Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-10
PRESENTIMENTS OF GOOD AND EVIL
Marine Disasters Foreseen by Wofe Pre-
montion Before the Battle of Quebec-Grant Foresight
The Morning of Christ's Nativity
Rv ROBERT HILDRETH

TRAGIC events like the destruction of the
L Lusitana the sinking of the Titanic
bring to public attention instances of that
strange and unbidden power-or rather, eX-
perience-of the human mind which we call
premontlon. One of the passengers lost in
the Titanic disaster n woman who had
left her home in Wisconsin to visit relatives
in Norway. and had kissed her husband and
children goodby with the declaration that she
would never see them again. One or two per-
sons were reported to have Cancelled their
bookings at the last moment because of an
unaccountable feeling that the maiden voy-
age of the mighty liner would prove ill
fated.
Though we may not know much about pre-
monitons and presentiments themselves, we
recognize the words when we hear or see
them, and that is evidence that they do mean
something. The subject is interesting, and
suggests prognosticators like Nine Thebes,
OF Paris, and mediums like Mrs. Piper and
Paladino, even recalling the Roman auguries
and the Dephic oracles Premonitions, how
ever, seem to come also to ordinary mortals.
Anyway, we know them we'll enough to sepa-
rate them from superstitlons like those which
see coming events in the breaking of mir
ror the dropping of a dishcloth and from
such weather forecasts as may be found in
the unusual migratlons odd behavior of
birds and animals.
Before the Battle
The premonitions of which oftenest
hear are premonitlons of death. The fearless
Wolfe, who wrested Quebec from Montcalm
on the Plains of Abraham, Is said to have
had presentment that he would meet his
death in the morrow's battle. Everything
was In readiness for the attack tho night be-
fore. The feint assault had completely fooled
the French. General Wolfe was the only
man among the English who was not in high
spirits He had fought on many fields, but
this night he sent for Commander John Jar
Wis, boyhood friend, who was a naval off,
Ger with the expedition, and gave him pic
ture of his sweetheart to return in case
Wolfe was killed. He made his will and
wrote a long letter to his mother We are
told that In the early morning, as the Eng
lish forces began their attacking movement
Wolfe rected TO some of his officers a stanza
of "Gray's Elegy":
The boast OF heraldry. the pomp of power,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er
gave,
Await alike tn inevitable hour
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
Three times he was wounded as the conflict
ragged, but he died with the knowledge that
Quebec had been won. Wolfes fondness for
the "Elegy' may have been due to fatalistic
turn OF mind. which would not however, ex-
plain his premonition of death; and fear GER
tainly bore no part.
Not all premonitions are of harm or evil
Some OF them are of places yet to be Wis
tied. The following story has been told; II
was staying with friend, a clergyman, in
South Carnavonshire In March, 1887, think,
and dreamt that 1 was one of a shooting
party. One of the party shot woodcock"
After telling how he and the clergyman, re-
turning from long walk, fell in with a
gamekeeper and started into some woods
which he had never seen before. the narra-
tor continues. II had a strange feeling of ex-
pectation the identity of the scene became
every moment clearer and clearer; my eyes
fell upon the exact spot where the woodcock
OF my dream had risen; l was certain that
the event OF my dream would be re-enacted
felt I must speak, and there was not a
moment to lose. I shouted to my friend:
"Look out. dreamed i shot a woodcock
here last night
MY friend turned and replied:
"'Did your
"The words were hardly out OF my mouth,
and the gun of the keepers shoulder q was
stln intently gazing at the. very foot Of
ground), when up gets a woodeocl-the
woodcock Of my dream-and falls to the
keepers gun-a capital snap shot. We were
not little astonished, the keeper. moreover,
remarking that he thought all the wood
cocks had left the country some weeks be-
fore"
The story Is OF very dubious value as sclsn-
- exaAaaes, but Il Is one not unliks srsst