A STRANGE DREAM

A curious instance of a dream coming true occurred to me this winter.

While at college last term I had the following dream: I dreamt I was going to visit a strange place, and I was permitted to take a friend with me. I took a fellow named A., and we started for the visit.

It was a pouring wet day, and we were compelled to take a cab from the station. We drove several miles before we reached the house, and when we did so the friend had gone.

I rang the bell and a servant showed me into a room—I supposed the drawing-room. On my left on entering was a fire-place; a lady was working by it. I could not recognise her features. A window was opposite, through which I saw a lovely landscape, though spoilt by the rain; a young man was in the window, and, as I entered, he was saying, “Bother the rain; I meant to have gone to meet H.” (myself). I noticed his face particularly. I also noticed other articles of furniture in the room.

With that my dream ended. I was so struck with it that I related it fully to A., and also to another friend, next morning.

I forgot all about it until the vacation.

I was staying with A., when I had a letter from some distant relations, up to now unknown by me, inviting me to go and stay with them while I was in the neighbourhood. I accepted, and the day on which I left A’s house was a “drenching” one.

I reached the station of E——, and as it was so wet, I thought, no one would meet me, so I took a cab. C—— was five miles from the station. I reached the house at length, and was shown into the drawing-room.

The lady of the house was working by the fire on my left, as I entered; and one of my cousins was standing at the window, and I heard him saying, before he saw me, “I wish H would come. Bother the rain; I meant to have gone to meet him.” He turned towards me as I went in, and I recognised at once the face in my dream.

The view was exactly the view I had seen before, and the details of furniture were placed as dreamed. I had never seen the people before, nor even heard of them, and had never been within fifty miles of the house.

I was much struck with the circumstance, and should like to know any good theory as regards prophetic dreams.

H. D. Hinde

—from Knowledge: A Monthly Record of Science, Vol. 5 (March 14, 1884), p. 170.