galton.org 113
Visionaries
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case with the colour-blind, so with these seers. They imagined at first that
everybody else had the same way of regarding things as themselves. Then
they betrayed their peculiarities by some chance remark that called forth a
stare of surprise, followed by ridicule and a sharp scolding for their
silliness, so that the poor little things shrank back into themselves, and
never ventured again to allude to their inner world. I will quote just one of
many similar letters as a sample. I received it, together with much
interesting information, immediately after a lecture I gave to the British
Association at Swansea, in which I had occasion to speak of the Number-
Forms. The writer says
“I had no idea for many years that everyone did not imagine numbers in the same
positions as those in which they appear to me. One unfortunate day I spoke of it, and was
sharply rebuked for my absurdity. Being a very sensitive child I felt this acutely, but
nothing ever shook my belief that, absurd or not, I always saw numbers in this particular
way. I began to be ashamed of what I considered a peculiarity, and to imagine myself;
from this and various other mental beliefs and states, as somewhat isolated and peculiar.
At your lecture the other night, though I am now over twenty-nine, the memory of my
childish misery at the dread of being peculiar came over me so strongly that I felt I must
thank you for proving that, in this particular at any rate, my case is most common.”
The next sort of vision that flashes unaccountably into existence is the
instant association in some persons of colour with sound, which was
spoken of in the last chapter, and on which I need not say more now.
A third curious and abiding fantasy of certain persons is invariably to
connect visualised pictures with words, the same picture to the same
word. These are perceived by many in a vague, fleeting, and variable way,
but to a few they appear strangely vivid and permanent. I have collected
many cases of this peculiarity, and am much indebted to the authoress,
Mrs. Haweis, who sees these pictures, for her kindness in sketching some
of them for me, and for permitting me to use her name in guarantee of
their genuineness. She says:— “Printed words have always had faces to
me; they had
definite expressions, and certain faces made me think of
certain
