he consulted Robert Boyle, F.R.S., who
advised her, if Orrery appeared again, to ask him some metaphysical
questions. She did so, and 'I know these questions come from my
brother,' said the appearance. 'He is too curious.' He admitted,
however, that his body was 'an aerial body,' but declined to be
explicit on other matters. This anecdote was told by Mr. Smith, who
had it from Mr. Wallace, who had it from 'an English gentleman'.
Mr. Menzies, minister of Erskine, once beheld the wraith of a friend
smoking a pipe, but the owner of the wraith did not die, or do
anything remarkable. To see a friendly wraith smoking a pipe, even
if he take the liberty of doing so in one's bedroom, is not very
ill-boding. To be sure Mr. Menzies' own father died not long after,
but the attempt to connect the wraith of a third person with that
event is somewhat desperate.

Wodrow has a tame commonplace account of the Bride of Lammermoor's
affair. On the other hand, he tells us concerning a daughter of
Lord Stair, the Countess of Dumfries, that she 'was under a very odd
kind of distemper, and did frequently fly from one end of the room
to the other, and from the one side of the garden to the other. . .
. The matter of fact is certain.' At a garden party this
accomplishment would have been invaluable.

We now, for a change, have a religious marvel. Mrs. Zuil, 'a very
judiciouse Christian,' had a friend of devout character. This lady,
being in bed, and in 'a ravishing frame,' 'observed a pleasant
light, and one of the pleasantest forms, like a young child,
standing on her shoulder'. Not being certain that she was not
delirious, she bade her nurse draw her curtains, and bring her some
posset. Thrice the nurse came in with posset, and thrice drew back
in dread. The appearance then vanished, and for the fourth time the
nurse drew the curtains, but, on this occasion, she presented the
invalid with the posset. Being asked why she had always withdrawn
before, she said she had seen 'like a boyn (halo?) above her
mistress's head,' and added, 'it was her wraith, and a signe she
would dye'. 'From this the lady was convinced that she was in no
reverie.' A similar halo shone round pious Mr. Welsh, when in
meditation, and also (according to Patrick Walker) round two of the
Sweet Singers, followers of Meikle John Gibb, before they burned a
Bible! Gibb, a raving fanatic, went to America, where he was
greatly admired by the Red Indians, 'beca