222 Account of a remarkable case of Spectral Illusmn. 



story of any person having suffered severe pain by accident 

 or otherwise, will occasionally produce acute twinges of pain 

 in the corresponding parts of her person. An account, for in- 

 stance, of the amputation of an arm, will produce an instan- 

 taneous and severe sense of pain in her own arm, and so of 

 other relations. She is subject to talk in her sleep with greal 

 fluency, to repeat poetry very much at length, particularly 

 when unwell, and even to cay verses for half an hour togou'ev, 

 never failing to quote lines beginning with the final Icite: of 

 the preceding, till her memory is exhausted. 



" She has, during the last six weeks, been considerably ledu- 

 ced and weakened by a tiresome cough, which has also added 

 to her weakness, by preventing the taking of a diiily tonic, to 

 which she had been for some time accustomed. She had also 

 confined herself from this cause to the house for some vveeks, 

 which is not usual with her, being accustomed to take a great 

 deal of air and exercise. Her general health has not been 

 strong for some time past, and a long experience has proved, 

 beyond a doubt, that her ill health is attributable to a disorder- 

 ed state of the digestive organs. These details are necessary 

 for a complete understanding of this case, which strikes me 

 as being one of remarkable interest, from combining the char- 

 acters of an ordinary ghost story with those of an indubitable 

 illusion ; as well as from the circumstance occurring to a per- 

 son of strong mind, devoid of any superstitious fancies, and to 

 be implicitly relied on for the truth of all the minutest details 

 of the appearances. Indeed, I do not recollect any well au- 

 thenticated and recent instance of auricular delusion like the 

 first of those I have related ; though, of course, the warning 

 voices and sounds which have frightened so many weak per- 

 sons into their graves, must have been of this nature. Mrs 

 tells me, that about ten years ago a similar circum- 

 stance happened to her when residing at Florence, and in per- 

 fect health. While undressing after a ball, she heard a voice 

 call her repeatedly by name, and was at that time unable to 

 account for the fact. * 



January 10, 1830. 



• Since sending this remarkable account to press, the F.clitor transmitted 

 a printed copy of it to Dr Hibbert, who unites with him in his opinion 



