The Quimby manuscripts
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| Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, New England "mental healer" |
Phineas Parkhurst Quimby never published a book during his lifetime. His private notebooks, letters, and case notes from the mid‑1840s to 1865 were collected and edited by Horatio Dresser and printed in 1921.
Quimby’s core theory argued that sickness often grew from false beliefs and mental impressions, and that understanding the truth could bring healing.
The collection traces his progression from mesmerism into his distinctive spiritual‑mental healing framework, includes correspondence with patients, and explores the historical debate over his influence on Christian Science and the wider New Thought movement. It is a key primary historical document for anyone studying 19th‑century American metaphysical, self‑help, and healing philosophy.
📚 Book Details
- Title: The Quimby Manuscripts
- Author: Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802‑1866)
- Publication: 1921
- Publisher: T. Y. Crowell – New York
- Topics: Mental Healing / Christian Science
- (the scanned archive.org copy)
- Pages: 469 pages
- ✅ Public Domain (US)
📖 Short Summary
This 1921 compiled volume collects the private writings of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, a famous 19th‑century healer and thinker. The manuscripts follow his journey starting with mesmerism (“The Mesmeric Period” shown on your page 44 sample) and developing his ideas of mental‑spiritual healing. It is a primary historical source for the early history of Christian Science and the New Thought movement.
⚠️ Quimby’s healing theories are historical philosophical ideas and are not medical treatment.