Phenomena of Memory. 1 73 



years old, and had remained with him for some years, 

 even until the old man's death. Of this pastor the 

 uncle knew nothing but that he was a very good man. 

 With great difficulty, and after much trouble, our young 

 medical philosopher discovered a niece of the pastor's, 

 who had lived with him as a housekeeper, and had inhe- 

 rited his effects. She remembered the girl ; related that 

 her venerable uncle had been much too indulgent, and 

 could not bear to hear her scolded ; that she was 

 willing to have kept her, but that after her patron's 

 death the girl herself refused to stay. Anxious inqui- 

 ries were then, of course, made concerning the pastor's 

 habits, and the solution of the problem was soon ob- 

 tained ; for it appeared that it had been the old man's 

 custom for years to walk up and down a passage in his 

 house into which the kitchen door opened, and to read 

 to himself with a loud voice out of his favourite books. 

 A considerable number of these were still in the niece's 

 possession. She added that he was a very learned man, 

 and a great Hebraist. Among the books were found a 

 collection of Rabbinical writings, together with several 

 of the Greek and Latin fathers ; and the physician suc- 

 ceeded in identifying so many passages with those taken 

 down at the young woman's bedside, that no doubt could 

 remain in any rational mind concerning the true origin 

 of the impressions made upon her nervous system." 



" This authenticated case," continues Coleridge, 

 " furnishes both proof and instance that reliques of 

 sensation may exist for an indefinite time in a latent 

 state, in the very same order in which they were origi- 

 nally impressed, and contributes to make it even pro- 

 bable that all thoughts are in themselves imperishable : 

 and that if the intellectual faculty should be rendered 

 more comprehensive, it will require only a sufficient and 



