Voices

Eton College. August 6th, 1881. I wish to write down, before there is time for confusion, the following fact, occurring on Thursday morning, July 28, 1881, when my dear mother died, whom G-od rest ! After all was over. Miss E. I., Eliza W., Dr. Gr., and myself being in the room, Miss I. heard a sound of ' very 1 In a case which E. M. Arndt (Schriften fiir und an seine Lichen Deutschen, 1845, Vol. iii., pp. 525-6) records, with names and details, on the first-hand authority of a family whom he highly esteemed, the music of a guitar was heard, first by two daughters of the house, and then by their father and a large group of persons, at the time of the death in battle of an officer who had been staying with the family a little time before, and had delighted them by his performances on that instrument. But there is no sufficient statement of the grounds on which the hearers were convinced (as they undoubtedly were) that the sounds were not due to any objective cause in the vicinity. The house was searched ; but there is no mention of inquiries in the environs. 640 SUPPLEMENT. [chap. low, soft music, exceedingly sweet, as if of three girls' voices, passing by the house.' She described further the sound as if girls were going home singing, only strangely low and sweet ; it seemed to come from the street, past the house towards the College buildings (the road ends there in a cul-de-sac), and so passed away. She looked to call my attention, and thought I perceived it. She noticed that the doctor heard it, and that he went to the window to look out. The window faces S.E. Eliza W. being in the room at the same time heard a sound of very low, sweet singing. She recognised the tune and words of the hymn. ' The strife is o'er, the battle done.' Miss I. recognised no tune, but felt 'that the music sounded, as it were, familiar.' As a very accomplished musician, especially remarkable for her quick memory of music, had words or air been those of a well-known hymn, she would almost certainly have remembered it. These two spoke to each other when alone about what they had heard. Miss I. gives the time at about 10 minutes after my dear mother expired. They were then unaware of this additional circumstance. Miss H. had left the room, and had summoned Charlotte C, with whom she had procured something required for laying out the body. As the two returned upstairs they heard a sound of music, and both stopped. Charlotte said to Miss H., ' What is this 1 ' After a pause she said, ' It must be Miss I. singing to comfort master.' They