book is not at present before me, that I might refer to such

parts of his account as devolve the authenticity of the fact on my authority. I will therefore briefly state what I saw, to enable others to judge of the weight due to my evidence, and whether any proofs of collusion can, in their opinion, be detected.
On the approach of the appointed time, according to ijivi- tation, I accompanied Euujeet Singh to the- spot where the Fakeer had been buried. It was in a square building, called a harra durra, in the middle of one of the gardens adjoining the palace at Lahore, with an open verandah all round, having an enclosed room in the centre. On arriving there, Eunjeet Singh, who was attended on the occasion by the whole of his Court, dismounting from his elephant, asked me to join him in examining the building to satisfy himself that it was closed as he had left it. "We did so ;, there had been a door on each of the four sides of the room, three of which were perfectly closed with brick and mortar, the fourth had a strong door, which was also closed with mud up to the padlock, which was sealed with the private seal of Eunjeet Siugh in his own presence when the^fcPakeer was interred. Indeed, the exterior of the building presented no aperture by which air could be ad-
THE FAKEER BUPvirD A LITE AT LAnORE. 43
mitted, or any communication held by which food could be conveyed to the Takeer. I may also add, that the walls closing the doorway bore no mark whatever of having been recently disturbed or removed.
Bunjeet Singh recognised the seal as the one which he had affixed, and as he was as sceptical as any European could be of the success of such an enterprise, — to guard as far as possible against any collusion, — he had placed two companies from his own personal escort near the building, from which four sentries were furnished and re- lieved every two hours, night and day, to guard the build- ing from intrusion. At the same time, he ordered one of the principal officers of his Court to visit the place occa- sionally, and to report the result of liis inspection to him, while he himself, or his minister, kept the seal which closed the hole of the padlock, and the latter received the report, morning and evening, from the officer on guard.
After our examination we seated ourselves in the verandah ■opposite the door, while some of Runjeet Singh's people dug away the mud wall, and one of his officers broke the seal and opened the padlock. AVhen the door was thrown open, nothing but a dark room was to be seen. Eunjeet Singh and myself then entered it, in company with the servant of the Fakeer ; and a light being brought, we descended about three feet below the floor of the room into a sort of cell, where a wooden box, about four feet long by three broad, with a sloping roof, containing the Fakeer, was placed up- right, the door of which had also a padlock and seal similar to that on the outside. On opening it, we saw a figure en- closed in a bag of white linen, fastened by a string over the head — on the exposure of which a grand salute was fired, and the surrounding multitude came crowding to the door to see the spectacle. After they had gratified their curiosity, the Fakeer's servant, putting his arms into the box, took the figure out, and closinc: the door, placed it with its back against it, exactly as the Fakeer had been squatted (like a Hindoo idol) in the box itself
Eimjeet Singh and myself then descended into the cell, which was so small that we were only able to sit on the
438 TEANCE AXD SOMXAMBrLlS:^.
ground in front of the body, and so close to it as to touch it with our hands and knees.
The sen'ant then began pouring -warm water over the figure ; but, as my object was to see if any fraudulent prac- tices could be detected, I proposed to Eunjeet Singh to tear open the bag and have a perfect view of the body before any means of resuscitation were employed. I accordingly did so ; and may here remark, that the bag when first seen by us looked mildewed, as if it had been buried some time. The legs and arms of the body were shrivelled and stiff", the face full, the head reclining on the shoulder like that of a corpse. I then called to the medical gentleman who was- attending me to come down and inspect the body, which he did, but could discover no pulsation in the heart, the temples, or the arm. There was, however, a heat about the region of the brain, which no other part of the body exhibited.
The servant then recommenced bathing him with hot water, and gradually relaxing his arms and legs from the rigid state in which they were contracted, Hunjeet Singh taking his right and I his left leg, to aid by friction in restoring them to their proper action ; during which time the servant placed a hot wheaten cake, about an inch thick, on the top of the head, — a process which he twice or thrice renewed. He then pulled out of his nostrils and ears the wax and cotton with which they were stopped ; and after great exertion opened his mouth by inserting the point of a knife between his teeth, and, while holding his jaws open with his left hand, drew the tongue forward with his right, — in the course of which the tongue flew back several times to its curved position upwards, in which it had origi- nally been, so as to close the gullet.
