but even those who are in full possession of their faculties, by causing them to see phantasms which scarcely can be distinguished from real appearances."

I have myself experienced a case of this nature, which to me appears highly remarkable, both psychologically and medicinally; I saw, in a state of mind completely sound, and after the first terror was over, with perfect calmness, for nearly two months, almost constantly and involuntarily a vast number of human and other forms, and even heard their voices, though all this was merely the consequence of a diseased state of the nerves and an irregular circulation of the blood.

"It being a matter of consider able importance that an incident of this nature should be observed with the strictest attention, and related, together with all collateral circumstances, with the most conscientious fidelity, I shall not omit any thing of which I retain a clear recollection. The truth of what I am going to advance will not require a further testimony, as Dr. Selle, who was my physician, and was daily informed by me of every trifling occurrence and change that happened, is still living, and will, by all who know him, be most readily admitted as an unobjectionable witness. During the ten latter months of the year 1790, I had experienced several melancholy incidents which deeply af fected me, particularly in September, from which time I suffered an almost uninterrupted series of misfortunes that afflicted me with the most poignant grief. I was accustomed to be bled twice a year, and this had been done once

on the 9th of July, but was omitted to be repeated at the end of the year 1790. I had, in 1783, been suddenly taken with a violent vertigo, which my physicians imputed to obstructions in the finer vessels of the abdomen, brought on by a sedentary life and a continual exertion of the mind. This indisposition was successfully removed by means of a more regular and strict diet; particularly efficacious in the beginning I had found leeches to the arms, and they were afterwards repeated two or three times annually when I felt violent congestions in the head. The last leeches which had been put on, previous to the appearance of the phantasms of which I am about to speak, had been applied on the first of March 1790; less blood had consequently been evacuated in 1790 than was usual with me, and from September, I was constantly occupied in business that required the most unremitted exertion, and was rendered still more perplexing by frequent interruptions.

61

I had, in January and February of the year 1791, the additional misfortune to experience several extremely unpleasant circumstances, which were followed on the 24th of February by a most violent altercation. My wife and another person came into my apartment in the morning in order to console me, but I was too much agitated by a series of incidents which had most powerfully affected my moral feeling, to be capable of attending to them; on a sudden I perceived, at about the distance of ten steps, a form like that of a deceased person. I pointed at it, asking my wife if she did not see it? It was but natural

that

that she should not see any thing: my question therefore alarmed her very much,and she sent immediately for a physician: the phantasm continued about eight minutes. I grew at length more calm, and being extremely exhausted, fell into a restless sleep which lasted about half an hour; the physician ascribed the apparition to a violent mental emotion, and hoped that there would be no return, but the violent agitation of my mind had in some way disordered my nerves, and produced further consequences which deserve a more minute description.

"At four in the afternoon, the form which I had seen in the morning re-appeared. I was by myself when this happened, and being rather uneasy at the incident, went to my wife's apartment, but there likewise I was prevented by the apparition, which, however, at intervals disappeared, and always presented itself in a standing posture about six o'clock there appeared also several walking figures, which had no connection with the first.

:

"I cannot assign any other cause of all this, than a continued rumination on the vexations I had suffered, which, though calmer, I could not forget, and the consequences of which I meditated to counteract; these meditations occupied my mind three hours after dinner, just when my digestion commenced. I consoled myself at last with respect to the disagreeable incident which had occasioned the first apparition, but the phantasms continued to increase and change in the most singular manner, though I had taken the proper medicine and found myself

perfectly well. As when the first terror was over, 1 beheld the phantasms with great emotion, taking them for what they really were, remarkable consequences of an indisposition, I endeavoured to collect myself as much as possible, that I might preserve a clear consciousness of the changes which should take place within myself; I observed these phantasms very closely, and frequently reflected on my antecedent thoughts to discover, if possible, by means of what association of ideas exactly these forms presented themselves to my imagination. I thought at times I I had found a clue, but taking the whole together I could not make out any natural connection between the occupations of my mind, my occupations, my regular thoughts, and the multifarious forms which now appeared to me, and now again disappeared. After repeated and close observations, and calm examination, I was unable to form any conclusion relative to the origin and continuation of the different phantasms which presented themselves to me. All that I could infer was, that while my nervous system was in such an irregular state, such phantasms would ap pear to me as if I actually saw and heard them; that these illusions were not modified by any known laws of reason, imagination, or the common association of ideas, and that probably other people who may have had similar apparitions, were exactly in the same predicament. The origin of the individual forms which appeared to me, was undoubtedly founded on the nature of my mind, but the manner in which it was thus affected, will probably remain for ever as inscrutable

