THE EVIDENCE OF EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS. [To TER EDITOR OF THE
"SPECTATOR."]
Sut,—In an article in your issue of July 29th, on the evidence required for the belief of events beyond the ordinary experience of the senses, you refer to the instances mentioned by Miss Cobbe, in a volume just published, where the dying man, at his last moment, seems to have had a vision of those who had gone before, filling his passing spirit with delight and wonder. Such occurrences as these, you argue, are not to be treated as simply incredible, when supported by sound, ordinary evidence. But they are open to the obvious objection that the vision might be purely subjective, and that when the dying man seemed to sea his dead brother standing before him, it was probably only an act of exalted imagination, due to the excited state of his brain at the moment of death. Of course, it must always be impos- sible conclusively to establish the external reality of the manifestation in such a case. But an instance occurred within my own knowledge, in which the presumption that the vision arose from dwelling on the thoughts of a departed object of affection was strongly rebutted by the circumstances of the case.
Between forty and fifty years ago, a young girl, a near con- nection of mine, was dying of consumption. She had lain for some days in a prostrate condition, taking no notice of any- thing, when she opened her eyes, and, looking upwards, said slowly,—" Susan—and Jane—and Ellen !" as if recognising the presence" of her three sisters, who had previously died of the same disease. Then, after a short pause, "And Edward, too I" she continued, naming a brother then supposed to be alive and well in India, as if surprised at seeing him in the company. She said no more, and sank shortly afterwards. In course of the post, letters came from India announcing the death of Edward from an accident, a week or two previous to the death of his sister. This was told to me by an elder sister who nursed the dying girl, and was present at her bed- side at the time of the apparent vision.--I am, Sir, &c.,
31 QUCCM Ann Street. H. WzDGwooi).
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