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family, the chief, who had been walking across the room, stopped suddenly and assumed the look of a seer: he rang the bell, and ordered the groom to saddle a horse, to proceed immediately to a seat in the neighbourhood, and to inquire after the health of Lady- ; if the account were favourable, he then directed him to call at another castle, to ask after another lady whom he named. The reader immediately closed his book, and declared that he would not proceed till these abrupt orders were explained, as he was confident they were produced by the second sight. The chief was very unwilling to explain himself, but at length he owned that the door had appeared to open, and that a little woman, without a head, had entered the room; that the apparition indicated the sudden death of some person of his acquaintance, and the only two persons who resembled the figure were those ladies after whose health he had sent to inquire.

A few hours afterwards, the servant returned with an account that one of the ladies had died of an apoplectic fit, about the time when the vision appeared.-Signs before Death.

TRANCE AND SOMNAMBULISM.

TRANCE OF THE REV. W. TENNANT.

After a regular course of study in theology, Mr. Tennant was preparing for his examination by the presbytery, as a candidate for the Gospel ministry. His intense application affected his health, and brought on a pain in his breast, and a slight hectic. He soon became emaciated, and at length was like a living skeleton. His life was now threatened. He was attended by a physician, a young man who was attached to him by the strictest and warmest friendship. He grew worse and worse, until little hope of his life was left. In this situation his spirits failed him, and he began to entertain doubts of his final happiness. He was conversing one morning with his brother, in Latin, on the

state of his soul, when he fainted and died away. At the usual time he was laid out on a board, according to the common practice of the country, and the neighbourhood were invited to attend his funeral the next day. In the evening his physician and friend returned from a ride in the country, and was afflicted beyond measure at the news of his death. He could not be persuaded that it was certain; and on being told that one of the persons who had assisted in laying out the body thought he had observed a little tremor of the flesh under the arm, although the body was cold and stiff, he endeavoured to ascertain the fact. He first put his own hand into warm water, to make it as sensitive as possible, and then felt under the arm, and at the heart, and affirmed that he felt an unusual warmth, though no one else could. He had the body restored to a warm bed, and insisted that the people who had been invited to the funeral should be requested not to attend. To this the brother objected, as absurd, the eyes being sunk, the lips discoloured, and the whole body cold and stiff. However, the doctor finally prevailed, and all probable means were used to discover symptoms of returning life. But the third day arrived, and no hopes were entertained of success but by the doctor, who never left him, night nor day. The people were again invited and assembled to attend the funeral. The doctor still objected; and at last confined his request for delay to one hour, then to half an hour, and finally to a quarter of an hour. He had discovered that the tongue was much swollen, and threatened to crack. He was endeavouring to soften it by some emollient ointment put upon a feather, when the brother came in about the expiration of the last period, and mistaking what the doctor was doing for an attempt to feed him, manifested some impatience, thinking it foolish to feed a lifeless corpse, and insisted that the funeral should proceed.

At this critical and important moment, the body, to the great alarm and astonishment of all present, opened its eyes, gave a deep groan, and sunk again into apparent death. This put an end to all thoughts of burying him; and every effort was again employed in hopes of bringing about a speedy resuscitation. În about an hour the eyes again opened, a heavy groan proceeded from the body, and

again all appearance of animation vanished. In another hour life seemed to return with more power, and a complete revival took place, to the great joy of the family and friends, and to the no small astonishment and conviction of very many who had ridiculed the idea of restoring a dead body to life.

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Mr. Tennant continued in so weak and low a state for six weeks that great doubts were entertained of his final recovery. However, after that period he recovered much faster. It was about twelve months before he was completely restored. After he was able to walk about the room, and to take notice of what passed around him, his sister, on a Sunday afternoon, having staid at home to attend him, was reading in the Bible, when he took notice of it, and asked her what she had in her hand. She answered that it was the Bible. He replied-" What is the Bible? I know not what you mean. This affected the sister so much, that she burst into tears, and informed him that he was once well acquainted with it. On her reporting this to her brother when he returned, Mr. Tennant was found upon examination to be totally ignorant of every transaction of his life previous to his sickness. He could not read a single word, neither did he seem to have any idea what it meant. As soon as he was capable of attention, he was taught to read and write, as children are usually taught, and afterwards began to learn the Latin language, under the tuition of his brother. One day as he was reciting a lesson in Cornelius Nepos, he suddenly started, clapped his hand to his head, as if something had hurt him, and made a pause. His brother asking him what was the matter, he said that he felt a sudden shock in his head, and it now geemed to him as if he had read the book before.

