Jules Denis, Baron du Potet or Dupotet de Sennevoy (12 April 1796 – 1 July 1881) was a French esotericist. He became a renowned practitioner of mesmerism—the theories first developed by Franz Mesmer involving animal magnetism.[1]
Baron du Potet; frontispiece of La magie dévoilée et la science occulte, 1852 edition.
He was born at Sennevoy-le-Haut, the son of Charles Jean-Baptiste Dupotet, seigneur de La Chapelle et de Sennevoy, and Pierrette Babeau Simone. He was married twice, to Aglaé Saunier in Paris in 1833, and the second time to Marie Isaure Hérault. He died in Paris and is buried in the Montmartre Cemetery.[2]
Careeredit
Du Potet was a highly successful mesmerist. Some attributed this to the fact he was missing the thumb on his right hand.[3] His reputation was such, apparently, that a man was convicted of murder and executed based on evidence given by "one of Du Potet's clairvoyantes".[4] He operated a free school of magnetism in Paris from 1826 on,[5] and from 1837 to 1845 practised magnetic healing in London,[6] where he successfully treated epileptic girls at the North London Hospital[3] and according to a letter to the editor of The Lancet his experiments became the talk of the town.[7]
For du Potet, who was in correspondence with mesmerists worldwide, mesmerism was, not unlike Utopian socialism, an aid in bringing about social transformation, even a revolution.[8] An 1890 article in the English occult magazine Lucifer praises him as an ardent supporter of mesmerism whose "powerful voice" might have stopped the "travesty" of hypnotism.[4]
Du Potet also pursued occult applications of mesmerism. Eliphas Levi praised him highly in his History of Magic, and said that magnetism had unlocked for him the secrets of magic.[9] Unlike Levi, he believed that trance enabled contact with the dead and with never incarnated spirits, and his circle believed in remote influence by means of magnetic currents.[5] He was a member of the Theosophical Society; his writings were quoted extensively by Helena Blavatsky, who regarded him as an adept.[6] In The Discovery of the Unconscious, Henri Ellenberger considers him to have "developed ... delusions of grandeur".[10]
Du Potet published and edited the Journal du magnetisme[11] from 1845 to 1861. Books he wrote include Introduction to the Study of Animal Magnetism (1838) and La magie dévoilée et la science occulte (1852), a copy of which was owned by Victor Hugo.[11]
^C.A.P. 291 (1843), Allée Samson, Division 23, Row 3, 15th tomb from the left; gravestone broken.
^ abClarke, James Fernandez (1874). Autobiographical Recollections of the Medical Profession. London: Churchill. p. 161. OCLC 559634098.
^ ab"Black Magic in Science". Lucifer. 6 (34): 265–75. 1890.
^ abDeveney, John Patrick (1997). Paschal Beverly Randolph: A Nineteenth-Century Black American Spiritualist, Rosicrucian, and Sex Magician. SUNY series in Western esoteric traditions. Albany, New York: State University of New York. pp. 53–55. ISBN9780585042800.
^Bell, Caryn Cossé (1997-02-01). Revolution, Romanticism, and the Afro-Creole Protest Tradition in Louisiana, 1718—1868. LSU Press. pp. 177–79. ISBN9780807153451.
^Levi, Eliphas (1999). The History of Magic. Weiser. pp. 339–40. ISBN9780877289296.
^Ellenburger, Henri F. (1970). The Discovery of the Unconscious: The History and Evolution of Dynamic Psychiatry. New York: Basic Books. p. 156. ISBN9780786724802.
Gauld, A., A History of Hypnotism, Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Harte, R., Hypnotism and the Doctors, Volume I: Animal Magnetism: Mesmer/De Puysegur, L.N. Fowler & Co., (London), 1902.
