For a long time I was disposed to consider these fleeting visions as a
trick of the fancy--the more so as my dream-vision displayed to me the
dress and movements of the actors, the appearance of the room, the
furniture, and other accidents of the scene; till on one occasion, in a
gamesome mood, I narrated to my family the secret history of a seamstress
who had just quitted the room. I had never seen the person before.
Nevertheless, the hearers were astonished, and laughed and would not be
persuaded but that I had a previous acquaintance with the former life of
the person, inasmuch as what I had stated was perfectly true.
"I was not less astonished to find that my dream vision agreed with
reality. I then gave more attention to the subject, and as often as
propriety allowed of it, I related to those whose lives had so passed
before me the substance of my dream-vision, to obtain from them its
contradiction or confirmation. On every occasion its confirmation
followed, not without amazement on the part of those who gave it. On a
certain fair-day I went into the town of Waldshut accompanied by two young
foresters, who are still alive. It was evening, and, tired with our walk,
we went into an inn called the 'Vine.' We took our supper with a numerous
company at the public table, when it happened that they made themselves
merry over the peculiarities of the Swiss in connection with the belief in
mesmerism, Lavater's physiognomical system, and the like.
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