The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1888-02-16
familiar. Even where several persons

familiar. Even where several persons
have seen, or seem To see, one and the
same vision science is at no loss to ex-
plain the illusion, because it is well
known that the thought Of one mind
is suggested readily in such cases to
another mind liable TO similar impress
sions. Consider, for instance, the
well-known story of the wldower who
thought he saw in the dusk Of evening
the fJrm of his late wife lonly recently
deceased) sitting in garden chair.
He called one Of his daughters and
asked in awe. stricken tones whom she
saw sitting there. And the daughter
saw her mother. Another daughter
being called, was singalarly impressed
With the thought that her mother sat
III the char which in life she had been
wont to occupy; but when summoning
up his resolution, he went forth into
he garden to speak to his late de-
parted saint, 10. he found not her in
her habit as she lived, but her garden
dress, which maid had placed over
the seat 1t is when we turn to Wis.
lons Of living persons, or to thoughts
and suggestions relating TO living per-
SONS, at distance from the person
affected by the vision or impression,
that We find evidence most difficult
to deal with and the results not only
difficult TO explain, but not altogether
satisfactory for discussion, because the
number Of those who welcome the dis.
cussion Of all such matters with ridi-
cule enormously exceeds the number
of tie more sensible. If spectral ap-
pearanees we're common it might, Of
course, be justly reasoned that among
such appearances some might be ex-
pected to correspond in time and cir
cumstances (as in the case Of the drip
ping speeter of the Drowning mau)
with the death Of the particular rela-
tive or friend seen or in whom the per-
son affected is nlpst specially inter
esied. But tins is mot the case.
These experiences are 80 exceptional
as To excite special attention when they
occur; while whenever they do occur
an event Of speeid kind oecurs to
correspond both AS to time aud per-
son. THIS being the case, the argu-
ment from coincidence logically dem
onstraies eansaI not casual connection.
But. as l suggesied at tho outset, the
trouble is that we can not understand
how there eau be any csusal associa'
ton in these cases Nothing as yet
known To the student of science en
ables him to explain how the anguish
of a ia one part Of the earth can move
b To sympathetic anguish i'll another.
! am utterly unable to suggest any
explanation The theory of brain
waves suggested by the present editor
Of the Nineteenth Century several
years ago, IN reference to "A story re-
lated by Tennyson about an appari-
ton Of the kind we are considering, is
simply no explanation at all. l: Is an
attemp. to explain obscurum per OBJ
scurius. The only path to an explain
alton that seems worth trying is that
on which Professor Barrett and others
have attempted to advance inquiry,
namely, as TO the influence of mind on
mind under test conditions. And un-
fortunately, while this path is infested
| by charlatanism and trickery, what
has been thus far disclosed with more
or less clearness in this direction has
been of little promise. In fine, 1t ap-
pears to ms that the evidence regard
ing the communication of impressions
from mind to mind over great dist
ances, in such sort that apparitions Of
distant persons dying or suffering
seem to be seen by their friends or rel
atiyes, is too strong tn be rejected by
aay conscientious student OF facts.
Even the most cautious student of
science may well believe that there
may be some means of communication,
under special conditions, between
mind and mind at distance, though
no one may be able to explain how
such communication is brought about.
Professor Richard a Proctor, in The
Cosmopolitan.
On February lst, at Cincinnati, the