THE BORDERLAND OF SCIENCE. 



recognising coincidence as demonstrative of associa- 

 tion. 



Not to take any more scientific instances, of which 

 perhaps I have already said enough, let us consider 

 the case of presentiments of death or misfortune. 

 Here, in the first place, the coincidences which have 

 been recorded are not so remarkable as might at first 

 sight appear, simply because such presentiments are 

 very common indeed. A certain not unusual condition 

 of health, the pressure of not uncommon difficulties or 

 dangers, depression arising from atmospheric and other 

 causes, many circumstances, in fact, may suggest (and 

 do notoriously suggest) such presentiments. That 

 some presentiments out of very many thus arising 

 should be fulfilled is not to be regarded as surprising 

 on the contrary, the reverse would be very remarkable. 

 But again a presentiment may be founded on facts, 

 known to the person concerned, which may fully justify 

 the presentiment. 'Sometimes,' says De Morgan on 

 this point, ' there is no mystery to those who have 

 the clue.' He cites instances. 'In the Gentleman s 

 Magazine (vol. 80, part 2, p. 33) we read, the subject 

 being presentiment of death, as follows : "In 1718, to 

 come nearer the recollection of survivors, at the 

 taking of Pondicherry, Captain John Fletcher, Captain 

 De Morgan " ; (De Morgan's grandfather) '"and 

 Lieutenant Bosanquet each distinctly foretold his own 

 death on the morning of his fate.' I have no doubt of 

 all three ; and I knew it of my grandfather long before 

 I read the above passage. He saw that the battery he 



