In the next twenty-five years Evans wrote several highly successful books on mental healing. Commenting on these Horatio Dresser declared:
In his writings one finds a well-reasoned account of what Mr. Quimby meant to say, what he would have said had he possessed all the data as well as a trained mind. For there was remarkable affinity between the two men. To one who has read Mr. Quimby’s manuscripts it is a constant satisfaction to note the constant harmony of thought and unity of purpose in their writings. Although Mr. Evans only once refers to Mr. Quimby, there is nothing he wrote in the six volumes above mentioned [his books about healing] that does not directly relate to the Quimby teachings.165
Evans, however, repeatedly and explicitly identified his method of healing with animal magnetism.166 Where Quimby had repudiated the term, Evans recognized frankly that his method was that of suggestion directed toward a patient in “the conscious impressible condition,” which he described as a magnetized state not involving sleep.167 It took the more sophisticated realism of Evans—not to mention the later religious analysis of Mrs. Eddy—to bring to the surface the real source of Quimby’s power. Because the latter’s theory (at least in part) was in advance of his practice, a semimetaphysical smoke screen of words hid its basically hypnoidal character.
Mrs. Patterson’s fears may have been causing her unconsciously to avoid this recognition. As one human reliance after another was taken away from her, she clung to Quimby as almost her last human hope.
Toward the end of June, the Lynn Weekly Reporter announced that business of importance made it necessary for Patterson to be absent from his office for a few weeks. On first leaving, he agreed to send his wife four dollars a week and did so for four weeks; then the remittances ● ● ●