Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-11-01
Vivid Mental Representation,


the sun when he WAS in the dark by intense d.
rection OF his mind 60 the idea OF IT, las when ,
ulan iooks earnestly 10 see thing which l. dim
cult To be seen" Dickens used 60 allegr that ne
sometimes heard the Characters of his novels
actually speak 20 him; and great French move
nst declared that when he wrote the de,rrtp-
uCn OF the poisoning OF one OF his characterS he
, rrau VIZ TASTE OF arsenic 80 distinctly in hts
mouth that he was himself poisoned had A "
we're attack OF Indigestion, and yomited All nj,
ulhner-a most pregnant proof Of the power az
imagination over sense, because arsenic has
scarcely an appreciate taste beyond beiny
sweetlsh! Artists sometimes have, In an in
tense form, the faculty of such Nidid mental
representation a 10 become mental pr,a,ents
ton. IL was very notable in that extraoni,
nary genius, William Blake. poet and painte-
who used constantly Ia see his conceptions AZ
actual images or visions. You have only" he
said Ito work up Imagination Ia the state OF
vision ana the thing Is done" The power Is
without doubt, consistent with perfect sanity ~
mind. although Il may be doubtful whether a
person who thought il right for himself and mi,
wife TO Initiate the naked Innocence OF Paradise
in the back garden of Lambeth houSn a.
Blake did. was quite Sane but too frequent ex-
erciSe OF the power Is full OF peril Ia the mind,
stability. A person may call up images in thi,
way, and they Will come hut he may not b.
able 10 dismiss them, and they may haunt him
when he would gladly be rid OF them He il
Ike the Sorcerer who has called spirits from the
Vastly deep, and has forgotten the spell by
which TO lay them again. DIR. Wigan tells OF a
Shillful painter whom he knew. who assured
him that he had once painted three hundred
and success was that he required hut one SIT
ting, and painted with wonderful facility.
when sitter came" he said. Il looked M
him attentiYely for half an hour. Skcsching from
time TO time on the canvas. wanted no more.
put away my cany as and took another sitter
When wishedto Resume my rirst portrait,
took the man and set him in the CHAIR wherq, 1
saw him as distinctly as II he had been before,
me in his own proper person. may almost ssy
more wildly looked from time 10 time al
my imaginary figure, then referred 20 tbs.
cCuntenanee, and 50 on, Just a. I should haVf
done had the sitter been there w. $50
at tie chair saw the nan GraSyaij.
ao.. gun :" "-,e the distinction between the inn
nary inquire and the real person, and some
Times disputed with SittcrS that they had been
with ne the day before. AT last was sure Of
IL, ana then-and then-all is confusion SID
| pose they took the alarm. / recollect nothing
more. Host my SenseS-was thirty years in an
| asylum The whole period. except the last six
months OF my confinement. Is dead blank in
| my memory" or, IL the person does not go out
| OF his mind he may he so distressed by the per
| siStence OF the apparition which lac has created
| as 10 1all INTO melancholy and despair, and eyea
TO commit suicide. . Knew" SAYS the same
| author, "a very intelligent and ainiable man
who had the power OF thus placing before his
own eyes himself, and often laughed heartily al.
ms double, who always seemed 10 laugh in turn.
This was long subject of amusement and
joke; but the ultimate result was lamentable
lie became gradually convinced that he was
haunted by himself The other self would
argue with him pertinaciouSly. and. To his great
modification, sometimes Tefute him. which az
he was very proud of his logical powers hui
inflated him exceedingly. He was eccentric
but was never placed in confinement, or sub
| Jected TO the slightest restraint. At length.
| worn out by the annoyance, he deliberately re-
| solved not TO enter on another year OF exlS-
tence-paid all his debts, wrapped up In separ-
| ate papers the amount OF the weekly demands
waited, pistol in hand, the night of 3lst OF de-
cember. and as the clock struck twelve fired il
into his Notwithstanding RerieT.