§ 6. Of the other class mentioned, where peculiarities of dress or aspect afford the only presumption that a hallucination was more than purely subjective - i.e., was due to an absent agent who, nevertheless, was in a perfectly normal state at the time - the following examples may serve.1 The first is from Captain A. S. Beaumont, of 1, Crescent Road, South Norwood Park.

"February 24th, 1885. (259) " About September, 1873, when my father was living at 57, Inverness Terrace, I was sitting one evening, about 8.30 p.m., in the large dining-room. At the table, facing me, with their backs to the door, were seated my mother, sister, and a friend, Mrs. W. Suddenly I seemed to see my wife bustling in through the door of the back dining-room, which was in view from my position. She was in a mauve dress. I got up to meet her, though much astonished, as I believed her to be at Tenby. As I rose, my mother said,' Who is that? ' not (I think) seeing anyone herself. but seeing that I did. I exclaimed, ' Why, it's Carry,' and advanced to meet her. As I advanced, the figure disappeared.2 On inquiry, I found that my wife was spending that evening at a friend's house, in a mauve dress, which I had most certainly never seen. I had never seen her dressed in that colour. My wife recollected that at that time she was talking with some friends about me, much regretting my absence, as there was going to be dancing, and I had promised to play for them.

I had been unexpectedly detained in London. "Alex. S. Beaumont "

The following corroboration is from the friend who was present: -

"11, Grosvenor Street, W.

"March 5th, 1885.

"As far as I can recollect, Captain Beaumont was sitting talking. when he looked up, and gave a start. His mother asked him what was the matter. He replied, 'I saw my wife walk across the end of the room, but that is nothing; she often appears to people; her servants have seen her several times.' The room we were in was a double dining-room, one end was lit with gas, and the other, where Mrs. Beaumont appeared, was comparatively dark. No one else saw her except her husband. Mrs. Beaumont was at the time in Wales, and this happened in Inverness Terrace, Bayswater. "Florence Whipham".

Mrs. Beaumont says: -

"I distinctly remember hearing from my husband, either the next day or the second day after his experience; and in his letter he asked, ' What were you doing at such an hour on such a night?' I was able to recall that I was standing in a group of friends, and that we were regretting his absence. I was in a mauve dress, which I am confident that he could never have seen. "C. Beaumont".

1 As regards the connection of these appearances with the agent's subconscious sense of his own aspect, I need not repeat the remarks already made (Chap. xii., § 8) in respect of the far stronger group where there were similar peculiarities plus some exceptional condition of the agent.

2 The disappearance of the figure on sudden speech or movement is a feature which occurs both in subjective and telepathic phantasms, and there could not well be a clearer indication of the hallucinatory character of the latter. In my large collection of subjective cases I have only three or four distinct instances, e.g., the first narrative in Chap. xii., § 2; but then it is only in a few cases that the percipient, by speaking or distinctly moving, has afforded the condition. The point was one of those observed in Dr. Jessopp's well-known ease (Athenaeum for Jan. 10, 1880). For telepathic examples [in the present volume], see cases 26, 201, 241.

Captain Beaumont adds that he has never had any other hallucination of the senses except on the occasion next described. This other case, in which the same agent and percipient were concerned, and a third case appended to it (in which the sameness of agent and difference of percipient recall the repetitions of the preceding section), would be quite without evidential value if they stood alone; but they are of interest in connection with the foregoing stronger example.

"February 24th, 1885.