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I have said that although our imaginative friend is given to wild
speculations； he is not always necessarily wrong。 We know too little
about the laws of brain…force to be dogmatic with reference to it。 I
am； myself； therefore； fully in sympathy with the psychological
investigators。 When it comes to the various pretended sciences by
which men and women make large profits； attempts at investigation are
very apt to be used as lucrative advertisements for the charlatans。
But a series of investigations of the significance of certain popular
beliefs and superstitions； a careful study of the relations of
certain facts to each other；whether that of cause and effect； or
merely of coincidence；is a task not unworthy of sober…minded and
well…trained students of nature。 Such a series of investigations has
been recently instituted； and was reported at a late meeting held in
the rooms of the Boston Natural History Society。 The results were；
mostly negative； and in one sense a disappointment。 A single case；
related by Professor Royce； attracted a good deal of attention。 It
was reported in the next morning's newspapers； and will be given at
full length； doubtless； in the next number of the Psychological
Journal。 The leading facts were； briefly； these： A lady in Hamburg；
Germany； wrote； on the 22d of June last； that she had what she
supposed to be nightmare on the night of the 17th； five days before。
〃It seemed；〃 she wrote； 〃to belong to you； to be a horrid pain in
your head； as if it were being forcibly jammed into an iron casque；
or some such pleasant instrument of torture。〃 It proved that on that
same 17th of June her sister was undergoing a painful operation at
the hands of a dentist。 〃No single case；〃 adds Professor Royce；
〃proves； or even makes probable； the existence of telepathic
toothaches； but if there are any more cases of this sort； we want to
hear of them； and that all the more because no folk…lore and no
supernatural horrors have as yet mingled with the natural and well…
known impressions that people associate with the dentist's chair。〃
The case I have given is； I am confident； absolutely free from every
source of error。 I do not remember that Mr。 Rathbone had
communicated with me since he sent me a plentiful supply of mistletoe
a year ago last Christmas。 The account I received from him was cut
out of 〃The Sporting Times〃 of March 5； 1887。 My own knowledge of
the case came from 〃Kirby's Wonderful Museum；〃 a work presented to me
at least thirty years ago。 I had not looked at the account； spoken
of it； nor thought of it for a long time； when it came to me by a
kind of spontaneous generation； as it seemed； having no connection
with any previous train of thought that I was aware of。 I consider
the evidence of entire independence； apart from possible 〃telepathic〃
causation； completely water…proof； airtight； incombustible； and
unassailable。
I referred； when first reporting this curious case of coincidence；
with suggestive circumstances； to two others； one of which I said was
the most picturesque and the other the most unlikely； as it would
seem； to happen。 This is the first of those two cases：
Grenville Tudor Phillips was a younger brother of George Phillips； my
college classmate； and of Wendell Phillips； the great orator。 He
lived in Europe a large part of his life； but at last returned； and；
in the year 1863； died at the house of his brother George。 I read
his death in the paper； but； having seen and heard very little of him
during his life； should not have been much impressed by the fact； but
for the following occurrence： between the time of Grenville
Phillips's death and his burial； I was looking in upon my brother；
then living in the house in which we were both born。 Some books
which had been my father's were stored in shelves in the room I used
to occupy when at Cambridge。 Passing my eye over them； an old dark
quarto attracted my attention。 It must be a Bible； I said to myself；
perhaps a rare one；the 〃Breeches〃 Bible or some other interesting
specimen。 I took it from the shelves； and； as I did so； an old slip
of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor。 On lifting it I read
these words：
The name is Grenville Tudor。
What was the meaning of this slip of paper coming to light at this
time； after reposing undisturbed so long？ There was only one way of
explaining its presence in my father's old Bible；a copy of the
Scriptures which I did not remember ever having handled or looked
into before。 In christening a child the minister is liable to forget
the name； just at the moment when he ought to remember it。 My father
preached occasionally at the Brattle Street Church。 I take this for
granted； for I remember going with him on one occasion when he did
so。 Nothing was more likely than that he should be asked to
officiate at the baptism of the younger son of his wife's first
cousin； Judge Phillips。 This slip was handed him to remind him of
the name： He brought it home； put it in that old Bible； and there it
lay quietly for nearly half a century； when； as if it had just heard
of Mr。 Phillips's decease； it flew from its hiding…place and startled
the eyes of those who had just read his name in the daily column of
deaths。 It would be hard to find anything more than a mere
coincidence here； but it seems curious enough to be worth telling。
The second of these two last stories must be told in prosaic detail
to show its whole value as a coincidence。
One evening while I was living in Charles Street； I received a call
from Dr。 S。； a well…known and highly respected Boston physician； a
particular friend of the late Alexander H。 Stephens； vice…president
of the Southern Confederacy。 It was with reference to a work which
Mr。 Stephens was about to publish that Dr。 S。 called upon me。 After
talking that matter over we got conversing on other subjects； among
the rest a family relationship existing between us；not a very near
one； but one which I think I had seen mentioned in genealogical
accounts。 Mary S。 （the last name being the same as that of my
visitant）； it appeared； was the great…great…grandmother of Mrs。 H。
and myself。 After cordially recognizing our forgotten relationship；
now for the first time called to mind； we parted； my guest leaving me
for his own home。 We had been sitting in my library on the lower
floor。 On going up…stairs where Mrs。 H。 was sitting alone； just as I
entered the room she pushed a paper across the table towards me；
saying that perhaps it might interest me。 It was one of a number of
old family papers which she had brought from the house of her mother；
recently deceased。
I opened the paper； which was an old…looking document； and found that
it was a copy； perhaps made in this century； of the will of that same
Mary S。 about whom we had been talking down…stairs。
If there is such a thing as a purely accidental coincidence this must
be considered an ins