National Republican., 1883-03-22
"Tbe Modern Demoniac.,
81. James Gazette,

The striking title of Mr.. Gilbert's book was
suggested to him by the points of analogy he
observed between the conduct of persons
whose brain had become, so to say, thoroughly
alcholized and that of the soriptural demoni-
acs. The account given by n French physi-
clan of the behavior of certain dogs into
whose stomachs he had injected alcohol does
indeed recall the story of the herd of swine
who rushed into the sea for one dog alcohol
ically possessed having leaped out of window,
to fall from height of four stories on to the
pavement beneath, he was at once followed
by tho Others. Some of the stories told by
Mr.. Gilbert from his own experience of the
effect of alcohol on the brain Of human beings
have all the interest of fantastic tales such as
Hoffman wrote. A friend of the authors,
living in Italy--an English gentlemen Of good
social position, highly cultivated, and full of
ambiable qualities-had contracted habit of
drinking, which, without estranging him from
his friends, rendered him an evidently ineligi-
BILE husband for young Italian lady to whose
hand he aspired Her family, however, was
willing that she should accept him. provided
he should abandon drink; and the desired
pledge having been given the marriage took
place. But the condition of this unfortunate
man when he had become habitually sober was
worse that IL was before. At first, II is true,
he had violent relapses, followed by long pc
riods ofmoody self reproach. But he became at
last II confirmed abstainer, and medical friond
apparently the author of the book before
us) had begun 10 believe in his permanent
restoration to omoral and physical sanity, when
one night as they were walking home to-
gether from the opera, the reformed inebriate
complained that aman who, ho said, constant
ly watched him, was now once more follow
ing his steps. He described his pursuer who
was invisible 10 the friend, rs dressed in
black, with black gloves lone of which he car
ried in his handy, and three black studs in his
shirt-ront. After returning home and going
to bed he was still haunted by the apparition;
and he proposed the next morning to address
letter to the chief of the police, represent
ing that one of his agents, us he considered
the man in black, had opened his shutters and
peoped into his sleeping apartment, through
the blinds His friend suggested that, instead
of troubling the police, they should speak to
an Austrian officer of their acquaintance on
the subject; and one of the aids-de-camp of
the general commanding the troops in Milan
promised to station u seminal outside the
house, which, according to its occupant was
so carefully watched by the police. The
morning afteward the sentinel reported that
no one had approached the house whereas
the occupant declared that he had been pre-
vented from sleeping by constant appearances
of the man in black ut his window. At last
he had interviews and fights with the phan-
tom in his bedroom and his servant, coming
In suddenly one morning, found him stabbng
the bed clothes, beneath which he believed
his enemy had taken refuge An Italian doe.
tor who was now called in prescribed glass
of brandy, and no sooner had 1t been swallowed
than the phantom disappeared, Now comes
the really tragic part Of the story, The man
in black seemed TO be an evil spirit bent on
driving his victim TO destruction. If the lat
tor abstained for time from drinking brandy
the phantom appeared to him, TO depart as
soon as brandy had been drunk until at last
constant recourse TO the only means by which
the phantom could be got rid Of had the effect
OF killing the man.