In the last chapter we gave illustrations of telepathic hallucinations induced by an act of voluntary concentration on the part of the agent. The hallucinatory effects now to be described were produced without design, and in some cases, it would appear, without the conscious direction of the agent's thoughts to the person affected. They purport, in fact, to have been the spontaneous outcome of some emotional stress on the part of the person whom the hallucination represented.
Auditory Hallucinations.
We will begin by quoting two examples of auditory hallucination.
No. 68.—From MISS C. CLARK.
"1889.
"I heard some one sobbing one evening last August (1888) about 10 P.M. It was in the house in Dunbar, Scotland, as I was preparing to go to bed. Feeling convinced that it was my youngest sister, I advised another sister not to go into the next room, whence the sounds seemed to proceed. After waiting with me a few minutes this sister went into the dining-room, and returned to me saying that our youngest sister was in the dining-room, and not crying at all. Then I at once thought there must be something the matter with my greatest friend, a girl of twenty-four, then in Lincolnshire. I wrote to her next day, asking her if, and at what hour on the previous night, she had been crying. In her next letter she said, 'Yes, she was suffering great pain with toothache just at the time, and was unable to restrain a few sobs.' ... This has been the only similar experience I have had."
I have seen the letter referred to, together with three others, extracts from which are given below. It will be seen that Miss Clark was mistaken in supposing that she wrote next day. The letter was actually begun three days after—on the Wednesday—and completed on the subsequent day, after the receipt of Miss Maughan's letter written on the Tuesday evening. In view, however, of the fact that Miss Clark wrote of her impression before the receipt of her friend's letter, the mistake seems not material.
From MISS CLARK.
"DUNBAR,
"Wednesday, August 22nd, 1888, 9 P.M.
"Were you crying on Sunday night near eleven o'clock? Because I distinctly heard some one crying, and supposed it was H. in the next room, but she was not there at all.
"Then I thought it must be something 'occult,' and that it might be you, and I felt so horrid."
"Thursday, August 23rd, 1888, 4.45 P.M.