The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-02 00:00:00

CLAIRVOYANCE OF HEINRICH

ZSCHOKKE.

It has happened to me sometimes, on my first
meeting with strangers, as I listened silently to their
discourse, that their former life, with many trifling
circumstances therewith connected, or frequently
some particular scene in that life, has passed quite
involuntarily, and as it were dream-like, yet perfectly
distinct before me. During this time I usually feel
so entirely absorbed in the contemplation of the stran-
ger-life, that at last Ino longer see clearly the face
of the unknown wherein I undesignedly read, nor dis-
tinctly hear the voices of the speakers, which before
served in some measure as a commentary to the
text of their features. For a long time I held
such visions as delusions of the fancy, and the
more so as they showed me even the dress
and notions of the actors, rooms, furniture, and
other accessories. By way of jest I once in a fa-
miliar family circle at Kirchberg related the secret
history of a seamstress who had just left the room and
the house. I had never seen her before in my life;
people were astonished and laughed, but were not to
he persuaded that I did not previously know the re-
lations of which I spoke, for what ,I had uttered was the
literal truth ; I, on my part, was no less astonished
that my dream-pictures were confirmed by the re-
ality. I became more attentive to the subject,
and when propriety admitted, I would relate
to those whose life thus passed before me the
subject of my vision, that I might thereby
obtain confirmation or refutation of it. I was inva-
riably ratified, not without consternation on my part.
I myself had less confidence than any one in this men-
tal jugglery. So often as I revealed my visionary
gift to any new person, I regularly expected to hear
the answer "It was not so." I felt a secret shudder
when my auditors replied that it was true, or when
their astonishment betrayed my accuracy before they
spoke. I can well explain to myself how a person of
lively imagination may form, as in a romance, a
correct picture of the actions and passions of another
person, of a certain character, under certain circum-
stances. But whence came those trifling accessories
which no wise concerned me, and in relation
to people for the most pant indifferent to me, with
whom I neither had, nor desired to have, any
connexion ? Or, was the old matter a constantly
recurring accident ? Or, had my auditor, perhaps
when I related the particulars of his former life, very
different views to give of the whole, although, in
his first surprise, and misled by some resemblances,
he had mistaken them for the same ? And yet, im-
pelled by this very doubt, I had several times given
myself the trouble to speak of the most insignificant
things which my waking dream had revealed to me.
I shall not say another word on this singular gift of
vision, of which I cannot say it was ever of the
slightest service; it manifested itself rarely, quite
independently of my will, and several times in re-
ference to persons whom I cared little to look
through. Neither am I the only person in posses-
sion of this power. On an excursion I once made
with two of my sons, I met with an old Tyrolese
who carried oranges and lemons about the country,
in a house of public entertainment, in Lower Ha-
nenstein, one of the passes of the Jura. He fixed
his eyes On me for some time, then mingled in the
conversation, and said he knew me, although he
knew me not, and went on to relate what I had done
and striven to do in former times, to the consterna-
tion of the country people present, and the great
admiration of my children, who were diverted to find
another person gifted like their father. How the old
lemon merchant came by his knowledge he could
explain neither to me nor to himself; he seemed,
nevertheless, to value himself somewhat upon his
mysterious wisdom.—Zschekke's Autobiography.
This eminent gift of clairvoyance is possessed in
the highest degree by the Marchioness of San Milan,
not only when under mesmeric influence, but also
in her waking state ; her power of clairvoyance re-
lates especially to finding out the seat of diseases,
without any inquiries of the patient. I have very
often observed, myself, this most interesting kind of
clairvoyance by the Marchioness, and will give one
observation that I have made in Brighton.
The second day of our arrival in this town, I was
going with the Marchioness to a chemist's shop ; the
chemist was himself a slender, choleric looking man,
but certainly the most clever physician could not
observe (only by showing the face) any other disease
except, perhaps, liver complaint, by reason of a
little yellowness. I have, myself, made this obser-
vation as physician. The Marchioness likewise ob-
served the man, and in going out she said :—" Doctor,
this chemist suffers from a fistula of the rectum
(fistula qui), and he has been operated upon." " Ob,"
I said, "it may be possible, but on what account can
you give such a judgment, without knowing or having
spoken to the man ?"
The Marchioness, in her usual natural and child-
like manner, gave me the answer—
" I cannot tell, but the moment I saw the man, it
come hastily in my mind that the man suffered from
a fistula ani, and has been operated on for this fistula ;
why it came into my mind I know not, still, when I
see patients, I can always tell their disease."
We were going to take a walk, and no more was
spoken of this case ; still ! what happens ? In five
weeks after, I had the opportunity to make acquaint-
ance with the partner of the chemist spoken of. Some
time afterwards, I learned from the partner of the
chemist that he was very sick, in consequence of an
operation of the fistula ani, which operation has been
performed eight weeks ago.
I was much surprised to hear this, because it was
for me a new proof of the clairvoyance by the Mar-
chioness.

Now, all the well educated philosophical physicians
in Germany and France believe in the wonderful
phenomena of clairvoyance and mesmerism ; they
admire this eminent gift of God, without being
enabled to give any sufficient explanation of it ; they
are also very modest, and confess very frankly that
our knowing and not knowing is similar to the water
of our house-spring—to the water in the ocean, or the
light of our night-lamp—to the ocean light of the
sun ; still we remain in the cheerful hope of existence
of Seneia—" Venit tempus, quod ista, quea nuut
latent, in lucem dies extrahat."—Communieated by
Dr. Mullar, late Professor to the German Hospital,
London.