th the cultivation of letters, but who, having
been early engaged in public and official employments in Switzerland,
the country of his adoption, has been practically tried and proved in
sight of the world, in which he has always borne a high and unblemished
character; one, finally, whose writings and whose life have happily
concurred in winning for him general respect, esteem, and confidence.
Then, in a sort of autobiography which Zschokke published a few years
back, (_Selbstschau_, it is entitled--Self-retrospect,) there occurs the
following passage, which I translate and give at length, from its
marvellous interest, from its unquestioned fidelity, from the complete
and irresistible evidence it affords that the phenomenon, enunciated in
the last paragraph, occasionally turns up in men's experience.

"If the reception of so many visitors was occasionally troublesome, it
repaid itself occasionally, either by making me acquainted with
remarkable personages, or by bringing out a wonderful sort of seer-gift,
which I called my inward vision, and which has always remained an enigma
to me. I am almost afraid to say a word upon this subject, not for fear
of the imputation of being superstitious, but lest I should encourage
that disposition in others; and yet it forms a contribution to
psychology. So to confess.

"It is acknowledged that the judgment which we form of strangers upon
first seeing them, is frequently more correct than that which we adopt
upon a longer acquaintance with them. The first impression, which,
through an instinct of the soul, attracts one towards, or repels one
from another, becomes after a time more dim, and is weakened, either
through his appearing other than at first, or through our being
accustomed to him. People speak, too, in reference to such cases, of
involuntary sympathies and aversions, and attach a special certainty to
such manifestations in children, in whom knowledge of mankind by
experience is wanting. Others again are incredulous, and attribute all
to physiognomical skill. But of myself.

"It has happened to me occasionally, at the first meeting with a total
stranger, when I have been listening in silence to his conversation,
that his past life up to the present moment, with many minute
circumstances, belonging to one or other particular scene in it, has
come across me like a dream, but distinctly, entirely involuntarily and
unsought, occupying in duration a few minutes. During this peri