Passing over cases of an indefinite or undefined sense of danger or peril—or of a “presence”—we will proceed to notice some well authenticated cases of spontaneous impressions of a definite character made upon the senses, and especially upon the sense of sight. This definite impression may be made upon the senses of the percipient in dreams—especially those of a veridical character, where there is a definite reality corresponding in time and circumstances.
It may also be made when the percipient is in a condition of reverie, between sleeping and waking, and even when wide awake and in a perfectly normal condition.
This definite impression of seeing or hearing may be made upon a single percipient, or it may be perceived by several persons at once.
The following may serve as examples of veridical dreams. They were carefully examined by the editors of Phantasms of the Living, and especially by Mr. Gurney. Only initials in the first case were given for publication.
“In the year 1857, I had a brother in the very centre of the Indian Mutiny. I had been ill in the spring and taken from my lessons in the school-room, consequently, I heard more of what was going on from the newspapers than a girl of thirteen ordinarily would in those days. We were in the habit of hearing regularly from my brother, but in June and July of that year no letters came, and what arrived in August proved to have been written quite early in the spring, and were full of disturbances around his station.
“He was in the service of the East India Company—an officer in the 8th Native Infantry. I was always devoted to him, and I grieved and fretted far more than any of my elders knew at his danger. I cannot say that I dreamt constantly of him, but when I did the impressions were very vivid and abiding.
“On one occasion his personal appearance was being discussed and I remarked, ‘He is not like that now, he has no beard nor whiskers;’ and when asked why I said such a thing, I replied, ‘I know it, for I have seen him in my dreams;’ and this brought a severe reprimand from my governess, who never allowed ‘such nonsense’ to be talked of.
“On the morning of the 25th of September, quite early, I awoke from a dream, to find my sister holding me and much alarmed. I had screamed and struggled, crying out, ‘Is he really dead?’ When I fully awoke, I felt a burning sensation in my head. I could not speak for a moment or two; I knew my sister was there, but I neither saw nor felt her.
“In about a minute, during which she said my eyes were staring beyond her, I ceased struggling cried out, ‘Harry’s dead, they have shot him,’ and fainted. When I recovered I found my sister had been sent away, and an aunt who had always looked after me, was sitting by my bed.
“In order to soothe my excitement, she allowed me to tell my dream, trying all the time to persuade me to regard it as a natural consequence of my anxiety.