l8S STUDIES OF NATURE. 



dreams, and I had not the leaft doubt in my own 

 mind, that they would foon be realized. The opi- 

 nion, that truth is fometimes conveyed to us in 

 fleep, is univerfally propagated over all the Na- 

 tions of the Earth. The greateft men of antiquity 

 have adopted it ; among others, Alexander, Cejar, 

 the Scipios, the two Catos, and Brutus, who were 

 none of them men of weak minds. The Old and 

 New Teflament have furnilhed us with many in- 

 ftances of dreams which were verified. For my 

 own part, I have no occafion for any higher proof 

 on the fubjeâ: than my own experience; and I 

 have foundj more than once, that dreams are 

 fometimes warnings, which give us information 

 very interefting to ourfelves. But if any perfon 

 fiiall pretend to attack or defend by argument, 

 things which tranfcend the powers of human un- 

 derftanding, he undertakes an impoffibility. How- 

 ever, if the reafon of Man is only an image of that 

 of the Almighty ; fince Man is capable of con- 

 veying his thoughts to the extremities of the World 

 by fecrct and concealed means, why fhould not 

 that Intelligence which governs the World, em- 

 ploy fimilar methods in accomplifliing the fame 

 purpofe ? One friend confoles another by a letter, 

 which travels through a multitude of kingdoms, 

 which circulates amidft the hatred of Nations, and 

 communicates joy and hope to one fingle indivi- 

 dual ; Why then may not the Sovereign Protedor of 



innocence 