inscrutable as the origin of thought and reflection. After the first day, the form of the deceased person no more appeared, but in its place, there appeared many other phantasms, sometimes representing acquaintances, but mostly strangers, those whom I knew were composed of living and deceased persons, but the number of the latter was comparatively small. I observed the persons with whom I daily conversed did not appear as phantasms, these representing chiefly persons who lived at some distance from me. I attempted to produce at pleasure phantasms of persons whom I knew by intensely reflecting on their countenance, shape, &c. but distinctly as I called to my lively imagination the respective shades of three of these persons, I still laboured in vain to make them appear to me as phantasms, though I had before involuntarily seen them in that manger, and perceived them some time after, when I least thought of them. The phantoms appeared to me contrary to my inclination, as if they were presented to me from without, like the phenomena of nature, though they existed no where but within my mind. I could at the same time distinguish between phantasms and real objects, and the calmness with which I examined them, enabled me to avoid the commission of the smallest mistake. I knew exactly when it only appeared to me that the door was opening and a phantasm entering the room, and when it actually opened, and a real person entered.

"These phantasms appeared equally clear and distinct at all times and under all circumstances, both

when I was by myself and when I was in company, and as well in the day as at night, and in my own house as well as abroad; they were, however, less frequent when I was in the house of a friend, and rarely appeared to me in the street; when I shut my eyes these phantasms would sometimes disappear entirely, though there were instances when I beheld them with my eyes closed; yet when they disappeared on such occasions, they generally reappeared when I opened my eyes. I conversed sometimes with my physician and my wife of the phantasins which at the moment surrounded me; they appeared more frequently walking than at rest, nor were they constantly present. They frequently did not appear for some time, but always reappeared for a longer or a shorter period, either singly or in company, the latter, however, being most frequently the case. I generally saw human forms of both sexes, but they usually appeared not to take the smallest notice of each other, moving as in a market-place, where all are eager to press through the crowd; at times, however, they seemed to be transacting business with each other: I also saw several times people on horseback, dogs, and birds. All these phantasms appeared to me in their natural size, and as distinct as if alive, exhibiting different shades of carnation in the uncovered parts as well as in different colours and fashions in their dresses, though the colours seemed somewhat paler than in real nature: none of the figures appeared particularly terrible, comical, or disgusting, most of them being of an indif

ferent

ferent shape, and some having a pleasing appearance.

"The longer these phantoms continued to appear, the more frequently did they return, while at the same time they increased in number about four weeks after they had first appeared. I also began to hear them talk; the phantoms sometimes conversed among themselves, but more frequently addressed their discourse to me their speeches were commonly short and never of an unpleasant turn. At different times there appeared to me both dear and sensible friends of both sexes, whose addresses tended to appease my grief, which had not yet wholly subsided: these consolatory speeches were in general addressed to me when I was alone; sometimes I was accosted by these consoling friends while in company, frequently while real persons were speaking to me. These consolatory addresses consisted sometimes of abrupt phrases, and at others, they were regularly connected.

"Though both my mind and body were in a tolerable state of sanity all this time, and these phantasms became so familiar to me that they did not cause me the slightest uneasiness, and I even sometimes amused myself with surveying them, and spoke jocularly of them to my physician and my wife; I yet did not neglect to use proper

with me besides the surgeon; but during the operation my chamber was crowded with human phantasms of all descriptions. This continued uninterruptedly till about half an hour after four o'clock, just when my digestion commenced. 1 then perceived that they began to move more slowly. Soon after their colour began to fade, and at seven o'clock they were entirely white; but they moved very little, though the forms were as distinct as before, growing, however, by degrees more obscure; yet not fewer in number, as had generally been the case. The phantoms did not withdraw, nor did they vanish; which previous to that time had frequently happened. They now seemed to dissolve in the air; while fragments of some of them continued visible a considerable time. About eight o'clock the room was entirely cleared of my fantastic visitors.

Since this time I have felt, twice or three times, a sensation as if these phantasms were going to reappear; without, however, actually seeing any thing. The same sensation surprised me just before I drew up this account, while I was examining some papers relative to these apparitions, which I had drawn up in the year 1791."

began to haunt me the whole day, and even at night as soon as I awaked.

"At last it was agreed that leeches should be again applied to me, as formerly; which was actually done, April 20, 1791, at eleven o'clock in the morning. No person was

SURAT.

The outer walls of the city are seven miles in circumference, with twelve gates; between each gate are irregular towers, mounted with cannon, and the walls are perforated for musketry. The inner town is surrounded by a similar wall and