The Wizard of Vice Versa

Dear Sirs,

The approach of the psychologist is customarily manipulative; that is, we suggest methods of imposing controls or alterations of reference. We have paid less attention to the creation of internal controls, i.e., conversion of the source, so that voluntary cooperation results. Moral considerations aside, the imposition of external techniques of manipulating people carries with it the grave risk of later lawsuits, adverse publicity, or other attempts to strike back.

Hamlet has asked me to send you my assessment of his character over time and mail. It is above and beyond my normal practice, but as I am solely interested in maximizing the young lad's potential, and he genuinely seems to believe in your confluence, I have agreed to forward copies of the notes from my sessions with the young Prince of Denmark over the following weeks. He has neuralgia in his eyes, however, and I feel that I must warn you of this. He may wel l be a better mesmermist than even I. It's awful, I know - he can stare and point his finger at me and smile and even show his teeth. It is in the rottenness of his gaze that my anxieties suddenly fly from me! I have tried snapping the same techniques at my other clients, to no memorable result. Just the noise that most selfhood has already sufficiently achieved.

Alas, here you go - I take responsiblity for all errors, as I have copied these by hand in full daylight sans assistant (forgive that "sans" - a silly word, even amongst the French!).

Mesmer

The Orderly-Obstinate Character: 'tis unmanly ... But, orderly to end where I begun,. Our wills and fates do so contrary run ...

The Optimistic Character: irrepressible young pig with lots of grandiose ideas ...

The Greedy, Demanding character: Go Down, Moses ...

The Guilt Ridden Character: the lion cub flees into exile ...

The Character Wrecked by Success: oder Die langer Nacht nimmt ein Ende ...

The Schizoid or Strange Character: he merely feigns madness ...

The ExceptionThe Average or Normal Character: the commercial "hub" for several neighborhoods/villages and dare I say hamlets ...

P.S.

Please do not take my own psychoanalytic illness much into mind. We are trying to heal Hamlet, and not Mesmer, are we not?

M