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By degrees his recollection was restored, and he could speak Latin as fluently as before his illness. memory so completely revived, that he gained a perfect knowledge of the past transactions of his life, as if no difficulty had previously occurred.

This event at the time made considerable noise, and afforded not only matter of serious contemplation to the devout Christian, especially when connected with what follows in this narrative, but furnished a subject of deep

investigation and learned inquiry to the real philosopher and curious anatomist.

The writer of these memoirs was greatly interested by these uncommon events, and on a favourable occasion earnestly pressed Mr. Tennant for a minute account of what his views and apprehensions were while he lay in this extraordinary state of suspended animation. He discovered great reluctance to enter into any explanation of his perceptions and feelings at this time; and being importunately urged to do it, at length consented, and proceeded with a solemnity not to be described.

"While I was conversing with my brother," said he, "on the state of my soul, and the fears I had entertained for my future welfare, I found myself in an instant in another state of existence, under the direction of a superior being, who ordered me to follow him. I was accordingly wafted along, I knew not how, till I beheld at a distance an ineffable glory, the impression of which on my mind it is impossible to communicate to mortal man. I immediately reflected on my happy change, and thought, 'well! blessed be God, I am safe at last, notwithstanding all my fears." I saw an innumerable host of happy beings surrounding the inexpressible glory, in acts of adoration and joyous worship; but I did not see any bodily shape or representation in the glorious appearance. I heard things unutterable. I heard their songs and hallelujahs of thanksgiving and praise with unspeakable rapture. I felt joy unutterable, and full of glory. I then applied to my conductor, and requested leave to join the happy throng; on which he tapped me on the shoulder, and said, 'You must return to the earth.' This seemed like a sword through my heart. In an instant I recollected to have seen my brother standing disputing with the doctor. The three days during which I had appeared lifeless seemed to me not more than ten or twenty minutes. The idea of returning to this world of sorrow and trouble gave me such a shock that I repeatedly fainted.' He added:- "Such was the effect on my mind of what I had seen and heard, that if it be possible for a human being to live entirely above the world and the things of it for some time afterwards, I was that person. The ravishing sound of the songs and hallelujahs that I

heard was never out of my ears, when awake, for three years. All the kingdoms of the earth were in my sight as nothing but vanity; and so great were my ideas of heavenly glory, that nothing which did not in some measure relate to it could command my serious attention."

It is not surprising that after so affecting an account, strong solicitude should have been felt for further information as to the words, or at least the subjects, of praise and adoration which Mr. Tennant had heard. But when he was requested to communicate these, he gave a decided negative, adding:-"You will know them, with many other particulars, hereafter, as you will find the whole among my papers;" alluding to his intention of leaving the writer hereof his executor, which precluded any further solicitation.

It was so ordered, however, in the course of Divine Providence, that the writer was sorely disappointed in his expectation of obtaining the papers here alluded to. Mr. Tennant's death happened during the revolutionary war, when the enemy separated the writer from him, so as to render it impossible to attend him on his dying bed; and before it was possible to get to his house after his death, the writer being with the American army at the ValleyForge, his son came from Charleston and took his mother and his father's papers and property, and returned to Carolina. About fifty miles from Charleston the son was suddenly taken sick, and died among entire strangers; and never since, though the writer was left executor to the son, could any trace of the father's papers be discovered by him.-Philadelphia Evangelical Intelligencer.

THE ROCHESTER APPARITION.

The following narrative was communicated in a letter from Mr. Thomas Tilson, minister of Aylesworth, in Kent, to Mr. Baxter, as a contribution to his celebrated work, “The Certainty of the World of Spirits.”

Rev. Sir,-Being informed that you are writing about spectres and apparitions, I take the freedom, though a stranger, to send you the following relation :

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