Observations placeholder

Death and its Mystery: After Death – Camille Flammarion

Monsieur Castex-DeGrange is no longer alive (1840-1918). He was head of the Lyons National school of Fine Arts.

Two years ago an aunt of mine was still alive, a fine woman and the best of friends. Her name was Madame A. B.

This aunt, who died at the age of eighty-three, had as a childhood friend a certain Madame C, whose daughter is still living. The latter can bear witness to the truth of the account, as can my wife, a niece of Madame A. B.

These two women had made a mutual promise to pay each other a visit after death. The first to die was to go to see the one remaining upon earth. Madame C died. This caused my poor aunt great sorrow.

Some days later, my aunt, slightly indisposed, was lying on her bed. A night lamp half lighted her bedroom. Suddenly she saw her friend, seated in her arm-chair, which was drawn up near her work-table. But - and this is what is most odd about the vision – Madame C had on, over her dress, a sort of cape with, a hood, which my aunt had never seen her wear. This particular circumstance surprised the latter a little.

One or two day after the vision, the dead woman’s daughter came to inquire as to my aunt’s health. My aunt told her of her experience, adding that it was probable that she had been the victim of an hallucination. Then Mademoiselle C said to her: “No, Madame. My poor mother was put in her coffin with a hooded cape on, which she only wore in the evening, when she was alone. She’d had a preference for it for a long time.” It seems to me

 (1) that there was no hallucination in this case, but a real intention on the part of the person to show herself, as well as to give absolute proof that she had really done so;

(2) that since the vision took place several, days after death, it would imply the continuance of the soul’s existence.

CASTEX DEGRANGE.

March 13th 1899