668 D. The experiment in the following case succeeded on the first trial. The agent was Miss Edith Maughan (now Mrs. G. Rayleigh Vicars), and the account is taken from the Proceedings S.P.R., vol. x. p. 273. Miss Maughan writes: -

September 1890.

One night in September 1888 I was lying awake in bed reading. I forget what the book was, but I had recently been studying with interest various cases of astral projection in Phantasms of the Living, and I distinctly remember making up my mind that night to try whether I could manage to accomplish a projection of myself by force of will-concentration.

The room next to mine was occupied by a friend of mine [Miss Ethel Thompson], who was an old acquaintance, and not at all of an excitable turn of mind. This room had formerly been used as a dressing-room, and there was a door connecting it with mine. For some years, however, it had been absolutely separated by the locked door, on my side of which stood a very heavy wardrobe, which would require two strong men to move it away. The only available exit from my room was the other door which opened on to the landing, as was also the case with the dressing-room. That night I perfectly recall lying back on my pillow with a resolute but half-doubtful and amused determination to make Miss Thompson see me. The candle was burning on a chair at the side of my bed, and I heard only the ticking of the clock in my room as I " willed " with all my might to appear to her. After a few minutes I felt dizzy and only half-conscious.

I don't know how long this state may have lasted, but I do remember emerging into a conscious state and thinking I had better leave off, as the strain had exhausted me.

I gave up, and changing into an easy position I thought I had failed and needlessly fatigued myself for an impossible fancy. I blew out my candle; at the instant I was startled by hearing an indistinct sound from the next room.

It was Miss Thompson's voice raised slightly, but I could not distinguish more than the actual sound, which was repeated, and then there was silence. I wondered whether she had had a bad dream, and listened a short time, but did not seriously imagine that it was more than an accidental coincidence. Soon after my clock struck two (a.m.), and I fell asleep.

Next morning I noticed that Miss Thompson looked rather tired at breakfast, but I asked no questions. Presently she said, " Had I gone into her room to frighten her during the night ? " I said I had not left my room. She declared that I seemed to her to come in and bend over her. From what she said I concluded it must have been between 1 and 2 a.m. Her own account is in the possession of the Psychical Society. All I have to add is, that I was in my ordinary state of health, and not at all excited, but merely bent on trying an experiment.

In a letter accompanying this, Miss Maughan says: -

I can't find the fact noticed in my diary for 1888. I only keep a very tiny one, just for the sake of entering letters, etc, and have no allusions to what happens as a rule. I fancy, though, that it was on the night of September 10th. Does Miss Thompson give any exact date ? for if it approximates to that, it would be the correct one. I know it was just at that time, because it was during her last visit at this house.

Miss Thompson writes: -

The Chimes, Grove Park, Chiswick, December 30th, 1889. During the summer of 1888 (end of August) I was staying with the Miss Maughans in Lincolnshire. We were interested in Theosophy, and had been discussing the phenomena of people leaving their bodies and appearing in their astral forms. I am not a good sleeper, but not at all of a nervous temperament. I stayed awake one night until two or three. I was perfectly wide awake, when suddenly I saw Miss Edith Maughan standing by my bedside in her ordinary dark dressing-gown. The moonlight came in at the window sufficiently for me to distinguish her face clearly, and her figure partially. I sat up in bed, and said, rather crossly, "What do you want here, Edith ?" I thought she had come for some joke. As she didn't answer, I immediately struck a light, but she was gone. It is a mistake that I screamed out. I may have spoken sufficiently loudly to be heard in the next room. I thought she had got out of the room with astonishing rapidity, but I didn't trouble much about it The next morning I asked why she came into my room. She denied having done so, but said she had thought of coming, but that as it might disturb me she decided not.

She said she sat up in bed, and for the sake of something to do was willing herself to go out of her body and come to me, and mentioned about the time I saw her. Although it is more than a year ago, I remember the incident clearly, as it made a distinct impression upon me.

Ethel Thompson.

Mrs. Sidgwick talked over this experience with Miss Maughan and Miss Thompson separately, and questioned them specially as to the possibility that Miss Maughan had really gone into Miss Thompson's room unconsciously. They were both quite certain that she had not done so, Miss Thompson dwelling on the impossible rapidity of the disappearance, and Miss Maughan on the fact that, when she roused herself, she was lying in the same position as before - hands clasped and feet crossed in a special manner, which, she had been told, is adopted by Eastern people wishing to concentrate themselves on anything, and which she adopted deliberately on this account.

In connection with this incident, it is interesting that Miss Maughan has appeared, but unintentionally, on other occasions to other percipients (see 645 E).