Case XXII

Oliver Cromwell was stretched fatigued and sleepless on his bed. Suddenly the curtains opened, and a woman of gigantic size appeared, and told him that he would be the greatest man in England. The Puritan faith, and the ambition of Cromwell, might have suggested, during those troublous times of the kingdom, some still stronger idea; and who can say whether, had the phantom murmured these words in his ear, " Thou wilt one day be king!" the protector would have refused the crown, as did Caesar at the Lupercalian feasts?*

The silence and horror of a dungeon may explain certain hallucinations that have occurred to persons remarkable for their mind and talents. As in the preceding cases, false impressions have been taken for realities, without the reason being affected - a result which appears to belong to the ideas of the time, and to religious belief, inasmuch as those illusions in no wise interfered with the habits and sentiments of those who experienced them.

Case XXIII

Benvenuto Cellini, imprisoned in Rome by order of the Pope, was so overcome with ennui and suffering that he resolved on suicide. "One day," says he, "determined to put an end to myself, I suspended, with great effort, an enormous beam over my head; but I was arrested, and flung some paces from it in an invisible manner. I reflected on the cause that had prevented my destroying myself, and concluded that it was a divine interference. During the night, a young man of wonderful beauty appeared to me in a dream, and said, with a reproachful air: 'Thou knowest who gave thee life, and thou wouldst quit it before thy time.' I answered, it appears to me, that 'I acknowledged all the gifts of God.' Why, then,' replied he, 'wouldst thou cancel them? Be resigned, and lose not thy hope in His divine goodness.'

"The governor was cruel. The invisible youth that had prevented my committing suicide came to me, and, in a clear voice, said: 'My dear Benvenuto, come, come, pray earnestly to God!' Terrified, I threw myself on my knees, and recited my usual orisons. The same voice said to me: ' Go to rest now, and fear not.'

* Dendy, op. cti., p. 41.

"I frequently asked the invisible spirit who gave me such good advice to let me see the sun, the object of all my dreams. On the 2d of October, 1539, I was still more earnest in my prayer. On the next morning, awaking an hour before daylight, and having dressed myself in an old coat that I had, for the weather was becoming cold, I began my orisons, and supplicated Jesus Christ to let me know, by inspiration, if I was considered unworthy to see the sun - for what fault I was subjected to so heavy a penance. I had scarcely finished, when I was carried, as if by a whirlwind, by my invisible spirit, into a room where he appeared to me under the semblance of a handsome young man, but whose whole appearance was austere. 'There,' said he, showing me a multitude of people, 'are all the men who have lived and died until now' (it will be remembered that Benvenuto was well versed in Dante). I prayed him to explain his motive for thus acting. 'Come with me,' said he, ' and thou shalt see.'

"I had a short poniard in my hand, and wore my coat of mail. As I walked on, I saw, in an immense hall, men moving in crowds in every direction. Then the spirit having conducted me through a narrow gallery, I was suddenly disarmed. Bareheaded, and dressed in a white robe, I walked on his right. I was in a state of admiration, mingled with surprise, for every place that I entered was new to me. I raised my eyes, and saw a wall on which the sun shone; but I saw not the sun himself. 'My friend,' said I to my guide, 'how can I be sufficiently raised to see the face of that planet V He showed me a small ladder. 'Go up there,' said he. I went backwards up the ladder. By degrees I began to see the sun, and, rising still higher, saw his entire globe. The strength of his rays caused me to lower my eyes; but I took courage, and, looking fixedly at it, exclaimed: 'Oh, sun! whom I have so longed to see, I will contemplate but thee, even if thy fires blind me.'

"I stood, therefore, with a firm countenance; his rays soon spread to the right, and presently covered the whole globe, which caused me inexpressible admiration.

"'What favor has God shown to me!' said I; 'what power exists in his virtue!' The sun appeared a circle of the purest gold; suddenly I saw it increase, and from it came a Christ on a cross of the same material; he had an expression of goodness and grace that no pencil can paint. Whilst I cried out, 'Oh miracle! oh miracle! with what happiness am I this morning filled!' Christ moved towards the side whence the rays had emerged, which parted as at first, and there issued a beautiful virgin, holding her son in her arms, and bestowing upon me the sweetest smile. Two angels were by her side, and a pontiff knelt before her. All these wonderful objects were clearly and vividly displayed, and I loudly and unceasingly praised God. When I had enjoyed this marvellous sight during half a quarter of an hour, I was suddenly retransported to my prison, where I continued giving thanks to the Most High, saying, 'God has at length made me worthy to see what no mortal ever saw before.' "*

With this we may compare the case of Sylvio Pellico, of which we shall speak hereafter; but in the latter, the cause of the vision was fully appreciated.

The following instance we must trace to the influence of darkness and fear, strengthened by the belief of the age.

Ferriar thinks that the first visions took place during sleep, and that the noises of the second night were but reminiscences.