Since the chapter on crystal-gazing was in type, a work by Dr. Pierre Janet has appeared, styled ‘Les Névroses et les Idées Fixes.’1 It contains a chapter on crystal-gazing. The opinion of Dr. Janet, as that of a savant familiar, at the Salpêtrière, with ‘neurotic’ visionaries, cannot but be interesting. Unluckily, the essay must be regarded as seriously impaired in value by Dr. Janet’s singular treatment of his subject. Nothing is more necessary in these researches than accuracy of statement. Now, Dr. Janet has taken a set of experiences, or experiments, of Miss X.‘s from that lady’s interesting essay, already cited; has attributed them, not to Miss X., but to various people — for example, to une jeune fille, une pauvre voyante, une personne un peu mystique; has altered the facts in the spirit of romance; and has triumphantly given that explanation, revival of memory, which was assigned by Miss X. herself.

Throughout his paper Dr. Janet appears as the calm man of science pronouncing judgment on the visionary vagaries of ‘haunted’ young girls and disappointed seeresses. No such persons were concerned; no such hauntings, supposed premonitions, or ‘disillusions’ occurred; the romantic and ‘marvellous’ circumstances are mythopoeic accretions due to Dr. Janet’s own memory or fancy; his scientific explanation is that given by his trinity of jeune fille, pauvre voyante, and personne un peu mystique.

Being much engaged in the study of ‘neurotic’ and hysterical patients, Dr. Janet thinks that they are most apt to see crystal visions. Perhaps they are; and one doubts if their descriptions are more to be trusted than the romantic essay of their medical attendant. In citing Miss X.‘s paper (as he did), Dr. Janet ought to have reported her experiments correctly, ought to have attributed them to herself, and should, decidedly, have remarked that the explanation he offered was her own hypothesis, verified by her own exertions.

Not having any acquaintances in neurotic circles, I am unable to say whether such persons supply more cases of the faculty of crystal vision than ordinary people; while their word, one would think, is much less to be trusted than that of men and women in excellent health. The crystal visions which I have cited from my own knowledge (and I could cite scores of others) were beheld by men and women engaged in the ordinary duties of life. Students, barristers, novelists, lawyers, school-masters, school-mistresses, golfers — to all of whom the topic was perfectly new — have all exhibited the faculty. It is curious that an Arabian author of the thirteenth century, Ibn Khaldoun, cited by M. Lefébure, offers the same account of how the visions appear as that given by Miss Angus in the Journal of the S.P.R., April 1898. M. Lefébure’s citation was sent to me in a letter.

I append M. Lefébure’s quotation from Ibn Khaldoun. The original is translated in ‘Notices et Extraits des MSS. de la Bibliothèque Impériale,’ I. xix. p. 643–645.

‘Ibn Kaldoun admet que certains hommes ont la faculté de deviner l’avenir.

‘“Ceux, ajoute-t-il, qui regardent dans les corps diaphanes, tels que les miroirs, les cuvettes remplies d’eau et les liquides; ceux qui inspectent les coeurs, les foies et les os des animaux, . . . tous ces gens-là appartiennent aussi à la catégorie des devins, mais, à cause de l’imperfection de leur nature, ils y occupent un rang inférieur. Pour écarter le voile des sens, le vrai devin n’a pas besoin de g............