The Human Double

[doomsday_disco]

Among the most intelligent inquirers with whom I converse at Brighton was a lady of title. She told me that she was one of those present at the Davenport séance, held at the residence of Sir Hesketh Fleetwood. She was seated in the dark séance by the side of a gentleman whose previous scepticism, he confessed to her, was fast disappearing in the face of the facts they were witnessing, when a light was suddenly struck, and both of them distinctly saw the form of Ira Davenport glide close past them. This incident very much disturbed the confidence of Lady L—, and entirely satisfied the sceptic that imposition was practiced, and he left the room a confirmed unbeliever. I told Lady L—that, on his return to London, Mr. Ferguson spoke to me of this very fact, as one of the most curious that had yet occurred at any of the séances. He was holding, he said, the box of matches, as he usually does, when the box was snatched from his hand, and a light was struck by the invisible operator, and during the momentary ignition of the match he plainly saw a form, apparently of a human figure. He said nothing at the moment, but whispering the fact to Mr. Fay, he confirmed it, and afterwards several of those present admitted that that, too, had seen it. Mr. Ferguson, however, was not aware that anyone present supposed it to be the actual person of Ira Davenport, as no observation to that effect was made, and as Ira Davenport was seen instantly afterwards when the light was restored, fast bound to his chair, it was simply impossible that the suspicions of Lady L—or her friend could have been well founded.

 

But, admitting that two competent witnesses did actually see the form of Ira Davenport on that occasion, it is corroborative of a very important and interesting fact, and distinct phase of these puzzling mysteries of spiritual appearances – viz., the duplication of individual form. Mr. Ferguson, who did not on that occasion recognize the resemblance to Ira Davenport, nevertheless has, as he solemnly asserts, seen at other times, when alone with them, the entire duplicated form of Ira Davenport, and a part of Mr. Fay ; and in my first conversation with the Davenport Brothers they told me, among other curious facts of their extraordinary history, that persons had said they had met one or other of them in places where they had not been. On one occasion their father went to a neighbouring shop to order some fruit, when he was told by the shopkeeper that his son Ira had just been there, and had ordered the fruit. It was, however, satisfactorily proved that Ira had not left the house, and that the man must have seen his “wraith,” or “double.”

 

The Spiritualist, December 19, 1873

The uncanny echo of your second self: a shadow-blackened fougere steeped in an uncanny, discomfiting lavender tar.

[VioletChaos]

In The Bottle- A dark, gorgeous lavender cologne. Something that a devious gent might wear whilst walking through Whitechapel after a suspiciously close shave at the barber's.

Wet On Skin: Much the same, but as it warms there's...something lurking underneath. I wish I could be more specific. It's something to do with the tar, I think, because it does register as thick and syrupy, but NOT the lavender itself.

Dry Down: There's a vague aquatic hidden in the depths (no pun...) of the scent that reveals itself only in this final transformation. It's exceptionally salty, and I think THIS is both the "lurking" I sensed earlier in the process and also the thing that shadow-blackens the fougere. It's briny salt, and gentlemen's lavender cologne and a lavender resin. This is what it's boiled down to on me.

In All: medium throw. I am cautiously optimistic ('cautious' because aquatics usually go horribly awry with my skin chemistry, alas) - there's enough that's absolutely in the GOOD category, that it's (at least for now?) balancing out the question of the murky brine.

I will keep my bottle and see what happens in the aging!

[ghoulnextdoor]

Imagine if lavender went sepulchral, if coumarin turned to ash, if oakmoss grew on graves - this is the shadow-self of a classic fougère. Though we don't know this one's building blocks, we know its intentions: the familiar herbal notes have been submerged in something black and viscous, like catching your reflection in a darkened window at midnight and watching it linger after you've walked away. Doppelgangers embody pure existential horror - they violate our most fundamental sense of uniqueness through their unheimlich theft of selfhood. This is what happens when your double claims your signature scent as its own, and worse, wears it with more authority than you ever did.

[LavenderCoffee]

This begins with the most exquisite lavender, but after a few minutes it takes a sinister turn. Discomfiting indeed! Agree with both murky and sepulchral. Disagree with how this is playing out with my skin chemistry.

[doomsday_disco]

I'm not sure how helpful this review will be, but here goes.

 

If you're worried about the blackened part of the fougere, there's no intense smoke or anything acrid here. I'm not sure what it consists of -- I think there is probably oakmoss in the fougere, maaaybe a bit of ginger or something akin to it, and perhaps some grassy (but not bbq-like) vetiver. I also think there's a soft smoke in this may be the same or similar as the smoke in Fir Needle and Smoke, but I didn't deathmatch them to be sure. The lavender is most prominent in the beginning, and it's wonderful, but it becomes more about the fougere and the non-acrid smoke with wear.

 

Of the two lavender scents I tried from this year's An Evening With a Spirits collection (I didn't try Where Are the Dead due to the wormwood and orris), I prefer All Worlds are in Motion. This is not something I could see myself wearing over other lavender or fougere scents in my collection, but it was nice to be able to try it.

Edited yesterday at 05:45 PM by doomsday_disco