1 74 f 0F REVERIE. Sect. XIX. 2. 



with each other. As the heart of a viper pul fates long after it I 

 is cut out of the body, and removed from the ftimulus of the 

 blood. 



8. In the feclion on fleep, it was obfervcd that the nerves of 

 fenfe are equalJ-y alive and fufceptible to irritation in that (late, 

 as when we are awake ; but that they are fecluded from flimu- 

 lating objects, or rendered unfit to receive them *. but in com- 

 plete reverie tfie reverfe happens, the immediate organs of fenfe 

 are expofed to their ufual flimuli ; but are either not excited into 

 action at all, or not into fo great action, as to produce attention 

 or fenfation. 



The total forgetfulnefs of what partes in reveries ; and the 

 furprife on recovering from them, are explained in Section 

 XVIII. 19. and in Section XVII. 3. 7. 



9. It appears from hence, that reverie is a difeafe of the epilep- 

 ttic or cataleptic kind, fince the paroxyfms of this youag lady always 



began and frequently terminated withconvulfions; and though in 

 its greateft degree it has been called fomnambulation, or fleep- 

 walking, it is totally different from fleep; becaufethe effential char- 

 acter of lleep confifts in a total fufpeniion of volition, which in 

 reverie is not affected ; the effential character of reverie confifts 

 not in the abfence of thofe irritative motions of our fenfes, 

 which are occafioned by the ftimulus of external objects, but in 

 their never being productive of fenfation. So that during a fit 

 of reverie that ftrange event happens to the whole fyftem of, 

 nerves, which occurs only to fome particular branches of them 

 in thofe, who are a fecond time expofed to the action of conta- 

 gious matter. If the matter of the fmall-pox be inferted into 

 the arm of one, who has previoufly had that difeafe, it will 

 itimulate the wound, but the general fenfation or inflammation 

 of the fyftem does not follow, which conftitutes the difeafe. 

 See Sea. XII. 7. 6. XXXIII. 2. 8. 



10. The following is the definition or character of complete 

 reverie. 1. The irritative motions occafioned by internal fli- 

 muli continue, thofe from the flimuli of external objects are ei- j 

 thcr not produced at all, or are never fucceededby fenfation or 

 attention, unlefs they are at the fame time excited by volition.- 

 2. The fenfitive motions continue, and are kept confiftent by the 

 power of volition. 3. The voluntary motions continue undis- 

 turbed. 4. The aflbchte motions continue undifturbed. 



Two other cafes of reverie are related in Section XXXIV. 3. 

 which further evince, that reverie is an effort of the mind to reA 

 lieve fome painful fenfation, and is hence allied to convulfion, 

 and to infanity. Another cafe is rehted in Clafs III. 1. 2. 2. 



%■ a SECT. 





