Illustrations and enquiries relating to mesmerism. Part I

Maitland’s work investigates mesmerism through examples, questions, and argument, reflecting early serious engagement with animal magnetism as both a medical and spiritual phenomenon. Readers will find case discussions, critical inquiry, and an attempt to assess mesmerism’s claims within a religious and intellectual framework.

Samuel Roffey Maitland (1792–1866) was an English cleric, librarian, and controversial writer whose works engaged with theology, church history, and biblical interpretation. He is remembered in part for his criticism of prevailing prophetic and historicist readings, making him relevant to the history of religious and apocalyptic literature.