Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-28

days in London without paying me visit.
/ was not, therefore, surprised when on Sun
day evening she appeared before me in
crystal, but could not understand why she
should hold up, with an air of depreciation,
what appeared to be a music portfolio. On
Monday received an answer written the
previous day pleading guilty to my charge,
but urging in excuse that she was attend
ing the Royal Academy of Music, and
was engaged there during the greater part
OF every day. This intelligence was to the
last degree unexpected, for NV friend is
married woman, who has never studied
music in any but amateur style, and who,
according to the standard of most ladies of
fashion, had finished her education some
years ago. l have ascertained that she in
fact carries a portfolio corresponding with
the sketch 1 made of that seen in the
vision" The explanation given of this is
that the gazer was mistaken, that she had
heard casually of her friends newly-awak-
ened interest in music, and that the portfolio
was projection like the Hebrew Elder.
The fact that the portfolio which she bad
seen was similar to that given by the crystal
is explained as coincidence, but it is hard
to believe. The only other way out of the
difficulty is by referring the whole thing to
telepathic infuence-that is, thought trans
ference.
The Strangest in the List.
One more vision, perhaps the strangest in
the list: "On the evening of March II, be-
ing tired, was about to go early to my
room, when it occurred to me to wait for the
last post, already late, that 1 might not be
again disturbed by having letters brought
to my room. took up the crystal rather TO
pass away the time than with much expec-
tation of seeing anything; for, as rule,
when one is tired the concentration of atten-
tion necessary to crystal vision is somewhat
difficult to attain. However, perceived a
white object on a dark ground, soon becom-
ing more clearly defined as letter in a very
large envelope torn at the edges as If not
sufficiently strong to hold its contents. An
other envelope of ordinary size, lying at the
top, concealed the address, and the writing
on the smaller one was too much blurred to
decipher. The vision was momentary only,
or L might have applied the test of
the magnifying glass, which is sometimes,
though not always, of use in such cases,
thought it possible that the vision might be
merely the result of affectation, but it seemed
at least worth while, after making a note of
the fact-my invariable rule whenever pos
sible-to test its significance. AS matter of
fact. the letters were lying on seat in the
hall, showing white against the dark pol
Ished wood, placed there, possibly, by some
one leaving the house, who had met the post
man before he had time to ring. The letters
were two; the lower one, which had burstthe
envelope, was the size of sheet of letter
paper not folded, and was for myself, the
upper one the usual size of note and not for
me, which may have accounted for my in
ability to read the address,"
The question here is: Did the two letters
come by the last post? Were not they on
the seat in the hall when the lady passed
through earlier in the evening? If so, it
was merely trick of memory. If not, then
it was ine1plicable provision.
We Never Can Forget.
These examples are given by Max Desoir,
a German investigation, in a recent number of
philosophical magazine. The mirror has
been varously explained as of magical
power such as can call out the latent facts of
memory or provision, or as a DEVILS toy
which can be used only by those possessed
by the devil. Hypnotism has been called
upon to explain the phenomenon. But these
explanations as Desoir points out do not ex-
plain. 'Hypnotism' and masked SOM
nambulism" are nothing but words thrown
in to cover destitution of knowledge. II
would be quite as satisfactory to say or Y,
for hypnotism and somnambulism are un-
known quantities and have themselves to be
IN terms of the known. The ex-
panation offered by Desoir is that crystal
vision is a form of the activity of
the subconsciousness. Beyond the i'm
mediate cognizance Of the individual lie
both consciousness and memory. Every sem
sation which becomes perception effects |
permanent impression on the brain struct-
ure. "Not only are physical vsstiges left |
behind in the cortex of the brain after |
every perception, but also psychlcal dispo-
sitions to the formation of ideas and |
images" ';It is possible for images of all |
kinds to exist without distinctly attaining |
to consciousness. The lesson of the crys- |
tai seems to be that there is no such thing as /
The fact once impressed on |
the brain is there for life like the impression |
on the photographic wax, ready to be called |
out by the necessary conditions which may
be internal mood or external circumstance. |
Dreams are of the same nature as crystal |
vision. Out of the depths of the subcon-
scious personality at times rise these fantas-
tic visions, utterly defiant OF all rule of rea-
son, but which perhaps are quite as real as
the better ordered images of our conscious |
personality.