SOCIETY

L'/

C O

S^QMlCkL
Rlclna.rci
Seoi^etary

BOYLSTON
BOSTOK

UNKNOWN

THE

FLAMMARION

CAMILLE

NEW

HARPER

"

YORK

AND

LONDON

PUBLISHERS

BROTHERS

1900

FOR

RESEARCH,
Hodgson,
for

America,

PLACE,
MASS.

Copyright,

1900,

yll!

by

Camili-e

rights

reserved.

Flammarion.

SOCIETY

FOR

PSYCHICAL

RESEARCH,

Kictiarci

Biodigson,

Secretary

America,

for

PLACE,

BOYLSTON

MASS.

BOSTON,
CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction

CHAPTER.

I.

On

Incredulity

II.

On

Credulity

III.

Op

Telepathic

AND

IV.
V.

VI.

1
23
by

the

Dying,

Apparitions

OF

Admission

43

Facts

of

183
So

Properly

Hallucinations,
The

Made

Communications

Action

Psychic

Called

One

of

307

Mind

Upon

Another.
"

Transmission

of

Thought.

Mental

"

Suggestion.
"

From

Communications

Distance

Between

Human

Beings
VII.

328

World

The

of

Dreams.

"Cerebral

Physiology."
of

Sleep.
"

VIII.
IX.

Distant
Premonitory

Conclusion

Infinite

"

Sight

Dreams

"

and

Dreams:

Dreams.
festations
ManiDuring

Experienced

Dreams

in

Dreams.

of

Psychic
Dying

the

Telepathy
in

Variety

Actual
Divination

310

Facts
of

377
the

Future

423

477

FOR
DOVnr?*^^^^'^
PSYCHICAL RESEARCH.

Hlcnard

Hodgson,

^o"
^^"fil^^Y

P.
^

America,

BOYLSTON

PLACE,

BOSTON,

MASS.

INTRODUCTION

and

universal

The

beings,the

human

of
aspirations

constant

and

reverence

affectionate

thinking

all

in

remembrance

Day

of onr
the memory
dead, the innate idea of a
of Judgment, the feelingsinherent in our
consciousness,

and

in

which

hold

we

the miserable
intellect,

our

destinies

of

of the infinite and

receive

we

beneath

starry heavens, and

the

compared

with

conspireto

all

"

of the soul
destruction

the

mathematical

the

the eternal
all this

permanent identityof our I (our own

notwithstanding perpetualchanges in
brains

the

between

sion
regulatesthe universe, the bewilderingimpres-

which

order

earth

on

men

incoherence

an

as

of

create

our

in

us

our

gaze into
certaintyof the
as

we

individual

existence)

bodies

our

conviction

entitywhich
corporealorganism,and

and

our

of the

istence
ex-

will survive

individual

which

must

be immortal.

has

not

of all this
be, scientific demonstration
teach us, on the
made, and physiologists

this may
yet been

However
as

contrary,that thought is
brain

is

human

aspirationsof

function

out
of the brain ; that withand that all dies when

thought,
is disagreement

no

this there

In

die.

we

there

nature

and

between

what

the

call

we

ideal

positive

science.

but what
until

we

side,we

other

the

On

have

we

have

learned

do not

know,

learned,and
it.

Science

we

present historyof mankind.

the world, though we
transformed

justiceand

the

gratitudethat

are

her

affirm anything

cannot

cannot

alone

in the

has

we

makes

know

anything
steady progress

It is science

rarelyrender
due.

It is

which
her

the

through

INTRODUCTION
that

her

She

present day.
Avork

This

are

is

an

held

commonly

and
at the
even
intellectually,
materially,
alone can
guide us and enlighten us.
subjects
attempt to analyze scientifically

live

we

have

to

science, which

uncertain, fabulous, and

accounted

even

Avith

connection

no

more

less

or

imaginary.
I
to

other
of

apply

to

attempt

sciences

the

facts exists.

scientific methods

same

about

am

thrown

domain

establish

aside

of the

analysis
belonging to the

as

marvellous,

the

or

natural,
super-

that

they are produced by

still unknown
to us, which
belong to an invisible and
world, different from the one we know
through our
to

in

employed

observation, verification,and

commonly

of dreams,
and

the

the

to

phenomena

land

that such

to demonstrate

about

am

forces
ral
natuown

senses.

Is this
?
And

I do

if it

human

rational

attempt
not

know.

helps us

soul, and

to

Is it

But

I do

know

affords

logical?
that

know

scientific

survival,it will give humanity

it lead

it is

of the

something
us

Can

sults
re-

interesting.

nature

demonstration

progress

to

of the
of

superiorto

any

its
she

of all the other

by the gradual evolution
sciences put together.
Human
can
reason
only admit what has been demonstrated
to be absolute
certainty. But, on the other hand, we have no
mony
right to reject or deny anything in advance, for the testiof our
is incomplete and misleading.
senses
own
has

yet received

We

ought

mind
but

;
not

to

ought

we

to admit

take

up

to be

ready

much

that may

any

study

with

an

unprejudiced

admit

what

has

been

to

be

proved

proved,

hereafter.

In general,

with telepathy,such
subjects connected
as
apparitions,second-sight,mental
suggestion,premonitory
dreams, magnetism, psychicalmanifestations,hypnotism,spiritualism
and certain religiousbeliefs,it is marvellous
to see
how
small a part enlightened criticism has played in the acceptance
in the

has

been

method
This

cases

of

of facts, and

what

accumulated

under

an

incoherent
the

of scientific observance

is what

it is our

objectto

name

of truth.

applicableto
demonstrate
vi

of foolishness

mass

by

such
these

But

is the

subjects?
researches.

INTRODUCTION

believe

nothing without

scientific methods

in this world.

We
two

should

which

method
facts

affirmed

afterward

were

science

since

facts and

does

them.

time

Needless

that is here

methods
The

of

framework

truths

"

prio"i,to which

; and

Bacon, which

starts

say, it is the

to

that

theory until

only

are

is the old scholastic

to conform

formulate

not

One

certain

expected

the

proof. There

of modern

ing
by observ-

it has established

second

of

these

adopted.

of

this

book

is

scientific. 1
essentially
shall put aside, in principle,
all things that appear
to me
not
been
to have
clearlycertified either by experience or observation.

Many people say,

find

Such

nothing.

keeps

What

"

things

Himself."

to

is the

There

of

use

seeking?

God's

are

will

secrets, which

have

always

You

been

people

He
who

liked

ignorance better than knowledge. By this kind of

acted upon
reasoning (had men
it)nothing would ever have
known

been

to

in this

astronomical

who

confide

than

more

researches.

those who

adopted by
and

world, and
do

not

directors

to

it has been

once

It is the

mode

to think

care

the
(so-called)

for

of

plied
ap-

ing
reason-

themselves,

charge

of

trolling
con-

their consciences.
Other

object that these chapterson the occult

sciences are making our
dle
knowledge retrograde into the Midthe bright lightof
Ages, instead of advancing towards
the future, foreshadowed
by modern
Well, then !
progress.
I say that a careful study of these facts can
no
port
transmore
back
to the days of sorcer}^ than the study of astronus
omy

people may

lead

can

As

began

us

back

this

to the

work, my

times

of

fell

eyes

by Count

Ag"nor de Gasparin,on
and there I read what
tournantes),
"There
clear

is

from

one

the

words, I would
you

are

you

seem

with

right,or

thing"
first,the
say

that

to consider

truths

subject

of

readers

authorized

you

are

my
It is

wrong,

yourselves the
and

on

follows

work
no

what

preface of

book

which

ought

is not

serious.

object with
I want

that

me

to

to

be

made

In

other

prove

that

is the truth, of which

defenders.

breveted, truths
vii

the

Table-turning{Les tables

important thing"

an

to my

astrology.

We
a

man

are
can

not

concerned

concern

him-

INTRODUCTION

and

self with

yet remain

There

serious,acceptedtruths.
Their

them!

themselves

bad

to

run

We

must

file one

to

consider

the

in tlie

and
proprieties,
track

same

how

with

to

serious

to

be
of

us

in

the

ourselves

comport
who

men,

long

so

it would

talk

Don't

public opinion.

counter

respect

meantime,

good society laughs,

as

for

worse

who

people

then

avowed,

the

in

march

other."

the

after

and

be

can

much

so

"

protection,but

their

long

so

truths

perchance,

under

them

is to walk

business

our

are

come,

people frown,

taste

truth !

take

may

certain

as

will

turn

absurd

that

truths

uncompromised,

words, written

still. Poor

human

nearly half a century ago, are trne

beings, so ignorant of most things, whose

time

for the

most

These

passes

ranks

judgment

takes

private

opinions,whether
in

search

our

such

with

so

individuals

and
them,

or

public,and

to

go

Mankind

is

composed

truth.

for

judgments,
superficial

their

which

to
to

ward
straightfor-

such

of

to

pass

disregardtheir

; to

beings incapable of comprehending

incapable of thinking for themselves.

parts

their

things. There is but one thing

up any question, and that is,not

and

one

ourselves

concern

take

men

upon
when

done

be

who

persons

stupidly here, have in

themselves
very seriously,and
part

three

research,

We

leave

may

valueless

are

in

themselves.
I have

of

Study

as

eyes

For

this

pupil

than

of the

most

in

third

phenomena

by

me

subjects that

few

then

questions
Paris

of

the

Paris

such

labors.
for

fell under

the
my

It is dated

ago.

nineteen, and
at

in

astronomical

my

moments

astronomy

for three

years

Observatory).

century I have

observed
of my

probablybecause

It is

these

of

writing
15, 1861 (I was

been
more

left

were

Avas

November
I had

as

with

membership in the Society of

signed by Alan Kardee,
Spiritualism,

card

old

occupied

been

of leisure

hours

My

long

kept in touch Avith

throughout the entire Avorld.

long personal experience in such

so
earnestlyrequested to publish

I have

been

always

hesitated.

this work.
I have

But

Was
but

fullyprepared

the way

begin, of

This

is

course.

book

of

Future

Had

the

Was

the

ages

will

studies, conceived

time

reallycome
fruit ripe ?
One
develop the seed.

and

executed

with

?
can

the

INTRODUCTION

knowing the truth, without

any prejudicein
received ideas,with the most
complete independence
indifference
to
the
absolute
most
and
as
public
of

sole purpose
favor

of

mind

of

opinion.
however, be owned

It must,

the

passionatelyinteresting to
"

"

the

point of
Everybody, or
undertake

subject,and

of this kind
writer

is interesting

while

ing
search-

unacknowledged or unknown, but it is,from

reward.
view
of public opinion, labor without
almost
everybody, has a poor opinion of those

for truths

who

work

that

Men

it.

it is

that

of science
a

pity

to

think

it is not
time

waste

scientific

it.

over

Other

believe

who

blindly in spiritual communications,

think
it is useless to
dreams, presentiments,and apparitions,
of analysisand
examination
into an
quiry
incarry a critical spirit
about
such
ject
things. We must
too, that the subown,

persons,

is both

and

vague

obscure, and

that

shall have

we

in casting a bright lightupon

it.
difficulty
succeeds
in placing but one
little stone
in
knowledge, I shall be glad that I have
The
to

hardest
what

say

about

the
the

enemies

thing,perhaps,foraman, is
he

thinks

opinion

noble
;

and

others

motto

for, after

what

the

if this work
edifice

undertaken

to be

it.

caring

put in practice
of Jean Jacques Rousseau
makes
only
is rude, savage, ignoall,the human
race
rant,
may

of him.

man
of hu-

independent;

knoAvs, without

he

have

But

much

To

hypocritical.Beings who live under the

and hearts are
influence of their minds
exceptional.
Perhaps the most singularthing of all is that a free inquiry
cowardly,

into truth

and

disagreeableto

seems

its little secrets, which

it does

every

not

one

wish

; for each
to have

brain

has

disturbed.

ready
If, for example, I say that the immortality of the soul, aldemonstrated

psychic sciences,more
the other

If, on
up

on

who

dupe
stones

by philosophy,will be speedilyproved by
than one
tion.
scepticwill smile at my asser-

his

table

imagines
of
to

an

who
calls
hand, I say that the spiritualist
Newton, Archimedes, or St. Augustine, and

himself

to have

illusion,there is

flingat

me.

been
whole

talking with them, is the

sect ready to pick up big

INTRODUCTION

But, again,let

not

us

with such

ourselves

concern

different

opinions.
"What

these

can

to, after all ?" says

lead
"We
that

hopes

our

of

"Materialism"
that

now

the

us

do

of millions
touch

round

each

considered

now

It

I showed
that

in my

the

superior

The

law

organism

of

Le

examination

will

result,as Oersted

is

spiritin

have
we

of

concluded

the
itself,

nothing

If

one

matter

which

Darwin

is

in my

our

of progress.

la Cr"ation

de l'Homme

only
can

work

nition
recog-

never

La

since

Fin

be
du

all that

regulates all life,the physical

instinctive foresightof plants,

propagationof

principalfacts
us,

in

these

species,

in natural

history

that there

convincingus

daily life shows

of

and

men

thought

without
authorizes

has

right to

is

us

that

"

us

animals.

brain

in all other

of nature

without

the

has told

is universal

observations

one

law

(the product

the

assure

our

that

told that

No

and

cause

is the

avant

which

of

in the brains

Now

are

nature.

current

are

ment
move-

atoms

in

that

of this life

an

except

Monde

not

progress

and

The

universe

the

of Lamarck

insects,birds,etc., to

perpetual

nothing can end,

past eternityexists still.

in

Bodies

then, is

Where,

force.

afford

not

atoms, which

infinitelyminute

controls

showed

existence

had

in

sustained,

to do.

mobile

are

generates it),and

what

I also

Monde

of

place. Such

work

facts, and
to

be

It does

supposed

once

exists and

dynamism.

law

evolution

of

of

humble

was

these

centres

holds

soul

the

"matter."

another, and

other

intellectual

planet

that

of millions

one

disappeared under
An

show

to

about

more

even

not

tend

it
jJOint d'ajjp^ii

solid

composed

are

one.

immortality are not chimeras."

cannot
is an hypothesis which

know

we

some

"They

answer

concerning psychical problems

studies

is

to think

power

Thence

product

there

it

no

of

thought
physiologists

of the brain.

no

that

And

thought.
the

sphere of our
comprises all the possibilities

worlds.
insist that

there

can

be

no

thought

brain.

a
or

another

of

the

millions

of microbes

that' inhabit

INTRODUCTION
of

each

he

could

bodies

our

arteries,or

our

bones,

head

he

suspect,as

our

foot,that this

to

floated

devoured

travelled

or

tryingto generalizehis impressions,

was

in the

blood

muscles,

our

through
body, like

of

made

or

all parts of
his own,

veins

our

his way

or

into

system from
regulatedby an

our

was

organicunity ?
is

Such
The

sun

shines

"

on

"

system that is

sidereal
that

reallyour relation to the planetaryuniverse.

the great heart of his system and source
of life
the orbits of the planets,and he himself
in
moves

The

bodies, as
which

instinct

controls

the
beating of
up
blood, the respirationof

they

those

than
sun

to be

were

put

who

would

globe, to
There

it ; and

upon

'

The

breathed
space

of

their
forth

of

which

our

lungs, and

the

of

our

action

in the material universe,

parallels
existence incomparablymore
tant
impor-

it would
be

metaphysical

dose

he

inspired,"Nothing

of the

ponderable,

element

there

is

Davy,

the

an

and

acting
intelligence

think

first
his

lost consciousness.

universe,

with

our

man

who

first

experiments

During

mented
experithis brief

experienced extraordinary cerebral impressions,

awaking, at least so far as concerned

on

consequences.

His

ideas,recalled

exclamation, which
exists

being

population of our
other planets.
dynamic element, imponderable

(in 1799),during

and

earth

whole

through all parts

azote

remembered

sudden

Humphry

apparent annihilation
be

of

if the

human

one

Yes, undoubtedly we
Sir

the

be

not

visible and

own.^

powerful

in this

forces

our

dynamic

of

legs.

or

of

cosmos

matter

chemist

which

arms

circulation

of that

our

protoxide

too

our

human

nothing

our

great
with

of

ments
move-

have
of

in that

superiorto

those

the

hearts, the

invisible,diffused

independent

it directs

being, since, for example,

of the
extinguished,or if the movement
of

exists in

and

that

rightto deny

no

our

die, it would

say

have

livingbeings,the

of its course,

out

were

not

conditions

regulating

direct

we

keep

stomachs, may

We

exist in space, and

thought can
of vast

still.

vaster

he

with
in the

uttered

energy,
tone

burst
of

one

but

is composed
thought. The universe
of
impressions,ideas, pleasures,and pains !" (Sir H. Davy, The Last Days
of a PJiilosopher.
)
In relatingone
of her curious
experiences,Madame
d'Esp"rance, whose

faculties

as

medium

were

tells
extraordinary,
xi

us

of

similar

impres-

INTRODUCTION

brains,as
it is not

which

our

which

What

would

and

organ,

an

in

be

some

is there

surprisingin

thinkers, searchers
real

the
let

Milan

it

account

Observatory

planet Mars, or
at Leipsicand

in

well

fault

of

to what

do

can

in

at

have

astronomers

been

gain light as

to

to

Therefore

director
Schiaparelli,

of the

was

much

as

others,

some

in these

the

astronomer

an

as

endeavored

have

to

on

Truth

manifestations.

is

in nature.
are

of them.

greatlybehind
Astronomy
the

physicalsciences
has

time

ton,
its New-

had
of

Copernicus,
that of Hipparchus and
Ptolemy. All that
present is to gather together observations, to
and

them,

compare

important researches

some

be found

is known

physiologyin

immortal, and

of creation

as

biology is comparativelyin

but

we

true

psychicalsciences

The
as

was

all may

and

one,

lems
prob-

of the
indefatigable observer
Zoellner, the director of the Observatory

author

what

out

The

the

and

planets,or in Crookes, who

he was
a
physicist,besides
to find

lated
congratu-

astronomical

as

field,anxious

as

that

fact

this

in

of man,

nature

not

us

the

eyes

knowledge of the soul

of
with
associated
a knowledge
of eternity? What
the domain

infinite space

Is not

our

well ?

so

If the soul is

country,

way

heaven.

it is

of Mars

; but

ears

who

person

strange

so

is to be its future

but

cannot

not

considered.

formerly

if heaven

canals

than

more
a

our

brain.

is the

so

Psychicalproblems are
were

say of

you

with

hear

we

thinks, any

seeing the

telescopeon

as

eyes,

our

brain

see.

eye is

with

see

we

assist in the debut

to

of the

science.

new

religionof the
on
a
future will be scientific,will be founded
knowledge of
psychicalfacts. This religionof science will have one great
day
it
before
all that liave gone
unity. Toadvantage over
One

perceives
"

one

presage"

can

that

the

"

Jew

Lourdes,

or
a

Buddhist

sion.

Space

can
no

Protestant

Mussulman

cannot

"How
was

more.

accept

I describe

cannot

hates
the

the

"dog
dogmas of

the indescribable?

in the
of
the

Time

miracles

at

Christian,"

Western

had

world.

disappeared.

the only reallytangible

thoiightswere
de
l'Ombre.)
Pays

I felt that

things." (E. d'Esp"rance, Au

believe

xii

INTRODUCTION

these

of

No

one

the

general
But

we

scientific

Let

''phrases"
proofs

give

as

are

follow

the

yet far

from

would

be

they

observations

Such
will

We
that
known

in

up

experiments
that

reasons

things

that

have

It

will

to

do

have
is

the

by

point

be

may

the

it
cause
be-

edge.
knowl-

our

multiply

probability

forward

brought

he

"but

should

obtain

We

scrupulous

most

we

"

merely
of

state

with

to

have

nature,"

magnetism),

order

Laplace.

present

what

ing
group-

tion
collec-

study.

of

try

trying

but

agencies

few

will

afterwards

romance,

animal

in

will

collect

to

phenomena

scientific

them
to

no

as

We

astronomer

the

cape
es-

facts, theories

reject phenomena

examine

that

if this

know

the
our

sole

December^

work

whether

world

has
we

phenomena
from

object

1899.

who

Those

programme.

mysterious

exist, and

Paris,

our

to

the

of

way,

and

for

not

them."

see

seek

the

determine

the

to

is

all

must

or

admitting

knowing

na
phenome-

time

hereafter.

the

of

in

attention, and

superior

of

dogma.

or

of

alike, and

thesis

inexplicable
we

loss

our

our

is not

to

are

to

most

unphilosophical

Only

us

by

(apropos,

wrote

if the

want

we

book

on

primarily observations,

certainty

are

maxim

know

testimony.

to

the

documents,

to

of

contain

What

This

them.

explain

tried

that

theory

of

cause

classification

those

of

avoid

sure

will

lead

methodical

of

book

may

as

together
to

make

possible.

as

is to

the

for

founded

religion

questions

verifications, and

examples,

to

us

in

psychical problems.

exist, and

first

This

after.

of

important

with

deal

to

existence

such

is

folly of looking

the

come

solution

all else

have

we

exist

will

yet far from

as

are

before

What

divisions

but

which

its very
is to

merit

one

arrive

can

willing

arc

at
seem

it is
the
to

to

follow

sincerity.

affirmation
have

been

highest antiquity really

discover

the

truth.

i'SYCHIClLRESEA
sSSf''^Modes/
BOYLSTON
BOSTON,

PL.

MASS.
_

THE

UNKNOWN

CHAPTER

ON"

Croire

"

IKCREDULITT

d"couvert

tout

est

une

profonde,

erreur

C'est prendre l'hoi'izon pour

les bornes

du

inonde."
"

Many

men

; and

facts
see

or

as

many,

horizon

own

the

are

be

to

ideas

new

changes in

no

are

knowledge

is

of

of

intellectual

has

justlytold

been

overlook

the

us,

boundary of the whole

bewilder and horrifythem.
of
steady march
history of the

dead-letter

criminal

try

to them.

always what it is at

events

take

world.

They

their

New
wish

to which

to

they

of human
progress
The
boldness of investigators,

to them.

inventors, of all who

has

ness
short-sighted-

the

The

revolution, seems
race

Lamierre

the

accustomed.

victims

Lamartine.

the

effect

to

any

In their eyes the

present moment.

kind

of

human

They

the

Stone

Age,
struction
discoveryof fire,the first conof houses, the buildingof carts, carriages,
and railroads
in short, all the difficulties that the intelligence
of
and all the discoveries of science.
has overcome,
man
They
retain
of
their
traces
descent
from
fishes
some
apparently
mollusca.
from
a
Comfortably seated in their
nay, even
these excellent people remain
easy-chairs,
imperturbablywell
satisfied.
They are absolutely incapable of admitting the
"

"

truth

anything they do
that they really understand
know
A

of

that

behind

any

not

understand, and

nothing
explanationwe
1

at

all.

may

never

suspect

They do not
give of the phe-

UNKNOWN

THE

with

satisfied
"^

does

Why

fall ?"

stone

Such

earth."

great

formulas, by

old
a

lies the

there

of nature

nomena

Because

'*

They
of

change

mere

are

words.

it is attracted

satisfies them.

answer

an

unknown.

They

by the
think
they

Long- accepted phraseology imposes on them

the simpleton in the play of Moli"re
it does upon
:
ossaas
handus, nequeis, nequor,
potarinum quipsa milus"
(this
explains exactly why your daughter is dumb), says Sgnanarelle in the comedy.
of ^his
In all ages, in all degrees of civilization,
men
many
found
been
sort have
stupid and tranquil,yet not wholly
who
devoid
of vanity; men
frankly deny belief in everything
not clearlyexplained or explored, and
yet fancy they know
the unfathomable
all about
organization of the universe.
They are like two ants in a garden attempting to converse
about the historyof France, or the distance of the earth from
understand.

"

"

the

sun.

historyand cite a few examples.

The
Pythagoras, having discarded the common
to a belief in the
ideas of the age concerning nature, rose
less
movement
of our
diurnal
planet,which relieved the boundthe
from
absurd
heavens
necessity of turning every
twenty-four hours round our earth, a little insignificant
spot
go back
school
of

Let

in the

infinityof

once

in

Who

can

nest
even

of

to

us

revolt

against any

expect
But

the

Of

space.

of brilliant

idea

new

conceived

elephant to soar
upward
of vulgar prejudiceis
power

to

an

it

superiorminds found
this conception. Not

men

public opinion was

course,

intellect

impossibleto
Plato

even
"

not

even

and

so

by genius.
an
eagle's
great that

rise to the

the

theory

of

the

like

astronomers

of the

movement

height

Archimedes,

parchus and Ptolemy. Indeed, the latter could

laughing heartilyat such a palpableabsurdity. He
that

earth

at

not

two

Hiphelp

asserted

simply
decidedly

was

expression is
picturesque. We may see by this how the paunch of some
over
a joke
might have quivered,or still quivers,
good canon
of the same
kind, pami
gu"lo'lotaton. Good Heaven !" a
scepticwould have said, '^how funny! Think of the earth
ridiculous

w"w

The

yeXowraTov.

"

THE

considered
close

himself

bound

examination

he

vile metal

The

it

perform the

work

his idea

after

the invention

impossible

was

that

d"chire

to

nothing in

find

phonograph, according to
acoustic

an

could

could

honor

in

"that

ventriloquism,and
mere

UNKNOWN

but

admit

to

that

of human

phonation."

of

nothing

it,was

but

illusion.

analyzedthe air and discovered that it was

and
azote, his
composed principallyof two
gases, oxygen
than one
accepted opinion. A
discoverydiscomposed more
When

Lavoisier

the chemist
of Sciences, Baume
Academy
the areometer), firmly believing in the four
(who invented
elements
The
of ancient
science, learnedly wrote thus :
elements
or
principlesof bodies have long been recognized,
is confirmed
and
the existence
of these elements
by physicians
member

the

of

''

in all countries
that these
are

years,

air and

water

reasoning on
absurb.

but

that

or

related

to

in

placed
looked

be

can

all the

they have

infinite number

discoveries and

earth

and

elements

"

of

that

Are

modern

As

to

fire

these

knows

truth,

our

longer

no

that

as

our

that

or

basis

contemporaries was

these

be

recognized as

to

?"

"elements,"

four

do

not

life,it has only existed

as

an

machina

ex

element

of

in the

so

exist,and

were

deiis

an

in fire, water,

vehemently defended,

the

for

belief

right to decompose water

phlogiston,which according to Baume

chemists
or

to

compound
decompose

support brilliant theories.

is,primary substances

Everybody now
conscientiouslyand
that

served

surrender

expected to
air ?

of

agined
im-

thousand

for two

certain

be

to

subject, to say the least,can be anything

recognized propertiesin the elements are
knowledge we have
physicaland chemical

the
The

now

as

upon

far

we

such

by experiments

yet obtained; thus

Are

as

the number

among

results

the

It is not

all ages.

elements, regarded

to be

now

substances,

and

and

air.

and

his

and

nature

imagination

of
of

professors.
Even
to

be

more

to the

Lavoisier, great chemist

one

of those

remains

to be

Academy,

who

as

ventured

discovered

settingforth

he was,
to

; for he

that
4

was

stones

too

that

maintain
wrote

not

could

learned

great

nothing
report

Jiot fall from

INCREDULITY

ON

skies

the

it

"

another

Take

mind, and

of the most

one

An

century.

Provence, in
touched

contrary to
instance, Gassendi
aerolite

spectre of

The

of

and

"

unknown

some

of

man

clear

attributed

it to

at

Paris, by the

to have

known

The
us

the most

meeting

members

very

historyof
that

full

most

it,

saw

eruption of

an

region.

denied
to exist by many
once
mirage,were
because
they could not be explained.
It is not long since (1890) that
doubts
a

fell in

the

Brocken, the fata Morgana, and

the

thunder-bolts, in

seventeenth

Gassendi

sky.

so.

independent

of the

savants

weighing thirty kilogrammes

it

it,examined

the earth in

learned

oat

1627,

was

think

to

common-sense

was

the

upon

the progress

sensible

people,

thrown

were

on

of the

Academy

of Sciences

of the

Institute

who

ought

subject.
of science is

teaching
continually
may take placefrom

great and

far-reachingresults
tions.
simple investigationsand from unscientific observaIn
the
domain
of scientific investigation nothing

tion
transformaneglected. What a marvellous
in our
! by
modern
life has been produced by electricity
in the telegraph,the telephone, in electric light, in
its use
safe and
Without
electricity
rapid locomotion, etc., etc.
nations, cities,and our dailylife would be different from what
them.
Without
know
we
electricitytravellingby steam
could
not
have
attained
its present perfection,for stations
could
have
communicated
not
other
aninstantaneouslywith one
have
been
with
not
run
safety. Few
; trains could

ought

to be

ever

"

know
of

that

of this useful

the cradle

morning light,where

that keen
to the

This
1791.

eyes

attention

have

had

may
the

fairywas

us

Galvani

had

dimly seen
glory to observe

of

the

frog

married

of

soup

the

Galeozgi,and he loved
Bologna, dying of consumption.

her

at

The

upon

He

tells

and

elements

to

point out

very

excellent

Madame

Galvani

She

dearly.
doctor

his
5

balcony,he

ordered

had

ill

was

dish, by-the-way. Galvani

cooking it himself.
us
that,sittingon

in

pretty daughter of his old

master, Lucia

those

be

first rays

of the world.

reminds

frog broth,

in the

cut

her
sisted
in-

up

UNKNOWN

THE

certain

number

their

legs,which

iron balustrade

an

which

hooks

of little copper

means

hung

bodies, on

their

separatedfrom
by

frogs,and

of

he

he

him,

before

in his

used

had

ments.
experi-

with astonishment
curred
(for what ocSuddeuly he saw
appeared to him phenomenal) the frogs'legs shaking
the iron of
to touch
convulsivelyevery time they chanced
then professorof physics in
the balcony. Galvani, who
was
this problem with rare
the University of Bologna, studied
how
he could
discovered
produce the
sagacity, and soon
has
If we take the legs of a frog which
results at will.
same
been
nerves
looking like
skinned, we shall see the lumbar
white

threads.
If

pick

we

then

tin, and
flexion

on

They

these

up

part

of the

touch

and

little creatures.

in

them

wrap

nerves,

place the upper

piece of copper,

in these

numerous

very

are

legs in

the

sheet

of

state

of

with

copper

the

will contract, and

slight
edge of the tin, the muscles
any
object placed in contact with the frog'stoes will be pushed
This is the experiment to
force.
against with considerable
thence
led by chance, and was
Avhich Galvani
brought to
was
wards
bears his name
the discovery which
galvanism. It after"

birth

gave
and

other

to many

observation

The

with
who

men

laughter by
for

it deserved.

"

the

time

same

after

(and even
without
See

am

the
the

poor

wise
coverer
dis-

attacked,"
learned

and

cing-maste
frog'sdan-

discovered

I have

farther

to
!),
a

one

of

on,

p.

place April 13,

the

woman's

and

demned
utterlyconulty
by the Fac-

before

she had

410, a

of Sciences

was

they would believe in it

result of an operationby Jules Cloto be performed,
breast,which was

waited

see

pain,after

magnetism

Academy

Men

in

cancer

animal

the

by

of Medicine.

quet,for

that

few

The
"

unhappy.

very

yet I know

were

of nature."

forces

in Paris

took

there

"by two oppositeparties

ignorant. Both laugh at me, and call me

About

'

public,but

attention
made

time

But
the

the

in 1792,

wrote

the

it the

gave
was

he

pile of Volta, to galvanoplasticism,

of electricity.
applications
made
ceived
by the physicianof Bologna was rethe

to

been

full account

1829.
6

previouslymagnetized.'
of this

surgical opei'ation. It

INCREDULITY

ON
I knew
of the
the

in

Turin, about

Haute-Marne.
It is known

1776.
his

friends'
of

applying steam
launched

in 1776.

Another,
Barbe

in

to carry

out

Doubs,

Lyons, sailed
Jouffroy

1785.
his

the

on

at

steamboats

in

he

in

money,

was

He

very

of
spent all his own, and much
the possibility
attempts to demonstrate
of navigation. His
to the service

that

first boat

the

indigent descendant
myself, was a native of

Jouffroy,who, like
The
marquis invented

de

Marquis

1875,

Baume-les-Dames,

at

the

up

wanted

Sa"ne

to

far

as

get up

scheme, but for this he required an

as

pany
com-

cial
offi-

submitted
the
The
Government
permit a ''privilege."
question of granting it to the Academy of Sciences, which,
the first fire-engine
under
the influence of Perier (who made
unfavorable
at Chaillot),gave
this,
an
opinion. Besides
the poor
marquis with jokes about
everybody overwhelmed
"

his

attempt

he

received

to

the

the

Consulate, when
with

success

old

monarchy.

nickname

he

his first steamboat

the First

his

own

that

Consul

Subsequently
was

Fulton

launched
where

had

failed

it

was

had

had

had

no

with

to convince

not

until

1807

ter
betthe
the
that

son,
successfullyupon the Hudat length tardy justicewas

is the

his idea
having seen
objection raised

adopted by
to

possiblyburn.

it

was

Gas

could

not

street

lighting in Birmingham,
in 1813, and

London
When
that

he

than

in 1804, and

country,

Fulton

Another
experienceof almost all inventors.
covered
(alsoa native of the Haute-Marne), PhilippeLebon, dishow
to use
in 1797.
He
gas for lightingpurposes,
the day of the Emperor's coronation
in 1804, on
dered,
(murit was
thought, in the Champs-Elys"es), without

Such

died

water," and

to him.

done

one

of fire and

of

discovered

English Government,
in

the services

Jouffroy-le-Pompe. The hapless

became
He
at length
discouraged.
emigrated
to France
Revolution, but returned
during the

inventor

during

"combine

railroads

they

could

were
never

in 1818
first

thifc
was

it

his
a

was

lamp

first used

in 1805.

The

country.

It

introduced

without
in
was

cipal
prina

wick

England for
adopted in

in Paris.

constructed, engineerspredicted

become

practicable;
7

and

that

the

THE
wheels

the

of

locomotives

without

round

UNKNOWN
would

In the Chamber

forward.

moving

in 1838,

simply whirl

to throw

cold water

Arago, hoping
invention, spoke
partisansof the new
tenacity of metals, and

of the
"

The

Deputies,

the ardor

on

of the

of the inertia of matter,

of the

of the

resistance

air.

"

in

words.

mere

In 1836

of travel.

the whole

projectedlines

of railroads

and

reduced

1,052,000.

to

two-thirds

This

France

2,805,000 francs.

was

all transit

would

mean

The

of the money

crease
bring an inpaid for
money

of

this 2,805,000

annum.

per

it will

us

amount

built,if

are

locomotives,

1,751,000 francs

tell

They

travellingand transportationin

about

and

steam-engines,"he said, ''may be great very

will not equal what
has been predicted. Let us

put faith

If all the

of

of

speed

great, but it
not

round

by

were

francs

means

would

be

diminution

country would

thus

of
lose

paid for transportationby

imagination. Imagination is the
now

carriages. Let us mistrust

Two
misleading fairy of our homes.
parallellines of iron
will not give a new
face to the Landes
of Gascony." And
all
the rest of his speech was
in this vein
by which we may see
that when
ideas have to be presented to the public the
new
"

greatestminds
Thiers

M,

said

some

advantages

their

use

in

fall into

may

also, "I admit

for the

limited

was

cities

great

error.

railroads

that

would

furnish

transportationof travellers,provided

to

like

short

few

Paris.

lines,with
But

their
lines

long

nals
termi-

are

not

wanted."
also Proudhon

Hear

that railroads

to assert

In Bavaria

the

declared
would

cause

public,

When
between

raised

It is

vulgar and

will increase

ridiculous

the circulation

notion

of ideas."

sulted,
Royal College of Doctors, having been conthat
railroads,if they were
constructed,

greatestdeterioration
such
rapid movement

moving

at

"

travellers,and

among

that
fences

the

because

trouble
looked

trains.

all tracks
above

the

For

height

first
was
proposition
Europe and America,

health

would

last

be
of the

cars

made

to

in

1855,

and

lay a
one

brain

those
it

reason

enclosed

of the

cause

vertigo among
this

should

in the

was

who

mended
recom-

by high board
engines.
submarine
of

our

cable

greatest

INCREDULITY

ON
in

member
of the Institute,
a
physics,Babinet
in the Polythioniqne"cole Polytechnique
examiner

authorities
and

an

"

thus

wrote

this

"

in the

irrefutable

to say

nothing
cable

which

said

I have

the

Strait

by

to

World

such

thing

the

New

an

repeat here what

necting
only way of con-

that

"

with

the

is

regard
might easily

the
is to

Behring's

cross

track, unless, indeed,

way

should

Islands, Iceland, Greenland, and

Faroe

!!

tary
great geologist,Elie de Beaumont, permanent secrein Paris, who
died in 1874,
the Academy
of Sciences

ceased, so long as he lived,to deny that there ever was, or

could
without
be, any fossil man,
having anything like

never
ever

certaintyto support
Emile Rivi"re
friend
grotto

Mentone,

near

Paris, where
M.

fossil,and

in the meantime
In
a

who

this

in

opinion. My

discovered

may

had

to the

in 1841, the

him
there

Cross

few
was

date
many

found

Fresnei

light,was
Brougham.

even

such

(1899),has
nobodies

Honor.)
Royal Society refused

in

people

not

have

of

England,
most
important paper by the celebrated Joule,
the thermodynameter with Mayer ; and Thomas
with

1872, in

to the Museum

ever

how

enterprising
in

man

; but

present

knows

the

fossil

brought

at

that

(God

received

him

look

admit

Rivi"re, up

decorated

been

even

one

any

him

and

willingto

seem

now,

to

of currents

already

submarine

through

Labrador."
The

Old

some

be found

times

several

theory

Calais to Dover.

crossingfrom

I cannot

"

impossibility,
that would
be created all along
in the
are
very appreciableeven

that

currents

nQw

electric line, and

short

; the

proof

of

Mondes

des Deux

serious

project as

afford

the

Revue

insertion
who

originated
Young,
established
the
undulation
cerning
theory conexposed to the pleasantriesof Lord

things took a sadder turn.

Mayer, seeingthe
contumelious
scepticism with which his immortal
discovery
learned
in
official
received
ful
stations,grew doubtmen
was
by
But shortly
of himself and flung himself out of a window.
In

Germany

after that

too, the
German

all the academies

opened their
treated

great electrician,was
countrymen.
9

arms
as

to him.

madman

Ohm,

by

his

THE
Nor

can

vention

onr

ventor

used

'

nent

glasses that
of

range

vision.

his

when

"

refused

the

in-

onlyadapted to

were

such

use

glasses in

be

his instruments,
he

catalogue of stars, because

alter in

they might

objects within

century later Hevelius,the emi-

to

his

making

distant

senators

glasses
a

refused

astronomer,

that

half

after the in-

happened

bring

Dutch

The

eye," and

one

what

would

patent, because

by

fail to remember

we

of

UNKNOWN

some

the

way

ined
imag-

positionof

exact

the

heavenly bodies.
These
examples might

Such
on

I have

as

one

aspect of the
by those who

Nus

"

and

human

"

to

should

throw
be

not

end.

light
looked
over-

by thirty years of affectionate

intellectual
companionship
Eug"ne
me

"

works. Choses de l'autre monde,

of his

"To

I
I

world's

for truth.

to

one

after this fashion

mind, which

seek

sweet

dedicated

the

multiplied to

however, sufficient

are,

friend, endeared

intercourse
'i

given

be

the

of

memory

all savants,

Breveted, patented,
Crowned

Who

have

with
been

palms, decorated, and

opposed

i
5

To

the

meteorites,

To

galvanism,

To

of

the

To

To

daguerreotypes,
steam

power,

To

propellers,

To

steamboats,

To

railroads,

To

lightingby
To

And

"

'

to

all those

now

Who

the

do
Or

It would
be

seem

unwillingto

to

all the

living,or
same

shall do

me

the

same

rest.
who

shall

yet be born,

in this present
same

irreverent

write the

gas,

magnetism,

And

earth,

blood,

light.
lightning-rods,

the

of

waves

To

of

vaccination,

To

buried,

rotation

To

circulation

f
'"

the

to

hereafter."

to copy

dedication
10

day,

him, and
at the

I should

beginning of

UNKNOWN

THE

second,

per

same

of

space

or

to

our

Thus

incomplete.
set

to

No

doubt

have

we

our

up

so

called

lantern,

it would

be

leave

to

is

an

mous
enor-

into

bringsus

lyre,ten,

dred,
hun-

one

would

it is now,

in

be

mitted
trans-

by making
On

these
hand

one

their

testimony is very
be vainglorious,
to
no
cause
positivephilosophy as a principle.
of

use

pretty poor

the

of nature

reason:
Religious faith says to our
have only a lantern
to walk
by ; blow
But this is not
by the hand."
you

have

vibrations

senses

our

other

make

should

we

the

on

us,

our

of vibrations."

influence

deceive

our

to

than

complete

more

us

senses

or

cords

thousand, the harmony

all feel the

chords

other

had

we

of

one

no

perceived by
There

perceivenothing.

we

which

with

If

relation.

400,000,000,000,000

to

time,

interval

opticalsensation

first

is due

which

eye,

the

to

little

"^My

it out, and

let

modern

our

dear, you

in

ourselves

lead

me

idea.

it is true, but

one,

have.

everything we

guish
extin-

to

darkness.

We

Let

us

recognize in princple,on the contrary, that reason, or {ifyou

choose
to put it so) reasons,
ought in everything to be our
have
nothing. But do not let us
guide. Beyond that we
draw

circumscribed

too

back

Auguste

to

century.

limits

He

of it in his

known

one

the

sphere

conceive," he says,

can

planets, their

of
never

find

out

That

day.

the

"

is

of

come

founder

of

the

greatest minds

in

our

astronomy

simply

what

to

absurdity.
of studying the
possibility

distances, their
is their

what

is the

of the

had

science.

around
he

because

Comte,

school, and

modern

circle

an

movements,

chemical

but

we

composition,"

was

We

"

forms
can

This

Five
philosopher died in 1857.
tral
years later specus
analysis made
acquainted with that very chemical
composition of the planets, and classed the stars in the
celebrated

order

of their chemical
is

This

seventeenth
could
The
as

exist

just

like

nature.

what

century, who
more

unknown

than
of

was

done

said

it

was

in the
by astronomers
impossible that there

planets.
yesterday may be recognized
seven

truth.
12

to-morrow

INCREDULITY

ON
It

would

be

mistake, however, should

think

we

that

of prominence are
savants, I mean) and men
(certain
responsiblefor such acts of stupidity. It is the same
in general ; the majorityof the publicis the same.
men

savants
alone
with
The

human

brain

is made

material, whether

it be

in every

that

of

of

case

savant,

much

the

writer, an

same

artist,

man,
an
a politician,
a manufacturer,
artisan,a workmagistrate,
whose
or
a
sluggard. The reproach Ave cast at men
shut againstall new
inventions (men like Napominds
were
leon,
his knowledge of steam-power
for example, who, when

ruined

have

might

its

to understand

made

the

at

great

world.

in

hurled

man

be

not

ately
appropri-

as

indeed, have

may,

direction,and

one

could

enemy,

be

uses)might

of the

rest

superiorfaculties

very

his

England,

be very

deficient

The

melancholy examples I have cited are not

drawn
in particular,still
indictment
an
against savants
up
less against science.
would
to see
wish not
Only one
lightened
enfall into the inert ignorance of the vulgar,
minds
in all others.

it is because

and

It is but

good

first steamboats

The

that

esteem

we

are

and
that

natural

hard

railroad
I then

from

of

to

No

lines in less

the

indeed

down

fered
of-

movable.
im-

appear

It did not

out

of the

sky.

of

seemed
electricity
appeared likely to throw

power

one

than

stations within

I watched

Lyons

if it

half

any
a

reach

the

in the

conception
of

and

their

13

and

when

section

yesterday

were

century,

construction

of

the Mediterranean.

Dijon,

to

as

had

easy

and

Mulhouse,

to

I remember

and

me.

old

Tonnerre

Paris

that from

Chalindrey,

Paris

from

was

saw

around

be

can

be elements.

come

Railroads

six years

was

to run

watched

excuse

confusion.'

everythinginto
When

an

did

to

should

stones

understand.

to

earth

seemed

water

first manifestations

The

that

oppositionsof this kind.

the realityor the value of a new
sailed badly, and were
hardly so

Our
sailing-vessels.

as

appear

at first of

sure

Air

have

high

remember

to

just,too,

is seldom

thing.

on

in

obstructions, checks, and

for

them

alive to their weaknesses.

most

One

hold

we

of the
men,

homes,

I
from

The

section
twelve

was

Chaumont

the talk which

development
instead

were

line of

of

I
to

went
road
of rail-

wishing

to

inclined to have

THE

When

genius

is but

natural

left behind

Besides,

leads the way, and a new

discoveryis made, it
that people in generalshould
find themselves

they

who

before

it arrived

turned

been
worked

the

upon

and

idle

deception we

which

investigationand

how

of

in

cautious

have

magnetic

much

fraud,

infamous

hoods,
false-

too, of the
of

it not

who

stupid people

command

in part the

has

often

what

"

Think,
is at the

excuse

to surmount

names,

by charlatans
public ? And

find

those

counting

sleightof hand
is tempted to

the

can

amusement"!

"for

uses

And

those

difficulties

how
of spiritualism,

those

in

without
tricks

to-day !

credulityof

and

much

how

it is

vile

to

phenomena,

What

of scientific

the state

at

in which

experiment

to

to

animal

not

often

unexplained, are
analyze,badly stated by

forward.
bring them
magnetism, under other

undertake

of progress.

and

facts,little known

new

the ways

understand

cannot

confused, difficult

vague,

had

UNKNOWN

who

play

marvellous

jugglers!

One

tific
of scien-

reserve

men.

The
and

late

discoveryof the Kontgen

strange in its origin,ought to

so

small

is the field of

substances
opaque
bones
of an arm,

usual

our

how

us

To

closed

inconceivable

so

convince

observations.

look inside

! to

rays,

through

see

box

very

! to

the

see

leg, a body, through flesh and clothing!

Such
a discovery is,to say the least,quite contrary to everything
deed
have been
used to consider
we
certainty. This is ina most
eloquent example in favor of the axiom : itis
unscientific
that realities are stopped by the limit
to assert
of our
knowledge and observation.
And
the telephone, which
transmits
rous
words, not by sonobut by electric force ! If we
speak through a
waves,
tube
and

from

time

Paris to Marseilles,our

half

for

to reach
an

announced
them

where
At

both

to

the

by
at

began
these

they possiblycan

my

voice

its destination.

answer

much

as

so

operator'susual

distatice
studies

places the
be from

It would

back,

come

as
"

"

possible,at

and

stations

in
now

the business

14

my

takes

that
Hello

least

own

stand
centres

as

three minutes
the

take
the

reply

!" would
far off

as

same

when
reach

Langres,

village,Montigy-le-Roi.
isolated, and
of the

are

as

department.

far

as

ON
in

us

minutes.

seven

seemed

once

INCREDULITY

absurd

as

to scientists when

to

us

knew

we

consider

do not

We

the

as

the

X-rays must
than

more

no

that

telephone

have seemed

did before

we

these

discoveries.
We

told

are

five doors

of

hearing,smell, touch,
but

us

little way

to

the
especially

us,

and

eye

ear

what

do

light?

is

vibration

of

knowledge

any

good deal, but

It is caused

the

air.

by

sensation

five doors

of

the

it is

with

the

kind

of

of

sight,

"

for

open

world

smell, taste, and

"

communication

in

us

knowledge

These

taste.

last three

can

reallyputs

and

human

to

around

touch.

The

light alone

that

universe.

Now

excessively
rapid

light is produced

on

retina

extend
from
400 trillions a
by vibratious which
second (thered extremity of the luminous
spectum) to 756
trillions.
with
They have long ago been measured
sion.
preciour

And
of ether

not

dark

are

but
To
both
made

below

these

above

perceptibleto

numbers

vision.

our

caloric vibrations.

are

Beyond

vibrations
the red

line

vibrations,actinitic,and

ical
Beyond the violet line are chemcapableof being photographed,

all obscure.

others

these

There

modify them
recentlyby

are

I would

remarks

and

still unknown

like to add

develop

them.

to

us.

something that
It is

would

comparison
Sir William
Crookes, of the probable correspondence
these phenomena of the universe,and the
between

that

vacancies
from

and

this

continuity.Take

air.

in the

If

we

series of vibrations
1

terrestrial

our

double

its

to suffer
organizationseems
pendulum beatingeach second
beats we
obtain the following

degree

"

"

"

16

"

33

"

64

"

128

"

256

"

512

10

"

15

"

1,024

32,768
15

!"
Sound.

UNKNOWN

THE

1,047,
,576 )

20 degrees
25

30

"

35

"

40

"

45

"

1,073,741,824

Electricity.

1,099,511,627,776"" Unknown.

35,184,372,088,832)

281,474,976,716,656)

"

49

"

50

"

55

"

36,028,797,018,963,268^

56

"

72,057,594,037,927,936I

562,949,953,421,312V-Light."

1,125,890,906,842,624)

"

58

''

59

"

60

"

1,152,921.504,606,846,976

61

"

5,305,843,009,213,693,952
J

62

"

63

"

288,230,376,151,711,744]
576,460,752,303,423,488 I

4,611,686,018,427,389,904

fifth
we

organ

is revealed

the

that

are

the

lower
ear

If among

in
the

We

sound.

musical

instance, the lowest

musical,

"The

does

better

"the

Unknown.

of

name

notes

of

octave

elementary sensations,
distinct

nevertheless
note

in
distinguish

that

is essential

whole, which

continuous

degree.

for

"

the

note.

perceived

remain

may

under

us

is chosen

it will be

"

sound

to

musical

lowest

though forming
certain

degree, after the beginning to 52 vibrations

the vibration
the region where
of
enter

solemn

the most

r-^-^^^^-

9,223,372,636,854,775,808[

find the

there

Unknown.

144,115,188,075,855,872)

57

atmosphere

the

34,359,738,368^

second,

the

-,

48

the

At

[^'^^

33,554,,433

"

to

is," says Helmholtz,

it the successive

sations
pul-

of the air."

following degreesthe vibrations in each second

from
32 to 52,768; each
doubling reproduces the
increase
The
normal
in a higher octave.
diapason, which
note
same
six

the

In

gives us

the note

has

vibrations

870

about
far

so

(or F), is

when

as

the

human

Luminous

ear

vibration

the

The

of 455

regionof

chemical, spectra
16

sound

But

ourselves, may

ultra-violet.

second, and
has

sharpest sound

is concerned.

giftedthan

rays, caloric and

doubled.

56,000 vibrations,and

animals, better

'

la

ends

there,

probably some
hear

of the

sounds

too

infra-red to the

ON
for

acnte

onr

INCREDULITY

organs

the

is, sounds

that

"

vibrations overpass our limits.

"We reach at length a region where

whose

rapidityof

the swiftness

of vibrations

is not our
rapidly,and the vibrating medium
more
subtle,
atmosphere, but something infinitely

increases
own

gross

''an

air

unknown

kind

to
are

electrical.'

the

region which

the rays

where
Next

comes

from

degree, making

45th

this

Beyond

us.

would

be

And

in the

somewhere

their work

to the
to

359,000,000
to

of these
exist

We

us.

are

vibrations,but it
and

that

they

do

universe.

approach the regionof light,this

we

now

and

is all unknown

deny that they

difficult to

of

1,840,000,000 (or milliards)

the functions

ignorantconcerning

the 35th

from

34,000,000,000

It

second.

vibrations

are

penetrate into spheres

we

extends

35,000,000,000,000,000,000 and
vibrations

there

Then

divine," called ether.

is represented

the 48th and 50th order.

The
tion
sensafiguresbetween
of light in other words, the vibrations which
transmit
to
visible signs is comprised within the narrow
us
space between
about 400 trillions (red light)and 756 trillions (violetlight),
the

by

"

"

is less than

which

degree.

The

nature
which
are
going on constantly
phenomena
around
accomplished by the action of forces to us
us, are
invisible. Watery vapor, whose work has so great an influence
on
climatology,is invisible;so is heat, so is electricity.

of

Chemical
the

known
'

luminous

to

The

every

bursting of

holtz

(1869)and

1000

and

If

of

ray

"

vibrations

second

reproducing

studying

in space

their

in other
that

air, water,
vibration

since 1867.

by

other

propagation.

eye, is
caused

of very

long

spool

be

In

apparatus.

of the

same

These

vibrations

now

to pass
fine thread

by Helmcomprised between

length, noted

observers, may

sents
repre-

down

1888

kind, 100,000

propagate

Hertz

ceeded
suc-

second, and
themselves

words, in the ether which

produce sound,

wood,

human

sunlightis
a

for the usual

vibrations

spectrum, which

the

to

Leyden jar across

after him

10,000

in

to

solar

visible

rays

one.

The

electromagnetic vibrations, whose

caused

in

invisible.

are

rays

etc., etc.

of radiant

See Sir W.

which

are

distinguishesthem from the

propagated in the ordinary way,

It is reasonable

heat, according
Thomson

to the

to consider

views

analogous

put forth by Maxurle

Conf"rences,
p. 189.
17

them

THE

through
band

of

extends

that
the

by

If
we

it rise

see

there

of these

caloric rays to

are

great

at the

known

are

the

of

atmosphere

earth.

present day.

spectrum

this proves

line, and

red

ber
num-

absorptionproduced byin the sun's atmosphere,

to the left of the visible

the

beyond

prism a

band, the principalrays being

the

in

thermometer

to violet.

being consumed

are

the

from

lines of

are

watery vapor

move

we

H., these

of millions

Thousands

this

across

A to

from

substances
and

it issues

prism we obtain when

red
color ranging from

of rays
marked

UNKNOWN

to

that

us

invisible.

us

placea photographicplateto the rightof the spectrum,

beyond the violet line,we shall see it take an impression,and
If

we

active

of very

the presence

Here

thereby denoted.
bodies

of

radiations

traversed

of diffraction
unit

The

infinite, it has

gratingto measure
emj^loyed is the

of red

Limit

of orange

of green

Limit

of blue

Limit

of

Part
the

wave

yellow

and

and
and

indigo

green
blue

1940

the

and

visible
in-

sulphate

radiations

their

waves

of

"

during the length

wave

lengths of the
possibleby help of lines
the

them

wave

with

ten-millionth

great precision.
part of

meter.
milli-

SPECTRUM
of the

Vibrations
in

by Trillions
Second.

734

460

647

490

587

558

535

590

492

596

456

675

"

violet.

."

424
.

760

756

397

the invisible red is caloric.

Length

of the

to 734.

in the ultra-violet is invisible

from

of

indigo.

violet

part below
from

orange

yellow and

Limit

The
wave

and

Limit

Bright

and

Wave.

red

of

length

been

Length

,
^0^"^-

Limit

by

SOLAR

VISIBLE

Bright

the

by

Although

vibration.

are

uranium

visible in the dark, if under

is,by the space

period of

invisible,are

us

important remark

an

visible;thus

very ultra violet rays.

classed
These
rays are now
that

rays, to

in

comes

become

may

quinine become

of

chemical

397

"

chemical.

Length

of

to 295.
18

..

THE

it,and

line drawn

over

this

excess
on

we

not

are

the

distance

by

there

and

swallow

the

nests

How

road

that he

has

that

with

be endowed

does

how

faculties

inhabitants

their

way

long

I have

of other

very different

plain,
ex-

How

from

travelled

from

but

Even

about.

home

dog get

(n^);

find

to

move

cannot

man

know

to

exist.

not

nothing

never

the

fitted

know

conceive

more

faculties

step

can

space

that it does

we

man

no

of cubic

certain

that

demonstrated
must

conceive

are

can

being only

to declare

senses

pigeon

to their

back

(w')than

authorized

We

ground.

plane (if)can

certain
do

the

on

earthlylife

our

prisonas easilyas

our

of space

about

in

from

escape

UNKNOWN

where
else-

worlds
We

ours.

nothing absolutely. All our judgments are relative,

and, therefore, partialand incomplete.
how
Scientific sagacityconsists in being very careful
we
of anything. We
have a right to be diffident.
deny the possibility
doubt
is a proof of modesty,
Let us say with Arago that

know

"

that it has seldom

and
We

cannot

There
which

the

say

still

are

belong

of which

Telepathy,or

same

vast

about

are

we

dreams, and

in

state

things

of the

unknown.

to

speak

transmitted

sensations

that
of

transmission

the

of

number

the domain

to

the progress

of

have

of

are

from

what

somnambulism,

of

cases

The

ena
phenom-

this

number.

distance

emanated

thought;

yet explained,

not

from
has

dying

without

warnings, presentiments,a few

magnetism, puerile sayings rapped

tions,
; appari-

been

eyes, such as landscapes,towns, and monuments

or
premonitionof
a great distance
; prescience,
event

of science.

of incredulity."

manifestations

or

hindered

seen

the aid of
beheld

from

approaching
extraordinary
an

out

on

tables,

house
to
noises
which
a
seem
prove
unexjDlicable
of bodies contrary to the
haunted, the raisingor up-lifting
without
of gravitation,
being touched
objects moved
to indicate

persons;
in

superhuman

was

law

by
strength,

hands, things which

seemed

things which

manifestations, appar.
absurd, spiritual

ent
many

seem

spirits,
spiritsof all kinds
merit
phenomena as yet unexplicable,

real, disembodied

or

other

interest

and

wild
our

"

scientific attention.
20

Let

us

in

the

and
our

first

be

place

quite

with
that

that

is to
and

there

has

no

be
is

in

such

no

Critics

'^this

who

the

on

Those

the

their

simple

the

the

here

world.

had

They
there
them

of

which
All

by

in

they

May
Nature

and
had

human

our

There

found

be

empty

Strait

tiny

I be

of

in

permitted

"

to

should

to

in

who

columns
"Mc

of

in

laws
men

of
are

wrote

on

Hercules

deficit omnes"

suspected

never

western

world

sign,
de-

believe

the

Such

geographers

vast

Its

to

investigate.

laws."

the

return

error.

believe

only

known

fore
be-

things

we

expected

it; they

that

were

ble,
inexplica-

work

grave
to

Gibraltar),

watery

twice

that

expanse,

large

as

"

as

that

knowledge.
be

might

surrounded

yet

and

beside

about

often

such,

this

into

ancient

knowledge

island

is much

all

unknown,
any

in

I be

stars

unknown."

can

world,

doubts

no

to

was

to

'

the

word

wrath,

Very

with

meet

see

fall

That

divine

laws.

thing
Every-

unknown,

only wonderful,

analyze

are

hearted

(representing
ends

will

the

strange
of

signs

the

they

Never

laws

of

maps

we

''What

say:

those

and

When

is to

contrary,

things impossible
nature,

are

think

may

who

which

and

citement
ex-

ing
investigat-

physiology.

and

and

without

supernatural.

their

belor;gs to

superstition

of

age

the

serve
ob-

scientifically,

were

known

supernatural

supernatural

quietly,

the

with

and

we

or

Eclipses, comets,

extraordinary.

or

if

as

and

natural,

mysterious,

physics,

as

but

quietly
the

nature,

acquainted

were

called

with

thing

considered

men

superhuman,

mysticism,

found

really study

can

we

facts

astronomy,

meaning.'

formerly

all

without
in

all

not

them

connecting

problems

like

be,

must

examine

and

the

convinced

must

without

say,

INCREDULITY

profit

we

are

ON

by

infinitelymuch
refer

in

symbolically represented

limitless
"

this connection

for

ocean.

to

us

to

my

learn.

own

work,

God

CHAPTER

ON

*'

Allez

laver,

wus

et

II

CREDULITY

Vherbe.'"

de

mangez

"

Conception

chapter,

first

Otje

human

of

ideas

new

or

concerning

**

Verrier

law

and

carefully

into

her,"

to

as

us

on

the

with

most

We

certain.

is

we

must

systematic
critical

any

more

how

than

sense

; and

fully

into

we

its

should

Human

opposite
nature,

examining

not

do

not,

under

by

possibly
our

be
less

subject,
upon

our

to

volume.

any

instance,

be
here

guard

blameworthy,

But

duty

of

may

most

taken

analyzing

of
not

ing,
noth-

show

supported

by

against
less

not

but

progress,

useful,

before
a

volves
de-

things

admitting

pretence

it

the

have

and

credulity

presented

another

and

in

fearlessly

of

this

and

minds.

look

might

questions

not

credulity

direction,

another

should

Amp"re,

one

for

circumspection,

severe

indeed

as

of

Palissy,

properly

we

motto

uncertain

viz., that

"

is

and

time,

our

Newton,

to

Thomson,

appropriate

an

difficult, obscure,

in

which

there

happily

off, Presnel,

obliges- science

William

of

physicists
words

these

Sir

knowledge

independent

of

tal
men-

Kepler,

Kirch

men

problem

every

said

once

eminent

and

honor

of

Volta,

Fraunhofer,

Daguerre,

eternal

An

Galileo,

Galvani,

this

our

But

man.

Copernicus,

investigators

"

of

tant
reluc-

unexplained,

impediment

an

of

how

ns

facts

accept

advancement
race

Fulton,

Papin,

to

shown

has

what

the

the

like

Niepce,

Arago,

and

to

and

men

Herschel,

Le

been

nature

been

general

kind,

any

has

inertia

have

is in

nature

"Immaculate

the

Lourdes.

at

Incredulity,

on

from

Words

"

few

what
place
re-

by
tering
en-

amples
ex-

excess

in

dangerous

error.

we

may

remark,
23

is made

up

most

surpris-

CREDULITY

ON

ingljof oppositequalities.If

there

nothing, there are as many men

anything. The credulityof

who

limits.

no

learned

And

men.

scepticalminds
audacious
and

the

In

does

that

remember

not

somewhat

in

our

out

of his mouth

was

found

that in

tooth

of

it

and

been

that

it had

wrote

the

explanation was
Rnllandus

wrote

at

once
a

pernicious

persons

faction

is

duped by

story of the Golden

its

Tooth

des Oracles 9

It may

typicalof things that

In

1595

rumor

of seven,

in

and

at that

teeth

age), it

he

had

in the

this tooth

versity
Uni-

in 1595,

partlymiraculous,
child

Turks.

the tooth

One

and

the

of the

to

sole
con-

does

not

Turks, but

accepted seriously.In
account

lated
circu-

Silesia,having

to this young

of the

have

was

medicine

historyof

second

to

prone

anywhere.

the

see

most

up

child

Christians for the ravages

exactlythe relation between

the

pick them

by God

sent

most

choix, examples

partlynatural

was

the

du

day.
a

by

Veiiibarras

it is

own

Middle

defended

most

(aschildren's teeth do
place of one of his double

Helmstad,

declaringthat

year

many

gold. Horstius, professor of

of

of the

investigationwill show

in his Histoire

the first teeth of

come

as

the

ancient, but

even

that

can

we

of

each

only

by Fontenelle

happened

glance

contains

have

we

to have

seems

the

upheld

for
incredulity,
lookingat things.

numerous

mentioned

have

One

race

this matter

Who

women

faith in

put

is very

to

of

being so

be

have

human

credulityas
way

to

believe in

singular is that
dupes of
frequentlybecome

inanities.

amazing

own

what

falsehoods, and

that

us

ready

are

and

men

who

men

wild as those
Stupid superstitions,
been
written
about, accepted,and

have

Ages,

are

the

same

tooth, and

two

later

Ingolsterus,another
savant, published a third,
treatises in many
contradicting the first two
particulars.

years

"

Another

great man,

all that
others

had

Nothing
learned
of

written

been

said

added

wanting

was

Libabius,''says Fontenelle,
about

his

in

the

own

story

the

tooth, and

individual
as

put

works, except proof that the tooth

gold.

that

had

named

When

bit of

at

last

had
gold-leaf

goldsmith
been
33

very

was

examined

"

lected
col-

to what

impressions.

forth

in

these

reallya

tooth

it he

found

skilfully
appliedto

the

UNKNOWN

THE

child's

natural

But

tooth.

had

books

written

been

and

had
subject before any one
thought of consulting a goldsmith !" There has been more
in the annals of credulity,
both ancient
than one
"gold tooth
theories

constructed

the

on

''

and

modern.

Do
like

remember

also

you

elephantor tapir?

an

naturalist

made

was

story of the

the

the

Half

victim

century ago

of

with

rat

hoax

trunk

learned

very

concerningthis

new

variety.
A

his

in

zouave

Africa, who

had

amused

himself

he

government,
practisedupon

to

its nose,

He

rats.

and

the

human

face

by

learned

very

bit of

animal

skin

new

taken
the

paid a generous
he attempted to increase
association

of

trunks, they

sum

the

and

males

bit of

upon
the forehead.

from

of
him

he

only ordinary vulgar

were

Paris
as

paid a
specimen

undeceived

until

of rodents

; their

females

him, for which

to

breed

new

the

is made

nose

was

of

rat's tail

perfectly, as

Museum

nor

service

grafting,which

largeprice for the first rat, which was sent

forwarded
of a new
species. Others were
he also

the

in

succeeded

when

belongingto

man

by

transferred

junction

operation succeeds

same

little to do

by the
had

progeny

rats

of the

of

science

no

known

species.
We

here

may

that

observe

the

man

being

be no
science without
strictlyhonest (for there would
genuinehonesty),was not in the habit of mistrusting the ness
of the

specimens

he

than

such

worked

and
upon,
others.
to deceive

men
dupe
chemistry,physics,and geology,as

to

there

scientific

who

well

as

it is
In

more

easy

astronomy,

in natural

history,

practisedeception. A
mathematician
or
geometricianalways believes that 2 and 2
make
4, and that the three angles of a triangle are equal to
is not applicable
two right-angles.Unhappily, this confidence
are

no

to business

nor

to

men

nor
politics,

ever

to the

usual

vocations

of

people

the

most

in this world.
I

once

learned
tlie

knew

an

eminent

professorsof

Institute,a

man

the

geometrician, one

Ecole

of

of
Polytechnique,a member
and
greatlydistinguished,
highly re24

CREDULITY

ON

gpectedboth
he

the

was

for his intellect and

of the

dupe

for his moral

audacious

most

But
qualities.

than

fraud

be

can

imagined, and might stand as the perfecttype of a man

A skilful forger,
whose
credulitycould be beyond belief.
named
Vrain-Lucas, knowing his enthusiasm
as
a collector
of autographs, actuallysold him, at immense
prices,false
autographs of Pascal, Newton, Galileo, Henry IV., and
Francis
I.; emboldened
by success, he subsequentlysold
letters of Charlemagne, and
at last the autographs of
him
of Pythagoras!
of Archimedes
I
Vercingetorix!
well

...

...

and

of

years,

seven

this

from

round
and

even,

think, of

1862

to

abilityof the forger, there

he said that

in which

audacity

the

the

great Italian

calculatingthe
same

and

the

the

thrown

have

of

letter.

water-marks,

of
and

period.

made

he

an

been

was

sure

it to

me.

The

was

made

founding
con-

traversed
the

the

new

letter
in the

even

to say.

it;

myself by

time
not

was

covery
dis-

diagram,

show
To

him
mense
im-

my

repliedthat 'Hhat proved

of the authenticity
of Galileo's
It was
in a handwriting resembling

folded

and

deceptionwas

astronomer

and

I amused

It

thus

the

1781,

the

found

Chasles

Galileo, written
it

Galileo's,

say that

to

at

written.

had

M.

showed

He

that

of that

that

their

on

1640

that

body

Saturn.
Uranus

in

in

made

was

been

astonishment

nothing,"and

bought

doubt

letter of

predict

celestial

behind

Galileo

nonsense

course

first little

out
Saturn.
I drew
as
part of the heavens
went
straight to the great geometricianto

what

have

In the

from

Herschel

by

position

supposed to

Chasles

others

Galileo

astronomer

be found

planetwould
was

made

orbit with

the

Michel

have

among

make

to

Uranus,

of

probablya remote planet might be

in the vicinity
of Saturn.
The
man

made

by observations

dead, of Mary

Saviour

were

should

the

sell him

to

as

autographs, for the good

Notwithstanding the skill

140,000 francs !

of

sum

M.

such

imposter 27,000

from

our

1869,

far

so

raised

was

things in the letters that

authenticity. I remember

had

he went

Nay,

who

letters of Lazarus,

Magdelen,

Cleopatra !

of

on

old

covered

with

paper,

was

to

with

post-marks

reallycomplete.

say that Uranus

25

yellow

be

But

to

sought

THE
for behind

Saturn,

asserted, was
blind

so

money,
*'the
a

he

The

written

which

all such

should

we

I address

the

friend

French

think

we

may

find

be

those

to

collector, but

who

think

who

such

descent.

that

those

fall ill if
is

upset

other, etc.
had

moon

We

the

How

not

many

of

if two

or

told

on

of

sure

see

how

few

and

some

fear

have

houses

been

Jatnbons
Our

ly

consult

who

you

laid

are

cutting

number

will then

the

gods!

mediums

soon

will

they

cellar
salt-

each

across

of timber.

down

those

was

And

no

have

journey
Look

and

Visit

you

will

this unwelcome

reminds

added

of the

us

surreptitiously
that it might

name,
we

at

vards,
streets, boule-

our

how

on

lines,and

days.

you,

Si's. This

day

the

in bottles,

omnibus

in

13

it had

of

as

remark

11
a

ner
din-

if

wine

on

wisdom

our

replaced by

weak

never

reputation at

the

met

Foire

sons
perdes

ancestors

trembled

that

shudder

some

women,

the

bi-sextile years in Rome, when

of February, but
at the end
le overloohed

metal

still object to start upon

a
persons
the thirteenth
on
day of the month?

avenues;

has

number

their

comfortable

touch

Friday, or
the receipts of railroads,tramways, and
at the fallingoff on
you will be astonished
Paris and amuse
yourselfby looking round
a

have

some

knives

on

on

observed

once

that changes of
seriously,

me

eggs,

hair, and

be too

could

slipsuddenly

to

wisest

looking-glass
;

have

influence

growth

need

them,

near

Persons
an

at table ;

misfortune

break

they

the

much

thing

than

more

not, for instance, eat

thirteen

they apprehend

as

on

could

were

I have

themselves

think

Some

if there

But

than

themselves

down

points.

where.
else-

less learned

are

happen

who

with

met

be

can

sharp object-lesson

confidence, "Such
say with
No doubt it seems
hard
to me!"

! for

there

wiser, people who

never

became

later,for ready

not

credulity to

have

well to remember.

warning

this

I do

of

cases

do

months

in
by Vercingetorix,

striking example
In

few

Ceesar/'

Julius

collector

autograph

purchased,

pass

Emperor

more

my

thing that only a school-boycould

much.

too

that

UNKNOWN

before

in the

Stone

Age

all the

forces

of

26

and

the

Age

of

nature; they turned

Bronze
these

THE
him

this way

I did

not

Soon

after this rain

treat

15th

the

On

of

old

the

had

of

it

hundred

people were

the

the

stood, which

in which

journey

the

"

cross,

been

neighboringcommune
it kept o3 hail from

that

saved.

were

Albertville,in Savoy, the

near

new

burned

Cross

of la belle

metres
the

by

replace

to

inhabitants

of

Scythenex,because

they fancied
of Mercury-Grermilly,
their advantage. Three

commune

not

was

him."

nothing with

the altitude of 1856

at

which

cross

do

the crops

fell,and

blessed

re-erected
"toile,*'

the

I could

July, 1899,

of Th"n"sol

cure

UNKNOWN

present

to

the

on

occasion, having made

terriblyhot weather.

in

Berenger-F"rard relates in his interestingcollection

entitled Superstitions
et Survivances, that in certain parts of
M.

Province
of
times

in

have

midwives

infallible

dren
recipe for curing chilbe passed seven
whooping-cough. The child must
the belly of an
succession under
right to
ass, from

left, and

from

never

country much

an

left to

for their

renowned

in the

owned

good one was

its reputation
was

right.

There

curative

villageof

Luc,

great that children

so

are

the

in

asses

powers.
few years

ago, and

brought

to it from

were

very

from
Cannes.
thirtymiles around, from Dragui'gnanand even
The
same
authoritytells us that one of his friends having in
1887 visited a monastry in a certain great city of Provence,

stood

the

that

remembered

Joseph, which
community, had its face

supposed at

He

the wall.

the

parlor of

in the

misplaced the saint, but,

that

St.

the

Joseph

St.

first that

asking

on

had

been

careless

some

being punished

was

that

prayers

of

statue

about

addressed

turned

it

was

had

very

his will

to the prayers

believe my
for

more

piece

of land

to

the

The

visitor

for it to possess.
informed
that " if St.

of the

there
ears,

than

community
flogged." The
and

yet

he would
author

twenty persons
28

idea

Joseph remained
be
adds:

put down
"

of

afterwards

assured

deaf

into the

I could

to accept the evidence

I had

spire
to in-

community, which
The
pious neighbor

important

likewise been

cellar and

had

informed

inquiredfurther, and was told that he had been asked

a certain
neighbor,who was very pious,with the
leaving in

to

having granted

him.

to

long

servant

it, was

for not

had

hardly
of
me

facts,
that

ON
of such

they knew

that

further

in

practicehad

been

in force

in the

inflicted

certain

Rh"ne, in the Lyonnais, and

du

Bouches

castigation
having been

learned

I also

saint.

CREDULITY

in

Paris, this

community.
these things taken
togethermake it impossibleto doubt
punishment of refractorysaints,however astonishingit
put

the

of the

towns

even

on

same

All

the
may

to be."

appear

Toulon, about

At

prayed before
which

having a

woman

superb ivory crucifix

in

held

she

1850,
the

greatest

that

sick child

very

she

possessed,and
and
regard. It

reverence

nobleman's
ch"teau
probablywas part of the pillageof some
of great artistic value.
during the Revolution, for it was
the child died notwithstanding the mother's
But
prayers,

neuvaines, and

despair the

In her

figurethat hung
Then

what

see

it

on

out

of

Saint

an

burned

the

upon

the crucifix,and

altar.

said to the

thou

wouldst

to thee
to her

action

answer

my

prayers

!"
fix
words, she flung the cruci-

window.

open

Simon

she

I will do

suiting her

And

seized

woman

! is it thus

Deceiver

''

tapers that

wax

relates

his memoirs

in

Namur,

in 1692, it rained

French

St.

so

that, at the siege of

heavilyon

St. Midard's

day (the

Swithin),that the soldiers infuriated because it

portended fortydays of rain, turned their anger against the
saint,and

burned

image

every

and

picture of

him

that

fell

into their hands.

Sometimes
when

even

St.
on

In

rain.

to

such

matters

neuvaine,
the

days

Genevi"ve," her
the

church

weather, when
of St.
one

treated

were

or

perhaps two,

when

statue
it

Paris
was

was

Hausser,

conversation

to

the
have

"hunt

influence

processionfrom

Notre

Dame.

of

The

the
cession
pro-

rain

when

began to fall
saint has made
a
mistake," whispered the
to his next neighbor;
she fancies we are

heavily. ''The
bishop of Castres
asking her for rain."
Baron

spiritof gayety,
not
put a stop

attended

carried in

hardly started

did

supposed

"tienne-du-Mont to

day had

in

in

in

"

his travels in

street in

Naples
29

Italy,heard

the

following

UNKNOWN

THE

"Not

have

must

I have.

It

"What

di Toledo."

church

in the

St. Gertrude
In that
at the

of the

came

few

Noire,
with

as

the

knows

since, when

have

the

been

blood

present

of St. Jan-

the spectators
among
it is slow
to appear.

story of General

visitingthe

Chartres, I entered

Cham-

Notre

for

crypt of the Vierge

into conversation

moment

coming out
said, "this Virgin is
who

woman

monsieur,'" she

"Oh,

that

1799.

peasant

lady

Everybody

years

at

who

the faithful

of

that

see

people."

of
liquification

many

will

impatient when
near
getting myself into trouble by looking
the famous
reliquaryexposed to the adoration

crowd.

pionnet in

to poor

and

closelyat

of the
how

nervous

1872

kinder

is iJie very loorst

of her.
Go to the

You

Capucini.

city of Naples, those

same

miracle

grow

get nothing out

dei

is much

narius, know

too

Piazza

St. Gertrude

that

poor woman,
You
in all Naples.
can

In

go to ?"

did you

! my

"Ah

to St. Gertrude."

use,"

no

in the Via

one

is still bad/'

fever

taper burned

was

chapel

"The

?"
His

better.

any

"You
"

child

is your

How

"

was

des Victoires, in

Dame

of

the

not

Paris, but

church.

great

so

she

listens

This opinion reminded

of
me
favorablyto us."
of his hat the little leaden
the band
Louis
XI. taking from
Dame
d'Embrun,
replacing it by that of
image of Notre
de Cl"ri, and
Dame
Notre
addressing to the latter at once
much

his

more

with

royal prayers,

full confidence

that

she

would

that

one

hear

him.
are
so
widespread
Popular superstitions
them
everywhere. I Avas passing not long

old
nest

villagebuilt
on

in the

rugged

mountain

Maritimes, and when

the

place,a

out

to

me

learned
a

box

accompanied by
of

Middle

I went

Padua, whom

ago through an
perched like an eagle's

Ages,
the Department

into the

which
small

the

was

faithful

of the

with

Alpesphysician of
pointed
me,

flung

little notes,

the

church

who
archgeologist,

into
some

in

meets

addressed
offering,

they implored
30

to

help

them

to
to

St. Anthony
recover

CREDULITY

ON

the

The

things.

lost

same

answer

the

Credulity takes
and

customs,

to

the most

numerous

to mention

note, and

of them.

some

which

time

from

have

immemorial

wish

girlswho

saint of the district,young

wives

young

Loches, barren

women

Aurs,"

St.

of

Is

in

was

wish

rock,

this

like

in

use

ancient

wish

who
a

at

the

to find

stone
"grind-

Banduen

older

the

than

the

and

present
great

and

is still in

between

Marseilles

Greece,

is

son.

slide down

those
far

Alpes, there

to bear

and

come

practiceis

pilgrimageto

The

has, for

Toulon,
and

to

Baume,

years, been

children.
the

among

France

parts of

In many

Sainte

thousand

insure

devotion

the

tron
pa-

married

in Tunis.

favor

the

who

stone

Basses-Alpes. This
day.

to be

as

now

husband, and
At

rock

of the

slide down

to

come

polishedas marble.
In the villageof St. Aurs, in the Basses
which young
another
stone down
girlsslide
is

which

is

villageof Banduen, in Provence, there

inclined
forms
an
plane. On the f"te day

the

In

on

placed in a niche very near.

relate
which
all forms.
The
superstitions
forth, concerning marriages,are among
so
and surprising,
and it may
be interesting

as

paper

written

often

back, very

came

It is

peasant

held

to

promote
the object of most

women

riage
mar-

cere
sin-

of Provence.

girlswho

young

and

wish

be

to

ried
mar-

If
into fountains.
flingwillow leaves or wooden
pegs
leaf swims
straightwith the current, or if the peg floats,
lady will be sought in marriage before the end of
young

the year.

Guerande, in Brittany,young

Near

into crevices

wool

within
At

St.

month
which
before

stones, that

they

bits

of

pink

may

be

ried
mar-

year.

Junien-

St.

invoke
upon
In

in Druidical

girlsput

des -Courbes

in the

Eutropius,and hang

Haute

garter from

-Vienne, they
their

left

leg

cross.

the

little town

of Oisans

in the

Is"re

they

go

in the

of Brandes, near
chapel on the mountain
is a tall stone in the shape of a sugar loaf; they kneel
it,touching it devoutly with their knees.

of June

to

31

UNKNOWN

THE

Laval, in the clinrch

At

girlsgo
saint's

Druid

stick nails

called the

it St.

villagepeople call

will be favorable

act

of Austria

There

XIV.

the

In

is

service

most

Ste.
coiffer

do

make

drink

Poligny, in

At

the

Jura, young

tall stone, which

be

can

with

with
cured

in the

holes

'

Anne

of Louis

in the Meuse.
is of

old maids

to be

in the Rue
of the

statue

of

;
"

de

the dust

promote

hole

the
in

church

near

In

cure

the
over

they might
fecundity. At

them

chapel
if lame

;
"

Kimperle

if any

Druid

great number

Beninger-F"rand Superstitmiset
33

petrifaction
Ferr"ol,

of St.

or

persons

tall

one

upright
can

of maladies.

pass

stone

he is

Simeon, in the
which

stone

Survivances.

to

paralytics
In
will be cured.

of Saint

Lande
a

is

reason

maiden.

young

the

wives

that

go for the same

tradition says is the
a

St. Gr"-

which

wives

it,through which

of headache.

virtue to

at

Cheori"re

good

house, from

would

Tarn,

through

Orno, sick people climb

have

that

seems

Philomena

St.

sit
The

the birth

get through these openings they

cellar of

the

go and

believe that this

it

seen

tried to violate

once

Dourgues,

rocks

are

anxious

sittingwoman.

before

placea pin

children

They

to scratch

it that

with

giant who

wall

maternity used

of

of

in the

niche

desirous

in the

Catherine.

luchon, in

embrace

wish

not

Bourges not long ago might

the Faubourg du Ch"teau, a

pins

men

Sampiques

at

At
in

stick

young

wishes, and

thing

who

those

to

of

protection of

the

Ardennes

which

herself there

similar

St. Guiriez,

Seine-et-Marne, there is

Lucy's chair.
their

to

seated

once

the

outline

is the

rock, where

upon

and

desire to have

who

Verdun, wives

Near

chapel of

pins.
girlsAvho want a husband
Cross of Beigne.

or

Troyes, young

mound

girlsstick

them.

frite,into

called Pierre

stone

Near

in

valley of Lunain,

to marry

the

to favor

him

to induce

nose

great

year.

pilgrimagesto get married,

on

the

in

is

legs young

that

Perros, in Normandy,

Near

on

whose

married

to be

wish

pinsif they

In

Christopher,in

St.

of

statue

Avesni"res, there

of

is said to

beautiful

story by

CREDULITY

ON

Martinel

M.

found

propertiesseem
He

has

Brittany and

of

dark

been

taken

for witches
for

such

Berry, where

who

held

all

part

Certain

their

respect

wonderful
time

from
the

stories

are

of the

world

memorial.
im-

legends

still told after

famous

was

with wolves, for were-wolves,

intercourse

fortune-tellers.

night wash

in

whose

great pains to collect

objectof superstitiousterrors
who

held

sewing-circles.That

at

and

have

to

fiftyfountains

almost

places

there

are

to this

day

are

the

forests full of

witches,

marshes

full of

clothes, and there

are

At nightfall
the darkest
will-o'-the-wisps.
parts of the woods
filled with mysteriousnoises,lugubrious phantoms glide
are
among

the trees,which

to the

mortal

get

never

who

of

raised

who

strays into

invisible hand.

by some

these

dark

retreats

He

Woe
will

again.

out

cottagers in lower

Villagersand
existence

shaken

are

natural

still believe

formerlyinhabited

giants,who
the

Berry

the country, and

artificial mounds

or

in the

so

in

numerous

region, These giants are personified

Gargantua, whose
story (popularnot only in the part of the Indre that touches
known
western
the Creuse, but all over
on
France) was
long
Rabelais
before that of the hero of Rabelais.
most
probably
the myth and the name
from
borrowed
legends in Saintonge,
that

Berry, places where he lived for sometime.

of the fairyfolk is still kept fresh in many
The
memory
parts of Berry. It is fairies who almost everywhere raised
dolme7is and menhirs.
{Dolmens are great Druid stones, one
Poitou, and

lower

the

resting on

stone

top

of two

others, like

kind

of

altar,

standing alone.) These stones,

weight, the fairies carried
notwithstandingtheir enormous
in their gauze aprons.
They are generallyspoken of as Fades,
In some
Fad"es, Martes, and Marses.
places,however, they
a.n" meiihirs

are

are

with

mentioned

they
about

at

southern

the

rocks, round
George
a

Sand,

full account

as

Dames

and

Demoiselles,

as

of these

France.

dolmens

less known

Berry." The

rural

respect

They may be seen wandering

mysteriousrites in grottos and on
night,celebrating
in

are

tall stones

than

and

menhirs

it deserves

the
superstitions,

Translator.

33

to

scattered
be, called

folk lore,and

"

over

the

Nanon," gives

the

fairylore

of

UNKNOWN

THE

landscapewhich

borders

Creuze, Bouzanne,

of la

Martes

Anglin,

tall,hideous

are

long, black, wiry hair.

the top of the
pendent. From
the uppermost peak upon
from

does

to

back

their breasts

strength who

slab that

flabby and

are

crowns

dolmen,

menliir, they often

or

call at

Woe

will force

to the

him

who

man

submit

to

to

husbands, brothers, or lovers

the

are

giants

for

quarried stones

the

are

of superhuman

dolmens

and

menliirs.

the

gentler and much

themselves
They generallyoccupy

Fades

The
Martes.

It is their
in

away

lasts

charge

watch

to

It

they

say,

solid

flocks.
hidden

is closed

entrance

however, only

power,

Sunday.
Auvergne, there is a rocking stone,

Vertolaye, in
mothers
bring sickly

children

to

stone, and

as

the

Palm

expireson

At

Their

the

treasures

many
whose
places,

dolmens.

and

than

with

the

over

strange, subterranean

year.

nicer

much

are

menliirs

the

by

as

breasts

Marses, and

also, or

Martes

lean, scantily clad,

very

Their

they

Their

their vile embraces.

called

Portefeuille.

their shoulders.

over

flyfast enough

not

picturesquecountry

shepherds and laborers,and if these do not at

their advances, they rush after them, flinging

the

respond

once

and

women,

with

to
nightfall

and

the wild

on

make

them

with

where

robust,

full

or,

of their

use

limbs.

Saint

Near

of

ruins

an

but

its

square

it and

made

to

remains

now

brought
that

to

they

may

St. Corneille
cures

of

and
the

same

I have

takes

Hercules
at

five times

walk

round

the

are

ruins,

lightstep.

that

These

Alpenus

Hyetta,

at

with
a

St.

Roch

hydrophobia,

cures

beasts, St. Cloud

of

care

ringworm.

relates

Pausanias

temple

have

children

belfry. Weakly

protectshunters,

St. Hubert

Aignan

Valery-en-Caux may be seen on the beach the

ancient
chapel to St. L"ger, nothing of which

rough

beliefs
in

are

very

ancient.

B"otia, there

stone

consecrated

stone

boils,St.

cures

which
to

was

cured

ness,
sick-

Neptune

had

property,etc.
sometimes

been

Morsang-sur-Orge,not

present,in the environs of Paris, at

far from
Juvisy, at the midsummer
84

UNKNOWN

THE

from

dust

glassof

in
Gargilesse,

At
the

in

this dust

drink

church,

the marble

desire

who

women

statue

is

seems

it is

use

At

to.

put

their

satisfied with

they kiss,and
else they touch
a

at the

of

bar

of Roland.

sword

iron called the

de Na"llac, which

not

great bolt, or

rattle the

time

same

new

scratch

now

door, which

the church

to

husbands, go

mothers,

the

in

stood

long

of G-uillaume

the tomb

on

by the
getting worn
away
Rocamadour, in the Rouergne, women

it

had

become

to

down

the cur" has taken

St. G-uernichon, which

of

statue

water.

Creuse, when

the

saints,and

of these

part of the bodies

certain

to
have recourse
afflicted with sterility
Antwerp, women
for this very
of Jesus Christ, sent to them
the holy prepuce
by Godfrey de Bouillon, Marquis of
purpose from Jerusalem
Antwerp, in hope of making their ancient pagan worship of
another
under
to
name
"Le
Ters" an object of piety,known

At

is

There

ladies.'

Roman

began our
illogically
provinces of France

most

In

many

tying of

in the

also

dress-makers

sew

being supposed
newly married pair.
salt

Rome

coffer

the

Paris
in the

to

the

calendar.

people

which
is supposed to
aiguillettes,
lieve
of a marriage ; in Italy they bein were-wolves.
in Alsace
They

salt into the hems

the

insure

mark

of

its

wedding-dresses,

adepts,and,

days of Tiberius, they continue

horoscopes which predictthe

to

consult

future

child

rules concerning the positionof

by astrological
planetson the day of its birth. Astrologers exist

Now
when
every

how
we

can

that

know

second

'

any

in

some

one

believe in the

at least

part

This relic is also shown

one

child

value

of

is born

of the

globe? that

in Rome

at St. John

36

as

in

men

fate of

draw

and

the

happiness of

future

also

has

At

enchantments.

annul

can

who

up

in

still believe

lieve
Provence, for example, they be-

believe in charms, which

Toulon

In

and

evil eye,

in the

Christian

in

knots

consummation

the

prevent

In

of sorcery.

kinds

various

to

circumcision, a feast day which

the service of this relic of the

once

devoted

especialbrotherhood

an

stars

still.

horoscope

into the world

is

sixtyevery

Lateran.

ON

minute,
if the
born

about

or

the

at

and

queen

farm
would

would

be

give birth
the

governed by

the

have

who
servant-girl

that,

so

future

same

became

mothers

the

at

beings whose

two

to

day;

destiny,ten children

over

would

moment

same
a

hour, say 86,400

every

real influence

any

moment

same

3600

had

stars

CREDULITY

fate

laws.

same

Belief in amulets, charms,

alive among

much

as

in France

as

wishes

know

to

de

Paul,

more

Dom

of St.

XIV., will

their

that

Gu"renger, or

Cross

the

on

headache

forth

the

on

S"gur,

Benedict
and

is still
medals, and scapularies
civilized people as it is among
savages,
in
the
Soudan.
or
Congo
Any one who
of it may
read the books of Monseigneur

; will

cure

of the Abb"

in the

purifywater

wells, make

had

milk.

till she

was

stable.

the

few

cow

la

really dead,
the

my

country

luxuriant

During

be

he

hung

cross

her

on

prescribed. He
steeped in water

be made

later he had

has

to drink

head;
fore-

mended
recom-

with

day

every

medal
up another
the satisfaction of

influence

an

and

of the
de

croix

of the

cut

to make

quotationsfrom

in the

hearing

completelyrecovered."

author

under

the

and

of the

medal

should

cow

large branches
de

were

the

medal

the

mark

should

medal

weeks

had

the

that the

cured;

same

''the

few

"

little bran, which

writes

venting
in-

not

am

violent

formula

that

all the

are

cough," writes Dom

G-u"renger(in
she
did
not
eat and
Benedict, p. 72),
gave

visitor made

using a

The

put

cow

that the

Here

things.

of these

his Gross of St.

no

trees

leaves,stops conflagrations,
protectshorses, cows,

any

^'A

St.

Benedict, which, blessed by Pope

everything,toothache, sore throat,

etc., etc.
cats, fowls, trees, vines, lamp-glasses,
the record

de

book

St.

placed

bark, at the

only
called

shown

at

revive, for it

round.

In

was

trunk

Abb"

of my

de

that

me

time

same

I cut

"

away

tree,"

admiOrigine et effetsrables

once

fine tree

the

the

Benoit," the

having

saw

left

trees.

on

Cross

the
of

praying
the

springit put

St.

branches
St.

to the

admiration
forth

as

Paul,
dict
Benesaint
of all

usual

its

foliage."
the Commune,

these
37

medals, slippedinto the bar-

THE

well

as

de

of the Eue

ricade

as

the

does

Who

Eivoli,preserved the Naval

of
repository
know

not

and

maps

the

the

destruction.'
Tear

Holy

the grave

at

Department

plans from

history of

by Jesus

shed

tear

UNKNOWN

of Vend"me,

Lazarus, caught

of

up by an angel, and kept in a golden coffer ; for ages it has

of many
miracles
at Vend"me,
and
has
been tli'^occasion
been

of

great source
Virgin Mary,
a

the

shown
the

from

woven

seam,

of the

the

adoration

and

also at Treves,

Credulity

And

Naples!
in the

See

everywhere.

the robe

of

without

is offered

church

before

to

Argenteuil,

at

and

heaven

tapers are

wax

many

pictures

from
in

how

of

images

the

of

cure

in

business, success

tapers representingmany

wax

hair

etc., etc.?

they may obtain

person, good fortune
The

there is the

top throughout, which

that

etc.

in

faithful

churches

in

burnt

is

Then

revenue.

saints,
sick

some

examination,

an

addressed

prayers

of the prayer
wind-mills
one
they not remind
divine
down
that the people of Thibet
to draw
rely upon
blessings?
Dame
de Lorette,
the historyof Notre
Everybody knows
Santa
Casa
which
of the Virgin Mary, the
the house
was

heaven, do

to

is

transported,it
Paul

See

'

I
St.

cite

might

Padua,

8 Rue

Fran"ois

I.

his aid for various

weeli

They

instances

more

moment,
La

newspaper,

this

Loretto

to

in

la D"dotion, et le Dossier

de

tlie present

at

letters have

Nazareth

great many

cliief Catholic

Tlie

1899, "385

D'Arsenal

Parfait's

Antonj"-of

favor.

said, from

been

blessings;

Croix,said
in

thanks

73 cures,

104

to

in great

be

September 7,

on

the

inages.
des P"ler-

superstition.

to

seems

placed

returned

of

1294,

of

box

him,

or

St. Antony,
plored
tlieyim-

spiritualmercies,

227

317

temporal favors ; for 81 conversions, 59 cases of employment,

cial
espe12
802
favors
for
32
other
on
schools,
on
mercies, vocations,
blessings
;
47

religioushouses,

young

had

finding
him

our

show

50,

crops

for 8

promised

himself

have

franc

and

men,

5 francs

return

the

sum

poor

of Padua

if he recovered, and,

Antony

for 8 lost

prayed the saint not to let

I send
the same
suffering. {Loir et Cher)
you
for protection to
promised to pay every month
sent

the

sum,

and

"

of

"

we

trade," etc.

that this house

to St.

workman,

objects,for 106
dren,
father of eight chil-

of business

houses

parishes."

better,

and

100

on

had

in its treasury, besides

The

accounts

made

up

November

11, 1899,

received, in giftsto St. Antony, 1,800,000 francs

money

left by will.
38

CREDULITY

ON

tarried

having

after

it

contains

which

of Julins
of

built

II., in

bricks,

width, and

height. (The

yard.)

Not

through the air and

Nowadays Notre Dame
Dame

Notre

Lorette.

de

take

at Lourdes

Those

the

the

little Bernadette:
and

;"

has taken

who

take

"

"Mother

Do

"

I trust

again,

me

the

place

charge of

many

quite common

will

the

of

fair
af-

dressing
ad-

says,

to

come

back

hither

;" and
of this grass."
who deny any belief

come

eat

with persons

to meet

God"

of

the kindness

in this water, and

wash

again, "come
It is

Sea.

no

slab, in which

marble

here

tion
transporta-

pains to conceal their own

contempt
ing
credulityof worshippers. This may be seen by readthey have engraved in golden letters on
inscription

for the

Adriatic

Lourdes

de

Lo doubt

its miraculous

or

is

than

more

"^good form"

not

tificate
pon-

length, 4.36 in

is a little

metre

the

over

in

60

metres,

10

the

Casa, which

Santa

The

long since it was

tlie authenticityof this house,
a

under

by Branvante,

1513.

measures

in

6.21

finished

was

church

The

in Dalmatia.

awhile

for

in the

before
who quietlyaccept
questionsnow
us, but
for instance, the story of the
startling,
things still more
the earth, of which
it is written
deluge that overwhelmed
the
fountains
that
of the great deep were
broken
up, and
of heaven
the windows
were
opened and rain was upon the
earth
for forty days and
and
the waters
forty nights
the earth, fiftycubits upward
prevailedexceedingly upon
did the waters
prevail,and the high hills that were in the
.

midst

and

Noah,
had

his

taken

more

And

as

covered."

were

the

animals, male

with

No

story in the Arabian

but

literal

the

truth,

floated

For

the

him.

Ark

fifty days
family, and

amazing,

stands,
Joshua

heaven

of the whole

faithful
as

they

dred
hun-

the waters, with

on

and

female, that he

Nights seems
accepted it,as

have
have

one

done

causing the sun to stand still.

which
in the subjects upon
have
we

the

here

it

miracle

to

of

speak
stories of apparitions,
manifestations, dreams, presentiments,
experiencesin hypnotism and spiritualism how great a field
officer of great merit
is given to credulity! I knew
an
who
"

"

never

doubted

the presence

of those whose
39

names

were

rapped

THE

out

liis table, and

on

after

Spinoza

who

breakfast

social

discussed

UNKNOWN
held

disco

with

arse

philosophywith

and

another

who

I knew

Sunday.

every

Newton

Jean

bering
rememValjean, never
that that personage
is fictitious,
ly
owing his originsoleto Victor
Hugo's imagination. A great lady of mature
age,
who
had been intimatelyassociated with
and very intelligent,
Lord
Byron, used to call him up every Saturday evening that
him
business
she might consult
to her investments
and
as
of the Faculty of Paris chose
A doctor
of medicine
affairs.

in the

his associates

as

other

Avorld

with

Dante

Beatrice, who

and

him, but

together,"
forbidden
to
he
approach each
said, "because
they were
gant
than
who
A medium
other."
was
more
ordinarilyextravalost seven.
had twelve children
and
had
Every month
he inquired of the lost concerning their health and what
they
told.
all he was
other
Anwere
doing, and carefullywrote down

regularlyto

came

converse

earth," which

soul of the
called up "the
directed all his thoughts,etc.

like religion,
has
Spiritualism,
it has

which

real

charming,
made

she

who
a

wills.

made

rich

became

table

; it has

knew

birth

the

as

loved, and

afterward

of
the

and

lost child

to
professes

cure

all

very

once

she

because
coveted
I knew

successor.

before

accepted

she had

whom

ly
dear-

to her

out

who, under

woman

rings, with

its

which

for

pretence
she

maladies, etc., etc.

good story

very

riages,
mar-

Aveak-

marquis

pointed

sells cabalistic
spiritualism,

of

made

woman,
a

with

uses

human

on

name

her

as

way was
another

I knew

marriage.

second

reincarnation

whose

man

pointed her out

announced
baby was

whose

widow

It has

married

and

the

to

say

responded,and

to many

put

imposed

his first wife

that
a

temporary

or

been

slight connection.

very

it has

and

ness,

but

''never

is that

of

"

Le

Diable

au

diu

neuvi"me

of freemasonry, by Diana
pretended revelation
Vaughan, which mystifieda largepart of the French clergy,

si"cle"

several

bishops, two

though

the whole

of it

told the world

she

devils among

cardinals, and
was

forgeryby

in 1897.
the

even

The

Leo

Pope Leo

Taxil, as he cynically

appearance

of devils and

freemasons, in impious and

40

XIIL,

obscene

CREDULITY

ON

ceremonials,had

taken

been

seriouslyand

theologians.
But political
it must
credulity,
reaching than that of religion.
this very

owned, is even

When

by

grave

far-

more

remember

we

Germans,

Frenchmen,

moment

be

truth

as

that

at

Russians, Englishmen,

they all ought to be

in
live in filthybarracks, passing their time
soldiers and
grotesque exercises, and also that all citizens in European
tiers,
countries
spend for the gloryof maintaining imaginary fronand

traced

keep
their

out

staying in

their

feels that

business, one

own

million

sixteen

paper,

on

from

men

that

Austrians, etc., believe

francs

homes

own

verilythe

and
of

age

day,

to

minding
has

reason

little planet,and that voluntary

on
our
yet dawned
poor
race.
slaveryis part of the patrimony of the human
Yes, we are still imperfect,and human
credulityoffers no
attention
the
as
incredulitythat
subject as worthy our

not

difficult,therefore, it
springsfrom fixed ideas. How
keep a justbalance, and quietlyto follow the dictates of

is to
pure

reason!

Yes, credulityexists everywhere,forming

with
of

augurs
killed
what

the

antiquityare
of

successors

to

was

Let

unbelief.

happen by

beware

us

of both

yet all dead

those
priestsof

not

the

entrails

of

balance

of them.

The
has

; progress

old

petually
per-

not

predicted

who

victims,

nor

has

it

mind
does not move
The
human
belief in presages.
here add, too, with
I may
quicklyin matters of intelligence.

given

up

presumptuous scepticism,which rejectsfacts

spects
reblameworthy in some
them, is more
investigating

Humboldt,
without

than
It would

point out

that

irrational

credulity.

be easy to multiplyexamples. I merely wish

in this second
chapter that we ought to be on

guard against credulity,

just as
Both

run

to

excess

in

we

should

be

to
our

lity.
against incredu-

oppositedirections

we

should

keep ourselves distant from both of them while engaged in

examining the extraordinaryfacts of which we are about to
speak.
Let us deny nothing, let us assert nothing, let us observe
impartially.That probablyis the most difficult positionwe
41

UNKNOWN

THE

who

those

or

am

in

maintain

can

be

may

not

incredulity,
always

theory.

on

am

tempted
to

guard

my
a

of

order

this

seeker

do

to

so

For

things.
accuse

me

lightly,

against
after

and

either
truth.

either
not

extreme.

to

part,

own

my

of

credulity

forget
I

beg

that

uphold

no

THE

phers there
tree,

is

in

or

UNKNOWN

animal.

an

One

sensations.
?

being
my
in the
no

How

can

until
such

that

being

there

is the

were

without
exist.

must

your

men

my

without

existed

If

before

Therefore

neighbors.

ted
admit-

we

exist
have

earth.

but

admit

neighbor

exists

cannot

seek

to

is

motionless, and Democritusthat

Let

No

it is

above

Dumas

those

paradox

is not

leads

what

to

without
is

serious,and
In

order

world

that

to
we

by his

us

things.

what

observations

This

object is
to

These
course

them

from

which

worth

nature,

our

some
our

we

Let

delights of paradox.

us

about

are

to

what

may

the

I hear them

who
say

will feel

spiritof

it sometimes

try, therefore, to
in

enter, and
we

seem

pains.

find,

the

mysterious

to draw

to

It has

shake

superb contempt

44

and

group

to

us.

their

for

our

clusions
con-

founded.
to

future

our

begin

educe

relations

interesting
will

will

well

us

structive
in-

some

there, we

existence, and

questions ought to be
there
are
people who

laugh, and

flight

substance.

classification
of phenomena,
by a methodical
together those which seem
alike, endeavoring to
from

in

black

example that
dangers, and that

going

now

ing.
reason-

best behavior.

our

know

much

as

arrow

own

absolutelyfalse.

upon

are

its

an

of

raises us
for
and
game,
Alexander
but the younger

vulgar common-sense,

has shown

is

in the

amusing

very

that

snow

ourselves

indulge

not

us

doubt

time

be

demonstrated

once

"

then, if you

And,

man.

your

further

exist too, and likewise

you, and other beings must
had better keep clear of too much
We
transcendental
of Elea

had

I rather

as

Zeno

only

very

going

sensations,you

own

sentient

tole
giftedfriend, Anaomy
astroncontemporaries. Now

of his
"

the

upon

opinionof

some

world

most

our

sensations

have

you

geology prove

this

your

iron, in

theory, the universe itself would

imagination of men, and, consequently,could

and

admit

of

bit of

friend^s

France, and
that

his

Therefore, such

existence

think

in

that

me

stone, in

profound French
I questionedrecently on
the subject,
nothing real but
opinion there was

mathematicians, whom
assured

in

nothing real

selves,
our-

state.

But

heads

of

and

endeavor.

TELEPATHIC

OF
''Yon

perfectly well that such so-called glimpses

ordinary horizon are only imaginary, because for

know

beyond
us

our

death

ends

But,

no

all."
don't

know

it, and

your

we

"

nothing about
are

illusions

earth.

Has

You

important that only

indifferent

rest

if it is."

or

know

"Why

it will survive the death

Will the

investigations
upon

certain

ideas

that

However

who

be

on

taken

into

sions,
conclu-

our

lem.
important probPascal, "is

have

content

lost all feeling

if it is

know

to

we

whether

any

those

wear

despair of ever knowing the

thinking principlewhich
impels us to know

the

of

need

and

soul," wrote

it,can

to

be

may

real

the

of

immortality

we

be

right to

same

by

that

bodies

Whatever

confronted

are

so

nature

us

either.

you,

the

the
?

reason

as

''The

can

than

feeling

not

we

not,

nor

affirmations,like your

more

any

consideration

thing

it ;

negations,
words.
All human
nihilation.
protestagainst anaspirations
be
Ideality,dreams, hope, and justicecannot

mere

pure

COMMUNICATIONS

may

these lines to be, if

destruction

and

which

we

of

about

are

our

bodies?

give

to enter

subject ?

this

Possiblythey may.
be, I beg my readers when
they peruse
possible,neither too fixed in their opinions
upon

radicals, atheists, materialists,Jews,

{intransigeants),
but
Mohammedans,
Protestants, Catholics, nor
simply to
think

for themselves.

nothing

I have

more.

making

am

in this work

very

rash.

nothing

"

it shows

beg
nothing

these

too

instruct,

much

no

courage,

good friends

at all but

to

Some
personal aim.
that I shall compromise myself
prudence,
inquiry,that it is an act of im-

of my best friends assure

me
if I go too earnestlyinto that
that

attempt

an

to

seeker

and, in

consider

word, is

that

after truth, and

written, said, or thought about me I am

No
indifferent.
interest,no outside influences
be

all that may

guided my
It may

have

been

hitherto

ever

that

am

tO'

lutely
abso-

have

steps.

objectedthat
objectsof search for

be

has

the

also

been

will be found.
could

have

found

that

such

45

which

I treat

centuries, that nothing

many

out, and

According to
been gained.

subjectsof
therefore

nothing ever
reasoningno knowledge'

THE

Vitum

"

Can

impendere vero," (Let us

This

trnth.)

UNKNOWN

there

be

the

was
a

noble

more

of

motto

consecrate

Jacques Rousseau.

Jean

philosopher,for

for any

one

lives to

onr

any

thinker?
will

We
of

draw

up

juge d'instruction

in

contain

human

these

and

elements

like the

statement

French

which

criminal

for it will

case,

take

must

we

legal inquiry
into

account,

phenomena are not so simple as an astronomical

nor
an
experiment in physics. Our first duty
follow a strict method
of study, and to begin by a

observation
will be to

classification
We

to

try

will

of the facts to be examined.

manifestations
telepathic
from
the dying.
I say manifestations,not merely apparitions,
that I may
of
facts
of
number
which
gathertogethera
visible apparitionsfrom
only a portion.
The
word
has been known
to the public for some
telepathy

by

commence

It

instances

of

etymologicallyconstructed
telegraph,telephone, from the

years.

and
ofi",

like the words

was

Greek

scope,
tele-

tyiXe,far

roots

Sympathy and antipathyhave the

It simply means,
therefore,
etymological derivation.

same

sensation.
T^"do",

be warned

"to

passing at
which

we

by

kind

some

distance."^

about

are

to

of sensation

the

In
deal

exaggerated stories,doubtful

or

that have

value because

no

must

therefore

write

mistrust

at

out

show

no

and

to

appear

us

with

facts

observations

critical
I

"

"

is

step uncertain

proceed with extreme

prudence
in admitting these facts,and we

all that

once

the

at every

accounts,

they

thing which

of

course

meet

we

of

spirit.We
about

was

should
In

uncertain.

to

throw

this case,

perhaps, than in any other, we need to take into account

the judgment, the knowledge, and the moral and intellectual
value of the persons
who
A love of the extraordinary
report them.
more,

or

fantastic

events
in

'

The

the

word

the

very

telesthesia

"with this

subject,while

morbid

nothing

to do

would

could

be

I know

world.

preferable and

sickness, winch

aKjOtjcn"means

sensitiveness

state

pathological cases.
46

exact,

more

of

state,

with

in the

way

into

transform

sometimes

may

ordinary happeningswhich

easiest

indicates

have

marvellous

has
or

be

plained
ex-

persons
for TraQoc

nothing

to

do

We
sensibility.

who

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

might

tell

stories for

me

I should

their narratives

of
protestations

I do the

There
at

events

are

to

sure

on

with

inspiresus

once

certain

others,

are

year, with

great expenditure

eloquent demonstrations, and

believe a word, any more
not

apparent proofs and

of

deputiesand

cabinet

of all

than
ters.
minis-

character
contrary, whose
which
confidence, a confidence
the

In

justify.

search

my

for

facts

be

to

subject these
carefullyguided

this

of elementary pruprinciples
dence
and
I
I
have
have
never
me,
hope
I could feel that its authenticity
relied on any report unless
for by the enlightenedscientific spirit
vouched
of those
was
who have had the goodness to trust it to me, or been guided
at least by my
own
knowledge of their sound judgment and
good faith.
I will laybefore my readers, in the first place,
of
a number
thingsobserved by various persons, of which we will attempt,
I have said, a methodical
classification. In drawing up
as
Avhich we are to form a judgment, we need
this statement
on
of authentic facts before
our
a largenumber
nations
Explaeyes.

studied

on

theories will

and

afterwards.

come

We

workmen

are

pursuing the experimentalplan.

We will begin by certain manifestations, strange and
far away,
made
to the
by
living,who were
at the moment

dying

friends

of the

dead, and

We
in

readers

our

should

do not

we

their

speak

the distinction.

observe

from the dying made

to persons
begin by manifestations
not duringsleep,
normal
nor
state^ofhealth, wide awake
"

There

in dreams.

be considered

manifestations

in another

excellent

My

are

to be considered

ought not

which

friend

and
distinguished

most

facts,which
'

of dissolution ;

plicable,
inex-

of

are

made

in dreams

value, but they will

no

chapter.
General

Parmentier,

trusted

occurred

savants, sends

in his

own

of

one
me

our

the two

most
lowing
fol-

family.'

officer,a generalof division,president of

artillery
the French
alliance for the promotion of the French
language in foreign
countries, vice-presidentof the Astronomical
Societyof France and of
the

Parmentier

M.

is

as

that

an

Geographical Society, former

a

pupil

of the

president of

the

"cole Polytechnique,grand
47

committee

officer of

of fortifications,
the

Legion

of

UNKNOWN

THE
I.

"Several

Alsace.

waited

They

for

met

and

breakfast-party
given

of the house, who

for the master

passed

time

; but

had

persons

sat down

they

sayiug it could not be long before he

merrily, expecting every minute
very
St. Hubert
the

appear.
of

length

went

great noise, and

violentlywith a
surprised,astonished
guests were

shut

was

The

overturning

without

had
had

heard

it and

seen

'

occurred.

the house,

hour

an

He

stretcher.

noise

the

dreadful

received

only

one

was

time

undisturbed.

happened

breakfast

open,

of shot

Those

anything
!' cried

the

of

Three-

brought

was

wife

what

lady

full in his heart.

"My

who

of

suspended.

was

of the sportsman

exclaim:

to

and

calm
wide

at

again immediately.
that this could
have
happened
which
table
was
on
a
standing

has

load

of

votary

astonished

wide

understand

body
a

opened

breakfast

too-zealous

not

The

later the dead

immediately, having

Every

remained

could

the table.

had

water

the decanter

Something

rising from

quarters of

of

decanter

but

close to the window,

Tliey began

the

see

on.

him, his wife

suddenly, though the day was

of the dining-room, which
was

delay, when

the

blue, the window

the heavens

on

time

But

in.

to

in

ing
hunt-

out

gone

without

at table

came

had

at Andlau

! my

He

in

died
dren
chil-

poor

!"

is

here

Now

first its details

At

the

of the

strange movement
to treat

loss of time

Wotild

an
insignificant

so

explained.
What
nified
sig-

absurd.

window

death

man's

has to be

and

commonplace

seem

with the young

it to do

coincidence

whose

fact

And

what

it not

incident

had

be

as

mere

serious

matter

The

frogs

saucepan

of

of

the

also

so
was
insignificant,
and steam
of vast
are
electricity

Gralvani

Papin, but

were

portance.
im-

who
out in an
was
long ago lightningstruck a man
harm
except to tear off his shoes
open field,but did him no
of
and flingthem
twenty yards away, pullingout eveiy one
Not

the nails in their soles.

Lightning another time completelystrippeda

girl,leaving her naked lying on the ground.
found afterwards
hanging in a tree.
were
Another
he

was

Honor,
know

time

it killed

putting a piece of
etc.

him

I mention

these

personally may

laborer

bread
things

judge

of

48

at the

very

into his mouth

that

such

of

his character

my
and

young
Her

ant
peasclothes

when

moment

for his breakreaders

what

as

he

do
has

not
complished.
ac-

OF

TELEPATHIC

fast. He
him

to

up

remained

clothes

in the

and

him, he

But

phenomena.
doubt

No

Andlau,

our

But

once.

have

could

very

came

ashes, but

to

his

ought

not

to

much

the

contrary.

prevent

studyingits

our

hearing the story of the sportsman at

immediate
impulse would be to deny the facts at
certainlyit is not to be supposed that the story
invented

been

the

in all its

of the narrator

at

the

contained

put

once

that

parts, nor

circumstances

might suggest that

we

one

first

on

wholly false,for
character

crumbled

some

burned.

freaks of nature

The

position.When

same

touched

not

were

COMMUNICATIONS

end

an

it could

in it and

to that idea.

of the window

movement

had

be
the
But

been

a breeze, a
common
shock, a cat,
by some
cause,
or
something of the kind, and that its coincidence with the
sportsman'stragicdearthmade it seem, after the event, of more
importance. We can hardly,however, accept this supposition,

occasioned

the

because

is what

and

this

to

seems

window

The

house

and

her

guests were

so

pressed
im-

it.

by
Here

of the

mistress

the fact

shut, the

not

was

to be

me

circumstance

facts

beginningto analyzethese

we

present could

of water

bottle

remarked

was

at

the

time.

consider

may

proves

it,

Before

if the

lady

and

the other

both

sight and sound, the sensation of a phenomenon that

pressed
taking place,and that their brains had been deeply imby something exterior to themselves.

was

We
was

persons

have

not

had

an

illusion

of

might think that

the psychic force

every

moment

them

at

something exterior to themselves

of the dying man,
whom
they were
with
expecting,who should have been sitting

table ;

might he

thought, which in
Wireless telegraphy.
Why is it manifested
in

could

How

than

more

How

this

one

Why

the

not

been

in this fashion

at

transported thither

effort exhausted

that

cerebral

person

have

its last

energy?

impression have

been

made

on

once

Tes

pourquoi, dit

We

are

le dieu, ne

in the midst

of

finiraient
jamais.

mystery, and
49

all

we

can

do is to

'"

THE

"w

hypothesis. Of course, if this story stood by itself,

might pass it over without notice, but it is one of a great

""prm
^ve

"iff

of

number

similar

of them

many

j^Here is
the

still more

of

V^^hich

death,

of

Let

here

for the

ns

relate,

to

present

continue.

telepathic transmission
singular,probably more

less

not

kindness

the

to

owe

remarkable.

instance

have

we

explanationsbut

second

moment
I

experiences that

about

more

no

say

UNKNOWN

of

General

at
so,

Parmentiere

who

"touches for its authenticity.

II.
a

We

"

and

saloii had

the

raised and

had

been

The

father

and

from

top

woke

her husband,

Suddenly

"

shaken

second

thought

Alsace.

went

to

bed

windows

shut

were

earthquake

seemed

came

got out of bed and

salon; they found

chairs

were

in their

There

stars.

had
the

on

was

been

wardrobe

door.

This

asked

each

opening
When

unmoved,

who

seen

were

she

had

The
mentier
Par-

Madame

and

mischief

what
windows

The

if the

as

broken.

were

M.

again

was

room,

had

were

the

open,

calm, the sky clear and

was

done

been

wide

neither earthquake nor

wind-storm,
Parmen
tier lived
fictitious.M. and Madame

abominably
could

what

found

induce

full of

windows

Parmentier

happened

her

recently married,

heard
the

been
were

grew

to

time

she

premier;
elderlywoman

an

opened

the

shut

or

had

the noises, and

among

old

motion
com-

au

lady

that hour

at

to

be

door.
had

that there

them, lived

every

had

wardrobe

salon, that the

Madame

next

panes

ever.

to examine

nothing.
places,the night

shutting her

they

something
having been
"But

than

worse

went

creaked

she

General

the noise and

other

in the

and

all their

creak they
disagreeable

and

violent.

very

in the

great noise

the floor below

on
rez-de-c7tauss"e,

whose

"

continue

in the

time

But, immediately after,the bed

violently and
to

alarmed;

somewhat

got up, lit

He

again.

violently;then

them.

earthquake, though earthquakes

a
candle, and seeing nothing-

an

was

touched

occurred.

place,this

took

backs

windows

two

by her bed being shaken

and

had

what

salon

room
bed-

the

asleep.

were

astonished

it

in the

awakened

was

was

shock

in

and

Itwas

between

chairs whose

by

open

told him

rare

very

unusual

and

father

Parmentier's
are

She

communication

Parmentier

Parmentier

bottom.

to

kept
of M.

of

left open,

been

were

mother

Suddenly Madame

"

door

Tlie

night.

summer

warm

Schlestadt in the Department of the Bas-Rhine.

at

were

nothing

still open

frightened.

friends, to her

she had

left

to

noise

cause

and

She

father

the

or

fusion
con-

to

think

mother,

who,

began

before
shortlj"-

or

furniture

at

Strasbourg^

all,as she thought, in perfect health.

soon

after heard

since her marriage, and

that
who

her old
had
50

gone

governess,
back

to

whom

Vienna

she
to her

had

not

family

THE
"

As

at this time

France,

to

we

what

had

suddenly
and

said,as

"Very
much

as

beside
if

about

made

later

to

visit,I

mother's

took

mid-day,
It should

him.
'

'

by

observed

be

had

to Paris

They

did

add

I may

had

not

the

of my

the

had

Place

of

none

boy

heard

she

the

see

the

two

died

his aunt

well

was

my

Itnown, and

that the least

us

cousin's

the

thing was

we

illness.

ceived
re-

My

she would

have

the matter

with

of his death.

news

of

morning at Paris, clocks in Rome,

longitude,say seven, and it was preciselyat

had

the vision.

Bloc

h.

Malesherbes, Paris."

by Madame

preceding.

of his
she

At

of

loved

in

of the

the

he

hour

loved
like

return

dying lad

losingits boyish character

said,laughing,''Well, yes
All this may

Bloch

be denied

is of the

when

the

earthlythingshe

aunt, whom

psychicforce

have

ill

it is six in the

mother

losingconsciousness
whom

and

letters

numerous

said about

telegraph to

even

fact observed

The

been

morning,

his desire to

my

this phenomenon

"Andr"
"11

of

time

hour, when

at six in the

his

old.

years

at

cousin

apartment

little cousin, who

expressed

been

for the

that when

that ray

that hour

in

word

of the difference

reason

fourteen

even

ray

times

that

any

great affection

back

gone

death

of the

was

dying

days,was

some

having several

Paris

from
mother's

day

that

subjects.