He then rubbed his eyelids with ghee (or clarified butter) for some seconds, until he succeeded in opening them, when the eyes appeared quite motionless and glazed. After the cake had been applied for the third time to the top of his head, the body was violently con- vulsed, the nostrils became inflated, respiration ensued, and the limbs began to assume a natural fulness ; but the pulsation was still faintly perceptible. The servant then
THE FAKEEK EUEIED ALIVE AT LAHORE . 439
put some of the ghee on his tongue, and made him swallow it. A few minutes afterwards the eyeballs became dilated, and recovered their natural colour, when the Fakeer, recog- nising Kunjeet Singh sitting close to him, articulated, iu a low, sepulchral tone, scarcely audible, "Do you believe me now?" Eunjeet Singh replied in the affirmative, and invested the Fakeer with a pearl necklace and superb pair of gold bracelets, and pieces of silk and muslin, and shawls, forming what is called a khelat ; such as is usually conferred hj the Princes of India on persons of distinction.
From the time of the box being opened, to the recovery of the voice, not more than half an hour could have elapsed; and in another half hour the Fakeer talked with myself and those about him freely, though feebly, like a sick person ; and we then left him, convinced that there had been no fraud or collusion in the exhibition we had witnessed.
I was present, also, when the Fakeer was summoned by Hunjeet Singh from a considerable distance to Lahore, some months afterwards, again to bury himself alive before Captain Osborne and the officers of the late Sir "William M'^s'aghten's mission in 1S3S ; which, after the usual prepa- ration, he offisred to do for a few days, the term of Sir William's mission being nearly expired; but from the tenor of the doubts expressed, and some observations made by Captain Osborne as to keeping the key of the room in which he was to be buried in his own possession, the Fakeer, with the superstitious dread of an Indian, became evidently alarmed, and apprehensive that if once within Captain Osborne's power, he would not be allowed to escape. His refusal on that occasion will naturally induce a suspicion of the truth of the transaction which I witnessed ; but to those well acquainted with the character of the natives of India, it will not be surprising that, where life and death were concerned, the Fakeer should have manifested a distrust of what to him appeared the mysterious intentions of a European who was a perfect stranger to him, while he was ready to repose implicit confidence in Eunjeet Singh and others before whom he had exhibited. I am satisfied that he refused only from the cause I have mentioned, and that
440 TRA>'CE AXD SOMXAMBULISil.
lie would have done for me what lie declined doing for Captain Osborne.
It had previously been observed, also, by Sir "William M'Xaghten and others of the party, truly, though jestingly, that if the Fakeer should not survive the trial to which he was required to submit, those who might instigate him to it would run the risk of being indicted for murder, which in- duced them to refrain from pressing the subject further.
I share entirely in the apparent incredibility of the fact of a man being buried alive, and surviving the trial for various periods of duration ; but however incompatible with our knowledge of physiology, in the absence of any visible proof to the contrary, I am bound to declare my belief in the facts which I have represented, however impossible their existence may appear to others. — Braid on Trance.
AGOSTI>'E rOSAEI.
Paying a visit to a friend, says a foreigner, I met there an Italian gentleman, called Agostine Fosari, who was, it seems, a night-walker, or person who, whilst asleep, does all the actions of one awake. He did not seem to exceed the age of thirty, was lean, black, and of an extremely melan- choly complexion. He had a sedate understanding, great penetration, and a capacity for the most abstract sciences. His extraordinary fits generally seized him in the wane of tlie moon, but with greater ^^olence in the autumn and winter, than in spring and summer. I had a strange curiosity to be an eye-witness of what was told me, and had prevailed on his valet-de-chambre to give me notice when his master was likely to renew his vagary. One night, about the end of September, after supper, the company amused themselves with little plays, and Signer Agostine made one among them. He afterwards retired and went to bed about eleven : soon after, his valet came and told us that his master would that night have a walking fit, and desired us, if we pleased, to come and observe him. I went to his bedside with a light in my hand, and saw him lying
AGOSTIKE rOSARI. 441
upon liis back, witli liis eyes open, but fixed, wliich was a sure sign, it seems, of his approaching disorder. I took him by the hands, and found them very cold ; I felt his pulse, and found it so slow, that his blood seemed to have no circulation. At or about midnight. Signer Agostine drew the curtains briskly, arose, and dressed himself well enough. I approached him with the candle at his very nose, found him insensible, with his eyes still wide open and immovable. Before he put on his hat he took his belt, out of which the sword had been removed for fear of accidents, as some of these night-walkers will deal about their blows like madmen without any reserve.
