232 ON THE EFFECTS OP CERTAIN MENTAL 



we exist in an ideal world ; whilst the sleep-walker is conversant 

 with actually existing and material objects. Therefore they con- 

 clude that the sleep-walker is awake, or rather that he derives the 

 impressions which are the subjects of his imagination, through the 

 senses alone. 



Somnambulism appears rather to depend upon the nature of the 

 dream, when there is a strong propensity to it, and this will explain 

 the difficulty which Bertrand and Heinroth have started. It is only 

 when the dream relates to actual and real occurrences, that it can be 

 acted upon by the sleeping person : were it of a more fanciful or 

 ideal character, this could not possibly take place. He may dream 

 of swimming, and imitate the action — of walking or climbing to 

 certain situations near, and instantly do it — he may dream of writ- 

 ing, reading, dressing, cooking, riding, dispensing, composing, sing- 

 ing, and other actions, and perform them : but if his dream carry 

 him to Arabia, to the North-pole, to Heaven, or to the moon — if 

 his Imagination bury him alive, turn him to a stone, a sphynx, to 

 a mummy, an egg, or a tea-kettle — it becomes impossible for a som- 

 nambulist to represent or perform any of these actions, and, there- 

 fore, he remains quiet and undisturbed. 



These physiologists consider the somnambulists' actions to be 

 entirely independent of both the perception of their senses, and the 

 imagination of their dreams ; they suppose them to be endowed 

 with a peculiar mode of perception, which they term " Clair- 

 voyance." This power combines the functions of sight and hearing ; 

 it is neither separately, but a compound of both, and is diffused over 

 the body generally ; though its principal seat, the organs of the 

 function, are the finger-ends and the nervous centres surrounding 

 the stomach. 



Tliis opinion appears to be ill-founded, and unworthy of recep- 

 tion or belief, although adopted by all, or the greater part of, the 

 philosophers and physiologists of the continent of Europe ; and, in- 

 deed, many facts may be deduced in its support. A somnambulist 

 was accustomed to rise in his sleep, dress himself, go down to the 

 cellar, and draw wine from a cask ; he appeared to see in the dark 

 as well as in a clear day : but when he awoke in the street or in 

 the cellar he was obliged to grope and feel his way back to his bed. 

 Negretti, another sleep-walker, of whom we have an account given 

 by Muratori, in his admirable book, Delia Fantasia Umana, some- 

 times carried about with him a candle, as if to give him light in his 

 employment ; but on a bottle being substituted, took it, and carried 

 it, fancying that it was a candle. He once said, during his sleep. 



