but it is unable to say those which would prevent it from coming； seeing that it has come； that it is already present and perhaps past； manifest； ineffaceable； on another plane than that on which we live； the only plane which we are capable of perceiving。 It finds itself； in a word； in the position of the man who； in the midst of peaceful； happy and unsuspecting folk； alone knows some bad news。 He is neither able nor willing to announce it nor yet to hide it completely。 He hesitates； delays； makes more or less transparent allusions； but does not either say the last word that would； so to speak； let loose the catastrophe in the hearts of the people around him； for to those who do not know of it the catastrophe is still as though it were not there。 Our subconsciousness； in that case； would act towards the future as we act towards the past； the two conditions being identical； so much so that it often confuses them； as we can see more particularly in the celebrated Marmontel case； where it evidently blunders and reports as accomplished an incident that will not take place until several months later。 It is of course impossible for us； at the stage which we have reached； to understand this confusion or this coexistence of the past； the present and the future； but that is no reason for denying it； on the contrary； what man understands least is probably that which most nearly approaches the truth。
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Lastly； to complicate the question； it may be very justly objected that； though premonitions in general are useless and appear systematically to withhold the only indispensable and decisive words； there are； nevertheless； some that often seem to save those who obey them。 These； it is true； are rarer than the first； but still they include a certain number that are well authenticated。 It remains to be seen how far they imply a knowledge of the future。
Here； for instance； is a traveler who； arriving at night in a small unknown town and walking along the ill…lighted dock in the direction of an hotel of which he roughly knows the position； at a given moment tech an irresistible impulse to turn and go the other way。 He instantly obeys； though his reason protests and 〃berates him for a fool〃 in taking a roundabout way to his destination。 The next day he discovers that； if he had gone a few feet farther； he would certainly have slipped into the river； and； as he was but a feeble swimmer； he would just as certainly； being alone and unaided in the extreme darkness； have been drowned。＇1＇
＇1＇ Proceedings； vol。 xi。； p。 422。
But is this a prevision of an event？ No； for no event is to take place。 There is simply an abnormal perception of the proximity of some unknown water and consequently of an imminent danger； an unexplained but fairly frequent subliminal sensitiveness。 In a word； the problem of the future is not raised in this case； nor in any of the numerous cases that resemble it。
Here is another which evidently belongs to the same class； though at first sight it seems to postulate the preexistence of a fatal event and a vision of the future corresponding exactly with a vision of the past。 A traveler in South America is descending a river in a canoe； the party are just about to run close to a promontory when a sort of mysterious voice； which he has already heard at different momentous times of his life； imperiously orders him immediately to cross the river and gain the other shore as quickly as possible。 This appears so absurd that he is obliged to threaten the Indians with death to force them to take this course。 They have scarcely crossed more than half the river when the promontory falls at the very place where they meant to round it。＇1＇
＇1＇ Flournoy： Esprits et mediums； p。 316。
The perception of imminent danger is here； I admit； even more abnormal than in the previous example； but it comes under the same heading。 It is a phenomenon of subliminal hypersensitiveness observed more than once； a sort of premonition induced by subconscious perceptions； which has been christened by the barbarous name of 〃cryptaesthesia。〃 But the interval between the moment when the peril is signalled and that at which it is consummated is too short for those questions which relate to a knowledge or a preexistence of the future to arise in this instance。
The case is almost the same with the adventure of an American dentist； very carefully investigated by Dr。 Hodgson。 The dentist was bending over a bench on which was a little copper in which he was vulcanizing some rubber； when he heard a voice calling； in a quick and imperative manner； these words：
〃Run to the window； quick！ Run to the window； quick！〃
He at once ran to the window and looked out to the street below； when suddenly he heard a tremendous report and； looking round； saw that the copper had exploded； destroying a great part of the workroom。＇1＇
＇1＇ Proceedings； vol。 xi。； p。 424。
Here again； a subconscious cautiousness was probably amused by certain indications imperceptible to our ordinary senses。 It is even possible that there exists between things and ourselves a sort of sympathy or subliminal communion which makes us experience the trials and emotions of matter that has reached the limits of its existence； unless； as is more likely； there is merely a simple coincidence between the chance idea of a possible explosion and its realization。
A last and rather more complicated case is that of Jean Dupre； the sculptor； who was driving alone with his wife along a mountain road； skirting a perpendicular cliff。 Suddenly they both heard a voice that seemed to come from the mountain crying：
〃Stop！〃
They turned round； saw nobody and continued their road。 But the cries were repeated again and again； without anything to reveal the presence of a human being amid the solitude。 At last the sculptor alighted and saw that the left wheel of the carriage； which was grazing the edge of the precipice； had lost its linch…pin and was on the point of leaving the axle…tree； which would almost inevitably have hurled the carriage into the abyss。
Need we； even here； relinquish the theory of subconscious perceptions？ Do we know and can the author of the anecdote； whose good faith is not in question； tell us that certain unperceived circumstances； such as the grating of the wheel or the swaying of the carriage； did not give him the first alarm？ After all； we know how easily stories of this kind involuntarily take a dramatic turn even at the actual moment and especially afterwards。
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These examplesand there are many more of a similar kindare enough； I think； to illustrate this class of premonitions。 The problem in these cases is simpler than when it relates to fruitless warnings； at least it is simpler so long as we do not bring into discussion the question of spirits； of unknown intelligences； or of an actual knowledge of the future； otherwise the same difficulty reappears and the warning； which this time seems efficacious； is in reality just as vain。 In fact； the mysterious entity which knows that the traveler will go to the water's edge； that the wheel will be on the point of leaving 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