The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-04-03

a rapidity of conviction that seems almost
miraculous, pierced at once to the es-
sence of the doctrine, and, passing from
the condition of patient to that of opera
tor, became sensible Of great internal
power, and of a strength of volition which
enabled me to establish the most extraor-
dinary rapports, between my patients and
myself, even when separated from them
by any distance, however Considerable
Shortly after the discovery of this new
power, l became aware of another and
s,ill more singular phenomenon within
myself In order to convey to you Il
proper idea of what this phenomenon is,
| must beg you to analyze with me the
ordinary process Of memory. Memory
is the production or summoning back Of
past places and events. With some, this
mental vision is SO vivid as actually to
produce the effect Of painting the place or
thing remembered upon the retina of the
eye, SO as to present us with all its sub
stantive form, It's lights, It's colors. and
its shadows. Such is our so called mem
orv-who shall say whether it be memory
or reality? l had always commanded
this faculty in high degree indeed, SO
remarkably, that if but related a passage
from any book, the very page, the print.
ed characters, were spread before my
mental vision, and read from them as
from volume. My recollection was
therefore said to be wonderfully faithful,
and, as you will remember, never erred
a single syllable. Since my recent invos-
tigations, this faculty has increased in
very singular m"nncr. ] have twice felt
as though my inner self, my spiritual
SELF were distinct body-yet scarcely so
much body as nervous essence or
ether; and as if this second being, in
moments of earnest thought, went from
me, and visited the people, the places,
the objects of external life. Nay" he
confined, observing my extreme agitation,
'this theory is not wholly new in the
history of magnetic phenomena--but it is
rare. We call it, psychologically speak
ing, the power of far-working. Blu. there
is another and a far more appalling phase
of far-work ing-that Of a visible appear
ance of the body-that of being here and
elsewhere at the same time-that of be-
coming. in short, Doppelganger. The
rrefragable evidence of this truth have
never dared to doubt, but it has always
impressed me with IN unparalleled hor-
ror. | believed, but | dreaded /; yet
twice | have for few moments trenlbled
at the thought that II also may be
may be- 0 rather, far, far rather would
| believe myself deluded, dreaming
Twice have l felt a consciousness of self
absence-once, consciousness of self
seeing! All knowledge, all perception
was transformed to my spiritual self. while
sort Of drowsy numbness and inaction
weighed upon my bodily part. The first
time was about a fortnight before l yisi-
ted you at Ems; the second happened five
nj gh:s since, at the period of which you
have spoken. On that second evening,
Heinrich h"-here his voice trembled aud
ibly-"l felt myself in possession Of an
unusual mesmeric power. | thought of
you, and impelled the influence, as it
were, from my mind upon yours. This
time, l found no resisting force opposed
to mine-you yielded to my dominion
| you believed" s-....- .' hf1E''i -
1T was So" l murmured family. cd
"At the same time. my brother, felt
! the most earnest desire to be once more
near you, to hear your voice, to see your
frank and friendly face, to be standing
again in your pretty garden beside the
running river. 1t was sunset, and | pie
tured to myself the scene from that spot.
Even as did SO, dulness came oyer my
senses--the picture on my memory grew
wider, brighter; | felt the cool breeze
from the water | saw the led sun sinking
over the far woods; l heard the vesper-
bells ringing from the steeples in a
word, was spiritually there. Presently
l became aware of the approach of some-
thing, ! knew not what--but something
not of the same nature as myself--some-
thing that filled me with shivering,
half compounded of fear and half Of plea
sure. Then a sound, smothered and
strange, as if untitled for the organs OF
my spiritual sense, seemed to fill the space
around--a sound resembling speech, yet
reverbrating and confused, like distant
thunder. | felt paralysed and unable to
turn 1t came and died away second
time, yet more distinctly. distinguish
ed words, but not their sense. 1t came a
third time. vibrating, clear, and loud
Albert, look round, mani Making a
terrible effort to overcome the bonds
which seemed to hold me. turned-I
saw you! The next moment, sharp
pain wrung me in every limb-there came
brief darkness, and then found myself,
without any apparent lapse oftime or sen
sible motion, sitting by yonder willow.
where, gazing on the sunset, had begun
to think Of you. The sound of your
voice yet rang in my ears-the sight Of
your face was still before me. l shud
dered-I tried to think that all had been q
dream. | lifted my hands to my brow
they were numbed and heavy. l strovt
to rise, but rigid torpor seemed to weigh
upon my limbs. You say that was. Wis.
IDLY present in your garden; know that
| was bodily present in this room. Can
it be that my worst fears are confirmed
that possess double being?''