Litchfield enquirer., 1831-03-03
A CURIOUS CASE.

from Waller SCOTS book on Demonology.
Ii was the fortune Of medical oente-
man, (known to Sir w. Scott,and of whose
veracity he gives sufficient testimony to
be called in TO attend the illness of a per-
son now long deceased ,whc, in his lifetime,
stood, as | understand, high in a particular
department of the law, which placed the
property of others often at his discretion
and control, and whose conduct therefore
being OPEN to public observation, he had
for many years borne the character of
man of unusual steadiness, good sense, and
integrity. He was, at the time of my
friends visits, confined principally to his
sick room, sometimes to his bed, We; occa-
slonaily attending to his business, and app
plying his mind apparently with all its u
snal strength and cnefoy to the conduct of
important affairs inirusted to him, nor did
there, TO superficial observer, appear any
thing in his conduct, whilst SO engaged,
that could argue vascillation Of intellect or
depression OF mind. His outward symp-
toms OF malady argued no acute, or alarm
ing disease. But slowness of pulse, alb
sence OF appetite. difficulty of digestion,
and constant depression of spirits, seemed
to draw their orr gin from some hidden
cause, which the patient was determined
to conceal. The deep gloom Of the UNI
fortunate gentleman,-lile embarrassment
which he could not conceal from his friend
ly physiclan,-he briefneSs and obvious
restraint with which he answered the inter-
rogatofles OF his medical adviser, induced
my friend to take other methods for pros
his L. Il,
sufferers family, to learn if possible, the
cause OF that secret grief which was gnaw-
ing the heart and sucking the l:lc-blood Of
his unfortunate patient.
The family being unable to state or
conjecture any circumstances which could
throw light on the mystery, the medical
adviser resolved to try serious argument
with his patient, and Il, length elected the
following confession
You cannot, my dear friend, be more
conscious than |, that am in the course
OF dying. under the oppression of the fatal
disease which is Consuming my vital pow
ers; but neither can vou understand the
nature of my complaint lie however
proceeded - You remember, doubtless,
the disease of which, in the novel of lie
Sage, the Duke d'Oivarcz is stated to
have died {! 'Of the idea,' answered the
medical gentleman, that he was haunted
by an appHritIon, To the actual existence oi
which he gave no credit, but died never
ihcless, because he was overcome and
h"art-bsohen by its imaginary presence
Il, my drareS, DOCTOR said the sick man,
am IN that very case; and SO painful and
abnoirent is The presence ut the perSecG-
ung vision, that my reason is totally mad
cqua;e to combat the effects of my morbid
Imagination, and | am sensible that | am
dying, wasted victim 10 an imaginary dis
ease.
'My visions commenced two or three
years since, and were not at first of a terri
Bile or very diSagreeabe character. found
myself embarrassed by the presence of a
large cat, which came and disappeared
could not exactly tell how, ill the truth
was finally forced into me, and was COM
PEELED to regard it as no domestic, house
hold cat, but as a bubble of the elements
which had no existence, save in my deran'
eed visual organs, or depraved Imagination
Still l had not positive objection to the
animal. On the contrary, l am rather Z
] ~ ~ S"'SS WIN 50 IuuCI
equaninIity the presence Of my imaginary
attendant, that ii became almost indilfer-
ent to me, when, within the course ola few
months it gave place to, and was succeed
ed by, spectre OF IA more important sort,
or which at least had "A more imposing APP
pearance. This was no other than the APP
partition Of IA gentleman usher, dressed as il
to wait on Lord Lieutenant of Ireland,
Lord High Commissioner of the Kirk,
or any other, who bears on his brow the
rank and stamp Of delegated sovereignty.
This parsonage, arrayed in court dress,
with bag and sword, tamboured waisicoat,
and chapeau-bras, glided beside me like
the ghost of Beau Nash i; and whether in
my house, or in another, assembled the
stairs before me, as if TO announce me in
the drawing-room and sometimes appear
ed to mingle in the company, though it was
sufficiently eviden, that they we're not a.
ware of his presence, and that alone was
sensible Of the visionary honors which this
imaginary being seemed DESTROYS to rcndeI
me. But this modification of nv disease
also had its appointed duration. After q
few months, the phantom oflhe gentleman
usher was seen no more, but was succeed
ed by one, horrd 10 the sight and distress
ing to the Imagination, being no other thar
the image of death itself-the apparition o