In 1836 Charles Poyen came to Belfast, Maine, from France on an extended lecture tour in New England about mesmerism, also widely known as hypnotism. He was a French mesmerist who followed in the tradition of Armand-Marie-Jacques de Chastenet, Marquis of Puységur. Quimby was intensely curious and attended one of Poyen's lectures in 1838. He questioned Poyen about the nature of animal magnetism and its powers. Poyen admitted that with proper training, anyone could become adept at administering hypnotism. Quimby left his job as a watchmaker and followed Poyen's tour of New England for the next two years (1838–1840), studying to become proficient himself at applying mesmerism.