In this equipage did Signer Agostine walk backwards and forwards in his chamber several times ; he came to the fireside, sat down in an elbow-chair, and went a little time after into a closet, where was his portmanteau, and put the key into his pocket, whence he drew a letter and placed it on the chimney-piece. He went to the bed-chamber door, opened it, and proceeded down stairs : when he came to the bottom, one of the company getting a great fall, Siguier Agostine seemed frighted at the noise, and mended his pace. The valet bid us walk softly and not to speak, because when any noise was made near him, and intermixed with his dreams, he became furious, and ran with the greatest precipitancy as if pursued.
He traversed the whole court, which was very spacious, and proceeded directly to the stable. He went in, stroked and caressed his horse, bridled him, and was going to saddle him, but not finding the saddle in its usual place, he seemed very uneasy, like a man disappointed ; he, however, mounted his horse, galloped to the house-door, which was shut, dis- mounted, and, taking up a cabbage-stalk, knocked furiously against the door, and after a great deal of labour lost, he re- mounted his horse, guided him to the pond, which was at the other end of the court, let him drink, went afterwards and tied him to his manger, and then returned to the house with great agility. At the noise some servants made in the kitchen, he was very attentive, came near the door, and •clapped his ear to the key-hole ; but passing all on a sudden to the other side, he entered a low parlour, where was a
442 ECSTASY.
"billiard-table, and, walking backwards and forwards, used tbe same postures as if he had been actually playing. He proceeded thence to a pair of yirginals, upon which he could play pretty well, and made some jingling. At last, after two hours' exercise, he returned up stairs to his chamber^ and threw himself, in his clothes, upon the bed, where we found him next morning at nine in the same posture we had left him. Por upon these occasions he ever slept eight or ten hours together. His Talet told us there were but two ways to recover him out of these fits : one was to tickle him strongly on the soles of his feet ; the other, to sound a horn or trumpet at his ears. — Wanley's Wonders.
ECSTASY.
THE SLEEPING PEEACHEE.
Perhaps the most remarkable case of Devotional Somniitm on record is that of Miss Eachel Baker, of the State of Xew York. A full history of her case may be found in the Trans- actions of the Physico-Medical Society of New York, "Vol. i.. p. 395.
Hachel Baker was born at Pelham, Massachusetts, May 29, 1794. Her parents were religious persons, and early taught her the importance of religion. Prom childhood, she appeared to possess a contemplative disposition, but her mind was not vigorous, nor was she much disposed to improve it by reading. At the age of nine years, she re- moved with her parents to the town of Marcellus, State of iNew York. From that time, she said, she had frequently strong convictions of the importance of eternal things, and the thoughts of God and eternity would make her tremble. In June 1811, while on a visit to the town of Scipio, she was deeply affected in visiting the baptism of a young lady ; and from that period she was impressed with a stronger conviction of her own sinfulness. On her return to
THE SLEEPING PEEACHEE. 443'
Marcelius, she endeavoured to suppress her religious anxiety,, "but in vain, — her auguish of mind was fully depicted in her countenance.
