Page:The Naturalisation of the Supernatural.pdf/238

218 No. 47. From

Mr. Grant, who was at the time up country, in Brazil, had on the night of the 24th December, 1885, an impression of death, and connected it with a member of Lord Z.'s family. On that day Lord Z. died.

On the 26th January the impression of death was renewed. Both the impressions are attested by entries in Mr. Grant's diary.

On the 27th January there is an entry as follows: "Very tired, but did not sleep a wink all night. I am sure that something has happened to [a member of Lord Z.'s family. I heard every hour strike, and kept thinking of [all the members of the family] but not of the dear old gentleman [i. e., imagining them in sorrow, but not Lord Z. himself]. I got up and wanted to draw him. His features seemed before me. I had before shown Mr. Catlin a face in the Graphic that was like him, also that of a dead man. I had the greatest difficulty not to draw his portrait with his head forward and sunk on his breast, as if he had been sitting in a room with a window on his right hand and an old man-servant;—and then his head just went forward, and he fell asleep. Weeks ago I thought of him,—some time about Christmas; and ever since I have been feeling [pity, etc., for members of family]."

On the next day, Thursday, January 28, 1886, Mr. Grant received by accident a Scotch paper in which Lord Z.'s death was mentioned,—but apparently without the precise date.

I have grouped these five cases together, because there would appear to be some connection between the percipient's impression and the news of the death which followed a few hours later. It is not easy to conjecture the precise nature of this