[18] Voltaire, in his philosophical dictionary, treating the Bible and ghosts with equal ridicule, says that the latter, “used to hie away at the crowing of the cock.” The same was the idea of Shakespeare in his ghost of Hamlet, “Adieu, the glow worm shews the morning to be near.” But this we now see, is not always the case.
[19] These two, by their own desire, had obtained a promise that they should not see her. There were several such instances at different times.
[20] A place in the house most distant from that of the Spectre.
[21] This meeting was the wedding. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it. One infinitely greater than this Spectre, attended the marriage at Cana in Galilee.
[22] In about an hour after she appeared to forty of this assembly. But I must here also insert a particular observation of Dr. Rush in his chapter of illusions; “When a person fancies that he hears voices and sees objects, which do not exist, he has these sensations alone. The voice supposed to be heard, says he, and the objects supposed to be seen, are never heard nor seen by two persons, even when they are close to each other.”—Disease of the Mind, chapter 15.
The inference then is certain, with respect to those witnesses, that no mental disease could be the true origin of their hearing and vision.
[23] This only means that they were together at a little distance from the rest of the company in the same apartment.
[24] She then expressed not only her own feelings but those of the family. The idea of a Spectre coming into the room, where they commonly were, was distressing to them, as already observed.
[25] I find no evidence that these two went without others.
[26] This experience is testified by all who saw and heard.