SPECTEAL ILLUSIONS. 39 



for in this case the external object or supposed 

 apparition would invariably be doubled, while 

 the impression on the retina created by the mind 

 would remain single. This observation recurred 

 to her mind when she unfortunately became 

 subject to the same illusions ; but she was too 

 well acquainted with their nature to require any 

 such evidence of their mental origin; and the 

 state of agitation which generally accompanies 

 them seems to have prevented her from making 

 the experiment as a matter of curiosity. 



1. The first illusion to which Mrs. A. was 

 subject was one which affected only the ear. On 

 the 26th of December, 1830, about half-past four 

 in the afternoon, she was standing near the fire 

 in the hall, and on the point of going up stairs to 

 dress, when she heard, as she supposed, her 



husband's voice calling her by name, " 



Come here ! come to me !" She imagined that 

 he was calling at the door to have it opened, but 

 upon going there and opening the door she was 

 surprised to find no person there. Upon returning 

 to the fire, she again heard the same voice calling 



out very distinctly and loudly, " Come, 



come here !" She then opened two doors of the 

 same room, and upon seeing no person she 

 returned to the fire-place. After a few moments 



she heard the same voice still calling, " 



Come to me, come ! come away !" in a loud, 



plaintive, and somewhat impatient tone. She 

 answered as loudly, "Where are you? I don't 

 know where you are ;" still imagining that he 

 was somewhere in search of her : but receiving 

 no answer, she shortly went up stairs. On Mr. 

 A.'s return to the house, about half an hour 