Paris, after having travelled

finishing in Rome

was

her

mother.

Berthe, my
"

On

place.

after

verify the date, and

can

for
peritonitis

with
at

work

some

other

on

13, 1896, in the

He

had

quite dead.'
I quieted her

to me.

come

1 asked

she

heard

"Thanks

to

to

portion of Italy,and then we

had
taken
Ren", which
place on June
31
de Moscow.
Rue
parents occupied,
through

in

coming,

her

When

conversation

our

got back

both

we

city

morning.
was
dressing she
looked
at
Kraemer, who

haste

turned

then

the

"Villa Medici

the

in the

that when

me

back

go

about

went

mid-day at
day I saw

! one

I could

nephew Ren"
her surprise,'Yes, indeed, lam

frightened,she

weeks

"Two

interrupt me,

to

her

her

possible,and

as

to finish before

eight o'clock

she told

laughing at

much

not

join me
together. Well

happened,

seen

work

to

came

breakfasted

of great excitement, at

State

her

only

stillsome

in order

mother,

my

by herself, and
where

I had

UNKNOWN

with
her

have

own

was

same

kind

as

dying boy was

ing
earnestlythink-

filial tenderness, and

son.

manifested

May

not

the

itself without

boy of fourteen may well

! I am
just dead."
denial is always possible. But

have

what

cere,
not so ?
Is it not better to be sinto prove that it was
that these coincidences
at least remarkable,
and own
are

we

although we

cannot

understand

them
52

in the

present condition

TELEPATHIC

OF
of

V. de Kerkhove
"On

IV.

States,towards
lower

with

wrote
of

25th

the

serious

to

of the

in

house

in which

'

PI

on

my

between

as

purple, even
"In

fact, the

its last rays

threw
hall.

sun

was

from

of

rays

I felt

and

grandfather'sface wore
Suddenly
appeared happy.

and

I woke

from

as

later I heard

Texas, where
The

at which

Belgium
Some
the

I was,

there

settingin Texas

sun

might

my

in

is

o'clock

just eaten

tion
digesgood

at

seeing

of

everything

his garments.'

brilliant

kindness
the

my

red, and

the door
;

into the

he smiled

down,

went

sun

I had

seen

an

grandfather
and

one

grandfather died,
of five hours

corresponded

and
the

to

parition.
aphad

o'clock

two

and

half.

time

in

grandather died."

say that

here

was

mere

illusion

produced by

of the

This is not likely,

for M.
settingsun.
Kerkhove
distinctlyrecognized his grandfather, and
ought especiallyto notice in all these experiencesthat
date of the apparitioncoincides
exactly with the date
rays

the

peace

his

makes

that

between

difference in time

at seven

as

letter that

my

own

my

myself

of

A.

of

semi-vegetable state

to

look

during the night of August 25th-26th,

Between
the morning.
Belgium, where

sea,

aged
quiescent

of

astonishment

no

the conviction

died
in

man

he has

disappeared
in

the

is when

diagonally through

he

with

dream,

weeks

of

setting sun

its usual

My

Six

the

in

pipe

my

sort

grandfather, and the folds

a
setting at that moment,

the horizon

United

door-posts

iu

I was
grandfather. Indeed, at the moment
was
thinking of nothing, but at last I said
those

the

distinctly
my

saw

was

and

good

dinner.

the face of my

spot marked

the

B, I

comfort,
is

It is strange how

the

state, semi-conscious

"

in

Texas,

sittingat

was

grandfather. I
and

"'

put

right hand.

door, marked

in

sittingsmoking

was

Suddenly

and

out
withus

I lived, looking towards

"

my

Let

February,1889

August, 1874, being

door opening to the northwest

consideration.

me

sunset, after dinner

hall

hallucination

an

seek.

aside and

M.

hypothesisof

The

worth

is not

cause

words

the

knowledge

our

COMMUNICATIONS

de
Ave

the
of

the death.

On

November

from

me

V.
known

"

My

10, 1890, the followingletter

Christiania

to you

an

event

to

Master,

dear

written

was

told

"

Your
me

work

TJranie induces

personallyby
53

me

the individual

to

make

to whom

it

UNKNOWN

THE
It

happened.
and

mentally
mind

stein.

They

small

where

him

floor above

heard

after

minute
the

up

which

but

nobody

"When

bed,
time

same

noted

letter from
loved

had

dying,

was

informed

exactly at the hour

he

had

bidden

farewell

even

know

that she

He
the

drew

the stairs

upon

as

and

him

to the

of the sudden

down

on

grandson

she

ill at the time

was

it down

man

young

It

paper;

"

it as

if I

fact I have

if it

were

me

of her

Public

the

At

and

that
intuitively

ging
drag-

in

found

and

thus

yesterday, for
War,

years

in 1855.

I would
was

Passy.
54

lady, who
she died

that

good lady

the

did

who

not

grandmother's

be admitted.
the

1898

postmistressof

time

ago, but

great impression
never

living then

of

Bureau

to the

at Christiania."

of his

place some

it made

H ambre,

Works

December,

Later

paper.

death.

warned

was

to relate took

to live a hundred

the Crimean
at

to

The

were

his

that of

felt

dearly loved, and

by hearing steps and by a sigh must

of
Madame
F"ret, at Juvisy, mother

VI.

close

come

of the old

was

death

place,wrote

light

slow

on

death

grandchildren.

noted

had

instantlyhe

he wrote

"

that

of

He

in the

the

"Attorney-at-Law, Secretary

this

his

saw

his bed.

have

to

ily
wear-

steps, however,

plenty

was

"Edouakd

That

next

near

seemed

sound,

of this, for

time

best of all her

him

and

However,

walking

door.

his

there

in.

shut.

woman.

the exact

home

was

still heard

all the time

the

one

some

He

in.

came

Suddenly
and

opened
come

both.

them

stillreading.

had

the

Vogler

to

heavy sigh, which he recognized to be

left in good health in Denmark.
he had

old

grandmother

if

as

recognizedtlie steps
an

his friend

M.

belonged

was

of Hol-

university towns

and

floor

staircase

the

steps stopped at

steps, by

whom

he

steps of
"He

the

he heard

grandmother,

bed,

of

foot

with

time, they hired

some

lower

to

gone

steps,

nothing, though

chamber.

stay

the floor of his chamber

along

see

to his

he

of the

one

the staircase

thinking

heard

to

the

and

door

of this,

The

came

could

his

of

turn

nobles

the

among

At

resolved

at the

stairs.

opened,

door

door

notice

no

known

occupied

count

; the front

front

the

took

imaginative

or

travellingin Germany

was

age.

night, M. Vogler having

One

He

same

had

they

The

house.

the

he

well

man

about

were

Germany,

he

straightforwarddisposition,

neurasthenic

any

health, both

in excellent

man

honest,

an

student

medical

young

Schimmuelmann,

Count

"

tendency to

Gudun,

at

quite the contrary.

"

"When

of

is

Vogler

is of

he

bodily ;

the least

without

M.

lives

doctor, who

Danish

Vogler, a

in Jutland.

Alborg,

near

M.

was

forget it.
in the Rue

on

It

ber
remem-

me,
was

and
ing
dur-

de la Tour,

OF
"

One

dirt floor.

The

of

ray

of

they

how

saw

"A

fortnight after
He

Solier.

I had

It is

as

difficult to
state

present

a
say that this was
played its part, that the

she

cousin, that
in

deaths

the

for 0" all wars,

easilysaid

had

army,

innumerable

and

Major
date

the

stretched

him

saw

out

on

heard

cousin

the

preceding ones,

No

doubt

which

girl was

young
much

talk

ray

of this

that

what

Madame

she

F"ret

when, dying of cholera, he

also notice the coincidence

saw

of

was

the

of the

sunlight

was

on

her
of

uncalled

illusion.

her

the

ashore

of

number

This

she

that

absolutelysure
with

one

of sickness, and

an

saw

put

was

of

stupid and

most

is

some

thinking

cholera, of wounds,

of

dangers
and

in

case

officer very distinctly,

she
lying on the sand, and it

the

saw

questions.

death of

the

Varna,

at

explainthis fact as
of our
knowledge.

will

is

family,

when

in the cellar."

the sand

the

of

step

laugh.

to

news

when

officer

go

with

me

disembarked

day

the

to

into

an

not

The

again.

sad

the

being

corresponded

down

cousins,

my

overwhelmed

they began

seen

while

of

one

steps

was,

received

we

died

had

of his death

in the

the

hardly get up
and pale I

what

lay

frightened,I dared

Much

troubled

I told them

When

it

upon

battalion.

I went

noon,

through the grating and lit up the

like the sand
looked
suddenly to me

came

stretched

could

farther.

sunshine

part it lighted up

beach, and

command

in

breakfast-time, that is,about

about

day

the cellar.

upon

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

eyes her

own

beach

he

fell,

Let

at Varna.

us

date.

May we not rationally

think that the officer,
feelinghimself dying on the shore of
have naturallythought of the France
a strange land, would
he would
see
never
again, of Paris, of his parents, of the
cousin, the remembrance

young

his last moments

charmed

have

that

of

his cousin

whose

face

sweet

? I do not

in Paris

for

suppose
the beach

really saw

may

an

stant
in-

at Varna

of the vision was

contrary, I believe that the cause
the Turkish
far off on
shore, and that there was
telepathic

the

on

Let

us

pass
and

can

the

more

progress.

in review

then

sum

may

more

the

The

few

and

facts. Theories
more

feel that the

I received

his young
cousin.
of these curious tations,
manifes-

dying man

some

np

later.

come
we

the

between

communication

reports we

statement

days since
55

of

and

tions
explana-

have
our

letter from

of

case
a

facts,
makes

deputy,

UNKNOWN

THE

well-known

poet, a

his convictions

VII.

Dear

"

when

and

heavens, but in

Everything
how
also

day

the

immortality

I made
not

boast

Cr"mieux

said

they shoot
On

the

of

will

and

were

before

the

just the

morning

noise

where

he

had

always
to

the

I could

door,

and

judas),that
discovery when
"

"

'

When

had

what
was

'

dying,
me

'

taken

Francis
made

friend

of

happened

one

fell

on

mence.
great vehe-

man

that it

was

under

tence
sen-

life of the soul.

day, I

the

over,

after the
stood

resumed

mortality
im-

awakened

was

I turned

and

when
of

proof

you

moments

was

very
fallen

friend, and

give

with

hindered

place
a

dozen

Roustan,

in the

been

taps

fully awake

once

twice,

or

me

Alas

not

cup

! there

I had

there.

in the

me

in my

at

table.
from

daybreak

prison-yard

Then

suddenly
I cannot

teUing

cell at

the

at once

gave

very

crazy.
56

it

That

the

just

day,

as
on

spy-hole (known
made

himself

this terrible

into my
'

arms.

!' he cried

there

great emotion

was

remembered
tell what

his

but lie died

the

taps I

foolish

fear of

in misfortune
Cr"mieux

when

moment

I told
as

mieux,
Cr"-

great seals

were

companions

my

balls in his breast.

who

going, thanks

of coffee.

by looking through

morning

day

habit of

into the cell of Gaston

turnkey,
for

turnkey, in tears, threw

this

that

was

prisoners.
morning on my

that

chaffed

had

him

ready

see,

other

heard

being

my

bed

and

on,

rendezvous.

our

the kind

met

we

the

among

my

shot

They
bravely.'
"

of

out

I had

kind-hearted

usual, I repaired

as

went

of

table.

my

was

had

Cr"mieux,

you,

Some

again.

jumped

getting up

on

of

complicity

cell

and

There

same.

"Every
to the

Then
The

table.

little taps upon

of

with

the future

at break

30th,

fell asleep

again audible.

and

learned

fellow-prisoners

our

presence

cell and

your

of November

of

materialists

I thank

'

to

the

not

prison.

that the talk

sign from

in God

both

come

the noise

ceased,

in

afterwards

me

morning

suddenly by
noise

to

me

unbelief

have

dreams,

converse,

and

I wrote

in

death.

to

Some

in the

at Marseilles.

for exercise,it

to

atheists

believed

of death, who

"

hour

of the age

was

years

who

Pierre

same

soul.

the

of

those

the

understand, after

them

to

proper

of

themselves

proclaiming

were

dreamed

had

we

while

and

number

condemned

was

reality. In prison, at the

had
the happiness
we

same

that

God

who

Ci"mieux,
;

certain

gather stars
daily posey

you

forgotten my

sharp point to
prison Saint

in 1871.

was

in the

was

Cr"mieux

of

the

on

Gaston

was

fond

So

I had

for

me

It

"

of
sincerity

of his life :

life's field, as

when

with

comes

wait.

to

in

flowers

landed

article which

an

Friend,

AND

moment

for the

the disinterestedness

Master

plucks

one

esteemed

mnch

man

one

of

opinion

ever,
them, how-

that

griefhad

OF

TELEPATHIC
is the story that I told you

Such

"

clown
you

think

may
the

same

grief could
I

it recurs

just as

opinion

of

have

made

death

had

not

This

the table.

me

in

me

Gaston

June

28th for

in

was

the brain

not

tain
enter-

Roustan,

for

knowledge

any

in my

was

ordinary condition.
the sounds
distinctly
on

I heard

Clovis

Hugues."

that at the very moment

shot (he had been condemned
seem

takingpart in

echo,

before

it

of it that

use

any

friend

my

truth.

Cr"mieux

actingon
spirit,

one

execution, and

as

moment

me.

this it would

to

when

mad

Make

written

researches, but do

of mind

state

my

I have

evening.

the pen.

prosecutingyour

is the naked

According

the other

I hold

as

reached

the

expecting

not

was

to

useful

friend's

of my

COMMUNICATIONS

the

of his

Commune

on

his
Marseilles),
sation,
given him a sen-

at

friend, had

in which he was
repercussion of the scene
The
the victim.
firingcould not have been heard from the
and the noise was
prison(ittook place at the light-house),
an

repeated several
preceding ones,

times.

This

but it is

fact

is

strange

as

surelydifficult to deny

all the

as

that it took

place.
Further
Let
with

on

in this work

us

now

another.

one

on

go

The

we

will

with

our

discuss

ries.
explanatorytheoreports,comparing them

collection is very

curious

and

very

varied.
A

distinguishedsavant, M. Alphonse Berget, a doctor in

science, holding a positionin the physicallaboratoryof the
to the Faculty of Sciences
in Paris,
Sorboune, and examiner
has

hurriedly sent me the following narration

VIII.
was
a
My mother
girl and
young
father, who was a captain of infantry. When

engaged

placeshe

of her

'^

^'

She

livingat Schlestadt,in

was

had

had

Am"lie

named

of
First

an

as

M., who

was

from

left
fine

the

the house

her childhood

blind.

was

old colonel

Empire. Being
She

friend

Am"lie

was

to

my

thing took
parents.

girl
daughter
grand-

young
the

of
an

dragoons who had served in the

orphan,she lived with her parents.
grand-

musician, and

often sang

luith my

mother.
"

When

embrace

she

took

she
a

was

about

eighteen she

life,for
religious
the

veil in

which

convent

she had
at

57

made
a

up
real

her mind

to

vocation, and

Strasbourg. At

first she

THE

frequentlyto

wrote

less

came

UNKNOWN

mother, but

my

often, and

after

her

time

letters

last,as usuallyhappens in such

at

cases,

correspondenceceased.

the

Am"lie

'^

day

my

she

was

salon
flew

had

mother

anxious

sobs
'

Jiave

went
to

the

to

up

to look

garret

All

find.

at

she

once

she

something

for

back

ran

one

They

herself,crying

to

came

the

to

unconscious.

fell down
and

years, when

three

religionabout

uttering loud cries,and

to her help, lifted her up,

with
"

in

been

is

dying

singingas only a

person

Oh, it is horrible

just lieard

lier

Am"lie

dead, /or /

she is

"

wlio is dead

could

sing !'
another

"And

seizure

nervous

her

lose

her

made

again

senses.

Half

"

at

this.Colonel

after

rushed

M.

house, holding
grandfather's

into my
The

hour

an

like

despatch in

madman

his hand.

Superior of the
despatch was from the Mother
only these words :
Strasbourg, and contained

granddaughter

Your

by
"

This

my

and

aunt, all of whom

this

strange incident."

This
have

often told

fact

is not

preceded

it.

less

dear

to Schlestadt

me

of

name

at the

would

of her

friend

the

nervous

by

mother, my

my

the

perienced
ex-

mother,
grand-

this done

and
the
the

58

sure

imaginationhad
hypothesisthat
of others.

case

possiblywith

and

from

her

soul

of

brain

In what

that

of her death, was

mojnent

celestial

is

childhood, and

to the
a

those

than

narrator

strong emotion

illusion of
was

very

seem,

communicated

giving her the

melody. How

died

attack

of the

of attention

worthy

The

thinking, intensely,it
the

first

were

bear

Berget'sfriend

regret,of

the

the Sister had

that

guarantee for its authenticity. Romance

with
to do
it; and
nothing whatever
in
the same
as
would
explain it seems
Madame

Come.

present,as well as my uncle

testimony that they had witnessed

father,who

my

'

mother.

fact has been

and

hour

the
precisely,

o'clock

took

colonel

The

heard

the convent, and

train, reached
at three

ill.'

very

convent

of Madame

voice
manner

much
bourg
Straswas

Berget,

singing a
?

stantane
in-

We

sweet

do not

THE

the

and

for

to

X.

its appearance
He
incontestable.
knows

of last March

(1899),I

My

"

Master,

dear

You

"

have

asked

received

the

write

down

to

me

presentiment, second-sight, suggestion,

following

apparition

the
I

that

of

case

mentioned

you.
I

*'

about

was

it,at Paris, in
had

"One

befallen

was

There

'

much
to

in neither

The

!'

daj'^and

to

had

lain

was

for

crying.

What

in Paris

I
that

Rue

I rubbed

her

perfectly-

She

disappeared.

can

myself testifyis

his mother

had

She

died

is

that
the

her.

seen

Deslandes,

officer in the

Navy.

Larochefoucauld, Paris."

de

communicated

hands, has

books

charming

Staffe, whose

Baroness

The

the

ing
weak, stand-

very

saw

room.
bed-

when

farewell.

no,

has

in my

was

moment,

looking

but

arms.

he had

now

gesture of

in my

arrived

news

down

pale,and

me

great misfortune

Just

hallucination

clasp her

when

hour

dead

mother,

an

fellow

poor

later the

days

just

ing
salon, his face look-

"Baron

to

the

me

in

are

two

one's
every-

following

cases

S., who

Madame

XL

belonged
She

to

would

This

medical

celebrated

have

died

rather

told

she

is what

When
man,

One

an

she

was

sixteen

officer in the army

spring day, at

French

became

living in England, though

was

We

tendency

believed

he

"Former

and

living.

was

certainly no

into the

is

making

it was

her

he rushed

cried, 'Madame!

my

and

thought

towards

I sprang

was

threshold
I

eyes.

"20

to enter

intelligentand

very

he

tired, and

rather

was

the

on

very

who

mother

my

popular expression:

six o'clock

mother

My

opened.

few

use

where

waiting, ready

was

sceptical,with

very
the

'Madame!'
!

me

dead

was

about

evening

convulsed:

my

Piedmontese,

he

If I may

l'Ev"gne,

devil.'

nor

door

Ville

but

to us,

credulity.
God

Rue

the

School.

to the Naval

to go

man-servant,

devoted

is searching

or

to

like us,

cause.

the 20th

letter

between

girl'sdeath are
explain its phenomenon, and,

young

nothing
On

coincidence

the

of

apparitionand

UNKNOWN

the

she

than

me.

she

became

marriage,

truth itself.
family, was
be guilty of a falsehood.
she

When
was

her

after

not

of

grew
a

engaged

up

she

ily.
British famto

young

of India.

sea-side,where

she

was

living,she

OF

TELEPATHIC
the

leaningover

was

of

her

COMMUNICATIONS

absent

her

balcony of

father's

Suddenly she

lover.
but

house
him

saw

ing
think-

and
in

the

den,
gar-

he

emaciated.
was
oppositeto her,
very pale and
out joyNevertheless, she was delightedto see him, and calling
ously,
!
!
she
flew
down-stairs.
She
Harry Harry
hurriedly
There
was
no
opened the door, expectingto see her beloved.
"

*'

she had

him, shook

seen

there

"

wanted

followed

her.

persuade her

to

''But

only repeat,
sad

and

that

far out

at

They

that

it

time

the very

and

day

him!"

saw

this

had

her ; they
She would

to calm

illusion.

an

after

her betrothed

sea

tried

was

him!

sav/

Some

uneasy.

disorder, on

the spot where

garden, examined
all the bushes, looked
everywhere

Harry.

no

was

friends

Her

into the

rushed

She

one.

she

died

remained

was

informed

suddenly of

she

liour when

and

him

saw

some

in

the

garden.
XII.
had

Bernadine

never

she

much

so

ignorant; she
and people said
heard of spiritualism,
as
times to too much
liquor.

given at
evening she

was

One

beer, but she

some

old

was

an

had

gone

servant, very

back

came

into the

down
almost

cellar

draw

to

immediatelywith

her

pitcher empty, looking pale and ready to drop. They all

around
the matter, Bernadine?"
her, saying,"What's
came
*'I have just seen
my daughter my daughter in America.
"

She

was

me,

'Good-bye,

dressed

"You

out

are

all in

"I

did

of your

mean

We

She

all said to

did

be dead

must

She

said

to

could

you

have

seen

does

that

York."

hear

her.

Ah,

what

!"

another,

one

How

senses.

is in New

She

her.

see

ill.

mother.'"

daughter ?

your

white; she looked

"

Bernadine

has taken

drop

too much."
But

she

remained

America, after the

death
when

of her
her

M.

account

daughter.

mother

Binet,

inconsolable,and the next

incident, brought Bernadine

of

had

seen

She

died

her and

on

tlie day and

had

news

of the

at the hour

recognizedher

typographer at Soissons,sent me
which happened
a circumstance
61

post from

voice.

the following
to himself

UNKNOWN

THE
XIII.
a

which

bombardment

who

landlord,
twelve

played with

often

the

About

"

Leontine

beginning

wounded.

this

At

of age.

years

time

that

"

of

been

destroyedby

only thirty-sixhours but made

the little daughter of our
was

lasted

Among these
was
cruelly

victims.

many

had
village,

native

M"zi"res, my

"

She
I

March

or

fifteen,and

was

her

was

eleven

was

very

name.

I went

to pass

few

days

I left home
I knew
that the poor
Before
Domch"ry.
thing could never
get better, but change of place
boyish carelessness made me forget by degrees the sorrows

at

the

and

witnessed

had

slept by myself in
looked

which
had

which

as

the

usual

at

I had

scenes

narrow

been
the

room,

and
I

through.

window

of

I
country. One evening, when
nine o'clock, I could not sleep,

dinner was
as
something remarkable, for as soon
could generallyhave
was
slept standing. The moon
very bright. It lit up the garden and threw a strong

was

over

bed

long

into

out

to

gone

terrible

tle
lit-

full and

lightinto

ray of

I could

''As

my

not

chamber.
go to

sleepI

the

listened to

clocks

town

strikingthe hours, which seemed to me very long. I gazed

at the window, which
was
justoppositeto my bed, and
steadily
at half-past
moving
twelve I thoughtl saw
a ray of moonshine
floated past,at first
form
then a shadowy, luminous
slightly,
ing
great white robe, then it took a bodily shape, and comI uttered
a
there
smiling at me.
up to my bed, stood
fore,
the bright shade, glidingas be!' Then
Leontine
cry of,

like

'

disappearedfrom
days later

"Some

spoken
day and
had

to

of

me

bed.

the foot of my

home, and

I went

Leontine, I told them

in the hour

when

before

appeared to

she

On

vision.

my
me

had

one

any

the poor

the
child

died."

M.

Castex-Degrange,assistant
Arts,

Beaux

XIV.

"

friend

Lyons, sends

at

director
the

me

Paris, had

in

Algeria.

the least anxious

morning
about

his

my

who

doctor
has

cine,
of medi-

just died

of the said doctor, who

brother, father

One

"cole des

the

following :

My father-in-law,M. Clermont,
and pupil of Doctor
Potham,

in

of

father-in-law,who

brother, whom
63

he

was

believed

lived
not

to

in
be

OF

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

perfect health, was in bed.

his custom
to
patients it was

Before

in

He
who

received
and

shock

the

in

he

found

in the water

heel.

M.

much

chief of

former

esteemed,

report of what
XV.

"

old uncle

an

of

Part

basement
own

We

tricks

on

with

sea, when

sharply

great school

in

died."

Paris, a professor

of

his

former
the following

me

passed at Limoges, with

I called
spoiledme exceedingly,and whom
lived in the first story of a house, in the

of Avhich

''I

in the

many

had

brother

prickedhim

to himself

him

backward,

after he

very

wife,

under

instruction,sends

childhood

his

thirtyhours

whom

to

happened

my

who

grandpapa.

excellent

gratefulfor

pupilsare

in,and

set

her

bathing
or

bed.

spilled.

was

hour

bit him

bed

thrown

was

very

out

gone

either

Lockjaw

Chaband,

that

in

coffee

talkingto

in his hand

at

had

he

to visit his

out

of

cup

suddenly the

that

held

that

He

Algeria.

something
in the

violent

so

of coffee he

cup

''Later
died

him, when

sittingnear

was

this little repast,and

partakingof

was

take

going

there

was

was

restaurant.

that I often

shame

amused

myself by playing

the

proprietorof this establishment.

Among other
naughty things I did I one
day rushed suddenly into his
and
screamed
Garat ! come
kitchen
out, 'Pere
quick my
"

uncle
to

up

our

Of

"

I took

he

course

good

When

ten

years

time

to

care

it

Madame
'

How

'

'

keep

fine

was

out

and

laughing.

road.

One

my
as

walked

towards

the

evening in May, 1851,

six and

o'clock

seven

of these events

memory

me

is M.

usual, when

Garat
M.

he

as

though

of his reach.

out
often

we

rushed

my

Pont
when

(I can

Neuf
I

was

tell the

is very

we
clear),
chancing to see

uncle

Ravel, daughter of the restaurateur, said to her

"'Very bad,
"

I stood

old, between

going

"

left his saucepans

once

was

for
exactly,

were

"

at

door, where

the Toulouse

on

He

and swore
at
very angry with me
down-stairs,but his threats did not frighten me,

went

"

you.-'

wants

Chabrol.'

Shall I go in and
It would
be of no

see

him

use,

?'

M.

dying.'
63

(My

Chabrol.

uncle

My

was

poor

doctor.)
father

is

THE

Thereupon

"

but

was

"As

soon

went

we

we

as

show

state of mind

my

from

quitefree

were

far from

being

thought

about

much

troubled,

out-doors.

started

details,which

these

uncle

in the street, or

were

(de la Oorderie),I
give

old

out, my

to be

happy

very

UNKNOWN

rather
and

hoop

my

certainlynot

are

at the

time

to

vard
boule-

after it.

ran

credit, to

my

heart

; my

the

on

and

brain

my

for I humbly confess that,

preoccupation,
for the poor
I never
restaurant-keeper,

sorry

him

all.

at

regret to

say

it is the

but

so,

truth.

part leads

One

When

towards

bounds

papa,'I cried,

Bon

him

see

you

de

I'Hotel

to Toulouse

divides.

Ville, the other to

de

are

to my

uncle.

Garat

is up

and

yards away ?'

saying?' replied my

yonder,

'"What

back

ran

M.

'

r"t
Ga-

of the

Don't

out.

few

you

M.

saw

the middle

walking quietlyin

us,

three

With
'

"

Place

the road

got there I stopped suddenly, for I

we

coming
road.

the

to

Neuf

de la Cite.

the Place
**

the Pont

far from

''Not

uncle, white

as

sheet.

his

his

cotton

! he is

is M.

Garat

see!

"

Just

night-cap,his blue blouse,

beginning to cough.'

to him.'

up
did go

"I

there

Why,

cane,

"'Go

papa.
white
his

with

look at him
and

There

truth, bon

'"The

near

as

as

dared,

I fancied

hand, which

so

as

making

was

to be within

not
a

gesture by

reach
no

of

means

reassuring.
"1

back

drew

said, 'Let

Garat

had

on

"I

"

you

are

asked

back

to

side of my

the

uncle, who

When

I reached

minutes, just the

time

the

house

it had

M.

taken

the

am

tell the

exact

facts of the

down

to

my

uncle, who

gered,
stag-

was

strange experiencethat

for you.

of what

sure

ago, when

news

word.

to write

me

"Though
fiftyyears

five

said not

These

to

home.

started
and

order

him.

before
dead

been

to scamper

me

good

go home.'

us

rushed

"I

in

I saw,

and

nothing but
64

nearly
distinctly,
boy, people may ob-

saw
a

TELEPATHIC

OF

jectthat

deceived

was

sportof

the

uncle, a

likeness,or that my

saw

when

time

in the

was

with

I talked

that

the

in

majoritywere
had

and

never

made

the

on

elsewhere.

of

one

related

with whom

I had

the recital of
occurred

to

me

of such

England

as

to individual
This

few

of the

that

"

experiencesin

seemed

to

me

an

thought,
by people

me

I had

Avhat had

is, set

received

on

foot

idea

an

done

been

inquiry

an

of this kind.

matters

excellent

was

things.

kind,i when

same

do in France

since

years

that

in twenty had
person
had heard
such things

reported to

cases

at my

ascertained

direct relations,and
personally

twenty others
that I might

in

fifteen

chanced

course

or
something of that nature
around
Such
them.
related by those
persons,
might furnish me experiencesat first hand.
now

deceived

kind, but there

existence

observed

I have

little

complete scepticism,

the

least

at

been

subject,some

soon

of the most

of the

that

calculation

persons

did know

and

geon
sur-

in

of 1899, it of

anything

were

examining these
apparitionsof the dying,

and

state

seen

who

remainder

many

others

house, and

own

by nature,

busied

was

early months

senses

old naval

an

to have
profession,was likely
in full daylightat mid-day?"

manifestations
inexplicable

which

credulous

not

man

will say that

his

by

the

During

by

delusion,but who

like my
to it
prone
by Avhat he

COMMUNICATIONS

of

way

securing authentic

I publishedthe first
testimony of ascertainingits value.
chaptersof this work in the monthly magazine of my learned
and excellent friend Adolphe Brisson, Annales
Politiqueset

whose
Litteraii'es,

subscribers

frequentcommunication
intimacy

in the Bulletin

'

them

among

form

immense

its editors.

with
that

an

never

3"ensiiel de la Soci"t"

There

observed

family, in
is

sort of

elsewhere,

Astronomique

de

save

France,

ex-deputy, president of the Optical

Paris ; by M. Craponne, an engineer at Lyons ; by M. DorIda Cail in Paris ;
at Paris ; by Madame
chain, a French
literaryman
la Comtesse
in the Haute
Marne
by M. Merger at Chaumont
; by Madame
de Mouzay at Rambouillet
G. de Mave
at Javisy, etc.
; by Madame
Notably by

M.

F.

Delonde,

an

Society in

I could

also

find instances

in Uranie

characteristic.

very
E

65

and

in Stella,

That

of M.

Best

is

THE

those of
formerly among
kind of family feelingdoes

and
This

of the

dailypapers,
reviews.

becomes

after the

think

managers

for

common

in

the

same

can

whose

seeing my

first articles.
that

say but

Such

letters that

the

from

I cannot

such

portant
im-

more

link

tween
be-

association

an

members

researches.

I received
after

makes

of ideas
that

to

expected to
these people
pattern, there is among
of feeling,a good understanding, a desire
objects,and to help each other if

same

to unite

the readers

subscribers

not

"

Pittoresque.

Magazin
exist among

not

community

simply a community
they

the

among

even

of church

kind

or

and

readers

me

UNKNOWN

the

among

are

is at

least the

many

readers

80,000 subscribers

pression
imsent

the

to

is

there

everywhere)practical
will believe
who
anything,cranks,
jokers,impostors,peo^jle
The immense
But they are the exceptions.
and so on.
majority
of perfectlysound
honest
sense
tending
exrepresents an
average
tions
through all classes of society,from the highestposithere

Annales

humblest,

the

to

be

not

may

(as

and

men

all shades

of

women

of

ligious
re-

belief.
There

indeed

may

found

be

else,a class of bigots with

of their

themselves.
be

mute

as

of

none

narrow

them,

everywhere

as

consciences, who

as

my

are

preparingfor their first communion,

questions,which concerned the devil and all

such

all

to solve

way

church, which

be left to the

should

of

of

works,

in its catechism

has

become

devotees

is that

AVhere

Jupiter?

of

in the

But

temple of
day
temple to-

all read

the

logues
dia-

Socrates.

It seemed
way

same

What

his

mysteries.

reasoning that
Jupiter brought against Socrates.
It is the

offered

that

and

persons

young

afraid

are

wholly incapable of thinking for

at once
that they would
Such persons wrote
me
fishes,that I was
engaged on subjectsthat were
of
troubling the minds
business, that I was

shadows, and

own

among

to me,

said

to

myself, that

ascertainingthe number,

facts

in which

pages

of the

am

Annales

it would

nature, and

interested, if I opened
and

asked
66

its

numerous

an

be

good

varietyof
inquiryin
and

the
the

sympa-

THE
There

is

contrary,
As
did

questionin

no

and

grave

send

not

this matter

in

sort

away

people fear
this

kind

who

who

each

ridicule.

For

tell you

have

letter,

problem,
of truth.

take

few

been

able

to express

the

attribute

silence

of all

the

of

one

started

this

received,

series of

filled with

been

letters

deeplyinteresting

closelyconnected

Is it

I cannot

one

more

will it

On

the

number

already
do

can

be read

ever

other

hand

of persons,

good,

I have
and

like to confide

of

exaggerated

because
their

they do

?'

not

ers.
read-

most
not

care

arouse

small

to

even

for
from

so

among

M.
ratives
nar-

many

any

part of unbelievers.
68

number,

keep them

certain

who

have

secret, and

friends, sometimes

near

the

that

remembrances,

times
some-

lettingany strangercomment

private affairs,and
to

then

of

hundreds

to know

this kind

reverence

they shrink

and

reason

that

them

received

but

express,

"

experienced thingsof

or

not

no

have

timidity?

be that of many
other persons
your
among
'
It consists in saying to one's self :
What's the use
must

to

myself,but

with
not

desire

ardent

an

must

Flammarion

and

me,

sincerely.

most

begins thus

have

answer

indifference,to laziness,or to fear

to

story very

to

to

not

thanks

my

unjust

24,

have

you

I have

example,
No.

of

as

the courage
to do so.
Why
It is because
of a feeling that

which

the

To

round

not

No.

on

of

cause

common.

good

very

of time

me

is marked

Since

so

be

psyhic problems, I

out

or

anything to do with ideas of

gratefulto
deeply and sincerely

of them

indeed
answer

"

do

card

have

they

been

Avant

did not

which

seen

the

of the Annales

to the

not

habitual

therefore

have

personallyto
It would

if

am

regret that for

the

ridicule

all those

write

devotion
are

is,on

life,its tions,
occupaits pleasures,or simply from
its idleness,is an effort,a
Besides
of virtue, simple as it may
this,many
seem.

moments

of

readers

assistingthe elucidation

requiresa certain abstract

Good
people of that kind
from

the

reports. To

of

it

interest to all."

expected,all

their

for the, sole purpose

personal interest ;

of any

subject of

serious

have been

might

UNKNOWN

sometimes

discussion

or

merely
any

because

criticism

on

OF

TELEPATHIC

During
made

followingmonths

similar request in the

Revue

the

COMMUNICATIONS

des

of June

Petit

Revues, partlythrough

July (1899)I

IfarseiUais

wish

and

and

to ascertain

in the
the drift

publicopinion.

of

I received
of

Out

yes.
more

4280

that did

these

last

there

were

suit

not

my

no,

and

1824

letters

1758

were

but the greater

details,

less

or

2456

answers;

number

that

were

gave

documents

were

picked out, however, 786

classified,
copied as to their

purpose.

importantones, which have been

principalfacts,and the information

they

contained

is added

of

stock

struck
in all these
knowledge. What
me
the loyalty,
narratives was
good faith,frankness,and delicacy
of their writers, who
careful
to tell only what
were
they
to know
knew and how they came
without
it,
adding to or
subtractinganything from the subject. Every one of them
to

my

of truth.

the servant

was

These
contained
The

letters,when

786

different

1130

and
copied,classified,
facts.
of in these

experiencestreated

subjectsfor

numbered,'

examination

letters offered several

which

might be classified thus :

and apparitions
from
of the dying.
Manifestations
Manifestations
from and apparitions
of living
persons not ill.
Manifestations
and apparitions
of the dead.
Sight of thingstaking place far off.
Premonitory dreams.
Foresightof the future.

Dreams

our

showing

the dead.

Meetings foreseen by
Presentiments
Doubles

realized.

of persons

living.

thingswithout apparent causethought at a distance.

of inanimate

Movement

Communications

of

Impressionsfelt by

animals.

Cries heard

great distance.

Bolted

doors

Haunted
"

to

inspiration.

some

Thus
748

Many

from

opening of

more

themselves.

houses.

Nos.
classified,
from

1 to 700

came

the Petit Marseillais,749

have

come

in while

from
to

786

this book

was

69

readers of the Annales, 701

from

the Revue

being printed.

des Revues.

UNKNOWN

THE

Experiments

in

number

great

very

spiritualism.
of these

have

the

cases

subjective.They

are

relate them,
who
passed through
Very
though they owed their origin to an exterior cause.
shall have
We
are
purely and simply hallucinations.
many
and discuss such by-and-by. The first truth they
to examine
teach
is that there are
us
thingsive do not yet knotv.
many

words, that there

other

In

brain

those

of

unknown

are

forces

in

nature

interestingto study.

very

I will first of all extract

from

the

letters

I received

that tell of manifestations

from

the

dying

made

who

awake

were

in

and

to

persons
I shall leave

condition.

normal

those

These
tions
observaeverythingthat has to do with dreams.
before.
I shall
Avill supplement those that have
gone
Discussion
will come
no
commentary.
append to them
out

afterwards.
shall

only

suppress

ask

that

all formulas

at

going

the

nobody

As
he

father, whom

something
the

of

the

idea

mysterious call
watch

to

make

destination

he

he

knew

of

He

there

he

year

heard

turned,

be

to

of the

learned

that
call

'

relation

some

the

He

And

on

hour

same

Nephtali!'his

tinctly
dis-

name

him,
that

had

of

heard

a relation
Saules-Larivi"re,

of War.
Letters.

of M. de

this

between
drew

his

out

reaching his
when

he

father had

married

Andr", who

70

at the

round

he

as

was

ceived
telepathy,he instantly con-

moment.
at

his

was

he

closed

looked

ill,and

be

was

the Gabriel

Minister

Andr"

exactly resembled

voice

of

the

his father's condition.

sure

My grandfatherwas
the well-known

like this

Algeria,where

and

fancied

to

wonders

that
and

this

his father's voice

de

reportingfacts

would

courses

'Nephtali!'

near.

was

he is

that

July, 1865, Nephtali

France

Suddenly

called

heard

of

academic

the

after

universities.

his

29th

sailing between

sea,

politeness,and also all

moral
respondent
certainty. Each cor-

for all.

once

"On

XVI.

care.

of

and of
of sincerity
protestations
affirmsupon Ms honor
them.
exactly as he has known
understood

with

be read

they may

had
died.

selle
Mademoi-

Saules-Freycinet,

Tony
"Pastor

Andr",
at Florence."

TELEPATHIC

OF

will

"I

XVII.

answer

evening with
something
besides

one

could

not

have

been.

no

myself
but

see,

My

around

nobody

near

about

Avas

rob

me,

coming

to

to

arrest

had

that

sure

and

hide.

could

one

to

there

I
was

the

the

house

me

for

down

staircase.

the

presentiment that
that

some

crime

some

fortune
mis-

some

going to
gendarme Avas

one

fire,or that

on

Avas

just committed,

and

on.

"

put

watch

my

beside

nine, and
half-past

was

"The

next
old

very

The

morning

I received

at half

"I

ill a

been

Avhat hour

-pastnine

named

I took

Janville

he died ; it

this

hour

also to

seA'eral of

to

tell

fcAV words

from
with

Malesherbes.

in the

ever

my

After

aunt, I asked

She and another woman

my uncle died?
Avatching beside the death-bed, and had been
away,

Avere

Janville,Avhere my uncle had lived.

Avhat hour

passed

friends, that

our

I had

if Avhat

tAventymiles

is about

died

'

the first train to

exchanged

merely

1.

despatch to my mother, saying, He

in the evening.'

might have their testimony

laughed at.
"

telegram tellingme that

long time had just died.

this

I showed

"

table, observing that it

on

Avent to bed.

Avho had

uncle

me

telegram said nothing about

he died Thursday, December

said

he

ought

or

somebody continued.

Avas

be fall me,

to

set

or

there

vestibule,I looked

I then

nothing.

saw

very

little furniture

any

was

some

whom

one

there,

very

nowhere

and

feelingthat

into the

out

went

contained
was

some

was

my

me.

the

"^But

chamber,

the

apprehension ;

heart ; I felt that

nevertheless

room

of

sort

my

the

in

who

glance

I felt

once

was

there

witness-box.

having passed
lamp and went to

my

clutching at

hangings,so

gave

so

At

seemed

in

Avere

1, 1898, after

mother, I took

my

to bed.

to go

room

if I

as

you

Tlinrsday, December

On

COMMUNICATIONS

answered, both

'

at

once,

At

ing
hav-

her

who

at

Avere

present when

half-pastnine

evening.'"

XVIII.

opening on

"In
the

October, 1897, my

dining-roomby

71

mother

door

that

being in a room
was
standingopen,

UNKNOWN

THE

heard

home, and
me

was

the

open

she told
a

front

door,

in the

Loiret, about

breath

The

next

of

twelve

or

Is

into

went

that

the

you,

dining-

in at

came

day

last,

she received

cousin

come

having heard

out,

death

of the

her

her

When

happened.

had

despatch informing

at Chambon

she

there.

one

no

was

what

me

called

nobody answered,

there

; but

room

dining-room, without
she

to feel

she, thinking I had

out, but

was

seemed

in the

As

Georges?'

face.

her

over

pass

long-drawn sigh,and

sort of

who

lived

thirteen miles

from

here.
left at

She

"

died

had

the

from

effects of

fall

heard

few

mother's

this relation of my

when

coincided

manifestation

The

and

Chambon,

for

once

hours

de

Letter

2.

morning,
then

had

I
a

being

at

vision

of

the

hour

Merlet,
Malesherbes, Loiret."

at

half-pastthree

perfectlyawake,

then

distinct

most

paix

4, 1884,

December

'^On

XIX.

dent.
acci-

dying.

was

Juge

cousin

after the

exactly Avith

"Geokges
"

that her

rose

the

and

in

the
I

got up.

apparition

of

my

of

Spahis Third EegiJoseph Bonnet, sublieutenant

in
ment, in garrisonat Batna in the provinceof Constantine
and
did
then
we
engaged in manoeuvres,
Algeria. He was

brother

forehead.

the

he

and

he

exactly where

know

not

said,very

felt

brother

My

was.

shudder

cold

pass

kissed

me

on

through

me,

distinctly, Good-byeAng"le,I
'

troubled,
upset and
Very much
saying to him, 'Joseph is dead.

woke

He

has

dead.'

am

husband,

my

just

told

me

so.'
''As

that

4th,

day, December

was

my

brother's

birthday,

as
thirty-three
years of age, and
had
been
we
talking a good deal about the anniversary the
that it was
tried to persuade me
night before, my husband
all the result of my
imagination,and he scolded me for being

when

so

he

would

have

been

visionary.
All that day, Thursday,

"

o'clock

in the

afternoon

we

was

got
72

very
a

miserable.

despatch.

At

Before

three

it

was

TELEPATHIC

OF

COMMUNICATIONS

opened I knew what it contained.

My
Kenehela, in Algeria,at three o'clock in
Angele

^*

*'

certifythat

this account, written

Captain

half pay

on

Letter

"It

back

fourteen

his

come

home

sick from

Marne). To
here) it was

two

was

his

his

picked

up

His

home.

his

had

fiftyyears of age,
shepherd,employed

man

was

he

about

(Seine-et
I have

drawn

twenty yards

of

pail
unoirhouse

Lenoir,
that

**"
^N-"

^^^V.

he

work, my

his

pail

brother

standing

back, coming

Thinking
to

was

coming
eighty

was

round

turned

returning

father

he

noon.
after-

the

the Sieur

on

him.

towards

who

him

bundle

father

My

was

distinctlywithin

very

yards of

with

went

in

father

rest, my
saw

said

(see the diagram

It

of Lenoir.

of the

Bordeaux."

October.

He

pass within

to

necessary

o'clock

four

and

Chevalier

and

at Nanteau-sur-Lunain

the well

Having stopped with

"

to

his

to

go

the habitation
then

of

age.

Lenoir,
work; he

Sieur

neighbor,

Boutteville, a farmer

M.

wife, is fectly
perEsperon,

9.

28th

of

years

at

Bonnet."

drawing a pailof water from a well about

that morning
Now
parents^house.
my

from

seen

by

in 1845, the

was

from

yards

my

of Honor,

Legion

then

by

died

morning.

Osman
"

was

the

had

EsPEEO]sr, n"e

exact.

XX.

brother

and

Charles,
the

in

PLACE
OCCUPItO

yard,

|"-BT

MY

fATHER.

in

came

saying,

'

happened
hear

few

them

don't
at

after,

moments

what

know

Mother

has

Lenoir's !

screaming

and

crying
BERTRAND

out

it

he is dead.'"

"Alas!

certainlyis

just seen

him

not

old

going to

'Then

Lenoir,' my
his master's.'
73

father

said, 'for I have

UNKNOWN

THE

loss of time

"Without

the

when

moment

that

learned

Lenoirs, and

my

grandmother

the

old

had

man

apparitionappeared

Letter

XXI.

We

"

in which

to that

next

in the

were

11

My
wife

slept,my

quite old but in good health, and

death
nothing would have led us to
she went

when
In

"

the

awakened

that

by

noise

that

out

of

bed, saying

My

wife

repliedthat

the

house, which

noise

pulleyin
creaking

had

admitted

the

attached
been

roused.

found

my

that

I started

mother

that

dead

death

o'clock in the

in

must

morning

sensation

bed, and

have

taken

that

is,about

"

made

me

which

I had

few

hours

after I

me

that

about

place
the

was

Letter

XXII.
named
me,

by

''I had

Sophie.
and helped

reason

of her

could

do

no

years

ago

Resembles

the

case

74

six

an

explicabl
inme.

G"RiN,
at

Lyons."

an

old servant

mother, she had

lived with

She

work

poultry-yard.
'

or

13.

in my family a few
She had nursed
my
to nurse
my infant.

great age

five

had
cation
indi-

every

she summoned

in the Circuit Court

Lawyer

she

when

hour

''F.
"

However,

there

fancy that

that

But

in

tell

that

the

explanation,and

way

to

that the

creaking of

wife's

wife

my

bell in

window.

sudden

ringing.'

not

was

the

earlyfor Lyons.

despatch from

the

to

is

before.

my

was

suddenly
I Jumped

she added

our

me

probability of

her

end

was

mother

be

close under
wakened

her

her bell.

was

must

me

I.

room

evening before

country, and

in the

never

My mother

be, for there

not

was

and

chamber.

wife, 'My

could

had

past five,I

thought

my

importance

no

received

to

was

well

awakened

had

that

half

(Seine-et-Marne)."

suppose

her

night to

about

morning,

father.'

mother

the

was

near

very

country.

we

at the

Beetrand,

at Vilbert

School-master

to the

over

died

to my

"A.
"

went

marked

XV.

but

attend

nursed
ns,

but

to the

THE
Next

"

morning,

in haste.

me

able

I had

I started

the

after I received

who

''Those

were

of

8th

the

on

warning.
v/atchingher told
she

died

May,

the

of which

hemorrhage
nine

expected, a despatchsummoned
and found
at once,
hardly
my mother
She died the next
about
day,
thirty

as

recognizeme.

to

hours

UNKNOWN

had

that

me

occurred
hour

very

theanternal

about

when

half-past

I had

rienced
expe-

strange sensation.

the

"The

L.

Abbe
Vicar

"

Foeestiee,

at Saint Pierre at Moulins."

Letter 23.

of
a

request makes

"Your

XXIV.

thing that happened

its inhabitants.

great impression on
A

statement.
M.

Y.

for

had

years,

cattle

the

take

fellow

young

some

to

been

of the

lungs,brought on

very

his

been

ill for

had

that

about

Here

is the

fifteen,servant

ordered

I should

water.

father

beret, and

feel it my duty to tell you

in this little town
and which
made
me

his

by

tell you

simple
of

M.

master

that

this

to

boy's

days, having inflammation

by attending a recent fair at Cham-

illness

two

had

not

been

mentioned

to

his

son.

thirtyyardsfrom the stable the lad,as he drew

the watering trough, saw
suddenly two arms
near
uplifted
time heard
in the air, then a spectral
form, and at the same
shock was
and cries of anguish. The
so
great that
groans
*'

about

Now

he

that

past six
"The

evening

recognizedhis father.
in the evening.
and seven
next
day at half-pastfour his
he had

before

said
suffering,
"All

believed, as he said when

He

swooned.

this

he had
he

can

beret,all persons

several

wanted

to

times, at

be testified to

of honor

his

see

and

by

It

he
was

father

self,
to him-

came

half-

between

died, and

the

of extreme

moments

son.

people in

hundred

Cham-

veracity.
"C.

"Druggist

Defauee,

at Cliamberet

in the

Corrize."

Letter 35.

XXV.

"The

followingcase

may
76

deserve

to

be

reportedto

Destrub", musical

M.

you.

all

of

worthy

man

of the

director

belief, was

few

114th

days

by a voice calling Narcisse !'

Destrub", who
being his own
name,
the voice of his father, sprang
up

awakened

Eegiment,
suddenly

ago

'

This

"

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

was

he

ognized
rec-

and

swered
an-

sure

in

bed

him.

took

''This
'^A

that

him

hours

few

the

at about

call his

''Destrub", who

(in the Meuse)

the

was

hour

same

him

hearing

later

his father

last word

''If this

at Saint

was

be

I shall be

by his

of any

only

it to you,

and

there

as

he died

to you

in your

father

dear

happy,

that

Narcisse.

inquiries
interesting

friend Destrub"

my

learned

was

have

to

master,

would

municated
com-

be

ready,

it.
*'

137th of the Line

of the

to Vaubecourt

Maixent, went

funeral, and

use

too

to confirm

"Captain

at

one

name.

uttered

if necessary,

twelve

to his father's

can

and

night.
received
Destrub"
a
telegram telling
died the same
dead.
He
night and
had been
when
his son
awakened
by

place between

SORLET,

Fontenay-le-Comte Vend"e."

at

Letter 27.

XXVI.
a

"In

volunteer

June, 1879,

at

cousins

parents lived

His

Bayonne.

of my

one

Charente-Inferieuse, about

part of the

servingas

was

in

the

northern

hundred

two

miles

away.

day his mother,

"One

occupied by
on

her son,

his heel.

was

friend

of

after

asked

to

Their

conversation
and

speak

the

voice, say

to her

She

out

cried

"In

to

her
took

the mother,

heard

away,

at

going

him

saw

She

hours

on

the

the

family

less
motion-

out

the

young

in the

middle

husband,

place

standing

at

door

that

her

in to bathe

son
on

was

the

to

came

house

soldier's
of

few
and

father.

yard,
largecourt-

forty or fiftyyards

speaking

'

gone

usually

greatly impressed by this.

friend, though he was

Don't mention
husband,
once

chamber

distinctlystretched

fact,that very moment,

march, he had

into

in

this to your

low

wife.'

dead.

gettingback
at Biarritz

and

from
was

military

drowned,

THE

tlie

about

had

comrade

that his mother

time

same

sent

what

his

saw

had

Head

of

of the Bureau

she

about

was

hours

asked

"

and

'

to

Midon

was

who

told

who

lived

person

Madame

hours

two

carryingher
had

heard

to

perform

had

who

she

clothes

madame

her

in

callingher

in

and

come

charge

of

d'Arbois

A.

and

streams

forests

Chevalier
Letter

''In

XXVIII.

was

see

from

watching
dreaming,

person

and

arms,

to

five miles

woman

to

servant,

Midon

come

saying

that

see

her

in
she

die, and

for her the last offices.

"

"Formerly

amazed

Avas

aunt's

my

The

was.

thought the dying

after

black

been

villageabout

dear, but

my
burial."

to my

once

de Thiriet

the death-bed

beside

story. 'No,

to attend

Eulmont,

at

where

this

me

for Midon

just sent

Nancy,
but

(April21, 1807),appeared, four or five

her death, to be thinking deeply, but entirely
her.
Do
feel worse
?'
things around
you

the person

I have

Thiriet,feelingthat

de

die

to

before

insensible

29.

My great-aunt,Madame

"

Clermaux,

Registrationat Juvigny (Orne)."

Letter

XXVII.

ing
family,ask-

happened.
"

"

apparition. A

to the friend of the

telegram

to tell them

him

UNKNOWN

1875

my

Juranville.

de
near

Nancy.

of the

Legion

of Honor."

30.

mother's

first

cousin, M.

Claudius

P"richon, then chief bookkeeper at the metalurgic factoryat

of Saint Julien-en-Jarret
in the commune
Horme,
(in the

Loire),having

the

mother

show-window.

of her

news

her

into
gone
distinctlyin the

cousin

the truth
it often
of

some

death.
in her

of this
to his

Could

mother

my

last moments

story cannot

children, who

education,reserved,

worthy of

tobacco

?
be

department,
Next
have

I cannot

been

my

he

day
thinkingof
had

tell. At all events,

cousin

questioned. My

related it to

saw

lie is

me.

serious, full of

good

sense,

told
man

and

credit.

"Berger,
"School-master
Letter 39.
78

at Roanne."

OF

TELEPATHIC

XXIX.

was

In

dangerouslyill.
to

and

shied

oi"

was

appeared

fast

as

His

first
he

his last at the moment

"

My mother,
few

he

Altkirch, where
took

in the

Orquevaux,

at

the

then

for

Rothea,

dear

I had

previousWednesday
that

had

she

no

your

expeditionshe had made

country place at Wasselonne.
I
this Saturday,April 8th.
and

flung myself into

saw

my

with

I felt

mother

dead.

My
my

such

despair.

have

been

I had

my

She

knows

the

steps of my

not

what

husband

bringing me a despatch.
through the night.' She
'

saw

what

I had

out

coming
Mother

is

my

79

white

on

about

muslin

because

of my

the

like

Five minutes
behind

'

anguish

made

me

person

later I heard
me.

hopeless.

in

me

see

and

house

teas

she did not

and

seen

cap

she

; and

wear

dead,' I cried.

her.'

but

noon,

nerves,

up

out

go

surprised to

was

be

to

up to my room
I burst into tears.

anxious

doing.
*

The

I went

her

seen

and

up

he is

living

her

letter from

quietlyat

becoming

I went

toilette.

who

dined

it must

said

and

Rothea.''

intended

I had

never

her

I told

ceeded
suc-

department.

own

where
easy-chair,
her ied, wearing a

footsteps,came

I felt.

complete

as

old servant,

hear

that

an

lyingon

ruffles,such

excruciatingpains.

o'clock

saying
with her heart,and speaking of
on
Saturday, April 1st, to our

an

two

notary at

Saturday,April8, 1893.

received

trouble

more

breathed

40.

died

mother

his

was

quitted Alsace

LatterlyI

Haute-Marne,
Letter

"My

was

apparition.
married,
girl,
young

"E.

XXX.

on

thirtyyears.

in 1870

in France.

residence

my

up

put

had

father

seen

employed
war

Huningue,

that his father

his

he had

the

that his

his way his father

of his horse, which

father, Antoine

was

after

him, and

that

Saltzmann,

after,my

years

was

Kixheim, three-quarters

reached

when

Madeleine

head

and

word

the saddle

thought was

later,he discovered

hour

an

from

possible. On

as

him, standing at the

reared.

Huningue^

received

he had

moment

dead, and, indeed, when

of

lived at

long after its siegehe

livingabout ten miles

Not

horse, and

father

mother's

"My

its mayor.
father,who

COMMUNICATIONS

Will

He

was

not

live

I kneAv

it.

THE

home, and

'^I went
It

half

was

on

Paris

start

time, when

died

had

She

time.

readyto

three

and

had

she

that

made

we

-pasttwo,

death-bed,

her

UNKNOWN

hours

saw

later

the next train.

by

mother

my

learned

we

lying
graph
tele-

by

bourg
suddenly at half-pastthree, Strasfelt

not

ill,but had lain down

hours

two

death, complainingof being very sleepy,and she had

idea of dying, for she got my father to read her a letter,

before her
no

at the

standing

of her

foot

children, but I think

her

she

eleven

cap, and

the muslin

to

have

to

her

see

thinking of

in

me

Strasbourg,Monday,
been
buried, but those
I had

that,just as

me

ask

not

at

had

laid with

was

did
been

I arrived

mother

o'clock,my

dressed her wrote

who

She

must

"When

last moments.

about

bed.

she

seen,

wore

it in her coffin.
*'A. Hess.

Letter

"Alby."
"A

XXXI.

Sister

aroused
once,

and

for

the

young

him

move,

sleep.

to

the

raps

to the

the
rising,

man

on

her

saw

In the

The

thought
of
near

nun

it

then

understood

probable that

the

each
they knew
her help might have
publish this,I beg

her, for
him

the

not

Avas

went

his

to

and

of the

night
was
hospital,

the

She

at

got up

persistent,
inquired. No
morning, at the usual
more

She

to that

next

room

of

he did not hear

because
student, being uneasy
into his chamber, and found him lying dead,
went

''If you
of the
name

town

and
'finde si"cle,'

where

the

rapping at

poor

man

other

well.

saved

him.

you

it took

they mock

He

his throat.

claspedtightlyround
hemorrhage.
"

one.

had

who

hours

and

no

hospital,

lay down,

door.

more

his hands
a

He

in

nurse

anything.

heard

usual.

becoming

door, but

evening he

In the small

Charity,who was
by a sharp knocking

else had

hour

sick than

at

throat, which

One

of

she rushed
one

in his

consequence.

it is supposed went
a

student, doctor

trouble

some

feelingmore

not

room,

by

of much

thought

medical

young

attacked

was

43.

at

to

80

If

my

place,for our
everything.

Letter 43.

her

dying

change

had

of

She

door.

had
she

died

thought
had

been

and

name

the

people are
"A.

C."

all

OF

TELEPATHIC
"In

XXXII.

grandmother
eighty. I was

1887

She

parents.

COMMUNICATIONS

my
then

was

with one
daily in company
than myself,to the communiai
Paris.
My grandmother was
lier death

suspect that
often

to

came

One

"

told

before.

It

H"tel

house, and

My father, when

had

befallen

he

morning
placebetween

taken

house

our

and
*'Now

day

after

and

saw

by

before.

She

by
I

o'clock
hear

this ?

I cannot

him
came

be

fact

Was

tell.

that

he

and

that

longer

woke

in

this

But

what

is certain

'

the

died

my

To-morrow
Now

in what

he

is

that, on

in the most

possiblyhave

night
years

some

world.'

truthful

school-master

had

legalway.
day or the

in

up

holding

and

not

the next

chamber,

exact

could

to it in any

us

him

that

already,for my
grandmother had

had

he

our

misfortune

sister who

said to

the school-

of my friend,nor
tween
beis the fact.
It is indisputabl

Such

He

to the

went

communication

bear witness

his young
into his

no

he

not

it

my

No

the school.

the hand, who

this vision, he told

a

he knew

hour

an

I should

day

of the

that

school-fellow.

shall

utes'
min-

ten

about

o'clock

given to
explanation,

my

beside

him

house

our

died

that

master

six o'clock.

at

ready to

am

for the

friend

my

employed, passed by

was

told

and
I

that

repliedthat

came,

that

died

he

He

us.

friend, Avhen

us

o'clock, my

seven

had

at nine

in to tell the

went

about

grandmother

my

Ville,where

de

that

made

lived within

we

up,

naturallydecided

was

to school.

go

that

add

older

Boulard, at

nothing

I may

near.

I went

years

in the Eue

poorly,but

I woke

when

that

me

school

my

other.

morning

mother

twelve, and

friends, two

my

house, and

our

of each

walk

was

of

to live with

came

mother
grandat

six

did

he

reported?

the

faith

of

preciseway

presaged

or

known

for certain.
"M.
"Sixth

Section

of the

Min",

MilitaryAdministration, Cli"lons-sur-Marne."
Letter 44.

XXXIII.

been

'"On

January 33, 1893, 1 was summoned

by
to my
aunt, who was
eighty-twoyears old, and
ill for some
days.
81

spatch
dehad

THE

*'When
could

I arrived

I found

hardly speak.

leave her until

all

call in

was

no

I heard

who

had

sick-nurse

the

o'clock

ten

I heard

her, when

near

meaning to
at night I
her

Lucie!'

that

had lost ness,

consciousmy aunt
death-rattle.
Ten
minutes
after she

the

another

was

not

to have

ought

niece
to

come

done, and

of my
her

see

she

aunt, and
often

as

had

as

her
she

god-daughter,
thought she

of this

complained

her

to

several times.

The

day

next

been

have

not

she

more.

"Lucie

"

bed,

voice, 'Liicie! Lucie!

surprisinglyloud
quickly, and found

and
was

armchair

an

dying, and

aunt

her

by
About

over.

got up

dear

my

I sat down

awake, sittingin

was

UNKNOWN

death

said

Lucie

cousin

to my

You

'

must

surprisedat receivinga despatch tellingyou

of

aunt.'

our

'No,' she said,'I

of

expecting

was

it.

Just

in a deep
imagine ; last night about ten, when I was
sleep, I suddenly woke up, hearing my aunt call, ''Lucie!
Lucie!
I did not go to sleepagain all night.'
Lucie!''
I assure
This is a fact.
you it is quite exact, and I beg
for the town
you, if you publish it,only to put my initials,
in which
I live has a population made
are
up of people who
frivolous,ignorant,or else bigotedhypocrites.
"

Letter

"I

XXXIV.
His

an

captainwas

that

chanced

had

their

who

uncle
very

47.

fond

intimacy

served

once

of

him

at

L. B."

with

the

Several

morning lying awake in bed, my uncle

impressionthat he saw his captainenter, come

then

turn

everybody
Some
days
very

day.

of the

bed, look
and

at him

for

disappear. My

in

the

after he
he

Did

vision ?

house,
heard

but

uncle
no

I cannot

had

one

of the death

verifythe honr

got up
of his

Druggist to

tinct
dis-

to the

speaking,
questioned

anything.
captain,on that

of his death

seen

and

the

hour

tell.

''Eugene
"

and

up

without

moment

years

had

after, one

foot of the

aves.
Zou-

time, but it

one

last ceased.

at

''P.

the First
"La
Letter
83

Class

of the

Fert"-Milon.
49.

Eoyer,

High School
(Aisne,)"

in Paris.

THE

for their

tions and

The

came.

who

has

assure

it. We
that

you

since

never

will

scene

wish

said, if you
and

Jura, the department from

piano

this

saw

UNKNOWN

played

certifyto

the

live in the

country, near

no

considers

one

trnth

"Artist,
Letter

the

"I

arsenal

of

Tarbes, where

Early in the night

light which flashed
the

foot

of what

I have

Neuch"tel,

nervous.

us

Paris,
Switzerland."

Neuch"lel,

Avas

20th

of

last year'sservice at

my

working
May I was

as

blacksmith.

awakened

by

I looked
at
my eyes.
up, and saw
bed, on my left hand, a shining disk, whose
that
of a night lamp.
bright, resembled

of my

light, not

of the

Those

54.

in 1885,
finishing,

was

'

near

they

itself.

of

"Edoukd

XXXVII.

whence

very

before

hearing any noise, there

seeing any figure,without
the persuasionthat I had before me
into my mind
one

Without
came

of

cousins

my

After

few

who

lived

Langon, and who

the vision disappeared,and

seconds

at

bed.
my
of myself, 'it was

received

one

o'clock

that

see

together,and

we

told my

written

and

can,

once

loved

uncle

and

one

Lepaye

told

leave

bear

be

had

another

like brothers.
I arrived

when
"

witness

been

what

to the

truth

Observe

the

accustomed

am

blame

you

Descamps.

ia the Gironde."

"A

XXXVIII.

here

of what

'arranging the details,'as

correspondents for doing.

Letter

'

I have

up

god-mother. They were

still living,
man
; they are

"Eloi
Bommes

days

brought

without

of your

"At

self
my-

three

away

more.

my
of the dead

mother

to

We

his wife

if necessary,

tellingyou,
some

him

; I also

the father

I asked

night.

at

might

"I

I found

I said,as I caught
simpleton,'
nothing but a nightmare.' Next day,
went
to the shop, and there, at half -past eight,I
despatch tellingme of my cousin's death about

usual, I

as

ill.

very

'You

sittingon
hold

was

days before July 24, 1895,

few

impression
to beat

56.

made

out

upon

red-hot
84

the
iron

optic nerve,
on

an

anvil.

I had

natural

in

just
smith
black-

TELEPATHIC

OF

COMMUNICATIONS

bed ; my
band
husmyself and was standing near
my
I saw, being
in his dressing-roomat the moment.
was
more
quite aAvake, the aged face of my grandmother much

undressed

"

than

wrinkled
no

usual, and

longer than
said nothing

morning
had

She

died

mother

my

stroke

to whom
sent

they

after.

days

was

"

had

consciousness.
the

whether

note

not

next

grandmother

my

left her without

I did

the

told ; but

are

that

word

me

sorelytroubled.
such things always

moment

which
paralysis

of
few

the

It lasted

of death.

head

but
lightning,

it at

about

to those

absurd

seem

flash of

pale as

time

correspondedexactly with that of my vision.

**I am
fervent
Catholic, thirty-five
a
years old, wife of a
lawyer ; all that treats of thingsbeyond this life interests me
greatly. But I beg you not to publishmy name, for in the
who care
in which
I live there are light-mindedpersons
town
L. M."
for nothing but frivolities.
of her stroke

Letter 63.

XXXIX.
had
All

called her

spoke

children

of

Mamma

her
was

round

the

regret

later she received

in

nun

that

charged to

of her

moment

is still

who

1 lost my grandmother.
She
her to bid them
a last adieu.

January,1888,

present at

were

aunts

my

In

"

she

Brazil.

could

her

send

letter from

death

this

see

which

that

heard

steps

nothing ;

denly
sud-

she

her.
She
laid upon
Her first thought was

and

and

that

she

began at once
the date, the day, and
time

her mother

alone

was

died

in

for his soul.

to pray

hour,

that

room

and

it

she received

was

this

''M.
"School-mistress

it were,

at Saint

She

had

of her relations must

one

the

her

months

told her

evening just as she had gone to rest

She
turned, but saw
going round her bed.
the curtains
opened, and she felt,as
one

daughter.

Two

news.

aunt

of

one

My grandmother

not

the sad
my

except

be

wrote

hand

light.
dead,
down

preciselyat
impression.

the

Odeoist,

Genix-sur, Guiers, Savoy."

Letter 68.

XL.

"

My

Fantrac, who

father at
came

one

from

time

employed a person named

Saint Lo.
He
Agneaux near
85

De
was

THE

excellent

an

tricks

played

fellow, kindly and

and
liked
jovial,
the village.Many now
remember
which
have liked
they would

the lads of

on

them

on

UNKNOWN

for

play
jokes
hang

to

to

him.
fond

In

spiteof this,every one was

We
all loved
pleasanthumor.
"

had

served

seven

malarial

brought home
it.

He

house

for

the

to
under

attached

to take

"Every Sunday
him

and

to

Monday,

the

day

after

sick

the head-board
What's

*''

'

Did

not

the

wishing

from

looked

his

to

some

at the

the

the

"I

was

'

have

he

he

his admission

him, to

see

One

eat.

he had
and

found

mother

struck

blow

on

when

is dead.
it

died
my

of

man

at two

father

had

been

lit the

up,

*I have

He

the

ment.
presenti-

had

been

me

he

out

for

always told

to

see,

of Fantrac.

name

o'clock

roused

lamp, and

day my father set

hospitalhe asked

was

the

reached

he had

told

my

Tiens!' he said.

early,the

so

him

time

violent

noise,got

same

clock.

When

though it
They told

our

died.

to

father

frightened,
although he

seem

poor Fantrac
me.'
As soon
as

Granville.

to

ther,
fa-

mother, greatly terrified.

knocking on the bed ?' My father,

one

sleepby

warn

went

of

remained

he

when
visits,

by

cried

matter?'

I think
would

he

then

better, my

worse,

had

of their bed.

hear

you

of these

one

awakened

suddenly

There

father

in

obtained

something nice

him

carry

apparentlymuch

man

both

were

Granville.

regularlymy

comfort

the

father

my

of him

growing

three months, and

care

fellow, who

poor

care

Fantrac

bed, and

of his

subject to a renewal
consumptive. My

was

De

because

brigade in Senegal

him, took

to

hospitalat

him,

The

became

But

to his

the doctor's

naval

he

months.

some

forced

was

much

was

him.

fever, and

anaemic, and

was

who

in the

years

of

that
so

actly
morning, exened.
suddenly awak-

this

I never
times.
found
story many
any
hearers but sceptics,or men
the
to
consider
tim
vicme
disposed
of superstition. I even
time said to my parents,
at one
It was
only a coincidence, a nightmare something of the
'

"

kind.'

But

dreaming, nor

my

father

your

always answered,

mother

either.'
86

'No,

was

not

TELEPATHIC

OF

this

disputed. Oh, if you only could by

these wondrous
little light upon
lems!
prob-

fact is not to be

The

"

COMMUNICATIONS

inquiry throw

P.
Postmaster

"

Letter

''My father, when

XLI.

liimself alone
a

in

house

terrible racket

in

with

the

ground floor,called

out

the

or

if he

such

had

noise.

father

My

Father
of

the

soon

very

if he

haste

in his

was

why
to

what

at the front

door, which

very

bed.

time

the

carefully and again

same
thing occurred.

closed

the

and

tied

it with

the

third

stout

to

bed.

papa

and

wide

was

back

went
Then
The

rope.

to

they
rest

of

night passed undisturbed.

time

"Some
brother
The

door

had

back

went

grandpapa once more

They shut it
open.

met

made

happened.
anything out

to make

it,and

was
room

he had

thing happened again,and

same

door

down-stairs,

go

at

being able

front

was

his father, who

yard, and

door, bolted

the

there

sleptau premier,

astonishment

not

son

the front

it,shut

But

and

time

to know

old, found

midnight

; then

same

made

vehemently expressinghis

(Meurthe)."

years

father, who

into the

down

gone

after

rooms

My

at

on

start, and

twenty

soon

of the

one

at Granville

71.

was

where

noise.

opened with great

woke

he

BOUCHAKD,

of

date

after

letter arrived

had

grandfather,who

my

only this

with

coincided

of his death

had

brother

tellingof

died

the

settled

in

death

o'clock

one

America.

that of the events

about

of

tioned,
men-

in the

afternoon.
"

Afterwards

we

his relatives in

see

once

him

thought him dead

I have just made
:

more

he

'

brother

my

that he had

heard

had

Alsace, and

strong desire

when

to

those beside

suddenly opened
a

long journey.

at Brumath.'

And

then

he

his eyes, exclaiming

I have been to see

died.

''Cakoline

Baeschly."

Letter 73.

XLII.

''

PersonallyI

record for you;

were

speaking

but
at my

the

have

telepathicphenomenon to
day before yesterdayseveral persons

house

no

of
87

your

learned

researches.

THE

person

whose

person

attendingon

before

she

At

this,who

me

the
was

of that

his mother

hundred

that

her

strong smell
had

perfume

mother

ninetymiles

near

''On

XLIII.

testified to

short

by

rather

the

towards

mine.

jumped
nurse),is

bed, sure
Great

was

never

been
Two

At

the

that

very
be

can

household, for they

; he

left

the 19th

on

three

of my

in the

children

and

called

out, 'Anna

was

no

up in the
at breakfast

house

our

I woke

then

is
up,

coming

children's

of the

it did not

open.
of the

(thename

back

I went

answer.

got

into

cautious, going

and

locked

was

There

had

the latch

for

bolts of all

morning

chamber, and

time

same

frightwhen

to

night for

some

I learned

that she had

reason.

of bed.

out

later I heard
who

had

of the

hired

19th, at eleven o'clock

"This

Marquise

at Rouen."

relate

to

steps,distinct but

de

is the

at

in

Jeanne

our

Banaud

relative of

near

She died

house.

d'Eberle."

88.

I heard

five years
88

of

night.

story that

about

death

rooms

Letter

la

Bar

1898, I had

my

time

o'clock

"

XLIV.

of the

The
boy seven
3^ars old.
and
am
easilyfrightened,

the

?'

you
that Anna

days

by

of the children's

of bed

my

Makais,

about

am

the eldest

heard

At

out

at the

three

We

door

certain persons
on

den
sud-

80.

and

lifted,but the door

was

"

was

safe.

were

facts

away

I took

He

towards

door

The

head

December,

of

friends

was

lonely.
boy too.

my

told

deep impression.

journey.

the doors

and

19th

all my

many
husband

chamber.

my

the

experience.

My

felt

away,

Octave

Formerly
Letter

on

who

man

distinctlyperceived
de Cologne,although no bottle
This lady knew that her
her.

eau

"

"

Cologne

dead, and

was

"

made

had, just

de

eau

that

us

ill.
seriously

was

curious

of

sister of the

mother

been

truth, told

deal

good

and

of

for

in her last moments,

moment

same
a

conviction
a

taken

be

may

died, sprinkled

her.

over

word

UNKNOWN

ago,

told

when

to

Madame
was

tutor

her

to

The

son.

very

that

so

gay,

Marquise

Paris.

in

friends

her

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

day with

dining one

was

The

and

guests were
many,
emotion
was
great when

their

of

one

all

were

suddenly a

in her

them
uttered
and
fell back
a loud
scream
girlamong
to her rechair, sobbing bitterly.Everybody rushed
lief.
there!' she cried, pointing to a glass door
'There!

which

led into the

young

to

me

this terrible

uncomfortable

very

Some
told

and

the

had

In vain

there

after

they

died

suddenly.

her

"E.

the

among

the front

ring at

Mademoiselle

great misfortune

"Professor

appeared

tried to calm

spread

home

that

has

her mind.

was

take

to

come

servants

mother

Her

her.

had

one

mother

'My

suspicionfrom
feelingsoon

guests. Twenty minutes

door.

!'

is dead

My mother

to chase

and
"

dinning-room.

had

X.,

befallen

Lemoission",
Collegeof

at the

Vire."

Letter 94.

XLV.

relations

of my

One

"

having gone

into the

country

business, the first night that she sleptin her chamber

on

found

her

It

eleven

was

After

She

few

left

reaching

moments

had

there

the

to

is

person

that

officer of the

an

at

told

happened

eleven

ho

had
for
this

me

of the
at the

9 Rue

in the

saw

o'clock.

said to
me
saw

dog

same

house

Letter 98.
89

learned

on

of

committed

This

gentleman

to be

taken

care

himself,apparently:

to do but to end

my

life.'

direct relation between

in the

hour

de la Pax, Strasbourg."

of his sage.
pasthat some

had

on

lady'sroom
the

same
"

"

agency.

conscious

army,

malady,

to her

come

nothing more

strange appearance

death

in

let him

who

leaving any trace

morning, feelingsure
her home, and
she

incurable

an

she refused

of, and when

"The

X.,

of

candle, and

big dog, with his eyes fixed on

he disappeared,
jumping through

next

night before
her

asked

'Then

M.

unknown

some

without

panes

victim

the

suicide

very

befallen

it that

the

being

upliftedby

night ; she lit a

earlythe

had

misfortune

at

room

of the window

one

and

o'clock

of her

middle

her.

shaken

bed

she

and

the

evening.

ClEUCTATJ.

UNKNOWN

THE

XLVI.

My father, who

"

d'Onrville

Bail

Port

near

had

He

to his other children

1805, at Saint

La

boarder

the

Sauveur-le-Vicomte,

one-fourth

left him

father, who

in

(Manthe), was

Saint

religious seminary of
his birthplace.
from

born

was

been

the

more

of his

favorite

in

six

miles
of his

son

property than he

for the younger

fortunately,
have squandered his inheritance.
would
soon
son
that this father, dying
It is not, therefore,extraordinary
suddenly (as we all do in our family),thought of this son, a
gave

very

"

"

he

good lad, whom

and

tenderly loved,

who

not

was

present

sigh.
must
this thought of the dying man
have traversed
"Now
his son, for that son,
from
the six miles that separatedhim
his father,who called to
saw
during the night at two o'clock
for he was
him
to him
to come
dying. He rushed to awaken
the superior,and
implored him to grant him leave to go
his last

to receive

"

"

home.

superiorrefused, tellingthe

The

"

forests

were

to

that

night,but

in the

travel

through,

pass

that

and

he

lad of fifteen that

might

it

as

go

safe

not

was
soon

there

it

as

to
was

morning.
"

! it was

Alas

too

his father

until

fellow did not

at the
died, precisely

had

himself

heard

he had

when

late ; the poor

hour

On

"

my
noise

if

as

above

room

that ?'

'

from

taken

"While

something heavy had

me.
My wife started

loaf

of

the

oven.

was

speakingthere

was

room

third, still louder.

and

mounting

the wooden

everything in

night

the
90

20th

or

fallen
up

were

of

heard
distinctly
the

on

floor of

and

said

that

has

fallen,'I

stored

another

got

May, a little
sleep. My Avife,

to

I very

stairs which

order

Dessoulle."

gone

bread
us

then

above

in the

and

found

be

It must

for

yet

not

asleep,when

sound

side, was

the 19th

night of

o'clock, I had

before eleven

by

the

of the

home

called.

"Angeline

XLVII.

reach

up

What

all the

the
was
swered,
an-

loaves

noise like the first,

at

once,

led up

loaves

'

were

lit

to the

light,

garret I

all in

their

THE

I send you this narrative because

"

by

me

they

the very

pleasure

hallucination

seems

here to

one

West

assure

separately;
happened, their

it

aunt,

that

the

of

France,

same

such

As

public.

Champ-le-Duc

both

brother

purpose,

one

at the

moment.

same

and

108.

It did
with

1823

or

good,

It is true

facts

it,though I
the

by their

is increased
send

to

me

tions
telepathicmanifesta-

on

one

you

did

nor
happen recently,

not

Strasbourg.

it

whom

The

its

sense,

common

of my

son

guarantee

can

to

person

the eldest

his studies at
was

of

truthfulness, the

of the

intelligenceof
1822

value

article

an

this emboldens

to do

because

in

say

'the

strange.

Lardet.

(Vosges)."

"You

that

that

and

the

"

clear

About

happened.

grandparents was
last news
they had

that

absent

her, and

son,
at

she

the

fancied

she

she

moment

same

the

saw

pursuing
from

him

not

portrait
move

canvas

heard

very

her

son's

her

arms

'

'
!
! Mamma
Mamma
:
say distinctly
she stretched
The vision was
so distinct that

voice

with

thing
any-

authenticity,

with Strasbourg Avas

long journey, communication
frequent, nor, for that matter, was news.
"One
day, when my grandmother was looking at

"

is very

I have

towards

ber,'
num-

his account.
them
on
nothing made
uneasy
at this period,when
twenty-fivemiles seemed

and

in oil of her

What

perfecthonesty.
deceivingyou?

in

and

in the

own

Letter

XLIX.

story

believing it

to

"Marie
"

excellent

an

invented

to

of my

you

I have

the

incredible

had

in the

East, the other

objectcould

it

have

sister should

I wish

hoaxing

related

was

aunts

their
have

to possess

me

authenticity.It

could

of

to

seems

of my
by one
people to whom

of whom

neither

the

and

its

it

respectablepriest,and

woman,

for

mother

my

it from

had

uncle,

an

for

possibleguarantees

all
to

UNKNOWN

!
agonized cry of Edouard
vain my
grandfather assured
'

an

In

quite well, and

had

notice.

had

been

He

that
said

if he
she

out

'

had

had

been

had

dreaming, though awake,

92

an

etc.

her

sick

that

Edouard

they would

was

have

hallucination, that she

But

my

grandmother

TELEPATHIC

OF

still remained

"The

illness

myself to

own

I send

bow.

he had

my

be

be certified that this is not

that he died
his

looking at

called

but

Strasbourg to

off in those

only know
'

Mamma

incredulous

an

name,

him

carried

was

twice

from

man.

his mother

died

he

as

have

for

only

few

at the

and
portrait.,

! Mamma
but

person,

!'

this I

to

yourself,that

may

you

fable.

fortune.
mis-

impending

an

arrived

of the young

remember.

when

hour

impressionof

messenger

could

I do not

hours?

"

day

the death

"What

that

the

under

next

announce

very

COMMUNICATIONS

S. S.

Vosges Annex"es,"

"

Letter 121,

L.

absolutelyauthentic thing of the kind for which

occurred
in my own
family. I do not know in what

An

"

ask

you

here

but

year,

told them

to

me

of

as

mother

my

Envaux,

was

little

girlshe

young

place near

at

loft at the

some

bottom

back

ran

to

of

the

house

in June
in June

was
"

Such

Leopold

is the
A

his sisters.

"

had

brother

They

"In

Algiers,where
night he was

hay
my

and

could

confirm

what

brother

thought

bling,
trem-

Leopold

no

my

he

had

I have

suddenly

summoned

awakened
93

news

It

mother.
grandone

of

told you.
Oetice.

128.

brother-in-law,J.
been

of

more

the vision.

"Ferand
(Charente Inf"rieure)."

1880

for his cattle.

told it, and my

mother
my
of the latter is livingstill,and

Letter

A.

had

into

Avent

story as

Tonnay- Charente

LI.

she had

year, they received

had
died in Havana.

same

Drouillard

his brother

that

Envaux,

just seen

of the

seaport

after,pale and

They laughed at him,

it,when, in December
that

get

lived at the

sailor.

moment

! I have

'

loft.'

to

court

crying, Mamma
in the

grandmother

Saintes,and

brother, Leopold Drouillard, who was

"Another
also lived
brother, who
He

and

the latter

"When
town

the facts

are

B.
on

without

Tuillot, was
business.
any

in
One

apparent

THE

and, having opened his eyes, he

cause,

the

lightof

night lamp

at the foot of his bed

standing

apparation lasted

The

Oreil, in the

and

at
looking sadl}^

few

moments.

At

Oise,

him.
.

it

once

was

"

"

He

dead.

wrote

he had

Avhen

B.

died

in my

visible emotion.

Seated

at

he

in

his

him, and
He

have

'I

seen

left my

nobody

Contamine,

much

inquiries

and

accident, had

he

appeared
seen

up

down

or

'

'

Did

the

to

you

"Where

sir.'
I

saw

called

room.

you,

minute.'

his

sense
'Non-

perfectly

am

stairs.'

M.

friend, having accidentally

and, wishing to escape

the

friend had

and

once,

of my

Avent

to

stupefaction,he

assure

in

intimate

round

out

that

learned

to

turned

justgone
one,

before.

evening costume,

staircase.

this very

either

of his

the

us

impressed and greatly puzzled, began to

He
made
at
once
impending misfortune.

some

man,

distinctlysaw

on

no

room

certain that

apprehend

has

who
.

to be

at

relate to

not

one

in

was

out

ran

happened

X.

! he

He

room.

the servant, who

is he?'

same

house

in his chamber

boots, he

Contamine
very carefully. M.
with
hands
him, when, to his

M.

friend's

could

day

one

his

his chamber.

enter

one

killed

to meet

which

looking-glass,putting on
behind
the glassa door
open

shake

at the

and

his

dressed

night

same

that

vision.

authenticity,and

the

friends

learned

soon

who
tailed
redruggist at Commentry
(Allier),
he guarthe followingfacts, of which
anteed
presence

Contamine,

without

the

on

the

seen

and

home,

occasion, in 1896,

had

"I

his

to

had

friend Morillon

meet

of his friends

one

in

good

no

of

town

the

that this intimate

friend
in perfectly
him
npon
of their recent
time
at the
health
separation was

borne

hour

only

distinctly,
by

saw

lit his room,

which

lived in the

Morillon, who

named

M.

UNKNOWN

committed
M.

suicide

Contamine

and

in his reflection

into
judicial inquiries
at

in

in the

the
the

exact
same

hour

when

clothes his

glass.
''BOULNOIS,

"

Letter

LIII.
I

"

On

October

lay fast asleep,and

23, 1870,
I

was

not
94

Schoolmaster

at St.

Mayence."

134.

at five o'clock in the

morning,
dreaming, when, suddenly,I

felt

left cheek

my

on

cried

'

at once,

"That

mother

It made

given

tenderly.

very

!'

Mamma

got

we

that

us
despatchtelling

my

dead.

was

so

kiss

soft

evening

same

beloved
"

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

deep

impressionupon

an

that

me

can

never

forget it.
you,

in

slighta

so

the
*'

great value.
P. S.
My mother

died

Rochefort,

at

Gien, and

A.

Fifty years

"

to

Eochefort.

at

was

Marie

Dueand.

(Charente Inf"rieure.)"

sur-mer.

Letter

LIV.

use

have

Mademoiselle

"

be of any

can

contributed, though only

researches, of which I appreciate

to your

way,

"

"

this fact

perfect veracityof
shall be most
happy to

If the

"

ago,

140.

aunt, who

my

was

Sister of

in the common
Charity, and then twenty years of age, was
dormitory (where I saw her again this year),and was startled
yard.
by a great noise like hogsheads being rolled into the courtShe
nothing.
quickly, but saw
opened the window

closed

Having

the

noise

continued

great

astonishment

week

after

so

she

window,
loud

that

of her

this she

prepared for bed,

she

again opened

room-mates,

heard

of

her

heard

who

death.

mother's

but

the

it, to the

nothing.
It

was

she expired,callingon her

eight o'clock in the evening when
that the
her.
It is curious
two
to
daughters to come
other daughter, who
also in the convent, heard nothing.
was
B. ''This
awakened
aunt
same
was
long after by what

seemed

the

strokes

of

small

hammer

on

table

near

her

deprived her of speech, but the eight

awakened
sisters who
also sleptin the dormitory were
by the
fied
rapping. They got up, and three times during the night satisaunt's
that
themselves
the noise proceeded from
my
table.
sisters who
old companions of my aunt
Three
were
assured me
they had witnessed this phenomenon.
bed.

"

Fear

There

at

was

first

no

coincidence

of any

death.
"0.

"

Marmande."

Courtes.
i

Letter 141.
95

LVI.

A.

"My
his

walking in
he

over

saw

''

Joseph

Joseph,

was

looked

struck

been

three

miles

B.

o'clock in the

ten

his

hedge

brother, was

morning

brother-in-law

into the house

at once

Avhen

back
horse-

on

of

with

the

sudden

had

death

that

apoplexy

and

away,

to tell his wife that her

coming, and to be ready to meet

for him, but in the evening came

bringing news
had

about

father's

my

the road.

up

went

he

nncle

hawthorn

sister's husband
In vain

UNKNOWN

garden

coming

THE

of

this

fallen from

an

press
ex-

who

man,

about

morning

him.

twenty-

his horse.

About

and collector
fortyyears ago, when I was thirty,
in Morbihan, as I was
of contributions
taking coffee with
two friends,one
day, after dinner, about seven
o'clock,we all
three heard
if five-franc pieces were
a noise
as
jinglingin a
drawer.
I ran
to my
office,which was
separated by a slight
"

the

partitionfrom
find

"That

we

but
sitting,

were

evening one

brothers

of my

died

in Paris.

"Du
"

his

"

his young

city,with
grandparents

native

walk

their

from

"It

morning.
himself

My

28th

called

loudly,' Andr"

Then

he

open,

where

her,
'but why

'Did

her

he

to

how

do

Lyons,
girl. My paternal

little

half

hour's

an

the

found

!' He

turned, but

saw

room,

the

once,

XVI.,

he

Then

called
had

no

one.

of which

was

my

father

loudly, and

affected

XXII., XXV.,
96

door

twice

sittingquietly. He said
'No,' replied my
mother,

startled?'

himself

than

cases

name

me?'

so

heard

his

mother

my
call

you

in

next

eight o'clock in the

toilet (he was
shaving

at

his

was

look
you
had
heard

Calls beard

August,

! Andr"

into

call,repeated more
1

of

he

and

Lyons, about

making
window), when

father

before

went

wife

also lived at

lived at

composer,

son.

the

was

(Ile-et-Vilaine)."

143.

musical

My father,a

QUILLIOU,

of Lanbelin

Mayor

Letter

LVIII.

I could

for the noise.

cause

no

where

room

how

him.

XXVIL,

XXXIII.

told

this

OF

TELEPATHIC

He

*'

finished his
tell him

to

came

had

there

He

did

not

died

'^He

had

son

as

think

he

was

in any

8 a.m.,

had

sending
public.
"R

had

those

about
had

beg

father

my

suspicionthat
evening before he

my

had

perfectlywell.
my father's emotion, but who

just told

it is she

when

no

The

was

the call,has

but

you,

deathbed.

therefore

danger, and

had

witnessed

who

time, and

hundredth

that

urgently.

ill health.

thought he

heard

not

so

father

my
in

My mother,

'^

his

to

the moment

exactlyat

called

that

him, and

one

suddenly

so

dying, but

was

some

son.

grandfather was
seen

him

he

after

died

summon

his

at

Observe

'*

to

for

himself

heard

few minutes

his father had

time

no

sent for the

not

and
toilet,

that

been

asked

had

him

COMMUNICATIONS

who

not

you

the

me

has

to

dictated

give

our

what

am

the

to

names

-M.

(Is"re)."

the

story for

B. N"ES.

about sixteen,
S., when he was
''My friend, Ferdinand
rection
was
pursuing his musical studies in Paris under the diof the composer,
Hippolyte Monpon.
One
day, in his students' chamber, he, being perfectly
awake, had a clear vision of his father, exactlyas if he were
LIX.

"

"

My

friend

with

met
a

up

no

fallen

In

his

on

moment.

to

expect his father's

tuner

at

Tours, had

assistingto take
body and crushed

piano

him,

so

ensued.
after

how

understand

with

coincided

by professiona

accident.

staircase,it had

"Now,

whatever

reason
was

terrible

death

that

had

he, who

Yet

death.

vision lasted but

The

standing there.

he

received

the moment
that

this news,
when

Ferdinand

he had

seen

could

the

well

apparition

of his father's death.

''E. Lep.
Place

"9

de

la

Cath"drale, Tours."
Letter

156.

brothers,when a pupil in rhetoric in a

college,one night could not close his eyes.
Congregationalist
LXI.

As

soon
G

"

as

One

of my

the house

was

awake
97

he went

to

find the

superior

THE
and
college,

of the

it may

what

UNKNOWN

told him, all iu tears,

be, but

happened at home.'
"The
superiorsaid
hours

after

this

horse

our

sure

am

all childishness

at the

know

not

great misfortune

some

was

was

I do

'

and

has

Two

sent
gate of the college,

to

Our
father
had died suddenly in
bring my brother home.
the night. Now, it was
impossiblethat my brother, a boarder
in the college,
could
have
heard
of this.
The
college was

than

more

miles

seven

distant

his home.^

from

Gastojst

"

"Bailleul

Letter

One

of my

aunts

Alsace, and

saw

much

of the

as

aunt

was

LXII.

"

my

door-bell

the
who

ring

There

was

to

necessary
of the
"

instructress in

was

twice.

no

sister of M.

My
was

aunt
no

have

some

the
one

it it

at

get

was

several steps

to ascend

and

asked

opened

been

to

heard

and

She

not

ing,
even-

stairs.

The

morning she heard that

suddenly in the night,just about

died

down

answer.

into the passage

come

One

bed, she

to

go

went

It could

one.

to

of

commune

le Cur".

pulled the bell-rope,for

had

passingwho

164.

making ready

There

there.

was

door.

Savoye.

(Nord)."

she had

next

heard

"Neuves

the

bell

LXIII.

One

''

had

frighthe

on

E.

Daul.

169.

friends told

two

me

years
he

night when

certain

when

moment

K.

"

Letter

of my

had

at the

ring.

Maisons."

sister had

le Cure's

M.

ago

what

reading

was

in

bed.

Suddenly

"

he heard

moment

His

him.
the

the curtains

noise.

plaintive
cry

wife, who

The

their friends

next

who

few

and

steps upon

awake, told

Avas

day they

lived

heard

miles

of the

from

Rue

du

death

Letter

'

171.

Similar to that mentioned

98

also heard
of

one

them.

Chateau, Lyons."

in XL VI.

same

side
the floor beshe

me

"A.
"41

at the

violentlyshaken;

were

MORISOT.

of

THE

LXV.

**Two

undertook

years

UNKNOWN

ago

brother, who

my

was

designer,

for

explorationin Africa, accompanying

mission
I had had no news
from
him
of M. Bouchamps.
a long time, when
one
night, suddenly awakening, I saw

my

brother

the

jjie?-ce^
hy the spear of a savage.
made
so
deep an impressionon me

^'This

sleepagain that night,and

to

go

weeks

weeks

The
omitted

had

I received

later

Abyssinia,killed by

in

brother

fact coincided
to

haunted

was

the

"I

LXVI.

in

mother

her

house, either
her

he

of

lower

in the

story of

suddenly she
lived in a villagein

brother, who

when

twenty-five miles
recognizedperfectly,said

she

much

mother

cried, My
'

brother

'

just died

!'

the

Adieu,'

excited, hastened
has

saw

distant.

Toulon, about

disappeared. My
and

am

175.

sittingin a room
knittingor sewing,

brother, whom

husband

fact
you the truth of the following
little town
in the
department of the

eldest

arrondissement

my

Nyffeley-Potter.

was

her

of

certifyto

can

occurred

My

death

in November.

me

Letter

Var

and

several

However,

date.

"A.

Her

not

sinian.
spear-thrustby an Abysvision, but unhappily \
my

exact

to

came

"Kincbberg."

before

I did
for

the

of

news
a

with

down

set

certain that the vision

which

that

the vision.

by

Some

''

of

journey

to her

She

knew

ill.

was

*'Tlie next

day

reached

day after,news

uncle, which

of my

decease

the

or

in the

happened

them

of the

afternoon, precisely

of the apparition. There were no telegraphs

had been sent by letter to Aix.
days. The news

at tlie time
in those

"Utte.
Letter

"Aix."

LXVII.

"

Here

is

186.

fact of which

guarantee the

can

exact

veracity.
"

my

On

father

did not

21, 1891, I received

December
was

seem

by it,but

very
to

I went

me

sick and
very

to the

wanted

alarming, I

to
was

station at Redon
100

letter

see

me
telling

As

me.

not

much

to take

that

the letter

frightened
the

train at

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF
4.44 in the

evening.

and

np

time, and

little before

was

ing
walk-

was

waiting-room, thinking of pretty much

suddenly I felt ill and very dizzy. I could not
the

down

nothing, when
I had

see, and

ringing in

violent

The

ears.

my

attack

had

less
standing upright and motionseizure only
in the middle
of the waiting-room. The
lasted two
three minutes, for people present were
or
only
here
to myself. And
beginning to perceiveit Avhen I came

been

that I remained

sudden

so

extraordinarypart of the story. At the very

I began to see
moment
when
again and to rallymy senses,
the figure
and before I had recognizedanybody in the room,
at the
of my
father appeared and disappeared,and
same
borne
in upon
the thought came
moment
to me
was
me
that I could not refrain from
expressingit in these words :
*My father is now
dying.'
^'I had that idea fixed in my head all night as I travelled
I tried to make
onward.
myself entertain another conviction.
in the

comes

"

"

I arrived

at

Charente, about
father

my

hour

an

for me,

had

six in the
died

absence

my

caused

with the moment

station.

I had

LXVIII.

at La

Dominelais,

distinct

absent, and
Both

times

twice

to be

"These

the

two

journal of

the honor

near

to

in

mark

the

but who
ill,

This

apparitionin
have

cided
coin-

the Eedon
ceased

never

Busseeolle,

Fougeray (Ile-etVilaine)."

335.

my

life

impression to
the

happened

have

near

me

hour

exact

at

impressionreceived

coincide within five minutes

I knew

his

seen

earnestlyasked

tears.

P.

'^It has

experience
occurred.

to shed

him

Letter

was

times

several

it.

"School-master

who

the

deeply impressed by it,and

was

to remember

morning.
he had

Department of La
There
they told me that
About
evening before.

in the

was

at six o'clock

his death

before
and

which

home,

my

with the death

I had

no

idea

was

of
so

was

to
a

to

me

person

which

this

found

to

whom
person
his end.
near

have been reported in

strikingcases of telepathy
the PsychicalSocietyin London, of which I have

to be

an

"Man

associate member.
of Letters

at Tour

Letter
101

237.

Aug.
de

Glaedo"t,

Peitz,Vaud., Switzerland."

UNKNOWN

THE

LXIX.

the 29tli of October, 1869,

On

"

met

in the salle " manger

the

Ch"teau

nine

de

noise

This

(the thing occurred at

father's house). About

after supper

Caen, my

near

all

evening Ave heard a noise in the next

was
exactly what a heavy picture would

in the

o'clock

room.

Vieux,

familyhad

our

first impression. We
our
falling,and such was
looked
at all the picture-framesin our
rooms.
Nothing had
at once
made
stirred.
of the hour.
a note
My mother
notice of the
A few days after we received
a newspaper
death
mother's
brother
at the
of my
military hospitalat
in

make

"

Calais, of typhoid fever,on

in the

October

Anatole

evening.

"Cheux

LXX.

Jackson.

de

and

She

was

loved

orphan,and

an

to their

dearly.
marriage.

prudent

motives

obtain

not

solicited her

also

his

spite,she

of

sort

hand.

foreignerwhom

family'sconsent
then, either from

long, and

waited

They
in

engaged to

was

could

He

or

had

who

343.

lady of

followingfact

man

o'clock

my acquaintance who has a well-balanced

is serious and sensible,gave me, under
oath, the
A

''

mind,

she

at nine

(Calvador)."
Letter

"

29, 1869,

married

(I omit

elderly

an

unnecessary

explanations.)
She

"

lover, who
*'

few

thought
seeming
After

''She

where
"A

her first

again saw
But

country.

own

day
lying on

him

uttered

She

not

deeming

minute

all

hearing

that

she

on

she

never

she
entering her chamber
the ground, all bloody and

she

her

cry,
M.

could

the victim

was

her

of

she
an

drew

illusion.

husband, who

had

nothing.

saw

have

S. must
not

terror, and

of

cry

disappeared,and

supposed that

accident, but

his

later,one

saw

dead.

in, on

come

to

never

of him.

years

she

him,

near

back

went

to think

ceased

husband, and

to her

true

was

find

been

out, not

the victim

of

an

knowing exactly

he lived.
few

days

after

she

met

told her that his friend,weary

correspondentof

of his
102

M.

life,had committed

S., who
suicide.

compared

"WTien she

''

death, she

his

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

coincidence.

of the

convinced

was

"M.

"^y""^-"

*'

ladyattended

gave

loud

her

stretchingout
son

her

into

My

and

scream,

fixed

another

the

her

at the

arms

!'and

son

great ceremonious
In

illustrious personage.

an

fell down

in

that
them, sobbing bitterly,

with

its

place she

had

seen

received

tidal

wave

the

on

I can,

"

in the

was

if you

Lamberdin,

his

'

My

carried
she

herself

her.

to
an

it had

in their

contending with

son

arms

Later

she

officer in the navy.

wrecked

been

by

vision.

places,and

wish, give names,

Hervosches

dates.

Quilliois".

de

Ile-et-Vilaine."

Combourg,

near

her

of this son,

of her

to

came

disappeared,and

Indies, where

day

her,

suddenly the dining-room

and

out

"3.
"

she

had

sea

angry

an

of the death

news

ship

guests

stretched

He

waves.

His

its

lightsand

cried

She

faintingfit. They

when

and

room,

time.

she

dinner

the wall before

on

eyes

dinner, given

of the

course

same

told

the

Gauthier.

Letter 244.

LXXI.

by

that of

with
apparition

the date of her

Letter

246.

captainin the
has twice
experienceda clear impression of seeing a
army,
her cousin, whom
human
it was
she called by
being. Once
astonished
to
his name,
on
a
promenade, being very much
him
there.
Another
she
meet
day her man-servant, whom
while
she went
had
left at Toulouse
on
a
journey, opened
LXXII.

the

door

One

of my

of

her

chamber,

amazement,
"

with

what

he

^Neither of the
the

friends, the wife of

"

dying hour

and

she

asked

doing there.
lasted long, and
apparitions
of the young

"Toulouse."

belief,told

him, with

much

was

both coincided

men.

"J.

LXXIII.

Debat-Pohsan.

Letter 253.

"

me

lady, one
that

of my

few

Valais,she heard, after she

years
went
103

worthy of all
travellingin the

friends, who
ago,
to

when

is

rest, three

loud

knocks

UNKNOWN

THE

quite alone in her chamber,

travellingcompanion, who sleptin the next room,
She

bed.

her

on

the knocks, and

heard

having

in to know

came

first called to her.

Two

death, almost

of the

news

de

2 Rue

"

great noise in my
fire-board.

Nothing

made
jjression

on

the

of

tellingme

calm

of

of it.

the

mysteriousnoises

and
me

night

certain

twelve

About

wife, who

my

it

mine, separatedfrom

by saying

'Did

assure

I heard

you
The

dreaming,' I said, 'and

called
"A
up

at

you.

was

after

moment
once

fast

and

my

to

note

had

died

and

me,

came
be-

death, for

it my duty to tell
connection
between
that

was

concerning

there
illness

the

Clement-Hamelin".

M.

sleepingin

was

chamber

next

woke
slightpartition,

called

three

! Marie

!"'

fancied

'No,' I answered.

'

On

I lived at Auch.

ago

only by

my name
said, "Marie

voice

who

im-

374.

years

call me?

you

the

hour.)

death

secret

Letter

"

the

some

death.

of her

cause

Tours."

LXXV.

feel

was

I received

friend's

friend's

"

"

why

my

and

her

existed between
the

is

servant.

my
it
been

friend

my

marked
especially

What

you

was

with

mind
This

especialreason.

that

intimate

an

I heard

shaking the

had

(I forgot to ask at what

in the night recurred

in my

associated
very

when

were

death

the noise

once

one

me.

previousnight.

''At

to bed

myself, so great
The
next
morning

I could

before

she

Mosakd.

so

could

we

day

at which

frightenedthat I rang for

find explainedthe noise, and

was

the

on

273.

evening I had gone

chimney, as if some

One

"

timate
in-

Fribourg."

Lausanne,

LXXIV.

the

time

received
of her

one

F.

Letter

time

friend

blows.

the

heard

the

also

ill,after

Fribourg

at

her

had

were

death, of

sudden

if she

later my

days

acquaintances,who had died

the hour
exactly coincidingwith

and

but

was

in your

times
'You
dream

very
were

that

'

to
me

Well, I

ly.
distinct-

probably
some

one

asleep.'
wife called

light your

candle
104

to
;

me

again,saying 'Get

somebody

did

call

me.

OF

TELEPATHIC

Come

here ; I

COMMUNICATIONS
afraid/

am

But

the

now

extraordinary. My wife, who

very
the

of the

phenomenon
much

was

comes
be-

excited,

in

chamber
and insisted on
night
my
what
keeping the candle lighteduntil daylight. Remember
I tell you/ she said ;
we
are
going to hear to-daythat M.
I recognized the sound
Gautier, of Marseilles, is dead.
of

passed

rest

'

voice in the

Ms

The

"

letter-carrier
I

edge.
it

had

Madame

had

died that

that

LXXVI.
he

their

to

was

one

of them.

his

heels.'

There

noise

the

nervous

heard

night

and

unusual
"In

seems

as

went
and

One

attached,

that
at

He

was

when

to many
in

an

the

was

twenty

years

of age

house

with

three

of

thirty.

to

his

None

if

story,which

upper

'

some

Do
one

lasted

hear

you

looked
back

in

America

when

they

had

died

at

aunt

if

some

that ?' said

everywhere.
to their

hour.

an

as

stamping with

were

up-stairs; they
when
they got

hour

noise

occupied,a

belonged

had

Some
died

been

room

time
on

the

disturbed

noises.

of his
then

was

hour

same

it to you,

nineteen

from

It

July, 1877,

Algeria.

wife that

persons.

recommenced.

same

(B).

It

They

they

these

ranged

ages

'

after

by

father

my

his father's

at

nothing,

was

found

Letter 275.

When

"

at all

one

was

labors of research, throw

your

night they heard in an

apartments but was not
walking about the room.

One

"

at the

communicate

to

through

Corsica

were

postmark

greater when

night,and

black

An

brothers, whose
of them

the

the

it.

(A).
in

was

that

saw

with

Gantier, informing my

glad

Cassini,Nice."

5 Rue

"

letter

when

extraordinaryphenomenon

now

may,

lightupon

some

this

am

you

me

door

called.

related

and

persons,

hopes

twice

been

I have

"

gave

front

my

stupefactionwas

my

from

her husband
she

and

up

stupefied when

was

was

to me.'

standing in

was

came

Marseilles,but
that

day

next

calls made

two

at

father

my

brothers,

in
the

to Avhom

Corsica, and
moment
105

was

alone

he

Constantino, in

particularly
mock.
swinging in a hamin

was

the

house; there

UNKNOWN

THE

neither

was

man

beast there.

nor

the

jumping violentlyon
had

hours

few

father

my

days
!

I understand
later

died

had

floor above

it be.

could

in the

happened
!

''

what

himself

asked

of his

He

Then

is dead.'

the

at

he

He

cried

was

"^'^^""

the

the

my

silence

day when

department

navy

learn

father

nor

to

had

The

importance.

steps of

not

hour

days

after
the

of

the

navy

He

died

ing,
noth-

thought

letter

death

of

at Toulon.
the very

on

heard, but my

father

Neither

the noise

my

of any

incomplete, but

is therefore

anything in

the

beside

the rug
but he saw

news

in

at

to

few

do

wearing heavy

man

of his death.

first

to omit

candle,

steps had been

phenomenon

better

awakened

bed, and

mother.

at

cision
de-

1870, he

in

Now,

asleep, were

my

exact

mother

my

thought it

the

kind.

brought
serving

was

the noise of the

could

of that

complete.

was

of my
uncles who
much
attached
was

never

Gall"an.

de

knowledge, of
had
anything to

never

up to the
father lit

steps came

this moment

and

He

has

the

by hearing

The

At

from

the

heard

uncle

my

of much

man

he

character, and

moment

one

spiritualismor things
mother, being both
my

shoes.

father is

My

"'

of

it.

father.

Letter 284.

LXXVII.

same

I understand

'

my

''E. Eaffaelli

and

what

overhead.

noises

with

uncle

My

received, saying that

time

very

him.

thing
some-

remembering

youth,

despatch was

he heard

Suddenly

inquiryof

an

this

kind.

Lamacq

**Dr.
"

Hospital Doctor,
Letter

1 Rue

Dormoy,
Ravez,

Bordeaux."

288.

going to tell you of an apparition,

but
only of two things that happened on the day of the
killed in Tonquin.
death of an ofi"cer who
was
three knocks
afternoon
These
: in the
were
things were
LXXVIII.

'*I

am

not

*'

struck
her

son.

upon

our

The

knocking;'but

kitchen

door

latter said to his

the

cook

and

heard

my

mother, 'There

answered, 'Madame
106

by

has

cook

and

is madame
gone

out,

THE
next

day they learned

of

fall from

his

that

UNKNOWN
that

horse,

Barb"'s
the

at

something had

had

brother

befallen

him

made

was

LXXXI.

295.

but

me,

it could

between

nine
and

open
herself

had

of the noise

was

not

Tuesday,

same

she

place,but

''

and

uncle.

There

was

beg

! Lucie

father

and

If it

!' The

of

had

its

that

she

was

noon,

had

taken

door

had

twice

been

called

!'

mother

are

has

livingwith

both

long

been

known

Bourges,

at

me

me.

perfect authenticity.
interestingenough to be given to

the

only

signit with

to

on

est

for
initials,

my

one

public,I

be independent

cannot

'

"P.

LXXXIL

Letter

"

We

mother

seen

In

at

them.

1856

lived
came

lived
never

can

l"ut"t bourgeois/

"Bourges."

and

by

of its

seems

six.

on

connection

to

here

was

call

father

my

any

uncle

of the

what

having

ways
al-

Tuesday

This

about

him

it but
that

that

o'clock.

back

she

following

"

came

chamber
bed-

time

same

apparition

told

think

circumstance

you

you

mother

not

Lucie

this

he

her

the moment

an

capes
es-

day
Tues-

one

of

died

ten

At

been

When
my

date

Clementin, who

and

nine

the

her, had

reallynothing in
and
closed violently,

and

My

assure
"

did

her

name,

for

At

Bligny-

at

exact

door

Lucie

uncle

have

it may

"

in the house.

'

Uzerche, in the Corr"ze.

and

opened

her

betiveen
preciseli/

mormng,
lived at

"

violently.

that

(the

o'clock, the

great affection

1872

or

twice, 'Lucie

heard

Burgundy,

easily found), heard,

ten

close

called

she

Thursday

1871

be

and

lived in

who

My mother,
in
(C"te-d'Or),
"

sur-Ouche

with

his

upon

Toulouse.'

Busca.

Letter

that

pression
im-

Marguerit.

14 All"e du

heard

the

when

moment

very

brother.
"

died at Paris,

with

our

from

Ulm,

and

nine

was

years

old and

parents at Besan"on.
of
one
Wurtemberg,
the

other at

brother

my

My

what

father

mothers
grand-

our

Stuttgard.

I, the eldest,hardly knew

108

D.

303.

We
a

had

grand-

OF

TELEPATHIC

mother

like, still less did my

was

knew

of

wrote

to

COMMUNICATIONS

them

that

was

every

All that

Christmas

at

year

when

parents,who,

our

little brother.

they kissed

us

-time

we

both

Christmas

on

morning, in turn told each of us that our grandmother prayed

that her grandchildrenmight grow up tall and good, and sent
her

us

blessing.

That

"

tiniest

time

doll

in

much

not

was

the

or

least

lives,have

our

is what

here

children, and

to

little

made

I think

that

the

at

this

jumping-jack would,
impression

more

One

happened.

on

Thursday

ever,
How-

us.

in

February,
told us to run
down
into the garden and en1856, our mother
joy
So I took my brother by the hand and
the nice sunsliine.
in the garden, my brother,
But when
down.
went
were
we
we
instead of playing with me, as I begged him to do, sat down
by himself in a corner, and then suddenly,though nothing had
the
happened to him, he began to sob. Running towards
to see
he cried, *I want
house
grandmother
my
my
poor
"

her

little one,

dear

that
'^

if he
The

seal.

Edmond

not

was

for she

died

asking to

see

to all her

kisses

to go and

see

the very
her.'

with

when

wrong

day

the

in.'

"

I had

fond

of-

questionshe

his

grandmother.
promised him

he asked

hour

and

in his eyes,

tears

to

when

his

see

he

the

little

*our

grandmother,

was

sobbing and
Seitz.

two

twenty-two or twenty-three
years
little girl,
I was
whom
a relation,aged seven,
She loved to come
to the house, to knock
at

year

same

When

then

door, and
The

once

Letter 314.

LXXXIII.

very

at

and

''Emilie
"^^"^""

of age

her !'

see

out

ran

and
great difficulty,

and

in his arms,

taking her

himself,

to

good he should go and see her.

in holding a letter with
Sunday my father came
'My poor, dear wife,'he said to our mother,

were

next

black

with

him

consoled

They

but

I want

seen.

hurt

he wanted

that

only answered

never

mother, thinking he had

Our
to

I have

whom

grandmother

would

laugh

she fell

days when

dreading lest

was

I should

she
be

when

ill,and
was

we

out,

scarcelyleft

dying.

exhausted, came
109

called

At

her

last my
to take

'

Come
ing
dur-

mother,
me

away.

THE

It

was

had

at

that

from

he

We

all

we

have

made.

she

to

went

hour.'

'

JSTo one
"

standing

heard

when

in

the

the door,

open

he

would

the

up

house

about

the
had

justdied.
Postmistress

hapjDened in my
of the dying.
father

My

''

his son,

the

maid

tell

us

he

seven

son

two

hours
at

from

away

to relate

years
know

even

left his chamber

yards

two

for

had

door.

this,

waited

on

little Marie

(Haute-Sa"ne)."

to

relation

where
his

and

to

bad

on

he

with

terms

father

our

him

apparitions

living; he appeared
My brother,

was

death.

asked

that

something

yon

o'clock, saw

him,

about

affectionately,

?'

here
My father answered, To
Why have you come
for you,'and disappearedimmediately.
My brother's wife, Avho was in the chamber openingon
'

look

'

the

"

corridor

where

inquiredto
December
of my

this

whom

3,

passed, heard

her
I

1889.

father, who

was

having regained

the

had

husband
was

voices, for she

been

time

at that

asleep.

8 Place

once

It

the

sittingbeside

was

bed

out
nine o'clock he died with-

At

consciousness.
Lutz.

Kl"ber, Strasbourg."
Letter

LXXXV.

at

speaking.

"Emma
"

no

Laurencot,

been

before

seven

as

in at this

after

who
that

said

323.

family, having

did not

and

to this
as

about

own

But,

minutes

ten

door

girlwould

in.^

at Fouvent-le-Haut

Letter

"lam

little

at the

"A.
"

front

anybody

yard, or knocked

own

our

let

home.

us

nuns,' she answered.

were

LXXXIV.

the

who

moment

see

near

can't

immediately followed by
little friend, to
parents of our

and

to wait

ns

kitchen

We

'

it is the

come

reached

We

Paris, asked

girFs uncle,

it just as those
the
raps on
called out, ' Come
My mother

Perhaps

had

little

get his hat, and

to

went

were

day

The

night.

eleven o'clock

arrived

while

UNKNOWN

"Madame

395.

Carvalho, mistress

boarding-schoolat Lisbon,
her pupils a little girl ten

had

five

years
110

or

of

six years

old, whose

girls'

young
ago

mother

among
was

an

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OP

in Brazil.

actress, touring with her company

callingout,

Avoke, crying and

child

troubled

am

so

she

had

about

'*

"

Letter

LXXXVL

is what

Here

"

He

the navy.
for his watch

captainof
deck

?' he said to

died

that

J. Leipold.

Madame

'

happened to

was

had

'

told

him

Did

the

upon

you

ing
noth-

see

him.

with

what

happened

on

child dressed

young

watch

has

just come

he walked

on

was

misfortune

Some

As

his eyes

father

my

and

sea,

father,a half-pay

my

flypast him.

to

sailor who

at

before

Then

man.

added,

and

say if

not

had

woman

831,

midnight.

at

bridge ho suddenly saw

in white, v/ho seemed
said the

did

child

Gloria, Lisbon."

da

21 Calk

! Mamma

Janeiro.

Rio

at
nightof yellow-fever

same

The

mother, but the poor

her

seen

!'

mamma

night the

One

Mamma

'

he had

to my

No,*
seen,

people at

home.'
made

"He

home

found

of the

note

that

day

that

on

and the

date

hour, and

on

reaching

of his little nieces

one

had

died.
'"'

father

My

when

we

often

read your

told

us

appeal in

this,and he repeated it

to

me

the paper.

"M.

Cheillan.

Arzew."

"

Letter 341.

LXXXVII.
which

"I

happened

venture

to relate to you

(my

mother's

an

authentic

fact

who
lives
sister),
in Germany, and who
told it to me
herself.
ing
One morning, about eighto'clock, she had been busy fixher daughter'shair, when
suddenly she saw on the wall
of which
was
a phantom, the head
perfectlydistinct,but the
features seemed
and my aunt thought it
distorted by illness,
the face of a dying person.
She was
much
so
impressed by
this vision that she began to scream.
and one
Her husband
of her daughterscame
to her at once, and she pointed,weeping,
to the phantom, which
had not yet wholly disappeared.
two
cousins seeing nothing, began to
My uncle and my
laugh at her.
to my

aunt

"

Ill

UNKNOWN

THE

^^Two

took

"which

she

heard

in the

notice

of her sister's

day

of the

apparitionwas

of

illness,knew
her

de

Tharandt,

mother,

her

about

January, 1896,
had

the exact

not

even

date, for the

daughter'sbirthday.
Caroline

"Countess
"Ch"teau

of

My aunt, who

morning.

had

death

the

of

the 4-16

placeat Athens,

o'clock

seven

later

days

Metaxia.

Dresden."

near

343.

Letter

in
dead, was manager
My great-uncle,now
of the gi-eatforges in the Ari"ge. One
evening he was
one
going to his work, as usual, when, on arrivingat nightfallat

LXXXVIII.

"

distance

some

his

lifted from

very

near,

that

one

they

had

his

the

have

must

could

of my uncle.
in a cellar or a

E.

little town

to Avhom

to live

where

Madame

sprang
'Don't
But

her.

calm

After

farm

some

of tradition

one

ment
mo-

at Toulouse."

at

the

of

minutes

person

who

vice
years had in her serThis woman
attached.

distance

some

resided.

113

for

my

Peyron,

One
said

the

from

night she
her

to

Madame
you hear?
her
and silent,and
few

of

sort

Student

mother

much

was
a

Medical

awake, and

Don't

everythingwas

on

for

A.

wide

up,

3^ou hear?

to reassure

she

went

and

married

Avhich

pit into

356.

A., the

experience,had

servant

serve
ob-

ered
discov-

They

honesty, which are

permit me to doubt

not

"Madame

this

me

that

I may

unimaginativecharacter

Letter

told

find him.

not

"

LXXXIX.

said,

excitement, told him

truth of his recital.

the

I have

as

friend

his

family, do

our

to guess

suddenly disappeared,and

The

and

uncle, his courage

in

being able

fallen.

is the fact.

