[23]Example：“Natureisalwayssointeresting，underwhateveraspectsheshowsherself，thatwhenitrains，Iseemtoseeabeautifulwomanweeping。Sheappearsthemorebeautiful，themoreafflictedsheis。”B。deSt。Pierre。
AsregardstheoriginoftheGreekgods，weneednotatpresentseekanopinion。Butthewholearrayofourinstancesleadstoaconclusionsomethinglikethis：Itisasiftherewereinthehumanconsciousnessasenseofreality，afeelingofobjectivepresence，aperceptionofwhatwemaycall“somethingthere。”
moredeepandmoregeneralthananyofthespecialandparticular“senses“bywhichthecurrentpsychologysupposesexistentrealitiestobeoriginallyrevealed。Ifthiswereso，wemightsupposethesensestowakenourattitudesandconductastheysohabituallydo，byfirstexcitingthissenseofreality；butanythingelse，anyidea，forexample，thatmightsimilarlyexciteit，wouldhavethatsameprerogativeofappearingrealwhichobjectsofsensenormallypossess。Sofarasreligiousconceptionswereabletotouchthisreality-feeling，theywouldbebelievedininspiteofcriticism，eventhoughtheymightbesovagueandremoteastobealmostunimaginable，eventhoughtheymightbesuchnon-entitiesinpointofWHATNESS，asKantmakestheobjectsofhismoraltheologytobe。
Themostcuriousproofsoftheexistenceofsuchanundifferentiatedsenseofrealityasthisarefoundinexperiencesofhallucination。Itoftenhappensthatanhallucinationisimperfectlydeveloped：thepersonaffectedwillfeela“presence“intheroom，definitelylocalized，facinginoneparticularway，realinthemostemphaticsenseoftheword，oftencomingsuddenly，andassuddenlygone；andyetneitherseen，heard，touched，norcognizedinanyoftheusual“sensible“
ways。Letmegiveyouanexampleofthis，beforeIpasstotheobjectswithwhosepresencereligionismorepeculiarlyconcerned。
Anintimatefriendofmine，oneofthekeenestintellectsIknow，hashadseveralexperiencesofthissort。Hewritesasfollowsinresponsetomyinquiries：——
“Ihaveseveraltimeswithinthepastfewyearsfelttheso-
called’consciousnessofapresence。’TheexperienceswhichI
haveinmindareclearlydistinguishablefromanotherkindofexperiencewhichIhavehadveryfrequently，andwhichIfancymanypersonswouldalsocallthe’consciousnessofapresence。’
ButthedifferenceformebetweenthetwosetsofexperienceisasgreatasthedifferencebetweenfeelingaslightwarmthoriginatingIknownotwhere，andstandinginthemidstofaconflagrationwithalltheordinarysensesalert。
“ItwasaboutSeptember，1884，whenIhadthefirstexperience。
OnthepreviousnightIhadhad，aftergettingintobedatmyroomsinCollege，avividtactilehallucinationofbeinggraspedbythearm，whichmademegetupandsearchtheroomforanintruder；butthesenseofpresenceproperlysocalledcameonthenextnight。AfterIhadgotintobedandblownoutthecandle，Ilayawakeawhilethinkingonthepreviousnight’sexperience，whensuddenlyIFELTsomethingcomeintotheroomandstayclosetomybed。Itremainedonlyaminuteortwo。Ididnotrecognizeitbyanyordinarysenseandyettherewasahorriblyunpleasant’sensation’connectedwithit。Itstirredsomethingmoreattherootsofmybeingthananyordinaryperception。Thefeelinghadsomethingofthequalityofaverylargetearingvitalpainspreadingchieflyoverthechest，butwithintheorganism——andyetthefeelingwasnotPAINsomuchasABHORRENCE。Atallevents，somethingwaspresentwithme，andI
knewitspresencefarmoresurelythanIhaveeverknownthepresenceofanyfleshlylivingcreature。Iwasconsciousofitsdepartureasofitscoming：analmostinstantaneouslyswiftgoingthroughthedoor，andthe’horriblesensation’disappeared。
“OnthethirdnightwhenIretiredmymindwasabsorbedinsomelectureswhichIwaspreparing，andIwasstillabsorbedinthesewhenIbecameawareoftheactualpresencethoughnotoftheCOMINGofthethingthatwastherethenightbefore，andofthe’horriblesensation。’Ithenmentallyconcentratedallmyefforttochargethis’thing，’ifitwaseviltodepart，ifitwasNOT
evil，totellmewhoorwhatitwas，andifitcouldnotexplainitself，togo，andthatIwouldcompelittogo。Itwentasonthepreviousnight，andmybodyquicklyrecovereditsnormalstate。
“OntwootheroccasionsinmylifeIhavehadpreciselythesame’horriblesensation。’Onceitlastedafullquarterofanhour。