On the evening of the 28th of JSTovember, as she was sitting in a chair, apparently asleep, she began to sigh and groan as if in excessive pain. She had said a short time before, that she should live only a little wliile, and as she now repeated the expression, her parents were apprehensive that she was dying. This evening she talked incoherently, but manifested in what she said much religious concern. She continued almost every night talking in her sleep in this way, till the 27th of January, 1812. On that evening, soon after she had fallen asleep, she was seized with a great fit of trembling. She shrieked aloud and woke in great terror. Horror and despondency overwhelmed her with dread of a miserable eternity, and of her speedy and inevitable doom. But these agonising feelings were soon succeeded hj a calm ; her mind became tranquil, and in her nightly devotions, which were now regular and coherent, she poured forth a spirit of meekness, gratitude, and love. Prom this time the whole tenor of her soul seemed to be changed ; she was incapable of expressing her sentiments on divine things clearly when awake ; but her sleeping ex- ercises were so solemn and impressive, that few who heard them doubted that they were the genuine fruits of peni- tence, piety, and peace.
Dr. Mitchell, in describing Miss Baker's case, says : " She has for several years been seized with somnium of a devo- tional kind once a day with great regularity. These daily paroxysms recur with wonderful exactness, and from long prevalence have now become habitual. They invade her at early bed-time, and a fit usually lasts about three-quarters of an hour. A paroxysm has been known to end in thirty-five minutes, and to continue ninety-eight. The transition from the waking state to that of somnium is very rapid ; frequently in a quarter of an hour, or even less. After slie retires from company in the parlour, she is discovered to be occupied in praising God in a distinct and sonorous voice. Her discourses are usually pronounced in a private chamber, for the purpose of delivering them with more decorum on
444 ECSTASY.
her own part, and with greater satisfaction to her hearers. She has been advised to take the recumbent posture, her face being turned towards the heavens. She performs her nightly- devotions with a constancy and fervour wholly unexampled for a human being in a state of somnium. Her body and limbs are motionless ; the_y stir no more than the trunk and extremi- ties of a statue ; the only motion the spectator perceives is that of her organs of speech, and an oratorical inclination of the head and neck, as if she were intently engaged in perform- ing an academical or theological exercise. She commences and ends with an address to the Throne of Grace, consistinc; of proper topics of acknowledgment, submission, and reverence, of praise and thanksgiving, and of prayer for her- self, her friends, the church, the nation, for enemies, and the human race in general. Between these, is her sermon or exhortation. She begins without a text, and proceeds with an even course to the end ; embellishing it sometimes ■with fine metaphors, vivid descriptions, and poetical quo- tations.
" There is a state of body like groaning, sobbing, or moan- ing, and the distressful sound continues from two minutes to a quarter of an hour. This agitation, however, does not wake her ; it gradually subsides, and she passes into a sound and natural sleep, which continues during the remainder of the night. In the morning she wakes as if nothing had happened, and entirely ignorant of the scenes in which she has been an actor. She declares that she linows nothing of the nightly exercises, except from the information of others. With the exception of the before- mentioned agitation of body and exercise of mind, she enjoys perfect health."
In October 1814, Miss Baker was brought to Xew York by her friends, in hopes that her somnial exercises, which were considered by some of them as owing to disease, might, by the exercise of a journey, and the novelty of a large city, be removed. But none of these means produced the desired effect. Her acquaintances stated that her somnial exercises took place every night regularly, except in a few instances when interrupted by severe sickness, from the time they commenced in 1812. In September 1816,
A CUEIOrS PEEDICTIOI?'. 415
however, tbe&e nightly exercises were internipted by medi- cal treatment, particularly by the use of opium. — Barbe7-'s History and Antiquities of the Northern State of America.
PEEDICTIONS.
A CUEIOUS MEMOEANDTJM FOTj>'D AMO^'G THE PAPEES OF M. DE LA HAEPE.
It appears to me as if it were but yesterday, and it was nevertheless in the beginning of the year 17S8, we were at the table of a brother Academician, Avho was of the highest rank, and a man of talents. The company was numerous and of all kinds, — courtiers, advocates, literary men, academi- cians, etc. "We had been, as usual, luxuriously entertained, and at the dessert the wines of Malvoisie and the Cape added to the natural gaiety of good company that kind of social freedom which sometimes stretches beyond the rigid decorum of it. In short, we were in a state to allow of anything that would produce mirth. Chamfort had been reading some of his impious and libertine tales, and the fine ladies had heard them without once making use of their fans. A deluge of pleasantries on rehgion then succeeded ; one gave a quotation from the Maid of Orleans, another recollected and applauded tbe philosophical distich of Diderot —
lEt des loyaux dn dernier pclre
Serrez le cou du dernier roi.
