"The Rev. C. Godfrey, living in Eastbourne, in the county of
Sussex, having read an account of a premeditated apparition, was
so struck thereby that he determined to attempt it himself. On
the fifteenth of November, 1886, about eleven o'clock, he
concentrated the whole power of his imagination and all the
strength of will of which he was master, upon the idea of
appearing to a lady, a friend of his, by standing at the foot of
her bed. The effort lasted about eight minutes, after which Mr.
Godfrey felt very much fatigued, and went to sleep. The next day
the lady who had been the subject of the experiment came of her
own accord to tell Mr. Godfrey of what she had seen. When asked
to make a memorandum, she did so in these words: 'Last night I
awoke with a start, feeling that some one had entered my room. I
heard, too, a noise which I supposed to be the birds in the ivy
outside my window. I then experienced a sort of uneasiness, a
vague desire to leave my room and go down to the lower floor.
This feeling became so strong that at last I rose, intending to
take something to quiet myself. Going up to my room again, I met
Mr. Godfrey standing under the great window which lights the
staircase. He was dressed as I am accustomed to seeing him, and
I noticed that he was looking at something very intently. He
stood there motionless while I held up the lamp and looked at
him in astonishment. This lasted three or four seconds, after
which I continued my way upstairs. He disappeared. I was not
frightened, but very much agitated, and could not go to sleep
again.' Mr. Godfrey thought, very sensibly, that the experiment
which he had tried would have much more importance if it were
repeated. A second attempt failed, but the third was successful.
Of course the lady upon whom he operated was not apprised of his
intention any more than on the first occasion. 'Last night,' she
writes, 'Tuesday, December 7th, I retired to bed at half-past
ten, and was soon asleep. Suddenly I heard a voice, which said,
"Wake up," and I felt a hand touch the left side of my head.
[Mr. Godfrey's intention this time was to make her feel his
presence by voice and touch.] In an instant I was thoroughly
awake. There was a curious noise, like a jews-harp, in the
chamber. I felt, too, a cold breath, which seemed to envelop me.
My heart began to beat violently, and I distinctly saw a figure
leaning over me. The only light in the room came from a lamp
outside, making a long stream of light over the toilet-table;
this was darkened by the figure. I turned quickly, and it seemed
as if the hand fell from my head to the pillow beside me. The
figure was bent over me, and I felt it rest against the edge of
the bed. I saw the arm on the pillow all the time. I could see