There are hundreds of well authenticated reports of super-usual visions.  The vast majority of them, however, were experienced when the percipients were in bed, but believed themselves awake.  But almost everybody has often believed himself awake in bed, when he was only dreaming.  Hence the probability is overwhelming that most of these super-usual experiences were had in dreams.

But it is certain that not all were, at least in dreams as ordinarily understood; but there seems to be a waking dream state.  Foster’s visions virtually all came while he was awake, and they were generally at once described by him as if he were describing a landscape or a play.  At times he very closely identified himself with some personality of his visions, and acted out the personality, just as Mrs. Piper has habitually done.  The following is an approximate instance, quoted by Bartlett (The Salem Seer, p. 51 f.): 

    Says a writer in the New York World, Dec. 27, 1885: 

...  While we were talking one night, Foster and I, there came a knock at the door.  Bartlett arose and opened it, disclosing as he did so two young men plainly dressed, of marked provincial aspect....  I saw at once that they were clients, and arose to go.  Foster restrained me.

    “Sit down,” he said.  “I’ll try and get rid of them, for I’m not in
    the humor to be disturbed....”

Foster hinted that he had no particular inclination to gratify them then and there, but they protested that they had come some distance, and, with a characteristically good-natured smile, he gave in....

Then follows an account of a fairly good seance—­taps on the marble table, reading pellets, describing persons, etc., until I thought Foster was tired of the interview and was feigning sleep to end it.  All of a sudden he sprang to his feet with such an expression of horror and consternation as an actor playing Macbeth would have given a good deal to imitate.  His eyes glared, his breast heaved, his hands clenched....

“Why did you come here?” cried Foster, in a wail that seemed to come from the bottom of his soul.  “Why do you come here to torment me with such a sight?  Oh, God!  It’s horrible!  It’s horrible!...  It is your father I see!...  He died fearfully!  He died fearfully!  He was in Texas—­on a horse—­with cattle.  He was alone.  It is the prairies!  Alone!  The horse fell!  He was under it!  His thigh was broken—­horribly broken!  The horse ran away and left him!  He lay there stunned!  Then he came to his senses!  Oh! his thigh was dreadful!  Such agony!  My God!  Such agony!”

Foster fairly screamed at this.  The younger of the men ... broke into violent sobs.  His companion wept, too, and the pair of them clasped hands.  Bartlett looked on concerned.  As for me, I was astounded.

“He was four days dying—­four