(73) " On the 3rd of May in the same spring [1882], my wife, while taking tea with my daughter, was suddenly seized with an epileptic fit, and fell heavily to the floor, striking her forehead on the fender; she was never conscious again, but died the next day. This accident happened between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. For nearly 5 years my wife had intermittently suffered from epilepsy, but for some 3 months before her death seemed to have completely recovered, which apparent fact had caused much joy in our little family circle, as the poor dear had been a great sufferer. I set this down to show that her death or serious illness was not at all expected at the time it happened.

"On the morning of the 3rd of May I left for the City, and as my wife kissed her hand to me at the window, I thought how remarkably well and 'like her old self ' she appeared. I went to business in ' high spirits,' and left her in the same; but somewhere about the time she fell - neither my daughter nor I have been able to fix the time within an hour - I suddenly fell into such a fit of gloom that I was powerless to go on with my work, and could only sit with my face between my hands, scarcely able to speak to my colleagues in the same office, who became alarmed as they had never seen me in any but a cheerful mood. I was at the time editing England, and as friend after friend dropped into my room, and wanted to know what ailed me, I could only explain my sensation in a phrase (which they and I well remember) which I kept repeating, namely, ' I have a horrible sense of some impending calamity.' So far as I am aware, my thoughts never once turned to my home. If they had, I think I should not have accepted, as I did, an invitation to dine with a friend at a restaurant in the Strand, pressed on me for the express purpose of 'cheering me up'.

"I was telegraphed for to our office in the Strand, but by an accident it was not forwarded to me to Whitefriars Street at my editorial room: so that I never saw my wife until after 12 at night, when my 8 or 9 hours of fearful depression of spirits (as it instantly struck me) were accounted for. I may add that I am naturally of a buoyant temperament, in fact I may say far above the average of people in that respect, and I was never to my knowledge ever so suddenly or similarly depressed before. My wife, in this case, you will observe, was not dead but simply unconscious when my fit of low spirits set in.

"There are several witnesses who can testify to these facts, for when it became known at the office that my wife was dead the strong coincidence of my suddenly ' turning so queer ' was a topic of conversation there. I have nothing to add but that we (my wife and I) had been married for 25 years, and were extremely fond of each other, and we were both, I should say, of a sympathetic temperament, perhaps more than ordinarily so."

Mr. Podmore writes on September 1st, 1885: -

"I called to-day at Mr.------'s house. He was out of town, but his son and daughter were at home.1

"As regards Mr.------'s depression on the day of his wife's fatal attack, they both assured me that he spoke of this immediately after his return home on the evening of that day, and has frequently mentioned it since. The son has also heard one of his father's colleagues, Mr. Green, describe the circumstance as something quite remarkable. Mr. Green told him that both himself and others present in the office did all they could to rally Mr.------but failed".

1 Our informant has since this date removed to the North of England, where a personal interview with him might easily have been obtained, but was lately missed through an accident.

[A full viva voce account of the incident has been given by the narrator to our friend and helper, Mr. A. G. Leonard].

Mr. Green writes: -

"Netherworton House, Steeple Aston, Oxon.

"September 16th, 1885.

"Dear Sir, - My friend, Mr. ------, of England, has asked me to corroborate the fact that he suffered from a singular depression all the day of his wife's fatal seizure. I was in his company most of the day, and can fully corroborate his statement. - Yours truly,

"C. E. Green".

The next case is from a lady who is willing that her name should be given to any one genuinely interested in this case. She is known to the present writer as a sensible and clear-headed witness, as far from sentimentality or superstition as can well be conceived.

"October 27th, 1885.

(74) "On the Saturday before Easter, 1881, my husband left London for Paris. On the Saturday or Sunday evening he was taken ill, at the hotel, with congestion of the brain, and wandered about the place delirious. Subsequently he was put in a room, and although a man was in attendance, he was, in regard to medical advice, etc., quite neglected. He remained there some days, and by looking in his papers his name was discovered, and his family were communicated with.

"On the afternoon of Easter Monday, my sons and my daughter had gone out, leaving me at home. I fell into an altogether extraordinary state of depression and restlessness. I tried in vain to distract myself with work and books. I went upstairs and felt beside myself with distress, for what reason I could not tell; I argued with myself, but the feeling increased. I even had a violent fit of weeping - a thing absolutely alien to my character. I then put on my things, and, in the hope of ridding myself of the uncomfortable feeling, took a hansom cab, and drove about Hyde Park for about three hours - a thing which I should have considered myself stark mad for doing at any other time. I should have been the last person to spend eight shillings on cab fare for nothing. On receiving the news I went over to Paris, where I arrived on the Thursday, and my husband just knew me. The nurse engaged to nurse him told me that she was asked by the waiter if my Christian name was M. [Mrs. S.'s name, and a not very common one], as that was the name that my husband was constantly calling out during his delirium.

He died some days afterwards.

"M. S".

I learn from both Mrs. S. and her son that she mentioned her remarkable experience to her family on the Monday evening. Her son writes as follows: -

"I beg to corroborate my mother's account of the circumstances mentioned. Her distress and the circumstances of the cab drive are entirely foreign to her character. My father was in delicate health, although seldom actually ill. "E.S".

In answer to some questions addressed to Mrs. S., Mr. E. S. replies: -

"My mother had no particular anxiety about my father's health. He left on the Saturday for Paris, and was then in his usual health, and she did not particularly connect her feelings with him".

[I suggested a difficulty as to the driving about Hyde Park, since it is only in a restricted portion of that park that cabs are permitted to pass. But Mrs. S. adheres to the word].

[Case 75 is omitted].