"Here

"

he was,

all in

were

shortlyafter, dead,

him

his

forge,which

but

was

man

up

felt his cap

and that happened

cause.

had

for him

looked

sudden

stood

without

who

workmen,

of their number

that

he

the
the

he reached

When

"

times

possiblybe

could

what

all of

his hair

head, when

different

at two

forge, he

the

from

is

poor

the
denly
sud-

husband,

callingme.'

husband
woman,

tried

still

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

cried : I must
She
agitated,
go to Madame.
husband
continued
I ought to go.' Her
sure

calls

'

more

am

that

she

laughed

the

her, and

at

The

*'

under

was

after

morning

next

time

"^^^"'^""

XC.

years,

was

what

follows

the

day, being broad

him
(he was then, if

about

he

his

saw

died

in the

Africa, lying

the

at

is

this

awake
I mistake

when

the

attacked

vision

by

one

skull,threw
B.

''A
lived

had

of

authorized

at Geneva.

One

usual, had

this

when

woman

H.

for

to

all his

student

me

wits

at Strasbourg),

regiment of Turcos
pit where grain was
a

he

out

much

was

think

moment

for

Versailles,told

Although

of his
that

pressed
im-

that

it

mind, until

the

very
had

him, his brother

who, after having splitopen

intimate

Constantinople(I do

having been

the

day
been
his

silo.

girlvery

young
at

appeared

into the

at

Algeria news

of his men,

him

ing
even-

dead, but who

not,

later it went

from

villagehe

ill the

having

officer in

splitopen.
sighthe did not

by post

received

he

calming her.

Suzanne

and

bottom

representeda reality,and

He

night callingall

now

pastor

stored,with his head

by

dream.

362.

who

brother, an

think

suddenly taken

Protestant

One

"

to

to the

went

man

been

Passer

Monsieur

"

many

in

the

Letter

A.

in

succeeded

the voice of her mistress.

to hear

seemed

bad

some

maid, at the very moinent

old

for her

when

that she had

before, and

of

while

A. had

that Madame

heard

influence

me.

do

to

in my

tell you

not

his name,

staying with

so),was

evening when

family, whose

she had

been

to

an

ther
fanot
aunt

ball,and,

the
171
stopped of a sudden
middle of a dance and burst into tears, crying, 'My father is
I have seen
in comdead.
him!'
posing
They had great difficulty
her, and a few days after they learned that her father
ment
(whom she had not known
was
ill)had died at the very moas

when
"

97 Rue

been

she

very

gay,

she

experiencedthe

Dragon,

manifestation.'
A.

Maiseilles.
Letter
"

Similar to XLIV.
113

363.
and

LX.

E.

MoNOD."

UNKNOWN

THE

XCIT.
saw

"Being
day, about

one

in

was

I did not

(I was

get

wrong

to whom

not

to have

made

blood-vessel

that

more

than

time

of the

in

Italy.
twenty-four hours

apparitionand

I think
had

"Mulhouse."

Letter

second
was

left their

at

and

from

the

assure

yon

elapsed between

of the

doctor.

Niederhauser.

366.

ago

years

wife's

my

father

and

Marseilles, Place

to

go and

care

of

After

we

Marseilles

at

apartment

had

can

Sebastopol No. 5, on the

story. Their oldest daughter lived at B"ziers, where
Jaume
quitted their
extremelyill. M. and Madame
lived

mother

she

three

"About

XCIII.

not

"Lucie

this that

me

suddenly

death

the

quite sure

was

attended

died

my

that the person

once

attached)had

much

was

pass

of my cousins.
act
day and the ex-

one

I learned
had

who

doctor

of the

note

this

after

days

person

impression of

an

told it to
a

months, I

few

street, who

strong

so

day, and

rupture of
the

upon

for

afternoon,

the

it all

passing(a

seen

in the

over

Some

hour.)
had

three

I received

Italy.

at Zurich

time

one

looked

which

window,

at

to the

rooms

the

first floor.

the

misfortune

to

lose

some

had

my

their

nurse

daughter,and

kind

friends

been

away

who
a

pied
occu-

month

sister-in-law, their

we

eldest

daughter. Now the very night of her death, and at the same
hour
(11 P.M.),the family who lived in the first story of the
not a little surprisedto hear some
at Marseilles were
house
going

one

up

to

the

second

story, open

the

doors, and

walk

for a moment
They did not doubt
back from B"ziers ; but as
the Jaume
that it was
family come
they had gone to bed they did not think it necessary to get up
them.
and go to welcome
Early the next morning they went
about

the

to pay

their

apartment.

visit.

What

was

their

astonishment

to find

the

apartment undisturbed and empty ! No door had been opened,

there was
and
nothing to show that any person had been in
Cir. Soulairol,
the rooms.
"Druggist

of the first class, at Cazouls-les-B"ziers

(H"rault).'*

Letter 367.

XCIV.

"

I should

like,in response
114

to your

request relative

UNKNOWN

THE
''About

XOV.

years

parents,who
the city.

half from

husband

*'The

did not

farm, which

rather

though

move

the

and

on

was

had

fast.

At

nine

farm

work-horse

side
re-

and

mile

ten

and

the

belongingto

part of the road,

one

farm, it is possibleto get

out-buildings.Suddenly
few

now

the

man

minutes, flames risingabove

He
great will-o'-the-wisps.
thought
fire,and tried to urge on his horse.

the roofs like three

something

small

the

at intervals of

driving saw,

on

very
from

remote

of the house

view

night between

drivinga

was

couple who

young

one

live

their

see

ago

family,Avent home

in my
to

two

nothing, but

that
His

when

they got into the

loud
court-yard she, as well as her husband, heard distinctly
the garden gate, like beatinga drum.
blows upon
wife

young

"When

seen

Three

greatlyexcited.
in the

moved
but

her

times

three

had

had

son

hall.

the

house

different

Three

she

had

called

She

found

they

the old mother

(correspondingto

flames)she

times

stables, but

the

they
times

the

seen

nothing.

seen

examine

to

into

they got

had

saw

had

heard

the

chairs

down-stairs,

gone

up the farm-servants
and
heard
nothing

abnormal.
"The

when

and

much

very

chairs

the

impressed,
back

gone

recommenced.

to

The

some
again,and as in the country wholeand
not
traditions of piety are
quite lost, the mother
children
joined in prayer for the poor soul in distress,

laborers

called

were

who

seemed

to have

they
they

did

know

not

that

heard

blunder

in

been
no

them

soul

it

buried

person

for aid and

the

the

the

had

morrow

whole

Through

day.
farm

pity,though

On

whom

to

that

on

be.

might

cousin,

young

to

come

whose

attached, had

was

of

were

reassured, had

somewhat

racket

beds, tho

their

her

one,

every

his wife

and

farmer

young

family
an

plicable
inex-

bidden

been

to

the funeral.
"

felt

Five

persons

on

this

occasion

sensations:
inexplicable
turn

another

seen

father,who

mind, the pious mother, her

of

in-law, and

the

had

young

part of

the

girl.

The

house, could
116

strange sightsor
was

son,

of

an

her

lous
incredu-

daughter-

servants, being quartered in

not

be

supposed to

have had

OF

sound
mysteriousnoises. They were
knocking at the garden gate aroused
to the stables proved that all was
quiet

do with the

anything to
asleep when

the

loud

their visit

and

them,

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

M.

there.
3 Rue

"

de la FontaiueGosue

(Ni"vre)."
Letter

XC

VI.

who
think
friend
was

she

could

who

was

dying (but no

the

the

edge

doors

of the

of the canopy

mother,

own

uneasy

very

her

that

windows

and

to

neighbor and

told her

had

one

curtains, but the

the

not

time

same

last visit to

pay

near). Suddenly,

closed, they saw,

round

not

of her

bedside

at the

was

that

very

399.

by the

was

well, and

not

was

mother

My

"

Pasquel.

end

being

valances, hung

two

bed, shake

backward

and

together again as if moved

They parted and came
said: 'See,
by a strong pull,and my grandmother at once
daughter Josephine is bidding me adieu !' My mother
my
She had justexpired.
hastened to her friend's house.

forward.

"

Ollivier.

"Marie
'"

(Var.)."

Garcoult

Letter 402.

XOVTI.

My

*'

she

when
affairs,

lived about

who

her Christian

to

name

was

to

come

said, It is curious, but

and

I feel

may

happen.'

told

her

that

she had

when

Two

much

brother

heard

I do

received

was

dead.

He

died

his voice.

brother

my

not

she

later

father

to my

went

just heard

troubled.

days

her

She

him.
I have

'

calling me.

' '

busy one day about household

the voice of her brother,
heard very distinctly
miles off,twice callingher by
four hundred
mother

what

know

letter which
on

the

day

Peltier.

Marseilles."
Letter 405.

XCVIII.

''I send

you

fact.

veracity. Being a soldier,on

30, 1890, in
Alpes),December

You

depend

may

leave at home
the

morning

upon

at Annot

my

mother

its

(Basses
when

I think a death has happened in our

up said to me,
by sharp
family. Last night at two o'clock I was awakened

she

got

blows

on

'

the wall at the head

of my
117

bed.

was

wide

awake,

THE

and

I had

our

friends.'

But

at

about

UNKNOWN

the idea that

once

I did not

ten

put

death

much

o'clock in the

had

occurred

faith in her

morning

apprehensions.

received

we

among

telegram

illness of my aunt, Sister

Digne, announcing the severe
of
St. Ang"le, Superiorof the Orphan Asylum of St. Martin
Digne. My mother said, This telegram Avillbe followed by

from

'

to tell

another

her

of

us

death.'

And

in truth

another

gram
tele-

A letter
evening,announcing her decease.
December
also arrived on
31, showing that my aunt, after
illness of several days, had died on the 30th of December,
an
in the

arrived

heard

had

morning, the

o'clock in the

at two

blows

those

had

mother

pillow. My

struck

her

near

she

as

that

known

not

when

very hour

her
upon
ill.
was

lay

aunt

my

mother

my

''Baklatiek.

Alpes)."
(Basses-

"Annot

fact I have

"The

XCIX.

Letter

409.

placeat Contes,

to relate took

in

Sunday when I
master
in church
with all my class (itwas
was
duty of a schoolthat
in those days to take his pupils to High Mass
on
when
all standing up, and conwe
sequently
were
day). At a moment

Alpes Maritimes,

the

all

were

voice

been

on

sick

condition.
This

fact
the

was

but

breathed

"In

kept

her

last three

it

Letter

"My

to send

not

always will be,

took place.

"Nic^-"

C.

had

time

you

mother, Madame
her

He

naut).
seen

which

him
he

at

1891,

was

when

the
in

or

bed, in

passed at

hours

four

dying
after.
it

as

memory

414.

Molitor,

at

Arlon, has asked

request.
morning about

one

five

me

came

her

home
house.
118

on

He

o'clock,she

com"ng

brother
He

Avas

military slaughter-houseat
his fatigue uniform, just as

he

had

Peng"nat.

her
She
saw
up, being in bed.
through the open door of her chamber.

service

And

sister,who

fresh in my

as

woke

on

my
her

to your

answer

November,

impressionthat

sister is dead.'
that

is,and

day

distinct

upon
the

found

She

was

saying: 'Your

getting home,
some

It

awake, I had

callingme,

was

indeed,

in 1881.

looked

at

lieutenant

(Hai-

Mons
she

furlough for

in

had

last

holiday,

her, smiled,

OF

then

TELEPATHIC

turned

and

went

At

his hand.

with

Clerk

was

in the

her

making

away,

eleven

he

telegramsaying
"

COMMUNICATIONS

o'clock

the

of farewell

sign

morning

same

dead.

C.

office
public registry

at Arlnn

came

Molitor,
(Belgium)."

Letter 430.

(A)

01.
who

"About

then

was

mother

her
her.

when

he

'X.

her young

was

knew

she felt

of my near
relations,
walking in the country with

ago

one

something like
is just dead.'

breath

pass

over

true.

was

"X.

cried out

She

*'It

forty years
girl,was
young

was

lover.

He

died of

She

consumption.

ill."

very

(B) Here is another fact that I had repeated to me yesterday

that
I
send
it
to you with all its details.
It
evening,
might
happened to our maid, a very intelligent,
good girl,who has
been livingwith us for some
years.
"

"In

she

1884

had

the cholera

who, when

place

with

an

came,

went

into the

old, unmarried

lady,

country, not

far

taking her maid with her. One night

aroused
was
by slighttaps againstthe window-panes.
listened, then
imagined she
hearing nothing more,

she

from

Toulon,

dreamed, and
There

"

She
had

tried to go to

was

sleepagain.
knocking at the window.

more

much

Very

startled,she sat up.

The

"

raps

like

Her

chamber

But

the house

on

the

very

roof

thing
repeateda third time ; then she saw somephantom, all in white, twice pass the window.
were

was

would
The

quick ears.

mistress,who

dreaming.
months

made

Two

before, of

family,knowing
told her

first

story, and
if any

isolated,and

was

she

the

on

certainlyhave

morning

next

fun

months

of

her, and
later

she

cousin whom

the

sudden

she

in the

Letter
119

Navy,
432.

on

walking
it to her

she had

the

like

She
L.

Captain

of

had

death.

about

her

heard

roof.

it,for she had

told

assured

on

been

heard

she

hours' illness of cholera.

"

had

one

she loved

affection that

of this cousin's

opened

been

death, two
sister.

Her

for her, had

died after

not
a

Feiringer,
half

pay

at Toulon."

few

UNKNOWN

THE
''A

cm.

rich

of

man

old

named

man

the old

would

promised M. W.
him warning, and

send

W.

Aubin, who, it

something of

hand,

at

near

H.

Madame

and

St.

and

education

good

of conversation

conrse

M.

few years ago

was

seems,

that

made

W.

original.In

an

believinghis death
in his dying moments

man,

M.

ing
visit-

were

the

the

to be

he

promise

same

in return.
''The
the old

man.

how

asked

"'No
I had

has

one
a

once

at

tap

think

of

death

W.

describe

He

had

could

not

believe

me,' he said, 'but

to

in the

The

next

of

death

evening

me

ing
morn-

Aubin

St.

of the

fore.
be-

day

this story, said it

me

of

nature

made

which

the

slightblow

he

was

had

felt

anything like it. My uncle

but quitethe contrary.
supertitious,

never

credulous

the

said to

news.

the

told

was

and

just now,

heard

W.

W.

up

St. Aubin.'

of

passed away
(my uncle),who

impossibleto
not

the

he had

announced;

received.

forehead

my

Madame

church

M.

on

W.

St. Aubin

mentioned

little

the

heard

he had

M.

at supper,

Madame

visit

again to

been

not

he looked

sudden

is dead.'

'St. Aubin

his wife:

it,and

of

his newspaper;

reading

at

passed,and they had

One winter night,while

summer

or

"GUSSIE

VAN

is

HaEGE.

DER

Roulers."

"

Letter

CIV.
at

she

"

her

sent

young

hearse

Madame

Mercador, my mother-in-law, was

Vernet-les-Bains, in the eastern Pyrenees. One

(A)

who
The

was

Mademoiselle
daughter-in-law.
then

was

laughed
Elne

dispatchfrom
saying that my
before, just at

kept

much
the

at her.

But

the

the

Mademoiselle

was

she

bathing

and

had

seen

fifteen when

establishment

the

at
120

cador,
Mer-

front

door.

morning

had

died

those
the

came

days)

evening
had

Mercador

the hearse.

it all

remembers

the

telegraphsin

no

when

ing
even-

Ursule

next

father

hour

ried
mar-

frightened,saying that a
lieve
house.
They would not be-

mother-in-law's

wife

occurred, but

old, to shut

years

(therewere

the door

to shut

(B) "My

ten

back
girlcame
standingbefore

her, and

gone

433.

followingcircumstance
perfectly.

Her

parents

Vernet-les-Bains, and

all

the

had

servants

same

ill,and

one

them.

awakened

by

I think

these

I have

he died, but

that

blow

struck

very

at

once

had

nobody
had

of them

each

the

taken

was

flocked

All the servants

been

the foot of their bed.

on

responded to

facts,which

Guiraiid

all said that

They

building,in

main

the

named

moment

smart

cook
died.

the

his chamber

in

rooms

night he

summoned

"

their
Now

passage.

into

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

wishes

your

by sending you

authentic.

are

Massina.

H.

"Dr.
Vernet-les-Bains."

"

Letter

CVI.

"Madame

poetess and

woman,

S.,

fortune, but
London

the

to

of 100,000

evil star

was

her into

in

with

country, and

own

prize

and

ropes

to

1851

received

she

connection

in his

great personage

in

inventions, went

improvement

some

brought

intelligent
had no
vate
pri-

who
transcendentalist,

great exhibition, whoire

for

and

educated

highly

fertile in

was

francs

Her

437.

sails.

Arab, who

an

wonderfully

impressionon her that she gave

him her daughter in marriage,and settled on her, as her dot,
the 100,000 francs, reserving for herself only the future
of her invention, which
ended
ness,
of busiprofits
by a sharp man
an
Englishman, making millions out of it, while she
he made

handsome;

left without

was

amiable, and

such

an

The

cent.

girl,who

young

gentle,carefullybrought

specimen, in

short,

of the best

culture

of
at

her

taken
attractiveness,
was
husband, a true barbarian, whose

put

on

and

for the
It

for her.
where
as

she

savage

"Four
she

occasion, and

was

lived
and

the

life of

in company

degraded
five years

or

a
a

civilization

nomad.
with

Her

three

later Madame

home
four

or

and

and

its tones

her rooms,

mistaken.
were

and

tones

looked

Then
of

S., one

the

anguish.

into the
121

was

finement
re-

by
only

street.

was

other

tent,

wives,

master.

evening
the

'

was

to Africa

once

was

at first she

its

Paris, with

sitting at her fireside,heard

! Mamma
daughter callingto her, Mamma

as

educated,

miserable, horrible life began

their lord

as

and

up

pretty,

was

!'

cry

became

She

rose,

She

voice

of

She

found

her

thought

more

went

in Paris

loud,

through
nothing.

THE

did not know

She

this she

"At

break

Avas

Was

then

Had

this

All

I do

her

she found
she reached

when

Oh,

third

come,

the

voice

know.

not

next

pray!

to the

Mediterranean

said

Come

All

till she could

seilles
Mar-

to

I do

know

the

point of
thing seemed

poor

die in her

"S.

'

that

unhappy daughter at
The

morning by
How
long

Marseilles.

to

the railroad

Marseilles.

only lived

she had

come!

her way

on

journey last ?
in operation?

that

do, when

to

longer. The

no

did her

?'

what

or

Mamma,

hesitated

she

day

of

think

to

quick !'

to me,

Come

what

called:

voice

the

time

UNKNOWN

mother's

Babinet

is

death

if

as

arms.

Eeisicogne,

"Toulouse."
Letter

and

maternal

(A) "My

CVII.

he

Suddenly
and

crowd

saw

then

absorbed

push

man

him.

towards

come

colonel

London,

of

populous part

most

grandfather,a man
be, was walking

could

as
straight-laced

as

440.

in

It

in

his

was

day

one

his

friend

and
he

as

the

through

way
friend

of his

India, who, according

reached

went

about

was

had

come,

home

he

when

and

greatest surprise,put

his

passed.

it does

now.

his

of

seen

London,

his

as

that

nobody

he

read
lives

the

he

and

(B)

young

had

to

his

ly
sudden-

as

grandfather

my
called

to

him;

see

uneasy, he
colonel.
the

to his

on

colonel
one

died

on

that

dates

the

of the most

crowded

had

fond

123

the

he

poys
Se-

could

day

same

been

among
the

of

treason

faces of the London

me

rapidlythan
weekly paper

sorrow

comparing

his friend

pastor told

seen

looking over

great
through the

together and studyingthe

"

gaged
en-

travelled less

news
was

apparitionin

where

be

'no,' though still very

friend, and

own

suppose

he had

had

colonel

that time

their

lost

if the

was

My grandfather,
hand

questionwhen,

When

There

day
India, he

in

who
was

At

him

disappeared.
said

One

published

but

asked

club.

Weeks

not

he

his servant

to

those

to ask

to

the

hood,
boy-

what

to

his

out

in the
tions.
reflec-

own

said in the newspapers,

he believed at that moment
in helpingto put down
the Sepoy mutiny.
in

calm,

grave,

that

streets

of walking

population.

followingstory:

UNKNOWN

THE
I asked

why.

His

into

made

Then
the

saw

and

care

dearly.
her.

earnestlyin
keeping

my

grandmother,

grandmother, who

superintendent told
home

to go

for

You

me.

I arrived

father

waiting for

the

at

station
He

me.

ill.

was

not

the

ten-o'clock

had

asked

near

in tears, and

was

But

when

as

iday
hol-

to

hear

king.

I found

told

got into

days

two

home

my

that she Avas

dead.
to understand
gave me
hour
I inquiredat what
grandmother
my

few

had

my

house, they

the
A

my

that

me

later

days

died.

They

Friday,ten minutes before nine.

I wish to observe here that my grandmother had been only
taken ill on Thursday, the day before her death, and that no
told

she had

train and

imagine how pleased I was

myself quickly,as happy

may

When

grandmother

The
next
worry.
in school, I was
sent for,and

to take

me

I dressed

these words.

I loved

was

do

age

grandmother,who

to my

whom

leaning over me.

but all had disappeared. I attached
impression,and I soon went to

Surprised,I opened my eyes,

no
importance to this
sleepagain. Children of that
day,at nine o'clock,when I was
the

take

would

of little prayers, all concerning

Immediately after I distinctly
eyes.

my

of my

face

God

prayer

number

I shut

that

my

me

died

on

"

informed

had

one
^'

From

prayer,
prayers

that

of her

me

illness.

give my grandmother
a long life for my
sake, and He had not granted my
I ceased to believe in Him.
They say He grants the
of those who
call on Him; but here is a proof that He
time,

as

I had

implored

does

not, and

also of the stuff

It is

just like

all the rest of it.'

God

taughtby

to

Feiistgiante.

*^A.
Letter

"Torigny."
CXI.
when

'^

he

old, was

use

was

le Docteur

We

sent

leave

their

XXXVIII.,

own

was

all

our

at

her

Blanc,

at

correspondentsfree

language.
XCV., etc.

But

Aix-les-Bains,told

witnessed

ill,and

for Doctor

448.

Blanc,

he had

young

of his aunts

One

'

M.

very

religion.

the Catholic

son,

something
a

to express

"

he

was

opinionsand

different opinionswill be

124

six years

I think

their

that

curious.

very

little fellow

Sallanches

me

found

to

in

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

of my cousin's.
his way the
"On
'

Mamma

!'
that

that

died at the very

This

the child must

luhen

doctor,

but
ill,

little

She

had

cried out, with

the child had

Louis

Letter

CXII.

At

''

Malamour

Nicole.

mother

to her

great use

on

miles

to this

mother, who
half away.
My

of my

and

had

gentleman, who

been

certain occasions.

relation,who

This

relation

seven

attached

much

was

453.

was

lived at Varennes, about

is

now

no

knew

more,

that my

mother

ailing.

was

He

"

out

Tierney Street Station,Streatliam,London, S.W."

"61

"

the

dead.

was

low
playfel-

cried

to

be

apparently.

cause,

of

told

was

the child's mother

moment

was

stopped suddenly,and

mamma

see

theylearned

later

no

child

first thought was

whose

the child

present doctor, and

of the

the father

assured

great noise

that

me

loft,as if

in his

said to himself

He

about.
violently

corn

night she died he had heard

somebody was tossingsacks of

the

on

'

Consin

Labb"

is

dead.'

This

"

the

me

the

on
''

not
dear

My

impressionwas

usual

of

own

it is

common,

friends

to those

there

are

persons

"'There

is

Nothing

who

who

more

rare

from

mother

died

the noises.

heard

communications
are
telepathic
because
they are only sent by very
And
how many
dearlylove them.

have

nothing

had

received

My

relation's death.

night when he
opinionis that

same

more

notice

he

when

confirmed

if

real true friends ?

more

than

common

than

the

the

name,

thing.'
*'

"

Notary

Labbe,
at Esnes

(Meuse)

Letter 455.

CXIII.
my

"

family.

I have
It

happened

Professor
years

ago.

often heard
to my

the

followingfact

uncle,

member

related
of the

in
stitute,
In-

Collegeof Chartes, who died eighteen

UnfortunatelyI can only give you the outat the

125

THE

line and

He

not

his

give the

to

story,and

aunts, whose

of my

name

Catholic, and

earnest

an

was

of

one

of the

principalfacts

pnblishthem,
*'

UNKNOWN
if yon

yon,

uncle.

had

he

memory

beg

been

brought

up

cherished

always

by

with

the time
of his first comAbout
munion
gratitude and emotion.
(the evening before, I think),being several hundreds
this aunt, he saw
her standing near
of miles away from
him,
and felt certain she was
to give him
her
dead, and had come

benediction.

farewell
''A

few

at the

days

later he

learned

hour, when

very

he,

that, in truth, she had

child,had

"Paul
Professor

"

in the

Letter

CXIV.

One

"

afternoon, I

reading
seemed

to

was

very attitude
fall back
severelywounded

Four

teacher, which
A

despair.
awkward

some

brother

told

the

have

been

four.

"

'

before

in

the

hand

was

and

Later

his

heart, and

in

the

evening I
our

late

is in the

depths
gunning, when by

off and wounded

his
went
gun
has just taken his degree as Bachelor.'

this I
Louis

at three

out

was

they

his

blunder

truth.

he

the

on

letter from

Louis

friend

since

weeping, in

me,

always depicted when

; his

Your

days

few

I read

had
kill

said

Charles, who

When

"

o'clock

I went

as

puzzled me,
it to my family.
five days later I received
or

mentioned

of

and

This

fell backward.

"

Lyc"e.

(SeineInf"rieure)."

three

about

the navy, fall down

in which
soldiers are

apprenticein

he

of the Petit

along I was
book
by Alphonse Daudet, when
suddenly it
that I saw
of my
me
one
school-felloAvs,
a
pilot's

out

University

457.

day,
walking,

summer

him.

beside

Kittel,

Corneille, at Elb"uf

"

her

seen

died

that

fell

he

My

accident

the

Louis, when

fainted, saying,as

vision.

my

wounded.

not

was

o'clock,and

I heard

of

thought

he
'

It had
vision

not
must

about

half-past
what
had hapsaw
pened,
If Charles dies,I'll

myself.'
This

fact that
took

is all I have
a

misfortune

place.

to tell.
was

I send

I insist

foretold
you

the
126

an

names

only

hour

on

the

before

of those

certain

dent
the acci-

concerned,

OF

TELEPATHIC

I do

but

wish

not

be much

COMMUNICATIONS

publishthem in full,and
onlyto printtheir Christian

obligedto

I should

to

yon
you

names.

L. P.

"

"

Saint-Paul-les-Romains

(Drome)."
Letter

CXV.

"

In

the

1865
it my

escape from
In
hamlet.

this

458.

cholera

ravaging La

was

family sought refuge

lived

hamlet

workman

in

Seyne

; to

neighboring
who, braving the
a

epidemic,went every morning to La Seyne, and returned

home
in the evening.
One morning, feelingvery tired,he did not go as usual,
and his son, who was
ly
fifteen, not thinking his father serioushimself
by fishingfrom the rocks,
ill,went off to amuse
about four miles away, hoping his father would
by-and-bycome
and join him.
At half -past eleven the father died of cholera.
"

At
a

the

the

hour

same

son

him

neighboringrock making

when
"

he

drew

The

the vision

near

sign

house, asking as he reached

home.

They showed

told the

story of how

As

his

he had

with

not

was

him

the

him

seen

to him.

come

on

But

disappeared.

to their

*'

to

greatlyalarmed, hastened

man,

young

he had

convinced

was

all

it if his father

dead

and

body,

speed

had
at

come

he

once

him.

justseen

in

man

poor

with

he called for his son

say whether
I limit myself to tellingsimjjly
what

his last moments

cannot

when

and

I know

he

dying,

was

and

ber.
remem-

Balossy,
"Government

Controller

Pont-de-Beau

"

voisin

of

Tobacco,
(Is"re)."

Letter 459.

''It

CXVI.

bed,

Avhen

of

one

father !'
my
*'Her
mother

"

was

about

1850.

them

cried

thought

dreaming, and tried

daughter insisted : I
'

with

me
"

to
am

she

Two

sisters were

togetherin

out

suddenly, Oh,

had

an

'

certain

saw

daughter,
papa..

He

God

hallucination,or

her

compose

my

but

was

the

touched

his hand.'

I should

say that her

father
137

had

been

for

some

time

at

UNKNOWN

THE

buildingsfor the great

Tours, puttingup wooden

held
'^

there.
Next

killed
that

by

his

family received

the

day

the

daughter saw
"A

of means,

man

"

wife

and

we

took

cannot

and

child, in
it

living at

night

loud

bar

of iron

our

chamber,

sprang

had

and

haste

in

up

that

had

been

"The

with

that

"My

cause,

hour.

same

was

the noise

had
we

died

so

had

"When

we

that

us

the

on

whole

the

great

floor of
We
to

ing
Noth-

room.

learned

night when,
roughly awakened,
had

never

she

any

and

got up
awakened
not

that

by

that

us

without
and

intimate

any
about

relations

ill.

was

sister-in-law,who

and

and

reached

very

not know

did

mother-in-law

made,

the

were

We

lady,and

we

of

denly
sud-

was

examining

beyond ours, had

told that they were

rooms

awakened

down

day (or the day after)news

Leblanc

apparent

(I am sorry
one
sult
might con-

were

to both

live

to

gone

violentlyshaken.
candle, running at once

bed

lit the

and

any

with

fore
occupied be-

had

of 1858

spring

Paimb"uf

disturbed.

next

Madame

the

in the

our

Cli"teau, Loches."

been

who

violentlythrown

been

child's cradle, and

our

had

Leblanc,

It seemed

noise.

de

livingat

was

but
precisely,
give the date more
wife and
I
the civil register)
my

by

time

same

Delakoue,

18 Rue

which

house

the

432.

1858

Madame

by

One

Nantes.

at

In 1857

been

had

apparition.

Letter

CXVII.

say he

evening before, exactly at

fall the

letter to

"L.

my

fair to be

occupied two
I think

joined us.

wife's cries,and

my

by

by anything else.
the

date

of

corresponded with the event that

much
surprise,my sister-in-law,who was
The
souls of peopledying, often, at the
back
are
separatedfrom the body, come
where they have lived.'
death

'

"

"Employ"
Letter
138

of the

463.

Leblanc's

Madame
had
very

caused

us

so

pious,said,

moment

when

to revisit the

they
house

L. Orieux,
Government,

Nantes."

OF

CXVIII.

'^

who

was

ago, at Monzon

few years

very

days with

few

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

some

an
(Ardennes),a womher
little daughter to pass
a
at Sedan.
One night the child
mother, and asking to see her,

ill sent
relations

crying,callingher
begging that she might be taken
woke

up

The

"

had

in

called

her

insisted

and

''I do

precisedate

of the

the

the

story at

the

mother

dead.

was

time, but

of these

names

She

can

assure

had

the

people, nor
attention

having paid great

not

event,

the

once.

the very hour when

the child
being taken back to her.

on

remember

not

at

that

came
day news
the night, at

next

died

home

you

that

the

"O.

GiLLET.

to
is

fact

quiteauthentic.
"78

Bourniget,Vouziers

Rue

(Ardennes)."
Letter

CXIX.

brother, who

My

"

473.

militarysuperintendentat

was

Cayenne, had leave of absence, and spent his holiday at Bolthe following
l"ne, in the Department of Orange. He told me
He

circumstance.
M.

daughter

who

The

little

girlfell

the

far

end

was

of the

Eenucci.

This

fond

very
ill.

intimate

very

One

of

gentleman

he

brother

my

night

chamber

with

saw

little

had

his

woke

perintendent,
su-

little

and

brother

my

another

wife.

up.

At

Lydia looking at
'

him

Then

fixedly.

troubled, woke
pet name)

sleptno
"The
M.

was

'

and

I have

My
away.
said to her :

brother, much

passed

his wife

is dead.

her

just seen

Didi

'

(Lydia's
perfectly/ They
'

that

more

next

Eenucci.

night,the

she

hour
to my

night.
morning my
The

brother

went

in all haste

died
girl had indeed
during
death coincidingAvith that of her

little

of her

to

see

the
pearance
ap-

brother.
"Eegina
"

Schoolmistress

Jullian,

at Mornes

(Vaucluse)."

Letter 473.

CXX.

to
seems
"Something that once
happened to me
have some
bearing on the facts of which you are publishing
so interesting
a study.
My father was ill,and was being nursed away from home.
"

129

THE

Though

knew

we

We

went

he
to

UNKNOWN

ill,we

had

firm

hopes

him, and

had

found

him

was

see

night I was
suddenly roused, and my
which
hung just opposite my bed, seemed
I say seemed

move.

At

reallystirred.

it

started

could

not

It

was.

The

"

We

at this

time

same

I felt

I had

fancied
that

I
I

sleepagain. I looked to see what o'clock it

exactly one in the morning.
day, before noon, we received a letter begging
to our
father, who had suddenly grown
worse.

was

next

him

reached

late.

too

morning, preciselythe
fact, which

*'This

He

hour
I

had

died

when

think

wholly incomprehensibleto

of

at

o'cloch that

one

awakened.

was

often, is absolutely

very

me.

"Juliette

Thevein^et.

Carlo."

"Monte

Letter

CXXI.

"I

had

house

Avhen, in the

heard

myself

three

475.

eight years absent from my father's

evenings,of January 7, 18 and 19, 1890, I

been

called

times

Lucinel'

sister's death.

of my

news

of the

by

my

Christian

name

'

Lu-

by that name,
at Breslau, people always addressed
or
for, being a governess
The
call was
followed
by the
spoke of me as Mademoiselle.
creaking of a great gate which opened on two rusty hinges.
it for
heard
not
I recognized this creaking,though I had
the sound
made
It was
by a very old gate at
eight years.
I also recognized
my father's house at Epauvilliersin Switzerland.
I was
in the call the voice of my sister.
agitated all
night by a sad presentiment,and the next day I received
cine! Lucine!

did when

frightened

so

that

imagine

thing I

picturewhich

make

go to

hasten

to

us

the

At

move.

saw

to look

was

up

first

picture,

to

me

for I cannot

to me,

rate, the

any

to

ery.
recov-

better, when

father's

one

sudden

of his

18th

or

19th

of

often

not

was

She

had

called

passedaway

Mistik, in Moravia

and

"Here

I should

is

L. KoY.

(Austria)."
Letter

CXXII.

ing
even-

January.
"

"At

the

on

case

like to add

478.

which
it to

the

130

was

quitepersonalto

material

for your

me,

learned

THE

fnneral

of M. Y.'

UNKNOWN

(here the

the article
enlarged upon). And
his death to typhoid fever, brought on
devotion
by a too conscientious

ended

were

fulfil.'

'

whom
will
"

to tell

come

thou

always love
Shall I

its

he

was

deavoring
en-

it

'

Dear

I that

was

hast

thou

still beyond the grave.

loved, and

I thank

thee, and

thee.'

ever

from

escape

that

me

lovest

to duties

sioned
occa-

friend/ I thought,
the conventionalities of the world, thou

set free at last from

didst

by attributing

by exhaustion

'

faithfullyto

the deceased

high qualitiesof

him?

recover

My spiritwould
seek

prisonhere, to

for him

gladly

most

he may

wherever

be found.
L."

"Mademoiselle
Letter 494.

"In

CXXIII.
German

the

Saint

at

mother

L., Professor

Paul

livingin Prussia, at

of

his brother

stayingwith

Petersburg, was

of their

the house

M.

1866

year

at

distance

some

This sister was

place where their sister lived.
slightly
and
suffering.
indisposed
''One
morning, September 17th, the two brothers Avere
walking in the open country. Suddenly Paul heard his name
called twice
by a mysterious voice, and the third time his
it.
also heard
voice
brother
The
pronounced distinctly
Moved
of Paul.
the name
by a dark presentiment,for
from

the

country

return

to

them

was

their

that

of

denuded

inhabitants, the brothers

home, where
sister

had

they
grown

found

telegram telling

and

worse

ened
hast-

that

she

was

dying.
"

On

Paul

L.

their

the form
him
"

as

his mother

way, about
of his sister

she

He

and

set out

o'clock

at

with

once

in the

had

moment

when

morning

she had

her

firm

conviction

form

several

appeared
times

that
to

summoned

L.

afternoon, M.

suddenly glideby him

passed through the carriage.

then

post-horses.

and

she

brush

saw

against

had

died

at the

him, and

that

in the

him

to her

dying

bed.
"Other

details

might

be

noticed.
133

When

they

returned

TELEPATHIC

OF

home

found

they

COMMUNICATIONS

that

the clock had

stopped at the exact

hour of their sister's death, and that her picturehad fallen
time.
at the same
The portraithad been carefully
nailed to
the wall, but it had fallen without pullingout the nail.
address
I can
**M, L., whose
give you if you wish it, can
certifythat these facts are the exact truth.
^'V. MOUEAVIEFF.

Petersburg,March

"Saint

18-30, 1899."
Letter 498.

CXXIV.

(A)

been

December,

was

which

bed, from

to his

gone

^'It

he

was

again

never

father

had

to rise.

He

My

1875.

long time, but he kept on his feet and moved

about, fancying he might deceive death so long as he did not
I was
keep his bed.
sittingnear him, and I saw, with grief,
the first signs of his approaching dissolution.
No person
in
the family had as yet been summoned.
had

''

sick

Suddenly

in his
"

"

"

uncles

brother

*Is my
^
You

can

'Just

think"

very
for

see

he

slowly,as

place where

night,I

ago,

seemed

always does, with

it

choked

voice

yourself.*

for the

away

in

dressed

room,

ill?'

little while

into the

came

said to me,

and
working-clothes,

plough
the

of my

one

pains him.

when
to

see

his hand

He

turned

putting the

was

father

your
on

ing
walk-

his heart

towards

"

on

and

me

Christopher,it is all over with me, go to our house."

I was
''Your
frightened, and called to Jules:
very much
uncle ! Don't
"Why, papa,"he said,
you see your uncle?"
''you are dreaming. There is no one here."
mother
'If that is so,'I replied,'go and tell your
I am
I am
not coming home.
going to D., to my brother's."
said

'^

"

"This

about

was

at 5 o'clock

(B)
1889.

my

The

"

just lost

father

my

and

mother.

wife that her mother

at

once.

He

had

was

in the

were

to

The

reporthappened

at supper.

Suddenly
was

evening.

day

next

dead."

thing I have

second
wife

My

6 o'clock

very

man

was

came

very

133

sad

in and

ill,and that she must

carriage.

in

August,
"

I had

told
go

my

to her

THE
I

"

Next

day

and

that

I mnst

"1

saw

family in

voice
"

It

tears

the bed

near

can't come,

"An

worse,

with

violent attack

and

to move,

me

of the

poor

midst

and

woman,

of

I heard

?'

use?'

be the

hour

dying

in the

voice, the voice of the dying woman:

fellow ; he is ill. And
then, after all,

another

came

would

was

state

saying:
coming, Emilie

''Then

what

seized

was

impossiblefor

was

Is he not

'

'He

when

to start

something like coma.

I was
nothing,but I knew
yonder

into

'^I

mother-in-law

my

immediately.

of neurasthenia.
I sank

that

-word

got
come

about

was

UNKNOWN

after

got the sad despatch: 'Mamma

just

E. Cl"ment.

De.

dead.'

is

"Montreux."

Letter 502.

CXXVI.

My brother-in-law, Jung, was

"

father, his brother-in-law

Ganzhirt, and

Sohnlein, in

named

arbor

an

one

his

of the

ter,
lat-

friend

in their

day with
Jung

garden.

twelve; Ganzhirt and Sohnlein, twenty-two and

Sohnlein
all in good health.
They were

about

them,

'

I die I

When

very place.'
"Four
months

his lessons

and

tree

seized
Soon

fall

with
after

said

to

in this

to you

appear

one

he

As
his

fear, closed

came

plums drop

saw

him.

near

some

and

come

ty-four.
twen-

later,as my brother-in-law
ing
Jung was studynoise as if a tree
in this arbor, he heard
a

and
violently,

shaken

were

to

mean

was

could

books, and
to

see

V.

no

that

plum-

one,

into

went

tell him

dead.

ofP from

the

he

was

house.

Sohnlein

was

Blanck.

Schaeffer

"Huningue."
Letter 504.

CXXVII.
of the

kind

person

in

under
"

myself experiencedany impressions

that form
the object of your
questions. But a
on
her,
family had a great impressionmade
my
"I

have

not

the circumstances

Her

father

lived

at

of the

following narrative

Bayonne.
134

She

was

at

Concordia, in

OF

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

South

America.

5th of March,

the

On

morning, she was^ lying in bed,

she thought she saw
her father at the
at her sadly. At that very moment
stricken
of the brain,and
by paralysis
twent3r-six
days afterwards.
in the

"

Principal Clerk

iu

which
decided

In

**

to

seems

future

my

not

Avere

Allow

"

foot

awake, when
the

bed

ing
look-

father

had

been

the

31st,

of

her

o'clock

seven

wide

but

he died

on

Bonnome,
Office at

Government

Letter

CXXVIII.

1889, at

Mestaganem."

505.

me

to call your

me

very

attention

curious.

to

stance
circum-

In the first

life,and, besides that, its

place,it

circumstances

ordinary ones.
then

(I was

1867

It

17th, I

December

on
twenty-five)

dressed
nearly eleven o'clock, and as I unI sat down
and began thinking. My thoughts were
fixed on a young
girlI had met during my last vacation at
hers quite intimately,
the sea-bath of Trouville.
My family knew

to

went

bed.

was

Martha

and

and

I became

fond

very

of

marriage was on the eve of being arranged

families quarrelled,and it had to be given up.
Our

Toulouse, and

to

other
That

"

all

each

love

to

I returned
other

the

"

this I

can

drew

vision

17, 1867, I

door

Martha
noiselessly,
her hair streaming

of my
entered.

over

her

room

She

was

shoulders.

leaned

me,

Martha

went

ued
contin-

we

fused
girlre-

young

thinking about
opened softly,and, almost

confidentlyassert,for
near

the

two

our

hand.

evening,December

this,when

when

But

sincerelythat

so

offers for her

Grenoble.

to

other.

each

was

dressed

in

Eleven

o'clock

was

not

lightlyover

me,

white, with
struck

sleeping.
and

The

I tried

to

seize the young

hand.
It was
icy cold. I uttered a cry,
girl's
phantom disappeared,and I found myself holding a glass

the

of cold

water

in my

of cold.'

hand.

But, observe, I

examination
superficial
"

that

influence

This

is,that it
is much

might
was
more

the

may

not

was

tend
work

to prove

of

probable.

CXXII.
135

have

the
This

given,me
asleep,and
that

this

the
the

was

imagination.
instance

an

But

sation
sen-

glass
cination
hallupathic
tele-

is like that

ia

UNKNOWN

THE

of water
I could

heard

had

last word

"

This

am

an

is my

Her

in

Before

who

that
I

had

always

and

soon

been

and

letter

C.

her

hood.
child-

my

dearly.

Her

we

She

grew
in

was

of her

that

was

my

to

more

consumption.

what

illness.

very

gay

"

I
One

she

her

little
each

H"l"ne,

poor
and

me

on

often

more

lettingher know

progress
her

write

to

injuriousto

she

that

brought

empty frame

an

promised
kept.

we

without

from

and

ing,
ailFrom

doing,
ceived
day I re-

was

was

much

She

and spend the summer

with me.
hoped to come
sudden
improvement frightenedme at first,and then I
to myself that, after all,it was
possibleH"l"ne might

better.
This
said

get

into

delicate.

the

closelywatched

loved

came

capitalwas

I heard

moment,

it herself

and

air of the

The

'^

girlfriend during

H"l"ne.

promise which

"

It

510.

left H"l"ne

put

room,

my

vision.

my

to Paris,
government employ, Avas removed
gret.
parted, which caused both of us great re-

they

; she

photograph
other

be

to

married.

never

constantlyof

little

was

was

had

in

had

name

father, who

table

that I have

add

Jacques

I had

"

we

Jacques !'

'

been,

Letter

CXXIX.

side.

evening

sleep.

my

"Grenoble."

and

at

I may

story.

de nuit at my

of the next day I

Toulouse, the night lefore,
at

bachelor, but I think

old

haunts

had

the

On

sleep that night.

of the death of Martha,
Her

the taUe

standingon

not

eleven.

been

well.

day, April 15, 1896, I felt uneasy all day. I

In the evening, after dinner,
still finishingmy studies.
was
and
I went
to my
was
a
problem in
bending over
room,
I had
in fixing my
tention.
atgreat difficulty
geometry, on which
H"l"ne's
photograph was near me, standing always
the spot where
she had placed it,and my eyes were
tinually
conon
"

The

next

it.

upon
"

Suddenly
The

noise

the face

saw

mouth

opened

at this moment

eight.

I fancied

made
I must

in the

as

if she

photograph raise its eyelids.

to
were
going
speak. A

start.

me

have
136

been

It

was

my

clock

dreaming.

ing
strik-

I rubbed

looked

and

eyes

my

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

time

This

again.

lips,then it opened its eyes, then

them
closed
and
again
slowly, opened them
sigh.'
I dared no longerlook at the photograph.

face

with

"

lamp

my

and

vain, to go
*^

About

went

I heard

o'clock

ten

to

out

also to

and

that

heard

tried,but in

took

the front

words

to Paris

me

died

H"l"ne

'

with

It

bed.

to

gone

this

father.

my

present at the funeral of my dear one,

I
hear particulars
concerning her last moments.
she had
been
the day of her death
on
talkingof

anxious

was

first train

day the

had

parents who

my

"Next

picked up

startlingring at

despatch containingthese
evening at eight o'clock.'
Avas

and

was,

deep

sleep.

to

I called

door.

bed, early as it

to

them

closed

its

move

the

saw
distinctly

be

to

said :
Perhaps Valentine is
continually. She had even
He
thinks I am
looking at my photograph at this moment.
ments
getting better, but I know I am going to die.' A few moof
receive news
before her last she begged I should
send me
well.
her fareher death immediately, and that they would
'

me

Her
Others

"

that I

was

last word

under

and
apparitions,

in

my

explainthis

may
not

was

an

my

name.
as

they will,but
I

illusion.

health

was

took

never

quitesure

am

interest

any

normal.
entirely

C.

"Valektixe
"Roanne."
Letter 542.

CXXX.

"

of my

One

to India

collegefriends (Iam
medical
missionary.

went

out

each

other, as often happens, still we

as

were

doctor)
lost sightof
We
attached
sincerely
a woman

other.

to each

night between October 28th and

I was
at six o'clock
awakened
then at Lausanne)
39th (Iwas
little knocks
on
opened on
My bedroom
by some
my door.
"

One

morning

"

it was

the

"

Let

once

me
on

v., XLIX.,

the
and

more

repeat that

lad's brain

by

the

all this

girlwho

CXX.
137

not

was
was

real.

dying.

It

was

See

an

also

pression
imcases

UNKNOWN

THE

I used

story.
of

knocks
I had

and

his

in

wrapped

I felt

me.

furiously.
and

to

about

of the 19th

the

up

of white

cold shiver

The

disappeared.
with

sweat.

that

no

own

me.

had

''

servant
household

her

back

another

on

house

the
that

room.

CLXXVII.

the

when

near

growl
reopened

cat

trembling all

was

of my
of

of October,

friend

another

over

in India

curred
oc-

But

person.

my friend, on the night

had died at Srinagharin

that

afterwards

the

Marie

of her

cause

Thilo,

de

death

M.D.

514.

one

was

which

stood

asleep,for

was

profound

heard

noise

it

between
was

silence
which

We

experience

both

with

were

animals

early in

reigned in
seemed

us

is not

138

the

the

like

times

startled.

It is wortliy of attention.

Everybody

us.

very

slowly alighting,after several

to pass between
Something seemed

Tiiis

black

some

that

bird

'

figure

morning in my dining-room ; no one

there.
We
both busied
and myself were
were
aifairs.
My servant was
dusting a table and
I was
towards
turned
me.
things
fixingsome
I

table

the most
we

the

door

Junien, Switzerland."

CXXXI.

with

The

Letter

ing
occupy-

She drew

face.

eyes, and
cat

I learned

20th

to the

I heard

Saint

but

out

go

sitting
up,

over

; I heard

me

thought
thinking

was

veil

the

see
distinctly

not

peritonitis.
"

like

gauze,

pass over
I shut my
Instinctively

Cashmere.
was

Avas

kind

other
an-

stairs.

fortnightlater

to

as

I must

"

liked

bristling,trembling and growling.

if by a slightgust of wind, and I saw

covered

was

the accommodation

cat, who
eyes lighted on my
place at the foot of my bed. He was

all had

them

come

one

no

I could

material.

ajarfor

had, who

I then

cat

leading to

my

fur

shaken

was

door

staircase

with
night (the house swarmed
mice).
night-bellhad not rung,
repeated. The

heard

his usual
with

the

were

chance

"By

was

leave my

to

great white

hunting during
The

there

which

corridor, from

of

beating

The

unique.

morning,

house.

that

through

See

else in

denly
Suda

its

heavy
wings.

the middle

servant

cases

so

of

turned

XXIX.

and

THE

had

Hardly

^''

"This

door

front

There

and

more

loudly

were

disturbed.

was

no

then

(I was
before

fourteen

We

answer.

staircase,we

with

up

the

I asked

down

the

examined

there
very

nobody anywhere. We
with
heavy hearts,
uneasy,

some

misfortune, and

after

back

came

sleeplessnight
went
to sleep,for
a

and

there.

looked

up

and

below

to

our

expecting to

now

for

I reached
Avas

the floors above

was

first

vivacityof

who

opened the door, we

the

the

old)and

years

mother.

my

this when

after

than
insistently

time, indeed, I sprang

child of fourteen
the

ourselves

composed

we

bell rang again,

time.
Again we

UNKNOWN

and
"

rooms

hear

of

mother

my

I was
at an age
grandmother (though I
when
one
can
sleepthrough anything),we received in the
evening of that excitingday the followingtelegram : Pierre
died last night at eleven o'clock.
Tell mamma.
Prepareher
'

for this sad

news.'

(B) ''In 1884, the year of the cholera

and Bareges,with
forBagn"res-de-Bigorre
children,

two

H"tel

de

been

As
perfectlydark.
upright, surrounded

deal

may

moved

as

got

by

you

sleepingin
your
"

of

dead.''

am

the

poor) had
"There

awakened

day

carried

slept alone, was

a figurestanding
gazed at it,a good

saw

"

husband, Avho

called

once

and

He

told

my
said to him
me

he

'

I have

was

sympathy, or

not
more

in

off in
the

devoted

to his

world

man

more

Rue

Martial

of

were

full of

Poncer.

Paradis, Marseilles."
Letter

CXXXIV.

attack

patients.
"H.

'415

justseen

hours.

few

whole

was

dead.'

was

him

by

An
telegram confirmed the news.
(contractedwhile attending patientswho

next

cholera

rudely

circle

room,

brother-in-law.
The

of bed

out

my

week, stayingat the

was

and

'

I at

next

night I

husband

of light. I
band's
imagine, and I recognizedmy husAdolphe
doctor, Avho said : Warn

brother-in-law, a
tell Mm

about

Marseilles,I left

my

chamber, where

My

cause.

there

One

l'Europe.

apparent

no

I had

at

523.

Rigagnon, cur" in
Bordeaux, being in his room
"M.

140

the

of Saint-

Parish

engaged

in

writing,

TELEPATHIC

OF

his brother

before him

saw

said

him, 'Adieu,

to

called in

moved,
them

and

day
of

with

the

This

fact

down

the hour

related

was

death

arrived.
had

he

to

of it

account

an

seen.

at which

date

dying!' M. Kigagnon,
(his assistant clergy),and
These
gentlemen wrote
and some
time
apparition,

am

of the

brother's

the

nev/s

just

by

me

as

lived in the colonies,and

who

his vicars

he had

what

the

COMMUNICATIONS

soon

It coincided

appeared
of the

one

M.

to

Avho
much
told
down
after

exactly

Eigagnon.

vicars who

wrote

it occurred.

as

*'E. Begouin.
"

Reaux,

.Jouzac (Charente

near

Inf"rieure.)"

Letter

*'My grandfatherlived

CXXXV.

lonely,in

very

524.

the

midst

of woods

in

ch"teau, which

; but

this ch"teau

had

was
was

nothing mysterious about it no

the
ghost,'indispensableto the reputalegends; not even
tion
of an old castle.
My grandfather'ssister had married a
doctor in a neighboringvillage.
At the moment
the thing took place that I am
going to
relate my
His brother-in-law,the
grandfatherwas absent.
off in the evening,
doctor being seriouslyill,he had gone
begging my grandmother, my mother, three of my aunts,
back
that night,for,
to expect him
and my two
uncles not
building,and

modern

"

'

"

unless

he found

his

brother-in-law

better,he would

not

come

home.

Notwithstanding this, and because the return of one of

expected (I think from Cochin-China, where
my uncles was
he had served in a campaign), all the family was
sittingup
The
in
the
talking
dining-room.
night passed rapidly,no
''

one

fatigued, when
(among them

was

very courageous
the next
room,

Jump
the

in their

salon

There

was

this manner,

slammed

the
mistake

no
or

o'clock

two

uncles,

my

at

with

(I speak
passage
about

least the

the door

violence
of the

door
141

door

that my

of the

that

door

opposite to
it ; the

in the dining-room

one

every

soldiers,but
sceptical

two

men) distinctlyheard
chairs.

from

at

made

which

the
that

salon,
them

separates

dining-room.)
was

closed

familyheard

in

close,

THE

was

close to them.

not

front

heard

the

the house
Avithout
much

and

such

they might
stopped. The noise
as

them

gave
Soon

all

mother

has

sweat

have

in the

me

often
had

gust of wind

felt in

they

entered

this

less,

some

them, and
explained.

to

have

not

We

Conversation

strange

could

'

passed them,

nightmare.

seemed

least

at

it

as

house,

(absolutely

more,

faces

of the door

some

their

on

door

told

kinsfolks

my

presently)had

see

uneasiness

an

This

will

you

of

gust of wind

fierce

it to,'

it that

of cold

sort

noise

if

as

blown

reality,as

the

was

My

close

real about

felt

It

door.

door

UNKNOWN

uncles began to laugh at the piteous faces

of my
At once
of his mother
and
sisters.
an
amusing search was
one

organized.
A

lead.

the

The

family

the

doors

the

windows

house

in

Indian

closed, the

were

shut,

were

disturbed

had

or

the

dining-

the

door

of the

! it

outside

blown

he

die ?'

o'clock

'Two

two?'

heard

been

him.

tliey asked
by

dead.

was

"^At two

precisely.'The

the

noise

been

hour

morning.'
of the

that

exactly at

persons

seven

have

what

At

'

in

All

morning, and

next

door

hour

of

told
did
'At
had
the

morning.
"

"

Student

degree at Bucliingliam,
Ro3'al School, England."

John's

Letter

CXXXVI.
I

Gautier,

preparing for his baccalaureate

"St.

word

Eene

"

place

One

absolute

of

my

535.

friends, M.

trust, told

me

Dubreuil, in whose

the

stance
following circum-

father-in-law, M.

"His
Ponts

et

Chausse"e, attached

superintendentof the
Department of the Navy,

Corbeau,
to the
142

through the
was
nothing

could

them

'"^

his brother-in-law

air

There

anything.

bolted

chained, all

were

of

current

no

and

close

ch"teau.

the

doors

door
a
explain how
very near
shut so violently
by a gust of wind.
home
the
My grandfathercame
that

locked

was

through

to

them

certainlyheard

had

file went

the

organizedfrom

them

behold

noise; but,

took

courage,

first examined

of

one

tried

of

man

They

every

loud

processionwas

salon.

salon, which
with

uncle,

comical

to

room

One

had

been

sent

time

some

wife

His

works.

mother's
was

he woke

Tonqnin to
accompanied him.

had

at

up

presentiment that
And

dead.

buried

was

if yoTi

'^I can,
the

and

at

her

death

mother's

her

saw

taken

The

chamber, but
if he

as

at

saw

had

once

Corbeau,

must

be

place that

very

day

bringingher

back

to France.

Singapore.
the

wish, get you

steamer

of her

date

exact

which

on

it took

decease,

place.

"M.

Lagache, Villemomble

10 Avenue

"

tain
cer-

son's cradle.

Dubreuil

had

was

wife

grandmother

Madame

which

of the

name

his

friend's

mother, Madame

her

indeed

the steamer

board

She

her

overlook

to

callingfor

once,

at the foot of his bed.

her

on

before

day, in the afternoon, my

her and
figurepass between
in his
asleep at the moment

'^One

child

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

Hannais.

(Seine)."

Letter

527.

I was
July, 1887, when
nineteen, I
found
in
myself at Toulon, serving my time as a volunteer
the Sixty-first
Regiment of the line,quartered in the barracks
I had a brother named
of the Jen de Paume.
Gabriel,whom
''In

CXXXVII.

; he

dearly loved

his

with

I had

parents.

and, although his condition

and

I was,

the

tears, having

brother

dead.

was

dream, otherwise,
dream, which
As

moments

that
I

was

This
sooner

was

then

4th

him

see

in

June,

think

not

it serious.

of

conviction

conviction
or

to

July, about one

awake, with my pillowwet

up

could

that

"

not

later,I should

have

my

have

poor

been

recalled

my

did.
lines

the

vividlybefore
kept under my

stood

and

certainty a

these

comes

3d

"

never

write

candle, which
in bed.

been

bad, I did

was

night of the
o'cloch in the morning, I started

During

"

than

Ministryof War. He was, however, very

at home
Vauvert, where, having had a furlough, he was

at the time

with

older

years

at the

draughtsman
ill at

ten

was

near,
a

me.

those

unhappy

Being

awake

I lit my

bolster,and

for I often

corporal,which

of

of

memory

set

studied
gave

my
me

table de nuit.
having this rude, foul-smelling
for writingyou such details. I do so that yon
143

it

on

bage-box
gar-

class-books
the

privilege
Forgiveme

may

see

how

THE
I am,

exact
it

and

then

was

UNKNOWN

veracity. I

test my
o'clock in the
so

may

one

ascertained

I could

morning.

that

go to
parade,I asked
not

sleep,and at half-pastfive,when I went on

the postmaster, without
rememberiiig that the telegraph-office
at Yauvert
at that early hour, if there was
not
not open
was
a

despatch for

was

and

over,

I asked

me.

again

the

answered

was

questionwhen

same
no.

parade
I

at the moment

But

entering my quarters,and was unbuckling my cartridgebelt, a man

on
guard brought me the followingdespatch,sent
Come
home
age.'
Courat once.
by my father : 'Gabriel is dead.
Thanks
to the kindness
of my
able to
captain I was
was

take

the train
had

brother

my

in the

I learned
that
reachingVauvert
during the night that is,at one o'clock
On

2.18.

at

died

"

morning.

My griefbrought on

"

and
the

I have

since

ever

the

with

year

days later

few

seriouslyill at

been

"Expert
Letter

related
and
du

by

heard

Plessix, the lieutenant

six

seven

or

ordered

ship,and

visit his

to

of Nantes.
walk

which

led

coffin

coming

mother

died

whatever

to

As
to

up

suddenly

awakened,
our

Martha

chamber,

One

and

noise

as

board

ensign on

death.

few

clear

vision

That

evening

had

been

no

of

his

reason

Nores,
'

Purser's

board

the

some

in the

Nav3^
at

Brest."

537.

one

144

Mate

frigateMelpomene,

night, about
I, by a most
if

him.

towards

Letter

''

had

in the villa. There

On

(A)

at N"mes."

Courts

following circumstance
at sea on the Mel2)omene,
was
full confidence
(M. Jochond

villa,he

'

CXXXIX.

in the Law

days'leave
were
borhood
inhabitinga villa in the neighhe went
along the principalgarden

walk

expect her

in

the

on

the

the

down

time

same

Oeengo,

vessel).
years before, being an
Senegal, he was allowed

parents, who

brain,

the

with whom
I
person
word
inspiresme with

whose

in my

536.

"About

to

ha^e

"I

CXXXVIII.

the

Camille

thing.

same

trouble

one

o'clock, we

unaccountable

had been

were

noise

in

dragging chains

over

OF

TELEPATHIC

the

floor.

COMMUNICATIONS

got

and

up

nothing

found

in the

nnusnal

apartment.
morning my parents,and another person who
the ground-floor,asked me
why there had been such

The

"

next

slepton

during the night in our part of the house.

So the noise was
heard
by five persons.
certainly
The same
came
one
day, during the forenoon, some
inform
that a cousin, who
had
been
us
suddenly taken
racket

"

''

had

died

(B)

Two

"

bed, when

knocks, rapped
had

We

*'

first

our

Before

could

we

These

by a case
(0)

awakened

were

distinctly.

aunt

sufferingfrom
she

that

was

tell

to

message

get to her house

communications
of

she

from

telepathyof

this

the

another

mont.

said to
which

received

Camille

the front

at

aunt

dying.

was

dead.

was

supplement
is quitecertain.

dying I

will

kind, but it

letter to say

the

at

was

night cryingwith

that

the

child

poor

had

awake

been

toothache.

"Your

affectionate cousin,

Habeet-Bollee,

"
"

quarter of

ring

that

us

and
prostration,

be dead.

was

little

three

by

nervous

might

morning, we

Lyc"e (or high school)at ChauAbout

five in the morning his mother
woke up and
To
'I hear
Camille
crying ; he is callingme.'
me,
I answered, 'You
are
dreaming.' But next day we

"

all

we

afterwards, perhaps,there

door, and
'^

five o'clock in the

very

thought

hour

an

an

ill,

night.
ago, about

years

still in

were

the

during

to

Nogent ( Haute-Marne)."
Letter

(A)

CXLII.

ready
seen

her, not
She

her
that

reached

the

repast, saw

some

grandmother) pass
not

being in

My mother

"

for

her
her

several
some

mother

justin

538.

times

was

time

figure
before

Next

years.

her kitchen
of

her

busy
mother

ing
mak-

(my

her, though she had

day

letter

dead, but that she

informed
was

dying.

to close her eyes.

My mother, while nursingme about two o'clock in the

of her
morning, saw
paternalgrandfather in a corner
my
time heard a noise like that made
chamber, and at the same

(B)

"

145

UNKNOWN

THE

by somethingheavy "uhen
she woke
her

into water.
it falls

father, who,

my

vision,went

attachingany importanceto
hours
after they received
sleepagain. Some

to

while

drowned
left home

that

stepping into

little

troubled,

not

telegram saying

Much

before, or

grandfather

my

his

of

out

or

little after,two

40 Rue

He

had

o'clock

on

that

SiMOisr.
Muller, Paris."
Letter

"In

CXLIV.

placeat Saint

1835

and

near

eldest

fatiguein the

Enthusiasm

on

country

his

of

family, had

he

had

first years

danger,and

passed

of the

been
ten

lieutenant
subof

years

conquest.

the

roused by the accounts

spirit
in his letters,
contained
inspiredhis brother Camille
He
disembarked
at Algiers,as a
with a wish to join him.
after joined
non-commissioned,
officer,in April,1835, soon
took part in an
expeditionagainst
my father at Oran, and
"

for

lived

Kochelle.

Algeria,where

in

danger

542.

grandparents

my

Meurice,

father, the

My

"

been

boat.

morning.
"

had

at the

Abd-el-Kader
French

end

of June.

obliged to retreat on Arzew, and lost

in crossing the swamps
of Macta.
ceived
men
My uncle remany
But
three gun-shot wounds, though not severe
ones.
French
soldier cleaning his gun
let it go
in the bivouac
a
off,and his ball struck my uncle in the thigh. He had to
"

The

submit

to

were

it

operation. When

an

was

over

he

died

of

spasmodicseizure.
"

in those

Communication

grandmother

my

had

heard

none

was

slow with

of these

Algeria,and

things.

ing
Accord-

periodshe had on the

chimney-piece of her reception-room,at" premier, a very
handsome
coffee set of porcelain,
arranged for ornament.
tremendous
a
Suddenly, in broad daylight,there was
to

very

common

fashion

days
at

this

"

crash
"

in that

room.

My grandmother and

their astonishment
the
on

at the

piecesthat composed
the floor in

heap on

her maid

rushed

spectaclethat
the
one

up, and

awaited

great was
them.

All

lay in fragments
chimney, as if they

coffee-service
side

of the

146
1

UNKNOWN

THE
"A

CXLVI.
told

ao"o

It

mother.

after he

hour
the

sky what

looked

his heart

was

to

care

go

like

and

drew

the

near

house
and

cross,

turned

he

he

yards when

hundred

time

same

did

he

not

He

home.

go

in

in the

saw

at the

to

lived

who

poignant anguish that

friend, and

An

usual.

as

of his friends

one

left

She

church-time.

at

great gold

his

see

few

see

filled with

so

walked

had

he

As

street.

same

to

out

went

and

of his

death

to the

service,apparently as well

divine

to attend

him

relative

Sunday

one

was

time

acquaintance some

my

circumstances

some

me

of

gentleman

stopped by

was

mother?

lady he knew, who said to him, Have you seen your

but they took
I hope she has only had a fainting-fit,
'

her

out

of church.'
mother

His

home.

hastened

He

*'

was

dead.
''

Letter

told

and

him

he

When

He

always

in

has

June,

Champsecret

he lived at

young

was

gave

many
tween
rise be-

brick-yard,and

at

in the Orne.

night two

were

men

there.

watch

on

last

discussions.

to many

me

employed

was

died

following experience,which

the

me

566.

father, who

"My

CXLVII.

"

Lejstglet.

(Coui-land)."

"Mittau

times

0.

night,when he was doing duty for a sick friend and

was
quietlytalking to the other watchman, he distinctly
heard steps coming straight up the road and then turning
One

"

that

into the side road

"He

At

and his comrade

first
that

they
a

again they

dared

at each

looked

under
the impression
speak. They were
Then
passed and brushed against them.

steps, but this time

heard

and their idea was

away,
ill,and whose place my

that

had

father

"

that

night; it

took

in which

the

"My

mother

place at

time

the

other

the

thought they recognizedhis walk.

The next
morning they heard
the

other, rather alarmed.

not

had

man

kilns.

led to the brick

steps seemed
watchman,

taken,

of the man's

who

dead.

death

was

They
during

exactly correspondingto

footstepshad been heard.

the
could certainlytell me
148

Avas

going

name

of the

dead

COMMUNICATIONS

OF

TELEPATHIC

and

that of the

man

if it is any

who

man

objectfor

was

to know

you

watch

on

with

them.
^'EUG.

"99

Parmentier

Avenue

when

awakened

was

sisters,too) by
A

call

second

590.

six years

was

side of the Jura.

Swiss

the

on

When

"

very

not

was

old I lived

I had

been

But

loud, and

so

by

over

tellinghim

third

The
A

hours

that

pronounced

his

the

he

front

showed

snow

after my

his friend
as

(a friend

to open

fallen

per.
whis-

'

Renaud

time

that,

almost

was

newly

short

omnibus, and

an

several times

there.

was

footsteps.

letter

a
run

one

of any

trace

no

no

house

(my father,my mother, and my four

loud voice callingmy
father, Florian.

My father said, It is the voice of

he went
livingin Paris),and, rising,

door.

in

asleepsome

'

of his

BOZSTHOMME.

(Paris)."
Letter

CXLVIII.

father,

my

father

Renaud

had

ceived
re-

been

dying, he

was

had

name.

"Jh.

Jukod.

"Odessa."
Letter 593.

CXLIX.
at Saint

died

Fran"oisM.,
grandfather,

maternal

My

"

at A

in Paris

Avas

tailor

in the

three

Much
saw

in his
Rue

remember,

can

by

he

1882,

of

as
youth, where he worked
du Faubourg Saint-Honor".

awakened

was

distinct knocks

very

at the age

the

door

eighty. He
journeyman
As

well

eleven

night at

one
on

born

was

as

o'clock

of his chamber.

astonished, he got up, lit a lamp, opened the door, and

no

Thinking that some

practical
joker had roused
to bed again cursingthe fellow who
had played

one.

him, he went
him

the

the

door.

had

trick ; but

roused

He
him

would, in the
could
third

not

find

three

started
pay
passage
out

taps as formerlyat his

grandfather to suppose
any

knocks

were

heard

now

on

the man
who
up, intending to make
dear for his joke, but, look where
he
and

where

time, having once

thongh nothing in

other

more

door.
that
news

and

up

the

down

fellow

had

got into bed,

This time
it

the

he
staircase,

disappeared.
he heard

the three

presentimentled my
might be his mother's spirit,

he had
149

received

made

him

aware

UNKNOWN

THE

tliat she

ill.

was

him

letter reached

had

the

heard

manifestation

him
villagetelling
the

place at

of his

precisehour

when

knocking.
liad

dying asked

was

her

'gar"on de Paris'

especialaffection

an

to have

she

time

took

this

days after

his native

from

mother, who

''His

six

or

death, which

mother's
he

Five

had

her

laid upon

gown

sent her

as

present

before.

him,

for

as

bed, that
little

some

Deschaux.

E.

(Is"re)."

"Abretz

Letter 595.

father

''My mother-in-law's

CL.

had

his

work-people
charge,
obligedto dis-

among

he was
good-for-nothingfellow, whom
will end on
the
saying to him as he did so, 'You
gallows.'
fix the exact date)
"A
year or two after he left (I cannot
himself with
his family. One
my wife's grandfather found
a

morning when

asked,

and

breakfast-table

the

at

is there

Who

'

he

turned

What

round

does

he

denly
sud-

of

want

9'

me

family, much

The

"

what

knowing

he

might

But

asked

mean,

and

one,' he said, 'came

master."'

surprisedby
with

of the other

none

an

questions,and not
explanation. Some
'

voice

loud

the

persons

told

me,

"Adieu,

present heard

these

words.
"Five

of
Here

"

tree

is the
it

remembers

his
said

to

as

that

it

at the

told to

was

he

had

happened

what

at the

Mulhouse,

my

"

Enslieiin.

The

heard

hanging

that
to

Palatinate."
Letter 609.
150

mother-in-law

its

authenticity.
was
passed round

his former
sent

his

had

master

patron

well,
fare-

of the man's

moment

native

town,

Emile

1855.

or

My

the rope

moment

received

at

found

me.

guarantee

can

remembered

man

been

him, and, quittinglife,had

which

"This

fact

had

grandfather

city.

perfectly. I

I suppose
neck
the

"

the

near

wife's

dismissed

had

he

the workman
limb

later my

six hours

or

in 1854

Steffan".

solution.
dis-

or

OF

CLL

*'I

then

was

thirty-fourand
mother

as

hand

'Listen,

go down

and

Now

^'

'

You

"

'

The

big bird

bedrooms

our

of which

was

mistaken.

not

insist

not

time

in

evening

one

my

after

mother, who

in the

had

we

door

to

was

cellar; let

go

leadingto

going

on

bed, I heard

the

us

case,
stair-

up

the cellar.

hour,

same

bird

in

but

ears,

big bird,' I said,

down.

the

at

same

childish

is
certainly

It

evening

next

pierced my

little village

mistaken," she said.

are

I did

"

that

and

him.'

to

get

am

I hear

mamma,

catch

to

father

brother, ciir" of

elder

now

am

at the foot

but

of my

Saint-Esprit(Gard). At
Now,
a real passionfor birds.
I was
going to bed I said to my

holding my

"

months.

house

years old.
I lived with my

eleven

or

Pont

life I had
dinner

ten

four

the

at
near

''

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

the

as

The

cellar.

again

going

was

same

cry

said

birds,I insisted

; I

mother

my

to

was

mistaken.
This

"

love for

time, inspiredby my

resolved

to have

my

way,
until at last,against her

and

mother

pulled my

by

the

was

hand,

inclination,she yieldedto my

tinous
mu-

will.

*'We

constrained

into the

down

went

do

to

by

so

properlythe cellars,for
the

under
after

the

whole

it seemed
it

sometimes
I let go

he

for she
made

mother's

did

made

to

behind

was

my

bird, nor

that

We

rector}^

v/cnt

other, the

Sometimes

no

the

I hear

and

caprice). The cellar

my
there were
several of them

cry of a great bird

but it changed from
one
distinctly,

heard

"

of

mother

cellar,my

come

from

the

barrels.

and

hand
the

under

ran

into

being

was

(she
more

running
them

all the

one

time

place to another.
the

after the

flutter of its

pileof fagots,
sound

wings,nor

any

; I saw

noise

his

flight. My mother, greatlyfrightened,

seized my hand again and
naturallysuperstitious,

was

by

up-stairs.
By post the next morning my uncle, the cur", received a
letter tellinghim
of the death of one
of our
uncles, and my
mother
exclaimed, instantly, The big bird that Louis heard
me

go

"

'

151

UNKNOWN

THE
the

yesterdayand

day before

the soul of yonr

was

uncle

For my
brother,as soon
you of his mass.'
of the death of any of his relations,always said

come

to remind

heard

he

as
a

mass

for their souls.

I both

and

brother

'^My

and

was

more

no

laughed at

my

said about

ever

Louis

"

the

planation,
ex-

big bird.

Tailhaud,
"

Letter

mother's

poor

Cur"

of Colombiers."

610.

cousins

seriouslyill of typhoid
ing
watchHis father and mother did not leave his pillow,
fever.
him
over
night and day. But one evening,both being
out, the sick-nurse insisted on their takinga little
quiteworn
if there was
and tell them
the least
rest, promising to come
denly
sudchange. They sleptheavilya short time, and then were
CLII.

One

''

of

awakened

that she

she

her

she could

door

was

that my

"

had

in

the

I went

to

and

was

roughly

eyes.

come

to

And

before

say adieu

to

before

her.

just an

some

I
me

you

was

a
a

evening, after
good fellows and
In

press

rose

at

my
me,
"

case

tenant
lieusome

few

minutes

gay
I

hard

upon

my

my

upon

stood

yes, I heard
dear
you, my
152

to

One

looking
"

into

Ackeret.

in 1886, when

shaken.

I heard

As

ran

aunt

his last

mention

to

something

was

her

gently.

reached

eleven.

about

I felt

my

dim

duty

societyof
bed

as

hut don't cry.

very

breathed

soon

639.

Lotiis,in Senegal.

eyes, for there

who
excellent
woman,

say, 'I

emotion, my

notice

own

my

asleep. Suddenly

rubbing
with

her

as

hugging

one

going;

am

cousin had

it is my

I think

passed

comrades,

an

some

again

Letter

under

came

chest,

; but

once

M.

at Saint

was

at

before.

CLIII.

hours

is there

her husband

which

"^^Siers."

which

Who

being opened
?' My
aunt,

room

closed

from

recover

she learned

instant

out,

for, started up
her bed, she felt

the

son's room,

There

'

sent
on

And

Adieu.'
as

their

of

saying,'It is I, mother.

close,and

soon

was

door

called

was

seated

was

the

by

uncle

softly. My
sure

my

elbow,

grandmother,
but
her

it seemed

feeble

little

one.

voice
You

TELEPATHIC

OP
will

see

make

me

snre

It is not
few

no

got up.
in

after I heard

was

dreaming, I

not

was

and that I might

stupefied,
called out loudly, Voyons !
The
apparitionlasted only

and

'

moments.

By

''

more.

dream!'

COMMUNICATIONS

post that

came

I had

to whom

written

soon

from

ily,
fam-

my

of this

that
telepathy,

my

phenomenon of
had died
grandmother, aged seventy-six,

at Kochefort.

Her

last words

never

if

take

we

at the very

I knew

me.

her

into account

I had

is the case,

and

no

the

my
broken

assure

be

to

reason

anxious

of its

you

of

Infantryin
Letter

CLIV.

In

"

at the

time

to believe

I heard

before
separately,

what

which

wife

put

our

who

woman

both

this

struck

seemed

to bear

not

was

time
the

upon

It therefore

whom

persons,

attach

of the

if from

of hallucination.

case

I could

on

on

I questioned

importance to

any

diagram

door
from

was

it here, for it is

threshold

communication

of

door

with

this terrace

wool

About

mattresses.

wife heard
my
of a small cabinet

and

woman

distant

the

ground-floor. On

the

carded

the

into

rooms

this noise, which

'

at Hano"."

Brigade

marvellous, and

of several

sittingon

was

situated

half

Such

follows.

My

"

her.

669.

in the

subject,I supposed it to be
needed
the testimony

seen

of

about

the Naval

story which

some

death

I had

April,1892, 1 was employed as foreman

I
glass manufactory at Saint-Gobain.

at all inclined
to

Her

rigorous exactness.
Julien
Lagarrue,

"^

"Captain

difference

I shall

me.

longitude,
grandmother appeared to
by age, and to be in poor

when

moment

to be much

health, but

works

about

been

again,^she constantlyrepeated.
half-pasteleven on the night when

at

her, and
was

had

him

see

occurred

it

account

an

(A) our door.

nothing seemed
appended

to this

to

little terrace

worked

three
blows

(B) about
Very much
justify,as

letter,but

perfectlyexplainedby
153

three

(A)'

o'clock

distinctly
yard

and

astonished
no

one

was

it is unnecessary

to

the account.

by
in

give

THE

the

UNKNOWN

apartment, they exchanged

thingswhich they had

wife that, as

of

one

both

heard

relatives

our

had

the

been

All of
and

incident

The

terrace.

the

sudden

; for

very

wool-carder

ill,it

all in the
maid

The

next

washing

had

been

the

on

forgotten.

(my wife, tbe wool-carder,

cabinet.
time

probably

place as they

same

was

before

told my

was

us.

noise, three

same

similar

about

help from

persons

the

long

was

only a
the day

of

of the

B, the door

door

The

three

heard

maid)

our

before

day

of.

ask

which
had
to
come
spirit,
hour, they were
day,at the same

his

remarks

some

Their

struck

on

surprisebecame

the

after

blows

maid

would

pefaction
stu-

not

stay

in the house.

alone

letter the next

'^A

old aunts,

of the

us

death

of

of my

one

Ang"lique Bertrand.
days before, April 5, 1892.

woman,

(Vaucluse)ten

at Pertuis

died

devout

very

told

day

She

''Akland.
Bleue, Marseilles."

18 Rue

"

Letter

CLV.

"

of the

one

was

perhaps

heroes

of Sidi

the

part,of

day by

ill. He

the afternoon
she

being that

reason

*'So

to

me

afraid to be alone.

was

slap

mother

came

told

her

hurt

me.

found

of

that

Then

I did not
decided

she
to

poor

my

to go, but

I felt

some

red

that
and

struck

had

one

my

mother

swollen.
154

obstinacy,
my

being still
sleep in her

to go,
me

lie beside

me,

me.

slap on my face.
I

and

uneasy

ailed
that

my

my

It

My

screamed.

what

examined

Very

I resisted

mother, who, after

want

smart

tle
lit-

of the dead,

to let

and

come

his two

see

my

afraid

that

My brother, who

extraordinary violence, and

immediately, and asked me

With

it very

with

o'clock in

four

to

ns.

overcome

much

bed, where

half-pastseven

"About

could

home

take

gerously
dan-

was

him
him, telling

quiteready

was

bed, promising soon

own

About
for

came

to

very

svas

left at

was

put

supper,

home.

wished

nothing

stoutly that

so

mother, who

expressed a desire

I was,

than

younger

was

of his

uncles

had

father

My

sons.

My poor father,
years old.
Brahim, had passed the night and

returned

of my

and

worse,

was

twelve

bedside

the

had

one

705.

me.

cheek

cheek, and

after

this, my

THE

the little thing, hurt

Bnt

"

attractingher

insisted

on

mamma,

come

"Then
so

and

moments,

few

forgot

soon

little before

in the

"It

which

near

passingalong
tall and

had

It lasted

three

she

by this
only a

later that

days

that

us
telegram telling

befallen

beloved

our

his death

Salon

(Boucher

took

of

and

son,

place almost

at

Eb"ne)."

715.

under

corridor, saw

the

du

nine

o'clock.

My sister,who

to bed.

gone

was

No

one

seventeen,

lightedgas-burner

she did not know, dressed

girlwhom
The
her, and
apparitionalarmed

handsome

peasant woman.
began to scream.
The
next
morning
a

"

told my

or

spoke

excited

was

passed.

evening about

one

was

had

house

She

received

Letter

CLVII.

child

Eouge.

Villa des T. Neuls,

"

'But,

on:

LooTc at liim"there

the

as

until two

we

learned

subsequentlyI
eighto'clock.

had

went

!'

that

what

indifference,

details.

noon

terrible accident

the

is dressed

not

was

these

she remembered
"

it

mother's

speak,transfigured.

to

first,but

godpapa.

at

remarked

wife

her

by

attention,and

smartly he

my

became,

look

and

Oh, how

lie is !

at

UNKNOWN

nine

about

that

mother

cook,

our

like
she

girltwenty-fiveyears old,
o'clock the night before,as
a

going to bed, she saw before her one of her friends,

exactly corresponded
a young
peasant girl,whose description
that my sister had seen.
to that of the apparition
They afterwards learned that this girlhad died that same
CoujsTTEss Am"lie
Gaeandine.
day.
she

was

"

"Parella, Italy."
CLVIII.

"

though young,
at my

summer

Pskow.
was

As

we

suddenly

was

Letter

student

751.

at the

Universityof Kieff, and,

already married.

We

sister's country seat.

She

was

came

by

ill with

way

of

lived not

Moscow,

influenza,and

to

my

pass

156

the

far from

adored

though she
it rapidly. Paralysisof the
under
suddenly as a flash of lightning.

taken

she sank
young
carried her off as

back

went

wife
was

so

heart

OF
"

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC
father

My

He
knew
livingat Pulkowo.
but
charming daughter-in-law,

was

the illness of his

nothing

she

knew

he

of

to see
Moscow, so that great was his surprise
her standingheside Mm, as he left his house, and for a moment
was

with

she

accompanied him, then

and anguish,he sent us

fear

dear

my

should

at

me

It

one.

be

the

was

gratefulto

telegram at
day of her

very
all my

you

disappeared. Seized

she

life if you

extraordinarycircumstance.

and

numerous,

less

It

they

though

that

us

Adam

in

as

her.

to

inquiryhe

an

in

making

was

research.

our

on

others

few

in

this

new

conviction.
Gaston

the

subject

"

she

Though

be told of her

daughter,
on

add

seem

29, 1898, to M.

Marvellous," as follows :
"1 was
CLIX.
brought up by my

of the

sometimes

may

our

November

on

assuredly

are

knowledge
gradually,and with

grow

wrote

answer

read

we

study should

of

Madame

M"ry,

787.

are

to

seems

branch

which,

Biliowsky,

accounts, which

above

explainthis

could

reallyvery varied. We will

interestingor less instructive to us

monotonous,
not

the

collected

death

student, 21 Niholskaja,Kieff."

"Medical

I have

to ask after

once

Wenecian

Letter

with

dangerously ill

was

condition, because
she feared

and

the

effect

I adored

grandmother.
would

she
then

was

nursing

me

baby

my

might

great sorrow

let

not

have

me.
*'

night,at

One

As

baby crying.
to
hand

see

her

to

!'

you

my

eyes

I cried
She

Then

eyes.

sleep,but

to

opened

bed, and

the foot of my

awakened

was

saw

my

out, 'What

did

not

saw

her eyes

answer,

by

my

grandmother at
pleasure,
grandmother,
but

were

raised

her

leaving

gone,

empty holes.

''I sprang

about

to

Jules

December

out

clasp her

had
M.

o'clock,only a night-lampbeinglighted

chamber, I had been

in my

two

ten

of

bed

in my

and

ran

towards

her.

As

was

she

disappeared. My grandmother
eighto'clock in the evening.'^

arms

died that very day at

Clartie also wrote in answer

4, 1898.
157

to the

same

request,

UNKNOWN

THE

(A) "We had at Eadevant, in P"rigord,an old farmer

named
of my
one
Montpezat. He came
night
grandfather's,
Madame
dead.
Pelissieris
to awaken
my grandfathersaying:
her!'
Ihave
She has Justdied.
seen
Pelissier was
''Madame
sister,married in
my grandfather's
OLX.

Paris; and in those days the days of diligences it took

gord.
four days, I think, for a letter to reach a remote
part of P"riletters
there
Of
no
course
were
telegraphs. When
day and
came
grandfather learned that at the same
my
hour when
Montpezat had got out of his bed, after having
Pelissier appear
Madame
to him, my
grandmother had
seen
"

"

in

died

Monsieur-le-Prince."

Paris, Eue

of my
Guard.

was
great-uncles

When

he

came

to

of the

rez

de

One

""

"One

His

this

upon

"They

ran

hour

very

'

to say,

as

on

Here

window

!'

am

heard
family being assembled
My great-grandmothergot
window-pane.

Cross

from

'It is he I

own

the

also have

No

door.

He

has

one

was

killed

great-unclewas
of the

one

of

his

the

to

my

Wagram,

his

generallytapped

back

come

from

the

!'

army

at

he

whole

the

joyfully,crying:

up

them

lived at Nantes.

his brothers

and

maternal

my

perial
soldier,captain in the Im-

chauss"e, as much

evening

knocks

mother

see

concerning

tradition

is another

(B) "Here
grandmother.

last shots
little

Honor,

breast

to

letter his colonel

by

fired

a
on

which

cross

give him

there.

on

Noiu

at that

Tyrolian chasseur
that day. I have
the Emperor
took

the field of

battle,and

sent

it to his

know

not

by what

his mother

and

when

wrote

he

family.
".At

that

hour

hallucination

children)
"

pane,

of
an

at

Nantes, when

hearing (shared by

invisible hand

their absent

relative

rapped upon the

dying at Wagram."

had

fell

"

her

other

window-

Henriquet, an architect,who
related it in presence
of M. Eymar de Peyre, editor-in-chief
It happened to M. Mont"at Bergerac.
of the Ind"penda7it
of the penal colony of Saint Maurice-dugo"t, sub-director
The

next

narrative

is that of M.

158

TELEPATHIC

OF

COMMUNICATIONS

and

Dordogne,

early friend
deputy.

an

Mothe-Pradelle, the
the

"Ou

CLXII.

got up

earlyto

When

he

4th

make

got back

much

when

reassured
the

In

M.

of
play-fellow

La

February, 1888, M. Mont"go"t

round
in the colony.
of inspection
his

time

by

this

sudden

Madame

wife

said

piece of

news,

Mont"go"t

night something

her

Alv"re, in the

him,

to

is dead.'

at first

"Surprised

and

breakfast

at

Saint

of

of

his

Mothe-Pradelle

*La

native

(French Guiana),a

Maroni

she

had

told him

awakened

before

her

what

her

was

lows.
folwhen

and

she

opened

who

pressed her hand and said, I have just died, adieii!'

On hearing this, M. Mont"go"t made
fun of his wife, and

eyes

saw

La

he

Mothe-Pradelle,

'

"

told

her

she

that

she had

had

dreamed
been

not

it all.

asleepwhen

She,
the

her

on

part, insisted

apparitionappeared

to

her.
One

"

and

related

made

days after,M. Mont"go"t

two

or

the

Jokes at
of the
and

"The
bet.

was

circumstances
Madame

his

to

Mont"go"t,

colony

declared

confident

La

that

the

but

dinner

chief

believed

Mothe-Pradelle

party

table, who

at

guests

he

that

gave

tendent
superin-

the

tion,
apparidead.

was

disputewas lively,and ended by one guest making a

later a copy of L' Ind"jjendantof
Six or eight weeks

Bergerac arrived,announcing
deputy from the Dordogne,

that
died

M.

de

in the

La

Mothe-Pradelle,

night of February

3-4, 1888."

is what

Such

himself, and
This

case,

ones,

told

was

confirmed
less

not

is extracted

(1894, p. 65).

to

by

is

Henriquet by

Madame

certain

or

less

CLXIII.
died
He
was

Kiondel,

"I had

precisethan

brother

from

from

the

Mont"limar

lawyer

in that

city,

much

younger

than

in the fortieth year of his age, on the 2d

was
employed on the telegraph lines at

agent

for the

MessageriesMaritunes.
159

Mont"go"t
the

des Sciences

another, copied

(1895,p. 200),addressed
Darieux, by M.

M.

Mont"go"t.

the Anncdes

from

Here

M.

ing
preced-

Psychiques
same

to

cation
publiDoctoi

myself. (He
of last

April.)

Marseilles, and

THE

"With

his health

colonies, my

UNKNOWN

nndermind

by

residence

long

in

the

had

brother

frequent attacks of malarial fever,

which
he died in the end, though nothing could have foretold
so
speedy and sudden an ending.
On Sunday, April 1st, I received a letter from him, telling

of

"

that

me

to

the

from

say,

health

his

awakened

excellent.

That

night that is
I was
Sunday to the Monday
suddenly
unusual
noise, very loud, as if a j)avingwas

"

"

by an
the bare floor of my
stone were
chamber, in
rolling over
which
I sleptalone, and which
I always locked.
"It was
(I made sure by looking at my watch, and by my
alarm-clock)a quarter to two in the morning. It is needless

that

I could

had

awakened

friend

second

"When
died

that

me

come

to him

I reached

my

to

me

during

I received

thing which
feelingof fear

by

Rue

singleword.
inquiredof the

de

la

brother's

house

timate
in-

an

next

apartment

an

E"publique,at

was
my brother
the first express.

night without

the

telegramfrom

lived in

the

story of

Marseilles,informing
wanted

with

me

brother, who

of my

the

his, on

for the

control.

not

eight in the morning

"At

had

I searched

got up

the noise that

made

to

when

say that

to

ill,and

very

I learned

sufferingand

that

he

without

tering
ut-

"I
the

o'clock
had

It
that

friend's watch

his

by

he had

arms
was

my

at

died, as

quarter

young

to

brother's

to

two

soul

passedaway."
is another

Here

grand

wrote

CLXI

V.

of his death.

moment

exact

in whose

friend

ceased

to

who

is

the

course

recently to
"

M.

G
,

with

brother

not

case,

hold

whom

he

Darieux

Doctor
an
was

not

with

on

good
each

M.

Ch,

Beau-

:*

officer in the merchant

relations

any

less remarkable.

marine, had

They

terms.

other.

M.

Gr

had
,

In
returning from Hayti to Havre.
he had
to
of the voyage,
one
night when
gone
mock
he suddenly felt his hamhis watch
was
as
over,

first mate,

was

sleep as soon
violentlyshaken,
'

Annales

and

des Sciences

his Christian

name

twice called,

Psj/chiques(1879, p. 328).
160

OF
*

! Emmanuel

Emmanuel

at first it

was

no
captain,

one

that

he

mate

went

the

the
had

about

and

him

made

fell
call

same

it.

Christian

his

observe
The

name.

asleepagain, but

at

he

repeated, and

was

voice.
A

up, and
The
tain
cap-

got

Then

third

he

sat

time the

up,

same

called him.

voice
"As

soon

by

he

as

hard

was

work

to

officer'sfriends,with
soon

he

as

officer called
to

say.

at

such

My

out

by

his two

they told

their

testimony
others

is

One
is

died

board,

speak, the

to

have

you

such

day

and

perfectlyexact.

was

him, and
This

M.

expressing his

storywas

repeated to

guarantee of its correctness),

had

brilliant barristers

most

lieutenant

on

him.

of the

one

ted
jot-

of the

what

on

he

solved
re-

One

came

time

I know

dead.
is

had

me.

given

see

they had

me

he

callingon

never

at Havre.

countenance,

He

date

died

the

of

on
navy
their father's

from

at

half-pay.
and
lips,

be doubted."

cannot

phenomena

of

at the

the

by savants, who

to

appearance
of their

moment

few years ago, the

been

The

The

other

What

never

is dead.

had

sons.

Havre, the

foot

tell

long been
separately(which

and

by

Don't

has

me,

he should

regret that
G

'

work-table,

impression,but
phenomenon,

him, before

brother

's,brother

These

at his

rid of the

troubled

saw

hour.'

an

*'M.

get

sat down

day and hour of the

days after this the shiparrived

Some

as

he

up

the

down

on

by

the

He

him, and

recognizedhis brother's
not
to go to sleep again.

resolved

and

knew

he

thought

"

he

to his hammock

few seconds

his first name.

him

to

start,and thought
that, except the

remembered

called

spoke

back

of

he

knew

never

with

woke

captainwhat

never

end

Then

board

on

said he

!' He

joke.

to ask

went

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEFATHIC

objectof

an

maintained

persons

death

were,

at

in

tance
dis-

land,
Eng-

independentinquiry,set
that the negativehad

proved.

scientific

spiritof

our

age

is

rightin endeavoring to

separate such facts from the deceitful clouds of supernatuthere

is nothing supernatural, and
ralism, because
nature,
whose

kingdom
societyhas been
L

embraces

all,is infinite.

organized^forthe
161

specialscientific
study of these phenom-

THE

ena

The

"

Society for Psychical Eesearch.

of the

some

UNKNOWN

illustrious

most

Channel, and

has

already made

inquiriesare made
that is accepted.

orous

and

add

instances

some

then

are

Messrs.

side of the

for
our

of

way

the

title

will

We

rowed
bor-

have

we

the

Living, by
into French
T"U-

Hallucinations

of

in

explanation.

translated

Todmore,

is

tion,
collecthat

remarkable.

extraordinary cases
entitled, Phantasms
of

Marinier, under

this

it, facts

to

own

mony
testi-

testimony

instant

an

more

in the

such

the

work

of

Grurney, Myers, "

M.

by

of

some

other

corroborate

to

or

varietyof
over

research

some

from

The

more

at its head

important publications.Kig-

perhaps even

are

attempt

Here

little

the

on

confirm

to

will turn

We

considerable.

savants

It has

pathiques.
General
Fytche, of the English army, wrote, on December
22, 1885, the followingletter to Professor Sedgewick, head
of the PsychicalCommission
:
"An

CLXV.

impressionon
I
a phantom

saw

been

I had

afterwards

was

morning

got up, and

told

him

to go

join

him

immediately.

the

on

the

house, but he had

of him

at
to

the
see

seen

moment,

was

on

my
and

person
friend.

One
old

eagerly,and

veranda, where

stranger that

no

bright

other.

him

I could

who

and

not

I would
went

out

believe

guard before
morning. The

my
the
vants
ser-

into the house.

gone
I had not been thinking

had

yet I had

him, for steamboats

callingat
"

sentinel

in

suddenly my

in all haste

one.

no

no

each

see

the

on

I dressed

saw

that

I had

certain

was

not

I welcomed

of tea

found
pro-

school-fellow, who

old

dressing,when

was

cup

seen

also declared
I

veranda, but
I asked

eyes.

get

did

we

and

"

Maulmain.

at

me

eyes

made

University,but subsequently

chamber.

into my

came

the

at

which

passed in

years

friend

friend

my

to

own

my

oath of it.
my
intimate
with an

most

which

happened

it with

saw

take

can

mind

my

"

daylight.
"

extraordinary incident

and

not

other

been

much

vessels

were

prised
surstantly
con-

Maulmain.

fortnightafter

I heard

of his
163

death, six hundred

miles

UNKNOWN

THE

rejoinhis regiment. His wife

Cambridge. Towards morning of

Guards, left for India

in

she

with

awoke

15th

and

husband

her

saw

at

14th

the

between

night
that

England,

to

of

ill and

her mind

much

excited.

at her

his

and

all

ever

seen

Mm

to

between

with

speak,but

did

Wheatcroft

stained

with

make

The
that

sure

need

He

he

The

sound.

it vanished.

breathing. We
night.
"The
next morning

She

blood.

and
suffering,

utter

his

to

in

form,
uni-

him,

saw

she

had

to
life;and she remembers
hands
a piece of his white
shirt,

her sheet.
eyes with
her ; she leaned over
the

with

her

saw

dressed

was

contracted.

was

her

rubbed
bed

not

to

was

again

whole

air of

an

minute, then

He

mediately
im-

bright

was

as
clothing,as distinctly

his
not

was

forward

about

her

during

which, however,
lean

his

particularsof

remarked

have

his mouth

fixedly,and

she

eyes

she

pressed against his breast, his hair was

face pale. His great black eyes looked

were

disorder, and

in

It

tlie

dreamed

anxious, at which

moonlignt,and as she opened her

husband
standing beside her bed.
his hands

she

November,

mained
re-

she

her belief that her

little

of Mrs.
She

awake.

nephew

in

was

sleepingchild,and listened
that
more
say she slept no

not

husband

either killed

was

as

yet

did

not

to

know

but

the

the

husband,

or

pressed
ex-

gerously
dan-

that

of

on

dress

received

than

November

of

December,

Captain

the 15th

no

beautiful

until she had

amusement

Office in London.

Lucknow,

she

followingmonth

death

seen

that

she had

absolutely,declaringthat as
might be a widow, she would

refused

of later date

husband

"In

War

She

worn.

place of

no

her

her

present from

not

although

had

mother, and

spots of blood
much
She was
his garments.
so
on
impressed by this apparition
that after that night she refused
A
to go anywhere.
time
friend pressed her, some
after,to go with her to
young
that she had received
from
Malta,
a concert, reminding her
wounded,

she

effort

an

thought

was

told this to her

she

made

to

apparitionlasted

first

Her

seemed

Wheatcroft

It said that
of November.
164

he

she
go

letters from

14th.
a
was

had

ing
telegram announcpublished by

been

the

killed before

*'This

Wilkinson,

of the

business

15th, of
month

of

beside

was

the

put up

of

CLXVIII.

loith

beginningmy

the

the \Yar Office,which

But

in the following

captain's,
having got
circumstances,proving that

14th
bore

killed,not

was

of

on

November,

the 15th,

and

that

the date of November

the

14th."

given the date of Captain Wheatprecisio?ithem the official

documents,

more

the

door

noise

see

tired

feelingvery

supper,

door, but I could

any

him

of the

"

saw

told

the 14th, not

on

15th.

subsequentlyrectified.
The
evening of Easter

were

heard

the

having

apparitionhad

croft's death

the

his grave

over

this

Thus

when

Wheatcroft

explained the
captainwhen he

the afternoon

on

which

Mrs.

captain died on
March, a comrade

London,

to

cross

captain.

attracted
the
paper,
Avho was
in charge of the
solicitor,

that the

proved

but

London

apparitionhad appeared to her

at
November, he made inquiries

that the

he

printed in

news,

notice of Mr.

back

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

Sunday, 1874, I was

with my
day's work,

I had
me.
open behind
it over
shoulder.
I
my

made

by opening it,but

back

my

might
not

am

point. I turned half-round, justin time

tall man
spring into the room, as if about

to the

also have
confident

on

this

to

of

to assault

see

the form
me.

jumped up at once, and I flung a glassAvhich I had in my

hand
straightin the direction 2vhe7'e I had seen the face of the
figure,but it had disappeared as I arose, and so rapidlythat
I

I had

had

not

understood
was

one

time

that

of my
because

to

I had
uncles

stay the
seen

who

of my

movement

an

apparition,and

I knew

was

hand.

I then

thought it
ill,all the
seriously

its

great stature was like that of my uncle.

in and found
A friend, Mr. Adcock, came
me
quiteunnerved
more

so

I told him
what
had happened. The
next
by the incident.
that my
informed
a despatchwhich
uncle had
day came
me,
died that Sunday, and the date of his death must have coincided
of the apparition.
with the appearance

''Eev.

H.

Markham

Hill.

"London."

This

made

testimonywas
of Mr.

corroborated

Adcock, who

wrote
165

by inquiries
concerningit
as

follows

THE

I went

"

to

to pay

the

visit,on

friend the

my

UNKNOWN

evening

Eev. Markham

Hill.

of Easter

Sunday,
him
quite

found

in an easy chair.
He told me, before I was
exhausted, sitting
the figureof his uncle
able to questionhim, that he had seen

standing oppositeto him

he had picked a glassup
showed

he

the

behind

table

piano, that

had

and

flung it

at

day, or the day after,

that morning, which told him
a letter received
was
dead, and he died the very day of the apparition.

me

his uncle

that

from

it disappeared.The

figure,but

the

wall

against a

next

Eev.

H.

Adcock.

"London."

CLXIX.

the

Towards

"

1875, the

March,

of

of

event

raltar.
give you the details took place at Gibin my
I was
lying down
drawing-room one clear,
brightafternoon, reading a chapterin Kingsley'sMiscellanies,

which

about

end

am

all of

when

to

sudden

I had

raised

I
waitingto speak to me.
saw
a man
standing beside

He

looked

me

was

eyes from
my book, and
chair, about six feet from me.

when

but

grave,

one

some

my

expression in
to speak to him

attentively. The

very

unusually

was

eyes

at

impression that

an

rose

his

he

disappeared.
The

"

end

was

about

our

servant, Pearson, holding the door

saw

if he

had

Just

come

in ?

He

"

Then

let in

began

to

face, but

dress

had

puzzled me.
the

of

name

after he
forced

at

left the

As

he

had

no

was

well and

reason

how

could

not

It
before

him

got

to

be

before

place

as

anxious

who

He
we

keep

whose

old

away.

did not
left for

about

Gibraltar

at the

him.

that

good situation.
166

suit,and

he

sure

His

was.

that
the

I had

whom

entered

as

had

one

was

it

soldier

had

butler

behaving well, and

to

think

ther
far-

open

went

this vision.

an

was

hospital.

if any

the

exactly like a garment

had
given to a servant of

was

Ramsay

at

and

ma'am,"

one,

Inverness, and

to dismiss

1875).

No

upon

year

Ramsay.

sick

found

'

him

I asked

reflect
I

the

husband

visitor.

answered,

knew

my

eighteen feet long, and

room

service

our

I had

been

(February,

Inverness

Club, I

thought

that

learned

by

had

he
perience
ex-

TELEPATHIC

OF
*'

When

I also

husband

my

Eamsay

My

husband

news

sent

"

that

years, but at the

I had been.
The

some

than
I felt

renewal

of

he

to

This

shortest
from

come

sergeant the

was

account

some

he received

answer

and
delirious,

was

the

hear

to

sorry

is the

news

particulars.

no

like to have

would

health

my

time

had

the

of

been

not

all

was

suited

me

life

well

and

for

better

was

so

strengththat delightedme,
my

good

apparitionI

climate

warm

pleasureof livingmade

seen.

Bolland.'

Mrs.

callingfor
ought to add

take

his old

hospital. He

at the

the time

he

in the

letter contained

death.

illness and

died

Ramsay

could

reply that

that

him, and

letter
from

I had

(atpresent Lady Laffan),

However,

The

in

what

date.

got

dead.

Avas

wrote

of the man's
'

think, that

husband

Inverness, my
that

the

him

I told

wife

colonel's

write down

possibletime,

in

came

it to his

told

I did not

but

COMMUNICATIONS

the

that
mere

joy.

''Kate

E.

Bolland.

"Southampton."

The

following is
Review, April,1870 :
CLXX.
is

''In

the house

the

light to
principalroom,
which

opens

"The
dense

day

if

we

dark, but
door

mist.

As

call it

may

in

folds, which
mantle

rested

on

the

end

house.

there

givesplenty
of

entrance

the

at

of

One

the

passage

afternoon,

dressing-room,

to breakfast.

there

though

not

were

any very
of
the
seemed
scured
obat
passage
forward this mist
by degreesit moved
the

so

"

the

large,gauzy
fell to

written

are

the

to

the

to go

Quarterly

north, which

also

end

concentrated

the
thicker, and assumed
grew
the head and shoulders
of which

visible,while

pages

Church

writes these lines left his

the

clouds,

by

who

was

these

length of

the passage,

on

the

is situated

whole

midwinter, he

from

the

staircase,and
which

the

runs

which

"

where

large window, looking to

of

in

extracted

the

itself upon

shape
became

of the

rest

vestment,
floor

so

floor;the
167

as

of

more

like
to

human
and

seemed

body

mantle

hide

rest of the

one

the

spot,
figure,
tinctly
dis-

more

to be

veloped
en-

with

many
feet.
The

figurewas

pyra-

UNKNOWN

THE

this obfell upon

ject,
lightfrom the window
little consistency
that the light reflected
had
which
so
could
be seen
door
the polished panels of a varnished
on
had
The apparition
through the lower part of the vestment.
like a statue formed out of mist.
The
It seemed
color.
no
fall

The

midal.

lines

writer of these

gazed

thinking

not

was

the

he

saw

the

features

or

of

head
of

still.

stood

He

that

was

now
was

he

was

him, and

and

repose,

he

nized
recog-

face had

friend ; the

dear

very

of

towards

turned

cannot

light and shadow.

anything supernatural,but as he

holiness,peace,

of

it

combination

unknown

Avitnessingan
He

towards

he

that

terrified,but his first idea

than

amazed

more

astonished

so

advanced

he

tell whether

was

pression
ex-

an

ness
the air of kindli-

and

intensified
had
increased
and
habituallywore
into a last look of deepest tenderness.
(This feelinghe who
the vision
writes these lines has always experienced whenever
Then
instant after all disapto his memory.)
has recurred
an
peared.
it vanished
The
can
only be compared
way in which
he

that

of

that

to

cloud

when

of steam

it

in contact

comes

with cold

air.
"The

post

morning brought him

tranquillypassed away from

the

had

his friend

It should

him.

onoment

he had

sudden

death, that he who

led him

had

seen

his friend

heard

Mrs.

the

next

spoken

to be

thinking

some

of him

at the

his

was

the

apparitionhad not
weeks, and that nothing
the

on

Gardens, W.

Allom, 18 Batoum

world

that

be added

witnessed

of for

the

that

news

day

he

died."

Kensington, London,

writes:
"I

CLXXI.
mother

my
is

see

no

appeared to
which

subject on

why

reason
me

on

I have

I should

not

tell you

how

day she died, although it

spoken, because it is an

the
seldom

not like to have

I would
very sacred to me, and because
of it.
throw
doubt
a mock
vipon my story or make
any one
of October,
in the month
in Alsace
to a school
"I
went

event

1853.

was

Her
fourteen

then
health

months

was

after

delicate.
I left

mother

My

seventeen.

Towards

home,
168

I heard

remained

in

land.
Eng-

Christmas, 1853,
that

my

mother

TELEPATHIC

OF
had

grown

COMMUNICATIONS
but

worse,

On

the

I did
last

imagine that

not

her

life

in

was

February, 1854, between

two and three o'clock in the afternoon, I was
sittingin the
I was
reading, when
suddenly the
great study at school.
of the
figure of my mother
appeared at the farthest corner
danger.

any

It leaned

room.

had

she

and

backward,
her

on

turned

smile, was

of

Sunday

if she

as

night-gown.

towards

and

me,

lying in

were

Her

face, with

of her hands

one

her

bed,
sweet

raised

was

to heaven.

apparitionpassedslowlyacross

The

"

ascend

to

Her

body

had

never

She

walked, until

her

and
seen

features

seemed

mother

my

From

the

I had

upon

my

sister

playingand amusing

studies,and

Two

said:
asked
her

You

need

"1

day

Mrs.

to

while

living.

I assured

as

we

I had

her

had

mamma

that she had

her, and

school-mistress
were

there

is dead. ^
my mother
this.
I would
not

I know

later that

companions.
my

soon

imaginativewoman,

an

before

has

after

nor

known

died
been

on

She

give

it for

Sunday

unconscious

pressed,
easilyimanything like this
not

am

Isabelle

me.

F. Eussell

Allom.""

Colt,of Gartsherrie,Cambridgeshire,

following narrative:
"I

had

the time

Allom's

well-known

prayers,
As

brother

who

brother, Oliver,a lieutenant

At

her

herself with

possiblyknow

saw

neither

CLXXII.

leers.

that

sickness.

two.

or

Captain G.
the

real

was

not tell me.

ivhen I

not

am

happened

elder

by

tain
apparitionI was cermuch
I was
so
impressedby
it impossibleto fix my
mind
pain to me to see my younger

privateroom.

I learned

days.

and

sends

it

explanation,but

any

disappeared.

the

saw

I found

I could

how

at the hour

for

contorted

days later,after

into her

me

three

three

or

me
'

that

seen

dead.

was

what

called

it

moment

looking like

when

moment

mother

that my

"

the

It seemed

room.

deathly pale.

was

*'

it

as

the

mother

miniature

of which

was

was

in the

I write

he

Mrs. Carrick, wife

painter.
169

dear

very

Seventh
was

at

of Mr.

to

me,

Royal

my
Fusi-

Sebastopol. I
Thomas

Carrick,

UNKNOWN

THE

kept up
if he

as

where

know

me

gossipingin

and

that

if

had

we

me

in the

sat

together smoking

told

leaving his quarters to receive

Lord's
Supper. (The clergyman who
Communion
this afterwards.) After
me

the

trenches.

he

as

the

assault
his

the

upon

his

on

had

by

Sacrament

was

the

his

right temple.

He

upheld by

other

death

in

dead

found

was

several
when

fell in

hours
thirty-six
place possiblyhe

into

went

later the

captain of
bravely led
he

heap

struck

was

with

other

kneeling posture,

after.

corpses,

took

of

wounds,

he

of

sort

the

just

celebrant

hours

place and

his men,
He

he

When

his

room

this letter

few

received

had

ramparts with

ball in

His

took

the

soldiers.

^'

he

place.

brother

Although

men.

crossed
a

took

Eedan

fell,my

company

back.

came

never

little

the

was

He

to him

anything happened

often

wrote

that he

I answered

My brother received

secret.

day he

One

well.

not

by appearing to

fellows

young

as

and
spirits

heart, but

up

let

must

of

out

were

pluck

must

he

regular correspondencewith him.

did

fell and

"

die

not

immediately September 8, 1855.

"

"

The

night

same

the window

and

surrounded

by

speak

bedclothes.

wanted
him

And

written

been
him

to

be

might

yet
no

was

I hid

not.

seemed
"I
I

reflection

near.

it

was

"

not

utter

the

under
had

We

not

been

dreamed

forgot what
said to myself
of

to

I had

moments

eyes

fixed

that

moonbeam

of

it

on

after I looked
on

speak,

but

me

with
my

found
pro-

tongue

word.

window,

and

The
moonlight.
night was
rainingheavily,great drops patteringon the
Then
I
still there.
My poor Oliver was
walked rigid throvgh the apparition. I reached

dark

jumped
that

I could

tried

few

to

knees,

but
apparitions,

or

I had

my

face

my

ghosts

on

tied.

saw

and

or

his

on

frightened.

not

something else, A
still there, his
again. He was
sadness.
I tried again
towel,

brother

my

oppositeto

phosphorescent mist.

belief in

illusion,the

an

bed,

thoughts, because
thinking of him, and
I
a fortnight before.

to collect

nor

of

I could

to have

up

my

sort

him, but

to

brought

beside

I saw,

suddenly.

awoke

out of bed.

there

was

I looked

no

170

out

of the

dow-panes.
windrew
my

THE
to

eyes

if

asked
to

not

what

me

to

speak

for

me

I had

of the

us

seen.

death

of

if

the

was

F.

vision

I told

He

died

T.

Barker, formerly Eector

"December
had

just

conscious

that

night, I
was

Coltentham

She came
here
my aunt.
with her kind, familiar

seen
me

"An

Madeira

then

at

with

her.

the

that
the

the

she had

she

seen,

said,

been
'

continually when
This

"

the

was

that

Times.

of her

Mrs.

appeared
to the

recital in the

'

The

to

she

ever

of

Mrs.

family (my

week

after

when
been

almost

When

me.

we

lated
calcu-

we

what

called

at

my
I had

for

you

experiencedanything of

is confirmed

by

occasion

another

followingterms

signature

been

dying.'

was

on

had

me

last, heard

for
surprised,

was

seriously

was

have

must

not

only time

Barker

just

cousin,

on

night, and

same

her

death

she

Feederick

date

me

; she smiled

all her

seen.

kind.

The

she

that

with

am

she

I had

vision

the

had

asleep,when

niece, my

I told

longitude,it

of

when

cousin, who

at

me

impressionmade

what

died

difference

moment

o'clock

disappeared.'
was
dearly (my mother's sister)

morning

next

them)

among

heard

the

near

smile, then

to suppose

reason

but

moment,

great that

mother

no

stood

and

health ; her

her

for

I had

ill at that
so

I loved

whom

aunt

not

in

eleven

was

of

"'l

XT

she heard
because
my wife shuddered
She asked me
why. I said, *I have

give a great groan.

at

bed, but

to

gone

hour

Taunton.

at

6, 1873, about

peared
disap-

informed

very

Cambridgeshire,signsthe following declaration

OLXXIV.

him

husband

my

the

at

E.

Kev.

The

The

concert

band
hus-

I told

me.

two.

or

vision.

my

that my

shortlyafter,which

came

uncle.

my

with

matter

after the

letter

displacethe apparition,

fascinated,so

minute

by degrees, and
what

would

moving them
at it as
steadily

see

I looked

but

UNKNOWN

the

the

Barker."

death-list

confirmed

the

in the
same

Taunton's

husband

statement.

172

is

appended

to his wife's

OF
I

'*

TELEPATHIC

perfectlyremember

husband

has

eleven.

My

what

to

have
several

told

that

about

that

me

him, that she had

to

then

black

day

had

; she

He

had

called

by sayingthat

she

came

like

she

head

"

"I

to
'

me

hoofs

me

time

of

her

statements.

if I had

as

was

death
I

of

ought

never

our

dear

to

begin

mind
was

the

seen

as

very
sun

four

in from

the

kitchen, and

I answered

water

to my

chamber.

the

'

said, Mother,
'

Yes.'

speaking
child

court-yard the

to

her

I went

athwart

ran

me

to

like

stopped short to look at her. I turned

ment
right,and the vision disappeared. A mo-

husband's

my

brother, who

lived

with

us, called

has

into

street, where
the

the

at

distinctly
present to my
few days. The
morning

After

to the

Fanny
flew

S. Bakker."

17, 1879.

out.

shade.

after
out

to

when

to her.

son

of the

went

I crossed

luminous

my

play?'

and

out

pailof

"As
a

child

running

"^Then
carry

within

as

times

old, and
years and five months
Five minutes
before eleven
lovelylittle creature.

I go

may

is

it seemed

bright. My
was

also told

might
happened to

had

several

aunt

account

place May

scene

happened

her

preceding

took

the

beautiful, and
she

at him

head, which

for him

almost

with

is the

"Here

little girl,which

so

was

he

been

was

death, certified the two

CLXXV.

smiled

disappeared.He

her
upon
he told what

I asked

subsequently learned that

died that same
night. Her niece. Miss Garnett,
she was
not surprisedto hear that my
husband

Garnett, Avho

if it had

my

his aunt, who

"P.
Miss

which

deeply.

to groan

told

relations,and

dying.

was

began

had

Next

his aunt

seen

she

our

had

me

had

lace.

of

aunt

our

appeared

something

been

circumstance

He

smile, and

had

she

me

he

the matter.

was

her kind

with

Then

me.

Madeira, had

at

the

Avritten to you.
It must
have taken placeabout
husband
had not gone to sleep; he had just before

spoken
him

COMMUNICATIONS

of

been
the

I found
a

run

house
her.

horse, and

!'

over

like

She

an

arrow,

had

the wheels
173

been
of

and

then

knocked
a

baker's

into

down
cart

the

by
had

THE

over

her

few

moments

passed
arms

*'This

is

UNKNOWN

neck

broken

and

it.

after I reached

exactlyhow

the

sad

She

expired in

took

place.

her.

accident

E.

"AN]!fE

OLXXVI.

My

"

wife

often, when

child, and

his

take

her

on

with

her

parents,and

hair, when

her

head, and
her

to

loose

shoulders.

she felt

do

to

in the

was

"When

she told the incident

her

advised

little while

one

down

to note

after

day, and

died that very

proved to have been

the hand
placed on her
be

"Wellington,
is what

Here
"

It

was

New

the

?'

For

one

her

of her

top

quickly down

and

turned

at

she

cried,

Oh,
her

supposed

day

friend
table,a superstitious

that

news

hour.

and

She

her uncle

did

so.

William

had

if the

longitudeis calculated, it will

almost

at the

hour

very

when

felt

she

head.
"J.
New

of the

"Owner

would

room.

the
the

came

little trick.

some

''There

no

she
me

was

Sydney
professionin all

placed on
being stroked

were

that

left for

hand

Frightened,

playingher

was

dinner.

for

She

chant
mer-

later she had

years
She
had
unfastened

four

or

she

London,

his

followed

the

to

home

uncle

locks

mother, why did you

mother

her
Three

suddenly

dearly when

very

came

Wright.'"

captain in

stroke her hair.

dress

to

up

he

lap and

the world.

nncle,

an

her

loved

service, who

parts of
day gone

had

my

Zealand

Chantry
and

the New

Harris,
Zealand

Mail.

Zealand."

Mrs.

herself

Harris

1860, in the month

of

testifies

April.

:
was

then

young

in my
dressing-table,

bedchamber,
girl. Standing before my
I was
taking unusual pains with my toilet.
six in the evening, and at that time of the
about
It was
gettingdark, when suddenly I felt a hand laid on
year it was
"

head

my

'

Mrs.
in

and, strokingdown

Wright is the
England. She

wife

of

an

lives at 4

my

hair to its full

Inspector on

the

Great

Taylor'sCollege,London
174

length,press
Northern

way
Rail-

Road, Nottingham.

TELEPATHIC

OF

heavily upon
pected caress,

COMMUNICATIONS
left shoulder.

my

Frightened by this nnexfor

quickly to reproach my mother

I turned
and

having suddenly

without

great surpriseno

my

one

noise

entered

there.

was

but

room,

my

thought

at

to

of

once

of
England, for which my father had sailed in the month
January, and I said something must have happened to him,
though I could make out nothing.
down
"I went
and
told my frightto my
family. In the
in, and when they had
evening Mrs. and Miss W. came
been

told

once,

'Write

all the
from

down

did

They

made

what

the date

father

arrived.

his brother

CLXXVII.

1849, I went,
his

and

Avas

Gardens.

beyond

health

what

was

about

visit to

the

on

the

some

middle

relations

Eev.

no

his

August,
Harrison

one

had

any

next

day

the

As

cal
Zoologi-

it

family

Hertfordshire.

nounced.'*
pro-

relations.

and

The

favorite,

of

togetherto
particularlybecause

and

found

he

Mr.

all went

Harrison

in

his
that

intimate

very

to pass.

come

been

the middle

visit the

I had

evening

in the

ladies in the

proves
all in

were

suspicionof
I went

to pay

lived

They

afternoon, when

drawing-room

great London
day in the

the
of

on

in

road.

