54. ON THE EFFECTS OF CERTAIN MENTAL 



man's mind is filled with wicked actions ; a virtuous man's with 

 deeds of benevolence ; and a humourist's with ridiculous ideas/'* 



This metaphysical truth doubtless suggested to Shakspeare part 

 of Mercutio's inimitable description of Queen INIabt 



It appears perfectly natural that the mental faculty which is ac- 

 tive during sleep should recur to the prevailing ideas of the mind 

 in the waking state, when the mind preserved its due balance of 

 power. Neither is it strange that the Imagination, when unfet- 

 tered by the judgment, should, in accordance with the character of 

 its being, tinge these ideas with unnatural and gorgeous colouring. 

 The mind being fixed intently upon a single train of thought, which 

 is only interrupted by repose, resumes her reasoning when any of 

 her faculties escape from the thraldom of sleep, with this modifica- 

 tion, that, as one power or faculty — generally the Imagination — is 

 alone active in dreaming, the conclusions which it draws from the 

 same premises are occasionally, and frequently, diametrically oppo- 

 site to truth. 



It has not yet been ascertained, and in fact we are but in the 

 very threshold of the inquiry, what are the effects produced by dif- 

 ferent states of the body upon the mind. That disease of body 

 affects, in a marked degree, the mental operations during the wak- 

 ing state, is a fact well known to all, and the influence is not re- 

 moved during sleep. I have before stated that perfect sleep — that 

 in which the whole of the mental operations are annihilated — 

 is an attendant only on the most perfect bodily and mental 

 health. There may be here mentioned, however, in addition to 

 this, a peculiar condition of constitution ; for it appears dependant 

 upon the combined condition of both mind and body, in which 

 dreaming never takes place. Cleon, the friend of Plutarch, Thrasy- 

 medes, and others, never dreamed during the course of a long life. 

 Similar instances have been recorded by Locke and Aristotle, where 

 dreaming never took place till a certain period, and then was pro- 

 duced by an assignable cause. A gentleman, whose case is men- 



• Macnish, op. dL 



•f" Romeo and Juliet. — The same ideas are very finely expressed in an Ita- 

 lian tragedy, termed The Acripanta : 



" Whilst the fond scenes that daily sway the man 



And fill the spirit, haunt him still in sleep. 



When dreams the huntsman, punctual, of the chase, 



The warrior pants for combat. 



So * « • 



* ♦ + with the winds, 



Strives the vain mariner, each adverse wave 



Bearing him farther from the iiuicied port.'* 



