722 A. From the Journal S.P.R., vol. vii. p. 188. The following case was sent to us from Brazil by Professor A. Alexander, the witnesses being persons well known to him. He informs us that the incident is "of a type rather frequent among Brazilian Catholics," and the votive candle seems indeed a natural thing to dream of under the circumstances described, but the exact place where the candle was to be found and the fact of its having been already partly burnt were not likely to be guessed. The account of the dreamer, Donna Nery, is as follows:-

Barbacena, March 26th, 1895.

In January 1894, the decease occurred of Felicite G., a young Belgian lady, who was married to a nephew of mine. After the death of his wife, the latter came to our house at Barbacena, bringing with him much luggage belonging to the deceased, and he stayed here with his children for some days.

Some two months afterwards - I have no means of ascertaining the exact date - I went to a soiree and returned home about two o'clock in the morning, having passed some pleasant hours in which all thoughts of sadness were temporarily swept from my memory. On that very night, however, I had a vivid dream of Felicite. It seemed to me that she entered the room where I really lay asleep, and, sitting down on the bedside, asked me, as a favour, to look into an old tin box under the staircase for a certain wax candle, which had been already lighted, and which she had promised to Our Lady. On my consenting to do so, she took leave of me, saying, "Ate o outro mundo (Till the other world)."1 I awoke from the dream much impressed. It was still dark, but I could no longer sleep.

On that day, the others having gone out, I called a servant and ordered her to search in the tin box, which had, in fact, been placed under the staircase, and which had belonged to Fe'licite. No one had opened the box before. It was full of old clothes and cuttings, among which it was by no means probable that we should find a wax candle. The servant turned over these clothes at first without result, and I was already beginning to think that my dream was of no importance, when, on straightening out the clothes so that the box might be closed, I saw the end of a candle, which I at once ordered her to take out. It was of wax - of the kind used for promises [to saints] - and, what was a still more singular coincidence, it had already been lighted.

We delivered the candle to Monsenhor Jose' Augusto, of Barbacena, in performance of my niece's pious vow thus curiously revealed in a dream.

(Signed) Guilhermina Nery.

Senhor Nery writes:-

Barbacena, March 26th, 1895. I recollect that, on the occasion, my wife told me of the dream, much impressed by it. It is exactly what is written.

(Signed) Domingos Nery.

Professor Alexander adds:-

At my request, Catharina, the servant referred to in the above account, was called to be examined. I found that she was a mere child. On being questioned she confirmed the narrative of her mistress, and recollected the circumstance of finding the wax candle in the tin box.

Jose, a black boy, declared that he carried the candle to Monsenhor Jose Augusto, who told him to give it to the sacristan.

A. Alexander.

1 "Till soon," "Till to-morrow," "Till the return," etc, are the expressions generally used in Brazilian leave-taking. - A. A.

722 B. Dr. Binns, an author of some scientific repute in his day, gives the following narrative in his Anatomy of Sleep, p. 462, adding that "perhaps there is not a better authenticated case on record." It consists of a letter written, October 21st, 1842, by the Rev. Charles M'Kay, a Catholic priest, to the Countess of Shrewsbury. The Earl of Shrewsbury sent'on the letter to Dr.Binns. It is quoted by Dale Owen (Footfalls, p. 294). I abbreviate it here:-

In july, 1838, I left Edinburgh to take charge of the Perthshire missions. On my arrival in Perth I was called upon by a Presbyterian woman, Anne Simpson, who for more than a week had been in the utmost anxiety to see a priest. [This woman stated that a woman lately dead (date not given) named Maloy, slightly known to Anne Simpson, had "appeared to her during the night for several nights" urging her to go to the priest, who would pay a sum of money, three and tenpence, which the deceased owed to a person not specified].

I made inquiry, and found that a woman of that name had died, who had acted as washerwoman and followed the regiment. Following up the inquiry I found a grocer with whom she had dealt, and on asking him if a female named Maloy owed him anything, he turned up his books, and told me she did owe him three and tenpence. I paid the sum. Subsequently the Presbyterian woman came to me, saying that she was no more troubled.