Observe

month

and

had

we

went

that

wo

dined,
the

across
were

in the

of

August, with bright sunshine

a broad
highway, travelled by many people,and a
I myself was
yards from a way-side inn.
feeling
of life and youth, and there was
nothing around me
a

gay, full
to disorder

*'

Mr.

he had

Hamstead'Lodge, twenty-sixmiles from London,

high-road. We dined generallyat two o'clock, and

place to

short

last word

this

note

following Monday,

hundred

been

to

happens.'
us, though

called

I left the

to

I had

the

at

the first letter

childhood

fine,we

that

that

when

news

reachingEngland

did,

whom

very
I

doubt

good

house

I often

as

what

see

said

W.

to trouble

Thursday, about

family,with

the weather

One

"

On

In my
had

dying.
and, dying, my name

ceased
bad

some

shall

we

Mrs.

pale,

so

and

the matter

so, and

family expected

my

look

me

my

imagination.

Some

laborers

at work

were

at

distance.

All of

sudden

phantom
175

'

rose

before me,

so

close that

THE
if it had

been

it obstructed

Its

to

I stood

nailed

the

strange sensation

me

of the

realityof

My

nerves

length by

slow

to the

"I

an

calm,

degrees

like

Good

'

thought of him,

not

After

few

the spectre disapeternity,

peared.
for

spot

few

the

and

moments,

strongest proof

I felt my blood freeze

but I felt a sensation
of

restored.

was

to

in my

deadly
quitted me at

which

circulation

as

backward.

aloud

world.

hour, and

an

over

walked

probably
the

thing.
some-

expression so

an

and

experiencedis

the vision.

murmur

it,either before

I have

since.

or

I did

happened to the ladies on gettingback

agreeable
house, being afraid of frighteningthem, and the disoff after a while.
impressionwore

speak of

not

sensation

felt any

never

with

back

in

the

to

were

lasted

cold, which

seemed

me

and

mine

least

For

me.

landscape and the

completely the outline of

move
lij)s

on

touched

the

!' though I had

the

moment,

seconds, which

veins.

of

see

I drew

It is Harrison

!
that

to

up

that

have

and
myself instinctively,

to

Heavens

fixed

severe

so

not

its

saw

were

eyes

and

view

my

I could

objectsround me.
this phantom, but

I said

being it would

human

the moment

intense

UNKNOWN

what

had

said that the house

was

the

near

great London

road.

It

property, with a lane on one side

three hundred
two
of it leading to the village. It was
or
iron railing,
an
yards from any other dwelling. There was
the front of the house to protect it
feet high, before
seven
stood

in the

middle

from

tramps.

the

of

The

gates

always

are

shut

gravel walk, thirtyfeet long, leads from

the
highway. That day the evening was
clear, and

in the

house

quiet. Nobody

very

stilhiess of

heard

from

the

terrier

at

about

were

barked
to go

in the
terrier
a

room

was

at the

to

our

everybody

with

us.

back, about

^'Suddenlyat

and

at

the

on

The

sixtyfeet

the front door

approached

without

there

176

being

every
were

had

was

gone
where

from
a

to

We

gether
sittingto-

to
we

tinctly
dis-

little

noise.
all

the

great

was

ground floor,and

servants

door

beautiful, very

in the house

bedchambers, but

drawing-room

front

Besides, there
door, and

front

the

have

night

summer

distance.

watch-dog guarding
who

could

nightfall.A

at

the

tle
lit-

sleep in
were.

noise, so loud

and

COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPATHIC

OF

persistent(the door

so

to vibrate under

and
on

feet in

our

all

We

"

The

learn

to

the

to

ran

full of

what

door, but

we

would

door

nor

the door

the

into

go

darkness.

nothing that

"

would

down

come

their

servants

*'

had

was

so

great
back

go

from

heard

and

saw

vants
ser-

their

nothing.

custom, trembled
neither

There

have

was

fallen

in
difficulty

hid

the front

knocker

no

and

"

and

stay by

for any one

to have approached the house
it in the great silence without
being heard.

silent,and

the

going ou.

was

sofa,'and

the

in its supports
all
blows)that we were

astonishment, and

terrier,quite cmitrary
under

shaken

formidable

to his

himself

be

to

half-clothed, having

in hasto

room

such

moment,

arrived

seemed

it

on

sible
impos-

was

to have

or

left

Everybody

making

was

hosts

our

and

to bed.

unimpressionable a
connecting this noise

that

person

at first I

never

with the appearance

of the
thought of
that afternoon.
I went
to bed myself,
phantom I had seen
thinking over all that had taken place,and tryingto find an
explanation.
"I stayedin the country until Wednesday morning, having
idea of what
had happened at home
no
during my absence.

That

said

and

once

three

times

the

to

town, I

to

to my

went

There

taken

been

ill the

office,

taken

We

they

to

Chadwick,
told

me,

Harrison's

ill

to

see

you

intimate

an

family

Friday, and

stricken

ill,but
and

shall have

announce

Mr.

was

taken

wants

is dead.

at

two

or

ately.'
immedifriend

she

something
death

Sunday,
she

was

also

to

the Wandsworth

on

are

gone.

Her

about

by howling

177

is dead.

removed

would

say

and

have

of

great surprise:

my

all

me

maid

Mrs.
evening, and she is dead too.
down
Saturday morning, and is dead.

same

little more

'

was

In

chambermaid
also

He

terrible epidemic of cholera

taken

was

was

He

family.

Eoad.

Eoscoe

me:

for you.
Mr.
visitor was

Harrison
has

to
My employer came
gentleman has been here

ask

to

The

"

I returned

King's road, Gray's Inn.

11

'

Avhen

morning,

The

from

the

died.

dogs. Why,

Poor

Mrs.
was

rison
Har-

Her
cook

house
Mr.

by-the-way,do

THE

Harrison, good,
was

bad

very

reverend

man,

Monday,

and

on

Avith

me

when

is

This

made

again when

old,was

o'clock, I

nine

into

next

it

as

I could
ten

Between
hour

later I

brother

was

Garling.

B.

less

not

was

sittingin

Here

causes.

he

had

go back

in

father.

my

You

dreamed

at

to

bed

struck

the
me

all,and
bed.

my

About

myself.

hearth

the

were

Seeing

get into

I let him

walked

He

nonsense!
not

him

frightened

into that chamber.

what

chair, and

have

surprisedto

was

crying out,

distinctlybeside

saw

of

of

room.

I went

eleven

and

will

We

August 20, 1869, between

in my
sittingin my chamber
My nephew, a boy seven
years

persuade him,

not

impression
speak of it

curious, of collective sensations.

night

repliedthat

He

the

generaldiscussion

chamber

my

insisted that he would

that

come

Harrison

concerns

voice, *0h, auntie, I have just seen

I answered, 'What
bed!'
round
my

dreaming.'

Mr.

but

animals.

on

Devonport.

at

in the

in bed

suddenly

run

the

On

"

not

cases,

house,

mother's

to

come

we

OLXXVIII.

eight and

and

once

remarkable, extraordinary,and

most

our

people and

other

three

are

of

one

many

on

at

H.

narratives, notably

dramatic

knew

nobody

Gardens, Folkestone."

Westbourne

"12

but

alive.'

arrived.

we

him

Hampstead,
people round him

cab

instantlyAvith Chadwick,

'^I left
dead

Take

find him

not

may

you

or

found.

to be

were

He

Straw's Castle, at

change of air. He implored all the

Monday and yesterday to send for you,
you

Sunday.
removed

yesterday they

for

where

ill

taken

was

to Jack

Eoad

Wandsworth

from

UNKNOWN

form

most

an

of my
was

the

My nephew at this moment

deathly paleness of his face.
so frightened
fast asleep. I was
(my brother was at Hongwas
A
short
the bedclothes.
Kong) that I hid my face under
his voice callingme
heard
time after I distinctly
by name.
The

name

again,but
"

had
next

The

was

he
next

repeatedthree
was

mail

that

came

I resolved

Then

to look

gone.

morning

happened, and

times.

I told

I made
from

my

mother

and

my
of the

memorandum

China
178

brought

us

the

sister what

date.
sad

news

The
of

THE
of which

had

like the other

foot

toes

and

son

my
tell

to the

him

stayed by

had

that

end.'

Wickham's

"I

of the

I shall

boy

nine

this certificate
that

remember
perfectly

of Mrs.

went

who

told

who
for

forgivemyself

never

Wickham."

old at the

years

he

time

thingshappened just

they

as

Wickham."

lieutenant-colonel

certifythe

can

of

Wickham,

that

also writes

I then

hospitalsteward,

Edmukd

husband

The

to

came

him, and

Eugenia

told above.

are

man

night.

son,

this event, added

ness
partlyrecovered consciousmy hand,' she said, 'in his

"

Mrs.

was

"

o'clock.

beside

took

did

that

home

having gone

three

at

this

exactly
simultaneously,

afterwards

remained

'He

he

pressed it,as

hour

an

He

his death.

before
and

had

gangrene

remarked

died

occurred.

it had

how

me

half

mother, who

his

to

We

now.

B. had

Mr.

that

me

off from

dropped

About

I.

UNKNOWN

exactness

of
of

tillery,
ar-

this

story.
will conclude

We

these

has

which

telepathicobservations

by

the following,

witnesses.'

also two

the winter
of 1850-51,
"During
I, Charles
ma"tre d'h"tel to
Matthews, being twenty-fiveyears old, was
at Troston
Morse
General
Hall, near
Bury Saint Edmunds.
CLXXX.

house
Matthews, was in the same
My mother, Mary Anne
as
She
cook and housekeeper.
was
a very
upright and concienliked by all the servants, except one
tious woman,
chambermaid,

to them

very
awed

by

her

Susan

and
tale-bearing

afraid

much

of

my

made
her

herself

disagreeable

but
ill-nature,

mother, whose

just,firm

she

was

character

her.

examples

'Our

XV.,

all

This

Susan.

named

XXXV.,

LXXVIIL,
CXXXV.,

CLXVI.,

of

collective

impressions

XLVII., XLVIII.,
LXXXIIL,
XCIII., XCV.,
XL.,

CXXXIX.,
CXXVII.,

CXLIV.,
and

these

CXLV.,
three

last

180

LV.,

are

See

numerous.

LVIL,

LXIX.,

LXXVI,

CXXIIL,

CXXXI.,

CLIL,

CLIV., CLVIL,

ones.

I.,

CXXXIL,
CLXL,

OF

had

Susan

"

For

jaundice.

months

some

she was
Hall, but finally
at the expense
at Bury Saint Edmunds,

and

into the ward

put

after her

week

the

to the

that

the

to hear

how

day

She then

her death
till the

ward

On

found

sent

tal
hospi-

Morse,

died there
from

woman

miles

seven

off,

munds,
Bury Saint Edcertain Saturday the
into

until

Susan

approaching,she

was

go

to the

She

was

get back

not

said that she had

not

taken

was

of General

servants.

which
hospital,

did

she

sent

General

The

carriagedid
the girlwas.

she

went, and

woman

apart for

set

admission.

villageover

every

as

the

COMMUNICATIONS

of at Troston

care

TELEPATHIC

Sunday evening.

unconscious, and that,

permittedto stay in

was

the

end.

''During that Saturday night the mysterious things that I

have to relate took place. They have always puzzled me.
I was
asleep,when suddenlyI was roused up wide awake,
"

with

strange feelingof

but

saw

and

I hid

nothing.
my

opened

chamber

brushed

on

prey

into the

bedclothes.

the

The

which
passage
all the pec^Dlewho

and

door.

mother

and

againstmy

seemed
I said:

'What's

my

pale and

was

the matter

?'

She

darkness,

to unnatural

narrow

morning I met
to be sick; she

ask

myself a

under

mothers,

of my
passage
In the

I felt

head

I stared

terror.

sleptno

led

seemed

door

of

to the

my

ber
cham-

passed along that

that night.
more
at

saw

fright,

that

once

she

greatlyagitated.

answered, 'Nothing
"

don't

me.'
hour

"An

something was
mother,

it anything to do

with

I told

to

to know

speak.

Susan?'

She

At

burst

caw

what

clearlythat
it

My

was.

last I said:

into tears

'Has

and

plied:
re-

ask ?'

do you

Why

"Then

I resolved

wrong.

elapsed,and

her part, refused

on

'

had

two

or

her

about

frightduring the night,and

the following story:
she in return told me
'I was
awakened,' she said, 'by hearing my door open.
To my
great terror, Susan entered in her night-gown. She
and lay
came
straightto my bed and lifted the bedclothes
my

"

down
where
must

beside
she
have

me.

touched

I felt
me.

chill

Very

fainted, for I remember

181

like ice all down

much

the

side

frightened,I think I
that passed.
nothing more

UNKNOWN

THE

When

I
of

sure

We

"

home

one

in

her

These

"

able

to

strange
"

and

that

are

to

the

satisfy

none

undergo

nor

my

the

to

facts,

mind

that

in

the
the

of

expected

hospital,

well

as

to

the

Clarence

Gate,

Regent's

the

got

night,
back

death.
she

We
in

was

them.

report
I
and

Charles

Place,

she

going

of
her

but

how

am

treatment.

can

superstitious,

of

because

special
as

when

time

not

dream.'

middle

all

us

But

village,

spoke

some

as

not

was

the

of

incident.
Blandford

it

died

there.

not

was

woman

she

gone

but

is

had

We

had

she

the

moments

credulous

neither

senses

Susan

Hall.

danger,

any

that

last

she

thought

my

from

last,

Troston

to

thing,

learned
at

and

regained

Park,

have

been

never

the

why

Matthews.
London."

am

of

this

CHAPTER

IV

OF

ADMISSIOIsr

"

TJiere

are

more

Than

are

dreamt

recorded

Is it

now

inventions, made-up
and

pure

1^0 doubt

"

philosopliy.
Act

Hamlet,

hundred

1, Scene

5.

one

and

stories,or hallucinations

with

fortuitous

simplenegation

be

cannot

acceptedin

this

case.

dealing with the extraordinary,the unknown,

It appears
unexplained. But negation is not solution.

the

we

to be

us

than
To

are

more

explainthem
book,

perhaps they
any
These

more

them

is
our

than

they
have

with

varietyof

are

As

we

said at the

imperfect

and

reveal

to

never

have

done

been

carefullyselected

these

us

the

true

ality
re-

in others.

anxious

to take

understood

from

account

manifestations,and

interest,will have

ning
begin-

deceitful,and

case

Eeaders

ena
phenom-

examination.

difficult.

more

for these

account

without

senses

of others.
and

try to

them

will in this

narratives

number

nature

scientific to

to disbelieve

of this

earth,Horatio,

coincidences

to

in your

tions
eighty-onemanifestaof the dj^ng (and I have many
more
as yet unpublished).
tiously
possible for any one, after having read them conscienand
without
prejudice, to see in them
nothing but

HAVE

of

lieaven and

Shakespeare.

"

things in

FACTS

that

who
our

among
of the

have

read

objectin

has been to establish the fact

publishingso large a number
that they are by no means
rare
so
or
so
exceptionalas people
imagine, and also because their value increases perceptiblyin
proportionto their number.
It will be remarked

been

that

in all these

cases

the details have

and
given as circumstantiallyas possible,
183

that

there has

THE

been

questionin

no

for the most

them

I have

anonymous.

And

his

opinions,and why,

little

so

renew

has

has

in his

the

not

all

of all that

to understand

one

is
I

"

of

courage

possessionan

increase

to

above

terestin
in-

edge
knowl-

our

of it,for
sign an account
of displeasing
influential

not
or

for superridicule,or for self-interest,

stitious

of

other

for any

thanks

my

horror

able

serve

may
dares

"

prejudice,or

all the

to

I have

observations, and

their

person

that

friends, or in dread
I

any

compromising himself,

of

fear

if

been

never

why

"

observation
ever

doubtful, uncertain, and

I have

shall understand

subjectivehallucinations,which

unconquerable

an

never

be it

of

often

part are

anonymous.

"

UNKNOWN

whatever.

reason

who

persons

taken

all

have

sent

possiblecare

to

me

creetly
dis-

We
have already
carry out their expressed wishes.
in twenty who
has himself
said that there is at least one
person
has

experienced,or
neglected.

to be

this

unless

kind

somebody
This

of this kind.

manifestations
not

known

In

they

general,people
asked

are

to

do

so

who

has

makes

do not
and

"

an

rienced,
expe-

average

tell stories of
not

then

ways
al-

1
before

questionnow

The

of these

For

narratives ?

is the real value

What

their

quantityalone will not

qualitymust be a coefficient.

Their

their value.

is this.

us

mine
deterOnr

relation to their quality as well as their

have
analysismust
out
of the
cut
quantity. That they have been invented
and relations to whom
to mystify friends
cloth
whole
they
cannot
told in the first instance, is an hypothesiswhich
were
will begin by getting it out
be seriouslymaintained, but we
"

"

of the

In

way.

impressed that
I have
am

follow have

as

he

experienced an

related
sure

reported there
reporting them was

cases

the person

; in others

witnesses

of the

some

of

vouched

were
as

all the marks

illness.
for

of my own.
of good faith.
am

by

The

several

are
so

much

first riences
expewhose
cerity
sin-

persons
The letters which

I have

contrived

one-tenth
of them, and
about
verify,by various means,
inquirieshave always resulted in confirming the truth of
details.
insignificant
recitals,except perhaps in some
These

narratives, indeed,

are

184

not

different

from

those

to

my
the

that

ADMISSION

class of hoaxers
of
telling

the death

husband,

or

laugh

of

child.

do

Besides, sincerityhas its

The

tliose who

among

are

make

seldom

people

such
subjects.
upon
Le stylec'est V homme,

jokes

accent.

own

that

sorrows

Buffon.

says

with

relations

My
with

are

not

time.

long

relation,a father,mother, wife,

near

These

Men

over.

FACTS

known
I have
persons
is rare
and "smokers"

from

I received

OF

those who

these

send

observations

they
somebody

correspondents is the
constantly,from all parts

me

have

in

made

same

as

of the

it is

globe,

and

meteorology.
that he has observed
writes me
When
an
eclipse,
occultation
an
or
a
a
meteor, shooting-stars,
comet, a varition in Mars or Jupiter,an aurora
borealis,an earthquake,a
a lunar
rainbow, etc.,
lingularcase of thunder and lightning,
him with
I begin by crediting
good faith and. sincerity; but
that does

not

prevent
and

tell

may
that
made

that the

astronomical

an

at the

of check

or

time

same

the

on

from

me

carefullyexamining

by

my

own

different

report made

which

persons,

his

munication
com-

it.

judgment upon
the
are
cases
by no means
observation
meteorological

forming

me

astronomy

ple
Peo-

same,

may

puts

But
Of course.
by one.
of the observer,
sincerity

for
be
sort

to the

as

the cases
opinion I may hold of the
are
exactly alike. I accept his fact subject to its relation
other
to
facts subject to the
right of free examination.
In cases
of telepatliy
and others, the same
human
beings are

concerned, the

play,and
normal
make
a

I believe

state

of

that

faculties

those who

mind, which

themselves.

savant,

intellectual

same

is

address

proved by

brought

are
me

the reflections

reason
priori I have no more
professor,a magistrate,a priest,a

when
pastor,a manufacturer, or an agriculturist,
to me
a psychical
experience than when he sends

observation.
and

less easy

Nevertheless,

of

belief,our

and

I, for my

as

these

standard

in their

are

facts

are

of admission

into

they

to mistrust

Protestant
he
me

relates
a

cal
physi-

more

must

rare

be

part,began by verifyinga large

number
information
about
and making
them
by collecting
almost
sulted
inquiriesabout these writers, which
invariably remore

severe,

in

confirmingpurely and
185

simply the

relations I had

THE

received.

The

in London.

recitals,and

in the

And

one

memory,
is

fact

bottom

themselves.

be true, but

may

it have

all the

with

tenable, is this

objection,more

concerning

been

good

faith

fit the

Such

narratives

to

brought forward
coincident;and even

been

have

may

may

real, and

not

and

known,
always precisely
been

have

may

and

greatest attention,
First, in

the

writers

of the

who

describe

persons

that

they

had

with

cases

I have

them

death

has

this coincidence
not

conclusion

being

of coincidence

this

hypothesiswith
it also

the

insufficient.

had

reported them.
Secondly,the
take pains to state that they were
tions,
they are not subject to hallucina-

observed

or

such

that

and

verified the facts with

they

left out
in

seen

feel

quite

of these

records

dreams, and
was

certain

have

fullyawake.

the

about

everything
only dealt

Fourthly,

might possiblybe attributed to

tion.
imagination, ante-suggestion,or to other kinds of hallucinaThe

omitted

where

found

the observer

in which

which
hallucinations,

narratives

have

felt

been

events

it in my power
all
to obtain
convinced
that they occurred
nearly

greatest coolness, and

them.
Thirdly, I have
that

of the

possiblethat
dying moment

the

have

I have

health ; that

in their usual

things observed
amplified,probably

cases

it is

that the

after the fact.

been

facts, I have

in

discussed

and

where

cases

be

when

drawn

examined

have

then

to think

the

and

would

only

framework

uncertain, the

been

that

arranged

have

the

main

ations
vari-

characteristic.

fact at the

lapsesof

small

some

ous.
impostors are rare, the victims of illusion are numerThey are legion in this order of things. We have set
second
in our
chapter the extent of human
credulity.
the credulous
and the fanatical write
the stylein which

Another

Ave

spite of

if

is very

as

the

b}'the Society for

done

In

certain

that

always feel convinced

apocryphal.

forth

has been

thing

same

PsychicalEesearch

But

UNKNOWN

facts

reported by
are

not

the

cases

here

persons
same,

as

publish
whose

by

men

are

various.

intellectual
and
186

by

women

They

and
of

moral

have

been

standards

all ages,

by the

UNKNOWN

THE
All the

here

cases

in their normal

and

condition,as much

as

making a
that
of the phenomena
as
scientific,
essentially
physics,or chemistry.

we

about

are

much

so

Dreams

our

doubles," and

will be treated

We

thus

have

with

to

only had

"

ciple
prin-

precise,
study is

astronomy,

what

evoked

persons

in all freedom

dying that is,from

later of apparitionsof
the

if it related

connected

things or

far

and
The

are

in
or

called

by mediums,

of in other

to discuss

and

as

the

on

study.

to

at this

are

of manifestations

case

chapters. We wish
convincinglyrej)ortedfacts, those

the most

by

awake,

during sleep,visions seen

hypnotism, presentiments

or

things foreseen, phenomena

"

and

you

clear
classification,

somnambulism

of

state

no

wide

dreams, and I have acted

methodical

of

to cite

care

in

apparitionsseen

or

to persons

taken

I have

moment.

reportedoccurred

to

commence

easiest to

ify
ver-

of mind.

to do

with

manifestations

from

living. We will speak

ferent.
the dead, whose
explanation is difstill

persons

tasms
reported are from the grand work. Phanof the Living,^publishedin London, in 188G, by Messrs
umes
volGurney, Myers, " Podmore, a work in two enormous
of 575 and
733 pages, containingthe results (or what
in French
law are called jjroc"s
rigorously
verhaux)of the inquiries
The

last

cases

by these three gentlemen on behalf of the

have
we
already
Society for Psychical Research, of which
ceiving
spoken. It is impossibleto study this collection without rean
impressionthat those who now
persistin denying
made

such
the

facts

cases,

my
whose

in

this

arranged

on

"

In

sun.

like

are

This

change.

in the

work

appeared
M.

L.

An

there

received
to

me

in French,

in

the

are

of which

inexact

more

and

denies

the

reports of six hundred

we

have

than

excellent

an

of

existence

spoken.

eleven

hundred,
We

translation, published

conferences

misleading

And

doubt.

equallybeyond

of

Marillier, master

"tudes,under
and

who

man

order

part I have
authenticityseems

at

the

"cole

des

title of Hallucinations

It seems
to us that the
meaning.
careful
translator
was
badly inspired in making this
very
illusion.
hallucination is essentially
a false perception
an

which
T"l"patldques,
learned

blind

inquiry

own

1891, by

Hautes

has

absolutelyno

"

188

ADMISSION

OF

ought, of course, to be able iu

precision. The agreement
what

all

strikes

seen,

the

possiblyhave been completed

imaginationof the narrators, and more
about

be necessary

observation,

every

invariablytake

we
or

It would

case.

in

to

our

the

to make

experimentsin physicsor chemistry,and

this case
have something additional to
we
coefficient,which

human

is

by

by
arranged

minute

quiries
in-

take, in short, all the cautions

preastronomical
observations,

our

in

corded,
re-

event

less

or

what

events

after the

may

lute
abso-

between

us

felt,and

was

was

to suit the

verifytheir

to

cases

that

heard, what

was

FACTS

no

deal
be

to

means

too, for

more,

with

"

overlooked

neglected.
These
quiries,
precautionshave not always been taken in such incould
nor
they be, often because of the very nature
of their phenomena, some
having relation to the dead, and

or

to

some

in the

treated
in

sad

quite

correct

to think

them

These

of

as

because
minor

do

We

observations

too

are

experiment

an

narratives

them

to treat

be

not

may

if

as

be

not

details,is that any

think

not

could

did with

we

some

value, and

no

account

no

of way

to certain

as

which

remembrances,

kind

same

laboratory. But

of

and

sorrows

reason

they were

so.

to be

not

numerous

based

on

And, besides,the wide-spreadbelief among

all peoples,Avhich associates these appearances
with the dead,

something

real.

foundation.
hardly be Avithout some
were
proved to be false,their number

can

fact

great value.

But

if

there will remain

them

to compare

of the

Each
than

naked

star

eye.

of the

to

It makes

the

glorions things
number
not

sixth

of these

no

all

naked
in

the

the

eye, and

is

is

an

disregardthem.
Emmanuel
The great philosopher,
189

I should

is invisible to
the

whole

one

starry heaven.

facts which

smallest

no
pression
ex-

like

of the

magnitude, and
impression on

together

have

Milky Way.
Milky Way is smaller

the

up

their

of truth.

character

make

doubt, if every
would

to

substratum

cosmic

which

Nevertheless, taken
even

to the

stars

them

reduce

we

No

is

of the
Even

human

once

retina.

ble
perfectlyvisibeautiful

and

it is the

so

argument why
Kant,

the

we

wrote

should

THE

Philosophy,who
examining all kinds
*^

she

Avhen
she

dares

This

encounters

to

much

by

barrassed
em-

certain

facts

believe for fear of ridicule.

philosophyis

which

march

her

on

stories.

ghost

lierself

compromise
questions,is often

of foolish

witli

case

to

fears

never

doubt, yet will not

not

is the

UNKNOAVN

In

than

sensible

more

is

short, there

no

proach
re-

that

of

with
connection
the suspicion of any
vulgar
or
credulity,
the name
of savants,
superstitions.Those who cheaply assume
due
to learned
and insist on
receivingthe privileges
to the savant
mock
as
at whatever
(beingas inexplicable
men,
level. That is why
it is to the ignorant)placesboth on the same
ghost stories are always listened to and well received in private,
disavowed
in public. "We may take it for granted
but pitilessly
that

discussion, not

for

persuaded
but

of the

because

the law

because

of

always have those

be always received

of

such

who

falseness

questions.
in them

subject
is fully

of all these

has

prudence

public with

in

of its members

one

believe

such

choose

ever

every

silliness and

examination

the

to

will

of science

academy

no

wisely put

tions,
narra-

limit

stories

Ghost

will

in secret, and

will

an

incredulity of good

am

of the way

form.
"For

out
goes
narratives

of

which

some

to

it
the ways
in which
the truth
of such
of many
and

circulation.

By a reserve, however,
I permit myself to hold
singular,

in

are

deny

in which

yet

to believe

in them

when

together."

There

three

are

facts such

as

know

courses

have

we

to

be

that

may

be

adopted concerning

reported ; absolute belief in all

reported, absolute
rejectionof

we

are

thing
everythemselves
when
the
facts
of
; or, thirdly,accej)tation
of
affirmingthe complete exactness
together,without

or

taken

all their

ought

details.

to

It is this conclusion

Unless
seem

we

I think

to which

we

come.

deny everything would

To

not

not

world

appear
may
and
in particular,

each

all taken

told

it,I dare

that

doubt

in

the

spiritenters

the human

part, ignorantas

own

my

decline

to

possibleto

receive
doubt

be

the

all human
the
190

height

of

absurdity.

testimony, it

narratives

that

have

does
been

OF

ADMISSION
There

givenabove.
which
To

by

that

suppose

is

is the

truth

hand, that

other

the

of their

"dupes

were

defective

sight,had
tion,"
imagina-

own

hypothesis,if

grant the

we

of deaths.

coincidence
On

or

absolutelyuntenable

an

scientific,

or

so

"hallucinated,"

been

facts,historical

many

witnesses.
many
had
all these persons

affirmed

are

not

are

FACTS

abundance

establish

to

seems

of circumstantial

; besides

them

characterize

which

details

that

to

drowned,

the

hung,

man

often

this,the apparitions
corresponded

facts.
subsequently ascertained
They
wound, a shot, a spear thrust, a splitskull, a corpse
bottom
of a pit,a body stretched
a
beach,
upon

exactly

their

sound

of

well-known

show

the

at
a

man

voice, the

especialgarment, an attitude,
from
that in the official
differing

styleof wearing the hair, some

the

and

date

of

that

receive

must

we

after

I know

etc.

announcement,
that

death

few

with

by different
differently
the biographies
of men
all,we

take

must

clearest

are

the human

Nantes,
of the

no

that

or

that

the

Louis

the remains

of

testimony;
often

are

related
and

historyof nations

But, after

it,and, without

find

we

and

the

probable.

revoked

the

Edict

relative
XIV.

hand,

the

lie under

Napoleon

of

dome

Invalides.

For
as

doubt

cannot

as

race

other

part false.

for the most

expecting certainty,admit
We

events

that the

persons,

the

on

all human

doubt

some

the

days

well,

very

our

be denied

cannot

the facts

least,if

at

"

mind

unprejudiced
The

consider

part, we

own

us

such

together,

them.

that

the only one

principalobjection,

all

them

to admit

refuse

can

take

we

before

now

still remains

for

consider, is that which attributes these things to chance

that is,to fortuitous
coincidences.
People say to themselves,
us

"

to

Oh

"

! well

thing,and
moment,

yes
well !
"

some

"

"

but

it

was

much
human

saw

parent, a

deaths

is

such

and

such

at the

relative,died

near

to

coincidence

after the manifestation

nearer),we

heard

or

same

all chmice."

By limitingourselves
or

one

may

(ingeneral,the

remark

twenty-two

of twelve

out
191

that
of

the
a

is

coincidence

average

thousand

fore
hours, be-

of

annual

persons.

In

THE

UNKNOWN

periodof twenty-fourhours

say, it averages

in

22

happen

not

the

on

365,000,

chances

therefore, 16,591

it is 365

This

day.

same

; but if

that

to

less

that

"

in 16,591.

or

times

the

is to

There

are,

coincidence

calculation

would

is based

upon
those

take

we
only young persons or
general average
in the full strength of their age, the proportion would
rise
to eighteen thousand, nineteen
thousand, twenty thousand.
Now
apparitionsAvithout coincidence, not being twenty
a

times,

thousand

times,

nor

times

ten

thousand

times,
than

numerous

more

being indeed

thousand

ten

nor

We

this shows

What

that

even

relation of

been
cause

we
verified,
may

and

effect.

fortuitous

or

coincidences.
unknown

something

to say,

will

clude
con-

to real

mention

to

coincidences
few

that

are

remarkable.

very

the

During

wind, and

time

atmosphere,I
the

that have

truly extraordinary. I

are

nor

possiblya

quarter,nor

work, leads sometimes

in the forces at

us

times,

apparitionswith coincidences,

chance, that is

call

we

five thousand

nor

hundred

denying chance,

not

are

nor

equal, not half, nor

not

tenth of the manifestations

that

times,

busy

was

east

the

on

the

took

in Paris is
de

Avenue

the

was

several

place:
lighted by

curious

three

windows,

third

middle

of

to the
summer.

south
The

the

on

of the

examples

l'Observatoire,another

Observatory, the
It

Cassini.

with

comparing

was

followingthing

My study

writing my great book

the chapter on the force

was

one

when

looks

southeast
to

on

the

wards
to-

Eue

first window

of the avenue.
The
looking on the chestnut-trees
dow,
sky was clouded; the wind rose, and suddenly the third winhave
been
must
which
badly fastened, was violently
blown
by a gale from the southwest, Avhich disarranged
open
all my papers, and liftingthe loose pages I had
just written,
was

open,

carried

off in

sort

of Avhirlwind

after the rain came,

moment

To

them

go down

be time
What

Lahure's

and

lost,and

hunt
was

for
very

among

the trees.

regular downpour.

my
sorry

pages

would

seem

to

me

to

to lose them.

surpriseto receive, a few days later, from

half a
de Fleurus, about
in the Rue
printing-office,

was

my

192

ADMISSION
mile

without

where

from

away
one

FACTS

lived, that

chapter printed

very

missing.

page
it

Remember,

OF

chapteron

was

the

strange doings of the

wind.

happened ?
simple thing.

had

What
very

the

porter of

The

who

and

who
printing-office,

brought

lived

the Observatory,

near

my proof-sheets as he Avent to
to his office noticed on the ground,

me

breakfast,Avhen going back

sodden
by the rain, the leaves of my

manuscript. He thought
have dropped them
he must
himself,and he hastened to pick
with great care, he took
them
up, and, having arranged them
them
to the printing-office,
tellingno one of the affair.
and
credulous
A little more,
some
serted
might have asperson
it

that

the

Avas

Avind

that

had

them

brought

to the

printing-office.
is another

Here
I
for

instance

singular.

promised a priestwho blessed

that he procured
a dispensation
of

with

him
a

somewhat
in

me

train for

air.

About

Jules

Godard

balloon.

little

for

been

say that

leave

he owned
not

received

Avaitingfor

his return.

notice

Not

by

to the

stances,
of circuma

of the

ray note, which

to go

started, Avith

we

to pass

banks

of taking

decided

combination

Paris

the

on

instead

having sent

provoking

obliged to

hermitage

in Paris

rooms

I should

aeronaut, after

our

he had

my

Avedding journey,we had

days after the ceremony

our

ten

had

marriage (in return

for me
it apin spite,
as
peared,
ecclesiastical regulation)
to take

severe

aM", Avho, unluckily,by

less

not

few

days at
sequently
Marne; con-

remained

at his

seeingthe

able

rive
ar-

gas-house at the hour fixed for our departure,I Avas

Avould pass unnoticed,
glad that our journey, being incognito,
and I thought I could keep my promise to my friend
time.
I desired, especially,
into
to bring him
not

at the

rather

another
trouble.
leave

There

Paris

in

directlyacross
the

cibhe,who

seeingthe
N

are
a

number

balloon.

the
Avas

balloon

of directions in which

Now

our

Marne, and

sittingat

aerial

ship took

preciselyover
table

over
floating
sloAvly

193

in his
his

the

one
a

may
course

property of

garden,and
head, fancied

who,
I had

THE
find

him.

shouted

He

to

begging me
and felt the greatest disappointment when
he
devil
proceedingon our journey. Had some

to

come

we

were

in

charge

he

could

nevertheless

there

UNKNOWN

have

not

done

nothing

was

me,

the

in it but

thing

better.

the direction

scend,
to defound
had

us

But
of the

wind.
Emile

"^

Deschamps, a distinguishedpoet, somewhat

in these days, one
of the authors of the libretto

Huguenots/'

follows

as

his

In

tells of

curious

series

of fortuitous

looked
over-

of the
dences
coinci-

childhood, being

boarding-schoolat Orleans, he
himself
chanced
certain
to find
a
on
day at table with a
M. de Fortgibu, an "migr" recentlyreturned
from
England,
made
him taste a plum-pudding, a dish almost
who
unknown
at that

The

time

the

Boulevard

pudding
He

of that feast had

by degrees faded from

Avhen, ten years later,passing by a restaurant on
Poissoni"re, he perceived inside it a plum-

of most

went

in France.

remembrance

his memory,

at

excellent

in and

had

appearance.
for

the

been

slice of

it,but

was

informed

customer.
by another
du comi^oir,seeing that
''M. de Fortgibu," cried the dame
''would
ness
Deschamps looked disappointed,
you have the goodto share your plum-pudding with this gentleman ?"
in recognizing M. de Fortgibu
Deschamps liad some
difficulty
with
in an
elderly man,
powdered hair, dressed in a
coloneFs
uniform, who was
taking his dinner at one of the

that

whole

asked

ordered

tables.

give him pleasure to offer part of

bis pudding to the gentleman.
thought
Long years had passed since Deschamps had even
of plum-pudding, or of M. de Fortgibu.
The

officer said

it would

to be
there was
where
invited to a dinner
day he was
He
a real English plum-pudding.
accepted the invitation,
but
told the lady of the house, as a joke, that he knew
he caused
much
M. de Fortgibu would
be of the party, and
amusement
by giving the reason.
Ten
and
he went
The
to the
house.
guests
day came,

One

194

THE

ing from

UNKNOWN

fifth

story and killingoutrightsome

person
quietlywalking along the pavement.
dences
Who, then, can
deny that there are surprisingcoinci? Yes, the little god, chance, sometimes
traordinary
produces exresults,and I am
quite ready to acknowledge it ;

but

let

some

at the

us

time

same

acknowledge that

chance

does

not

explaineverything.
I will
due

commit

now

Charles

Professor

to

regarded from

the

to the

followingreasoning,
Richet, concerning chance, as
view of mathematical
certainty,

argument

my

point of

certaintyas well.'
be expressed by
Chance
may
probability.Thus if in drawing
moral

and

whole

given it

to

cards

the

I draw

pack

all in

were

but
of

hearts, it is chance

suit

and

if

have drawn

I should

I shall

only, for

the

had

been

has

know

the six of hearts

out

of

which

never

pack

for

(if
well

rather

other card.

any

It is

six of

chance

and

me,

shufQed) why
than

the

stands
figure which
card by chance
out

chance, therefore, which

me

gave

the

six of

hearts,

expressed in figures. I had in a pack

fifty-twocards only one chance in fifty-twofor drawing the
this chance

be

can

drawing

for

thirteen

six of any suit, one

chance
chance
in four; and
heart, one

drawing

six of hearts; for

drawing a red card,

out
fifty-onechances

chance

one

of

in

in

In

two.

fifty-twofor

not

for

short, I had

drawing

any

card

in advance.

named

assign mathematicallyto this or that

which
be expressed in figures. But
event
can
a
probability
in the calculation
of different
is not
our
great difficulty
mathematical
problems, though that, if we go further, may
In like

prove

manner

at last

difficult

so

The
laws

to

real

Relations

of

Proceedings

de

of

to

embarrass

difficultyis

in

the

maticians.
greatest mathe-

applying

mathematical

proved by mathematics
is only applicableif
probabilities

infinite number

'

as

It is

real events.

calculation
an

can

It is otherwise

of chances.

la transmission
exp"riencessur
Society for Psychical Research, June,

diverses
the

not

196

that
there

the
are

true.

mentale, etc.
1888.

OF

ADMISSION

Thus:

I have

chance

pack
fifty-twoto

in

possiblethat

other

at

named

card

conclude

Avhat

card

be the

might

be

result

of

the six of

but

it is not

and

the combination

six of

them, I want

If I take

of

the

pack

again the six

slight(52x52
^^^4) ;

do

would

should

We

have

have

In other
six of hearts

six of

to

no

only

things.
Suppose
the

dear.

of

life of

Of
a

course

hundred

hearts,probabilities
of

possible

that

wanted, and
as

I cannot

if I drew

I reach

reach

mathematical

it if I

the
ber
num-

certainty,

given

were

draw

indefinite

an

the

tunity
oppor-

of times.

certaintyis what

most

cases

certaintyand
that

then

not

is

be

wanted,

reached

we

can

without

of trials.

But, happily,in
mathematical

other

any other.
the infinite to arrive at the impossible.

conclusion, for it could

infinite number

by another

great as they are, we

always be possiblethat

chances

many

could

If, then, mathematical

out

But

infinite number

an

done,

of any

for the number

only happen

rather, I could

been

fourth, and

words, the certaintythat

Never

to draw

as

to reach

would

of times.

and

to draw

immense.

becomes

combination

an

combination

impossibility.It would
might bring about the combination

chance

come

done, it has

reach

not

or,

out

cards, then

of

greater against me,

combinations

cards, after

six of hearts, followed

one

fifth,I shall have, if I still wish

much

precisely

was

kind.

same

third

be

I to

were

of

pack
draw

to

could

probableas

as

of the

cards

two

imjjossible.It

hearts, is

it is

experiment when,

an

hearts, that

will be very
hearts, the probability

of

yet

one

is

unreasonable

If, taking another

drew.

well shuffled

having

only

hearts, and
There

card.

therefore

beforehand

having named
the

that

draw

I should

overlooked.

six of

the

I have

me.

nothing to
any rate, it is as probableas my drawing any
This
little probability
is not to be
to me.

I may

prevent it,and,

before

of cards
draw

FACTS

we

cati

moral

arrive at

certaintyare

conclusion, for
two

different

day I stake my honor, my life,the

those belonging to me,
and all I hold

one

can

have

no

times that I

mathematical

draw, the

197

honor
most

certaintythat

six of hearts will not

UNKNOWN

THE

out

come

hundred

times
is

truth, this combination

be drawn

will not

hearts

It would

be

not

of

saying, "It

is

should

at

far

as

go

fortune, my

running.
liundred

ings.
draw-

running,

instead

as

times

ten

not

be

so

card
give the same
entirely convinced

find the

to

should

for it which

cause

cause.

all alike ;
pack were
if in
prestidigitator,

in the

cards

does

try

once

some

was

I should

succession.

times

surprisingchance,^^ I

most

for chance

know;

to

six of hearts

there

that

suppose

hundred

one

necessary

the

If I drew

honor, my

love, againstthe probabilitythat the six of

all I

country, and

life,my

bet my

to

willinglyconsent

rimning. Mathematically,and in
but nevertheless
I would
possible,

if it

were

once

did

not
in

times

ten

of this that

should
not

at

look
trick

if the

played
really

the pack there were

by a
not composed
fifty-twodifferent cards, or if each pack were
of fifty-twoof the six of hearts.
Let us take a less startlingprobability. For example, the
on

me

probabilityof drawing
Even
bets

this

is

it

were

on

franc

fact,in

In

that

he

who

does

could

bet of

If
one

be twice

not

which

convictions

and

regulatesour

duct,
con-

decisions,are

our

one

year,
a

chance
and

one

no

morally

he

Now

let

the

one

chances

hundred

chance

fortnight.

he is certain

think

in

Who

to live

more

of

in three
is

dying

fore
be-

thousand

there, however,
than

two

weeks

of life to the

tain
drawing out of a certhat the probabilityof getting
card from a pack, one
sees
card four times running is about equal to the probsame
ability
in good health, and not exthat a man
of thirty-five,
posed
matically
Matheto any especial
danger, will not live an hour.

By comparing
the

has

die within

not

be

2704.

-^ "^^^
great than this of -^p^r"'
old, in good health, Avho is exj)osed to no

of the

may

would

of

less

thirty-fiveyears
danger,
particular
end

our

out

one

card.

same

pack.

same

every-day life,that

our

much
probabilities

the

the

from

influences

which

"

the six of hearts

that

francs

the

succession

small

very

in succession

drawn

in

probability
mathematically laid, it

to 2704

twice

is

that

quite sure

feels it to be almost
us

take

an

he

will live

an

hour, but

complete certainty.
example from jurymen tryinga case
198

in

ADMISSION

OF

FACTS

With rare
exceptionsthey have
penaltyis death.
positivecertaintythat the accused is guilty,for though
of his innocence
be very small, yet it is
probability
may

which
no

the

the

almost

always greater

of the

confession

the

have

might

there

be

may

guiltof

of the
Thus

the

are

we

never

many

guiltyfalse

true

Perhaps there
clearly? Was

see

Who

one

conspiracyto

unknown

stances
circum-

accessory

witnesses

some

quantity of

of

the

accused

been

mathematical

away

Did

witnesses.

false

were

So

^^j.

the verdict

make

might

than

knows

ruin him

circumstances

certainty but leave the

accused
unimpaired.
guided by mathematical

but
There

which
moral

take

certainty

ways
certainty. Al-

in the most
certain cases, it is
daily life,even
It is sufficient ; and we
moral
act
certaintythat guides us.
Even
the savant
who
it,without
asking for more.
upon
material
certain remakes
to have
seem
sults,
experiments which
that he cannot
ical
mathematcount
on
ought to remember
in

our

for things
certainty,
moment

step in

may

certaintywhich
It remains
to be

but

by

as

charges

certainties.

shall

we

with

chemical

exact

result.

conduct

on

of absolute

mathematics.

right when

are

Are

shall live

Ave

crushed
of

mass

reckless

we

in

we

are

that

we

could

are

more

than

railroad

the

tent
con-

Nowhere

most

an

train, that

testimony

we

had

is there

and
only probabilities,

them, for experiencefor the

clude,
con-

determination

live if

not

certainties.

upon

we

is sufficient to

physicalmeasures

or

when

evidentlyveracious

crime, is guilty, that

everywhere there
act

be

not

evident

seems

our

we

continually,that

do

we

three

It

if

character

present

"

prisoner,whom

the

the

away

the

at

guided by strong probabilitiesstrong probabilities

hour, that

all

to know

us

means

no

take

him

to

only be given by

can

for

and

unknown

we

are

give

of
an

to base

certainty
;
right to

in
us
part justifies

so

doing.
"'Fov

my

own

part/' adds

psychic influences, "I

this subjectwould
on
of truth.
no
particle

consider
be

We

M.

Eichet, speaking about

that the

world-wide

impossibleif that
have
199

no

rightto

illusion

illusion contained
exact

for

psychical

UNKNOWN

THE

stronger probabilitythan

phenomena

ought

favor, we
There

"

are

telepathy,that
of
The

fact

to

unless
inexplicable,
by acknowledging the

must

end

distance.

from

seems

facts

many

we

action

some

to

so

proved

me

What

the

from
in which

the

hour, and
had

no

coincidence

when

visual

one

On

persons.

(B)

reach

we

hallucination
into

of the

the

shows

times
Fmir

the

one

thus

at

of

before

twelve

hours

or

twenty-four

become

if

we

all,if

above

the

Here

we

But

hours.
take

the

took

of this argument,

and

sum

forty-eight

coincidence
of the

tween
be-

percipient

of

their

have

death

during

probabilitiesin

following

us
case

take,

for

and
own

took

cases

place
lapse of

time

probability

coincidences, and,
cidence
the coin-

where

case

example,

recorded

forty-five
eloquence.
twelve

will this

closer

much

Let

coincidence.

that in all

suppose

fantastic

more

is 4,114,545

fortuitous

fivehundred

the

and

Frederick

show

to

the

in the Phantasms

been

other.

friends

On

Monday,
complained

office he
consult
gave

for

doctor, who
him

some

eight
March
of

years.

having
told

They thought

19, 1883, when

him

medicine.

suffered
that
On

Frederick

of

his liver

was

he did

in
not

office,

same

great deal

of

very

seem

each

to

the

went

to

came

indigestion. He

from

Thursday
200

in the

employed

both
,

and

and

Living.

Nicholas
had

300)

p.

hundred

that is to say,

"

much

place.

the

of

probabilityif we

consideration

into

calculate

how

led to the following

telepathicaction

real

hypothesis

after

have

"

hallucination

hours

of dissolution.'

danger

fourteen thousand
are
figureswhich

fantastic

manifestation

fortuitous

an

the

and

the

immediately
value

than

coincidence

32

hundred

arrive

the

the hallucination

probabilityof

probable.

more

We

the

probable

million

times

of

that

more

results

following

two

millions,

place within

London

probabilityof

festations
mani-

as

several

to

taken

for every

agent (A) with

_1

which

the

theory!

far

so

Psych., 1891,

^ft?i. des Sciences

looking

the death

has

of death

Psychical Society of

the

result (Dariex,
is

concerned,

are

who
received
person
in
to think his friend was

inquiriesof

There

least

the

reason

The

dying

existence

abundantlyj^rovet^.^'
collected
all these telepathic

"

that

assert

admit

we

about

matters

having here
is increased, at
observations,probability
AVe

other

above
thousand
in its
one
probabilities
feel we have a sufficiently
stration.
vigorousdemon-

with

sciences; and

for

exact

we

bad

state,

to be much

ADMISSION

proportionis much

This

founded

is what

This

his friend

that

for

two

had

or

This

matter.

usual.

his overcoat

Nicholas

spectre fixed
before

icy chill,and

wife

asked

and

answered.
dead.

of

his hair
her

Then

what

just
imagination, but
impressed upon his

day, Sunday,

to tell his friend

came

nine

about
The

wife

Last

"

of the narrator

24th

of

was

Frederick
You

was

He

when

minutes
is dead.

know

At

"A

he

him

go

to

I then

the

happened

nine, he
ill. I

assure

the

was

one

the

his

When

see

friend; and

more

him

quite well
husband
of

sure

and

was

nine

the story in

by

the

He

very

he

R."

letter agreeing

declares

further

because

occurrence

has

bis

that

always

been

occurred

ing
dur-

ideas.
there

case

twenty-five minutes

and

also confirmed

nonsense

was

troubled

it
that

is

you

Nevertheless, my

much

hearth

I answered

What

'

will

reading ;

of the

I asked

you

previous accounts.

two

struck

In this remarkable

nine

night before

at a table

corner

reason

you

seen

seated

I answered:

looked

he

of the deceased

to such

opposed

nine.

brother

Maria
brother

the

only

was

opinion.

follows

as

it was.

Tuesday.'

had

he
that

o'clock

him.'

seen

office next
that

testimony

said: 'The

even

the

his

what

me

just

noticed

exactly with
he

is

distinctly

so

his

pale.
The

Frederick

been

change

to his

nine," she

to

that this

had

This

he felt

turned

that

was

persuade

which

The

spiritpassed

minutes

could

ribbon,

etc.

this moment

Then

the vision

evening, I was
chair placed at

I have

persisted in saying
death.

death,

the

asked
to

he is not

you

hand,

in tlie afternoon, Frederick's

confirmed

March, in
sittingon

againstthe wall.
twelve

black

o'clock.

husband

my

his

up."

argument

at three

of

Job

I asked

reason

tried to

no

to

the

was

disappeared.

of

Twelve

"

her that

that

then

his head.

was.

She

him

serious

had

in his

cane

words

on

"The

he assured
brain

flesh stood
up

had

the

it

him."

seen

his

next

friend, and

time

said

he

I have

The

his

stood

advised

anything

his hat

"

he

Nicholas

learned

evening, being seated

standing before him, dressed as

and

the hair of my

and

men

upon

eyes

the mind

Nicholas

24, towards

his clothes

unbuttoned,

his

office,and

thinic

his friend

saw

have

we

we

physician, who

not

March

Saturday,

was

to

days,

by

did

but

tlie

to

come

particularlynoticed

He

recalled

three

not

which

on

regulate our daily

certainty. Therefore, we
chance, and of fortuitous

theory of

examined

been

same

in his chamber,

an

lie did

Saturday

better.

the

that

by which

call moral

we

that

conclude

may

FACTS

largerthan

reasoning,and

our

lives.

rest

OF

o'clock.

If the coincidence

is

that

The

no

doubt

passed

friend had

of the two

201

that the death

between

twenty-five minutes

his vision

events

is not

at

twelve

minutes

absolute, it

to

to

is any-

THE

UNKNOWN

coincidences,will

not

that

recorded.

have

we

observer
first

that there

admit

must

we

here

rapijortof

point

explain tlie

that

but

the person

establish

to

and

in

fortuitous

received.
are
im2iressions
Apropos of a case, of which

the

is, indeed, the

nation.
scientific exami-

our

coincidences

explain these things.

ietween
the dying person
effect

and

dying and

This

effect.

those

eliminated, and

be

to

will not

they

cause

and

cause

Yes, chance

ought

is between

have

we

It

and

observed

facts

There

is
the

and

do

exist,

relation

whom

hy

one

of

the

'^

the

Mondes, 1887, p.

point,the

certain

is necessary
apparition of Madame

the

at the

him
did

not

know

how

not

possibleto

there

tbat
We

an

was

have

forty-eight (which

be 120

it would
the

We

mortality.

continued

In the
with

the

present

related

is

case

AND
TWO

THOUSAND

==

stated

but

age,

it is

of

men

official

the

period

of

twenty-fours hours,

^^^
sis ^ i\-s"
x\mjV"*^

to say,

period of
for

jn%f,

During

in the

the case,

therefore, for the

have,

^""st-

120 times

T" l""^ z"s

135

the

probability of

HUNDRED

EIGHT

^S

T,

numbered

account

instead

of

his friends

"TTTST3-'

"

FOUR

have

the

been

SIX

Let

tO

we

I have

person

who

thinking
202

ought

to

just said,
died

was

of his death.

TWENTY-TWO

The

ONE.

logicallyadd

us

think

AND

HUNDRED

TWENTY-TWO

AND

several millions, as

might

1
"

MILLIONS

CLXXXI.

when

probabilityof telepathicaction, as compared

fortuitous
coincidence,is in the proportion of

HUNDRED

cases

particularlyprecise.

probabilityof
into

of

of any

of

this equation,

shall have

one

during

he

equation,
^

we

death

Frederick)

etery
cem-

Avhy may

us

view

extreme

an

Fr"ville,who

de

adult

an

of

age

less, that is

limes

near

passing before

minutes.

day y^ff"^f"T

each

minutes,

twelve

of

time

than

more

the

tables

figuresgiven by the
probabilityof death

observations.

saw

twelve

probability of

was

Bard
Fr"ville

taking

for
^tt^x g-Jr^^

is

hours

twenty-four

of

that the

seen

M.

Madame

even

suppose,

interval

in

wrote

of the narrators, nor,

of their

de

in

dying,and people tell

ill,was

was

faith

when

moment

very

211

correctness

is this all that

But

Chandos

Raphael

suspect the good

cannot

to

np

Living,^'M.

des Deux

Revue

''We

the

of

Phantasms

speak later,cited

shall

we

to it the

feel

fact

preceding

satisfied

because

we

known

to

here

with

must

be

take

ill,and

UNKNOWN

THE

the

good

can

the

''Therefore,neither
called

in

question,nor

have

real facts to deal with.

may

seem,

We

do

for

world

taken

In the

all the world

leading newspapers

of

renunciation

times

telepathy.

admitted,
scientifically
as

in the
is

This

''In

effects of

in

there

that

made

before

or
eclipse,

This

come

things
new

me;

make

else I don't

confusion

to

that

place in

reference

raised

"I

have

my
eral
sev-

against
facts

may

reproduce them

facts

won't

be

can

searches
re-

be
at

in the

not

are

believe in the
I won't

reproduced.

borealis
with

comet

to

of observation.

aurora

an

such

These

this:

they

me

until

its

one

see

fierytail

or

an

in them."

believe

observation

between

took

scientific facts."

in that

be

can

vertible.
incontro-

are

which

be able to

reasoning.

lightningunless

admit

mass

with

over

all other

of

Such

the

order

must

we

but
ex^jeriment,
reasoning amounts

domain

in

I
psychic investigations,

with

case

error

an

all tlie

many

telepathyopens

following objection

the

seen

in

are

say,

have

of

general discussion

of the

course

supposed

may

read

to

now

other.

each

They support

will ;

trouble

previous chapterswill

collection of facts

Our

we

explore.

to

us

have

people

some

the

domain

The

knoio.

not

that

improbable the thing

conclusion, in the first place,that there

the

"ve

these

admit

verilyexist,they

taken

have

published in

letters
to

who

readers

be

can

tuitous
extraordinaryfor-

must

gained a footing in science, whatever

and they will stay there."
Our

observers

of

However

hallucinations

these

of

chance

invoked.

be

coincidences

faith

and

exj^erimentis very

common.

Our

We

facts,we

can

say,

borealis ;
with
are

we

we

order
that

a
comet,
eclipse,

methods

but

verify them,

study is the same

meteorology, not
an

belong

an

make

of

to

ohservatmi,

cannot

study

not

to

experiment.
Their

reproduce them.
as

that

of

astronomy, of

physicsand chemistry. We observe

rora
aerolite,a flash of lightning,an au-

of

experiments

any opticalor acoustic

Both
different.
are
204

in

chemistry, or

phenomenon
scientific,and

we

; the

may

periment
ex-

two
be

FACTS

OF

ADMISSION

general title of experimental,since it is

experienceby which they must be judged, and not by

classed under
human

the

authorities.
or
previous theories, ideas, beliefs, principles,
to tlie magister dixit.
We no longersubmit
AVe
often
hear
surprise,that certain
persons
say, with
and incoherent, occur
or less burlesque,
inexplicable,
things,more
in these cases, while
and

would

others,which

seem

ral
natu-

more

childish

knowledge, are not produced.

Why should a heavy door close shut fly suddenly open ?
?
Why should a great racket be made in a room
Why should
a
light be seen, or a noise heard ? Why should there be a
vision ?
of the phenomena of natScience and observation
ure
simple

to

our

and

the

of

of

processes

manufacture

teach

us,

ever,
how-

and to enlarge the field of our

modify our surprise,
conceptions. Look, for example, at a hogshead of mite,
dynato

thousand

times

terrible

destructive
and

every

may

imprudence in handling it.

destroy a city. Now
try to

substance, and
the

effects

before

at Avork.

with

impunity

take

place;

left of it.

But

the

set

what
We

will

need

this

dynamite will

the

lighton

match,

hogshead you
this explosive

set fire to

You

so.

fuse, and

burn

must

hammer,

barrel

of

nothing

terrible

gunpowder, light

the

yourself on

and

barrel, and

not

be

what

surprisedat

If
breast

her infant, we
similar

fact

then

happen.

understand.
had

will

is

singularto

seems

psychic phenomena.
We
are
naturallydisposedto deny anything that seems
anything we know nothing about, or what we
woman

have

detonation

no

until there

up

with

top of

seat

this

ous
explosioncan set its thunderlight a dynamite cartridge

may

give it a blow
take place.

little

least

You

With

be able to do
the

if it has not

the

explosion will

see

will not

you

detonating fuse

Now

than

gunpowder in its
Dynamite is exceptionally
susceptible,
power.
remembers
est
one
catastrophescaused by the smallmore

we
on

read
her

in

left

at
laugh heartily
Avas

established

Herodotus

thigh,and
such

before
205

the

or

in

us

possible,
imnot
can-

Pliny that

therewith

nonsense.

Academy

suckled

And
of

yet

Science

THE

in

Paris,

that

his

its

at

child

story

as

of
child

with

the

destroying

of

dictionaries
These

tell

and

We

no

We

Let

we

give

could

use.

us

have

satisfied

by

sufficient

for

with
and

Now
whose

solve

precise

all

itself

medical
infants.
wisdom

suggest

who

ignorant

examples,

be,

can

method.

not

them,

these

of

cited

reported

will

the

only

more

'^^lallucinations,"

like

others

in

headless

of

day

own

bore

venture

can

to

misgiving.

have

rest

experimental

they

is

without

things

our

Now

ago

translator

capable

Ctesias."

the
the

long

Koxana

assertion,
of

many

It

prudence.

deny

in

us

that

his

was

upon

not

Larcher,

age.

in

that

look

we

say

absurd

an

child

organism,

myself

"To

authority

instances,

and

is

head

no

his

us

child

this

beard,

saw

of

years

thus:

writes

Herodotus,

that
in

Yet

fifty-six

infant

still-born

had

even

fable.

mere

birth

tells

anybody
contain

to

further

before

and

old,

grew

found

was

informed

are

we

If

1827.

28,

autopsy

inclosed

brother,

twin

his

and

interior,

June

meeting

after

man

UNKNOWN

our

and

ought

existence

problem,
incontestible

to

we

which

the

that

be,

admitted
for

turn

us

be

would

of

readers.

our

conclusion

the

let

it

but

do

not

is

based

coincidences.

facts

by
moment

doubt;
on

and

the
to

but

firmed
con-

CHAPTER

HALLUCINATIONS,
My
has

readers

written

been

that

there

give

them

But

I think

in

consideration

there

sensations.

be made

by

these

of

in

persons

by persons
experienced by

of

out

some

I do

to

and

not

admit

willingto

not

am

what

from

belong

to

definitions

them.

that

gently
ur-

clear.

is,illusions,
errors, false

that

"

experienced by

are

bad

health

their

who

those

ought

distinctions

are

Some

that

that

real hallucinations

are

tlieyconcluded

hallucinations, and

are

the

some

if

error

CALLED

SO

preceding chapters that

require first to
There

PEOPERLY

be in

would

minds

or

; but

nervous

ple,
peo-

greatly fatigued,
others

have

been

perfectly healthy both

and
that
body. Formerly doctors only admitted
could
have such
error
an
experiences. This was

mind
former

in

were

the
of

ignorance.
Hallucinations

important not
much

think

cause

is

The

might

think

is to

the

on

and

of

the

realityin

''error,illusion of

the

the

of
a

very

the
person

moment

is

title of

order

error

confused

there

that
an

the
terior
ex-

lucinator
brain, it loses its halof facts.

importance.

utmost

the

real,the result of
or

the

enters

separate what

Dictionary

From

mind

from

that
veridiques),

be considered

acting

becomes

which

(as we

can

character

us

that

hallucinations.

impression made

before

thought and brain, and it is

they are anything else ; not to

spoken of, Hallucinations

real

be

can

to

for instance

suppose,
book

illusio7is of

are

or

The

This

tinction
dis-

difficulty

illusion from

details of these

that

nomena.
phe-

Academy defines hallucination,

whose
perceptionsare not con207

THE
formed

UNKNOWN

"

reality {erreur,illusion d'une personne dont les

sont 2Jas conforme " la realit").This
ne
explanation
perce2}tions
to

is vague

things
such

confused, and

and

hallucinations.

besides

Littr"

definition.

without

exterior

any

object

ceptiondes sensatio?is sans

na"tre.) This is rather
in

consists

sensory

applied

Perception of
birth

sensations

them."

to

{Per-

objetext"rieur qui
clear and precise. In

more

Max

Simon

writes:

perceptionwithout

other

to

satisfied with

be

cannot

"

give

to

aucim

Dr.

hallucination

visual

on

We

says:

be

can

les
a

fasse
j)aper

tion
''Hallucinaexterior

any

ject
ob-

givesrise to it." {Lliallucinationconsiste en U7ie

sensorielle sans
objetext"rieur qui la fasse na"tre. )
2)erce2Jtion
This definition is certainly
responds
coronCj like that of Littr",which
will adopt it. The
to the generalidea, and
sential
eswe
tion
thing is to agree upon this point viz.,that hallucinawhich

"

is

sensation

an
entirelysubjective,

false

erroneous,

perception.
Brierre

de

Boismont

interestingbook,

has written

which

has

plays a leading part, but

that
and

the

not

are

to

the

care

derangement,
serve
always to ob-

thing as

same

fact

most

classic,in which

of mental

cases

attention

our

in Avhich he takes

all hallucinations
calls

become

now

is in
doctor, Avhose specialty

the

hallucinations'

on

that

on

the

sanity,
inone

is full of such facts,

ly
especialhistoryof Christianity
than
the other hand, that more
in its early ages, and on
the brain was
in a perfecthallucination took place when
one
ly
This
book
be considered
of the
as
one
healthy state.
may
the
first attempts of independent scientific thought to oppose
classic pathological
theory, and to establish that in certain
hallucination
be considered
a purely physiological
cases
may
the

hand

phenomenon. Furthermore, as the writer is a declared partisan

of the principle
of the dualityof man's
jects
nature, he rethe opinionthat all insanity
proceeds from nervousness,
and

that
and

Les

the
are
right senses
material.
Ideas," he
our

"

hallucinations, ou

des songes, de Vextase,du

result
says,

histoire raisonn"e

magn"tisme

of what
"

des

belong

cal
physiologi-

to

an

order

apparitions,des visions,
Paris,1853.

et dii somnambidisme.

208

is

PROPERLY

HALLUCINATIONS,

the

on

thingsthat we can feel.

but
intellectual operations,

line

same

Brierre

de

of all who

Boismont

have

labored

will be better

give here

to

brain

jjut

is indeed

it is not

considered

has

their

the

cursor
pre-

retained, in spiteof

medical

its pathological
and
grand treatise,

this

be

cannot

investigate
psychicalproblems,

to

hallucination

the word

though

be

may

CALLED

The

as

of

the seat
creator."'

facts
Psychological

sensations.

from
differing

SO

examples of

few

It

meaning.
different

kinds

sometimes

duce
pro-

of hallucinations.
is

Hallucination

waking

hallucinations

dream.

Dreams

offer all the

which

characteristics of real

ones.

hallucinations

The

derangement

are

that

be

it would

doctors

consult

have

nothing

maladies

in

full of

are

without
with

common

who

the

it from

work

of

well

them,

known,

Works
and

any

of
one

difficulty.Besides, they

the

Doctor

so

of mental

them.

ujDon

facts

only cases well observed

have experienced them.
We

from
had

dwell

superfluousto
books

varied, and

so

choose

us

those

madness, the eccentricities

numerous,

these

may

Let

so

mental

on

of

we

and

considering.
well described
by
are

what

will borrow

lows
fol-

Ferrier, of Manchester, who

Nicola", the author,

at

Berlin.'

It is somewhat

old, but it is typical:

"During

the

months

last ten

academician, "I had had

me.

Doctor

Delle, who

twice

was

in

judged

it best

this

of blood.

On

year,

one

emission

the

same

some

the year
troubles which
of

the

habit

year

to

1790," says

this

greatlyaffected
of bleeding me

take from

only

me

ing
February 24, 1791, after an excitdispute,I saw, suddenly,about ten feet away from me, a
I asked my wife if she saw
it. My question
figureof death.
for a doctor.
The
greatlyalarmed her, and she sent at once
At four in the afternoon
apparitionlasted eight minutes.

thing reappeared.

by this, I
followed

'

mont

See

me.

Sir Walter

Des

went
At

to
ten

Scott:

my

was

wife's

o'clock

then

There

room.

I could

see

Demonology Letter, 1, and

liallucinations.
209

Much

alone.

led
troub-

vision

the

several

Brierre

figures
de

Bois-

UNKNOWN

THE
seemed

which

have

to

first emotion

the

connection

no

passed I looked

had

for what

taking them

Penetrated
the

greatest

ideas these

could

But

I could

those

of

studies.

my

it

The

strangers. Persons

agination.
imcupations,
oc-

day the

next

great

friends,but generally
I

was

in the habit

part in these apparitions,which

no

of

my

replaced by

was

like my
Avith whom

figures,sometimes

associatingbore

of

with

with

connection

no

disappeared,but

of other

number

them

idea, I observed

discover

thoughts, or

death

dispositi
the result of in-

by what association
presented themselves to my

have

forms

toms,
phan-

discover

trying to

care,

my

figureof

this

by

the

steadilyat

they reallywere,,

When

first.

the

with

Avere

less at a distance.
or
entirelycomposed of peoplelivingmore
I knew
I tried to bring up persons
by thinking intenselyof
how
they looked, but though I saw distinctlyin my mind one

with

them, I could

of

two

or

mind's

the

I had

"

some

eyes

in that

friends

my

My

false

saw

tarily
involun-

manner.

these

to confound

not

me

visions

These

by day

state

impressions

at

as

distinct

and

clear

as

were

night,in the
they sometimes

street

as

in solitude
in my

in

as

house.

own

disappeared, though in
I opened my
visible.
But as soon
as
cases
they were
longed
bethey reappeared. In general these figures,which
I shut

my

to both

in

about

to

pay
if intent

as

little attention
on

men

on

to say to each

other.

At

each

to

something,like

market-place. Sometimes, however, they

something

various

ple
peo-

seemed

times

to
saw

They had nothing parhorseback, dogs, and birds.

ticular
in their looks, their stature, or their clothing,
only they

palerthan

somewhat

After

about
I

increased.

spoke

seemed

sexes,

have

seemed

eyes

walked

other, and

"

seen

what

form, though

exterior

an

making

reality.

company,
When

often

enabled

of mind
with

eye take

in

succeed

not

to

me;

began
Avhat

they

various times
friends who

four

wished

"Although

my

weeks
to

seemed

the number

hear

they

them

said
to

to comfort

mind

natural.

was

and

was
me

of these

apparitions

speak. Sometimes
they
generally agreeable. At
like kind and
sympathetic

me.

body
210

were

both

at this time

in

UNKNOWN

THE

this is my

and
apparition,

of this

mercy

wonderful

subject of

complaint.'
"The

^no.'
did

mental
'

one.

Avill

if the

see

Avho

with

dine

he

feel

would

His

o'clock

Six

Avas

success

and

came

later the

excited

drcAV

The

in

and

he

had

dared
But

of

Avhat

to

Avith
that

whatever

rapid way
any

it,and

may

at

be, and
sound

the

into the

nothing
into

heard

is

he

noise

lost

sciousness."
con-

in

often

by the

heard

sensation

dream, in

ogous
analAvay is

some

of the

dream,

remarkable

than

current
more

fcAV minutes

suffocation

any

hope.

people see

incorporate
the
dream, according to the
If, for example, the dream Avas

imaginationproceeds

alreadyexisted.

duel, the sounds

or

once,

in

enters

in Avhicli the

sudden

dream-ideas
of

Avake

not

touch, is assimilated

connected

the

does

to

anguish, 'Here

phantom Avith a crutch is very like

nightmare ; oppressionon the chest and
lead to images in the brain.
Any sudden
This

he

stories^

jorevent him

chair

sleeper,if

patient,

near.

voice

fallingback

!'and

shall

all his poAvers

in his

witch

the

comes

me,

we

brilliant

and

attention.

no

cried

monomaniac

it to

will allow

us.'

of his host

greater than

even

mentioned

exerted

various

most

trying to captivatethe attention

from
thinking that the fatal hour
"

attribute

course

not

he

laugh at him, and

him, gladly accepted
Doctor
Gregory, who

together,and

conversation, told the

of

answered

Avould

doctor

of the nerves,

disorder

suspected some

of

trouble

any

peculiarthat

so

if you

compassion for

dined

proposal. They

the

and

come

the

He

and
to-day t"te-"-t"te,

you

will

woman

'

invited

ever

visit.

to

expected that

that

not

old

had

such

Then,' said the doctor,

and

come

if he had

once

complain of was
to speak of it.
People would
derangement, and he had

not like

any

had

he

What

it to

at

to witness

Avith him

to dine

one

him

asked

doctor

are

in

an

instant

to

converted

into

thinking of an orator
dience
making a speech, the sounds change into plauditsfrom an aucomes
ruins, the noise be; if the sleeperis Avanderingamong

pistolshots.

the

system

of

If

the

dreamer

was

portion of the Avails. In a Avord, a

with such raexplanationis adopted during sleej)
fall of

some

212

PROPERLY

HALLUCINATIONS,

the

that supposingthat
pidity,

brain

in the
and

he

will have

him

to the world

sleep is

so

the

recovered
But

his

his

call,the

time

jar of water,

us

roused

of

our

an

explanation

to mount
which

ideas in

up

had

to the

fallen at

entirely
emptied,when

ecstasy,was

planation
ex-

place,

call has

succession

had

taken

has

he

senses.

will

we

second

The

who

the

noise which

loud

intuitive that it offers

before

CALLED

sleeperwill have

of realities.

beginning of

been

before

Mohammed,

heaven

seventh

of the

recovered

rapid and

of the vision of

sharp,sudden

sleeper to have

the

half-awakened

SO

no

longer

will form

dreams, which

ourselves

occupy

the

subjectof

with

sleep and
succeedingchapter,

only take account of hallucinations.

There is a phenomenon
experiencedby very many persons,
them
Alfred
I have
talked about
Maury, with whom
among
it several times, which
throws
great light on the production
of dreams
hallucinations
immediately preceding
; they are
let

here

us

sleepor wakening. These

take place at the moment
or

when

are

we

different order

apply
words,
union

as

of hallucinations

the

word

of which

indicates

generallymanifests
who

manifestations
liable to
trouble
from

his

an

in the

those to which

tliat which

the

two

erly
prop-

Greek

leads,a conductor, the

when

moment

from

we

the hallucination

itself.

frequentlyexperiencethese hyjDnagogic

most

have

from

hypnagogic, derived

sleep,"ywytv"

virroQ

Persons

images,these fantastic sensations,

when
sleepis just overcoming us,
awakened.
yet only partially
They are a

constitutions

enlargement of
brain.

This

the

easilyexcited, and generally

to
to
heart,
or
epicarditis,
confirmed

was

by Alfred

Maury

experience.'
he writes, are most
My hallucinations,"
and,
numerous,
above
all,most vivid, when I have, as I have often, a disposition
the
brain.
As soon
to congestion of
I suffer from
as
I experience nervous
as
headache, as soon
severe
pains in my
begin Avhen I have closed my eyelids.
eyes, the hallucinations
own

"

**

It is thus that I

explainwhy

'Ze sommeil

always have
et les H"tes.

213

them

when

travel-

THE

UNKNOWN

lingby diligence. After having spent a night in

Avant of sleep and broken
sleep always bring on
headaches.

One

consins, Gustave

of

my
hallucinations, has

same

my

in the
to

I have

When

own.

made

remarks

been

assail

me.

few

years

when

from

the

figures round

of
that
to
a

Greek,

I saw,

in

as

sprang

get rid of them.

But

been
seems

was

of

causes

had

the

them),

who

have

never

This

tendency

with
to

Hypnagogic

in this

But

they

case

I have

interval,when

get

sleep,and

to

sleep

me.

observations, which

the

brain

as

told

of the marked

one

I have

have

who

met

that

me

shows

the

hallucination

has

phenomenon

of the

excitement

congestion of

the

that

us

some

system, and

nervous

the brain.
is

an

indication

that

when

sleep

In
activitygrows weak.
these hallucinations
begin the mind has ceased
its voluntary and logiIt no longer pursues
be attentive.
cal
order of thought, or of reflection ; it gives its imagination

coming on,
wheii
reality,
to

in very

hallucinations."

observation

connection

is

other

such

had

have

they were
subject
being one of
(my mother
persons
nothing of headache, tell me they

to know

seem

ber
num-

headache, always

and

to

upon

experience have

same

secutive
con-

passage

if taken

even

hallucinations, that all those

headache, while

to

in vain

trying

point to congestion of

to

seem

two

country and

in the

add, in support of these

I would

passed

changing so rapidly,
bed, hoping by movement

considerable

point of coming

the

on

"

hours

several

to

and

up in my
when
I am

until after

appear

analogous

difficult
very
in bed, such

''Champagne or caf" 7iOi" with me,

small
brings on insomnia
quantities,
disposing me to hypnagogic visions.
do not

the

has

rarelyexperience the phenomenon.

I very

quiet mind,

as

moving

me,

frightI

soon

them

I had

and

days translatinga long

L., who

on

of my

one

difficult work
any
fail
hallucinations
never

"the

ago,

vehicle,

with

busy

evening/' he continues,

the

free

play,and
or

puts

an

sensorial

and

becomes

the

end

passivewitness

to at its

attention,of intellectual
necessary

cerebral

for the

pleasure.

non-tension,

production
214

of

of whatever

This

we

may
these

condition

it
of

say, is in

ates
cre-

non-

principle
phenomena, and

PROPERLY

HALLUCINATIONS,
it

explainswhy they
yieldto sleep our

to

its

loosen

must

which

for the

CALLED

sleep. For
in

retire
must
intelligence
springs,and place itself in a

is necessary

in order

some

way,

state of semi-

of this state is precisely

that

hallucinations.

productionof

The

be either due to fatiguein the organs

may
of the habit of thinking for
to their want

of attention

retreat

thought,
length of time,
of

any

of

the precursors

are

the commencement

Now

torpor.

SO

for

moment,

to the

or

fatigue of

to carry sensations
mind
with elements

cease

longer furnish the

activity. It is to the first of these
which
sleepinduced by the dreaminess
mind, by ceasing to be attentive,has
no

This

sleep.

is the

meditation,

to
when
sleej)

they begin

read.

is

This

why

reason

why

to

brain, and

subjectsfor

or

that

causes

results

its

the

has

preceded it. The

gradually brought on

some

meditate,

the

to

not

persons

jiurelymental

or

ed
which, blunt-

senses,

or

even,

much

customed
ac-

attention, go

to

in

to

some

cases,

stupid book induces sleep;

excited by the speaker, or by
attention, not being sufficiently
is read, draws
the interest of what
back, and sleepat once
takes possession.
In this state
to

sleej) the
with

contact
the
so

it

active

or

the

so

hears,
hears,

distinct

any

of

dreaminess

or

But

as

is

sees,

or

mechanism

soon

are

but

without

the

mind

that

in

the

yet

sensations
As

lulled

of the I

struck
directly
knowing what it

at

mind,

dividual
(our in-

passive; it

it is

in

is not

to the

discern
in this
perceives. We
very peculiarkind, resembling in

half-conscious
as

sort

some

not

anything that comes

perceivesodors, but

consciousness

trates
concen-

; it perceives,

is that

it

mental

all

points

reverie.
comes

aroused, consciousness

reasonably say

feel

of smell

sense

existence). It is in
itself on objectsby which
sees,

senses

to transmit
their power
these
clear as in the Avaking state.

to have

ceases

or

hears, the limbs

them, the

time

same

sermon

of non-attention

ear

"

to

itself,as

resumes

intermediate

soon

its sway.
state

as

We

between

tion
attenmay
ing
wak-

sleepingthe mind is the sportof images evoked by the

imagination; that these images take entire possession of it,
lead it where
they will,lay it under a spell,draw it out of
and

315

UNKNOWN

THE

itself without

permitting it

at the

time

to reflect

it

what

on

it may
to itself,
doing, although afterwards, when it comes
it has experienced.
what
perfectlyremember
ing,
Once, under the influence of hunger induced
by long fasthad
been
which
prescribedfor him, M. Maury saw in
the intermediate
state between
waking and sleeping a plate
with food upon
a hand
was
it,which
picking up on a fork.
himself
minutes
When
later he found
he went
to sleep a few
is

seated

at

well-furnished

table, and

guests'knives and forks.

It is not
only figures more
of taste,

smell, and

less

or

strange, sounds,

which

touch

the rattle of the

heard

assail

sations
sen-

at the

us

ment
mo-

and
sometimes
words
but
stealing over
us,
phrasessurge up suddenly in our minds Avhen we have gone
These
to sleep,without
things are
any previous connection.
in the ear
sound
real hallucinations
of thought, for words
had
without
uttered
of the
sleeper as if a voice from

sleep

is

them.

phenomenon, therefore,

The
to

by

sound

or

sensation

idea.

an

is the
brain

The

by a thought
spontaneously through
or

same,

has

; later this

whether

it

lates
re-

been

impressed
impression is produced

by the action of
the brain, which
givesbirth either to a hynagogic illusion or
These
a dream.
percussionsof thought, this reappearance
often independent
of images previouslyperceived by the mind, are
of the
thing last thouglit of. They then result
from

of

organism,

mind, in the
as

soon

same

give ourselves
imagination.
as

we

play to our
Apparitions seen
caused
of

our

by

the

in

but

On

this

have

we

may

of
which

an

up to reverie

only be
something that

dreams

recollection

remembrance,

remained

observation

Maury.'
'

Le

those

to

of

they are jn-oduced by means

have
excited
the
images which
the same
tilingtakes place in our

that

way

brain, correlative

where

Avitli other

connection

ideas

of the

interior movements

the rest of the

its retention

Sommeil

et les R"ves.

216

and

hallucinations
had

latent
made

give free

passed
in the

by

M.

out

ory.
mem-

Alfred

SO

PKOPERLY

HALLUCINATIONS,

CALLED

passed the first years of my life at Meaux, and I often

which was
on
to a neighboringvillagecalled Trilport,
went
the Marne, and where
building a bridge. One
my father was
night,in a dream, I found myself carried back to the days
of my
chidhood, and was
playing in the villageof Trilport.
"I

saw,

dressed

to

and

asked

There

spoke
that

he

with

his

start with

taken

other

by

it

such

of
old

an

her

often

at

at the

port
bridge. Of
of

that

once

the

on

I had

course

him

had

to

of the

him,
from

departed

having

she

as

my

membrance
any reI questioned

father's

Trilport. I
of C

name

father

my

seen

man
watch-

watchman

was

when

Marne

Trilporta

in my

one

any
there

I woke

Was

formerly been
me

peared,
disap-

head.

my

after

with

went

if she remembered

answered

had

he

time

Some

name.

who

servant

who

service,and

and
,

then

in

that pure imagination,

had there been at
or
C
?
I did not
named
know, not

Avas

personages.

of C

name

whom

man

port, and

of the

the

said

He

name.

place being

uniform,

of

sort

the watchman

was

his
up

in

asked
She
.

that

of

name

building

was

the

lection
had, but all recol-

mind.

The

dream,

by bringing him back to me, had, as it were, revealed what

I had wholly forgotten."
This is another
carefully
perfect type of hallucination
that
mistrust
latent images, remembrances
told.
"We must
relation to others.
have been effaced, and things that have no
There

is

have

that

accounts

than

more

impressionof

one

been

sent

to

this kind

It would

me.

be

in the

useless to

publish them.
Nevertheless
four
"

it may

following cases
About

year

ago,

yet recovered

and
distinctly,
in the
more

that

yard

interest

to mention

in the intermediate

while

waking,
in almost
human

away

and

command

full

morning), a
than

be without

the

immediately follows
not

not

from

in which
of his

the
senses,

complete darkness

form

which

state

sleeper has
I

saw

(itwas

standing motionless

very
five
little

me.

"Although, as I have said,my mind Avas not yet thoroughly

awake, I Avas quiteconscious that I Avas not asleep.
217

UNKNOWN

THE

plienomenon only lasted a few seconds, then the

after with
figure passed away, but it reappeared a moment
I recognizedno
at first.
that I
features
the same
as
one
The

"

that

knew, and
trace

months

Some

"

with

coincidence

any

is the

perhaps
ago,

under

the

to ascertain

the

of

middle

equally unknown
these

after

moments

But

"

suddenly

continue

may

is

there
kinds

two

distinction

"Vice-Secretary
for Advanced

Flammarion

of the

Psychical

"1

Scientific

do

not

was

in

the

same

bed, and

go
beside

in the

alone

had

apartment,
to

to

years

remember

work

(he was

On

situated.

the

few

So

between

got

the

table

Tousche.

and

of tlie

Society

388.

One
year,

up

were

about

morning
but

; my

it

uncle, who
A

seven

inhabited

hour

an

round

in Avhich

several

(I
I
daylight),

was

least

at

the alcove

there

two

Society at Marseilles;

blacksmith).

ably
prob-

Marseilles."

at

house

touched

bed, and

the

in

ation
continu-

dream.

Society of France,

Studies

of age.
the time of

twelve

was

I had

probablya hypnagogic hallucination

most

was

the

Ch.

Letter

This

me.

awakened

case,

be established

to

of tlie Astronomical

Member

new

objectsjust seen during sleep.

the vision took
place
preceding cases

phenomena.

of

to

to see, for

Avaking,and was not, as in this last

of an
impression received during a

after

to

the

awakening,

the

in

one

manifestations

that, when

dream,

try

circumstances,

same

"

occasion

not

death.

figureappeared to me, but it was

that before
I ought to add
had

I did

why

reason

earlier,

table
the

bed

was
was

objects,principally

things.

my

waking I opened my eyes, I

the table, standing opposite to me,
a
man
saw
near
ently
apparin
his
cravat.
tying
engaged
shut my
I at once
eyes again and held my breath ; then
half a minute, possibly curiosity
after
moments
a few
ing
prov"

At

the

when

moment

on

"

"

stronger than
same

man

the alcove.
saw

walking
I shut

"

fear, I reopened my
round
my

and

saw

table; he passed bekveen

again, and Avhen I opened

the

eyes

eyes

nothing.
218

this
it and

them

UNKNOWN

THE

''Dnring this
think

to

how

unknown

wholly

to

coincided
of

''I

no

death.

belonging

to

it to

that

ought to say
I perfectlysaw

assist you

In

in your

and

searches.
re-

it seemed

it

case,

any

the

was

me.

be

but
apparition,

an

it

though

quite dark

was

merely

an

Henkiot,

Letter

this

also there

case

was

ber,
cham-

in my

the features.

Cbavanges (Aube)."

"Veterinary Surgeon.

In

and

senses

my

of vision.

aberration
"

recover

tell,therefore,if its appearance

I cannot
any

believed

never

to

remembrance,

no

me.

with

one

time

experiencemight

this

figure awakened

''The

death

I had

minute

473.

doubt

no

of half -dream

sort

hallucination.

examples which

The

Several of them

hallucinations.

the

is

tempted to say
now
dealing,and
But

Avith

content

not

view
superficial

to

no

are

of real

cases

One

for doubt.

room

which

Ave

the very

analyze to

if

them, and

of

are

them.
is

one

gives
thingsthat

bottom

one

observed.

been

be

examples might

other

Some

leave

last

general what Ave believe about

objections might be raised, if

of

one's self the trouble

have

these

of all tha facts with

same

it is in

great number

preceded

classed

in the

preceding
(p. 53), being

category. For instance, M. V. de Kerkhove

in Texas, and
quietly smoking his pipe, after dinner, about

he had left in Belgium,

grandfather, whom
He was
half asleep,after a
before him in a doorway.
appear
gogic
good dinner, and Avas just in the right condition for a hypna-

sunset,

his

saAV

hallucination.
saw

to have

the

same

been

hour.

this

Why

We

should

only, had
should

have
his

he

?
preciselyat that exact moment
Avhich
was
just that coincidence
But

no.

and
rare

that

M.

De

it is the
the

same

Kerkhove
same

person

never

in almost
sees

grandfathernot

have

had

made
had

Avhat

he

died

at

hallucination

an

shall

We

be

told

that

it

it remarked

any
all these

several
320

considered

other
cases.

upon.
hallucination,
It is very

apparitions.Generally

PROPERLY

HALLUCINATIONS,
he

sees

death.

one,

and

The

case

is not

presentiment,more

health

who

Neither

(p.51).

him

saw

in

Paris, and

in

dying

was

when

Rome,
whom

Madame

was

the

having been

one,

gay

she

ing
Berget, at Schlestadt, think-

nor

the

high-roadhis
Our

(p. 175).

the moment

the

not

hundred

with

them

middle

of the

day,

mother

he

met

dying of

was

;
on

cholera

ly
entireare
eighty-one cases
explanations. These
physiological

these

that

her

and

conditions

same

with

the

she

girl who,

young

apparitionof

Harrison, who

friend

one

unconnected
are

the

dinner-party,saw
Garling when, in

Mr.

alized
re-

boy aged fourteen,

had
left quite well

singing of her friend, tlie nun, at

the
dying in Strasbourg (p.57) ; nor

at

except for

same

of the
was

with

impressionthan others.
his grandfather's
not thinking about
Block
Madame
was
thinking of her

than
she

Avhen

nephew

usually coincided

means

any

CALLED

more

was

more

any

by

makes

Kerkhove

De

has

one

less vague,

or

by chance,
M.

that

only

SO

and

associations

in

found

commonly

are

ideas

of

nected
con-

hypnagogic

dreams.
Another

known

to

objection: The precisedate of a death

and
an
falselyreported in an
apparition,

document,
husband

in the

as

killed

of

case

falselyreported his death

rectified (p. 166).
hallucination

by

numerous

cases

with
be

is

fortuitous

should
All

We

three

recourse

real

are

to this

soon

another

from

Brierre de Boismont

wards
after-

that

that

is

was

explanation
Although among the

cases

any

that

some

no

also

reason

from
series

of

distance

cites the
231

is

fact that

purely

why

there

the

dying.

my

cannot

followingstory,

can

It cannot

besides,that the psychic action

a

nected
con-

are

greater part

hypothesis.

communications
telepathic
are
representedin this

prove,

date

hallucinations,and

be also
cases

will

spiriton

there

Office

exist

may

her

saw

later the War

circumstances, the

coincidences, but

not

15th,

all these

reported,there

fortuitous

that

In

the

utterlyinsufficient.

explained without

be denied

on

be

official

Wheatcroft, who

14th, when

November

on

Mrs.

may

which

ments.
docu-

of

one

nied.
be de-

Fer-

THE

UNKNOWN

rier,Hibbert, and Abercrombie

points of
"

view

of the

middle

residence

of

the

Scotch

with

ordered

the

the

to

air of

saddle

to

lady, whose

another
"

'

him

The

horse

name

appeared to

little

he had

added, 'foretold

one

moment
'"'

'

On

keep

to

hours

'Some

that

him

to open,

the death

of

some

later the servant

ladies

begged

his

the

had

died

ask

his host

orders.

The

the

of

that

door

through

after

had

come

both

the

acquaintance.

returned, and

brought

of

bed, it happened that the officer

room

apparition,'he

of his

person

man
Scotch-

to

The

give

to

the

it there

apoplexy
had taken place.
the apparition
when
occasion this gentleman having
another
of

well,

him.

inquire for.

to

of the

was

and

strong resemblance

sent

she

to

once

health

the

house

sudden

and

at

go

that

were

and

at last owned

having

woman

ladies whom

"

these

explanation of

hesitated, but

given

was

and

after

country

officer closed his book

some

had

another

to

on

go

ance,
acquaint-

ter
family, the maswalking about the room, stopped
one
inspired. He pulled the bell,

was

servant

his

made

of his

neighboring country place and ask

lady of the house, and if the answer
was

about

garrison town

had

he

with

connected

was

century in the neighborhood of the

gentleman, who, it was said,had second

house, who

suddenly

different

last

who
day when the officer,
reading a play to the ladies

was

and

to

sent

One

sight.
of

who

English army,

family,'says Ferrier, 'was

my
the

from

officer of the

An

have considered

word

the

at

been

very

obliged

reading to

was

fishing-boatof the ch"teau

old gentleman, after having several
The
at sea.
then
was
the safetyof his people, suddenly
times expressed anxiety about
him

one

stormy

exclaimed,
said the

colonel.

evening.

The

"

"

The

boat is lost!"

"

How

see," repliedthe sick

carryinga third, who

is drowned.

do you
man,

"Water

"two

is

men
boat-

streaming

They are puttingthe body down

fishermen
came
During the night some
your chair."
of their number.'
with the body of one
the house
Ferrier," says Brierre de Boismont, "justly sets down
off from

?"

know

their clothes.

near

up

to

"

this

"

vision

as

an

hallucination.

Accordiug to
232

Abercrombie

it

was

PROPERLY

HALLUCINATIONS,
of

reminiscence

be numbered
in

have

much

been

which

simpler to

authorized

not

are

facts that cannot

to

like this

"

he

his

letter from

been

Milan,

at

had

all

instance, one

alarmed

This

had

been

his

had

son

day

after

and

two

days later

which

lasted

his death

have

death

also?

May

his

places wrongly, it
"

excellent
to

seems

hallucinations

day as he
days before

And

And

Cardan

'

Vol.
ses

De

II.

of

Boisraont

sion
opticalillu-

coincidence
condemned

son

father

grew

by

to

of

means

"

an

work
us

"

the

upon

the

three

brain,' also

tives
followingnarra-

chemist,

thinkingintently

was

It

sat

by
he

1814,

was

the

rose,

Allies.
turned

'propria.

L'Anatomie

l'apjwrtsavec

atteution

Edmond

vita

de

the

the

not

mark

be found.'

An

why?

his fire.
leaning over
the
few
occupation of Paris
Anxiety reigned everywhere. Suddenly
one

red

at his death?

Chevreul, the eminent

M.

see

appeared,
entirelydis-

almost

Brierre

by

his

physically on

terminated

Gratiolet, in

among

to

The

the red

of it could

fifty-three
days !

acted

which

influence

had

son

desire

to death.

it had

trace

no

(Obs.44).

that

overlook

we

his

on

he received

that his

ardent

executed

been

the

hallucinations

among

see

evening

condemned

strange fact is also classed

the

to

days, by which time

spread for fifty-three
the tip of the finger and
the color of
was

When

smaller;

am

the

to

reached

blood.

that

once

for

one

expressing an

was

he

as

continued

mark

My

to

themselves

hallucinations

son-in-law, apprisinghim

imprisoned and

him

dans

ought

livingat Pavia, lookingdown

was

much
day on his hands, he was
rightforefingera spot of red. During

"

at

own

as

one

can

manifest

down

set

explained

be

says that while

Cardan

it

it

thousand.

think

"We

inexplicable.

thing was

of

hallucinations

CALLED

ecstasy."

of

It would

We

forgotten dream.

among

state

SO

compar"e

syst"me

du

l'intelligence,
hy Leubet

lias been

called

Perrier,professorat

to

this work

the Museum

especiallygratefulto him

for

and

by
and

Gratiolet
my

Member

pointingit out.
223

nerveux

learned

consid"r"e

(1839-1857).
friend, M.

of the Institute.

THE

round, and
a

form

with

white

and

globe

on

in

top of it.
while

ceased

and

eyes

into

back

his

For

which,

the

at

he

months

date, that

his

is

one

at the

result.

same

decided

pass

of his vision

time

the

At
to go

phantom,

did you

done

thing,made

the

Was

it

the

to Gratiolet

of the

who

an

next

At

followingcase.
themselves

eighteenth century,

so.

trious
illus-

having

was

after X

moment

remark, and

same

of his innocence

day
the

this

Anatomic

and

went

heard

moment

unhappy
struck
by this
^

death

apparitionor

an

made

was

coincidence

compar"e

du

the

his

away.
the death

drowned,
that

nemeux.
syst"7ne

224

for

reply.

formal

of

one

seized
X

the

same

same

the most

he felt himself

when

friend

of

felt the

received

hair-dresser,having finished,made

friends.

the

Suddenly he turned, and said to the barber,

but said
apologized,
pinch my arm ?' The man

not

"The

and

M. Chevreul
superstitious,'
thought I had seen a real apparition.""

of the anatomists
close

dressed.

much

in the

been

have

might

also related

*'X

arm,

he

there, and

savant
to

when

Chevreul

The

the

his

after
heard, very much
had
died, who, out of friendship,

the question.
precisely

hallucination

had

the

'If I had

*I

me,

That

he

still

away

Chevreul

had

between

friend.

to

'AYhy

Then,

fear,

no

his

of coincidence

hair

had

he

so

felt

was

had long been retarded

library. This sad news
happy
during that ungreat difficultyof communication
he compared dates he proved a sort
period,and when

the

said

later M.

old friend

an

left him

of

do

it he

at

turned

phantom.

defined,

he did so, vanished.

as

"Three

by

To

well

Chevreul

moment

study

great height,

though

same

bedroom.

of his

of

cone

form,

place, it was
This he repeated with
attitude.
same
last,tired of this persistentvision,the
looked

at the

windows

gazed
anguish. Morally, he

look

to

like

The
Mr.

of

shivered.

yet he

and

It looked

pale.

pecu'iarstate

very

French

the two

between

saw

motionless, and

was

UNKNOWN

testations
pro-

of his

by
was

rest

Vol. II.

of

the
so

his

HALLUCINATIONS,
life he

PROPERLY

always attended

by

his

to

CALLED
he

night

at

chamber, who

was

stayed

sleep."

here

demonstrated, neither is it in

is not

following case.
third

The
Ohevreul

still

was

where,

child

his

upon

felt

at the

cheek;
adds:

hallucination

and

time

same

No

de

he

uncle's house.

He

and

whisper

mother, who

voice

cases

the

was

she

celebrated

She

was

at

that

attacked

in

the

One

death-bed.

taken

of excellent

a woman

from

her

Christian

Soon

of

saw

separated
country by severe
that she

her

having all

dream

child

Where,

the

next

made

she wanted, but

in

French

them

her

room

last,and,

persons

find

understand

daughter

chamber, stands the bed.

235

children

parish in

this young

to

lady,

times

by

ing
surroundher

little

her, but
that

in Paris.

"

her

illness.

her

them, the cur" of

in her

from

her mother

saw

to breathe

member

time

mother, who, imagining that she wanted

granddaughter,went into
signfrom the sick woman

lucination
Hal-

married, in her

was

herself called several

she heard
She

name.

ciple
prin-

judgment,pious

emigratedto Spain,while another,

in Paris.

the

and
physician,

night this young person dreamed

before her, pale and haggard, about
above all,showing great grief at not

was

of the

Boismont.

One

'

kiss

a
a

"

influences

case

was

Institute.

the

stooped

evident.

before
living,

bigotry,was

her

One

the alcove.'

that in these

the

remarkable

very

not

into

his head

he heard

room

died.

when

upon

of ideas."

Brierre

''Mademoiselle

Paris, had

rolled

quite evident

; it is not

of M.

her

in

had

at the moment

developed under

is another

without

him

slightbreath

''It is

is

Very good.
Here

of his aunts

one

it,but

of the association

round

by

!'"

Gratiolet

of the

also told him

was

playingmarbles

was

before,

after

he

up

said, 'Adieu

and

slipped from

rushed

pick it

boy,

months

some

of his marbles

The

reported by Gratiolet

fact

"He

to

to

terrors, and

servant

hallucination

The
the

by

till he went

him

childish

subjectto

was

SO

Trans.

it was
The

THE

expressed the grief she

face

her

"The

; she

her

details of the

was

undertook

R.

to

many

other

learned

with.

There

she found

told

that

him

news

her

all the
He

but too

was

he

but

he

men,
a

her

gave

no

she

the

whom
of his

honor
"

that

this

touches

been

passed

himself

silence,not

given

in

dealingwith

that

was

by

us

the

the

following

the

and
of whom

these cases,

vast

Abercrombie

as

first two

knowledge, who

well

as

that of the

telepathy.

We

will therefore

CLXXXV.,

and

CLXXXVI.

among

have

to be

call them
of

manifestations

our

326

must

say

frankly

being.

our

well-known

If

we

ages
person-

of excellent
such

recorded

The

the

satisfying
us, and
been
long occupied,

officer

Nos.

series.
from

of

speaks might,

we

had

English

by Chevreul, ought

tain
to main-

explanation given

have
we
subject,with which
the very deepest mysteries of
on

case,

be included

particulars

heart

made

of
libertyto quote all the names
holding high positionsin science,men

the

aside.

scientific,
independent,and

"

at

This

"was

appliedto this case ; but

explanationsare very far from

and

in

over

of

meddled

thrown

in it all the

be

if necessary,
such

have

to

place the greatest confidence."'

reserve;

minister

of the

that

had

author,

judgment

ought,

we

prudent

dream

which, like

doubt
a

papers,

emotion

de Boismont

Brierre

enlightened
reflections

we

moiselle
uncle. Made-

like

not

read

had

account," says the

the

"No

did

of her

his

letter which

anything to
impressible.

lady herself, in

absence

arrange

to add

"This

and

sad

so

the

just died,

her uncle

dream, which

wishing

To

that

owned

surprisewhen

her

was

of her

too

spread the

greatlyagitated her.

so

after, in the

months

"Some

"

She

had

denly
sud-

her bed.

on

the matter.

heart, and

mother

them

over

looked

had

; then

particulars.

further

Great

lifeless

absence

E.

which

dream

her

that

true,

altered, and

fell back

what

to his

pressedher

felt at her

Mademoiselle

day

next

asked

uncle

became

features
death

pallorof

were

UNKNOWN

reported by Farrier,
among

CLXXXII.,
third

the dead.

judgment
warnings and

the facts of

CLXXXIV.,

of Chevreul

should

CHAPTER

THE

PSYCHIC
OF

ourselves

only, in

the

the

manifestations

of

the

manifestations

of the

thus

The

object
for

foundation

of

shall

We

dead, real

of

belief

shortlyconsider

and

observation

scientific
in the

is to say,

apparent, and

or

other

slowly, but

curely.
se-

ascertain

to

affords
of the

existence

to

kind

one

that

investigationsis

these

careful

of

facts
"

dying.

BEINGS

been

explanation

proceeding gradually

objective

whether

HUMAN

examination
their

CATIONS
COMMUNI-

"

have

MISSION"
TRANS-

"

SUGGESTION.

we
investigations

the

to

ANOTHER.

BETWEEN

to facilitate

order

phenomena,

MENTAL

DISTANCE

these

UPON"

MIND

"

beginning

confine

ONE

THOUGHT.

FROM

In

OF

ACTION"

VI

sufficient

soul

as

real,

of
independent entity,and its survival upon the destruction
in the precedThe
facts examined
the corporealorganism.
ing
chapters have alreadyplaced the first propositionon an
and of fortuitous
of chance
excellent
footing. The possibilities
from
culation
coincidence
telepathyby the calbeing eliminated
the exof probabilities,
we
are
istence
compelled to admit
unknown
of an
psychic force, emanating from the
tances.'
human
being, and capable of making itself felt at great dis-

The

evidence

myself

psychicforce.

In

1865, this

sentence

psychic.

This

regard

my

to

the

be

essay

occurs

expression

century, it is in habitual

to this

be

it would

that

convincing

'^I believe

in

first person

upon
"

For

should

point is so abundant
difficult to rejectthis

Unknown
some

to

Natural

years

be retained."

use.

228

employ

and
first

this

so

clusion.
con-

expression,

Forces, published in

I have

Now,

termed
after

these
a

forces

quarter of

PSYCHIC
The

witnesses

the mind

who

influenced

are

by impressions

of the

livingis united with that

in their production. It is

concerned

not

who

ACTION

others.

influences

in which

of the

dying are
dying person

the

The

greater part of the examples

in the individual,not in
was
given indicate that the cause
the clairvoyance
or
second-sightof the subjectsimpressed.
is it necessary

Nor

disengagesitself and

dying

influenced.

action

The

still unknown

to us,

brain

affectingthe

that

to suppose

is

may

the

cerebral

only by
This
also

be

due

to

subject

of energy

radiation,a vibration of the air,a

and

producing in

it the

illusion of

that

wave

an

ternal
ex-

all

objectsthat
reachingour minds

images.

sufficient,at least
facts that

have

far

so

as

to

represent a

me

the

concerns

just been

facts,which

These

person

the

form

some

hypotheticalexplanationseems

of the

of the

transportedtowards

reality. It must be remembered

of them
perceiveare not visible,some

we

soul

and

necessary,

greater number

demonstrated.
class of

subjectsmuch

more

general than has been heretofore

supposed, are in no way
supernatural. The proper attitude of science in regard to
them
is
First, not to rejectthem
blindly;and, secondly,to
Now
of all the explanaattempt some
explanationof them.
tions
that can
be offered, the simplest and most
convincing
that
mind
the
has
the
of
from
tance,
is,
acted,
a disdying person
"

that

upon

of the

person,

or

persons,

who

have

been

Apparitions,auditory illusions, spectres,phantoms,

displacement of objects,noises, are all intangible
;
of them, for instance, could be photographed. Setting
shall have to recur, everything
certain cases, to which
we
But
this
place in the brain of the person affected.

affected.

none

aside

takes
does

We

sum

THAT

therefore

up

means

preceding olservations

owe

MIND

ONE

without

visible

it less real.

render

not

CAN

the habitual
of

unreasonable

ACT,

medium

communication.
to

AT

ly

UPON

DISTANCE,

of

words,

It

appears

rejectthis conclusion

nor

any
to

if we

facts.

This

conclusion

will be

abundantly demonstrated.
239

the

us

clusion
con-

OTHER,
AN-

other
gether
alto-

accept the

UNKNOWN

THE

There

nothing unscientific,nothing romantic

is

ing that

idea

an

Set in vibration
a

certain

vibrate
Put

from

distance.

the

another

stringof

violin

in motion

or

magnetized needle

contact, another

; at

certain

magnetized

the

cause

piano;at
piano will

other

material

substance

that

end

vibrate

to

is not

connection

transported;it

is

distance,

needle

synchronouslywith the first.

Speak through a telephoneat Paris, electrical
will

it.

without

and

brain

the stringof
or
violin-string,

distance

with

influence

can

in admit-

will

tion
communica-

sonorously at
It

necessary.

is

that

wave

late
oscil-

seilles.
Maris not

is set

in

motion.

Consider
of

star in the

thousands

earth

is

miles

nothing but

light acting

on

visible

surface

and

plate.

Is not

this

cerebral

another

heavens, millions

distance

from

which

the

an

fact much

should

wave

at

away,

the

of

ing
absolutelyi7ivisihlepoint. By focusa photographicplate to this star, the rays
that plate eat into and
the
disintegrate
imprint the image of the star upon the

lens I expose

of

of

immensity

traverse

brain

wonderful

more

short

in harmonic

or

along

union

with

than

that

distance

to influence

it in which

it

what

is

originated?
A

solar commotion

known

millions of miles

infinite

as

space,

produces

an

away,
aurora

across

borealis

and

magnetic perturbation upon the earth.

Every human
being is a dynamic focus.
Thought itself is
There
is no
correlative
a
dynamic act.
thought without
vibration of the brain.
Is it extraordinary that this movement
should
case

of the

be

transmitted

telephone,or,

(the conveyance

to

better

certain

distance, as in the

in that of the photoplione

still,

by light),or in wireless telegraphy?

In the present condition
of our
physical knowledge this
It is not outside the limit of our
hypothesis is not too bold.
habitual
All

of words

experience.

take
or indifferent
pleasurable,
painful,
We
localize them
place,without exception,in our brains.
I burn my
in our
brains.
elsewhere^however, never
foot, I
our

sensations

"

"

230

PSYCHIC

ACTION

elbow, I inhale

strike my

dish, I drink

agreeableperfume, I eat a savory

agreeable liquor;each one of these sensations

an

to the

etc.

foot, or to the finger,the elbow, the nose,

have
transmitted
Nevertheless, in reality the nerves

them

all,without

is referred

the

exception,to

We may burn our

perceivethem.
experiencingany sensation if the

we

the

foot to the

This

What
of

fact
is

brain

demonstrated

is

perhaps even

limb

is not

more

that

foot to the bone

out
withfrom

leading

nerves

in any

severed

are

it is there

brain, and

part of

their

by anatomy and
is that
extraordinary

course.

physiology.
the existence

to the

perception of sensation in it.

who have
Persons
tions
undergone amputation experience sensaexactly as though they still possessed the amputated
idea is,that the illusion persistsfor
member.
The common
a

necessary

days only, until,in fact,the wound

being cicatrized
to receive
But
professionalattention.
patient ceases
some

real

is that

truth

their

preserve
life.

their

of formication

apparent

this

pain or tinglingin
back

of the

years

sensations

in

never

ceased
to him

to

had

feel

still
his

lost his

in

thirteen
his

rightarm shattered by a cannon-ball and

rheumatic
pains
experiencedwell-marked
the weather

attack

These

hands

to him

sensitive

illusions

after

subjects of them
to the place

convince
the

the

of rheumatism

seemed

The

changed twenty

themselves

remains

of the

he

arm

to the

years
had

are

where
that
nerves

sometimes
the

they

limb
no

become
231

are

in the

lost

least current

amputation

then

after.
so

the

end

of

his

before,

years

position. Another,

the

gone
under-

back

fingers;

his

time

the

and

toes

no

feels

on

had

experienced at

in

bent

exist

sole,or

who

man

and

which

for the sufferer

the

the

patient's

parts that

on

arm

sensations

always

or

of the

pain continue,

vague,

etc.

thigh

Another, who

of

toe,

at the

foot.

seemed

that

skin,

remainder

exterior

not

are

or

foot, in the

amputation
of twelve

persistpermanently,

and

in the

seat

sensations

These

longer.

illusions

intensityduring the

Sensations

have

these

the

his
who

hand
had

amputated,
limb

every

During the
long before

of air.

strongest at night.
obliged to carry their

belonged in order to
longer possess it. When
painful,it is still more

UNKNOWN

THE

troublesome

to

the

correct

One

error.

for

man,

instance,

eight months, was

obligedat night to
touch
the spot left vacant
by the amputation of his left
and to glance at the place by day in order to undeceive
arm,
sensations
of twitching,of
It is plain that the
himself.
be situated in the
numbness, of tingling,or of pain cannot
after

interval

an

member

absent
there

where

place where
condition

it has

where

of

centres

the

it to

of the

of the

proceeding from

in

the root

be formed

a nose

the

artificial nose,

may

is

that

"

when
"

the

that

skin

the

ization
is to say, the localis not the centre
of

our

hearing and

of

is in

nerve

it is not

very
seems

or

of

great
to

us

The

inner

in these

color, but

distance.
to

by

in the

nose.

to which

accustomed

are

we

an

certainlythe

sight.
the

of

is in the inner

opticnerve
sound

is

any stimulation
forehead
the sensations

is excited

or less distant from

objectmore
experiencehas taught us to recognizethe
localize our
distance that we
particular

at that

Such

separatedfrom the
that are
experienced

sensations

same

back, in order

this is accomplished,

When

it is not

sensation

bodies, and when

sensation.

as

in the

the presence

distance, it is

it.

the skin of the forehead

is turned

nose

subject feels

Consequentlywhen
by

from

forehead

of the

is to say, the
that are induced

is caused

of the

point

some

activityof the
produced, and induces

arouses

placewhich

long

so

forehead, preserves

the

the

perception.
of
In the operationof rhinoplasty,
a strip
that

is not

is

mechanism

same

sensation

extending to

in the

cases

occupied in the normal

The
disturbance, not by sensation.
to be

appears

perception,sensation

action

both

situated

it is elsewhere

be"

stimulated, it

been

in

is not

condition, the sensation

imagine

pain

sensation

same

present. Thus,

abnormal

we

the

the

by a nervous
simply a conductor;

is

nerve

is

in the

and

situated

; therefore

the limb

when

normal

of

tremble

case

termination

chamber

of the
of

coat

outside

far

the sensations

external

places that
The

with

we

of

the

233

That

ear.

eye-ball.

locate

our

at

of

tic
acous-

of the

less,
Neverthe-

sensations

ourselves, and

vibrating sound
off and

of the

of

often

of
at

large clock

great height.

The

PSYCHIC

whistle of

locomotive

distinct

more

even

it is carried

detached

us

the

ourselves

three

of the chair ;

of
excitability

the

stimulation

which

the

retina, just as the

the

sensation

of contact

the

hand

the

ether

or

seek

in the

termination

of

when

retina, even

in this direction.
outside
distant
is

us,

of

we

afterwards

to ourselves
to

as

so

The

we

its

brain.

retina, or,

and

be its cause,
same

time

it

in

results

in

of

of

the vibrant
as

ing
vibrat-

hand.

our

We

entire
are

them,

attention
thus

less

or

This

etc.

refer

detached

are

with

from

ourselves.
in the

luminous

instances

great many
and

jected
pro-

do not

we

of

when

the

we

luminous

of the

sufficient

whether

of luminous

so

correctly,of

more

stream

begins

minous
objectand of its luto its reproduction ;
only indirectly

It is of little moment
a

find

nervous

objects more

object,nor

absent

presence

contribute

signifywhether

at the

the

color

of color

invest

it ; for in

objectis
The

wanting.

by
may

the

direct, necessary,

of the

not

from

emanate

rays

in the

is not

to

the

do not

we

which

our

connection

no

part of

arouse

that

removed, they

are

as

of this stimulation

reflect upon

to have

see

perceiveit when
are

they

appear

color

rays which

rays

bodies, and

our

them

terminations

surface

sensations

our

to

appears

furniture,walls,houses, trees,the heavens,

"

why, when

them

All

deed,
in-

seem

optic nerve

our

is

of the ties
properin our
tina,
reown

that

nerve

concentrate

we

one

of

shown

tuning-forkshocks the external

have
consciousness
not the slightest
our

color

it there

the

have

They

of

which

stimulation

begins in

this case,

only

sensation

nervous

foot.

the

shocks

is

us

proved
beautifully

results

In

color which

it exists

we

distance

to form

us

perceptivecentres

have
Physiologists

it.

to

seem

the green

If

fiftyfeet,

longer consider

no

feet from

retina.

our

we

forget that

we

in

rather

sensations

our

that

at

sensations.

They

believe

arm-chair

the

or

far that

air at

localization

visual

ourselves.

object. We

cover

for

so

from

belonging to

The

us.

piercethe

to

appears

the left of

perhaps,to

ACTION

is,or

soon

as

that which

rays

condition
the

is excitation

visual

centre

this excitation
or

otherwise.

is not, spontaneous.
it takes
we

233

place color

call the visual

of the
be produced
It does

Whatever
is

born, and

image.

Color

UNKNOWN

THE

external

sight,hearing, the
a

that

in order

is

we

result

of

to cerebral

brain

it is

it is

person,

sary
neces-

be

impressed by a
adequate sensation as

an

obtained.'

the result

all sensations

brain, to which

The

we

and consequently,
impressions,

that our
sufficient)
that gives it
vibratory movement

(and

own

hear, and touch

see,

may

organizationthat
make
of a thing or of

our

that

observations

all due

are

person

originwithin us, not in anything

All optic physiologyrests on

ourselves.

to

principle. It

this

their

image have

the visual

and

of afferent

of millions

of efferent

nerves,

thousands

lead, possesses
and

nerves,

cellular
of inter-

of
connecting different cells ; it is by means
sands
that nervous
impulses are distributed along thoumillions of distinct and independent roads.
Myriads

nerves,

all these
of

of cells and

of

in

concerned

are

nerves

the

This

complicated communications.

establishment

has

of

been

proved by
microscopic observation, by vivisection,and by pathological
experiments. The axis of the spinalcord is a long tract of
of definite
gray matter, containing sixty-twodistinct groups
in thirty-onepairs; these centres
nerve
centres, distributed
after the head
are
capable of activityby reflex action, even
Dr. Eobin
removed.
who
has been
experimented on a man
the right side of the chest
had been beheaded; he scratched
the arm
with a lancet, and observed
upon that side to be raised,

all

while

hand

the

to execute

head

of

rabbit, using blunt

; the

and

headless

round

run

the
Our

movement.

Dr.

animal

was

with

room

spot irritated,as
Kuss

in

scissors

soft

of the

laceration

the

towards

of defence.

movement

a
a

directed

was

if

amputated the

order

that

the

sequent
con-

rhage
parts might prevent hemorthen
observed
to sjDringup
a perfectly
regular locomotive

vital mechanisms

are

interrelated

and

ordinated
sub-

another; they represent altogether,not a

and the system
republicof equals,but a hierarchy of officers,
to

one

of

centres

nervous

system

in

the

of administrative

with

'

spinal cord

powers

telegraphicoffice
ri. Taine, De

in

which

and

brain

state.

puts

It may
be compared
all the depart-

vol. ii.,p. 139.

V intelligence,
334

resembles

UNKNOWN

THE

This,
of which
All

far

so

can

and

the

brain

last

century.

; this

We

extent, but

does

shown

of its
its

quarters, its fifths,and

A

similar

phenomenon

the fibres of the

these
A

brain, and

fibres would

vibration

may

due

be
to

idea

an

for

connection, whether

by

concerned,

or

their

of

mode
of

vibration
a

molecular

the

if this is the

would

in consequence

actual

of the

the

of

sponding
corre-

fact

vicinityof

attraction

action, would

in

of

sounds.

accompanied by

the

of

reason

vibration

the relation

ideas ; and

connected

whole

separately.

of harmonic

that
be

case,

shows

thirds, of its

in the

possiblyoccur

of
the

caused

result

in

electro-dynamic induction.

as

all association

of

ideas, whatever

may

be

production,represent a cerebral movement, a

All memory
is determined
physicalkind.
by
analogous

movement

to

psychicaction
of telepathy. It
psychic impression.
of

vibrations

the

occurrences

but

real

that

which

determined

the

the voice

it be

or
by
string belongingto

vibrate

at

distance

is not

an

also

the
b

violin,or
flat

resound, while

and

on

all the

explain

hallucination,

note, b fiat,for instance,is sounded

certain

whether

will

for the

case

of its

the

originalthought.

The

If

and

thought

the

sixths, etc., vibrate

simultaneously set
by currents
kind
phenomenon of the same
All

Hartley in

be

to

halves, each

analogous to

vibrations

fibres

such

of

originatesin

experiment by Sauveur
cord vibrate
along its

sonorous

each

that

which

David

by

of

of vibrations

occurrence

system

well known

only

the

nervous

have

act
physiological

accompaniment.
production and association

the

demonstrated

was

nerve.

not

the

of

the

mental

relating
be explained by

brain

that

is the
to

the

acoustic

conjecture,is

can

we

sensation

facts

ideas

as

in any

piano

near

in

other
at

room,
ner,
man-

hand

other

eighty-four
If the other stringswere
stringswill remain mute.
capable
of thought, they would
probably, on remarking the agitation
it to be an hallucination, a nerof the b flat string,consider
vous
excitement, an
imagination, because
they themselves
were

insensible

did not

to

understand

the

transmitted

it.
236

movement,

and

therefore

PSYCHIC

sensation

Every
a

And

does.
to

Tbe

in dreams.

givesbirth

received
An

admission

idea, an

to

that

another

as

idea

every

gives

birth

condition

waking

and

transmitted

vibration

mental

impression,a

produce in

internal,can

in the

and

is perfectlynatural.

psychicsensation

in the brain, to

vibration

cerebral

idea, both

an

vibration

molecules, just

cerebral

reciprocally
every

sensation, to

to

corresponds

the

of

movement

ACTION

while

entirely
effects
physiological

commotion,

direction

causing death.
sequence
Examples are not wanting of persons dying suddenly in conof emotion.
The
which
imagination is capapower
ble
life itself has long been established.
of exercisingover
The
experiment performed in the last century in England
on
a

less

or

more

intense, and

condemned

man

kind

of this

study

the

subjectof

is

to

death, who

by

medical

strong straps, his eyes

told

that

of his

blood

puncture
and

the end

young

distant

man

basin

is

drop

every

of

needle,

manner

as

his neck

over

to

and

the floor.

At

believingthat

he

eight quarts of blood, died of terror.

the case
of a collegejanitor,
who
had

took

where

him.
that

point

placed on
man,

then

was

possessionof

they

They

death

under

held

recounted

alone

him

his

charge.

and

mock

shut

trial and

all his

Some

him

up

passed

offences, and

could

expiate them, the penalty

to be inflicted by decapitation. They then
proceeded
bring forth an axe and a log of wood, which they placed
the middle
of the room
the condemned
; they informed
that

misdeeds

minutes
to

into

to flow

table

insignificant

an

in such

The

or

men

room,

upon

they judged

in

of water

he

until

this
the

his head

the dislike of the students

sentence

to

with

the condemned

seven

instance

incurred

of these

After

skin

near

stream

of six minutes

lost at least

in his

known.

and

the neck

from

subjectof

securelyto

bandaged,

were

the

is well

men,

drained.

slightsound

Another

in

been

continuous

fall with

had

had

siphon arranged

allow

to

made

was

bled

be

was

of

made

was

fastened

experiment was

with

he

capable

even

kneel

he
and

had
make

three

minutes

his peace

with

had

in which

to

Heaven.

expiredthey bandaged his eyes,

before the log of wood
down
with
337

repent of his

When
and
his

the three
forced
neck

him

bared,

UNKNOWN

THE
after

whicli the

executioner

neck

with

towel, tellinghim, with

the

To

wet

surpriseof

extreme

liim

gave

all

blow

smart

the

on

laugh, to get

present, the

did

man

up.
not

They shook him ; they felt his pulse he was dead.

