645 A. The following case of repeated apparitions is taken from Phantasms of the Living, vol. ii. p. 82, the account being given by the Rev. T. L. Williams, vicar of Porthleven, near Helston.

August 1st, 1884.

Some years ago (I cannot give you any date, but you may rely on the facts), on one occasion when I was absent from home, my wife awoke one morning, and to her surprise and alarm saw my εlδov standing by the bedside looking at her. In her fright she covered her face with the bedclothes, and when she ventured to look again the appearance was gone. On another occasion, when I was not absent from home, my wife went one evening to week-day evensong, and on getting to the churchyard gate, which is about forty yards or so from the church door, she saw me, as she supposed, coming from the church in surplice and stole. I came a little way, she says, and turned round the corner of the building, when she lost sight of me. The idea suggested to her mind was that I was coming out of the church to meet a funeral at the gate. I was at the time in church in my place in the choir, where she was much surprised to see me when she entered the building. I have often endeavoured to shake my wifés belief in the reality of her having seen what she thinks she saw. In the former case I have told her, "You were only half awake and perhaps dreaming." But she always confidently asserts that she was broad awake, and is quite certain that she saw me.

In the latter case she is equally confident.

My daughter, also has often told me, and now repeats the story, that one day, when living at home before her marriage, she was passing my study door, which was ajar, and looked in to see if I was there. She saw me sitting in my chair, and as she caught sight of me I stretched out my arms, and drew my hands across my eyes, a familiar gesture of mine, it appears. I was not in the house at the time, but out in the village. This happened many years ago, but my wife remembers that my daughter mentioned the circumstance to her at the time.

Now nothing whatever occurred at or about the times of these appearances to give any meaning to them. I was not ill, nor had anything unusual happened to me. I cannot pretend to offer any explanation, but simply state the facts as told me by persons on whose words I can depend.

There is one other thing which I may as well mention. A good many years ago there was a very devout young woman living in my parish, who used to spend much of her spare time in church in meditation and prayer. She used to assert that she frequently saw me standing at the altar, when I was certainly not there in the body. At first she was alarmed, but after seeing the appearance again and again she ceased to feel anything of terror. She is now a Sister of Mercy at Honolulu. Thomas Lockyer Williams.

[The circumstances, and the frequency, of this third percipient's experiences decidedly favour the view that they were merely subjective].

Mrs. Williams writes: -

June loth, 1885.

As requested, I write to tell you what I saw on two occasions. I am sorry that I am unable to give you the dates, even approximately, as many years have passed since I had the experiences referred to. On one occasion my husband was absent in Somersetshire, and on waking one morning I distinctly saw him standing by my bedside. I was much alarmed, and instinctively covered my face with the bedclothes. My friends have often tried to persuade me that I was not broad awake, but I am quite certain that I was, and that I really saw my husband's appearance.

The other occasion was on a certain evening I was going to church, and on getting to the churchyard gate, which is about twenty yards from the door of the church, I saw my husband come out of the church in his surplice, walk a little way towards me, and then turn off round the church. I thought nothing of it until on entering the church I was startled at seeing him in his place in the choir, about to conduct the service. It was then broad daylight, and I am quite sure that I saw the appearance. Nothing whatever occurred after either of these appearances, and, of course, I can in no way account for them.

Emma Williams.

[In reply to the question whether his wife or daughter had ever experienced any other hallucination of the senses, Mr. Williams replies confidently in the negative].

See also a case given in Phantasms of the Living, vol. ii. p. 83.