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ving the axle； that the copper will explode； or that the promontory will fall at a precise moment； must at the same time know that the traveler will not take the last fatal step； that the carriage will not be overturned； that the copper will not hurt anybody and that the canoe will pull away from the promontory。 It is inadmissible that； seeing one thing； it will not see the other； since everything happens at the same point； in the course of the same second。 Can we say that； if it had not given warning； the little saving movement would not have been executed？ How can we imagine a future which； at one and the same time； has parts that are steadfast and others that are not？ If it is foreseen that the promontory will fall and that the traveler will escape； thanks to the supernatural warning； it is necessarily foreseen that the warning will be given； and； if so； what is the point of this futile comedy？ I see no reasonable explanation of it in the spiritist or spiritualistic theory； which postulates a complete knowledge of the future； at least at a settled point and moment。 On the other hand； if we adhere to the theory of a subliminal consciousness； we find there an explanation which is quite worthy of acceptation。 This subliminal consciousness； though； in the majority of cases； it has no clear and comprehensive vision of the immediate future； can nevertheless possess an intuition of imminent danger； thanks to indications that escape our ordinary perception。 It can also have a partial； intermittent and so to speak flickering vision of the future event and； if doubtful； can risk giving an incoherent warning； which； for that matter； will change nothing in that which already is。
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In conclusion； let us state once more that fruitful premonitions necessarily annihilate events in the bud and consequently work their own destruction； so that any control becomes impossible。 They would have an existence only if they prophesied a general event which the subject would not escape but for the warning。 If they had said to any one intending to go to Messina two or three months before the catastrophe； 〃Don't go； for the town will be destroyed before the month is out；〃 we should have an excellent example。 But it is a remarkable thing that genuine premonitions of this kind are very rare and nearly always rather indefinite in regard to events of a general order。 In M。 Bozzano's excellent collection； which is a sort of compendium of Premonitory phenomena； the only pretty clear cases are nos。 cli； and clviii。； both of which are taken from the Journal of the S。P。R。 In the first；＇1＇ a mother sent a servant to bring home her little daughter； who had already left the house with the intention of going through the 〃railway garden；〃 a strip of ground between the se。 wall and the railway embankment； in order to sit on the great stone； by the seaside and see the trains pass by。 A few minutes after the little girl's departure； the mother had distinctly and repeatedly heard a voice within her say：
〃Send for her back； or something dreadful will happen to her。〃
＇1＇ Journal； vol。 viii。； p。 45。
Now； soon after； a train ran off the line and the engine and tender fell； breaking through the protecting wall and crashing down on the very stones where the child was accustomed to sit。
In the other case；＇1＇ into which Professor W。 F。 Barrett made a special enquiry； Captain MacGowan was in Brooklyn with his two boys； then on their holidays。 He promised the boys that he would take them to the theatre and booked seats on the previous day； but on the day of the proposed visit he heard a voice within him constantly saying：
〃Do not go to the theatre； take the boys back to school。〃
＇1＇ Ibid。； vol。 i。； p。 283。
He hesitated； gave up his plan and resumed it again。 But the words kept repeating themselves and impressing themselves upon him； and； in the end； he definitely decided not to go； much to the two boys' disgust。 That night the theatre was destroyed by fire； with a loss of three hundred lives。
We may add to this the prevision of the Battle of Borodino； to which I have already alluded； I will give the story in fuller detail； as told in the journal of Stephen Grellet the Quaker。
About three months before the French army entered Russia； the wife of General Toutschkoff dreamt that she was at an inn in a town unknown to her and that her father came into her room； holding her only son by the hand； and said to her； in a pitiful tone：
〃Your happiness is at an end。 He〃meaning Countess Toutschkoff's husband〃has fallen。 He has fallen at Borodino。〃
The dream was repeated a second and a third time。 Her anguish of mind was such that she woke her husband and asked him：
〃Where is Borodino？〃 They looked for the name on the map and did not find it。
Before the French armies reached Moscow； Count Toutschkoff was placed at the head of the army of reserve； and one morning her father； holding her son by the hand； entered her room at the inn where she was staying。 In great distress； as she had beheld him in her dream； he cried out：
〃He has fallen。 He has fallen at Borodino。〃
Then she saw herself in the very same room and through the windows beheld the very same objects that she had seen in her dreams。 Her husband was one of the many who perished in the battle fought near the River Borodino； from which an obscure village takes its name。＇1＇
＇1＇ Memoirs of the Life and Labours of Stephen Grellet； vol i。； p。 434。
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This is evidently a very rare and perhaps solitary example of a long…dated prediction of a great historic event which nobody could foresee。 It stirs more deeply than any other the enormous problems of fatality； free…will and responsibility。 But has it been attested with sufficient rigour for us to rely upon it？ That I cannot say。 In any case； it has not been sifted by the S。P。R。 Next； from the special point of view that interests us for the moment； we are unable to declare that this premonition had any chance of being of avail and preventing the general from going to Borodino。 It is highly probable that he did not know where he was going or where he was； besides； the irresistible machinery of war held him fast and it was not his part to disengage his destiny。 The premonition； therefore； could only have been given because it was certain not to be obeyed。
As for the two previous cases； nos。 clv。 and clviii。； we must here again remark the usual strange reservations and observe how difficult it is to explain these premonitions save by attributing them to our subconsciousness。 The main； unavoidable event is not precisely stated； but a subordinate consequence seems to be averted； as though to make us believe in some definite power of free will。 Nevertheless； the mysterious entity that foresaw the catastrophe must also have foreseen that nothing would happen to the person whom it was warning； and this brings us back to the useless farce of which we spoke above。 Whereas； with the theory of a subconscious self； the latter may haveas in the case of the traveler； the promontory； the copper or the carriage…not this time by inferences or indications that escape our perception； but by other unknown means； a vague presentiment of an impending peri