Again, an English journal, the Lancet, has more
recently
who, wishing to put
published the case of a young woman,
certain quantity of insect
end to her existence, swallowed
a
an
powder, after which she lay down on her bed, where she
move.

"

dead.

found

was

the

analysisof

There

was

found

powder

absolutelyharmless

was

the

Mondes, LXXVI,

Deux

father

; but

finished
surgeon
which
the incision

1886, p. 79)

in the bladder

stone

the

investigationsuch
arousing

without

objectionsis

and,

would

which

at

hoped,
death
We

to

can,

in what
are

must

when

Even

once.

the

violent

in

the person
to

of the

of

course,

only are
frequent,they

who

'

are

ceptional
ex-

induce

them

"

as,

who
lives

himself

promised,
proof of his existence after
are

objectionthat
are

we

often
are

produced,

synchronous to

See A. Rochas, Les Forces

238

ways
al-

in circumstances

dies has

manifestations

be

not

persons
tragedy destroysseveral

manifestations

must

these

first of

separates two

give some
this

explanation
proceed

absent.

ignorant
that there

that two
laws, difficulties,
impossibilities,

harmony,

skin

stand
to under-

ns

not

even

death

when

reply to

these

manner

not

are

survivors, the

of course,

unknown
be

desired

the

on

assist

they fail to occur

to
speciallycalculated

tenderly united, or

were

manifestations

moreover,

for instance, when

line

objections. The

they

seem

patient in
fright just as the
on

treats

strange,cannot,

so

dying

present,but
;

this, which

as

numerous

that

his

to follow.

was

phenomena

theless,
Never-

in which

case

facts
psychicand physiological
telepathy.

of

it

Eichat, reports (in the Revue

All these

An

that

beings.

patient died of
tracing with his finger a

Dieu

H"tel

the

operate for

to

was

showed

dead.'

stcne

was

stomach

An

autopsy.

an

of human

case

scientific friend, Charles

My
des

in the

in the

woman

young

inquestand

an

non

vibrate

d"finies.

brains
under

ACTION

rSYCHIC

the
does

not

But

the

as

in

events
the

ordinary cases
Yes
own

Several

by
youth an

been

In

loved.

torn

my

having promised

hearts

is

remains, and

Later,

very

proposed the
Later

of

from

life

future

his

that

spiteof

NOTHING

in

years

reached

for them

before

I reached

they have
neither

never,

be

the

never,

in

of

while

even

only

desire

of demonstrati

means

spiteof
have

vows,

tempts,
at-

my
I

ceived
re-

from

him.

Nothiistg

by his side, and

was

But

mind.

of

no

message

intense
the

to

affection

madly

that it has
where

grave

little

my

manifested
of

been

absolutelyimpossible
they now
repose ; long

knees

gave

themselves

death,

affection

indeed, my

country graveyard I

by sobs, and

never

grandfather and

for my

nor

was

under

way

to

since

me

ted
suffoca-

in any

their

me.
ner,
man-

departure

this earth.

of wave,

influence

But

problem

his sole and

should

them

at the moment

Evidently
kind

that

attitude

loved

the

blinded

and

from

; I

to go

me

this

vanished

me

and
passionately,

father.

tenderest

is still so

to

to

afterwards.

or

the

great-aunt

colleagues of the press

and I accepted it with joy.

whatever

I lost my

ago

I cherished

gether
question to-

then

me,

the

desire,in spiteof my

incredulous

no

discussed

when

death
And

my

; NOTHING

Some

death, if it

moment

manifestation

any

after

dear
particularly

very

premature

survival

to me,

was

this truth.
in

his

moving us both
assurance
positive

was

the

givingme
was

the

life at

my

one

dearest

my

who

a person
still,

my

whom

friend, a classmate, died,

often

compact

same

separationfrom

prove
so

life has

during my

intimate

had

one

times

sudden

to

me

possible. We

was

Yet

still

objection

grave.

very

"

soul

my

of two

one.

grave

was

nnion

synchronous action of two brains, etc.

in very
question take place sometimes

the

prove

intimate

the

influence, that

same

an

my

brain

either

is not

adapted to
the livingor

from

whatever

reaches

has

to

come

from

me

me

like
investigator,

from
an

239

the

the

the
from

reception of
the

dead.

dying,and

no

this
No
munication
com-

dead.

historian,should

remain

im-

UNKNOWN

THE
and
partial,

influenced

by

be

Truth, fairness,honesty, must

sensations.

own

our

to be

ourselves

allow

not

must

we

our

first consideration.
to
objection,

Another
that

manifestations

of the

some

If the action

of

mind

one

we

have

are

of

already alluded, is

ter.
unexpected characis possible
from
another

upon

it manifest

should

distance, why

which

an

itself in

such

as

ways

opening or closinga window, raisinga bed, knocking on the

the floor,causing hinges to
furniture, rollinga ball across
It would

creak, etc. ?
to be

of

or

the

manifestations

kind, such
of

appearance

the

as

who

one

ought

sound

has

of

loved
be-

taken

been

us.

In other

heard.

produced
cells and

to certain

of

whether

some

crosses

certain

with

the

do

the

preceding one.

consist

fibres of another
form

some

zone

An

originalone.
"

of resistance

that

turbance
dis-

transmitted

brain, and
of illusion

then
or

pression
im-

advancing wave,

or
light or of heat, of electricity
for example,
object on its way

differences

things seen

of

possibleto suppose
brain of the dying is

in the

than

other

than

it is

cases

in this cerebral

determines

weight

of manifestations

great number

meets

of less

objectionis

This
A

or

if such

as

moral

psychicand

voice
from

seem

of

magnetism,

and
sponge
according to the nature
a

"

stances
subdensity, the mineral
it holds in suspension,etc.; and each part of
which
different
receives
the sponge
a
impression. The apparent
less striking.
no
caprices of lightningpresent peculiarities
of

the

At

one

sponge,

time

blazes

like

hands

to

an

iron

stroke

sheaf

variations

the

of

of

lightningsets

of straw

; at

another

fire to

and

he

pair

of

man

it reduces

ashes, leaving the gloves intact; it fuses the links of

the fire of a forge would
chain
do, and on the
as

discharging the gun

in his hand; it melts
he holds
which
an
ear-ring without
a
person'sclothing without
burning the skin; it consumes
doing him the slightestinjury,or perhaps it only destroys
the breast of a boy
his shoes or his hat; it photographs on
other hand

an

egg

it kills

which

he

has

without

huntsman

taken

from

struck; it gildsthe piecesof

the

silver in
240

top of
a

tree

that

it has

pocket-bookbyelectro-

PSYCHIC

platingfrom
being aware
thick

yet

in

it.

of

it will

to another

compartment

one

It demolishes

moment,

ACTION

burns

or

wall

ch"teau

without

six

the

or

hundred

owner

eight

feet

years

old ;

plosion.
powder factory without
causing an exof lightningpresent peeffects or non-effects
culiariti
more
inexplicablethan those of telepathic

strike
The
far

manifestations.
It is

duty

our

not

after truth.

search

shut

to

Those

incompatiblewith
explanationof these facts
one

mind

Now

let

of

the

order

go

us

to

Does

and

in order

to

this kind

doubly

at

them

prove

of

lie in the

only

action

it.

from
there

exist,outside

of

have

we

stances
just examined, any inprobabilityor the actuality

the

the evidence

proofs we

to

forward
the

exist ; and

me

Do

objectionin

justbrought

distance

prove

undeniable

These

Yes.

to

appears

little further.

tend

psychicforce

I have

the facts that

subjects which

of

which
of

another

upon

to any

eyes

which

not

are

our

of the

afford

senses

perimental
ex-

transmission?
proofsof tliought
shall
and

proceed

now

to pass

to demonstrate

it
investigation

is necessary

to

in

review,

them, for with

make

assurance

sure.

First

of

all,then,

as

regards

the

phenomenon

animal

of

magnetism.
I have

assisted

large number
particularthose

at

suggestion,in
Dr. Bar"ty, Dr. Luys,
I will not

but

of

discuss

suggestion

and

that

well known

In this kind

doubtful
which

or

have

accusations

pure

Dr.

Puel, Dr.

because

I doubt
because

cot,
Char-

others,

the

reality

they

are

so

it is

of

superfluousto go into them.

investigationthere are a certain

of

number

of

fraudulent

experiments,the subjectsof
themselves
exposed them to me by their reciprocal
and by their admissions.
quent
Impositionis very freeven

Dr.

neck.

experiments in hypnotic

Dumontpallier,and

not

"

by

auto-suggestion,but

in this kind

supposed to

them

Dr.

of

Luys
be

of
was

experiment.
in the

asleep,certain

habit

I will cite

only

one

ample.
ex-

of

exhibitingto a subject,
phialswhich he placedupon her

different
substances, such as
phialscontained
of thyme,
water, brandy, absinthe, castor-oil,essence

These

241

THE

UNKNOWN

ether, essence

cherry water, ammonia,

subjectinvariablystated correctlywhat
sometimes

and

manifested

doctor
in the

experimentsat

him

to

this

reverse

declined

He

to do

which

phial contained,
corresponding to its
the experiment, the

order

without

so, and

told

of
the

order

same

One

present.

was

that

we

at least

"

day

mentioning

me

The

each

symptoms

Unhappily for the value

always presented the flasks in

action.

violets,etc.

of

the

begged

change.

ought not to doubt

an
hystericalyoung

subject'shonesty. This subject was

I returned
from
girl,an actress at one of the theatres,
Ivery
in her company,
and it did not
take long to enlighten me
in
and that of her accomplicesin the experiment.
regard to her sincerity,
the

It is necessary
of this
"We

be

must

exercise

to

kind, in order
that

sure

to

odors

placeany

do

the

of

unaware

what

ignorant of
time

No
well

must

of

nature

give

cannot

their

Life

in

be wasted

mental

is too

for it.

short

with, is
obtained

latter,on
'This

of

one

first consider

sensitive

action

subjects

We

must

the record

of

is himself

mind

on

is well

that

psychicaction

numerous

loss of
sider,
con-

not

are

our

that

"

is,

another.

somnambulism.

established.

such

anything outside

avoid
of

not

are

select,nor

not

Here,
of mental

to

See

metallic

Bourru

experiments conducted

and
This

distance, Paris, 1887.

begin

suggestion,

at the residence

of toxic, therapeutic and

et l'action "

suggestionmentale

menter
experi-

which

cases

foolish than

more

depositiongiving three cases

by M. G-uiata and Li"bault,
January 9, 1886 :*

extraneous

the

he

reported observations

any

influence

shall

We

that

and

examining

And
must
we
fully established.
subject,which is the demonstration
the

contents; that

the flasks contain.'

examine

nor

in them.

confidence

the stoppers
escape from
that the subject is really

suggestion;

any

established,for nothing is

time.

on

not

bottles,especiallyethereal odors;

of

supervisionin experiments

constant

of the

substances

Burot, La
article

willi absolute

tains
con-

tific
scien-

accuracy.
''Dr.

Li"bault:

"d.,1889,

Le

Sommeil

provoqu"

p. 297.
243

et

les "tats

analogues, Nowo.

THE
it

that

the

that

shape
she

far, and

too

her hat ; she would

not

was

UNKNOWN

the

was

insisted

not

her

having

on

the

; but

same

it.

own

ted
admit-

She

carried

joke was

property

returned

to her.
"

'

But

what

"

'.You

know

to

thought
You

"

'

"

As

to its

and

it

as

eyes, she

and
drawn

of very
the work

transformed

the

are

the

Stanislas

of Dr.

the

de la

condition

of

communion

least
the

so

flesh,and

pain,and
the

of

We

now

a
a

A.

head

of which

student

scientific chemist

thought

stands

phenomena

with

he

at the

residingat
whom
with

'When

he
the

was

"cole
seilles,
Marable

greatest

Lazarine

was

said,'she entered

me.

Her

into fect
persensibilities were

comjjletely
suspended that

Gabriel, an

object

characteristic

some

of somnambulism.

the

the

remarkable

without

Liebault."

made

country girl,upon

her

have

we

been

extract

Souch"re, formerly

under

her

together obtained,

A.

Guaita,

somnambulism,'
of

time

joresence

book

servant

as

produce several
ease, including that

in her

de

Ochorowicz.

to

same

before

In

certify.

Polytechnique,and

at the

have

we

suggestionhas for some

years
at the
important investigations,

had

hat

own

testimony whereof
present deposition.

"Monsieur

into her

which

results

experiences from

in

At

changed, for she

last,urged by questions,

accept it.

to

we

"

Mental

was

sent
con-

to

consented

up

she would

well that this hat is red.'

then

which

to

I.'

accept the hat, it was necessary to put

her hallucination
turn
by tellingher that it would reDr. Liebault
breathed
the hat,
on
originalcolor.

was

''Such

as

see

to

well

as

eyes

respect her hat

being laughed at.

very
she refused

end

an

what

was

said

she

have

requiredbefore

pressingwas

in

say
she

You

is it ?'

Considerable

''

?'

changed

well.

very

what

"'But

wish

do yon

I stuck

needles

causing in her the

In
loss of a singledrop of blood.
friends, I perengineer,and some
formed
nails,without

followingexperiments:
244

I made

her

drink

pure

ACTION

PSYCHIC

water, and she told

chose

it to have

put some
she began

to taste.

She

at the

her

her

wine,

conld

in my

sand

for

own

time, and

it

flavor I

whatever
I

etc.

not

guess

mouth

and

requested

was

what

it

given her
impossiblefor

was

was.

immediately

I had

that

rejectit,crying out

to

behind

was

syrnp,

of the

lemonade,

"

sand

give her

to

that it had

me

sand.
her

to

me.'"

see

experiment similar

An

remarkable,

this,but stillmore

to

The
de Maricourt.
subject having
given by the Comte
fested
drunk, in the waking state, one glassof cherry brandy, mani-

is

all the

days. It is this class

with magnetic power
glassof water,
the fluid with

or

are

the

of

believe that
other

different

they

which
tlioiigM,

the

persons

by magnetizinga
object,impregnate

the

not

made

can,

chemical

physicaland

several

lasted

have

inanimate

here, for it is

concerned, lut

which

phenomena

some

is useless
we

intoxication,which

of

symptoms

qualities.
Magnetizati

object with
acts

which

the Irain

on

of

subject.
one," says Monsieur

Some

"

book;

it

Robinson

was

of Eobinson

in

de

Crusoe.

la

Souchere,

opened

it and

Lazarine, when

canoe.

"

sent

saw

asked

me

picture

what

was

doing, answered:
*'

'

and

"1

You

have

she

to describe
not

was

of furniture

myself.

are

readingit;there

not

I have

to

the

me

furniture

acquainted,and

she

successively,
just as
observed

never

the

If I

they were.

could

not

guess

it.

in

was

She

was

transmission.

Possibly,some
attributed
of
to transposition
of thought transmission."
Dr.
person
the

Texte
in the

has

several times

somnambulistic

boat

affected

of the
senses

shown

were

which

cases
are

that

cles
arti-

them

the

to

senses

appliedto
I knew
she

nature

through thought
in

it is

state to follow

245

the

only when
their

with

room

of
transposition

only

magnetizer.

represented

ignoranceof

the

of

enumerated

in my
different substances
subjects. When
her epigastrium,
she would recognizethem
what

is

in it.'

man

told her

which

book, but

have

been

the
reality

sult
re-

possiblefor

the

thought

of

THE

Diana/' he said, "followed

"Mademoiselle
I

during which
He

cites

also

I addressed

day

One

wall ; hut
and

young

itself

place
stopped,saying that
What

'

"

abdomen
If

not

simply

own

part,
A

outside

the

of

with

of the

"

'

asked

"

'

"

'

it out

be, she

to

put

oh-

an

the

her

that

believes

he

necessary,
is
our

somnambulistic

jects
sub-

faculty would
give him for
for his degree in medicine.
three
the

ivislied to

added

even

she said that

his hallucination

of my

one

himself

he
She

in the

cases

attention
be

the

of the

dent,
stu-

subjects of

detail which

H"tel

his

characterized

subjects.

Oh, what

not

how

has ; and

I do

Wait
...

is not

she

involuntarysuggestion on

great clearness

"

When

obstacle."

brilliant eye that woman

that eye !'
it frightensme
'
Do you see the shining eye ?' asked

'

somnambulistic

have

to

'

state

attracted
specially

which

examination.

...

said,

whether

examination

his

had

which
and

"

advance.

not

forward, and

an

illness

of

described

one

the

ordinaryconditions, it is

of

student

cases

diagnosisin
Dieu

into

ascertain

result

medical
what

She

H.,

somnambulistic

in the

person

generallyspeaking,to

"

put Mademoiselle

being pushed againstthe

was

wooden

made
to force her to pass it by
attempt was
hand, her feet remained
glued to the floor,the

something

sees

could

part of her body leaned

upper

by

an

her

taking

she

mental

!'

there

When

"

strange idea,' she

struction

be surrounded

bring me my books.
imagined the wall

to

where

in this manner."

hallucination.

an

woman,

requestedher

the

reached

as

imagined myself to
said not]ii7ig
of this.
nervous

answered

experiment, in which

very
I

state, and

to her

remarkable

suggestionmanifested
"

conversation

expressedmyself only mentally. She

questionswhich

the

UNKNOWN

fixed

the

know
.

the
eye

student.
is

so

hard

it
...

natural.'
of ?'
is the eye made
something brittle and shining.

What

Of

she
.

puts it into

water
.

246

,'etc.

Oh

!..

she
.

takes

The

''

sick

PSYCHIC

ACTION

in

questionhad

woman

glasseye

; and

this

ing
absolutelyignorant,since I knew nothto the student
of the sick person
sj^oken of, was known
who
put the interrogationsto the subject,and it had been
did she receive the imWhence
pression
exactly described by her.
I

fact, of which

the

From

the medium

through
**It is

mind

verified.

the

of

reflected
interrogator,

of mine.
that

to add

only fair

not

were

was

the

On

the

the

of
predictions

of his examination

day

subject

the student

for diagnosis,and
he was
given entirelydifferent cases
asked a questionin regard to those described
not even
by the
subject."
Dr. Charpignon is of opinion that vision at a distance is
Thus
in the
often confounded
with
thought transmission.
of the experiments just cited, the somnambulist
greater number
asked to go into the house of the experimenter,
or
was
was

into
The

with

place

some

somnambulist

whom

he

utmost

often

is in

The
the

The

But

known

succeeded

wonders
and

was

experimenter, with
placesand objects with the

in many

this is not

cases

in

the latter has

He

somnambulism,

himself

mind

of

due

to real

the

menter
experi-

conceived.'

Eobert
terested
inprestidigitator,
Houdin, was
subjects. By means
of an ingenioustrick
counterfeitingboth double vision and

thought transmission.
of

familiar.

was

to the

subject perceivesin the

in these
he

experimenter

describes

images which

well

the

communication,

exactness.

vision.

which

he had

convinced

of

incredulous

was

for

little belief in the

very

the

being accustomed

existence

of

the

to

as

perform
supernatural,
to

trick.

some

others, he regarded all the splendid manifestations

as^legerdemain of
which

he himself

somnambulism
the
M.

De

amused

had

the

some

somnambulism

'

of

his

In several

he amused

it, and

celebrated
in

kind, like

same

public.

success,

exhibitions

Mirville,the

the

Like

of clairvoyance
that

with

cities where

himself

by

tating
imi-

exceeding them.
nates
demonologist, who subordieven

theory to

du Magn"tisme,p.
Physiologie

247

dences
evi-

the

99.

importance

of

UNKNOWN

THE

was
spirits,

infernal

outside
effect
other

his

theories

own

that

of M.

accuracy

much

convincing Houdin
of subjects entirely

sleightof

exhibition

of

not

to believe

own
my
the sweat

witty

Houdin

but

poured

Esprits,

to the

house

book
sceptical

himself

confirmed

not

was

so

from

my

for there

magician,

''

in it.

had
I

eyes.

the

on

the

account.

said the

hand

Houdin

was

faculty,of
in

which

the demonstration
much

was

I witnessed

What

superiorand inconceivable
slightestconception,and

the

refused

took

book, Des

that

Alexis.
of

Mirville's

De

trick,nor

that

in

in his

he

Eobert

confounded,"

was

I had

when

author

that

hypnotism, states

under

ble
redoubta-

and

somnambulist

is the

Morin, who

have

so

Mirville,with

class

described

occurred

celebrated

of the

has

Mirville

scene

"I

De

succeed
to

convert

the opinion to
practice,
be a heavy weight on
of so expert a judge would
side of the question.

De

M.

to

M.

to

clairvoyance belonged

that

the

could

he

if

that

reason,

desirous

It seemed

adversary.

an

very

moved

no

the

which

I would
occurred

what

by

I saw,

face.""

experimentsthe conjurercited the following:

wife had
accompanied me, and Alexis, taking her
of the
hands, spoke to her of past events, and in particular
stances
of our
of one
sad death
children; all the circumpeculiarly
other

Among
My
"

being absolutelyexact."
In this

existingat

the

investigate the

and

transmitted

membrances
re-

ness.
conscious-

clairvoyance
by memory.

physician,wished to
ject
for himself, and presentedto the subopening it,
latter felt the box without
incredulous

very

matter

The

little box.

both

time, and

same

Choumel,

''Dr.

vision

experiment demonstrated

Another

half -active

in her

and

mind

in her

Houdin's

Madame

read

somnambulist

the

case

said:

and
"

'

It contains

medal

circumstances.
lived

done

at
a

Lyons,

in

an

service,found

which
You
attic.

given yon

was

were

this medal
248

then

workman,
in

some

poor

under

very

student.

to whom

you

rubbish, and

peculiar
You
had

think-

PSYCHIC
it

that

ing

might

be

stories to offer it to
All this

"

we

; and

dealing with

were

by

acceptableto

The

chance.

he

you,

climbed

it seemed

impossibleto deny that

which

matters

could

physicianjoined in

not

possibleto give examples of vision at

We
independent of thought transmission.
up later,but at present it is important to
distinctions,in order

concerns

us

is to

now

thought transmission
we
are
occupied only

to

mental

with

verbal

given by the voice and

shorter or longer extent.

the

quite

shall take

these

certain

preserve

scientific

What

realityof

"

executed

of

Let

going

distance

suggestion. At present
suggestions that is,with

orders

without
investigations

explained

prevent confusion.

demonstrate
and

be

admiration."

our

It is

essential

six

up

you.'

true

was

ACTION

after

therefore

us

outside

of

the

definite

period

continue

our

subject under

consideration.
In

the

month

of

Institute, read
from

November, 1885,

before

the

M.

Paul

of the

Janet,

PsychologicalSociety,a

nication
commu-

his

nephew, M. Pierre Janet, professorof philosophy

nambulism.
Lyc"e, at Havre, on Some Phenomena
of Somthis title,
Under
which is prudentlyvague, were

at the

It related to a
extraordinarymanifestations.
series of experimentsmade
by M. Gibert and M. Janet, which
not
suggestion in general, but mental
only proved mental
the
suggestion at a distance of several miles, and without
knowledge of the subject.
B. by name,
The
was
a respectablecountrywoman
subject,L"onie
from
Brittany,fiftyyears of age, healthy,honest,
concealed

and

most

very
not

being

an

she had

unknown

been

but
intelligent,
and

to write

able

had

but
hysterical,

Since

had

scarcelyknowing
robust.

strong and

was

little

hypnotizer.

it

then

had

was

been

only in

no

tion,
educa-

the

abet.
alph-

In

her

cured
the

by

nambulistic
som-

disturbinginfluence,
band
of hysteria. She had a husshe manifested
any traces
It apand children, all of whom
peared
enjoyedgood health.
to
wished
that several physicianshad already
ment
experistate,and

that

was

constitution

Her

youth

She

timid.

upon

when

her, but she had

under

some

always
249

declined

their overtures,

It

only

was

spend

her

"

It

was

only

necessary

minutes

while

willingher
a longer or

After

often

of the eye

became

very
hidden

was

her

vague,

consented

into

the

her

hand

sleep,and

to

shorter

to

sleeping

hold

to

who

person

time

the

At

"

agitated by

until the colored

the lid.

no

influenced

eyelidswere

rapid movements,
under

had

she

passed

min"tes, according to the

glance

slightand

that

She

Havre.

at

succeeded.

means

to five

her

Gibert

several

gentlyfor
two

oblige M.

easily.

very

other

UNKNOWN

time

some

state

to

THE

part

time

same

her

she manifested
and
evident
difficulty,
Very often fleeting tremors
passed
symptoms of distress.
her
a
over
sigh, and leaned backward,
body, she breathed
plunged in a deep sleep.
Dr. Ochorowicz
made
to be
a journey to Havre
on
purpose
present at these experiments.
chest

moved

the

''On
and

with

I found

October," he said, ''I arrived

24th

of

M.

Gibert

and

M.

Janet

at

convinced

so

Havre,

of the

ality
re-

acceded
to the
they willingly
minutest
precautionswhich I proposed, in order to give me
A sort of
every opportunity of verifyingthe phenomenon.
committee
formed, consisting of M. F. Myers and Dr.
was
for the Societyfor PsychicalEesearch; M.
Myers, members
Marillin, from the PsychologicalSociety,and myself. The
details of all the experiments were
arranged beforehand
by
with unanimity.
us
observed
in all the ex"The
periments
following precautionswere
of action

at

distance

that

"(1)
drawn

The

the

for

action

at

distance

was

lot.

by

*'(2) It

communicated

was

before

minutes

hour

exact

commission

the

met

to

time

fixed

the

little

at

M.

when

Gibert
the

only

members

cottage where

the

few

of

the

subject

lived.
"

the

(3) Neither
which

house, had
nature
to

was

any
of the
avoid

subject nor

about

half

knowledge
experiment

any
mile

other
distant

of the hour
which

was

person
from

fixed, nor
to take

involuntarysuggestion, neither
250

in the cottage,
the
even

place.
I

nor

larger
of the
In
any

der
or-

of

UNKNOWN

THE
at that

and
thirty-five,

In

"

minutes

ten

continued

uneasiness

any

himself

to

came

somnambulist

to

to her

as

roundings.
sur-

house, and

Gibert's

all at M.

were

we

Gibert

he, believingthe experiment

this moment

at

showing

rapidly,without

walk

The

his influence.

resumed

and

M.

moment

to have

failed,

surprisedthat we did not return, set out to meet us,

closed.
passed the sleeper,whose eyes were
Absorbed
in her hypnotic
She did not recognizehim.

and
and
"

idea, she rushed

about

was

into the

led him

looked

pushed against us
the study and felt the
she

in

by

the

and

arm

entered

; she

ing
pieces of furniture, repeatis he ?

Where

'

great agitation
;

perceivingus

different
:

in

everywhere

without

agonized tone

an

him

Gibert

M.

us.

oppositeroom.

somnambulist

*'The

by

I took

study, but

his

enter

to

stairs,followed

the

up

bert
Gi-

is M.

Where

?'

in

she

While

"

She

from

again.
will,or

whether

"Frantic

'

by mere
by the

caught him
the

upon
Here

idea

mentally;

him

to

the

Then

joy
sofa

you

are

M.

to

whether

and

prevented
the

into

it

Gibert
was

almost

and

of
a

as

other

her

rooms

attracting
of his

result

coincidence, she retraced

her

steps

hand.

possessionof her. She sprang

child, and clapped her hands, crying :
took

then

like

rushed

occurred

was,

excitement

her

in

he

where

room

passing,but
She
recognizinghim.
him

touched

and

the

entered

seated,
ment.
slightestmove-

the

making

stoopingposition,without

her

hypnotizerremained

this the

doing

was

Here

at last !

are

you

Ah, how

delighted

I am.'
"In

short," says Dr.

Ochorowicz,

extraordinaryphenomenon

of action

at

established

the

distance, which

has

have

"I
a

upset all previouslyacceptedopinions."

give the following experiment as

We
"

On

the

10th

1885," writes

of October,

Gibert

and

'To

loch the doors

of

the

suggestionon

agreed,M.

I, to make
the house

piece of

well

at

paper
253

the

M.

Janet,

"

We

following suggestion:

noon

which

to.morrow.'
I

kept by

I wrote
me,

and

PSYCHIC

which

I resolved

ACTION

show

to

not

to any

M.

one.

Gibert

made

B/s
forehead
with
suggestion by touching Madame
his own,
daring an hypnotic sleep,and concentratinghis
the order which
he
moments
on
tally
menthoughts for some
her.
I arrived
next
The
at the cottage
day when
gave

the

at

the

locked.

door

B. who
had

quarter before

had

very

tired, and

I did

come

in

much

agitatedat

and

and

looked

at

the house.

put

wish

not
to

me

When

thing, she

unusual

an

the time

closed

I asked

you

her
me

should

after which
the

why

be

she

I felt

'

able

was

to

very

in the

den,
gar-

went

and

she

front

and

Madame

was

B
sleep.' Madame
; she kept wandering

pluck a rose,
letter-box
placed at

the

it

answered

that

her

saw

the house

found

inquiryit proved that

On

just closed
such

done

twelve,I

door.

These

in themselves, but it is curious

that
insignificant
these very actions which
it zvas
we
had, for a momeiit, thought
of willing her to do the evening before. We had eventually
decided in favor of another suggestion namely, that of closing
the doors, but the thought of the first,no
doubt, remained
in M.
Gibert's mind
power,
during his exercise of willactions

are

"

and
On

the

subjectfelt

thirteenth

the

of

the influence of it.

October, M.

B., still by thought transmission,

next

at

day

day, at noon, she

garden, but did
shortly after, in
and

more

did you
foolish.

make

been

much

raise

order

to

raise

the

calm

her

Her

umbrella

an

twice

first words

put her

were

these:

the garden?
go all round
If the weather
had yesterday had
we

next

to

different,

but
.

to-dayI

the

sleep

became
"

Why

I looked

...

been

the

round

agitation,which

me

have

The

garden.

excited, went

the umbrella.

Madame

ordered

so

continued,
should

have

ridiculous."

That
been

became
not

to

loalk round

marked.

more

...

it would

and

noon,

Gibert

day

was,

indeed, very fine,but the eveningbefore had

exceedinglyrainy.

She

did not

wish

to raise the

umbrella

for fear of

seeming

absurd.

Still another
Dr.

Dussaret

experiment :
reports the

case

253

of

patientwhom

he

was

UNKNOWN

THE

he ordered

whom

hypnotizing,and

day before he left

every

day at a certain hour.

One day," he says, ''I forgot this precaution,and I was
about
hundred
I
seven
yards distant from the house when
Not
perceived the omission.
being able to return, I said
would
order
be
to
understood
myself that perhaps my
in spite of the
to
be
known
distance, since orders are
I formucarried out at a distance
of one
two yards.
lated
or
the injunction,therefore, to sleep until eight o'clock
Next
next
day, and I proceeded on my way.
day I called at
her

sleeptill the

to

next

"

and

half-pastseven
it happen that
order,

giving you

You

order.'

any

That

eighto'clock.' This was

of fixing,
and it seemed
to
have

caused

the

tell

you

Avhich I

hour

case

your

after

sleep until
in the habit

was

mere

habit

might

I should

be

dealing

possiblethat

me

to

me

does

without

away
; but five minutes

is true

illusion,in which

an

I went

mistaken;

are
'

'

heard
left,/ distinctly

had

you

patientasleep. How
still sleeping?' *In obedience to

are

you
monsieur.'

the

found

than mere
In order to clear
coincidence.
nothing more
the
of doubt, I ordered
shadow
up this point, and leave no
told to awake.
patient to sleep until she was
During the
day, taking advantage of an interval of leisure,I resolved to
complete the experiment. I ordered her to wake up, leaving

with

my

house, which

own

at the

same

time.

When

I reached

having,at

my

This
her

was

The
the

times,

at

found

the

request, noted

different

noted,

experiment

ing.
awaken-

her

of

I had

which

at

repeated

was

with

always

hours, and

o'clock.

two

was

hour

that

distant,

awake, her parents

her

exact

corresponded exactlyto
This

five miles

less than

hour, which

patient I

injunction.

my

rather

the

given
several

result."

same

The
"

all

even
more
convincing :
followingexperiment seems
ceased
On the 1st of January I suspended my visits and
of them,
relations with the family. I heard
nothing more

but

on

the

twelfth, when

direction,I found
from

the

for
in

myself

patient,and
me

still to

spiteof

making

was

six and

between

I wondered

make

her

the cessation
254

visits in
seven

whether

obey

me,

of all

in

an

miles

opposite
distant

it would

be sible
postance,
sjjiteof the dis-

communication, and

in

PSYCHIC

spiteof

ACTION

the intervention

of

third

for tlie father had

person
in the interval.
I forlade the

"

mesmerizing his daughter

patientto go to sleep,and then half an hour later,reflecting
that if it should
reallyhappen that I was
sequences
obeyed the conthe prohibimight be injurious to her, I removed
tion
and thought no more
of it. Next
morning at six o'clock
at my house of a messenger,
I was
surprisedby the appearance
been

letter

informed

at
twelfth),
to

o'clock in the

resistance

her

that

last

slept at

father

the

day

caused

to

before

J.

This

(thatis,on

had

the

been

not

able

after

prolonged and painful

did go to sleep,had
clared
debeen
by my orders, and she

had
I

permitted it.

in the

made

been

Mademoiselle

morning, he

because

only

this effect have

whom

the

on

of

daughter to sleepuntil
The
patient,when she

effort.

to

father

the

that

me

ten

his

cause

had

from

letter

bringinga

sign the

Declarations
of

presence

witnesses,

which

papers

contained

them.

probable that with an exact knowledge of the

be possible
conditions of such phenomena, it would
to communicate
does
as
fullyby thought from a distance, as one
now
by the telephone."^
"

It

Dr.

seems

Charles

breakfast

with

Richet
his

Landouzy, who

reports that

in
colleagues

was

one

the

present,and

salle
who

day, when he was at

de garde, his brother,
at that

was

time, like

i"iterne at the

hospitalBeaujon, asserted that he

could put to sleep a certain patientfrom a distance,and that
her come
into the salle de garde, simply
also make
he could

himself, an

by
one

act

an

of will

on

his

part.

At

the end

of ten

minutes,

considered
having appeared, the experiment was
But, in reality,"writes the experimenter,
"

not

"

failed,for

some

time

afterwards

informed

was

no

ure.
fail-

it had

that

the

patientin questionwas walking about the passages, asleep,

and wishing to speak to me, but not able to find me
I
; and
could obtain from her no further explanationof her sleep,or
of her

wanderings,

All these

than

that

she desired

experiments demonstrate
'

Ochorowicz,

De

la

to

me."

psychicaction

mentale,
stiggesfAon
255

see

p. 149.

at

tance.
dis-

UNKNOWN

THE

Facts

remarkable

quiteas

the

action

and

thousands

all my

Bains, intending
There

"

was

given by

great

by

years
and
surgeon,

naval

the
with

the

more

or

kind

of

simply by
The

"

of

said

more,

wish

it,I

is

in order

ready

I,'he said, who

"

ject,
subtures,
ges-

that

owned

he

to

tried

mesmerizer's

to

me

all kinds

'

to

recover

to

serve
a

old powers
; if you really
in this respect.' Dockman

your

you
little annoyed at my

proposition.
one

does

days later,probably in

order

no

it to

'

It

me

longer.'
Nevertheless,
the

mayor

some

of the

hypnotic s"ance,

town,

who

Dockman

of four

looked

consented

I took

five persons,

fixedlyin the eyes.

asleep, if the comatose

he

rigid,his

to

I obtained

short

At

the
and

answers

256

me

of his

hold
end

of

His

some

him.

an

ence
audi-

hands

and

minutes
into

whole

with

to my

fy
grati-

treat

catalepticstate

passed could be called sleep.

clinched, and it was
jaws were

that
difficulty

let

to

to witness

o'clock,before

ten

him

was

which

or

wish

expressed a

evening, therefore, about

One

he

to the

words, without

put people to sleep;

'

any

wishes

perceptionsseemed

himself

his

surprisedand

seemed

present succeeds

one

some

is familiar

one

'

to

am

he possessed

You, yourmeaning.
self,'
him, laughing, require to be put to sleep

divine

to

once

he

tized
hypno-

that

contact.

mountaineer's

often, and

means

Every

effort,without

mental
without

even

young

fail very

in which

scene

The

been

realized

then

had

Dockman.

dark, thin, and

had

completelyin transmitting his

less

and

previouslyhe

seances

meetings.

of age,

mind-reading.

of

power

of these

one

twenty years

Three

nervous.

very

about

on

called himself

who

visit

to

about

was

man

there.

going

talk

of

myself

Am"lie-les-

villageof

little

countryman,

Curiosity impelled me
young

deal

I established

'*

the vacation

spend

to

young

the

possessionsat

by

at Grenoble.

Boirac, provost of the Academy

In
September, 1892," he writes,

with

caused

of somnambulism

case

E.
"

regard to

of times.

Here, for example, is

M.

in

observed

been

will,in hypnotic experiments, hundreds

the

of

have

body was
the greatest

questions. He

PSYCHIC
awoke
the

with

slowness

extreme

characteristics.

same

and
subject,
of

The
the

to

Casino

"I

in order

coffee,which
was

lookingover
and

second

saw

no

sleeppresented
in

to me,
to

reason

what

o'clock in the

one

to take

afternoon,I

Dockman

newspaper.

the idea
with

execution

upon
of

had

his back

spoke
seated

was

began

do not

at

cease

and

cigarettein

looked

received

motionless
him

no

by breathingquicklyon

his

did

not

as

singer,who
frightened and

answer.

I
eyelids,
aware

all at

in this condition,

descend, and

seem

but

become

his hands, he

beheld

up,

to

subject,who

late,
re-

put it into

his eyes

neighboring table, became

scream.

to

to

first moment,

remained

I hastened

to

about

know

Concentratingmyself

at the

movements

him, and

to

AvilL

glance

eyelids,and

friend

His

statue.

of my

proceeded

towards

tion
looking fixedlyin the directo go to sleep. He
did not

him

the unfinished
his

of my

I ordered

his

saw

lowered

once

force

singlethought,and

With

fixed.

all the

be conscious

soon

very

and

to me,

came

Dockman,
to

appear

went

coffee.

was

but

interesting
un-

results

expect any

occupied in rollinga cigarette.I

suggestedto me the experiment that I am

me,

fact, an

myself upon the terrace,and while sippingthe

had just been served me, I glanced around
me.
seated
in the garden with a friend, who
was

seated

Dockman

seemed

He
I

day, about

next

; and

him.

from

importance
"

ACTION

in

few

woke

up my
of what had

onds,
sec-

provised
im-

pened
hap-

to him.

"

attempted this experimentby chance,

result, and

not

anticipating

confounded

The
myself at the result.
next
day I met with an opportunity to repeat it. I arrived
at the Casino
between
and
one
was
half-past. Dockman
seated on the terrace, alone at a table,where
he was
writing a
any

letter,bent

My

table
there

was

double, with

was

five

or

his

nose

six feet from

almost

touching the

his ; between

him

paper.
and myself

I again concentrated
party of four, playing cards.
effort,which made me almost
myself in a nervous
vibrate from
head to foot, and with all my strength,while
writing
fixingmy eyes on Dockman, I ordered him to cease
R

was

257

UNKNOWN

THE

and

result

The

sleep.

to

go

It seemed
day before.
against my will. After a
visible signs of disturbance
though he sought in vain

the

like

his hand

letter and

the

up

the

on

remained

another

paper,

he

bend

to

his

of

one

only under
regained the use

like

hard

rigidand

block

went

the influence
of his

his

An

whole

attempt

stiffness

of my passes.
When
Dockman
begged me

senses,

he

the

several of the

of wood.

useless ; the

was

arms

tore

pen
to sleep in

position. I approached him togetherwith

had
interrupted their game
by-standers,who
was

he

soon

that

body

as

gesture with

; but

and

gave

suspended

obstacle; then

an

away

been

subject struggled

words, he made

for

it had

two, however, he

or

his pen

to write

began

motionless

remained

minute
:

the

though

as

brushes

who

one

rapid than

less

was

peared
disaphe had
not

to

of

having been very

exhausted
much
by that of the precedingevening. He also
he had sleptwithout
ing
havthat on both occasions
assured me
the slightestsuspicion that the sudden
sleepwas caused

experiments;

these

renew

by myself

by

or

experiment is

This

of doubt
Dr.
has

as

to action

by

at

circumstance

"From

the

Marie

des Scie7ices

from

which

her

often

intolerable
throat.

during

the

woman

under

the

from

in
to

years

observation

sion,
transmis-

wish

not

to

give
he

11th

of

ber
Novem-

relief,through suggestion,

and

the

from

sensation

of

hystericalpains,

their character, and

which

it

tion.
disperse by appropriatesugges-

this,her generalhealth

seventeen
my

of

means

suffered

She

truly Protean
constantly necessary

mental

important
be regretted:

headache

were

Aside

to

as

Psychiques,

positionwhich

of the

much

on

does

7th of January, 1887, to

slept very

ity
possibil-

no

distance.

friends, who

of his

account

"on

name,

ball in

one

leaves

important, and

very

publishedthe followingexperiments

holds,"

was

person."

Darieux, editor o" the Amiales

made

his

other

any

complained

which

she has

was

excellent, and
this

have

had

never

her
relinquished

occupations for a singleday on account of illness.

with her
transmission
"I had
attempted mental
numerous
sleep s"ances, but in vain. Up to the
258

young

during
11th

of

UNKNOWN

THE

de

drops of eau
reallyridiculous.'
few

with

This

is

the

first time

From

this date

'"'For

Cologne, aud

bring

order had
been
my
that is,the 6th of

"

it to you.

stood.
perfectlyunder-

December,

1887

"

time (1893),with the exception of a few

up to the present
has been
unusual
days, mental transmission
clearlyevident,
both

in her

only

at

certain
the

On

'"'

gave
"

her

the

Go

and

'

watch

that

had

stopped

she

arrived

following mental

order:

when

I
I

and

was

seated

was

careful

the

where

She

"

for the watch

look

left her
could

door, and

"

chair

it.

at

and

every

time

it

open

order

to

and

is

me

I who

me,

of the

room

the

case,
book-

she

ments
move-

touched

the

of

it; but the glass

But

the

from

myself ;

been

she

seized

upon

watch, which

the

with

made

friends, written

subject,and

the

orders
down
success

my
she

municated
com-

hand,
beforehas

the
who
communicates
person
to Marie, she refuses to obey, saying

if the

stranger

give the

command.

into my study while Marie

day came
asleep,and gave me the followinglittle note :
for
Tell her, mentally, to go and
look for a cigarette
mutual

friend

one

'

in the
"

side

the book-case.

sure

am

snatched

out, and

distance

complete.

me

some

behind

determined

and

It is there !

them

been

"

sleep and

behind

straightto

Regular

themselves

was

the

quickly,went

open

to go

took

it is not

Marie

towards

overjoyed to have found.

"Similar
experiments have
to me
by one of my

was

to

in

!'

I decided

"A

put her

particularlythe glass of

more

me

books,
was

books

some

is hidden

that

edge,
knowl-

concealed.

not

It is there

burns

to look

not

manifested

'

behind
I

arm-chair.

in my

object was

but

"

Marie's

in the book-case.'

books
"

1887, without

December,

of

book-case, and

my

sleepingstate. It is disturbed
Marie
is greatlyharassed.

when

periods,or

10th

I hid

in her

and

waking

She
with

antechamber, to light it,and

seated

was

my

back

behind

me.

still turned
260

to

Without
to

present it to me.'
leaving my chair,

her, I sent

the

mental

PSYCHIC

order.

friend

My

took

ACTION
book

ing her closelyall the time.

'You
are
teasingme !
(Mental order) You can
'^

"

and

How

'

pretended to read,watcli-

can

get

wish

you

to

me

get up?'

easily;
uncross

up very

your

feet.'
"After
she

(which
up,

effort

some

and

"And

no

she

further

them, and
I

hesitation,took

"

(Mental order)
lightit at once.'
Marie

"

stopped
This

thought
of

sent

occasion

her

residence
in order

to

the

should

is not

side

of

back

could
to

certain

some

and

mental

the
the

gave

something

rightthing.'
without

room

it to
else

friend.

our

be

to

I
Hugues.
anything
guess

and
punctiliously

was

simple and

exact.

in the

in
experiments personally,
suggestion,in the month
"

mind

then
it

-reader," at the

proved

First, that

necessary that the

know
the thing to be

was

put the question should

that the
revealed.
Secondly, that it was
necessary
be given energetically. He
order should
obeyed the
order

done

not

who

person

feet

light it readily. I
her place."
sion.
proof of thought transmis-

Ninof, the

Olovis

of M.
he

This

is

make

with

her

laugh,

to

and
cigarette,

There

transmission

January, 1899,

began

match, but

and

'

experiment affords

had

seized

her

then

straightto

went

uncrossing

crossingunder her chair),got

box
of
a
complaininglytowards

mistaken.

am

in

of

and

slowly

went

'Ah,

succeeded

in the habit

was

cigars,touched
"

she

smallest

Thirdly, that

details

this

if the

mental
mental
order

sion
thought transmis-

tact,
operate from one brain to another, without any conwithout
two
or
metres,
any sign,at the distance of one
of thought on the part of the person
solelyby concentration
who
gives the order, and loithout any collusion.
Fourthly,

will

failures
to

person
on

the

establish

seemed

to arise from

between

the

ity
inabil-

brain

gave the order and that of the subject; to

of the latter ; or to contrary currents.

who

part

Example

and
infrequent,
perfectconnection

not

were

which

I willed
was

that

Ninof

lying by

the
261

should

go and

side of several

take

others

of

the

fatigue
graph,
photoat

the

UNKNOWN

TPIE
end

did not

then

salooi,and

of the

whom

and

know,

it to

carry

I
gentleman whom
simply as being the sixth

I selected

thirty spectators.

seated
person
executed
was

among

The

executed

This

mental

order

exactly,and without hesitation.

M. Clovis Hugues willed that the subject should
go and
get a little engraving representingMichelet, which was placed
the niano, and put it before a
with several other objects on
of Arc, on the opposite side of the salon.
statuette of Joan
order

It

was

the

was

he had

and

that

first time

the smallest

Ninof

alone, without

come

his eyes

had

He

without

bandaged by

had

hesitation.
into the

come

any companion.
tied round
a cloth

house,

his

head,

said, to prevent him from any distraction.

hairs, taken by M. Adolphe Brisson from different

in order, he
Four

and

hidden,
heads

found

were

j)ersons,

they

to the

Up

time

at which

of

movements

made

had

been

difference, for the

no

persons
the same

on

this

I witnessed

experiment just recorded,

he

put

they

had

whose

from

spot.

experiment I
convinced

been

been

had

that

in

if the experiments
object researches, even
unconscious
in good faith, there
were
which
hands
guided the subject. In the

the

supposing that

the

to

I had

Avhere

in

made

were

back

deceptions.

readings,and

mind

subject

taken, and

been

little but

seen

this

brought

were

had

by

one

no

able to

him,

touched

the

above

see

spectatorswere

and

even

bandage,

all behind

it

him.

psychic facts which I received and noted

at the time
of the inquiriesalready spoken of, and apart from
which
related to dying manifestations, and
the principalcases
several very
which
have
been
already quoted, there were
interesting letters concerning the subject of this chapter,
and
that
is, psychic communication
thouglit transmission
the

Among

1130

the minds

occurring hehoeen
I will select
indeed
I.
may

Will

"

add,
in

"

You

you

most

in

papers
mine.

from

They

fact with

street.

which

Suddenly
263

collection, which

this

most

are

of your
permit one
sympathetic readers,

regard to
are

few

varied

most

of livingpersons.

most

is

instructive.

assiduous, and, I

you

ments
inquire your sentiare
certainlyfamiliar.

you

perceiveat

to

some

little

PSYCHIC

distance

walk, whose

carriage,whose

whose

person
familiar

are

even,

ACTION

And

to you.

'Oh, there

say,

you

features
is Monsieur

X. !'
''You
walk

on

this

time

; and

without

How

often

long time,

and

this curious
the

from

raised

has

this

I have

sensation

cause

common

is

one

admitted

when

radiation

to

there

have

Yon

lieved
be-

you

to

due

to

the

the

has

been

conclusion

it is
a

dispersed by people who

carriagesdriving by ? etc.''

that

radiation

to

for

be
sucn

passing,or

are

is

contrary

opportunity

be

that

emanating

this idea

to

hypothesisof
every

see.

absurdity;

an

to

it for

for

radiation

raised

be

doubt

no

sought

eventuallyto

can

How

whom

! and

me

come

be

must

objection may
telepathy: 'It is

-sense.

meet, and

you

person

to

last

same

to

the

happened
at

whom

see,

you

then

at first.

seen

is its

person

The

"

have

What

he.

after

mistake,

any

What

also.

you

it is not

minutes

some

yourselfto
"

but

approach him,

by

from
Nevertheless, it is not impossible,
even
a physical
point of view, to believe that each individual projectsbefore
"

and

the

escape

radiation,and

various

of

causes

that

"In

dispersionor

just spoken of.

case, it is extremely

any

and

finds

was

not

one's

self face

thinking,and

curious

to face

whom

is able to

refraction, etc.,

Juge

It often

figureof
another
in

who

resembles
etc.

has

the

meeting

him

before.

been
takes

thus

called

meets

of whom

one

Leiris,

de

Tribunal

Civil,at Lyons."

7,

in
or

person

often

that, being in the street,the

think of
a distance,makes
me

me

him

hour

An

to

from

passer-by,seen

walk,

who

happens

au

one

apparently recognized
L.

Letter

"

that
a

had

one

"

II.

with

before.

moment

or

this radiation

I have

which

him

around

two
to my

placethat

slightdegree

some

"

in

dress,

afterwards

mind,

I recall

I pass the person

but it is only when

having thought

saw

Bergek,
"School-master
Letter
263

39.

at Roaftine."

UNKNOWN

THE

III.

Several

"

since

ever

who

lives in Paris.

both

in the

father,
we

are

the latter

towards
'"'

the

other writes
at the

habit

that

with

writes

to

day,
correspondence
every

me

conducting

my
and

our

of

one

puts

us

question and

to the

question on the same

question frequently concerns

answer

The

hour.

same

provinces,and

the

dailycommunication

He
of

in

part of the afternoon.

happens

It often

in

been

I have

then

I married

ago

years

the

day

and

friends

the other of us has not

or
seen
acquaintances who one
for a long time, since Ave do not live in the same
town.
''And
it often happens that if I am
sufferingand do not
or

mention

it to

of my

news

father, he will divine

my

the

justat

health

it and

that it is

time

insist

little affected.

"L.
Letter

''If

IV.

some

and

is the

what

of this

reason

-AtP"z"nas."

'

Wait, I have

just
!'

him

meeting

it is

but

She

be

glad

very

along the street,

turn
involuntarily
learn

to

153.

time

ago,

no

herself face

before

entering a shop
to me,
suddenly:

it),said

so-and-so

seen

; may

doubt,

seen

that
with

to face

Letter

Lyons."
"

What

is the

(in nine

cases

out

VI.

street

who

has

of

God
him

upon
him.

the

ten) after meeting

another

preserve

tion,
only by intuientering the

B. Vincent.

to

me

fact that
some

by

frequently

person
some

in the

vague

was

to
"

semblance,
re-

after, or at any rate in the

myself a moment
who
of that very person
of the day, in the presence
recalled to my mind, although nothing brings that person
I find

course

me

189.

explanationof

recalled

you

J. C.

"J.
"At

from

phenomenon.

short

had,

eyes

extraordinary fact

an

she found

shop

I pass

as

twenty yards from

still

(she was

me

Letter

My mother,

"

V.

E."

E.

58.

story, my

I should

theirs.

meet

at

fifth

the

if it is from

even

looks

one

upon

At

see

J. Eenier.

me.

Verdun,

Meuse."
Letter 199.
264

ACTION

PSYCHIC

VIL

''Oue

morning, about

bed, but fullyawake, and

to say

I considered

am

that

sure

conscious
At

of what

*I

the

and

said

nothing,and

This

has caused

8 Rue

de la

long time,
did notfdo.

or

entered

did
that
my

us

call
is

why

much

matter

of whom
person
have been
this must

proverbialexpressionnow
see

Mamma

!'but

word, for I
I

and

perfectly

was

it at the

here.'

that

sure

not

was

; I said to

room

my

am

is

mother

and

mother

She

am

other

swered
an-

end

that

sure

heard

she

her,

me.

dinary.
for it is very extraorY. Dubois.

amusement,

Monnaie, Nancy."

It is

"

'

cry

; I heard

me

Letter

VIII.

still in

just thinking of calling you.'

you

room,

did,

my

the

pronounce

mamma

was

But

"

callingto

I would

tone

awake

this moment

laughing:
of

been

was

ago,

steps approaching my

her

I heard

not

of

thought

in what

I did

I had

asleep;
"

when

good-morning,

room.

months

two

of

207.

has

one

long
in

justthought

use

see

or

pectedly
unex-

spoken ;

observed, since there

ago
'

Speak

of

Druggist

wolf, and

is

you

Rabelle,

Alphonse

his tail.'
"

to

occurrence

common

at Ribemont

(Aisue)."

Letter 232.

perhaps,have heard mention of the belief,

in certain quarters,connected
which is very widely distributed
with the buzzing of the ears ; it signifies,
they say, that
somewhere
I have often joked
is discussingyou.
one
some
who
with
admitted
their faith in this superstition,
persons
but my
incredulityhas been modified
by an experience of
this sort which
stances.
under
happened to me
very painfulcircumIX.

"

You

may,

Is it

possible that

transmission

of the

If you
inform

this

of

think
you

it,such

of
as

the
at which

the

kind

there

with

which

I will
possible,
what
happened to

letters with

exists,in this respect, a

the

hold
me,

hours

you

are

now

occupied ?

myself in readiness to
with proofs in support

ception,
despatch and of resending of which would easilyverify the hours
phenomenon occurred, etc. ; perhaps,even, my

265

of

UNKNOWN

THE
affirmation

spolceof

had

what

"I

am

educations

have

; we

of

one

exactlyat

idea

jiress it in the

the

discovered

or

things,phraseswhich

of

us

at the

same

reduplicatedby
"Is

ourselves

is its cause,

what

; and

those

which

either

its nature, and

"

"Witnessed

for

Dalidet, school-master

the

Saint

de Saint

"

was

navy,

father

was

to

ex-

at Saint

Florent, March

upon

persons

to

when
is it

or

each

speak,

to utter.

occurrence

plete
com-

peculiarto

importance attaches
why does it manifest

it,

to

itself ?

Dalidet,
Secretary to

legalizationof

My mother, who
always warned

about

about

Florent, pr"s Nior

(Deux

the

the

Mairie,

Sevres).

signature

of

M.

Florent.

Favrion,

Mayor.

28, 1899,"
299.

Letter

XL

an

are,

was

"A.
"Mairie

or

was

one

semblance
re-

opinion

so

School- niiister and

"

an

Very

of

"F.
"

marriage

lipsof

natures,

if any

lar
simi-

rise to the

common

two

years.

remarkable.

other

the other

case,

to

E."

received

our

as

the

the words

time

In

us

identical

are

L.

nine

passingjudgment

phenomenon of
sympathy exists between
this

since

expressionto

In

terms.

same

have

we

strikes

when

moment

married

been

tastes, and

verbal

gives

us

A.

and

233.

of thoughts,which
often

cerned
con-

persons

December,

in

saw

I have

similar

I have

wife and

My

teacher, and

the

of

one

happened.

Letter

X.

by

transmission, whom

in the

whom

certified to

be

might

the

was

by

wife

some

This

exposed to danger.

captain in the
unusual
sign when
my
happened so frequently
of

acquired the habit of making a note of it. And the

next
learn that her husband, when
in danger
day she would
he believed
of shipwreck, had sent to her what
to be his last
the wives of
such cases
occur
thought. Innumerable
among
that

she

I remember

very

visits,telepathy was

often

sailors.

"

saw

well
the

that

when

subject of

conversation.

of my friends,who
also was
the wife
hand
her husband's
outlined
on
distinctly
One

266

received

mamma

of
one

naval

man,

of the win-

THE
under

curred
which
"On
I

very different circnmstances

are

you

UNKNOWN

one

an

externe, I had

going

to

meet

whom

I had

house

of

was

only

I did
the

much

not

was

in

surgeon

"Observe

have

nor

of the

right

him, had

saw

I will add

"

effort

him

the

gate of the

how

long

of my

in

am

But

factor.

no

I have

"Medical

"A

while

in the

was

brought

I had

331.

one

of

been

ing
wait-

presentiment,in

order

way

inclined

to

tion
supersti-

yet found that

G. Mesley,

not

not

her

in

notified

been

impression became

in

of

very
which
I

to

dark

moment

so

garments, and

painful
368

that

who

lived

by

an

the brink

her illness

was

cal
physi-

l'Entrep"t."

attacked

in

I had

present at

Eclations, friends, every

friend.

dressed

hours

that

whatever;
a perfectnightmare, during
of this

few

de

friends,

my

provinces,was

nevertheless, at

were

presentiment
the

hospital for

had

he

Student, 27 Rue

Letter

woman,

young

which

all

tance,
dis-

P., when

Monsieur

explanation.

grave.

P. at

partment.
de-

answer.

to this that

undetermined

Paris

obstetrical

Monsieur

seen

see, not

subconsciously,for the
Boulevard
Magenta, to

the

at

to

rather sceptical;and
first
contrary,I am
my
to seek a physical exwas
planation
regards this occurrence
of it before resortingto the intervention
of a still

as

XIV.

come

the

on

"

medicine, had

of the

head

him

waiting

his

since.

mind

in order

come

have

tellinghim

before

of

Quentin, and

I asked

to influence

not

the

on

Saint

twenty minutes.
there

had

not

me

been

was

at Lariboisi"re.
certain surgeon
mistaken.
At
the door of the hospital

recognized

Eue

P., who

to

in my

been

never

doctor

see

I could

came

that

the

had

question,but

that

idea

P.,
hospital a Monsieur
eight months
previously,at the

was

Monsieur

meet

of

once,

friend, and who

the

moment

door

seen

gentleman, who
there, I imagined, to
I

for

the

at

This

"

phenomena

class.
studying,belongs perhaps to the same
morning to the hospitalLariboisi"re,where

now

going

the

from

one

ness
ill-

of the

any
a

in

way

dream,

the

riage
mar-

present,

wept bitterly. The

I awoke.

fortnight

PSYCHIC
later I learned

of the

ACTION
which

danger from

this person

had

just

escaped.
"It

frequentlyhappens

also

of

cause,

some

to

in whom

one

has

nothing

made

in the habit

I
that

thought,by receiving from

of

This

necessary.

think, without

to

me

perceive a coincidence
person

happens

so

letter

which

often

that

of persons
of whom
expectingnews
involuntarilythought. Nevertheless,the fact is not
exceptions.
am

XV.

Letter

The

"

friends, who
my
medicine
in France

is

of

for

his

sanction, give you

which
he

he told

may

then

not

under

the

in

me

wish

to

by

toe

country, known

hours

by

me

one

faculties

I cannot,

in

connection

We

published.

to the

Saint

without

with

of

it is

his
event

an

possible

designatehim

will

Louis, in Senegal,was

Europeans
brink

of the

for, I think,

after he

had

grave,

violent
and

fever, which
him

rendered

much

as

quence
conse-

twenty

as

days.

telegram from
his mother, who
in France, was
was
brought to him, asking
this telegram
The hour at which
what had happened to him.
had been sent, allowing for the time necessary
to take it to the
with

office,coincided
away.

When

mother

told

he

that

returned

him

so

that

her

powerful

that

obtain
"

news

I should

consciousness,

at which

kind
in

Monsieur

Z. had

France, restored

to

that, without

suddenly experienceda
divined

lost

by

to that

belonging
chigoe. In

the

as

seized

was

stung

insect

dangerous

very

injury,he

entirelyunconscious
Some

B.

positionaffords specialguarantees

name

at

among

of this
him

the

of

one

veracity.

it

see

Z., while

great

brought

reported to

private conversation, and

A.

the initial Z.

"Monsieur
on

whose

and

abilityand

his

been

professor in

without

383.

has

followingfact

I have

of

"AtChagny."

parent
ap-

any

apparent

of shock, and

greatdanger

son

was

she

immediately sent

; the

health, his

to

reason,

she

fainted

she

had

immediately

impressionwas

telegram

in order

tO'

of him.

prefer to sign my

to
authenticity

my

story; but
269

letter,in order
I am,

you

see,

to
a

give greater

state

official,.

UNKNOWN

THE
and

if it

which

I have

think

you

just given,

it best

I shall be

to

the

quote

obligedif

fact

hold
will with-

you

E.

address.

and

name

my

that

happens

"Algeria."
Letter 398.

''I had

XYI.
was

friend

had

the

formed

it

at the

hour,

same

answered

asked.

For

I seized

in

example,

day,

and

pen

be

not

of
tragic moments
by profound tenderness

existence

indefinable
since

has

One

remain

She

went
not

garden, looking for

and

it

not

one

until

not

experiencedanything.
day she was
day before exactlyat

of her

next

father

"Neuville,
**P.S.
from

"

that

my

She

wife

The
of my

united

are

unite

selves,
them-

Asinelli.

then

which

nine

o'clock

that

informed

o'clock.

could

she

had

to walk

went

The

by

overcome

was

in the
felt

her

father

She

had

she
not

in the

evening
as

an

been

uneasiness

tinued,
con-

that

if she

had

had

died

not

thought
Busin".

at all.
near

Do

'

that

mingle,to

to talk to.

nine

to show

which

suddenly relieved, and

found

me

the

to say

collation,to which

remain.

some

was

herself

to

At

443.

noon,

she

the

to

feelingof discomfort; unlike anything

oppressed, and
experienced,she became

quiet.

was

pretend

E.

day, about

invited,but could

The

ill ?'

seems

distance.

Letter

"

not

souls

two

it

receivingnews,

wrote

I do

even

moment

you

on) he

be able to

may

"Geneva."

XVII.

'Are

illness is over/

in

from

the

at not

words:

other,

things, or

same

vision,but certainlyit

real

the

to each

wrote

we

uneasy

verified later

(aswe

was

one

wrote

anxious, the

that this

souls

letter at

us.

spondence,
regular correacquired such affinity

exactly the

question put

moment

same

said

we

from

he

of very

that when

constantlyhappened

(for

great distance

delightful habit

onr
and, little by little,

that

circumstances

whom

live at

explorer)obliged to

an

We

once

Poix-du-Nord.

villagewhere

we

lived

father-in-law."
Letter 419.
270

was

about

fifteen miles

PSYCHIC
XVIII.
a

''It often

will

sing aloud

has

been

that

happens

air,and

well-known

ACTION

the

few

myself mentally

to

my husband
head.
This

afterwards

moments

air which

same

sing
I had

in my

subject of several discussions

always ended by amusing us.

have

the

between

us, which

0.

M.

Grenoble."

"

Letter

XIX.

My

"

aunt

if I may
I

and

all

that

such

use

I had

whenever

thoughts would
the

on

my

"

467.

adopted

mother

loved

"

to

me

cess,
ex-

expression. She was very nervous,

Our
also.
so
correspondence was
very frequent,
in the earlyperiod of our
separation,and I observed

am

above

before

day

reason

to

carried

with

to

much

subjectof

an

expect

letter

her

from

great intensitytowards
the arrival of her letter,which
was

be

however, confined
a

fixed date.

thought with

This observation

my
her

not,

has been

0.,

me.

Retired

"

Major,

at

Rivers"."

Letter 507.

XX.

night,some

One

"

the consciousness

that

lived rather less than

look

to

for

me.

Some
.

"

of my
half a mile
from

minutes

later

he

begged me
experiencesof

Several

to

suddenly with

Monsieur
patients,

one

I sprang

I awoke

ago,

from

away

bed

my
I

and

come

this kind

X., who

coming

was

dow
to the win-

arrive.

His

wife

her.

see

have

me,

; I went

him

saw

ill,and

was

years

happened

to

''De.

me.

K"

Letter 517.

XXI.

"

give here

the

which

only case

I have

observed

in

ideas; its sole interest lies in its regularity. I

friends who
quently,
freare
abroad, and who write to me

this class of
have

two

but
one

the

or

morning

postman
At

brings
first I

itself upon
verified it. I should

fact

often

fixed date.
I dream
Whenever
any
it almost
invariably
happens that in

at

other,

I dreamed.

whom
the

the

not

forced

me

paid

me,

also
271

letter

and

no

from

attention

since then

mention

that

the
to

one

the
of

this, but

I have
the

of

dream

very
is

THE
often

not
some

UNKNOWN

preceded by any specialthought which

might
induce
and explain it.
Cl. Charpoy.

way

in

"Tournus."
Letter

XXII.

intimate

My

"

friend

551.

all

day suffered
inexplicable.On the
one

intense

an

same
physical agony, which was
day I
with
the deepest depression without
was
myself overcome
having the slightestsuspicionof what was happening to her.

; she

at Nantes

was

at Geneva.

was

"Cr.

Champury.

"Geneva."

XXIII.

*'In
the

class at

and
of

some

best

when

1846

was

student

in

French

although I was a Protestant I

with
M. Barely, the abb" of the colterms
lege,
I was,
religiousf"tes occurred
together with
;

intrusted

comrades,

my

589.

Alais

college of

the

on

was

and

1845

Letter

with

the

decorations

of

the

into

the

chapel.
made

"We
funeral

vault, which

possibleto

was

which

staircase
vault
the

of

use

ascend

into

remains

sacristy,from which it
chapel by a trap-door and a
the professor'sstall.
This

the

of three

and
college,whose uncovered
were
deposited on the floor ;

with

the

have

retained

"Later

of

names
an

scholars

ineffaceable

in 1849

on,

Manlius

old

Salles, librarian

hypnotism,

and

we

often

more

the

low

ceilingwas

talked

was

of it.

fins
cof-

covered

candle-smoke.

in

of this vault.

remembrance

there,

abb"s of

less shattered

or

traced

ancient

four

or

1850, I had

and

descend

to

the

under

out

the

freedom

under

was

came

contained

brief

our

lived
much
He

at

N"mes.

interested

wished

M.
in

to include

subjects,saying that being an architect I

could, when
hypnotized,describe in detail the buildings in
where
sion.
towns
conduct
me
they would
by thought transmisI agreed, but, although he made
every effort,he could
in sending me
not succeed
to sleep.
me

his

among

"

One

he had
years

day

I took

invited
of age,

me.

very interestings"ance to which

I found
there a woman
of about
sixty

part in

apparentlya

domestic
272

servant.

PSYCHIC

my

recollection

The

and

memory,
her

told
whole

with

journey

the

We

chapel.

On

entered

stall

trap-door.
vault

little

had

snow

"

'^

thick

with

covered

that

on

the

Raise

she

What

saw

I gave

the

to

move
a

lead

to

in the

back.

to go

the

we

formed

ourselves

wished
to

into

hand

my

found

we

the

herself ;

efforts

her

at

coffins,I begged
The

me.

bier

chalk.

powdered

has.'

one

to

The

skull

really

was

hair.

drapery of

the

one

on

that

it is!

beautiful

exclaimed, Miow

she

made

one,' she said

hair this

beautiful

What

'

went

crossed

she

fear, and

filled with

in fact been

'^

them.

is

"'There

arrival

our

then

she

leading her

her, and

her to describe

of

raisingthe flag-stoneAvhich

with

there.

During the
lated.
body oscil-

her

of

and

altar

left,and

subject

to

exactlyeverything that

time

staircase,and

trembled

I calmed

"

the

on

the

for Alais.

me

to the

up

lighted a candle,

the

; she

to

chapel recurred

part

upper

the vestibule

also in

me
it,assisting

down

the train

perceiving the

to the

her

way

in the

to take

described

our

on

college.
went

take

with

alone.

ns

the vault

would

she
arriving,

met

we

of

in communication

me

left

I determined

we

the

of

On

"

that

put

hands, and

by Joining our
''

and

hypnotized her^

"J"e
her

ACTION

side,'I said.

It is silk

of the abb"s dressed

was

one

the

ceiling;

and

'

Oh,'

gold!'

in his ecclesiastical

robes.
'

"

Look
do

What

would

'

on

way,

throw

to

lighton

Names,' she said.

the

'

well.

very
I

chapel,and

Read

it for you.
them.'
She

told

her

that

we

foot to Anduze.
she

me

gave

country through which

the

I will

I remembered

back

return

the

?'

six which

or

went

On

"

see

you

read five
''We

at

of details

mass

passed,all

we

in

of them

regard to
perfectly

correct.

When

"

of

friend
to

then

arrived

we

asked

; it
me

her

was

the
to

at

Anduze,

eight o'clock
house, the
indicate

in

the

her

into the

evening

staircase,the salon

the
273

I took

persons

present.

house

; she

scribed
deI

....

She

an-

THE
that

swered
that
for

I did

did

know

not

know

not

them

this,I reflected

On
....

them

transmit

to

me

she

UNKNOWN

myself, and
thought about

any

it

that
them

to her.

"Melvil
"Architect

Roux,

Tourac,

at

impossible

was

Gard."

Anduze

near

Letter 650.

"

XXIV.
the

I have

''

wife

of

recentlytreated

of

ojie

and

friends, who

my

cured, by hypnotism,

suffered

for

teen
nearly eigh-

from
The
a very
painful affection.
years
she received
which
dailyfrom me, lasted about

and,

happens in
subject,she came

the

and

will not

repeat

able

produce

to

sensations
and

would

hour

of

had

to

are

of
well

too

this

distance, and

gout,

known,

?"

to you

could

hour

all at

In

short, I have

been

able

there
"Just

?'

'

there

'

have

wish

to

natural

there

and

at

come

you

Ah, well, I do

is

so

hypnotism;
and

tance
dis-

'

day,

I had

somnambulism,

great

I
subject,this time a man, whom
house by an effort of will.
Nothing
I should think of it intently. Why/

not

see

you,
be imaginationin all this ?

as

to

miles.

my
that

one

once.

be

not

imagination. For instance, it

: 'Yesterday, at such
say to me
were
some
one;'or else, 'You

of the

to

but

him

was

also another

come

necessary

I said to

can

manifestations

as

she

nearly two

I have

dinary

which

phenomena

felt all my impressionsat a very

been able to verifythis for
; at least, I have

distance

caused

influence.

tion
imagination. But, in addiinvoluntarilyon my part,
jDerceived,

she would

that

magnetizer

the
my

months,

six

the

to

at

happened

between

cold, etc., they

quarrelledwith

you

satisfymyself

me

of

question

haj)penthat

sad ; what

was

and

sensations, even
a

all the

her, such

above, she

considered

"

with

cases,

completelyunder

here

you

of heat

the

to

all my

to

easilyascribable

too

an

such

often

as

treatment,

know
and

somnambulism

is both

such
; the

here

fancy

and

induced

an

tary
involun-

an

explainsnatural

thies
sympa-

Dr.

antipathies.

"Valparaiso."
Letter

675.
274

took

Where

I am.'

voluntary and

it is this whi";h

extraoi'-

an

X.

UNKNOWN

THE
asked

for

out

her

my

head

arms

most

least
"

Her

her

breast.

my

presence

on

and
rested

since the accident.

Slie
incessantly ever
to me,
clasj^edthera round
neck, and
my

me

excitement

calmed

she

fell

peacefully. Her sister told me that she

although there
pitifulcries,calling me,
that I should
come.
probability
short

This

has

account

only

merit

one

accident

The

"

time

This
my arrival.
I experiencedthe
hour

to reach

hour

before

took

coincided

and

I left, in

had

order

hour

and

half

before

at which

It took
hard

struggled

to

true.
strictly

that

work.

my

the

not

Skirvi]S"g.

exactly with

to leave

impulse

home,

placean

uttered

was

"Alexander
"P.S.

asleepand

had

it is

"

laid

off immediately,

passed

her ;

held

overcome

me

for half
desire

my

an
an

to

go

home."'

All

that

examples show

these

between

brains, between

minds,

arise from

still unknown.

force

Silvio Venturi,

Professor

thus

Girifalco,wrote
XXVI.

"

July,

habit

of

the

1885,

I lived

days

arrived

two

at

refreshment,

relatives.

All

at

must

wish

return

was

to go

at

absurd.

lunatic

brother

health.

good

o'clock

in the

horse

at

one

at Poz-

in the

was

sometimes

afternoon.

little
After

planned a boating-partywith
I was
stopped by a sudden

we

that, on

declared

the

that

contrary, I

objected,saying that
myself sensible of the eccentricityof
not

They

hesitate,for I felt

"

1893

I went

home.
impulse to return
Seeing my determination, they allowed me
with
me
against his will.
companion went

carriage,with

asylum

September,

energeticresolution, I

resolution, but I did

my

which

currents

railroad.

in the boat, and

was

Nocera.

at

between

currents

visit to my

to Nocera.

once

of

Pozzuoli, and

once

thought, and taking an

I did not

at

of the

18th

in

home

at

one

staying two

longer. We
taking some
my

upon

''I left every

are

hearts

director

companion to make
three-hours'
journey by

day with
zuoli, a

In

there

so

thin

and
276

so

slow

that

an

irresistible

to set

out.

I hired
he

went

My
little
at

ACTION

PSYCHIC
instead

walk

of

in the

o'clock

seven

exhausted

At

last

house

My

from

got into

to

house

tra.

come

to

round

with

impulse

Do

not

of

reached

dear

my

danger

home
panion
comown

my

death.

The

croup

home

All
was

The
had

the

at

Ven-

child, who

of

almost

malady
developed

hour

when

as

arrival my

my

go

quickly as possible. I
contributing by my presence to his

delightof

Before

recovery.
with
to. me

patienceto

yards

physicians,MM.
physicianof the town.

morning,

return

to

hundred

three

not

part of the country.

o'clock in the

the

in

and

croup

in that

thus

go faster"
another
riage
car-

not

four

bed

felt the

at

last),I urged

getting

When

see

the

seven

train

carriage,leaving my

me.

the

not

had

after

shocked

gathered

was

friend's

on

was

attacked

in

I had

Ganger, Roscioli, and

were

could

is situated about

at Nocera

foot, and

on

beast

succeeded

railway station,but

the

the

the

for the train.

in time
"

and

down

got

we

lose

to

was

evening (which

driver, but the poor

the

at

Then, fearing

trot.

wife

had

wept and

called

"'

agony.

all these

facts

numerous

show

the

existence

of

between
These
psychic currents
living human
beings ?
proofs are of the highest importance for the knowledge which
ure
we
are
seeking to obtain by these investigationsof the natthe faculties

and
Here

is another

of the

XXVII.

31st of
"

guard, found
fancy seized
As

he

have
reason

document

soul.

of the

kind

same

; in this way

Lasseron, registrarat Chatellerault, writes

M.
date

human

another.

confirms

one

of the

was

himself
him

go

arms,

him

give for

'

in

to

under

in his head, and

1894

attorney, who

An

permitted
to

January,

in

Annales

to

the

do

his absence.

spiteof

the

des sciences

2iJiVZ, 1894,

belonged to the national

Suddenly the
guard room.
without
notifying any one.
the

even
so

the

home

not

under

head

of

besides,he
It

was

had

277

no

crochet

prisonwhich

1893,
psycJiiques,

p. 268.

the

post

sufficient
which

threatened

p. 331.

could

was

him

UNKNOWN

THE

(he would
breach
a

nnder

be

he
discipline)

of

for

arrest

week

laid aside

in consequence

his gun

and

of this
home

went

at

run.
*'

arriving he

On

in attendance

doctors

of age, who

years

complaint
The

"

in the

married

afterwards

the

the

that

only

to

the

escape

of

penalty

of

the

in

of this

"

in Paris

in the

Eue

de

Kennes,

to

duce
pro-

recovered.

She

judge, who

told

she

died

before

in

prison,and

it

was

strange fact in telesLaisseron",

Registrar at

Guinard, hospital surgeon

Aim"

This
.

strongest iniluence

thesia.

Dr.

daughter, six

seemed

; and

week

in consideration

remitted

child

brother-in-law

extraordinary occurrence
reaching her twenty-fifthyear.
to
"It
was
employ
necessary
order

father

of the

of this

me

by

town.

favorable

so

of her

ill of croup.

dangerously

unexpected appearance
reaction

in tears, surrounded

the sick-bed

upon

was

not

was

his wife

found

Paris, now

at

living
following (October,

the

narrates

Ch"tellerault."

1891) :
XVIII.

"

employing
from

me

The
is

one

in the

dentist
of my

whom

I have

friends, who

been

lives at

quartierde l'Op"ra.

As

the

in

some

his

habit

of

distance

practice has

considerablyincreased, and as I have not the leisure to wait

in his waiting-room, I made
to ask
a long time
up my mind
M. Martial
of one
of my colleagues,
attention
some
Lagrange,
whose

office is

few

steps from

my

house.

not on
give these details in order to show that I was
him
I had, in fact, met
of intimacy with the latter.
terms
for the first time the beginning of this year.
to bed,
of September I went
One evening in the month
o'clock in the
two
usual, about half-pasteleven ; towards
as
unbearable
the most
seized with
toothache,
morning I was
awake
all the rest of the night. The
and I remained
pain
it
sufficient to keep me
awake, but not enough to make
was

"'I

"

impossiblefor
about

to finish

me
an

to

think

article

on

of

my

the
278

current

affairs.

surgicaltreatment

As
of

was

cancer

PSYCHIC

stomach, I passed

of the
this

mental

work

time

iu

to go

as

soon

it

as

of

paroxysm

lightto

was

meditatingon
chapter. My

last

making a plan for my

often interruptedby a

was

I resolved

the

part of

in

subject and

and

ACTION

find M.

pain,

Martial

Lagrange, in order to have the aching tooth extracted.

I call specialattention
to the following point; During
that long period of sleeplessnessmy
clusively
thoughts had been ex"

concentrated
the

intensitybecause

more

stillness

and

cuticle,
where

my
"

darkness

on

of the

the

upon

everythingaround
night) that is,on

of

"

aching

tooth.

Towards

ten

of

just spoken

o'clock

in the

cancer

the tumor

extirpationof

dentist

subjects (and with

two

surgicaltreatment

the

I treat

and

these

on

of and

me

part of
the

bistoury;
of

extraction

I arrived

morning

my

stomach,

of the

the

in the

was

one

by

all

tist's
den-

in the

M.
Martial
and
as
soon
as
Lagrange
waiting room,
How
raised the porti"reof his cabinet, he cried :
strange !
I dreamed
of you all last night.'
"I answered
him, jokingly: 'I hoj)e,at least, that your
dream
concerned
not very disagreeable,
was
although I was
-

'

in it.'

Indeed,' he

*''

in the

cancer

that you
"

was

I affirm

to open

that

M.

a
"

friend

give

second

or

most

that

he is

man

very emotional.
the fact in all its
third

in it.

was

to

it.'

absolutely
particular

studying this

for six

cure

months, and

had

we

common,

I will add
and

"

in

was

nightmare; I had
possessedwith the idea

in order
my abdomen
Martial
Lagrange was

ignorant that the night before I

him
question ; I had only known
not

horrible

stomach, and

going

were

Now,

said, 'it

hand, since

Is it

of about

pathic,
forty five,neuro-

simplicity; it is not
it was
I, myself, who

simple coincidence

This

seems

recital at
was

cerned
con-

to

me

improbable.

*'Is it not

rather

an

observation

corroborating authentic

is noteworthy in it was
telepathy ? What
own
my
the mind
condition
the evening before, and
of the dentist,
which
influenced or affected by suggestion during sleep.
was
cases

of

279

UNKNOWN

THE

*'It is
ages, when
must

ears

facts of

has

saying,which

common

some

who

one

burn.'

is absent

probably

is under

existed

discussion, His

Is it

possiblethat this saying

telepathyanalogous to my own ?"
of this kind

Observations

of recent

not

are

for
'

date

is based

on

Here

only.

friend, Dr. Maexperiment reported by my lamented

:
cario, in his most interestingbook. Le Sommeil
XXIX.
One
evening Dr. Grosmer, after having put an
to sleep by hypnotism, asked
the woman's
hystericalwoman
to make
husband
to permit him
an
experiment and see what
utteringa word, he took her to the open
happened. Without
The
sick woman
was
sea
mentally, be it understood.
quiet
the hypnotizer raised
as
long as the water was calm; but soon
is

an

"

"

tempest in his

fearful

piercing cries

utter

began to
objects;

of their

progress

and

on

to

surrounding

subdued

the

storm

in

'

did

too

am

wish

'because
to her

indicate

much
to

let

impressed us

exclamation

to

the

mind

of

'

again,'she cried, an

sea

not

returned

ration
although she still displayed a rapid respiNever
trembling in all her limbs.

nervous

to

me

who

hold

he

Then

subsidence, calm

somnambulist,

take

to

woman

the violence of the

thoughts by degrees,and reduced
They ceased to agitatethe ship,and, followingthe

own

waves.

the

and

sick

played
voice, her tears, the expression of her face dis-

her

overpowering terror.
his

the

thoughts,and

own

afraid

; and

come

up

us

so

much

not

uttered

the nature

of the

I had

instant
that
on

the

after,with
miserable

the

ment
excite-

captain

bridge !'

more,' said M.

'

This

mer,
Gros-

single word which could

experiment which I intended
a

to make.'"

reports the following experiments :

to be sold, by process
of law, in a vilXXX.
A field was
lage
in the neighborhood of Paris.
Nobody put in a bid for
it was
cause
exceedingly low, beit,although the value set upon
in the possession of a certain
Father
the field was
considered
by the peasants to be a dangerous
G., Avho was
L.,
magician. After long hesitation a farmer named
to bid, and
tempted by the cheapness of the land, ventured
Dr.

Macario

also

"

became

the

possessor

of it.
380

PSYCHIC
"The

his

singingto

went

It

his eyes.

was

that

field

The

farmer

words:

he

not

was

sinister

slioulder,
object met
fastened

was

'If you put your

spade into
and torment
you in the night/

began to work in
In spite of himself

and

cross,

brave.

very

his

on

to which

cross,

spectre will come

overtur.ned the

but

ground,

wooden

these

containing

paper

spade

property, when

new

his

this man,

morning

next

ACTION

the
he

He
to him.
spectre which had been announced
left his work, returned
home, and went to bed ; but his nerves

thought of

the

he

overexcited, and

were
saw

tall,white

^'

The

farmer
had

apparition
seized

was

with

into the
Father

G.

He

him

had

to

related
the

declared

spell upon

vision which

doctor, who

illness,and

thrown

the

had

him.

obliged the latter to appear before the mayor

The
and
magician admitted
village,
questioned him.
his own
about
night at midnight he walked
every
in

continued

been

seen

only

XXXI.

so,

this

by

he

left

to

of

purpose

threatened

being

off.

The

The
of the
that
house

tormenting

Avitli arrest

the

if he

apparitionsceased,

his health."

walking

peasant whose

that
an

for the

sorcerer,

attempt

remark
upon
Dr.

On

recovered

could

will not

rests

do

to

the farmer

How

We

sheet

of his field.

owner

and

white

quired
in-

his conviction

doctor

dressed

The

succeeding nights.

on

fever.

of his

cause

field,'

my

returned

possessionof

taken

that

back

me

At

sleep.

not

his

figureenter

him, it said, 'G-ive

midnight he
chamber, and, approaching

could

house

explain

it is not

this

without

about

his

house, have

nearly a mile off ?

We
will
phenomenon.
precedent, and that it
was

unimpeachable authority
"

that

of the

brated
cele-

K"camier.
''M.

E"camier

coming from Bordeaux, and

when
travellingthrough a villagein a post-chaise,one of the
wheels
of his carriage threatened
to come
off.
They drove
to the house
of the wheelwright, which
at hand.
was
near
But this man
ill in bed, and
to send
forced
was
they were
for one
of his acquaintances who
lived in the neighboring
to be repaired, M.
village. While
waiting for the wheel
E"camier
entered
the house
of the sick peasant, and
put
was

281

UNKNOWN

THE

him

questions to

some

that

answered

wheelwright
of sleep. He

the

on

of his

canse

his

illness

illness.

The

from

proceeded

lack

sleep because a tinker who lived at

he had refused
the other end of the village,and to whom
to
his daughter, prevented him
by knocking all night
marry
long on his kettles.
"The
doctor sought out the tinker, and asked him, without
any preamble :
"

not

knock

you

all

prevent Nicholas

"'To
the

do

Why

'

could

night on

from

kettles

your

?'

be sure/

sleeping,to

replied

tinker.

"'How

Nicholas

can

half from

I take

"M.
his

the

R"camier

peacefully.
the

"In

On

which

had

him

with

the

accompanying

E"camier

whose

attributed

strength was

Noizet,

written

tions.
occupa-

narration

to

of this
of the

power

ignorant peasant.
extraordinary

an
seem

and

earnest

most

have

who

his

most

rate
accu-

magnetism, reports

on

following story.'

"About
house

1843

of

the first time

which
Paris

"l l'Acad"mie

sur

to

that
was,

I had

been

however,

I have

not

le somnambulisme

de Berlin, et

publi"

spend

where

present
of

et le
avec

283

accepted ;
kind

one

en

the

it

was

bition,
exhiin the

since.

magn"tisme animal,
additions

of

occurrence

part in

at

of the wonders

this

at

common

taken

evening

an

some

displayed.

be

to

were

salons, and

M"moire

invited

was

old comrades,

of my

one

of somnambulism

'

of the

one

ner,
man-

yet understood, and

not

phenomenon, however, will not

understand
who
hypnotism."

of the authors
the

discontinue

it to the

spontaneously revealed

been

General

and

malicious

followingnight the
he resumed
days afterwards

The
to those

mile

prosecutionif the
wheelwright slept

the

observations

experience.Dr.

should

the tinker

threatened

and

Some

will, a force

me.'

that

insisted

died.

man

peasant, smiling in

he hears

that

care

knocking,

sick

he lives

when

you

?'

here

"'Oh,' answered
'

hear

1854.

adresse

en

1820

THE
which

put myself

if she
'''After

could

the purpose

the

the

She

she

the

about
there

day.
difficulty,

where

I had

hesitation,to the
been
her

simply for
where

I had

answered, still correctly,by

the

Pont

what
Royal. 'And
?'
You
into the cliateau.'
went
By which staircase ?
it the one
in the middle
?'
No, it was by that in the
the entrance.'
At this point she became
near
puzzled
the staircases,and
they are reallyvery confusing, for
several : the grand staircase in use
at the ]3avilIon
are
at

near

quay,

'

Flore, and

the

staircase

the

landing-places,and

to another.

Then

officers.

were

You

she took

It

was

'A

tall young
man
this young
man?'
it is the

It is not
in

sons

Due

is it the Due

her

it

that

got into

How

was

alone

not

him.'

'Which

one?'

Due

de

Nemours

know.'

and
?'

'

'

'Backwards,
there

seat.'

'Try.'

'Who

After

the

left.'

'Were

another

large gentleman
gentleman?' 'I

this

the back

know, I do

the

hiai.'
'Where
'I do not know
prince'saide-de-cmnp.''
You
And
then ?'
You
followed
the river.'
we
go?'
into a large ch"teau,'
that ch"teau?'
'I do
What
was
atLook
trees before coming to it.'
know
; there were

that

her, 'I

said, 'It

not

not

does

we

the

went

that

prince.'

and

know

to

this?'

the

not

said

I told

after

reflection,she

some

Mont-

was

did

!' I
king.' 'What
king sat forwards ;

de

king's

know.'

No, with

was
was

was

know.'

not

of the

'And

the

on

?'

carefully.'

Due

'I do not

carriage.' Alone?'

front

the

then

'Who

Look
'I do

Montpensier.

carriage?' 'No,

the

what

only two

are

one

rez-de-chauss"e.

And

'

with

there

where

spoke with you.'

de Nemours

I seated?'
the

in
on

do

the

was

'

know

not

de

the

on

me.

at all difficult to tell ; there

pensier;
'You

I do

king's son.'

Paris, the

large hall

said to

who

came,
'

into

me

waiting-room

expected,'she

were

'Ah,

king's apartments,
the steps leadingfrom

to

their various

'

quired
in-

'

corner

'

her

persisted,asking

Tuileries,and

the

with

answered, without

walk.

her, and

during

'

Was

'

done

could, however, easilyhave

of

entrance

then

I had

with

details,obtained
insignificant
disposal of my morning, I asked

Tuileries,which
entered

in connection

once

tell what

after luncheon.

gone

de

at

some

to the

as

UNKNOWN

not

likely.'

seem
'

Ah, well, it
'

'

'

'

284

seat,
'

gentleman.'

'

on

I do
was

PSYCHIC

ought

tentively;you
continue

from
description,

shining

stars
'

There

tables?'

on

large tables

were

1 could

there.'

which

'Something

flat ?'

did

What

You

something.
with

got

Then, after
'

from.'

came

you

the

had

prince

'

to

me

tirely
en-

they were
seen.

showed

You
out

thing
some-

correct.
perfectly

was

away.

said

left

des Invalides.'
at

me

my

her

to

She

we

then,

place
and

we

tle
lit-

then

added

door, which

own

those

never

pointed

saw

not

ought to recognize the

she, as though astonished

confused, 'it is the H"tel

that

you
item

remarkable

drove

Ah,' said

'

tables ?'

chair, and

carriageand

these

she

on

that

me

me

gave

great deal of hesitation,she said that

backwards

Look

on

to tell

in order

was

doubt, she had

no

at

This

stick.'

got into

then,

do

we

her

know

not

was

high,but

not

induce

not

what

And

'

was

plans in relief,things which,

'

I do

question, and I said to her,

she
in a large hall !' Then
were
her imagination, of a hall where
white
she said
ground. Then

You

'

recognizeit.' 'No,

to

this

it.' I abandoned
to

ACTION

was

true.

Although

"

this

struck

scene

me

the

phenomena

great deal, and

speciesof divination
faculty enabling her

the
to

familiar with

was

read

impressionsstill existingin my brain.

the only explanationI can
give."
Here

is

XXIII.

baths

directed

and

the
"

This

"The
he

was

asked
As

an

seemed

master

of the

me

old
one

I avoided

Thereupon

years

that

that he intended

him

he
some

was

the

for the
in the Rue

mind

to be

author.

same

advised

de la

pain,
Victoire,

to

reasonable, and

I followed

establishment

if he
very

day

was

and

manners

recommended
said:

'Was

knew

that

desirous

to go
385

and

see

me

relief of

conducted.

me

in

or

well

were

tribute
at-

bulist
somnam-

they

day who had

answering, he

I asked

the

where

of frank

man

only

continues

somnambulist

ago

establishment

in Paris

one

advice

an

'no,' but

to

me

only

two

bulism,
somnam-

can

my

This

dry sulphuricvapor

of

in

experience reported by

About

"

to take

as

second

displayed by
to

of

it.

great talker,and
He

appearance.

his baths
it not

to

Madame

me.

D. ?'

lady. He answered
of knowing her, and
her, because

she

had

UNKNOWN

THE

done

him

what

he

told

Some

"

service

just happened
go. to consult
there
returned

to me,
a

Try

baths.

were

Where

find out."

also relates to you.

in regard to my

after

long absence.
are
getting very

''You

ordinary baths; they

did

you

"At

in
what

46, but

number

establishment; it
AU

illness,and
As

as

soon

much

I
she

better;

"

go

take

to

"Ah, I know; it was

beyond."

I sometimes

to

not

It is not

at

been

put yourselfin such good condition ?"

!" I said to her.
You
have taken baths,

find out

to

they

but

said:

done

you

somnambulist

she

is

giving the baths for some

'Something very astonishinghas

which

yesterday

recognized me
"

day

one

Here

very extraordinary manner.

the matter:
he had

to whom

to him

have

about

me

one

time, said

what

in

Rue

the

number
the

"

Try

is not

of the third

details

the

more.'"

once

house

in

the

in

court,

street

It is

"

same

the

on

rez-

perfectlyexact.'
"I spoke of this fact to the somnambulist
during her sleep,
ference,
of perfect indifand she confirmed
a tone
it,using, moreover,
that I
astonished
and what
in regard to her was
me
she disliked,from
knew
habit, doubtless, to give her attention
sick people. In the above
concerned
to anything except what
her."
consulted
case, she had read in the brain of the lady who
trand
is a still more
curious
Here
fact reported by Dr. Berde-chauss"e."

these

?"

end

vards.
side of the boule-

Provence, but

bathing

is at the

the other

on

de

these

dry sulphur
baths?"
"Try to
were

were

"A

XXXIV.

mysticalideas

hypnotizerwho
had a subjectwho

was

very

saw

much

with

imbued

only angels and

spirits

firm
during sleep; these visions served to conthe hypnotizer more
and
in his religiousbelief.
more
He always quoted the dreams
of his subject in support of his
ance
system, and, consequently,another magnetizer of his acquaintundertook
to enlighten him
by showing him that his
subjecthad no visions except what he himself conveyed to her,

of different

the .form

because
order
see

in

kinds

to

prove

reunion

of

this
of the

delusion
he

existed

undertook

to

in his
make

mind.

own

the

same

at taile,and
angels in 2JCiradise

eatinga turhey.
286

In

subject
engaged

PSYCHIC
He

"

the

put

subjectto sleep,therefore, and at the end of

asked
her if she did not see something extraordinary.

he

time

some

ACTION

The

subject

answered

them."

before

Aside

remarkable

these

from

kind,

same

concur

It has

be

sleepby the
hypnotic trances,

under

to

same

persuaded of

of the

if he feels the action

feel

does

it,and

surrounded

luminous

On

etc.

azure,

sleep by

to

Those

who

are

that

he

do
no

magnetic
with

to

believe

in

prayers,

and

time

them

had

with

inhabited

can

ideas,and,

purgatory,

be
above

see

with

converse

Protestants

is very

see

never
no

do

holy
them

demons
make

and

served
ob-

believed

world,

bodies.

human

the

These

infernal

filled those

gions,
re-

who

Catholics, who

admiration.

souls

exists.

Somnambulists

secrets.

ghosts spoke of -what passed in paradiseor in

and repeated a thousand
which
stories,

There

them

fluid

Swedenborgian Society of Stockholm

entirelj''
inspired by spiritsfrom another

some

tizer
hypno-

the existence

the

themselves

listened

the

sees

admit

not

communicate

to

come

that

answers

ing,
shinatmosphere, sometimes
the other hand, subjectswho

that

revelations,or bring them

for

precisely

are

men
sleepby superstitious

to

put

angels,who
by

ideas

ideas

same

fluid,the latter

who

persons

special fluid,assert

any

Ihose

in addition

states

by

sometimes

put

that

the

have

person

and

all

subjects.
subjects who

hypnotizer. Thus, when a hypnotizer,who is

ject
the existence
of a magnetic fluid,asks his sub-

those of their

who

others

many

their

perceivedby

instance, that

observed, for

been

put

them

from

opinions,of hypnotizerscan

and

facts,and

of general observations
great number
in proving that the ideas, and
more
especiallythe

of the

of

bly
assem-

'

they had

are

great

saw

angels. And what are they doing ?' said the hypnoing.'
They are gathered around a table and they are eatThe
subject was not able, however, to tell what dish

tizer.

he

she

'

of

are

that

and
begging for masses
by hypnotism and spiritualism.

so.

doubt, then,

as

to the

transmission

of the

of hypnotizers. But
all,of the opinions,

singularthat hypnotizers,who
the influence which

have

their will exercises

287

it

perfectlyrecognized
over

these

sub-

UNKNOWN

THE

since the observation

of artificial somnambulism
jects ever
have
been
so
discovering the
began, should
long without
The
of ideas.
ignorance
phenomenon of the transmission
this subject
still display on
of them
which
a
great many

is

of the

one

which

causes

have

thrown

into

them

tion
exaggera-

bestowing absolute confidence

th m in regard to all the
subjects,they interrogate
have
which
invented, and as the
they themselves

and
their

while

for

error,

on

tems
sysswers
an-

subjects always agree with these systems, the

absurd
most
certainty for them, and this
opinions become
removed
from
the
and further
results in their being further
of their

truth.
has

Sympathy

admitted

been

is void

Nevertheless, the word

believe

in the

two

human

beings can

few

persons

meaning
each

not

had

occasion

the

questions of sympathy

other.

is

world
studied

we

be

in the

are

as

the

There

which
are

ity.
affin-

exist.

The

physicalworld, only it

tween
be-

psychic

has

been

of inferior

condition

intelligencelike

animals
But

of

psychicenergy,

who

have

what

not

admitting that this force, like all others, acts

would
be most
?
Tlie point which
curious and

act

at

would

distance

have

We

be

that

; for that

already said

ours.

if existent

this force
would

be

hundre

'.

yet

difficultyis

there

inadmissible

less

the

an

distance

very

and

evolved
in

do

remark, in the

to

present time.
that, as regards manifestations

to

up

It may

real

as

who

communication

souls, does

between

periods.

influence

over

have

and

all

for those

mysterious

Thought transmission, harmonious

brains

at

one

every

exert

lives,on

of their

course

of

and
reciprocal

not

who

by

should

at

most
not

unique paradox.

times

that

it is

strange

profound ignorance,to suppose that

in actual movement
there exist around
us
only those forces
are
we
are
evidentlyvery
capableof perceiving. Our senses
the sum
of what
they transmit to us
compare
gross, if we
of that which
with the probable mass
we
are
ceiving.
incapable of re-

presumption,not

We

to say

know

that

there

exist

currents, magnetic attractions,and

we

wholly fail

to

colors, sounds, electric

repulsions

perceive; yet
288

we

are

whose

able

to

ence
existrecord

ACTION

PSYCHIC

their action

by

surround

with
?

us

with

should

regard ourselves

not

we

not

we

consideringall

in

in infinite and

being

as

Are

apparatus.

another, in accordance

one

And

delicate

scientific data

actual

by
justified
which

of

means

bodies

established

tions
rela-

all forms

of
in

caught

as

ergy
enan

tions,
acnet, and pressed upon by all these reciprocal
calorific,electric,and attractive,to say nothing of

inextricable

derived

infiuences

other

only
we

'apparentto

are

the

issuing from

and

Again, this

author

not

derstand
un-

tions
grossestmanifesta-

there

evolution

is

doubt

no

of
that

certain

of these whirlwinds

tions
vibra-

of

action

insensible.

are

we

that

the

impressed by

be

midst

reaction,to which

of

the

H"ricourt, that

organisms pursues its course,

some
beings already begin to
and

which

do

we

us.

M.

say, with

may

which

forces

dynamic actions, of

"

But

from

the

that

surprisingphenomena of
in hypnotized persons
action at a distance, observed
that is
who
have undergone a sort of experimental
to say, in persons
in which
certain parts of the nerdisturbance
of equilibrium,
vous
says

"

system

of other

expense

of the

"

meaning

between

which

After

not

in

increased
at the
sensibility
ing
guide us to an understandof the

which

which

phenomenon

will

is

no

doubt

of
act

athy.
telepas

positiveto-day and

the
that

of to-morrow.

been

said, it is

fact of communication

no

between

longer possible to
brains
(certainly

specialconditions). Thoughts, ideas, images,impressions

can

be transmitted.
said that

is sometimes

metaphor
A

science

has

to

nature

phenomena

the

all that
the

doubt

and

be the science

may

their

ought

parts

It is these

bridge

to have

appear

is

certain

experiments

Brains
"certain

centres

are

ideas

are

of radiation.

in the

air," and

It

the

reality.

number
on

of

have tried to make

exact
investigators
Those of MM.
thought transmission.
Richet,

H"ricourt, Guthrie, Lodge, Sclimoll, Desbeaux, W. M. Pickering,

and
be found
in their special publicaothers, can
tions,
which
These

extend

establish

as

far back

that numbers

often
reproduced sufficiently
T

as

have
to show
289

the years
been

the

and

1883

guessed

and

of
reality

1884.

designs

the

trans-

THE

mission.

In

the

recorded
number

Kichet's

M.

789

gave

their

value.

and
of

being 17,653
exceeded

articles,for instance, 2997

successes

results

these

UNKNOWN

probabilities.M.
of experiments,

732

series

17

; in these

the number

the

successes

ments
experiMaillier
the

total

4760, and

were

of

In June,
probabilities
by 347.
27 complete successes
of
out
1886, Miles Wingfield obtained
400 experiments with
figures,the probabilities
being oniy 4.
These
experiments,althouglithey are not conclusive, have

played as

I know

that there

stage, and

the

thought transmission
in salons and
by prestidigitators
are
simple and ingenious tricks

amusement

an

that

well

very

I have
than
this purpose.
more
in the seances of the brothers
But

their rivals.

we

in Avhich

here

are

the

taken

once

on

for

ure
j)artwith pleasCazeneuve, and

Isola, De

with

concerned

is

experimentershave

scientific
intention

no

periments
ex-

of

deceiving.
I will cite the
learned

My

colleague and
which

of works

made,
XXXV.

On

"

professorin

the

experiment

in the

"1

of which

the

of

Monsieur

which

I took

up

any

G.

about

stood

should
"At

"

Now

that

see

the

end

had

himself

I caused

be seated

which

It

Monsieur
in

was

are

transcribed:

0.,

obscure

an

to whom

man

his eyes

four

yards
lamps.

two

noise

this kind
nine

bandaged

o'clock
and

his

from

him, before

tle
lit-

EXPERIMENT

and

Monsieur

without

I held

attention

my

O. is

thor
au-

the wall.

object and

an

he has

the

esteemed, has

experiments

May, 1891,

"FIRST

"Without

and

absolutelyunknown.

was

towards

on

23d

Monsieur

placed myself

table

curious

physicalsciences, to

evening.

face turned

admired

account

of the salon.

corner

example :
friend, Emile Desbeaux,
an

both

are

others, the

among

quoted, the

here

of

followingas

it in the
it.

upon

G-.'s knowledge

brightlight.

I willed

that

Monsieur

centrated
con-

G.

object.
of four

that

he

the

object was

saw

and

metallic
a

half minutes

Monsieur

G.

nounced
an-

dish.

silvei' spoon,
290

little coffee spoon,

THE

been

minutes.

minimum

The

successful.

most

thirteen

UNKNOWN

Out

of

length

hundred

one

thirty failed, twenty-two

results

gave

more

and

time

of

was

twenty-one

succeeded,

periments
ex-

sixty-nine

less successful.

or

investigationsshow that the mind can perceive

the aid of material
vision.
and comprehend without
This
are
theory of psychic currents, which
capable of
transmitting cerebral impressions and even
thought to other
All

these

brains

at

which
have

you

fiftyto

have

before

hitherto

more

with

insistence,and

your

will turn

look

and

not

at

less attentive

on

musical

soir"e,
Fix

women.

your

will

them, project your

of

one

minutes

will pass before she

is attributed
to
coincidence

many
This

at you.

served
ob-

inexplicable.For example,

theatre, or

or

thoughts

eyes

and

been

the

at

you

hundred

of the facts

distance, explainsa great number

chance, and very often correctly,but not always ; the success

of it dejDcndson the operator and on the subject. Other
amples
exwhich
with

at
"

at the

talk, you

the

at

passing along
this

five minutes

''

of

Quand

kind

you
afterwards

parle
just been

coincidences

have

du

So-and-So."

; you

had

recognizeone

mental

of mind

he

are

to

"

are

pose
Sup-

his

in

approach.

another, and
You

person.
the

present time

all these

chance, a stupid,vulgar,

occur,

readers
t292

You

proverb :
examples of this

did away

-reading

same

afterwards

felt

Numerous

attributed

the

moment

very
; hence

to the

had

yourself:

person

appears

loup."

suggestion. Attentive

occur-

You

thought.

that

meet

you

has

to

say

which
explanation,
investigation.
cases

for

intention.

same

you

commonplace
Some

thought

your

given. Up

been

of mutual

answers

you

and

one,

some
on

have

passes

think

Again, you
speak

M.

uncommon

mother, who

street, and

meet

person

very

the

it is not

question,you make a reflection:

band,
so,"and your wife, or your hus-

your

moment,
the

and

say thus

same

I should

put

sister,or

your

when

with

and

irregularcorrespondence

an

other, because

time

same

going to

am

or

idea

each

cross

table, you
I

are

sympathetic person,

letters to

ing

cited

be

may

with

which

all

are

will have

reason

not

due

for

to

already re-

ACTION

PSYCHIC

several

curious

example
its

guaranties of
Angers :
XXXVII.

this kind, observed

of

Here

chapter.
in

is

child

very
Dr.

by

by that scientist,togetherwith
authenticity^to the Societyof Medicine at

communicated

Quintard, and

this

in

these

of

marked

Ludovic

"

X. is

child

of rather less than

seven

quick,bright,robust, and in excellent health.

is absolutelyfree from
He
defect ; and
his
nervous
any
from
a
neuropathoparents are equallyfree from suspicion,
logical
point of view. They are people of calm temperament,
of

years

who

know
At

"

follow

in

well

steps of the

the

however, this child appeared

she

did.

Inaudi.

celebrated

teach

to

him

the

Soon

to

mother

His

the

multiplication-table,
that he recited it
surprise,

without

perceived,not
as

of life.

excesses

of five years,

at this time

she

and

of the

nothing

the age

wished

as

age,

little

boy, getting

excited

by

with a formidable
began to make multiplications
head.
Indeed, they had
multiplier,out of his own
tion,
only to read him a problem,taken by chance out of a collecFor examjDle,
and he would
give the solution at once.
the

amusement,

this

"'If

-five

twenty

pocket,I should have

francs fortycentimes.
"

Hardly

the

was

exactly fifteen
this other
end
"

the

diameter

distance

"

The

I have

reflect,answered

to

the

than

that

forty-fivecentimes.

from

the

among

my

?'

I have

out
child, withit would

They

then

difiScult ones

more

in

less five

now,

that

amount

finished

statement

put

were

be
took

at the

book:

of

equals 24,000
in leagues.'
"

what

is the

What

francs

problem

of the
'The

three times

taking time

even

fiftycentimes

francs

child

of the
the

earth

earth

terrestrial

from

equals 6366 kilometres

the

diameters.

; find

knowing that it
Express this distance
sun,

without

chattering
hesitation,in his little,
voice, the requiredsolution, 38,196,000 leagues.
This

gave

child's father,

'

Annales

being

des sciences

otherwise

occupied, gave

psychiques,1894, p.
293

325.

at

UNKNOWN

THE

only partialattention
length,however, his interest
first

his

to

son's

became

achievements.

aroused, and

At
he

as

is

something of an observer, at least by profession,he was not

tention,
long in remarking: First,that the child paid very little atsometimes

and

problem. Second, that

condition
indispensable
asked

From

for.

calculate

not

her

under

have

always

this

all,to the

at

none

his

mother, whose

to the

the father

concluded

that

or, in other

tliouglit
reading on his mother,
certifyhimself in regard to this.

to

what

she

page

had

to

This

times

ten

did

son

the father

Therefore
ask

he

her

son

boy answered at
The
experiment

correct.

was

repeated ten times, and

was

the

eyes, and

his

and

and
dictionary,

open
her
under

456.'

It is page

'

once,

X.

Madame

begged

an

words, he practised

the art of
resolved

was

presence

experiment, must
thoughts the solution

in her

or

eyes

the

of the

success

all,but divined,

at

reading of

obtained

they

lar
simi-

result.

child, who

The

'^

sorcerer!

with

numbers

on

nail

her

any

questionedwould
written

was

faculty of

whatever
the

name

If

alone.
in

word

passed under

double

vision

Madame

X.

long

it

If

that

put
was

the

was

marked

the maternal

for word

or

the

it

was

eyes for the

asked

when

phrase, the number,

phrase

might be,

of

necessary

book, the child when

stranger ; and he displayedno appearance

that he had accomplisheda tour de force. Nor

be

become

now

underlined.

note-book, however

repeat the phraseword

to

by

even

it

word

for it to have

sufficient
child

in

mathematician, had

his remarkable

But

exercised

not

was

to do

so

ing
suspect-

was

word

it

even

should

in liis mind
to succeed
reading,
paper; for the son
should
his
be fixed in
mother's
sufficient that anything
on

thought.
the

"But
in

society.

hidden, without

was
was

it.

what

asked

them,

He

He

another.

boy's greatesttriumph was in his displays

guessed all the cards in a game, one after
hesitation
whatever
ject
obdesignated without

little

even

But

to

were

the

his

the
dates

wliere the child

knowledge, in

contents
on
was

the

of

purse,

pieces of

money

drawer.
he

would

give

contained

amusing
particularly
294

If he

was

in

in his

Repro"luction.

Feproduction.

ATTEMPTS

AT

REPRODUCTION
TRANSMISSION

OP

DRAWINGS

BY

MENTAL

PSYCHIC

translation

ACTION

of

foreignlanguages; he gave
understanding English, Spanish, and

of
At

last

Latin

friend

of the
'

phrase:

Lupus

It will be
to be

currebat

sine

perfectly.
meaning of the

the

pedibiossiuis.'

general satisfaction.
everybody's mouth."

in
that

seen

there

in these

observed

him

appearance

Greek

it to the

boy translated
littleprodigy was

of

family asked

every

are

The

The

tle
lit-

name

distinctions

great many

investigations.Mind

reading in this
done without
last experiment was
suggestion. The phenomena
of suggestionare
produced by the penetration of the
idea of the experimenterinto the brain of the subject. In
which
to obtain suggestion in the case
order
now
occupies
us,

it would

be necessary

establish

to

in

the

mother

tain
cer-

of luill-jjoioer
psychic concentration, a certain amount
to the success
of the experiment. The thought
indispensable
reading in this case was frequently accomplishedagainsther

short, there

will.

In

When

this child

his

observed
her

had

He

was

with

transmission
from

letter

that
did

the

reader

to learn

to read

the
her

exercise

not

greatest
the

of

"Will

have

weaker

care,

teaching him,

no

progress

either

der
un-

judgment

I received

Annales,

permit

an

which

or

the

following

proves

to

lutely
abso-

to

bring

assiduous

fact
interesting

an

was

month

(December, 1898)

in the

last

from

day

unimpaired,and

to

it

phenomenon
"I

in earnest,

in

reader

telepathywhich

recentlywitnessed.

"Last
who

you

knowledge

to your

of

made

son

justifythe precedingreflections
XXXVIII.

task

shield.

comprehended everything. A thousand

were
requiredto achieve the desired object.
studying these experiments on
thought

ingenious devices
I

side to the

he

because

While

another

undertaken

annoyance

tuition.

memory,

always
enough

old

was

mother, who
with

is

had

seen

and

my
her

stage

of

I attended

acute

an

day, although her

was

the

day

an

illness.
mental

aged lady,
She

became

faculties

before her death

were

that the following

occurred.

patientin
mental

the

morning.

faculties

295

were

not

She

talked

in the

least

sonably,
reafeebled.
en-

UNKNOWN

THE

"Towards
I

spoke of
'I

"

give me

indeed/

have

"'The

think

I met

friend with

house

for the

to rent

the

on

friend

said to

me

spring. Can

you

subject?'

answered.

who

'You

informed

than

are

master-

I in such

entirelyalone, and

were

whom

matter.'

no

could

one

conversation.

our

which

Madame

P.

friend, 'pleasesme

my
her

of

we

house

continued

live

this moment

overheard

day

things. Suddenly this

be better

ought to
At

that

information

any

"'No,
**

different

looking for

am

mason

o'clock

one

condition

patient)lives in/

(my

much.

very

What

say it is very

They

do

bad.

Can

you
she

long T

"

'It is
she

case,

impossibleto say/

has

lease,which

answered, evasively. 'In any

to her

reverts

heirs in

of her

case

decease.'
"

all events

At

'

I will wait

few

days

and

I will

then

see

owner.'

the

Our

"

conversation

to the

the

patientor to
speak to any one

did not

here.

ceased

No

more

I know

house, and

of his

said in

was

friend

that my

the

plans during

gard
re-

of the

course

day.
Now,

"

said to

me

towards
the

visit to

Madame

P. the

sick-nurse

patientwanders,

our

mid-day.

house

with

several

me

evening

my

'Doctor,

"

to

on

She

the

asked

times, 'I have

of
a

least,she did wander

if any

me

intention

or, at

had

one

rentingit.

lease; what

'

to

come

see

For,' she said

could

they want

of

?'

me

this

'"And
'"I

was

all ?'

absolutelynothing

understood

it,'added

about

the

nurse.
"

Neither

the

maid

nor

any

any knowledge of my friend's

lierself could
have
not
known
intuition
"

became

was

in

regard

to them

convinced, and
aware

in

one

around

plans ;

therefore

them,

through
I remain

the sick

nor

the
so

the sick

have

had

woman
woman

received

any

exterior world.

that Madame
still,

P.

alone of our
versation
conby telepathiccommunication
the morning.
The time at Avhich she 'wandered'
296

belonging to him,

UNKNOWN

liis

his
epaulettes,

sabre, and

his

Honor,

THE

forth

so

; and

whip belonging to the period when

It had
Polytechnique,or at Metz.

he had

had

I had

for

never

dared

dissuaded
"There
of

were

the

else could

any

one

should

between

said to

of

drawer

souvenir

of your

mother

the

is the

"This

of your

'

ask

It is

it;

nor

that

were

the

door,

her

put

in the

how

she

was,

wish

for

your

in the

est
low-

away

it will

be

valued

we

it

for

you

highly,and

die.'

cross,

of which

occurrence

she

her, almost

Louis, you

brother, who
the

remarks

left
to

Take

to

cal
dropsi-

impossiblethat

opening

had

time

voice

well.

as

bed, in

was

the

door

myself.

we

had

is about

sign of

it

and,

as

bureau.

who

made

her

to

give it to you.

my

double

"She

feeble

; I

whip

brother's

1 had

room

Neither

and

us,

room,

in her bed

in

me

heard

her

to

mother.

chambers, and

movement.

Avife and

my

in her

dying

was

clung

The

mother's

of my

wife, who

it to my

separating our

carried

Before

last agony.
she

have

mother

my

distance

have

returned

found

of it to my

spoke

that

incapable of

one

she

this conversation.

to

mother

my

any

"We

witnesses

and

condition

exchanged

with

Avhip,but

mother, knowing how

son.

closed, and

that

I will add

Ecole

handle

this

to possess

sayinganything about

mentioned

I have

dead

no

was

room

our

wished

to ask it of my

from

me

time

long

relics of her

the

to

at the

in relief.

coat-of-arms
"

been

of

things was

large silver

Legion

other

among

the

of

cross

and

her

gave

I was,

as

last

sigh.
will easily

you

believe, a deeply moved

"

I send

it you,

of it you

use

see

spectator.
affirmingits absolute

fit.

signs this

My wife, who

letter with

me,

was

in

witness

order

to

Ch"teau
"

to you

was

de

Malpeyre,

witness

of

near

Brioude

the

certifyto

currence,
oc-

its

(Haute-Loire).

everythingthat

Cromwell

my

husband

has

related

C. Fonpukay."

above.
Letter

Mr.

of

Fon^pueat.

correctness.
"

what

varacity; make

Varley,the

38.

eminent

electrician

and

inventor

ACTION

PSYCHIC

of the

cable

transatlantic

following fact,'bearing

the

States, relates

the United

and

England

between

mental

on

munication
com-

the
work
on
pottery I inhaled
doing some
of the
resulted in spasms
of hydrofluoric
acid, which
vapor
and it often happened that I
glottis. I was seriously
affected,
XL.

"

While

I had been advised to

spasmodic attack.
keep sulphuric ether always on hand, in order to obtain
I had recourse
to it
prompt relief by inhalingthe fumes.
six or eighttimes; but its odor was
so
unpleasant to me that
I ended
by making use of chloroform, which I placed beside
was

awakened

by

my

bed, and

when

in such

over

as

I fell back

on

above

room

with

back

At

mine.
I

again.
the

saw

the end
wife

my

sponge

over

of

conveyed
rose

hastened

the

should

observations
with

to

the

remove

offer
to

impulse

some

such

an

of

with

sudden
I

excuse

for

extent,

were

so

By

force

of my
in

was

alarm,

my
ability
inwill

danger.
down,

came

saved."

was

these

having mutiplied
it not

novel,

the
scious
con-

absolute

an

idea that I

sponge.

demonstration

I became

myself lying on

whatever.
vivid

in

child, was

seconds

some

mouth,

my

any movement
into her mind
the

under

sick

above, and

to make

and

bed, stillholdingthe sponge,

my

appliedto my mouth.
Varley,who was nursing a

Mrs.

She

bility
produced insensidrop. One
sponge

let the

and

it I leaned

use

it

as

soon

to

me

remained

which

for

necessary

was

fall backward

night,however,
"

it

positionthat

I would

so

that

we

much

are

cerned
con-

discussed,

of
important. They all prove, beyond the possibility
mind
doubt, the realityof the psychic action of one
upon

and

so

another.

Sometimes
material

this

psychic transmission

have

so

far

to produce

as

physicalsensations.

Here, for instance, is

work,

goes

very

Tele2KdhicHallucmations
alreadyborrowed

so

much.

curious

ease,

(p. 325),
It occurred

reported
from

in the

which

to Mrs.

we

Severn,

Brantwood, England.

at
'

Report on Spiritualism,1870, translated

Librarie Leymaire.
299

into

French

in

1899, Paris,

UNKNOWN

THE

"I

XLI.
received

violent

blow

I had

that

np/'she

suddenly woke

lip.
Sittingup

the mouth.

on

been

writes.

struck, and

I felt that I had

"

I had

distinct

I had

that

bled

tion
sensa-

the

from

upper
"

in

bed, I seized my

like

it up,

tore

tampon against the injured place.