InallthreeinstancesthecertaintythatthereinoutwardspacetherestoodSOMETHINGwasindescribablySTRONGERthantheordinarycertaintyofcompanionshipwhenweareintheclosepresenceofordinarylivingpeople。Thesomethingseemedclosetome，andintenselymorerealthananyordinaryperception。
AlthoughIfeltittobelikeuntomyselfsotospeak，orfinite，small，anddistressful，asitwere，Ididn’trecognizeitasanyindividualbeingorperson。”
Ofcoursesuchanexperienceasthisdoesnotconnectitselfwiththereligioussphere。Yetitmayuponoccasiondoso；andthesamecorrespondentinformsmethatatmorethanoneotherconjuncturehehadthesenseofpresencedevelopedwithequalintensityandabruptness，onlythenitwasfilledwithaqualityofjoy。
“Therewasnotamereconsciousnessofsomethingthere，butfusedinthecentralhappinessofit，astartlingawarenessofsomeineffablegood。Notvagueeither，notliketheemotionaleffectofsomepoem，orscene，orblossom，ofmusic，butthesureknowledgeoftheclosepresenceofasortofmightyperson，andafteritwent，thememorypersistedastheoneperceptionofreality。Everythingelsemightbeadream，butnotthat。”
Myfriend，asitoddlyhappens，doesnotinterprettheselatterexperiencestheistically，assignifyingthepresenceofGod。Butitwouldclearlynothavebeenunnaturaltointerpretthemasarevelationofthedeity’sexistence。Whenwereachthesubjectofmysticism，weshallhavemuchmoretosayuponthishead。
Lesttheoddityofthesephenomenashoulddisconcertyou，Iwillventuretoreadyouacoupleofsimilarnarratives，muchshorter，merelytoshowthatwearedealingwithawell-markednaturalkindoffact。Inthefirstcase，whichItakefromtheJournaloftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch，thesenseofpresencedevelopedinafewmomentsintoadistinctlyvisualizedhallucination——butIleavethatpartofthestoryout。
“Ihadread。”thenarratorsays，“sometwentyminutesorso，wasthoroughlyabsorbedinthebook，mymindwasperfectlyquiet，andforthetimebeingmyfriendswerequiteforgotten，whensuddenlywithoutamoment’swarningmywholebeingseemedrousedtothehigheststateoftensionoraliveness，andIwasaware，withanintensenessnoteasilyimaginedbythosewhohadneverexperiencedit，thatanotherbeingorpresencewasnotonlyintheroom，butquiteclosetome。Iputmybookdown，andalthoughmyexcitementwasgreat，Ifeltquitecollected，andnotconsciousofanysenseoffear。Withoutchangingmyposition，andlookingstraightatthefire，IknewsomehowthatmyfriendA。H。wasstandingatmyleftelbowbutsofarbehindmeastobehiddenbythearmchairinwhichIwasleaningback。Movingmyeyesroundslightlywithoutotherwisechangingmyposition，thelowerportionofonelegbecamevisible，andIinstantlyrecognizedthegray-bluematerialoftrousersheoftenwore，butthestuffappearedsemitransparent，remindingmeoftobaccosmokeinconsistency。”[24]——andhereuponthevisualhallucinationcame。
[24]JournaloftheS。P。R。，February，1895，p。26。
Anotherinformantwrites：——
“QuiteearlyinthenightIwasawakened……IfeltasifI
hadbeenarousedintentionally，andatfirstthoughtsomeonewasbreakingintothehouse……Ithenturnedonmysidetogotosleepagain，andimmediatelyfeltaconsciousnessofapresenceintheroom，andsingulartostate，itwasnottheconsciousnessofaliveperson，butofaspiritualpresence。Thismayprovokeasmile，butIcanonlytellyouthefactsastheyoccurredtome。IdonotknowhowtobetterdescribemysensationsthanbysimplystatingthatIfeltaconsciousnessofaspiritualpresence……Ifeltalsoatthesametimeastrongfeelingofsuperstitiousdread，asifsomethingstrangeandfearfulwereabouttohappen。”[25]
[25]E。Gurney：PhantasmsoftheLiving，i。384。
ProfessorFlournoyofGenevagivesmethefollowingtestimonyofafriendofhis，alady，whohasthegiftofautomaticorinvoluntarywriting：——
“WheneverIpracticeautomaticwriting，whatmakesmefeelthatitisnotduetoasubconsciousselfisthefeelingIalwayshaveofaforeignpresence，externaltomybody。ItissometimessodefinitelycharacterizedthatIcouldpointtoitsexactposition。Thisimpressionofpresenceisimpossibletodescribe。
Itvariesinintensityandclearnessaccordingtothepersonalityfromwhomthewritingprofessestocome。IfitissomeonewhomIlove，Ifeelitimmediately，beforeanywritinghascome。Myheartseemstorecognizeit。”
