668 B. The next case is taken from the "Report on the Census of Hallucinations," Proceedings S.P.R., vol. x. p. 270. It is to be observed that the agent in this case - Mr. Kirk - seems to possess an unusual capacity for impressing other minds telepathically, as shown by his experiments in thought-transference, some of which are given in 630 D. His own account is as follows: -

2 Ripon Villas, Upper Ripon Road, Plumstead, July 7th, 1890.

I have to inform you that from the 10th to 20th June I tried a telepathic experiment each night upon Miss G. I did so, as suggested by you in your letter of June 3rd, without her knowledge, as a preliminary to entering upon experiments with her under conditions of expectancy and the recording of dates and hours. Each trial had for its object the rendering myself visible to her - simply visible. With the exception of one - which was made one afternoon from my office in the Arsenal - each trial took place at my house between the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Up to June 23rd I heard nothing direct from my "subject." Indirectly, however, I learnt that my influence was acting rather strongly. Each time Miss G. came to my house, while the experiments were in progress, she complained of being kept sleepless and restless from an uneasy feeling which she was unable to describe or account for. On one night so strong was this uneasy feeling, she was compelled to get up, dress herself, and take to some needlework, and was unable to throw off the sensation and return to bed until two o'clock. I made no comments on these complaints - never dropped a hint, even, as to what I was doing. Under these circumstances it seemed probable to me that, although my influence was telling upon her, to her discomfort, I had not succeeded in the object of my experiments. Supposing this to be the case, and that I was only depriving her of rest, I thought it best to discontinue the trials for a time.

I felt disappointed at this apparently barren result. But, on June 23rd, an agreeable surprise was sprung upon me, in that I learnt I had most effectually succeeded on one occasion - the very occasion on which I had considered success as being highly improbable - in presenting myself to Miss G. As you will find in her statement, herewith enclosed, the vision was most complete and realistic. The trial which had this fortunate result was that I had made from my office and on the spur of the moment. I had been rather closely engaged on some auditing work, which had tired me, and as near as I can remember the time was between 3.30 and 4 p.m., that I laid down my pencil, stretched myself, and in the act of doing the latter I was seized with the impulse to make a trial on Miss G. I did not, of course, know where she was at the moment, but, with a flash, as it were, I transferred myself to her bedroom. I cannot say why I thought of that spot, unless it was that I did so because my first experiment had been made there1 As it happened, it was what I must call a "lucky shot" for I caught her at the moment she was lightiy sleeping in her chair - a condition which seems to be peculiarly favourable to receiving and externalising telepathic messages.

The figure seen by Miss G. was clothed in a suit I was at the moment wearing, and was bareheaded, the latter as would be the case, of course, in an office. This suit is of a dark reddish-brown check stuff, and it was an unusual circumstance for me to have had on the coat at the time, as I wear, as a rule, an office coat of light material. But this office coat I had, a day or so before, sent to a tailor to be repaired, and I had, therefore, to keep on that belonging to the dark suit.

I tested the reality of the vision by this dark suit. I asked, " How was I dressed ?" (not at all a leading question). The reply of Miss G. was, touching the sleeve of the coat I was then wearing (of a light suit), " Not this coat, but that dark suit you wear sometimes. I even saw clearly the small check pattern of it; and I saw your features as plainly as though you had been bodily present. I could not have seen you more distinctly".

Miss G.'s account is: -

June 28th, 1890. A peculiar occurrence happened to me on the Wednesday of the week before last. In the afternoon (being tired by a morning walk), while sitting in an easy-chair near the window of my own room, I fell asleep. At any time I happen to sleep during the day (which is but seldom) I invariably awake with tired uncomfortable sensations, which take some little time to pass off; but that afternoon, on the contrary, I was suddenly quite wide awake, seeing Mr. Kirk standing near my chair, dressed in a dark-brown coat, which I had frequently seen him wear. His back was towards the window, his right hand towards me; he passed across the room towards the door, which is opposite the window, the space between being 15 feet, the furniture so arranged as to leave just that centre clear; but when he got about 4 feet from the door, which was closed, he disappeared.

My first thought was, " had this happened a few hours later I should have believed it telepathic," for I knew Mr. Kirk had tried experimenting at different times, but had no idea he was doing so recently. Although I have been much interested by his conversation about psychical phenomena at various times during the past year, I must confess the element of doubt would very forcibly present itself as to whether telepathic communication could be really a fact; and I then thought, knowing he must be at the office at the time I saw him (which was quite as distinctly as if he had been really in the room), that in this instance, at least, it must be purely imaginary, and feeling so sure it was only fancy, resolved not to mention it, and did not do so until this week, when, almost involuntarily, I told him all about it. Much to my astonishment, Mr. Kirk was very pleased with the account, and asked me to write it, telling me that on that afternoon, feeling rather tired, he put down his pen for a few moments, and, to use his own words, "threw himself into this room." He also told me he had purposely avoided this subject in my presence lately, that he might not influence me but was anxiously hoping I would introduce it.

1 The first experiment of this series was on the night of the 10th, the successful experiment on the afternoon of June 11 th (Wednesday). Mr. Kirk tells us that he made a note at the time on his blotting-paper of day and hour. Mr. Kirk had on four occasions during the previous four years tried from a distance to produce an impression of presence on Miss G. with considerable success, but had not tried to appear to her. These experiments and others are described in the Journal S.P.R., vol. v. pp. 21-30, and briefly summarised in 630 D.

I feel sure I had not been dreaming of him, and cannot remember that anything had happened to cause me even to think of him that afternoon before falling asleep.

Mr. Kirk writes later: -

I have only succeeded once in making myself visible to Miss G. since the occasion I have already reported, and that had the singularity of being only my features - my face in miniature, that is, about three inches in diameter.

In a letter dated January 19th, 1891, Mr. Kirk says as to this last appearance: -

Miss G. did not record this at the time, as she attached no importance to it, but I noted the date (July 23rd) on my office blotting-pad, as it was at the office I was thinking of her. I say "thinking," because I was doing so in connection with another subject, and with no purpose of making an experiment. I had a headache, and was resting my head on my left hand. Suddenly it occurred to me that my thinking about her might probably influence her in some way, and I made the note I have mentioned.1

Mrs. Sidgwick had a talk with Mr. Kirk and with Miss G. on April 8th, 1892, about the above incidents and other experiments in thought-transference between them, and writes: -

Mr.Kirk's appearance to Miss G. evidently impressed her very much. It was extremely realistic. She is quite sure she was awake. It was as if she had waked up to see it, but she had not been dreaming of Mr. Kirk. The figure did not look towards her or appear to take any interest in her. The other time she saw his face it was like a miniature. She did not think so much of that experience.