FACE-MEMORY.
[To nos Santa ON THR "spit-mom-1 So.„—The allusion in your interesting article on this subject to the fact (which has been suggested) that "every man has his double" reminds me of the following :—My brother once stated to me that during his residence in London he became convinced that he at least had his "double" by his being pretty constantly addressed for some one else, whose name he ascertained from the almost invariable question, "But are you not Newman P" At last he became rather tired of this little joke, and wished his " double " farther off. So on one occasion, finding that a gentle- man was passing and repassing him, staring him in the face, and almost speaking to him, with the question writ large on his face,—" Surely you are Newman ; why don't you know me P" My brother stopped the scene at once by saying, "No, no ! I see whom you take me for, I am not Newman." The stranger's face fell, and hastily muttering some incoherent apologies, he fairly fled in dismay.
An incident somewhat resembling this, though not quite so strongly in point, once befell myself. I was at a " smoking " concert, when a friend asked me if I had a brother in the room ; to which I replied that I had a brother, whom I very much resembled, but that, in point of fact, he was 120 miles away, and therefore I was certain he was not present. On this he said, "Then you must have a double, for there is a man in the room the very image of you. Come along.; I'll show him to you." But there was little need of this. For, as we walked along the gangway, I saw and recognised my supposed brother ; he at the same moment saw me ; and his eyes- spoke as plainly, as I doubt not mine did also, "Why, who on earth are you ? If you are not my brother, you certainly ought to be." The above are facts, though I state them without any refer- ence to a late trial for bigamy. But I may perhaps be per- mitted to add that my " double " had not "a scar on his face," nor had I "lost a tooth."—I am, Sir, &c., Arts Club, W., September 28th. EDWARD P. WOIXERSTAN.
[We print this letter for the, sake of an. unintended admission in it. Mr. Wolferstan and his " double " both recognised the likeness—that is, knew their own faces. Rather to our surprise, we have found, since our article was published, that many of those who forget their own faces do not believe that anybody knows his own face.—En. Spectator.]
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