The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-02-11
Miscellaneous.
SPECTRE MANIFESTATIONS.

DR.. HILBERT has shown that spectres are
nothing more than ideas or the recOllected
| images of the mind which in certain states
| of bodily indisposition have been rendered
more vivid than actual impression, and that
| the pictures of the "mind's eye" are more
vivid than the pictures of the body's eye.
| Sir David Brewster, in hi" Natural Magic"
goes further than this, and shows that the
minds eye" is actually the body's eye, and
| that the retina is the common tablet on
which both classes of impressions are paint
| ed, and by means of which they receive
| their visual existence under the same optical
laws. He thinks that this is not only true
in the case of spectral illusions, but that it
holds good of all ideas recalled by the mem
ory or created by the imagination, and that
it may be regarded as the fundamental law
in the science of pneumatology.
Robert Dale Owen in his"FOottalls on the
Boundary of Another World, ''tells a marvel
Gus story ofcoincidences that one can hardly
believe were brought about by no other
agency than chance. Mr.. Owen says that
the story was communicated to him in July
1852 by Capt. j. S. Clarke of the schooner
John Halock, then lying at Rutgers slip
who had it direct from Mr.. Bruce himself
He adds that John HallOck was then trad
ing between New York and Santiago,
Cuba.
Mr. Robert Bruce, born at Torbay, in the
south of England, and there bred up to Il
seaiarng life, in 1928, when about 80 years
old, was first mate on Il bark trading be-
tween Liverpool and st. John, n. b. On
one of her voyages bound westward, being
then five or six weeks out and having neared
the eastern portion of the banks of New
foundland, the Captain and mate had been
on deck at noon, taking an observation of
the sun after which they both descended to
calculate their days work. The cabin, a
small one, was Immediately at the stern of
the vessel. and the short stairway descend
ing to it ran athwartships Immediately
opposite to this stairway, just beyond a
small square landing, was the mates state
ROOM and from that landing there were two
doors, close to each other, the one opening
aft into the cabin, the other fronting the
stairway into the state room.
THE VISION.
The desk was in the forward part of the
room, close to the door, so that any one
sitting at it and looking over his shoulder
,,nll ypn INT, tl,o on1i, Tho ,,,ota ob
in his calculations, which did not result as
he expected, varying considerably from the
dead reckoning, had not noticed the captains
motions. Having completed his calcula-
tions, he called out, without looking around.
81 make our latitude and longitude so and
so. Can that be right? How is yours ?"
As there was no reply, he repeated his
question, glancing over his shoulder and
seeing, as he thought, the Captain busy
writing on his slate Still no answer There
upon he arose and, as he fronted the cabin
door, the figure he had mistaken for the Cap
tain raised its head and disclosed TO the
astonished mate the features of an entire
stranger. Bruce was not a coward but,
as he met that fixed gaze looking upon him
in grave silence, and became assured that it
was no one whom he had ever seen, ii was
too much for him he rushed up to the deck
in such evident alarm that it instantly at
tracted the Captains attention. "Why, Mr..
Bruce" said the latter, "what in the world
is the matter with you"
"The matter, sir? Who is that at your
desk2"
"No one, that know Of"
"But there is, sir; there's stranger
there"