66 "duce at pleasure phantasms of persons "whom I knew by intensely reflecting on "their countenance shape &c. but distinctly as I called to my lively imagina"tion the respective shades of three of these persons, I still laboured in vain to make "them appear to me as phantasms, though "I had before involuntarily seen them in "that manner, and perceived them some "time after, when I least thought of them. "The phantoms appeared to me contrary to my inclination, as if they were 66 66 presented to me from without, like the phenomena of nature, though they ex"isted no where but within my mind. "I could at the same time distinguish "between phantasms and real objects, and "the calmness with which I examined "them, enabled me to avoid the commission of the smallest mistake. I knew 66 66 I exactly when it only appeared to me "that the door was opening and a phan"tasm entering the room, and when it "actually opened, a real person entered." "These phantasms appeared equally "clear and distinct at all times and under "all circumstances, both when I was by myself and when I was in company, "and as well in the day as at night, and "in my own house as well as abroad; they 66 66 were, however, less frequent when I was "in the house of a friend, and rarely 66 appeared to me in the street; when I "shut my eyes these phantasms would "sometimes disappear entirely, though "there were instances when I beheld them "with my eyes closed, yet when they disappeared on such occasions, they generally reappeared when I opened my I conversed sometimes with my physician and my wife of the phantasms "which at the moment surrounded me; 66 eyes. 66 66 they appeared more frequently walking than at rest, nor were they constantly present. They frequently did not appear "for some time, but always reappeared for "a longer or a shorter period either singly "or in company, the latter however being "most frequently the case. I generally "saw human forms of both sexes, but they 66 usually appeared not to take the smallest "notice of each other, moving as in a market-place, where all are eager to press "through the crowd; at times however they seemed to be transacting business "with each other: I also saw several times. people on horseback, dogs and birds. All "these phantasms appeared to me in their "natural size and as distinct as if alive, exhibiting different shades of carnation "in the uncovered parts as well as in "different colours and fashions in their 66 dresses, though the colours seemed "somewhat paler than in real nature, "none of the figures appeared particularly 66 terrible, comical, or disgusting, most of "them being of an indifferent shape, and "some having a pleasing appearance." "The longer these phantoms continued "to appear the more frequently did they "return, while at the same time they "encreased in number about four weeks "after they had first appeared. I also be 66 gan to hear them talk, the phantoms "sometimes conversed among themselves, "but more frequently addressed their discourse to me; their speeches were com 66 monly short and never of an unpleasant "turn. At different times there appeared "to me both dear and sensible friends of "both sexes, whose addresses tended to 66 66 66 66 appease my grief, which had not yet wholly subsided: these consolatory speeches were in general addressed to me when I was alone, sometimes I was "accosted by these consoling friends "while in company, frequently while "real persons were speaking to me. "These consolatory addresses consisted "sometimes of abrupt phrases, and at "others, they were regularly connected." "Though both my mind and body were " in a tolerable state of sanity all this time, "and these phantasms became so familiar D 66 66 "to me that they did not cause me the slightest uneasiness, and I even sometimes amused myself with surveying them, and spoke jocularly of them to my physician and my wife; I yet did "not neglect to use proper medicines, especially when they began to haunt "me the whole day, and even at night 66 as soon as I awaked." 66 66 "At last it was agreed that leeches "should be again applied to me, as formerly; which was actually done, April "20th 1791, at eleven o'clock in the "morning. No person was with me be"sides the surgeon; but during the opera"tion my chamber was crowded with "human phantasms of all descriptions. "This continued uninterruptedly till "about half an hour after four o'clock, just when my digestion commenced. I then perceived that they began to move "more slowly. Soon after, their colour 66 |