224 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IV. 



from the Body than at any other time. In fainting fits, for exam- 

 ple, nrcn very often fee extraordinary fights, fuch as may be called 

 Viftons^ fo far they exceed any thing that is to be feen when they 

 are in a good ftate of health *. 



The tye, therefore, betwixt the Comtefle's Soul and Body being 

 much loofened, both by her being afleep and difeafed, ftie exerted 

 fome part of that power which her Mind would have had, if it had 

 been altogether feparated from her Body. If fhe had been a woman 

 of Science, or a Philofopher, fhe might have had perceptions of 

 theorems, which fhe had either never known in this life, or, if fhe 

 had known them, had altogether forgot them ; and of this kind 

 I had likewife fome experience myfelf, in the fever mentioned in 

 the preceding note : But, as I prefume fhe was not a Lady of that 

 kind, all that was prefent to her Mind at that time was the language 

 and ideas of her childhood. 



Thus, I think I have Ihown, that this extraordinary fadt is not 

 only to be explained by my philofophy, but ferves very much to 

 confirm the truth of it, and, indeed, is the befl illuftration I could 

 have given of it. Our fouls, in their pre-exiftent flate, muft have 



had 



• This Ariftotle has obferved in his third chapter, De Somno et Vigilia ; and in a 

 pamphlet that was publifhed in London in 1778, entitled, « Conjedures upon 

 the Materiality of the Soul,' the author relates that he was prefent when a 

 friend was blooded, who fainted as foon as the blood began to fpring ; and, when 

 he recovered from bis faint, faid that he had feen the mod charming fcenes that it 

 is poflible to imagine ; and the furgeon who let him blood faid that it happened fre- 

 quently. I myfelf had fome experience of this kind; for, when I was thought to 

 be dying of a £ever, about three years ago, I had a dream, or, as I would rather 

 call ft, a vifion, in which I was happier than ever I was in my life : And it was a 

 happinefs of a kind altogether fpiritual and intelleftual, fuch as I could not exprefs 

 by words •, but next morning I told my phyficians that I had been in elyfium laft 

 flight, and, upon feeling my pulfe, they declared me to be out of the fever. 



