[SECOND EDITION.] THE SURPRISING CASE OF RACHEL BAKER, WHO PRAYS AND PREACHES IN HER SLEEP: WITH SPECIMENS OF HER EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMAN- AND ANSWER QUESTIONS, DURING HER UNCONSCIOUS STATE. The whole authenticated by the most respectable testi- BY CHARLES MAIS, OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK, STENOGRAPHER. Tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. NEW-YORK: PUBLISHED BY WHITING AND WATSON, 96 BROADWAY. S. Marks, Printer. ...... 1814, Be it remembered, that on the sixteenth day of November, in the thirtyninth year of the Independence of the United States of America, Charles Mais, of the said District, has deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words and figures following, to wit: The surprising case of Rachel Baker, who prays and preaches in her sleep; with specimens of her extraordinary performances taken down accurately in short hand at the time; and showing the unparalleled powers she possesses to pray, exhort, and answer questions during her unconscious state. The whole authenticated by the most respectable testimony of living witnesses, by Charles Mais, of the city of New-York, Stenographer. Tell me the vision of my dream, that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. Nebuchadnezzar to Belteshazzar. Dan. 4. 9. In conformity to the act of the congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned." And also to an act, entitled “An Act, supplementary to an Act, entitled an Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." THERON RUDD, TO DOCTORS MITCHILL, DOUGLASS, BIRCH, MOTT, and GENTLEMEN, BRUCE. HAVING had an invitation to witness one of the periodical exercises of Miss RACHEL BAKER, during her stay in this city, I used the opportunity, to take in short hand, what she delivered. Repeated applications have been made to me, to transcribe, and communicate to the public what I wrote, with such medical history and opinion as could he obtained from the gentlemen of the Faculty who had been consulted on her case. I understand, that a statement of the case, was read before some members of the Literary and Philosophical Society, and of the College of Physicians and Surgeons. I take the liberty of soliciting that paper, or any other which you may furnish, to give additional interest to what I have already prepared for the press. Your respectable names are of sufficient importance to apologise for my intreaty; but gentlemen, you are aware that the public feeling is cxcited, and that amidst the suggestions of fancy, the perplexities of doubt, and the insiduous whispers of slander, some guide is necessary to conduct the general judgment. From whence shall this aid be derived, but from the opinions of gentlemen possessing your medical skill and critical acumen ? your knowledge of the case, derived from frequent observation, enables you to gratify the public curiosity. I beg you to excuse this request of an individual, who, though unknown to you, anticipates from your general courtesy, a favourable issue, and subscribes kimself most respectfully gentlemen, your humble servant, New-York, 12th Nov. 1814. MR. CHARLES MAIS, SIR, New-York, 14th Nov. 1814. IN compliance with your request, we enclose you a memorandum of the remarkable case you mentioned; as noted by Doctor MITCHILL. We have examined this statement, and are satisfied of its accuracy. The facts and opinions therein contained, will form a basis for the publication you meditate to make. To render this more instructive and satisfactory, we also forward some of the questions put and answers received during her exercises, which, in our judgment, form a capital illustration of the subject. We have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servants, JOHN H. DOUGLASS. Minutes made by SAMUEL L. MITCHILL, M. D. and r. on the case of a young woman whose internal senses, and organs of speech, are strangely affected, at certain times, when she is not awalce. IN yielding to the request of my learned friends to submit to their disposal my sketch of the singular case upon which we were lately consulted, I hope I shall not only gratify their laudable curiosity, but furnish some interesting materials towards a theory of the delicate and complicated operations, of the human mind. Rachel Baker about twenty years old, experienced at the age of fourteen some religious concern, and in consequence thereof joined the Presbyterian Church in the county Onondaga New York. Becoming uneasy about two years afterwards she underwent a religious submersion and became a member of the Baptist church. To that society she has ever since been united. She is possessed of a constitution naturally good and it has never been materially impaired by disease. Since her connection with the latter society, she has been in a devout frame of mind, but never inclined to superstition on the one part, nor to enthusiasm on the other. Her deportment is sedate, reserved, and diffident. Being little prone to talk, she seldom commences a conversation, and even when spoken to is not fond of indulging in discourse. She has been in the habit of frequenting religious meetings, but in no other manner than the regular members of the society to which she belongs. Her moral character is fair and exemplary. Nevertheless, her faculties have been called into action after an uncommon manner. Once a day for about three years, or from the time of her second baptism she has suffered a paroxism which usually contiues an hour. It sometimes ends in forty five minutes, and then again is prolonged an hour and a quar |