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stay close to my bed。 It remained only a minute or two。 I did
not recognize it by any ordinary sense and yet there was a
horribly unpleasant 'sensation' connected with it。 It stirred
something more at the roots of my being than any ordinary
perception。 The feeling had something of the quality of a very
large tearing vital pain spreading chiefly over the chest； but
within the organismand yet the feeling was not PAIN so much as
ABHORRENCE。 At all events； something was present with me； and I
knew its presence far more surely than I have ever known the
presence of any fleshly living creature。 I was conscious of its
departure as of its coming： an almost instantaneously swift
going through the door； and the 'horrible sensation' disappeared。
〃On the third night when I retired my mind was absorbed in some
lectures which I was preparing； and I was still absorbed in these
when I became aware of the actual presence （though not of the
COMING） of the thing that was there the night before； and of the
'horrible sensation。' I then mentally concentrated all my effort
to charge this 'thing；' if it was evil to depart； if it was NOT
evil； to tell me who or what it was； and if it could not explain
itself； to go； and that I would compel it to go。 It went
as on the previous night； and my body quickly recovered its
normal state。
〃On two other occasions in my life I have had precisely the same
'horrible sensation。' Once it lasted a full quarter of an hour。
In all three instances the certainty that there in outward space
there stood SOMETHING was indescribably STRONGER than the
ordinary certainty of companionship when we are in the close
presence of ordinary living people。 The something seemed close
to me； and intensely more real than any ordinary perception。
Although I felt it to be like unto myself so to speak； or finite；
small； and distressful； as it were； I didn't recognize it as any
individual being or person。〃
Of course such an experience as this does not connect itself with
the religious sphere。 Yet it may upon occasion do so； and the
same correspondent informs me that at more than one other
conjuncture he had the sense of presence developed with equal
intensity and abruptness； only then it was filled with a quality
of joy。
〃There was not a mere consciousness of something there； but fused
in the central happiness of it； a startling awareness of some
ineffable good。 Not vague either； not like the emotional effect
of some poem； or scene； or blossom； of music； but the sure
knowledge of the close presence of a sort of mighty person； and
after it went； the memory persisted as the one perception of
reality。 Everything else might be a dream； but not that。〃
My friend； as it oddly happens； does not interpret these latter
experiences theistically； as signifying the presence of God。 But
it would clearly not have been unnatural to interpret them as a
revelation of the deity's existence。 When we reach the subject
of mysticism； we shall have much more to say upon this head。
Lest the oddity of these phenomena should disconcert you； I will
venture to read you a couple of similar narratives； much shorter；
merely to show that we are dealing with a well…marked natural
kind of fact。 In the first case； which I take from the
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research； the sense of
presence developed in a few moments into a distinctly
visualized hallucinationbut I leave that part of the story out。
〃I had read；〃 the narrator says； 〃some twenty minutes or so； was
thoroughly absorbed in the book； my mind was perfectly quiet； and
for the time being my friends were quite forgotten； when suddenly
without a moment's warning my whole being seemed roused to the
highest state of tension or aliveness； and I was aware； with an
intenseness not easily imagined by those who had never
experienced it； that another being or presence was not only in
the room； but quite close to me。 I put my book down； and
although my excitement was great； I felt quite collected； and not
conscious of any sense of fear。 Without changing my position；
and looking straight at the fire； I knew somehow that my friend
A。 H。 was standing at my left elbow but so far behind me as to be
hidden by the armchair in which I was leaning back。 Moving my
eyes round slightly without otherwise changing my position； the
lower portion of one leg became visible； and I instantly
recognized the gray…blue material of trousers he often wore； but
the stuff appeared semitransparent； reminding me of tobacco smoke
in consistency；〃＇24＇ and hereupon the visual hallucination
came。
＇24＇ Journal of the S。 P。 R。； February； 1895； p。 26。
Another informant writes：
〃Quite early in the night I was awakened。 。 。 。 I felt as if I
had been aroused intentionally； and at first thought some one was
breaking into the house。 。 。 。 I then turned on my side to go to
sleep again； and immediately felt a consciousness of a presence
in the room； and singular to state； it was not the consciousness
of a live person； but of a spiritual presence。 This may provoke
a smile； but I can only tell you the facts as they occurred to
me。 I do not know how to better describe my sensations than by
simply stating that I felt a consciousness of a spiritual
presence。 。 。 。 I felt also at the same time a strong feeling of
superstitious dread； as if something strange and fearful were
about to happen。〃＇25＇
＇25＇ E。 Gurney： Phantasms of the Living； i。 384。
Professor Flournoy of Geneva gives me the following testimony of
a friend of his； a lady； who has the gift of automatic or
involuntary writing：
〃Whenever I practice automatic writing； what makes me feel that
it is not due to a subconscious self is the feeling I always have
of a foreign presence； external to my body。 It is sometimes so
definitely characterized that I could point to its exact
position。 This impression of presence is impossible to describe。
It varies in intensity and clearness according to the personality
from whom the writing professes to come。 If it is some one whom
I love； I feel it immediately； before any writing has come。 My
heart seems to recognize it。〃
In an earlier book of mine I have cited at full length a curious
case of presence felt by a blind man。 The presence was that of
the figure of a gray…bearded man dressed in a pepper and salt
suit； squeezing himself under the crack of the door and mov