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Le Chevalier de Beauregard — Magnetismo Esoterico e Tradizione Egiziana/en

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The Chevalier de Beauregard is a figure of the magnetic tradition who brings animal magnetism into contact with the esoteric and initiatic currents of the early 19th century. A member of an Egyptian lodge, Beauregard embodied the thesis that animal magnetism was the modern rediscovery of a sacred art originating from ancient Egypt.

The Annales du Magnétisme Animal (1814–1816)

The ISI-CNV corpus preserves the complete collection of the Annales du Magnétisme Animal (July 1814 – 1816), the first European periodical entirely dedicated to magnetism. These issues constitute the most valuable primary source for the pre-du Potet period — they contain clinical cases, theories, and debates on magnetism in the immediate post-Napoleonic era.

The title page of issue 1 (July 1814, Paris, rue Neuve-Saint-Martin 209) bears a preface that frames the project: after the years of the Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, it was time to draw public attention «to one of the most important discoveries for humanity, Animal Magnetism». A previous attempt in 1787 («M. Mouillesaux») was cited, which was never realized due to the political climate.

The preserved issues range from n.1 (1814) to n.40 (October 1816), in monthly fascicles. They contain:

  • Detailed clinical cases (healings with magnetism, dated and localized)
  • Theories of somnambulism (differences between narcosis, natural somnambulism, magnetic somnambulism)
  • Critical analyses of other authors (Van Helmont, Puységur, etc.)
  • Correspondence and observations from practitioners throughout France

Beauregard and the Egyptian Tradition

Beauregard's relationship with the Egyptian tradition was not incidental: he was a member of a lodge that explicitly referred to the «Egyptian mysteries» — that esoteric current which, in the wake of the Egyptomania following the Napoleonic campaign (1798–1801), had spread Egyptian rituals and symbols in European Masonic lodges.

His thesis was that animal magnetism was not a modern discovery by Mesmer, but the scientific rediscovery of something that the Egyptian priests — and even earlier — knew and practiced. In this view, Mesmer had simply given a name and a protocol to an ancient force.

This position was in perfect continuity with that which du Potet would take to its extreme consequences decades later in La Magie Dévoilée (1852): magnetism as magic, the magnetizer as heir to an initiatic tradition.

Historical Context

Beauregard is situated in the transition phase between the magnetism of Mesmer's Sociétés de l'Harmonie (1784+) and the institutional «scientific» magnetism of du Potet (1820+). While du Potet brought magnetism toward the hospital and the academy, Beauregard kept it anchored to the esoteric tradition.

As documented in the page Du Potet e le Società Segrete — Magia, Aristocrazia e Magnetismo, this tension — magnetism as science vs. magnetism as magical tradition — runs through the entire history of the movement.

Open Questions (to be verified on primary sources)

  • Which lodge exactly? The name of the Egyptian lodge of which he was a member is not yet documented in the ISI-CNV corpus
  • Did Beauregard collaborate on the Annales as an author? (To be verified via OCR of internal pages)
  • Was there a personal relationship between Beauregard and du Potet, who began his career in the same period (1820)?

Primary Sources

Anti-hallucination system: Dossier estratti ISI-CNV.

Annales du Magnétisme Animal 1814-1816 — Drive

Historical Context

See Also


Donato e la Fascinazione — Navigazione ISI-CNV

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