The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-11-14
From the Aiian'ic Monthly
4 Singular Vision.

From the Aisn,ic Monthly
Singular Vision.
1t is constantly urged, among other objections
to the credibility of supernatural apparions that
the names OF the witnesses have singuiarly and
suspiciously disappeared-that YOU find them,
upon investigation, substantially thus A very
worthy gentleman told another very worthy gem
tleman, who told very intelligent lady, who told
somebody else, who told the indv vdual " no final
ly communicated the incident 10 the world
There are, however, as just intimated instances
IN which such ambiguity is altogether wanting.
Among these is one SO well authenticated by well
known witnesses Of undoubted veracity, that,
having never before been published, | venture
TO relate il here.
My informant was Professor Tholuck, of Halle
University, the most eminent living theOlogian
in Germany, and the principal ecsleslarch of the
Prussan church. He prefaced the account by
assuring ME that it was received from the lips OF
DeWette himself, Immediately after the occur
rence-that DeWette was an intimate personal
friend, plain, practical man, of remarkably
clear and vigorous intellect, with no more poetry
and Imagination in his nature than just sufficient
to keep him alive-in a word-that be would re.
ly upon his GOODNESS of Judgment and accuracy Of
observation, under any possible combination of
circumstances, as confidently as upon those of
any man in the world
DIR. DeWette, the famous German Biblical
critic, returning home one evening between =
and 10 o'clock, was surprised, arriving oppo.
site the house in which he resided, to see bright
light burning in his study. In fact, he WAS raih-
er more than surprised, for he distinctly remem-
bersd to have extinguished the candles when he
went out, an hour or two previously, locked the
door and put the key in his pocket, which upon
feeling was still there. Pausing a moment to
wonder by what means and for what purpose
any one could have entered the room, he per
ceivsd the shadow OF person apparently Occu-
pied about something in remote corner. Sup
posing i, to be- burglar employed in rifiing bis
trunk, he was upon the point OF Alarming the
Police, when the man advanced to the window,
into full view, AS il tor the purpose of looking
out into the street. 1t ,cds Ds Wate hin.setfl
the scholar, author, professor - his height,
size, figure, stoOp-his head, his face, his fes-
lures, eyes mouth, nose, chin, every one-skuli-
cap, study-gown, neck tie, all, everything there
mistaking him, no deception whatever;
there stood DR.. De Wette in his OwH library, and
he out on the street; why, he must be somebody
else! The doctor nstinctively grasped his body
with his hands, and tried himself with the psy-
Geological tests of selfconsciousness and ideaty,
ii
were not white, that he longer existed his for
mer self, and stood perplexed, bewildered. and
confounded, gazing at his other likeness looking
out of the window. Upon the persons retiring
from the window, which occurred in a few mo-
ments, De Wette resolved not to dispute the pos
session of his study with the other doctor before
morning, and ringing at the door Of house OPP
posite, where an acquaintance resided, he asked
permission to remain over night.
The chamber occupied by him commanded q
full view of the interior Of his library, and from
the window he could see his other self engaged
in study and meditation, now walking up and
down the room, immersed in thought, now rising
to search for 4 vo'- lie among the bOok-shelves,
and initiating in all respects the peculiar habits OF
the great doctor, engaged at work and busy with
cogitatOns. At length when the cathedral clock
had finished striking through first four and then
eleven strokes, as German clocks are wont to do
an honr before twelve, De Wette, number two,
manifested signs OF retiring to rest-tOok out
his watch, the identical large gold one the other
doctor in the other chamber felt sure was at that
moment safe in his wastcoat pocket and wound
it up, removing portion of his clothing, came
to the window, closed the curtains, and in a few
moments the light disappeared. De Wette,
number one, waiting a little time till con.
vinced that number two had disposed himself to
sleep, retired also himself to bed, wondering very
much what all this could mean.
Rising the next morning, he crossed the street
and passed up stairs to his library. The door
was fastened he applied the key, opened it and
entered. No one was there; everything appear.
ed in precisely the same condition in which he
had left it the evening beiore-his pen lying on
the paper as he had dropped il on going OUT the
candles on the table and mantlepiecs evidently
not having been lighted, the window curtains
drawn aside as he had left them; in fine, there
wac not single trace Of any person having been
in the room. Had he been insane the night
before? He must have been. He was growing
Old-sOmethng was the matter with his eye or
brain anyhow. He had been deceived, and il
was very foolish 10 have remained away all
night" EndeavOring to satisfy Lis mind with
sorne such reflections as these he remembered
he had not examined his bedroom. Almost
ashamed To make the search, now convinced it
was all haIlucination of the senses, he crossed
the narrow passage-way and opened the door
lie was thunderstruck. The ceiling, a lofty.
massive brick aych had fallen during the night,
filing the room with rubbish and crushing bis
bed into atoms. The appartion, had saved the
life of the great German scholar.
Thouck, who was walking with me in the held
near Halle, when relating the anecdote, added
upon concluding, lido no, pretend 20 account
for the phenomenon no knowledge, scientific
or metaphysical in my possession, Is adequate Il
explain it; but have no more doubt it actually
literally did occur, than have Of the existence
Of the sun i'm AimmiI da."