(215) "It was in the brightest moonlight, about full moon, I should think, with hardly a cloud in the sky; yet there was a thick white haze overhanging the fields. After walking a little distance I found myself on the top of a small hill, which enabled me to see a considerable distance along the road in front of me, the only living object apparently in view being a human form in the middle of the road, yet so far off that I could not tell if it was a woman or a man, and did not take much notice of it. However, in walking on, I soon made it out to be a woman, and concluded it was a country woman walking into Norwich. The next moment I began to fear that, the time and place being so lonely, the woman would be afraid to pass me. I, therefore, under this feeling, got as near as possible to one side of the road, thus giving her all the width on the other side to pass; but, to my astonishment, she also left the middle of the road, and took the same side as myself, as if determined to meet me face to face.

I then walked into the middle of the road, thinking I would avoid her, but to my surprise, the woman did the same, so I then concluded to walk on as we were.

"I had not advanced many more steps, however, before instead of a country woman, as I imagined, with eggs and poultry for next day's market, I could plainly see that the figure before me was a well-dressed lady in evening dress, without bonnet or shawl. I could see some ornament or flower in her hair, gold bracelets on her bare arms, rings on her fingers, and could hear the rustle of her dress. She now seemed to approach me more rapidly, and I noticed that, if I stepped in the least degree ont of the direct line between us, she did the same.1 In the next minute I felt certain that I had seen the lady before, and immediately afterwards I recognised her as Mrs. W. I had not the least fear, for she was so real that I thought she had, like myself, unexpectedly and suddenly got to Norwich. I therefore met her without the least shake or tremble, delighted to see my friend. We approached within about 5 feet of each other; she gazed at me very intently as I thought; she held out her hand to me, and I could see her face and lips move as if about to speak to me. I was in the act of taking her hand to greet her, but had not touched her, when some iron hurdles which formed the fencing of the cattle market, rang as if they were being struck with an iron bar.

This startled me, and unconsciously I turned round to see what made the noise. I could see nothing, and instantly turned again to Mrs. \V. but she was gone.

1 It is not specially remarkable that a hallucinatory object should persist in appearing in the direct line of vision. See p. 298.

"Now it was that I began to tremble, and for some time I felt that she was still near me, although I could not see her. But I soon pulled myself together and walked back to Norwich and my bedroom, but not to sleep, for I could not get rid of the feeling that perhaps my friend had suddenly died or met with some serious accident. I therefore wrote to a gentleman in London - a mutual friend - telling him what I had seen and what my fears were, asking him to be very careful, but to make inquiries about Mrs. W., as to her welfare, and what and where she was on that night and time. The next day's post brought me the welcome tidings that Mrs. W. was quite well and in good health, that at the very time I saw her, about 11 p.m., she was sitting in her usual place in the circle in London, and that there, for the first time in her life, she had fallen into a trance which frightened the other sitters very much, and they had great difficulty in bringing her back to ordinary life. " John Rouse".

Mrs. W. has read through the above account, and writes to us as follows, in June, 1883: -

"It is perfectly correct. I quite remember the seances and the particular occasion to which Mr. Rouse refers, when I became unconscious one night, at about 11 o'clock, and on recovery had no recollection of anything but that I had gone suddenly out of myself.1 My dress at the time of the occurrence is stated quite correctly. I also remember one of our circle calling with Mr. Rouse's letter, to ascertain, at his request, whether I was still in earthly form. Talking over the matter with him, and afterwards with the others, all agreed as to the time of my becoming oblivious. I have never had the same experience before nor since then.

*' L. E. W".

[The evidence here will, of course, suffer in the eyes of many, from the fact that both agent and percipient were at the time attending seances. It must also be mentioned that on such occasions Mr. Rouse has seen or imagined vague appearances. He has, however, only on one other occasion (when again there were singular points of correspondence with reality) had anything like a distinct hallucination; and he is a sensible and clearheaded man].

[Cases 216 and 217 are here omitted].