Some
moments
afterwards, on removing it,I was astonished
not to see any trace of blood.
Only then did I realize that it
was
absolutelyimpossible that anything could have struck
in my
for I was
bed, and I had been sleepingprofoundly.
me,
But I looked
at
Then
I thought simply that I had dreamed.
seven
o'clock, and that
watch, and, seeing that it was
my
that
Arthur
(my husband) was not in the room, I concluded
the lake, as it
he had gone out for an early boating-party
on

and

pressed it

handkerchief, I

fine weather.

was
"

I went

Then

He

nine.

past
down

he

to time

added, being

wind

to

breakfasted
remarked

than

me

how

afterwards

I know

that

I know

it.'

in the

was

boat

that

that?'

you

It bled

lip.

mouth.

the

great deal, and

from

And

the tiller swung

round
received
blow
a violent
on
I could

sat

hurt, but

are

early.

very

he

lips.
do

him, 'why do you

'

that

usual, and
to his

half-

at

unexpectedly,and

came
on

his handkerchief

put

'Well,' he said,'I

''

me

off from

little uneasy

I will tell you

late,and

in

'Arthur,' I said

^'

We

sleep again.

came

little farther

time

to

puff of
and

hit

my

per
up-

not

stanch

the

when

that

bleeding.'
'"Have

you

'It must

"

I told

very

much

breakfast
years

In
"It

put

it

have
him

about

been

is
my

pened
hap-

what

then

had

surprised at it, as
with

us.

This

o'clock,'he answered.

seven

happened

well

happened

at

to

Brantwood,
Jane

to

some

questions,Mrs.

absolutelycertain
handkerchief

to my

that

Severn

He

me.

all those

as

ago.

answer

was

?'

to you
"

time

what

idea

any

wrote

who

were

300

at

three

about
Severn."

entirelyawake,
mouth, and I pressed it
Avas

was

since
to my

PSYCHIC

lipfor

upper

much

I went

to

hour

an

up

very

was

afterwards

while I

time

some

later

in order

to

still felt
looked

find it

to

sleepagain.

whether

see

astonished

dressingI

was

ACTION

was

vivid

lipto

at my

was

ing.
bleed-

not.

Soon

when

that

I believe
very

it

got

impression,and
if it bore

see

any

mark."
Here

Severn's' narrative

is Mr.

"

*'One
to

beautiful

on

go

if my

wife heard

"When

I went

mirror, and
the

morning

summer

to the

down

of the

charming mirage

kind

and

wind, I contented

the

sails in order

to

wind

go

I trimmed

but
possible,

from

some

thought

order

to avoid

but
tiller,

into its

quickly.

handkerchief.
to

talk

morning outing.
"

much

'Have
I

which

launched

myself
with

was

boat,

my
with

ing
hoist-

putting the

you

me

I lowered
the

on

had

hurt

much

as

into

moment

your

my

in

boat

mouth

the

else

as

head
and

beside
cut

my wife
?'

The

well-known
301

artist.

lip

gettingthe yard
I

got back
boat

connection

to

at the

to conceal

possible.

said

it

the

my

what

I took

dining-room,and
in

as

struck

with

I attempted
my

explainedthen what had happened to me, and

interest which
surprisedat the extraordinary
'

well

me.

fast my

house, endeavoring

mouth

with

breeze

having made

something

In

good

squallas

the wind

mouth

succeeded

soon

I went
of

other

or

yard

After
the

the

meet

going to upset

was

the

as

pier,I went towards

had
happened to my

"

it

yard struck
spiteof this I

place,and

Brantwood

fresh

tranquilas

of regret at troubling

soon

and

to

cause

the

In

deeply.

boat

my

abaft, and
In

it

know

not

enabled
slightbreeze soon
sprang
up, which
Then
the
nearly a league beyond Brant wood.

rose.

"

dry them,

to

do

in order.
me

no

was

opposite shore,

Nevertheless, I

there

early, intending

rose

I found

reflected in the lake.

as

15, 1883.

room.

water

that I felt

I remember

November

the lake.

on

I left the

when

me

BrantwoodConiston,

boating excursion

well

as

was

very

her

face

UNKNOWN

THE

displayed. I
that

she

had

at

few

that

waked

blow

still

was

mouth.

minutes

after

that

the accident

time

when

she

suddenly, thinking that

up
the

upon

astonished

more

This

had

It must

seven.

have

seems

of the
and

aid

reallytook place.
Severn."

to the

shall

has

been

of

by thought transmission
though the
proved, even

large number

of

that

mind

one

upon

mental

or

gestion,
sug-

be contested

fact

Dr. Bottey,
specialists.

even
scientists,

instance, affirms

for

transformation

physicalimpressionanalogous

of

then, that the action

assume,

another, whether

cases

their mutual

and

of forces

preceding.

"We

by

to

understand

to

us

ceived
re-

of sensations.

correlation

The

had

multiplythese examples indefinitely.

be completelyconto us that our
readers must
vinced
of thoughts,of impressions
of the transmission
certainty

might

it

But

continue

she

me

happened to her
been justabout

"Arthur

"We

told

pretended transmission

"the

thought and of double vision cannot possiblyexist,and

it is on\y jugglery,
exploitedhy the hy2motizers." It seems

of
that

us

that

the circulation
from

money

of false money

does

not

to

prevent good

existing.

disbelief for
professthe same
in England,'where Sir William
psychictransmission, especially
Thompson (Lord Kelvin) and Tyndall have made themselves
conspicuous by the j^rofound contempt which they have
A

of scientists

large number

evinced
The

for this kind

French

superior mind
"The

investigation.
astronomer, Laplace,gave

when

he wrote

singularphenomena

in
sensibility

opinionsas
animal

of

to the

some

magnetism.

of this action

'

"^

is very

It must

of

which

of

be

feeble, and

new

arise
have

from

philosophiquesur

very

extreme

given rise

agent, which

remembered

that

is called
the

cause

perhaps easilydisturbed

le probabilit"s,
1814, p. 110.
302

vous
ner-

to diverse

Le magn"tisme animal, 1884, avant-jjroeposet p. 266.

Essai

individuals

existence

evidence

by

number

great

there
it should

are

different

ACTION

of accidental

circumstances; also that

some

in which

cases

be concluded

not

far from

so

PSYCHIC

that

understandingall

modes

of

it does

it

the

agents

to

words

are

displayvery little of
existence of phenomena

all solid

minerals

the

speak,in

ether.

This

do

atoms

considered

the

knoAvn

any

to

transmit

sentient

our

from

it may
is

of

the

across

greater

and
a

or

stimulus

hearing or
in

vibrations, should

one

again, the
a

which
The

another

nerves

sees

the beloved

stimulus

cerebral

noise, or of

movement
303

heaven

are

in

set

in

another.

being

of

tain
cer-

current

in the

brain,
to it

sensation

of

motion,

times
some-

One

person

in whose

believes that
manifests

in

cases,

brain, communicates
itself in

and

world,

same

and

spot

also

between

radiation,a

from

manifests

fashion, sometimes
he

ideas

that, in certain

is

brains

our

of the
earth

between

originated
; another

disturbance

of

strike

enter

inhabitants

issues
intensity,

of vision.

believe's that

or

less

proceeding to

sudden

to

ether, which

sympathies and

space,

conceive

possibleto

in

distance which

between

be

this

conditions, a vibratorymovement,
of

densest

other, but float,so

that

brains

exchange

true

beings;

even

own

inadmissible

way

penetrate
a

each

in the

even

distances.

currents

establish

that

immensity, the undulatory

bosom
tions
by the luminous vibralight,heat, and attraction

across

stars; it transmits

considerable
it in

touch

not

in its

produced

of

bodies, and

transmits,

fluid

movements

It

of

conditions

an

through

or

to be

the actual

accepted fact in physics that ether, that imponderable

fluid by which
all space is supposed to be filled,
tends
ex-

It is

Is

their

in nature, and

in criticism.

prudence

from

still

are

by those who are tempted

the word
impossible in this connection
; and
chieflyafraid of ridicule,they at least counsel

pronounce

others who

itself

action, that it would

spiritof philosophyto deny the

in
only because they are inexplicable
our
knowledge."
are

We

exists.

never

the

These

manifest

not

cause
be-

brain

the

he hears him

itself in the

objects. But

sion
illu-

all these

UNKNOWN

THE

impressionsin
things by
accomplishedin
ceive

the

space

the

of

and

them

transport

mind

"We
FACT

can

and

in the

of

beg

I have

is the mind

ago the
science ;

theory of
to-day it has

of

been

have

and

power

The

is able

existence

of

to

necessary

radiation

proceeds from
accomplised by spheric

exists
(Itcertainly
it

distance
to

brought

But
is

Is

in the

times.)
the

actual
strated,
demon-

now

misrepresentanything
forward

accepted

abandoned

streams

hundred

questions.
a

psychic nature

not

was

or

it emit

rectilinear

at

an

affects

light?

hypothesessimply as questions.
emission

which

in

such

readers

skull

does

proofs of

soul

the

beings seems

Is it

had

in

vibrations,or after

great

that

action

the

my

written.

that I have

of

itself

only perobscurely

heat, and
kind

sentient

project

action

of

ethereal

organism. I have
as
yet only propose

of the

light or

brain.

is

focus

in its

does

great distances

the

involved
electricity
human

emanate,

facts whether

it

Does

waves

to

from

or

is localized

radiations

we

which

dream.

brains.

to those

proceedingfrom

explainobserved
the

of

remembered,

our

clock

more

invisible

emits

radiation

analogous

of another

which

as

centre

physical waves

to

it

around

manner

focus

radiations

which

from

of

which

brain

material

Is the
organ

interior

the

like

pass

excitement

cerebral

some

subject

be

state, it must

normal

the

In

the

?jrain of

the

A
and

all these

hundred

planatory
ex-

years

approved by

for that of undulations

proof that the latter exi3lains

as
regards facts of a psychickind.
everything, particularly
of a thing can
be admitted
The
existence
without
a necessity
for its explanation. For example, you receive a violent blow;
of

you

you

ether.

turn

But

Ave

around, and

received
the fact.

you

see

The

one

no

none

the

less have

mit
you are obliged to adimportance,tlie essential value of this book

blow,
inexplicable

an

is to prove that
aud knoAvn

no

and

ible
by side with the visAvorld there is an order of things invisible and
is worthy of investigation.
unknown, and that this unknown
action of one
The
tance,
human
heing u])on another, from a disis a scientific
fact; it is as certain as the existence of
Paris, of Napoleon, of oxygen, or of Sirius.

exist; that
fA(3.se/rtc/5

304

side

THE

UNKNOWN

impressionwill vary accordingto the exact condition of

that particular
region in the percipient.
For instance
610, p. 151),a child who had a passion
(letter
him
for birds heard the cry of a bird so plainlythat it caused
The
next
to look for a bird.
day information was received
this

of the death
But

of

do

we

this does

call of

directed

in the

same

sound

caused

the

the

across

it not

"the

mind,

from

the

"

to

an

the

in

of the

effects.

or

projection
to the

cry be

tion,
definite direc-

across

Is

space.

complete

more

even

of

force

that

seems

sub-conscious

organism.'

itself into

jection
pro-

which

sometimes

state

of

the

brings with

"

it

projection of

electrical,
j^hysical,

has
investigation

Modern

and

established

its mental

formations.
trans-

heat

into
dailytransformed
Clovis Hugues
was
shot, and made
table, it is possiblethat there was
and

motion

not

the

In

thought

call

ether;

tions
by sphericundula-

even

with certaintythe correlation of energy,

Are

of

die, and influences the friend

It

transform

can

mechanical

if

of the effect transmitted

elements

material

hypothesis

compared

exteriorization

about

created

cause

psychic force
and

of

it is directed

the

that

is transmitted

exists

kind

being

phantom"

subject

by it

there

of

maybe

atmosphere,just as lightis

of

whom

towards

form

distinctlytowards

way,

possiblethat

escapes

which

It is known

silent voice.

what

under

once

reasonable

most

transmission

involved

to be

appears

all at

spheric undulatory vibrations

for the explanation of all cases.

hypnotic mental

of

case

of

suiSce

not

The

operates.

that

be

to

seems

discover

pretend to

not

transmission

form

some

relative.

Cremieux
When
energy ?
struck on his
hear knocks

It is
productionof knocks.
jective.
that these results are always imaginary and subnot possible
The
impressionsproduced upon animals, a piano
to the ground
which
playsall alone, a china service thrown
collective sensations
(seenotes on pp. 147 and 180) indicate

no

cerebral influence,but

real

"

objectiverealities.
elements

of this

'

It does

problem

G^tI,

Uetre

not

seem

at

are

to us,

underpresent sufficiently

suhsoonscient,
pp.
306

however, that the

88 et 153.

PSYCHIC

stood to authorize
it

definite conclusion

probable that

seems

at all of

thought

ACTION

the

often

very

the

has

who

one

; all the

dying

has

person

made

been

because

more

not

telepathically

of his death.

aware

mind, force, matter

be that

It may

festations
mani-

entity,an entity which our

do not perceive. Perhaps there exists a singleprinciple
senses
force, and matter, embracing
belonging to intelligence,
and
all that is potential a first cause
all that is actual and
of

the

all different

are

and

one

same

"

forms

differentiations of which

the

final cause,

that if

this

At

of movement.

thought is

point let us remark

considered
scientifically

to be

not

of matter, but

as

only

are

form

of movement

of

different

in
as

passing
a

sation
sen-

universal

that death
of
it is no
longer logicalto maintain
principle,
the organism results in destruction of the intelligence.
Dying manifestations do not, of course, represent a general

experience, a law of nature, a function of life or of

without
death.
known
They appear
exceptionally,
cause,
The
and without
proportion of them is
apparent reason.
in a thousand
than one
deaths.
AVith this
perhaps not more
proportionthere would be about fiftydying manifestations
in Paris

of

lightningof
the

nor

laws

Obvious

they

strikes
of
hidden
These
track of

from

in

no

the person
are

no

in the effects

are

atmosphericalelectricity
by
?
frequentoccurrence

are

or

of

livingbeing or

momentary

of

knowledge, nor

dies

who

the person

this number

even

more

communications

These

than

there

manifestation

the

Is not
strokes

Are

year.

way

the
who

the

result of the

moral

worth

telligenc
in-

of either

receives the manifestation.

in them
distinguishable
tricity
lightning. A stroke of elecinanimate
an
sequence
object in conmore

connection, the

causes

of which

are

science.

various

psychic discoveries,
however, put

class of

us

on

the

tion.
subjectswhich are worthy of all our attenLe Verrier
often
the opinion that
expressed to me
the most
and
most
interesting
importantthings in science
the anomalies, the exceptions.
are
We
is
may
say with Ch. du Prel that as long as progress
a

307

UNKNOWN

THE

phenomena, and that the

possibletliere will be inexplicable
to ns
is
these phenomena appear
more
impossible,the more
in a knowledge
their nature
adapted to carrying us forward
of the

of the universe.

enigma

We

add, with

will

Living,that

there

the

scientific

The

old

authors

the

be

to

seems

the

of

complete

cultivated

opinionsof

religiousorthodoxy

divorce

between

their

and

men

too

was

of the

Phantasms

beliefs.

to contain

narrow

man's

to
orthodoxy is too narrow
time has come
and his feelings. The
his aspirations
contain
the materialistic
above
to raise ourselves
point of view, and
will permit us to regard these
to attain conceptionswhich
and mind
mind
between
as
subtle communications
possible;
visible things and
between
the communication
even
more,

science

materialistic

new

art

This

vibrates

star

to

tbro'

Strike

enthusiastic

others, as with

apparent

Bacon, this conviction

lines revealed

by

the

we

first

time,

dailystudy

know

of us,

subtle

cation
communi-

But

of mankind.

that these

along

now,

for

reallyissue

silent messages
and

as

With

slowlyformed

impressionsspread out

these

; that

forth

the

is

some

clearness.

luminous

with

unconsciously
poet, by all those
To

passion,this

of

own

been

cause.

generous

Goethe, in certain hours

becomes

has

soul

to

of her

lover, by the

the

by
in

soul

may

Tennyson's

in all ages,

are

light ;

finer element

some

of

question

answered

to

inspiredliterature

Star

who

all time

from

have

invisible,which

those
and

; the

communicate

themselves.
say that this force

We
or

is of

psychicorder, and

chemical,
or
physiological,
transmits

produces

and

manifests

itself without

movement
movements

harmony

and

ideas

mechanical,

because

it

and

because

it

thoughts,

of
co-operation

the

cal,
physi-

our

senses,

soul to

to mind.

soul, mind
There

or

not

be

can

of the

no

that

doubt

ether, which

of the ether, and

with

our

own.

our

transmits

becomes

The
308

creates

psychic force
itself afar

to
perceptible

transformation

of

like

all

brains

in

psychic

PSYCHIC

into

action

what

to

takes

reverse,

the

where

plate

the

the

at

other

transmitted,

movement

But

electricity.

by

be

may

telephone,

with

sonorous

but

the

the

on

identical

is

sound,

of

means

place

the

reconstructs

end,

and

movement,

which

plate,

receptive

by

ethereal

an

analogous

ACTION

these

not

only

are

comparisons.
The

action

all, under

death

mental

the

by

the

the

of

contemporary

us

The

gradual

the

of

the
is

certain

Minds

But

or,

indeed,

psychic
serve

may

and

ought

as

to

exists.

act

THE

an"

lead

probably

and

even

anticipate.

be

hencefokth

incontestable

reality.

other

each

without

SENSES.

Its

nature

is

yet

us

substantial

perhaps

not

to

upon

to

nature.

objective,

will

we

on

cal
chemi-

these

and

will

living,

are

the

OF

force

the

these

magnet

light,

human

real,

are

of

sciences

able

are

intervention

Psychic

there

can"

by

of

thought,

of

Only

inquiry

our

dead.

telepathy

considered

its

kind,

knowledge

reproductions

is

That

elevated

of

that

manifestations
What

progress

admission

apparitions,

of

of

of

transportation

revolution

analysis

and

all

the

the

sea,

science.

more

track

the

on

star

of

are

the

of

of

above

death,

distance,

the

electricity,

by

of

action

on

of

wonders

the

moon

constituents

put

THE

the

distance,

transmission
at

than

of

voice

transmissions

to

the

at
those

as

communication

influence

human

solemn

particular,

extraordinary

the

iron,

all

in

another

upon
so

suggestion,
more

of

mind

one

circumstances

sudden

not

of

unknown.

of

CHAPTER

THE

"WORLD

OF

CEREBRAL

THE

TELEPATHY

DYING

during sleep
question of sleep and
occur

Sleep
it

of which
or

twenty

of

hours

passed

in

vital powers,

that

du

has

alreadystudied

been

observers/ but
still very

are

normal

function

may
The

it must

be

it
mitted
ad-

plained.
exinsufficiently

in

of

our

lives ;

organic life,

our

not

are

dead

with
activity,

it is

doubt

no

of repose,

this

that

repair of

of

and

the

brain

Our

intellectual

for

hours.

u7iconscious

our

be

can

sleep are hours

tranquillityboth

they
in

There

essential

self which

vital

and
is

in

now

for

the
the
the

ties
faculence,
differ-

action,

the conscious

not

If any

just discussed
waking state.

exceptionalcondition

an

them.

of

remain

and

studies

is not

about

; but

"

occupies,in general terms, a third part. A man

Avho has lived to sixty years of age
has slept

woman

limbs

SLEEP.

have
the

in

of dreams

contrary, it is

the

DURING

we

as

of acute

these

that

on

which

well

as

number

TIONS
MANIFESTA-

EXPERIENCED

"

DREAMS

IN

by

DREAMS.

OF

DREAMS

PSYCHIC

"

psychicphenomena

is true,

VARIETY

INFINITE

"

PHYSIOLOGY.
OF

The

DREAMS.

VII

subject

Speciallyto
syst"me

be

is

reasoning powers of the waking state.

constantly in our
thoughts,that subject

consulted

Lenbet

Paris, 1839-1857;

nerveux

et

Grntiolet, Anatom"

compar"e

Ilalluc"iations,

Baillarger, Des

Paris,
Paris, 1852; Macario, Du Somineil des r"ves et du Somnambulisme,
1857; L"hit, Physiologie de la pens"e, Paris, 1863; Alfred Maury, La
Sommeil

et

les

r"ves,Paris, 1862

Paris, 1866

1867;

Max

Acad.

des

Simon,

Hervey,
Zc

Monde

sciences,1899, IL,

subliminale," Annales

Les

R"ves

des
p.

Li"bault,

et les moyens

r"ves, Paris,

183; F. W.

des science

II.

de

les

diriger,Paris,

1888; Vascliide, C. P.,

Myers,

psychiques,1899.
310

et des "tats analogues,

Sommeil

Du

"De

la conscience

THE

WORLD

frequentlyin

occurs

Those

ideas

powerful,have intense
dream
lightly. There

are

ideas,and
vain and
We
dream

as

always remember

not

as

it passes,

dreams.

vivid

the

just before

that

order

been

seize

to

like

dreams
the

dream.

It is

ber
large num-

in the

occur

is

mediately
it is im-

unless

dream.

only

in

awakening, or

two, and

or

ened,
suddenly awak-

very

recollection of

"

assert

have

are

impression of it, for nothing

generallythe affair of a second

grasped,it vanishes
of writers

tle
very litthere

as

of them

In

be

to

tlioughts

think

dreams

many

it is necessary

retain

to

whose

; those who

at classification

easilydestroyed than

more

strong,and

are

are

attempts
illusory.

and

Life is reflected in dreams.

dreams

all the

do

DREAMS

dreams.

our

whose

persons

OF

morning,
going to

evening,before

sleep.

only necessary to wake uj) either

at any
spontaneouslyor in response to something without
that we
of the night to prove
hour
are
always dreaming, or
almost always. But we do not always remember
; indeed, we
This

is

It is

error.

an

"

"

do

often

not

fourths
the
In

any
of the thoughts which

than

more

have

we

three-

remember

crossed

brain

our

during

day.
dream

general,we
or

The

become

very

fortunate.
in

On

days, can

infancy,with
recollections

the

The
be

not

are

cells

events

unrolled

of years, and

of several
in

find

long since dead,

appearing to be weakened.
persons

age,

without

have

are

space

hours,
You

or
can

yourselfagain in
You

been
the

this is often

second.

without

ceptions
ex-

them

with

; and
and

pied,
occu-

during

concerned

hand, time

are

curious

are

retained

in repose

are

other

we

thoughts,which

cerebral

dreams.

great number

of another

day,

exhausted, and

have

of several

the

which

Still,there

sometimes

during

following sleep.

things with

know.

we

this,and

intense

of

whom

persons
to

most

remember,

these
meet

astonishment, in dreams.

nihilated
aneven
trace
re-

your

remote

persons
It is also

over,
happened, and, morepossibleto dream of thingswhich never
and
ludicrous
are
impossible. Absurd
images of the
most
incongruous and incoherent character are associated

311

THE

together without

the

UNKNOWN

slightestprobabilityor

the

slightest

reason.

Dreams
outside

influenced

are

of

the

mind

by

thousand

different

causes,

itself.

of digestion,
disturbance
Difficulty
the positionof the body, a rustlingof
of respiration,
of the
sheet or
night dress, a covering which is too

the

odor, the
heavy, a chill, a noise, a light, an
all have
hand, hunger, thirst,general repletion,

touch

of

effect

an

a
on

dreams.
this connection

In

hallucination:
down

the limbs
the

to me,

of

fallingdown
of

consider
the
Our

hole, sliding

precipice. It

at

the

moment

completely relaxed, and, as it seems

gravityof the body is entirelychanged.

of

centre

gravity which

hypnotic

common

become

doubt, this sudden

is,no

displacement of

rise to

gives

this

kind

of

centre

our

When

dream.

of
we

questionof Time we shall have occasion to return

astonishingrapidityof dreams.
attitudes in sleep tend to a passiveequilibrium. All
the

tlie activities of the

of the external
soul

that

mentioned

just after sleep has begun,

generally,

when

to

namely,

be

staircase,slippingto the bottom

occurs

It

may

arrives

world

by
away
insensible

by

itself into

slowly withdrew
the

eyelidsclose,and

fade

senses

eye

degrees,and oblivion
transitions,as if the

its innermost

is soonest

The

recesses.

asleep.

The

sense

of

and then it also sleeps.

perception,
The
of smell disappearsin its turn.
sense
Hearing is the last
in
sentinel to warn
us
to disappear,remaining like a vigilant
Then
of danger, but at length it also fades away.
sleep
case

touch

loses its faculties

complete, and the

thoughts with all its
is

of

world

of

dreams

opens

itself before

our

infinite

diversity.
About
twentieth
(nineteen to twenty-three)I
year
my
and
amused
writing them
myself by observing my dreams
which
offered
down, upon my awakening, with commentaries
Since that time I have continued
some
explanation of them.
the subject,but only rarely. I have just
to take notes
on
looked

over

this

register,which

and
"Oj'Etpot,

sometimes

in Greek

is

written,

and

is very voluminous
titled
; it is enI suppose,
for amusement,

sometimes
313

in Latin.

Its sub-titles

THE

to do that

vatory, but in order

should

have

"

part of
"

my

What

'

that

call

you

would

you

why should
hopes ?'

And

it would

be necessary
des Longitudes,and that

Bureau

guarantee

'

the

leave

UNKNOWN

I leave

situation

I should

leave

again

not

that you

which

the

servatory
Ob-

will realize

philosophicalastronomy

is

chimera.

is calculation.'

Astronomy

is its

foundation, nothing more.'

We shall see,'he said,turning on his rightheel and going
towards
into his own
to me,
led, as it seemed
a curtain which
"

'Calculation

"

'

apartment
I woke

"

This

is

The

easily
explainedby

illustrious

type of character

I knew

of the

preoccupationsat

my

have

caused

been

the fact that I

by

of

name

the

than

second.

it had

Statistics,and
whether

I should

indeed

dream, then,

been
Le

it.

Bureau

des

with

of Public

Works,
and

names,

the first name

of the Bureau

of

serious

questionwith me
manifested
a profound

Longitudes
the

two

head

Verrier

simply

was

then

was

of Public

the

familiar

more

Legoix

enter

the

for

contempt
This

M.

exactly the

Kouland, Minister

by similarityin
much

was

it

the

in him.

Instruction, for that of Eouher, Minister

must

reflections.'

own

preserved in

astronomer

Avhich

substitution

The

to my

me

o'clock struck."

seven

up ;

dream

time.

hotel, he left

in the

all occasions.

on

reflection,the echo of real

thoughts.
This

first dream

others

which
in

*'

me

and

very

I met

my

with

not

he

are

:
strange manner
friend. Dr. Edouard

added:

'These

part, they also

of your
her

at the

You

ball at Madame

child

not

F.'s; she

had
gone
you
she could mention

that

distress,which

the poor

were

brain

fever.
314

for

only

not

A., who

present to
was
annoyed
to
to

consider
nates
termi-

which

one

him

see

Mademoiselle

from

come

heard

to

is

Fournie, who

reproachesare

indifference.

she
her

been

having

shall

We

is very
reasonable.
much
Here
less so.

reproached
long time,
on

my

own

comj"lains
dance
at

with

cause
this,be-

another

soir"e,and

no

brought on

one,

THE
*

"

young
her

saved

WORLD

its cause,

for

(thebean

found

soon

as

Dr.

at

I had

my

romance.

very

Si tu

The

fi"vrec"r"brale,which
although it resembles

young

this

ideas.

But

the

it would

in

Rouland,

It may

dream, it is possibleto
which

may

another

succeeded

Val-du-

distortion of

extravagant,

metamorphosis
One

of

feels

association

of

images
singularexpressionby

myself

whizzed

them,

the

met

."

I found

Bullets

the

this

to
.

in battle.

army

I had

not

obscurely in the unconscious

reviewing the situation of the

cerebration.
dream

It is very

another

trace

I had

preceding dream.

work

given rise

have

rapid unconscious
"In

the

that, in

be

even

to be

extent

some

; but

I had

appeared to me to be
I was
annoyed at this,
also is only an ascase
sociation
expressionf"ve conjugale

seem

is assonant.

that the cells of the brain

state.

is

demoiselle
Ma-

her, and

from

surgeon

in

to

for

her side.

on

dream

curious, because

into

She

I knew

"

savais, to her

elegant costume, who

to the young
lady.

of habitual

Rouher

livelyadmiration

house

I withdrew.

is

even

f"ve conjugale

she loves.

this dream

to

existed
reciprocity

any
Fourni"'s

paying attentions
and

the

it is he whom

now

attached

note

A.

had

fever, but

"

that

Grace, in

saw

that

her and

mony)
Epiphany cake which foretells matriin love with her; she respondpassionately
ed

in the

dedicated

she

attended

in the

entirelycured.'
I read

student

only cured

he

as

affection,and

to his

DREAMS

medical

has not

He

he became

believed

and

surgeon

life.

OF

around
there

but

in the

was

enormous

me,
no

ranks

rear

sound.

of

an

non-balls
can-

I looked

to
approaching,and turned sometimes
the left,sometimes
to the right,accordingto their direction;
each other
but they succeeded
so
rapidlyand at such short
the best thing to be done was
intervals that I concluded
not
I put myself within
to disturb
myself, for in avoiding one

the

at

range
"

cannon-balls

of another.

I said

themselves
The
drawn

to

myself

like this !

then
Have

explanationof this
an
unlucky number

'

What

fools

men

are

they nothing better

dream
in
315

also is very

the

to

amuse

to do ?' "

simple.

I had

conscriptiona fortnight

THE

previously. What
inoffensive

the

is

UNKNOWN

perhaps
noiseless

and

which

cannon-balls

was

be

could

approaching.

seen

Another
I

*'

dream
in

was

public place,togetherwith

seemed

it overturned

once

several

completely,the

fall.

gathered, expecting to see the aeronaut

suddenly projected into space,
parachute was
descended
safely."
This

dream

is ridiculous.

It is difficult to

balloon

could

be

in this way.

which

could

weeks
of

ascent

possiblyoccur
previouslyM. de
not

that

'^I dreamed

round

turned

!'
I

dreamed

she

of

measuring
towards
which

is

comes

I went

my

way."

I heard

literature.

to

acted

if I had

in the

the

dent
presi-

people who
in the

acted

I had

awake.

been

K.

heavens,

on

D. told
the

me

other

that
side

hand, engaged in

in my

compass

one

some

I descended

once

was

rapidly
planet there

new

yet known.

I have

no

on

street.

youthful, I

little societyof young

golden

received

doubt

number

informs
It is not

me

mere

of the Astronomische

1439

that

yet known

in the

it to-morrow

This

and

Here

seeingme

discovered.

announce

the

in the

me

5, 1863, Mademoiselle

Naclirichten, which
been

accosted

All at
space.
to tell her that
there

not

"To-day

eral
Sev-

announced

president!

unknown

her,
was

her.

and

have

with

the moon,

had

then

leisure

To-day, October

"

la Landelle

But

presidentof

I should

as

naut
aero-

in dreams.

common

women

at

the

their

consecrated
dream

look

ashamed

then

was

several

comes

was

the

and

imagine that a
Irrational things

being remarkably pretty

to

Here

'

say

them

of

are

But

balloon.

monster

last

overturned

being uppermost.

car

crowd

The

persons.

balloon, which
air,above our heads, was an immense
All at
to
struggle desperately against the wind.

In the

of

it

about

noticeable

most

new

in

planet has just

France, and

I shall

Cosmos."
coincidence.

About

the

same

registerthe followingnote :
of the Biogra2)1iie
''Dr. Hoefer, director
G"n"rale,published
by Didot, told me to-day that dreams
represent opera-

date

I read

in my

316

THE

WORLD

mind

tions of the

which

In the article
had

two

great men

Alexander

Humboldt,

to

be

most

said that

their

as

had

er

difficult to determine.

Frederic

"

widely

"

Dr. Hoef

him, in the

to entreat

and

he had
of

proud

Humboldt

von

DREAMS

complex

are

on

latter,to whom

The

OF

sent

earnest

the

Germany
Great

genius differed.

proof,had

terms,

and

written

to Avithdraw

this

to be called
comparison,considering himself too small a man
a
country as Leibnitz, and too much
genius in the same
of libertyto be put in comparison
devoted to the principles

with Frederic

About

in which
This

orator

and

himself.

was

he

audience
But

"

dear

'No, my
well that

This

in his

so.'

about

the

on

'What!'

he

discourse, What,
'

Humboldt,

that

report

orator.

an

dead.'

were

you

the

it is not

dream

the

and

me

Avalked

Humboldt.

friend,'answered

I circulated

joke.
very

told

They

you?

that he found

listened to
he

as

platform he recognized his friend

himself
cried, suddenly, interrupting
is it

dreamed

rated,
decosplendid salon, brilliantly

attentive

an

day

of this illustrious scientist.

afterwards

immense

an

to this letter from

answer

of the death

months

two

in

himself

delayedhis

he heard

to-day,when
"

had

Hoefer

'*Dr.

Great.

the

'that

was

dead, but you

was

see

"

againthe result of habitual preoccupations,

Humboldt
certainlydid not appear in it by

was

dead

chance.
"In

dream

which

M.

of the

Acad"mie

Mathieu, dean

the medium.

because
as

The

at all

not

was

he

was

in

This

must
set out

of the Bureau
on

the Rue

s"ance, in
spiritualistic
Bureau
des Longitudes and

at

of the

Sciences

(brother-in-lawof Arago)

head

of my father appeared to me,

made
of ivory or
though it were

impressedwith

father,who

my

this

was

looking
I

wax.

representation; the

less

so

alive in this dream,

very much
j^artin the exhibition and did not

was

took
reality,

wish to believe

"I

des

beautiful, as

very

present

was

in it."

be classed
from

the

among

astoundingabsurdities.

observatory,at the Bureau

des

Longitudes (thisis a
Notre-Dame-des-Champs).
317

mistake
I

had

des Calculs
; it

gone

was

then

there to

UNKNOWN

THE

and

went

the

town

Le

at which

Montrouge,
Langres, with

to

of

Verrier.'

architecture,which

Gothic

of media3val

court

of M.

downfall

to the

'

toast

give a

does

place are

their

I crossed

the

extensive

exist,

not

of

ramparts

view

the

over

country."
This
"

is

In

dream

Eivoli.

association of ideas and

an

them

Among

flying,who

men

saw

of

was

passed over the Rue de

Charles,who had just

uncle

my

contradictory
images.

in their

company."
then
I was
preparing(1864)my second work. Les Mondes
is discussed ;
Imaginaires,where the questionof flyingmen
had been signed
s"ances communications
and in spiritualistic
by this uncle Charles (who was not dead at all).
orchestra
the bal de l'Op"ra. The
''After
continues
to
and the
play,the dances have not ceased, the circumstances
complicationsproceed as usual."
Sensations of the previousday continued.
America

from

come

"

magnificent day spent

in
the

there

I arrived

and

sightof
the

tombs,

at Athens.

I made

sunrise.

before

of white

the

on

marble,and

ney,
jour-

olis,
Acrop-

I wandered

magnificentpanorama.

monuments

was

slow

among

the

reclining

statues."

imagination.

Pure

He occupied
appearedin my dreams.
by night than he did by day.
thought decidedly more
my
in the little liouse belonging
I was
This night, in particular,
late.
Madame
to the guardian of the Observatory. It was
le Verrier

"M.

le Verrier

her

that

whenever

find

ten

is

have

the

years

equatorialat

my

later

M.

stars.
318

my

all the
sured
as-

be

see

me

gardens.
very glad to
for
be

my

own

use

dent;
entirelyindepen-

only unlikely
exactly what
then
placed

It is

Verrier

with

She

not

text.

for
disposition

me

in the

I should

things were

copied from

to

instrument

an

that

wished, and

all of which

This

would

husband

should

talked

and

me,

AVe walked

the world.

that

again;

to

came

amiabilityin
me

often

measurements

but

did
the

possible.
im-

pen
hapgrand

of double

THE
Here

is

portion of
print(although dreams
I had

"

from

the

on

which

I had

woman

them

man

I did

by

know
I

went

with

remained

What

man

ing
nothdream

I went

vard.
the boule-

her.

the air of

I followed

an

street, I
of No.

out

me,

Englishman.
surprisewhen,

my

the

to

invisible spectator.

an

was

come

the

on

you

away

passed along

same

with

knew, passed by

fair,with

him.

as

the

and

woman

who

tall and

was

not

myself with

town, whom

man

I met

given rise to
half-pastone

Towards

dream), and

morning,

next

same

the

(in my

The

Gonet, and
have

could

of

to

yesterdayevening,"he wrote,

that I found

accosted

was

the

house

your

night.

I dreamed

sleep.
and

that

hesitated

Sazin.

which

way

have

assuredly not real).

are

Laurent, Deflandre, and

with

DREAMS

Avhich

letter

named

comrade

I returned

"

OF

WORLD

the

saw

Rue

68

de

la Victoire."
This

is

case

without
interesting

impossiblethat
in his
done

this

I met

associated
the

in the

member

and

to
physicist

the

to which

to the

from

dream.

the

woman

Even

as

of the

Luxembourg

M.

Institute,a professorat
This

Observatory.
He

plan"tes,which

according

in the

gardens

occurrence.

des

far

; and

dence
coinci-

less curious.

of the

was

It is not

this fair gentleman

have met
may
without
noting it ; he might have

evening,not

very

then

were

it is not
"

writer

part of the town,

so

they

the

being conclusive.

told

to write

me

should

be

the

stature

dimensions

was
a

restoration

of

of their

human

an

book

Desains,who
the Sorbonne,
of frequent

event

les liommes

on

of Woli"'s

beings

eyes, while

the

theory,

is in proportion

eyes

selves
them-

in

proportionto the dilatation of the retina, tbe

latter being inverselyproportional to the intensityof the
light. Hence, in our solar system the inhabitants of Mercury
would
be the smallest and those of Neptune the most gigantic.
are

"

'It is
he

The
my

only for

your

'You

said.

explanationof

researches

belonged to

in

this

own

must

do

sake

that

I make

what

you

choose

this dream

astronomy

and

period.
319

is
in

the
about

suggestion,^
it.'"

equally divided

between

both
physiology,

of which

UNKNOWN

THE
If I record

is far
and

to

may

be

the

problems

that

are

very

It

engaged.

now

applicablewhen

A
flightof
being on a high mountain.
of
passed by me croaking. They divested themselves
their skins,
do with
outside covering,just as snakes
dreamed

"I
crows

their

of

free themselves

butterflies

and

we

will be

conclusions

our

psychologyin general,

to

which

with

vestigati
the in-

spiritualism.

consider

we

irrelevant

from

it is because

dreams

of these

number

fell around

these vestures
did

they

resemble

not

astonishment, that

to my

the

but

crows,

The

ourang-outangs.

I saw,

me,

chrysalis.When

their

from

dried-up

Babinet, who

astronomer

pockets with them."

Explanation: The day before

heads

of

there,

was

filled his

of the

constellation

scientist Babinet
made
\Littre,

think

one

I woke

'MVhen

this

I heard

morning

Cosmos

race.

pronounced,

name

yesterdayI

had

perforated nebulosity had

that

The
that of

and his face,like

good-looking,
of the simian originof the human

d'Arquier.' Now

'Mademoiselle
in the

not

was

celestial atlas.

in Flamstead's

crow

the

noticed
specially

I had

been

written
ered
discov-

by Arquier in 1779."
I also find in the
"

all my

Almost

objectthe most
society,Madame
"Any

one

the

note-book

same

present time

at the

dreams

beautiful

followingnotes
I have

woman

young

have
ever

for their
met

in

S. M.

Avho

of

the nature

knows

man's

dreams

will

his

feelings.
"Although it oftep happens that the dominant thoughtsof
in dreams, they do
the evening before
are
largelyconcerned
fillthe mind
not
so
completelyas they do during the day.
Other
unexpected impressionsmingle with them, and our
real feelings.
to our
in oj)position
sometimes
dreams
are
even

know

There

are

true

dreams

and

judgment upon certain

judging incorrectly.
"

M.

false dreams,

dreams

happening

in his

dreams, and

is not

real.

should

we

Dichie, the editor, informs

knows

320

and

me

if
run

that he

we

formed
the

our

risk of

sciousness
preserves conperfectlythat what is

THE
of

torn

the

soft

cave,

UNKNOWN

bowels

of the volcano, and

mines

of

hoods,

did

of the

before

open

tremble.

not

out

came

saw

magnificent

me

Shades, covered

opening in

with

monks'

earth, dressed

the

the

brilliant stalactites.

developed into

crystal,Avhich

earth

The

dazzlinglight illumined

and

in robes

A slightmovement
of terror escaped me,
but I
of serge.
able to collect myself, and to await the approach of
soon

spectreswith
livingworld, and
dominated
by an

calmness.

of these
the

shades

the

to

as

other

inquired

ardent

desire

world,

so

As

abode

the

from

dead

the

scene

for the

as

upward
The

colors.
The

earth
in

spectaclewas
that

that

which

those
A

who
note

have

"I

"

of these

of these

dead

towards

him

proached
apand

really returned
lived again
men

all

definite
to

continued

answer

w^orld
me

for

when

at hand

on

lips,and

ments.
tranquilmovemajesty of the

took

soon

these

Still,the

possessionof

I lost the desire

stant
to, for I thought each in-

alluded

state

downward.

terrible.

was

the

effort from

beyond

the

the

grave,

living state
where

were

me."
to this dream
a

the

seems

to

explainit:

latelyin regard to a future

different from
of creations
possibility
deal

great

of which
was

the

world

without

appended

thought

the

by

pass

surrounded

thought

their

disturbed

my

then

light illumined

tremble, and

not

die

to

was

below, and

at

we

the

live."
academic

published my first works. La

habit"s,Les mondes
imaginaires,Dieu
where

had

about

was

shades

of the

I should

upon
in the midst

he

beautiful

way

words

state, and
that

He

from

put the questionsI have

in

I advanced

did

no

the end

I felt my

me,

one

positiveand

splendid effect.

different

idea

as

ment
mo-

at last possess

might

dead, whether

living.

moved

rich vapors,
was

question one

of

out

at this

was

one

of
changed, and instead of the irregular columns
known
crystalwhich had been visible in the depths, undecorated
with
substances, limpid,transparent, and

natural

It

that
soon

me,

existed

if there

there, and
the

the

of

to

whether

entreaties

with

present

was

afraid,for I

not

was

certaintyI longed for.

near
sufficiently

the

to

I alone

was

323

Didier's,
publisher's,
des mondes
j9??n""?i76'
dans
la Nature, etc.

THE
I found

OF

WORLD

there

MM.

DREAMS

Cousin, Guizot, de

Mont-

de

Barante,

Manury, Mignet, Thiers, Caro

reallymet there occasionally. MM.

alembert, Lamartine,
of

I have

whom

Eeynaud, Henri
intimately,had
the

quay, and
reunion
a

was

Didier

said

Martin, and

stopped
begged me
near
by

to

the

me

to

We

left every

one

of

No.'

'

way.

'

Shall

have
He

to

one

is very

the

reached

We

"

shop.'

we

tried to

on

edge

chair, rose
has

'What

'

?' I

Well, let

and

to

'

with

playing.'
Have

'

him

If I

you
the

on

were

sure

intelligent
boy.'
Yes

'

'

brother.

; my

The

that

the

all

were

who

Emperor,

it to M.

Maury,

then.'

have him

us

in.

offered

happened

Sire,'answered

?'

Tuileries,the chairs

and

on

than
I am,
he
years younger
that he would
be satisfactory
sure

very

ourselves

is

inquired of

Really ?'

'

is four
am

door,

Come

'

out.

set

we

Guards

replace him

not

you.'

he

young;

the

of

industrious

to

suggest

loves business, and

in the

band

arrival

my

shop, and

you

good substitute,an

after

Maindrow

longer your employ"

no

more

there
long, because
Magasin pittoresque. M.

the

at

in the

the

at

moment

knew

Jean

to remain

not

Tuileries, the

me

for

me

moment

Charton, whom

all

"

filled,and
seated

was

Didier, saying to him

one

him

longer sees

no

?'

publisher, they are all at this moment

in my shop, preparing a coup
the
cV"tat.' At this moment
scene
changed before my eyes, and gave place to a valleyin
the Haute-Marne,
opposite Bourmont, and I saw a stream
'

its border

on
was

where

'

I used

to

play

with

my

brother

when

little fellow."

explainedby a very simpleassociation

of ideas.
I had
reallyplaced my brother as an employ" in
Some
I
Didier's publishinghouse.
days before the dream
This

had

dream

dined

and

where

there

and
than

the

sleptat

once

on

hour

the

been
of

of the historian

house

the

authors

whom

quai des Augiistins had

M. Maury was
librarian to
with

him.

The

the

idea

I had

the

tin,
Mar-

d'"tat,

met

aroused

more

all these

Emperor,

of all these

publishing house on the same

day
is,of course, wholly improbable; the
323

Henri

of the coup

discussion

some

the

breakfasted

being in
same

had

remembrance

reminiscences.
often

be

can

and

authors
the

and

at

idea

of the

UNKNOWN

THE

being seated

Emperor

Didier

"M.

music

chair at the

at the

ies
Tuiler-

everythingappears natural.
dead, and enteringthe shop during

in dreams

But

is absurd.

on

not

was

parently
day, I saw him, as usual, and we shook hands without apI
then
astonishment.
dreamed
that
feeling any
in a lethargy three
days previously
they had buried him

the

that he had

(December 5, 1865),and
think

But

I did not

this

occurrence,

to ask

proper

and

him

for

explanation of

an

affairs of the

of the

spoke

we

in the tomb.

awakened

business

house.
"After

conversation

some

in the habit

doing, and

of

He

which

that

from

along the
although

person,

I had

together,as

out

walked

we

Didier's

M.

Tuileries.

the

went

we

known,

he had

raised

may

very

of

of one
the appearance
well have the appearance
wished

He

so.'

am

withheld

unconquerable horror
'''Excuse

"

I do

that

reason

This

and

great effort
and

to tremble

side

that

judgment,
accident

to

my

the

*I

hand, but

said, 'but

to

do

in mine

arm

as

for

you

with

an

'Let

I made
I

soon
us

some

wish.'

me.

; but

back.

draw

me

dead

walking,and

man

began

converse

saw

by

no

completed my horror.
took place between
then
man,

by

annoyed

I do

odor, which
this dead

dead.

longer possessed his intelligencenor

that he spoke like an automaton.
When
face approached his lips I perceived an

he

and

him

said to him.

seemed

answers

forced

to

it,'he answered, 'since

I cannot

to be

his

I took

was

by side,'I

"He

him

caused

answer

the

erend.
rev-

me.

understand

not

I said

from

me

refusing you,'

for

me

take

eagerly to

ferent
dif-

way

strange and

was

that

were

towards

quays
in no

nevertheless, very brisk, and

was,

we

and

finallyhe

gave

me

but

what

his

by
evil

tercatio
al-

disputed with

blow.

gendarmes oxi" of sergeants

of being at the Institute,before
de ville came
up, and, instead
ourselves on the slopeof a hill.
found
which
we
we
were,
not
looked
at my
I then
companion fixedly. 'Do
you
Camille Flammarion, your
know,' I said to him, 'that I am
"At

favorite

the

same

author

moment

troop

?'
324

o"

us,

know

not

his

THE
''

He

seemed
But

Sylvie?
'1

"

have

not

am

took

Yes/ said he

have

you

horror

'

anything
Sylvie/

of me,

'

was

Michel, and

have

may

when

him

saw

day upon his bed I asked

lethargy. This death made

next
a

me,

and

when

another

steamboat

at

the action

of

dream

noise

the

brain

and

his heel

woke

end

incoherent.

the

on

is

on

It

me.

It

of

cause

was

followed

the noise

''Thus

the

observatory at

at

which

top
once

woke

image which

an

certainty

saw

some

one

the

step of
proved to

in

wooden

be

of the

Rue

by

others.

had

me

had

two

been

appeared

to

dream

case.
stair-

round

made
at six
was
by Avhich the announcement
artillery,
in the morning of one
of the annual
f"tesat Juvisy,on
Sunday. This blow was struck less than two hundred
the

and

sea-shore.

with

shows

is

posing
stranger superimdetermining a new
mirage :

(June 6, 1897) I

knocking loudly with

The

dream, which

the

at

Montmartre,

at

was

Haute-Marne

to which

cause

itself upon
This morning

sea

to the

recent

more

to

his

the

dream

brought me

is

asked

was

doing so, to control my

nightmare is inexplicable. The substitution
dreams
more
even
very singular. Still there are
in

of this

not been
able, in
grave, I had
form
of this
Tlie aggressive
emotion.

address

an

pronounce

from

me,

ble
horri-

so

by the death

caused

been

myself whether he was not in

a profound
impression upon

"

thor.
au-

denly,
happened three days previously, He died sudSaintoffice in the Place
sittingat the omnibus

while

Here

great
with

do

to

Sylvie/ I said, 'but Camille.'

me
by the hand, and the contact

nightmare

friend,which

Thus

"

I awoke."

that
This

won't

why

DREAMS

OF

remember.

to

You

He

"

WORLD

o'clock

Camille

the
me

of

Whit-

yards
marion.
Flam-

determining
before

was

awake.
"That

is to say, this

very short time

of

necessary

for

had

produced itself during

awakening,perhaps in

the

the

tenth

second.

"When
of the
be

image

saw

the

staircase,I

was

knocking

man

with

his foot

on

entirelyAvithout clothes, and

obliged,I thought,in

order to leave the

325

room

the

step

I should

where

was

UNKNOWN

THE

clothes,to

find my

and

uneasiness

talking. My
seeking some
way
were

I woke

when

np

determined
of

image

fact, how
causes

It is

the

and

numerous

varied

produce them.
error
physiological

taken
descriptions,

dreams

to think

that

from

what

and

are,

ent
differ-

the

physiological
reality. For myself,

derived

are

it is to

the

desire

in

ascend

to

say, in this
experienced during a balloon
be

may

the

eyes, and

of

extent

solemn

the

with

compared

the aeronaut

the

air

plunged

into other

we

experiencea

air which

aerial

under

one's

elevation, cannot

dreams, for in the

is in motion

of

molecule

"

of

car

and, therefore,

"

of disillusion.

sense

flightin

Could

birds ?

the

It

dreams.

supposed.

to

organic life

facts in

the

are

vertigo,as has been

regret at being inferior to
due

aerial

self motionless

what
easy to see
produce the sensation of

is not

splendid

developed

felt in

It is not
which

to make

ascension, however

panorama
silence of the
motion

and

that

connection, that the sensation

the

feels one's

one

balloon

I should

voyages.

from

of cold

valley or an attractive landscape. Indeed,

agreeable sensation experiencedin these dreams

owe

be

off my

solelyfrom
is not peculiar),
I have very
for example (and my
case
dreamed
of flyingthrough the air,at a short distance

often

the

was

Now

this sensation

that

brief

these

from

seen

of dreams

elements

above

I awoke.

cold, having thrown

was

doubt

no

just as the explosion determined

strikingwith his heel."

man

will be

It

be

can

and

long time,

clothes, when

get

thirtypersons

dream,

my
a

lasted

my
I felt that I

There

covering.

to

salon,where

the

cross

certainly
it arise
the

But

sation
sen-

?
I

have

also

CertainlyI

very
Sometimes
green

Sometimes

heard

often

by men
impressed by

dreamed

often

the conqueror

had

who
this.

of

him, and my

seen

But

talking with
spoken of

the

relation

mind

of

cause

Napoleon.

hood,
in my childmay have been
and

effect

mains
re-

remote.

see

meadow
I

myself
before

am

shut

up

in

What

me.

condemned

to
326

with

tower

is the

cause

death, and

tiful
beau-

of this ?
I

have

no

THE

than

more

hours,

two
Can

to live.

WORLD

this be

OF

DREAMS

honr, half an hour,

?
by-gone remembrance
one

few minutes

Again, I have travelled in a dream to other worlds, into

But here there
infinite depths of space.
be associations
may
familiar to me.
of thoughts which
are
In general,
and in normal
condition,dreams are so numerous,
varied, so incoherent, that it is almost

so

their

seek

the mind,

justas

cause,

outside

of the

of

images

dormant

or

thinks

superfluous to

associations of ideas latent

in the

brain.

One

in

dreams,

of all sorts of

thingsand of situations,only
instead of tJioughts
in the waking state, one
as
imagines that
the things thought of, and the ideas
one
acts, that one
sees
one

become
and

apparent
as

most

is absent

reason

whole

Three
in

dream

it becomes

or

In

the

dream

different
our

A.

image, and

an

on

writes

discussion

thus

we

This

''In

both

dream

different

it

remember
we

either
reality,

was

the

I did

son
per-

attribute
are

tirely
en-

afterwards

the
one

mind.

my

town

know,
saw

clearest,most

I have

ever

tinct,
dis-

had, I

ried
car-

general only a phenomenon of

and cons
of a question,
pros

On

of

name

not

in

attribute

to

of the

which

the

persons.

suddenly

came

situated
time

idea, in the

an

operates in the mind, and from

proofs of his paradoxical thesis,

which

division

We

memory.

that

in dreams.

immortalityof the soul with an

of opposite arguments,
made
use
that I had made
the objections
self.
my-

Dr.'Wigan deduces
of the mind, is
chiality

dan

and

the

on

which

to two

remains

then

one

dreams

nothing but

were

in

observed

ideas, and we
personifyour own
which
thoughts and words
personages

antagonist,and

and

be

we

reasonable

most

the

simply

natural.

idea

an

acts, the

own.

Maury

which

state

unconscious

thing.

a
a

waking

lies in this,

realized, very

they were
phases may

characteristic

While

are

if

as
surprise,

any

difference

these

from

extravagant situations

without

to

The

acts.

in

or,
a

kinds

two

of

occasion
I
in

knew

the word
well

327

Mussi-

at that

France, but where

rather, I had

dream

opposite ideas

certain

forgotten.
person

who

time
it

was

Some

told

THE

that he

me

town

He

that

answered

district in the
in the

Mussidan.

from

came

was.

UNKNOWN

Department
I woke

dream

the

The

me.

it had

as

to

done

where

the

consult

about

more

previously
town
by that
"

mind, but I

presented

that

is to say, without

I had

waking state, and

with
something which
many

dream

I had

me

years

put
was

ago,

at

the

time

when

great

my

in other

say

forgotten in
of

faintest

tonishment
as-

knew

dream

into the mouth

only

ing
know-

I hastened

fact

told

another
brance."
remem-

studying

was

standing
paying specialattention to underI had the following
accompanied by prepositions,
I spoke English, and
wishing to tell some
paid him a visit the day before, I employed

when

verbs

dream

in my

remembered

as

mind,

my

situated.

was

had

itself to my

still

name

mained
re-

in doubt

was

point

dream

in the dream

person

of

this

The

"

the

good
English, and

morning.

was

the

town

At

geographicaldictionary,and to
I ascertained
that the speakerin my
geography than I did that is to

words, I had

'^A

It

the

Mussidan

name

country

Dordogne.

in my

of what

correctness

the

was

where

him

of the

up.

perfectlydistinct
to

it

I asked

was

one

that

this

press
exexpression: *I called for you yesterday.' 'You
What
yourself very badly,'he answered.
you should
is : I called
on
yesterday.' The next
morning,
you
'

say
when

dream

woke, the remembrance

remained.

table, and

I took
I

discovered

of this circumstance

placed

grammar
that

the

on

in my

ing
neighbor-

imaginary person

was

right."
The
state

remembrance
had

of
in

returned

something forgotten in
dream,

and

the

the

waking

attributed

observer

the

mind
to another
workings of his own
person.
urally
The
dreams
of
be
large majority
can
explainedquitenatof thought during sleep.
by the concentration
Max
Simon
and
Alfred
Maury consider that there is no

one

that
our

Facts

accustomed
the

action

knowledge

to

of the
and

work

intellectual
brain

is often
the

without

illustrative of this action

328

who

is not

convinced

accomplishedwithout

intervention

of

present themselves

the
at

will.
every

UNKNOWN

THE
leave

sleep,he

to

of his

It is

is often
a

the

by

In

exchange

memory
How

; at that

offered

the

the

the

because

to certain

of

the
some

narrator

great

composer

fact that

no

its raison

had

is the

for

sonata

then

do

awoke,

and

wrote

had

heard.

they owe

from

the

would

of

their appearance

question

of facts which

are

not

supply

us

dream, because

possiblethat

with

the

on

He

because

It is

tinctly
dis-

the

mental
its

d'"tre and

this
work

tion
explana-

artistic

painted,had been
some
thought of it may have
is of secondary importance.
upon

the

either drawn
representation,
presentedto the musician's sight,and

some

or

so

in this dream

in the

circumstances

of the

them

Avith

devil suddenly

terms, and

datails which

of the

manner

genesisof the dream.

f ully occupied with the

the

the

of execution.

image

stress

This

longed-for sonata

importance.
devil associatinghimself

in the

Tartini.

finish

to

produced ? To v/hat mechanism

?
It is impossibleto say; not

thinks

intellectual

moment

devil's

charm
inexpressible

an

key

tastic
fan-

Tartini, entirelyovermastered

latter execute

personalgenerallyomits
he

than

and

despairat composing

for his soul.

the

insoluble, but

with

from

tion.
connec-

curious

unconscious
other

no

this

to in

transport of joy he ran to his desk

he reallybelieved he
the part which
are
images like those just described

Tartini's

is

entirelydifferent

was

the

in

accepted
apparition,

violin,with
in

complete

sleej)after having tried in vain

him
into
sonata; his preoccupation followed
his dream
he thought that he began his work

heard

and

was

to

went

again,and that he was

and success
little inspiration
appeared to him and
in

dreamed

of the most

was

over

him

he

referred

scene

accompanied

composer

sleep.

that it

dreamer, who

conclude

his

order

work

the

that

awoke

night

one

in which

one

of the

celebrated

tliat

dream

character

to

he

in
preparation,

of

written.

celebrated

labor

when

Henriade, and

he had

One

course

his mind.

mentions

Voltaire

what

found

often

completed in
canto

in

incomplete work

an

crossed
What

his mind.
we

wish

in which

the dream

Tartini's

thoughts

musical
330

But

point
to lay
more
produced,

once
was

had

this

been

composition upon

pow-erwhich he

THE

work, and,

at

the
but
was

DREAMS

is

as

the musician's

from
If

take

we

mind

the

science

the

the

he

the

relates

Graciolet

this

"

here

of

is, supposing

labor

is

only

dream's

cultivates with

dream

tension

that

appeared
singular cerebral

specialobjectof the

the art which

or

effort and

have

not

that

be true

upon

previousmental

would

dream

exercised

brain.

away

it to

study, on the
passion.

given,which

is

certainly

grotesque :

very

Some

"

OF

frequentlythe case in operationsof

mind, the idea,not, being ripe,produced at first no effect;
during sleep(and in spite of it)the incomplete work
finished,and the marvellous
melody gushed, as it were,

was

M.

WORLD

de

ago, when

years

Blainville,in

prepared a

I took

in alcohol.

placedthem

of the dream

night

One

"

brain.

of the

study

great number

very

of animals.

some

occupied by

organizationof

of

brains, some

the

off

about

am

to

the

of

membranes

Brieflystated, these

it seemed

brain,
and

men

with

care,

the antecedents

were

to relate.

that

me

its membranes.

I removed

illustrious master,

my

I had

extracted

After

having completed

own

my

preparationI suspended it in alcohol, and then, after some

Then
it
time, I took it out and replaced it in my skull.
that my brain had undergone a great reduction
seemed
to me
of the shrinkage due to the alcohol.
in size,in consequence
that I felt it shakIt filled the cranial cavityincompletely,
ing
so
the

head; this
woke
up suddenly
nightmare.

I
a

"

No

but

it did not

had

time
be

relation

to matters

the

to have
same

logicaland

time

distinct
of my

indeed

from

as

this dream
I

was

at that

imagined myself
moment

perceptionof
head

that

imagination;

Avith which

at that

associated, and
natural

dream

absurd

and

reason,

much

so

that

grotesque and

strange brain, and

remained

ideas
is

a
me

Thinking at

The

me

from

particularly
occupied. Probably
caused

dream

recovered

without

occur

very evident

removing

two

and

this shows

doubt

bewildered

sensation

in my

dent
acci-

some

my

own

and

of my

the

remainder

to

head.

brain, these
of

the

conclusion."

Abercrombie
physioligist

gives a
331

very

curious

dream,

UNKNOWN

THE

which, like the former,

the result of

was

preoccupationof

the

mind.

friends," he says,

of my

One

"

principalbanks

the

desk, when

at his

the

for

claim

several

were
francs). There
waiting their turn ;

to
a

assistants

of the

the

months

nine
was

At

matter.

overcome

that

dreamed

had
returned
mind

he

his

to

was

It will be
dreamer

was

long

time
was

long

My

desk, that
all the

soon

with

looking
that

passedseveral

friend

with

for.

this
it

in

buried

been
in

time

who

man

that

examining

had

not

produced a
for

clear

during

the

of the dreams

on

the

icit."'
def-

for

revealed

had

his mind

direction

this

remembrance

fact which

But

his

been

strained

though
effort, al-

mental

had

occupation
pre-

renewed
and

ebral
cer-

been

finally
uselessly

to

telepathy

before.

which

^Inquiries Concerning

books

him, but that the will had

sum

intense, and

day

might

his

the

the

the

perceptionof

he

entered

been

powerlessto awaken
the depths of memory.
one

his

to

that

to

affair

with

awoke

hope

mered
stam-

of the

details

exactly corresponded to

already known
remained

the

Upon

sum

the

wholly unproductive,resulted in
evoked
activity,a series of images were

Some

eightor

was

at first

sought

attention

balanced, there

be

He

accuracy.

in this dream

seen

had
for

which

not

pounds.

dream, and

was

ledger, and

which

could

his

at

mind

of his
he

what

the

wanted, with

he

paying much

without

books

found, in fact, that

he

what

of tlie year,

appeared,and

full

find

end

of six

error

him

him, in order

to pay

nights in a useless search for the deficit ; at last,

to bed, and
home, went
by fatigue,he returned

and

days

the

after, the

constant

cashier

latter gave

gesture of impatience,and

were

stammering, that

of his

reason

the

who

impatient,so noisy,and,

so

was

begged
The

get rid of him.

to

he

but

him

before

persons

by
all,so insupportable

above
one

of

payment

of

one

capacityof cashier,was
presented himself, presenting
of six pounds (150
the sum

individual

an

employed in

was

in the

Glasgow

at

who

"

are

apparentlydue

tlieIntellectual
332

Powers, 1841, p. 280.

THE
of this

are

kind, and

DREAMS

OF

WORLD

than

more

apparitionof

one

the

dead

explainedon this basis.

The
of dreams
will be
explanationof the greater number
found in physicalinfluences,or in unconscious
cerebration
of
ideas and
It is of great
images lying latent in the brain.
importance, therefore, that we should review this physiological
in order
action
to judge scientifically
of the facts
have
to analyze. The
results of my investigations
which we
might

have

be

revealed

large

number

of

dreams

which

and
physiologically,

which
will

we

be

can

plained
ex-

reproduce

not

here.
But

external

minds

psychicforces

during sleep

shall
The

take

now

the

up

well

as

by

of their

which

faculties.

belong
to

and
less

us

We

form

to

in

said that

this

of the visions

seen

in dreams

class.

number

of

have

Avithout

present

show us something
may
mind.
of the human

observer, and
faculties

been

in full possession

to be

of

Their
such

those
ent
differ-

evidence
dreams

is

produced them,
It must
and

Nevertheless, I do

logicalto rejectthem

be

III. have

and

they seem

which

of dreams.

yet considered

not

another

We

state.

kind

Chapter
awake

have

reliable,for the

of the memory.

are

also be

subject to

tuations
fluc-

believe that

not

examination.

Some

specialinterest

for the

in

more

to the

regard

another
psychic action of one mind
upon
tion
been proved by a preceding chapter, and the demonstraenter
the more
is complete,we
can
complicatedworld of

Now

has

waking

non-coincidences.
by innumerable
they are always a little vague,

balanced

it would

the
of

wide

were

coincidences

the

great, and

related

dreams, because

to

character
seems

who

persons

in

as

examination

psychic phenomena

observed

capable of influencingour

are

the

that

dreams.
One

in a dream
observed
has been
ready
alcase
very curious
remarked
girl in
(p. 225) : it is that of a young
upon

Paris,who
to her

by

Brierre

reservation

her

saw

for
de

mother

dying
This

last embrace.
Boismont

showing

its

among

provinces and

dream

has

been

hallucinations, but

psychic
333

in the

character.

ing
call-

classed
with

telepathic

THE
of the

dream
I will

in

(p.332)

has

readers

some

also

been

They

in dreams.

the first

are

from persons
inquiries,
dying manifestations
probable nor less interesting

less

no

should, it

he

to

seems

be

me,

class.

same

night of July 25, 1894, 1 saw in a

I had
known
whom
formerly,from 1883
was
serving his militaryterm, and whom

man

letters

from

extracts

dream

In the

"

above.

to

answer

reported, and

cases

in the

included
I.

given

my
experiencedapparitionsand

have

than

my

received

Avhich 1 have
who

kind

same

present to

now

UNKNOWN

young

1885, when

to

have

to

was

married.
''For

I in

and

at Pau

him

saw

that

From

place.

in

his uniform

time

heard

I had

Paris),when on
dream
just as I

nothing
night of

the
had

known

sergeant-major. He

as

great sadness,

of

importance here I
the marriage had

no

him, and

with

all relations

oS

have

which

reasons

showed

and

the

apparitionfaded

the

sun.

me

taken

the

(he lived
25th of July

me

with

dawn

look

of letters.

in

Then

disappearsbefore

long time the dream

remained
with me, and I asked
myself why, why, should it
who
to me
have
never
come
thought of him, although I had
always felt for him a sincere regard.
that his death
the 20th
of January, 1895, I learned
"On
in

awoke

"I

occurred

on

of his last

great distress,and

night of the 25th

thoughts was of me.
the

"Rochefort."

II.

the

"During

whom

she loved

of her

bed

"

As

wrote

and

soon

to

as
me

and
said

of 1870

war
an

father, her

my

July,1894,
Lucie

and

that

one

Labadie.

relatives

1871,
shut

one

up

of my

in

intimate

Metz, dreamed

in the north,
physician,who was
esteemed
to the
profoundly, came
to her, 'Look, I have just died.'

outside
with

and

while
officer,

communication

tears, asking

family,and begging to
my

of

Letters.

friends,the wife of
that

for

not

him, dressed

packet

justas the

away,

broken

of him

regarded

had

on

know

me

whether

the 18th
334

of

and
foot

was

possible,
my

friend

for

exact

news

of

misfortune

had

any

September, since

on

my
fallen
be-

that

WORLD

THE
bad

day she

had

OF
in

dream

DREAMS

regard to

lier very much.

Alas, on
in the morning, my
five o'clock

without

had

told

this

saw

that

me

time

liad

of him

news

she had

before

friends who

of her

one

she sent for

in the

she
more

similar

lived in Metz, and

L.
"Director

had

morning they

justdied.

that he had

her

September, at
died suddenly,

followingsummer
impressed her the

had

dream

short

concerning

when

father

of

in the

lady again

this

powerfullybecause
dream

the 18th

pressed
op-

previousillness.

any

"When

father which

my

told

had

Bouthors,

of Assessments

at Chartres."

Letter 28.

III.
For

"I

(A)

several

dream.

reached

lighted.
"I

room.

I went

into

trestles ;

two

on

I went

gloomy

I felt

at Niort

One

one's

Avith relatives who

day,

rather

or

it there

Beside
this second

I fled.

When

night,I

one

and
staircase,

another, feebly

was

and

room,

had

beside

saw

coffin

it.

I reached

the first

room

I turned
round,
my shoulder.
I
tremblingwith terror, and I recognized my father, whom
said to me
had
for two
in a very
not
seen
years, and who
some

hand

father lived in Paris.

interminable

an

up

My

lightedtaper stood

afraid,and

was

been

education.

my

old.

years

seven

I had

years

undertaken
had

was

'Do

gentlevoice:

on

not be afraid.

Embrace

little one.-'

me,

day we received a telegram. My poor father

had died, not during the night,but on the preceding evening.
"1
had died
was
completely orphaned, for my mother
"

some

The

next

years

I often

dream

(B)

''When

me

up,

not
me
come
a

it
I

and

whom

I had

not

over

Avas

white form

recognize.

you

dream

impressed

again.
thirtyyears

I loved

as

She

room.

you

are

; there

was

335

me,

I was,

had

not

In the middle

advancing towards
up

so

much

that

of age, the aunt who brought

pox.
mother, died of black small-

go into her
if I die, and

farewell.^

I woke

me

told of her death, and

oeen

permitted to
in jest: 'Oh,
to bid

This

before.

which

often

near

of

said to
I will

me,

the night I

I did

in
twilight

of course,

my

not

saw

at first

room,

and

THE
/

in
reflected
pliaiitom
The
phantom said

the

saw

hed.

my

UNKNOWN

glass wardrobe

to

!' I stretched

voice, Farewell
'

in

me

out

"My

arms

my

had

aunt

poor

been

dead

V.
the Maternal

of

Directress

"

wife

My

the

saw

disease

Luxeuil, had

her

brother

at the

her

with

to that

care

however, in coming

the

of any

fatigued,persuaded

them

and

place himself
by

coffin like the

nightmare,

establishment

the thermal
and

tombal

Eoman

his

last illness

to

here.

her
she

at

wife

departure my

and

in

saw,

which

her

in

halfstone

exhibited

are

coffin contracted

The

at

itself
her

almost
impossibleto
making respiration
he, looking at her with supplicatingeyes,

to

to

come

him

saw

his

and

draw

him

he

resigned air,and

assume

assistance

day

next

hour

of

his

we

of my

learned

coincided

decease

out.

to

more.'

no

hour.

It

death.

brother-in-law's

exactly loith

plored
im-

seemed

'Everything is at an end ; you can do

she awoke
completely,and noted the
past three in the morning.
twenty minutes

say to her
that
With

The

with

more,

brother, and

''The

very

come

lying enclosed

stones

be

to

establishment

his

after

condition, her brother

awakened

collegeat

seeing her

deaconesses'

weeks

of

sort

the

brother-in-law

my

at

three

About

awakened

was

precise

greatestdevotion, and he preferred

else.
one
My wife's relations,

Luxeuil, and

to

much

Strasbourg.

professorin
lungs. During

was

the

of

him

his sister nursed

Then

Boniface,

35.

figureof

My brother-in-law, who

more

I had

of his death.

moment

was

when

"tampes(Seine-ct-Oise)."

School,

Letter

"

hours

several

this hallucination.

"

disappeared.

it had

V.

l"aced o])])Osite
scarcely audible
to clasp it, but

that

of

the

dream.
"

May

"Luxeuil

leg of you

not

to

giveour

S.

(Haute-Sa"ne)."
Letter

VI.

A.

names.

"My
at two

grandmother
or

last year,

died

three minutes

60.

before
336

on

the

midnight.

Gth

of January,

She

lived in

UNKNOWN

THE
"I

think

ought

the

dead

woman

Massot,

of the First

"Apothecary

Class.

Banyuls-sur-Mer (Pyr-Or)."

"

Letter

has

mother

VIII.

"

"One

of my

dreamed

My

awoke, and
with

also roused

my

Avhich

had

dream

the

o'clock in the
''The
had

could

not

the

in the

died

said

also

had

her

seen

she

in her

One

winter

manner

that

the

which

"

The

taught,had

next

said to

"

me,

day
'Do

you

succumbed
The
and

almost

died

an

midnight, was
instantly.'

her

was

then

in
in
338

(Savoy)."

miles

clearest

always

lage,
vil-

my

the

from

of the cold.

mother

my

last

night.

He

by the cold,
remained

with

inquiriesby tellingyou
Alphonse

Letter

My mother, who
brother,who was

mamma

in the

overcome

tliis has
your

died

"Teacher

"

She

Od"on",

family, and

to my

impressioncaused by
I am
glad to answer

ten

in consequence

this circumstance.

X.

exactlyas

octogenarian,in

old Crouzier

know

away

affirmative.

1 dreamed

less than

home

I went

get up towards

looulcl
and

me

rather

situated

tioned
ques-

68.

Crouzier,

was

placewhere

field

my

mamma

taken

Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers

night,in 1895,

Sieur

that

then

had

she

two

was

then

M.

Letter

"

It

She

dream.
"Teacher,

IX.

her.

in the

the

she

acquaint him

to

it.

Avhether

crossed

she did not

information

knew

me.

evening she
saw
mother
my grand-

o'clock ; and

ten

to

this moment

At

just disturbed

night at

she had

that

also

father, in order

the latter answered

children, and

One

road which

large field.

help answering that

grandmother as to

my

by

morning.
day my parents received

next

uncle

strange dream

; she

dead

his children

ill.

was

him

crossed

which

know, but

related

often

beheld

she

that

66.

brothers-in-law

taking away

saw

in

was

Camille

o'clock.

three

about

dying state

that

add

to

at Aram

Vidal,
on

(Gard)."

77.

France, dreamed

that

America, dying in her

she

arms.

THE
afterwards

month

OF

she

had

brother, who
The

WORLD

DREAMS

received
in

expired

the

news

of the

arms

of my

death

grandmother.

coincide.

dates

of this

A.

D.

Aries."

"

Letter 118.

"I

XI.

had

brother

twenty-fiveyears
"Three

"

years

from
that

him.

the

who

lived

St.

at

correspondencehad

our

Petersburg for
rupted.
inter-

been

never

of July, I received
ter
a letago, in the month
On the 8th of September followingI dreamed

brought me a letter from St. Petersburg,

and
that on
one
opening the letter I found two pictures,
stretched
his bed
and
representinga dead person
upon
dressed

in what

journey

my

several

saw

others

boy

children.
a

of the

!'which

"Some
died

other

days
during the
which

at
closely

their

knees

around

man.

the bed, among

girl about the age of my brother's

picturerepresented the performance of
I then examined
more
closelythe face
I woke
Ah, but it is
up, crying out,
'

my brother's name.
later I learned
that my
interval

The

(Ihave

not

is

dream

been

brother

had

really

able to ascertain

always present in

related it to several

de Bel- Air,

46 Rue

in

fashion

the face of the dead

my

actly
ex-

ory,
mem-

persons.
"

"

the

was

day).

I have

and

and

man,

be

little

ceremony.

dead

Lucien

and

to

in 1867.

on

persons

observed

myself

at first look

The

funeral

I had

to Russia

I did not

"

postman

L. Carrau.

Angers."
Letter 135.

lived
My great-grandfatherleft his family,who
I believe
that he
Strasbourg, at the age of fourteen.
and that he never
tives
returned
to his village,
his relasaw
again. He married in Nancy when he was twenty-four,

XII.
near
never

and

"

his wife

"One

never

her

parents-in-law.
grandmother saw an interminable

saw

night my
procession defile before
after,a letter announced

her

bed.

The

the decease
339

next

of her

funeral

day, or the day

father; the fu-

THE
neral

had

taken

UNKNOWN

place,the populationof

being present at it,as well as

the place (Bischeim),although

the
it

three

large villages

mayor

and

the

funeral

was

the

Rue

de

the

have

"1

coincidence
''The

(A)
who

died

Jew.

Provence, Paris."
Letter

XIII.

of

of

Jen^land.

"

"55

cur"

to record

130.

in two

occurrences

dreams, with

of death.

happened to my father, Pierre Dutant,

for
1880, having been apothecary at Bordeaux
first

in

fiftyyears.
"

He

was

with

of

man

absolutelyhonest

fine

very

and
intelligence,
doubted

acquaintancesever
"

is the

Here

fact which

I tell you

which

almost

he

ous
numer-

related

to

me

times, and

many

told it.

m^^ brother, then a notary at

a child
Lengnau, and thirty-three
together
years of age, was
that we
both played in our
father's house.
with myself, and

'One

"

All

at

I dreamed

of his

none

his word.

he

as

acter,
scrupulous char-

and

night

he

once

fell from

me,

''Adieu!"

with

the vividness

o'clock.

brother

did

But

death.

of the

not

being

I did

believe

not

died

that

precisely.'
(B) The second

fact

I dreamed

aged cousin,

"

The

died.

dream

She

an

morning

next

very
the

"In

date

tliat

well

that

not

exactly),this
was

very

she

died

the

dream

as

"I

can

(C)

only

knew

him

in
at

three

that

my
of

danger

three

o'clock

parents, who

my

it

down,
died

on

the

three

or

and
of

member
re-

night of

340

case,

after

give

the
the

apoplecticattack.

days after,and I have

warning or presentiment.
still another

days

I cannot

an

few

tell you

hour

at the

personally. One night

loved
me
dearly,had

it to

two

cousin

well, however,

who

impressed

so.

and

written
old

much

night

me

I told

I did

week,

same

(I have

concerns

street, crying to

very

sleep again.

to

go

into the

dream, I looked

brother

my

window

awoke, and

ill,but

was

that

the

dream, but

always regarded

which

happened

to

WORLD

THE

myself and

impressed me

abuse

to

know

do not
I

"

what
then

was

she

and
her

caressed

died, and
I

and

my

sister

of it.^

My

to

sure

They
everywhere, and
Now

sister

for the
rang
called her ; she

dog.

the

before

day

nothing to provoke

she

is that

of

did

that

; I dreamed

had

On

would
her

ing
wak-

it,
lieve
be-

not

to call the

They looked

come.

her, dead, in

there

ill,and

not

she

is dead

told

markable
re-

although I

eyes.

not

gence,
intelli-

human

maid, and

was

wrong

dreams

to me,

laughed,and

they found

last

at

Lionne

'

We

me.

had

I dreamed

with

me

am

problems.

I often

night

at

little dog of unusual

One

she looked

that

am

little.

occurred, but

make

can

attached
particularly

was

very

I said

up

limits of these

had

We

clearness.

excuse

girl,and

young

it

dog, perhaps

only

the

are

with

The

time.

your

DREAMS

great deal when

is concerned

this event

as

OF

corner.

had

been

dream.

my
"M.

R.

n"e

Lacassagne,

Dutant.

"Castres."
Letter

XVI.

"

was

day my concierge,who
brought me my first
He

asked

just

had

whom
I

am

had

"

the

was

but
P.S.

the

as

coincidence

beg you not

experience is concerned

to die

death

of the

publish my name.
to
you are at liberty

XVII.

''I have
as

machinist

far

as

the

F.

de

M.

153.

who

in the arsenal
341

member,
re-

now

insert it if it is

Dr.

brother

not

So

to

Letter

certifyyou

is exact.

of sufficient consequence.
""^*^-"

first

place.'

I cannot

day

the

by

dream, for I do

my

'I have

woke, and

just as

native

my

tears.

brought me
young), and

very

of his

happened.

hour

"

Havana,

I answered:

mother

news

in

me

uncle, who

and

One

hospitaland

bed, found

my

about

I shall have

same

go to the

matter, and

father

exactly what

was

in

Paris, in 1863.

in
to

up

nightmare ;

arrives from

That

that it

the

tenderly,was

that

boat which

me

breakfast

lost my

I loved
sure

woke

was

horrible

(for I

up

what

me

of medicine

student

139.

from

1870

at Fou-Ohou

to 1874

was

in China.

ployed
em-

He

THE

had

friend,also

machinist, and

this friend

(Brest);

he

and
and

came

UNKNOWN

morning

to

see

brother

my

him

what

follows

nothing

could

distract

related

of the

town

same

employed, like himself, at

was

one

native

the

nal,
arse-

his

at

ings,
lodg-

My dear friend,
heartbroken.
I dreamed
I am
last night that my
child
dead
was
of croup, and tuas
lying on a red quilt.' My
brother laughed at his credulity,talked
of nightmares,and
in order
to dissipatethis impression invited his friend
to
breakfast.

But

to

'

him, for his

child

dead.

was

The

"

first letter which

occurrence

his

child, who

he

When

tears, and
this

died

of

by

the death

the
great suffering,
strange coincidence lay on

the letter to

showed

after this

Avith

this letter he

received

France

from

it announced

wife, and

croup,

his dream, and

night of
quilt.
"

his

from

was

he received

to

came

him, and

very
red

brother, in

my
him

from

of

I received
H.

story.

V.

"Brest."
Letter

XVIII.

"

mother

her

and

of the

cousins lived at

My

snow.

aunt

been

daughter, however, did not know that

One night, in a dream, she
than usual.
she awoke
is dead

her !'

; I have

Just seen
Clairveaux, but they
of undertaking

for

of

said to her

in terror, and

did
"

not

receive

That

which, my
she cried
my

with

out

mother.'
her

evening,

cousin
:

'

ill
she

time

long

Avas

husband

dead

mother

'My

; her

unwell

more

her mother

saw

count
ac-

to set out

at

once

in the

post did

not

snow

for the

sake

come

in, and

they

letters.

any

same

one

prudence
her, showing her the im-

Journey

presentiment. The

mere

During

impossibleon

See wished

dissuaded
a

Switzerland,

Jura.

became
had

in

Nyon,

Clairveaux, in the

at

all communication

winter

severe

of my

One

163.

They

And,

in

the

are

enter

coming

fact, not

otherwise, they had

sent
343

day,

next

horseman

saw

or

to

tell

being
a

do

not

the

park, and

me

of the

able

horseman

to

know
then

death

of

communicate
to inform

her

THE

mother

that her
the

had

details if you

wish

LoDS-le-Sauinier

"

former

to

railroad

IsTemours.

business

His

Here

''

*I had

that

me

which
that

to

gone

her

as
see

is

I should

Belbeistat.

he

related

his

I met
had

in to

come

me

him

see

v/ho

was

received

l"s-

suspicion.
a

farmer;

few

told

several

visits

she insisted

nevertheless

for

has
-

mother-in-law, who

already
but

Pierre

above

sick friend

very

son-in-law

it to

from

comes

Saint

living at
are

friends,

of my

elsewhere, who

and

faith

greatlyfatiguedhim,

had

precise

more

286.

good

to the farm

at the entrance

give me
G.

and

and

honor

is the fact

''

could

contractor, in France

retired from

now

dream.

noted
experience,
by one
investigations.It
your

an

communicate

to

at

(Jura)."

I have

"

the

for them.
Letter

XIX.

It occurred

during the night.

died

my cousin had
is still li^ang,
and

My cousin

DREAMS

OF

when

moment

"

WORLD

minutes, adding

give him a great deal of pleasure. I then

begged this lady to wish him a good-day for me, and to tell
him I would
call again on the morrow.
o'clock
'During the followingnight,or rather about seven
in the morning, while I was
asleep,just before getting up, I
was
suddenly seized by a nightmare. I thought I saw the
that

it would

"

sick

about

man,

the

the embankment
made
"

this

every
'After

of the

effort to
a

few

farmer

road,

drag him

had

child, embedded

few

in the

in

out of this hole without

I learned

morning

occurred

at

of bed

out

the

very

to

that

hour

hole

in

farm, and I

the

yards from

I sprang

moments

nightmare,and

of the

size of

success.

get rid of
the

death
I had

when

the vision.'
"

The

distance

is about
"

from

farm

six miles.

The

occurrence

took

place about

dozen

"J.
"

Apothecary, Nemours,
Letter

XX.

to the

Saint-Pierre-l"s-Nemours

''

M.
My great-uncle,

ago.

BOIREAU,
Seiue-et-Marne."

298.

Henri
343

years

Horst, who

was

professor

THE
of

music

Strasbourg, saw

at

of his

out

come

Several

''

of

cases

night in a dream, j^vecoffins

same
night an explosionof gas

Jivepersons

myself in regard
to you

as

soon

"Scholar

at the

But

I have

in

dreams,

warnings.
The

heard

of

Among
M.

Lyons,

I said to her

and

is dead!'

no,' I said
under

at

She

'

windows

my

I had

'

which

dream

my
at

I have

maid

o'clock.'

ten

my
that M.
be

not

rable
memo-

entered

perhaps it might
be

livingin

that

on

just dreamed

must

dreams.

suburb, I had

occurred

the

that

in my
early. Not
dead

to bed

gone

morning

once

him

saw

Croix-Eousse,

at

answei'ed

her,

to

but

the

In

evening.

Basse- Alsace."

330.

Carnot, I

of the events

rumor

any

Horet,

contrary, I have
tion
others, on the night of the assassina-

precedingevening

the town

them.

you inquireinto.
sometimes
had certain

the

of the lamented

details,

I understand

as

our

experienced what

never
on

in

to their exact

Lj'c"e,Bouxviller,

Letter
"

known

Georges

"

XXI.

suffocated.

were

telepathic
apparitionsare

them

communicate

and

and

I will inform

family.

one

; the

door

own

his house

placein

took

UNKNOWN

room

not
Car-

'Oh

so.

absurd, for he will pass

(He was accustomed, in

fact, to pass along the boulevard.)

Ten

"

with

said to me,

true; the

has

'

was

just told

difficult for

to

Mademoiselle's

yesterdayevening.'

had, it

returned

she

great feeling:

milkman

assassinated
I had

afterwards

minutes

In

M.

spiteof

Carnot

the dream
it at

to believe

me

Letter

"Lyons."
XXII.

The

"

of

13th
next

fact to
me

"This

Here

is

the

that

June, 1887, 1 dreamed

morning on going into

colleague,and just then I

On

received
I had

I have

an

the

mother

my

restaurant

of which

is the fact, of which

first
M.

340.

personal experience:

of the misfortune

was

which

A.

moment.

the

is come

dream

that

me

and

room

my

had

night
was

of

dead.

spoke of

the

ing
telegram informa presentiment.

exact

remembrance.

'''A. Carayon,

"Principal

of the School

Letter
344

353.

of Croix

de Fer

(N"mes)."

UNKNOWN

THE

"Again
dream

The

"

The

her

preceded

were

sister of
She

died

companion

our

for her

came

the

during
occurred

"You

all

short

gathered
which
at the

ring

why,

knowing

in the

to bequeath

prayer

violent

event, and

in

for

we

the eldest

sister.

The

related

it.

grandmother had
girl had
everythingthe young

young

she had

which this created in the

imagine the excitement
tion,
was
interpretedas an act of divine intervenJ. G.
day was passed in prayer.

the

and

was

casket

entered.

night,and

just as

may
It

convent.

there

interested

be

us

the

for

tremble, without

all

us

all of

not

knees

our

of those

she wished

were

the

dead,

was

heart-rendingleave
designated a
specially

most

studies, when

our

bell,making
could

on

had

grandmother

depositedher jewels which

to her favorite
granddaughter.
end.
to an
night came
next
morning at eight o'clock we

class,and

seen

that

us

girlhad

young

she had

''

"

The

she had

that

Jier,and

which

in

the

taken

had

she

around

told

again. She

over

that

aroused.

were

we

"Paris."
Letter

XXVII.
a

About

"

friend of my

aroused
called
of her

at
her

years

family, while
o'clock

seven

very

two

374.

in

is

suddenly
light sleep,was
morning by a voice which

which

and
distinctly,

lady,who

in the

brother-in-law, the

Jarnac,

at

ago,

last

she

recognized as

from

news

had

whom

that
been

good.
''No

one

in

Avas

her

it

neighboring apartments, and

impression to
"Some

any
hours

known

the

at

room

moment,

impossibleto

was

his decease

later,about

say, at the

very

had
moment

in

the

refer

the

cause.

ten

o'clock, this lady learned

by telegram that her brother-in-law, Avho lived

had just died suddenly. The
next day a letter
that

nor

occurred

at

when

the

seven

at

informed

her

that

is to

o'clock

voice had

Auzances,

"

called her.
"Breaud.

"Jarnac."

Letter 377.
346

XXVIII.

For

"

fourteen
then

person, and
other only at

each

OF

WORLD

THE

DREAMS
I

years

separationtook

intervals.

rare

devoted

was

At

to

one

place,and

last

ticular
par-

we

than

more

saw

year

our
meeting. My friend, being ill,was
passed without
then separatedby
obligedto set out for the Tyrol. We were
hours
of railwayjourney. I had
of fifty-eight
distance
a
of my friend indirectly.The
was
news
news
comparatively
good, and plans for his return were
expected. On the 3d of
half asleep.
March, in the night, I saw my friend while I was
and
He
seated on a bed, in his night-dress,
he said to
was
'

me,

Two

morning.
the

seemed

and

telegram

had

o'clock

two

in

the

me

of

informed

expiredat twenty

minutes

to

of

me

23 Strada

it

by this coincidence, and

importance to your researches

struck
still,

am

sufficient

communicated
"

who

then

was

two.

*'I was,

be

It

days afterwards

of this person,

death

past

I suffer !'

Oh, how

C.

to you.

Romana,

to

Couesxon.

Jassy (Roumania)."
Letter 397.

XXIX.

(A) '^My wife's uncle, a sea captain,has often told

the night which
coincided
with the death
of his
on

that

me

mother, which

while

occurred

to him

in

impressed,he

made

his berth, for

he

dream

with

had

was

date

very
landed.

surprised to hear
date was
exactlythat

The

Being

of

of
He

misfortune.

her

"eath

when

he had

which

appeared
much

head-board

the

on

she

voyage,

face.

presentiment of

little

was

on

mournful

of the

note

he

he

written

on

his berth.

(B)

"

The

the death
that she
her
to
next

of her

she

day

brother.

her mother,

met

house, and
her

thing happened

same

her

who

at her

was

brother

was

with
found

and

the
she

apparition of
said

to

one

her

dead,

dead

of

mother, which

of her

friends
347

that

the

staircase of
no

word

great sadness.

The

apoplexy.

took
had

on

upon

precedingnight

addressed

mother

air of

an

(C) "An almost similar occurrence

marriage-day. My mother-in-law
by

the

dreamed

although her

that

looked

She

mother-in-law

to my

place upon

been

much

I have
if she

my

own

affected

Just related,
ever

saw

her

UNKNOWN

THE

the

on

of

eve

before

my

told her

slie did

wish

house

wife's

my

for

our

an

aneurism, and

he

who

person,

daugliter,for

had

to

come

believe

died

the

on

of the

day

fear

her

see

the

same

of

rupture

when

should

we

married.

been
These

authenticityI

whose

facts

are

to

guarantee

can

L. Contant.

you.
Ciotat."

La

"

days

draped in black on the very

is exactlyAvhat occurred, though
it on the day before the day fixed

buried

was

same

was

was

our

had

she

friend, some

her

see

dreamed,

person

same

we

"

to

marriage. That
no
presentimentof
wedding. My brother-in-law

of

have

not

that

sure

the

dream

be

This

ill,and, therefore, she

her

night,that
day

in

This

instead.

shoukl

misfortune.

great

she

manner

marriage, saw

that

making

of

this

again in

mother

Letter 401.

XXXII.

educated

being

"

the

The

next

hour

at which

her

day
had

seizure,and

and

he

not

to

thus

that

and

with

giving

she lived.

of

summoned

had

why

sudden

dying,surrounded

her groans.
different from
the

by
This

by

it relates to
you have published,since
it is undoubtedly a fact
But
death.
that is

One

his mother, at

her, had

ace

somewhat

see,

him

seen

an

been

Gu"rande.

in tears.

within
had

psychicorder, and
you

room

had

come

is,as you
which

at

of

lying down,
Croisic,where

letter informed

daughters, who

occurrence

own

sixteen,I believe,was

seminary

his mother

saw

of

age

his face bathed

with

awoke

little

the

at

night,in a dream, he
no
sign of life,in her
He

the

My father, at

"

I have

vations
obserdi^eam

it best

thought

the

of
to

quaint
ac-

Poluec.

it.

"Pivermel."

434.

Letter

XXXIII.
herself

had

however,
hand

of your

One

night

one

been

unwell

"

ill for
not

than

aware

usual.

to her, said

in the

long
that
The

readers
house

time

of
with

her friend
friend

farewell, and
348

was

died

that

dreamed

of her

one

friends

lung trouble.
was

at

in bed
in

her

that

who

She

moment

; she
arms.

found

she

held

was,
more

out

The

her
next

WOELD

THE

day the

her

saw

the

certifythat

that of the
37 Rue

dead

day

death.

during
hour

So-

'

the

During

night/

last

mother

to her

said

speak

vision occurred

the

to

of the sick woman's

they learned
''As

whom

; I

is dead

and-so

"

of

person

DREAMS

OF

dream, it

the

of

not

was

sible
poswith

coincided

death

Jean

apparition.

Sueta.

Paris."

Raynouard,

Letter 438.

XXXIV.

"

only twenty-two

am

of age,

years

yet

the

already experiencedthe phenomena in dreams, with

of death, which you are studying.

(A)

first time

The

"

and

I told

my

I do not

The

day

same

with

man

the

were

that

the

year

later.

of Father

familyhad

my

relled).
quar-

circumstances

it.

impressed by

learned

we

whom

incidence
co-

ing,
laugh-

up

dreamed

just

what

much

was

I woke

ago.

I had

remember

now

dream, but I

of the
**

sister how

(a surly old

So-and-so

five years

was

I have

old

man

had

One

of my

mitted
com-

suicide.
''The

(B)

who

second

was

time

was

widower, lived

the

in

that I
rarely. I dreamed
again (a fact of which I was
marry
related this dream
to my family the

him

very

o'clock

ten

informed

death

to his

(0)

The

"

and

night

were

third

I dreamed

that it
who

orphan

several

that the

other

was

of

was

one

morning, and

next

young

learningthat

were

funeral

set

from

our

news

of

he had

out

size.

enormous

My

Nan cy

"
.

who

the persons

the influenza,
ill.

who

One

door, and

intuition
was

told

me

ill,and

awakening,my first words

him, and I was
painfullyaffected on
died during the night.
On

"Jeakne
' '

ards
tow-

man,

I had

ago.

in the house

M.

ask

year

persons

of
Durand, one
unusually corpulent.

to

to

children.

time

that

coffin

was

was

desire

unexpected death during the night, after

of only three days, and lamented
that his untimely
prevented his executing Ids projectof giving a

had

mother

of his

saw

entirely ignorant).
of this

aunt

an

learned

of his

us

illness

an

met

we

town, but

same

ins,
cous-

Letter 441
349

About.

THE

XXXVII.

One

"

tenderly loved,
he

seemed

dream
that

her

brother
The

her

brothers, whom

had

not

dead.

for

him

people ;

that

also

was

the

brother

When
affectionately.

that

had

her

presentiment

it struck

moment

this

lady learned by letter

night,exactly at midnight.

day

she

found

awoke, and
At

the

during

long time ;
complexion, and he

she

filled with
other

dream

seen

fresh

in which

friend

was

died

of

she

each

next

had

brother

was

ended, my

was

had

one

room

sister embraced

and

friends

white, he had

white, and

with

hung

saw

; the

happy

my

whom

and
in

dressed

was

of
she

which

night, in

UNKNOWN

night.
mid-

that

her

G-. P.

Aries."

"

Letter 450.

"In

XXXVIII.
in

which

my

room

the

I wished

to

month
open

another, and

and

July, 1890,

I had

communicating

door

of
a

I could

dream

between

succeed, in spiteof
assistance,and
my

not

then
to
came
one
vigorous efforts;some
in
by using another door not far from the first,we succeeded
the corpse of my
It was
uncle,
moving away the obstacle.
the ground with his knees
flexed.
stretched out upon
I did not attach
curred
dream, but it reany importance to my
''

to

this

relative,which

the

state

can

10th, which

of the

I learned

I did not

Thursday,

country

the

note

that
positively

was

of the

in the

occurred

July, 1890.
"Unfortunately,
I think

when

memory

my

date

it did

so

the

on

of this

if it did

death of

sudden

not

of

dream, but
upon

occur

during the

first

days

J. C.

week.

same

10th

"Lvons."
Letter

"At

XXXIX.

On

Carthagena.

the

close

Christmas

of

466.

the

night I

had

abridge. I was at
Eeze-les-Nantes, watching the approach

recital of which

of

young

I will

girl.

I did

not

1838

year

know

ill at

was

painful dream,
the

market-town

of the
either

funeral
the

name

the
of
cession
proor

I found
family of the deceased, but, notwitlistanding,
I joined the procesmyself overpowered by a great sadness.
the

350

WORLD

THE

sion;

in the church

I heard

tears, when

the

In

friend."

who
had

who

the

was

near

'Here

me:

was

family,I

my

same

terrible storm

learned

heard
that

France

the

uncle

after

an

he

afternoon

Letter

My

"

of

absence
in
He

his

seated, and

cloth tqjon which

several

sleep,and

to

having

her

over

painfullyaffected,and attempted to
had
the
to sleep again and
went
the
awoke, being impressed with
the date
"

arrival of his
and

friend

ship was

came

'I will accompany

and meanwhile
owners,

When

mourning.

startled

at

Orieux.

dreamed
knees

that he

woke

his

this

up, very

"When
of

occurrence

the

ship'slog-book

signalledat

my

uncle

the

he
two

with

uncle
the

quitted his

cried:

'My

friend, but how

'

which
uncle related the dream
my
brother
suicide on
had committed

seilles,
port of Marof him, who

in search

board

on

sight, and
his

'Yes,' answered

the

ship to

know

had

had

day

noted

at

to

the

be

put

he

owners

brother

did you

he

went

is

was

dead!'

it?' Then
sea.

in the
"

"

saw

notes, but he

dream.

same

on

blood-stained

He

resume

in his

hot

very

observations

some

My
you home.'
the friend caused

said:

in

tive,
rela-

the hour.

and

The

of them

note

thunder.
near

One

7'esfed his hrother's head.

dreams, he made

and

returning to

was

months.

cabin, noting

went

best

468.

sea-captain.He

was

was

ship'slog.

his mother

E.

"^^'^tes."

in

was

lies your

night.

XL.

myself (fifteen
years old),and
childhood, had died on Christmas

as

age

the coffin,

me.

that I had
up, believing

the friend of my

been

were

to

say
there

cemetery

deluge
''Upon returning to

who

persons
voice

I woke

of rain.

DREAMS

occupied a placejustbehind

regarding the

without

OF

His

log.

J. S.

Marseilles."
Letter

XLI.

"

due

I knew
to the

much.

The

friend's

death.

next

some

one

who

apparitionof
day
She

476.

had

friend

most

whom

despatch arrived

received

351

letter

startling
experience,
she loved

very

announcing her
later,informing her

UNKNOWN

THE
that

the

words

which

uttered

dying, had

friend, when
she had

in her

heard

exactlythe

dream.
"Jeanne

Letter

XLII.
of

she

of

one

death

had

the

she

found

very

to

When

friend.

that

H.

the

Bardel.

Switzerland."

XLIII.

I saw,

"

of

in

the

Jnly, 1895,

9th

seventy-fivemiles from

the

latter died

on

515.

dream,

the

The

of the

night upon
expectationof it.

any

dream

dream

telegram, tellingher

Letter

9th

the

during the night.

occurred

"Yverdon,

the

in

warned

was

occurred, without

home

went

ago

I mentioned

morning

513.

acquaintances,on

my

death

the

Next

months

Some

"

which

Delamain.

Charente."

"Jarnac,

death

same

the

on

8th to

of the

night

apparitionof my grandmother.
I was
of July,at eight o'clock.
placeAvhere the death took place.
"^Allier,
School- master

Florae, Loz"re,"

at

Letter 518.

XLIV.

Quite recently,when

*'

acquaintances,I
spoke of you and
the

persons

dream
T. ?'

Gabrielle
dreamed

that

coffin !

I
I

she

had

morning

to whose

house

T.

is dead?

The

strange coincidence
not

of her

so

known

and
illness,
is the

case

you

Avish to

only

use

"

my

Bourges."

Mile.
I had

curious

T.

if you
.

that

out

her

saw

take

to

said to me,
minute
dream

my

of

one

what

'Well, I

lyingin
a

Do

''

We

remember

affirmative.

just this

walk, and
know

you

heard
and

her

of it."

this

news

completelyoverpowered, for

was

spoken
which

fact

some

knew

You

particularlywell.

not

of

in Paris.

you

Oh,

the

between

forciblythat

This

"

I went

the house

and
investigations,

I went

I have

seen

night.

in

This

Mile.

I had

last

dead, and

that

me

had

who

answered
was

the person

struck

lady

at

was

of your wonderful
present said to me :

strange

met

quote it, I should

of her
I have
be

for

was

some

not

time.'

Letter
352

534.

In

just heard.

obliged if

you
J.

initials.

aware

would
A.

THE

for I heard

strokes.

icy impressionof
all

night.

him

the

during

the

Lyc"e Henri IV., and I

go to sleepagain, and the
head
foreon
lips remained
my

not

first words

of General

news

de

to

mother

my

Cossigny; I

saw

night.'
afterwards

father found

my

comrade's

death

in

evening before, as

the

of his old

happened

I could

hear

minutes

Some

"

strike at the

old friend's
my
In the morning my

shall

'We

were:

o'clock

eleven

the

counted

UNKNOWN

the

the

ment
announce-

it had

newspaper;

result

of

fall downstairs.

Jeais" Drenilhe.
"36

Rue

Boulangers,

des

Paris."
Letter

XLVII.
who
"

at

was

night when

One

"

suddenly.
the morning.
''My brother had
woke

up

saw

dying.
vivid that

so

have

four

been

brother,

my

experiencedwas

It must

not

asleepI

was

Algiers,sufferingand

impressionwhich

The

453.

been

about

well for about

two

o'clock in

years, but I
knowing that

importance to this dream,

his state of health
was
reasonably good,since he had sent me
of himself
some
days previously.
news
that
In the morning I received
a telegram,informing me
he had died at six o'clock that morning.
"I have
never
spoken of this to any one, attributingthe
I should
fact to pure
coincidence, and
certainlynot have
did

attach

not

any

"

spoken

of it

to you

now

if it

the scientific statistics which

not

were

that it bears witness

desire.

you

Lehembre,

"

the Tribunal

"Interpreter to
Letter

"It

XLVIII.
was
fia7ic"

mistake

During

soldier

and

"

the

dream

was

for

night
which

during
in the

long

of the

the

midst

time
23d

tormented

great importance.
of which

was

the

Army
we

of
me,

I found
a

kind
354

to

Sousse, Tunis."

at

553.

great
of the
had

of

war

Ehine

had

no

to

myself
of table

which
in
on

if I do

"

not

of him.

news

August, 1870,
but

1870-71, my

I had

I did

lar
singunot

hospitalward,
which

my

tach
at-

in

fiance

THE
His

lying.

was

be

WORLD

DREAMS

OF

rightarm

bare, and

was

wonnd

severe

could

the

a Sister of
right shoulder; two physicians,
him.
All at onco
he looked
near
Charity, and myself were
with his large eyes, and said to me
Do you still love
at me
:
?' Some
of my
me
days later I learned from the mother
der
fianc"that he had been mortally Avounded in tho rightshoulseen

near

'

1870.

person

to tell us

Sister of

mind

in my

that

Gravelotte, and

at

Charity who

died

had

of his death.

the 23d

on

nursed

The

I had

though

as

he had

him

of

August,
the first

was

impressionis still as

dreamed

it

vivid

only yesterday.

"Suzanne

Kublee,

"Teacher,

Heidelberg."

Letter 583.

XLIX.

In the

"

I crossed

that

night of
Place

the

the 30th

des

and
and

I called for aid.

this

; I rose,

what
"

and

dream, in which
of this canal

ashore.

Some

flowed

struck

saw

was

after

1 dreamed

the

by

me

in

men
journeythe

hand

abundance,

impossibleto

state

scribe
de-

surprised,asked

me

three.

lay

down

again.

shipsailingon
lowered

landed, crossed

men

ground, and,

in the

clock

boat

took

blood

awoke, in

afterwards

minutes

them

wife, very much

my
The

doing.

was

Some

fresh
end

moment

July, 1897,

Quinconces, where

One
of
carpenters work.
pricked my left finger. My

"At

of

from

I had

canal.

At

the

the

ship and went

ditch, buried something

covering it

up,

withdrew.

office I told my companions of the

my
that I had had during the night. They were
dreams
two
very
stated that when
much
astonished.
One
of them
blood was;
"

to

seen

I reached

When

flow

in

dream

it

was

sign

of

misfortune

in

family.
My eldest son was at that time a soldier in the Eleventli
Regiment of Artilleryat Saigon, and having fallen ill he was
"

returningto

France.

August I learned of my son's death from

the commissary of policein my quarter. He
had died in the
the 31st of July. Some
I
time
afterwards
Suez Canal
on
"

On

received

the 11th

an

of

extract

from

the

registerof deaths, according

355

to

UNKNOWN

THE

which

actuallydied

had

my son
o'clock in the

morning,

and

the

on

had

"Head

Commissary

of

Letter

L.

''When

point

of

completing

vacation, 1895, with

date

of which

supper

had

we

perfecthealth.
painful dream

student, and

gay,

very

Towards

two

the

just on

was

spend the Easter

evening (the exact

to

went

One

my

been

Said.

Bordeaux."

House,

the Custom

family.
escaped me) we

has

at Port

three

DUBOS,

studies, I

my

July, at

587.

medical

was

buried

been

"H.

of

31st

went

to

bed

usual

as

all my relations
o'clock in the morning
and

; at

in

were

I had

thought that my father was dead ; I wept

This nightand accompanied him to the cemetery.
mare
bitterly,
that my
I can
finished by waking me
testify
up, and

pillow was

wet

; I

with

Having

tears.

belief in

no

dreams, and

I went
being as yet initiated into questionsof telepathy,
thinking that it was only a dream.
sleepagain peacefully,

not
to

At

mother
father

in the

o'clock

seven

entered
at

once,

my

room

for

he

in order

to tell

leg,which

were

was

paralyzed.

was

that, in fact, he could

saw

still

morning

no

longer

move

and

to go

me

asleep when

ran

see

his left

my

and

him,

to

my

arm

and

powerless.

often occur
Knowing that attacks of paralysis
during the
hemiplegia, I
patient'ssleep,and that they wake
up with
suspect that my father's cerebral hemorrhage took place
when
about
o'clock in the morning, at the moment
two
my
nightmare occurred !
"

father

"My
''Is

for what

you
"

this

is still
case

of

he is infirm.

living,but

telepathy?

It may

be !

Dr.

it is worth.

send

it to

Durand.

Saint-Pour"ain,Allier."
Letter

LI.

(A)

party for

T. C. gave a gardenyears ago Madame

ladies in a villa situated
at Dombali
young
Asiatic shore of the Sea of Marmora.
Among

"Fifteen

some

the

Der",

on

other

refreshments, ham-sandwiches

Five

or

59.

six years

were

served.

after this little festival,

one
356

of the

guests,

THE

heard

of

DREAMS

she
scarcelyknew, and whom
since, appeared in a dream, and begged

little of that

OF

C.

Madame

whom

her

WORLD

ham

which

had

she

had
her

eaten

give
gardento

her

at

never

party.
"Madame
he bestowed

T.

that she had

some

sent

dream

she

had

usually
lady

young

; this

tasted

the
gratified

gentleman

told

the

at

garden-

girl'sdesire,and

young
what
had

his wife

occurred, and

forgotten.
days later Madame

Some

C.

T.

girlagain in a dream, who asked for

Madame
T. C. awoke
garden. When
her
I am
husband, saying :
sure

his

on

the

the

received

notification

her

of

same

flowers

she

And, in fact, the

is dead.'

and-So

this

saw
some

'

ter
mat-

told

youngfrom her

the dream

that

Mademoiselle

same

day,

death

to

So-

Monsieur

; the young

C.

girl had

the night.
diiri"ig

died

suit for

divorce,

fourteen

was

C, in consequence

T.

''Madame

(B)
a

is

C.'s astonishment

father of the

in the

seen

which

and

then

was
"

Monsieur

husband,

before

C.

home

return

of attention

was

which

ham

years

Monsieur

"

C. had

her

to

daughter was
dying of lung disease,and
to him to leg Mm
to procure
for her a little

of tlhcitdelicious

party

dream

his

that

him

what

But

Madame

told

the

reachinghis office,the

find, on

whom

related

it the amount

upon

to dreams.

given
to

C.

T.

set

years

March,

of age,
in

establishment

It
grow

silk train

in the

at

seated

sunset, just

All

dark.

begins to

was

hall behind

On

at

the
her

on

the

once

she

heard

her.

She

turned

at

given in
daughter, who
lastic
religiousscho-

Her

placed

was

C.

after

was

Egypt.

decision

Constantinople.
T.

1880, Madame

Alexandria.

for

out

of

18th

of

balcony in

time

when

it

the rustle of
and

the

saw

girldressed in white, and resembling her

shape of a young
daughter,who crossed the hall and vanished.
"Some
T.

C.

days afterwards,
visit.
This

her

than

dead

the

was

friend

daughter

daughter is

He

had
Madame

; I know

friend

bearer

no

sooner

T.

C.

came

of

make

from

pronounced

Madame
nople.
Constanti-

the

on

the 18th

of

of

name

stopped him, saying :

it ; she died
357

news

to

'

My

March,

UNKNOWN

THE

towards

day

and

five

o'clock

hour

of her

in

the

evening.'
; it

decease

letter

exactly that of

was

the

gave

the apparition.

Alpoueoni.
"Constanliuople."
LIII.
dreamed

that

Dr.

D., very

had

on

black

She

she said.

teeth

without
''It

friends

informally, at

with

and

Aveek, and
She

return

and

in

to

was

then

and

Paris

return

with

The

she had

as

for

reason

no

to

house.

at my

I said

of chess

noticed

her

to

I do it because
I

that

dead.

am

saw

she

If you

'

with

keep
LooTcT

death's-head

eye-sockets! ! !
friend
was
forty-nineyears

This

perfect health.
on
only left me

age

house,

1884, I

hollow

horrible.

was

March,

game

cr"pe veil,and

her

raised

'

of

23d

played a

my

veil,and

will lose.'

veil you

that

on

of the

night

of my

one

thick

the

"On

(A)

524.

Letter

She

been

joinher

and
him

who

for

vacation.
lege,
col-

at

was

day
complete her little holishe had occupied had remained

to

which

her

house

my

Easter

son,

it,expectingher

expecting

at

of the

account

room

left

had

of

There

return.

was

death, and, nevertheless, the

morning after this fearful dream, which I related in great

griefto the doctor, the postman brought me a telegram thus
Come
worded
:
quickly. Marie died during the night.'
thing happened in regard to the death of
(B) ''The same

very

'

father, who

my

good health, and we

During the night of
the

that

moat

in

old.

seventy-nineyears

was

the

were

the

astonished
of

17th

had

garden

perceivedmy

morning:
are

father

'Your

coffin !
died

last

placed in

the

same

du

out

to

"

I gave

...

cry !

the

proached
ap-

same

his

near

Madame

those

of
H.

mains
re-

my

D.

C"dic, Paris."
Letter

LV.

had

They

raised.

been

telegram came
.' And
night.
tomb

1879, I dreamed

changed.

now

in

us

activity.

child.

beloved
"Rue

son's

left

October,

put flowers there, and the earth had

it, I looked
over
it, I leaned
for

his

at

been

He

One

attend

morning
to

his

at nine

599.

o'clock

business
358

had
my husband
I went
to
affairs,and

gone

sleep

again for

I had

sleep lasted

that

dreamed

He

left

in

minutes.

few

minutes
hand

after I

him

saw

the

was

it is

shot

one

is

wound

violent

dream, and
said

he

up,

walking

was

with

Do

me

vision

was

or

room,

pale
his

him
not

out

of

the

gateway

I had

left

some

the

; but

dressing myself
I

ing,
speak-

was

band
hus-

My
him

seen

hand, which
a

in

my

wrapped

was

; it is

nothing.

While

friend

some

shot

thumb.'

in the
of

case

Some

anxiously what
be frightened,

tremble.

ball,passingunder

the

one

for him.

'Do

as

left

office with

to

it

some

pale,and holdinghis

me

alarmed

be

slightwound

my

bell made

not

my
revolver,but

given

my

to

holding out
'

with

up, and while

maid.
While

sprang

the

ring at

in the hand.^

dream

into

came

to talk

me

my

husband.

revolver, by accident, I suppose

the

with my

I asked

coming

was

I related
a

slightone
suddenly. I

only

I woke

"

As

with

me

heart.

that

profoundly.

me

to wait

in very

he answered

matter, and

nothing.

outside

come

pressedagainst his

affected

in order

moments

of time

space

in company

out

I remained

entry, and

an

that

gone

few

DREAMS

In the brief

dream

I had

for

me

OF

WORLD

THE

one

has

arm,

my

this

Was

I
me

only

dream

telepathy?
'^

Kra"tskoft.

Madame

"Constantinople."
Letter

LVI.

''In

placein

the Black

about

was

him

and

also

for

had

had

the

on

"

One

morning, justas

the

little

professor

begin his lesson,a pupilpresentedhimself before

of his brother (who was
asked if he had good news
the

on

pensionnat, and who had been

his family in Switzerland).

same

visit with

of him,
professoranswered that he had had no news
the pupil related, in a raised voice, that he himself
terrible dream
a
during the preceding night,and

"The
then

in

pensionnatsituated

to

time

and

in

was

Forest.

professor in

some

during

1866

606.

his dream
grass

After

all those

he

with

had

black

soothingthe
who

heard

the

seen

hole

emotion

in

the

which

this recital,the
359

professorstretched

absent

middle

was

of

his forehead.

naturally felt by

master

at

once

began

UNKNOWN

THE

lesson* and

his

nothing further

heard

was

of the dream

that

day.
The

"

the

to

as

exact

had

died

discharged itself

his gun

had

load

the entire

and

or

his brother

that

him

the

day after (my memory

date),the professor received

day,

next

while

loved

she

Alsace, whom

trying to

was

in
cross

ditch,

A.

Lille,and

she had
This

deeply.

very

H.

uncle

an

had

uncle

in

long

mother
day when
my
ly
asleep,she saw, in a dream, this long hand moving slowabove
object. The next
her, endeavoring to grasp some
received

mother

my

fingers. Now,

delicate

very

day

all the

made

he had

one

death

of the

news

learned

she afterwards

as

accident

an

telling
hunting :

611.

lived at

mother

My

'^

letter

his head.

Letter

LVII.

was

he

entered

"Geneva."

and

from

is undecided

those

from

movements

of her
had

who

by

seen

uncle, and,

been
mother

my

just
A.

he died.
Plantes

des

"Rue

LVIII.

''

(Paris)."

has

It

at the

between

is that

present in

most

night I

"All

fore
be-

P.

616

to

dreams

my

to

me

and

experience

which

events

time.

same

give you the last of these, which

example.
my thoughts, as an
who
had formerly been my
of a nun

permit myself

I will

"

Letter

happened

often

striking coincidence
occurred

him,

with

dreamed

to

teacher.
"I
I

ill ; I

her

saw

very
relieve
to

sought
"The

Mirecourt

were

of

of their number.

one

"Still

under

the

*It is Sister Saint"

And

it

"

Yet

I had

was

nobody

dream

aware

that

"Vittel."

she

not

had
was

in order

impressionof
Joseph.'

indeed

the

that

learned

school

at

and

so,

her, but in vain.

day

next

deeply pained at doing

was

to

my

sisters

of

the

assist at the

parish

obsequies

dream, I said

at

once,

she.

thought

in the

days preceding

to

and

of her

spoken of

her

me,

I had
G.

ill.
Letter
360

631.

not

my

been

Oollin.

UNKNOWN

THE

'"'Icould
I

saw

order

in order
before

the

morning prayers
icons, and expired at once

her
I

told,this

was

morning

exactlythe

"

at

of my

moment

LXI.

"In

unwell, and
incurable

time

"In
had

disease.

other

in my

pursued
both

me

desire

down
From

Sumatra,

go to
behind

in

health, though

health

in

I received

mother
affected

by

neighborhood.

ceaselessly
; it
dread

was

the

real

arrival of

and

I received

the

physician

letter

had

this

from
her

sent

my
to

the

of

in

same

parture
de-

August,

my

forming
sister,in-

the

Pyrenees.

and

The

seriously

of their

livingwith

was

my

far gone

At

suddenly in

this dream,

of whom

one

immediate

and

died

had

not

required each

letter from

where

France

was

of the latter

tidingscoinciding with

bring me
that

to

left

feeble

The

in which

Europeans,

two

knelt

Akbousoff.

the

to

that my
awoke, much

"I

room

vision.

sister,twenty years of age, who

me

to

me.

in rather

was

journey

dream

to her

seven
half-past

Dore.
springs at Mont
each
regularly the news
year I received
for that place.
1884, during the night of the loth

year

in

670.

left France

summoned

who

mother,

I had

1881

friends

an

risen

(Russia)."
Letter

my

had

aneurism.

"Alexis
"PskofE

tered
en-

!'

mother

of

occurred

have

must

servant

back
gone
; then she

her

read

to

My

grand-daughter'sroom

then

had

afterwards

is dead

story, my

to her

gone

her, and

embrace

to

what

servant's

the

o'clock, had

seven

madame

'

to

minutes

house.

my

saying, Master,

According

"

towards

running

room,

Ten

sleep again.

to

go

one

every
my

at

not

spoke of

me,

and

it

the

recollection of it

possession,making me
the mail which
might
dream.

At

last it

sister,informing
and

Luchon,

that

rived,
ar-

me

my

had

endangered
of
lier life so that it had only been saved by the energeticcare
the doctor.
On the evening of the 13th of August the latter
mother
lived till the next
that if my
had
declared
day he
mother

could
next

had

answer

day

been

attacked

by

for her recovery,

before he felt

but

sure.

362

chill which

that

he must

wait

until the

THE
dream

My

"

"

But

"

(1) That

and

none

not

not

was

the

it showed

WORLD

OF

exactlyaccordingto

his statement

; for

death

of my
mother.
the less,it is remarkable
the

dream

concerned

sister,whose

my

DREAMS

health

danger to
preoccupiedmy
a

mother,

my
mind

much

more.

the

That

"(2)

had

dream

relation

another

to

watering-

they generallywent, and this

place from that to which
proved to be perfectlycorrect.
incorrect as regarded
"(3) That although the dream was
actual
the
of
death
death, the imminence
was
plainly
the dream

demonstrated, and

danger,

I have

as

from

the

mind

after
to

I shall

does

the

remember
it has

made

dream

can

years ?

usual

Every

when
I

back.

"The
died

vision"

day

same

at the

on

ration
nar-

one

that

agrees

it

BOUCHAED.

me
saw

bed.

my

sleeping profoundly
the
on
by touching me

my
'

was

sister,who

fifteen

was

Farewell, Nadia,' she said

she vanished.

Then

me.

and

eyes

my

seated

of age,

years
to

opened

waked

one

some

my

678.

June, 1870, I

of

16th

the

this

of dreams.

order

Letter

"On

present in

(Sumatra)."