And the last priest's entrails form the string
Around the neck of the last king.
A ;^third rises, and with a bumper in his hand: "JTes, gentlemen," he exclaims, " I am as sure that there is no God, as I am certain that Homer is a fool."
The conversation afterwards took a more serious turn, and the most ardent admiration was expressed of the rcvo-
4i6 PREDICTIO^'S.
lution whicli Yoltaire had produced ; and they all agreed that it formed the brightest ray of his glory. "He has given the to?i to his age, and has contrived to be read in the cham- ber as well as in the drawing-room." . One of the company mentioned, and almost burst with laughter at the circum- stance, that his hair-dresser had said, whilst he was powder- ing him, " Look you. Sir, though I am nothing but a poor journeyman barber, I have no more religion than another man." It was concluded that the revolution would soon be consummated, and that it was absolutely necessary for superstition and fanaticism to give place to philosophy. The probability of this epoch was then calculated, and ■which of the present company would live to see the Eeign of E-eason. The elder part of them lamented that they could not flatter themselves with the hope of enjoying such a pleasure ; while the younger part rejoiced that they should Tritness it. The Academy was felicitated on having prepared the ground-work, and being at the same time the stronghold, the centre, the moving principle of freedom of thought.
There was only one of the guests who had not shared in the delights of this conversation ; he had even ventured in a quiet way to start a few pleasautries on our noble enthu- siasm. It was Cazotte, an amiable man of an original turn of mind, but unfortunately infatuated with the reveries of the Illuminati. He renewed the conversation in a very serious tone, and in the following manner : " G-entlemen," said he, " be satisfied ; you will all see this grand and sublime revolu- tion. You know that I am something of a prophet, and I repeat that you will all see it." He was answered by the common expression, *' It is not necessary to be a great con- jurer to foretell that."
" Agreed ; but perhaps it may be necessary to be some- thing more, respecting what I am now going to tell you. Have you any idea what will result from this revolution ? "What will happen to ourselves ; to every one now present ; what will be the immediate progress of it, with its certain effects and consequences ?"
" Oh," said Condorcet, with his silly and saturnine laugh, *' let us know all about it ; a philosopher can have no objection to meet a prophet."
A cuEiors MEM0IlA^'uu3I. 447
" You, M. Condorcet, will expire on the pavement of a dungeon ; you will die of tlie poison wliich you will have taken to escape from the hands of the executioner ; of poison, which the happy state of that period will render it abso- lutely necessary that yon should carry about you."
At first, there appeared a considerable degree of astonishment, but it was soon recollected that Gazette was in the habit of dreaming while he was awake ; and the laugh was as loud as ever.
" M. Gazette, the tale which you have just told is not so pleasant as your Diable amoureux. But what devil has put this dungeon, this poison, and these hangmen in your head ? "What can these things have in common with philosophy and the age of reason ?"
" That is precisely what I am telling you. It will be in the name of philosophy, humanity, and liberty ; it will be under the reign of reason, that what I have foretold v/ill happen to you. It will then, indeed, be the reign of E-eason, for she will have temples erected to her honour. JN'ay, throughout France there will be no other places of public worship than Temples of Keason." - ,
" In faith," said Ghamfort, with one of his sarcastic smiles, "you will not be an officiating priest in any of these temples."
" I hope not ; but you, M. Ghamfort, you will be well worth}^ of that distinction, for you will cut yourselves across the veins with twenty-two strokes of a razor, and will nevertheless survive the attempt for some months."
They all looked at him, and continued to laugh.
" You, M. Yicq d' Azyr, you will not open your veins yourself, but you will order them to be opened six times in one day, during a paroxysm of the gout, in order that you may not fail in your purpose, and you will die during the night. As for you, M. de Nicolai, you will die on the scaftbld ; and so, M. Bailly, will you ; and so will you,