§ 1. In examining cases of auditory phantasms which have strikingly corresponded with real events, we have two main points to look to. First, there is the phantasm regarded merely as a sensory phenomenon, on a par with the visual phantasms. This, of course, is the sound in itself; which is occasionally of an inarticulate sort, a simple noise; but which in the large majority of instances represents the tone of a human voice - the voice, like the visual phantasm, being either recognised or unrecognised. But, secondly, when the phantasm is a voice, there is a further element, which has as a rule no analogue in the visual class - namely, what the voice says; and this is likely to afford us some clue as to whether a complete and definite idea has been telepathically conveyed from the agent or merely an impulse or germ which the percipient has developed in his own way. We find that the auditory cases, like the visual, present various stages of apparent externalisation;1 but the discriminations here are less marked - it being more difficult in the case of sounds than of sights to decide, in recalling them, how far the impression seemed inward, and how far outward; while even if the special stage be clear in the percipient's mind, it is not easy to find words to describe it.

I will begin with recognised voices; and will first quote a few cases where the analogy to experimental thought-transference is strongest, inasmuch as what the percipient heard seems to have represented the actual sensation of the agent,2 the very words which he was hearing while he uttered them - in one instance, however, so dulled as to be indistinguishable as words. The following account is from Mrs. Stone, of Wal-ditch, Bridport, the narrator of case 257, above.

"January 29th, 1883.

(267) "On the 13th of January, 1882, my eldest son, who had been paying us a visit, left by a morning train for his home; but I did not know the exact time at which he would reach his destination. In the afternoon of that day, my daughter having gone to the neighbouring town (Bridport), I was sitting at work by a window of which the upper ventilator was open. Suddenly I heard my son's voice distinctly; I could not mistake it; he was speaking eagerly, and as if bothered; the voice seemed wafted to me by an air current, but I could not distinguish words.

1Sec the account of some of these stages as exemplified in purely subjective hallucinations, pp. 305-0. 2 See p. 349, note.

I was startled, but not very much frightened; the voice did not seem to indicate accident or calamity. I looked at my watch, which pointed to three minutes past 3. In perhaps a few seconds, his voice began again, but soon became faint, and died away in the distance. When my daughter came in, I told her, and mentioned the hour; she said that was just the time my son expected to arrive, if the train was punctual. I also mentioned it to my son who is living with me. The next morning I was very thankful to get a post-card from my eldest son; ' Arrived all right, train very punctual, just three minutes past 3; but, to my annoyance, I found no carriage waiting for me, or my luggage, only Frank on his bicycle. He explained that they had made a mistake by looking at the station clock (which was an hour too slow), and had driven away again.' I wrote the whole account to my son, but he is rather sceptical on these subjects; he could not but own it was a strange coincidence, but asked, ' Why, mother, didn't you hear Frank's voice too?'

"Lucia C. Stone".

Miss Edith Stone has confirmed verbally what is recorded of her in the above account. Another son, Mr. Walter Stone, also recollects having been told of the incident.

On February 16th, 1885, Mrs. Stone wrote as follows: -

"A few days since, I came upon my son's letter, written rather more than a week after the occurrence. The post-card mentioned was lost, and it was by chance this letter turned up. I enclose the first page for what it is worth, very trivial save for the impression it made on me. I am more than ever convinced of the value of verifying matters of this kind".

The first page of the son's letter ran as follows: -

"Eton, January 22nd, 1882. "Dearest Mother, - If you heard my voice it must have been when I was waiting for the arrival of the carriage, and expressing loudly my surprise at its not having arrived at the station to meet me. I think I told you that Frank was there, on his bicycle, and we both jabbered considerably. You ought to have heard him too".

[Mrs. Stone has had no other hallucination of a recognised voice, except on one occasion, 20 years ago, soon after a bereavement (see PP. 330-2). More than five years ago, she had on several evenings the impression of hearing voices in the room below her own. This slight predisposition to auditory hallucination would hardly affect the case; but the coincidence is of course rendered less striking by the reflection that Mr. Stone may have spoken "eagerly and as if bothered "on a good many other occasions].

The next case is more complete, inasmuch as the actual word used by the agent was distinguished by the percipient. The account is from Mr. R. Fryer, of Bath, brother of our valued friend and helper, the Rev. A. T. Fryer, of Clerkenwell, who tells us that he "distinctly remembers being told of the occurrence within a few weeks of its happening." He explains that "Rod" was the name by which his brother, the percipient, was called in the family.

"January, 1883.