Enim, Palembang

LXII.

preoccupy

I make

"J.
"Mocara

I obtained

the coincidence.

it is still

me.

upon

the

to

this threatened

that
aid of any notes, and I think
life,so ineffaceable is the impression

the

it all my

belong

not

that

without

you

which

to establish

point that
lapseof fifteen

such

with

verifyby dates, which

to

also remarkable

to

memory

able

sister in order

my

it not

"Is

been

coincided

very

that

I learned

hour

I had

when

was

dead, and

this

awakening

she

H.

five o'clock.

N.

that
and

she
this

Ubanenko.

"Moscow."
Letter

Here

are

which
same

series
are

category as

relatingto dying

of dreams

entitled,it
the

822.

cases

seems

of

to

us,

to be

telepathywhich

363

tions,
manifesta-

classed
were

in the

the sub-

UNKNOWN

THE

ject of Chapter III.

the

on

person

dreamed
and

dreams

Nevertheless,
as

the

between

notably

in

the

following

exactitude

Arts, and

in

Avith

of the

son

for

old age

for
such

had

some

time

an

extent

On

the

in her

who

took

cutting
her
When
that
her
the

had

; for

that

two

she

she

effect

that

of the

One

lived

of them

no

the

these

pages,

Daniel

Bey-

"cole

des

certain

analogy

observed

often

in

togetherat

Bordeaux

her

years

charge
and

had

memory
remembered

my

of

her

saw

arranging

faculties
lost to

been
the most

nary
ordi-

one.

grandmother passed the

to

her

custom.

that

she

her

ha*r.

Avas

until the hour

The

vant
ser-

occupied
Satisfied

in

with

for breakfast.

placed at table, it was observed

photograph to the hair at the back of
and some
a piece of thread
pins ; it was
size,of her only nephew, who lived in

my grandmother
she had fastened
a

album

intellectual

longer
longer recognized any

no

left her alone

of

was

of her

use

chamber, according

card -board

by means
portrait,in

cipient.
per-

pathic
sculptor. The telereceived
during sleep,

presents a

of last October

she
tranquillity,

head

and

eighty-fouryears
paternal grandmother, was
eighty-seven.

not

10th

morning

cause

in the

childish condition

of years.

things,and
"

which

grandmothers

two

other, my

latter

to be

My

number

old ; the
The

the

"

LXIII.

reason.

clearly established,
XVII., XX., XXVL,

not

was

facts

is

well-known

case

condition

mental

"

this

with

ought

of

distinguished student

sleep namely

extreme

of

use

the very time that I review

has been
sent me
narrative
by M.
a

eliminated

be done

and

person

detail

of

be

At

impressionin
but

relation

state;

to preoccupations,

dreams

of these
a

due

cannot

VIII., IX., XL,

lard, architect,
Beaux

cases

LVI.

XLVIIL,

often

of

large number
positiveevidence of
mind
of the dying

The

dying

in the normal

seen

can
as
probabilities,
waking state with the full

in the

accepted

is

coincidence

of fortuitous

the calculations

observed

what

innumerable, and

are

cases

by

is less reliable than

as

of the

sleeper,or, at any rate, psychic

beings; but I have
thought it
second
place only,because what is

human
them

give

to

proper

psychicaction

of the

mind

between

currents

show

They

was

364

THE
Madrid.

Every

take

to

when

WORLD

from

her.

they attempted

they

then

"At

let her

this

in the

from

telegram

who

had

and

all the

knew

was

ill.

add

that

he

"I

should
from

nephew
affection

the

and

presence,
and
Rue

"

afternoon

that

died

of

master,

five,and
the

also to

that

of

news

Bordeaux

brought up this
they had a profound
had

ents,
par-

845.

of telepathy
case
interesting
enough to certifyto it,,

they hastened

testimonies

will add

in my

my
Beylard.

Daniel

narrator

these

occurred

77, Paris."

sign it,and

we

ceived
re-

death

This
at

one

we

grandmother,

of this very
the witnesses to be kind

Although

of the

facts which

certify.

can

Letter

and

no

maternal

my

Denfert-Rochereau,

to ask

cry, and

day

same

morning.

same

grandmother

are

which

to

the

to

other.

the servant

I asked

began

of the

because

more

my

age

for each

'^Here, dear

she

force

Madrid, informing us

nephew,
surprisedus,
that

She

alone.

o'clock

four

and then they wished

first,
opposed this, and resisted

employ

to

DREAMS

it at

laughed at

one

it away

OF

few

are

to do

as

numerous

as

to them.

more

so.

they are

There

must

deniable,
un-

be

no.

for doubt.

room

Marshal

died

Serrano

of

following account
LXIV.

been

very

long
grave,

His

1892.

curious

twelve

''For

alas ! have

in

incident

months

to obtain

permissionfor

marshals, in
"

The

king, who

Madrid

his

the^

his death

disease, which

::

must,,

slowlydestroyed my husband's
end was
approachingrapidly,my
Lopez Dominguez, went to the^

Serrano

to

Senor
be

was

then
He

at

Canovas, in order

buried, like the other

Prado, refused^ General

added, however,

stay in the royal domain,

should

written

church.

Dominguez's request.
prolong

has

to
relating

that the
Being aware
husband's
nephew, General
presidentof the Ministerial Council,

life.

wife

not

prevent

the
365

he

would

his presence
at
marshal's- receivingthe miliso

that

that

Lopez

UNKNOWN

THE
due

tary honors

longer

no

morning

straightand

he had

dawn

suddenly

he

in his

in

of

In

without

voice

plete
com-

ly
complete-

so

movement

any

chair.
arm-

himself

state

could

an

raised

and

morphine,

make

not

time

in

been

of his aides.

had

ever

had

of

use

he could

of several

assistance

all the

the

from

paralyzed that
than

at

; he

day

every

remained

although he

erect,

exhaustion

the

and

lie down,

One

high positionwhich

the

to

sufferingsincreased

marshal's

The

"

and

the army.

occupied in

he

his rank

to

more

ous
sonor-

life,he cried into the silence

of the

night :
Quick, let an officer of
Prado ; the king is dead !'
"

'

"

He

dozed, but

He

"

In

feeble and
'

"

This

and

Alphonso

of

XII.

the

said

After

act.

without

day

next

king'sdeath,

!'

king

all Madrid

by

seen

when

the

with

learned

occurred

which

more.

consolations.

the

of

once

having received
the Pope, he expired.

of

these

the

sedative-

up

is dead

king

of the death
The

true.

he

rose

benediction

died

give him

to

to

he

was

at Prado.

alone

The

the

vision

sudden

was
dying man
stupefactionof

"

voice

; the

sword

my

last sacraments

almost

extinct

attributed

We

after he

his last conscious

was

''This

hastened

we

hasten

and

mount

his chair.

minutes

some

almost

My uniform,

**

the

faintinginto

fell back

thing to delirium, and

whole

ordinance

royal

this, Serrano

remains

carried

were

could

not

Madrid.

to

honors

the

receive

By
that

reason

had

been

promised him.
"

It is well knovt^n

Madrid
dead
"

honors

no

his corpse
Did

the

except
"

This

my

is

himself

husband

did he

How

be

king

paid except to

the

is at
him

palace at
if he

even

is

them.
appear

distance; every

considerable
one

can

receives

king

the

that when

one

knew

of

to

Serrano

Prado

is at

asleep at Madrid; no
ing.
anything that was happenwas

intelligence?

receive the

subjectfor thought.
"

Comtesse

de
"

366

Serra"to,

Duchess

de

la Torre."

THE

OF

G.

J. Romanes,

member

has

commnnioated

the

M.

related to him
LXV.
felt

WORLD

by

suddenly

of the

Royal Societyof
followingexperiencewhich

of his friends

one

the

Daring

"

night

of

great impressionupon

to my

wife

imagined that

"

table,about
seated

to bed

much

I feared

that

that

sleep

to

which

dream,

so

it

at half-

; I went

intense

so

I awoke.

spoke
presaged

in the

her

very

much

with

very

did

same

struck

Upon

seeing

surprise,and
that

added, *It

in

tone

the

chair

her

and

cried

I took

persuaded tbat
passed,however,

it

that

forecast

and

of bad

news.

great
not

answer

visit me,

moment

wrote

tered.
en-

you

it

rose

I awoke.

by this strange dream

note-book

my
was

At

of the

with

to

I
a

aunt

my

out

to

come

was

direction

dream)

she

had

me

upon

was

hair,

she

of

vanished.

and

white

thought

in the

my

lady

which
spirit,

impressionmade

strong that

; she had

not

I looked

twenty minutes.

attracted

old

did

penetrating expression.

(stillin

this

She

reproach, 'John, do
is ?' and without
time
leaving me
is your grandmother.'

''Thereupon
from

least

at

table.

fixedly,and

me

appearance

was

opened, and

door, Avhich

at

all at once,

My attention

who

looked

her

the

near

eyebrows, and

black

stranger.

she

with

drawing-room near
a
lady suddenly appeared

old

an

for

way

recognizeher

not

know

when

she

but

in the

seated

was

side,very

other

move,

nor

read,

to

the

on

speak

The

it when

about

October, 1872,

usual

very

me,

of

I went

than
a

was

misfortune.

some

at

26th

uncomfortable, and

very

don,
Lon-

the

past nine, about an hour earlier

almost immediately. I had then
made

DREAMS

down,
Some

was

so

being
days

without

bringing it. One eveningI received

of the sudden
death
of
a letter from
my father, tellingme
had taken
which
place on the very night of
my grandmother,
and at the
mij dream
Giacchi
Dr. Oscar
in the

Annales

LXVI.

"1st

hour

ten."'
half-past
has published the three followingcases
des sciences psychiques (1895,p. 302);
In 1853 I was
student
Case (personal).
at
a

same

Hallucinations

"

telepathiques,
p. 329.
367

THE

Pisa.

"One

not

was

night,the

whether

it

father

said to

in

me

in

was

my

saw

troubled

19th

by any
of

dream

stretched

Everythingsmiled

old.

eighteenyears

was

and I

me,

UNKNOWN

April (I
in

or

his

on

upon

for the future.

cares

cannot

half-awake

bed, pale and

voice
half-extinguished

'

My

certainly
I
condition),

say

livid,and he
son,

give me

goingsoon to leave you forever.' I

your last kiss,for I am
felt the icycontact of his lips
on
my mouth, and I recall this
I could say with the divine
mi scipa.'
Che la memoria il sangue ancor
"During the past few days I had received excellent

sad
'

episodeso vividlythat

father,and for that

of my
took

this

phantom
of me,
possession
to

that the
prayers of my

I did not attach any

mind ; but a terrible

reason

of my
and increased

with

so

much

poet :
news

tance
imporanxiety
ence
persist-

the reasonings
and
followingnight,resisting

friends,I took the road for Florence,as much

is conducted to the gallows. My

as a criminal who
depressed
for hardlyhad I reached the threshold
anguishwas realized,
before my mother, running to meet me, told me
in the midst of tears and kisses,
that my father
with despair,
of the house

by a sudden heart attack the preceding

nightat tJievery hour of my vision.
"2d Case (inmy practice).
I have had here in my insane
affected
than three years, an
old woman
asylum, for more
had

been

with

carried off

senile

delirium,who

duringwhich
tranquillity,
that it

was

possibleto

had, however,
she

was

poor widow who, when

aided by "the cur" of Saint Jean de

been at

was
liberty,
who
Racconigi,

She

was

generously
took pity

nightof the 17th of November, 1892,

this woman,
without excitement)
who usually(when she was
at midnight began to cry out,
sleptan uninterruptedsleep,
to give way to despair,
and to alarm the entire dormitory,
not excepting
the Sisters of the quietdivision. She assured
the nuns
who wished to calm her that she had seen the prior
fall to the ground,foaming blood at the mouth, and die in
mentioned by
This nocturnal episode
moments.
a few
was
time the
the doctor on duty,in his report,and at the same
on

poverty. On

of

and tranquil,
so
intelligent

believe her statements.

she had

her

long intervals

the

368

;"iii

THE
The

'^

UNKNOWN

hypothesisof

brain

of

one

who

brain

of

some

suffers,or who

from

is in

one

terrible

danger thought

be

may

danger. In my second case, however,

third, this theory cannot be admitted, for the

and

the

reason

the

sudden

Saint

priorof

both

they

as

Jean,

strengthto

think

of absent

the

old

could

not

such

of the

have

addressed

down

on

to her

with

observed

case,

the

tion
invoca-

supreme

this kind

Mr.

by

of

dream,

Frederic

one

Wingfield,

(C"tes du Nord), already publishedin

telepatliique
(p. 101).

Hallucinations

Les

LXIX.

"On
I

went

and

that

saw

my

one

Eichard

in

head
I

bed, and

brother's

that

that

the
that
The

name.

strong, and

drawing-room.

ground
I tried

lying on

was

that
near

to

all the

my

speak

I examined
back

to my

hoped

that

the

that

scene

to

the

look
chair

bed, and

to

on

he

and

chair

simply
left

the

was

standing upright,

bed

and

and

to

he

was

I had

the other

one

my

pronounce

reallypresent
dreamed

was

so

in the
for my brother
him
where
I had
seen

I tried to go to

apparitionwould
370

rose

sofa

my

distinctly

him, but

he

impressionthat

came

; I

then

and

answer,

vivid, that I left the bedroom

seated

spoke

awoke, I found

placedon

foot

so

account

accused, with

eyes, I
Wingfield-Baker,seated

I dreamed

When

my

been

reading, when, raising my

was

his

room.

have

I dreamed

custom.

me.

bowed

contrary, for

the

brother

before

exact

an

usual

to my

is the

exaggerated scepticism in regard to things

cannot
explain.
the night of Thursday, the
25th
of March,
1880,
after having read until very
to bed
late,according

justice of
which

write

to

I may remark
in this connection
that
belief in the supernatural,
little disposed towards

quite

indeed,

about

am

and

happened,

very

am

What

"

of what

was

that

Belle-Isle-en-Terre

at

on

also in

apoplexy, could have had

loved
ones
; and, moreover,
been beloved
by the cur" to

here, in connection

remarkable

very

he

struck

to

dying."

I will note

that

extent

an

G. C

nor

of

with

were

the

woman

the

able

overcome

neither

the

great danger, to
beloved, is seductive, for in a moment

peril or

supreme

mysterious transmission

appear

cause
sleep,beagain, but

THE

mind

my

WORLD

too much

was

sleeptowards

to

dream

my

remained

which

I felt

'apparition'in
God

'May

awoke, the impression of

I should

that

add

sentiment

The

of

my

it has

always

impending

strong that I made

daily journal, adding to
was

so

days

afterwards

I received

Richard

Wingfield-Bakerhad

25th

March,

of

gone

fortune
mis-

of the

note

it the

words

forbid.'

Three

"

mind.

however, have

I must,

When

still vivid,and

in my

so

excited.

morning.

was

DREAMS

OF

brother

my

Thursday evening, the

on

half-pasteight o'clock,

at

1880,

died

that

news

in

quence
conse-

dent
injurieswhich he had received in an acciwhile hunting."
Mr. Wingfield sent with this letter his privatenote-book,
in which, amid a largenumber
ing
of business
notes, the followis made
statement
:
Apparitionon the night of Thursday,
of terrible

"

the 25th

The

March, 1880, R. B.W.

of

followingletter

order

Dear

to recall to

morning

there.

by

breakfast

to

yesterday,how much
before receiving
the
evening, you
the

of,very
had

you

moment

ghost.

your

risen and
you
I

little

whose

bed, and

ceased

remember,

I found

sudden

death

in your

conviction

addressed
to

him,

see

that

as

if he

actingunder

consequence

memorandum-book,

to

371

you

one

tinctly,
dis-

just heard
it

was

him, and

vanished

he,
that
like

impression,which

of this event, you

where

most

that

had

the

to bed

case

had

you

words

some

gone

in any

saw,

happened
some
days

fact that
had

after you
you

if it had

by the

struck

was

thought

had

required in

affected
you much
just received of the death of

sad news,

or

brother

the natural

was

in

near

saw,

is

1884.

served
you speak; I have preof it. I
remembrance

you had
I also recollect,as
I

February,

of memory

accurate

well that

very

brothers.

of

Sunday, the 4th of April, 1880,

having arrived in Paris that
you,
intention of spending several days

the

which

news

of your

one

with

forbid."

on

with

I remember

the sad

effort

most

perfectlythat

remember

same

and

2d

CoAT-AN-NOS,

the fact of which

me

the clearest

I went

No

Friend,

God

May

to this note.

added

was

"

"Mt

B.

were

wrote

in the

it down

habit of

THE

UNKNOWN
in your

noting strikingoccurrences
that

remember
"I

showed

you

preserveda

remembrance

in the

told you

than
wish

"

to

that

such

have

indeed

nor

with

one

one

is

shall

to

answer

other

any

other

any

such

effect

an

had

never

But

dream

quently
fre-

more

does

despise
I

meet,

hope^

of

any

Lucinge."

questions:

some

of this

dream

alarming
of

de

kind

in which

kind,

I awoke

of realityand
uneasiness, and
imj)ression
enduring after my awakening. I have never

with

an
so

ways
al-

not

to

apt

soon

Faucigisty, Prince

in

tirely
en-

devotedly,

very
"

"I

much

occur

wishes

good

Yours

Wingfieldadds,

We

family,

own

events

friend.

sincere

of the

"

Mr.

in my

generally supposed.
speak of them, because
to be despised by others.

revoir, dear

assured

distinct,because,as I

more

is

self,or

"Au

Be

occurred

convinced

am

of it the

then, and I have

me

beginning, similar experiences,in which

believe, have

one's

note-book.

the less surprised

atwhatyoutold

was

"I

the

me

I also

peacefullife,and

had

hallucinations."

any

It should

this

kind

quoting

them.

Documents
to

of

cease

dream,

more

one

did

this dream

not

take

place

that

it is difficult

til
un-

afterdeath.

hours

some

that

be noted

are

so

numerous

We
less

not

refrain

cannot

from

which
remarkable,^

tioning
men-

has

been

recently published, with all the documents, affording a

view,
veracity,in the excellent special reguarantee of absolute
Annales
des sciences 2^sy chique,by Dr. Darieux
:
LXX.
the first days of November,
"In
1869, I set out
native

from

Perpignan, my
studies in pharmacy

composed

was

them

very

"On

the

of

at

my

happy

and

22d

of the

girl,eighteenyears
mother's

house.

order

to

continue

Montpellier. My family
mother

and

four

my
in perfecthealth.
same

of age,

sister, entertained

in

town,

some

Towards

month
who
of
three
373

my

was

my

her

Helen,

youngest and
friends

young

o'clock

sisters.

sister

in

my

at this time

the

left

fine

ite
favorat

my

afternoon

WORLD

THE
towards

they went
with

of half
'

The

hour

an

sister

my

cold,and

am

Twelve

"

mother's

hours

afterwards

two
which
diphtheria,
My family sent me

By

them

the

reached

me

the

mind

at

spent
humor, and

night

to

I lament

the

of

"

o'clock

full

and
22d

of

the

the

and

victim

lier,
Montpel-

to

funeral.

2.3d,both
I went

afterwards

o'clock in the

Come

fearful

it to

"And

and
struck

I had

of which
in

to bed

saw

my

I woke

up
throat

my

body

my

days

had

very

gay

asleep.

was

morning

saw

my

sister appear

piercing cry, sad,

What
are
you doing,
a

agitatedsleep,I thought

I took

not

less,
always before me, pale,sobbing,lifepiercing,sad, constantly repeated cry

same
ear

'What

are

you

doing, my

Louis.

Come!

was

ing,
suddenly, with my face flushed,my head burnshort and hurried, while
dry, my respiration
bathed

in sweat.

I sprang
out of bed, trying to compose
back to bed, but I could
afterwards
I went

riage;
car-

sister

my

"

"

joyed
en-

!'

come
"

with

morning,

proceed.

the

on

lucination
hal-

!'

come

and

nervous

of

after

but, alas! in spiteof superhuman efforts I could

induce

of

day, none

pleasure Avhich

In my

cure.

at the

in the

and
uie,pale,sodbing,lifeless,
repeatingitself,struck on my ear :
f

my
to

33d, eighteenhours

at two

four

Louis

my

succumbed

this

to

before

and

expiredin

She

represent them

home

five minutes

"Towards

all my
go home.'

us

were

pleasureparty.

sister

breath.

the

ease,

on

beloved

became

during the
been

Let

me.

death, I

reached

*'I had

illness.

in time.

during
child's

sudden

powerless to
telegram after telegram

terrible

the poor

my

my

only man
which
fatality,

''But

hurts

doctors

"

was

with

strange shuddering over

throat

my

in company
At the end

fine.

very

seized

struggling for

arms,

for I

was

was

Mother,' she said, I feel

I

des Plantanes

weather

'

body.

DREAMS

the Promenade

mother.

my

OF

At

prey

eleven
to

o'clock in the

morning

irresistible sadness.

When
373

myself.
not

An

hour

again.
arrived at the pensio7i,
I was
interrogatedby
rest

THE

UNKNOWN

companions, I related to them the cruel experiencewhich

I had just passedthrough. They expended some
jestsupon
to the college,hoping to find some
it. At two o'clock I went
my

relief in

in

study.
coming out of class
"Upon
deep mourning, advancing
her

she raised

me

spite of

in

of me,

informed

She

"

regard to

in

uneasy

of the healthof

Such

my

her

of, since 1 had

me

the

the

family on

do

sister,who,

what

had

not

which

received

become

news

of November.

my honor,
opinion,I confine

I affirm to you,
express

nothing

excellent

of the 22d

morning

passed

any

on

profound
"

at

the

do not

despairingappeal: 'AVhat

are

you

especially

moment

present

Helen

of my

then, yet the impression

since

distinctness, I always hear

same

from

paces

eldest

out

woman

of it.

"

if the features

Two

of the fatal occurrence,

I
absolutely true.
myself to the relation
Twenty years have

and

find

saw

grief.

extreme

is

is still very

to

me.

recognized my

narrative,which

is the

o'clock

towards

came

me,

me

warned

could have

"

veil.

at four

"

still appear

that

Come

Louis?

Louis

Noell.

Apothecary

' '

with

me

sad, repeated,

same

doing, my

come!'

to

at

Cette.

"

to conintended
firm
story is accompanied by documents
these documents
will cite from
its authenticity. We
following letter from the observer's sister.
My brother has begged me, at your request,to send you

This

the
"

the

after
your

which

of the interview

account

an

desire,and

death

I had

with

his, I bring you

pellier,
at Mont-

According

sister Helen.

of my

him

to

testimony, in spiteof

my

the

my
he

painfulness of my recollections.
"My brother recognized meatonce
as I
mourning dress, and as soon
was

stillin

has befallen
from
I

my

us

ignorance of Helen's
?' he cried.

lips,he pressed me

nearly fell

when

When
in his

he released

me.

374

in the
saw

'

he learned
arms

What

misfortune

of Helen's

with

When

that

I understood

him

death.

in spiteof
street,

so

that

reentered

the

violence,
we

death

house

I had

is very

nervous

What

WORLD

to

undergo
and

the

on

large carafes of
that

thought
"Some

'

what

both

almost

them

hands.
the

other.

Oh, I

was

of the

here

the

have

to

dead

and
wish

we

then

He

told

subject who

immediate

of the

me

of the

those

lay stress
can

transported to
the

the

there

the

brother
We

did

he

contrary, seek
for

the

shall

we

of the
what

living;

whatever
itself,

find her

Several
the

dead

brother

brother, and

planations
ex-

Or

did

did

it

quire
re-

the

"

person

vision
is the

grandmother

the

to

dreams,

action

is in

resembles

does

dreamer

at

distance.

not

to

the

children

we

feel

always proceed

the

impression given by
led

and

see

but,
percipient,

the
a

we

across

on

the

from

the
the

contrary,it

dying ^person,
cases

that

and

is

thus

VIII.

(where the
XI. (where a
field),

Petersburg with his children on their

his bed), XII. (the long funeral
beside
procession),
XVII.
death
of
the
child
dog),
(the
(the
dying on the

brother

XV.

of the

sister,and

from

knees

as

is the dream

here

analyze

manifestations

the

sometimes

This

will not

sensation
?
a
appeal to an-ouse
simply a natural psychic current
existingbetween
These
and
sister ?
are
questions for investigation.
world
which
is
? ? ?
are
enteringupon a new

which

dying

upon

We

sensations, for

well

dying, as

Noell."

experienced after the

between

on

which
24th.

and

be

But, in reading of
force

going

was

Th"e"se

it.

these

23rd

psychic action involved.

suggested. Was the mind of

eighteen hours
Was

time

one

of the

the

sister,on

of

causes

be the nature

may

three

hallucination

was

occasioned

distinguishlater
to

At

it,a great misfortune

of

sure

dream, like the precedingone,

death

lently
vio-

was

"

This

struck

he

swallowed

He

me.

grams,
Oh, the tele-

?' and

experiencedduring the night of

had

ill-treated

misfortune!

after

one

My brother, who
very kind-hearted,

mad, for his glance was so wild.

he had recovered
afterwards, when
himself,

he

to befall me.'

he

'

he

received

water

hours

he said

he ;

with

table

scene.

and

rage,

I not

have

why

DREAMS

terrible

with

said
fatality!'

OF

excitable,but also

very

insane

nearly

was

THE

died

at

St.

375

UNKNOWN

THE

funeral

(the

XXXIX.

XLVIII.

head),

LXIV.

king),

LXVII.
It

etc.

The

of

But

consider

we

conclusive,

and

point
above.

For

of

we

view,

ourselves,

They

mcontestaUe.

branch

our

of

science.

by

these

at

Nantes

LV.

death

his

of

the

ctcr"),

her

of
mind

the

instances

in

wound

death

(a

seeing

pupil

the

with

stairs),
down-

shoulder),

bullet

at

seen

falling

(the

the

felt,
a

sight

of

LVI.

seeing
in

passing

were

right

the

Carnot),

of

Cossigny

announcing

jje^^ceived,

see7i,

object

at

killed

woman

that

establishment

the

girl

Serrano

old

seem

which

things

young

hand),

professor

(the

had

death

in
the

in

(Marshal

would

dreamer

be

the

of

(the

de

wound

received

brother

XXI.

(General
(the

revolver-shot

the

of

XLVI.

Carthagenia),

the

coffins),

(five

XX.

quilt),

red

the

of

truth

perfect

the

distance.
at

will

dreams,

in

distance,

chapter.

next

the

70

also

regard
the

cases

them

dying

186

psycliic
must

just

reported
as

confirming,

manifestations

manifestations

henceforward

as

absolutely
from

other
an-

detailed

are

constitute

and

certain

new

THE

UNKNOAVN

gained his whole

possessionof his head.

cheek, and

till it had

operationhe
if

said

opposed it, and

Valpeau
but

them

liked

have

lie would

"

live

may

perform

we

to

perform

to

my

not

or

year,

operationhe

an

threateningto get

was

operation,but

an

father

than

more

will

Without

'

an

fortnight,

surely die

under

onr

hands.'
"This

day

every

One

"

affectionate

more

than

was

'

out, I found

when

I had

to go back

never

see

I resumed

"

night of Thursday

the

In

or

to

studies.

my

this

Friday of

him

back

went

and

ray amusements

to the

I kissed

course

school, where

him

again.'

you

protested against these words.

for I sincerelyloved
him, and
affectionately,
''I of

tion.
opera-

to go

for I shall

me,

uncle;

my

allowed
and

ever,

said, Kiss

he

Lyc"e

when

Sunday,

to

poor
to postpone the

invented

pretexts were

new

known

made

not

opinion was

week

same

sleepingsoundly when a dream transportedme to CourbeVoie (my father and my step-motherpassed the summer
there,
and there they had taken
uncle).
my
In the great chamber
au
j9rewu"r,looking on the garden,
fully
lyingon his bed, draped with red curtains,my uncle was carewas

''

nursed

by

his

sittingbeside
good old Breton
"

in

years

many

and

father

my

such

an

as

seems

be of

no

''To

interest
Louise

nursed

hear

the

"

'M.

by

I heard

and

me,

who

name,

repeat them

his words

me

to your

also

was

been

had

he

gave

like

was

Joseph, for

on

memory

what

my

ing
concern-

this vision

my

But

To

made
that

it

he said would

readers.

Sister of

Charity.'

And

I still seem

to

woman.

silence, broken
three

it,'he said; 'you

'Take

his purse.

sobs of this devoted

tliere

ways
al-

was

in
distinctly

very

for

now,

impression on my mind and

if it took placeyesterday.

have

"Then

Louise

nurse,

I could

dream.

my

my

service.

our

sister and

my

and

spoke to the persons present by turns.

advice
step-motherhe addressed some

uncle

My

step-mother,who
bed, silentlypraying. There

father

my

months
378

you

by

Louise

have

not

been

able to

DISTANT

Auray

at

opened

My

once.

father

and

to

that I did not

The

"

the

Soon

details.
.

hear

which
eyelids,

live through

I shall not

'

priest.'Louise

each

alone with

went

of the

hand

I heard

them, and

with

left him

They

Virgin of

minutes.

some

converse

the

his

on

step-mothertook

continued

of

open.'

Louise, bring me

present when

was

open

good Catholic.

"

medal

the medal

put

everythingthey said.
The priestarrived.
man.

DREAMS

it will

remained

'

who

sick man,

; he

said.

night/ he

the
at

was

here

eye and

your

and

once

uncle

My

"

on

smiled

uncle

My

"

it

put

IN

I have

right eye.

your

open

SIGHT

the

dying

his last confession,but

he made

of

luord.

one

back.
priestwent out.
My parents and Louise came
last strugglebegan, and I saio all its heart-breaking
he
My beloved uncle gave a long sigh. Then
.

dead.

was

I awoke

When

"

My

A.M.

'We

"

eyes

'I have

collegeclock

striking. It

was

was

full of tears.

were

always

must

myself.

the

take

dreamed

dreams

by

uncle

my

the

I said
contrary,'

dead, and

was

of

to

course

is better.'

he

Sunday morning
family, M. Vigneau, the

I had

"On

of

Orfa," he

"

When

news.

the

father

to take

came

I reached

visit from

of Henri
home

me

last advice

father,

I said to my

'And

did

not

father

my

of my uncle about
preciselythe advice that I had heard.
me

my

tell

to

me

the

me

this

much

Very
uncle

sad

repeated
and

the

of

the author

Vigneau,
and

Courbevoie

friend

to

was

impressed,

also

say

so

and

so?'
"'Yes.'
"

'

that

not

Were
I had

"

'

"

'

But

seen

how

Papa,

his last moments

and
could

I dreamt

heard.
you
it.

like this ?'

All

was

And

But

tell

all

exact.
perfectly

all this ?' asked

know

I told

what

me

time

my

papa.
uncle

did my

die?'
"

'At

"

two

I knew

o'clock,precisely.'
it,'I replied.

'

That

awoke.'"
379

was

the

very

time

when

Unconscious
this kind
It

THE

UNKNOWN

cerebration

will

those

than

in this

seems

transported,had
he had

when

streets

what

another

chapter.

spiritof the writer

passing in

was

dream

had

been

the chamber

of his

Havre

before

Conil

M.

of

saw

there, and perfectlyrecognizedits quais and

been

ever

as

seen

In

dying uncle.

if the

explain dreams

more

in the last

related

case

no

visited

afterwards

he

the

for

town

the

first

time.
Here
the

are

collection evoked

ministry I

have

"

to be

minutes

messenger

I reached

from
words

the
of

stroke

this man,

he

robust

and

I had
I made
could

three
I had

Chevennes.

very

of the

not

seen

nightmare.
superhuman efforts
stir.

denly,
up sud-

loudly.

sick

In

in my

On

man.

five
hand

my

way

expired.
strong, had gone

I could

utter

to bed

at nine

BouiN",
Canon,

friends

them
I
to
no

Cur"

of Couze,

Dordogne."

4.

good

horrible

not

me

little lantern

Letter

had

relate

who
parishioners,

condition.

"Honorary

III. "I

of my

one

with

I woke

morning,

calling for

was

when

in excellent

o'clock

seeing

you,

coming full speed to find me.

dying man, who had. just lost consciousness
apoplexy. I had only time to repeat the

of absolution

''Now

his bed

the house

towards

to weary

receive,I would

must

in the

one

dressed, and

was

running

who

and

fear

not

sick, but whom

were

suffice.

must

lying in

saw

know

not

of letters you
One

dying

seemed

'"'

I did

night,or, rather, at

One

I met

my

If I did

dying.

to you.

for I

was

by

whom

great number

them

kind, copiedfrom

same

bedside of persons
I found

of the

inquiry.
several times
during my thirty eight years'
felt myself instinctively
impelled to go to the

"First,

II.

the

instances

other

some

for

who

some

farmers

were

time.

their

farm-house

run

and

call for

word, my

night

One

saw

at

on

fire.

help, but

feet seemed

glued

ground. I saw several other buildings catch fire,and

at last,just as the whole
was
fallingin,I made a tremendous
effort to free myself, and I woke
up, with my throat dry and
to the

380

DISTANT

SIGHT
I

legscramped.

my

her

I told

the

that

me

up.
so

at it.

coucerned
*'In

DREAMS

jumped out of bed.

My wife woke
She laughed heartily
at seeingme

dream.

my

IN

of the next

course

part

of the

I received

day

farm-house

had

been

an

destroyedby

Georges

"

"Mayor

telling

express

fire.

Parent,

Wi"ge-Faty (Aisne)."

at

Letter 20.

IV.

"

to the Ponts

Chauss"es, and

et

passed twenty
had

and

1867, and

at the

years

five

of

of the

leave her native

island

left behind

father

greatlyimpaired by

of the

man

father
He

"

the

family if
of my

"My

have

might

end

seven

ried
mar-

had

been

born

place,could
as
regret, especially

she

was

been

so

had

she

been

live with

to ask

her

this, i(k

withstandin
not-

parents, she would

been

costly,and

so

the interests

injuriousto
to be

resolve

know

own

have

father, a

my

us.

wife

her

everythingwas
that

secret

to let his

not

where

unhappy

so

and

come

had

means

not

of fortune.

passed in France,

persons

he

half-payin

on

who

mother, whose

great love for

plan which would

opposed a

to France

keen

her

have

Eeunion, where

best families in the

reverse

to

careful

was

of

kindness, took

utmost

mother

and

native of

engineer,belonging
Toulon, after having

My mother,

and

mother,

strange to my

without

the first years

"In

colonial

children, returned

one

her

island

at Toulon.

settled

at Eeunion

Palmero,

father

My

supported

the

on

in

of the

half-pay

father.

of this
she would

not
at

their mother

for several

therefore, was

mother,

father's,and

step of my

have

believed

very

advanced

it.

had

it been

age,

lived

proceed

from

seemed

to

an

norance
ig-

mother,
grand-

R"union, among

at

and

care

in

told her

My grandfather and

children, happy in their

little satisfactions that

kept

reasons

in

honorable

thousand
and

quiet

life.

"Nothing, therefore,
they would

accept,

as

make

they did, their

381

it
son

probable

that

in

posal.
pro-

law's

THE

UNKNOWN

pelled
Leaving everything,sellingtlieir scanty furniture,imwhich
force
call destiny,the
we
by that unknown

"

old

two

people

took

the
done

writing (had they

after they did) and
at this

We

"

month

seen

had

had

May, 1873, my
father :
My dear
and

! my

there

out

mamma

children

ready

their

and

lie down

could

shall

Toulon

his

of the

steamer

her

told her

preceding night,he
not

they had looked

other, and

wheel

exclaimed

We

shall
in

"My
but

see

of

advised

and

sightof
I

sparkle,and
communicate

had

fathe7'and

father

about

that, wearied

us

so

soon

the

from

other:

each

his advice

repeated

mother

from

ing
pass-

Marseilles

had

arrived

by

her

by

vision

their

the

on

and

voyage

daughter,
of

their hands

feeling

clasped

revolutions

the

of

object of their journey, they

lives our
'There
daughter!

embrace

her

still lives

with

and

in

hours.'

few

They

Toulon.

speak
I

took

burst

grandmother

when

or

mother

my

sleep,and that in a sudden

intentlyinto the darkness,
thinking that only a few

her

so

day

beloved

to

been

left K"union

seeing their

them

kept

now

had

were

told

the idea

they could
each

to make

MessageriesMaritimes.

mother

my

by

boat.

had

letter

seen
"iefelt sure
in a boat.
the harhor of Toulon
received
next
''The
a
day we
telegram
tellingus that grandfather and grandmother

excited

just

sleep.

that she had

"When

in
time

having passed,my mother

again, but not until she

bed

to

went

that

the

the

I have

get up.

hardly have

think

not

children

let her

first emotion

and

in

night

room.'

father, who

Her

graphic
tele-

no

Isle of Bourbon

one

beyond

had
steamer
that
a
persuasive,nor
after its receipt,
two
began to laugh,

"

arrived

mother, suddenly waking up, cried

yourselvesquickly ; we

to

have

the

and

when,

news

no

Dress

"My

without

period).

therefore

papa

letter would

France

between

of

my

France,

telegraphing(there was

without

'

to

their

so,

communication

for

first steamer

to

know

with

her
that
the

of

her

her

brain

return

spirithas
of

She

me.

her

to

France

traversed
for

whom

old,

is very
her

eyes

space
she

to

left

DISTANT

everything at
alarms

IN

SIGHT

an

when

age

DREAMS

transportationto

disturbs.

and

places

new

Palmero,
of Posts

"Agent

and

Marseilles."

Telegraphs at

Letter 24.

V.

My

father

from

home,

"

miles

his mind
it

full of

being

about
boarding-school,
thirty
awakened
was
suddenly one
night with
idea that his mother
was
dying. (Was
not
could
to
light,
sleepagain until daygo

an

?) He
being seized

dream

school-master
to go

reached

he

It

refused.

had

was

his

from

at tlie

his mother

the

home.

The

thought
and

had

he

that

roused

the

up

in

dying. She
spoken of him

had

to be

Bernard

long after,

soon

the

as

night

same

rallied,however, after being very

she lived

as

him, begging permission

to

liour when

last sacraments,

She had

went

father, tellinghim

same

been

and

great fear,

awake

Avas

him

and

with

at

fore,
night bea
fright,
received

several
to

near

letter

times.

death, and

Vanden^hougejs".

"Mantes."
Letter 31.

VI.
miles

"Some
from

ago

years

lived

Papiti,the capitalof

in Oceania.

I had

General, and

on

little

property

French

our

establishments

meeting one night of

midnight quitted the town

to go to

about

English tax-cart, when I

blown
"My lamps were

encountered

out, the road

I had

and

the

broken

distance
had

every

by

body

the

of the

chance

of

"However, as I did
in calming my
broken

the

was

part of
chance, for I

carriage,and

being killed
not

lose my

to

getting
for

grew
a

lent
vio-

them,

mained
re-

the horse

of which

times.

presence

I shouted

of

mind, I

down

from

ceeded
suc-

the

help,but merely

uninhabited
perfectly
383

I felt

course

hundred

along

dragged a long

was

in the

horse, and

chaise.
in

little

horse

I fell between

frightenedanimal,

in

cil
Coun-

take

to

edge of the coast was

perfectlydark; my
frightened and unmanageable. All of a sudden
shock, my carriagehad run into a tree.
"The
hind
two
wheels, with what belonged
the spot of the accident,

the

terrible storm.

the

on

few

country.

on

THE
I

''Suddenly
and

she

that

the

straightto

mile

lightapparently coming towards me,

after my wife arrived, having run
nearly

saw

minutes

few

UNKNOWN

she

asleep when

was

perceptionthat my lifewas
she had lighteda lantern,
torrents, had
had

"I

had

That

night

before

never

she

have

from

heard

felt the

on

had

own

know

you

two

my
went

every

day

one

Cette with

was

which

at
a

seen

villa

into

morning

I awoke

had

"I

me.

and

me,
me.

mental

when

and

am

Texier.

Letter 50.

month, and

the

by

"

hurt

are

Jules

livingat
daughters,in a

VII.

to

to find

coming

coming!'
"Ch"tellerault."

me

my

anxiety about

having sent an ardent

completelybewildered

was

'

night, but

happened

of

impulse
of

dark

smallest

what

calling, I

voice

town

actuallysaw

and

appeal to her,

told

me.

reme.nbrance

no

She

suddenly awakened
by a
and
without
hesitation
danger,
through the rain,which fell in

and

resist the earnest

not

"I

returned

accident.

was

in

to find

set out

often

wife

could

of the

scene

the

on

the

for

came

five,after

slope of

in

town

wife, her mother, and

my

carriagethat

always

me

horrible

this dream

I hired
Now

8 a.m.

at

dream.

gvAfall out of.a loindoiu,and

she

was

killed

family. It was seven

all getting up.
much
They were
o'clock, and they were
into the garden to wait until
down
startled by it. I went
for me
usual.
as
eighto'clock,when the carriagewould come
I was
much
But
it did not arrive until half-pastnine.
noyed
anthe

on

spot.

at this

his

of

little
and
''

master

told

me

because

was

the

my

interfere
reason

he

with
had

my

business.
instead

come

that

morning at five o'clock his

think) had fallen out of a ivindow

dead.

I had

never

seen

the child.

VIII.

"

my

Martin

Halle.

Cl"ment-Marot, Paris."

Rue

Letter

which

to

would

that

girl(ten years old, I

was

"19

delay, which

driver

the

But

I told

mountain.

Six

years

ago

6L

I gave

mother, fearing for my

384

birth

to

my

second

child,

health, carried the next

THE
As

"

of these
"

friend

she

should

noticed

we

gone

the

disappearance

things.

My

when

they were

as

soon

UNKNOWN

about

wrote

awoke, she

get

them

said

to

thingsback

my

letter,but what

days after,

two

Marie, I dreamed
that

curious, that

that

I should

the

receive

letter would

be

writing,without the least little

spot on it being blank, and the envelope Avill be white.'
waited
We
impatientlyfor the postman, who brought us
indeed
the lost things and
in a white
a letter
envelope, but
covered
with
the paper
loas
pink, and its four sides were
writing.
How
could my friend have guessed all this exactly ? Was

2nnk

on.

all covered

me

'

to-day,and

is very

and

at once,

2Japer

with

"

it

dream

Marie

Bouory.

"Brimont."

X.

I have

"

in 1889, went
After

him

seen

letter,received
told

months

He

months.

He

had

had

been

typhoid -fever,which

was

my
had

had

brother

told

under

there

followed

Victor

Rue

at

An

"

time

one

where

he

''The
told her
but

in the

country about
one

been

Bayonne by some
next
morning

At

news.

no

he

us

to

had

just

for six

by pluerisy.
Vialla.

Marie

he

is still living,
was

thirtymiles

night, that
murdered

M.

M.

he

received

news

386

of my
put much

that

his

Alli"s

rines
Ma-

going home.

was

Bouin, uncle

Bayonne,
timate
of his in-

one

of the

one

on

not

from

Eausch,

Spaniards,as

dream, though he did

shortlyafter

Santiago

suffering from

who
sister-in-law,

of my

dreamed,

his

stretcher.

146.

uncle

friends, had
of

had

Hugo, Lyons."
Letter

XI.

the

she

treatment

when

"

"30

that

from

come

ly.
regular-

us

remember

not

we

been

taken

to

dreamed

to

who,

of age,

hospital on

and

passed

wrote

(I do

1892

she

us

of hospital,where

out

in

in which

letter came,

come

about

Five

France.

Chili.

being carried to
thirty-five
days

ill,and
took

Letters

twenty-nineyears

now

Santiago,in

to

date),mamma

exact

last

brother,

sister-in-law,
faith

friend

had

in it ;
been

DISTANT

SIGHT

murdered

by Spaniardson

the

when

night
I

"

of my

had

be much

1872

being the expressionof the trnth,

obligedif you did not publish the name
G.

girl,lived
She

knew

the

family of

the

in

Eue

Tonnelles

des

people named

poor

Eue

One

child

and

see

she

soon

morning,

next

that

family

she

she

fond

had

left the

when

she

dreamed

was

learned

of

put

child

woke

had

after it

the

very

night,for

and

their

that

''I

can

assure

absolutelyauthentic,
I

in

saw

dream,

of their
told

was

the

come

She

home.

The

told my grandmother
the
of
Morange

the whole

been

all

ing
perished dur-

burned

down.

Marcel

Geeschel.

one

brother

of

ladies
not

of my

ill.

of

and

them

that

case

few

idea

an

even

years

is

ago.

acquaintance
that

any

ber
mem-

questioned them

wearing mourning

were

one

or

truth

happened

I had

dead,

they
of

the

night, two

family was
that

294.

of
you
and which

deep mourning, though

and

to

before.

returned
mother

little Morange,

her

day

they had

had

house

Letter

in

mother.

Saint-Denis,Paris."

Faubourg

XIII.

the

up, my

ried
unmar-

her

her, asked

"

"80

with

family, and

on

that

young

dead.

to ere

"Soon

was

frock

new

but

went,

who

this

Morange, who lived

Lyc"e Charlemagne.

the

Saint-Antoine, near
Saturday evening she met

in

F.

77.

mother, then

1873, my

or

on

as

Letter

In

"

Bayonne

mine.

family or

XII.

of

the dream.

Bordeaux."

"

DREAMS

the Allies Maritimes

had

lines

sign these

I should

but

he

IN

the

for

husband

man,
gentleof

the

other.
"

had
that his death
taken
days after I learned
dream.
He
died at Moscow,
the
the night of my
I lived at Mitau
in Germany, and
(Conrland in

few

place

on

ladies

were

Sophie

Eussia).
Letter

"Mitau."'

Thirty
morning my

XIV.
One

"

Herrenburg.

234.

years ago my
father told us
387

family lived
he

had

at

dreamed

Marseilles.

that

his-

THE

mother, who
dead.

ill,was
had
"

lived

in

UNKNOWN

Alsace, and

who

Some

reallydied

days later he
the night of his

on

he

did

learned

know

not

that

dream.

his

N.

was

mother

Nische.

Chalous-sui-Marne."
Letter

XV.

(A)

"When

present when

two

and

husband,
get the

animal

caught

(B)
He

in

was

and

the

night

He

towards

"If

and

do

dream

him

were

bow.

sisters.

that

these

think

give

not

low

I woke

friend

of my
mother

he

and

attached
He

the

husband
worth

and

ing,
publish-

live

humbly

month

of

October, 1898

she

dreamed

(on

G., with
a

she

whom

contained

papers

Happily
"

or

had
the

On

home.

voyage

saw

13th

the

shipwreck

and

drowned.
she woke
she wished
When
persons
other experiencesshe thought she had the
had

of

of

did

died.

(for having
gift of second-sight)to telegraphto me, begging me
leave ; but her husband
prevented her. On October
wreck

came

312.

just quitted Madame

on
days, to embark

had

spent several
following night

the

to

C. F."

"In

number

my

disappeared,so

widow,

husband.

garments.

later my
dreams
are

am

Letter

14th), I

to the

once

in retirement.

XVII.

to

later the robbers

days

two

name.

my

my

years

my
much
been

Then

few

at

went

gentleman had
wrapped in long white

with

me

you

with

and

was

for.

The

was

mother

my

Three

paid

in

saw

When

stable.

husband, who

my

horse

of the

empty.

cavern,

sisters,dead.
them.

to

I dreamed

woman

stealinga horse belongingto

all the precautions they took

out
noiselessly

found

young

were

he

One

''

men

dream

stable,which
were

was

I witnessed

1 told my

up

279.

vessel

for

me

of

accounts

it

not

was

great

than

involvingmore
"

hundred

one

P.

vessel.

my

storm

"

Doctor

not

to

loth

and

the

deaths.

P.,
of Laws.

Philippeville."

"

Letter 396.

XVIII.
near

"

B.

Madame

Yokohama.

She

was

lived
in
388

the

since in a villa
years
habit of lying down
an

few

DISTANT

SIGHT

IN

DREAMS

"

hour

she

exactly if
'Ah!

out:

Dieu!

Save

him

all

was

came

while

drowned

going
going
them

the

at

and

accident

! he

short

time

her

after

friend,

Mr.
in

the

them.

bathe.

to

Madame

His

before

intention
he

The

of

thought

hour

B.'s dream

seen

by saying

river

of

coincided
F.

E.

the
actly.
ex-

Bade.

Letter 447.

"Hamburg."
XIX.

had

messenger
had
been

N,,

easilyexplainswhy

went

of

time

with

She

reassure

daily bath

B.^s

he

is dead."

tried to

their

his

the

time

the

Ah

villa to dine

with

dine

to

that

taking

to their

up

but

tell them

to

(she does not remember

half asleep),
she suddenly cried
or
there is Mr. N.; he is drowning!

husband

dream,

afternoon

distinctly.Her

him

of

One
awake

was

mon

him!

Save

it

dinner.

before

1884, in

''In

the

early part of April, at Nice, I

dreamed
that my husband, lying ill in bed, said to me:
'Come
and kiss me.'
(We had been separated for some
time.) An
On
expositionwas then going on at Nice.
Good-Friday,
April 11th, a voice said to me : Go to the expositionto-day,
him again.' In the night of April 12th
or
see
you will never
had been attacked
and 13th a despatch arrived; my husband
with
congestion of the lungs. On the 13th I left Nice for
Paris.
I saw
at Val de Grace,y^s^ as I had seen
my husband
'

him

He

dream.

in my

died

on

the

loth, without

consciousness.

A.

S.

regaining
(widow).

"Nice."
"

P.S.

"

I desire to be anonymous.
Letter

XX.
years
am

"

made

only,I beg."

483.

like to tell you

should

ago, which

not

"At

Initials

of

dream

I had

great impressionupon

me,

about

six

though

superstitious.
that

time

was

teacher

One
Department of the Aisne.
walking along the principalstreet

in

boarding
night I dreamed
of

our

school

in the

that

town, when,

was

looking

in the northeast
I perceiveda great
a clear sky, and
up, I saw
black cross, on
which I saw
two letters like this :
distinctly

Mf

M.

389

THE
The

"

the

(unfortunatelyI
me
a letter telling

received

it,and

her

well, (I saw

aunt

astonishes

most

met), I hardly

we

that

name

is that,

me

seldom, it had

very

thought of

ever

Mont-b"liard."

XXI.
that

Letter

Some

"

friend
had

Sir John

failed in

between

my

forget

can

I knew

my

time

since

some

L.

Marconnet.

440.

in

I read

years ago
of Sir John

rite
Margue-

her.
"

"

exact

lived in

was

though

been

the

who

aunt

an

whose

town, and

our

tell you

cannot

The coincidence
just died.
was
so
striking that I never

death

her

what

of

had

Marconuet,
and

family had a name

beginning with
finding any, I thought of other things.

Not

villagenortheast

dream

dream, and tried,but in vain,to find

my

of my

later

days

date) I
a

member
initals.

same

Some

day I told

next

if any

out

UNKNOWN

an

Franklin

English monthly

had

in

seen

paper

dream

that

his Arctic

expedition,and then this

if I remember
friend, whose name,
rightly,was Walter Snoo,
the event
all the country where
took place.
saw
he woke
"As
soon
as
wp, being skilled in drawing, he took
a

the

pencil,drew
in fact the

and

This

"

which

it

he

drawing
a

Snoo;

subsequentlyto

sent

great illustrated
with

but, of

found

in

American

there

course,

"

were

the

of his

one

brief mention

correspondence of the event with

When, long after,the mortal

companions

of ice around

spot,

country.

inserted

was

AValter

of

whole

proprietorof

the

boats, the blocks

the ice

and

in

newspaper,

of the
no

was

impressions
proof

the details in the

remains

friends,

the

drawing.

of Franklin

and

of the

snows

of

his

Arctic

regions,those who saw them also made drawings of the scene,

nessed
showing the positionof the frozen bodies, the boats,dogs harand lying dead, all agreeing with the friend's drawing.
"

I do

not

know

the

name

of the illustrated

English monthly, but you could

of your
thereby prove the exactness
world
by verifying this letter which
of the

Dr.

you.

"Barrister,Place

easilyfind
records

nor

them

to the

that
and
whole

I presume
to write
Bronislaw
Galecki,

Cath"drale
Lei ter 563.
390

paper,

Farnow,

Galicia,Austria."

to

DISTANT

XXII.

"

SIGHT

certifyto

can

DREAMS

IN

the

you

of the

exactness

ing
follow-

facts:
I

"

seven

was

willingthat
to

I should

with

her

been

My mother, who had never

separated from her, yieldedone

be

day

of my
aunts, and let me
request from one
the country, giving many
ing
charges concern-

earnest

an

old.

years

to

go

me.
"

no

passedwithout any incident,and, above all,with

hurried
to my
accident, when
one
morning my mother
A

month

uncle's

said to him

and

'Please

''

me

news

her.
and

write

of my
I saw
her

covered

"

My

But

the next

I have

mistaken

mother, of
The

same

mother

blood, my

three

other

went

out, and

persons

with
found

we

to

send

anxietyabout
road, lifeless

that

expose

to

me

by

him, but forbade

had

befallen

my

mother

out

gone
her.

told her that his wife

letter written

which

on

had

aunt

dreadful

and

would

she told

accident

night

in

her

beg

pened
Something has undoubtedly happresentimentof it. Now
you know
about
such things!'

in which
an

sister and

dream, lyingon

day he received

evening before

with

blood.

laughed at my
and
prudent woman

"

night, in

uncle

was

my

last

never

am

to

once

my
little girl,
for I am

with

to her.

that

at

It

was

ourselves

on

no

danger.

his wife the

him

to tell

me.
saw

me

covered
and

driving,taking me
dark;
a

the

country

carriage-lamp
road

without

Suddenly the horse, who had been

knowing where we were.
He
ran
trotting quietly,shied and reared.
up against a
hedge on one side of the road, and threw out all the people
could tell how
it happened, but not
in the carriage. No
one
of them
but myself. I had
received so much
as a scratch
one
shock
under
the bellyof the
threw me
been fast asleep. The
the face and
horse, who, in trying to get up, struck me
on
chest, and dragged me over the sharppebbles in the road, the
right side of my face being next to them.
in abundance
torn ; I
ear
was
My blood flowed
; my
heard heart-rending cries for help,but no one answered
them.
"

As

said,the night was

help came

from

house

dark
not

and

far
391

lamps were out.

off,and they found

our

At

last

I had

UNKNOWN

THE
and

fainted

deplorablecondition.
passed close before the horse
in

was

shirt-sleeves had

in his

man

and

had

Gr. D.

him.
Saxe, Paris."

de

58 Avenue

"

ened
fright-

Letter 625.

XXIII.

up about
I dreamed

woke
and
a

that

'

showed

death

was

Does

announced.

which

on

think

me

of

death

this

not

coincidence

33 Rue

Boudet,

''One

to

undertaken
had
very

sent

was,

of

'''I

sat down

Milice.

Louise

the

of

son

an

ago,

engaged

Blanche
to be

who
agriculturist,
dreamed
he

that

wrote

have
up

clone better

had

as

her

ried
mar-

had

fianc"

follows, or

teaching.'

The

to her

to her
a

work

morning

next

the young

mother, quoted this sentence, and

man
again. Some hours after the post-

letter from

exactly the

relinquishedthe

I not

her

lover, in which

were

cisely
pre-

words.

same

Fran"ois.

''Henriette
"

to

brought her
and

twenty-fiveyears

man,

plough and taken

girltold her dream
then

tend

661.

teaching. One day she

her a long letter,in which

should

the

at
friends, at present post-mistress

my

about

young

nearly so

of

out
sleep? Withnothing had

Mademoiselle
Louvign"-du-Dezert (Ille-etVilaine),

Suzanne,

sheet

Bordeaux."
Letter

XXIV.

shop

family ?

in that

"Marie
"

written

was

prove a certain displacementof the soul during

had this dream, since
could
I have
it how

made

had

house

lived

told my dream
to mamma,
the
of that morning, in which

the newspaper

me

where

house

shop closed,with

the

saw

old, I

years

sleepagaintill eight,

This

visited.

seldom
I

to

passingbefore

was

but

seventeen

was

I went

nailed
the door,
on
paper
Deceased.'
I woke
up and

white

who

I dreamed

it,and

word

o'clock.

seven

family I knew,

in

morning, when

One

"

Bromberg-Posen, Germany."
Letter

XXV.

Councillor

"Here

is what

of State,

man

once

662.

seventy years
393

father,
my
he was
of age, when

happened

to

THE

nurse

awake.

was

Suddenly a brightlightshone in the dark

and a brilliancy
like that of a flash
a swiftness
August at mid-day. I called to the nurse.

with

chamber,

sunlightin

of

did

She

UNKNOWN

not

answer

for

me

she

before

moment;

did

so

was

The night-lamp had gone out, the

daughter'sbed.
flash of lightwas
seemed
The
nurse
paralyzed with
gone.
In vain I questioned her, but next
fear.
day she told the
that she saw
servants
thing still)
(and she says the same
my
beside

my

died

husband, who

six months

before, standing at the foot of

daughter'sbed.

my

"This

is

She

living.

she

will tell what

she

and

is still

person

to any

saw

forty-eightyears old,
who

one

asks

"Madame

"Lacapalle."

"Not

After

"

of

review

old friend

an

in
girls,

which

brought

me

for the

wished

book, and

book

(B). If this had

have passed it over
a

of

I dreamed
and

give

saw

it

been
in

another

to

gone

and

'

had

been

me

opinion

your
the

was

for

I wish

Madame,

I had

one

solitarycase

silence,but in the

of the

one

K.

see

young
of the pupils in the first

said

which

thing happened

second

and

of
so

you

it.'

much

before.

evening

"

week

years

desire to

school

high

one
professor,

am

book, and

the

opened

ardent

an

Monsieur

the

reaching

on

this

read

would

I had

seven

newspaper
K.

Monsieur

because

so

died
a

state

husband's.

day,

next

class

more

of my

"The

by

this criticism

reading

book, all the

the

L.

De

nervous

very

bed, I took

to

written

book

got in

husband, Avho had

before, when, having gone

read

long ago

deceased

of my

thinking

R.

Letter 633.

(A).

XXVII.

her.

should, probably,
of the

course

impressed me

same

equally.

pupilsnamed

Z., who

had

left school

and

I had

not

seen

town,

whom

for

year.
"

"

The

class

her

saw

letter from

dream, with
the

day, in

next

came

in

up
my

to

me

and

friend

her

hair cut

gymnasium,
said

Z. ; she

of the

me

pupils in

I have

Madame,

begs

394

one

short.

to

remember

received

my
a

her to

SIGHT

DISTANT
is very

She

you.

much

off all her hair.

cut
"

in

me
"

should

Why

Fayanray,

put out just

snch

strange things have

It will be found

still some

These

that

634.

XXIX.

her

bed

in the

afternoon, I encountered

to

see

to find me,

chamber.

her the next

because

half

about

her

Liverpool,had
husband

be in the

river.

drowned

been

drowned.

There

could
pilot-boat
the Mersey.
enter

another
This
a

News

arrived

dream.

is

had

me

in her

claring
profound sleep,dea

was

at

in the

evening to say that at

half-pasttwo), Roulands

been

sudden

squallof wind.
ship that wanted

put a pilotaboard a
It had, therefore,to go before and lead
both were
in the river, oppositethe lighthouse

rock, they made

pilotwere

told

reading

been

not

board, but the little boat

on

He

ofiing,and could not possibly,at that time,

But
she persistedin declaringthat she had

had

the

pilot

setting

was

her, tellingher that Roulands

(that is, about

on

pilotat
river (the Mersey). Her

in the

mentioned

When

Jones,

Roulands, also

hour

way.

had
of

out

the

the

drown.

woke

him

to

T"l"-

Janes, livingat

delirious.

he

seen

The

of

experiences.

husband, who

was

brother, William

been

in the

her

before

she

tried to calm

his station

number

Saturday, February 27, 1869.

day, Sunday, at three o'clock

his wife

hour

an

Suddenly
that

Here

Hallucinatiotis

Goodall

Dr.

by

on

I went

that

the

from

such

tance
dis-

few.

the very

Jones, the wife of William

Mrs.

When

out

that

us

be

to

at

Street, Liverpool:

Liverpool,kept

at

said

impossibleto deny

first is told

Edwin
"

to

taken

are

be

cannot

seems

it

makes

The

2KitMques.

Onanoff.

examples of things seen

they
It

follow

that

6 Prince

these

more.

instances

these

to

of Azof."

by

in dreams

they have

happened

M.

Letter

are

because

now

the Sea

on

DREAMS

.'
.

two

week

one

IN

another

attempt

swamped

was

and

to

put

pilot

Roulands

and

drowned."

strikingexample of
Inquiry has proved

the

thing

the

with the
story. It is the same
Mrs. Green, in Ne wry, England:
395

seen

absolute

at

distance

in

authenticityof
followingcase, told by a

UNKNOWN

THE

XXX.

"

know

like

the

found

horse

dream

what

well

pretty

very

ill

saw

they

used

carts

who

women,

of him

in front

seemed

about, driving a

were

carrying mineral

for

water

some

two

; he

vehicle
The

waters.

stopped

to

to

drink,

but, stepping into a hole, he lost his balance, and, tryingto

women
rose
himself, he slipped deeper. The
recover
up
all sank

find any

if I could

see

I turned

the water.

into

flew off their

their hats

help ;

for

screaming

round

completely.
the

All

them.

seen

my

I told him

women.

dream.

no

; it seemed

I could

day

to

I said

"

to

that

son

my

that

January 10th, and

it

me

up

if I knew

me

I had

never

get rid of the impression of

not

it had

dream, and the disquietudeinto which

the

woke

that

me

that I

With

my husband
He asked

partly awoke, greatlyagitated,and

I told him

weeping, trying to

assistance.

to render

one

then

heads, and

his

was

is the

reason

March

thrown
mine

birthday and

why

am

me.

so

sure

too,
of the

date.

month

the

In

"

Australia,and

in

brother

of

received

letter

which

newspaper,

told

griefat losing one of his daughters, who had

the same
with a friend precisely
on
day and at
dream, allowing,that

my

as

accident

The

is,for the

related

was

places."
Inglewood Advertiser

in

been
the

difference

the

from
me

my

of his

drowned
same

in

luglewood

hour

tude.
longitiser
Adver-

in two
The

of

account

an

what

is another

Here
seen

at

the

was

three

about

story

as

saw

it to

one

instance

The

in

Bishop
his

dream
a

of

something
whom
it happened

to

person

Protestant

distant, fall down

miles

he wrote

remarkable

dream.

of the

He

States.

United

in

son

January 11, 1878, published

correspondedexactly with

dream.
very

distance

which

the accident
in the

seen

was

of

of Iowa

father, who

staircase.

of his relations

Here

in the
lived

is the

ought to say in the first place that between

my
the strongest tie of affection,
father and myself there was
father
and
For
son.
stronger than usually exists between
he was
tell when
I could
in any danger,
years I always thought
XXXL

even

"

if

we

were

many

miles
396

apart.

DISTANT
The

"

home

when

night

he

business

from

hard

SIGHT

work, and

bed

wall.

staircase

bed's

head

west

side

Our

fell

the

head

as
asleep as soon
my
slept a heavy, deep sleep.

I knew

the

I had

touched

I did

nothing until

father

my

supper.

the

is towards

of the

the

hear

not

got

of very

day

immediately after

north, consequentlyI slepton

bed, and

DREAMS

eight o'clock, after

to

the

always slept next

fell down

about

I went

IN

bed.

pillow,and
wife

my

appeared

to

come

to

at

me

the

top of a staircase about to fall. I sprang to seize hold of

him, and jumped out of bed at the foot, making a great deal
of noise.

I could
; it

watch

then

I had

did not
I

''

and

doubt

she

that

more

that

my

next

morning

to town

the

all

well.

were

moment

very
know

we

got

as

well

too

have

could

to

seen

"

been

hurt

and

well.
but
my

even

himself.

The

father

I could

not

early
him, asking if

my father, which
in my vision,and
seen
of the fall
consequences

sad
at

distance

fall ?

of three

is what

That

H.

told him

to bed

reply from

I had

how,

go

I went

telegraphedto

what

to

not

strong that

so

letter in

I did

night.

Bishop Sullivan, Bishop

was

her

laugh at it,

me

comprehend.

which

if she

I told

no.

make

at my

wife

my

answered

tried

father had

exactly corresponded
the

She

looked

chief
mis-

succeed.

slept no

I asked

the

what

'

me

lamp, and

two.

I made.

seen,

asked

I also lit

again,the impression had

feel

and

up,

quarter past

the noise

what

but

woke

doing ?'

be

was

heard

had

wife

My

of

Algoma,

M.

miles,
cannot,

Lee."

the

confirms

fact,

immediatelyafter.*

precedinginstance

publisliedby Professor Sedgewick

in the
search,
Proceedings of the Societyfor Psychical Rehim
sent
in London, and he adds the following case
de Holstein (29 Avenue
de
on
August 18, 1870, by Madame
The

'

Sciences

psychiques,1891.

singular case
Warburton

Canon

down
and

dream

was

In Phantasms

of

the

Living

is
(vol.i., p. 338, No. 108), which
suddenly startingfrom his sleep

staircase.
of M.

Compare

Dreuillie

also No.

described
397

24

in the

in the

found

will be

like

this

saw

his brother

same

In it

one.

volume,

ing
fall-

p. 203,

preceding chapter, xlvi.

THE

Wagram, Paris).
the

than

proof

This

was

its details

have

can

differs from

the

dream

It seems,

much

been

preceding

that

the

Dr. Golinski

what

see

in Russia

Krementchug

at

XXXII.
and

of

and

taking
on

the

sick person.
Then
I found

"

with

room

dark

I entered
little coal
much

oil

from
I

door

on

of the
inner
one

had

spoken

to

fashion that I gave her

in

in

knew

at

some

awake,

walked
the

about

dream

my
I had

room

just

the

and

if

as

had.

one

some

got up
in

of

which

was

very
ent
differ-

so

the left of the

had

had
I

vere
se-

to know

came

ination
exam-

an

to be

by
expect, though
in

; then

very

vague

I awoke
I

slowly
"

roused

now

me.

It

lighted a cigarette,and I
of excitement, reflecting
on

; I

state

For
398

little

drowsiness, but
had

see

stood

I dreamed

generallywake

to

by

(itseemed
to

usual

go

into

I made

assistance

state

myself,

bureau

To

what

once

hour

an

the door

the

way

medical

started

past four.

I had

it.

Afterwards

me.

in

know

some

minutes

was

right of
upon

or

three.
half-past

get up

before.

I did

for I

wide

help.

o'clock,

I stretched

who
lay a woman
know
exactlyhow

manner,

up
half

hour

an

bell,and

the

very unusual
remain
for some
a

three

transported

seen

but

consciousness)I

of

I must

To

ever

which

woman,

to

physician

very

hemorrhage. I do not
had a hemorrhage, but

she

no

bed,

had

the

the agent

desire

peculiarpattern.
shape of this lamp, it was

in the

anythingI
saw

of

lamp

interested

the

bureau, and

that

is

dining at

somehow

myself

was

He

sleep about

to

rang
that now

hangings.

there

of

July, 1888,

I went

disagreeablesensation
some

of

one

some

It

event.

rapport between

of it.

afterwards

month

sofa, and

that

I dreamed

habit

little nap

made

in the

am

In

half.

usual

as

''

writes

one

pression
clairvoyantim-

crisis
subject and the agent, or to any especial
had undergone, but to his anxietyand intense
(Psychic waves.)
Now

no

to

unlikelythat

after the

to any

not

to

to have

it is

that

in

due

been

told

was

altered

ones

as
satisfactory

however,

Golinski

Dr.

to have

seems

little less

the

known.

impression on

an

is

case

last,because

until its truth

such

UNKNOWN

long

time

I had

had

no

DISTANT
of

case

hemorrhage

have

could

bell,and
I

ten
was

summoned

struck

chamber
and
the

on

the

the

said
did

know

On

in my

dream.

I had

ing
oil-lampstandit,and exactly

an

I had

seen

astonishment

My

seen.

was

say so, all distinction

my
room
bed-

exactly like
patient was a

was

The

of all

most

me

ring at

enteringthe

astonishment, for it

struck

the

strange coincidence

I asked

About

morning.

the

told

She

me.

was

great

so

the dream

between

for

to send

and

though

the

woman,

not

at all familiar

afternoon

she

house

and

my

state of her

thanks

had

not

decided
that
I

in

hardly

her ; but

health.

this is the
its

to

early

had

to walk.

prescribedfor

once

the

she
she

between

I had

to send

had

four
half-past

dream, and

remember,

can

about

with

commonly

not

decided

and

indisposed since

twenty minutes

about

knew

do

At

dream

my

discomfort, but

distance

she lived takes

which

been

some

it.

The

me.

had

she had

o'clock in the

one

between

when

woman

she

me

slighthemorrhage
thought much about

that

came

it ?'

by

I saw,

"I

patient.

bureau, exactly where

Struck

was

there

'

did you

for

myself what

'

to

what

I asked

and going up to the bed of the sick woman,

I
reality,
have had a hemorrhage.' And
I
her, quietly, You
recover
myself until the patientsaid, Yes, but how

not

"

to

seen

lost,if I may

that

had

what

DREAMS

and
practice,

after I woke

with

shape as

same

and

IN

dream.

my
minutes

was

woman,

in my

caused

''About

the

SIGHT

only dream

correspondence with

reality."
Henry Sedgwick has

Mrs.

described

several

experiencesof

girl of fifteen,when
things seen at a distance by a young
things
magnetized,which we may certainlyinclude among
"Miss

XXXIII.

what
in the

to

experienceas

an

and

she

told
saw

table-cloth.'

'

quote
F.,

of these
Mrs.

here

R.,

What

of

evening,after we had
this girlduring the day.

of

subject to go to the kitchen

The
there.
:
subject answered
room,

one

one

come

test

now

two

and

the

of the

middle

will

Florence

invited

neighbors,was
came,

We

in dreams.

observed

and

is in the

on

it is

box

'

The

399

pared
preShe

tell

us

table is

covered

box, Fanny ?' I asked.

my

by

'Oh, I

THE

dare

not
!'

angry

look

iuside the box

Miss

Florence

cloth, Fanny, and

:

UNKNOWN

'There

tell

wants

make

might

Miss

look.

to

you
is under

what

me

it/

Florence

Lift

At

np the
she answered

once

six biscuits/

rolls and

seven

are

; it

(This was

exact.)
grant this

"I

Miss
the

Florence
box

have

may

in the room,

was

arranged by her

as

and

what

trial,but

thought,for

the contents

doubt

no

mind, the

her

to

present

Avere

of

transmission

been

things having

followed

of

been

was
certainly

not.

"Miss

Florence

answered

There

are

quarter of

the

to

only

house

travellers
the
half

Fanny

saw

"No

hour

said, 'That

after

and

the

before

red

brother

horse

had

Ten

to

(she

minutes

Florence

had

belonged

'

right,Fanny.

of Miss
he

She

red

one

in the stable.'

questioninghim

came

brought

two

learned

that

them, and

that

we

put into the stable,where

been

them.
it may

doubt

be said that
the

mind

with

telepathic
sympathy
unconsciously

made

Fanny

of

father

her

of

aware

arrived

some

Florence's

present belonging to Miss

took

and
is not

sister that

on

they

by reading

was

his

him, and

in the stable

was

gray,

one

horses

told

and

with

hour

an

black

an

horse

gray

horses,

Florence

my

what

Fanny

black

Miss

bay).

meant

or

Two

asked

one

of the

household,
or

the

this

at

brother

persons
that

or

by

Florence

Miss

facts,and

clusion
con-

that

Fanny

her

but is not
knowledge from this unconscious
source,
this hypothesisfar fetched ?"
Mr. Howard
XXXIV.
lived six miles away from my
(A)
house.
He
had
of wood.
Our
just built a large mansion
this house, although I think she may
seen
subjecthad never
have heard
it spoken of.
Mr.
Howard
had
been
passing
"

several
go

days

away

and

see

there

and

splendor of

the front

door

such

an

said

Howard,

the

home, and he asked

if all
the

and

ugly old

front

from

well.

was

cried

Fanny

out

should

at the

size

house, but she laughed at the uglinessof

the

front

fa"ade,saying that
door

to

laughing, 'my

door, and

She

that

the

such

wife

steps of
400

she would

beautiful

is furious
the

house.

with

fa"ade.'

have

not

me

'Oh!'

'

Yes,

about

inter-

THE

hypnoticexperiment
the presence
the

of Mr.

XXXVI.
who

It

this

sign

where
Carl
we

made

Suhr

following account
"

UNKNOWN

by
and

his

in 1867

that

over

and

in

ago

years

wrote

saw

great deal of

Hansen

the brothers

(myselfand

we

established

account) were

Mr.

some

brother, Dr. Backman

Hansen, the hypnotizer,who

Mr. Balle, now
met
a lawyei',
whom

Hansen

was

Ave

Mr.

mark,
Odense, in Den-

at

mutual

our

lived

near

friend, Mr.

Every day

us.

barrister

Copenhagen,
great hypnotic influence,

exercised

at

who

requested, one
evening,to be put into so deep
hypnotic sleep that he might become
clairvoyant.
"Our

lived

mother

We

asked

the

evening,and,

Hansen

Balle, in
mother

few

sick

this time

at

send

to

after

the
it

bed

she

had

and

in

; but

dark

too

to

as

We

for
few

days

and

had

dream

school

lived

sight at

Balle said

another

distance

to read

at

last he

had

"

street.

sick,

been

real

thing

Wallingford. My chief friend was

Marks, a graduate of the scientific
had

Frederick

Yale.

at

at

Frederick

man,

young

Balle

taken,
completelymis-

was

in

lived

think

not

"I

XXXVII.

he

letter

of

case

asked

sayingshe
Skomagerstraede."
us

into the

is another

in

mother

our

later she wrote

moved

Here
seen

knew

we

did

insisted,and

thought

our

slightcold,

of the house.

Hansen

in

Mr.

found

We

over.

corner

read, but

He

only

test, Hansen

at the

'Skomagerstraede.'

reap

and,

street

get

soon

late

was

moment,

journey.

of the

was

for

the

be true,

name

hesitated

It

minutes, made

which, he said, she would

this could

Roeskilde, in Seeland.

at

Balle to visit her.

having

an

brother

named

Charles,

Oneida.
One
Lake
livingin central New York, near
and do
to lie down
rainy day Frederick went up to his room
down, saying he had
nothing. In about an hour he came
He
his hrotlier Charles, he presumed in a vision.
just seen
then

in

Avas

seated

high.
while

broken.

had

little sailboat, and

Avas

in the

Charles
with

Avas

the

His

It

stern.

in the

other

he

was

companion with him,

blowing a gale,the waves
a

boAV, with
held

402

to

on

dangerous situation

one

so

round

arm

the

boom,

alarmed

Avho
ran

the mast,
Avhich

Frederick

was

that

DISTANT

woke;,and

he
had

the

more

had

Oneida.

Lake

on

he and

On
had

companion

days later,Frederick

four

or

Charles, tellinghim

letter from

DREAMS

vision

Nevertheless, three

"

IN

disappeared. His family thought he

to sleepwithout
knowing it,and that the vision was
than an ordinarydream.

gone

no

SIGHT

and

set

sail.

As

lake

to Frenchman's

the

down

gone

of the

day

fine, they

Island, a distance

just
question,

in

lake, hired

to the

was

he had

adventure

an

morning

weather

the

of

received

went

of about

boat,

down

the

twenty miles.

In the

afternoon,as they returned, a furious storm arose.

Charles baled out the water that they shipped,while his companion
the gale was
held the rudder.
When
at its height the
broke.
boom
Charles, seeingthe danger, sprang forward, and,
with the other,
and the boom
seizingthe mast with one arm
the hawser.
it with
in
he tried to secure
They succeeded
preventingthe boat from going down until they ran it ashore.
Then
they jumped into the lake and made their way to land,
"

sound.

safe and

Oneida

"

ford, and
will
taken

taking

found

be

same

the

two

exists

the

Frederick's
hour

same

miles from

dream,

brothers

are

Frederick

them.

and
(California),

Charles

in the

danger perhaps
"

and

temperaments
very unlike, and

no

the

cityof

New

York.

Let

replyto
thought he saw
far

be

cannot
us

as

the

I remember,

you

doubted,

remark,

following passage
In

B.

Beistol.

and

Frederick

Marks

explain

periland the vision.

They will be found in the
of PsychicalSciences (1893,p. 250-355). There was

distance.

"

Anna

Santa

the

this,it

the

Charles

MM.

letters of

in detail

in

of

Beach, U. S. A."

"Short

Annals

at

particularaffinity

"

The

characters

lives at

now

have

vision, must

or

Charles's

as

Walling-

the difference of time, it

The

minute.

between

three hundred

into consideration

that

placeat

the

is about

Lake

very decided
in the letter of Mr.

of

sight at

Charles

Marks,

that your

brother

case

question, Did
'

at this moment

I had

no

you

know

?' I would

feelingthat
403

my

reply that, as

brother

was

see-

UNKNOWN

THE

iug

that

I think

me.

all my

thoughts

occupied with

were

doing. When gettingon the thwart I tried to lower

brother
the habits of my
the sail. Knowing
(who is a man
exceptionallyrobust and in good health),I should have
thought him possiblyasleep at the moment, for his robust
he will. He
constitution enables him to go to sleepwhenever
time
in the day, and
at any
can
drop asleep at any moment,
I

what

he

was

often

takes
he

Wallingford

siesta

was

in the

accounts

permit us

to

still
the

what

see

yet unknown

faculties

with

endowed

are

is

passingat

principalpart

only

not

New
Inman

of

the

time

board

the

steamer

great

storm

which

on

encountered

other

neither

saw

we

plays

feel herself

another

tempest,

in

stove

man.

Liverpool for

days. During
did we
sight any

by

did

of

great

big
yards

Several

again.

their

and

carried away,

sails,though close-reefed,were

the violence

loose, and

broke
be stowed

it could

before

stars, nor

were

of the anchors

one

lasted nine

nor

sun

bulwarks

The

vessel.

deal of harm

broken.

were

"During
since

we

Towards

left

morning

was

state-room

then

came

caressed

up
me

to

was

States.

to me,
a

few

not

get

that

stooped and
she
404

saw

the

eighth day
for the

my

first time

wife, whom
the door

hesitated
me,

of my

she seemed

threshold

kissed

of the

refreshing sleep.
to

came

; she

alone

moments

She

night-dress.On

in her

perceivethat

able

I dreamed

left in the "United

had

violent,and

little less

port I

the

succeeded

night which

the

storm, the gale was

to

stance
in-

of the
City of Limerich
On
the evening
line, commanded
by Captain Jones.
the second
day, after having passed Kinsale Head, we

York,

that

by

an

existence, and

.3,1863, I left

October

''On

XXXVIII.

but

is
who

to

of double

transported to a distance in a sort

not
Avas
seen
only by her husband,

that

faculties

the person
seemed

but

saw

beings

Here

distance.

remarkable, in which

more

at Yale.

human

to us,

at

Makes."

C. K.

certaintythat

with

prove

lived

in the scientific school

student

"

All these

he

While

afternoon.

and

and
little,
ing
after hav-

quietlywithdrew.

DISTANT
I woke

When

"

mate, whose
him

SIGHT
I

up

berth

IN

state-room

our

my

in the

was

room-

I could

mine, though

over

for
very distinctly,

observe

surprisedto

was

was

DREAMS

not

see

of the

stern

his elbow and

vessel,sittinglooking at me
up, leaning on
fixedly. You are a lucky fellow,^he said, at last, to have
'

lady

'

visit

to

come

himself.
what

he

At

had

his berth.

like

you

first he
for he

!' I asked

that

would

not, but

It

to

last he

at

quite awake and

corresponded exactlywith what

seen,

him

plain
ex-

told

me

sittingup

was

I had

in
in

seen

dream.

my

The

"

not

of my

name

be

likelyto

man

and

grave

room-mate

William

was

guilty of

J.

joke. He was, on
religiousman, whose word

very

he

Tait;

the

was
trary,
con-

I cannot

doubt.
The

"

town, where
as

we

said.

'Why,

she

said,

you.'

'

think
"

told

when,
awake

had

cried ;

tell

'

Did

receive

you
visit from

at sea.'

you

'I

?' I

know,'
to

gone

what

me

soon

makes

visit
you

as
a

ashore

gone

safety.

my

left

we

bound

for

Boston,

Liverpool for
she

had

ing,
rag-

been

New
very

The

to

came

the

ship until

Is the upper
There

straightat

was

me,

and

berth

ship,low
the

for

my

moment
405

imagined

; she

climbed

state-room.

like the

little farther
the

she

sea,

find

companion-stairs, passed

staterooms

in

man

and

come

in the water

reached

she

must

of the vast

waves

black

she

that

to her

me,' she said, 'are all the

?

Africa

Cape Kace,

on

board, and, going down

in ?

seeingthe great storm

that

day

same

morning it seemed
Crossing the angry
she

that

me

night before, the same

night
I have said,the tempest began to abate, she had stayed
long time thinking of me, and about four o'clock in

about

through

one

as

me

if I had

of the loss of the

sailed the

anxious

on

to

seems

then

knowing

York, and

that

it

miles

thousand

Impossible!'
wife

My

which

me.

were

living. As

'A

?'

for Water-

so.'

and

the

we

train

were

questionwas

Tuesday

on

the

children

first

ago

but

'

and

her

week

landed, I took

we

wife

my
alone

were

visit

my

after

day

back

'Tell
I

one

than

you

the under

upper

berth

who

afraid

to

was

saw

looked
come

in,

THE

but

last I

at

pressed you
The

'^

up

in my

arms,

given by

account

York

bent
over
you, kissed
you,
and then I went
away.'

to

came

though she had

sister's journal that
New

UNKNOWN

October

never

correct

was

the

seen

left

we

wife

my

home

were

the

on

S. R.

"

in all its details,

I find in my

steamer.

Liverpool October

22d, and

you,

4th, reached
23d.

WiLMOT,

"Manufacturer, Bridgeport."
The

New

York

Herald

LiverpoolOctober
her

at

wharf

early

shipwreck of

that

October

on

"On

the

the

Mr.

Tait, who

on

of the

that

he

I had

he

shared.

said, I
'

saw

arrived

tells of

the

and

steamer,

of

in various

confirmed

Wilmot's

which

sister,who

in

come

to

raging,asked

was
see

my

'No,' I answered.
a

also

of the
has

5th, and

was

the

terrible storm

night before

the

left

singularexperience of my brother
the City of Limerich, I remember
that
cause
morning took me down to breakfast be-

board

night

Mr.

City of Limerick
It

Africa. Inquiry

subject of

one

23d.

critical situation

this strange story.

ways
the same
boat, writes :

on

the

3d, 1865, Queenstown

great storm, of the

the

says

if the

brother, whose

room
state-

'Why?'

all in white

woman

me

who

came

'Because,'
to

see

your

brother.'"
Mrs.
"

Wilmot

In

about

also writes

the

question.Did

to the

answer

in the upper

man

long

I cannot

see

? I must

anythingpeculiar
answer

that after

with

tails,
certaintyas to minor deI was
much
troubled
but I know
by his presence and
I think
by perceiving that he was watching me from above.
mother
the next
that I told my dream
to my
morning, and I
know
that all day I had a vivid impression that I had been
This
husband.
to see
so
impression was
strong that I
my
felt myself reassured
and
prise.
comforted, to my very great surso

time

berth

you

speak

Mrs.
This

remarkable

very

It is rather
'

old.

Annals

The

of the

case

deserves

account

was

S.

R. Wilmot."

particularattention.
probably written more

Society for PsychicalResearch,

406

'

1891.

DISTANT

SIGHT

IN

DREAMS
,

than

twenty years after it took place. One

it is dead,
he

and

We

saw.

witnesses
honest

give

cannot

feel certain

cannot

after

long

so

be,

it may

account

an

nor

time

can

the

all the

saw-

of what

testimony of

the

is exact, however

passed

trust

we

who

first-hand

at

that

had

of those

details.

Yet, after

there undoubtedly is a remarkable

reservations,
respondence
corbetween
the impressions of the three persons.
Wilmot
had, either dreaming or awake, a vision of her

all these

Mrs.

husband, and

able

was

surrounded

obstacles

that

Ms

thought, and

wife
what

eyes

seemed

which

made

observations
XXXIX.
In it I

sensations

thick

All

and
on

of

book

table

on

verses

violent
with

of

the

pencil and

the

of
and

book

exception
of

was

to

stop.

vivid

Here

type,

greasy

heavy in

became
a
a

my

I woke

page,

the

they

I could

last

the

not,

recall
written

line

just as

are

o"

je

vivais

Du

temps

o"

je
je

menais

que

Avant

ma

je

Vers

ne

savais

chute
un

up,

candle, picked up

down

wrote

of

temps

Alors

hand.

I always keep beside the

paper
that evening (that night it was
a

Du

Dont

had

fingers

my

two
even

vie

une

puis

me

I wrote

lente

et

mes

them

ant"rieure,

407

meillure,

les causes,

m"tamorphoses

plus triste devenir.

their

off without

souvenir,

les effets et

with

down, which

broke

l'existence

last

single line

pencil:
"

dream.

which

paper,

question of metaphysics, and

some

incomplete,for
a

the

memory,
I had
twelve

of the

very

act
experienced the exenjoyed it; but presently

asleep,I lit

painful efforts

to treat

coming

read

to

three

are

about.

turning over

was

own

to admit.

poetry.

military history),and I
had just read in my dream.
and

seemed

the

I intend

that

work

in

as

These

1881, I had

mechanically, still half

my

sense

sudden,

his

black

and

pages,

with

what

reports the followingcurious

coarseness

very

through the

dreamed

saw

Wilmot.

forced

are

book

the

yellow, the

turned

we

reading

was

I remarked

Mr.

to

himself

"VVilmot

Tait, awake,

November,

reading

was

to him

way

Mr.

S"rizolles

on

''In

turned

Mr.

S"m"zi"s

Marcel

her

him.

dream

facts
inexplicable
M.

make

to

down

THE

Du

"

o"

temps

Dout

je

hommes

UNKNOWN
vivais

astre, laissant

uu

Dans

"These

The

reminiscence

in my

publishedand
again are one or two

"About
he

had

him

now,

in

him.

these

such

seemed

to

poetry.
never

me

tion
presentiments or divina-

of

lawyers

the

as

all those

of

son

who

magistrate

that

interested

with

I had

at

Montauban,
barrister named
a
Laporte. I see
cold eyes, and something enigmatic
a

was

It is to be observed

relations

only

collections of

quite unknown."

cases

father
my
his court

lean, fair,with

that

very

me

them

then

was

his

to

of

young

forgotten the
in

dream

beneath

cloud
clouds.

just
saw

entertain

to

tribunal.

like what

him.
of

M.

they

come

This

two

three

or

walking, with

feet,which

In 1883

seemed

sort

had

from

in his life-time.

been

beneath

the clouds

form, by degrees, took

Laporte,and

when

the

of

to float among

two

and
the

shades

in
pletely
com-

later,I

years

attitude,garments, step, and

father's

My
form

father

my

his

when,

man,

that

ness,
polite-

mere

bound

father's

very

little,and

those

were

magistrate is

belong

made
judge at Nontron
my father died, and Laporte was
to this,and I had
I paid little attention
the Dordogne.

saw

reading.

1880

and

of

of my

dream

to be

been

in dreams

about

reading

trace

sa

ethers

des

was

l'espace,
instant

un

in all kinds

Here

with

voir

sombre

be

r"miniscences

"clairs.

tried to find them

to have

the

le bleu

lines cannot

volume

man,

des

que

des

comme

existences,

libre " travers

peut-"tre j'allais

Comme

have

n'avons

nous

Rapdiles
O"

les hautes

moving

the other
smile

were

Suddenly
advance

ards
tow-

exact

ance
appear-

met

I heard

distinctlythese words uttered by my father : Tiens !

it is your turn !' To which
you are, Laporte. So now
Laporte replied,merely, 'Yes, it is 1/ and they shook hands.
mail a MUet
de fairejjart
in my
"A
few days later I found
of a death by the family of the deceased).
(theannouncement
that M.
It informed
dogne),
(Dorme
Laporte,judge at Nontron
I
had
dreamed
the very day when
had died young,
on
'

very
here

about

him.
408

THE
and

lier heart

They

room.

at

came

In

blood.

her

to

told

She

her

froze

called

and

awake

UNKNOWN

who

women

vision, and

her

her

the orders

declared

started

dressing-

that

slie desired

her

her

quieted her, tellingher the

The
princess insisted
by contraries.
obeyed. The governess and the nurse

old

proverb, dreams

to

one

at

go

once

women

and

then

and

back

came

told

made

her

children.

lier order

that

that

Her
go
be

must

believe
the

up

of their mistress.

bring

some

and

fright she

slept in

receive

to

once

her

to

obey,
princes

young

asleep,and that it would be a pity to disturb them.

The
princess,seeing their obstinacy,and possiblysuspecting
their deceit,asked angrilyfor her dressing-gown. They could
and
not
brought the young
help themselves
; they went
fast

were

princes,who
wall

of their

Sight at

in their mother's

sooner

were

no

own

chamber

the

fell.'

distance, without

than

room

eyes,

in

closely
by magnetizers in
example incontestadream, very

analogous things often noted

is an
their clairvoyantsubjects. Here
bly true, observed by several surgeons on the occasion of an
breast during
operationfor the painlessremoval of a woman's
magnetic sleep. It is reportedby Brierre de Boismont.
Madame
Plan tin,who was
XLIII.
about
sixty-fouryears
resembles

"

old," he

(see obs. 106), consulted, in the month

whom
somnambulist
Dr. Chapelain had

writes

June, 1828,

for her.

her

of

"

This

threatened

which

right breast

told her

woman

of

tumor

to become

cured
pro-

forming

in

cancerous.

in the country, and

passed the summer
followed
conscientiously the regimen prescribed for her.
Dr. Chapelain,
at the end of September to see
She came
back
had grown
and told him that the tumor
considerablylarger.
He
began to magnetize her on the 23d of October following,
and
itself a few
the sleep began to show
days later. But
than imperfect.
with her was
never
more
clairvoyantsomnambulism
of the
What
done
for her stopped the progress
was
"

The

evil but

sick

did

the doctor

woman

not
saw

cure
no

'

her.

hope

Archives

for

At

last the

saving her

General

de

410

breast
life butin

Medicine, 1829.

ulcerated, and

removing it.

DISTANT
M.

Jules

Cloquet, an

Dr.

to the

the

magnetic

where

he

power
force

the

pain whatever.
for

of

in

what

the

gainingher

same

patientwould
thanks

consent,

possessedover her. He endeavored

his will to produce insensibility
in

the

is the

de M"decine

her

into

part

the

to be

report made

be

made.

not

know

to

was

patient did
operation, which

the

magnetized

incision
The

Chapelainput
Here

know

the

operated on, and when he thought he had

pinched sharply with his nails the part of

he

fixed

to

of

was

be

part to

breast

only

DREAMS

surgeon,

Chapelainsucceeded

the whole

with

IN

eminent

It remained

opinion.
say.

SIGHT

the

It gave
her
the precise

April 12,

was

ceeded
suc-

no

day
Dr.

1829.

magnetic state, then he strongly

operated on."
this

on

subject to

the Acad"mie

the

On

day fixed for the operation,M. Cloquet,on arriving

the patientdressed
at half-pastten, found
and sitting
in an
easy-chairin the attitude of a person who has gone
from
quietlyto sleep. About an hour before she had come
"

which

and
her
was

she

regularlyattended
every day at that hour,
Dr. Chapelain had
put her into the magnetic sleep on
home.
She had spoken calmly of the operation she
return
to undergo. All thingsbeing ready, she undressed
self
her-

mass,

and

seated

herself in

of

their

ligatures.
first incision

the tumor,
the

M.

Pailloux, an

interne

and

hospitalof Saint Louis, was charged with the

giving the operators their instruments and making

duty
A

chair.

at the

student

"

as

far

as

made

and

was

the

the internal

second, commencing

the tumor

from

at the

brought up

arm-pit

outside

was

surface

directed

over

of the breast

place,went round
to join the first. The
precaution,by reason
same

below
swollen

dissected
with
out
of its
gland was
neighborhood to the auxiliaryartery, and the tumor was extirpated.
The
operation lasted from ten to twelve minutes.
"During the whole time the patientcontinued to talk quietly
with
There

change

pulse

the
was

in

operator,and did not givethe smallest

no

her

showed

movement

of her
her

breathingor
sufferingor even

411

limbs

or

of

her

voice, nothing

feeling. She

signof pain.
features, no
even

in

remained

her
in

the

state

same

had

Cloquet

UNKNOWN

of abandon

and

her

seen

the

washed

THE

skin

his

on

the

around

patientshowed

water, the

said

and
tickling,

in
impassibility
arrival.

times, with

with

produced by

laugh,

M.

surgeon
wet

sponge

like those

symptoms

several

the

When

with

wound

which

'

Oh

don't

"

This

me.'

to M.
lady had a daughter married
Lagandie. Unfortunately she lived in the country and could
reach Paris until several days after the operationhad been
not
Lagandie was magnetized, and when m
performed. Madame
of somnambulism
was
remarkably clairvoyante.^'
a state

tickle

you

XLIV.

Cloquet begged Dr. Chapelainto put

M.

"

into the

Lagand"e

magnetic state, and

then

asked

Madame

her

several

Her
follows :
answers
were
as
questions about her mother.
My mother has been very weak for several days. She only
sustains her artificially.
She has
lives by magnetism, which
no
vitality.' Do you think we can keep your mother alive?'
ing,
No, she will expireto-morrow
morning early,without sufferwithout
ed?'
a death
struggle.' What parts of her are affect'Her
It is
right lung is contracted, and is shrunk.
'

'

'

encircled

by

colloid

added
principally,'

it is there

But

inferior

to the

dead.

angle of
is most
sufferingfrom.
The left lung is sound

mother

lives.

mother

heart
'

There

white

is

and

the

and

discolored

The
; it is

are

intestmes

are

on

is gone ; it is
of that that my
covering of the

rightlung
by means
in the

the abdominal
all

right.

to

in

Chapelain magnetized the sick woman

of Monday, and barelysucceeded
the course
back
he came
on
Tuesday,
sleep. When
the morning, she had just expired. The
to

the

verifythe
of the

the consent

secretary
Dr.

to

Brousart

conducted

the

the

interior

of

family to
department

were

by

of

statements

of the

condition

Dr.

invited

?'

organs
The

liver is

surface.'

the

several

"M.
in

in water.

somnambulist, ing
pointthe shoulder
blade, 'that my

How

'

swimming

the

little water

(thepericardium).'
stomach

The

It is

membrane.

make

to

Cloquet,and
412

at

putting

seven

the

the

body,

autopsy.
at

the

her

o'clock

doctors

two

somnambulist

of surgery
be

in

times

sired
de-

ing
concern-

and
M.

obtained

Moreau,

academy,

and

present. The autopsy was

his assistant,M. Pailloux,

DISTANT

help of

the

with

not

report

which

with

hear

to

in

firm

voice, and

said

already

then

took

the
a

Madame

the

door

state

MMinto

about

were

of

somnambulism

but

ways,

no

too, is

Here,

sightwithout
also

under
adds

the

on

barriers

followed

the

in her

Lagand"e

state

to be

exactly correct, and

written by Dr. Bronsart.

was

Bri"rre

rank

high

in

de

the

doubt

medical
in

their

observation

of eyes.

of the breast

on

without

the

Boismont,

communications

thrown

of

It is not

are

world.
different

veracity."
magnetic

less curious

pain,which

we

have

Vae

was

the influence

still in

right ?'

Madame

the intervention

it

that

saw

said to persons
incision in the middle

incontestable

reported,because

room

of the

found

ever

an

removal

the

than

has

one

latter

the

autopsy, and

had

their
is

occupy

to

doctors, she

interpreted their

have

the

of this case, adds

they

next

was

The

round

the autopsy

witnesses

all savants;

Chapelain.

in

operator, and

given by
were

of
proc"s-verbal

People

the

from

the suffusion

indications

'*The

dead

said she had

before

Lagand"e was
notwithstandingthe

and

they make

do

breast, when
''The

filial

wished

doctor's

Madame

tightlyclosed.

the

The

had

and

perform

to

somnambulism,

Why

'

and

mother's

her

her.

salon, which

the

separated her
scalpelin the hand of
:

bathed

I will

autopsy.

body, and the somnambulist,

hesitation,repeated what she

Cloquet

which

her

Lagand"e

tenderness

touching

daughter

without

to

was

of

put Madame

fixed for the

most

Plantin's

her

they

DREAMS

tears.

seen

where

the time

Chapelainhastened to calm
her own
from
lipswhat she

Dr.

"

her

IN

Chapelain,who

of the

scene

pietyduring
face

Dr.

little before

sleep a

to

SIGHT

of

firstsurgicaloperation performed
de
mont
BoisBri"rre
magnetism.

the

followingcase apropos of sightat a distance :

XLV.
"A
magistrate,a councellor at the court, told me
the followingfact : His wife had a ladies' maid, whose
health
had
was
long been delicate. Magnetic treatment
given to
her secretly,
for her mistress thought that her charitable
tentions
inwould

known

to

not

insure

her

from

experiment in magnetism.

her husband.

One

day, when

the
413

ridicule

The

had

lady was

magnetic s"ance

she

been

aided
had

by

been

UNKNOWN

THE
much

with

attended

The

old wine.

husband

down

lie went

pain, the somnambulist

took

the

to

cellar

was

deep under-ground

down

half

the

hurting himself,
He

wanted.

went

is another

XLVI.

his wife

husband

her

treatment,
of

services

the

after,in

time

cried,
got
named

who

became

somnambulist.
her

Some

regiment.
asked

Ah, poor

seek

to

her to tell
!' she

fellow

kill himself.

to

wants

distance

cavalry,whom

husband
'

of his

told her about

of

husband's

officer.

He

quick
miles
he

when

but

colonel

wine

He

has

three

was

this

had

caused
indisposition

an

about

run
pistol,

and

the

of his fall and

magnetic seance, her

is at

he

'

knew

of

slipped
carried.

with

magnetic sight at

officer of her

an

something

them

of

wife

the

magnetized,

her

During

wet, he

returned

somnambulist

example

I knew

"

get some,
accident, but the

back, without, however,

and

on,

under-ground journey. The

them
as
the}^happened."
Here

on

some

to

went

stepswere

his

for

extinguishingthe lighthe

that

found

; the

fell

even

his fall he

spiteof

In

or

lightand

story without

first

stairs and

asked

take
.

off.

it away

Some

at

one

!'

once

unfortunate

arrived

the

curious

instance

The

place she

set off

back,
horse-

on

officer had

mitted
com-

suicide."
is another

Here

from

taken

clairvoyancein

last letters that

nambulism,
som-

answered

:
inquiries

my

VII.

XL
was

of the

one

of

"

incredulous

very

am

and
spiritualism,

to

as

the strongest evidence

scepticalabout magnetism when
enlightenedme, and convinced me on the latter point.
An
unmarried
lady, thirty-six
years old, very honorable,
ly.
high rank, and with a superioreducation, lived in my famiof the ovaries,and refused
She developed a cystictumor
very

"

of

to listen

she

was

called

to the
one

in, feared

decided

He

her
"

day

The

to

who

doctors
seized
a

with

fatal

at last to

sleep and

advised

terrible

issue

an

pains, and

after

try magnetism.
in

calming

operation.

her

crisis of
He

her

malady.

Every
414

time

1868

B., being

thirtyhours.

succeeded

in

ting
put-

suffering.

treatment, being continued, seemed

on

Dr.

In

that

to have

she

fluence
great in-

herself indi-

DISTANT
the

cated

SIGHT

day, hour,

should

be

IN

minute, when

and

applied,there

was

more
irregularintervals,more
time went
on, the pains returned.

doctor

The

came

in

order

on.

And

The

severity.
studied

had

seemed

rather about

three

the

Baron

magnetic phenomena
Potet, and suggested to

du

of the absent

In

doctor.

other

him

the

before

as

fully,
care-

attack

in the
took

again.
tor
morning, the docplace with great

of her

care

in the works
to

me

truth, I

try

knew

of Beleuze
to take

succeeded

soon

that
and

the
in

place

putting

agitation,as well, if
not
better, than the doctor, for she declared
magnetic
my
fluid was
more
calming than his. This is how, by chance, I
became
acquainted with the property of magnetism, which I
I magnetized her
had
never
imagined before.
regularly
of my mother
and a largefamily,
every evening in the presence
witnessed
marvellous
and we
phenomena of clairvoyance.
Notwithstanding the great relief experienced by the patient,
realized
that
she
ing
of soothmagnetism was only a means

patientto sleep,and

the

in

very

each

relieved

taking

was

At

she gave

that

expected attack
who

nurse

ment
treat-

from

patient

she

soon

very

sick when

was

the

magnetic

success.

remote

indications

magnetize

to

night,or

One

"

the

noted

the

fresh

and

''

DREAMS

calming

her

"

her, and that the development of the cyst made it urgent

that, if her life was to be saved, an operation should be performed.
It

for

Mademoiselle

disquietedthe doctor,
by

she said she

de

V.

take

must

paper,
such

could

take

the

when

whole

advised
she

journey

was

at

once

that
sulted,
con-

by

the

fifteen
especially

they

stages. But

easy

who

following precautions: It would be necessary

several bottles of magnetized water, and
with them

observing

The

that

go,

for the poor invalid

she should
take it

to

decided

accompanied by her mother, to be operated upon

at that time
Strasbourg by Dr. K"berl", who was famous
The
length of such a journey
operationsof this kind.

should
at

therefore

was

way

magnetized handkerchiefs, which

be careful to enclose in stout envelopesof magnetized
and
hermeticallysealed and enclosed in
carefully
as

or

to

dozen

prevent the

patientdeclared

that

as

soon

415

contact
as

of

any

she became

exterior

air.

fatigued,or

UNKNOWN

THE

if

th-e

seemed

attack

an

from

envelope

handkerchief

afterwards

and

of

one

mother

it to

might apply

must

handkerchiefs

the

forehead, Avhich

her

to

her

hand,

at

would

her

tear

and

off

put the

bring on

sleep,

abdomen, where

the

pain was.
all remained
we
Notwithstanding these assurances,
very
her
when
with
mother.
she
departed
uneasy
"All
The
passed,however, as the patient had foreseen.
journey was accomplished without
stopping,using the magnetized
handkerchiefs
to the
onl}',and not having recourse
"

magnetized water.
On

"

reaching Strasbourg, the

the learned

to

him

then

and

surgeon,

that

mother

drawing him

daughter

aside,she gave

ten
(Monsieur B.) had writdown
the dictation of the patient. In her sleepshe
from
had written minutely concerning her case.
My cyst,'she
said, is the size and color of the little yellow balloons that
children play with.
It contains, not fluid,but compact matter,
memorandum

the

her

took

doctor

'

'

which

is brown.

formed
the other

size of

On
the

about

side another
little nut.

of its sides

one

size of

pocket
The

is

small

very

pocket is

new

orange,

and

ready
alon

beginning to develop itself the

cyst is

surrounded

by

adhesions

and

attachments.'
Monsieur
When
B., her doctor,
by numerous
questioned her as to the probabilityof dangerous hemorrhage
that there was
nothing
during the operation,she answered
from that to be feared ; but when
they questionedher as to
what

might

after
'^'

feared

moment's

This

to Dr.

be

silence,she

what

was

K"berl", who

proof

there

are

that

numerous

it

says is
""

The

under

'

received
not

contained
it with

believe

that

pressure.

there
You

see,

handed

he

added,

daughter says
I have

Now
are

was

claring
credulity,de-

said, and

'Your

attachments.

that

irony and
she

what

all wrong

was

myself by palpation
floated

septic"mia she grew pale,and

replied, God only knows.'

the memorandum

that he did
as

from

very

that

just assured

few, for the

therefore, that what

cyst
she

purelyimaginary.'
operation,however,

to the

great number

of

was

long,and

attachments,
416

as

very

the

ing
owdifficult,

patienthad

THE
The

UNKNOWN

correspondent adds

same

XLVIII.

One

"

and

was

and

party, when

large family
idea of seeing if

the

who

them

saw
a

in

that

his

Paul

son

fire.
*

! M.

Ah

two

days

the

she

Paul

just tumbled

has

burst

he is

in

son

cle,
un-

my
Paul

on

communes.

she
be

to

supposed.

She

soldier,and

that

before
and

he

the kitchen
then

backward.

But

we

chair

over

making!

with

in various

laughing

out

presence
conceived

descriptionshowed

her

Suddenly

usual

magnetism, declared

of

rockinghimself

was

held

property he

his

netized,
mag-

the

the

meet

with

before

was

of

cousins

and

villagefrom the one

father Avas
talking with

contortions

funny

follow

tavern, which

different

very

declared

could

the influence

subject,under

The

friend

poor

of my

one

she

to visit the

little tour

in

started

had

my

clairvoyante,many
had taken
place in

experiments in magnetism
of

when

morning
calm

cried

Oh, what

is not

hurt.'

fore
Be-

and wrote
up, Paul's sister seized a pen
all particularsof this
tell them
the hour
and

the s"ance broke

him

to

to

accident.

absurd

the

When

account

it

came,

corresponded

exactly Avith what we already kncAV, and Paul and his

much
to imagine how
were
puzzled until their return
had

happened

could

have

known

been

to

father

what

us.

desire to verify the account

If you
I have
already sent
through Dr. K"berl"
(if he is still living)or
you, either
de Sant", which
either be still at
must
through the Maison
"

Strasbourg

or

in

France, I will send

in confidence

you

demoiselle
Ma-

de V.'s real name."

Second

letter.

"Much

gratifiedby

the

interest you

shown, and

have

for my communications,
you have sent me
them
to-day,confident that you will draw
I tell you instructive
deductions.

thanks

"

I will

cousins,
to

go

not

up

up
"

go
who
to

back

there

the

at the

scene

present, asked

was

the

to

me

She

dining-room.

are

tavern.

to tell the
at

once

three

steps to go cloion

asked

me

to

I will supplement
from

One

what

of my

somnambulist

answered,

get

the

to the

'No!

dining-

room.'
XLIX.

"

They

to

send

418

the person

magnetizedto

DISTANT

SIGHT

church, and ask her to describe

pictures. Supposing

all

serious

tone

this

in which

the

Avas

of these

series of beautiful
as

it should

religions

be, from

the

request Avas made, I transmitted

of magnetism.
I was
astonished

person in a state
hearing her laugh loudly and
the

to

DREAMS

IN

into

go

pictures. It was

famous

humorous

most

it
at

scription
de-

series of canvases,
inhabitant
of the village,
a

absolutely
grotesque, daubed by an
in which
the grouping and the design presented anomalies
that could onlyprovoke laughter. There
was
one
long burst
of merriment
from
those present, who knew
the pictures
and
amazed
with
who were
at the fidelity
which
scribed
dethey were
minute
and their most
details given.
^'It seems
rightto draw certain deductions from the two
narratives given above, in a scientific point of view.
Savants
half convinced, and
that
even
magnetizers have maintained
in such
the

in

the person

cases

either

thoughts

of the

present,which

would

exclude

distance.

it

not

read
were

Now

was

could

magnetized

read

such

details

magnetizer or some
person
the hypothesisof seeing at a

in my

she could

that

thoughts

have

these

things. I was perfectly

ignorantof them.* Neither
who
asked
to transmit
me
they in the thoughts of the man
the two questions,
thing
somefor, though he may have known
it was
in good
of the pictures,
of the fantastic nature

faith he asked
and

tell

family

us

what

asserted

go up into the dining-room

of the
there, and other members

to tell her

me

she

saw

the

that

to

person

magnetized

right when

was

stepsto go down to get there.

During the long family meetings in which I kept her
to ask her what
occurred
to me
a remedy was
asleep,it once
she said there

three

were

''

of, which

made
in

pharmacopia.

of
genus,

it.

We

"

she

It grows

have

seen

in the

'

This

which

at once

me

short,the most

added

both

gave

and

name

its successive

in

its family

queer

She

plant,with

Then
see

had

419

about

complete description

minute

plant grows

botanical
on

an

When

phenomena, thought reading

distance.

read

its
stages,its efilorescence,

islands of Oceania.'

of these

I had

tion.
descrip-

island.
we

and

came

sightat

UNKNOWN

THE

subject all these details were found correct. I

evenings writing under her dictation a description
spent many
she woke
medicinal
of very many
plants. When
up I would
the conversation
of these plants
often
turn
casuallyon some
had
she
which
to
just described, but she always seemed
the

to examine

'

have

One

"

which
the

than

more

no

she

had

given

in which

zone

plunged
which

I want

much

she

to

said

'

the

from

which

I had

Bousing

them.

It is true.

has

one

region as

same

yet found
the

see

words,

memory

ivas

But

She

can

then

how
that

for

remedy

plant that

aconite/

so

tion,
deep medita-

mistaken.

not

to

in these

herself from

am

trouble

some

by answering me
hecause my
rei^eatliterally,

happen that no
frightfuldisorder, cancer
comes

from

ended

it

does

it grew.

impressedhy
she

me

deep thought,

in

her ; and

rouse

been

I had

evening

knowledge of them.
questioningher about aconite,of
descriptionand had pointed out
She sat thinkingfor some
time,

vague

very

It

cure.

gave

us

an

of it,Avhich lasted through several s"ances,

description
mal
anian
adding that its virtue might be tested by innoculating
The
active principleobtained
with it,especially
a dog.
exact

it

from

would

by maceration

produce

wound

very

similar to

doctors and

botanists

cancer.
"

for this

search

to

told

botanist

down
whose

from

will know
and

the bottom

hope

that

the

the

dictation

researches

better
to

it could

inestimable

benefit

the

literal

than

no

descriptionI

to the

learned

him, he

gave

dygina.
of this plant,written
description

I how

Oxiria

could
human

jDushsuch

to

may

What

cure.

One

success.

of the person
magnetized.
in science do honor to our

verifywhat

if,like Pasteur, you

name

with

something like

be

you

and

name

from

that

send

I here

tried to induce

plant, but

me

thought it might
"

times

several

I have

would

succeed
race

in

try,
coun-

inquiryto

an

be the foundation

glory you

You,

add

giving

for the
to your

such

an

Everybody knows that the most remarkable clairvoyants,

fail
under
especiallywomen,
magnetic influence, sometimes
ences.
at certain
times, or when they are under
pathologicalinflu"

"

But

I have

no

reason

to doubt
430

that this

lady'saffirma-

DISTANT
tions

to

as

things she

said.

Her

before

desire to
and

me,

''However,
mention
has

this

I have

make

and

at

the

It is most

pointed

June

in

leaves

the

stalk

become

along

this

plant.

grows

the flower
stem

that of
Some

is

the

vegetation is scanty
until

remains, and

in the
the

to

from

it opens

entirelycovered

midst

of the leaves
as

appear

they

entirelydevoid

mountain,

ishes
dimin-

greenish when
is

stem

of

finger,and

they bloom,

of
in

probably

stunted.

and

flowers

the winter, when

seeds, which

comes

of

become

that of sorrel ; it bears

before

is

the

is found

Aconite

to

higher regions, just below the snow

;
just above it. It grows in a reddish,dry,

into

remains

of

are

inclines

entirelysmooth,

are

in the

This

slope

quet
bou-

in the tall stalk, which

appears

they

us

greenish juice which

the thickness

visible ;

dication
in-

an

they

dark, but

flowers, before

upon

plant belongs

is reddish

contain

the tall stem.

little black

die ; the root

Probably

The

that

humanity.'

tender

leaves

The

stalk

The

hardly

resembles

stalk

flowers

not

possible,let

and

very

abundance

more

This

It extends

light nor

thin, and

length, about

friable soil,where

The

her

in

plant,forming

large

very

very

in yet

are

all

ranunculus

theGlacial

are

of

are

herbaceous

an

to sorrel.

are

upward.

plant

Switzerland.

and

It is

benefit

divination

and

"

they

the

utilize for

plant.

in

extend
The

leaves.

it, and

here find

physiologist
may

or

is neither

buds, which

and

open,

is the

of efflorescence.

time

reddish

about

quote

very

can

is found

below

from
the

am

analogous

fiftycentimetres

at

did

communications
my
desirous
that you
should
only one I have sent you

to

distance

color, which

active,and

very
is

wish

spatulated leaves, which

not

spontaneity,her long

believe her declarations.

doctor
he

Description of

light.

other

as

of not abettingthe reserve

myself the privilege
honorable
could
have
correspondent, for I never
or
abilityto occupy
myself with this question,

sight

green

she

correct

as

pressed
sufferingrelieved, greatly im-

me

if you

which

Avhat

human

see

perhaps some

of

not

are

allowed

either time

Since

DREAMS

verified."

of my

and

cancer

saying

last,which

been

not

IN

earnestness, her

publications,I

your

'

for

remedy

meditation
ardent

SIGHT

fall to

spring

in the year

once

it dries
the

ground,

the leaves

on

blossoming

flowers.

lady

was

The

It is

it becomes

flower

and

the

sprout.

Polygonum family.
the same
region. The

with

up

"

; all the

ledonous
dicoty-

covering of
greenish.

greatly resembles

LapatJmm.
days afterwards

the Valais, and

she

said:

the

The

plant
431

shown

in

Polygonum

question

alpinum

differs from

from

this which

THE

disdain

nothing,

be

turned

you

show

me

dry

DOt

this

is

The

to

is
In

thicker,

smaller,

still

which

facts

hereafter

may

nothing.

deny

us

flower

the

easily.

so

up

let

all

collecting

and,

use,

UNKNOWN

addition,

the

plant

and
of

speak

oily

more

is

it

greenish

does

while

wliite.

more

leaf

is

less

and

pointed,

particular

in

it

is

woody

less

and

more

herbaceous.
Taken

altogether,
It

approaches

the

plant
more

is

thicker

nearly

to

in
the

all

family

its

parts,
of

even

knot-grasses.

in

the

tremity.
ex-

CHAPTER

PREMONITORY

The

of

situation,a

is

explanationis
of

state

OF

DIVINATION

which

dreams

difficult of

most

AND

DREAMS

class

IX

perhaps

shows

us

nevertheless, completely realized

in

less

or

more

fact,a

which

yet existent, but

affairs not

and

curious

most

which

that

FUTURE

THE

is,

distant

future.

boldlystated

This

and

absurd

seems

contradictory;

not, therefore, find ready acceptance with

who

do

not

in advance

by

Before
which

touches

through which,

reallyexist
that

and

this fact

in vague
I do

of dreams

some

should
to

be

nor

by

can

It is not
the

problem

established

is

outset

events

with

fiction

coincidences

is

revealed,

beginning

of

superogation.

that the

accuracy
with which

which

of

dulge
be to in-

it would

of this kind

our

sary
absolutelyneces-

at the

book

at the

realization

the fortuitous

It is

in

inquire whether

future

proceed without

to affirm

certain.

the

of belief.

future
foretelling

as

first

us

way

speculationwhich

hesitate

not

in

worthy

are

for
investigations,

our

things,let

fects.
ef-

of successive

and

causes

determined

be

can

greatest difficulties concerned

the

upon

of

future

philosophicanalysisof

the

of material

knowledge

the

the connection

entering upon

dreams

that

comprehend

pearances
ap-

absolute, and

relative for the

the

and
realities,

for

take

who

those

it does

occurrence

must
we

of dream
we

be

are

cepted
ac-

cerned;
con-

be

plained
ex-

call chance.

dreams
considered
which
preceding chapter we
what
of its
revealed
was
passing at a distance at the moment
in certain cases
of
occurrence.
Analogous facts are obscured
hypnotism, of magnetism, of somnambulism, and of spiritualIn

the

423

UNKNOWN

THE

therefore, constitute a
experiences. These experiences,
speciesof preface,leading up naturally to the question we

istic

to examine.

about

are

They

for.

vouch

can

mother

under

circumstances

cases;

she has

just related

widely

differed

which
them

experiencedby

both

were

to

ticity
authen-

absolute

whose

dreams

begin by quoting two

I will

for,perhaps,the

me

my

in the two
tieth
twen-

time.

of the first

date

The

"

and

Langres,

they

the

children

before

their

departure my

in

Paris, and

reached

canal, across

visit to

of her

one

to

there

she

canal

bridge, the
it

of which

was

streets

and

bridge.
went

to

lived in the Riie Fon-

who

to

upon

reaching

recognize the

much
surprised
very
of the
the whole
appearance

neighborhood,

impossible that

have

was

quay,

that she had

actual arrival in Paris, she

relations

their

A fortnight

elevated

an

was

and
taine-au-Roi, in the Fauhourg clu Tejnjyle,
the

to

open

the wide

crossed

at

country for the

dreamed

mother

she

which

after her

little time
a

pay

that

of Mon-

promisingcareer.

most

secure

arrived

Some

and

most

yet

studies

my

the

desire

by the

all

above

actuated
capital,

begun

to leave

decided

had

not

small town

in the
had

tigny-le-Roi(Haute-Marne).

she had

when

time

My parents lived

to Paris.

come

at

was

she

could

had

any

of

picturesor in any other way.

knowledge, either by means
"
to
is very difficult to explain. It Avould seem
This dream
mind
is able to
prove that the
night,details which conform
in the

that

suppose

that

mother
my
her of either

But

spoke

to

who

existence

to

had

the
to

image remaining

believe.
from

come

of this kind

of

I should
Paris

had

bridge, and

reappearedin the
affirms positively
that no one
ever
the
canal
the Paris
or
suspension

forgotten their

slie had

dream.

distance,and during the

by day

persons

of the

mother

told my

at

This, however, is hard

brain.

preferto

see

which

account

bridges.
Here

"

During

with

of

is her

"

her

second

certain

husband

and

dream:
one

summer,

her

children

Nogent (Haute-Marne);

my
434

sisters had
gone
my
town
little
to live in the
of

father

had

accompanied them

UNKNOWN

THE
go to call

did not

part of the
They
"

He

town.

will

'

cousin, who

their

on

time, also,he

''We

already remarked
come
having his dreams
that

correct, he

went

whether

Before

0.

Monsieur

0.

in the

was

being,therefore,
in his dream

affirmative

received

an

the

lady had

stopped

his dream
I be

conclude, may
had

was

He

answer.

