most intimate friend, to attend the classes of the University.

"There was no divinity class, but we frequently in our walks discussed
many grave subjects--among others--_the Immortality of the soul and a
future state_. This question and the possibility of the dead appearing
to the living were subjects of much speculation, and we actually
committed the folly of drawing up an agreement, written with our blood,
to the effect that whichever of us died the first should appear to the
other and thus solve the doubts we had entertained of the life after
death.

"After we had finished our classes at the college, G---- went to India
having got an appointment in the Civil Service there. He seldom wrote
to me and after the lapse of a few years, I had nearly forgotten his
existence. One day I had taken a warm bath, and, while lying in it
enjoying the heat, I turned my head round, looking towards the chair on
which I had deposited my clothes, as I was about to get out of the bath.
On the chair sat G--looking calmly at me. How I got out of the bath I
know not, but on recovering my senses I found myself sprawling on the
floor. The apparition or whatever it was that had taken the likeness of
G--had disappeared. The vision had produced such a shock that I had no
inclination to talk about it or to speak about it even to Stewart, but
the impression it made upon me was too vivid to be forgotten easily, and
so strongly was I affected by it that I have here written down the whole
history with the date, 19th December, and all particulars as they are
fresh before me now. No doubt I had fallen asleep and that the
appearance presented so distinctly before my eyes was a dream I cannot
doubt, yet for years I had no communication with G--nor had there been
anything to recall him to my recollection. Nothing had taken place
concerning our Swedish travel connected with G--or with India or with
anything relating to him or to any member of his family. I recollected
quickly enough our old discussion and the bargain we had made. I could
not discharge from my mind the impression that G---- must have died and
his appearance to me was to be received by me as a proof of a future
state."

This was on the 19th December 1799.

In October 1862 Lord Brougham added a postscript.

"I have just been copying out from my journal the account of this
strange dream.

"_Certissima mortis imago_, and now to finish the story begun about 60
years ago. Soon after my re