An essay towards a theory of apparitionsFerriar, John
Science
An essay towards a theory of apparitions
Ferriar, John
Apparitions; Hallucinations and illusions
He was at length attended by two angels, in his ecstasy; one of
his visions at this time was of the most formidable and impressive
kind.[11] “On the 13th day of September, says he, both the youths
returned to me, saying, be not afraid, but observe the thing which will
be shewn to thee. And I suddenly beheld a circle, like the sun, red,
and as it were, bloody: in which were black and white lines, or spots,
so intermingled, that sometimes there appeared a greater number of
blacks, sometimes of white; and this sight continued for some space
of time. And when they had said to me, Behold! Attend! Fear not! No
evil will befal thee! Lo, there were three successive peals of thunder,
at short intervals, so loud and dreadful, that I shuddered all over.
But the circle stood before me, and the black and white spots were
disunited, and the circle approached so near that I could have touched
it with my hand. And it was so beautiful, that I had never in my life
seen any thing more agreeable: and the white spots were so bright
and pleasant, that I could not contain my admiration. But the black
spots were carried away in a cloud of horrible darkness, in which I
heard a dismal outcry, though I could see no one. Yet these words of
lamentation were audible: Woe unto us, who have committed ourselves
to the black cloud, to be withdrawn from the circle coloured with the
blood of divine grace, in which the grace of God, in his well-beloved
Son, had inclosed us.”
After several other piteous exclamations, he saw a procession of
many thousand persons, bearing palms, and singing hymns, but of very
small stature, enter the red circle, from the black cloud, chanting
halleluiah.
A Polish Prophetess made her appearance, about the same time; but as
there was nothing particularly interesting in her visions, they may be
kept, like the madness of Mr. Sheridan’s character in the Critic, in
the back-ground.
The prophecy of Arise Evans respecting the Restoration of Charles II.
is thus detailed by Dr. Warburton, in a letter to Dr. Jortin. Evans,
as I have mentioned elsewhere, was a mere juggler in the dates of his
title-pages. The vision itself resembles the royal shadows in Macbeth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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