In illustration of the phenomena of the preceding case, Dr. Abercrombie
gives the following very curious history: "A girl, aged seven years, an
orphan of the lowest rank, residing in the house of a farmer, by whom she
was employed in tending cattle, was accustomed to sleep in an apartment
separated by a very thin partition from one which was frequently occupied
by an itinerant fiddler. This person was a musician of very considerable
skill, and often spent a part of the night in performing pieces of a
refined description; but his performance was not taken notice of by the
child, except as a disagreeable noise. After a residence of six months in
this family she fell into bad health, and was removed to the house of a
benevolent lady, where, on her recovery after a protracted illness, she
was employed as a servant. Some years after she came to reside with this
lady, the most beautiful music was often heard in the house during the
night, which excited no small interest and wonder in the family; and many
a waking hour was spent in endeavours to discover the invisible minstrel.
At length the sound was traced to the sleeping-room of the girl, who was
found fast asleep, but uttering from her lips a sound exactly resembling
the sweetest tones of a small violin. On further observation it was found,
that after being about two hours in bed, she became restless and began to
mutter to herself; she then uttered sounds precisely resembling the tuning
of a violin, and at length, after some prelude, dashed off into an
elaborate piece of music, which she performed in a clear and accurate
manner, and with a sound exactly resembling the most delicate modulation
of the instrument, and then began exactly where she had stopped in the
most correct manner. These paroxysms occurred at irregular intervals,
varying from one to fourteen and even twenty nights; and they were
generally followed by a degree of fever and pain over various parts of the
body.
"After a year or two, her music was not confined to the imitation of the
violin, but was often exchanged for that of a piano, of a very old
description, which she was accustomed to hear in the house in which she
now lived, and then she would begin to sing, imitating exactly the voices
of several ladies of the family.