_High Spirits a Presage of Evil._--The Note of your correspondent CUTHBERT
BEDE (Vol. vii., p. 339.) upon this very interesting point recalls to my
recollection a line or two in Gilfillan's _First Gallery of Literary
Portraits_, p. 71., which bears directly upon it. Speaking of the death of
Percy Bysshe Shelley, the author says, "During all the time he spent in
Leghorn, he was in brilliant spirits, _to him a sure prognostic of coming
evil_." I may add, that I have been on terms of intimacy with various
persons who entertained a dread of finding themselves in good spirits, from
a strong conviction that some calamity would be sure to befall them. This
is a curious psychological question, worthy of attention.