softly, and with almost mechanical accuracy, hut with a complete lack of expression, stopping abruptly at the end of each page until it was turned over for her. The girl’s playing indeed suggested one of those new-fangled mechanical piano players left to its own devices. Yet her performance was wonderful, all things considered, and what followed was marvellous. The names off a number of musical pieces were handed to the audience who were invited to select on© of them, and having written the name upon a slip of paper to put it in a envelope and seal it. This having been done the envelope was placed upon the head of the hypnotic musician, and after pressing the tips of her lingers to her temples for a moment or two she began to play “Lorelei,” which proved to be the piece demanded. It was altogether a remarkable performance, and the scientific men present were unable to offer any explanation of the phenomena. Dr York© Davis admitted that the abnormal debility of the pulse was not an absolute test of an hypnotic condition, but 'was one of the necessary symptoms. Dr German and Mr Earle also remarked that although the pianist had not rendered their pieces with entire accuracy, they were on the whole executed according to the score. Afdle. Nydia, when questioned after the exhibition, said that her mind was an entire blank during performances and that upon awakening she had only the faintest recollection of the music she had Mayecl. “It is all like a dream,” she said, “and when I play too long I have a terrible headache.”