Les endormeurs. Le vérité sur les hypnotisants les suggestionnistes, les magnétiseurs, les donatistes, les braïdistes, etc. by FONVIELLE, W. de, - 1887

Paris: A la Librairie Illustrée [c. 1887 - 1907 ], 1887. Wraps. See Description. 8vo. pp. [4], 308. Bound in original color illustrated publisher’s wraps depicting a man hypnotizing a woman. The same image is present in black and white on the title page. Head and tail caps are professionally repaired. The wraps show wear to the extremities as well as some age-toning, soiling, spotting, mild edge chipping etc. The text block is loosely sewn with a single stitch through each gathering. Interior pages contain periodic spots of marginal foxing. A few minor marginal tears are neatly sealed. The upper edge of page 69 is chipped (1 x 0.5 cm). According to Crabtree this work is "a critical evaluation of the nature of hypnotism and somnambulism. The author sees imagination as the central element," (Crabtree, p. 276). Chapter XI discusses modern witchcraft – "diatribe contre le livre préceédent, de Charles Richet," (Yve-Plessis). This is possibly the second edition. Apparently two editions of Fonvielle’s "Les endormeurs" were printed, neither of which carried a date. The first edition appeared in 1887 and the second in 1907. Caillet and Crabtree list the printer of the 1887 edition as Henry du Parc. The Bibliotheque nationale, however, assigns the date 1887 to an edition printed by la Librairie illustrée. [Crabtree 1170; Caillet 4085; Besterman, p. 139; Yve-Plessis 813].