Moulins, and

at

then

learned

correct.

were

permitted

knowledge

of either

Macario, whom

he

no

of Madame

journey

; and

contained

He

of
particulars
I

expectations.

tween
diligencethat ran beto inquirewhether
and Bourbon, in order
a
described, with her daughter,had not set out

for Bourbon.

that all the

distant

very

office of the

the

to

he

lady, whom

in his

Monsieur

true

information

the

Moulins

"

that

have

persuaded

asked

was

discouraged.
thought.

deceived

this

of

he

to-morrow/

come

"But

habit

at all

not

was

lived in

the

had

remark

to

that

illness

not

the

or

for

seen

eral
sev-

'

years."
The

doctor

adds, in this connection, the following fact

Thursday,

"On
when

7th of ISTovember, 1850, at the moment

coal -miners

the

work, the wife of

the

to the

at

Belfast

basket,

or

the

depths of

dreamed,' she said, that

'

"

'

"

The

did

miner

advice

not,

about

were

him

advised

of them

one

of the

ropes

to descend

this

the

in which

cage,

pit.
they

cut

first,attach

at

nevertheless, he

to

begin

to

examine
he

their
fully
care-

about

was

it

during the night.'

great importance to
it to

communicated

his

rades.
com-

descending cable, and there, to the

in several places.
great surpriseof all, they found it hacked
have gotten into the
would
later the workmen
moments
Some
basket, from which they would inevitablyhave been thrown ;
is to be believed, they owed
Journal
and, if the NeiocastU
They unrolled

their

'

safetyto

Without,

greatly to
to
can

dream

this dream."

be

which

proved
sign

for such

could

tlie absolute

this

an

and

of mind

narrowness

honest
426

O.

Monsieur

his observations

compromise

sincerityof

all circumstances, 1 must

under

regretted that
to

venture

tliere be

doubting

moment,

I have

which
it is

for

the

man

was

too

convictions.
?

What

Dr.

remark
much
What

is there

cario,
Mathat

udiced
prejson
rea-

in this

PREMONITORY
At the time
for my

of my

in Paris,I had
jonrnalism,
Si"cle,a charming writer and a very

the

colleague,on

In

into

entrance

whose
interesting
man,
marriage had been the
''

DREAMS

little town

name

Emile

was

result of

in the

de la B"dolli"re.

of

centre

France,

sur-Loire, department of the Ni"vre, there

of

and

ravishinggrace
the

was

hand,

of whom

one

like

not

him, and

family,she
to

come
a

hat and

to

to

her aid.

she

stopped
cheeks

them

married.

were

visited that
This

her, and
was

each

de la B"dolli"re
a

interior of France.

to

law

They

ball.
On
subscription
beat tumultuously,her
traveller

months

some

she

conjectures.

Emile

first time

matrimonial
which

adding

astronomers,
Madame

the

red ; the young

the

that

friends, Eugene Lafaure,

deep
It

to her parents

snitor,and

thousand

girl'sheart

others

indiscreet in

am

his

declared

observed

her,

afterwards

they

in his life that he

had

village,"

curious

cite several

young

her, loved

admired

her

the young

journey into
Charit", and went

colored

persistenceof her

traveller,wearing a largestraw

the

arrival

their

awakening, she

caused

followingsummer
induced
by one of
at La

parents preferred
Angela Robin did

prayed the Holy Virgin to

followingnight she saw, in a dream,

absolutely refused

student, to make

her

aspired to

and

"The
was

girl

young

The

the

extremity by

church

The

wait, which

Charit"-

him.

spectacles.On

that

was

suitors

Mademoiselle

in the dress of

man

young

should

But

refused

went

Several

La

at

Raphael'sFornarina,

great fortune.

man.

day, driven

One

*'

baker.

had

this young

like

beauty. She,

of

daughter

dream,

premonitory

His

Janssen

long

historyis

similar,and

are

that
M.
time

not

one

of

Janssen,
before

our

unique.

I could

I do

think

most

was

they

seen
were

not

celebrated
in

temporary
con-

dream

by

introduced

to

other.

Maury cites a similar case, but he explainsit by his

This
certainlydoes not
theory of images in the memory.
apply to the marriage of De la B"dolli"re, and it undoubtedly
in question.
be appliedto the one
Monsieur
cannot
P,," he
Alfred

"

writes,"an

old librarian of the

427

legislative
corps,

has assured

UNKNOWN

THE

that he

me

in

saw

; and

immediately after
him,

to

; this

to confine

have

In

set.

she

is,in all prohahilitya

wish

all prohaMlity, in the

Tunis,

France, lives

"

I want
any

eleven

rose

I don't
little

some

time, and
'Is

must

be

'Yes

; very

well.'

just passed through

was

that the

nothing of
The

next

going

and

the

interest

on

same
same

well.
answer
answer.

gotten.
fora

This

him

afraid

that

'Is your

that

going

was

to the

him
The

the

who
months

idea

believe

this

that

All

news.

day after
third day the

next

; the

He

much

seemed

the

it

'No.'

?'

girlwell

it had

of the vision

long.

I said

he

me.

however, and

man,

what

before

lasted

occurrence

little

meaning

to die

is

age

tion
hallucina-

hallucinations?'

to

fever.'

oi" !"
make

not

am

head

my

one

I asked

whose

nephew

put this last question because

thought

my

day

was

still the

little

of

de

1891, I played

yesterday an

carried

subject

but

indication

an

little

had

could

he

I have

name

crying: ''Here is a woman

cousin
(a little girl some

to be

we

'Yes;

he

once

her

want

*Is he well ?'

I have

little

my

dream.'

all at

up

Caf"

'

what

think

the

and

of

summer

communicated

being finished,I proposed

said, I am expectingthe doctor,
he has to say.' 'Are you, then, ill

No,' he

has

this game

him;

No, but

'

take

to

old) ;
was

?'
years,

; he

wishes

'

to know

way

in the

morning,

second.

himself.

office

post

uncon-

explaineverything,
they themselves
our
new
psychic

lightof

hair-dresser,Avhose

of billiards with

game

in

the

French

One

and

between

of

never

to

the limits

everythingwithin

he had
case

they

most
al-

nevertheless, unknown
that

Alfred
investigations,
Maury here deceives
M. A. Goupil,civil engineer at Cognac,
to us the followingfact :
**At

he married

was,

felt confident

of theorists is that

error

whom

woman

that

at least he

or

actuallyseen her
scions memory."
The

the

dream

left

his little world

question
same
questionand
surprisedat the
same

I
appeared to take in these children, whom
did not know.
Three
days passed without my seeing him.
Meeting him the day followingin the street, I asked him if
the

which

children

still continued

well.
428

'

You

know,' he

said

to

PREMONITORY

'that

me,

in

us
*

No/

'

Yes

have

we

lost my

moment/

said,

it

whom

'She

said that

it,but

who

Avoman

he

know

I did not

'

taken

was

it was

from

her

from

croup.)

expected it.'

carried

?'

Why

'

'

away.'

What

she represented
nephew saw;
have been a
please; it must

your

death, illness,whatever

girl;she

little

(I believe

was

woman?'

DREAMS

you

prophetic hallucination.'
left the

"I

much

man

astonished

; he

could

to
testify

narrative,at any rate, along its principal

lines,for he
much
surprisedat my remarks, and he must remember
Can

is unknown

in all this which

No.

is

now

publisheda moving recital,which

for the

Revues
''At
had

15th

ended

crime, which

night

the

With

weeks

was

trial of
the

over

seen

magistrate.

horrible

country

blood,

corpses,

day
and

the burden

of these

gone
and

mountains.

wooded
"

des

Revue

sickening
for rest to a little watering-place,
dull, without
any flaringcasino,
arrivals, at the foot of our
richly

mail-coach

any

is real.

waking,

still under

mind

sleepy village,sad

without

I had

something

in the

1S95

all

them."

has

ago,

terror

very,

was

Deputy, M. B"rard,

laborious

sleepingand

recollections,I had
a

and

long

for several

my

years

carried

had

murderers, both
"

ten

is

which

appeared

September,

period,about

just

and

of

There

to us, but

who
magistrate,

former

inhere?

be called

chance

this

mingled

with

through

wandered'

Every day

which

beeches

were

and

the

forests

of

oaks,

great tall pines. In

it sometimes
wandering excursions
happened that I
of losingsightof the
myself completely,in consequence
in the habit of finding
summits
by which I was
my
way

these
lost
tall

in the
"

direction

Night

of my

fallingwhen

was

solitaryroad, which
mountains

high
beside
over

On

the

both

sides

crossed
the

road

the rocks

hotel.

emerged

the

descent

there

towards
was

the

was

the

the forest

opening between

narrow

rapid, and

was

only

from

plainin

in the

little stream,
a

multitude

429

two
gorge

which

fell

of cascades.

gloomy forest, wrapped

silence.

on

in

infinite

UNKNOWN

THE
A

"

sign-poston

rather
for

than

more

few
the

and

"The
herculean
His

; his face

stature

wife,who
me

"I

This

for

was

the direction

was

hours

town

of

walking,and
and
resting-place

isolated,
yards distant an humble inn (entirely
for wagoners) displayeda
regular stopping-place

sign,'Au rendez-vous
was
smoky
onlyroom

worm-eaten

that the

dinner.

immediate
''A

five miles distant.

fatiguedby six
hunger, 1 Avas anxious

from
suffering
an

indicated

road

take, but

to

me

the

on

small and

was

asked

my
for

After

was

arrival with

des

and

I entered it.

amis.'
The

dark.

host

of

was

bad, his complexionyellow.

ceived
dark, was almost in rags, re-

glance.
slyand squinting

somethingto eat, and,

if

go to
under the

to
possible,

scanty supper, taken

and very inquisitive
suspicious
eyes of the host,by the light
bed.

scanty
"

very

"

but sent
lamp, which gave miserable light,
forth smoke
and nauseatingodors, I followed the hostess,
who conducted
me
througha long passage and up a steep
of

miserable

into

staircase

chamber,
dilapidated

situated

above

the

The

alone in
host,his wife,and myselfwere entirely
this forlorn hovel in the forest,far from any village.

stable.

"1

have

prudence which

which

pointof fear,and
me
obliges

is sometimes

to the

which
my profession,
assassinations.
pastcrimes and possible

arises from

to consider
constantly
I carefullyexamined

my
rather

after

room

having

ety
two rickpallet,
chairs,while almost concealed behind some
hangings was
a door
providedwith a lock without a key. I opened this
It led to a sort of ladder which
door.
plungedinto empty
In order to hold the door, in case any one attempted
space.
locked

the door.

to open

white

it from

wood,

the

this I

circumstances

making

noise.

''It will be

that

some

bed, or

And

was

cracked

placed one
no

one

one

then I went

once
was

I woke

basin

toilette poses.
purchairs. Under

for

of the two

could

believed that
easily

All at
me

outside,I put before it a kind of table of

which

on

Beside
these

It had

carried

open the
to bed.

after such

door

Avithout

day I slept
profoundly.

up with a start. It seemed to

opening tlie door, and that in opening
430

DREAMS

PREMONITORY

thought that I perceived

tlieypushed the table. I even
the glimmer of a lamp, a lantern, or a candle
through the
excited, I raised myself upright in the
key-hole. Much
it

of

vagueness
there ?'

No

I cried

awakening, and
Silence

answer.

dreaming,

be

must

sudden

and

out,

is
I

complete obscurity.

else be the victim

thought, or

Who

of

some

strange illusion.
"

For

of

I remained

hours

long

Then

terror.

vague

I fell into

fatigue got

heavy and
by nightmares.

fear, and
"

I believed

where

I was,

and

which

it was

of itself.
on

in rags,

The

some

I did

not

know.

the threshold

fingers. The
and

bed

entered,

plunged

of the

his knife

into the

bed

heart

with

with

of

the

the slender

descended

lantern.

seemed

This,

the

in

doubt,

held

sweat.

The

rays

through

room

the

her

light

of the

hind,
Be-

by

black

cat-like

it

by

But

step,

the

the

here

the

the

broken

lantern.

the

dim

of

head,
curs
oc-

his teeth

between

start, in terror, and

opened

lantern, and

stairs

narrow

with

into the

to pour

husband

sujaportedthe

I awoke

bathed

forehead

The

ring which

murderers
the

detail.

curious

other,
an-

sleeper. Then

he lifted the corpse by the feet, his wife took

the narrow
and they both
descended
ladder.
a

or

in his hand.

the lantern
the

myself

his wife, dirtyand

door, stood

light from
approached

of

chamber

secret door

knife

fluence
in-

better

sleep,the

The

long

the

rupted
sleep,inter-

either

one,

the

host

in my

see

in the

host

shading

I did

I saw,

the

uncomfortable

that

if under

as
sleepless,

two

light of
Avith

August

my
sun

shutters.
I

only
the hostess, silent and
cunning, and I escapedjoyfullyfrom
inn as if it had been the infernal regions,
in orthat obscure
der
the pure
air of the pines on
the dusty road
to breathe
amid
the cries of the birds,festive
the blazingsun
under
and happy.
of my
dream.
wards
I thought no
Three
more
years afterno

was

saw

"

I read
in these

in

words

newspaper
:

'

The

an

item

visitors and

very

much

431

ly
exact-

populationof X
and
incomprehensible

the

by the sudden
disappearanceof M.. Victor Arnaud, advocate, who

are

excited

expressed almost

set

out

UNKNOWN

THE

for

of

walk

hours

some

about

week

and

ago,

has

exhausted

strange disappearance/
strange connection
"Why did some

of ideas

hotel.

to the

back

to

dream

my

at

hotel.

my

days after,the

Avhen, three

lines

'

Traces

I do

same

of

M.

itself

lead

yet

this

on

mind

my

sociation
as-

strongly

more

the

contained

newspaper

been

have

Arnaud

Victor

turned
re-

know, but this

not

themselves

connected

of ideas

following

Conjecture

never

evening of the 24th of August he

vous
An rendezclose to a lonelyinn :
seen
by a wagoner
to pass the night there ; the
intended
He
des Amis.'"
day
and who
whose
reputationis most suspicious,
up to toterrogate
has preservedsilence in regard to his guest,has been inthe

On

partlydiscovered.

^"^

was

host

did not

evening,and

that

claims

He

sleep at

strange stories

the

that

left him

his house.

In

spiteof

same

this

firmation
af-

beginning to circulate in the

traveller of English extraction who
tle
is spoken of.
Furthermore, a lithave

the

seen

wife

of

the

host

bloody cloths into a pool hidden in the woods on

should
is here a mystery which
August. There

some

of

26th

latter

are

neighborhood. Another
disappearedsix years ago
shepherdess claims to
throw

the

be elucidated.'
"

restrain

I could

force, which
had

dream

my

vincible
longer, and impelledby an inin spite of myself that
convinced
me
I went
to the town.
a terrible reality,

myself no

become

quence
magistrateswho had taken up the matter in conseit without
of public opinion were
investigating
any
of
the
office
to
I happened to go
my colleague,
precisedata.
"

the

The

juge d'instruction,

depositionof
remain
"

The

in his office

"

She

did

woman

attention

no

former

my

that

the

during this deposition.

not recognize me
on
entering,and

whatever

stated

the
very day that he heard
his permission to
I asked
hostess.

on

to my

paid

presence.

traveller,who

answered

to the

tion
descrip-

to her inn on the

reallycome
evening of the 24th of August, but that he had not spent
in the
chambers
the night. There
were, she added, only two
inn, and upon the night in question they had both been ocof M.

Victor

Arnaud,

had

433

THE

UNKNOWN

night when I dreamed, had I reallyheard the secret

the lightthrough the key-hole?
door open, had I reallyseen
Or had it been entirely
a dream, mere
imagination and lugubrious
think
presentiment? I do not know, but I cannot

ing

the

without

certain

of the

terror

obscure

inn, lost in the

tent
ex-

high road, in the midst of the pine woods, and

contrasting so strangelywith the beauty of nature, with the
brook
and its murmuring cascades, whose
tinydropssparkled
of the

in the sun."

like diamonds

is

narrative

This

We

commentary.

any

eloquent that

so

cannot

dispensewith

may
that

suppose

its author,

it for the

magistrate,invented

pleasure of writing a
the thingis not
admirably told; still,

former

story,however
impossible. Perhaps M. B"rard
testimony in corroboration
dramatic

of the Victor

dossier

we

himself

could

furnish

if he Avould

look

futable
irre-

into the

affair.

Arnaud

from

Foncquevillers(Pas de
Calais)a curious narrative of a premonitorydream, and three
which by an inadvertence,
of telepathy,
cases
very remarkable
due undoubtedly to the largequantityof letters received,I could
Vaillant

A.

Madame

Bapaume

by

father

who

and

tells how

third

stairs and

at

with

covered

"

few

Madame
who

was

of the staircase

blood, who

had

to

shores

apparitionand

an

the bottom

dreamed

Monsieur

at that

town

her

saw

Pthine

voice heard

uncle

been

moment

the

at

parish.
some

Gr.,would

days

North,

person
before

preach next

lying

murdered

his

sister would

sit before

particularsin
Sunday.'"

her

dream

exactly what

Avere

Letter
434

103.

new

vicar

was

well

known

that

this vicar,

Sunday
him; and

subject,that

of the

of

premonitory dream.

is the

Here

ago, in
certain

Vaillant
a

the

preciseview

a husband
separatepersons ; it concerned
died the same
day in Austria (1796). The
girllivingin a Scotch castle ran down
young

years

appointed

on

subject of telepathy,

the

concerns

1794

tells of

the

two

(179G).

in London

placein

second

The

at Arras.
at

took

which

death

returning to

the first

say that

I would

me

Without

insert earlier.

not

sent

on

to

such
all the

happened

on

DREAMS

PREMONITORY

ble
honora-

premonitorydream, reportedby an

is another

Here

ecclesiastic.
I

'*

old.

One

with

in

I had

night

Maixent

Saint

at

was

school

at

was

Niort.

us

whom

We

when

she

accosted

such

in the

to

repeat the

me

was

word

word,

for

very
A

found

we

had

with

in my

as

head

few

that

school

astonished,and

him.

Hardly
the

on

had

square

was

made

days after,having

ourselves

to

we

go
rived
ar-

that

saw

the

same

lady coming

master

the

same

conversation,

we

my

of

much

with

me

dream, and

us, who

towards

to

(The

conversation.

in my

seen

\j^/(.

fl^

lady

master.

my

there before
had

coming

saw

house

began

Saint Maixent, he took

to

I mentioned

He
2Jctiron.)

called le

near

extraordinarythings

morning

matter

years
that I

I had

This

us

we

of that

Niort, in

little square

on

drugstore,and
place,

was

staying.

was

speak of
the

at

once

where

that

were

because
recognized,

her

seen

lady

sixteen

or

I fancied
singular dream.
that I only knew
by name)
(a town

well, oppositeto which

towards

fifteen

was

school-master.

my

dream.

"Groussakd,
"

One

does
such

not

see

how

chance

Cur"

could

precisepremonition.
My inquiry has brought in great

do with

have

"

anything to

classed

them

of

premonitory

by themselves, and

I will ask

principalones, and
they may have in

pi"cesde conviction.
introduce
myself as Pierre Jules Barthelay,

all the

hands

XII.

had

number

to here quote the

my readers to permit me
that
to the preceding,in order
add them

their

Radegonde."

I have

dreams.

of Saiute

I will

Yssoire, Puy-de-D"me, on October 35, 1825, a former

mont
pupilin the Lyc"e at Clermont, priestin the diocese of Cler-

born

at

in

1850, vicar for

and

eightyears

three times made

an

of War.
435

army

at

Saint

Eutrope (Clermont),
try
chaplainby the Minis-

UNKNOWN

THE

(1) After

"

much

three

out, all the

worn

from

workmen

ten

foundation

the

in order
I had

to

'

it without

sleep all

returned

(2) I

"

in the

West

to

of

made

fulfil

'Oh!

have

all

gone

I had

but
over

in my

seen

yellow stone.
sent

was

to the

mission, which

difllciilt

going

am

accepted his
having passed

After

before

year

diocese, but

to my

exclamation:

an

he said at

in fact I would

little terraces

these

me

carriage.

country!'and
guide. About

all this

there

was

Saint- Just -Doizieux.'

in

in

water

Lyons, where

to

come

accompany

Saint-Paul-en- Jarret, I uttered

know

me

of the first days I

started

We

invitation.

change, made

at

the

top of the steeple. I put

M. Vincent,
Our professor,

TAbb", will you

M.

after the

the

on

the roof.

One

forests

our

see

from

been.

never

breakfast

morning,

give me

to

intendent
superchurch
of

beautiful

o'clock in the

on

very

as

I looked

cross

was

serve

four years

the

to

last slates

the three

of the

to

Eor

at Clermont.

Eutrope

Saint

ministry

I had

because

more

construction

the

over

of laborious

years

tains
moun-

too

was

months
at Clermont.
great for my strength. I was ill seven
tal
At last, being on
legs again, they sent me to the Hospimy
the place of the Chaplain,who
to take
of Saint-Ambert,

had

had

congestionof

Avas

not

I looked
its

castle,with
I had

seen

to the

avemie

it in my

The

the

place in

my

to Saint-Ambert

railroad

Clermont

between

ran

passing Billom,
there.

built,so I took

then

diligencewhich

the brain.

Ambert.

and

After

recognized the

right,and

as
of loilloios,
sleepas much

the

coup"oi

well
as

as

tle
lit-

lived

if I had

eighteen months

before.

(3)

"

the

seen

me

to

see

allies

in

were

She

widow.
o-ave

We

Vann"e

marching

ckiims

me

the

as

prop
Yssoire.

parish near
I found
parishioner,

high,dark walls, but

(4) Events,

Riom;

there

of her

old

in

had

Paris, is

of

age.

first time

The

myself

narrow

They
I went

lanes

tween
be-

I
perfectlyfind my way.
before, passed through this

quite independent

presumed

streets

who

I could

months
sleep,some
had, in my
netivorh of darh alleys.
*'

the

through

little

sick

My mother,

terrible.

should
436

of

will,took

my

feel

as

if I

were

to

me

in

PREMONITORY
What

strange countiy.
in the
had

built for the

and

had

of

it,which

not

DREAMS

was

chapel that

my
I had

soldiers.
known

even

never

I made

my
a

still employed in
you, as if I were
ecclesiastical architecture.!

I send

Riom

(Puy-de-D"me)."

XVI.

At

"

o'clock

by

and
the

Bay

pray

of

The

did

first-class

brother.

safe

himself

in the

Portland

Wife

of the Protestant

The

my old
matter-of-fact

the

at

same

ment,
mo-

lost in

The

drowned.

were

into Portland

Roads,
on

go

of the

near

board

and

opportunity,

later,September 9, 1877,
of the

wreck

the

person, and

in

C.

Pastor

followingfact
comrades, now
ninety
"

Almost

Mary

Letter

XVII.

Avalanche,

Roads.
"

"

Friday,
distinctly,Jump out

advantage

perishedin

two

'

men

years

ing-place
water-

about

English iron-clad,was

hundred

Seven

at the

and

Thursday

publicbeing permitted to

this brother
same

sea.'

vessels,I took

my

said,very

at

Biscay. Three
squadron came

Weymouth.
inspectthese
so

for those

Captain,a

rest of the

and

between

morning,

mysteriousvoice, which

of bed

the

the

in the

drawing
tending
superin-

better 19.

beginningof September, 1870,

Weymouth (England),I was awakened

of

eyes,

Beethelay.

"

"

quaintance
ac-

Faure,

it with

seen

it existed !

that

old

surpriseto find an
the Abb"
colleague,

my

no

Deutschemdaff,

at Charleville

(Ardennes)."

29.

was

related

one

years

way

to

of age,

inclined

by

me

to

who

one
was

of
a

mysticism.

evening,about 1835, he was at work in his chamber,

at Strasbourg. Suddenly he had
a
very distinct vision of
Morey, his native village. The street on which his father's
house stood presentedan animation
unusual
at that hour, and
"

One

he

recognized several persons, among

carrying a lantern.
"
'Some
days after this,'he told me,
^This

letter

buildings seen

was

accompanied

by

in dreams.
437

four

whom

'

was

I received

drawings

of

relation

news

of

landscapes and

UNKNOWN

THE

mother's

my
and

death, which

in presence

of the very

it
singular,

more

had

was

happened

pe?^so7is I had

mother's

my

that

Wliat

seen.

mother

e\ening,

same

who

had

was

held the

lantern/

Such

"

is

no

seek

we

determined
million

can

future

has

that it may

of vibrations.

number

is at the

It is possible
that, under
these vibrations

distance

enormous

an

by

influence

and

the brain

near,

those

two

who

persons

feel

other

like,a
emits

receiver.

excitement,

that

cells.

nervous

above

telepathyare

all produced

often, as the last

moment

extraordinaryactivity.On

or

alike

the

generallysuch

impressionsare

and, in

short, affection,hatred,

In

of

receive

sensitive,nervous,

are

certain

and

of intense

acting upon

exhibits

who

transmitter

not

capable of carrying impressionsto

phenomena
dying,we know

the

other hand
as

the

if the

''And

draws

time

do

say, if you
brain which

us

The

same

be

may

Let

second.

quintillions
per

of

correspondto

for

store

mysteries.
?
We
undoubtedly

thinks

that

us

in
surprises

many

many

suppose

vibrations

these

should

at

are

lighton

is it in

but

know,

The

will throw

What

"

we

wait.

and
and

us,

why

reason

but that
present inexplicable,
treat them
scornfully. Let us

doubt,

facts, no

word, impressionable.

one

anxiety,may

assist in

into

of

state

putting

cerebral

iso-

chronism.
"

of the supernatural or
fallinginto the domain
but as yet it
impossible,a day, perchance, may come
will look upon
the telephone and the
when
far off
men

Without

the
seems

"

"

barbarous

telegraphas primitiveand
at

their

wills,send

own

indeed

an

These

distance.

men

by the

may,

thoughts through

upheaval for

ancient

an

of

means

Haute

night,a

"

Last

distinct

house

in which

could

not

I knew

tell which

That

will be

world.

De.

Deve.

26.

year, in the month

vision

of their

Seine."
Letter

XVIII.

force

space.
"

"Fouvent-le-Haut,

course
holding inter-

of the funeral
the

of

September, I had,

of

child, which

inhabitants;only

of the children
438

it

might

in my
be.

one

left

dream

PREMONITORY
The

"

to

dream

DREAMS

stayed in

my

all

memory

I tried in vain

day;

it out

of my
in the evening one
of the
head, when
children
livingin that house, a child of the age of four, fell
into a water-tank
and was
drowned.
accidentally

get

Boismard.

"Emile
*'

Seiches, Maine-et-Loire."
Letter 53.

an
artist,died
My oldest brother, Emile Zipelius,
on
September 16, 1865, twenty -five years of age ; he was
He
drowned
while bathing in the Moselle.
lived in Paris,
his parents at Pompey, near
but he was
then visiting
Nancy.
had
dreamed
twice, at wide intervals,that this
My mother

XIX.

son
"

"

would

be drowned.

When

the person

parents
he

came

came

to

to

announce

charged

the terrible

to bear

that

them, my mother, feeling sure

misfortune, first asked could

inform
some

his

to

news

it be

she had had

daughter, from whom
for several days. When
he told her that it was
no
news
nothing about lier daughter, she said : Don't tell me, then.
I know
what
it is. My son
is drowned.'
We had had a letter
him
that same
from
day, so that nothing could have led
to foresee such a catastrophe.
us
himself
had
said to his concierge a short
My brother
If any night I do not
time before :
come
home, go next
I have a presentiment
and look for me.
day to the morgue

anything about

absent

an

'

"

'

that I shall die in the

water, dead, with

him.

found

He

aneurism.

an

that
had

at

evening

he

was

thus taken

away

died

would

first refused
he

eyes

open.'
under
and

mother

My

how

was

my
had

I dreamed

water.

to

all who

father

XX.

least

they

That

of

that

same

day

he

towards

of the water, and

was

him.
Zipelius.

J. Vogelsang

Letter 137.

"Several
once

how

rupture

Moselle, but

the

loved

the

under

Avas

convinced

were

coolness

"

"Mulhouse."

from

just

was

water

in

bathe

tempted by the
from

That

his death.

meet

that

years

week, that I

ago,
was

for

six

months

obligedto
439

I dreamed,

leave my

children

at

by

THE

while

themselves
had

to

for

run

that

it

I went
fear

wake

anxiety would

UNKNOWN

husband, who

before

to

Letter

On

"

in

sea

the

and

friends

of my
he

of

had

were

not

owned

to

been

had

dream

my

became

Claire."

151.

four

in the

that

me

in

he

from

would

the

be

we

were

shore, when

dream

out

gone

afternoon,

twenty yards
that

warned

modest

November, 1860, having

about
fishing-boat,

coming back,
one

25th

out

was

year

reality.
XXI.

needs.

our

the

the

we
good position,

for

office,to which

an

fatigue and the

would
perceivewith pleasure
dream, and that through my

foolish

then

competence, enough
*'Alas!

when

me,

had

in

being late; and

of

nothing but

was

to work

ont

fore
be-

night

drowned

that

day.
"I

reassured
be

should

of my
a

drowned,

were

We

did

in

all

could

we

where

the Havre

consult

boat

our

minutes

ten

capsized,and

of whom

one

friend, L. (the man

lawyer at Havre,

could

this

after

moments

friends
my
mentioned.

that

to

save

Avho dreamed

the

sad

accident

newspapers

the

was

them.

The

the

78 Kue

is still

place. (Yon

of November

26,

1860.)
E. B.

de Phalsbourg, Havre."
Letter

XXII.

er
broth-

dream)

took

of

two

already

one

"

"

we

land.

on

few

"A

him, tellinghim

(A)

"

One

day

last

194.

April,when

occupied
found
a polished

was

that I
studying the subject of chalk, I dreamed
I had
Bernot.
pebble in the chalk-pitof Brocles, near
made
arrangements to go next day to see this pit,and, while
I was
surprisedto find a pebble
exploring it,I was very much
in my
dream.
I had
seen
exactly corresponding to the one

Such

stones

are

very

in chalk.'

uncommon

the
(B) ''A few years ago (alsoin a dream), I witnessed
remains
in a spot
of Gallo-Roman
discoveryof a great number
for
the villageof Sissy. This spot had just been chosen
near

'

Possibly this

was

a case

of unconscious
440

cerebration.

Nevertlieless

THE

UNKNOWN

One

night,the last,during a

saw

her

'

at eleven

me

hour.
after

in

mother,
:

dream, who

the

and

brief and
said

word, in which

her

If you
I should

think

"

it desirable

prefer (having told

not be given.

this dream

should

; there

that

very

to any

one

until

is therefore

no

proof

blindly.

printthis

fact for your

I

who

you

will lose

fulfilled at

I believe
to

her, 'You

to

predictionwas

My wife did not mention

the first days of mourning

of it but

she
unrefreshingsleep,

that

am)

readers,
name

my

X
,

Lieutenant

"

in the

Navy.

"Rochefort."
261.

Letter

In 1858
(A)
(I am no longer young) I was at
Terrasson (Dordogne),employed in building the railroad from
P"rigueux to Brive. Another
employ" on the road, who came
from the Hautes-Alpes,said to me
one
morning, with a very
troubled
a phantom
air, that during the night he had seen

XXVIII,

"

in which

he

letter with

father had

(B)

recognized

died

In

"

wife saw,

the

in

black

very

1885

was

dream, in

his

lightedtaper

which

alarmed

and

her

greatly.
from
Eoder, tellingus that
pneumonia shortlybefore,
"

7 Rue

and

that

his

She

told

of this

me

soon

my

father-in-law

after

table with

received
had

dream,
a

letter

died

of

Lumique.

Toulouse."
Traversi"re-des-Potiers,

XXXI,
a

it stood

near

We

Letter

in

him

told

ceived
re-

night that he saw the apparition.

at P"rigueux Avith my
family. My
the night between
January 15th and

crucifix.

later he

days

edge, Avliich

16th, a bed with closed curtains,and

a

Two

father.

"

dream
who

has

268.

By sad experience,I know

I was
lady with whom
once
been

dead

five years,

that
in

every

time

see

friendlyrelations,

I shall hear

of

death

in

family.

my
"

But

what

is very

lady (in a dream)

goubran.
the entrance

When
to

we

singularis

came

and

reached

that

walked

with

the Boulevard

Toulon, she left

442

me,

six weeks

about

and

beside

me

de
went

ago this
the

La-

Strasbourg,at
back

towards

PREMONITORY

with

Lagoubran
all looked
**

workmen

some

probably going to lose when

Lagoubran happened that every
tell

to

come

whole

our
"

One

friends, on

the

that

took

scenes

6th ; she

edition

of her

She

about

place the

had

to befall

3d

and

"th,

night,March

next

her door

long processions
wounded, attended
by

and

real

afterwards

scene

seemed
M.

Letter

J. D.

345.

happened to me to find myself in

of which
I had
situation,as commonplace as possible,
time before.
exact perceptionsome
an

XXXII.

It has

March

dream.

"Toulon."

had

was

catastropheat

was

night of

dead

carrying the
artillerymen,
soldiers and priests,
and
the

some

about.

which

passingbefore

saw

of

second

knows

They

who

myself

terrible

one

of the misfortune

me

of my
of the

and

the

know.

city.

dreamed
5th

I did not

whom

melancholy.
days 1 anxiously asked

veiy
several

For

DREAMS

"

often

H.

"J.

Chaepektier.

"Frankfort."
Letter

XXXIII.

girlnamed
dropped
her

any

In

"

Jeanne
dead

and
the
Our

Dubo,

suddenly

assistance.

the rupture of
"

1889, in

It

the

who

in my
was

month
Avas

of

case

in my
I could

servant

before

presence

April,a

death

of sudden

young

family,
render

caused

by

aneurism.

an

parents of this girl,poor farming people,who lived,

still live,
in the Department of the Landes, having heard
sad news,
arrived at my house the next morning in tears.
The

first interview

greatlyaffected by
as

zeal she
"

351.

The

much

showed

in

you

ever

do you

the

death

and

her

of my

; when

with

mean?'

any

said;

them, for I
I

whom

kindliness

'I don't
443

was

tached
at-

was

for the

as

household.
the corpse,

togetherwith

addressing old Dubo,

presentimentabout
he

to

girl,to

patois the following question:

had

as

honesty and

I sat up

father

me

of this

taking care

night came.

her mother
him

as

for
in

painfulto

was

'

Tell

Jeanne's

understand.'

me,

put

to

Dubo, have

death

?'

'

What

'Yes,' I

con-

UNKNOWN

THE

tinned

'

of

sort

some

sign

?' I

bit/ he said,like

'Yes
who

days before,

his wife

comfort

daughter
This

become

so

had

ten

I had

in

fancied

Dubo
twelve

or

In 1865

"

their

Avife,
hear,

you

daughter

was

ding
shed-

groaningand

in

was

The

eighteen.

was

several

some

in

her

quence
conse-

days.

guessed at, and

way

destined

reality,was

was

Tax

that

sure

headache

to

Mano,

Justin

later.

days

feel

to

lasted

Letter

school.

one

terrible

"

his

responded to
night,about ten

was

continued

She

which

woman

XXXIV.

wait

"

Sobs

that

this she

Avhich
agitation,

dream,

the

which

that

me

dreamed

her, she

dead.

was

of her
"

told

?'

to mind.

something
turning to

tiens !'

that, notwithstandingall the efforts that he

tears, and
to

she dreamed

dead, that while

made

had

mattress, he said, Do

he

Then

question.

'

dream

Your

call

Then

murmured.
on

dream,

! yes

Ah

dream

of misfortune

"^nothing.''A

trying to

person

lying dressed

was

Marceline
this

dream,' he

"

persisted.

'

what

know

kind

you of some
his head;

something that forewarned

'No/ he replied,shaking
for instance

hardly

I
...

Receiver, Belin, Gironde."

371.

England,
climate

as

teacher

French
suit

did not

me

; I

in
was

of returning to
thoughts were
I had gone to England expectingto stay there two
France.
time to learn English. I
woitld have given me
years, which
since January, when, at the close of July, I
there
had
been

ailingall

the

dreamed

that

all my

time, and

I must

learn

I had

faster, because

not

much

why I should
longer to stay ; but my dream gave me no reason
This
dream
home.
preocctipiedmy
be obliged to return
by repeating
thoughts, but I tried to get it out of my mind
to myself the proverb, Tout songe est mensonge.'
to
mother
died, and I had indeed
On August 13th my
'

"

"Deaux,

Canton

of V"z"nabres

the

''In

country that

dream
was

Fabre.

kee

(Gard)."

Letter

XXXV.

Serres,

Leonie

to France.

return

saw

406.

and

quite unknown
444

travelled
to

me.

in

part

of

I afterwards

PREMONITORY

verified my
it I

vision,which

send

can

DREAMS

the

you

and

exact

was

precise. If
Abdon"

particulars.

wish

yon

Grau.

"Ain-Beida, Constantiae."
Letter

''Two

XXXVI.
America.

in

when

We

through which
it

from

the

added

go back
"But

Europe.

to

how

great

back,

reallygone

which
the

to

forest

She
'*

when

was

beg

very

much

very

was

by

jMuied the
B
had
the

"In

from

We

was
soon

having
cow,
at Cra-

beautiful

me

forest
at the

and

went,

A
:

of
trance
en-

surprise to recognizethe

and

here,

printmy

dream

that
it

gate
in

was

year

fore.
be-

year
dream.'

L. R.

name.

Letter 496.

I had
to

died under

better

tell you

tvi^o very

acteristic
char-

presentiments experienced and

the

perfectlywell
her

same

father

know

was

circumstances

dead, and

tliat accom-

dream.
the

second

just died.
same

the

'

my

I
whom
persons
that
first dreamed

later he

month

far

my
much

two

''The

I should

situation

my

last year,

in my
pupil, I saw

so

to

relative

facts

me

think

"I

told

house

that

having

you
P.'

Count

(Austria)."

XXXVII.

few

amused.

will not

you

"Moravia

dreamt

show

great was

ago

gate

of June.
country, in the month
pupil, a girlof fourteen, said to

my

gate which had struck

Marie,' I said
I

and

foresaw,

belongsto

S.,

in whose

surprisewhen

my

I must

madame,

great monumental
to a vast forest,and

for the

days afterwards

'Come,

country in Maryland,

it meant

doubt

governess

Miss

to

no

was

as

left town

we

few

that

as

game-keeper's cottage.

morning

living,and

dream

situation

the

entrance

the

was

the next

dream

in

saw

was

I had

ago

living in

were

night I

one

steps

years

486.

It was

circumstances

dream
one

lady thought that her

day before he reallydied,
a

under

related in the dream.

"G.

"Former

baby

Secretary of

the Flammarion

"Marseilles."
Letter
445

499.

ViA"^,

Scientific Society.

THE
"One

XXXIX.
dream

vision

UNKNOWN
in

year,

of

February

dear

friend

March,

or

dressed

I had

in

in

ing
deep mournof her relations.
That
for one
in a dream) I
night (still
was
present at all the bustle that takes place when people get
of the night. I saw
from
her
home
a journey in the middle
with
her child in her arms,
in my
dream
wandering about
the railway station in the lamp-light,
looking for a carriage
a

attached, experiencedin the

all the

dreamed
had

in

her

lost

had

child
had

been

took

of

realization

"The

"Whence

this

comes

to

though

month

the

not

future
M.

Letter

I had
I
her
she

his friends

immediate,

of December.

prescienceof

"I^o"ia""-"

neral.
fu-

decease.

in dreams?

us

of which

time, but

some

dream,

in the

place nevertheless
comes

member

this

the

sufferingwith which
railway station with
of her family whom

the

ill for

very

before

absolutely true my
whom
I was
greatly

circumstances

expectinghis speedy

far from

were

lady, to

at

The

arms.

home

how

anxiety, and

care,

overwhelmed

her

seen

her

learned
This

just become.

had

dream

take

would

after

months

"Five

very

that

vehicle

some

or

P.

that

times
some-

H., D. M.

509.

in a
day scholar at the High-School, when
I found
dream
myself crossingthe Place de la R"publique in
just oppositethe magaParis, a napkin under my arm, when
sins
du Pauvrepast me
pursued by a
Jacques a dog ran
the exact
crowd
of gamins Avho were
tormenting it. I saw
of them
number
eight. The sales-peoplein the store were
making up their inventory; a fruit-seller (calleda marchande
des quatre saisons)
passed by with her cart full of fruit and
XL,

"I

was

"

flowers.
"The

next

same

things

scene

I had

"

the

dog

him, the

turning

morning,
in

the

witnessed

ran

down

to

same

I went

place.

to

It

in my
dream.
the gutter, the

exactly the
a repetitionof the
was
Nothing was wanting

school, I

saw

eight gamins

ran

after

quatre saisons with her cart was

at
the Boulevard
Voltaire, and the sales-people

marchande
on

as

des

446

PREMONITORY

Jacques

le Pauvre-

establishment.

Lagache, Villemomble

Avenue

"10

side
putting their goods for displayout-

were

of their

the door

DREAMS

About

1827

At

that moment

those

exhorted
father

was

made

up

sleep two

of his chamber.
soon

the

there

dreamed.

of the
ask

and

morning,

by this, he

ticket-office

for

the

conscientious

But

resolved

should

numbers

of

opened

which

he

numbers

he

had

dreamed

"Mademoiselle

'MYe

XLII.

1897,

to

some

of

going

were

had

of

He
sult
re-

had
their

and

Meyek.

for Paris

which

one

fresh

melodious

was

voice

The

me.

I woke.

awake

not

morning

of

in that

state

was

; I

has

one

and

one,

stopped

we

feels when

reblossoming around

bed.

wife

Paris, my

to

The

relations.

our

549.

days, and

few

pass

departure

one

and

I, in May,

Angers

at

the

of delicious
idea

vague

is snug

in

so

pretty that

was

see

for

placency
com-

that

life

comfortable

dozing. Suddenly
singing a charming song

air seemed

to

fixed

day

I heard

was

which

lighted
de-

sorry when

delighted.

was

imaginationI attributed
apprenticewho had stopped upon
"In

in

(Deux- Sevres)."
Letter

is

as

be

they had appeared to him,

francs.
gained seventy-fivethousand

had

"Niort

our

to go

order

in the

out

holder

The

drawing.

of the
come

at

him.
scruples restrained
resist going to inquirethe

not, however, afterwards

could

himself

found

was

struck

Much

the window

as

father

my

taking place there one

lotteries (sinceprohibited)in which
people were
the numbers
that they wished
to choose
for.
My
take
to
much
a
chance, but he had not
tempted
his mind
to do so, when
that night he saw
in his
in phosphorescent characters
numbers
the wall
on

Nancy.
of

527.

1828

or

HA"fNAis.

(Seine)."

Letter

XLI.

Ed.

my

the
the

song

to

some

Quai, just

young

under

my

window.
''We

evening

reached
at

Paris

the

caf" concert

same

in the
447

day,

and

Avent

to

pass

the

Champs-Elys"es,where,

to

THE

UNKNOWN

astonishment, when

my

it

half oyer,

was

air I had heard in

sing the same
affirmthat it was absolutelythe
The
evening before that the
I have

and

me,

air had

been

known
completelyun-

it since.
"Emile

Soux.

Carcassonne."

Hugo,

Victor

6 Rue

"

morning.

same.

heard

never

performer

that

dream

my

"

to

I heard

Letter

twenty years old. He

in the Military Hospital at Montpellier. My
doctor
a
was
fell ill. They sent
brother
a despatch to
father,
my
poor
out by a variWorn
ety
tellinghim his son had typhoid fever.
and by the fatigues of the late war, he grew
of emotions
rapidlyworse, notwithstanding the care lavished on him.
XLIII.

"In

On

December

"

his

pillow,

years,

never
my father, who
Father
coffins in this chamber.'

three

see

brother

he

1st

said

I
a

had

boy;

little

had

been

thirteen

son

found
had
three

returned

Douai

to

after

youngest nephew dying

my

been

in the best

of

by

my

coffins

"These

seen

facts

"4

l'Abbaye des Pr"s.

de

(A)

XLIV.

in the

In 1889

"

Department

at Saint

impressionthat
news

home

two

awaited

distant
received

in

my

part
a

me.

Urcize
voice

The

other, who

So there

the

were

occurred.

Dubrulle.

Douai."

road-master

was

of

558.

Loz"re.

said

to

me

But

country.

despatch summoning
448

me

of

Being

(Cantal),I had,

days after,much
Nothing from

of the

he

brother.

poor

Letter

went

died

funeral, and

of croup.

health, died also.

exactlywhat

are

the

"Berthe
Rue

old, in

arms.

father

"My

married

months

good health, and a baby born eightdays before.

and
brother was
"The
next day my
worse,
father's

said

cradles.'

see

you

sister who

dear

left

to

dear

mistake, my

say that
and had

here

should
three

1871

'You

him:

to

I had

554.

on

about

an
a

ment
arrondisse-

midnight, an

fatheris
impressed. Bnt

'

my
two
to

of inspection

tour

Your

father, who

dead'
no

lived

I
bad
in

days after (I think) I

him, as he was serious-

UNKNOWN

THE
The

"

from

second

home

Amand

Saint

reached

which

credit, and

train

the

evening by

that

with

year

July, I received a
she had passed her

of

that

daughter, tellingme

my

for the
be

end

at the

year,

same

she

night at

at

that

letter
inations
exam-

she

would

generallycame
"We

12.49.

by,

expected

her, but in vain.

loud

had

bought

to

her

heard

only

It is

At

"

her
as

have

I should
in

seen

since

But

it.

well

there, as
I

years before

to

came

was

seen

Saint

the

not

Amand

(A)

street.

and

my

make

not

1)6671to

I have

dream,
'

had

was

in
(still

could

''

that

to

see

dream)

her

my

up

I have

mind

to leave her
"

At
very
he

fore
be-

once

to

happen.

I had

now

the

never

two

occupy,

BovoLiisr.

school ?'
?

done

we

or

this

lady.

I have

ugly, and

of

two

450

bad

"couen.

she left

could
been

not

home,
'

school.

days, after

my

to

her:

Don't

you

I said
'

the

said to us,

answered,

make

up my
to bring her home.'

lived, there

at

daughter at

day,

impressionon
disagreeable
was

and

my

She

little friend

passing along

came

visit from

Toul, where

child

to leave

there, and

school

her, for I knew

home.'

just

had

the

at

mother

mind

fetch her

what

(B)

I had

Madame

we

ago

years
entered
her

astonished

know

made

few

Marguerite like

Does

told

astonished

much

when
I

then

servant

584.

saw

received

we

them.

afterwards

dreamed

Why,

'

(Cher)."

mother

whose

had

told you

going

Amaud

apartments

Letter

XLVII.

answered,

that

after

"

"Saint

dream

so

me

long

to inhabit

came

my

repeated

I have

My

told

what

as

she

decision.'

She

and

door, and

me,

could

dream.

my

expected.

And, in truth, I had

been

How

'

in

; and

January

daughter was

my

dream

kissed

She

before.'

the

by

wearing a plaidduster

room

I remembered

once

about

of

awakened

were

to open

went

before.

the 3d

on

week

we

word, exactly what

all that

me

maid

My

days

for

say

told

you

few

morning

into my

came

word

me,

bell.

the

ring at
daughter

my

in the

five o'clock

At

"

was

me.

character.

He

beggar
was

One

very

who
pulsive,
re-

night I

PREMONITORY
dreamed

that

some

DREAMS

one

dark, but through the darkness

this

the front door.

ringingat

was

I seemed

to

beggar, who said, Mademoiselle, I

lie down
here
the night ; will you let me
in
while in a dreamy state,I was
sitting
*

sister and

my
the

kitchen

was

there, who
lie here

me

little

my

cousin, when

I went

door.

'I

said to me,

for the

the

it

without

am

The

of

to pass

next

evening,

dining-roomwith
a

noise

outside

The

was.

beggar

shelter; will

Mademoiselle

let

you

Hubekt.

Letter 607.

XLIX.
one

(A)
evening I was

was

alone, and

shed

?'

was

outline

liave nowhere

I heard

what

see

night?'

"Nancy."
"

When
near

I felt like

myself in

found

to

the

see

It

the

about

was

fourteen

wood, but

before
Some

crying.

me

was

months

situation,and

same

I dreamed

that

wall.

later I

really

equallydisposed to

tears.

non-commissioned
a
having been made
that I had
in the 119th Regiment, at Havre, I dreamed
I laughed at this,for it would
school-master.
have
"In

(B)
officer

turned

1882,

been

the

years

later I

last

very

I had

children

at

was

cared

to

do.

Two

Stains, teaching a class of the very

same

dream.

in my

seen

have

I should

thing

at my
father's chamber
door
(0) In 1893 I knocked
(Faux-la-Montagne,in the canton Gentioux, Creuse),having
He
did
returned from Martinique after nine years'absence.
and asked me
who
I was
and what I wanted.
not recognize
me,
*'

am

in

I said, * and
traveller,'

of him.

news

where

you

ought

to

when

Why
I

dreamed

night I

no

'And

Normandy.'

he

are

intimation

one

do

you
him

saw

of your
in Martinique?' 'I have

that

he

bring yon

ask

me

standing
And

standing noio.'

mention
woke

the

had

?'

Because

there

that

into

me.

at Gros

no

door,
I

tears.

of this dream

up, and before he had seen

that I was
likelyto return.

son

this very

just in

he burst

spoken

"School-master

news

They

already
had

had

Legros,
Morne, Martinique."

Letter 608.

LII.
'It is

"Some

days

after

extraordinary,but

our

marriage my

six months
451

ago

wife

said to

I dreamed

me,

that I

THE
should

marry

and
is

who

man

observe

spoken
other

only

at

visit at the
that

other, but

that

It

to

time

not

we

not

even

Oh, he

thought of you.'
only had never
though
acquainted. Alhad

by chance,

were

ing,
morn-

'

each

seen

and

did not

we

is,therefore,most

girl should

be married

had

added,

neighborhood we

same

houses.

same

the next

so

mother

never

were

distance, as it

young

she would

we

mother

My

that

to

up

lived in the

we

it.'

probably

that

each

to

told my

even

laughed about

we

young

NoAv

you.

UNKNOWN

have

dreamed

And

me.

extraordinary
that before
long-

yet the dream

true.

came

nn

"Villeneuve-sur-Youne."
t

/.-m
619,

Letter

LIII.

have

You

"

which, however,

...

to be told

asked
certain

are

facts,facts
inexplicable

dreams, and

observations

other

of

Perhaps you will not think what I am going to

tell you is of any importance,or has any interest,but if everybody
would
thought so, and
appealwould
say nothing,your
be useless.
I am
going,therefore,to write you what I know,
the

kind.

same

only begging
my letter.
should
not

I live in

Avas

I did not

it

'

than

younger

she

Last

the

was

morning (she did

for

sleptin
night I was

one

who

her

pains. The

But

had

and

know

not

rather

use

you

name

my

but

yon

had

The

voice

boys
452

ing
Find-

again.

sister,who

my

in the

so

Avere

follows

by

tell me,

That

I do not

most

happy."
anxious

some

about
And

of June."

much,
"

night,

be uneasy

the 22d

On

in the

awakened
not

was

me

house) what
was

for the

sent

well

be far from

and

so.

place' (she was

sui"ered

replied:

will all then

two

on

know

you

certain

been

very

sister need

child will be born

for

married, told

part of the

Your

"

take

I had

dreaming

not

but

husband

my

soon

not

that

remote

boy ?"

this I know

already
daughter.

Ave

I had

day I felt
thing,and

same

I was,

said to me,

girlor

how

it will

I said to the voice, " Since

be

chance

by

pregnant,
long I had

was

Next

woman).

February 1st
year

know

said, 'I think

skilful

very

where

day greatlyexhausted,

one

who

nurse,

if

name,

little toAvn

January, 1888,

specialreasons
I

give my

to

be read.

"In

(A)

not

you

will it
know.
'

Now

for

PREMONITORY

Of course,

"

But

fun

February
inclined to laugh at

less

and

in what
that
its

made

we

had

the

been

baby

my

March

her

be

began

we

June

We

even
we

was

came

to the

tinuing
pains con-

shaken

never

firmly in

so

were

conclusion

to be

not

were

believe

to

faith

own

boy, as

sister,and, my

preparations.
passed, and by degrees we

; her

told her.

would

arrival,and
that

of my

increase, I made

to
"

DREAMS

happy on
the prediction

I made

ready the cradle and prepared

for
the
On
June
next
at
ten
day.
everything
22d,
o'clock in the morning, my
born.
It was
a
baby was
girl,
which
would
have
satisfaction
had
mediately
imI
not
given us great
cost

and

on

21st

after

her

birth had

life.

Two

days later

me

my

my

sister,for the first time

second

had

son

who

and

croup,

had risen too

diphtheria;

and

to have

her bed to

from

accident, in consequence

which

of

happy.
(B) My daughter

nearly

operation; my

an

father,three months

my

which

my eldest boy had bronchitis,

in her life,
taken ill. My
was

had

soon

hemorrhage

he

after

see

later,had
died.

ter,
sis-

him, had

slight

Assuredly we

not

were
"

her, having

nurse

abscess

an

weeks

three

was

on

my

old.

My

breast.

could

not

husband

had

Manosque to get a wet-nurse, who was recommended

he brought her back
the same
to us, and
day, Frida}^July
I woke
Before
tormented
that morning I was
13th.
by a
My sons Avere doing well, the oldest was all
strange dream.
right,and the second, a superb child, was in perfect health.
It is strange, but last night I dreamed
I said to my husband,
to go

to

'

in

was

town

and

nurse

they told

the

washing."

her

alone

tilde

his

him

body

was

of which

out

"

My

''

; he
as

"As

me

What

"

Madame,

have
Heft

looking for

was

Saturday, she

very

has

Rene's
gone

to

anxiously,and meeting

?"
you done with Rene
him behind
this wall."

CloI

ran

lyingup against the wall, quite naked,

was

black

as

soot, and

laughed

of it.

; I

it is

for her

protruded the

husband

felt because

know

not

I looked

I asked

replied:

to find

I did

About

trachea.

at my

four
453

he

had
He

a
Avas

dream, and
in the

hole
not

in his neck

ever.'
dead, how-

at the

afternoon

anxietyI

Ren",

who

UNKNOWN

THE
had

not

had

for

It

doctor.

it was

was

of croup.

case

when, the trachea

held, the child

The

being

with

'Valentine, this is the dream

laughed

is

child

.'' The

at

now,

LV.

Letter

tribunal

which

when

he

should

he

true

came

where

C,

of

told

the

coffins and

knew

0., he

to

gone

his wife and

told

daughter (Madame

dream

down-stairs

came

before

saw

who

present ;

were

D.'s

into

the

'

died

son

the

into

0. he

same

persons
dared

and

said, 'that

they

A., having told

that

sure

was

the

of

course

day,

same

"Monsieur
that he

he

know/

you

saw

two

ask who

were

he had

the

of

the
seen

persons
454

D.

?'
and

this

when

house, and

in his dream.

who

had

I asked

death

some

his astonishment

coffins before

present that

hear

house

line.

dream, left home

of his

he should

Imagine

day.

us

buried

to be

are

D.

Madame

prefect,the

judges,the municipal authorities,and the relatives.

who
is dead in the family of D.
a by-stander, Why,
'''Don't

in

I drove

processionbeing got

funeral

C. where

of

town

all those

almost

of 0., and very often

village
exactly. He was
judge at the
ing
every fortnight. One morn-

this),the following

me

carriage into

went

have

quitepreoccupied,and
M., who

623.

A. lived in the

Monsieur

*''

dreams

two

X.

Madame

Forcalquier."

had

and

me

yesterdaythat I
and is perfectly

had

you

over

well.
"

became

body

leaned

big boy

was

ipecacbrought back

of

husband

it

with which
his

serted
in-

was

completed

almost

blood, and

happilya large dose

cough and relieved him.

During the operationmy

said

silver tube

operation was
by the hook

torn

choked

was

; but

quiteblack

pierced,and

was

trachea.

in the

"

was

the

in

two

table, his neck

the

his papa,
nearly choked by it.

playingwith

was

tors
morning, Saturday, July 14th, four docmade
ready to perform the operation of tracheotomy ;
laid naked
before the discoveryof serum
; the child was

"At

on

house, but

strange fit of coughing, and

in haste

I sent

of the

out

gone

her

ing?'
morn-

ing
sayin the

driving
just the
He

ly
hard-

died, he felt

so

PREMONITORY

before-hand

sure

that

passing and
day, and
"

to

heard

the words
the next

day.

him

There

morning ?'
in the
interesting
same

at

"Pastor

at

rightbefore
pedal of the
my

that

while

machine.

the

In

towards

ill.

At

but of
and

on

myself lying in

the dust

crossed

my

dream

out

of

the

leg. Without
balance

with

my

letter

from

bicyclea dog ran

fell off, breaking the
a

I told

dream

my

dreams

to

true,

came

near

and

that

been

my
taken

thinkingof nothing

breakfasted

and

the

fell off my

dream
that

broken

thinking,I

times, and

informing us
house, had

our

mind, when

my

farm-house

realizingmy
please remember,
hundred

impressed

in all

haste,

without
accident
bicycle. My ridft was
the night before I had seen
place where

until I reached

thus

often

us

miles

lived four

my
the

lost my

morning

forgettingmy dream,
of my
sister,I
gettingnews

rative.
nar-

of all its
memory
H. Bessojs",

exact

that

once

started

much

so

this

In fact I resolved not to go out,

stay in tbehouse.
of sitting
down
11
at
o'clock, at the moment

table, the postman brought

who
sister,

was

riding

the road, and

on

and

633.

mother, who, knowing how

beggedmeto
but

me

reallyheard

Switzerland."
Orvin-pr"s-Bienne,

Letter

dreamed

those

as

is that

dream

of
jt;er/ec^
authenticity

A.
family of Monsieur
by it that they have preserved an
particulars.

"I

same

once.

The

LVI.

died the

son

this

of the

be assured

can

her

and

therefore, premonitory vision

was,

premonitory hearing,botli
"You

D.

exactly the

were

he had

who was
stopped a man
question. 'Don't you know,'

the

most

me

words

the very

however

to be buried

seems

hear

that Madame

'

they are

What

should

He

to

put

the answer,

was

he

in his dream.

heard

DREAMS

even

I had

never

machine.

Hardly had
dog sprang

enormous

an

road, and

tried

to

seize

me

kicked

him,

and

with

that

at

by
I

machine, breaking the pedal,

to its smallest incidents. JSTow,

been

before

over

had

that

road

I the smallest

"Am"d"e

"Notary
Letter 640.
455

at least

at

one

accident.

Basset,

Vitrac, Charente."

UNKNOWN

THE

LVII.

Marshal

"

narrow-minded

told

times

that

landed

he

before

be best to

in

attack.

comment

siege of Eome,
operations,and being

had

been

constructed

very

It was,

doubt

no

has several

in
distinctly
j^recisespot in which

spot in

weak

one

visionarynor

for the

the

saw

Italy,the

begin the

himself, the
without

place,he

friends,who

out

fortifications

what

the

of

set

conduct

to

neither

was

of my

one

he

when

ordered

totallyignorant
the defence

told

man,

me,

been

having

Vaillant,who

the

defences.

it would
assured
this fact

I send

make

can

you

dream,

he afterwards

as

for

of it in your

use

category of auto-suggestions.
*'B.
"

KlESCH,

Ex-professor at Semur,

C"te

d'Or."

Letter 643.

LVIII.

"

My mother,

died in 1886, had

15, and
at

(A)

who

bad

born

was

fever

in

in

1800, August

1811, when

boarding-school
(Ithink)at Aire-sur-la-Lys.It
the

she

delirum

n"e

her

"Now,
burned
had

seen

"The

Marie

Louise

she

home

with
De

year

it in her

ashes, the other

was

her

mother, Madame

while

called
on

my

mother

saw

ever,
how-

was,

life.

de

In

Linghem,

still under
out

fit of

that

the

at Estr"e

the real fire

was

really

The

she

exactly as

fever in 1811.

part of the house and

saved, and
wing was

Avingwere

one

it

was

there

laid
that

in
my

tained
con-

and
attics.
fire-places
My mother
She has told me
all
told a falsehood
to my knowledge.
times; not only she, but my uncles and aunts.
very many
part of the building not burned is standingstill.
twelve

this

fluence
in-

they must

temporary shelter with her numerous

grandmother found
family (she had ten children). The part not burned
never

at

fire.

later,in 1812, the house

down, and
central

house

was

her

Lannoy

and

screamed

for the

away,
a

at

in

had

ever

(Pas de Calais),and

Blanche
of fever

take

she

herself

saw

Campagne,
Estr"e

illness

only

she

(B)

"About

learned

from

Tatinghem,
Estelle

rooms

with

July, 1887,
a

I think

the mcdrHe

at Saint

villagetwo

miles

Poulain, who

has

been

(the exact

date could

be

Omer; I was then livingat

away), a person, Mademoisselle
livingin my familysince 1873,

456

UNKNOWN

THE

her.

passed

around

round

to find

anguish in

"

at the

moment

Now,

that

with

crying,
roused

(B.)

It

"

night, I

In it I

"

that

heard

the

round

me,

has

of

roar

to receive

I had

; I saw

with
then
the

to
field-glass

he

charge,and
At

"

hand

this

with

them

clove

it in two.

I felt

on
"

terrible

little stove

On

October

mairie, and

us

blow

pain in

villagewhere we
They were
enemy.
Baden.

were

of

into the

one

ment
mo-

steejile

church
of

the

that

At

war.

sians,
Prusnotice

Take

uniforms, and

in column

the

enemy;

attack, sounded

to

quick,with

at double

fixed

dream, being engaged hand-to-

at
I

my

head,

my

awakened

was

battery,I

this Prussian

As

head.

I used

for

6, 1870, this dream

were

wounded

and

battery.

Then

church

volleys fired, I

movements

forward

in my

which

I felt all

from

the

artillerymenof
a

be

fatigue,hunger,

"

heard

thought

no

us

Prussian

strike

in

these

observe

moment,

the

to

fainting

my

war.

fall dead

officers climb

our

rushed

the

seen

had

time

war

myself

down, formed

came

bayonets, on

of

of

one

had

cries.

dragoons

time

at

were

men

from

before

saw

we

given, I

I found

bedfellow,

my

from

bed,

when, one
pl"biscite,
mare.
say, a terrible night-

of the

"

in

orders

terrible attack

at that

country

soldier

cannon

never

in my

People

me

rather, I may

or

Bavarians, and
that

floor.

recover

to endure

sudden

awakened

the

time

I heai'd their

and

All of

"

at the

I heard

thirst.

and

ent
pres-

twenty minutes.

myself a

saw

soldier

about

I sat up

times

!'which

heaj) on
help and to

dream,

rolled

big tears
by persons

later

me

several

1869,

was

had

and

! Mamma

lasted

fit,which

told

there, the

not

was

died.)
night,September 17, 18G0, I woke up
o'clock m the morning,fancyingI heard

same

give me

saw

looked

she

when

I fell in

to

lier deatli she

and
heart-rending,

callingme,

then

and

she

(This was

Mamma

when

was

start at three

mother

my

face

cheeks.

her

down

and

me,

her

little before

where
458

that

formidable

so

by fallingout
I fell I had

saw

one

he

of bed.
it

knocked

table.
came

I had

true
seen

"

school,
village,

them.

saw

our

PREMONITORY

major going up
the

enemy

charge to

be

head

rammer,

hit
"

me

on

dream

Rue

Jeanne

LXIII.

In

"

which

next

the

Company of Francs
Hacbette, Havre."

1867

the

mind

my

fr. 30

that

day

evening we

had

I had

Regniek,

at the head

that I

must

mean

was

about

spoke of

about

francs

One

store
drug-

night I
the

on

that of the

on

was

the
what

it

was

with

assistant.

Our

other

on

customers.

days, but in
At length,

that it would

observe

me

have
and

fr. 30.

Jaubert, of Carcassonne,

''M.

pressed
im-

so

ten, after the last one left (thatperson must

half-past
in the cash-drawer
been at least the hundredth),I looked

exactly76

book,
day-

day, we thought
receipts for two days. The

45

overwhelmed

were

it to my

of

at

I found

on

788.

Bordeaux,

at

was

ordinary receiptsbeing
work

bayonets

Tireurs,at Neuilly-sur-Seine.

before.
opened a few months
in a dream, the figures'76 fr. 30 'written
whereas
they ought to have been written
day. That day, in the morning, this sum

76

the

order

at this moment

I had

upon

that

fixed

with

A.

Letter

saw,

him

rightthigh.

my

Sergeant-Majorin
"73

rushed

we

In my

cannon.

heard

down,

come

In
splitby a stroke from the blade of a Prussian.
fightI expected this,but I only received a blow from
which
possiblywas intended for my head, but only

the real
a

him

saw

positionof

the

reconnoitre

steepleto

sounded, and

the Prussian
my

into the

DREAMS

have

to

whom

needed

I told
number

this, made
of

spiritsto

bring customers, who all bought and paid,and to hinder others,

have been a book-keeperamong
and there certainlymust
the
celestial
whom

operators.

I knew

great

to

inspiration.At
needed

last she

my

I lost my

family,with

two

paid for everything! She

spiritwho was making up
A.

Letter

"

circumstance.

lady,
unpunctual in paying, bought a
she seemed
to obey some
kind of
one

surely the
just her money.

"Toulouse."

LXIV.

very

of articles ;

number

last customer

be

I remember

father
younger

in

the

the
counts
ac-

Comeea.

632.

1865, and

brothers.
459

was

The

remained
one

next

head

of

to me,

UNKNOWN

THE
in

Aristide,born

belonged

1853,

number

militaryservice

drew

his

been

willingto providehimself

for

with

have

he would

whether

to chance

the

to

class

of

1873, and

He

in 1874.

had

substitute,and

to

serve

greatlyexcited

my

not

trusted

six months

five

or

in the army.

years

alternative

*'This

(Vend"e)

miles

might

saw

do

the

drawing,

I went

out

drawing

bed

to

and

made

doubt

went

had

to

turned

he

Nieuil.

After

the

chances

on

o'clock.

at ten

number, when

at

part by assisting
my
place,on Tuesday, February

dream, and I distinctly

me

brother, Aristide, putting his hand

my

notary

father's

conversation

at which

Preoccupationno

"

to be

studying

was

drawing took
Niort on
Monday,

10, 1874, 1 left

of the

for I

her at Nieuil-sur-FAutise

see

the

when

dinner,

to

came

away.

that

Thinking

brother

Sundays,

upon

Niort, eleven
"

time

it every

spoke of

mother, Avho

poor

showed

in the
the

me

and

urn

siderably
figures,con-

enlarged,'67.'
it

saw

was

When

"

three

in the

up

got

brother,

my
of

eightI
-

o'clock

three

in the

afternoon

of the District
day, in the chief town
Loges (Vend"e),my brother drew from
number

"

he

which

67, and

before

hours

twelve

five years

me

me

to

of active

he

drew

was

make

the
the

up

154 Avenue

de

Wagram,

urn

my

of

brother

was

volved
in-

got off

Brest.

Gail.

Alfked

788.

"

month

famous

gesture with
it in my
dream,

{A) One of my great-aunts,who is

frequent presentimentswhile she lived,which
In the

the

Paris."
Letter

LXV.

same

same

"

"

of the

66
very surprising,
the contingent which

service,while

at
artillery

conscripts

Saint-Hilaire-des-

of

with

when

and, Avhat

in the

six months

it to

it

drawn

the last number

with

showed

shown

had

to^my mother, to

dream

told my

garde champ"tre, and to some

Avho laughed at it heartily.

exactlyat

But

at

morning.

the

to

commune,

our
"

candle, and, lookingat the clock, I

I lit my

I started up.

"

February, 1871,
460

she had

now

all

dream

dead, had
came

true.

tellingher

PREMONITORY

both
approaching death of two of her sisters,
then
This
dream
enjoying perfect health.

of the
were

in

out

where

book

in her life.

events

terrible

domestic

accustomed

was

unfortunatelysoon

month

carried

Avere

which

scene

she

in

in Buenos

papers
news-

Ayres,

aunt

in

saw

The

prediction.
friends,Madame

the

dream

scene

B., v/ho
the

on
fireplace;

hearth

she
caressinga baby whom
while a servant
held in her arms,
was
drying his napkins at
told to several people,who
did not seem
the fire. This was
to it ; for Madame
attention
to pay much
B., already the
of a numerous
mother
family,was past forty,and having had
children for seven
no
likelyshe would
j^ears, it did not seem

burned

have

later,and

year

to visit her

went

the

birth
she

scene

had

the
clothes

seemed

so

evening

when

confinement,

in her

bright fire,the
details

faithfully. The
"Rosario

de

Santa

the

"

Avas

divination

of

died

''In

by

I had

wished

him

Avine

also

uncle

I
as

dream

AA'as

B"cher.

seventeen

his

clerk.

and

he had

while
had

461

mother

Saint

and

years
One

old, I

during

the

Roch.

was

ployed
em-

had

still under

the

night,he

told

day
Avas

quitted

Saint

Rue

32

Am-

brother, who

father's

be

people had

my

at 7 Rue

grocer,

Avas

good-morning,

impressionof

My

uncle, my

an

Avho

Paris,where

merchants,

in 1867.

1868, Avhen

this

future

800.

in

brought up

subsequently,and

(A.)

infant
duced
repro-

in the

event

an

niture,
fur-

F", Argentine Republic."

long established as
broise.
My father died
in 1872.

the

room,

Emilio

been

Paris

preciselythe

saw

dream, in short, Avere

Letter

LXVII.

congratulate her

occupied in drying

realized.
perfectly

Avas

great-aunt

my

The

dream.

woman

of

improbable was

to

child, she

youngest

Avitnessed

all the

"

her

of

one

her

after

was

what

However,

more.

any

realized

on

brightfire,and

any

in the

of her
near

wrote

true, and

seen

out

same

my

to be

proved

she

by it.

off

time, in 1868,

apartment of one
sittingin an arm-chair

was

be

of whom

down

note

came

later,as may

in the

was

to

period,yellow-feverbroke

Another

*'

(B)

It

sisters

the two

she

manner.

of the

and

DREAMS

after

THE
in it lie had

that

me

UNKNOWN

door-step,when, looking in
des-Petits
Champs, he saw an
to the
Compagnie
which

up before his
omnibus
went

drew
the

it, and

had

traveller who

been

the

he

omnibus

shop

of the

door.

His

carrying

on,

du

Nord,

got

out

of

it another

in

grandmother.
large basket on

my

black, with

mother

away

longing
be-

street

Fer

de

his

on

Neuve-

Rue

into the

turn

Chemin

des

standing

Avas

direction

beside
sitting

in

dressed

lady

was

that

dreamed

This

her

knees.
"We

could

thought
would

have

she

whenever

her

children, who

my

uncle, who
he

most, and

in

lived

of her
her

meet

to

lived at

to

Paris, she

one

for neve^'
reality,
ern
come
by the North-

She

mind

see

of

any

by preferenceto

wrote

the

Beauvais,

to

come

that

children

at

in the direction

to turn

he

Champs, when
Railroad

saw

she

train, and

cared

for

always put

there

lady just as

other

with

black, and

Imagine how
planned to

had

basket

her

seen

her

on

astonished
take

we

Northern

his door.

went

whom,

of
on

my

carrying the

his dream, dressed

in

in

lap.
all

were

and
by surprise,

us

to the

ladies,one

the omnibus

and

he

stop before
two

were

des Petits

Neuve

belonging

and

street

got out,
grandmotlier,

of the Rue

omnibus

an

into the

turn

In this omnibus

*'

had

her

up

the

to

we

chanced

"

ventured

St. Roch,

made

went

with

dream, which

hackney coach.
this day, in the afternoon, as my
uncle stood on
Now
on
doorstep, looking at the people who passed by, his eyes

into

his

have

Rue

was

that

by

connection

no

the

to

and

"

amused

grandmother

my

Eailroad

her

much

both

were

My grandmother
my

uncle

told

her

his dream.
"

(B)
I
my

During

"

mobiles

fact is

other

My

of

dining

was

cousins,

with

case

clerk in

my

medical

mobiles,

Avas

grocery

there

palmistry.

Paris

mother, there
student, who
One

store and

also,likewise
463

Seine.

my

owns

one

property in

friend

our

the

day, when

friends,who, like

sergeant in
a

One

among

also at table

was
now

of

enrolled

was

bataillon of the

neighborhood of Dieppe.
was

of

siege of

the
tenth

the

company
of mine
who
was

of
the
me,

of
a

PREMONITORY

DREAMS

draughtsman, and who now

And
there was
lastly,
my father (Itold you he was
who
had

was

been

made

the

*^At

who

man

of means,

man

his

name

and

remarkably intelligent,

close of the

192d

battalion.

will call him

we

chais.
Beaumar-

bought wines from

wine-merchant). This gentleman,

sergeant-major in the

remember

not

lives at 1 Boulevard

dinner, and

Monsieur

while

I do
X.

speaking of
the Germans, who surrounded
X. began to examine
us. Monsieur
the lines in our hands, telling
that he had made a study
us
of chiromancy,and offering
to tell us if anything of importance
would

befall

all asked

Naturally, we
said

the

no

three

not

"

in

us

the

him

told

the

one,

be

would

hand

sergeant of mobiles, M.

that

is

This
but

soon,

it will not

will that

^How

You

strange.
be?'

be

took

This

will

by

asked

"

In the

close

in November

; and

by

the

what

in

great change
had

altered

him

You
'I

X.,

there

and

carelessness

so

to

took

of these

one

prevent greater danger.

moment

the

I touched

burned, and

it is

only

1 went

on

Bordeaux, whence

to

much

of

him

saw

The

weeks

struck

was

being

able

petroleum

What
a

lad

move

since

all

came

in the
a

room

through

petroleum caught
I had

'Do

he told

into
;

at

agine
to im-

until he said to me,

fire ; I tried to

hogshead.

two

went

we

of 1870.

him, without

hogsheads

two

were

and

tell you;

cannot

of Monsieur
X. ?
predictions
months
Two
me
Avas, unhappily,too true.
ago
store most
imprudently carried a lightedcandle

where

his

will be burnt.'

the

remember

you

X.

passed by Tours I stopped

had found
employment there

as

see

once

for the

palm of
seriously hurt,

weapon.

Lallier,who
my friend
after the close of the war.
When
to

As

the

be

Lallier.

of the year 1871

course

I returned

the

place at

He

Lallier,Monsieur

no
doubt,' repliedMonsieur
accidentally,
to speak of other things.
"

wounded

be hurt.

not

him, after having minutely examined

'

events.

present

Lucas, the student, M. Fran"ois,

of us, M.

draughtsman, and myself

fourth

should

we

were

of the

course

if

we

the

his

other

fire the

my left side
back
to work

again.'
"

Was

this

mere

coincidence,or did the

463

man

who

had

THE

these

I mention

accident

discredit

to

power

my

in Lallier's

to

get any
uncle's

she

had

surpriseher

at the very

on

often

her

be to her

In

1879

schoolmaster

Avent

"

Letter

to

law, my
she had

see

aunt
seen

my
at

this

plan that

doubt

enjoy
it

my uncle
Lehoux.

was

had

825.

uncle, Jacques Th"odore

Hoffman,
father

(Holland). My

Heerenveen

at the

deep mourning;
might happen, and if they

"My

No

son.

so

beginning of July, Avhen his sister-inMarguerite,told him before his departure that
dren
uncle Jacques'swife and two chilin a dream
my

him

dressed

be very

and

people do,

other

seen

that she made

Eure."

have

may

that very day, resolving

arrival at the station to take a

arrival would

moment

Neubourg,

was

tioned
men-

for Paris

Paul

LXIX.

it in

often

lyingawake,

his dream.
"

I had

subject.

to leave

and

nobody,

carriage,as

the

on

notion

sudden

to tell

the

I have

them.

confirm

or

and

presence,

grandmother, while

my

suppose
a

my

to be absolutely

my

interestingarticles
taken

placein

them

people and my friends,without being able

explanationthat satisfied me, except for a part of
dream, though I have tried ever since I read your

them

"I

I know

facts because

two
took

Both

true.

my

future

"

to

the

chiromancy reallysee

studied
hand

UNKNOWN

in

therefore
out

went

she
in

feared
boat

thing
some-

he

must

careful,etc.
father

Jacques, on July 7th, took

fun of Aunt
accident happened, and they made
and

his brother

long sail ; no
Marguerite'sdream.

days later,on the 9th of July, they took my father to

there.
Part
of the family were
the railway station.
My
uncle
Jacques, crossing the tracks, did not notice a train
knocked
down
He
which
was
was
coming into the station.
his body.
distance from
and killed,his head rollingsome
My two aunts and the two children are still living,and
"Two

"

certifyto

can

realization

the

of this dream.
N.

"

"25

Rue

Medical

de France."

Student
Letter
4G4

at the

850.

0.

A.

Hoffman,

University of

Amsterdam.

UNKNOWN

THE
the

the

deception of

he

X., whom

Madame

borrower.

pected
ex-

January 1st, suddenly died on December

ten
31st, which is proved by a letter dated January 2d",and writthe others relating
to Monsieur
L., which he keeps among
to die before

person."
writer givesthe following case,
his dailynote-book.
We all know

to the
The

same

same

from
be

scrupulous and methodical

There
January 7, 1886.

most

LXXL

in his mind

troubled
other

and

things

December,
; he

Paris

he

as

involved

the

darkened
who

on

chamber.

having been

he

told at

once

said

him

to

'

will

You

lose

your

anniversary. Very soon

nineteen), but you will not
; you

two

of

streets

in

into

conducted

mand,
Lenor-

Madame

arrival,soon
of his

one

in

; and

male
fe-

tion,
reflec-

without

came

hands, she
on

year

you will be a soldier

remain
long. You
children

26th

Lenormand,

father

twenty-sixyears old.'
This stupefyingprophecy, which

"

several of his friends, and

did
on

the

on,

(he was

this
then

will

marry
will die when

you

are

you

to

will have

of

going
the

on

of

one

of his

palm

very

young

1879,

awaited

the

is much

now

there, was

There

Looking carefullyat

in.

is

he,
Urged by curiosity,
house, and, when

day,
to-

for

Ch

Madame

door,

de

M.

In

in it.

to

me

Ch

S. de

that

walking along

was

necromancer.'
entered

law-suit

Li"bault

actly
ex-

gravity.

about

written

saw

M.

afternoon

of much

condition

nervous

in the

M.

to consult

came

"

o'clock

quoted

observer.

*'

at four

also

not

at

the 27th

first think

to

much

of December

M.

Ch

of his

some

of ; but

in the

de

when

confided

family, he

own

his

father
after

following year,

died
short

illness,and justa year after his son's interview with Madame

Lenormand, the loss made a change in his incredulity. AVhen
months
and when, having
he became
only for seven
a soldier
"

"

married
he

when

about

thought he

and
he

was

shortly after, two

came

the
been

to

see

had
me

children

he
twenty-six,

only a
to ask

short

became

time

46G

It

to

him,

by fear,

overcome

to live.

was

then

that

possibleto break
first four prophecies had
fifth would
surelybe ful-

if it Avould not

spell. For otherwise, as the

accomplished,he thought the

born

were

be

PREMONITORY

That

filled.

DREAMS

day, and

for several

days,I tried to put M. de

Ch
into a deep magnetic sleep,in order that he should
throw
off the idea that was
weighing on his spirits that,
namely, of his approaching death, which he calculated would
take place on
the 4th of February, which
his birthday.
was
Madame
had
Lenormand
told him nothing upon
this point.
I could not in any way put the young
to sleep he was
man
"

"

agitated. Nevertheless,as

too

the

from

conviction

that

he

he

urged

must

to

me

deliver him

succumb

soon

(a

most

convictions
of
dangerous conviction, for one has often seen
this kind accomplish an
auto-suggestion to the letter),I
him
to consult
changed my treatment, and I recommended
of my somnambulists, an old man
one
nearlyseventy years of
called the prophet, because, when
I had
was
put
age, who
him
into a magnetic sleep,he had, without
an
error,
esied
prophthe

which
joints,

his

of

cure

with

time

exact

did

and
which

interview

into rapport with

'

"When

shall I die ?'

*Yon

will

now

effect of

thought
"It

himself

then

was

and

They

were

the

at

come

for him.

proposal
right time
entered

Having

answered, after

mind, and

these

die

words

forty-one

past, the day he had

was

from

diately
Imme-

full of

talkative,and

gay,

years

marvellous.

was

pause,

hope.

dreaded,

of those who

some

that

the young
all wrong.
Fate

was
man

had

there

heard

of this sad

nothing Avhatmerely a post-hypnoticsuggestion,

had imagined everything.
decided on his destiny. He

concludingthat
it

had
was

to die.

was
"

I had

forgotten all

October, I received
de

fail to

will

it ; that

about

true

ever

in

; also the

years

saved.

that

history,agreed

his

experiencedsleepersuspectedthe

The

yon

in

accepted my

arranged

patient became
my
the 4th of February

When
he

The

for four

Ch

de

rheumatism

somnambulist, his first questionwas,

man's

die

from

not

the

of the young

state

M.

from

cure

suffered

daughter.

eagerness,

to the

had

he

his

of

by
fairejJart),
had

died

on

an

about

him

announcement

which

I learned

when,

of his

that

September 30, 1885,

467

at the

beginning of
death {une lettre

my

in his

unfortunate

tient
pa-

twenty-seventh

THE

year

that

"

is to saj;, while
had

Lenormand
that

there

the

my

error

papers.

is another
A.

law

poet, and

of the

LXXII,

die

the

by

sting of
He

had

was

an

it

because

*'At last Monsieur

him

to

Martinique, had
"iVb

man

of

written

two

suppose
this letter

testimonies

less

not

de

X.

took

curious,

Lisle,sister-in-

of his friends

one

Ms

finished
; and

sail for France

Martinique,

of the Interior

his

atGuadeloupe,

in the

tion
administra-

charge,which, although

known

destiny!

to have

says

the

any

near

serpents.

proverb, which

this

true.

his work

in

X. set
Martinique,Monsieur
having stopped,as it alwaysdid,

the boat

he declined

situation

good

others, proved

"Having

kind,

fancy to consult a
She
by cards.
predicted that he
X. was
Monsieur
a snake.
employed
nique,
always refused a position in Martiisland much
infested by serpents of

been

never

escapes

time, among

to go

ashore.

board
the boat to sell
came
on
usual, negro Avomen
Monsieur
X., being thirsty,took an orange out of the

''As
fruit.

of

basket

said

one

he

there

n"gresses, when
stung. The woman

was
a

was

the

he

of these

snake,

fruit,but under

killed

may

preserved

Lecomte

B., Director

accept
colony under

the

of

the

one

Madame

kind.

dangerous

and

no

I have

same

Monsieur

fortunes

by government.

and

that

Madame

cousin

certain

told

persuaded

of the

Erny, by

''

who

woman

at

And

my part,
So there are

case

told to M.

on

still twenty-six,as

was

fact."'

Here

would

he

predicted.

is any

among
to

UNKNOWN

Avhicli had

the green

serpent,but

poor

uttered

turned

hidden

leaves

sharp

her

up

covered

X.

died

it.
a

cry

basket,

itself,not

that

Monsieur

few

among

They
hours

afterwards."
The

of

extraordinarycase
next,

comes

clairvoyance and

published in

was

the

same

prevision that

collection

(1896,p.

205).'
LXXIII.
the

"A

of my

lady, one

One
Champs-Elys"es.

'

Annales

friends. Lady A., lived

evening in October, 1883,

des sciences
468

es.
psycliiqv

on

I had

PREMONITORY

her.

with

dined

Notwithstanding her large fortune she was

of business.
Being very active, she gave but few
sleep. Every eveningwhen her guests had departed

Avoman

hours

to

she settled

On

"

her accounts.

eveningwhat
particular

this

terror, to find that the

from
which

DREAMS

the

she

inner

the

habit

francs

3600

or

ing
miss-

was

in
travelling-bag
keeping her jewels and her
immense

of the

pocket

in

was

of 3500

sum

astonishment, her

her

was

of

money.
The

"

bag only had

been

little

certain

that

opened

the

bag

and

was

sure

that

she

and
usual

about

place.

give her
result

edges

the

of the

A.

Lady

she

afternoon

bill in the presence

of her
she had then put the money
back

paid

was

had

maid,
in its

she rang for her maid, who

could
had had time to let all the
but who

that

robbery

this, the thief, or

of

in

o'clock

; the

In her distress

know

household

forced

Nevertheless

frayed.

two

information,

no

not been

had

lock,however,

domestics, had

had

time

had

been

committed.

thieves, if they were

to

put their plunder

As

among
in

the

place of

safety.

daylight the

"At
the

Rue

Berryer

was

next

day

the

notified.

commissary

Masters

and

searched, the wardrobes, the closets,and

Naturally they

''

The

talked

for

her

own

had

been

moment

policeat

servants

were

the furniture.

found

nothing.
commissary having completed

''

of

with

Lady

impressionsas to
accomplished,and

the

A.

""o asked

her

in which

manner

which

his fruitless search,

among

what
the

were

robbery

the servants

were

worthy of confidence.
"Lady A., in enumerating her servants, begged the commissary
from
to exclude
suspicionher second footman, a
of eighteenor nineteen, very good looking,
man
young
very
respectful, very well acquaintedwith his business, whom
least

they had
for he

nicknamed

was

which

rather

Le

Petit, not

tall,but from

his

on

account

sentiment

of his

stature,

of familiar

liness
kind-

had obtained for him.

good qualities
The
morning had nearlyall passed in these formalities,
entirelywithout result,when, about eleven o'clock.Lady A.
"

469

UNKNOWN

THE

youngest daughter'sgoverness to my house to inform

had
her
of what
me
happened and to beg nie to accompany
I had
of a clairvoyant,whose
house
to the
spoken
powers
highly of a few days before.
this clairvoyant,
but a lady in my
"I did not myself know
family had told me of one of her consultations,where she had
sent her

in her

distinguishedherself

her

Seeing

togethershe

us

understand

only

wished
"

future.

She

as

wished

we

to

the

for

came

same

or

taken

have

not

may

the

to

for the

us

the affair in

simply, whether

near
specially

coffee,without

C.
coffee

breathe

to

one

in

second

the

that

so

bowl, and

"

During

entertain

began

this

us,

that

E.

Madame

was

some

escape

no

pythonessseemed to find
mysterious preparationit was

so

filled
moiselle
Madethe
fitted

of the
of the

meaning for
something.
necessary

her

shuffled

the

to

cards, and

''Ah

by

one

it is

but

...

of the persons

introduced
surreptitiously
This promised well.
"

true.

was

had

the

in which

but

the first

of the

coffee-grounds,which, in consequence
strange patterns which
liquid,formed
us,

bowl

begged

surface

its inner

on

scene

passed partly into

its contents

receiver, leaving only

new

to the

us.

A.'s

Lady

we

of

times, after which

it three

over

other

or

and

cream,

or

sugar

to which

regard

of

person

into another

poured

was

we

family.

same

C; for, as she lived

designated Mademoiselle
apartment she had reallybeen the person nearest
of the robbery.
''Madame
E., our clairvoyant,then brought
clear

made

purpose

with

We

separateus.

consultation.

one

us

was

came

that

may

She asked

over

We

there.

went
"

the

predictionsof

As

the

to

robbery, and

in the

house, and

outside, etc., etc.

from

that

admitted

We

ted
robbery commitnot by some
one

thief,his identity

was

what

she

stated

unfortunately

omitted.

"'Wait,' said
the
"

Madame

coffee-grounds,which
She

seized

the

E., 'I

have

must

overturned

am

formed

bowl, and
470

going

now

made

their

to

observe

deposit.'

Mademoiselle

PREMONITORY
C. breathe
her

up

if she

us,

without

whose

servants,

which

centre

and

on

she

and

of

door

into

which

she

seemed

which

is covered

without

it

although
in

'

very

cupboard,

with

wardrobe
principal
part
."
glass; and all this contains
closed
never
why is this wardrobe

of the

in the

monnaie,

there

object!
.

it !

money

in there

it

open

'''The
forced

! and, above
!..

...

scissors

thieves

know

had

or

had

"

assured
"

had
us

It

was

introduced

put

to leave

the

They have not

object into it

some

All

truth

by the

us

and

an

fatigue.

that

of its

this

committed
was

that

indeed

one

it was

wished

We

implored her,

we

bringing herself

'

speaking.

on

go

from

that it

She added

cannot,

idea, to

this

woman

details,even

trivial.

stopped
begged her,

servants

confounded

She

We

imprudent

porteAh,

.'

let her

us

the most

box.
an

separate the two sides ; then, with the help of

the money,
which
pincers,they have extracted

to

told

What

like

well.

bag

have

They

"We

all,how

the

in bank-notes.

was

like

not

in
.

the lock.

in order

is

It opens

wardrobe

which

money,

shape of a bag
.;
is a travelling-bag.

I have

strange

culiar.
pe-

mirror

contains

always

What

seven

chamber,

Dieu

mon

room
bed-

scribed.
exactly de-

her

to

ment,
apart-

her

A.'s

Lady

scribed
de-

the

to

as

characteristics

of

A/s

Lady

either

side of this

doors

'Oh,

"

took

she

scene,

in defile before

pass

wardrobe

of the

each

two

saw

the

has,'she repeated,with astonishment,

the

are

mistaken

penetratingagain

perceived
She

She

sexes

Then

'

talcen

being

ever

the salon.

or

"

had

part in
bit by bit, the topography

as

to

she

again three times, after

eye-glass.

"Then,

it

upon

DREAMS

to

tell

to

theft, since

us

know

which

she

had

more.

of

the

already

of the household.

impossible for her

within

reach

ought not,

English wardrobe,

sucli
471

as

of

to do

the French

allow

she had

any

no

one

doubt

this without

law, which
to

never

be

con-

seen.

THE

sidered

criminal,without

occult

UNKNOWN

proofs,and

by the aid of

never

means.

us
By force of insistence, however, she assured
would
be recovered.
This was
never
Lady A.'s money
probable,since the thief could not be arrested for the
and
then, what
was
more
surprising,she said
"

'

hoo

the

later

years

criminal

would

that
very
bery,
robthat

suffer capitalj^unish-

ment.'
her

Whenever

"

the

by

coffee,fell

said she

had

he had

acted

house

; but

Madame

E.

as

us,

at the

''Lady A.,
to

left

us,

was

her

and

A.

Lady

been

end

of

her

that

ly
occupiedexclusive-

lived

with

she

said.

the

men
coach-

The

more

convinced.

was

less
point, which nevertheotherwise
perfect whole,

an

Petit,for
four

or

; and

assured

surprisingin its accuracy.

her house
dismissed
fortnight;,

Le

three

been

Petit, she

little

in

had

maid.

recovered

never

blemish

Le

We

what

she

more

patternsmade

concern

grooms

persistedin

for this consultation

steward

the

by yielding this

annoyed

to

having

groom,

the

over

horses.

among

her, the

ended

We

as

seemed

service,and

contradicted
"

what

on

him

seen

never

with

we

glance, wandering

year

some

weeks

The

later.

later

unknown

reason

Lady

A.

set

money
for

out

Egypt.
"

Two

as

a
"

been

The

found.

As

who

person

so

the

who
very
"

same,

was

Le

the trial it

Lady

service,

to

was
qualities,

suffered

shown

than

the

capitalpunishment, as
had

Notre-Dame-de-Loratte
was

other

no

Cornet.

of Madame

Le

that

largehouse

Marchandon,
of all his

use

go

in

he

taken

robbery in her house had

into custody. Le Petit,

Petit

in the

had

told
a

us,

brother

Champs-Elys"es,

A.'s residence.

Petit, or
made

murderer

la Rue

coachman

near

excellent

known,

clairvoyantin

the

just been

many

is well

during

committed

had

He

Marchandon,

and

described. Lady A. received a

in Paris
of the Seine, to appear

witness.

gifted with
"

event

the Tribunal

from

summons

the

after

years

to

his

since

they

when

free moments

brother's, for he
473

are

was

one

and

the

in

Lady

A.'s

great

lover

of

THE

usual, in bed, and

daughter

my

bath, which
told her

seemed

she

took.

fifty-six
years,

of

that

to

which

She

she had

that

added

in order

had

in the

after

at

the

precaution to

then

necessityfor washing
by slow degrees, and died

in

she

began to sink
the morning, as

''Dr.

Mrs.

and
had

mother

described.
take

bath

body.

She

o'clock

at four

that

me

this

confirm

can

she

death.

her

at

would

see

Mrs.

James

Thomas

My

account.

Carleton

Norkis.

Ireland."

"Dalkey,

follow.

Attestations

M.

told

and

said.

Lyon

always

again just before

had

her

and

hour

had

interval

an

same

they

the

avoid

to

Lyon,

approaching death,

state

the

for

water

Mrs.

just come,

morning

taken

the

for

sent

of her

next

her

bring

to

then

her

warn

found

had

they

She

die the

she should

servant

Carleton

Mrs.

good spirits.She asked

be in

to

tell the

to

that

UNKNOWN

writes

Myers

in this connection

of
possible
explanations

are," he says, "three

"There

these

facts.
"lam

myself

deased

Carleton

Mrs.

by
epathically
flesh.

it is also

the

de-

ened
threat-

of the illness which

produced telspiritinfluencinga spiritstill

the

two

disembodied

But

that

dreams

possibleto

were

suppose

that the

first

such

found
pro-

also by chance,
impressionthat,when it reproduceditself,
Or again,
equivalentto an auto-suggestionof death.

was

we

that

admit

although purely accidental, produced

dream,
it

disposed to

reallyknew

friend, and

her

in the

much

very

may

the

second

the first dream

that

suppose

symbolic,and

was

accidental, but that

produced by

was

death,

the

was

ganic
or-

some

prelude to immediate
perceptibleduring sleep,before being so in

sensation, which
but

was

was

ing
wak-

the

state.
"There
are

made

so

regardsthe
that

We

however, when

cases,

are

long
date

in

fixed

the result

will not

advance, and
for decease

is due

begin here

to

the

in
predictions
much

dream

latitude,as

with

so

that

it is difficult to

ceive
con-

auto-suggestion."

the discussion
474

of the

great problem

PREMONITORY
of

communication

its

own

DREAMS

with

the

dead, which

achieve

could

we

examples already quoted have

considerable

the

number

analysisof

them

which

has

than

that

in Avhich

the

have

we

moment

and

into space

by

Space

but

us,

is

lacking

Then

for

This

destiny;
as

the

which

causes

that

as

that there

are

all its faculties

,my

readers

from

see

to treat

of the

later.

of the

divination

forced

are

eternal
that

the

effects without

being one

of both

known
un-

distance

to demonstrate

of the

This

curious

impression

be examined.

of free will and

problem
future

exists

state

of these

prolonged

of

surely
by the
principle
as

soul with

causes.

at

once,

what

was

and

I should

size of this first volume,

strain to which

But

sexes.

the human

causes,

future

terestin
postpone these infact,also,has been

to

The

question of

present, and that it is determined

induce
it,in virtue of the absolute

for the

still

the

no

human

is

have wished

Everything cannot be accomplished

rather offer an apology for the enormous
and

The

nature

to
we

affirmative.

the

shall prove

past and

is that dreams

{le d"j'"vu) will afterwards

shall reach
we

him

here, by

future.

whose

in this volume

already seen
we

establish

further.

no

is what

limits of living

satisfactoryevidence.

in the

us

point.

possession,but

the

to

the

go

permit

waking state, and we

investigationsuntil

answered
of the

will

which

as well
prese7itiments,

in the

intended

faculties

of

of the

this

to

our

outside

gone

with

time.

mass

in

are

announced

Ave

is endowed

attention

premonitary dreams,

and

reallyforeseen

to

not
have

these

being

Several

careful
more
requirelabor even
the preceding investigapresided over
tions,

publicationof
the

called

end.

its elucidation,

would

we

For

that

of these

beings. What
have

require,on

developments indispensableto

account,

if, indeed,
A

would

I have

before

all

subjected
important

phenomena should receive a methat they should

be studied
in order,
thodical dassificatio7i,
each section being complete, and that nothing should be accepted
to be demonstrated
except what appeared to our reason
as
morally certain.
to

accomplish, was

The

that

the

telepathicmanifestations
475

of the

dying,the

transmis-

UNKNOWN

THE

of

sion

another
at

the

thought,
at

distance,

distance

us

logical

are

to

commence

world.
.

action

without

the

prevision

the

and

somnambulism,

psychic

for

us

certain

by

these

of

one

medium
of

of

the

future

facts.
our

liunian

being

the
in

It

has

investigation

upon

sight

senses,

dreams

and

seemed
of

to

the

visible
in-

CONCLUSION

documents

The

presented

attention

the

the

embracing
will lead

whole

exists

man

will survive
Well

! here

researches

destruction

the
are

in this volume

of truth.

is to discover

entity,independent

an

as

reader

They are
of psychic phenomena,
range
preliminaryconclusions.

these

object of

The

of all lovers

to certain

us

to the

facts

of the

of his

mand
de-

far from
but

if the

they
of

soul

if it

body, and

same.

brought forward

to

plead in

influence

another

favor of its

existence.
It is certain that

soul

one

distance, and

without

the

dead

persons

whose

Many
been

told

songs,

noises, and

point. The soul can

Mental
suggestionseems

Psychic communication
also proved by a large
and

The

all

herein

given have
by apparitions
(subjective

We
at

act

have

can
a

no

our

between
of

number

and

of recent

who

persons

that

cases

of which

principalones.
Telepathy held

foremost

livingis
been

currents

served
obas

contemporary testimony has

all the

have

authenticity. Perhaps we
their interestingdetails.

are

have

narratives,which

quoting ancient

many

upon

equallycertain.

reported. There are psychic

electric and magnetic currents, etc.

abundance

doubt

pressions
im-

distance.

here

aerial

prevented
numerous,

are

(realor imaginary),and

kinds.

this

as

senses.

examples

movements

different

of

well

aid of the

soul at

by telepathiccommunications,
called by voices they distinctlyheard,
objective),

or

by

can

may
Let

also very

of

unquestionable
some
day with
only refer to the

give them
us

placein
477

marks

are

now

ancient

literature. The

THE

works

of

Homer,

UNKNOWN

Euripides, Ovid, Virgil,and

Cicero, often

from
the dying and the
bring forward cases of manifestations
of premondead, apparitions,evocations, and the fulfilment
itory
dreams.
One

of the

ancient

most

Bible, in the

Book

of

records

of this kind

Samuel.

is that

Saul

King

in the

consulted

the

pythoness of Endor, and beheld before him the phantom of

If this account
is an
the
unreal
tale
Prophet Samuel.
(which is not demonstrated),it at least indicates what popular
belief was
in those remote
periods.
in Plutarch

read

We

the

Cassar, and

the

tragicstory of

premonitory dream

of

the

his

death

of Julius

wife, Calpurnia,

ate
prevent him from going to the SenHouse.
It seems,
in reading this account, as if we
could
hear the voice of Destiny,and there were
also singular premonitory
the windows
in Caesar's chamber
warnings when
have
we
were
unclosed, analogous to the accounts
just
given.
of a virile spirit,
Brutus
and Cassius were
assuredly men
and belongingto the sect of the Epicureans. Read
sceptical,
did

who

all she

also in Plutarch

to

what

he says about the appearance

in his tent, which
promised to meet

to Brutus

where
plain of Philippi,

the

on

could

If Julius

had

CsBsar

been

he

less

dreams, he would, perhaps, have

his

wife.

Augustus

Philippi.
he

though
and

the

The

dream

which

on

of

one

ill,to leave

was

bed

of

had

to the

his

friends
His

subject of

entreaties
the

inspiredat

lain

him

the

scepticalon

his tent.

he

phantom
again

to find his death.

was

listened

better

was

of

battle

induced

camp

was

pierced by

was

of
of

him,
taken,
swords.

(Suetonius, Augustus XCI.)

Cicero

tells in

Tiberius

his

Gracchus

Megara,

which

Valerius
dream

when

of
he

; there

I have

Maximus

shade

is also

Divination, how

on

appeared

Simonides, in which
its corpse

book

to his brother
rewarded

related

in

also relates

At"rius
was

ghost

; also the dream

him

story of the

the

the

for

of
of

having buried

voyager

in

the

(p. 193).
" ii.,8) the premonitory
(vii.,
Uranie

of gladiators
Eufus, present at a combat
in a
killed by a r"tiaire,whom
he had
seen
478

CONCLUSTON

night before,

the

dream

this dream

he

brand, when
him

in

wild

the

Pliny
storyof

St. Martin

Milan,

of

last

death

of

at the

examples

the

dream

day

very

that

of this event

of

from

all dangers,

who

man

killed

letters
of

(book vii.)the
claimed
spectrewho re-

by

Druid

destiny.
day of the

the

on

priestess
death

of

Clement

in the lives of saints.

rare
saw

his beloved

she

drew

wrote

Laura

her last

beautiful

appear

breath, and

{""The

poem

to him

in

in

brance
remem-

Triumph

Death").
Pius

Pope

II.

of

knowledge
made

of

of this

described

by

Grenoble

in the

John, King of Bohemia, who

storyto M.

Nicolas

Jeanne

d'Arc

It had

been

apparitionof

Catherine
Jean

hemia,
Bowas

of

on

the

in the

dying

my
also

person

Parliament

of

century.]
death.

own

Catherine

de

Medici

that

her

kings.
the

Agrippa d'Aubign" mentions

Lorraine,

Monestier, who

de

Charrier, Advocate

predictedher
predicted to
be

Mourrel

the

seventeenth

should

sons

History of

Emperor Charles IV., was told in a dream

the Dauphin (August, 26th, 1336). [I owe

acquainted with

me

three

son

in his

the

afterwards
the death

(Eneas Sylvius)relates

Charles,

how

de

murderous

400) St. Ambrose, Bishop

with the dying man
while in a
that the same
know
thinghappened
Saint Alphonsus de Liguori,
XIV.
{Stella,
p. 75). These

We

Pope

Petrarch, in 1348,
a

of

year

century with

not

are

that

(in the

state of unconsciousness.
in the

his

to his future

conversed

and

saw

in

Athens, and

affirms

Tours

of

by

him

of

care

predictionmade

Tours

of

Gregory

to the

at

Diocletian, in reference

to

lating
re-

place.

mentions

Vopiscus

was

(vii.,
" ii.,4).

house

his burial

killed

guard

to

relates

Younger

haunted

him

hunt

boar

he

premonitorydream

Athys

son

endeavored

confided

had

and

his

saw

had

of the

writer

same

he

Cr"sus, in which

when

moment

his friends.

to

also in the

Eead

the very

at

day

and

at

apparitionof

the

hour

of

the Cardinal

his

death,

to

de Medici.

St"ffler,an

astrologer (1472-1530),announced
479

the

UNKNOWN

THE

of his

date

death, and

own

his

something on

that

(1578),relates
the
he

appeared to him
died, though he did not

tells us,

Montluc
which

in his

King Henri II.,who

by Montgomery
recently recalled to my

Commentaires, of

heard

herself

when

moment

he

that

I should
I

what

me

David

chamber.
little

air, and

The

Abb"

Bezuel

de

famous
die

told

great

He

1G17.

that

is

all

day would

we

with

every

not

for

{Jean Fran"ois
man

des

his

for

Abb"

drowned

time.

some

Bas-Bleus) that
by that

known

of Marie

and

caution
pre-

leave

at

him

owe

Ceti, predicted

took

Desfontaines, dead

name

at

Antoinette, to the

his hearers.
the

predictionof Gazette, because there

be a story arranged by Laharpe).

tells,in his critical treatise

pr"jug"s, that

Saulce, wife of

star, Mira

variable

execution

it may

de Semur

et des

to whom

astronomer,

talked

the

of

to think

Gratien

coach ; and

only avoid having this

could

we

o'clock

ten

relates

mention

not

reason

die in

May 7,

comrade,

of
stupefaction

(I do

sentiments
pre-

"They told me
first magnificent publicappearance

16, 1793, the young

Besan"on

I.,at the

night,he went out

peasant killed him with a pitchfork.
St. Pierre (1658-1743)tells us that the

Nodier

October

rente),
(Cha-

IV.:

Henri

fate, and

night before, and

Charles

If

the

his

his

saw

Tusson

been

383), the following

(vii.,

I should

German

last,at

At

has

brother, Francis

her

of

should

avert

to

at

ment,
tourna-

Villeneuve

convent

death

!"

discovery of
he

dream

at Kambouillet.

the

on

timid.

so

Fabricius,
that

her

by

mouth

that

coronation

cursed

curious

de N"rac.

Madame

by

his Me7)ioirs

be killed

made, and

makes

mind

dying

the

from

is

know

even

at

the

called

was

Sully quotes, in

071

garden

night before the event,

was
pierced by a lance, in
(June 30, 1559). This fact

Marguerite d'Angoul"me, in

the

in

him, in the

showed

of

the

prodigieiises

ill.

was

that

fall of

(by the

Histoires

of

his father

he

moment

very

die

head).

Belleforest, author

de

Fran"ois

he should

how

rich

friend

of

colonist at Saint
480

his

on

Des

reurs
Er-

family,Madame
Domingo, cried one

THE

What

call heat is

we

and

350
The

What

sensation

produced by vibrations

much

as

space,

temperature

is

nearly270

call sound

is

we

silent

by

nerve

tween
be-

trillions.

600

lightsup

sun

Its

UNKNOWN

sensation

vibrations

midnight
degrees below
produced upon
at

zero.

tory
audi-

our

air,themselves

the

of

at midday.

as

32,000 and 36,000 a second.

exist,or is it also another
electricity

prised
com-

between
Does

Science

probablethat
The

word
the

"

it exists

in
he

Things pass,"

Very

do not

we

in

the

employed by

future.

which

celestial

Newton

bodies

if these

said, "as

(It

only to

is

sent
repre-

in

move

bodies

attract

space.
each

the nature, of this apparent force

know.

represent only results,not

be in the same
case.
may
observations
given in this work, the

The

ment?
move-

entity.)

was

scientific terms

many

this

real

the essence,

What

be

may

as

attraction

manner

other.^^

discover

must

of

mode

causes.

soul

The

the

visions,thingsheard, etc., may

produced
effects
Yes,
Let

examine

us

Turn

back

to

then

she

by

not

seem

so.

156.

page

adored
woman,
young
Her father-in-law
at Pulkowo,
hour

cal
physi-

instance.

one

same

in"icd^tQ

loithout the tram.

doubt, but it does

no

pressions
sensations,the im-

his side.

She

her

husband, died at Moscow.

St. Petersburg,saw her that
near
walked with him along the street;

by

disappeared. Surprised,startled,and terrified,he

telegraphedto his son, and learned both the sickness and the
death of his daughter-in-law.
We are absolutelyobligedto admit that "something" emanated
from
This

dying

in the

product, a
and

cause,
was

dying.

projection?
will

this

light,and

result ; but

cause

Can

I do not

her

touched

have

may
of

case

and

woman

"thing unknown"
as

who

the

been
may

this

an

have

effect

evidentlyproceeded
the constitution
think

givethis questionan

that

father-in-law.
ethereal

been

have

from

the

any anatomist
affirmative answer.

483

only an

must

of the brain

ment,
move-

had

fect,
efa

woman

explain this
or

gist
physioloOne

feels

CONCLUSION

there is a force

that

from

unknown, proceeding,not

cal
physi-

ouv

organization,but from that in us which can think.

another
Take
example (seepage 57).
A lady in her own
house
hears a voice singing. It
of

voice
is

friend

in

now

it is the voice of

sure

friend

not

with

communication

is another

Here
The

wife

sees

the dead

The

of

her

husband

wounded.

It

subsequentlypublisheshis
15th.
The

cries out,

his mother

moment

was

her

death

tiny
mu-

he is either

that

War

The

having taken place

to have

He

! I have

dying

was

Indian

14th.

as

wrong.

''Mamma

frightened:

holds

soul

one

the

play and

Mamma
from

certained.
as-

the 14th.

on

of his

seen

far away

date

true

died

stops in the middle

old

six years

child

that

Office

War

was

endeavors

She

her.

to the

November

Office

November

that

moment

same

standing before her, with his

look of sufferingon his face.

or

badly

she

example (page 163).

captainwho has gone out

night

one

another

killed

the

pressedto his breast,and a

agitationthat she feels convinces

hands

on

At

reallydie, twenty miles away from

this give us the impression that

does

Does

she faints because

convent, and

is the

!"
him

At

(page

124).
A

girlat

young

cries,bursting into

and

just seen

him

not

know

even

not

but

that

At

he

"

her

moment

father

died.

dance,

! I have

She

did

ill (p. 113).

was

these

indicate
No

to

us

only let

soul, and

ourselves

by

do

not

the

be

same

Well! and

with

unknown.

apportion what belongs to the

what
We
can
belongs to the brain.
guided in our judgment and our appreciations
that
in
is
created
the
cussion
disus
feeling
by

phenomena.

of
started.

power

some

it is difficult to

doubt

spirit,the

and

!"

stops short in the middle of

tears:
My father is dead

to us
as
things present themselves
indicating,
brain
of
one
acting on another,
physiologicaloperations
psychic actions of spiritupon spirit. We feel that they

All

to

ball

does

manifestations

This
not

is how
every

from

one

all sciences
feel that

beings capable

facts
only with material physiological
483

we

of

have

been

have

here

thought,

UNKNOWN

THE

impressionis superabundantlyconfirmed

This

concerning
active

the

learns

faculties

of the

soul, when

somnambulism.

and

in dreams

brother

unknown

the

tion
by investiga-

death

nightmare (p. 372).

A gentleman dreams

he

of his young

saw

sister

terrible

girlwhom

young

by

fallingout of a window
(p. 384).
A young
girl sees beforehand, in a dream, the
she will marry
(p. 427).
her child lying in a road covered
A mother
sees

he

does

know

not

whom

man

with

blood

(p.391).
A

in

lady goes,

steamer, and

by

seen

this

describes

and

dying mother;

of her

body

on

distant

visit,which

is

(p.404).

person

magnetized lady sees

husband

to visit her

reallyreceives

husband

her

third

dream,

what

she

the

interior

of the

said is confirmed

by

the

autopsy (p.412).
he knows
ing
arrivgentleman sees, in a dream, a lady whom
at night in a railroad
station, her journey having been
undertaken
suddenly (p. 425).
A

magistrate

A
of

crime, down

Several

in

details

visited

ever

situations

in

which

and

towns

seen

them, and

they

commission

(p.429).

report that they have

they

the

have

found

scapes
landselves
them-

seen

themselves

long

(pp. 436-445).

after

Frequent

cases

is

theft

seen

(theseare
All

it has

of death

by

been

somnambulist,

(p.468).
her fianc",
or

girl sees
frequent cases),etc.

these

thought

foretold

are

show

an

faculties

unknown

impression. It seems
reasonablyattribute the previsionof
least is my

sisfht to

I think

own

action

nervous
we

intended

her
of

(p.449).
precision.

with
and

riage
mar-

the

execution

of

is foretold

tlie criminal
young

daughter announce

before

six months

her

hears

mother

in advance

years

to its smallest

persons

before

three

sees

must

friend

intimate

in
to

the

the
me

Such

soul.
that

future

dying
at

we

cannot

and

mental

of the brain.

either

deny
484

these

facts

or

admit

that

CONCLUSION

they must have had

psychicorder, and
convinced,

be

to

illusions

and

to

ages

who

have

taken

such

up

easier.

it is endowed

lead
A

of

Uncompromising

There

to be

that the writers

commencing

to the

us

thought

thoughts,and

stances.
circum-

be

all the

of these

niers
de-

more

ary
extraordin-

prove, I think, that the soul exists,and

with faculties at present unknown.
That

logicalway

may

of

questions.

phenomena

appears

this

coincidence

fond
of a joke, who
have written
persons
that there have been
and
in all
me,
persons
the same
done
thing to mystify thinkers who

have

These

declare

of the

are

hoax

them

is the

fortuitous

will find

may

narratives

end

of

cause
spiritual

scepticswho, not choosing

outright, to treat them
as

them

deny

to

and

facts,rebels against evidence, may

and
positive,

that

I recommend

cases

They
of

intellectual

an

obstacle

the

to

tality.
immor-

mind

of

other.
an-

transmissions, communications
between

psychic c"irrents
no

in the

the after-life and

transmitted

be

can

mental

are

of

problem

study, which

our

in these

human

cases,

souls.

and

time

of

Space

sometimes

to be annihilated.

seems

AVhile

comparatively rare, and not

of daily life,these
ordinary events
and

numerous

have

supposed.

the month

of

add

I have

those

there

will be

able to

We

have

since

than

more

received

transmission

this

to

1130

time,
If

answers.

this volume

went

readers

will

this first volume

to

we

press,

have

186

in

been

cases

of

dying, received by persons awake ; 70

during sleep; 57 observations or experiencesof
from

the

hearing,or

thought without
touch
; 49 examples

dreams

in

or

me

more

inquiry I opened

the

My

1200.

much

are

people,iip

March, 1899, brought

received

cases

that

seen

judge and appreciatein

manifestations
cases

frequent than

more

like the

commonplace,

of

somnambulism

any
of

74

intervention

sight

at

of

sight,

distance, in

premonitory dreams

and

predictions of the future ; in all 436 phenomena of the

known,
psychic order, indicatingthe existence of forx3es as yet unacting on thinking beings, and putting theni in
latent

communication

probablyas

many

more

each

with
of the

same

485

other.

kind.)

(I

have

Making

already
all pos-

UNKNOWN

THE

for variations

and for
lapses in memory,
the imaginationof the narrators, it is impossible not to feel
the sincerityof these witnesses, and not to recognize at the
their essential veracityin what
bottom
they have reported.

sible allowance

for

loophole

mistake, that

such

Assuredly

here

and
care

have

they

authenticitythe

of scientific
confirmed.

with

related

been

have

observations

of the

this, some

Besides

and

in themselves

who

acter
char-

absolute

most

and

have

well-

rightto

scepticismof those who, having made

their minds
beforehand, simply deny everything;these
such
should
reduce
people to a last extremity. And
of the

complain

more

many

as

has

public attention

that

soon

periences
ex-

to leave any

not

as

witnesses

are

of the

some

be

that

recorded

or

may
have

been

as

new

stars

called

been

considered
disco

are

have

of

no

this

to

class

hitherto
value.

now

facts,

passed

In

vei'ed,all the

of

up
facts

noticed,
un-

astronomy,

world

can

see

them.
have
investigations

These

obliged

But

to write.

I intended

make

to

me

much

than

would

space

have

condensations, restrictions,and

knowledge

our

largervolume

confined

more

many

that

so
suppressions,

made

the

of

subject

would

less,when

naturallya larger development of

it was
required. To have been too incomplete would have
I prepared to treat fullyand
to prove nothing.
enabled
me
ing
methodically the subjectswe had to study, instead of touchmuch

been

have

on
superficially

this kind

need

we

What
prove

without

mind
The

is

capableof
course

phenomena

now

free

of these
of

made

In

of

matters

timony
convincingtruths, tes-

facts and

forces

human
the
for

beings

senses.

every

transmit

can

at

distance,

hope that this

sincere,enlightened

thought.
researches

spiritualismand

magnetism,
remote

of

intervention

demonstration

of

psychic

of

impressions to

and

the

greater number.

accumulation

existence

the

that

thoughts

an

much

incontestiblytrue, abundant, and well supported.

most
was
important in the first place was to

is

that

and

of the future

may

lead

mediumism,

hypnotism
seen

486

us

in

the

to

examine

those

of

tlie
nambulism,
som-

knowledge

of

dreams, presentiments ;

CONCLUSION
"

doubles

"

the

of

from

the

deceptions,we
psychic facts worthy

remain
would

world

present very

it

is my

should
not

be

to

men's

interest

of

give one's

entered

time

But

me.

self up

one's

not

as

superior order,
foods

and

at
not

created

like to carry

indispensableto
the

on

hand

one

exclusivelyto

the

work

it is

prudent
subjects,for one

occult

to form
necessary
look
such
upon

main

object i"i life,but as recreation of a

and
curious
interesting. These are
it is most
wholesome
to take only in

most

drinks

but

has

now

I should

might soon lose the indeiDendenceof mind

It is better
to
an
im]3artial
judgment.
studies

which

vestigatio
in-

an

race,

has

minds, but

of those

into

the human

as

study, and

end, if the

allowed

attention

that

for itself in all countries.

programme

the

to

out

of the

experimental science,

recently occupied

Such

of

; movements

acknowledge

must

have

ancient

as

to

new

simultaneouslyan

We

them.

examine
of

until

houses

base

hoaxes, and
who

haunted

ifestations
man-

being touched ; sorcery, magic, etc.,

forth, settingaside superstitions,
errors,

this time

From

there

dead

apparitionsand

these

objects without
etc.

livingpersons

some

which

small

quantities. On the other hand, our earth turns very

I hope, nevertheless,
fast,and days pass away like dreams.
to give myself the
scientific pleasure of studying a portion
of these
man
not
canmysteries, and perhaps what one
do may
be done
by others.
Every one
bring his
may
little stone

author

Every
what
do

we

know.

know

; but

tell what
Then

let

we

know

about

the

very

that

I have

in

even

of

future

amid.
pyr-

our

every-day life

shows

world, in which
little,and
It

ought

we

to

never

know.

not

limitation

of nature.

construction

charge of souls. We ought only to tell

Perhaps we ought not always to tell all we

psychicfacts

invincible

an

the

lay up knowledge,

us

of

in

is in

do

we

collection
of

assist

to

let
us

us

that

forces

this

agrees

work
we
are

with

and

hope.

live in the
at

midst

of whicli

work
what

This

we

know

earthlysenses, and the phenomena

is precisely
because
of this state of things

given to

of

our

this work

its
487

title,The

Unknown.

'

UNKNOWN

THE

Let
chosen

repeat with

us

the

as

"There

And

let

ns

of

dreamt

are

also

with

say

of these

one

things

more

are

Thau

for

motto

the

Shakespeare

in

in

words

Que

vie
nous

est

un

degr"

philosophy."

your

Lamartine,

when

devons

l'"chelle des

de

franchir

speaking of

FOR

PSYCHICAL
Secretary

BOYLSTON

BOSTON,

ailleurs."

END

SOCIETY

Rlclnatrcl

mondes

arriver

pour

THE

have

earth, Horatio,

philosophy :
"La

we

chapters;
and

heaven

that

RESEARCH,
Hodgson,
for

America,

PLACE,
MASS,

nomical
astro-

FOR

SOCIETY

PSYCHICAL

RESEARCH,

Rlctiard

Hoc^gson,

Secretary

America,
for

PLACE,

BOYLSTON

BOSTON,

MASS,