SYMPATHY BETWEEN TWINS.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7260, 21 January 1889, Page 6

SYMPATHY BETWEEN TWINS.

1 Ohe would naturally think that If the telepathic influence were present in any tWo people, it would be between twins, who'have been roughly compared to two watches which are started at the same hour; and keep parallel with one another in their advance through life. Mr Galton, in his ** Inquiries into Human Faculty," supports the idea that there is sympathy between twins, and attributes the power *o a specially close similarity of constitution. ■ > IMS.'explanation, however, as the authors of "Phantasms of the Living" remark," seems a little strained when applied to the simultaneous purchase in two 'different towns of two sets of champagne glasses of similar pattern owing to a sudden impulse on the part of each of the twins to surprise the other with a pre feent." But whatever be the cause of the eympathy, there can be no doubt that the effect is often remarkable. 'Take a striking instance. At an inquest hetii at Brentford, a few years ago. on twin infants, tbe mother stated that from their bitths the children had been weak. Whenever one was ill, the other was •Aftsted in a similar manner, aud both «r*M seised with a fit on the same day and dMd'at the same moment. A doctor Stated that a remarkably sympathetic Influence existed between the two lAdtdren, and that the coincidence in their •hbtdtaneous illness and death could only beaccounted for in that way. - Such a curious physiological fact at this Opens a wide field of possibilities which has not yet received much attention from thettovellst and dramatist. Missßraddon, in' One of her latest stories, " Like and Unlike," has touched upon the borders of tile subject; and an anonymous author in tfee Magazine " has worked the mhole: matter out, even to the twin brothers falling in love with the same tady,<and eventually making both die from the same disease within three days of each other. Beyond these two instances, however, modern fiction has not dealt with.the profoundly interesting question of sympathy between twins. In that curious work issued under the auspices of the Psychological Society, **Phantasms of the living, there are two or; time examples in point; but the UUBBhw of cases is so undisputably dispropotilopate, when compared with the BUmr<M testimonies of psychological phsttqitenafrom persons who cannot lay claim to the doubtful honour of having a fcwttr-Erother or sister, that it would seem ms: if the inference ot the editors were the correct one. Tbe head master of CUftan College writes that one evening hefelt very on well.and had a presentiment that he was going to die. Eventually, however, he got to sleep, and the next morning felt all right. In the evening he received a letter stating that his twinfarotber had died the evening before in Lincolnshire. . Another example is given by acorrespondent, who felt a sudden depression when fads "twfo-Orother was taken ill. and who continued in that state until his brother's death. Many eye-witnesses testify that this correspondent spoke to them of his depression before he had received any news of the state of his brother's health. Tne.Rev. J. Maciean, of Tewkesbury, writes in the sajne volume that only once has he' experienced any sympathy with hia twin-brother, and that wa% when the latter was to a storm at sea.

These eases, and one other of a comparatively trivial nature, are all that are gives among the large number of letters contained in the book. From this tact it vnay therefore be inferred, as the editors af the work state, that there is not invariably, sympathy between twins any more than - there is between any other two persons -who may be connected by blood relationship or by close ties of friendship. When this sympathetic influence does exists however, it is frequently of a most extraordinary character. The sympathy is, indeed, not infrequently of such a close nature that, as really happened in an authentic ease, both twins may be troubled with toothache, from precisely similar taaihi and both may choose for each other presents not only of the same class, but absolutely alike In all their leading istsfln