Harte, R., Hypnotism and the Doctors, Volume II: The Second Commission; Dupotet And Lafontaine; The English School; Braid's Hypnotism; Statuvolism; Pathetism; Electro-Biology, L.N. Fowler & Co., (London), 1903.
baron, potet, jules, denis, dupotet, sennevoy, april, 1796, july, 1881, french, esotericist, became, renowned, practitioner, mesmerism, theories, first, developed, franz, mesmer, involving, animal, magnetism, frontispiece, magie, dévoilée, science, occulte, 18. Jules Denis Baron du Potet or Dupotet de Sennevoy 12 April 1796 1 July 1881 was a French esotericist He became a renowned practitioner of mesmerism the theories first developed by Franz Mesmer involving animal magnetism 1 Baron du Potet frontispiece of La magie devoilee et la science occulte 1852 edition Contents 1 Life 2 Career 3 Footnotes 4 References 5 External linksLife editHe was born at Sennevoy le Haut the son of Charles Jean Baptiste Dupotet seigneur de La Chapelle et de Sennevoy and Pierrette Babeau Simone He was married twice to Aglae Saunier in Paris in 1833 and the second time to Marie Isaure Herault He died in Paris and is buried in the Montmartre Cemetery 2 Career editDu Potet was a highly successful mesmerist Some attributed this to the fact he was missing the thumb on his right hand 3 His reputation was such apparently that a man was convicted of murder and executed based on evidence given by one of Du Potet s clairvoyantes 4 He operated a free school of magnetism in Paris from 1826 on 5 and from 1837 to 1845 practised magnetic healing in London 6 where he successfully treated epileptic girls at the North London Hospital 3 and according to a letter to the editor of The Lancet his experiments became the talk of the town 7 For du Potet who was in correspondence with mesmerists worldwide mesmerism was not unlike Utopian socialism an aid in bringing about social transformation even a revolution 8 An 1890 article in the English occult magazine Lucifer praises him as an ardent supporter of mesmerism whose powerful voice might have stopped the travesty of hypnotism 4 Du Potet also pursued occult applications of mesmerism Eliphas Levi praised him highly in his History of Magic and said that magnetism had unlocked for him the secrets of magic 9 Unlike Levi he believed that trance enabled contact with the dead and with never incarnated spirits and his circle believed in remote influence by means of magnetic currents 5 He was a member of the Theosophical Society his writings were quoted extensively by Helena Blavatsky who regarded him as an adept 6 In The Discovery of the Unconscious Henri Ellenberger considers him to have developed delusions of grandeur 10 Du Potet published and edited the Journal du magnetisme 11 from 1845 to 1861 Books he wrote include Introduction to the Study of Animal Magnetism 1838 and La magie devoilee et la science occulte 1852 a copy of which was owned by Victor Hugo 11 Footnotes edit Sollier Paul 1903 L autoscopie interne Revue philosophique de la France et de l etranger 55 1 41 JSTOR 41077720 C A P 291 1843 Allee Samson Division 23 Row 3 15th tomb from the left gravestone broken a b Clarke James Fernandez 1874 Autobiographical Recollections of the Medical Profession London Churchill p 161 OCLC 559634098 a b Black Magic in Science Lucifer 6 34 265 75 1890 a b Deveney John Patrick 1997 Paschal Beverly Randolph A Nineteenth Century Black American Spiritualist Rosicrucian and Sex Magician SUNY series in Western esoteric traditions Albany New York State University of New York pp 53 55 ISBN 9780585042800 a b Goodrick Clarke Nicholas 2008 The Western Esoteric Traditions A Historical Introduction Oxford New York Oxford University p 183 ISBN 9780195320992 Animal Magnetism The American Journal of the Medical Sciences 507 509 1837 Bell Caryn Cosse 1997 02 01 Revolution Romanticism and the Afro Creole Protest Tradition in Louisiana 1718 1868 LSU Press pp 177 79 ISBN 9780807153451 Levi Eliphas 1999 The History of Magic Weiser pp 339 40 ISBN 9780877289296 Ellenburger Henri F 1970 The Discovery of the Unconscious The History and Evolution of Dynamic Psychiatry New York Basic Books p 156 ISBN 9780786724802 a b Matlock Jann 2000 Ghostly Politics Diacritics 30 3 53 71 doi 10 1353 dia 2000 0022 JSTOR 1566343 S2CID 208688549 References editGauld A A History of Hypnotism Cambridge University Press 1992 Harte R Hypnotism and the Doctors Volume I Animal Magnetism Mesmer De Puysegur L N Fowler amp Co London 1902 Harte R Hypnotism and the Doctors Volume II The Second Commission Dupotet And Lafontaine The English School Braid s Hypnotism Statuvolism Pathetism Electro Biology L N Fowler amp Co London 1903 External links editLa magie devoilee et la science occulte 1852 edition at Bibliotheque nationale de France Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Baron du Potet amp oldid 1139568453, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
