in Dr. Mann's diary, "Jan. 23rd, X [full surname given] dream."
A narrative is quoted in the Journal for December, 1895 (p. 178), in which the occurrence of a dream presaging a death was noted in a diary before the news was received. In another case, printed in the Journal for November, 1897, a letter relating the dream was sent to Dr. Hodgson before news of the event was received.
We have several cases reported to us of dreams coincident with external events in which it is difficult to apply the theory of thought transference, since no person is indicated as the probable agent. Thus we have two or three cases in which a robbery has been seen in a dream, in which the only conceivable agent would appear to be the malefactor, presumably unknown to the dreamer, and certainly a reluctant party to the experiment.[1]
In other cases the death intimated in the dream is that of some eminent personage—President, Duke, or professional cricketer. In view of the incalculable scope offered by dreams for chance coincidence, and the danger, when the experience has not been actually written down at once, that the amount of correspondence with the event may be
- ↑ A very striking example of this class is the "prophetic" dream of the murder of Terriss. the actor. I have dealt with it under the head of prophecy, because the dream did actually precede the murder by some hours. But the least incredible explanation which I can suggest for the dream—which on any interpretation presents us with a difficult problem— is that the percipient's experience was inspired by the brooding thoughts of the actual murderer, a discharged super, personally unknown to him. See below, Chapter XIV., No. 76.
