No. 65.—From DR. VON SCHRENCK-NOTZING.
We received the following case from Baron von Schrenck-Notzing, some of whose experiments have been already quoted (No. 9, p. 54). Dr. von Schrenck-Notzing first gave an account of the incident verbally to Professor Sidgwick at Munich, and subsequently, at his request, sent in June 1888 the following written narrative:—
"In the winter of 1886-87, I think it was in the month of February, as I was going along the Barerstrasse one evening at half-past 11, it occurred to me to make an attempt at influencing at a distance, through mental concentration. As I had had, for some time, the honour of being acquainted with the family of Herr ——, and thus had had the opportunity of learning that his daughter, Fräulein ——, was sensitive to psychical influences, I decided to try to influence her, especially as the family lived at the corner of the Barerstrasse and Karlstrasse. The windows of the dwelling were dark as I passed by, from which I concluded that the ladies had already gone to rest. I then stationed myself by the wall of the houses on the opposite side of the road, and for about five minutes firmly concentrated my thoughts on the following desire:—Fräulein —— shall wake and think of me. Then I went home. The next day when I met Fräulein ——'s friend on the ice, I learned from her (they shared a bedroom between them) that something strange had happened to the ladies during the preceding night. I remarked thereupon to Fräulein Prieger (such was the friend's name) that the time when the occurrence took place was between half-past 11 and 12; whereat she was greatly astonished. Then I obtained from the lady an account of the circumstance, as she herself has written it out on the accompanying sheet of paper. For me the success of this experiment was a proof that under certain circumstances one person can influence another at a distance.
"ALBERT FREIHERR VON SCHRENCK-NOTZING."
The percipient, Miss ——, writes on May 11th, 1888:—
"There is not much to tell concerning the incident of which you ask me to give an account. It happened thus:—Baron Schrenck was returning home one night in March 1887 (or April, I am not sure as to the date), about 11.30, and stood for some time outside my bedroom window, which looked onto the street. I was in bed at the time, lying with closed eyes, nearly asleep. It seemed to me as if the part of the room where my bed was had become suddenly light, and I felt compelled to open my eyes, seeing at the same time, as it appeared to me, the face of Baron Schrenck. It was gone again as quick as lightning. The next day I told my friend Fräulein Prieger of this occurrence; she went skating that same day, and met Baron Schrenck on the ice. They had scarcely conversed together five minutes before he asked Fräulein Prieger if I had seen anything last night. Fräulein Prieger repeated what I had told her, whereupon Baron Schrenck said that, at the time of my seeing him, he was standing outside my window, trying hard to impress his presence upon me. This never occurred again, and I believe Baron Schrenck did not have occasion to repeat the experiment."
In a further letter Miss —— adds (1) that the blinds of her room were drawn down, (2) that she has experienced no other hallucination of any kind.
Fräulein Prieger, whose account was enclosed in Dr. von Schrenck-Notzing's letter of June 1888, writes:—
"The winter before last, shortly after Christmas, I was suddenly awakened in the night, between 11 and 12 o'clock, by my friend —, who asked me in an excited manner if I also saw Baron von Schrenck, who was close by her bed. On my objecting that she had been dreaming, and should now quietly go to sleep again, she repeated that she had been completely awake, and had seen Baron von Schrenck so close to her that she could have caught hold of his beard. By degrees she quieted herself, and we both went to sleep.
"The following day, on my way home from the ice, I told Baron von Schrenck of this exciting nocturnal scene, and noticed to my not slight astonishment that he seemed greatly rejoiced, as though over a successful experiment which had received its completion in what I communicated to him. "LINA PRIEGER.
"Gubelsbergerstrasse, 15 I."
It is much to be regretted that none of the persons concerned thought it worth while to write down an account of the incident at the time. It will be observed that even in the comparatively short interval—little more than a year—which elapsed before this was done, one slight discrepancy, as to the time at which Fräulein Prieger was told of the impression, has crept into the narrative. But it seems clear that Miss —— told her experience before Fräulein Prieger met Baron von Schrenck-Notzing.
In the next two cases also the result here recorded is one of many successful experiments in thought-transference made by the agent (see Chapter XV.).