InanearlierbookofmineIhavecitedatfulllengthacuriouscaseofpresencefeltbyablindman。Thepresencewasthatofthefigureofagray-beardedmandressedinapepperandsaltsuit，squeezinghimselfunderthecrackofthedoorandmovingacrosstheflooroftheroomtowardsasofa。Theblindsubjectofthisquasi-hallucinationisanexceptionallyintelligentreporter。Heisentirelywithoutinternalvisualimageryandcannotrepresentlightorcolorstohimself，andispositivethathisothersenses，hearing，etc。，werenotinvolvedinthisfalseperception。Itseemstohavebeenanabstractconceptionrather，withthefeelingsofrealityandspatialoutwardnessdirectlyattachedtoit——inotherwords，afullyobjectifiedandexteriorizedIDEA。
Suchcases，takenalongwithotherswhichwouldbetootediousforquotation，seemsufficientlytoprovetheexistenceinourmentalmachineryofasenseofpresentrealitymorediffusedandgeneralthanthatwhichourspecialsensesyield。Forthepsychologiststhetracingoftheorganicseatofsuchafeelingwouldformaprettyproblem——nothingcouldbemorenaturalthantoconnectitwiththemuscularsense，withthefeelingthatourmuscleswereinnervatingthemselvesforaction。Whatsoeverthusinnervatedouractivity，or“madeourfleshcreep“——oursensesarewhatdosooftenest——mightthenappearrealandpresent，eventhoughitwerebutanabstractidea。Butwithsuchvagueconjectureswehavenoconcernatpresent，forourinterestlieswiththefacultyratherthanwithitsorganicseat。
Likeallpositiveaffectionsofconsciousness，thesenseofrealityhasitsnegativecounterpartintheshapeofafeelingofunrealitybywhichpersonsmaybehaunted，andofwhichonesometimeshearscomplaint：——
“WhenIreflectonthefactthatIhavemademyappearancebyaccidentuponaglobeitselfwhirledthroughspaceasthesportofthecatastrophesoftheheavens。”saysMadameAckermann；“whenIseemyselfsurroundedbybeingsasephemeralandincomprehensibleasIammyself，andallexcitedlypursuingpurechimeras，Iexperienceastrangefeelingofbeinginadream。ItseemstomeasifIhavelovedandsufferedandthaterelongI
shalldie，inadream。Mylastwordwillbe，’Ihavebeendreaming。’“[26]
[26]Penseesd’unSolitaire，p。66。
Inanotherlectureweshallseehowinmorbidmelancholythissenseoftheunrealityofthingsmaybecomeacarkingpain，andevenleadtosuicide。
Wemaynowlayitdownascertainthatinthedistinctivelyreligioussphereofexperience，manypersonshowmanywecannottellpossesstheobjectsoftheirbelief，notintheformofmereconceptionswhichtheirintellectacceptsastrue，butratherintheformofquasi-sensiblerealitiesdirectlyapprehended。Ashissenseoftherealpresenceoftheseobjectsfluctuates，sothebelieveralternatesbetweenwarmthandcoldnessinhisfaith。Otherexampleswillbringthishometoonebetterthanabstractdescription，soIproceedimmediatelytocitesome。Thefirstexampleisanegativeone，deploringthelossofthesenseinquestion。Ihaveextracteditfromanaccountgivenmebyascientificmanofmyacquaintance，ofhisreligiouslife。Itseemstometoshowclearlythatthefeelingofrealitymaybesomethingmorelikeasensationthananintellectualoperationproperlyso-called。
“BetweentwentyandthirtyIgraduallybecamemoreandmoreagnosticandirreligious，yetIcannotsaythatIeverlostthat’indefiniteconsciousness’whichHerbertSpencerdescribessowell，ofanAbsoluteRealitybehindphenomena。FormethisRealitywasnotthepureUnknowableofSpencer’sphilosophy，foralthoughIhadceasedmychildishprayerstoGod，andneverprayedtoITinaformalmanner，yetmymorerecentexperienceshowsmetohavebeeninarelationtoITwhichpracticallywasthesamethingasprayer。WheneverIhadanytrouble，especiallywhenIhadconflictwithotherpeople，eitherdomesticallyorinthewayofbusiness，orwhenIwasdepressedinspiritsoranxiousaboutaffairs，InowrecognizethatIusedtofallbackforsupportuponthiscuriousrelationIfeltmyselftobeintothisfundamentalcosmicalIT。Itwasonmyside，orIwasonItsside，howeveryoupleasetotermit，intheparticulartrouble，anditalwaysstrengthenedmeandseemedtogivemeendlessvitalitytofeelitsunderlyingandsupportingpresence。Infact，itwasanunfailingfountainoflivingjustice，truth，andstrength，towhichIinstinctivelyturnedattimesofweakness，anditalwaysbroughtmeout。IknownowthatitwasapersonalrelationIwasintoit，becauseoflateyearsthepowerofcommunicatingwithithasleftme，andIamconsciousofaperfectlydefiniteloss。IusednevertofailtofinditwhenI